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_kjmac_books_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
My friends and I were looking for a book at an independent bookstore for our next bookclub read. The friendly staff member offered this as a recommendation calling it a fun Arthurian YA fantasy that tackles racism in an easy-to-understand-&-learn way. After reading Legendborn, I completely agree.
We really enjoyed this read together. It was an easy story to follow. My personal thoughts was that everything was “good” until the last 50 pages when everything became “utterly engrossing.” So yeah I got really invested farther in the book than I was expecting😅
I think I’ve somewhat grown out of some of the typical YA drama tactics used (*cough cough* love triangles) but nevertheless I thought this was a great read for how it tackled the complexities of being a black woman and racial trauma. I recognize I will never fully understand as I will never be a black woman, but I am grateful for books like this that offer perspectives sharing glimpses into their struggles and lives. Bree is fictional but she shows a version of black experience in a historically white space (the Arthurian court) and all the mess that entails.
I loved how this book discusses grief. Also Bree’s dad was so supportive through everything she was going through and it really hit me in the feels🤍 Another fun feature is that there r 2 different magic systems that r both fascinating in their own way.
I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for YA Arthurian magic, black perspectives, a hint of mystery, and powerful women finding themselves. There’s trials, a college setting🏫, plenty of fight scenes⚔️, and secret societies😊
We really enjoyed this read together. It was an easy story to follow. My personal thoughts was that everything was “good” until the last 50 pages when everything became “utterly engrossing.” So yeah I got really invested farther in the book than I was expecting😅
I think I’ve somewhat grown out of some of the typical YA drama tactics used (*cough cough* love triangles) but nevertheless I thought this was a great read for how it tackled the complexities of being a black woman and racial trauma. I recognize I will never fully understand as I will never be a black woman, but I am grateful for books like this that offer perspectives sharing glimpses into their struggles and lives. Bree is fictional but she shows a version of black experience in a historically white space (the Arthurian court) and all the mess that entails.
I loved how this book discusses grief. Also Bree’s dad was so supportive through everything she was going through and it really hit me in the feels🤍 Another fun feature is that there r 2 different magic systems that r both fascinating in their own way.
I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for YA Arthurian magic, black perspectives, a hint of mystery, and powerful women finding themselves. There’s trials, a college setting🏫, plenty of fight scenes⚔️, and secret societies😊
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
morgasm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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
4.5
Really loved but unfortunately I guessed a lot of the plot points at the end, making the finale slightly less exciting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Rape
leiaariel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-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
5.0
Took me a little to get into the book, but I absolutely loved it. The romance is so cute and had me kicking my feet and giggling. This book felt so emotionally complex with its depiction of grief, struggles of being a woman, and the hardships of being a black person especially in the south. I can’t wait to read the next book and more from this author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Death of parent
Minor: Rape
mbullock1369's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
3.5
The book was good it kept me on my toes, but it is the first book in a series. I didn’t realize that until the end because my copy doesn’t say that it’s a series anywhere on it. I definitely wouldn’t start reading it unless you want to read the other book(s) because it ends in a cliffhanger. It also has very heavy racial themes that could be triggering so look at the trigger warnings before you read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Kidnapping, Car accident, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol
mj_86's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Car accident
Minor: Rape
fluffballpanda's review against another edition
This story was just not for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
julie2525's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-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
4.75
Great world! Part demon-hunting, part self-exploration. Plus a book-boyfriend and an alluring bad-boy. I read it in a day.
Plot: Bree is devastated about her mom's death as she starts a program at UNC. At a party, she sees magic for the first time and begins to suspect magic was involved with her mom's death. Hoping to learn more about magic and her mom's potential murder, she joins a magical secret-society that traces their ancestry to King Arthur's round table--it's a very white world. Meanwhile, her magic grows stronger, and she learns about root magic, another kind of magic passed down from mother to daughter among black women. She hides her magic the best she can as she tries to puzzle everything out with her new friends. I'm making it sound drab, but it's not at all. Like I said, I read it in a day. Audiobook and hardback.
Plot: Bree is devastated about her mom's death as she starts a program at UNC. At a party, she sees magic for the first time and begins to suspect magic was involved with her mom's death. Hoping to learn more about magic and her mom's potential murder, she joins a magical secret-society that traces their ancestry to King Arthur's round table--it's a very white world. Meanwhile, her magic grows stronger, and she learns about root magic, another kind of magic passed down from mother to daughter among black women. She hides her magic the best she can as she tries to puzzle everything out with her new friends. I'm making it sound drab, but it's not at all. Like I said, I read it in a day. Audiobook and hardback.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
hollymileham's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
3.75
this was a complicated one to rate for me because it took me literal WEEKS to get into it, i just found the world building to read like gibberish to me but once i got into it i did really like it... part of me is still confused though
i loved the historical elements in this a lot
i have landed on a 3.75 which feels fair to me
i loved the historical elements in this a lot
i have landed on a 3.75 which feels fair to me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape and Car accident
Minor: Sexual assault
lotterose95's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Death of parent
Minor: Gore and Rape
laureloreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Death of parent