Title: The Raging Ones

Author(s): Krista & Becca Ritchie

Pub. Date: August 14, 2018

Rating: ♥♥♥♥ – 4.5

---

In a freezing world, where everyone knows the day they will die, three teens break all odds. 
Franny Bluecastle, a tough city teen, dreams of dying in opulence, to see wealth she’s never known. Like the entire world, she believes it’s impossible to dodge a deathday. 

Until the day she does.

Court Icecastle knows wealth. He also knows pain. Spending five years in Vorkter Prison, a fortress of ice and suffering, he dreams of life beyond the people that haunt him and the world that imprisoned him.

Mykal Kickfall fights for those he loves. The rugged Hinterlander shares a frustrating yet unbreakable connection with Court—which only grows more lawless and chaotic as their senses and emotions connect with Franny.

With the threat of people learning they’ve dodged their deathdays, they must flee their planet to survive. But to do so, all three will have to hide their shared bond as they vie for a highly sought after spot in the newest mission to space. Against thousands of people far smarter, who’ll live longer, and never fear death the way that they do.

---

Like with the majority of my reviews the first part will be non-spoiler followed by a spoiler section.

High stakes, friendship, romance, a competition, and a chance to travel the stars – The Raging Ones is a book you’re definitely going to want to pick up.

In a world where everyone knows the date they will die, some live hard and fast and full, and other’s live in opulence and leisure. For Franny, she’s always known she was going to die young, and her last wish was to die surrounded by wealth, but the world isn’t fair.

Court keeps his history close to his heart and hidden. Having spent time in Vorkter Prision before he managed to escape he knew what pain was. He strives to protect those around him, especially Mykal from suffering his same fate.

Mykal, a rugged Hinterlander shares a bond with Court that neither of them can truly explain, and one night they feel their bond widen, and in enters Franny.

In a world where everyone is supposed to die on their death days the three of them have somehow dodged them, and in an attempt to keep that fact hidden, they fight for the chance to be selected on the newest mission to space. They don’t know when they’ll die, and in a contest to see who makes the cut, the people they are up against are smarter, who will live longer, and never fear death the way the three of them now have to do.

I was lucky enough to win an advance copy of this book off of Goodreads, and when I entered the giveaway I was really excited to read this book. Then the book arrived, and my interest dropped. I don’t know why I wasn’t interested in it anymore, but I wasn’t. I knew it wouldn’t be fair if I had requested it and then not read it, so I gave it a chance.

It was a little hard to get into in the beginning, but I’m chalking that up to my lack of interest. Then I got invested and couldn’t put the book down. The ending had me clamoring for more, and I was so upset that the book was over and now had to wait for the second, next year. (Shit, as much as I love reading books early, it can be such a curse!)

I loved Franny. She’s a spitfire who doesn’t back down, but she can also be very vulnerable, and she cares so deeply. Once she’s claimed you as a friend or family, there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you. She’ll also do anything if it means surviving. She’s not above cheating or breaking the rules if it means she survives.

I want to hug Court and tell him that everything will be okay, even if it doesn’t seem like it will. He carries so much of the world on his shoulders, I felt so bad for him. Court is strong, and willing to see what the world could be, instead of being blind to the injustices. He cares deeply, even if he doesn’t show it. He’s also very cautious and wary, but like Franny, once he claims you as part of his family, there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do to protect you.

Mykal – I still pronounce it “Mikhail” even though it’s like “Michael” – don’t @ me, I can’t help it. It’s the “My” that throw me Every. Single. Time. But any who, I loved him as well. I think he was the most relatable, because he never felt like he fit in. He’s a giant guy who always felt like he had to make himself smaller to fit into the world. He cares deeply for Franny and Court and would do anything for them. I loved his relationship with Franny, and his fierceness for Court. He’s the solid rock that they can both lean on if they need to, and he’s always there.

The relationship between the three of them, Court, Mykal and Franny, was so wonderful. I couldn’t get enough of it, and their concern for each other was so endearing.

The world that Krista & Becca created was rich and interesting, and maybe not somewhere I would want to visit. It was easy to picture and imagine, and the characters felt original and real. I’m in love with this book, and I’m so happy I gave it the chance it deserved.

Now, onto the spoiler section!

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Last chance!

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

I’m going to warn you right now. This section is going to be short and sweet, because

WHAT WAS THAT ENDING OH MY GOD.

Humans?

Earth?

How’d they get on another planet?

Another system?

What?

God, it better be explained in book 2.

They get separated *sobbing *

ARE THESE NEW PEOPLE BAD?

HOW ARE THERE HUMANS?

Tbh, I thought they were humans.

Gosh, I have so many questions.

Please don’t split them up * more sobbing *

Poor Court.

Poor Franny.

Poor Mykal.

Krista & Becca flipped the script and had me screaming at the end of the book. I had no words. I loved the whole thing, but HELL that cliffhanger. You can’t do that to me. * screams into the void * It still eats at me, and writing this review is bringing all the emotions back to the surface. When I initially finished this book I sent a Snapchat to my friend which basically consisted of me breathing heavily, and trying not to scream. Not even scream about the book, but just scream to release everything that I was currently feeling at the time, which I’m now re-feeling because I just reread the end of the book.

I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT DEMAND ANSWERS.

Long story short, this book is so freaking amazing, with a fantastic crop of characters, and an unforgiving world, and it just makes you keep turning the page to find out what happens next…until you get to the end you want to die.

---

Please, if you have read this book, comment or message me so we can talk, because I’m still dying.