Rebellion

Rebellion #1

by Josephine Boyce

Auria was the last nation in Europe to be occupied by the Global Defence Organisation, the same organisation that promised to bring peace when riots spread rapidly across the continent. Now governing all of Old Europe, the GDO’s control over Auria begins to increase and their tactics to dominate the population become more violent; 17-year-old Cassia Fortis decides that she’s had enough of being repressed and chooses to take matters into her own hands.
With her loyal friend Luca, Cassia joins the GDO army, in the hope that she can find a way to free her Dad from prison and reunite her parents. What she doesn’t account for is the measures she will have to take to prove her loyalty to the regime and the devastating path her best friend Jake will take.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Fiction, Science Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 9, 2016

About the author

Josephine Boyce was born in Kuwait to a diplomat father and artist mother. She spent most of her childhood in the Middle East and one day plans to incorporate her memories of the desert into her writing.

You can follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jboycewrites

Or Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/josephinebo...

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

↠ 4 stars

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I’d just like to say that I’m hosting a giveaway for this book on my Instagram page! It’s international and you should really go check it out. Additionally, on a purely superficial level, the cover of this book feels really good. So you should definitely go buy it/enter to win a copy, solely to feel the cover. Trust me on this guys. (You know I have good taste.)

But anyway, I digress. Onto the actual review!

Rebellion is a fast-paced dystopian novel (the first of a trilogy) that follows Cassia Fortis as she attempts to take down the GDO, an organisation that has taken control of most of Europe, from the inside.

Cassia is what really pulled this book together for me. Her narrative voice and style is wonderful, really. Rebellion is in first person, so the narrative is straight from Cassia herself. Her POV is colloquial and easily connectable, flowing along smoothly and carrying you through the novel. I also enjoyed her as a character; she’s (somewhat) level-headed and tends to think rationally, which I loved.

The other characters were also amazing! Luca is a cinnamon bun and the cutest thing ever and I literally wanna kidnap him and run away with him tucked under my arm so I can keep him safe. Also, and maybe this is an odd thing to pick up on, but I really liked the depiction of male friendship and Cassia’s relations with the rest of her male unit. It seems more and more common with every passing day that friendships between men and woman are simplified down to romance, and if a man/woman isn’t a love interest, they can’t be friends, but this isn’t true at all and I think Rebellion showed that incredibly well.

Furthermore, this book is wonderful with it’s diversity. There are so many different races and kinds of people, and it’s amazing to see. Additionally, none of these characters felt like ‘token characters’ dropped in for the sake of diversity; the whole central cast was a mixing pot of ethnicities and I loved it. The only thing I picked up on was lack of LGBTQ+ rep, really.

The only drag for me as a reader was the fact that sometimes the book blended a bit seamlessly and events became blurred thanks to chapter divisions. Rebellion takes the unusual and inventive approach to dividing chapters by weeks, which each week being a chapter. Whilst this is a really cool idea, it does also mean events sometimes merge into one long stream. This was more an issue in the first third of the book, where I was surprised when it seemed to me that Cassia & Luca joined the GDO, trained, and then became members very quickly, and I feel this part of the novel could’ve benefited the most from some separation between events to make their choice to join the GDO leave a mark on the reader.

A small, almost inconsequential thing that didn’t affect the book in any way (but I did pick up upon) was the fact that a few lines of speech seemed a bit stiff and unwieldy. Also there was a tiny little bit at the end where (I think) Luca was called Luc for two lines or so. However, this didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book at all.

If I was to compare this book to a mainstream YA series, I think I’d pick Shatter Me based upon worldbuilding alone. Rebellion doesn’t have teens with superpowers, but they both have a very similar dystopian theme that revolves around a world dominated by a oppressive government with heavy military influences. I am incredibly excited to read book two (titled Resistance) and I will be reviewing that one soon too so keep an eye out.

TL;DR: A solid series-starter that’s enjoyable for all YA dystopia fans!

This review is also available on my blog (faerieontheshelf.wordpress.com)

[Christine Spoors · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It has been a long time since I read a dystopian and so I really enjoyed reading one. It was great to read a dystopian that was set in Europe and not in the US for a change!

I really enjoyed the way Rebellion was written. Each chapter follows a week in the main character Cassia's life and is written in first person. It feels almost as if we are reading her diary which makes her a very likeable character and you can't help but share her emotions. Whilst this book is a dystopian, it focuses a lot on character building and so by the end of the book we got to know a whole group of characters (which I can't wait to find out more about in book two).

In this book the Global Defence Organisation has taken over Europe, it is set in the fictional nation of Auria which was the last to be occupied and so tensions are high. Cassia is angry at the oppressive regime and so attempts to take down the system from within! Boyce is really good at creating plans which are complex enough that you are on edge waiting to see if they work, but also easy enough to follow and understand. There were quite a few twists throughout which really surprised me and made this book so hard to put down.

Boyce did a great job of building up the GDO and subtly revealing just how controlling and oppressive they really are. She also did a great job of highlighting the normal people from these now oppressed nations who now have no choice but to work alongside the GDO and go against their own people. It was all done very realistically and at times it didn't feel that crazy and far fetched, like it could happen in the real world.

I highly recommend this book as it is one of the best self-published books I have ever read!

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another dystopian book you take in your hand and won't be able to put it down! Cassia is lovable girl you'll fall in love with from the first page. Her courage and devotion are addictive and every reader wants to be her friend. I admire her reticence to harm, despite everything. Because if I were in her place, I'd have been guided by a different thought.
The book has a rapidly evolving storyline and I haven't found a single passage that would slow the pace. The main plot is very thoughtful and makes the story very intensive and real.
I must say that the end of the book absolutely shocked me! And I want more of these unpredictable twists!
I can't wait to read the next book!

[Josephine Boyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I wrote it it's only fair that I give Rebellion a fighting chance with a 5* review.

[Gemma McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I meet Josephine Boyce at last years YALC and pick up both books in the Rebellion series, as I prepare for the year YALC I thought it would be prefect time to read Rebellion.

The Global Defence Organisation, was created to stop the riots and violence that was plaguing Europe. GDO was supposed to bring peace, but they have used that excuse to govern europe. Auria is the last country to be occupied by the GDO, they use violence  and terror to keep control.
17-year-old Cassia Fortis life has been turned up side down since the envision, her mother is ill in hospital but the medication she need is another city she can't get to, and her father has been taken as a political prisoner due to his position in the Government. She decided that she doesn't want to live in a world with no freedom, to defeat the enemy you must know the enemy, so Cassia and her loyal friend join the GDO army so they can find a weakness and reunite Cassia father and mother.
What Cassia does not plan for is what she will have to do to keep up her double life, and how the envision has effected the people she loves.

I havent read a young adult dystopia book, where the characters go inside the organisation to destroy them from the inside. I am delighted in the fact that you see that not everyone inside this destructive organisation, are bad people, that people join for several different reasons.
The book chapters are spit into weeks from Cassia pov, I enjoyed having the book in this type of format, as it keeps the pace fast and easy to read.
One of my favourite elements of the book is Cassia friendship with the men in her unit, they are a diverse bunch of people and bring something different to the group. I like the fact that she is not singles out for being female and is receives the same amount of banter.
I love Luca he is super sweet, and the way her treats Cassia is such a joy to read. I can understand why he want to protect Cassia, but also trust her to do what she has to do for the course.
Cassia is brave, smart character that makes her a great lead in a book, she has made a big impact with Rebellion, I cant wait to see what she does in Resistance.
FYI I hope bad things happen to Kohler.
I give this book 4.3 out of 5.

If you are going to YALC go and pop over and say Hi to Josephine, she is so lovely, I'm hoping she might have copies of her next book The Dark Queen available on her stand.


[Imi (Imi Reviews Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my typical read but I loved it.

I bought Rebellion at YALC yesterday after meeting the author, Josephine Boyce who was absolutely lovely and extremely passionate about her novel. I started reading immediately and apart from sleeping I guess I didn't really stop until I finished.

Rebellion is first person present which to be frank is my least favourite tense to read or write in, however for once I wasn't immediately turned off to this. I kept going when usually I might struggle to push through and it proved worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and perhaps I will rethink my adversity to the tense the next time I come across it.

The chapters are set out as weeks which makes the time pass very quickly I find, sometimes leaving me with a feeling that details and events have been skimmed over due to not wanting to have chapters that are exceptionally long. I'm not sure if I'm just find of indulgence and details on everything when reading but this fast pace made me look at it differently. I don't however, believe this is a negative because actually it only made me read it faster because the pace was set by the author.

I wouldn't say Rebellion gripped me in the same way novels had in the past but it did attract me and evidently, I didn't stop reading either way. The storyline is straight forward and easy to get into - I kept waiting for the big plot twists that never came. Nothing really surprised me but maybe that's why I enjoyed it. I really did enjoy it, it was different because of the pace and that's what peaked my interest. The lack of twists kind of relaxed me because these days they're so full of all of these 'shocking' plot twists that either you can't keep up with or it just becomes almost boring. I found this refreshing instead.

I don't generally write long reviews, I'm not good at them and I realise this as I write what sounds like a review that says "it did everything I don't like but I liked it". I actually thoroughly enjoyed it but considering these factors, I can't actually put my finger on why. I just did. I will continue to read this series when the sequel is released next year and I shall always look out for Josephine Boyce on the shelves!

[Kathryn Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

It feels like it's been a while since I've read a dystopian - teenager saving the day, and all. There was a time when they all seemed to follow the same pattern but I wouldn't say Rebellion does.

For starters, it's set out interestingly. Each chapter covers a week of Cassia's life (17 weeks overall), which, while it may sometimes feel rushed or like more things could have been explained in detail, it feels more realistic. Because, let's be "real", how many rebellions really go down in the space of three weeks? There's so much planning to do and I think it was shown really well in this book.

After the first couple chapters I felt like I had known Cassia for much longer because of the time gaps. There was no awkward introductory chapter, it went straight into action, and from the start I could clearly see Cassia's main goals for the rest of the book, which she stayed true to.

Cassia's GDO Squad is absolutely squad goals. I loved their fluid banter, and their ease of conversation shown through them knowing each other a long time and working under army conditions. Jono and Drummer gave me a Merry and Pippin feel and I LOVED that.

And then the romance. I'm a sucker for romance and I loved how there was no insta-love because of the drawn out time period and the torturous pining. Man, that stuff is addictive. I can't wait to see more of these two characters in the next book.

Overall, I really enjoyed Rebellion. And while I don't often enjoy reading narrative in first-present, the plot and characters quickly put that to the back of my mind.

I'm really glad I got to meet Josephine at YALC and talk to her on the Sunday - I might not have found this book otherwise! And it's always brilliant to support self published authors.

Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble. (I love this)

[Sumaiyya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick review: Fans of dystopian fiction will LOVE this book.

I enjoyed reading Rebellion a lot. The central character, Cassie, was quite bold and brave which is something I really liked. I think female protagonists are often a bit annoying due to their indecisiveness and self-doubt, but Cassie always knew what she had to do - even if that choice was difficult. I liked how Cassie is stronger than the male counterparts in the story as well. She has a great character development.
Although the story has a familiar dystopian premise - teenager fighting against an oppressive authoritarian government - I liked that it had its own rhythm and followed a very realistic portrayal of what war does to people.

I definitely recommend the book to fans of YA Dystopian fiction, but I think it's suitable for more mature teens.

Finally, I must appreciate the fact that this is a self-published book. I didn't find any fault with the writing and I felt it was very to-the-point with some fast-paced sections.

[Emma Jaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent YA Dytopian tale about a seventeen year old girl who takes on the might of the organisation that has taken over the planet (GDO).
A certain amount of suspension of disbelieve is needed as the naive girl, with the help of a childhood friend, (love interest) infiltrates the GDO to rescue her imprisoned father. The action moves along at a fast pace, despite the reticence of the heroine to harm anyone (despite the fact the GDO kill pretty much indiscriminately).
Its a little predictable with a a computer tech nerd (childhood friend) living in a basement providing computer viruses that can take out the rulers of the planet, and success against impossible odds, but if fun nevertheless.
I think it would do significantly better with a genre specific cover rather than a lion's head. It is linked to the story, (vaguely) but anyone looking for a YA dystopian would probably pass this one by, and they would miss out.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing a review now because I forgot back in January.

I don't normally read first present so I was a little apprehensive going into this, but my worries were soon set aside by the fantastic writing ability and story, I cannot wait to pick up Resistance at YALC 2017. I need to know what happens next, Rebellion left me wanting more. I'm a sucker for a good book. The Rebellion series is making its way into being one of my favourites.

[Brittany Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world we know today no longer exits and the last remaining free country, Auria, has fallen. The GDO has taken over and rules with an iron fist. Cassia starts out a good girl, but then realizes things aren’t as they should be and decides to take action. With help from others, including her friend Luca she sets out to change things for the better before it is too late.

Josephine Boyce, the author, has really created a gem with this book. The attention to detail is incredible and she is able to make you feel for these characters with such ease and precision. I did not want to put this book down for one minute as I was willing Cassia along her way!

I am definitely putting Josephine Boyce at the top of my “Authors to love” list and I look forward to reading more from this wonderful writer.

[Damian Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Rebellion’ takes place in a dystopian Europe under the rule of the Global Defence Organisation, an oppressive regime that has seized control of the continent in the aftermath of a war. The story starts when teenager Cassia Fortis visits her mother in hospital. Looking for a way to acquire the cancer drugs her mother so desperately needs, she intentionally stays out after curfew and is sent to a GDO work camp, where she sneaks out at night and breaks into the hospital of a neighbouring town to steal medical supplies. Fuelled by the success of this mission, Cassia’s plans escalate in ambition. Ultimately she intends to bring the regime down but, daunted by the scale of this task, first decides to free her father, a political prisoner, and therefore enlists in the GDO army so that she can be stationed in the town where he is held. The stakes are raised as Cassia secures a role in army intelligence under the odious Captain Kohler, and she is thrown into a race against time to achieve her aims before the net closes around her.

Though I’m not the fastest reader, I found ‘Rebellion’ a real page-turner and raced through it over the course of a single weekend. The author has an easy, natural style, and the book is well written without being overly wordy. One of my favourite aspects was the slightly unusual take on the resistance theme, with Cassia and her friends attempting to infiltrate their oppressors and bring them down from the inside. This leads to complications because, like Cassia, not everyone within the army sympathises with the GDO cause; many have enlisted because they have few choices if they wish to survive, which certainly muddies the waters. In addition to Cassia, who is brave and resourceful without swerving from her strong moral code, ‘Rebellion’ benefits from a cast packed full of likeable characters. Drummer and Jono provide comic relief, and there’s a romantic subplot as Cassia struggles to resolve her feelings for childhood friends Jake and Luca. Perhaps a bit more detail into the circumstances leading to the rise of the GDO would have added depth to the plot, but I think there’s plenty of opportunity to develop the backstory in the sequel. Overall, ‘Rebellion’ is an excellent start to the series, and I look forward to discovering where the author takes the story in the next book.

[Joe Turk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story takes place in a dystopia where a single government, the Global Defense Organization rules the land with an iron fist. Our protagonist, seventeen year old Cassia risks her freedom and possibly her life when she breaks the rules to get medicine that will save her ill mother. This first ‘mission’ sets her on a course of resistance that gets more daring and dangerous as the story progresses.

A great deal of care and thought was put into the motivations of the characters in this action-oriented novel. Week by week, Cassia and Luc gradually slide into a more violent form of rebellion and I thought the author did an excellent job in making her characters and scenes believable.
However, at times, the story arc felt a bit generic. There isn’t a lot of world-building. I was left wanting to know more about the story’s ‘bad guy’—the GDO, a giant, evil superpower that controlled the world. Where did they come from? What kind of person could lead such an organization? For what reason, and how, did they dominate the entire planet? Maybe those questions are answered in a sequel…I don’t know. But more background on the GDO might have provided the story with a unique concept and given the book's dystopia a distinctive quality. As it is, this rebellion felt like it could have taken place in any war, at anytime, anywhere.

It's still an enjoyable read. The story moves along smoothly, the dialogue is funny at times, and as an action novel, I thought the book succeeded. 4 stars for constructing a believable, easy to follow story with likable, believable characters. I’d recommend this book to those looking for a fast-paced, action-oriented read with a strong female protagonist.

[Carly [A Beauty & Her Books] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:

Thank you so much to the author herself for sending me a signed copy of her novel in exchange for my honest review.

First off, let’s look at how amazingly gorgeous this cover is. I mean, the bold red complimented with a roaring lion! It is the picture definition of strength and courage, which is the perfect compliment to the story that is inside.

Rebellion pulled me in from the very first page. It has everything I require from a good book: A good, solid plot, some great dialogue and of course, a headstrong, tough heroine.

I feel that the new attraction for YA readers is dystopian type novels that have a slight romance twist to them. Of course, you can never have enough of the dystopian theme, which is what keeps the readers coming back for more.

The characters are well drawn, and the romance develops naturally. Cassia isn’t some superhero planning to take on the state, merely a young woman who simply wants to save those whom she loves.

The story itself is very well written and the plot, thick and exciting. I found myself not wanting it to end, but thankfully it looks like it has been left open for another chapter….which can’t come soon enough.

The story moves along smoothly, the dialogue is funny at times, and as an action novel, I thought the book succeeded. 5 stars for constructing a believable, easy to follow the story with likable, believable characters. If you like stories with dystopic undertones and a great amount of grit, you’ll love Rebellion. I’d recommend this book to those looking for a fast-paced, action-oriented read with a strong female protagonist.

Read On Darlings!

[Kate Sawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great to have a clever, active young woman at the centre of a story that will be read by clever active young women.
Although we, thankfully, don't like in the world controlled by the GDO, sometimes it feels as though absolute corporate power isn't that far away. I like the parallels of reality in this-hopefully an awakening to politics for readers too.
The love story is really compelling as is the action. A perfect combination of head and heart! Looking forward to the second instalment!

[Cosette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impossible to put down, I took it with me everywhere I went for the day and read it non-stop.
I'm a big fan of dystopian novels and loved the style, the rhythm, the characters, it made me feel part of their squad. The last 20 pages were insanely intense.
I've just finished so I'm still hung up on it and can't think straight, all I know is that I need the next one asap.

[Eman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book Rebellion. I met Josephine Boyce a few days ago at YALC and once she told me the synopsis of the duology I was really eager to read it. It was a very fast paced book with a lot of action and suspense. It keeps you on your toes thinking how will they defeat the GDO, the evil government in every dystopian novel which takes over the country, (but to be honest i also have one of those in my novel too, but its the original government, not the taking over type, so its evil from birth.). There were many plot twists such as Jakes death and the fact that he actually burned the council. I thought Jake wouldn't have the courage in the end and his death broke my heart. The relationship between Luca and Cassia was adorable and how it built up with them going to secret hiding places. And it was a really good book considering the fact that it was self-published. I loved the book, however, I just had one problem, there were some missed words that made it kind of hard for me to make sense of the sentence. I would have been absorbed into the novel but then I would have to stop and understand the sentence and then it would kind of ruin my pace. but nonetheless it was an amazing book and I give it 4/5 stars.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't read a dystopina book for a while and never thought I'd miss it as much. The book is so thrilling and fast paced. The characters are relatable, you can see their struggles as if they might be yours and at the same time you see this brave girl fighting to save her family but you see her being selfish and selfless, a perfect flawed person. I am in love with this book. Don't wanna go into more details cause that might bring spoilers but there were some pretty devastating moments here.

[Fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good stuff in here. Loved the characters and the set up. Really interesting to see the development of the story line and the relationships built. Should be interesting to see what happens in the next book.

[Avi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebellion was an incredibly fast paced book, so I literally flew through the pages. It started at a point were the action was about to start, so I didn't have to wait long till our main character actually started her rebellion. At first I didn't quite understand what was going on, because it was a fast paced book but it was so because of the lack of descriptions and details. It could go from Cassia waking up to her walking down the street within two lines and not have anything else described, like how she got up from bed and put on her clothes and leave her house.
Despite the missing descriptions I really enjoyed the story! I haven't read one like this before and it was quite refreshing to read (bear in mind it's been a while since I've read a dystopian book) so even when I wasn't reading it I was still thinking about it.
I just wish there were more character development and world building. I didn't quite understand what had actually happened to the world, since they were given new names to countries, and there wasn't a full explanation of how the GDO started and why they're taking over the world. But all that could be explained in the next book?

I am quite excited to read the sequel, Resistance, and I hope there will be a lot more worldbuilding there.

[L.N. Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebellion pulled me in from the very first page. It has everything I require from a good book: A good, solid plot, some great dialogue and of course, a headstrong, tough heroine.

The story centres around a 17 year old girl, Cassia Fortis and her friend, Luca Kemei, who gets drawn into her plot to break her father out of prison in the nearby town of Camberg. In order to do this, they have to join the GDO army to get closer to the prison in which he is housed.

From there, the story develops into a mixture of espionage, hi-tech thrills and a deadly game of cat and mouse between Cassia and her nemesis, Captain Kolher, the commander of the division she is a part of.

The story itself is very well written and the plot, thick and exciting. I found myself not wanting it to end, but thankfully it looks like it has been left open for another chapter....which can't come soon enough.

If you like stories with dystopic undertones and a great amount of grit, you'll love Rebellion. I highly recommend it!

[Chrys Cymri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well constructed and written dystopian book.

Europe has been conquered by a military organisation called the Global Defence Organisation. Our main character, Cassia, decides to enter the military in order to help her mother, who needs life saving drugs, and to break her father out of prison.

There are many things to like about this novel. The characters are well drawn, and the romance develops naturally. Cassia isn’t some super hero planning to take on the state, merely a young woman who simply wants to save those whom she loves.

The reason for four stars rather than five is that at times I felt as if I’d read the novel before. The use of a computer virus, a prison break, and a nasty superior trying to wrest sexual favours from an underling felt familiar. The plot was well constructed but I was never surprised, including the ending.

A good start and it’ll be interesting how the author develops in her future works.

[L.N. Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding YA Dystopia!

Rebellion pulled me in from the very first page. It has everything I require from a book: A good plot, a headstrong heroine, and some great dialogue.

The story centres around a 17 year old girl, Cassia Fortis and her friend, Luca Kemei, who gets drawn into her plan of breaking her father out of prison. In order to do this, they have to join the GDO army in order to get closer to the prison in which her father is being held.

From there, the story develops into a mixture of espionage, hi-tech thrills and a deadly game of cat and mouse. And of course, the one obstacle that Cassia is faced with, is in the form of the lecherous, Captain Kolher.

The story itself is very well written and the plot, thick and exciting. I found myself not wanting it to end, but thankfully it was left wide open for another chapter to the storyline.... Which can't come quick enough.

If you love Dystopic, YA novels, you'll love this one...I highly recommend it!

[Jules Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Rebellion, lots of fast paced action with a good story and main characters. It's a strong contender in the dystopian genre and I'm looking forward to the next installment...!