"The Blacksmith Queen" by G.A Aiken
What an enjoyable romp through the fantastical world of the Blacksmith queen. The book grabbed me and held me hostage from the opening pages where a king has died, and his offspring are murdering each other for his crown.
The story quickly moves to the forest where the Smythe family is feeling the repercussions of the king's death. The Smythe family is gloriously filled with strong, courageous, brutal women to revel in combat (most often with each other). Soon we learn that Beatrix, one of the sisters, has been prophesized by witches to be the next queen. This prophecy puts her and the entire family at risk from the remaining competing royals.
I have a penchant for strong female characters. Rarely have I come across a character like our main character, Keeley. With a body honed by "womaning" a forge Keeley not only has the physical strength to fight any man or beast, She also has unwavering courage that holds fast no matter the circumstance.
With a fast-paced plot, a nice bit of gore, hilariously funny characters and just a smidge of sex, this novel was the perfect read at the end of my summer. I laughed aloud innumerable times (a couple of times in the waiting room at the doctor's office, which garnered me many a stare). And yay! There are several more Aikian novels out there for me to read!
I would recommend this novel to High School students but be cautioned that there is one sex scene that could cause controversy.

The Blacksmith Queen is the first book in G.A. Aiken's Scarred Earth Saga but I believe it will eventually intertwine with the amazing Dragon Kin series. The author has a talent for writing strong female characters who love as fiercely as they fight. To Keeley, family is everything and, she quickly wiggles her way into the heart of the stoic warrior Caid. She doesn't need a protector but it's great to have someone who believes in her by her side. They face many foes and travel across this fantastical world with a motley crew. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see how this royal and deadly chess match between good and evil evolves.

The Blacksmith Queen by G.A. Aiken 5 Stars

A new G.A. Aiken and no dragons??...hmmm. You start the book and you see a lone woman confronting some bad guys armed with a hammer, she starts to beat the bad guys up with the help of kilted warriors and demon wolves. HOOKED! I am totally in love with Keeley Smyth, the "Blacksmith Queen". If you have read G.A. Aiken before, I would say she is a calmer version of Annwyl from Dragon Actually with her own quirks. The first book of the Scarred Earth Series is a blast.

Keeley Smyth is the eldest of 12 siblings, her dad an ex soldier now farmer, her mom a blacksmith. There is Caid, the kilted warrior that is hiding a secret in the beginning which is quickly revealed. The book is a series of adventures and fights with Keeley having to escort her sister Beatrix to the Witch Queen to verify a prophecy. There is a great betrayal and a quests. The side characters are extremely funny and there is a mention of the "Dragons in The Dark Land". A meet up between Keeley and Annwyl may be in the far future. I think I also see a glimmer of the couple in the next book. I hope that this series runs into multiple books like the Dragon series.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington for this ARC.

A very interesting and fast-paced story with a good plot. I loved the way it was narrated and I also loved the identity of the characters. Very interesting book for the fantasy lovers!

A fun, easy to read, fantasy with all your favorite mythical creatures. Dragons, elves, dwarves, and centaurs, oh my!

Keely is not your typical heroine. What with her muscles, broad shoulders and propensity to help anyone and anything in need. Not because she's naive, but because she's confident she can take down any threat that may arise. And honestly, she certainly lives up to her confidence.

The last thing Keely wants is to be queen. But when the other alternative is letting her treacherous, power-hungry sister rule over the lands, Keely is ready to step up and accept her destiny. And it is an interesting and entertaining journey as our easy-going, teasing heroine partners with her new centaur allies to take down her bloodthirsty sister.

I do wish there was a tad more world-building and the ending was not quite so abrupt. But I'm certainly interested enough to continue with this series.

This book was outrageous, funny, and uniquely weird.

It begins with the Old King dying, and his numerous sons immediately killing each other for the chance at the throne. And maybe I'm just a bloodthirsty reader, but that's a great way to start any book. There is also a prophecy that declares a random girl to be queen, so the surviving brothers go off in search of this girl - to either kill or marry her first. The story then shifts to Keeley Smythe, a seemingly unrelated person who gets involved in this search for the queen.

I like stories about finding/lost queens, and I thought this one was framed at least somewhat uniquely with the potential new kings going out to basically find the woman who would consolidate their rule. I also have to say that Aiken has a definite sense of humour. (It can be vulgar sometimes so it might not be for everyone.)

I kinda wish the story had continued mostly with the bloodthirsty brothers on their quest to find the queen (and kill each other), rather than focusing on Keeley and her family. The whole brother feud/search for queen is only brought back around the 20% mark. Until then, we meet a LOT of characters, including Keeley's family (she has 11 siblings), and a group of people also sent to find (but protect) the potential queen.

While I did like the glimpse into Keeley's hectic life and her relationship with her family, I think consistently alternating POVs between her family and the dueling princes would have created a different dynamic and kept up the suspense from the prologue. POVs do end up switching quite a bit throughout the story (past the 20% mark mostly), between various characters, but the focus is mostly on Keeley's family. The constant switches in some chapters do make for a sometimes jarring experience.

I will also admit that this is the type of fantasy where you don't really question the worldbuilding or how things work. A mother fights and escapes while simultaneously breast-feeding? She also single-handedly built a trebuchet because she was bored? There are demon wolves with eyes of fire? Sure, why not. It does work with the sort of irreverent, throwaway humour of the novel (hence why I called it uniquely weird), but I will admit it was sometimes stretched a bit too far.

I did really enjoy the story until around the 50% mark. I started to figure out what direction the story was taking, and found it was getting bogged down in its huge cast of characters and world-building rules that were never quite explained.

Overall, it's a funny fantasy that doesn't really take itself seriously. I don't think its humour or style was exactly right for me, but I did like the premise and its strangeness.

This author never disappoints, dysfunctional but supportive families, strong female characters and loads of humor this book has it all. Centaurs, elves, wolves, warrior monks and a dragon, doesn't get much better when it comes to fantasy - and I'd definitely want to be a character in this authors mind - though not on the wrong side as i wouldn't last very long!

2.5 stars.

This just wasn't my kind of book. I should have known that when I picked it up but, I thought I'd give it a try anyways. The Blacksmith Queen is about a young blacksmith, Keeley, who discovers her sister is destined to be the next queen, so she sets out to protect her, along with a group of centaurs, from the Old King's sons. The writing was not great and switched POVs every couple of paragraphs, which made it confusing and broke up the flow of the story. The banter between some of the characters was funny, but overall there was too much dialogue. If you're looking for a quick PNR read, then this might be for you. If shapeshifters aren't really your thing then I would pass.

You need to read the book!

Blacksmith Keeley Smythe had one loyalty other than her family and it was to steel so when the Witches of Amhuinn named her sister Beatrix as queen and one of the sons of the dead king wanted to grab the new queen so they attacked the family farm and the mercenaries found out they had picked the wrong family because they were ready.

Trying to describe any book by G.A. Aiken/Shelly Laurenston is hard because there is so much going on in the book and that is what makes it so good to read and usually reread to pick up the stuff that I missed the first or second time I reread the book.

So buy the book and take the time to enjoy it because this is one to read. My favorite quote is the final line in the book and I’m hoping you will understand when you read the story.

“Well… It is an awesome hammer.”

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Blacksmith Queen is the first novel in a new series by G.A. Aiken, the Scarred Earth Saga. This is admittedly a very evocative name. Between that and the cover, I just knew I had to give this series a try.
The series itself fits into Aiken’s Dragon Kin series – but you honestly don’t need to be familiar with that world in order to understand or appreciate this tale. I had no troubles, and G.A. Aiken is new to me (clearly I’m going to have to check out the rest of her works now).
The novel follows Keeley Smythe – a brilliant blacksmith and a woman unceasingly loyal to her family. Keeley is a rare gem. She’s strong, confident, and always willing to do whatever it takes to protect her family. Even if that means picking up a crown and going to war.

Warnings: The Blacksmith Queen has a few heavier moments, including some animal death (one most notably, and you can almost see it coming). There are also some hints to rape and sexual assault, but nothing overly detailed.
The Blacksmith Queen was a fun and fast-paced read. I ended up losing an entire night to this novel, having made the mistake of picking this one up at eight pm, and not putting it down until I was finished. But it was worth it.
I absolutely adored Keeley and (most) of her family. She was such a unique character. She didn’t fit into the stereotypical fantasy female description – and that was fantastic. Keeley was her own character, through and through. Her toughness was balanced out perfectly with her love. Her love for being a blacksmith. Her love of her family. Her love of animals.
As for the plot, she found herself thrown into? I loved that as well. The Blacksmith Queen takes the idea of a prophecy and turns it upside down, resulting in chaos. Though there were some amusing times as well. The plot was intense at times. But it also allowed for breaks in the tension – laugh out loud moments that I really appreciated.
G.A. Aiken used repetition to help solidify the characters, and give a semblance of order to the world. It was quite clever. There was one reference in particular (involving Keeley’s cousin) that I swear got funnier every time it came up.
Everything about this novel was slightly atypical, from the main character right down to the romantic subplot. And honestly? It was so refreshing, I can’t even put the proper words in place to explain how it made me feel. I love how different and unique this telling was, while not straying too far from what I was hoping for.
I haven’t read any of G.A. Aiken’s other works, so I can’t really make any comparisons here. Nor can I say how well it fits in with her Dragon Kin series. But I will say that I loved this novel, and am looking forward to digging through her back catalog of books. So I hope that says something to her fans about The Blacksmith Queen.

This author is always a win for me so I know I shouldn't be surprised by what a wonderful book this was. The world building and introduction of the different races (humans, dwarves, centaurs, elves, and more) was detailed enough without being too much of an information dump. (I did not realize it would tie in loosely with the Dragonkin series, which was, of course, a plus.) The sisters and their shenanigans, along with their cousin, were so much fun. I actually laughed out loud a few times. The bantering and bickering were spot on and quite entertaining, and there was not just one strong female character but several. Of course Caid was nothing to smirk at either (or his sister). There were some bloody battles but the overall sense of humor was never lost in this book, even though there was a betrayal and some real emotional pain on behalf of Keeley and her family. There is some romance but it builds gradually and is not the main focus of the book. This did not end on cliff hanger but there is much that still needs to be resolved. I am looking forward to not just the next book but the entire series.

Shelly Laurenston... where have you been all my life? You gave me a story I could REALLY sink my teeth into. The Blacksmith Queen is full of non-stop action mixed in with colorful characters, witty banter, obnoxious silly fun, hilarious hijinks, and plenty of OTT moments to leave me quite entertained. I love when I try a new-to-me author and instantly become a fan. This story had swords clashing, magical elements, centaurs, dwarves, elves, and a mighty hammer. The women were fearless and the men WEREN'T intimidated or acting like fools. In fact, female independence was not only encouraged, it was NORMAL!! I even got to watch two of these wonderful characters fall in love amidst the constant battles, the infighting, the betrayals, the danger, and the quest for peace.

If this is what I can expect from this author, I've definitely been missing out! If you love strong characters, an emotional and moving story, along with a fast-paced, suspenseful and bloody plot as much as I do, you DO NOT want to pass on this book. It's got it all and I'm beyond excited to get my hands on the next installment.

The Blacksmith Queen is the first book in a brand new series. I was not disappointed! The characters are over the top, hilarious and in your face dysfunctional. I laughed throughout the whole book. If you have a problem with gore, this might not be the book for you but it is tasteful, humorous gore. The women in this book have all the power and they are not afraid to throw a hammer or two at a persons head if they upset them.

A prophesy has declared that the new ruler of the land will be a queen, much to the chagrin of the bloodthirsty Prince's who thought that they were going to be crowned. The race is on to find the future queen. The centaurs are the first to find the would-be queen. The only thing standing in the way of them taking her is her older, brawnier sister, Keely the Blacksmith. Keely is willing to listen and put her trust in the centaurs. This may be due to her family home being attacked by murderous foes and the centaurs willingness to protect her family. Keely, the prophesied sister, another sister that she wants to punch all the time, a drunk cousin and the centaurs soon set off on an adventure to save the kingdom from some terrible people. They encounter a lot of problems along the way.

If you are a fan of badass females, hot centaurs, weird family drama and laughing until it hurts, this book is for you! I cannot wait until the next book comes out.

This was my first book from G.A. Aiken, and I LOVED reading The Blacksmith Queen! I couldn’t stand to be away from this book and just had to finish as soon as I could.

There was a ton of action to go around, and Keeley was beyond amazing as a main character! You hear so much these days about strong, independent women, and Keeley is exactly that but without having to go around telling people this herself.

And she is STRONG. It was an absolute delight to see Keeley unafraid to get her hands dirty and having no problems fighting seriously on her own. In addition to Keeley, her younger sister Gemma, their cousin Keran, and Keeley and Gemma’s mother Emma were all strong women.

The concept of blacksmiths in this book was so interesting, what with them being important but also just one of the many occupations in the world. I loved Keeley’s passion for blacksmithing, and it was so clear how much she loved doing her work as well as how much she loved her family.

I was so absorbed in all the action of the book that I didn’t mind at all that there wasn’t too much romance in it. Like Keeley, Caid was also an amazing main character. It was incredible how calm, cool, and patient he was in every situation, and I love how devoted he was to Keeley.

The Blacksmith Queen is definitely not a book to miss, and I already can’t wait for the next book to release!

Best enjoyed when you need an adventure.

The Blacksmith Queen begins with a battle between brothers bent on slaying one another over the throne of their father. It’s a rather confusing, bloody scene with people getting slaughtered left and right. In the confusion, we find out that the kingdom’s witches, who are usually the ones to name the next king, have handed down an unlikely prophecy that states that the land will not be ruled by a king, but a queen. Not just any queen, but a peasant queen. Naturally, the brothers find it necessary to suss out the identity of this queen so that they can eliminate this threat to the throne that they are so willing to kill so many others for.

Of course, they think just because she’s a peasant it’s going to be easy. Spoiler Alert: it’s not. Especially not with Keeley, a talented, strong blacksmith and her scrappy family acting as a blockade to their success.

Without giving too much away–because there are plenty of unexpected twists and it would be SO EASY to spoil the heck out of this for you–there is a fantastic journey through Amichai lands (the mountainous area and home of dwarves, elves, centaurs, and barbarians which shares a border with the Hill Lands of the violent Old King), a bunch of fun characters and hilarity, as well as some visceral betrayal.

At first, I found it kind of hard to get into, which is why I gave it 3 stars initially, but I had to change that because the more I think about how much fun I had reading it, the less I felt confident that 3 was enough. I’m not usually into changing POVs, especially not ones that rapidly change like they did in this one. The story gets so good that it starts to flow. Although I didn’t feel that happening until about 30% into it, it was worth sticking with it even with the few times when it seemed like editing was the last thought on the author’s mind. After that point I honestly could have read it in one sitting had I been given the chance. I literally laughed out loud a couple of times at some of the characters, like Keeley’s professional fighter cousin Keran, who was all about a good time and would have been 100% exasperating to actually travel with on this momentous adventure, but was definitely a point of comic relief for the reader. Plus, Kelley is so strong, good natured, and optimistic that I just wanted her to succeed in all of the things she did, which included the flirtations with the broody Caid. Also, the part with the dwarves? So great.

If you enjoy high fantasy, I strongly suggest you pick this one up. I can’t wait for the next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Think Stardust (old King dies and his sons fight each other to secure the throne) meets LoTR (elves and dwarves and a quest) with G.A. Aiken customary bawdy humour and you've got yourself another winner!

Keeley Smythe comes from a long line of Blacksmith women, one of numerous children she runs the smithy like clockwork and looks after her siblings. She may have the strength of a man twice her size but she is kind and gentle with children and animals, no matter if the wolves she befriends have fire burning in their eyes and are most likely demonspawn. When witches prophesise that her younger sister will be Queen Keeley has her doubts but immediately offers to escort her to the witches to get the prophecy confirmed. Joined by her crazy family and a group of battle centaurs she will need all her powers of persuasion to forge alliances and keep her family safe.

When I first started reading this I couldn't get into the book, maybe because I found Keeley too similar to Annwyl at first - incredibly strong fearless woman able to defeat impossible odds etc. I put it aside and started reading it again on an international flight and just ripped through it. Loved everything about it. Loved Keeley, loved her sisters, loved her cousin, loved the centaurs, loved the deliciously evil princes.

Only downside, I'd just really got into the book when it ended. In fact I kept pressing the next page button on my Kindle fruitlessly several times before I realised that was the end of the book (see international flight above). So this is very much "to be continued …"

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

As much as a love a fierce female protagonist, from the beginning, this book was all over the place. Furthermore, while I don't mind violence, it seemed the novel was literally non-stop with battles, fights (verbal and otherwise), blood, and gore. Additionally, while there was some decent groundwork for good worldbuilding, the nearly constant modern expletives kept taking me out of the story. I don't mind cursing, but I would have loved if the author could have invented some curse words for the universe. At best, I will skim to finish this book.

I absolutely loved this book! This is the start of new series set in the same world as the Dragon Kin series. The book begins with the death of the Old King and the battle between the princes for the throne. The heroine’s family gets drawn into the battle when a prophecy names her sister as the chosen queen.

This book has the author’s trademark humor and her usual family dynamics. The author does a great job of world building and has a wonderful new twist on shifters. I do wish that there had been more romance between the hero and heroine, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I’m hoping that the characters from the Dragon Kin series will make an appearance at some point in this series.

This book sadly wasn't for me but I'm sure a specific public audience would love this in a way that i couldn't. Everything felt rushed, I didn't enjoy the writing nor characters. Not my thing.

I was excited to receive an ARC from Net Galley for the first book in a new series created by my very favorite author. She, once again, did not disappoint. There’s suspense, action, an immensely likable, strong heroine who wields a huge hammer and Centaurs! Add in her trademark humor and amazingly awesome world-building and you have an un-put-downable read. Truthfully, I never expect anything less when I read her books.