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Captive
When sixteen-year-old Robyn is held hostage, her efforts to escape uncover a conspiracy that forces her to question everything she thought she knew about her family and herself in this psychological thriller with a twist of forbidden romance.
They told her not to worry—
because the man who shot her father was in custody.
They told her that she was safe—
because security had been increased.
All it took was one opportunity, one breach,
and then she was theirs. Kidnapped, confined, alone.
They told her she could go home when their demands were met.
That it wouldn’t take long, because she was the prime minister’s daughter.
But it has been days , and still no help has come.
She wonders when they will tire of this game and kill her.
She cannot wait around for that to happen; she will escape. She has to.
They told her not to worry—
because the man who shot her father was in custody.
They told her that she was safe—
because security had been increased.
All it took was one opportunity, one breach,
and then she was theirs. Kidnapped, confined, alone.
They told her she could go home when their demands were met.
That it wouldn’t take long, because she was the prime minister’s daughter.
But it has been days , and still no help has come.
She wonders when they will tire of this game and kill her.
She cannot wait around for that to happen; she will escape. She has to.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
12 people are currently reading
836 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Grainger
3 books30 followersA. J. Grainger was born in Reading, where she went to the same school as Jane Austen but not at the same time. She now lives in London with her husband and works as a children’s books editor. She loves writing and editing because it means she gets to talk about books all day. She likes novels with plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing right up until the end. She is also a total sucker for love stories.
A. J. keeps a blog at www.ajgrainger.com, where she talks about books, writing, editing, making things and procrastinating.
A. J. keeps a blog at www.ajgrainger.com, where she talks about books, writing, editing, making things and procrastinating.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
April 13, 2015
As soon as I heard about Captive by A.J. Grainger I was instantly intrigued. The plot of the story sounded interesting and I couldn’t recall reading anything that sounded like it, however, while Captive had some positive things about it, it failed to hold my attention.
As the Prime Minister’s daughter, Robyn Knollys-Green is always in the public eye. Nothing goes unnoticed, especially after a failed attempt on her father’s life put her in the spotlight even more. But when Robyn is kidnapped and hostage by the animal rights activists it’s there that Robyn realises she’s on her own – her father will only come on his terms not her kidnappers. As time moves on Robyn starts to get close to the boy who guards her but by doing so, she uncovers secrets that involve her father that she can’t believe he’d have any part in and it soon becomes a struggle to figure out the truth. Can Robyn make it home alive in one piece and discover the truth?
I really liked the idea of Captive and for such a short story I think the author did an okay job. I was immediately pulled into Robyn’s life and got to know what she was like as a character. I liked her, I didn’t love her. I felt at times I couldn’t connect to her as much as I would have liked – more so towards the start of the story – but towards the end, I couldn’t understand her reasoning’s for doing the things she did. She’s just likable – nothing really stood out about her as a character.
Then there’s Falcon – who I was more intrigued by. I liked Falcon. I felt he was a deeper character than Robyn just because of the things he’s been through at such a young age. He’s a strong character, one that doesn’t always make the best choices but he definitely makes up for it through-out the story.
Robyn and Falcon’s relationship was definitely the best part of the story that did hold my attention and the main reason I kept on reading. They’re connection felt real and quite frankly honest. They don’t meet in the best circumstances and they recognise that their friendship isn’t a normal one, but I liked that. I liked that it was something different and it wasn’t all hearts and candy. It felt more real this way.
The whole story isn’t just focused on Robyn and Falcon’s friendship, it’s about the animal rights activists and Robyn’s father. This I didn’t enjoy as much as I would have hoped. I found it a bit boring and it’s here that I started to lose interest, even though it’s a pivotal part of the story.
In all, while Captive had some pros and cons about it, the only way you’ll know for yourself is if you read it. So go read it.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to review this book, in exchange for an honest review.
As the Prime Minister’s daughter, Robyn Knollys-Green is always in the public eye. Nothing goes unnoticed, especially after a failed attempt on her father’s life put her in the spotlight even more. But when Robyn is kidnapped and hostage by the animal rights activists it’s there that Robyn realises she’s on her own – her father will only come on his terms not her kidnappers. As time moves on Robyn starts to get close to the boy who guards her but by doing so, she uncovers secrets that involve her father that she can’t believe he’d have any part in and it soon becomes a struggle to figure out the truth. Can Robyn make it home alive in one piece and discover the truth?
I really liked the idea of Captive and for such a short story I think the author did an okay job. I was immediately pulled into Robyn’s life and got to know what she was like as a character. I liked her, I didn’t love her. I felt at times I couldn’t connect to her as much as I would have liked – more so towards the start of the story – but towards the end, I couldn’t understand her reasoning’s for doing the things she did. She’s just likable – nothing really stood out about her as a character.
Then there’s Falcon – who I was more intrigued by. I liked Falcon. I felt he was a deeper character than Robyn just because of the things he’s been through at such a young age. He’s a strong character, one that doesn’t always make the best choices but he definitely makes up for it through-out the story.
Robyn and Falcon’s relationship was definitely the best part of the story that did hold my attention and the main reason I kept on reading. They’re connection felt real and quite frankly honest. They don’t meet in the best circumstances and they recognise that their friendship isn’t a normal one, but I liked that. I liked that it was something different and it wasn’t all hearts and candy. It felt more real this way.
The whole story isn’t just focused on Robyn and Falcon’s friendship, it’s about the animal rights activists and Robyn’s father. This I didn’t enjoy as much as I would have hoped. I found it a bit boring and it’s here that I started to lose interest, even though it’s a pivotal part of the story.
In all, while Captive had some pros and cons about it, the only way you’ll know for yourself is if you read it. So go read it.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to review this book, in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2015
Possible 2.5 star. Let's get real here, it was terribly underwhelming. Full Review To Come.
To avoid being my snarky snark self, I'm going to keep this short and concise. Great topics tackled--kidnap, conspiracy, corruption by leadership heads, extremism, the ethical lines blurred around pharmaceutical testing. Downfalls sat with the narrator, the blandness of the tail (why, with a premise like that is beyond me), the horrible attempt at characterisation and character motivation. Way too much of the romance that, to be honest, reads damn more like stockholm syndrome. But guys, she's just a teenage girl trying to get through life with a sense of normality, which includes a tortured hottie mchottie as a boyfriend. Oh young love.
November 25, 2014
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK Children's and NetGalley.)
This was an okay story, but I did struggle to stay focused on this.
I didn’t really love any of the characters in this book, none of them really irritated me, but then they didn’t really engender any strong feelings at all. I can’t say I really cared what happened to any of them really.
The storyline in this just didn’t really hold my attention well at all, and I wanted to put this down and do something else instead. I felt like I was waiting for her to be kidnapped, and then other than a couple of shock situations, I just wanted her to be found and for the book to be over.
As we got towards the end, some things were revealed that shed some light on why Robyn had been kidnapped, and the information which was being hidden from the public by both her father and another large company. I did find this to be the most interesting part of the book, but even then I was eager for this to be over.
The ending was okay, but I wasn’t overly impressed by the little romance that cropped up.
Overall; slow conspiracy story,
6 out of 10
This was an okay story, but I did struggle to stay focused on this.
I didn’t really love any of the characters in this book, none of them really irritated me, but then they didn’t really engender any strong feelings at all. I can’t say I really cared what happened to any of them really.
The storyline in this just didn’t really hold my attention well at all, and I wanted to put this down and do something else instead. I felt like I was waiting for her to be kidnapped, and then other than a couple of shock situations, I just wanted her to be found and for the book to be over.
As we got towards the end, some things were revealed that shed some light on why Robyn had been kidnapped, and the information which was being hidden from the public by both her father and another large company. I did find this to be the most interesting part of the book, but even then I was eager for this to be over.
The ending was okay, but I wasn’t overly impressed by the little romance that cropped up.
Overall; slow conspiracy story,
6 out of 10
February 12, 2015
Recommend: Well, it's an alright YA read.
Robyn's dad is the British prime minister, and someone wants him dead. Now Robyn is being held captive - but who is really at fault?
The short pitch is the most accurate. I’ve read longer pitches which say things like ‘A list celebrity’ and ‘global corruption’... I know a blurb is meant to sell a book, but it’s always funny when you read the pitch after the novel and find that things just don’t match up. I would have enjoyed this novel a little more if I had just read that little short snippet. Either way, this is still an okay young adult thriller.
Robyn is a strong character. She may get held captive but she fights... in real life, that’s a risky game to play, but a character with a bit of umph is far more interesting than one who sits back and waits for the rescue.
My general view of it is that it felt fresh and gritty at times, cliché and fluffy at other. When that’s all balanced out, three stars felt fair.
Every so often a really creative metaphor would crop up which reminded me that this might by A.J. Grainger first novel, but she is by no means an amateur writer. Descriptions were often beautiful and vivid, but further into the book I found repetition of ideas. For example, I believe there were three instances of people’s legs forgetting what legs can do – a trick you can only really use once. A few metaphors sounded odd to me and some chapters were just written better than others. In particular, some of the discussions between the characters tended to waffle on; I guess that’s to help everyone understand clearly what’s going on, but repetition gets a bit tiring.
You can tell just from the fact it’s a young adult novel that there would be a bit of Stockholm Syndrome going on, and it only took a few chapters to get there. I enjoyed the connection between Robyn and her green-eyed kidnapper, but strangely found myself rooting for them to just be friends. The connection they had felt situational – of course you’ll like a nice captor more than once that abuses you – but love? It felt somewhat contrived at times. I think young adult writers should appreciate that a strong connection between a female and male character doesn’t always need to end in romance. There’s more to a story than love, and this novel did a good job in showing that for the most part.
There’s a strong theme of owning your mistakes. One sole action does not define us, but how we handle it and what we do when similar opportunities come at our door. On this side of things, I really liked the ending. I like the message it portrays. It matched my values well, and offers a different message than most novels on the young adult market.
Unfortunately, the other part of the ending was a bit of a reader pleaser, except I felt like it missed the mark entirely. I felt at times that this was a novel written by someone who had the audience in mind, rather than staying true to the characters, plot, and message.
This is a strong three stars from me. This book is a good read. I personally wasn’t blown away by it. I wasn’t interested by the politics (which felt a bit generic), but much more thrilled by the action, the mix of tension between her and her different captives, the unravelling family life portrayed through the use of flashbacks. The plot definitely thickens as you read on – if only the characters didn’t goo up and had a bit more to them then I’d be able to rate it a lot higher.
Source: NetGalley.com
Blog:ScookieReviews
Robyn's dad is the British prime minister, and someone wants him dead. Now Robyn is being held captive - but who is really at fault?
The short pitch is the most accurate. I’ve read longer pitches which say things like ‘A list celebrity’ and ‘global corruption’... I know a blurb is meant to sell a book, but it’s always funny when you read the pitch after the novel and find that things just don’t match up. I would have enjoyed this novel a little more if I had just read that little short snippet. Either way, this is still an okay young adult thriller.
Robyn is a strong character. She may get held captive but she fights... in real life, that’s a risky game to play, but a character with a bit of umph is far more interesting than one who sits back and waits for the rescue.
My general view of it is that it felt fresh and gritty at times, cliché and fluffy at other. When that’s all balanced out, three stars felt fair.
Every so often a really creative metaphor would crop up which reminded me that this might by A.J. Grainger first novel, but she is by no means an amateur writer. Descriptions were often beautiful and vivid, but further into the book I found repetition of ideas. For example, I believe there were three instances of people’s legs forgetting what legs can do – a trick you can only really use once. A few metaphors sounded odd to me and some chapters were just written better than others. In particular, some of the discussions between the characters tended to waffle on; I guess that’s to help everyone understand clearly what’s going on, but repetition gets a bit tiring.
You can tell just from the fact it’s a young adult novel that there would be a bit of Stockholm Syndrome going on, and it only took a few chapters to get there. I enjoyed the connection between Robyn and her green-eyed kidnapper, but strangely found myself rooting for them to just be friends. The connection they had felt situational – of course you’ll like a nice captor more than once that abuses you – but love? It felt somewhat contrived at times. I think young adult writers should appreciate that a strong connection between a female and male character doesn’t always need to end in romance. There’s more to a story than love, and this novel did a good job in showing that for the most part.
There’s a strong theme of owning your mistakes. One sole action does not define us, but how we handle it and what we do when similar opportunities come at our door. On this side of things, I really liked the ending. I like the message it portrays. It matched my values well, and offers a different message than most novels on the young adult market.
Unfortunately, the other part of the ending was a bit of a reader pleaser, except I felt like it missed the mark entirely. I felt at times that this was a novel written by someone who had the audience in mind, rather than staying true to the characters, plot, and message.
This is a strong three stars from me. This book is a good read. I personally wasn’t blown away by it. I wasn’t interested by the politics (which felt a bit generic), but much more thrilled by the action, the mix of tension between her and her different captives, the unravelling family life portrayed through the use of flashbacks. The plot definitely thickens as you read on – if only the characters didn’t goo up and had a bit more to them then I’d be able to rate it a lot higher.
Source: NetGalley.com
Blog:ScookieReviews
November 25, 2014
Actual rating - 2.5
(I received a copy from Netgalley, in echange for an honest review.)
This one just couldn't keep my interest unfortunately.
I felt quite sorry for Robyn when she was kidnapped, but other than that i didn't feel anything for her.
The pacing in this one was too slow for me, and most of the things that happened didn't interest/excite me.
I felt like i was waiting for Robyn to be kidnapped for ages, but it was actually only about 10%. It dragged even more than that further on into the story.
Overall, Dragged out and didn't interest me.
(I received a copy from Netgalley, in echange for an honest review.)
This one just couldn't keep my interest unfortunately.
I felt quite sorry for Robyn when she was kidnapped, but other than that i didn't feel anything for her.
The pacing in this one was too slow for me, and most of the things that happened didn't interest/excite me.
I felt like i was waiting for Robyn to be kidnapped for ages, but it was actually only about 10%. It dragged even more than that further on into the story.
Overall, Dragged out and didn't interest me.
June 2, 2017
I read the book "Captive" by A.J. Grainger. It is about a girl named Robyn who gets kidnapped by extremists. She is held hostage in order to get her dad to give over a "terrorist". This is a very good book because it keeps you on the edge every page.
This book has a lot of plot twists, causing you to really dive deep into the information you are told. You are forced to question everything about the characters and the plot. Due to the constant plot twists, you are always trying to figure out what information is real and true, and what isn't. The characters are also very difficult to read and understand. The characters' personality, trustworthiness, and background information is always questionable. You will still have a few questions at the end of this book.
This book is very well-written in the sense that it keeps you questioning. It is a very good book to read, and I highly recommend reading it!
This book has a lot of plot twists, causing you to really dive deep into the information you are told. You are forced to question everything about the characters and the plot. Due to the constant plot twists, you are always trying to figure out what information is real and true, and what isn't. The characters are also very difficult to read and understand. The characters' personality, trustworthiness, and background information is always questionable. You will still have a few questions at the end of this book.
This book is very well-written in the sense that it keeps you questioning. It is a very good book to read, and I highly recommend reading it!
May 25, 2018
Wow this was so terrible.
February 8, 2022
Acción y estupidez humana.
March 23, 2015
note: 2015-Popsugar-Reading-Challenge #10 A Mystery or Thriller
My review can also be found HERE
‘Word’s are a powerful weapon. A single word can change a destiny. You wouldn’t waste a bullet – or a nuclear warhead. Don’t waste a word.’ Loc 791
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Captive is an interesting thriller that encompasses terrorism and celebrity culture within its themes. I’ve always found celebrity life fascinating. I don’t know why I presume, but everyone does I suppose, that because I’ve seen them on screen or read about their life, some how I know them. It’s always shocking when your favourite actor is arrested or caught sneaking around with the ‘wrong type’ of person, because how could they? It’s so out of character. But how can we presume to know them really? Imagine now that you do actually know them, that they are related to you. Do you know them now?
Robyn is the daughter of the most powerful and influential person in the UK. The British Prime Minister. Robyn is kidnapped while out with her mother and sister by a group claiming to be animal rights protesters. They want the Prime Minister to release their leader and to stop a large research facility from testing and circulating a new drug, OR they will kill Robyn. Will her dad do anything to get her back? Does Robyn know her dad as well as she thinks?
I really got caught up in this one. I found it interesting and it kept making me ask myself questions, like… Its a horrible thought to think that the people you love and trust could be completely different people when it comes down to it…Do I know my relatives? and that undertone ran through out this book.
I really liked Robyn as a character. She felt sorry for herself, but at no point did she give up, she kept fighting, and used all the knowledge she had. I really liked Talon too, he was misguided and naive, although that is never an excuse. And the romance that developed was really well done, it was hard to figure out if the feelings were genuine at times but I think this added to the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ accusations. I would have liked more about Michael the drug developer. I know it wasn’t the real focus of the book but I’m curious as to how he managed to get the drug so far along without more questions being asked. Surely people dying would put a stop to realising it? Also I wanted more background on the kidnappers. This too is probably not necessary but I want to know how they met, as they were all so different. I thought Feather and Scar were complete lunatics so how had Talon become part of their group?
Overall it was a really good Debut, Young Adult Thriller with a political twist. I will be interested to see what A J Grainger has to show us next.
My review can also be found HERE
‘Word’s are a powerful weapon. A single word can change a destiny. You wouldn’t waste a bullet – or a nuclear warhead. Don’t waste a word.’ Loc 791
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Captive is an interesting thriller that encompasses terrorism and celebrity culture within its themes. I’ve always found celebrity life fascinating. I don’t know why I presume, but everyone does I suppose, that because I’ve seen them on screen or read about their life, some how I know them. It’s always shocking when your favourite actor is arrested or caught sneaking around with the ‘wrong type’ of person, because how could they? It’s so out of character. But how can we presume to know them really? Imagine now that you do actually know them, that they are related to you. Do you know them now?
Robyn is the daughter of the most powerful and influential person in the UK. The British Prime Minister. Robyn is kidnapped while out with her mother and sister by a group claiming to be animal rights protesters. They want the Prime Minister to release their leader and to stop a large research facility from testing and circulating a new drug, OR they will kill Robyn. Will her dad do anything to get her back? Does Robyn know her dad as well as she thinks?
I really got caught up in this one. I found it interesting and it kept making me ask myself questions, like… Its a horrible thought to think that the people you love and trust could be completely different people when it comes down to it…Do I know my relatives? and that undertone ran through out this book.
I really liked Robyn as a character. She felt sorry for herself, but at no point did she give up, she kept fighting, and used all the knowledge she had. I really liked Talon too, he was misguided and naive, although that is never an excuse. And the romance that developed was really well done, it was hard to figure out if the feelings were genuine at times but I think this added to the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ accusations. I would have liked more about Michael the drug developer. I know it wasn’t the real focus of the book but I’m curious as to how he managed to get the drug so far along without more questions being asked. Surely people dying would put a stop to realising it? Also I wanted more background on the kidnappers. This too is probably not necessary but I want to know how they met, as they were all so different. I thought Feather and Scar were complete lunatics so how had Talon become part of their group?
Overall it was a really good Debut, Young Adult Thriller with a political twist. I will be interested to see what A J Grainger has to show us next.
May 10, 2015
I couldn't suspend disbelief long enough with this one. The kidnappers were the cliché stereotypical bad guys, right down to their awful nicknames (Scar, Talon and Feather. Yeah, seriously). Robyn and her family didn't seem to have a lot of security on their journey, despite the heightened level of threat, but even so I found myself doubting whether Feather et al. really had the intelligence and connections to pull off a successful car bomb.
Scar was such a pantomime villain with his lecherous looks and HA HA HA LITTLE GIRL YOU ARE AT MY MERCY speeches. I should've been scared out of my wits for Robyn in that whole situtation, but I never for one moment believed in it enough to feel anything but exasperation. The danger just felt fake.
Talon's motivation seemed ridiculously weak. He apologises to Robyn WHILE HE'S KIDNAPPING HER and then spends the rest of the novel feeling bad and apologising (again) and trying to help her escape. Which begs the question, WHY get involved in the first place? I get that he ~wanted answers~ but I feel like you'd have to be really committed to carry out an actual kidnapping, and Talon just... had no personality. I don't understand why Robyn fell for him so hard, because there was nothing to him apart from "my lil bro is dead" and "I like birds". The scene near the end where Robyn tries to free Talon from a holding cell in a detention centre is just beyond ridiculous. There is no way she would've got that far. Also, writing letters to him in prison and having ~deep feelings~ for him IS ACTUALLY INSANE. I can't even justify calling it Stockholm Syndrome because she was with them just over a week and she thought Talon was a ~hottie~ from day one.
The description of tear gas was was another thing that had me rolling my eyes right out of the door:
Also, it bugged me that Robyn is described as an "A-list celebrity" for being the British PM's daughter because LOL OUR POLITICIANS ARE SO FAIL. They're not even celebrities, let alone A-listers, and their families even less so!
If you're looking for a good book about a hostage situation, I'd recommend Hostage Three by Nick Lake. Don't bother with this one.
Scar was such a pantomime villain with his lecherous looks and HA HA HA LITTLE GIRL YOU ARE AT MY MERCY speeches. I should've been scared out of my wits for Robyn in that whole situtation, but I never for one moment believed in it enough to feel anything but exasperation. The danger just felt fake.
Talon's motivation seemed ridiculously weak. He apologises to Robyn WHILE HE'S KIDNAPPING HER and then spends the rest of the novel feeling bad and apologising (again) and trying to help her escape. Which begs the question, WHY get involved in the first place? I get that he ~wanted answers~ but I feel like you'd have to be really committed to carry out an actual kidnapping, and Talon just... had no personality. I don't understand why Robyn fell for him so hard, because there was nothing to him apart from "my lil bro is dead" and "I like birds". The scene near the end where Robyn tries to free Talon from a holding cell in a detention centre is just beyond ridiculous. There is no way she would've got that far. Also, writing letters to him in prison and having ~deep feelings~ for him IS ACTUALLY INSANE. I can't even justify calling it Stockholm Syndrome because she was with them just over a week and she thought Talon was a ~hottie~ from day one.
The description of tear gas was was another thing that had me rolling my eyes right out of the door:
The fog -- tear gas, I guess -- is still filling up the room. After taking a deep gulp of air, I take the mask off and put it over Talon's face. Breathe, Talon. Breathe. Breathe.Is this for real? Could the author not have taken TWO MINUTES to Google the effects of tear gas, or watched this handy two-minute video on YouTube or SOMETHING? I'm not exactly an expert on riot control but even I know tear gas is nasty. You don't just put on a mask halfway through, then decide to take it off like it's nothing.
I hold on for as long as I can, but finally I have to take a breath. The gas immediately fills my lungs again. I keep stroking Talon's hair.
Also, it bugged me that Robyn is described as an "A-list celebrity" for being the British PM's daughter because LOL OUR POLITICIANS ARE SO FAIL. They're not even celebrities, let alone A-listers, and their families even less so!
If you're looking for a good book about a hostage situation, I'd recommend Hostage Three by Nick Lake. Don't bother with this one.
December 28, 2014
Stronger first half. I didn't quite feel the connection between the two love interests but I liked how much of the story felt like it was about asking difficult questions and about taking responsibility for your actions. Full review soon!
Full review:
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Captive by A. J. Grainger. It's a book by a debut author and I hadn't heard very much about it when I first read it. I even requested it on NetGalley on an absolute whim ... and it turned out to be a whim that paid off. I quite liked Captive and some of the events that happened really made me think.
This is the story about Robyn Knollys-Green, a teenage girl who is a bit different from most teenagers. That's because Robyn's father is the Prime Minister of the UK and in Captive, Robyn is taken hostage by a group of environmental activists and used as a pawn in order to make the Prime Minister own up to his involvement in dodgy dealings and to release a prisoner who they believe is being held unfairly.
I think what I most enjoyed about this book is the thriller aspect of the book. The first half is so very addictive and exciting and I was on the edge of my seat about what would happen next and what Robyn and this group of terrorists would do next. It has a great pace to it and I found myself feeling very engaged with Robyn's voice and also emotionally invested in her story and situation.
I quite like how throughout Robyn's captivity she begins to see her father and her father's position of political power in a different light. Especially when faced with the information provided by her captors. I think it's always difficult when somebody first sees their parents as being infallible, as people who make mistakes and aren't perfect. But it was particularly painful to watch Robyn come to these realisations as she really had put him on a sort of pedestal.
I also really loved this theme that runs throughout the book of taking responsibility for one's actions and of asking the difficult questions in order to get to the truth of things. I really enjoyed that this book is about politics and environmental issues and that it made me think and question. I hope that it gets teenagers to take an interest in politics and other social issues that mean something to them as well.
Unfortunately, I felt like the second half of the book wasn't quite as gripping for me as the first. And this is mostly down to the romantic element of the story between Robyn and one of her captors. I didn't quite feel or believe in their connection to each other and a lot of the events in the second half of this story rely on that belief.
But even with that small criticism aside, I did still really enjoy this one. I felt like it was addictive, exciting and thought-provoking! I shall definitely be looking out for more by A. J. Grainger!
Full review:
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Captive by A. J. Grainger. It's a book by a debut author and I hadn't heard very much about it when I first read it. I even requested it on NetGalley on an absolute whim ... and it turned out to be a whim that paid off. I quite liked Captive and some of the events that happened really made me think.
This is the story about Robyn Knollys-Green, a teenage girl who is a bit different from most teenagers. That's because Robyn's father is the Prime Minister of the UK and in Captive, Robyn is taken hostage by a group of environmental activists and used as a pawn in order to make the Prime Minister own up to his involvement in dodgy dealings and to release a prisoner who they believe is being held unfairly.
I think what I most enjoyed about this book is the thriller aspect of the book. The first half is so very addictive and exciting and I was on the edge of my seat about what would happen next and what Robyn and this group of terrorists would do next. It has a great pace to it and I found myself feeling very engaged with Robyn's voice and also emotionally invested in her story and situation.
I quite like how throughout Robyn's captivity she begins to see her father and her father's position of political power in a different light. Especially when faced with the information provided by her captors. I think it's always difficult when somebody first sees their parents as being infallible, as people who make mistakes and aren't perfect. But it was particularly painful to watch Robyn come to these realisations as she really had put him on a sort of pedestal.
I also really loved this theme that runs throughout the book of taking responsibility for one's actions and of asking the difficult questions in order to get to the truth of things. I really enjoyed that this book is about politics and environmental issues and that it made me think and question. I hope that it gets teenagers to take an interest in politics and other social issues that mean something to them as well.
Unfortunately, I felt like the second half of the book wasn't quite as gripping for me as the first. And this is mostly down to the romantic element of the story between Robyn and one of her captors. I didn't quite feel or believe in their connection to each other and a lot of the events in the second half of this story rely on that belief.
But even with that small criticism aside, I did still really enjoy this one. I felt like it was addictive, exciting and thought-provoking! I shall definitely be looking out for more by A. J. Grainger!
February 6, 2015
3.5 stars
Captive is a new UKYA thriller from debut author A.J. Grainger and it's a great addition to the genre. This is the story of sixteen year old Robyn, daughter of the British Prime Minister, who has been taken hostage by environmental activists so they can use her as leverage to get one of their group members released from prison. Robyn has already witnessed an attack on her father but that was nothing compared to the terror she now faces as she is held prisoner by a group of masked assailants. Unfortunately for Robyn, the kidnapping is only the beginning and as she gets to know one of her captors she realises she's at the centre of a conspiracy that may turn her whole world upside down forever.
This is a very fast paced story that throws readers into the action quite quickly as we see Robyn's capture in a terrifying second attack on her family. Robyn was very easy to relate to and I thought her reactions to the situation she found herself in were very realistic, she is frightened and uncertain but she is also incredibly brave as she tries several times to escape. Robyn is forced to examine the relationship she has with her father and it is incredibly upsetting for her when she realises that he won't do the one thing that will guarantee her release. She also has to ask herself some difficult questions about her family and whether her Dad has been lying to her.
Captive is the kind of book that makes you think, it touches on environmental issues, love and loyalty to your family and about being brave enough to face the truth even when that means uncovering something distressing. I think my only complaint was that the ending felt a little rushed and as much as I ended up liking both Robyn and Talon their relationship was a bit too Stockholm Syndrome for me to be able to take it seriously. What I did like was that all of the characters took responsibility for their actions and they suffered the consequences for them. I think I would just have preferred a longer epilogue to give us a bit more detail about how things turned out, I guess the advantage of a fairly open ending is that readers can all choose how they would like to see the character's futures. Either way, Captive is a great debut and A.J. Grainger is definitely an author to watch out for!
Captive is a new UKYA thriller from debut author A.J. Grainger and it's a great addition to the genre. This is the story of sixteen year old Robyn, daughter of the British Prime Minister, who has been taken hostage by environmental activists so they can use her as leverage to get one of their group members released from prison. Robyn has already witnessed an attack on her father but that was nothing compared to the terror she now faces as she is held prisoner by a group of masked assailants. Unfortunately for Robyn, the kidnapping is only the beginning and as she gets to know one of her captors she realises she's at the centre of a conspiracy that may turn her whole world upside down forever.
This is a very fast paced story that throws readers into the action quite quickly as we see Robyn's capture in a terrifying second attack on her family. Robyn was very easy to relate to and I thought her reactions to the situation she found herself in were very realistic, she is frightened and uncertain but she is also incredibly brave as she tries several times to escape. Robyn is forced to examine the relationship she has with her father and it is incredibly upsetting for her when she realises that he won't do the one thing that will guarantee her release. She also has to ask herself some difficult questions about her family and whether her Dad has been lying to her.
Captive is the kind of book that makes you think, it touches on environmental issues, love and loyalty to your family and about being brave enough to face the truth even when that means uncovering something distressing. I think my only complaint was that the ending felt a little rushed and as much as I ended up liking both Robyn and Talon their relationship was a bit too Stockholm Syndrome for me to be able to take it seriously. What I did like was that all of the characters took responsibility for their actions and they suffered the consequences for them. I think I would just have preferred a longer epilogue to give us a bit more detail about how things turned out, I guess the advantage of a fairly open ending is that readers can all choose how they would like to see the character's futures. Either way, Captive is a great debut and A.J. Grainger is definitely an author to watch out for!
December 8, 2014
Captive is a book that I've been excited to read for what feels like forever, It sounded so exciting and I never seem to get around to reading many YA thrillers - they don't seem to grab me as much. There was something about the back of this book that had me from the get go. I knew I had to read it. It didn't let me down. It was as complex, emotional and thrilling as I hoped it would be. I was excited to find out the motivation behind Robyn's kidnapping and how her character was going to be portrayed as a whole.
Although there were aspects of Captive that I felt followed a Thriller 101 Check-list, I still devoured it and would happily read more of A. J. Grainger's work. There was plenty of mystery and tension. On more than one occasion I felt genuinely terrified for Robyn; usually in the presence of Scar. I felt like this was such a plausible plot which definitely added to the enjoyment of the book. It isn't often that I read books from the point of view of a political family, but this one hooked me from the word go. I loved the unreliable nature of Robyn's father and I loved finding out some murky truths through her eyes.
One of the things I wasn't all that keen on was the romance element. It was all a little far-fetched for my liking. All I kept thinking was Stockholm Syndrome. It just didn't work for me at all. I don't know if that was what it was meant to be, but it just didn't sit right with me. I got that the motives of some people were more understandable than others,but at the same time it just didn't work. With the revelations that come out in the book, it really wouldn't work.
Captive is a nail-biting rollercoaster of a book. It was tense, exciting and definitely intriguing. I'm looking forward to reading more books by A. J. Grainger!
Although there were aspects of Captive that I felt followed a Thriller 101 Check-list, I still devoured it and would happily read more of A. J. Grainger's work. There was plenty of mystery and tension. On more than one occasion I felt genuinely terrified for Robyn; usually in the presence of Scar. I felt like this was such a plausible plot which definitely added to the enjoyment of the book. It isn't often that I read books from the point of view of a political family, but this one hooked me from the word go. I loved the unreliable nature of Robyn's father and I loved finding out some murky truths through her eyes.
One of the things I wasn't all that keen on was the romance element. It was all a little far-fetched for my liking. All I kept thinking was Stockholm Syndrome. It just didn't work for me at all. I don't know if that was what it was meant to be, but it just didn't sit right with me. I got that the motives of some people were more understandable than others,but at the same time it just didn't work. With the revelations that come out in the book, it really wouldn't work.
Captive is a nail-biting rollercoaster of a book. It was tense, exciting and definitely intriguing. I'm looking forward to reading more books by A. J. Grainger!
April 7, 2016
Wow!!!! What a book! Captive is one of the most captivating (sorry) books I've read this year. From beginning to end I didn't want to put it down, because it was just so pulse pounding. It's one of those books you just can't put down, and I was hooked. I love a good kidnapping tale, especially with a feisty heroine, not willing to just give up and roll over and Robyn was amazing. If I were to ever be kidnapped, I want her spirit.
I loved the fact the novel was about a prime minister's daughter, too. Very rarely are there books set in that world and it was a nice insight, though for what it's worth I would hate to be the prime minister's daughter. Talk about pressure! Especially with all the angry people willing to kidnap you... ;)
Captive was such a good read. So, so good. And I even loved the thing, whatever it was, between Robyn and Talon. It was intriguing and also a bit weird but also really nice. What can I say, I see the romance in every situation. I'm a hopeless romantic, even if it is someone who helped kidnap you. Am I weird? No, let's not go there!
I loved the book so much. I read it in a few hours, almost start to finish, and was barely able to put it down, it's one of those books that reinvigorates your love of reading because it's just that good and you can just lose yourself in their world so easily. I easily got lost in Robyn's world, and I was so, so sad when I got to the end because I just wasn't ready to say goodbye.
I loved the fact the novel was about a prime minister's daughter, too. Very rarely are there books set in that world and it was a nice insight, though for what it's worth I would hate to be the prime minister's daughter. Talk about pressure! Especially with all the angry people willing to kidnap you... ;)
Captive was such a good read. So, so good. And I even loved the thing, whatever it was, between Robyn and Talon. It was intriguing and also a bit weird but also really nice. What can I say, I see the romance in every situation. I'm a hopeless romantic, even if it is someone who helped kidnap you. Am I weird? No, let's not go there!
I loved the book so much. I read it in a few hours, almost start to finish, and was barely able to put it down, it's one of those books that reinvigorates your love of reading because it's just that good and you can just lose yourself in their world so easily. I easily got lost in Robyn's world, and I was so, so sad when I got to the end because I just wasn't ready to say goodbye.
November 4, 2014
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK Children's for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was an intriguing story, thanks to the political elements in it (I love it when books bring some political intrigue, and nothing is ever easy because of it). The fact that Robyn, the Prime Minister's daughter is kidnapped for political reason, as she is a very strong leverage against the leading politician of the United Kingdom.
I did feel, however, that the first half of this book was better. It was more focused on the intrigue, on the reasons behind the kidnapping and the negotiations. I felt it would have been better without the sort-of Stockholm's Syndrome that manifests itself. It would have made this book stand out from the others.
The best feature of this book was how the characters had their true natures slowly revealed to be shades of grey rather than stark black and white.
This was an intriguing story, thanks to the political elements in it (I love it when books bring some political intrigue, and nothing is ever easy because of it). The fact that Robyn, the Prime Minister's daughter is kidnapped for political reason, as she is a very strong leverage against the leading politician of the United Kingdom.
I did feel, however, that the first half of this book was better. It was more focused on the intrigue, on the reasons behind the kidnapping and the negotiations. I felt it would have been better without the sort-of Stockholm's Syndrome that manifests itself. It would have made this book stand out from the others.
The best feature of this book was how the characters had their true natures slowly revealed to be shades of grey rather than stark black and white.
March 7, 2015
I must say I have been very excited about reading this book since it came onto my radar and I couldn't help but pick it up as soon as it dropped through my letter box
This is a perfect read for fans of Sophie McKenzie. It is fast paced and exciting. It leaves you with lots to think about and makes you not want to put it down until you've finished it in its entirety.
I really liked the main character Robyn and seeing her story unfold and I liked getting that different insight into the running of a country and the vulnerability those in charge must feel on a daily basis where whatever they do they'll be criticised.
All in all an exciting debut which has got me excited for more from the author.
This is a perfect read for fans of Sophie McKenzie. It is fast paced and exciting. It leaves you with lots to think about and makes you not want to put it down until you've finished it in its entirety.
I really liked the main character Robyn and seeing her story unfold and I liked getting that different insight into the running of a country and the vulnerability those in charge must feel on a daily basis where whatever they do they'll be criticised.
All in all an exciting debut which has got me excited for more from the author.
January 12, 2016
Meh. I've definitely read better hostage books over the years- I don't think this book ever really tried for Stockholm syndrome, it just went straight to nauseating young love. Puke! Add that to the fact that both characters were completely devoid of personality, and we have ourselves another bad book for the year!
I've actually had this book for ages and haven't read it, maybe I should have left it on the shelf? Suffice to say not really for me and moving on. Two stars.
I've actually had this book for ages and haven't read it, maybe I should have left it on the shelf? Suffice to say not really for me and moving on. Two stars.
March 6, 2015
I haven't come across many (any?) YA political thrillers before, so this felt really fresh. Well written, with a really satisfying ending.
August 13, 2019
This book is extremely problematic on a lot of levels, but I still kind of enjoyed it. It's not nearly as fleshed out as it should be, there are way too many issues going on that are just kind of glazed over and shrugged away and I feel like the most interesting part of the story, the resolution, is kind of rushed through. It's not a bad book in the way that it's entertaining so I'd still say you can check it out if you want to, but it's definitely not AMAZING or even that well written. The characters aren't really that developed and don't really change at all, despite it's attempts to do that with Robyn's dad. There wasn't enough information to really prove this in the first place and it's just kind of told to us that it happens, never really shown at all. I don't know, it's a decent book, but really more of a fluff read trying to be more than it actually is. I'm starting to understand why it was only $1 on book outlet...I gotta spoil it from here on out because I can't really talk about my issues with the book without that.
My main issue with this book is that not only does the main character develop feelings for one of her kidnappers, but it's written in a way that's supposed to make you root for them to be together which is so beyond baffling to me I can't even. Don't get me wrong, the character has legitimate anger, interesting motivations, and a redeemable arc, but it's not enough to overlook the fact that he kidnapped a freaking child... It's also never explicitly stated what his age is. I have to assume that he's at least 18 since he's incarcerated at the end and tried as an adult, rightfully so since he freaking KIDNAPPED HER, so i guess if he's only 18, 16 is not that big of a difference, but still. The book even mentions the idea of Stockholm syndrome and the main character vehemently rejects that which I'm pretty sure the whole point of that syndrome is that you don't realize what's happening to you. Also the book ends with a Q&A and yet it is never addressed that she ends up falling for the guy and that it's written like some star-crossed lovers story. I just find this so harmful, especially for a YA book. People complain about how creepy Twilight and Fifty Shades are with their manipulative love interests that are written to be 'dreamy' and romantic and this 100% follows suit and I don't even think that writer realizes it which bothers me more. I genuinely didn't think that was the direction this book was going until I knew it was and was absolutely horrified.
Basically I'm back and forth between giving this a 2 and a 3, because as a whole like I said, it's entertaining which some fun twists and interesting commentary. But I just can't in good conscience give it higher rating with it promoting such a concerning and problematic relationship.
My main issue with this book is that not only does the main character develop feelings for one of her kidnappers, but it's written in a way that's supposed to make you root for them to be together which is so beyond baffling to me I can't even. Don't get me wrong, the character has legitimate anger, interesting motivations, and a redeemable arc, but it's not enough to overlook the fact that he kidnapped a freaking child... It's also never explicitly stated what his age is. I have to assume that he's at least 18 since he's incarcerated at the end and tried as an adult, rightfully so since he freaking KIDNAPPED HER, so i guess if he's only 18, 16 is not that big of a difference, but still. The book even mentions the idea of Stockholm syndrome and the main character vehemently rejects that which I'm pretty sure the whole point of that syndrome is that you don't realize what's happening to you. Also the book ends with a Q&A and yet it is never addressed that she ends up falling for the guy and that it's written like some star-crossed lovers story. I just find this so harmful, especially for a YA book. People complain about how creepy Twilight and Fifty Shades are with their manipulative love interests that are written to be 'dreamy' and romantic and this 100% follows suit and I don't even think that writer realizes it which bothers me more. I genuinely didn't think that was the direction this book was going until I knew it was and was absolutely horrified.
Basically I'm back and forth between giving this a 2 and a 3, because as a whole like I said, it's entertaining which some fun twists and interesting commentary. But I just can't in good conscience give it higher rating with it promoting such a concerning and problematic relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2025
Robyn is the Prime Minister's daughter. She thinks her dad is the best person ever, and is struggling to recover from PTSD after his attempted assassination a few months earlier.
Then she is kidnapped and used as a pawn in a fight by environmental activists. She is thrown into a situation where she is a key player, rather than the pretty girl who stands supportively at her powerful dad's side. As she gets to know the people holding her hostage, Stockholm Syndrome doesn't seem like such a bad fate after all, especially not when one of the guard has startlingly green eyes...
The shock of the kidnapping and Robyn's attempts to fight back kept me on the edge of my seat, and the slow build-up of the love story was believable and genuine.
I really loved how the motives of the terrorists were revealed in pace with the plot, slowly sharing more information and changing your perspective of the characters at key points in the book. I didn't guess any of the reasons behind the kidnapping, and it was very cleverly written.
Having a romance between prisoner and guard can walk a fine line between icky and acceptable, and in this case the author has done a wonderful job of keeping the romance appropriate and as something the reader can support. The interactions between the two were very sweet, and I really felt the connection between them. I particularly loved the ending.
A gripping beautifully written read that kept up the suspense until the final page!
Then she is kidnapped and used as a pawn in a fight by environmental activists. She is thrown into a situation where she is a key player, rather than the pretty girl who stands supportively at her powerful dad's side. As she gets to know the people holding her hostage, Stockholm Syndrome doesn't seem like such a bad fate after all, especially not when one of the guard has startlingly green eyes...
The shock of the kidnapping and Robyn's attempts to fight back kept me on the edge of my seat, and the slow build-up of the love story was believable and genuine.
I really loved how the motives of the terrorists were revealed in pace with the plot, slowly sharing more information and changing your perspective of the characters at key points in the book. I didn't guess any of the reasons behind the kidnapping, and it was very cleverly written.
Having a romance between prisoner and guard can walk a fine line between icky and acceptable, and in this case the author has done a wonderful job of keeping the romance appropriate and as something the reader can support. The interactions between the two were very sweet, and I really felt the connection between them. I particularly loved the ending.
A gripping beautifully written read that kept up the suspense until the final page!
January 25, 2019
I open my eyes. The cell is flooded with sunlight; the window is a slice of pale blue. Dust particles dance in the sparkling light, pirouetting in a golden line from the window to the opposite wall of the cell, where they seem to converge into shapes. It is like looking into a kaleidoscope
I was instantly intruiged when i found Captive by A.j Grainger, well because im a sucker for these types of thrillers, and as many dissapointing reviews i read i wasnt sure if i was going to like it or not, but to my suprise i actually loved this books
As the Prime Minister’s daughter, Robyn Knollys-Green is always in the public eye. When a terrible incident occured when they were on a trip and and someone tried to assasinate them. But when Robyn is kidnapped and hostage by the animal rights activists it’s there that Robyn realises she’s on her own – her father will only come on his terms not her kidnappers. As time moves on Robyn starts to get close to the boy who guards her but by doing so, she uncovers secrets that involve her father that she can’t believe he’d have any part in and it soon becomes a struggle to figure out the truth. Does Robyn make it out alive?
I finished Captive in a very short time which is unusual for me, the story was great, thats what makes this book a 4 star to me, the only reason why it's not a 5 star is because the writing in the book was sometimes off and bland and couldve been improved.
I was instantly intruiged when i found Captive by A.j Grainger, well because im a sucker for these types of thrillers, and as many dissapointing reviews i read i wasnt sure if i was going to like it or not, but to my suprise i actually loved this books
As the Prime Minister’s daughter, Robyn Knollys-Green is always in the public eye. When a terrible incident occured when they were on a trip and and someone tried to assasinate them. But when Robyn is kidnapped and hostage by the animal rights activists it’s there that Robyn realises she’s on her own – her father will only come on his terms not her kidnappers. As time moves on Robyn starts to get close to the boy who guards her but by doing so, she uncovers secrets that involve her father that she can’t believe he’d have any part in and it soon becomes a struggle to figure out the truth. Does Robyn make it out alive?
I finished Captive in a very short time which is unusual for me, the story was great, thats what makes this book a 4 star to me, the only reason why it's not a 5 star is because the writing in the book was sometimes off and bland and couldve been improved.
October 29, 2020
This was a massive let-down. I came across this book in a blog post recommendation - the "top 5 books you have to read" type thing, which you would expect to list really great books, or at the very least, good enough to warrant a place on the list.
To be fair, I don't think this book is that bad, but the fact that it was on a list makes me hold it to a higher standard, and it falls extremely short.
So many things about it was underwhelming - the plot, the reasons for the kidnapping, the way the characters behaved, the follow-through. I couldn't care about the characters, I couldn't care about the "love story", there was absolutely no connection. There were massive plot holes. Why even bother to wear masks if they were going to give away their identities? I mean, it wasn't even like, small hints that lead to guessing at their identities, it was actual "I am the brother/sister of (full real name of person)." Ummm....???
I felt like it was very poorly written, thoughtless even, and a convenient wrap-up at the end. I might not have minded so much, and in fact, I might have just not finished the book and let it go sooner, if it wasn't for its place on a list. I kept going because I thought it would get better. It didn't.
To be fair, I don't think this book is that bad, but the fact that it was on a list makes me hold it to a higher standard, and it falls extremely short.
So many things about it was underwhelming - the plot, the reasons for the kidnapping, the way the characters behaved, the follow-through. I couldn't care about the characters, I couldn't care about the "love story", there was absolutely no connection. There were massive plot holes. Why even bother to wear masks if they were going to give away their identities? I mean, it wasn't even like, small hints that lead to guessing at their identities, it was actual "I am the brother/sister of (full real name of person)." Ummm....???
I felt like it was very poorly written, thoughtless even, and a convenient wrap-up at the end. I might not have minded so much, and in fact, I might have just not finished the book and let it go sooner, if it wasn't for its place on a list. I kept going because I thought it would get better. It didn't.
July 8, 2018
I absolutely loved Captive. I found it very gripping. I couldn't put it down. I can see why some people didn't like the relationship between Robyn and Talon but I liked it. Normally with gripping books it doesn't take me very long to read it but because I love this book i was deliberately reading it slowly and also I've been busy. I love these type of books. A.J Grainger (Annalee) has written about very important topics that still happen to these days and it was a very good idea to write about in a book to get audiences to understand how important they are. I would definitely recommend it if you are into crime thriller YA novels. I can't wait to read it Annalee new book In Your Light and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Annalee and her future books.
July 1, 2018
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME
Jesus Christ, I want to feel sorry for her cause obviously she’s been through something terrible and is just trying to cope, but God, her head is shoved so far up her own ass she doesn’t realize that the boy she “loves”, fucking KIDNAPPED her. She’s so concerned about that fact that her father did something bad, yet doesn’t acknowledge the fact that she was KIDNAPPED by the boy she’s trying to suck faces with. I can’t. The entire time I found myself hoping they’d all die.
Definitely a no for me.
Jesus Christ, I want to feel sorry for her cause obviously she’s been through something terrible and is just trying to cope, but God, her head is shoved so far up her own ass she doesn’t realize that the boy she “loves”, fucking KIDNAPPED her. She’s so concerned about that fact that her father did something bad, yet doesn’t acknowledge the fact that she was KIDNAPPED by the boy she’s trying to suck faces with. I can’t. The entire time I found myself hoping they’d all die.
Definitely a no for me.
January 19, 2021
Mixed feelings here...
Loved the drama and description, especially for the violent scenes, as they weren't overdone or too gruesome, and provided a lot of detail. I liked the symbolism and foreshadowing, but definitely had some issues with the ending.
SPOILER BELOW!
SPOILER: who falls in love with their bloody captor??? Even if he was nice to you??? Sure girl, he saved you from the worse captor but he was still the one who knocked you out with chloroform! Anyways, definitely had an issue with that but overall good.
Loved the drama and description, especially for the violent scenes, as they weren't overdone or too gruesome, and provided a lot of detail. I liked the symbolism and foreshadowing, but definitely had some issues with the ending.
SPOILER BELOW!
SPOILER: who falls in love with their bloody captor??? Even if he was nice to you??? Sure girl, he saved you from the worse captor but he was still the one who knocked you out with chloroform! Anyways, definitely had an issue with that but overall good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2021
A major let-down. It was an underwhelming book. The reason for the kidnapping, the plot, the characters, the execution and stuffs. Couldn’t care less about the main characters and their so-called “romance” — there was absolutely no connection at all. Want to stop reading but I thought it would get better so I kept going. It didn’t. Btw, this isn’t really my thing — romanticize stockholm syndrome, so it was one of the reason this book has a lower rating (might be a bit biased but heyyy) but I can truly see how this might appeal a younger audience.
January 13, 2022
I thought this book was pretty good. It had good action and romance, though I thought that the romance felt a little forced. In general though I thought it had a good story and plot. It also had a writing technique that I haven't seen very often where where they switch between present and past to explain things that have happened in the past while the story is still happening. I really liked this because it would reveal things about the story that I hadn't known but happened in the past. I thought it was a really interesting writing technique.
August 10, 2018
A decent read. Slightly irritating in that, although no spelling or punctuation mistakes, there were some grammar mistakes (namely in 'me and you' vs. 'you and I' etc.), but that is just me being picky!
It was a nice, quick read: perfect for a train journey etc. I enjoyed the story but it was predictable and it is unlikely I will read it again. The characters were relatively well developed, but in a slightly cliche way.
It was a nice, quick read: perfect for a train journey etc. I enjoyed the story but it was predictable and it is unlikely I will read it again. The characters were relatively well developed, but in a slightly cliche way.
July 20, 2018
Captive is a YA story that is sure to rile up its readers. The Prime Minister's daughter is kidnapped. The details are fuzzy and the reasons seem...off.
The story of her time in that place is scary, sad, and has some fleeting happy. But she is still captive.
I enjoyed it and found it an easy read (when it's not left on a plane). I will be keeping my eyes open for more from this author.
The story of her time in that place is scary, sad, and has some fleeting happy. But she is still captive.
I enjoyed it and found it an easy read (when it's not left on a plane). I will be keeping my eyes open for more from this author.
July 30, 2018
It was good at the start, but after a few chapters i lost interest, i couldn't resonate with the main character, personally, i felt like the author did a poor job of creating likeable characters, and the plot itself was extremely slow paced, i was waiting for some action that never came and when it did took a long time too, the concept was interesting though
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