Revolutionary by Krista McGee

Back in the hands of the State after months above-ground, Thalli, Berk, Alex, and Kristie find themselves caught in a horrible game of power . . . with consequences reaching farther than they ever imagined.

After months in New Hope and Athens, Thalli had almost forgotten what living in the State was like. Programmed to be without emotions or curiosity, she was always an anomaly there. Too emotional. Too curious. Citizens of the State should behave exactly the way the Scientists designed them to behave: working in their assigned fields, maintaining productivity.

Now, a pawn in a mad game of manipulation, held hostage and tortured in the name of the State, Thalli can barely summon the strength to hope that the future of humanity could be any better. She clings to her new faith in the Designer. But when Thalli discovers that even the surviving above-ground villages are in danger of State domination, her fragile faith begins to crumble.

As Thalli, Berk, and Alex make plans to overthrow the evil Dr. Loudin, a chilling secret explains why they have been left alive at all . . . a personal secret that will haunt Thalli forever. And as she struggles with this new truth, she also struggles with decisions of the heart.

Can the State’s expansion be stopped? Or will humanity—above and below the surface—be irreparably damaged? 

Revolutionary by Krista McGee is the third novel in the Anomaly trilogy, and it brings the story to a close in a powerful way. The plot line of the novel is interesting and well written, and it includes mystery, suspense, betrayal, romance, and pain. The story picks up right where Luminary ends, and it continues to add more complexity and intrigue to the issues already at hand. The themes of the novel were well developed and poignant, and it included topics such as trusting God and others, showing love rather than hate to enemies, being willing to show emotion, and having faith in God even when it seems impossible.

The characters of the novel were all characters from the first two novels, but they continued to develop more and show more depth in Revolutionary. I was torn between Alex and Berk for Thalli, but I found that once this novel began that I thought the resolution was very predictable. And I was right. However, despite that I enjoyed Berk and Thalli's growth as individuals, and I appreciated Thalli's attempts to reach the good in Dr. Loudin and to love instead of hate him. I did wish that more time had been spent on developing Alex as I still did not feel like he was a very strong character when he easily could have been. I also really liked the development between Rhen and Dallas as they were very different yet helped make each other better. I also appreciated the changes that Dr. James experienced as the novel continued. 

Overall, I enjoyed Revolutionary, and I appreciated the inspirational approach that Krista McGee took to the dystopian genre with this trilogy.

I received this novel from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

A Triple Knot by Emma Campion

Joan of Kent, renowned beauty and cousin to King Edward III, is destined for a politically strategic marriage. As the king begins a long dynastic struggle to claim the crown of France, plunging England into the Hundred Years’ War, he negotiates her betrothal to a potential ally and heir of a powerful lordship.

But Joan, haunted by nightmares of her father’s execution at the hands of her treacherous royal kin, fears the king’s selection and is not resigned to her fate. She secretly pledges herself to one of the king’s own knights, one who has become a trusted friend and protector. Now she must defend her vow as the king—furious at Joan’s defiance—prepares to marry her off to another man.

A Triple Knot by Emma Campion was an interesting novel that wove an intriguing story about the enigmatic Joan. The plot is full of danger, death, betrayal, intrigue, and, of course, secret romances. I was very interested to read this novel because I have not read many novels set during the Hundred Years' War, and I enjoyed learning more about the power struggles that occurred during this time period. I enjoyed the character clashes, and I was saddened during the times of betrayal and hurt that happened during the novel. I thought the characters were fairly well developed, and I enjoyed learning more about the main characters as the story developed and their true personalities came to light. I found this novel to be a little slow at first and hard to connect with, but I thought the plot was more enjoyable as I continued to read. Overall, I thought A Triple Knot was an interesting read about a very intriguing character.

I received this novel from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.