Now in hardcover, the fourteenth novel of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times-bestselling Toby Daye urban fantasy seriesWhen October is informed that Simon Torquill—legally her father, due to Faerie’s archaic marriage traditions—must be invited to her wedding or risk the ceremony throwing the Kingdom in the Mists into political turmoil, she finds herself setting out on a quest she was not yet … quest she was not yet prepared to undertake for the sake of her future…. and the man who represents her family’s past.
more
Since A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire is book fourteen in the October Daye Fantasy series, it’s kind of hard to review. If you haven’t read the series (and you really should if you enjoy Fantasy) then you will have no idea what is going on since there are too many characters and backstories to even begin to explain.
And if you’re a regular to the series, I really don’t want to give anything away.
I can say with any series there are some books that are not as good, but A Killing Frost is excellent. A lot of storylines are settled (or as settled as they can be in the Realm of Fairie) and one major one is opened even wider and I am very excited to see how it’s going to go in future books.
Besides being a fantastic addition to the October Daye series, there is also a short story afterwards that gives greater insight into three of the characters. It’s a wonderful addition, and I’m interested to see how these characters’ relationship is going to progress.
I highly recommend A Killing Frost, and if you’re new to this series, I suggest you start with Rosemary and Rue.
An absolutely wonderful series.
This series is now one of my favorites!
McGuire is one of my favorite authors. This fantasy series will never disappoint!
This author is always a treat to read!
I can’t believe that this series is at the fourteenth book; that is amazing. Unlike a few I’ve read (including a series with a book with this same exact title), this series is still going strong if not better than the first ones. Toby is on the hunt for Simon after she finds out she can’t get married until he is invited to her wedding so there is no insult. Of course, this leads to lots of bloodshed, secrets coming to light, and a big game changer at the end when something lost is found. I wasn’t happy with Tybalt for a tiny bit in this one because of something that happens towards the end; it’s like he doesn’t know who Toby is. (Intrigued? You need to read it!) Things did work out fine, though…until next time. I can’t wait to read the next book. Fans of this series will love this one. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
I was approved for a review copy of this title and read it straightaway in a day. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Toby Daye stories. Actually, most Seanan McGuire (or Mira Grant, for that matter) stories. She has a marvelous, immersive writing style – I fall into her books quickly and wander around in her worlds until the last pages (and sometimes even longer, as her characters tend to linger in my brain, roaming about while they wait for the next installment).
October’s story continues to develop in new and interesting ways, and McGuire has done an extraordinary job bringing full backstories to so many of her (previously) ancillary characters with the latter books in the series. I am always astonished at the breadth and depth of the world-building she undergoes, in everything from her long-form series like this one to her shorter stories and novellas (both in-series and stand-alone). I am also continually amazed at the way she weaves storylines and character development together across multiple books – sometimes serially and sometimes skipping several in the interim. I can’t imagine how she plots this all out, there must be an FBI-quality map of criss-crossing threads spanning several walls in her house to keep them all straight!
I have particularly enjoyed watching the family relationships around Toby develop: Simon, Amandine (Almandine!), Sylvester, and August have all shaped October, even when she didn’t realize they were doing so, and seeing how their characters evolved over time has really helped deepen Toby’s own story. I love this series because the good guys don’t always do good (or at least not anyone’s good but their own), the bad guys often turn out to be (unsung) heroes, and redemption is possible but ALWAYS comes at a cost. I think these are solid messages worth remembering these days, and the way she weaves these lessons into her storytelling – never preaching, never heavy-handed, always softly almost as an afterthought – means that they resonate without interrupting the story. It’s a very cool feature of the series for me, and one I look forward to watching continue to develop over time!
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for my obligation-free review copy.
The October Daye series is now officially the longest (Urban Fantasy) series I have read and I am still loving it. The world that Seanan McGuire has created is very intricate and vast. The characters are like family members and I love seeing them grow in each book. In this book October has to find Simon, who is lost and has pieces of his memory missing, and invite him to her wedding otherwise he can claim offense which could be a very bad thing. She brings along May and Quentin on this mission. With each book we learn new things and even more secrets are revealed.
I enjoyed this book a lot and I think it was a great addition to the series. October once again has a lot to deal with. She has to protect her family and also figure out how to solve different mysteries. October is definitely one of my favorite heroines, and I love that she isn’t alone anymore and that she has a huge group of people she can depend on. Seanan McGuire is a phenomenal writer and she always knows how to keep me hooked to the story until the end. I already look forward to the next book.