{"id":36804,"date":"2026-01-24T21:42:03","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T02:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36804"},"modified":"2026-01-24T21:45:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T02:45:38","slug":"review-of-the-queens-secret-by-jessica-day-george","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36804","title":{"rendered":"Review of The Queen’s Secret, by Jessica Day George"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Queen\u2019s Secret<\/p>\n

Rose Legacy<\/em>, Book Two<\/p>\n

by Jessica Day George<\/p>\n

Bloomsbury Children\u2019s Books, 2019. 250 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

This is the second book in a planned trilogy about a land of exiles where people can communicate with horses. And our heroine, Anthea, has an especially strong bond, able to communicate with all the horses, not only Florian, the stallion who\u2019s bonded to her.<\/p>\n

I enjoyed this book more than the first one. In that one, the set-up of magical telepathic communication with horses seemed a little bit too much like generic wish-fulfillment.<\/p>\n

In this book, the set-up is done, and I enjoyed seeing the people and horses trying to work together. The horse communication seems horsey, not just the thoughts of people attributed to horses.<\/p>\n

The Horse Brigade has the favor of the queen \u2013 but the king is not so easily won over. As the book opens, they are trying to prove themselves by carrying messages and trying to be useful in the king\u2019s service. However, as things develop, it appears that someone is working against them.<\/p>\n

Then an outbreak of illness starts \u2013 in the exact places where the horses had been. For a country that already thought horses bring disease, trying to win support for the Horse Brigade just became much more difficult.<\/p>\n

The book does end on a disastrous note. We will have to wait for the next book to see how Anthea and the horses of Last Farm can overcome a major setback.<\/p>\n

These books are perfect for fantasy-lovers who also love horses. It takes the idea of becoming one with your horse to the next level.<\/p>\n

jessicadaygeorge.com<\/a>
\nBloomsbury.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Fiction\/queens_secret.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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