Member Reviews
Any time I can get in the world of Fable, I will take. The Last Legacy could easily be read as a standalone but also for those who have read Fable and Namesake, it’s just so fun to journey to their world again.
I really loved Bryn. She was just the right amount of strong and soft. It was a little more boring than it’s two predecessors, and k was concerned that it wouldn’t pick up. For a bit, I wasn’t sure that I cared so much…like who cares what kind of fabric Bryn picks out for the family. But then the story started to pick up and it took off. I didn’t love the story itself quite as much but it was still a good fun.
My only complaint: I would just love to read a YA book where unmarried characters don’t deep together. I know there’s nothing graphic in this one, but I do believe there can be a beautiful romance without the sex.
This is a fun novel set in the universe of her other books, but I didn't like it as much as the others. It was an easy binge read, but unfortunately forgettable. Thank you to Night galley and the publisher for a copy to read and review.
I finished this audio - and I want so much more! What happens to Bryn? I'm desperately hoping her story will tie into Fable - because I cannot even conceive of that series being finished.
Bryn is called home to Bastian - forced to leave the only home she has known with her aunt. Bryn always knew she would have to return - but held secret hopes and wishes she would learn more about her parents.
The Roths are notorious throughout all of the realms - cold, conniving, manipulative. They certainly don't disappoint. In an effort to secure his second merchant ring, Bryn's uncle sells her to a competitive family - Bryn is to marry the son.
But Bryn wants to lead her own life. Find her own husband. Make her own happiness. But the Roths won't anyone go - especially not Bryn.
I loved it - I wanted it to be so much longer, to tie into Fable's story. Great read.
When Bryn Roth is summoned back to Bastian after her eighteenth birthday, Bryn is ready to prove herself and earn her stake among the family she had been away from for so many years. What she didn't know was how brutal and calculating the Roths would need to be in order to gain esteem among the merchants of Bastian - and that it would be so easy to fall for someone she could never have.
This was a really short audiobook that didn't grip me as much as Adrienne Young's previous work(though I haven't read Fable and Namesake yet, and I may be missing some important points here). However, I did enjoy reading it - the stand alone fantasy(actually, can I even call this fantasy?) is a challenging type of book to write, because striking the balance between wrapping up enough loose ends and packing enough into the story to make it interesting is a very fine line!
I found that I'm left with a lot of questions about the things that did happen, as well as a bit disappointed that there wasn't more to the story.
The narrator was great, though read slow enough that I had to boost up to 1.5x speed.
I hope that we get a companion novel to follow this so that I can get more of the romance - we barely get any!
I have read all of A. Young's works and am a big fan. This book set in the world of the Fable series has some pretty big shots to fill.
First off, it's not necessary to read the Fable series to understand this book which I appreciate. The book is able to keep true most of the enriching world all on its own. It does hint heavily throughout the book about events that took place in a prior time (happened in Namesake book), but don't give any explanation to the reader. Either the author is assuming the reader has read the prior series or is hoping it will drum the reader's interest into reading more into the world beyond this book. Either way, this happens frequently.
The story is about a family that was of a minor, but interesting note in 'Namesake' - the notorious Roth family. Left to be raised by her great aunt after being orphaned, Bryn is being called home, across the Unnamed Sea, by her uncle, She is expected to take up the family business, counterfeiting jewels, which she has been preparing for her whole life but is soon catch up in something . . . ,or someone else. She has always been taught that family is everything, but what if she finds the one thing more important than that? How can she choose? What will she choose when all she has ever wanted was the love her family could give her.
I will tell you that Bryn was not like Fable or any of the other female characters for me. Bryn is makes a lot of snap judgements and thinks they are correct and justified, especially for someone who is in a new environment, with new people and new experiences. She has lived a pampered life compared to the rest of the Roths and is often telling herself and them that she has been trained her whole life to be there and work with them, but seems completed incompetent. She can't pick locks or a safe, doesn't seem to know that violence is something that would occur when things go wrong (especially when money evolved). I mean I don't live in that type of environment and I would expect violence and even child to know how to pick locks. Her character just doesn't seem to jive with the persona that was being pushed.
The romance between Ezra and Bryn drove me crazy. I liked the Ezra character, but the way Bryn treated for most of the book due to her snotty judgmental attitude was off-putting. It felt too forced to me for Ezra to like her just because Bryn started being pushy and talky and whatever just because she realize the truth. If she was being like that to me after the was she treated me, I would punched her, not kissed her. I'm sorry Ms. Young, I am still a big fan but for me this book fails because of your key character, that being Bryn. Your can't say she was being prepared for all her life to be part of the family and then make judgemental, naive twit who lies and cheats because she says needs to have leverage without making an effort to understand the world around her first without any preconceived beliefs.
Overall, I enjoyed the narrator of this audio book for bringing the author's work to life but not enough for me to overcome my dislike for Bryn. This won't stop me from reading other future works by the author though.
** Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion **
This is a story about a girl claiming a legacy from the men around her.
I wanted to love this book since I loved Fable. The authors writing continues to be very accessible & the story is fine- but it didn’t feel like it had anything drastically different to offer. I think readers who haven’t read Fable/Namesake may enjoy this more!
Thank you so much Netgalley, Wednesday books & St. Martins & Macmillan audio.
This felt like an unfinished novella. While we returned to Bastian and the world of Fable, this lacked the plot and intrigue it needed. Very little happened overall in the story arc and the characters seemed forced and flat. I felt no interest in Bryn and her romance with Ezra. While obvious it was coming, it was poorly laid out and had no building tension to keep you drawn in.
As for the audio, I did enjoy the narration and performance given. Each character had a distinct personality from the narrator and it was easy to follow.
I loved this story. I was curious about the Roth family after Namesake. I loved how Bryn was smart and strong enough to take what she wanted. The narrator was perfect for the story and Bryan’s character.
DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was immediately drawn to Bryn. To the way she has to prove herself, to earn her place at the table amidst a family that sees you only for what you can provide. She's clever, cunning, and resourceful. Not afraid to take risks, Bryn was a heroine I knew I'd love. And she remains my favorite element. Because I was so taken aback by how quick the romance story line was established. The audiobook narrator was fantastic and it felt like I was being swept away. But all of a sudden I was like, "wait, did I miss something?"
The romance, while cute, felt quick and I wasn't honestly sure how/why it started. At the same time, the plot felt abrupt, especially towards the end. I even had to check my progress at the end. I was just not expecting it to resolve the way it did and not in a surprise way, but in a, "really?" kind of way. Thematically, I also felt like there were themes to be explored like family, sacrifice, and love that is synonymous with obedience, but they weren't?
I started reading this book right after I finished Namesake. I love these little references thrown in that related to the other series, but for those who haven't read Fable or Namesake, this book is great as a stand-alone. I know a lot of people loved the other series and I did too but I felt like this one was even better.
I love the heroine in this story. She is strong and determined. She goes from being pampered to living with a tough group of pirates. They start off from the very beginning making it obvious they don't want her there. Even when one person in particular tries to make things very hard for her, she still pushed on. I love when the MC doesn't back down from competition.
I love how the relationship between Bryn and the people she now calls family slowly thaws. In the beginning, things were very tense but the warmth that melts the ice is gradual and very realistic. Each character had unique traits, and I loved some characters more than others. I would have liked to have seen further development in some of the side characters to more fully care about them
Of course, I loved the world this book is set in. The world itself isn't very well developed in the story, but I had previous experience with the other books. It would have been nice to have more background into the Untamed Sea. This could help ones who never read the Fable Duology and for ones who haven't read it in a while. This story was definitely more focused on the plot and people than the world they live in. You get hints of what it is like, with the terminology they use, but more time could have been used for this aspect of the book.
Even with some minor critics I have, I still think this book will be loved by many. It was a light-hearted, easy, and fast read. It kept me entertained and what else can you ask for!
I really enjoyed the narration for The Last Legacy. I think the beginning of the book had a slow start and the pacing was lagging but after about 40% I became invested and wanted to see how this dysfunctional families dynamics played out. This book had a very olden day historical feel. This book had intrigue, with slow burn romance.
Oh my goodness, I so enjoyed this book! I loved going back to the world where I met Fable. It was fun to read a story that was in the same world, but not about the same person. Bryn is a character that you want to see succeed. She's strong and quite awesome, but she's been dropped into a world that, while prepared for in some ways, she still has a lot to learn about. This story was more focused on the family drama with smaller moments of action. I enjoyed learning about the family and their separate "businesses". I loved how Bryn learned to adapt and find her own way. Overall I thought this was a great story from an awesome author!
I absolutely adored this book! Adrienne Young is one of my favorite authors and I fell in love with the world she created in Fable. Of course knowing that she wrote The Last Legacy, which takes place in that same world; I couldn’t contain my excitement. This book did not disappoint!
The Roths are a well known “awful” family and no one messes with them. Bryn is a Roth, but truly has no idea what that means, and when she comes back to Bastian to be with her family she doesn’t know what she is in for. Ezra isn’t a Roth by blood, but he’s been claimed as a Roth and works for Henrik; the leader of the Roth family. Henrik has very specific plans for Bryn and the direction that their family will head in, but what happens once Bryn and Ezra meet and feelings develop? As we uncover truths and schemes?
The Last Legacy is riveting, action packed, and will keep you wanting more. Also anyone else make the connection of the Henrik name between Fable and The Last Legacy? West’s father? Anyone else have this thought? I for one can’t wait to see if we get anymore amazing stories in this world.
I went into this really hoping it would live up to the Fable duology. While I did enjoy it, it didn't live up to it.
It's hard to explain, but I feel like there wasn't a lot that went on really. With that being said, it was a nice standalone addition to the Fable world. I did find myself zoning out a little bit, but mostly I was engaged in the story.
I also feel like I didn't really connect with any of the characters like I did in Fable. Sometimes the character development felt rushed, and the romance felt rushed. I honestly didn't even see it coming and then all of the sudden it was there.
It was really fun getting a sneak peek into the lives of a family we only see briefly in the Fable duology. It almost feels like this hidden part of the Fable world that we have the been able to steal from Adrienne Young's mind.
The writing style, as always, was just wonderful. I just think Adrienne Young really knows how to tell a story and I feel like I would enjoy anything no matter what it is or what it is about.
I did really enjoy the ending, I felt like Bryn really stood up for herself and kind of became who she really wanted to be and proved it to everyone.
This was a really solid addition to the Fable universe.
I was super excited to read, well, listen to this book as I have heard amazing things about the author and their other books. I enjoyed it but I feel the story lacked depth.
I was SO excited to return back to the lands of Fable, because I honestly believe I could read books about that world forever! (I secretly hope she never stops writing stories about that world!) However, this story just seemed to fall a bit flat for me. It had a TON of potential, but in the end it just seemed a bit disconnected. I enjoyed the characters, the premise, and even though it is refreshing to have a stand alone for once, I think it could have developed into something better if it had more (maybe a duology). With that being said- give it a try! You might love it as much as some others have!
Since the death of her parents many years ago Bryn Roth has lived with her sophisticated Aunt Sariah, away from her other relatives. After receiving a letter from her Uncle Henrik on her 18th birthday, Bryn is finally being summoned to join her long-lost family in Bastian. Looking to make her claim in the family business, Bryn embarks on a journey to re-open her late mother's tea house. But as she spends more time learning the family trade, she discovers that they are tangled up in several shady secrets, lies, and deception. Throw in a forbidden romance, and Bryn may have bitten off more than she can chew.
I really enjoyed this story, set in the same world as Fable, also by this author. I loved how you could never tell who was trustworthy in the Roth family, and who was lying and being deceitful to keep the upper hand. I really liked Bryn as a character. She never loses who she is in her battle to claim a spot in the family. She doesn't back down and continuously fights for what she believes in, whether that be not having a loveless marriage, or being able to wear pants instead of the frilly dresses her uncle expects of her. Ezra was an intriguing character, and I definitely wanted to know more about him and what he was hiding as I continued to read. Although the romance was enjoyable, it seemed almost too rushed. It did take a while for it to actually develop into a romance, as for the majority of the book Bryn wasn't the biggest fan of Ezra and vice versa, but then very quickly they fell into bed together claiming to love one another. Just seemed a it off on the pacing. I listened to this on audio, and I really enjoyed the narrator's voice. I think my biggest complaint was the ending, it seemed a bit abrupt and far to convenient. It is understandable as it is a standalone... but I just wanted more from it.
Overall, I did enjoy this story, but in order to understand the context behind the why the merchant ring is up for grabs and why they are important I recommend reading Namesake (which I didn't do so I was definitely confused at times - oops).
Welcome back to the world that started in the fable duology. While this can be read as a standalone I wouldn’t recommend it unless you want spoilers from the fable duology since it proceeds the events of it.
Adrienne Young has done it again. The last legacy follows Bryn as she comes back to live with her family, the Roths, and their schemes in trading.
I was so excited to start this book because I’m a huge fan of the fable duology and this one did not disappoint. The Roths were introduced in the duology and I was happy to get to see more from inside their enterprise. Bryn is a new character that has not been previously introduced so it was a nice fresh story.
The story follows Byrn as she starts to get use to the family business. However things don’t go the way she thinks it all will when she starts to see what goes on behind the closed door of the family home. With lots of twists weaved into the plot. The last legacy is the perfect follow up to the fable duology. And it’s also one of my favorite novels of the year. I highly, highly recommend it.
Narration review
I really liked the narrator chosen for the last legacy. The voice matched the Bryn really well. She also did a great job of giving all different voices to characters throughout the whole audiobook. She made the story come to life through her reading style and I loved it.
I received an advanced copy through netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young is an intriguing story of the renowned Roth family we met in Namesake. The all-too-brief encounter in Namesake didn't even scratch the surface of the complex family relationships seen in The Last Legacy. I love a good crime family plot and the Roth family did not disappoint. I was continually reminded of Six of Crows as I listened and couldn't put it down.
Bryn is cunning and fierce as she navigates finding her way in the Roth family. I would love to read more about the Roth family's history. There is a lot about the family that is still shrouded in mystery. I think what kept this from being a higher rating for me was the romance. It wasn't insta-love but lacked the depth I wanted.
Suzy Jackson is the perfect narrator for Bryn and I'm so glad I chose to listen instead of read.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the audiobook arc!
There's a million dollar question answered in this review, and that question starts with "I" and ends with "-s it better than Fable?"
Bryn has lived with her aunt since her parents died, away from the port city of Bastian and her Roth relatives. When a letter arrives from her uncle calling her back to take her place in the Roth family, she goes without question. But Bryn quickly learns that her "place" in this ruthless family comes at a great cost. She must contribute to their less than savoury enterprises in order for Henrik to obtain the newly available gem guild seat. Raised as a proper lady, her contribution involves her teaching her family how to act as higher members of society, all with the threat of a loveless match waiting on her horizon. But she's not backing down, and Bryn does her best to find her own place in this family without sacrificing who she is at heart.
While I did receive an e-ARC of this, I also received an early audio copy from the publisher and read that instead. It made for a quick read, and Suzy Jackson did a phenomenal job in bringing these characters to life.
As you've no doubt heard, this is a standalone set in the world of Fable, in the bustling port city of Bastian. However, where Fable set sail back and forth across the Narrows, Legacy takes place exclusively on land. Bryn arrives in Bastian shortly after the events that happened in Namesake, thus why a gem guild ring is available for the taking. A few of the characters we already know because we met them in that fabulous duology, namely Henrik Roth and his formidable silversmith, Ezra.
Bryn is a great new character. Immediately it's clear that she does not fit in with this cutthroat family. For instance, she is suitably outraged that her younger cousins are slapped by the older ones for mistakes made on ledgers, but is quieted when she realizes that if the older ones don't do it, the younger ones will get it worse from Uncle Henrik. Sad state of affairs, really. Bryn quickly learns to have both eyes open when around her family, and it's obvious she doesn't know who to trust. She wants more from life than being matched to a respectable boy, but carving out a place of her own within the Roth family does not come easy. She has to tread carefully, choose her allies well, and figure out how to be wanted by her uncle for what she can bring to the table. And it has to be more than knowing how to dress pretty and eat with the right fork. She's got a lot to prove and not a lot of time to do it.
The romance here didn't quite do it for me. Personally, I think it moved too fast. Or at least, too fast with too little left in the book. I shipped it, don't get me wrong, but we went from I despise him for half of the book, then very quickly to I like him, I love him, I kiss you once, we have sex now. I really wanted it to be a more structured slow-burn that would have had me begging for them to kiss by page 100 after a single glance. This relationship felt more half-hearted than I would have wanted, and that kind of sucked.
Okay, I promised the answer to a million dollar question, so here it is. No, this wasn't as good as Fable. I still really enjoyed it, but I think it being a standalone made the story suffer because there wasn't enough time to really carve out enough of a story for Bryn. Especially where the ending is concerned. The ending alone lost a star for me because it felt rather rushed and neat. Far too easy, and I've come to expect much more from Adrienne Young
It pains me to rate this as three stars, especially since Adrienne Young is one of my absolute favourite authors and the Fable duology was such an incredible masterpiece. This standalone was a nice addition, but it didn't actually add anything for me. It was published in a rush and that showed in how under-developed and somewhat mediocre this felt in comparison to her previous works. That said, I know her new books will blow me away as the others have.