So many books come out each week that it makes it hard to decide what to read. We want to make that a little bit easier on you by sharing our favorite releases from the week and telling you our top 3 reasons why we think you’ll love them too!
This week our selection is Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Are you ready to hear more about this book and its author? Here we go…
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn Series: Legendborn #1
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on September 15, 2020
Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Retellings
Pages: 512
Goodreads Buy the Book
Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.
3 Reasons You Should Read…
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
- Arthurian mythology? Check. Secret magical societies? Check. Intricate plot? Oh, yes! Legendborn moved quickly and had our attention from the very beginning. So much action, so many twists, and all within a perfectly plotted and explained magical system. Is it time for book 2?
- Let’s talk characters. First of all, we loved how full of representation this crew was. Second, not only did we love the representation, we loved them. Of course the swoon factor is there, but let’s talk main character. Bree is fierce, powerful and strong. The secondary characters are vast and well-developed and we can’t wait to see more of their antics and adventures.
- You all already know we love debut authors, but we can’t get over the fact that this one is a debut. It is written so beautifully and lacks even the tiniest of plot holes. It takes the time to address social injustices. Safe to say, it needs to be on your TBR list!
Bottom Line:
Are you looking for something full of beautifully diverse characters, Arthurian mythology and romance, a perfectly plotted magical system, and written by a debut author that already has us adding her to our “we’ll read anything she writes” list? Legendborn is for you!
Verdict:
| Rating Report | |
|---|---|
| Cover | |
| Characters | |
| Plot | |
| Writing | |
| Swoon | |
| Overall: | 5 |
About Tracy Deonn
Tracy Deonn is a writer and 2nd gen fangirl. She grew up in North Carolina, where she devoured fantasy books and Southern food in equal measure. After earning two degrees from UNC-CH, Tracy worked in live theater, video games, and K-12 education. When she’s not writing, Tracy panels at SFF conventions, reads fanfic, arranges doggy playdates, and keeps an eye out for ginger-flavored everything.
