I really liked the book ! The main character was liakable and I loved the plot ,I wish it was longer tho ,to enjoy it a little bit more

Now I know I didn't rave about the first book, but I didn't hate. BUT oh my did book two hook me and have me devouring this book in no time.

The book picks up right where the first one left off. The girls escaped and are on their own now. Leandra left them with information and cash. So the girls rent out a place and attend a new school. Everything seems to being going well and they are working to find this investor's kid, but when Mena has this vision/headache, everything is about to change.

They get home after and there's some random girl there. Raven, she's an IT wiz and can help them. Someone they thought to be dead is really alive and well. Winston is in the area and they meet the creator of the poems. A LOT goes down and this book is damn well gripping. You won't stop until you've read the last the page.

I absolutely LOVE this series! The first book was great but somehow the second was even better! I can’t wait to read the third immediately!

OMG. I DEVOURED this book, literally. 3 hours of reading. I couldn't put it down, couldn't tear myself away. Although high tech, Girls with Razor Hearts reveals what women put up with daily: the misogyny, the harassment, the abuse, the dehumanization, because men don't see us as equal. Well, like Mena, Sydney, Brynn, Marcella, and Annalise, girls fight back. The trauma and fallout each of the girl's face is so well-written, the feelings so real, that even against the science fiction (barely, considering how AI and robotics research are progressing) this novel and its predecessor are relatable to every woman, either through experience or knowledge of someone who has experienced the maltreatment at the hands of sadistic men who only want to control women. Young truly embraces the power girls have at our disposal, and shines a bright, accusing light at those who would want to hold us down.

Girls with Sharp Sticks was so good, and Razor Hearts was no exception. I am so excited for the trilogy’s closer later this year’


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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Significant addition to the YA genre. Purchased this YA/middle grade novel for my middle school library. Superb character development, elegant world building, and compelling plotting.

Suzanne Young is one of my favorite authors, but this sequel to Girls With Short Sticks fell a little bit short for me unfortunately. Following Mena and her friends escape from their boarding school, we follow their journey as they encounter the outside world for the first time. They're trying to take down the boarding school still to save their friends still stuck there, and things are not going well for them. There are some great twists and turns without the novel, and some great topics are addressed, but it's a lot to keep track of and it's not all addressed fully. I think Young was trying to tackle too much and had too many ideas and it just was muddled in the end unfortunately.

This series really feels like a YA version of The Handmaid's Tale. The actions of the men and boys in power and what these girls witness are horrifying but it's that underlying kernel of truth in this dystopian novel that makes it truly scary. Girls with Razor Hearts continued to move me and surprise me much like its predecessor did and I'm really impressed by the story and world Suzanne Young crafted here. It picks up a few weeks after Mena and the other girls of the Innovations Academy have escaped their boarding school and they want to take down the corporation that imprisoned them. They enroll in Stoneridge Prep to find the son of an investor and infiltrate the corporation from there. But the boys at the school are worse than they realized and they don't know who to trust. The situation at school and the adults determined to control their path gave the story its suspenseful backdrop and while I was able to predict one or two things, there were definitely shocking moments. But what I enjoyed the most were the strong feminist themes and the friendship between these young women determined to make a difference. They could've kept running but instead chose to take a stance to fight for their own rights, and that of the other girls, to live and feel freely.

Do I recommend? For sure! I thought it was supposed to only be duology but turns out there's another book! I have a feeling it's going to be explosive.

I have never been a fan of drawn out book series that just keep going when the solution could have easily been tied up already. I hope this story doesn't become that although I have a poor feeling that might happen.

We catch up with the girls after they leave Innovations academy. To be honest not much happens in this book. The girls attend a boarding school with the intentions of finding Innovations investors and convince them to pull their money. The theory is with their money not coming in Innovations with crumble. So many plot points were introduced and many weren't fleshed out at all. The mystery new Raven who is a new brand of AI, the past laws that affected woman that little information was given about, the fact that a woman designed all the girls, a mystery kill switch, and of course the fact that each girl has a particular role and you can tell just by looking at them (which seems impossible unless all the models for those roles look exactly the same, which seems against the point because then everyone would know they were androids)

I am interested to see where the story goes next but I hope the next book is the last and doesn't have so many random plots that are ignored.

I ADORED the first book in this series, Girls with Sharp Sticks, and expected to love this as well. Unfortunately, it spends a little too much time man-hating. I am ALL for giving men their due blame, but I didn't anticipate reading a book where every guy except maybe two are absolutely terrible. It was a little hard to get through;

Suzanne Young's Girls With Razor Hearts is an angry book. Not only is Ms. Young angry but her characters are angry, and she provides enough examples of rape culture and sexism to make you angry. Normally, I would consider this type of story cathartic, finding comfort in the knowledge that I am not alone in fuming at the injustice of it all. This time around though, I found it all a bit much.

Take this passage discussing men in general:

"'They had a president who bragged about sexual assault,' she continues. "Cabinet members who were arrested for domestic abuse, a secretary of education enacting policies to protect rapists!" Her voice ticks up, but she visibly calms herself. 'And still...,' she says in eerie calm. 'No one stopped them. They're sick creatures, Mena. They're a horrid species.'"

Or this one:

"Why is everyone so willing to lie all the time? And it's those lies that are so insidious. The way society pretends these terrible things aren't happening -- their racism, their sexism. The way they pretend it's just us overreacting."

The entire novel includes punchy, rage-inducing commentary about society like these two quotes. What makes Girls With Razor Hearts frustrating instead of refreshing though is the fact that there is a lot of raising awareness but very little in the way of action.

In many, many ways, Girls With Razor Hearts reads like a typical Suzanne Young novel. It contains very strong female characters more politically aware than their counterparts and ready to fight the status quo. Unfortunately, it is bordering on bitter as it lists every possible instance of gender inequality, rape culture, and overt sexism by both men and women. I am hoping that the third novel in the series will include more action against such injustice. Most women I know have been furious since 2016. It is time we get something that will provide us examples of how to fight against such behavior rather than another example of what we need to fight against.

Thank you to Netgalley & Simon Pulse for providing me with a copy of Girls with Razor Hearts in exchange for an honest review!

Girls with Sharp Sticks was one of my favorite reads of last year, and held up it’s steam when I reread it for the second time in preparation of Girls With Razor Hearts. So many plot twists, so much good — I absolutely needed more.

So, major heck yeah when I got a hold of the second book of the series, Girls with Razor Hearts. And, reader, I must say — I was not disappointed in the direction that this book went.

To begin with, this book angered me. I’m pretty sure I felt my blood boil on multiple occasions; Suzanne Young made me feel so many emotions that I didn’t necessarily want to feel, but which truly made me stop and think about the mess that is this world. At some points, it did feel cluttered with political debates, but it still felt relevant to the story & in no way distracted me.

As with Girls with Sharp Sticks, the sequel sticks to throwing you off course with plot twists. I, again, didn’t see anything coming, especially one of the ending reveals. Girls with Razor Hearts was a wild ride from start-to-finish, and definitely kept the pages turning.

I’m a huge fan of the friendships in Girls with Razor Hearts; I’m always here for girls that stick together. There’s so much love between the girls from Innovations Academy, and I’m 100% here for it.

If you enjoyed Girls with Sharp Sticks, then definitely pick up the sequel. It picks up right where the first book ended and continues to hold on tight even after you finish. This is a fantastic dystopian series, and am beyond excited to see where it ends up going.

A sequel that does not disappoint! We follow Mena and the girls who have escaped and are now on a journey to take down the system which created them. The girls have a lot to learn about the world and what life is like for women and girls outside of the school. Things are worse than they expect...

We get a lot more world building in this book and we are introduced to new characters. The story continues many of the plots introduced in the first book and we get a lot of answers. The book presents a version of feminism close to what it has become today.

Girls with Razor Hearts by Suzanne Young is the second book in the thrilling young adult science fiction fantasy Girls with Sharp Sticks series. This second book picks up almost immediately after the end of the first book and would be best enjoyed by starting at the beginning of the series with Girls with Sharp Sticks.

In the first book of the series readers were introduced to Philomena or “Mena” who was one of the girls attending Innovations Academy, an elite and somewhat secretive boarding school where girls were graded more on looks and manners than academics. When out on a field trip Mena met a teenage boy that captured her attention which lead to the beginning of Mena and her friends catching onto things at the school that were not quite what they seemed.

This series continued to have a creepy and thrilling vibe to it as it picked right back up after the huge ending of the first book. The girls are now out of the school and onto a new quest which again kept the pages turning as I became invested once again in what their future would hold. This one did have the slight middle book feel as it did leave room for more but hopefully the series will prove to continue to be just as entertaining.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I adored jumping back into the world where Innovations Academy is real. Guess what? It’s still just as scary as before.
Mena and the rest of the girls are trying to figure out how to stop the corporation – without knowing who is actually on their side. The book is over and honestly, I still don’t know who is good and evil.
The girl friendship and love was still very forefront in this book. I don’t think this series would work any other way. The girls disagree, yes, but they have a friendship and bond that cannot and will not be broken. While reading this novel, I kept envisioning me and my friends. I think it is so important, especially in times like these, for girls to see other girls loving, lifting each other up, and fighting back.
Another huge theme in this book was misogyny. Mena and Sydney enroll in a prep school where they think one of the investors has a child. The boys at this school are disgusting. Always touching without permission. Getting in personal space. They should be GLAD they are doing this. They never face any repercussions. It’s horrible and unfortunately true. It was great to see how the girls fought back against this type of behavior. The book also shows that there ARE good guys out there – and encourages them not to stand idly by.
Again in Girls With Razor Hearts, there were secrets, twists and turns. The story moved at a great pace and kept me guessing. I was so enthralled by the journey of these girls. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up late reading and finished it in under 24 hours! That is a feat for me!
I definitely recommend the sequel to Girls With Sharp Sticks. If you haven’t picked that one up, I urge you to do so! You won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating more of a 4.5. This is the first book I've been able to read for fun while social distancing. It's been hard to make myself read (my focus has been pretty shot), so it was nice to fall into this book and this world. An interesting bit is that the first book makes it seem like it's pretty close to our time, but this makes it clear that the series is set a bit farther in the future. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. The characters are great, and I love the plot. My one thing is that Mena's inner dialogue feels a little off at times. Because she knows next to nothing about the outside world, how Mena perceives injustices and such is much different than how we do. Sometimes her view works, but sometimes it feels a little awkward.

What worked: This is an exciting sequel to Girls With Sharp Sticks. I have to admit this has to be one of my favorite series from Young. In this futuristic world, wealthy men invest in AI girls that they can owe and manipulate into being the 'perfect trophy wife'. This book picks up right after Mena and some of the other girls escape Innovations Academy. They're hurt and the hidden book of poems still resonates with them. The poems speak of fighting back and not being the obedient, 'good girl'. Their combined knowledge that the academy not only lied to them, but hid what they were, gives them the strength to make sure no other girl is hurt or worse.

Mena is strong, courageous, and loyal. Her loyalty to the other girls is shared. Mena struggles with her feelings with human Jackson and tries to severe their relationship. When she and Sydney enroll at Ridgeview Prep, to find another investor, they encounter similar sexist behavior that is either ignored or brushed off by school authorities. These scenes, including one in which Mena stands up to a girl being sexual harassed in the cafeteria, show a world where men are in power and how it starts when they're young. Boys are believed, while girls are accused of leading them on and worse. Something girls and women deal with in our world today.

I loved the backstory of Mena and the academy. I also love how this series has a powerful message that girls shouldn't be afraid to fight back against sexism and those in power who want to silence their voices.

Engaging, empowering futuristic tale where young AI girls fight to be the ones in control in their battle against the patriarchy. Hints of the #metoo movement throughout.

Suzanne Young does it again - I just love her writing and her concepts! Honestly, they can be so difficult to read at times but that is what makes them so memorable. Mina and her friends have escaped the manipulations of Innovations Academy and discovered the truth of who they truly are. Ironically, they make their way 'underground' and to a private school where things are actually rather similar to where they came from but at least now they know themselves. They begin their work towards taking down their former school/home and along the way there is so much sharpness and bitterness that is typical in Young's writing it just keeps you turning pages. As always, I couldn't help but love it.

Girls with Razor Hearts is the second installment in author Suzanne Young's Girls with Sharp Sticks trilogy. It’s been a few weeks since Philomena (Mena), Sydney, Annalise, Brynn, & Marcella escaped Innovations Academy after learning a devastating secret: they're not human. Coming to terms with the fact that they are AI, created by men to be controlled and dominated by men, they are devastated and shell shocked. The girls now have one goal in mind, revenge. But, they are also trying to learn about the school's investors so they can destroy them.

Although traumatized by the violence and experimentations that occurred there, Mena quickly discovers that the outside world can be just as unwelcoming and cruel. Who can she trust? She basically leaves Jackson behind to move to Connecticut. Jackson was badly injured in the previous installment, but does make an appearance towards the last part of this story. Annalise is really suffering. No spoilers, but you should really have read the previous installment in understand why she struggles so much more than the other girls.

Leandra Petrov, who used to be one of the girls, urges them to flee to Connecticut where they meet yet another piece of the large picture, Rosemarie. Mena and Sydney enroll in Ridgeview Prep, a private school with possible connections to Innovations, to identify the son of an investor and take down the corporation from the inside. But with pressure from Leandra, who revealed herself to be a double-agent, and Winston Weeks, an academy investor with his own machinations, as well as the appearance of Lennon Rose who is very much alive, Mena wonders if she and her friends are simply trading one form of control for another.

Not to mention the woman who is quite literally invading Mena’s thoughts—a woman with extreme ideas that both frighten and intrigue Mena. If Mena and the girls can identify the (4) main investors in Innovations through the sons that go to school at Ridgeview, they could shut down Anton Petrov and his friends for good. But, first they have to deal with sexism, misogyny and good old racism towards Sydney. The boys of the school are truly able to get away with harassment, sexual assault, and suffer no consequences from anyone.

It's fair to say that both Mena and Annalise struggle with PTSD. Since this is from Mena's perspective, the author dives into her memories, not only from Innovations Academy, but other memories as well.The book dives deeper into the secrets behind the girls, the rotten foundations of the world, as well as the history of the Essential Women's Act which is still reverberating through society. The author, unfortunately, has a tendency of adding in her personal views to the story which I take exception to. Which is why my rating is what it is. I understand that you hate men, but it's an unfair characterizations that is dragging the #MeTwo movement through the swamp. I am going to call this series subversive feminism and walk away.

I really loved Girls With Sharp Sticks , and was super excited to dive into the sequel. And while it did feel like a sequel in some ways, it was still definitely good, and provided a very clear and firm message. It is extremely feminist, and absolutely calls out the patriarchy over and over again. The thing is, it didn't paint all men with the same brush, which I was glad about. It wasn't man-bashing, it was bad-man-bashing. Which I am 100% here for.

In this book, the girls had to flee town and Mena ends up at a crappy private school with a bunch of privileged asshats. And I am certain that these places exist. Athletes get privileges that no one else gets, jerks with rich dads get to basically run amok. And the author addresses how as bad as it is for women in general, women of color deal with even more awfulness.

While the good portion of this book is devoted to stopping some awful men (both those who created them and those in charge at the school), there is still time for a lot of great interaction among the girls. And yes, Jackson is a thing, but I won't tell you in what capacity.

There are some good twists and plot movement, but it did seem a bit less intense than the first. It's not an altogether bad thing, just a thing worth mentioning. Still, a solid book, and I absolutely can't wait to find out what's next for Mena and the rest of the girls!

Bottom Line: A solid sequel that will infuriate you with its authentic take on the excessive privilege of rich white men.