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The Unicorn Legacy #1
The Unicorn Legacy: Tangled Magic
From the creator of The Unicorn Quest series, a wondrous new series set in the magical land of Arden, full of unicorns and mystery!Magic pulses bright in Arden, a world where humans who craft magic have been at war and separated for hundreds of years. Now a new era has dawned, the unicorns have returned, and the prime minister has decreed that apprentices from all four guilds will learn in the newly formed Unicorn Academy. But peace is As rumors spread of dark magic and of unicorns disappearing, twelve-year-old apprentice Olivia Hayes is caught between her joy at newfound magical abilities at the academy and proving to everyone that her older sister, Laurel, is NOT a unicorn poacher. She and her friends must untangle the truth and the secrets of the past to spin a stronger future-or else the unicorns of Arden may be lost forever. This sweeping middle grade fantasy is about friendship, choice, and the ties that truly matter.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2024
7 people are currently reading
3085 people want to read
About the author
Kamilla Benko
9 books313 followersKamilla Benko spent most of her childhood climbing into wardrobes, trying to step through mirrors, and plotting to run away to an art museum. Now, she visits other worlds as a children’s book editor. Originally from Indiana, she currently lives in New York with her bookshelves, teapot, and hiking boots.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 3, 2023
I'm going to give myself five stars, because I am incredibly proud of the story in these pages and because if I don't, then who will? :)
In this book, you'll find:
*Family secrets
*Art that is literal magic
*Anne of Green Gable references
*A grumpy fossil
*An earth-shattering twist
*....and unicorns!
It's also my love letter to some of my favorite books, like Prince Caspian and The Subtle Knife, so make of that as you will....👀
In this book, you'll find:
*Family secrets
*Art that is literal magic
*Anne of Green Gable references
*A grumpy fossil
*An earth-shattering twist
*....and unicorns!
It's also my love letter to some of my favorite books, like Prince Caspian and The Subtle Knife, so make of that as you will....👀
July 13, 2024
Tiny Craig and I adored this! Amazing!!!
March 3, 2024
Wow!!!! This was so impressive :o! This deserves more than 5 stars!! I squealed when I realized this is the first book in a new series. And I am not capable of writing a proper review right now because I think I need a few days to lose some of that freakin’ amazing book adrenaline and emotion you only get from the best books. Highly recommend this one! One of the best fantasy books I have ever read.. Did I just order all of the authors’ other books? 100% yes!!
January 23, 2024
My daughter and I are so excited to read this book! Ms. Benko’s story telling abilities are just as magical as the worlds she creates!
May 8, 2024
Before you scoff or scroll past, if you haven't read a middle grade fantasy book since Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, YOU ARE MISSING OUT!
This story is...
🦄 so beautifully written! I am going to go back and re-read so I can annotate the second time through. It feels slightly like a Rebecca Ross novel, where the imagery and descriptions are written in such a beautiful way you have to pause to take it all in.
👒 Olivia (FMC) is such a great character! She has the imagination and knack for "trouble" like Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables) at the same time being an absolute MASTERMIND like Aelin (Throne of Glass)
🪄 Unique magic system! You have forgers, gemmers, tillers, and spinners and the creations/abilities they each have was part of my favorite book.
📚 Leaves you on a cliff hanger and boy oh boy, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!
If you are looking for your next fantasy read, I highly recommend this! It was highly entertaining and so refreshing to read something that doesn't follow the typical YA or Adult fantasy script.
This story is...
🦄 so beautifully written! I am going to go back and re-read so I can annotate the second time through. It feels slightly like a Rebecca Ross novel, where the imagery and descriptions are written in such a beautiful way you have to pause to take it all in.
👒 Olivia (FMC) is such a great character! She has the imagination and knack for "trouble" like Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables) at the same time being an absolute MASTERMIND like Aelin (Throne of Glass)
🪄 Unique magic system! You have forgers, gemmers, tillers, and spinners and the creations/abilities they each have was part of my favorite book.
📚 Leaves you on a cliff hanger and boy oh boy, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!
If you are looking for your next fantasy read, I highly recommend this! It was highly entertaining and so refreshing to read something that doesn't follow the typical YA or Adult fantasy script.
September 13, 2024
If you know me at all, you know I absolutely love sister books, and that includes the books in the previous series by Kamilla Benko, The Unicorn Quest. Getting to visit the land of Arden again (and even getting a quick cameo by a character from the other series!) was such a treat.
In this book, Olivia, who worries she has no magic at all, accepts an invitation to a special school for magic users of all kinds. Her older sister is a magical prodigy, having completed her training in record time, and Olivia feels even more left behind by the way her sister has changed in the face of her new success.
So many pieces of the story were placed opposite one another in the perfect way to create tension. Lots of times, I thought I knew what was going on, and then new information made me see things in a different way. I love when a well-constructed story does that.
The end of the book leaves no doubt this will be a series I closely follow. This book reminded me all over again why I loved Kamilla Benko’s writing and the sweet, complex sister relationships she explores in her stories. Fantasy fans looking for a magical school or unicorn story will not want to miss this one.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
In this book, Olivia, who worries she has no magic at all, accepts an invitation to a special school for magic users of all kinds. Her older sister is a magical prodigy, having completed her training in record time, and Olivia feels even more left behind by the way her sister has changed in the face of her new success.
So many pieces of the story were placed opposite one another in the perfect way to create tension. Lots of times, I thought I knew what was going on, and then new information made me see things in a different way. I love when a well-constructed story does that.
The end of the book leaves no doubt this will be a series I closely follow. This book reminded me all over again why I loved Kamilla Benko’s writing and the sweet, complex sister relationships she explores in her stories. Fantasy fans looking for a magical school or unicorn story will not want to miss this one.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
February 28, 2024
I am too old for this to be my most anticipated series of 2024, yet here we are. I hope we get the return of at least Sophie with her newfound powers and wisdom.
November 27, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Olivia Hayes lives in the magical realm of Arden, to which Claire and Sophie traveled in The Unicorn Quest books. She lives with her Nan, who is a Tiller and runs a magical apothecary. Olivia tries to help, but since she has no magic and is often distracted, she sometimes makes rather large mistakes, like accidentally turning the mayor into a giant mushroom! She's surprised to find that she's been invited to a new magical academy in the city of Lumin, but she only has three days to get there. She hopes that this would give her the opportunity to finally find some shred of magic, but despairs of getting Nan's permission, or a way of traveling to the city. When her sister Laurel returns from her training with the news that she has been hired to be a healer in Lumin and has asked to bring Olivia as her assistant, Oliva sees a way to attend the school. Unfortunately, the Dandiloon (hot air balloon contraption) that the girls use for the voyage runs into bad weather when Olivia is reading rather than paying attention, and crashes. The Ambrosia potion that Laurel is taking to the school gets lost, and Olivia sets out to find it while Laurel repairs their vessel. Surprisingly, Olivia comes across a unicorn! She hopes to take it back to Laurel's school, but when she tries to capture it by holding on to its horn, she falls into a sinkhole. Luckily, Laurel hears her and rescues her, and Olivia barely makes it to her school in time. She ends up being given Spinner training, which is odd given her Tiller family connections, but that is where her talents seem to lie. She makes some good friends, like Tourmaline, who is learning about Gemming and is useful to consult about history, as well as different kinds of magic. There is someone who is trapping unicorns, and the school is impacted by the problems that this causes. At some point, Olivia strongly suspects that Laurel is the culprit, and she is even arrested. Things are more complicated than that, and Olivia finds herself playing a larger role than she ever imagined in the problems with the unicorns. One of the students has come from another world, and when things become especially dire, Olivia finds herself embarking on a new adventure that will certainly take at least one more book to complete.
Strengths: Olivia is an appealing character because she, like my middle grade readers, doesn't have any magic. This gets her into all kinds of trouble, but her persistence in getting to Lumin City and attending the school despite her Nan's objections will definitely be of interest to middle grade readers who secretly believe that they, too, have hidden magic. It's a very exclusive school, operating for a very short time, and intricately involved in the larger political schemes being affected by the unicorns, putting Olivia and her friends in a good position to save their universe from destruction. Having Laurel supposedly involved in illicit activity is intriguing, and the twist that this takes is quite good. Fans of The Unicorn Quest will be eager to get their hands on this book!
Weaknesses: I expected that one of the characters, who is revealed at the end as coming from New York City, would have been from The Unicorn Quest series, but this doesn't seem to be the case. I'm a little unsure if this book takes place after that series or before it. Unicorns seem to be as rare in Olivia's world, so maybe it takes place around the same time? I also didn't follow the thread of the war between the guilds and how this impacted the unicorns, although it did seem to be something I remembered from the other books.
What I really think: This had a lot of delightful magic, and some very solid academy details about classes, different kinds of magic, and even some potions, so this will be very popular with young readers who harbor a secret desire to have their own unicorn. I just sort of wished that the story had been happier, and not the unicorn fantasy/dystopia it ended up being, because I read it on a very gray, cold day. Have even our fantasy adventure books become this dire?
Olivia Hayes lives in the magical realm of Arden, to which Claire and Sophie traveled in The Unicorn Quest books. She lives with her Nan, who is a Tiller and runs a magical apothecary. Olivia tries to help, but since she has no magic and is often distracted, she sometimes makes rather large mistakes, like accidentally turning the mayor into a giant mushroom! She's surprised to find that she's been invited to a new magical academy in the city of Lumin, but she only has three days to get there. She hopes that this would give her the opportunity to finally find some shred of magic, but despairs of getting Nan's permission, or a way of traveling to the city. When her sister Laurel returns from her training with the news that she has been hired to be a healer in Lumin and has asked to bring Olivia as her assistant, Oliva sees a way to attend the school. Unfortunately, the Dandiloon (hot air balloon contraption) that the girls use for the voyage runs into bad weather when Olivia is reading rather than paying attention, and crashes. The Ambrosia potion that Laurel is taking to the school gets lost, and Olivia sets out to find it while Laurel repairs their vessel. Surprisingly, Olivia comes across a unicorn! She hopes to take it back to Laurel's school, but when she tries to capture it by holding on to its horn, she falls into a sinkhole. Luckily, Laurel hears her and rescues her, and Olivia barely makes it to her school in time. She ends up being given Spinner training, which is odd given her Tiller family connections, but that is where her talents seem to lie. She makes some good friends, like Tourmaline, who is learning about Gemming and is useful to consult about history, as well as different kinds of magic. There is someone who is trapping unicorns, and the school is impacted by the problems that this causes. At some point, Olivia strongly suspects that Laurel is the culprit, and she is even arrested. Things are more complicated than that, and Olivia finds herself playing a larger role than she ever imagined in the problems with the unicorns. One of the students has come from another world, and when things become especially dire, Olivia finds herself embarking on a new adventure that will certainly take at least one more book to complete.
Strengths: Olivia is an appealing character because she, like my middle grade readers, doesn't have any magic. This gets her into all kinds of trouble, but her persistence in getting to Lumin City and attending the school despite her Nan's objections will definitely be of interest to middle grade readers who secretly believe that they, too, have hidden magic. It's a very exclusive school, operating for a very short time, and intricately involved in the larger political schemes being affected by the unicorns, putting Olivia and her friends in a good position to save their universe from destruction. Having Laurel supposedly involved in illicit activity is intriguing, and the twist that this takes is quite good. Fans of The Unicorn Quest will be eager to get their hands on this book!
Weaknesses: I expected that one of the characters, who is revealed at the end as coming from New York City, would have been from The Unicorn Quest series, but this doesn't seem to be the case. I'm a little unsure if this book takes place after that series or before it. Unicorns seem to be as rare in Olivia's world, so maybe it takes place around the same time? I also didn't follow the thread of the war between the guilds and how this impacted the unicorns, although it did seem to be something I remembered from the other books.
What I really think: This had a lot of delightful magic, and some very solid academy details about classes, different kinds of magic, and even some potions, so this will be very popular with young readers who harbor a secret desire to have their own unicorn. I just sort of wished that the story had been happier, and not the unicorn fantasy/dystopia it ended up being, because I read it on a very gray, cold day. Have even our fantasy adventure books become this dire?
May 18, 2024
For lovers of middle-grade fantasy who want a series opener that has the feel of an old favorite but with unique twists aplenty to draw you in, I definitely recommend Tangled Magic. The land of Arden was an awesome setting, with lots of intertwined history and magic that felt appropriately layered and deep without ever becoming confusing or info dump-y. Olivia and her friends were quite simply just fun to read about. Too many friendships feel forced, but the ones in this book never do, perhaps because they develop so naturally at the beginning of the story.
Although Tangled Magic is interconnected with a previous series set in Arden, I don’t think you’ll enjoy this book any less by not having read the earlier ones—I didn’t! Plus, I definitely want to go back and read the Unicorn Quest series now that I enjoyed Tangled Magic so much (at least, while I wait for the sequel, which I very much want to read after the ending of this one). I recommend Tangled Magic to readers ages eight and up who are looking for an exciting fantasy series to dig into.
Thank you to author Kamilla Benko for providing an e-copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions here are my own.
Although Tangled Magic is interconnected with a previous series set in Arden, I don’t think you’ll enjoy this book any less by not having read the earlier ones—I didn’t! Plus, I definitely want to go back and read the Unicorn Quest series now that I enjoyed Tangled Magic so much (at least, while I wait for the sequel, which I very much want to read after the ending of this one). I recommend Tangled Magic to readers ages eight and up who are looking for an exciting fantasy series to dig into.
Thank you to author Kamilla Benko for providing an e-copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions here are my own.
February 28, 2024
This book is everything I was looking forward to reading, and it exceeded my expectations even if it didn't pan out how I expected it to. In addition, I also loved the continuity nod and references to the first series, which I hold quite dear.
Much like the first book in The Unicorn Quest, we don't see much of the older sister in this first book. Instead, Benko convincingly takes you into the mind of a twelve year old girl named Olivia with a very... innocent view of the world around her. Ideas and theories that you would normally call silly suddenly seem very real and possible through her lens. Twists that you should have seen coming blindside you because Olivia didn't have that information. Without getting into specifics, there always seems to be something new and surprising at every turn.
Magic, unexpected friendships, sisterhood, and a cliffhanger that has me eagerly awaiting the next book. And don't forget the unicorns.
Much like the first book in The Unicorn Quest, we don't see much of the older sister in this first book. Instead, Benko convincingly takes you into the mind of a twelve year old girl named Olivia with a very... innocent view of the world around her. Ideas and theories that you would normally call silly suddenly seem very real and possible through her lens. Twists that you should have seen coming blindside you because Olivia didn't have that information. Without getting into specifics, there always seems to be something new and surprising at every turn.
Magic, unexpected friendships, sisterhood, and a cliffhanger that has me eagerly awaiting the next book. And don't forget the unicorns.
March 4, 2024
Let me just say that I loved it, the beginning, middle and end was amazing so many plot twists, and mystery and I like seeing the old characters returning from the unicorn quest series, I like how Olivia had done everything in her power to prove that Laurel is innocent and of course how shocking that Olivia can do all four powers,
I would really want to know what happens next, because I thought that book would end there. But it turns out it's not, I wanna find out will they find the missing unicorns and of course learn more about violet's story, it was shocking to know that she is from another world, could it be possible that she is from windmere where Claire is from? I hope Kamilla does a second book of this and I hope it will be soon, but overall, she did a fantastic job on this book. That's why I gave it 5 stars. Hope to read more of her work in the future.😊❤️
I would really want to know what happens next, because I thought that book would end there. But it turns out it's not, I wanna find out will they find the missing unicorns and of course learn more about violet's story, it was shocking to know that she is from another world, could it be possible that she is from windmere where Claire is from? I hope Kamilla does a second book of this and I hope it will be soon, but overall, she did a fantastic job on this book. That's why I gave it 5 stars. Hope to read more of her work in the future.😊❤️
April 2, 2024
4.5/5 - I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book because I don’t read much middle grade fiction, but I was so pleasantly surprised! The world building is great and I really love the magic system that the author has set up. I also love the group of girls that Olivia finds herself befriending and how they support each other and work together.
The mystery itself doesn’t have an obvious solution—it definitely hasn’t been dumbed down for a younger target audience. Olivia does jump to conclusions at times, but it feels more genuine since she’s only 12, where I would find myself rolling my eyes at an adult jumping to the same conclusions.
I do feel like there are some things that didn’t quite make sense or need some further explanation. I also found it extremely difficult to tell the deans/provost apart. I literally had no idea which deans were which, what they looked like, whether they were male or female, or which section they were over.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from the series. I’ll be hanging on to this one because I think my daughter will eventually be a big fan of this series. Once she learns to read at least.
Note: I received a free advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The mystery itself doesn’t have an obvious solution—it definitely hasn’t been dumbed down for a younger target audience. Olivia does jump to conclusions at times, but it feels more genuine since she’s only 12, where I would find myself rolling my eyes at an adult jumping to the same conclusions.
I do feel like there are some things that didn’t quite make sense or need some further explanation. I also found it extremely difficult to tell the deans/provost apart. I literally had no idea which deans were which, what they looked like, whether they were male or female, or which section they were over.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from the series. I’ll be hanging on to this one because I think my daughter will eventually be a big fan of this series. Once she learns to read at least.
Note: I received a free advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2024
Kamilla Benko creates the most magical, transportive stories that I would have devoured as a kid (and still love as a grown-up!). This new series revisits the enchanting world of Arden and has so many things to love: a magical academy, unicorns in peril, smart girls, sisterhood, and lots of surprises! The magic system in the book is creative and unique. I can't wait to see what the next book has in store.
November 29, 2023
This book makes me remember what it was to be very young, when the world seemed infinite and every door might hide an adventure behind it. Benko has the rare gift of confirming for child readers that magic is real, and carrying grownups back to the time when they knew that, too.
(Official blurb. I love it so very much.)
(Official blurb. I love it so very much.)
July 17, 2024
This book had some socking moments but did not do so well. There were some times were you were like what is going to happen next, I am jumping up and down. But the rest of the book was not good and those moments only happened a few times. I did not like this book and most likely will not continue the series.
July 28, 2024
My daughter and I read this and thoroughly enjoyed it!! We cannot wait for book #2!
The magic system was very unique , we liked how each Guild had a distinct style / personality. The friendships and character was well done and there were exciting twists and turns.
My 7yr old says: “It’s the best book I’ve ever read!!!!!!!”
The magic system was very unique , we liked how each Guild had a distinct style / personality. The friendships and character was well done and there were exciting twists and turns.
My 7yr old says: “It’s the best book I’ve ever read!!!!!!!”
March 26, 2024
Absolutely adore this series. Takes me back to my childhood playing in the woods with my neighborhood friends going on adventures into our own realms of imagination. All around wholesome and good fun!
🦄⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🦄
🦄⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🦄
April 5, 2025
We finished and Logan screamed WHAT?! THAT WAS IT? y'all we were duped. This is the start of another series?! More to come. Enjoyable. Totally didn't catch the twists (better than lots of romantasy I've read lately). Great read.
March 26, 2024
Read this now!! So good! 🤩
Want to read
April 23, 2024O
May 16, 2024
What a magical ride. Unicorns, magic, guilds forbidden to interact, dark magic, what's not to love?
May 20, 2024
Mood while reading: di di di, smh gma, di di di, horrible roommates, di di di, jaw. On. The. Floor. 🫨
August 17, 2025
Read this with my 7-year-old and both her and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I definitely recommend it for parents to read with their unicorn-loving child.
December 1, 2025
adorable story
must go find previous trilogy and read immediately.
must go find previous trilogy and read immediately.
May 5, 2024
This was a wonderful new beginning in one of my favorite fantasy worlds. While the story was a bit boring at times, and there was a big manifestation of plot armor in the end, and I was left with a lot of questions, I quite enjoyed the book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews