An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Reviewed by David L.
Grade 9

"VOW YOUR BLOOD and BODY to THE EMPIRE. KEEP your HEART for YOURSELF." When you read a book, it is the questions it asks that you give your undivided attention to. Questions like what truly is freedom? By the side of my loved one or my family? Should I give up when hope seems to be lost? What road to take when my fate is already foretold? Duty or Family?

These are what Sabaa Tahir has in hold for her readers of An Ember in the Ashes. In An Ember in the Ashes, the female protagonist, Laia, goes undercover into the Blackcliff Military Academy to save her beloved brother. In this process, Laia cross paths with the second protagonist, Elias. He is one of the finest warriors of Blackcliff, but secretly trying to escape the harsh reality of Blackcliff. As he tried, he was chosen for the trials to become the new Martial Emporer. This leads both protagonists down their fate, in search of freedom.

In Sabaa Tahir's book, I really loved how she displays her characters and the way the plot unfolds. First the characters, she started off portraying both Laia and Elias as weak and fragile. Then, the characterization fits perfectly with the plot. The plot as in something like against the odds.

Given all of that, I would love to recommend this book to someone else. The author creates the setting of this book in a whole other world, where fantasy exists. Personally, fantasy and supernatural is the type of theme for me, and I would recommend that to anyone else into it. Sabaa also creates this mood throughout the story where things happen, and the protagonists try not to give up to reach their ideal freedom. This of course can be interpreted into a moral of don't give up until you reach your goal, and that is point I can recommend this book to another.

Spoiler Alert Mini Review: Unmarked by Kami Garcia

Unmarked
Sequel to: Unbreakable

Kennedy and companions find themselves in a world where spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks on Earth. As they learn more, they wonder whether Kennedy is really meant for the Legion.


Spoiler Alert reviewer: Kyra

1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 4
How vivid was the setting? 4
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 5
How well did the book hold your interest? 5
How well did the author's language add to the book? 4
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 4

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 5
How readable was this book? 5
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 3

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 5
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 5
How memorable was this book? 5
How did you feel about the ending? 5++
If you did not finish, how did you feel about the beginning?
How creative was this book? 4

Marketing
Rank the cover (only if the final cover version has been released). 3
How well does the cover match the story? 5
Rank the jacket blurb. 4
Rank the title. 4
How well does the title match the story? 5
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Wow

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: Nothing

Pick 5 words to describe this book: Exciting, fast paced, tragic, great

Spoiler Alert Mini-Review: Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
Spoiler Alert Reviewer: Tina

1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 4
How vivid was the setting? 5
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 4
How well did the book hold your interest? 5, sometimes 4
How well did the author's language add to the book? 5
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 4

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 4
How readable was this book? 4
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 4

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 5
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 4
How memorable was this book? 5
How did you feel about the ending? 3
If you did not finish, how did you feel about the beginning?
How creative was this book? 5, sometimes 4

Marketing
Rank the cover (only if the final cover version has been released). 4
How well does the cover match the story? 3
Rank the jacket blurb. 4
Rank the title. 5
How well does the title match the story? 5
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Suspenseful

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: Her whining.

Pick 5 words to describe this book: Suspenseful, romantic; good sometimes STUPID

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Reviewed by Alexandra M.
Grade 9

Vampires, werewolves, and humans oh my! These characters may sound like a very strange combination of personalities, but they all fit together nicely in Stephanie Meyer's novel, creatively named Twilight. The book contains many different elements. Twilight has a central theme of a love story between a vampire and a human; it also has many smaller themes, morals, and stories. Each of these themes has a unique never before seen twist to it. This made for a very interesting book.

Bella Swan sounds like an average name for an average girl. Bella Swan is anything but average. She was never one to be pulled into the crowds or into peer pressure. She was fine being on her own and doing what she wanted to do, unlike some of the girls at her Arizona high school. She decides to move to a much cloudier place ( Forks, Washington ) to live with her father. Her parents are separated. She thinks she would prefer the quiet life rather than a more demanding one in Arizona. Though she does like Forks better, she could have never imagined why. She meets a boy, Edward, and they are instantly attractive to each other. Though this is no average teenage romance. He is a vampire. While he loves Bella, he must resist killing her for her blood. A huge problem comes up when another vampire vows to kill Bella. Edward must stop this other vampire, if he can't, then the love of his life will die.

The characters in this book were very well planned out and defined. Each one had such a unique personality. Each member of the Cullen "clan", Edward's family, had their own unique, and sometimes surprising, traits. For example Alice was described as shy at first, but then surprisingly outgoing! This made for a little humor every now and then. The setting was described well, mostly in the way Meyer describes the mood of each different setting, for example when she describes how the mood of Forks differs from the mood of Arizona. The conflict and the author's style were both very good. The style really kept you reading, and the conflict even more so, such as when Edward and Bella first meet, there is a lot of tension.

This book is definitely something to be recommended. The author's style itself made the book hard to put down; this style combined with the theme made the book impossible to put down. Every teenager or young adult can probably make some sort of connection with this book because it discusses what everyone goes through in high school, but with a big twist of course. This book is suitable for almost all ages.