Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

"Lyn is a neo-gladiator’s daughter, through and through. Her mother has made a career out of marrying into the high-profile world of televised blood sport, and the rules of the Gladiator Sports Association are second nature to their family. Always lend ineffable confidence to the gladiator. Remind him constantly of his victories. And most importantly: Never leave the stadium when your father is dying. The rules help the family survive, but rules—and the GSA—can also turn against you. When a gifted young fighter kills Lyn’s seventh father, he also captures Lyn’s dowry bracelet, which means she must marry him... For fans of The Hunger Games and Fight Club, Lise Haines’ debut novel is a mesmerizing look at a world addicted to violence—a modern world that’s disturbingly easy to imagine." -Goodreads.com

Overall: 5/5

This book made me so angry. It's set in modern-day, but where things are a little different. The world as presented by Haines is an insanely violent and cruel one, where entertainment is placed at a higher priority than human life, like we really have devolved to the point where the Romans were hundreds of years ago. Yet, there was enough the same about this world that aines describes and the current world today that I thought the whole thing slightly unrealistic. No way would something so violent and deadly be allowed in the US so legally. There were a hundred little rules that, as a Glad daughter, Lyn had to follow or face dire consequnces; none of which would ever be legal in an American court of law.

Even though I knew it was a piece of fiction, just reading about the stuff that they put this poor girl through brought out my indignant and rebellious side. Which I think indicates how well Haines manages to pull her readers into her story.

There were plenty of elements about this book that caught me by surprise, and I loved them all. Upon finishing Girl in the Arena, I immediately logged onto Goodreads and checked for any hint of a sequel. Alas, as of yet, there is none. But I still keep my hopes up.

Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Ending: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Happy Factor: 5/5

Other books by Lise Haines: My Sisiter's Country, Small Acts of Sex and Electricity