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Rites of Passage Joy N Hensley Books

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Rites of Passage Joy N Hensley Books

Originally posted on my blog at [...]
I could rave all day about this book I loved it so much. From the opening scene, we’re immersed in Sam’s world and the life of a military family and everything that goes with it. Her father is career military, and as the daughter of a Marine, I know exactly what it’s like to grow up understanding the strict regimens learned in the Corps that are part of their lives. I could see a lot of my dad in Sam’s father, which made this book 100% relatable from the start.

What I also like is that the author attended military school and it rings true in her writing. I work for the Department of Defense so I know the military lingo, rankings, and what military uniforms are worn and when each service wears them. Everything about this book was accurate, from the way Sam addressed her commanding officers to the protocol followed at her school. My brother briefly attended Valley Forge Military Academy, which is one of the most prestigious military schools in the United States, so I’ve also been inside of one and really felt as though the author captured the setting perfectly.

Both of Sam’s brothers followed in her father’s footsteps, and on a dare from her deceased brother, she puts herself through the grueling process of becoming one of the first female cadets at the Denmark Military Academy. There’s a sub-plot later in the book that addresses the reason her brother committed suicide, a secret Sam wasn’t privy to, that pulls another set of characters into her life. While her school has decided to admit five female recruits, almost no one wants them there, including a secret society that’s like the military version of Skull and Bones.

Practically everyone at the school is in on the secret and because of her father’s rank and her brother’s leadership role at the school, Sam has a rougher time than the other girls. In fact, she’s treated worse than the male recruits. I like how Sam handles adversity. She’s a solid character, never backing down from a challenge. As a girl who works with mostly military, I saw a lot of myself in Sam. It’s hard to get men to take you serious, especially when you haven’t been through the same things as them.

I didn’t ask for their respect, I earned it by proving I was just as capable, which is something Sam does repeatedly from beginning to end. She sure earned my respect, and I admired her determination, so it was no surprise that she was able to overcome some of the obstacles by the end of the book. Although most institutions will not admit there is hazing, we all know it happens, and the amount of hazing Sam endures throughout her first year at the academy really speaks about her character.

In the beginning, Sam takes a liking to one of the boys in her company, only to later have feelings for her Drill Sergeant. I thought this dynamic was interesting because you can tell from the beginning the he was on her side and wanted her to succeed you just don’t know why he cares so much until mid-way through the book. The twist at the end with her father was another part I liked, and although it’s not a perfect fairy tale ending, it’s a conclusion that makes sense for her lifestyle and is overall a happy ending.

I highly recommend this book and plan to read more books with military themes.


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Rites of Passage Joy N Hensley Books Reviews

Well. There simply aren’t enough stars to express my thoughts on this book. Seriously, if I weren’t so lazy, I would probably go ahead and create a sixth star. I have all the feels just thinking about this book. I am going to be honest, up until about a month ago, I had zero intentions on ever reading it. Military? Pass. But the reviews started rolling in, and the hype started building, and I was curious. People really liked it, so I figured I should have a go at it, see what the fuss was about. And the hype was spot-on. In fact, there should be more hype. All the hype.

Where do I even begin? Okay, first, you need to know that I know nothing about the military. I don’t understand its rules or hierarchy, or culture in general. Anyway, the reason I tell you that is because it didn’t matter. The way Joy N. Hensley writes, you feel like you could be tossed into the Denmark Military Academy at any minute, and you’d totally understand. There isn’t info dumping, or excessive descriptions, just the absolute perfect balance of terminology and explanation.

This is one of those all-encompassing, book hangover inducing, “crap, I am now stuck in this world for months” books. Plainly put, it sucked me in. I couldn’t stop reading. It wasn’t even just a typical page-turner for me; it was more that I felt so enmeshed in the book that it felt like my temporary reality. I felt every imaginable emotion so strongly during this book. When Sam was being treated unfairly, I was so incredibly angry, I felt like punching someone. When Sam felt broken, I felt broken. The connection I had with her was remarkable.

The characters were amazing as well. Sam was just a true heroine. Yes, she was a strong girl from the beginning of the book, but the transformation she made during the year was just lovely. She is tough, but still so very human. She is absolutely one of my favorite female characters of all time.

The supporting characters were also extremely well fleshed out. Let’s just take a minute and swoon over Drill Sergeant Stamm. He was just amazing, in every way. There are some fellow recruits who stand up for her and protect her, but they are the minority. Not only do some of the other Academy members not want females in their school (or the military in general, from the sound of it), but a generations-old society isn’t accepting the girls either. The “good old boys” will stop at seemingly nothing to get Sam and the other females out of the DMA as soon as possible, and sadly, I don’t think this is terribly exaggerated. It is infuriating and heartbreaking to read, but cheering Sam and her small band of allies along is a treat. Of course, with a secret society behind the push to remove her, it is hard for Sam (and the reader!) to decipher who is trustworthy.

This book made me cry, yell, laugh, swoon, and cry some more, and it was absolutely stunning. The gut-wrenching twists and turns and the exquisitely real characterizations made for a book that captivated me and one I am sure I will never forget.
Originally posted on my blog at [...]
I could rave all day about this book I loved it so much. From the opening scene, we’re immersed in Sam’s world and the life of a military family and everything that goes with it. Her father is career military, and as the daughter of a Marine, I know exactly what it’s like to grow up understanding the strict regimens learned in the Corps that are part of their lives. I could see a lot of my dad in Sam’s father, which made this book 100% relatable from the start.

What I also like is that the author attended military school and it rings true in her writing. I work for the Department of Defense so I know the military lingo, rankings, and what military uniforms are worn and when each service wears them. Everything about this book was accurate, from the way Sam addressed her commanding officers to the protocol followed at her school. My brother briefly attended Valley Forge Military Academy, which is one of the most prestigious military schools in the United States, so I’ve also been inside of one and really felt as though the author captured the setting perfectly.

Both of Sam’s brothers followed in her father’s footsteps, and on a dare from her deceased brother, she puts herself through the grueling process of becoming one of the first female cadets at the Denmark Military Academy. There’s a sub-plot later in the book that addresses the reason her brother committed suicide, a secret Sam wasn’t privy to, that pulls another set of characters into her life. While her school has decided to admit five female recruits, almost no one wants them there, including a secret society that’s like the military version of Skull and Bones.

Practically everyone at the school is in on the secret and because of her father’s rank and her brother’s leadership role at the school, Sam has a rougher time than the other girls. In fact, she’s treated worse than the male recruits. I like how Sam handles adversity. She’s a solid character, never backing down from a challenge. As a girl who works with mostly military, I saw a lot of myself in Sam. It’s hard to get men to take you serious, especially when you haven’t been through the same things as them.

I didn’t ask for their respect, I earned it by proving I was just as capable, which is something Sam does repeatedly from beginning to end. She sure earned my respect, and I admired her determination, so it was no surprise that she was able to overcome some of the obstacles by the end of the book. Although most institutions will not admit there is hazing, we all know it happens, and the amount of hazing Sam endures throughout her first year at the academy really speaks about her character.

In the beginning, Sam takes a liking to one of the boys in her company, only to later have feelings for her Drill Sergeant. I thought this dynamic was interesting because you can tell from the beginning the he was on her side and wanted her to succeed you just don’t know why he cares so much until mid-way through the book. The twist at the end with her father was another part I liked, and although it’s not a perfect fairy tale ending, it’s a conclusion that makes sense for her lifestyle and is overall a happy ending.

I highly recommend this book and plan to read more books with military themes.