T. Kingfisher introduces herself to me with A Sorceress Comes to Call, a captivating and reimagining of the Brother's Grimm's "Goose Girl", that sweeps you off your feet from the very first page. Cordelia, a fourteen-year-old girl, finds herself trapped in a nightmarish existence under the tyrannical rule of her sorceress mother, Evangeline. Manipulated for years, Cordelia is isolated from the outside worth.

Kingfisher's masterful storytelling weaves together humor, heart, and high stakes, creating a narrative that is both thrilling and deeply human. The characters are richly drawn, each with their own quirks and depths that make them feel incredibly real. Our protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and bravery is both inspiring and relatable, making it easy to root for her every step of the way.

The world-building is lush and vivid, immersing readers in a land where magic feels just a heartbeat away. The plot twists and turns with perfect pacing, keeping you hooked until the very end. This is a book that will make you laugh, gasp, and perhaps shed a tear or two.

If you love fantasy with strong, relatable characters and a touch of whimsy, A Sorceress Comes to Call is a must-read. T. Kingfisher has crafted a magical adventure that stays with you long after the final page.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for a copy of this book. <3

When I see a new T. Kingfisher book I immediately want to devour it. I love her characters and storytelling so much. I was not familiar with the tale of the Goose Girl and waited until I finished the book to look it up and I don't think having read it will affect enjoyment of this story either way. As usual there were a slew of characters I grew to love, this authors books tend to border on the Grimm's side of fairytales but the way she is able to infuse humor and relatability to her characters is something I'm a big fan of. I did feel like it was a bit too long and the ending was rushed but overall another solid book I would recommend. I switched between the audio and physical and enjoyed them both. Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for my free copies.

Kingfisher burst onto my TBR a while back, and I have been hooked ever since. Her writing style that is a combination of fairy tale and snarky humor and toes the line into horror always makes me feel like it was written just for me. This book is as creative and heady and immersive as all of her other stories, yet it is still completely unique, and I wouldn’t expect it any other way.

At first, we meet Cordelia, and it’s so hard not to love this poor girl right away. Her mother is a sorceress, and a cruel one at that, so it isn’t a surprise to discover that her mother uses her powers on her own daughter. Not only does her mother use her sorceress powers on Cordelia, usurping complete control of Cordelia’s body for long periods of time, she also emotionally manipulates her. It’s painful watching Cordelia go through all of this abuse and manipulation, knowing that she has no other options and no way out.

Falada is another character in the story. He’s a horse and does horsey things, but he doesn’t necessarily act like a horse all the time. There’s something different about him, and no one can quite put their finger on it, including Cordelia herself. Yet he functions as Cordelia’s only friend, which is horribly sad, since she’s such a sweet girl.

The plot was slow to develop and allowed me to get to know the characters in depth, before things actually started moving. Kingfisher slowly introduces new characters, letting me acclimate to them without getting overwhelmed with all these new players in the story. It also provided room for me to see the new characters notice what is going on within their midst, as the sorceress can’t help but show her true colors, and as they realize what is happening with Cordelia.

Ultimately, there are some heavier themes in the story, including abuse, manipulation, and gaslighting, all of which are commonly found in fairy tales, but they are explored more deeply in this book. However, Kingfisher approaches these topics with her characteristic gentle touch and a twist of snark and a sprinkle of creepy in the last quarter. Overall, this book knocked it out of the park, just like all of the other Kingfisher stories that I’ve read. In addition, I was approved for the audiobook version, narrated by Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens and they were outstanding. Their narration of this book was captivating, and held me rapt for the entire book. I recommend this one to readers who enjoy fairy tale retellings, underdog stories, and snarky humor.

Let's be honest, T. Kingfisher is an easy choice for booksellers. I'm pretty sure she's never wrtten a bad book. That being said, A Sorceress Comes to Call is my favorite of all of her "fantasy" novels. Inspired by the Goose Girl fairytale this story has everything- murder, magic, evil mothers,weird horse drama, geese... not to mention a great cast of characters including a young girl who has no idea who she wants to be, a 50-something firecracker who uses mobility aids, a wealthy lord who doesn't want to marry a pretty young girl, and a bevy of female friends who don't fit the Regency stereotype. It was delightful from beginning to end.

With thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC, received with no obligation to review.

I have precious little time to read for pleasure at the moment, which made this a very dangerous book, as, once I started reading it, I was loathe to set it down. I didn't quite manage it in one gulp, but I definitely lost quite a bit of sleep in the attempt.

This is a tense and moody, dark, atmospheric story, beautifully written with compelling characters and delightful interactions between them. I particularly enjoyed the wide range of ages and personalities, and to see how they worked together as the plot thickens and requires all hands on deck. Although I do love stories that are reworking of classic fairy tales, The Goose Girl, on which this is based, is not a story I'm particularly familiar with, so I can't speak to the connection. I do look forward to reading the fairy tale, however, and then revisiting this to get a fresh take. Definitely one of the best things I've read in a while. Highly recommended. And if you can curl up on a rainy night with it, all the better.

Another excellent book from T. Kingfisher! I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

A paranormal horror thriller! Definitely an excellent pick whether you’re familiar with the Brothers Grimm tales or not. Very engaging and spooky read, highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl

T. Kingfisher is hands down one of my favorite writers, the way she tells a story in the most captivating way has me frequently adding five star reads to my list, and A Sorceress Comes to Call did NOT disappoint in the slightest.

I absolutely devoured this book, reading it it start to finish on a long flight.....to the man in the seat next to me, sorry for all the gasps I gusped while this book kept me in absolute awe.

This dual POV retelling instantly grabbed my attention and really transported me into this dark and beautiful fairytale world packed full of forbidden magic, secrets, and danger.

I always am excited for a new book by this author - she has such a creative and unique viewpoint that shines through in her storytelling. I really liked Hester, Imogene and Penelope and enjoyed getting to know them all. I appreciated that this was very loosely based on Goose Girl - I always enjoy when it’s a re-imagining vs a straight retelling, and I don’t think you really need to know much about the original tale to enjoy this book.

There were some really repetitive aspects and a lot of rambling internal thoughts which led to some pacing issues. It felt a little too long for the story, and I wanted to either have it trimmed back to more novella length or to expand upon some aspects of the story, especially the ending which felt rushed.

This isn’t my favorite by the author but I enjoyed it and would recommend it. I’d rate it a 3.5⭐️ rounded up. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the DRC.

T. Kingfisher does an excellent job creating modern-day fairy tales that the Brothers Grimm would enjoy. Her dark tales are imaginative with a wicked sense of humor. A Sorceress Comes to Call is no exception.

Fourteen-year-old Cordelia has two friends: her horse Falada and a neighbor girl who is too polite to ignore her. Living with her mother, Evangeline, who can control Cordelia's movements and speech at will, Cordelia yearns for a normal life. Evangeline, however, has aspirations of marrying Cordelia to a wealthy man. To get a toehold in society, Evangeline enchants a wealthy Squire for herself to better Cordelia's chances of finding a worthy husband. Feeling helpless to stop her mother from using her magic on the Squire, Cordelia grows close to the Squire's sister, Hester, who recognizes what Evangeline is doing. Together, they try to outwit Evangeline, but can their cunning overcome magic?

This is a well-written book with excellent pacing and interesting characters. It contains mystery, murder, and intrigue. Kingfisher is a master storyteller who makes magic both believable and otherworldly. I found the book both engrossing and entertaining. 5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is August 6, 2024.

An amazing new fantasy from Kingfisher. Influenced by The Goose Girl there is a lot to love in this book. Intrigue and adventure abound!

A SORCERESS COMES TO CALL by @redwombatstudio is a thrilling fantastical adventure and was just what I needed in my reading life when I read it. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher @macmillanaudio and @torbooks for the e and audio ARCs. This one comes out August 6 in just a couple of weeks!!

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Synopsis:

Cordelia knows her mother is . . . unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms—there are no secrets in this house—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 evil sorcerers.

When her mother unexpectedly moves them into the manor home of a wealthy older Squire and his kind but keen-eyed sister, Hester, Cordelia knows this welcoming pair are to be her mother's next victims. But Cordelia feels at home for the very first time among these people, and as her mother's plans darken, she must decide how to face the woman who raised her to save the people who have become like family.

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T. Kingfisher is an absolute master of her craft and every time I see that she has a new title out, I will immediately smash that ARC request button! Whether it is horror, SFF, HF or a mix of all, her characters are always full of wit and charm and I know I am going to have a good time with the banter. Hester was the standout character of this story in this regard. I also loved the character development of Cordelia and the conspiracy/caper atmosphere of the characters coming together to save themselves from evil.

As many of Kingfisher's fantasy-leaning novels do, this felt like an amalgamative retelling of many bits of famous fairytales, mostly turned on their heads. I loved the older characters with lifelong friendships and the found family atmosphere.

🔮If you had sorcery powers how would you use them?🔮

💚SMASHBOT💚

A chilling portrait of an abusive mother who truly does have the magical. limitless power all mothers seem to, to their young children. I had never heard of the fairy tale this retells, so I wasn't judging it by that measure. Your heart breaks again and again for Cordelia, who suffers many betrayals before encountering adults who are able to provide her with the love and support she should have had all along. This is Kingfisher in dark mode, although there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I did truly enjoy this story, but it also seemed to be missing a little something to make me fall in love with it. It does have great characters and the story was basically good, but it was a bit slow and sluggish in the telling which made it hard to get invested in the story. I am also a bit confused on how this was a retelling of The Goose Girl? Except for the horse, there really is no connection to the old fairy tale, which was a little disappointing. Oh, and there is a lot of talk about goose breeding and the geese do try to protect everyone from the horse.

The story is told through two points of view, and I loved both of these characters. Cordelia is the sorceress’s daughter and has lived a sheltered and very abused life. But somehow she manages to learn right from wrong and knows that her life is different from normal. She is very sweet and really comes into her own once she goes to live with the Squire and his sister. Hester, our other main character, is the Squire’s 50 year old sister and I just loved her. She is smart, and is ready to do anything to protect her brother. She is also a self determined woman, and although she is in love with her friend and lover Richard, she didn’t want to be encumbered by marriage. She is also accepting of Cordelia and wants to help her escape her mother.

There are many secondary characters, from friends of Hester and her brother, to the servants that all deserve a shout out. I loved them all and wanted them all to come out alright in the end. I especially loved Cordelia’s maid, Alice, who immediately understood that something was seriously wrong and wanted to help her so much. Richard was also a favorite, and I loved how he just took things to task to help solve the puzzle of how to stop Evangeline.

My main issue with the story was the draggy nature of the narrative. Nothing seems to really happen throughout most of the story, with the action all taking place in the last 50 or so pages. Most of the time the characters just seemed to be wringing their hands and lamenting that something needed to be done, but no knows what. It got a bit boring to be honest. But the characters certainly make up for that. The writing of course was also beautiful and well done. I also loved the witty banter between some of the characters.

One other small thing that annoyed me a bit was Hester’s knee. She had a bad knee, although it is never explained why. It was also constantly talked about and mentioned in the story almost to the point where it slowed the narrative even more. I kept expecting there to be a point to it, but there never was a time when it became important to the story.

If you are a fan of T. Kingfisher’s work, you will probably enjoy this too. Although if you are looking for a retelling of the Goose Girl this isn’t it. I also think newcomers to her work will really like this one too. It has a lot going for it, I just wished it had moved a little bit faster.

What happens when the weirdest cozy fantasy horror novelist you know of becomes inspired by Bridgerton? A Sorceress Comes to Call is what happens. T. Kingfisher blends the Regency romance of Bridgerton with the Goose Girl fairy tale, a very bad mom, a heaping tablespoon horror, shakes it all up and serves it over a middle aged woman and a teenage girl who are willing to fight an evil who isn’t afraid to kill the innocent.

I am 8 books deep in a T. Kingfisher binge. I don’t know why when I’m experiencing some real life body horror, I crave Kingfisher’s wonderfully weird, cozy horror. There’s romance, good people trying to do the right thing when they are in over their heads, and of course, some victory in the end. A Sorceress Comes to Call was a gripping read and very good company.

As a woman of a certain age, I love that the two people who take down the Doom are Cordelia, a teenage girl, and Hester, a woman of about my certain age with a bum knee. They are ably assisted by the love of Hester’s life (the romantic side plot is swoooony), two of her also of a certain age friends, a ghost, a butler, and some maids.

Cordelia’s mother is a sorceress. She inhabits Cordelia’s body, sometimes for days, making her do and say what she wants. Cordelia calls it being made obedient. her initial strategy with her mother is to do what she wants and call as little attention to herself as possible. As things change, she realizes that her mother (called Doom by Hester) won’t stop hurting people, no matter how well Cordelia behaves.

It was the calm of a burned-out house or a ravaged field, the calm that comes where there is no longer anything to lose. It was almost like being invincible.

Hester doesn’t know what Cordelia’s mother is, but she knows Doom when she sees it. I loved Hester and Cordelia. They both try so hard to stop bad things from happening, but until they team up they are ineffective. If you already love T. Kingfisher, this will delight you. If this would be your first book, it’s a great place to start.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Tor Books and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

In this Kingfisher fairy tale retelling of The Goose Girl, the daughter of a sorceress and the spinster sister of a squire must team up to thwart the sorceress's violent machinations. I loved these characters and Hester's bold nature is a great foil to Cordelia who has been made unsure of herself from years of abuse. It's a dark story, but so incredibly intriguing. I didn't want to stop reading it.

TW: violence, child abuse, violence against animals (kind of-- it's actually a demon)

As always, T. Kingfisher has delivered! I've been screaming from the mountaintops about how much I'm a fan of their work, and this book was no exception. I highly recommend it for fans of magic & intrigue. It's like a warm, slightly strangely magical hug.

I've heard such great things about T. Kingfisher's writing and have several other works by her on my TBR; however, I had never gotten around to reading them. When "A Sorceress Comes to Call" was recommended, I decided to take a chance, and WOW. Kingfisher writes so beautifully and takes her time crafting every aspect of this story.

From the novel's start, the readers get a sense of how wicked Evangeline is and how she goes to long lengths to keep her daughter Cordelia weak and obedient (quite literally). Early on in the story, Cordelia suffers a tragic heartbreak; she learns that the only friend she's ever had reports everything back to her mother. There are no secrets in this house, and after all, Evangeline tells Cordelia that everything she does is to further her daughter's marriage prospects. Evangeline is set on having her daughter marry an obscenely wealthy man. The story progresses when Evangeline moves them in with the Squire, and Cordelia is given a touch of freedom (she can close and lock doors separating her from her mother). However, Cordelia is aware of her mother's sinister plan, and as she grows close with the Squire and those who inhabit his house, she becomes conflicted. She knows her mother is evil and wants to stop her, but she feels powerless to do anything. This leaves Cordelia figuring out who she is without angering her mother.

I loved the cast of characters (even Evangeline was fun to despise because she made it so easy). They all served a unique purpose in this story and had their own personalities. They were also so vibrant that I felt like I was playing cards with Imogene, learning to embroider with Hester and Cordelia, or even gossiping over tea with Miss Green.

I am shocked that this was marketed as a retelling of "The Goose Girl" because, to me, it felt like an entirely new story. Sure, the tropes were there, and similarities could be drawn between the characters, but this is what I would imagine an alternate universe's "The Goose Girl" to be like.

One thing that I did wish for was that we got closure on Evangeline's end goal; we knew the gist of it, but I wanted to know the nitty-gritty details. I felt like this would've either further demonized her or perhaps it would've humanized her a bit to understand the workings of her mind.

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to T. Kingfisher, Tor Publishing Group, and NetGalley for this advance copy.

3.5 stars

Fourteen-year-old Cordelia is trapped and controlled by her mother, Evangeline. She has no friends except her mother's horse, Falada. One day, after a horrifying event, Cordelia realizes she needs to escape her mother's control. Evangeline tries to marry The Squire for a better life, but The Squire's sister, Hester, senses something is not right with Evangeline.

This was an okay read for me. The characters were the most compelling aspect of the story. There is a rather large cast, but each one brings something to the table. I enjoyed Hester's scheming with her friends and the dynamic the group of women had. Cordelia is well written as a scared fourteen-year-old just doing her best despite being terrified of her mother. Despite the good characters, I was bored for the majority of the book. It was quick in the beginning but really slowed down until the very end. I also wish there was a little more worldbuilding, as the magic system seems just thrown in there without any real substance.

I don't believe T. Kingfisher is the author for me. I like her ideas and characters, but I don't enjoy the execution. T. Kingfisher is a good writer, but her style just isn't to my taste. I previously read Nettle & Bone and did not really enjoy that one. One reviewer called it a dark, cozy fantasy, which is an accurate description for me. I am not a cozy fantasy reader, so that may be why I struggled.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC.

Another great retelling by T. Kingfisher. I enjoy how she twists the fairytale genre with her stories. Her characters are always well-developed. I enjoyed the character of Hester so much, an older woman that is one of the heroes of this tale. I enjoyed that she was a completely normal person who used her brain and the help of her friends to save the day. Her villain was written so well, that you very much wanted her downfall. All in all very enjoyable and good dark fairytale that is a quick read.