Book Review: The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 336 pages
Author: Adrienne Young
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: September 7th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with The Last Legacy, a captivating standalone about family and blood ties, reinventing yourself, and controlling your own destiny.

When a letter from her uncle Henrik arrives on Bryn Roth’s eighteenth birthday, summoning her back to Bastian, Bryn is eager to prove herself and finally take her place in her long-lost family.

Henrik has plans for Bryn, but she must win everyone’s trust if she wants to hold any power in the delicate architecture of the family. It doesn’t take long for her to see that the Roths are entangled in shadows. Despite their growing influence in upscale Bastian, their hands are still in the kind of dirty business that got Bryn’s parents killed years ago. With a forbidden romance to contend with and dangerous work ahead, the cost of being accepted into the Roths may be more than Bryn can pay.

IT WAS FINE?

I don’t know what the point of this book was. And that became my main conclusion after talking to others about it too. Fable and Namesake are both gems (even though Sky in the Deep is my forever favorite) and this felt like a forced story in the same world.

I ended up minding more than I expected that we never saw a character from the previous two books. I know this is a separate story, but it almost felt like a different place because the world building went out the window since it was apparently discussed enough prior.

Bryn was a solid main character. I did like her and thought she was passionate and the kind of manipulative I love seeing in a mafia-esque book. She weaved her own destiny and did what was best for her and within her relationship with Ezra. Ezra was great too, but them together lacked intensity. They moved quicker than what was written so by the time a love scene (closed door) rolled around I didn’t feel invested.

The ending wrapped up SUPER quick. I’m still surprised that’s how it closed because it left a ton on the table. There just could have been a lot more added here and a lot more taken away that felt unnecessary. I’m truly feeling all the frustrated feelings of working through this one.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses to one closed door
  • Violence: physical altercations (including slapping a minor), loss of loved ones

Instagram || Goodreads

Book Review: Calamity (Reckoners #3) by Brandon Sanderson

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Dystopian / Sci-fi
Length: 424 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: February 16th, 2016
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.

David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when the Reckoners’ leader struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back. . . .

But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

GOOD ENDING.

Only Sanderson could convince me to read a dystopian novel. And I’m glad I finished up this series. It was a pretty solid read, great for a younger audience, and were fast paced.

As usual there were some wild twists and turns that kept me on my toes. I liked the set-up of this final showdown and between the Reckoners and Epics. A few of the lasting surprises all clicked into place as they usually do when reading a Sanderson novel.

I liked the exploration of parallel versions of their world. Since it had been built up, it didn’t feel like a cop out to the original plot, but rather the final missing puzzle piece to solve the mystery of Calamity.

David is a favorite character of mine and I love his utter inability to make a simile, and his unfailing faith in something good. He was the perfectly flawed guy to lead the Reckoners to finish the job. I always enjoyed this world with all of the different powers and seeing the evolution of cities and society. Kind of trippy, but intriguing.

Another Sanderson series complete!

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult dystopia/sci-fi
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: physical altercations, magical powers, gun violence

Instagram || Goodreads

Book Review: The Widow and the Highlander (Tales from the Highlands #1) by Martha Keyes

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 290 pages
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: February 27th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She needs to be protected. He’ll take on the job…for a price.

Christina MacKinnon is secretly relieved to be a widow. She is equally desperate to distance herself from the clan of her dead husband, but as the heir to his estate—one she needs in order to support her siblings—she must first stave off both the advances and threats of the man next in line to inherit. It seems the only person she can turn to is a nearby stranger who seems inclined to help her. But he has a request…

Freshly returned from the war, Lachlan Kincaid has one aim: to see justice served to the MacKinnons for betraying his family years ago and depriving him of his inheritance. While biding his time at a nearby inn, he discovers the death of the MacKinnon laird—whose widow has inherited everything. The way to accomplish his goal is becoming more evident, but the path is murkier than he could have foreseen.

As Christina’s and Lachlan’s lives intersect, it becomes clear that their separate aims may well only be achievable if they join forces. But to do so is to court more danger, and it requires a sacrifice Christina isn’t sure she’s prepared to make.

DRAWN TO THE HIGHLANDS.

Really though, put a book in a Scottish setting and I am drawn like a moth to a flame. I love how well written and put together this novel was.

There was a tender, unmitigated romance that I found myself getting wrapped up into. I adored the two strong leads, Christina and Lachlan. Both with vastly different backgrounds that came together in a marriage of convenience (MY FAV) to outwit some unruly family members. I even found myself okay with another trope (which has a spoilery nature so I won’t say here) that I’m generally not a fan of. Keyes wrote both characters with passion and thoughts that made sense and I could get behind even when they were upset or frustrated.

I felt transported to the highlands and saw the set-up for book two that I know I’m going to love. These characters made the story and I love the pacing and how in depth it was even at a shorter page length (under 300).

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses to closed door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, mentions and recounting of past spousal abuse (physical), near drowning, war injuries

Instagram || Goodreads

Book Review: The Gilded Cage (The Prison Healer #2) by Lynette Noni

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 448 pages
Author: Lynette Noni
Publisher: HMH
Release Date: October 12th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Kiva trades one cage for another when she leaves behind a deadly prison for a deceptive palace in this dark and dangerous sequel to The Prison Healer, which Sarah J. Maas called “a must-read.”

Kiva Meridan is a survivor.

She survived not only Zalindov prison, but also the deadly Trial by Ordeal. Now Kiva’s purpose goes beyond survival to vengeance. For the past ten years, her only goal was to reunite with her family and destroy the people responsible for ruining their lives. But now that she has escaped Zalindov, her mission has become more complicated than ever.

As Kiva settles into her new life in the capital, she discovers she wasn’t the only one who suffered while she was in Zalindov—her siblings and their beliefs have changed too. Soon it’s not just her enemies she’s keeping secrets from, but her own family as well.

Outside the city walls, tensions are brewing from the rebels, along with whispers of a growing threat from the northern kingdoms. Kiva’s allegiances are more important than ever, but she’s beginning to question where they truly lie. To survive this time, she’ll have to navigate a complicated web of lies before both sides of the battle turn against her and she loses everything.

SOLID SEQUEL.

Gratefully I didn’t get a lot of book two syndrome here! This kept the pacing up and the action moving.

I liked where the plot headed this round. Learning even more about the kingdom and the rebels. Finding out a lot about the history and meeting a whole bunch of new characters. Nothing was overwhelming and it only enhanced the story at present. I love having a further grasp on the world and magic system.

Kiva was my main letdown. For someone who just spent 10 years in prison not trusting anyone, she sure throws trust around like candy. I thought it was pretty obvious who Kiva shouldn’t have listened to, buuut in risk of spoilers I’ll keep it there. Kiva could have done more for herself this round rather than focusing on one minor plot matter, so I’m hoping for more from her in the last book.

I also missed Jaren!! Kiva hung out with Cal (not a love triangle situation!) more often than Jaren and I wanted more soft moments between my ship. I can’t say I was fully feeling Kiva and Jaren together as much as I wanted. Again, another point I hope changes in the last book. Jaren is the absolute gem of this series. HE’S SO SWEET.

Things end on a wild note. While I saw the reveals coming this time I didn’t see how the ending would shake out. I’m definitely intrigued and grasping at straws for what happens next and can’t wait for the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: physical and magical altercations, kidnapping and torture, murder
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: depictions of drug abuse and addiction

Instagram || Goodreads