The Unicorn Legacy
Kamilla Benko
Bloomsbury
Published February 27, 2024
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About The Unicorn Legacy: Tangled Magic
From the creator of The Unicorn Quest series, a wondrous new series set in the magical land of Arden, full of unicorns and mystery!
Magic pulses bright in Arden, a world where humans who craft magic have been at war and separated for hundreds of years. Now a new era has dawned, the unicorns have returned, and the prime minister has decreed that apprentices from all four guilds will learn in the newly formed Unicorn Academy. But peace is tenuous: As rumors spread of dark magic and of unicorns disappearing, twelve-year-old apprentice Olivia Hayes is caught between her joy at newfound magical abilities at the academy and proving to everyone that her older sister, Laurel, is NOT a unicorn poacher. She and her friends must untangle the truth and the secrets of the past to spin a stronger future-or else the unicorns of Arden may be lost forever. This sweeping middle grade fantasy is about friendship, choice, and the ties that truly matter.
My Review
If you know me at all, you know I absolutely love sister books, and that includes the books in the previous series by Kamilla Benko, The Unicorn Quest. Getting to visit the land of Arden again (and even getting a quick cameo by a character from the other series!) was such a treat.
In this book, Olivia, who worries she has no magic at all, accepts an invitation to a special school for magic users of all kinds. Her older sister is a magical prodigy, having completed her training in record time, and Olivia feels even more left behind by the way her sister has changed in the face of her new success.
So many pieces of the story were placed opposite one another in the perfect way to create tension. Lots of times, I thought I knew what was going on, and then new information made me see things in a different way. I love when a well-constructed story does that.
The end of the book leaves no doubt this will be a series I closely follow. This book reminded me all over again why I loved Kamilla Benko’s writing and the sweet, complex sister relationships she explores in her stories. Fantasy fans looking for a magical school or unicorn story will not want to miss this one.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation
One of Olivia’s friends is Black.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
Very brief mentions of adults in romantic relationships. One line mentions a man married to a man. A woman blows a kiss to another woman.
Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to use magic. Unicorns and other magical creatures exist.
Violent Content
Situations of peril. A monster tries to eat a girl and injures someone. An earthquake destroys a building.
Drug Content
None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE UNICORN LEGACY: TANGLED MAGIC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays
Iām sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays. Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.
Not my cup of tea, but there are many fantasy fans in my family. Thanks for the recommendation.
Sure thing, Rosi! š
Magic, unicorns and siblings make a pretty good combination! It also sounds a very well crafted story, which is always a joy to read. I haven’t heard of this author, so one to check out! Thanks for the recommendation!
I thought they were a good combination, too. š Oh, good! Glad I was able to introduce you to her work, and I hope you enjoy it.
I just finished this magical story. I agree with your critique. The characters and world building had me booked, although I was expecting the unicorns to have more presence rather than hidden by the mystery. I’ll be anxious to find out what happens in the next book based on the ending of this one. Thanks for featuring your review on MMGM this week.
Thanks, Greg! You know, I didn’t think about how little the unicorns were in the story until you mentioned it. That makes sense. I’m looking forward to the next book, too. Happy MMGM!
I would enjoy reading this new series. Am not familiar with the author, so will check out her other books. Have a great niece who this may be perfect for.
Awesome! I hope your great niece really enjoys them. I think I gave Kamilla Benko’s other books to my niece at some point, too. š