Hello, all! I have had this author on my blog talking about this series at least once. It piqued my interest. Though I am solidly in the Historical Fiction/Romance genre now, my earliest reading love was mysteries and science fiction. So, this novel was not a departure for me, but a return to my roots, so to speak.
Before I get into my thoughts about the book, let me give you some idea what the book is about. First, I should tell you it is published through Clean Reads, which means it will not have any language, or gratuitous sex, or extreme violence or gore. I will tell you that there are intense scenes. I would rate the violence as mild to moderate, no language, and there is some amount of sensuality, but that, too, is mild and very well done.
Instead of me telling you about the book and risking spoilers, let me share the author’s back blurb:
Insurrection
Saylor had been told she was a stain on the cloth of mankind. When she and her sister orphans Micah, Denise, and Patricia are apprehended upon the high seas, they find themselves imprisoned on a Caribbean island filled with strange noises, dazzling beaches, and a secret military base. Wavering between terror and ecstasy, Saylor develops her inner warrior while facing an enemy exposing her indispensable abilities. In order to rescue her sisters, impress the hunky Australian, and protect innocent lives on a global scale, she must master techniques of fighting an army created to destroy with a single, scorching touch – or die trying.
My Thoughts
First, it is important to note that this is Carder’s debut novel. That alone leads me to applaud her for the following: her character and story development are very well done.
The characters are deep and three dimensional. They almost leap off the page. Saylor, the lead character, seems so real. (I should note the story is written in first person.) We come to know her journey and experience her emotions alongside her. But it doesn’t end there. We can see the other characters and their struggles as well.
And the story had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, but not so many that I was confused. A nice balance. The more I got into the book, the more I believed in this world created for me to enjoy.
I am eager to get into the second book in the series to find out what will happen to these characters that I have become attached to. That is key. People care about characters. You can have a great story, but if you don’t develop good characters in the story, your readers won’t be as invested. Character in the front seat, plot in the backseat.
I will note that there were some craft issues that were minor in the novel. Probably only notable to other writers. And, for a debut novel, they are not unexpected. We are all on this journey to grow and hone our skills with each novel. In the grand scheme, they do not detract from the story or the characters, so they will not keep me from recommending this book or giving it:
RATING ~ 5 Stars
In case you are interested…
If you like reading YA and/or books with a sci-fi flare, this is one to check out. So, I will include the buy links:
also available on iBook