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The Gender Game #4
The Gender War
"For the sake of Viggo, my brother, my family in Patrus, and every single citizen of our God-forsaken nations, I had to stop the war." Continue Violet and Viggo's journey in the ELECTRIFYING fourth book of The Gender Game series! Buy now.
401 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2017
About the author
Bella Forrest
175 books8,548 followersUPDATE MARCH 11, 2024:
BELLA IS BACK!
*** New, updated online store at https://BellaForrest.com
*** New books coming soon
*** Possible Film/TV series coming soon
*** Stay up to date by joining our e-mail list at https://BellaForrest.com/join
###
Bella Forrest is a lover of fantasy, romance, action, and mystery infused stories with twists you don’t see coming. She has sold over fifteen million books since her first novel was published in 2012.
Check out her website for a full list of her books: https://BellaForrest.com
Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BellaForrest...
Here's a list of some of Bella's books:
DARKLIGHT
Darklight (Book 1)
Darkthirst (Book 2)
Darkworld (Book 3)
Darkblood (Book 4)
Darktide (Book 5)
Darkbirth (Book 6)
Darkfall (Book 7)
Darkwilds (Book 8)
Darkhunt (Book 9)
A LOVE THAT ENDURES (Trilogy)
A Love that Endures 1
A Love that Endures 2
A Love that Endures 3
HARLEY MERLIN AND THE SECRET COVEN
Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)
Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)
Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)
Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)
Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)
Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)
Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)
Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)
Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)
Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10)
Finch Merlin and the Lost Map (Book 11)
Finch Merlin and the Djinn's Curse (Book 12)
Finch Merlin and the Locked Gateway (Book 13)
Finch Merlin and the Forgotten Kingdom (Book 14)
Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow (Book 15)
Finch Merlin and the Blood Tie (Book 16)
Finch Merlin and the Legend of the Luminary
Persie Merlin and Leviathan's Gift (Book 18)
Persie Merlin and the Door to Nowhere (Book 19)
Persie Merlin and the Witch Hunters (Book 20)
Persie Merlin and the Dying Song (Book 21)
THE CHILD THIEF
The Child Thief (Book 1)
Deep Shadows (Book 2)
Thin Lines (Book 3)
Little Lies (Book 4)
Ghost Towns (Book 5)
Zero Hour (Book 6)
HOTBLOODS
Hotbloods (Book 1)
Hotbloods (Book 2): Coldbloods
Hotbloods (Book 3): Renegades
Hotbloods (Book 4): Venturers
Hotbloods (Book 5): Traitors
Hotbloods (Book 6): Allies
Hotbloods (Book 7): Invaders
Hotbloods (Book 8): Stargazers
THE GENDER GAME
The Gender Game (Book 1)
The Gender Secret (Book 2)
The Gender Lie (Book 3)
The Gender War (Book 4)
The Gender Fall (Book 5)
The Gender Plan (Book 6)
The Gender End (Book 7)
THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK
The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)
The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)
The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)
The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)
The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)
The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6
The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)
A SHADE OF VAMPIRE
Season 1: Derek & Sofia’s story
Books 1 to 7
Season 2: Rose & Caleb’s story
Books 8 to 16
Season 3: The Shade continues with a new hero...
Books 17 to 24
Season 4: A Clan of Novaks
Books 25 to 32
Season 5: A Dawn of Guardians
Books 33 to 41
Season 6: A Gift of Three
Books 42 to 50
Season 7: A Call of Vampires
Books 51 to 59
Season 8: A Voyage of Founders
Books 60 to 68
Season 9: A Birth of Fire
Books 69 to 77
Season 10: An Origin of Vampires
An Origin of Vampires (Book 78)
A Game of Death (Book 79)
A Veil of Dark (Book 80)
A Bringer of Night (Book 81)
A Circle of Nine (Book 82)
A Bender of Spirit (Book 83)
A Memory of Time (Book 84)
A Shard of Soul (Book 85)
A Break of Seals (Book 86)
Season 11: A Shade of Mystery
A Shade of Mystery (Book 87)
An Isle of Mirrors (Book 88)
A Sanctuary of Foes (Book 89)
A Ruler of Clones (Book 90)
A Gate of Light (Book 91)
A Dawn of Worlds (Book 92) ➜ Coming soon!
BELLA IS BACK!
*** New, updated online store at https://BellaForrest.com
*** New books coming soon
*** Possible Film/TV series coming soon
*** Stay up to date by joining our e-mail list at https://BellaForrest.com/join
###
Bella Forrest is a lover of fantasy, romance, action, and mystery infused stories with twists you don’t see coming. She has sold over fifteen million books since her first novel was published in 2012.
Check out her website for a full list of her books: https://BellaForrest.com
Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BellaForrest...
Here's a list of some of Bella's books:
DARKLIGHT
Darklight (Book 1)
Darkthirst (Book 2)
Darkworld (Book 3)
Darkblood (Book 4)
Darktide (Book 5)
Darkbirth (Book 6)
Darkfall (Book 7)
Darkwilds (Book 8)
Darkhunt (Book 9)
A LOVE THAT ENDURES (Trilogy)
A Love that Endures 1
A Love that Endures 2
A Love that Endures 3
HARLEY MERLIN AND THE SECRET COVEN
Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)
Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)
Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)
Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)
Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)
Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)
Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)
Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)
Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)
Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10)
Finch Merlin and the Lost Map (Book 11)
Finch Merlin and the Djinn's Curse (Book 12)
Finch Merlin and the Locked Gateway (Book 13)
Finch Merlin and the Forgotten Kingdom (Book 14)
Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow (Book 15)
Finch Merlin and the Blood Tie (Book 16)
Finch Merlin and the Legend of the Luminary
Persie Merlin and Leviathan's Gift (Book 18)
Persie Merlin and the Door to Nowhere (Book 19)
Persie Merlin and the Witch Hunters (Book 20)
Persie Merlin and the Dying Song (Book 21)
THE CHILD THIEF
The Child Thief (Book 1)
Deep Shadows (Book 2)
Thin Lines (Book 3)
Little Lies (Book 4)
Ghost Towns (Book 5)
Zero Hour (Book 6)
HOTBLOODS
Hotbloods (Book 1)
Hotbloods (Book 2): Coldbloods
Hotbloods (Book 3): Renegades
Hotbloods (Book 4): Venturers
Hotbloods (Book 5): Traitors
Hotbloods (Book 6): Allies
Hotbloods (Book 7): Invaders
Hotbloods (Book 8): Stargazers
THE GENDER GAME
The Gender Game (Book 1)
The Gender Secret (Book 2)
The Gender Lie (Book 3)
The Gender War (Book 4)
The Gender Fall (Book 5)
The Gender Plan (Book 6)
The Gender End (Book 7)
THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK
The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)
The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)
The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)
The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)
The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)
The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6
The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)
A SHADE OF VAMPIRE
Season 1: Derek & Sofia’s story
Books 1 to 7
Season 2: Rose & Caleb’s story
Books 8 to 16
Season 3: The Shade continues with a new hero...
Books 17 to 24
Season 4: A Clan of Novaks
Books 25 to 32
Season 5: A Dawn of Guardians
Books 33 to 41
Season 6: A Gift of Three
Books 42 to 50
Season 7: A Call of Vampires
Books 51 to 59
Season 8: A Voyage of Founders
Books 60 to 68
Season 9: A Birth of Fire
Books 69 to 77
Season 10: An Origin of Vampires
An Origin of Vampires (Book 78)
A Game of Death (Book 79)
A Veil of Dark (Book 80)
A Bringer of Night (Book 81)
A Circle of Nine (Book 82)
A Bender of Spirit (Book 83)
A Memory of Time (Book 84)
A Shard of Soul (Book 85)
A Break of Seals (Book 86)
Season 11: A Shade of Mystery
A Shade of Mystery (Book 87)
An Isle of Mirrors (Book 88)
A Sanctuary of Foes (Book 89)
A Ruler of Clones (Book 90)
A Gate of Light (Book 91)
A Dawn of Worlds (Book 92) ➜ Coming soon!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 491 reviews
February 13, 2017
Getting weaker
Only George RR Martin should do a series of more than three books. This could have been wrapped up by now. I don't think the pov's in this story really work - the voices of the two characters are too similar, so it just makes the story more awkward, especially since their two societies seem so similar that there's no interesting reactions to each society
Only George RR Martin should do a series of more than three books. This could have been wrapped up by now. I don't think the pov's in this story really work - the voices of the two characters are too similar, so it just makes the story more awkward, especially since their two societies seem so similar that there's no interesting reactions to each society
January 31, 2018
Ugh! This series is a nail biter! It gets better and better!! Every book is excellent There was constant action and drama that kept me on the edge of my seat! and Virgo and Violet's romance isn't cheesy and it doesn't overwhelm the story,. This writer just has a way of pulling you in and keeping you interested. but i will be putting this series to the side for a bit so i don't to tired of it.
January 16, 2018
I really really liked this book. It was great! Its action packed and I love how they built more on Viggo and Violets relationship. You really grow to love those two! It definitely ended on a cliffhanger though sooooo I can't wait to read the next one!!!!
April 6, 2017
I had to finally DNF. This series is everywhere. One minutes it's engaging and exciting, the next... it's SO incredibly boring i won't read more than 2 or 3 pages for DAYS. Plus, the characters can't figure their shit out. One minute they are strong and courageous, the next they are sniveling little pussies.
I just am finally done, which is sad bc I wish I knew how it all settled.
I just am finally done, which is sad bc I wish I knew how it all settled.
February 27, 2017
I just love Violet and Viggo!
June 4, 2018
Uh so yeah. This one was also bad. On the bright side, I'm over halfway through the series now. On the extra bright side, I'm not sure the library I'm going to even has the next one, so maybe I'll forget about these dumb things and not have to read one ever again.
The worldbuilding is still so bad, and it this point it's making me cringe. New things, like heloships and news tickers, are introduced despite having never been mentioned before and don't have much relevance to the story. Things from the earlier books, like the women country being obsessed with crossbows, just aren't there anymore. Some of the technology is normal, like there being regular cars and motorcycles and stuff, and some is futuristic, like the heloships and the flying motorcycles (which have also been never mentioned again), and some is very outdated, like the fact that there aren't cellphones or an equivalent and the news tickers print news out onto paper (??). The societies are still bad and don't work.
I also still really don't like the writing. No typos that I noticed, at least (granted, I did skip sizable portions near the end), but the grammar was atrocious. The narrators were completely indistinguishable from one another. The phrasing was the worst. I think the dialogue may have been written by a robot, because I don't think a human could ever think that humans talk like that.
The plot is as bad as ever. It's becoming more and more apparent that there are no consequences to anything. There have still been no character deaths, and any injuries the characters have sustained have been completely without permanent consequence. Someone will be hurt or maybe a little angry or sad at another character, but it gets fixed within like two pages, or also possibly ignored. Even though the decisions the main characters make are often stupid, everything always goes perfectly fine, or at least fine to the degree that they recover with no consequences once again. I honestly don't really know the actual plot of this book. Stuff happens, and then when it starts to drag, an unprompted and unforeshadowed event happens, resulting in the death of a few unnamed extras at the most, and maybe the characters move to a new location. Then rinse and repeat. There was basically no direction and it was so slow I straight up skipped some sections waiting for something to happen.
The characters are also terrible. The ever-growing cast of side characters are virtually indistinguishable from each other, with the exception of maybe four characters (out of upwards of twenty) that have two personality traits instead of one. The side characters are given no development, even the ones that are supposedly close to the main characters, like the brother and Ms. Dale. The main characters still suck. Viggo is about as interesting as a piece of cardboard with a couple of wood shavings occasionally sprinkled on for flavor. His personality changes for whatever suits the scene. Violet still sucks. She's a little less flat and boring, but her personality completely shifts for each and every scene she's in. Her motivations change every other page. The most important thing to her is Viggo, no it's her brother, no it's her country, no it's ending the war, no it's the people, no it's her cousin that hasn't been mentioned for two books... it's bad and I'm tired. The romance has no chemistry and is annoyingly prominent.
So this was a terrible symphony of bad. I honestly don't know which of these is the worst, but I'm so very tired of them. This might not have been the boring (either the second or third was, I don't really remember which was which), but it was still bad. These were obviously churned out in first drafts by someone who didn't care at all about their work.
The worldbuilding is still so bad, and it this point it's making me cringe. New things, like heloships and news tickers, are introduced despite having never been mentioned before and don't have much relevance to the story. Things from the earlier books, like the women country being obsessed with crossbows, just aren't there anymore. Some of the technology is normal, like there being regular cars and motorcycles and stuff, and some is futuristic, like the heloships and the flying motorcycles (which have also been never mentioned again), and some is very outdated, like the fact that there aren't cellphones or an equivalent and the news tickers print news out onto paper (??). The societies are still bad and don't work.
I also still really don't like the writing. No typos that I noticed, at least (granted, I did skip sizable portions near the end), but the grammar was atrocious. The narrators were completely indistinguishable from one another. The phrasing was the worst. I think the dialogue may have been written by a robot, because I don't think a human could ever think that humans talk like that.
The plot is as bad as ever. It's becoming more and more apparent that there are no consequences to anything. There have still been no character deaths, and any injuries the characters have sustained have been completely without permanent consequence. Someone will be hurt or maybe a little angry or sad at another character, but it gets fixed within like two pages, or also possibly ignored. Even though the decisions the main characters make are often stupid, everything always goes perfectly fine, or at least fine to the degree that they recover with no consequences once again. I honestly don't really know the actual plot of this book. Stuff happens, and then when it starts to drag, an unprompted and unforeshadowed event happens, resulting in the death of a few unnamed extras at the most, and maybe the characters move to a new location. Then rinse and repeat. There was basically no direction and it was so slow I straight up skipped some sections waiting for something to happen.
The characters are also terrible. The ever-growing cast of side characters are virtually indistinguishable from each other, with the exception of maybe four characters (out of upwards of twenty) that have two personality traits instead of one. The side characters are given no development, even the ones that are supposedly close to the main characters, like the brother and Ms. Dale. The main characters still suck. Viggo is about as interesting as a piece of cardboard with a couple of wood shavings occasionally sprinkled on for flavor. His personality changes for whatever suits the scene. Violet still sucks. She's a little less flat and boring, but her personality completely shifts for each and every scene she's in. Her motivations change every other page. The most important thing to her is Viggo, no it's her brother, no it's her country, no it's ending the war, no it's the people, no it's her cousin that hasn't been mentioned for two books... it's bad and I'm tired. The romance has no chemistry and is annoyingly prominent.
So this was a terrible symphony of bad. I honestly don't know which of these is the worst, but I'm so very tired of them. This might not have been the boring (either the second or third was, I don't really remember which was which), but it was still bad. These were obviously churned out in first drafts by someone who didn't care at all about their work.
February 11, 2018
If you haven't read the first three books, it would be best to not read this review, as things might get spoiled. Don't say I didn't warn you!
4.5 stars!
tw: death, bombings, derogatory comments towards women (often challenged but not always)
This series just keeps getting better and better, even though I rated this particular book lower then the first 3 (three). In 2016, I was a little liberal with my 5 (five) stars. I just gave them out all willy nilly. Well not anymore. This book was great but it didn't warrant 5 (five) stars. It wasn't anything in particular that made the rating lower, I just felt that since this was called The Gender War, that there would be a little more war. This was more about the resistance and the beginnings of potential war.
In this book, we have 2 (two) first person POVs, Violet and Viggo. They are trying to prevent a war between Matrus and Patrus, all while basically just trying to survive and figure out their relationship. I know that is vague but giving away anymore will spoil the book. I loved Viggo's POV. I always thought he was bit too alpha male but during his POV, I discovered he was just afraid and covered that by being over the top alpha. Luckily, Violet puts him in his place several times when he acts like that.
One of the things I enjoyed immesnly about this book is the development of Viggo's and Violet's relationship. Viggo had never thought he could love so deeply again after losing his wife. It was beautiful to see him care so much for Violet and it was amazing to see Violet accept that love. She slowly started to realize she is worthy of love by Viggo and her friends. No longer is she the closed off violent ice queen but a loving sister, girlfriend and leader of the revolution.
This book also brought up a great point about war. How necessary is it? In the resistance group, Violet and Viggo are trying to stop a war but there are some members that believe the war should happen. This definitely makes you think about war and the cost of it.
This book also brought up another excellent point. Violet discovers that her home country of Matrus isn't as great as she thought. Well, it wasn't all that great but she still held pride in being a Matrius woman. She often had to deal with the fact that her countrywomen wanting her dead. That is a rough thing to deal with. I experienced that the day my country decided that a gross old man with no political history, who is also a racist and sexist, was the best person to be President. It suck knowing that and trying to come to terms with it.
Overall, this is such a great series. Violet and Viggo are amazing in every way and I ship them so hard. I can't wait to continue with this series as soon as I go home (where I conveniently left the rest of them). If you enjoy the Hunger Games, this is the book series for you!
4.5 stars!
tw: death, bombings, derogatory comments towards women (often challenged but not always)
This series just keeps getting better and better, even though I rated this particular book lower then the first 3 (three). In 2016, I was a little liberal with my 5 (five) stars. I just gave them out all willy nilly. Well not anymore. This book was great but it didn't warrant 5 (five) stars. It wasn't anything in particular that made the rating lower, I just felt that since this was called The Gender War, that there would be a little more war. This was more about the resistance and the beginnings of potential war.
In this book, we have 2 (two) first person POVs, Violet and Viggo. They are trying to prevent a war between Matrus and Patrus, all while basically just trying to survive and figure out their relationship. I know that is vague but giving away anymore will spoil the book. I loved Viggo's POV. I always thought he was bit too alpha male but during his POV, I discovered he was just afraid and covered that by being over the top alpha. Luckily, Violet puts him in his place several times when he acts like that.
One of the things I enjoyed immesnly about this book is the development of Viggo's and Violet's relationship. Viggo had never thought he could love so deeply again after losing his wife. It was beautiful to see him care so much for Violet and it was amazing to see Violet accept that love. She slowly started to realize she is worthy of love by Viggo and her friends. No longer is she the closed off violent ice queen but a loving sister, girlfriend and leader of the revolution.
This book also brought up a great point about war. How necessary is it? In the resistance group, Violet and Viggo are trying to stop a war but there are some members that believe the war should happen. This definitely makes you think about war and the cost of it.
This book also brought up another excellent point. Violet discovers that her home country of Matrus isn't as great as she thought. Well, it wasn't all that great but she still held pride in being a Matrius woman. She often had to deal with the fact that her countrywomen wanting her dead. That is a rough thing to deal with. I experienced that the day my country decided that a gross old man with no political history, who is also a racist and sexist, was the best person to be President. It suck knowing that and trying to come to terms with it.
Overall, this is such a great series. Violet and Viggo are amazing in every way and I ship them so hard. I can't wait to continue with this series as soon as I go home (where I conveniently left the rest of them). If you enjoy the Hunger Games, this is the book series for you!
July 4, 2018
I feel this series is getting weaker but we're half way there.
April 6, 2017
ABSOLUTELY RIVETING !!!
Title: The Gender War
Series: The Gender Game
Designation: Book Four of Series, Full-Length Novel (App 400 Pages), Not A Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead
Author: Bella Forrest
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction/Action/Adventure/Young Adult Romance
Reading Platform: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: Five Divinely Entertaining Stars*****
Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! I love, love, love this series! I've been a diehard Bella Forrest fan for several years and have read (and reread) every single release in her international bestselling A Shade of Vampire Series. When I learned Forrest was debuting a new series, one vastly dissimilar to anything she has published to date, I immediately raced to Amazon to preorder my copy. I could hardly wait to get it in my hot little hands and Forrest did not disappoint. She not only met all my expectations, she surpassed them. After reading the first book of the series, The Gender Game, I thought I had a fairly good grasp of the series but once again Forrest did what she does best; she upped the ante, kicked up the heat, surprised me with a completed unexpected curve ball, and totally blew me away - AGAIN! I'm addicted to romance, adore fantasy, completely smitten with action/adventure and obsessed with mystery, intrigue, and suspense, but give me the perfect combination of these elements in one great read and I'm in heaven! And that's exactly what Forrest has delivered in The Gender Game Series. Forrest is a truly gifted storyteller and has once again demonstrated her incredible talent, exceptional skill and unparalleled imagination with the creation of a vividly depicted and beautifully detailed world, populated with complex, well-developed characters and masterfully layered with mystery, suspense, and unexpected plot twists. If asked to describe this book in one sentence, I would simply say, imagine the melding of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner into one extraordinary story and you would have The Gender Game. But make no mistake, the obstacles, adversity, and misfortune suffered by the characters in this story is no game as the title implies. It's a life and death struggle for not only their very existence but also for the fate of the nations of Matrus and Patrus, two societies divided by much more than a toxic river and a tragic history. The narrative was beautifully written with a first-person perspective primarily from the female protagonist, Violet Bates of Matrus. In Book Two, Forrest expands the points of view to include a perspective from the male protagonist, Viggo Croft along with an additional brief insight from the newly crowned Queen Elena of Matrus. In Book Three, the perspectives revert back solely to Violet and Viggo. This is one of my favorite aspects of Forest's style of writing. I love knowing the motivations of all the different characters in a book. It helps me to connect with them and the story. The dialogue is smart, natural, well executed and flows effortlessly. But without a doubt, my favorite component is the cast of intriguing and engaging characters. They are captivating, realistic and relatable, literally exploding from the pages to capture my imagination as well as my heart. I fell in love with the heroine, nineteen-year-old Violet Bates, who has been branded by the Matrus legal system as a dangerous criminal. In reality, Violet is simply a victim of her own fate, forced into an untenable existence and desperately trying to survive despite the tragic circumstances of her life. I was in awe of Violet's strength, tenacity, and sheer will to live. But despite the adversity, she remains innocent and naive in matters of the heart and the opposite sex. The fact that she has never known any men other than her younger brother combined with the tragic events of her life has caused Violet to harden her heart, not only to men but to everyone and as a result has become uncharacteristically jaded for someone her age. It quickly becomes apparent that Violet is an incredibly complex character with multiple layers of emotion and feelings she discovers and explores for the very first time throughout the story. Violet is a remarkable young woman and truly a worthy heroine. This story came to life for me. I felt as if I were there with Violet through every step of her perilous journey. I cried for her, sympathized and empathized with her; my heart even broke for her. I desperately wanted to wrap her in my arms and console her. I have such high hopes for Violet, wanting so badly for her to find happiness. I can hardly wait to continue the heart-wrenching coming of age adventure with this brave young heroine in the next book of the series.
In the premise for this story, the two neighboring sovereign states of Matrus and Patrus are the only remaining survivors of the once great country of America whose land was devastated and population very nearly destroyed during The Last War centuries earlier. Originally they were one group, but as the result of political discord between genders, the two factions became divided into two very different nations, Matrus with a matriarchal government ruled by a queen, and Patrus with opposing patriarchal beliefs and governed by a king. The female party was convinced the political viewpoints of men combined with their aggressive behavior were directly responsible for the war, blaming them for the annihilation of the once great America. They believed women should be allowed to govern society using a peaceful doctrine as the basis for their new civilization with the national motto of 'Freedom In Peace'. The men refused to address or even acknowledge the concerns of the female party giving the women only two options: remain and keep silent...or leave to form their own society. Quite obviously they chose the latter. Thus, the two opposing nations of Matrus and Patrus were born. Both now attempt to exist on a small strip of territory located in Appalachia separated by the toxic Veil River but with very little interaction between the two. As you can imagine, there's extreme prejudice and gender discrimination against the few males residing in Matrus and in turn, the same holds true for females in Patrus. Men have no rights in Matrus, but neither do women living in Patrus. A woman cannot live in Patrus unless she is owned by a male citizen, and must have a male guardian with her at all times. I found the concept and premise for this story to be new, unique, original, fresh, imaginative, exciting, fascinating, and actually quite realistic. With the current political climate in our country, I can truly envision this happening in our society today.
The Gender Game: Book One
Violet Bates has never had an easy life and, consequently, has found herself always battling her anger. Growing up as an orphan, she was constantly taunted by others and called Violent instead of Violet. At only nineteen, she has already been marked as a criminal in Matrus. Sadly, she lived the majority of her life in orphanages after her mother died giving birth to her brother Timothy when she was only three. At eleven, she was caught trying to help her then eight-year-old brother, Tim, escape to Patrus, and charged with obstruction of justice. Then at fourteen, she was convicted of woman-slaughter when she tried to defend herself against a young woman who was accidentally killed by a fork during the struggle. She was sentenced to seven years of confinement along with hard labor and bounced from one horrible detention center to another. Now at nineteen, with only two years remaining before she can claim her freedom and reenter Matrian society, another tragic turn of events results in Violet having to once again defend herself, and in doing so, another young woman has been accidentally killed. This would be her third and final conviction, for in Matrus, three strikes and you're out...permanently...as in dead. The death of this bully, no matter that it was unintentional, would cost her everything, including her life. There would be no more second chances. Fortunately for our young heroine, fate intervenes and she is offered an opportunity to serve her country by accepting an undercover mission in Patrus where she is expected to recover a mysterious object stolen from a Matrian lab in an act of espionage by a Patrian sympathizer. If she can successfully complete her assignment, she will be granted her life, her freedom, and finally allowed to see her brother with whom she's had no contact at all for eight long years. But women residing in Patrus have no rights and must be owned by a male citizen. They must submit to men and are only allowed out of the home when accompanied by a male guardian. A woman in Patrus is in constant danger with perils at every turn, especially a Matrian woman like Violet who is unfamiliar with the laws and customs of Patrus. No self-respecting woman of Matrus would ever allow themselves to be owned, subjugated and treated as chattel by any man. Yet, if she is to complete her mission, she must acquiesce and submit. It seems either way, Violet is at risk of losing her life; so clearly, her only choice is to accept the assignment and become a pawn in the centuries-old struggle between Matrus and Patrus. Violet quickly realizes she must use her keen intelligence along with every skill she possesses if she is to complete her mission and survive. But never having known a man other than her brother, the one thing Violet could never have anticipated is the effect of meeting the ruggedly handsome Viggo Croft, a natural born male citizen of Patrus who stirs her blood and clouds her senses with emotions unlike anything she's ever experienced. And even worse, Viggo is a warden of Patrus, an enforcer of the law, and should be her enemy. Despite the risks, Violet finds herself with conflicting emotions regarding the handsome Viggo. But whom can Violet trust? What does the future hold for Violet, Viggo and the two opposing nations of Matrus and Patrus?
The Gender Secret: Book Two
Our story resumes with Violet once again running for her life and struggling to survive. She is wanted for crimes against Patrus which resulted in dozens of Patrian deaths but even worse, she has been betrayed not only by Lee Bertrand in his attempt to frame her for the murder of Queen Rina and Professor Alistair Jenks but also by her own mother nation of Matrus. Violet finally realizes that she has been manipulated by the very people she trusted and used as a pawn in an elaborate conspiracy. Now both nations want her dead. Knowing her betrayal has probably resulted in Viggo's imprisonment or, even worse, his death, Violet battles her inner turmoil as well as her conscience and struggles to find the strength to continue. Every step of Violet's journey brings more secrets to light which unfortunately results in even more perplexing questions. With nowhere to go and no one to trust, Violet battles to persevere, vowing to find her brother Tim and somehow rescue him. But will Violet be prepared for what she finds? Facing unimaginable perils, harrowing danger and insurmountable odds, can Violet defy fate and once again find a way to survive??? We'll see!
The Gender Lie: Book Three
Not only did Viggo survive, he has now been tasked with the job of capturing Violet and returning her to Patrus to answer for her crimes. Thanks to Lee Bertrand's implanted tracking device, Viggo tracks Violet to The Green but once again must save her life. Despite his anger at being used as a scapegoat by Violet and Lee in their plan to steal the egg, Viggo quickly realizes he still has feelings for the lovely brave Violet and after hearing her story, knows there's no way he can return her to Patrus which would most likely result in certain death. Violet is now a wanted fugitive by Matrus and Patrus so where will they go? What will they do? That question is soon answered when they discover an abandoned underground secret facility located deep within The Green. They take refuge inside only to discover Viggo was not the only one searching for Violet. Elena, the new Queen of Matrus has sent Violet's former mentor, Melissa Dale, to capture Violet and return her Matrus to face the charge of murdering the former queen. Oddly, Queen Elena is not content with sending only Ms Dale; she also enlists the help of her genetically enhanced twin sisters in capturing Violet. Viggo and Melissa Dale find themselves in a precarious unexpected alliance. They must work together to eliminate the twins but Viggo makes a critical sacrifice that may cost him his life. This time, it's Violet's turn to save Viggo but Violet quickly discovers in order to save his life, she must accept help from a new player in this perilous game of life and death. A new rebel faction calling themselves The Liberators has suddenly appeared and Violet quickly learns that the Desmond to whom Lee Bertrand's letter was addressed, is so much more than Lee's middle name. Desmond is not a dual personality of Lee as Violet originally suspected but is, in fact, a real person.... and he is a she. Not only is she a woman, Desmond is Desmond Bertrand, Lee Bertrand's mother. Huh? Oh yes, and that's not all. She's also the leader of rebel faction The Liberators! What? Yes, she's the mother of the same Lee Bertrand Violet killed in self-defense. Oh my! And without Desmond's help, Viggo will die. Oh dear? With limited options and no other viable choice, Violet must choose to trust Desmond but as even more secrets are revealed including the fate of the missing boys of Matrus, Violet begins to recognize the true complexity of her situation. Both nations have perpetuated a tenuous web of lies and the loyal citizens of Matrus and Patrus are nothing more than innocent victims to be used as pawns in an evil cabal. Regrettably, Violet learns too late that Desmond is more than she portrays herself to be and so much more than Violet ever suspected. With Viggo, Tim and Melissa Dale's life in jeopardy as well as her own....again... it appears the time has finally come to pay the piper, and the price may be their lives. Is Desmond Bertrand the Pied Piper or is she merely a puppet being controlled by another puppet master in a much more sinister 'game'? Will Violet, Viggo, Tim and Ms Dale once again find a way to survive? We'll see! Oh my! This story continues to get even darker and more convoluted... and I can't get enough! Buckle up, my lovelies! It's a wild ride! Yee-Haw!
The Gender War: Book Four
The adventure continues in a race against the clock with even more pulse-pounding thrills, chills, lies, deceit, betrayal, action, suspense, heartwrenching angst and gripping emotion as Violet and Viggo are forced to face the true depth of their feelings. And with the help of their small but mighty band of followers, our group of unlikely heroes square off against Desmond, King Maxen, Queen Elena and Princess Tabitha in a no-holds-barred struggle for the fate of both nations. Loyalties are tested and lives hang in the balance. Who will live and who will die? Oh my! This just gets better and better!
Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Once I started reading this story, I simply could not stop. I was riveted to my seat, white knuckling my ereader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest while the hours passed as quickly as the pages, and loved every single minute. It was magnificent! Would I recommend this book? You bet and I am, for a wide variety of ages. Although there is some violence included, it's not gory or graphic, but this book does contain a tiny bit of mild profanity. There is a sweet blossoming romance but no explicit sex. I would probably give this book a PG rating, ages thirteen to one hundred. Will I read this author again? Abso-freaking-lutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book! And finally, was I entertained? Good gracious, YES! I was completely captivated! No spoilers from me, but I will say, if you're looking for an intriguing, well-crafted, post-apocalyptic, somewhat dystopian, fantasy/science fiction saga featuring a gutsy, troubled but compassionate kick-butt underdog heroine perfectly paired with an intense, gruff yet surprisingly sensitive, ruggedly handsome unlikely hero, and filled to the brim with danger, drama, action, adventure, fantasy, hardship, angst, bravery, loyalty, betrayal, mystery, suspense, intrigue, espionage, mind-blowing plot twists and the hopeful promise of forbidden love, then this book is definitely for you! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!
Title: The Gender War
Series: The Gender Game
Designation: Book Four of Series, Full-Length Novel (App 400 Pages), Not A Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead
Author: Bella Forrest
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction/Action/Adventure/Young Adult Romance
Reading Platform: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: Five Divinely Entertaining Stars*****
Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! I love, love, love this series! I've been a diehard Bella Forrest fan for several years and have read (and reread) every single release in her international bestselling A Shade of Vampire Series. When I learned Forrest was debuting a new series, one vastly dissimilar to anything she has published to date, I immediately raced to Amazon to preorder my copy. I could hardly wait to get it in my hot little hands and Forrest did not disappoint. She not only met all my expectations, she surpassed them. After reading the first book of the series, The Gender Game, I thought I had a fairly good grasp of the series but once again Forrest did what she does best; she upped the ante, kicked up the heat, surprised me with a completed unexpected curve ball, and totally blew me away - AGAIN! I'm addicted to romance, adore fantasy, completely smitten with action/adventure and obsessed with mystery, intrigue, and suspense, but give me the perfect combination of these elements in one great read and I'm in heaven! And that's exactly what Forrest has delivered in The Gender Game Series. Forrest is a truly gifted storyteller and has once again demonstrated her incredible talent, exceptional skill and unparalleled imagination with the creation of a vividly depicted and beautifully detailed world, populated with complex, well-developed characters and masterfully layered with mystery, suspense, and unexpected plot twists. If asked to describe this book in one sentence, I would simply say, imagine the melding of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner into one extraordinary story and you would have The Gender Game. But make no mistake, the obstacles, adversity, and misfortune suffered by the characters in this story is no game as the title implies. It's a life and death struggle for not only their very existence but also for the fate of the nations of Matrus and Patrus, two societies divided by much more than a toxic river and a tragic history. The narrative was beautifully written with a first-person perspective primarily from the female protagonist, Violet Bates of Matrus. In Book Two, Forrest expands the points of view to include a perspective from the male protagonist, Viggo Croft along with an additional brief insight from the newly crowned Queen Elena of Matrus. In Book Three, the perspectives revert back solely to Violet and Viggo. This is one of my favorite aspects of Forest's style of writing. I love knowing the motivations of all the different characters in a book. It helps me to connect with them and the story. The dialogue is smart, natural, well executed and flows effortlessly. But without a doubt, my favorite component is the cast of intriguing and engaging characters. They are captivating, realistic and relatable, literally exploding from the pages to capture my imagination as well as my heart. I fell in love with the heroine, nineteen-year-old Violet Bates, who has been branded by the Matrus legal system as a dangerous criminal. In reality, Violet is simply a victim of her own fate, forced into an untenable existence and desperately trying to survive despite the tragic circumstances of her life. I was in awe of Violet's strength, tenacity, and sheer will to live. But despite the adversity, she remains innocent and naive in matters of the heart and the opposite sex. The fact that she has never known any men other than her younger brother combined with the tragic events of her life has caused Violet to harden her heart, not only to men but to everyone and as a result has become uncharacteristically jaded for someone her age. It quickly becomes apparent that Violet is an incredibly complex character with multiple layers of emotion and feelings she discovers and explores for the very first time throughout the story. Violet is a remarkable young woman and truly a worthy heroine. This story came to life for me. I felt as if I were there with Violet through every step of her perilous journey. I cried for her, sympathized and empathized with her; my heart even broke for her. I desperately wanted to wrap her in my arms and console her. I have such high hopes for Violet, wanting so badly for her to find happiness. I can hardly wait to continue the heart-wrenching coming of age adventure with this brave young heroine in the next book of the series.
In the premise for this story, the two neighboring sovereign states of Matrus and Patrus are the only remaining survivors of the once great country of America whose land was devastated and population very nearly destroyed during The Last War centuries earlier. Originally they were one group, but as the result of political discord between genders, the two factions became divided into two very different nations, Matrus with a matriarchal government ruled by a queen, and Patrus with opposing patriarchal beliefs and governed by a king. The female party was convinced the political viewpoints of men combined with their aggressive behavior were directly responsible for the war, blaming them for the annihilation of the once great America. They believed women should be allowed to govern society using a peaceful doctrine as the basis for their new civilization with the national motto of 'Freedom In Peace'. The men refused to address or even acknowledge the concerns of the female party giving the women only two options: remain and keep silent...or leave to form their own society. Quite obviously they chose the latter. Thus, the two opposing nations of Matrus and Patrus were born. Both now attempt to exist on a small strip of territory located in Appalachia separated by the toxic Veil River but with very little interaction between the two. As you can imagine, there's extreme prejudice and gender discrimination against the few males residing in Matrus and in turn, the same holds true for females in Patrus. Men have no rights in Matrus, but neither do women living in Patrus. A woman cannot live in Patrus unless she is owned by a male citizen, and must have a male guardian with her at all times. I found the concept and premise for this story to be new, unique, original, fresh, imaginative, exciting, fascinating, and actually quite realistic. With the current political climate in our country, I can truly envision this happening in our society today.
The Gender Game: Book One
Violet Bates has never had an easy life and, consequently, has found herself always battling her anger. Growing up as an orphan, she was constantly taunted by others and called Violent instead of Violet. At only nineteen, she has already been marked as a criminal in Matrus. Sadly, she lived the majority of her life in orphanages after her mother died giving birth to her brother Timothy when she was only three. At eleven, she was caught trying to help her then eight-year-old brother, Tim, escape to Patrus, and charged with obstruction of justice. Then at fourteen, she was convicted of woman-slaughter when she tried to defend herself against a young woman who was accidentally killed by a fork during the struggle. She was sentenced to seven years of confinement along with hard labor and bounced from one horrible detention center to another. Now at nineteen, with only two years remaining before she can claim her freedom and reenter Matrian society, another tragic turn of events results in Violet having to once again defend herself, and in doing so, another young woman has been accidentally killed. This would be her third and final conviction, for in Matrus, three strikes and you're out...permanently...as in dead. The death of this bully, no matter that it was unintentional, would cost her everything, including her life. There would be no more second chances. Fortunately for our young heroine, fate intervenes and she is offered an opportunity to serve her country by accepting an undercover mission in Patrus where she is expected to recover a mysterious object stolen from a Matrian lab in an act of espionage by a Patrian sympathizer. If she can successfully complete her assignment, she will be granted her life, her freedom, and finally allowed to see her brother with whom she's had no contact at all for eight long years. But women residing in Patrus have no rights and must be owned by a male citizen. They must submit to men and are only allowed out of the home when accompanied by a male guardian. A woman in Patrus is in constant danger with perils at every turn, especially a Matrian woman like Violet who is unfamiliar with the laws and customs of Patrus. No self-respecting woman of Matrus would ever allow themselves to be owned, subjugated and treated as chattel by any man. Yet, if she is to complete her mission, she must acquiesce and submit. It seems either way, Violet is at risk of losing her life; so clearly, her only choice is to accept the assignment and become a pawn in the centuries-old struggle between Matrus and Patrus. Violet quickly realizes she must use her keen intelligence along with every skill she possesses if she is to complete her mission and survive. But never having known a man other than her brother, the one thing Violet could never have anticipated is the effect of meeting the ruggedly handsome Viggo Croft, a natural born male citizen of Patrus who stirs her blood and clouds her senses with emotions unlike anything she's ever experienced. And even worse, Viggo is a warden of Patrus, an enforcer of the law, and should be her enemy. Despite the risks, Violet finds herself with conflicting emotions regarding the handsome Viggo. But whom can Violet trust? What does the future hold for Violet, Viggo and the two opposing nations of Matrus and Patrus?
The Gender Secret: Book Two
Our story resumes with Violet once again running for her life and struggling to survive. She is wanted for crimes against Patrus which resulted in dozens of Patrian deaths but even worse, she has been betrayed not only by Lee Bertrand in his attempt to frame her for the murder of Queen Rina and Professor Alistair Jenks but also by her own mother nation of Matrus. Violet finally realizes that she has been manipulated by the very people she trusted and used as a pawn in an elaborate conspiracy. Now both nations want her dead. Knowing her betrayal has probably resulted in Viggo's imprisonment or, even worse, his death, Violet battles her inner turmoil as well as her conscience and struggles to find the strength to continue. Every step of Violet's journey brings more secrets to light which unfortunately results in even more perplexing questions. With nowhere to go and no one to trust, Violet battles to persevere, vowing to find her brother Tim and somehow rescue him. But will Violet be prepared for what she finds? Facing unimaginable perils, harrowing danger and insurmountable odds, can Violet defy fate and once again find a way to survive??? We'll see!
The Gender Lie: Book Three
Not only did Viggo survive, he has now been tasked with the job of capturing Violet and returning her to Patrus to answer for her crimes. Thanks to Lee Bertrand's implanted tracking device, Viggo tracks Violet to The Green but once again must save her life. Despite his anger at being used as a scapegoat by Violet and Lee in their plan to steal the egg, Viggo quickly realizes he still has feelings for the lovely brave Violet and after hearing her story, knows there's no way he can return her to Patrus which would most likely result in certain death. Violet is now a wanted fugitive by Matrus and Patrus so where will they go? What will they do? That question is soon answered when they discover an abandoned underground secret facility located deep within The Green. They take refuge inside only to discover Viggo was not the only one searching for Violet. Elena, the new Queen of Matrus has sent Violet's former mentor, Melissa Dale, to capture Violet and return her Matrus to face the charge of murdering the former queen. Oddly, Queen Elena is not content with sending only Ms Dale; she also enlists the help of her genetically enhanced twin sisters in capturing Violet. Viggo and Melissa Dale find themselves in a precarious unexpected alliance. They must work together to eliminate the twins but Viggo makes a critical sacrifice that may cost him his life. This time, it's Violet's turn to save Viggo but Violet quickly discovers in order to save his life, she must accept help from a new player in this perilous game of life and death. A new rebel faction calling themselves The Liberators has suddenly appeared and Violet quickly learns that the Desmond to whom Lee Bertrand's letter was addressed, is so much more than Lee's middle name. Desmond is not a dual personality of Lee as Violet originally suspected but is, in fact, a real person.... and he is a she. Not only is she a woman, Desmond is Desmond Bertrand, Lee Bertrand's mother. Huh? Oh yes, and that's not all. She's also the leader of rebel faction The Liberators! What? Yes, she's the mother of the same Lee Bertrand Violet killed in self-defense. Oh my! And without Desmond's help, Viggo will die. Oh dear? With limited options and no other viable choice, Violet must choose to trust Desmond but as even more secrets are revealed including the fate of the missing boys of Matrus, Violet begins to recognize the true complexity of her situation. Both nations have perpetuated a tenuous web of lies and the loyal citizens of Matrus and Patrus are nothing more than innocent victims to be used as pawns in an evil cabal. Regrettably, Violet learns too late that Desmond is more than she portrays herself to be and so much more than Violet ever suspected. With Viggo, Tim and Melissa Dale's life in jeopardy as well as her own....again... it appears the time has finally come to pay the piper, and the price may be their lives. Is Desmond Bertrand the Pied Piper or is she merely a puppet being controlled by another puppet master in a much more sinister 'game'? Will Violet, Viggo, Tim and Ms Dale once again find a way to survive? We'll see! Oh my! This story continues to get even darker and more convoluted... and I can't get enough! Buckle up, my lovelies! It's a wild ride! Yee-Haw!
The Gender War: Book Four
The adventure continues in a race against the clock with even more pulse-pounding thrills, chills, lies, deceit, betrayal, action, suspense, heartwrenching angst and gripping emotion as Violet and Viggo are forced to face the true depth of their feelings. And with the help of their small but mighty band of followers, our group of unlikely heroes square off against Desmond, King Maxen, Queen Elena and Princess Tabitha in a no-holds-barred struggle for the fate of both nations. Loyalties are tested and lives hang in the balance. Who will live and who will die? Oh my! This just gets better and better!
Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Once I started reading this story, I simply could not stop. I was riveted to my seat, white knuckling my ereader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest while the hours passed as quickly as the pages, and loved every single minute. It was magnificent! Would I recommend this book? You bet and I am, for a wide variety of ages. Although there is some violence included, it's not gory or graphic, but this book does contain a tiny bit of mild profanity. There is a sweet blossoming romance but no explicit sex. I would probably give this book a PG rating, ages thirteen to one hundred. Will I read this author again? Abso-freaking-lutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book! And finally, was I entertained? Good gracious, YES! I was completely captivated! No spoilers from me, but I will say, if you're looking for an intriguing, well-crafted, post-apocalyptic, somewhat dystopian, fantasy/science fiction saga featuring a gutsy, troubled but compassionate kick-butt underdog heroine perfectly paired with an intense, gruff yet surprisingly sensitive, ruggedly handsome unlikely hero, and filled to the brim with danger, drama, action, adventure, fantasy, hardship, angst, bravery, loyalty, betrayal, mystery, suspense, intrigue, espionage, mind-blowing plot twists and the hopeful promise of forbidden love, then this book is definitely for you! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!
March 11, 2017
After being sorely disappointed by the third book in this series, I tempered my expectations for the next installment. I still found myself a bit disappointed by the end.
Book 3 ended with an unexpected twist. Unfortunately, the big reveal didn't really impact anything. Desmond and her allegiances don't play a role in The Gender War at all. Instead, we follow Violet and Viggo and their fellow liberators as they try to prevent a war between the two nations. Unfortunately, I just don't care what happens to either nation, so I had a hard time sticking with this book.
A lot of my complaints on the previous book continue into this one. There's no real main story arc in the novel. There's very little lead up to the ending action scene/climax. Instead, the book reads as a series of events which Violet and Viggo stumble through before they're dragged into yet another 'epic' battle.
I thought the premise of the first book, The Gender Game, was a little silly, but still enjoyable. I loved the next book which really developed the relationship between Violet and Viggo. I feel like books three and four have lost the spirit which originally attracted me, and I'm just not attached enough to the lead characters to see what happens next. I'm going to have to wish Violet and Viggo the best in their future endeavors and say farewell.
Book 3 ended with an unexpected twist. Unfortunately, the big reveal didn't really impact anything. Desmond and her allegiances don't play a role in The Gender War at all. Instead, we follow Violet and Viggo and their fellow liberators as they try to prevent a war between the two nations. Unfortunately, I just don't care what happens to either nation, so I had a hard time sticking with this book.
A lot of my complaints on the previous book continue into this one. There's no real main story arc in the novel. There's very little lead up to the ending action scene/climax. Instead, the book reads as a series of events which Violet and Viggo stumble through before they're dragged into yet another 'epic' battle.
I thought the premise of the first book, The Gender Game, was a little silly, but still enjoyable. I loved the next book which really developed the relationship between Violet and Viggo. I feel like books three and four have lost the spirit which originally attracted me, and I'm just not attached enough to the lead characters to see what happens next. I'm going to have to wish Violet and Viggo the best in their future endeavors and say farewell.
March 23, 2017
So I have mixed feelings about this book and really this series in general. I feel like it started out strong, I actually really like the story and characters for the most part. But each book gets weaker, simply because the story is so dragged out. I found myself skimming a lot. This could easily have been a trilogy and I would have been much happier. But now there's at least one more book after this one and I really really hope she doesn't continue dragging this out because I will lose interest.
I also felt like, although the story is extremely slow paced, the writing was rushed. Like she quickly typed up a book and published it with no editor, resulting in some strange wording and even a few typos. Which is probably exactly what happened considering how quickly these books come out.
That aside, as I said, I really like the story. And I really like Violet and Viggo, especially the scene on the boat towards the beginning. I also like several other characters, including Owen, Ms. Dale, and Tim. However, some of the characters fall flat to me, especially Tabitha, who is just big and bad and hates everyone without a good motivation.
So overall, really good story, mostly good characters, not too great writing. Hope she wraps up the series soon and doesn't continue to drag it out.
I also felt like, although the story is extremely slow paced, the writing was rushed. Like she quickly typed up a book and published it with no editor, resulting in some strange wording and even a few typos. Which is probably exactly what happened considering how quickly these books come out.
That aside, as I said, I really like the story. And I really like Violet and Viggo, especially the scene on the boat towards the beginning. I also like several other characters, including Owen, Ms. Dale, and Tim. However, some of the characters fall flat to me, especially Tabitha, who is just big and bad and hates everyone without a good motivation.
So overall, really good story, mostly good characters, not too great writing. Hope she wraps up the series soon and doesn't continue to drag it out.
April 3, 2018
OMG, THIS WAS SUCH A GOOD BOOK AND I AM GOING TO CRY THE ENDING IT'S SO SAD EVERYTHING IS SO SAD BUT I LOVE THIS BOOK AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS SERIES BECAUSE IT IS SO SO GOOD AND I'M CRYING RIGHT NOW!!! OMG, I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
Viggo and Violet and Ms. Dale and Henrik and Owen and Amber and Quinn and Jay and Tim and Thomas and King Maxen and Tabitha and Desmond and Elena and Ashabee and everyone I actually thought that there was a good character trait in everyone even if they are considered the villains in this story. Even like Tabitha and Desmond and Elena and Ashabee. I loved this book.
Seriously, read this series, because it is really really good. Seriously, you might underestimate it, but it only gets better with the next books. Seriously, these books are amazing.
Viggo and Violet and Ms. Dale and Henrik and Owen and Amber and Quinn and Jay and Tim and Thomas and King Maxen and Tabitha and Desmond and Elena and Ashabee and everyone I actually thought that there was a good character trait in everyone even if they are considered the villains in this story. Even like Tabitha and Desmond and Elena and Ashabee. I loved this book.
Seriously, read this series, because it is really really good. Seriously, you might underestimate it, but it only gets better with the next books. Seriously, these books are amazing.
May 22, 2017
As good as ever, can't wait to get my hands on the next one.
December 6, 2017
after a month of struggling through this book it finally gets exciting again, then end it in the middle of the action.
January 24, 2020
Well I will admit this one dragged a bit in the middle. I liked the final battle that was good and I like the romance within it. Yeah they are going to get married.....hopefully if they can both come out of this alive. Ms Dale has been humanized in this one which is nice and I like the fact they the truth is finally coming out. We are getting all the little answers which helps us to build the bigger picture.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2019
Surprise Surprise - I actually am still invested in this series comrades, and whoah, what is this, a little more pleased one would think with a rating above a three? Yep. I think something peaked my fancy a bit more. There was something a bit more edgy, more brutality, dare I say actual world building with great character dynamic in The Gender War that really made this a tidbit more exciting. Honestly, if this had been done the first round, I could only imagine what the series actual potential could have been.
And since I don't know where, or really what to start with, we will just willy nilly this review, bad with the good and see what rambling actually makes sense I suppose...
Opening up at the start of the book, a great deal of things are already thrown at the reader. Without trying to spoil everything, there is a lot of back and forth on who is really working for who, world domination takeover and all that jazz is a messy ordeal. Surprisingly, there is actually a lot of things happening on both sides of Matrius and Patrius spectrum, it really devolved the magnitude of corruption amongst ones political pyramid. I liked the overall capitalization of how Desmond and Tabitha were at the root of a bigger pool; granted, saw it coming, I could feel it in my bones, but to see things turn the way they did - it sent chills down my spin. With these two powerful female figures in the mix, there is this undertone radical hatred that is just spewing at every page. Granted, this is the main reason for the Matrius and Patrius agreement to separate, but honestly, the foundation of how each area is dictated yet the other feels they are still better, more superior, more justified - yet both are cruel, hypocritical and downright disgusting human beings. It was interesting to finally see this malice play out, I think this is always what was intended, but I don't think the book really conveyed it as beautifully until The Gender War; probably because all the cards are finally laying out for the characters (aside from the fact the obvious title is GENDER GAME...), or maybe because I can finally semi-appreciate the plot Forrest is wanting a reader to see. Either way, the sexiest, raciest, and dehumanizing actions speak volumes and I felt the execution was rather fascinating.
I will admit, I try really hard to Like Viggo and Violet. I do. And honestly, I do enjoy their characters, when they are fighting, or joking. But oh my sweet baby Jesus, their inner monologues will be the death of me. This has been something that really irked me right from the start, it is their lack of responsibility and logical thinking; I say this because about eighty percent of the time when they are deciding the fate of themselves and everyone else involved, they cannot seem to stop thinking about kissing or pressing up against each other - alright, I get it, you love each other. But seriously, their romantic thoughts are absolutely exhausting to the point of yawning. I love a good romance, don't get me wrong, but in a lot of ways, their romance drowns out the actual amazing fundamentals that are Viggo and Violets personalities. Like, if you asked me right now what do I remember most about either of their personalities the best I could feed you is that Viggo is charming and Violet is cheeky. Both are good with guns.
And while mentioning guns, other than the snooze mush mush romance but the battles. Yep, you heard me, this round actually had some pretty intense combat. The seer violence between one on one combat to the masses in gun firing down to the car chases while Owen and Viggo try to out run bombs - it was pretty entertaining. Violet actually impressed me. Right from the start, she actually packed a punch - literally. Not only did she enter with a bang, but quite literally, she ended with one too. It was definitely really intriguing to finally see that potential side-affects of the drugs that the 'boys' had been given previously. The moment when Solomon entered the area that Violet was secured with her riffle in that one scene - you know that scene comrades. The description that was projected in this moment absolutely struck fear in my soul. It was like visually seeing a horror movie play out; I really hope to see more of this devastating twist. It aided so much on the building of just all things catastrophically delicious.
Overall, I will admit, yes, it did take me forever to get back into this series. Not for a lack of wanting to because honestly, I used my audiobook credits on it, I wanted to see this through to the end, but really I just lost the motivation a long the way. Though again, I may not have loved The Gender War, but surprisingly, I really liked this installment out of the other books since starting. It held my attention a little more throughout, the character development wasn't too lack luster, there was growth continuously and there was a bit more depth to the world surrounding the characters that actually made me imagine the scenario. I am still on the fence with if this series will continue to improve, The Gender War gave me some semblance of faith, but I won't hold my breath. I still wonder if seven books is just a smidge too much....
Well, off to book five we go - see you in The Gender Fall.
And since I don't know where, or really what to start with, we will just willy nilly this review, bad with the good and see what rambling actually makes sense I suppose...
Opening up at the start of the book, a great deal of things are already thrown at the reader. Without trying to spoil everything, there is a lot of back and forth on who is really working for who, world domination takeover and all that jazz is a messy ordeal. Surprisingly, there is actually a lot of things happening on both sides of Matrius and Patrius spectrum, it really devolved the magnitude of corruption amongst ones political pyramid. I liked the overall capitalization of how Desmond and Tabitha were at the root of a bigger pool; granted, saw it coming, I could feel it in my bones, but to see things turn the way they did - it sent chills down my spin. With these two powerful female figures in the mix, there is this undertone radical hatred that is just spewing at every page. Granted, this is the main reason for the Matrius and Patrius agreement to separate, but honestly, the foundation of how each area is dictated yet the other feels they are still better, more superior, more justified - yet both are cruel, hypocritical and downright disgusting human beings. It was interesting to finally see this malice play out, I think this is always what was intended, but I don't think the book really conveyed it as beautifully until The Gender War; probably because all the cards are finally laying out for the characters (aside from the fact the obvious title is GENDER GAME...), or maybe because I can finally semi-appreciate the plot Forrest is wanting a reader to see. Either way, the sexiest, raciest, and dehumanizing actions speak volumes and I felt the execution was rather fascinating.
I will admit, I try really hard to Like Viggo and Violet. I do. And honestly, I do enjoy their characters, when they are fighting, or joking. But oh my sweet baby Jesus, their inner monologues will be the death of me. This has been something that really irked me right from the start, it is their lack of responsibility and logical thinking; I say this because about eighty percent of the time when they are deciding the fate of themselves and everyone else involved, they cannot seem to stop thinking about kissing or pressing up against each other - alright, I get it, you love each other. But seriously, their romantic thoughts are absolutely exhausting to the point of yawning. I love a good romance, don't get me wrong, but in a lot of ways, their romance drowns out the actual amazing fundamentals that are Viggo and Violets personalities. Like, if you asked me right now what do I remember most about either of their personalities the best I could feed you is that Viggo is charming and Violet is cheeky. Both are good with guns.
And while mentioning guns, other than the snooze mush mush romance but the battles. Yep, you heard me, this round actually had some pretty intense combat. The seer violence between one on one combat to the masses in gun firing down to the car chases while Owen and Viggo try to out run bombs - it was pretty entertaining. Violet actually impressed me. Right from the start, she actually packed a punch - literally. Not only did she enter with a bang, but quite literally, she ended with one too. It was definitely really intriguing to finally see that potential side-affects of the drugs that the 'boys' had been given previously. The moment when Solomon entered the area that Violet was secured with her riffle in that one scene - you know that scene comrades. The description that was projected in this moment absolutely struck fear in my soul. It was like visually seeing a horror movie play out; I really hope to see more of this devastating twist. It aided so much on the building of just all things catastrophically delicious.
Overall, I will admit, yes, it did take me forever to get back into this series. Not for a lack of wanting to because honestly, I used my audiobook credits on it, I wanted to see this through to the end, but really I just lost the motivation a long the way. Though again, I may not have loved The Gender War, but surprisingly, I really liked this installment out of the other books since starting. It held my attention a little more throughout, the character development wasn't too lack luster, there was growth continuously and there was a bit more depth to the world surrounding the characters that actually made me imagine the scenario. I am still on the fence with if this series will continue to improve, The Gender War gave me some semblance of faith, but I won't hold my breath. I still wonder if seven books is just a smidge too much....
Well, off to book five we go - see you in The Gender Fall.
March 23, 2017
WHAT! YOU DO NOT END A BOOK LIKE THAT! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!
I know I only have to wait two weeks for the next book, I've waited much long than that, but why? I need it right now because that ending was just awful (in a good way), and there's so much at stake and I just need to know that my babies are going to be okay. Is that too much to ask?
The Gender War start off immediately where the last book left us. Violet and Viggo have been taken by the queen and now are being prepared for torture and then execution. They are both trying to figure out how to escape, but with the leader of the rebellion being a spy for the queen it looks as if there's no hope, but that doesn't mean they'll stop trying.
We barely get a break throughout this book, it's just one intense scene after another and nobody is safe. My heart was pounding and I was screaming internally because at every moment my babies were being put in danger and if anything happened to them I would be cursing the author's name the rest of my life.
The characters continue to be awesome and character development is mind blowing. I continue to love Violet and Viggo and their relationship, but I also love seeing the new character and how they have now weaved into Violet and Viggo's life. There are characters I didn't trust from the last books I love now, there are character I hate more and more with every appearance they make, and in then end there are even more on my list who must make it to the end.
I love everything about this series and I need the next book in my hands right now because I need to know what has happened to my babies. That ending was so sad and so not promising for a happy ending. WHY? WHY? WHY?!
The star rating got knocked down because of this one scene at the very ending I wasn't pleased with. At the very ending Violet is fight Tabitha and there's a guard trying to shoot Violet down. Tabitha wants Violet all to herself and rips the guys arm off. No, she didn't break it, she didn't dislocate it, she actually RIPPED THE WHOLE ARM OFF! This was really gritty and disturbing, I didn't think it was realistic or necessary and could have completely done without this scene. I would give this book a five star rating, but I couldn't with that scene, it was just too much.
I would rate this 14+. Violence wise there was definitely enough of it, including at the very beginning Violet being tortured in a horrible way and the scene included above. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart, but is still an awesome book and I recommend to anybody who loves a great dystopian series.
There's a couple of kissing scenes, but they aren't anything more than that and I believe at one point they kind of hint at wanting more.
Awesome series and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book. March 31 can't come soon enough.
I know I only have to wait two weeks for the next book, I've waited much long than that, but why? I need it right now because that ending was just awful (in a good way), and there's so much at stake and I just need to know that my babies are going to be okay. Is that too much to ask?
The Gender War start off immediately where the last book left us. Violet and Viggo have been taken by the queen and now are being prepared for torture and then execution. They are both trying to figure out how to escape, but with the leader of the rebellion being a spy for the queen it looks as if there's no hope, but that doesn't mean they'll stop trying.
We barely get a break throughout this book, it's just one intense scene after another and nobody is safe. My heart was pounding and I was screaming internally because at every moment my babies were being put in danger and if anything happened to them I would be cursing the author's name the rest of my life.
The characters continue to be awesome and character development is mind blowing. I continue to love Violet and Viggo and their relationship, but I also love seeing the new character and how they have now weaved into Violet and Viggo's life. There are characters I didn't trust from the last books I love now, there are character I hate more and more with every appearance they make, and in then end there are even more on my list who must make it to the end.
I love everything about this series and I need the next book in my hands right now because I need to know what has happened to my babies. That ending was so sad and so not promising for a happy ending. WHY? WHY? WHY?!
The star rating got knocked down because of this one scene at the very ending I wasn't pleased with. At the very ending Violet is fight Tabitha and there's a guard trying to shoot Violet down. Tabitha wants Violet all to herself and rips the guys arm off. No, she didn't break it, she didn't dislocate it, she actually RIPPED THE WHOLE ARM OFF! This was really gritty and disturbing, I didn't think it was realistic or necessary and could have completely done without this scene. I would give this book a five star rating, but I couldn't with that scene, it was just too much.
I would rate this 14+. Violence wise there was definitely enough of it, including at the very beginning Violet being tortured in a horrible way and the scene included above. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart, but is still an awesome book and I recommend to anybody who loves a great dystopian series.
There's a couple of kissing scenes, but they aren't anything more than that and I believe at one point they kind of hint at wanting more.
Awesome series and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book. March 31 can't come soon enough.
May 9, 2020
Violet
I really like Violet. She is determined to do the right things and also to protect the people that she cares about. She is a strong heroine up against choices that have no real good answer. Somebody is always gonna get hurt.
Viggo
I like Viggo a lot. He is definitely better than Lee from the first book. I love that he is honorable and also tries to do the right things.
the ending
I do enjoy the plot idea but it seems to me that they keep doing the same things and expecting a different ending. They say that is the first sign of insanity, right? LOL! That is why I loved the ending of this book. Lots of action and they are now being proactive instead of reactive. I really hope that the proactive actions continue in the next book and that they actually make a difference. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
I really like Violet. She is determined to do the right things and also to protect the people that she cares about. She is a strong heroine up against choices that have no real good answer. Somebody is always gonna get hurt.
Viggo
I like Viggo a lot. He is definitely better than Lee from the first book. I love that he is honorable and also tries to do the right things.
the ending
I do enjoy the plot idea but it seems to me that they keep doing the same things and expecting a different ending. They say that is the first sign of insanity, right? LOL! That is why I loved the ending of this book. Lots of action and they are now being proactive instead of reactive. I really hope that the proactive actions continue in the next book and that they actually make a difference. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
February 15, 2019
After experiencing a boring part in the book, The Gender War, I am happy to have powered through the boring and come to find that the ending was terrific! I really enjoyed this book!
I highly recommend this series!!! :~)
I highly recommend this series!!! :~)
May 10, 2021
DNF. I was struggling with this one. When I found out there are 7 books in the series I decided it wasn't worth my time to keep going. The plot of all the books thus far are too similar to warrant reading 3 more.
May 20, 2017
Can't wait for the next one!!
November 28, 2017
Amazing!!
Another amazing read! I just love all the action and wondering what will happen next! I cant wait to read the next one!
Another amazing read! I just love all the action and wondering what will happen next! I cant wait to read the next one!
November 28, 2017
Stronger with each book
This series just gets better. I never know where the story will lead next. I can't stop reqding this series.
This series just gets better. I never know where the story will lead next. I can't stop reqding this series.
March 13, 2019
Holy cow! Can things get any crazier?
February 23, 2021
I plowwwwed through this one lol, yes the 3 book I still feel is more of a filler, but damn this one brings a punch! 2nd time round, still love it.
December 20, 2017
Entire series read before review. 3 1/2 stars This series was a fun distraction but way to unrealistic. Basically there are two sides the male and female. Gender relations bad and several groups fighting throughout books.
The author has a firm grasp on fighting scenes but love/relationship scenes are forced. Characters are well done. But these characters get the crap beat out of them, including one with a fractured skull but are out fighting almost immediately, even though they are supposed to stay home and recover. I just could not suspend my mind that much. Now her spin off series “The Girl Who Dared to Think” is great!
The author has a firm grasp on fighting scenes but love/relationship scenes are forced. Characters are well done. But these characters get the crap beat out of them, including one with a fractured skull but are out fighting almost immediately, even though they are supposed to stay home and recover. I just could not suspend my mind that much. Now her spin off series “The Girl Who Dared to Think” is great!
January 15, 2022
Es geht spannend weiter und obwohl ich zu Anfang der Reihe ja meine Schwierigkeiten mit Violet hatte, finde ich sie mittlerweile immer authentischer und ich fiebere sehr mit ihr und Viggo mit. Gut gefallen hat mir außerdem das man einen Einblick in Ambers "vorheriges" leben bekommt und erfährt wieso genau sie sich den Befreiern angeschlossen hat. Jedoch fehlte mit hier leider etwas die Tiefe.
Alles in allem hat die Reihe alles was für mich eine gute Story haben sollte und ich bin schon sehr gespannt auf die Fortsetzung.
Alles in allem hat die Reihe alles was für mich eine gute Story haben sollte und ich bin schon sehr gespannt auf die Fortsetzung.
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April 19, 2017
Review coming soon!!
November 24, 2019
I decided to pick this series and start it back up. The problem is, the beginning of the books literally picks up where the last one ends, making it so they all run together.
There at least was some character development and we got to see more of the side characters (Owen, Amber, Ms Dale, and the new guy Jeff) get some development too. I am particularly liking Owen and Jeff. I am also liking Viggo much better, but he character seems to be different with every book. And don't get me started on the voice actor for the audiobooks, though it doesn't less the story for me.
It's an okay series. I think now that I'm on book six, I'm wondering how they plan on resolving everything.
There at least was some character development and we got to see more of the side characters (Owen, Amber, Ms Dale, and the new guy Jeff) get some development too. I am particularly liking Owen and Jeff. I am also liking Viggo much better, but he character seems to be different with every book. And don't get me started on the voice actor for the audiobooks, though it doesn't less the story for me.
It's an okay series. I think now that I'm on book six, I'm wondering how they plan on resolving everything.
January 17, 2021
Another action-packed adventure. There were a few really funny moments in this one as well. Onto the next one.
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