Thank you 47North and NetGalley (and whatever deity was telling to me go browse NG when this book was Read Now) for the ARC.

By Kingfisher's own acknowledgment, most of her horror books are woman goes with her dog to a place full of family secrets and Snake-Eater opens in that familiar vein.

Selena is a night manager at a deli dealing with intense anxiety (I felt so seen), a crappy partner, and her mother's terminal illness. After taking care of her mother until her death, Selena realizes she actually doesn't want to move back in with her crappy partner Walter, and heads with her dog Copper to Quartz Creek to see if she can board with her aunt Amelia until she gets her ducks in a row.

Upon finding the town, which is an event itself to get to, she finds out that her aunt has been dead for a year. Despairing and without any money to catch a ride back to the life she doesn't want to return to, the townspeople encourage her to check out her aunt's abandoned place Jackrabbit Hole House and figure herself out in the morning. This turns into her figuring herself, and taking care of the house and garden, out for several weeks.

As peaceful as things are, and as wonderful as the town and its people are, there's a growing sense of unease about just what is out in the desert and just who Amelia's "strays" are.

This was so good. I positively devoured this because you can always rely on Kingfisher to set the atmosphere for horror, but not make it TOO dark. You're gonna wanna know everything, you're always waiting to see the connections she makes, and that's what keeps me coming back to Kingfisher. I know I'm gonna get a fantastic story with the right amount of levity and characters I care about.

If you've read her previous horror novels, this is the exact same caliber; if you haven't, this is an excellent place to get to know her writing this genre.

Thank you NetGalley and 47North Published for the eARC!

This was actually my first T. Kingfisher book and I really enjoyed it.

I loved the setting, Quartz Creek, along with its townspeople, and found the local radio station and DJ added funny interjections. Grandma Billy was the best and I loved her banter with Father Aguirre.

I could relate to Selena’s insecurities and feeling like she needed a script to say the correct thing. I loved seeing her settle in the town and bond with the people.

The fantasy/horror part of the plot was fairly subtle for most of the story and interwoven very well into the plot. There was a point around 70% where Selena had another thought questioning if what was happening was actually real, which was a little annoying. That far in, and with everything that had already happened, I felt we were way beyond that, but luckily it didn’t last long.

I was hoping for a little more with the conclusion of the story. The wrap up of the horror/fantasy aspect wasn’t that exciting or interesting.

I didn’t enjoy the last chapter. It felt like the author wanted to show the townspeople standing up for Selena but I think the way it was written took a little away from her own personal strength and progress. I fully understand the point was to show the hold from her past and the depth of her own insecurities, but I don’t think she should’ve fallen into it so easily and completely. Having found a home and the relationships she had built, I feel there should have been more resistance.

Overall I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more T. Kingfisher!

T. Kingfisher’s Snake-Eater is a truly unique read that blends charming characters, a vivid desert setting, and a quirky, offbeat plot. The desert comes alive on every page, and Kingfisher’s talent for creating atmosphere shines through as Selena, the neurodivergent protagonist, navigates her new life in the small, mysterious town of Quartz Creek.

Selena’s journey is deeply personal. Struggling with anxiety, she escapes a toxic relationship and moves to the desert with her loyal black lab, Copper. There, she finds solace in a community that embraces her, including a shotgun-wielding elderly woman, Grandma Billy, and a Catholic priest with a knowledge of magic. The way Kingfisher portrays Selena’s internal monologue is spot on, capturing the nuances of anxiety and the struggle to build new relationships. As Selena settles into her late aunt’s house, she begins tending to the garden and slowly learns to trust herself again. It’s a wonderfully healing story of self-discovery and finding community.

What sets this book apart is its subtle blend of cozy vibes with elements of urban fantasy. The desert spirits and gods, while not the main focus until the final confrontation, add a rich layer of intrigue to the story. There’s a mysterious energy about the town, and the glimpses we get of these supernatural beings are intriguing and fun, particularly the roadrunner god who seems to have chosen Selena for a larger purpose.

The pacing may feel slow for some, as much of the book focuses on Selena’s introspection and the slow-burn development of her new life. But for readers who enjoy a more meandering, character-driven story, this will feel like a warm embrace. The plot really picks up toward the end, with a satisfying conclusion that ties together the many threads of this quirky tale.

Kingfisher’s writing, as always, is rich with humour, heart, and just enough spookiness to keep you engaged. The setting of Quartz Creek and its peculiar residents make it a place you won’t want to leave. It’s a perfect blend of cozy horror with a focus on personal healing, community, and self-reliance.

Snake-Eater is a wonderful choice for fans of atmospheric stories that prioritize character growth, community, and a touch of the supernatural. It’s a unique, offbeat gem that will resonate long after you finish it.

Thank you NetGalley & 47North & T. Kingfisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Um, Snake-Eater is awesome. Selena, our MC, flees to the desert to escape her life in the city only to find herself in the historic town of Quartz Creek, where a roadrunner god quickly decides she's the one.

I don't want to say much more than that, because I went into this book 90% blind (I read pretty much nothing past the first sentence of the summary, because T. Kingfisher is an instant read) and I feel like I was better off for it.

There is some discussion over anxiety and toxic relationships, and I've got to be honest, a lot of Selena's "issues" really resonated for me. She's an incredibly relatable MC, and I really appreciate T. Kingfisher for including anxiety in the story.

The vibes, the writing, the story - it's all awesome. The story does err more on the side of urban fantasy than horror, but it's a fun, quirky read as usual.

Read it, because it's great, and because I said so.

This is a beautiful story of second chances at life, found family and believing in your strength.
It gave me strong Discworld Witches vibes.
I loved the desert and small community setting.
As always with T. Kingfisher, the writing is perfect, the world vibrant and the characters complex and interesting.
Thank you 47North for this ARC!

2.5 stars, rounded up.
The main character, Selena, is so riddled with anxiety that it's a full-on paralysis. She can't think or say or do without composing a script for it in her head first.

We get a lot of what's going on inside Selena's head, even though it's third person POV, and her anxiety is so excruciating to read. It felt like pages upon pages of her second and triple guessing herself and apologising to everyone over and over.

I understand why she was like this - her ex-partner is definitely an abuser - but understanding why didn't make me care about Selena more.

What I did like was the desert setting and imagery, and Grandma Billy and the priest. Also I had never heard of a kachina doll before, so I loved learning about them!

Overall, it wasn't dreadful but it wasn't good either, mainly because of Selena's debilitating insecurities and anxiety.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

A neurodivergent, anxiety-ridden deli manager moves to the desert with her adorable black lab to escape her gaslighting ex and makes friends with a shotgun-wielding elderly woman and a Catholic priest who knows a lot about magic. She settles into her dead aunt’s house and spends two thirds of the book adjusting to life in this tiny town and learning to tend a garden, until finally the plot arrives all at once and we rush to the end.

Kingfisher’s writing is charming and the desert setting is incredibly vivid. I enjoyed myself well enough while I was reading, but my attention wandered because the plot feels directionless for the majority of the book. That may be the point since Selena herself is directionless, and spends so much of her inner monologue bargaining that she’s only staying in Quartz Creek temporarily, but it makes for a meandering read.

I think the focus on healing and finding community is lovely, but this book is not “horror-tinged,” it’s downright cozy. Between the cover, the title, and the blurb, I went in with the expectation of a much larger focus on the desert gods and spirits, but especially a murderous roadrunner god, and there was very little of that. (Which is a shame, because what we do get of the gods in the confrontation scene is quite fun.) I feel like this would have worked better as a novella or the plot needed to be given more action and depth. It takes a backseat to Selena developing confidence and a sense of self, and the eponymous Snake-Eater does not have a large presence throughout.

Would I re-read this: No, but I will absolutely check out more from the author

Who should read this: cozy fantasy fans, dog lovers, and anyone who prefers lower stakes and character-driven stories

Thank you to Netgalley and 47North for a copy of the eARC.

A unique yet bizarre cozy horror with an atmospheric rural desert backdrop. 🏜️🦂🌵
I was locked in during the beginning & end just trying to make sense of the absurdity happening. It was just… strange.
- I liked the characters (esp. grandma Billy & cooper 🐾& anxiety rep in this book & how the main character Selena deals with starting over new & meeting new people while overcoming an abusive past. The bits into the inner monologue of Selena were spot on for me. But at the same time, the plot felt directionless for a lot of it & the meandering dragged the story. Then the ending rushed through.
- I think this either needed to lean into being a novella or make it longer to add more depth to the characters & more action to the plot. Idk something felt off.
Honestly, I finished it and just sat there like: wtf lol. It’s bizarre. But definitely unique.
P.S. The author’s note was nice insight into why T. Kingfisher wrote this.

This is a very biased review. Sometimes you find a book that feels like it’s written just for you, and for me … this is one of those books. Selene is a broken character — broken down by her partner, by her mother, but her own self-doubt and insecurity — who keeps going only because of her dog, Copper. She’s passive by training, apologizing at almost every other sentence and trying her hardest to to take up space, not to waste people’s time. She’s not trying to make friends, she’s trying to not make people angry and I wanted to shake her so many times …

Thanks to Grandmother Billy, Selene ends up with someone in her corner, someone who helps her learn to stand on her own two feet. Billy doesn’t hover, doesn’t do things for Selene, but gives her the tools to do them for herself, and watching Selene come into her own was just … perfection. She went from using Copper as her reason for existing to feeling like she had the right to exist on her own, from feeling like an imposition on people to feeling like part of a community, and if it were just that, I’d still be rating it five stars.

But then you have the gods, the desert spirits, and it’s all just … perfect. From the roadrunner spirit to the squash god in the garden, they’re all so charming, and the mythology and world building of this magic realm — delivered by a Catholic priest, no less — makes perfect sense for this world. My favorite characters have to be the Dog God and the cutest little god who I shall not name because that would spoil the moment of their reveal.

This is sweet, and fun, cozy and healing, and everything I needed to read today. The writing is good, the pace is good, and the world building is so much fun. But mostly this book is about Selene, a woman who has been so badly hurt finding healing and herself, and developing both a sense of humor and a sense of self worth along the way.

Thank you so very, very much to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me read the ARC. I am now off to pre-order a physical copy!

It is difficult to find the words to express how deeply Snake-Eater resonated with me.

In an era of grim independence and individualism, a story centered so forcefully on community feels... nourishing. This book is a meal, home-cooked, by people who love you.

The bones of the story are nothing special. You've probably seen these beats before. But it's the execution, the small details, that are exquisite. I regularly found myself tearing up, laughing out loud, or nodding along in agreement with characters.

This is one that is best experienced without knowing all that much going in. But I will tell you that the dog is fine. This isn't that kind of story.

This book was truly excellent at evoking atmosphere and establishing setting, it really brought the desert to life. Unfortunately, I didn't connect to the main character, Selena, on an emotional level, and the pacing was very slow. From the synopsis, I also expected more of a focus on her interactions with the gods/spirits of the desert, but really that felt like a very minor part of the book until the final confrontation. Yes, they were there the whole time, but they felt more like weather Selena had to deal with, less like the characters with personalities I was hoping for. Also, based on a few throwaway lines - like a car from the 1950s being over a hundred years old -, this is apparently set in the future, but I was initially confused by this and almost missed this aspect because nothing about it felt futuristic to me. I think the main thing that kept me from enjoying this book more, was that it went in a very different direction from what I was expecting.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher, 47North, via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I screamed and paused my anime to start reading the second I got the ARC for Snake-Eater. T. Kingfisher’s penchant for writing characters in their 30’s who don’t have it all figured out yet is refreshing. I loved this book from the first sentence.

Grandma Billy is quite the character. The representation in Chapter 13 surprised me. Snake-eater is not particularly scary but it is captivating to step into a world that is so mundane yet so interesting. I’d describe this as “light horror”

I love that T. Kingfisher just gets an idea in her head and writes it. Nobody saw a roadrunner horror book coming and yet here it is!