I'm a huge fan of the author's contemporary romances, so was curious about this genre change. The romance was decent, of course, but I just don't think this kind of fantasy is right for me. I was very interested in the historical piece and the geography - seems well researched.

The Lady Rogue is a fun historical YA (also with fantasy!). I really love Jenn Bennett. If I see her name on NetGalley, I freak out. The Lady Rogue was a step in a different direction compared to her other YA and I really enjoyed it! Theo is a fun character. Huck is OK for me, maybe a little annoying at times. Overall, I had a really good time reading it. It was funny and I really love YA that includes "going on an adventure!".

Lady Rogue is a fast paced story of treasure hunting, legends, and mystery. Theodora is a heroine everyone will love whether it be her obsession with crosswords, tendency to get into trouble, or her relationship with her father. How could I not love Theodora? From the very first scene, you fall in love with her ability to find herself in sticky situations, her inquisitiveness, and her desire to be treasure hunting, not stuck indoors. Bennett weaves a story of ancestry, mythical legends, and decades of danger. In Lady Rogue there's a charming romance, a story of family secrets, and a quest to be the main character of our own story.

Being a major fan of treasure hunting, secrets and ciphers, Lady Rogue is entirely my brand of book. There is danger from unknown sources and from every which way. It's easy to get caught up in the romance of the story, the tender relationship between Theodora and her father, or the mystery of the treasure hunting.

Jenn Bennett has become one of my main auto-buy authors, and it’s for a reason. I’m a huge fan of her contemporary stuff, and when I knew she was coming out with an historical mystery, I immediately added it to my TBR, and I have to say after finishing it that I need more of these type of stories in my life, because not only they are so gripping and entertaining, but also had a lot of layers and are just so interesting to follow.

One of the main thoughts I had when I first started The Lady Rogue was that it reminded me a lot of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, and everything I loved about them. They each had totally different plot and characters, but I think the atmosphere and the vibe were the same in both of them, so I got super excited as I continued reading the novel. And it was just what I expected and more.

The plot was so intriguing and mysterious. I think the author did such an incredible job at setting the tone and slowly building up the anticipation on the reader. I really enjoyed the mix between historical and fantastical elements, and the part they played in the story. The magical elements added a little extra something to the story that took it to another level, and the mystery was pretty well done and kept me engaged and wanting to know what was going to happen.

My only complain was regarding the pacing. Though it really wasn’t a very long book, the pacing was very slow, and sometimes not much was actually happening and the story was more focused on the characters’ backstory and their dynamics, and that along with some other little things made the book feel longer than it was. It’s true that once I kept reading that feeling disappeared, and it wasn’t that big of an issue to me since I was loving the plot and characters so much, but I still wanted to point it out.

When it comes to the characters, I have to admit I was so pleasantly surprised. I adore mystery/historical books where the main couple have to pair up to solve the mystery together, and this totally had that, so I was like a child with candy. The dynamics between Theo and Huck were so well done and written in a very realistic way, and I enjoyed seeing them interact and grow throughout the story. I think their personalities complemented each other really well, and added a perfect balance between them that made the story went by quite smoothly.

I was also pleasantly surprised because there were a few revelations made towards the end that totally took me by surprise and wasn’t expecting to see, along with some pretty action packed scenes that kept me at the edge of my seat. Of course, there were a couple of twists that I think were a bit predictable (or at least I totally saw them coming), but I think that the curve of the story was quite well done and in a very interesting way.

Overall, I was so happy I decided to read The Lady Rogue, because I ended up really enjoying the plot and the characters. I’d love to read a sequel with the same characters but in a different setting, because I don’t think I’ve had enough of them yet, and I love me a good historical mystery with a pair of lovers.
4.5

This reminded me a lot of Hunting Prince Dracula, in a good way! I really loved all the adventuring and the second chance romance trope. The story was fast paced and the plot moved along nicely. The book almost reads like a historical fiction with a bit of paranormal thrown in? I don’t know, it’s hard to explain but it was very enjoyable!

This cross-country YA mystery novel pulled me in with the promise of searching for Prince Dracula’s ring and romance. And though the mystery was pretty predictable, I still enjoyed it. There wasn’t much romance to be seen, and was only really touched on two or three times. In my opinion, it didn’t really progress naturally or have any kind of arc.

That being said, both of the main characters have their adorable quirks and are really entertaining to read, I just...didn’t feel them sizzle when they were together.

With this book, the mystery organically gives you a history lesson on Prince Dracula and the rumors surrounding him and his family. This was definitely my favorite part of the book. I love how the characters unwound the mystery of the rings and her missing father throughout the story. They mystery led to a satisfying conclusion for me, and the book didn’t leave me with any concerns or questions.

Overall, “The Lady Rogue” is an easy read that is captivating and fun. I will definitely be recommending it to fans of “Gentleman’s Guide” and “Hunting Prince Dracula.”

The Lady Rogue is full of adventure and mystery, with the heroine Theodora searching for her father across Romania, while being chased by a secret society. Theodora Fox is the daughter of a treasure hunter, Richard Fox, and she has had an interesting childhood in that she has followed her father on his trips everywhere - only thing being, she is never allowed to participate in his hunts, and instead it is her best friend/crush/foster brother (Theo can argue but that's what it is!) Huck who gets to accompany her father. At the start of the book, we only know that Huck had left a year ago, Theo was hurting and currently her father is lost, while Huck is back to supposedly escort her to the next stop on their trip. Things between them are rocky, obviously, but they have to get along, especially when its clear they are in danger, being chased by goons of some secret society and the only clues being her father's journal and a prior trip where he was hunting down Vlad Tepes' cursed ring.

The story has good pacing, and a brilliantly written protagonist. Theo is smart, witty, passionate and ready to step into danger for those she loves. Huck, meanwhile, is basically the comic relief, and is sweet, but also prone to complaining (he cautioned more than a worried grandmother, through the trip). Their bickering is common ground for them to restart their thing on. While through the book they rekindle their relationship, their romance is already developed and just waiting for them to step back into it. Aside from these two, the other characters are mostly a blip, as would be the case in a travel-based story. Richard Fox, though, was a character you don't really see in the book but is written out through his journal entries. I gotta say, though - his reaction to them being a couple was a bit too far; I honestly thought it was much worse (like half-siblings worse) than just him being overprotective of his daughter, and not liking that his foster son might become his son-in-law. Considering that his approval was such a thorn in their relationship, it was resolved much easily.

Finally, to the trip itself - it is amazing! It starts in Istanbul, then goes over to Romania, where it goes off-track (literally, ha!) to shake off pursuers and them finding their way back to the places where her father might have been. The secret/twist/whatever was easy enough to spot early on, but I liked how it progressed to the reveal. The magic is low-key, but lends to an air of mystique, as does the co-opting of local legends into the story, making the Eastern European setting quite atmospheric. I did, at times, gets hit with a wave of anachronism, because I kept feeling like the setting was half a century or more earlier but then something a character would say would sound so modern (like FYI) that I would have to like shake myself and remember it is 1937.

Overall, though, this book is an exciting adventure, with a lovable couple and a good mystery at its core.

Everything I love in a book! Smart female lead, some history, lots of adventure and a fantastic plot. Love the descriptions of the places she visits. I felt like I was there! Well done. Just a touch of romance was good - not over the top like a lot of others. Crossword puzzle thoughts were amusing as was her mantra Chin High... Her knowing multiple languages was cool. This is one I will keep handy to reread. More books about Theo, her dad and her “brother” please!!!

Theodora is the daughter of a treasure hunter. When her father goes missing, Theodora sets off with Huck to follow her father’s trail. She learns that her daughter is searching for a magic ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler’s!
This story started out to be very slow. However, it quickly picks and becomes a thriller and an adventure! I found the setting of Romania to be very intriguing and I loved learning about its history with Vlad the Impaler’s.
Still, I found Theodora to be a Mary Sue. She did not have any traits that made her appealing and is often overshadowed by her love interest Huck, whose sass made it more fun to read. Still, I recommend this for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper! Full review to come!

I was told that Jenn Bennett was an amazing writer, and now i know it to be absolutely true!! The Lady Rogue had so much!! It took us unto Turkey and Romania, my favorite is Romania...I would love to go there someday!! The characters rode on the Orient Express!! People are after Vlad the Impaler’s, otherwise know as Dracula, ring!! Theodora (Theo) and Huck set off to find her father, while they’re being chased by dangerous men who want Theo’s fathers diary They travel from Turkey to Romania, following her father’s diary to find where he would go. They end up in a Gothic Village, travel to a scary castle in the Carpathian Mountains, and it is extremely exciting!!

I love Theodora and Huck!! Theo was a smart, fearless, amazing girl!! And Huck was so yummy, and he was pretty fearless and amazing himself!! There were lots of romantic scenes, plus they did a lot of arguing, and mostly being sarcastic!! They are a fun couple to follow. They meet all kinds of unique characters, see that magic is real and we get to experience all of this with them!!

This is one of my favorite reads so far this year!! I can’t recommend it enough!! I want to tell everyone about this wonderful book!! The cover is amazing too!! Read this and you won’t be sorry!!

The Lady Rogue was an awesome book! I loved how the author used a figure in history that most students are interested in. Not too many people know the true Vlad the Impaler. The events occurring in the book appear to be time appropriate and (thankfully) the reader has to use their imagination because there is no technology to speak of. There are a very limited amount of curse words—most of them are only used in the name of Theo’s father’s name. I am anxious to see if Theo and Huck head off into another adventure!

I am a huge fan of Jenn Bennett's contemporary novels, so I was really excited to see that she was doing something very different from the others books I've read.  She did not disappoint me.



The Lady Rogue was a fast paced book full of magic and folklore that I didn't want to put down.  I was honestly sad that I had to skip a day of reading to go to a concert, even though I really wanted to go.  I had to wait to finish the last 70 pages and it drove me crazy.



The book starts with Theo is Istanbul with her tutor/babysitter.  Her father is off finding another artifact.  Usually Theo helps him with research, but he kept this one secret.  Her father was working for a collector, Rothwild, that is obsessed with Dracula.  He had a bone ring that was thought to be Vlad's ring, but he hired Theo's father to find two other rings.  He believed that one was real and the other two were replicas.  The legend behind the ring is that it wields power to whoever owns it.  It also makes them pretty evil.  The power is like a drug.  But it's also said that it was made from blood and bone which is what makes it special and almost a curse to whoever owns it.  Because once it's on, it can't be removed.



Theo's dad didn't tell her, but he called up Huck to help him.  Huck lived with Theo and her father in New York for years until her father caught them together after a party.  It's implied that they had sex, but I don't think the book really said it.  No matter what, they were caught in a compromising position.  Huck left and moved in with his aunt overseas.  Theo is devastated by this.  Huck was her first love and she missed him terribly, while also be extremely angry at him for leaving.  Huck shows up to Theo's hotel room with a story about her father missing.  There are also a couple men after him and Huck is sure it has to do with the search for Vlad's ring.



Theo and Huck leave with little money and follow the trail where her father might have gone.  He left his most recent journal with instructions for Huck to get it to Theo.  There is a code written in it and she works on cracking it while they seem to be one step behind her father.  They realize they are being followed and try to run.  This makes them have to be more creative in their travel and they meet different people.  Many with stories about Romania and Vlad.  Even a witch.  Theo believes her mother was killed by a cursed item, but her father and Huck don't believe in magic the way Theo does.  But many things happen that Huck can't explain any other way.  



The book was full of descriptions of different places on the trip from Istanbul to Romania.  Theo and Huck have this incredible banter that I love in books.  Traveling together makes them talk about what happened and revisit the feelings they've had for each other.  My favorite part of the book besides, Theo and Huck, was the magic.  I loved the stories, magical protection, curses, and spells.  Theo was also strong and made sure Huck was reminded that women can be strong and handle things on their own.  Which she continues to prove over and over.  I don't want to go too far into the story because I feel like this is best read without knowing much from the plot ahead of time.



I gave this book 5 stars.  Thank you to Simon Pulse for sending me a physical copy for review and netgalley for the digital copy.

Theodora Fox is a true adventurer's daughter - smart, curious, independent, and feisty. Unfortunately her father Richard only ever leaves her behind in hotel rooms when they are out traveling the world. Then, while in Istanbul, Theodora's childhood love Huck turns up at her hotel out of the blue a year after he left without even saying goodbye, and informs Theo that her father is missing and sent Huck to find her. Looking at her father's travel journal, which Huck brought with him, Theo suspects the disappearance is related to the artifact her father was hunting - a powerful ring that had belonged to Vlad III, better known as Vlad Dracula or Vlad the Impaler. She and Huck have to try and find Richard before it's too late.

The Lady Rogue is a delightful romp through early 20th-century Europe and its folklore, particularly that of the Transylvania region in Romania. Theo is a fun protagonist that will resonate with anyone longing for a little adventure in their lives (but be sure to bring a Huck with you to keep you grounded). I love a good Dracula-related story, and this one does not disappoint. I hope there will be more Theo and Huck adventures to come!

The Lady Rogue
By Jenn Bennett
4/5⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis:

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.

My Thoughts:

The storyline and plot were amazing!! The world building was spot on for the story also!! I love Theo and Huck! They are bantering, romantic greatness!! Theo is adventurous and brave, so when Huck tells her about her father and they go to meet him but he doesnt show up, Theo must find him. She must also crack his cipher to track where he may be. However she doesn't think she's alone in searching for him. Even with danger always on their tale she continues to search for him learning more about what he is searching for, her mother, and herself.
"You may call me Lady Rogue."

This is my first book by this author and I found it to be a fun adventure, despite some annoyances with the characters. It took me a little while to warm up to Huck and Theo, partly because as cute as he was, he was also somewhat self-absorbed and annoying. Also, I was expecting more of an adventure/fantasy with a little bit of romance, but for the first half it seemed like their relationship took a greater role than the adventuring. But as the mystery/adventure developed, and they started to grow on me, I started becoming more invested in the story and in fact, read the second half of the book in one sitting. I liked the "history" that the author created about Vlad and his family and I also really enjoyed the incorporation of Romania into the story. The ending was quite satisfying and I'm curious if there will be further stories in the future. In terms of side characters, I really liked Lovena and the Lissu brothers were also pretty interesting. Lupu was very cool and I like to think that she will be okay. Overall, I enjoyed this book enough that I will likely check out other books by this author.

As an aside, I like this cover but I don't love this cover.

She has done it again! Another phenomenal book by Jenn Bennett. I was a bit worried about this one being historical because she does so well with contemporary, but it turned out to be great. The story focuses around an exciting adventure and has some humor and romance too. I loved it!

Lady Rogue evokes the adventurous nature of Indiana Jones and the Mummy! Bennett balances a fast-paced narrative with a second chance romance full of banter. I enjoyed the immersive nature of this book--who doesn't want to travel on the Orient Express, crash in a Romanian mail plan or sneak into creepy castle? I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure mysteries!

The Lady Rogue is a fun, adventurous romp through Eastern Europe as we follow our main character, Theo, as she attempts to piece together the whereabouts of her dashing yet irresponsible treasure hunter father before its too late.

I absolutely adored the voice of this novel. It was very witty and breezy without trying too hard and veering into cringe territory. Theo was whip smart and independent, and the story itself held a great mystery plot with just the right amount of twists and unpredictability. The book focuses mostly on the relationship between Theo and Huck and Theo and her father, with a few other quite interesting side players along the way. The relationship between Theo and Huck captivated me from the very start.

The Lady Rogue creates the perfect balance between adventure, mystery, romance, and history. I will absolutely be recommending this one to lovers of Eastern European history and strong female protagonists.

This book was received as an ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing - Simon Pulse in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fantasy books are very popular amongst our patrons and this one did not disappoint. A fellow staff member actually inquired about this book and was wondering what this book entailed so I had to preview it and I know she will love it. I was very intrigued by the backstory of Theodora and her love for Huck and sharing the passion her father had for treasure hunting little did she know she was already on a treasure hunt for her future. Every page uncovered a secret that was a twist that was completely out of left field and definitely left me shocked and breathless and our readers love those types of books.

We will consider adding this title to our YFantasy collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I haven’t read anything by this author, but I was very excited about the premise. Eastern European myths, Indiana Jones-like adventure...but it fell flat for me. Instead of adventure, the book focused on the romance. While I appreciate second-chance romance—you don’t see that often in YA—I didn’t ship the characters.

The writing was good, the dialogue was great, but I couldn’t connect with the characters. It just wasn’t for me.