Pawn

I really had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. I knew I had to read it because I loved all of the books in the Goddess Test series and anything else she wrote had to be amazing.

The book blurb wasn't super helpful. What's a VII? Is it a roman numeral seven or is it “vee”? But it didn't matter – Aimee Carter wrote it, so I had to read it. And I wasn't disappointed. The world she created has a caste system based on intelligence. But once you take the test (at seventeen) and are given your rank and assignment, it can never be changed. And for Kitty Doe, choosing a life of prostitution was better than the III and assignment she was given. And that choice changed her life.

I admit, I was surprised by how easily Kitty adjusted to her new life masquerading as Lila Hart. She was truly a pawn, being used for both sides, but she handled herself like a champ. In this book, the rebellion itself wasn't a primary focus. This book was all about character development and world-building. The awesome thing about that is the second book will likely not hit a sophomore slump because we'll get into the meat of the intended story arc.

I truly hope that Kitty is able to help the rebellion from her new station and that the caste system is abolished so that all humans are treated as humans. It's horrifying to see how anyone less than a IV is treated in her world. And one scene in particular – when they go hunting – is harder to read than others. If things go the way I hope they do in the next books, people will once again be treated as people. And that's a world I hope Kitty gets to live in.