Gemma Smythe is the younger sister to the Blacksmith Queen. She is also a War Monk, a person who fights for the pleasure and glory of their war god. When Cyrus the Honored annihilates various religious sects, Gemma must return to her monastery to warn them. However, she finds her monastery in turmoil. Gemma is tasked to not only revive her order but to bring certain rival sects to her sister’s kingdom. Can Gemma trust Quinn to watch her back? Will she be able to complete the tasks assigned her?


Quinn of the Scarred Earth Clan is an Amichai, a shape-changing centaur. For amusement, he accompanies Gemma on her mission. Quinn learns quite a bit about the fight-happy Smythe sister. He even helps Gemma find and recruit the representatives from other war sects. What mayhem will the gathered sects create in Keeley’s kingdom? Can Quinn keep Gemma from doing anything too reckless?


Gemma is a tough-as-nails warrior who does not need a man to coddle or protect her. I love Gemma’s relationship with her sister Keeley. The sisters may squabble and fight, but whenever the need arises, they quickly band together without hesitation. What I like the most about Gemma is how she recognizes Quinn’s skills and bad habits. The centaur may get under her skin, but Gemma trusts him to protect her back.


Quinn is such a lovable jerk! He made me laugh so much throughout the book with his antics and quips. I love Quinn’s personality. He shows no shame in annoying people, and no one is exempt. I adore how Quinn treats one of Gemma’s fellow battle cohorts. He never once teased or mocked the fellow for his soft-heartedness but accepted him readily. What I like the most about Quinn is his ability to see Gemma’s hidden side. He sees the side that she rarely shows to others.


THE PRINCESS KNIGHT is book two in G.A. Aiken’s fantasy romance series, THE SCARRED EARTH SAGA. The story can easily stand alone, but I suggest reading the series in order, just for the humor aspect alone. The author does a wonderful job of paraphrasing the important parts of the first book. I cannot remember a book since THE BLACKSMITH QUEEN that made me laugh out loud. The only complaint I have with the story is Gemma and Quinn’s romance. I wish there was a little more focus on it.


THE PRINCESS KNIGHT is a clever melding of humor and high fantasy. I never thought the two could go together, but G.A. Aikens accomplished it. I cannot wait for the next adventure in this entertaining series.

After reading book 1 of the Scarred Earth Saga I was excited to see where the author would take us next and she did NOT disappoint! Book 2, THE PRINCESS KNIGHT was everything I wanted it to be and more. The author drops us deep into the fantasy world of centaurs, and warriors as Gemma Smythe pledges allegiance to her sister the prophesized Blacksmith Queen and fights for her family and home! There's drama, action, fantasy, romance (dare we talk about Quinn?) and absolutely brilliant storytelling. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I have never been disappointed when I picked up a book by Shelly Laurenston/G.A. Aiken and that didn't change when I closed this book. When you want a bad ass heroine and a great story that will keep you entertained and waiting to see whats on the next page, this is the author to do that.. This is Gemma's story and it was a great one...I was sad to reach the end...but after that ending I can't wait for the next book in the series

The Princess Knight, book 2 of Aiken’s Blacksmith Queen series, focuses on Gemma, Queen Keeley’s war monk sister. Gemma and centaur Quinn do their best to protect Keeley’s queendom and all who live there, picking up opposing religious sects along the way. Skirmishes and battles ensue, mostly fast-paced, sometimes slow in spots. Aiken’s snark and humor is ever-present. Characters are strong and well developed. There are similarities between these characters and Dragonkin. I don’t know at this point if that’s intentional or not. Strong writing, great characters, snark, and humor add up to a mostly fast-paced plot and another fascinating Aiken read. The ending is both thrilling and frustrating, something Aiken does very well.

I received a copy of this book on Netgalley I exchange for an honest review.

The princess knight is the second in a series and follows Gemma, a princess/knight/monk with a sarcastic attitude.
The story continues from the first book where Gemma has been with her family (which includes a billion siblings) at a castle her sister Keeley reins Queen. She needs to contact her brotherhood (the war monks) to help her Queen sister Keeley, in a war against their other sister Queen Beatrix.

I didn't read the first book in this series and I believe that reading it first may have given better insight into a lot of the characters, whose depths and relationships weren't really made very clear.
A lot of the titles and relations became confusing for me because Gemma is referred to as brother often because of her participation in the war monk brotherhood but then brothers who are siblings are often brought up and everyone seems to have a lot of siblings.

There were a lot of characters and a lot of information that made it difficult to get through in the beginning and the conclusion was a bit ... underdramatic.

As soon as the gods entered the storyline, they solved all the problems very quickly and it wasn't very clear why they just didn't do that in the beginning.

I'm giving this book 4 stars, but it's more like a 3.5.

Well done Shelly another winner to add to my shelves. You never disappoint and every read is a treat. Keep it up. 👏👏👏👏

The second book was as fantastic as the first one. Aiken’s humor is just one of the things I love about her books. The storyline just rolls right along. Found myself laughing out loud. I truly can’t wait to see who is up next. If you are looking for a series that brings it all to the table then look no farther. Well done on another great book G.A. Aiken!!!!

In book 2 if The Scarred Earth Saga you get to know more about Gemma the War Monk who left her position in the monastery to fight along side her sister, Queen Keeley, to save their family and anyone else their empty and cold sister, Queen Beatrix, deems a threat to her bid for endless power. As the sisters realize that there younger sister is more depraved than they or even their parents could have ever imagined, Gemma is willing to do just about anything to bring an end to Beatrix’s terror filled reign.
The Princess Knight is an action packed world whirlwind of a story that doesn’t slow down until the very last page and even then there’s a very welcome surprise that will make you eagerly await for more . Now if you’re looking for a whole lot of romance be forewarned that there is only bits and pieces of passion but for those of you who love the thrill of the fight to the death, then you’ll love this one. The story flows smoothly with many lovable, some only likable, and a few you want to see cut down with the quickness characters that will make you laugh one minute and angry in the next but in the end hunger for more of this series. I loved every spell casting, body hacking, blood spilling moment and that is why whenever I see this author’s name I always 1-click because I immediately know that I’m in for a great adventure.

I just can’t get enough of G.A. Aiken’s books. Her worlds are always fascinating, the characters are amazing, and the battles are always great. You know two things for a certainty. One, you will get the most badass, female characters, and two, the craziness will ensue in every shape, way or form. With multiple POVs, an abundance of quirky side characters, and gory battles, this book was a ride and a half.

Absolutely glorious!

I just had to know how the story would end. I could not put it down. The writing style, the plot twists... The Princess Knight is a book for the true lover of epic tales. I loved it and I cannot wait to read more of G. A. Aiken's works.

This is the second book in the Scarred Earth Saga and it continues the fight for the survival of the lands over tyrannical overlords. What an epic tale this was ! the characters are amazing the fight scenes are gruesome and with some romance thrown in. I loved it and the developing story means the coming together of old friends and foes. This book will leave you on the edge of your set and laughing so hard at the same time. Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this latest book from the best author out there.

This time the author gives us Gemma the War Monk as our heroine which I hadn’t expected instead of her sister Keeley who two years ago became Queen of the Western Lands. Gemma has spent time protecting Keeley from their cold, evil, almost sociopathic sister Beatrix who is Queen of the East. Now though it’s Cyrus another of the old Kings children who is raging war and overthrowing religious sects . Gemma returns to her order to warn them but she’s not exactly sure that she will be welcome after all this time and it turns out she was right to worry !
Whilst I had initially hoped for more about Keeley I did enjoy this book which was very different. There are numerous characters which does mean you have to pay attention to just who everyone is. Witches, Monks, Nuns, Priests, Assassins, Virgins ( yes really !) Dwarves and just about everything else feature here although most notable was definitely a dead horse ! We still have the Centaurs around and indeed it’s Quinn the ever affable and always truthful who kind of sneaks up on Gemma. No it’s not an obvious romance and for this reader the chemistry wasn’t really there but it was everything happening around the couple that really kept me rapidly turning the pages.
In closing I will say that it’s everything I have come to expect from this author and so much more. I did feel at times that Gemma could very well be a honey badger because she’s this whirling dervish of a woman. Quinn understands Gemma in ways she doesn’t understand herself and continues to aggravate her and yet Gemma’s trust of him grows into so much more. The overall story arc evolved into something that I honestly hadn’t expected and that epilogue was absolutely fabulous and I cannot wait to get my grabby little hands on the next book because it’s going to be a glorious ride !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

It took me a while to finish this book. It's long, there are lots of characters with complex backgrounds and abilities and there are multiple points of view.

I was a little disappointed that the main character of this book was Gemma. Keeley was so amazing in the first book and I was really hoping this saga would be all about her. Her story continues and changes in this book but the main focus is on her warrior monk sister.

Gemma was kind of an odd character. But in this series, they're all odd . She's the reason the book doesn't get full 5 stars. I couldn't connect with her or care that much about her. Her priorities and feelings are confusing and uncertain, and that's how she came across for me.
Quinn was one of the best parts of the book and he raised the rating a bit.

This series has one of the best villains. Beatrix is evil. That's it. She doesn't have a past trauma or betrayal or something to hate and blame for her actions. She just doesn't care about anything but having power and influence. I like how absolutely ordinary and normal she is but everyone is terrified of her. Even though she doesn't have any magical powers or objects, she managed to get so far just by being smart. And evil. Let's not forget that. I admire her, but that bitch needs to die.

The multitude of characters, regions, races, powers and groups managed to confuse me at some point. You'll get the hang of it, but you have to pay attention.

The little bits of humor and funny situations sprinkled throughout the book were amazing. If there's one thing this author manages every time is to make me laugh out loud and make the people around me look at me weird.

I can honestly say that I'm curious what the next book will be about. (fingers crossed that it'll be Keeley again)
If you liked the first book and the curiosity is killing you, definitely read this one.

I anxiously awaited The Princess Knight and I was not disappointed. I appreciated the prologue because it had enough information to relight my love for this kingdom without bogging a reader down with too much retelling of the first book. I love all of the non-evil ruler Smythes. The whole dynamic of the family is extremely entertaining. I loved that this book concentrated on War Monk Gemma. It was nice to see everything from her angle.

I loved the relationship primary relationship of the book which is between Gemma and Quinn. I personally like Quinn and his annoyingly honest behavior. I think they compliment each other and watching them develop through the book was entertaining. I like that the second book centered around two secondary characters from the first book. Though I was Also intrigued by a vast cast of new characters. The introduction and explanation of a variety of new religious orders did not slow the pace of the story, but instead gave it more depth.

The thing I love most about G.A. Aiken is her ability to write a truly humorous dialogue that often has me laughing out loud. With all of the characters using “Oy”, I have a tendency to read the dialogue with an a British accent because I see it as British slang. I like that she develops the characters thoughts and feelings and gives explanations for changes in a character's demeanor or the way they think. I feel some authors do not allow for the complexities that going into the way a normal person processes things that change their behavior. I see this as an example of strong writing skills.

The book left me wanting more. I am especially interested to see where the author takes the story in terms of the “forgotten sister” Ainsley. I think she could be as big a hero for The Scarred Earth Saga as, I personally feel, Samwise Gamgee was in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I always am drawn to characters who are underestimated. This is a series that I read immediately and then anxiously await the next title. I highly recommend it to people who like a well developed world, epic fight scenes and humorous, though sometimes graphic, dialogue.

The Princess Knight has many of the elements of a great fantasy novel. I love how all the variety of characters come together in spite of their strong differences and work towards achieving their goal. I did not realize at first that this is the second book in a series. Normally I would go back and read the previous book(s), but sadly I do not feel that urge this time.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley to review.

OMG - I love G.A. Aiken and her Scarred Earth Saga is awesome! There is just catnip for anyone who likes to read fantasy with a female focus. The story picks up from 'The Blacksmith Queen', based on the family that includes sisters Keeley, Gemma and Beatrix. War monk Gemma fights with her sister, Queen Keeley against her other sister, Queen Beatrix. Magical creatures, war monks, romance - its all outstanding. And the book ends with a wonderful surprise (no spoiler here).
Can say enough about this book and author - she is an amazing writer and I own all her books - most in both hardcopy and ebook - cause they are so great. Thank you G.A. Aiken/Shelley Laurenston!

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE PRINCESS KNIGHT (Book 2 of the Scarred Earth Saga) by G.A. Aiken in exchange for an honest review. Gemma Smythe, sister of the Blacksmith Queen, has been in a funk since she put aside her war monk robes and resigned herself to presiding over Keeley’s armies as princess and general. The queendom is focused on the activities of the evil Queen Beatrix in the neighboring kingdom when a previously overlooked enemy declares war on all religious enclaves. Gemma, accompanied by Amichai warrior Quinn, her drunk aunt, and an often-forgotten younger sister, returns to her brotherhood to offer them sanctuary in Keely’s Queendom. If Gemma can survive her return to being a War Monk, she and her allies still have further to go to safeguard themselves and their religious competition.

I enjoyed both this book and the previous one. I am a fan of G.A. Aiken and the dragon books, which tie into this series. I recommend this book to fans of high fantasy and romantic comedy.

#ThePrincessKnight #NetGalley

What a book! First of all, don't make the mistake I did and expect a continuation of Keeley's story. This is a whole new kind of thing with a very different feel to it because Gemma is a very different person from Keeley. If you go into this book expecting something very different from the first one, then I guarantee that you will love this book as much as I did!

The Princess Knight is the second book in The Scarred Earth Saga, and it is just as action-packed as the first book! Gemma is the focus of this story, which takes place two years after the conclusion of The Blacksmith Queen. Keely and Beatrix, Gemma’s sisters, are both Queens of their respective lands. Gemma stands with Keely in the hopes of defeating their ruthless, power-hungry sister.

However, in addition to Beatrix, the Smythe sisters have other problems. Someone is targeting different religious sects and stealing valuable artifacts. Gemma leaves on a quest to save as many religious sects as she can since they are being targeted.

Gemma is fierce on and off the battlefield. Trained as a War Monk, Gemma’s reputation alone is enough to send the bravest warriors running. Even though she gave up her calling as a War Monk to help Keely defeat Beatrix, Gemma remains fierce and feared. She can also raise the dead, which comes in handy during some precarious situations.

One of my favorite aspects of the story is the portrayal of strong, fierce women. Gemma, Keely, their mother, heck even Beatrix is powerful and intelligent. They have partners but are self-reliant and self-assured. I love that the author highlights such brave and fierce women throughout the series.

I also really enjoyed the romance. It’s clear from the start of the story that Gemma and Quinn have a strong connection, and their sarcastic and funny banter highlights their chemistry. Thought he love story isn’t the main focus of the novel, it is a nice addition to the story. Much like Keely and Caiden in The Blacksmith Queen, Gemma and Quinn complement each other well.

The Princess Knight is an action-packed story with some epic battle scenes and a ton of twists and turns. Readers who enjoy young adult fantasy stories with tons of action and well-developed characters will love this series. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Kensington Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

G.A. Aiken is one of my favorite authors. Her characters are superb. Her books are action-filled, funny as hell and well written. This particular book is a great addition to the series. And I have to admit, the ending made me VERY excited (and impatient) for the next book!