Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Let me start by saying that at this point I will read anything T. Kingfisher puts out. I loved the first book, What Moves the Dead. This sequel is not quite as good; however, if you read the first book, please read this one. Alex Easton is such a great main character, and we get to learn a bit more about them as they have another run in with local lore. It takes a little longer to get as creepy as the first one, but I still love where it ended up.

Rating 4/5

I love T. Kingfisher so I knew I would enjoy this and really liked What Moves the Dead! This one was also a great read I loved the characters and the vibe was just so unique and easily to get immersed in. Great representation and it kept me wanting to keep reading! I know it is a novella but it did feel a bit short and would have liked more time dedicated to the ending. Still really enjoyed and will be adding to our library!

<i> What Moves the Dead </i> was one of my top books of 2022, so I was eager to read the next installment in Alex Easton’s adventures. And, for the most part, I absolutely loved it.

The writing is amazingly descriptive and atmospheric right out of the gate. Kingfisher has a gift for making the reader really feel the unease, the unsettling something <i> off </i> about a place, and also an ability to conjure up an entire, vivid landscape with a few well-chosen similes. Her characters are also brimming with life, each establishing a sense of history and fully-formed personality in only a few lines of dialogue.

Points also for a really excellent description of what we now call PTSD, and some brilliantly executed (and highly unconventional) body horror.

So why isn’t it five stars?

I know that this is a novella series, but this book felt too short, and not just because I want to spend more time with Kingfisher’s masterfully crafted narrative voice. The story felt a little too small, the plot contained to just a little too few incidents. I was left feeling as if the story was resolved before it ratcheted up the final notch. That said, the <i> way </i> in which the story resolved was excellent.

Highly recommend to fans of the first and to anyone who likes gothic horror with a bit of humor. I sincerely hope there's a third book to come—if there is, I will definitely be reading it.

I have never read a T. Kingfisher book I didn't enjoy and I'm not about to start now. This follow up to the Edgar Allan Poe inspired What Moves the Dead was all that I hoped it would be: atmospheric, emotional, funny, and so creepy! Kingfisher is a master at writing novellas that are as immersive as a novel while not leaving the reader unsatisfied, though the Sworn Soldier books aren't long ones, they pack in a lot of story.

In this installment, Alex Easton returns to kan home country, Gallacia, with Angus, Miss Potter, and, of course, Hob, and finds that there is something strange going on at their lodge. I won't spoil the plot, but I found the way the mystery unraveled to be as clever and interesting as what happened on the grounds of the Usher house in book one and it was easy to get invested in the characters introduced in this new setting as well. Bors, especially, is a new favorite of mine and if we get a third Sworn Soldier book, I would love to see him again!

Another thing I love about this book is how Easton's experience as a soldier was explored, with care being taken to show how trauma can affect people even years down the line, and how important it can be to just be there to support someone with "soldier's heart".

One thing that I think is special about these books is that in a way, there are no villains. Just people and beings who are doing their best to survive their circumstances, and as much as I root for Easton and the rest of the squad, I like seeing how empathetic the narrative is towards the things in the books that scare us. There is one quote in particular that knocked me out, when Easton asked, "Blessed Virgin, why must you keep sending me innocent monsters?" and I think that perspective coming from the protagonist is so unique and fitting for these stories.

The ending of the book, too, I love for doing that kind of thing, saying, "It's not the place's fault...It doesn't deserve to fall apart because something bad happened here...Something bad happened to both of us, too. We don't deserve to fall apart either." (I will say again I LOVE BORS!) And the way that the ending of this book is so starkly contrasted to the ending of What Moves the Dead, and the way the ending of this book is actually a full circle moment from the lines at the beginning of the book was just so lovely!!!

I feel like I could go on about this series for some time, but I don't want to spoil anything else and so finally I'll just say that I really enjoyed seeing the ways all of the characters, both from WMTD and new to WFAN grew and interacted together. T. Kingfisher really knows how to build a loveable cast (anyone who has read Nettle & Bone knows this well, I'm sure!) and though I was satisfied with the ending we have here, I would be very excited to read another Sworn Soldier book someday. In the meantime, I'm still happily working through every backlist title of Kingfisher's I can get my hands on!

It’s official: T. Kingfisher is an auto-buy author for me. The prose, the atmosphere, the humour! I preferred the first installment, but I still had a great time reading this one. 3,75⭐ rounding up to 4.

❤️ Atmosphere
❤️ Skillful and effortless nonbinary and genderqueer representation
❤️ Funny and fascinating narrator
❌ Slow start
❌ Underwhelming ending

Trigger Warnings: alcohol consumption, anxiety, war trauma, blood and gore, misgendering, and magical coercion or possession. Mentioned, off page: potential sexual abuse and murder.

Plot:
Retired soldiers Alex and Angus return to Gallacia, hoping to welcome their mycologist friend Miss Potter in time for mushroom season. They arrive to find the hunting lodge filthy and deserted, soon learning that the caretaker has passed away. But there is something mysterious about the old man’s death, and the way the villagers refuse to talk about it. Joined by a feisty widow and her kind grandson, Alex, Angus, and Miss Potter will try to stop the old evil that’s trying to claim more lives.

Who doesn’t love a good, short creepy folklore tale? The story beings with a rather long description of the story setting. There is a mysterious death, suspicious small-town locals, superstitions, and folk tales. Our protagonists are skeptical at first, but they soon realize that the stories might be true after all. I thought that the story was very slow to start (I remember being 40% in and feeling like the story hadn’t really started), but Alex’s funny and witty narrating made it fun to read nonetheless. There was more humour and less horror than in What Moves at Night, with a lot of emphasis on suspense and atmosphere. For me, the ending was slightly underwhelming. I would have preferred a faster pace with a more impactful climax, but I still had a good time reading it and cackled more than a few times.

Characters:
Such a loveable bunch! Alex is a fascinating and funny narrator, and kan (a nonbinary pronoun that only sworn soldiers can use) interactions with pretty much everyone, and especially Angus and the Widow, are *chef’s kiss*. Miss Potter is, again, my favourite. Such class! I could read stories about them over and over, and I’m quite sad that this was only a 2-book series.

Writing:
Kingfisher’s writing never fails to impress me: elegant and sharp, evocative, complex yet accessible, extremely funny without feeling forced. There are so many details that make me smile or laugh. It’s really refreshing, and I’ll never stop praising and recommending it.

An enjoyable novella and fine follow-up to "What Moves the Dead." I found this one to be a bit slower and missing some of the ominous vibes that made the first one a 5 star read. Will continue to read the series and look forward to the next one, if there is one.

I love when a book throws me into a mysterious dark adventure and this book certainly did that. I became a fan of T. Kingfisher after reading Thornhedge and I plan to read more of their works in the near future.
Though this is Book #2 of the Sworn Soldier series, I do not feel you need to read book 1 to understand what is going on in this one. I read this one before book 1 and feel as though I was still able to fully enjoy the story and the folklore.
It's not a long book, so the events happen quickly and it is easily able to be read in a single sitting. My only caveat would be, since this is the second book in the series and the main characters have already been through other fantastical events, they are very stalwart in their belief of the events.
I do not want to give too much away, so I will try to pause my review here. However, I encourage you to pick up this book as well as the first in the series and give them a chance. There is certainly a creepy air about them which reminds me of "The Haunting of Hill House" or other gothic fantasies which have ghosts and other creatures of the night lurking around each corner.

4.5 stars
(For reference, I gave the first book, What Moves The Dead 5⭐️)

I love this series. So. Much. That shouldn't come as a surprise because Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors!

What Feasts at Night is a "follow up" to What Moves The Dead. However, in my opinion, they can be read as stand alones, even though the books are connected they stories are individual..BUT I do recommend reading both because they are so good.

What Feasts At Night almost hit the 5⭐️ mark for me, but it was missing that ominous vibe that What Moves The Dead delivered but still a really fantastic read. It's more lighthearted, funny and sarcastic which I really enjoyed and it's lighter on the horror. I think this is a fantastic, cozy horror.

I hope that there is more coming in this series (T. Kingfisher, if you're reading this 🙏🏻) we need a book 3, 4, and 5, and so on of Alex just going on spooky adventures. 👀

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital copy to read, as always opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC. I thought the cover was interesting so requested the follow-up to T. Kingfisher’s bestselling gothic novella, What Moves the Dead.

My OCD brain wanted to read the first book, but this is described as a standalone novella, so I jumped right in. It became very clear this book was not going to be for me. Had it not been less than 150 pages, it would have been a DNF. I found the story very slow, and unremarkable.

This was a really fun, quick read. It is all about the characters and the interactions.

Kingfisher has really struck gold with Alex Easton. She is a fantastic character that just seems to pull in great supporting characters with some of the best banter that I have ever read. Reconnecting with Alex, Angus and Miss Potter was great; Widow Botezatu and her grandson, Bors, were fantastic additions to the cast.

I love Gallacia, it doesn’t exist, or does it? There is a certain vagueness to it. Kingfisher makes it seem like a possible place that may exist somewhere in Europe, maybe. This allows her to create the culture, have fun with superstitions, and generally make it all up as she goes. The reader never knows what crazy Gallacian quirk is around the corner.

All in all, I had a great time in Gallacia with Alex, and I can envision many entertaining adventures to come.
​
*4.5 Stars

Ahoy there me mateys!  Alex Easton wants rest after the horror of the House of Usher.  They head to their Gallacian hunting lodge to recuperate.  However, the time there turns into a literal nightmare out of local folktales.

I thought the first book ended perfectly as a standalone.  I was still excited to get another adventure dealing with Alex. Those readers expecting the horror of the first novella are likely to be slightly disappointed.  There is not a lot of suspense in this story as the reader knows exactly what is happening.  It takes Alex and co. at lot longer to figure it out.  It seemed a bit silly that Alex is so stubborn about the issue.

Ultimately, this book really is about Alex dealing with her PTSD from the war that was exacerbated by the Usher experience.  I really enjoyed this novella despite the very different tone from the first book.  The housekeeper was a great character whose disgruntled state was fun to read about.  Agnus and Miss Potter continue to be lovely.

While this might not have gone in the fashion I would have wanted, the characters still made this read very enjoyable.  If there is ever a third book, I would pick it up too.  Arrrrr!

After rating Kingfisher's "What Moves the Dead" as my top book of the year in 2023, I was excited to read its followup, "What Feasts at Night." I was not disappointed.

Early 20th c. Alex Easton returns from the big city to a hunting cabin passed down to him by his family to find an eerie silence has beset the place and its caretaker has disappeared. While searching for all logical explanations for the disturbing turns of events after his arrival, Easton finds himself threatened by the same forces that overwhelmed the old caretaker.

Kingfisher is a master of mood-setting wordplay, of dark humor and cheery characterization, and of unspooling dream sequences as though I were living them myself. I found myself unsure what was real and what was imaginary, what was rational and what was believable, and what I'd be thinking in Easton's shoes. I finished the short volume quickly and am telling everyone I know to look out for this book.

WHAT FEASTS AT NIGHT follows Alex Easton, the MC from WHAT MOVES THE DEAD, as they return to their (fictional) homeland of Gallacia to host Miss Potter (also from WMTD) at the hunting lodge they inherited. Only, when Easton and Angus return to the hunting lodge, they find that the caretaker has died and there seems to be an odd presence at the lodge.

I basically highlighted the ENTIRE first chapter of this novella. The writing is just insane and so vivid and visceral. The imagery and vibes Kingfisher creates are ominous, dark, and isolating, setting the perfect scene for this haunting tale. Being inside of Easton's head in this story, you get insight into how their experiences in the war shape their experience of the disturbance at their family hunting lodge. However, this does differ a bi from it's predecessor in that this story (SLIGHT SPOILER) does lean more into paranormal/fantasy than science, as WMTD did. Which can really go either way. I really enjoyed that element of science explaining these seemingly paranormal occurrences in WMTD, but I still enjoyed how this story leaned more into folklore of Gallacia.

I also really enjoyed learning more about this fictional country of Gallacia, with the beliefs and customs of the people to the language (Miss Potter's phrase book is perfection!), it's really interesting and brash and such an important element of the story.

I would reread it for the brain-scratching writing alone, but this is a great read for those looking for a story that will give them the creeps, question their reality, and even warrant a couple laughs. I did give it three stars only because I gave WMTD four stars and I did enjoy that read just a bit more than this one, but both are chilling, creepy, visceral, and entertaining.

Thank you to Netgalley & Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this novella before publication.

Atmospheric, spooky, creepy, and as Chilling as snow in Gallacia! Alex Easton is definitely one of my favourite heroes. I love them very much lol.

Love to be back with Alex Easton and the gang for another round of Wacky Shenanigans in a Fake European Countryside! Is that not the series name? It should be. Anyway. I just adore the characters and the world, so I was sold. I also won’t say much because look, it’s a sequel novella, and I should not be writing more words than the author, right?

I will say, I did not like the story quite as much as its predecessor. I cannot decide if it is just a personal preference (I personally preferred the environmental mystery to a paranormal one, which is definitely a “me” thing) or if the story didn’t hit as hard. Regardless, the truth is I would probably be totally fine with just reading a hundred or so pages about the characters traipsing through their daily lives, so it wasn’t a huge problem for me. I love learning more about them, and about the world. I also enjoyed the new characters we were introduced to, and thought it was great to see some new viewports from different people and places.

Bottom Line: Still wonderfully weird and full of delightful humor and characters, while this mystery didn’t pull me in quite as much, I still definitely enjoyed the story!

What Feasts at Night is a phenomenal gothic novella by T. Kingfisher.
My fifth novel by this author and I’m convinced she can’t write anything bad!
This was a brilliant and creepy story.
The writing was great, the story super atmospheric & weird.
I fell into this world hard and fast, with the author's incredibly atmospheric prose and witty dialogue. I adored Alex and the other characters, loved their interactions, and could not put the book down.
Gripping, immersive, and absolutely masterful, What Feasts at Night reels you in with the promise of beauty, and holds you tight with Young’s signature grit. I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

After loving What Moves the Dead in 2022, I eagerly gobbled up What Feasts at Night. T. Kingfisher has once again woven an expertly crafted spooky tale filled with dread, fascinating lore, and her signature dark humor in this novella. These characters are far more compelling, complete, and likeable than many I've read in far longer books. Kingfisher has also written a wonderfully honest experience of PTSD from a perspective that isn't often seen.

I did find myself wishing there was a little bit more after reading What Feasts at Night, which while I commonly feel with novellas, I did not feel that way with this book's predecessor. I wish there'd been a little more lore explained behind the Moroi. I think What Moves the Dead avoided this pitfall by simply being a retelling of a familiar story. What Feasts at Night didn't have that base to fall back on.

All in all, I still absolutely loved my time back with Easton, Angus, Miss Potter, and my favorite Hob, and am looking forward to picking up the hardcover when it's released!

What Feasts at Night is another gem from Kingfisher. Once again following the adventures of Gallacian sworn soldier, Alex Easton, this was a quick and easy read. Easton is a witty, humorous, and interesting protagonist that finds themselves fighting not only a mysterious entity but also "soldiers heart" (PTSD) from battles past. Joining in with Lieutenant Easton are a few past favorites of mine, Angus and Miss Potter, as well as a couple of new characters (I'm partial to grumpy old ladies so Widow Botezatu is my favorite), ensuring this was a fun read with an intriguing mystery

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for an ARC!

Alex Easton returns, still reeling from their experience at the Usher manor. This time, as a favour to Angus and new friend Miss Potter, Easton is headed to a family hunting lodge deep in Gallacia. Unfortunately, they arrive to discover that the caretaker has died, and under circumstance a many consider to be supernatural.

This was a 3/5 star read for me. I really loved “What Moves the Dead” and was hoping to experience a similar horror in this novel. Unfortunately I was let down.

Kingfisher’s writing remains solid, with strong descriptions and a clear structure. However, I found the narration style much less charming this time than in the previous “Sworn Soldier” novel. I don’t know if my taste have changed or if it just stuck out more, but I came to find Easton’s tongue in cheek style unnecessary and slowing the story down at points.

The characters in this novel were not as strong as in previous entries, with very little room for character development. The plot also suffered from this, as things proceeded at a formulaic pace. In both cases it was necessarily bad, it just wasn’t nearly as good as I was expecting. This definitely feels like more of a novella, and not full deserving of a full novel consideration.

The horror passages were still well done, with description and the right amount of build to be entertaining. This book lacked the mystery of the previous entry, as the creature is exactly what villagers suspect and tell the characters from the beginning. There is nothing unexpected, and that was where much of the success lied in “What Moves The Dead”. That said, fans of supernatural horror (which I am not) may like this more than I did!

Yet again I am in awe of all the magic and terror that Kingfisher is able to pack into such a short novel. How is it possible to craft such a well paced, thoughtful, emotional story in less than 150 pages. Kingfisher does, in less than 150 pages, what other authors hope to achieve in four or five hundred.
Perfectly blended humor with horror elements, this book had me in a death grip. I couldn’t put it down. I devoured it in one sitting. No regrets. Well, only that I have to wait for the next book.
10/10 highly recommend to anyone looking for something sophisticated, funny, and unsettling.