This book was AWESOME. And I can't wait for the next book in the series. If you're looking for a funny Adult Fantasy with great badass female characters, then you might love this book like I did.

I had absolutely no expectations when I first started this book and right from the start, I knew this book was going to be a four or five stars for me. I loved the humor in it and it left me a smile on my face for a while. I listened to the audiobook even though I had an e-ARC but I have no regrets because it was the perfect format to read this book. (It's available on Scribd, by the way)

The Blacksmith follows Keeley, a strong blacksmith who loves her family more than anything. She also love creatures and animals of all kind which made me like her even more. She lives in a kingdom where the old King died and the sons are fighting each other for the throne. There is also a Seer who predicts a Queen to the throne and it is Keeley's sister Beatrix. However, things will develop in a way I don't recall ever reading in a book.

In this book, there are Centaurs, a war monk, dwarves, even a dragon so it didn't have a single boring moment. Keeley's family is amazingly funny, crazy and loving and I ended up loving (almost) all of them.

I hope you'll give this book a chance because it deserves it!

<i>(Thank you so much to the publisher for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

When every book is "The Something Queen" or another, it takes a bit for a title like that to draw my attention. But blacksmith. Huh, that was a new one! The description also sounded interesting. Something about a feud for the crown and...centaurs?

It all starts with a lot of death. First that of the King, and then the beginnings of a power struggle between his many sons, all vying for their right to wear the crown. Add to the mix a prophesy that a queen, not a king, shall be next to rule the land, and all sense of order goes out of the window. Keeley, a simple blacksmith, is happy enough to spend her days in her forge, blithely profiting from the sudden need for swords and war hammers. That is until her sister is drawn into it all, suspected of being the queen at the heart of the prophesy. A woman of action, Keeley is quick to jump to her sister's aide, and grudgingly accepts the help of a band of wild warriors, among whom is the rough and tumble Caid, a man who is particularly intriguing.

What a bizarre story! Apparently the author has written other books focused on dragons, I think, that is set in the same world. But, typical me, I hadn't read those going in. I don't think it had a huge impact on my read of this story, and I was able to pretty quickly get a sense of the world and tone of the book. The thing that makes me refer to it as bizarre is the strange balance it seems to strike between urban fantasy and classic fantasy. Of the two, this would definitely lean towards the latter, given its medieval setting and such. There's the fight over who will rule the kingdom, a magical prophesy, swords and warhammers.

But there were also tinges of urban fantasy in there with the style of writing and the sheer number of magical creatures all at once. There are demon wolves, witches, elves, dragons. And oh yeah, centaurs. This type of hodge podge assortment of classical fantasy creatures is often found in urban fantasy. Add to that the writing style that had a strong focus on humor and more than a little swearing, and it started to also feel very similar to a urban fantasy novel. And, of course, the brewing romance between a young woman and a man with some type of magical origins (typically vampires or werewolves, but we get something different here).

And of course, Keeley herself would fit right in amid most urban fantasy heroines. She's badass, has a cool profession all of her own, and is loyal to the core, going to great lengths to protect those she loves. She's also the sort of woman who easily inspires loyalty and camaraderie among those around her and wins over certain gruff men.

It was all...strange. I didn't dislike it and there were definitely some laugh out loud moments. But it also didn't fully connect as much as I would think it would. Everything that I just said above makes it sound like just my kind of thing. I think it was mostly the writing style. I struggled to reconcile the humorous, urban-fantasy-style writing with the type of story I was actually reading. And I'm not a stickler about language, but the swearing also started to feel like it was trying a bit too hard. There were also a sort of stilted feeling to some of the dialogue that made some of the characters sound almost childish at times.

Fans of urban fantasy and swords and staffs fantasy alike could find things to enjoy in this novel. If you like humor in your story, especially, than this is the book for you. The romance definitely takes a back seat to the rest of the story, however, so readers looking for more of that should take that into account.

Rating 7: A strange mix of two fantasy genres, but not quite mastering either.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books, in return for an honest review. Yah!!!! G.A. Aiken has published a new book and started a new series. I was thrilled when I realized it’s set in the same world/time as her fabulous Dragon Kin series, so if you like that one, you should enjoy this too. I actually received the ARC and my purchased copy on the same day so I got to read both versions. G.A. Aiken writes of shape-changers, humans and their interactions. The good and the evil characters are (almost) always clearly defined so you know for whom to cheer. There’s lots of family bickering, snarky comments and interspecies romance.
Keeley Smythe is a blacksmith who loves her extremely large family and her work. When the Old King dies and his evil sons start killing each other off, it’s astonishing to learn the Witches have said that Keeley’s sister will be the next Queen. The centaurs arrive to escort Beatrix to the Witches for confirmation and help stave off an attack on the family farm so the family escapes. Keeley, two of her sisters, and the centaurs travel through lots of adventures and challenges to learn their fate and that of the Kingdom. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to see what happens next!

O crap! How I love that kind of books! This is a great high fantasy read with intriguing plot and characters that were funny and kept my attention during the whole read.
Old King is dead and now his sons fight for the kingdom. Let the bloodshed start! But when new Queen is prophecized the oldest price must kill her or make her his wife? What will he choose? Death or marriage - a hard choice.
Keely is blacksmith that is a sister of the said Queen. Or they think so. But when they need to fleed to protect the Queen and show her to the seer, nothing will be as it seems. Now he's a future Queen as well, but how did that happen, and why friends are now enemies and want to kill her?
Join Keely and her crew on their way t make her queen and take the throne for herself as a future Queen, but will she manage to do so? She's a strong character that was so funny, had I mentioned wolves, that are not normal wolves - SO COOL!
The crew that will accompany her comes from different species that are not that close, but for a Queen, can they work together?
Great High Fantasy book. I can't wait for book 2!

The cruelest and kindest thing a good book does is make you believe you live inside it for the space of a few hundred pages, that you are a part of something, part of its world, not just skating around the edges, too tied up in yourself to join in…until it ends and the illusion winks out, like a snuffed flame, and you’re left marooned, adrift, your head chilled in its absence.

The real world takes a seat at the back, and Aiken's imaginary one holds center stage.

Reading the first couple chapters, the strength of my delight, the speed with which it flowered, shocked me. The Blacksmith Queen burned through my initial skepticism, bright as a comet in the night’s sky, piercing me with vicious pleasure. In Aiken's luscious prose, The Blacksmith Queen weaves a pleasant spell indeed. This is a vibrant novel, and an unstintingly lush one. The author spins her tale with directness and wit; I enjoyed her storytelling, as one might enjoy music freely played, and was left clutching at each page as it slipped between my fingers.

As familiar as the novel’s template is, Aiken's success lies in the way she infuses exhilarating new life into it through tenderly compelling characters, luxurious writing and an exquisitely wrought premise. It would be easy to say that it’s laden with genre tropes, but the author takes several classic fantasy stances and makes them seem utterly fresh on the page, and, though it occasionally dips in and out of cliché, the author never lets it linger there long. The result is an immensely immersive novel, as graceful and thoughtful as it is action-packed and pulse-pounding.

If there’s a failing in The Blacksmith Queen, it’s that the ending is rushed in the novel’s last few chapters, and although a little light coruscating at the end of the tunnel is always a welcome respite, the conclusion felt a little too easy, too attainable, which knocked down some of my satisfaction. Minor quibble notwithstanding, this is a remarkable achievement and I kind of hope the author writes more in this world.

A wonderful new fantasy adventure from G.A. Aiken.

Keeley Smythe loves two things: her family and being a blacksmith. But no matter how much she loves her younger sister, Beatrix, she just doesn’t believe it when words spreads that the witches of Amhuinn declared that Beatrix will be the next Queen. While Beatrix is very book smart and well read, she is still only a farmer’s daughter. Really, who wants to get in the middle of that blood bath to replace the Old King?

But when centaurs arrive at their farm to escort Beatrix to the witches for confirmation of the prophecy, Keeley knows she will not allow her sister to travel without her protection. So Keeley grabs her battle hammer and heads out with their odd party including the centaurs, a war monk and her apprentice, a pack of hell wolves and a horse set on revenge.

Yet when their party finally reaches the witches and their soothsayer actually confirms that Beatrix will be Queen, she also indicates that Keeley will be Queen. Beatrix might be very excited but Keeley has no interest in becoming Queen. Really, how can she and Beatrix both be the Queen? Stupid soothsayer!

But Keeley finds out there is much more plotting going on than she would have ever believed, and if her family is to survive this royal bloodbath, it seems she is going to have to pull on her big girl panties and fight the dueling royals for the crown.

This new series by G.A. Aiken bares a lot of similarities with her Dragon Kin series and also with her Shelly Laurenston alter ego’s Prides series as far as family dynamics and non-stereotypical characters. While I am not saying that this new series is a re-hash of old characters, I will say that if you don’t like the bickering siblings or the quicky dynamics between the hero and heroine that you find in her other series, you probably won’t enjoy this series.

Aside from those feeling of deja vu, this story focuses on only the three oldest sisters out of twelve children: Keeley, Gemma and Beatrix.

Keeley has such a laid back attitude about life and love just about all thing, but especially animals. Rescuing a pup is how Keeley ends up being followed around by hell wolves who usually just see people as yummy snacks. Whether her calming way with beast has anything to do with charming Caid, the Centaur who can become human, isn’t addressed, but his siblings are confused by his interest in Keeley.

G.A. Aiken takes her usual, unusual characters and drops them into a fun, High Fantasy story which is definitely worth investing in since I am definitely in it to see who walks away with the crown.

Absolutely loved this book. I'm big on fantasy and I loved the humor laced throughout the novel. I found myself dying lying more than once and I enjoyed the unique twists I found throughout the book. There's cursing, but that doesn't bother me a bit. Also lots of crazy fighting, so plenty of action if that's your bag as well.

I rarely ever give such a low rating to any book but god! this book is bad, It's a very short book but I dragged myself through it and by the time I reached the 50% mark I was so frustrated with the plot and the incessant bickering between characters that I had to put it down for good. I feel that the idea behind this story is decent and interesting but the execution is done very poorly and at the end it wasn't for me. I don't want to write a long negative review, so, I'll just point out the things that didn't work for me.

1. Zero to minimal world building
2. The writing lacks substance, the narration is done mostly through dialogues and that leaves the plot underdeveloped and flimsy.
3. Underdeveloped and immature characters. The MC is supposed to be in her late 20's but the way she and her sister quarrels made me feel like she was 12. Plus, it gets exhausting after the first few times, give me a break and sort it out like adults do.
4. The unrealistic portrayal of the MC's family. Like, am I supposed to believe that this family is so awesome that they are able to defeat an entire army without suffering any casualties?
5. Kilt wearing sexy Centaurs can't save a bad book!

That's all, I am done!

This was such a great book! I enjoyed the world so much, and since I found out it's in the same world as her dragon series, well, I'm going to have to read that as well! I can't wait, because her writing style is outrageous with over the top characters and I love it!

One thing was, that the title with Blacksmith Queen, had me thinking that Keeley was going to be the Queen instead of her sister, because she's the blacksmith. So that kinda hinted at the plot that the synopsis doesn't.

I really enjoyed this world, of centaurs and witches whose magic and gods are logic, math and science, it was quirky and a lot of fun to read! And of course, Keeley and her family, wow, they were something to behold! I really enjoyed how close they were to each other!

This was a story about family, about politics. From the different brothers who want the throne to the allies that Keeley has to collect, it's about both. And I wonder if we're going to have Keeley and Caid star in the next book, or have a new romantic couple...

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to see where this series goes!

This book reminded me a lot of the Dragon Kin series. So if you enjoyed that series, you should enjoy this book as well.

The book was overall well paced and it kept my interest. It had a nice balance of comedy, action and violence.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys comedic fantasy.

I loved this book! I didn't expect to enjoy it as thoroughly as I did. Thoroughly fun read. Highly reccomend.

I think this book made me trapped in limbo, I didn’t like so much but I also didn’t hate it. If I didn’t have a bad day stuck at the traffic with blaring honks ringing in my ear and people’s insulting sounds became my playlist for hours, I could be generous enough giving this 3.5 stars. But the main problem is there were so many amazing book released lately from the same genre. So there was so much competition and far better examples to be generous to a mediocre one.

I mostly keen of character driven stories with embellished strong female power but the dialogues of heroine made me think if she is under aged or mental problems push her to act like immature spoiled brat.
It’s fast paced reading but progression of the story and writing is also not too witty but at least it didn’t bore me till I finish it.

To write reviews this genre started to get tricky because weekly I read around 3 fantasy books. Some of them are too long, slow-burn but descriptions and character developments are so good and some of them had dialogue problems just like this one and having problems to relate with the characters ( just like this one I had with the heroine) I enjoyed some elements of the book and most of the other parts failed me.

As for this one: Writing is solid not too surprising but not a bad start because sometimes the series’ first book can be disappointing but as you keep reading you start to get used to characters and being hooked by story progression. So I’m giving three stars because of not so surprising story-telling and zero connection with characters but I think I have still some hopes about the upcoming sequels. I still want to give a try for the second book because I can sense the author has so much potential and the previous works are the solid proof she could write.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Kensington to share this ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review!

The first thing I liked about this book was the cover, which was a huge part of why I requested it. There's just something about it that speaks to me.

But more than anything, I just loved the story! There's something so engaging and enchanting about it.

Well this was a pleasant read.

I loved the story line and the characters. It was a real laugh-out-loud book, but I felt like the ending was a little rushed. A lot happened in the last 50 or so pages and I think I would've liked to have seen it all play out a bit more.

Of course there's going to be a sequel, because we can't just stop the book here. There's too much unresolved. I don't know if I'll be reading the sequel, but for now I really enjoyed reading about Keeley, the Blacksmith Queen.

Over the top crazy, yet achingly familiar

I am a great fan of G. A. Aiken’s Dragon Kin series, so I was quite sad when the author announced that she considered the series finished, especially as it didn’t feel that way. That’s why I am so delighted that The Blacksmith Queen, the first book in her new Scarred Earth Saga series, is set in the same world, but with all new characters.

The Old King of the realm is dead and his various sons scorch the country in the attempt to strengthen their position, each trying to gain supremacy. Meanwhile, Keeley is minding her own business, working in her forge, doing what she loves most. Although her father is a farmer, she has inherited her mother’s love and talent for working steel. So, she and her family could have continued to live a simple and happy life, if it weren’t for the prophecy that foretold that one of the sisters from the Smythe family would become Queen, a prophecy that puts her whole family in danger and upends their lives…

I love Aiken’s narrative voice, her storytelling is hilarious , and out there and often takes unexpected turns. Her characters are exceptional and ordinary at the same time. She can make the most outrageous circumstances and events appear normal. In think this partly due to her portrayal of family dynamics and sibling relationships that are at the same time over the top crazy, but also achingly familiar. Although most family members constantly bicker (and the closer they are the more they bicker), they always stand together as a family against any outside threat. There is the oddball sister, the crazy uncle, the strange cousin and Keeley herself, who is not exactly normal either, with her strange affinity for dangerous creatures, be they animal or something else.
Throw in a bunch of centaurs, elves, dwarves, witches and a cranky dragon, a lost treasure, spectacular fight scenes and hint of romance, and you have got the beginnings of a great fantasy adventure that will leave you wanting more.
Five crazily blinking stars, can’t wait for the next installment to hit my Kindle.

With the demise of the Old King, there’s a prophesy that a queen will ascend to the throne of the Black Hills. Bad news for the king’s sons, who are prepared to defend their birthright against all comers. But for blacksmith Keeley Smythe, war is great for business. Until it looks like the chosen queen will be Beatrix, her younger sister. Now it’s all Keeley can do to protect her family from the enraged royals. Luckily, Keeley doesn’t have to fight alone. Because thundering to her aid comes a clan of kilt-wearing mountain warriors called the Amichai. Not the most socially adept group, but soldiers have never bothered Keeley, and rough, gruff Caid, actually seems to respect her. A good thing because the fierce warrior will be by her side for a much longer ride than any prophesy ever envisioned.
There’s something about the way this author makes her characters that I absolutely love. She writes differently than most authors and I never know what to expect!! I really loved this book and devoured it as quickly as I could. Keeley is definitely one of my new favorite characters. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I highly recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

So say that I was shocked how amazing this book turned out would be an understatement. This book was packed with a little of everything. Romance, suspense and adventure. I couldn’t get enough.

Descending from a great line of female blacksmith's, all Keeley wanted when she grew up was to follow in her mother's footsteps but when a prophecy pertaining the coronation of her sister reaches the corners of the kingdom and beyond, it's the start of a series of events that will put a wrench in Keeleys dreams.

Oh how I've missed this world and the writing of G.A. Aiken. She always has these hilariously outrageous and dramatic characters in her books, always making me smile. Aiken writes the most funny dysfunctional but endearing characters and relationships. I love how she has these stereotypical alpha males and turn their worlds upside down by introducing them to strong quirky females, often with some unhinged qualities like problems with rage and/or happy go lucky attitudes. Often with personality traits that should be opposites, making for some weird but funny scenes. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it works like magic. I loved that Aiken centered this story around a big crazy family again, emotions running high and so many strong unique characters. Some more insane than others. The dynamics and plotlines were so much fun to follow, and I can't wait to read the next installment! As always, this was a fast paced adventure and if you don't mind some strong verbal abuse with a big dose of humor, this one is for you! Be ready for silly emotional outbursts, screaming and name calling!

What an intriguing and satisfying read, Packed with action and double-crossing, this book is a gem to be treasured.

This book was fun. I was expecting a more traditional fantasy, and if you assume the romance is the main plot of the book (as is somewhat implied in the blurb) you could be disappointed. I, on the other hand, was quite pleased with the goals, values and decisions made by Keeley independant of her interest in, or relationship with, Caid.
Keeley is a refreshing heroine among the self-conscious, physically weak or otherwise vulnerable women that typically populate fantasy novels. Her family—loud, boisterous, fully realised and alive are likewise unusual. There are no convenient orphans in The Scarred Earth Saga, and the entertaining, meaningless violence and rivalry that is rife among Keeley’s family (and Caid’s for that matter) will be instantly familiar to anyone with a close, involved extended family.
I loved the way women in this book were allowed to be unashamedly sexual creatures. It’s not done in an exploitative way, it doesn’t seem crass or overbearing, it just reads as though some of the women in the book enjoy sex, a distressingly rare character trait in most fantasy women.
The matriarchal Amichai were also a nice touch, and it was great to see a race developed without lazy stereotypes or long, complicated backstories. Worldbuilding touches were added here and there, in a way that brought the world to life without weighing down the fun, not too serious plot with unnecessary information. Case in point—the demon wolves. Every scene involving them was hilarious, and Keeley’s interactions with them really allowed her to shine as a character.
Keeley’s family in general was another highlight of the book, particularly Keeley’s cousin, Keran, and sister, Gemma. I look forward to hearing more about Keran’s time as a fighter, and her new role at Keeley’s side. Gemma was a great foil for Keeley; I’d love to know more about Gemma’s faith, how she came to practice it, and the role she now fills in the world and within her organisation, especially given the revelations within the novel.
I should have realised GA Aiken was Shelly Laurenston’s alter ego as soon as the sister fights began. I haven’t read any of the Dragon Kin novels, though I believe The Scarred Earth Saga is set in the same world. I had no prior knowledge of the world, however, and followed the storyline just fine.
One of the low points of the book for me was the relatively two-dimensional nature of the antagonists. We got a few scenes providing motivation for their behaviour, but nothing that really gave a sense of urgency to the book or drove the plot. I understand The Blacksmith Queen is only the first book in The Scarred Earth Saga, so perhaps the antagonists will get stronger motivations and more of a backstory in future novels.
I also wish there had been a little less sexual assault/harassment to show who the bad guys were. The book had so many strong female role models, and varied female antagonists, and then half the feminist points got thrown away with the fairly heavy use of gendered slurs, and mentions of rape.
There were a few developments in this book that seemed introduced a little abruptly (the grey mare); though presumably they will be built on in future Scarred Earth books.
I know the warnings/complaints seem like pretty extreme issues with this one, but I assure you they don’t dominate the book as much as their inclusion in this review might make it seem. I just make a point to point put high and low points in the book I review, and the high points of The Blacksmith Queen are fairly non-specific and sweeping, not requiring much explanation.
All in all, The Blacksmith Queen is a quick, fun read for anyone who enjoys fantasy, and doesn’t mind a little fun being poked at the genre in general. Readers who enjoyed Ilona Andrews’ The Edge novels will probably enjoy this book, and no doubt Shelly Laurenston/Ga Aiken’s long term fans will also find plenty to enjoy.