A charming story of found family, acceptance, and finding yourself.
One for All was a delight to read, and I absolutely raced through it.

Tania de Batz is plagued by dizziness, forcing her to adapt every aspect of her life, and seen by her village as ‘just a sick girl’ to be avoided and pitied. Her father, a retired musketeer, sees her strength, and continues to train her to fence, especially when they realise that it helps to alleviate her symptoms. Until one day, her father goes away to discuss the possibility of a new fencing school… and doesn’t come back. Unmoored and bereft in the face of her father’s brutal death, Tania is sent to a finishing school in Paris which promises to make her the perfect wife. However, when she arrives, all is not as it appears, and Tania may just find the sisterhood she has always longed for.

I adored the characters in One for All. Tania especially, but also the other girls she comes to know at Madame’s. Each has their own backstory and motives, and felt real and vivid. The character growth through the story was a delight to see, I loved watching Tania grow into herself and renew her confidence which had been so worn down by others.
The plot was fast paced and engaging, with an interesting setting and enough mystery to create tension.

I also loved the chronic illness/POTS rep. My best friend actually has POTS, so getting to see this aspect of a character in a story was great. I especially valued how the author noted at the end that, as with many chronic illnesses, everyone with POTS experiences it differently, and thus Tania will not and cannot perfectly emulate all of them, but she can provide a lens through which people with POTS and other chronic illnesses can see themselves in the books they love.

I will add that the first few chapters of her at home in her village, where she is scorned and pitied for her dizziness, were hard to read, and could be triggering for those with chronic illnesses.
However, once she gets to Paris she really comes into her own and finds people who see how strong and capable she is, and who help her to see that too.

Overall, I adored One for All, and I will absolutely look out for other books by this author in the future.

This book was so much fun, I loved it! A genderbent retelling of The Three Musketeers - so cool! There's amazing representation of POTS; although I don't have this, I have seen so many people with POTS talking about how the representation is incredible and I have to agree with them, I thought it was done really well. I loved how Tania found her family in the other Musketeers, Portia, Aria and Thea. They were amazing side characters and I was invested and connected to them just as much as I was to the main character, Tania.

I've read the original version of this story by Dumas, so I can't really comment on how good of a retelling it is; but I think it would be pretty tricky to find anyone who doesn't know of the Musketeers, and a vague idea of what the story involves, and I thought this retelling was really fun and action=packed.

I did find this book to be a bit predictable in terms of the romance; I guessed pretty early on where it was going to go, and so I struggled to really root for either of the love interests presented. However, the rest of the book was really cool, especially with the chronic illness rep.

First of all, I just need to say that this is an absolutely brilliant, amazing, captivating book which was impossible to put down. I love everything about this book, from the writing itself, to the plot and the characters. The main character Taina is such a strong, inspiring person in that she doesn’t let anything get in the way of her dreams. She refuses to stand back despite being told so by next to everyone around her. She refuses to quit even when her own body betrays her. I especially love how this isn’t a story about a sick girl getting healthy through some old forgotten magic or such. In this story, the girl is still sick when the book ends, just like it usually is in the real world. But with this book, Lillie Lainoff shows how being sick doesn’t necessarily mean giving up on your hopes and dreams. You may not be able to do everything other people can but you can for sure do a lot, especially if given the chance and get the support you need.

Also, for those of you who (like me) really liked the movie “Barbie and the three musketeers” (I still love it): you should definitely give this a try! Because while the main character (obviously) isn’t Barbie, it’s got this sort of happy, girl power feel to it.

It’s taken me quite a while to write this book review since I really wanted to write one which makes the book justice. I don’t know if I managed that but anyway, I definitely recommend this book! Like, it’s one of the best ya fantasy books I’ve read ever, and I’ve read quite a few.

Last but not least: Happy pub day Lille Lainoff! Thank you so much for writing this amazing book.

one for all is a gender bent retelling of the three musketeers. words cannot explain how much i loved this book! as soon as i saw it had POTS rep, i knew it was something that i wanted to read, then i saw the synopsis and was like YES PLEASE. whilst i’m not formally diagnosed with POTS, i’ve experienced the symptoms of it on an almost daily basis. the rep in this book is top tier. it is consistent and not just used when it was convenient. tania didn’t let her chronic illness hold her back which i loved. what i loved most was the depiction of the other things that come alongside living with a chronic illness such as being isolated and being told that you can’t do what other people do.

the plot was action packed, right from the start. i could not put it down, i was left on the edge of my seat so many times. the romance subplot was amazing, it didn’t overpower the main plot but it also wasn’t underdone.

found family is one or my favourite tropes and lillie lainoff did this perfectly.

honestly, if you don’t read this book, i may have to personally hunt you down and make you (okay i’m kidding… or am i?)

One for All is a kickass YA fantasy story that I know will stay with me.

This was absolutely fantastic. Simply just the chronic illness representation made my heart glow because it was so true to life and then to watch Tania succeed, but also experience flare ups (because illness are not magically curable) – this will mean so, so much to people. Seeing disability representation in wider media and literature is still so rare, so to have something so authentic, nuanced and realistic is just phenomenal. Of course, Tania is not solely defined by her disability and to do so would be a disservice to her. She is a ferocious fighter, loyal and deeply caring. Once you are past her walls, you know she would fight for you. I connected with her deeply and hope many other readers get to see themselves in her.

Beyond Tania, there is a fantastic supporting cast of diverse, capable and frankly badass women. I love the genderbent take on the Musketeers, giving it a genuinely empowering edge. There is a weaponisation of femininity and their supposedly ‘weaker’ traits. The ball scenes are incredibly tense, fast-paced and allow a display of dazzling social skills, as well as political intrigue and some good old-fashioned spying. I adored the thriller storyline of the book, trying to piece together the overarching conspiracy and second-guessing every character. There is also critiques of the monarchy and the privileged class system, woven in really well with the plot. It means Lainoff leaves room for discussion and debate. Even the morality gets murkier by the end of the book, allowing for nuance once more.

One for All takes the ethos of its original text and dials it up into something entirely new, fresh and deeply exciting. This is a stellar story, with representation that made my heart sing.

4 Stars!

Synopsis: Tania is a “sick girl” but her dream is to be a musketeer. Tania is a de Batz, her fencing skills are impressive, and when an opportunity to be more presents itself she doesn’t hold back.

CW/TW: Ableism/sexism/patriarchy/bouts of dizziness (blackouts)/murder/death/blood/others may be present.

Rep: Chronically-Ill/Disabled MC (Specifically has POTS) | Lesbian Musketeer | Demi/Bi Musketeer | Ace character.

One For All by Lillie Lainoff is a intriguing retelling of the Musketeers, reimagined through a disabled and feminist lens!

One For All is the kind of book so many of us disabled/chronically-ill readers want and it was well worth the read! Our main character is a disabled woman with POTS and while it doesn’t stop her from being an amazing fencer who aspires to be a musketeer, we do get the realities of what it means to be disabled and live with a chronic-illness. I really appreciated the balance we get of Tania’s skills and the real effects of her illness.

The plot of the book is intriguing. Tania de Batz is the daughter of a former Musketeer a an who has helped train her in fencing and has stood by her and her ambitions. So when Tania encounters thieves in the night and her father meets an unfortunate fate – she is surprised that his last wish is for her to attend a finishing school for eligible girls to learn to be wives. However, Tania soon learns that this isn’t an ordinary finishing school, while it does teach girls to be well mannered, it is secretly aa school that trains musketeers.

I really enjoyed watching Tania join the finishing school and train in the art of fencing and seduction in order to become an undercover musketeer and uncover a dangerous plot. Tania then meets her target, Etienne – a kind and sweet boy who seems to care about her but more importantly, may know more about her father’s death. But, can Tania balance her mission with these new emotions?

I really enjoyed watching all of the musketeers take on their targets. Especially, Tania who is determine to find the truth about her father in spite of any feelings that may arise. The dynamic between Etienne and Tania is rather compelling and makes her mission more intiruing.

I really liked how the mystery of her father’s death slowly unravels as the course of the book goes on, as well as the other plot that the Musketeers are trying to uncover. I really loved the Musketeers, their acceptance of Tania, their dedication to each other, and their own strengths and skills.

I appreciated and enjoyed how the story developed and thought the twists fit well with the story and had an emotional impact on the reader. The conclusion of the book is incredibly emotional, and I loved how it depicted the Musketeers. I would actually adore having a sequel to this story that follows the Musketeers on a new mission – particularly if it included more of Henry’s character – which I think has a lot of potential!

While I loved the story and the characters, I particularly loved how the theme of disability is explored. Tania’s POTS is obviously seen negatively by people she knows, she is seen as a “sick girl” and nothing more. However, Tania is so much more. Her illness is a part of her and an important part that is ever-present. But, we also get her actual skills and personality shine through. It was easy to connect with Tania as a disabled reader, managing others expectations, the fear they will not accept you, and navigating when people think you are ‘better’ when the reality is chronic-illnesses and disability are always there. The themes were explored sensitively, realistically, and through a truthful lens that made me really feel seen and connect with the story. While I don’t have POTS I do have many other disabilities/conditions and this book really felt like a true representation of what it means to live with things like that.

I could go on and on about this book but because it is a read that slowly unravels, it is too easy to spoil! So for now I’ll leave my review here!

Overall, One For All, by Lillie Lainoff is a delightful and compelling read that explores the realities of disability but also gives us a tense and intriguing story of murder, mystery and political intrigue.

*I received a Netgalley eARC from Titan Books in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!*
https://kbbookreviews867789450.wordpress.com/2023/02/06/book-review-one-for-all-by-lillie-lainoff/

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC of 'One for All' by Lillie Lainoff

'One for All' was one of my biggest anticipated reads of 2022 so when it FINALLY got a UK publisher, I was mega excited. A genderbent three musketeers? You are certainly coming home with me. I truly did enjoy this read, it was fun with lots of twists and knowledge woven in beautifully. But it receives a 4 because I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would - but that is fully my fault because I did overhype the book to myself.

I cannot fault or insult any part of this book, it was a joy and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested.

I had really high hopes for this book, but was unfortunately disappointed. Having POTS myself, I was looking forward to reading about a strong young woman who is more than her chronic illness. I was irreparably distracted by the sheer amount of times that the word "dizzy" (in whatever tense) was used. Trust me, I get it. But it was used 124 times throughout the novel! The novel also didn't really pick up for me until about 1/3 of the way through. I felt like the romantic aspects of the story took away from the sisterhood relationships that Tania was building with her fellow Musketeers. I would have love more focus on that storyline and getting even more historical background for Portia, Thea, and Aria. 2/5 stars for me.

As a spoonie it's hard to find books where I can meet characters like me. And that's a pity. Because not only I need the message that I'm more than my illness, that I can still be a heroine and find my squad, other people in the world need that message too. Yes, my illness limits my abilities sometimes, but it's not everything I am. So, when I saw this book, with a spoonie as the heroine, on Netgalley I had to request a copy. I'm really happy the publisher gave me one!

The book takes its time to introduce us to our heroine. We get to know her parents, where she lives, how people in her hometown talk to and about her and most of all how her illness impacts almost every part of her life. But once the heroine leaves her hometown and moves to Paris and discovers that she will make her dream come true and will become a musketeer the tone of the book changes and it becomes this addictive adventure story in the time of the French kings.

In a lot of ways the elements of the stories about the three musketeers we know are still there. Our heroine loses her father, becomes the fourth musketeer in an all women squad and is tasked with saving the King of France from death. However, since our heroine is a woman, the way to deal with all these problems is a little different. I love how the author found a way to show us fierce and brave women without losing touch with the time period and position of women at the time.

And although in a way this book is about four female musketeers trying to find out who's plotting to kill the King, this book is even more about one woman learning a lot about herself. Throughout the book our heroine is confronted with her limits, her strengths, her emotions, her weaknesses, her fears, her anger and her willpower. And I love how that also means that she's slowly learning that she's still worthy, lovable and worth fighting for and with.

I want, and most of all need, more books like this!

I don't think I have read a retelling of the Muskeeters before reading One For All . Neither did I think I would find a book that would immediately take over my heart. By the time I was done with the first (yes, the first!) chapter, I knew this book was an immediate five stars from me. One For All is a feminist retelling of the Muskeeter tale, with a disabled protagonist at the center. This book has everything you could ever want; a found family (or as i call it a 'stabby' sisterhood), girls with swords, hidden assassination plots and more. It's a book that I will be recommending to every body because it is a book they will all enjoy!

I'm gonna end my review by saying, Lillie Lainoff, thank you for writing this masterpiece of a book.

Wow! One For All is brilliant. Once you dive into the Parisian world with Tania, the protagonist, you'll be immersed into a story of tension, drama and intrigue. The premise of the book was incredible: I loved watching a female group thrive together in such feisty, yet still feminine ways. I loved that the girls weren't restricted by their gender to fight and stand up for themselves, while still indulging each other in conversations about feminine things. Especially, I loved that each character acted their own age: this makes for a believable YA novel that is authentic and gripping.

While the story was a bit slow to start off with, it perfectly led us to understand Tania's character, and particularly how her POTS affects her lifestyle. I was very endeared to her right from the start and this only grew as the narrative went on. Lainoff's depiction of chronic illness as not debilitating or embarrassing makes Tania a beautiful character; her personal growth was so strong and captivating. You can really tell as a reader that Lainoff has considered all aspects of how POTS would be considered in the time period, even considering how the other characters can provide aids such as a pulley system to help Tania thrive with her condition.

Ultimately, this book is a great debut. If you're after found family, a realistic depiction of the time period and some powerful, intelligent women solving mysteries, this is truly the book for you!

Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for access to this ARC!

(My review will be posted on my TikTok (@thebookishkat) in the publication week.)

I really enjoyed One For All, despite both having built it up quite a lot in my mind beforehand, and some uneven pacing at times. The balance between scenes at court and balls - where characters have to keep up the ladylike expectations of society - and fight scenes and espionage was brilliant. The narrative was cleverly weighted between the two, so that the contrast was always evident. Tania was a strong character - sometimes (realistically) flawed, but easy to root for - her experience with POTS was both informative and felt emotionally real.
Overall, I loved this world and - although this works well as a standalone, and everything felt nicely resolved - would happily read more books set within it.

ONE FOR ALL was such a fun read, full of swords and spying and female friendship and amazing disability representation.

This is a historical novel that reimagines the Musketeers as teen girls stepping up when the official, male order becomes all about the glory and boasting, and thus not very useful. So in secret girls train and use all sorts of skills (fencing, sneaking, fluttering eyelashes) to investigate a threat against the king.

I appreciated that the book dug into the consequences of a coup against the king, that they weren't doing it to protect a man generally discussed as useless, but to protect those who'd suffer most as a consequence - the poor, the overlooked, the ill - by being made scapegoats, or just casually killed for some blood to write a threatening message. The book doesn't shy away from tackling the question of "why would you protect an absolute monarchy", but instead shows the many shades of (dark) grey that are all the options open to them in the current situation.

Tania has a chronic illness - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) - and I loved seeing a heroine with a chronic illness take the centre stage of a book, that she saved the day and was an amazing swordsperson. She struggles with it throughout the book, with some days being good and others not, but that's what it's like to have any sort of chronic illness. It was so nice to see her be bold and fierce and strong, but also be human and grapple with all those feelings you get when your body doesn't do what you'd like it to.

While there are some feelings about boys, the focus of this book is not any sort of romance (yes!!! A YA that doesn't force a major romantic subplot and instead focuses on the "oh heck" of the first time feeling anything for someone, and it's still not the most important relationship.) This is a book about female friendship as the four girls bond and prove time and time again that they are there for Tania, that they will not let her down nor will they judge her for her illness.

I loved seeing that in a YA (and also the way the "romance" ended.) It's so refreshing and it just felt so, so nice to see friendship given the priority and limelight. It showed just how important platonic love is, how it can be incredibly healing to have people who love you for you with no strings attached.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Tania de Batz' life changed when she developed a constant dizziness which impacted her every action. Only working with her former Musketeer father on fencing helped to alleviate the pain, but she knows that the rest of her village pity her, and her mother. Her father believes in her though, but when he is brutally murdered, and Tania is sent to Paris to a finishing school, she feels betrayed. However, when she arrives and meets her fellow 'students', Aria, Théa and Portia, she soon learns that the school is more of a academy, and that she will join the girls into becoming a new era of Musketeers, protecting the king from the threats of the nobles, but potentially opening themselves up to risk.

I'm going to hold my hands up first, and say I know barely nothing about the Three Musketeers, so I was going into One for All pretty blindly. I also don't know much about POTS, the disability which Tania has, but the author has POTS herself, and from what I've seen from other reviews, Tania was the perfect portrayal. Tania as a character was someone who had the whole world against her, and she really had to fight, but literally and figuratively, to prove her worth. She's someone who had a lot of self doubt, partially because of her mother (really don't like her), but also because of her own feelings over her dizziness. Meeting the other girls, and becoming part of a team as this, really was a case of found family, and she flourished so much over the course of the book. She was always a fantastic swordswoman, but her development as a fighter, and becoming comfortable in herself, was done expertly. There's a hint of romance, and even of a love triangle (sort of), but neither were large parts to the story, and didn't take away from the sisterhood element. A really great debut, I'm looking forward to Lillie's next one!

gender-bent the Musketeers retelling with exceptional twist. I really love the sisterhood and found family. And I think this was my first time reading book with chronically ill MC that's not magically cured, and despite everything, she thrived. Truly a nice debut