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Summary: It gets better
Review: I HATE horror books, but his one was differnet it had a hidden meaning and swept me away........they next books she wrote are much better watch out these aren't fariy tales I when you read the books you truly believe in vapires and every thing inbetween!! but it truely is wonderful my I hope that you will read the others because they are page turners!!!!!
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Summary: She's certainly no Anne Rice
Review: I bought Amelia Atwater-Rhodes' book "In the Forests of the Night" and must say I was heavily disappointed with it. It lacked any type of pull to draw the reader into the novel and didn't go full-circle, meaning she would start on one subject and then without finishing it jump straight to another... Even though I do respect her somewhat for being able to get a novle published at such a young age, I feel that she still has alot of maturing to do as an author and should wait a few more years to publish her next book. I also saw some similarities between bits of her novel with some of Anne Rice's books. Such as the fact that "vampires cannot get staked or be harmed by a cross or crusifix". These similarities greatly annoyed me and while she can look to A.Rice as an inspiration, she shouldn't copy her style and subjects. So in conclusion, while she is a talented young writer and she isn't Anne Rice, with hard work and alot of maturing as far as writing goes, she could someday get up to Rice's level.
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Summary: Beautifully done to entrap new readers
Review: in the forests of the night was beautifully written to ensnare young people into the wonderful world of their imaginatioin. Most children stop reading for pleasure near fifth or sixth grade due to time or non-intrest. This fast easy-read novel takes you in grips you buy the mind and drags you off into the dark world of vampires. Risika is very real. You believe in her and everyone else around her. The characters each have a very complex nature, yet Amelia sends that message across loud and clear. I am a fan of vampiric novels and this is high on my list. As long as she keeps writing her growth in the art of writing will help others grow in reading. I love the way she used her minimalistic way of writing.
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Summary: In the Forests of the Night
Review: I chose to read "In the Forests of the Night" for a book log I had to do for a class. I chose to read it because I heard its author, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, was thirteen when she had it published and this interested me. I liked the book because its main character Risika, a compassionate three hundred-year-old vampire, becomes stronger emotionally and physically throughout the book. The overall themes of this book were never give up and always have compassion. After losing battles with Aubrey, a vampire that eventually kills everything Risika has ever loved, Risika is finally able to avenge all of the hardships Aubrey has caused. The question is: will she? I would recommend this book to sixth, seventh, or eighth graders who like science fiction/fantasy.
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Summary: The Black Rose
Review: Rachel is a girl living New England in the 1700's. Her twin brother, Alexander is fearing prosecution because he discovers he has certain magical powers. Rachel gets a strange visit from a young man named Aubrey Karew, who gives her a mysterious black rose. She gets pricked by the rose's thorns and thinks nothing of it except for the rarity of a black rose. Alexander begins to act strangely and she follows him one night. Rachel finds Alexander with Aubrey and another person (Ather) pleading for Rachel's life. She learns these Aubrey and Ather are vampires and that by being pricked by the rose, she has signed herself over to them. Rachel is bitten by the vampire named Ather and Alexander is mortally wounded with a knife by Aubrey. 300 years later, Rachel (now calling herself Risika) is living in Concord, Massachussets by day and travels to New York City by night. She encounters Aubrey and wishes to kill him to avenge her brother's death. The story alternates between the 1700's and present day, recounting Rachel's first years as a vampire and her previous and present encounters with Aubrey. Aubrey has a certain je ne sais quoi about him that makes him my favorite character in the book. This book was a good introduction to Ms. Atwater-Rhodes' books because it involves characters who appear in future books.
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Summary: Amelia was lucky...
Review: Maybe a lot of people aren't aware that one of Amelia's teachers was a literary agent, and agreed to represent her. Sure, it's not as big a connection as Nick McDonell who wrote TWELVE (his godfather owns the press that published it), but it's a connection nevertheless. If she had not had that one connection, she'd still be ploughing away, sending query letters to agents and getting rejection form letters back. I don't care whether she was thirteen when she wrote this, I am forming my opinion on the sole merit of the book, regardless of her age--as any good reviewer (for published material, that is) should. The only reason I am giving it two stars is because it's better than Demon in My View, which is blatant self-insertion (ha, no wonder that the "heroine" in DiMV has a "body to die for") and therefore is the lowest of the low. Amelia once said that she does not plan out her books' plots. That explains why her endings are thoroughly uninspired, pathetic copouts. "Ooh, I don't know what to do, so I think I'm just going to turn everybody into a vampire!" How nice. This reminds me of those stories when, in the end, everything turns out to be a dream. Mmm-hmm.
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Summary: Surprised that this was written by a 14 year old!
Review: I was recommended this book by a friend, and I was a little skeptical. A book written by a fourteen year old girl? Her writing skills are very advanced for her age, but still needs improvement. It shows that a teenager did write this book by poor dialogue in places. The book is short and very straight to the point (bad, in my opinion, for a novel) and needed more description and to be longer. A good book altogether, made for a younger crowd, but a nice afternoon book. Probably, get it from the library first and if you like it, then buy it.
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Summary: Great Debut Novel!
Review: It's absolutly amazing to see someone my age write a book and have it published. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is an amazing author, and should get major credit for writing at her age. This is her first novel, so there are some minor flaws but it doesn't take away from the quality of this book. Basically, this story is about Risika, a 300 year old vampire who struggles battles between human manners/morals and vampire ways. Soon, as the story continues you meet Aubrey, an even older vampire, who threatens Risika and her tiger Tora. The story has a alternating sequence from 1701 to the present. This book is full of action and suspence that'll make you want to read other books by this author, and you will! Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is treamendous, and if you are looking for other books by her you should try "Demon in My View" and "Shattered Mirror."
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Summary: Smashing work for 13 year old Atwater-Rhodes!
Review: Risika is a three hundred year-old vampire who can not forget her past. Though she hunts and kills, she remembers a life in the 1700s which was filled with a close family (including a twin brother) and a fear of the damned. Unfortunately for Risika, she is one of the damed now. In the Forests of the Night jumps back and forth between present day and the 1700s in order to weave a tale of how Rachel became Risika. She has a deadly rivalry against Aubrey, the vampire who killed her brother and beat her in a fight. She refuses to be weak in Aubrey's eyes and enters his territory even after repeated warnings not to. Finally, she decides to challenge him. What will be the outcome? A good book. Amazingly written for a 13 year old. I liked Demon In My View better though.
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Summary: Best Book I Have Ever Read
Review: What can I say, I love this book, it has got to be one of the best books I have ever read. Let me start off by saying I absolutely hated reading up until late year. I could not realy read until the 4th grade and didn't realy read until the 8th. What I mean to say is I could not read book very well so I did not read them at all. That all changed in the 8th grade when I read In the Forest of the Night. I fonud that now that I love to read, I just have to find book I like. Now my book collection numbers 135 books not including that I had when I was a kid, Math and Science books. Thats pretty good for a 14 year old. Some people Amelia Atwater-Rhode's writing is a little lacking, but how good do you expect a 13 year old's writing to be!!!!
Yes I said 13, she was 13 when she wrote this book, all the more resin to read it. I also believe her other book are equally as good. I hope you give a chance and I hope you feel the same way I do about them.
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