Book review: The Benders by Katie French

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Description:
The third book in the award-winning, best-selling dystopian series.

They’ve escaped the Breeders.

They’ve broken out of the Citadel.

Now, after all they’ve been through, Riley, Clay, and Ethan know one thing for sure: nothing tastes sweeter than freedom. And no one can rest easy with Auntie Bell in bondage. The group journeys home to rescue her and liberate Clay’s town from the cruel Warden. But when an ally betrays them, they must face the very enemy they’ve been trying to avoid.

Captured and separated, Riley is sold to a slave-owner who uses human beings for sport, while Clay and Ethan become the latest in a series of lab rats to be poked and prodded. As a slave, Riley conceals her identity to survive among the other benders, but it’s only a matter of time before a dangerous job takes her life. Clay and Ethan find themselves a war zone between a madwoman and marauders. And the odds don’t look good.
 
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Review: 
First, there was The Breeders. Then came The Believers. Now, the third book in the Breeders series is available. And boy, it did not disappoint! It's not often that a third book matches the magic of the first book, but The Benders does just that. It may even be the best of the series so far!

As with the first two books in the series, this one is well-written and action-packed. What's different about The Benders is that the story is told from both Riley's and Clay's perspectives instead of just Riley's. In other books, the alternating narration sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, but in Katie French's capable hands, we get two compelling points of view that weave together to form a great story.

In The Benders, we're also introduced to new characters and new settings, making it feel like a fresh story. Make that two stories because Riley and Clay are separated early on. The result is a frantic roller coaster ride that left me turning the pages.

I won't spoil what else happens in this book, but I can't wait for book 4. If you're a fan of dystopian fiction, you have to read this series!