Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed a lot of this book, and I was also confused about a lot. I loved Lyta, our main character, and her complicated past with Sylvain and her brother. I also really enjoyed her relationship with Ranulf, even thought it was mostly told in flashback-esque moments.

The heist itself was really interesting and well-developed. The crew really began feeling like the start of a found family. But, on the note of the crew, I really didn't get the almost instalove between Kit and <spoiler> Ben </spoiler>. Instalove is bad when it's the lead character, but it's incredibly odd and out of place when it's a secondary one.

I also don't feel like we really got to know Ben or his sister well enough for their significance in the overall story. I really only barely grasped the whole gods and incarnations of gods and stuff. The overall world-building was very well-explained and easy to grasp, but when it got to that point, I could not figure out what was going on.

The reveal at the end with Sylvain and the queen was upsetting but almost not portayed as upsetting enough? It also should have massive ramifications for Lyta and Sylvain's relationship but they really glossed over that.

I am defintiely interested in the next book, but I remain confused about a lot. 3 stars, with hope that the next one will continue on an upward trajectory.

Magical heist in a historical setting yes please. The dynamics between the heist team made for an exciting and interesting read. The mix of magic and historical setting was a real plus for me.

A workaday Renaissance-ish fantasy

It’s well-written, the plot works, the characters are interesting, and the magic makes sense. BUT.

I enjoyed this Renaissance-ish fantasy but I have seen all of it before. The plucky FMC from the wrong side of the tracks: check. The former lover turned surly palace guard: check. The magical emperor with a corps of religious inquisitors: check. The secondary MM couple: check. Powerless gods who return: check. Duplicitour nobility: check.

Sadly, almost all of these tropes have appeared in other fantasy books this year, and much better ones too. I’ll be giving the sequel a miss.

Two stars.

I couldn't get into this book, the reader is dumped into a semi medieval setting with little explanation, even though the idea sounded great. dnf at 15%

A heist (of a magical book this time), a rag tag crew of misfits and enemies to lovers are some of my favourite tropes, so I was expecting a lot from The Book of Gold. While it certainly delivered on the tropes I found something lacking from the overall plot of this. It didn't really deliver anything that different from a lot of the YA fantasy I've read in the past, and while I liked Lyta, and her dynamic with Sylvian in particular, she never really stood out as a character. The group do work well together though, and there's a certain synergy to their dynamic that's often hard to pull off.

I liked the setting for this too, which seemed to encompass a historical, medieval Mediterranean feel that screamed Rococo styles. I could almost imagine Romeo and Juliet hanging around balconies, roses hanging from trellises and marble statues everywhere. It was very immersive.

So a mixed bag really. Great setting, average plot.

I’ll admit that I’m hesitant to read books about heists as they have a habit of following a ‘group of misfits’ formula best used by one particular author. That said, The Book of Gold completely reassured my concerns and was just an enjoyable time that didn’t feel like something I had read before.

The plot, in it’s simplest form revolves around Lyta needing to steal ‘the book of Gold’ to save her brother’s life, forcing her into dangerous (and tense) situations with her reluctant team.
There’s action, there’s scheming, there’s romance and delicious longing, likeable characters and best of all, there’s another book coming out because I finished the last page absolutely needing more.

Sylvian and Lyta’s backstory and reunion was something I was particularly invested in, years old heartbreak made worse by meddling and miscommunication. I love a slow burn, I love yearning when so many books don’t make you (or the characters) work for it, and I terribly need to stay with these two and see what happens to them. Sylvian by himself is a bit hopeless, he’s a moper who disguises it with dumb actions, but he’s like a grumpy golden retriever. Lyta is just fantastic, reckless and spontaneous and idiotic at times (ok, a lot), she’s a kind person who would do (and has done) anything for her brother Kit and her favourite trickster God. She acts sassy and untouchable but she’s actual a woman driven by love and hurt and she’s also just great fun to spend time with as a reader.

My only minor criticism is that the world building, for me, was a little too much at the start, but then who doesn’t feel a little overwhelmed or confused at the start of a fantasy story? It’s a good time but there is quite a lot of thought put into the Gods etc which makes it a little more complicated than it needs to be, BUT you quickly pick it up and then you just have to buckle in.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Book of Gold is the first instalment in the historical inspired fantasy series The Feral Gods, written by Ruth Frances Long, published by Hodderscape. The heist of a magical book would act as the main conductor of a plot full of adventure, intrigue, and romance, set in a Renaissance Amberes and featuring an intriguing pantheon of gods that will inevitably become part of the story.

Lyta loves to steal, but there's nothing she loves more than her brother Kit. After Kit is arrested for printing pamphlets against the king, Lyta strikes a deal with the king to steal a legendary book from the location where her husband disappeared in exchange for her brother's life; for that she will be forced to join efforts with her former lover and now enemy captain Sylvian. A heist that will not only put their lives at risk, but which also will end revealing more about the old gods that are being silenced by the Church.

There isn't a heist without a team, and this is probably the best aspect of The Book Of Gold, as the rest of characters that end being part of Lyta's plan are memorable. Not only we have the hotheaded, but audacious Lyta, but her banter and past with Sylvian makes the enemies to lovers part of the romance really enjoyable, as you can understand why they took those decisions on the past; Kit tries to be a model citizen in contraposition with Lyta's job, but at the end, he's still part of the same family, and Ben, a shy scholar that hides more behind his flesh than would like to reveal.

The historical setting is simply delicious, a Flandes under the control of the Spaniard crown, full immersed in the Renaissance; the attention to detail makes you able to walk on its streets. You can feel how much the author appreciates books, putting them in a reverent spot. The pacing is excellent, making of this a really smooth read, despite I would have preferred to have a bit more of focus on the heist itself instead of the part where the team is gathered.

The Book of Gold is a great historical inspired fantasy novel, a really smooth reading experience, perfect if you are looking for a well researched inspired fantasy with an interesting cast of characters. Can't wait to see how the Feral Gods series continue in the next instalments.

The Book of Gold has a beautiful cover, and the story sounded interesting. A 16th-century-inspired world, book printing, a heist. But I couldn't get into it. All the characters were unlikeable to me. I had big hopes for a second chance romance. I usually adore them, but because of the characters, I quickly lost interest.
The writing was not my favorite either.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed The Book of Gold but the heist part seems a bit lacking. It could've used a bit more attention or details, but since it was only part of the setup for a much larger story, I think it's fine. It had a lot of elements I love reading about so I really enjoyed those parts. the worldbuilding is definitely the best part of the book.

I loved this book. Lyta was a great character she didn't always think before she acted
but I think many of us can relate.
I really liked her relationship with Syl I thought they were good together especially after some of the misunderstandings were cleared up. They had one another's backs.
I also liked Ben and Kit they had a gentle love for each other but both played their part in the bigger scheme.
The descriptions of life in Amberes made you feel you were there the cruelty inflicted at times wasn't nice but was part of the story and was not gratuitous.
Lyta was brave and stood up for herself and sometimes spoke when silence would have helped more but she was a likeable person and positive when all seemed lost.
The author created a colourful and interesting world.
I also liked Eninn I have always loved stories of gods and goddesses.
Looking forward to the next book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.

3,25 stars.

Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.

The premise of this book was great and the pacing was even better. It wasn't a very long book but the author still wanted a lot to happen so naturally things moved quickly - which I love. I love when a story includes many different action scenes and a fast-paced environment. And it worked really well. However, I will say that it resulted in less character/relationship development than I would have liked to see. I needed some more communication and confrontation between Lyta and Sylvian where they get to sort things out a bit more. Spoiler: And I would also have liked to see more between Kit and Ben. I really liked how they found each other and fit together, but it was very much insta love which felt a little rushed with everything at stake.

I did feel like it was a bit confusing in the beginning. All the places, people, gods and religions. It was hard to keep track of everything and it took me quite a while to figure out how heavily historical it actually was. I'm not the biggest fan of mixing real world places and elements with fantasy in this way, so I had a hard time focusing when I was reading in the beginning. But when it started moving faster, it made me continue through my confusion and I got sucked in a bit more.

The writing was fine for the most part but did sometimes feel flat and a bit matter of factly. Not a lot of feeling in it. And also, even though the characters were in their late twenties they felt like teenagers for the most part. It gave som serious YA vibes and they seemed more immature than I would have liked. More reckless and naive.

As I said, I needed more scenes between Lyta and Syl, especially at the end. Spoiler: The last few pages felt sort of odd with her thinking he went back to ignoring her but then maybe him showing that he didn't? Or did he? I get that it was also meant to be an open ending maybe teasing more in a future installment. And I don't hate that. I just didn't like feeling confused at their ending and where they stand with each other moving forward.

But a good fast-paced story with a fun heist and magic (that admittedly also was a bit confusing at times) and great characters with very different moral compasses. Overall an enjoyable ride!

Lyta is a notorious thief. Her brother Kit is a lawful printer. That is till he gets caught printing seditious pamphlets. He wants nothing to do with her but she is going to save him. She make a deal with the King to steal an infamous book of magic in exchange for her brother's freedom. What she wasn't counting on was her ex-lover and partner in crime now royal bodyguard Sylvian, an enigmatic scholar and her brother interfering. And that book puts them in jeopardy...

Heists seem to be a literary trend at the moment and I'm here for it. The book starts in the midst of one and this author knows how to stage a scene with words set in wonderful, descriptive embellishments and showing the cunningness of the protagonist. The author grounds us in this historical with Latin flair fantasy of hers, an alternate Renaissance, by use of evocative & plentiful detailing. If you like lots of info about the literary world you are entering there is an abundance of informative paragraphs. You can get lost in this imaginary place, these pages — this narrative that sings lyrical in such a relatable way.

There are many interesting characters and they are all given depth even with the slightest of enlightening sentences. Was not expecting the multiple POVs but they certainly did enhance the story, the narrative's flow never interrupted as we go from one character to the other. They are flawed character you cannot help but like. The POVs are honest and insightful. Lyta is reckless, presenting a sharp wit and tongue that get her in trouble. Then we have angry with her, loyal, beautiful Sylvian. These two past lovers with betrayal between them have a passionate connection and are constantly butting heads. Kit is noted for his idealism and is supposed to be the voice of reason between them. Idealism & cynicism are warring in these POVs, and at the center is hope.

As emotions fly high we have more often than not developments that are heart-squeezing and we readers get dearly invested. The shocks come early and I did literally gasp time and again. There is a wonderfully adventurous atmosphere to the book, which is suspenseful, thrilling (there were parts where I cheered) and has a great sense of humor with clever dialogue.

I loved how fast-paced it was but there were scenes that I wished were given more time to breathe. I had to go back and read them again to get the whole picture. Also there were some things I'd have liked if they were explained more extensively about some betrayals — one from a character that never really resonated — but mostly having to do with the magic and gods. A few things just did not make sense to me.

A few themes of this story were the force of love and the desire for power. It is about making the world a better place, striving for fairness, equality and freedom. It is about fighting the system.

The Book of Gold invites you to come for the heist but stay for the action-packed twists and turns, the double dealings, the plans upon plans and some really delicious, villainy villains.

I try to read summaries before picking up books. I really do. However, sometimes books simply have such beautiful covers that I can't be bothered to check what it's about. I just wanna read and have them. So, I pre-ordered this book and then I noticed that the publisher made digital review copies available through Netgalley. Of course I submitted a request, once more without reading the summary, and Hodderscape granted me a copy.

Let me start this review by stating that this book is really nicely written. The sentences flew nicely, the thoughts and emotions of the characters felt and seemed realistic, the dialogues felt natural and it was easy to understand these characters and to root for them. I also liked getting three different perspectives, especially because all three characters were different and had different roles in the story that was being told.

I'm not a huge fan of heist stories in general, though. I guess that's partly because characters capable of a successful heist are also characters capable of dealing with emotions I can't really understand. They're not the emotional types, or they're very talented and controlling their emotions and keeping them in check. That's hard for me to relate to and since I read books to feel something it's also not what I mostly prefer.

However, the mythology of this book and the world building was awesome. I have to admit that the finale of the book, with all the reveals and information, felt a little chaotic and all over the place, but we had gotten more than enough information before then so it never really got confusing. I also liked that a part of the storyline is finished and yet another part of the storyline has only just started. The ending is kinda satisfying and yet I'm also very curious about the next book!

The Book of Gold is a historical fantasy about Lyta (a thief), Kit (her rebellious brother) and Sylvian (a royal guard). We follow them and their crew as they attempt to steal a magical book in order to save Kit’s life. With a daring heist at the centre of the story, this is a novel full of action and adventure.

I have always been a fan of fantasy heists, so I was really excited to read The Book of Gold. The betrayals and twists keep you reading as the mysteries unravel. I won’t give too much away, but I will say that it was not a perfect heist. There are certainly plenty of challenges along the way as Lyta attempts the impossible. But that also makes it much more exciting. Most of the problems come because of miscommunication and secrets between the characters so in that sense it is quite realistic. After all, who would trust a thief?

However, I will say that the betrayals and lack of communication began to annoy me halfway through the story. I felt like shouting at the characters for their decisions. So, don’t expect genius plans (like in Six of Crows) or an unproblematic found family when you start reading. That being said, I think that the relationships were well developed, and the romance was compelling. I’m not the biggest fan of lovers to enemies to lovers, but the shared history between Lyta and Sylvian did create a lot of tension which was fun to read.

I would recommend this book to fans of YA-style heist books. If you want something more complicated with lots of world building like Mistborn, maybe look elsewhere. But if you liked books like The Thieves’ Gambit I think you’ll enjoy this.

This book started well, and I love a heist. However it just didn't hit the spot for me and I found some of it difficult to follow. The characters were good, but didn't feel like they ever reached their potential. Overall I think I enjoyed the book, but probably wouldn't go back to it.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This was the solid start to a new series focused on a very magical book, the Book of Gold.

Lyta is a thief who might have met her match. Her ex, Sylvian, is suddenly back in her life and possibly her only ally in a new and impossible mission to save her brother, Kit. The king wants Lyta and his bodyguard (aka Sylvian) to steal the infamous book of gold from his political rival. The catch is that no one steals from the Duchess but Lyta prides herself on being the best thief and she may just have other plans for breaking in. Not only will she have to work with Syl, she also has to work with some aristocrats whose stakes in the game are not quite clear.

Lyta may be a desperate thief but she has always had the luck of her trickster god, Eninn, on her side. The question is will her luck hold out against impossible odds? And what exactly are the gods? Lyta is brash with a big heart she tries to hide. she's no stranger to betrayal but she still wants to protect those she can. it was very easy to get caught up in her and her Kit's troubles. Kit wants nothing to do with his sister's plots, but after he's imprisoned for standing up for his beliefs he has to work with Lyta if he wants any hope of returning to his normal life.

This is a very intriguing story full of a whole pantheon of gods that are being slowly removed from the world. There is a struggle between the church and the crown, not to mention an additional power play of the gods behind the scenes. There is also something extra about the queen that wasn't quite uncovered and I'm very curious to get to the bottom of that whole ordeal.

Overall I think this was super fun read and I'm really eager to see what happens next in this trilogy.

3.5 stars

Conceptually, The Book of Gold sounds quite interesting. I always enjoy books that are centred around heists and for the most part, I quite liked this. Lyta loves to steal, but she also loves her brother Kit and is willing to do anything for him. After Kit gets arrested, Lyta strikes a bargain with the king to steal the legendary book after which this book itself is title. But for that, she needs to work with others - Ben, a mysterious scholar and her former lover now enemy (kinda) turned royal guard Slyvian.

The cast of characters was the perfect mix of personalities. Lyta is headstrong, a tad bit reckless and willing to rush into danger at any moment. Kit is careful and wary and reluctant, slowly gaining feelings for Ben, the scholar, who himself is a mystery. And then there's Sylvian, a brooding soldier who despises Lyta (or not actually). They mesh together surprisingly well and honestly the scenes with all of them together were so much fun to read.

Although I liked the world building, I would say that it got a little bit confusing at times. I also didn't realise that this was semi-historical fiction/fantasy till waaay too late in the book. While the pacing was pretty good at the start and continued to be so during the planning stages of the heist, it just kind of fizzled out when the actual heist happened. But the writing style was really good and descriptive without feeling like it was going to further drag down the pace. It was quite easy to imagine the locations where the characters were going.

All in all, I did enjoy The Book of Gold and I am looking forward to finding out what happens to these characters in the next book!

3.5 stars rounded up

What happens when a thief, a printer, a scholar, and a royal guard come together in a heist fuelled by the gods? Complete and utter chaos.

The Book of Gold brings adventure, deceit and betrayal, bittersweet romance, magic, and more. However, while the story itself is interesting and full of action, there were a lot of things I found not living up to my expectations.

The world building was probably the biggest gap for me, as it felt like information and atmosphere was introduced when needed rather than woven into the tale naturally. This was especially true for everything relating to magic and the gods. Also, there were a handful of plot holes and not fully developed threads that jumped out at me. My other frustration was how quickly events wrap up and then sweep into the next disaster. I felt like I never had time to adjust to the new circumstances or emotional weight of certain scenes...

That being said, I did find The Book of Gold absorbing. I am curious about the bigger picture with the Church, what is happening with the gods, and how magic is being twisted into a tool for control. There were some really intriguing ideas in this book, and I hope the sequel delivers more on these.

The relationships between the characters are all pretty complicated (and often toxic as well). It makes for a lot of drama and when things work out you can't help but feel relieved for them. The ending was like a punch to the face though and I'll probably pick up book two solely to see how in the world the relationship between Lyta and Syl resolves.

This was a fun concept but overall not very enticing with the worldbuilding and characters. While I liked some aspects of them, the whole plot and story felt dull, I wish it could have been more exciting. The action was good, everything just felt boring nothing really gripped my attention even though the story sounded interesting. I don't think much can be done with the type of world the book was set in other than the heist and magic, it didn't feel fleshed out enough. The stakes weren't real or felt childish. This felt like six of crows lite. I'm giving it a 3 stars because of the romances despite them also lacking prolonged intrigue.

2.5 Stars (outliner)

One Liner: Depends on how much you like the main character
Lyta is a notorious thief but she’ll do anything for her little big brother, Kit.
Kit wants nothing to do with his sister and leads a respectable life until he is arrested on sedition charges for printing a pamphlet in his press.
Lyta makes a bargain with the king to save Kit. She will steal The Book (the one with mysterious magical powers) in exchange for Kit’s life.
Sylvain is a reformed pirate and the king’s bodyguard. He wants nothing to do with Lyta after what she did to him. However, he seems to have no choice but to be with her for this heist.
Things will have to get dangerous before they are sorted.
The story comes in the third-person POVs of Lyta, Kit, and Sylvain Chant.

My Thoughts:
Yep, it’s me, once again falling for a pretty cover and an intriguing premise. This is supposed to be adult fantasy romance even if the main characters act like teens.
The book starts with a list of characters and their roles as well as the list of gods and their domains. Given how the characters are introduced in the first 20%, I’m glad to have this list in advance.
The three POVs (thanks for the third-person narration) give us the story and backstories from different perspectives. This helps since I didn’t (almost) always like the FMC and the other two balanced it out well.
Kit was a pretty decent character. Ben and Beatriz are intriguing (I wanted more of her). The king and queen are mysterious and mercurial. Sylvain was okay too. In fact, I empathized more with him as the plot progressed though I cannot figure out why he loves Lyta. Love is brainless, at least in this case!
Now, what do I say about Lyta? In theory, she is a great character. However, in execution, she is 200% cocky and has 10% substance. I don’t understand why we are hyping the fantasy FMCs only to make them act as if all their brain cells have turned charcoal. She is supposed to be a great thief. Guess what? It’s the opposite. None of her plans and attempts go without a hitch. Worse still, she put herself and others in danger. Also, she is too reckless and impulsive to be a pro-thief. Can anyone tell me why it is such a bad thing to do as someone else says when it is a better plan? Quite a few times, I was reminded of Until We Shatter (and not in a good way).
This is a plot-driven book, which means the characters don’t stay true to their arcs. That affected Lyta the worst. Even her love for her brother, Kit, doesn’t always show her in good light.
However, the plot isn’t executed well either. It is all over the place. In fact, I assumed this was a debut author’s work only to realize the author has written more books in the same genre. Moreover, I read two of her books under the pen name Jessica Throne. I’m surprised! While those books weren’t perfect, they were much better written. Three possible reasons for this:
• The author experimented with something here
• The other publisher had a much better editor
• This is a very early draft
It wasn’t until after 60% that the story started to be gripping. There were many gaps even then, but I could feel the tensions and danger rising. By the way, calling it a ‘heist for the ages’ is silly. It is not; nowhere close.
The world-building is patchy too, though I don’t know if it’ll be better in the coming books. While I like the premise of old gods being targeted by the Church, I also feel authors are using this as a go-to trope but not doing justice to it. I cannot feel the indigenous flavor or the emotion, which rather defeats the purpose. After reading the author’s note at the end, I felt she should have stuck to the original bit instead of bringing in old gods.
It seems fantasy authors like to ‘use’ old gods but have no real respect or understanding of them. Most of them look at it from the same western Abrahamic framework which does not help the cause.
There’s an ending but it is a semi-cliffhanger. Plot-wise I’m tempted to know more, but unfortunately, I do not like Lyta. I mostly won’t continue with the series.

To summarize, The Book of Gold has an intriguing premise but ends up underwhelming due to various reasons. It will work better for readers who like YA fantasy (even if this is an adult book).
Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton (Hodderscape), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.