Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron: Badass Girls Taking Down the Patriarchy? Yes, Please!

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Published: July 7th, 2020
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Retelling/Dystopian/LGBTQ+
# of pages: 400
My rating: 4.5 stars
Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration
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It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.

Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her stepsisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all–and in the process, they learn that there’s more to Cinderella’s story than they ever knew...

This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they’ve been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them. 

Between the gorgeous cover and this pitch - “queer black girls team up to overthrow the patriarchy in the former kingdom of Cinderella" - I knew I had to read Cinderella is Dead. I’ve always been a fan of fairytales and retellings, and this one has made it onto my list of top favourites.

All the girls in the kingdom of Lille are forced to attend the annual ball, during which the goal is to be chosen for marriage. They have three chances, after which they’re considered undesirable and are often forfeited to the palace, never to be seen or heard from again. In Lille, women are little more than possessions, and men are allowed to treat them however they see fit, which is often with abuse and absolutely no respect. Sophia doesn’t want any part of that for herself or anyone else; she knows things should be different, and she wants to live a happy, free life with her girlfriend. Disgusted and disheartened, Sophia flees her first ball and ends up at Cinderella’s mausoleum, where she meets the only living descendent of Cinderella’s stepsisters, Constance, and begins to learn that the true tale of Cinderella is far different from the palace-approved version known to everyone in the land.

I loved so many things about this book. As I was reading, I saw countless parallels to today’s reality, and I loved how the story was a commentary on modern society and the issues many people face while also incorporating magical elements that managed to feel realistic. The world Sophia lived in was bleak and heartbreaking, but she was such a bright light. She wanted to live in a world where women weren’t possessions and couldn’t be forfeited for things beyond their control, where they were able to choose who and what they wanted to be - and who they wanted to be with. When she met Constance and saw how brave, tenacious, and determined she was, she realized it was possible for her to be like that too. Those things had been in her all along, despite being told she wasn’t entitled to happiness or freedom, and Constance helped her see it was possible to do more than just wish things were different.

I really loved how Cinderella is Dead turned the familiar tale on its head in so many ways. A lot of people have an issue with the Cinderella story because they don’t like the idea of the prince ‘saving’ her or the insta-love aspect, or, in the case of the live-action Disney remake, the fact Cinderella’s motto was “have courage and be kind” but it led to her being a pushover. Sophia and Constance knew courage was necessary, but they put actual action behind it too. They were a fierce pair, and I cheered them on every step of the way. Sophia challenged the status quo and knew things should be different and could be, and meeting Constance helped her see how she could act on that desire for change and equality.

Full of fierce, kickass characters, an engaging plot, and enough magic to completely enchant you, Cinderella is Dead is a hopeful, inspiring modern-day fairytale that should be on everyone’s TBR.

Have you read Cinderella is Dead? Do you have a favourite fairytale retelling?

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Review: The Infinite by Lori M Lee

The Infinite by Lori M Lee 
Series: Gates of Thread and Stone #2
Published: March 10th, 2015
Publisher: Skyscape
378 pages (eARC)
Genre: Young adult fantasy
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration 

Warning: May contain spoilers

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{Read my review of Gates of Thread and Stone}

Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever.

To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.

In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known.

I loved Gates of Thread and Stone. The gorgeous cover drew me in, and then my interest was captivated by the story itself - great characters, mystery, magic, romance, action. There was so much to love about the book, and I was eager to find out what would happen to Kai and her friends and family next. The Infinite was a great sequel. It satisfied my curiosity about what would happen next while skillfully adding in new information, new intrigue, and character development, plus setting things up for the next book.

Things in Ninurta are changing quickly after the huge power shift at the end of the first book. Kai has gone from living a simple life where she and her brother struggled to survive financially to living in the city centre and dealing directly with the people who run the city. When they learn that there are more survivors of the war living in their own city, things change even more.

Kai has a lot to deal with. She’s just found out the truth about her past, who/what she really is, and who her biological family is. She’s torn between worlds, between different groups of people, between family and duty, and between two possible loves. Through it all, though, she’s strong, smart, and fierce. She’s not perfect by any means, and she can be impulsive and even reckless, but I think that’s part of what makes her so great. She would do anything to protect the people she cares about, even if that means putting herself in danger. And it’s those flaws that make her believable and easy to connect with.

The romance, while not a main plot of the book, was much more prominent in Gates of Thread and Stone. The Infinite just had hints of romance, because there was so much else going on. I loved Avan in the first book, so it was hard seeing him not be himself. He’s the same person on the outside, but has none of his memories or old personality traits, and I can only imagine how much it would hurt Kai to interact with the boy who looks like the one she cares about but who can’t even remember her or their past. It made me glad he wasn’t in much of the book, because his interactions with Kai usually just left me sad. I did, however, continue to fall harder for Mason in this book. I loved him in the first book and was torn between him and Avan, but unless Avan somehow gets his memories back, I’m leaning more toward Mason. He and Kai are a good match, they work well together, and they have great chemistry.

With lots of twists and turns, a ton of new information, and plenty of action, The Infinite was a great sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone. I’m curious to see where the story will go from here, what will happen to the characters, and how certain things will get wrapped up.

 

    

Have you read Gates of Thread and Stone or The Infinite? What did you think? If you haven't read them, do you plan to? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

  
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Review: Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M Lee

Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M Lee

Series: Gates of Thread and Stone #1

Published: August 5th, 2014

Publisher: Skyscape

335 pages (eARC)

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration

Warning: May contain spoilers

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In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

When I read the synopsis of Gates of Thread and Stone, I was really excited. Plus, I mean, that cover is just so beautiful and eye-catching, right? Between the cover and synopsis, I had extremely high hopes for Gates of Thread and Stone, and I’m thrilled to say it lived up to my expectations. This book drew me in from the first page and held my attention right to the last page. It was gripping, exciting, mysterious, and well written, with a tightly woven, inventive plot.

I really liked Kai. She was feisty, smart, and strong. She loved her brother fiercely, and would do anything to make him happy and make life easier. She was a believable teenager - at times insecure, uncertain, selfish, impulsive - definitely flawed, and I loved that. We didn’t see much of Reev, Kai’s brother, but from Kai’s thoughts and memories of him, plus the few glimpses we did get, you were able to get a good sense of the protective, loyal older brother who would do anything to keep his sister safe.

Then there was Avan. Oh Avan. *swoon* I loved him. I loved the will they/won’t they pull between him and Kai, and the slow build of anticipation toward the possibility of something beyond friendship. I alternately sighed and squealed every time they touched, especially as the story went on and things were so uncertain. They had each other when everything was falling apart and even though there were moments I wanted to knock some sense into Kai, I loved these two together.

The world building in this book was fantastic. I was fascinated by the Labyrinth and the world beyond, and was able to picture it all clearly. The whole thing had a dark and creepy post-apocalypse vibe to it. I loved that this book was different from anything I’ve read.

I’ll admit, part of me was hoping this would be a really strong standalone. Up until close to the end I thought it might be, but by the end, I knew there would have to be a continuation. The ending was bittersweet, but I’m hopeful it will get worked out in the sequel, and since I loved these characters so much I’m happy to get the opportunity to see them again.

Gates of Thread and Stone is a fast-paced adventure full of magic and romance. I think this book will appeal to a lot of readers, whether you like fantasy, science fiction, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, or romance. Gates of Thread and Stone has a great concept, and Lori M Lee executed it with finesse. I highly recommend this one. 

 

   

Have you read Gates of Thread and Stone? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

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Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolomore

Check out the entire line-up for the blog tour here

Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolomore

Series: Dark Metropolis #1

Published: June 17th, 2014

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

304 pages (e-ARC)

Genre: Young adult paranormal/dystopia/horror

Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

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Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.

Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

Dark Metropolis was not what I was expecting, but in a (mostly) good way. It was original, fast-paced, and wonderfully creepy.

The synopsis makes it seem like the book is Thea’s story, but Thea was only one of three main characters, the others being Nan and Freddy. Each of them had a major role to play in Dark Metropolis, and the story was told from all three of their perspectives. I thought this would get confusing, but it never did, and I actually enjoyed getting to see things from each of their points of view. While I liked all three characters, I never really connected to any of them, which made it hard to connect to or invest emotionally in the story at times.

While parts of the story felt like they were glossed over - world building and some plot points - the plot was overall very original. It was fascinating and horrifying at the same time. I liked the different magical elements and the consequences of the magic. We were thrown into the story without much back-story or world building; it had a 1930s feel to it, and yet at times it felt futuristic. The lack of world building didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the book because the plot was strong enough to make up for it, but I did find myself asking questions throughout the story and never really getting answers to some of them.

Dark Metropolis is full of twists, surprises, and magic. It was gruesome at times, and had an overall feeling of something sinister lurking on the next page, ready to jump out at you from the dark. I think it could have stood on its own as a standalone, but apparently it’s the first in a series. I’m curious to see what happens to Nan, Freddy, and Thea next.  

 Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.

www.jaclyndolamore.com | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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Have you read Dark Metropolis? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to?

 
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Review: The Offering by Kimberly Derting

The Offering by Kimberly Derting

Series: Pledge #3

Published: December 31st, 2013

Publisher: Margaret K McElderry

336 pages (ARC)

Genre: Young adult dystopian

Acquired this book: From  Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review

Warning: Will likely contain spoilers if you haven't read The Pledge and The Essence

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{Read my review of The Pledge || Read my review of The Essence}

 

True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.

Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks.

When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.

But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

 

 

Derting doesn’t waste a second in beginning The Offering - it kicks off with a bang, and left me both horrified and heartbroken. That tension continues as we see Queen Charlaina still struggling to make changes in Ludania and fight for what she thinks is right, even though there’s plenty of resistance from some of her subjects. 

I grew to love Derting’s style in The Pledge and The Essence, and The Offering is no different. It was easy to connect with Charlie - she’s caring, loyal, strong, and the type of person you’d be lucky to have as a friend. She wants what’s best for everyone, even when that means making sacrifices or doing dangerous things. Between the first book and the third book, she’s had to grow up really quickly and make a lot of tough decisions. She’s trying to run a country, be a good friend/daughter/sister/girlfriend, and fight Sabara’s Essence inside her. Because so much of the book is serious and a bit heavy, it was nice to see a few moments of levity for Charlie, and her just getting to be a teenage girl, even for a minute.  

In my review of The Essence, I mentioned that I love how different this series is. It could go any way at any moment, and I loved that. There were familiar characters and new characters, along with new places, and it was hard to guess where Charlie would end up, who she would meet, and whether they would be friend or foe. There was nothing cookie cutter about this trilogy; Derting created a world that was fascinating, horrifying, gruesome, and complex.

I really missed familiar characters in this book. We didn’t get to see much of Max, Aron, Angelina, or Zafir, which was a bit disappointing since I love those characters. I know that because of the direction the book went it would have been difficult to make them ‘main’ characters the way they were in the previous two books, but I’ll admit I was a bit disappointed we didn’t get to see more of them, especially knowing this was the last story.   

I’m sad to say goodbye to these characters. I was lucky enough to read these three books within the span of a month, so I never had to wait to find out what happened next. In a way I think that made me feel closer to the characters because I got to see a lot of them in a short amount of time, and now I know this is it - no more Charlie and Max and Brooklyn and Angelina. I’m sad to see them go, but I also have a satisfied feeling because Derting did a great job of bringing the series to a close.

If you’re looking for a dystopian series that pairs action, suspense, and romance with memorable characters, a unique world, and great writing, The Pledge trilogy is a must read.

 

Have you read any of The Pledge trilogy? What did you think? If you've read The Offering, were you satisfied with how the trilogy concluded?

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Review: The Essence by Kimberly Derting

The Essence by Kimberly Derting

Series: Pledge #2

Published: January 1st, 2013

Publisher: Margaret K McElderry

352 pages (ebook)

Genre: Young adult dystopian

Acquired this book: Borrowed from Suz

Warning: Will contain spoilers if you haven't read The Pledge

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{Read my review of The Pledge}

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

 

The Essence picks up shortly after where The Pledge left off, with Charlie now Queen of Ludania. She’s taking her new role seriously, and has already made big changes to her Queendom, which have put her in danger from people who don’t agree with her ideas.

Charlie is torn between being Queen Charlaina and just plain Charlie, the daughter of vendors who grew up with few luxuries, but always had friends by her side. She’s got a country to run, and she wants to make changes that will benefit the people, but she’s also a teenage girl who’s in love and misses how things used to be with her family and friends. I liked Charlie a lot in The Pledge, and I grew to like her even more in The Essence. She’s strong and resilient, but she has flaws, just like everyone else. She tries so hard to do what's best, and I admire her strength, her sass, and her bravery.

Unexpectedly, one of my favourite characters in this book was Zafir. It's his job to take care of Charlie, and he takes that job very seriously, but every once in awhile there's a glimmer of something else. You can tell he’s the type of person who tries to stay professional - who has a job and does it without emotion getting in the way - but he cares about Charlie in a begrudging sort of way, which I found both amusing and endearing.

One of things I love most about this series is how fresh it is. So many dystopians take the same basic concept and put their own spin on it, but I’ve never read anything like this series. Also, a lot of trilogies stretch on and on, and I end up thinking they could have made one stellar book instead of dragging on for three mediocre books, but that’s far from the case with this series. The Essence was completely different from The Pledge - new setting, new characters thrown in with the familiar, new twists and turns, new discoveries. I felt like the book could take a new turn at any minute, and I loved that unpredictability.

There was no Second Book Syndrome here. The Essence was just as action-packed and suspenseful as The Pledge. While there wasn’t as much romance, I enjoyed the developing relationships between characters, as well as the character growth. I’m both excited and sad to see this series come to an end in the next book - excited because I genuinely like these characters and want to see what happens to them, and sad because I’m not ready to say goodbye to them, and I’m afraid there will be more bloodshed before all is said and done. 

 

Have you read The Pledge or The Essence? What did you think? If you haven't read them, are they on your TBR?

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Review: Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Series: Under the Never Sky #3

Published: January 28th, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

400 pages (eARC)

Genre: Young adult post apocalyptic/dystopian/romance

Acquired this book: From the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Warning: Will contain spoilers if you haven't read Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night

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{Read my review of Under the Never Sky || Read my review of Through the Ever Night}

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

Ohhh, this book. These characters. MY FEELS. I planned to start reading my eARC of Into the Still Blue the minute I downloaded it, but I kept putting it off. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Aria, Perry, and Roar. Even now after I’ve finished, it hurts my heart to think that their story is over.

This series started out strong and got stronger as it went. It’s hands-down my favourite dystopian trilogy - great writing, a fresh concept, wonderful characters, swoonworthy romance, beautiful friendships, and plenty of action. With everything that happened at the end of Through the Ever Night, it was easy to guess that Into the Still Blue would be intense, and it was. There’s a lot at stake for the Tides and the Dwellers, and there’s a ton of tension between the two groups and even within the groups themselves.

One of the things I love best about this series, and something that (thankfully) held true in Into the Still Blue, was the relationships. They’re all just incredible beyond words. Aria and Perry, Aria and Roar, Roar and Perry, Perry and Talon…the relationships are beautiful and complex and heartbreaking and frustrating and just perfect. There aren’t many characters I love more than I love Aria, Perry, and Roar, separately and together. They’re one fierce trio, and their interactions had me alternately laughing, crying, swooning, and squeeing.

I’ll admit, I was afraid of how this book would end. Authors are often unkind at the end of trilogies and series, and I was afraid of who Rossi might kill off. I was also afraid of things not being wrapped up properly or really just anything that would leave me with a bad taste in my mouth since I’ve loved this series so much. All my fears were unfounded though, because the ending was perfect. There was some heartache, and the characters had to work hard and go through hell (which is a good thing for the reader - it keeps us reading, right?), but the ending left me teary-eyed in a good way, with a smile on my face.

Action-packed, intense, beautiful, heartbreaking, and satisfying, Into the Still Blue was the perfect ending to one of the best trilogies - dystopian or otherwise - I’ve ever read. I almost feel like I did when I finished reading Harry Potter - sad that I won’t get to see any new adventures with these characters (oh god, here come the tears!), but happy that I got to be part of their lives for the last two years, while knowing that I’ll never forget them. And, like Harry Potter, I know this is a series I’ll revisit again and again. (As a side note, if you know me at all, you’ll know comparing anything to Harry Potter - which I’ve actually never done before - is pretty much the highest compliment I’m capable of giving).  Thank you Veronica Rossi for this incredible, unforgettable story.

*Another side note - I convinced my 73-year-old mum to read this series last year and she gobbled up the first two books in a matter of days. I can't wait to see what she thinks of Into the Still Blue!*

 

Have you read any of the Under the Never Sky trilogy? What did you think? Who's your favourite character? Which is your favourite book in the trilogy? If you haven't read them (seriously, what are you waiting for? GO!) are they on your TBR? Do you like post-apocalyptic books? Dystopian? Trilogies?

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Review: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Series: Pledge #1

Published: November 15th, 2011

Publisher: Margaret K McElderry

323 pages (paperback)

Genre: Young adult dystopian

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: May contain spoilers

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In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

 

The Pledge was completely different from anything I’ve ever read before. Not only was it original, it also had a great cast of characters - both likeable and not-so-likeable - a swoony romance, and lots of action and intrigue.

Charlie and her friends are part of the vendor class in Ludania, which is ruled by a tyrannical queen. Each class has their own language, and people are only supposed to understand and speak the language of their class, as well as the universal language, but Charlie has always been able to understand every language, both spoken and written. She and her family know it’s a strange and possibly dangerous ability, so she’s not allowed to tell anyone.

I loved the idea of the class system in The Pledge. I thought it was really unique, and the different languages spoken really helped give the impression of division among the classes. People - especially those of lower classes - live in fear on a daily basis. The least little offense will get a person sent to the gallows for immediate execution. The last thing Charlie wants to do is draw attention to herself or her family.

This book had such great, dynamic characters. I really liked Charlie, and I adored her little sister Angelina, who was special in her own way. Charlie’s best friend Brooklynn rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning, but it was obvious she cared about Charlie and would do anything for her. Charlie's other best friend, Aron, was a total sweetheart, and the most loyal friend a person could ask for.

Then there was Max, the love interest. So many romances in dystopnians seem to be an afterthought - like they’re put there because the author thinks that’s what the readers want. Luckily that wasn’t the case with Max and Charlie. I really enjoyed their relationship, and how protective he was of her. I was intrigued by him, and while at first I wasn't quite sure if he should be trusted, I fell for him right along with Charlie.

The Pledge kept me interested from beginning to end. There was a nice mixture of action, romance, and suspense. The story held lots of twists and turns - some of which I saw coming, but others that left me shocked. It was wonderfully unique, well written, and compelling, and I can see this quickly becoming one of my favourite dystopian series. 

 

Have you read The Pledge? What did you think? If you haven't read it, is it on your TBR? Do you enjoy dystopian  books? How about trilogies?

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