Tag: t kingfisher

Book Review: What Stalks the Deep – T. Kingfisher

Book Review: What Stalks the Deep – T. Kingfisher

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Sworn Soldier #3
Release date: September 30 2025
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 192
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

Alex Easton does not want to visit America.

They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.

But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin—who went missing in that very mine—well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do…

Review

What Stalks the Deep is the third instalment in T. Kingfisher’s Sworn Soldier series. In this one, we’re back following Alex Easton and Angus as they travel to Boston. Alex has received a mysterious telegram from his old friend Dr. Denton, asking for his help. When they get to Boston, they learn that Denton’s cousin Oscar has gone missing in a coal mine. Before he went missing, Oscar sent some very strange letters, raving about strange lights and missing belongings in the coal mine. Can they discover what happened to Oscar before it’s too late?

This is my third T. Kingfisher book this year, and it was another brilliant, atmospheric read. This is a pretty short one at less than 200 pages, and I ended up reading it more or less in one sitting. It was fast paced, well-plotted, and full of tense, creepy moments. I loved the claustrophobic, dark mine setting, and Kingfisher did a fantastic job of bringing that eerie setting to life. I loved that the story went in ways I wasn’t expecting, and the story comes to a satisfying conclusion.

I’ve grown quite attached to Alex and Angus over the course of the three books, and it was lovely to be back with these characters again. Easton is a brilliant protagonist; he’s witty and sarcastic but also brave and loyal to his friends. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of reading books about Alex Easton and his adventures (though he does deserve a bit of a break from the supernatural goings on). Overall, this is a compelling sequel, so if you’re looking for a fun series of horror novellas to sink your teeth into, What Stalks the Deep (and the other books in the series) should absolutely be on your spooky season TBR.
 

Book Review: Hemlock and Silver – T. Kingfisher

Book Review: Hemlock and Silver – T. Kingfisher

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: August 19 2025
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 368
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison.

Not to die, but to save—seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.

But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja’s unorthodox methods can save her.

Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick.

Or it might be the thing that kills them all.

Review

T. Kingfisher is back with another unputdownable novel. Hemlock and Silver follows Healer Anja, an academic with a fascination for poisons. When she is summoned by the King to help his daughter Snow (who is dying), Anja travels to the palace in an attempt to save her, but nothing seems to work. Accompanied by a guard and a sarcastic cat, Anja embarks on an adventure to a dangerous mirror world in an effort to save Snow and the very kingdom itself.

Every T. Kingfisher book I’ve ever read has been a five-star read, and this was absolutely no exception. I didn’t want to put this down, and Kingfisher’s vivid, engaging prose meant I raced through this book in just a few days. Hemlock and Silver is described as a dark Snow White retelling, but it is unlike any Snow White retelling I have ever read, and it very much went in a direction I did not expect. Kingfisher does a marvelous job of creating tension as Anja races to save Snow, and there are some genuinely eerie moments as Anja and her companions explore the mirror world.

One of the things I adore most is Kingfisher’s brilliant characters. Anja’s a fascinating protagonist – she’s clever and a bit awkward, and I just loved seeing her perspective on things. Kingfisher does a fantastic job building the romance in the story. I thought it was executed perfectly without overshadowing the main plot. While I really liked all the characters, Grayling did steal the show a bit – how can you not love a talking cat?

Overall, Hemlock and Silver is a compulsively readable fantasy tale and another absolute gem of a book from T. Kingfisher. If you’ve been thinking of picking this one up, I’d definitely recommend it. This is one you don’t want to miss.

Book Review: Clockwork Boys – T. Kingfisher

Book Review: Clockwork Boys – T. Kingfisher

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Clocktaur War #1
Release Date: March 18 2025
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

In the first book of this touching and darkly comic duology, a paladin, a forger, an assassin and a scholar ride out of town on an espionage mission with deadly serious stakes.

When forger Slatee is convicted of treason, she faces a death sentence. But her unique gift for sniffing out magic (literally) earns her a reprieve—of sorts.

Along with a paladin, Caliban, possessed by a demon, her murderous ex-lover, and an irritating misogynist scholar, Slate sets off on a mission to learn about the Clockwork Boys, deadly mechanical soldiers from a neighbouring kingdom who have been terrorising their lands. If they succeed, rewards and pardons await, but they must survive a long journey through enemy territory to reach Anuket City.

And Slate has her own reasons to dread returning to her former home.

Slate and her crew aren’t the first to be sent on this mission. None of their predecessors have returned, and Slate can’t help but feel they’ve exchanged one death sentence for another. Her increasing closeness to Caliban isn’t helping for the first time in a long time, Slate might actually care about surviving.

Review

Clockwork Boys is the newest captivating fantasy release from T. Kingfisher and like all the T. Kingfisher books I’ve read in the past, I absolutely could not put this one down.

The story follows an unlikely group (headed by Slate the forger) as they attempt to infiltrate enemy lines and discover the secrets behind the clockwork boys – the mechanical soldiers that are destroying the kingdom’s army. The mission is likely a death sentence but can this ragtag ground band together to survive the mission and uncover the truth?

I really love Kingfisher’s beautiful writing and this book hooked me right from the very first chapter. This is an engrossing, well paced read and I thought the premise was such a fascinating idea. I cannot wait to see where the story will go in book two and I’m already counting down the days till it releases.

While I really enjoyed the plot of this story, my favourite aspect was the characters. I loved this little group and I really enjoyed seeing the dynamics between them, especially as the story progressed. I thought Slate was a brilliant main character and I particularly liked seeing how things developed between Slate and Caliban.

Clockwork Boys is a unique, engaging fantasy tale, full of T. Kingfisher’s trademark wit and banter. If you’re looking for an entertaining adventure story that will keep you hooked till the very last page, you won’t want to miss Clockwork Boys.

Book Review: What Feasts at Night – T. Kingfisher

Book Review: What Feasts at Night – T. Kingfisher

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Sworn Solider #2
Release date: February 13 2024
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 176
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

When Alex Easton travels to Gallacia as a favour to their friend, the excellent Miss Potter, they find their home empty, the caretaker dead, and the grounds blanketed by an uncanny silence. The locals won’t talk about what happened to the caretaker. None of them will set foot on the grounds.

Whispers of an unearthly breath-stealing creature from Gallacian folklore don’t trouble practical Easton. But as strange visions disturb their sleep and odd happenings increase, they are forced to confront the dark shadow that hangs over the house…

Review

T. Kingfisher’s newest release sees us back following Alex Easton as they travel to their old family hunting lodge in Gallacia. When they arrive they find the house abandoned and the caretaker nowhere to be found. The caretaker has passed away and no one in the village will set foot on the grounds or tell them what really happened to him. As their friend Miss Potter arrives, strange things begin happening in the house and Easton begins to have disturbing dreams, will they be able to uncover what lurks in the remote hunting lodge, and will they be able to stop it from claiming another victim?

I really enjoyed T. Kingfisher’s What Moves the Dead so I was really excited to pick up What Feasts at Night. It was lovely to be back with the characters we met in book one and I enjoyed seeing the relationships between Easton and their companions continue to develop. Much like book one, What Feasts at Night is gripping, well crafted, and full of suspense. The book is just under 200 pages but it definitely packs a punch, will plenty of creepy, unsettling moments that will send a shiver down your spine. There are also some humorous moments too which worked really well in the story.

What Feasts at Night is a quick read and one that keeps the reader gripped throughout. The story is well paced and I completely fell in love with Kingfisher’s vivid and atmospheric writing style. The moroi was such a fascinating concept and I loved learning about the folklore in this world. This is a brilliant, unforgettable sequel and if you’re looking for some haunting novellas you won’t want to look away from, I would absolutely recommend this series.

Book Review: Nettle and Bone – T. Kingfisher

Book Review: Nettle and Bone – T. Kingfisher

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment


Release Date: April 26th 2022
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 336
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

A dark and compelling fantasy about sisterhood, impossible tasks and the price of power, from award-winning author T. Kingfisher

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra―the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter―has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.

Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince―if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.

Review

Nettle and Bone is a dark and addictive fairytale from T. Kingfisher, author of The Hollow Places. I have always wanted to try Kingfisher’s work but haven’t gotten around to trying it. When I got the opportunity to read Nettle and Bone I jumped at the chance and I’m so glad I did because Nettle and Bone is probably one of my favourite books of the year.

The story follows Marra – she is the youngest of three princesses from a small kingdom. Their political situation is balanced on a knife edge and they are constantly threatened with invasion from the Northern and Southern kingdoms. Marra’s sisters are married off to protect the kingdom, but Marra soon learns of the abuse her sister is suffering at the hands of Prince Vorling of the Northern Kingdom. Determined to save her sister she embarks on a quest to kill him and free her family.

Do you ever pick up a book and it is just exactly the right book at the right time? That was Nettle and Bone for me. I was immediately captivated by this story. I loved the fairytale feel of the story and how Kingfisher twisted this into something darker and more gruesome. I really enjoyed Kingfisher’s writing style and the story felt really well paced. This story is so vivid and clever,  I honestly could not put it down.

Marra is an interesting protagonist, but the cast of characters that she brings along on her journey are what made me fall in love with this story. I loved the dust-wife, who can talk to the dead and has a chicken that may or may not have a demon in him. I also liked Agnes, the godmother who is much more than she seems. Kingfisher has a knack for creating these really fascinating characters and I am so looking forward to reading more of their work. There’s also plenty of clever, witty dialogue that had me laughing on more than a few occasions.

Nettle and Bone is a fun and fascinating read. If you love fairytales but you’d like something that’s a bit of a twist on the stories you know and love, this is definitely a must-read.