A HUGE thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book early.

I’ve never read a fantasy book quite like this! The world building was beautiful and I felt like I was right there with the characters for every twist! The adventure these characters go on is great and I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen. Most of all with this story I loved the characters and the family aspect they have. I could tell they cared and loved eachother so much which made it all come together! Will definitely be buying the book when it comes out!

I really liked this one. I'm not big on "fantasy heist" as a genre (I think I missed the boat on that because I never read SIX OF CROWS which is what every fantasy heist is compared to, but I'm sure it's good!) but THE QUEEN OF DAYS was a fast-paced and quick read, and there was a lot more to enjoy about this one than simply the "heist" part, which is over fairly quickly, giving way to an adventure with even higher stakes. I thought that the strife between the "gods" and human world was compelling, and the worldbuilding was fascinating. It would be cool to see more books in this series!

THE QUEEN OF DAYS
Thank you to Harper Voyager for the digital ARC on Netgalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.

SYNOPSIS (in my own words): Balthazar and his young crew of thieves have one major goal: steal from the man who brought their family ruin, embarrass him in front of the entire city, and then get the hell outta dodge with their bounty to live comfortably. But one thing stands in their way – to complete this deal, they have to work with the mysterious Queen of Days and it seems that once she joins, their simple job becomes larger than life…larger than the reality of this world. Enter gods, a Nethersphere, and the most powerful beings threatening this world’s way of life. Suddenly Bal and friends have to make a choice: let it happen or kill a god, both of which mean certain death.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: I’m not going to lie, I read this as I was watching the latest season of Shadow and Bone, which features my beloved Crows from Six of Crows & Crooked Kingdom. It was hard not to directly compare the two while I was consuming both at the same time. The plotlines were completely different as were the dynamics of each group and both had their strengths. I would say if you’re looking for a straight-up heist story with experienced thieves, go to Six of Crows. However, if you’re looking for nonstop heart-pounding action with a heist on the side, Queen of Days is your girl. While this book started as Bal and his family doing one last job to set themselves up for life, it very quickly deviated from that track to become more of a save-the-world kind of story, which I was not expecting based on the brief descriptions I had read before starting. I have to say it was a pleasant surprise because it very much became it’s own creative world and story that could easily host sequels if the author chooses to return to Cothis.

I love the realism of why Bal felt compelled to “save the world.” It was a very Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 moment of “why do we have to save the galaxy” “Because I’m one of the idiots who lives in it!” kind of moment which I appreciated. The motivations were clear the entire time and I don’t think anyone acted out of character. I’m not sure if this is going to a be a series or not, but I think the main characters (Bal & Tass) had appropriate character arcs and growth over the course of a single book if this story does not continue. I feel like it would be difficult to try to jam an entire arc of a character in a single fantasy book without it seeming forced or like the character took a 180 for no reason and in my opinion the author nailed it.

With her third book, Greta Kelly has proven that she should be a household name in the fantasy realm. Between this and her Warrior Witch duology (which I will recommend until my dying breath), her level of detail, world-building, and understanding of magic is top notch. If asked which I would recommend more, I would say I liked Frozen Crown/Seventh Queen better than this book, but she set a very high bar for herself. I’m definitely excited to read anything else she does!

Overall, I say this is a 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4 for Netgalley/Goodreads rankings.

SPOILERS START HERE:

What I really liked:
-Bal & Tass’s relationship growth. If this crew comes back for a sequel (which it very easily could with the amount of world-building and setup for more powerful gods to try to come into the world), I hope they remain friends. I never got a romantic connection between them, which is refreshing in this new age of SJM romantasy. Sometimes people can just be friends, not everyone needs to be a freaking soulmate. If anything, Tass & Mira’s connection was the most pure and I loved that!
- I’m not sure if this was intentional or if this is just because it’s a digital ARC, but I really enjoyed how the chapter titles that were from Tass’s POV went from her full title of “Spetiniri Tassiel Janae” to “Tassiel” and then finally “Tass.” I read this as her going from being the isolated, banished demi-god that had no friends or family to growing to be a part of Bal’s crew and finally their family too.
-the glimpse of the Nethersphere! More please! If this becomes a sequel, there’s a whole new world of gods to battle and the entire space felt like the Upside Down from Stranger Things. It was intense and creative.

What I could’ve used more of:
-Kai for sure. I feel like his sarcasm and witty remarks provided some great comic relief and his banter with Tass was fun to read, especially once she started playing into it towards the end.
-the rest of the crew. I felt like the team was kind of neglected when Tass & Bal went off on their own and we lost out on a lot of the group. If the book is written in different perspectives, I think adding a Zee or Kai or even Mira while she’s captured would’ve tied them together a little more instead of feeling like they were super secondary characters that felt a little one-dimensional.
-heisty hijinks. This book was originally described as a heist book which is how it started but it spaced out a little unevenly. It started with the heist that immediately went wrong in the first 20% and then didn’t get back to a twist with Zee & Edik coming back until about the 90% mark. The bulk of the middle was a lot of conversations and learning about the bigger threat, which is fine, but I would’ve liked a few more twists from an experienced band of thieves. They felt a little amateur at times.

Balthazar's whole life is upended when Paasch, a small time politician gains the means to overthrow his family, killing off everyone except Balthazar, his younger sister Mira, half brother Malakai, and cousin Zee. Forced to flee their home of Cothis they and Zee's husband become thieves, risking their lives to steal from the nobility that abandoned them in the hope of financing a better future. Tass, the Queen of Days, is a mystery; arguably one of the best thieves around she takes no money from her clients only asking for their time. When one of Balthazar's wealthiest clients requests he and his team complete an absolutely wreckless heist with the Queen of Days they will find that they had more to lose than they ever imagined.

Alright, this was just meh. I tried really hard to get into it but I just found that I really didn't like any of the characters, they were very cookie cutter. Especially Balthazar and especially his obsession with his ex fiancé. He just tries to hard to please her while disregarding everyone else, not to mention he spends all of his time being the hero that no one really asked for. Tass is probably the only likable character and she's just barely likable.

The plot itself was predictable from the beginning. There was not one thing in this book that surprised me and that was highly disappointing. It didn't feel original either, the whole time I was reading it I felt like I'd read this before.

Overall, nothing really stood out for me with The Queen of Days. It wasn't horrible don't get me wrong but it wasn't great either. It was just meh. Definitely not my cup of tea but I think those who enjoy YA fantasies will like this.

As always thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eArc!

To preface, I rounded up my rating because I do feel like this book would be really fun for the right person, but I'm not sure that I was the right person to read it...

Aside from having a stunning cover, and a cool title, I was pretty intrigued by the "perfect for fans of Six of Crows" which is a bold statement because aren't we all? The blurb sounded like it would be right up my alley, I live for found family vibes and I love a good war with gods.

The plot itself of this story WAS really cool. Greta Kelly has a wicked imagination, because the world building here was great and I loved the concept of the magic system at play and the race that the huamans know as "the gods" really just being a ruthless immortal species that existed before mankind. Our main characters, our band of thieves, are all interesting characters in theory with complicated pasts and Tassiel (The Queen of Days), given her nickname for trading time rather than money, offers that element of mystery as you unfold her story. Unfortunately, the characterization kind of stopped there and never gained any depth for me. Everyone seemed very one-dimensional - nothing made me love them - some of them actually annoyed me to the point of wanting them to please sail away on a ship and never come back. Which is sad, because they had potential to be SO interesting and complex.

I read a review that said this reads like a Dungeons and Dragons fantasy novel, which I have never read, but maybe that is where the disconnect was for me. The swap between first and third person was disorienting. The stakes in this story were so high, but it never felt like it. There is lots of action. Hundreds of nameless people are killed, and we skip over it with like 2 sentences and no emotional impact. There is plenty of banter, but like 75% of it came from Kai who seemed like his only role in the story was "comedic relief" and I really did not find him that funny :( It felt like a very serious story, that just didn't take itself seriously.

***Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review***

I loved Greta's Frozen Queen duology, so I was looking forward to this one. It did not disappoint! It's a classic heist story with LOTS of magic, multiverse, and all powerful beings thrown in.

* Received a copy for review.*
Gah. There is a ch potential in this book. The world building is well done and the main character is interesting.
However, the jumping between first and third person was distracting and unnecessary.
The story never really found it’s footing and was disappointing overall.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy heist story with a pretty killer world and characters. I also really love the cover of this book. The team of thieves is such a fun ragtag group, and their banter/relationships were pretty believable and immersive. I do wish we got a bit more characterization from some of them, as I found myself going "wait who?" at times. Overall, this was tightly plotted with a fun, compelling cast and interesting world-building. This almost felt like a D&D novel in the way that the characters interacted and the plot unfolded. It was really interesting, and I am pushing my library to order more than one physical copy of this because I think it's going to be a hit!

This is a proper high stakes fantasy heist with some brilliant world building. The team of thieves are lovable and the plot really well laid out. Some of the characters were a bit lacking though - it felt like they didn't really have personalities and I forgot they were existed for a lot of the time! It's a shame though, because otherwise this would have been a favourite read!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy.

The Queen of Days read like those fun Dungeons & Dragons fantasy novels I grew up on. I really enjoyed the story and got especially invested in Tass, who I was not expecting to be a wholly likable character considering she's essentially a demigod. Greta Kelly's world-building is pretty spectacular and not something I expect to be done so well in a Young Adult novel.

It's a good novel--to be great, I think it really needs more character development for the supporting cast. I'm interested in Tassiel's siblings and seeing that play out. Zee and Edik seemed almost like an afterthought, as though Edik is just someone to present Bal with an in-group obstacle. I'd be interested in seeing his fall from grace play out as well. The entire premise might be better served by eliminating some background information about the side characters and giving them their own tales to deepen the mythos. While I really liked Tass and how she developed, I think that she would be a more interesting character if her development had been more fully explored. She's supposed to be this mysterious, morally grey character, but during the chapters from her point of view, she comes across as more of a lonely outcast than a mysterious demigod.

I also think it would benefit the flow of the story to make Tassiel's chapters first person instead of third. It just feels sloppy, as though her part of the story is being told by someone else. Overall, I really like the story. I just think the execution needs some work to make the novel stand out among other really great titles.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!

I am so happy I got to read @gretakkelly’s upcoming release, Queen of Days!

Here’s what I loved about this book:
• lots of action
• a family fallen from grace
• the gods and magic
• hilarious banter
• it’s a standalone!

If you love Six of Crows, with the vibes of Prince of Persia, and a Venice-type setting, then definitely add this book to your TBR. It’s addictive and I loved reading it!

★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: kissing + innuendo
TW: violence, blood, language
Out October 24

The stakes are high for the thieves and this adventure and cast of characters has a unique spin. Ensorcelled masks and Goddesses of the Wind, and other worlds,, Greta Kelley creates a whirlwind of adventure, betrayal, machinations, magic and trails of time.

Greta Kelly creates an action packed, face paced and entertaining book from start to finish.
The characters have a duality to their personality that where most characters who are older, exhibit childlike personalities. I've seen this stated as a major detractor for some folks, but I don't agree. I think circumstances surrounding how they live mayhaps necessitated this at some points in their lives.
As far as world building, the creativity is there, but providing the background could have been a little more nuanced, and less of an info dump.
I thought the story was intriguing and provided some twists, but it was predictable for me in some of the storyline.
I would have liked the magic to be a little bit more detailed, but for the focal point of the story, I don't think it was an absolute need.

Overall good book, would recommend and would like to to see where Greta takes the story.

This was fun, fast-paced, and action packed. I love the cover and this was my first book by this author.

I loved the imaginative, well-researched, and in-depth world-building and the loveable band-of-thieves vibe.

My only complaint is the timeline of the book happens so quickly that I felt it could've used a bit more tweaking to have more depth. Still an enjoyable read.

Would read more by this author.
Tysm for letting me be an ARC reader!

The relationships felt too pre-established. Having Tass be the only outsider character to the group felt a bit odd for a story about outlaws and misfits.

This also made it feel like I was missing something from the plot line. Since I never got to see Bal interact with any of his family before the deal with Tass, it made me feel like an outsider as well. I would like to have seen a chapter or two before Kai and Bal got themselves locked in jail to meet Tass. I think this would have added a level of dimension to the characters. I feel like there is somehow too much background, and I would like to see Bal's story start earlier in his life.

Some of the language felt out of place. Uses of "yeah" and "hey" took me out of the story.

Finally, this book would benefit from a map. Since I read an arc, it's possible that a map hasn't been added yet, but it would be a strong inclusion.

Finally, I don't understand why Bal's POV is in first person while Tass's is in third. It reads strangely.

Besides that list of criticisms, this book is very strong. I loved the found family and the plot itself. In the future, I'd like to see more of the magic system expanded upon.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a lot of potential—intriguing plot, cool concept, and potentially interesting characters. Unfortunately, this book didn't deliver. There is this jarring dissociation between the characters' ages and supposed experiences, versus how they talk and think. Simply put, those "adult" characters with extensive history together and complicated backstories still sound and act much, much younger than we are told. The other problem is the world itself. Despite the endless infodumping and persistent pauses to explain things, the world is not coherent. The names are random, the technology is not explained, the magic has no rules. Overall, not for me, sadly.

I seriously enjoyed this book! It could work as a stand alone or spawn a whole world. There were several grammatical errors that I’m sure will be corrected in final editing before the book is printed. I would really like to see a book about Tass, her history, etc. I was also hoping that she would eventually remove her mask but… A fast read, and thank goodness the author didn’t try to force a romance between the 2 MCs. They just wouldn’t work.
I received this eARC from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion. Thank you!

Thank you to Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available Oct 24,2023.

This book is being marketed like The Lies of Locke Lamora and The six of crows. It’s a high fantasy heist book with a rag tag group of characters. It was fast paced and freaking action Packed. Like you cannot take a break from this book because it just sits in your head. I loved every single second

“And if her heart did not believe her, her head was willing to pretend.”


This is a fun and thrilling read that begins with Balthazar, one of the main characters, arranging a heist at an upcoming ceremony with the help of his crew. He enlists the help of the Queen of Days, a dangerous and mysterious woman who is a well-known thief. Right off the bat, their meeting is strange. She has arranged to meet at an odd location, seems to move about unnoticed, and never reveals her face, instead hiding her identity behind an exquisite mask. I was immediately drawn in when she agreed to help Bal with the heist, but requested an unconventional payment instead of money. As the ceremony unfolds, chaos ensues when the statue shatters and a portal opens, unleashing a pissed off god. The rest of the story is just as dramatic as you'd expect.

“Let chaos reign.”


What worked for me:

One of the strongest points of this book is its world-building. Greta Kelly does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of the setting, making it easy to visualize and fall into the world. The book does a great job of keeping its world consistent and believable.

The characters are another highlight of this book. Tass is a badass with a mysterious and dangerous vibe that makes her intriguing from the moment we meet her. Bal, on the other hand, has a personality type that I personally find incredibly annoying in a character. With that being said, I tend to appreciate any book that makes me feel so strongly about a character, so this worked for me. And let's not forget Kai and his well-timed sarcasm.


What didn't work for me:

There are so many emotions being thrown around throughout the book. The stakes are high, there are threats everywhere, and most of the characters have complicated pasts. It felt like there was so much room for character exploration and growth, and by the end of the book I was left wanting more - especially about Mira, Kai, and Tass, who were intriguing but felt underdeveloped.

Another aspect that didn't work great for me was the use of both first and third-person POV. While I understand the author's intention in using both (clever), I found it to be a bit distracting and it pulled me out of the story at times. I did eventually get used to it, but I would have preferred a more consistent POV throughout.


I recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy heist plots with great world building, adventure, and a hint of mystery.