Review: Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

Bramble

Publication Date: February 25th, 2025

Hardcover. 448 pages.

About Swordheart:

"Halla has unexpectedly inherited the estate of a wealthy uncle. Unfortunately, she is also saddled with money-hungry relatives full of devious plans for how to wrest the inheritance away from her.

While locked in her bedroom, Halla inspects the ancient sword that's been collecting dust on the wall since before she moved in. Out of desperation, she unsheathes it―and suddenly a man appears. His name is Sarkis, he tells her, and he is an immortal warrior trapped in a prison of enchanted steel.

Sarkis is sworn to protect whoever wields the sword, and for Halla―a most unusual wielder―he finds himself fending off not grand armies and deadly assassins but instead everything from kindly-seeming bandits to roving inquisitors to her own in-laws. But as Halla and Sarkis grow closer, they overlook the biggest threat of all―the sword itself."

T. Kingfisher has quickly become an auto-buy author for me over the past several years, and I don't think I've read one book from her that I haven't liked. I'm happy to say that Swordheart keeps that streak going!

What I liked: Swordheart is an absolute delight of a fantasy tale and it features all the things Kingfisher does best: charming characters with strong personalities and plenty of eccentricities, fantastic banter and humor, and a world that feels fully alive with oddities and mysteries at every turn. Halla is a remarkable protagonist who I could not get enough of, and Sarkis was equally charming. Their growing relationship was a joy to witness and hit all the right notes. I also love that you can never fully predict what you're going to get in a Kingfisher novel, and that unpredictability is part of what makes her writing so special. The world-building is not the focus of the story, but it's very vibrant in the background, and the entire book is populated with a wide array of characters. I wholeheartedly recommend this for any Kingfisher fans, as well as anyone who wants some fantasy, some romance, and some wonderfully witty and entertaining dialogue and storytelling.

What I didn't like: There were only two minor issues that I had with Swordheart, and the first is that the pacing is slightly inconsistent. This book is very much about the characters more than a heavy focus on plot (in my opinion, at least), and because of this things tended to drag a bit in certain areas. We would spend a lot of time on certain events or scenes due to a heavy focus on the dialogue and banter between characters, which really slowed down the forward progress of the story. If you enjoy the dialogue and such, then this probably won't bother you too much, but it's something to note because I think it's something that could be hit or miss for people. It definitely is the reason it took me longer to get through the book than I expected, but it was still an enjoyable ride the whole time. The only other issue I had was that 'villains' felt extraordinarily classic 'bad guy' style and didn't bring much to the table for me. That being said, they fit the story perfectly so I do believe it's on purpose, it's just not something that I really like in books. 

Overall, if you're looking for a fun fantasy read that will keep you laughing and enjoying some incredible characters, then be sure to check out Swordheart.

*I received a copy of Swordheart in exchange for an honest review. This has no affect on my opinions.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher & Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia

        

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Publication: August 6th, 2024
Tor Books
Hardcover. 336 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic

Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn't allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother's beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind."

I’ll read anything T. Kingfisher puts out! I really love the premise for this one and have no doubt that it’s in good hands.

Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia
Publication: August 6th, 2024
Tin House Books
Paperback. 256 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Set against the stark background of the Southwestern desert, Lena Valencia’s Mystery Lights glows with the promise―and fear―of the world we know and the worlds we don’t, following women and girls as they navigate dangers both supernatural and existential.

An influencer attempts to derail a viral TV marketing campaign with her violent cult following. A marriage between two ghost hunters is threatened when one of them loses her ability to see spirits. The lives of a famous painter in the twilight of her career and a teenage UFO enthusiast converge when a mysterious glowing orb appears in their small desert town. And a slasher-flick screenwriter looking for inspiration escapes a pack of wild dogs only to find herself locked in an SUV with a strange man beside her. Set primarily in deserts throughout the American Southwest, Lena Valencia’s Mystery Lights is a debut collection of stories about women and girls at the crossroads of mundane daily life and existential dread.

From the all-too-real horror of a sexual predator on a college campus to a lost sister transformed by cave-dwelling creatures, Mystery Lights grapples with terrors both familiar and fantastic, introducing an electrifying new voice in contemporary fiction while bringing to light the many faces of the forces that haunt us."

This sounds like such an interesting horror collection and I am so excited to read it. I have an ARC that I’ve been holding onto, but I might just give in and read it soon!

Mini-Review: What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T. Kingfisher

Tor Nightfire

Publication Date: February 13th, 2024

Hardcover. 147 pages.

About What Feasts at Night:

"After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia.

In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton’s home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams."

You can find my review for the first book in the Sworn Soldier duology, What Moves the Dead, here!

What Feasts at Night allows us to return to the side of Alex Easton as they travel back home to Gallacia in order to check up on their old hunting lodge that has been in the hands of a caretaker known as Codrin. Upon arriving at the loge, however, they find that Codrin is nowhere to be found and the lodge has, for all intents and purposes, been abandoned, with Codrin nowhere to be found. When they ask around, they discover that Codrin had died, and that there are rumors circulating about a creature known as the moroi who steals people's breath...

What I liked: The dry, witty voice of our protagonist and narrator, Alex Easton, remains front and center in this book and made for a highly enjoyable reading experience. I felt Kingfisher did a great job of capturing Alex's struggles with PTSD and how those effects have continued to impact their everyday life, all while incorporating the trademark humor and cleverness of the narrative voice. I also continue to really love Alex and Angus' friendship and how well they are able to understand and be there for one another in all the unique ways they both need it. I really liked the new characters introduced in this book as well, such as the Widow Botezatu and her grandson, Bors, who come to work at the hunting lodge and bring some vibrancy to the story with their distinctive personalities. The horror elements of this book were a bit muted, but still wonderfully creepy and unsettling in all the ways Kingfisher writes them best, and I loved all the inclusions of various Gallacian folktales and superstitions, as I felt they added some more color and intrigue to the story.

What I didn't like: This book was a bit on the slower side, and it honestly felt a bit more like it was just 'going through the motions' rather than bringing a lot of new ideas to the table. If I look back on this book and try to recount what happened, I feel like there's really not all that much to say about it, and while that's not always a bad thing, it just feels like something was missing from this story. Kingfisher's writing is always excellent, but this book lacked a little of the energy What Feasts at Night held. I also missed that we didn't get to spend just a bit more time with the delightful Miss Potter, as I really enjoyed her in the previous book. 

Overall, I've given What Feasts at Night 3.75 stars! Although this isn't what I'd consider one of my favorite T. Kingfisher book, it's still a very solid short horror novella that has plenty of humor, creepiness, and interesting characters to keep things entertaining. 

*I received a copy of What Feasts at Night courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T. Kingfisher & The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert

  

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are:

What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T. Kingfisher
Publication: February 13th, 2024
Tor Nightfire
Hardcover. 160 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Retired soldier, Alex Easton, returns in a horrifying new adventure.

After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia.

In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton’s home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams."

I love T. Kingfisher's work and really enjoyed What Moves the Dead, so I'm looking forward to revisiting Alex Easton in this next installment. 

The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert
Publication: February 20th, 2024
Flatiron Books
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Goddess, goddess, count to five
In the morning, who’s alive?

In the course of a single winter’s night, four people vanish without a trace across a small town.

Nora’s estranged best friend, Becca, is one of the lost. As Nora tries to untangle the truth of Becca’s disappearance, she discovers a darkness in her town’s past, as well as a string of coded messages Becca left for her to unravel. These clues lead Nora to a piece of local folklore: a legendary goddess of forgotten origins who played a role in Nora and Becca’s own childhood games...

An arresting, crossover horror fantasy threaded with dark magic, THE BAD ONES is a poison-pen love letter to semi-toxic best friendship, the occult power of childhood play and artistic creation, and the razor-thin line between make-believe and belief."

I haven't read anything from Melissa Albert since The Hazel Wood, but I've meant to for years now and I'm really intrigued by the sound of The Bad Ones!

Review: Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

 Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Tor Books

Publication Date: August 15th, 2023

Hardcover. 128 pages.

About Thornhedge:

"There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…"

Thornhedge is yet another wonderful new book from T. Kingfisher. Thornhedge is a fairy tale of sorts and falls in line with her other fantasy work, such as Nettle & Bone (and if you enjoyed Nettle & Bone, you will definitely like Thornhedge as well!). T. Kingfisher has an incredibly magical, fairy tale-like way of writing that I find utterly captivating, and Thornhedge grabbed me from the very first sentence and whisked me off into a world of magic, curses, and an abundance of colorful characters. 

Thornhedge follows Toadling, a girl who is able to easily transform to a toad as a result of her abduction by fairies at her birth. She has been raising and loved by these fairies, and her current task in life is to guard a tower that once received many inquisitive visitors, but over the years has become surrounded by large hedges and appears to be all but forgotten, which is exactly how Toad prefers it to be. One day, however, Toad's consistent days are interrupted by a knight who has heard about a curse in the castle the he intends to break...

Since this is a short book, coming in at just over a hundred pages, I'll try to keep more detailed descriptions sparse in this review so as to not give too much away. Thornhedge alternates between the present in which Toadling interacts with Halim, our knight, and the past in which we learn about Toadling's background from when and why she was first taken to her current role as guardian of the tower. This setup worked perfectly for the story and allowed the pacing to flow effortlessly between past and present, with each setting providing a compelling story that made it gripping no matter where I was in the story. 

Toadling is a delightful character to follow, and I really enjoyed getting to know her personality throughout this short novel. I particularly liked learning more about her upbringing by the fairies and how that shaped her into the person she is today. Additionally, I liked learning more about the particular fairies she lived with, as they are quite unique and offer an intriguing glimpse into this magical world that feels effortlessly classic. 

I absolutely adored watching Toadling and our knight, Halim, interact, as both are quite awkward in their own ways and I found it delightful watching them dance around one another and try to communicate both of their goals–goals which, of course, were almost directly at odds with the other's goals. This naturally leads to both trying to be as polite as possible while also asserting themselves, and it is this dynamic that really let us readers get to know both characters and learn more about both their personalities and backgrounds.  

I love the ways in which T. Kingfisher plays with traditional fairy tales and adds her own spin to very classic tropes and styles. There is something very magical about her writing that makes it feel both precise and thoughtful, while also feeling as though the story itself grabbed the pen and told this tale of Toadling in an undemanding and natural manner. It flows beautifully and made it all too easy for me to sit and read through in one sitting, something that doesn't often happen much these days. 

Overall, I've given Thornhedge five stars! This is the perfect read for any day when you just want to get swept away into a story that will surprise, amuse, and reassure you that there is still plenty of magic left in stories. 

*I received a copy of Thornhedge courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Review: A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

Tor Nightfire

Publication Date: March 28th, 2023

Hardcover. 256 pages.

About A House With Good Bones:

"'Mom seems off.' 

Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.

She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.

But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.

To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried."

I just love T. Kingfisher, I really do. 

There is something very special about T. Kingfisher's brand of horror, and A House with Good Bones captures that quality extremely well. A House with Good Bones contains fairly ordinary people in ordinary settings where nothing exceptionally outlandish happens–at first–and a slow creep of dread slowly settles in, but you are almost always caught off guard by it because of how well the story is able to incorporate humor and endearing characters that make it impossible to put the book down. 

This is very classic T. Kingfisher horror and so for me that means it's brilliant and I'm going to love it. If you have read and enjoyed any of T. Kingfisher's other horror books (or even non-horror ones), then you will definitely want to check this one out as well because it is very much written in the same style and with all the trademark humor, creepiness, and intelligence as her previous books. 

In A House with Good Bones, we follow Sam Montgomery as she makes her way back home during some time off from work to check in on her mom after her brothers calls and tells her that their mom seems to be acting a little... "off." Sam arrives home in North Carolina and soon realizes that things with her mom are, indeed, a bit odd. Things in the house also seem to be just a little bit odd, and Sam can't figure out why her mom seems to be acting a lot like her Gran Mae used to act–especially since neither her mother nor Sam herself particularly liked Gran Mae. 

T. Kingfisher is an absolute master at creating the most creeping, slow burn horror. I remember when I first read The Hollow Places by Kingfisher, the first book of hers that I read, and I was so immersed and blown away by how unbelievably unnerving and creepy the story was and how her writing was able to make me feel so incredibly uneasy, and that is the case in A House with Good Bones as well. There's not all that much in the way of action in the first portion of the book, but there is still so much that happens with regard to the weirdness of Sam's mother's actions and the house itself. Not to mention the fact that there is a weird amount of wild vultures in the neighborhood that seem particularly interested in Gran Mae's house, which also lays out a perfect atmosphere for this eerie story.

Sam is an incredible protagonist, and her humor and deadpan narrative delivery remind me a lot of the protagonists in The Hollow Places and The Twisted Ones. She is an entomologist living in Arizona, but often travels for various archaeological digs, and her entomologist expertise definitely comes in handy in this book in some very surprising ways, but also in ways that I found very interesting. I love when characters are specific experts in a topic and I get to learn a little bit secondhand from their narrative, which happens quite a bit here–but I promise it's all interesting and not at all dry. Sam is the perfect horror companion because she's very rational and always looking for a reasonable explanation for things, especially since she is scientifically-minded, as well as because of her ability to have a very dry-witted remark for just about everything. I laughed as much as I felt creeped out in this book, and that is my favorite type of story because I love humor and being entertained, but I also love getting creeped out by things. I felt like I was friends with Sam in this book, and that made for an even more enjoyable experience. 

I can't tell you anything that happens because it absolutely needs to be a surprise, so just know that as you form theories and opinions about what's happening, you are probably somewhat on the right track... but also a little wrong and there will be big surprises to keep things interesting. I genuinely could not put this book down. In a time when I've been struggling to get through a single book in any short amount of time, I read this book so quickly and so easily that it helped remind me why I love reading so much. Although there is a lot more I could potentially say about this book, I'm going to stop here and keep things relatively brief because I'm not sure what else I could say that wouldn't just be outright overenthusiastic gushing about it, and at this point I think my point has been made.  

Overall, it's another five stars from me for A House with Good Bones. This was brilliant, entertaining, timely, and has so much to love about it. I cannot recommend A House with Good Bones (or any T. Kingfisher book, really) enough. 

*I received a copy of A House with Good Bones courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Friday Face-Off: Current Read #2

   

     

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme at Books by Proxy. Join us every Friday as we pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe.  You can find a list of upcoming topics at Lynn's Books.

This week's topic is:

Current Read 

 I just finished an ARC copy of the incredible T. Kingfisher's A House with Good Bones this week, so I thought it might be fun to look at the two cover editions that exist for this book this week since they are so different. I will have a review up for this book next week, but I figured we might as well go ahead and check out the covers now in anticipation of its release! 

2023 US Hardcover

2023 UK Hardcover

My choice(s):

I adore the US cover for this book and think it fits the story perfectly. I don't mind the UK cover, but it just doesn't work as well for me, and I'm not sure it matches the vibe of the book as well as the US edition does–although I do think all the roses are a perfect touch. I think these are both great editions overall, though. What edition do you prefer?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher, God of Endings by Jacquline Holland, & Chaos & Flame by Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland

   

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
Publication: March 28th, 2023
Tor Nightfire
Hardcover. 256 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A haunting Southern Gothic from an award-winning master of suspense, A House With Good Bones explores the dark, twisted roots lurking just beneath the veneer of a perfect home and family.

'Mom seems off.'

Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.

She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.

But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.

To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried."

I am always excited for a new T. Kingfisher book and this one sounds like it's going to be just as amazing as the rest. I can't wait to have a chance to read this!

God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland
Publication: March 7th, 2023
Flatiron Books
Hardcover. 480 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"By turns suspenseful and enchanting, this breathtaking first novel weaves a story of love, family, history, and myth as seen through the eyes of one immortal woman

Collette LeSange is a lonely artist who heads an elite fine arts school for children in upstate New York. Her youthful beauty masks the dark truth of her life: she has endured centuries of turmoil and heartache in the wake of her grandfather’s long-ago decision to make her immortal like himself. Now in 1984, Collette finds her life upended by the arrival of a gifted child from a troubled home, the return of a stalking presence from her past, and her own mysteriously growing hunger.

Combining brilliant prose with breathtaking suspense, The God of Endings serves as a larger exploration of the human condition in all its complexity, asking us the most fundamental question: is life in this world a gift or a curse?"

I finished an ARC of this one earlier this month and I really loved it, which makes me that much more excited for it to be released into the wild. 

Chaos & Flame by Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland
Publication: March 28th, 2023
Razorbill
Hardcover. 336 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Darling Seabreak cannot remember anything before the murder of her family at the hands of House Dragon, but she knows she owes her life to both the power of her Chaos Boon and House Kraken for liberating her from the sewers where she spent her childhood. So when her adoptive Kraken father is captured in battle, Darling vows to save him--even if that means killing each and every last member of House Dragon.

Talon Goldhoard has always been a dutiful War Prince for House Dragon, bravely leading the elite troops of his brother, the High Prince Regent. But lately his brother's erratic rule threatens to undo a hundred years of House Dragon's hard work, and factions are turning to Talon to unseat him. Talon resists, until he's ambushed by a fierce girl who looks exactly like the one his brother has painted obsessively, repeatedly, for years, and Talon knows she's the key to everything.

Together, Darling and Talon must navigate the treacherous waters of House politics, caught up in the complicated game the High Prince Regent is playing against everyone. The unlikeliest of allies, they'll have to stop fighting each other long enough to learn to fight together in order to survive the fiery prophecies and ancient blood magic threatening to devastate their entire world."

I'm currently reading this one, and so far it's been so much fun. I think these authors cowrite really well together and I can't wait for it to be published!

Mini-Review: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Tor Nightfire

Publication Date: July 12th, 2022

Hardcover. 176 pages.

About What Moves the Dead:

"From the award-winning author of The Twisted Ones comes a gripping and atmospheric retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's classic 'The Fall of the House of Usher. '

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania. 

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves. 

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all."

Although this book could easily provide enough to talk about for a full review, I've opted to make this a mini review in order to avoid spoiling too much about it since it's a shorter book. 

What Moves the Dead is a skillful and engaging retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher," and I can't think of better hands to have put this in than T. Kingfisher's. This story follows retired solider Alex Easton as they venture out into the rural area of Ruritania to visit their dying friend. Once there, they discover that the nature and fauna of the area is a bit odd, and the cause of her dying friend's illness seems more suspicious than they initially thought.

What I liked: Alex Easton had a fantastic narrative voice that was deadpan in delivery and full of a dry wit that kept me fully engaged throughout the entire story. I loved the combination of creepy, witty, and general oddness that existed in this story, as it made for a reading experience that kept me entertained while also created an atmosphere that left me feeling a bit tense and unsure what was going to happen. A lot of the creepiness isn't right in your face, but there's always this unsettling feeling that permeates the atmosphere and keeps you hooked as a result of Kingfisher's careful, persuasive, and captivating prose. Of course, there were also some disturbing elements that were in your face, and T. Kingfisher handled those perfectly (and truly I'd expect nothing less). I loved the sinister quality of the house itself, its inhabitants, and the lands surrounding the house. And speaking of its inhabitants, I loved the somewhat eccentric cast of characters that were a part of this story and I continue to think this is one area where Kingfisher truly excels.

What I didn't like: Things felt a little slow-moving at times and I felt most plot points were mostly pretty obvious. Since it's a retelling I don't really think that's a huge problem because I already knew the plot in the first place, but I could see someone picking this up without knowing the retelling aspect finding some things a bit lackluster. I appreciated the slower pace and willingness to move throw the story at a reasonable pace that really allowed for Alex to get to the House of Usher, connect with the people there, and slowly realize some things are very, very off. I didn't liked this one quite as much as I've loved The Twisted Ones and The Hollow Places, but it's not really due to any major fault of the story and therefore I have very little to add to this "what I didn't like" section. 

If you're in need of something a bit creepy and a very disturbing with just a touch of dry, witty humor, then look no further because What Moves the Dead is the answer!

*I received a copy of What Moves the Dead courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher & Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty

   

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

 

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Publication: July 12th, 2022
Tor Nightfire
Hardcover. 176 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania. 

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves. 

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all."

Since reading my first T. Kingfisher book about two years ago, I've been loving every single book I read of hers, and I'm both hoping and betting that this one is going to be no exception. I sincerely cannot wait for What Moves the Dead!

and...

Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty
Publication: July 5th, 2022
Tin House Books
Paperback. 296 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"How do the living come back to life? 

Set in a Native community in Maine, Night of the Living Rez is a riveting debut collection about what it means to be Penobscot in the twenty-first century and what it means to live, to survive, and to persevere after tragedy. 

In twelve striking, luminescent stories, author Morgan Talty—with searing humor, abiding compassion, and deep insight—breathes life into tales of family and community bonds as they struggle with a painful past and an uncertain future. A boy unearths a jar that holds an old curse, which sets into motion his family’s unraveling; a man, while trying to swindle some pot from a dealer, discovers a friend passed out in the woods, his hair frozen into the snow; a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s projects the past onto her grandson, and thinks he is her dead brother come back to life; and two friends, inspired by Antiques Roadshow, attempt to rob the tribal museum for valuable root clubs. 

In a collection that examines the consequences and merits of inheritance, Night of the Living Rez is an unforgettable portrayal of a Native community and marks the arrival of a standout talent in contemporary fiction."

I am super excited about the premise of this collection and am really hoping to get a chance to read it!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?