Bree Boyd is A Legend is well worth your time
Bree Boyd Is a Legend has many things about it that attached me so quickly.
Firstly, the opening plot immediately got into the storyline. Author Leah Johnson, a former Spotlight editor, started the story off with Bree doing her spelling bee, which revolves around the entire story topic/plot. She stands up to her father whom pushes her and her sisters over their limits.
I feel this adds a huge moral to the story, kind of pushing forward that no matter what, do what you feel you love, and not what someone else wants for you. At the end of the day, that person will not always show they are proud of you, they can’t always be there for you, and they can hurt you without even being aware.
If you are doing something for yourself, you can do all of these things, plus more. I love the message that comes out of this story, and the hook it had me in. I will definitely be reading more books written by Johnson, and I suggest that individuals who love motivation, cause and effect, and magic should definitely do the same.
Breonna Boyd, also known as Bree, is a 7th grader who has entered into many spelling bee competitions, praying to make it to regionals. She feels much pressure from her father, whom has very high expectations for her siblings, as well as herself.
She feels terrible to ever let her father down, so no matter how hard, stressed, or exhausted she is, she continues her tutoring for spelling, her studying, and most of all, her competitions. She can never fail, “Boyd’s don’t fail”.
One night, home alone with her older sister, there is a thunderstorm that Bree is woken up to. The thunderstorm is very loud, and she tries not to be afraid of it. Her older sister, Lex, is already awake, and tells her sister that the power is out. However, Lex is texting her crush, and her phone is dying. She will be so devastated if her crush is to text back, and the power is out.
So, Bree decides to go downstairs to the main beaker, and tries fixing the power herself. But, she electrocutes herself, and is flung across the room, hitting a wall. Her sister taps her awake, and makes sure she is alive, before yelling at her for trying to play bob the builder.
Bree feels very woozy, and tired, but the lights are back on, and she feels the need to go back to sleep. The next morning, Bree goes to church, per usual, however, she feels very worn from the night before. Almost like there was electricity running through her veins.
Still, she couldn’t tell her dad. If she would tell her dad, she would have to tell him that she tried fixing the main beaker, and at that point, she would get into trouble, and disappoint her dad. She was more scared of angering her dad than to go to the hospital, so she sucked up the woozy feeling of being electrocuted.
Soon, Bree starts being able to control things with her thoughts. If she thinks about saving her friend from falling out of their tree house by letting her friend fly, her friend will be frozen in the air, and not fall. Bree’s friends find out Bree has some sort of powers, now that she has been electrocuted.
They plan on doing a youtube exorcism, but quickly change the idea to help Bree learn how to control this new power she has. Bree starts practicing this power, and soon is able to use it in controlled situations, and at any time she wants. However, she is soon caught by her sister Lex using her powers.
Lex warns Bree to make sure their dad does not find out about these new telekinetic powers, who knows where he will send her, or if he will send her somewhere far away. But even before that can become an issue, Bree’s powers wounded up hurting her friend physically, and she wounded up in detention. All because of her new, unwanted powers.
Her father, and tutor, Carrie, are called in. Bree is given one week of detention, but a lifelong feeling of disappointment from her father. She is put on punishment, and is not allowed to hang out with her friends in their treehouse. She thinks to herself that if her friends were not upset with her before, they most definitely would be now.
Bree goes to her regional competition, her family in the crowd, both of her sisters, and her father. Her father was only paying attention to his phone, he was not even looking at Bree. Bree is hurt, she does all of this work, stresses herself out, loses friends, and her father still barely pays attention to her?
Bree finally makes the decision to forfeit the competition. She runs off stage, her older sister Christian there for her. She cries to Christian, and Christian comforts her. She doesn’t have to always be perfect, her father definitely wasn’t always either. Bree decides to go to her friend’s talent show instead, and forget about disappointing her father for once. Christian drives her to the talent show. Bree makes up with her group, and joins the talent show. Her friends ask her a small favor though, “can you use your powers to help us”. Can Bree finally use her powers to help her friends?? And she does, they did amazing! But then, Bree’s father screams, “Breonna!”
Her father furiously tells her she will be sent to boarding school. At this boarding school, the students will be focused solely on their academic studies, and “that is what you need right now” Breonna’s father says. Bree is tired, she finally stands up to her father. She lets out her feelings on him, always wanting them to be perfect, but being perfect isn’t always about the trophies. Lex adds, “You never even say you’re proud of us”. Bree’s father finally understands the deep impact he created on his three daughters, what he took from them, what he never gave them. “I’m sorry. I’m so proud of you, All of you. And I’m so sorry I never told you that.” Bree’s father says before asking, “Can you forgive me?” Bree tells her father, “ I do not know about forgiveness yet, but I’d like to try.”
Johnson writes in an easy-to-read style and uses language that teenagers use. Plus it is fun reading a book written by someone who walked the same halls that we walk.
