I think I’ve probably said this before, but I am a T. Kingfisher loyalist, and she never disappoints. I especially love her fairy tale novels (Nettle and Bone, Thornhedge), so I was very excited for A Sorceress Comes to Call, a retelling of Goose Girl, by the Brothers Grimm. Once again, Kingfisher has created a world full of magic, death, and sarcastic jokes.

The novel opens with young Cordelia under a spell which prevents her from having control over her body. Her sorceress mother, Evangeline, is the one who has weaved the spell, so the reader quickly gets the idea that this is so much worse than your standard helicopter parent. Evangeline relies on wealthy male “benefactors” to maintain her lifestyle, and when she is spurned by her latest paramour, Evangeline drags Cordelia off to live with her latest conquest, the Squire.

However, the Squire’s sister, Hester, sees Evangeline for the succubus she is, and notices how Cordelia is absolutely terrified of her mother. When Evangeline meets the Squire’s social circle, and people start dying, Cordelia must use all her courage to defy her mother, and prevent further tragedy.

Predictably, I loved this book. It’s funny, gripping, and absolutely terrifying. There are some scenes towards the end of the novel that will forever change the way I look at horses (also nice to note that in the acknowledgements, Kingfisher shares a real-life horse horror story). But also, I have a newfound respect for geese.

An enjoyable read that starts off somewhat mild and slowly ratchets upwards with tension as the story processes. I felt so sad for Cordelia and how terribly she's treated by her mother and how trapped and alone she is. There are so many ups and downs that I found it a bit slow at points, but I was invested in seeing Cordelia's story through to the end, and I found the end satisfying though I wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more.

With thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the advance copy.

This was my second attempt at a T Kingfisher novel, and I fared much better this time round. I very much enjoyed the humour; there were points where I was giggling out loud while reading!

The characters were well rounded and the relationships believable, and it gave me great joy to see a variety of ages within the main cast. The plot story involving the animal companion was a fun addition! The story was fast paced and it didn’t require much effort to read; perfect for me as I read it while out of the country.

This was so damn GOOD.

This was such a delightful mix of regency, fantasy, and horror. While the story primarily follows Cordelia, our fourteen year old protagonist, I was so smitten with the subtle romance in the novel between the adults. We don’t get enough romance novels about people in their 50s still trying to figure it out 🥹 And while the romance is only about 10% of the novel, it was very very sweet.

However!! the best part was the moments of horror. I don’t know if it was because I wasn’t expecting it or what, but man! there were quite a few times were I was genuinely creeped out. Some of those scenes were so grisly! I think I was clenching my jaw and grimacing the entire time I was reading through these INCREDIBLY DESCRIPTIVE moments. I was truly obsessed.

Lastly, I just have to say that I loved her acknowledgments and the HIGHLY RELATABLE story about horses 😅 I see you, Kingfisher.

So much fun, can’t recommend enough.
Final rating: 4.5/5

Thank you to Tor for an early review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was hard for me to get into to start. This is the very beginning so no spoilers. Cordelia's mother, Evangeline, does magic to totally control Cordelia's actions and words, during which Cordelia is completely aware it's happening and having pretty emotional reactions to it. The description of that and her reaction to it was really hard for me to read.

After slowly making my way through the beginning, I could not put the book down! As always, T. Kingfisher writes lovable and compelling characters, with a huge focus on character growth.

I love that her fairytale vibes can walk the line between dark descriptions and light hearted humor. This is a total win for me!

Thank you TOR publishing and Netgalley for advanced access to review this book!

I cannot thank the author, publisher, and netgalley enough for the opportunity to read an e-arc!

Words cannot express how much I loved this book. I know with 100% certainty that I would have devoured and loved A Sorceress Comes to Call when I was in grade and middle school. I also love it so much now. Perfect for anyone who loves Ella Enchanted and Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. I cannot recommend this book enough!


A 14-year discovers her mother is a sorceress who will do horrible things to get what she wants. I not only grew to love Cordelia, detest the horse and mother, but also greatly enjoyed all of the secondary characters who made the book and story that much more enjoyable.

Wow, what an amazing book!

(I decided to pick this up after Nettle & Bone / a 5 star read)

T. Kingfisher really knows how to write a story that draws you in. I was laughing, biting my nails in suspense, and desperate to turn the next page! A mystery/ fantasy that is sure to quench both of your thirsts for both.

To see Cordelia’s growth throughout the story was amazing. Her mother had me gripping my hair, and wanting to throw my phone, and the HORSE. Didn’t see that one coming!

Another book that proves T. Kingfisher is one of the most versatile writers of the day, and an absolute master of it.

I think this may be my favorite of hers so far. This retelling of The Goose Girl has all elements and nostalgia of reading a dark fairytale--we have an abused and somewhat naive main character and an evil, villainous mother (who so happens to be a sorceress). It definitely gets grim at times but there is also humor, some lovey-dovey romance, and a good dose of the supernatural. I will say that I generally dislike any romance in a book, but this worked; it was sweet and believable. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the romance aspect was kind of a side story but nevertheless, it was a wonderful addition to the book.

This is simply brilliant. It is exciting, fresh, and completely satisfying. Again, I reiterate that T. Kingfisher is so incredibly talented and in my opinion is one of the most versatile writers in these modern times.

T Kingfisher’s newest novel showcases the mother/daughter relationship, particularly that of a toxic one. Meet Cordelia, the daughter of a selfish and seemingly unloving of her mother. Whom she also discovers is a sorcerer.
A historical and witchy story, I was confused over the multiple narrations within same chapter in the first 1/4th of the story, wondering whose story I was following. I would have preferred either separated by chapters or it needed more development before switching points of view. When one character was speaking first person then switched to third person, the different POVs left me confused with the lack of consistency and wondering if it needed another round through the editor.

I do enjoy at times the despondent Cordelia, even though she may be the dumbest character ever, and her strive to find any kind of hope when it comes to her sorcerer mom. The smart character of Penelope Green was quite fun. The growth of the Hester character was the most intriguing, and it was interesting to see what she would do or say next. There were a few clever jokes hidden here and there to enjoy, not laugh out loud humor but more dry humor. It was still a page turner and I’m interested to see how the fully edited copy turns out when it’s released. The book seemed to find its place in writing, character, and plot about a third of the way in. It was so hard to put this book down in the back half of the story as I was enjoying it so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and T. Kingfisher for an ARC of this title!

Overall Thoughts: This was a self-contained, wonderful little standalone gothic (?)/19th century intrigue. I loved that the characters felt whole and made what felt like very human and age/context-appropriate decisions. And there was something for everyone! Action! Intrigue! Romance! 14-year-old FMCs who acted their age! The overall vibes of the book remind me in ways of Ella Enchanted with a brush of Austen/Bridgeton setting-overtones, but with modern writing. It definitely left me wanting more of this universe and I still have a lot of questions about how the magic/sorcery system works in context. This was a nice breather from the 5+ series I usually like to get lost in, and I will definitely be seeking out more works by T. Kingfisher (this being my first)!





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This was such a refreshing read all around! I think I would have preferred slightly more exposition into the magic system/how alchemy played into sorcery but there was enough detail where I felt like things worked rationally and in context. I also love that the romance here centered around an older set of characters - don't get me wrong, I devour late teen/early 20s romantasy like no other, but I still found myself kicking my feet over the mid 50s couple in this story. I would love to read more about Cordelia (the FMC) and this world in general since I feel like there is still a lot unanswered as far as her background and a few loose ends that could either be left alone by the end, or pursued further. I could also see other works in this universe outside of Cordelia's immediate universe.

I recently had the pleasure of reading T. Kingfisher's A Sorceress Comes to Call, and I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed with the book. The story is engaging and filled with well-developed characters that will keep you hooked from beginning to end.

I enjoyed the changes in Cordelia as she grows in strength in the book from being terrified of her mother, to finally standing up to her face-to-face in the end. I also enjoyed Hester who defies the typical image of an old spinster sister and brings a bit of comedic relief and practicality as well.

Overall, I highly recommend A Sorceress Comes to Call to anyone who loves a good fantasy adventure. T. Kingfisher has been added to my reading list and authors to look out for.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this prepub ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Everything about this book, from the characters to the dark fairy tale vibes to the horror elements to the suspenseful pacing, was so enticing. The villains in particular gave me the honest-to-goodness creeps. There were a few instances where I would read this before bed and get so unsettled that I would have to put it down and turn on some self-soothing mindless television to calm me down enough to sleep.

The thing that made this unique for me was that one of the villains was a horse. Apparently this is a common theme for T. Kingfisher due to a traumatic incident involving a horse when she was a youngster, but as God has wired my brain to be obsessively passionate about horses no matter how many ways they try to kill me, I can’t identify with her in this way. This is only my second Kingfisher book, and my first encounter with this thing she has about horses, but I have to say that if you can write a horse in a way that makes me afraid to sleep and wish it would just die already… well, that’s quite a feat. I’ve never been afraid of a horse, ever. Props to you, madam, for scary me out of my cowgirl boots.

The team of protagonists were just as lovable as the villains were scary. I loved Hester’s ability to discern the situation between Evangeline and Cordelia, and how protective she became of Cordelia, and how she encouraged everyone else to do the same. I loved Penelope’s aunt-like friendship that eventually became a catalyst for motivating Cordelia to fight back against her mother. And I admire Cordelia for her tremendous courage, overcoming her timidity and fearfulness in spite of the terrifying circumstances surrounding her.

I am so glad Kingfisher has written so many fantasy stories. I will be jumping with both feet into as many as I can get my hands on - even though she feels the way she does about my beloved horses - and if I enjoy all of them as much as the first two I’ve read, I think I’m going to have a new favorite author on my list. So spooky and thrilling!

Such a great, moody yet fun read! I really enjoyed this re-imagined fairy tale. I can't wait to tell others about it.

Spooky, quirky, and honestly super fun; T. Kingfisher absolutely kills it in this horror retelling of Grimms Fairy Tale "The Goose Girl".
Surprisingly enough, this was my first T Kingfisher book, and let me tell you, I am so eager to read more!
I loved the writing style, the plot was interesting and kept my attention, and the characters were well developed! I loved that it was under 400 pages too. I think the story was told well enough in the amount of pages given, and didn't need to be any longer. I find a lot of writers write long books just for the sake of having a long book these days. It's nice to find a great book that is satisfying in under 400 pages!

Although I absolutely enjoyed the book, I give it 4 stars. This is simply because it's not a book that I would rave about. But, I would still highly recommend it and get excited when I hear that someone is reading it.

Best suited for those that love reading quirky, grotesque, spooky books! Readers that are already fans of T Kingfisher will not be disappointed!

T. Kingfisher hits it out of the ballpark again with this gothic reimagining of the classic fairytale The Goose Girl. True to style, A Sorceress Comes to Call centers on a young woman’s journey to do what’s right against all odds and the family she finds along the way. Cleverly quirky characters that are never overdone, livestock behaving in unexpected ways, along with witty and comedic dialog, keep the reader engaged from the first page to the last.
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic ARC.

This is classic T. Kingfisher quirky writing and well crafted characters who I adore. I didn't connect quite as much with this book as I have others, but I still enjoyed it. Note that it has slightly more horror components than other fantasies she's written.

T. Kingfisher is becoming one of my favorite authors.
This is the perfect mix of fairy tale, fantasy and horror.
A retelling of the Goose Girl, A Sorceress Comes to Call follows the lives of Cordelia and Hester as their worlds collide and they become friends while trying to figure out what to do about Cordelia's mother who is not quiet what she seems.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is a dark and twisted story about a girl named Cordelia with a Sorceress, Evangeline, as her mother. Cordelia has been living under her mother's terror and has grown to be a timid and jumpy girl. The mother and daughter went to live with a wealthy old Squire and his sister Hester. Evangeline was planning to marry the Squire herself and marry Cordelia off to a wealthy man. Everyone and everything that stands in Evangeline's way was in danger. Cordelia, Hester, and the group of house guests needed to find a way to face the sorceress.

This book did an awesome job building up the atmosphere of repression and fear. It's a total page-turner that makes you want to find out what happened to the characters and how they can overcome the unknowns and challenges. It's a retelling of the fairy tale Goose Girl, but the story is only loosely related to the original. It has a life of its own.

If you like a spooky story that has dark secrets, ghosts and demons, and of course sorcery, but also with heart-warming found family and love, then this book is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC!

I was very excited to read this anticipated new novel: T. Kingfisher’s fairy tale and fantasy stories are some of my favourites (though I haven’t yet read any of her horror novels). This, a dark fairy tale retelling loosely based on The Goose Girl, might be a combo of both of those styles. I had to look up the inspirational tale, and the only twisted connections I could surmise were the horse and geese (the guard-geese are a fun inclusion).

Set in Regency-esque times, Cordelia, 14, is made to be obedient by her mother, who is a sorceress. When her mother decides to marry for money, they both move in with the unwitting gentleman and his sister, Hester. But Hester is quite perceptive, and we follow along as she and Cordelia (along with their dinner party guests) try to free themselves from the sorceress’ evil scheming before more bodies pile up. While this lacks an expansive setting or deep world building, its strength is its characters. Once again Kingfisher has written a strong older female character, which is refreshing (although she at times reads older than her age), and the relationship between the older characters and younger Cordelia is heart warming. The various colourful side characters add additional pops of humour and heart.

Though the baddie is very bad and there are multiple bloody murders, I thought this read more like a young adult novel, and the writing style, depth, and pacing reflects that, or perhaps is reminiscent of a slow moving regency era week long dinner party classic, or perhaps the ARC I read needed a bit more polish. I’m not the biggest fan of young adult novels, nor regency classics, so this won’t be up there with my favourite Kingfisher stories, but I did enjoy it for what it was and was glad to spend a couple evenings reading it.

In the end this is an accessible, suspenseful tale that fans of dark fairy tale retellings (and particularly the author’s previous works) will enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this. T. Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors. I haven’t read one book yet that I didn’t like. You get so immersed in the story without being bogged down. I loved all of the characters, and truly this was a delightful read.