"Run from the monsters, run from the dark, run toward the light, let it flicker and spark."

The kingdom of Niveaux has been overrun by wraiths and bone-wielders who seek to conquer the kingdom with anger and terror. The last members of the king's guard fight to protect the Tristan line, but they fall one by one. By making the ultimate sacrifice to save the princess, they rise again as wraiths of light to vanquish the darkness and reinstate the rightful heir to the throne, creating the Order of the Guardians.

Two hundred years later, we meet Charlotte Sand, who has a unique ability to put wraiths to rest with ease. Her family has been in charge of being a guardian companion for The Parson, one of the guardians. Ten years prior, the king and queen were killed, and the guardians fell to protect them, resulting in a ten-year banishment, making the Guardians go to sleep.

During this time, the Cardinal of The Silent Gods, Lorraine the Pure, has risen to power, and the followers of the Old Gods are dwelling. Charlotte knows that her job is crucial, but she is not convinced that it's what she wants to do. In some ways, she wishes she could do what her brother is meant to do and be a Guardian companion. This is where our story gets interesting.

The Cardinal sends her soldiers to retrieve the Guardians' hearts, saying that the banishment is not punishment enough, and they want to get rid of the Order, claiming it has no use anymore. When the Sands receive the soldiers, Charlotte becomes emotional, and her actions end up causing her brother's death. Now she has one week to return her Guardians' heart to the capital, or they will come back for it. In her desperation, Charlotte asks The Parson to wake up, and he does, choosing her as his new companion.

She wants vengeance, but there is something more sinister at play. William had received a vague letter warning him that something was going on with the Cardinal. So Charlotte and The Parson embark on a journey to find out what's happening.

Those are the bones of the story, and there's a lot more to it, but I don't want to spoil it. Our love interest is Luc de Montaigne, the captain of the Cardinal's Watch. He also has an affinity for the wraiths and is drawn to Charlotte. While doing his duty, he also wants to help her in a way. He will struggle with his view on religion and beliefs of what is right.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the idea of the scarecrows as vessels for the Guardians' Hearts. It gave me "Three Musketeers vibes" in a way, and the characters are very likable (most of them anyway). Rachel St. Clair was a tough one to like, but also hard to understand, and I wished I knew more about what drove her to the point she is at. Charlotte is a bit annoying at the beginning, but she is also very self-aware of her lack of control and does try to do better, which is refreshing in a Main character. Like many other stories, I feel like a lot of the trust issues and problems are communication problems and could be fixed if the characters talked to each other instead of holding everything in. But, what the hell, it makes a good story. Lorraine the Pure makes an incredible antagonist, and her POV in the book makes it even better. I enjoyed the struggles with religion, the power struggle, the manipulation, and how unpredictable it is.

I give this book a rating of 4 stars out of 5, mainly because I find some things quite confusing, and it's hard to understand why something is happening without any background or explanation. The characters are very likable, but they also act very childish in some instances that don't warrant it. However, it is a very entertaining book, and I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

Author and Title: The Lady of Steel and Straw by Erica Ivy Rodgers

Summary: Charlotte Sand was born with the innate ability to soothe the tormented spirits of the deceased. A new religion, The Silent Gods, has made her kind of magic less popular. Her family's Guardian has been asleep since Charlotte's father's death. The Order of the Guardians was once mighty and now are exiled politically, but Spirits are beginning to stir and turn into deathly wraiths. A devout servant of The Silent God religion has arrived at Charlotte's house to collect the magic sleeping heart of her Guardian, causing the old God to be purged from the kingdom forever. Charlotte's refusal incites conflict in the realm.

The story has very descriptive writing that hits all your senses. The herbal magic is something new I have not experienced in a story before. It is nice to have a fantasy story that has humorous banter. Charlotte and Worth's interactions and relationship were better than Charlotte and Luc's. I could have been fine without them being each other's love interest. I needed help connecting with the characters, which made it hard for them to resonate with me. I did enjoy the idea of the scarecrow guardians. It's not enough to make me forget about the lack of good world-building in the storyline. The pacing was fine; it just did not grip me.

This is my honest review based on an ARC copy of the ebook from Netgalley and Peachtree Teen. Thank you for the opportunity.

I love the worldbuilding in this. You can tell that a LOT of thought went into it. I appreciated how some seemingly innocuous events came full circle in the end. You can smell the oranges in the grove on the Sand Estate and feel the neverending grief of some of the characters. The idea of using someone’s bones to wield a wraith that wreaks havoc on your enemies—that’s horrifying. However, a force rises up to take on this threat, which you will learn about in the first few pages.

It did lag a bit in the middle, but I was hooked once the true action got going, and then I was metaphorically flipping pages like a madwoman (it’s an ebook 😄). I’m looking forward to see what Erica Ivy Rodgers comes up with next! I will definitely recommend that my library acquire some copies, and I’m curious to see what the finished product looks like! I think both teens and adults would enjoy reading this.

Thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the advance copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

(Psst…there’s a hint of romance in here, but I very much appreciate that the author kept it clean. I hope it stays that way!)

This is a debut book in the fantasy genre for this author.

It was a difficult read to get into for me, but once the action picked up it became a page turner.

Charlotte is a strong headed and not so levelheaded MFC. Thought the author does a good job of developing this skill in her throughout the story.

Luc is your run of the mill MMC "bad boy", though again the author did a decent job bring depth to his character.

The light vs dark theme in the book is very evident. The use of herbal magic was a great new twist in magic use in a fantasy.

Over all I enjoyed the story and look forward to more fantasy from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Holiday House / Peachtree for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Lady of Steel and Straw" by Erica Ivy Rodgers offers a rich and immersive YA fantasy world filled with intriguing characters and unexpected twists. Set against the backdrop of a society inspired by French history, the book introduces you to a unique blend of magic and political intrigue that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. I absolutely loved the unique world that Rodgers created. I have never read a book quite like this one before with the worldbuilding and the specific plot. While there were some cliché troupes throughout the book, the world in which they were established was so engaging and fresh that I fell in love with those troupes all over again.

I found this book to be a refreshing take on the YA fantasy genre. I’ve found myself growing a bit tired of YA fantasy books recently as they all seem the same. However, in this book, the use of scarecrow warriors imbued with magical powers adds a fresh twist to the story, offering something new to explore within the familiar landscape of fantasy literature. The characters, particularly Charlotte and Luc, had excellent depth and development throughout the story. As a reader, you were able to see these characters grow and transform before your eyes, and I absolutely loved the dynamic between these two. Also, the relationship between Charlotte and her parental figure, Worth, offered a welcome departure from the typical focus on romantic relationships, which I definitely enjoyed.

The pacing of the novel was on point as it was a fast read despite being over 400 pages long. At several points throughout the book, I found myself unable to put the book down as I found myself immersed in the worldbuilding while also still being engaged with the plot points. The story's twists and mysteries were well written. I did think the ending was a bit hasty, though that may be due to the author wanting to set up for a sequel, which I wasn’t expecting. I think a little more time could have been spent on the ending, but I am definitely eagerly waiting for the sequel.

Overall, "Lady of Steel and Straw" was such a fun and imaginative YA fantasy! Despite some familiar tropes, the book stands out as a must-read for fans of YA fantasy looking for a fresh take on the genre.

I want to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher to have this amazing opportunity to receive this arc.
When I first got this arc, I didn’t think I was even going to get one.
Now to my review.
I literally loved this book. I could not put this down. The different point of views, the strong minded and character of charlotte. Love.
To get to know more about Luc and Worth,
Can’t wait to actually get the physical copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and found myself eagerly turning the pages. I hadn't realised it was the start of a series though so had thought everything would be wrapped up although hastily admit I'd definitely read the next book. Apparently the author was inspired by the ideas behind the Three Musketeers by Dumas and having finished it I can quite see what she has tried to incorporate.
A world were once Spirits were trapped as Wraiths and controlled by those who understood the Dark. Yet into this came Immortals who literally gave their lives to lay those tormented and used to rest. Fast forward though and those of the Order ( imagine they are trapped as scarecrow while sleeping) are apparently not needed but about to have their hearts quite literally ripped out and given to the Prince and his Cardinal who advises him. Yet Worth, the first of these Immortals is woken by a grieving, vengeful Charlotte who saw the evil the Cardinals men are capable of and there fellow reader is were this story truly begins !
Yes things happen very quickly in the beginning and it held my attention but honestly the second half definitely ups the ante. I really enjoyed the banter and obvious affection between these characters and it was always obvious just who the big bad was but even then there's surprises waiting. Good versus evil is a definite theme and if you enjoy magic then the ideas here involving bone magic will most assuredly be entertaining. This ends with hope as heroes live to fight another day but there's about to be monumental change amongst those who protect although sadly my lips are sealed. Honestly I look forward so much to what happens next and hop the wait won't be too long.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

This was a brand new author to me and I was very intrigued by the description of this. I this this was a wonderful book and very well done. I loved the Wizard of Oz references and lore, and was really into the world created here. It had a great cast of characters and a plot that kept me hooked the entire time. I can see a lot of people loving this book and it becoming popular. Can't wait to see what this author does next!

I enjoyed Lady of Steel and Straw. It contains many standard YA fantasy tropes, but the premise of the Guardians brings a wonderful freshness which makes it still manage to stand out from others in the genre. The idea of these spirit-powered scarecrow warriors really struck a chord with me: it was compelling and new and worked really well within the plot. Charlotte annoyed me a little at times as she caused so many issues simply by her own erratic behaviour, but her development within that sphere and her relationships with the other characters were well portrayed. Luc felt somewhat of a stereotype at first, but towards the end of the book we learnt more about his background which helped to flesh him out. Overall, the book held my interest from start to finish and when I closed the last page I was left wanting to read on in the series. As such, I am giving this one 4.5 stars and would recommend it to fans of YA fantasy looking for something with a new twist.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson, this YA fantasy contains:

⚔️ Childhood Friends to Enemies to Lovers
🩶 Light x Dark
🩷 Slowburn Full of Tension
🍀 Heartwarming Chosen Family
⚜️ Three Musketeers-inspired Setting
🪦 A Thoughtful Approach to Death and Mourning
✨An Extremely Unique Magic System

It's not everyday that you jump into an ARC, expecting to have a good time but not much else, to find yourself completely enamored by a beautifully crafted story that deals with sensitive themes and crafts emotionally compelling, vivid characters in such a way that you cannot seem to put the book down. Even when you have a university paper due the next day, true story.

I'll try to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible because I'd like other readers to have the same experience I did. I went into the book blind, and it was as if I were transported to the world within. Erica's prose is absolutely lovely, with none of the well-known clunkiness of some YA titles to be seen. It flows naturally and gracefully without being pompous or try-hard. The dialog is realistic, and each character has a tone of their own. I can fully recommend this book to adult readers; you will not have the feeling of being talked down to, and I'm sure more mature readers will appreciate the way certain topics are approached in the story.

I would also like to highlight a few stand-out aspects of the story, starting with Charlotte and Worth's relationship. It's very rare to see in a YA book a main character who has their growth and discovery journey accompanied by a parental figure instead of a love interest. This book does it impeccably; their care and love for each other is palpable from the moment we are introduced to them, but the rocky patches and frustrations are also emotional and realistic. The other characters that make up the core cast are also refreshing. St. Claire and Lorraine were highlights to me, as we rarely get older female characters so well written and fleshed out, and in an YA book, a main character has their growth and discovery journey accompanied by a parental figure instead of a love interest. This book does it impeccably; their care and love for each other is palpable from the moment we are introduced to them, but the rocky patches and frustrations are also emotional and realistic. The other characters that make up the core cast are also refreshing. St. Claire and Lorraine were highlights to me, as we rarely get older female characters so well written and fleshed out and in such prominent roles in fantasy.

That doesn't mean the love interest is sidelined; Luc is a main character of his own, boasting of his own point of view in the book (which I always appreciate). Something that made me realize from the get-go I was in for a fantastic book was the way his first meeting with Charlotte is described and how he's, well, not a copy paste of every chiseled jawline brooding impossibly perfect love interest; Luc feels real. And so do his struggles, mainly his grapple with his own religion, which puts him against Charlotte and her friends. And yes, the book does deal with religious themes, but another thing that elevates the writing and worldbuilding to me is that none of the two religions have a 1:1 real-life counterpart, which I feel can sometimes unecessarily make readers feel demonized. Both religions in the book are unique in their beliefs and societal arrangements, and the religious conflict is written with sensibility and care.

And the twists! The mysteries that slowly unraveled themselves left me gripping at my seat, especially during the latter half of the book and everything that surrounded the villain.

Lady of Steel and Straw is an uncontested five-star read to me that's going straight into my favorites shelf and my heart. You should definitely read it. The only complaint I have is that I don't have the second book on my hands to continue reading right away.

The only thing that was nice in this, for me, was the magic system based on scarecrows that have the power to ward off the dangerous wraiths that threaten to take over Niveaux. It feels a bit like a darker Wizard of Oz at times, so not a wholly original concept but an interesting and refreshing one that I was roped in by this alone into reading the book.

(Full review in link)