Secondborn by Amy A. Bartol

Secondborn (Secondborn Series Book 1) by Amy A. Bartol
on August 1st 2017
Pages: 321
Goodreads

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?

This book was one of Amazon Prime members first reads, and the first Prime Read I have ever reviewed. Honestly  I forget all about them, but this book synopsis intrigued me. I was intrigued and pretty happy with the book through the first third, then the book and my likes diverged. Do you care why? Not really! Come on, you are a little curious. Just a tag. Hmmm??  I read and review hundreds of books a year. I adore stories and where authors take me in their worlds. Bartol’s world building is what had me hooked. Let me give you all the 411 on the dystopian world Bartol created. In the Republic of the Fates, each family can have maximum two kids. Think of it as a dystopian Futuristic English Peerage for everyone, the heir and the spare. The heir is siting pretty, and the spare (Secondborn) are ghost to the family, from the aristocracy to the laundry woman no one wants to be a Secondborn. The Secondborns are given up to the service to the Republic, and the Secondborn family. Any wages those poor number twos make is given to the Republic and their families. They get a cot and three hots(sometimes). The world is one of servitude to the Republic and everyone has a chip identifying them and drones making sure no one steps out of line. Yep, you guessed it prison without the bars. Yay I so want to go! Betcha you do too!