(Disclaimer: While PG-rated, this book may be a trigger for victims of sexual assault.)"

Thank you to Rebecca Rode for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for review!

Before I begin my review, I'd like to start this off with saying that Ruby's Story is a companion to the second book in the Numbers Game saga, Numbers Ignite. However, this is a prequel novella and can be read as a stand alone. I have not read either Numbers Game or Numbers Ignite but I thoroughly enjoyed this short story that is set in the world of Numbers Game!

This short story follows Ruby James, the granddaughter of Richard Peak. Peak is the founder of the Rating system that is currently present in NORA. Ruby has been promoted to Rater status- something she has been working for since she was eight years old. As a Rater, she gets all of the perks which include a huge new house in a guarded neighborhood, box seats at all of the hottest events in NORA, and a high profile client list. It seems like the perfect life, until she uncovers an awful secret. Now Ruby has to decide between her status as a Rater and fighting against the wrongs she's discovered.

I really, truly enjoyed this story. It was short, but it really gave a whole new perspective into the Rater side of the Numbers Game series. With Chan's Story, we got the side of someone under pressure of being rated and having to live with his rating. In Ruby's Story, the reader gets to see the other side with the lavish lifestyle that Raters get, but also the amount of corruption and wrongness that happens behind closed doors. I enjoyed that I got to see that the life of a Rater wasn't all that Ruby thought it was. While the reality was awful, it proved that the system that everyone thought was perfect was, in fact, incredibly flawed and in need of fixing. Ruby's reaction was one that I was really hoping for, and I was so proud of her for the decisions that she made. Despite this being a short, stand alone story, I am really hoping for a sequel because I would love to read more about Ruby and find out more about what happens after this story ends!

The main character in this story was Ruby, and she was an absolutely beautiful main character. When confronted with the corruption that was present in her dream job, she refused to stay silent and wanted to help fix things and bring them back to the way that they were originally supposed to be. She was so dedicated to her beliefs that she was willing to give up everything, including her family. The end was kind of heartbreaking, but I was incredibly happy with the way that Ruby decided to go about things. I really am rooting for a sequel because Ruby was one of those really unique characters that I connected with so quickly and am curious to know where her decision has led her.

I am such a huge fan of Rebecca Rode and the world of Numbers Game and Numbers Ignite. I have only read the two short stories that are set in the world, but I am so incredibly impressed with the writing and world building that has gone into these two stories. Ruby's Story is by far my favorite, and I am so excited to get into Numbers Game with some of the base knowledge of the series that has been given in this novella. The writing is fantastic and descriptive, and you really get a sense of how things are in NORA, and I believe that reading this will give the reader a bit of a taste and leave them wanting more!

If you're wanting to get into Numbers Game but are unsure if you're ready to take the plunge, or even if you're waiting to pick up Numbers Ignite, grab Ruby's Story and prepare to get sucked in! This novella will leave you with so many questions that only Numbers Game and Numbers Ignite will be able to answer, and it's definitely worth a read to learn about how the world is from a Rater's point of view! With an incredibly strong main character, beautiful writing, and a cliffhanger ending, Ruby's Game is one fantastic short story that is sure to hook you from page one!