The 1990s was when Jazz Rap and Boom Bap were at their peak, and a time when Hip-Hop groups such as Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy, De La Soul, and the group I'll be reviewing today, A Tribe Called Quest, were thriving. With A Tribe Called Quest being pioneers of Jazz Rap and worthy adopters of Boom Bap, The Low End Theory, their 2nd studio album, was bound to be a classic. Today it’s often cited as one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time, with Billboard ranking it as the 13th greatest rap album (Billboard), and Rolling Stone magazine ranking it 9th (Rolling Stone).

Highs 

Production: The production on this album is some of the best of the 90s, from groovy jazz chops to body-moving drum breaks, Q-Tip provides beats that are both impressive in complexity and minimal enough to leave room for their respected MCs to drop some of the greatest verses in all of hip-hop. 

Favorite verses: Busta Rhyme’s verse on ‘Scenario’ is the perfect showcase of his skill when it comes to lyrics, flow, and energy, a true masterpiece of rap. Phife Dawg’s verse on ‘Buggin’ Out’ flows with an aggressive confidence that hits the listener in the chest. Charlie Brown’s verse on ‘Scenario’ is an energetic and fun performance which shows off some amazing flow and lyrics. 

Overall

Overall, this album is a masterclass of hip-hop. The Low End Theory is one of few classics that define the 1990s rap scene; from lyrics to production, this album is perfect. A well deserved 10/10

Lows

N/A

Favorite Tracks

1. Scenario (feat. Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown, & Dinco D)

2. Excursions

3. Buggin’ Out 

4. Butter

5. Verses From the Abstract (feat. Vinia Mojica, Ron Carter)

Works Cited

A Tribe Called Quest. The Low End Theory, 21 Sept. 1991.

REEF. “A Tribe Called Quest “the Low End Theory.”” Hiphopnostalgia.com, The Source, 1991, www.hiphopnostalgia.com/2014/02/a-tribe-called-quest-low-end-theory.html. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

Scott, Damien. “Best Rap Albums of All Time: 100 Greatest in Hip Hop.” Billboard, Billboard, 11 July 2024, www.billboard.com/lists/best-rap-albums-all-time/. 

Weingarten, Charles Aaron,Mankaprr Conteh,Jon Dolan,Will Dukes,Dewayne Gage,Joe Gross,Kory Grow,Christian Hoard,Jeff Ihaza,Julyssa Lopez,Mosi Reeves,Yoh Phillips,Noah Shachtman,Rob Sheffield,Simon Vozick-Levinson,Christopher R., et al. “The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time.” Rolling Stone, 7 June 2022, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-hip-hop-albums-1323916/. 

A world where everyone has magic, and those who don’t are hunted. The kingdom of Ilya is a dystopian world where the extraordinary is the ordinary and the ordinary is abnormal. It sounds like a great premise, right? That’s because it is! A dystopian society mixed with fantasy makes for a very interesting world. However, Powerless dropped the ball when it came to actually executing the idea. 

Powerless by Lauren Roberts is a book that had great potential but did not do well overall. The characters had enough going for them to make them interesting, but the whole thing was overromanticized to where it made the book almost impossible to focus on the important action going on. Some of the scenes are also really similar to the series Hunger Games, which isn’t a problem until you really examine it. It feels like a fanfiction–the interviews felt straight out of the Hunger Games. Paedyn is really good at archery, her father trains her, and her father died earlier in her life. Sounds a lot like Katniss. It doesn’t feel all that original, which can be a problem if you’re expecting to read a book that’s supposed to be original.

Other problems include a lack of worldbuilding, especially when it comes to the government of the world. The only food that is specifically mentioned that is edible are sticky buns, which are bread rolls coated in honey. It also doesn’t go in depth in the actual world, and some things that are relevant to the second book are never mentioned in the first book. For example, Ava! Who is that? Apparently, Kai’s younger sister. She died a while ago. No one knows she’s a person until the second book, but she holds a huge importance to Kai and Kitt, since, y’know, she’s a younger sister to them. Kai and Kitt are the princes of Ilya, by the way. I would imagine she’d be a little more important to mention, since she’s a princess, especially in the first book. 

The main character, Paedyn Gray, is an Ordinary. She is struggling to survive in the slums of Ilya and steals for a living. She meets Kai Azar, the Enforcer who is tasked with killing Ordinaries to rid Ilya of the “disease-ridden” people. Ordinaries are people without magic and since everyone has magic, they are the problem. However, in a fight that is started by a Fatal, she takes down someone and saves Kai. Earning the name the Silver Savior, she is put into the Trials, a fight between Elites to see who is the best. (Elites are people with really strong magic.) The rest of the story is her falling in love with Kai and participating in the Trials, but the Trials themselves aren’t that impactful unless it serves the romance.

I came into this story to see why it was so popular. Now that I’m finished reading the first book, I’m still wondering why it’s as popular as it is. The problem of the book is that it is romanticized and shallow if you actually start to think about it. 

Plot

I was expecting a lot from this book because I was recommended this by a friend who has given me good recommendations in the past. I read this book and had to pause several times to look at the vocabulary, characters, and get over my sheer annoyance at this book. I read a lot of books because of the characters, but these characters did not get on my good side. That’s hard to do, because usually every character has a story and something riveting to keep me there. Not this book. 

Honestly, a lot of plot points that I saw was how deeply “in love” Paedyn and Kai were with each other. Kai protects her from Ace, an antagonist, and treats her stab wound. Paedyn comforts him from a nightmare, which, to the surprise of no one, is seeing Paedyn die. Kai loosening up her corset dress to let her breathe when she’s having a panic attack. All of these sound sweet but it’s completely overridden by weird bantering and their “hate” for each other. If you don’t like someone, just stay away from them…

I can sum this up in a paragraph: Paedyn is a thief, Kai is a prince who’s also a killer. Paedyn steals from Kai in the early chapters and also saves him when he’s attacked by a Fatal. She’s elected for the Trials, which I’ve explained before, and fights to survive alongside Kai and other characters. She finds a group called the Resistance, which are trying to fight so Ordinaries can exist with Elites and stop being killed. Paedyn helps them, but it turns out their leader, Calum, was bad. Paedyn kills the king and then leaves Ilya after that. 

That was rushed, wasn’t it? It’s because all of these plot points, all of these wonderful ideas that could have told an excellent story, were saturated with Paedyn and Kai’s obsession-not-obsession with each other and the lack of depth in these characters. Yes, there’s more to the story, but characters that deserved more spotlight didn’t get it. Then the author added a weird love triangle between Kitt, Kai, and Paedyn halfway through the book that wasn’t a love triangle but definitely a love triangle. To explain, Paedyn has to get close to Kitt to help the Resistance. It’s heavily implied that Kitt starts to like her and it creates tension between him and Kai. However, Kitt barely acts on these romantic feelings even though they’re there, so there’s no reason for Kai to get so jealous, at least in my opinion.

This book tries so badly to address feminism too, but the lines feel out of place within the book and you can tell what they’re trying to do. A lot of good books I read either ties things together neatly or uses subtlety to get a point across. Powerless shoves things in your face until you can’t breathe and it seriously bothers me. 

My Rating and Commentary

I give this book a 2 out of 5. I haven’t read this bad of a book in a long time. One of the few saving graces it has for me is the magic aspect and my adoration for two characters, Kitt Azar and Jax Shields. Even then, they have their downfalls. I’m going to go over worldbuilding, characters, overall plot, and the writing style of this book. 

I get that every author has a different writing style. I’ve seen it, I can identify it, and it usually doesn’t bother me. Powerless uses the words huff and smirk more times than I will in a lifetime. I’m not kidding when I say I saw the word smirk three times in two pages. Kai seemed to be smirking the entirety of Powerless. The characters were also huffing out every word. I do not hear people huff as much as I read those characters huffing. Synonyms are a thing, and Powerless did not use them. There was also a lot of unnecessary swearing, which can take the charm out of a book. You don’t have to use curse words to convey that a character is angry! This is the more nitpicky part of the review, I’m aware, but vocabulary is insanely important to me within a book. 

Worldbuilding had so much potential. A king that was killing everyone that didn’t have magic. Elites being the best of the best. Ordinaries hiding in plain sight. But we barely get anything about the government aside from kings, queens, princes, and rich families. Words such as Fatals are explained so flippantly, and they aren’t that important to the story. (Fatals are people with extremely powerful magic.) They’re there to help the Resistance, that’s it. We don’t get a Fatal with an actual personality or an explanation on why they exist. We barely get a difference in what Elites are and people who just carry magic. The Trials feel ripped off from the Hunger Games, which is fine until you see there’s interviews, votings, and all of that. It feels too close to the Hunger Games to be authentic. To me, it was a literally magical Hunger Games that was way too focused on romance. The Trials aren’t even necessary! Why would Elites go in and kill each other if they want to keep them alive? Make it make sense. 

The overall plot felt weak because it was neglected in favor of the romance. The importance of the Trials, figuring out how the government worked, even when it came to the Resistance–all of it was shoved aside so readers could see Paedyn fall in love with Kai. I believe the Trials were only involved so Kai and Paedyn could get those cliche moments you see in movies. Protection, bandaging wounds, dramatic fainting… things you’ve seen before. If Kai didn’t protect Paedyn, she’d be dead. Boom, story over. It might have been a better story that way too! Fueled by rage, Kai could face his father and finally say enough was enough. He could have still loved Paedyn and I fully believe he is smart enough to figure out she was an Ordinary. He could easily start a rebellion because people are on his side. But no. Since Kai is so obsessed and in love with Paedyn, he can’t let her go. But he hates her too? Huh? He follows her around like a puppy! Paedyn is will-she-won’t-she, which felt so weird in this book. The Trials didn’t have as much significance as they should have. They’re the focal point of this book, but they did not feel important. The plot felt everywhere when it should be RIGHT THERE. 

Finally, the characters. Oh my goodness gracious. These characters were shallow, underdeveloped, and the two main characters were what the reader is supposed to care about. Adena, Paedyn’s best friend, is mentioned only a few times throughout the book, and we’re supposed to be sad about her death in the end! She can be summed up in five to six words: nice, a tailor, and boy-crazy. Adena deserved so much more. Jax is supposed to be the adopted brother of Kai and Kitt, and though he’s one of the better characters, he can also be summed up rather quickly. Friendly, childish, but weirdly mature. I ADORED Jax as a character, but he could have gotten so much more. How does he interact with Andy, another character who has few words to describe her? How does he change after Ace’s murder attempt on him (spoiler, he doesn’t)? 

Other characters are there to be hated. Ace is perceived as cold and a woman-hater as a way to get readers to despise him. I find this cheap. Ace could have been cold because the slums had given him a harsh life. If the author is so desperate to keep him misogynistic, then it should be more subtle. Not outright calling women awful names. Misogyny isn’t often bold statements–it’s quiet moments that catch you off-guard. Ace deserves more as a character. But nope! We don’t get any reason on why he objectifies women or why he’s so cold-hearted. Even if he was an antagonist, he needed more than being a woman-hater. He could still have that trait and be a well-written character. We can all still hate the guy, even if his villainy isn’t outright stated!

Paedyn and Kai are supposed to be these super in-depth characters, but the romance ruins it! Most of the potential bonding that happens between characters is neglected so they can banter and tell each other how much they hate each other. It’s supposed to be seen as hot and alluring for some reason. But connection is important so the romance can actually build. Paedyn is supposed to be suffering from grief from her father’s murder. Kai is supposed to be this awful monster. They don’t talk about this much to each other, if at all! I don’t see one thing about Kai being a killer aside from him saying he likes torture and being sarcastic. Paedyn actually is a decently written character in the grieving realm. I could feel sympathy for her pain. But all of that is forgotten when she looks at beautiful Kai and his beautiful body. It rubs me the wrong way. 

The book could have been so much better than it was. It reeled me in for the idea, but it left me feeling like I wasted my time in the end. It was upsetting to see such good ideas be overlooked because of Kai and Paedyn’s relationship. I think Lauren Roberts has good story ideas outside of romance. Her ideas with magic are fun and part of the reason I even picked the book up. I fully believe she can and will write better books in the future. But Powerless did not take me by storm like it did with the media. 

Works Cited

Roberts, Lauren. “Powerless (the Powerless Trilogy, #1).” Goodreads, 2024, www.goodreads.com/book/show/75513900-powerless.

A character who is willing to do anything for love. A daunting villain who isn’t what he seems. The Magnificent North, where magic and curses seem to be eyeing you, watching your story unfold. While trying to escape murders and attempt the way of a princess, Evangeline Fox is unlike any character I’ve read about in a long time. 

This book was honestly something I wasn’t expecting much out of. I’ve read enough romance books to see the same tropes used over and over again–the tall, muscular “bad boy” with the extremely hostile female main character that becomes an idiot when the love interest is around. I hated reading the same things in different worlds again and again, but then I was given Once Upon A Broken Heart. 

The story follows Evangeline Fox, a girl who prayed to the Prince of Hearts to stop her stepsister’s wedding. But Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, a Fate, turns out to be cruel and mean to everyone, including her. He does stop the wedding by turning everyone to stone. Evangeline decides to drink a goblet that will let everyone free, and turns to stone herself. That’s the immediate thing about her character: Evangeline is a kind-hearted character who cares. I don’t see that very often in modern books! 

The plot is essentially Evangeline going to the magical Magnificent North to fulfill a prophecy. She marries a prince, she becomes the “murderer” of said prince, and follows Jacks around to continue the deal she made with that prayer I mentioned earlier. I would never call this book a literary masterpiece, like I would the Hunger Games, but it was such a fun and wild read. The vocabulary is flowery and fun to imagine, the characters are memorable and well-developed, and it’s clear who you should be rooting for–but end up wanting the other character to succeed. 

There are also a ton of plot points flung in that you wonder where they came from, but overall, you don’t care, because it totally makes sense at the moment! Vampires, for example. Garber has a pretty fun twist on them, going more in depth with them in the second book. The interpretation of dragons was also really cute. Tiny dragons? What more could my fantasy-loving heart ask for? Also, romance! The way it was written didn’t make me want to tear my hair out because of cheesy lines. And if it was slightly corny, it made me giggle rather than cringe away from it. The morally gray villain is actually morally gray. His actions clearly showcase he is a bad guy, but also balances those actions out by showing he cares for those he’s close with. He is absolutely ruthless to the main character, which makes everyone hate him at first (I mean, who wouldn’t), but then, you can slowly see him warm up to her. If you love slowburns, guess what? It goes across three decently sized books. These guys don’t even kiss until the last book. This is a true slowburn. 

Plot

I was recommended this book by a friend, and I was seriously doubtful that it would be good. I mean, come on. She told me it was a morally gray love interest and I was already a little wary. I even put down the book for a while because I wasn’t sure if I could read it. But then I decided to give it a shot, and I’m so glad I did. Evangeline is a fresh slate from what I had been reading: a kind character who puts her motives up front. I was used to characters who hated even the idea of romantic love simply because they could survive without someone else. Evangeline wants true love and she makes that known within the first chapter! This book was also simple enough for me to see it as brain candy. 

While the plot definitely takes a backseat to romance, it’s still there and noticeable enough for me. The plot points were her following Jacks (literally and figuratively) and yes, admitting how attractive he was. I’m usually a big hater on that, but it was written in such a way that it felt natural. You know how you might dislike someone, but no one can deny their beauty? Kind of how this goes. Jacks, the love interest, is also seen as a jerk throughout the series, as he should. He also makes his motives clear and upfront instead of keeping everything secret. 

As much as I love this book, the plot is kind of everywhere. Prophecy? That doesn’t get mentioned much. Oh, why do vampires exist? Who knows, that was just thrown in there for fun. What are the rules of magic? Only a few I can think of. The magic, while fun, feels random, which I love. I do like fantasy worlds with complex rules and made up languages for elves, but sometimes just getting strange things thrown at you is alright too. I’ve already explained the general plot, but let’s get into detail!

That prince Evangeline married is Apollo, and you guessed it, a love triangle happens between Jacks, Evangeline, and Apollo as soon as Apollo is cursed by Jacks. Jacks cursed him so Evangeline could fulfill the three kisses Jacks forced her to give to people (which is one of the things that really confused me–why are we doing that again?). Apollo is actually pretty important to the series. He becomes the main antagonist in the later books, but he gets put into a cursed sleep in the first book, making everyone think he’s dead. Evangeline is the convicted murderer, which then the book gets invested on how Jacks will protect her now. Then he gets cursed. Then he’s the “nice guy” everyone shudders away from. Add the evil stepsister, Marisol, to the mix, who Evangeline didn’t realize was evil until later. Like I said, this book is literally everywhere. 

Despite that, the characters are simply loveable. LaLa is Evangeline’s best friend who is trying to keep her alive at all costs, because she hasn’t had a mortal friend in so long. Evangeline is a kind-hearted soul, always hoping for the best. Jacks, while an irredeemable jerk, wants to love and be loved in return. Tiberius wants to keep his brother safe. Apollo wants the love of his life (in the first book). Chaos wants his family back. The characters are fun and all twine together to make this insane plot easier to follow due to their motives, which is why I enjoyed all the books. 

My Rating and Commentary

It’s that time! I rate this a ⅘ stars, but I can totally see why this wouldn’t be someone’s cup of tea. Not everyone likes things popping out of nowhere, and I get that. But the characters! The fun! All of that called to me in this book, but the romance especially. It felt new, refreshing, and not as cliche as other books I’ve read. The only other romance novel that made me feel this way was Borrow My Heart by Kasie West, and this book probably rivals that. Let's go over worldbuilding, characters, plot, and vocabulary. 

The language in this book is flowery and descriptive, but not to its detriment. I learned new words from this book and it actually made me wonder what the book was trying to say. What does a lucky night smell like? I never wondered until I read this book! I aspire to write like Stephanie Garber one day–I highly enjoy her writing style. She makes you think, but not in a complex way. More of a “I want to know what that feels like” kind of thinking. Highly entertaining. 

The plot is why I took a half a star off. As much as I love the wild ride this book is, it is not coherent at times. The events make sense when you read it, but if you try explaining what’s going on to someone who’s never read the book, you’re probably going to get a few confused faces and maybe even a scoff. Some things do feel out of place or that things just popped out of nowhere. While it makes for an exciting story, some things should be mentioned earlier, like people having a second heart. Why didn’t I know that until book three? Overall, the plot felt cracked and rather feeble compared to other books I’ve read. 

Worldbuilding is also kind of weak. Some things I should know in the first book I don’t until book three. We don’t get an explanation of why vampires exist, only that they’re important to this half-baked plot. Everything we should know about this cool fantasy world is slowly put in with the second and first book, but then by the third, it’s like it’s trying to pour everything on you at once so you understand what’s going on. Honestly, if this series were to have a downside, I’d just say the third book in its lack of depth compared to the other two. It feels out of place and upsetting, even if the end is the most amazing thing. 

The characters are why I gave it such a high score. I don’t think people realize how long it's been since I’ve read a kind female main character. Usually, they’re oversexualized or angsty or just a dull character. While I do not mind angsty female main characters, I do love finally coming across a character who does nice things without an ulterior motive. Also, Jacks is shown to be a bad guy! By being a jerk to everyone and being okay with murdering people, he’s actually a bad guy. He’s a well-written character with drastic flaws–but it balances out with Evangeline. The side characters are also amazing! LaLa is so sweet yet a total BOSS. She injured Jacks with a butterknife. A butterknife! She’s a relevant character and has a story of her own. Every side character should have a story, and LaLa does!

I loved this series because it was different from what I usually read. I know not everyone would love this book, but I feel that everyone, especially adolescents, should give it a shot. If you want a breath of fresh air from shallow characters and the average fantasy world, pick up this book. You’ll be excited and raring for more by the first page.

Background

Ants From Up There is Black Country, New Road’s second studio album, released February 4th, 2022, a release date which, for the quality of the album, is surprisingly close to the release of their first album, For the First Time (released February 2, 2021). Immediately upon its release, Ants From Up There received amazing reviews, solidifying the band as one of the greatest in not just the British indie rock scene, but the global indie scene as well. Ants From Up There does an amazing job of blending a plethora of sounds and instruments, which works to create a cinematic feeling for almost every song on the album, an element of the album which is consistent, but still not repetitive. This album being the band’s big break led to a major problem for the band moving forward, as the lead singer/songwriter of the band, Isaac Wood, announced his leaving from the band just a few days before the album’s release, which, (in my opinion) effectively removed a large chunk of the soul that the band once had. Despite this challenge, the band continues to release new music, with new lead vocalists which, naturally, gives the music a different feel than it had before.

Pros

This album does a great job at being sad, something that I usually search for in music. You can truly feel the raw emotion being emitted from every song, whether that's from the delivery of the vocals, the instrumentals, or the lyrics themselves, this album flawlessly delivers a beautiful, depressing, yet hopeful sound.

Cons

Some of the songs can feel slow at the start, but they eventually reach the climax and it pays off, the songs just ask for a bit of patience. 

Favorite Tracks

1. Goodwill Hunting

2. The Place Where He Inserted the Blade

3. Haldren

4. Basketball shoes

5. Concord 

Overall

I personally love this album, as it has some of my favorite songs of all time. It's full of cinematically depressing sounds and brilliant writing which all follows a theme of feeling disconnected and distant from your lover, which throughout the album is discussed via the metaphor of being an “ant” looking up at and chasing a plane (or a concord, as the album says), which is meant to represent his love interest, hence the title of the album: “Ants From Up There.” This metaphor is paired with beautiful imagery of “chasing hills” to catch the best glimpse of the plane as possible, representing the lead singer’s obsession with this love interest, as he would go through extreme lengths just to look at her. 10/10.

Background

For his 4th album release, Son of Spergy, Daniel Caesar chose to explore and mend his familial relationships through music. On the album, he includes features from a wide array of artists, among them his own father and brother. His father, Norwill Simmons is even more than just a featured artist and former gospel singer though, his face is on the album cover and his nickname ‘Spergy’ is the reference to Caeser in the album’s title,  ‘Son of Spergy’. Every other artist featured is an amazing choice as well, among them, my favorites are the melancholic chords from Bon Iver on ‘Moon’ and ‘Sins of the Father’ as well as Yebba and Blood Orange on ‘Touching God’ who are both good friends with Caeser in real life and have been featured on some of his other projects in the past. This whole album is an attempt at coming to terms with religion and his family, his heavenly father and real father, as well as his wishes to become a father one day. Son of Spergy is a beautifully produced album by an artist who knows exactly what he wanted it to sound like and executed that vision flawlessly. 

Favorite Songs

• Moon

• Who Knows

• Baby Blue

• Sins of The Father

Overall Thoughts

At first listen, knowing only a few songs by Ceaser, I expected incredible production on each song, and he delivered. Each song is unique, and displays his wishes in a different way each time. He builds and shows a wide range of emotions through the use of instruments and backing vocals alone, combining his roots in RnB with the soulful music of a church, which coincides with the topic of his father, the gospel singer who comes up repeatedly within the album. Mix that with Ceaser’s comforting voice, and you’ve got an artistic display of…something. That’s where this album starts to drift off, and in turn lowered my opinions of it. The lyrics don’t fully match up to the story he’s attempting to display. He has lots of stories to tell and it feels at times that he’s running out of time on every song. In my opinion it should be longer, his music is amazing! Without looking too closely the lyrics are fine, and at times indeciperable without reading them, but there are songs that have interjections that don’t really make sense to the rest of the song. For example, in the song Baby Blue, he sings a touching love song. It’s romantic and beautiful, but at the end, he brings in Norwill Simmons with a sermon like outro. Simmons' voice is wonderful, but this song wasn’t the one to put him on. Other than a few small things like that, (which I only noticed through looking at the lyrics) this album is an amazing display of Ceaser’s talent and masterful storytelling skills, and I truly hope it isn’t his last.

Imagine, if you will, the government has taken all the people you love. You’re all alone and you have to figure out a way to survive. Natural disasters and the fear of people keep you silent, however, all you crave is the normalcy of your friends and family. This book has all of that in it, but it’s not just a survivalist story. It’s a story of how our own minds can be the most dangerous thing while being completely isolated in the wilderness. 

The book Alone is an absolutely amazing novel when it comes to exploring the psychology of being completely, well, alone. It makes it clear that the most horrible thing of the whole situation is that this little girl is isolated from society, refusing to give in, but desperately missing the people she loves most. Unlike other crazy fun fantasy books I’ve read (looking at you Once Upon a Broken Heart and Percy Jackson), this book hit a lot closer to home and made me reflect on myself as a person. Few books have ever gotten me to do that, so what’s the difference with Alone?

Alone is told through the eyes of a twelve year old girl. Maddie has had her whole world ripped apart in a single night, and it shows how resourceful she is. However, instead of blowing up helicopters like Jess in I Am Still Alive, or quietly revealing how badly you’re hurting in Don’t Let In The Cold, Alone addresses teenagers as a whole. Why do you feel like it’s better to isolate yourself? 

A lot of people I’ve spoken to have told me that they prefer to not talk over meeting new people. And hey, no judgment, I’m the same way. Being reserved is different from being completely closed off to talking to people you love and care about. This book struck a different cord with me because I do that. When given an option, I usually will pick the option that results in me being by myself rather than spending time with my family or friends. Alone tells you how detrimental that is to a child’s mind, and basically sits the reader down to tell them why having a community is so important in this day and age. 

We’re constantly separated by various factors. But it doesn’t change the fact that we have to make time for the people we love. Maddie, the protagonist, is constantly in her head. She’s in survival mode most of the time, but the times where she’s thinking about her parents and her best friends? It’s honestly heartbreaking and it made me feel genuinely sad for the character. It also made me feel sad for myself. Why do we want to spend most of our time by ourselves? That question is up to readers who feel lonely. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels like they have no one to talk to or that they’re different from other people. Because this book tells you that there’s always someone who relates, always someone who cares for you, and there’s always time for you to spend time with someone. All while she’s trying to get through tornadoes, sickness, and fires. 

Plot

Alright! I found this book while scrolling on Amazon, looking for new reading material. This book caught me by its cover, and once I saw it I was immediately drawn to it. Add that it's a survival novel and they got me hooked. Received it for Christmas, and I kid you not, I finished it in two days. It was that good!

Like I mentioned before–the reason she’s left alone is because the U.S government calls for an evacuation due to an imminent threat. Her whole town is evacuated in the middle of the night except for her. Why, you may ask? Because instead of listening to her well-meaning parents, she sneaks away from home and stays the night at her empty grandparent’s house after trying (and failing) to set up a sleepover. 

After her initial “what happened” moment, she frees George the rottweiler, who becomes her best friend in the book, and plans out her way to survive. She survives looters, who she does not go to for help. That is actually huge in this book, as that could have been her way out. The rest of the book she nags herself about that. She survives a tornado, and an infection from an injury after the tornado, a wildfire caused by lightning, and because of her critical thinking skills, starvation. But this isn't an average survival novel, not at all. Those were not her biggest obstacles. 

Maddie, every single day, has to face the reality that she is alone. To some, this sounds like their biggest dream come true. But after one, two, three years, it chips away at Maddie’s mind. She agonizes over the fact that she can’t see her parents. She misses her stepbrothers and another major part of this book is one of her stepbrother’s essays. She’s asked what would be the hardest thing for a certain character to face: loneliness, fighting for survival, or something else entirely? She answers fighting for survival, but after two years of being alone, she realizes how naive she was back then. Maddie is constantly trying to stave off her loneliness, but to no avail. Books don’t help for long. George, while amazing, is a dog. Nothing compares to a loved one’s voice or a hug from her mother, at least to Maddie. 

What I loved most about this book is what I love about a lot of my favorites: it makes you think. It makes you reflect on yourself as a person and it makes you wonder what it would be like to be in Maddie’s scenario. I love her fights with herself, with religion, and with everything as a whole because it's relatable. With a lot of books out there being published about a female main character and her love interest being the hot guy everyone’s attracted to, this book wasn’t just a breath of fresh air–it was like drinking a glass of water you desperately needed. I seriously recommend this book to anyone who wants a good, action-packed novel. Maybe like me, you’ll be having the same reflections I did.

My Rating and Commentary

As per usual, let’s rate the book! I would actually rate this a 5/5, simply because this book made me feel emotions that don’t crop up while I read. The plot had the typical crazy things that happen in a survival novel (natural disasters, dangerous people, etc), but the plot was extremely easy to follow and it didn’t feel too overkill unlike other books I’ve read. It also felt original but with enough events I’ve read before with a new character experiencing them. It was an easy read in terms of plot. 

The vocabulary was also easy, but this book had a different way of writing than a lot of books I’ve seen! It was written as a poem! I usually hate poem-like books, as they aren’t my preference at all. But this book wrote it in a way where I didn’t have to wade my way through complex metaphors about how she merely got scratched by a dog. Maddie’s perspective through this was refreshing and unique, and probably the first book that is written like a poem that didn’t make me put it down immediately. 

The worldbuilding isn’t too weak as to ruin the story, and it’s honestly just enough for the story to get by. Maddie doesn’t know what’s going on in the world, only that everyone’s been evacuated. She doesn’t find anything out until the end, which makes sense for the way this story is being told. I didn’t feel like there was too much worldbuilding needed, as we are in the perspective of a girl that is isolated from the world. As this is not a fantasy book, it doesn’t need as much as other stories would, but holds up well in Alone. 

The characters are pretty much two. George, a dog, and Maddie, a girl. However, this book goes deep into these characters. George is a sweet and extremely loyal dog, as they all should be in a book like this, but he’s prevalent. He’s Maddie’s only friend and he’s a good one. Maddie, on the other hand, goes through some pretty big changes! She goes from a stuck-up, I’m-full-of-angst girl to a humble girl who uses her thinking skills better than I ever would in a situation like that. She’s intelligent, smart, and makes sure her buddy is taken care of. She learns how awful she had been to her family and regrets it. That's a change within a character and she is an excellent representation of a strong female main character!

I loved Maddie and I loved her dog (my favorite thing about him is that he lived). This book highlighted topics that are very real to us in an unrealistic environment, which I don’t see anymore with the dominance of romance books that are focused on lust only. This was an amazing book, and I will definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in not only survival novels, but a peek into the psychological aspects!

Imagine, if you will, the government has taken all the people you love. You’re all alone and you have to figure out a way to survive. Natural disasters and the fear of people keep you silent, however, all you crave is the normalcy of your friends and family. This book has all of that in it, but it’s not just a survivalist story. It’s a story of how our own minds can be the most dangerous thing while being completely isolated in the wilderness. 

The book Alone is an absolutely amazing novel when it comes to exploring the psychology of being completely, well, alone. It makes it clear that the most horrible thing of the whole situation is that this little girl is isolated from society, refusing to give in, but desperately missing the people she loves most. Unlike other crazy fun fantasy books I’ve read (looking at you Once Upon a Broken Heart and Percy Jackson), this book hit a lot closer to home and made me reflect on myself as a person. Few books have ever gotten me to do that, so what’s the difference with Alone?

Alone is told through the eyes of a twelve year old girl. Maddie has had her whole world ripped apart in a single night, and it shows how resourceful she is. However, instead of blowing up helicopters like Jess in I Am Still Alive, or quietly revealing how badly you’re hurting in Don’t Let In The Cold, Alone addresses teenagers as a whole. Why do you feel like it’s better to isolate yourself? 

A lot of people I’ve spoken to have told me that they prefer to not talk over meeting new people. And hey, no judgment, I’m the same way. Being reserved is different from being completely closed off to talking to people you love and care about. This book struck a different cord with me because I do that. When given an option, I usually will pick the option that results in me being by myself rather than spending time with my family or friends. Alone tells you how detrimental that is to a child’s mind, and basically sits the reader down to tell them why having a community is so important in this day and age. 

We’re constantly separated by various factors. But it doesn’t change the fact that we have to make time for the people we love. Maddie, the protagonist, is constantly in her head. She’s in survival mode most of the time, but the times where she’s thinking about her parents and her best friends? It’s honestly heartbreaking and it made me feel genuinely sad for the character. It also made me feel sad for myself. Why do we want to spend most of our time by ourselves? That question is up to readers who feel lonely. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels like they have no one to talk to or that they’re different from other people. Because this book tells you that there’s always someone who relates, always someone who cares for you, and there’s always time for you to spend time with someone. All while she’s trying to get through tornadoes, sickness, and fires. 

Plot

Alright! I found this book while scrolling on Amazon, looking for new reading material. This book caught me by its cover, and once I saw it I was immediately drawn to it. Add that it's a survival novel and they got me hooked. Received it for Christmas, and I kid you not, I finished it in two days. It was that good!

Like I mentioned before–the reason she’s left alone is because the U.S government calls for an evacuation due to an imminent threat. Her whole town is evacuated in the middle of the night except for her. Why, you may ask? Because instead of listening to her well-meaning parents, she sneaks away from home and stays the night at her empty grandparent’s house after trying (and failing) to set up a sleepover. 

After her initial “what happened” moment, she frees George the rottweiler, who becomes her best friend in the book, and plans out her way to survive. She survives looters, who she does not go to for help. That is actually huge in this book, as that could have been her way out. The rest of the book she nags herself about that. She survives a tornado, and an infection from an injury after the tornado, a wildfire caused by lightning, and because of her critical thinking skills, starvation. But this isn't an average survival novel, not at all. Those were not her biggest obstacles. 

Maddie, every single day, has to face the reality that she is alone. To some, this sounds like their biggest dream come true. But after one, two, three years, it chips away at Maddie’s mind. She agonizes over the fact that she can’t see her parents. She misses her stepbrothers and another major part of this book is one of her stepbrother’s essays. She’s asked what would be the hardest thing for a certain character to face: loneliness, fighting for survival, or something else entirely? She answers fighting for survival, but after two years of being alone, she realizes how naive she was back then. Maddie is constantly trying to stave off her loneliness, but to no avail. Books don’t help for long. George, while amazing, is a dog. Nothing compares to a loved one’s voice or a hug from her mother, at least to Maddie. 

What I loved most about this book is what I love about a lot of my favorites: it makes you think. It makes you reflect on yourself as a person and it makes you wonder what it would be like to be in Maddie’s scenario. I love her fights with herself, with religion, and with everything as a whole because it's relatable. With a lot of books out there being published about a female main character and her love interest being the hot guy everyone’s attracted to, this book wasn’t just a breath of fresh air–it was like drinking a glass of water you desperately needed. I seriously recommend this book to anyone who wants a good, action-packed novel. Maybe like me, you’ll be having the same reflections I did.

My Rating and Commentary

As per usual, let’s rate the book! I would actually rate this a 5/5, simply because this book made me feel emotions that don’t crop up while I read. The plot had the typical crazy things that happen in a survival novel (natural disasters, dangerous people, etc), but the plot was extremely easy to follow and it didn’t feel too overkill unlike other books I’ve read. It also felt original but with enough events I’ve read before with a new character experiencing them. It was an easy read in terms of plot. 

The vocabulary was also easy, but this book had a different way of writing than a lot of books I’ve seen! It was written as a poem! I usually hate poem-like books, as they aren’t my preference at all. But this book wrote it in a way where I didn’t have to wade my way through complex metaphors about how she merely got scratched by a dog. Maddie’s perspective through this was refreshing and unique, and probably the first book that is written like a poem that didn’t make me put it down immediately. 

The worldbuilding isn’t too weak as to ruin the story, and it’s honestly just enough for the story to get by. Maddie doesn’t know what’s going on in the world, only that everyone’s been evacuated. She doesn’t find anything out until the end, which makes sense for the way this story is being told. I didn’t feel like there was too much worldbuilding needed, as we are in the perspective of a girl that is isolated from the world. As this is not a fantasy book, it doesn’t need as much as other stories would, but holds up well in Alone. 

The characters are pretty much two. George, a dog, and Maddie, a girl. However, this book goes deep into these characters. George is a sweet and extremely loyal dog, as they all should be in a book like this, but he’s prevalent. He’s Maddie’s only friend and he’s a good one. Maddie, on the other hand, goes through some pretty big changes! She goes from a stuck-up, I’m-full-of-angst girl to a humble girl who uses her thinking skills better than I ever would in a situation like that. She’s intelligent, smart, and makes sure her buddy is taken care of. She learns how awful she had been to her family and regrets it. That's a change within a character and she is an excellent representation of a strong female main character!

I loved Maddie and I loved her dog (my favorite thing about him is that he lived). This book highlighted topics that are very real to us in an unrealistic environment, which I don’t see anymore with the dominance of romance books that are focused on lust only. This was an amazing book, and I will definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in not only survival novels, but a peek into the psychological aspects!