Review: Not what I was expecting, but I still enjoyed it.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 1, 2014
Thirteen girls are taken and wake up to find themselves living under the care and guidance of a man that they are to call Master William. They are not called by their names, but rather by the number that has been tattooed on their hands. The rules are simple. Behave badly and be punished. Behave in the way that you’re supposed to and you will be generously rewarded.While most of the girls can remember who they are and where they came from, four of them cannot. These four are the special group that Master William is keeping a close eye on. They are drugged and hypnotized, being made to forget the memories that he doesn't think they can handle.Number Thirteen is different than the others. She has the most fight in her, and also the biggest heart. She cares what happens to the other girls in her group and not just herself. It sets her apart and Master takes notice. Is she what he’s been looking for all along? Or will she just continue to be another number, blending in with the rest of the crowd?First and foremost I feel the need to say that this isn't a dark romance. I see some confusion in other reviews, but I read the synopsis before reading the book and I knew going into it that it wasn't going to be a dark read. That being said, I was left a little conflicted on this book. Sure, there were some things that were far-fetched, such as the drugging and hypnotizing to forget your entire past, but I can work around that. It is fiction after all.While the book began a little on the slow side for me, I found that about half way through I was getting more and more drawn into the story. It kept me intrigued until the very end. One thing that I didn’t like was the fact that these women were getting stronger and seemingly more independent as the story progressed, but at the end of the novel they went right back to being dependent girls who slipped right back into being a number. Yes, that was a face palm moment for me. I like progression. It’s what I expect from a story.Number Thirteen was by far my favorite character in the story. She was strong willed, outspoken, and did what she could to keep the other girls safe. She was in the same predicament that they were but she refused to give up. I actually admired her for that.William was a little more complex. I could understand, to an extent, why he did what he did. His childhood was horrific and would undoubtedly leave you emotionally scarred among other things. So yes, he did what he thought was best in making sure that these girls had a better life. He may have taken them, but by doing so he really did save them. Now I’m not saying there weren't moments where I wanted to drop kick him, because there were, but when I stepped back to really examine him, I was able to understand.In the end I would rate this book 3-3.5 stars. There were a few inconsistencies that I noted throughout the book and I would have liked some more depth in certain scenes, but it wasn't a bad book and I found myself enjoying the story.*I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The fact that it was gifted in no way alters what I rate a book.*