This book kept me hooked the entire time; I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

I had read Bella Forrest's series, A Shade of Vampire, and was very curious about this book. I was not disappointed!! It was a great read. There were several plot twists and many things were not as they appeared to be. Everyone has an ulterior motive. The story is written in the point of view of Violet, who has anger management issues. She tried to save her brother, Tim, after he was marked in Matrus, but failed and he was sent to the mines. Violet gets into a lot of trouble and her options are death or a dangerous mission. She takes the mission in hopes of being reunited with the brother. She travels to Patrus, where she "marries" Lee, who is a scientist working against the Patrus. Their mission is to retrieve the "egg" that was stolen from Matrus. Violet meets Viggo, a warden in Patrus who appears to have secrets. He is a warden without pay (there is a reason but you will have to read the book to find out!!). Viggo is also a fighter. Violet and Viggo develop a relationship and I enjoyed their interactions. They start to care for one another and try to protect each other in ways they can. Violet feels torn with the plan but Lee convinces her to continue with it. Violet gets the "egg" but does not understand why each side wants it and what secrets each society is hiding. There are several questions and I cannot wait to read the next book to find out what happens!! If you enjoyed the Divergent series and the Hunger Games, you will enjoy this novel!!

Honestly, I was pretty sceptical when I first read the blurb of this book. Yet, even if I was sceptical, it still piqued my interest. The cover. as you can see, is pretty awesome. That, combined with the pure curiosity on how the whole story would turn out, meant that I found myself reading it.
And...it wasn't as bad as I expected. It was actually really good! The book poses some interesting themes and I like the idea of pitting a male dominated society against a female dominated society. Bella Forrest is an impressive storyteller and her story definitely captured me and I found myself unable to put the book down!
Her characters are very relatable and likable. Their is also a twist at the end that I definitely didn't see coming! Definitely love this book and can't wait for the second book to come out

Ok time to be honest and say although I've read the first two Shade of Vampire stories I just wasn't that impressed so in spite of friends loving that series I'd given up. Then I spotted this on Netgalley and was curious but when I looked online so many good and bad reviews popped up that I thought wow this is a contentious book and I need to decide for myself .
Ignore the title and don't expect something along the lines of certain books and blockbusters that are popular with teens recently. This isn't a game and it's perhaps not even that dystopian but it does have two very different societies in play with attitudes that felt feudal and at times barbaric but as a reader I couldn't help wondering why? It doesn't matter which side of the river you live as both cultures have attitudes that prevent true integration and equality . Clearly the author tried to get the point across that males and females should respect each other but the unequal balance meant both cultures failed miserably .
Our heroine isn't as bad as she's painted and has fought to survive in her maternal society but has no doubts about her lowly place. Violet has triumphed in many ways surviving loss of loved ones and even the bullying of those around her but her actions still lead her down a path that will see her traveling incognito to the male dominated Patrus. There she is subjected to a totally different attitude were she is expected to be subservient but Violet struggles with her own nature and boy does that land her in hot water! Yet her mission is paramount and her contact Lee pushes her into more and more bizarre situations until Violet feels like she has no place to run in a society that offers no second chances.
Ok I read this in an afternoon as I couldn't put it down. Violet is tough, trained to be a fighter and yet it's obvious she is also a protector ( think Scrappy Doo!). I'm also aware that she doesn't regret her actions too much so other readers might find her cold and maybe even a little psychotic but given her circumstances and her clearly outgoing nature I found I had sympathy for her.
There are two main characters who she interacts with and they are her contact Lee and the security operative Viggo. Is it meant to be a love triangle ? For me absolutely not and I won't give the plot away but it was clear that only one of those males could ever give Violet a fulfilling unrestrained relationship . What I didn't like was the disparity between the two male leads as the author gives insight and depth to Viggo whilst Lee is in many ways still an enigma.
Violet is tough but I was very surprised by a weapon she uses early on and will view dental work in a whole new light! I wasn't happy that her pigheaded ways put her in danger when she could easily avoid it but I'm guessing being treated as little more than a subservient pet really grated on her. The author introduced a habitat that was very intriguing and I'm wondering not just what but who might actually survive there? Then of course there's the ending which was a complete surprise and hopefully it will lead to all manner of things coming to light . Yes it's YA but I was enthralled and would definitely read the next book
I was gifted a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I really enjoyed it. Don't expect a really deep look at gender issues, as this is more a light teen book. But that said I whizzed through it and found myself bummed when it ended.

We follow Violet, a women from Matras which is ruled by women. We learn Patras, the adjoining male ruled country, had stolen an egg and Matras wants it back. We don't know why, only that it is tech they don't want to lose. They make an offer Violet, who has been in Matras style hails (workhouses) since she tried to sneak her brother out of the country. He failed the test given to all males to make sure they aren't too dominant and was sentenced, as all who fail,to a far off work camp. The offer - help a Matras spy, Lee, to get it back and go free. But once in Patras, Violet finds herself connecting to the very person they plan to frame. And what is in the egg?

It's a good story and I honestly didn't see some of the twists coming. Very much looking forward to what comes next in book 2.

This is my first book by Bella Forrest so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when I saw this book I was instantly intrigued. I think it’s very brave of the author to tackle such a sensitive topic such as gender expectations and lack of equality. I know some people might be upset about gender playing such an important part in this book, but I think it will help open up a positive dialogue about equality. This story is unique, well written, and I absolutely loved it. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends.

The Gender Game was phenomenal! Great plot, interesting characters and full of suspense. I was kept right on my toes the entire time. An interesting storyline where a world is divided by a toxic river and one side is ruled by men while the other by women. Violet, a criminal by accident finds herself in a life or death situation (literally) and she obviously chooses life. She's sent on a secret mission to Patrus the land ruled by men. This alone drew me in and I just wanted to know more. The story focuses on our 3 main characters, Violet, Lee and Viggo and as the story progresses we learn more about these 3, their intentions, and who they are as a person. I definitely recommend this book to everyone, I couldn't put this down!

This is a very riveting book that kept me on the edge of my seat! I liked the main character, Violet. She seamed no have no problem attracting attention and having bad luck befall her. Like her I did not understand why they were waiting for a girl with her skills. I hope at some point this is explained, but due to the path the ending of the book took, I would be surprised if we find out. I got the impression, after her mission was over, she would be disposed of, but that is just a feeling I got from all the other characters of the book.

Not a favorite ending, but only because it was left semi open due to it being a series, so defiantly understandable. I can't wait to read the next book and find out some of the clues about this first book that the author left us bread crumbs to follow.

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I received this novel from NetGalley.

All in all, this is a great novel, it has fantastically deep and diverse characters and an interesting and original, dystopian story line, even if it contains the cliche' love triangle.
However, in the moments of not much happening within the story itself, I found it boring, just trudging along, not really going anywhere, but in other aspects it was thrilling and fast-paced.

It is a great, creative novel and I am definitely going to read the second book when it is released! If you are a fan of dystopian novels, this one is for you, just be aware, it slows down in parts, but it is still a great read!

The Gender Game is book one in a brand new series by Bella Forrest. This book was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley, NightLight Press, and by Bella Forrest. I have to give so much credit to Bella Forrest for such a big change from her Shade of Vampire series. I would classify this book as Dystopian. I loved the world she has created here. It is so unique .

This world consists of two societies. On one side of the river is Matrus, ruled by a Queen where women are the dominant. The men do have a few rights but not many. The Matrians strength is in their advances in Biology and Chemistry. On the other side of the river is Patrus where the men rule. In Patrus, women have no rights at all. They are completely under the rule of their husbands. They are not allowed to go out alone, ever. They must obey their husbands at all times. They own nothing. Any possessions they might take into a marriage become their husbands. The Patrians strength is their agriculture and architecture. The two societies are forced to trade for survival but there is a constant competition between them to outdo the other.

Violet Bates was born in Matrus. But her life was a hard one. She and her little brother were orphaned early when their mother died. Violet’s biggest responsibility was to take care of her brother. And when he was deemed unfit, she tried to smuggle him out of Matrus. Thus began the bad luck that followed her throughout her life.

I have seen several reviews where people didn’t like Violet. I actually really liked her. She is nineteen when the main part of the book takes place. Does she have a temper, yes. Has she made some poor decisions out of anger, yes. But she has seen nothing good in her life. She tries to keep out of trouble but something always happens. In my opinion, the events that lead up to the main part of this book might have been manipulated in order to get her on board with their plan. This is completely my own thoughts here. Just a hunch.

Violet is forced to choose between death for her crimes or to go under cover into Patrus to steal back an item they stole from Matrus. Of course she will take the mission. Her contact in Patrus is Lee, whom she must marry for the plan to work. Lee is busy with the details of the plan and appoints a guardian that can look after Violet while Lee is at work. His name is Viggo. Enter the strong, silent type with the painful past.

Now, this is NOT a love triangle. Lee is simply a fake husband and part of the mission. He puts Violet into all sorts of dangerous situations but Violet does as she is instructed every single time. Violet tries to keep her emotions out of things, trying to keep her eye on the end goal, something the Queen promised her if the mission was successful. But the further in to things they get, she can’t help but feel like Lee is wrong. That there has to be a better way.

“However dangerous this mysterious mission could turn out to be, anything was better than death…Wasn’t it?”

I really did enjoy this book. I am rating it four stars but it is a VERY strong four stars. I felt like it was a little slow at times but in true Bella Forrest fashion, the last 25% was crazy intense. And what an ending!!! Just WOW! I did miss the romance factor in this one but am hoping for a little more in the following book. I do love my romance. The next book in the series will be called The Gender Secret and I will most definitely be reading it. I have to see what comes next for Violet.

Finally, Something a Little Different!
(But did it stick the landing?)
Oh my gosh, Bibliobuzzers. I was so excited when I started reading Gender Game by Bella Forrest. I seriously was. Though the blurb was different than most, it tends to be the case that every YA book ends up being the same book with a different cover. It’s dystopic, which means it will either be all Hunger Games or Selection series, right?





WRONG! So wrong!

This book totally lives up to its unique premise! Bella Forrest, known for her A Shade of Vampire series, truly delivers a complex and interesting new microcosm in the form of a society completely divided into matriarchal and patriarchal “countries”. Her foray into young adult proves fruitful with a debut that is both refreshing and thought provoking. Playing on the stereotypes of the sexes, while also looking deeper into the character traits that separate them, Ms. Forrest creates a completely believable society that debases itself by dividing itself.


Hello, Viggo…
Before you ask, there is an implied love triangle, but development-wise in this book, I never saw it as truly viable. The love interests, Lee and Viggo, are so entirely different. As with many books, the heroine, Violet, is torn between duty and desire, but as with all well-written books, we are drawn in with her. We question her decisions, her opinions and her heart just as she questions herself.

All in all, this has the potential to be a wonderful series.

(Here’s the but:)
Though I don’t know that this is a true “cliffhanger” ending, I felt the ending was abrupt. Important questions are not answered and we really don’t get any “closure”. I hate to feel that way, but I do. I realize that in a series, we have to want more in the next book, but as a seasoned reviewer and blogger, I can say that it doesn’t need to be this way. In truth, it feels very much like this was all written together and then broken into multiple books. Early cover art has the title “The Gender Games” and she noted it was the longest book she’s written, so I think this is very possible. That being said, if Ms. Forrest keeps her insanely-fast production schedule as she has with the ASoV series, it probably will have very little bearing.

So, in short, read it. It’s one of the most interesting YA premises I have read in quite some time…just be prepared for some lack of closure.

in the gender game we have one seriously dystopian society. the world is divided in two according to gender, and neither society is all that wonderful. violet grew up in matrus, and while she has been raised to believe that matrian society is the ideal, she has also been ill-treated by it. her brother was taken at the age of 8 when it was decided that his personality traits were not ideal. a series of incidents that led to her accidentally killing fellow prisoners mean that she is marked for euthanasia.

when she is offered the devil's bargain, going to patrus as a spy and marrying a matrian spy already instilled in the patrian society she has no choice but to agree. there is nothing left for her in matrus. her contact, lee betrand seems nice enough, accommodating enough for someone who is a member of patrian society. as a woman who was matrian-born, she doesn't always act with the appropriate amount of meekness. her independent streak and cunning got her in trouble in matrus, and while they serve her well for this mission, it makes fitting into patrian society a difficult task. in order to ease her transition, lee sets her up with a guardian, viggo croft. violet's job is to get close to croft in order to successfully implicate him in the plot lee has cooked up.

but viggo is unexpectedly kind. and the more time violet and he spend time together, the more attraction sizzles between them. but soon lee is distrustful of their closeness, fearing that violet's feelings for viggo will put his plan in danger. it all comes to a head in spectacular fashion at the banquet planned for the laboratory lee works at, and to provide any more detail than that would spoil the cliffhanger ending. i'm looking forward to the sequel, the gender secret. and it better have more viggo in it. because the relationship between him and violet make the novel. the tension between them crackles off the page, and i'm sure they won't be in the best place at the start of the next novel.

The Gender Game is Bella Forrest’s latest release and is an absolutely brilliant and addictive dystopian read that will lure readers with its intense, intriguing world, strong protagonist and promising romance!

Nineteen year old Violet Bates lives in a world where a toxic river divides two different gender based societies; Matrus and Patrus. In Violet’s home of Matrus any violence is frowned upon and men have little to no social standing, while in Patrus women are expected to submit completely to their husbands and are considered little more than property. Having been caught attempting to help someone she loves escape Matrus in the past, Violet is already a prisoner when she commits two different acts of womanslaughter, an act punishable by death. Faced with choosing between death and an unexpected proposition, Violet finds herself agreeing to a mission that will see her forced to journey into the heart of Patrus. Living in Patrus sees Violet forced to go against her very nature but as Violet makes sacrifices in order to see out her mission she begins to consider the possibility of finding the one thing she never expected to find in Patrus; love.

Wow! What a read! When I first began reading The Gender Game, I had planned to read only a few chapters to bide some time, but quickly found myself devouring the book—in one sitting! And I very rarely finish books in one sitting. I loved The Gender Game; loved it. I adored the characters, the setting, the very feel of the novel---everything was just spot on!

Bella Forrest completely captured my attention with The Gender Game the moment I began reading. With descriptive writing, Forrest writes a really entertaining story in the vein of Divergent and The Hunger Games. I thought the world Bella Forrest created was so very clever and loved the part of it she allowed us to explore. I can only envision where she plans to take this series and what more she plans to do with it, especially considering the shocking ending of The Gender Game that readers most likely didn’t see coming.

The Gender Game followed a strong and personable main character. Violet has taken chances in the past for family and faced the consequences, but that doesn’t mean she’s shy about standing up for the underdogs, because as we quickly learn in the story, she’s not. Violet finds herself between a rock and a hard place when she agrees to go under cover in Patrus to get something back that was stolen from Matrus. This means Violet is forced to actually marry a double agent from Patrus and act the role of submissive wife in public—something that goes against her very nature. I genuinely liked Violet. She was a balanced individual who was easy to follow and had personality.

No story would be complete without a hint of romance and Bella Forrest gives us this in Viggo Croft. Ahhhh; Viggo, Viggo, Viggo. Viggo is a warden in Patrus and someone Violet and her husband set out to use as part of their mission. Viggo reminds me of Dimitri Belikov from The Vampire Academy series in the sense that he has shoulder length hair, wears a trench coat and is pretty damn bad-ass. Someone who has a past that makes him symphonize with and be intrigued by Violet, Viggo is a fierce fighter, but a quiet individual, whose relationship with Violet develops over time. Right now Forrest has only allowed the bare minimum to develop between Viggo and Violet, but I really enjoyed their chemistry and the connection they seemed to share.

Completely unassuming and with plenty of twists, turns and developments, The Gender Game is a wonderful read that races towards an explosive ending! I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys a good dystopian tale and can’t wait for Bella Forrest to release the sequel The Gender Secret so I can once more follow Violet and get to know more about this imaginative world!