Review: Lion Heart by A. C. Gaughen

Publication Date: May 19^th 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Length: 348 pages

Huge thanks to Netgalley and  for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.
Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

I have been a huge fan and champion of ‘Scarlet’ ever since it first popped up on Netgalley all those years ago. I devoured it in one sitting, I made everyone I know read it, I pestered A.C. Gaughen to know if there would be a sequel and was devastated at the time to know that there wouldn’t. And then a truly marvellous thing happened, Gaughen announced on twitter that there would be two more books turning the original standalone into a trilogy. There were tears, happy tears.

‘Lady Thief’ was then approached with caution. I loved Scarlet so much I was terrified that in my head the bar was too high and that the second book could never live up to the expectations I’d set for it. It was blissfully wrong and Lady Thief was a superb and beautiful continuation to the story, bringing new depths to the characters I’d come to love and setting up for a truly incredible finale with this the final book.

I didn’t even bother being nervous about ‘Lion Heart’, I knew that whatever bat I had in my head Gaughen would smash it to pieces with brilliance. So it was with a more bittersweet enthusiasm that I approached reading this book, because whilst I desperately needed to know how the story would end, I didn’t want to leave these characters. These three slim volumes did not give me all the time I wanted in Scarlet’s world. I dragged my feet, I picked up other books instead, but in the end I caved and I settled in for an afternoon of tea and the culmination of Scarlet’s journey.

It was perfect.
Really that’s all that needs to be said, but I will go into a little more detail. 

Scarlet has grown, evolved and matured over the course of these books and nowhere is it more apparent than in the pages of this final volume here. It’s in her speech, the proper grammatically correct speech that was missing for the first book and a half. She’s embracing who she is, who she was born to be and it is only when she is back with Rob that she slips back into the patterns she has always used before. It was so wonderful to watch her take control, use the weapons at her disposal and turn into a truly formidable woman. There is a part about a third into the novel where she has a truly fantastic speech and I wept reading that, to witness how the surly girl pretending to be a boy and tied scarlet ribbons to her knives and turned into this truly incredible force to be reckoned with.

This novel gifts us with more Scarlet, but also with more of Rob, Much, Bess, Eleanor, and a whole array of other faces. It was so wonderful to see how all of them have matured and changed since we first met them in that first book. Gaughen has a true gift of deftly bringing her characters to life with a complexity and depth that make them feel more vivid and real than most characters confined to the pages in a book.

It is the perfect end to this trilogy. It is full of joy and anger, fear and sadness. I cried repeatedly at the emotion welling up and spilling out of the pages. At the beautiful rich and evocative language Gaughen uses to tell her tale. And at the snapshots of pure blinding happiness and hope that peak through the misery and horror that has been unleashed on these people over the course of the story.

It is a true and fitting end to a series that I will love and come back to again and again, and I think anyone who has come to love Scarlet and her boys in this retelling will find themselves filled with a bittersweet contentment when they turn the final page.

Books I'm Squeeing About in May

May is always an exceptionally busy month for books. So many amazing ones end up with May release dates, so it tends to be an expensive month in the book stakes - but with all of these beauties suddenly available, who could possibly resist? I'd better start saving up...


5th - A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J Maas
Feyre is a huntress. She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price.
Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy’s kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden escape. Her captor’s body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked – but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre’s feelings for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she’s been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows. Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.

Sarah J Maas - need I say more? She has taken the book world by storm with her Throne of Glass series and now we're lucky enough to have another series on the go at the same time! So as well as the Thrones novel coming in September we also get to meet Feyre, a whole new heroine who's bad ass and wonderful. I have heard nothing but incredible things in the early buzz for this one, so I cannot wait to get stuck in.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here
Or read the first few chapters for free here!

5th - Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.
Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

I felt mixed about 'Cruel Beauty' when I read it last year, but I ultimately loved it and am very curious to see this novel set in the same world. Any retellings of fairy tales are very much my jam, and whilst the Beauty & the Beast retelling didn't quite hit all the right points for me, I'm hoping that this Red Riding Hood one will.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here


5th - The Heir by Keira Cass
Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought.

I thought I was done with this series with the last book, but now Cass is adding to it and it's like some addictive sugary sweet, I can't help but go back and see what's happening next. I'm going to be honest, The Selection series isn't great. There is a whole heap of potential but it falls short in so many ways and ended up being problematic for me in most areas. However, I am intrigued with this new book, mostly because our heroine is going to be the one doing the choosing and it's always good to have boys vying to be chosen...
You can pre-order this on Amazon here

19th - Illusionarium by Heather Dixon

What if the world holds more dangers—and more wonders—than we have ever known? And what if there is more than one world? From Heather Dixon, author of the acclaimed Entwined, comes a brilliantly conceived adventure that sweeps us from the inner workings of our souls to the far reaches of our imaginations.Jonathan is perfectly ordinary. But then—as every good adventure begins—the king swoops into port, and Jonathan and his father are enlisted to find the cure to a deadly plague. Jonathan discovers that he's a prodigy at working with a new chemical called fantillium, which creates shared hallucinations—or illusions. And just like that, Jonathan is knocked off his path. Through richly developed parallel worlds, vivid action, a healthy dose of humor, and gorgeous writing, Heather Dixon spins a story that calls to mind The Night Circus and Pixar movies, but is wholly its own.

This is one of those ones where I don't even need to see the blurb. I loved 'Entwined' Dixon's take on the twelve dancing princesses tale so much that anything by Dixon is an automatic yes please put it on my bookcase immediately. That being said - THAT BLURB! THAT COVER! Where are my smelling salts, I feel faint from the sheer fabulousness!
You can pre-order this on Amazon here


19th - A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin
It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their heart.

This one just ticks so many boxes for me. Historical setting, regency period, romance, espionage, gorgeous cover and excellent blurb? All there! And I am so excited. I haven't read many YA regency novels so I'm curious to see how it translates away from the regency romances I love so much. But with spies and a war going on I'm confident this is going to be fantastic.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here

19th - Lion Heart by A. C. Gaughen

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

This is going to be a bit of a bittersweet read. I have loved reading the first two books in Scarlet's story and whilst I cannot wait to see how her story ends, I also don't want this journey to be done. I adore Scarlet, she is such a strong and determined heroine who doesn't let the love she feels constrain or define her. She is wonderful and I'm looking forward to reading this final installment with her.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here

Review: Lady Thief by A. C. Gaughen

Huge thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves.

Scarlet was one of the best books I have ever read. It was incredible and I loved it. I couldn’t bear the idea that we wouldn’t have any more opportunities to find out what happened next, as originally it seemed that Scarlet would be a standalone. Then Ms Gaughen announced that there would be more to Scarlet’s story, and I (and everyone else who read it and fell in love with her) were thrilled.

In fact I was so nervous about how good Scarlet had been and how high my expectations now were that I took a very long time to eventually let myself read this book. But I really shouldn’t have worried, this book was just as good as the first, and it was so wonderful to be back with Scarlet and the others.

The characters are beautifully written. I love seeing the world through Scarlet’s eyes. I love slipping into her dialect as she blends in with the boys and how the lady pushes through at other points. Her voice is so fantastically real and that makes the story even more special to read. I love her view of Robin, how she is able to see his flaws, not to put him up on a pedestal, but to love every broken and strong part of him equally with all the broken and strong parts of herself. 

She went through hell for him at the end of the last book, and again throughout this one, and at no point does she lose herself or diminish herself for the love of him. It is such a wonderful healthy view of love.

This book is infused with sadness and despair. All seems to be lost, or in the process of slipping away and whilst there are bursts of sunlight and happiness, it is a much quieter and tragic book than the first. It really gives the feeling that this is not a children’s story, that there is darkness and not everyone we love will come through this, either in one piece or at all.

It’s a riveting story full of complex characters that constantly make you question what you know and who you should trust. Scarlet’s views obscure the readers and Ms Gaughen does a fantastic job of keeping the twists hidden, weaving an ever more tangled web around the characters are they try to pull themselves and the town out of the horrors that are lurking waiting to be unleashed. 

Characters are never black and white, they shift and mutate reflecting life where nothing is ever that simple. It is a much more grown up tale of Sherwood and Nottingham that greets us in the pages.

The friendships and determination never to surrender or give up are what drives this book. The unwavering loyalty to each other and to the town and the refusal to give in – to the cold, to the tyrants, to the never ending hunger and loss. It is the bright warmth at the heart of this menacing and chill tale.

I adore this sequel, it is a beautiful continuation of the tale and it sets up for a wonderful third part of the story ‘Lion Heart’ which will be released May 19^th.  If you haven’t yet discovered Scarlet and her gang of thieves, start now with the first book you won’t be disappointed, this is one of the best retellings of Robin Hood I have ever read.

Review: Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen

Release Date: 14th February 2012


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 am a sucker when it comes to a good Robin Hood story, and when I saw Angie’s reviewof ‘Scarlet’ I was absolutely desperate to read it. But then there’s always a worry when it comes to reinterpretations of the Hood legend, that they’ve taken it too far in the wrong direction. Although after watching ‘Robin Hood Men in Tights’ I’m not so sure there is a wrong direction anymore… Anyway, I was a little bit wary going in, but I really shouldn’t have worried, this was one of the best re-tellings I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a long time.

The plot combines enough of the original legend to make it feel authentic, with just enough new twists and turns for the tale to be truly original as well. And there are a host of familiar faces that make it into a true Robin Hood tale.

I absolutely adore Scarlet. She’s got such a distinctive voice, a no-nonsense attitude and complete undying devotion to Rob and the boys. She’s tough and can take a punch as well as any man, but is softer and admits that just a touch from Robin can render her breathless and speechless. She was the perfect blend of soft and hard, a truly believable and fantastic heroine that I couldn’t help but fall in love with and admire.

You want her to win, to succeed, and root for her even when things seem completely hopeless. Her backstory was fantastic, and threw several shockers that had me gasping aloud throughout the book. She is a beautiful blend of characters from the original legends, but makes it entirely her own.

And the other boys – oh Rob, you are just as dreamy as I always imagined. And John turned out to be quite the charmer as well. It was a smaller band than I imagined, but all the characters were brought to life so vividly that it really didn’t matter. You get to know each of them, their backstories and their personalities in a way that secondary characters can often miss out on.

The writing was gorgeous, Scar’s voice was absolutely perfect, taking you through the tale along with her, and the research involved must have been enormous because it truly felt like I’d been picked up and dumped in the middle of the twelfth century in the middle of Sherwood Forest.

It was real, hard, sometimes impossibly heart breaking, and utterly fabulous. I don’t want to give any more away, because it’s a truly fantastic read.

After finishing I just wanted to go straight back into the world and read it all over again – which considering I was having the same feelings about the 1920s flappers book I read just before Scarlet, made for some pretty interesting dreams…

This book completely swept me away. Definitely a must read for fans of Robin Hood, but anyone who loves a kick ass heroine and a brilliant plot would love this. One of my favourite books of the year so far.