Pawn by Aimee Carter @HarlequinTeen

Author: Aimee Carter
Title: Pawn
Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion #1
Publication: November 26, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 346 pp.
Source: Publisher
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YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING. 

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country. 

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter. 

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

“But the world is out there, and it understands that the illusion of knowledge and freedom is not the same as the real thing. Eventually it will fade, and there are those who will do whatever it takes to make that happen sooner rather than later.”

Kitty's just received her mark of III. Lila Hart is dead. Kitty receives an offer to become the girl that everyone loves. She will learn the hard way that nothing comes without a price and she will lose much to keep her new status. Her life is no longer her own and she's in danger of losing it completely.

Kitty has dyslexia but that doesn't hinder her, she's very intelligent and catches on to the inner workings of the Hart household rather quickly. She knows that something else is at play, especially when she discovers a secret about Lila's family and the Prime Minister as well. These people are truly twisted and dysfunctional. Kitty's test scores lands her in this precarious predicament but she feels it's her only chance to be with her boyfriend again, well she hopes but she never realizes that accepting this bargain puts everyone she loves in jeopardy. If she fails to comply they will die to keep her in line. I think it's a rather sadistic way to keep up appearances for the Harts. Her tasks are to convince everyone she is Lila and to quell the rebellion. However, Lila’s mother has other ideas that are completely different from the Prime Minister’s; she wants Kitty to continue the work that Lila started. Conflicted Kitty finds herself wrapped up in a family feud of murder, mayhem and loads of backstabbing bitterness. And to think, what would've happened if she didn't try to steal an orange after getting her marks....

I loved Kitty; she's the only character with a conscience and morals other than her boyfriend. The Harts are a messed up bunch and they make for an intriguing story. I felt the pace of the story moved along quickly. Kitty is a great character and I enjoyed reading her story and watching her take charge of her situation. Overall, this is a good read and I can't wait to see what happens next for the characters after that ending.