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    Rites of Passage
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    Rites of Passage
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    Rites of Passage
    Audiobook10 hours

    Rites of Passage

    Written by Joy N. Hensley

    Narrated by Khristine Hvam

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Sam McKenna has never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

    So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She's expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don't think girls belong there. What she's not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so trivial...no matter how much she wants him.

    As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don't just want her gone — they won't rest until she gives up. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active...and determined to force her out.

    At any cost.

    Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

    A HarperAudio production.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateSep 9, 2014
    ISBN9780062345646
    Unavailable
    Rites of Passage
    Author

    Joy N. Hensley

    Joy N. Hensley is a middle school writing teacher. She spends her twenty-minute lunch breaks hosting author Skype chats for her students. Once upon a time she went to a military school on a dare. She lives in Virginia with her husband and two children, finding as many ways as she can to never do another push-up again. Rites of Passage is her debut novel.

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    Reviews for Rites of Passage

    4/5

    36 ratings11 reviews

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    • 5/5
      For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.I cannot remember the last time a book made me feel so incredibly, incandescently, indescribably enraged. Seriously, I was filled with anger for most of the book. Loathing. Unadulterated loathing. Right now, I can see you looking at the rating and wondering whether I slipped up. No, I didn’t. This book pissed me off more than most any other, but it MEANT to make me feel that way. This review will involve a good deal of ranting, but that’s not directed at the book. Rites of Passage is an intense read about gender and the military, which made me want to go on a nutpunching rampage.My expectations going into Rites of Passage were something along the lines of Cadet Kelly, the Disney Channel Original Movie where Hilary Duff is sent to a military academy. It’s fluffy and fun and there’s romance. On the one hand, they’re definitely ripe for comparison, but there’s nothing fluffy about Rites of Passage. The key difference is that there were other women in positions of power at the military academy Hilary Duff went to (most notably Ren Stevens as a badass drill sergeant). Sam McKenna is one of five girls to attend Denmark Military Academy, and they are not wanted.Sam McKenna is from a military family. She knows the regulations and has lived them for most of her life. Her father’s a colonel and both her brothers followed in his footsteps. Before he died, her favorite brother, Amos, dared Sam to attend the DMA. After his death, she had no choice but to follow through, because she owes it to her love of him. Plus, she’s as ready as anyone can be for the challenges of a military academy. She knows what will be asked of her and she’s both strong and determined.In fact, Sam IS ready. She’s basically a model recruit. She’s able to bear up for the physical challenges. Though she doesn’t usually finish first, she’s generally near the front of the pack. The rules of the academy are already drilled into her. A military academy is tough and not remotely fluffy. Recruits are not allowed to walk on the sidewalks, even though sidewalks are literally made for walking. They have to sandwich the rank of anyone above them, like “Drill Sergeant Stamm, yes, Drill Sergeant Stamm,” which to my mind is a completely pointless and idiotic waste of time. Pretty much every single rule is there to dehumanize the recruits. While I will never ever understand any of this being necessary on an emotional level, it’s intended to bring the class of recruits together and make them 1) work hard and 2) work as a team.Still, that’s what Sam signed up for and she could handle that. Unfortunately, this DMA is populated by misogynistic shitbags and from day one everyone has been telling her to go home and stop polluting the academy. Sam responds not by acting out but by holding herself to ever higher standards of excellence. Meanwhile, she’s consistently berated for holding her company back and for being weak and inferior, even though she’s much better than many of the other recruits. Watching this is agony. People abuse her verbally and physically in an effort to make her leave. Clearly, these dickwad arsehole shitheads are aware that, if women come to the academy, the females might just excel. If they truly believed women were inferior, they could have just left the women alone and waited for them to inevitably fail. Secretly, these boys know women are strong enough and that’s why they’re so afraid. FUCK THE PATRIARCHY.What happens to Sam is completely disgusting, not because she’s a girl, but because she’s being held to a different standard because she’s a girl. Sam doesn’t need or want special treatment. She does all the same physical activity as everyone else. The only reason they claim she can’t hack it is because her genitals are on the inside. It’s such fucking bullshit. And all she can do is either drop out or accept the abuse quietly, because the military will always believe people of higher rank. I FEEL SO MUCH RAGE.For a lot of the book, Sam’s completely alone. No one is on her side and it is painful to watch. The way her family doesn’t stand by her is what really kicked me in the emotional kidneys. Her mom, especially, who is completely outside the military academy and draws away for non-political reasons. Losing one child is a shitty reason to push away the rest of them. What kills me about this book is how plausible it seems. I want to be able to say, “this book is unrealistic because there’s no way people would have allowed the vendetta against Sam to get this far,” but I really just can’t. Removing prejudice is an incredibly slow process and I think the military, by its nature, is probably even slower.There is a bit of a romance and, at first, I wasn’t a fan of that. Sam is such a rule-follower and so set on making it through this year to ease the path for other female recruits to follow that I couldn’t see her risking her place on kissing. However, I think Hensley handled it perfectly. There’s a ship there for you to enjoy, but Sam’s pretty careful about what she does. Despite the hormones, she cares about her military career first. It fits with Sam’s personality and I won’t complain about adding shippy moments that make sense.The one thing that didn’t ring true for me was Jax. During her first days, Sam gets an email from an account called jaxhax telling her to quit the DMA. Eventually, you learn who Jax is and that she wants to help Sam. Conveniently, Jax is a hacker and has exactly the skills needed to make the plot possible. Her presence is too convenient and her character’s rather inconsistent, I find, in order to fit the demands of the plot. Honestly, the whole larger plot that Jax is needed for really didn’t do much for me anyway. I don’t feel like things needed to be conspiracy theory intense.Rites of Passage is an intense consideration of gender roles and expectations in a military academy. It might make you want to feminist smash some stuff, but it’s a really great, worthwhile read. Now, I think I need to watch Cadet Kelly to recover.
    • 5/5
      One of the last dares Sam's brother gave her before he died was to enroll in the previously male only Denmark Military Academy. Sam can NOT turn down a dare so she goes and almost everyone she encounters seems determined to make her regret her decision. I couldn't put this book down. Absolutely loved it.
    • 5/5
      This is an astounding story. I enjoyed everything about this book. From its "bad guy" characters to its intense ending.To begin with, I think this girl is extraordinary for even deciding to go to this all boys military school. Not only that, but this girl is strong. I don't just mean physically either although it is amazing how she is able to keep up with them. It's a military school and she is one of the new kids on the block so it's to be expected that she would get yelled at. However, she gets excessively yelled at and degraded just because she is a girl. Heck sometimes she gets yelled at for doing things right and sometimes that hurts just as much as doing something wrong. Most girls would crack under pressure like this and give up, but this girl is stronger than that and pushes on. She is not the only remarkable character. Obviously a majority of the people don't want her there, but the fact that some of the boys in her company befriend her is incredible. Her superiors are trying to convince her company that everything bad that happens to all of them is because of her. They want her company to help get her to quit. So the fact that these few boys do stick up for her shows that not everyone has a gender separation problem. It is great that eventually the military code of becoming a unit actually fortifies the beliefs to, as a company, become a family and look out for one another. And sometimes that can start with just having a few people on your side.This is quite a unique story. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in military books, to girls in general young and old, but to boys as well. Some boys are taught that some things aren't for girls, but I think after reading this book boys will see that as long as a girl works for it then she should have every right to do it too. It's also a great motivational book that teaches you to never give up. It can also be motivational in getting fit too.
    • 4/5
      Sadly, I'm guessing this is truth and fiction. A young girl from a prominent military family goes to a prestigious, previously boys only military academy. Not only does she face the obvious weirdness, there are people who are actively plotting to get her to leave.
    • 5/5
      RITES OF PASSAGE was a gritty contemporary story about a girl who enrolls in an all-boys military academy because of a bet. Sam McKenna is the youngest of three children of Lieutenant Colonel McKenna and has been raised in a military-obsessed family. She met a bet with her older brother Amos that led to this. Her brother Jonathan is the Cadet Colonel of the school Sam was supposed to be one of five girls in the first class but one doesn't show up and another two are quickly washed out of the program. There is a large group of students and former students who are violently opposed to allowing girls in the school. Even before she arrives, she receives all sorts of harassing messages demanding that she quits. Once she does arrive, she faces escalating harassment. But Sam is stubborn and she knows that she is setting the example for other girls who might enter in the future.She soon runs afoul of the group that wants her to quit. Boot camp is hard for all the new students but Sam becomes the special target of one of the boys in charge of the new recruits. Matthews is particularly determined to force Sam to go home. The descriptions of the physical and mental demands on new recruits make me wonder why anyone would every join the military. But Sam has supporters too. Her father sets up one of his former colleagues now acting as the school's chaplain to be Sam's mentor. She also has the support of her Drill Sergeant who manages to make Matthews back off when he is present. She also has the support of a computer hacker girl named Jax who should have been the fifth girl to enroll and the support of her brother Amos's best friend Tim. I thought Sam was an amazing character. Her determination, strength, and sense of honor were her outstanding characteristics. Her need for her father's approval and her need to fulfill her promise to her brother Amos made my heart ache. The way she handles the betrayal by those who should support her without losing her determination showed her strength of character. I thought the romance with Drill was realistically done.This is a great story for young adults who wonder what it would be like to attend a military school and who wonder what it would be like to be a path breaker. It is also for fans of strong female characters. I recommend it and am eager to share it with my students.
    • 5/5
      I wanted to read this one because I used to be in JROTC and wondering what military school might be like. Also as one of four of the first females to be allowed to come, the woman power got my attention too. Sam is on this journey because of a dare. By her brother who committed suicide. She is a strong and determined girl and she never could turn down a dare. Oh, did I mention that her brother is a cadet instructor and her dad is an infamous officer who is looked at favorably at school. I loved though the character growth of her. While she was already physically and mentally pretty strong, her motivation for sticking in there and keep going despite all of the dissension and people against her very presence. She went from completing a dare in honor of brother, to wanting to succeed to help the next class of females who join the academy. Seeing Sam dealing with the boys not wanting her and the other girls there is heart breaking. But she is strong, she tries to ignore the constant insults. She is held to a different standard and they don't make any of the drills, hell week, initiation any easier on her. She makes a couple of friends though and she has an ally in the reverend at the campus chapel. They are all put through grueling exercise and as a "worm" the school's nickname for the newbies, they have to eat quickly, walk in the gutter and other such rituals. There is one other students that helps her a lot and there is some chemistry between the two, which of course, dating other cadets/recruits is against the rules. So they flirt around it, and she tries to deny it and stop it. Because she is determined to graduate and complete her dare in honor of her brother. She also is doing it for approval from her dad, though most of the time she doesn't admit it. She grew up learning these commands, and knowing about general procedure, which does end up helping her in some ways. But there is one guy in particular who doesn't want her to succeed, even more so than the other girls. Maybe he can sense how determined she is and how hard she's working.... I dunno. But he is in charge of her, and takes the term drill sergeant to a whole other level. But he's actually not that high in rank. But the Drill sergeant who they call, wait for it, Drill seems to be more accepting of Sam and the other female recruits, and he tries to keep the corporal off their backs some. I flew though this one, enjoying Sam's motivation, strength of body and character, as she fights for and adopted dream. I agree though with the other reviews that I've read, the ending just doesn't have the detail that the rest of the story does, and I wanted more. So I really hope that there will be a sequel and then I will love it completely. Bottom Line: Amazing story of a strong girl making waves joining a previously all boys military academy.
    • 5/5
      I received this free eBook in exchange for my honest review. Wow! I loved this book! There was so much packed in this novel and I was hooked through it all!Sam is a badass. No, seriously, she is. And it's not just because she grew up in a military family, because I can guarantee that most guys who have 5 older brothers all in the military couldn't go through that much intensity at the DMA. Not only was she the best girl there at the DMA, but she took the harsh punishment like a champ. If I could be 3% like Sam, I would be very proud of myself. I was really impressed with the authors knowledge of the military and everything about it. I have no knowledge whatsoever but somehow I was able to keep up with the way she wrote this novel. Very impressive. And the "Society". Neat little twist the author added with that story line. The ending also left a little something to be added on to with another book, perhaps? Yes? Please? Cause I would jump on the chance to get the sequel (please say there is one!!). I think this was an awesome book and I will definitely be getting it for my teen section at my library. I think a lot of other readers will really enjoy this fast pace, energetic, loyal and dedicated novel. So glad I got an advance copy!
    • 4/5
      Gr. 9 & Up: Sam McKenna can never turn down a dare, and before one of her older brothers committed suicide, he proposed the ultimate dare—be one of the first females to matriculate and graduate from prestigious Denmark Military School. Her military family can do little to help her as Sam faces harassment, sexism, and outright abuse from members of an all-male secret society. This society is determined that no females will remain on the campus, but they have vastly underestimated Sam’s fortitude. Hensley’s contemporary fiction novel is not an easy read for the graphic depictions of hazing, but this worthwhile addition to the YA realm is notable for its portrayal of a strong female in the face of adversity.
    • 5/5
      I have to admit that this story got me right down to the very last page. It’s very engaging with plenty for the reader to grab onto.Plot: This is about a girl who grew up around the military. She is following her bother’s footsteps by enrolling in one of the most prestige and well known military schools. Of course being one of the few girls going to an ALL BOYS school, you can only imagine the back draft this has caught. This story is so very interesting that once I started it I could not put it down. The reader will find themselves transfixed when it comes to military standards and rules that they must follow. This is like no other YA book.The girl how has guts: Let’s take a moment and talk about Sam. Sam is the only daughter of a military general who has standards. Hard standards. Her brothers live up to the expectations their father places on them as well as Sam. For Sam, majority of it is easy. She is a tough gal who knows the ropes. Despite her back round, Sam’s enrollment in the school causes quite a stir and other boys will make it TOUGH. I mean real tough. So tough, that they go so far as hurting her to make her leave. Sam does not wavier, she gets braver. In other words, Sam is a G.I. Jane.Ending: Even though there was plenty of military drama, the author did pave way for a romance!! Indeed I was a very happy gal. The author did a great job giving a reader a balance of both military and love. There needs to be second book ASAP!!WOW! This book has got to be one of the most memorable books I’ve read this year. Completely different and off the grid, Rites Of Passage is not y0ur typical YA. It is bold and brash when it comes to the military yet the characters are so vivid. Their emotions just slide right of the page to the reader. A potent blend of loyalty and trust, Rites Of Passage is a WIN!!
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Inspirational story that I couldn’t put down. With its amazing characters, adorable romance, and heart wrenching emotion this is one of the best books I have read all year.Opening Sentence: I’M PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE OF SAYING NO TO A DARE—I’VE got the scars and broken bone count to prove it.The Review:Sam McKenna has decided to join the first ever group of girls to attend the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. Until this year the school has only allowed boys into the school, but Sam’s older brother dared her to go. Sam has never been good at turning down a dare and this one is even more important since it was the last one her brother gave her before he died.Sam grew up in a military family so she knows what is expected of her physically but she never planned on everything else. First off, any kind of relationship with any of the other students is completely prohibited which Sam is totally fine with until she starts falling for her drill sergeant. She knew that there were going to be other students that wouldn’t want her to succeed, but she had no idea what lengths they would go to make her leave. Sam would do anything to prove that she has what it takes, but how much can she handle before she breaks?Sam is one of those girls you can’t help but admire and respect. She has taken on a huge task and it amazed me how well she handled everything that was thrown at her. She is tough as nail and proves time and time again that she is just as good as any of the boys. But she also has some very girly moments that helped remind me that she is very much a teenage girl. From the moment I met her I was instantly rooting for her, but that doesn’t mean that she was a perfect. She had some flaws, especially when it comes to asking others for help and she is extremely stubborn. I loved being inside her head and I think she a very inspirational character.Thinking about Drill makes me melt inside. He is the epitome of what I think a hot army man should be. Not only does he have an amazing body and rugged good looks, he also is a great man with a big heart. He really takes to heart that your Company is your family and I loved he treated the girls like they belonged just as much as anyone else. He is super protective of all of his recruits, including the girls, but he doesn’t baby them either. He pushes them to be the best because he actually believes that they can be the best. If someone is struggling he takes time out of his busy schedule to help which just goes to prove how amazing he is. I could seriously go on and on about how wonderful he is, so I am going to stop. But if you can’t already tell, I am madly in love with Drill and he has become one of my favorite book boys ever!I have to designate part of this review to the fantastic romance. The thing I loved most about Sam and Drill’s relationship is that it isn’t based just off of physical attraction. Initially it started as a deep respect and admiration for each other. Eventually it turned into something more, but this is honestly the best way to start a long lasting relationship with anyone. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have amazing chemistry because trust me, there are some pretty intense moments between them where the sexual tension is running sky high!!! The development was done perfectly and they have become one of my all time favorite couples!Rites of Passage is an inspirational story that tugs at your heart strings, but it is also extremely entertaining. You have adorable romance, crazy drama, and a few suspenseful moments as well. I will admit that it did take me a little bit to get into the story, but once I was hooked I couldn’t put it down. The other thing that was so great is that I have personally never read a YA book that has taken place at a military school and it really worked for me. I love that Hensley tackled a bunch of sensitive subjects and implemented them into such a wonderful story. I feel like everyone can find something to connect with in the story and that is really rare. Whether it be that you are a minority, or a different race, or a girl trying to do something only boys do, it doesn’t matter, if you are willing to put in the work you can make any of your dreams come true. Hensley’s writing is phenomenal and I can’t believe this is her debut novel. I can personally say that she has a fan for life in me and I will gladly read anything else she writes. While the ending of this was very satisfying there is a possibility that there may be more which I really hope there is. If you are looking for a fun, clean contemporary romance this is a must read for you!Notable Scene:“Alpha, lower your left hand onto the hand of the recruit buddy to your left. Lean your shoulder into him. Let him support you.”And just like that, Drill is there, a rock to lean against. I lean into his shoulder, easing some of the pain. I support Nix to my right, his body heavy on my shoulder. We all shake, we all sweat, includingDrill, who did every exercise with us tonight.“Now listen to the words of the song. You are Alpha. You eat together, breathe together. You live together and you die together. Never forget that. Feel the weight of your recruit buddy. Know that you are holding him up. Feel the weakness in your own muscles. Know that you would not still be up if your recruit buddy wasn’t helping you. This year is all about you becoming a unit. You will ‘all go down together!’” His words echo the chorus of the song.My eyes sting, and Nix, who never cries, no matter how bad the smoke shows get, sniffles to my right. I’m not alone in this moment and Drill is fully responsible.“Thank you,” I whisper as the music fades.He leans closer to me. “You belong here. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Rites of Passage. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 4/5
      There were some first-time-author things in here that pulled me out of the story as I was reading it. I was wondering if she'd written a longer book, but decided to break it into multiple parts...there are places where some more explication would make sense...without it, some characters and events seem kind of pointless. I read about the first third of the book and had no trouble putting it down...but on starting again the next night, I was caught up in the story and finished it. So I'd like to see what this author writes next, and I'd read a sequel to this, too.