The Blacksmith Queen (The Scarred Earth Saga, #1)

by G.A. Aiken

[stacey_is_sassy]

I want more...NOW!!

The funny thing about listening to audiobooks is that you can lose track of where you're at. When you hold a book in your hand, you can see how many pages are left. You know by how many pages are left whether you're going to get a rushed ending or, heaven forbid, a cliffie. A few times, I can admit to getting to the end of an audiobook and sitting up in shock in a *what...what...what...where's the rest* feeling. The end of The Blacksmith Queen felt a bit like that for me. Sure, it ended off well with a happy for now vibe, but it definitely left me hungering for more.

G.A. Aiken is a wonderful storyteller and I was sucked in from the very first word until the last. The characters were original, funny and a wee bit uncouth. The amount of swearing was a wee bit OTT but I did get a laugh out of it. I am a huge fan of this author's Dragon Kin series and I feel like this had a similar vibe.

I absolutely loved Keeley and found her completely refreshing. She's strong, capable and very protective of those she loves. When one of her family is in danger, Keeley will do whatever it takes to keep them safe...even if they don't deserve her loyalty.

Caid is Keeley's love interest but, to be honest, the love story is not the focus of The Blacksmith Queen. In some ways, this made Caid even more appealing to me. We get to see him when he's not leading the battle or taking control. His appeal is in how he observes Keeley and is on hand to help and support her when needed.

I've always wondered how I'd go with having a hero that's a centaur. I mean...four legs and a big butt does not make me shiver in delight. I'm not saying horses aren't beautiful animals because I've always loved horses but stick a human torso on one, not so much. Well, somehow, it worked for me and I had no problems finding their appeal.

Again, I'm completely baffled why a male and a female narrator are cast when the majority of the story is narrated by a sole narrator. In this case, Mia Barron does the majority and I think she did a fabulous job. Her voice was easy to listen to and I had no problems working out when the characters changed. Even when a conversation happened with Keeley, her sister, mother and cousin it was easy to differentiate between them all.

I really enjoyed listening to The Blacksmith Queen and I will definitely be going on in the series. Whether I listen or read? I can't decide. In some ways, it was at times hard to follow because we are introduced to a lot of different characters. I did have to backtrack a few times because we had jumped scenes and I had to try and work out who was who and what was what. But...it was really good. I'm almost tempted to read it first and listen to it after.

If you're looking for a new para-fantasy romance, don't mind a wee bit of swearing and enjoy seeing the heroine take charge, I highly recommend giving The Blacksmith Queen a try.