This was a 3.5 star for me but I'm rounding it up to a 4 because the good bits were HECKING GOOD.

Legendborn gave me flashbacks to when I'd be up till 3am devouring The Mortal Instruments or Percy Jackson and longing to be a part of the world, be a cheerleader to the MC and whisper 'choose the dark haired boy!!' repeatedly. It has the nostalgic vibe of 'new girl thrown into a crazy magic world' with added anger, grief and overwhelming integrity. And although I'd find myself eye-rolling at most of the romance, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed certain dynamics by the end.

The plot is - putting it very loosely - a King Arthur retelling meets demons and powered-up pretty teens in college. It's fun and interesting and although can be a little carefree with throwing terms around, you settle into the world pretty swiftly. There are trials, hellhounds, family drama and heck, a gala with pretty dresses of course!

My biggest flaw with Legendborn is that the mc is SO COOL. She's brilliant, kind, sad, funny, wounded and scared. She's everything I love in a complex female lead. But because of Bree's awesomeness, the side characters can sometimes feel watered down and kinda dull. I didn't care much for the romantic leads - well, except for Sel...maybe...okay, a bit more like a LOT by the end. But whatever; don't call me out on that please, I'm far too old to feel whipped for an emo magic boy.

Conclusion: enjoyable read, full of emotions and interesting world-building but has some cliches that left me a bit 'meh'. But again, I see the power in this book and what it means for so many readers. I just personally would've engaged more if Bree's story didn't include romance.

Content Warnings: Death of a parent, grief (acute traumatic grief/PTSD/Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder, racism, slavery, non-explicitly/hints at rape, death, injury

Okay, so I have many thoughts about this book and a lot of them could be summed up with a satisfied scream but that wouldn’t make a very good written review, so excuse me whilst I just babble for a long time about all the things that I thought made this book incredible.
Also, please be prepared for a lot of quotes.

Characters
Bree: “You’re not a damsel to me, Bree. You’re a warrior. You’re strong and you’re beautiful and you’re brilliant and brave.”
I loved Bree. She was strong and brave and vulnerable and a force of nature. She never backed down from a fight – which there were plenty of. She fights for herself and her heritage and then happens on other things. She’s still really raw from her grief and so I love that she got the chance to explore her happiness. She’s also not perfect and she doesn’t know everything, but she knows she needs to learn stuff so she invests the time into learning.
The love interests: “A fallen angel and a king, the dark and the light.”
As a love triangle, I kind of had no opinion. Which is weird for me; I know, I’m shocked too. But it kind of just existed, didn’t take over the book really, so I was happy for it to plod along at its own pace. I don’t know if I want it to go in any way, nor can I predict where it will go, but the dynamics that were suggested at the end certainly make for an interesting discussion…
Nick: “Everyone falls in love with Nicholas, Bree – it’s part of his insufferable charm.”
It’s true. Nick is like Peeta Mellark and Steve Rogers has a baby: so noble, so pretty and so perfect. Given his lineage, it’s no surprise but he’s also brave and determined too. Although, sometimes he feels as much a damsel as Bree is not.
Sel: “He belongs to the night as a predator does.”
On the other side, we have broody, dark and mysterious Sel: the Order’s token magical guy. His relationship with Nick is interesting and I found myself feeling really sorry for him at the end. I’m excited to learn more about him and I think he’ll really grow on me in the future.
Greer: “If the world is simple, certain people will never be inconvenienced, never need to adapt. I disrupt those people, and you do too. You’ve been doing it since you’d walked in the door. I like disruptors and rhythm breakers.”
One of Bree’s friends in the Order, Greer stands out nearly as much because they’re non-binary – they go by they/them pronouns. I thought this was fantastic- they weren’t just in their to tick another diversity card, they just existed. They shoved their way out the box and didn’t mind if they ruffled feathers when they did so. They stand up with Bree and, honestly they just made me happy when they appeared.
Alice: “I won’t claim to be some sort of demon hunter, but I am your best friend, Matty. I loved your mother. I love you.”
I really liked Alice. She grew on me more at the end of the book but, with hindsight, I can see she was always just trying to do the best for Bree. Everything that seemed annoying was just her way of checking in on her best friend. She was so patient and understanding and I loved her relationship with Bree.

History and Tradition
The Order: “This medieval boys club, this feudalist fever dream, this whole… fucked-up world of yours.”
Now, the Order, the institution of which white men are the beating heart, read to me like Oxbridge. Very snooty, very elite, very sure-we’ll-open-our-doors-for-the-sake-of-looking-diverse-but-we’re-not-promising-to-not-look-down-our-noses-at-you-whilst-you’re-here. It was so interesting and claustrophobic, the atmosphere of ancient traditions that refused to budge so effectively built. There was a history there, but only half of it was being told.
There was also an incredibly complex world built in terms of rules and history. It’s a really rich world but, because Bree is new to it all, it gets explained and introduced to us in a careful way.
“Growing up Black in the South, it’s pretty common to find yourself in old places that just… weren’t made for you.”
The story was so interesting for subverting tropes, but I suppose I first need to set up the world. Bree, a Black girl from the South, is stepping into a world that has been white male-centric for hundreds of years. There’s nothing more innately white and male than the age of chivalry in Arthurian Britain; unfortunately, even in the 21st century, attitudes have changed barely. Sure, there are a few more women, but no one Black – in fact, the one person Bree could have counted on in this world turns out to be white enough that it’s not a problem for her.
Tradition
“Two faults. My race and my gender. But they are not faults. They are strength.”
As I’ve already said, Bree is not trying to join a world that was built to fit her. She’s got to decide whether she’ll mould herself to fit in their box or whether she’ll change the box to fit her. I’m so glad it’s the latter. I’m so glad she decides to celebrate her race and her gender, rather than accept what the world is trying to make her – or accept that she will just never be welcome.
“All I see are obstacles. Women who want their children in my spot. White women who assume a Black girl in the lodge is a servant, not a member.”
There’s a really telling scene in this, towards the end, where Bree attends a gala, and she looks around the room at one point and realises the only other Black people there are servants/waiters. It felt heartbreaking. People would only look at her like they didn’t belong because their whole culture was built on being descended from one person hundreds of years ago and believing that that makes them/their family better than everyone else.
Heritage
“Then, a rush of frustration because somebody probably wanted to record it all, but who could have written down my family’s history as far back as this? Who would have been able to, been taught to, been allowed to? Where is our wall? The wall that doesn’t make me feel lost, but found.”
There’s a really prominent contrast in this book: between white people, who have had every second of their history recorded, and Black people, who barely know four generations back. Bree barely knows her family and this is perhaps why she feels so strongly about maintaining a relationship with what is left – and why she feels her mother’s loss so greatly – I mean, even if I don’t currently know about my history, it would be so easy for me to learn, I’m just in a privileged position in that I can choose. But it was so satisfying to see her explore and celebrate her ancestors and try all her might to learn more about them. And then that ending…
The author doesn’t shy away from peppering difficult topics into her writing. Slavery? A huge part of this story. Because it’s a huge part of Black history. And it’s not the PG parts. It’s the slave owners and rape and losing the right to tell your own story and building something but never getting to claim it as your own. It’s so prominent in this book because it’s pain that spans generations.

Grief: “Death is not a thread. It is the sharp cut that severs us. Death separates us from one another, and yet it holds us close.”
Grief is a huge part of this story and, quite often, a motivational force behind actions. Bree’s still in the early stages of dealing with her mum’s death and many tiny things are like a trigger for her floodgates. But it’s handled really well – we have therapy, for example. And the author actually addresses it in the back, explaining that she wanted to include it so there was a healthy representation of grief in the media for Young Adults, which really just feels like the icing on the cake.

Now, there’s probably a lot more I could address, but I won’t because I’ve babbled enough. Just. I’d recommend. If you didn’t get that already.

Rep: black main character, sapphic taiwanese-american side character, sapphic venezuelan-american side character, black side characters, non-binary side character, bi side characters, gay side characters

CW: death of a parent, hospitals, car accidents, police, slavery, racism, child abuse, memory manipulation, violence, rape

Legendborn absolutely deserves the hype that it’s been getting!

I really loved the way that the magic system worked, and how different groups used and wielded their magic differently. The magic within the world of Legendborn relies heavily on a kind of equivalent exchange. No use of magic, or aether or root as it’s called within the book, comes without a price. For some that price is simply an offering of fruit to their ancestors. For some, who use significantly more aether for significantly longer, the price is much more.

This book contains a sharp commentary on the generational trauma that is reality for many Black Americans. While most white people can trace their family tree back for generations, with some being able to go as far back as the middle ages or even further, many Black Americans are only able to go back a small number of generations before slavery meant that any further records were lost. It’s shown repeatedly that while Bree is painfully aware of this, it doesn’t cross anyone else’s mind unless Bree spells it out for them. Racism, both overt and unintentional, plays a large part in this book. There are people who proudly wear their racism like a badge, and there are people who sincerely believe that they’re not racist but do racist things anyway. The way that this book ended was both brilliant and heartbreaking. That may seem like a non-sequitur, but it isn’t.

This book also tackles grief, specifically the grief of losing a parent. This is something that I have some experience with myself, although the circumstances surrounding it were different enough that I didn’t see myself in Bree’s reaction. I knew that my father’s death was coming for basically my whole life, Bree had no idea that her mother’s death would happen until it did, and that does make a huge difference. Deonn has said that Bree’s grief is inspired by her own grief following the death of her own mother, which makes a lot of sense. Bree’s grief may not have been personally relatable to me, but it felt real, and I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who need this kind of portrayal. Something that Deonn got bang on, however, was how people treat you afterwards. Some people tiptoe around you and offer platitudes, and you know they’re just trying to be polite but it doesn’t make you feel any better, and some people think that you should be over it already and want you to act like it never happened and nothing is wrong. Most people aren’t being malicious when they handle talking to those who are grieving poorly, but what they say can get grating nonetheless.

I loved Bree! She cares deeply about her friends, is never afraid to stand up for herself, and while she’s determined to achieve her goals she also has a strong sense of right and wrong and, despite what she might tell herself, she’s not someone who can walk away from a bad situation if it would mean leaving someone else behind. She’s also an extremely fast learner and very intelligent, figuring things out before I managed to almost every single time.

Her relationship with Nick was sweet and believable, but what I liked about it most was that the two of them communicated their feelings effectively. The will they won’t they stage is fun to read about and all, but only up to a certain point, and in my opinion Deonn picked the perfect moment for Nick to stop and say that he wasn’t kidding around, that he really did like her, and to ask if she liked him back. They spent most of the book in an actual relationship, which was great! Bree and Nick used communication, it was super effective!

Selwyn, the other male lead, was a really fun character to read about. He’s very dramatic, which led to a couple of moments that were hilarious and worth experiencing for yourself. He also fulfils a favourite obscure trope of mine that I’m fairly sure I’ve only seen once before. Person A is trying to protect Person B. Person C comes along to help Person B with something, and Person A perceives them as a threat and is hostile towards them. Eventually, Person A realises that they were wrong, that Person C is harmless, and that actually they both care about Person B’s wellbeing and all their goals align. And then Person A and Person C become very close friends, and maybe more. It’s a very specific version of enemies to not-lovers that I loved in Princess Tutu, and this book has confirmed that I love it in general.

I didn’t like Bree’s friend Alice at first for a couple of reasons, but by the end of the book she’d not only apologised for the stuff that made me dislike her in the first place, but had redeemed herself and then some. I’m pretty sure that she’ll be playing a bigger part in book 2 and I’m really excited to see how that plays out! I have a prediction, but it’s going to be a long time before I can find out whether I’m right ;_;.

I’m dying to compare one of my favourite parts of the book to another thing-gone-wrong, but honestly I think even mentioning it would spoil it, and that’s not something that I want to do at all. Just know that it was a very good part of the book and I enjoyed it tremendously, and being able to make that comparison only made me enjoy it even more!

Pretty much everyone has been talking about how great Legendborn is, and people are right. If this book isn’t at least on your radar then I don’t know what to tell you. If you’re even slightly interested in giving this a go then do it!

This book in amazing, strangely I have been reading quite a few Arthur inspired books recently and this is the best one yet!

I love the first-person perspective and I am so glad that we didn't switch between different characters. Bree has such a great inner voice, passionate, funny, and inspiring.

The storyline was captivating and the characters were very believable (if not always likable!). And oh my, that twist! I didn't see that coming and loved it, YES!

Having a black character as the lead was refreshing and welcome. Fantasy novels are usually so very white and it is essential that that changes. As a white person, I am trying hard to educate myself, challenge my own existing perceptions and subconscious bias, identify systematic racism, and stand up for my fellow humans. It is a working process for me, but books like this as well as some very good non-fiction books out there are helping a lot.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is a rich Young Adult fantasy that cleverly combines a new take on Arthurian legend with rootwork , or as it is also called hoodoo or conjure , the magic of enslaved Africans and their descendants. It might have been difficult to meld such diverse magic systems in a way that felt relevant to modern society but not only did the author pull it off, she did so spectacularly.
The book tells the story of sixteen year old Bree , who enrols in a pre-college programme for high school students at UNC Chapel Hill as a way of escaping a home filled with sadness and memories following the death of her mother in a car accident. Her first night on campus turns out very differently than expected when she sees a magical attack by a demon that feeds on human energy. When an attempt to wipe her memory fails, it seems that Bree may have some magical talents of her own, and soon she is drawn into a secret on campus society made up of descendants of the legendary King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Some of these Legendborn are keen to welcome Bree, but others seem to distrust her, most notably the society's Merlin or most powerful Mage who senses something different about her magic. It is only by learning more about her mother's past and family history that she will understand the origins of her magical abilities.
This is a rich and complex fantasy with a well thought out and clearly elaborated magical system. The world building is very good, and I loved the way that real life history was woven into the myth and legend,. The characters are excellent, especially Bree, who starts out angry and confused but grows in determination, strength and confidence over the course of the book. I also loved the social commentary in the book, from highlighting the daily microaggressions that Bree experiences to commenting on how institutions built on the backs of people like her still feel like they are not meant for people like her. The book tackles subjects like grief, racism , colonialism and violence in a way that highlights them by making them an integral part of the story.
This is a rich well crafted story that stands out for me, and is one that I will remember for a long time to come.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Where do I begin? I finished Legendborn a couple of hours ago and my thoughts are still a mess but I will try to navigate them for you because this book deserves a proper review.

First of all let’s talk worldbuilding. Legendborn is an urban fantasy so naturally it takes place in our world as we know it. The only difference is that the legend of Arthur is true; a select few are aware of this fact and they’re called Legendborn. The others are simple humans, the Legendborn are sworn to protect. There are knights, mages and healers, pages and squires. It’s like a medieval fantasy revival in a contemporary setting and I’m so here for it. Now when you read Legendborn you will find yourself confused, that is certain. You are thrust in a completely new setting without any prior knowledge and you start understanding things as the main protagonist, Bree understands things. You will feel frustrated and confused as she felt because you DO NOT GET ANY ANSWERS. I honestly could feel Bree’s frustration and there were more times than one that I wanted to throw my ereader against the wall because NO ONE TOLD BREE ANYTHING. The frustration I’m telling you. But it’s a good kind of confusion and it’s done on purpose. You will be left in the dark until the very end so deal with it from the beginning. Everything will make sense in the end I promise !!

Now on to CHARACTERS!!!! Bree is just so AMAZING i love her for real. She is sassy and puts people in their place; she doesn’t take hell from no one and she isn’t afraid to fight for what she believes and for those she loves. Nick is the second lead and he is the perfect boy. For real he is too perfect. Always there for Bree, cares for her supports her and loves her. And then there’s Selwyn my new problematic fav bad boy. I collect bad boys with a tragic past like pokemon cards at this point but who cares. I’ll refrain from saying more about them cause I think it’s better if you go in without knowing much. But as you have gathered there is a love triangle. May the best bad boy win (did I give away who I want her to be with?Oops).

Some other aspects of the story that elevated Legendborn to a 5 star read:

Culture and specifially the importance of Black people and the Black community and the role it plays in the story. Okay that sounded like an essay title but it’s true. The whole story is heavily based on the collective black consiousness, black trauma and colonization and I loved how she managed to so organically woven these issues in her narrative and story. Bree’s search for a community that understands her, her search for a home are all connected to her search for an ancestry the knowledge of which was taken from her.
Grief. The novel starts with Bree losing her mother in an accident. She never really deals with this grief and the death of her mother. I think the book does an excellent job at showing what it feels like to experience death and how difficult it is for anyone to accept and move on.
Queerness 🌈. Almost every character belongs in the LGBTQ+ community. It was so refreshing to see so many characters open with their sexuality in a fantasy novel!!
A page turner for sure, Legendborn is a book that wovens legend and reality in a way that will make you laugh, cry and keep you at the edge of your seat. A book about a black girl on her quest to become a legend. You do not want to miss Legendborn trust me!

I received this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. Thank you, Simon and Schuster UK Children's, for the chance to read and review one of my most anticipated reads of the year.


TW: death, murder, grief, PTSD, early symptons of Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder, mention of rape, abuse, child abuse, slavery, racism, harassment, sexism


After her mother's death, Briana "Bree" Matthews only wants to get away from her family's house and memories and a residential programme for bright high-schooler at UNC- Chapel Hill with her best friend Alice Chen is perfect for her. But when Bree witnesses a magical attack on campus and sees a demon feeding on human's energy her world is turned upside down. There is a secret society, people with magical powers, Legendborn and sorcerers, called Merlins. When one of them tries, and fails, to wipe her memory, Bree's unique magic is unlocked and she suddendly remembers that the night her mother died another Merlin was at the hospital. Determined to find aswers and justice, Bree decided to infiltrate the society and asks Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn, for help.
When she discovers Legendborn are actually descendents of King Arthur's knights and demons attacks are indicating a new war coming, Bree has to decided what to do with her new and unpredictable magic, this knowledge and the growing feelings for Nick.

I absolutely loved reading Legendborn! Tracy Deonn wrote a STUNNING retelling of King Arthur and his knights, set in a modern time with demons, different kinds of magic, southern folk traditions, mysteries, romance, love and friendship.
Legendborn is a modern fantasy about history, power and that doesn't shy away from important themes like child abuse, slavery, colonialism, racism and so much more in an intense and unforgettable story.


The characterization and relationships

The characterization is magnificent. The characters are complex, well-rounded and well-written, absolutely relatable in their fears, weakness, jokes and mistakes.

Bree is a fantastic main character, she's fierce, brilliant, stubborn and determined to do anything in her power, even infiltrating a group she knows nothing about, to discover the truth about her mother's death.
One of the things I loved the most about Bree is how she so relatable in her actions, thoughts and emotions. She's a 16 years old who finds herself involved in something different and dangerous, so she has doubts, fears, she doesn't know anything about the Order, about weapons (and it shows), but she's determined, stubborn and I love her so much. Her strength and determination is empowering.

Bree is grieving and looking for a "reason" behind her grief, if there is someone to blame and punish and she finds herself almost overwhelmed by this mystery, the secret society and powers she doesn't understand how to control and who to trust with her growing secrets, while, in the meantime, partecipating to the Trials as a cover to investigate the whole Order.
Involved in the Order, she starts to bonds more and more with other Pages and Scions. I loved reading about her relationships and friendships with William, Greer, Sarah, Whitty and and, above all, with Nick.

Her relationship with Nick is full of jokes, support and understanding and it was beautiful reading about how they fall for each other, how cute and sweet they are. Their romance is perfect, Nick and Bree are amazing together, because they get, support, help and understand one other.

Nick is the charming prince (No, really. He is.) of the situation. He's kind, funny, good, but, as for every character in this book, there's more than that. Nick is burdened by expectations and obligations and family secrets and past traumas. It's impossible not to love and want to protect Nick, he's an amazing cinnamon rolls and I loved everything about him, his kidness, fierceness and determination.

Sel is Nick's sworn protector, a sorcerer, a Kingsmage and, at least in the beginning, he's the "bad guy" of the situation, suspecting Bree and clashing with her everytime they meet. Slowly, though, the reader starts to understand Sel is not only a grumpy and brooding character, powerful and dressed in black, but he, as Nick, is weighed down by expectations and abuses, his past, his strength and pain.

The relationship between Sel and Bree is full of suspicion, distrust, annoyance and, slowly, understanding and support.
The one between Sel and Nick, instead, is burdened by their past, resentment, anger, jealousy, love and past traumas. I really hope they will grow out of it, starting to like and trust one other, becoming friends, because I can see so much potential in their relationship.

Alice is Bree's best friend and, during the whole book, she represents her home, her normality, her connection to her father and family, while Bree gets herself involved in a world of magic and demons and secrets.

Every character in Legendborn is really lifelike, with their fears, jealousies, crushes, emotions, weaknesses and strengths. Even though they are warrior, magicians and so on I loved reading how they are also young women and men with schools, relationships, mistakes and family's obligations.


The magic system and the worldbuilding

The magic system and the worldbuilding are rich, evocative and atmospheric. Tracy Deonn wrote an intense fantasy novel, mixing demons, spells, knights, Southern magic and folk traditions in a captivating story, full of mystery and plot twist, lies and secrets about basically everything and everyone!

The Order is wonderfully complex and stratified with their rules and roles, Kingsmage, Merlin, Vassal, Page and their heritage and connection to King Arthur's knights, mixing the modern world with myths and stories.
The Order's world is amazing, dangerous and thrilling, full of battles, secrets, intrigues, lies and magic. I loved reading about the aether and how each member of the Order is connected to a knight and how, what strengths and predispositions. I loved the Oaths, the battles, the aether and demons. Dangerous and upsetting is the Bloodcraft magic and how it's bound to the bloodlines, how Legendborn are grow to believe certain things and what is expected from them.

I found really interesting and captivating reading about the different kinds of magic, the connection to the root or aether, the different societies and their beliefs. The Rootcraft is a wonderful and intense new kind of magic, where the magic, the power, is borrowed, instead of being taken forever and bound to a bloodline as in the Bloodcraft magic. I loved reading about the ancestor's connections, the possiblity of connecting with them and asking them for help and guidance. I laughed so hard when Bree managed to contact her grandmother.


Themes

In Legendborn different kind of traumas are addressed. Bree is grieving, she's suffering from PTSD and the early stages of Persisent Complex Bereavement disorder (It was really interesting reading the author's note and learning more about it). Pain and grief are recurring themes in this book, as the importance of therapy, talking and healing.

Racism is another theme the author addresses in Legendborn.
Bree faces racism and discrimination in subtle, and not suble ways, from her encounter with a police officer and his attitude, with the headmaster, to people touching her hair or accusing her to having slept with Nick to get her position, underestimating and harassing her.


"Growing Black in the South, it's pretty common to find yourself in old place that just...weren't made for you. Maybe it's a building, an historic district, or a street. Some space that was originally built for white people and white people only and you just have to hold that knowledge while going on with your business." (quote from the earc, so it may be subject to changes)


In a world, both on campus and in the Order, institutions that were built not for people like her, Bree is determined to prove her worth and to find answers, but not for other, but for her own family and friends. In the Order, a group made by and for cis white men, where women were only recently accepted, people like her, Black and female and like Greer, nobinary, are seen as "abominations" and anomalies, but they are more than ready to prove them wrong.

Legendborn talks about slavery, colonialism, violence and it's heartbreaking and intense the way Bree is forced to recognize the lineage and heritage of the Legenborn, connecting them to their ancestors hundreds of years ago, while she can't, because she, as many other Black people, doesn't know her ancestors.

"Lots of Black folks in the States don't know their people more than four, five generations back, don't know names before the late 1800s- and why would they? We didn't exactly inherit detailed family records when we were freed". (quotes from the earc, so they may be subject to changes)

She's conscious of how "this country is soaked with the acknowledged and unacknowledged blood, sweat and tears of enslaved Africans and their descendants" (from the author's note)

It's empowering how, through a different kind of magic, she wants to understand and honor her mother, her fierceness and determinations and their ancestors.


I've also loved the LGBTQIA rep. There are a gay couple and a lesbian couple, a bisexual character, a nobinary character and a lesbian character


I loved Legendborn so much! It's full of intense characters, impossible not to love. Bree is a wonderful and fierce young woman, Nick is my funny and sweet child, a cinnamon rolls and Sel is my grumpy and brooding and complex boy.

I recommend this book to those who love an stunning reimagining of King Arthur about history, power, love, magic, with fierce and unforgettable characters, amazing plot and rich worldbuilding.

Holy shit.
Pardon my language.
I have just found a new favourite series.
Legendborn was a wild ride from start to finish. The world it is set in, the very very real historic events some plot points are taken from, the characters, <i> Bree</i>...
I am completely and utterly in love.

And this review is going to be a super short one because if you have not read this book I want you to go in there unprepared. I want you to be caught off guard. I want you to feel every plot twist and every new and exciting fact of this world. I want you to grieve and to rejoice and I think the best way to enjoy Legendborn at maximum level is to go in blind.

I recommend this to absolutely everyone and I will already count the days until Bree's story continues...

The main protagonist, Bree, is a 16 year old, on a residential early college course at UNC. While here she witnesses a magical attack & comes across the society of Legendborns who fight demons.

Legendborn has all the challenges your average fantasy novel has; adventure, secrets, battles, romance etc. But within this story we have the added aspect of racism & history. I’m so glad this book exist as it truly incorporates fact, real life experiences with fantasy fiction. Its very eye opening to subtle racism. Deonn is not shy about visiting tough topics in her writing, but nicely wraps it in a fantasy tale. It fits perfectly in within the context of the story. There is such good inclusion of the side characters within this book.

This is the book that has been missing from my Teen/YA fantasy collection!

I’ve never read a book revolving around Arthurian legend. I was skeptical before I started reading, but oh my, I am glad I chose this book. Deonn really took the story of Merlin, Arthur and the round table and ran with it. It’s such an imaginative narrative involving lots of action.

There is so much packed in this book. I definitely struggled at the beginning taking some parts in, as there was so much information regarding the society. But as you read along it all fits into place, you really connect with the characters. By the time I’d got about a third of the way through, it started to not be so overwhelming. Its well paced throughout, with some reveals at the end which really kept the excitement going! Definitely a lot of questions I want to know the answers to in the sequel.

I love some of the scenes in this book, as they really take you all over emotionally. There is witty humour within this story, strong friendships and blossoming ones! I can’t wait to see where the relationships go. Bree is such a stronger character than she sees in herself, it’s great watching a character discover themselves through a book and I definitely felt that while reading.

*I want to give a shout out to Tracy Deonn for everything she included in her Authors notes. It was incredibly informative and enlightening, be sure to read it at the end of the book.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. Initially this was one of my most sought out books this year but something just felt off to me. However, I’d definitely continue with this series.

What did I like?
- The writing was great! I think Tracy really knows her stuff!
- Diverse characters
- Strong female lead. A little over zealous sometimes but good!
- I’m obsessed with Sel. Nick is alright, I like him but I feel like Bree and his romance is so instalove and the dynamic between Sel and Bree is undeniable. I know Sel and Nick have a thing but from the book, I’m not getting those vibes despite being told about it.

However...
- So much info dumping. I feel like I need a key or something to help me keep track of who everyone was and their ranks. I was confused a lot of the time. I also couldn’t always picture the world they were in. Most places were described well, but for example, Davis’ house I just couldn’t picture.
- Not much happened really in the way of the story. I kept waiting for some big thing to happen and it never did. We got a lot of build up for a lot of nothing and it felt more like a novella than anything else.

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Woah, this was amazing! I absolutely loved it and am dying to read the sequel.

I was shocked by how fast I got hooked and I had some much fun reading it.

It’s fast-paced, action-packed with loads of twists! Amazing representation, fascinating magic and a powerful story.

I especially loved the main characters and romance, I was fangirling a lot! Definitely have a soft spot for Sel. Bree, the main character had great character development and I was constantly rooting for her.

Easily one of my fave books of 2020!

THANK YOU to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an e-ARC.

So let me just start with saying I loved this book. It is by no means perfect but it is awesome and badass much like the protagonist. It covers magic, the legend of King Arthur, demons, slavery and racism! All in one book jam packed with hotties that made my inner teenage heart swivel from character to character - I truly couldn’t pick who she should be with as I really liked each of the guys when she was spending time with them. We had the mush and literal tingles in both guys without quite the love triangle angst.

Legend born is about this secret society (made up of let’s call them demon hunters and magicians), who embody the legends of King Arthur and his round table of knights. Bree is a 16 year old girl whose mother has just died and has gone to early college to get out of the little town and grief in her home. Her first night out she sees something impossible and when one of the magicians called Merlins tries to wipe her mind, he unlocks memories of someone else wiping her mind when her mum died, which drives her to investigate this new world and what really happened to her mother.

This book is well written and fast paced.The world building and magic lore is a little confusing. It took me about 50% of the book to fully grasp the different levels and the terminology. Bree’s journey from sad angry little girl to total badass is delightful. I love her growth and how she comes into her own. I also like Nick and Sel (i know who I love love) and I thought it was cool how their characters developed, plus their different relationships with Bree. I also really like the other members of the group - William is by far my favourite.

I love that Bree is a black girl and that the author is black. It is always so refreshing for me to read fantasy books written by black authors. I guess this is the epitome of OWN voices as Bree faces and reacts to a lot of things in ways that are very relatable to me. The author also combines fantasy with a lot of history that pays homage to legacy of slavery and the issues that black people face in predominantly white environments. Bree faces racism that is both overt and subconscious - but the author tackles those issues head on - right down to Bree flaring up when some of her new friends touch her hair. We also get to meet some of her ancestors and their experiences of slavery.

The book doesn’t shy from killing people and torturing us along the way. It’s young adult but there are grim moments. I really enjoyed this - it was maybe a little slow in the beginning as I was struggling to get my head around the world building. The relationships also evolved in expected and unexpected ways. The ending is such a twist and is superb. I am very excited for the next book.

Underlying questions (a little spoilery that I have though so look away now:
*
*
*
Should Bree be with Nick? I mean I love her and Nick - but is their attraction a king and first knight thing or real love? Can they actually be together with the whole lineage thing? Will Nick’s devastation make him the baddie in book 2?

Should Bree be with Sel? He literally gives her tingles. She can feel his gaze and sense him. Is that because of her powers? Is it a magic thing? A protector thing? I mean I’m a sucker for a bad boy so he caught my Attention from the start but I actually like that we don’t know.

Have I said I can’t wait for the next book? Lol. 4.2/5 for me.

I may be kidding myself thinking I will get through all my September ARCs this month, but if there is one book I am glad I did pick up, it would be this one. An absolutely brilliant modern day Arthurian re-telling that is filled to the brim with adventure, magic and romance. Bree is still reeling from the death of her mother, she's hoping that moving to University will help her start a fresh but on her first night there her whole life changes. Bree witnesses a magical attack by creatures that simply shouldn't exist and soon finds out there is a chapter of the school that is kept well hidden, a secret society filled with people called 'Legendborns,' literal re-incarnations of Arthur and his knights called to rid the world of Demons. But that's not all Bree learns, she also realises that these 'Legendborns' are linked to her mother and possibly responsible for her death. Bree will stop at nothing to find out the truth behind her mothers passing, even if that means putting herself in danger, especially when she realises that she has magic of her own, magic that could bring the society to its heels.

I honestly adored this book! It was so much fun to read and filled to the brim with some fantastically written characters. Bree was the perfect perspective to read from. Still grieving from the death of her mother she doesn't quite know how to react when she sees a magical fight taking place, but one thing she does know is something isn't quite right. Once she realises that this society might have had something to do with the death of her mother Bree doesn't hesitate to come up with a plan to infiltrate the group and find out the truth. She is incredibly strong willed and resilient, even when her life is in danger she doesn't stop asking the questions that need asking. She questions the society not just in her mothers death but also in how it treats others, especially those from ethnic minorities. I feel like the author dealt with these social issues brilliantly and Bree was the perfect representation of a society of people who have constantly been seen as lesser than others. I liked that she kept Bree acting like a typical teenager, freaking out when her crush sees her ass, constantly questioning whether he likes her or not. So many times we see these female characters aged up but it was nice to get an insight into the bumbling relationships that only teenagers can have.

Whilst this book is wholly Bree's story the author still manages to create a cast filled with characters who are effortlessly brought to life, each with their own personalities. The main two of these are Nick, the descendant of King Arthur himself and Sel, Nicks Merlin. Nick is pretty much the only person in the society that Bree trusts and I LOVED seeing their relationship develop throughout the book. Selwyn Kane is a Merlin, a person able to effect Ather without being 'called.' He distrusts Bree from the start, assuming she has been sent by the line of Morgaine to infiltrate the society and harm Nick . Sel and Bree have a rocky relationship throughout most of the book neither willing to trust the other. As well as Nick and Sel we get introductions to most of the Carolina chapter of 'Legendborns' (my favourite being William the resident healer) and Alice, Bree's friend who came to the University with her. Though these characters might not get their own POV's in the book they are all brilliantly brought to life and you don't hesitate in bonding with each and every one.

I mentioned this is a re-telling of Arthurian Legend and whilst that is mainly true there are a few differences. 'Legendborn' are descendants of Arthur, they are trained from birth to fight demons and to accept their 'calling'. In times of great need the Knights are able to call up their descendants, instilling them with a great power and their own abilities. They are able to see demons and fight them, though unlike Merlin's they are unable to call Aether until they have been 'called' by their descendant. The author drip feeds us all this information throughout the book which made it so much easier for me to get to grips with the world and mythology she was building.

This book is filled to the brim with some top notch plot twists, the kind where you do a double take and can't believe you hadn't guessed it already. There is one particularly big one at the end that had me pretty much shouting WTF at my kindle. We do get hints throughout the book, but I think I was too enthralled by the overall storyline to truly pick up on them. This book hints at a possible love triangle in book two but please don't be put off by it. I'm not the biggest love triangle fan but felt this was dealt with well and have every faith that the author will sort it out in the next book. Luckily the romance we do get is super swoon worthy and I adored reading the scenes that the two were in.

I can safely say that this will make my top books of the year! You know me and mythology, and this put such a fun twist on Arthurian legend that I was hooked from the first few pages. The author ends the book on a pretty big cliffhanger, but even without that I would eagerly pick up book two. There are a wealth of unanswered questions and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.

Legendborn follows Bree, a sixteen-year-old girl that's left home to go off to college as part of an early placement scheme. She's recently been through the loss of her mother, and the break away from home and a chance to dive into school is something that she feels she needs to help get through the trauma. However, she soon discovers more than she was expecting on the campus. After witnessing a group of students using magic to fight a demon, she discovers that there's a whole unknown world out there, and one that she's immediately drawn to.

When she realises that this group has tried to erase her memories of the incident from her mind she wants to find out how that's possible, especially when it begins to unlock memories of the night her mother died, of the first time she came across magic. Desperate to learn more, she tries to infiltrate a secret society on campus with the help of Nick, her student mentor who also happens to be a member of this group, though one who doesn't want any part of it anymore. The two of them decide to try to find answers, however, and to see if there was more than meets the eye to the death of Bree's mother.

At first glance there's not much that jumps out to make Legendborn too different from other YA Urban Fantasy books, it has a female protagonist who discovers a world of monsters and magic, she learns that there's a secret group dedicated to protecting regular people from monsters, the lead falls for the hot guy who's part of this society. But that's ignoring something really big that makes Legendborn stand out not only as something different, but something really important. It's lead character, Bree.

Bree, unlike a lot of other YA protagonists, is Black. Now, I'm sure there will be some people who will immediately jump in to say that this shouldn't make a difference, that the colour of her skin shouldn't impact a story like this. But that's not really true, because let's all be honest, the colour of someone's skin makes a hell of a difference to their life experience, especially in the US. Within the first few chapters we see this, when Bree is pulled into the back of a police car when all the white students are allowed to walk away. We see her being at college because of her academic excellence being disbelieved, with people thinking she somehow cheated her way in as 'affirmative action', and we see her worried that if she says or does the wrong thing she could end up as another young Black person dead at the hands of a cop.

I honestly can't think of another YA book where the lead has to deal with this kind of thing. All the other teen girl leads who sneak out of their house late at night only have to worry about getting in trouble with their parents, not worried about being murdered by police. White protagonists who have run-ins with the law usually get off with a warning or a stern talking to, Bree is in danger of never seeing her family again. This added pressure and danger makes Bree such a strong and amazing young woman before she even comes across anything unusual in the book. She, like so many Black people in the US, has to live under unimaginable pressure and a sense of danger, and it makes her so fucking strong.

Race plays into the book in other ways too. Instead of just being seen as an outsider by others trying to become accepted into the Order of the Round Table because she's new to this world of magic and monsters, she's looked down on my people because she's Black. Other initiates look at her presence in the competition as being down to her sleeping her way in, or tricking Nick in some way, not because she deserves it. In one scene one of the older white women assumes she's a member of staff and talks to her like dirt, simply because she's Black. And there's a moment later on in the book which I won't spoil too much, but Bree ends up on the receiving end of a torrent of racist abuse, because she dared to do something that no person of colour had done before.

These moments not only elevated Bree as a character, raising her up as an amazing example of a young female lead, but also challenged a lot of preconceptions I went into the book with. I was expecting the book to follow a lot of YA tropes and standard plot formula, and it does in places, but whenever these moments were challenged because of Bree's race it threw me off. These moments stopped me from becoming complacent and reminded me that there was something extra special here.

Legendborn also spends some time addressing colonialism, and the slave trade, both in very real and fantastical ways. Where other Urban Fantasy books with European centric mythologies will ignore other cultural ideas this book doesn't. It shows the readers that the ways of the Order of the Round Table aren't the only way, that other cultures have different understandings of, and connections to, magics. It addresses the fact that white people tore cultures apart in their attempt to bring them into their way of thinking, how it destroyed entire cultures and ways of life in order to stamp out practices and beliefs they considered evil. Yes, here it's talking about ways of using magic, but its something that happened in the real world, and has very real consequences that are felt even to this day.

Tracy Deonn does such a good job at intertwining important discussions on race into what you'd come to expect from a YA book. I honestly couldn't see this book working half as well without those elements, and am so eager to see what happens next in the story not to find out what evil plots the villains will come up with, or to see what new magic and adventures will happen, but to see how Bree will challenge this white centric group and their racist views. So much happens towards the end of the book that sets up for some amazing stuff to come, and I can't wait to see how it plays out.

Legendborn was so much better than I was expecting, it has more heart and more depth than other books in this genre. It has a hero who feels so much more realised than others like her, and who's engaging as a person. Other books could benefit from being more like Legendborn, and I can see this easily topping bestseller lists and being talked about in excited tones for years to come.

Ok where do I even begin with this book, I loved it! Legendborn has become one of my favourites books of the year, it was entertaining and it really ticked every box you look for when reading a fantasy book. Legendborn is one of those really great books where you really want to devour it in one go but you also want to take your time reading it and really taking it all in. I recommend taking your time and really engaging with it, especially if you're unfamiliar or not the most knowledgeable with the legend of Arthur, though there is a really helpful guide and Google exists of course!

Starting with the basics, the world building is rich and believable, I really loved the college and secret society aspects and how well the fantasy elements blended together to make it a world I'd love to visit, even if demons do exist! There's diverse characters, Bree, our main character is a young Black teenager (she's 16 and the other characters are a similar age and older), plus there is non-binary and LGBTQ representation which we love to see! 

A lot happens in this book and that's excluding some of the secret society elements in the book, it's also a very fast paced book but thankfully though it's easy to keep track of what's happening.

I love Bree, she is a such a badass and well rounded character, she is dealing with a lot of grief and you can't help but root for her. I loved her friendship with Alice, Deonn did a great job writing about a realistic friendship, the ups and downs and the challenges faced when dealing with huge issues such as grief and college (the girls are in Early College).  I don't want to be too spoilery (if that's even a word, ha) but I have two ships from Legendborn that I can't decide which I like better, one involves your typical all-American guy and one involves a hot mysterious guy who we first meet whilst he's lurking in the woods and I love them both. Deonn has the potential to set up a love triangle for the next book and I'm not mad haha. 

On a more serious note, this book deals with grief and Deonn has written about grief really well. As someone who has very recently lost a loved one, Deonn has dealt with the grief aspect really respectfully whilst also being very honest about the different emotions felt. There's also a note at the end of book about grief and how grief and Legendborn relates to Deonn's grief. 

I found Legendborn to be a very honest portrayal of what it's like to be a Black woman living in the south in America where there's still a lot of racism, it was an accurate narration of the past and present issues of racism faced by Black people in America. Legendborn also deals with the racism surrounding colleges and secret societies and how the actions of white people in the past still have repercussions for Black people today.

Overall, I absolutely loved Legendborn and I can't wait to see what Tracy Deonn has in store for the rest of the series.

If you love legends, adventure and romance - this is the book for you! This book was a nonstop unwravelling adventure and I could not put it down!

It’s perfect for young students to read. I love that this Black main character calls out the institutional racism she sees in her college career and the new society that she finds herself part of. There is just so much depth to this lead character - she is struggling with grief, whilst learning to become more independent, whilst under the burden of the magic she finds herself surrounded by.

However, the plot can be quite complex to follow. I almost feel like it could have been two separate books (two different types of magic). This girl also goes through so many changes in such a short space of time though that I wonder whether the book could have been ‘spaced’ better so that it doesn’t all happen in a matter of 1 month - that’s an awful lot of personal development for a young woman to go through in a short time span....

This is a fantastically written and super-fun YA fantasy novel with a great twist on Arthuriana, wonderful characters, and great magic. The only reason it's 4 stars for me is that I have an irrational hatred of love triangles - but for anyone who doesn't share my very subjective issues with that trope, I'm pretty sure it will be 5 stars all the way.

There are few books that impact as much as Legendborn. This book is simply epic, and it is more than a fantasy book. I loved reading it. I personally liked the characters, the plot, the unexpected twists, the love triangle, the rep diversity, and the fast-paced action. I am looking forward to the second book as the ending is a massive cliff-hanger.
The book starts with Briana (Bree) Matthews struggling to come to terms with her mum’s death in an what seems like a car accident. Her and her dad are in a little room talking to a police officer, or are they? The memory is fuzzy for Bree at the start of the story.
In order to move forward Bree and her best friend Alice go to Carolina North University (her mum’s alma matter) to take part in an Early program for gifted students and hopeful she will feel closer to her mum or even learn more about her. The first night there Bree breaks the ‘not leaving the dorm at night’ rule and so the story starts taking shape. At the quarry she witnesses a demon attack on humans and the forces that battle these demons. The leader of the fight party tries to replace the memory of the attack, but for unknown reasons, the attempt fails, and Bree can remember everything.
Bree and Alice are caught having broken the rules on the first night and Bree is set with a mentor to help her stay on the straight and narrow – however, plot twist, the mentor is none other than Nick Davis, Legendborn and Scion. I will not say anything more and I don’t want to reveal any spoilers.
The fight scenes in this book are abundant and well written. Tracy Deonn created an amazing world full of legend and shadows. I felt the pain of the characters when losing someone loved, and their hopes when winning or being successful. The characters are not perfect, none are fully good or bad, they are mostly human, who deal with human emotions, struggles and uncertainties.
This book is definitely rep diverse: Alice Chen, Bree’s best friend is a lesbian Taiwanese-American geek, Bree, her dad, Patricia and Mariah are Black, there are two bi characters, and a gay character. The order of the round table is mostly white, but this is a legacy of a world build around white men keeping the power throughout the centuries.
The main love story and other love interests are well written and kept me engaged. Also, the banter and friendship of Alice and Bree is sweet and strong. I loved the movie and book references the main characters had. Their friendship read like it had a history and it’s unbreakable.
Some characters display racism, but Bree and Alice speak against it and they both have some amazing comebacks against it. As someone who had to deal with racism herself, I liked that the author did not shy away from writing it as it is, but also loved that the main characters spoke against it and stood for what it’s right.

Legendborn is about 16 year old Bree, still dealing with the grief of losing her Mother when she gets sucked into a secret society of King Arthur's descendants.

I love Bree and the way that her grief is depicted. A strong character with genuine vulnerabilities, I really connected with her.

Unfortunately, I felt that the world building was a little weak and left me confused for part of the book, which made it something of a struggle to get through. I adored the premise and the plot, but had difficulty with the writing style. Overall, a mixed bag for me, but definitely worth picking up and giving it a chance!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book gave me so many nostalgic feelings of 2008/9. It takes a familiar premise and elevates to another level – it is unique in it’s representation of fantasy in YA. The magic system is interesting, but it also explores Black history in a way I wasn’t expecting. It is honest, full of characters that quench curiosity and Tracy Deonn absolutely knows how to tell a story. Legendborn is not one to miss, and I see it being an awesome TV series in the future if handled correctly.

Bree Matthews loses her mother at only 16 years of age. Right before she dies, they fought over Bree’s acceptance to an Early College program in Carolina. Still grieving, Bree moves into dorms with her best friend Alice, and they begin their life of independence. While Alice settles into her academics, Bree is drawn into a secret magical society that is somehow connected to her mother. Built on legacy, she is an outsider who knows too much to ignore.

The magic system is routed in the legend of King Arthur, with family lines driving the future of the society. Nick and Selwyn are Bree’s main companions throughout the book. Nick is set to be the next leader but he doesn’t want to be. Selwyn is a Kingsmage (a Merlin) set to serve Nick. I don’t want to detail the structure of the society too much because of spoilers, but it makes for a great competition and interesting politics.

What elevates this book is its discussions of African American history and slavery, particularly the way it handles the magic system. I loved the flashbacks, the family dynamics. Bree’s personality also works so well with her story, I honestly couldn’t find out what happens fast enough.

Fast paced with a great balance between action and detail, Legendborn is absolutely a book to look out for in the future. I can’t wait for the sequel, and can’t wait to add the final copy of this book to my shelves. Do you think you will read Legendborn? I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s UK for the early copy.