The Raging Ones

The Raging Ones #1

by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie

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.

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, LGBT, Romance, Dystopia, Space

352 pages, Hardcover

First published August 14, 2018

About the author

NYT & USA Today Bestselling Authors Krista & Becca Ritchie are identical twins—one a science nerd, the other a comic book geek—but with their shared passion for writing, they combined their mental powers as kids and have never stopped telling stories. They love superheroes, flawed characters, and soul mate love.

To stay up to date on new releases, bonus content, and more, sign up for Krista & Becca's Newsletter: www.kbritchie.com/newsletter

Quick note: We don't check Goodreads, so we don't respond to messages here. But if you want to connect with Becca or me, you can reach out to us on our social medias or at our website: www.kbritchie.com

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Fans of Krista & Becca's Books:
♥ Join Krista & Becca's Fizzle Force Facebook group.
♥ Inspiration for the Addicted series can be found on their Pinterest boards.
♥ Find playlists for all of their books on Spotify
♥ Check out all of their extras! Including: bonus scenes, character interviews, fun posts and more on their Extras page.

Reviews

[megs_bookrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY STARS!!! What did I just read!?!?



The Raging Ones is the first book in a YA Scifi duology that killed me, then revived me, so I could go on and someday read the second book.



Seriously though, WOW, I was so impressed with this.

This story had everything I desire: complex characters, an intriguing plot, a high-stakes competition and phenomenal world-building.



I don’t even know where to begin, so will start with the basics:

The year is 3525 on a harsh, frozen planet, where society is divided into a type of caste system based on how long you will live.



In this world, every baby has a simple test performed that tells the exact day they are going to die.

As you can imagine, this extinguishes plenty of fear in the world because you can take risks and know that you will not die from them unless, of course, it is your 'death day'.



However, this tends to extinguish all hope as well, since you know it can never be changed.

Generally, the people living here accept the social structure as it is and focus more on just getting by in such a severe environment.



The story follows the perspectives of three main characters:

Franny Bluecastle: an impulsive and hard-edged Fast Tracker (death days between the ages of 13 – 29) who we first meet the day before her impending death day.

Court Icecastle: a tough, well-educated ‘thief’ who has a mysterious past.

Mykal Kickfall: a sweet baby cinnamon roll who hails from the North and was a hunter/warrior prior to falling in with Court.

Court and Mykal are drawn to Franny just after she survives her death day and the drama takes off from there.



Our three main characters are linked, you discover this early on, not just in the fact that they are the only known individuals to ‘survive’ their death days, but also mentally and physically. They have a bond that is unlike anything I have ever read before. It is quite literally a sensory link.

I know what you’re thinking, two boys, one girl, classic set up for a love triangle.



Nope. Stop right there. This is NOT that book.

This is not who will she choose, who will he choose. The foundation is Mykal and Court. They have an incredibly deep, unbreakable bond that goes beyond your stereotypical teen love.

Franny does become a part of this but not in a third wheel, add-on, aggressive sort of way. The dynamic between the three is equal and all-consuming and I absolutely cherished every moment of it.



As a trio, Franny, Mykal and Court enroll to compete for the chance to become employed by StarDust, think NASA meets NSA. The goal is to get one of 5-coveted slots for the Saga-5 Mission, essentially a space mission, the first in this society for over 300-years.

Franny, Mykal and Court make it through enrollment and become 3 of the 1,024 people competing for these spots. Competition is fierce.



They live in dormitories, develop rivalries, compete in challenges and undergo training on flying space ships, surviving in zero-G environments and other space-related activities.

This part of the story gave me life!



I absolutely love competition and training elements in books. It is one of my all-time favorite tropes and this one was so well done.

We meet a great cast of side characters and learn more about the world overall through their interactions with our protagonists.



I love Sci-Fi. In fact, I often consider it my favorite genre.

This one impressed me. It felt very true to the genre, without weighing you down in jargon that would make the story unattractive to some Readers.

They kept the mysterious, dark, smart Sci-Fi feel without making it too snobby-nerdy. Does this make sense? I mean, I am a nerd, I will be the first to admit that, but I like my Sci-Fi to have the power to enthrall all types of people, nerd or not.



As you can tell, I loved so many things about this book. I know as soon as I publish this review I will think of 50 more things I should have mentioned.

This story was so unique and the characters so well fleshed out, I am going to be thinking about this one for a long time to come.



Which makes me think, how long until the next book?

That ending! Honestly, I don’t know how I am going to live with this cliffhanger!



It blew my mind in the end. I cannot wait for my book friends to read this so I can discuss with somebody!

These authors, Krista and Becca, deserve a big round of applause.

That they came up with this, through a collaboration, is just so significant and I think demonstrative of their level of talent. I am really looking forward to progressing with this series!



Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for providing me with an early review copy of this book to read and review.

It is, so far, my favorite read of 2018 and I just had such a wonderful time with it. I appreciate the opportunity!

[Becca Ritchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has our heart & soul, and we're so incredibly grateful that Wednesday Books, our editor, and agent, took a chance on this sci-fi/fantasy romance. Our writing is a bit raw, a bit visceral, and we can't wait for all of you to feel what Court, Mykal, and Franny feel. Publishing a YA novel has been our childhood dream, and after almost a decade worth of trying to get one published, it's finally happening: 8.14.18 -- thank you all for the support & love. It's meant so much to us!



ABOUT THE BOOK: THE RAGING ONES takes place in a world in which everyone knows the day they're going to die. There are 3 POVs, and each of the three main characters are connected by their emotions & three senses (touch, taste, smell). Think Sense8 meets Gattaca <3



P.S. if you're a romance reader and aren't sure about reading a sci-fi/fantasy, this one has a big romance, and all the characters are the central focus. If you love our writing, you'll most likely love this ;)

PRE-ORDER NOW AVAILABLE: The Raging Ones

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi, sorry but where is the next book? As my 3 year old says, "I need it lasterday!"

Wow, this was really spectacular. After a long dry spell of reading that left me feeling underwhelmed for the first 4 months of the year, I've hit a slew of excellent reads, all in a row. Every review I've read discussed an unexpected twist at the end, so I was both nervous and excited to find out just what that was, but I'll save discussing that until later in the review. Right now, I want to hit on why I loved the rest of the book so much.

The plot here is just so fresh and unique. I haven't read any of the Ritchie sisters' previous novels, so I have nothing to compare this book to, but from what I can tell this is new ground that they are covering as their previous novels are romance related. YA Sci-Fi can be a hit or miss for me; I either love it or I hate it. The reason this one was so great for me is very much the same reason that might make it not so enjoyable for other readers; instead of us receiving a massive info dump at the beginning of the book before the plot really takes off, we jump right into the story and receive information about this alternate universe as we go. It does take the world-building aspect in a new direction and leaves the reader in the dark for a good portion of the novel, but this filled me with a sense of suspense that I usually find lacking in this particular genre. There's a very good reason as to why this is done, and if you can hang on for the ride, I think you'll find the pay off is worth the initial bizarre storytelling technique.

I really love the characters here as well. I was so certain this was going to be another *gasp* cheesy love triangle, but... it wasn't. In fact, these characters are taken in an entirely different direction than I expected and was pleasantly surprised by how the personal relationships between them developed. There's a lot of emotion infused in the story, and it's thought provoking themes gripped me just as thoroughly as the action and suspense sequences. Throw that in with the completely unexpected twist on the final page and my jaw hit the floor. I was at a 4 star rating throughout the entire novel until that last twist, and I felt I couldn't give The Raging Ones anything less than 5 stars after being so fabulously duped. And that's all I'll say about that, MMKK? If you enjoy YA Sci-Fi but are tired of the same plots and tropes being used, give this one a try. I picked this up on a whim last night and read it in one sitting; I didn't even have a chance to add it to my currently reading shelf because I blew through it so quickly. Just go in knowing that you'll be desperately salivating for the next book because DANG IT THAT CLIFFHANGER!!!

*I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

[shady boots · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC of this book.

When I started this, I had pretty low expectations. I read the premise and my love triangle senses started tingling. The average YA book would do that when there are three main characters--two male and one female. The average YA book would make the female character torn between the two hot guys vying for her affection, and the males are only there to be each other's rivals because their only purposes are to be love interests and nothing more.

So you can imagine how ecstatic I was when this book took that godawful trope and flipped it on its head.

Right off the bat, the two male protagonists, Court and Mykal, already have a deep established bond, and their intimacy and sexual tension is immediately noticeable. At first I thought, "Oh this won't last, the girl is eventually gonna come between them or something." However I was yet again pleasantly surprised that the girl, Franny, is there solely as a friend and companion for these two. She was never whiny or seething with jealousy over Court and Mykal's bond, she was very chill about it and even felt like she was intruding at times. The connection between these three I found very believable and sweet, and I just have to give props to the authors for how unique their dynamic is. In all the YA books I've ever read, I can't say I've ever seen an M/M/F relationship between protagonists where the two males are the ones romantically involved and the female is perfectly content with being their friend. This was probably one of the aspects of this book that I enjoyed the most. The romance isn't the driving force of the story though, which I also appreciated.

But yes, to reiterate in case any of you were still unsure, this book is 100% GAY. No room for doubts, the main romance is M/M. If you want to stop reading this review and go request it on NetGalley right away just on that alone, I don't blame you. :p But if you're interested to know more, keep reading.

I also really liked the world that these authors built, although I have so many questions swirling around in my brain that I'm sincerely hoping will be answered in the sequel. The world of this book has a pretty striking aesthetic; covered in snow and with a lilac sky. I can't deny how cool it was to visualize in my head. I also thought the class system that was established made sense as well. People are segregated based on their predetermined deathdays; Babes are those who die as children, Fast-Trackers are those who die as teens or in young adulthood, and Influentials are those who have long lives. Fast-Trackers basically have M.I.A.'s "Bad Girls" as the soundtrack to their lives, because they live fast and die young, so they're mostly the quote unquote "deadbeats" of society; drug addicts, homeless, thieves, etc. They're only qualified to do low-wage jobs and laborious work, since they're not provided education. As opposed to Influentials, whom education is a priority because society believes them to be beneficial for the future due to their long lifespans. All of this makes logical sense and is pretty well thought-out. For the most part.

I hesitate to give this book a full five star rating because sometimes I just felt like certain things were a little all over the place. Like, I thought the entire book was going to build up to explaining how these three dodged their deathdays, what's the deal with their mysterious connection, but I didn't really get enough of that. Hell, they never even explained how deathdays are even determined in the first place. Basically, they barely explain anything, so since they never really got into detail about this stuff, the cliffhanger ending just left me scratching my head. There was just so much new info being vaguely delivered all at once and it was a LOT to process. Perhaps that's what the authors intended, to build up hype for the next one, but I wish I had the sequel in my hands right now just so I could get some actual answers, goddammit.

I have some other nitpicks too, like I thought the character names in the book were a little ridiculous, and the original lingo and swear words did make me roll my eyes a couple of times since it's rare for YA books to do this in a non-cringey way. But for the most part this was a highly enjoyable read, very fast-paced with likable characters and an intriguing world. It's just the lack of clear answers that sort of disappointed me in the end, but it's something I hope the sequel can remedy.

Honestly, I would suggest waiting until the second book is closer to release before picking this one up. The fact that this one technically isn't even out yet at the time of this review will just make the wait more painful for me. RIP.

[Alex ✰ Comets and Comments ✰]

The Raging Ones ★ Most Anticipated 2018
Expected publication: 2018





_____________

Stop whatever you are doing.

*ahem*

- Everybody knows the bloody day they will die.
- Fantasy, baby.
- Possible Love Triangle
- Krista and Becca 'we own your asses' Ritchie are coming at us.
- With a fucking Young Adult novel
- That sounds like a killer already.

Continue.

[Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

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I am always ripping on Robert Heinlein. He was the reason I stopped reading science-fiction for a while; he was like the gold-standard of what dudes in the 70s wanted to write: badly-devised worlds with bizarre sexual mores and inexplicable psychic powers. And everyone hails him as a genius? What's up with that?



Reading THE RAGING ONES kind of reminded me of Robert Heinlein's work. It lacks his icky sexist undertones (in fact, with two queer male characters as the main characters, it subverts that aspect of sci-fi entirely), but everything else is very much old guard science-fiction, and not in a good way. The three main characters are named Franny Bluecastle, Court Icecastle, and Mykal Kickfall (*cringes at these names*) and they live in a society that is hierarchically organized around how long you have until you die. People with shorter amounts of time to live are called "Fast Trackers" and people who have longer amounts of time to live are called "Influentials." Fast-trackers tend to burn out quickly, having lots of sex and doing lots of drugs to pass the time, and then blow all of their savings on a luxurious "Death Day," in order to die in comfort. Influentials, on the other hand, are accorded a number of privileges and look down on Fast-Trackers as being uncouth and uncivilized.



Franny is a Fast-Tracker who had planned to use her savings to go out with a bang (probably a literal one). However, something goes wrong retrieving her money, so she ends up in the frozen wastes of the streets. She expects to die that night, and is surprised when she outlives her expiration date. Mykal and Court are also Fast-Trackers, although Court at one point came from wealth. They're scrambling up money in order to go into this program (for Influentials only) that will take them to another planet, hoping to make a new start away from this ice-encrusted hell of a planet where people are imprisoned in a cast-system of their own making that's ruled entirely by death. When they find Franny in the middle of the street, they end up taking her with them.



Once they get to the aerospace department, they find out that it isn't as simple as paying the $5,000 fee and having the pedigree to match. They have to undergo a series of tests and exams designed to weed out the best of the best. Several hundred enter the competition but only about five will actually fly. It's a little bit Hunger Games, a little bit Ender's Game, a little bit Logan's Run, a little bit Stranger in a Strange Land. As I was reading, I found myself asking all these questions that were never resolved or hinted at to my satisfaction. How are death days regulated? Do you die automatically or do you have a police force, as in Logan's Run, who keep track of you to make sure that you die? Why do some people have psychic powers and why are they such weird ones? If weapons don't kill you before your death days, how have you kept the Fast-Trackers from rebelling against the Influentials, who have so much more to lose? Why is everything covered in ice, and is this population so fail about working around it? The freeze has lasted for centuries and you're telling me that in hundreds of years, nobody's thought about adapting to that, technologically?



I appreciate the originality that went into this book but man, the execution was pretty bad.



Thanks to Netgalley/the publisher for the review copy!



2 stars

[l.]

Apparently, I won’t have to quit Goodreads and swear off books, after all. (rtc)

*

I can’t even put into words how excited I am to have received an ARC of The Raging Ones, which was written by two of my favorite authors, who, incidentally, also sent me the first ARC I ever received that made it on to my favorites shelf!!

Honestly, if I don’t end up giving this book at least four stars, I might as well quit Goodreads and swear off books forever.

Thankyouthankyouthankyou, Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie & St. Martin’s Press for my copy! <3

[Krista Ritchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Raging Ones Playlist: Listen on Spotify

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Raging Ones by Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie is the first book in the young adult science fiction fantasy series by the same name. The story is told by alternating the point of view between the three main characters in the book. 

The Raging Ones is set within a world covered in snow and ice in which everyone knows the day they will die. Known as deathdays people are meant to prepare for the occasion and stay away from others when their time comes. Other's go as far as to bet on the time of day or way it will happen when the day gets there. 

Franny is a teenager who already knows that her time has come and she's as prepared as she can be for someone like herself. But just when she thinks it's over for herself her day passes and she awakens to two strangers who like herself have escaped their day. Now Franny, Court and Mykal are tethered together navigating the world having defied the odds. 

Ok, first off I just love books that make you think and who wouldn't have an internal debate with themselves simply over the idea around which this world was created, deathdays? Would knowing just how long you have be a good or bad thing and what do people do with that knowledge? Those are some of the questions that plagued me even before picking this one up. 

While I did find the world and the story line in this one quite compelling I also had questions come up in my internal debate here and there I felt didn't get attention just yet. Also, I don't know why but occasionally on Franny's point of view she would but me a bit so taking both of these things into consideration I've decided to go with 3.5 stars on this opener of the series and will cross my fingers it only gets better from here. 

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[chan ☆]

no offense but like... fuq netgalley for not giving me an arc of this???

too. rude.

[Corina · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT'S LIVE!!!! This unique YA science novel should be on anyone's reading list.

Reading a truly original story is something very special nowadays. The Raging Ones was special. The novel was unique from beginning to end - especially the END!!!! Remarkable, spellbinding and fascinating, I didn't want it to end, especially not after such an epic ending.

I deeply cared about Mykal, Court and Franny. They had an absolutely unique relationship that fascinated me from the very beginning. I'm beyond amazed by the authors imagination and creativity. Again and again I caught myself being astonished by events, and surprised by certain twists and turns.

And OMG the ending - I did not see it coming. The ingenuity, and originality left me speechless.

What I loved the most, was that all three characters were mature and genuine. And the connection they formed, forged a bond that was distinctive, touching, and heartwarming. I literally felt their bond. It was tangible, and it shone like a beacon throughout the entire novel.

Actually the entire concept of this novel was fascinating, and utterly addicting. TRO is a change of genre for the authors, and for that they did an amazing job. The world building was impeccable, and as I mention the plot was masterfully crafted.

But I must admit it took me a little to get into the story. Mainly because I needed to become comfortable with the premise and to warm up to the characters. It was almost like I was the forth entity in this relationship. All of us needed time to get to grips with what was happening and to warm up to the idea that everything changed and none of us new what was to come. Now, after finishing this book, I'm left wondering, hoping, cheering, and waiting until book 2. I have so many questions that need to be answered, and I can't wait to see what will happen next.

Book 2 will be one of my most highly anticipated books in 2019 and I'm counting the weeks until I'll meet Court, Mykal and Franny again.


✵ ✦ ✷ ✫ ✷ ✦ ✧ ✵ ✧ ✵ ✦ ✷ ✫ ✷ ✦ ✧ ✵ ✧ ✵ ✦ ✷ ✫ ✷ ✦ ✧ ✵ ✧ ✵

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[Lucia · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointment! Krista & Becca Ritchie excel at writing relationships and emotional situations. But what works in conemporary genre was not enough for this sci-fi/fantasy genre.

The setting wasn't as exciting as blurb suggested and I found myself bored here and there. It felt like nothing exciting was happening for a long time and banters were not fascinating enough for me to keep me entertained.

Morover, there was minimum characters history and almost none wolrd-building. Everything happened only among three main characters and bond/relationship between Court, Mykal and Fanny felt forced and impersonal.

Sadly, this is very weak YA sci-fi novel and I do not intend to read sequel.

PRE-REVIEW

My favorite author duo + my favorite genre?

SIGN ME UP!



The premise of this sci-fi/fantasy novel sounds amazing, I will be the first in the line to get this book when it is available! For more info go here.

*ARC provided by published as an exchange for honest review.*

[Ashlee » libraryinthecountry · Rating 5 out of 5]

View review on my blog, Library in the Country

Review copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

The Raging Ones is addictive, jarring, witty and utterly FANTASTIC. This was my 70th book of the year and it is by far one of the best.

"You're a hallucination."
"Will you let your hallucinations carry you out of the cold? Will you let your hallucinations help you?"

First things first, if you read the book description and thought: "Ugh. Another love triangle." Well, let me just tell you. Jokes on you. The dynamic between the three main characters is so deep, it transcends your typical love triangle trope. Don't get me wrong, there is romance, there is angst, there is so. much. tension. And it is almost all GAY. Seriously, some of my favorite romances as of late have been 100% gay or even M/M/F and this book absolutely did not disappoint.

"You keep saying that you make my life dismal and bleak. But my world never felt as bright, as worthwhile and full, until I met you."

On Franny, Court and Mykal's frozen planet, everyone knows the day they will die. This is just the way life is. Those bound to die as children may be loved by their families but their worth isn't given a spare glance. Those who live to thirty and beyond are afforded every luxury in the world. And those that will die as young adults tend to bury themselves in drugs, sex and lawlessness. Nobody can quicken their deathday. Nobody can dodge their deathday.

Except Franny, Court and Mykal have lived to see their deathdays come and go. Now they find themselves inexplicably linked - their senses, their emotions, they share a bond that can only be strengthened.

"I go still with him. His hurt is my hurt and my hurt is his hurt. There's no way around that, and in this silent moment, we both concede."

The Raging Ones is fast-paced, imaginative and had me floored on numerous occasions. With a mix of everything: fantasy, science fiction and romance - it will please readers of every genre.

The world painted by the authors is a bleak one. Crippled by a freezing environment, the people burn a mineral called casia for warmth, leaving the sky a constant shade of purple. Nobody has seen the sun in years. Nobody has seen the stars in years. But Court has a dream to do just that, but cannot do it without Mykal and Franny by his side.

"I accept that you're the most complicated, cold boy I've ever known."

This book literally went from giving me Six of Crows vibes to Illuminae vibes and left me reeling with thoughts of "How did the authors do this?" Court is an intricately complicated character, reminiscent of Kaz Brekker. Franny is nothing like your typical YA female lead - she is unabashedly blunt, but thoughtful and caring. Mykal is my cinnamon roll of the bunch, he is unselfish, funny and loves fiercely. Each of the main characters is self deprecating in their own way, but through their shared bond, they lend each other the strength and drive to do the impossible. Having passed their deathdays, their only option is to blend in with the upper echelons of society and Court teaches Franny and Mykal to do just that. However, they come to find that shaking their past isn't as easy as fancy clothes and smooth talking. Suspicions arise and some will stop at nothing to discover their secrets.

"You'd sooner believe you're dead that believe I'd help you?"
Yes.

AND THAT ENDING. I DID NOT see that coming. Not from a mile away and it blew me away.

I requested The Raging Ones on a whim, having never read anything by these authors and not knowing what I was getting myself into, past the super intriguing premise in the description. I will absolutely be reading more by these authors. I loved their writing style and cannot wait for the sequel to The Raging Ones! This a must read for fantasy and science fiction lovers alike!

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Arielle ✨ Chelsea's Nebular Ally and Team Orion ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read #3 - I truly think this is the best YA Sci-fi series that I've ever read....
---
We found each other in the winter wood.
He threw his arms around me like I’d been his long-lost friend. I hugged him like I was meeting my soul again. There are some moments and some feelings that I can’t even explain. I’m a young man of medicine and science and logic, but the sentiments I wield for Mykal transcend all three.

Dang you guys this was good. I mean I don’t know why I ever was worried because I have read and loved just about every single other book by these ladies. BUT in my defense, they had never ventured into the world of YA before and that can be a much different thing than the romance that we had been used to up until this point. I can very happily say that I am here to announce their debut into the world of YA is a stunning one (and I hope you all think so too!)

“But what will I do until then?”
She smiled as bright and lovely as the smile she wore on her deathbed. “You will live Franny. You will live hard…” She cupped my face. “Fast.” She rested her forehead on mine. “And full.”

The first thing that deserves note is the genius plot. Our main characters Franny, Court, and Mykal live on a planet that is always cold (fuck that) and a society that is separated into three different classes called the Influentials, the Fast Trackers, and the Babes. When everyone is born, everyone receives a death day and based on how old you will be when you die, you are fitted into one of those categories. Influentials will live to an old age and are able to go to school and make a good living for themselves because they simply have the most time, Fast Trackers ususally only live to be about 29 and are therefore forced into the labor jobs that don’t take long to learn but usually live the fiercest, and Babes of course only get a few years and are love and cherished for as long as they can be.

“You keep saying that you make my life dismal and bleak. But my world never felt as bright, as worthwhile and full, until I met you.”

What I thought was the most interesting was that compared to other books/movies based on people who have a countdown to their death, these people enjoyed knowing. They each had their specific roles in life and found comfort in knowing when exactly they were going to die. I mean on one hand I get it because you would never have to worry about the unknown—you would never get sick enough or injured enough to die before that specific date. You could plan to live life to its very fullest in the allotted time you were given.

His smile stretches his cheeks like they’re my cheeks. I can’t stop feeling. Can’t stop starting. Gods bless that’s beautiful.

In the case of Court, Franny, and Mykal though, they dodged their death day and are somehow irrevocably bonded (literally) because of it. They can feel each other’s emotions, pain, tastes, etc. THIS is where I knew that the story would be solid right from the beginning. If those of you who have read this, haven’t read their other Calloway Sisters and Addicted series, you will have missed out on the AMAZING interactions they are able to portray between couples/friends/families in their books. You can never not feel the love, hate, hurt—any emotion on the spectrum. I don’t know what it is but their characters and their relationships are my favorite parts of their writing. I was worried about the possibility of a love triangle but it was for nothing. Court and Mykal do have a stronger and deeper emotional and physical connection (no secret, we see this right away) but the one they share with Franny becomes just as important. I really wonder how it all will play out, especially with ~certain~ revelations that come out at the very end of this first book.

I feel them. For the first time I realize they’ve been my strength, my hope, and they can be my peace. I just have to let them help me. And to do that, I need to grow the courage to speak.

The only part that people *might* not like is that these ladies don’t give us all of the information right away..on anything really. At first I didn’t have a concrete vision of the planet, what the different social structures were all about, or why these three dodged their death days and became connected when no one else has. You do gain this knowledge though as you go along and once I started to, I kind of like that we were kept in the dark at first. I mean, Franny was thrown for such a loop when she dodged her death day and I felt like we were there with her, learning about how Court and Mykal have lived like that for years and how she now had a possibility to begin a new life and maybe even see the stars in the process.

"You’ve stolen my heart, you little crook.”
His smile only stretches further and brighter. “My most valuable theft.”

I hope that everyone gives this a try and that they love it, I really do. I think this is going to be one kick ass series and I am already so in love with each character and so intrigued with what could possibly happen in the next book. That’s the only hard part about getting ARCs….not only do I have to wait for this to actually come out for everyone else, but it makes the wait for book two that much longer. SIGHHH. Oh well, it was more than worth it!

ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. THANK YOU NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the chance to read this early.

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple things the Ritchie twins do amazingly well without fail are world building and connecting characters. The Raging Ones is no exception to this fact. Franny, Court, and Mykal are three characters living in a snowy, cold, violet smoke clouded world, where everyone knows the very day they will die. Each of our mains have reached and survived that day. Which SHOULD be an impossibility, but for them... it was not. On top of all that, once they dodge their death day, they become connected to each other through some sort of unexplainable hybrid emotional mental physical bond. Three people who were living lives that should not have brought them together, and yet here they are. Together and bonded in more ways than one.

I can’t say that any of them are stand out as the central main. I think all three of them are the central characters, and each of them has a goal. Court wants to flee the planet to keep them and their death day dodging secret safe. Mykal wants to please Court and keep Franny safe. Franny wants to live whatever is left of her life hard, fast, and full. I loved seeing how the characters relationships were and how they grew during the story. I’m going to spoil a bit and say this is not a love triangle at this point, and I’m not sure it ever will be. It is however an unique relationship made even more unique, because of the bond. Can’t wait to see how things play out in the future. I have my hopes, but who knows where things will go between the three.

Along the way to our characters trying to reach their goals we meet a smattering of side characters. There are some you will love, some that will stump you, and some you will hate without a doubt. I think the authors did a great job giving you just enough of the side characters, that will keep you guessing. I ended up falling in love with one and his story already feels so tragic. I can’t say why... but ugh. I can’t wait to see where that side story may go.

I don’t want to say much more, because I think you need to actually read things and see what happens. What I will say is this book is book one of what I assume will be an ongoing series. It was a set up for the world, the ongoing plot, and establishing relationships between the main and some between the side characters. Which also means that at times the story was a bit slow for me. The authors DO throw in many moments where there’s action and some suspense, but once those are over there’s more info dump. Which is understandable in a first book, but if those aren’t your favorite this may be a hard read. ALL that being said, the last 20% is AMAZING and makes the world building and info dumping in the first parts of the book very worth it. So I would PUSH through, because the payoff is WORTH IT!

That ending. SO UNEXPECTED! I would have never in a million years guessed that’s where the story was headed. I easily made so many assumptions based on the first parts of the book.

I’m excited for the rest of the series. To see how the relationships will play out. To get answers to WHAT exactly is going on, and why exactly our mains have their connection.

https://instagram.com/p/Blf-2r3hHK3/
^fan edit on IG!

[Note: I’m not a heavy YA reader, so I’m not sure if this follows any “rules” or is similar to any other books in the genre. To me it felt fresh and unique!]

*ARC provided by NetGalley* Coming 8/14!

[Angelica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so confused as to how I really feel about this one.

I wasn't at all a fan of the writing style. But, gosh darn it if I wasn't a fan of these characters! I don't even know how to describe what I felt while reading. On the one hand, the writing could have used some work, in my opinion, the world could have been better explained, and the pace could be better. On the other, I was so invested in what was going to happen to these people!I've said this before on several occasions, but I tend to forgive a lot of things in books when I'm invested in its charcters. I think that's the reason I ended up enjoying this book as much as I did.

All the early reviews I've seen so far have been really positive and everyone has been praising it, which is great. But, to be honest, for the first 50 or so pages I was convinced that this just wasn't going to be for me. And then, we got to know the main charcters, Franny, Mykal, and Court. And after I got over the fact that one of them is actually named Court, of all things, I started really getting into the story.

While the synopsis looks like it promises a love triangle, I promise you, there is nothing of the sort in this story. Instead, we get a complicated friendship between three people that are now emotionally bonded. With this bond, they can feel each other's feelings, both emotional and physical, and I love where the authors went with it and all the cool little things they added to it. For example, the fact that Franny is lactose intolerant but Mykal eats cheese so she can taste it without having any of the side effects. 

In fact, the whole concept of this novel is quite interesting. Not only does it the idea of a deathday (the day you're going to die), but it clearly shows the consequences of it. Babes (death day from birth to 12) aren't cared for as much and not many resources are given to them because everyone knows they're going to die soon. Fast-Trackers (death day from 13-29) spend most of their time partying and doing simple things because their deaths are coming soon, so they don't even bother getting educated. And Influentials (Deathday 30 and beyond) who are considered upper-class citizens because their lives will have the most impact on mankind.
 The plot itself is pretty typical, nothing mind-blowing and new, but I also didn't mind that. What I did mind was that there were a lot of things in the world that didn't make sense to me until later on. I would have liked more explanations and worldbuilding. for example, I was so confused that a ten-year-old was a doctor and that teenagers were engineers in college. Is everyone in this world just more intelligent than we are?

This leads me to the writing. I wasn't a fan of this style. It was too...blunt? Not as fluid as I would have liked? I don't know how to express it if I'm honest. Although, there were moments when the authors would write a paragraph here and there that would leave me actually impressed and yet didn't match up. But, I guess it's bound to happen when there are two authors.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Raging Ones follows the story of 3 teens in a world where they find themselves with an unbreakable link; connected through another's senses, thoughts, actions, and emotions. This is the Ritchie sisters’ first YA novel to be released August 14, 2018.

In this world the authors created, death is the norm. I think the idea alone of knowing when you die is fascinating. It makes you question what you would do with your time if you knew exactly when you would die. How would you spend your last day? Would you make a bucket list? Would you fight to figure out a way to escape your death day, or would you just accept it for what it is?

The story is set in a futuristic time, on a freezing planet covered in snow and shrouded in a lilac fog that blocks the view of the sky, sun, moon, and stars. The people are categorized into three groups in this world: those who would die between infancy and 12 years of age are known as “Babes;” those who would die between age 13 and 29 are known as “Fast-Trackers;” and those who would live to the age of 30 and beyond are known as “Influentials.” Babes have only enough time to live however they please. Fast-Trackers live to work laborious jobs. Influentials live long enough to study, learn, progress, have an impact and help improve the world.



Franny, Mykal, and Court are Fast-Trackers. When they dodge their death day, they become inexplicably linked to one another through touch, taste, and emotion. They become each other’s support and confidants in their effort to hide their shared bond from the world and to keep anyone from learning that they’ve escaped their death day. I loved watching the relationship between Franny, Mykal, and Court ebb and flow and change throughout the story. Each character’s point of view was engaging. I was very interested in the dynamic between the three of them and if and how their friendship bond would develop throughout the story in their joint mission to flee the planet.



It was a well-paced plot that kept me captivated from beginning to end. The realistic characters were very relatable and certainly drew me in; I connected with them and their struggles, and the frozen world provided a very unusual and interesting setting.

For those who love romance, there is romance in the book but it is secondary; not the main focus of the story. As a fan of romance novels, I found that this didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story at all. I was way more invested and interested to see what happens next in Mykal, Franny, and Court’s journey.

I really enjoyed this book because the characters are fascinating and endearing at the same time, and the unexpected ending completely stunned me. It was nothing at all like I expected and I am very excited and cannot wait to read the next installment!!

ARC provided by Netgalley.

Fanmade Trailer



------- MARCH 8, 2018 -------

I just finished reading this late last night, so I haven't had the chance to gather my thoughts. However, I wanted to quickly tell you all that I was captivated throughout the story! It's truly fascinating and I'm hooked! This, I would love to see on the big screen.

REVIEW TO COME!

------- INITIAL REACTION: MAY 30, 2016 -------

KRISTA AND BECCA ARE WRITING YA FANTASY!!!! Somebody pinch me!!! This is all so surreal

[warhawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: YA Sci-Fi Romance
Type: Book 1 of The Raging Ones series
POV: First Person - Multiple
Rating:




Court Icecastle and Mykal Kickfall couldn’t be any more different from each other. After surviving beyond their predetermined death date, they were connected by their shared secret. Their emotions and senses were bound together in an inexplicable bond. They learned to live with it until Franny Bluecastle defied her own fate and got tangled into their world.

“I’m not kind. Whatever warmth existed in me died long ago. I’ll treat you as well as I can because you’re linked to me, but anything more than that and you’re asking too much.”

Court, Mykal and Franny were interesting and relatable. They all had their own personalities with strengths and weaknesses that complement each other. In the beginning I was drawn to Court with his rigid demeanor but very quickly Mykal’s vulnerabilities found its way into my heart. I also liked Franny’s adaptability.

For the first time, I realize they’ve been my strength, my hope, and they can be my peace. I just have to let them help me.

The story had an interesting concept. I liked how there were many surprises throughout the book that kept it engaging. However, considering this is a sci-fi with a timeline well advanced in the future, I wanted more visualization/description of the world to help heighten my reading experience.



The Raging Ones is a tale of survival and adapting. It would appeal to readers looking for sci-fi story with diverse characters.

Books in the series:




🌔 🚀 🌔 . . . (F)BR With Loyda . . . 🌔 🚀 🌔





For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Betül · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**



I don't read many YA/Scifi novels, however I trust Krista and Becca unconditionally so I didn't hesitate picking up this book. I was not disappointed! The world they created was very original and intrigued me a lot. I was looking forward to learning more and more about the characters and their lives. I loved the idea of a bond/link between Court, Franny and Mykal. But I also enjoyed that all three had a very different personality. They come from different 'worlds' and grew up in different circumstances. The characters grow significantly in this book, and I am looking forward to seeing them grow even more.

One of my pet peeves in Scifi or Fantasy books is that the world-building is too complicated, and that the author dumps a lot of information at the reader at once. I was glad that the authors didn't do that in this book, however there were times that I wanted more information. For example, I wanted more details on how the worlds were created and how the people differed from one another. So that left me a bit wanting more, however I am hopeful that Krista and Becca will go more into depth in the next book. The twist at the end was super unexpected, and I am so excited to get my hands on the sequel and to see what will happen next. The Raging Ones is a successful YA/Scifi novel by Krista and Becca Rithie, and I can't wait to see with what they will come up in the future.

[rafaella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this blind so if you want to do the same, skip this paragraph. The world is such that each person knows the day they die and they make necessary preparations for it as well as live their lives according to that. People are labeled based on how many years they’ll live and judged from that too. The three main characters dodged their deathdays something that hasn’t happened before (at least to our knowledge). They discover each other and the fact that they are linked and in tune with each other’s senses and feelings. They decide to compete in StarDust (kinda like NASA) to be in the Saga 5 Mission where all that’s known is that a select few will leave their planet indefinitely for a journey to the stars.

The authors write characters that really suck you in and you connect with even if they’re very different from you. This book is a page turner and really transports you to the setting. The romance and world were captivating and the side characters quite interesting. With that said, one tiny imperfection to me, was that I would have liked to see even more tasks of the competition as there were a lot of people in it at first and wouldn’t mind more material on how they got eliminated. The ending wasn’t what I expected. We got to have answers for one very importante aspect but even more questions arose. Overall, I’m pleasantly surprised by this book. I can’t wait to continue on to the second one and see how things turn out.

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably one of the hardest reviews I’ve had to write. The Raging Ones was a top 5 release for me this year and I was exhilarated when I got an ARC, but I ended up being so disappointed. My expectations were so high, after all the Ritchies are arguably my favorite NA romance writers, but I spent most of my time being bored and waiting for something happen.

I have so many questions (see below) that went unanswered and I can only hope they get resolved in book two. There were a few twists, and the ending I didn’t necessarily see coming but at the same time I wasn’t surprised by it.

Questions:
How did deathdays start?
Why did they flee their old planet?
More about their solar system and world.
What caused the Great Freeze?
Everything about them being linked.
If Court changed his first name then how come he kept the last name that made him a criminal?
If they have a machine that can tell you when you’ll die, wouldn’t they also have one that could verify your ID (especially since it’s a capital punishment crime if you imitate an Influential)?

Even though I didn’t particularly enjoy this one, I’m willing to read book two if only to get my questions answered and see this duology redeemed.

[Wendys Wycked Words · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of sci-fi and I have never read a YA one. That said... I am a huge fan of these two awesome authors, so there was no way I wasn't going to read this one !!



This book is about Franny, Court and Mykal, who share an amazing bond. (think sense8...which I loved btw) What's so different about their world, is that everyone knows the day they are gong to die. It's also cold as fuck !! The moment you are born, you also know when you will die. There is no way around it...You end up in one of three categories, depending how long you will live ..Influentials, the Fast Trackers, and the Babes.



These three however have managed to dodge their death, which is the reason they share this special bond together. What Court and Mykal share is a bit more though....but Franny is still just as important. It made me think of these three a bit :P



I really enjoyed this first book in the series and the world-building was pretty great. That said....there are a lot of things still left in the open. The first book is always the hardest because of all the info dump, but I have faith that more will be revealed/explained in the next book.

For those of you who want/need to know. This is not a love triangle. These three share an amazing bond, but it's only the guys that are romantically involved ;)

My reviews are posted on DirtyBooksObsession

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[Lanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

3rd reread: Aug 2018

2nd reread: May 2018

1st read: March 2018
ARC was provided by Netgalley

This book is absolutely the best!

I have to admit, I'm kind of uncertain on what to feel and what to expect about this book. Don’t get me wrong, I love Krista and Becca. I read and love all their other books. But those are NA/contemporary romances. The Raging Ones is of different genre. This will be the first time I'll read a YA sci fi book from them. I don't doubt their writing ability because I know they can write anything and I'm sure I'll love it.

So this is a very nice surprise. They had nailed this one and I love it so much I can't put ti down! I was so greatly surprised they we're able to pull this one off since their past books are character driven. This one is more if a plot driven book and I love all the twists and turns! That massive twist I the end was really unexpected and I didn't see it coming at all!

Great job Krista and Becca! You made me love this other world you created! I can’t wait to read the conclusion to this story! And is it too much to ask for a 3rd book? :D


initial thoughts:
i've been a fan of krista and becca since 2013 when i first read their self published novel addicted to you. i thought i already know what to expect from their books. i am so very wrong. reading this sci fi fantasy novel of theirs, my first thoughts were, holy shit! did krista and becca wrote this? bec the book is so amazing and so different from their other books! good different. so so good! there are moments where i forgot to breathe, moments that thrilled me and excited me. there are twists in the end that i didn't see coming. and all i can think of when i was done was, how many more months till TRO2? bec i really need book 2 now as in right now! i am in awe and so amazed by the talent of the twins!!

[mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: this book gets released tomorrow, August 14! I'm so excited for it and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.

If I told you in this moment that I’m the enemy—I will not save the day, I will not change the world for the better, that this is not what will happen—will you believe me?
Try to.

I’ve already read about 50 books in 2018, and even with some amazing books among that number, The Raging Ones is one of the most unique young adult novels I’ve read so far this year. It’s got a combination of elements that might not seem like they’d add up to a book that really stands out: a central cast of scrappy characters in their late teens (two boys and one girl, in this case), a dystopian setting that incorporates a lifespan-based caste system, and a healthy dose of romance. What made it all special as a whole was in the how the authors used those things in engaging and expectation-defying ways.

Let’s back up a bit. The world of The Raging Ones is icy and forbidding. Readers get gradual reveals through dialogue and exposition that paint a picture of a harsh, cold landscape and of a society that mirrors it in cruelty. Everyone in Franny, Mykal, and Court’s world is born knowing the date they will die, even if they don’t know how.

Society is divided into castes according to how long people are projected to live, and the overarching culture has adjusted to assess a person’s worth and potential based on with group they belong to. Those who die before age 29 are called Fast-Trackers and are judged to be fit only for menial jobs with low wages. Babes die even younger, before age 13, but are generally treated as gently as children can be in this world. The upper-crust, who live anywhere from 30 to over 100, are called Influentials; they’re encouraged to do well-paid, white-collar work.

All three of the central characters have failed to die when they thought they would. They don’t know how or why, just that they have, and that it’s unprecedented and dangerous. To make things even more confusing for them, after their projected deathday has passed they become uncontrollably linked by their senses and emotions.

All of this makes for an interesting premise, but plenty of novels with cool set ups don’t provide a satisfying payoff. Thankfully, TRO’s set up pays off in spades. That’s largely thanks to the stellar central cast.

Franny

I wouldn’t ask for another day. I wouldn’t swap places with the banker.
I lived hard, fast and full, like a Fast-Tracker.

Oh, I loved Franny. While Mykal and Court won me over without difficulty, Franny grabbed my heart right from the start and never let go. She’s perfectly imperfect: brash, impulsive, and sometimes ferociously angry, but also inquisitive, clever, and devoted to her internal moral compass. She proudly wears her heart on her sleeve but also struggles with anxiety. She also provides an excellent point of view for readers as they enter this world; her experiences ground the narrative as it moves between hers, Mykal’s, and Court’s perspectives.

Court

I can do many things: wear their clothes, speak their words, walk their pace, lift my chin and steady my gait—but for some gods-forsaken reason, I decide that I can’t do this. No matter how much I should.

Court took a little while longer to grow on me than Franny. As popular as the grim-and-stoic-guy type is in young adult fiction (and as much as I liked those characters when I was younger), I usually find those sorts of characters the hardest for me to enjoy reading about. Luckily, Court is developed past his stony exterior, and as more layers to him were revealed, I grew almost as attached to him as I was to Franny. He’s complicated and flawed, too: he’s proud and strong in a brittle, breakable way while he strives to hide a deep well of compassion.

Mykal

I—Mykal Kickfall, the little no-good Babe—provided for a village. I had purpose when I was told I had none. Babes, we take up space. We eat your food. We drink your drink. And then we die.
Not me.
I had reason to live.

Mykal, aka the Softest Strong Boy You Ever Did Meet, rounds out the central trio. Like Franny, he feels an intense need to prove himself; in his case, he keenly wants to support Court. Unlike Franny and Court, he feels even more like an outsider among society after being raised in the frozen wilderness. I don’t want to say too much else about him and get into spoiler territory, but suffice it to say that I want to give him a big ‘ole bear hug and make sure he’s safe and happy.

The relationship

Why relationship and not relationships?

Well, because the dynamic between Franny, Mykal, and Court was something truly special. They all complement and contrast each other, of course, but the bond they forge is unique and well-developed. Even without any romance present (though I’ll get to that in a bit), I would read any future books with these characters just to see how they react and how they weather whatever storm they find themselves in (or create on their own).

Okay, the relationship

This book has a big romantic component, and guess what? It didn’t disappoint! When I initially read the synopsis of it, I was wondering if there would be a fraught love triangle with Franny at the center, but thankfully, the romance was handled thoughtfully and with grace.

The main romance is between Court and Mykal, and though it seems like Franny might have feelings other than platonic ones for the two of them, she’s really respectful of any spoken or unspoken boundaries between them. Plus, since the plot doesn’t ever get mired in will-they-won’t-they romantic subplots, she doesn’t ever really have the time to worry over it. (No spoiler tags, as the romance is present in like...the second chapter.) The Court and Mykal romance is really sweet and has the perfect amount of tension to it (thankfully caused by narrative reasons and not by societal or internalized homophobia). I loved how supportive they were of each other.

One tiny quibble I have (and this might just be caused by my fierce protective love for Franny) is that Court and Mykal are able to express their attraction to each other, while Franny feels unable to have physical affection with anyone (and it’s established that in the past she often coped with life, as many Fast-Trackers do, with sex and cuddling). I hope that, if she wants, Franny will be able to have her needs fulfilled in the future.

The plot

Okay, so far this review has been just one long stream of praise. Here’s where I bring up a few things that didn’t totally click for me.

This could have been caused by the major undertaking of introducing readers to this very alien setting with a complex set of rules that govern it, but I thought that the opening felt a bit disjointed and clunky. I settled into the rhythm of the novel at about one-third of the way in, but prior to that, I would run across sections that would make me skeptical about whether I’d end up enjoying it or not. I’m really glad I kept reading, because once it hits its stride, The Raging Ones far surpasses the expectations I’d had for it.

The plot is one of the main reasons I had so much trouble writing this review, actually. It’s a doozy, with twists I didn’t predict and an ending that left me bamboozled. If it hadn’t been pulled off with such verve and confidence, the plot would have likely felt contrived or clumsy. Luckily, the strong character-driven action and clear, accessible prose kept things feeling consistent even as the plot twisted and turned unpredictably.

The writing

Like I said above, the writing was clear and simple, and not in a bad way. It painted a vivid image of the events and characters without veering into flowery, overwrought prose. And the first-person present-tense narration actually grew on me, much to my surprise. It really worked with the tone of this story.

One thing I didn’t like as much about the writing ties in with the world-building. I found the slang, names, and some of the caste-related jargon to be a bit silly-sounding, especially at first. That’s not a problem unique to this novel; I think it’s often difficult to make young adult fantasy or scifi worlds’ lingo sound natural and not forced. I did get accustomed to reading it over time, thankfully.

Overall thoughts

This is an utterly unique take on young adult scifi that blends its combination of well-crafted setting, characters and plot into an edge-of-your-seat page-turner. Readers will fall in love with these characters, I hope, and be eager to see where these writers will take them. I have a feeling that the journey will be an epic one.

4.5 stars.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the ARC. All quotes are taken from an advanced review copy and might be subject to change in the final published version.

[-S♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★5 Stars! The Raging Ones... is beyond unique and special. It is mesmerizing, addictive, amusing, captivating, fascinating and impressive!
Rating: { ★★★★★ }
“You’ve stolen my heart, you little crook.” His smile only stretches further and brighter. “My most valuable theft.”

Before I begin I have to that this is exactly why Becca and Krista Ritchie are some of my favorite authors.
They write and build such incredible and unforgettable worlds and continue to suck me in and take over my entire life.
I devoured this book only in a day and a half and I am reeling! It’s was not what I imagined or expected, but it was better. it exceeded my expectations beyond measures!

Mind, Body & Soul.


Franny Bluecastle
Soul.
“Franny Bluecastle is more. She’s a girl who asked to die but found strength to live.”
I cover my face again. “She is loved,” he says. “More than she ever dreamed. More than she ever asked.”

I love Franny the most and maybe that's because I can relate to her. She's such a beautiful, determined and emotionally soul!
I felt and understood her more than I thought I would.
She's definitely the Soul of the group.


Mykal Kickfall
Body.
“Name this feeling,” he whispers, our lips a breath apart. “Love,” I breathe deeply.

Lord, Mykal is without a doubt the Body of this group. He is not only physically strong, but he's also fiercely protective, funny and has such a big heart.
I love, love, love him!


& last but certainly not least..Court Icecastle
Mind.
That smile . . . Gods, that smile. It brightens my whole wide world.
There is nothing I can say that can make you understand who Court Icecastle truly is until YOU read this book for yourself. There are so many layers to him - he is not only the MIND of this group, but he's also the heart, body and soul.
He is that missing piece to the puzzle.
Without Court...there would be no them.
Court holds the weight of the world on his shoulders and so much responsibility for such a young man and it breaks my heart.
He's extremely intelligent, calculating and quick.
Wise beyond years.
Emotionless but emotional.
The protector and the provider.
The worrier.
The flaw but flawless.
He is exceptional.


But more than anything, I love everything about the dynamic and connection between Franny, Mykal and Court from their inside jokes to their touching moments, their ups and downs and all the way down to the link that brought them together!
I felt their hearts, souls, emotions, their wants and needs. Understood their decision.


The Raging Ones is a book I will be adding to my top 2018 reads!
Thank you Becca and Krista..you never fail to inspire me so thank you.
And thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me this unforgettable ARC!

[Aimee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING

I can't really say much about this one since I only got through 25%, but generally, these are the reasons why I opted not to finish this one:

1. I found it pretty hard to differentiate the POVs. The two male voices sounded the same to me, and they were always together, which made it even harder.

2. There was a lot of terminology that takes a while to get used to. My brain's just not up for it!

3.I couldn't connect with any of the characters at all. They all seemed really edgy to me.

Anyway, I still love the Ritchie sisters a lot and will read whatever they put out next--but I'll probably stick to their contemporaries in the future.

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[Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC

[Linaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Franny and Court should have been dead before 29. Mykal before 8. Yet, somehow, they managed to dodge their deathdays. In a word in which everyone knows the precise day that they will die, if anyone knew that they had survived, it would likely mean their deaths. Connected by a mysterious bond, they will do whatever it takes to raise the money for a chance to leave their ice-covered world to be able to live among the stars.

So, we have two guys – Mykal and Court and a girl – Franny. I can already see the love triangle forming...except it doesn’t. In probably the most refreshing, and pleasantly surprising subversion of a popular trope, Mykal and Court are the two romantically involved. Franny is awesome, and totally cool to be friends with them. I cannot even emphasize how amazing to read a story that didn’t assume a heterosexual relationship as the default, and which ALSO manages to have platonic friendship between men and women.

There were some issues with pacing in the book. I also found the first few chapters a bit confusing, since we’re just thrown into the world with not a lot of context about the meanings of some of the words or names. The bond was also a tad weird at time, but overall, I found the book a refreshing change.

[Scrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received from publisher through Netgalley for a fair review

In a world where everyone knows the day they will die, society is dominated by the Influentials, those who will live the longest. But when three teens dodge their death days they must hide their secret and flee to save the new life they have been granted.

The Story-
While the story starts off running, I found it hard to really get into the book. Told from alternating points of view, we are given a story about 3 kids that don't die when they're supposed to. In a reaction to evading their death day, the characters found themselves emotionally linked, and so the story continues as they learn to trust each other and deal with what they are going to do to survive. Because now that they don't know their death day, they are seemingly vulnerable to everything. And if anyone found out their secret they believe that they will be condemned or researched upon to find out how others can dodge their death days.

After the initial introduction of the world and the characters I felt like the story lagged in the middle as they worked on their goal to get off planet. For me, it felt like just a bunch of character development. The biggest saving grace for me was the twists at the end. There is some stuff happen that I really didn't see happening, but really liked.

Trigger Warnings: attempted murder, violence

The World Building-
The world building in this was quite unique, and just the tiniest bit confusing. In a seemingly futuristic world we find that technology advancement has come to a halt as the world spent it's time working on keeping people fed after some great natural freezing disaster. The world is familiar, yet different.

What I really liked was the social classes. Having Babes, Fasttrackers, and Influentials was unique and tied in really well with the story. I liked how it spread from there into having Wonders and the differences in their last names. However, I only caught the reasoning for Icecastle and 'fall, the rest fell under the radar to having any special significance besides, everyone's being 'castle.

The Characters-
Mykal is a total little cinnamon roll. I just adore this giant teddy bear of a guy so much. Franny was a tough little cookie, but she was sort of annoying and I felt that I didn't really get to know much about Court till the end, and therefore didn't really connect with the guy. But really, Mykal is the type of friend you want by your side.

I was really happy to know that having the 2 male characters and the 1 female character didn't lead to a love triangle, and honestly revolved mostly on the friendship bond that they were creating through their emotional link. It was a unique take since they could each feel each other and were ultimately concerned for each other in every way possible, down to whether or not what they ate would make someone else gag from the taste.

Soundtrack-

M.I.A. - Bad Girls



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