The Wild West fantasy mash-up of my dreams! This was an exciting story that starts out with a lot of action right from the start. I appreciated the "in medias res" beginning with the guns blazing and I was immediately drawn into the story, wanting to know Cat's story and about her "blessing." This was such a creative and unique story with unpredictable twists and turns. I loved getting POVs from both Cat and Adrian and the changes they each go through over the course of the story. I do feel as if the ending was a little rushed, but overall this was a really fun read!

This was a great read with a feel of the wild west running through it. Cat is clever and skilled with horses and guns, having been raised an outlaw and I enjoyed going on this adventure with her character, running from the people trying to get their hands on her and even more so when she hides in plain sight. Lani Forbes really conveyed the complexity of Cat’s feelings for the past and for the future, and especially for Adrian, the boy who started it all. Cat’s found family in the Wolves and in the church was sweet and her kinship with mischievous and grieving Edith was even sweeter. There’s a lot of tenderness amongst the action and scheming that added extra depth to the story and I had a great time reading this book and it has inspired me to read more of Lani Forbes’ work! The foreword from Lani’s husband was emotional and it’s a terrible shame she passed away but her legacy will continue with her published books and I can’t wait to see what other adventures she put on paper.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

When an author is great, there is not time limit to the magic they can make with their writing. Even if they have left us forever.

“What would you do with a glimpse into your future? A preview that gave away the next few moments?”

“It was the Wolf of the West himself.
Amos Whitfield had come for her.”

I haven’t read the main series from this author and now I profoundly regret it. But the miraculous thing about books is that the memory of an author is undying even after they don’t share our space anymore. This fantasy standalone with an hint of romance was marvellous!!! Absolutely brilliant. It has religious aspects. It had magic. It had mystery and it had deception. It had secrets and trauma and it had a young girl trying to find her purpose and setting herself on a path to avenge her parents, against the man who is responsible for the death of everyone she loves. The man who is also the father of her childhood best friend. Cat has to pretend to be a governess and infiltrate herself in this household and help Adrian’s little sister Edith. But forced proximity may lead to something more even if all she can do is keep deceiving everyone, pretending to be someone else. I had an amazing time reading this book and I read it in one sitting. It was a great fantasy book to get you out of a slump or simply to enjoy a good time with a light heart while also dealing with grief and trauma and loss of the people we love. I am so so glad and thankful I had the chance to read a copy of this book and I will always be grateful to everyone who made this possible!!

“Face the night, run right through it.
Catch the dawn on the other side."

"I'm facing the night, Amos." She laid the rose down gently atop his headstone. Several tears slipped down her burning cheeks. "And I intend to run through it. I will catch that sunrise on the other side. I promise."

This is a hard one for me to review. I understand that some of the things I need to address will be taken poorly or in the wrong light. That is not my intention.
I need to firstly address the foreword. I didnt feel this needed to be placed right at the start of the novel. There was no warning or trigger notice attached. The topic of cancer is a trigger to many readers, myself included. While I understand the husband wanted the reader to understand the depth of his wifes love and loyality to her readers, as a psychiatrist, all i saw was red flags. It was full of gaslighting, guilt and ended up in an emotional rant.
I had to go back and read what genre this was targeted for. YA shouldnt be exposed to that kind of 'rant' at the start of a novel.
After reading the foreword,I wasnt going to go ahead and read the book. After sitting on it a few hours, I did.
I loved the strength that was given to Cat. The bond she had with her crew had me laughing at her antics and turning the pages faster. I spent a bit of time confused on some of the story line. At times, I felt like i was reading a book 2 in a series. Hidden parts or things not making sense.
The story seemed to pull me in 100 directions. Half the time i was left with more questions than answers. I wasnt sure if this was intentional or part of the story itself. Given the circumstances, I do feel this story was rushed.
This was the first time I had written anything by this author.

Did you ever imagine the wild Wild West with a fantastical spin to it??? Me neither!! What a refreshing storyline and new material to keep the imagination fresh in fantasy. This was such a good book! It was full of adventure and the main characters were so interesting! The magic system is easy to follow and the world building is vivid. I loved seeing a FMC thirsty for blood and not afraid to do whatever it takes to get her revenge. I'm sad to learn that this would be Lani's last book as she fought hard against cancer and even wrote a book while going through her health fight. Great book with refreshing material!

It’s so bittersweet writing this review. I absolutely loved this book, the magic, the world building, and everything about it but it is just devastating knowing that this is Lani’s last book.

Lani Forbes is an incredible author and she was a lovely person. I was fortunate enough to meet her at Yallfest in 2019 before her debut, THE SEVENTH SUN was published. I had just finished reading it and was so excited to meet her.

FACE THE NIGHT was clearly a labor of love and every word was perfect. It’s such a shame we won’t see more in this world because it was so well crafted. The premise was so unique. I can’t think of any other fantasy westerns (or at least not any that will stay with me like this book).

Don’t sleep on this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This has Wild West feels combined with fantastical elements. I absolutely loved the world-building and now I want more fantasy set in that place and time. It has brilliant lore as well, with religious/faith based contexts that are explored. You’ll immediately fall in love with Cat! She is like a female outlaw Robin Hood. I enjoyed going on the journey with her, experiencing things from her perspective, seeing her growth and coming into her own. If you liked the video game Red Dead Redemption but wanted a badass female lead instead… this is the book for you. It is such a unique fantasy world that felt so grounded in reality. You'll be easily immersed. This is seriously an epic adventure that will keep you turning the pages. I loved every minute of it!