I received an ARC of this novel from the author via Give Me Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you M.R. Leahy and Give Me Books! All I can say right now is: "Wow". I had high hopes for this book after loving the first instalment, and I was scared of being disappointed with the sequel. Let me tell you something, the sequel was just as good, if not better, than the first one. This book made me cry and feel so many emotions. My heart was racing throughout, ached for many chapters, and swelled at the amount of love present in this book. Despite the dark and heart-wrenching themes carried over from the first novel of the series, this work has an underlying current of hope and love. Beautifully paced and written, this masterpiece will take you on a roller coaster ride. It is not easy to represent an amnesiac remembering slowly after a trauma realistically, yet Leahy pulls it off effortlessly. She never seizes to amaze me with her skill and talent. I feel as though every part of this book has a purpose, and I agree with every choice that Leahy made. I feel as though they added reality to the story, and added another dimension to it as well. Leahy also managed to surprise me with this novel. There were plot twists I hadn't seen coming, and I was completely entranced by her words. The author creates such raw and honest characters, that are, yes, flawed, but so real. She makes you look at their flaws and accept them. She makes you love this band of broken characters, and that's a beautiful thing. Emmy and Kodah's story is not a fairytale. It's not easy to read. In fact, it will rip your heart to shreds. However, it is also one of the most rewarding stories you'll read. I look forward to reading more of Leahy's work in the future. I cannot wait to see what else she comes up with.

*So the review I had written for this got removed...? So I'm simply re-posting it* I received an ARC of this book from Give Me Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Give Me Books! My goodness this book was dark and captivating. It was one of the darker reads I had read in awhile, and I absolutely loved it. Every haunting, heart-wrenching, and chilling chapter intercepted by brief snippets of hope and love. This story displayed the horrors of the sex slave training countless children go through. It will suck you in and leave you breathless and wanting more when it's over. Emmy's hardships broke my heart over and over again. It was incredible how she found a safe haven in Kodah in that retched place. I also enjoyed the certain double agent aspects of the novel; always keeping you on your toes - who's side is someone really on, and so on. The narration was very interesting (in a good way), going back and forth in time from the first year at the training facility to her last. It really added a different level to the story, revealing the past only when necessary and piece by piece. This added to the intrigue of the novel and further demonstrated the growth and character development of Emmy. This also deepened our love for her. As soon as this book goes live, you better start reading!