I will forever love T King Fisher

At first I was so hesitant with this one, I felt at first I couldn’t get into it and thought it was too slow, but I grew so attached to the characters and even after I finished the book I wanted to go back just spend more time with them.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is a retelling of the brothers, grim goose girl. we follow Cordelia and her mentally and emotionally abusive mother who happens to be a sorceress and their magic horse Falada. Cordelia‘s mother picks up their life and everything that Cordelia knows in order to live in a squire’s house to try and lower the squire into marriage for wealth.. we follow Cordelia as she and the Squires sister Hester grow close and try to save the clueless squire from Cordelia’s mother.

I was so enamored with Hester and Cordelia’s relationship as it just kept growing in the closer they got I grew attached to them. I felt like I could relate with Cordelia and Hester, and there was so much suspense and there was murder and there were so many secrets and, just slowly learning about the crazy acts that Cordelia‘s mother committed in order to get her way or to get people out of her way. It was a very interesting story. I never read the original goose girl story from the brothers Grimm, but the way that T kingfisher writes just grabs a hold of you and never lets you go like you just always get so immersed in the story , and I never regret a book that I pick up from T KingFisher

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC

Ugh, bad ARC reviewer. I've had this book finished since the end of August and I've been totally dragging my feet on this review for some reason. And it was a good, fun book! You should read it!

T. Kingfisher basically has three types of book at this point: 1) Cozy horror, 2) Fantasy romance, and 3) Fairytale-esque dark(ish) fantasy. This book falls into the third category. It is a verrrry loose retelling of "The Goose Girl". Like, to the point that if the publisher hadn't outright told us it was, I would have had no idea. There are two main characters: Cordelia, a fourteen-year old girl with a sorceress (evil, abusive) for a mother; and Hester, a middle-aged spinster whose brother Cordelia's mother has her eye set on for marriage.

This book basically turns into middle-aged people defeating a sorceress, and I was here for it. It's not my favorite book of hers, but it was a good time.

Really fun, creepy novel from T. Kingfisher. Loved the characters, the atmosphere, and the plot. No real complaints besides some narrative convenience that didn't quite work for me.

T. Kingfisher is a Season's Pass for me. I will ride ALL THE RIDES.

I loved this dark Goose Girl retelling with all my shriveled soul.

I love the dual POV between the sorceress' traumatized daughter, and the squire's arthritic, middle-aged sister.

I loved the found family, the magic, the second-chance love story, and the attack geese.

And I especially appreciated the tiny nod to Bone Dog in Nettle & Bone.

I loved it all.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing, and Macmillan Audio for this magical ARC.

I had no knowledge of the Brothers Grimm Goose Girl story prior to reading this novel. I found the story interesting, but it took a while to get going. I eventually found that I was invested in what happened with the plot, but I never got attached to the characters. The grim overtone of the book was well done and it added a sense of urgency to the story. Th narrator did a wonderful job. Overall, it was a fine read, but since I’m a character driven reader, I never got fully immersed in the story.

I picked this up on a whim yesterday and ended up finishing it in one sitting.

Synopsis: In a retelling of The Grimm Brother's Goose Girl, we follow Cordelia, a young girl with an...interesting mother. A mother who can compel her to do anything she wishes, won't allow her to have any friends, and uses her suspiciously sentient horse to spy on her. After a neighbor's suspect death, Cordelia's mother decides to uproot them and stay with a wealthy older man in a remote country manor. Her mother intends to lure this man into marriage, but Cordelia knows that this can only mean bad news for him, his sister Hester, and the rest of their staff. Banding together, Hester wants to save Cordelia from her tyrannical mother, and Cordelia intends to save Hester and her family from the wicked witch that is her mother.

Plot: Although I've read stories with similar aspects to this one, there was something about this that made me unable to put it down. I think the vibes that this story brought were truly spectacular and almost palpable. It drew me in from the first page and I just had to know what happened to these characters. The story is dark and macabre, with murder, gore, and witchcraft. If you like dark fantasy, gothic horror, or sinister fairytale retellings, you will absolutely love this. With spooky season just around the corner, I picked this up at just the right time. I haven't read the original story so I cannot compare it in that sense, but regardless, I enjoyed it nevertheless. The Regency Era is such an interesting time, with lots of intricacies to play with as a writer, and mixing that with witchcraft, geese, and a headless horse--along with excellent storytelling--is a recipe for success. I was fully expecting this to be a four-star read, but ultimately the conclusion did leave me a little disappointed in execution. I feel as though I'm very picky with the "taking the villain" down scenes, and although this one was surprising in some "stomping" ways, I still was a little underwhelmed.

Characters: Cordelia was fascinating. She reminded me of some of the characters in the YA title BELLADONNA by Adalyn Grace, which I loved. Sometimes I get tired of the ever-strong heroine, so it is a nice change to have someone so timid and naive. However, still, when put to the test, Cordelia is stronger than she initially thought. There were so many tense scenes where I just wished for her to escape unscathed, and I think not knowing where her crazy mother was taking the scene made it more unhinged. Evangeline, Cordelia's mother, is established as the villain immediately with no redeeming qualities. I love a horrible character but I feel as though if we had gotten a little bit more backstory, it would have made her an even stronger character. We dive straight into the novel, and the action, which is great, but it leaves something to be desired in knowing the relationship between Cordelia and her mother in the previous 14 years before the narrative starts. The side characters are really wonderful here and add elements to the story that fill it out nicely. Our girl Cordelia is still learning what life is like on the outside, so whether it is coming to Hester to ask about "compromising positions" with boys or chatting with family friends on how to take down her mother, the friendship and makeshift family created was fantastic.

I have another T. Kingfisher book on my shelf and now I'm very excited to get to it.

A very strong 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

This is a gothic magical book that gives off all the spooky fall vibes. It is beautifully written and tells the tale so well that you can imagine being in the room with the characters. The narrators of the audio book very good. This was an enjoyable book to listen to and I recommend it.

Thank you to Macmillian Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Another fantastic dark fantasy telling from the mind of T. Kingfisher. Eliza Foss & Jennifer Pickens do a wonderful job of bringing this tale to life through their narration of the audiobook. Hester may be my new favorite fantasy character as I loved every moment I spent in her POV. Overall, another homerun from Kingfisher that is the perfect read for spooky season.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

The audiobook is really good quality. The narrator is excellent. I enjoyed listening. The story is pretty good and very atmospheric. I was unfamiliar with the fairytale that it's based on. Overall I liked!

I greatly enjoyed this story and the audiobook itself. The two narrators were great, it flowed smoothly, and pronunication and enunciation were strong. I would recommend that the narrators choose one specific accent for side characters, as a few did not match between the two.

The story itself was very strong and well-written, and I enjoyed the unique aspect of two protagonists whose ages are not the generic 18-22 of contemporary YA/New Adult Novels. It was a fun read, fast-paced, and had interesting turns that made it fun to read.

In A Sorceress Comes to Call, I found the plot to be a bit slow but loved the characters. The alternating POVs between Cordelia and Hester made a great balance. Cordelia is often scared and confused but Hester is usually grounded.

Soon after their arrival, Hester realized she could not simply run off Cordelia's mother but also needed to help Cordelia. So she invites friends as a buffer while she tries to make a plan. I thoroughly enjoyed this cast of side characters and how they all worked together to try to outmaneuver Cordelia's mother.

Also, do not get me started on Falada and the fact that it was telling all of Cordelia's secrets to her mother. I would simply never recover if my only friend was a horse and it betrayed me.

So far I've read this and Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher. I didn't like this one as much as Nettle and Bone, but I really like their writing and will continue to pick up books by them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a beautiful and magical story! I absolutely loved A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher. I have been reading as many T. Kingfisher books as I can get my hands on so I was incredibly excited for this one. It did not disappoint! The audiobook was so really well done. The narrators, Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens did wonderfully at bringing the characters and story to life. This is a dark retelling of Goose Girl and I think it might be the first retelling I've read of this story. I loved the way the author adapted and twisted it into something new and dark. I loved the unique characters, engaging plot, and eerie vibes. I highly recommend A Sorceress Comes to Call for anyone looking for some dark fairytale retellings.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Haunting, moody, and utterly addicting, A Sorceress Comes to Call is an absolute must-read this spooky season. T Kingfisher doesn't know how to write a bad book and I'm so excited to see what she does next!

The Sorceress Comes To Call is a delightful foray into whimsical fantasy that will charm readers and listeners alike. Being narrated with a blend of wit and warmth, the audiobook brings the author's imaginative world to life with an outstanding performance. The story follows a resourceful young women navigating a world where magic and mundane blends together. Kingfisher's humor and inventive storytelling are on full display, creating a narrative that’s both engaging and refreshingly unique. The plot is well-paced, with a satisfying balance of adventure, intrigue, and quirky character interactions that make it hard to put down.

The audiobook’s narration enhances the experience significantly. The narrator’s expressive voice and ability to differentiate characters add depth and nuance, making the world and its inhabitants feel vivid and very real. Their pacing and tone perfectly complement the authors playful yet thought-provoking writing. However, while the book is thoroughly enjoyable, some might find the resolution slightly predictable. The story wraps up neatly, but it doesn’t quite break new ground. Despite this, the journey is so enjoyable that it’s easy to overlook any minor shortcomings.

I had this published near pub date and forgot about NetGalley 🤦‍♀️ apologies

http://onereadingnurse.com/2024/08/16/audiobook-review-a-sorceress-comes-to-call-by-t-kingfisher/

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-vXkBOxg1Z/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy of A Sorceress Comes to Call! I am once again always grateful to this publisher for keeping me going with audiobooks while my eyes get worse 😅

Anyway, a new Vernon/Kingfisher story is always something to look forward to. I haven’t read The Goose Girl though so I can’t compare the two, except from reading a synopsis. It seems like the author took the vein of the fairytale and went darker, darker, darker.

My favorite thing about dark fairy tales is that they don’t necessarily try to rationalize the villain’s behavior. Evangeline is simply evil AF, self absorbed, and treats Cordelia like her familiar that she can abuse and force into obedience via dark sorcery. The mind control aspect is terrifying, as is Falada once we learn more about him.

Cordelia is an enjoyable character. She comes out of her shell a bit once we get to the Squire’s estate and thankfully some comic relief starts to occur after a relentlessly dark opening. Hester is an old spinster who offers a safe place for the girl to get her feet back under herself and we also see the extent of Evangeline’s … uh… magical sociopathy?

Anyway, I liked how the mystery unfolded in Hester’s point of view while the drama and threats kept on in Cordelia’s. The dual POV worked very well here as each one had such a unique voice and world view. I identified strongly with Hester and her “ugh I’m too old and physically broken to deserve anyone good for me” attitude. She’s my favorite kind of character.

This is a good place to mention that the dual POV has two narrators, Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens. I think they both did an amazing job and kept the voices consistent enough that I could tell who was being portrayed regardless of who was talking. They really did a great job bringing the characters and atmosphere to life.

So overall, you’ve got a dark fairytale “reimagining” that by all accounts I’ve read, is darker than the original. I love how Kingfisher kept the tension so high throughout while managing to make me laugh a few times while simultaneously dreading what might come next. There is a great cast of characters that range from evil to practical and purely kind. Would totally recommend to anyone interested!

this story is a bit outside my comfort zone to begin with, but i thought i’d give it a shot because it sounded interesting. luckily, the magical elements in this story weren’t too much to wrap my head around. the setting was also vivid and atmospheric. however, i found myself bored unfortunately, which seems to happen a lot of times with books tagged as being “gothic.” i was interested in the characters, especially Cordelia, but not enough to read the entire book. i don’t think this is a bad book, as it was well written. i can see how other people would enjoy this but it’s just not my cup of tea.

thank you to the 2024 Macmillan Audio Influencers Program and Netgalley for an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not at all what I was expecting, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This was my first book by this author, but now I plan to check out the rest of their work.
A young girls mother is an evil sorceress, who has plans to get herself a sugar daddy and then marry her daughter off to her own sugar daddy. But the mother's planned sugar daddy has a sister, and the sister doesn't trust the sorceress, or the daughter at first.
I enjoyed the author's writing style, as well as the pacing for the book. The daughter Cordelia and the sugar daddy's sister Hester were so great, and I loved the relationship they built. I was a little scared the whole book of what the sorceress might do, because she definitely wasn't planning on anything getting in her way. And Falada? Creepy ass horse.
I received the audiobook from Netgalley and both narrators, Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens, were amazing!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This book is advertised as a dark retelling of Grimm's The Goose Girl, but it's more loosely inspired than a strict retelling, imo. I chose to listen to the audiobook, and the narrators did an excellent job of conveying the eeriness of the story. Kingfisher's ability to build tension is truly remarkable, and she expertly used this dark, fantastical setting to delve into the harsh realities of abuse. While T. Kingfisher’s works don't always resonate with me, this one was an absolute pleasure.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was such a great read, would love to read this as a series! would reread and recommend!

Thank you Net Galley for the e-arc.
TW: gore, animal death, child abuse, manipulation from parent
T. Kingfisher creates a perfect atmospherical tale of bravery, found family, and gore with A Sorcessess Comes to Call. The story follows Cordelia and Hester. Cordelia is a young woman whom her mother heavily shelters. Cordelia's mother's main goal is to marry a middle-class man so that she can afford to help Cordelia marry a rich man. (Basically the Bridgerton plot line for the Featherington) But... Cordelia's mother issues strange abilities to make this happen. We then have Hester the sister of the paramour of Cordelia (or Doom as Hester calls her) mother who is disabled. Hester is an older woman with pure spunk. The story relies on an eerily atmosphere to clue the audience in that everything is not as it seems. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters, the magic, and the setting of the story. The audiobook duel performers did phenomenally. I will say if you have triggers with abuse, especially family abuse please be careful because the first chapter illustrates the abuse between Cordelia and her mother.