By:
Victoria Scott
Publisher:
Entangled Teen
Release Date:
May 16, 2017
Add to
Goodreads
Source:
ARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review
GR's Summary:
Her name is Domino Ray.
But the voice inside her head has a different name.
When Madam Karina finds Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position at her girls' home in secluded West Texas. With no alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn't long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam's approval...and falling for Cain, the mysterious boy living in the basement.
But the madam has horrible secrets. So do the girls in the house. So does Cain. Escaping is harder than Domino expects, though, because the madam doesn't like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn't know about the danger living inside Domino's mind.
Madam Karina doesn't know about Wilson.
My Thoughts:
Violet Grenade was an odd, but enchanting little tale. This page turner was full of mystery, intrigue, and thrills. I held on to every word, and sat right alongside Domino Ray, as this roller coaster ride took me on a perilous, yet exciting adventure. I had high expectations for Violet Grenade, because Victoria Scott is one of my favorite young adult/new adult authors! I loved her Dante Walker Series, as well as her Fire & Flood Series, and standalone title, Titans. Each of these works were so different, but no less enthralling. Ms. Scott knows how to captivate an audience, and leave them begging for more!
In Violet Grenade, we meet a very interesting character in Domino Ray. My love for psychology made Domino a character that I loved getting to know. I enjoyed analyzing and dissecting Domino's personality. There were so many layers to her character, and the deeper Ms. Scott delved, the more intrigued I got. Curiosity was one of the driving forces behind me turning the pages so rapidly. I had to figure out and solve the puzzle of who exactly Domino was, as well as what led her to become the way she was.
Seventeen year old Domino Ray starts off the story as a homeless teen in Detroit, squatting in an abandoned house with her best friend Dizzy. However, shortly after the story begins, Violet meets Madam Karina, who gives her hope for a better life. The Madam whisks Violet away to west Texas to live in, "Madam Karina's Home for Burgeoning Entertainers." Once she arrives, the story really begins to take off.
There is a lot of mystery surrounding what happens in the madame's home. There are different levels for each group of girls. The lowest group of girls are the Carnations, then we have the Daisies, Tulips, Lilies, and the highest and most revered group, the Violets. The higher level group you're in, the more money you make, the more respect you are given, and less gruelsome chores. Each group of girls have different tasks, and Domino is determined to become a Violet. She wants to save enough money to one day make a home for herself.
As the new girl and a favorite of Madame Karina's, Domino quickly becomes targeted by the other girls. She is viewed as competition, as every girl in the house is competing with one another in their cohort. Domino is continually bullied, threatened, harassed, and terrorized by the majority of girls in the home. However, she makes good friends with Poppet, a sweet, caring, and insecure girl who is often made fun of, and Cain, one of the few guys that works for Madam Karina.
Together, Domino and Cain made a great team. They both had a vulnerability to them, yet also a quiet and resilient strength. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Cain in the story. Yet we lean about him slowly, as Violet and him grow closer and connect on a deeper level. There was also a sweet little romance that developed between Domino and Cain, even though that was not the central focus of the story. I loved Cain. He was one of my favorite characters. Cain was very protective of Domino, and the friendship, love, and loyalty that they shared was a beautiful thing to witness.
Violet Grenade is a must read! It will make you think, come up with a variety of theories regarding Madame Karina's home, as well as the background stories behind Violet, Cain, and Madame Karina herself. This book was a real page turner, and a one-sitting kind of read!
There is a lot of mystery surrounding what happens in the madame's home. There are different levels for each group of girls. The lowest group of girls are the Carnations, then we have the Daisies, Tulips, Lilies, and the highest and most revered group, the Violets. The higher level group you're in, the more money you make, the more respect you are given, and less gruelsome chores. Each group of girls have different tasks, and Domino is determined to become a Violet. She wants to save enough money to one day make a home for herself.
As the new girl and a favorite of Madame Karina's, Domino quickly becomes targeted by the other girls. She is viewed as competition, as every girl in the house is competing with one another in their cohort. Domino is continually bullied, threatened, harassed, and terrorized by the majority of girls in the home. However, she makes good friends with Poppet, a sweet, caring, and insecure girl who is often made fun of, and Cain, one of the few guys that works for Madam Karina.
Together, Domino and Cain made a great team. They both had a vulnerability to them, yet also a quiet and resilient strength. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Cain in the story. Yet we lean about him slowly, as Violet and him grow closer and connect on a deeper level. There was also a sweet little romance that developed between Domino and Cain, even though that was not the central focus of the story. I loved Cain. He was one of my favorite characters. Cain was very protective of Domino, and the friendship, love, and loyalty that they shared was a beautiful thing to witness.
Violet Grenade is a must read! It will make you think, come up with a variety of theories regarding Madame Karina's home, as well as the background stories behind Violet, Cain, and Madame Karina herself. This book was a real page turner, and a one-sitting kind of read!
My Rating:
About Victoria Scott:
Victoria Scott is the author of seven novels including Titans (Spring 2016), Violet Grenade (Summer 2017), the Fire & Flood series, and the Dante Walker trilogy. She is published by Scholastic and Entangled Teen, and is represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger Literary Agency. Two of Victoria’s novels, Salt & Stone and Titans, have received starred reviews, and Fire & Flood was nominated as a YALSA Teens’ Top 10 book for 2015. Victoria’s novels have been bought and translated in eleven foreign markets. The author currently resides in Dallas, and loves hearing from her readers.
