"Legendborn" is one of my favorite reads of 2020. I don't even like to pick favorites for anything. It just showed up and said, "Hey, I'm going to be one of your favorites."

Bree is a fantastic main character and narrator. I love how she goes through life unapologetically, even when she doesn't feel like herself. The worldbuilding was phenomenal, combining to create a multilayered playground for both the plot and Bree to grow. From the start, Deonn's writing pulled me in so I had no choice but to be invested in everything going on. She packs a punch with her debut, and handles it like a pro. This will appeal to fans of fantasy, myths and lore, contemporary, and especially to fans of Leigh Bardugo's "Ninth House" or Netflix's "The Order." I had major entertainment hangovers after each of these stories, and "Legendborn" is no different. I already want to reread it!

Being a high school overachiever often seems like the only way to guarantee the college-bound future that many young people strive for. So imagine Bree’s surprise when her own mother negatively reacts to Bree’s acceptance into the Early College program at the University of North Carolina, her mother’s alma mater. Even more tragically, before the mother and daughter can recover from the major argument that this news presents, Bree’s mother is the victim of a fatal car accident. Reeling from this profound loss, Bree goes forward with the Early College program in hopes of distracting herself into productivity and possibly finding connection to her mother by partaking in similar campus experiences.

As Legendborn progresses, we see Bree’s journey through grief go through the universally acknowledged five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. During Bree’s denial stage, which lasts through much of the book, she gets involved with a mysterious group who she learns may be involved with her mother’s death. Believing that the clues that she’s gathered will help her to find the reason behind it all, Bree pushes Nick, a cute guy that happens to mean a lot to the secret society she needs entry into, to aid her secret cause.

However, Nick’s help getting her in doesn’t mean success for her mission. First, based on the rules of this Order, new people like herself are only allowed one area of entry — which means competition with people who have been bred to serve this system since they were born. Second, there are mysterious awakenings of terrifying demon creatures that risk the secrecy of the Order and the deaths of their members and non-members alike. Third, Bree finds herself falling for Nick, a mutual desire that is discouraged by the majority of the Order, including powerful and attractive mage, Selwyn, who places plenty of barriers around Bree’s success.

With the Order somehow becoming the most and the least of Bree’s concerns, she must also contend with her failing relationship with best friend and Early College enrollee, Alice, persuade her father that she’s doing well despite some initial missteps, and go through therapy that also introduces her to a part of her mother’s legacy that she had no idea existed.

Throughout it all, we see Bree’s lingering anger towards: the racism directed at her and those she interacts with; her mother for leaving without providing her insight about her magical abilities that have recently appeared; and those obscuring the truth about what happened to her mother. The bargaining and depression stages leave Bree some of the clarity that she seeks, but are not nearly as satisfying as she’d hoped for in her journey towards truth. It is in the final act of the book that we see her simultaneously gain knowledge that leads her to understand who she truly is and accept not only her mother’s untimely death but what it means for who she’s become after this unbearable event.

I would be remiss not to note the ode to Arthurian legend that leads the fantastic core of this universe but cannot share much about it here without providing spoilers. What I can share is that the legendary aspects of this old mythos was shrewdly chosen by Legendborn author Tracy Deonn to both challenge and accentuate the importance of maintaining tradition and legacy, especially in a setting like the American South where both of these concepts drive a great deal of culture and society — for better and worse. In remaining true to the feel and rhythm of Southern life, while also shining a light on the Black experience in this region with a fantasy set up, Legendborn serves as an intriguing first entry in what looks to be a series as windy and undeterred as the curls in Bree’s hair.

LEGENDBORN is a brilliant, genre-subverting YA sure to change the fantasy genre forever. Tracy Deonn has taken Arthurian legend and turned it on its head. With a strong cast of characters, led by MC Bree, LEGENDBORN subverts tropes, while still paying homage to them. As Bree mourns her mother's death, she finds herself with a magical gift, one that places her right in the middle of a (very white) secret society of what she'll soon learn are descendants of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Bree is a fierce, powerful main character, with a sharp voice that immediately inspires devotion in the reader. Deonn also manages to create a truly impossible love triangle, with no clear winner. This is an incredible start to a series that readers will be sure to obsess over.

Such an amazing book! I enjoyed every moment of it, all the twists and turns and everything! Cannot wait to see where this series goes. I've loved a lot of recent Arthurian retellings, and this is no exception. I will definitely highly recommend to anyone looking for this kind of retelling, or even if they like fairy tale retellings.

Thank you for the chance to read the e-ARC!

After the death of her mother, Bree is determined to leave the small town of Bentonville, NC. She gets accepted into early college at UNC-Chapel Hill and it seems like she’s found the perfect get away. Things changed when Bree witnesses a supernatural attack that only she can see. She then discovers a secret society of descendants of King Author who she believes can help her uncover the truth behind her mothers death. 

This book pulled me in from the beginning. I immediately became invested in the authors amazing writing, characters, world building and exciting storyline. I really loved Bree. She is determined, strong-willed and resilient. I admired the way she didn’t let her issues deter her from accomplishing her goals. I definitely related to her when it came to the grief and the guilt that comes with losing your mother. Can we get an Amen for the diversity and Black Girl Magic in this book? I absolutely loved reading about Bree’s silk scarves and hair care routines. It felt good to see Black hair respected and represented.

The author touched on the racism and Bree faced at school and dealing with the police. She also talks about sexism and how the women of Legendborn are sabotaged. Overall, this book was a journey filled with mystery, magic and ancestry. I didn’t want to put it down and the next day I had the red eyes to prove it. Don’t take my word for it, check it out

Overall I loved this book. It was a fantasy dark academia vibe that I adored and I cannot wait to read the sequel. It reminded me a bit of the Netflix shows ARES and THE ORDER, but with it's own original spin as well. The characters were great, and the historical context was amazing. This was an incredibly powerful fantasy.

One thing I did not love about this book though, was the lack of clarity regarding the characters ages. It seemed almost like everyone had originally been a college student, and at the last minute the MC's age was driven down and the high school program was included so that the MC could be 16. It is unclear what age the other characters are, although they all seem to be college students, which at times was awkward and uncomfortable. Also, at a few different points in the story the MC states how her mom and grandmother both "also" lost their moms at age 18... Which led me to once again think that the MC was supposed to be 18, but was aged down for whatever reason. I checked in with a few other people who have also read the book, and it seems I am not alone in being confused about the characters ages. There also seems to be no actual plot-driven advantage to making the MC 16 years old or part of a high school program.

I will clarify that I read the arc, and perhaps there will be changes made prior to the finished copy being released.

Legendborn is stunning and if you like ya fantasy at all you. must. read. this. Yes, it's that good and is one of my favorite novels of 2020!

The comparisons to Cassandra Clare are very accurate--this is a fast, hold on to your seats read that sucks you in and leave you (or at least me!) wanting more now! Great writing, great characters, especially Bree, the mc, and great plot. Like, twist after twist and done right and superbly! Legendborn is outstanding, one of my favorite books of 2020 and is very highly recommended.

This is an incredible book that I will highly recommend to all of my teen readers (and adults, for that matter).  Tracy Deonn is a masterful contemporary fantasy author.  This book shines with worldbuilding but still feels so perfectly contemporary despite all the legend and lore in a perfect balance of fantasy and contemporary romance and relationship-building.  The exploration of grief, trauma, racism, and other complex topics will be so important to teen readers, but so will the the lightness and joy of a perfectly written teen romance.  I adored this book and can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Imma just come out and say it: this book was STUNNING! A book centered around Arthurian legends starring a Black girl is everything I never knew I needed! There was so much that struck me on a personal level, even though I didn’t grow up in the South or, ya know, have to fight demons on the regular. So, as I go through my review, I wanted to also share 15 thoughts I had while I was reading the book. Starting with:

The look at the effects of grief is raw, painful, and real.

The book starts out with our main character, Bree Matthews, learning that her mother has died in a car accident. This event is pivotal in not only Bree’s life, but the story as we continue. But what struck me the most was how much it made me hurt. I am blessed to have not dealt with the death of an immediate family member so far in my 37 years of living. But reading about Bree’s pain, her anger, her turmoil… I felt it like it was my own. That is a testament to Tracy Deonn’s writing. That she could make me feel and understand Bree’s grief on Bree’s terms shows a depth in character creation and storytelling that blows my mind!

Speaking of Bree, she is an incredible main character!

She’s strong and smart. She’s stubborn and flawed. She’s dealing with so many things that a young girl of sixteen shouldn’t have to deal with and it’s amazing to watch her develop and grow. The way she processes her grief, the way she fights to understand her abilities… everything about Bree is so carefully crafted and well-developed that you can’t help but root for her! I don’t tend to like a book where the characters feel flat and one-dimensional. Thankfully, the characters of Legendborn are anything but that!

I see my teenage-self in Bree.

Bree is part of an program where she starts attending college at the early age of sixteen. While I entered college in the traditional sense, I was only seventeen when I started, so I instantly felt a connection. A strong connection with the characters of a story always makes me love it more! And then I read this quote:

“If we could get into EC, we could leave Bentonville High and move to a university dorm two hours away from home – and away from parents who held us so tight that sometimes we couldn’t breathe.

And, God, did I feel that! I went to a college about an hour and half from where my parents lived at the time for that exact reason! Looking back, my parents were not nearly as overbearing and suffocating that I thought them to be, but try and tell teenage-Kerri that. I loved how much I could connect with Bree, even as a woman in her late thirties.

You can tell when white people haven’t met/talked to a lot of Black folx…

Another aspect of this book that really resonated with me is the look at microaggressions against Black people and, more specifically, Black women. Bree finds herself embedded in an organization where she is one of maybe two POC and most definitely the only Black girl. But, even before that, she has to deal with interactions with mostly white people that made me cringe. There’s an instant where a character makes a comment about Bree’s hair and her reaction was spot on.

“I cringe because his tone is the one that feels less like a compliment and more likes he’s happened upon a fun oddity – and that fun oddity is Black me with my Black hair.”

It’s interactions like these that make you wonder if you are the first Black person the commenter has made an attempt to talk to. Or, even worse, when they touch your hair without permission. Ugh.

Tracy Deonn really captures the feeling of being the only Black person in a predominately white space.

I grew up in the military, so I’ve lived a lot of different places with a lot of different cultures. One thing that was a constant, though, was that my family tended to live in the suburbs and the schools I tended to go to were predominately white. My brother and I were often two of only a very few Black kids. So reading about Bree navigating her way through a place like the Order of the Round Table brought back a looooot of memories. The feelings of having to just “deal with” some pretty racist remarks. The way people assumed you were there as some sort of minority check-mark and not because you earned it. The feeling of having to be twice as good as everyone else to prove you belonged. It’s all dealt with in an earnest and honest way throughout Legendborn.

Nick is awesome…

Oh, Nicholas. If I were to liken the characters to animals, Nick would be a literal Golden Retriever. He’s so earnest and sweet and good!! Once Bree is well and truly embroiled with the Order, all he wants to do is protect her and, though Bree is a badass who don’t need no man, it is so sweet to watch their relationship develop. Beyond his interactions with Bree, though, Nick is such an interesting character! He has a lot going on and a lot of layers that we just get a peek into in this first book. I’m definitely intrigued by where his development might take him.

…but Selwyn is my favorite and no one can change my mind!

If Nick is a Golden Retriever, Selwyn is that feral black cat you adopted that you think hates you, but will jump on your lap for an exact amount of chin scratches every once in awhile. I love Selwyn! I mean, yeah, at first I thought he was an entire asshole, but he most definitely grew on me throughout the book. So we now have three main characters whom I really adore… it’s no wonder I, with my character-focused self, loved this book so much!

Vaughn can catch these hands 🤬

That’s not to say I loved all the characters. There were definitely a few I wanted to jump into the book and fight on the regular. But that is yet another testament to Tracy Deonn’s writing! When I’m invested enough to want to fight a fictional character, you know you’ve got me hooked!

I love the nods to Arthurian legends!

One of the main reasons I wanted to read this book is because of the King Arthur aspect. I love Arthurian legends! I even took an entire course dedicated to it when I was in college. So when we get little details like people in the Order associated with the descendants of the knight Gawain having bright green handkerchiefs, my heart was happy. Arthurian legends are so convoluted (there are just so many) but I think Tracy did an amazing job weaving them into her story.

I also love the mystery weaved throughout this book.

As soon as Bree works her way into the Order, you can tell that something is not right. Demon attacks are on the rise, there’s tension among the members, and something just feels… off. I loved trying to figure out where the story was going alongside Bree. I love a good secret and this book has PLENTY! Speaking of secrets and mysteries…

The magic in this world is incredible!

The world-building around the magic and the lore is, perhaps, my second favorite thing about this book! (First being the characters, obvs) I think the author does an incredible job of developing her magic system and how everything works. I like how, even though there are established rules, there’s still some intrigue about how things work that we have to puzzle out (see my last point… I love a good mystery). It’s interesting, and it ties into the real world so well that it makes it both fantastical and believable.

The little nods to the power of Black women are just… *chef’s kiss*

There is a point where Bree is meeting with an older Black woman and she thinks…

“I can’t tell how old she is, of course, because Black women are magical like that. She could be forty or sixty, or some number in between.”

And, like… I felt that ❤ This book is filled with magic in the literal sense, but I loved the nods to Black Girl Magic that are interspersed throughout.

This book legit made me laugh out loud 😂

Bree has such a wry sense of humor that I was absolutely okay with spending the entire book inside her head. There were multiple moments where her thoughts had me snort-laughing! And not only were her thoughts amusing, but there were various interactions that had me vastly amused, as well. I do enjoy a book that connects with my sense of humor and this hit the nail on the head!

This book also made me feel the bone-deep weariness of an unexpected Wash Day.

Look. Black hair is beautiful, but it is a temperamental mistress. A planned for Wash Day is an event that can quite literally take all day. But when Bree had to deal with an unexpected Wash Day on top of all the other drama in her life? I felt that in my soul.

That ending, though… 🤯

ASKDMEKRNFD, THAT ENDING!!! I can say for certain that I did not see it coming but I am so glad it ended like it did! I do love when a book surprise me and that definitely happened here. And it was executed in such brilliant fashion, too! I cannot wait until the next book is in my greedy, little hands because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!

Final thoughts/#Ownvoices reflection: What can I say other than this book blew my mind? There was so much about Bree’s story that made me feel incredibly seen. There were uncomfortable, if familiar things. The way she feels she has to shrink herself to navigate white spaces. The way she is constantly fighting just to be seen as an equal. The many microaggressions she has to deal with on a regular basis. But there were also beautiful things. Her pride in her wonderful, natural curls. Her relationship with her father that made me think of my own dad. And the kinship she finds when interacting with some Black women she meets during this story. I felt represented in this story entrenched in Arthurian legends in a way I have rarely felt in the most contemporary of stories. I grew up loving fantasy novels but always resigning myself to the fact that people who looked like me were either absent, evil, or side characters. It makes me unbelievably happy to know that my children and the generations after them won’t have to grow up in that same world. They will be able to pick up a book like Legendborn and see themselves, front and center.

And they will have a damn good time while reading it, too! This book has everything I could want in a great fantasy: compelling characters, interesting magic system, and excellent world-building. If you’re looking for a fast-paced story where secrets abound and trials await, I think you would love Legendborn!

Tracy Deonn has the skill to transport you to a world of magical realism. She’s a wordsmith with imagery and spares no details. It truly helps the reader immerse themselves in the story.

It's been awhile since I've enjoyed a book from the start, but Legendborn starts fast and manages to hold that pace throughout the story. The action doesn't fester and build in a frustrating way. Instead, you immediately get thrown into the confusion alongside Bree. You can't help but root for her, even when she seems to be making uninformed decisions. 

I was surprised to find myself interested in the lore and its connections to King Arthur. I've never read or watched anything to do with the story, but that did not stop me from enjoying this modern take.

I will definitely be keeping my eyes on this author and the rest of this series. Highly recommend.

Mourning her mother who was killed in a mysterious hit and run accident, Bree enrolls in a UNC-Chapel Hill program for high achieving high school students. She vows to uncover the secrets surround her mother's death and joins an ancient secret society based on Arthurian legend, not knowing that she will soon be caught up in powerful old magic and a fight to prevent the dark forces of the Shadowborn from destroying the world as she knows it and the people she loves.

Beautifully crafted, with rich world building, dynamic characters, and tense, edge of your seat plotting, the author manages to increase its depth with more than good versus evil tropes, weaving themes of race, class, gender, courage, loyalty, and friendship. This one is a standout

Summary
After Bree's mother dies in a sudden car accident, she needs to escape her grief and childhood home. So Bree heads off to UNC-Chapel Hill with her best friend as an Early College student. But one her first night there, she witnesses a magical attack - a flying demon who feeds on human energy.
Suddenly Bree is wrapped up in a society of demons, magic, and Arthurian descendants. And she needs to decide how far she'll go for the truths she desperate to uncover. 

Overview
➸ POV: 1st Person from Bree's POV

➸ Bree Matthews: 16, Black, Early College College student at UNC, Mother recently passed away in car accident, Best friend to Alice, Grieving

➸ Alice Chen: 16, Taiwanese-American, Bree's best friend and roommate, Early College student at UNC, Queer (not labeled), Cautious

➸ Selwyn Kane: 18, White, Gold eyes, Merlin, Kingsmage, Mysterious & temperamental

➸ Nick Davis: 17, White, 2nd year Early College student, Bree's mentor, Charming, (view spoiler)

➸ Content Warnings: Death of a parent, Car crash, Grief, Police encounters, Racism, Murder, Blood/Gore/Fighting, Memory loss & manipulation, Sexism, Slavery

My Thoughts
Wow! This is an action packed, powerful, YA fantasy that I completely fell in love with. 

This book wasted no time diving right into the action! But 11% I was already on the edge of my seat, completely invested in discovering more about this world. 

I loved how the author was able to weave the world building throughout the story since we are learning about this complex world and magic system right along with the main character. There is SO MUCH to this world, it could easily have become overwhelming. But Tracy Deonn gave little pieces throughout the book rather than dumping everything on at once, so I never once felt lost, confused, or overwhelmed. 

The characters in here were absolutely fantastic. Every character was layered and flawed and complex. Bree was one of the MCs that so many people will be able to connect with. I loved her journey of learning to handle her grief and discover who she wanted to be. Her friendship with Alice was so strong, despite some rocky times. I also loved Bree's relationship with both Sel & Nick. The 2 male MCs are so different from one another but I loved them both equally.

In general, this book did an amazing job with character arcs and growth. The side characters - Will, Bree's father, Patricia, Alice etc, were all so fantastic and really brought this story to life. I love when I can connect with a supporting character just as much as the MCs! 

This story was so unique in the way it took a popular legend like Arthur and gave it a modern day spin. The themes that Tracy Deonn wove through this story and legend completely blew me away. This definitely can get heavy at times, so please be aware that this deals heavily with racism and slavery in the south. But despite those heavy topics and gut-wrenching scenes, Deonn created a story of power. In her author note at the end of the book she says -

"Athuriana is an opportunity for us to reorient ourselves to the stories we preserver - and rediscover who gets to be legendary."


Overall I completely devoured this book and will be thinking about this YA fantasy long after putting it down. If this book isn't on your radar - add it right now! From amazing characters to complex world and magical systems, political intrigue to powerful themes, this story has it all. I desperately need the sequel to this!!

I wasn't sure what to think of this book initially and even though the first half I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it.  It is hard to create something that feels new and interesting in relation to Arthurian myth, and Tracy Deonn has done a very good job of that.    In creating the world of her novel she has utilized the stories of Arthur to both claim and disrupt traditional narratives. There is so much going on in this book in terms of what it deals with and presents to the reader.

Bree, our heroine, has suffered the loss of her mother and has not fully processed it.  This was an area that I felt the book shined in particular with how Bree processed this loss.  What made this work was the inner thoughts that were given to Bree which weren't always in line with her actions and the way in which she was surrounded by people who cared for her allowed us to see the complexity of processing the early loss of a parent.   

The book opens with Bree having newly arrived for an early college program at what is a Southern legacy type of college.  We meet her at a pre-semester party where she accidentally gets sucked into events beyond her control.  Immediately we are presented with a scene establishing that Bree's presence as a young black woman will be a major component of this book.  Representation and inclusivity throughout the book are excellent overall, although occasionally I felt a few things were heavy-handed in the internal monologues making it unclear if these were moments that were really interior or exposition meant to regularly remind the readers that Bree was Black, something that the plot and other characters surrounding her were very much predicated on how Bree sees herself and is seen by others in the places she finds herself, specifically a well-established secret society - that, of course, turns out to be connected to the legend of King Arthur and the Round Table.    I greatly appreciated that Bree's experiences as a Black woman encompass and acknowledge a range of both negative and positive moments that consistently feel genuine and real. 

Within this secret society, Bree is surrounded by students, just a few years older than her, waiting to be called into service as the descendants of various Knights of the Round Table.  There are quite a few characters here and I think a bit more could have been done to make some of them more clearly defined.  Bree ends up competing to become a squire in order to solve a mystery surrounding her mother's death.   Bree pulls Nick back into this secret society world even though he has (sensibly) tried to leave it behind because of their past actions.  Bree falls for Nick, but there are, as in any YA, complications and the prospect of what may be, if not a potential love triangle, then further difficulties based on Nick's protective and somewhat mysterious not-friend/bodyguard. . 

The writing here is quite strong, mixing both highly imaginative and very visual action sequences with humor and moments of contemplation. I enjoyed the set up of the way that magic works in this world and it makes the ending reveal work beautifully.  In some ways, however, I am more excited for the next book to come as, while fun, a good portion of this did feel like an expository set up for further action. 

Whether in the end this will be more of a King Arthur retelling (see above potential love triangle) or simply inspired by these legends remains to be seen, but Deonn has created a unique and fun YA legend inspired fantasy with a lot of further promise. 

Advanced reader copy via the publisher and Net Galley.

This action-packed debut holds nothing back as it burst onto the YA scene with an unputdownable retelling of the classic Arthurian legend. Legendborn is an emotional rollercoaster ride as it pulls you through a world full of mystery, swoon-worthy romance, and rage-inducing scenes. Bree is truly the protagonist we’ve needed, she isn’t afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in. She’s powerful, and it’s an honour to follow her at the beginning her journey!

My full review will be out on Geek Declassified on September 14, 2020

Legendborn is a contemporary fantasy about a girl named Bree Matthews discovering a secret society made up of descendants of King Arthur's knights, and she is certain they are connected to her mother's death. A magical war is coming, and Bree will do whatever it takes to discover the truth.
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This book is amazing and I was hooked from page one! Bree is kind, thoughtful, and courageous--if a little headstrong--and I felt her sadness, her anger, and her joy. Following her on her journey made me relive some of my (often hurtful and exhausting) college experiences--I know what it's like to be the only black kid in the room, to have my worth questioned, to wonder if I truly belong in spaces that originally weren't made for me. This book took those recurring insecurities that black people still face to this day, balled them up, and ignited them in mage fire. Bree is here, she is not sorry, and she is ready to make a change!
••
Legendborn is full of legends, black girl magic, and blossoming friendships. It has monsters, both human and demonic, acknowledged and unacknowledged blood, and hard truths. It is a beautiful fantasy book by a black author, a book that I wish I could go back and give to 11-year-old Sydney and let her know that in time she will see more of her brown face and big hair in the genre that she loves most. It is a story about grief, about acceptance, and about love.

From the very first words of the Prologue, Deonn grabs you with her poetic and captivating language. There are many moments of heavy, beautifully written, and gripping prose that tugs at your heartstrings. There were multiple instances where I reread passages simply to appreciate the way in which Deonn wrote them. The way in which the Arthurian lore is woven into the story is ingenious. It’s a fresh and exciting take on a well-known legend, and the mix or lore and magic was fascinating and highly engaging. I’ll be doing a full written review on blog, where I will continue to gush (IN DETAIL) about this book, so be on the look out! I’m excited for the sequel!

First of all, I’d like to thank Hear Our Voices Book Tours and the publisher for sending me a finished copy of this book to review!
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I don’t even know how to encapsulate just how amazing this book was. Yes, it’s a King Arthur retelling, but it is also so. much. more!!! The way the author tackled topics such as microaggressions, racism, stolen Black history, grief, generational trauma, and more so seamlessly throughout the book was truly amazing. I found myself wanting to highlight quotes throughout the whole book. Another thing about this book that really resonated with me was Bree’s awareness of taking up space in her predominantly white surroundings while being Black. As someone who currently attends a PWI, I identified with Bree’s acknowledgement of spaces that were not made for her.
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I really enjoyed reading about the magic system(s) in this world. The pacing of the action in the story was amazing and the last few chapters had me at the edge of my seat. I cannot wait to read more about this world and this story in the future! If you’re looking to read a contemporary fantasy story with so much more to offer than magic, I highly recommend Legendborn!

I really wanted to love this book, but it ended up being just an okay read for me.  The writing style is lovely and I really liked Bree, but in the end, I just struggled too much to grasp and keep all of the details of the magical system straight in my head.  I think it's just a me thing though and that most readers will adore this King Arthur retelling.

This is an incredible work by Tracy Deonn featuring Bree Matthews, a student accepted to college early. As if dealing with the transition to collegiate life, negotiating a white world as a Black person, and flailing in the grief of her mothers death wasn't enough, Arthurian legend is very real and she is a part of it. After a misguided trip to the quarry where every one jumps in to let off steam, Bree is caught up in a battle between otherworldly creatures and otherworldly people except the next day she is the only one who remembers. That trip catapults her into Nick Davis' orbit and the discovery that the legends of King Arthur are very real and very deadly.

Deonn writes a world that carefully balances the alarmingly real pain of being ostracized or worse for being Black and managing grief with fantasy of mythic proportions. This work is a brilliant addition to any collection and should be celebrated.