Listen, I’m a mega T. Kingfisher fan at this point and all of her recent novellas have worked splendidly for me. I love the Sworn Soldier books and could read about Easton’s adventures endlessly. (Seriously, please keep writing these!)

This installment feels different in tone, more melancholy and fitting with its setting at an old forest hunting lodge. I loved the theme and meditation on ‘soldier’s heart’ which fit well with the tone and blended well with spooky elements of the book. It was also nice as a lens through which to get to understand Easton better as our protagonist. I also loved finally getting to visit Gallacia in this book! What a fun little place our author has dreamed up.

Highly recommend if you liked any of her recent works. Thanks to Tor for the eARC.

What Feasts at Night is a followup to T. Kingfisher's retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher, What Moves the Dead. I enjoyed this sequel, it was a good continuation of the stories of the characters from the first. I really loved the new character of the widow, she was an excellent addition to the crew, providing some comic relief while never being the butt of the joke for her country and folk "remedies" for the haunting the group feels.

This book gave some great creepy moments as well as having some great characters who are well thought out and given good moments in the story. Well recommend the read if you enjoyed the first book.

I binged this in a single sitting before bed, and gosh what a story.

I love gothic spooky stories so much, and What Moves the Dead is one of my new all-time favorite reads. What Feasts the Night continues the story of Alex's life as they return home to an old hunting cabin along with Angus and Miss Potter to allow our favorite mycologist a chance to study fungus in a new environment.

This story in a lot of ways focuses more on Alex's time in the army as well as the PTSD and trauma they experienced on the battlefield, coupled with old country villages and their superstitions about the unknown. It's spooky, thoughtful, and just the right amount of found family trope to even it all out.

*3.5 rounded up to 4 for Goodreads scoring system*
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I recently read "What Moves the Dead" which is a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's "Fall of the House of Usher" and it was so unsettling and gothic and lovely. I loved it so much so I was excited to get an arc of the sequel "What Feasts at Night" which isn't a retelling of anything but it draws its inspiration from Eastern European folklore. In this case, the moroi, which is typically from Romanian folklore and is a vampire or ghost. And this time, we follow Alex Easton to his hunting lodge in Gallacia with Angus and Miss Potter (who I adore!). When Alex and Angus arrive, the caretaker is missing with the lodge in a mess.

I loved the first book so much. It was creepy, unsettling, and the detail was so lovely (aside from the extended discussion on Gallacian pronouns, which I understood why Kingfisher included it but it took a lot away from the tension and the narrative to have just a page and a half about linguistics and pronouns in a story that doesn't massively have anything to with it). This one was still enjoyable but after the events of the first book, it got to be exhausting to see Alex constantly deny what they were seeing and experiencing. There was also a lot less detail which is a good and bad thing; it's good because for the most part, the tension was consistent BUT it's bad because it lacked the same charm and creepiness that the first was filled with.

I also found the housekeeper to be exhausting. Her interactions with Alex led to a lot of linguistic discussions which is helpful but like with WMTD, it was just exhausting to read and took me out of the narrative. I honestly kept hoping for the housekeeper to get got by the moroi.

Overall, I did enjoy this one but it wasn't as charming and creepy as I expected it to be.

Read WHAT FEASTS AT NIGHT by T. Kingfisher if you love remote villages, disreputable cabins in the woods, mysterious illnesses, nightmares, fungi, strongly spiced sausage, trauma narratives, endless cups of tea, propriety, knives & very good horses.

While I still very much appreciate Alex Easton (whose gender truly is “soldier” and uses ka/kan pronouns) as main character and narrator, What Feasts at Night lacked much of the delightfully gothic charm of What Moves the Dead. There was much less description and much more “we’ve seen exactly what the problem is several times but I guess Easton is just going to be stubborn for some reason”, and the side characters didn’t have nearly so much presence as the Ushers did in the previous book.

Would I read another novella starring our favorite sworn soldier? Absolutely. Is this going on my favorites list for the year? Nah.

T. Kingfisher is taking the symbols of cottagecore one by one and making them horrifying...

Thanks so much to the publisher for inviting me to read an ARC of this title!

I liked this one even more than WHAT MOVES THE DEAD! I love Alex as a narrator and I am so excited that we got to spend time in Gallacia and learn about this interesting made-up country. For a set of novellas, the thought that's been put into the worldbuilding here is so interesting and, in my opinion, more well thought-out than a lot of behemoth novels that I've read. It feels like a real place with real traditions and people! In my review for #1, I remember noting how interesting I found the specific pronouns used for soldiers--in #2, we got another interesting set, for priests! I think it just shows how much the author has thought about the world and inclusion within fiction, even in a completely made up country and culture.

Also, I was delighted to see more of Miss Potter and Angus. Also Hob. What a fun horse.

My enjoyment of this may be biased, since I have been scared of its subject matter for probably my entire adult life. <spoiler>I am genuinely so scared of the concept of sleep paralysis. I will not sleep on my back because I read one (1) time that it's the more likely to occur in that sleep position! I am so scared of it!</spoiler> The folklore aspect of it was so fun and I loved the different characters' reactions to the lore and their levels of belief in it.

This is such a good series. I would happily read about Alex Easton for as long as T. Kingfisher will let me.

What Feasts at Night is the second book in the Sworn Soldier series. I really enjoyed being back with these great characters, especially our Sworn Soldier Alex! The atmosphere was spot on in this one! Great gothic and cold vibes! I think this one makes an excellent winter read ❄👻 I'm excited to see where these characters will end up in the next swon soldier book!

Thanks, netgalley for this arc!

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

Other Books I have Enjoyed: What Moves the Dead, The Twisted Ones, A House with Good Bones

Release Date: February 13th, 2024

BISAC Categories: Horror-General, Occult & Supernatural, Gothic, LBGTQ

Themes/Tropes/Triggers: (animal death) war, PTSD, soldiers, friendship, hunting cabin, moths, small-town secrets, superstitions, rumors, folklore, witchcraft/occult, nightmares, pronouns & gender fluidity

What You Need to Know: This is the second book in a series. The first book in the Sworn Soldier Series is called, What Moves the Dead. These books can be read as standalone. The characters think about and make reference to events from the previous book but they are explained and not necessary to know in order to make sense of the current plot.

My Reading Experience: Kingfisher is a real master of three important aspects of quality storytelling: Setting--I love the descriptions of landscapes, weather, dwellings, and all the flora/fauna.
Backstory: Character backstory is organically dispersed and always serves the forward motion of the book. It's never awkward or useless. Piggybacking off that is Character development with a complex dynamic between characters and interesting dialogue. I appreciate that all the characters have unique voices and personalities.

In book one, there was the mysterious threat of a strange fungus and possessed wildlife. Book two finds Alex and Angus traveling to Alex's family hunting lodge in his very small hometown of Gallacia. Once they settle in and hire some help, odd things begin to happen at night. I love the folklore and supernatural elements of this story. Kingfisher introduces some new characters and brings back some beloved ones too.

Final Rec: The perfect one-sitting read with more humor, wit, gothic vibes, small-town secrets and spooky visitors.

Comps: What Moves the Dead, The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

Was super excited for this book, as I loved previous books by this author. However, I found this to be a very slow read that did not hold my attention.

A very good sequel and enjoyable read. T. Kingfisher is really engaging and has a way of describing the environment in a visceral way. I am excited to read more by this author in the future.

Kingfisher has once again taken well known stories and myths and transformed them into a chilling story.

Thank you to #TorPublishingGroup #TorNightfire and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is February 13, 2024 • 5 Stars

“What Feasts at Night” is a horror-fantasy novella by T. Kingfisher and the second book in the “Sworn Soldier” series. The story follows retired soldier Alex Easton, who is asked to investigate a family hunting lodge in Gallacia. Upon arrival, 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.

#Bookstagram #WhatFeastsAtNight #SwornSoldier2 #TKingfisher

I adore T. Kingfisher but I wasn't feeling this second novella in her "Sworn Soldier" series. While I enjoyed seeing some hints of Alex Easton's life before they became a soldier I just couldn't get into this strange little tale of a breath sucking spirit attempting to off Alex and company. Between being generally unclear about what was going on and wondering why Alex would be having such a hard time accepting strange goings on following the absolute bat shittery of "What Moves the Dead" this just didn't do it for me. I will happily and readily read Alex's continuing adventures but I think I want a little more meat on the bone next time.

I love T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon, so I was very excited to get this. I finished the previous book What Moves the Dead in about two hours back in May. This one took longer, and not just because I was working on end of the year challenges. This is definitely slower paced than WMtD and it seemed a little rushed to me at the end, although that could also be the result of reading it over a longer period of time. I liked it, but I didn't love it, and that's okay!
Thank you so much to Tor and NetGalley for the ARC! :D

A stunning follow up to the Sworn Soldier first book. I loved the take on folklore and ghosts and everything about it. Kingfisher has a true talent for making something both magical and terrifying.

A horrifying follow-up adventure to What Moves the Dead. Kingfisher does not disappoint. A captivating story with compelling characters.

Thank you NetGalley and TOR Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The caretaker is missing when Alex Easton and his friend Angus make it to the cabin in the wilds of their homeland of Gallacia, and tension builds around the fear of being the next to go missing. A monster is on the loose, and old folk remedies to get rid of the monster are no help at all.

I'm always impressed with Kingfisher's writing style and wit, and WHAT FEASTS AT NIGHT provides both. This novella is light on plot but heavy on atmosphere, just like the first novella in the series, although I was more into the plot of WHAT MOVES THE DEAD and found it more frightening. While WHAT MOVES THE DEAD, gave the sense of magic growing out of control, the second gives the sense of being surrounded by magic, enclosed, under siege. Escape is next to impossible, which seems to be the essence of the horror in this series.

There are equivalents for the hares from WHAT MOVES THE DEAD in WHAT FEASTS AT NIGHT, but these creatures (no spoilers!) are just not as scary as the hares. They needed something to make them more horrifying, although I can't imagine what.

Alex is a great nonbinary character. Ke is good practice for thinking about a literary character in a non-gendered manner and attributing only the physical characteristics that the author describes, which can be hard for me, just as it is easier for me to imagine white characters and read in my own voice. T. Kingfisher is full of creative use of pronouns in the Sworn Soldier series. If queer representation is what you crave in adult fiction, the fantasy genre is leading the way.

I look forward to the continuation of the series. What will the author dream up next?

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an ARC copy of What Feasts at Night in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Easton has been thoroughly traumatized by the events that took place at Usher house, but is determined to continue to the next adventure. Alex and Angus set off for Alex's land, but arrive to a strange situation. The normal groundskeeper has vanished with no explanation. Alex tries to find answers and hire new help, but the welcome they receive is less than helpful. Strange things begin happening on the land and personal attacks on Alex and the staff have them searching for answers. What they discover is both frightening and heartbreaking - however, they must work together in order to make it through the night alive.

****Spoilers****


T. Kingfisher is a beautiful story teller that makes you feel as if you have been transported into the story. This tale is only 160 pages, but I felt like I was in this fictional town - not at home on my couch. I liked the incorporation of local folklore into the story. The Widow's tales and odd superstitions were a glance into how many people dealt with these situations in the past. Examples being the knife under the bed, the salt, the red string. If you have ever had nightmares, you know the feeling of doubt as you question the validity of what just happened. "It was only a dream" is a mantra you repeat so that you return to sleep at night. But what if it was more than that? Would you look further into it's meanings? Kingfisher poses that question in this tale and I look forward to reading more stories by this author!

"What Feast at Night" by T. Kingfisher fell short of expectations. While the author's writing style is competent, the plot lacks depth and fails to engage the reader fully. The characters, though quirky, lack the development needed to make them truly compelling. The pacing feels uneven, with moments of stagnation followed by abrupt developments. Overall, it's a mediocre read that struggles to leave a lasting impression. Thank you NetGalley, T.Kingfisher, and publisher for the ARC!