August 28, 2020
October "Toby" Daye is moving forward on her wedding to Tybalt, but her Faerie background once again throws a wrench in the works: Tradition demands that her father be invited to her wedding, and her father according to Faerie is Simon Torquill. Simon gave himself to free his daughter-- and Toby's half-sister--August. Now Toby must go on a quest to find a man she would rather leave behind, and reconcile their past with the future she wants. While the formula of the story stays the same, McGuire (Middlegame) always breaks new ground with further world- and ancillary character building that continues to captivate and expand readers' views. With series favorites like the Luidaeg and Dianda and Patrick Lorden introducing intriguing details, Toby will have to make a decision about her future that will change everything. VERDICT Now at Book 14 (after The Unkindest Tide), this popular series is definitely one to read, but newcomers will not be able to dive into this novel without the others. With exciting characters, heroic quests, and complicated family issues, Toby Daye is once again covered in blood and fighting for what is right.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 21, 2020
Fourteen books into the consistently enjoyable October Daye urban fantasy series, McGuire shows no signs of slacking. This volume (following 2019’s The Unkindest Tide) finds changeling private investigator October planning her wedding to Tybalt, King of Cats. In the process, October learns that, to prevent a potentially disastrous breach of Fae etiquette, she must invite her estranged father, Simon Torquill, to the wedding. But Simon is under the influence of an insidious curse and working to awaken one of October’s greatest foes from an enchanted slumber. To reunite her fractured family, October must travel to long-hidden corners of Faerie, face off against a host of magical dangers, and solve a centuries-old mystery. Even if she survives, she risks losing her hard-won romance and sense of self in the process. October has evolved from an embittered loner into a fierce protector of her chosen family, making for a richly emotional tale filled with series-standard fare of adventure, intrigue, and blood-soaked mayhem. With this installment, McGuire addresses some long-outstanding narrative threads and answers at least one major question, while still leaving much for the future. This is sure to hit the spot for series fans. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary.