Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Night Girl is a wonderful urban fantasy which creates unique and compelling characters set in a new and exciting world which allows the reader to fall in love with a magical Toronto. The characters are, despite their fantastical nature, incredibly relatable - especially our protagonist Perpetual who works in employment for trolls and goblins.

The writing style is enjoyable and the pacing allows for the reader to settle into the story before picking up, much like Perpetua's life. While this may not be the most shocking of books and some of the plot twists are easily spottable pages before, The Night Girl is an enjoyable and fun read.

Perpetua is not your traditional 'hero' expected within this type of novel, but she is relatable and an enjoyable protagonist which leaves you hoping for more stories in this world.

My only criticism of the novel is that the romance seemed unnecessary to me, however as it is not a focal point, I don't see too many issues with this.

I had so, so much fun reading this.

This is an urban-fantasy love letter to Toronto. This is satire and mystery and a fluffy dash of romance. This is hilarious and heartwarming. This made me fall in love all over again with the city that has indelibly shaped me and my life.

Perpetua Collins moves to Toronto with only $500 in her bra (I have no idea what she was thinking, that's enough for, like, a day trip). She speaks her mind and is unapologetically herself—fierce, compassionate, and tenacious. The city recognizes these qualities in her, and she finds herself working at an employment agency: for goblins and trolls.

In Perpetua's Toronto, faeries, goblins, and trolls have hidden amongst the human population for three thousand years. They're terrified of the retaliation that'll arise if their existence is discovered, and it's only with the help of Perpetua's agency that they're able to find gainful work as art installations (gargoyles LOL), bouncers, and construction workers.

As she gets to know this utterly vibrant new world, she grows to not only understand but also love her non-human companions. (By the end I guarantee you will too, bc they're goofy and endearing and just so WHOLESOME.) Meanwhile, mysteries abound as she befriends an amnesiac cabbie named Fergus. Who is he? What does his mysterious affliction have to do with Perpetua's new job?

I LOVED how The Night Girl injects magic and mystery into a city that is so near and dear to me. I LOVED how James Bow riffs on Toronto's never-ending subway construction and swarming pedestrian traffic. Gargoyles perch on Church Street cathedrals. Statues in Grange Park and city squares turn out to be enormous, lettuce-eating trolls. The PATH network below the Financial District becomes the site of an underground city. BANKS ARE ADOPTING HOOTERS' BUSINESS MODEL.

Quite frankly, I'm mad that Toronto didn't spill these secrets to ME. 😤

The Night Girl just proves something I've suspected for a long while now: WE NEED MORE SPEC-FIC SET IN TORONTO.

A easy to read and great almost urban fairytale,

Great story, story world binding
And overall well written

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this read, which is about Perpetua , newcomer to Toronto, finding a job and then community with goblins, faeries and trolls, as she finds her passion for supporting the causes of non human beings. Once I got stuck in, I couldn’t put this down! Really recommend for anyone who likes fantasy and magical realism, as it has great characters, especially Perpertua, who is sassy and thinks on her feet! Would definitely read more by James Bow. Thank you to NetGalley and REUTS Publishers for the free advance reader copy of this e-book.

The characters are so relatable, and put together so well! This book was such an easy read! I think I finished it in just a couple days. I couldn't put it down!

First of all, I would read anything this man writes. He writes using every day language, but doesn't do it in a way that makes the reader feel stupid. The book is set in Canada, but the author didn't use any local jargon or slang that a reader wouldn't understand.

I related to Perpetua for the following reasons:

She's independent, and does what she can to take care of those she cares about.
She doesn't judge people for what they look like on the outside.
She could have quit anytime during the book, but she never gave in to fear. I would love to be like this all the time.

I'm not sure if this is James' first book, but I hope he writes more with these characters. Perpetua was awesome, and I'd love to see her in a series.

I couldn't think of any reason not to give this book a full 5 stars. There wasn't anything about this book that I didn't enjoy. It was an easy read, but was complicated enough that I didn't get bored with it. I can't wait to see what this author will do with these characters again!

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! If you enjoy books with fairies, goblins, trolls, and other mythological creatures, this book is for you!

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book. I really enjoyed this book, the plot and the characters were great and the writing was also great. 4 stars

The Night Girl by James Bow, a sci-fi fictional written. The author has written many books in this genre. The Night Girl is my first novel by this author. The author's writing style is very lucid and descriptive.

This one's a modern day fairytale with the main protagonist named Perprtua Collins and is set in Toronto. The suspence in this book was maintained till the end, I must say.

The book is a complete package when it comes to twists and turns, romance and modern world sci-fi. You will never see the city of Toronto the same way after reading this book.

The character building of this book is great. They progress and develop with the story. But somewhere I felt the story was going round and round in between and did not see much direction. For me overall, the book is quite okay.

Thank You NetGalley and the publisher for sending me the ebook in exchange for an honest opinion.

An interesting story. Not what I was expecting at all, I think YA fans will probably enjoy this, it’s got great characters (I adored Howard so much) deals with issues relevant to today, while the plot could be a touch predictable I still really enjoyed it and it didn’t bother me. It’s a fun, entertaining story and one I definitely recommend


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This book surprised me - it was an intriguing and exciting read (a rollercoaster indeed) and I tore through it (and would quite like a sequel actually come to think of it)! Moreover, it wove in real-world issues within the fantastical elements of the book: including the marginalisation and othering of minorities, racism, discrimination, basic rights, tolerance, acceptance, assimilation, integration...

I grew to love the characters (Howard is the sweetest troll, you simply have to meet him (he's my favourite)) and was enticed by the fact there is an underground city in Toronto (I did not know this was a thing, this is something to add to my travel bucket list). There were elements of romance too which were sweet. And I was glad to finally find a book with a protagonist my age to which I could relate!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free eARC of The Night Girl in exchange for an honest review.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book. But it was called Pratchett-esque so I wanted to give it a try.

Let me just start off saying that this is not any way similar to Terry Pratchett's books. It lacks the wit, smarts and complexities of a Discworld book. Instead we have a trope-filled quick read.

Our protagonist, Perpetua (seriously?) arrives in Toronto with a measly $500 in her bra. Perpetua is not a smart cookie (as showcased by her arrival in a big city without a plan) but she's friendly and charming so she is quickly introduced to the hidden population of goblins, trolls and fairies.

I can't say that the plot was original (I saw a plot point coming from a mile away) but it was a fun and entertaining read. Perpetual reads quite young - that may be the low brow sarcasm that she employs instead of actual jokes - but it adds to her character and makes her naivety seem more plausible.

Very Canadian feel to this story. Think it would be most suitable for young teenage girls. Quite simplistic language and a bit confusing initially. Not really what I was expecting.

My first thought when started reading The Night Girl was "Perpetua? Really?" but as soon as I got into the story, all was forgiven.

I loved this book. It's been a while since I read something as original and down to earth as The Night Girl. Sure, I read a lot of HC Sci Fi, horror and try to stay clear of hyped fiction, be it dystopian or romance, you know, Twilight, The Hunger Games, Fifty Shades, all mediocre at best IMHO (an opinion is not a fact).

Fortunately that was not the case with The Night Girl, a story about a woman who starts a life in Toronto, Canada, as an employment agency secretary. If you read the book's blurb, you already know that the agency caters to trolls and goblins.

I hate spoilers, so I wont burden you with any.

Let's start with the characters. The main ones grow as the book progresses. They turn out to be regular flesh and blood people acting as people often act, they are not cardboard representations nor extraordinarily gifted ones with hidden powers that arise suddenly when needed. The exception might be Fergus an affable character that, in my opinion, didn't go through any discernible change or growth, maybe he didn't need to? Still.

The story is just fun to read. It reminded me of some Japanese novels I've read, where characters and events are splashed with naïveté. Where unfolding events are absurd, but there you are, believing every word thanks to the author's writing prowess.

The romance, which doesn't take up much space in the story, seemed forced, not really believable and, to me, a bit unnecessary.

Just to be clear, this isn't the best book I've read and it isn't a master piece, but it was totally worth my time.

So, if you find the time and you like getting pulled into a seemingly ridiculous premise, that will turn too real too soon, I think you'll find The Night Girl to be a worthy read. [Posted at Goodreads.com]

I really enjoyed this well written, entertaining urban fantasy. The author brings Toronto alive. Additionally, all the characters - goblins, trolls, fairies- were very "human" and relatable.

The protagonist was not an ass kicking, tough woman but one that found her ability to care about and relate to all species.

I recommend this book to all who enjoy urban paranormal fantasy.

I was given an ARC. I am leaving my honest review.

The Night Girl by James Bow

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: New Adult, Sci Fi & Fantasy

I love quirky, unusual reads and this book promised that. I'm not the target demographic, but I often enjoy YA reads, good ones appeal to all ages. While I enjoyed this I found it wasn't one of those IMA, its one that's a great read for YA/NA I think, but for we folk past that age its a little too simplistic.
Its got some fun characters, a bit of mystery, a lot of whimsy, and a kind of moral theme about acceptance and rights of minority groups. That's particularly interesting given I'm writing this while the world is seeing the impact of BLM. Being in a minority group myself I understood some of the fears the supernatural folk had, and of course the frustration. I found the Amnesia Reset particularly sad, to have life wiped away like that, all knowledge of your past gone.
Its a quirky read, some fun moments and subtle humour, and though I don't know Toronto it was easy to visualise from the descriptions given. Overall I felt it was a great reader for the target age group, but just a little too YA simplistic for me to really enjoy.

Stars: Three, its a strange read at times, some quirky events and good but weird characters, and a theme of acceptance that's particularly poignant right now.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

This is a book about racism and discrimination. I was not expecting this.

After a fight with her mother, Perpetua left home and arrived in Toronto with no job, no place to stay, and $500 to her name. A kind cab driver helps her find a job in the city as the receptionist for what appears to be an employment agency. The twist? Her boss is a goblin who finds work for other goblins and trolls.

Yes, Goblins and trolls do exist, and so do faeries, but they have been hiding from humans for the past 3000 years and no one really believes they exist anymore. Until they see them.

The book starts off slowly. At first, it was the story of a girl barely surviving, a mere step away from being homeless. But it changed as she began to see the world differently, to see others differently. Eventually, it became the story of the marginalized, of those forced to live on the outskirts of society, of those who only wish to be seen and accepted for who they are. The question is, will those rights be gained through education or force?

You'll have to read the book to find out.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and have reviewed it willingly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Reuts Publications for this eARC

I really enjoyed this book. It was a story that has been told all over the world many times involving humans rather than goblins or trolls. I enjoyed the characters and the friendships that formed throughout the book. The message that the ready is left with is one I found very powerful also

The Night Girl is an extremely interesting novel, with engaging characters, an alternate world where supernatural creatures like Troll exist. It's well paced, original and very enjoyable read.