I think, after two years of this languishing on my to-be-read shelf on my Kindle, I need to accept that I'm not going to read this. I don't think it's the book's fault - it does look excellent, like a really engaging premise, and with some very interesting world building. Some members of society can't cast a shadow? They're branded and forced into prostitution? A journey across the country after an accidental killing to find the one person who can help them to live somewhat normal lives? A slowburn f/f romance that turns enemies to lovers? All of these are things I should like, but I've never managed to get past the first chapter of this book, despite trying several times. I think it's me? I hope it's me? There's certainly nothing wrong with this book that I've seen so far, it just absolutely has failed to grab me several times.

Part fantasy, part historical, part dystopian, mix in some western and you have a young adult novel that’ll keep you gripped to its pages and willing this one to have a happy ending.

Their lives are supposed to be charmed. Their parents were promised they’d be well looked after and cared for, fed and kept healthy when their parents can do without another mouth to feed and sell them to the Welcome Houses. But the reality is very different, and on her first night as a ‘sundown girl’, Clementine accidentally kills a man. With no other option and with their faces branded, Aster, her sister, plans a dangerous escape. But they’re not the only Good Luck Girls who want out

I really liked the directions this headed in, as the girls make their escape, try to survive in the wilderness, and grow closer with one another. Aster starts off focused on keeping Clementine safe, but as the girls spend more time together, she starts getting protective over all of them. The times when things run smooth are misleading, and the girls soon find themselves in dangerous situation after dangerous situation.

The characters were all nicely fleshed out, with their own motivations and goals that sharpened the more time spent with them. I loved the world building here, too. Arketta is a horror fantasy version of the ‘wild west’, where some are born without shadows. There are ghosts who roam through this wasteland, and evil capitalists who have enough money no one really cares what they do, especially to Good Luck Girls.

In a strange way, the girls are a little sheltered thanks to their lives in the Welcome House. The ‘daybreak girls’ act as maids, performing domestic duties around the house, with little understanding of what happens once they become ‘sundown girls’, instead seeing the transition as something to be honoured about and excited for. There’s a stark contrast at the start of the book between Aster and Violet – both sundown girls – and Tansy and Mallow, both daybreak girls. Clementine acts as a bridge between the two, as the night the story starts is her first night as a sundown girl, and once she realises what is planned, she kills the man trying to force himself on her. Tansy and Mallow are pleased for her as she prepares for the night, but her sister Aster keeps the worst parts to herself, simply telling Clementine to think of a song and lose herself in it.

Their journey allows them to see how others in the Scab – a desert/wasteland - live, and to extract a small amount of revenge on Aster’s and Violet’s parts for what they have been through. The other girls are a little more trusting, but Aster and Violet view all men now through the same lens, unable to see them as anything except the kind of men who frequented the Welcome House.

There’s so much that happens in this book, and it really is a great coming-of-age adventure, exploring themes of class, race, gender, poverty and more against a Western Fantasy backdrop. It’s well-written, totally engaging, with a wonderfully bittersweet yet satisfying ending, and I really looked forward to reading The Sisters of Reckoning, the sequel to The Good Luck Girls. It’s worth noting, too, the other book this reminded me strongly of, with the not-quite-but-could-be post-apocalyptic western vibe, was Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, but this is much more female focused. If you’re looking for a different take on a similar aesthetic, this one is worth picking up.

The Good Luck Girls is such a beautifully written fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out The Good Luck Girls today.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

I found this to be a unique fantasy with a great premise. The world building was great and I loved the characters and the writing style. I can’t wait for the sequel now!

Such a great start to the series! The plot and character building was brilliant throughout. It’s left me really excited to dive straight into book two as I feel that that’s where all the action is going to happen!

THE GOOD LUCK GIRLS is a Wild West-inspired book about freedom and sisterhood. And to make fleeing from the law all the more dangerous, not only do the law have magical bloodhound-like people (who can also torture your mind) on their side, but dead beasts also wander the land.

I enjoyed the ghostly/dead monsters element. Aster (the narrator) can't see them except in moonlight, like everyone but Clementine, and that made them all the more horrifying as a monster that's mostly only seen by the damage they inflict is a hard one to fight and can wreak havoc.

There are hints of possible romances in the book, but it's never the focus and, other than Tansy and Mallow, nothing is ever confirmed. Aster is clearly attracted to Violet, in my opinion, but it does take subtext reading to understand. I honestly liked that, and it felt like such a breath of fresh air in YA. Perhaps the next book will spend more time on it, but I really liked that there were only hints, nothing concrete and nothing distracting from the pacing.

This is a rare book, in my experience, that manages to keep the pacing up even with very long chapters. There's just so much happening as they lurch from danger to danger, with the law one step behind and the dead monsters all around, with the occasional reprieve of safe havens.

The one thing the blurb doesn't mention that seems pretty important to know (for expectations and also CW) is that the girls are all part of a "Welcome House", aka a brothel that they've been sold to. Their parents/guardians are told it's a good place with medical care etc, and that it spares the families mouths to feed. But the girls don't get paid and are marked so they can't run away. Not to mention they'll get thrown out (still marked) when they get too old.

I feel like I have a few ideas where the second book will go (possibly dual POV as Clem is no longer in the same place as Aster?) and it's on the TBR to read at some point!

What an amazing Western based fantasy. I couldn't put this down once I started and I enjoyed every page.
Each character was so well written with their own personality but I especially liked violet. The more I read about her the more I loved her. It's quite an empowering feminist book and things are looking really good for a sequel.
Can't wait to read more.

This was a well written YA novel set in an alternate America, with a few fantasy elements and a historical south feel. The world building was solid and the characters had strong relationships. They may have been slightly one note but I enjoyed how they interacted and I do think they all grew over the course of the novel.

There were a lot of details that were a bit dark so I'd say this is for slightly older YA readers. Essentially, the main characters have escaped from their enforced labour at a brothel where they have no hope of escape apart from ageing out and are encouraged to take 'sweet thistle' a drug that keeps them compliant and also even more prisoner as they need their fix to survive. They also have magic tattoos on their necks that can't be removed or covered up otherwise they start to burn. What happens when a group of these girls are forced to escape? Read this book to find out.

My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing read, I was so involved and immersed in this world, this is a real addictive story, a true story of the downtrodden where you get to cheer on the underdog and literally jump up and down whilst reading, fist pumping and whopping, ok in my head but I was that involved, it’s just fabulous and I look forward to so much more from the author

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

A fantastic debut that packs a real punch! I picked this up on the recommendation of Dhonielle Clayton and it didn't disappoint. With characters to truly root for, this will appeal to fans of Adrienne Young and Zoraida Cordova.

I read this book because I had recently enjoyed Outlawed, and while I enjoyed the more fantastical setting, I felt the book was at its best when it explored relationships and friendships between the young women protagonists, and set the magical stuff aside. The Good Luck Girls are escaped sex workers looking for a way to remove the tattoo-like brands they are forced to keep on display. They feel intensely for one another, and extend their friendship (and their money) to anyone in need, choosing to face their fates rather than subject another girl to the same. Scenes of sexual violence, drug abuse and withdrawal, imprisonment and torture are vivid but not excessive. I'm excited to read the sequel, as I want to learn much more about the various rebel factions the girls encountered on their ride North. The first book gave us glimpses of sympathetic male and older female characters that I would like to explore in depth now the relationships between the five main women have been established.

Wow WOW WOW

Here is a book where you will SWEAT whilst reading it, due to nerves and anxiety. Immediately you fall in love with the characters and want them to be safe. The characters however have other ideas and so everything in their power to get into trouble EVERY step of the way.

It was so fast paced, beautiful description, cover is stunning. It is dark, there's a lot behind it, like the girls being sold against their will but i liked the message it ended up giving.

Loved it, but it is 4 stars because i wanted it to be even MORE tense 😂

Aster, Clementine, Mallow, Tansy and Violet are Good Luck Girls, something that sounds fortuitous until you know what that term truly means. With the exception of Violet, they were taken from their families to Green Creek welcome house with the promise of a better life.

Favors, the welcome house version of branding, are such a contradiction: aesthetically beautiful, yet representative of such pain and suffering.

Good Luck Girls begin working as daybreak girls. On their sixteenth birthday, daybreak girls become sundown girls, through a rite of passage called their Lucky Night.

When Clementine accidentally kills a brag on her Lucky Night, her sister, Aster, is determined to protect her. Now five Good Luck Girls are on the run, pursued by both the living and the dead. Their only hope is to find the Lady Ghost, but as far as anyone knows she’s only a bedtime story.

This book could have broken me, given the darkness of what the girls have experienced, if it wasn’t for the girls themselves. Initially I thought Clementine was going to be the star of this show but Aster and Violet were the two I bonded with the most.

Slightly older than the others, Aster and Violet have experienced trauma the other girls haven’t. I loved them for their strength and courage, despite the odds stacked against them. Given what they’d been through, it would be easy for the darkness to overwhelm them but they refuse to give up, holding onto whatever scraps of hope they can carry.

Although it’s not specifically named here, the girls clearly exhibit signs of PTSD. What I loved, if you can say you love anything where PTSD is concerned, were the nuances. The trauma was expressed differently amongst the girls, with each utilising their individual strengths to survive, both physically and emotionally. There was an authenticity to their portrayal, from the dissociation and flashbacks to the difficulties trusting others and themselves.

The character that caused me the most conflict was Zee. I so wanted to trust him but, like Aster, I wasn’t sure if it was safe to do so. I ended up spending most of the book silently pleading with him to be worthy of the girls’ trust.

It felt as though Aster and Lei from Girls of Paper and Fire were kindred spirits. The raveners reminded me of Dementors, but as a physical embodiment of PTSD. The names of the girls brought to mind Lex and the other girls I met in What Unbreakable Looks Like. This book stands on its own two feet, though.

I was immersed in this world. The threat of the raveners and vengeants were ever-present. The divide between fairbloods and dustbloods was clear. The danger was unrelenting. But hope shone through as brightly as a covered favor.

This is a real underdog story, where you have the opportunity to cheer on a group of girls who have been so downtrodden that you can’t help but become invested in their journey. You want them to win. You need them to win. Because any other outcome would hurt too much.

Content warnings include addiction, death by suicide, human trafficking, mental health, racism, sexual assault, slavery, suicidal ideation and torture.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hot Key Books, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, for the opportunity to read this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel!

The Good Luck Girls has such an interesting premise, but unfortunately for me it just didn't quite stick the landing. I'm keen to see how the ideas, world-building, and characters develop in the next book, as there's a lot of potential waiting to be tapped. The book was a gripping and enjoyable read, but the characters didn't feel quite well-developed enough for me to be truly invested. This is the case with other aspects of the story too - I feel like more could have been made from the Western-esque setting. Likewise, the fantasy elements were intriguing but also felt like they haven't been fully explored yet. That said, the world of The Good Luck Girls has definitely held my interest, and I want to see how it develops - and this makes me very keen to read the sequel and see where Charlotte Nicole Davis takes us next.
Thanks to Bonnier / Hot Key and Netgalley for the ARC.

Fantasy books are always hit and miss for me, but I was really engrossed in this book right from the start.
There is no such thing as a slow, ploddy, world building beginning - it jumps straight into the action. Which i loved!! Charlotte Nicole Davis wastes no time in getting to the real nitty gritty of the plot!
I was loving this book right up until 50-75% of the way through. I found it lost its momentum the more it went along - a shame since it had such a strong, fast paced start! It felt like it ran out of gas towards the end.
Overall I did enjoy this book, but the later half of the book just didn't live up to the first part.

thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. i didn’t know what to expect from this book, but i really enjoyed it. because of this i am going to give it 4/5 stars.

Very enjoyable book touching on issues of slavery, racism, trafficking, sexual assault, and mysogyny.

The five girls and Zee were well done with their own personalities. The two older girls were more cynical and less trusting, as they should have been, since they had been through more at the welcome house. The three younger girls, whilst not naive, were a little more open to the world still. It was a good balance, I felt.

I enjoyed the world building, with the dead, as well as the western setting. Its not my usual type of book, but I did enjoy it.

The overall plot was good with good pacing. I'm interested to see what happens next and to find out if something at the end was resolved. Don't want to give away spoilers.

How do I love this book? Let me count the ways.

One. The narrator Jeanette Illidge is absolutely brilliant, capturing each of the many characters' voices with individuality and distinction.

Two. This is a steampunkish, speculative, fantastical novel set in an alternative Wild West where dustbloods, whose shadows were torn from them generations ago, remain indentured and vulnerable to being sold into sexual servitude.

Three. It's a great adventure story where five girls embark of a journey of escape across a landscape littered with 'vengeants' (think savage spectres) and mercenaries known as 'raveners'. Their ultimate goal is to remove their delicate yet brutal neck tattoos that define them as Welcome Girls.

Four. That cover is exquisite as is the US cover.

Five. Diversity. This is a book about five girls who get to head a Western adventure and engage in capers from chases to bank heists. Main character Aster is a seventeen-year-old, dark skinned, formidable young woman who will do anything to protect her sister Clem. The book also features the sweetest queer couple who I will stan for the rest of time.

Six. Despite the high capers, the book deals with several heavy issues with trigger warnings for rape, sexual slavery and discussion of suicide.

Seven. The sequel comes out on 10 August 2021 and I cannot wait.

It was easier, she'd been told, if you kept a tune in your head.
I bought this book back in April as a bit of a "cheer up" present to myself. Although it's not actually very cheery, it's just a book I know I'll love.

I love this first line. It captures the author's gorgeous writing style and immediately gets you wondering: what's easier?

The cover for this book is stunning, the foiling is exquisite and I could stare at it all day.

He sat heavily on the bed, muttered a low curse, and fell back. Aster hurried to his side. His eyes were half open but unseeing, his words faint and incomprehensible. If he wasn't already asleep, he would be soon.
This is from page 56 in my finished paperback copy.

I just... The story has me gripped. I am so invested in what's happening to the girls, what's going to happen, how everything will play out.

This is a very dark book and content warnings so far include sex trafficking, sex slavery, attempted rape, and sustance abuse. It is definitely not an easy read.