Review: Scarlet (an Epic Rec!)

image from PaperRiot

Since this feature is part of Epic Recs hosted by Judith and Amber, I'm going to format it a little differently. I know you won't mind.

Oh, and if you need a refresher on what exactly Epic Recs is, check it here.

Scarlet (Scarlet #1) by A.C. Gaughen

January Epic Rec by Gaby

Scarlet is in a band of thieves who steals from the rich and gives to the poor (sound familiar?) She pretends to be a boy, but when her feelings for the band leader Rob start to deepen, pretending she isn't a girl isn't so easy anymore. Oh and also the government is totally corrupt and she has a dark secret from her past to add to the dramarama. Basically she is a kick ass lady doing kick ass things while figuring out life.

Oh you guys. YOU GUYS. My heart was all over the place with SCARLET. I mean, I adore Rob as we are supposed to adore him. He's protecting his people! He's charming! He's smart! He's handsome! How can we NOT swoon for that? But then there's John Little who is also handsome and funny and boisterous and delightful and has a little thing for our leading lady. I texted Gaby more than once with screencaps of my kindle to be like MY FEELS and she was all I KNOW and it was the tops.

This is a historical fiction set in the 13th century. However, what you'll mostly care about for the setting is that our little band of thieves lives in the woods and frequents the little town and tavern. It's so quaint! Oh and then there's the big castle with the dungeons and torture chambers and what not. Not so quaint. But castles! Ladies! Theives! YES.

OH BELIEVE YOU ME. SCARLET had plenty of twists and turns and sneakiness abounding! Like what is Scarlet's dark secret? Why she be so standoffish sometimes? And will she or won't she with John Little? And/or Rob? How can Rob possibly help his people when the Sheriff is SO AWFUL all the time?
And in general this book is sneaky because THEY ARE THIEVES.

At the heart of this book, there is some serious corruption and oppression and down right horrible things happening to the people of Nottinghamshire. The government has gone all corrupt and our heroes are trying to do what they can to help people literally survive from day to day.
I also love how the book took a realistic view on women of that time period and made a non-preachy social statement about how much it sucked to be property. We are people, you know!

Gaby asked me three questions specific to my SCARLET experience! Here they be.

In three words, Scarlet is: Thrilling, Fist-Pump-Worthy, and Empowering.

Out of everyone in Rob's group, who would you most want by your side going into battle against the Sheriff and Gisbourne? Honestly, I'd take Scarlet. That girl is fierce and would absolutely never leave me behind! 

Not for Scarlet but for YOU: John or Robin? Why? You guys. When Gaby asked me this I was like NOOOOOOO because it's SO HARD. Do you know how rare it is that I can't pick a main squeeze from a book? Like super rare. Still cold in the middle rare. Seriously rare. Anyway, after much debate and hand-wringing and angsting, I choose John! Because he made me laugh, he treats girls like girls (which Scarlet hated, but I'm down with) and because he is absolutely and totally a charmer who wears his heart on his sleeve. ILU JOHN LITTLE. 

So overall, we can say that Gaby's Epic Rec of SCARLET to me was an absolute win! I can't WAIT to see what she's got for me in February! 

Be sure to head on over to Gaby's review of GRAVE MERCY to see what she thought of my Epic Rec!