This story was very well written. Bennett's work is always a must read!

Dripping in adventure, intrigue, and history, this book was so well written.

Set in the 30's, Theo is used to dad just leaving her in 5 star hotels with a chaperone and taking off to exotic places. This time is no different. Left by her governess, who took off with all the money dad left for them, Huck finds Theo in a position of mistaken 'thievery'.

Huck was with Theo's father when he went missing, and leaving strict instructions for Huck to find Theo in Instanbul if anything were to happen to him, Huck did just that.

Thus beginning a WILD adventure trying to find Vlad (DRACULA!) the Impaler's missing ring.

Chases, murders, adventure, and mastery brings this story to life in an unbelievable way!

I really enjoyed Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennet. Is it because I don’t normally read this genre and don’t have much to compare it to? Or because it was just that good? Or because I’m a sucker for the supernatural?

I had no idea what to expect but in the end I feel like I’ve just watched an extremely entertaining mystery blanketed in dark magic, witches, folklore and more. The writing was so rich and realistic I was completely consumed and under a spell while reading this scary tale.

Theo was the hero. There’s no doubt about it. Huck was definitely the side-kick, who was useful at times but really there for his Irish lilt, humour and accompaniment for Theo. Their dynamic was needed to keep the transitions flowing and to have something to look forward to when the shit stopped hitting the fan. In the end, they’re back to being what they initially lost in one another and that was comforting. But I will be honest, I never felt like these two had scorching chemistry at all. Which was a bit lacking in my opinion. Anything would have been nice. Their few chaste kisses didn’t do much for me, unfortunately.

Theo’s dad: Fox. Total fool. He’s underestimated his daughter for years and his inability to bring her into his confidence caused this catastrophe in the first place. Stupid, naive man without a woman’s helpful touch. Losing his wife threw him off course, literally. Also, did anyone get a vibe for the relation between Jean and the Fox??!!

The chase. The scare. The race to solve the horror of those magically destructive rings was effective in keeping me turning the page. I loved the characters we met along the way, the help that was given by strangers, and the notion that there was going to be a light at the end of the very dark tunnel, had me yearning for more.

Such a great read. Perfect for this time of year and entirely on the Spooky brand.

Give me more, Jenn 👊🏼

Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to read this ARC prior to the book's publication, but we did end up buying it for our library collection.

Fans of YA historical fantasy can't miss this one! Entertaining page-turner with female lead--Theodora Fox, daughter of a treasure hunter. searches for answers about her father's disappearance.

I read the first 25% but gave up on it as it didn’t keep my interest. The pacing was too slow for what it was- a mystery/ thriller (if someone is chasing after the MC it should move faster), and it sounded too juvenile (more young YA, almost MG, than older YA). It had potential but didn’t stand its ground.

What if Indiana Jones were a teenage girl?

Theo's father is a treasure hunter, and Theo has been left behind in Instanbul while her father searches down some artifact - when he doesn't return, she must team up with Huck, her crush, to get from Instanbul to Romania to find or meet her father. Along the way, there are train rides on the orient express, rides through the countryside, magic and witches and mythology, and trekking around Romania.

This book was just genuinely fun and enjoyable. While there were a few times I wanted to smack the main character, overall I really enjoyed reading about her learning who she is, what she can do, and her determination to find her father, even in the face of things feeling really impossible. The location and story was a fun one to engage in, and the characters enjoyable, and I liked the way aspects that had been brought forth early on came back around towards the end.

Overall would really recommend it as a YA novel, or for anyone who enjoys adventure and a little romance.

This has fast become my favorite Jenn book ever. i love the male lead huck, he was so entertaining and funny. This book was so fast pace and the plot was so fascinating. I really wish Jenn would make this a continues series involving these two characters. i want more of their story together. Totally would recommend this book to anyone loving myths and legends.

Ever wish you could see a story like National Treasure or The Mummy, but from a female perspective? Well, then Jenn Bennett’s The Lady Rogue may very well feel like the answer to a prayer.

This novel takes all the tropes of a standard adventure story – from the cursed objects and mysterious hooded figures tracking the good guys through faraway cities – and flips them upside down by applying them all to a female character.

Set in 1938, The Lady Rogue follows the story of Theodora “Theo” Fox, daughter and sometimes partner of her famed adventurer father, Richard. But when he leaves her behind in Turkey during a hunt for a mysterious bone ring that allegedly belonged to one Vlad the Impaler, she knows something is very wrong.

The arrival of her childhood best friend – and former maybe boyfriend – Huck confirms her fears, as he’s got both her father’s travel journal and explicit orders to make sure she gets home safely.

(Spoiler alert you can probably guess: That’s not at all what happens.)

Instead, Theo and Huck find themselves on a cross-country trip of Europe in search of the missing Richard, while attempting to solve the years-long mystery of Vlad’s ring and the cursed powers it may or may not possess along the way.

Full of lush descriptions and painfully beautiful scenery, there are parts of this story that read as nothing so much as a tourist brochure for Romania. But the in-depth, detailed setting makes the world of The Lady Rogue come alive, draping everything in the sort of atmospheric mist and darkness that befits a Bram Stoker novel.

Huck and Theo’s journey puts both of them in some fairly dire situations. The two run from assailants on the Orient Express, meet some strange locals who may or may not be witches, search for lost relics and attempt to ascertain just how Richard’s treasure hunt went so wrong. It’s an exhilarating, page-turner of an adventure, and the fact that it’s centered on a female character just makes things all the more exciting.

Bennett is best known in the world of YA fiction for her contemporary romances, but she definitely brings her feminist sensibility with her in her first foray into fantasy adventure.

Theo is an instantly appealing heroine from the moment we first meet her, hunting ghosts in an Istanbul market and getting into scrapes with the local police. She’s brave, smart, and loves adventure, but most importantly she refuses to quietly accept the restrictions society attempts to place upon her because of her gender. According to Theo, there’s no reason she can’t be every bit the successful adventurer her father is. And you know what? She’s not wrong.

As Theo digs into the history of Vlad Tepes in the hopes of tracking down what happened to his possibly magical ring, we all get a lesson in the story of fifteenth century Wallachia, and the brutality at the heart of the legend that would ultimately become Dracula. And she gets to show off just how smart she is – cracking hidden ciphers in her father’s journal, solving puzzles and making connections between various peripheral figures her father once met or referenced in his writings. And, well, let’s just say as one of the only people in this story who believed in the occult before it started? She’s proven right on more than one occasion.

Throughout The Lady Rogue Theo is allowed to demonstrate just how capable she is as a treasure hunter at the same time the story reminds us that she’s also an occasionally petulant teen with loads of privilege who’s never really struggled for anything. Though her father has been distant and over protective since her mother passed away, one gets the sense that Theo hasn’t exactly been a model child herself, given how desperate she appears to be to prove herself to him.

Theo’s relationship with Huck is equally fraught and much of the novel is spent on them working out the things that have gone wrong between them. Thankfully, this is a YA novel with nary a love triangle in sight, so the story is allowed to really delve into the issues between the two of them, which involve family issues, broken trust, and the fact that the two of them weren’t speaking before Huck showed up in Turkey. However, Theo and Huck are charming together, with an easy chemistry and fun banter between them. Even if they do feel a little inevitable as a couple at times, they’re easy to root for and enjoy.

By the end of the story, the idea of following the treasure hunting adventures of one Miss Theodora Fox feels like a no-brainer. She’s a natural. Here’s hoping we get to see her solve a few more historical mysteries at some point.

What I adored most about this book is the interactions between characters. The author vividly describes sensations, reactions and I can truly feel the chemistry. Many times characters seem stagnate and forced, but not in Lady Rogue. Not only is the romantic chemistry on point, but so is the relationship between the three main characters as a family. Additionally, I enjoyed the sarcasm and quips throughout the novel. I truly appreciated the main characters snark. One, criticism I have is how the journal came into play. At first it is a little confusing as what the journal is referring too.. I'd definitely refer this to an older teen.

I received an e-arc of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was a solid three star read for me. It was overall enjoyable but at times a little drawn out. I loved the concept behind this story. The idea of a girl going off to try and find/rescue her father and ending up with her own adventure filled with intrigue and people chasing her sounded like it was going to be non-stop fun and to top it off maybe even a bit of a forbidden romance added throughout the story. And I feel like for the most part I did get just that.

There were a lot of exciting elements throughout the whole story and most of the time I felt compelled to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. However, at times the story felt like it was a bit lost and I didn't always feel that connection to the main characters and what they were doing. Because of that loss of connection to the characters I wasn't always feeling as concerned for them as I normally would have during some events and didn't feel that overall heart swooning moments between the two main characters as well.

I did however, love the ending of this book. Everything that the book was working up towards for the ending paid off and I really felt the excitement of those moments and was truly concerned for our characters and the overall outcome of the story. Like I said, it was a very solid three star read for me and would recommend for someone who is looking for a good adventure book where the female gets to save the male.

Review: 3 Stars

I was pretty excited for this book, but it wasn’t as incredible as I had anticipated it to be. I picked this up because I really loved one of Jenn Bennett’s previous novels, Starry Eyes (read my review here), even though I’m not a big fan of contemporary romance novels. When I heard that she was writing a fantasy novel I was absolutely thrilled. But I feel like this book was more of a historical romance with some fantasy elements. I found it to be pretty similar to Starry Eyes actually, but I didn’t enjoy it as much. In both books a girl and her ex lover/boyfriend go on an adventure where absolutely everything goes wrong and they wind up reconnecting. While it was full of banter and an enjoyable read, I had just expected it to have more fantasy elements to it.

The plot felt kind of slow paced and drawn out for me. There were a lot of filler chapters that focused more on the romance than the adventure. I also didn’t even realize that this wasn’t set in modern day until about a quarter way through the book. It just felt like a modern read to me, the only thing that felt historical was the research about the original Dracula. At about 45% in the fantasy elements finally showed up and I found myself getting more invested in the story. Even though the book was under 400 pages it just felt really long and drawn out to me. I think the slow paced romance just wasn’t for me.

I found Theodora and Huck to be fun characters to read about. There was lots of banter between them and they felt like real people. Jenn Bennett has a talent bringing her characters to life by sharing their interests and hobbies with the reader. I also really enjoyed how Huck always messed up proverbs, it added a humorous element to the book during heavier scenes. All of these little things that Jenn Bennett includes in her books makes her characters stronger and feel like real people. While I didn’t really love the romance between Theo and Huck I loved both of them individually.

Overall I am a little disappointed because after I loved Starry Eyes so much I thought that I would love Jenn Bennett writing fantasy even more. If you are looking for a fantasy adventure novel I might look elsewhere, but if you enjoy romance or are a big fan of Jenn Bennett I would totally give this one a shot.

Three and a half stars: An exciting historical mystery with magic and legends, but the romance a fizzle and the authenticity was lacking for the time period.

Theodora is dismayed when her traveling companion deserts her spur of the moment leaving her in a bit of a bind. Even worse, she absconds with all of the cash left to Theodora by her father. How is Theodora going to get herself out of this mess? Luckily for her, Huck, her lost love, shows up completely out of the blue to help her out. Unfortunately, Huck comes bearing bad news. Theodora’s treasure hunting father has gone missing under suspicious circumstances. It seems that Theodora’s father was desperately trying to locate a mythical ring, one tied to the infamous Vlad the Impaler. The two set out to find Theodora’s father and the ring, only to discover that they aren’t the only ones after the ring. Will they find Theodora’s father in time?
What I Liked:
*Lady Rogue is a book that pulled me in with its interesting characters and exciting mystery. This book starts out with a bang. Prepare for mystery, mayhem, magic and romance.
Theodora and Huck are a delight. The two have a long history together. They met at a young age, both reeling from tragedy. They bonded over their mutual sadness, becoming friends and pseudo siblings. *Later, their relationship turned romantic with disastrous consequences, ending in their separation. Months later, they are reunited, but the issues of the past are left simmering beneath the surface. Neither wants to talk about them, thus the reader is treated to constant bantering and bickering which is delightful. I loved the humorous dialogue between the two as well as the sexual innuendos. So much fun.
*The book takes place in the 1930s, in Europe. I liked traversing through Turkey and Romania. There was even a train ride on the famous Orient Express. Once the duo lands in Romania, a strange mystery awaits them, one with roots in the legend of Vlad the Impaler.
*I enjoyed the hints of magic and fantasy, it added to the mystery of the book.
The book builds and builds to a thrilling and dramatic climax, and then settles with a quiet ending. After the dust settles, things bode well for the characters and new adventures are lined up in the wings.
And The Not So Much:
*Sigh... I am not sure where this one went wrong for me. I was immediately sucked in, but somewhere around the three quarter mark, the story began to falter. I think because when the whole legend of Dracula story came into play, it felt too much like a been there done that for me. It was reminiscent of many other stories I have read in this vein. I lost interest fast.
*Even though I liked Hugh and Theodora together, I never felt the chemistry of their romance. The banter was so much fun, but there was this certain situation hanging over them. I kept thinking with each chapter they would get it all out in the open and fix their issues, but no.... it dragged on and on and on, and then when they do finally talk, the heat and chemistry wasn’t there. It was a big fizzle for me after all the lead up. I wanted so much more.
*This is a personal niggle, but I was annoyed with Hugh’s nickname for Theodora. He called her Banshee because she wailed and cried over her dead mother as a young girl. Not a very nice nickname, in my opinion. Plus I got tired of him calling her that the entire book.
*Even though the ending was dramatic and exciting, it was way too much. I didn’t care for the grand gestures of magic.
*The book supposedly takes place in the 1930s, but it didn’t feel like it. The characters back and forth dialogue felt modern. I don’t think Ms. Bennett captured the era well at all.

Lady Rogue is a book that pulled me in with its exciting mystery and engaging characters. I loved traversing through Europe on the hunt for the legendary Vlad the Impaler. Unfortunately, the book lost steam around the three quarters mark. I wasn’t a fan of the chaotic ending, or the romance. This book had a lot of potential, but knowing what Ms. Bennett is capable of, I expected way better. Here’s hoping book two is better.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for and honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

I felt like LITERALLY nothing happens in this book. It's just the main characters traveling across Eastern Europe trying to find someone. I kept waiting for anything to happen but alas nothing did. I also found our main character Thea to be beyond dramatic which was frustrating at times because I wanted to root for a strong female protagonist. I felt like this was the first book in a series that is just there to set up the character's backgrounds and introduce the main conflict. Not a fan.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lady Rogue is a YA standalone filled with treasure-hunting adventure, cursed relics and swoony romance. A perfect choice for lovers of movies such as The Mummy and Indiana Jones and readers who enjoy historical fiction with a supernatural twist such as Megan Shepherd’s The Madman’s Daughter series and Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper novels.

Relic hunting across Eastern Europe
From Istanbul to the misty Carpathian Mountains, our intrepid adventurers travel across Eastern Europe following clues left in a diary, searching for Lady Theodora Fox’s missing father rumored to be involved with a dangerous occult society and a mysterious relic.

A cursed ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler.
Set in the 1930s the adventure takes the reader aboard the opulent Orient Express traveling through the Gothic villages of Romania and haunted castles in search of a legendary bone ring that once belonged the Vlad the Impaler. Bennett combines historical details with the occult and supernatural. Adventure and dark mystery perfectly complement each other in The Lady Rogue.

Theo and Huck’s swoony banter
Theo is smart, stubborn, and a strong-willed heroine who wants to be every bit the adventurer her father is. Huck is her father’s protégé but not considered good enough for his daughter—he is daring, charming and devoted to Theo—she just doesn’t know it yet.

Their banter together is perfect. No adventure is without mishaps and they definitely have their share with curses, secret societies, dark legends and danger around every corner. Readers will love their emotional growth as much as their adventures.

In the End
Who knew hunting for Count Dracula’s ring could be such a fun and entertaining adventure. I loved how the lore and legend mixed with the supernatural. Bennett weaves into the writing dark and gorgeous historical settings that we get to explore along with Theo and Huck. Highly recommended. I really hope there are more stories awaiting us as I kneed more Theo and Huck to captivate me.

Fun fact, one of my friends just named her first born Theodore and we call him Theo! So when I started reading this book it took a lot of effort for me to think of the main female character versus a 3 month old baby. Not really anything to do with the story but it did make it hard for me to initially visualize Theodora.
This book was a fun read. I really enjoyed getting to know Theo, even if I had to adjust my thinking of her as a baby for a bit. It reads quickly and has a good pace to it. I also felt that I learned a bunch about Romania history. I would have liked to get more explanation around the magic that was in the book. It's never fully explained, it just kind of happens. When it happens, it is well done, but then once over you're left wandering who, why, how.
My biggest problem with this book though is the character's speech. Even though I knew the book took place during the early 1900's, I constantly forgot. Mainly because the character's talk as if they are modern teenagers. They say phases, I've never seen in a historical fiction from this time period. Even with the book being geared more towards a YA audience the language seems highly unlikely for the time period. I feel that Bennett put this story in the early 1900's simply to make it harder for the characters to contact each other, ie no cell phones, email etc. Other than that it was extremely difficult for me to remember I was reading a historical fiction and not a modern YA.
If you are looking for something light and quick this is a great book to read. If you are looking for a time piece feature then you'll want to probably skip this book. All in all, I did give the book ★★★★☆ for being thoroughly entertaining.

This was one of my most anticipated books for 2020. This was for sure different than what I'm used to from Jenn Bennett. I do have a few mixed feelings about it but overall I did enjoy myself and will definitely continue to pick up Jenn Bennett books

While this book did have fantastical elements it still read like one of her contemporary books. I will admit I did want more from the fantastical elements. I can't even put it into actual words excepted that I just wanted to be a little more. I wanted to know more about the magical elements and how the main character can do certain things because that's really never exactly explained. I also like the relationship I didn't love it but did enjoy it. I do recommend this book, it was fun, and a fast read. I did enjoy the traveling aspect and the historical setting.

The Lady Rogue is a YA fantasy to sing your teeth into. It’s filled with magic and lore while taking you away to dark and dangerous places. I was consumed by this story and it’s characters and cannot wait for more.

Unfortunately, I did not click with Jenn Bennett's latest. It's a good effort, but I felt myself getting bored with the Vlad the Impaler storyline. As a long time fan of Bennett's YA contemporary romances, this was definitely different. It's great to see an author expand their bounds, and I hope I like Bennett's next book better.

Why Did I Read?
I have loved Jenn Bennett’s contemporaries! When I heard the synopsis for this one, I was so excited! Historical fiction, romance and European adventures – what else could I want??

My Thoughts:
Lady Rogue was such a fun ride! It has nonstop action and adventure as Theo tromps through Eastern Europe in search of her treasure hunting father. Joining her on this journey is Huck, a childhood friend and boy she has so much history with. Not to mention, the last time she saw Huck was ages ago and she has so much raw emotion tied up with him. Now they’re thrown together on this dash through Europe. What can go wrong, right?

One of the things I really loved about this one is all the rich history that we get as Theo and Huck hunt for both her father and a famed bone ring that’s rumored to have belonged to Vlad Dracula. There is a lot of mystery and magic surrounding this ring and as you can imagine, others are hunting after it as well. The action is nonstop and I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story. I was totally invested in finding out what would happen next.

I really enjoyed all the different locales we get to see as Theo and Huck try and chase after her father and this mysterious ring. The background of each place was so detailed and had the right mix of history and a paranormal feel. Theo is also a very riveting character with a strong independent spirit and tenacity I admired! I was rooting for her and Huck throughout the book! They’re so right for each other but also had a lot of issues to work through first. The push and pull made for a slow burn romance I really enjoyed!

In Short…
This was another winner from Jenn Bennett! I always love her characters and this one was no different. The nonstop plot made this one a quick page turner! I would recommend if you are a fan of historical, paranormal or action/adventure! If you loved A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, I’d highly recommend you check this one out as well!

I definitely expected a different story from the blurb. This felt more like National Treasure or The Mummy. And I was here for it! I was not expecting such overt magic. Theo and Huck’s teen love story was sweet and lovely. It felt innocent, probably because of the historical nature of the book. Read if you love action adventure with a low key love story.