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thewillisway's review against another edition
5.0
Read it in three days, many hated this second book I'm that small percentage that loved it!! Can't wait for the new one!!!
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
4.0
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Captive picks up right where Pawn left off – Kitty has killed off Augusta and is still taking over for Lila Hart in order to help the Blackcoat Rebellion. Daxton, the Prime Minister, knows her secret, though, and she knows his – they’ve both been Masked, and are impersonating the real Daxton (who’s dead) and Lila (who’s in hiding). In this second book, Kitty has to decide if she is going to put her trust in Knox and continue to help the rebellion or try to escape with her life before it’s too late. She ends up doing something in between, with dire consequences.
What I LOVED:
Elsewhere.
I think my favorite part of this book was getting to see Elsewhere and to learn about what really happens there. Elsewhere is just as bleak as we’re led to believe in the first book – even more cutthroat and dangerous than the world that Kitty grew up in. Many of the people in Elsewhere are have lost hope and are waiting to die (something which is pretty much sure to happen there), but others are ready to fight for their lives. Then there are those who will do anything to get out – or at least ahead. They will sell out their friends and families if they have to. No one is safe in Elsewhere.
The action.
This book (especially the end) is full of action. We get to see the results of Kitty’s decisions and they’re not always (or even often) pretty. The stakes are incredibly high, and the rebellion rests on Kitty’s shoulders in some cases. When she makes a wrong decision, things go downhill fast. And when she chooses well – well, things still sometimes go downhill before they get better! We get to see the rebellion in full swing in this second book – and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out in the next book!!
Lots of twists.
Okay, I kind of saw most of these twists coming (although I wasn’t completely correct about the reveal toward the end of the book – I was close enough), but this was one of those books that was still enjoyable, even though I had an idea about what was coming. I was eager to see how Kitty would learn the truth – and I wanted to see if I was right and how it would all play out. So, in this case, knowing (or at least suspecting) didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book at all, instead it enhanced it in some ways!
The negatives:
No trust.
Every problem in this book was caused by the fact that the characters don’t trust one another and they constantly lie to each other. Knox won’t tell Kitty the truth that he learns about her and won’t trust her enough to tell her his real plans (until it’s almost too late) and Kitty won’t trust Knox enough to follow him OR to be truthful with him – or, really, anyone. She’s constantly saying, “Okay, I definitely won’t do that,” and then going and immediately doing the thing that she just said she wouldn’t do. Of course, I couldn’t completely fault her, since everyone around her was constantly lying – but it still got a little frustrating (she even did it to Benjy at one point!)
If you’re looking for a fantastic dystopian series that’s full of action and twists and turns, definitely pick this one up. This second book is just as strong as the first – no sophomore slump here! I give it 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
Captive picks up right where Pawn left off – Kitty has killed off Augusta and is still taking over for Lila Hart in order to help the Blackcoat Rebellion. Daxton, the Prime Minister, knows her secret, though, and she knows his – they’ve both been Masked, and are impersonating the real Daxton (who’s dead) and Lila (who’s in hiding). In this second book, Kitty has to decide if she is going to put her trust in Knox and continue to help the rebellion or try to escape with her life before it’s too late. She ends up doing something in between, with dire consequences.
What I LOVED:
Elsewhere.
I think my favorite part of this book was getting to see Elsewhere and to learn about what really happens there. Elsewhere is just as bleak as we’re led to believe in the first book – even more cutthroat and dangerous than the world that Kitty grew up in. Many of the people in Elsewhere are have lost hope and are waiting to die (something which is pretty much sure to happen there), but others are ready to fight for their lives. Then there are those who will do anything to get out – or at least ahead. They will sell out their friends and families if they have to. No one is safe in Elsewhere.
The action.
This book (especially the end) is full of action. We get to see the results of Kitty’s decisions and they’re not always (or even often) pretty. The stakes are incredibly high, and the rebellion rests on Kitty’s shoulders in some cases. When she makes a wrong decision, things go downhill fast. And when she chooses well – well, things still sometimes go downhill before they get better! We get to see the rebellion in full swing in this second book – and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out in the next book!!
Lots of twists.
Okay, I kind of saw most of these twists coming (although I wasn’t completely correct about the reveal toward the end of the book – I was close enough), but this was one of those books that was still enjoyable, even though I had an idea about what was coming. I was eager to see how Kitty would learn the truth – and I wanted to see if I was right and how it would all play out. So, in this case, knowing (or at least suspecting) didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book at all, instead it enhanced it in some ways!
The negatives:
No trust.
Every problem in this book was caused by the fact that the characters don’t trust one another and they constantly lie to each other. Knox won’t tell Kitty the truth that he learns about her and won’t trust her enough to tell her his real plans (until it’s almost too late) and Kitty won’t trust Knox enough to follow him OR to be truthful with him – or, really, anyone. She’s constantly saying, “Okay, I definitely won’t do that,” and then going and immediately doing the thing that she just said she wouldn’t do. Of course, I couldn’t completely fault her, since everyone around her was constantly lying – but it still got a little frustrating (she even did it to Benjy at one point!)
If you’re looking for a fantastic dystopian series that’s full of action and twists and turns, definitely pick this one up. This second book is just as strong as the first – no sophomore slump here! I give it 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
michalice's review
3.0
Captive is the second book in the series and one I have been eager to read. Pawn was an amazing start to this series, and I expected that to continue on with Captive, however I just couldn't get into Captive as much as I hoped to. Captive picks up after Pawn with Kitty still pretending to be Lila, however things start to fall apart after she discovers hidden information, and a traitor among the ranks spills the beans.
Kitty is sent to Elsewhere as punishment, but having Lila's face makes it hard for her to blend in, but it also give her the advantage of having unknown protection. Kitty has experienced all sides of life, but seeing how people live and are treated in Elsewhere is somewhat different to her expectations, but is also harsh and upsetting.
Captive was a book that I thought was OK, there were moments that shocked me, but was relieved to find this was wrong later on in the book, and a revelation that put a twist on things and really made me pause reading to take this new information in, it wasn't what I expected and came out of the blue, but explains a lot about Kitty. Plot wise Captive was somewhat of a turning point in some aspects of the series, but as a book it didn't quite grab me. I just felt like the book was more of a filler than one that paves the way for the next installment. We do see a new side to Knox but I really wanted to punch him on several occasions. We learn of a few secrets and the ending adds another twist on the story, and although I know about this new twist in a small way, I really did not see it being used as a tool to win the war.
Captive was an OK book and I am interested in seeing what happens next, but only due to the ending and what it means for this war.
Kitty is sent to Elsewhere as punishment, but having Lila's face makes it hard for her to blend in, but it also give her the advantage of having unknown protection. Kitty has experienced all sides of life, but seeing how people live and are treated in Elsewhere is somewhat different to her expectations, but is also harsh and upsetting.
Captive was a book that I thought was OK, there were moments that shocked me, but was relieved to find this was wrong later on in the book, and a revelation that put a twist on things and really made me pause reading to take this new information in, it wasn't what I expected and came out of the blue, but explains a lot about Kitty. Plot wise Captive was somewhat of a turning point in some aspects of the series, but as a book it didn't quite grab me. I just felt like the book was more of a filler than one that paves the way for the next installment. We do see a new side to Knox but I really wanted to punch him on several occasions. We learn of a few secrets and the ending adds another twist on the story, and although I know about this new twist in a small way, I really did not see it being used as a tool to win the war.
Captive was an OK book and I am interested in seeing what happens next, but only due to the ending and what it means for this war.
anaortegga's review against another edition
3.0
Nunca me he llevado bien con las segundas partes de las trilogías, siempre son el extra que le agregan donde te dan largas y largas para concluir en nada. No fue mala pero tampoco buena, simplemente fue. Es un libro que en cierta parte te engancha y en otras de te aburre, Aimee quiso crear un ambiente de duda donde todo desde el principio era claro, Kitty se volvió algo desesperante por ser tan impulsiva. No tengo mucho que decir, pero sin duda mi amor Knox creció muchísimo.
amethystbookwyrm's review against another edition
3.0
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin (UK) Limited for giving me this book to review.
Kitty is growing frustrated with impersonating the Prime Minister’s niece, Lia Hart, firstly, because her fake fiancé, Knox, is not letting her become more involved in the rebellion and secondly, she is unable to spend much time with her boyfriend Benji. While looking for information on the prime minister, she discovers that she has been watched by the Hart family long before she was masked. After trusting the wrong person, Kitty’s greatest fear comes true as she is sent to Elsewhere, a prison from which no one has escaped. With Kitty not knowing who to trust, will she give up or help the rebellion even when it might cost her everything?
Captive is the good dystopian sequel to Pawn with action, romance and violence. It is fast paced and full of twists, some of which I saw coming but some I did not.
I liked Kitty more in this book because, even though she is really easily deceived, she still fights for what she believes in and does want to be a pawn anymore. I also like Benji as he is kind, loyal and protective of Kitty without smothering her. There are lots of new characters in this book as well as people from the previous book, my favourite is Knox as I could never tell where he stood and if we could trust him.
I really enjoyed this book and am looking to the next book, Queen. I would recommend Captive to fans of the first book in the Blackcoats rebellion trilogy Pawn.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin (UK) Limited for giving me this book to review.
Kitty is growing frustrated with impersonating the Prime Minister’s niece, Lia Hart, firstly, because her fake fiancé, Knox, is not letting her become more involved in the rebellion and secondly, she is unable to spend much time with her boyfriend Benji. While looking for information on the prime minister, she discovers that she has been watched by the Hart family long before she was masked. After trusting the wrong person, Kitty’s greatest fear comes true as she is sent to Elsewhere, a prison from which no one has escaped. With Kitty not knowing who to trust, will she give up or help the rebellion even when it might cost her everything?
Captive is the good dystopian sequel to Pawn with action, romance and violence. It is fast paced and full of twists, some of which I saw coming but some I did not.
I liked Kitty more in this book because, even though she is really easily deceived, she still fights for what she believes in and does want to be a pawn anymore. I also like Benji as he is kind, loyal and protective of Kitty without smothering her. There are lots of new characters in this book as well as people from the previous book, my favourite is Knox as I could never tell where he stood and if we could trust him.
I really enjoyed this book and am looking to the next book, Queen. I would recommend Captive to fans of the first book in the Blackcoats rebellion trilogy Pawn.
nataschalovesreading's review against another edition
3.0
[Hörbuch] Auch die Fortsetzung ist spannend gemacht, hat ein gutes Erzähltempo und überraschende Wendungen. Bin schon neugierig, wie sich die Beziehung und Charaktere weiterentwickeln – solider zweiter Band.
ajreader's review against another edition
3.0
Read my full thoughts on this book and hundreds more over at Read.Write.Repeat.
I'm fascinated by the plot of this series, but cannot stand the characters acting it out.
I'm fascinated by the plot of this series, but cannot stand the characters acting it out.
damyyg's review against another edition
5.0
İşler daha ne kadar da sarpa sarabilir, bir kitap bir okuyucuya daha ne kadar sürpriz yapabilir ya da bir kitap içerisinde ne kadar çok ölüm, ihanet, aşk ve acı olur merak ediyor musunuz? O zaman sizi The Blackcoat Rebellion serisini okumaya davet ediyorum ama özellikle de serinin ikinci kitabı olan Vezir/Captive kitabını. Kitabın her sayfasını ağzım açık okumaktan artık çenem ağrıdı.
sk24's review against another edition
4.0
My first thought after finishing this book is that there are no Acknowledgements. What's up with that? There was nothing at the end but blank pages after the final page of the story. And it's not an ARC, either. I always, always read the Acknowledgements whenever I am finished reading a book that is not an ARC (ARCs don't typically have the Acknowledgements yet). Acknowledgements provide me with a sort of closure to the book. I wonder why Carter decided to leave them out.
Anyway, on to my thoughts about the actual novel...
I'm still not a huge fan of the romance between Kitty and Benjy. I'm not sure if it's because Benjy isn't a very prominent character throughout the story, but I just don't feel the chemistry between them.
In my review of Pawn, I noted how I didn't care for how Kitty handled herself as the heroin. I commented on how she wasn't very brave and she just kind of went with what others told her to do. Well, in Captive, she finds her courageous side. She tries to fight back and she acts bravely in many ways. However, she goes about it poorly and without caution. Now, she needs to learn to work on her sneakiness and strategizing to pair with her new found bravery. Then, maybe she would be a better heroin.
There were a lot of twists and turns throughout this book, some I didn't see coming and some I did. It was a good story overall and it kept my interest. I'm looking forward to reading the third installment when it is released.
golden_lily's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
Jesus Christ, was the author Masked between books one and two? Review to come.
Updated 11/23:
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
A summary of Captive:
Everyone: "Kitty, no"
Kitty: "KITTY YES!"
Captive is one of my more frustrating reading experiences. I loved the first book because it felt like a real dystopian, with deadly stakes, and yet in this book, I felt the death toll was meaningless and an excuse for cheap drama.
Part of that is because, And that’s not the only time something similar happens. Deaths fall into two categories: fakeout and fridge.
The book feels directionless. The Blackcoats don’t seem to have a clear mission or plan for the future government. They also don’t seem to have any communication with other members, outside the capital, causing the end of the book to be a shitshow of mammoth proportions. I’m not invested in the “love triangle”, because Kitty has made it perfectly clear that she’s not in love with one of the men. There’s no more tension or drama to wring out of the situation. And then there’s Kitty’s actions.
I’m not kidding, Kitty must promise not to [do the thing], only to immediately turn around and do it, a half dozen times. “Don’t look for this incriminating document.” “I found and hid the incriminating document!” “Don’t look for this second incriminating document.” “I found and hid the incriminating document!” “Don’t run into battle with a broken arm.” “I’m running into battle…!” I have never been more bored with a storytelling device.
There are still kernels of good ideas in Captive. Caste systems are not easy to pull off and I do feel they’re deployed very well here. I actually have a lot of respect for Knox; he’s one of the better leaders in the genre. Daxton without his “mother’s” reigns is appropriately villainous. But, Elsewhere was better in book one. I don’t think the expansion was necessary or half as frightening.
Everyone knows the second book in a trilogy is generally the weakest, so I’ll still pick up Queen, but I’m nowhere near as excited about the series as I was before I read Captive.
Jesus Christ, was the author Masked between books one and two? Review to come.
Updated 11/23:
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
A summary of Captive:
Everyone: "Kitty, no"
Kitty: "KITTY YES!"
Captive is one of my more frustrating reading experiences. I loved the first book because it felt like a real dystopian, with deadly stakes, and yet in this book, I felt the death toll was meaningless and an excuse for cheap drama.
Part of that is because,
Spoiler
Knox, in an effort to endear himself the PM, shoots Benjy, Kitty’s boyfriend from her old life, in front of her and Daxton. It’s brutal and not something that can be faked. Benji shows up alive about 3 chapters later. Knowing this, I’m forced to suppose that a) Knox had Benjy Masked, because why the fuck not at this point? b) Benjy’s a master actor who can suppress involuntary actions like blinking AND Daxton is so dumb he doesn’t know bullet wounds bleed, or c) Knox’s gun released a toxin that caused everyone to mass hallucinate that Benjy was dead. This option is my favorite, being the only possible explanation for why I kept reading after the reveal.The book feels directionless. The Blackcoats don’t seem to have a clear mission or plan for the future government. They also don’t seem to have any communication with other members, outside the capital, causing the end of the book to be a shitshow of mammoth proportions. I’m not invested in the “love triangle”, because Kitty has made it perfectly clear that she’s not in love with one of the men. There’s no more tension or drama to wring out of the situation. And then there’s Kitty’s actions.
I’m not kidding, Kitty must promise not to [do the thing], only to immediately turn around and do it, a half dozen times. “Don’t look for this incriminating document.” “I found and hid the incriminating document!” “Don’t look for this second incriminating document.” “I found and hid the incriminating document!” “Don’t run into battle with a broken arm.” “I’m running into battle…!” I have never been more bored with a storytelling device.
There are still kernels of good ideas in Captive. Caste systems are not easy to pull off and I do feel they’re deployed very well here. I actually have a lot of respect for Knox; he’s one of the better leaders in the genre. Daxton without his “mother’s” reigns is appropriately villainous. But, Elsewhere was better in book one. I don’t think the expansion was necessary or half as frightening.
Everyone knows the second book in a trilogy is generally the weakest, so I’ll still pick up Queen, but I’m nowhere near as excited about the series as I was before I read Captive.