This is a fast paced novella that manages to perfectly balance both the escape of a formerly powerful sorceress bought low by an old friend, what at first seems like her revenge plot, and their mutual past. Moreno-Garcia manages to balance all of this, give us insight into Yalxi and the kind of person she is, and keep the plot moving forward. Also, pre-Colombian fantasy is always a treat, and we get lots of it here. Definitely pick it up when it comes out.

This is only the second SMG work I've read, the other being the novella <i>Prime Meridian</i>.

One day I will read a full book of hers, but today is not that day.

<i>Return of the Sorceress</i> is a novella about a power-hungry sorceress queen deposed from her throne and running for her life. It's set in a dark world where blood fuels magic, and the past does not forget. The ending definitely surprised me, I liked Yalxi, and if it had been a longer book I could definitely see getting very invested in this story.

As it is, this novella was good but not life-changing.

This was a fun and fast novella from one of the current masters of dark fantasy, Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

This follows Yalxi as she tries to avenge a lover who wronged her and stole everything that made Yalxi believe in herself and her magic. This was full of emotion and action and I cannot wait to see if there will be more in this world,

Is there a genre that Silvia cannot nail? If so I want to know. Seriously I've read 4 wildly different books by Moreno-Garcia over the last few months. All have been excellent and showcased a author skilled at their craft. This started off as a well written but typical fantasy story for me. By the end I was smiling for how it subverted my expectations and certain genre tropes. I only wish it was longer.

A fun and entertaining read, which is to be expected from Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This novella didn’t hold my attention as much as her other titles have, but I find it hard to compare a short story that’s only 100 pages to a full length novel. What Silvia does with just 100 pages is amazing, because she gives you an entire world with hints and sneak peaks of a space that’s even more grandeur outside of what we’re seeing.

None of the characters feel flat for being able to spend so little time with them. It was fun to watch Silvia take an old swords and magic type story and make it entirely her own with all the things we love from her.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy of this book.

I’m such a fan of the author, I figured my love of her writing will balanced out the high fantasy shtick I really have no love for. It kinda sort almost did. I mean I do appreciate her stretching her genre muscles, but for me she has been most prominently associated with darker things, scarier things. An entirely different style of sorcery.
And ok, objectively, if I must read fantasy, I’d read one by Moreno Garcia. And find things to appreciate therein, because the actual story of a magic wielding woman who has spent years becoming a Supreme Mistress of the Guild of Sorcerers, only to find herself deposed and backstabbed by her longtime lover is an authentically good classic scenario of a power struggle. It’s compelling, it’s literally magical, it just isn’t exactly my kind of magic. I don’t know why. I’m not even all that Enchanted by Disenchantment and it’s genuinely amusing.
Outside of the Moreno Garcia's traditional Mesoamerican themes. only at the very end was I like…oh yeah, that’s the author I know, the rest was just too wildly…too wild, too out there. But then again, it was such a quick read, I’ll just count it as an experiment in genres. Fans of fantasy would probably love this one. Thanks Netgalley.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for exchanging this ARC in exchange for an honest review,
This book was super phenomenal. It is a fantasy novella about Yalxi who is on a mission to find a weapon capable of destroying the usurper. I heard about this book I was super excited because I had read other books by this author that I loved. I think the writing was amazing and just made the story that perfect quick and delightful read that you can reread and never get tired of. I absolutely love the atmosphere that Silvia Moreno Garcia created and the writing was also extremely atmospheric. I also really enjoyed the setting because I usually do not get to see that in books. Last but certainly not least were the characters which were so well constructed and written it felt like you actually knew them and were going on this adventure with them, well specifically Yalxi. I also thought the magic system was created very well and I learned a lot about it in these 100 pages. I cannot wait to read more fantasy works and other works by this author! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good atmosphere with amazing writing and is in for a fun and enjoyable time.

My third time reading a book by this author and again I haven't been disappointed. Her storytelling prowess always leads to a tightly told tale that I can't pull myself away from. I'm starting to think there isn't anything she can't write.

I mean yeah, it's a novella so it's going to be a fast read but I devoured this book. With a novella words can't be wasted but even with the short word count, the world was described perfectly and I always had a really good sense of what everything looked like.

I love that the magic system in this story has a cost. Our main character's body is in pain the entire way through the book and the more she uses magic, well let's say she doesn't get better from it. It's an enticing read and if there's a reader who doesn't want to invest a lot of time getting into fantasy due to the page length, this is a perfect primer.

It's short and well told but I still want more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Return of the Sorceress has officially cinched the deal: I will read anything Silvia Moreno-Garcia pushes out. I can count on the fact that no matter what genre she's chosen to write, the language is going to be beautiful and the story captivating.

The Return of the Sorceress is a novella, just about 100 pages from what the author has estimated, but it is jam packed with multiple interesting characters who are trying to survive in their cruel, magical world. The main character is perfectly imperfect: once driven by power lust, it takes being betrayed by her lover to realize that the diamond heart, a huge source of sorcerer power, must be destroyed. Injured and running on the last dregs of her magic, Yalxi sets out to fulfill the promises of her youth and stop history from repeating itself. Especially with it being such a short read, I recommend it to anyone who's curious about Moreno-Garcia's other works and wants to give her writing more of a try.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia isn't just one of my favorite authors, I think that she may be one of the great authors of our time. I am no NYT critic or PhD in literature but SMG's talent pours off of every page. This is just the third work of hers that I have read but at this point, she is an automatic read for me.

This is a novella and at first you feel as though, as the reader, you have been plopped into the middle of an epic fantasy series or show and whisked away on the brief but entertaining journey of Yalxi, once the most powerful sorceress in the city now seeking revenge against her former lover who has usurped her. Accompanied by her magical companion, she pursues her goal with singlemindedness and beyond her revenge lies possible redemption for a bloody mistake in her past.

At first I was worried that, being so short, the story would not feel complete. Knowing how I feel about SMG's other works, I should never have doubted! This was a quick and satisfying read. It was entertaining, and actually made me long for more of this world.

Thank you to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this short story. The world building was rich and interesting, the characters were flawed yet enjoyable, and Moreno-Garcia’s writing is beautiful and a bit eerie. My one complaint is that I wish it was longer. Being so short, I feel like the world had more to offer than space was given to it, and a lot of the backstory and characterisation felt a bit rushed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for an advanced copy.

I'm not sure where to start my review this time, so I'll just jump in: this novella is WONDERFUL! We've got a main character with some pretty major flaws and faults, but you want her to succeed and ultimately be happy anyway. She's by no means innocent or faultless in the events prior to and during the story; in fact, she's really kind of despicable. However, that makes her so different and engaging from other heroines in other works; she feels *real*, she feels *human*. She knows what she'd done in the past was horrible, and while she tries to atone for her mistakes and failures, it's not a cut and dry journey to redemption.

The magic and worldbuilding is very good. I less than 100 pages, Moreno-Garcia sets up a beautiful yet ugly world of magic fueled by blood and force of will, where a dead man's will to continue existing in his bitterness is powerful enough to alter the landscape, and spirit companions with their own desires and opinions can be the greatest friends and allies (even if they get pissy most of the time). I do want to mention that there is talk of animal death (because the magic is based on the strength of blood), but it's never gone into in detail. I was worried it would, but thankfully it was more glossed over, so readers with sensitivity to that should be okay.

I would love to read a full-length novel of this world at some point. What was presented in the story was great and interesting and left me wanting more without feeling like it didn't give enough.

This cover is amazing like all of this author’s covers are! I just love every single one.

My only complaint about this book is that it was too short! And yet, this author packs so much feeling about revenge and redemption into such a short book. I didn’t realize it was a novella until after I started but I’m glad that I didn’t know otherwise it would have swayed my decision on picking this one up. I would have missed on reading this thrilling story about Yalxi.

I hope that one day she does write more in this world as I would definitely be interested in knowing more.

As always, I love her writing and even the shortest of books can make me feel a lot in a short amount of time.

Overall, I enjoyed it! I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a shorter fantasy or have read her other works.

Book Review for The Return of the Sorceress
Full review for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

Thank you to Subterranean Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book.

This is the first book I’ve read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but it certainly won’t be my last! Readers should note: this is a novella, so expect a faster read than some of the author’s novels like Gods of Jade and Shadow. And I do mean fast!

Not even halfway through, I had to make myself stop reading to secure a preorder of the print book- that’s how good it is: gripping from the first page, and it held me until the end.

Moreno-Garcia dazzles readers with both a shockingly raw magic system and a vividly colorful landscape, all the while, spinning an enchanting tale of truth, determination, and resilience. I was entirely immersed, questing alongside Yalxi every step of the way.

4.0/5.0

Silvia Moreno-Garcia packs in her signature tough heroine in a mysterious and whimsical fantasy. This novella is thoroughly exciting and thrilling.

Thank you so much to Subterranean Press and NetGalley for this epic digital review copy!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia always delivers. This book is a great, short read. It felt like watching a preview on Netflix of an epic series...it's enthralling and exciting and over before you know it.

Right away we are concerned for Yalxi as she is near death and trying to find help by turning to an old, abandoned friend/being in a ring--Nahuales. I loved the interaction between the two and how playful but deep it was. We learn of Yalxi's past while she continues on in search of Xallah, her ex who betrayed her for power and status, as she wants to get revenge. Yalxi isn't a feel-good character but she's honest and remorseful; will she chose redemption or revenge?

3.5/5 Stars Maybe a bit uneven at times, but for me, Silvia never disappoints. This novella economically drops breadcrumbs of a lifetime of backstory almost throughout its length. It also has a fresh, robust magic system and a solid take on the sorcerer’s familiar/demon.

3 stars *may change

I'd previously read SMG's "Gods of Jade and Shadow" and thought that I would need to re-read the book physically because the audiobook had done a disservice to it. It had left me neither contemptuous nor happy that I had read it. Instead, it had simply felt like any other book. I see now that this was a bit like that.

I have to start off by saying I really love SGM's writing. It's descriptive when it wants to be, pretty when it should be, and dangerous when it needs to be. I also really like her dialogue. It's very dry-cut, which I rather enjoy. The interactions between Yalxi and her nahual were witty in a very...specific way I cannot describe. The fight scene was written very dramatically and poetically without being too pretentious. Really, I'm just trying to say it's a well-written book.

That being said, the story itself wasn't very...much. I read a lot of under-200-page books. I think it's interesting how they manage to cram a story in such a short span of time, and I've read both bad and good attempts at it.
The first half of this book, more like the first 60 pages, is muddy to me. I really wouldn't be able to name anything that happened. I wouldn't call it boring — it's more like the information went in one way and left the other way. It made no impression on me. At first, I thought it was because it was so late at night, so I tried again the next morning to the same effect. It simply did not stick.
Of course, I think the last bit was done much better, but that's because the fight scene was so excellent. All of the build-up to come before it was...well, I don't have anything to say about it.

This book really does show that I ought to give GOJAS another chance. I'm not huge on slow-paced books, but I would like to enjoy SMG's writing style again. Honestly, though, this was okay.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reader's copy.