The Rose Legacy by Jessica Day George

The Rose Legacy by Jessica Day George ISBN-13: 9781599906478 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books Released: May 1, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Orphaned Anthea Cross-Thornley has been shuttled between family members her whole life. When she receives a letter from a long-lost uncle, she dares to dream that she will finally find a home. Upon her arrival she is shocked to learn that her uncle secretly breeds horses--animals that have been forbidden in their kingdom for centuries. More alarming is Anthea's strange ability to sense the horses' thoughts and feelings, an ancient gift called The Way. Confused and terrified, Anthea is desperate to leave, but when dangers arise that put her family and her kingdom at risk, she has no choice but to embrace The Way and the exciting future adventures it will bring her


My Review:
The Rose Legacy is a tween fantasy novel. I loved novels involving horses when I was a kid, and I enjoyed this one even as an adult. The characters acted realistically and were interesting. The world-building, though not extensive, did give it a unique feel. Anthea grew up with cars and trains, but life on the family farm revolves around horses and using the gift that allows people to communicate with horses.

Anthea has been passed around from relative to relative because she's an orphan. She tries to be perfect so people will want her. She's finally shipped up north into the exile lands to an uncle who actually wants her. But all the prim and proper ways that Anthea has learned don't fit on the farm. Worse, the horses that she's been taught to dread and thought were completely extinct are raised here. And she can feel their emotions because she has a gift called the Way. Horrified, she writes about the horses to a well-connected aunt only to later regret it.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable fantasy adventure.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.