2.75 rounded up to 3

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was middle of the road for me. We have a strong fmc Belle King and her story about how she became the ruthless woman she has become. The story is very much based on female empowerment and how she fights against this in the old western setting the book takes place in. I wish that there could have been more of a Western feel to it instead of just focusing on the hardships of being a woman of the time to bring up the atmosphere a little.

The "romances", if you want to call them that are also a testament to finding power in oneself and fighting against grooming, manipulation, and status, which is a good message for some. How the timelines would jump became a little confusing sometimes, and the beginning of the book really dragged for me. The ending was also not what I was looking for, but it makes sense with Belle's anti-heroic personality.

This was an ok book and worth a read through once but not something I'd return to again or rush to buy once it hits the shelves.

Wow.....Just wow. I opened this book expecting an unforgiving western setting & a girl just trying to survive in it & I left with a sense of contentment, of proudness for this woman with a tiger in her heart. This is a book about the injustices & oppression of women, in the 1880s & now, about justified female rage, of fighting not just for those you love but also fighting to keep yourself. I feel like there’s a Belle King in all of us women (though maybe don’t do everything she did.....unless you absolutely have to). Lady or the Tiger is so much more than I thought it would be. It’s a love story, a love story about loving all the beautiful, wonderfully jagged pieces of yourself. Lady or the Tiger, yes, but a lady can also BE a tiger if that’s what it takes.

It took me awhile to get into this story. I felt the beginning was too slow and didn't hold my interest. After a third of the book, it started to get better. Plot points were revealed in small bites, as the story jumps back and forth in time. The ending was not my favorite, but it was ok. I didn't hate it.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley. I voluntarily wrote a review.

Lady or the Tiger is not your usual Western; it's an anti-hero origin story with the weight of abuse and the undeniable pulse of female rage driving the events forward. Belle isn't here to charm you. She's here to burn the world down if she has to. She has been mistreated and underestimated for years. When she is arrested in Dodge City and confesses to the murder of her violent, possessive husband just to have him show up alive, that is where the real fight begins.

This story is soaked in blood, grit, and the eerie hush before a storm. The author's prose is lyrical but laced with the dusty realism of the West. Belle's voice is fierce and unapologetic. You see, when she decides not to be a victim of her circumstances anymore. This novel stands out because of its unwavering commitment to its heroine's female rage. She's dangerous, deliberate, and horrifyingly brilliant. Each twist of her story has you rooting for her, even though she walks a morally gray path full of ruthlessness and frontier justice.

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulson Books, for the opportunity to review the ebook.

Quite the twists and turns, never saw some of them coming. An unexpectedly great read, no expectations going in and wanting a book 2 by the time it was finished,

fun, interesting novel with a very cool FMC and some interesting, well-written feels. the ending was good too. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

⭐⭐⭐💫

LADY OR THE TIGER by Heather M. Herrman

Thank you Netgalley and PenguinTeen for the earc

When Belle King turns herself in for murder, no one believes her, especially since her husband, who she had killed, shows up. In this story, she recounts her story.
I'm not really one for books set in the past, but LADY OR THE TIGER was interesting, to say the least, but it left me with more questions than answers.
I really wanted to love this story, but I only liked the story. This one is confusing as it switches from past to present and back. There were times where the timeline was present, and the past was being talked about, and I found myself having to go back to the beginning of the chapter to make sure.
Regardless of timeline confusions, there were jaw-dropping moments. From the end of part 3 to part 4, LADY OR THE TIGER delivered twist after twist that left me so shocked.

This is one of the most impressive books I've read in a long time. Part western, part mystery, with a hint of macabre, Lady or the Tiger ticks all the right boxes when making a checklist of what makes for an excellent read.

Belle King was an infamous teenage serial killer and when she willingly walked into the Dodge City, KS jail to turn herself in it was a momentous occasion. But the last thing she expected to see, standing outside her jail cell, was her husband ... the first (but not the last) man she set out to kill. Not only was he not dead, but he was wanting to take charge of the girl. But justice was intent to have its way, and the only end for Belle would be the gallows.

The writing by Heather M. Herrman is strong and poetic. We fall easily into this story and even before we know much about Belle King, we can't help but side with her, understanding what she's been through. We already know what life is like for women in the U.S. west in the 1800's. Those women who don't roll over to accept their position easily are branded as lunatic, but no one expects them to stand up for themselves the way Belle does.

The book jumps around in time between 'now,' 'one year prior,' 'two years prior' and even 'past.' Typically I don't care for books that do this as I find it difficult to follow. Here, however, it worked. It's important to take note of the time and to let that sit in your head while you read the chapter and to mentally be noting the timeline. It helps to keep the sense of the book.

In addition to the poetic nature of the writing, the book works on both a literal and a metaphorical level. We're given lessons on being a woman and standing up for ones-self. I hope teenage readers of all genders will read and covet this book - there is so much to learn and appreciate. Of course is usually final for most of us, but the intelligent reader will understand.

One of the many things I loved about this book was the very simple fact that this is a western fiction with a female protagonist. The last book of this nature that I can remember reading was Bruce Coville's Fortune's Journey back in 1995! We're well overdue for a good, female protagonist western! Herrman does address this in her thoughtful author's notes:


...I wrote this book not only to center a young girl in a genre that has largely ignored them, but to let her be as wild and wicked as any of the Wild West's men.
Because the truth is, those women did exist. We do exist. Both as outlaws and heroes. ... Read their complex and beautiful stories. There are so many just waiting for others to discover and tell.

I would encourage you to buy this book. Buy this book and read it. Buy this book and give it to a young reader you may know. Buy this and give it to your local library so that others will find.

Looking for a good book? Lady or the Tiger by Heather M. Herrman is a gorgeous western, mystery, paranormal YA story that deserves your attention.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this western debut. Belle King is a man killer, literally. She’s tough as nails and gritty, unflinching even with her struggles with her mental health. This book doesn’t shy away from sacrifices women make for the sake of love, and Belle chooses herself instead.

It’s a twisty and turney story, one I’ll probably think about often as the ending is a bit ambiguous but I honestly loved that.

4.5 stars. thank you to netgalley for the arc!

i'm not sure what type of book this was, other than a good western. we need more of those i think. i want to classify it ya, but i also do not want to do that. it was just a book with a strong female protagonist who believed in herself and all the women around her.

i really enjoyed belle, but my favorite character was brownie. this book is filled with evil male rascals and determined women. it felt like a lot of amalgamation of ~things that all westerns have. this book decided to have all of those things, and it took me a minute or two to fully understand WHAT the entire premise was. that doesn't mean it wasn't a good book - i thought it was great.

it felt like i was in the midwest, eating dust. i have to be inside the setting. this book was great for that.

this book also encourages all women. not to kill, obviously, but to believe in themselves and take up space!

A feminist twist on the western genre, I enjoyed the main character. She's smart, yet selfish, someone who always puts herself first. Great book, good writing, with a great twist!

Lady Or The Tiger is a unique read. It takes place in the Wild West and is a story of a woman who just wants to be free.
Belle is an antiheroine who tells you right from the beginning that you're not going to like her (I did). The story is told through a dual timeline and it kept me guessing the whole time.
It's fairly dark, and there are those who won't like the ending, but it certainly kept me turning pages.

If you're into down with the patriarchy books, I think you'll enjoy this.
Thanks to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an early copy for review.

"You want to read about my wickedness, but you want it rooted in innocence."
No girl-- I'm here in support of women's wrongs! This has been by far one of the most captivating stores I've ever read. For two straight weeks, breathed Herrman's writing-- all I could think about was Belle King's story and needed to know what happened next as much as I needed air.

I think one of the book's challenges is how the story is presented, flipping between present and past; but it was artistically done in a way that I think improved the power of the story-- with each step through her present, we're contextualized by her specific past and the tragedy of being a woman in the stage of the 1800's. I loved this more than life itself right now lol:

"Not all little girls are born murderers, but every woman becomes one. Most simply destroy pieces of themselves, their dreams, their desires, their right to speak to whom and what they please.
I kill men instead."

Belle King forced herself to become a calculated and terrifying killer after her naivety backed her into a rather dangerous corner. But what do cornered animals do best? Lash their teeth and swing their claws. The female main character of this story is an intelligent animal, intentionally moving and framing herself to best catch the surprise of everyone around her. She's a performer, even when she's killing-- every movement, every line, is all apart of her play.

"Not that /a man/ like him could ever be equal to me, but they do so like to try."

I feel like this book was written specifically for me: a feminist take on the wild west, where strong women no doubt existed but are under represented in our media. Belle is terrifying, flawed, calculated in the same way that Beth Dutton (Yellowstone, 2018) is terrifying, flawed, and calculated. Belle is powerful, feral, and terrified in the same way that West World is... Now fold that up and place it on the canvas of Red Dead Redemption 2, and you end up with "Lady or the Tiger" by Heather M. Herrman.

Lady or the Tiger follows Belle King as she turns herself in for a string of murders across the country. When her abusive husband shows up outside her jail cell, she’s shocked. He was the first man she killed. His presence derails her plans and she has to work twice as hard to convince the court that she is a killer and shouldn’t be released to her husband.

This was such a fun and unique murder mystery. I LOVED Belle. There’s something so fun about reading about women who truly only care about themselves. I loved that she always put herself first and was ruthless in ensuring she got what she wanted. She’s truly a fascinating perspective to read from. There’s also such a good depiction of grooming and mental health/guilt. Really great characters in this one!

The plot was super engaging and had me hooked from the start. It’s told in dual timelines, Belle in jail and how she got to this point. The author masterfully reveals the story and twists and had me shocked. The ending was perfect for the kind of story this was. The feminist themes were so well done too and the feminine rage was perfect. The setting was so fun! I loved the Wild West aspect. There was so much atmosphere.

If you love chaotic anti-heroines and the Wild West, then this is definitely a book you’ll want to pick up!

Thank you to Penguin Teen CA and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.95 ✨
I’m writing this with my eyes swollen SHUT, my eyes still a bit teary. Either because this book kept me up all night or I cried like a baby who knows??

I love a good antihero, but Heather just raised the bar for me. The twist??? Oh, I thought I was able to guess it all, but I guess not because HUHHH???? The book was good from her dead but not actually dead husband to her fearlessness to the men that actually deserved to die. It was played so nicely, I am still so embarrassed that I can’t sew in a straight line. Belle, please forgive me.

Thank you, Penguin Random, for the ARC

I went into this blind with no expectations and it was such a refreshing change from the norm of the YA genre. The Western setting and our unflinchingly cold leading lady made this a fun and memorable read. I still haven't quite decided how I feel about the ending. But after reading the author's note and her reasoning behind plot decisions, it fits with the story and with Alice/Belle's character.

I loved how much voice Herrman put into the writing, and it's one of the reasons this one will be hard to forget.

The cons: the pacing dragged a bit, and there were a few times where the frequent timeline switches threw me off.

Overall I enjoyed this one and I'm glad I picked it up. I didn't know I needed a Western. And I loved that more than once, I thought of Kissing Kate Barlow from "Holes."

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin, for the eARC and the chance to read this one early.

3.5/5 stars

This was such a fabulous book! I love the western thriller and the FMC was a spicy and awesome character. I loved the ending and the epilogue was absolutely perfect!

Thank you to PRH, the author and Netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC of "Lady or the Tiger "in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a "good for Her" book and I loved it!

I really enjoyed this book. I could not use it in class, but would recommend to certain readers. A lot of twists and great choice to alternate the time periods.

Wow, what a ride! This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.