PAWN by Aimee Carter

Rating: A-
Release Date: 11/26/13
Synopsis:
YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING. 

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country. 

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter. 

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

My thoughts on the book:
I absolutely adored the Goddess Test series by Aimee Carter, so it comes as no surprise that Pawn did not disappoint. Like with her previous work, Carter created dynamic characters, a suspenseful plot, and plenty of romantic tension. This is one of the few unique Dystopians out there, and I truly enjoyed every page of this novel. If you are looking for something new in the genre, then this book is for you.

Kitty is a likable and strong heroine. She's flawed, and she makes mistakes, but she tries to do what's best. There were a couple of times when I wanted to smack her, but overall, I really liked her character. I couldn't stand her attachment to Benjy, though, because I did not like him in the least. I understood it, but I didn't like it. Benjy doesn't seem to have much of a personality, and I just don't like guys with red hair, in general (long story), so that turned me off from him immediately. I know that Carter is probably trying to create a love interest that doesn't look like all the other love interests, but between his hair and his personality, I just was not impressed at all. In fact, Benjy is the reason I ranked this book as an A- instead of A+. Knox, on the other hand, completely won me over. I absolutely adored him. Celia is interesting, and I hope to learn more about her as the series progresses. Daxton is completely terrifying.

The plot itself is full of suspense. It kept me on the edge of my seat because anyone could die at any minute. Some of the things, such as a ranked society, had been done before, but completely turning Kitty into Lila with technologically advanced plastic surgery is a new concept, as far as I know. The world-building is top notch, and the futuristic America Carter created is horrifying. I would not want to live there. The romantic element is a bit frustrating because I loathe Benjy. There is a sort of love triangle between Kitty and Knox and Benjy guys, though it's complicated and much different than the generic, angsty YA love triangles. Therefore, it didn't annoy me. I'm completely rooting for Knox, though. We'll see what happens. Carter doesn't give any hints to make me think one guy may win over the other at this point. The ending is a cliffhanger, and I'm already counting the days until the release of the sequel. I hate cliffhangers, but this book was so good that it didn't anger me. 

Overall, I'd recommend Pawn to those who are looking for something a little bit different. With top notch characters, terrific world-building, and a suspenseful plot, Dystopian fans are sure to eat this book up.

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