Rebel Born by Amy Bartol

I was trying to read another ARC and get the review published before its release date but failing miserably.  The book clearly had never seen an editor, and I just could not immerse into the story.  Then a reminder popped up that Rebel Born released this week, and I had not read it yet.  I immediately switched books and could not put down Rebel Born.  I read it in 16 hours.

Let me start by saying I loved this book.  It is one of the best books I have ever read.  Though it is sci-fi, the feel of fiction borders so close to the science.  The fiction part of Rebel Born felt well researched and incredibly plausible in the world today.  (While I love sci-fi like Star Trek, the reality of it is just never there for me.  It will always remain an alien story in the space of make believe.)  The implications of the neurochemistry and quantum mechanics kept this novel from escaping into the world of pure imagination.

The evolution of Roselle and the relationships around her are all incredibly well done compared to the first two novels, which teetered incredibly close over the romance border.  I was very pleased with the direction this novel took and did not feel let down with the resolutions made.

I was also incredibly pleased with the provocative treatment of the gods and our understanding of them.  Let's just throw some ancient history in with our provocative, futuristic science.  Yes, please!  I mean, are they really different anyway?  Think about it.

The entire novel was close to complete perfection until we got to the ending.  Ouch!  Up until the last chapter I had been incredibly reticent to ever have to take a break.  Who needs eating and sleeping?  We are getting the peppiest prep talk before the battle for our very existence when the book just ends.  Fists half-raised in the air.  And it ends with one of those look-into-the-future chapters.  

There is some allusion that another story lies in the ending somewhere, but it is not a guarantee.  It was kind of a slap in the face to end the book that way.  Still one of the best stories to get there, though.  And still highly deserves five stars.