NEED TO KNOW

In M.J. Hastings' Firstborn, birth order dictates distinct life paths: the eldest become soldiers, the middle children scholars ... and the youngest disappear

The romantasy novel follows Bryn, a Firstborn, as she prepares for her final test to prove she can draw blood to protect her home

PEOPLE can reveal an exclusive excerpt of Firstborn, which debuts September 2026

In Firstborn , birth order means everything in a country teetering on the brink of war.

M.J. Hastings ' debut romantasy novel Firstborn assigns distinct life paths to children based on birth order: "The first children take up arms. The second children take up books. The third children are taken."

Set to debut In September 2026, Firstborn follows Bryn — a Firstborn daughter — as she navigates

See Full Page