Book Review: Secondborn by Amy A Bartol

Title: Secondborn (Secondborn #1)
Author: Amy A Bartol
Format: audiobook via Audible
Narrator: Kate Reinders
Publisher: Brilliance Audio

This is one of those books, where after you finish the book, you scream nooo, and reach out like your 5 years old and all you need to do is reach far enough for more. Unfortunately, we have to wait for next year to get more, as the second book of the series isn't set to come out until April of 2018.

Amy A. Bartol does have other series out, and after reading this I will be checking them out sometime. Since this year is almost over, they may wait until next year though.

In the Secondborn universe, you can only have 2 children. Your first born takes you family name and family responsibilities. Your a Senator, your first child will take over as Senator. The second child is given up to fight a war. If your first child dies, the second will take over as your first. You can apply to be able to have a third, but you may not be approved to have another child.

Roselle is the second born daughter of The Sword, her mother runs the Sword faction. The Sword faction, as you can probably guess is good at fighting. Roselle's life has been televised since she was little, many want to be her, but this doesn't save her from her transition day. The day she is turned over to the government and becomes a soldier just like every other second born child.

Roselle is smarter than she looks, and she would make a far better Sword than her brother, or even her mother. This can be seen by her resourcefulness to overcome obstacles and get out of certain circumstances. Even Roselle though needs some help. On her transition day, on her way to the check in, her train is attacked. She is taken the rest of the way by a group of Secondborn soldiers. One of them turns out to be a love interest. Not right away, but he does help break her out and guide her on what things mean; such as someone asking for personal lessons from her, doesn't mean they want to see and learn her fighting abilities.

Roselle gets into some pretty tight and sticky situations, and it doesn't help a census agent is now watching her every move. He is ruthless and enjoys causing harm to others. He was a second born, but killed his older sibling. Now his parents have no choice but to accept him. His parents allow him to work in census hoping he will get over the urges he feels to cause others harm.

There is also a Rose Society developing, wanting to keep her alive and trying to move things to their favor to keep her from being killed. Something her mother would love, because she feels Roselle's existence threatens her first born. Her mother thinks Roselle is out to be the Sword, and if she could would kill her brother. This can't be further from the truth.

Roselle's life is not her own as everyone seems to have their own idea of where she would fit best, even if it means her death. Roselle is smart and cunning and manages to wiggle through, and stay alive.

I swear when I finished this book I started to scream. I had to quickly muffle my scream since I finished the book at home, but while my husband was sleeping. He wouldn't have understood if I suddenly screamed over a book. It was hard to rate this, knee jerk after finishing was to give it full stars, but I also don't feel a need to reread, or throw the book in everyone's hands. The action was never edge of your seat action, and even when things got hairy there was an element of calm. With that, I am giving this 4 stars out of 5.

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Book Review: Until Tuesday by Luis Carlos Montalvan

Title: Until Tuesday
Authors: Luis Carlos Montalvan and Bret Witter
Format: eBook
Publisher: Hachette Books

Until Tuesday is both motivational and inspirational without being specifically a self help book or religious.

This is the story of Former Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan and a Golden Retriever named Tuesday. Tuesday is a service dog who ended up needing some help of his own after his experiences growing up as a puppy. He was part of a program called Puppies Behind Bars where people convicted of a crime and serving time in prison can train a dog to be a service dog. Each dog has to know certain tricks so they can help someone.

Tuesday went through a few trainers at the beginning through no fault of his own. His first trainer from Puppies Behind Bars was paroled, and from there once he learned all the tricks he needed from one trainer he moved to the next until finally being paired with Former Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan. Luis was injured in Iraq plus suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The two then slowly begin to help heal each other's wounds.

The book is well written, beginning with Tuesday in his puppy years and what he went through, and then goes to Luis and his first tour in Iraq. From there he leads right into his pairing with Tuesday and everything just flows together.

Reading about what this pair has been through and how hard they have fought to be where they are gives you strength to get through the day. Luis talks about his struggle with people not believing Tuesday is a service dog because most think a service dog only helps the blind. So he is continuously kicked out of stores and restaurants. People not seeing Tuesday as a service dog even messes with a date Luis goes on, as the bus driver did not want to let him on thinking Tuesday was a pet, and then the restaurant he took his date to, the greeter did not want to let him in because of the health risks.

What these people don't know is the daily grooming he must do for Tuesday so that he can take Tuesday in all these establishments. He even talks about one of the people who received their service dog the same time he did, and how they almost lost their dog because  it was believed they weren't taking good enough care of the dog.

This book is great for readers of all ages, it doesn't matter what genre is your favorite. You will love this book.

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Book Review: The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Title: The Young Elites
Author: Marie Lu
Format: audiobook via Overdrive
Narrator: Carla Corvo, Lannon Killea
Publisher: Listening Library

We've all wished for special powers at some point or another. In The Young Elites children have special powers allowing them to change people's minds, or whip up a storm. But the rest of civilization is afraid of them, for obvious reasons. Who knows what they will use their abilities for. These abilities were received as a side effect of getting over something called the blood plague.

The story is interesting and touches on family relationships. When one person in the family has the blood plague and then gets an ability, does the family support them or turn them in to the inquisition to be killed. Like the Salem witch trials, there are those without abilities also being burned at the stake.

The family and friend dynamics are something else. The story also had me thinking about the consequences of our actions. How we do something thinking it's a good reason and for the best, only to have it blow in our faces, and we lose.

I found the story entertaining, and had me thinking about our lives here in the real world. I really like a book that gets me thinking about my actions and how I could possibly do or be better. This book is a definite recommendation to all fantasy lovers.

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