Review: The V Girl by Mya Robarts

21799202The V Girl
By: Mya Robarts
Publisher: Self-Published
Published: June 20, 2014
Genre: Dystopian New Adult Romance
Rating:
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Goodreads

In post-apocalyptic North America, rape and sexual slavery are legal. Lila Velez, desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and can take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend, Rey, the most attractive man in her town. Lila does not love him but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute of love.

Lila’s coping mechanism to her mother’s rape and kidnapping is her secret. A secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey, a foreign, broody man. Lila does not trust him because his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. Aleksey offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself.

All the while Lila will have to find a way to live in the constant company of death, slavery, starvation, sexual abuse and the danger of losing the people she loves the most.

Due to mature content, this book is intended for +18 readers.

 

 

1thoughtsLila lives in a cruel world. A world where recruitment isn’t just for military but rather for the military’s sexual services. The soldiers go from town to town and recruit young men and women to be their own personal sex slaves. That’s not the worst part, during the recruitment process, the soldiers can choose anyone to rape on a ceremonial stone. The soldiers will be coming to Lila’s town next and she’s of age to be recruited. She refuses to have her first time be against her will. So, she tries to get her best-friend to sleep with her. However, she wasn’t expecting the protection and love of a certain neutral cop.

This story reminded me a lot of The Bronze Horseman. You have Lila who is in a place of need. Her father and brother have medical conditions that make her family the town pariahs. Lila is a very inexperienced girl when it comes to love, relationships, and sex. So, when Aleksey shows up and takes a sudden interest in her by offering her family protection, giving them his food rations, and ultimately taking care of them as best as he can without raising suspicion among the other cops. So many things reminded me of The Bronze Horseman but at the same time, the author added so many new elements to it that I didn’t feel like I was reading the same story.

My one major complaint about the book was the fact that it felt like the book had never graced the desk of an editor. There were words missing, sentences that were jumbled up, and sometimes it took me a few tries to figure out what the author meant. I generally tend to overlook them as long as they don’t interfere with the flow of the story but there were so many of them that it became a big problem for me. I think once this goes through the editorial wringer it will be great.

Aside from that though I though the story was great. I fell for Aleksey immediately. I mean, here he is, new to the area and all of a sudden he’s saving Lila’s family left and right. Once during an air raid when the person at the bunker entrance wouldn’t let them enter because of her father and brother’s disabilities. Aleksey could have just turned a blind eye and let them continue on their way to a new hiding spot but instead he marches up to that bunker and rains hell and fire down on the guy who didn’t let them in. He doesn’t stop there though, when their home is destroyed in the air raid, no one is willing to take them in even though they’ve been ordered to take in those who need a place to stay. Again, he could have just let the towns people figure it out on their own, but not Aleksey. Nope. He shames them all for their behavior and then takes Lila’s family to the building where he tends to injured soldiers since his position is sort of like a doctor. There were just so many sweet things he did for Lila that really melted my heart.

“I’ve put my life at risk for others ever since I joined the Army. It’d be a nice change to risk my life for something I want for me. I crave you.”

While I loved Aleksey, I couldn’t stand Lila. She was supposed to be eighteen years old but the way she behaved made me think she was closer to fourteen. I mean, she keep trying to sleep with her friend who doesn’t want to sleep with her. Meanwhile, there’s Aleksey who’s taken care of her from the day he arrived and has offered his services to her but she refuses him. Not only that but knowing about the dangers leading up to the recruitment, she does stupid things like leave her house at night to try to seduce her friend. Mind you, there are patrols going on with soldiers and cops around who wouldn’t hesitate to take privileges with a teenage girl who’s out at night. Heck, one guy had already assaulted her already in broad daylight with people around. Those people just turned a blind eye. So tell me why, why would you go out at night knowing the dangers?! She really frustrated me.

The V Girl was nothing like I expected. It was dark, gritty, but at the same time very romantic. I know those things shouldn’t go together but they did. I think the sweet romance between Aleksey and Lila helped balance out all of the darkness. I enjoyed reading this story and look forward to what the author has in store for readers next.

 

1favequote“You usually can’t recall all the people you’ve shared laughs with. But you rarely forget the people you’ve shared your tears with.”

kRISTIN

8 Thoughts on “Review: The V Girl by Mya Robarts

  1. I’m sad to hear that this book wasn’t well edited because I loved the concept and was really hoping to read this one. But an unedited book will make me crazy! (I’m a freelance editor myself, and I have a really hard time ignoring those sorts of things. Sigh.)

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

  2. Well, I’ll admit the story sounds fascinating but Lila sounds really annoying. I think she might ruin the whole story for me.

    • She did get on my nerves. It was as if the author was trying to make suspenseful moments when they weren’t really needed. I still found the story entertaining though.

  3. I love TBH… aside from the war and stuff, I don’t see the resemblance? Maybe I have to read this so I can see the angle. I hope the author reads this review and decides to pay for an editor, it’ll help with the story I’m sure!

    • You know how TBH’s love story is about a soldier fighting the war and a girl just trying to survive but against all odds they find love in the most horrific of circumstances? Well, it’s like that. Oh and the whole age difference thing is in there as well. Plus, he gives her his food rations and takes care of her and her family when they need it which reminded me a lot of Alexander.

  4. The version I read had huge passages, even several chapters blacked out. The reading experience was ruined. Does anyone know anything about this oddity?

    • I would try deleting and re-downloading the book onto your ereader device. It sounds like something happened when it was downloaded. If that doesn’t work, contact whichever store you got the ebook from. I snagged my copy from Amazon and it didn’t have any glitches.

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