XVI (XVI, #1) in Once Upon a Twilight blog

Aug 31, 2010 Bettina Restrepo rated it really liked it

The book is described as "Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world - even the most predatory of men that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breath ...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Ange (Our Epic TBR List) Schmelzer rated it liked it

Nina Oberon is 15 and will very soon become 16; the age at which all girls are given a Governing Council mandated tattoo on their wrist "XVI"
The XVI announces to the world that she is now available to consent to sex! The media has made sure that all girls think that being a "sex"teen is the coolest and best thing ever! So why doesn't Nina want to turn 16? Why is it a day she dreads more than any other? When Nina's mother is brutally attacked she reveals a shocking secret to Nina with her dying b ...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Allison rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopian

This book made me forget to eat, therefore it is evil! I can probably write that first sentence in Latin but that’s not the point! I went an entire day eating nothing and reading this and I didn’t know until late at night when I was so tired that I accidentally deep-fried some eggs. This book must have some magic in its spine, embedded under its inked words. Maybe the cover can perform hypnosis! Okay now that would be cool but onto me review! If I sound crazy, it’s because I am and me like it.

Th ...more

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Nov 15, 2010 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it really liked it

Shelves: mundie-moms-review, arcs-i-own, debut-author-challenge, 2011-100-book-challenge

3.5 stars

I'll admit, when I started reading XVI I was a little worried it was going to turn into another futuristic book, dealing with teenagers gone wild, living in a dystopian world with a government who controlled their every move. I struggled through the first half of the book, as the world in which XVI is set is a little like that. It's the second half that I loved as it's characters really stand out as the story picks up, secrets are unraveled, action ensues and romance blossoms.

Here's wha 3.5 stars

I'll admit, when I started reading XVI I was a little worried it was going to turn into another futuristic book, dealing with teenagers gone wild, living in a dystopian world with a government who controlled their every move. I struggled through the first half of the book, as the world in which XVI is set is a little like that. It's the second half that I loved as it's characters really stand out as the story picks up, secrets are unraveled, action ensues and romance blossoms.

Here's what I loved about XVI, Nina! Nina is an empowering main character and not some sex crazed one who's looking forward to receiving the tattoo that marks the other sixteen yr old girls around her. Nina's society is one that feels they can take something so valuable away from young women, most with out their consent, and others with it, as the girls are trained to think they are entering an elite program. Even Nina's best friend is looking forward to turning sixteen. What I loved about Nina, is she's not like the rest of the girls. She will not let someone make that decision for her. Nina becomes an even stronger character when she mother is brutally murdered, and she's told that her father, whom she thought was dead is alive. Nina must find him and protect her younger sister from her mother's killer.

Julia Karr has done a wonderful job at painting a very vivid picture of a world who's government is run by the media, where sixteen yr old girls become property of the government and a toy to men. Julia shocked me and made me think, as XVI's futuristic government has a tiered society who track everyone's move through a GPS system and when the girls turn 16, they get a Governing Council tattoo and are forced into something they have no choice over, sexual exploration. They control the way people think, what they do, and what happens to them, everything is dictated by the media. More than once I found myself thinking of some of the similarities of XVI and reality. Let me say, there is a lot more to the book than "s", which is referenced many times, but not shown. In a society as brutal as this one, Nina has some really amazing friends to rely on. What I enjoyed most about the second half of the book was seeing how these relationships continue to grow and how much stronger they become. Two my favorites are Sal, the love interest and Wei. These three characters really made the second half of the book for me.

Nina, Sal and Wei are all strong characters who stand together in believing that no one has the right to take their identity away from them. These characters are what I loved about the story. Though they are all at different tiers, they all form a strong bond, which I loved. I really liked the romance as it's unique in that Nina and Sal are not two teens madly in love wanting to rip each other's closes off. That's not to say they don't have teenage urges, which makes them realistic, but they have a relationship that is more than just physical and in case your wondering, no they don't do anything that the society would like them to do. I am looking forward to finding out what is in store for Nina in XVI's sequel. XVI is a thought provoking dystopian book, with strong characters, action, and a sweet romance. I would recommend to readers 15 & up, as there are a few references to sex, though nothing graphic and no scenes. ...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Amy rated it it was amazing

The day this book arrived, my 17-year-old grabbed it and refused to give it up until she'd finished it. She's not usually one to "discuss" but XVI's storyline and setting-- a future world where society teaches girls to care about attracting a boy...culminating in a tattoo at the age of 16 that means they are "available" -- really made her think. Our own society encourages images of girls as sex objects from a very young age...which is what makes this dystopian book so great: It shows us a future ...more

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