BOOKANISTAS REVIEW: SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen

There are only a few books I have finished reading and then immediately started reading again, and this is one of them. I have always been a huge fan of Robin Hood, but this book was so good I've become a bit obsessed.

Here's what Goodreads has to say:


Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.


I was lucky enough to get an early copy of LADY THIEF (SCARLET #2)  from Netgalley and I will post my review of LADY THIEF when we get closer to February, but in case you're wondering... the second book is just as good as the first!
These books are full of everything you'd expect from a Robin Hood story, and then some. You will fall in love with Robin and Much and Little John. You may even feel a little something for the evil and cruel Guy Gisbourne. A.C. Gaughen has taken these timeless characters we've read before and made them real and vulnerable and satisfying. 

Basically what I'm trying to tell you is: GO READ SCARLET NOW SO YOU WILL BE READY FOR LADY THIEF!! 

And if you're anything like me you will read them again and again.


~~ See what other Bookanistas are raving about this week!

• Lenore Appelhans is loving being on the edge with DANGEROUS GIRLS by Abagail Haas
• Christine Fonseca is making a happy noise for THE INVISIBLE BOY by Trudy Ludwig
• Tracy Banghart is revealing the cover for her upcoming book, SHATTERED VEIL 
• Tracey Neithercott is crushing on SOLVING FOR EX by LeighAnne Kopans
• Kimberly Sabatini is reveling in YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE by Jennifer Castle

BOOKANISTAS REVIEW: THE BITTER KINGDOM (FIRE AND THORNS #3) by Rae Carson

At last!! A satisfying trilogy!! Lately I've been losing my enthusiasm for trilogies. To be fair I think I lost it right around the time the last HUNGER GAMES book came out. Waiting out that year between books can be rather annoying. And when the final book ends in a way that leaves you feeling defeated you sometimes wish you hadn't even bothered in the first place. I get that an author may see things differently than the reader — believe me, I get it —as a reader I live for the ride (even when that ride takes me in a totally different direction than I expect) but when the main character is strong and tough, giving off an air of hope, I'd like to leave the series with a bit of that hope still intact. You know? Alright. Enough said. So, let's talk about Elisa. 

Here's what Goodreads has to say about THE BITTER KINGDOM: 

The epic conclusion to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny. Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.

I walked into this series with some hesitation. It didn't really sound like something I would like but the reviews were amazing and I figured I would give it a shot. I LOVED this series. Really. That's pretty much all I have to say. The writing is that perfect mix of intuitive and visual, the characters are strong and real and the story moves along so quickly you will tear through these books before you know it. And did I mention that all three books are currently available for e-readers or at your local bookstore? Cause that's magic if you ask me. 

If you are in the mood for a series that has Indiana Jones-like adventure, love, a strong female character that is tested every step of the way, and is so worth the three-book time investment than I highly recommend you check it out. I PROMISE it will keep you reading.


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       See what the other Bookanistas are raving about this week!

• Katy Upperman is loving HOW TO LOVE by Katie Cotugno
• Christine Fonseca is nostalgic with ROOMIES by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando
• Jessica Love is wild for WINGER by Andrew Smith