When I hear that Seanan McGuire wrote it, I know that I’m in for another perfect literary escape.

Toby finds herself in a precarious situation and the people that she has learned to depend on the most have been taken. She must depend on her own wits while leaning on the one person she should never trust.

And it all comes down to family…Amandine, Toby’s mother finally shows herself and for Toby this is not a good thing.

To put it frankly, I can’t say much more about the plot of this book without giving away a spoiler. Yes, it is that pack full of life altering changes. I can say that The Brightest Fell was one heck of an adventure and should not be missed.

October Daye is one of my all-time favorite urban fantasy series. To say, I was hyped about reading the 11th installment would be an understatement. So many times, the anticipation doesn’t live up to actuality…The Brightess Fell exceed my wildest imaginations.

I received this ARC copy of The Brightest Fell from Berkley Publishing Group - DAW. This is my honest and voluntary review. The Brightest Fell is set for publication Sept. 5, 2017.

My Rating: 5 stars
Written by: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye
Sequence in Series: Book 11
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: DAW
September 5, 2017
ISBN-10: 0756413311
ISBN-13: 978-0756413316
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-...
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Brightest-Fell...

Reviewed for:
http://tometender.blogspot.com
DON'T MISS TOME TENDERS BLOG TOUR STOP 8/23/2017

bless you NetGalley for providing this one. I love all of Seanan’s works and once the description hit for this one, I knew I had to get my hands on it. :D This is the first time i’ve gotten an ARC for one of Seanans’s works and I want to make the review worth it.

Not that I’ll be heavy on the spoilers, mind you– but it is hard to review them when there is so much happening that I’ll have to do another re-read to see what I missed.


My ever-reaching, biggest question still hasn’t been answered and I’m sure by the time that little gem rolls around, it’s going to be so obvious, we’ll all cry. Watch it be nothing at all while Seanan cackles at us.
So the basic line of the story is that Amandine, Toby’s … darling… mother shows up again and with an ultimatum. Was it Evening and Simon going to sleep that prodded her into this request? But Toby’s been given the order to find the lost August or those that Toby and May love dear are going to suffer for it. Bonus round is that she has to work with the person that has hurt hers and those she loves the most to find the answers.

This story was a wild ride from start to finish. I started reading it in public and had to hide the most undignified sounds at the first couple of chapters because Seanan’s sharp, sly humor is right there from the get go and it took me by surprise. The rest of the book…

There are bits of incredulous humor and then sharp, aching sadness and the price that Toby is continuously paying for being one of the Dochas Sidhe. There is a lot more revealed about that in this book as well, and I shan’t spoil the reasoning of it all, but true to form, not all the answers are given yet and another box of questions is opened.

We get more of the world that Seanan has created, more of her characters and personalities of different people and races and it’s a marvelous delight. Characters that you sort of push into the background come into full, chiming light and how they see October, based on how others see it, is a delight. You get to see awkward, confused October at being recognized for doing the right thing.

You also get to see a darker side of the fae and promises and how no, really– they aren’t good and kind, but only given those names because of the consequences of not doing so are too great. There are still a great many debts that Toby has to pay and when you realize that the Luidaeg cannot lie and she’s emphasizing just how far underwater Toby has gone with her requests, you sort of cringe and wait for the ax to fall.

There were a lot of “OHHHH” moments on my end and a few “aw shit” ones, too. Amandine is more cruel than you would think to believe and Simon far kinder and more broken than one would ever believe possible.

I’m just thrilled i called a scene from an earlier book being what I thought it was. Go me. Double cookies for not being horribly slow on the uptake.

Bringing back old traumas is always fun when authors remember that traumas that are so deep never go away and I am honestly shocked that Toby went for that path so easily– then you realize it wasn’t easy at all. Bravo, for showing that. Too often do authors gloss over “it was in the past, it’s behind us” but Seanan was never one to shy away from the mental scarring that all of the characters have endured in one way or another.

I will say that i laughed that I thought of one possibility for August and to have it shot down in the following page was great.

All in all, this was a fantastic read and I do wonder who was giving that speech at the beginning, reminding us all the origins and histories, or if it was something that goes in the beginning or most books these days that I sort of glance over because I think I know them so well…

The pain of certain characters and the impact Toby has on so many lives in incredible and while she’s a force to be reckoned with, now that other players are on the court and with more tricks, I am actively worried for all of those that she loves in the upcoming books.

The extra story was great as well~ I was waiting for that particular bird to come home to roost, but not in a side story! Much simpler (or is it?) than I would have thought to believe.

I am excited as always to hold the print copy in my hands and to grace my bookshelf. It comes out September 5th

Thank you again for letting us have this romp into your world and curious to see where the next (hopefully not mushroom filled) path leads.

Seanan McGuire slays with her newest installment in the October Daye series, The Brightest Fell. This book finally features more of Toby's elusive mother, Amandine, and Toby's enemy, Simon Torquill.

If you've read the books and remember correctly, Simon Torquill was the evil dude from book one who had turned Toby into a fish for years. Now she's stuck working with him. Strangely, as much as you want to hate the guy, there's just something about him that makes you want to forgive him.

Given that this is book 11 in a series, it's hard to review it without giving anything major away. However, I can say that from the first book to now, this book definitely shows how much Toby has grown as a character, especially when you look at her interactions with Simon and her other relationships. There's your usual X amount of days type quest, threats/help from the Ludaig, learning more about the fae and the world Ms. McGuire has created, and a lot of Toby doing her best to help the people she loves.

Bottom line: this is a series worth reading.

Having read the first book and skipping the next 9 books in the series, I was a bit worried about being lost in terms of backstory and characters. Turns out, this book is a standalone in many ways. Anything of import from previous books are given a brief explanation as to the who, whats, whys, etc... The grand adventure in this book has Toby apart from many of the other characters in the book.

I do have to say that this book was far more enjoyable for me than the first one. I guess I'm more ok with expository backstory than I am with expository set up for a series. But the former is often needed in the story being read and the latter almost reeks of desperation. I do also think that it has a lot to do with the author really getting better at her craft. She's built up a pretty incredible world and cast of characters.

It's a rollicking adventure story that had actual consequences for characters.

It's hard to say how hardcore fans will feel about the story, since I haven't read the 9 books in between. But I can say that if you haven't read the series before, you're not missing much if you jump right in here. If anything, it makes you want to read some other books within the series.

I suppose my biggest issue is still Seanan's love of telling instead of showing.

3.5/5 rounds to 4.

This series just keeps getting better and better as the stakes are constantly raised for Toby and company. This time, loved one's lives are at stake and the word "family" has sinister new undertones. I can't wait for the next one!

Toby must face her toughest quest yet. Her mother has stolen two of her family members to force her to search for the sister that has been missing for 100 years. If she can't find her, her family will be lost. ARC from NetGalley.

No spoilers on this one. This book starts out with a karaoke bachelorette party and things are going great but this is a Toby book and that will not last. Amandine shows up and demands that Toby do her detective thing and find her older half-sister that she doesn’t know and has been missing for over 100 years. Things that have been hinted about for in previous books are stated outright in this one. There is a prophecy that has been hinted at in the series that is mentioned in this one. Toby’s mother will never win any awards as mother of the year and even with her saving Toby’s life in previous books you have to wonder even more about her in what she says and does in this book.
As much as I like Toby I think I like the Seawitch even more. Luidaeg has gotten the short end of the stick thanks to geas placed on her. She does what she can within the framework that she is bound to and she tries very hard in this book to do it.
I really need to do a reread especially on everything that Amandine shows up in. And for the reader there is a bit of a reminder of past books in this one. Actions from previous books always seem to shape the future stories in this series and that is a good thing.

There is a novella at the end told from the viewpoint of April O’ Leary and Toby does make and appearance in it. All I will say is reread A Local Habitation to remind yourself of things that happened to get the best out of this story. I do admit that I really like the extra stories at the end of the books lately and that they are a different viewpoint character in the series is just the cherry on top.

Toby is doing the hardest thing she's ever had to do. Relax with her friends at her bachelorette party, drinking beer singing karaoke surprisingly stressful. She should have known the calm wouldn't last. At home getting ready for dawn there is a knock on her door, and Toby makes the fatal mistake of inviting her mother in.

I feel that it is necessary to go back and read the preceding books in the series to really enjoy this title. If you are a reader who loves immersing themselves in the fantasy world with an excess of description, language that is unique to that world, mention of many characters and situations that the author feels are crucial to understand the motivations of the main characters......then this book may be for you. For myself, it led to skimming, and disappointment that the characters that I wanted to follow, acted and interacted less than I hoped.

Another wonderful story of Toby and how she causes so much mayhem and still becomes the hero!

The Brightest Fell is a captivating addition to the October Daye series. October's adventures have been consistently enjoyable and here McGuire makes a discernible effort to find those big lose ends and bring them together. The result is a delightful and rewarding read that will leave dedicated fans anxiously awaiting more.

Electronic ARC provided by NetGalley.

This is one of my favorite ongoing series and "The Brightest Fell" is another fantastic installment. While I loved the previous book, it also felt a little bit like a clean up story (tidying details from previous books). This book advances the plot in major ways and is absolutely full of emotional moments. The frustrating thing is that there is a ton of stuff I'd love to talk about here, but it almost all veers directly into spoiler territory, and I think it is best read as unspoiled as possible.

One of the things I can mention is that we finally get to really meet Amandine, who immediately launches herself into the running for worst parent ever as she kidnaps Tybalt and Jazz, and uses them to force October to find her missing sister August. In order to find August October teams up with Simon Torquill, once a mortal enemy, but also August's father. I love the way that Seanan McGuire is careful to change up the character dynamics in each book. October is always the main character, but her primary companions can be quite varied.

Without spoiling too much I can mention that as usual, we get about a chapter of fun before Toby is launched into the current disaster. In this case, we get to see Toby's bachelorette party. It includes Karaoke. It is amazing.

This release also includes a new novella, where we finally return to April O'Leary and the bodies in the basement that have been a dangling plot thread since "A Local Habitation."

If you have been enjoying this series then "The Brightest Fell" is a must read. If you've liked any of Seanan McGuire's other work but haven't tried the October books yet, then I recommend starting them immediately. The series is consistently great and has some of the best character development in fantasy. Go read it, and then read all of McGuire's other books as well.

While I continue to love this series, and the stakes were definitely huge, I missed having the larger scope of cast in this book. Quentin didn't do much, which basically just left Simon as the one person for Toby to play off of. They had a good interaction, but I enjoy it a lot more when all the series regulars are involved.

OMG!! This may be among the best of Seanan's work in the October Dayne series!! I feel like I know her SO much more by meeting her mother and her sister (!!) This series just gets stronger and stronger! If you havent read her work, Start with Rosemary and Rue and you WILL be hooked, guarantee it!

The October Daye series jumps to hardcover with the 11th book. Toby's life finally seems to be on track. Her bridal shower--at a karaoke bar--is actually peaceful, with no blood in evidence. Then her mother reappears to demand that Toby find her long-lost half sister; Amandine kidnaps Toby's fiance and dear friend Jazz to make sure she obeys. Understandably furious and not sure where to begin, Toby is forced to rely on her old nemesis (and step-father) Simon--the one who turned her into a fish for fourteen years--for aid. Simon, father of the lost August, is more than willing to help, and professes himself eager to redeem himself.

McGuire has obviously been playing the long game: Situations and people that were seemingly resolved a number of books ago are suddenly vitally important again. There are gains and losses, and gains that are losses, inextricably intertwined.

An excellent continuation of the series. A new reader might manage to make sense of it, but the many familiar characters and the deep, intertwined backstory make this an unlikely place to begin the series.

Excellent! This series just keeps getting better. Recommend this series to everyone.

The Brightest Fell by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

Unfortunately for me, I have so much I want to talk about for this novel, and yet almost ALL of it becomes spoiler territory!

Ugghh.

But! I think this is one of the strongest Daye novels since the battle with Blind Michael and even more interesting in a way or two than Toby's eventual falling in love with the King of Cats.

I'm sure I can get away with saying that her mother features very strongly and the consequences are very dire and the feels are very deep. I can honestly say that the buildup from all these previous novels and the eventual payoff in total entertainment value for this one is very, very, very high.

In fact, I'm kinda squeeing over here. I loved this novel. Not only was I super excited to have gotten the ARC because I'm a big fan of the series in general, but my own expectations were met and exceeded by the actual experience. The carryover storylines were some of the very, very best in the series and this direction....

Well, suffice to say, I'm very impressed and more than satisfied. :) :)

I am always looking forward to a Toby book. I finished this in one day! Kids and husband crying for food and I was undeterred! The lives of Toby, Quentin, The Luidaeg, and not in the least, Tybalt are so gripping. I was at the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. I wanted to alternately punch Simon and hug him. I still want to strangle August and Amandine. I wanted to cry by the end. Please, I need my next dose of Toby and entourage already.
And an April O'Leary novella as a bonus! Wow!

October Daye is showing no signs of slowing down. The plot is action packed with a single-minded determinedness -- you won't waste any time on side plots that don't add much to the story. You'll get the feeling that the previous books have been leading us to something big, and this book pulls us further along on that trajectory. The only downside of this book is that readers will hate having to wait for the next one. This series is massively addictive.