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Kallista
This will no longer be published.
The choosing season has begun. Young men will choose their brides. Young women will graciously and honorably accept. This is the way of the P-caste. Men choose, women accept. No questions. This belief had been programmed into every P-caste youth since birth. Don’t question. Do. Don’t argue. Obey.
The I-caste do not have the same opportunity. They are the servants and backbone of the P-caste society, only to live in the outcast camp. Their bloodline is believed to be the reason for the shattering of the world, leaving nothing but islands surrounded by sea. There is only one way an I-caste can become a P-caste: Marriage. A P-caste can choose an I-caste during the choosing process and change the caste.
Kallista Copper was born an I-caste. Her goal is to marry and change her caste forever. Sage Lander is a P-caste. His goal is to marry out of love and not just custom. Two people, two castes, one love, but a risk that could end it all.
The choosing season has begun. Young men will choose their brides. Young women will graciously and honorably accept. This is the way of the P-caste. Men choose, women accept. No questions. This belief had been programmed into every P-caste youth since birth. Don’t question. Do. Don’t argue. Obey.
The I-caste do not have the same opportunity. They are the servants and backbone of the P-caste society, only to live in the outcast camp. Their bloodline is believed to be the reason for the shattering of the world, leaving nothing but islands surrounded by sea. There is only one way an I-caste can become a P-caste: Marriage. A P-caste can choose an I-caste during the choosing process and change the caste.
Kallista Copper was born an I-caste. Her goal is to marry and change her caste forever. Sage Lander is a P-caste. His goal is to marry out of love and not just custom. Two people, two castes, one love, but a risk that could end it all.
108 pages
First published May 7, 2014
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 2, 2014
DNF @36%
I should have known all was not well when the publishing house cancelled this novels release. But in the name of fairness I wanted to give this story a shot since there are many great novels that struggle to get published.
The premise of the story intrigued me since I am a sucker for anything Dystopian, but it would appear that my lack of judgement when selecting books in this genre has bit me in the ass.
Basically the novel starts out with a woman wanting to improve her plot in life through marriage. She stalks her prey and conveniently for her, when he finally meets her he fall head over heels in love. The characters are so contradictory though that the constant back and forth got annoying. First Mr. Oblivious love interest wants to ravish his intendeds body, but he doesn't want to pressure her. So to make her feel less pressured he constantly makes out with her while leering suggestively with a roaming hand. But hey no pressure.
The entire 36% is basically girl meets boy. They fall in lust and "love". They make out. That's about it. All other characters in the novel are glossed over. We never actually see Kallista's supposed best friend, we just hear about things he has said to her. The dialogue, while not the worst that I have ever read is still pretty bad.
I want to say something nice about this novel but unfortunately I can't think of anything and I just did not have the patience to finish this.
I should have known all was not well when the publishing house cancelled this novels release. But in the name of fairness I wanted to give this story a shot since there are many great novels that struggle to get published.
The premise of the story intrigued me since I am a sucker for anything Dystopian, but it would appear that my lack of judgement when selecting books in this genre has bit me in the ass.
Basically the novel starts out with a woman wanting to improve her plot in life through marriage. She stalks her prey and conveniently for her, when he finally meets her he fall head over heels in love. The characters are so contradictory though that the constant back and forth got annoying. First Mr. Oblivious love interest wants to ravish his intendeds body, but he doesn't want to pressure her. So to make her feel less pressured he constantly makes out with her while leering suggestively with a roaming hand. But hey no pressure.
The entire 36% is basically girl meets boy. They fall in lust and "love". They make out. That's about it. All other characters in the novel are glossed over. We never actually see Kallista's supposed best friend, we just hear about things he has said to her. The dialogue, while not the worst that I have ever read is still pretty bad.
I want to say something nice about this novel but unfortunately I can't think of anything and I just did not have the patience to finish this.
April 16, 2014
It’s actually taken me a few days to sort out my thoughts on this book. In all honesty this will probably be more of a rant instead of a review. Be warned. If you want to experience Kallista sans spoilers do not go any further!
April 18, 2014
This review is for a free copy courtesy of Lazy Day Publishing via NetGalley.
I tried to stick as much as I can with this book, but I ended up skipping pages.
The summery tells us how a society is divided into P-caste and I-caste.
I thought I was going to read a book where we learn about a new culture and experience the difficulties the main character was going through and share in their fight to change the system.
Not much was clear to me, especially the time of the book, I was not very sure until later that this was supposed to be some kinda of post-apocalyptic setting. The reasons why there was an I caste and P caste was not very clear, nor the differences, and the characters were a bit flat and annoying at times, didn't connect to any of them.
Kallista was really annoying from the beginning, and just continues to be so for most of the book.
Did not see that plot twist coming, but I didn't really like it or where it went.
In fairness I can't really say that I read the whole book, but enough to be able to decide that I don't like it.
I tried to stick as much as I can with this book, but I ended up skipping pages.
The summery tells us how a society is divided into P-caste and I-caste.
I thought I was going to read a book where we learn about a new culture and experience the difficulties the main character was going through and share in their fight to change the system.
Not much was clear to me, especially the time of the book, I was not very sure until later that this was supposed to be some kinda of post-apocalyptic setting. The reasons why there was an I caste and P caste was not very clear, nor the differences, and the characters were a bit flat and annoying at times, didn't connect to any of them.
Kallista was really annoying from the beginning, and just continues to be so for most of the book.
Did not see that plot twist coming, but I didn't really like it or where it went.
In fairness I can't really say that I read the whole book, but enough to be able to decide that I don't like it.
January 1, 2015
ARC provided by Lazy Day Publishing through Netgalley
DNF @ 20%
Even though I was already aware that this book would no longer be published I felt bad about the author - and since the premise intrigued me enough to request the ARC, I decided to give it a chance.
All I can say is that now I realise why this will not be published...
I disliked all characters, especially the main ones.
The relationships were forced and inconsistent...
The writing... really wasn't good. There is no cohesive flow to the story.
I'll finish this review here because, really, I can find nothing nice to say :(
May 19, 2014
This book was VERY hard for me to get into and enjoy. I liked the concept of this book. The plot intrigued me. I think this novel had a lot of potential, but it was very poorly executed which was very disappointing. Basically this book is like a really bad train wreck, its a terrible thing, but you cant pull your eyes away from it because you want to know whats going to happen. I hoped that this book was going to redeem itself. That just was not the case
(It is very rare that I give a book 1 star)
I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
(It is very rare that I give a book 1 star)
I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
April 19, 2014
Thank you to Lazy Day Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book to review.
I don’t remember the last time I felt so aggravated with a book the way I was with this one. It took some time to calm down and process all the thoughts that were raging in my mind after I finished the book – a whole day pretty much – and after much deliberating I realized something:
I can’t think of even one aspect of this book that I enjoyed.
I knew, or rather thought I knew, what I was getting into. Romance is the primary topic of the book, yes. But from the description I thought the love would be given time to develop, that there would be interesting scenarios and challenges that would appear in the main characters’ path. I thought Kallista would be a rebel, one who would change things and be persecuted for this, facing challenges that she’d eventually overcome and win in the end.
None of these things happened.
The book tried to sound like a post-apocalyptic novel, although it did not, at all. Kallista turned out to be one of the biggest Mary Sue characters I have encountered in YA fiction so far, and her and Sage’s insta-love was nauseating. It was a lustful obsession between the two, nothing more. There were no reasons for their ‘love’ to be classified as love since it was so rushed and sudden with so much forced sweetness that it didn’t feel believable at all. Kallista wasn’t a strong character whatsoever, and although her debate about telling the truth to Sage was rather understandable it was still exaggerated to such proportions that every time she said she didn’t know how to tell him I found myself groaning and rolling my eyes. The begging and complaining and the lack of reality in the characters was by far the most frustrating aspect, especially when it came to finding out that Kallista had been lying about her status. The scene was glazed over and was covered up so fast that any chance for character growth was instantly destroyed, disappointing me even more. The plot twists were nothing like what plot twists should be, having no impact whatsoever on me emotionally, if only just increasing my desire to put the book down and not come back to it. And her and Sage’s survival planning, I mean REALLY? Who spends not even a full day to try and learn how to survive in the wild?
The writing of the book itself was also weak. There was a ton of repetition when it came to Kallista and Sage’s feelings, so much in fact that about three-quarters of the book was no better than a barren desert. Many sentences were very elementary sounding, repeating Kallista and Sage’s names and furthering the action very slowly, having hardly any impact on the overall plotline. There was very little description of the world and I had practically no idea what it looked like geographically and what the surroundings were like, leaving a hollow feeling and distance between me and the book. It all felt very rushed and underworked, although ironically a majority of the book dragged on action-wise. There were jumps between scenes, especially after the scene changed to Vestige Island, and from there things went overall downhill with a very confusing jumble of action, and then a lot of characters entering the story either in person or simply being mentioned, the cliff hanger at the end being no help whatsoever as it only piled onto the already existing mess of events.
So much lost potential. The vague summary of this book left so much to be anticipated, and none of that delivered. It could’ve been a tale that developed a love story between two people and their fight against the world, including natural and well-timed reactions that didn’t feel forced and developed the action. It could have been something really amazing, but I was left terribly disappointed and in a state of ranting upon finishing this book. It took a common problem of insta-love and magnified it to an extent, slapping together characters and a vague world, dragging out most of it while increasing the ending of the story to an unbearable speed and leaving off with an unsatisfactory ending. Even by the summary of the next book I could tell it probably won’t be getting any better, and with the time I spent with this book and resulting dissatisfaction I definitely won’t be reading the next one, and would warn people to approach this one with an open mind and not expecting anything too splendid. This will appeal to a certain reader, but one who wants a really light on-the-surface book that will be nothing more than eye candy and a sugarcoated version of love.
I don’t remember the last time I felt so aggravated with a book the way I was with this one. It took some time to calm down and process all the thoughts that were raging in my mind after I finished the book – a whole day pretty much – and after much deliberating I realized something:
I can’t think of even one aspect of this book that I enjoyed.
I knew, or rather thought I knew, what I was getting into. Romance is the primary topic of the book, yes. But from the description I thought the love would be given time to develop, that there would be interesting scenarios and challenges that would appear in the main characters’ path. I thought Kallista would be a rebel, one who would change things and be persecuted for this, facing challenges that she’d eventually overcome and win in the end.
None of these things happened.
The book tried to sound like a post-apocalyptic novel, although it did not, at all. Kallista turned out to be one of the biggest Mary Sue characters I have encountered in YA fiction so far, and her and Sage’s insta-love was nauseating. It was a lustful obsession between the two, nothing more. There were no reasons for their ‘love’ to be classified as love since it was so rushed and sudden with so much forced sweetness that it didn’t feel believable at all. Kallista wasn’t a strong character whatsoever, and although her debate about telling the truth to Sage was rather understandable it was still exaggerated to such proportions that every time she said she didn’t know how to tell him I found myself groaning and rolling my eyes. The begging and complaining and the lack of reality in the characters was by far the most frustrating aspect, especially when it came to finding out that Kallista had been lying about her status. The scene was glazed over and was covered up so fast that any chance for character growth was instantly destroyed, disappointing me even more. The plot twists were nothing like what plot twists should be, having no impact whatsoever on me emotionally, if only just increasing my desire to put the book down and not come back to it. And her and Sage’s survival planning, I mean REALLY? Who spends not even a full day to try and learn how to survive in the wild?
The writing of the book itself was also weak. There was a ton of repetition when it came to Kallista and Sage’s feelings, so much in fact that about three-quarters of the book was no better than a barren desert. Many sentences were very elementary sounding, repeating Kallista and Sage’s names and furthering the action very slowly, having hardly any impact on the overall plotline. There was very little description of the world and I had practically no idea what it looked like geographically and what the surroundings were like, leaving a hollow feeling and distance between me and the book. It all felt very rushed and underworked, although ironically a majority of the book dragged on action-wise. There were jumps between scenes, especially after the scene changed to Vestige Island, and from there things went overall downhill with a very confusing jumble of action, and then a lot of characters entering the story either in person or simply being mentioned, the cliff hanger at the end being no help whatsoever as it only piled onto the already existing mess of events.
So much lost potential. The vague summary of this book left so much to be anticipated, and none of that delivered. It could’ve been a tale that developed a love story between two people and their fight against the world, including natural and well-timed reactions that didn’t feel forced and developed the action. It could have been something really amazing, but I was left terribly disappointed and in a state of ranting upon finishing this book. It took a common problem of insta-love and magnified it to an extent, slapping together characters and a vague world, dragging out most of it while increasing the ending of the story to an unbearable speed and leaving off with an unsatisfactory ending. Even by the summary of the next book I could tell it probably won’t be getting any better, and with the time I spent with this book and resulting dissatisfaction I definitely won’t be reading the next one, and would warn people to approach this one with an open mind and not expecting anything too splendid. This will appeal to a certain reader, but one who wants a really light on-the-surface book that will be nothing more than eye candy and a sugarcoated version of love.
April 17, 2014
I read this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This story had a lot of potential, but it didn't quite follow through!
Kallista was born into the I-caste, which means a life of servitude and confinement. I-castes are not allowed to fall in love or belong to a family, because that would risk disrupting the harmony that the P-caste has worked so hard to create. The only way to change castes is to marry into the P-caste, which is exactly what Kallista plans to do. With the help of her P-caste friend Aluna, Kallista sneaks into the P-caste society and begins to search for a man to choose her. She has her eye on one man in particular—the mysterious and handsome Sage. But the man has the sole decision of marriage chose in the P-caste society, and with so many beautiful women to choose from, it seems impossible that Sage would choose Kallista. But when the two form an instant connection, Kallista realizes she has more to worry about: Sage doesn’t know she is an I-caste. If he finds out, Sage might think she’s simply pretending to love him for the sake of a change in caste. If he turns her in as an imposter, she’ll be shipped off to Vestige—an island of the lawless where death is certain. Maintaining her relationship with Sage becomes not only a battle to stay with the man she loves, but a fight for her own life.
The premise of Kallista is fascinating. Rose creates a world of two castes—P and I—with their own customs and rules. The society even presents its own history to explain how these castes came to form. The details of the society’s past are blurry, but enough to pique a reader’s interest. Rose explores the faults of a true patriarchal society which adds a unique commentary on issues in today’s world. Sage and Kallista seem to be among the few that disapprove of the system, and they speak out against it often. While their first conversations on the subject were enlightening, Sage declared that a woman should have a choice with such frequency that the message began to get heavy-handed. Many of their conversations on the subject were repeated in later chapters, only with a change in word choice—as a result, the first half of the book was rather repetitious, followed by a sudden and unexpected “that escalated quickly” that didn’t fit with the tone of Kallista until that point. As far as the romantic portion of Kallista, the idea of a forbidden love between the castes is supple ground for romance and tension. But where the worldbuilding succeeded, the character development fell flat. In a book that professes the importance of love, readers are told of the relationships between characters rather than shown. Kallista and Sage’s love at first sight is romantic, but we fail to see the connection form between them. The details are glossed over as Rose tells us they spoke of their likes and dislikes, but fails to actually include the reader in these conversations. While sexual tension is clearly evident throughout the novel, romantic tension was lacking until more than halfway through the book. In general, the book read as a guilty pleasure romance with plenty of hot and steamy make-out scenes, but very little depth between characters. The premise offered a lot of promise, but the writing failed to follow through. Kallista would appeal to teenage girls with a few hours to spare for the sake of an insubstantial and easy read.
Kallista was born into the I-caste, which means a life of servitude and confinement. I-castes are not allowed to fall in love or belong to a family, because that would risk disrupting the harmony that the P-caste has worked so hard to create. The only way to change castes is to marry into the P-caste, which is exactly what Kallista plans to do. With the help of her P-caste friend Aluna, Kallista sneaks into the P-caste society and begins to search for a man to choose her. She has her eye on one man in particular—the mysterious and handsome Sage. But the man has the sole decision of marriage chose in the P-caste society, and with so many beautiful women to choose from, it seems impossible that Sage would choose Kallista. But when the two form an instant connection, Kallista realizes she has more to worry about: Sage doesn’t know she is an I-caste. If he finds out, Sage might think she’s simply pretending to love him for the sake of a change in caste. If he turns her in as an imposter, she’ll be shipped off to Vestige—an island of the lawless where death is certain. Maintaining her relationship with Sage becomes not only a battle to stay with the man she loves, but a fight for her own life.
The premise of Kallista is fascinating. Rose creates a world of two castes—P and I—with their own customs and rules. The society even presents its own history to explain how these castes came to form. The details of the society’s past are blurry, but enough to pique a reader’s interest. Rose explores the faults of a true patriarchal society which adds a unique commentary on issues in today’s world. Sage and Kallista seem to be among the few that disapprove of the system, and they speak out against it often. While their first conversations on the subject were enlightening, Sage declared that a woman should have a choice with such frequency that the message began to get heavy-handed. Many of their conversations on the subject were repeated in later chapters, only with a change in word choice—as a result, the first half of the book was rather repetitious, followed by a sudden and unexpected “that escalated quickly” that didn’t fit with the tone of Kallista until that point. As far as the romantic portion of Kallista, the idea of a forbidden love between the castes is supple ground for romance and tension. But where the worldbuilding succeeded, the character development fell flat. In a book that professes the importance of love, readers are told of the relationships between characters rather than shown. Kallista and Sage’s love at first sight is romantic, but we fail to see the connection form between them. The details are glossed over as Rose tells us they spoke of their likes and dislikes, but fails to actually include the reader in these conversations. While sexual tension is clearly evident throughout the novel, romantic tension was lacking until more than halfway through the book. In general, the book read as a guilty pleasure romance with plenty of hot and steamy make-out scenes, but very little depth between characters. The premise offered a lot of promise, but the writing failed to follow through. Kallista would appeal to teenage girls with a few hours to spare for the sake of an insubstantial and easy read.
May 4, 2014
I’m struggling with my feelings with this book.
On one hand the plot was good, the society, the world they lived in was intriguing and it had great potential… but it was weak. The back bones didn’t feel strong enough. For example: the information portrayed felt clumpy, I would have liked seeing it revealed throughout the story as opposed to it all being revealed at the beginning. The characters didn’t have depth. Sure we knew basic things about them but their pasts, families, hobbies? We don’t see a great deal of anything from the characters other than the insta-love Kallista and Sage seemed to have, which it made it that much harder to connect with the characters.
And again, another depth problem- Dystopian novels need depth, most cases dramatic things happen and whole new worlds are created, and us readers need the background information on how and why the ‘big disaster’ happened. I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the information we did get.
The insta-love was a problem for me, I felt like it took away from the plot because too much of the percentage was spent on it. I also found myself slightly confused at time with jumps in-between chapters, the transition wasn’t smooth and I felt like there was no explanation of how we got there.
I actually liked Sage’s character; I felt pity for him knowing at any minute he would find out the love of his life lied to him… that was until he had his own revelations. It was basically a ‘Yeah, I might have lied to you for almost the same reason you lied to me but I’m allowed to be mad and you’re not’, which frustrated me to no end.
I think what frustrates me the most about Kallista is all the potential it had. I don’t pick out the negatives because I enjoy it, and I felt that with some careful planning and serious re-writing, this book will reach its potential and if that ever happens, I would love to read the new version.
All that being said, at the end I found myself wanting to read book to see how things turned out for the gang in their new world.
On one hand the plot was good, the society, the world they lived in was intriguing and it had great potential… but it was weak. The back bones didn’t feel strong enough. For example: the information portrayed felt clumpy, I would have liked seeing it revealed throughout the story as opposed to it all being revealed at the beginning. The characters didn’t have depth. Sure we knew basic things about them but their pasts, families, hobbies? We don’t see a great deal of anything from the characters other than the insta-love Kallista and Sage seemed to have, which it made it that much harder to connect with the characters.
And again, another depth problem- Dystopian novels need depth, most cases dramatic things happen and whole new worlds are created, and us readers need the background information on how and why the ‘big disaster’ happened. I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the information we did get.
The insta-love was a problem for me, I felt like it took away from the plot because too much of the percentage was spent on it. I also found myself slightly confused at time with jumps in-between chapters, the transition wasn’t smooth and I felt like there was no explanation of how we got there.
I actually liked Sage’s character; I felt pity for him knowing at any minute he would find out the love of his life lied to him… that was until he had his own revelations. It was basically a ‘Yeah, I might have lied to you for almost the same reason you lied to me but I’m allowed to be mad and you’re not’, which frustrated me to no end.
I think what frustrates me the most about Kallista is all the potential it had. I don’t pick out the negatives because I enjoy it, and I felt that with some careful planning and serious re-writing, this book will reach its potential and if that ever happens, I would love to read the new version.
All that being said, at the end I found myself wanting to read book to see how things turned out for the gang in their new world.
July 27, 2016
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
If you love a good romance novel with passion, desire, and tension then Kallista is right up your alley. The first in a series, Kallista offers quite a punch leaving readers satisfied and still curious where the story will go next.
Kallista follows the formula of a romance novel, but does so differently by putting the story into a dystopian setting. Set in a society of P-caste's and I-caste's, the author does a good job of building a world unlike our own. Although much of the romance is predictable, the plot does offer a huge twist that more than makes up for it. The pacing was also very well done, making me not want to put the book down. I read Kallista within a few hours. Usually I take a week to read a novel.
Kallista is not a typical dystopian teen novel. Don't expect it to be anything like The Selection or Delirium. Della Rose's novel is the perfect example of New Adult Dystopian. Something I haven't come across before and I hope we begin to see a trend starting. Since Kallista is still a teen, she also fits into the Young Adult category, but New Adult readers might connect better with the story than younger teens. With the heavy emphasis on romance and a sexual assault, I'd suggest this book to the seventeen and up crowd, or mature teens.
I would have liked to have seen the reason for the Scarlet Letter reference. How would they know about the Scarlet Letter, a book written in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne? Was this dystopian society once part of our world? I hope we get a little more insight in the second book in the series.
I do believe that romance enthusiasts will enjoy the relationship between Sage and Kallista. The constant uncertainty of their relationship, the forbidden nature, and the unknown of what will happen make for a good read. I recommend this book to romance readers that love dystopian novels.
If you love a good romance novel with passion, desire, and tension then Kallista is right up your alley. The first in a series, Kallista offers quite a punch leaving readers satisfied and still curious where the story will go next.
Kallista follows the formula of a romance novel, but does so differently by putting the story into a dystopian setting. Set in a society of P-caste's and I-caste's, the author does a good job of building a world unlike our own. Although much of the romance is predictable, the plot does offer a huge twist that more than makes up for it. The pacing was also very well done, making me not want to put the book down. I read Kallista within a few hours. Usually I take a week to read a novel.
Kallista is not a typical dystopian teen novel. Don't expect it to be anything like The Selection or Delirium. Della Rose's novel is the perfect example of New Adult Dystopian. Something I haven't come across before and I hope we begin to see a trend starting. Since Kallista is still a teen, she also fits into the Young Adult category, but New Adult readers might connect better with the story than younger teens. With the heavy emphasis on romance and a sexual assault, I'd suggest this book to the seventeen and up crowd, or mature teens.
I would have liked to have seen the reason for the Scarlet Letter reference. How would they know about the Scarlet Letter, a book written in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne? Was this dystopian society once part of our world? I hope we get a little more insight in the second book in the series.
I do believe that romance enthusiasts will enjoy the relationship between Sage and Kallista. The constant uncertainty of their relationship, the forbidden nature, and the unknown of what will happen make for a good read. I recommend this book to romance readers that love dystopian novels.
August 11, 2016
Goodreads blurb:
The choosing season has begun. Young men will choose their brides. Young women will graciously and honorably accept. This is the way of the P-caste. Men choose, women accept. No questions. This belief had been programmed into every P-caste youth since birth. Don’t question. Do. Don’t argue. Obey.
The I-caste do not have the same opportunity. They are the servants and backbone of the P-caste society, only to live in the outcast camp. Their bloodline is believed to be the reason for the shattering of the world, leaving nothing but islands surrounded by sea. There is only one way an I-caste can become a P-caste: Marriage. A P-caste can choose an I-caste during the choosing process and change the caste.
Kallista Copper was born an I-caste. Her goal is to marry and change her caste forever. Sage Lander is a P-caste. His goal is to marry out of love and not just custom. Two people, two castes, one love, but a risk that could end it all.
My thoughts:
I found this book to be a guilty pleasure for the most part. Sure, there was a case of insta-love but the characters were sweet together. I also felt there was a jump from one place to the next (I don't want to spoil it) without a good transition on how they got there.
I also enjoyed the dystopian part at the end with that society being markedly different from the beginning.
All in all, I found it a very entertaining read. I think were it cleaned up a bit, it would be a great book. Noticed on Goodreads that "no longer being published" I hope that's wrong or that the author revises it and tries again..
Thanks to Netgalley for the copy to review.
The choosing season has begun. Young men will choose their brides. Young women will graciously and honorably accept. This is the way of the P-caste. Men choose, women accept. No questions. This belief had been programmed into every P-caste youth since birth. Don’t question. Do. Don’t argue. Obey.
The I-caste do not have the same opportunity. They are the servants and backbone of the P-caste society, only to live in the outcast camp. Their bloodline is believed to be the reason for the shattering of the world, leaving nothing but islands surrounded by sea. There is only one way an I-caste can become a P-caste: Marriage. A P-caste can choose an I-caste during the choosing process and change the caste.
Kallista Copper was born an I-caste. Her goal is to marry and change her caste forever. Sage Lander is a P-caste. His goal is to marry out of love and not just custom. Two people, two castes, one love, but a risk that could end it all.
My thoughts:
I found this book to be a guilty pleasure for the most part. Sure, there was a case of insta-love but the characters were sweet together. I also felt there was a jump from one place to the next (I don't want to spoil it) without a good transition on how they got there.
I also enjoyed the dystopian part at the end with that society being markedly different from the beginning.
All in all, I found it a very entertaining read. I think were it cleaned up a bit, it would be a great book. Noticed on Goodreads that "no longer being published" I hope that's wrong or that the author revises it and tries again..
Thanks to Netgalley for the copy to review.
April 19, 2014
I was excited about this book- a new world with completely different systems in place than we have- sign me up. This book was disappointing from the get go. You never find out anything about the differences in the castes; except that one basically serves the other. I want to know the differences between the castes and why these castes were put in place- why did certain people become better than others? The book focuses so much on the love at first glance concept that it continually over exaggerated their feelings for each other. The first 3/4 of the book was "he's never felt this way" blah blah blah. I felt like I was reading the same 4 sentences over and over again.
You never find out basically anything about their pasts- which the author explains away by saying the I-caste isn't allowed to have any families and they are torn apart. Uhm, I have a major problem with this- why would they refuse to let the servant class have babies? Someone has to serve the upper class right? Guess they just want them to die off- great idea!
The plot twist at the end? Stupid. How can the author write about how mad Sage was at Kallista from being an I caste and lying about it when she turns around and makes him forgive her two seconds later with a "by the way I did the same thing as you- but what you did was worse" and how did Sage get away with it so long? It seemed throughout the entire book that he grew up there- how did he pretend to be an upper class person with no one finding out?
Also, I hated the fact that you never got to know anything about their friends- they had them. Yet, you learn almost nothing about them.
All in all this was a huge waste of my time.
You never find out basically anything about their pasts- which the author explains away by saying the I-caste isn't allowed to have any families and they are torn apart. Uhm, I have a major problem with this- why would they refuse to let the servant class have babies? Someone has to serve the upper class right? Guess they just want them to die off- great idea!
The plot twist at the end? Stupid. How can the author write about how mad Sage was at Kallista from being an I caste and lying about it when she turns around and makes him forgive her two seconds later with a "by the way I did the same thing as you- but what you did was worse" and how did Sage get away with it so long? It seemed throughout the entire book that he grew up there- how did he pretend to be an upper class person with no one finding out?
Also, I hated the fact that you never got to know anything about their friends- they had them. Yet, you learn almost nothing about them.
All in all this was a huge waste of my time.
April 21, 2014
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Kallista by Della Rose
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kallista is part of the lower I-caste which means she is doomed to be a servant for her whole life if she doesn't do something to change that. However, her friend comes up with an idea to get Kallista to pretend to be part of the P-caste so she can try and find a husband who can save her from that life. It should all work out, but then she meets Sage and things change.
Oh this book... I don't even know how to start with this. It did have an interesting concept. I thought that it would have good world development and I would be able to read about an interesting dystopian society. However, Rose didn't do much world building and she hardly describes how the world ended up the way it did or much about the world at all.
Sage is also much too perfect. He and Kallista pretty much fall in love right away which is pretty irritating. Love at first sight isn't real if you ask me. This book also seems like it wasn't edited very well. It seems like the author just winged things as she went along and she didn't edit it so it seemed more natural.
I didn't see the ending twist coming, but I also didn't like it and thought it was unrealistic.
The book also had pretty much no plot. Kallista pretty much just ran around and flirted with Sage.
Overall I give this book two out of five.
Kallista by Della Rose
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kallista is part of the lower I-caste which means she is doomed to be a servant for her whole life if she doesn't do something to change that. However, her friend comes up with an idea to get Kallista to pretend to be part of the P-caste so she can try and find a husband who can save her from that life. It should all work out, but then she meets Sage and things change.
Oh this book... I don't even know how to start with this. It did have an interesting concept. I thought that it would have good world development and I would be able to read about an interesting dystopian society. However, Rose didn't do much world building and she hardly describes how the world ended up the way it did or much about the world at all.
Sage is also much too perfect. He and Kallista pretty much fall in love right away which is pretty irritating. Love at first sight isn't real if you ask me. This book also seems like it wasn't edited very well. It seems like the author just winged things as she went along and she didn't edit it so it seemed more natural.
I didn't see the ending twist coming, but I also didn't like it and thought it was unrealistic.
The book also had pretty much no plot. Kallista pretty much just ran around and flirted with Sage.
Overall I give this book two out of five.
April 27, 2014
I was given a copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley, in return for an honest review.
I really don't know what to say about this book. It was not at all what I expected, nor what I wanted, to read. The beginning was ok, I was drawn in, but it was pretty sappy. Love at first sight for both parties? You just know that something terrible is going to rip them apart, and because the big secret is spelled out in the blurb on the back and in the first chapter, you know what it will be. The question is just when will it happen.
After a while the sappy became too much, and just when I was about ready to put the book down, the story completely changed. No warning, no notice. You're just reading about events in the future. It took me half the chapter to realize that this wasn't a dream, it was actually something that was happening. And it happened a few time towards the end of the story.
And then we get to the end. What happens? I have no idea! And I hate books that leave the reader hanging on. I did see that there would be another book, but not about these two main characters, so we'll probably find out what happened to them, but only as an aside, not a continuation of their story. I feel that a book should complete its self, even if it is part of a series.
Overall, I'd say that this is not a book that I can recommend, and I don't think that I'd continue the series. Not solely because of the story-line, but more the writing style.
I really don't know what to say about this book. It was not at all what I expected, nor what I wanted, to read. The beginning was ok, I was drawn in, but it was pretty sappy. Love at first sight for both parties? You just know that something terrible is going to rip them apart, and because the big secret is spelled out in the blurb on the back and in the first chapter, you know what it will be. The question is just when will it happen.
After a while the sappy became too much, and just when I was about ready to put the book down, the story completely changed. No warning, no notice. You're just reading about events in the future. It took me half the chapter to realize that this wasn't a dream, it was actually something that was happening. And it happened a few time towards the end of the story.
And then we get to the end. What happens? I have no idea! And I hate books that leave the reader hanging on. I did see that there would be another book, but not about these two main characters, so we'll probably find out what happened to them, but only as an aside, not a continuation of their story. I feel that a book should complete its self, even if it is part of a series.
Overall, I'd say that this is not a book that I can recommend, and I don't think that I'd continue the series. Not solely because of the story-line, but more the writing style.
April 18, 2014
I did not care of this book. From reading the summary, I thought the two caste system sounded interesting and the idea of a girl trying to change her caste with the threat of being banished could be a good story. This was a hard one to get through. It is overly sappy and romantic for most of the book. Kallista meets Sage, a P-caste male and they fall head over heals in love at first sight and it goes on and on and on...
The book does somewhat start to redeem itself after they are banished to the island Vestige. I don't feel that is a spoiler, it's pretty obvious that is where they are going to end up. But, this happens so late in the book that as it starts to get interesting...the story ends. You'll have to read book two. I don't think so.
The story idea had potential that I just didn't feel it lived up to, however, if you love romance stories that go into detail about how much they love each other every time they meet, then you'll probably like this. For me, too much romance and not enough futuristic society. A lot of details with the society don't get explained, including how they actually get caught and get to Vestige.
I received a galley copy for free from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The book does somewhat start to redeem itself after they are banished to the island Vestige. I don't feel that is a spoiler, it's pretty obvious that is where they are going to end up. But, this happens so late in the book that as it starts to get interesting...the story ends. You'll have to read book two. I don't think so.
The story idea had potential that I just didn't feel it lived up to, however, if you love romance stories that go into detail about how much they love each other every time they meet, then you'll probably like this. For me, too much romance and not enough futuristic society. A lot of details with the society don't get explained, including how they actually get caught and get to Vestige.
I received a galley copy for free from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 24, 2014
I just finished reading Kallista. It is a dystopian novel by Della Rose. A girl desperately hoping to change her status risks everything to achieve it. With the help from a member in the elite class, she pretends to be someone she isn’t in order to marry an elite and become one of them. If discovered, she will be banned from the life she knows and be shipped to a deserted island, where chances of survival are slim.
While this wasn’t one of my favorites, I liked the story. It was very beautifully written and I can’t wait to read the next one. I really did think it was a very sweet story. I even enjoyed the humor that was thrown into the story now and then.
I really feel there were parts of this book that were too rushed. I feel that if this book had been longer the author wouldn’t of felt they had to rush so many parts of the book. This is just my opinion though. For all I know, it could have been rushed on purpose. I also feel that there were a few scenes that should have been drawn out just a little more.
I recommend this book to anybody who loves dystopian and young adult romances. It is very sweetly written. It is also very deep and intellectually written. It’s a very easy read, but it’s very worth it. I’m glad that I was given the chance to read this book.
While this wasn’t one of my favorites, I liked the story. It was very beautifully written and I can’t wait to read the next one. I really did think it was a very sweet story. I even enjoyed the humor that was thrown into the story now and then.
I really feel there were parts of this book that were too rushed. I feel that if this book had been longer the author wouldn’t of felt they had to rush so many parts of the book. This is just my opinion though. For all I know, it could have been rushed on purpose. I also feel that there were a few scenes that should have been drawn out just a little more.
I recommend this book to anybody who loves dystopian and young adult romances. It is very sweetly written. It is also very deep and intellectually written. It’s a very easy read, but it’s very worth it. I’m glad that I was given the chance to read this book.
April 17, 2014
I don't normally read this genre but I fell in love with the cover. This book was great, and now I'm going to dive into the YA romance with full force.
The book is very romantic, borderline sappy, but I loved that aspect of the book. It was a dystopian fairytale.
Like I said, I'm not an expert on the genre but the premise seemed really original and I could see a movie being made of it.
I feel the author gave us a little taste of what is to come since it says on Netgalley that this is part of a trilogy. The book doesn't go into Vestige (the island they are banished to) as much as I'd like, but I have a feeling book 2 will focus on it.
The ending was at crazy speed but I liked it. It gave me the feel of the chaos of the island. How everything was doomed. The writing and the rapid scenes made me feel the panic Kallista must have been going through. I loved it.
Bottom line, the love story is amazing. The character development was spot on. The world building sucked you in. The grammar and writing style was flawless (at least in my opinion). The book was a great debut. I look forward to what's next.
*ARC was provided by Netgalley*
The book is very romantic, borderline sappy, but I loved that aspect of the book. It was a dystopian fairytale.
Like I said, I'm not an expert on the genre but the premise seemed really original and I could see a movie being made of it.
I feel the author gave us a little taste of what is to come since it says on Netgalley that this is part of a trilogy. The book doesn't go into Vestige (the island they are banished to) as much as I'd like, but I have a feeling book 2 will focus on it.
The ending was at crazy speed but I liked it. It gave me the feel of the chaos of the island. How everything was doomed. The writing and the rapid scenes made me feel the panic Kallista must have been going through. I loved it.
Bottom line, the love story is amazing. The character development was spot on. The world building sucked you in. The grammar and writing style was flawless (at least in my opinion). The book was a great debut. I look forward to what's next.
*ARC was provided by Netgalley*
June 12, 2014
since this wasn't published no synopsis is being written MUAHAHHA life is good
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I've read some bad books. Books so horrible that I actually want to scream and rant at the characters, so much that my blood pressure goes up and I get stress pimples.
This book wasn't bad, but it wasn't horrible either.
It was actually pretty mediocre, if we're being honest right now.
If you're going to write a dystopian book, take time to actually explain the dystopia of the world, please.
I read a review that said this would be better suited for New Adult, not YA, and I disagree.
2 pages of completely out of place and badly written rape attempts does not make it adult. Sorry to break it to you.
I'm not surprised this won't be published though. I'm surprised the book even got this far.
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I've read some bad books. Books so horrible that I actually want to scream and rant at the characters, so much that my blood pressure goes up and I get stress pimples.
This book wasn't bad, but it wasn't horrible either.
It was actually pretty mediocre, if we're being honest right now.
If you're going to write a dystopian book, take time to actually explain the dystopia of the world, please.
I read a review that said this would be better suited for New Adult, not YA, and I disagree.
2 pages of completely out of place and badly written rape attempts does not make it adult. Sorry to break it to you.
I'm not surprised this won't be published though. I'm surprised the book even got this far.
April 24, 2014
If you like a romance novel with passion, longing, and pressure then Kallista is for you. The first in Della Rosa’s latest series, Kallista pitches quite a punch to draw in readers. The novel follows the procedure of a typical romance book, but does so another way by driving the tale into a dystopian setting.
Overall, the novel read more as a guilty pleasure novella with abundant steamy make-out scenes, but truly diminutive depth amongst characters. The premise presented quite a bit of promise, however the writing failed to follow through in the end.
An Advanced Readers Copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Overall, the novel read more as a guilty pleasure novella with abundant steamy make-out scenes, but truly diminutive depth amongst characters. The premise presented quite a bit of promise, however the writing failed to follow through in the end.
An Advanced Readers Copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
May 9, 2014
The book was ok. The general idea was nice, however the translation was a bit clumsy. The characters were flat and the ending seemed extremely rushed to me.
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2015
You can read my full/honest review here: http://wp.me/p37Zro-1hb
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