Jenn Bennett evokes classic movies and stories of derring-do in her latest novel, Lady Rogue. Set in Europe in 1937, this fun twist on the treasure hunting tales of yore is laden with romance, adventure, and just a touch of magic.

The last time Theo (Theodora) Fox saw sexy Irish hunk Huck Gallagher she’d been enthusiastically draped across his naked body and it had led to all kinds of trouble. So it should be no surprise to her that on a day when she has been falsely accused of theft, arrested, rescued and then dumped by her chaperone/tour guide and been splattered with feces while hailing a cab, he is waiting for her in her hotel room. Trouble and Huck seem to go hand in hand, which is proven yet again when thugs break into her room while she is still trying to kick Huck out of it. Fortunately, they are able to use the balcony to escape. Unfortunately, their escape results in Theo once more sprawled across a naked Huck.

The thugs leave without what they are looking for because it was the one item Theo had taken with her onto the balcony. Once their safety has been assured, her room secured and the proper attire acquired, Huck lays out the details of why he was taking a shower in Theo’s Istanbul hotel room while she was busy having a thoroughly horrible day. He’s been sent by her father, wealthy explorer/adventurer Richard Fox, to bring Theo to Romania, where Richard has followed the latest clue in his quest for the legendary, magical ring of Vlad the Impaler. She’s to bring with her Richard’s travel journal, the item she was fortuitously holding when she and Huck had to exit the room. They have tickets for a train out of Turkey that night.

Their luxurious journey via the Orient Express is going smoothly until their breakfast is disturbed by a mysterious man and his wolfish dog. Both Theo and Huck believe they have encountered ‘him before; Theo met him in her hotel just before her reunion with Huck and finds it odd that he ‘happens’ to have left the place at the exact time she did. Huck is convinced he had seen him in Tokat, the area he was in before joining Theo, and is certain the man and uncanny canine followed him to her. Excusing themselves from the dining table, they hastily head back to their room to hatch a getaway plan. During the train’s next stop, they avoid the depot and disappear into the Turkish countryside, determined to lose their disconcerting pursuer.

Before their journey reaches its conclusion they will share a drunken evening in a caravan camp, tour crime scenes in the pouring rain, steal a plane, and have their fortune told by a witch. And a love they both feared had gone cold will reignite as they search for the cursed, powerful ring of a man with a deeply violent history.

Some books I just want to gush about, and Lady Rogue is one of them. In fairness, I was predisposed to love it since I’m a big fan of tales of treasure hunts and equally enthusiastic about Jenn Bennett’s writing. It helped that I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. Theo is my preferred type of alpha heroine; she leads when she is the one with knowledge or expertise on a subject but is equally willing to follow when she is not. She’s got a strong sense of self-worth but isn’t made difficult or conceited by it, she has a nice sense of humor and is kind, loyal and loving. She trusts her instincts and has a fair sense of which people will help her and a keen intuition for who her rivals are.

Huck is the best sort of beta male. He doesn’t need to be in charge but that doesn’t mean he’s a pushover. He’s competent, completely trustworthy, congenial, funny, and perfect for our heroine.

The romance here is lovely. Huck and Theo have history that has to be worked out, but they are willing to listen to each other and trust each other almost immediately. They work well together and I loved the mixed up proverb jokes they share throughout the story. It not only added a humorous element to the narrative but served as a nice way to highlight the bond between them. And the story is very much a romance; while the ring is the impetus for the plot, the author spends an equal amount of time creating a charming love story.

The pacing here is brisk and the action almost non-stop. An occult society is also searching for the ring and its members seem willing to go to great lengths – including murder – to acquire it. Theo and Huck expand a lot of energy avoiding this dangerous band of villains, which leads to some of the more thrilling moments in the tale. The history and mystery and magic surrounding the ring are fascinating, and add an interesting, eerie zest to the quest for the historic and possibly cursed item.

My only complaint is that I felt the author didn’t utilize her time frame enough. The late nineteen thirties were a period of great upheaval, as the old order was being ushered out and modernization was gripping the world. I didn’t feel as though Jenn Bennett quite captured a sense of the era, in terms of clothes, food or culture in her story. That’s a quibble, though, as the tale works fine without it.

Lady Rogue is a fun and adventurous romance novel that I think anyone who enjoys treasure hunts or road romances will love. I am happy to be able to recommend it for those looking for a book featuring daring exploits and sweet romance.

B review at SBTB: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/the-lady-rogue-by-jenn-bennett/

**

"The Lady Rogue is a charming, magical, and exhilarating adventure across 1930s Romania. If the premise seems reminiscent of Indiana Jones, there’s a good reason for it. With treasure-hunting galore and reckless protagonists getting themselves entangled with ancient magical artifacts, The Lady Rogue is a madcap romp like no other. I wasted away a sunny afternoon recently, swaying on a hammock in my backyard while Theodora Fox and her love ex-best friend Huck Gallagher chased down her missing father and a missing ring purported to belong to Vlad the Impaler."

Click link above to read full review

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh. My. Goodness. What the heck did I just read? This book surprised me so much. Not because I didn’t think I would like it, but because I loved it so dang much. I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. I’ve read almost all of Jenn’s books and have either loved it or thought it was just ok. But this is by far my favorite book she wrote so far. It will be hard to express my feelings without spoiling anything, but I shall try.

This book is steeped in some really interesting history. Our MC is Theodora. She is the daughter of Richard Damn Fox, international treasure hunter. She also loves to go on adventures and loves history but isn’t usually allowed to go on his adventures. Even though she is insanely smart and knows everything her father does. She should, he taught her everything she knows. As usual, she is left at a hotel in Istanbul. while her father is on a hunt for Dracula/Vlad the Impaler’s curse ring.

Huck Gallagher, an old family friend and Theodora’s old love of her life, surprises her in her hotel with bad news. He was on the expedition with her father, and while they were together Richard left Huck, telling him to flee to Theodora and to keep her safe until they can meet up again. He also brings Theodora her fathers travel journal, which she eats up for clues. When Theodora finds out that her father may be in danger, she and Huck decide to go find him and tell him.

Theodora and Huck end up on an insane journey through Romania where Theodora learns more about her mother and more about herself. She also finds out so much more about this cursed ring by following the path she thinks her father is on. But they are not the only people trying to find her father and the ring. dangerous people part of a cult is also looking for the ring and Richard Damn Fox. The goal is to get to her father before anyone else does and to share all the information that they learned on their journey.

Man, I loved this book so dang much. It was so hard to put down. I loved all the history! Jenn does say that the cursed ring is not part of history but everything about Vlad the Impaler and his father is. There was other Romanian folklore in this book and I had so much fun learning more about it. I was just so enthralled with everything in this book. I also absolutely loved these characters. Theodora was such a fun MC to follow and Huck was equally awesome. Jenn did such a wonderful job with all of these characters.

I can’t wait for all my friends to read it!! I know they will love it, and I know you will love it as well. It comes out Sept 3rd so hurry up and go preorder it! Once you’ve read it come back and lets chat about it.

Let me just start this review off by saying that The Lady Rogue was one of my most anticipated books for the entirety of 2019. Jenn Bennett is one of my all-time favorite authors (if not the favorite, I mean… just look at that drawing of me holding Starry Eyes below) and I basically devour everything that she ever writes. As much as it pains me to say it, The Lady Rogue and I did not click as much as I’d hoped.

Part of this, I think, is definitely me. It’s been a stressful few weeks in this household. Major life changes are coming and I’ve had very little time to read. I’ve been in the mood for something I can sit down and finish in one sitting, not a book that would take several hours of my time.

I picked this one up and put it right back down a few times in the past month because I just couldn’t get into it. But I threw this book in my backpack when I took a quick weekend trip to Tennessee, just on the off chance that I’d get a minute to read it, and ended up with a cancelled flight and, finally, a lot of time to read. And while it might have taken me several weeks to get into it, once I got into it, I finished it in a couple of hours.

All of this is to say that this is not a bad book. There is nothing inherently wrong with this book. And three stars is not a bad rating! It’s one of those it’s not you, it’s me kind of things.

I will explain.

First things first, what I liked. As always, I love Jenn Bennett’s writing style. She’s one of those writers that, once I get absorbed in the book, I can just go for hours without stopping. The action was steady, but never too much. I loved our main character, Theo, and her adventures traipsing around Europe in search of a mystical ring and her missing father.

Now, for what I wasn’t so sold on. I’ve spent a little bit of time sitting here thinking about why exactly I didn’t love this book as much as I’ve loved Jenn Bennett’s other work, and I think a lot of it comes down to the genre. I’ve had a hard time recently getting into this fantastical kind of adventure story recently (see The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy).

I also associate Jenn Bennett with cute contemporary romances (see Starry Eyes, Alex, Approximately, The Anatomical Shape of a Heart, Serious Moonlight) and although there’s the barest hint of a romance here, it felt kind of like an afterthought. Huck was definitely my least favorite of Bennett’s love interests and I really struggled to feel any chemistry between him and Theo. But, again, romance isn’t really the point of this book. The adventure is the point, and I kept having to remind myself of that.

I think, all in all, that The Lady Rogue is a really well-written, really fun YA historical fantasy. If you go into it knowing that’s what it is and are prepared for it to be very different from Bennett’s previous work, you’ll probably enjoy it. Even though it wasn’t my favorite of her work, I can still appreciate the good writing and the good story, and I’m so excited to read whatever she comes up with next.

The Lady Rogue is a fun, mystery adventure read. It follows Theo as she travels across Romania with Huck, her father's protege as well as the boy she once loved, and their journey to find Theo's dad and the truth behind a ring that once belonged to Vlad the impaler himself.

I really enjoyed the travel element in this book and the way Jenn Bennett wrote it. It flowed beautifully and kept my interest the entire time. I also think Bennett did a fantastic job of writing the mystery within this story, and it was fun trying to uncover the clues with Theo. Theo was a perfect character to follow. Her mind is so unique and wonderful; I love the way she analyzes a situation and how her mind works. It felt different than what I'm used to in YA books and very refreshing.

Also, the slow burn romance in The Lady Rogue is fantastic! I love the chemistry and camaraderie between Theo and Huck. It was very fluid and realistic which is something I expect from a Jenn Bennett book. I also really love Huck as a character. I love the humor he brings to the story, and the contrast between him and Theo is wonderful! Where Theo is calculating and risky, Huck is observant and more cautious. They're a wonderful dynamic duo, in my opinion.

The plot of the book is also so wonderfully done. The story unfolds as Theo discovers more clues, and I think Jenn Bennett did a wonderful job of going about it.

Overall, I had a great time reading this book, and I recommend it to anyone who's a fan of historical fiction and Sherlock-style mystery books.

First and foremost, let's talk about the characters. Jenn Bennett gives all of her characters unique and interesting quirks. For example, in Alex, Approximately, Bailey had an obsession with films. In Serious Moonlight, the main character was fascinated by mystery novels.

Here, both main characters have their own identifiers. Main character Theodora "Theo" Fox loves to read all about different myths and stories about "haunted" items. She believes that her mother was cursed, causing her unfortunate death. Since then, she has been looking for proof that curses, ghosts, etc. exist.

Huck, the love interest and sidekick to Theo on her journey, has a habit of mixing up or changing different proverbs and sayings. This is better understood when reading the book.

Aside from their quirks, the characters all feel so real. They are relatable, funny, and interesting. The dialogue between them feels like it came straight from real people's conversations. I know that many books have realistic characters, but Jenn Bennett does it best in my opinion.

Also, the romance was incredible. I loved reading every line about Huck and Theo's relationship as it kept fluctuating with its ups and downs. They are absolutely adorable, and I love them.

As far as the plot, it was SO INTERESTING. I was engaged the entire time and very stressed about what was going to happen to my precious babies (Yes, these characters are my children; I love them now).

Each chapter ends with you wanting to know more, so you're guaranteed to pick the book up again (or not even put it down at all). It was a fairly quick read; it was easy to understand and get through. When I read the first 100 pages, I hadn't even realized I had gotten that far!

This was a fun adventurous read! Daughter of treasure hunter Fox, Theodora finds herself alone in Istanbul waiting to hear news of her fathers recent adventure. Things take a turn when Theo realizes that her father is in trouble and her old friend/love/nemisis/bestie Huck shows up to help her return home. The wild ride that happens after this moment is a joy to read, full of chases, adventure, magic and passion. Wonderful characters and a thrilling adventure. I would describe this as a historical fiction novel with some fantasy woven in like magic! I was left hoping that Bennett may write some more fun for Huck and Theo because I really enjoy the characters and their adventures! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Lady Rogue was a fun and spooky read. I enjoyed all the different elements that made this story what it was. There’s magic and murder and mystery and I had fun with it. I really liked the characters and the romance.
Our main character, Theo, was fiery and fierce. She loved without abandon, even when she was feeling betrayed. I liked her obsession with crossword puzzles and her ability to translate cyphers. She’s clever and stubborn. She’s also wary of getting hurt, and it was interesting to watch her work through that.
Then there’s, Huck. I somehow loved him and hated him at the same time. I think that was because of Theo’s feelings. I liked that they had a history that took place before the events of this book. Huck’s just a little misunderstood and I’m a sucker for a boy with issues. I liked that Huck was such a contrast to Theo. Wildly skeptical to Theo’s desire to believe in the supernatural. I loved his fierce desire to protect Theo.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The characters were likable. The story was compelling and interesting. The only thing that was off to me was some of the characters dialogue. This is supposed to be a historical fantasy novel, but the characters use quite a bit of modern slang. This was alright, but it took me out of the story a little. Despite that I still enjoyed the story. It was fun and fast-paced and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone that likes fantasy.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC of this to review! I’ve only read Jenn Bennett‘s romance books, and I was thrilled to read something different from her. With treasure hunting, romance, and magic, this book has almost everything you could ever want. Backed by mysterious eastern Europe, Bennett set readers up for a wild ride.

We’re dropped right in the middle of Theo’s shenanigans at the beginning of the novel, introducing us to her fearless, strong character. She desperately wants to join her father on his treasure hunts, but he always sticks her in hotels while he gets to have the adventure. Though her friend and love interest, Huck, wants to just bring her to safety, Theo’s stubbornness brings them on an absolutely wild adventure.
There’s a lot of mythology and folklore behind their adventures, too. Plus the romance! Basically, friends to lovers to enemies to lovers. Their relationship is as wild a ride as the rest of the book. They need each other in order to save Theo’s dad, even if he doesn’t approve of their romance. The romance itself didn’t overtake the rest of the book, which can sometimes happen. It was an enjoyable side plot to the main mystery of the novel.

Definitely a great book for fans of Indiana Jones, mysteries, and treasure hunting adventures. You’ll be whisked away through Bennett’s writing style and rooting for Theo and Huck to win.

"The Last Magician meets A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in this thrilling tale filled with magic and set in the mysterious Carpathian Mountains where a girl must hunt down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father.

Some legends never die...

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé - and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life - Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler - more widely known as Dracula - and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths - including murder - to possess it."

I'm a sucker for anything Gothic and Dracula related, it is that time of year...

Special thanks again go to Netgalley and Simon Pulse for a copy of The Lady Rogue in exchange for an honest review.

Jenn Bennett is one of my favorite contemporary authors. I adored Starry Eyes and I am planning to read Alex, Approximately soon as I checked it out of the library a few weeks ago. When I saw The Lady Rogue available on Netgalley, I knew I wanted to read it. I didn't even really read the description honestly. Unfortunately, this just didn't end up being a good fit for me.

The Lady Rogue is a great historical fiction book, if you like those. That genre is pretty low on my favorites list, which is partially why I wasn't as drawn to this book. The Lady Rogue follows Theodora Fox, a well off American whose father is an international treasure hunter. He has gone off searching for Vlad the Impaler's infamous bone ring, after being hired to find it by a certain Mr. Rothwild. Theodora is in a hotel in Istanbul, when it is determined that her father is MIA and likely caught up in a dark and dangerous sequence of events. Theo's long lost "brother" and former lover (they are not related, they just grew up together), Huck shows up to break the news and then they begin a long and harrowing adventure to find Richard Fox and solve the mystery of The Impaler's ring.

The Lady Rogue features some a magic system that isn't very defined, but having that definition wasn't super important to the plot. Fantasy lovers, there is some witchcraft in this book! Theo and Huck also have a drawn out and intense romance that is as slow a burn as one can find. There is also evidence that the history was well researched and well represented. The historical nature of this book will be very interesting for folks who are drawn to this genre. I have never been very interested in Vlad Dracula and his history, but if you are then this book is for you!

Overall, I found this book hard to get through, simply because it isn't a genre I can get into easily. It has Stalking Jack The Ripper/Enchantee/Romanov vibes for you fans out there. I highly recommend this book for those folks who enjoy this genre. It is told very well, with a solid plot line and flow. The writing is great and the characters are well told.

Ok, how are more people not talking about this book? It is SO WONDERFUL! There is action, romance, adventure, foreign cities. All the things that make a story great. I truly enjoyed this one. It starts out immediately with a comedic misunderstanding and the rest of the book just flows perfectly. I found myself loving the characters, even with their realistic flaws. The adventure took them to several awesome places (a couple I've actually been to!) and I hope there's a sequel that will be even more adventurous.

The Lady Rogue is a great, fun read. I got through it super quickly and enjoyed every moment. And I hope you will too.

I REALLY hope this ends up a series, and not a standalone title. This is the perfect historical fiction, YA romance, dark gothic adventure. Jenn Bennett writes some of the best YA voices who are always perfectly charming with the right amount of banter and snark. This is a little bit of Dracula, Indiana Jones and Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. Recommended!

“I’ve yet to hold the devil’s handiwork. Everything evil I’ve found was made by human hands.”

4 STARS

CW: loss of a loved one, parental neglect, nudity, underage drinking, car crash, gore, smoking, violence, self-harm

Above all else, The Lady Rogue gives me huge The Mummy (1999) vibes, particularly Evie Carnahan vibes. The banter isn’t quite on the movie’s level (tbh what is on that movie’s level?), BUT you still get snark, a lady lead who’s probably the most intelligent and competent person on the field, a roguish sort of travel companion/love interest, cursed artifacts, and DANGER.

This book, then, was pretty much a perfect fit for me, and if you’re looking for The Mummy but in the shape of a book, this might just do it for you!

For one, we have Theodora Fox, daughter of famous treasure hunter Richard “Damn” Fox, who maybe hasn’t been the best dad. She’s clever and loves crosswords and ciphers, and she’s FURIOUS that her dad no longer brings her with him on expeditions in the wake of her mother’s death. Instead, he brings Huck Gallagher, who’s a little bit roguish and also prepared to protect Theo no matter what kind of danger drifts her way as a result of her father’s actions (not that she particularly wants protecting when she’d much rather be in on the danger).

And on top of Theo and Huck’s back and forth snark and Theo’s relentless forward charge through the woods and villages of Romania, we also have a dose of artifacts connected to Vlad the Impaler, topped off with some plot twists I saw coming and a couple more that I DIDN’T see on the horizon. Really, it was an excellent example of predictable plot twists getting an “I KNEW IT” reaction that distracted me from solving bigger plot twists. Professional misdirection at its finest, sprinkled with the historical and the fantastic to make an excellent adventure blend!

That said, a couple things about the book gave me a little pause. For starters, Huck was sort of adopted into the Fox family about five or six years ago (when he and Theodora were about twelve and eleven respectively), after his parents died and Theodora’s mom had also died. It feels more than a little weird that he’s Theodora’s love interest, given that adopted siblings are still siblings, and at the same time, it also never really feels like he was adopted so much as Richard Fox pulled Huck into the family to make him work for treasure hunting purposes once he was a little older, and because this is the kid of an old family friend.

This book also spends a lot of time stuck in the travel narrative. Theodora is always trying to put the pieces together as she goes, and she does make some breakthroughs along the way, but the pace can take a somewhat slower turn now and again as she and Huck navigate their way through Romania. I’m not terribly bothered by it (done right, I think you can still manage a lot of plot even if your characters are stuck on the road), but I know this is something that can irritate the hell out of some folks, so I totally understand being a little more wary of picking up the book knowing that it is a little travel heavy.

And finally, I think the ending was perhaps a bit rushed, a consequence of some of the early plot points being whipped through to facilitate all the traveling. As a standalone, I suppose I expected that (it’s been a while since I read a standalone that doesn’t leave some things feeling a little too quickly resolved), but I do wish the final scenes hadn’t felt so fast, and that a couple early points (like most of Theodora’s thoughts about her mother and such) felt like they had stronger resolution.

Come to think of it, I think I should also mention that while it fits the 1937 time period, the fact that Theodora’s dad is a treasure hunter doesn’t sit super well with me. He’s a thief, plain and simple, and not so much the endearing kind with good motives that I get attached to. It’s just theft for private collections of rich folks and I’m not a huge fan. Then again, it’s pretty clear in the text that Richard Fox is not exactly a great dude, so… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Overall, though, The Lady Rogue was fun and light, and I think I’d probably read it again for fun once enough time has passed. If you think this book is one for you too, be sure to place a preorder or library request soon, or pick it up when it hits shelves September 3rd, just under a week from now!

[This review went live on The Words Gremlin at approximately 12:15 pm EST on 8/28/19.]

The main character of this book reminded me a lot of Felicity from A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. The Lady Rogue was fine? I didn't fall in love with it, but it was good. It was written well and the fantasy part was well done. My only real issue is that there was no real resolution to the main personal conflict in this story. Theo's dad never apologizes for anything that happened and they don't have a real plan to fix any of the problems going forward. Honestly, the thing that stood out to me the most in this story was the cover. I love Billelis's work always.

What a fun and dangerous trek on the Orient Express, from Istanbul to Transylvania in 1938. I greatly enjoyed the travel and adventure aspects of this book, as we follow Theo and Huck on Vlad Dracula’s tail in search of truth and mysterious objects. When Theo’s father goes missing and Huck all of a sudden shows up in Istanbul, Theo is off on a journey that she never imagined. I really loved traveling with these two through big and small towns and the countryside, meeting many interesting people (and some frightening). This story also has a bit of fantasy and magic as Theo digs further into the legend of Vlad the Impaler and what happened to her father. I have loved every single one of Jenn Bennett’s books so far - adult UF and historical romance as well as her contemporary ya, and I love that she’s ventured back into the past and taken readers on a trip with this story. Bennett’s romances are also a highlight of her stories and though I enjoyed this one, this second chance romance wasn’t my favorite of hers. I’m not really sure why it didn’t click as well with me (second chances are tricky), though I do love Theo and Huck, and enjoyed seeing them bicker and connect again as they are forced to travel together. I really hope Bennett ventures back into the past again for another trek through time.

LOVE TRIANGLE FACTOR: None
CLIFFHANGER SCALE: Standalone

Will be posting on my blog www.loveisnotatriangle.com as well as Amazon when it publishes!

This book was fantastic. A truly entertaining adventure following Theo and Huck as they search for Theo's father and a lost relic of Vlad The Impaler. It features the occult, witty banter, and great character relationships.

Theo is a young lady who recently gets left behind by her father as he ventures off on his latest treasure hunt. So when Huck, the young man who left her behind after a little trist, shows up saying he lost her father, she sees an opening for adventure. What follows is pure entertainment.

The Lady Rogue is a nice blend of the dark side of the occult, mixed with treasure hunting, and tossing in a little bit of spurned love. I really enjoyed how Theo and Huck interact with each other and their conversations. The way they talked to each other just flows seamlessly and always felt genuine. My favorite moments are when Huck throws out a clearly wrong saying, and Theo is left to constantly call him out on it and correct him.

If you like dark history like Vlad the Impaler, this book does a great job of building up the back story surrounding the relic they are searching for. It takes the history behind the Order of the Dragon, and weaves in to it actual occult magic. As Theo and Huck get closer to discovering the truth behind the relic, everything surrounding the occult gets darker and deadlier.

While the occult stuff can get pretty dark and violent at moments, the book manages to keep it from ever drowning in it. I had so much fun reading this book, I devoured it in a couple of hours, and the only issue I had was that it seemed like this book will be a one off. I really want to see more adventures of Theo in the future, as I truly fell in love with her character. One thing I thought about pretty much immediately after finishing this book, was that it would make a really entertaining movie.

Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley! Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Publication Date: September 3, 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 15+ (some language, some violence, some gore, history, and lore)

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Synopsis: Some legends never die…

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it.

Review: holy cow this book was a worldwind! I absolutely loved this book and it's definitely on my reread list! It has an Indiana Jones vibe and the characters are fun and infuriating but in a likeable way. The worldbuilding was great and the writing was amazing. The pacing was also very well done, it was not too fast or too slow for me.

My only issue with the novel is that the ending fight scene was a bit chaotic and hard to follow and I expected a loose end to come back and it didn't.

Verdict: Indiana Jones for the young!

I’ve been a fan of Jenn Bennett’s YA contemporary novels for a while now but had yet to try one of her fantasy series. When I saw that her latest novel, The Lady Rogue, was a fantasy novel with a historical twist, set in Romania, I couldn’t resist requesting it.

Jenn Bennett is one of my favorite authors because she does such a great job of creating characters that I immediately fall in love with and she did not let me down when it came to the main characters of The Lady Rogue. I adored teens Theodora (or Theo as she is called) and Huck from the moment I met them. Theo is sassy, whip-smart, and is addicted to cryptology and crossword puzzles. She is also incredibly annoyed with her father when we first meet her. She’s angry because he has dumped her in Istanbul with a babysitter while he’s off on a treasure hunting expedition in the mountains of Turkey. When the babysitter gets tired of Theo’s antic and bails, taking all of Theo’s traveler’s checks with her as severance pay, Theo changes her tune. She is now stranded until her father finally returns from his expedition.

Where Theo is all sass and brains, Huck is more of a lovable goofball but with a heartbreaking past. His parents died in a car accident when he was younger, and he ended up living with Theo and her dad. He practically became part of their family, until something happened between him and Theo that made everything awkward and ended with Theo’s dad finally telling him to move out and to have no further contact with Theo.

When Huck shows up at Theo’s hotel to retrieve her instead of her father, and with her father’s journal in hand, Theo is shocked and just knows something terrible has happened. She hasn’t seen Huck in over a year and assumed her father hadn’t either based on how they parted ways. Her father’s instruction to Huck were quite simple: give the journal to Theo, keep her safe, and get her home. Or else…

Chaos and adventure ensue when Theo wants no parts of going home and decides she needs to find her father no matter what. Huck reluctantly agrees to disobey his orders and help Theo find him. Their adventure takes them on the Orient Express to Romania because apparently Theo’s father’s misadventures involve a supposedly cursed ring that once belonged to the legendary Vlad the Impaler, or as we more famously know him, Dracula. As Theo and Huck quickly learn, Theo’s dad is not the only one looking for the ring. Some unsavory characters are also in pursuit of it and seem to think Dad’s journal would be a valuable resource, so Theo and Huck find themselves in the middle of a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

The Lady Rogue is one of those books that has something for everyone. If I was going to compare it to another novel, I’d say it has a Hunting Prince Dracula/Stalking Jack the Ripper vibe. I loved the sense of adventure and suspense that Bennett builds as we follow Theo and Huck as they try to find Theo’s dad while evading their own pursuers. I also thought Bennett did a beautiful job of capturing the Gothic feel of the Romanian villages and that creepy atmospheric vibe of knowing that’s Vlad the Impaler’s old stomping grounds. In addition to the adventure and the mystery that surrounds the cursed ring and the disappearance of Theo’s father, I also really enjoyed the added tension from the personal storyline between Huck and Theo as they eventually have to talk about what happened the night when Huck was forced to move out.

Jenn Bennett continues to impress me with her writing and her storytelling abilities with The Lady Rogue. If you enjoy reading fantasy and/or historical fiction that features lovable characters, magical or cursed objects, and an atmospheric Gothic-like setting, The Lady Rogue needs to go on your reading list.

I have been on a mission, ever since I fell in love with The Anatomical Shape of a Heart years ago, to read every Jenn Bennett book ever released. If I’m not exactly up to date with her contemporaries just yet (but getting there!), I couldn’t refuse the incredible opportunity to read her upcoming release, a historical fantasy book called The Lady Rogue, a genre completely different from everything the author has released before. If I loved her contemporaries so far, I was curious to see if she would be just as good in another genre and, friends, she really was.

A THRILLING QUEST IN 1937 EUROPE
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The Lady Rogue takes you on a journey through Turkey and mostly Romania, as the main character of the story, Theo, goes on a wild search for her missing father… as he is hunting for a very powerful, cursed ring that belonged to Vlad the Impaler. Accompanied by her friend / former-almost-boyfriend Huck, Theo takes us on a whirlwind of a journey through 1937 Europe and… it was a blast.

Reminiscent of Indiana Jones’ / National Treasure quests for me, The Lady Rogue was a thrilling read, fast-paced and filled with lots of actions, taking you from trains to small planes to crashes to secret codes and unknown pursuers and mysterious, middle-of-nowhere-encounters. I honestly had no time to get bored and couldn’t wait for what would happen next. I can’t speak of the accuracy of the historical facts and of the Romanian facts and stories scattered within, unfortunately, but I really appreciate reading a young adult adventure-like book set in Eastern European countries.

GREAT, DETERMINED CHARACTERS AND SWOONY ROMANCE
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The Lady Rogue also delivers us a great cast of characters. The main character, Theo, was smart and determined to solve the puzzles and to find her father ; while her sidekick / love interest in the story, Huck, was adorable and caring and a lot of fun. Somehow, I found that they balanced each other well in all of the dangerous and precarious situations they found themselves in and facing danger, which makes it easy to root for them, both as characters and for their relationship.

If there is one thing Jenn Bennett is a master at, it’s writing romances I’m always rooting for. The characters’ banter, their past relationship and unresolved feelings and some really funny dialogue just made me root for them right from the very beginning. I adored them together and this, even if it’s a historical fiction and not a contemporary romance, cemented my love for Jenn Bennett’s craft and talent at writing romantic arcs, period.

OVERALL
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If you’re looking for a thrilling adventure, a sweet, angsty romance with A+ banter and dialogues, I’d definitely recommend The Lady Rogue! I had such a fun time reading this book and I now know for certain that Jenn Bennett is an author I want to read EVERYTHING from.