Hearts and loyalties collide in this electrifying new YA series from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen. Jennifer A. Nielsen's New York Times bestseller The Traitor's Game , which Entertainment Weekly called "the next big YA fantasy," is perfect for fans of the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. Kestra Dallisor has spent three years in exile in the Lava Fields, but that won't stop her from being drawn back into her father's palace politics. He's second-in-command to the cruel king, Lord Endrick, which makes Kestra a valuable bargaining chip. A group of rebels knows this -- and they snatch Kestra from her carriage as she reluctantly travels home.The kidnappers want her to retrieve the lost Olden Blade, the only object that can destroy the king, but Kestra is not the obedient captive they expected. One of the rebels, Simon, has his hands full as Kestra tries to foil their plot, by any means necessary. As motives shift and secrets emerge, both have to decide what -- and who -- it is they're fighting for. Gr 6–8—The world has been engulfed in perpetual war. Kestra, the daughter of the emperorlike leader of the Dominion, is blackmailed into stealing a powerful artifact called the Olden Blade which can tilt the balance of power in the region. Between the onslaught of warring tribes and ever-changing loyalties, the book is replete with tense moments that propel the story forward. Nielsen does a masterful job keeping readers off guard while tightening the screws of tension throughout, satisfying even the most reluctant readers. The dialogue can read dry at times, but the plot-based twists and turns more than make up for it. An otherworldly story with a side of fantasy on the surface, the setup and struggle feels universal. Small plot reveals are meted out every few scenes to keep teens intrigued and thirsting for more. This is clearly the first of a series, as the ending is just the reckoning that some much larger battle is at hand. VERDICT A competent addition to any middle school library, especially where there are fans of Cassandra Clare and Suzanne Collins.—Brian Hoff, Elmwood Park High School, IL Praise for The Traitor's Game : A New York Times bestseller"The next big YA fantasy." -- Entertainment Weekly "One of the Most Anticipated YA Fantasy Books of 2018" -- Bustle "We were immediately caught up in Kestra's story, plotting beside a heroine made of strength, bravery and intelligence. Her complicated relationship with Simon and the danger sewn into every moment of her father's palace politics kept us flipping pages in time with each jaw-dropping plot twist." -- Justine Magazine"Fantasy, action and romance combine for a whirlwind ride in Jennifer A. Nielsen's The Traitor's Game !" -- Girls' Life "One of the Most Anticipated YA Books of 2018" -- Hypable "Nielsen creates wonderful characters in all of her novels, and she is especially talented at writing complex, intriguing females who refuse to fit into any neat categories. The first in her engrossing Traitor's Game series introduces readers to another fascinating heroine, who disrupts the plans and plots laid to trap her and insists on controlling her own narrative....Engrossing, emotional and offers plenty of promise for the series to come." -- RT Book Reviews "One of the Most Anticipated YA Fantasy Novels of 2018" -- B&N Teen Blog"[An] action-packed, romance-laden tale." -- Publishers Weekly "This rip-roaring tale has action galore with battle scenes, kidnappings, murder, intrigue, and romance....Nielsen has created a compelling world where little is as it seems." -- School Library Connection "Nielsen does a masterful job keeping readers off guard while tightening the screws of tension throughout, satisfying even the most reluctant readers." -- School Library Journal "The twists and turns of the plot make for compelling reading that should especially entertain fans of Nielsen's Ascendance trilogy." -- The Horn Book " The Traitor's Game is intrigue and adventure with a bold heroine, some forbidden romance and plenty of twists along the way." -- Shelf Awareness " The Traitor's Game by Jennifer A. Nielsen, is an action-packed story that leaves you yearning for more. The new book is an amazing addition to Nielsen's repertoire . . . Fit with a feisty heroine and some tough kidnappers, The Traitor's Game keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout." -- The Missourian "Kestra may be one of my favorite characters of all time. She is courageous, bold beyond belief and also positively petulant, with a tendency for tantrums. The perfect protagonist for this adventurous, action-packed fantasy. Mixed with a bit of magic, a completely captivating saga is created; a stellar start to a tempting trilogy." -- Buried Under Books "If you like your heroines fierce, your heroes protective, their loyalties divided, their missions complex, their motivations hidden, their lives ful