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.

Definitely a 4.5 and sure I am rounding it up.

At this point, I don’t think I even need to review a T. Kingfisher book because she is yet to disappoint me. While I went into this having heard it’s a Goose Girl retelling and knowing nothing about the original tale, I have to say it doesn’t really matter. Coz this wonderful author is only here to wow us with her words.

What a horrific tale of narcissism and abuse, but with equal amounts of hope and resilience to tide us through. Evangeline with her absolute horrible control over her daughter and her scheming for an even richer life; sweet little Cordelia who has been sheltered and abused all her life but still knows right from wrong; Hester who may have been relegated to the life of a rich spinster but can still sense “Doom” coming from a mile away; Penelope with her charming repartee who deserved better; Richard and his unwavering love and loyalty - and more wonderful and absolutely unforgettable characters make up the heart of this thrilling, scary, dreadful but deeply satisfying tale of good triumphing over evil.

The writing is just instantly immersive right from the get go, and I just had to continue reading/listening every free moment I got. The feeling of impending doom just keeps us on our toes, guessing what’s gonna happen next. The vibe is perfectly reflected in the narration of the audiobook by Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens, making this a thoroughly enjoyable book in any format. Can’t wait to soon jump into another T. Kingfisher book coz I can’t get enough of them.

I love Kingfisher’s horror books but she’s absolutely found a niche with the dark fantasy genre because this is truly where she shines. A Sorceress Comes to Call is a retelling of the Grimms’ Goose Girl, a story I love, and wow! So good! A+, no notes. The characters were fantastic, the writing clever and atmospheric, and everything resolves in a very satisfying way. Thanks to Macmillan Audio, I got to enjoy the audiobook as well and if audio is a format you like, they did a great job. I have to admit, this is right up there with Nettle & Bone for me.

So, a meandering path led me to the discovery of this author. It started with needing to use an audible credit and stumbling upon A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher. T. Kingfisher is the pen name of Ursula Vernon. Ms. Vernon writes under her own name for children (series include: Dragonbreath and The Hamster Princess); however, to avoid confusion for readers she uses the pen name of Kingfisher for adult books.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is in a Regency-esque setting in a fantasy world where people no longer really believe in big magic. And lest you are wondering from the beginning, a sorceress coming to call is not a good thing in this case. It is told primarily from the views of Cordelia, a 14-year-old girl, and Hester, a middle-aged, self-selecting spinster with bad knees. Cordelia’s mother is a sorceress, and she controls (literally) ever move of her daughter. It is heart-breaking to see the emotional abuse that Cordelia suffers at her mother’s hands, which makes Cordelia afraid of everything. In contrast, Hester is a wise, perceptive, capable, independent, and self-assured woman, who is doing her best to avert Doom. It was refreshing to have a heroine like Hester.

The characterization of all the characters–from the primary to the supporting ones–is outstanding. Alliances are made, and Cordelia starts to fight back. The narrative pacing is spot-on and there is some droll humor artfully thrown in at just the right moments. The conclusion of the narrative is satisfying and of such a nature that this is probably a stand-alone novel.

So, after only two novels by this author, my feet are now set upon the road of fandom for T. Kingfisher, and luckily, there are many more books already published so I don’t have to wait to continue the journey. Lovers of fantasy be sure to check this author out, and young adults might want to also reach up to sample this author. Happy reading!

Review of a Digital Copy provided by the Publisher

I know little of the re-telling this tale is based on so this one was a magical treat for me. I liked the two POV - One, Hester, an aging single woman in the times when she was a burden on her family if she wasn't married off. The other, Cordelia, is a young, sheltered 14 year old - who is forced into the whims of her mother. Because her mother, Evangeline, is a sorceress and can make anyone do her bidding if she chooses.

It's a fast moving tale and a fast read. It kept me hooked, wondering what would happen in the next turn. I loved Hester's compassion and Cordelia's strength. I liked how Cordelia was naive and Hester was there to help guide her. It's a wonderful story and one that I enjoyed!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

First I want to say that I was not ready for this book to end. I was hoping there'd be another one coming, that this was the first in a series, but I was disappointed that it was a standalone. That being said, I loved this book and I was so into the characters, both good and bad.

Cordelia is a 14 year-old girl, one who is definitely not beyond her years of age. She's made to be "obedient" by her mother, Evangeline, who happens to be a sorceress. So when Cordelia crosses her mother in the smallest of ways, Evangeline will cause her to be obedient doing any number of things. The sorceress will stop at nothing she'll cause her daughter to do. I felt so bad for Cordelia, who was so fearful and afraid of her mother. It was so evident that she was fearful to try to cross her...until one day she just had to try.

One of my favorite characters was a horse named Falada; however, Falada became one of my more disliked characters eventually but I won't say why. Cordelia's relationship with him was so beautiful in the beginning and she just seemed so free riding him. Until one day she wasn't.

Evangeline had one purpose in mind for Cordelia: marry a wealthy man. Along with that came being very proper. Cordelia had no idea how to be around a man, she was too innocent of her knowledge. Her mother made her lie and say she was 17, even though she didn't want to lie. Obviously, Evangeline's motives were not altruistic.

The most suspenseful part of the plot to me was how on earth "they" were going to get the Sorceress to stop her evil-doing, or if they were. It seemed like around every corner (page) there was a new twist, another betrayal, even a ghost...or was it really a ghost or another manipulation by Evangeline.

There were two different narrators for the two POV's and both did an excellent job capturing the spirit of the characters. The voice inflections were done well, which made it easier to recognize the voice of each character. I would most definitely listen to both authors again. They are Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens. I loved them both.

I highly recommend this book by T. Kingfisher. One of my new favorite authors..

Cordelia was raised alone by her sorceress mother and her horse familiar. After her mother’s benefactor meets with “misfortune “, her mother brings Cordelia to the city to ensnare a new recruit. Cordelia likes the new victim and his family and friends- can she help them survive her mother’s spells?
An enchanting story- thanks Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.