July 11, 2022
Sixteen installments into the October Daye series (after When Sorrows Come), McGuire proves that her capacity to play the long game remains unparalleled. This tense tale picks up on seeds planted since the very beginning, while also delivering jaw-dropping revelations. After marrying Tybalt, King of Cats, October “Toby” Daye, a changeling detective and acknowledged Hero of the Realm, is tentatively content. But even as she catches her breath and takes care of long overdue business—including testifying at the trial of her old enemy Rayseline—a brutal attack on her friend Stacy Brown’s family upsets the fragile peace. Toby’s frantic search for the culprit leads to a legend dating back to the origins of the Fae: Titania, the Summer Queen of Faerie, has finally surfaced after centuries of absence. She’s bound by a magical compulsion to slay all those who know of her existence, making her a threat to Toby and everyone Toby loves. Now Toby and her allies must find a way to stop the closest thing the Fae have to a god. The usual blend of magic, mayhem, and mystery is fully present as McGuire continues to push her world’s boundaries and her hero’s limits. This proves a wholly satisfying payoff for longtime readers. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary.
Starred review from August 1, 2022
McGuire's newest "October Daye" novel (following When Sorrows Come) places the titular hero in the center of dealing with the foundations of Faerie itself. October has accomplished one of the hardest quests of her life--she got married. Now with a husband and found family surrounding her, she has finally earned a respite from her duties to the realm from the Queen of the Mists herself. Of course, no hero really gets a break: October finds that death has struck again, far too close for comfort, and an old ally turns out to be an even older enemy. While she has fought for her life, her friends, and her realm over and over again, this time October must battle for Faerie itself. When the costs of the Broken Ride are counted, they may be higher than she can pay. VERDICT The latest reveals from the ever-expanding history of McGuire's world still hold surprises, while previous plot threads are closed off to prepare for the latest cliff-hanger. This action-filled urban fantasy series shows no signs of slowing down.--Kristi Chadwick
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July 29, 2022
At long last, Toby has actually managed to get married. True to form, what that means is that she's well-rested for the chaos to come: and there is going to be so much chaos. McGuire packs a lot into this one, both story and history. As soon as the matter of Rayseline Torquill has been resolved, events start to spiral. Toby, sent to her childhood friend's home by the court seers, isn't quite fast enough to avert tragedy. She can ride the blood, though, and find out who is responsible. At least, that's how it should work. From there, the horrible mess that Oberon made by abdicating after Maeve's Ride was broken and Titania disappeared starts to unravel. McGuire's ability to pack cascading disasters into a single book is showcased here, with a satisfying number of threads picked up from earlier in the series (most recently, When Sorrows Come, 2021) and woven into something both inevitable and surprising. Fortunately, McGuire has proven again and again that she can follow up a cliffhanger ending with spectacular payoffs, and fans will find the path to the cliff well worth the effort.
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