Once

3 Stars
Anna Carey

 When you're being hunted, who can you trust? For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America. But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America. Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.

I started this series out not liking the first book, because it didn't have any back story to it something that the author rectified in this book. Just when you think Eve could maybe finally be safe in Califia, along comes the hint of betrayal from the woman that she has been living and working with for the past few months. She isn't just another woman living in Califia she is considered a bargaining chip by the leaders something to guarantee protection from the King. Eve then gets news that Caleb is in trouble and she rushes off to try to help him leaving the safety of the colony. She finds out it is a ruse all too late and is captured by the very solider she spared the life of. She is taken to the capital of New America, but not before Arden is separated from her and placed in the very place that they were working so hard to escape. Eve grief stricken about her love and her friends that she can not save is then shown that she is not who she thought she was, she is much more important than she could have ever imagined. She just doesn't fit into this new life and dirty secrets about her parents are revealed. All she wants is Caleb and her old life back. When she receives word that Caleb is safe and in the city they meet up as dangerous as it is. She trades her happiness for a life and she has to play the new role she is given to make sure the one she loves can live. With the big reveal of who Moss is at the end really threw me for a loop, I was not expecting it. I was satisfied with information that was finally revealed and I feel like the story was much improved upon, I was actually looking forward to finishing the book. Needless to say that is book is a great work and I will be reading on the third and final book in the series.