Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC!

I am eternally grateful to the author and the publisher for sending me this book. I loved the first volume, it was one of my favorite reads of 2024. I didn’t think it was possible to love the second more. But I did, It’s epic. The pacing is perfectly balanced, the plot hits all the beats. There is not a dull moment; every chapter and every sentence falls in precise order for a reason. The writing is beautiful and flawless, with congruous themes of oppression and discrimination, effortlessly flowing between descriptions, dialogue, and action, moving the story into the anticipated and desired direction. I devoured the book in one sitting and desperately need the third book. I’m breathing this story with my every cell, and I need the resolution.

The plot picks up right where the first book finished. Lark is running away from her village with her mother, Heron, and Kingfisher. She knows who she is, what she wants to fight for, and who she is willing to die for. Being chased by the Brethren militia, and making unlikely alliances, she’s still a young girl falling in love and fighting palpable attraction between her Kingfisher.
Nightingale is locked in the capital, in a scene of betrayal and treason. There is very little happening with her but her placing in the Kite’s palace puts her at the center of events and influences others’ life and death. We meet a Siren who’s trying to atone for her unfortunate situation. Rye’s choices bring a new power into play, and Piper’s redemption when he finally sees the truth. And there is also Petra, an eximian, a teenage naive ingenue who fell in love with an ordinary sapien. An illicit affair that her parents are trying to dismiss and hide as if she disgraced her family. The biggest character growth so far. I find Kite’s ending to be the most just and well-deserved, and I do hope he doesn’t recover. I’m looking forward to seeing Cassandra return to herself and reunite with Raven.

And the most facing portrayal of my favorite, horrifying Swan. Zara is volatile, most deliciously and dangerously. Such a detailed and realistic depiction of unpredictability, psychopathy, and mood swings fueled by survival. I hope she finds peace in the end, but at the same time, characters like that usually end up deceased in books. With a great sacrifice and redemption arc but no happy ending. If it does happen as predicted, I won’t be sad.

I’m glad the Aylish have a chance for peace, and I wish they could influence the future of the planet. Brightland population finally sees through the lies and demands peace. Eximians are the definition of the world the Brethren fear, a physical manifestation of what’s to come.

It’s a story you can’t forget easily; it stays with you and lets you see real life in different colors. It is a description of the world we live in today, full of discrimination and abuse of women, of castes controlling people and telling them they’re inferior. Where a minority, the last surviving members of a group, are exterminated because they’re undesirable. Those with power always oppress and control those without. But what makes them have the power is sometimes just a stroke of sheer luck. Where ordinary humans feared those who were different and subjugated them simply because they felt inferior and threatened by them. Where people with special powers are in charge, and they control and treat sapiens without a song as second-class citizens. It’s a true depiction of humanity at its worst and a true depiction of humanity as it is right now.

This book is truly divine and I’m invested in every aspect of the story, in all the characters. The third book can’t come too soon!

Easiest 5 star review. I loved the first book, and incredibly I think her second trumps the first. The pace never lets up, the characters are captivating and believable and I enjoyed the touch of romance thrown in.

The second novel picks up where the first left off, with Elsa fleeing with her mother and the magnetic Kingfisher.. Rye has evaded capture and is also on the run. Piper is starting to question his beliefs. And the star of show, Nightingale remains captive in the capital but overall seems to be faring well. The author has thrown in additional complexity by adding the return of a another race (Mars??) - they are scouting the Earth with hopes to re-occupy. Petra is our eyes-and-ears and faces issues of her own in an arranged marriage. And amongst this all is songlight which unites and divides, and constantly evolves in terms of what it can achieve.

Its a successful combination of vying politics, dystopian flavour, social commentary and persecution. The adventure is relentless, filled with unpredictable twists and turns and creativity. I felt fully connected to the many individualistic characters and fascinated by the introduction of a new "race".

There is clearly a third book and Ill be front of the queue .

Dystopian fantasy YA perfection! 5/5 stars. I thought I loved book 1 (I did) and book 2 was just a revelation. I could not put it down. I stayed up to finish it till 2am because it was THAT good. These characters will get under your skin and stay there for the foreseeable future. Their grey morality is both alluring and immensely frustrating and I found myself cursing their courageous minds and passionate hearts - and damnable decisions! Do not miss this incredible sequel where a revolution builds and Lark and Nightingale are tested time and again...The future of humanity and society hangs in the balance (and book 3 is to come!).

- Thank you to Faber for providing this ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 3 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

I was delighted to receive an arc for this book. I really enjoyed the first book and the world building is top notch. I enjoyed finding out more of the different type of people in this world. An excellent fantasy story where you can immerse yourself in an alternate reality.

Really enjoyed the first book in this series and this was a great sequel. I’m not a fan of more recent YA but this dystopian tale of power and resistance is an exception. Highly recommend this series.

Torchfire by Moira Buffini is a gripping and masterfully crafted second instalment in her dystopian fantasy trilogy. Returning to a world where sunlight—a powerful form of telepathy—is either a gift or a curse, the story raises the stakes as its characters are caught in a battle that will determine the future of civilisation.

Elsa is on the run, desperate for a haven. Nightingale is a captive, forced to wield her sunlight against her people. Piper, now rising through the ranks of the Airmen, finds himself entangled in a brutal system that demands nothing but bloodshed. Meanwhile, Rye stumbles upon an astonishing airship, unlike anything ever seen before.

Though these four are bound by their shared desire for peace, peace itself seems further away than ever. The tensions between Brightland, which seeks to stamp out Songlight, and Ayland, which hopes for harmony, are on the verge of collapse. But a new force enters the fray—the Sealanders, an elite race of Torches who have returned to Earth with their dangerous agenda.

With Torchfire, Buffini delivers an intense and immersive tale of power, resistance, and survival. The worldbuilding is rich, the characters are compelling, and the twists keep you turning the pages. As the conflict escalates, the future of Ayland, Brightland, and the world beyond hangs in the balance. A must-read for fans of thought-provoking and high-stakes fantasy!

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Torchfire by Moira Buffini was a masterpiece! This author is a genious! I rated this book 5 stars because it really deserves this quotation! So so good.

Songlight was my first ARC ever and I struck gold with that one because I loved it! As soon as I saw Torchfire I knew I needed to read it asap..
And wow. This second book leaves me even more hardbroken and curious for the next part of the story. Moira just keeps destroying me! She's created such a broken world with beautiful people who fight for what they believe in. The twists kept coming and..I just need the next book now!