Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

Author: Imogen Rose
Title: Integration
Release: July 10, 2012
Series: Bonfire Academy #2
Reviewers: Chrissy, Mona Leigh
Source: Review Copies
Purchase: | Book Depository

Second haiku warning:

A boyfriend missing
A lover must pay in blood
A princess must die

Welcome back to Bonfire Academy.

What Chrissy had to say…

I really enjoyed reading Integration but I found that I like the first book in the series (Initiation) just a little bit better. There were several things in this novel that made no sense to me, but perhaps it will be explained in the following novel. I found the characters to be complex and either endearing or entirely loathsome depending on the character. I think that Bonfire Academy is a cauldron of turmoil and secrets but not entirely to the extent of books like Harry Potter.

I enjoyed catching up with some of the characters from the first book. I must agree with Mona, I have never read a book where one of the students eats another. That was incredibly original and a bit of a “what the heck was that?” moment for me. The pace of the story moved along nicely and the series of events lined up nicely as well. But I think that there were a bit too many loose ends.

All and all I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series. However, I must give my usual warning, while this is a young adult novel it may not be suitable for younger readers because of the violence, content, and language.

What Mona had to say….

Personally, I liked Integration more than the first book, Initiation, but to be fair, Ms. Rose had a lot of world building to do in the first offering. This time we were able to enjoy the characters and let the background take care of itself.

Cordelia is back helping Professor Bern, and Faustine is only slightly better at controlling her demon form. A death threat in the form of a haiku arrives, but considering so many of the students are royalty, it really doesn’t shed much light on the intended victims. Neither does it shed light on my question, “Why a haiku?” The poem doesn’t seem to fit with anything else in the story.

Mason, who had tried once before to kill Cordelia, has returned to school. Why? It all boils down to money. In case you’ve forgotten, Mason is the shapeshifter that can become either male or female.

Some of what transpires in the book makes no logical sense to me, and much information that should be disseminated to the students remains hush-hush. At least Quinn learns that Cordelia and Jagger are synced and therefore, life partners. He’s very angry about it, and I suspect his revenge won’t be long in coming.

I do believe this is the first story I’ve read where one classmate actually eats another. The guilty party must stand trial for the death, but really, how do you justify eating someone? Is it possible?

I’ve read reviews comparing the series to Harry Potter or Twilight, but personally, I don’t see even a vague resemblance. While the stories are interesting and fast paced, they’re not particularly deep or invite the reader to become vested in the outcome. But they are fun to read, and after all, isn’t that what we need from time to time?

Paperback Dolls is made up of women from different parts of the world, with different backgrounds, different tastes and beliefs that were brought together through a love of reading. We like to think of ourselves as a cyber version of "The View" that focuses on books, authors, and reading. We are proof positive that one common love can unite the most opposite of people and form lasting friendships that introduce other ways of life and perspectives to each other.

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