We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

 

Title: We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Reviewer: Aditi N., Grade 9

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

We Hunt the Flame is set in a fantasy world, Arawiya, which is inspired by ancient Arabia. It follows Zafira, a fearless huntress in a patriarchal society, on a quest to retrieve a jewel that will restore magic and put an end to the cursed forest that has caused her people to suffer. She crosses paths with Nasir, an assassin and the crown prince, who has embarked on a journey to steal the jewel and kill her in order to prove himself to his father.

Faizal's lush, eloquent writing furnishes this book with exquisite charm. Although the narrative was slow to develop, it definitely picked up with action-packed twists and turns near the finish. The plot is predictable at times and follows familiar tropes, but the characters and setting are vibrant and well-crafted. I particularly enjoyed the deep connection between Zafira and Yasmine, as well as Nasir and Altair's amusing banter. Overall, this was a memorable novel perfect for Aladdin enthusiasts, with an exciting ending

A Blade So Black by LL McKinney

Title: A Blade so Black by LL McKinney

Reviewer: Ariana, Grade 11

Rating: 3 stars

This was not the story I was expecting. On the night her father died, Alice ran from the hospital and was attacked by a Nightmare. A creature born out of fear and anger from humans. She was rescued by her mentor, Addison Hatta, and started her year-long journey of becoming a Dreamwalker. This role is a human who can travel into Wonderland and defeat Nightmares. As of late, Alice has been dealing with daily life concerns, which led to a faulty mission. To correct her mistake, she must go on a journey to find a gem lost long ago. 

Alice is a fierce African-American female ready to fight and save her friends. She has weathered the loss of her father, the feeling of helplessness, and blossomed into a warrior. This book is simple with its characters, worldbuilding, and storyline. I adore the mother-daughter relationship! It is the most realistic one I've read. The narrative is cute and fluffy but deals with serious issues of being a Black person (like police brutality). 

The book was fast-paced and modern in its references. While it was enjoyable, I felt like this book lacked from about the sixty percent mark to the end. If this book were a little longer, the journey would have been more realistic and the worldbuilding would have benefited. The writing felt stiff and chunky in sections. However, I do appreciate the intentions and the complex world the author was trying to create. I would recommend this book to anyone starting fantasy.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Title: One of Us is Lying by Karen M.  McManus

Reviewer: Louisa, grade 8

Rating: 5 stars

One of us is Lying by Karen M. McManus is a thrilling novel filled with suspense and shocking plot twists. This mystery is centered around four high school students that have never before had anything to do with one another; Bronwyn, who will most likely get into Yale at some point, Cooper, whose life is all baseball, Addy, the perfect prom queen, and Nate, Bayview High School’s resident bad boy. These seemingly unrelated teens get drawn together in the face of a murder investigation where they are the suspects, and while secrets are uncovered and truths are revealed, they start forming an unlikely friendship.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it kept me interested the whole time, and as new developments shocked me, it got more intriguing. It was also easy to understand and relate to the characters and their conflicts. The whole plot is very believable, and it is full of subtle clues and red herrings that turned me in every direction possible while reading it. As well as spinning a mystery, Karen M. McManus incorporates real-world problems in our society, such as substance abuse and homophobia, into her book. This helps make the story even more real and engaging because the characters have real problems and conflicts that make it easier to connect to them. 

Overall, this book was excellent, with a suspenseful plot that makes it a real page-turner. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting mystery or just a good book in general.  

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Book: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Reviewer: Yasmin, Grade 11

Rating: 5 stars

 

This is the first book of an ongoing series; a mystical take on the Salem witch trial following the story of a girl named Deka as she battles both the people around her and the monsters of her world. In a society reminiscent of old Salem, with similar expectations of women’s characteristics and purity, Deka faces difficulties in the face of her society’s close minded expectations that have been drilled into her since childhood. In Deka’s small town, every girl’s dream is to go through the ritual of purity, where they officially step into adulthood. This is Deka’s only hope for acceptance in her town, where many discriminate against her due to her mixed heritage. However, on the day of the ritual, her village is attacked by demon-like creatures that have been ravaging the entire country. In an effort to survive, Deka reveals some miraculous- and condemning- abilities. Before she knows it, she is found guilty of witchcraft, imprisoned, tortured, then whisked away by an agent from the capital city, and her life is turned upside down. This story is a never-before seen take on one of the most infamous events in American history, and takes multiple unexpected twists and turns, keeping you guessing the whole time. The world building is well done and complex, and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something unique in the fantasy genre as well as dystopian, as it explores various social issues in a high tension, fantasy world. 

Girl, Serpent, Thorn

 

Book: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Reviewer: Yasmin, Grade 11

Rating: 3 stars

 

Soraya has been hidden away her whole life, locked behind palace doors because of her dangerous curse: anyone who touches her will instantly die. Cursed before she was even born by one of the magical “divs”, Soraya has lived her whole life in hiding, longing for a way to end her curse and her loneliness. When one of the notorious magical creatures is brought in as a prisoner after a sudden attack, she can’t help but seek her out to find answers, despite being forbidden to do so. But divs are manipulative creatures, and Soraya quickly finds herself betrayed, forming unlikely alliances, and embroiled in an outright war.

This story follows a unique, well-crafted character and features impressive world building through a clever inclusion of various mythological tales specific to the book’s universe. Though the plot was at times predictable and the characters at times less engaging, the story was interesting as it took a different approach to the stereotypical tale of the princess locked away: not to protect her from the world, but to protect the world from her. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick fantasy read without having to commit to a full series while still experiencing a fun twist on a traditional fairytale. 

The Cruel Prince

Book: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black 

Reviewer: Yasmin

Rating: 5 Stars

Jude is a human girl living in Fairy who desperately wants to fit in, despite being looked down upon by all those around her. Her daily life consists of avoiding her peers’ cruel trickery and mockery, and Jude’s temper doesn’t help her to lay low. Her mortal enemy, the youngest fairy prince, Cardan, never fails to remind her of that fact. However, as Jude’s desire to prove herself gets her more and more embroiled in the royal games of Fairy, she quickly finds herself in mortal danger, and her only chance of survival is her unlikely allyship with Cardan. 

This book is a fast-paced fantasy adventure like no other, with twists and turns along the way that you’ll never see coming. The trickery, deception, and betrayal had me at the edge of my seat and frantically trying to predict what would happen next. You’ll quickly get attached to the well-crafted characters and find yourself laughing along to their antics while they simultaneously fight for their lives, and plot twist after plot twist will keep you breathless in that fast-paced, unpredictable, exciting adventure. This book has the perfect blend of humor, romance, and suspense, topping it all off with a riveting cliffhanger that will have you reaching for the next book in no time. 

I highly recommend this book to fans of the fantasy genre in general, especially those who enjoy authors like Cassandra Clare, Victoria Aveyard, and more

Becoming by Michelle Obama

 Becoming by Michelle Obama

Reviewer: Minh, Grade 10

Star Rating: 5 stars

If there is a book in the world that could motivate you to get out of bed every day and chase your dreams, it would be Becoming. It is an inspirational book by Michelle Obama. A memoir of her life, starting from her childhood in the South Side of Chicago, going to college, to the journey of finding her voice, her time in the White House, and her motherhood. She did a great job in bringing readers into her story and reliving those moments. 

Michelle Obama is a powerful and inspiring woman, and this book proves it even more deeply. Michelle guides you through every page of the book with curiosity and builds up the fire in you to get up and create great things, just like she did. She empowers women around the world to use their voice, and believe in themselves.

The only flaw is it’s not a great choice for a quick read, because it’s a long story of her life, and reading it slowly would help you better understand the feeling of those moments. 

This is a perfect book for teenage readers because it’s so inspiring and it would lit the fire within you to better this world.