January Black

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets,Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which force him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.

This was a very enjoyable novel. I was skeptical at first. The plot summary really does not do it do it justice.  The plot was filled with twists and turns to keep the reader intrigued.

I have this nasty habit of reading the concluding sentence of every book I read. I know it kills my mom that I do that. But I can’t help it. But with this novel I almost didn’t have to… not the almost… like I said it’s a nasty habit. January black starts off at one point in time and then the following chapters got back in time before chapter one and gives you all the lead up. I find that to be an interesting writing style as it almost forces me to look deeper in the story for clues to see if I can figure out which path this story will take to reach its destination.

There was one thing about January Black that really annoyed me… I nearly had to but the book down and walk away.  See January black is about a society of humans but its not set in our time. It was never mentioned if it as past or present… but to me it never really mattered as it was a work of fiction and therefore the author is free to do whatever really. But right near the end the society is explained. (to avoid spoiling the outcome for readers Ill leave it cryptic like that!) But as we were going down that path I could see were the author was headed and my brain was screaming, no begging “no not that… anything but that!” and yet I found us there… disappointed. It turned out to be a small annoyance as it wasn’t dwelt on… but I still thought the author could have been way more creative then the run of the mill predictable explanation she gave.

NO wait… I just thought of one more con to this other wise enjoyable read. There is a love story (as all teen reads have) however what starts off clean soon turns sexual. The main characters are Teens and so I guess it can be expected as its all teen stuff, I just don’t need to hear about the male reaction to pretty girls as I am reading. The love and attraction between them was clear… it didn’t need to be so blunt.

All and all I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to others

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