Thank you Netgalley and Nancy Paulsen Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Lady or the Tiger” is a blood-soaked, feminist Western that refuses to play nice. It’s a story that celebrates women’s rights and women’s wrongs with equal gusto, giving us a heroine who is as dangerous as she is magnetic.

Our anti-hero is Belle King, a traveling circus performer known to the public as The Seamstress. On stage, she sings, dances, and works alongside her beloved tiger, Omisha. Off stage, she’s infamous for a far grislier talent—cutting open the men who wronged her, stealing their hearts, and sewing them back together. But Belle wasn’t always Belle. Once, she was Alice Springer, a Kentucky girl trapped in an abusive marriage that stripped her of freedom and identity.

The story opens with Belle’s shocking decision to turn herself in for murder, only to be confronted by her supposedly dead husband, alive and intent on reclaiming her. In the Wild West, even a dead man’s word carries more weight than a woman’s, and Belle must outwit him in a battle of survival and self-determination.

Told in overlapping timelines, the story shifts between Belle’s present imprisonment and Alice’s harrowing past, slowly revealing how a teenage girl became a morally gray outlaw. This structure deepens the emotional impact; you don’t just hear about Belle’s rage, you live through the moments that fuel it. The pacing can get a bit choppy, with some flashbacks interrupting the momentum in the latter half, but the payoff is worth it.

Belle herself is the beating, bloody heart of this book. She’s selfish, cunning, unrepentant, and vividly alive. Heather M. Herrman resists the urge to sand down her edges, allowing Belle’s transformation to feel both believable and cathartic. The metaphor in the title between being a “lady” trapped in a cage and unleashing her “tiger” nature is threaded beautifully through the narrative, with Omisha serving as both companion and mirror to Belle’s own longing for freedom.

The Wild West backdrop is rich with grit and spectacle with gun smoke, dusty roads, and the dangerous allure of the circus, but this isn’t just about saloon shootouts. It’s about the cost of liberation in a world that punishes women for seizing it, the power of found family, and the satisfaction of refusing to be the victim ever again.

The open ending may divide readers, but “Lady or the Tiger” remains a fierce, unforgettable ride. It’s historical fiction, it’s Western, it’s a dark character study, and even if you think none of those are your genres, this book might just prove you wrong.

This is a gritty, lyrical celebration of female rage and moral ambiguity. Belle King is the kind of character you’ll root for, fear, and maybe even wish you could be—at least for a day.

if “i support women’s rights, but more importantly i support women’s wrongs” was a western about an infamous teenage killer on trial for murder.

belle king’s plan to turn herself in and confess to her crimes is disrupted by the sudden arrival of the first man she ever killed: her abusive husband. in the wild west, even a dead man’s word is worth more than a woman’s, and she will be forced to use every trick she knows to prove herself guilty and keep herself out of his hands.

told in overlapping timelines, lady and the tiger is the story of alice springer and the woman she became. alice is, without a doubt, the highlight of this novel. she has such a strong voice and she’s the kind of FMC who is still all too rare—she’s selfish and cunning and truly morally gray. she kills bad men and she has a damn good time doing it. she’s a delight and exactly the kind of character who belongs in a western.

where it falls short is its historical accuracy (lacking, sometimes frustratingly so) and the overuse of flashbacks and chapters set in the past. the dual timelines were an effective storytelling tool for the first half of the novel, but by the second half i think they could have been reduced significantly so they didn’t impede the story’s forward momentum.

if you’re in the mood for a book full of female rage and western vibes, and you don’t mind the constraints of YA (i know teenage me would have LOVED this story), i would wholeheartedly recommend picking up lady and the tiger.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.75ish/5 stars.

This is written in such a unique way. It goes from past to present, but it also has multiple different parts of Alice/Belle's past that it covers. The narration is also....personal. The FMC is talking to you throughout it, and she assures the reader that she is unreliable and that they shouldn't like her by the end of the book. I could have definitely binge read this book, since I didn't know where it was going or what twist was going to be revealed next. It's also a western (s/o dodge city) with a solid framework of "stop expecting women to be nice"

An historical fiction set in Dodge City during the 1880s!? I was intrigued. And this book did deliver - Alice Springer watches her mother get killed in front of her and then she gets the blame! Alice ends up marrying the cop that killed her mom and turns out he's an abusive POS.

Alice is on the run and is living out her life under the name of Belle King. But Belle King is a murderer. Belle turns herself in because she's tired of running from her husband. She'd rather hang then go back to being his property.

This book has a few twists and turns. It alternates between the past and present time. But I found it easy to read and I really enjoyed it. The ending was also not what I expected but not in a bad way.

I really loved this. It was bloody and real and hard and romantic and heartbreaking. I loved how it was written, how the story unfolded. I loved the wild setting and how that added to the story. And I loved the characters.

Blown away by this book.
Did I pick it up just because I love Stockton's short story and thought, "How on earth could someone turn this into a Western?"
Yes, yes I did.
Did I end up putting off finishing just because I never wanted the book to end?
Also yes.
It's beautifully written, compellingly plotted, and fascinating. It has a circus, a teenaged serial killer, fakeouts galore, and, of course, a tiger. It's everything I was looking for and more. And, yes, it was absolutely worth finishing, because I'll be thinking about those last twenty pages for ages.

Warning for people who are picky about endings <i>(disclaimer: what I'm about to say isn't an explicit spoiler, but it's an observation about the ending of the book—stop reading now if you don't want ANY comments, even nonspoilers, about endings! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED)</i>: This book is based on a short story with a famously ambiguous ending. It's only right and natural that the book has an ambiguous ending as well. It's perfect and suits the book well...but if that's not your thing, you should probably know going in!

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ebook copy! All opinions are, of course, my own.)

I loved it. Every second of it. I'm going to write the author right now telling her how much I loved it. My heart breaks knowing how difficult this will be to sell to the teen girls who frequent my library. But what a refreshing read. I don't know how much I'd come to rely on their being romance in the YA genre until I read an interview with the author where she discussed it, and how she wanted to show young girls love doesn't have to be the ultimate reward. When Belle lets her own tiger loose I felt that. When asked if she's mad and she says she's furious, that the world should just let women be angry rather than calling them mad, I felt that. When she saw the strings attached to every choice offered to her, I felt that. When she chose the more difficult path, because it was the freer path, I WANTED that. I have never adored an anti-hero so much, nor have I ever wanted so badly to be a main character, because a woman who knows and chooses herself is honestly way more inspiring than the woman who sacrifices herself for something else. Honestly this doesn't even feel like a good review because I can't speak too specifically to the book, but I can say recommend it and it was a very good book.

This work is a dark, humorous, historical fairy tale that reminds me of an updating of a leftover hippie trip from the 1960's. The humor is delicious, the tiger is vicious, and he who makes money is the mortician. Betcha wanna read it now, right? My thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book.

Actual Rating 2.5

This was a pretty dark read considering it’s labeled a YA one. I did enjoy how the dark parts were incorporated and used, including the multiple types of abuse. They were used well to show and forward the character growth of the MC. I did have a bit of a hard time getting into the story at the beginning, as it does start quite slow and fluctuates timelines. I didn’t love the jumping between past and present and it made me have a hard time immersing myself in the story. I also really disliked the breaking of the fourth wall, it rarely works for me.

I did like Belle – she was pretty badass and with how her past was it was pretty clear why she chose the path she did. I also liked the setting of the wild west and its incorporation.

Overall this was a decent historical fiction with some good feminine rage. I love that cover as well. My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I truly wanted to love this book, but I just could not get into it like I usually do for this type of book. I am unsure if it was the writing style of this book or just plot decisions but unfortunately, I don't think this will be a purchase for my library. I am going to try the book again in audio form when it's available through the public libraries, but I am sure this is a book for some people, just not for me! Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for allowing me to read this advance copy!

Lady or the Tiger is a rip-roaring, claws out novel about a beleaguered girl in the 1880s who ascends from the lowest of lows to peak girl boss.

Belle King, or Alice as we first know her, tells her own story. She's an unreliable narrator as we jump from era to era in her life and she lets go of only the info she wants us to know, carefully curated.

She marries young to escape poverty but goes from the frying pan into the fire as her husband is abusive. It's not easy to read about, but push through to her subsequent escape.

Is Belle a murderer, a vixen, a vamp? Does she rise like an avenging angel or does she drag others down to her level of depravity?

You must make the final call: is she a lady or is she a tiger.

The story stays with you long after you finish.

Recommending for high school library acquisition.

thank you nancy paulsen books and netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

a fun mix of mystery, dark humor, and historical drama. the story has a unique voice and an interesting premise, following a clever heroine trying to survive in a dangerous, high society world. while the setting is vivid and the tone is bold, some parts feel rushed or a little underdeveloped. it doesn’t quite reach its full potential, but it’s still an entertaining read with sharp moments and a strong main character. i would recommend this to someone who’s interested in thrillers but maybe hasn’t delved into historical fiction yet. i definitely enjoyed it! 3/5 stars

This was delightfully unhinged, and absolutely addictive. It's like the best feminist Western nightmare- dark, dramatic and theatrical in the BEST way. Belle is a train wreck of a protagonist (in the best way, of course. I loved her!!) and I loved how unapologetically wild she was. The story felt like it jumped around a little bit, and at times I felt like I had to reorient myself, but honestly I didn't care- I was absolutely here for the chaos. This book may not be everyone's thing, but if you like revenge stories with twisted love, stage blood and anti-hero, you'll probably love this. I absolutely did!!

If you support women’s rights & women’s wrongs this book right here is it for you!!

I’m not going to lie it was definitely different than most of my reads which I loved, but let me just say this usually I love timelines & povs and in this book I wasn’t soo sure I liked it.. there were times I’d get confused and have to go back and reread to make sure I didn’t skip something or I’m understanding what’s going on because it go from one timeline to another to another lol 😆

But other than that the story was freaking great!!
The timelines even though they confused me a bit I got to understand why Belle is the way she is & you find yourself sympathizing with her and rooting for her because she’s the anti hero here.

I loved the Wild West setting I'm finding that setting slowly becoming one of my faves🤭

Overall this story was a great book and I def recommend it!

Lady or the Tiger is a gritty, mesmerizing anti-heroine origin story set against the dust and danger of the American West. Told in a dual timeline that dances between past and present, the novel traces the transformation of Belle King (born Alice Springer), a Kentucky mountain girl whose life is marked by deep grief, betrayal, and the slow-burning fury of a woman wronged too many times.

Raised by a mother who was both healer and seamstress, Alice’s world is one of herbal tonics, singing lullabies, and running freely in the fields so fast her shadow can hardly keep up with her. But one violent act shatters their life, forcing Alice into a system designed to silence girls like her. In a brutal asylum, she meets Reginald, first a marshal, then a husband, eventually her captor. What begins as a supposed rescue quickly spirals into psychological and physical torment, as Reginald’s true nature unfolds in horrifying layers.

But this is not a story of defeat. It’s a story of reinvention. Alice becomes Belle King, a stage performer with a voice that commands attention and a tiger named Omisha who mirrors her wildness and longing for freedom. Their bond is symbolic, two caged beings yearning for something more. Through song, dance, and danger, Belle crafts a new self: bold, wicked, and unafraid to bite back.

“In those moments when I dance and sing with only a beast watching, the parts I love the most are the parts that no one else wants. The ones that I have tried so very hard to pretend they do not exists.” Belle King.

As Belle builds a new life with a traveling troupe of outcasts, her chosen family, she finds love, purpose, and finally, makes peace with her the darkness that has always lurked on the edges of her soul . The past, however, is never far behind. Her abusive husband resurfaces, and Belle is forced to confront him once more, this time from a jail cell in Dodge City, where the line between truth and performance is razor thin.

This novel pulses with the grit of survival and the thrill of transformation. Belle is a character you won’t forget, fierce, flawed, and deeply human. Heather M. Herman doesn’t shy away from the darkness, but neither does she deny her heroine light. Lady or the Tiger is an ode to women who save themselves, to the versions of ourselves we’re forced to bury, and to the wildness we all deserve to unleash.

Give me all the western stories that you have absolutely ate this up. A murder mystery style wild West gobbled up. If you like your mysteries with bite, grit, and a heroine who’d rather shoot than swoon, saddle up. This one will leave its mark. 😍 I’m literally so obsessed with our main character. She’s so cool. I wish I could be her.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Lady of the Tiger by Heather M. Herrman.

I haven't read a good Western for a long time, especially one with such a badass woman. This is FULL of strong feminist themes, with romance, violence, suspense, and revenge. I loved the parables and the strong female characters. It it well written and full of tension that will keep you reading until the very last page.

Lady or the Tiger is an unexpected read—one of clever twists, song and dance, and Wild West action. It’s a dark and haunting novel about a young woman who was pushed too far—and was forced to give in to a darker side of herself that she’d long tried to ignore.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

I love the short story "The lady or the tiger?" which this story got a little nudge from. And I'm a suckered for modern wild west books.

This one needs trigger warnings for sexual abuse, sexual harassment, human trafficking, murder, and a handful of other things.

In this story, Alice (aka Belle) is put into an asylum after shooting someone. She's also being tried as a serial killer in another storyline.

There seem to be sex workers at the asylum. A man who wants to marry her and take her away, only to SA her. And the storyline keeps jumping backwards and forwards. It's pretty confusing.

Did I enjoy it? I did in parts. But it jumped around a lot and that was hard. Also, I didn't care for the ending.

A Dark & Thought-Provoking Read with a Few Hiccups

I wasn’t familiar with how this book was inspired by Frank R. Stockton’s 1882 classic short story, The Lady, or the Tiger but once I saw anti-heroine and mystery mentioned, I was instantly intrigued!

Belle King’s journey of strength, resilience, and bravery is where the story shines, especially in its feminist themes.
That said, I found myself far more invested in the present timeline. While the flashbacks provide insight into her past and the experiences that shaped her, I kept wanting to get back to what was unfolding in the now.

One challenge was the nonlinear storytelling—multiple past timelines intertwined with the present, making it tricky to follow at times. There’s also a section where Belle speaks directly to the reader, which momentarily pulled me out of the story.

And the ending... Wow. There were a few twists that genuinely caught me off guard! But the open-ended conclusion left me feeling a bit frustrated—I wanted more closure.

For a YA book, this one definitely dives into some dark heavy themes—violence and abuse. Honestly, it feels more suited for adult or new adult readers rather than YA.

Overall, this book weaves mystery, romance, and self-discovery, making it a great pick for a book club discussion. There are so many layers and hidden meanings that would be fun to break down with friends.

<i>I received a review copy through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author and publisher!</i>

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: murder, death, domestic abuse, gun violence, sexual harassment, mental illness, animal death brief mention of racism, sexism, sexual assault