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.

Three by Kristen Simmons

Series: Article 5 (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi/Romance

Subjects: resistance to government, fugitives, survival, totalitarian dictatorships, near future

Setting: The east coast

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense, Ember Miller

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 380 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: MacMillan: Tor

Summary/ product description: “Ember Miller and Chase Jennings are ready to stop running. After weeks spent in hiding as two of the Bureau of Reformation’s most wanted criminals, they have finally arrived at the safe house, where they hope to live a safe and quiet existence.

And all that’s left is smoking ruins.

Devastated by the demolition of their last hope, Ember and Chase follow the only thing left to them—tracks leading away from the wreckage. The only sign that there may have been survivors.

With their high profile, they know they can’t stay out in the open for long. They take shelter in the wilderness and amidst the ruins of abandoned cities as they follow the tracks down the coast, eventually finding refugees from the destroyed safe house. Among them is someone from Chase’s past—someone he never thought he’d see again.

Banding together, they search for a place to hide, aiming for a settlement a few of them have heard about…a settlement that is rumored to house the nebulous organization known as Three. The very group that has provided Ember with a tiny ray of hope ever since she was first forced on the run.

Three is responsible for the huge network of underground safe houses and resistance groups across the country. And they may offer Ember her only chance at telling the world her story.

At fighting back.”

My Review:  Three is the final book in the Article 5 trilogy. The second book was Breaking Point. This series is near-future dystopian, set after a war caused our government to switch to a totalitarian dictatorship. There are strict laws about marriage and having children. Article 5 is specifically about any child born out of wedlock. Since Ember had a single mom, Ember is considered an Article 5 violation. Her mother was killed in the previous book for this and this set Ember out on her journey.

This series also has some hot romance. I loved Chase, Ember’s love interest. He reminds me of Tobias/Four from Divergent. He’s tough, protective and care so much about Ember. He treats her right and respects her. He used to be a solider, but he’s a fugitive like Ember. In this book they take their relationship further. No love triangles, no break-ups & make-ups.

I like some of the side characters too. Sean was really funny. He liked to joke around. He and Rebecca were together. I liked Tucker, despite his issues. In the previous book I liked him too. I think he really redeemed himself in the end.

This book had its bad points too. I got bored a lot because it was moving kind of slow. It didn’t really speed up till around page 150. There was action and adventure. They went to different state in the eastern US. They went in disguise. They met new people. They stayed in a town called Endurance. That part was pretty interesting. I just had a hard time ready everything. Some pages I skimmed. I feel like I’ve been in such a reading slump. Maybe I should have refreshed myself on what happened in the previous book first.

I recommend this series to fans of Divergent, Shatter Me, Delirium, Eve, and other dystopian series. This series in much more realistic and believable that other dystopian books. It has very little sci-fi, no advanced tech or paranormal stuff. No environmental changes. It’s just war stuff.

Cover Art Review: Looks like a window and Ember and Chase are looking at what’s going on outside. It fits with the previous covers. Also, Nekro is an awesome cover illustrator.