Legend of Me

by Rebekah L. Purdy
Legend of Me
No one should ever go into the woods alone.Brielle has grown up listening to tales of a beast that attacks humans, leaving behind only a scattering of bones and limbs. It’s probably the elders’ way of keeping little children in line, but it doesn’t explain her grisly premonitions of blood, claws, and severed heads.But when Brielle finds a mangled body in the woods, she begins to wonder if the grim stories may actually be true. Soon, Lord Kenrick, Knight of the Crowhurst Order, arrives asking questions about the legendary monster. Brielle’s attraction to him is immediate and undeniable. She volunteers to help him search for clues to the creature’s existence, despite her suspicions about his timing.As her seventeenth birthday approaches, Brielle’s nightmares worsen and more villagers go missing. If Brielle doesn’t figure out the connection between Kenrick, the beast, and her visions, more people will die. As Brielle falls deeper in love with Kenrick and deeper into the snares of the abominable beast, she’ll become part of a legend so great, no one will ever question its validity again.

Legend of Me Details

TitleLegend of Me
Author
LanguageEnglish
ReleaseJul 24th, 2018
Publisher Month9Books
ISBN-139781946700896
Rating
GenreFantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Paranormal

Legend of Me Review

  • Emm - The Ordinary Shadow
    January 1, 1970
    “All around me were pieces of his body, scattered like breadcrumbs. I shielded my eyes with my hands, until I bumped into something else. With another scream, I whipped around only to find myself faced with an oak tree covered in dried blood and claw marks.My vision darkened and I prayed I wouldn’t faint, that I wouldn’t be stuck in the woods. Because somewhere out here, a monster lurked. If I didn’t believe it before, I did now. The Beast was real.” A fairytale whispered like a sacred curse in “All around me were pieces of his body, scattered like breadcrumbs. I shielded my eyes with my hands, until I bumped into something else. With another scream, I whipped around only to find myself faced with an oak tree covered in dried blood and claw marks.My vision darkened and I prayed I wouldn’t faint, that I wouldn’t be stuck in the woods. Because somewhere out here, a monster lurked. If I didn’t believe it before, I did now. The Beast was real.” A fairytale whispered like a sacred curse into the dark, whose pages are rimmed in fangs and roses. Tread carefully under the influence of its spell, for these words wear their thorns like diamonds stained with sweet blood – enchanting in its romance but when it reels you in, reveals the gruesome remains just beneath.Legend of Me is the tale of Brielle Healer, a good witch’s granddaughter who suffers gore-drenched premonitions when an ancient monster begins, once again, to terrorize her village. Brielle, in her determination to figure out the secret of what this creature is, also finds herself under the charms of two who are also on the hunt for the monster. A love-laced mystery that artfully blends several Grimm archetypes – the innocent maid who faces the beast, the handsome but unreadable knight whose moral face may disappear when the time comes, and the wandering scoundrel with a heart of gold.In honest fairytale fashion, Legend doesn’t hide its morbid underside, but this is a positive. The brutality and horror radiating from the unknown beast, even before it’s shown is palpable and real. The story has an intense pacing that roots a dark curiosity into your mind, even when the focus is on Brielle, Lord Kenrick, and Raul’s drama of hearts.While not a retelling, the story carries strong silhouettes of Red Riding Hood, evidenced in its themes of a young girl trying to outwit a strong, menacing being, and its overarching symbolism of red blood. Seemingly indestructible monsters throughout the history of fables have stood for danger of the unknown, as well as the dangers of predators lurking unseen in untamed nature, ever more of a threat when they encroach upon civilization. Or perhaps, they were already immersed in civilization to begin but have only just decided to show their true skin…Parts, especially the competitiveness between Brielle and the spoiled Sarah Weaver, also reminded me vaguely of Mother Holle.The characterization is pretty well-done. Brielle and her Gram in particular are strong characters. Brielle is believable and likeable, without too many of the frustrating habits that tend be a common bind of YA heroines. Love interests Lord Kenrick and the gypsy Raul have unexpected facets to their personalities, and I also liked Rhyne. Some other characters could have had more depth, notably Sarah Weaver, who seems to be composed of only petty envy with zero sympathy.Legend of Me will appeal to both the traditional fairytale addict and the fantasy romance reader for its descriptive and intriguing nature.Plot – 4.5/5Writing / Pacing – 5/5Characters – 4/5General – 4.5/5This and other reviews are available on my blog.[I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Please note that this is a review on the advance copy – the finalized version you’ll see in stores may have a different cover or slight edited changes from this version. This book releases September 2018.]
    more
  • D.M.
    January 1, 1970
    Legend of me is an original fairytale. It has the magic, the legend, the fantasy and the romance to awaken the inner beast. I loved every minute of this story. Some books you can tell are going to be good from the first page and I was addicted to every word. I didn't want to put this down. Brielle lives with her Gram in a desolate cottage. They have always lived on the outside of town and Brielle struggles to fit in. She's a kind, sweet girl, but finds it hard to follow the conventional rules. H Legend of me is an original fairytale. It has the magic, the legend, the fantasy and the romance to awaken the inner beast. I loved every minute of this story. Some books you can tell are going to be good from the first page and I was addicted to every word. I didn't want to put this down. Brielle lives with her Gram in a desolate cottage. They have always lived on the outside of town and Brielle struggles to fit in. She's a kind, sweet girl, but finds it hard to follow the conventional rules. Her best friend, Rhyne has gypsy blood in his veins. He is accepted by the town but is expected to ignore his roots. Unfortunately, there has never been a spark between the two friends but they love each other as family. The woods are known to hold a dark secret. One that should be avoided in the dark of night. Legend has it there is a monstrous beast lurking in the mist. Nobody has ever survived long enough to confirm the tale but there are many stories.Brielle has always been infatuated by Rhynes cousin, Raul. He's a travelling gypsy and Bri always looks forward to his visits. Raul is haunted by his own dark secrets. He is a hard man and has a questionable past. He cares for Bri but it isn't that simple. Kenrick is new in town and has come in search of the beast. He cannot deny Bri to be the most beautiful women he has ever seen. He is drawn to her and can't stay away. Lucky for him Bri wants to help him with his research. A love triangle is formed but Bri is warned to protect her heart. Kenrick's main goal is to find the beast and Raul travels a lot. Her Gram wants to protect her and keep her safe. Unfortunately, her heart isn't the only problem. The beast is on a killing spree and Bri is having visions of the attacks. Her Gram is a healer and magic is in her bloodline, but the town folk are mundane. The truth must be guarded. The nightmares are beginning and the clocks ticking. 5 out of 5. *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
    more
  • Rebecca McNutt
    January 1, 1970
    This adventure fantasy was really great, with a creative style and characters with a lot of depth and personality.
  • Mandie
    January 1, 1970
    I enjoyed this fantasy! I was immediately drawn to Brielle, and thought this book was entertaining and well written. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
  • Aila
    January 1, 1970
    You can find my review of this book on Happy Indulgence, over here!Legend of Me and I had a rocky start. The writing was easy enough to get into and I ended up getting into the story, but there were small details that really hindered my enjoyment of the book. All in all, it was a decent fantasy that, although predictable, provided a nice escape from reality. It has a pretty dark atmosphere though, I would warn, and deals with intense subjects such as death and torture. Brielle is a pretty straig You can find my review of this book on Happy Indulgence, over here!Legend of Me and I had a rocky start. The writing was easy enough to get into and I ended up getting into the story, but there were small details that really hindered my enjoyment of the book. All in all, it was a decent fantasy that, although predictable, provided a nice escape from reality. It has a pretty dark atmosphere though, I would warn, and deals with intense subjects such as death and torture. Brielle is a pretty straightforward and curious character who is determined to outwit the Beast that may or may not be plaguing her village, all the while seeing mysterious, bloody dreams of the people disappearing. Likes- The main twist of the book is pretty fun, although readers are given pretty good hints as to what it is.- I enjoyed Brielle’s friendship with Rhyne, a butcher boy in the village she lives in, and her grandmother, a healer. - The atmosphere is really a winner. We’re in dark times at a village where one false move can have someone accused of being a witch and burned at the stake. The village is old-fashioned and full of gossipers, which is always a fun obstacle when the courageous heroine is trying to uncover clues.- The ending was resolute and satisfying, wrapping the story up neatly to make a lovely stand-alone length. I do so love stand-alones. Dislikes(A lot of these are small details but they do add up!)- Although I appreciate the dark atmosphere, the actual setting is a very generic historical village/forest. A lot of the magic/abilities are left unexplained.- Use of the word G*psy to describe Roma. - Extreme girl on girl hate. Brielle is the only girl in the village worth page time and a good ending.- One of the main antagonists is fat, and the writing connects his evilness with descriptions of being fat. For example, his actions would be exacerbated with descriptions of his “sausage-like lips [curving] up at the corners” and “thick, evil mouth” which really casts a stigma for fat people that I don’t appreciate.- While there is a love triangle that is set up pretty well, the execution left much to be desired. There is a weak foundation for both of the attractions that sprang up, and I read them more for plot than enjoyment. I think I would have appreciated the main love interest if we explored his character more, but for the most part the attraction was too strong and too fast.- I wish Brielle were more assertive at times. Half of the book, she’s led by actions rather than leading the actions herself. Despite events still happening and the plot still rolling, it frustrated me as a reader to see her passiveness. If quietly haunting, dark tales like The Beast is an Animal by Peternelle van Arsdale and The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins is up your alley, then Legend of Me would be perfect. (All of the books listed above also have mysterious beasts surrounding the main plot.) If you’re looking for something with more depth, then this one might not be for you. The storyline was the stellar point of this book for me, but other than that, I had a disconnect with the characters and many small details that just added up. It honestly depends on what you’re in the mood for, and how involved you want to get into the story. Legend of Me’s intense and ominous atmosphere, coupled with its tantalizing storyline but lackluster characters, would probably be best if you’re here for a fairy-tale story with minimal world-building and maximized storytelling and action. Content/Trigger Warnings: blood and gore, torture, use of G*psy word, mild violenceThank you Month9Books for the review copy!
    more
  • Kilikina
    January 1, 1970
    I cannot wait to read this.
  • Hypatia
    January 1, 1970
    What a title.
  • Stephanie Ward
    January 1, 1970
    4.5 Stars'Legend of Me' is a fantastic new young adult fantasy novel that will leave readers breathless and wanting more. I'm happy to say that I ended up loving this book a lot more than I had anticipated. Pretty much every aspect of the story is great - just one little detail had me yelling at the characters. But that's all me and doesn't reflect on the book itself.This is a well known fairy tale/fantasy and one that I love. The author took the basic story and gave it a breath of fresh air wit 4.5 Stars'Legend of Me' is a fantastic new young adult fantasy novel that will leave readers breathless and wanting more. I'm happy to say that I ended up loving this book a lot more than I had anticipated. Pretty much every aspect of the story is great - just one little detail had me yelling at the characters. But that's all me and doesn't reflect on the book itself.This is a well known fairy tale/fantasy and one that I love. The author took the basic story and gave it a breath of fresh air with some great twists, wonderful characters, and a serious love triangle. The story was told with such attention to detail and vivid imagery that it came to life in my mind with ease. I felt like I was there beside Brielle throughout the entire book. Speaking of characters - I thought they were all complex and rounded, especially our main character, Brielle. She's a great heroine - kind, a loving friend and granddaughter, determined, and very brave. She has her flaws though, like all of us, which made her very realistic and easy to connect with right from the beginning. We get to know Brielle on a deeply personal level throughout the book - her fears, hopes, dreams, nightmares, and everything in between. The author used the first person point of view to tell the story from Brielle's perspective, which I thought was the perfect choice. It wouldn't have been as good if it had been done in another way.The plot was familiar with some differences that I really loved. I can't say too much without giving anything away, but there's magic at work and a handful of people trapped in the nightmare that is the Beast. There's also a pretty intense love triangle, which I normally don't like at all, but I didn't mind it with this story. It made the plot more complicated and interesting - not knowing who will win Brielle's heart. The romance plays a pretty big part in the book and I think the author did a great job mixing the different aspects of the plot so it didn't overwhelm the main plot of the Beast. I highly recommend this book for fans of YA fantasy, fairy tales, retellings, paranormal fiction, and romance. Give this one a shot - I don't think you'll regret it.Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
    more
  • Meghan H.
    January 1, 1970
    I was so annoyed by the main character. She ruined it for me. I hated that she was made into the nice and virtuous one but was just as selfish as her "enemy", Sarah. And why was she the center of THREE men’s world?? It was so annoying and infuriating to witness her playing with those poor men and making stupid decisions. Also, there was some kind of problem with the execution...some things happened way too fast and it didn’t make any sense... Overall, I liked the "dark wood" setting, but the mai I was so annoyed by the main character. She ruined it for me. I hated that she was made into the nice and virtuous one but was just as selfish as her "enemy", Sarah. And why was she the center of THREE men’s world?? It was so annoying and infuriating to witness her playing with those poor men and making stupid decisions. Also, there was some kind of problem with the execution...some things happened way too fast and it didn’t make any sense... Overall, I liked the "dark wood" setting, but the main character was the stupidest and most annoying girl ever and the execution was poor, so....don’t bother with this one.
    more
  • Eunice
    January 1, 1970
    Star Rating: 3.5 out of 5The only reason that this book did not get a solid 4 stars is because the first half of the book took a little long to really get going. Honestly, it almost seemed like the first half and the second half could have had been two different books. The book revolves around a 16 year old girl by the name of Brielle who lives in a town where a beast is killing people. A knight by the name of Kendrik comes in to town and everything begins to change. Brielle meets the knight and Star Rating: 3.5 out of 5The only reason that this book did not get a solid 4 stars is because the first half of the book took a little long to really get going. Honestly, it almost seemed like the first half and the second half could have had been two different books. The book revolves around a 16 year old girl by the name of Brielle who lives in a town where a beast is killing people. A knight by the name of Kendrik comes in to town and everything begins to change. Brielle meets the knight and starts having visions of the two of them together and in love, which confuses her because the visions are so realistic and yet she knows that she has never met him before. To make situations even more confusing for her, she is in love with Raul a gypsy, and yet she cannot stop the way she feels whenever she is near Kendrik. She tries helping the knight find information on this beast so that he could slay it and protect the town, and during this time he began to have strong feelings for her. At the same time Raul is also finally revealing to her that he is in love with her as well, but her grandmother of course does not approve.As this portion of the story plays out you also find that there is more going on than you thought at first. It turns out that Brielle is not just a love sick girl, she is actually having visions of each of the victims being murdered by the beast. She decides that she has to do something in order to help stop this beast. Unfortunately, the truth about this beast and Kendrik is far more than she could have ever imagined. That is the part of the story that really grabbed my attention, it was seriously the turning point for me. The story suddenly starts moving at a much quicker pace and you are left there in awe after every revelation. Brielle seems to go from a love sick girl to a strong woman who is trying to figure out a major secret in order to save the lives of future victims. You are then brought into a world where magic, curses, and evil is real. It really just became a much better book.Pros: Once you learn more about this beast the story really picks up. It moves the focus away from a girl and her two crushes and moves to a story with a bit more substance.I loved the way the characters were written. I loved the grandmother, Rhyne, and Raul. They were written in such a way that I would really like to hang out with them. They added a nice element to the story that help balance out Brielle.The actual lore of the beast was done very well! I loved that portion of the story, it really explained why the first portion of the book was the way it was. Cons:The romance portion was a bit over the top. Every time either Raul or Kendrik would make contact with her you were given a description of how their touch would pretty much set her body on fire and made her knees buckle. I understand why the relationship were extremely important but holy cow. I felt like it was a bit much. The beginning seemed a little slow moving. The ending was fantastic but I feel like if they would have taken a little less time talking about Brielle's knees buckling with every touch we could have delved more into the lore behind the beast.Overall: While the beginning of the book was slow I still really enjoyed it and would definitely read other books by this author. As a YA I think it does hit the mark, but I would not recommend it for younger tween/teens. After all the A in YA does mean adult. There are some situations in the book that might not be appropriate for a younger audience. The book itself is slow paced in the beginning. It seemed like it was just going to be a romance novel with a beast in the background, but thankfully it was not. It showed Brielle become a stronger young woman. It showed her becoming her own person and not caring what anyone had to say, I found that wonderful. But to be honest, if it weren't for the second half of the book I would not have rated it so high. The second half of this book really makes it worth reading. While there was a small continuity error (Brielle asking a character how he was alive.....and then a couple of pages later the same thing happening but with more information this time) it really was a good book. I would read this book any time over the book Beautiful Creatures. And if you did enjoy Beautiful Creatures, I think you would enjoy this for sure
    more
  • Lily (latestreads)
    January 1, 1970
    Legend of Me was a great read. I was drawn into Brielle’s world quickly and read the book in less than a day. It was impossible to put down! I had never read anything like it, and the visions gave a new perspective to the story.When I first read the description for Legend of Me, I thought it would be somewhat of a Little Red Riding Hood retelling. It wasn’t so much of a retelling, as it was a story with the inspiration of the fairytale. And I loved how it was done! Gram’s house was still in th Legend of Me was a great read. I was drawn into Brielle’s world quickly and read the book in less than a day. It was impossible to put down! I had never read anything like it, and the visions gave a new perspective to the story.When I first read the description for Legend of Me, I thought it would be somewhat of a Little Red Riding Hood retelling. It wasn’t so much of a retelling, as it was a story with the inspiration of the fairytale. And I loved how it was done! Gram’s house was still in the woods, Brielle had her cape, and there’s a beast in the woods that is violently killing the townspeople, the similarities end there. The world building was okay. I didn't need to know too much about the world except for the fact that the town was by the woods and a strange beast has been the subject of scary campfire stories. I do wish that there was more of a background of the Beast, maybe like one of the tales that is told to young children, as I didn't know a lot about the history of the beast.I loved the characters so much. They were distinct, and I just loved how bratty and mean Sarah Weaver was, and of course, Brielle's reaction to her. Brielle's friendship with Rhyne is so golden, and I absolutely loved it!! I enjoyed how supportive they were of each other and just how relaxed it was between them. The only character that I didn't understand was Lucia, I won't go into too much, but she confused me, and her character was just off. Pretty much all of the relationships that Purdy writes are just done flawlessly, and I can't get enough of them. The only relationship type part that I didn't enjoy was the love triangle. It felt forced and sometimes very awkward and uncomfortable at parts. It was hard for me to see why there was a conflict in whom to choose, but that might just be me. This book had many twists and turns to it; I was regularly at the edge of my seat! As I mentioned before, Purdy does a fantastic job of taking the story of Little Red Riding Hood and making it her own. In certain moments, the retelling aspect shows through, but besides that, it's pure utter genius. I am a fan of dark turns, cause that's just how life goes, and I think it was executed well. In some parts, it got more violent than I expected it to get (gruesome and about a chapter of torture). However, it did add to the realness and almost the authenticity of the story.The writing was done wonderfully. I got the feels at all the right moments, I gasped out loud at moments, and I could feel the fear and sadness of the characters at all the crucial moments. Some moments were a bit fast paced, but they didn't bother me all that much. The parts of the writing that bothered me was how some lines were pretty much repeated later on. I feel like some of the phrasing was awkward and there was one part where I audibly sighed because it made me cringe so hard (and not in the best way). One of my favorite pieces of the writing were the visions that Brielle has. They are told in the third person and provide a great insight into what the Beast is doing. Typically, there is only the talk about the Beast and we never really encounter the Beast, but these visions help to give more life and character (if that makes sense) to the Beast. To summarize, Legend of Me by Rebekah L. Purdy is a great read. The story draws from Little Red Riding Hood but quickly takes on its own unique and somewhat creepy feel. The character relationships are fantastic, and I get all the feels from them! Some parts were written kind of awkwardly, and it made me almost feel uncomfortable. I would recommend this book to people who love retellings and a good scare!*Thank you to Month9 Books for providing me with an ARC. Please note that all of my thoughts are my honest opinions and that some parts that I mentioned may have been changed as I did read the ARC.
    more
  • Sunshine Poet
    January 1, 1970
    As I Started Reading This Beautiful Prosed Story I Honestly Had No Idea What To Expect As I Had Never Read Any Of Miss Purdy's Previous Books. Without Giving Much Away, This Is The Story Of Brielle Heale, She Is An Apprentice And The Granddaughter Of A Good Witch. She Suffers From Gore Filled Premonitions As An Ancient Beast Returns To Terrorize Dark Pines, The Little Town She's From. Soon After They Start, Lord Kenrick Of Crowhurst Arrives To Dark Pines Asking About The So Called Monster That's As I Started Reading This Beautiful Prosed Story I Honestly Had No Idea What To Expect As I Had Never Read Any Of Miss Purdy's Previous Books. Without Giving Much Away, This Is The Story Of Brielle Heale, She Is An Apprentice And The Granddaughter Of A Good Witch. She Suffers From Gore Filled Premonitions As An Ancient Beast Returns To Terrorize Dark Pines, The Little Town She's From. Soon After They Start, Lord Kenrick Of Crowhurst Arrives To Dark Pines Asking About The So Called Monster That's Terrorizing And Killing People In Dark Pines. Brielle Is Instantly Enthralled With Him And Soon Volunteers To Help Find The Beast. About The Characters I Loved The Relationship Between Brielle And Her Grandmother And How She Enforces Her To Believe And Stay True To Herself."There Might Come A Time When You Change Your Mind About Romance. If That Day Comes, Just Remember What I Taught You. You Don’t Need A Man To Take Care Of You, Brielle. You’re Strong Enough On Your Own".Also The Relationship Between Her Best Friend Rhyne Butcher And Her Is Completely Believable And A Great Addition To The Storyline. "Maybe That Was Why Rhyne And I Were Such Good Friends. We Both Knew What It Was Like To Be Different". Is There A Love Interest In The Story For You Y.A Romance Fanatics? Yes Indeed. Lord Kenrick Of Crowhurst Has Brielle's Interest. Although It Is NOT A Retelling It Does Hold Certain Similarities With The Red Riding Hood Story!! Any Reader Who Is Interested In Romance And Supernatural Fairy Tale Like Stories This One Is DEFINITELY One To Read Or Add To Your TBR Pile.Plot 4/5Writing 5/5Characters 5/5Overall Book Experience 5/5 I Enjoyed It A Lot!! 💙🔥
    more
  • Lynndell
    January 1, 1970
    Legend of Me by Rebekah L. Purdy is a twist on a beloved fairy tale. The prologue grabbed me with shock and fright and built my interest in the book, even more than the synopsis already had. Brielle lives with her grandmother, who’s a healer and is training Brielle to be a healer also. A few deaths have occurred and the victims have been horribly mutilated. Brielle has been having dreams about gruesome murders and when she discovers that those same victims actually have been killed, she begins t Legend of Me by Rebekah L. Purdy is a twist on a beloved fairy tale. The prologue grabbed me with shock and fright and built my interest in the book, even more than the synopsis already had. Brielle lives with her grandmother, who’s a healer and is training Brielle to be a healer also. A few deaths have occurred and the victims have been horribly mutilated. Brielle has been having dreams about gruesome murders and when she discovers that those same victims actually have been killed, she begins to suspect that her dreams are visions. Knights have come to capture the beast that’s been killing people and the villagers are sure that the knights can rid them of this horrible beast. In the meantime, Raul (a wanderer) and Kenrick (a knight) show their feelings for Brielle and she reciprocates their feelings without even realizing and then she wonders how she can care for both of them. The tale twists and turns and grows as everything comes to light. An interesting play on a beauty and the beast type story, 4 stars!
    more
  • Naturalbri (Bri Wignall)
    January 1, 1970
    This was a very good read. I felt attached the main character and the story, from very early on, which kept me really intrigued in the book, from start to finish. The author truly wrote and original story of fairytale magic, that brings to life all those magical feelings and intrigue we had growing up, but for a slightly older audience. The book is written very well, and targets both the YA stage and adults alike, with lots of detail, twists, engaging characters and action. I love the blend of f This was a very good read. I felt attached the main character and the story, from very early on, which kept me really intrigued in the book, from start to finish. The author truly wrote and original story of fairytale magic, that brings to life all those magical feelings and intrigue we had growing up, but for a slightly older audience. The book is written very well, and targets both the YA stage and adults alike, with lots of detail, twists, engaging characters and action. I love the blend of fast and slower pace, to really give you that feel for what is taking place in the world. I loved the variety of characters, and found that Purdy really did well, not only to create such variety, but also to ensure that each character had a great level of depth and personality, to bring their persona to life. Overall, this was an excellent read and one i struggled to put down. It is really lovely and one that should not be missed.
    more
  • Kat
    January 1, 1970
    From the very beginning of this story, I was hooked!It starts off with this mysterious Beast that is tragically targeting villagers who venture off into the woods. The writing immediately captures you in and creates a world that reminds me of Red Riding Hood spun into an awesome fairytale.The characters are well built and make you either want to cheer for them or kick them in the shins. The sassy grandmother was one of my favorite additions to the story. There are pockets of romantic elements in From the very beginning of this story, I was hooked!It starts off with this mysterious Beast that is tragically targeting villagers who venture off into the woods. The writing immediately captures you in and creates a world that reminds me of Red Riding Hood spun into an awesome fairytale.The characters are well built and make you either want to cheer for them or kick them in the shins. The sassy grandmother was one of my favorite additions to the story. There are pockets of romantic elements in the story that don't overpower the grim legend of the village. We get a mix between the light and dark moments which I thoroughly enjoyed.This is such an original fairytale that also touches on the seclusion of the main character who is victim to the harsh judgements from the other villagers. But I loved how the bestfriend sticks to her side and helps keep her sane.Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It is definitely a contender as one of my favorite YA fairytales.
    more
  • Jessica
    January 1, 1970
    At the start of reading this, I got the little red riding hood vibe. A young girl living with her grandmother in a cabin, out in the woods. And then let's throw in some murders of people having been ripped to shreds. There's the girl and her best friend, a handsome wanderer, an evil twisted liar of a girl in town, a handsome knight, a little magic thrown into the mix, a curse, and most importantly....the beast. Who is the beast? Where did this monster come from? Who will it kill next? I thorough At the start of reading this, I got the little red riding hood vibe. A young girl living with her grandmother in a cabin, out in the woods. And then let's throw in some murders of people having been ripped to shreds. There's the girl and her best friend, a handsome wanderer, an evil twisted liar of a girl in town, a handsome knight, a little magic thrown into the mix, a curse, and most importantly....the beast. Who is the beast? Where did this monster come from? Who will it kill next? I thoroughly enjoyed reading every single part of this story, even though some made me cringe WHY!!! It was magical, it was gory. I LOVED it!! The twists kept me on the edge of my seat. I never saw it coming. No part of this was your predictable fairytale story. Absolutely enjoyable, as I finished reading this in 3 days. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy, romance, and mystery. 5 stars ★★★★★ 
    more
  • Hallie Ralls
    January 1, 1970
    For those that love the classic fairy-tales but are tired of predictable plot twists, here is your next read! This twisted tale is familiar enough to be cozy, but different enough that you won't get bored or have that "I've read this same book a thousand times" sense of deja-vu. Purdy did a great job of balancing a bunch of potential romantic interests with actual plot points and a great air of mystery, while still maintaining the classic fairy-tale vibe. There were several twists I didn't see c For those that love the classic fairy-tales but are tired of predictable plot twists, here is your next read! This twisted tale is familiar enough to be cozy, but different enough that you won't get bored or have that "I've read this same book a thousand times" sense of deja-vu. Purdy did a great job of balancing a bunch of potential romantic interests with actual plot points and a great air of mystery, while still maintaining the classic fairy-tale vibe. There were several twists I didn't see coming! I can't say I'd read it over and over again, but I'm glad I read it this once. Interested to see what else Purdy has to offer in the future!
    more
  • Cindi
    January 1, 1970
    I was drawn into this book immediately! Rebekah Purdy's talent with words is magical. The story moved quickly with wonderful characters and scenes that came alive in my imagination. She didn't waste words over-describing (truly appreciated!) but gave just enough to let my mind create the scenes etc. There is some very disturbing subject matter but nothing that wasn't necessary or relative to the story. This is a book about the power of love - both good and bad. I look forward to more stories fro I was drawn into this book immediately! Rebekah Purdy's talent with words is magical. The story moved quickly with wonderful characters and scenes that came alive in my imagination. She didn't waste words over-describing (truly appreciated!) but gave just enough to let my mind create the scenes etc. There is some very disturbing subject matter but nothing that wasn't necessary or relative to the story. This is a book about the power of love - both good and bad. I look forward to more stories from Rebekah Purdy!!
    more
  • Tressa (Wishful Endings)
    January 1, 1970
    I had such high hopes for this story. The cover is gorgeous, I generally enjoy books from this publisher, and the premise sounded really good. It's kind of a paranormal twist on Little Red Riding Hood. However, as I read I found it to be trite in places where I felt it should be more serious, things were glossed over, explanations were stretched out, the characters didn't feel realistic or consistent, and the dialogue felt forced. It just didn't work for me. I read all the way through 60% and th I had such high hopes for this story. The cover is gorgeous, I generally enjoy books from this publisher, and the premise sounded really good. It's kind of a paranormal twist on Little Red Riding Hood. However, as I read I found it to be trite in places where I felt it should be more serious, things were glossed over, explanations were stretched out, the characters didn't feel realistic or consistent, and the dialogue felt forced. It just didn't work for me. I read all the way through 60% and then just skimmed to the end to find out what happened. An overall disappointing read for me.
    more
  • Jessica
    January 1, 1970
    This book was beyond what i thought it would be! I was looking for a fairytale (which in its own way it was) but man it blew me away! The twists were absolutely perfect and I will highly recommend this book to a lot of people. One of my fave reads so far this year!
    more
  • Briana Williams
    January 1, 1970
    I really enjoyed this retelling of a classic fairytale! The twists and brutality of the story gave it so much life. My only issues were that some parts did not make sense and there were obvious grammatical issues. I received an ARC for my honest review
    more
  • kariny v
    January 1, 1970
    Whoops forgot to update, my stop on the tour and review is here! http://karinysteenbooxfrenz.blogspot....
  • Alexandra
    January 1, 1970
    Cover Reveal & e-ARC Giveaway! The Legend of Me by Rebekah Purdy. Check out the giveaway at SleepsOnTables
  • Crazy4Books
    January 1, 1970
    I would love to get a review copy of this.
  • Rebekah
    January 1, 1970
Write a review