Queen by Aimee Carter

Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion (bk. 3)

Genera: Dystopian Sci-fi/Thriller

Subjects: social classes, government, identity, Washington DC

Setting: Washington D.C. and Elsewhere (Michigan), Colorado (Stronghold)

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, past tense: Kitty Doe

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 282 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Summary/ product description: “PAWN...CAPTIVE...QUEEN?

Kitty Doe is a Blackcoat rebel and a former captive with a deadly connection to the most powerful and dangerous man in the country, Prime Minister Daxton Hart. Forced to masquerade as Daxton's niece, Lila Hart, Kitty has helped the Blackcoats take back the prison known as Elsewhere. But Daxton has no intention of ceding his position of privilege—or letting Kitty expose his own masquerade. Not in these United States, where each person's rank means the difference between luxury and poverty, freedom and fear...and ultimately, between life and death.

To defeat the corrupt government, Kitty must expose Daxton's secret. Securing evidence will put others in jeopardy, including the boy she's loved forever and an ally she barely trusts. For months, Kitty's survival has hinged on playing a part. Now she must discover who she truly wants to be, and whether the new world she and the rebels are striving to create has a place in it for her after all.”

My Review: Queen is the finale to the Blackcoat Rebellion trilogy. It brings the series to an amazing conclusion full of drama, deceit and rebellion. It’s been an interesting ride. It’s got the familiarity of other dystopian books, with the awesome twist of Kitty impersonating Lila Hart. We previously found out that she is actually related to Lila, which explains their similar eye color. Kitty was made to look exactly like Lila (Masked) and has pretended to be Lila, until she claimed to be Lila’s double. Kitty, Knox and the rebellion are trying to kill Daxon Hart, who is actually Victor Mercer wearing Daxon’s face.

It’s winter and Kitty is in Elsewhere, which is located in Michigan (I’m guessing because it’s surrounded by great lakes and the author’s from there). She gives a speech to the residents, tries to bring them together for the cause. She ends up in the hands of Daxon again and he’s got plans for her. Stuff happen, and Kitty’s got to play Lila again. There’s a lot of plotting and conspiracy. It’s fun and cool. There are so many twists; I had no idea what would happen next.

There’s not so much romance in this book. Knox and Kitty had something going, but they get separated most of the book. Benjy loves Lila, but they decide to be just friends, like they always were. Romance is not really important since there is so much going on. They need to focus on taking Daxon out and fixing the country. Greyson, who Kitty found out is her half brother, doesn’t want to be Prime Minister. He rather invent cool gadgets. He will however be the Prime Minister when they get rid of Daxon just so he can help make America they way it used to be. Without the 7 castes deciding people’s lives.

I highly recommend this to fans of The Selection series by Kiera Cass, The Jewel by Amy Ewing, Red Queen by Victoria Avyard, and fans of the TV show Scandal. It you love political intrigue and thrilling stories with lite sci-fi, then read this series.

Cover Art Review: Marble texture that looks like it’s cut into. Simple, cool.

Captive by Aimee Carter

Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion (bk. 2)

Genera: Dystopian Sci-fi/Thriller

Subjects: social classes, government, identity, Washington DC

Setting: Washington D.C. and Elsewhere (Michigan)

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Kitty Doe

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 298 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Summary/ product description: “For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?”

My Review:  As the sequel to Pawn, and 2^nd book in the Blackcoat Rebellion series, Captive continues Kitty’s story. Kitty went through a surgical procedure to become Lila Hart without her consent. She has become the face of the Blackcoat rebellion. Kitty is a pretty interesting character. She has a learning disability: Dyslexia. She can’t read, but she’s still smart. I haven’t read any other book series with a main character that has a learning disability. I think most authors are avid reader, so they wouldn’t usually write a character that doesn’t read a lot. Lots of people have this learning disability, but most are able to get over it by the time they’re a teen. Kitty still can’t really read of write. This is why she only is placed as a III after her test. She’s also very stubborn and determined to do what she thinks is right. When she was Masked as Lila, she had to learn how to act like Lila and eat and do what Lila would do. Lila didn’t eat red meat, so Kitty could no longer eat red meat.

There’re some interesting guys in these books. Her boyfriend Benjy is cute and goofy and also smart. He helped Kitty with writing and reading assignments in the group home they grew up in. Benjy is in the Hart’s manor now too and Knox’s assistant.  Knox is a bit broody and always planning things and keeping secrets. You never know whether you can trust him.

Lila breaks a rule and is sent to Elsewhere and finds out how people are living there and that she can help the rebellion further it’s plans. Some of the people there were born there and it’s all they know. There are prisoners there too. Mercer runs Elsewhere and Lila is invited to live in his Manor for her own protection. There are Guards that will kill you for stupid things and breaking the rules can lead to fighting for your life. It’s a horrible place. Stuff is going down and the rebellion must take its chance to take over and Kitty must help.

Fast paced and thrilling, Captive is a great sequel. Maybe not as amazing as the first book, but still really good. I highly recommend this to fans of The Selection series by Kiera Cass, The Jewel by Amy Ewing and fans of the TV show Scandal. It you love political intrigue and thrilling stories with lite sci-fi, then read this series.

Cover Art Review: I like the colors and the maze. The title is interesting and the girl’s eye showing through. I love the cover under the dust jacket too.

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Series: The Legion (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance/Horror

Subjects: supernatural, ghosts, ghost hunters, secret societies, demons, demonology, love

Setting: Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Kennedy Waters

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 305 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover and in Paperback

List Price: $18.00/$9.99

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.”

My Review:  What if the Winchesters from Supernatural were teenage twin brothers and part of a secret society called the Legion and the story was told from the perspective of a teen girl? That’s basically what this book is like. I like the main character. Kennedy has a unique combination of talents. She’s not only a really talented artist, but she also has a photographic memory. After her mother dies, she’s devastated. A few weeks later she plans to go to a boarding school, but plans change when a spirit attacks her in her house and two guys show up and shoot the spirit. Jared and Lukas hunt the paranormal and are part of the Legion.

Kennedy travels with them to meet the other two Legion members, Alara and Priest.  These teens all recently suffered the loss of their mentors, which are a family member, so now the Legion is made up of these teens. Alara is really interesting. He grandma taught her some voodoo spells and portions to ward off evil. She hates the color pink. Priest is goofy and invents weapons to destroy evil spirits. Jared fights and Lukas searches for paranormal activity. They believe Kennedy is the 5^th member of Legion, but she doesn’t believe it.

The plot is mainly about the teens visiting haunted places in search for pieces of a weapon that can supposedly destroy a demon. Some of the spirit they meet along the way a vengeance spirits and evil, while others are innocent and benign. They destroy or help. Some creepy stuff happens, but it’s pretty thrilling and exciting. This book is a perfect Halloween read or dark-and-stormy-night read. It’s not so creepy you’ll get the chills, but creepy enough.

This book and Anna Dressed in Blood are the only YA books I can truly say are similar to my favorite TV show, Supernatural. So what’s with all the bad reviews on Goodreads? This is a good book! I recommend it to those who love YA paranormal and Supernatural. There’s evil spirits and demons and symbols and devil’s traps! Also, recommend it to fans of shows like Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, Constantine, Grimm and other paranormal shows and horror movies. Also if you liked the Ghost Huntress series.

Cover Art Review: The cover is great with the big gothic U and the face and colors, but I’m still kind of jelous of this UK edition with Kennedy on the front: