Reeling from her boyfriend's disappearance, Raevyn Jones is shocked to learn that she is considered suspect number one. To make matters worse, rumors are swirling that golden boy, Jeffrey Donnelly, isn't just missing...he may never be coming back.
And Raevyn is being framed.
Her second semester at Benjamin Wallace Fitzgerald University, the nation's first Ivy League institution for African Americans, is full of twists and turns.
Soon Raevyn will learn not to trust anyone, not even the people she calls friend.
Raevyn is back for the new semester, though alot has changed since she finished last semester. Her secret boyfriend Jeffrey is missing and Raevyn seems to have been the last person to see her alive and now she is the number #1 suspect to have murdered him or at least had something to do with his disappearance. The only thing is that Raevyn fell asleep next to him and then when she woke up he was gone and all that was left was an anonymous note. The other downside is that Raevyn's roommate was to be Jeffrey's partner as of course Regina Fitzgerald is Legacy material just like Jeffrey and Raevyn is a nobody. Is that true though as Raevyn's past comes back to haunt her and it seems that her family has quite a few skeletons hiding in their closet especially surrounding the birth of Raevyn herself. Also during this novel is the infamous House Games and this year things are about to get even more deadlier than before as the games are taken to a whole new level. What will it take for the police to realise that Raevyn had nothing to do with Jeffery's death ? Like the previous novel, I found this one quite fast-paced and interesting as well as the major fact that despite her boyfriend being dead - Raevyn definitely does not have any shortage of guys wanting to a) date her or b) protect her. This novel does end on a major cliffie which now makes me WANT the next book but of course I must wait. What does get answered thougb at the end is who is "B" - the identity behind the notes and why they were sent and who made Jeffrey disappear and why ? Trust me when I say this , you will get a huge surprise when all is revealed. I was definitely like I saw half that coming but not the major part. If you love teen novels, boarding schools and don't mind reading African-American based characters. Then you are in for a treat with Necole Ryse's Birthright Trilogy.
First off let me thank Necole for sending me an ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.
After "The Legacy" I wasn't sure what to expect on the EPIC meter I mean. Necole is good at tossing you one way and just when you think you have figured out who done it.. someone or something else pops up and says "Ello Poppet". I can honestly say this novel and it's predecessor are golden! Epic! An art! And did I mention Epic? Well yeah I did but it needs to be said again! Ha... so frigging excited after reading this second book. The way Necole has the story laid out, the characters are so.. in your face but on the side lines at the same time. Its hard to explain and really do it justice.
As with the growth of the plot and the characters you get to see more into the soul of this story. The real deal behind all of the drama. The plague of emotions that are hitting the students adn the staff of B. W. Fitzgerald University. Its like being on a roller coaster. I usually hate roller coasters but this is one I willingly ride and love. I am sure I hit every emotion right along with them. From laughing, to gasping and calling a few people in this novel a few unlady like names. (laughs) And yeah that was done out loud, thank goodness I was alone. But hey, it was needed.
In this novel Rae is right where we left her in book 1. Jeff is missing, she is scared shitless and has no idea what happened the night that he disappeared. Nothing. She went to sleep and then he was gone. She was alone and as the days went on the pain and heartache hit her harder. She is being questioned by the cops. Was she guilty of something foul? Of course not but as the last person to see him alive she is a person of interest even though they have nothing on her.
Her 'friends' Regina, Andrea and Corrine are there for her at first until an article comes out in the school newspaper that she was in fact the last soul to see him alive. Well shit got stinky for a while. Though I guess that was to be expected. Every time I figured out what I thought was going on I was sent in a new direction. O.o awesome stuff. Then.. 'B' starts sending more cryptic texts, there is a beach party, and just when they all start to have a bit of fun and be 'friends' again... all hell breaks loose. Jeff is found dead. By now its been months and apparently he over dosed.
Heard the saying bad things happen in 3's? Well that is the case. Rae is torn in so many directions the kid starts to slip. Maybe she was going crazy, sure felt like it to me. More messages from 'B' turn her inside out when they are followed by strange things happening. Like someone trying to kill her. Or at least that is what she thinks. It is a crazy train that follows that girl in her wake. Add that to Rae finding a picture of her father that leaves her with more questions of her past, her family than she can find answers for. What will happen next.
One good thing comes from the ashes as they say. Rae meets Andrea's brother at the beach party and weeks later he calls her. Enough time has passed.. and he really likes her. He treats her good (so far) and I think for once as the peices of the puzzle she is trying to sort out fit together Rae will find the answers she seeks. It can't all be for nothing.
I still stand by what I said after book 1.... No matter the skin color you are born with Rich kids are dicks. Rich people be cray-cray. The more money you have the more of an ass you are. (shrugs) You can't stop stupid and ya can't stop bitches from trippin in their manolo's.
That is all I can say. I don;t want to ruin this for anyone and I can only imagine the many happy faces that will be coming from the pages of this novel. Some may ask if I am biased since I am a fan of Necoles' and was given the book to read. Let's clear this up now... I am not that girl. I am honest as I am white.. and since I could glow in the dark.. that is a lot. I love when I can get so drawn into a book time ceases to be an issue. Who the hell needs sleep anyhow. Yeah so not my thing when I was nose deep in this little ditty. Reading is an escape for me, as I am sure it is with others so.. that being said lets just say I take my reading and blogging as series as I do my 40 hours a week job. This one is a bit more rewarding in the end because I get to help those that need it.
I'd never steer you wrong. Trust me this novel, series and author are worth the time, energy and effort. It doesn't take but a minute to pre-order and be ready. 12/16/14 will be here before ya know it.
Raevyn Jones is back at B.W. Fitz, the first Black Ivy League institution. This go around she is determined to find her missing boyfriend, Jeffrey Donnelly. Jeffrey went missing from his hospital bed while Raevyn slept right next to him in “The Legacy,” book one of the Birthright series.
As Raevyn’s investigation intensifies, what is revealed about her boyfriend is shocking. Raevyn will learn some interesting things as she digs deeper to find out how her life was turned upside down and why her new life at this prestigious university could be a blessing and a curse.
I had the pleasure of reading “The Legacy.” It was very well written and I could not put it down. Necole Ryse definitely made her mark in the literary world with the fresh idea of a Black Ivy League school and a great story line to boot to be told in three installments. It is labeled as YA fiction. The content seems appropriate for those in the age group of the characters and above. With that being said, I could not wait until the release of the second installment.
“The Missing,” book two, started off slow. The storyline revolved around Jeffrey, his predicament, and Raevyn’s grief which seemed to drag on and become redundant.
Raevyn, who was a very well developed character in book one, seemed to lose some of her persona. She seemed to be even more romantically confused than in book one. There was fire with her romantic involvements in book one, but book two lulled and didn’t really give the reader an opportunity to like her interest.
There were too many underdeveloped characters in this installment who didn’t add anything to the continuation of this story who seemed to jump all over the place. For example, the addition of the non-Ivy League characters and all that came with them was a distraction. The sorority issue seemed to dart in and out of the story and then just fade altogether.
Even with all of the jumping, “The Missing: Book 2 of the Birthright Trilogy” is necessary to the series and if you loved book one, you must read it. There are some bright spots throughout the novel and some very funny parts as well. There was some new information that came to light that will be a good foundation for the third installment.
Necole Ryse is an excellent storyteller and book one is proof of that. It made me a fan of the series. Maybe book two is the sophomore album so to speak. I will say that the ending of this novel is excellent. It perhaps made up for everything else. I look forward to reading the third installment and hope that the brilliance of book one shines through to book three.
This book starts exactly where the first one left off. Jeffrey is missing and Raevyn is suspect #1. The problem is that she's being framed. All she did was fall asleep next to him. How did he disappear while she slept? That doesn't make sense. Where did he go? Who's doing this? Who would want to set her up and why? This book is fast paced. Raevyn must mourn while still keeping her grades up. She must deal with the house games but watch her back at the same time. There are new love interests but she wants to stay true to Jeffrey. A picture of her father and another woman bring on an entirely new situation and set of questions. We FINALLY find out who B is and what his or her problem is with Raevyn. We learned in The Legacy that Necole Ryse definitely knows how to end her book with a cliffhanger and she goes to a new level with this one. I have no choice but to give this book 5 stars. It was a nail biting page turner to the very end. I can't wait for the final book!
The second novel was amazing! This story kept me on the edge of everything trying to figure out who B was. I kept going through everyone I suspected and the one person who turned out to be B slipped right under my nose. This story had so many turns it kept me up at night, wondering what was going to happen next.
Now I have to wait until I read book 3 to find out what is the deal with the picture that Raevyn found? the 94 misfits? and if Jeffery is actually dead or not? Because I'm feeling like he could be hiding or he was foced on his will to hide. And his carter too good for Raevyn? And Raevyn's dad, why did he keep so much information from her? where is Antione and Wade?
I can not wait for book 3 "The BirthRight" to come out now. Great novel, amazing writing... 5 STARS!
SHE DID IT AGAIN! she has truly outdone herself. I waited on the edge of my seat for this release and I was not disappointed. I had to have it both digital and hardback so I could literally tend to my daughter and read at the same time.
She beautiful weaves the emotion of Raevyn as she both matures and grieves over the death of her boyfriend. The harsh reality of his death and rocks not only her world, but Fitz U as a whole. Necole does an amazing job with character development, even in the supplemental characters, a mark of a truly gifted author. I. Can easily see her book becoming a movie (crosses fingers)
This book is a great mystery and romance novel rich with plot twists you will never see coming. In this book we find out who B is finally and you will never guess it. We meet new characters and the university comes alive as spring semester starts. We finally find out what happened to Jeffery but we're left with a whole new mystery...what really happened with Rae's family history? Who are the 94 Misfits? And what does Mrs. Fitzgerald have to do with anything?
I will be once again one the first people in line for the conclusion of this series and anything by Ms. Ryse in the future.
Buy the book. And the legacy too while you're at it. You won't be disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Whoa. That's all I could really say by the end of this one. I whooped in excitement because I always thought I had it figured out, and then bam! I was nowhere near the mark! You really got me, Necole Ryse! I can't express enough how much I enjoyed this book. Raevyn's character is forever a breath of fresh air, and I'd be a liar if I said the drama that followed her isn't as well. This books had the perfect mixture of dread, mystery and romance. I was always either shouting at Raevyn for the amount of second hand embarrassment she gave me as she tries to get back on her feet, ripping my nails off, and/or occasionally talking to myself as I claim I finally had it all figured out. Again, I was so far off. I definitely recommend people start this series, and relish in the never-ending roller coaster of emotion it'll inevitably bring fans of mystery. I am so excited for this next (sadly last) book of this trilogy.
OMG! Necole Ryse does it again! I told myself that I was not going to read this book in one day like I did the last one. My intentions were to read 2 chapters a day (that is soo not possible). This book is fast paced and I love it! The book reads like a well thought out plot for a TV show or movie script. If Shonda Rhimes wrote books it would definitely be like this.
"The Missing" allows readers to experience every emotion that Raevyn and the other characters go through. I found myself wanting to coddle Corrine and drop kick Andrea in the throat a couple of times. And just when I thought Raevyn was finally going to have a normal semester at B.W.Fitz after the whole Jeffery saga, she is left with even more unsolved mysteries. Poor thing can't even enjoy her much needed vacation.
I can't wait for the final book in this series. Well Done, Necole Ryse!
Oh gawd. The main character is so immature. Everyone around her is immature. I wanted to know what was happening with her "legacy" but it's not worth reading about all the boys she wants to mark as her own and keep and drop but not fully drop because maybe she'll pick them up again even if they're suspicious as f***.
She has no sense of self-preservation. She does not have the ability to take care of herself. She has no commitment to any of her decisions (the president of her sorority tells her she'd choose her to be her successor (god knows why because I don't) and she's so excited by this but two paragraphs later she talks about getting out of the sorority with such disdain for it).
Meanwhile there's a potential murderer wandering around. She's been getting threats from someone who signs off as "B". She's suspicious as hell of Brandon (but doesn't make the "B" connection) yet she gets into his car willingly to go to the police and he leaves her there! If he's a friend - WHY? If he's the note writer - why drive her to the police station? At one point he seemed to want to be her boyfriend, then later she sees him glaring at her. There's no resolution to this. She sure as hell doesn't think about it. She doesn't think about anything with any depth. I'm done.
Nicole Ryse has a gift for putting the reader in the mind of college-aged characters. The ebb & flow of the love/hate relationship of Raevyn, Andrea, Corinne, and a bevy of new players was amazing to witness while also very familiar. Part of this trilogy, ratchets up the mystery and intrigue to new levels. And the ending...wow! Great read.
I don’t know what took me so long to read this series. I bought it a while ago and I am just now doing it and I’m kicking myself. It’s so good! I can’t wait to see how it ends!
3.5 stars. One of my guesses about who “B” was was right! And the plot twist! It always the one you least expect. One thing I thought was odd was how love sick Raevyn was about Jeffrey. It just didn’t seem like they were “together” that long for her to feel like that
The second book in the trilogy started off right where book 1 ended. After overdosing and being placed in the hospital, Jeffrey ends up missing and Raevyn is the #1 suspect. Raevyn knows someone is out to get her and that same person is responsible for the disappearance of Jeffrey but she has to prove it to everyone else. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone but I will say that I really enjoyed both books I've read so far and I'm looking forward to starting the 3rd and last book of this series.