I am relatively new to reading anything that could be considered fantasy or magical realism. I have also not read The Brothers Grimm story that this is a re-telling of (Goose Girl). The good news is that you don’t need to know that story to thoroughly enjoy this story. This is also my first read by T. Kingfisher and it will not be my last.

This book had an ease about it, like the author is so comfortable with her characters that she feel comfortable having fun with them. As a result, this book is was a complete pleasure to read. The wit and vivid descriptions grabbed me immediately and kept me invested all the way to the end. It was fun to read! If you read the synopsis and are at all interested, I highly recommend picking this book up.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Tor Books, T. Kingfisher, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this for an early review.

Cordelia has lived her whole life, literally, in thrall to her glamorous mother, Evangeline, who treats her like a servant, allows her no privacy, and punishes the slightest infraction of her sometimes arbitrary and unpredictable rules by making her daughter "obedient." "Obedience" is what she calls taking over Cordelia's body and treating it like a puppet. Cordelia has had only the most rudimentary education and is kept isolated from others her own age. Her only comfort is riding their horse, Falada. Surprisingly, Evangeline encourages the apparent freedom of these rides on which Cordelia confides all her secrets to the horse.
When Cordelia is fourteen, Evangeline's wealthy "protector" ends their relationship and cuts off her only source of income. Evangeline decides that the only appropriate course of action is for her to marry a new protector. She insinuates herself into the life of a wealthy Squire, Samuel, who lives in a distant manor house with his spinster sister, Hester. Samuel is a guileless bachelor but Hester senses something wrong with Evangeline and is clever enough to be on her guard.
Cordelia has never lived in a great house and is totally innocent of the ways of the aristocracy or just about anything else. She finds the first real kindness she has ever known among the middle-aged siblings and their servants. She knows that her mother means to take advantage of their kindness but she feels powerless to intervene. Evangeline plans to marry Samuel, get rid of Hester, and arrange an advantageous marriage to a rich older man for the daughter she expects to control forever.
Although the story is told from the viewpoints of Cordelia and Hester, the characters are all richly delineated, including Willard the butler, Alice, a maid, Imogene, the card shark, and Hester's former lover, Richard. There is also a marvelous ghost, an unnamed goose, and Falada the horse. While the plot and setting are entertaining, the characters are what really held my interest. Cordelia starts as a timid and terrified child, but she grows into her power and self-confidence. As an older woman, I particularly liked that three of the characters are also mature women. None of them are beautiful, but they have intelligence, courage, strength, and charm. I enjoyed reading this book so much that I took my time because I didn't want it to end.
One possible problem might arise if a reader had been raised by ruthless and domineering parents who ignored boundaries. Evangeline's actions could be triggering to such a reader.
Based very loosely on the fairy tale "The Goose Girl," A Sorceress Comes to Call is the novel Jane Austen might have written if she believed in magic and a more egalitarian society. It is humorous, touching, and suspenseful.
My thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a very t kingfisher book; if you like her other work you’ll like this one. There’s lots of creepiness and vague horror, with possibly the strangest take on the goose girl I’ve read.

T Kingfisher continues to be a favorite author. I love how she takes classic fairytale and makes them entirely her own. I don't think I will ever get tired of her practical characters or her creepy plots.

Whenever I reach for a T. Kingfisher book, I know that I am going to get well-written characters, incredible atmosphere, an interesting story, and maybe a really messed up creature (if I am lucky). A Sorceress Comes to Call delivers on all these fronts, and when it comes to messed up creatures, well... lets just say I was treated to a truly nasty specimen that could be an all-timer from Kingfisher. The author carefully balances every element in this book, with Cordelia's story of resistance against her mother's horrific abuse and the people who help her push back firmly placing this book near the top of the retellings Kingfisher has done recently. Highly recommended and an easy must-have for library shelves.

Cordelia’s abusive, narcissistic mother, Evangeline, is seeking wealthy marriage matches and is willing to do anything, including using her powerful sorcery to get her way. When Hester’s brother becomes the target of Evangeline’s machinations, will Cordelia and Hester be able to stop Evangeline from destroying everything they hold dear?

This incredible fairytale reimagining delivers Kingfisher’s usual engaging writing style and rich characters. There is an incredible balance of the horrifying events that Evangeline sets in motion with the beautiful relationships among Cordelia and Hester’s found family. The contrast creates an immersive world around a dark and compelling story.

(This was a review of a free advanced review copy. Thanks to Tor, T. Kingfisher, and NetGalley for that privilege!)

My favorite part of finishing a T. Kingfisher book is closing the last page and getting to lean back, knowing she's done it again. It's the perfect bow on top, the little chef's kiss, another point in the running for favorite author. A SORCERESS COMES TO CALL became one of my most anticipated reads for the summer as soon as I saw who'd written it, and I am beyond glad I was blessed with an ARC.

A SORCERESS COMES TO CALL is an inventive twist on the Brother Grimm's Goose Girl tale, following Cordelia and Hester as they contend with an evil sorceress who will stop at nothing to get her way. For Cordelia, that woman is her mother; for fourteen years she's done her best to survive under her roof, knowing any misstep or sign of dissent will give her mother an excuse to take over her body and force her to be obedient—not that she really needs one. When her mother has them flee in the middle of the night to enact her plan of snaring a richer husband to give Cordelia a better position to find an even richer one, all Cordelia can do is what she asks.

For Hester, that woman is the doom angling to marry her brother. She doesn't trust Evangeline for a moment, and the worrying behavior of her young daughter only builds Hester's suspicion. Summoning her allies, including a few of her closest friends and her old flame, she prepares to go head-to-head with the worst kind of witch there is.

I was charmed by this book, start to finish. I am always so enamored by the way T. Kingfisher builds her characters and the diversity of the age ranges. I've felt this way for the last several books I've read by her, but this one truly cemented how excited I am to reread her work for the rest of my life. The care and attention paid to the rich lives of older characters add something truly special, and I think Hester and Richard emerged as my favorites because of it.

This is definitely the book to pick up if you love character-driven stories that balance the heavier aspects with humor and compassion. The plot isn't full of twists and turns to the end, though it certainly has its moments, (the biggest one for me was revealed right at the beginning, especially given the original tale!), but there's no less drama and stakes for it. I enjoyed watching Cordelia grow into her own while Hester and the other side characters wormed their way into my heart, and I am very much looking forward to revisiting this world in the future!

There is a reason why T. Kingfisher is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me and nothing says why better than this book! T. Kingfisher has such a way with words and really getting you immersed into the world of the story - I wish every book was as captivating!

What would you do if your mother was… well, different? Not in the usual ways but in a weird, could-she-be-magical somehow way? For Cordelia, she just knows that her mother can make her be “obedient” and that she isn’t allowed to keep secrets from her, EVER. Imagine Cordelia’s surprise when her mother announces she needs to marry a rich man, which in turn would guarantee Cordelia to also marry a rich man! Cordelia has no friends except for her mother’s beautiful white horse, Falada, who almost seems to know what she is saying and understands Cordelia’s struggles.

What would you do if your brother started to fall in love with someone who only filled you with doom and dread… and you couldn’t say why? Hester is the spinster sister of the Squire and when Cordelia and her mother, Evangeline, show up on her doorstep, Hester notices that things aren’t quite what they seem. There is magic afoot, and not the warm and fuzzy kind, either. Will Hester and Cordelia be able to stop Evangeline?

Immediately, the characters are well-rounded and inspire all of the sympathy and feelings. The story reads half like a fairy tale and half like an old story you might find in a dusty book that is just begging to be read, and you don’t want to miss it! I also love that one of our main characters is an older woman, whom you don’t often see written from their perspective. Give this one a read - you won’t be able to put it down!

Big thank you to Netgalley, T. Kingfisher, and Tor Fantasy for the chance to read this ARC and the opportunity to give my honest thoughts and review!

As someone who loves a good Regency romance situation (you best believe I'm watching the new season of Bridgerton lol) this was right up my ally. This book leans into some of the best Regency tropes and turns them on their head to create a horror-adjacent situation. And this is now like my manyth T. Kingfisher book, because I love the way she writes (humorously and...well, look I'm not the writer here) and her sense of humor and solid plots are on display in this book. The horse is creepy as hell, but the real draw for me was the side-characters, which are a super lovable group of folks indeed. I've long wanted to name a cat Hester (based on the Golden Compass character) and like this book has not disabused me of that notion. Anyway, if you like regency, light horror and hilarity, you can't go wrong here. 5 stars. Get me my next Kingfisher book, stat.

There’s something really special about this book and these characters. The story is rich, the writing enchanting, and the characters are impossible not to fall in love with. Kingfisher, truly is one magician!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for an eARC of A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher. What made this novel a breath of fresh air to me was how it changed notions and plot devices seen in fantasy and gave them a unique spin. The story revolves around Cordelia, a 14-year-old girl who is being treated badly by her mother. Besides the maltreatment, Cordelia knows she is in a very unique situation that not all teen girls deal with. After the mother decides to relocate them in pursuit of marriage, the novel's plot quickens as it plows full steam ahead to an insidiously intense climax. I highly recommend A Sorceress Comes to Call for readers who love fantasy as well as people who may be trying to get into fantasy and love the weird and strange.

Kingfisher is solid no matter the genre, and they've gifted us once again with a dark fantasy twist on fairy tales/fables. 'A Sorceress Comes to Call' features a witchy middle-aged heiress, a meek and mild young daughter, and Satan in Mother form. The book is nicely paced, and the three central women to the story are enjoyable to read. I tend not to like reading meek POV characters, but Cordelia was refreshing, and I was eager to see her grow and change. Cordelia's mother was evil and absolutely cutthroat - a wonderful villain! And my personal favorite, Hester, was just a thrill; and absolute thrill.

While this did lack the charm and sense of whimsy I loved in Kingfisher's other dark fairy tale 'Nettle & Bone,' I did enjoy reading these characters and would recommend it to patrons who love dark fantasy/light horror.

This book is now in my top 10 reads! Kingfisher's prose is engulfing. I was immersed in the story from page one. I found the vibe to be similar to Ava Reid's Juniper and Thorne. Kingfisher does so well in giving the reader the same sense of overwhelming dread that comes from a controlling parent that Cordelia feels.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the kindle ARC!

I do love T. Kingfisher's work. Her books are like ginger candy: really good but spicy spicy. A Sorceress Comes to Call is a riff on a fairytale called "The Goose Girl," which I'd never heard of. According to Wikipedia: "A widowed queen sends her daughter to a faraway land to marry. Accompanying the princess are her magical horse Falada, who can speak, and a waiting maid." Aaaaand that's where the similarities end.

In this book, the widowed queen is a black widow sorceress and stage mother from he11. She hops on Falada with her meek and kindhearted daughter, Cordelia (of course her name is Cordelia), to snag her next wealthy conquest. The rest of the story plays out in the Squire's a manor house. The Squire's middle aged sister, Hester (who's got bit of witchiness herself), immediately sees what the plan is and enlists her friends and a former lover to thwart it.

The best part of the book, for me, was the underlying tension. It's ostensibly a fairytale so you're assured that everything is going to work out, right? Hester invites her best friends over for a several days' long house party to meet her brother's betrothed. Since it's early 19th century England, everyone's got to be on their best behavior and mind their manners while they're (literally) stabbing each other in the back.

Outside of Hester, the characters were pretty one-dimensional. One of the friends was distinguishable as a card shark so she was always playing solitaire and trying to get people to lose to her; the former lover was gallant and perfect (yawn); Cordelia started the story as a 14 year-old and after a week seems to be 30-something. (Then again, with a mother like that...?!)

One wee content warning for animal treatment: Falada is not quite what he seems. The geese do eventually figure prominently. Talk of eating them is abandoned once the humans recognize that they rock.

In 'A Sorceress Comes to Call,' I found myself utterly charmed by the ensemble of side characters, especially Hester and Imogene, whose personalities added so much depth and warmth to the story. Through the lens of magic, this retelling explores themes of manipulation, betrayal, and the courage to break free from toxic relationships, all within a dark and mysterious atmosphere that kept me enthralled.

While I was initially swept away by the story's allure, I noticed a dip in pacing in the middle. However, my interest was reignited towards the end as the narrative surged forward with jarring imagery and disturbing twists that left me on the edge of my seat.

Despite a slight loss of momentum, 'A Sorceress Comes to Call' remains a book I'd recommend to fellow dark fantasy enthusiasts. Its rich tapestry of magic and intrigue promises to captivate readers, inviting them to lose themselves in its world of mystery and wonder.

Any book by T.Kingfisher is always a delight. She writes so lyrically, that each book feels more like an extended poem. Add into this wonderful combination a retelling of the fairytale "Goose Girl?" - well, you will get nothing but pure magic. and magic is what this book is about, and magic is what this book is. I loved every page, it was such a perfect retelling and I don't know anyone who could have done it better. Highly recommended for all fiction lovers, but especially those who are looking for their Naomi Novik fix, this book will draw you in and won't let go!

I love T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon's works. I was thrilled when Tor reached out with a digital ARC of her new book. This is a retelling of The Goose Girl (I had to look it up; not one I'm familiar with) set in a vaguely Regency setting. I definitely enjoyed it, and wish I could share the quote about butlers knowing how to dispatch houseguests if requierd, but I'll respect the publisher's request not to quote ARCs.
Thank you so much to Tor and NetGalley for the ARC!

Another fantastic outing for T. Kingfisher! A thrilling magical tale about outwitting an evil sorceress. I couldn’t put it down and read the whole thing in one day. I highly recommend to all fantasy lovers.

Cordelia has grown up fearing her mother, Evangeline, a sorceress who will stop at nothing to secure a prominent place in society. Cordelia finds her moments of freedom on the back of her mother’s horse, Falada. Evangeline whisks Cordelia away from their home one night after a mysterious death happens in their town and they arrive at the manor house of The Squire. With her mother trying to win over the Squire, Cordelia has some time to herself and to possibly make friends. The Lady Hester, the Squire’s sister, notices Cordelia’s odd behavior and the way she shrinks away from her mother. Hester is determined to save her brother from Evangeline and rescue Cordelia in the process.

This is my first T.Kingfisher book and I definitely check out some of her other works. ‘A Sorceress Comes to Call’ was a decent read, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantasy read that has some depth to it. The characters are well written, I felt so bad for poor Cordelia while reading this. Out of all the characters, Hester was my favorite (if you watched Game of Thrones she was giving me Lady Olenna vibes). The story itself was a little slow for my liking, although it does pick up about half way through. While the story didn’t blow me away I still enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I’ve never read any books from this author before and I think this book was a good one to start with. The writing was marvellous. I could see and feel what the characters were experiencing.