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Betrayal #1
The Darkest Legacy
There are whispers of the darkest legacy that span hundreds of years...
Sixteen-year-old Cara Corsi just wants her normal life back. After recently surviving a horrific car accident, her recent life has been anything but ordinary and normal sounds pretty good right now.
Fully recovered and out of the hospital, Cara has returned to school, hoping her life will finally get back on track.
After only being back at her northern California high school a few days, weird and exciting occurrences happen, leaving Cara both perplexed and thrilled. When she is asked out by her longtime crush, Cara is elated that her life is quickly improving and her excitement explodes as she plans to attend the dance of the year.
But then, events quickly go off course and things aren’t as they seem. New problems arise when Cara is abruptly overwhelmed by brain-splitting headaches and her family is targeted by strange people Cara's mother, Maria, seems to know.
Maria has kept a life-altering secret that could destroy any chance of normalcy for Cara. Unbeknownst to Cara and her sister, Maria has taken drastic measures to keep the family hidden for the past fourteen years.
A sinister plan brews when the family is eventually located. But when Cara’s family suddenly disappears, Cara is overtaken by the nosy neighbor who won’t leave her alone–the same neighbor Maria warned her daughters to never go near.
Not knowing whom to trust, Cara must fight to find her family and to stay alive in a deception she knows nothing about.
This book is appropriate for ages 12 and up.
The book is clean and contains mild curse words.
Approximately 300 pages.
Sixteen-year-old Cara Corsi just wants her normal life back. After recently surviving a horrific car accident, her recent life has been anything but ordinary and normal sounds pretty good right now.
Fully recovered and out of the hospital, Cara has returned to school, hoping her life will finally get back on track.
After only being back at her northern California high school a few days, weird and exciting occurrences happen, leaving Cara both perplexed and thrilled. When she is asked out by her longtime crush, Cara is elated that her life is quickly improving and her excitement explodes as she plans to attend the dance of the year.
But then, events quickly go off course and things aren’t as they seem. New problems arise when Cara is abruptly overwhelmed by brain-splitting headaches and her family is targeted by strange people Cara's mother, Maria, seems to know.
Maria has kept a life-altering secret that could destroy any chance of normalcy for Cara. Unbeknownst to Cara and her sister, Maria has taken drastic measures to keep the family hidden for the past fourteen years.
A sinister plan brews when the family is eventually located. But when Cara’s family suddenly disappears, Cara is overtaken by the nosy neighbor who won’t leave her alone–the same neighbor Maria warned her daughters to never go near.
Not knowing whom to trust, Cara must fight to find her family and to stay alive in a deception she knows nothing about.
This book is appropriate for ages 12 and up.
The book is clean and contains mild curse words.
Approximately 300 pages.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
310 pages, Paperback
First published December 13, 2014
1 person is currently reading
917 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Lynn Catz
3 books10 followersOn a whim, Jennifer Lynn Catz wrote The Darkest Legacy for NaNoWriMo 2012. After working on the novel for two years, she released Betrayal (part one) on 12-13-14. Betrayed (part two) was just released on 2-13-15.
She is also writing other fiction stories, all in the magical, young adult realm.
Jennifer lives in Southern New England and you can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, sometimes on Pinterest (when she has plenty of time to kill) and Tsu.
She is also writing other fiction stories, all in the magical, young adult realm.
Jennifer lives in Southern New England and you can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, sometimes on Pinterest (when she has plenty of time to kill) and Tsu.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 17, 2015
I bought this book after being recommended by my friends who seem to have gone gaga over this new story. And I love it too!!
The Darkest Legacy: Betrayal is the first installment in the series being writtenby J.L Catz, and I think the author has done a wonderful job!
For me, the best parts of this book are the unexpected twists that come along the way. The book is very exciting and I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. I had to finish it in one go. And that is something very rare for me. But it's expected of a book this good I suppose!
The build-up to the climax is really good and kept me at the edge of my seat till the end. I cant wait to get my hands on the second installment!
The Darkest Legacy: Betrayal is the first installment in the series being writtenby J.L Catz, and I think the author has done a wonderful job!
For me, the best parts of this book are the unexpected twists that come along the way. The book is very exciting and I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. I had to finish it in one go. And that is something very rare for me. But it's expected of a book this good I suppose!
The build-up to the climax is really good and kept me at the edge of my seat till the end. I cant wait to get my hands on the second installment!
March 14, 2025
I have never met a FMC I disliked more than this girl. And that's saying something because I actually like teenagers.
January 6, 2015
Cara is a 16 year old girl living in San Mateo, California. She experienced a car accident before this story takes place and is struggling to get her life back to normal. She ecstatic when her dream crush asks her to the dance and Cara can’t figure out why no one else is happy for her. Cara’s mother is hiding something, possibly a lot of things, but we do find out she’s the reason why no one was happy that Cara got asked to the dance.
Out of the blue, Cara gets migraine-type headaches but before the origins can be explored, her mom and sister disappear and then the overbearing neighbor enters the picture. Cara was warned by her mother to stay away from Fanny but Fanny sticks to Cara like glue and claims that she is the only one able to help. Cara makes several attempts to get away but Fanny somehow foils every attempt. When Cara’s house gets destroyed, the only person she has to rely on is Fanny. That may or may not prove to be bad for Cara.
Strange events occur throughout the novel that aren’t fully explained in this part but the story will continue in the second book, which be released in February.
Right off the bat, I have to warn you that this book ends in a cliffhanger and it’s part of a series. That being said, I really enjoyed The Darkest Legacy: Betrayal. The novel was well-written and I enjoyed the author’s writing style. The scenes pushed the story forward and though some parts were slightly wordy, I wouldn’t have taken anything out. I couldn’t decide if I was on Cara side or Fanny’s side in Betrayal. I kept changing my mind when reading the different scenes and I’m interested to know if Fanny really is a secret stalker or a spy on the bad guy list. Mystery runs throughout the novel and it’s a good setup for the series. The end of the novel sets the reader up for the second book but the epilogue takes the story in a whole new direction.
My favorite scene was when the cats were stalking Fanny’s hair as she sat on the floor of Cara’s house. I couldn’t stop laughing! The author uses vivid descriptions in her story and it was fun to picture the different scenes as I was reading them.
I'm definitely going to read the next book in the series. I have to find out what will happen to Cara after that frightening epilogue!
I give this book 4.75 stars.
Out of the blue, Cara gets migraine-type headaches but before the origins can be explored, her mom and sister disappear and then the overbearing neighbor enters the picture. Cara was warned by her mother to stay away from Fanny but Fanny sticks to Cara like glue and claims that she is the only one able to help. Cara makes several attempts to get away but Fanny somehow foils every attempt. When Cara’s house gets destroyed, the only person she has to rely on is Fanny. That may or may not prove to be bad for Cara.
Strange events occur throughout the novel that aren’t fully explained in this part but the story will continue in the second book, which be released in February.
Right off the bat, I have to warn you that this book ends in a cliffhanger and it’s part of a series. That being said, I really enjoyed The Darkest Legacy: Betrayal. The novel was well-written and I enjoyed the author’s writing style. The scenes pushed the story forward and though some parts were slightly wordy, I wouldn’t have taken anything out. I couldn’t decide if I was on Cara side or Fanny’s side in Betrayal. I kept changing my mind when reading the different scenes and I’m interested to know if Fanny really is a secret stalker or a spy on the bad guy list. Mystery runs throughout the novel and it’s a good setup for the series. The end of the novel sets the reader up for the second book but the epilogue takes the story in a whole new direction.
My favorite scene was when the cats were stalking Fanny’s hair as she sat on the floor of Cara’s house. I couldn’t stop laughing! The author uses vivid descriptions in her story and it was fun to picture the different scenes as I was reading them.
I'm definitely going to read the next book in the series. I have to find out what will happen to Cara after that frightening epilogue!
I give this book 4.75 stars.
June 4, 2016
Reviewed For Reader's Favorite
Cara is your normal teenage girl, popular, on the dance team at school and an average student. Or at least that is what she has always thought. After a car accident left her in the hospital, she is finally back at school and ready for life to get back to the regular, normal routine but it seems that nothing is going to be normal. Her mom, Maria, seems to be acting weird, paranoid in some ways and then there are these bizarre headaches that knock her flat. One morning Cara wakes up to find nobody home, but that doesn't concern her, she thinks that her sister is at school and Mom at a meeting, until the noisy neighbor comes over and things take a bizarre turn. Turns out her family is kidnapped and she has to find them! The Darkest Legacy: Hints of Betrayal (Book One Omnibus) starts with us getting to know Cara, and at times she is a spoiled brat that has no concept of anyone or anything but herself. As the story progresses we see Cara grow as she learns secret after secret about the world and her own family. Author Jennifer Lynn Catz creates a story of good vs evil, white magic vs dark magic, but weaves it into a coming-of-age, young girl realizing her own worth and losing her brattiness.
The Darkest Legacy: Hints of Betrayal is set to be the first book in a series, and it really is a set up book. Most of the book is background, Cara fighting the neighbor who turns out to be so much more, and creating a context. For someone to have so much responsibility of the future on their shoulders, Cara is not what you would pick as a heroine. In fact, she is probably the opposite and so there is a lot that she must learn and go through, and this first book sets up the transformation that may or may not come in the future. Author Jennifer Lynn Catz gives you a sometimes comical story of a young girl coming to terms with truths she has never thought possible before. It is so well written and engaging that you are through with the book before you realize it. This is a great read for all ages, there is some language but it is typical teenage stuff.
Cara is your normal teenage girl, popular, on the dance team at school and an average student. Or at least that is what she has always thought. After a car accident left her in the hospital, she is finally back at school and ready for life to get back to the regular, normal routine but it seems that nothing is going to be normal. Her mom, Maria, seems to be acting weird, paranoid in some ways and then there are these bizarre headaches that knock her flat. One morning Cara wakes up to find nobody home, but that doesn't concern her, she thinks that her sister is at school and Mom at a meeting, until the noisy neighbor comes over and things take a bizarre turn. Turns out her family is kidnapped and she has to find them! The Darkest Legacy: Hints of Betrayal (Book One Omnibus) starts with us getting to know Cara, and at times she is a spoiled brat that has no concept of anyone or anything but herself. As the story progresses we see Cara grow as she learns secret after secret about the world and her own family. Author Jennifer Lynn Catz creates a story of good vs evil, white magic vs dark magic, but weaves it into a coming-of-age, young girl realizing her own worth and losing her brattiness.
The Darkest Legacy: Hints of Betrayal is set to be the first book in a series, and it really is a set up book. Most of the book is background, Cara fighting the neighbor who turns out to be so much more, and creating a context. For someone to have so much responsibility of the future on their shoulders, Cara is not what you would pick as a heroine. In fact, she is probably the opposite and so there is a lot that she must learn and go through, and this first book sets up the transformation that may or may not come in the future. Author Jennifer Lynn Catz gives you a sometimes comical story of a young girl coming to terms with truths she has never thought possible before. It is so well written and engaging that you are through with the book before you realize it. This is a great read for all ages, there is some language but it is typical teenage stuff.
May 17, 2015
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
Although this book may be marketed towards tweens and teenagers, I believe that anyone could read this book and thoroughly enjoy the exciting and unpredicted plot twists and non-stop action this book contains. The writer, Jennifer Lynn Catz, did a remarkable job in creating characters and a storyline that are both unique and entertaining. The main character is a 16 year-old girl named Cara, who lives with her mother and younger sister and two cats. Cara has just been able to return to school after a car accident left her with a brain injury that made her become blind for a month. Upon her return, weird events begin to happen, including her being asked out by her crush to the dance who doesn't remember even taking Cara or asking her to the dance, to these extremely painful migraines that occur rapidly and randomly. After her first migraine, Cara's mother calls for an ambulance, but freaks out when the police and ambulance drivers arrive, refusing for Cara to be taken to these people whom her mother seems to know. After this, the action does not stop. Her mother and sister disappear, the neighbor whom her mother told Cara and her sister never to go near takes Cara under care as her house is attacked and eventually burned in a fire. Secrets her mother has kept hidden for fourteen years are coming to the surface, while strangers her mother seems to know have "found them". This book is a fast-paced adventure that will keep you reading to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book.
Although this book may be marketed towards tweens and teenagers, I believe that anyone could read this book and thoroughly enjoy the exciting and unpredicted plot twists and non-stop action this book contains. The writer, Jennifer Lynn Catz, did a remarkable job in creating characters and a storyline that are both unique and entertaining. The main character is a 16 year-old girl named Cara, who lives with her mother and younger sister and two cats. Cara has just been able to return to school after a car accident left her with a brain injury that made her become blind for a month. Upon her return, weird events begin to happen, including her being asked out by her crush to the dance who doesn't remember even taking Cara or asking her to the dance, to these extremely painful migraines that occur rapidly and randomly. After her first migraine, Cara's mother calls for an ambulance, but freaks out when the police and ambulance drivers arrive, refusing for Cara to be taken to these people whom her mother seems to know. After this, the action does not stop. Her mother and sister disappear, the neighbor whom her mother told Cara and her sister never to go near takes Cara under care as her house is attacked and eventually burned in a fire. Secrets her mother has kept hidden for fourteen years are coming to the surface, while strangers her mother seems to know have "found them". This book is a fast-paced adventure that will keep you reading to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book.
January 9, 2015
After the craze for the Cullen family subsided, I was on the lookout for the next 'thing', something that would make us go crazy! And I found that 'thing' in The Darkest Legacy: Betrayal. Even though it is the first book of J.L Catz, the writing is very impressive. The plot is fast, engaging and the kind the keeps you on the edge of your seat as to what will happen next. The language is simple and easy to understand. I have already read it twice and have recommended it to my friends, who are now recommending it to their friends! The book ends on a cliffhanger and the reader is left wondering as to what to happen next! I cannot wait to get my hands on the second installment. Highly recommended!
February 19, 2015
To be honest, I wasn't really expecting much when I bought this book. Amongst an overwhelming number of fantasy books for teens, there are very few that leave their mark, and this book definitely does that!
Starting from the accident to the confusion in Cara's life to all the strange happenings..the book jumps from one scene to another very smoothly and beautifully. The writing has been paced aptly to keep the curiosity going strong.
I am about to the start reading the second book in the series and I am expecting the same level of thrill from that book as well!
Starting from the accident to the confusion in Cara's life to all the strange happenings..the book jumps from one scene to another very smoothly and beautifully. The writing has been paced aptly to keep the curiosity going strong.
I am about to the start reading the second book in the series and I am expecting the same level of thrill from that book as well!
October 18, 2015
i thought this was a really great book. It was a smoothly written book, quick paced. I like the way Jennifer Catz writes. The descriptions and the details had me really engaged. Other people wrote about the plot in their reviews so I won't write that here. But I really enjoyed this book and it has a fantastic cliff hanger ending…which, of course, had me jumping for the next book. I just found the characters compelling and the book, in general, quite interesting. Read it…you'll be glad you did!
October 5, 2015
Amazing book!!!! I met the author a a fair and she was super nice. This book is full of suspense and your always wanting to know what will happen next. I love the character Fanny and I would recommend this book to everyone.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews