The range of T Kingfisher’s writing is honestly unmatched. I pick up every single book she writes and yet I still have no idea what I’m getting into each time.

I know this is technically a “dark goose girl retelling” but I wouldn’t even recommend it that way. It’s so far from the story that I think it’s more of a mild inspiration, and anyway, this stands on its own just fine. Really, I would recommend this as a jane austen-esque novel of manners meets horror; a regency romance pulled outside of the genre and into something magical and grisly.

Kingfisher excels at both realistic but precocious early teen protagonists (like in a wizard’s guide to defensive baking) as well as older female protagonists (see: Swordheart) and for me, this dual POV book is the best of both worlds. Much of the action is seen through the late 40s/early 50s friend group of Hester as well as Hester herself, with all of their aching bones & disregard for propriety at their age. However, the voice of 14 year old Cordelia adds such depth and a true layer of dread & horror to a lot of the events that I really feel like it is indispensable. I am quite happy that they used two different narrators for the audiobook, as both did a good job of embodying different characters and providing a distinct voice for them.

I liked this as much as I liked Nettle & Bone, possibly more (though I’ll have to reflect on it for a while to make that decision). Highly recommended.

Huge Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this book early! T. Kingfisher has written some of my all time favorite fantasy and horror novels. A Sorceress Comes to Call is another amazing addition to this incredible collection. This story while enthralling and creepy is also heartwarming and empowering. The audiobook is read by Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens who do an amazing job at becoming the characters and bring the reader into the story. I HIGHLY recommend both this book and audiobook!

I had a lot of fun with this audiobook—thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! I won’t go into the synopsis and get right to the review.

This was my first T. Kingfisher book but it absolutely won’t be my last—I loved how they created the characters with such depth and reality, and the general storytelling was aces. I wasn’t familiar with this story from Grimm’s, but I don’t think that’s a limitation for anyone (so read this even if you also don’t know the story). The voice actors for the two different perspectives (the young women and the older women) were fantastic—they both did such a good job reflecting the character’s personalities.

Overall, I liked this and definitely enjoyed it. I didn’t love one of the plot points of the story (I’m not going to share it here bc it’s a spoiler) but it feels like it needed to happen for the story’s conclusion so it is what it is.

I really enjoyed this; this may be my second favorite T. Kingfisher after the incomparable Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking.

The marketing copy describes this as a dark retelling of the Goose Girl fairytale, but I’d say that’s the case only if you squint hard enough. The similarities consist of a magical “horse” named Falada whose head is cut off and an evil sorceress who casts spells on a young girl. That’s about it.

Here, the young girl (14-year-old Cordelia) is the sorceress’s daughter, and while she’s one of the two POV characters, she is so cowed by her mother and is just so young that she is more an observer of the action rather than its agent.

Most of the novel’s action instead occurs with a group of 50something folks. For much of the story, Cordelia and her mother Evangeline are staying with a bachelor squire that Evangeline is hoping to marry and the squire’s spinster sister, Hester. Hester is our other POV character and she immediately knows something is off about Evangeline and that she means to marry the squire. As a defensive maneuver, Hester organizes a house party and invites her brother’s former paramour Penelope, her own former suitor Richard, and her good friend Imogene’s family.

Hester, Richard, Imogene, and Penelope are just wonderful to read about. Richard is thoroughly decent and still pining after Hester, Imogene is a sharp-eyed card shark with a hidden flask of brandy on her at all times, Penelope is a confident and free spirit who doesn’t care about what others think. And Hester herself is clever and determined and loyal.

The story is a bit slow to start but really gets going once Cordelia confides to Hester that her mother is a sorceress, and Hester rallies her friends to save both her kind but clueless brother and Cordelia from Evangeline’s clutches.

I give the audio top marks, too. Cordelia’s narrator sounds just like the diffident, scared rabbit her character is (if older than Cordelia’s 14 years) and Hester’s narrator was excellent as well.

T. Kingfisher does it again. Another incredible story with a variety of interesting characters, exciting twists and enchanting writing. What do you do when your mother is a sorcerer, can make you and anyone else “obedient”, causes death and destruction, and destroys anyone who stands in her way. Our sorceress is beguiling beautiful and sinister and her young daughter is helpless to her control and manipulations but enough is enough. She must be stopped! But how…. With the help of an elderly spinster who has some strange abilities of her own, can they form a bond strong enough to break the sorceress spell?

A Sorceress comes to call follows Cordelia who feels uneasy about some of the rules her mother has. Not just no door closing, but no doors, no friends, no talking or noise, the list goes on. All she has is her mother’s horse and riding is the only freedom she feels. After a mysterious murder in their town, her mother moves them to another town where she’s pursuing the Squire who lives with his sister Hester. Hester notices how peculiar the relationship between Cordelia and her mother is and that the girl is afraid of her mother. Cordelia knows she has to save this family from her mother. This book absolutely blew me away. I was immediately drawn into the story and could not wait to see what was coming next. There was mystery, witchcraft, amazingly relatable characters, and someone to root for the whole time. While there were some dark themes, the book overall didn’t read as dark as the only other book I’ve read by this author (What Moves the Dead) and I thought it was a bit lighter and definitely less gruesome. This is one of my favorite reads of the year so far!

This audiobook was narrated by Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens. One of the most amazing audiobooks I’ve listened to this year, I absolutely loved their performances!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, T. Kingfisher, and Macmillan Audio for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This publishes on August 6th.

I have posted my review on Goodreads, in my Facebook book club, and will be absolutely raving about this on Tiktok within a week of the publishing date!

Wow. Wow. Wow. T. Kingfisher really cannot do wrong. I was entirely unfamiliar with the story of the Goose Girl before seeing the synopsis of this story, but after reading this, I feel like I need to read the original ASAP. What a haunting, tragic, and beautiful story this was. T. Kingfisher is so amazing at creating an ambiance and I think that's why she's able to switch between genres so easily while still retaining her signature feel. The vibes are always going to be IMMACULATE.

The main draw in with this book are the characters, but most notably, the side characters. Every single one of them stood out on their own, added SO much to the story, and filled in any slow parts to make it more whole and necessary. I adored all of them so much and know for a fact this story wouldn't be nearly as great as it is without them.

Also, I listened to this one and I cannot recommend it enough. The narration really brought the story to life and added so much depth and eeriness to it all. Made it even better.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audio copy. Thank you to Tor Books for an advanced physical copy. All thoughts and opinions are, as always, still my very own.

Thank you @torbooks for the physical and net galley audio arc @macmillan.audio !! I did a happy dance when I got to have my hands on this one 😭😭

The vibes: Grimm fairytales, evil mother, horror, regency, dual POV, a lil found family. Oh, and some badass geese.

This story is a retelling/remix of The Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl, which I didn’t know much about. We follow two POVs: Cordelia- a 14 year old girl whose mother is controlling, manipulative, EVIL, and reminds me of mother Gothel and Gypsy Rose’s mom. Cordelia is sheltered, lonely, and so tired of suffering under her mother’s abuse and control. Then we have Hester- a strong, witty woman in her 50s, who wants to protect her brother from this new *doom* that approaches in the form of Cordelia’s mother. Hester immediately senses something is off about the mother-daughter duo, and she is determined to find ways to protect her loved ones, and even young Cordelia. The geese only have a small part in this book, but they’re easily my favorite characters 😂

T. Kingfisher somehow balances dark subjects, horror, and pain, alongside humor, heartwarming characters, and triumph. There’s definitely less humor and quirky-ness compared to Nettle & Bone, but if you like fairytale retellings (not the happy, sexy kind), you’ll enjoy it! Her writing is so no-fuss and witty, and I can’t get enough. Kingfisher has become one of my favorite authors this year, and I can’t wait to read the rest of her books.

I really enjoyed both narrators! I would easily recommend the audio version to friends.

**Thank you to NetGalley, Publisher, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of A Sorceress Comes to Call in exchange for an honest review.**

4.5⭐️

T. Kingfisher has once again succeeded in writing a fairytale that actually feels like a fairytale. The prose flows nicely, the characters are all distinct with voices that are their own, and the story itself was fulfilling. If found family, fighting against your evil mother, and coming into your own magic is your thing, then this is the book for you.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is an incredibly engaging reimagining of the Brothers Grimm's "The Goose Girl". The story follows two perspectives: the terrified, sheltered Cordelia who is constantly under the thumb of her controlling and abusive mother, Evangeline and tenaciously sensible Hester who quickly senses something wicked this way comes when Evangeline wiggles her way into her brother's heart. I love how T. Kingfisher leans into the dark with this fairytale, but also provides levity with her trademark wit and humor. The female characters, both main and secondary, have a strong presence and have distinct voices and personalities. Like most of T. Kingfisher's works that I have read she has created scene stealing secondary characters such as the cardsharp Imogen Strauss, the highly qualified butler Willard, merry widow Penelope Green, and the mysteriously magical horse Falada. I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy fairy tale retellings and reimaginings.

The audiobook is incredibly well done and I did not have any difficulty in listening to it for several hours a day. The narrators are extremely gifted in bringing the characters to life, whether it's Cordelia's shrinking violet voice, the commandeering Evangeline, or the exasperating Hester who wishes her brother to snap out of his trance.

What a WILD retelling of the Brothers Grimm classic, THE GOOSE GIRL. Equipped with murder, forbidden magic, secrets, and two fabulous narrators, this one had my attention immediately.

Cordelia has grown up with a very unusual Mother. Evangeline doesn't allow Cordelia to keep secrets from her, close her bedroom door, or have friends. Quite often, Cordelia feels almost controlled by her Mother internally, like there is a power over her making her "obedient". No one else knows about this peculiar mother-daughter relationship, with the exception of Cordelia's only friend, her white horse, Falada. In order to maintain her image and secrets, Evangeline decides that she and Cordelia will move into the wealthy Squire's manor in order that she might marry him. Cordelia immediately feels at home in the manor with so many friendly faces, including the Squire's sister, Harriet. But one day, when a handmaiden turns up dead, the manor house must get to the bottom of how it could have possibly happened. Cordelia is faced with a decision as the secrets between her and Evangeline darken. Will Cordelia have the courage to face her own flesh and blood in order to save the people who have become her family?

This was an untamed imaginative piece of literature. This is my first T. Kingfisher book. It honestly read like magical realism to me, even though it is categorized as fantasy and sci-fi. These characters fit seamlessly into the world imagined for them. Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens made sure of it. Their narration was flawless. In particular, Jennifer Pickens has a beautifully resonant tone as she reads. I could listen to her read the phone book. Kingfisher is just an excellent writer and is the real sorcerer here. I was drawn into the storyline immediately. It flows perfectly. I love a solid, wide character arc like the one given to Cordelia. And what a perfect ending for a story like this!
Brava, T. Kingfisher. Brava.

P.S. - Odd occurrence, but this is the SECOND book this month based on or emphasizing Brothers Grimm's THE GOOSE GIRL. The other one is Stephen King's FAIRYTALE. Prior to these, I had never even heard of the story! Things that make you go hmmm....

Special thanks to T.Kingfisher, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this fabulous audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good fairytale retelling. This one was decent but didn't really break any new ground. Overall, I wasn't bored out of my mind, but I wasn't very engaged. It was incredibly predictable and I don't think there was much that wasn't in so many other fairy tale-inspired stories. The mom very strongly gives Mother Gothel vibes. If you are particularly into stories about an evil sorceress, you might like it, but I thought it was a lot of the same old stereotypes and I wasn't very into it.

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.

T. Kingfisher and I started off strong with What Moves the Dead, but things have since fizzled. This is my third book from this author and I was pretty bored. I think I would have enjoyed A Sorceress Comes to Call more if it had been a novella. Even though the story wasn't very interesting to me, I do love Kingfisher's writing style. It is so easy to follow and isn't overly flowery or descriptive. I love a book that gets to the point! Overall, this was a 3 star for me. The narrators Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens did a great job.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Oh. My. God. This book was incredible! I cannot stress enough how well-written and immersive it was, how emotional and heartbreaking it was, how eerie and atmospheric it was. The characters are brilliant in all their broken goodness (or complete villainy in Evangeline's case). It has been a loooong time since I cheered for a protagonist more than I have for Cordelia. She starts off the book in such hopeless circumstances and to see her gain some hope and agency as the book went on made me want to see her succeed more than ever.

I'm still quite emotional about this book and the journey it took me on. The audiobook narration only contributed even more to these emotions. I am looking forward to revisiting it in the future and experiencing this story again.

Expected publication date: August 6, 2024

I really enjoyed this! I found T Kingfisher through their horror novels and this book has convinced me to explore their fantasy books next. I love this authors characters, the way she writes female characters, and her prose which never fail to evoke emotion and strong visual. She is a master of atmospheric novels, bringing all five senses into her descriptions. In thus story I immediately loved Hester and was so pleased to get to know HER as a character before there was any hint of a love interest. I listened to the Macmillan audio of this novel and also loved both narrators. They did a fantastic job of capturing the spirit of the characters.

T. Kingfisher is an auto-buy author. She just does such a great job setting up creepy atmospheres that are believable. And this book is no exception to her world building expertise. The vibes were immaculate-- I only wish that I read this closer to fall. While I am usually here for the plot and creepy vibes, I actually think the characters are the shining star of this book. The supporting cast of characters in particular are excellent. Hester, Penelope, Willard and Alice all come across as so wholesome (esp. because they are juxtaposed against the very villainous mother). You just cannot help rooting for them. The pacing of the story was great. The beginning is a lot of set up so, understandably that reads a bit slower than the rest. It really picked up once we started to meet the other characters beyond Cordelia and Evangeline. I read the audiobook version and really enjoyed the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC of this audiobook.

I listened to the audiobook of this novel and it was just so fantastic. I knew I would like this before even starting it since any dark fantasy by T. Kingfisher is bound to be great, but this was just such a delight to read and delivered in every way possible. I love the characters in this book, and I really enjoy how Kingfisher didn't gloss over the side characters, They felt like individuals and complete even though they weren't one of the two main POVs. The whole book was frustrating yet satisfying. The one unfortunate thing is that I don't think this helped me get over my aversion to horses. Besides that, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor for this ALC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC! This was a really great book, highly recommend the audio version especially. I felt like I was with the characters which is rare an author can do that. I didn't really know the goose girl story but it did not affect my understanding or knowledge; it was interesting to compare and read about it after, though. My first T. Kingfisher book but now I will be sure to read more.

This was 10 hours of perfectly constructed dread. I couldn't do anything else until I finished the book and knew how it ended. Gothic + Victorian vibes with fabulous POV characters in the teen Cordelia trying to survive her sorceress mother while protecting those around her, and middle age Hester figuring out how to thwart the same woman from ensnaring her brother in marriage. Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens complimented each other perfectly in the narration.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is (another) amazing story by T. Kingfisher. I have to admit that I was already a fan, but this novel hits so many checkboxes: fairy tale retelling, sassy characters, ladies who get it done, found family, and magic? Honestly, what’s not to love here? I loved the contrast between Cordelia and Hester- they were really captivating alone, and the way that their voices played off one another was fabulous. Hester was sassy and had so much voice, which I found really refreshing, especially since it’s a nice twist for what we normally expect to see in a fairy tale/fairy tale-esque telling. There really weren’t any misses throughout this novel for me- I thought the pacing was great and the characters memorable and all important. I listened to the audiobook version of this novel, and both the readers were fabulous. I thought their voices played off each other well and their pacing was spot on. I found myself making up excuses to listen to this audiobook and being really excited to hear more of the story. Overall a fabulous read, and one that I’ll recommend! Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!