Roselle St. Sismode, the Secondborn of the Fate of the Swords, the second most powerful family after the Fate of Virtues in the Fates Republic, is now in the hands of Fabian Bowie, The Virtue. Forced to turn against her own family, when her mother tried to get her killed, Roselle now fears the day she will be named traitor born. Caught in the tug of war between her mother and the Virtue, as well as a hidden faction which seeks to overthrow the Republic and its brutal caste system, Roselle finds herself in the dangerous game of power, where everyone seems to have a higher motive than simply saving her life.

With the most dangerous people in the system vying to put Roselle in her mother's place as "The Sword," Roselle just wants to save her brother from imminent assassination and resolve the conflict with her mother and father and find the fate of Hawthorne, who risked his life to save hers. Then there is Reykin, who swears to defend her till she fights for his cause and kill her if she betrays them. Can Roselle let go of her years of training and beliefs to make the decision, in the end, to do what would be for the best for her people?

TRAITOR BORN, the second book in the Secondborn series, seems to start off where the first one ended. Since I did not get a chance to read the first book in the series, SECONDBORN, I initially had a hard time following the story. Once I got the gist of the central idea and all the players, the story took off with a bang. I could not put it down till I had reached the end, and now I curse the day I picked it up because REBEL BORN, the third book, won't be released until next year and I am desperate to know what happens next. I absolutely loved the action sequences, and the cast of characters are diverse. Roselle is a strong character with very real flaws. Her chemistry and interactions with Reykin are scene stealers; I kept looking forward to more scenes with the two of them in it. Hawthorne is a flawed hero, too, but his character seems more shaded than most due to the things he's hiding. I had a very hard time trusting him in this book or liking Roselle with him. TRAITOR BORN builds the characters further and brings the world to a smashing, unexpected climax which I am still not sure how to take.

I loved how Amy A. Bartol portrayed and handled PTSD and anxiety in TRAITOR BORN. The descriptions are mind-blowing and the world is interesting despite a familiar premise. TRAITOR BORN is a not- to-be-missed book in the Secondborn series, especially if you love action, intrigue, emotional feels, and hinted twists which lead to an unbelievable and tough ending. What happens next? I need to know NOW! Read at your own peril.

Book Summary

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.