Initial Thoughts
This was excellent! I loved What Moves the Dead, so I was very eager to read this story which follows our favorite sworn soldier, Alex Easton. Alex and their groom, Angus, travel to the lodge owned by Alex's family only to find it in disrepair after the caretaker's death. They will soon learn that there is more going on than they first thought. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.

As always Kingfisher nails it. I loved spending time with these characters for the 2nd installment.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

What Feasts at Night is set after What Moves the Dead. This is book 2 in the Sworn Soldier series but you can easily read this as a folk horror standalone. Alex Easton and Eugenia Potter are again the main characters. This time they're at the family hunting lodge trying to separate folklore from reality. As with T. Kingfisher's other books, atmosphere is key here. She writes descriptively better than anyone else. If you enjoy her other books, you'll love this too.

In this follow-up to the mushroom-horror novella What Moves the Dead, Lt. Alex Easton is returning to a hunting lodge they inherited many years before before hosting a traveling mycologist for a visit. When they arrive, Easton discovers that the caretaker has died of mysterious causes — though when pressed, the locals say that it was the moroi, a dark creature that causes nightmares as it sits on your chest and sucks out your breath while you sleep.

I love just about everything T. Kingfisher writes, and this is no exception. She creates a very realistic fictitious country, with local legends that are truly horrifying to consider — who among us hasn't woken up breathless from a nightmare at some point? While it doesn't hurt to read What Moves the Dead first, it's certainly not required. Either way, this one's well worth a read.

Zero chills, zero thrills, zero creep factor and a far cry from What Moves the Dead.

The story just didn't pull me in or engage me at all. There was lots of info dumping that distracted from the main plot. Even the lore and worldbuilding was disappointing.

Just as I started to get into things, it all falls apart and turns out to be so underwhelming. I mean, gunshots at a supernatural entity? Really?

I did like the return of Angus and Miss Potter as well as the dark humor, so two stars for those. But other than that, this was really boring despite the promising build-up.

On the bright side, this novella is only 160 pages. On the downside, it took me forever to finish. Or ten days, to be exact.

I always love T Kingfisher’s writing, and this was no exception. Plot-wise, it wasn’t as appealing as some of her books but it’s definitely fun. She also touches upon PTSD in a nice way without being too heavy-handed. I don’t love the pronoun thing because it feels inconsistent so when it does show up, it just ends up being jarring. Still, another great Kingfisher read.

This is the second Alex Easton novel and is, if anything, even better than "What Moves the Dead". The first book had the advantage, right out of the gate, of being an unnerving reimagining of Poe's "Fall of the House of Usher". This time, though, we have to start from scratch, and Kingfisher offers us a whole new brand of vengeful spirit horror. Her batman Angus and Miss Potter return, which is a welcome touch, but it is Alex's rueful, deadpan, and slightly dark humor that really distinguishes the narrative. A nice, satisfying, find.

It only took one recommendation from a patron to get me hooked on T. Kingfisher, and now, she is an automatic must-read. "What Feasts at Night" is the next installment of her "Sworn Soldier" series, featuring Alex Easton and their compatriots Angus and Miss Potter, and it is as excellent as the last, 'What Moves the Dead." The eerie setting of the fictional Gallacia is so full of atmosphere that the reader is perpetually on edge, waiting for whatever malevolent being is lurking in the shadows to wreak its havoc to make its appearance. At just under 200 pages, Kingfisher once again proves the power of quality over quantity, and crafts a novella whose events will stick with the reader for a good while after it's finished. (And maybe, just maybe, might make them think twice about those sudden, middle-of-the-night awakenings...)

This along with its predecessor What Moves the Dead is the perfect addition to the high school library where students are always asking for another Edgar Allan Poe anthology. Gothic and ghoul filled delights await the horror fan, and both of the novellas in the Sworn Soldier storyline will appeal to adults and teens alike. Perfectly readable, and perfect length for busy readers. T. Kingfisher brings the darkness with a perfect pitch, a bit of humor and loads of frightening imagery to think about.

I’m among the few that didn’t really enjoy What Moves the Dead that much when it was released. I found it to be underwhelming when I reviewed it, but I like Kingfisher so much I decided to read the sequel anyway and I’m glad I did because I loved What Feasts at Night so much better than What Moves the Dead.

I think what threw me off with What Moves the Dead was the inevitable comparison with Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher. I just couldn’t let it go and I think that may have compromised my ability to enjoy that story. With What Feasts at Night, we’re removed from the Usher household and on a new journey with Alex Easton. There’s no prior story association for me to be hung up on and so I got to enjoy this story just as it’s presented.

What I loved the most about this book was the dry witticism of Alex Easton. Alex’s voice is strong and clear and so funny to me. I laughed so many times reading this book because my sense of humor is skewed much the same way. Alex is a genuine character and one I loved reading. I could read an entire novel in Alex’s voice, but if Kingfisher wants to keep writing novellas featuring Alex Easton in creepy gothic occult horrors then I’ll totally keep reading them just to laugh the way this book made me laugh.

It was lovely to see the esteemed Miss Potter and the besotted Angus again, as well as meeting new supporting characters that made for a colorful and entertaining cast.

The world building and story in this installment were so much more my speed this time around. Some nice moth core (it’s a thing) aesthetics, nightmare lore, superstitions, folk treatments, and musings on PTSD. It’s well-constructed, even if I felt the writing could’ve been better in a few places. The imagery was top-tier though.

It’s a great sequel to What Moves the Dead. I totally recommend it.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Disability Rep/Gothic Fiction/Historical Fantasy/Horror/LGBTQ Fiction/Novella/Occult Fiction/Occult Horror

I will read anything T. Kingfisher publishes, and this was no exception. Another great, atmospheric tale of horror! While I feel that What Moves the Dead was a little more gripping for me, personally, What Feasts at Night was fascinating, terrifying and definitely worth a read. This is great for anyone that likes folklore, as well as a good creepy tale.

I enjoyed the heck out of this. It was like taking a side quest from a Witcher game and making a short book out of it. An old hunting lodge that has been taken residence by a woman/creature from an old folktale who sits on your chest while you sleep and steals the breathe from your lungs like a damn sleep paralysis demon. All horror aside though, the friendship and chemistry between Alex and Angus are pure gold just like Geralt and Dandelion. Need more of them PLEASE.

I really enjoyed this! What Feasts at Night brings back the spooky vibes as Alex Easton is back and in this one comes to their family's old hunting lodge to discover the villagers believe it is haunted by a creature of nightmares. I like that this story was more grounded in folklore and had a more ambiguous ending than the sci-fi feeling that the first book had for me. Easton is still processing trauma from events of the previous book as well as their experiences as a soldier, and T. Kingfisher does an excellent job of exploring PTSD through the lens of horror here. I love Alex as a narrator, they are very witty and anxious at times and you can see how their past experiences have made them into the person they are today. And the side characters are so fun, especially Angus and Miss Eugenia Potter. I appreciated that this book is short but still feels complete, and it doesn't overstay its welcome. Similar to the first novella, the book has a slower pace until things ramp up at the end and Easton faces what's haunting their home. If this does become a longer series, I would like to see more direction/connection between the stories if possible - so far it has felt like Alex is just stumbling their way into strange situations. I'd love to see more books written in this series in the future!!

This was just fine, but it felt incredibly slight in comparison with "What Moves the Dead" (which already felt fairly slight to me). The horror here developed even more slowly, and the fallout was less intense.

What an amazing follow up to What Moves the Dead. Here we catch up with the crew - Alex, Angus and Miss Potter as they head to Gallacia. We also find out Hob the horse is fine! When they arrive at the hunting lodge it is learned the caretaker has passed away in such a way rumors of a moroi have spread through town. With these rumors it was difficult to find a helping hands for the lodge, but a local duo reluctantly agrees. Alex himself doesn’t believe in the morori, at first, but when events start unfolding the idea seems to feel more real.

I am a HUGE fan of T. Kingfisher’s works, and this was no different. It was fun learning about the history, customs, and folklore of Gallacia! Looking forward to reading the crews next haunting adventure.

What Feasts at Night is the second novella in the Sworn Soldier series by T. Kingfisher, and it takes place several months after the events of What Moves the Dead (read my review here). Alex Easton and Angus are heading back to Gallacia to ready Alex's hunting lodge in anticipation of the arrival of Miss Potter. Alex has promised her a Gallacian excursion to study the unique mushrooms and fungi in the area, and Alex suspects Angus and Miss Potter are excited to spend more time together as well.

Unfortunately, upon their arrival at the lodge, they discover that something is very wrong. Alex's groundskeeper is missing, and further investigation in town reveals he died weeks ago under mysterious, perhaps supernatural, circumstances. Alex is able to hire a local widow and her son Bors in the groundskeeper's stead to help set the lodge to rights and wait one them during Miss Potter's visit.

It soon becomes apparent, however, that something strange is still afoot at the lodge. Bors begins having strange dreams and develops an illness not unlike what people say killed the former groundskeeper. When the same affliction begins to affect Alex, the entire group must work to discover if legends are real and walking among them.

I really enjoyed getting to read more about Alex, Angus, and Miss Potter in What Feasts at Night. I loved the first book, which is a re-telling of The Fall of the House of Usher, and I was definitely excited when I found out it was becoming a series. Alex's descriptions of Gallacia in the first book were so interesting, and I'm glad this book takes place there. Gallacia reminds me of a version of Transylvania almost in that it's mostly villages of superstitious people and an army for hire.

Those superstitions are at the forefront of this book. The people in the village near Alex's lodge believe a creature exists that sneaks in while people are sleeping, sits on their chests, and steals their breaths in an attempt to come back to life. It's almost like some sort of malicious ghost. Just as in the previous book, Alex takes a long time to be convinced of reality even if the reader recognizes the signs all along. Even with what Alex has seen months ago with the Ushers, they still have a hard time accepting the inevitable.

My only complaint with this book is that it seemed to retread some old ground rather than fully explore something new. The people affected changed, and the supernatural element changed. However, the framework of the story remained the same. We didn't get to see as much of Gallacia as I would have liked either - just what was in and around the hunting lodge and nearby village. I still enjoyed the book, and I'll still read the next one when it comes out, though.

I gave What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher four out of five stars. This is another gothic fantasy exploring supernatural phenomena, and the mystery of how Alex would resolve the situation kept me reading. I'd like to see a bit more depth and variety in future installments, but I will be reading anything else in this series T. Kingfisher chooses to right! Give these novellas a shot if you're looking for a quick gothic fantasy read.

I could read about Alex Easton's brushes with the unknown forever and never tire of the stories. I was obsessed with What Moves the Dead, devouring it in a single night, and What Feasts at Night was the same. These novellas are deliciously haunting, the perfect mix of deeply personal, character-driven horror and supernatural thrill to keep you turning page after page. I also enjoy the casual queerness interwoven in the world building with Alex's status as a sword soldier and kar's use of non-traditional pronouns because of that status.

Best read on a cold winter night in front of a fireplace with a glass of wine in hand (or something like brennavin aquavit, which I imagine would be somewhat similar to livrit, if not better tasting).

I love T. Kingfisher! Her books are some of the most amazing and engrossing books that I have read. I also love that they tend to be fast reads but still hold your attention as though they were hundreds of pages long. In #WhatFeastsAtNight we get to meet up with Alex Easton, Angus and the mycologist Miss Potter, whom we previously met in #WhatMovesTheDead.
The trio once again finds themselves in the midst of a strange supernatural force that seems to be stealing the very breath out of men and women. In Gallacia they believe a Moroi is at the heart of it, a superstition of a woman who sits on your chest and pulls the breath from your body until you die.
Alex struggles to believe in such a thing even after the results of what happened in the previous novel What Moves The Dead.


Thankyou to #TorNightfire and #Netgalley for the chance to read #WhatFeastsAtNight by #T.Kingfisher in return for a fair and honest review.

This is the second story in the Sworn Soldier series, but you don’t have to have read that one to read this one. I’m calling it a series because I’m hoping there are more! I really like these novellas. T. Kingfisher’s writing is immersive without being wordy, and the way she writes- the language is so beautiful sometimes.

The folk horror story grips you. I read it in one sitting! The story build and builds in intensity. It’s hard to describe the plot without spoilers. I went into it knowing almost nothing. The characters are at a hunting lodge and something might be coming for them in their dreams. Or in real life. I loved it.

This was an interesting tale and the 2nd book in the Sworn Soldier series. Alex Eastin, the soldier from the previous novel must take on a Moroi in this story. It was interesting to see what all the people of the town believed as people's lives are being taken. Some believe old superstitions, while others believe the church and/or doctors. I enjoyed this novella, and trying to figure out what was actually going on when Alex Easton encounters the Moroi.