I had to look up The Goose Girl before reading this because I was only vaguely familiar with the story. And I will say that was not really necessary. This book is extremely loosely based on the original. The horse being named Falada and there being some geese feels like the biggest connections. I thought the story was alright. This was a bit disappointing for me after how much I loved Thornhedge.

This story wasn’t anything like what I thought it would be. I wasn’t prepared for the horror or mystery part. I thought it would be more like the Goose Girl like it mentioned, but it was way off. It was younger than I expected as well. Not really my style.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fantastic author! Great pacing and great development for the characters. I was heavily invested in the plot and descriptive settings.

T. Kingfisher is the leader in writing complex characters, female trauma, and gothic horror books. This book was so creepy to read, and you can feel the main characters despair. I will say this book is not for the faint of heart, as there is a lot of childhood trauma and abuse that just makes you feel so sad. Also, if you have a bad relationship with your mother, this book may be difficult to read. But, I do think Kingfisher does a great job explaining the complexity of what life is like with a narc mother and the emotions the child feels.

Also, witches. Love witches.

First of all, I want to say that it feels like marketing this book as a retelling is probably a mistake. I haven’t read Goose Girl myself, but based on some other reviews I read and also my own vibes, I would call this more of a ‘loosely inspired by’ situation instead. That being said, I loved it! A Sorceress Comes to Call stays very much true to Kingfisher’s usual tone, being both hilariously lighthearted and simultaneously horrifically dark. If I had to describe this book in terms of genre, I would probably call it cozy fantasy horror.

What a fun, entertaining read! T Kingfisher’s latest is a regency era-ish book about a young girl whose mother is a most likely evil sorceress. I adored every character in this book from our older FMC, Hester, to Cordelia’s maid, Alice. Even Bernard.

What I love about T Kingfisher is that you’ll be reading a whimsical tale and then get smacked in the face with some gruesome, dark scenario and it doesn’t feel out of place. Murder, secrets, and magic in an idyllic English-style countryside with a dinner party. And did I mention murder?

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor books for the e ARC. Highly recommend.

Although this was marketed as an adult fantasy book, it very much felt like I was reading a middle grade book. I couldn't connect with the characters and it was just strange. The description sounded like what I typically read but I was very wrong!

A Sorceress Comes to Call is a retelling of The Brother's Grim's Goose Girl where we learn the tale of Cordelia, who knows that her mother (Evangeline) possesses certain talents, such as taking control of Cordelia's body and making her "obedient". Cordelia lives a quiet and sheltered life, with the companionship of Evangeline's horse and a secret friend in town until a murder of a family in town necessitate that they leave their home and go on a mission to find a husband for Evangeline and prospects for Cordelia.

This book has a nice pace as we discover Cordelia's horrific experiences with her mother, and how Cordelia makes a new relationship with Hester, the sister of the Squire's that Evangeline has targeted for marriage. Hester immediately suspects Evangeline's intentions and calls on friend to help, where there eventually learn of Evangeline's powers that match her ambitions, and the friends hatch a plan to stop her. There was a good level of suspense, and I liked all the personalities of the characters we meet in the story. There is a good mix of darkness, humor and kindness as the author tells this fantasy tale.

Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the early copy to read. I recommend this book!

I don't know if I've read a retelling of "The Goose Girl" before, but I would certainly read another one. A Sorceress Comes to Call fits a lot of story into its pages, and I found it almost impossible to put down once I got started. While it felt like a straightforward fantasy for much of the beginning, it didn't take very long for elements of horror to begin to show up. If I had to choose, I'm not sure if I would say that it's fantasy or horror, but it had the best elements of both. The characters feel alive, and it is a read that had my full attention from start to finish.
Rating: 4.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

T. Kingfisher knocks it out of the park with this twisted retelling of 'The Goose Girl'. Cordelia has lived all of her life under the control of her evil, powerful sorceress mother. When the two women need to leave town after a suspicious death, Cordelia's mother ingratiates herself into the household of a well-to-do Squire, intent on securing his hand in marriage. What neither woman expected was the Squire's spinster sister, Hester, who is determined to save her brother and rescue Cordelia from her mother's clutches. Set in a Regency-like world, Kingfisher once again makes heroes out of the characters who are usually left on the sidelines. Give to folks looking for a dark Regency fantasy with unlikely leads like Zen Cho's 'Sorcerer to the Crown'.

I cannot think of a way to put into words the ways in which I adore this book!
I mean obviously there’s the hate filled villain aspect which made me want to burn her alive. Evangeline inflicts unspeakable horrors on her daughter and while the story does explore parental abuse through isolation and evil magic.

But there are also so many incredible characters that are fun and witty and enjoyable. Hester has such a dry sense of humor I would want to be friends with her. She guides Cordelia in this new world she has found herself in.

It’s a story of courage and bravery and overcoming. But there is also murder and defense geese and sarcasm and humor.

I love T. Kingfisher’s writing. For me her books are always a pleasure to read. A Sorceress Comes to Call was no exception! I found it easy to dive into this Brothers Grimm Goose Girl retelling. She used enough rich details and world-building to be vivid in setting and characters easy to know.

This is a lovely, dark retelling of the Goose Girl fairytale, but even if that's not a fairytale you're familiar with, it's still a wonderful read.

inventive, interesting, and has a who-cares magic system that honestly doesn’t bother me because of thr plot interest.

many thanks to tor and netgalley for the advance readers copy.

This book caught my interest from the very first page. I absolutely loved everything about Cordelia, Hester, Penelope and all of the crew. Every character was superbly written and well-thought out. I will definitely be reading more books by T. Kingfisher.

T. Kingfisher is a must-read for me, but this is definitely going down as one of my favorites. Tailor-made for fans of Downton Abbey and Bridgerton, with a side helping of fairy tale evil mothers.

While there's definitely teen appeal coming from 14 year old Cordelia, the true star of the show is Hester. Who doesn't love a subtle age and disability-positive second chance romance featuring a 50-year-old heroine?

(Listened on Audiobook, dual narrators were excellent)

This is my first Kingfisher novel and I am blown away. It’s the exact dark fairy tale vibe that I love to read. It’s dark but also funny and hopeful, and has an unexpected goose cameo. Besides the main villain, all of the characters are very likeable, I was a bit sad to leave them when the book was over. I gobbled up this story so quick, I could not put it down. Overall this is fast paced dark and sometimes funny, and will probably be one of my favourite reads of the year.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group and T Kingfisher for this e-ARC

5 stars

I love T. Kingfisher. I love "Goose Girl." It is no surprise that I also love this novel.

Cordelia's mom is a real piece of work, and while this is clear to Cordelia, her relative isolation and obvious naivety have kept her somewhat protected from the depths of her mother's evil Everything changes when Cordelia's mother finds a mark: a wealthy squire. Through overt trickery, Cordelia and her mom land right at the squire's doorstep, and while he's clearly enchanted, his sister, Hester, knows something wicked is afoot instantly.

While knowledge of "Goose Girl" isn't absolutely necessary to understand and engage with this piece, my favorite parts of the book were the ways in which Kingfisher adapts the tale into something even more sinister. The characters - including the animals - are extremely well developed and layered, and the plotting is well paced and riveting.

I can't recommend the audiobook enough. The narration is exceptional and adds so much to the reading experience overall. As usual, I'm already waiting with great enthusiasm for whatever Kingfisher puts forth next.

T. Kingfisher gets me every time. A wizard with building magical worlds, she’s unafraid to make her heroines utterly normal. A Sorceress comes to Call follows Cornelia as her mother Evangeline seeks a marriage to an aging (and very wealthy) squire. Evangeline is riddled with power, and has no qualms with using it to manipulate anyone around her.

Cornelia, at 14, bears the brunt of her mother’s whiplashing desires. She’s cowed until she meets Hester, the spinster sister of the squire, and starts finding her voice.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is a cautionary tale of power left unchecked. Much of the book is dedicated to understanding magic and trying to stop a villain who doesn’t play by the rules. This generally worked well, but sometimes felt lopsided as Cornelia would blunder into a magical aspect of the world which should have been explained to her by her mother or any other guardian. I wish more of the book could have been dedicated to Evangeline's backstory. While she often references behind abandoned by Cornelia's father, there's no explanation on how she gained her skills, if it was natural or taught, or why she can't just magic herself a ton of money and be done with all the manipulation.

At times, I wish Cornelia or Hester had some magical powers to fight back. I want magic to be a power for good. And I want animal familiars to be helpful, not spiteful. But those wants are flipped, and that originality gives A Sorceress Comes to Call a unique spot within the pantheon of fairy tales.

T. Kingfisher can do no wrong in my book! I was instantly captivated and swept away by this tale of forbidden magic, secrets, danger, and cunning. A Sorceress Comes to Call is a brilliant, gripping, and dark retelling of the Fairy tale The Goose Girl: A Story from the Brothers Grimm by the Brothers Grimm. T. Kingfisher is such a unique, gifted, and talented writer. If you have not read a book by this author, you are missing out!

Cordelia's mother, Evangeline, is a sorceress who demands obedience and wields her 'magical' control whenever she can. Cordelia is forced to remain still for various lengths of time. She lives in fear and must flee their home with her mother after Evangeline gets into a little hot water and they end up at the home of the Squire. A man Evangeline hopes to woo and wed. Cordelia feels out of her element in such a grand home but is quickly befriended by the Squires sister, Hester, and is treated with kindness by the staff of the manor. Hester knows something isn't right. She is very observant and clever; she knows that Evangeline is up to no good. How can she save her brother from this evil sorceress???

A Sorceress Comes to Call is simply brilliant. Seriously, it's amazing! I had a hard time putting it down when life got in the way. I loved all the characters, even Evangeline who is so wickedly drawn. T. Kingfisher has a knack for creating characters that are fully fleshed out, interesting, and quirky. I adored the collection of personalities, their motivations, and banter. T. Kingfisher also excels at creating unique settings/locations which ooze with atmosphere. I could imagine the manor, the woods, and felt as if I was immersed in the action as a silent observer.

What a brilliant book that touches on magic, abuse, love, danger, revenge, family, friendship, and good vs. evil. I loved the sense of unease which grew as the book progressed. I also enjoyed the mounting danger, the tension, and the suspense which grew throughout the book.

I was lucky enough to have both the e-book and audiobook version which made for a wonderful reading experience! The narrators of the audiobook did a fabulous job.

I was literally on the edge of my seat and loving every second. I devoured this book. I could gush about this book all day, but I will end by saying READ IT!

Dark, brilliant, and captivating. Highly Recommend.