The further away I get from reading this book the more I think three stars is just too generous... so I'm dropping it to two stars. Honestly, unless you thought book 1 in the series was the best book you've ever read then I cannot see anyone finding this read good and it's certainly not better. Given book 1 was only okay it's really not enough to get much from me (no matter how many cute Buffy or Doctor Who references S.A. Hunt puts into her stories. I will not be lured into liking bad writing by nostalgia!)

In the Beginning...
...there was an info dump. And I don't mean like a couple pages to catch you up and remind you of the story. No, no I mean like almost 50 pages of non-stop information that is impossible to digest or remember in the end. I know many writers, especially novice ones, feel like they need to explain everything about their world (be it a: fantasy world, Earth with magic, etc.). This is not the case! Readers are smart, and in fact, better writing keeps things interesting, provides just enough information while still moving the plot and our characters development forward. Please don't set-up every detail of your world to start any novel. It's just plain boring.

Gory & Gonzo
Do these things go together? Maybe... but there needs to be a really delicate line between a lot of gore (which Hunt seems obsessed with) and weird, odd descriptions. I just have trouble imaging a gory monster when it's so oddly described. A good lesson here is refer back to H. P. Lovecraft. That is an author that excelled at descriptions that were both icky, gory, and horrific (without sounding just silly). Here is an example that made me shake my head in utter confusion. Is this scary? Does adding blood to it help the absurdity? Not for me.
"It was all head and lanky frame, an enormous black-green chimpanzee with jagged dinosaur legs and a giant mascot head."

Overall
As with S.A. Hunt's first book in the series there is a heavy reliance on shock value to keep the reader interested. Maybe that keeps the attention of 12-year-old's? But it will not keep the attention of the average 16-year-old... so to me this is a fail. If this is supposed to be a teen book, and given how gory it is I think it must be put there, then relying on shock value isn't going to work. Hunt commits a classic kid/teen literature mistake: assuming the reader is not intelligent. Even a child of 5 can handle a complex plot. So don't dumb it down for MG or YA readers.
Additionally there are a lot of references in here that I suspect the average teen isn't going to pick-up. Now maybe that's okay... but writers need to be careful not to have throwbacks to their own teens in a book written for today's teens. Let's face it, as much as I want to think that being almost 40 doesn't put me in a different realm of language and pop culture knowledge; it does. And referencing Buffy the Vampire Slayer seems cute; but if your target audience is currently 14 it's doubtful they will catch the very subtle reference. Maybe that's okay... but to me it would be better to have a more current reference that your target reader will appreciate.

I have told myself under no circumstances am I letting myself read book 3. I will not allow my "need" to finish a series waste my precious reading time on anymore of Hunt's over-the-top, absurd, and gory descriptions or ridiculous plot points.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

I Come with Knives is the second novel in S.A. Hunt's Malus Comestica series, and it is seriously not one to miss out on, especially for fans of paranormal horror.

Robin has spent her whole life riding that fine line between reality and illusion. She's a monster hunter that hides out in the open, making use of YouTube videos to keep her life on the road moving forward. Not that anyone believes her hunting as anything other than fake, thank goodness.

However, that was before Robin was thrown into a dark and complex plot. Now she understands the demon that is hunting her, and she's finally got a chance to do something about it, especially with the help of her new friends.

“Revelation yawned before her, a chasm of secrets. Afraid, the girl pushed it away.”

I Come with Knives is a fast-paced, thrilling, and intense read. It has the perfect balance of fantasy (paranormal) and horror to keep me fully invested all the way through. Frankly, I enjoyed every moment of this intense read.

To be fair, this is probably not the best series for the faint of heart. Robin's hunts are far from peaceful jaunts – they are, in fact, quite brutal and bloody as any monster hunt would realistically be if you think about it.

While I adored the first novel in this series, I think I Come with Knives has quickly become my new favorite. I learned so much more about Robin in this story, and it really went a long way in explaining the why and how of it all.

More importantly, she really grew and changed over the course of this story, as she is forced to face such horrible threats and the trauma they bring with them. It's a lot to take in, to be honest. But it also made the story feel so much more real and human because of it.

Thanks to Tor Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was a huge fan of the first book, love the characters, but for some reason I couldn’t get back into the story with this second book. The writing is still spot on and I had no issues with the book, I just couldn’t reconnect with the large amount of characters after a gap between books and wasn’t able to continue as I couldn’t keep track of everything. It feels like it might be a great series to read back to back in order to really get into the intense action and stay with the different character storylines. Overall, I’m still very impressed with the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for a copy of this.

In the first book, Burn the Dark, I was disappointed that it was largely back story and setting up the characters for a huge fight. But, I Come with Knives more than makes up for that. This book is action packed, violent and slightly terrifying. I loved it!

My only complaint is that there a ton of characters in this book, which I found very confusing at times. Especially as there are two different battles going on at the same time. However, if you’re looking for a fantastic blend of horror and fantasy, a great found family and a ton of gory action then this is the sequel you’ve been waiting for.

I’m excited to continue on with this series and see what the gang gets into next.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Another fabulous book by S.A. Hunt. If you haven't checked out their work before, definitely do.
This was the second book in the series, so you'll want to read "Burn The Dark" first.

I was so psyched for this book, and it lived up to all the hype.
I adore their writing style. I easily followed the storyline, and could NOT stop reading!

I loved Robins badass take no prisoner attitude. I found myself relating to her jaded personality and her attraction to multiple genders. I liked that she recorded her witch hunts for Youtube because it helped balance out all the paranormal elements and made her feel more grounded in our world. I'm glad we got to see a little bit of Robins struggle with getting off her psych meds. I felt like Robin and Kenways romance was really supportive and well matched. Kenways a war vet who had his leg amputated and seen his friends die, while Robin saw her mother die, was unwillingly given shock therapy at the psych ward for talking about witches, and then faced dozens of life threatening situations fighting witches. They're both survivors who have seen more terrible stuff than most.

I thought the different points of view were better utilized and seemed to have more of a purpose in this sequel. It also felt like we got more of Robin's point of view. I liked their little friend group and how determined they were to help Robin. Joel was one of my favorite characters because he always had the best comebacks and constantly made me laugh. We get a bit of the serial killers perspective which added a level of creepiness to the story. It was nice meeting Robin's mentor and some of the members from his old cult. The relationship between Robin and her mentor wasnt at all what I was expecting but I really enjoyed it. I also liked seeing the attachment Robin and one of the witches had from when she was a child.

In this sequel Robin confronts the witches that started it all and get revenge. We learn more about Robins family and the paranormal cult. The foreshadowing was a little too obvious for my taste, but the reveals were still exciting and there were some twists I didnt see coming. As more elements came into play the stakes got higher and that's probably why I enjoyed it more than the first book. We get an epic showdown with serial killers, a massive shapeshifting hog, and a mob of cat familiars. The pacing was consistent with suspense and action throughout, but at one point 'rasped the voice' is repeated like five times on one page and it totally took me out of the story.

This is set in a small Georgia town that has been taken over by four of the most powerful witches in america. The horror vibes and grotesque descriptions made my dark heart sing. We learn more about demons and how the red lord came to be trapped in Robins old house. I thought it was interesting how witches get their power and how they have a speciality they are good at like illusions, transformation, or divination. We also see more of the magical ring that opens doors to random places. Since so many questions were answered I'm not sure what direction the third book will go in, but I'll definitely be reading it.

I enjoyed reading this book so much! Like the first book, the writing was pretty interesting, because the words are in the usual order, but the words used aren't as familiar! It makes it a slower read, but the story is just so engaging!

We learned so much in this book, and there was just a lot going on! We had more of Joel's perspective, and I'm like, poor dude, so many awful things happen to him in this book! And this book only takes place over the course of 2 or 3 days. Well, I'm not quite sure how long they were at the hospital, but overall, things were happening all over the place!

We had the introduction of the group of people Robin's mentor, Heinrich Hammer, with the Dogs of Odysseus. That was pretty interesting, meeting these characters, because they had a better understanding of the magic, though not about everything!

Man, that ending! I mean, reading this as an ebook with my tablet, I can't tell how many pages are left. So things were winding down, we'd had a big battle, so I totally wasn't expecting that ending! But it was just fantastic to read! Totally didn't expect that, and I can't wait to see how things continue in The Hellion, given this ending!

This was a really great book, I enjoyed it a ton, and I can't wait for book 3!

I want to start by saying that I absolutely love these characters and this world full of witches and other creatures. It’s like a hard-edged even darker Buffy which is all kinds of nostalgic for me. I’ve become completely invested in these characters and I really want to know how it all ends for Robin and her motley gang. I loved the first book and this one was even more gruesome, violent, and unsettling. It’s like the author turned the dial to maximum for book one then decided “f-it” for this one and broke the dial completely. It’s super fast paced and action packed while still having some tender moments and a lot of heart.

The one thing that dampens my enjoyment of this series is the copious and graphic cat death. In the first book of the series I felt like it was bearable as the cats seemed more like spirits or phantoms than actual real-life cats. I didn’t like it but I could overlook it. This book took it to a whole other level that I was not at all comfortable with. The cat suffering and death was so incredibly prolific and horrifying that at two different points in the story it was bad enough to make me want to stop reading. I really wanted to continue with Robin’s journey but these incidents made me feel sick and have left me very sad. I did push through in both cases because I agreed to review this book but I had an actual nightmare about it so it obviously greatly distressed me. I would say to read this at your own discretion if you love cats or animals in general. It’s a really compelling story but this taints it for me and I just couldn’t shake the bad taste it left me with.

Takeaway: Great story but a shame about the prolific, graphic cat deaths.

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

It was an excellent story that I loved. It's gritty, dark, fast paced and well written.
I loved the world building, the character development, and how the author deals with issues like racism.
I was hooked since the first pages and couldn't put it down.
An excellent read, can't wait to read other books by this author.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Full review to come. I have bought both books, in hard copies and audibles for this book for myself. I have also had my bookstore order both for our store. It may be flying under the radar but it is an incredible series that deserves more attention.

I was so stoked to be able to read this book after loving the Burn the Dark so much. It did not dissapoint! I Come with Knives is filled with everything I loved from the first book and Hunt's uniquely descriptive writing keeps you in the action and wanting more!

Getting to know a little more about Robin's past was great. We find out a lot about Robin's mother and how her story is so entwined with Cutty of the Lazenbyry coven. This brought so much to the story and really made it hit home. This is also a huge reason why Robin is so determined to take down the witches.

We get introduced to many new enteties as well as leasning more about Robin's mentor, which all bring their own story and excitement to the mix. I really enjoyed getting to know a bit about The Dogs of Odysseus and can't wait to hopefully read more about them. This paired with all the pop culture references I loved from the first book makes it one hell of an entertaining story.

As we move throught the different aspects of the story and watch the characters evolve, I found that I cared for quite a few more of them than I originally thought. And can we talk about Kenway? Lets just say, I adore him. I can't wait to see what new adventures Hunt has planned for Robin, and us.

Best of all, book three The Hellion drops on September 15h of this year!!! A HUGE thanks to Tor Books and S. A. Hunt for gifting me the next installment which I will absolutely be reading soon!

Thank you the Netgalley and Tor Books for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

The followup to Burn the Dark, I Come With Knives is a mix of gritty horror, dark comedy, and moments of human warmth set in the American South. Robin (YouTube witch hunter) is back in her home town, continuing her mission to avenge the death of her mother and take down a coven of evil, long-lived witches. Assisting her are an entire cast of characters from a gay Black man, to a disabled war veteran turned artist, and several others. We get expanded mythology, lots of gruesome horror and violence, and some interesting revelations.

Overall, this was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I had some issues with the pacing and missed having the perspective of the group of kids (this gave Stranger Things vibes to book 1, but it's not the same in this installment). At times the horror, violence, and crudeness were a bit much for my taste, but then there are brilliant moments. Like having a gay Black man wield a bedazzled baseball bat against a dirty and murderous cop. That was amazing! I like the way this uses horror to get at issues like racism and homophobia, but this installment definitely seemed to lean harder on body horror and slasher horror whereas the first book had more suspense and creepy moments which I tend to prefer. Your mileage may vary. It also makes space to talk about PTSD as a result of trauma which I think it great. It's generally very positive toward both therapy and medication as a form of healing.

Following directly on the heels of book 1, this throws you right back in without doing much to re-orient you to the characters. If you read them directly back to back that might be fine, but it had been 6 months for me and it took me awhile to recall all the different characters and their relationships to each other. The pacing is also a little odd because the book doesn't end where you think it's going to and instead begins a new mini-plotline. It's a little like the third Lord of the Rings film! On a prose level, the action sequences and conversations are well-written, but sometimes the in-between bits and internal monologue don't flow as well due to an overuse of comparative language and references. This may have been true with the first book as well, but I don't recall noticing it as much as I did here.

Overall, I liked but didn't love I Come With Knives, though part of that definitely has to do with my personal taste in horror. I am planning to read book 3 and am curious to see what the author does there. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Do be aware this book has ALL the content warnings! This includes a whole lot of graphic violence, death, murder, violence toward animals particularly cats, police brutality, violence against children, gore, body horror, racist slurs, homophobic slurs, possession, rituals, crude humor and language, loss of a limb, arachnophobia, vomiting and probably more.

SA Hunt is on a roll with this series. A recommended purchase for collections where darker urban fantasy is popular.

I really can't get into this book.
I liked the one creepy scene at the beginning well enough, but I'm currently slogging. It feels like I'm being given too much info at once.
I also didn't like the slut-shaming and body shaming that was in this book either. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
I've also seen warnings for violence against cats and animal abuse, and I wish I had known that before I received the arc.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 24%

I enjoyed the first book in this series so I’m disappointed that I can’t get into this one. Other reviewers have loved it so I feel like I’m missing out on something potentially wonderful.

I think this is either a case of it’s not you, it’s me, or it’s not the right book for me at the moment. Rather than continuing to struggle I’m going to set it aside for now.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Content and trigger warning for dismemberment, gore, violence against cats, emetophobia, fatal shootings

We return to the urban fantasy Untied States right off where Burn the Dark left off as Robin Martine reunites with her mentor, Heinrich Hammer, to take out the witches who killed her mother once and for all. Between those working with the witches and new allies, nothing is quite so simple.

Once again, the pacing in this book is impeccable. Between every intense action scene, there is enough room to breathe and really take in the other story elements. The world-building of the world of witches and demons really shines in this one. Robin undergoes some character development, but not as much as some of the other POVs like Joel, Wayne, and Kenway. It works because all her new friends and allies are being pulled into her violent, supernatural world by forces beyond their control, but also as a result of their devotion to each other. It's really compelling and makes for some good found family feels.

Compared to the first book, this one is definitely more off the rails. The battles are more intense, the enemies have far more bite to them. And as alluded to in the warnings above, if you like cats, you're going to have a really bad time because nothing feels particularly gratuitous. It is just taken to the next level as the story demands and the horror elements really work.

An action-packed sequel that leans really into the horror and the introduction of new allies and more terrifying enemies.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Nope.

*walks away*

A few minutes later...I have to know what happened.

*returns to book*

Thus is "I Come With Knives." This book really scared the hell out of me. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. I will never get the image out of my head of Robin in the hospital and what comes out of her. That was the part where I walked away. I was literally screaming thinking...put it back...put it back!!! Oh gads, no. No, no, no, no, no!

For those who brave picking up this incredible book, you need to go in armed with the knowledge that 1) You cannot eat and read at the same time. May cause your stomach to turn or the need to vomit. You will lose your appetite. 2) For animal lovers, there are many cats killed in this book. BUT they come back again. Be prepared for suicidal cats and murderers. [Ugh. The visual is killing me!]. 3) Dogs are safe, but then again, they're already dead. 4) The good guys get shot in the head a few times. 5) Body parts are ripped off and eaten. 6) You will never get that visual of the shape-shifting witch out of your head. 7) You will never get the Matron's birthing of a goddess out of your brain. Imagine your worst B-movie that turns your stomach. That visual.

JUST O.M.G.
O.M.G.

Did this book scare the hell out of me! And that's why I gave it 5 stars, because I am never going to forget this book. You think you can just step away from it, but nope. It's tendrils will pop out and rope you back in until you reach the end and are left scarred and shaking.

My God, that is what makes a great horror/fantasy/thriller a damn good one.

"Burn the Dark" was just the background to the story/characters. "I Come With Knives" is the adventure. I'm telling ya...this adventure was worth every single second. The action is non-stop in "I Come With Knives." Just when you think you've got a breather...just wait a few pages, because BAM! Then, when you think, okay, this book is coming to an end. Everything is looking all rainbows and sunshine and then you notice there's still 10% left in the ebook. Oh, Hunt is not done yet.

Thank you so much to Tor/Forge for sending me an advance copy because I loved "Burn the Dark" so much. This book was EVERYTHING.

P.S. It's a day later and I'm still scared.

I loved the first book. I love witch stories but this series has a dark twist. First of all i loved the main character. Robin was a fierce and strong character. I enjoyed reading her side of the story. This book was dark, fast paced and full of action. Once i start reading i couldn't put the book down. I think it ended kinda quickly. I wanted Robin and Marilyn had a powerful fight. But i enjoyed every page. I'll miss my witch hunter.

“Revelation yawned before her, a chasm of secrets. Afraid, the girl pushed it away.”

Fast paced, rife with terror that feels at times both brutal and decadent in its descriptiveness, and full of heart-stopping action that is sure to keep the pages turning, the second installment of the Malus Domestica series fulfills all of the promises its predecessor made.

I Come with Knives takes the reader on a 0 to 100 race through Robin’s quest to end the Lazenbury coven once and for all. Robin’s character arc shines particularly bright and poignant amidst all the chaotic events of this story. Familiar faces get a lot of satisfying page time in addition to several new and intriguing cast members introduced in this book. The worldbuilding gets its time in the spotlight in this sequel, drawing from real world mythology and religion and turning it into something unique and new.

Of particular note to me was the way trauma was addressed in I Come with Knives; open conversations are had between characters about the horrific experiences they go through and space is given to acknowledge it, ones both all too real (PTSD and other trauma as experienced by veterans of war) and fantastical (of which you’ll have to read and see to avoid spoilers). Having real and believable queer characters on page is, as always, a positive for me.

Overall, I Come with Knives is a wild ride that is over the top in the best way possible. As someone who has been increasingly interested in fantasy/horror blends over the past couple of years, it’s one of the most legitimately scary reads I’ve finished to date—which means its working as intended. As long as you can handle graphic depictions of violence, body horror, and other challenging elements that can be found the horror genre, I highly recommend giving I Come with Knives and its predecessor, Burn the Dark, a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor/Forge for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

While I Burn the Dark was a great novel, it ended on less than satisfying cliffhanger. With nothing really resolved, it was up to I Come With Knives to satisfy, and this follow-up does that by cranking it all up to eleven.

It's far more action packed, plenty more gruesome, and hand wringingly tense. There's also a lot of new world building here. A new group of witch hunters arrived, connected to Robin through her mentor, which leads to not only a new group of accomplices, but the possibility of an ongoing series that could explore their world.

Things at least end solidly here, giving readers the conclusion they may have been looking for previously, and I would recommend reading both books together.

There are some really outrageous revelations here that may come across as a little silly at first, but it tends to fall in line with the over the top nature of the story. Nothing is held back here, so strap in for a gory, emotional roller coaster ride of fantasy and horror.