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LADY OR THE TIGER by Heather M. Herrman

Thank you Netgalley and PenguinTeen for the earc

When Belle King turns herself in for murder, no one believes her, especially since her husband, who she had killed, shows up. In this story, she recounts her story.
I'm not really one for books set in the past, but LADY OR THE TIGER was interesting, to say the least, but it left me with more questions than answers.
I really wanted to love this story, but I only liked the story. This one is confusing as it switches from past to present and back. There were times where the timeline was present, and the past was being talked about, and I found myself having to go back to the beginning of the chapter to make sure.
Regardless of timeline confusions, there were jaw-dropping moments. From the end of part 3 to part 4, LADY OR THE TIGER delivered twist after twist that left me so shocked.

This is one of the most impressive books I've read in a long time. Part western, part mystery, with a hint of macabre, Lady or the Tiger ticks all the right boxes when making a checklist of what makes for an excellent read.

Belle King was an infamous teenage serial killer and when she willingly walked into the Dodge City, KS jail to turn herself in it was a momentous occasion. But the last thing she expected to see, standing outside her jail cell, was her husband ... the first (but not the last) man she set out to kill. Not only was he not dead, but he was wanting to take charge of the girl. But justice was intent to have its way, and the only end for Belle would be the gallows.

The writing by Heather M. Herrman is strong and poetic. We fall easily into this story and even before we know much about Belle King, we can't help but side with her, understanding what she's been through. We already know what life is like for women in the U.S. west in the 1800's. Those women who don't roll over to accept their position easily are branded as lunatic, but no one expects them to stand up for themselves the way Belle does.

The book jumps around in time between 'now,' 'one year prior,' 'two years prior' and even 'past.' Typically I don't care for books that do this as I find it difficult to follow. Here, however, it worked. It's important to take note of the time and to let that sit in your head while you read the chapter and to mentally be noting the timeline. It helps to keep the sense of the book.

In addition to the poetic nature of the writing, the book works on both a literal and a metaphorical level. We're given lessons on being a woman and standing up for ones-self. I hope teenage readers of all genders will read and covet this book - there is so much to learn and appreciate. Of course is usually final for most of us, but the intelligent reader will understand.

One of the many things I loved about this book was the very simple fact that this is a western fiction with a female protagonist. The last book of this nature that I can remember reading was Bruce Coville's Fortune's Journey back in 1995! We're well overdue for a good, female protagonist western! Herrman does address this in her thoughtful author's notes:


...I wrote this book not only to center a young girl in a genre that has largely ignored them, but to let her be as wild and wicked as any of the Wild West's men.
Because the truth is, those women did exist. We do exist. Both as outlaws and heroes. ... Read their complex and beautiful stories. There are so many just waiting for others to discover and tell.

I would encourage you to buy this book. Buy this book and read it. Buy this book and give it to a young reader you may know. Buy this and give it to your local library so that others will find.

Looking for a good book? Lady or the Tiger by Heather M. Herrman is a gorgeous western, mystery, paranormal YA story that deserves your attention.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this western debut. Belle King is a man killer, literally. She’s tough as nails and gritty, unflinching even with her struggles with her mental health. This book doesn’t shy away from sacrifices women make for the sake of love, and Belle chooses herself instead.

It’s a twisty and turney story, one I’ll probably think about often as the ending is a bit ambiguous but I honestly loved that.

4.5 stars. thank you to netgalley for the arc!

i'm not sure what type of book this was, other than a good western. we need more of those i think. i want to classify it ya, but i also do not want to do that. it was just a book with a strong female protagonist who believed in herself and all the women around her.

i really enjoyed belle, but my favorite character was brownie. this book is filled with evil male rascals and determined women. it felt like a lot of amalgamation of ~things that all westerns have. this book decided to have all of those things, and it took me a minute or two to fully understand WHAT the entire premise was. that doesn't mean it wasn't a good book - i thought it was great.

it felt like i was in the midwest, eating dust. i have to be inside the setting. this book was great for that.

this book also encourages all women. not to kill, obviously, but to believe in themselves and take up space!

A feminist twist on the western genre, I enjoyed the main character. She's smart, yet selfish, someone who always puts herself first. Great book, good writing, with a great twist!

Lady Or The Tiger is a unique read. It takes place in the Wild West and is a story of a woman who just wants to be free.
Belle is an antiheroine who tells you right from the beginning that you're not going to like her (I did). The story is told through a dual timeline and it kept me guessing the whole time.
It's fairly dark, and there are those who won't like the ending, but it certainly kept me turning pages.

If you're into down with the patriarchy books, I think you'll enjoy this.
Thanks to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an early copy for review.

"You want to read about my wickedness, but you want it rooted in innocence."
No girl-- I'm here in support of women's wrongs! This has been by far one of the most captivating stores I've ever read. For two straight weeks, breathed Herrman's writing-- all I could think about was Belle King's story and needed to know what happened next as much as I needed air.

I think one of the book's challenges is how the story is presented, flipping between present and past; but it was artistically done in a way that I think improved the power of the story-- with each step through her present, we're contextualized by her specific past and the tragedy of being a woman in the stage of the 1800's. I loved this more than life itself right now lol:

"Not all little girls are born murderers, but every woman becomes one. Most simply destroy pieces of themselves, their dreams, their desires, their right to speak to whom and what they please.
I kill men instead."

Belle King forced herself to become a calculated and terrifying killer after her naivety backed her into a rather dangerous corner. But what do cornered animals do best? Lash their teeth and swing their claws. The female main character of this story is an intelligent animal, intentionally moving and framing herself to best catch the surprise of everyone around her. She's a performer, even when she's killing-- every movement, every line, is all apart of her play.

"Not that /a man/ like him could ever be equal to me, but they do so like to try."

I feel like this book was written specifically for me: a feminist take on the wild west, where strong women no doubt existed but are under represented in our media. Belle is terrifying, flawed, calculated in the same way that Beth Dutton (Yellowstone, 2018) is terrifying, flawed, and calculated. Belle is powerful, feral, and terrified in the same way that West World is... Now fold that up and place it on the canvas of Red Dead Redemption 2, and you end up with "Lady or the Tiger" by Heather M. Herrman.

Lady or the Tiger follows Belle King as she turns herself in for a string of murders across the country. When her abusive husband shows up outside her jail cell, she’s shocked. He was the first man she killed. His presence derails her plans and she has to work twice as hard to convince the court that she is a killer and shouldn’t be released to her husband.

This was such a fun and unique murder mystery. I LOVED Belle. There’s something so fun about reading about women who truly only care about themselves. I loved that she always put herself first and was ruthless in ensuring she got what she wanted. She’s truly a fascinating perspective to read from. There’s also such a good depiction of grooming and mental health/guilt. Really great characters in this one!

The plot was super engaging and had me hooked from the start. It’s told in dual timelines, Belle in jail and how she got to this point. The author masterfully reveals the story and twists and had me shocked. The ending was perfect for the kind of story this was. The feminist themes were so well done too and the feminine rage was perfect. The setting was so fun! I loved the Wild West aspect. There was so much atmosphere.

If you love chaotic anti-heroines and the Wild West, then this is definitely a book you’ll want to pick up!

Thank you to Penguin Teen CA and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.95 ✨
I’m writing this with my eyes swollen SHUT, my eyes still a bit teary. Either because this book kept me up all night or I cried like a baby who knows??

I love a good antihero, but Heather just raised the bar for me. The twist??? Oh, I thought I was able to guess it all, but I guess not because HUHHH???? The book was good from her dead but not actually dead husband to her fearlessness to the men that actually deserved to die. It was played so nicely, I am still so embarrassed that I can’t sew in a straight line. Belle, please forgive me.

Thank you, Penguin Random, for the ARC

I went into this blind with no expectations and it was such a refreshing change from the norm of the YA genre. The Western setting and our unflinchingly cold leading lady made this a fun and memorable read. I still haven't quite decided how I feel about the ending. But after reading the author's note and her reasoning behind plot decisions, it fits with the story and with Alice/Belle's character.

I loved how much voice Herrman put into the writing, and it's one of the reasons this one will be hard to forget.

The cons: the pacing dragged a bit, and there were a few times where the frequent timeline switches threw me off.

Overall I enjoyed this one and I'm glad I picked it up. I didn't know I needed a Western. And I loved that more than once, I thought of Kissing Kate Barlow from "Holes."

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin, for the eARC and the chance to read this one early.

3.5/5 stars

This was such a fabulous book! I love the western thriller and the FMC was a spicy and awesome character. I loved the ending and the epilogue was absolutely perfect!

Thank you to PRH, the author and Netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC of "Lady or the Tiger "in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a "good for Her" book and I loved it!

I really enjoyed this book. I could not use it in class, but would recommend to certain readers. A lot of twists and great choice to alternate the time periods.

Wow, what a ride! This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

I loved this book so much! I loved the western setting and the story was so interesting and I could not put it down.

I absolutely love the cover. It is what drew mw in. The story is all right. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I reviewed an ARC of Lady or the Tiger by Heather M. Herrman from NetGallery in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley

This book is an absolute whirlwind. I dislike this book but yet I also really like this book.
Western YA books are not that common to come across. Let alone one with this much depth.

This books explores the life of women during the western expansion/gold rush era. It explores the struggles, the sacrifices, the abuse, and the overall turmoil that came with being female. This book beautifully explores how to express your true self no matter how bold, how dark, or how emotional.

This is not the story of a heroine. And yet, it is.
This story leaves so many questions and yet feels completely finished on its own.

This one is so hard to review. Because on one hand, I LOVED the story, loved the chaotic anti-heroine, loved the plot twists and wild characters. I, and I may be in the minority here, loved the ending.

BUT the pacing and timeline switches did throw me for a loop sometimes and I wanted things to be a bit more cohesive. I found myself rereading chapters because I was confused sometimes at where in the story we were.

Overall the western setting, the feminist themes, the drama of it all? VERY FUN. I just wanted it to be a bit cleaner in the story arch.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love the western genre because in my opinion they produce the most complex, interesting characters, and this author did not disappoint. This book kept me guessing about what the truth actually was, because the story is not told in order, and was very fast paced and easy to read.

A novel set in the Wild West with teenage serial killer Belle King telling her story from prison - despite her dead husband showing up to claim that it’s all a lie.

The premise of this book sounded right up my alley, and I was right. “Belle King” is exactly my kind of character - cold, unflinching, and sure of herself. Forced in many ways to grow up faster than she should have had to, she claws her way out of an insane asylum, away from an abusive husband, and into the spotlight as the most wanted performer in the Wild West.

Recalling her sordid history and confessing her crimes, her plans to hang for them are cut short when her husband - the man she killed to escape - shows up to reveal that nothing she says is the truth. Forced to do anything she can to stay away from him and to ensure her own death, she’ll have to resort to all her skills in her arsenal to do so.

I’m unfamiliar with the story of Belle King, or the story for which this book takes its title from, but I feel like neither are necessary to enjoy this book. I was hooked on her story from the very start, and was eager to see how her confession would play out. Her past is haunting and dark, and forces her - in a way - to either embrace the tiger within her or be crushed by it. And rather than simply survive the hand life had dealt her, she had thrived. Even when inklings of her crimes were starting to come to light, men would still flock to her for a chance to be with her, finding the risk worth the potential reward.

Told in both flashback and current day jail time confession, Alice recounts her life leading up to this point - and why she is so insistent on ending her life on her own terms. Despite her having committed all these crimes, you - as the reader - can’t help but to also be swayed to her side and rooting for her until the very end.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing this e-ARC.