Review not from the target age…rather too obviously YA for me! 3.5 raised

I do read YA, though I am well past that time in my life. There is much to learn and think and feel about when some exceptional writers who have targeted towards the market are exploring deep issues in a way which renders them accessible but not impositional or dogmatic.

So…..I keenly explored the first volume of Buffini’s Torch trilogy, Songlight, which I enthusiastically 5 starred, because all which really identified it as for that target market was the age of the protagonists. Now, this one satisfied me less, though the depth of themes is wonderful. It was the charge up of cliff edge event after cliff edge event, the kind of filmic ramp up of battles, escape from extreme danger action after action, plus the similar will he/will she/will they charged spaces of teenage awakening and present sexuality which were wearying to a reader not of that demographic. This one seems more obviously gearing to the movie/Netflix series which will no doubt be on the horizon and a money spinner.

So, I do feel somewhat mean at my lowered rating. I think if you were 11 or 12+ this will be a thoroughly sensational and immersive read. I’m not sure how much it would still appeal to a late teens audience, especially those who are more sophisticated readers.

When I think back to my own teens – where ‘YA’ did not exist, and one was allowed unsupervised access to the adult library by the age of 12, although access to the children’s library was still possible, if wanted – I suspect lack of such ‘YA’ orientation led to the consumption of more challenging fare, without feeling it was too difficult.

Certainly, I remember by that age, reading John Wyndham (a profound, acknowledged and conscious influence on Buffini – especially ‘The Chrysalids’ which she cites in this book, and is even responsible for the homage naming of her newest ‘Torch’. Petra. Wyndham was never an author marketed towards young readers, though he was certainly an author which early secondary school pupils were devouring, as much as older adults. I went back to re-read The Chrysalids, and was absolutely struck by Wyndham’s economy, brevity, clarity and depth. Themes explored in that book are within this.

I do wish Buffini had been somewhat sparer in the constant ramping up of tension. It had the curious effect of making me skip and speed read, as being a tad too repetitive

There is everything to recommend though, for the younger secondary school reader, and also for the inclusion of themes around LGBTQ, sensitively handled.

I received this as an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley

This is the 2nd book in the trilogy, and it is another wonderful instalment.

There are the main characters in this story, and they come from different backgrounds and are fighting for their rights to live as they want to live. Some want to express themselves without persecution. There are lasting rivalries between different societies and cultures.

There are a few main characters, Lark, Nightingale, Petra, Lady Swan and Piper. They all have a connection through this book, and it twists and turns as the story becomes increasingly intense.

Battles for power, life and existence are themes that are strongly felt through this story and the author weaves a wonderful tale of subterfuge, trust, betrayal and so much more. It is a YA trilogy and it feels right to fit in that category, but it is not just aimed at YA readers. I have adored this book as much as the first.

The author expertly expands on the first book, providing more detail and adding depth to the characters. Their personalities are really strong and their convictions are known. Just because they are all striving for their own ends does not mean that they are necessarily against each other. There is some animosity.

This is a book that transcends cultures, themes, and ultimately aims for peace. But his will come at a cost.

This is a fantasy that is intense, well-paced, and has brilliant content, ideas, and characters. I adored the first one and this 2nd one is fabulous. I would definitely recommend it.

absolutely amazing 🤩 the first book was incredible and this just got even better I don’t have a bad word to say. The different POVs are everything, the characters are so well described and have real depth and the world building is so good as it’s not a huge information dump but slowly builds to allow you to fully understand what’s happening. I NEED the next book NOW

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.

I remember that the first book was a 5-star read for me, so to give this only 3 stars feels wrong somehow. But I feel like this might be a case of 'I should have reread the first book'. I definitely enjoyed this, but there are just too many characters in this book, and too few details I remember from the first book. I'll definitely be doing a reread of these when book 3 comes out, and I'm sure the rating will change then!

I enjoyed this book. as it's well plotted, fascinating world building, and very clever .
I liked the good storytelling and it kept me engrossed and turning pages
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this amazing book!!!
Songlight was good but Torchfire... I just finished it and I have so many thoughts on my mind at the same time.
First of all, I wanna say I loved the addition of a new civilization specially Petra (I loved her diary). Loved what she brought to the book in terms of the politics of her people and how she helped Rye and Wren (another good addition). As talking about Rye, we didn't see much of him on the 1st hook because of his situation but I really loved him on this one. His ideals, how he defended the friends he made, how he tried to do what he could to stop the war. And his ending on the book, I gotta say I was rooting for it to happen cause I wanted to see the reaction and I gotta say I loved it.
As for the other characters, Nightingale always makes me feel super protective and she has the purest heart. Lark proved she's so brave specially for the ending of the book. I love their friendship so much! They put themselves on the line to save each other.
Kite makes wanna commit a murder. A Swan has me conflicted. Sometimes I think she's misunderstood but, what she pulled at the end of the book, makes me wanna strangle her. Gosh what the Hell is gonna happen in book 3?
I need it!!!

So I loved this more than book one. Building upon the world as we officially meet the Aylish as well as a new group of Sealanders. It gives us all three variations of how differences are treated amongst people in a stark manner. Its gripping and fully emphasises how a war can be fought on every front and there are rights and wrongs on every side for every decision. I enjoyed all of the POVs (Lark, Nightingale, Swan, Rye, Piper and Petra) we got and the look at Torchfire itself showing powerful one person can be.

I'm looking forward to being able to continue the this journey into its final chapter when that is announced.

I was completely gripped throughout - fast paced and very engaging. This second book is just as good as the first. I didn’t realise the author is a screen writer and only found out while reading this book and it explains why her writing is excellent and the world building is easy to follow. Beautifully written and I cannot wait for the next instalment!

I have SO MUCH love for this series.

Moira Buffini has me hooked on her writing with such powerful worldbuilding, characters, and everything about these books has me loving them!! I love how these characters are written, and I’m scared to say anything in case I spoil this, because I want y’all to read these books!! I also NEED more!!

The Torch trilogy continues to burn brighter with every book, and I am absolutely hooked.

I loved the first instalment, and this one might just top it: more intense, more expansive, and even more emotionally resonant. This is a mighty fine dystopian YA fantasy.

Buffini has created a world where songlight, a kind of telepathic power, is either your greatest weapon or your downfall. The stakes are higher than ever and there were some great plot twists and turns; I did not see them coming, and they kept me totally gripped.

While the four protagonists are scattered, their shared hope for peace binds them. But peace between Ayland and Brightland is slipping through their fingers. And now, with the return of the Sealanders, elite Torches from beyond, the future of their world teeters on the edge.

Buffini blends character-driven storytelling with high-stakes action and rich, poetic world-building. Unputdownable. I need book three now. Like, yesterday.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Faber & Faber for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley, faber and Moira Buffini for the ARC and the opportunity to read this book before its release. All thoughts are my own.

I cannot even begin to express into words how excited I was to be back into the Torch universe. Finding book 1 last year was such an unexpected surprise and I basically haven’t stopped yapping about it since then (ask my friends).
It’s one of those books that I find myself thinking back about, the more time it passes, and even if it wasn’t utter perfection for my standards, my love for the story, characters and world building grew with time.

And Torchfire is somehow even better. I couldn’t wait to be back into the story, especially after the events that went down at the end of Songlight. From finding these characters again, to getting to know new ones, and seeing timelines and stories coming together, everything kept me hooked in.
And nothing is more important for me to feel like I can’t put the book down (Hunger Games ruining my standards since 2010)

I loved holding my breath following Lark’s and Kingfisher’s escape journey, was intrigued by Petra and this new side of the universe that we didn’t know. Rye and Wren were perfect, and the way that Moira handles representation of all kind is truly exemplary. The best part of this series is witnessing how human nature can both be so cruel and so beautiful when facing the different, and the hope that it is still able to give me even when facing horrible situations.
I grew so fond of Piper (has he become my favorite?), which comes to such a surprise given that I initially found his pov weak, boring and honestly infuriating. I love when authors actually know how to do character development.

I will never grow tired to yap about this series, it has everything. Super interesting world building, complex characters, a writing style that hooks you in and singular and unique voices. Plus, super important for me, an incredible representation of all minorities, from queer to trans to women to disabilities, mental and physical.
What else do you need?

absolutly loved this book. it became of on my fave books & series so far. I love the characters. the world. the writing

TORCHFIRE is a thrilling second instalment in this dystopian series.

This book spreads the story out across four main strands but then slowly begins to draw the characters together, until it ends with all the characters in one of two places. We get this expansive tale and an exploration of more places and people, but I did like that it began to contract, pulling everyone closer together. I've appreciated that songlight has kept the characters influencing one another and interacting so far, but it's really nice to have them finally physically coming together.

In addition to the existing five narrators, there is a new addition to the cast: Petra. She is from a distant, far more technologically advanced land where Torches rule - and see those without songlight as second class citizens. It was very interesting to see another power dynamic around these powers, one where they were the hunters rather than the hunted. It shows that no group is inherently better than another, reinforcing the series' message about living together as equals regardless of where we come from.

The tale also digs into the messiness of relationships and emotions. Lark and Rye, who start SONGLIGHT deeply in love, both are starting to feel things for other people - and are also grappling with that alongside their love for the one they think dead or will never see again. Kingfisher is playing a dangerous - and potentially true - game with his own affections. Nightingale is surrounded by twisted "love" and both recognising its effects on her and not. It's an exploration of how complicated it can be.

It also delves deeper into the twisted side of what some people call "love" to hide control. Kite controlling Swan is the most obvious side of it, and the effect that is happening on her. I love how morally grey she is, a survivor who has compromised so many times but also cannot see how she is hurting others. There are similar manipulations of affection in Petra's people and a disregard for the bodies and feelings of those considered lesser.

I am looking forward to seeing how it ends!

This is hit harder then I was expecting, YA dystopian that hits with the weight and complexity of adult fiction. The characters in this book, this choices they have to make will tear you apart. The prejudices, the fight, the world and the hope for a better future it was phenomenal. My heart was pounding with some of the chapters, I loved to hate, then, hated to love. This was a page turning for sure. I can't wait for book 3.

Thank you so much to Faber and Faber, Moira Buffini and NetGalley for sending me an eARC copy of Torchfire for review!

4.5 stars!

Wow oh wow this hit so hard! I enjoyed Songlight but wasn't super invested in the characters (as much as I wanted to be), but I was intrigued enough to want to continue the series, and my gosh Torchfire blew it out of the water for me! Now I'm thinking a reread of Songlight is in order because how did I not love it on first read?? Blasphemy.

Torchfire follows our main characters after the explosive conclusion to Songlight; we watch them as they try to navigate this new world that they've all been thrown into, still with the threats of being persecuted for a gift that many of them have, songlight. Lark, Rye, Nightingale, Swan and Piper are all trying to survive in a world that seems stacked against them. We also have a new POV addition of Petra, who adds a whole different layer to the story and a new perspective. We follow Petra as her people are flying over Brightland and Ayland trying to resettle what they believe is an uninhabited planet, but they soon find out that the planet is not as it seems.

I love dystopian books, and this new YA series is really gearing up to be a new fave; the post-apocalyptic world feels so intriguing and special, especially with the allusions to the Light People and the technologies that came before the era of Songlight. I'd love a deeper dive into the Light People; maybe we'll get that in the third book in the trilogy.

The characters really hooked me in this instalment. I think one of my main gripes with Songlight was the five POVs, some of which felt like they could have been removed to strengthen the more dominant plots. However, in Torchfire, I truly see why those POVs were necessary, and even welcomed the introduction of Petra's POV to strengthen the story as a whole. Each character had their chance to shine, and I really enjoyed reading from all of them; they're all so well developed and so fleshed out. Lark and Nightingale's relationship really had my heart going; I love their friendship so dang much! Swan also really intrigues me; who knows what that girl will do.

The pacing is also amazing; there never feels like a dull moment. I sped through this book in a matter of days and never felt bored while reading, which I did a bit with Songlight. The book was plot driven definitely, but the characters never suffered for it, in fact they endeared themselves to me so much more for having a fast paced plot to keep up with. Some events had me gasping and wanting to throw my tablet across the room, and others had me so tense waiting to see what would happen to the characters.

I think my least favourite part of this is the romance, which I'm sad about! Some of the will-they-won't-they relationships get a little tedious to read about, and I'm cautious about the way things will turn out when certain characters are reunited/meet for the first time. I'm way more into the friendships in this rather than the romance as I said before, but the romantic plot is definitely not the main plotline at all. However, I really enjoy the queer representation in this series; the world is very much not queer-normative, but it's still lovely to see the different aspects of queerness present in some of our characters.

Overall I really enjoyed Torchfire, it was a stunning sequel that didn't suffer from second book syndrome in the slightest. And after that ending I'm so excited to read the third book, whenever that comes out! I hope it'll be soon! If you're a dystopian fan, definitely pick up Songlight first and then get to this one; it's a real gem of a new series!

Telepathy. Tyranny. Teroans. Welcome back to Brightland, where peace is fragile and airships are everything.

PRE-READING THOUGHTS
I remember loving the first book (…I think? It’s all a bit misty now), but I didn’t have time for a reread, so I was a little nervous jumping in. High-concept worlds with no refresher are a gamble. But the promise of more songlight chaos and tangled loyalties was too tempting to ignore.

POST-READING
🌀 As I thought...
Once I reoriented myself, I was all in. The stakes have definitely risen - everyone’s scattered, schemes are thick in the air, and the whole “humans are second-class citizens” angle with the Teroans added a fascinating and uncomfortable wrinkle. It’s still got that emotional core, too: characters trying to cling to peace in the face of manipulation and violence.

✨ It surprised me by...
How quickly I got reattached. Nightingale’s story in particular felt especially urgent, and Rye’s airship subplot scratched that Howl’s Moving Castle meets Firefly itch. I didn’t expect the interplanetary angle to work as well as it did, but it expands the world in a smart way - not just bigger, but deeper. And now I’m counting down to book three like it’s release day for a season finale.

✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦
📚 Scythe by Neal Shusterman
📺 His Dark Materials or The 100 — telepathy, power struggles, and a crumbling world order

✦ MUSIC PAIRING ✦
Because sometimes, the heart of a story plays out like a song.

🎵 Featured Song: “No Light, No Light” – Florence + The Machine
🎶 Vibe Album: Ceremonials – Florence + The Machine (ethereal, powerful, full of drama and soul)
🎧 Artist Recommendation: Aurora — for that elemental, haunting energy that feels half-human, half-starlight

✧ VIBE CHECK ✧
🎨 Colour palette: Indigo skies, gold threads, industrial silver, and bloodred warnings
🎬 Soundtrack: Choirs echoing over battlefields, glitchy radio signals, the thrum of airships
🌪️ Season: Winter - hard, beautiful, and quietly dangerous
🧠 Mood: Spiralling tension with moments of lyrical hope
👃 Scent: Cold metal, crushed wildflowers, smoke on the wind

★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★
🔮 Judgement - Tarot of the 78 Doors

Judgement calls us to face our past, take the lessons we need and discard the rest. In this card, some people are unable to do that - they're clinging to the past, literally falling with it. Clinging to the past is an easy way to fall short of your goal, like some of the characters in this novel!

I really enjoyed the first book and was excited for this sequel. It was everything and more. I don't understand how it could be better than the first, but it was. I couldn't put this book down and I will be recommending this series to everyone.

This is the second book in the dystopian YA series by screenwriter, Moira Buffini, and it does not disappoint.

From the promising beginnings of Songlight, Torchfire picks up almost immediately where we left off, continuing the heroic tales of Elsa Crane known as Lark, along with Rye Tern, Nightingale, and Kingfisher, as they battle for freedom, equality, and understanding. We are also introduced to some very interesting new characters, the Sealanders, who consider themselves to be a superior, separate race.

Torchfire has an amazing cast of characters, some of whom I felt were slightly under-served in this novel as they were mainly used as a prop for world-building. Nonetheless, Buffini’s talent at creating interesting and believable character arcs is very apparent, and I thought the intertwining storylines were beautifully told.

Where the author really excels is in writing political intrigue. The chapters set in Brightlinghelm are incredibly dynamic, full of the machinations of a despotic leader and his followers, some of whom are loyal, and more interestingly, those who have their own agendas. One such person is Zara Swan, in whom Buffini has created a deliciously complicated and dangerous character. Mistreated from childhood, Swan is the ultimate survivor and I found myself reading with glee whenever she made an appearance.

This sequel is a very timely tale of power, oppression, and discrimination, where we observe some characters blindly following orders, and others bravely considering their actions with humanity and empathy. We are constantly challenged to put ourselves in their shoes and consider what we would do in similar circumstances. I’m already looking forward to the third and final instalment in the series.

Thank you to #netgalley and #faberbooks for the ARC.

Having read and loved Songlight last year, I was excited to read this one. It didn't disappoint!

I loved this as much as the first. It was a great continuation from the first book. I thought the pacing was spot on. I loved finding out what happens next and the new characters added.

Im a bit hit and miss when it comes to YA. I read book one because of the dystopian eleme t and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it so much as it wasn't what I initially thought it was going to be. This sequel is a fab addition to the series.

You definitely need to read the first.

Review will be posted to Goodreads.

I was worried about how this book would work. Pacing wise, second books fall short and this didn't have that problem. There's a lot of people, new and old to keep track of, but I came to love the different POVs.

Piper was my favourite, he just had a great journey in this, but Wren was a close second.

I do have to say if any more bird names crop up I will scream. Because it's getting confusing for my heatwave scrambled brains. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC