Mara wasn’t just a Legend who survived on human energy, she used to be a dangerous Shadow who wielded more power than she wanted. When she discovered that Alec, the leader of the Shadows and her childhood love, held a dark secret about her past to keep her prisoner until he could use her against the humans, she ran.
As the first Legend to escape the Shadows alive, Mara must keep moving, hiding among the humans that every Legend learned to hate, while she searches to understand her past. Under the alias Kate, she meets Kylan and his way of life challenges everything she used to know. As she falls for Kylan, she finds clues about what happened before she became a Shadow.
But the closer she gets to an answer, the faster Alec can destroy everything she has grown to love.
I'm so glad to have given this book a chance and I'm incredibly grateful to the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review, as you know, all my opinions are 100% honest and mine. I enjoyed reading this book a lot, it's a compelling read, and very easy to read as well. You know that I'm trash for a good read that contains superpowers in some way, so I adored that, I feel it has an X-men vibe.
I want to start by highlighting the author's great writing style, it's addictive and very impressive, I find it slightly similar to Marie Lu's and being a big fan of her, that pleased me a lot. I think she has a unique way of writing something that you want to keep reading and that in a few hours definitely, being a fast reader, I think you could finish the whole book. I think it handles the reading tones very well, I mean, it's poetic but it's also classic so it doesn't get heavy, it also handles the dark moments and the dialogues very well. Being her debut book, I think she has done an extraordinary job, and I can't wait to find out what will come next.
In this story we meet the Legends through Mara's the point of view, our main character, she'll explain to us what it means to be a legend and how they've evolved to be where they are today. I think the promise is highly interesting and keeps you wanting to guess what will happen next, even so, I found it quite complicated to understand in the beginning. I think that somehow the idea was there and it's very good, but it was difficult to introduce you to it, once you get to understand of course that it becomes more enjoyable, but I confess that it has taken me a while to get to that point. I hope that if there's another book in this world, then the plot and the explanations about the origins of everything that's happening can be better handled. Maybe a better opening or a small prologue.
There are several twists and revelations as the plot progresses, and I loved them, they give a whole different meaning to the story and force the characters to make impossible decisions. There are scenes that are so perfect that you can't stop reading. I felt that if I take my eyes off the page, maybe I would miss something, it's silly, but I was very involved in the scenes and that's 100% on the author and her beautiful way of describing what was happening.
The characters themselves are good, I mean, they kept me entertained and although I didn't love any of them, I think it was interesting to follow their stories. In spite of this, I do believe that there are several cliches happening around the creation and development of these characters. I feel that I've read on several occasions characters like these, but that in no way diminished my enjoyment, although it was obviously quite noticeable
I love the idea of the "Legends", exploring what they are and knowing about their powers and all that things was the most fun for me, I love to know them and what they mean today in this world. I would like to continue reading about that, is a brilliant aspect to explore more.
To be the first author's work, I think it's incredible. It's an entertaining story with many unexpected turns that will keep you wanting more, the ending is GREAT, I loved it and that's why and for the fabulous Legends, that I recommend you to give it a chance, it has also been super easy to read so there are no excuses. Does it need more work? maybe, but it's a solid idea and a very entertaining story to explore. Plus: THE WRITING STYLE!!
|| First Thoughts ||
I ended up enjoying this one even more than I thought I would! I adore the author's writing style and the story, although it's a bit difficult to get into at the beginning, it ends up being an incredible plot, addictive, full of twists and captivating moments. I'll be, no doubt, checking more of the author in the future. I missed this kind of paranormal plot!!
This book is amazing. One of my most favorite ever, probably. The writing is intriguing, luring the reader in from the beginning. You will be flipping the pages as quickly as you can to see what's coming next. The characters are beautifully crafted. In fact, I can't get a few of them out of my head (Alec and Thayer... I'm looking at you ;)). The story is compelling and, in the end, satisfying. A fun read. Perfect for summer break. Hurry and order your copy!
I absolutely loved this book!! ❤️❤️ The author is so creative and talented! When I read it, the storyline totally drew me in. I couldn’t put it down! I love how strong characters are and how many twists there are! I was on the edge of my seat! Strongly recommended this book!!
With such a pretty cover and an enticing synopsis, Legend Undone by Angie Day easily caught my eye. The description of a Legend was intriguing — were they incubus type creatures, energy vampires? Who were these spooky scary Shadows? Truth be told, even after finishing the book, I don’t think I quite know.
The start of the book was very…. complicated. Protagonist Mara goes back and forth numerous times, between explaining what a Legend is, to what is happening, to what happened, to the present again, to what Legends are — just a constant cycle. It made it very difficult to follow. I think what may have worked better would have either been a prologue explaining the creation of Legends, or even an exercise within the Shadows complex breaking down the different levels and abilities. To have Mara go over it, especially as we were in her point-of-view, just didn’t work.
That said, once Mara escaped and becomes Kate, things progress so much better. Her character really seems to develop, the pacing calms down, and we actually get to a story! Though it feels heavily influenced by a number of YA novels, it’s still really enjoyable. I still wanted to know what would happen with Kylan and Kate, and was still surprised by the ending. Also, I managed to surprise myself as well by not actually disliking any of the characters which is strange, though it could be because I have a habit of adopting BBEGs.
For the sequel (is there a sequel? I hope so!), I’d love to learn more about Legends — what they are, how they’re allowed to exist, who polices them, etc. I want to really dive deep into the world-building which felt tenuous at best in Legend Undone by Angie Day. For a book under 300 pages in length, I think this makes for a good, quick read while traveling. Enjoyable, nothing too serious or thought provoking but still enough to invest in. I think fans of Twilight or possibly ACoTaR might find this enjoyable!
// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. //
Angie Day has crafted a well-written fantasy novel in Legend Undone that I’m sure will draw teen readers in, especially if they enjoy the Vampire genre. I will admit that I have not previously read anything in this genre - it has no appeal to me. It took me several chapters to get beyond the “this is creeping me out” feeling. Once I got past that feeling, I was hooked and couldn’t put the book down. I am looking forward to reading Day’s second book in this series soon. Mara/Kate makes a decision to leave the dark “let’s suck their energy until they die” group - not an easy decision. Throughout the story readers will see growth in her as she tries to overcome evil with good. Readers will be disappointed at some of the events in the story - but they just serve to move the plot forward. While Legend Undone is written for the young adult fantasy audience, I would urge caution if considering adding it to a K-12 Christain school library. While not named as such, the main characters in the story are essentially Energy Vampires. There are also some scenes with quite a bit of romantic passion - no details of bedroom scenes but in some sense I felt it was implied. Christian school librarians may want to read the book themselves before making a purchasing decision. The book is well-written and I did enjoy it, I’m just not sure it is appropriate for Christian teens. I want to thank Prism Book Tours for the complimentary copy of Legend Undone. This is my honest review.
I received a free ecopy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A modern-day sci-fi story, in which a lab experiment created a new super species of humans with abilities who pull their energy from humans. These creatures, Legend's, secretly live among humans as, well, legends. The main character, as part of an extremist group of legends finds her self questioning their motives, and caught up in a web of lies and deceit with the leader, so she leaves, embarking on a journey of self-discovery to learn about her past.
The story has potential, but I struggled to really stay interested, because there were a lot of plot points that felt rushed or forced -- specifically some of the relationships she built along the way. She ends up building a new life for herself, and when that begins to crash around her, the rest of the story feels very repetitive. He manipulates her memories, she remembers, he manipulates her memories, she remembers. I will say, there were two big reveals at the end that were surprising and I think, fairly well done.
My other issue was the writing itself. There were moments that it flowed really well, and other moments where it just felt awkward and clunky. Just not consistent.
This is one of the most unique stories that I’ve read! I’m truly amazed! The pace is nice, the story is VERY interesting and I absolutely loved the characters! Amazing writing and one of the best stories of the year!
The blurb on the book took my attention super fast, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, however it was a very interesting story taking in account the best and worst of humanity and woven nicely in a good narrative.
It got me onto this rollercoaster of emotions since the beginning, that says a lot of this book, since you can feel so many things every time you read a chapter.
I'm taking Angie's dare on this one and leaving a review just for her.
Angie, I thought your book was awesome. :) Great concept, you had the mystery, the twists, it was very good! I have just a few things that would make your next books even more awesome...
That being said, it was a little distracting with some of the discrepancies in the writing and silly syntax errors that got kind of overlooked in the editing process. I'm a little bit of a Nazi/critic that way, but I don't think I'm the only one that noticed. There was one part where you said that someones facial went "from to" and missed the word entirely.
The beginning of the book was a little confusing as well with the introduction of legends and such but you probably won't have that problem in the next books. Maybe an prologue could have helped with this confusion?
There were some points where I felt like unwarranted outbursts flared from characters without a manipulation and suddenly went back to normal. I can't give you an example off the top of my head, but I felt whipped around a little at times.
Oh and this is more of a structural thing but sometimes the characters said something and the action they said it with, for example the shake of a head or something, followed a little too late or could have been expressed before the dialogue. I only say this because it upset the imagery a little because it was lagging. By the end of the book you were in full swing and I didn't notice anything in that regard. In fact the imagery and everything flowed really well!
Anyway... I felt like this didn't quite live up to it's potential, but it was close and definitely on the right track. Not bad for your first ever book. :) I hope you keep writing and honing your skills.
"I didn't just want the next ten years with you. I wanted centuries."
Legend Undone takes place in a world where experiments on humans have resulted in a new "species" of people called Legends. Legends survive by feeding off human energy (think energy vampires), and have superhuman capabilities and powers. It's been a while since I've found a truly original idea, and I was super intrigued while reading! Kate, the protagonist, is a Legend who is part of an evil organization called " the Shadows" that doesn't value human life. Her inner battle between what she knew to be right and what felt good made for exciting character development.
There is a lot of mystery surrounding Kate as she discovers who she truly is. I was kept guessing the entire time! Given that this is the first book, I can tell that the world and storyline will only get richer and deeper. And, of course, the romance! Ah! Kylan is so swoon-worthy! I think you'll fall in love with him, too. His utter devotion to Kate and the goodness in his heart were really beautiful to read about.
Read if you enjoy: X-Men & I am Number Four Vibes Action & Suspense Hidden Identities Redemptive Arcs Swoony Love Stories
!CW: There is quite a bit of dark violence featured in this book. The character feels real regret, and evil is painted clearly as evil; however, there are a lot of heavy moments.
*Thank you so much to Angie for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own!
If you like reading fantasy novels, you will love this book. If you have not found a book in this genre you have liked before, give this one a try. I can almost guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Mara is part of a superhuman race called Legends. She is also a member of an elite group of Legends, Shadows. After learning she has been betrayed by the leader of the Shadows, she goes on the run in search of answers to her past. She has to move often to keep from being caught and with each move she takes on a new identity. As Kate she meets Kylan. She finds herself thinking a lot more of him than she should allow for both their sakes. She begins to open up to him but keeps her darkest secrets at bay. Little does she know that he has secrets of his own.
This book was so amazing and intriguing I found myself staying up way too late to read “one more chapter”. It was action packed! It is also a wholesome book without sex scenes or curse words. There is a fair amount of violence but it was not overly graphic.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a book to take them to an altered world.
This story was a pretty good start to a series for a debut author. I enjoyed the Legends and their powers. The world was interesting, but the characters were my favorite part of the novel. All of them seemed unique and were fun to get to know.
The protagonist Mara/Kate is searching to overcome her shady past and live in the human/Legend world. The time jumps may have been a little jarring to start, but the ending was totally worth it. I hope the sequel comes quick because I want to read it already.
Disclaimer: I received an early copy of this book to review. It does not affect my opinion.
It was a little confusing at the start due to the fact Legends age differently to humans. Also took me a moment to place the era. With all that being said, I really enjoyed this story. The whole Legend aspect with their powers and abilities was very interesting to explore.
For a first time Author, this was really well done. Excited to see the Author grow.
(Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the Author. Does not affect my review)
I was just browsing my local library when I found this book. The cover intrigued me and so did the summary so I took it home. I was not disappointed. The story almost has a vampire feel to it and reminds me a bit of what little I know about Twilight (I've never read or watched twilight but I know the basic plotline). The book was fascinating and a great read, I simply couldn't put it down. I would 5 out of 5 recommend this series for anyone who enjoys fantasy and romance with a dark past.
I was so excited to read a book by a local author. Has a great ending that makes you want to know more. It’s surprising to find a story that hasn’t been told, but this was definitely a fresh new story, that kept up a good speed the whole book. It keeps you with a question always in your mind. Can’t wait for Shadow Unbound.
This was a great book! Minus a few clunky sentences, I loved the story. The scene in the forest totally got my heart pumping and I wanted Mara to win so badly!
I really enjoyed this book and the plot twists I did not see coming. All the relationships seemed believable and I definitely already have my own ships setting sail.
Little slow at the start but fantastic read! Action, thrill and romance keep you wanting more. 10/10 would recommend! Thanks best friend for gifting it to me.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Legend Undone by Angie Day is an exciting book that I love. It is set in our universe but with a different twist to it that I love. The new species "Legend" has tons of magic and it's thrilling watching them unravel each new power whenever it comes available. Can Mara find her memories? Mara/Kate Mara is a Legend, a new species that we created, and is on the run from a group of people that she genuinely thought where on her side. Each new place that she has run to is a different identity that she has created for it. Now her search has to lead her to Portland where Mara is living in the middle of humans. Kate is Mara's new persona in Portland and the one that she likes the most. There are so many things happening throughout this book, and Mara/Kate continues to change and grow. This character is fascinating, and she is the main point of view. Kylan Kylan is also a Legend and Mara/Kate's love interest. Well, Kate's love interest technically. He is a great guy that is trying hard not to be evil like his father has always wanted for him. He, like Kate at first, is a level Four and doesn't like using one of his abilities (that is a significant plot point so I won't tell you about it). Everything about this character is fantastic, and he makes Mara/Kate a better person. Kylan is awesome. Five Stars Legend Undone by Angie Day is a fantastic book that just kept on surprising me throughout the unfolding of the story. I loved all the twists that Ms. Day has incorporated into the book, and I can't wait to read the next book to find out what happens between Mara/Kate and the organization that she left. I am recommending this book to all fantasy readers out there.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Legend Undone by Angie Day.
Legend Undone captured my interest with its intriguing cover and premise. However, the novel’s beginning was convoluted, with excessive explanations about the Legend concept hindering the narrative flow. Once Mara's character arc begins post-escape, the story picks up pace and becomes more engaging.
While the plot draws inspiration from familiar YA tropes, the characters are surprisingly likable. The ending was unexpected and left me curious about the characters' future.
I found the world-building surrounding the Legends underdeveloped and hope for a deeper exploration in potential sequels. Despite its flaws, the book is a quick, enjoyable read that leaves room for improvement.
I like this story. The mystery and suspense is intriguing, but for some reason I couldn't visualize these characters' features, and that was frustrating to me. The plus is Legend Undone is a good story, the kind you stay up all night to finish, the kind of story that calls you to come back to it when you have put it down because real life calls. Yes, it was worth all my time. I love Mara and Kylan, and I can't wait to see what happens next for these two.
Highly recommend this book. It was so good, I finished it in just a few days (thanks, honey, for letting me read ALL DAY LONG 😉). The story is engaging— complete with plot twists and turns that keep you guessing where the story will end!! It was nice to read a REALLY GOOD book and not worry about questionable material. I will definitely be following this author for more!!!!
An interesting tale of friendship, betrayal and love. The story follows Mara/Kate who is part of the Shadows, a group of magic welders who subhuman energy for survival! It was an interesting and fast-paced story! I received a free copy of the book and this is my voluntary and honest review.