A Dangerous Year (Riley Collins, #1)

by Kes Trester

• ISBN10: 1987493117
• ISBN13: 9781987493115
• Publish Date: 1 May 2018 (first published 1 May 2017)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 228
• Language: English

Reviews

Similar to: Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor
Sort of like: Find Me by Romily Bernard and Trust Me I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer.

This was interesting. I liked the premise and the close knit relationships with Benson and her dad. It started off really strong. I liked Riley as a character - even though she was more or less a mess. As much as she was supposed to be competent - she never quite was. There were a lot of rookie mistakes. She didn't seem as smart as the author kept telling me she was. The whole thing with Rose irritated me - mainly because it gets mentioned and then takes a whole book to get into it. There's a lot that just sort of falls to the side forgotten and that irritated me a lot. The plot really needs to be reworked for a tighter narrative.

I liked the rest of the characters, although the romance was stupid. I would've preferred Sam as a friend. Or Von as only a friend or no romance. Love triangles annoy me. I would've liked to see more of Stef and more of Hadley - particularly spending time with Riley and building a relationship. But that was more or less fine. There were some funny and witty comments thrown around which made me chuckle. I did enjoy Benson's rules - I just would've liked to see them more closely followed or implemented.

90% or so is three stars - it's good but not great, enjoyable but not riveting. The last 10% was awesome and would easily be 4 stars if we forget everything else. But there's also a tonne of cliffhangers and no sign of a sequel. I didn't see the twists coming. And they were funny. Really funny. And it kind of made up for the rest - so I'm rating 4 stars but keep in mind average is more like 3.5 stars.

[readingwithwrin]

Thank you to the author for sending me this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Not everything that makes a person valuable can be found in some file. I might be different, I might not have a trust fund or a pedigree like some overbred poodle, but I matter."


By now you should all know my love for YA spy novels. I can't get enough of them, so when I saw this book I knew I had to read it!


Riley has moved from city to city with her dad who is an ambassador and his security chief who has taught her how to stay safe in these cities as she is a target.



"The trick is to find one thing every day you like, or at least that you don't hate. Do it long enough, and you'll finally realize it's okay."



After having helped a young girl, Riley is now a target and is being sent back to the states to go to boarding school and to keep another teenage girl safe as well. Can she do it without blowing her cover? And will she be able to make it in an American Boarding School that is so different from anything she has always known?



"You've already been tested by those men in the marketplace. You know who you are, and nobody is going to change that - least of all some snot-nosed ankle biters barely out of nappies. Are we clear?"



I couldn't get enough of this book, Riley is such a likable character and she is still dealing with normal teenage things along with being undercover. Also, she isn't this perfect spy overnight either, she messes up occasionally and knows it after the fact and tries to fix it. (This hasn't always been the case in the YA spy type novels I've read before.) She's juggling schoolwork, possible new relationship, and having a roommate who doesn't hate her but is still dealing with the loss of the previous roommate who died right before the beginning of the semester and is just a little unsure of new people in general due to who her dad is. Plus there is also the headmistress who isn't pleased that she is there and another girl who actually does hate her because of who she gets to be a roommate with.



"Manners have nothing to do with it. Never be less thank you are because it's what people want or expect of you. Rise to every challenge, and be gracious when you win. The true test of character, which Mr.Digby utterly failed this morning is to also be gracious when you lose."



Riley's dad and the security chief were both extremely caring as well and they had a tough time as well with Riley leaving them for the first time ever. She talks to them a lot and they help as much as they can from so far away. (Actually involved parent and other adults in a YA novel. Finally!)

This book has so so much going for it and I can't wait to read the next one and see what Riley gets up to next!!