The Legacies Review

year at Bradley University, Noah seeks the answers to these questions, at the same time discovering more about the nature of his true self – and his family’s real past.

When their widely divergent paths serendipitously cross, neither Morgan

nor Noah are prepared for the onslaught of emotion, pain, and drama soon to

follow. Unable to fight the powerful attraction between them, the two star-crossed

lovers remain bound to one another as they each face unimaginable strife, shock,

and ultimate loss in the wake of the unearthing of long-held family secrets. Only

time will tell if their bond is strong enough to survive the coming trials that will

test their very souls.

The follow up effort to her highly successful debut, Keeping Misery

Company, The Legacies promises to be just as much of a hit with Michelle Larks’

ever-growing legion of readers. Masterful storyteller that she is, in Legacies Larks

has re-fashioned the ages-old Romeo & Juliet tale with a modern-day, urban twist.

Brought together by forces greater than themselves, Noah and Morgan both

contend with seemingly unending family drama and despair, and the two youths,

in turn, rely on a strength that exceeds their own in order to cope with the

incessant cycles of tribulation. With each new startling revelation, the reader will

begin to wonder just how the young lovers are able to remain the picture of

relative calm during the storm while everyone else around them loses their minds

– and nearly everything else – as times grow increasingly tough.

Also, enough cannot be said about Larks’ incomparable ability to weave an

intricate, multi-layered tale, perfectly preserving suspense while tantalizing readers

with just enough heat to keep them turning page after page, eagerly anticipating

what’s to come next. In addition, she’s able to humanize a salacious tale of greed,

power, and sex by relating the real effects of their consequences on the hearts and

minds of those caught up in their mix. Such ability is truly a gift, and not one that

many authors both possess and wield so skillfully.

The Legacies, rightly so, will go down as yet another instant classic from a

proven author whose time has truly come. No matter how many fans Michelle

Larks has won over with her writing efforts thus far, those numbers will quickly

dwarf in comparison to the soon-to-be-converted as her literary legend continues

to grow.

The Legacies

Michelle Larks

Urban Books

July 29, 2008

Trade Paperback

Christian Fiction

5 Stars

When was the last time you started a book you couldn't put down? Well, for me it was last night. The Legacies has a plot line that is so tight even this master detective couldn't predict the ending. The story centers on Morgan Daniels-Foster. She is the daughter of Jernell Foster and next in line to head one of the biggest drug cartels in the US. This unique mob like empire has survived for more than 4 generations and was designed and operated by women. The Foster heritage is so fierce that it puts the Italian mob to shame.

Morgan is having second thoughts about taking control of the 'family business', so she decides to get away from home, attend college, and live a normal life for a while. On the way to Bradley College, they stop to help a fellow student, Noah Stephens, because he is having car trouble. Quickly the two developed a loving relationship based on friendship, fun and the Word of God. Things are going smoothly for the couple until a few weeks before graduation. Noah's mother is in a fatal car accident, both have family secrets exposed, and Morgan's mother is arrested, in other words - all hell breaks loose. Will Morgan and Noah be able to survive the avalanche of problems that seem to continue to pick up steam as stuff rolls downhill?

Larks steps out on faith relating worldly problems with Godly wisdom. Proving she has a true gift from God with this sophomore project. The character development is unparalleled while the secrecy and intrigue will keep you guessing. At times you will yell and scream at the craziness that takes place in the web of deception that the Fosters continue weaving. Money, power, and murder draw you into the plot while love, mercy, and celibacy move you closer to God.

Deltareviewer

Reviewing for Real Page Turners

Title: The Legacies by Michelle Larks

Reviewed by: Jennifer

APOOO: 4.5

Amazon: 4

Title: This is My Destiny

We are all predestined to do something in our lifetime, planned before the conception of our life. It is our duty to follow what God has in his master plan, even if it is not what we believe to be the right direction. The Legacies by Michelle Larks is a written testimony of God¢s will finally being done.

Growing up in a family where certain laws are in place which include; who is to take over control of the family business, to not get too close to anyone outside of the family and other such rules would prove to be very difficult for Morgan Daniels-Foster. She was an only child with a legacy she had to fulfill after she completed college; a legacy she had been groomed for since birth. On her way to college she comes across a young man, Noah Oliver Stephens and his parents, stranded along the side of the road. Noah grew up in the church, and was expected to stand beside his father in the pulpit. Noah and Morgan, each running away from their future, even if is for a little while, trying to be what they consider to be normal for a time. Was it by chance they met, shifting what was already in store for them? Or was it already a part of God¢s master plan?

Two young people from two different walks of life, falling in love for the first time, Noah the preacher¢s son and Morgan, the next in line to run her family¢s drug trade business. Are they still compatible or will their lifestyle differences be too much, and will they have to let go what they share?

The character development was great; when the story began Morgan was seventeen years-old and Noah was eighteen, they had the behavior of typical teenagers and their first love. As they became older, the maturity was evident in their behaviors and the manner in which they spoke. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going, another shocking twist took me in a different direction. There were some errors within the galley copy I read, however, I hope Michelle Larks had the book properly edited before it was printed. I believe The Legacies has two genres it could fall under; Urban Christian Fiction and Urban Fiction, and I would recommend it to readers of both genres.

Jennifer Coissiere

APOOO BookClub

www.apooobooks.com

THE LEGACIES by Michelle Larks

Urban Books, July 2008

304 Pages, Paperback, $14.95

ISBN: 1601629672

Genre: Christian Fiction

RAW Rating: 4 (out of 5)

The Burden of Legacy

As THE LEGACIES begins, readers are introduced to Noah and Morgan, two very different characters, who meet by chance, but share remarkably similar burdens. Both are about to embark on their freshman year of college and feel bound to follow the path their parents have plotted for them. Noah is the son of a pastor and has spent all of his life deeply involved in the church. The expense of college is a strain on the working-class family, but Noah's biggest pressure comes from the expectation that he should follow in his father's footsteps and pursue the ministry after graduation. Morgan, on the other hand, has always been pampered. So much so that she arrives at Bradley University in a limousine. She, too, is expected to follow in the footsteps of a parent. In her case, upon graduation, she is expected to take the helm of the mysterious, yet less than savory, family business. Fate causes the two to cross paths and a romance quickly emerges. As the story develops and Noah and Morgan try to find their way, it becomes apparent that nothing is as it seems on the surface.

Michelle Larks has crafted a thoughtful tale about the burden of legacy, and the characters in THE LEGACIES demonstrate how people are often compelled to carry the weight of family history throughout their lives like unwanted baggage. Christian themes are woven into the story like a whisper; a refreshing change from the sometimes too "in-your-face" preachy approach that has become common in this genre. As Noah and Morgan struggle to discover the plan for their lives, it is easy to relate to their joys, difficulties, and mistakes. Even the secondary characters were multi-dimensional, and with few exceptions, they were all more complex than they originally appeared. The complexities of the characters, coupled with the constant uncovering of new layers of truth, led to a story that was engrossing,well-paced, and full of twists and turns. Ultimately, THE LEGACIES is a moving story that reminds readers that we are bigger than the generational blessings (and curses) that follow us, if only we allow God to work freely in our lives.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay, RAWSISTAZ.com Â

Morgan Daniels-Foster was excited about going away for college. She knew this would be a challenge since she has been groomed for the family business since she was born. Morgan grew up in a family that kept to themselves. They rarely dealt with people outside of the family. Every single detail of Morgan's future was planned for her. That was until she met Noah Oliver Stephens.

Noah's future was basically the same except his life was headed towards the pulpit. His dad was a minister and his mom just knew he was going to follow in his dad's footsteps. Noah had other plans, and just didn't want to break his parents' hearts. When the two freshmen crossed paths by an unfortunate circumstance, their future plans changed and tragedy hit both of there families. Two young people with different lifestyles fall in love. Both have a strong faith in God, but will their upbringing push them further apart or pull them closer together?

I thoroughly enjoyed how Michelle Larks developed the main characters Noah & Morgan. Through their lives, you could see how they matured from the first time they met when Morgan was seventeen and Noah was eighteen. As they matured in age, you could read how their dialogue changed. Every time you would think that the plot was becoming predictable, it would change and make the plot a lot more interesting. The Legacies was indeed a great read.

Reviewed by Jackie for Urban-Reviews.com 4.5 stars