A review by fictionalkate
Captive by Aimée Carter

4.0

Kitty Doe never imagined how drastically her life could change in just a few months. From living in a group home in near poverty, she's now paraded around the most elite parties in the country draped in elegant gowns and jewellery. All she had to do was change her name... and her face. Impersonating the Prime Minister's niece Lila Hart may not have been Kitty's choice but she knows she has to play the part to keep those she loves safe. Masquerading as a wealthy socialite is not as easy as you might think. Her fake fiance Knox is keeping things from Kitty and the secret organization (the Blackcoats) who are planning a rebellion will not share their plans. Things only get more difficult when Kitty is captured and held captive in Elsewhere - a place in which even your worst nightmares can not compare with reality. Not willing to just lay down and die, Kitty plans on getting revenge on those who hurt her most and support the Blackcoats what ever way she can.

I have to admit - I'm a little in love with Aimee Carter's Blackcoat Rebellion series. Pawn blew me away with its different take on a dystopian society and things just keep getting better. Captive is fantastically devised with Kitty really starting to stand up and sacrifice for what she believes in. She maintains some sense of herself even when the rest of the world thinks she is Lila Hart.

If you are looking for a great dystopian read after loving The Hunger Games and Divergent - Look no further than the Blackcoat Rebellion series!

In Captive, gone are the glamorous jewels and fabulous gowns. This time Kitty has to endure being marked a traitor and sent to the most horrible place in the realm. No longer a VII, Kitty is now marked as the lowest rank in society. A place where people can mark their life expectancy in days rather than years. In Elsewhere you get to see just how bad the current government are. It is slightly scary to see just how worthless they consider the lives of Elsewhere to be and how disposable they are. Ms. Carter did a great job in showing just how far removed Kitty is now compared to Lila Hart's life - and even to the drudgery of her life in the group home.

The overall story of the Blackcoat Rebellion, which started in Pawn, moves along nicely in Captive. Certain parts of the puzzle fall into place and after reading this book I'm more excited than ever to see just where the author intends on taking Kitty and her companions next. It is a little bit darker than the first but first perfectly within the world Ms Carter has created. There is a touch of romance which is nicely executed and does not overwhelm the story - which is great. I also liked that Captive is a book in which things happen. This novel does not suffer from the dreaded second book syndrome nor does it feel like a filler book. Yes things are setting up for something which promises to be amazing but there is a lot of action and consequence for Kitty as well.

IF you enjoyed Pawn, you will love Captive. Captive is one of those books which will keep you up all night reading - and then the next night just thinking about everything which happened! If you are new to the series I strongly encourage you to get out there and get your hands on a copy of Pawn! This series is quickly becoming one of my favourites with its interesting characters, hidden agendas and plots which intrigue me with their twists and turns.



Thanks to Harlequin Teen Australia for the review copy.

.