Review: Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Release Date: June 28 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Reading Level: Young Adult
Pages: 492
Type: E-Galley
Source: NetGalley & Harlequin
Series: Book 1 in Legacy Series
Author's Information:
Twitter: @CaylaKL
Website
Goodreads


I noticed his eyes. They were blue, sharp and intense. Despite the youthful glows of his sun tanned face, his eyes were cold and unfriendly, suggesting he had experience in the world and was now expecting the worst.

 In her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytancia faces on duty, to marry the man who will be king, But her father's choice of a suitor fills her with despair. When a palace guard captures an intruder..... a boy her age. With steel-blue eyes hailing from her kingdom's greatest enemy.... Alera is alarmed....and intrigued. But she could not have guessed that their clandestine meetings would unveil the dark legacy shadowing both their lands.

In this mystical world of court conspiracies and blood magic, loyalties will be tested, courage won't be enough, And as the battle begins for everything Alera holds dear, love maybe the downfall of a Kingdom.

-- Goodreads Description



When I first dived into Legacy I was intrigued. I love how unique Cayla's Kingdoms were. Hytanica and Cokyri being total opposites, and of course enemies. I also love the unique characters and their names. Alera, Steldor, Destari, Tadark, and Narian just to name a few. It makes me wonder how she came up with them.

The book starts off introducing you to Princess Alera, her bodyguard London, and the annoying suitor Steldor. Alera is looking for a suitor to be her future husband by her eighteenth birthday. Yes married by 18!!! Gesh and I thought I married young at 22. It wouldn't be to bad picking your own suitor/husband if her father the King didn't have to approve of him. And her father's criteria is impossible, so only one person fits the bill; Steldor, and Alera can't stand him.

He's sexy, arrogant, strong, brave, and comes from a great family, so why doesn't she like him? He is also annoying, mean, not considerate, and to much into himself. I personally couldn't stand him and wanted to punch him in the face. He is also used to getting what he wants, and in Hytanica the women are properties of their husbands, and can be treated as the husband sees fit. Alera will be crowned Queen, but not ruler. Her function is to supervise the household, raise the children, and plan social events. When I read this the feminist side of me wanted to burst into fits of rage, much like how Alera feels at times.

So as Alera goes about her day to day business being a princess, a boy is captured and he is a Cokyri, one of their enemies. His name is Narian. His arrival brings questions, fear, and unsettling throughout the Kingdom. It also turns Alera's world upside down. She gets into more trouble then ever before. She starts questioning her duty, her kingdoms laws and history, and her heart.

I was caught up in the worlds in Legacy, and they didn't let me go. I enjoyed learning about Alera and her Kingdom. She is such a strong-willed character inside, and this is hard because she is supposed to be passive and submissive. I don't agree with all of her kingdoms laws, and actually like a few of their enemies (the Cokyri) ideals more. In Cokyri women are respected and treated as equals. I think if you mixed the two kingdoms together with the Hytanica ability for duty, honor, and compassion with Cokyri's respect, equality, and deadly fighting skills you would have the strongest Kingdom of all, and a prosperous one too.

I didn't like Steldor much at all. There were times he was tolerable, but I am all for team Narian there is just something about being forbidden that is just sexy. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and learning the secrets of the kingdoms pasts. That being said there were a few things I didn't like. One, there were parts that just dragged on , and I felt they weren't necessary to the over all story. Two, I wish there would have been a little more action. There seemed to be this on edge feel and not much happening. and Three I didn't like how this first book ended at all. I am hoping things will change up a bit in the next book.

Overall Rating: B

Be looking for the second book in the series, Allegiance, due March 2012.