The cover alone of this book screams black girl magic, the inside of the book does the rest!! I would love to see this as a series on Netflix or HBOMAX.

This was a pretty quick read that did not feel like 400 pages. I will say that this was fairly simple in it's writing however, this story dealt with some very heavy topics. Such as a rape off-page and child abuse to name a few. It was pretty gory for a ya book but that just made me love it more since it was darker than I was expecting. Which worked out for this story. Parts that I didn't care for was some of the dialogue was cheese and didn't fit the feel of the story. I didn't feel as connected with the characters as I was hoping for. Overall, it wasn't a bad book it was a wonderful read and I think I will check out book two.

This book is taken to the next level these characters have to experience and the plot twist and the world-building of this book. This did feel more like an adult than a YA book. The romance aspect felt really out of place. All the women have to develop in this book at an early age. All the women in this book supported each other.

This is a gripping tale with believable, interesting characters. While some of the content is graphic, the story is one I could not put down and have in fact read twice! I particularly enjoyed the main protagonist--a girl whose strength is palpable. I highly recommend.

The Gilded Ones was brutal.
We follow Deka as she awaits a blood ceremony that will decide her fate. If her blood runs red then she’s accepted by her people, but if it runs gold then she’s either executed or made to join the emperors army.
I thought this was a very well done debut. The magic system was so interesting to learn about. The characters and their relationships were also a strong point of the story. The only element I feel some readers might have a hard time getting through was the amount of violence. There was some mention of assault, torture, death, etc. With that said, I think it was necessary for the story and wasn’t gratuitous.
I am excited for the next in the series to see what comes of the storyline and the characters.

The premise to the story seemed to be very interesting. I like how it showed West African culture for that is the novel’s strength. The book is also very well-written. However, there were some very disturbing scenes that made me uncomfortable. Therefore, this book was not for me.

*Thanks to Random House Children’s Books and #NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book to review in exchange for my honest opinion.*
#AdvancedReadersCopy #NetGalley #TheGildedOnes

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna was a highly anticipated read for me and It did not disappoint. The characters were developed very well and the storyline moved quick enough to keep me engaged but not so quick that I rolled my eyes about it. This book was hard to put down and I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves a good fantasy YA novel.

An incredibly interesting premise and one of the most stunning works of art to ever grace a cover couldn't make up for the lackluster, by the numbers execution of the plot and characters.

This book was such a great way to start off the reading year! It was SO good. I have been wanting a fantasy book that delivers with a badass main character and this was it.

The main character had to endure so much and they had a lot of development as the book went on. I also have an affinity for a lot of side characters in this book. The whole lore behind the society in this book was really interesting to learn about and I can only see them expanding on it in the future books of the series.

I love that the characters would be morally grey at times too. This always makes me like a book even more because I enjoy when they don’t just agree with everything that is going on and seem to think for themselves.

I will 100% be reading the sequel to this book when it comes out.

A great book. Would highly recommend to any fantasy fans out there looking for a new book to read, glad to have yet another BIPOC fantasy book to recommend to others.

Deka has always felt different from others. When her village's blood ceremony reveals her to have impure gold blood, she makes a dangerous choice to follow a mysterious stranger to join an army of powerful women. This is a fantastic feminist fantasy tale full of magic, suspense, and page-turning plot twists. Wonderful characters but be aware that there are quite a few violent action scenes.

Such a great fantasy YA! I have now purchased 20+ copies of this one to read with my student book club.

Excellent story with well developed characters and intriguing and unique storyline. The cover is simply stunning and it captures the essence of the book perfectly. A beautiful blend of female empowerment and fantasy. A must read for YA lovers. Highly recommend

What a amazing book! I feel in love with this one. The story is spectacular, all the characters are super vivid. I recommend with my heart.

I actually dnf’d this so I don’t feel right giving a review or rating but it requires one so I’m giving 3 stars

DNF @ 37%

I do not know if this was a me-problem, and I would not discourage other readers from picking this up based solely on my review. However, I fully went into THE GILDED ONES expecting a new favorite (or an enjoyable read, at the very least!) but found that I could barely push through a third of the book. I assume that other readers might be something like me, so I thought to share what didn't work:

Elementary. I could stop right here, because this could sum up my entire review. I felt, constantly, that I had seen such fantasy been done before. It felt redundant, re-used, and unimaginative. Don't get me wrong! As a POC myself, I am a huge advocate and believer of the sentiment "no trope is overdone until every author who wants to put their own cultural spin to it has gotten to do so." This is what I was expecting! Unfortunately, the worldbuilding felt too confused and indecisive in itself. I felt less intrigue and more boredom. I was simply expecting more.

Anyways. Not really recommended. Or, recommended with caution, if you will. [2.5 stars]

The Gilded Ones is one of the best YA fantasy novels I have read in a while. It pulled me out of my reading slump with its wonderfully diverse cast of characters. Along with its strong female empowerment vibe set in a rich and vibrant world. I was hooked from beginning to end. This book has a little bit of everything: romance, great friends, and an adorable baby dragon kitten. It is a thought-provoking, fast-paced and exciting read due to the high-stakes situations that Deka finds herself in.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were so well fleshed out. The friendships found within the group of Alaki that Deka was assigned to were so endearing. The Alaki supported and empowered each other to rise above their circumstances. The strength of these relationships just made me connect with this band of outcasts even more.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate how exceptional the world-building is in The Gilded Ones. The explanation of the magic system and the world-building were done so in a way that integrated seamlessly with the story. I never felt like I was overwhelmed with information dumping as I sometimes do with other fantasy books. The world just came alive for me and sucked me in.

This was an incredible reading experience and I could not put this book down. I can’t wait to see where this series will go from here. I would recommend this to lovers of YA fantasy. I would also recommend this to readers that are just beginning their reading journey in fantasy because it is written in such an accessible way that this would be great for someone that wants to try out the genre.

One Sentence Summary: Feminist fantasy filled with brutality, battles, and bad-ass female warriors!

Reminds Me of: African Mythology, meets feminist themes, meets EPIC battles

Three Reasons You Should Read This:
1) The cover - I mean come on. This is GORGEOUS!
2) The powerful messages of feminism and anti-misogyny are on pointe!
3) There were so many twists that I did not see coming and I audibly gasped a few times! :)

One Thing You Should Know Before You Pick it Up:
This is extremely violent!! This should be expected in a book that features so many battle scenes, but please know going in - a LOT of violence!

Content Warnings: death, death of a loved one/parent, extreme violence, misogyny, mutilation, rape, sexual abuse/sexual abuse of a child, torture, trauma

Favorite Quote: “Never forget: the same gift they praise you for now, they will kill you for later.”

Sound Track:
Monster - Meg and Dia
Unstoppable - Sia
Bring Me to Life - Evanescence
All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
Zombie - Bad Wolves
Headstrong - Trapt

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***


It took me a bit to get into it, but once it got going....HOLY HECK!!!

Deka, at sixteen years old, is set to go through the blood ceremony that, she hopes, will reveal her blood to be red- an indicator that she fits into her village. Her destiny is to be something more though as is revealed when her blood runs golden and the village elders kill her. And then kill her again. Over and over again as she revives from terrible deaths.

When a mysterious woman intervenes on her behalf, Deka is given the choice to join an army of girls like her and to protect the empire from deathshrieks- dangerous creatures that must be kept at bay.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked Deka and her journey from uncertainty into a warrior with the support of her fellow alaki. There was a plot twist that I didn't anticipate which I always appreciate. However... When I look at reviews from other readers though I feel as though I should go back and reassess my stance. Others mention issues with the portrayal of females and with unnecessary violence. I think this is one where you will have to simply read for yourself to decide if it is worthy of all the praise that has been heaped on it to this point. As for me, I look forward to reading the second one when it is published.