Science Fiction & Fantasy
![Tracy Deonn - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B084BTFFW7.jpg)
Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle)
An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
Winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award
Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn's YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and "braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery" (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles).
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.
This paperback edition of Legendborn contains a teaser to the thrilling sequel, Bloodmarked, as well as an exclusive short story from Selwyn Kane's perspective!
Winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award
Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn's YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and "braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery" (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles).
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.
This paperback edition of Legendborn contains a teaser to the thrilling sequel, Bloodmarked, as well as an exclusive short story from Selwyn Kane's perspective!
Readers Top Reviews
PhoenixFGPhoenixF
I did not see that twist coming. It never even crosses my mind but I loved it! There's so much going on in Legendborn. Pain, anger, love, acceptance...it encompasses stories we all know and love and breathes new life into them. It also brings up issues Blacks have to deal with on a daily basis. I definitely recommend it. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
LewPhoenixFGPhoen
This book is probably one of the best books I have ever read EVER.! I cannot even begin to express how PERFECT this book was. The main character.? Strong and bold.! The plot creative with intricate details that really stick with you. The character development.? Incredible.! The author also intertwined grief throughout the book and it was so well done and relatable. Wow just wow. It was such a well written book and I'm honestly so so sad that I finished it so quickly. I have to have more.!
Ashley GriffinLew
Deonn is such a master of craft that you’ll be stunned that this is her YA debut. She knows the tropes inside and out, subverting them masterfully!! Seriously. This is a groundbreaking contemporary fantasy with many layers of diversity. Bree journeys through her grief in such a believable and pulls-no-punches way. The magic is riveting, the love interests are swoony (yes, you read right. InterestS), and the twist will have you reading way past your bedtime. I can’t say enough good things about it. This has been my favorite read of 2020. Possible spoilers in content warnings: racial slurs, past child abuse, and the impact of American slavery.
Arrakis718Ashley
I read this book in a day and now I'm going to have to wait most likely a year or two before the next installment. I swear, streaming services have spoiled me... I usually like to wait until a series is finished before I start because I dislike waiting over a year for the next one. All that being said... I loved this book. Some of the names were a little confusing at first but I got the rhythm after awhile and I enjoyed Bree and her feelings about death and legacy. Losing a mother is hard and I totally felt the writer's pain as I've felt it myself. She did a great job of navigating those waters. And the action! Lawd! I want to know where you know who went... is she going to pick one or the other... will it be weird having certain people inside you if you want to have a relationship??? Too many questions that I need book 2 to answer. Get on it please!!! Support and buy this book! Great escapism from a crazy year we are having.
Kindle Arraki
I am definitely split writing this but I won’t give into rewarding something just because it has cultural value. The black part of me likes that the author tried to acknowledge and put in some of our struggles but I don’t think it was done in a productive manner. She portrayed a constantly victimized black person and this is just one perspective that isn’t truly reflective of the total black experience. It’s somewhat unfair to white people making them all seem ignorant or outright belligerent. It’s unfair to black people making it look like we are constantly worried about race. Some of us are proud and extremely happy with what we have achieved and feel a connection to all that came before us without the explicit need for family walls and names. There is injustice and unfairness in black lives but this was a ham handed way to present it. The fantasy book lover in me hated the main character. She was entitled, whinny, and overall weak. She was crazy self righteous and bold but when it came to actually facing enternal and external challenges she ran and or collapsed. It was like watching a child throw temper tantrums to get her way and then when she did and realizing it wasn’t what she wanted throwing it away. The magic system could have been interesting if you didn’t have to wait 85% book to get to it. I applaud the effort but I truly didn’t enjoy the experience.
