The Traitor’s Game, by Jennifer Neilsen (Book 1 Of The Traitor’s Game Series Reveiw)

 

“I know who you are today, and how I feel about you. Whatever your name, or your past, or whoever you will be tomorrow, I still want to be…yours.”

Kestra Dallisor is the sixteen-year-old daughter of the right hand man of the cruel king, Lord Endrick. That being, makes Kestra very valuable. A group of rebels knows that, and they kidnap Kestra from her carriage as she reluctantly journeys back to her father from Lava Fields, where she has been living in exile for the past three years. The kidnappers want her to find them the lost Olden Blade, the only way to kill the powerful king, but Kestra is not the hostage they expected. She is stubborn and loyal, and Simon—one of her kidnappers—will have his hands full as Kestra tries to stop their plans. Sentiments and secrets are revealed, and Kestra and Simon will have to decide who and what they are fighting for…

“In a traitor’s game, there are no winners. Only those left standing at the end. Cheat or be cheated. Crush or be crushed. Play…or be killed. The next move is mine.”

This book…where to start?! Oki—let me start off by saying that I have never read a book like this one. I guess it’s the equivalent to if you combined The False Prince with The Hunger Games, as well as a little bit of Legend, by Marie Lu mixed in. If that’s even imaginable, you’re still gonna have a hard time imagining this book without reading it yourself. It’s very interesting and unpredictable, and it’s definitely a book that you’re read and don’t even realize you’re reading because it’s that immersive and easy. I really enjoyed this books plot—a lot—it was really unique and you’ve definitely never read anything like it. 

The relationships…that’s where I had a problem with this book. *Cries* talk about relationship drama! The main characters are constantly in a love hate relationship, and I’m just there wondering when they’re ever going to find a happy medium. I absolutely love love stories when they are about people’s character, friendships, moral character, and more a “can’t live without” relationship that I loved so much in Peeta’s character in The Hunger Games, Bastiaan’s in Wishtress, and Weevil’s in The Scourge—not based off of “looks” and “chills”. I also don’t like rushed romances, and I think if Jennifer Neilsen added a little bit more time for growth, I might have liked this book a little bit more. 

Anyways—that being said, I do like this book, and I think that if the cons I said before were different, this book would be really good. 

“You are playing the traitor’s game, and no matter how well one wins, even the winner loses in the end.”

So yes, I would recommend this book. If you’re looking for an easy, effortless, rememberable novel, give this book a try. I’d recommend it as a young adult novel (13-17yo) and rate it an 8-10!

CLICK HERE to get this book for your book collection!

“Life doesn’t give us what we want. It gives us what we need and asks what we will do with it.”