Synopsis From Goodreads
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.
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.
Source: Bought Second Hand
Series: Sadly Still a Standalone
This is my second review of Rites of Passage, my original review from my first reading of this book back in April can be found here. I don't know how many of my follows have heard of the BBC TV series Our Girl (?) but we are due to start the third series next week. I mention Our Girl because as I re-read this book I began to draw parallels between this book and the first series of Our Girl (which I have just finished re-watching in preparation for the new series).
So Our Girl follows Molly Dawes on her first tour as a army medic in Afghanistan, while Sam is trying to survive Military School, but there are some similarities in their situation. Both are in a male dominated world trying to prove their worth as soldier's as well as making a point that woman are as strong as men - they are both got a bit of a determined streak. They both have to battle with those in there rank (and above) who would rather see the back of them, although this is less of a feature in Our Girl than it is in Rites of Passage where this is the major plot. There relationship with there fellow recruits/soldier's go though similar flows, in that swing from them wanting her gone (with a few sticking up for her) to becoming a group of over protective brothers. There is also a bit of an alikeness in regard to the romance apart from one difference which I won't share in case of spoilers.
Anyway moving away from my Our Girl comparisons, I still I love this book. I was as hooked almost as much as the first time, it keep me up reading and it was the first thing I reached for in the morning. There were a few wee details that I had forgotten so it was fun to rediscover them. I had completely forgotten the last few pages, which just made me want a sequel all over again. Just looking back at my original review and this time I had remembered the harshness of the academy so this wasn't as gripping for me, as the first time I just didn't know how much 'worse' it could get for girls but this time I had more of an idea. Also the romance didn't feel as though it took me as long to get to this time and I enjoyed watching there interactions before they showed any romantic interest.
Still highly recommend Rites of Passage, and for all those who enjoyed Our Girl I particularly recommend you check this book out, and let me know if you see the same similarities as me.
