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4.42 AVERAGE
4.42 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The ending was crazyyyyyyyyyy i don’t know how I’ll survive until the next book comes out. I think this might’ve been the weakest of all of them. The first half did really drag, i think the main strength in these books are the character dynamics and relationships between all the characters, so keeping them apart for so long really did a great disservice to the book. The development during that first half was necessary but could’ve maybe been handled better without it taking so long in the book for everyone to reunite. The second half was actually great. It was very fun to read. The only thing for me was that i missed Sel a lot. I really hope Bree, Nick and Sel are allowed to stay together in the next one because they are absolutely the core of this series. Also i see no need to try to resolve the love triangle, honestly, they should just share Bree.
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Spoiler
I loved how everyone was roasting Erebus.When Sel severs his hand at the end when Erebus was crawling for the crown, and said, “I always wanted to do that”? Iconic.
When the main cast kept commenting on how Erebus is not a king? LMAO dead. Makes me feel bad for the old guy.
There were so many lines that I loved. Book 3 really made me see Nick in another way, and I think all 3 of them belong together and deserve to be happy. I'm so happy the gang is back! I’m usually never divided between love interests, and I typically like the Sel-type characters, but Nick!!! I understand Bree’s struggle.
I’m nervous and excited for book 4 because WHAT WAS THAT ENDING!!!!! Tracy really knows how to end a book.
I didn’t expect to love the twins as much as I did when they were first introduced. I also really enjoyed the multiple POVs and how things converged. I JUST WANT MY BABY BREE TO BE HAPPY!!!!!
Finally, justice for Alice Chen!!!!!!!!!!!!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After struggling a bit with Bloodmarked, I absolutely tore through the third installment of the Legendborn series. (This seems to be an unpopular opinion based on reviews, with people expressing that book 3 is suffering from middle book syndrome whereas I see it the other way around...) This captivating and intense series continues to be full of heart, wit, and magic. I couldn't put this book down and honestly kept stopping so I wouldn't read it so quickly simply because I didn't want it to be over.
What Deonn has done best in the first two books of the series she draws through into Oathbound, only each plot line feels like it's had time to develop and breathe in a way that is really satisfying. Bree is coming to terms with the big, rash decisions she made at the end of the last book and is considering what her future looks like - both in terms of her power/abilities, and her relationships with Nick, Sel, Mariah, and her ancestors. She has been torn down and this third book is truly the start of her redemption arc.
I really loved what Tracy Deonn was able to do with the multi-POV format of this book. I am typically torn on how I feel about a multi-POV, especially when the rest of the books in the series aren't, but Tracy Deonn pulls this off beautifully. I think it was really necessary to feel what was happening in our characters heads' in ways that a single point of view wouldn't have been able to accomplish.
While I understand that this series was originally intended to be a trilogy and some readers are disappointed by the fact that this book isn't the end, I love a slow burn and I really respect how the author is working to build the world and set up what will inevitably be a really explosive conclusion to the series. I feel like the people that complain that this book is a "slog" are upset about the page count, but these types of stories take time to tell! While yes, this book was on the chunky side, it didn't feel like there was much filler - Deonn helps to develop every element of the story with precision and it shows. I am absolutely desperate for book 4 and am honestly only okay waiting for however long it takes to be released because I know that it will be brilliant.
Not necessarily related to my own enjoyment, but I love that teens and middle grade readers have series like these. Rich and diverse in both character development and storytelling, these are the types of books I yearned for in middle and high school yet struggled to find. As an adult, I found myself falling in love with these characters and I hope that teens can see themselves in one or more of these characters or relate to some of their struggles. Deonn does such a beautiful job of capturing the experiences of grief, first relationships, coming to terms with who you are, exploring sexuality, learning about your family, and more. This series is what Harry Potter wishes it could be.
What Deonn has done best in the first two books of the series she draws through into Oathbound, only each plot line feels like it's had time to develop and breathe in a way that is really satisfying. Bree is coming to terms with the big, rash decisions she made at the end of the last book and is considering what her future looks like - both in terms of her power/abilities, and her relationships with Nick, Sel, Mariah, and her ancestors. She has been torn down and this third book is truly the start of her redemption arc.
I really loved what Tracy Deonn was able to do with the multi-POV format of this book. I am typically torn on how I feel about a multi-POV, especially when the rest of the books in the series aren't, but Tracy Deonn pulls this off beautifully. I think it was really necessary to feel what was happening in our characters heads' in ways that a single point of view wouldn't have been able to accomplish.
While I understand that this series was originally intended to be a trilogy and some readers are disappointed by the fact that this book isn't the end, I love a slow burn and I really respect how the author is working to build the world and set up what will inevitably be a really explosive conclusion to the series. I feel like the people that complain that this book is a "slog" are upset about the page count, but these types of stories take time to tell! While yes, this book was on the chunky side, it didn't feel like there was much filler - Deonn helps to develop every element of the story with precision and it shows. I am absolutely desperate for book 4 and am honestly only okay waiting for however long it takes to be released because I know that it will be brilliant.
Not necessarily related to my own enjoyment, but I love that teens and middle grade readers have series like these. Rich and diverse in both character development and storytelling, these are the types of books I yearned for in middle and high school yet struggled to find. As an adult, I found myself falling in love with these characters and I hope that teens can see themselves in one or more of these characters or relate to some of their struggles. Deonn does such a beautiful job of capturing the experiences of grief, first relationships, coming to terms with who you are, exploring sexuality, learning about your family, and more. This series is what Harry Potter wishes it could be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Racism, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Death of parent, Classism
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ENDING.
This book was so necessary for Bree's development and I'm so glad Tracy wrote it. It may feel like a filler since it's more character driven, but I enjoyed it very much. Tracy Deonn packed a punch with that ending! I'm loving where this series is going and can't wait to read the next book.
This book was so necessary for Bree's development and I'm so glad Tracy wrote it. It may feel like a filler since it's more character driven, but I enjoyed it very much. Tracy Deonn packed a punch with that ending! I'm loving where this series is going and can't wait to read the next book.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well-written extension of the premise, but felt a bit drawn out. I’m ready for a resolution to the series to be honest.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I did really like this book, and had an absolute blast tearing through it, but the ending did leave me a little disappointed. I think given that this was originally meant to be a trilogy, this is the book to fall prey to the mid-series slump as everything just kind of feels like lead up to the last showdown.
I’m not sure if I would have felt more strongly towards it if I hadn’t gone straight into it from Bloodmarked and had time to ponder and anticipate it, but I’m also glad that I wasn’t more let down by having a long wait.
Don’t get me wrong! Deonn’s “weakest” work so far is still better than most people’s best, but I think Legendborn was so completely mindblowing it’s almost impossible to replicate that same kind of drama and revelation without it starting to feel trite. There were still multiple moments that had me perched on the end of my seat, heart racing, and I cried more than I’d like to admit. Deonn’s writing is evocative and captivating for sure, it was the pacing and plot points that had me feeling like there was a lot of anticipation for not much follow through. The ending twist honestly doesn’t make any sense to me and feels unnecessary as I don’t feel it was well set up at all.
It is risky, in my opinion, to switch from 1 POV first person to multiple first person POVs in a series, because it doesn’t always work out very well. I don’t think Oathbound did it poorly, per se, because it was in many ways necessary, but it was kind of erratic in terms of spacing of the perspectives, which had me going “okay when am I going to get _this persons_ POV back?” and then we didn’t actually get to see things from them after a certain point, which left things feeling unresolved. I’m curious to see how this will play out in the last book though.
I absolutely loved the characters as always, and will always be a #1 Will fan. I also loved seeing more of Mariah, and spending time with Nick again after his absence in Bloodmarked. I’m curious to see where the BreeSelNick of it all will lead in the final book!
I’m not sure if I would have felt more strongly towards it if I hadn’t gone straight into it from Bloodmarked and had time to ponder and anticipate it, but I’m also glad that I wasn’t more let down by having a long wait.
Don’t get me wrong! Deonn’s “weakest” work so far is still better than most people’s best, but I think Legendborn was so completely mindblowing it’s almost impossible to replicate that same kind of drama and revelation without it starting to feel trite. There were still multiple moments that had me perched on the end of my seat, heart racing, and I cried more than I’d like to admit. Deonn’s writing is evocative and captivating for sure, it was the pacing and plot points that had me feeling like there was a lot of anticipation for not much follow through. The ending twist honestly doesn’t make any sense to me and feels unnecessary as I don’t feel it was well set up at all.
It is risky, in my opinion, to switch from 1 POV first person to multiple first person POVs in a series, because it doesn’t always work out very well. I don’t think Oathbound did it poorly, per se, because it was in many ways necessary, but it was kind of erratic in terms of spacing of the perspectives, which had me going “okay when am I going to get _this persons_ POV back?” and then we didn’t actually get to see things from them after a certain point, which left things feeling unresolved. I’m curious to see how this will play out in the last book though.
I absolutely loved the characters as always, and will always be a #1 Will fan. I also loved seeing more of Mariah, and spending time with Nick again after his absence in Bloodmarked. I’m curious to see where the BreeSelNick of it all will lead in the final book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Grief
Minor: Child death, Rape, Car accident, Death of parent