I liked this book, but the pacing was so so strange. It was hard to grasp the depth of the story, relationships, and characters sometimes because it was always hard to tell how much time had passed. That being said, I hit a point in the book where I couldn't really put it down so I will read the next few in the series for sure. 

 

TW for holocaust mention, racism mention

The only reason I didn't DNF this is I had nothing else to read.

I remember mostly enjoying Priory, so I thought I would try the author's other series. I regret doing so.

There is something...very icky about a white woman writing a narrative of other white people becoming slaves/having segregation, combined with, as I saw one other reviewer point out, the fact their "masters" were POC. Gross. One of the rare times I wish I could say "no" to there being a diverse cast.

Combine that with the whole "striped of a name and replaced with a number that is branded into her, where she and others like her have to work to survive until they die or are killed?" That sounds an awful lot like a historical event that maybe shouldn't be copied as a plot point by a Christian (or at least raised Christian) author. (She mentions this in response to an anon on her tumblr)

Added to this mess is the fact that her two love interest options are a human man who was an adult when she was like 6, or the man who OWNS her, invades her mind and manipulates the shit out of her, so we have some stunning love interest options here. But clearly it's okay because he calls her by her name and feeds her. The bar is in hell. And maybe it was just because I was so skeeved out but the options, but the romance was also just suddenly there?

Beyond that, the plot was really not that exciting, the writing was a bit too dense, with a lot of info dumping and a lot of jumping back and forth in time without clear distinction which drives me nuts. I had trouble tracking what was going on, there were several times I had to reread parts and figure out what was happening.

I will not be reading the rest of the series, and I may need to reread and reassess Priory as well.

 

Okay I didn't know what to expect from this book, but wow it delivered! Can't wait to read more about Paige and her friends! 

why in the WORLD WAS THIS PITCHED WRONG. the blurb was literally the first 3 chapters and then it pivoted so hard and i hated it. the plot was just icky and about halfway i noticed the urgent need for an editor because things just didn't make sense. the plot climax was not good and i hate the 'romance' please no. i definitely won't be continuing with the series.