The second book in the Rose Legacy is set a few months after The Rose Legacy ended. Anthea (Thea) had been shot in the first book, but she is well now and is part of the Horse Brigade working for King Gareth carrying messages. This book has a lot happening with a new plague killing people and Queen Josephine trying to get people to take the new medicine as well as believe that the horses had nothing to do with this disease. There are secrets revealed, a kidnapping, a war, a secret village, and a horsenapping to carry the reader into the next story.

We get to know all the characters from the first book a little bit more. We see how brave and daring all the riders are and as the plague made more people sick, I was hoping none of them would get sick. Once again there is a lot of action, but what I love is the communication "The Way" between the humans and their horses. A middle grades book sure to appeal to horse lovers, as well as those who love adventure, fantasy and conflict between two countries. I am hoping to find the last book in this trilogy.

In this second book of the Rose Legacy trilogy death and war have come to the nation. It has been a year since horses were reintroduced to the world and those with the Way have moved into the public light. Thea, Jilly and Finn have been acting as messengers for the King and Queen to prove their worth. Then "the Dag", a sickness, overwhelms the country and seems to start in places where the horses are stationed. They are recalled to the Farm to regroup and to find a cure. Many of the riders become ill and some die. The Queen sends a group of women doctors to the Farm to investigate the Dag. There is also the threat of war from a neighboring country.

This second book in the series was just as good as the first. I loved learning more about the history of the people of the Way and horses. I was a bit confused by Thea's mother's role in everything. She just seems so evil and her motivations are unclear. [She is responsible for spreading the Dag and kidnaps several horses and the princesses Meg. She was supposed to be a spy for the king, but by the end of this book appears to be working for the foreign country. (hide spoiler)] I can't wait to see what happens in the final book.

Ride into danger

The Queen’s Secret, middle book of Jessica Day George’s Rose Legacy trilogy (I love the dedication, a middle book for a middle child), is darker than the first book, action packed, and engrossing. Anthea, Finn, and Jilly have been running missions with their faithful steeds, listening for coded messages for the King. It’s boring work that suddenly shifts into mortal danger as the King and the people turn on the riders. While the people have an historical misconception about diseases carried by the horses, the King has a more sinister role.

When the plague comes again, ravaging areas of the countryside populations, the Last Farm, the riders, and their horses must race to save those they can, collecting samples and dispensing vaccinations. But what if no one trusts them? What if it looks as if the riders and their horses are to blame? Can the Queen’s secret save them?

The action is pretty intense throughout the book, there are plotline twists along the way, but our intrepid heroes loyalty won’t be gainsaid - their determination and loyalty to their horses, their people, and their queen will drive them to do whatever it takes to prove themselves and stop the plague. The worldbuilding continues, the characterizations are tight and spot on for young people forced by circumstances into adult roles, and the storytelling is top notch.

Highly recommended for all fantasy lovers, fans of Jessica Day George, those who love horses, and those who simply love a great tale.

I received this book as a digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Anthea and her loyal steed, Florian, are back... and high stakes might tear them apart again and send the country into war.

It has been a year since Anthea brought horses to Queen Josephine and proved that horses were not dangerous carriers of disease. Now, she and the other riders with the Way deliver messages all over the kingdom. But a potential war with another country along with a dangerous plague known as the Dag rapidly spreading, everything Anthea and her family have worked for may come crashing down. Can Anthea and Florian save the kingdom, and the horses? And is there some deeper, eviler, plot in play?

A fantastic middle book for the "The Rose Legacy" trilogy, I'm eagerly awaiting the series conclusion--and the denouement of that cliffhanger! If you like: horses, girls getting stuff done, conspiracy theories, epic friendships, and queens who take control when the king makes bad decisions, this is the trilogy for you!

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

Anthea and her people have struggled to overcome lies about horses; they know that horses don't carry diseases. But when a plague breaks out, the horses are blamed once again. With the country on the verge of war and the plague spreading, Anthea needs to figure out what is going on and who is really behind the chaos sweeping the country.


This is a really engaging series. I just really like it--Thea's a great protagonist, capable and intelligent but not irritating, and supporting characters are also appealing. The whole world the author has built is so interesting. The scientific elements, with the outbreak of the disease and the efforts to figure out what's causing it and how to stop it, were are also really great. I'm really looking forward to the last book in the series to see how things play out.

I read an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

"The Queen's Secret" is a tween fantasy novel involving horses. This novel is the 2nd in the series, but you don't need to read the first book to understand this one as this book referred back to and described the main events in the previous book. This second book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, though, with no one in immediate danger but like this was the first half of a longer book.

The main characters acted realistically and were engaging. Suspense came from a plague breaking out and the riders trying to help while being blamed for it. The world-building gave the story a unique feel--cars, trains, and warships, but also horses and gift that allows people to communicate with horses. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable fantasy adventure.

This is the second part of a series that really needs the first part to be understood. I mistakenly thought it was a follow up to a different George series and spent the first bit trying to figure out how this work connected to the others and then, once I figured out my error, trying to understand what was happening at all. The plot isn't exactly confusing (horses are mistakenly seen as plague-ridden objects of horror, some people have a magical connection that allows them to communicate telepathically with horses), but you miss a great deal of the gravity when you plunge straight in.

E ARC from Netgalley



Thea is back, but things are still not right in the kingdom. A photographer has been sent "by the Crown" to take pictures of the horses, but Thea begins to realize that the man means the king and not the Queen Josephine. There is a sickness going around on Thea's side of the wall called "the Dag" because the sufferers have a cough that is like a dagger in their chest, and people are starting to suspect that the horses may somehow be causing it. A team of scientists also arrive to try to find a cure, and the doctors (who are all women) even include Thea and Jilly in their research. When Keth and other members of the Horse Guard become ill, more work falls on those who are well, and the situation becomes more and more serious. There is also the threat of a war with Kronenhof, and the suspected involvement of Thea's evil mother. Thea manages to make some important discoveries, but there is to be one more book in the series to finish things up.

Strengths: A three book fantasy series with strong female characters, Rose Maidens, evil mothers, and HORSES is perfect. It has enough of a fairy tale feel that fantasy readers who like Zahler, E.D. Baker, and Leisl Shurtliff will love this one. The medical research was great, and I loved that all of the doctors were women. Jilly and Thea are a great pair, and they get to travel all over as couriers, and The Way makes it possible for Thea to communicate with horses, even at a distance! This was a quick and fascinating read. Warning: if you want to give this as a give to an avid reader, wait until all three books are out and give them all together!

Weaknesses: Have to admit to a little fantasy amnesia about the first book and all of the details abotu Thea's mother and the genesis of the kingdom's split over horses. That's just me-- younger readers will remember everything, especially the horses' names!

What I really think: Definitely purchasing. It's not a series that will fall to pieces in two years, but will manage to hang on and circulate steadily for about twenty, which is my favorite kind of book because it's money well spent!