Nameless by Jennifer Jenkins (ARC) Review

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Publisher: Month9Books

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Pages: 336

Summary

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.

My Review

You're probably thinking that Nameless is like every other dystopian book out there but you'd wrong. Sure, it has a girl seeking revenge while trying to save her sister and accidentally being the tipping point of people who have been suppressed for far too long. But this book is in a league of it's own, whether it's the world-building, the character's, or even the romance. This is a book that you don't want to miss!

Zo the main character is a healer and a wolf infiltrating the Ram, in order to get information to her clan to finally put an end to the Ram's reign of horror and violence and she has everything figured out too. But what she didn't plan for was her younger sister, Tess following her into enemy territory. Zo is a no-nonsense kind of girl, especially when it comes to her mission and her sister. Regardless, if she's starting to care for some of the Ram's or not she doesn't let her feelings get in the way and for once I was glad for that. Why? Because as much as I don't condone revenge (after all it gets you nowhere except maybe killed) Zo had her mind set on getting revenge and wasn't about to let one good-looking Ram soldier stop her from that. 

And on to the second character Gryphon, the Ram soldier who is super terrifying that is until you're in his head and realize that he's not as bad as he makes himself out to be. For once I'm glad we have the pov of the male character, his voice is just as important because it gives us insight into the world of the Ram. Yes, the Ram are cruel and violent but not all of them are like that. With Gryphon, we get to see both sides, he didn't choose to be a Ram and just because he's a part of them doesn't mean he's like them. Gryphon doesn't enjoy killing but he's a Ram, it's part of his upbringing and yet as much as he wants to bring honor to his family (Mulan anyone? Only me..okay) he doesn't agree with everything that the Ram do. He has his own thoughts and knows what's right and wrong but it's not so easy voicing them or following them. But now because of Zo he has a choice to make and that choice will either free him or kill him.

The romance in this book was just the right amount without overpowering the whole story and I liked that. Especially since it's the slow burn kind of romance, none of that oh my god we're in love let's leave all our responsibilities behind and run off together! No, the two main character's loved each other but had their priorities straight and had hard choices to make. 

Nameless has the perfect combination of action, romance, and character's and I just love it so much that I need the sequel, like right now! And where is my Gryphon! I need him in my life! And Joshua, he'd be the cutest little cousin I never thought I'd want, which I know I didn't mention as much or Tess but they are just as important and made my heart hurt and also fill with joy! I just got side-tracked, forgive me, Joshua! If you're looking to feed the always hungry bookworm in you make sure to get your hands on a copy of this book when it comes out, you can thank me later!

Rating: 4 stars

I received an eArc through Month9Books in exchange for an honest review.