Scan barcode
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Racism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, and Grief
areyoubibliokay's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Racism
Moderate: Blood, Colonisation, and Death
Minor: Grief, Rape, and Forced institutionalization
booksdogsandcoffee's review against another edition
4.0
I did think this fell a little into the sequel syndrome trap, but overall and especially the ending it was a fantastic read. I am interested to see if the books will continue with the vibe of a poly feel between the main 3 characters too! And I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes from here!
Graphic: Racism and Violence
taremeredzwatchirewa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, and Racism
kellyinbookland's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Blood
kimschouwenaar's review against another edition
- 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
The reader was too stunned to speak.
Holy shit.
Holy SHIT
What a rollercoaster. I sat staring at the final page for a solid ten minutes before moving again, jaw dropped, tears in my eyes, unable to do anything but grip the book in silent agony. Bree didn't have a single moment of peace.
I am still unsure of what I should write here. Bree is everything I look for in a main character: passionate, caring, hilarious, unapologetic, vulnerable, flawed, the list goes on. She captivates you from cover to back like the sword-wielding King she is bound to become, someone so mesmerising you cannot look away. The distinction between Before-Bree and After-Bree that was so prominent in Legendborn slowly dissipates until we are left with Bree , someone I don't ever want to leave behind, and someone I will NEVER get sick of.
And Selwyn. Oh, my dear Selwyn Kane how I laughed, cried and rhapsodised about Bree right with you. Selwyn Kane is the dark-haired, magic-wielding, morally grey anti-hero I am convinced everyone needs. With Nick taken, Sel is even more central to the plot than in Legenborn. He's witty, proud, impulsive, protective and absolutely hilarious. Let's be honest, he does not succeed at hiding his attraction to Bree, but, as we all know, Sel isn't great at being vulnerable. Bree and Sel together means flaming chemistry and the best banter I have read in a while. They're both unwilling to outright admit what they feel for the other, and reading them had me giggling like a kid and kicking my legs in excitement.
There are but a few flaws: some questionable grammar and punctuation (because I am an editor in training now, and, unfortunately, I cannot help but notice these kind of things), and two or three minor, minor plot holes that made me think I missed or skipped pages that just weren't there. The distance and time between several places was unclear, and character's actions weren't always well developed.
However.
I knew about halfway through that this would become one of my all time favourite reads. And I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I rated this anything under 5 stars. Five isn't enough, I need Goodreads and StoryGraph to have more.
The only reason I wouldn't recommend you to read it right now is because the third instalment won't be published until the BEGINNING OF 2025?! Nevertheless, if you do read it right now then we can cry about it together. Hit me up if y'all want to rave about this book with me. I don't think I'll shut up anytime soon.
If you have come this far, I am very much looking for more book friends! You can find me on:
IG: kimschouwenaar
TT: _kimschouwenaar
Goodreads: Kim Schouwenaar
- <3
Graphic: Death, Racism, Grief, and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Vomit, Murder, and Car accident
Minor: Slavery, Cursing, Death, and Gore
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Racism, Violence, and Death
sophiesometimesreads's review against another edition
- 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
This book was so good. I love Tracy Deonn's writing, and she has managed to craft such an intricate fantasy world where everything works and makes sense, whilst also shining a light onto real-world problems and historical happenings and injustices.
This book was a little slower paced than the first, which was to be expected from the second book in the series, but I felt like there was enough little action scenes sprinkled through the first three quarters of this book to keep the momentum up and keep me interested. I was also just so invested in the characters, particulalry Bree, that it drove me through the slower paced parts.
The ending was definitely the best part of this book, and I am still reeling (it's been over a week now since I finished it!). I'm so intrigued and excited to see what comes next. AND it's going to be four books now not three, so I get to live in this wonderful world with these characters I love for longer.
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Racism
Moderate: Death
buud_w0rm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, and Grief
Minor: Death
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is the sequel to Legendborn and the second book in the series of the same name.
Selwyn Kane is EVERYTHING and honestly the primary reason I enjoyed this book as much as I did. Overall, I’d say this one suffered from a bit of a sophomore slump—I wasn’t as connected to or engaged with the plot, and I was a bit frustrated with some of the characters’ decisions and with the ending overall.
But SEL. When I latch on to a fictional character I never let them go, and Sel is absolutely mine now. I urgently need more books in this series specifically because I urgently need more of him.
Overall, even with some mild criticisms, I do enjoy this series and think the world and magic system here is so interesting! I highly recommend these books for anyone who enjoys older-YA fantasy, and particularly fantasy with diverse rep and Arthurian inspiration!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Arthurian legend; Welsh terms of endearment (IYKYK); Black Girl Magic (literally)
CW: Blood/injury/violence; grief; racism and sexism; discussions of slavery
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Confinement, Death, Racism, Sexism, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Grief and Slavery
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault