Based on the real Latinx teens known as the Valiant Ladies of Potosí, this fun historical fantasy will surely keep you entertained! It was swashbuckling and feministic, with some dashes of humor and sapphic romance. Overall was really fun and entertaining! I did guess some of the more mysterious parts pretty early on but still felt like the story was entertaining and interesting. There was also quite a few heartfelt moments that made me tear up and I really love how it all ended.

I do wish there was some more description of this fantastic time period and world. More of the dresses and swords and buildings. That definitely could have been elaborated on but overall it was fun and entertaining!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

'Valiant Ladies' was the feminist historical fiction I needed to see, and overall just a delightful time! Both the main characters were incredible young ladies, and I loved getting to be in their heads. The plot kept a steady pace, and the action scenes kept me glued to the page. While I knew he would die just from reading the synopsis, Kiki's brother's death was still painful to read and didn't just feel like a cheap plot device. Truly a one-of-a-kind novel!

I received this book for free from Netgalley for an honest review.

This is exactly what I've been looking for in my lgbtq+ history book based on one of my favorite novels.

Based on the seventeenth century Latinx teenagers, this adventurous novel features vigilantes, Sapphic romance, and a mystery set in Peru. I can think of no better escape this summer than Melissa Grey’s new novel.

Full of swashbuckling and adventure, this is a perfect read for fans of historical adventure, pirates, and sapphic romance. This was a little more mature than most YA books, it is at the very least in the upper age range of YA. The characters are invovled in true pirate activities with gambling and drinking and have a mystery to solve and each other to fall in love with. What more could you want? Oh, and of course they are women with swords!

This one wasn't really for me BUT I think it's a great book for teens and a lot of it will really appeal to them. It's why it became a definite buy for my library despite me not really getting into it. I might go back to it at some point, but it wasn't really what I was hoping - too flowery and mis-directish

This book began as a slow burn in terms of plot (at least for me it did), but action begins right away! Despite it taking a bit of time for me to get into the book (which I'm pretty sure is because of life stresses more than the book) once I got about 1/3 of the way through it was very hard to put down. The characters drew me in and kept me crying/yelling/cheering throughout, which is exactly what I want in a book. Bonus, the story is based off of real people and real romance, though the author admits liberties were taken with the story overall. I really appreciated this story and am interested in learning more about these historical figures too.

“Women aren’t reckless,” I groaned as I read the opening fight scene in Valiant Ladies. My love of historical fiction taught me that while ladies might be cunning, daring, or brilliant, they aren’t aggressive, drunk, or carnal. Frustrated, I flipped to the back of Melissa Grey’s action-romance novel and discovered that her heroes Eustaquia de Sonza and Ana Lezama de Urinza weren’t simply reckless characters. They were real women who ruled the streets of 17th-century Potosí, Peru, with their swords.

Potosí, governed by Spain, was bursting with silver, corruption, and unspeakable violence. Grey’s work invites us to ride along with Eustaquia and Ana as they attend lavish parties, smash heads in the filthiest pubs, chase murderers through the streets, and fall deeply in love with one another. This story is equal parts glam and gore as Eustaquia and Ana race to rescue a damsel in distress and avenge a loved one.

This violent adventure challenges readers’ assumptions and invites them to imagine the histories that aren’t told: The stories just below the surface that white male authors often ignore. Grey lays bare the readers’ biases and reacquaints them with the limitless nature of their imaginations. Highly recommended for ages 13 and up (if you don’t mind hard-drinking and filthy mouths).

Thank you so much Macmillan's Publishing Group for sending me an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I believe in souls. Frankly, I don't know if I believe in much, but what I do believe is this: We are more than flesh and bone. There's something undefined, something unknowable, that makes us who we are. Something that makes us people. It is the thing that makes us smile, makes us laugh, makes us cry, and makes us grieve. It is what makes us love and hate. It makes us human."

This book was good! Not as good as I had hoped (I was hoping it would get me out of my reading slump. Alas, it did not.). Although it wasn't quite what I was expecting based on the cover; I thought it would be a pirate book prior to reading the synopsis.

I really enjoyed the opening scene with Kiki and Ana fighting. It hooked me on the story, and I'm glad we got several scenes of action in this book. The whole story was well-written and kept a good pace (except towards the end - the climax was reached and passed way too quickly). The worldbuilding was good as well. I don't know how accurate it was for historic Peru though (I might have to do some research). I also thought the childhood friends to lovers AND f/f romance in Valiant Ladies were a good touch to the story.

My biggest issue with this book? The plot. Although it was a good mystery, the person who actually killed Alejandro, Kiki's older brother, was quite predictable. I knew who it was from the get-go, simply because they were new in town and seemingly mysterious. Their motive was also predictable. I mean, Kiki's father was a rich man for a reason. What more could the murderer want?

I had an ARC of this book, but for some reason my feedback never went through. This was a lovely story, that I am excited to buy in store to annotate.

This was a swashbuckling & queer good time. It feels like an inclusive take on the Three Musketeers with a vigilante twist and a murder that cuts deep. I really enjoyed the character & relationship development between Kiki and Ana - along with the strength they both exhibited. The political intrigue, mixed with court politics, and some social justice issues to create a really great book. While classified as historical fiction is has the air of fantasy within the world building that made the city of Potosí feel lush and atmospheric. Give this one a shot!

I love historical fiction and I also love fantasy. But, if this two genres are mix together, it has to create a perfectly good mix otherwise it will just be bland. This is whats happening to me with this book. I love the historical fiction part on its own but it seems lacking when the fantasy comes in. I struggled finishing it, it may be a good pairing for someone else but it did not work very well with me. Still, I can’t deny how very well Melissa Grey can write. Such vivid imagination out into words!

A fun, swashbuckling adventure, Valiant Ladies follows Eustaquia “Kiki” de Sonza and Ana Lezama de Urinza on their adventures through the city of Potosi. By day proper ladies of the Viceroyalty of Spain in Peru, by night Ana and Kiki drink and fight their way into each others hearts and into an incredible amount of trouble. Kiki's upcoming arranged marriage threatens to pull them apart, as do a series of murders, including that of Kiki's brother. Kiki and Ana are glorious messes whose adventures are a joy to follow, even if the plotting is somewhat incoherent. Love Don Quixote and the Three Musketeers but wish there were more girls kissing each other? This is the book for you. The parts the don't add up (the young man who somehow finances the rise of someone who has been powerful before he was born, the way no one recognizes the high-ranking ladies as the fight their way through the streets) don't matter as much as the fun the reader has.

This was a very entertaining read. I liked the book and had quite an enjoyable time reading it. I was trying to decide on the right tag for this book and I think historic fantasy seems to fit best. The story has that real fantasy feel yet it is loosely based on real people in a real place and time. I really enjoyed that mix and knowing that these characters, while still fictionalized, were actually based on two real women was a fun element of the book for me. This was mostly a fast paced read that had plenty of excitement to keep me turning the pages. While there wasn’t anything really mind-blowing about this book, and it had a few bumps too, it gave me the feeling of watching an enjoyable action movie… good fun.

While this book is touted as YA, it felt like older YA so more like NA to me. These two young ladies are out gambling, drinking, and sword fighting the night away. In fact, I don’t even know if the ages were ever mentioned, I may have missed it, but the mains felt like early 20’s and every subject of the book seemed on the adult side, but I’m always stumped about what exactly still fits into YA these days. While this was a pretty high action fantasy book, it also has a bit of a murder mystery –that really got the book moving- and a sapphic romance.

I found that I really enjoyed the romance. At first it was a little too in your face, mostly us readers being told that these two best friends are developing feelings instead of just showing us. But luckily once Grey found her writing groove, and the story really settled into itself, the romance was much more enjoyable. Grey was able to build up some nice chemistry while still keeping some sweetness due to the historic time period. Most of the book turned into being about a murder mystery, and the main character’s feelings growing even stronger for each other which happily were the two storylines I was the most interested in.

TLDR: I would recommend this book to historic fantasy or historic fiction fans that are looking for an action-filled story about two weapon wielding young ladies finding love and agency in 17th Century Peru. While I have to be honest that this wasn’t a wow book or a book I will remember forever, it still was a very entertaining book that I had fun reading and I expect others will too.

First the positive. The narrators did fantastic reading this book! I loved how they tried to make it seem spicy and good. Unfortunately even with all their flare this book fell flat for me. I am DNFing at 60%. I tried to get interested in the book but nothing was really grabbing me. This book is in first person with two POV. I loved the scenery and the timeline of the story. I think the characters were described beautifully and I am a sucker for sapphic stories. However the pacing was a little slow. The inner monologues were too drawn out. Insta love is a trope I don’t enjoy too much. There also wasn’t enough to the story to keep you engaged. There was too much time spent on explaining the details of the crime scene and the current characters POV thoughts about it and not enough action doing something about it. I wanted so much more from this book and felt like I was yelling for the characters in my head to show a little more of their feelings with their actions and not just inner monologue them to me.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for giving me that chance to read this ARC.

17th century spirited adventurers!

Swashbuckling sword carrying ladies, depraved and dastardly villains, all merge to give a powerful story set in 17th century Potosí, Peru. Their adventures sweep through society from the heady heights of the rich and powerful to the inhabitants of narrow alleys and taverns. On their journey, the gift of love and acceptance is challenged.
When her brother Alejandro is found hanging from a tree on the eve of her unwanted betrothal, Eustaquia “Kiki” de Sonza is overwhelmed with grief. Determined by authorities as being a suicide, Kiki’s friend, more adopted sister, Ana Lezama de Urinza is not convinced. Kiki was to be married off to a man she has little time for. Inheritance being a key motivator. In fact Kiki doesn’t want marriage, hers and Ana’s relationship has steadily been growing into something more—sapphic love. Meanwhile, amongst the lower classes someone is killing young women, and others are disappearing. Kiki and Ana’s search for answers to many of their questions lead to the highest echelons in the land.
I was on the edge of my seat as these two ladies rolled from one dangerous situation to another. My heart was in my mouth, and at moments, I’m positive theirs were as well. Based loosely on actual people the tale of these two courageous women is a hard and fast ride.

A Macmillan Children's ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

When I saw this book, I just felt like this book was going to be great but great feels like an understatement! It was absolutely phenomenal! I laughed, I sniffled, I got angry and I got frustrated. I loved the dual perspective and how different yet the same the two are. I loved their love story and I kept trying to rush them in my mind to quit playing bald-headed games & just be together. I loved their shenanigans and the adventures that they went on to solve the crimes that they wanted justice for. I just really enjoyed this story from beginning to end and would love more books with them in it!

4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5) Kiki and Ana are “proper” ladies by day. They attend social gatherings and fulfill certain requirements expected of Kiki’s standing in society. By night, they are vigilantes who wreck havoc in the city, taking down men and showing them up with their fighting skills.

Ok first off, does that synopsis not sound amazing? Totally my jam! These two were hilarious. I love the dichotomy of not only their lives but their personalities. Kiki was raised in privilege and luxury. Ana was raised on the streets of Peru. They meet and become inseparable. These two “ladies” were fabulous. They were rough and tumble fun with sass, attitude and weapon skills to match. Oh I love a book of action and adventure and this had it all!

While a romance is slowly building between them (best friends to lovers trope at it’s best), Kiki is promised and betrothed to a man, purely for the political and financial gain. This is where the story gains a lot of speed. A suicide is staged and brings a huge disrupt leading the girls to investigate.

While the pacing was off briefly here and there, I really enjoyed this one. It was easy to be entertained by these two and their wild antics and ideas. The romance was a slow burn, and while it started out lusty and eye-rolling to begin with, I came to love them together. They complimented each other well and were better when with each other. One thing I really loved about each one of them was how strong they were. They had a vision of what they wanted in life and didn’t accept anything less. They strived for it and for truth in the investigation and didn’t give up when all others did. I always love a strong female lead and this book had two, bravo!

I loved the ending! That big bang AND the last chapter. What a great conclusion!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I love when I find previously unknown figures or events from history through historical fiction, and Valiant Ladies is a fun fictionalized portrait of the Valiant Ladies of Potosí, sapphic teen vigilantes fighting to bring down the patriarchy in seventeenth-century Peru. It’s so fun and action-packed, and freaking queer!
I love the dichotomy of the two leads, Kiki and Ana, leading “normal” lives of the time as “proper” ladies by day, with all that entails, while taking to the streets and raising hell in the name of justice by night. Both are fun, distinct characters; Kiki is the more traditionally brought up, pampered lady and the story involves expectations for her that she faces, but she has a spark of rebellion. Ana has a more rough-and-tumble background, having grown up on the streets, and seen more of the injustices firsthand.
I loved seeing these two working together in the fight for justice, while also coming to a realization about their feelings. And the pining! Amid the high-stakes politics of the story, it’s so well executed!
The plot did feel a little odd pacing wise, and it impacted my investment to an extent. However, I ultimately was satisfied with how it came together.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and I’d love to read more from Melissa Grey in the future, especially if they’re similar to this one. If you enjoy sapphic historical fiction with a strong romantic arc, you’ll like this one.