Editorial Reviews
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Legends of Us by Lorie Rea starts when Amber observes her sister Victoria preparing a ceremonial family speech that presents their shared experiences as legendary, but senses Victoria’s wish to escape her role. The family gathering ceases with an abrupt attack by masked figures claiming to liberate her. Amber recalls scars and years under Tracy’s supervision, skills that later help her defend her sister. Amber is hurt but recovers in the Airova family’s care, and she guides younger relatives in vigilance and training. Amber has a lot of identities and responsibilities that stem from a barrage of historical conflicts, leaving her to oversee defenses and take on a leadership role during ceremonial, domestic, and martial events that include a Trial Duel against Griffin.
Lorie Rea's Legends of Us: The Legend of the Soul Guardian transforms a fantasy from a simple family history into a living, breathing myth. From its opening moments, the story acknowledges its own form and invites the reader to step into a legend instead of a timeline, creating an awareness of shared memory. Amber and her dream-sharing gifts, scars, and piercing gaze come across as both human and larger than life; her very being shakes up the otherworldly with sensory detail. The world-building is developed in the story and settings like the Custos' home, shaken by storms but sheltered by love and loyalty, becomes more than a place. It becomes a symbol of fragility and strength coexisting. Rea’s storytelling clinches fantasy and the supernatural in a style that's imaginative, daring, and genuinely fresh.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
Legends of Us: The Legend of the Soul Guardian by Lorie Rea follows Amber, who becomes the protector and strategist for hersister Victoria and an extended circle of allies and family after their parents are killed. Amber faces a network of kidnappings, violent confrontations, and conspiracies, using skills she developed under Tracy’s tutelage to defend Victoria, Will, and others. She coordinates care, trains Matthew, Jordan, and Will in combat and situational awareness, and juggles threats from hostile forces like the Kihratt and Griffin. Throughout, Amber assumes multiple identities, supervises ceremonial and familial duties, and safeguards younger relatives like Tristan, Valorie, and Erin. Amber is in continuous action to protect her family, maintain authority over complex social and martial obligations, and respond decisively to attacks and challenges while asserting control over her own identity and destiny.
Legends of Us by Lorie Rea employs a really unique storytelling format. Amber is at the center, but Rea injects the details of other characters between slices of storyline in a breakdown of a character and their traits. It works well, but it does take some time to get used to. I love Amber, who rebounds from inconceivable tragedy and kicks into high gear. Even when she is injured, she remains attentive, organizing care and calculating risks, especially to protect Tristan and Valorie. We do get moments of calm, like Victoria’s birthday, and later a surprise party for Amber, as well as the use of advanced tools and creative tech like a physical projection device, which makes the story Rea's alone. The ending is extremely satisfying, and we witness a brilliant Trial Duel, laden with close-quarters combat and cinematic action sequences. Rea leaves plenty of room for a series expansion, which I hope does happen, and I look forward to reading it. Very highly recommended.
Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
In Legends of Us: The Legend of the Soul Guardian, Lorie Rea crafts a sprawling, emotionally charged epic fantasy that follows Amber Rose Custos and the aftermath of a tragedy that shatters her once-loving family. The story begins with a family gathering at Custos Manor when disaster strikes. Amber loses her parents and is torn from her older sister, Victoria. She must fake her death to survive. Years later, circumstances force her to return to the place she once called home, and along with her childhood friends, Matthew and Jordan, as well as her extended family, she must hide her true identity to stay safe. The narrative weaves through Amber’s painful healing, her struggle to reclaim her place among loved ones, and the search for Victoria. As old secrets begin to unravel, she must choose between revealing herself and reclaiming her name or the shadows.
Lorie Rea frames Amber’s journey as a tense struggle not only for survival but also for the right to define her legends. Rea’s novel excels in its well-developed characterization and nuanced relationships. Amber is a compelling heroine, broken by grief and separation, and fiercely protective yet haunted by guilt and grief. The setting is the richly imagined, multicultural society of Behrmi and Vilroh, a world that is meticulously executed. Legends of Us explores trauma, chosen family, the persistence of love, and the struggle to reconcile personal identity with the burdens of the past. I enjoyed the crisp writing and how the author mimics the way the characters speak, and it didn’t take long for me to understand that it was how some of the characters sounded when they spoke. Overall, this is a good read.