3.5 stars - a quick short, I believe it's a prequel of sorts to the author's next novel, but I just sort of felt like I was missing something? It had a twist & I liked the fox cub, Marmalade, a lot. Many thanks to the publisher & Net Galley for my advance readers copy

I appreciated the chance to read this short story, which I assume is a teaser for Sarah Penner's upcoming novel The Amalfi Curse. Unfortunately this story didn't work for me at all, but I hope it will find its audience. I think folks who like very light magical realism may enjoy this, and I'm guessing fans of Penner's other work will like it too.

For myself, I'm sorry to say that this story was really a miss on every level. I thought the writing and characterization was very flat, and I saw every plot point coming from a mile away. This felt like a story written by someone who was unfamiliar with both short stories and the fantasy genre. I'm sure that's not the case, but that's how it read for me. It simply didn't have the depth, characterization, or prose that is needed in order to tell a meaningful story within a short page count.

I did think the main concept was promising, although I didn't think it was executed as well as it could have been. And I liked Marmalade the fox! But otherwise, this just wasn't for me. I'm sorry I don't have more positives to share.

Thank you to Sarah Penner, Amazon Publishing | Amazon Original Stories, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review!

A fun short story with a bit of mystery and wonder. I could see this story being expanded on, but also works well on its own. I enjoyed the not knowing exactly what was going on until the big reveal. I look forward to more works from this author.

An enjoyable, magical short-story from a great author.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Conjurer's Wife is a mysterious little story set in nineteenth-century Venice. Olivia is the wife and assistant of Oscar Van Hoff, a renowned magician known for his amazing illusions. No one knows Oscar's secret, not even Olivia. She has amnesia from an accident she had on their wedding night and can't remember her life from before Oscar. She has started to rebel against Oscar in little ways, standing a few inches away form her mark on stage or going off script in their performance, but her rebellion ultimately leads to her uncovering a devastating secret.

I did like this little story, but it felt a little bit flat. There wasn't really a whole lot of the setting as it was mostly in the Van Hoff's house or in the theaters where they did their performances. Since the story was mainly focused on the Van Hoffs it would have been nice if there was more buildup to their characters, but obviously the page count was limited. The twist was predictable, but I still found it fun. This would be a quick read for people who are interested in magicians or illusionists.