Yes! Thank you for providing me a copy of an ARC. I enjoyed this book and it took me awhile to write this review since I needed a refresher and I’m glad I did. There are some characters that you need background on from the first book in order to understand the depth better. I couldn’t put this book down!

I adore GA Aiken and wanna live in her world! I have read and will read every book she puts out. That being said, The Princess Knight was not one of my favorite. I enjoyed the humor and found myself laughing hysterically in some parts. The peripheral characters were amazing and I can’t wait for some of their stories, especially Ainsley, Gemma’s “forgotten “ sister! However, (and I cringe when I use that word), there were so many back stories and rushed interactions, that I felt there was never a finished plot. Gemma and Quin’s romance was summed up in three pages...sorry, but true:(. But..... I absolutely cannot wait for the next book! The cliffhanger was spectacular!

This is probably the least romantic book G.A. Aiken has ever written but it was still amazing. Gemma and Quinn we’re together for the entire book but they didn’t get romantic till close to the end. They are still adorable together though and tease each other relentlessly. The real reason to the read this book is for the continuation of the plot from the first book with the two sister queens fighting and still dealing with the Old King’s bastard children. It was definitely different then I was expecting based on the description since a lot more happened then just Gemma dealing with her Brotherhood. Like there always is in G.A. Aiken books there was a battle and then multiple other fights all throughout the book. You of course get to see more of Keeley’s demon wolves and now there are even demon wolf puppies (and possibly a demon horse). This book made laugh so hard a couldn’t breathe multiple times and they did a great job of showing who might become the future allies of Keeley. Also the best part ever, Annwyl showed up!!! If you haven’t read her other series then you don’t know who this is and you must read them now so you will understand the sheer joy of realizing that you will see Annwyl again. She is the original badass, psychotic, animal loving, slavery fighting, bitch queen, and she will become the love of your life. The epilogue also made it seem like she could potential ally be joining Keeley in her war against Beatrix along with the help of her dragon lover and all of their friends and family. I can’t wait to find out who gets the next book maybe Laila since her brothers already had book and Kelley's other siblings are still young. Seriously just read the book you won’t regret it and if you already read the first one and the Dragon Actually series by G.A. Aiken, the book will go from good to awe inspiring!

The Princess Knight is an adventure romance that will be fun for fans of G.A. Aiken's The Blacksmith Queen - it continues the story, showcasing another of the Smythe siblings - Gemma, the War Monk, now also a princess as the sister of two warring queens. A little light on the sex compared to the average Aiken book, the relationship building is more about being good backup and knowledge of one another, but it's believable. The worldbuilding continues as Aiken uses this opportunity to develop the character of Ainsley (the sister Gemma & Keeley keep forgetting they have) and connect this series to her Dragon series. I didn't love this quite as much as The Blacksmith Queen, but it was very enjoyable and keeps G.A. Aiken on my "immediate buy" list.

The Princess Knight is the book I needed to read right now. I enjoyed it much more than The Blacksmith Queen mostly because I was more familiar with the world but also because I relate more to angry Gemma than I do to kind and generous Keeley!

This story picks up where The Blacksmith Queen left off. Keeley and Gemma are worried about squaring off against their sister Queen Beatrix when a new foe, Beatrix's brother-in-law Cyrus, makes himself known. He has been murdering members of all the many different religious sects so that only believers in his god remain. Gemma finds this out the hard way when she returns to her monastery only to have to make a run for it with a handful of her fellow war monks when Cyrus's army shows up and slaughters most of her compatriots. As she returns to Keeley's castle, she and the war monks pick up the remaining members of the other sects including a truce vicar, divine assassins, witches and an Abbess with a talent for using her staff. Gemma and Keeley reunite for only a short while before Gemma has to find out what Beatrix's evil plans are and Keeley and her army go to battle against Cyrus.

I loved this story mostly because of all the wonderful female characters who are completely badass but also totally human. The family relationships are messed up and hilarious. There's also a romance between Gemma and Quinn the centaur but as in the more recent G.A. Aiken novels it is more of a secondary plot to the main story. I didn't even mention the war monk nicknamed Brother-Cries-A-Lot, the zombie war horse or the demon wolves. The characters really make this novel a delight to read! I can't wait for the next novel in this series.

4.5 stars but I rounded up because of the epilogue where we see some old friends from The Dragon Kin series in a teaser for the next book.

Well of course this was freakin awesome! This series so different with characters you don’t commonly read. I loved all the twists and turns and the ever evolving storyline. The uniqueness of this sci-fi....no mythical...no, paranormal..... hmmmmm not sure exactly what category I would put this, but it will have you turning pages quickly.

Oh how everything stops when GA Aiken drops a book ! No matter what I’m reading , it’s put to the side. I love her books no matter what series it is or what pen name it’s under, she is my favorite! I know I’m in for an adventure!! The Princess Knight does not disappoint.
We are two years into Queen Keeley’s rein. Brother Gemma and Quinn have been fighting side by side and expanding their armies with Kelley and gang to fight their sister Queen Beatrice.
This series is so enjoyable and snarky. I had so many LOL moments. I loved catching up with everyone. Gemma and Quinn are the main attraction in this one but this series is more story than romance.
Quinn has Gemmas back throughout the story as they recruit and go pay Beatrice a visit.
So much fun and adventure till the end. What a great ending setting up the next release ! I can’t wait !!

I can’t say how happy I was to get an arc copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review. I love to read this author’s stories with its blend of paranormal/sci fi, humor and a slow build up of heat. I truly find myself laughing out loud with the hilarious comments and situations these characters get into. “Brother “ Gemma is a war monk helping her sister Keeley defeat the “evil queen “ aka their psychotic younger sister Beatrix but she soon finds herself fighting a bigger battle as the one chosen to unite the many different religions that have been displaced or killed off by another crazed royal. Sounds serious right? Well not when your dealing with witches, nuns that have samurai skills, assassins and the like. And who decides to help Gemma , well the crazy centaur Quinn who has problems pushing Gemma’s boundaries. There is a lot of laughs with this book, and it definitely focuses more on the long term goal of defeating the evil queen but the chemistry between Gemma and Quinn , even when they seem to hate each other is great. I love, love, loved this book which is book two of the series and I highly recommend reading book one in preparation for this one ( and also because it’s a great book too).5 stars must read! I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

Gemma Smythe was a War Monk until a mission from one of her War Monk Grand Master sent her home to assist in a war that was brewing between two sisters. Two years later Gemma finds herself a Princess to her sister Queen Keeley and ordered to go back to her War Monks as to explain the destruction of other religious sectors of all sorts. Gemma is faced with a new challenge that directly involves the betrayal of her sister Queen Beatrix and the misguided beliefs of another King who needs to come to an end.

What Gemma doesn't want to deal with is Quinn, a Amichai Warrior and Centaur who is determined to stay by her side. Quinn delights in driving Gemma mad, he has a way of aggravating her that no one else can. As they set out to right some wrongs and help, they find themselves faced with having to admit their feelings as well as protect all those in their care.

Loved Blacksmith Queen and absolutely loved The Princess Knight. I am so excited for the next book after this unexpected ending to this story. The way this story evolves is outstanding and you are riveted from page one until the very end. I wasn't sure what to expect from Gemma as she was a bit of a mystery but she is fascinating. Quinn is perfect as a match for Gemma. High praise for the second book in The Scarred Earth Saga.

This book isn't one that you should read in public. My family looked at me strangely many times while I was reading it because I was laughing out loud so many times. The first book in this series was hilarious, over-the-top and totally insane. This one is just as good if not better. I love the Smyth family and all the characters there. Love it!

Imagine Terry Pratchett's Discworld, Monty Python, LOTR and a certain series involving Honey Badger shifters got together and made a book baby! This would be that baby! A Marvellous mash of genres into one tasty treat!

I somehow did not know about this series, even though I'm an avid reader of the authors other pen names. That has now been remedied (Yes I read series out of order - I always get them back to front LOL).

Military trained monks, blacksmithing queens, wrong-in-the-head sisters, famil feuds, unlikely allies..oh and a pack of hellish wolves, loyal only to the most unlikely queen in the history of queening!

Gemma had to run from her order and now instead of being with her cohort causing mayhem and destruction she is a Princess, but still manages some destructive chaos! She feels put upon by a certain handsome Centaur, who seems to get right under her skin! With one sister trying to heal the world and the other trying to rip it apart, Gemma has a lot on her plate. But now she has to play mediator to a group of misaligned religious folk, Witches, Assassins, Dwarves and a mishmash of other unlikely allies!

I cannot stress how much this story made me laugh! Read during the lockdown of the COVID pandemic this was the perfect tonic to take me away from reality and dump me on the most manic, funny, magical and downright dangerous dimension! Switch off the logic in your head and just fall in love with the madcap characters.

My favourite scenes without a doubt (and without revealing spoilers) are the hot springs tub and a certain hammer that gets "upgraded". OMG I almost wee'd myself laughing!

Now off to read book 1 LOL.

The second book in the Scarred Earth Saga continues a couple of years down the line from the last book... mostly told from Gemma's point of view we get to know the War Monk...

It wouldn't be an Aiken book without hijinks, shenanigans or, you know, world ending drama and this book does not fail to deliver on any of them (with the added bonus of dragons)

It does (sort of) end on a cliff hanger but it is more of a tee up for the next book I would say than a true cliffhanger.

Once again GA Aiken has proven why she is an 1-click author for me. Her writing skills are superb, and not only am I thoroughly engrossed in the storyline, but I’m always entertained. I especially love the way each of the characters interact with other. Never a dull moment!
Even though this book is mainly about Gemma and Quinn, other key characters contribute to the storyline. We get to see Keely and how she’s managing her new life as queen. We get to know more about the War monks, and meet loads of new characters. Beatrice is up to her tricks and is such a sinister character, you just love to hate her!
But my absolute favourite part in this book that had me gasping with excitement, came at the very end! I won’t give away any spoilers, but if you’re a GA Aiken fan you will be thrilled!!
I can’t get enough of this world that the talented GA Aiken has created! I look forward to reading book 3 and hopefully even more!

I really enjoyed this book it’s full of action and the story just pulls you right in. The main character is amazing I feel like she would be a female Deadpool she kicks butt and cusses but she loves her family and her god more than anything. All the characters in this book are amazing and any book that has dragons, demon wolfs,and dwarfs is a book for me. I hope there is another book in this series because I want more

That was a simply amazing read! Perfect com-action, act-comedy? Anyways, it was a comedy that kept the action going, and everything flowed so smoothly in the story, even though there was a lot, a lot a lot, going on. It was easy to follow, it was easy to lose yourself in the story, it was easy to giggle, cringe, laugh, and gasp along with the characters.

This is Gemma and Quinn’s story, sister to Keely and brother to Caid featured in the previous story. Everyone is still around, everyone is still fighting in the Smythe family way, and the Amichai and dwarves are still bashing at each other. Two enemy fronts are needing attention, and unlikely alliances are made out of necessity, and then kept out of familiarity, respect, and companionship

Awesome world building, great story telling, wonderful dialogue, on-point comedy, and fast-paced action, I love everything about it and can’t wait for more!

I loved the first book of this series and this one was even better!! There was so much humor in this that I just could not put it down! I read it all in one sitting and I need more! The characters were great and the pacing was perfect. I can not wait to get this in a finished copy.

Gemma Smythe is a war monk, who has dedicated her life to battle. But when her sisters become Queens, one being evil, she has to protect her other sister, and everyone else. When she learns that her fellow war monks have sided with her sister Beatrix, she has to warn the elders. Quinn is an Amichai warrior, soon to me leader. He follows Gemma to help her with her fellow war monks and fight another enemy that has arisen.

This is the second book in The Scarred Earth Saga. This series isn’t my typical genre, but after reading the first book in this series, when tells of how Keely becomes queen, I was instantly drawn in. This book has humor, and fighting, and magic. It is wonderfully written, and the characters are all great and full of life. This is definitely a series you should check out if you’re into fantasy. And even if you’re not, you might still enjoy this series. I definitely can’t wait for the next book.

2 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Going from book one which I gave 5 stars to book two and ending with a 2-star rating is a big oaf.

The title honestly should have clicked that the main character would be a different sister but I didn’t realize that until a couple of chapters in. I think a big part of my confusion is that I didn’t refresh myself on book one I just jumped right into book two. Then the original main characters are even less than a side character.

Also, I was not the biggest fan of Gemma in the first book.

In this book, because we do not follow the kinder, nicer, merciful, talk before you kill sister I felt the reliance of each of the sisters and cousins stereotyped personalities was amped up more than book one.

The fighting, hard-headed, close-minded mindset of the older ones got old fast. How they try to micromanage and aggression the others out of what the other decides. I have no idea how they were able to get anything done. Then the hypocrisy from Gemma as well. I don’t know whenever they talked, fought, interacted I was left exasperated and that is just not a pleasant experience. And don’t get it wrong I thought this would be a five star based on how much I loved book one.

Then the conflicts were small in the scene of things. It was very much a middle book. Things went wrong there was action but it was this conflict with a third party that didn’t tie back to the bad sister and her evil plans etc. it all felt unnecessary for the most part.

Though I did love when Gemma goes back to the war monks and has to kick some ass!! That was fun.

The humor and informality of the politics this time just missed as well.

Overall I am sad and hugely disappointed.

The Princess Knight is the second book of the Scarred Earth Saga series (a very serious series name for a series that really doesn't take itself very seriously) and a solid continuation of The Blacksmith Queen. A new enemy threatens all of the religious orders in the kingdom/s, and it's up to Keeley, the blacksmith queen, and Gemma, her war monk sister, to protect the widely different groups and defeat the threat. At the same time, Beatrix, the rival queen and another sister, remains a threat, so Gemma is charged with stealing information - and killing her if she can. Add in Quinn, an Amichai (centaur) warrior, and a quest party that includes a nun, assassins, witches, and virgins, and you have an epic and ridiculous adventure story.

Fans of G.A. Aiken, who also writes as Shelley Laurenston, will likely enjoy this book and the other titles set in this world, but the writing style definitely isn't for everyone. Read this if you enjoy a fair bit of absurdist humor with your fantasy adventure and like when women take the lead on kicking butt and taking names.

“Both of you are too annoying to be with anyone else“. That’s the state of Quinn and Gemma’s relationship. Gemma a War Monk returns to her sister’s side to help protect the prophesied Queen Keeley. She brings with her many factions including a Blood Warlock, a Truce Vicar, Witches, Nuns and Blessed Virgins. While her sister is focused on defeating Cyrus the Honored. She sends Gemma to find what is going on with her sister Beatrix not to kill her just find out her plan as she is the most dangerous being in the kingdom. Gemma’s journey with her followers and Relationship with Quinn a centaur leads you through the pages with plenty of snarky one liners thrown in. This is very much a character driven book with many for you to connect and get involved with. Watch out for a great surprise at the end. The second in a series it would be worth your while checking out the start of the story. I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.