*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

First off, why did no one tell me there is the most beautiful male/male romance tucked inside this epic fantasy?! Seriously, my heart cannot handle how fantastic this story was. This book was EVERYTHING! It had all the delicious components I want in a YA fantasy, forbidden romance, scorned heroes, alternative worlds, alternative points of view, and a flawless balance that had me transporting into this purple skied, frosty planet.

I am having a lot of feels writing this review but most of these feels are for Court and Mykal...seriously my heart is ready to burst. These sweet, precious babies captured my heart and have held it prisoner. They are so tender, loving and adorable. They contrast and compliment, all the while trying to deny their feelings till they accept. And let me tell you, when the first real kiss happens at 69%...it was worth the wait! *fans self*

The plot was fast paced and action packed. I can't remember the last time I picked up a book and got pulled in so quickly. From the harsh landscape, to each character's baggage and backstory I couldn't put the book down. It's a high stakes game these characters are playing, one that if caught could end with deadly consequences.

It was an effortless read, as if Krista and Becca Ritchie have been writing YA fantasy their whole lives. Secrets are revealed, plot twists are neverending, and the huge cliff-hanger at the end had me quickly picking up book 2. It was truly a masterpiece and I can't wait to read more on these characters that have captured my heart.

Beautiful book! Never a dull moment with these characters ! I highly recommend this. These authors can do no wrong!!!

This book was everything I expected and more! I love Krista and Becca Ritchie!!! I loved their new adult books, and now this one! The writing is great and its packed with plenty of surprises! You will not be bored!!!!!

I'm probably the minority here but this didn't do anything for me. The rest of the Ritchie books I've read didn't involve a lot of world building so I was surprised to read the plot of this one and it turned out there wasn't any.

The concept of a world in which people know when they'll be dying has been done before, this one started with a bang but it died soon after. Fitting I suppose. I went into this for the world and I got a cliche situation going on about romance and relationships and all that stuff, the major attraction was barely an attraction.

*I WAS PROVIDED AN E-ARC BY THE PUBLISHER IN RETURN FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. THIS DOESN’T AFFECT MY OPINION*

This. Book. Blew. Me. AWAY!!!!!!

Talk about a sci-fi, fantasy lover’s DREAM book.

This story gripped your attention from the very beginning, not taking no for an answer when it took your hand in its grasp. One of the many worlds of Saltare we were introduced to is what we can only imagine as a permanent ice-age. Horrifying for heat fans like me, am I right?

The people of this world are subjected to one thing: honor of death. The day you’re born is the day you’re given your placement as either a babe—one who will die very young; a fast-tracker—one who will die either in their teens or early adult years; or an influential—one who will live a very long life.

Our first main character Franny is a fast-tracker. She’s lived a short life of working as a coach driver, messing around with drugs, hair dye, etc. However, the day after she’s supposed to die, she wakes up. At this point, we as readers knew this was coming but still found ourselves in a state of shock. The authors did a very great job of piecing this scene together, be it through fear and horrifying circumstances that some people do face in the real world.

Moving on, though. Court and Mykal, two guys who are not-so-secretly in love with each other and are literally bonded, feel Franny in her moment of fear and run to her rescue. We know bits and pieces of each character here, but we can’t help but love each of them.

Their stories are forever intertwined, and I love that this book brought about surprise after surprise after surprise. It was fairly hard to guess what would happen, and I adored that. This story was unique, it was thrilling, and it was addicting.

I found myself staying up late at night, squealing at some parts, and screaming at others. We were spoonfed our emotions back to us!

The character development was phenomenal, and the storyline was brilliant. For that, I rate this book 5 stars. I look forward to reading from these authors again, and I can’t wait to see what they release next.

1.5 stars, rounded up for concept, some of the writing, and a few really good scenes.

This book started with a bang. I loved the opening sections, which did a lot of narrative heavy lifting and set my expectations high for the rest of the book. Unfortunately those expectations weren't met nearly as well as I'd have liked. The world-building and the plot details ultimately took a backseat to the three main characters' FEELS. I'd never heard of these authors before, but have since gathered that they usually write New Adult & Contemporary Romance. Well, it shows. I don't mean to sound pejorative at all; I only mean to say that romance and feelings in a sci-fi/fantasy novel need to be integrated with the whole, not given primacy to the point where a sensical plot falls by the wayside.

The "Death Day" concept, where everyone knows exactly when they will die, was interesting but I'd have liked more world-building about how that works, as well as more world-building in general. I'm a sucker for a good "competition" story, so I kind of enjoyed the whole "Out of thousands of applicants, only a select few will get to do to space!" thing, but again, most of the details along the way didn't make any sense. There's also some interesting F/M/M queering between the three MCs, Franny, Court, and Mykal, who share a literal emotional bond (also not explained satisfactorily). This queer aspect had the potential to be the best thing about the book, but it didn't go far enough for me at all. It's like the book got shy.

By the end, I was like, "WTF did I just read," and unfortunately not in a good way. But there's a lot of potential here. As this is apparently the authors' first foray into sci-fi/fantasy, I'm impressed with their level of imagination.

Where to begin?! The Raging Ones by Krista & Becca Ritchie is the first in a sci-fi/fantasy duology that left my heart racing. On a frozen world where everyone knows the day they will die, three people dodge their deaths and become inextricably linked. They feel each others emotions, they taste what the other is tasting, smell what the other smells. To save one another, they apply for a chance to win a seat aboard the Stardust (think NASA meets CIA) mission. Full of twists and turns that will leave the reader guessing The Raging Ones has found a place on my favorites list.

Meet Franny, Court, & Mykal
The book begins with Franny’s deathday. She is a Fast-Tracker (meaning someone that will die between the ages of 13-29). Fast-Trackers, or FTs for short, live every day like it is their last day. They party, drink, smoke. They are this world’s workers. FTs are waiters, concierge, taxi drivers. They are the working class. Franny embodies what an FT is. When we meet Franny, she uses the last of her money for pills that will give her a peaceful high on her deathday. Except death doesn’t come for Franny. She wakes up, freezing, someone is stealing her clothing off her, and it is the day after she was supposed to die. Everything Franny knows, her faith and need to rejoin her mother, is now in question. Then two boys save her.

Court is my favorite character in the book, even if he can be prickly at times. His past is a mystery. His last name however brands him as someone who spent time at Vorkter (prison). Every convict receives the last name and is stripped of their own. Court also took a new first name, severing all ties to his past. His reasons are shrouded. He doesn’t let Franny or Mykal in on his secrets. These secrets eat him alive. He can’t sleep, barely eats, and even his posture is tight and rigid. Despite all these things, or maybe because of them, I love him. Beneath the ice surrounding him, he is fragile. Something Franny and Mykal recognize as they feel his emotions, even if they don’t always understand the motives behind them. Court is driven and laser-focused on finding a way off the planet because he fears what will happen to them if the government knows they dodged their deathdays.

Mykal is a brute, but kind. He brings levity to the group and keeps them grounded. Raised in Grenpale (basically as I read I pictured this as an extremely rurally area), he doesn’t quite fit in the city. He was a Babe (someone that was supposed to die before 12 years of age), but that didn’t stop him from learning to hunt and fend for himself. When he didn’t die, he left his village and lived alone on the ice fields, until a bleeding, near-death Court found him. They’ve been together two years when they feel Franny and bring her into the fold. He doesn’t question what doesn’t have answers which makes him a breath of fresh air. I love his POV chapters. He isn’t complicated to understand. What you see is what you get with Mykal.

Deathdays, Empaths, and Stardust
The Raging Ones is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the empathic connection among Franny, Mykal, and Court. It explores the whys and hows allowing the reader to adjust to their strange situation. When I first started reading, I was kinda dreading this dynamic thinking the authors had set up a love triangle. But it isn’t that at all! Their love for one another runs deeper than that. They care for each other in a way that none of them have felt except from family. The second part deals with their attempts to win a seat on Stardust. This is where the action is. The first part is a slow building, introducing the reader to the world and characters. The second part is fast-paced action as they deal with other contenders, classes, and what the Stardust mission really is.

Final Thoughts
Overall I really enjoyed The Raging Ones. I love the mix of characters, their dynamic with one another and how it affected them. I love the world-building and can’t wait for more! And that ending 😭 I need more ASAP! I need to know what’s going to happen and what to expect from here. I feel like the authors ripped the rug out from under me after I’d just got a grip on what was going on. Now I’m lost again and need answers! If you enjoy fast-paced science fiction with a mixture of fantasy and touch of dystopia, I highly recommend you grab a copy.

In a world where everyone knows the day they are going to die, Franny, Mykal, and Court have somehow lived past their given death dates. They also share an inexplicable connection that allows them to feel each others connections, emotions, and memories.

Overall, this was an interesting sci-fi read which mixed in the right mix of romance and suspense. For me, however, the tension building to the main event could have been a little better and I also felt that the ending had a lot going on, as to set up the next book.

I would recommend this because it is a breath of fresh air in sci-fi books.

The story of Court, Mykal, and Franny starts out slow. You learn that they live on a planet where everyone knows from birth the exact date they’ll die. These death dates have divided the planet into sort of factions: Babes, Fast Trackers, and Influentials. Babe die at a very young age, Fast Trackers usually live until their 20’s, and Influentials can live 100+ years. Fast Trackers all perform service type jobs and usually live a fast and hard life full of drinking, drugs, and sex. They know they don’t have much time, but know bodily abuses won’t kill them. Influentials on the other hand are usually wealthy, go to college, and have important jobs.
So when Mykal, Court, and Franny (Babes and Fast Trackers) somehow survive past their death date and become psychologically linked, things get tricky. The band together and decide to disguise themselves as Influentials in hopes of gaining access to a space mission that will get them off their planet and hopefully by them the freedom they were somehow gifted. Of course things are never that easy and there are lots of twists and upsets along the way.
The slow pace of the first half of the book was definitely a bit tough to get through, especially since I’m already a slow reader. But once things picked up the actions and emotions of the story only got better. The last 10 chapters of the book have you on the edge of your seat, and you’re left with a cliffhanger that will have you impatiently waiting for the next book.
Overall this is a fun and imaginative new take on the science fiction dystopian trope that’s become so popular in the last 10 years. The characters have struggles that impact one another thanks to their link and it really makes the reader question how they would navigate a situation like that. I hope you’ll pick up this book soon especially because book 2, The Last Hope, comes out on August 13th.

I fell in love with the concept of The Raging Ones immediately. A society where everyone knows the day they will die? Sign me up. And what I love is how Richie & Ritchie consistently play with our expectations regarding the death days. It creates an atmosphere where people are viewed as what they can offer the society - where people can die as babes, in their teens, and ones who will vastly outlive the others. A society where we treat these people differently, new social classes, and how they all view their agency, death, and future.

Thank you for providing a copy of this book for review however I was unable to open the file for this document unfortunately! Apologies.

Living for this story. I knew I loved K&B and the worlds they create in their Addicted series. But this is a whole other ballgame. The world is incredible. The storytelling is magnificent. Can’t wait for the next one.

I really wanted to love this one but unfortunately this one after a while just wasn't going anywhere. The aspect of knowing when you are going to die was one that was very interesting but the execution of that world and what these authors did with it wasn't done very well in my eyes. I found that there were major parts of the story that were very slow and just not enough world building. I wished that this would have been more about these characters vs. this contest that they went to.

This dynamic sister duo has been a favorite of mine with their romance novel and I was pleased when they decided to write this YA novel that was intensely satisfying.

I've been holding on this book until the second book released and I could do a full, conplete read.

I'll review both books as a series and will update this post along with The Last Hope feedback closer to release.

2.5 stars

The Raging Ones has an interesting premise, but the story itself didn't seem to live up to its potential. I'm a fan of the authors' New Adult romance novels, so I was surprised to find that the writing was all over the place. Because of how long I've been looking forward to this book, I was more than a little disappointed when it didn't live up to my expectations.

The world building was severely lacking. The pace was off completely, and the character development wasn't the best. On top of that, I'm still unsure what one of the guy's looks like, because the authors never really says. I don't understand the boys' motivations for treating Franny the way they do. Their treatment of her upset me big time. I didn't like that she was left out all the time. They share such an intense bond that being on the outside of that must be painful in more ways than one.

Franny is the only character that I felt like I had a good grasp on. I came to care for her very much over the course of the novel, and I'm invested enough in her to want to continue with the series. Despite my many issues with this book, I'm willing to give the second book a chance. As I said before, I know the authors have it in them to write an amazing book, and this installment was enjoyable at times. I hope this was just a fluke and book 2 blows me away!

Holy incredible start to a series Batman! I am still reeling at what I read! I need more, more, morrrree now! I found that there was a love triangle in this book so I put it on hold because that is a trope that I hate on most days. Now I am totally kicking myself for waiting! This is my first time reading a book from these two authors and what can I say? I am an addict! the world building was on point, the characters are multidimensional, and the concept is freshly new. I am already looking for te next book!

So I started reading this book last year. I was bored with the first part of the book so I put it down for months before I picked it back up again. Well I just finished reading it and wonder to myself why I stopped. Overall the book was good and interesting. I am still trying to wrap my head around the whole being one thing.It is an interesting premise the book and the planet is not like Earth that's for sure. If you feel like it is a little boring at the beginning of this book I encourage you to read through it because it gets more complicated and far more interesting. I can't wait for the next book.



*I received a free copy of this book via the NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

I did not realize/understand what the content of this book when I requested it, so therefore, when I got into the story and realized where I was, I knew it wasn’t for me. I knew what it was about ESSENTIALLY, but not the content hidden underneath-and for that, this DNF Is my fault and I feel badly about it.

Ah it pains me to give this book such a low rating. The first 20% was amazing and fast paced. I was enthralled by it and was already telling my friends that I thought this book was going to be fantastic. After the 20% mark, it started to go downhill.

I had several problems with the writing while reading the novel. The characters don’t really get developed throughout the book and after the 20% mark I just couldn’t find it in me to care about any of them. There were loads of plot holes that never got resolved and I still have so many questions. There was a huge portion of the book that bored me to tears. And the cliffhanger? Well, it made no sense whatsoever. I found the lackluster ending to not be enough to make me want to read the sequel.

In the beginning, I had hoped that the LGBTQ themes in the beginning would amount to some epic romance, but that wasn’t delved into in the way I had hoped. The world-building was severely lacking. After those first few chapters, we’re inundated with a whole lot of telling and very little showing. This book had so much potential, but I don’t know what happened that its quality began to decline.