Soulbound (Legacy of Tril, #1)

Sep 19, 2012 Jake Rideout rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I give this book 5 stars for the story and 1 star for the writing. I really wish that someone else had written the book, because the premise is so good. Normally I won't finish a book that is almost physically painful to read, but the story kept me coming back for more...so I guess there's something to be said for that.

Plenty of other reviewers can tell you about the complete lack of worldbuilding; the terrible and anachronistic dialogue; the really, really stupid love triangle; the haphazardly...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, ya, pn-vampires, arcs-read, owned-arc, arc-via-publisher-or-author

3.5 stars

This had several elements that have been done time and time again: sarcastic rule-breaking heroine, heroine is shipped off to boarding school without a choice, saved by cute boy (who just happens to be a total jerk... but... he's cute. So it's cool), meets another cute boy and the dreaded love triangle is born... need I go own? I must say though, it wasn't JUST that badass looking cover that sold me originally, I actually did read the summary on this one before immediately adding it to...more 3.5 stars

This had several elements that have been done time and time again: sarcastic rule-breaking heroine, heroine is shipped off to boarding school without a choice, saved by cute boy (who just happens to be a total jerk... but... he's cute. So it's cool), meets another cute boy and the dreaded love triangle is born... need I go own? I must say though, it wasn't JUST that badass looking cover that sold me originally, I actually did read the summary on this one before immediately adding it to my read pile so I was really truly interested in reading this story. Despite the immediate evidence that this was like every other book I've read, for some reason I was hooked and I attribute that to a part of me kept hoping that something un-normal would happen or at the very least something badass that lived up to that awesome cover. (Seriously, that's one seriously kickass cover).

Regardless and despite all my seemingly negative comments down below, there was just something about this story that I really enjoyed. I was completely hooked on the story line and I really liked Kala even though she had some total dumb moments where I'd slap her upside the head if I could.

I had particular issue with the actual world of Tril. Love me some world-building, and once I hit around page 250 and realized I still had no clue where the hell this world was, whether it was an area on Earth, some floating planet like Atlantis, or a completely separate planet... no clue. There was one brief description where it was describing 'the Outer Rim' which is supposedly the most dangerous area in all of Tril 'running through all three-continents - that is, Kokora, Haruko, and Kaito-in an oval shape.' I would have appreciated some additional detail of what appears to be a fascinating world, and maybe a little earlier on because that brief description didn't even come until page 271 (in my arc - may not be actual page in official edition).

I found the writing to be appropriate considering the main character is a 17 year old. The only issue I had was her form of cuss words... 'fak', 'terked off', (what's so wrong with ticked off?) she would refer to people who were being jerks as 'deks' (which I personally found funny because fak is a substitute for 'fuck' but dek? A substitute for 'dick'? lol Maybe not what it was truly meant to be a substitute for but that's what it made me think.) Bottom line, I get the reason for not cussing but I would've just preferred it be left out entirely instead of this silly fake cussing business. But bonus points for inventing new words.

The explanation behind the Soulbounds was pretty awesome, how the two were born at the exact same moment and were thus paired together. The couples that were just 'Bound' were a little less interesting. I understand the significance between two that are Soulbound but being Bound doesn't appear to be anything special, that just meant to me was even if you were unfortunate to lose your Soulbound he/she is replaceable. Obviously they couldn't stay alone for the rest of their lives and sure the couples that are Bound don't have as strong a relationship and maybe I'm just complaining because I'm a big sappy romantic and the concept of being Soulbound had me 'awwing' but despite that I did like the whole concept behind Soulbounds.

As far as the actual relationship between Kaya and Trayton... it was way too insta-love for me. And Trayton? Could not have been more perfect. It was kind of disgusting. The first place they go together is his 'favorite place' which just so happens to be this absolutely gorgeous library (there was even a chandelier). I mean come on. That shit doesn't happen. (And if so, where the hell is my super fantastic dream guy who takes me to beautiful libraries on our first date?!) It was a total scene copy from Beauty and the Beast, except I'm going to assume Trayton was less fuzzy.

Bottom Line
I did enjoy this but not as much as I had anticipated. This had a lot of elements that reminded me of The Vampire Academy series and I think fans of that will enjoy this also. By the end there were almost too many questions that were left unanswered which left the book feeling a tad incomplete to me. (Not to mention the cliffhanger that was easily foreseeable) I understand that this is the first installment in a series but some resolution would have been nice. I am interested in seeing how this series progresses so I will definitely be picking up the next installment. (less)

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Feb 09, 2013 Elyssa rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Disclaimer: I didn't finish this book. I got to page 258 out of 394 before deciding I really couldn't stomach any more.

Honestly, I have no idea how 45% of people who read this book gave it 5 STARS. FIVE! STARS! I usually reserve my five stars for the most perfect and pleasing of books I read —and Legacy of Tril (Soulbound?) was neither of those.

From now on, I'll have to remember to not look just at the average rating —but some of the reviews themselves. If I had with this book, I would have seen...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Elle! rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Teens who liked Cold Fury and Fantasy.

Recommended to Elle! by: Goodreads baby ;)

Shelves: up-next, a-surprise, action, adventure, fantasy, paranormal, teens, ya, war, politics

First of all, this book reeked of cliffhanger.It omitted a smell so thick I was surprised when if didn't waft off the pages. As you all know, if you like to read, it is a terrifying smell that angers the reader. That results in tossing the book to the other side of the room and groaning. Anxiety will be felt for the next few minutes and depending on how delish the series is. Months, thanks JK Rowling. So, how do I know if my book is diagnosed with cliffhanger? The book will leave off in the midd...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Skyla rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: based-on-myth-legend, books-i-own, first-time-reading-this-author, ya, won-through-razorbill, arc, free

An ARC copy was kindly provided by Razorbill for an honest review

I'm going to post my thoughts on the cover first off as it is bugging me a little bit. The girl looks kick-ass and the title of the series is bold and bright on the right-hand side but the title of the novel is barely noticable at the bottom in small white script. The author's name and the trilogy title overpower the title of the book and if I was to just walk by the book in a shop I would think the title was "Legacy of Tril" rat...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Esmeralda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realms, spies, 4-stars

Really it was a 3.5. The book was entertaining, the plot runs smoothly, and the charcters are likable. I really enjoyed the main character she does not settle for less, when she wants to do something or speak out her mind she does. The other characters were good too, having conflicts that make them human and completely human. The writing is good. Finished it in a day. The cliff-hangeris good, amazing good.

The reason that the rating is not higher is because it was the same formula:
1)Girl goes to...more

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May 18, 2013 Nicky rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, cover-love, killer-cliffhangers

This book was full of plot holes and gaps in logic, and it was probably one of the most predictable reads I've ever come across. I knew what the big reveal was going to be thirty pages in, and I knew how it was going to be revealed and when. Considering this is coming from someone who usually isn't particularly fast on the uptake in these things, that's saying a lot.

I want to point out that this sort of story appeals to me on a fundamental level. A girl who wants to go against social convention...more This book was full of plot holes and gaps in logic, and it was probably one of the most predictable reads I've ever come across. I knew what the big reveal was going to be thirty pages in, and I knew how it was going to be revealed and when. Considering this is coming from someone who usually isn't particularly fast on the uptake in these things, that's saying a lot.

I want to point out that this sort of story appeals to me on a fundamental level. A girl who wants to go against social conventions to learn to fight and defend herself takes lessons from a guy who secretly likes her but has to be gruff on the outside for some important reason or other... I'm a sucker for these types of story lines. However, Soulbound ruins what could've been a good plot with a plethora of logical inconsistencies and flaws, as well as poor writing and bad characterization. Kaya didn't stay true to her character but fluctuated in her actions throughout. One moment she wanted to fight, the next she was cowering, and the next she would be swooning over a guy (despite a nice little inner monologue at the beginning about how she wasn't like her friend and never got crazy over boys). But worse than that, at times she really wasn't very likable. For example, she attacked Darius from behind, not once, but twice, the second time forcing him to apologize for something that I didn't really blame him for. Not that he was faultless either, but still, holding someone at sword point until they apologize when they aren't clearly in the wrong? Not cool. And attacking someone from behind is just about the least honorable thing you can do. The provocation was NOT enough to justify such a despicable act.

So much didn't make sense. If I had taken notes while I read, I could list them here for you, but I didn't, and I apparently have the short term fact-memory of a goldfish because the details are not forthcoming. Basically, it was just a bunch of little things that didn't add up. Some of that was because things were left unresolved in a cliffhanger at the end, but not all of it can be chalked up to an abrupt ending or even be provided with a reasonable explanation. And also, a lot of plot points were so improbable. I hate stories that are too improbable; improbability often seems to be a way for unimaginative writers to fix their books without thinking up things that could actually happen.

In the end, I was less than impressed with the whole thing. It was a gripping read, in that it kept my attention securely fastened to the page, but the content I was reading just wasn't appealing to me. If I could actually remember (damn you, fickle memory) all the things that bothered me, you would see why I had problems with it. Alas, I'll just have to leave it up to you to decide whether you want to go for it. It wasn't an original read in any way, but it also wasn't the most banal stuff I've read. I'm debating whether or not to waste my time reading the sequel to find out what happens. Though thinking about it, I could probably just guess and call it good.

2.5 Stars.

P.S. Can I just say that the cover is one of the main reasons I read this book? Isn't it deliciously badass?

Oh, I just remembered one of the things that annoyed me. The motives and principles given throughout - for fighting, for submitting to the headmaster, for so many things - just didn't hold up under scrutiny and weren't consistently driving forces behind Kaya's actions. I didn't feel impassioned about any of them, and I could even see simple solutions to some. Also, the ending was poorly cobbled together. (view spoiler)(less)

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Apr 26, 2013 E.A. rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I am one who will judge a book by its cover, at least if I have never heard of it before. I often peruse the shelves looking for something new to try and will be attracted to the cover in some way. That is how I found SOULBOUND, which is book one in the LEGACY OF TRIL. There was something about the cover that caught my attention, even if wearing a chainmail veil is stupid in my opinion. Warning, this particular review contains some spoilers.

The things that draw me in: The idea behind the story w...more I am one who will judge a book by its cover, at least if I have never heard of it before. I often peruse the shelves looking for something new to try and will be attracted to the cover in some way. That is how I found SOULBOUND, which is book one in the LEGACY OF TRIL. There was something about the cover that caught my attention, even if wearing a chainmail veil is stupid in my opinion. Warning, this particular review contains some spoilers.

The things that draw me in: The idea behind the story was fascinating. You fall into one of three types of people, Barrons, Healers, or Unskilled. Healers and Barrons are bound at birth. I mean there is a lot of potential for this book.

The things that kick me out: The way the society is set up is inane. The fact that few people have contested it is unrealistic. I can’t believe that the unskilled have been kept in the dark regarding a WAR. I can believe they might not know about Barrons and Healers, but a war that has been going on for decades?

Why of why do they not train Healers to fight. No one has been able to come up with a good reason. If the Healer is going to the battlefield and the objective of the evil king is to kill the healers, why do they think training the Barrons to fight is enough? At least teach them some self-defense. I know this is the point of the story but it just seems so unrealistic as to why the Healers are left defenseless.

The ending? Really? The author did a tadaa moment with the villain. (And the person who has been letting the Graplers into the compound is . . .) There was little setup and then even the reasoning behind it was flawed by the climax.

The writing itself seemed rough. There were places that relied on clichés and tropes that interrupted the flow of the story.

I’ll stop there though I have more. I wish there was more positive for me to say. I am hoping that book two answers some of my issues. If it does I may come back and give a nicer review, but as of right now, the book was a huge disappointment because it just felt thrown together and hastily stitched at the seams. I really wanted to like this book but the end just left me feeling cheated. (less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Meghan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An awesome, fast paced, hard to put down book. :)

First reactions?
Upon first reading the book, my first reaction was that the writing style was..well...different. I wasn't sure what it was but I knew I didn't like it. After reading further, I realized that its a bit chunky, with a line of dialogue followed by so much internal monologue or description that we totally lost the jist of the conversation by the time the response comes along..so we're like "What?" "Oh yeah...*goes back to last line of...more An awesome, fast paced, hard to put down book. :)

First reactions?
Upon first reading the book, my first reaction was that the writing style was..well...different. I wasn't sure what it was but I knew I didn't like it. After reading further, I realized that its a bit chunky, with a line of dialogue followed by so much internal monologue or description that we totally lost the jist of the conversation by the time the response comes along..so we're like "What?" "Oh yeah...*goes back to last line of dialogue to refresh*..THATS what she was talking about.

The story world is very unique, and a refreshing change to most YA books out there. It's not exactly dystopian, but it appeals to the lovers of that genre. Some previous reviews didn't like the fact that the author didn't explain where on Earth this was taking place, or if it was another planet, or what. But in my opinion, I really liked that the location was kept vague, focusing only on inner details. I found it helped me to just imagine this amazing magical world. It could of been anywhere, which I loved.

BACKROUND
There are barrons and healers who represent the "skilled" society. They go to an academy and train (without a concrete end, I might add), until they are deemed ready to go and fight or help in the unending war. There are also the unskilled people who are not allowed to know anything about the skilled. We never find out why though. Healers and Barrons are soulbound at birth, an idea I was totally drooling over. The thought of having a definite partner decided for you at birth that you will find one day inevitably is just..wow. I was so in love with this idea and (view spoiler)

Although most reviews didn't mention her, I really REALLY liked Maddox, Kaya's new best friend at the academy, and all she added to the book. She was snarky but strong, and had a strong characterization with a solid background. The scenes with her were funny and interesting and she was a fabulous addition to the book. Go Maddox!!

The world building could have been a little bit more strong, as I was left with bounty's of unanswered questions, like for example, Why, WHY I ASK YOU was Melanie so obsessed with Trayton?, or What was this war even about.....and...lots more I can't think of now.

The story plot was one you just fall in love with though, for who doesn't love a strong female heroine who can totally kick butt? Especially when people tell her she's not allowed to but she does anyway. Its a pretty common story line but I fall for it everytime. Going against the social norm and all that.

The romance with Trayton is actually the most confusing thing though, it moved much too quickly and didn't seem to have any real chemistry. Although that kind of sucked, the romance(ish) with Darius was enough to make up for it, for you just eat up when he shows some kindness in stark contrast to his usual gruffness. While Trayton is always SO sweet, realistically I think a girl might like that, but in a novel this can sadly get a bit drab and pretty annoying.

Overall, the book was a wonderful read that I was totally sucked into until I finally finished it. (And you can tell I'm still thinking about it now, so it hasn't quite left my mind yet). Though it might have some flaws, (Doesn't everything though), it has some great moments, and it was a super fun, and different read. Give it a try!(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 Step Into Fiction rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sana

I had the pleasure of meeting Heather Brewer at San Diego Comic Con this summer. Penguin was nice enough to give away copies of this book along with have Heather sign them. Not gonna lie, the cover is really what intrigued me. But they usually say, don't judge a book by it's cover. I expected Soulbound to be a very action and adventure book. And yes there was definitely action in it, there was also a story about growing up.

Soulbound centers around Kaya. A teenage girl whose parents ran away from...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Celise Winters rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Click here to see my full review!

I've been fortunate to be finding amazing books. May the winning streak continue! First The Pledge, and now Soulbound. Let me just warn you, this is a pretty freaking amazing book!

There are books where girls are continually wishing they were stronger, or whatever, but they never actually do anything about it, and just wait for the guys to rescue them. Now, Kaya, isn't quite like that. She takes the initiative. And I couldn't help but love her. Any girl who is wil...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Soo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

In the land of Tril, there is a hidden society of Barrons and Healers. Every Barron and Healer has a "soulbound" match when they are born. The Barrons are the warriors that fight in battle and the Healers are the ones that draw them back from injuries and potential death. That's the way it works and those that venture away from Protocol could be sentenced to die.

Kaya's parents are both Barrons who have lost their Healer in the last war. They fell in love after the battle and went into hiding to...more In the land of Tril, there is a hidden society of Barrons and Healers. Every Barron and Healer has a "soulbound" match when they are born. The Barrons are the warriors that fight in battle and the Healers are the ones that draw them back from injuries and potential death. That's the way it works and those that venture away from Protocol could be sentenced to die.

Kaya's parents are both Barrons who have lost their Healer in the last war. They fell in love after the battle and went into hiding to live their lives. It's forbidden for warriors to marry another warrior or for Healers to marry another Healer. After a terrible attack in town, Kaya and her parents have been found out by the society. Kaya must go to the Shadow Academy for training or her parents' will be killed.

Kaya doesn't want to be a docile Healer that stands behind a Barron. She wants to be able to fight and protect those she loves herself. How far will she go for what she believes in?

(view spoiler)

I'm curious to see how the story line will continue and what will happen to Kaya, Darius and Trayton. (less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Ajbee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

. I would give it a 3.5. Overall entertaining but There was not enough action and I figured out what was going to happen from the beginning. Not to dificute to figure out Darius is kaya's soulbound. At their first meeting when he would not let her heal him I was think their soulbound but can't be together. But I figured i would watch it play out. The book kept me entertained but it didn't get good until the last few chapter.

Characters:
Kaya-
I wanted kaya to be tougher from the beginning, I mean...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-fantasy

First book I've read by this author...started last night and finished at 1am this morning! 'Academy/school' series can be repetitive and overdone but that's not the case here!
Kaya has a simple life with loving parents in an small village. She knows their history and that a simple slip from her can mean their deaths. She even knows that she had a place in that society but her parents chose each other, and their choices protect her from that life and war.
(Soulbound, Bound...adds a new dimension t...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read this book pretty quickly, and I would like to read Soulbroken as soon as I can.
This book wasn't amazing, though. It's more of a 2.5 star.

First, there was timing. I don't have any idea how much in-universe time went by between the first and last pages. It could've been six weeks, it could've been six months. I think it should be six months, because then Kaya's combat skills would make a lot more sense. At one point, it says she's been in training for a week, and then on practically the nex...more I read this book pretty quickly, and I would like to read Soulbroken as soon as I can.
This book wasn't amazing, though. It's more of a 2.5 star.

First, there was timing. I don't have any idea how much in-universe time went by between the first and last pages. It could've been six weeks, it could've been six months. I think it should be six months, because then Kaya's combat skills would make a lot more sense. At one point, it says she's been in training for a week, and then on practically the next page she defeats Trayton in a duel.
There just wasn't a good sense of how much time went by, which I found kind of annoying. There's no sense of anything happening that isn't in the book--days going by between chapters or anything. If you just read it assuming every day is written in, it feels like a really short timespan.

Second, Instructor Baak going crazy and trying to kill everyone.
What?
Throughout the whole book, Kaya kept calling her evil, but I assumed that was because Kaya has problems with authority and has a mutual-hatred relationship with this teacher. It just sounded like she was strict and boring, not really evil or insane. It just didn't seem like a well thought-out ending. I mean, I guess there had to be a huge Graplar battle at the end, so we could see that Darius and Kaya were Soulbound (saw that plot twist coming from before halfway through the book), but there had to be a better way to do it than to have a teacher that got maybe ten lines of characterization go crazy and try to kill everyone.

Third, why is Kaya so in love with Trayton? This is more of an opinion than the rest of my review, of course, but most of the time it just seems like she doesn't really like him that much. It's almost like she only acts that way at all is because she thinks she's supposed to because they're Bound. (Actually, if that was what Heather Brewer was going for, that was pretty good.)

Soulbound was all right. I don't think I'll read it again, but I don't feel like I wasted time reading it that I could've used doing other things. It sounded like a great plot and caught my attention when I read the jacket summary. It didn't measure up to my expectations. Things didn't quite mesh and the plot wasn't quite cohesive. I just didn't like it as much as I would've liked to.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Rosemarie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First of all I would like to say that I was really very excited to read this book. I had read the summary of this book a while ago and since then was really looking forward to read it. The description of the book had gotten me intrigued. It's description makes you believe that the book is gonna be really adventurous and fierce. Which certainly it wasn't.

Now to be frank, the start of the book was a bit boring. But after a while I got a bit interested when she meets the mysterious guy in the jungl...more

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Sep 15, 2012 A.M. Supinger rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book did exactly what it was intended to do: it entertained.

Although there are some cliche things in this book (love triangle, boarding school, snarky girl who keeps stumbling into trouble), there is also some really creative world-building. If a reader is looking to sit down and read a book start-to-finish without wanting to stop, I'd suggest Soulbound.

The main character (Kaya)is a strong female character, even though she's young and has a lot to learn. She doesn't just follow orders, nor...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Elyza rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, own

Okay, so I'm not crazy about the cover of this book, and that influenced my opinion of the story early on. I was reading thinking, "Same old YA fluff". However I kept reading and it picked up for me and got interesting. I liked reading about the fighting, katanas and graplars, also I really enjoyed Maddox's character. I hope she gets more face time, it feels like she could have her own story. Now stuff I didn't like, I already talked about the cover so I will move on. The obvious dislike for me...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Rachael rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-books

Perhaps I should start with what I liked about this book. Yes, that's definitely a good place to start. What did I like about this book? The cover. We have a strong, kick ass looking heroine on the cover. Yay!

All right, on to what I hated about it. I know hate is a strong word, but I was scowling while reading this book. No joke. I chuckled maybe once. All the other times I was groaning at how horrible it was.
Things that call out to me that drove me batty. (There may be some spoilers)
1. Kaya is...more Perhaps I should start with what I liked about this book. Yes, that's definitely a good place to start. What did I like about this book? The cover. We have a strong, kick ass looking heroine on the cover. Yay!

All right, on to what I hated about it. I know hate is a strong word, but I was scowling while reading this book. No joke. I chuckled maybe once. All the other times I was groaning at how horrible it was.
Things that call out to me that drove me batty. (There may be some spoilers)
1. Kaya is a whining little brat. I wanted to slap her I don't know how many times. We get it, you hate being there and you want to be a rebel. But there's being a strong female character who is standing up against a tyrannical political system and being the most annoying character in the book. "I don't get why (insert teacher's name) keeps giving me extra assignments. All I did was tell them off in front of the whole school."
2. Kaya finds it weird how boy crazy her best friend Avery is, that is until she gets to her new school and she finds two beautiful boys. That's right, we've got ourselves a love triangle. Yay!!!
3. Language. By this I mean swearing. I'm totally fine with cussing in books, makes it seem more real. But be original, especially since you're in a fantasy world. Fak in place of F*ck and Dek in place of D*ck is not original. At all.
3. Language. This time I mean the writing. All right, so we have this fantasy world that's pretty much medieval. We have a King, people live in villages, the Barrons fight with swords. What does not make sense in this mix? Kids eating in a cafeteria. Dead serious, the word cafeteria is used. I almost ripped my hair out at that point.
4. World. We never really see any true world building, which is a key part of a book that deigns to call itself fantasy. Also the government (at least I think it's some type of government, it's hard to tell really) does not use logical. "Oh all our healers are being targeted by Graplars? No of course we're not going to teach them self defense, that'd be crazy talk. Don't worry we'll give the first year healers Barron guards who have not been taught the art of combat. What's that you say? It makes no sense that when we're losing a war against an immortal King we're not using all of our naturally born fighters and we make the healers stand literally on the sidelines of the battles where they are attacked and killed? Well too bad, we don't use logic here."
5. Timeline. I swear there were moments when progressively the story did not make sense. Also, highly unbelievable that after a week or two of sparring and push ups that Kaya is able to hold her own against the best Katana teacher.
6. Twists. They aren't twists if we seem them coming miles away, ya know what I mean? Oh and thank goodness character A was able to overhear the enemy's soldiers (at a pub) spell out the betrayal of character B, so A returned just in time.

:sigh: There's more that I hated about this book, but then I'd just be recounting the entire book here. I wanted to like this book, I really truly did. It had so much potential but it got ruined by so many things. I would NOT recommend this to a reader of fantasy books, I just wouldn't insult them like this. I would only hand this book to a teen that comes in and has to read a fantasy book for English and only reads those mind numbingly annoying YA books about teen girls bickering and backstabbing each other.(less)

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Jul 23, 2012 Talia H. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Holy Fak:) this was amazing!:) utterly amazing and astounding:) I am at a loss for words for this book. A one day read for me because I Could NOT put it down. The characters of the book were like none I have encountered throughout my reading experience...if only I could put more than 5 stars:)
The character Kaya just makes the readers connect with her, her reckless behavior to do what she felt eas best in order to learn to fight even though it was against Protocol in order to protect those she lo...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2012...

Vastly known for her Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Heather Brewer takes a step a way from the vampires and slayers to create her own unique world. Soul- bound, the start of the Legacy of Tril series, is a very balanced book that is a really good read if your looking for something new and fresh. The author continues to develop as a top tier author and it clearly shows in her new book. Her character growth isn’t just restricted to her main charact...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Sherri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the world of Trill there are three types of people; Barrons, Healers and the Unskilled. It is the job of Barrons and Healers to protect the Unskilled and maintain their lack of awareness of their existence. Barrons fight and protect their Healers whose job it is to accompany their Barron into battle and cure their injuries. Healers and Barrons are born not made; on the day a Healer or Barron is born somewhere in Trill their opposite to whom they are soulbound is also born. Kayla is a born Hea...more In the world of Trill there are three types of people; Barrons, Healers and the Unskilled. It is the job of Barrons and Healers to protect the Unskilled and maintain their lack of awareness of their existence. Barrons fight and protect their Healers whose job it is to accompany their Barron into battle and cure their injuries. Healers and Barrons are born not made; on the day a Healer or Barron is born somewhere in Trill their opposite to whom they are soulbound is also born. Kayla is a born Healer, the daughter of two Barrons who fell in love after losing their Healers in battle, wants to fight the flesh-eating Graplars attacking the people of Trill. Since the marriage of two Barrons is forbidden and punishable by death Kayla has been raised in hiding and has no knowledge of the training Healers and Barrons go through. When she is seventeen her location is discovered and she is blackmailed into attending the Shadow Academy to train to become a Healer.
Once she is at the Academy she challenges the status-quo and with the aid of Darius a weapons instructor begins to secretly train to fight. She is informed that the Barron she is soulbound to has died and that she will be bound to Trayton a Barron who has lost his Healer. Kayla is busy trying to sort out her feelings and establish a relationship with Trayton while continuing her secret training and contentious interactions with Darius when it becomes clear that something is wrong at Shadow Academy, there is an unusually large number of Graplars in the area and some have even made it inside the academy walls. The situation becomes deadly before an answer is discovered.
Souldbound is a suspenseful, romantic fantasy novel. Kayla is a strong female character who questions authority and has a firm opinion of right and wrong. Trill is a well-built world and its sense place is built without an overuse of strange words or terms as descriptors. Many authors overuse of odd words and phrases can destroy the flow of a story. Ms. Brewer’s word choices add to the story rather than distracting from the action. This book is the first in a series. I look forward to the next installment in this well written atypical young adult novel. Fans of the Hunger Games should find it enjoyable.
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Jul 17, 2012 Kat rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-it, 2012-release, format-hardback, where-shelf

Got this while I was at Comic-Con & once I started I couldn't put it down. If I take the time to let it all settle in, I probably wouldn't give this 5 stars but since I JUST finished it, that's what it's getting cuz it was totally awesome! Serious OMG moment at the end - one u probably will see coming but by the end of the book will have decided is not happening. Yupyup awesome! So read it cuz Kaya is definitely not some whiny female content to let someone else save her ass, she is determine...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Kaci rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Kaya is a Healer born of a union between two Barrons which is illegal. Because her parents can be killed for breaking the law, Kaya has to go to school where Healers and Barrons are trained to fight and heal. There she is going to be Soulbound to a fighter. There are a few complications but you'll have to read the book to find out what. I don't want to accidentally give spoilers!

I loved this book! I also love Heather Brewer. I met her at a book signing that I went to with a friend and she was s...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Tonya F rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wasn't entirely impressed with the story. The writing wasn't very good, and it didn't seem like much happened in the story.

Kaya is forced to go to a school to learn to become a healer, and most of the book consists of her daily chores and training. I also found the story to be extremely predictable. I suppose the ending was supposed to be a plot twist, but it was quite obvious at the beginning to me.

I also found it hard to empathize with Kaya. I liked her character, and I liked how she was to...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I normally don't quote blurbs in my reviews, but I was about to start explaining the world of Tril and realized the blurb did it quite neatly in a single sentence. "Tril is a world where Barrons and Healers are Bound to each other: Barrons fight and Healers cure their Barrons' wounds in the ongoing war with the evil Graplar King." Kaya is a Healer and the daughter of two Barrons. But Barrons are not supposed to have relationships with each other. Kaya must attend the Shadow Academy and be the mo...more I normally don't quote blurbs in my reviews, but I was about to start explaining the world of Tril and realized the blurb did it quite neatly in a single sentence. "Tril is a world where Barrons and Healers are Bound to each other: Barrons fight and Healers cure their Barrons' wounds in the ongoing war with the evil Graplar King." Kaya is a Healer and the daughter of two Barrons. But Barrons are not supposed to have relationships with each other. Kaya must attend the Shadow Academy and be the model Healer or her parents will be killed. But Kaya doesn't want to remain defenseless on the sidelines. She wants to fight.

Kaya and her friends should be safe within the walls of Shadow Academy. Somehow the Graplars, quick, vicious beasts, are breaching the defenses. If the perimeter's weakness can't be found, everyone living in the academy might perish. I loved that there is a self-contained plot in SOULBOUND in addition to the questions to be explored later in the Legend of Tril. Nothing annoys me more than the trend of first books that are all rising action. Kudos to Brewer for avoiding that trap.

I think Kaya is an easy heroine to identify with, especially for teenagers. She questions authority and works to pursue her dreams at all costs. I enjoyed Brewer's Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, but the real reason I wanted to read SOULBOUND was the fierce woman on the cover. Kaya lives up to the cover's promise.

Other major characters include Maddox, Darius, and Trayton. Maddox is assigned to be Kaya's guard and soon becomes her best friend. They're two troublemakers who are always there for each other. Darius is an Unskilled who teaches swordplay to the Barrons. He saves Kaya from a Graplar, then acts like he hates her. Yet he's the only person she can trust to teach her to fight. And Trayton is the Barron bound to Kaya. He's the rule-abiding sort, but Kaya's influence pushes him towards breaking tradition. I liked both guys, which makes me sad that there's probably going to be a full-blown love triangle in book two, SOULBROKEN.

If you're like me, you'll want to read SOULBROKEN the instant you finish SOULBOUND. (Cliffhangers, man. Cliffhangers.) Not even a cliffhanger would make me want to continue if the first book was bad, however. SOULBOUND is a terrific beginning to what should be an epic series. I like the characters and the world is intriguing. I'm ready to see Kaya shake up the establishment and to find out just what evil King Darrek's deal is. Fantasy fans will eagerly devour SOULBOUND. (less)

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Jun 20, 2012 Valentina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A captivating new young adult series, this first chapter in Kaya’s life will keep every lover of this genre happy.
The storyline is fun, fast-paced, with a healthy dose of humor, romance and action. Once you start reading it’s hard to put the book down, especially by the time you hit the third or fourth chapter. Although not entirely unpredictable, the story is amusing enough to keep all of us interested.
Since this seems to be a much more plot driven book than anything else, the characters do su...more

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May 11, 2012 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: early-reviewer, young-adult, best-of-the-best

Really great YA novel! In my opinion, Heather Brewer did a wonderful job of creating a story that appeals to YA readers. She weaves an intricate story with adventure, action, romance, betrayel and rebellion, all of which were essential and added depth to the story.

Soulbound by Heather Brewer is set in a different time and different world, where two forces fight, one to save mankind while the other focuses on destroying it. There are two groups of people unknown to regular humans, Barrons (those...more Really great YA novel! In my opinion, Heather Brewer did a wonderful job of creating a story that appeals to YA readers. She weaves an intricate story with adventure, action, romance, betrayel and rebellion, all of which were essential and added depth to the story.

Soulbound by Heather Brewer is set in a different time and different world, where two forces fight, one to save mankind while the other focuses on destroying it. There are two groups of people unknown to regular humans, Barrons (those who wield katanas to fight for the survival of humankind) and Healers (people who are bound to Barrons in order to heal them in the midst of battle). Kaya, born from the unlawful union of two Barrons, is summoned to Shadow Academy to train as a Healer. Through injury and death of close friends and death threat to her parents, Kaya realizes that she must learn how to fight even though Healers are forbidden to learn the art of combat and must rely on their Barrons for protection, though her bound Barron will hear none of it. So she turns to the only person with the skills to help her, Darius, the Academy's foremost combat instructor and expert, and her Barron's best friend. However, Darius holds a secret so big that it may completely destroy his friendship with Kaya and his best friend.

What I Liked: I really enjoy the cursing. At first I thought it was stupid for the characters to say "fak" and "dek" but those words grew on me and worked into the story well. I also enjoyed that Brewer didn't overdo the Melanie/Kaya jealousy over Trayton, Kaya's Barron and that their interactions were believable. I think Brewer did an excellent job with everyone's personalities and kept everyone in character through the whole book. I still had no clue how the Grapler's were getting into the school and was totally not expecting the answer to that question so that was very interesting and a good twist. The ending was great! HUGE cliffhanger. I slightly wanted to shake Brewer because I want the second novel to be out already!! Even though I know this one isn't even out yet XD. You know a book is good when you get to the last page and you think to yourself, "What?? No, no, no, I want to know what happens next!!!" And that was definitely my feeling when I turned to the last page. I kind of already guessed Darius' secret but at the same time I was hoping it's not true because it would complicate the relationships between Kaya/Trayton/Darius. I kind of was rooting for Kaya to like both of them because Trayton is such a nice, loving guy yet Darius is more suited to Kaya's personality. But I know she'll have to choose someone and I'm afraid!! Because I don't want any of them to get hurt. But I think I may have my favorite. The next book "Soulbroken" is very aptly named.

What I Didn't Like: Not a whole lot I didn't like about this book. I would have liked to learn a bit more about the Council and what their secrets are since they are portrayed as not evil, but doing things for the good of the council rather than making decisions that would benefit mankind. There are just questions that need answers so I hope the next few books will take more time to answer those questions.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!

I received this book from Librarything.com's Early Reviewer Giveaway. (less)

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May 09, 2012 sjm rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Kaya is born a healer, the child of a forbidden union between two, warriors called barrons. The Healers and Barrons are engaged in a longstanding war against the graplars, monstrous beasts and King Darrek,.The healers follow there Barrons into Battle and heal them of wounds so they can continue to fight and the Barrons protect the Healers and themselves. Both are bound by protocol a series of rules that governs Healer/Barron interactions.

After Kaya's father is forced to utilize his Barron abili...more Kaya is born a healer, the child of a forbidden union between two, warriors called barrons. The Healers and Barrons are engaged in a longstanding war against the graplars, monstrous beasts and King Darrek,.The healers follow there Barrons into Battle and heal them of wounds so they can continue to fight and the Barrons protect the Healers and themselves. Both are bound by protocol a series of rules that governs Healer/Barron interactions.

After Kaya's father is forced to utilize his Barron abilities to save villagers from a graplar, Kaya, her mother and father are revealed to Barron Society and Kaya is forced to go live at the Shadow Academy, a school devoted to training healers and Barrons.On her way to the school, sheis attacked by a graplar, and is saved by a mysterious silver-haired stranger, Darius, who she later learns is a teacher at the school. Once there Kaya is bound to a Barron, Taryton, and becomes his healer. However, after a few days at the academy, Kaya is extremely disenchanted in the protocol at shadow academy. Healers aren't allowed to fight or learn even self-defense, instead they must rely on their Barron to protect them, and Healers are treated as though they are inferior to Barrons.Kaya refuses to accept the status quo, and asks to be taught to fight. She has two options she can try to convince her Barron, Trayton, who is belives in a strict interpertation if healer/barron etiquette and is very resistant to teaching or she can ask darius, the young teacher who apparently dilikes her for no reason. Only one of the young men agrees to train her and the repercussions from the training and the attraction that Kaya feels for Darius and Trayton, are far-reaching. In the end a battle takes place and a shocking-revelation is revealed.

Soulbound plays with an interesting concept, Healers and Barrons are soulbound at birth with each Healer and Barron somewhere having there opposite counterpart. If a healer or Barron of the soulbound pair dies the remaining individual can be bound with another, though the bound is not as deep usually. Heather Brewer creates a strong- heroine that is unique and willing to take control of her life and destiny. the world of Tril is imaginative and enchanting, with charcters that are equally interesting.

Soulbound has a few aspects, that decrease what could have been a five-star book. Description is lacking in lot of places in the book. The book is slow paced until 1/3 of the way into the story and the beginning feels like it could have been condensed into less pages without harming, the plot or characterization. Also the author falls into the same fantasy teen love triangle, that so many books have nowadays without making, said triangle new or fresh.

Despite these criticisms, Soulbound is an excellent start to a series, with an amazingly strong heroine. Soulbound has Great characters and an interesting plot. The revelation in the end is nothing short of brillant!

Age Group: 13 and older

Content: violence and descriptions of it, made-up curse words(ex. that's fakked up!), kisses, teens drinking wine

Disclaimer: Review is based on ARC with uncorrected text, ARC was obtained from librarything early reviewers giveaway.(less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Gem rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: yabooks, read2012

This was a fun novel and the concept of the Barron/Healer duo is interesting. I only gave it three stars for the following reasons:

- If a novel takes place in a non-modern, not-of-this-world setting, then it is very jarring for me when characters use the word "hot" to describe someone as good-looking, or if the popular but bitchy girl has a secret party and doesn't want the main character to come. At times I felt like I was reading a book about a high school, which I think takes away from the at...more

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What category does this book most belong to??	29	18	Apr 01, 2013 07:05am
Team Darius or Trayton and why?	12	14	Mar 30, 2013 09:19pm
JUST TALK ABOUT SOULBOUND!	10	17	Mar 30, 2013 06:11pm

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Soulbound (Legacy of Tril #1)

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