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No Good Deed

No Good Deed by Kara Connelly


*I received a free ARC  from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book releases 18 July 2017 from Delacorte Press.

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle—yes, that Nottingham—she ends up in medieval England.
Ellie doesn’t care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What’s an ace archer to do while she’s stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood?
Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she picks up her bow and arrow, her next shot could save her past—or doom civilization’s future.


Review
Long story short, I just found one of my favorite books of 2017.

This book was simply AMAZING. An absolute joy from start to finish. I read it in less than 24 hours, I was so pulled in to the story. It checked all my boxes:

  • Time travel (YAAASSSSS!)
  • Medieval England
  • Archery
  • Converse sneakers
  • Snarky female main character
  • Lovable band of misfits
  • Good banter

I LOVED Ellie. What an awesome character. She's headstrong and rushes into things without thinking it through, but that's where the fun begins. She cares about people and wants to help, even when those people don't necesarily deserve it. I also loved that she was going for an Olympic gold in archery. She didn't just *happen* to be good, she worked hard for years to know how to shoot a bow that well! I loved seeing how Ellie becomes the legend against a more realistic historical setting.

The whole cast of characters is fun, lovable, and expressive in their personalities. From all the merry men -- Will Scarlet, Little John, and Much -- to Isabel, moody Guilber, and Sir James!!! Ohhhh James. What a hunk. Loved the very subtle chemistry between him and Ellie. The characters really bring the story to life.

The author subtly weaves in historical details that really flesh out the world, with the castles and villages and priories. The writing and prose drew me in and were filled with absolute gems, especially since we're hearing the story with Ellie's voice and through her observations. The plot is fast and filled with action and hilarity that had me laughing out loud. I liked that the author doesn't go into the specifics of how the time travel works. It just does and we get right to the story! I would have liked maybe a little more romance, but I also like that it didn't need a romance to work.

Overall, a rollicking fun adventure back to medieval England and a creative new twist on the legend of Robin Hood! Highly highly highly recommend!


Rating
I give this book 5 stars.


Details
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, SFF.
Language: Minor.
Sex: None.
Violence: Mild.

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