Breaking Legacies

All of my reviews can be found at The Romantic Reader Blog. 100% dedicated to honest reviews of lesbian romance novels. Breaking Legacies by Zoe Reed is phenomenal! It has everything you want and need all wrapped up in one glorious tale. This is easily, EASILY one of the best books I have read in 2016! The romance gives you the feels, the characters are strong dynamic women, it’s just so freaking good. Kiena Thaon is a nineteen-year-old woman who is beyond skilled as a hunter and tracker. Her family is dirt poor, left to starve after her father was killed after being labeled a traitor to their king. While the family’s name has been ruined, Kiena has learned to provide by taking what she can from the forest. Her family would die if not for the provisions that she provides. Her skills have been honed out of the direst necessity. What is amazing about Kiena is her graciousness and selflessness. She is one of those characters that while her life has been so difficult, she never lets those hardships jade her. Her spirit captivates you as the reader. Think of her as a Katniss Everdeen type character. She takes the role as the hero, not because of machoness but because that role falls on her. You love her for her vulnerability as much as her strength. Ava Gavestonis is the other main character in Breaking Legacies. When we first meet her she is a runaway princess that Kiena has been hired/forced to find. Her father, King Hazlitt wants her brought back to the castle immediately.…

I recommend this book often to my friends, not as an wlw story but as a neat fantasy novel with a well-written relationship between two main characters. Kiena is a fascinating narrator, biased and flawed and palpable. I was wary in the beginning of the way she would be portrayed, but by the first chapter I was hooked. Sometimes it feels like all the LGBT books out there are written by people who have no clue what same sex relationships are really like - this isn't one of those. I love these characters, the genuine (and not hypersexualized) relationship between Kiena and Ava, and the world Zoe Reed has created. I was intrigued by Reed's allusions to celtic mythology and the unique veins of magic, as well as the detail given to the animal characters and the world's history alike. It can be so difficult to find well written, interesting LGBT books - especially those in the fantasy genre. So often in media, LGBT characters draw the short straw and are put through hell without clear reason or even character development. In Breaking Legacies, the characters have their share of drama, but nothing you wouldn't find in any more mainstream fantasy novel. My heart was definitely in my throat in some bits of the story, but the ending was what I'd hoped for - I just wish there was more! Overall this is a well-written, action-packed fantasy novel featuring a great, realistic wlw relationship.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written (for the most part), I loved the characters, the magic system was fun and interesting, there were dragons. However, it did tend to drag in places. It was also fairly predictable. Nothing wrong with sticking to the tropes and things, but some of it was painfully obvious and detracted from my overall enjoyment. There is lots of action and adventure in this book. There are daring fights that our characters barely survive, there is magic combat, travel to distant places seeking to change fortunes, and so much more. The romance between Kiena and Ava was well done. There was a bit of instalove to it all, but there was still some angst and pining before they figured things out. There is a little bit of spice, honestly could have used more though. I did have a few issues with believability. For instance, one cannot fashion garments out of freshly skinned hides...that's literally not how it works. The idea that Kiena could actually see the "good" from Silas's perspective...anyone willing to murder an innocent to manipulate another party is in the wrong, period. There didn't need to be any kind of sympathy for his opinion. And then feeling the need to handicap yourself by releasing a prisoner, pure naivety on the part of a fairly pragmatic character. The idea that Kiena helping Ava wouldn't endanger Kiena's family. She acted like she could just return home after everything and expect it to all be ok, which made no sense for the…

I'm so excited that I read this book! I can't wait until some time has passed, and I forget enough of the smaller details so that I can go back and reread this story to soak up those little pieces as if they were fresh again! Assuming you read the synopsis, you should just buy this book and here's why: 1. You're clearly interested in a lesbian romance, if in fact you are aware that this is one. If not, surprise, but you should still try it! This is one of the best adventure/romance novels featuring a lesbian heroine, so if you're in the market for a good one, then you can stop reading this review and just buy it now. 2. The main characters are relatable, lovable and make you root so strongly for their success. Both of the women display strength and courage with every obstacle they face, and I appreciate the empowering feeling that solicits. 3. The romance is beautifully built up. There's no lustful, instantaneous craze that has the characters confessing their undying love after a 2 minute initial interaction. This connection felt realistic and exciting to follow. 4. The creativity of his story is incredible! I love the elements of adventure, sci-fi, suspense and action. Overall, you should buy this book, as I highly recommend it as one of the best in its genre.

I actually never quite finished Zoe's book Interference once it got close to the very end and it looked like it was about to spoil something for me, but I nevertheless really enjoyed it. And even more so was excited for what Zoe would write in the future as while I wasn't 100% on where she went with that plot, she made me care about her characters. She's simply a good storyteller. Breaking Legacies though, takes the major elements of what Zoe got right in her previous books-compelling characters, easy dialogue, ability to build tension-and seriously ups the quality. It has tighter pacing, a more developed relationship and a larger plot scope. "Hunter/Tracker" Kiena is put on a quest to find a runaway princess which (not really a spoiler) she does quickly. The real story is what happens after. Evil kings, rebellion, politics, betrayal etc.. all get their moment. Though I was never caught off guard by any plot developments, I really enjoyed it. There are studies that show that we tend to like songs more once we've heard them several times even if we initially didn't. Humans find gratification in thinking they know where something is going and then being right when it happens. And this book is like that for me. I knew where it was going, but enjoyed every bit of it due to Zoe's skill as a writer and connection to her characters. Would recommend.