Black Tiger

Black Tiger #1

by Sara Baysinger

Ember Carter is a 16-year-old farmer's daughter with a passion for her family and the Community Garden. As Career Day is fast approaching Ember knows that her fate is in the hands of the government. Careers are chosen for the Proletariat, and for the last two years the only careers that have been given out are positions to be a Defender of the Peace. Pro fighting a war that no one knows anything about.

As her path collides with Forest, a mysterious stranger full of knowledge of Frankfort's secrets, Ember finds herself thankful for the safe haven of the Community Garden. When her best friend, Leaf, makes a rash decision she find's her life is dumped upside down. Ripped from the Community Garden and suspected of being a rebel she is tried for Murder. Facing certain death; will anyone save her?

Her time in prison is far from simple, though. Ember meets Rain, an indifferent Patrician, who is focused on reaching his goals regardless of what it takes. Incarceration has it's way of unlocking secrets, though. Ember learns that she's lived a life a lies, a secret that gives her the power to change the fate of Ky.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Christian Fiction, Fantasy, Christian, Futuristic, Fiction

486 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2016

About the author

Sara was born in the heart of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador where she spent her early life exploring uncharted lands and raising chickens. She now makes her home among the endless cornfields of Indiana with her husband and two children…and she still raises chickens. Her dystopian novel BLACK TIGER was self-published in 2016. When not getting lost in a book, Sara can be found gardening, devouring chocolate, and running off the sugar-high from said chocolate. You can visit her online at www.sarabaysinger.com.

Reviews

[Camilla Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually beta read this book in March, then reread it again in June. I thought about the book, the characters, and the situations so much I could not get past it, till I read it again. I found my mind engaged and motivated as I dove into Ember's story.

The beginning of the story was slow, like the first steps of starting a fire from nothing- which suits the story since there are many "fire" references. There is a significant point to it. It builds up more and more, till it burns, roars, then consumes preconceived ideas.

The author was adept in writing lovely and unusual imagery, and the thoughts and feelings of the characters were so naturally expressed, I, the reader, experienced any moments of awe, pleasure, confusion, frustration, or anger with them.

The characters, in my opinion, are remarkable. Relationships are realistic. There are many important themes/lessons addressed within the pages which are very pertinent to me, personally, and to today's society. Very compelling ones. Very thought-provoking ones. Even in something as simple as the symbolism of an apple.

There were moments when other author's works came to mind. In particular, The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Robin Hood, and the Biblical characters: Moses and Esther. Nothing was exactly like those, but I marvelled at how a dystopian such as this could be both brutally hard, AND, somehow, immensely hopeful, at the same time. It was a call to "Watch, Stand fast in the faith, Be brave, Be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13). To me, anyway.

I am not usually a fan of cliffhangers, but I am very intrigued to see where the author takes this story. And how lovely is that cover! A fitting image to tease your curiosity and interest, and fully applicable to the story. Read it, and see if you agree! As far as I am concerned, I love meeting new literary best friends. Great story!

[Mandy Fender · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea what I was getting in to when I first started this book, but it became clear as I read that Sara Baysinger was born to write! I was immediately engaged in the story and Ember's world. This book takes several popular YA themes puts them in a melting pot and comes out as something unique, new, and exciting. I absolutely love the Christian spin and the opportunities that present themselves in the story line of God's existence. And that cover!!! I mean, come on, it's perfect!

There are some hard scenes that should be read with caution to more sensitive readers.

I enjoyed this book so much and can't wait for another from Baysinger!

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAN-MADE BOOK TRAILER HERE: https://youtu.be/UcdRa7P1u_I

Inhale. Exhale.

Let me get my thoughts organized so I can say how completely awesome this book was.

Okay. I'm ready.

This book was SO very good! I feel a little bad for saying that line so repetitive to people and on my social media, but it's the truth. I absolutely loved Ember and how so many of her analogies were compared to nature. It was so unique and so her. Her inner dialogue is by far one of my favorite parts of this book!

The storyline was another awesome part of "black tiger." At first, it did remind me somewhat of "Divergent" and was wondering how it could be it's own story, but Sara quickly answers that question. I'm not going to go into detail on how, but the city of Ky, especially Frankfort and the people, is an interesting part of Ember's life. I found it fascinating to say the least!

I'm going to be the first to admit that I don't like love triangles. I can't stand the thought that the guy I'm cheering for might not be the lucky guy in the end, but these two guys, Forest and Rain. Wow! I switched allegiance almost halfway through and am officially #TeamRain (sorry Forest). Though like Ember, I strongly disliked him in the beginning. He, however, has woven his character self into my mind and will be the one I'm cheering for (despite that confusing mess near the end. I question his motives, but ultimately I trust him).

For a Christian novel, I would say this is more edgy than most Christian reads (for me that is), which did have me a little uncomfortable at first. However, even with that said, the story is beautiful and I LOVE the conversation between Ember and a certain someone. I was reflecting on it at church today and was thankful for the powerful reminder of how great God's love is for us, despite when we might have chosen to doubt who He is, turn away, or refuse outright. It made me want to hit Ember upside the head with my Kindle for things she says/thinks in that conversation, but the story is that much more relatable. Her struggle from the beginning is real for so many people, including for someone like me who had been exactly in that place Ember was in spiritually so many years ago.

I am super excited for book two and really really REALLY hope it releases very soon! I definitely recommend this novel to any dystopian lovers who love an on edge kind of read!

*(I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.)*

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy, oh boy. Definitely a page turner!

I'll start with a little background on me: I'm a PAINFULLY slow reader and teen dystopian is not my type of genre (never read a single page of any franchise in the genre).

With that said- this story had me reading every second I could. The style of writing allows you to BE IN- be in the room, be in their heads, be in their conversation, be in that exact moment at that exact time, be in their emotions. So many twists and turns I couldn't keep up and I felt just like Ember, who do I trust, what do I believe, where am I going and where will I end up, and when I make it there who will be with me?!

When it comes to the love triangle (that all books in this genre have) I don't like I like either person. Or, maybe I love them and was right there with Ember tossing in those waves of emotion.

Her dilemma? Her next steps? I neeeeeed to know. I can't wait for book 2. Towards the end I kept thinking "what about this and that and here and there and them and those and what's gonna happen!!!!!" Not a total cliff hanger but enough to make me think 'oh yes, it's about to go down'.

Critiques and why not five stars: this genre can be very predictable and I did find myself turning a page and yelling "I knew it!" so some of the surprises I could suspect them coming. And, some of the plot had me thinking 'wait, did we address that? Was that covered? Was that character already in the loop?' Not that anything was rushed, but with the ending I feel a detail about Ember was kinda glossed over when it could have developed a bit more (trying to avoid spoilers here ha!). But even with that I think it's setting up for book 2.

Definitely a great read to keep you drawn in and turning page and page. I can't wait for book 2!!

[Grace Morris]

DNF at 57%

I don't like DNFing books too often. I like to give a book a chance, even if I'm not particularly liking it.

Quite frankly, I was bored reading this book. For a very long time. In the beginning it played out like The Hunger Games and Divergent. I love these books (mainly The Hunger Games) for the uniqueness and well, basically everything. This was kinda a poor excuse, it wasn't executed very well. It was like taking the greatness of those books and dulling the colors a lot.

Sure, it wasn't all bad; I probably wasn't in the mood. I'm being a little harsh, but I totally feel like it. And in the moment you understand why.

(And no, it's not the fact I spent money on a book I actually ended up hating.... Gah! I wish public libraries picked independent books up more often. It would have saved me the time and money!)

And please, tell me why some of the characters were named after things like: Ember, Leaf, Rain, and Forest. But yet we also have normal names too.... What are the rules people? Is there a reason? Or was it all for fun? Am I just reading too much into this?

I have to admit though, when we get to the parts with the actual Black Tigers, I was totally there for it. It was really good, and this was where the book was actually unique.

So, this book is supposed to be Christian. The main character wondered if there was a God or not, that is basically what I took away from the Christian aspects of it. I actually had to do a double take to make sure I read this as being in the Christian genre, because before I picked up this book I thought it was....

At least until this happened:

The Main Reason Why I DNF This Book and Why I HATE IT:

So Ember wanted some answers to something (I'm trying to remember that part, but hehe, I'm very lazy today), and Rain (the antihero he is) was like: "Hey girl, come with me and I'll help you!" Not the exact quote, but like I said, I'm lazy and Rain is a self-centered jerk who I kinda hated even before this scene (thought I was going to say that I liked him, didn't you? Hahaha, that's my laugh, I don't like anyone but Leaf in this book, sorry, not sorry). So Ember went with him despite the fact that she also hated Rain and didn't trust him in the slightest. Some heroes never learn in some books people, this book is proof of that.

So Rain takes her to this innocent looking club. One he goes to a lot, apparently.

Have you ever wondered if the book you're reading is going to go gross and terrible, but you're like, "Nah, the book is Christian, they can't add too much detail for that type of scene."

Never trust your instincts, too many bad things happen.

The scene had these naked girls posing as statues where guys raped them. Some of these girls didn't want to do it. Some the girls enjoyed having sex with the guys. And there was drinking involved. Sure Ember didn't like it, but:

NO NONO NOONOO NONONOONO NON O O OO NON O NONONO NO O ON ON O OO O OON ONONOONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NEVER, EVER EVER GIVE ME A BOOK LIKE THIS!!!! I never say this, BUT WHAT A PIECE OF TRUSH!!!! I don't I don't support prostitution in any form. So I will not support this book. Forget it.

And to any of your haters out there, watch the show "Priceless". It talks about prostitution, but in a different kind of light. I said my peace.

[OutcastWriter Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Tiger is yet another nearish-future dystopian adventure involving a teen protagonist. While groans may be heard from large sections of the public for yet another one of these novels, Black Tiger has qualities that set itself apart from most lesser-known teen dystopian stories…and it does it in such a way that rivals and surpasses some of its more well-known brethren (a la The Hunger Games or Divergent).
The main protagonist, Ember, will undoubtedly draw comparisons to one particular “girl on fire,” but the differences between the two characters become pretty apparent from the very beginning. Ember is a farmer, a bit of a peacekeeper, and has a major temper that goes far beyond anything Katniss Everdeen hoped to ever do. That said, there are still similarities; a love triangle and the main character shifting from apolitical to major figurehead being just two of them…but the similarities are never enough to cause a reader to pause and go “this seems like it was taken from another, more popular, dystopian novel.”
And that really is Black Tiger in a nutshell: similar but different. The differences are refreshing and honestly quite unique. The mega-city in Black Tiger is located in Kentucky? Really? Kentucky? Yes, indeed, and it is awesome the book takes a risk like that. One other unique thing that really struck me as unique was the punishment of human torches, people pulled upside down on a pole and burnt to a crisp. Yes, it’s as terrible as it sounds, it’s basically the book’s version of being crucified, epitomized most by the fact the government places all the human torches in the Rebel’s Circle surrounding the capitol, a reminder of what any defiance to the government will get you.
Speaking of crucifixion, God is talked about in this book. There is a slow build to it, as Ember is not a Christian, in fact there is only one other character who talks about God. If you don’t like that sort of thing, you need to realize it’s in there, but it shouldn’t take away from your enjoyment of the story or the quality of writing, it all works pretty seamlessly. I don’t think it was implemented perfectly, but writing about God in fiction is really hard to do, and the author did a very good job at making feel mostly natural.
If I’m being perfectly honest, YA dystopian is not my favorite genre. There is a lot of familiar ground that is tread in Black Tiger, but it is never tired, and I never once was bored. I kept turning pages wanting to find out what happened next. I will admit the whole thing with the different blood-types didn’t work for me. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say that I hope that the idea is expanded upon in the next book. The characters (especially Rain) are written very well, so none of them feel like clichés or just another version of a more familiar dystopian character. There is riveting action and intrigue, but this book contains some wonderful philosophical bits. You really should give this book a fair shake as it dares to ask the big questions without ever once feeling like you are reading just another YA Dystopian novel.

[Jessthebookslover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Black Tiger by Sara Baysinger

Rating:5/5 stars
Inhale. Exhale. I will write this review somehow.
Black Tiger reminded me of Hunger Games meets Divergent but on a whole new level, Ember Carter is a sixteen year-old girl, she lives with her father and brother in the Community Garden, with the constant memory of her lost mother. Career Day is approaching though, and her fate will be soon revealed, but when she meets Forest, the mysterious stranger who seems to know a bit too much about city life and the way the government is run, she’s even less eager to leave the safe haven of the Garden. On Career Day, the future couldn’t look brighter when Ember is the only student assigned the career of a Farmer. But all hopes come to end when she attacks a Defender to save her best friend. Suspected a rebel and sentenced to death, she’s transferred to Frankfort Prison where she will carry out her sentence.
But Frankfort is full of surprises and snotty Patricians. While in prison, Ember learns a dark secret about Forest that makes her question what little she knew about him. And then there’s Rain,the carelessly handsome boy who enjoys instigating her just a bit too much. If THAT’S not enough, the world learns something about Ember even she doesn’t know. A secret that brings her character into question, enlightens her on her mother’s true identity, and ultimately, gives her the power to affect the rise or fall of Ky.
·
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If you saw my Instagram Story you should know how much I LOVED this book. I was compelled from page 1 and I just couldn't stop, till I saw the last page. My eyes froze and my heart stopped. I couldn't believe it. I truly flew through this book, thank to the way it was written, the story, the sadistic manners of Chief Whitcomb, Ember's strength and RAIN. I know I shouldn't love him. But I solemnly swear that I do. I still believe there's something else behind that "jackal", and I am not giving up.
Someone please give me the second book now!
A new world beautifully built, with 3 (4..?) awesome main characters. For the first time we see the story being told mostly from one place only, Frankfort, and I loved this choice, as we truly get to know the whole city, in its beauty and in its ugliness, it makes it REAL.
The end broke my heart though, and I had to remember to inhale and exhale, as everything's always gonna be ok.
Number 1 dytopian of the year!!!!!!! And remember that this week you find Black Tiger FREE on Amazon. Go grab your copy!

[L.R. Teague · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of black tiger by Sara Baysinger in exchange for an honest review!

You wouldn't know this was Sara Baysinger's first novel. (And can I say, that cover!) The way she weaves such striking imagery into the story, you'd expect to find her a seasoned author. If you enjoy the lyrical writing style of Tahereh Mafi, or the intensity of The Hunger Games, than you'll likely enjoy black tiger!

black tiger is a remarkable story, full of twists and turns that at some points leave you breathless. Though at times quite brutal, Ember's journey toward the truth - of her society and of her own life - draws you in. (I read this 57 chapter book in a day, if that tells you anything!) Ky is a harsh land of extremes. There are moments when the sheer honesty of it makes you want to look away. But time and each progressing chapter read exposes deeper layers and gems of wisdom. The underlying messages will stick with the reader long after the book is closed.

The characters are realistic and vivid. I could easily imagine each one. Ember's struggle to know who to trust is still MY struggle after finishing the book! Forest or Rain or Walker... I'm still not sure! Baysinger left enough unanswered questions and loose strings that I'm eager to read the next book!

There were a few minor details that were too much for me. But NOTHING that takes away from the worthiness of this book. I won't even list them, because they are so minor in the scheme of things and I want to you make up your own mind. We all have our personal preferences, but I'm glad that I read this book and I'm happy to recommend it! For these reasons I'm giving it 4/5 stars.

[Phoebe The Reading Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author: Sara Baysinger

Publisher: StarFinder Press

Publishing Date: October 6, 2016

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest and objective review.

"Reality, I think, will be the death of us all."

I loved so much about this book, even with the few bumps I hit along the way. The cover art initially made no sense to me, so it didn't draw me into the story - but once I started reading I developed a new appreciation for it, as the MC's name is Ember, like the embers in a fire. I was really terrified I wouldn't love this story but it exceeded my expectations!

Summary:
Ember Carter is a 16-year-old farmer's daughter with a passion for her family and the Community Garden. As Career Day is fast approaching Ember knows that her fate is in the hands of the government. Careers are chosen for the Proletariat, and for the last two years the only careers that have been given out are positions to be a Defender of the Peace. Pro fighting a war that no one knows anything about.

As her path collides with Forest, a mysterious stranger full of knowledge of Frankfort's secrets, Ember finds herself thankful for the safe haven of the Community Garden. When her best friend, Leaf, makes a rash decision she find's her life is dumped upside down. Ripped from the Community Garden and suspected of being a rebel she is tried for Murder. Facing certain death; will anyone save her?

Her time in prison is far from simple, though. Ember meets Rain, an indifferent Patrician, who is focused on reaching his goals regardless of what it takes. Incarceration has it's way of unlocking secrets, though. Ember learns that she's lived a life a lies, a secret that gives her the power to change the fate of Ky.

Pros and Cons:
One of my absolute favorite things about this Dystopian novel is that it has diversity! Ember is African American, and she's described to have hazelnut colored skin, with mud brown hair, which totally goes against the "dark hair, light eyes, pale-skin" characters that are usually in the Dystopian genre. (FINALLY!) There is also a biracial relationship that develops later on in the plot. *heavy breathing* Biracial couples are so stunningly beautiful!

One thing that really irked me through this novel was some of the unique language that Sara tried to create. For example the use of the word "shoddy" as a substitute for where we would usually see an expletive or even the word "bloody." There was also the phrase "son of a jackal," versus "son of a gun." I think this was Sara's way of avoiding curse words, which I fully support, but it just didn't sit well with me personally.

I also found that some of her characters repeated themselves throughout the book, and it wasn't in a "quoting myself" kind of way. I think it would have been stronger if her characters had had just changed the phraseology a bit when they repeated themselves, versus a verbatim quote. Aside from these few hiccups, the book was really well-written! The characters are developed beautifully and highly relatable.

Characters:
Our protagonist is Ember Carter. Ember hates rocking the boat, and would much rather try to be an optimist. She is very green to a lot of social experiences, so she's a bit naive, and way too trusting, but that's what makes me love her. I think one of her strongest features as a character is her ability to follow through on her word. Even when everything in her makes her doubt herself she still makes the tough decisions. I also loved that no matter what was happening, or what she felt, she was devoted to getting back to her family. Sure - it was completely selfish, but when the world is caving in who wouldn't want to stick their head in the sand and just wish it away?

Then we have Forest, a mystery man who claims to have the best of intentions - but it is SO hard to tell at times. He's beautiful, and powerful - but in the same essence Forest is weak and makes a lot of dumb and naive decisions. He, too, is similar to Ember in this way. Both constantly trying to believe the best. Hopefully as the plot thickens in the next two books they will grow and realize that just isn't always possible.

Lastly we have Rain, who drinks like a fish, and would just assume watch the world burn as he would watch it thrive. His indifference to nearly everything is beyond obnoxious. Sure - there's a heart in his chest somewhere, I'm just not exactly sure where. It's as if his calling in life is to grate the nerves of everyone around him - and god forbid he pass up the chance to tease someone or hit them where it hurts. I'm interested to see the further development of his character.

Conclusion:
I gave this YA Dystopain Fantasy novel four stars because of the thought-provoking sentiments it had, (which are also kind of unusual in Dystopians as they tend to be more storm-the-castle based), and because the plot made me hungry. It was easy to get lost in this book and I'm struggling to not destroy my February TBR so I can read the next book in this series NOW. Though there is no coarse language, or sexual scenes in this book, but there are deaths, and physical assaults that take place in the story. I'm very excited for the rest of this series, and am so thankful to Sara for sending me an e-ARC.

Favorite Quotes:
"Optimism is a good trait, Ember. But if you always choose to see the glass as half full, you'll never have the incentive to change anything."

"I'm glad Dad raised me to think for myself and not conform to following society."

"Nothing strikes emotion more than seeing a strong person cry."

"There is no my people and your people. We're all one nation, one tribe. One people."

"Peter Pan doesn't exactly welcome anyone to Neverland who's older than twelve, so we adults have to suck it up, plaster a smile on our faces, and pretend like the grave doesn't completely terrify us."

"Rain is... unpredictable."

"Frankfort is a black tiger. Beautiful. Dangerous."

"Did you know Ky used to be known as Kentucky? Little known fact."

"Rain, the uncultured, arrogant prick, reads."

[Pam Jernigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's like the Hunger Games, only with better world-building and less child murder. :) Ember doesn't want much, she'd just like to NOT be executed as a rebel, especially considering she's never been involved with the Resurgence. But she has some unique traits, and a more complicated background than she thought, and keeps drawing the attention of powerful people... lots of back and forth, in and out, up and down thrills, and she's usually in well over her head. I really enjoyed how the secrets were drawn out slowly; there were a few things I anticipated, but more that I did not. Well-written, and a fast read. Looking forward to the rest of the series, but happy that this one doesn't end with a cliffhanger.

Love triangle wise - can't decide which team I'm on; Forest and Rain both have good and bad traits and I kept changing my mind. :)

(Forgot the disclaimer, sorry: I received a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

[Ralene Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good: Great plot, interesting characters, interesting twists.

The Not-So-Good: The writing style took some getting used to, and there were still things I didn't like about it. Several typos and formatting issues throughout.

Overall: I enjoyed the story and went on to read the next book right away!

[Celesta Thiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!!! I just loved the main character so much and also adored both of the love interests. It had excellent characters and a fantastic plot! What a great escape from reality! Made me so happy <3

[Nina ✿ Looseleaf Reviews ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you for sharing, Sara. This is one heck of a book!

Ember is a common farmer in a post-plague America. When her career-assignment day comes, all she wants is to become a farmer so she can stay with her father and brother. Instead, she has her best friend taken from her and her entire life turned upside down.

Black Tiger is one of those rare gems among the dystopian genre that I find myself loving. Most books are about a revolutionary girl who wants to change the world, but Baysinger took a page from series like The Hunger Games and Chaos Walking where the main character just wants to survive and go home. Does she want to kiss that cute guy who helped her? Of course. But does she want to stay with him forever at the cost of never seeing her family? Of course not! Ember is probably what any of us would be in her scenario: a confused and distressed teenager who is just trying to play everyone's games and get by.

Besides Ember herself, I found all the characters in the novel fantastic because they somehow always subvert what you'd expect from them. Forest, the beautiful blue-eyed love interest, is honest yet in the pocket of the government and unwilling to truly shake anything up. Meanwhile, Rain, the bad-boy, is maybe a little too far off the deep end, and definitely doesn't have Ember's best interests at heart either.

Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of juicy love triangle goodness, but this is one of those dystopians that is about the main character and her figuring everything out while the world crumbles around her. I am 110% team Rain, but something tells me I'm also going to be team Ember-just-gets-to-be-happy-and-safe no matter how everything else plays out.

I'm so hung up on the characters because that's what endeared me so much to Black Tiger, but the plot is one heck of a ride, too. Baysinger strings you along with twist after twist without ever losing you in the detail. Perfectly paced and always intriguing!

This one gets 4/5 stars for now, but I have high hopes for the sequel!

[Dawn Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received a copy of this book for an honest review. This is my honest review.

Black Tiger is perfect for Divergent, Hunger Games, and The City of Ember fans. The world of Black Tiger is a dystopian society that was almost wiped out by the White Plague over a hundred years before the timing of this story. This society of Ky (which used to be Kentucky until the plague) has removed all vestiges of religion, and has set small group of genetically superior people called Patricians in charge of the survivors. One special Patrician rules in a dictatorship and the commoners called Proletariats are manipulated and mistreated as that ruler sees fit.

When Ember, the main character, steps in to help her best friend on career day, the day they are assigned what they will do for the rest of their lives, tragedy happens. Ember is arrested and taken to prison. There she faces down the uncaring Patricians in a system stacked against her, and vicious black tigers used to kill anyone who rebels. There doesn't seem to be any way of escape. But, there's something different about Ember. Something Patrician.

Black Tiger will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. There are twists and turns along the way, and you are instantly rooting for Ember to become the strong Patrician she is. But, the question is, what will it take to get her to stand up against the oppression her Proletarian people are subjected to every day?

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 4.5
(This review may contain very mild spoilers)

This book was actually different! Like, there were a lot of cliches but all in all it was really original.

The Good
The writing was wonderful! towards the middle it dipped a little but then got better again. The characters were cool and Ember (For me at least) Was easy to relate to. I also thought it was REALLy awesome that Ember wasn't all white! Most Christian book main characters are white and I found this very refreshing and different.

The Bad
There is a lot of alcohol in this book so if that makes you uncomfortable, this isn't the book for you. Rain is also said to be a 'player' and always has at least two girls hanging off of him. There is some mild swearing and the author made up her own versions of swear words that the characters use frequently. (I wouldn't consider this bad but I'd just like to point out that the main character does kiss someone (Fairly detailed) and explains her feelings of attraction) Rain makes a rather crude comment.

The Ugly
Rain takes Ember to a club and there are naked girls acting as statues, people make out and one of the 'statues' almost gets raped. The main character however thinks that it is disgusting and in no way condones it. A character commits suicide (Detailed) the main character gets injured and throws up a few times.

Clean verdict:
16+ Not completely clean and would recommend with a caution.

[Lelia Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book will be very popular for the very things that bugged the snot out of me. Well, let's start with the positives. The story is well told, easy to follow, and a quick read. The main character is a person of good will and strong emotions. She personifies teenage girls, which leads to what I did not like. When our hero Ember tells the man for whom she has romantic interest, "Don't worry about me, Forest. I can take care of myself," I wanted to shake her and scream like the sensei master in the movie UHF, "YOU'RE SOO STOOOPID!"
Well, that's me. I didn't like teenage girls when I was a teenage girl. I disliked the silliness, the lack of proportion, the eye-rolling and sarcasm, and the injecting of romance into every single activity of life whether or not it was appropriate or useful.
Since nearly everything the hero said was something I have heard teenage girls say, I'm thinking that every teenage girl who isn't me will identify with Ember and be able to receive all the meaningful stuff in the book. There is lots of action and lots of romance and lots of mystery.
I recommend this book for the teen girl in your life.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars! Great story - really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. This is a YA Dystopian book and it was different than some of the others I have read. There are some adult scenes and some language, but there are some great characters and some different plot twists. I received an e-book for my honest review.

[Avily Jerome · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an intriguing storyworld!
And the romantic tension is off the wall. I can't wait for the next book!

[Lyna Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Great start and I immediately began the next as soon as I was done with it. Twists I didn't see coming!

[Giorgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Tiger is the perfect blend of Red queen and Throne of glass, but with a handful of salt and pepper to mix things together.

the writing style is on point, the thought put into every word makes your reading experience easier and enjoyable.

it's safe to say that I loved this book from page one until the very end. I literally stayed up until my eyelids dropped to finish this book (didn't manage to reach the end, but I finished it first thing this morning).
Besides Ember, and Forest but I'll get to him later, I loved every single character.
Ember is the main character in the book, a insecure girl with a very strong personality. I didn't necessary dislike her, but I found it annoying that whenever someone told her something she made it her prerogative to follow his/her advices.

coming to Forest (Yes, I also love all these nature-y names) he's probably the one I disliked the most from the colorful crew of black tiger. He was incredibly good, everything saying he'd help Ember but never truly did anything in time to save before someone else did. that is until the last part.
all in all, even if I disliked him so much, I believe he is a well shaped character.

As for characters I loved: RAIN.
I know I should hate him because of his actions, but I know, I am sure, that in the depth of his heart he is good.
oh and also if you were wondering, Rain is my current obsession at the moment. just saying.

then there was Leighann. She's the cutest, really. I believe if we put Leighann and Elijah together they would win the award for the cutest duo In Ky.

Surely, this book had its flaws, for example some incongruences as for characters personality, but I really, really suggest reading this book if you've slightly enjoyed reading hunger games or Divergent. this book will blow your mind. seriously.

[J.F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Tiger is a Christian dystopian about a girl, a lowly Proletariat named Ember. As is a common trope in many dystopian novels, she's about to find out what career she'll be saddled with for the rest of her life. She fears she'll be assigned as a Defender, as most kids seemed to be lately. Surprisingly, she gets her dream assignment as a farmer. She won't be shipped away. She'll get to remain on her farm with her father and brother.

But her best friend, Leaf, is assigned as a Defender. In a rare moment of extreme courage, he hijacks the mic and warns all the Proletariats what the government is doing...how wrong it is. They starve while the Patrician's live in luxury.

Ember sees a defender raise his weapon and aim it at Leaf. She rushes to push the weapon aside. Another defender is killed in the process. Ember is immediately taken into custody where she'll be killed for murdering a defender and collaborating with rebels.

This is just in the first few chapters. The story remains exciting. There are a few minor technical issues, but they didn't detract from the story. Black Tiger is well written and I love Ember's voice. The author does a great job of getting into the character and making her come alive, sinking me into the story. And there is a wonderful cast of believable characters that will have you guessing as to their motives.

If you enjoy dystopians with a great balance of suspense, action, and emotion in a futuristic and unjust world with a 'supernatural' element of compulsion, you need to visit Ky. Pick up Black Tiger and join Ember's journey.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting first book to a series...yes another one. This one had a Giver -like feel to it where they are told what career they will have when they turn a certain age. But this had a lot of twists and turns and new things most dystopian novels haven't had. The writing style wasn't my favorite, it was very conversational but on a junior high level....the author wrote every single word that the main character said or thought...it was different.

There were a few annoyances....Rainbow eyes is a hideous nickname and it was predictable in parts. There was also one scene in a club where there were naked women (who were there because it was their profession that they didn't get to choose).

I feel like the main character was really gullible and for that fact it's hard to root for them. I'm very interested to see where this goes though. And towards the end of the book it takes an interesting turn towards religion. Religion had been abolished and it is hoped that bringing religion back will save the people. Very interesting.

[Gabriella Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even start with this book???
I picked up Black Tiger based off of curiosity after seeing the cover for the third one floating around the internet and found myself quite intrigued by the blurb. I can't believe Baysinger knew how to keep me on the edge of my seat the entire book!! This was quite an emotional ride for me, and quite often, I was in need of someone to rant to. I have never really been this emotionally invested in characters like Ember, Forest and Rain, and their stories, not even for the Hunger Games. I already finished Ashen City and moved on to White Dawn and I am crying my eyes out, but I won't say why until my White Dawn review. I'm trying as hard as I can to keep this review spoiler free, but I am planning to do a spoiler filled review on my blog very soon. But PLEASE go pick up this book--you won't be able to put it down!!!!

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strongest of the three books. The characters are very interesting, and the plot is easy to get into.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book a long long time ago and although I really enjoyed it, I ended up setting it down and not picking it up again until recently.

However, once I started reading again, I was hooked. I really enjoyed Sara’s writing style and the world that she developed. Ember is a relatable character, and Rain and Forest are two possible romance characters for her, and they’re both great characters as well.

I am very excited to start the second book, Ashen City!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ember is a typical sixteen year old girl growing up in the Community Garden and is about to be assigned her career, most likely as a Defender. A chance meeting with a new young man the night before Career Day causes a chain reaction when all young people except Ember are assigned the Defender Career. Ember is then forced to attack a Defender to save her best friend. Now suspected to be a rebel, Ember is sent to the city, Frankfort, and sentenced to death in a mock trial. Frankfort, however, is full of intrigue and secrets. Before her sentence can be carried out, Ember's life is once again spiralling out of her control at the whims of others. Will her mother's shocking secret be the death or salvation of Ember's life?

I originally read this as a Beta reader and had been thinking about since when the author asked me to read an Advanced Reader copy and post an honest review. I jumped at the chance!

This is a young adult dystopian novel. Ember is a sixteen year old girl and in typical ways is both exhilarating and infuriating at times. :) Sometimes I wanted to shout at her but only because I cared about her.

The world building is great and the characters are multidimensional. The novel is told in first person only (which I love for these types of stories) so we really only know Ember well. The supporting characters are well developed and have secrets of their own.

The novel ends with the immediate problem solved. However, this is just the first book in the series and I really want to read the next one. There is still much to be known about secondary characters and Ember has some big decisions to make. :)

So, I really recommend that you read this novel as soon as it is released! It is definitely worth your time and money.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really Christian fiction

Although I found this book in a list for Christian fiction, there are cuss words and crass words in it - and not much of a Christian bent either. After the first cuss word at about half way through I skipped to the end to see what the outcome would be and ran into another one. What I did get to read I was intrigued by and wished I could have finished.

[R.J. Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a phenomenal read!

I picked it up to casually read and before I knew it, I was sucked in, forgetting about dinner, forgetting about family, wanting nothing more than to get to the next page.

The books starts with Ember at home, dreading Career Day, when she would be forced to leave her family for a job that would be forced upon her sixteen year old shoulders. The night before, she meets a mysterious young man named Forest, and events unfold from there faster than she could ever be prepared for.

I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll resist going into the details. But know this: during Part 1, I was intensely curious, learning the world and enjoying what I knew. I spent Part 2, absolutely riveted, filled with questions, concerns and, I admit, some glee, as I watched everything unfold in the most unluckiest of ways for Ember. (meet Rain, and you'll eventually understand my glee) And once I reached Part 3, it was a non-stop ride of lip-biting, strangled shouts and frantic reading. Now I question everything, desperate for the next book, wanting to know what is going to happen next. Book two will be EXPLOSIVE. And I can't wait for it!

I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed any bit of Hunger Games, Divergent or any of those dystopian series. Without a doubt in my mind, this opening book of the Black Tiger series is going to out shine them.

[Laurie Lucking · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit, when I first started Black Tiger, it felt a lot like other dystopians I've read. A decimated population resulting in a corrupt government that assigns careers, strictly regulates every aspect of life, lets the poor suffer while the wealthy thrive, and uses draconian punishments to encourage submission. BUT, the further I got into the book, the more it stood out. Black Tiger is full of plot twists that keep you turning pages and difficult choices that get you debating and fretting right along with the main character.

I really enjoyed Ember as a protagonist. She was easy to relate to, with moments where she was an inspiration juxtaposed with moments where she made poor decisions. I also loved the way the love triangle developed in complexity over the course of the book, such that my loyalties kept changing sides as I learned more about each potential love interest (I can't wait to see how it turns out!). Another thing that stood out to me in this book was the writing. While there were a few repetitions and contradictions that momentarily took me out of the story, there were also sentences and paragraphs that were so well written I went back and read them several times over.

Black Tiger was an exciting, emotional ride, and I can't wait to see how events develop in the next book!!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Tiger is a thrilling novel that will have you hooked right away. Ember is a teenage girl who just wants to live her life peaceably, but gets pulled out of it quite alarmingly and thrown from one intense situation to the next as she discovers what really hides behind the government's promises, and how life isn't as simple as she wants it to be. She's relatable, she's honest, she grapples with the idea of a divine reality that she feels but can't understand, though she longs to.

Dystopian setting with all the cunning players and intriguing backdrops you could ask for: check!
Heroes, bad guys, and some in the gray area: check!
Saucy love triangle: check!

It's an impressive, thought-provoking, exciting book by debut author Sara Baysinger, highly recommended and will leave you anxious for book two!!