#Review - Rebel Born by Amy A. Bartol #Dystopian

Series: Secondborn (#3)
Format: E-Galley, 336 pages
Release Date: August 13, 2019
Publisher: 47North
Source: Publisher
Genre: Dystopian

Roselle faces a mind-reeling showdown with the deep state agent controlling her psyche in the Wall Street Journal bestselling conclusion to the Secondborn series.

Roselle St. Sismode is many things: victim of a conspiracy, unwilling host of an ever-evolving mind algorithm, spy for a rebel army, and heir to the Fate of Swords. As a warrior, she’s also the anticipated main event at the Secondborn Trials. When the opening ceremonies erupt in chaos, Roselle is abducted by a sadistic agent with a diabolical plan: transform Roselle into a mind-controlled assassin to topple society. But a rogue scientist has implanted Roselle with a genius technology that is far more powerful. It renders her untouchable. Faster. Stronger. And maybe immortal.

With her enhanced abilities come the highest stakes yet, as Roselle confronts shifting realities at every turn as well as her own mother’s stunning betrayal. Racing against time with a determined resistance group, can Roselle overthrow the forces of destruction and reclaim the most valuable of commodities—her humanity?

 

Rebel Born, by author Amy Bartol, is the third and final installment in the authors Secondborn trilogy. This series cuts across several genre's; Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Dystopian. It also adds a bit of mythology. The series follows Roselle St. Sismode who is the second-born daughter of the Fate of Swords. Roselle has been under constant attack from Agent Crow of Census, as well as her own mother who has done everything she can to kill Roselle. But, Roselle isn't one to lay down and submit to anyone.

As the story picks up right where Traitor Born left off, readers should absolutely have read the first two books in this trilogy before proceeding. With her first-born brother dead, Roselle is now the heir to the Fate of Swords. But, after what happened during the Secondborn trials, especially the ending, Roselle finds herself being controlled by Crow and his new world order. A month goes by with Roselle having lost time but is now fully awake thanks to some much needed help. 

For part of the time, she's a mind-controlled assassin and does some things that will have lasting implications. When she does finally wake, it's to find out that she's upgrading into something different from Crow's mind controlled monsters thanks to a scientist named Ransom Winterstrom. Roselle has to find a way to escape from her nightmare existence, adapt to her newly enhanced abilities and discover a way to save her world. Roselle's allies, including Reykin Winterstrom and Clifton Salloway, are hopelessly outgunned and in need a miracle in order to survive Crow and Census's brutal new world.  

We are introduced to a pretty interesting and twisted character in this story; Cherno. Cherno ends up being assigned to Roselle as her body guard and stays with her throughout the story. He truly believes that Roselle is a direct descendant of a War Goddess by the same name. He also has a curious past with Clifton which gives the story some humor. If you've read the first two books, you know that Roselle has had romantic inclinations towards Hawthorne Trugrave, as well as Reykin Winterstorm who said the 3 words as the final chapter of the previous book was wrapping up.  

Hawthorne's relationship with Roselle hasn't been the same since becoming a Firstborn. With the author's introduction of a program called Spectrum, you could write your own ending as to who Roselle would end up with. I have nothing against either character, it's just strange the way the author chooses to wrap up this series.

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