Rites of Passage

Sam McKenna is about to be among the first young women to attend the all-male Denmark Military Academy, and her angry male peers hope to oust the girls before the first semester is over. Despite these odds, Sam is determined to make it: hers is a military family through and through, and before her brother Amos killed himself one year earlier, he dared Sam to attend the DMA, and she’s determined to honor that wish. Thus begins a year of punishing military training, huge expectations, terrible living conditions, and nonstop emotional and physical abuse for Sam, with precious few allies. Debut novelist Hensley, a former cadet herself, writes with substantial knowledge of academy life, hazing, and the parameters of military rank and file. The first half of the novel is a fascinating portrait of young women breaking military barriers, though the story becomes overdramatic, with over-the-top villains, conspiracy theories, and a decades-old secret military society. This aside, Sam is easy to root for as a heroine, and it’s a strong first showing for Hensley. Ages 13–up. Agent: Mandy Hubbard, D4EO Literary Agency. (Sept.)