That's a banger right there.

I believe this is technically the fifth work I've read from the author, though several of them were very short. And I'm happy to say that I finally found one of his books that I love!!

There were so many interesting twists, characters full of differentiated personalities, cultural influences, and small world-building details in the background that I ate this up. While it's reminiscent of other franchises to me (specifically a few popular superhero films in recent years), it still felt original and creative and held my interest the whole damn time-- something the last 20-25 books haven't managed to do!!

Audiobook Notes:
GIVE ME EVERYTHING SHE NARRATES RIGHT NOW.

I listen to a tonnnnn of audiobooks and within the first minute I was already perked up and paying attention to how smooth and emotive her narration was. Despite the number of audiobooks I consume (literally hundreds per year) I can probably count the number of narrators I know by name on one hand. Lynnette R Freeman is definitely joining them. And I can't imagine not having her fantastic accents for the characters introduced at the end. I'll definitely be listening to this audiobook again!

(Content warnings: graphic violence, gore, blood, torture mention, child death mention)

As always, P. Djèlí Clark delivers - this time, it's a fun, quick adventure about undead assassins, magical contracts and time travel!

I'll admit, I had trouble getting into this book for a long while - mostly due to the writing style, which, while full of Clark's characteristic wit, leans more YA than his other works. Still, somewhere around the mid-point the story ramps up, and when the most interesting and unique bits of worldbuilding were brought to the forefront I was sold. The conclusion delivers some highly entertaining takes on exploiting magical contract loopholes and making bargains with all-powerful beings (both tropes I personally very much enjoy), and while the big twist was very predictable, but it was still fun seeing a typically science fiction story beat in a fantasy context.

Also, Lynnette R. Freeman was a great narrator and I'm in AWE of the range of voices she has at her disposal! Her acting as the old man and the goddess in particular - mwah, top tier.

Thanks to RBMedia and Netgalley for the ARC :)

Thank you NetGalley and RBMedia for giving me early access to this audiobook! All opinions are my own.

I absolutely LOVED this audiobook. I haven’t read a P. Djeli Clark book before, but I can definitely see why everyone raves about his writing. The story, the plot, the characters were all phenomenal! I can’t believe a story that started with a badass resurrected assassin would take the turns that it did, with the conclusion absolutely blowing my mind! Quite easily a 5 star read, and with it being a novella a quick one as well! I highly recommend getting the audiobook especially, the narrator does a fantastic job bringing the story to life, especially at the end where the accents can be challenging. 5 ⭐️

Final note: to tell you just how much I love the audiobook, I immediately bought the ebook as soon as it released, and the very first moment I had a free day I went to the book store and also grabbed a physical copy. Absolutely no regrets either, this book was well worth it!

For my first P Djeli Clark book, I had SUCH a blast listening to this! The narrator did an excellent job capturing the characters voices and added a great touch of personality to the story.

I was immediately hooked by how creative and captivating the story started. The dead assassin concept is so cool, and I really loved the way the story unfolded. I could never quite tell where things were going, but I was fully strapped in for the ride. I was pleasantly surprised to see how funny this book was, and it made listening all the more enjoyable. Eveen has a great spark to her voice, and I love how often she made me laugh.

The world building in the middle got a little muddled for me. I had a hard time keeping track of the history and its relevance to the current story, and I feel like it could have been a bit more flushed out and clearer if the story was longer. This felt like a small bite out of a massive concept, and while it was super entertaining I think there was so much that could have been done to pump the story up into something more grand.

Overall this is such a blast of a book, I'd recommend it to anyone looking to have a lot of fun in a short amount of time, and I can't wait to read more of this author's work.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc. I need this world to be expanded into multiple full length novels. P. Djeli Clark’s writing grips you quickly and does not let go until the end. While reading I kept thinking how this would make an amazing movie, with all the action and adventure to solve the mystery. Humor also shines brightly in this novella, I caught myself a couple times laughing aloud. A group of hired undead assassins already sold me, but adding that she has to kill someone she rather not, I was absolutely hooked. Lynnette R. Freeman is an amazing narrator, all the voices she is able to create and use, made it seem as though this had a full cast of narrators. I think she truly made the audiobook as great as it is, I would recommend giving this a listen, if you are looking for your next audiobook.

I really loved this one. It was so refreshing to read female led fantasy that wasn’t about a romantic entanglement, but was instead a sort of ‘if you could see yourself’ scenario. I don’t want to give spoilers but this was very engaging with great world building, fun characters and plenty of grittiness and poignancy. Told with wit and enthusiasm, it’s an undersung gem.

I loved this title and the narrator was perfect. Distinct use of voices and matched the energy and plot of the book. Will recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the copy.

P. Djèlí Clark strikes again with The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, a thrilling blend of magic, mystery, and sharp wit that left me utterly enchanted. From the immersive world-building to the unforgettable characters, this audiobook delivers on all fronts. The setting is a fascinating mix of magic and light steampunk, reminiscent of Clark's Dead Djinn series, but with its own unique flair.

Eveen, our lead assassin, is as compelling as they come—tough, resourceful, and hilariously sharp-tongued. The story kicks off with action and never lets up, full of twists that kept me hooked until the end. The narration is spot-on, bringing every character, every twist, and every darkly funny moment to life.

The pacing wavers slightly in places but the incredible world-building, vibrant characters, and that perfect dash of humor more than make up for it. If you're looking for a quick, punchy listen that's as clever as it is entertaining, this one’s for you. I’m already counting down the days until the next installment!

Thank you to Netgalley and RBMedia for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

3.5/5 stars.

I love P. Djeli Clark's writing, his characterization, his dialogue is fantastic. This setup just did not really grip me the same way others have done. That being said, the audiobook was incredibly well done, the narrator did an incredible job. Her character voices were incredible and I just really clicked with the inflection used.

Eveen is an undead assassin, a guild member of the Dead Cat Tails. She is contracted to "ship" people no questions asked... except when one mark sparks a memory of a previous life that Eveen should not remember. Because this is a novella, the plot takes off from there quite quickly. There's a complexity and depth to the plot that is masterful to capture in a novella length. If you're in the mood for a quick read with a sarcastic quippy main character, some sci-fantasy elements and a satisfying ending, I'd recommend picking this one up.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this one in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for this Audio ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This is set to release on 8/6/2024

Eveen is a trained assassin, she's also dead.
Yup, you read that right, dead.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats.
Nor do they have tails.
But they are most assuredly dead."

This was a fantastic novella with a sarcastic little FMC. Eveen is charming and snarky and all the things I would want in a undead assassin. We learn she has sold her mortality to the goddess Aeril in exchange for her undead state (and now has almost no memory of her past)
The story begins like any other day for Eveen, she takes on a contract and stalks her prey. Unfortunately, everything is turned upside down when her mark ends up being familiar.

The narrator is probably one of the best ever and I would recommend this to anyone who loved The Glass Throne Series, Eveen has the same sharp wit and lethal tongue of Celaena Sardothien.

I consider this author a must read at this point. This was different from his normal books, and I was pleased at the mystery and mythology behind the action. The characters in this are so interesting, although the dialogue was a bit repetitive considering how short it was. I also didn't like the deity at the end. For fun, entertainment, and interesting world building, I still recommend this. If you haven't tried one of P. Djeli's books before, this is a great start. The narrator did an interesting job being over dramatic.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook.

4⭐️ for overall story / 5⭐️ for audiobook performance

This was my second read from Clark, and I definitely enjoyed it! I really like his writing style. It seems so effortless and natural, conceptually, and I found it so easy to follow along with this story. The FMC in this was really spicy and sassy and I loved that. It also felt like it really showcased the prowess and powerful capabilities of women in the role of assassins, which I also loved. The connections made over space/time in this story to the FMC was such a cool concept and I applaud this author for providing readers with a fantastic and fresh new story.

The audiobook for this one was just fabulous. Done in solo narration, Lynnette R. Freeman is an incredibly talented narrator and voice actor. Her range of tones and accents is amazing. Every character felt unique and I didn't have to wonder who was speaking if a designator wasn't necessarily provided. Her performance took this story to a whole new level and just gave it something extra that you wouldn't have been able to get from just reading the physical with your eyes. I highly recommend the audio and/or a tandem read!

Enjoy and happy reading! 🤙🏼💕

**Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for an early copy of this audiobook. As always, this review is my honest feedback and given voluntarily.

What a fun short story! I loved the quirky cast of characters and the magic system. Eveen and Sky made quite the charming duo. Most of the time I find myself wanting more from short stories, but Clark delivered all the goods and tied the bow just right. I will definitely be adding his other stories to my TBR.

This was a hugely entertaining novella with some great character moments and a compelling plot. I loved the idea of a cabal of resurrected assassins and their various guises - the old man was particularly interesting. The world was vibrant and felt fully fleshed out in the short run time, which is always impressive. I thought the interactions between Sky and Eveen were great and I loved the tone of the narrative overall. I have read a few of P. Djeli Clark's works now and they are all good, but I think this world and these characters may be my favourite and I would love to read more from them.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Eveen, having signed a contract to continue her "life", after death, in service to her goddess as her assassin is in trouble.
She has been contracted to kill.... herself?
A contract complicated further by the fact that she should have no memories of her life before death, so how is she recognizing her younger self... and HOW is her younger self here... and so many more questions...
In an absolutely delightful tale, these questions are, mostly, answered, and we get to go on an amazing adventure through a wonderfully crafted world with Eveen, and her younger self, Sky, as they attempt to figure out how to unravel this mess, why it happened and who's behind it.

Amazing! and the ending!

I had slight hopes for this one because for the most part, P. Djeli Clark doesn't disappoint but this one proved me wrong. I couldn't get into this one, I found it a little boring for such an interesting concept. The main character also annoyed me with her made up sayings lol. Hopefully I'll enjoy Clark's next book!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Amazing, show stopping, gimme 14 of them right now! This was my first book from this author and certainly not my last because I truly enjoyed their writing style, the world they created, everything about this book was great!

4.5 stars

It takes a lot of skill for a book to be funny without it coming off as trying to hard. The plot and characters are a lot of fun and the world is really interesting. I flew threw this book. The ending did feel kind of rushed.

Aeril's fiery tit's this was a good book! I initially was going to pass on this book when I first heard of it earlier this year. I mean they aren't cats and don't have tails which is disappointing but I'm so glad I gave this book a shot. It's a well crafted fantasy with just enough violence to keep a darker reader like myself invested. This book is worth your time.

Thank you to Netgalley and RBMedia for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

If you're looking for an extremely unique fantasy world that will leave your mind blown, look no further! I am still reeling from the plot twists and the way this story wrapped up. Everything came together so easily despite the chaos of it all, and I loved watching the pieces fall together even though I never could have imagined the full picture!

These characters are so easy to love, and the quick wit and pure humor of the cast was super refreshing. I loved watching them navigate a rather complex fantasy world. The world was well built despite the swiftness with which it was built, and I never did find myself confused about the fantasy aspects beyond like chapter 1.

This is a refreshing story full of twists and turns that will have you feeling every emotion possible!