Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication date: September 9th 2014
Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.
So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.
As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.
At any cost.
Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.
-Goodreads desciption
First of all, I wanted to say sorry for being MIA for almost two weeks...Ahhh! I've had so much on my plate lately and haven't been able to read AT ALL. I know, torture, right? What was even more agonizing was that I had started this book which I had been waiting ageeeeeees to read and then I had to just...leave it. But let me just say, it was well worth the wait. This book grabbed my attention way before it was even published and only continued to shock and please me as I kept reading. Rites of Passage is one of those books that will make you realize just how easy you've got it compared to those working to serve and protect.
The book is set at the DMA, a military academy, typically with an all male enrollment; that is until McKenna enrolls. Sam McKenna is not only one of the first girls to attend the Denmark Military Academy but she also follows in the footsteps of her military father and brothers who have upheld an esteemed family legacy. I'd have had my ass kicked the first hour, seeing how the DMA rolled.
Coming to the DMA, she is accused, abused, yelled at, beaten, pushed beyond ANYONE'S boundaries and pretty much anything else you could think of. Despite these roadblocks, she meets every challenge heads on, without a single complaint. Frustration? sure, who wouldn't? Doubts? yes. But, not once did she back down and even take into consideration quitting. Me? I would have been out of there after the first smoke show. Hell, I would have hit the road having to wake up at 0500. Yep, I'm that lazy. So, I was really able to appreciate our heroine's strong character, sense of motivation and fierce attitude.
Another aspect I was totally digging was the romance. Although it started off as a love triangle, it quickly became clear who was the main love interest. And, boy, did he succeed at that. Drill was dreamy and sweet but still had that tough, protective shell that was super intriguing. I won't lie, the forbidden aspect of the romance also played a part in choosing this book. However, it ended up being so much more. Rites of passage became a book that didn't need to have a very big physical side to the relationship because it already drew me in with its emotional intensity and that's not something I can say often. This attests perfectly to Hensley's writing as while her style was simple, it brought with it a torrent of feelings that were inescapable.
Definitely recommended for ANY reader of YA! Happy Reading!
- Alana xxx
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