“My friend, Emako Blue, was supposed to be a star.” (124) Emako Blue, a novel by Brenda Woods, tells a story about a 15-year-old girl who is killed in a drive by shooting from the viewpoint of four of her friends. This is definitely a must read book because of the extensive character development and the lesson this book teaches.

As I read this book, I constantly came across instances where Emako brought out the best in the people she met. Monterey and Jamal especially. For example, Monterey, Emako’s best friend said,” I wanted her to come back and finish growing up with me… I wanted to tell her that she had the most beautiful awesome voice I’d ever heard.” (124) I think this quote shows how much Monterey respected and admired her best friend. Before my best friend moved away, I had always wanted to tell her that I admired how she was able to speak her mind without caring what other people thought. When she moved away, I tried to stay in touch but it was never the same and I never got to tell her how much I looked up to her as a role model. Also, this quote shows a sense of bittersweet regret going to show that no one lives forever.

This story is very moving because it shows how much we take people for granted. The main characters in this book all have regrets that they never got to tell Emako how much she meant to them. Savannah, Emako’s rival, reflects during the funeral thinking,” I was sorry. But now I would never be able to tell her that.” (31) This quote goes towards a possible hard truth to swallow; The life you know and the people you love could all be taken away in a minute. I am reminded of a time a couple years ago when I was talking to my mom’s friend and she asked me to sing for her. I told her,” Maybe some other time.” Little did I know that she would die two months later of breast cancer. Sometimes I wonder that if I had just sung for her, things would’ve been different. The depth of this theme defines the high quality of this book.

To conclude, the theme and growth of the characters throughout Emako Blue makes it a book totally worth your while. Trust me, after you read this book, you won’t be disappointed.