Tuesday, April 24, 2018

"The Revolutionary: Liberate the Captives" by Kristen Hogrefe and GiveAway


About the Book



Title: The Revolutionary: Liberate the Captives  
Author: Kristen Hogrefe
Genre: Young Adult, Action, Adventure  
Release Date: March, 2018  
Freedom costs more than Portia wants to pay, but revolutions run on sacrifice … and blood. Three months a satellite prisoner, Portia wonders if the Brotherhood has left her to die—until she plunges into the domain of an underground smuggler contacted by her brother. But her rescue comes with a price tag only she can pay, and now, she must forfeit her identity to act as a spy back in the dizzying politics of Crystal. There, she learns that her enemies want the Dome to approve mass satellite executions. No one knows why. Worse, they’re using her friend Luther, now a Court Citizen intern, to sign the short-term orders. She desperately wants to confide in Luther, but can she still trust him with the company he keeps? Plagued by shadows and guilt for leaving her protector Gath behind on the satellite, Portia must find a way not only to rescue him and the other prisoners, but also to destroy the slave camps once and for all.

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Review:                                                              "The Revolutionary: Liberate the Captives" by Kristen Hogrefe is the second book in the "The Rogues" series. I guess some readers would enjoy it as a standalone but I am glad I read the first book in the series first because "The Revolutionary" starts where the first book ends.                                    

If you like books about corrupt government and spies and revenge then this a series for you.

I think there should be a third book because this book left me with questions like, where is..... and what really happened to Portia's dad?

This novel had me questioning all throughout the book who were the good guys and who was really the enemy.

This book has violence, killing with guns and some drinking but it is a clean love story and yes I wouldn't have a problem with my teenage granddaughters read this book.

The Bible is mentioned and the story tells how a character is changed after witnessing how a character won't deny that Jesus is real. This was my favorite part of the book.

I liked reading about the different disguises and characters that Portia had to pretend to be to complete her mission.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.


About the Author


Kristen Hogrefe is a multi-published novelist and teacher who challenges young adults and the young at heart to think truthfully and live daringly. Her publishing journey began in 2010 with the first book in her young adult (YA) suspense trilogy Wings of the Dawn. She completed the trilogy in the fall of 2014, and in 2016, contracted with Write Integrity Press for a new YA dystopian trilogy: The Rogues. Kristen also has the heart of an educator and mentor. She teaches secondary language arts for Alpha Omega Academy and served in youth ministry for many years. Through Word Weavers International, she encourages aspiring writers and acts as president for an online writing group. She enjoys speaking events that allow her to connect with readers and other writers. A lifelong Florida resident, Kristen loves adventuring outdoors and running with friends. Connect with her online at KristenHogrefe.com.

Guest Post from Kristen Hogrefe

Identity, Coffee, and a Sprinkle of History in The Revolutionary The primary purpose of fiction is to entertain, but I think good fiction goes deeper by teaching us something about human nature, something about ourselves. The Revolutionary begins three months after Portia arrived at a satellite prison camp. She feels forgotten by her brother and friends who promised to rescue her. Deeper than the physical pain of starvation, she battles the emotional rawness from the dehumanization of her identity. A number replaces her name, and the Wasps who mistreat prisoners mockingly call them “rabbits.” When a two-faced smuggler helps her escape, her identity struggles continue. She dons multiple aliases to survive and help the Brotherhood launch a daring plan to destroy the satellite camps and oust the ruling Friend and Dome. The theme of identity is one I hope will resonate with teens and adult readers alike. At some point, we all ask ourselves, “What defines me?” Is it our friends, an academic program, a relationship, or a job? While those things describe our day-to-day lives, they themselves shouldn’t define us. The source of our true identity must come from somewhere deeper. That’s the question Portia has to wrestle with, and one I hope readers will consider. A Cup of Joe Confession: One aspect of characterization I enjoy is giving my characters a small piece of myself. One of my early readers for book one, The Revisionary, remarked, “Let me guess. You like coffee.” I laughed and replied, “How could you tell?” Maybe lines like this one gave the fact away: “I start a pot of coffee. At least the aroma makes life smell better” (Portia, The Revisionary). In book two, I incorporate the memory-association of coffee for Portia as she thinks back to simpler times (like dorm life with Lydia). Coffee also serves as a catalyst for an important scene where Portia, in disguise, serves her enemies and in turn learns of their disturbing plans for the satellites. What about you? Are you a coffee drinker? If you are, I hope you’ll enjoy a giveaway opportunity for a Starbucks gift card. After all, coffee does make life smell better. A Sprinkle of History Two summers ago, my brother and I had the opportunity to visit the North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. It’s the historical site for the “shot heard round the world” that ignited the American Revolution. In book two, Portia and the Brotherhood launch their own threadbare revolution. Though the odds are against them, they’re determined to stop the abuses by those in power. My own visit to this famous site helped inspire Portia’s journey of discovery and the Brotherhood’s fictional parallels to the American Revolutionary War. Writing the scene where she rediscovers this birthplace of liberty was one of my favorites, because I walked the North Bridge and poured over books researching what happened that fateful day. I hope the scene comes alive for my readers and quickens their interest in history and its relevance for us today.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, April 10
Multifarious, April 13
A Greater Yes, April 14
Carpe Diem, April 18
Simple Harvest Reads, April 22 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)
Artistic Nobody, April 23 (Spotlight)
Bigreadersite, April 25
Reading is my Super Power, April 25 (Interview)

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Kristen is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Starbucks Gift Card!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca44

3 comments:

James Robert said...

Congrats on the tour and I appreciate the book description, review and the great giveaway as well. Love the tours, I get to find books and share with my sisters the ones I know they would enjoy reading and they both love to read. Thank you!

Faith Creech said...

Thanks for your review! This book looks really intriguing!

faithdcreech at gmail dot com

Danielle H. said...

Thanks for the review--if you'd let your teens read this book, then I feel confident I could read it. I love the faith part of this book as well as the thriller aspect. Totally new read for me with this mix.