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No Good Deed
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.
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.
344 pages, Hardcover
First published July 18, 2017
25 people are currently reading
1785 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
July 18, 2017
I have always loved a good retelling. There is just something slightly magical about someone else putting a spin on an old childhood favorite and Robin Hood has always been one of my favorites. I think there is something so fun about the underdog succeeding and of course the good always triumphing over evil.
When I saw the synopsis for No Good Deed and saw that not only was it a retelling of a classic story we all know and love but with a slight twist to it, I was all over it. What better time to go stomping through Sherwood Forest than in the summer time right?
I loved the twist the author did with this not only because I have family members who are huge in archery but because, hello a girl narrator! It was just so much fun and I couldn't help but love all the characters.
A flamboyant Will, a softy John, and a fun eager sidekick Much not to mention a knight in shining armor and even one of the bad guys that you couldn't help but love and other bad guys you wanted to reach through the pages and give a good spanking too.
Seriously, so much fun! I loved every minute of this and the whole time travel aspect was super easy to understand and didn't get into the way of the rest of the story, instead it was just a fun side element to the story that felt completely a natural part of it.
Truly a fun read for any fans of the story or anyone just looking for something fun for summer that you will thoroughly enjoy and be entertained by. I just couldn't put this one down.
When I saw the synopsis for No Good Deed and saw that not only was it a retelling of a classic story we all know and love but with a slight twist to it, I was all over it. What better time to go stomping through Sherwood Forest than in the summer time right?
I loved the twist the author did with this not only because I have family members who are huge in archery but because, hello a girl narrator! It was just so much fun and I couldn't help but love all the characters.
A flamboyant Will, a softy John, and a fun eager sidekick Much not to mention a knight in shining armor and even one of the bad guys that you couldn't help but love and other bad guys you wanted to reach through the pages and give a good spanking too.
Seriously, so much fun! I loved every minute of this and the whole time travel aspect was super easy to understand and didn't get into the way of the rest of the story, instead it was just a fun side element to the story that felt completely a natural part of it.
Truly a fun read for any fans of the story or anyone just looking for something fun for summer that you will thoroughly enjoy and be entertained by. I just couldn't put this one down.
June 23, 2017
I hadn't heard of this book until I got the email from the publisher asking if I wanted to read it. I liked the cover and a lady Robin Hood? Yes please.
I liked Ellie. She's smart and strong and one hell of an archer. The rest of the group is introduced individually and it really works. I enjoyed the 12th century take on these well known characters that were separate from Robin Hood.
Plot wise, it moved at a decent pace. It was pretty clever having Ellie doing trials for the Olympics and for some reason, I liked that the time travel part wasn't explained at all. The world building was lacking, but I was all in for the constant bickering and shenanigans.
Overall, it did keep me interested and I liked the characters. I would have loved more at the ending, but it was pretty satisfying at the same time.
**Huge thanks to Delacorte Press for the invitation to read**
I liked Ellie. She's smart and strong and one hell of an archer. The rest of the group is introduced individually and it really works. I enjoyed the 12th century take on these well known characters that were separate from Robin Hood.
Plot wise, it moved at a decent pace. It was pretty clever having Ellie doing trials for the Olympics and for some reason, I liked that the time travel part wasn't explained at all. The world building was lacking, but I was all in for the constant bickering and shenanigans.
Overall, it did keep me interested and I liked the characters. I would have loved more at the ending, but it was pretty satisfying at the same time.
**Huge thanks to Delacorte Press for the invitation to read**
July 15, 2017
I want to thank to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review
I really enjoyed reading this guys, I live for the time travel themes, that was in fact what make me to want to read this book and was handled in a super fun and interesting way, plus I'm so happy about the Doctor Who references , because I'm crazy Whovian so I hope you understand me
4/5 Stars
You can find this one and more of my review on my blog A Book. A Thought.
I like Robin Hood and everything that has to do with, ie, I know the story well, I'm not a fan but anyway I really liked the idea of seeing Ellie, this main character who is characterized by being a strong and Intelligent girl and also she's in n archery team !, how incredible is that ?, I can actually see in her a kind of hero, is a very well created character I liked to see her growth and to be present in her decisions, her intolerance to Injustice it was even adorable, she's temperamental but in a good way, a great character.
I've found an extremely original book and I recommend it a lot especially if you're tired of the typical plot in YA, this book breaks the schemes a little and makes of something that we always read, something unique and fun, in addition the end I think it's very good
I've Loved loved the setting of a Medieval England described in the book, was so amazing to be in the middle of all that action and adventure in the middle of that era, the descriptions were really good, it becameabsolutely my favorite thing of the whole book , Wish to be there
I was expecting a little more about the subject of time travel, ie, it was well managed and original, as I've already said, but maybe some kind of explanation of why everything happened in the first place, would have been great, yet it isn't something that should be there, but I would have liked to know more about it anyway
I wasn't at all interested in the romantic aspect of the book, but this is the first time that I feel that really doesn't matter. I feel the book has so much to give, it was so funny and original that it really doesn't need the romantic touch at all, and although it's present, it hasn't been relevant to me.
It holds up well with its action plot and its hilarious characters, are perfect. The personalities of each are very well defined and give a very special touch to the era. I was really sad when I finished it and I would surely read it again because I've had a fantastic time with it and it has been a very refreshing reading
I hope you give it a chance is a very fun book, its release date is just in a few days, you'll laugh and get excited, I highly recommend it
I really enjoyed reading this guys, I live for the time travel themes, that was in fact what make me to want to read this book and was handled in a super fun and interesting way, plus I'm so happy about the Doctor Who references , because I'm crazy Whovian so I hope you understand me
4/5 Stars
You can find this one and more of my review on my blog A Book. A Thought.
I like Robin Hood and everything that has to do with, ie, I know the story well, I'm not a fan but anyway I really liked the idea of seeing Ellie, this main character who is characterized by being a strong and Intelligent girl and also she's in n archery team !, how incredible is that ?, I can actually see in her a kind of hero, is a very well created character I liked to see her growth and to be present in her decisions, her intolerance to Injustice it was even adorable, she's temperamental but in a good way, a great character.
I've found an extremely original book and I recommend it a lot especially if you're tired of the typical plot in YA, this book breaks the schemes a little and makes of something that we always read, something unique and fun, in addition the end I think it's very good
I've Loved loved the setting of a Medieval England described in the book, was so amazing to be in the middle of all that action and adventure in the middle of that era, the descriptions were really good, it becameabsolutely my favorite thing of the whole book , Wish to be there
I was expecting a little more about the subject of time travel, ie, it was well managed and original, as I've already said, but maybe some kind of explanation of why everything happened in the first place, would have been great, yet it isn't something that should be there, but I would have liked to know more about it anyway
I wasn't at all interested in the romantic aspect of the book, but this is the first time that I feel that really doesn't matter. I feel the book has so much to give, it was so funny and original that it really doesn't need the romantic touch at all, and although it's present, it hasn't been relevant to me.
It holds up well with its action plot and its hilarious characters, are perfect. The personalities of each are very well defined and give a very special touch to the era. I was really sad when I finished it and I would surely read it again because I've had a fantastic time with it and it has been a very refreshing reading
I hope you give it a chance is a very fun book, its release date is just in a few days, you'll laugh and get excited, I highly recommend it
July 19, 2017
"I was on the cusp of believing something unbelievable. All this time, the infinitesimal details had been filling up my subconscious like an underground spring until denial seemed more foolish than acceptance.
This was fun :). I loved Ellie right from the beginning and that she wasn't a damsel-in-distress who constantly needed to be rescued until she learned to take care of herself (Also that she she wasn't annoyingly perfect at everything). It was a clever touch having her in the area trying out for the Olympic trials, kind of poetic hehe. Of course, the twist is obvious to us with who Ellie is back there but doesn't make it any less fun.
Sheriff can take a long walk off a short pier still though... I was only disappointed something very heavy didn't fall on his head.
Guilbert and James were interesting fellows.
Much and Will were awesome, as was John (who didn't get as much screen time)
Loved how some things with Robin Hood matched up with what Ellie did in the past.. some were more hilarious than others while some had me smile and snorting. It is easy to see how the legend could be contradictory if this is what would have happened.
Was Robin a real person or a combination of persons? Real at all? *shrugs* Either way the legend is timeless and interesting and strikes a chord in people.
We all love a good story don't we?
I did like the fact that, in this case, the time travel aspect wasn't properly explained. More mysterious that way, and the story wasn't bogged down with an explanation that may or may not have suited the story.
The only downsides for me : The World-Building could have been better... we get a nice little slice of history and the time period but I never felt FULLY immersed into it.
The ending was nice and in two cases got me smiling (and amazed in one circumstance that it all worked out) but I wanted... more I guess.
All in all, I would recommend. It's a fun read and the pacing keeps you interested in what's going on and what will happen next. I wouldn't have minded this being a series or a longer book :).
3.5 stars overall.
I know a friend who would love this book, so guess what she'll be getting as a gift :).
This was fun :). I loved Ellie right from the beginning and that she wasn't a damsel-in-distress who constantly needed to be rescued until she learned to take care of herself (Also that she she wasn't annoyingly perfect at everything). It was a clever touch having her in the area trying out for the Olympic trials, kind of poetic hehe. Of course, the twist is obvious to us with who Ellie is back there but doesn't make it any less fun.
Sheriff can take a long walk off a short pier still though... I was only disappointed something very heavy didn't fall on his head.
Guilbert and James were interesting fellows.
Much and Will were awesome, as was John (who didn't get as much screen time)
Loved how some things with Robin Hood matched up with what Ellie did in the past.. some were more hilarious than others while some had me smile and snorting. It is easy to see how the legend could be contradictory if this is what would have happened.
Was Robin a real person or a combination of persons? Real at all? *shrugs* Either way the legend is timeless and interesting and strikes a chord in people.
We all love a good story don't we?
I did like the fact that, in this case, the time travel aspect wasn't properly explained. More mysterious that way, and the story wasn't bogged down with an explanation that may or may not have suited the story.
The only downsides for me : The World-Building could have been better... we get a nice little slice of history and the time period but I never felt FULLY immersed into it.
The ending was nice and in two cases got me smiling (and amazed in one circumstance that it all worked out) but I wanted... more I guess.
All in all, I would recommend. It's a fun read and the pacing keeps you interested in what's going on and what will happen next. I wouldn't have minded this being a series or a longer book :).
3.5 stars overall.
I know a friend who would love this book, so guess what she'll be getting as a gift :).
May 27, 2017
Wow!
What a cool story. It starts off fast and never drags, and the originality of the story! I can honestly say I have never read a book like this. Though I wish the world building had more definition, it didn't lack enough to make you feel a loss or confused.
The characters were crafted and artistically designed so well, though again a little more back story and detail would have been nice. But for a stand alone story it was wonderful and I don't regret reading this story at all, in fact, I am very grateful for the chance!
I very much recommend if you are looking for an easy to follow Robin Hood readeptation. Something with a strong female lead and small tasteful love story. I also recommend this if you are looking for something to make you laugh out loud.
Give it a try you won't regret it.
What a cool story. It starts off fast and never drags, and the originality of the story! I can honestly say I have never read a book like this. Though I wish the world building had more definition, it didn't lack enough to make you feel a loss or confused.
The characters were crafted and artistically designed so well, though again a little more back story and detail would have been nice. But for a stand alone story it was wonderful and I don't regret reading this story at all, in fact, I am very grateful for the chance!
I very much recommend if you are looking for an easy to follow Robin Hood readeptation. Something with a strong female lead and small tasteful love story. I also recommend this if you are looking for something to make you laugh out loud.
Give it a try you won't regret it.
July 11, 2017
This review and more can be found on Living for the Books
This book immediately caught my eye because there aren't that many Robin Hood retellings and I remember a couple years ago I was really interested in reading a retelling of that story and I never got around to it. I'm so glad I got the chance to read this.
This story different from a lot of retellings because it involves time travel, most don't have the main character aware that they're participating in the retelling of a classic story. I actually really enjoyed the awareness Ellie has about her role as Robin Hood because it provided a bit of comic relief. I definitely enjoyed Ellie as a character because even though she was in the middle ages, she didn't let her gender allow people to boss her around or tell her that she can't do something be it's not ladylike.
I also enjoyed the side characters, especially Will and James, even Guilbert. I thought all of them were interesting and I enjoyed that Will and Guilbert were flawed. I don't remember James having any obvious flaws and usually that bothers me because then the character is too perfect, but I still really enjoyed his character because he was just a really good guy. I'm not really familiar with the details of the Robin Hood story, but I don't remember ever hearing about a character named James. If he is a new character, then the author did a really good job of incorporating him into the story so that it seems natural for him to be there. If he's not a new character, then I should really go back and reread the story of Robin Hood.
I actually really enjoyed the fact that there wasn't really any romance throughout the book. There was a little bit of romantic tension during certain parts, but it definitely didn't go further than Ellie noticing that James is attractive and her occasionally thinking about that. It's probably a good thing that nothing happened there because that would probably do something bad for the future. As is, Ellie probably messes a little too much with the past
There were a few parts of the book that I didn't enjoy that much, one of them being the dialogue. I'm not historian, but the characters seemed to talk a lot like Ellie or at least they used very similar language, when they weren't speaking in french. It probably made it easier to understand, but at the same time it sometimes took me out of the world. I also would have liked more descriptions of the world and the characters. The story was good enough to make up for a lack of some descriptions, but I definitely wanted a more clear picture of the time period and the people that Ellie encountered.
The ending of the story tied everything up really well. I thought it was really sweet, but also bittersweet. It was a nice fast paced and fun read. I'll definitely be looking forward to more books from this author.
*I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This book immediately caught my eye because there aren't that many Robin Hood retellings and I remember a couple years ago I was really interested in reading a retelling of that story and I never got around to it. I'm so glad I got the chance to read this.
This story different from a lot of retellings because it involves time travel, most don't have the main character aware that they're participating in the retelling of a classic story. I actually really enjoyed the awareness Ellie has about her role as Robin Hood because it provided a bit of comic relief. I definitely enjoyed Ellie as a character because even though she was in the middle ages, she didn't let her gender allow people to boss her around or tell her that she can't do something be it's not ladylike.
I also enjoyed the side characters, especially Will and James, even Guilbert. I thought all of them were interesting and I enjoyed that Will and Guilbert were flawed. I don't remember James having any obvious flaws and usually that bothers me because then the character is too perfect, but I still really enjoyed his character because he was just a really good guy. I'm not really familiar with the details of the Robin Hood story, but I don't remember ever hearing about a character named James. If he is a new character, then the author did a really good job of incorporating him into the story so that it seems natural for him to be there. If he's not a new character, then I should really go back and reread the story of Robin Hood.
I actually really enjoyed the fact that there wasn't really any romance throughout the book. There was a little bit of romantic tension during certain parts, but it definitely didn't go further than Ellie noticing that James is attractive and her occasionally thinking about that. It's probably a good thing that nothing happened there because that would probably do something bad for the future. As is, Ellie probably messes a little too much with the past
There were a few parts of the book that I didn't enjoy that much, one of them being the dialogue. I'm not historian, but the characters seemed to talk a lot like Ellie or at least they used very similar language, when they weren't speaking in french. It probably made it easier to understand, but at the same time it sometimes took me out of the world. I also would have liked more descriptions of the world and the characters. The story was good enough to make up for a lack of some descriptions, but I definitely wanted a more clear picture of the time period and the people that Ellie encountered.
The ending of the story tied everything up really well. I thought it was really sweet, but also bittersweet. It was a nice fast paced and fun read. I'll definitely be looking forward to more books from this author.
*I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
August 18, 2017
Re-tellings. The latest fad.
While they can be successfully pulled off, so long as the world is drastically different (ie: Lunar Chronicles), it's awfully hard to do well. This re-telling of Robin Hood has some great little anecdotes and moments; but for the most part it feels like recycled scenes, characters and concepts. Right down to the time travelling aspect.
While there is action, intrigue, teeny bit of romance and all the things that generally make up a good story; I just couldn't help but feel like I'd read this book before or at the very least seen the movie.
Now I know the scene of Robin Hood having a battle with staffs over the river is a classic moment in lots of Robin Hood lore and/or stories. However, the reality is that all I could imagine during this scenes description was the scene from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Now maybe it's not fair as I've seen that movie almost 100 times in my life (it was my Mom's favourite movie when I was a kid; and while we couldn't watch Simpsons or other shows on TV apparently violent movies were okay...). I suppose I'm bound to imagine similar moments in any Robin Hood story to scenes from the movie... even still it would have been nice for something interesting and different to have been thrown in the mix.
As with any retellings Kara Connolly choses to focus on a couple of things and drop out other things. There is no Maid Marion (but is a Templar knight that our main gal is blown away by every time he dons his armour) or damsels in distress (unless our lead gal counts). Given that our gal is Robin Hood I suppose it was too much to hope for a lesbian romance. But we do get Little John, Will Scarlett, Alan Dale and (sort of) Friar Tuck. The characters themselves are not well fleshed out, but most of us don't need them to be as we know the players. The most disappointing character of all for me was the Sheriff of Nottingham. I adore this character usually but here it felt like he was far less important that others in Nottingham. It's almost like Connolly's story was too vanilla for the sheriff's black and morbid personality.
The basic plot
Like any good time travel story, girl is plunged into medieval times (luckily she's an amazing archer), screws a bunch of stuff up, concerns herself with trying to survive and get home; whilst not changing history... there's really not a lot else to say here except that I am really tired of reading time travel books where the character has to "fulfill" some task or event in order for the door to open back home. Let's not kid ourselves, this is a cheap, easy way for the author to write their way into a perfect ending at the perfect moment. I'd rather it be elaborate, magical or scientific. Pretty much anything but convenient would have been better.
So are you wondering why I gave this three stars yet, given that I seem to have rolled my eyes at a lot of it and didn't really enjoy it? (lol)
The ending. In any 'fairy tale' I'm a sucker for a good ending (not necessarily happy I'd like to point out). No Good Deed ends in a way I was not really expecting. Connolly takes what could have been a super mushy, annoying and overly romantic ending and makes it just... well perfect. It's plausible, cute and lovely all at once.
So, is the ending worth the read?
Not really. If you love Robin Hood then maybe. Perhaps a tween or pre-teen would love this but it's not even really a teen book (even though it's classified as young adult). In my opinion, you could read this to an 8 year old and honestly it would be less violent and offensive than most saturday morning cartoons.
Overall you're not missing anything if you skip this one. I'm sure there will be dozens more re-tellings just like it tomorrow.
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
While they can be successfully pulled off, so long as the world is drastically different (ie: Lunar Chronicles), it's awfully hard to do well. This re-telling of Robin Hood has some great little anecdotes and moments; but for the most part it feels like recycled scenes, characters and concepts. Right down to the time travelling aspect.
While there is action, intrigue, teeny bit of romance and all the things that generally make up a good story; I just couldn't help but feel like I'd read this book before or at the very least seen the movie.
Now I know the scene of Robin Hood having a battle with staffs over the river is a classic moment in lots of Robin Hood lore and/or stories. However, the reality is that all I could imagine during this scenes description was the scene from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Now maybe it's not fair as I've seen that movie almost 100 times in my life (it was my Mom's favourite movie when I was a kid; and while we couldn't watch Simpsons or other shows on TV apparently violent movies were okay...). I suppose I'm bound to imagine similar moments in any Robin Hood story to scenes from the movie... even still it would have been nice for something interesting and different to have been thrown in the mix.
As with any retellings Kara Connolly choses to focus on a couple of things and drop out other things. There is no Maid Marion (but is a Templar knight that our main gal is blown away by every time he dons his armour) or damsels in distress (unless our lead gal counts). Given that our gal is Robin Hood I suppose it was too much to hope for a lesbian romance. But we do get Little John, Will Scarlett, Alan Dale and (sort of) Friar Tuck. The characters themselves are not well fleshed out, but most of us don't need them to be as we know the players. The most disappointing character of all for me was the Sheriff of Nottingham. I adore this character usually but here it felt like he was far less important that others in Nottingham. It's almost like Connolly's story was too vanilla for the sheriff's black and morbid personality.
The basic plot
Like any good time travel story, girl is plunged into medieval times (luckily she's an amazing archer), screws a bunch of stuff up, concerns herself with trying to survive and get home; whilst not changing history... there's really not a lot else to say here except that I am really tired of reading time travel books where the character has to "fulfill" some task or event in order for the door to open back home. Let's not kid ourselves, this is a cheap, easy way for the author to write their way into a perfect ending at the perfect moment. I'd rather it be elaborate, magical or scientific. Pretty much anything but convenient would have been better.
So are you wondering why I gave this three stars yet, given that I seem to have rolled my eyes at a lot of it and didn't really enjoy it? (lol)
The ending. In any 'fairy tale' I'm a sucker for a good ending (not necessarily happy I'd like to point out). No Good Deed ends in a way I was not really expecting. Connolly takes what could have been a super mushy, annoying and overly romantic ending and makes it just... well perfect. It's plausible, cute and lovely all at once.
So, is the ending worth the read?
Not really. If you love Robin Hood then maybe. Perhaps a tween or pre-teen would love this but it's not even really a teen book (even though it's classified as young adult). In my opinion, you could read this to an 8 year old and honestly it would be less violent and offensive than most saturday morning cartoons.
Overall you're not missing anything if you skip this one. I'm sure there will be dozens more re-tellings just like it tomorrow.
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
July 16, 2017
No Good Deed was a unique and entertaining book! I liked how the author took a typical retelling plot and added her own twists to make this a refreshing story. I think fans of Robin Hood and of time travel will get a kick out of this book.
This retelling of Robin Hood had a time travel aspect that was both interesting and addictive. I loved the idea of having the main character travel back to the time of Robin Hood. The time travel aspect was a twist that made this retelling really stand out! There wasn't much explanation on how the time travel worked, but that actually didn't bother me! It was fun just to sit back and enjoy the ride. I would have liked a little more world building, but with this being a stand-alone novel, I understood that there wasn't a TON of time to go into intense world building.
Another unique thing I liked about this retelling was the main character, Ellie, was aware of the retelling. It was really fun to see Ellie realize she was becoming Robin and how she handled that. If this book stayed true to the fable of Robin Hood, I cannot say, but I thought it was entertaining! There were times when this book felt a bit slow, but I thought it was pretty well paced as a whole.
Ellie was a great main character for this story. I thought she was smart, strong, resourceful, and funny. She was a woman who didn't let people push her around. I loved that she stood up for herself and proved that she was just as strong and valuable as any man! #FemalePower. I also really liked the group of side characters and the bonds Ellie formed with them. They all had hilarious banter and got involved in fun shenanigans that kept me entertained. Some of the decisions characters made annoyed me, but I liked them anyway.
Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable novel. I look forward to reading more books by this author!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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This retelling of Robin Hood had a time travel aspect that was both interesting and addictive. I loved the idea of having the main character travel back to the time of Robin Hood. The time travel aspect was a twist that made this retelling really stand out! There wasn't much explanation on how the time travel worked, but that actually didn't bother me! It was fun just to sit back and enjoy the ride. I would have liked a little more world building, but with this being a stand-alone novel, I understood that there wasn't a TON of time to go into intense world building.
Another unique thing I liked about this retelling was the main character, Ellie, was aware of the retelling. It was really fun to see Ellie realize she was becoming Robin and how she handled that. If this book stayed true to the fable of Robin Hood, I cannot say, but I thought it was entertaining! There were times when this book felt a bit slow, but I thought it was pretty well paced as a whole.
Ellie was a great main character for this story. I thought she was smart, strong, resourceful, and funny. She was a woman who didn't let people push her around. I loved that she stood up for herself and proved that she was just as strong and valuable as any man! #FemalePower. I also really liked the group of side characters and the bonds Ellie formed with them. They all had hilarious banter and got involved in fun shenanigans that kept me entertained. Some of the decisions characters made annoyed me, but I liked them anyway.
Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable novel. I look forward to reading more books by this author!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
August 2, 2020
I feel like Robin Hood is one of those legends that get easily dismissed in retellings, even though it’s such a fascinating legend. Take an intelligent woman saving the poor and being respected by her Merry Men, and I was instantly hooked.
As a professional archer, Ellie Hudson is so close to gaining gold. Her only remaining roadblock is a contest in the notorious city of Nottingham, in England. But one wrong step leaves her heading back in time to end up in the Middle Ages. The plague is still rotting, and even though Ellie is eager to get home, the poverty of the people strikes her as well. Using her skills, she could become a savior for the poor, but lose her real life as well. After all, rewriting history never happens for free.
In all honesty, this book never would have intrigued me if it didn’t pop up during a BookOutlet sale. I didn’t even expect much from it plot-wise, but its themes pleasantly surprised me. Not only did it mention the Peace Force, it enlightened readers about medicinal art, archery, the Crusade, and obviously, morality. I even liked the broadened aspect of time travel, accompanied by Doctor Who references and other sci-fi stereotypes. I liked to see the little puzzle pieces fall into place as to how Elle initiates the legend of Robin Hood. How Connolly handled the original characters was really well done, and I was immediately in love with Will ‘Scarlet’ Fitzhugh. The humor definitely added a noteworthy tone, and became one of the most memorable parts for me. A negative element was that the story builds up rather slow. While that was necessary, I longed for some more action to keep up the pacing. The mystery at the end was rather well done, but still didn’t feel conclusive enough. For a book set in the medieval era, I would have appreciated the dialogue to be more authentic to its time likewise. Yet, all together, the writing style seemed moderately fluent and distinguished, and descriptions were delightfully spun.
Ellie lives on control, a lifestyle forced on her by her expectant father. With a short fuse, she aims to be calculating, but she also wants to let loose as well. Due to her focus, she possesses an ingenious mind, yet she also hides her emotions very well. She desires to inspire others, but her passion also has the tendency to explode. She has to learn to think things through, and to understand that not everything can be black and white. I really liked her as a narrator, as she came off as human and vulnerable, but still determined. Sir James is a stern young man, and a trickster of words. He is not afraid of a challenge, but he also believes in justice and civility. Humble as he is, he also tends to be observing and curious about everything. He stays rather away from risks, even though he also feels the necessity to defend the innocent at all costs. Even though he wants to know everything, he’s rather secretive about himself and avoids most questions. It is Ellie who notices he thinks he doesn’t deserve happiness, but other than that, surprisingly, he didn’t have any flaws.
Overall, it was a pretty enjoyable, and moderately exciting tale that was mostly a success because of its distinguished characters and the occasional comedy. I still think fondly of Will, John, and even Guilbert. You couldn’t help but root for every single one of them, even Rob, who only appeared in Ellie’s thoughts. As usual for a gender-bender retelling, it has quite some feministic value, as Ellie feels a deep compassion for the helpless women around her. Miraculously, it didn’t even focus on any romantic tension, which was excellent, because romance was not at all relevant to the story. No Good Deed also sticked to many historical facts, making it highly educational. The ending could have been a bit more explanatory though, since the ‘why’ of it all seemed random for the most part. This, and other reasons, resulted in a mere 4 stars. Nonetheless, if you like easy historical fantasies that make you long to be heroic knight who defeats nasty sheriffs and saves some goats, this book is destined for you.
As a professional archer, Ellie Hudson is so close to gaining gold. Her only remaining roadblock is a contest in the notorious city of Nottingham, in England. But one wrong step leaves her heading back in time to end up in the Middle Ages. The plague is still rotting, and even though Ellie is eager to get home, the poverty of the people strikes her as well. Using her skills, she could become a savior for the poor, but lose her real life as well. After all, rewriting history never happens for free.
In all honesty, this book never would have intrigued me if it didn’t pop up during a BookOutlet sale. I didn’t even expect much from it plot-wise, but its themes pleasantly surprised me. Not only did it mention the Peace Force, it enlightened readers about medicinal art, archery, the Crusade, and obviously, morality. I even liked the broadened aspect of time travel, accompanied by Doctor Who references and other sci-fi stereotypes. I liked to see the little puzzle pieces fall into place as to how Elle initiates the legend of Robin Hood. How Connolly handled the original characters was really well done, and I was immediately in love with Will ‘Scarlet’ Fitzhugh. The humor definitely added a noteworthy tone, and became one of the most memorable parts for me. A negative element was that the story builds up rather slow. While that was necessary, I longed for some more action to keep up the pacing. The mystery at the end was rather well done, but still didn’t feel conclusive enough. For a book set in the medieval era, I would have appreciated the dialogue to be more authentic to its time likewise. Yet, all together, the writing style seemed moderately fluent and distinguished, and descriptions were delightfully spun.
Ellie lives on control, a lifestyle forced on her by her expectant father. With a short fuse, she aims to be calculating, but she also wants to let loose as well. Due to her focus, she possesses an ingenious mind, yet she also hides her emotions very well. She desires to inspire others, but her passion also has the tendency to explode. She has to learn to think things through, and to understand that not everything can be black and white. I really liked her as a narrator, as she came off as human and vulnerable, but still determined. Sir James is a stern young man, and a trickster of words. He is not afraid of a challenge, but he also believes in justice and civility. Humble as he is, he also tends to be observing and curious about everything. He stays rather away from risks, even though he also feels the necessity to defend the innocent at all costs. Even though he wants to know everything, he’s rather secretive about himself and avoids most questions. It is Ellie who notices he thinks he doesn’t deserve happiness, but other than that, surprisingly, he didn’t have any flaws.
Overall, it was a pretty enjoyable, and moderately exciting tale that was mostly a success because of its distinguished characters and the occasional comedy. I still think fondly of Will, John, and even Guilbert. You couldn’t help but root for every single one of them, even Rob, who only appeared in Ellie’s thoughts. As usual for a gender-bender retelling, it has quite some feministic value, as Ellie feels a deep compassion for the helpless women around her. Miraculously, it didn’t even focus on any romantic tension, which was excellent, because romance was not at all relevant to the story. No Good Deed also sticked to many historical facts, making it highly educational. The ending could have been a bit more explanatory though, since the ‘why’ of it all seemed random for the most part. This, and other reasons, resulted in a mere 4 stars. Nonetheless, if you like easy historical fantasies that make you long to be heroic knight who defeats nasty sheriffs and saves some goats, this book is destined for you.
October 1, 2017
Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor is the extent of my Robin Hood knowledge. If you're like me and not familiar with the original folklore, it's hard to see the significance of certain characters, such as Will Scarlet and Little John as they're introduced. Keep in mind, though, this is coming from someone who hasn't even watched the Disney version. Even Eleanor, our gender flipped Robin Hood, is accustomed to these legendary characters as she encounters them in Sherwood Forest.
Following Eleanor and her Merry Men, however, was the charm of this book. Before her adventures as an outlaw, Eleanor is training in Nottingham for the Olympics as an archer. As a mysterious man seems to appear from thin air, curiosity convinces her to follow him and she magically appears in the midst of medieval England. Before she can even assess what time period she is in, she's labelled as trespasser, nearly killed, and thankfully thrust into an adventure with Sir James and his lively companion, Much.
The synopsis seems to hint at a potential relationship with a "devilishly handsome knight", so I was surprised how negligible it was. There's a part of me that wishes it developed into something, but this really is a story that focused on friendship and I appreciate that. The danger that Eleanor creates for herself and her unlikely team of outlaws was a lot of fun. Somehow because of her bob style haircut, she's viewed as a boy by many people of this time period and I'm choosing to ignore how ridiculous that is.
As the majority of the book is set in the Middle Ages, there's only a brief glimpse of present day Eleanor, her Olympic training, and the demanding family that comes along with it. It tries to incorporate a brother, who happens to be missing after a Peace Corps missions, but he easily could have been left out. The sporadic comparison of her brother and his braveness with her own seemed unnecessary.
As for the time travel aspect, this is the type of story that doesn't give an explanation. It is what it is. Since it avoids the question of how, I tend to like this use of time travel and its simplicity. This ending, however, was confusing. It attempts to wrap present day Eleanor and Medieval Eleanor into a happily ever after, yet it felt very forced and convenient. At its heart this was a fun retelling, but I'm left with wanting more.
Following Eleanor and her Merry Men, however, was the charm of this book. Before her adventures as an outlaw, Eleanor is training in Nottingham for the Olympics as an archer. As a mysterious man seems to appear from thin air, curiosity convinces her to follow him and she magically appears in the midst of medieval England. Before she can even assess what time period she is in, she's labelled as trespasser, nearly killed, and thankfully thrust into an adventure with Sir James and his lively companion, Much.
The synopsis seems to hint at a potential relationship with a "devilishly handsome knight", so I was surprised how negligible it was. There's a part of me that wishes it developed into something, but this really is a story that focused on friendship and I appreciate that. The danger that Eleanor creates for herself and her unlikely team of outlaws was a lot of fun. Somehow because of her bob style haircut, she's viewed as a boy by many people of this time period and I'm choosing to ignore how ridiculous that is.
As the majority of the book is set in the Middle Ages, there's only a brief glimpse of present day Eleanor, her Olympic training, and the demanding family that comes along with it. It tries to incorporate a brother, who happens to be missing after a Peace Corps missions, but he easily could have been left out. The sporadic comparison of her brother and his braveness with her own seemed unnecessary.
As for the time travel aspect, this is the type of story that doesn't give an explanation. It is what it is. Since it avoids the question of how, I tend to like this use of time travel and its simplicity. This ending, however, was confusing. It attempts to wrap present day Eleanor and Medieval Eleanor into a happily ever after, yet it felt very forced and convenient. At its heart this was a fun retelling, but I'm left with wanting more.
October 9, 2017
“No Good Deed” is a fairy-tale/legend retelling that served as a good palate cleanser for me in the middle of quite a few heavier reads. The plot is fast-paced and the characters are just the right amount of snarky and developed for a light read. The content is mild, and the writing easy enough to read, that even the youngest of the ya group should find it enjoyable. Recommended!
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
July 19, 2017
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
So mateys, why should ye check out this book? Because it is a fun romp of a tale about time travel and a female Robin Hood! Sign me up. As usual the cover first drew me interest. Kick-ass girl with bow? Sign me up. I also like the target vibe going on. And I am so glad I read it. It is light and silly and fun watching Ellie set the Robin Hood myth into action. I thought she was a great character - spunky and intelligent.
The secondary characters of Sir Henry and Sir James were fun to read about also. I enjoyed their animosity towards each other. Another great character was the young boy, Much, who helpfully is related to practically everyone in Nottingham and surrounding environs. He is also sweet and endearing. Eleanor of Aquitane also makes an appearance too.
I had a few problems with the book that stemmed from the anachronistic elements of the story that the other characters seemed to just accept. Ellie being a girl for one. I suspended disbelief for this one. Other things like sneakers and passports I had slightly more problems with. But overall, once I stopped being so critical, I found even this silliness to be enjoyable.
Oh and also I learned an awesome fact from reading this book - where the word sheriff comes from - "shire-reeve" Further research led me to this fact: "The Anglo-Saxon word for chief was gerefa, later shortened to reeve. During the next two centuries, groups of hundreds banded together to form a new, higher unit of government called the shire. The shire was the forerunner of the modern county. Each shire had a chief (reeve) as well, and the more powerful official became known as a shire-reeve. The word shire-reeve became the modern English word sheriff - the chief of the county. The sheriff maintained law and order within his own county with the assistance of the citizens."
I have to admit that I kept picturing the sheriff in this novel to be Alan Rickman's version in Robin Hood: Price of Thieves. Because Alan Rickman makes everything better. Anyways if ye want a quick paced retelling then give this one a try . . .
Side note: The author has a fun post on her website showing showing photos and telling stories from her trip to THE Nottingham. Ye should check it out.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House / Delacorte Books!
Check out me other reviews at thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com
So mateys, why should ye check out this book? Because it is a fun romp of a tale about time travel and a female Robin Hood! Sign me up. As usual the cover first drew me interest. Kick-ass girl with bow? Sign me up. I also like the target vibe going on. And I am so glad I read it. It is light and silly and fun watching Ellie set the Robin Hood myth into action. I thought she was a great character - spunky and intelligent.
The secondary characters of Sir Henry and Sir James were fun to read about also. I enjoyed their animosity towards each other. Another great character was the young boy, Much, who helpfully is related to practically everyone in Nottingham and surrounding environs. He is also sweet and endearing. Eleanor of Aquitane also makes an appearance too.
I had a few problems with the book that stemmed from the anachronistic elements of the story that the other characters seemed to just accept. Ellie being a girl for one. I suspended disbelief for this one. Other things like sneakers and passports I had slightly more problems with. But overall, once I stopped being so critical, I found even this silliness to be enjoyable.
Oh and also I learned an awesome fact from reading this book - where the word sheriff comes from - "shire-reeve" Further research led me to this fact: "The Anglo-Saxon word for chief was gerefa, later shortened to reeve. During the next two centuries, groups of hundreds banded together to form a new, higher unit of government called the shire. The shire was the forerunner of the modern county. Each shire had a chief (reeve) as well, and the more powerful official became known as a shire-reeve. The word shire-reeve became the modern English word sheriff - the chief of the county. The sheriff maintained law and order within his own county with the assistance of the citizens."
I have to admit that I kept picturing the sheriff in this novel to be Alan Rickman's version in Robin Hood: Price of Thieves. Because Alan Rickman makes everything better. Anyways if ye want a quick paced retelling then give this one a try . . .
Side note: The author has a fun post on her website showing showing photos and telling stories from her trip to THE Nottingham. Ye should check it out.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House / Delacorte Books!
Check out me other reviews at thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com
September 2, 2017
This was such an entertaining read! It took me awhile to get into it but once I did, I was hooked.
October 6, 2017
I couldn't blame fate, or anyone but myself. I'd chosen my name, christened Will and Little John. No one made me rob goats from the rich and give them back to the poor. I'd written myself into the story.
Ellie Hudson is well on her way to earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic archery team. She just has to qualify at the trials held in England, nearby the historical Nottingham Castle. But one walk through the castle's tunnels results in Ellie landing in medieval England, where she is immediately in trouble with the law. Even though she's determined to find her way out of the Middle Ages, before long she finds herself using her archery skills for helping area's poor. With her merry troupe of mismatched characters - two bandits, a miller's son, a lady nun, and a handsome Templar knight - Ellie finds herself falling into the role of a mysterious historical figure, all the while trying to avoid changing history... or being killed.
This book is so much fun! It's a Robin Hood retelling, and while I was a little wary of it - my knowledge of Robin Hood comes from the Disney version, complete with talking animals - I ended up feeling utterly enchanted by this story. I don't have a single complaint that's enough to take away stars, so this book is receiving 5 stars from me.
I seriously loved Ellie. I've recently discovered that I have a soft spot for criminals and bandits with good hearts, and Ellie falls into this category with ease. She is also a fantastically sarcastic heroine, to the point where I giggled a few times while reading her narrative. To put it simply, she was a fun character to read, and though I sometimes felt she was missing a backstory, I found myself not caring because I loved her current character so much.
She struggles between wanting to do what feels right, while trying not to mess up the time-space continuum, and oh, she'd also like to stay alive, as well. And mostly, she has the feeling that she might have ended up 800 years in the past because she's meant to do something.
In all my worry about what the past could do to me, it hadn't occurred to me that I might affect it. Maybe there was something that needed setting straight - that's what always happened to time travelers in fiction, right? Either that or they screwed something up and then had to fix it.
Plus, I loved the side characters and the relationships Ellie had with them. There's the handsome knight who doesn't look fondly on his years in war. There are the good-natured bandits, with one being just as sassy as Ellie, the other being a giant softie. There's the gossipy neighborhood boy and the proper lady who has become a nun and the sheriff's deputy with gray morals, and it all was just so amazing. I felt connected to every single one of them. I actually worried a bit over their well-being.
This is also one of those books that put a totally unique twist on an old fairy tale. I don't know much about the story of Robin Hood. I was honestly never that interested in it. But I think that No Good Deed had that perfect balance required of a good retelling. It had enough references for fans of the original story to find, but it also didn't alienate those who aren't so familiar with its source material.
My only complaints in this story is that I felt like the how's and why's weren't really explained enough, at least in the fashion that I'm used to expecting out of books with similar plot lines. However, the rest of the book was so engaging that I found that I didn't even care about what I thought might be missing.
And lastly, it had the perfect bittersweet ending. Like, I kind of hated that it tugged at my heartstrings a bit. But I also loved the slightly open-ended world of possibilities for Ellie.
Honestly, I can't believe that No Good Deed is a debut novel for author Kara Connelly. I loved every second of this book. It should be a retelling at the forefront of your TBR pile. And I've now got my eye on Kara Connelly; I have a feeling that we're only going to see amazing stories from her.
July 18, 2017
*Source* Publisher via NetGalley
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
Author Kara Connolly's No Good Deed is her debut novel. The story is a unique retelling of the Robin Hood classic with a brilliant twist, plenty of action, and a wonderful cast of characters. Protagonist Eleanor "Ellie" Hudson is the second ranked archer on the US Women's Archery team. Her goal of winning a gold medal in the next Olympics is just a step away. All she has to do is win an international competition in Nottingham, England first.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
Author Kara Connolly's No Good Deed is her debut novel. The story is a unique retelling of the Robin Hood classic with a brilliant twist, plenty of action, and a wonderful cast of characters. Protagonist Eleanor "Ellie" Hudson is the second ranked archer on the US Women's Archery team. Her goal of winning a gold medal in the next Olympics is just a step away. All she has to do is win an international competition in Nottingham, England first.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
March 30, 2025
3.75 stars
Well if that book didn't just catch me unawares. I wasn't expecting anything when I picked this book up. I judged the cover. Okay, I said it. It was well paced, great characters and an even greater setting. I find this time in history fascinating and I could see a younger me going into a huge Robin Hood phase. It was a little patchy in spots but, nothing I couldn't overcome. It was a fast, romp of a read and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Just go in with an open mind. Trust me.
Well if that book didn't just catch me unawares. I wasn't expecting anything when I picked this book up. I judged the cover. Okay, I said it. It was well paced, great characters and an even greater setting. I find this time in history fascinating and I could see a younger me going into a huge Robin Hood phase. It was a little patchy in spots but, nothing I couldn't overcome. It was a fast, romp of a read and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Just go in with an open mind. Trust me.
January 11, 2022
Was this book supposed to make me cry?
No.
Did I just spend the last half an hour sobbing?
Yes yes I did.
No.
Did I just spend the last half an hour sobbing?
Yes yes I did.
August 7, 2024
ABSOLUTE must-read for ANY Robin Hood fan! A girl tries to qualify for the Olympic Trials in Archery, and somehow accidentally winds up... back in time in medieval England? Specifically in Sherwood Forest!
Hilarious fresh take, enjoyable from beginning to end!
Hilarious fresh take, enjoyable from beginning to end!
Read
January 13, 2019I was wondering how this was going to end but it was a good ending
July 28, 2017
Received from: Delacorte Press
Received Via: NetGalley.com
Why this book?
I love retellings
What I thought
I have a question if the merry men are there where is the real Robin Hood? I didn't like how they took a character out of existence to make a plot work. A woman Robin Hood wasn't appealing to me. I thought she was going join up with Robin and his men not become Robin herself. The romance was also lacking mainly because we barely got anything from it. Got to admit though Ellie was a likable character and she was pretty badass with that bow. Overall the this was a disappointing retelling.
Received Via: NetGalley.com
Why this book?
I love retellings
What I thought
I have a question if the merry men are there where is the real Robin Hood? I didn't like how they took a character out of existence to make a plot work. A woman Robin Hood wasn't appealing to me. I thought she was going join up with Robin and his men not become Robin herself. The romance was also lacking mainly because we barely got anything from it. Got to admit though Ellie was a likable character and she was pretty badass with that bow. Overall the this was a disappointing retelling.
February 21, 2024
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
This book takes us on a lighthearted romp through time and lands us straight in Nottingham—where we get to spend time with a certain band of merry men. I hate to overuse the word “fun,” but that’s exactly how I’d describe the book. It twists the tale of Robin Hood quite nicely and never takes itself too seriously.
There are lots of elements of the book that I don’t want to give away, so I’m going to have to be really general in my review. You’ll just have to experience the book yourself to get more!
What Fed My Addiction:
Ellie.
Ellie is fascinating because she’s goal oriented enough that she knows what she wants (an Olympic gold medal) and she’s willing to work hard for it, but she’s also somewhat reckless—especially once she finds herself in Nottingham. She makes it through most of the peril in the book by simply winging it—so she’s a girl after my own heart. Ellie doesn’t pretend to know what she’s doing, but she does end up in a leadership role of sorts, mostly because she has certain moral values that she holds to strongly and she doesn’t compromise on them. She’s the type of girl who will fight for what’s right even when it’s hard. It’s practically impossible not to get behind that!
Robin Hood characters with a twist.
Connolly does a fantastic job of weaving in the characters that we know and love from Robin Hood (and from history) but making them surprising in some way. Ellie never knows what to expect from them and she’s quite surprised by many of the “characters” that she meets because they don’t quite match with what she knows of them. I thought this was a really fun way to liven up the story a bit. There were some interesting surprises!
Just plain fun.
Like I said, this is the best way I can explain this book. The pacing is great and there’s action and plenty of danger, but the overall feel of the book is lighthearted and fun. It keeps you guessing as well, which is always a plus!
What Left Me Hungry for More:
No Maid Marian.
Okay, I have to admit that I haven’t read the original version of this story (or any classic version, for that matter), so I was mostly basing my expectations on my foggy remembrances of the Robin Hood movies I’ve seen at some point or another. Since Maid Marian usually seems to be a focus in those, I expected her in this one, but she doesn’t appear (unless I missed her?). In fact, while the characters are fun takes on the Merry Men, I didn’t recognize any of the plot as really matching anything I’ve seen from Robin Hood before (but, again, my memory of the Robin Hood folklore is very sketchy at best!).
If you’re looking for a fun new take on an old tale, I highly recommend No Good Deed. It delivers. I give it 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
This book takes us on a lighthearted romp through time and lands us straight in Nottingham—where we get to spend time with a certain band of merry men. I hate to overuse the word “fun,” but that’s exactly how I’d describe the book. It twists the tale of Robin Hood quite nicely and never takes itself too seriously.
There are lots of elements of the book that I don’t want to give away, so I’m going to have to be really general in my review. You’ll just have to experience the book yourself to get more!
What Fed My Addiction:
Ellie.
Ellie is fascinating because she’s goal oriented enough that she knows what she wants (an Olympic gold medal) and she’s willing to work hard for it, but she’s also somewhat reckless—especially once she finds herself in Nottingham. She makes it through most of the peril in the book by simply winging it—so she’s a girl after my own heart. Ellie doesn’t pretend to know what she’s doing, but she does end up in a leadership role of sorts, mostly because she has certain moral values that she holds to strongly and she doesn’t compromise on them. She’s the type of girl who will fight for what’s right even when it’s hard. It’s practically impossible not to get behind that!
Robin Hood characters with a twist.
Connolly does a fantastic job of weaving in the characters that we know and love from Robin Hood (and from history) but making them surprising in some way. Ellie never knows what to expect from them and she’s quite surprised by many of the “characters” that she meets because they don’t quite match with what she knows of them. I thought this was a really fun way to liven up the story a bit. There were some interesting surprises!
Just plain fun.
Like I said, this is the best way I can explain this book. The pacing is great and there’s action and plenty of danger, but the overall feel of the book is lighthearted and fun. It keeps you guessing as well, which is always a plus!
What Left Me Hungry for More:
No Maid Marian.
Okay, I have to admit that I haven’t read the original version of this story (or any classic version, for that matter), so I was mostly basing my expectations on my foggy remembrances of the Robin Hood movies I’ve seen at some point or another. Since Maid Marian usually seems to be a focus in those, I expected her in this one, but she doesn’t appear (unless I missed her?). In fact, while the characters are fun takes on the Merry Men, I didn’t recognize any of the plot as really matching anything I’ve seen from Robin Hood before (but, again, my memory of the Robin Hood folklore is very sketchy at best!).
If you’re looking for a fun new take on an old tale, I highly recommend No Good Deed. It delivers. I give it 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
July 21, 2017
I received this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love Robin Hood retellings, so when I started this book, I was really excited. I loved Ellie, James, Much, Will, and Little John. The characters were wonderful, and I loved how Ellie was just a girl trying to win an Olympic medal, but ends up time traveling to the past. There, she meets her new friends and starts an adventure of her own, with two goals: Don't get killed. Don't change history.
Overall, I thought the book was very well written. The only part I didn't like was the ending. It seemed a little abrupt and confusing. Other than that, I really enjoyed this story.
I love Robin Hood retellings, so when I started this book, I was really excited. I loved Ellie, James, Much, Will, and Little John. The characters were wonderful, and I loved how Ellie was just a girl trying to win an Olympic medal, but ends up time traveling to the past. There, she meets her new friends and starts an adventure of her own, with two goals: Don't get killed. Don't change history.
Overall, I thought the book was very well written. The only part I didn't like was the ending. It seemed a little abrupt and confusing. Other than that, I really enjoyed this story.
August 4, 2017
If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I'm a big fan of fairy tale retellings. I especially like when they are looking at actual historical events and people, which this book does that as well. This was a very fun read, and hard to put down. There were some things about the Robin Hood story I was unfamiliar with, but it was fun to do the research on those things as well, when I would google as I was reading.
To read my full review, go to Lisa Loves Literature.
To read my full review, go to Lisa Loves Literature.
July 24, 2017
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
No Good Deeds by Kara Connolly is a fresh take on the Robin Hood legend involving a little time travel. For me, retellings are a recent love. I’ve not always been a fan, but I really enjoyed this one. And Robin Hood, well he’s one of my favorites. I love the myth and legend surrounding this outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor. It’s nice to think the man existed at some point in the Middle Ages, fighting the people who were drunk on power to save the little guy. Robin Hood is iconic, which is why I thought it brave for a debut author to tackle this myth. However Kara Connolly does a fantastic job with it.
The entire story is told from Ellie’s perspective. She’s a nineteen year old, Indiana girl who happens to be a good archer and at the opening of the story is participating in some tournament to qualify for the Olympic team (at least that’s what I gathered from her descriptions). I like and dislike Ellie. She’s immature for her age, makes rash decisions, and doesn’t seem to question the consequences of her actions until after the fact.
When by some twist of fate she finds herself in medieval Nottinghamshire, Ellie embarks on a journey that puts her at the center of the Robin Hood legend. Ellie gives herself two rules for the past: don’t die and don’t change history. I thought those were pretty basic and covered everything that could possibly happen to her. Yet she becomes the center of the sheriff’s attention when she arrives making herself an instant target. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out while reading that Ellie’s actions in the past are what create the Robin Hood legend, even when she is trying to stick to what she knows of the myth. I actually liked this twist! I liked Ellie being the iconic outlaw.
Aside from Ellie are the people she encounters in the past. I wound up liking the all! Much the Miller’s son, Little John, Will Scarlett, even Friar Tuck make appearances, though their names are not what Ellie know them as. She easily connects who the people are in the legend and I loved reading as they came to life on the pages. Will was my favorite (even if I did keep confusing him with the Will Scarlett from Once Upon a Time).
My only dislike was a bit of plot hole with the time travel. It is never really explained. How did Ellie get to the past? How will she get home? How do her actions change the future or will they change the future? It’s all very: “Oh look I’m in the past, I’ll just roll with it,” instead of the panicking I’d expect. There’s no explanation about this aspect of the book and I really wish there had been. It felt like a glaring hole.
Overall I enjoyed the story and Ellie grew on me as I read. The gender twist of the original Robin Hood made for an interesting read, and I was pleasantly surprised at the historical aspects that were included. If you enjoy alternate history or retellings, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this book. It doesn’t disappoint.
No Good Deeds by Kara Connolly is a fresh take on the Robin Hood legend involving a little time travel. For me, retellings are a recent love. I’ve not always been a fan, but I really enjoyed this one. And Robin Hood, well he’s one of my favorites. I love the myth and legend surrounding this outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor. It’s nice to think the man existed at some point in the Middle Ages, fighting the people who were drunk on power to save the little guy. Robin Hood is iconic, which is why I thought it brave for a debut author to tackle this myth. However Kara Connolly does a fantastic job with it.
The entire story is told from Ellie’s perspective. She’s a nineteen year old, Indiana girl who happens to be a good archer and at the opening of the story is participating in some tournament to qualify for the Olympic team (at least that’s what I gathered from her descriptions). I like and dislike Ellie. She’s immature for her age, makes rash decisions, and doesn’t seem to question the consequences of her actions until after the fact.
When by some twist of fate she finds herself in medieval Nottinghamshire, Ellie embarks on a journey that puts her at the center of the Robin Hood legend. Ellie gives herself two rules for the past: don’t die and don’t change history. I thought those were pretty basic and covered everything that could possibly happen to her. Yet she becomes the center of the sheriff’s attention when she arrives making herself an instant target. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out while reading that Ellie’s actions in the past are what create the Robin Hood legend, even when she is trying to stick to what she knows of the myth. I actually liked this twist! I liked Ellie being the iconic outlaw.
Aside from Ellie are the people she encounters in the past. I wound up liking the all! Much the Miller’s son, Little John, Will Scarlett, even Friar Tuck make appearances, though their names are not what Ellie know them as. She easily connects who the people are in the legend and I loved reading as they came to life on the pages. Will was my favorite (even if I did keep confusing him with the Will Scarlett from Once Upon a Time).
My only dislike was a bit of plot hole with the time travel. It is never really explained. How did Ellie get to the past? How will she get home? How do her actions change the future or will they change the future? It’s all very: “Oh look I’m in the past, I’ll just roll with it,” instead of the panicking I’d expect. There’s no explanation about this aspect of the book and I really wish there had been. It felt like a glaring hole.
Overall I enjoyed the story and Ellie grew on me as I read. The gender twist of the original Robin Hood made for an interesting read, and I was pleasantly surprised at the historical aspects that were included. If you enjoy alternate history or retellings, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this book. It doesn’t disappoint.
July 26, 2017
No Good Deed follows Ellie, a young archer and Olympic hopeful who accidentally gets thrown back into twelfth century England and finds herself in the legendary Nottinghamshire, home of Robin Hood. As she tries to find her way back home, she unwittingly becomes a bigger part of the legend that she ever dreamed.
Let me just praise the girl power/feminism in this book, you guys. IT IS SO GOOD. I am in love with Ellie’s character and the way she handles the whole situation. We’ve all seen the “normal human thrown into the crazy” trope and while some characters take forever to come to terms with it and end up giving us So. Much. Infodump shit, Ellie’s just like “F*ck it” and rolls with the punches, even as she’s getting her sea legs. Plus, her narration is pure gold, I love her voice.
I loved the adaptation aspect, and I’m not even too familiar with the Robin Hood legend. Someone who loves Robin Hood will fall in love with the reimagining of the story.
The one thing that bugged me was that I felt the end was kind of rushed and that this could have made a bomb-ass duology. I love standalones, but there was just so much more to unpack in this world, and it could have been easily extended. Also, there was a lot of sexual tension between Ellie and 3 different men, but nothing was ever really resolved (well, kind of, but not really. Read the book, you’ll know what I mean), which left me wanting a sequel as well. Lots of the relationships between Ellie and main squad felt left hanging.
Overall, I loved this book and gobbled it up so quickly. The writing is so entertaining and you fall in love with every character, even the prickly ones. I highly recommend for anyone who wants some kickass female characters, a great medieval setting and a creative adaptation of one of the most well-known legends of all time.
Let me just praise the girl power/feminism in this book, you guys. IT IS SO GOOD. I am in love with Ellie’s character and the way she handles the whole situation. We’ve all seen the “normal human thrown into the crazy” trope and while some characters take forever to come to terms with it and end up giving us So. Much. Infodump shit, Ellie’s just like “F*ck it” and rolls with the punches, even as she’s getting her sea legs. Plus, her narration is pure gold, I love her voice.
I loved the adaptation aspect, and I’m not even too familiar with the Robin Hood legend. Someone who loves Robin Hood will fall in love with the reimagining of the story.
The one thing that bugged me was that I felt the end was kind of rushed and that this could have made a bomb-ass duology. I love standalones, but there was just so much more to unpack in this world, and it could have been easily extended. Also, there was a lot of sexual tension between Ellie and 3 different men, but nothing was ever really resolved (well, kind of, but not really. Read the book, you’ll know what I mean), which left me wanting a sequel as well. Lots of the relationships between Ellie and main squad felt left hanging.
Overall, I loved this book and gobbled it up so quickly. The writing is so entertaining and you fall in love with every character, even the prickly ones. I highly recommend for anyone who wants some kickass female characters, a great medieval setting and a creative adaptation of one of the most well-known legends of all time.
July 18, 2017
I don't see too many retellings of Robin Hood these days, and with the genderbent lead I was getting major Keira Knightley Princess of Thieves vibes! Ellie is a great mix of funny and badass, I finished the entire thing in one sitting! I would have loved a little more romance between Ellie and Sir James, but that wasn't a big deal because it was still good. My biggest complaint about this book is that there wasn't enough of it. It would have worked great as a series. Seriously, if you read this, get ready for a lot of unswered questions!
I would love a follow up piece to answer some of mine!
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March 9, 2020
I went to the library the other day for the first time in a while (I know I know. E-books have spoiled me) and I picked up No Good Deed because it looked interesting and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was! I absolutely love retellings, especially Robin Hood retellings (Seriously, I need to find more good retellings. Any suggestions?). Who wouldn't want to read about someone being thrust into 12th century medieval Nottingham and Sherwood Forest?!!? I also loved the characters so much! Ellie was awesome. I mean, she's literally an Olympic archer. How cool is that?!:D I also loved Guilbert. He was so interesting! (I think he made it onto my book boyfriend list). I enjoyed all the other merry men as well. I didn't like James as much, though. He was a little flat and boring for me but that's ok because all the other characters made up for it. I was super surprised and actually a little relieved that for once, there was like no romance involved, especially not as one of the main aspects of the story. That's really rare to find in YA, and though I like having romance involved in most cases, it was really refreshing having a romance-free book for once. I didn't have to worry about anything inappropriate happening, which was really, really nice.
May 23, 2017
Oh, this was a fun book!
You’ve got a time travel novel that ends up smack dab in the middle of the old Robin Hood stories – but in a very unusual and clever way.
Ellie is terrific. Sometimes her mouth gets away from her and gets her in trouble, but she’s also funny, spunky, and likeable. In fact, I loved most of the characters in the book.
I also loved the bits and pieces of medieval history in the book. You can tell that the author did her research and she does a terrific job with her medieval setting…smells and all.
I did want a little more explanation when it came to exactly how and why the whole time travel thing happened. Because seriously, I have no clue. And I sort of hoped the book would end a different way, though really it ended the way I thought it would. Just not the way I hoped it would.
But I was very, very sorry that the book was over.
And so you know, after reading this I went to Amazon to see if there were any more books by the author. Turns out that this is her first book. This absolutely does NOT read like a first book. Can’t wait to see what the author does next!
*ARC provided via Net Galley.
You’ve got a time travel novel that ends up smack dab in the middle of the old Robin Hood stories – but in a very unusual and clever way.
Ellie is terrific. Sometimes her mouth gets away from her and gets her in trouble, but she’s also funny, spunky, and likeable. In fact, I loved most of the characters in the book.
I also loved the bits and pieces of medieval history in the book. You can tell that the author did her research and she does a terrific job with her medieval setting…smells and all.
I did want a little more explanation when it came to exactly how and why the whole time travel thing happened. Because seriously, I have no clue. And I sort of hoped the book would end a different way, though really it ended the way I thought it would. Just not the way I hoped it would.
But I was very, very sorry that the book was over.
And so you know, after reading this I went to Amazon to see if there were any more books by the author. Turns out that this is her first book. This absolutely does NOT read like a first book. Can’t wait to see what the author does next!
*ARC provided via Net Galley.
August 21, 2017
Robin Hood is a legend – robs the rich, gives back to the poor. But what if the legend as we have always known it was wrong? What is Robin Hood was really a girl and she was actually an accidental time traveler? In No Good Deed, that’s exactly the case.
Ellie is an archer – an excellent one. Good enough that the Olympic dream is within her grasp. However, her parents are pressuring her, her coach is pressuring her, and her absent brother Robin – the star of the family – is a pressure she cannot escape no matter how well she may tune everyone else out. When she follows a monk she believes was the one she stopped a match for, well…those pressures literally disappear into the future.
I’ve always been a fan of the Robin Hood stories. I’ve seen the movies, I’ve read the classic novel, and I can probably sing the Disney songs verbatim. So I was curious about this re-telling and the idea of Robin actually being a girl – particularly in a time when girls were not seen as particularly valued in so many ways. Connolly did well in writing a fun take on the legend, and doing honor to it as well.
For more, head to http://vampirebookclub.net/review-no-...
Ellie is an archer – an excellent one. Good enough that the Olympic dream is within her grasp. However, her parents are pressuring her, her coach is pressuring her, and her absent brother Robin – the star of the family – is a pressure she cannot escape no matter how well she may tune everyone else out. When she follows a monk she believes was the one she stopped a match for, well…those pressures literally disappear into the future.
I’ve always been a fan of the Robin Hood stories. I’ve seen the movies, I’ve read the classic novel, and I can probably sing the Disney songs verbatim. So I was curious about this re-telling and the idea of Robin actually being a girl – particularly in a time when girls were not seen as particularly valued in so many ways. Connolly did well in writing a fun take on the legend, and doing honor to it as well.
For more, head to http://vampirebookclub.net/review-no-...
December 5, 2017
I loved this book.
The best part, in my opinion, is the characters. Supporting, villain, main - they're all colorful and you'll want to visit them even after you finish the last page. It's not a tedious story line, and it's not a romance- it's a fun, catching read that'll keep you well entertained!
The best part, in my opinion, is the characters. Supporting, villain, main - they're all colorful and you'll want to visit them even after you finish the last page. It's not a tedious story line, and it's not a romance- it's a fun, catching read that'll keep you well entertained!
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