Holy-moly, this book was fuckin-tastic. We got a great story with great characters, excitement and a beautiful book cover. I know it’s judgemental, but this cover is over-the-top perfect.

I will be honest. I don’t want to spoil the book to anyone, you absolutely have to read this one. So, we have our main character, Domino and her friend, Dizzy. They live in an abandoned house in a shitty part of town and struggling. They live day-to-day, but one tme Dizzy is taken is custody. Domino wants to bail him, but she doesn’t have any money. Then comes this lady to help her, takes her to a special, secluded house where she harbors other young girls. She says it’s a house for borguoning artists. But all is not as it seems…

Domino has her own demons too. One specifically named Wilson, who lives in her head and does very, very bad things sometimes. I kinda liked him. He is protective. A bastard, but protective bastard. Domino fears what is he capable of. But everyone has their own secrets and we know that secrets won’t be buried forever…

This book is dark, fast paced and a definite page-turner. If you are looking for some mysterious, action-filled dark Yound-Adult story, than this one is for you.

Explosive. Unique. Addictive.

Sometimes you pick up a book and you're not really sure what you're getting yourself into. With Violet Grenade, you may think you know what you're getting into but nothing will prepare you for the ride you're in for.

He's my person. Not that I need one.

Domino has been through A LOT of shit. Victoria Scott did not shy away from her rough past and how that leads her to Cain, Madam Karina, and Wilson. And just when you think she's had enough, Victoria pushes her further. And further. And further. Grenade doesn't even begin to describe it. This book is one of the darkest romances (and possibly darkest book) I've read. With a satisfying ending, fans of Lost Girls will enjoy this book.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I picked this up, but I love the cover and after reading the blurb, I knew I had to read this one! While weirder than most of the books I have read lately, I loved the characters, and enjoyed the plot in this one! This is my first book time reading one of Victoria Scott's books, but I enjoy her style, and would be happy to read more! I loved how every-time I thought I knew where things were headed, I was surprised by another twist! This one kept me guessing, and I had to know more! I couldn't put it down, and loved every minute! Sadly the ending wasn't as intense as I had hoped, and I guessed how it would play out, but I still enjoyed it. Had the ending been more of a surprise, and left me shocked, I would have definitely given this a 5 star rating!

C’mon, as if I wouldn’t read this book. First of all, the cover = ♥. Second of all, the blurb completely won me over. I will say that the original blurb made it sound more sordid and dark than the current one does. Honestly, I’m not sure if this one would’ve pulled me on board the way the first one did. Nonetheless, I’m so glad I did read Violet Grenade, because it‘s really good!

I am unapologetically drawn to female characters who have violent tendencies, so I was prepared to love Domino. Oh, I like her, alright. She’s a runaway just trying to survive life in Chicago. When shit goes down, she finds herself accepting an offer from Madam Karina to make money at her home for girls. Sounds seedy, right? It isn’t what you think. Or, is it? Maybe, just maybe, it’s worse. Domino is a fighter and soon begins to claw her way to the top, but the closer she gets, it becomes clear there’s a lot off about the people and the place.

Violet Grenade takes us on a crazy ride that’s a tad on the darker side, which I love. As the story progresses, Domino’s secrets and past unravels, and … well, it’s not pretty. This brings me to Wilson. I freaking love Wilson! I’d get giddy when he would show up, because it meant things were about to go down. Oh, and is it ever fun.

I love how I couldn’t fully trust anyone and had to keep my guard up. However, despite all the cruelness and shadiness, there’s a wonderful story of friendship and loyalty that surprised me.

This book really impressed me with the standout characters, twisted plot, and touch of oddness that kept me glued to each page. It’s a quick read and a total page turner! Read it!

Side note to Domino: Having “a little more meat on your bones” doesn’t have anything to do with being a “real woman”. You’re fine the way you are.

Violet Grenade was not what I was expecting. At all. It has several interesting ideas, but none of them worked very well together. When we meet Domino, she's living on the streets with a boy named Dizzy. She wears heavy makeup, several piercings, and colorful wigs. Then Dizzy is arrested and Domino has no money for bail. Coincidentally, she meets Madam Karina who offers her a job at her home for girls. It sounds too good to be true, but what other choice does Domino have?

The one thing that I loved about Violet Grenade was the idea of Madam Karina's home for girls. I think it's pretty obvious what she has the girls do for money, and it becomes apparent to Domino fairly quickly as well. The girls "perform" each night for paying customers, and as the girls move up the ranks, the more the customers pay, and the more liberties they're allowed. It's really sick since they're all teenagers, most under 18, but Madam Karina has her reasons, but not very good ones.

That's where Violet Grenade partially lost me. Madam Karina's motivations make zero sense. I think the author was trying to do too much to make her a villain, but also sympathetic, and also straight up twisted. I just had to roll my eyes when she was telling Domino why she opened the house. Then the actual housing system also didn't make sense. Like I said, the girls have ranks (lowest is Carnation, highest is Violet), and that determines their pay rate as well as their chores. Well, as Domino is working her way up the ranks, she tells us that Tulips (Rank 3) polish silverware and fold linens. When she was a Carnation, she scrubbed floors and toilets. My question is, if the girls aren't allowed to visit the areas of the house not reserved for their rank, who was cleaning the higher rank girls' bathrooms?

Where Violet Grenade utterly failed for me was with Wilson. I believe Domino is suppose to have Dissosiative Identity Disorder, since Wilson comes out when she's threatened and essentially protects her. Wilson also had originally appeared when Domino was forced to do awful things for her mother. That could have been really interesting and emotional, if I had believed it. But the way Wilson is presented is just....uncomfortable. It didn't read like someone who was actually mentally ill. He felt more there for shock value, and honestly didn't add much. I would have believed Domino simply snapping more than her disappearing and being replaced by Wilson.

Violet Grenade simply didn't work for me. Yes, I was intrigued by this brothel in the middle of nowhere, because people are twisted. But Violet's mental health was poorly written and I couldn't take it seriously. Madam Karina also wasn't believable at all, and that scene toward the end when she meets Wilson was ridiculous.

Well this was an odd one! It's been a while since I finished this book, but for some reason I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. Violet Grenade was very similar to its title - it felt like an explosion of a story that was sort of thrown out there and left for us, the readers, to pick up the pieces.

Every concept in this story appealed to me, but I'd say the execution was maybe at a B+ on the grading scale. This felt like it wasn't quite ready for reading, like it had been quickly pulled together. Part of me really did like this book, but part of me also found it lacking... something. It was entertaining, but it just felt somewhat haphazard and almost rushed.

Domino was an odd character. I never really felt connected to her, despite this story being told in her first person narration. There was just some sort of disconnect that made it feel like I was watching this all from a great distance. I just felt that her character was inconsistent. In a way, that seems to fit with the notion of her being rather unpredictable, but it just didn't work for me. For instance, Domino repeatedly stated that she hated to be touched, but every time she made that statement she was being touched by someone (a hug, a hand on the arm, etc.) she was thinking 'oh, this is actually okay,' which just didn't fit. I understood a lot of where her mental instabilities came from, but I feel that that entire aspect just wasn't developed as well as it could have been.

Then there's this 'Wilson' figure, and I just don't know what to say about him. I really started to like him more in the middle/latter half of the novel, but I juts didn't really get it, which I know is the point. He is supposed to be this enigmatic, 'other' presence in Domino's mind, but... what? I don't know. The ending confused me, I'll just leave it at that.

There is also a lot of girl hate and competition between many of the female characters, and I just became very frustrated by it. I understood the competition between to a point, but some of the extreme events that took place between the girls just didn't seem quite justifiable enough based on what I had read.

I also felt like Scott tried really hard to portray schizophrenia/mental illness/PTSD, and although I think that she portrayed it fairly well, I don't think it completely worked out how it was meant to. While these elements were present, they were never really addressed, so I'm not sure what I am supposed to feel after finishing Domino's journey.

The last thing I want to mention about this book is about the ending. I won't give away any specific details, but I just want to say that I was somewhat disappointed and felt that it was a bit too predictable. Nonetheless, this was a strong story overall and I am giving it three-and-a-half-stars!

Whoa! Even after reading the synopsis there was no way I could expect what I read. This is dark and twisted and strange and disturbing. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. You can't help but feel for these characters and have such strong emotions as you read the story. There is humor but it is a dark humor that I only think some will enjoy. It's a contemporary but reads very much like an urban fantasy to me. If you want something heart wrenching and a really dark read Violet Grenade is perfect for you.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to get this book on my Kindle because, all over Twitter and Instagram, I saw that this was a much anticipated release from Victoria Scott. I requested it via e-mail and on NetGalley, so I was hoping I’d get some kind of response.
Imagine my excitement when I got it from NetGalley!

So, we meet Domino automatically in the beginning. She is a homeless teenager along with her friend Dizzy. They sneak into clubs, swipe things illegally, etc. She doesn’t really know what she’d do without him, so you can imagine how she feels when Dizzy gets arrested (instead of her) for tagging on the wall in an alley.
Domino knows she needs to get his bail money so they can run away again. So, when she gets an offer from Madam Karina to live in a group home for “entertainers”, Domino takes her up on the offer. She reassures herself (and Wilson, her inner...psycho, let’s say) that she is doing this for Dizzy.
When Domino enters the house filled with girls of different personalities and physical appearances, she knows that she is in for something a lot different. Their are different ranks, depending on how well you perform. There’s even a man named Cain, who Domino can’t help but be intrigued with.
Well, let’s start with the girls in the house. The names and physical descriptions are kind of out of this world. All but one, being Poppet, are incredibly bitchy and manipulative. I was eager for Wilson to just come out and rip the girls to shreds. I couldn’t stand them!
The entertainment reminded me of Sucker Punch. If you don’t know the film, it’s about a girl who is sent to a mental hospital. In her mind, the hospital is really this brothel, but not intense like what you see in Game of Thrones where it’s naked women everywhere having sex. The girls entertain men by dancing, singing, etc. The film is set in the 50′s or 60′s, I believe. However, the action in the girl’s mind is more modern than that. This is the feel I got from this book. Everything done was modern, but the mood felt like it was meant to be set in the 50′s or 60′s. I actually liked that aspect.
Domino is definitely a character you don’t want to mess with. She is a troubled girl at first with haunting secrets. Once you get to know her, she has ambitions to run away from those secrets and to not let them define her. However, that’s pretty hard for her to do. It’s hard for her to let people in, including Cain.
Cain is pretty much the same as her. He has secrets, he doesn’t really talk. However, there is a pull between him and Domino and when they are together, their walls come down. It’s nice to see Domino being able to trust someone, especially when it’s someone of the opposite sex and someone as big as Cain. (The dude is described as a big man. Like...a mountain.)
I liked the relationship between Poppet and Domino. Poppet was there for Domino from the beginning and agreed to stay next to her when Domino made plans to break out from the house. Most of the time, writers don’t allow girls like Domino to have a girl best friend. There is only the boy, the one outlet of comfort. But, I liked that Victoria made Poppet a strong ally that wouldn’t betray Domino.
Madam Karina is a piece of work. She is very creepy and she is the kind of person that is stuck in her own mind and is very afraid of being alone. She has a thing with Mr. Hodge while he has a thing on the side. She knows, but she continues to believe that nobody will leave her even though she is afraid they will. It’s all very messy and creepy, but it’s what makes her character. Really, there is no saving her.
A few things that bothered me:

- Dizzy isn’t mentioned much anymore after Domino is living in the house for a week or so. I kind of wanted a bit more with him, maybe like a confrontation or closure between him and Domino. I mean, they were by each other’s sides for two years. That’s a lot to go through.
- The action was very little. I’m not saying that there wasn’t a lot. It just seemed to go by pretty fast.
- Closure, in general, didn’t seem to be there. I think the book my be set up for more, but I wasn’t entirely sure. There are some characters that were kind of left there in the wind and you’re not sure what happened or what will happen. I guess what I’m trying to say is I wanted a little bit more information or maybe something to tell me that there will be a second book, which I don’t think there will be.
All in all though, I really enjoyed this book. Despite the little mishaps above, it was what I expected it to be. This is the second book I’ve read of Victoria Scott’s and I’m proud to give it a fabulous rating and review.

WOW! This book was something else! Seriously amazing! Loved the characters, ALL of them, including Wilson. Totally fell in love with Cain with his secrets and all. Domino was super awesome and even Poppet who was totally a very nice character I ended up loving. I loved how the author created this world were a town is kind of controlled by the Madam and how she has the cops in her pocket and doing her bidding.
The story was incredible, the mean girls at the house, how all was managed by the Madam and her lover and all the things that happened including Madam Karina manipulating all the girls and specially Domino.
Domino was a very strong character and paired with Cain they were one of the best couples I have read about in a while.
This is definitely a book I will recommend to everyone.

Domino Ray is in hiding on the streets of Detroit. The only person she has let close to her in over a year is petty thief Dizzy. Together the two form a tiny family but when Dizzy gets arrest Domino will do anything to get him out of jail which includes joining Madam Karina's Home for Burgeoning Performers. However, once Domino is ensconced in the house she soon realizes that not everything is what it appears. Domino needs to decide who to trust and who to avoid just to survive.

Oh, how this book was disappointing. I was a HUGE fan of Scott's "Dante Walker" series. I thought the entire series had a humorously sarcastic but wonderfully realistic narrative voice that was delightfully refreshing however I have yet to find the same delight any of her other novels and "The Violet Grenade" is no different. The story felt flat and at no point did it hook me in the way "Dante Walker" did. The problem may be with the main character. Domino Ray isn't particularly interesting and her inability or unwillingness to see what's going around her is as frustrating as it is annoying. From her first interaction with Madame Karina I just wanted to shake her and say "Seriously, you can't figure out what's going on here?". Plus, there is a back story for our heroine that feels entirely unnecessary and beyond convoluted. Domino has a dangerous voice in her head...okay, that's fine but that all feels like it should be part of an entirely different book not just folded into Domino's story. However, I can't blame poor Domino for all the issues in this book. The story moves along at barely a tortoise pace which may be because Scott tried to include just a little too much story. The only bright points are Cain, a boy that works for Madame Karina who has honest feelings for Domino, and Poppet, a friend and ally of Domino but didn't bring enough to the table to save the book for me. I am sure that there are many readers who are going to love the story of a girl who has gotten herself in over her head and is desperately trying to find her freedom while dealing with her mental issue however I am very much not that reader.

Victoria Scott, author of books such as Fire & Flood, and Salt & Stone, returns with Violet Grenade, a story that is dark, gritty, & engaging. It is a story that is stunning brilliant in the way the author interweaves her story between Domino Ray, and Wilson, a character who will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. 17-year old Domino Ray lives on the streets. She desperately wants wants a home of her own, and a safe place where she won't have to worry about where she gets her next meal.

But, there is more to Domino than meets the eye test. Domino, you see, has a dark secret that lurks just under the skin waiting to pop out at any moment. After her closest friend is caught by the police, Domino realizes that she has to find a way to make money quickly to spring him from jail. Riding on a white horse she comes in the form of Madame Karina. Karina, it seems, has a place called "Home for Burgeoning Entertainers." Domino's acceptance of Karina's offer takes her from Detroit to Pox, Texas.

Upon arrival in Texas, Domino finds herself in a secluded farmhouse where a brothel of girls are billed for anything, and everything & must entertain in order to make any money to pay off their debts. Each girl can work their way up the rank which includes Carnation, Daisy, Tulip, before going to the dark side where anything is possible, including sexual services. This level is where Domino & readers will find the Lily's and the Violets, as well as the girl of the house, Lola. The higher you go in rank, the more of a profit you make. Each rank is filled with cutting, backstabbing, and manipulative girls who have no desire to make friends.

The most intriguing parts about Karina's home, are Poppet, and Cain, as well as the dangerous secrets which lie not only with Karina, but with other characters as well. Poppet is the most adorable character in the book. Poppet quickly becomes Domino's only friend in the house. She may not be the most talented, but her desire to help Domino, concreted her way into my heart. Cain and Domino play off each other extremely well. Domino and Cain each have deep, dark secrets that bring them close together in finding a way to change their fates.

As Domino explores the house system, and how to rise up through the ranks, she also has to deal with Karina who may be charming one minute, but the devil in a black dress the next. There is also Angie who has some interesting scenes in the book which bring Domino's situation to the seriousness it really is. But, along for the ride is Wilson. What can I say about Wilson that isn't spoiler-y? Hmm. He's a protector of sorts. He loves violence. He could be an alter-ego of Domino in some fashion. He has protected her from some of the worst things that a human being can be subjected to, and kept Domino safe. He makes this book fun, dark, and twisted. Just the way I like it.

Violet Grenade will make you question how many young girls have been taken off the street by those like Madame Karina who makes them feel as though they will be safe. Later, they discover that they are caught in an inescapable situation. If you try to run, well, let's not spoil what happens. I do often wonder how many girls disappeared while trying to escape from those like Madam Karina, Eric, and Hodges. How many have tried to escape brutal pimps, or sexual slavers, or traffickers and not been seen or hear from again?

Violet Grenade is probably one of the best books that are coming out this year. It's a contemporary psychological YA thriller with an original idea behind it, compelling characters (most important of them all is Domino who is a kickass heroine, she was easy to connect to), an awesome story, and great writing on top of all. I had a hard time putting it down, I was too intrigued and needed to see what happened next!

Wow. I am not sure what I was initially expecting from this book to be honest but man was I given a ride. This book is dark and filled with the dark pasts of the characters within it. It's a solid reminder that anyone can have some skeletons in our closets but it's all in how you act because of them. Domino was stronger than she gave herself credit for. She went through a lot in her life and she came out as best as she could, minus Wilson. I thought it was great to see her grow more confident in herself and in her strength while still learning that it's ok to rely on others. Cain was perfection. A guy who had some terrible experiences caught in the game of blaming yourself. I really liked getting to know him and his personality.

I honestly didn't think I would finish this book in a couple sittings. I was intrigued at first and really wanting to learn more, but by the time I was halfway through I knew that was it. I was on the edge of my seat towards the end, so much was happening. There was betrayal, horrible acts, darkness, and death. It was something to watch characters overcome such evil.

This was definitely a thriller that I can handle. Dark and disturbing in some ways, but other ways left it up to your imagination. Definitely be on the lookout for this release.

Full review to be features on Midwestern Book Nerd on Monday, May 1, 2017. https://midwesternbooknerd.wordpress.com/

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: May 16, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

DOMINO: A runaway with blood on her hands.

CAIN: A silent boy about to explode.

MADAM KARINA: A woman who demands obedience.

WILSON: The one who will destroy them all.

When Madam Karina discovers Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position inside her home for entertainers in secluded West Texas. Left with few 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. But after suffering weeks of bullying and unearthing the madam’s secrets, Domino decides to leave. It’ll be harder than she thinks, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the person living inside Domino’s mind.

Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.

What I Liked:

I haven't read a ton of YA psychological thrillers, mostly because they freak me out. Michelle Hodkin's Mara Dyer books left me reeling. Vicarious by Paula Stokes is another great psychological thriller, and I think you can consider A World Without You by Beth Revis one too. Violet Grenade was an intriguing, nail-biting, shocking novel that I couldn't put down.

Domino is a runaway who has been living in an abandoned house with a boy named Dizzy, who has been a friend and companion to her. After years of living with her mother/her mother's insanity, Domino got away. But when Dizzy is arrested for shoplifting, Domino is alone. Until a woman makes her deal: come live with her in her home for burgeoning entertainers, and Domino can work for money to do what she would like. But when Domino gets to this home in West Texas, she realizes that this home isn't really home, and she can't really leave. She earns close to no money, she has no power, and she has nowhere to go. All she can do is try to work her way up the ranks of the flowers, from a bottom feeder to the coveted Violet spot, the best of entertainers. Domino isn't afraid of this strange place, because she has something no one else has - Wilson.

You can probably already tell where this is going: Madam Karina's home for burgeoning entertainers has all kinds of entertainment going on... and Domino has split-personality disorder. I'll talk about both of those.

Starting with Domino! Her split-personality is never named in terms of a medical condition - probably because this book is written in first-person, and it's not like Domino has been diagnosed by medical professionals. She developed the second personality (Wilson) when she wasn't strong enough to handle what her mother was making her do. Her mother made her do The Thing for years, and Wilson grew stronger for years. And since you're probably wondering what The Thing is - no, the mother wasn't pimping out Domino. Domino is a virgin.

Domino hides behind a think wall and tries not to let anyone in, or the past out. She has Wilson, and she had Dizzy, and things were fine until Dizzy gets arrested. Making the decision to take up Madam Karina on the offer and leave Detroit for West Texas is both stupid and smart, irrational and incredibly brave. Surviving for as long as she did in Madam Karina's house took strength, strength that wasn't just Wilson's, but was Domino's alone. Which is confusing in a way, because Domino and Wilson are the same person. But not really. Split-personality, remember?

So, Madam Karina's house. Madam Karina finds Domino and asks her to come to this home of burgeoning artists, because Madam Karina sees Domino's graffiti art on a structure. Domino is an excellent graffiti artist. At the home, Domino starts at the bottom, simply interacting and talking with visitors. The next level has her doing the same, but a little more interaction. The next level has her interacting with customers like one would in a nightclub - dancing with them. The next level has Domino allowing them to touch her - brushes on the arm, waist, hair. The next level? Domino isn't prepared for that level. You can probably guess - it's my exact first thought when this home of burgeoning entertainers appeared in the story. The next/top level is entertaining guests in terms of sex. Which broke my heart because this sort of thing happens all the time, with young girls.

Domino didn't intend to want to climb ranks, but she quickly figures out that she can make more money in the higher ranks, and she can possibly have more freedom and be safer in a high rank. She and her friend Poppet start climbing the ranks rapidly, which is unusual. Other girls notice, and hate them for it. Domino and Poppet have to live through a lot of petty and sometimes dangerous tricks and behaviors from the other girls.

I liked Domino, and I liked Wilson. Wilson has his own temper and flair and attitude (which is weird, I know), and he is extremely protective of Domino. Domino doesn't like to let Wilson take over, and she lets it happen rarely. It's frightening, what happens when Wilson is around.

Cain is easily just as important a character as Domino. He is huge, built like a boxer and a football player, and he doesn't say much. A wealth of pain and suffering appears in his eyes, in his demeanor, in his gait, and his story is a tough one for Domino to nail down. He is a hard young man with a harsh past, but he's a good person who takes too much crap from the girls at the home. Cain is probably my favorite character, because of how good of a person he is, despite everything that has happened to him, and everything he had to do. Sort of like Domino.

Yes, there is a budding romance between Cain and Domino. They grow to care for each other, which is lovely to watch, considering how guarded both of them are. They are great together, with both of them being brutally honest and blunt with each other. They understand each other, and they have a great connection. They share some pretty intense moments!

This book had me on edge! Domino made me nervous, as did Wilson, but so did Madam Karina, her lackeys (Mr. Hodge and Eric), and the other girls at the home. Domino didn't trust anyone, not even Poppet and Cain (until after a while). Everyone in the home freaked me out a little, especially with all of the emotional manipulation happening. I shuddered a lot, while reading this book. I'm glad the author didn't have Domino cross a certain line, like she was going to.

One thing that really had me hooked was the slow pace of the informational reveals. We don't get all of the information at once. We don't find out immediately about what Domino's mother had Domino do, or where Domino's father went, or what awful thing Cain did in his past, or what is really going in Madam Karina's house, or what the top-level girls really do. Everything is revealed gradually, but not so slowly that you're bored or lose interest.

Overall, this book both freaked me out a little and had me entranced. There was no way I was going to stop reading, until the very end. This book has a very fair and neat ending, one that I'm glad happened the way it did.

What I Did Not Like:

Perhaps I wanted to see a little more acknowledgement in terms of Domino's disorder. Obviously, since this book was written in Domino's first-person POV, Domino isn't going to walk around knowing she has split-personality disorder (because she doesn't know that that's what it is). She knows that Wilson exists because she couldn't handle the bad things that she was seeing and had to do, years ago. I still would have liked for her condition to be acknowledged in medical terms, and for the resolution of her disorder to be a little less yay-I'm-cured-now.

Would I Recommend It:

If you like psychological thrillers, I highly recommend this book. I haven't read enough to say that I'm a super fan, but I enjoy one every now and then. This book was pretty incredible and has me arm covered in goosebumps, so I'd say it's a good psychological thriller to try. Scott is a very experienced YA author who has tried many different genres, and I think she did a great job with this genre.

Rating:

4 stars. Dare I say that this is Scott's best novel? I've read her Dante Walker trilogy, and her Fire & Flood duology, and Salt & Stone. I think this is her best book! Less silly and humorous like her previous books (I loved the silliness and humor though), and more intense and mysterious (with a slight dose of humor every now and then, especially from Wilson). Plus, who could resist that gorgeous cover?

This book is hard for me to review. First its hard to decide what genre to put it in. Thriller? Contemporary? Mental Illness? It felt like it was less mystery thriller and more suspenseful. And while mental illness plays a huge part of this book, I think the point was on the bullying, manipulation, and revenge. It takes place in a contemporary setting but is definitely not a sweet little romance. It's like it needs its own category.

I'll start with a few things I do know. One, the plot was hecka interesting. Like I read 96% of this book in one day. Which is pretty hard for me to do. I couldn't stop reading it. I read through my entire Monday night at work. Whoops. The only reason I didn't read the entire book in one day was that I started it on a night I had some anxiety and needed to set it aside until the next day. But from chapter one I was pulled into this story. Partially because I liked the way Domino and Wilson treated each other and their conversations. But also because I wanted to see what happens. You pretty much know what is going to happen, in a general sense. But I could feel Domino's emotions pouring off of her even as she tried to keep the wall she had built around herself sturdy and unbreakable.

Scott's writing style was easy to follow. All of Wilson's thoughts were italicized so I was never confused about who was speaking. I really liked that both Wilson and Domino were strong characters, just in different ways. They each had their voice and way about doing things. All of the characters were authentic and decently fleshed out. I would've liked to have seen more backstory for a few of the characters but that would have changed the tone of the book I'm sure.
Though it's never explicitly stated, Domino and her love interest have Dissociative Identity Disorder. (Professionals no longer call it multiple personalities.) DID happens when a person experiences real trauma and they start to dissociate from the trauma by disconnecting yourself from your feelings, thoughts, memories and actions. As a child Domino's mind created Wilson to deal with the pain she was experiencing. For Cain, he learned how to turn his emotions off and not feel. It was interesting to read about for sure and gives the reader something to think about. While I do not have DID, it did seem like Scott did at least some if not a lot of research on the matter in order to perfect her characters. I was glad that Domino and Cain weren't stereotypical villains but are just a people who are doing what they have to do to take care of themselves.

I also enjoyed that Domino and Cain weren't jumping into each other's arms because they wanted to fix the other one or because they thought love could heal their issues. Domino and Cain became friends through friendly conversations and saw something each other that they recognized in themselves. Like meeting a kindred spirit. Their relationship also wasn't that important to the story. Their friendship helped keep each other safe but this is not a love story. And I appreciated that.

Overall I would give this a 5/5 stars. If you like suspenseful stories that keep you wanting more then I highly recommend this book for you.

Violet Grenade is not what I was expecting at all. I received a free copy via NetGalley and Entangled Publishing. There literally seems to not have been a time when this book lets the reader relax. Domino is seventeen and has been living on the streets since she was sixteen. She is sharing a squat house with her buddy Dizzy for the last year. They look out for each other and do most things together until one night they get separated and Dizzy ends up in lockup. Domino does not have the money or even anything worth enough to pawn so that she can bail Dizzy out. When she leaves the lockup to try and find a way to bail Dizzy out she runs into Madam Karina who offers her what I think is too good to be true. But, when a person is desperate and despite having lived on the streets for a year, naïve, they will grasp on the first option offered to them. I must admit I was surprised she would get in the car with a stranger.
Domino finds herself outside of a small town in Texas where it seems that everyone knows or works for Madam Karina in some way. She starts having the stars knocked out of her eyes about the opportunity she is offered after her first paycheck. Though she makes two good friends the bulk of the other girls working for Madam Karina seem to be against her and do everything they can to ensure she doesn’t succeed because Madam Karina offers the “top girl” the one thing that Domino wants her own house as Madam Karina’s successor. Despite the negative vibe, she is starting to have about the home where most of the girls appear to worship Madam Karina, Domino, along with the elusive Wilson, starts to catch on quickly and getting out of that house is not going to be anywhere near as easy as it was getting in there.
Violet Grenade keeps the reader interested. We must know what will happen if she gets cornered. Even Dizzy appears to know it is not a good thing but, the reader is drawn into learning about Wilson throughout the book. Even when we get to the end you might still be left thinking, who in the heck is Wilson? By the end of the book you realize that despite what Wilson appears to be you literally find yourself hoping Wilson whoops everyone’s butt. I tend to steer away from books where it looks like adults might be victimizing children or teens. It is bad enough when it is an adult, but, children are more vulnerable than most adults. Some street kids are less vulnerable due to experience especially when they have someone like Dizzy and other neighborhood people looking out for them, which appeared to be the case with Domino. There were times I thought that Domino still had a bit of green on her, then later I though nah, she is wise, just slower to respond. We learn as the book goes on why this dichotomy exists and it just makes the book that more thrilling. The big question is “who in the heck is Wilson?”. I’m wishing kids that are bullied had someone a bit like Wilson that would help them stand up for themselves, not to the extreme that Wilson did, but, enough to stop the victimization that is so rampant in schools, heck in any situation where there is a group of people there seems to be someone that victimizes others, even in smaller ways. This book is a tip of the hat to standing up for yourself or maybe even for others when they need a boost! This review can also be seen at LadyTechie’s Book Musings https://ladytechiesbookmusings.blogspot.com/.

I've seen almost exclusively positive reviews for Violet Grenade so I feel like I'm the odd one out for not loving it. I'd read one of Victoria's other books, Titans, and I loved it so I was really pumped to explore her other books.
I can't really put my finger on why this book wasn't for me but it just hit me the wrong way. Right away, there was something about the main character and writing that felt off to me. I can't really explain it but it felt almost... fragmented. Like a rough draft or something. The main character, Domino, was just weird. I couldn't connect to her at all and she felt unnatural. It was never really acknowledged that Domino seemingly had a mental illness (I thought she had schizophrenia) and her illness was more of a plot device.
The plot was predictable and unengaging to me and I just couldn't get into it.

Overall, this book wasn't for me. I've seen tons of great reviews for Violet Grenade so maybe I'm just being overly critical. However, if you're triggered or sensitive to schizophrenia or mental illness not being completely addressed in a book, I would recommend not reading Violet Grenade.

Violet Grenade is a strange combination of profoundly dark and almost innocently romantic, and the two are (not surprisingly) awkwardly bedfellows at times. Taken separately, the former is grueling but fascinating, when the latter starts out intriguing but quickly turn into the typical YA romantic arc. Together, though, they're definitely interesting and, by the time the book ends, have paid off in a satisfying way. That's not to say there isn't an unevenness of tone that, at times, is distracting, only that the rough patches are worth pushing through for the graceful, heartbreaking last chapter.

Domino, the book's main character, is ferocious, broken, and smart as hell. Her first person perspective is immediately gripping, and it's impossible not to feel sympathy for her. Her relationships are what drive the book forward and, to Scott's great credit, most of the supporting characters are three-dimensional with clear personalities of their own. That said, the best-developed relationship by far is Domino's with Wilson. What starts out nothing but creepy gradually becomes a delicate negotiation between broken equals, and it's their singular, unpredictable give-and-take that keeps the story moving forward.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled for the ARC.

The above review will be posted at my GoodReads (link below) a month before publication.

This book is truly wonderful! I loved the cast in this book and how each one is so descriptively written. You can almost see the characters lain out before you and feels like you could reach through and touch them because she brings them to life on every page. Victoria is wonderful at setting a scene and building up a truly immerse world. Bulling, manipulation, and revenge? You got it! This book brings forward so much depth. Domino is probably my favorite character as she is so fiercely loyal to her best friend and she is a strong dreamer. She sees a better life for herself. This is a masterpiece of a YA psychological thriller.Thank you Entangled Teen and NetGalley for sending me this in exchange for my honest review!