What a pleasant surprise this was!
Emily Calby is a bada**!! What a brilliant character. She was loyal, feisty as hell, and SO funny. The scene where she is a witness on the stand as well as the prosecutor and keeps sitting down/standing up had me belly laughing!
The plot was so gripping and I did guess some of the twists but it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all.
Also, it is worth noting that this was the second Emily Calby book and can easily be read as a standalone. I had not read the previous novel and did not need to- the author did a wonderful job of filling in the gaps.
I hope there will be another book, I want to see what crazy situations Emily manages to get herself into next!
Fantastic book, I would highly recommend.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure I would be able to follow along since it is the second in the series, but it was easy to pick up on the story. Emily is a very strong young girl to have survived the killing of her mother and sister. She suffers from PTSD and a guilt for not staying and trying to help them. She befriends an ex-gang member Lucas Jackson. He helps protect her until everything falls apart on her 16th birthday and she finds herself in juvenile prison for murder. Emily is not afraid to do the things she finds necessary to protect herself after all she has been through. She learns everything she can to again protect herself, only this time she will use brain power to overcome. She also of course has trust issues. But, slowly she is able to open up and let walls down to let people in. I was hooked once I started this book. I hope to see more about Emily in the future.

After witnessing her mother and sister's murder three years ago, Emily Calby has been on the run, living in anonymity with her friend and mentor Lucas. After an incident on her 16th birthday, she gets arrested and a fingerprint scan reveals she's wanted for murder in another state. Now she's in a corrupt juvenile prison and needs to adjust to a new code of survival while trying to prove self defense in court.

Last year I picked up this little-known book The Hiding Girl, not expecting much but falling in love with Emily Calby, a fierce 13 year old doing whatever she can to survive. Her story had heart and humor so I was excited to reconnect with her three years later as she finds herself in a juvenile detention facility.

I enjoyed this story as Emily still finds herself still getting into (and out of) troubling situations, and you get her same entertaining and endearing attitude and curiosity. This story shows her softer side as she has to rely on her mind and not just her body to solve conflicts. I thought I was going to miss Lucas' presence in this, but I loved the various female friendships Emily built throughout the story both in the facility and the courtroom.

If you like a story of perseverance and resilience, Emily Calby the girl for you. She is strong and will use any resource to her advantage, including tackling the law library within the prison to defend herself. I do recommend reading The Hiding Girl first so you get her full background, but loved this sequel to continue her story.

The Girl in Cell 49B is a story about a girl battling her darkest demons. She has multiple demons: guilt, aggression, and rage. She also has a soft spot for underdogs. Emily has a dark past – her mother and sister were raped and her family home was burned to the ground, nearly killing her in the process. She carries a lot of guilt around because she feels she should have somehow saved her family instead of running away, which ultimately saved her life. After changing her appearance and assuming a new identity and living as Alice for three years, her aggression gets the best of her when she witnesses a nasty bully abusing his girlfriend at a gas station. Unable to stop herself, she walks up to the bully and points a gun in his face. The bully stops his behavior and they drive off but not before the gas station employee reports her to the police and they capture her using the gas station security camera.

This lands her in juvenile jail where the authorities discover, after taking her fingerprints, that she’s the lost girl that disappeared after the horrific home invasion that killed her family all those years ago. She’s also a person of interest wanted in a murder in another state.

Once she’s in juvenile jail, she quickly learns how to navigate the various caste systems and befriends a few underdogs who she feels compelled to try and save. Once her own trial starts, she quickly learns that THE LAW could quickly make or break her and in order to give herself the best chance of surviving a “fair” trial, she begins using the law library in juvenile jail to teach herself how the law works and how she can make it work for her.

This is a story about grit, determination and self-perseverance. This character has had to adapt to a cruel world, learn how to fight and defend herself while somehow managing to keep her sense of self. She’s unusual in that she has a big heart and she can’t stand to see good people being treated unfairly. But she also has a dark side. A side that she finds hard to control and keep under control. Once that dark side of her is unleashed, she can be cruel, dangerous and unpredictable. Emily’s journey is just beginning and she intends to use her new-found interest in the law to help people who can’t help themselves while trying to keep her dark past from destroying her and those she cares about.

This is how you write a sequel!! I completely fell for Emily and Lucas while reading The Hiding Girl so I was thrilled when I learned there was the second installment coming soon. Like its predecessor, this book packed a hugely satisfying punch. Since the horrifying murder of her mother and sister three years ago, Emily has made major leaps in learning to cope with her trauma; however, she soon finds herself imprisoned and awaiting trial for a past crime she committed in self-defense. Once again, I loved witnessing Emily’s growth and self-discovery as her story unfolded. Dorian Box has done a masterful job creating a multidimensional character that you can’t help but love. I really enjoyed the direction Emily’s story took and how Lucas managed to play an important role despite physical separation. I look forward to continuing to follow this raw, gritty, and deeply heartfelt series! Thank you to Friction Press and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl in Cell 49B is the story of Emily Calby, aka Alice Black, who has been on the run and in hiding for the past 3 years after a home invasion killed her mother and sister. Alice was the lone survivor in the tragedy. She met and was staying with Lucas, a father-figure type who had been helping protect her. On her 16th birthday, Lucas gave Alice an illegal handgun, which she was later caught with, arrested, and sent to a juvenile detention center. The fingerprints on the gun also prove that Alice is Emily, and she is wanted in another state for murder.

While in juvenile prison, Emily spends her time in the law library trying to avoid as many people as possible, laying low until her trial to remain as anonymous as possible, and trying to learn as much as she can to help herself in her case. Her cellmate, Rebecca, becomes her friend and ally, but also opens Emily's eyes to some of the corruption happing within the juvenile center. Emily is not only fighting for her life inside the courtroom, but she is trying to protect the lives of the other inmates from the imminent danger the center holds.

By the time I was 30% into this book, I was hooked and didn't want to stop reading. I thought Emily was a strong, brave, clever character and she was learning more about herself each day as her trial got closer and closer. I loved that the chapters were pretty short, which I think makes a book go by even faster. I also loved that Mr. Box, a former law professor, used and described law lingo that helped enhance the story and kept the reader in the loop of what was happening throughout the book. This made kind of me feel like I was in the courtroom listening to the testimony.

I really appreciated how full circle the book was at the end. Everything tied together nicely, everything felt finished, and at the same time, I could see (and am hoping for) a third book in the future. This book was full of tension, emotion, and hold-your-breath moments. Very well done.</p>
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes legal thrillers. I don't know that I would classify this as YA, even though the characters are teenagers. I feel the content of the story is more for adults, though there was nothing too horrible or graphic that wouldn't be appropriate for a teenager. I just think that the content was heavy.

Trigger warnings to be aware of: rape, attempted rape of a minor, drugs and alcohol, abuse, gangs, mentions of incest. Reader discretion advised.

I thought "The Hiding Girl" couldn't be topped... and then I read "The Girl in Cell 49B". Dorian Box is a master at ensuring the readers' emotional attachment to the characters, especially (of course) Emily Calby.

When I first read the summary of this installment, I worried. I don't want my Emily locked in a cell! I don't want her to have to fight her way out of the injustice system. More importantly, I'm a lawyer who hates being a lawyer and I don't want to read another book that gets the whole process wrong for the sake of churning out a book. I was happily mistaken about this book. 'The Girl in Cell 49B" not only nails the legal procedure, but it accurately conveys the desperation and despair of a litigant who simply doesn't have the resources to properly defend herself. The courtroom scenes were riveting and also, at time, hysterical.

On to the prison: as usual, Emily Calby distinguished herself from the bad element by which she was surrounded. She's a good person who was victimized by evil and then reacted in bad ways. She will not let that define her. She is one of my favorite characters I've read in a long time.

Readers absolutely HAVE TO read the first book before this book. It's a win-win really.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had gotten the chance to read the first book, The Hiding Girl, which I liked reading dark though it was. That book came with a glimpse of the sequel (this one) and it hooked me so I was very glad that I got a chance to read this to find out what was next in store for Emily Calby. She had a fairly quiet three years with Lucas as her "illegal" guardian before an over reaction brings Emily aka Alice to the attention of the police and she is sent to juvie to await the trial for killing the awful Scott Brooker (from the first book).

Emily is stronger now (and mostly whole) so she puts her mind to it, via the neglected law library in the prison, to find her way out of the mess. I like how she works to help the people she has met in the prison (I love Rebecca!) as well as herself. I did NOT like Leslie and shouted at her several times for the dirty tricks she used.

This was a good story and I am quite satisfied with how it ended. I would not mind finding out if Emily is successful in her chosen future career. After all she is still only 16 years old!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gritty novel

cell bloke h, wentworth or any other prison drama if you like those programmes you will love this book

emily is in jail awaiting her day in court, she has an attorney but the defense has a pitbull and will pull out all the stops... she is being charged with murder

have to say i thoroughly enjoyed this book with its taste of prison and court appearances and to emily herself with her unique upbringing. and all her life experiences she has had in her short life

this is the 2nd book in the series and though i havent read the first book it doesnt distract from the book as it can be read as a standalone

brilliantly written and kept me on the edge of my seat...love how this author write and will be keeping an eye out for more

Emily Calby--or Alice Black, depending on who you ask--has had a rough life. After witnessing the murders of her mother and sister, while previously having lost her father, Emily barely escapes with her life, and she has been on the run ever since. Luckily she has been able to make a new “family” for herself as she attempts to navigate her new life. Unfortunately, Emily is forced to face a new obstacle when, after pulling an illegal handgun on some bikers with bad intentions, she is picked up on an old warrant in Louisiana. Facing juvenile prison politics, a victimized cell mate who reminds Emily of her sister, and a prosecutor determined to lock her up for life, Emily finds herself in a fight for her life and her freedom.

The Girl in Cell 49B is the second installment in the Emily Calby series, The Hiding Girl being the previous novel. I have not read The Hiding Girl, and while there were quite a few references to previous events--Emily’s warrant is the result of something that happened in The Hiding Girl--I never really felt lost or confused, but I do wish I had read the other novel first. I often felt as though there was a Shawshank Redemption vibe to the story. The characters are well developed and well written. They seem very honest and authentic as they truthfully reveal the inherent faults within the system, along with the far-reaching consequences of poor or nonexistent families and support systems. Emily is a tough, smart girl who the reader can easily root for as she fights for what she thinks is right. I really enjoyed the buildup within The Girl in Cell 49B and the ultimate conclusion that these events led to. There were some things and events that seemed a little too convenient and depended too much on chance, as well as a couple that went just past unbelievable, but this didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the story itself.

The Girl in Cell 49B is an entertaining and thrilling novel that I recommend to anyone who likes novels with tough females taking on the system. The Girl in Cell 49B will be available on March 1st, so get ready! Thank you to NetGalley and Friction Press for sending me an electronic copy of The Girl in Cell 49B, given in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.

Emily Calby is back. Her mentor, Lucas, has just given her an illegal gun for her birthday and tells her that she is not to leave their home with the gun in her possession. After having a disagreement with Lucas, she rushes off forgetting to leave the gun behind. After walking around for a while, she sees a woman being abused by her supposed boyfriend. Letting her anger get the best of her, she gets involved trying to help the woman. Unfortunately, everything is caught on the video at the gas station. The police are called and even though she ditches the gun, the police catch up to her and find the illegal gun. She is taken into custody and her real identity is discovered when they run her prints. The charge of having an illegal gun in her possession is dropped when it is discovered she is wanted for murder in another state. She is extradited to a juvenile facility while awaiting trial.

Thank you to the author for giving me an ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley, author Dorian Box, and Friction Press for giving me a free E-book copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
I was so excited when I heard there would be a second book! This book picks up with Emily Calby/Alice Black three years later. Still on the run, with her father figure Lucas, Emily finds herself in trouble with the police after pulling an illegal gun on a couple of bikers. When Emily finds herself in Juvenile Detention on trial for her life, she needs all the help she can get from those within and without if she want to get back to Lucas! What really might be going on within the walls of the Juvenile Center?
This book was a nonstop action packed book. Emily was her same stubborn yet brilliant self. I really enjoyed the secondary cast of characters that were front and center. Rebecca, her cellmate, Miss Mava (the detention center librarian), some of the correctional officers, and Paula (public defender). While Lucas did not make too many appearances, he still did all he could to help Emily. The book had so many twist and turns especially when it can time for the trial. Emily was no just sitting by and hoping for the best outcome, she took charge and studied the law. Overall, this book was really worth the read! I can't wait to read more books by this author.

Th Girl in Cellblock 49B kept me involved emotionally and showed me important examples of true faith in friendship! I saw how Emily had to live through, protect herself, relive events that were difficult and try to survive with an outcome of being a good person. With the odds against Emily, she experienced intriguing things that will end up with love, life, and the pursuit of happiness! Perfect read keeping the reader wanting more!

I enjoyed this book about a fifteen year old girl accused of murder and sent to a juvenile detention centre. She is wise for her years and decides to spend her time working in the library and reading law books in the hope that it will help her case.
This is the second book in the Emily Calby series and I don’t think it mattered that I haven’t read the first book because her history was described at the beginning of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Friction Press for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another winner from Dorian Box. I had previously enjoyed reading The Hiding Girl and was looking forward to this sequel, which could definitely be read as a stand alone. I was so immersed in this read I have spent all morning mesmerized by Emily’s intelligence and pursuit of fairness. She remains an unforgettable character and I expect to read about more of her adventures in the future. Dorian Box brings each character to life - prison guards, judges, lawyers, Lucas, Rebecca, Ben and Lola, each are fleshed out and realistic. There are many sides to Emily and as alluded to several times at least three personalities existing within her. Loved her sense of justice and am looking forward to reading about her pursuit of a law degree. Eagerly awaiting your next book Dorian Box. Many many thanks to Dorian Box, Friction Press, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasure of reading an arc of this book to be published on March 1st. Don’t miss this one.

This is the second book in the Emily Calby series. I guess technically this could be a standalone, but in book one you learn about the rape and murder of her mother and sister, how she ended up on the run, and how she was taken in by Lucas and trained for self-defense and revenge by Lucas and his girlfriend, who is a boxer.

This book happens three years later. Emily became Alice to hide from the men she managed to escape but who the police didn’t catch right away. Now, Emily/Alice is arrested for illegally carrying a firearm, and she gets incarcerated because of the messy things that happened before. It’s an exciting prison/courtroom book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES MARCH 1, 2021.

Emily Calby is still living with Lucas Jackson after fleeing the home invasion that killed her mother and younger sister. She met Lucas who is an ex gang member when she contacted him to obtain false ID and instead of the vet he was expecting 12 year old Emily showed up.
Now on her 16th birthday when her sparkly pink package contains the 9 millimeter she has asked for life is very different. When Lucas issues a stern warning about the gun, Emily’s’ temper flares and she storms out of the house and ends up pulling the gun in front of witnesses. On her way home police catch up with her and once her fingerprints are entered in to the system, not only is her real identity revealed but she learns that there is a warrant for murder in LA.
Emily/Alice is extradited to Pochachant Prison, a for profit prison for youth offenders. While there she will face staff corruption, challenges from other girls and fall in love for the first time. She will learn to love as she gets to know her roommate, a drug addict who has an uncanny ability to sense trouble and face a prosecutor who will do anything to win. Emily will learn that the law may be an even more powerful weapon than anything that Lucas ever gave her.
“ Hiding Girl” was one of my favorite books of 2020, so I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of the sequel. I started this yesterday afternoon and finished in the wee hours this morning because I was so engrossed in the story. This is one of those books that deserves far more recognition that it received and is storytelling at its finest. Read “ Hiding Girl” now and pre- order this, you won’t be sorry. “ The Girl in Cell 49B is due for release on March 1, 2021. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.

When I read the first book in this series, I described it as all sorts of amazing, and so is this second book in the series. Emily is finally safe, the sole survivor of a terrible home invasion, living with her mentor Lucas. Three years later life tnrows her another curveball and she is arrested for carrying an illegal weapon. She ends up in a juvenile detention center where corruption runs rampant. Emily never gives up, she is the original ‘girl with a half full cup’ and decides to take control of her life. She manages to get a job in the facility’s library and spends her time in the law library, a little used section of the library. We can soon see where her destiny will lie. The story is filled with unique characters, much love, warmth and a whole lot of hope! Another book for my ‘best ever’ book list!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Excellent follow-up with a character that has lived a lot more in a few years than most do in a lifetime. This story does not require reading the previous book. The strong-willed, determined Emily dominates this story, but her supporting characters provide great balance as she fights to escape being the girl in cell 49B.

When I read that there was going to be a sequel to "The Hiding Girl" and the plot summary, I was nervous. So much happens to Emily Calby/Alice Black in "The Hiding Girl", that having her return three years later and finding herself back in "life or death" trouble seemed like it was going to be too much (overkill in a sense, no pun intended). I am happy to report my concerns were assuaged. Overall, "The Girl in Cell 49B" struck the right balance. Emily was the same wonderful character as in the first book -- impulsive, stubborn, resourceful, smart, caring, etc. Because Emily spends much of the story in a juvenile detention center or a courtroom, Lucas largely plays a secondary role in the story, but there are moments where he makes his presence known quite effectively. The author has created a great supporting cast in Emily's cellmate Rebecca, other detainees (Lola and Ben in particular), Miss Mava (the detention center librarian), some of the correctional officers, Paula (public defender), Leslie Tierney (hard-nosed prosecutor), and Judge Hanks. As a lawyer who likes the research and learning aspect of the job, I enjoyed Emily using the law library at the detention center to educate herself on the law to assist in her own defense and to try to help other detainees. "The Girl in Cell 49B" was well worth reading.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.