The Registry & The Collection by Shannon Stoker

Let me tell you about The Registry and The Collection!

Shannon Stoker has created a dystopian society where women in the US are prized beyond anything. They are raised and groomed to be the perfect daughter and wife. They are made to believe that their whole existence is to serve their fathers and then their husbands. On their 18^th birthday they are evaluated, given a price, and entered into the Registry. Men, who have completed their mandatory 4 year service in the military, are able to view the women and purchase their bride. Life for 18 year old Mia Morrissey is perfect though. She is going to fetch the highest price ever from the Registry and that is all that matters to Mia. Everything changes though when Mia realizes that the Registry is no better than a slave auction that resulted in the murder of her sister. Her only chance is to run away to Mexico, even though her ruthless husband will stop at nothing to have her.

The Registry will suck you in! I was glued from the very first page and did not stop until it was over. As Mia and her friend Whitney escape from their horrifying futures they are helped by the reluctant Andrew, who wants nothing more to join the military and serve his county. As they make their escape, Mia begins to put together the pieces of what happened to the United States and how the Registry came about. The transformation of Mia, who starts as a naïve debutante, to a person who is curious and defiant is wonderful. Stoker takes her time developing Mia and the transformation continues into The Collection, which was published today.

The Collection resumes immediately where The Registry ends. Make sure you have The Collection readily available when you start reading The Registry, because you won’t want to leave Mia and Andrew’s story. Though there is a hint of romance, it is far from the front burner, which I think only enhances the story. I know there has been some discussion of which genre this falls under: young adult, new adult, or fiction? Though the characters are 18, I feel that this story and the characters are past the young adult stage. The setting of society during this time has hardened a lot of the characters, especially Andrew. I think this adds to their maturity level and is another reason why I would classify this as an adult novel or a new adult book. No matter what collection you place them in, both The Registry and The Collection will sweep you into a story filled with action, adventure, and self discovery! I hope you will run out and pick up a copy of The Registry and The Collection and if your library doesn’t have them, add them! They will quickly check out! 

Perfect for fans of Divergent and The Handmaiden’s Tale