Honestly, I was a bit afraid reading this one. I've read a lot of reviews saying that An Ember in the Ashes was a lot better than the sequel. I disagree, I enjoyed both books immensely. 
 What I loved most about the sequel was the extra POV from Helene. She's one of my favourite characters. Also, A Torch Against the Night is so fast paced, I flew through it. I saw some of the plot twists coming from a mile away, but it didn't really matter to be honest. 
 There is so much character depth in these books, as well as interesting connections between characters, awesomely evil characters, political intrigue and a dash of magic/'otherworldliness'. But most important of all (in my opinion), it was original. I felt like I was finally reading a different YA fantasy plot with different characters. Thanks Sabaa Tahir.