Gunnar

Before Legacy Academy #2

by M. Guida

She's the daughter of the Golden Phoenix, everything good, and I'm the son of the King of the Dark Demons, everything bad. We're not supposed to be together, but she's stolen my heart.

My dad, Ryker King of the Dark Demons, has me back in his prison, trying to force me to do his evil bidding.

The only thing I have to console myself is my memories…
Memories of my new friends that are a family I never had…

And especially Ebony.

She fills my dreams, and if I could only get back to her, maybe I could find love again.

But no one has ever escaped from my dad’s private hell hole.

The only way for me to be released is if I betray my friends and Ebony…I’d rather die.

This is the second book in the Before Legacy series.

If you like secret powers, coming of age stories, forbidden romance, and new found brotherhood, then get this story and go on an adventure.

***This is an upper YA coming of age book and not a romance. The stories in this series are what happened to the heroes before they attend Legacy Academy!

Genres: Supernatural

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2021

About the author

M Guida has always loved fantasy and romance, especially dragons. Growing up, she devoured fantasy books and all kinds of young adult books. And then she found romance and a whole new world opened up to her.

Now as an adult, she fell in love with academy romance and has blended all of her past loves into one compelling series. Dragons, vampires, elves, demons, and shifters all attend Legacy Academy.

When she's not writing, she lives in the colorful Rocky Mountains with her fur baby, Raven, and enjoys taking her for walks.

Would you like to become a Legacy? Sign up for her mailing list and enter a world of the supernatural. https://geni.us/akJn

You can also join her private Facebook page-Legacy Academy https://geni.us/aksDhUZ You'll become a legacy and find out about your special power and maybe even find some romance!

Reviews

[Christina Luberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gunnar is back in his dad's prison, with his sister helping them torture him. He wants to be with Armond, the only person that has ever cared about him. He has fallen for Ebony the Great Pheonix daughter. Will they help save him? Can Armond get them to help, or will he do it on his own? What will happen when Gunnar finds out the truth about his sister and mother? Who will win the war? Can Gunnar ever get away from the evil? Will others always see him as evil because of his father? I borrowed this book from Kindle unlimited.

[Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book was amazingly written. Once I started I couldn’t put it down till I was finished. This book has twists and turns you don’t know what’s happening. will they all get their happily ever after or will it all go wrong. To find out what happens go buy the book. You won’t be disappointed I wasn’t

[Jewell Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, I liked this book. I liked that it was told in first person view, and man do I truly love these characters. I so don't want this series to end here, there is so much story to be told. I felt like I just met them, and there is so much I want to discover. We're introduced to Gunnar and his little sister Kara, both children of the King of the Dark Demons, whereas Lucien, Armond, and Darius are sons of the Gold Demon King and Queen Gregori and Abrianna. We were finally introduced to the Unseelie King and his minions. And Rusty and Evan might just be Shifters? What the what...come on. These two books were so easy to read, I read each of them in one sitting. Yes there are a few typos, and needs better editing, but the stories were fantastic, and you can't help but fall in love with the characters. I could hang out with these characters a lot more. I hope the author reads her reviews. I want more of Armond and Gunnar, and for God's sake don't jump 10 years into the future and make them all grown ups. Half the fun of these stories was their innocence, fierce friendships, childlike wonder, and immature risk taking that made you want to either shake them or hug them or both. If I would have found these stories in my teens, I would have gobbled them up, and read them over and over again, like I did everything S.E. Hinton. Now over 30 years later it really reminded me of what it was like when I was a kid, and the friends I still have to this day.

[Allison Ripley-Duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger Warning: Physical Abuse Depicted. I loved it! It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. Want to read more about the Legacy Academy series? Want to meet the Defenders again? The stories in this Before Legacy series are what happened to the heroes before they attend Legacy Academy. Meet Gunnar, son of Ryker who is King of the Dark Demons and everything bad. Gunnar was their healer and killer, although forced to do both by his father. Ebony is the daughter of the Golden Phoenix, and everything good. They’re not supposed to be together, but she's stolen his heart. His dad has him back in his prison, trying to force him to do his evil bidding. The only thing he has to console himself is his memories of his new friends that are a family he’s never had and especially Ebony. She fills his dreams, and if he could only get back to her, maybe he could find love again, but no one has ever escaped from his dad’s private hell hole. The only way for him to be released is if he betrays his friends and Ebony, to which he’d rather die than do that. If you like secret powers, coming of age stories, forbidden romance, and new found brotherhood, then get this story and go on an adventure. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. I love this backstory to Gunnar’s life. I highly recommend to everyone.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story!

I really like these Before Legacy stories about the characters before they go to Legacy Academy. It really helps give color and layers to the characters.

This is Gunnar's story... and the life he's led has not been a happy one. Raised by a cruel father and taken away from his mother at a young age, the cards were stacked against him, but Gunnar has a beautiful heart under all the nastiness that he grew up with. Since he was rescued by Armond's crew, he's gotten to see what having people who care about him is like, but once again he's taken captive by his father and tortured. Even so much that he's tattooed with a dragon that comes alive.

During the rescue mission, Armond's twin brother is taken so another rescue mission goes underway to get him back. The story makes me feel really, really bad for Gunnar, his childhood, his mother and his sister.

Overall great story! I can't wait to read Ebony's story next!

I recieved an ARC for my honest review.

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Before Legacy stories about the characters before they go to Legacy Academy. This time it is about Gunner and his personal hell. Talk about a hard life, but Gunner has more of a good heart and soul then he was raised and learned about the good side. He thinks he escapes, then is stolen back and his new friends plan to steel him back, again. Just an interesting story that was a bit on the darker side but entertaining on its own and made me really understand Gunner.

[Sydney Dunne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagination has it!

I chose five stars for this book because I ran out of stars. The author has brought in fantasy elements to the story that I've never seen before. As a lifelong reader, starting with the pulp magazines my dad kept altogether in a cardboard box under his bed. I believe I have sufficient experience in this gendre to make this observation. Read this book. You won't be sorry.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic lots of action. It is a book that will your emotions on a wild ride. This is well written and has well developed characters and world. This is book 2 in the Before Legacy series and I recomend you reading the first book as it will give you the background needed for this book as it left on a cliffhanger.
I was gifted an ARC for an honest review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Before Legacy Academy series a well written story that kept me turning pages, there is so much action, suspense, drama, danger, evil, murder, magic, friends, healing. I want to read the next book. I would recommend. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara Marie Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before Legacy: Gunnar (Before Legacy Academy Book 2)


Wow 🤩 what an amazing book, it saddens me regarding all the torture Gunnar has been through, but makes me happy that he has a heart ❤️ of gold throughout this experience…

Definitely recommend this book, but please find someone to help you correct the spellcheck errors…

[Patty Root · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gunnar

This book Before Legacy: Gunnar is the second book in the series. It has a great storyline and super characters however as with the other books in the Legacy series there's missing words, grammar errors on every other page and it is just really simple stuff that I can't believe was overlooked. So I couldn't give it 5 stars.

[Diana Arellano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just saying...

The books are great and the only thing I would change is your proof readers. There are a lot of words that are twisted and added that don't make sense. I'm old as dirt (59) and have recommended your books to my Granddaughter who also enjoys them.
TY and keep the books coming. I can hardly wait for the next one.

[Silas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reading adventure

Emotionally, packed drama of love, abandonment , friendship, betrayal, hope, reunions , persistence, and the search for love and belonging. A roller coaster of high hopes and total despair. Loaded with diversity of characters, magic and lots of action.

[ObsessiveReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. Really makes you feel for Gunnar with everything that happens to him. Don’t let the cover fool you, Gunnar is only 14 in this story. It is leading up to a new series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stacey Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gunner has had a miserable life with his father. He was taken from his mother at a young age and tortured by his father. After being rescued by his father's enemies, he's finally treated well. Until he's taken by his father again, tortured and had a living dragon tattooed into his chest.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great paranormal coming of age story.. I liked it.. Puts things in place for later. A prequel of sorts. Entertaining and interesting..

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dawn Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series

I love how you expand the series by each character. I am excited that there are more characters to read about. You make sure your readers aren't lost to each book in this series.

[Lisa Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gunnar's Review

This story is Gunnar's back story. An excellent edition to the series. A well written paranormal read with fascinating characters. Gunnar's story will have you rooting for the dark demon. Full of plot twists, just an all together, great story!

[Savannah Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again the cover is miss leading. Also it seemed to drag on with how many times the poor boy would get free and then captured again. Only to finally free himself and his sister to be captured again. It was repetitive! Plus it was darker than Armonds book.

[Reader03 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice backdrop to Gunnar's story, his family and how the experiences shaped him. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

His stories are well written but his stories have a lot of typing errors. His characters are so interesting and I am so happy I decided to read his stories.

[Soxie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did love this series, however, if the books had been edited i would have given them a 5 stars!

Cover doesn't match up with description of the main hero. who is aged 14 years.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

This was such a good book. There are a lot of grammatical errors, which is annoying. The story itself was so good. Great characters.

[Kasey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would recommend this book

Again a great book but a lot of spelling mistakes amongst other little mistakes but if you can get past that a really good read! It’s one you just can’t stop reading cause you just need to know what’s gonna happened next.