Review: You Don't Know My Name (The Black Angel Chronicles #1) by Kristen Orlando

You Don't Know My Name
(The Black Angel Chronicles #1)

by Kristen Orlando

January 10, 2017
320 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Fighter, Faker, Student, Spy.

Seventeen-year-old Reagan Elizabeth Hillis is used to changing identities overnight, lying to every friend she’s ever had, and pushing away anyone who gets too close. Trained in mortal combat and weaponry her entire life, Reagan is expected to follow in her parents’ footsteps and join the ranks of the most powerful top-secret agency in the world, the Black Angels. Falling in love with the boy next door was never part of the plan.

Now Reagan has to decide: Will she use her incredible talents and lead the dangerous life she was born into, or throw it all away to follow her heart and embrace the normal life she's always wanted? And does she even have a choice at all?

Find out if you are ready to join the Black Angels in the captivating and emotional page-turner, You Don't Know My Name, from debut novelist Kristen Orlando!

Review
 

You Don't Know My Name left me with a case of I-don't-know-how-I-feel. Did I enjoy the book? Yes. Did I love it? Not really. The action sequences were exciting but the story took so long to build-up I almost gave up.

At the beginning of the book we get a glimpse of the danger Reagan and her parents are constantly in. Right after that little happens. A big portion of the book is spent on showing Reagan living her "normal" life. I liked seeing her having the time of her life with her friends but it was so slow. The story doesn't pick up its pacing until the action kicks in around the last third of the book. Once things started going though it was one excitement after another. My adrenaline was pumping. I was especially jolted by one particular brutal scene near the end. I figured the mission couldn't be 100% successful but I wasn't expecting Reagan's mother to die let alone in such an awful graphic way.

Reagan is special. The 'chosen one' trope is a bit overdone but there's no denying Reagan's bad ass as hell. Don't mistake her for your average teenage girl because she has the ability to knock you down in five seconds flat. I can understand Reagan has a lot on her plate but I didn't particularly like how often she reminded herself of her semi-fixed future. For all her training, she wasn't very smart with life decisions. She was too much of a thinker. More action and positivity would do her well.

"There's no such thing as perfect. But there's always the chance of wonderful." (ARC, p. 138). The friend-to-more romance absolutely made my heart flutter. Luke knew Reagan so well. They shared such sweet and tender moments together. Even when things started going bad for Reagan he was by her side facing down dangerous situations with her. Where does one go to find such an amazing guy?

Despite my uncertain feelings toward You Don't Know My Name, I do know I'll be picking up the sequel. Here's to hoping it'll be action-packed with no slow moments- the way I like my spy/secret agent books ;)

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinion are my own and not affected in any way. All quotes were taken from the Advance Review Copy I received.