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Pawn of Mine

by Tabitha Vale (Goodreads Author)

4.36 of 5 stars 4.36 · rating details · 14 ratings · 9 reviews

The world never ended in fire and ice. The people were consumed by it and now control the elements. The Fires have harnessed the power down to an art while the Waters cower in fear of their abilities, remaining weak and hopeless. Seventeen-year-old Sage Sinclair hopes to dispel the weakness of her Water people because she knows that if she doesn’t do anything, no one will....more

ebook, 350 pages

Published April 9th 2012

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Apr 21, 2012 Jessirae rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, for-review

I was simply blown away by Tabitha Vale’s Pawn of Mine. It’s got everything I’ve wanted in a story and so much more. She didn’t just meet my expectations, she surpassed them! I loved every aspect of this book, wanting even more once I finished.

In Pawn of Mine, a meteor shower hits the earth, giving the people control over the elements of Fire and Water. They do this with the stars by drawing out the constellations with their hands and/or feet. This becomes their ultimate power that they called...more I was simply blown away by Tabitha Vale’s Pawn of Mine. It’s got everything I’ve wanted in a story and so much more. She didn’t just meet my expectations, she surpassed them! I loved every aspect of this book, wanting even more once I finished.   

In Pawn of Mine, a meteor shower hits the earth, giving the people control over the elements of Fire and Water. They do this with the stars by drawing out the constellations with their hands and/or feet. This becomes their ultimate power that they called starlight. After the second meteor shower, the Fire and Water Ancients are wiped out. Now, there is no more balance between Fire and Water. The Fire element has become superior to the Water element, rendering them useless to all the Fires. The Fires are able to use starlight, while the Waters are not taught to use it at all. The main protagonist, Sage, is willing to do anything to overthrow Agni as the leader and give her Water people the equality and best leadership they deserve. However, Sage may be in over her head. She still has much to learn and sometimes things don’t go her away, especially if love is involved.   

One of the best things about Pawn of Mine is the unique world that Tabitha created. It’s completely well-thought out. I love the idea of people acquiring elemental powers. This is such a creative concept, I praise Tabitha Vale for thinking outside of the box. She builds up the world nicely, drawing everything out and not overwhelming the reader with this new world. She explains how the people came to have this elemental power in great detail throughout the story and alongside Sage’s journey. I learned as Sage learned and I loved that this happened. It felt like I was in the story rather than being an observer on the outside. This world has Media Maps, star dust, star syrup, humens, and oppos that make Pawn of Mine considerably original and quite well-rounded. She also parallels the story with the rich vs. the poor in each the Fires and the Waters. This is an intriguing addition to the story that Tabitha weaves in flawlessly.

  I commend Tabitha for creating such an amazing and strong protagonist in Sage. From the start, Sage is so determined to start this revolution to save her people. Sage is such a visionary and her unwavering courage and her never-ending willingness to go through her plans is inspiring. Sage is a true fighter and an honorable person. She has big dreams, big goals. She’s independent, thinks freely for herself, speaks her mind and she’s intelligent. She’s unique and special in every way. Most of all, Sage is bold and has guts. She’s left an impressionable imprint on me and there is just no way you cannot not love her. On the plus side, Sage doesn’t whine or complain. She faces everything head-on. Sage truly is one of a kind.

  The secondary characters in this book are very well developed, but Tabitha Vale manages to give these characters this air of mystery that made me want to get to know them more. Next to Sage, my most favorite character has to be Zane. He becomes Sage’s best friend and confidant. He’s funny, flirty, smart, super charming and he’s extremely attractive. Zane manages to brighten everything up in this book. Half the time he’s making some remark that makes me laugh endlessly or has me grinning from ear to ear. I found Zane to be the most remarkable character in this book. He swept me off my feet from the very beginning. Another character was Hazel. He keeps to himself, rarely says anything and he’s quite mean. He always seems to be in a foul mood, but his strength and the power he exuded along with his broken past made me adore him completely. He’s also got this bad boy, “stay-away” from me going for him. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s completely swoon-worthy and very handsome.Then there is Saffron. He’s is a total sweetheart, a little strange, but I like his charm too and his way with words. He’s the second person to show some sort of interest in Sage. He’s kind and a little overconfident. I didn’t get to know him much, but I liked his quirks and the way he could talk into Sage’s heart and possibly my own. The antagonist of Pawn of Mine was Agni. He was a complete surprise. He’s not like other villains out there. He’s a little crazy and over the top. He’s dense at times, but he’s powerful and his temper is crazy scary. Agni is the type that smiles and laughs and acts like everything is ok, but he’s got this evil, creepy and ruthless personality lurking inside of him that can come out at any time. The way he acts is a little terrifying and I never knew when he’d burst into a rage. He doesn’t seem like the clichéd type of villain with the way he treated Sage and the way he wanted to please the people, but I can see through Agni. Believe me when I say that he is dangerous. Agni is totally different and I love how Tabitha portrayed him to be this way.   

Overall, the writing and pacing to Pawn of Mine is superb and rich. It’s descriptive, easily engrossing and downright astounding. Pawn of Mine has everything a book needs: a kick ass heroine, romance that doesn’t overpower the main storyline, bursts of humor, well-developed characters, wonderful world building and lots of action with plenty of twists and turns that surprise the reader to no end.

  Pawn of Mine is a must-read!   

5 out 5 stars  !

More Reviews on my blog: Words, Pages, and Books (less)

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May 03, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

If I had the ability to use water or fire, I would probably sit in my room all day amusing myself with lights flying around everywhere. Sage, however, knows there’s more to life than waiting around. In fact, Sage Sinclair is on a mission, and she won’t let anything get in her way. Her mission? Lead her fellow Water people back on the path to equality and prove to them that they are not weak or submissive by nature. The problem? No one listens or takes her seriously. Sage will not let anything so...more If I had the ability to use water or fire, I would probably sit in my room all day amusing myself with lights flying around everywhere. Sage, however, knows there’s more to life than waiting around. In fact, Sage Sinclair is on a mission, and she won’t let anything get in her way. Her mission? Lead her fellow Water people back on the path to equality and prove to them that they are not weak or submissive by nature. The problem? No one listens or takes her seriously. Sage will not let anything so trifling stop her though, and she sets out to complete her mission. Who cares if a few things go wrong here or there? So what if she makes a few enemies? Sage’s mulish stubbornness and dedication to her sister’s cunning plan can accomplish anything… she hopes.

When I first read the premise, I am a little concerned. The premise for Pawn of Mine reminds me strongly of the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon that I really liked when I was little. Except for the missing air and earth elements, it kind-of has a Katara vs. Zuko sound to me. I am nervous about how this is going to go over because I really likthe Avatar: The Last Airbender shows and would not like a knockoff… it’s a good thing Pawn of Mine turns out TOTALLY different.

As I read Pawn of Mine, the first thing I notice is that the magic is so very unique. In this world, to use magic the characters must draw from the power of the stars. I love that Vale mixes elemental powers with specific gestures and star points just like I imagine a wizard or witch using. The gestures and points are explained as the “users” hitting the points in the constellation. When this happens, their water or fire takes on the form of the drawn constellation . The more accurately a character hit the points the stronger the created form… pretty cool right?!?

Sage herself is a very unique character with a defiant voice and fiery passion. She is strong and fearless (from what I see), but she also has a recklessness that gets her into some really stupid situations. I am completely surprised at her best friend Zane’s ability to not constantly chant, “I told you so”. He is obviously a better person than I would be. I likedthat even though Sage chooses to do some pretty silly things without listening to words of warning, everything doesn’t always work out. Okay, SOMETIMES it works, and at these times I am just shaking my head and thinking how lucky Sage is, but many other times she realizes that she’s being a little rash. The only frustrating part is that Sage never seems to outgrow this rashness. She just jumps back into the fray with another crazy scheme. Lucky for her, craziness is a talent in which she is quite proficient!

The entire romantic plot of this book is very well written, though Sage seems completely oblivious to who she really should be liking *ahem*, and the guy she goes for just keeps falling flat in my eyes. I really don’t know what she sees in him! The whole book is an amazing rollercoaster that I cannot wait to get on again for round two. The ending is AHH-mazing and, even though I don’t really like what happens, it is a great mini-mystery (not quite a cliff-hanger) that keeps me hooked (and not too angry) for book two, Knight of Mine.

The Cover:

Personally, I really don’t like this cover. I think the story is fantastic, and the cover doesn’t seem to reflect any of that awesomeness. The girl’s face is hidden, but not in an intriguing way, and though it looks like there is something in the very middle of the cover, even on ZOOM I cannot tell what it is. I wish this cover reflected more of the magical, astrology parts of the story.

I give Pawn of Mine 4.5 out of 5 hearts: Very Highly Recommended!

Review first posted on my blog: http://www.epiloguereview.blogspot.com (less)

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Apr 14, 2012 Stephanie Conkey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow, what a treat! Where do I start? Let’s just say that Ms. Vale knows how to weave fresh ideas into a well-developed plot. Everything fits so well together that by the time I reached the end of it I was left going ‘where’s the rest?!’

Let’s start off with the plot; Sage Sinclair is our main protagonist and I love her. She’s so strong and determined. Little to nothing can force her to back down. It’s really something to see a girl so firm in her dreams and goals to not let other people get her d...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Latoya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review: Action-packed sequences and a heroine that can handle her own this is a great read about courage, sacrifice and love. Sage is a tough cookie who is passionate about the cause she has set for herself and nothing is going to interfere with that goal of showing the world that the Waters can be just as powerful as the Fires, who are in control of everything.She hopes to restore the balance that they once had when the Ancients lived, and not even the cute boys that seem to be flocking her can...more

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May 01, 2012 Brianna Kilcrease rated it 5 of 5 stars

First Line: "Sage pulled her mask snug around her face. Night fever got worse during the colder seasons, so she had to take a moment to compose herself. Once a swift inspection of her black clothing assured none of her skin was exposed to the stars, she rearranged the heavy pack on her shoulder so that its weight was evenly distributed in the center of her back."

THIS BOOK IS EPIC. I can't believe I didn't read it as soon as I got it! When Tabitha asked me to review it I was like, "I'm full so I...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Karen [Nose In A Book Blog] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, teen, reviewed

Pawn of Mine

by Tabitha Vale

The world never ended in fire and ice. The people were consumed by it and now control the elements. The Fires have harnessed the power down to an art while the Waters cower in fear of their abilities, remaining weak and hopeless. Seventeen-year-old Sage Sinclair hopes to dispel the weakness of her Water people because she knows that if she doesn’t do anything, no one will. When she discovers something special about herself, she seeks Humble Narcissist Ruler Agni in the...more Pawn of Mine

by Tabitha Vale

The world never ended in fire and ice. The people were consumed by it and now control the elements. The Fires have harnessed the power down to an art while the Waters cower in fear of their abilities, remaining weak and hopeless. Seventeen-year-old Sage Sinclair hopes to dispel the weakness of her Water people because she knows that if she doesn’t do anything, no one will. When she discovers something special about herself, she seeks Humble Narcissist Ruler Agni in the great fire city, Saint Firefly. Once she gains his seal of approval, she’s admitted into Erra Academy where she secretly sparks a revolution among her ennui peers—a revolution to fight back against the Fires. She has every hope in her movement, just as long as her feelings for a handsome and frivolous Saffron Larkspur don’t get in the way—that, and Agni’s sudden fascination with her. (Published April 9, 2012)

I received a review from Tabitha for debut novel, Pawn of Mine. This isn't in a genre I would normally choose for myself but the premise sounded interesting so I thought "Why not?" I am glad I did.

Sage Sinclair is a very strong and determined teenager. She gets herself admittance to the elite Erra Academy where she sets her plans of overthrowing the leadership of Agni. She meets some engaging characters along the way including Saffron, Zane, Hazel, and Analese. While at school, her family begins to suffer from dire circumstances that threatens to destroy everything Sage has worked so hard for. Pawn of Mine combines elements reminiscent of Harry Potter and Avatar: The Last Airbender into a magical creation all her own.

My only true "gripe" about the book was the pacing. The book takes place over the course of a few weeks. Sage shows up to school and the next day she is trying to recruit members for her club to overthrow Agni. She also suddenly starts dating on of the most popular boys in school. Not necessarily a bad thing (I like romance and this was good) but it seemed to develop so quickly that it just felt rushed. There is wonderful character development but it seemed hasty. Personally, I would like to see things taken slightly slower. This does appear to be the first novel of a set and I will probably be reading the forth coming books.

Overall, I found Pawn of Mine to be an entertaining and enjoyable read; therefore, I am rating it 4/5 Stars.
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Apr 26, 2012 Emily AKA Doodle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: provided-by-author, reviewed

Review originally posted at Doodle's Book Blog

Pawn of Mine was an adventure that has you rooting for the underdog. Tabitha Vale created a well thought out and detailed world where people can create either fire or ice.

From page one we dive into the world of people who can create fire or ice depending on their ancestry. Sage is born of ice, but has a secret that could shatter her happy world. Her sister has come up with a plan to bring Agni down, but it is Sage's job to implement the plan and fin...more Review originally posted at Doodle's Book Blog

Pawn of Mine was an adventure that has you rooting for the underdog. Tabitha Vale created a well thought out and detailed world where people can create either fire or ice.

From page one we dive into the world of people who can create fire or ice depending on their ancestry. Sage is born of ice, but has a secret that could shatter her happy world. Her sister has come up with a plan to bring Agni down, but it is Sage's job to implement the plan and find followers who will help her on her mission. Will she succeed in his destruction or will she put everyone she loves in jeopardy?

Sage is unlike most everyone living under Agni's rule. She despises him, hates him even. Her sister, Blair, has a plan to bring him down, but she is only the brains behind the operation. Sage must take the reins and find a way to get into Erra Academy, the private water school. Once in, she sets aside some of her standards to get what she needs. She befriends Zane, the flirt and private nerd, who helps her along the way. He is sweet, charming, and the one person Sage can always lean on, even in the most difficult situations. The Narcissistic ruler, Agni, is ruthless and controlling. He has a very short fuse and once his temper explodes all of his control is lost, but no worries, he can send a gift basket later.

What I liked most about this book was the main character, Sage. She is strong, courageous and a rebel, something we don't find often enough in YA fiction. I also really liked the premise of the book. Sage has to spark an uproar within her school to find people to join her cause, but she has to figure out how to do this before she can proceed to the next step. Her sister only gave her so much to go on, she has to figure out the rest on her own.

There were only two things I didn't like. The first is how hard it was for me to get into the book. I was completely lost in the beginning, but once I got about halfway pieces started falling into place and I finally started flying through the pages. Oh, and then there was the cliffhanger. A huge bomb was dropped at the end and now I'm left wondering what will happen until July when Knight of Mine is set to release.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Pawn of Mine. It took some time to get into, but the end was worth it. I recommend it to anyone wanting to read a book filled with adventure and persevering main character.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion. (less)

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Apr 28, 2012 Anna Dase rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Thoughts

OMG I really enjoyed this book ok actually I LOVED this book. Our journey is with Sage a very strong and determined girl out to set things right. We are in a world where most people have a power to where they can control either Fire or Water, but not everyone has an affinity for an element.
Sage wants to over throw the powers well the power that be because of the corrupt things that happens to the people. Sage starts a secret group at school to teach her classmates how to use their...more

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May 05, 2012 Book Whales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally posted @ Book Whales

This is a great read! Thank you, Tabitha for giving us a copy of this book. I absolutely enjoyed “Pawn of Mine.” This book will “WOW” you.

The story is about a world controlled by Agni, the ruler from the Fire people. Sage, the heroine does not agree with Agni’s philosophies. She doesn’t like the way her people is living under his rule. She then seeks Agni’s seal in order to attend Erra Academy. There, she restored a club, called the Elements with the help of her fr...more Originally posted @ Book Whales

This is a great read! Thank you, Tabitha for giving us a copy of this book. I absolutely enjoyed “Pawn of Mine.” This book will “WOW” you.

The story is about a world controlled by Agni, the ruler from the Fire people. Sage, the heroine does not agree with Agni’s philosophies. She doesn’t like the way her people is living under his rule. She then seeks Agni’s seal in order to attend Erra Academy. There, she restored a club, called the Elements with the help of her friends. Elements is a club, where the members are not in accordance to Agni’s rule. Secrets will unfold. Will her fellow radical friends overthrow Agni for good? Why is she driven to help Hazel? You have to read this book to find out.

The world building is amazing. I’ll give Tabitha two thumbs up for creativity. Pawn of Mine is unique, there is nothing like it. I love the pacing, it was not rushed. You will feel like part of their world. It is a fantasy yet believable. They way, she vibrantly describes the fighting scenes made my heart pumps so fast. She was that good. The scenes are very cinematic too, this book could be a movie. I can’t believe the author is on her early twenties.

The characters are well developed. Again, they were realistic. I am so fond of Sage! I love her courage and her way of thinking. She is mature for her age. Sage is strong minded, caring and charismatic. She is one of the best heroines out there. As for the boys, this book will make your mouth water. Erra Academy is filled with handsome boys! I like Zane; he is hot with a nerdy side. Who cannot fall for a guy who loves to read books? The way he takes care of Sage, melts my heart. I feel bad for him though because…..(No Spoilers here, so read the book :D ) Another drool worthy guy is Hazel. He is mysterious, strong and talented. There is something about him that lures you. As a reader, I really want to console him. The way he blames himself over his brother’s death, shatters my heart. Lastly, Saffron, he is a kind of guy, who gets what he wants. I don’t like him for Sage. Their blossoming relationship does not appeal to me that much. Saffron’s perception in relationship and in life differs with Sage. Well, what can I say? Opposites attract.

As for the negative part, this book has too much information. I even wrote down some things, so that I won’t get lost. I wish there was a map or a list of information at the front page, regarding about the constellations.

Overall, this book is an enjoyable read. This will appeal to action and fantasy lovers. This book will draw you in. I can’t wait for “Knight of Mine” to come out.

Rating: 4.5 Whales

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About Tabitha Vale

I'm 20 years old, from Portland, Oregon, and have a passion for writing. There isn't much else to say about me since I'm a new author! Aside from writing, I'm a college Sophomore, I've lived in South Korea, I love traveling, love Glee, Friends, and Modern Family, and I love being outside! Can you keep up with all the books I'll be publishing? Hope so!

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