Title: Legendborn
Author: Tracy Deonn
Type: Fiction
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
(Simon & Schuster)
Date published: September 15, 2020

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

⤖ My Review ⬻

This has been, hands down, one of my favourite reads of the year (if not the favourite!…I haven’t had a moment to sit and really create a list yet…). As is the case with many other books, it took me a little bit longer to get into the flow of the writing, the setting, the characters–especially Bree. She’s a character in mourning, and it was at times hard for me to read about that part of the story as I myself have been mourning family members since last summer and the grief is still raw. On the other hand, once I was a few chapters into Legendborn, having this in common with Bree also made me feel a lot closer to her.

I absolutely love the mix of an older college campus (the architecture and vibe…gah!) and the paranormal. There’s just something about it that really draws me in. I also liked that Deonn dove into the history of Black people at the campus on which the Legendborn story is set, as it was educational and eye-opening. Then there’s the story itself as a whole–which might have been my favourite part! I was unsure about the Arthur legend retelling portion of it, but I really like how the author handled that! Legendborn was so much fun, and such a thrill to read! And I absolutely need a copy of the next book in my hands ASAP. If it’s not already obvious–I highly recommend!

⤖ About the Author ⬻

Tracy Deonn is a writer and 2nd gen fangirl. She grew up in North Carolina, where she devoured fantasy books and Southern food in equal measure. After earning two degrees from UNC-CH, Tracy worked in live theater, video games, and K-12 education. When she’s not writing, Tracy panels at SFF conventions, reads fanfic, arranges doggy playdates, and keeps an eye out for ginger-flavored everything.

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⤖ Let’s Chat ⬻

THANK YOU FOR READING MY REVIEW! HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? WHAT DID YOU THINK? AND IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET, DO YOU WANT TO, OR NOT? HOW COME? LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS!