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auburnedge's review against another edition
3.0
I am a fan of fantasy where the heroine marries the warrior she doesn't know and has to come into her own. And this girl, she had a long ass way to go. From a no body born to fulfill a contract to a girl who can fight. Kalista proves you can do anything with hard work and dedication.
While a lot of this book is based on filler and the plot is pretty see through from the start it is an enjoyable read. I just wish by the end or the epilogue they could speak more than 8 words to eachother in a row. Maybe it was to be sweet but sweet baby Aris was it just annoying after awhile. Maybe we needed to have a chapter from his view? I don't know. It was good I just wished she would have learned more by the end.
While a lot of this book is based on filler and the plot is pretty see through from the start it is an enjoyable read. I just wish by the end or the epilogue they could speak more than 8 words to eachother in a row. Maybe it was to be sweet but sweet baby Aris was it just annoying after awhile. Maybe we needed to have a chapter from his view? I don't know. It was good I just wished she would have learned more by the end.
misstoddynho's review against another edition
3.0
Such a good story!
I loved Kalista and her fierceness. Even not knowing Carson's language, she tried her best to overcome this.
As for a romance book, it was all swoning. Carson e Kalista showed that there's more communication between a couple than words.
As for a fantasy book, I found it okay. It lacks a bit of world building, but it has enough information.
I loved Emmet and Kalista's sparky friendship. Seriously! They left me LOLing all over their conversations.
I really hoped that there was some Carson's POV. Sometimes I really wanted to know what he was thinking, especially about Kalista.
Thanks so much Entagled Publishing and Rikki for this ARC!
I loved Kalista and her fierceness. Even not knowing Carson's language, she tried her best to overcome this.
As for a romance book, it was all swoning. Carson e Kalista showed that there's more communication between a couple than words.
As for a fantasy book, I found it okay. It lacks a bit of world building, but it has enough information.
I loved Emmet and Kalista's sparky friendship. Seriously! They left me LOLing all over their conversations.
I really hoped that there was some Carson's POV. Sometimes I really wanted to know what he was thinking, especially about Kalista.
Thanks so much Entagled Publishing and Rikki for this ARC!
onebookmore's review against another edition
4.0
Princess Kalista spent her entire life preparing to become the wife of a prince in a neighboring kingdom. However, her predictable and controlled life changes when she is forced to marry a warrior prince instead. Prince Calder’s kingdom suffers under the wrath of a vicious monster, and a prophecy names Kalista as the kingdom’s savior.
Kalista is not a warrior, nor is she prepared to live in a cursed and cold kingdom surrounded by strangers. She doesn’t understand the language and customs of Estral, she can’t communicate with anyone save her monk companion Emmett, and she never expected to rule. However, as she grows closer to Calder, she learns that their feelings might just be worth fighting for. Can Kalista defeat the monster? Things are not what they seem in the kingdom of Estral, and Kalista must figure out the mystery of her new home before time runs out.
This is a coming-of-age story with a strong and independent young woman who is destined for greatness. Kalista has heavy burdens to bear, and she does all she can to fulfill them. However, she is so used to obeying and living by the rules that she doesn’t know what to do without them.
Kalista has never had any freedoms, and she likes to have control. She feels unnerved without it. It doesn’t help that she is dealing with major language barriers, she must take on responsibilities as the future queen, she is expected to slay a murderous monster, and she needs to conceive as soon a possible (at least, according to the King). This young woman has an awful lot on her plate!
The characters are interesting and Kalista’s character, in particular, is exceptionally well-developed. The author’s skill in developing dynamic characters without the benefit of dialogue is amazing. Often, when Carson speaks, we don’t know what he’s saying, much like Kalista doesn’t understand him. However, his facial expressions, gestures, and actions show his kind, warm-hearted, sometimes quick-tempered, and thoughtful nature.
Another aspect of Kalista’s character that I like is her perseverance. Used to being alone and often ignored, she is daunted by the attention she receives as the new princess, and she fears looking foolish. She is often frustrated with her inability to communicate and her ignorance of propriety. However, determined to succeed, she never gives up. This part of the story highlights the difficulties in acclimating to a new, and very different, world as well as the benefits of hard work and determination.
I also like the fun and witty banter between Kalista and Emmett. His guidance and unusual teaching tactics bring some levity to the story, and their sarcastic camaraderie is one of the highlights of the novel. Emmett is not a typical religious man. He teaches Kalista the customs and language of Estral, and he acts as a translator and chaperone when needed. Sure, he is wise and pious, but he is also acerbic, sharp, and lethal. Skilled in fighting, he trains Kalista to fulfill her role in the prophecy.
There some unexpected twists and surprises, but the majority of the story focuses on Kalista trying to understand the language and customs of her new husband, training to defeat the monster, and questioning her role and ability as the future queen of an unfamiliar kingdom. Though I expected more action throughout the piece, the enigma of the monster, the slow-burning romance, and Kalista’s personal journey make for an interesting read.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
https://onebookmore.com/2020/05/30/arc-review-live-like-legends-by-kate-cornell/
Kalista is not a warrior, nor is she prepared to live in a cursed and cold kingdom surrounded by strangers. She doesn’t understand the language and customs of Estral, she can’t communicate with anyone save her monk companion Emmett, and she never expected to rule. However, as she grows closer to Calder, she learns that their feelings might just be worth fighting for. Can Kalista defeat the monster? Things are not what they seem in the kingdom of Estral, and Kalista must figure out the mystery of her new home before time runs out.
This is a coming-of-age story with a strong and independent young woman who is destined for greatness. Kalista has heavy burdens to bear, and she does all she can to fulfill them. However, she is so used to obeying and living by the rules that she doesn’t know what to do without them.
Kalista has never had any freedoms, and she likes to have control. She feels unnerved without it. It doesn’t help that she is dealing with major language barriers, she must take on responsibilities as the future queen, she is expected to slay a murderous monster, and she needs to conceive as soon a possible (at least, according to the King). This young woman has an awful lot on her plate!
The characters are interesting and Kalista’s character, in particular, is exceptionally well-developed. The author’s skill in developing dynamic characters without the benefit of dialogue is amazing. Often, when Carson speaks, we don’t know what he’s saying, much like Kalista doesn’t understand him. However, his facial expressions, gestures, and actions show his kind, warm-hearted, sometimes quick-tempered, and thoughtful nature.
Another aspect of Kalista’s character that I like is her perseverance. Used to being alone and often ignored, she is daunted by the attention she receives as the new princess, and she fears looking foolish. She is often frustrated with her inability to communicate and her ignorance of propriety. However, determined to succeed, she never gives up. This part of the story highlights the difficulties in acclimating to a new, and very different, world as well as the benefits of hard work and determination.
I also like the fun and witty banter between Kalista and Emmett. His guidance and unusual teaching tactics bring some levity to the story, and their sarcastic camaraderie is one of the highlights of the novel. Emmett is not a typical religious man. He teaches Kalista the customs and language of Estral, and he acts as a translator and chaperone when needed. Sure, he is wise and pious, but he is also acerbic, sharp, and lethal. Skilled in fighting, he trains Kalista to fulfill her role in the prophecy.
There some unexpected twists and surprises, but the majority of the story focuses on Kalista trying to understand the language and customs of her new husband, training to defeat the monster, and questioning her role and ability as the future queen of an unfamiliar kingdom. Though I expected more action throughout the piece, the enigma of the monster, the slow-burning romance, and Kalista’s personal journey make for an interesting read.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
https://onebookmore.com/2020/05/30/arc-review-live-like-legends-by-kate-cornell/
alli_the_bookaholic13's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Entangled for sending me a free copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed this story! I liked the basics of the plot, and I liked the relationship between Carson and Kalista. I wish the characters would have been a little more fleshed out, but I can understand why Carson, especially, was such a mystery. Adding his POV might have added that extra element to the story that would have made it 5 stars for me because we would have been able to see who he really was, as well as his own motivations and fears.
Kalista is supposed to marry her betrothed, but when she walks down the aisle a stranger is waiting for her instead. A prophecy has been found that says Kalista can help rid the country of the monster that plagueus it, and so she is married to Carson.
Right away, there are problems. Kalista has spent her whole life learning the language and customs of her betrothed's country, and she knows nothing about Carson's. Carson comes from a country that is very isolated and keeps to themselves. Kalista and Carson have not only a cultural barrier, but a language barrier, and they can barely communicate without an interpreter. The language barrier made for some pretty funny moments while they were trying to get to know each other. I felt like the romance and humour elements were the main focus of the story, and I would have liked to see some more world building and get more explanations about their different countries, as well as more development with the whole monster plotline. I did figure out what the "twist" with the monster was so the plotline was developed enough for it to be logical.
Overall, I thought this was a good read. The language barrier was funny and realistic, and I enjoyed seeing how the relationship (and romance) between Carson and Kalista was able to work and evolve even through their communication issues.
I really enjoyed this story! I liked the basics of the plot, and I liked the relationship between Carson and Kalista. I wish the characters would have been a little more fleshed out, but I can understand why Carson, especially, was such a mystery. Adding his POV might have added that extra element to the story that would have made it 5 stars for me because we would have been able to see who he really was, as well as his own motivations and fears.
Kalista is supposed to marry her betrothed, but when she walks down the aisle a stranger is waiting for her instead. A prophecy has been found that says Kalista can help rid the country of the monster that plagueus it, and so she is married to Carson.
Right away, there are problems. Kalista has spent her whole life learning the language and customs of her betrothed's country, and she knows nothing about Carson's. Carson comes from a country that is very isolated and keeps to themselves. Kalista and Carson have not only a cultural barrier, but a language barrier, and they can barely communicate without an interpreter. The language barrier made for some pretty funny moments while they were trying to get to know each other. I felt like the romance and humour elements were the main focus of the story, and I would have liked to see some more world building and get more explanations about their different countries, as well as more development with the whole monster plotline. I did figure out what the "twist" with the monster was so the plotline was developed enough for it to be logical.
Overall, I thought this was a good read. The language barrier was funny and realistic, and I enjoyed seeing how the relationship (and romance) between Carson and Kalista was able to work and evolve even through their communication issues.
hannahsophialin's review against another edition
2.0
The author/publisher provided a free copy of the book for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a review copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore do not affect the opinion or content of the review.
Live Like Legends sounded like something right up my alley and was interesting, but it wasn't enough for me to finish the book. I DNFed Cornell's debut at 66%.
I like how this focuses on the language barriers between Kalista and Carson, and how they have to work on communicating around that barrier. It's not something I find in fantasy all that often and much of the novel is describing the body language used while communicating, which was vital to the book's execution. Cornell utilizes this very well; there isn't a moment that I'm confused about what Kalista and Carson were trying to communicate with each other.
While Cornell describes body language well, some of the word choice used is awkward. Some of it, I feel are intentional to the story as Kalista is shown to be ignorant early on as she is frustrated with the language barrier; she slowly changes as she begins learning how to navigate the various customs in Estral. Other times, like the quotes below, felt awkward and irritating.
Carson isn't specifically saying the words "snarl growl bark;" it's what he sounds like to Kalista, who is barely at elementary proficiency and can only catch a few words when spoken at normal or slow speed. While I understand the intention of doing this, it could have been better as a description than dialogue.
Carson isn't the one training her as the synopsis says. Emmett is. I don't know if this is an accident or if this happens near the end of the story, but up to where I stopped, Emmett is the one training Kalista on how to fight. And to add on to this, the pacing is slow, as Kalista is still in training when I stopped reading Live Like Legends. I'm not sure how long this will continue, but it feels like the ending is going to rush up and wrap up quickly.
Speaking of Emmett, I loved him! Kalista is quick with her words sometimes and funny, but Emmett is super blunt about his thoughts and he's funny. He's probably one of the only reasons why I read as far as I did.
The world-building is kind of, sort of there. Instead of the prince she was being prepared to marry, she gets forced to marry a prince that no wants because she is their savior from the beast that roams their lands according to a prophecy. Readers aren't aware of what this prophecy says exactly. There's also not much backstory of Reeves, where Kalista is from and who she was. We get snippets, but barely. We find out Reeves is a culture that seems to be a polar opposite from Estral, and that Kalista isn't well-liked at home.
I wish I could have enjoyed Live Like Legends more, but it just isn't my cup of tea.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.
Live Like Legends sounded like something right up my alley and was interesting, but it wasn't enough for me to finish the book. I DNFed Cornell's debut at 66%.
I like how this focuses on the language barriers between Kalista and Carson, and how they have to work on communicating around that barrier. It's not something I find in fantasy all that often and much of the novel is describing the body language used while communicating, which was vital to the book's execution. Cornell utilizes this very well; there isn't a moment that I'm confused about what Kalista and Carson were trying to communicate with each other.
While Cornell describes body language well, some of the word choice used is awkward. Some of it, I feel are intentional to the story as Kalista is shown to be ignorant early on as she is frustrated with the language barrier; she slowly changes as she begins learning how to navigate the various customs in Estral. Other times, like the quotes below, felt awkward and irritating.
"Snarl growl bark!" Carson spit out words so angrily and quickly, even if I knew some of them, I couldn't catch them.
Carson isn't specifically saying the words "snarl growl bark;" it's what he sounds like to Kalista, who is barely at elementary proficiency and can only catch a few words when spoken at normal or slow speed. While I understand the intention of doing this, it could have been better as a description than dialogue.
Carson isn't the one training her as the synopsis says. Emmett is. I don't know if this is an accident or if this happens near the end of the story, but up to where I stopped, Emmett is the one training Kalista on how to fight. And to add on to this, the pacing is slow, as Kalista is still in training when I stopped reading Live Like Legends. I'm not sure how long this will continue, but it feels like the ending is going to rush up and wrap up quickly.
Speaking of Emmett, I loved him! Kalista is quick with her words sometimes and funny, but Emmett is super blunt about his thoughts and he's funny. He's probably one of the only reasons why I read as far as I did.
The world-building is kind of, sort of there. Instead of the prince she was being prepared to marry, she gets forced to marry a prince that no wants because she is their savior from the beast that roams their lands according to a prophecy. Readers aren't aware of what this prophecy says exactly. There's also not much backstory of Reeves, where Kalista is from and who she was. We get snippets, but barely. We find out Reeves is a culture that seems to be a polar opposite from Estral, and that Kalista isn't well-liked at home.
I wish I could have enjoyed Live Like Legends more, but it just isn't my cup of tea.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.
abookishstar's review against another edition
4.0
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC. Note: I will be posting this review on my blog (abookishstar.blogspot.com), Instagram (@abookishstar) and Amazon nearer to (or on) the release date.
Live Like Legends was an enjoyable read by Kate Cornell. I manage to read this book in less than 12 hours. Normally, it takes me a week to read a book. Cornell drew me into the story from the very first chapter. I found the story flowed seamlessly together from one chapter to the next.
I enjoyed Kalista's character and her narration of the story. The romance was sweet between her and Carson. I also appreciated the banter between her and Emmett.
Cornell does a unique take on world-building. The author focuses a lot on building the world, plot and characters through cultural exploration. The cultural differences (language, customs, foods, etc.) between Kalista and Carson are heavily focused on in Live Like Legends. The language barrier, between Carson and Kalista, was a unique touch to the story. In the beginning, I was a bit against it because it made it hard for me to understand and appreciate Carson's character. The language barrier, I felt, distracted me from seeing Carson's character development. I couldn't understand him or really get to know him. However, this technique could be seen as reciprocating how Kalista is feeling throughout the book. The language barrier makes it hard for her to communicate and fully understand each other. When I was 18, I lived in Taiwan for a year as an exchange student. I remember the fear of potentially being mocked for mispronouncing words in Mandarin and feeling lost in certain situations. I think Cornell does an excellent job of portraying what it is like to live in a place that is different from your own both culturally and linguistically. Towards the end, I was more appreciated of the language barrier because it was a plot device that fits well with the development of the storyline.
However, that being said, I think it would have been more interesting if this story was told from two point of views (both Kalista's and Carson's POV).
I enjoyed the overall storyline in this book. It was a bit predictable but, it was still a good read. I do wish there were a bit more descriptions of the characters and of Estral itself.
I also found the first few chapters to be a bit confusing to read. I would have preferred the story to start a bit earlier than when it did in the first chapter. I also wish the key points of why she was betrothed to Carson were better explained (aka: the prophecy).
Overall, Live Like Legends was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the storyline and how smoothly the novel flowed. I stayed awake all night to finish it. If you are into romance and fantasy, then I would check out this book.
Thank you Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC. Note: I will be posting this review on my blog (abookishstar.blogspot.com), Instagram (@abookishstar) and Amazon nearer to (or on) the release date.
Live Like Legends was an enjoyable read by Kate Cornell. I manage to read this book in less than 12 hours. Normally, it takes me a week to read a book. Cornell drew me into the story from the very first chapter. I found the story flowed seamlessly together from one chapter to the next.
I enjoyed Kalista's character and her narration of the story. The romance was sweet between her and Carson. I also appreciated the banter between her and Emmett.
Cornell does a unique take on world-building. The author focuses a lot on building the world, plot and characters through cultural exploration. The cultural differences (language, customs, foods, etc.) between Kalista and Carson are heavily focused on in Live Like Legends. The language barrier, between Carson and Kalista, was a unique touch to the story. In the beginning, I was a bit against it because it made it hard for me to understand and appreciate Carson's character. The language barrier, I felt, distracted me from seeing Carson's character development. I couldn't understand him or really get to know him. However, this technique could be seen as reciprocating how Kalista is feeling throughout the book. The language barrier makes it hard for her to communicate and fully understand each other. When I was 18, I lived in Taiwan for a year as an exchange student. I remember the fear of potentially being mocked for mispronouncing words in Mandarin and feeling lost in certain situations. I think Cornell does an excellent job of portraying what it is like to live in a place that is different from your own both culturally and linguistically. Towards the end, I was more appreciated of the language barrier because it was a plot device that fits well with the development of the storyline.
However, that being said, I think it would have been more interesting if this story was told from two point of views (both Kalista's and Carson's POV).
I enjoyed the overall storyline in this book. It was a bit predictable but, it was still a good read. I do wish there were a bit more descriptions of the characters and of Estral itself.
I also found the first few chapters to be a bit confusing to read. I would have preferred the story to start a bit earlier than when it did in the first chapter. I also wish the key points of why she was betrothed to Carson were better explained (aka: the prophecy).
Overall, Live Like Legends was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the storyline and how smoothly the novel flowed. I stayed awake all night to finish it. If you are into romance and fantasy, then I would check out this book.
bookish_heidi's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great enemies to lovers book. With language barriers which made it all the more interesting. Throw in a beast, and you've got yourself a legendary story.
Kalista was born to bring peace. She was betrothed to the prince of another kingdom to bring peace between their people. Then a prophecy was spoken and she was suddenly betrothed to another man. Carson did not speak her language and she didn't speak his. They married knowing that she was prophesied to bring down the beast that had been killing people on his lands for as long as anyone could remember.
Their party was attacked by the beast as soon as they crossed into Estral. Her tutor/Arihan guard managed to slow the beast and they made it to the castle unscathed. She practiced to learn his language and how to defend herself should the beast ever attack again. The bits and pieces she picked up about court life just didn't make any sense to her. Things didn't add up.
How was she supposed to defeat a beast when armies had failed? Why did she have to marry an Estral to do it?
Fave quote:
I am looking for my missing cow.
Kalista was born to bring peace. She was betrothed to the prince of another kingdom to bring peace between their people. Then a prophecy was spoken and she was suddenly betrothed to another man. Carson did not speak her language and she didn't speak his. They married knowing that she was prophesied to bring down the beast that had been killing people on his lands for as long as anyone could remember.
Their party was attacked by the beast as soon as they crossed into Estral. Her tutor/Arihan guard managed to slow the beast and they made it to the castle unscathed. She practiced to learn his language and how to defend herself should the beast ever attack again. The bits and pieces she picked up about court life just didn't make any sense to her. Things didn't add up.
How was she supposed to defeat a beast when armies had failed? Why did she have to marry an Estral to do it?
Fave quote:
I am looking for my missing cow.
ladytook's review against another edition
4.0
You know a book is good when it keeps you up until three in the morning lol it also helped me get out of a bit of a slump, so that was nice!
I think this is a standalone (?) (it felt like one at least) so yay! While I do like a good series it’s always nice when everything is wrapped up in one book! I loved the world (even if we unfortunately didn’t get to see much outside of the castle) and the world building itself was really well done! I also adored the characters (Emmett is my favourite) and the romance is just incredibly sweet! The book also deals quite well with trauma and one thing that really caught my attention, was the language barrier and the cultural differences! The cultural differences is the main theme of plenty of books (I mean perfect set up for an enemies to lovers plot but anyway ... not what this is about lol), but the language barrier was definitely a new one for me and I liked that because so often we read about characters going to different kingdoms (sometimes worlds) and everything is fine, but it’s not always the case because places usually have different languages and I really liked seeing the MC struggle with that and how her relationship with the love interest grew despite that challenge. I do think one of my main issues was that sometimes dialogue would have ‘grumble grumble’ or like ‘cough’ or ‘growl growl growl’ to indicate a local speaking and her not understanding instead of descriptive text and I didn’t particularly liked that, but that could just be a me thing.
All and all I think it was a pretty solid read.
Thanks to entangled teen for my advanced reader copy!
I think this is a standalone (?) (it felt like one at least) so yay! While I do like a good series it’s always nice when everything is wrapped up in one book! I loved the world (even if we unfortunately didn’t get to see much outside of the castle) and the world building itself was really well done! I also adored the characters (Emmett is my favourite) and the romance is just incredibly sweet! The book also deals quite well with trauma and one thing that really caught my attention, was the language barrier and the cultural differences! The cultural differences is the main theme of plenty of books (I mean perfect set up for an enemies to lovers plot but anyway ... not what this is about lol), but the language barrier was definitely a new one for me and I liked that because so often we read about characters going to different kingdoms (sometimes worlds) and everything is fine, but it’s not always the case because places usually have different languages and I really liked seeing the MC struggle with that and how her relationship with the love interest grew despite that challenge. I do think one of my main issues was that sometimes dialogue would have ‘grumble grumble’ or like ‘cough’ or ‘growl growl growl’ to indicate a local speaking and her not understanding instead of descriptive text and I didn’t particularly liked that, but that could just be a me thing.
All and all I think it was a pretty solid read.
Thanks to entangled teen for my advanced reader copy!
carolibrary's review against another edition
3.0
This fantasy romance employs the arranged marriage trope with Kalista unexpectedly marrying Carson, a man with whom she does not share a language or customs. As a reader, we are dropped right into the wedding, with no build up or backstory.
Kalista was an easy to read narrator. I really enjoyed her banter with Emmet, the priest who served as her tutor and translator. Their friendship was a highlight of this book.
I couldn’t help but get wrapped up in the romance. There were some really sweet moments that made me swoon, and I especially appreciated the efforts Carson made to court Kalista even though they were already married.
I would have liked more character development. Kalista tended to be very negative and a bit of a pushover. She is not the strong-willed heroine I’m accustomed to in YA fantasy, despite her assassin training. Carson’s character development was a bit flat because of the language barrier, and the broken communication grew annoying as the book progressed. I wish we had an opportunity to get inside his head, but I understand why this reflect’s Kalista’s point of view.
I also thought the fantasy elements and the mystery surrounding the monster were underdeveloped and confusing. Kalista spends the entire book trying to learn about the monster and its magic by reading her ancestor Ronaldo’s journals, but she doesn’t find many answers. The villains’ plotting was revealed too late in the book, and while it was a good twist, I never fully grasped the motivations behind it, and the delivery was confusing.
I overall enjoyed this easy and quick read with a cute romance, even though the world building and storytelling were rather simplistic. I think this will appeal more to romance readers than fantasy readers.
Thank you to Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the eARC. All opinions my own.
Blog | Instagram
Kalista was an easy to read narrator. I really enjoyed her banter with Emmet, the priest who served as her tutor and translator. Their friendship was a highlight of this book.
I couldn’t help but get wrapped up in the romance. There were some really sweet moments that made me swoon, and I especially appreciated the efforts Carson made to court Kalista even though they were already married.
I would have liked more character development. Kalista tended to be very negative and a bit of a pushover. She is not the strong-willed heroine I’m accustomed to in YA fantasy, despite her assassin training. Carson’s character development was a bit flat because of the language barrier, and the broken communication grew annoying as the book progressed. I wish we had an opportunity to get inside his head, but I understand why this reflect’s Kalista’s point of view.
I also thought the fantasy elements and the mystery surrounding the monster were underdeveloped and confusing. Kalista spends the entire book trying to learn about the monster and its magic by reading her ancestor Ronaldo’s journals, but she doesn’t find many answers. The villains’ plotting was revealed too late in the book, and while it was a good twist, I never fully grasped the motivations behind it, and the delivery was confusing.
I overall enjoyed this easy and quick read with a cute romance, even though the world building and storytelling were rather simplistic. I think this will appeal more to romance readers than fantasy readers.
Thank you to Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the eARC. All opinions my own.
Blog | Instagram
alexandra_92's review against another edition
4.0
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Review can also be found on my blog, *Milky Way of Books*
Finally a book in which the characters not only have to learn each other but also actually try to communicate with each other! Live like legends takes place in a fantasy kingdom in which Kalista has to marry prince Carson as there is a prophecy in which both play a role.
But they don't speak the same language at all and at the same time, there are cultural differences too that they have to overcome. I enjoyed this book very much as it introduced plot details that not many YA have and I wish I could see more.
It kind of reminded me of one of my most favorite mangas ever "From Far Away" where also the main heroine, Noriko, has a language barrier to overcome.
The missing star for me goes to the book being a YA. I would also be thrilled to read this as a standalone NA or even Adult book.
Overall this was very enjoying and I wish this little gem to get more recognition it deserves.
Finally a book in which the characters not only have to learn each other but also actually try to communicate with each other! Live like legends takes place in a fantasy kingdom in which Kalista has to marry prince Carson as there is a prophecy in which both play a role.
But they don't speak the same language at all and at the same time, there are cultural differences too that they have to overcome. I enjoyed this book very much as it introduced plot details that not many YA have and I wish I could see more.
It kind of reminded me of one of my most favorite mangas ever "From Far Away" where also the main heroine, Noriko, has a language barrier to overcome.
The missing star for me goes to the book being a YA. I would also be thrilled to read this as a standalone NA or even Adult book.
Overall this was very enjoying and I wish this little gem to get more recognition it deserves.