I’m a great fan of the author and have read all the books in the October Daye series."Silver and Lead" by Seanan McGuire is the 19th book in the series, set four months after the events of the previous one. I eagerly dove back into Toby’s world - and found it just as captivating as ever!

October (Toby) and her family are still recovering from Titania’s spell. Toby is now eight and a half months pregnant, so Tybalt and the rest of the family make sure she stays at home, safe and sound. She feels trapped, so when the Queen of the Mists asks her to locate powerful magical artifacts stolen from the royal vault, she jumps at the chance to get out of the house. And since this is Toby we’re talking about, it’s not long before there’s blood, chaos, and even more blood.

I loved the book and flew through the pages. Toby may be pregnant, but she’s still Toby - rushing into danger and taking care of her family. I loved the way the author portrayed the symptoms of her pregnancy. Toby is more tired, can hardly run, and she tries to take better care of herself - well, tries is the key word. But pregnancy doesn't stop her from doing what needed to be done. She understands that her family is worried about her, especially her husband, Tybalt. He lost a wife and a baby during childbirth, so while Toby doesn’t love being constantly monitored, she gets where he’s coming from. This added a deeper emotional layer to the story and to her character.

I appreciated that the author started the book with a recap of previous events to refresh our memory. She does a great job setting the scenes in San Francisco and the Faerie realm, making everything feel real. The atmosphere in this book felt a bit darker and more emotional, which made sense given Toby’s situation.

I loved meeting some old friends again—especially Spike, the rose goblin. Bigot characters like Dame Altair were irritating, to say the least. There’s plenty of action, and as the story builds, there are surprising twists that keep things moving. The book combines an engaging plot, strong writing, and a well-paced story, which makes for a compelling read.

Have I told you how much I LOVE this fabulous series?? Every new book is a celebration for me! There’s even a bonus at the end: a novella featuring Simon in Undersea, with some surprising developments. I really enjoyed seeing this side of him. The book explores themes of loss, motherhood, responsibility, trauma, and found family - and the way they are woven into the narrative makes the story even more compelling.

The book is a worthy addition to the series, and I can’t wait for the next one. If you’re already a fan, you’ll love it. If you haven’t started the series yet, definitely begin at the beginning, since the books are all connected. Highly recommended! As I’ve said before - and will keep saying -Seanan McGuire is a master storyteller, and I am a happily captured audience!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire, a good follow-up book, not groundbreaking but a worthwhile read that (I Suspect) sets us up for some serious reveals in the next couple books. Don't miss it if you are a fan of the Author or Series.

This book brought me so much joy! I absolutely love this series and this book was just as fantastic as the other 18 books.

Toby (October) is extremely pregnant and has felt trapped in her house as the entire family has been recovering from Titania's spell. When a chance comes to leave the house she takes it but she is asked to take on a dangerous mission. Powerful artifacts have been stolen and the Queen wants Toby to find who stole them regardless of how close Toby is to her due date. Some of the objects are extremely dangerous and if they are in the wrong hands could bring danger to everyone. Toby accepts partly because she is sick of feeling like a prisoner in her own home. What follows is an incredible story filled with all of the wonderful characters we have come to love as well as some old and new enemies. Toby must save the day, her family, and protect her unborn baby.

What I love most about this series is that while I am reading I feel like I am transported to San Francisco and the various Faerie realms as Toby must figure out what is really going on and fight the evil in the world. The characters feel like family to me and I care deeply about what happens to them. Silver and Lead made me cry but also made a tiny part of me want to be pregnant again. I cannot express to you enough how incredible a book must be to make me feel that way! There is plenty of action and I did not want this story to end. The October Daye series is by far the best urban fantasy series out there about the fae!

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for this ARC.