An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Hellen's Rating: ★★★★

Review:

An Ember in the Ashes is an action-packed suspenseful and heart capturing novel. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia agrees to spy on the Commandant, a ruthless woman, risking her life. Then Laia meets Elias the school's most ruthless, yet reluctant, soldier. Together they go through trials but eventually find freedom. 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Hellen's Rating: ★★★★

Review:

The Hunger Games is a jarring, violent, action-packed novel full of suspense. When Katniss' sister is called for the reaping, Katniss has little hesistation in volunteering to take her place. Katniss has to particpate in the 74th Hunger Games, meeting new people and fighting to survive.
I would recommend this book. 

Naruto Vol. 3 by Masashi Kishimoto

Teodora's Rating: ★★★★

Review:

Time is of the essence as the trio trains for their next meeting with the demon ninja Zabuza. And how do they train? By climbing trees! The catch? They can't use their hands. As they fall and try again, a local boy claims to Naruto that heroes are not real. When Zabuza does indeed return and threatens the livelihood of everyone in the village, it is time for Naruto to prove him wrong.
I recall reading this volume a long time ago and one thing stuck with me: the reason for why the local boy does not believe in heroes. Rereading this volume, I was again touched by his sad backstory and the despair he felt. The beginning of the manga (in which the trio climbed trees) was very humorous and a nice change of pace after the life threatening battle from the last volume. If calm is not your thing, I can say that an even more dramatic battle begins near the end of this volume. I felt like the pacing for this volume was slower, but Kishimoto made up for it with an intriguing cliffhanger. Naruto's true potential as a ninja may be revealed in the next volume. 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Hellen's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

Divergent is an action-packed dystopia with a hint of romance. When Tris Prior chooses Dauntless instead of her first faction, Abnegation, her life changes forever. She meets and falls in love with Four, the handsome Dauntless trainer. As the story progresses Tris discovers more and more about herself and the world she grew up in.
I loved this book right from the beginning, especially Four. 

Naruto Vol. 2 by Masashi Kishimoto

Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura have passed their teacher's test and have become fully-fledged junior ninjas. As ninjas, they much help protect the village and perform tasks aimed to improve their ninja abilities. But Naruto is bored with these menial chores and wants something more challenging. The trio take on a higher level mission, but could it be too advanced for these junior ninjas?
While it was expected that the protagonist would indeed pass the test, I was still happy to see the conclusion. Kakashi, the teacher, is so interesting and becomes even more so when we see him in action later in the manga. When it became apparent that the task was too much for them to handle, I couldn't stop flipping to the next page. It seems at many times that there is no way to defeat the enemy, but Naruto manages to keep them on their toes with his quick thinking. Kishimoto keeps the pacing of this story fast yet clear. I feel like backgrounds were more frequently included, so kudos to the author. Another thing that has improved is the conflict that exists between Sasuke and Naruto. We see now that Naruto views Sasuke not as an opponent, but as someone he must surpass. Thus, he is implying his own character growth. I am curious to see how their relationship grows in the next volumes. 

Black Butler Vol. 3 by Yana Taboso

Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

The murderous Jack the Ripper has been found: Ciel's aunt, Madame Red, and her butler, Grell! While Madame Red is fully human, the same can not be said for Grell who turns out that he is not an incompetent butler, but an able and flamboyant grim reaper! With an admiration for the demon butler Sebastian, the two fight while Ciel is left to confront his aunt and her tragic past. It is his duty to rid London of the killer, but could family bonds prevent him from killing family?
Oh, the fight scene between Grell and Sebastian was amazing! Yana Toboso was smart to not make it just full of sound effects, but include dialogue between the two supernaturals. Toboso also makes Madame Red's backstory dramatic and I found myself feeling sorry for her. The world Toboso has created is growing wonderfully and I look forward to reading more. Also, I can admit that, in my opinion, this manga is better than the popular anime of the same name (and I think that is excellent too). After the arc with Madame Red ends, we are introduced to the strong mother of Ciel's fiance, Lady Francis. This character is not introduced so early in the anime, which is a real shame. The short story involving her adds to the manga and strengthens the bonds between characters. This manga has made me interested to see what other differences exist in the manga and anime and how they compare with each other. 

Black Butler Vol. 2 by Yana Toboso

Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

Murders take over the headlines of London's news as a new killer ravages the streets. Known as "Jack the Ripper," this elusive criminal stalks and kills women and is causing unrest. Queen Victoria enlists the help of her loyal "guard dog," Ciel Phantomhive, and Ciel enlists the help of Sebastian. With the help of his aunt and other comrades, Sebastian and Ciel seek out this murderer. Perhaps Ciel just wishes that he did not have to converse with a loony mortician or wear a dress...
With this volume, the story of Black Butler picks up and begins. We are introduced to even more important characters and the manga ends in a cliffhanger. We also learn more about the unique relationship between Ciel and his butler. Like before, the art, pacing and humor are fantastic to see. My favorite character, the loony mortician Undertaker, finally gets introduced and we got to see more of the impossible things that Sebastian can do. I won't spoil it, but there is a wonderful allusion to the real Jack the Ripper. The killer was never identified, but many theories existed for who could have been the perpetrator. I thoroughly enjoy the effort Toboso makes towards the history of London. 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Hellen's Rating: ★★★★

Review:

This book is about a young cyborg named Cinder, in a future where the world is plagued by a deadly disease called letumosis. When Cinder's stepsister is infected by letumosis, Cinder's stepmother forces Cinder to participate in the cyborg draft. The cyborg draft is where cyborgs are randomly chosen to help find a cure to letumosis. When Cinder is forced to participate, she discovers many new things about herself with the help of Dr. Erlund and Prince Kai. I loved this book and was just as surprised as Cinder of the inner discoveries that she made. 

Black Butler Vol. 1 by Yana Toboso
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★

Review:
It is the late 1800s in London and it is the home of Queen Victoria and her "guard dog," Ciel Phantomhive. Despite his young age, Ciel prefers to stay at his mansion, managing his family's business, with the help of the most special of butlers. Sebastian can do it all - cooking, cleaning, coming to Ciel's every beck-and-call, and preparing for guests at the last minute plus so much more, he is like a superhuman. If he is even human, that is? When Ciel is in trouble, Sebastian will always succeed in saving his young master.
This manga is a perfect combination of comedy and action. I recall holding back laughter numerous times at the "dramaticness" of expressions and awkward scenarios. The fighting scenes are clear and easy to follow. Each of the main chracters are memorable and wonderfully designed. Yana Toboso knows how to draw aged character (a common problem in mangas) and embraces the time period of her manga with remarkable detail. The art is definitely a highlight of this series. The story flows and is action-packed. Never does the story drag. If I  had to be nit-picky, I wish that the manga ended in a cliffhanger, but I can also understand the author's final decision. This manga was to act as an introduction. I would recommend Black Butler to fans of the supernatural, The Victorian era, and mystery.

Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers Vol. 3 by Ishio Yamagata
Teodora's Rating: ★★★

Review:
Slowly, yet surely Adlet begins to piece together ways to prove his innocence and gains allies, but not everyone is so easy to believe him. Braves against Braves fight each other, but is this the traitor's plan all along? Adlet is falsely accused for hurting one of the Braves, so time is of the essence. Who is the seventh?
The pacing of this volume was slow. This volume was dedicated to who may have really turned on the barrier surrounding them and putting the puzzle pieces together on who the traitor actually is. Adlet's deductions make sense and are clever, though this information is repeated so many times. I think that the traitor revealed themselves at the end of this manga, but I am still confused. The art is similar to the second volume and the action is now not only confusing, but slow. The next volume is the last, so I have high hopes for the final reveal of the traitor and what will come next.

Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers Vol. 2 by Ishio Yamagata
Teodora's Rating: ★★★

Review:
Adlet has managed to escape the accusatory Braves with the help of a half-fiend Brave called Fremy. While she heals his wounds, the two talk about their pasts, like how Adlet's best friend and sister were killed by fiends and how Fremy despised her fiend mother for pretending to love her. Adlet's past also reveals how he became a Brave and met the Brave princess, Nashetania. However, Fremy must eventually leave Adlet to avoid being called a traitor, leaving our main character alone. Will he be able to fend for himself against the powers of his comrades?
This volume went by much quicker than the first. Immediately, we learned more backstory about other characters and, while not to the best level, the world became easier to understand. The pacing is decent, but I am still wondering what direction this manga will take. Will it end in solving the mystery? Will it end at them defeating the evil god? I would say that the art is the same as it was in the first volume; however, there appears to be more variations (though minor) in line-thickness which is very much welcomed. The action is occasionally very hard to follow, and more dramatic line work would have been beneficial. This second volume proves to be better than its predecessor.

Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers Vol. 1 by Ishio Yamagata
Teodora's Rating: ★★★

Review:
Adlet Meyer is the "strongest man in the world" (according to him) and also one of the legendary Braves - a group of six heroes dedicated to protecting the world from fiends and ultimately defeating the evil god. When Adlet calls to assemble the rest of the Braves, something is amiss. Instead of six heroes, there are seven! Now trapped within a barrier, the Braves must find out who is the traitor among them... and they think Adlet is the seventh! Can he prove his innocence before he is killed?
Picking up this manga, I sensed RPG fantasy themes right away. What was unexpected for me was the mystery that is constantly present in the manga. The batch of suspects is small and the author does not muddle the story with more unnecessary characters, making it much more fun to guess who is the seventh Brave. Despite that, the biggest problem with this manga is the lack of explanation. I admire books that go straight to the action, but this time I felt left out. At the end of the manga, I had a small idea of the world and its problems, but many of my questions were left unanswered. This also affected the characters whose backstories were few and far between. I hope that the next volume addresses these. Art-wise, the style is nice to the eyes and some expressions are quite humorous. The style has a simple, same-thickness line-art and the pages flow nicely to the next. I don't understand the character design much. For example, two characters sport cat and bunny ears and tails, but are addressed as being human. Overall, the start of this manga introduced an intriguing main character and world.

Tales of Zestiria: A Time of Guidance Vol. 1 by Shiramine 
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Sorey, a kind-hearted and curious human boy, has lived in isolation with the mystical seraphim for as long as he could remember. After finding another human with his friend, Mikleo, they leave the village and go below to the realm of mankind, and things are not as peaceful. Mankind's negative emotions have spread across the land in the form of Malevolence and only the mythical Shepard can purify the world and return peace. Is Sorey up to the task?
This manga has it all: wonderful characters, intriguing story line, and beautiful art! Based off a hit video game with the same title, the author stayed true to the game. Sorey is a hero that the reader can root for and Mikleo's interactions are hilarious. The other characters are just as memorable and contribute to the story line. The original game is extremely story based and very long, so the author of this manga had decided to quicken the pace of the story. While it did seem to be too quick at times, I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything important. The attention to detail and character expressions were stunning as well. I'd recommend this manga to fans of Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem, or any other fantasy RPG. I look forward to reading the next volume!

The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Sadie and Carter Kane have never been close, even though they are siblings. Sadie has been living in England ever since their mother died with her grandparents, while Carter travels around with his Egyptologist father. Things are not what they seem, however, when the Kane siblings see their own father encased in a coffin and go to Manhattan with their uncle, Amos. Now, in order to save their father (and the world), Sadie and Kane have to learn ancient magic and deal with gods that are definitely not the stuff of myths. And they only have five days.
I absolutely love Egyptian ancient culture and learned a ton of neat stuff while reading. Riordan has a humorous pop culture style that weaves its way into this first book smoothly. One of my favorite things about The Red Pyramid is the description of the gods. They are colorful characters that cooperate with modern life in their own ways while still preserving the ancient Egyptian life. I will pick up the second book in this series for sure.

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic Vol. 23 by Shinobu Ohtaka
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Aladdin continues his story of the past world. Sheba has integrated herself as a member of Solomon's group, yet she wonders about the leader's past. What is the reason for trying to unite all species and create a Utopian society? As the group gets closer to creating this perfect dream, it begins to unravel and the one man who will try to sabotage their victory is the one man Solomon hates the most: his father.
Ohtaka's art is as stunning and detailed as ever. Sheba was entertaining and brought some humor to this thrilling manga (especially with her attempts to get Solomon to go on a date with her). Overall, this volume of Magi is a good segway for the next volume.

InuYasha Vol. 1 by Rumiko Takahashi
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
1997, Tokyo - Kagome lives at her family's shrine, but could care less of the legends that her grandfather tells. However, all that changes when a demon drags her through a well and into Feudal Japan! Estranged with her new surrounding, Kagome finds out she is the reincarnation of a powerful archer and bears the much desired Shikon Jewel that demons will kill her for to become unstoppable; including the half-demon InuYasha.

InuYasha exceeded my expectations. After reading the first volume, I became addicted with the anime just to know what happens next. I love stories with cultural historical influences and this manga captures Feudal Japan with magical touches like demons based off the folklore. The art has that classic and nostalgic manga feel that you can only get in the 1990s and I absolutely love the humorous expressions Takahashi draws. There is the perfect balance of funny and serious that makes InuYasha an enjoyable read. Would recommend to those who like some action, some history, and a little bit of romance.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Vol. 1 by Akira Himekawa
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
A long time ago, darkness and shadow was sealed in what was known as the Twilight Realm. Light and darkness have lived separately for years until internal conflict in the Twilight Realm promises to bring chaos and shadows back to peaceful Hyrule. Enter Link: a mysterious young man who has integrated himself into the daily life of a small village. He has many friends, though some questions his trustworthiness; especially when strange things happen.
I love the Legend of Zelda franchise and had high expectations for this series based off one of the games. I was not disappointed. It starts with a backstory not shown within the game and adds depth to some of the most important characters. The drawings are impressive as well. Twilight Princess is the start of a manga series that fans of the game can appreciate.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
Allee's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Magnus Chase is a story of a simple boy from Boston. He's lived through a troubled past and is now faced with an interesting future. Perfect for those who look for a good laugh. The story is packed with humor. It's also about bravery and loyalty.

Story Thieves: Secret Origins by James Riley
Michaiah's Rating: ★★★★

Review:
After their last adventure ended, Owen and his half-fictional friend Bethany have sworn not to jump into any more books. Books though... Not portals. Jupiter City is a comic book world once filled with brightly costumed superheroes. But now, the Dark has taken over the city with his shadows. Most of the heroes have either been mind-controlled or have disappeared completely. The only hero left who could have defeated the Dark is Doc Twilight, but he's been imprisoned. Owen and Bethany will need help from old friends to defeat the Dark. But will they actually defeat the Dark? Or will the Dark defeat them?
This book is really good! Once you start it, you won't want to put it down! It has an amazing story line and it definitely keeps you guessing throughout the book. This is the third book in the Story Thieves series. So if you liked the first two books, you'll like this one as well!

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Vol. 3 by Magica Quartet
Teodora's Rating: ★★★

Review:
In this final volume, Madoka learns what Magical Girls are really fighting against and what would happen to her if she accepted Kyubey's contract. Meanwhile, Homura, another Magical Girl, prepares to fight a witch that will kill her if she continues fighting alone. Her reserved nature and commitment to stop Madoka from becoming a Magical Girl is revealed. When Madoka comes to Homura on the battle field however, she will be surprised at what this girl who is destined to be the world's greatest Magical Girl will do.
After three volumes, I've finished this dark Magical Girl series. My final impression: it is just not meant for me. I'm sure that others can enjoy this series for its grim yet spelling themes. This series is also a popular anime by the same name. I felt, however, that the series was too short. The series did not give me enough time to envelop myself in this world of Magical Girls. I did enjoy the ending. It was bittersweet and a bit unpredictable. The art continued being great with an amazing fight scene. I did have a problem with one chapter that continued to go through numerous time lines. Writing paradoxes like the ones in manga are indeed confusing and, at the start, so was this one. Overall, I am glad that I picked up this series and experienced what it had to offer.