Review: Sacrifice (Legacy #3) by Cayla Kluver

Sacrifice (Legacy #3) by Cayla Kluver

Publishers: Harlequin Teen 

Published Date: October 23rd 2012 

From: NetGalley 

My rating: 3 out of 5

Synopsis:

This is not the time for the fight to end. Now is when the fight will begin. This is the time to regain what has been lost.

Alera - Queen of a fallen kingdom, secretly in love with the enemy.

Shaselle - Daughter of a murdered father, rebel with a cause.

One lives behind the former Hytanican palace walls and walks the razor's edge to keep the fragile peace in her beloved homeland. The other slips through the war-torn streets, seeking retribution for her family's tragedy, following whispers of insurgency.

Both face choices that will separate them from those they cannot help but love. As their stories intertwine, a conspiracy ignites that may end in slavery or death—or lead to freedom anew, if only each can face what must be sacrificed.

Review:
I couldn't help being slightly disappointed with Sacrifice. Mostly because Alera reverted back to being idiotic and dense, a little like she was in Legacy and the beginning of Allegiance. I didn't like the way she lost her edge, nicely gained in Allegiance when she cut her hair off, wore trousers and finally acted like a ruler. In Sacrifice she seemed to go backwards and just became queenly without really getting to grips with the major problems of her city with a hands on approach.
I especially didn't like the new POV from Shashelle. I can only think the author added this so we could get more of an idea what Steldor and Cannan were up to. Yes, she was a feisty tomboy who hated the idea of marriage. Especially the suitors her mother was chosing for her, and her bittersweet liaison with the Cokyrian soldier was short-lived.

I think as characters are concerned Steldor showed real growth. I didn't like him in the previous books but he seemed to put aside his arrogance and stand up to the treachery that was happening around him. I actually liked him more in the end.
Narian also seemed to lose his edge. He was still amazingly sweet to Alera and I did feel sad for him that his father turned his back on him, but glad that his mother wanted to be given a chance in his life.
All things considered the story did get wrapped up. There weren't any real wow moments, and the conclusion of the war between Cokyri and Hytanica was a little bit of a let down considering the high paced action of the previous book. It just eased itself out and suddenly Hytanica is okay again. Hmm.
If you've read the series then obviously you've got to read this one to finally put it to bed, but I wasn't as thrilled about this as the other two.
-CB

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Review: Allegiance (Legacy #2) by Cayla Kluver

My Rating: 4 out of 5

THANK YOU TO NET GALLEY AND HARLEQUIN TEEN FOR ALLOWING ME TO REVIEW THIS BOOK AND GIVE MY HONEST OPINION

Synopsis:

Only I saw Narian for who he truly was: a young man with courage and an independent mind, and made to pay for what was outside his control. He couldn't help his past any more than he could help the way those intense, deep-blue eyes pierced me and held me captive.

An eighteen-year-old queen in love with the enemy as their countries pass the point of no return...

Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn't truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica-until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge.

Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn...

My Review:

This review is really a 4.5 stars. I enjoyed this story as much as Legacy, the writing was still exemplary, rich and absorbing while a darker tone took over the book towards the end as war engulfed Hytanica.

The only problems are with the story itself. Parts were slightly annoying and others had me cheering.

But firstly, lets talk about Alera. I still love her. I think she's completely inept at acting like a Queen, although when she is forced to head functions she does it well in a queenly manner. This surprised me as frequently her mother, the previous Queen comments on how much training she was given yet Alera doesn't appear to have received much. Outside of Palace functions, Alera falls apart. Her marriage to Steldor is a sham, more of a marriage of convenience. No matter how many times he tries to show affection she shies away, unready and unsure of herself and her feelings. Once or twice I thought she would cave in. Her narration constantly tells us that she's allured by his eyes and his scent however she's still holding on to her feelings for Narian and they haunt her.

Steldor changes a great deal in this book. No longer arrogant and completely chauvanistic, he begins to show a great deal more compassion towards Alera. Now that they're married he believes that eventually she will drop her guard and allow him into her life as her husband. He forgives her actions and her rudeness with selflessness, and this alone lead me to believe that Alera would forget Narian and actively become the queen that Steldor dearly wants by his side.

Narian is not in this book a great deal, but he is constantly in Alera's thoughts. When they do meet there are only a few sparks of their love. I felt a little let down here as I wanted a little more secret romancing between them but it was mainly just a few words here and there. Nothing greatly concrete to make you understand if his feelings towards Alera had changed or remained as they were.

A few problems I had with the story was repetiveness. Towards the end, in the cave scene, the constant toing and froing between talks with the enemy was wearisome. London went to meet the Overlord and came back, then he went again and came back, then someone else went and came back. Plus Steldor being sickened from his gruesome wound dragged the scenario out for too long. Yes, I understood that this was vital for Alera to grow up and become a stronger woman but did it have to take so long?

Also, when Miranna went missing Alera showed grief in short, sporadic moments but then her thoughts flittered to Steldor or Narian and I wondered how she could be thinking these things when her most beloved sister was being held, possibly tortured, by the enemy.

In the beginning we see Alera as a spoilt brat. She sits in her room for days, crying and reclusively shying from her public duty but by the end she's definitely a different person with responsibilities so great that the future of Hytanica now rests on her shoulders.

I can hardly wait for Sacrifice to come out to find if Alera is up to the challenge!

See my Review Of Legacy by Cayla Kluver here

You can reach Cayla Kluver here: 

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Review: Legacy (Legacy #1) by Cayla Kluver

My Rating: 4 out of 5

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

In her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytanica faces one duty: to marry the man who will be king. But her father's choice of suitor fills her with despair.

When the palace guard captures and 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 may be the downfall of a kingdom.

Review:
I'm a sucker for the princess story. I love to read about all the sumptious silk, satin and brocade gowns and sparkly tiaras and jewellery. Add a few princes (of sorts) to bring a little spicy romance, plus an unwanted royal wedding and this book had everything I wanted.

I was surprised to read a few bad reviews for Legacy. I understand it isn't to everyones taste but if you like being immersed into a story with lots of descriptives and direction then you will enjoy this one. The writing tone is very mature and typical with adult historical romances (Philippa Gregory, for instance), the descriptions of clothing, scenery, and back story are indepth but for me this was perfect as some authors tend to be a little vague when writing so I enjoyed imagining exactly what the author wanted me to.

The characters are really, really good and Kluver did an excellent job of portraying Steldor as the chauvanistic would-be-king. His attitude whenever he was in vicinity of Alera set my teeth on edge, his friends weren't much better, making me feel sorry for her predicament. Her selfish, weak, and demanding father, who happens to be the King of Hytanica, has put Alera into a position where she doesn't have an alternative to marrying Steldor, and a woman cannot rule Hytanica so Alera must marry a man worthy of being King. Her father's sees no other choice more worthy than Steldor.

When Narian/Kyenn comes into her life she falls for him, but as his life has been enemy Cokyrian, and most of the Palace won't trust him Alera finds ways to meet in secret. The war outside the palace walls is getting nearer and more and more depends on finding a new King for Hytanica, and fast.

Alera, as a character, was lovely. I wanted her to have a bit more attitude at times, but I had to keep remembering that she's been brought up with no responsibilities other than wear a nice gown and look pretty. Every now and then I saw a spark that she'd break away from Palace rules but her upbringing got in the way every time.

And the ending? The book didn't end on a high, and certainly leads straight into the next book. Alera is at her lowest point and has obeyed all protocols but what happens next? And will Narian rescue her? We shall have to wait and find out!

You can reach Cayla Kluver here: 

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