#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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ARC #Review - Traitor Born by Amy A. Bartol #YALit #Dystopian

Series: Secondborn # 2
Format: E-Arc, 316 pages
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Publisher: 47North
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Dystopian

Rebel warrior Roselle St. Sismode returns in the second book of the epic Secondborn series by USA Today bestselling author Amy A. Bartol.

In the Fates Republic…

Firstborns reign supreme.
Secondborns kneel in servitude.
Thirdborns face death.
And Census shadows them all.

Secondborn Roselle St. Sismode was pressed into military service to battle the rebel uprising threatening the society that enslaves her. Now, powerful factions conspire to subvert the lines of succession, positioning Roselle to replace her mother as leader of the Republic’s armed forces. But the woman who bore her would sooner see Roselle dead than let her usurp her firstborn brother’s command.

The deadly war of intrigue between her new masters and her ruthless family is but one conflict challenging Roselle. A soldier for the rebellion has drawn her into a rogue army’s plot to overthrow the Republic and shatter its brutal caste system. Targeted by assassins and torn between allies, Roselle will have her loyalty, love, and honor tested in the greatest battle of—and for—her life.

Traitor Born is the second installment in author Amy A. Bartol's Secondborn series. The story picks up where Secondborn left off. Protagonist Roselle St. Sismode has found herself in a situation that most likely would make others skittish and run for the hills. She's become a pawn in a political game that has seen Rose become the person of the moment. The Gates of Dawn wants her to break the dreaded Fate system which includes Virtue, Swords, Stars, Atoms, Suns, Diamonds, Moon, Seas, & Stones. The Rose Garden Society wants her to become the Sword ruler replacing her mother who has tried to kill her, as did her own brother who she still supports.

But, nobody has asked Rose what she wants for the her life if she survives all the challenges that are heading straight for her. This is a world that is dominated by Firstborns while Secondborn's are given over to the government to use as they see fit. And, if you are a Thirdborn, you are deemed unnecessary, and are hunted down by a group known as Census. Rose has already faced the Census and Agent Crow. Rose has a strange group of allies including Clarity Bowie, Clifton Salloway, Reykin Winterstorm, and Dune Kodaline. Despite the protection afforded to her by both Rose Garden and Gates of Dawn, danger always seems to find its way to Roselle's doorstep.

Her mother, Othala St. Sismode, is on the warpath and will stop at nothing to remove the threat she sees in Roselle to  her machinations. Census Crow wants Roselle badly. She has found a way to escape him time and time again, but how many times can one person escape from bad situations before her good luck runs out? I'll have to admit that I've become a fan of Roselle's, especially after this book. Rose is not unlike me who gets panic attacks. She's a badass fighter, who gets some pretty cool weapons and outfits, and then gets thrown into the frying pan by the author. Roselle has been a puppet her entire life. As her families Secondborn, everyone has their own agenda for her and their own motivations for treating her certain ways. Roselle doesn't hate her brother. She probably should since he has checked out and hasn't exactly stood up to defend her. Her mother is ruthless, cunning, dangerous, and manipulative. Roselle would be better off just cutting the cord and admitting that were it not for others and her own cunning, she would be dead.

I liked her connection with Reykin which slow develops over the course of the story and then leaves room for more if the author choose to do so. I am saddened to say that there's a brutal cliffhanger ending to this book. But, I am happy to say that the author throws a really wicked cool scene where all hell breaks loose. No spoilers. The author is diabolical. Seriously. I literally gasped at what the author puts Roselle and allies through. And, if that weren't enough, she leaves a preview of the third installment that will linger with you until Rebel Born is released in 2019. Traitor Born is an action packed story filled with twists, and surprises, and emotionally charged scenes. If you haven't read the first book yet, what are you waiting for?

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Monday #Review - Secondborn by Amy A. Bartol #YALit #Science Fiction

Series: Secondborn # 1
Format: E- Galley, 321 pages 
Release Date: August 1, 2017
Publisher: 47 North
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult, SyFy

Firstborns rule society. Secondborns are the property of the government. Thirdborns are not tolerated. Long live the Fates Republic.

On Transition Day, the second child in every family is taken by the government and forced into servitude. Roselle St. Sismode’s eighteenth birthday arrives with harsh realizations: she’s to become a soldier for the Fate of Swords military arm of the Republic during the bloodiest rebellion in history, and her elite firstborn mother is happy to see her go.

Televised since her early childhood, Roselle’s privileged upbringing has earned her the resentment of her secondborn peers. Now her decision to spare an enemy on the battlefield marks her as a traitor to the state.

But Roselle finds an ally—and more—in fellow secondborn conscript Hawthorne Trugrave. As the consequences of her actions ripple throughout the Fates Republic, can Roselle create a destiny of her own? Or will her Fate override everything she fights for—even love?

Secondborn is the first installment in author Amy A. Bartol's Secondborn series. 18-year old Roselle St. Sismode lives in a world where first born children are given every opportunity to succeed; where second born children are sold to the government to do what they want; and where third born children are hunted down and killed by a group known as Censor's. For Roselle, everything she's ever done has been under the spotlight of cameras everywhere. Which means that everyone knows who she is. A dangerous proposition considering the world she lives in, and the powerful people who are watching her every move. There is no hiding or pretending that she's anyone else but who she is. 

Roselle's mother is known as the Clarity of Swords. If you are looking to nominate the worst mother of the year, look no further than Othala St. Sismode. She is so obsessed with her firstborn son Gabriel, that she, like other firstborns, truly believed that Roselle would harm her brother in order to be bumped up and become the heir to the Swords. But, that is not who Roselle is. Roselle has spent her whole life being trained to survive against all odds. Good thing otherwise this would have been a very short story. On Roselle's 18th birthday, we are introduced to Transition day. It is a day where Roselle is stabbed in the back one more time by her own mother who fails to protect her. 

Where she finds that she is going to have to become the lowest ranked member of the military (Tropo) which is fighting a brutal civil war in which the survival rate is extremely low. Where she and her mentor Dune are attacked by rebels known as Gates of Dawn. Where she has her first, but not last encounter with her very own nemesis in the form of Agent Kipson Crow. Where she also encounters Hawthorne, the one person who may be the one to stand alongside her. Let me just say that I adored Roselle from the moment I met her, to the final page of this installment. 

She is a badass. She knows weaponry like no other. She can fight without needing anyone to back her up. She has an attitude that backs up her actions, but she also understands that someone desperately wants to see her dead and gone. Someone who tries to toss in every imaginable obstacle in her way to prevent Roselle from getting her happy ending. She is also caught in a struggle between forces that want to see her rise up, and those who are playing a dangerous political game that can have devastating consequences for all involved.

Secondborn employs a society that is divided by fates. There are nine different fates; Virtues, Swords, Stars, Atoms, Suns, Diamonds, Moons, Stars, Seas and Stones. It is also a society that forces its citizen's to have a moniker. Monikers are a symbol of class and caste. It carries a person's identification and other vital information. There are some funny, and some questionable scenes in this book. Roselle meets a variety of different characters. Some you see again, others are like intentional props used only when she needed something to get her out of a dicey situation. Is the book perfect? Nah. There could have been a bit more world building. 

There could have been less focus on the way that Roselle looks as well. Especially the crazy leg shaving scene. Or, how she is forbidden by three powerful characters from cutting her own hair. Yes, you read that right. The romance is a bit weighed down whenever she is around Hawthorne. She is a totally different character. Sometimes, one that I don't like. But, for me, who is always looking for something a bit different, this was actually a good start to hopefully a grand adventure in the next two installments. One could call this a coming of age young adult dystopian novel. You could also call this new adult since Roselle is 18 when the story begins. 

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