Once Broken Faith (October Daye Book 10)

The world of October Day may be fictional, but October and her friends live and breath, and so are capable of making us think and making us feel.

October has always been a crusader for justice and protector of children. But as this series evolves she has moved from disenfranchised and broken-hearted to empowered.

A meeting of the Faye is called to discuss the cure for elf shot, which causes pure blood Faye to sleep for 100 years. In those with some human blood it brings death. A cure has been developed. (See last novel). Some of the Faye want it available, some want it suppressed. Since October was involved in its inception she is attending the event. When a murder occurs Toby investigates, although she must do so without some of her best magical tools.

In the past Toby has stood between those with little power and those who would use power to hurt or oppress. As she has earned friends and supporters amoung the powerful, she begins to embody the rights and right she fights for in her own person. The ongoing saga of October Daye, hero and knight, continues to fascinate as Toby continues the good fight no matter what the cost. Even in a fantasy world the themes of protecting children and establishing justice ring out like a bell, making these stories alive.

This series started out not so great. When October Daye was turned into a fish for 14 years, I lost interest. But I returned to it eventually, and am so glad I did. The series just keeps getting better. I wouldn't have thought it would be possible to sustain through so many books, but amazingly, it's happened.

This book, the tenth in the series, puts Toby in an awkward conclave with all the fae royalty of the region. And then fae start getting murdered, and it's Toby's job to find out whodunnit, while protecting her lover, her squire, her niece, and innocent bystanders. Loved the book, looking out for the next one.

I am so excited by this book.

The last October Daye novel left me concerned. The book felt...formulaic, sort of flat compared to the ones before. And, when that happens in a series, it's a toss up whether the series will recover. I am delighted to say that this book was 100% great. The characters all progressed and grew, the plot kept me reading, and the wrap up was well executed.

Another entertaining installment in McGuire's clever and witty urban fantasy series. However, she badly needs a decent proofreader and editor. She doesn't seem to know the difference between the "like" and "as" constructions, for one thing, which in a writer of her skill is unforgivable, and she sloppily switches between "Robinson" and "Robertson" for one of her secondary characters, when a simple search would fix the problem. Very careless

And the novella included was good too. My only complaint was that it was shorter than usual, or at least felt like it because I blew through it. Great series and a marked improvement over the previous book which while good was the weakest in the series.

This one was pretty awesome.

October Daye is one of my favorite series to read, and I’m always afraid when a new book comes out that something will happen and the series will start to go downhill. It seems that after so many books, a series starts to go stale, the author loses interest, or the author runs out of plot. I am happy to report that none of these problems are present in the latest installment of this series. We find Toby: getting into trouble like always, discovering new ways Tybalt can be an annoyance, and helping other out of trouble. The romance between Tybalt and Toby is truly a sight to behold, and they are one of my favorite couples. The realistic way Ms. McGuire portrays their relationship is wonderful: not everything is sunshine and roses because there are always obstacles to overcome in any relationship, which they discover in this book. There isn’t a lot of plot development, but there is character development. The reader finds out a lot of interesting things about many characters in this book, especially in the novella at the end, which is also terrific. If you are a long-time fan of this series, you will love this book as much as the other ones in the series. If you are new to the series, what are you waiting for? Start at the first and work your way to this one. Wonderful edition to the series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy which I voluntarily reviewed. This same review will be posted on both Goodreads and the store.

This series is tied for my favorite UF and the author is one of a few I have on autobuy.

Imagine Seanan McGuire is Shakespeare writing fairy stories set in modern San Francisco. There is adventure, mystery, revenge, hubris, humor, faith, family, love, and blood . . . lots of blood.

Seanan McGuire's October Daye series is showing no signs of slowing down. This installment gave me all the things I love about these books. It's engaging, with plenty of action and great pacing. The world-building is interesting, consistent, and relevant to the story. And most importantly, McGuire gives me characters I care about. She draws them with depth and history. She makes me feel like I know them. I'm invested in their losses and wins, their friendships and enemies, and every step they take on their path to an HEA.

Once again here, Toby is dragged into the politics of the Fae. This time, the nobility is gathering to decide whether to allow the use of that elf-shot cure Walter devised in the last book. Toby was such a vital part of how the cure came about, the Queen of the Mists insists on her testimony. Of course, nothing is as simple for Toby as that. One of the nobles is killed and Toby is the one tasked with finding his killer, while her loved ones move into the line of fire.

One of the best things about these books is watching how Toby's various relationships have evolved. Not just with Tybalt, though I am a huge fan of that romance, but with all of these other major players in her world. I love seeing her with the Luidaeg. That woman is such a power; she is head and shoulders above all these pretentious pureblooded Fae who think Toby beneath them. Yet the bond between Toby and the sea witch has become one of the touchstones of these books. At the same time, we see the connections Toby has forged with Arden, Diandra, and others. We see how her relationships with them --with Quentin-- with Sylvester --all of these key characters-- have completely changed her life.

Toby is a hero. She lives her life, committed to living up to that. But we can never forget she is a changeling. That she is considered less than those she protects... even though we know she is so much more. It's so interesting to see the dichotomy between her value and her perceived lack of worth by the so called nobility. This, as maybe some of those folks are beginning to get an inkling that there's more to Toby than they first gave her credit for.

I really enjoyed this one. I can't wait to find out where McGuire will take us next.

Rating: B+

Another great installment of the October Daye series. ONCE BROKEN FAITH starts out slow, but quickly pics up. There is a lot of politics involved in ONCE BROKEN FAITH, but there's also a lot of action, a lot of danger and a lot of mystery to keep you interested and in the story.

All of my favorite characters were present in ONCE BROKEN FAITH and they all had a part in helping Toby solve the latest mystery that has her and her loved ones in danger. I really loved getting to know Quentin's parents—as leaders and as parents. I continue to love the relationship Toby and The Luidaeg. I have always felt that something big will come out of their relationship and I am more convinced of that with each book.

There isn't a lot of romance in book ten, but Toby and Tybalt are still very much in love and a team like no other. I can't wait for their wedding. I know it will be anything but smooth, but I also know that I'm going to enjoy every moment of it. I'm not sure if it will come with the next book or one down the road, but finger's crossed it comes soon.

If you have been following October since book one, you wont want to miss ONCE BROKEN FAITH. If you haven't started this series yet start at the beginning and start now, you won't regret it.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This series has been solid 4-5 stars up until the last two and this one continues the downward trend. It is not a bad book, and to be fair I audibled it so my review could be affected by that, but it just has lost the evolving nature of the last two. The verdict was never really in doubt. The crimes were fairly easily solved. And the plot was sort of just ambling along. Had this been a debut author who's work i was not familiar with it might have gotten 4+ stars. But I know Seanan is capable of great story telling. This was not one of those times. Unless you fancy UN style debate in a magical world. Also this series is starting to suffer a bit of Stephanie Plum diseases. You know the one where no one ever grows up or moves on and everything seems perpetually stuck in the same time loop. There is a bit of that here. You'd think everybody would be treating our heroine with much more Respect at this point. You'd think also she would be a little less of a F*ck up and start taking things seriously. The "aw shucks, did i do that?!?" take nothing serious mentality should have been over by her first deposed monarch.

All my problems are neatly summed up by the end of the book where queen of the mists and high king meet to decide what October's role should be going forward. They decide--with her and Sylvesters pushing--to leave things just as they are. This is a girl who has put rulers on the throne while killing and deposing others. This is a fae who for all intents and purposes is a hope chest. This is a fae who can be pure blood if she wants. She is also friends with HER AUNT THE SEA WITCH, has imprisoned a first born, and who is herself the daughter of a first born. She is also btw fostering the crown prince. Probs some other crap we don't know about too. But nah well just leave her serving as a knight of a minor Duke of a court on the west coast. I already thought the high king an queen were sort of hollowly written but now I'd like to add they are stupid to boot. It seems that everybody should start affording October and should have all though out the past couple novels a bit more respect and downright fear. But no king and queen dont do anything to acknowledge or keep an eye on her. Just keep your son either spying on this fulcrum of chaos or learning from her. What can possibly go wrong...

So often once a series reaches its tenth book, it has grown a bit stale, but remains interesting because it is like visiting with old friends. That is so not the case in the October Daye series. Once Broken Faith, if anything, is more intense and interesting than ever before.

The story begins a bit more slowly than some of the other books. I don't mean that it is not interesting, I was hooked from page one, but rather the opening is less action oriented than most of the other books. Alas, that does not mean there is no tension, as Toby can't seem to avoid being drawn into chaos.

One of the truly beautiful things in this book is how well McGuire allows her characters to develop. It is not always so clear which path is the right path. In this book especially, we see tough decisions being made. There are times the main characters behave in ways that are frustrating, but necessary. All the while, there is that steady current of flexibility that characterizes fairy.

I experienced so many emotions while reading this book. I read it while travelling, and I am sure that other passengers on the plane thought I was a lunatic with my grinning and quiet chuckling. Thank goodness I made it home for the crying, that would have been awkward on the plane. And then there was the obsessive reading way past my bedtime, despite being sleepy from changing time zones and vacation revelry.

The only downside to this book is how long I will have to wait until the next installment.

**Disclaimer: I was granted a complimentary review copy from the publisher.**

I've become quite a fan of Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant, and while the October Daye series has been on my radar to begin reading, I'll have to admit that this is my first October Daye book (and it's the tenth in the series).

While this book is mostly pretty straight-forward and a self-contained story, it was very evident that there is an awful lot of history here and that those of us just jumping in have missed out on a lot.

October Daye has traveled to the Kingdom of Silences to try to keep the peace between them and he home, the Kingdom of Mists. But now she's back and she has a new cure for "elf-shot" (a sort of magic coma that can put a magical being to sleep for centuries without causing any other harm) and she's has become the primary figure in a battle of political tug-of-war. October is the heir apparent for the troubled Kingdom, but she wants nothing to do with politics and leadership.

When one of October's closest associates and friends is in mortal danger, she'll be forced to make one of the toughest decisions of her life.

Seanan McGuire is quickly rising to become one of my favorite fantasy authors. Bother as McGuire and as Mira Grant, she publishes a steady stream of fiction that is tremendously readable, highly original, and character-driven but intricate plotted. This book is no exception to that list, but because it's a long-running series to which I am a virgin reader, I spent much of the first half of the book simply trying to become familiar with this world and to understand the rules of how magic works here. In this sense I grew a bit bored.

But once I understood the landscape, I began to see the signature writing of a Seanan McGuire novel and became more deeply interested in the story and the characters. Enough so that I now desire to go back to the beginning of the series and work my way through (local library, here I come!) and with the book ending the way it did, I, like most fans of the book, will be eager to see what Daye makes of herself.

The book includes a novella that was every bit as interesting as the book - perhaps even more-so for me as I had just become invested in the world.

Looking for a good book? If you read urban fantasy, you will want to have a regular diet of Seanan McGuire, and <em>Once Broken Faith</em>, the tenth book in the October Daye series, is book (and a series) that you will enjoy.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I'm on page 50 of 420 of Once Broken Faith. No one died yet. Come on, Seanan McGuire, what's going on? Is Toby going to have a - gasp - easy time this book?

warning, spoilers for earlier books in the series. What, you haven't read them yet? what are you waiting for? READ THEM.

If the teen slumber party runs out of cookies and pizza.... they DO have better sense than to eat the hand that feeds them, don't they? We interrupt this slumber party to inform you that The High King is coming to town.... and Toby's squire, AKA the Prince Incognito, is busy scarfing down pizza. Aaaack.

Also, the High King is hosting a conference, in Queen Arden's knowe, where all the local kings, queens, barons, and assorted lords (of various shapes, Seanan's world building is glorious) are going to have OPINIONS about this new remedy for elf shot. There's nothing so good that it's not bad for someone. And, oh joy, Toby is going to have to testify. That's a full week she's going to spend on Best Behavior [tm] and Fine Clothing[tm].

One of the local kings? Tybalt, King of Cats. How is this public appearance going to affect his relationship with his fiance, Sir October Daye, Hero of the Realm, loyal to her lieges Sylvester & Queen Arden? (Don't remember Sylvester's rank. Toby is mad at him and he hasn't really been on-page the last few books.) The King of Cats is loyal to no one outside his own court. Come ON you guys, get MARRIED already! no don't, stretch it out a few more books so i can yell some more ;)

Aaaaand, someone dies. It's the most bigoted guy in the conference, surprise, but while many people have a motive, few have opportunity and what on earth was the method?

Once Toby figures out the method, she knows whodunit. Wow. Oh, wow.

Oh, this book is so much fun. It's going onto my re-read stack.
While the ending was satisfying, I need the next book soonest.

Synopsis: A conclave of all the houses of faerie meets to decide whether to allow the use of a cure for the 100-year sleep caused by elfshot – a development which may have deathly consequences for the large number of half-fae, half-human changelings. As usual, murder and mayhem ensue, and Toby must race against time to find out who is killing, and why.

What I thought: This is another excellent entry in the series, and anyone who's a fan of October Daye will want to pick it up. However, it does not stand alone well; the reader really needs to have the character and event background of the previous books. On the other hand, I don’t particularly care for Urban Fantasy or Mythic Fantasy, and I still love this series – so consider this my recommendation for reading them all.

Bonus Novella, "Dreams and Slumbers": After the conclave is over, Queen Arden Windermere in the Mists has a choice to make, and no one to help her make it. This is the story of Arden’s attempts to awaken her elf-shot brother, Nolan, from his 100-year sleep. At first, Arden believes that all she has to do is give him the cure, but it’s not that simple, because in addition to being elf-shot, Nolan was poisoned – and once he’s given the cure for elf-shot, he will die of the poison. Can Arden find an antidote to the poison? And does she really want to wake him up, when she will have to face him with the fact that she has not yet really established herself, or accomplished anything, as Queen?

I thought that this was a great coda to Once Broken Faith, and a great addition to the October Daye universe. It gives the reader insight into, and further character development of, peripheral characters in the series. But like Once Broken Faith, it’s really only going to have a good meaning and impact for those who’ve read the novels in the October Daye universe.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar

Once Broken Faith takes place a few weeks after the events of Red-Rose Chain, the story starts with a lighter mood that the previous books of the series. Toby is preparing to have a sleepover for her squires and friends. The kids have arrived, the food is ready, and Toby is having a great day, but duty calls. Toby receives an unexpected guest, Queen Windermere, who asks her to help awake her friend and brother from Elf-shot against High King Sollys orders. As being the Hero of the kingdom, Toby goes and help her; they manage to wake the Queen’s Seneschal Madden, but the High King arrives earlier and stops them from waking up the Queen’s brother. To decide what to do with the new discover Antidote for Elf-shot, High King and Queen Sollys have decide to have a meeting with all the Kings and Queens of the North America region. Because of Toby’s involvement, she needs to be present in the audience and be near all the pureblood regents. But like any other book in the series, a dead body shows up, and this time is a King. Now Toby needs to find the killer and save the other regents, while trying to convince them that to allow the use of the antidote.

Like the previous book in the October Daye series, I loved Once Broken Faith. In this book we are seeing Toby be happy, but we also see how much she has grown since she was that frighten woman that got out of the pond a few years ago. She has friends, family, a fiancé, and people that have her back. But in this world, Fae exist, and happiness has a price; Toby is the Hero of the realm, and she has to protect it.

What I liked about this book was that we meet new characters and races of Fae. Some of the regents are the standard Fae that we have met before, but others are completely new. Another thing about this story is that we get to learn more about the abilities of other characters that we haven’t seen in a while. *Spoilers* More seers.

I loved the formality of the courts and that Toby hates them, but knows how to perform them. I was pleased to read the announcement of a pureblood’s death, it has been a long time and it brings back memories,

“’When the Root and Branch were young, when the Rose still grew unplucked upon the tree; when all our lands were new and green and we danced without care, then, we were immortal. Then, we lived forever…’

I hadn’t said those words in years – not since I’d told the false Queen of the Mist that Evening Winterrose was dead…

‘We left those lands for the world where time dwells, dancing, that we might see the passage of the sun and the growing of the world. Here we may die, and here we can fall, and here His Highness Antonio Robinson, King of the demesne of Angels, has stopped his dancing ‘”

As time goes by and Toby gets used to her bloodline, I believe that she is starting to find her place within the Fae. She helps others and is starting to change the world around her. I think that she is starting to become what her bloodline is supposed to do, change.

Death and murder follow Tody, she is the girl that is always in the wrong place at the wrong time. But she is also the girl that will do everything that she can to make things right, even if it means jumping to her death.

If you are a fan like I am of Seanan McGuire and the October Daye series, then I recommend you, Once Broken Faith. Here, Toby will do everything in her power to keep those she loves safe and awake because not everybody likes change.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Change in Fairy is a good thing, right?

Opening Sentence: Quentin and Raj were in the living room arguing about who got to pick the first movie of the night.

The Review:

Toby is back in book 10, this one picks up not too long after the end of A Red-Rose Chain. Arden wants Toby to come with her and wake up Madden and Nolan, before the High King and High Queen arrive using a loophole in the wording of his edict to wait until the conclave before any more sleepers are woken up. However, they only get Madden awake before being surprised by the early arrival of the High King. As punishment, Toby has to attend the conclave with Quentin.

Before the first day is over, a King is murdered and The Duchess of Undersea is elf shot. Toby must figure out if they are related or two separate incidents. Toby can’t figure out why some of the Kingdoms aren’t ready for a cure to elf shot, and why or who would work to suppress the cure. Why is someone murdering royalty? Will Toby be able to survive this murder investigation, or will she and everyone she loves fall?

What can I say about this book? Too much, not enough? I will say tears were shed while reading this book, many tears. I really wondered where Seanan would go with this series after A Red-Rose Chain. At this point, Toby has been involved in two regime changes, maybe three if you count Dreamer’s Glass, and the death of a Firstborn. Clearly, Toby has a lot of untapped power and now that we are at the 10th book we are getting an idea of how powerful she really is, even for a changeling. It makes you wonder how powerful she would have been as pureblood.

In the beginning, this might have been my least favorite book, but by the time I hit halfway through, I really didn’t feel that way anymore. I couldn’t put it down, and then I cried and cried and I wanted to get mad and scream. Then I was shocked and laughing, I mean all the feels. I went through like five different emotions in the space of a half hour. Seanan packed a punch in the second half of the book. I really can’t say anything bad about this series. I love it, I love October Daye, Tybalt, Quentin and so many of the other characters. I can’t believe I have to wait a whole year for the next book. Thankfully, Seanan has no plans to end this series anytime soon. I for one, am glad for that!

Notable Scene:

There was a sound behind me, like metal being torn, and a scent so faint that it was on the edge of existence, too thin and attenuated to identify.

Tybalt blinked, giving me an inexplicably instinct, shifting my bad a few inches to the side, as if I could shield him from the source of that sound.

The pain followed immediately on the motion, sharp and piercing and somehow new, a pain I had never felt before. It seemed like every time I reached the limits of my body’s experience, someone went out of their way to hurt me in a whole new way.

FTC Advisory: DAW/Penguin provided me with a copy of Once Broken Faith. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

And THIS is why Seanan McGuire's October Daye series is one of my favorites... Here we are, at book ten (plus numerous shorts and novellas), and the newer books are just as enjoyable and well-written as the early ones. As with Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books, this series never disappoints. Somehow, these two authors have managed to build worlds that seem to be almost self-propagating - the stories never recycle, the characters never stagnate, the worlds continue to develop and expand.

It cannot be easy to keep coming up with original plot lines, character development, and adventures year after year - many series start out brilliantly, but fade into stereotype or trope as the years and books go on. This doesn't always mean those series lose me (or other readers); sometimes it's okay to revisit comfortable spaces with characters you love. But when an author manages to keep you comfortably off-balance by continuing to advance his/her story lines and world, as in the Toby Daye books, well, it's something special...

If you don't know the series yet DEFINITELY give it a look (and ditto the Dresden Files) - there are dozens of stories in each by now, so you'll have a pile of fantastic new tales to delve into!

The High King and Queen come to SF and Toby has to attend their conclave so that the kings and queens of the various realms can vote on whether or not the elf-shot cure should be available to use. As usual, someone gets murdered and it's up to Toby to solve everyone's problems, often in the face of their open hatred and disdain.

To be honest, I didn't expect to enjoy this book much considering that even the-die hard fans are finally noticing out how repetitive it's getting but I thought this was actually more entertaining than the last installment (not that the last installment was terrible or anything but I remember it being entertaining while leaving me really irritated).

This time around it's not nearly as frustrating because the story takes place in the Kingdom of the Mists, which means that the majority of the people that Toby deals with over the course of this story aren't treating her like crap! Finally!!! It's nice to see some people treating her with respect and sticking up for her for once! She even sticks up for herself at one point, which (sadly) is rare for her. The plot was entertaining enough too.

The only thing that I can't stand about this series the way the author is always trying to make a big deal out of Toby's "humanity." What is humanity anyways? It's become beyond redundant for Toby to continue having this obnoxious internal struggle with her so-called "mortality" seeing as she can't seem to die no matter what the balance of her blood is (I mean come on, what difference does it make whether she's fully fae or not if she's already essentially immortal?).

The only difference it will make is that Toby will eventually need to turn herself fae at some point unless she wants to grow old while Tybalt stays young (and i don't see why she'd want to do that to him). Toby has never been human anyways, so i can't stand it when the author even brings this issue up (it does seem like Toby might finally be accepting that it's inevitable but she also seemed to change her mind at the end so who knows)..

This author writes such a crazy world that sometimes I just need to stop and remember that none of it is real. I confess I've not read all the books and the ones that I have read were out of order but I'm a firm believer in the simple fact that a good author can make any of their stories interesting.
The central character here Toby has had a checkered life to say the least. Part human, part fae and all hero of the realm she serves. As this series has progressed so too has Toby but the price she has paid of pain , blood and almost crippling loss leaves a bad taste in this readers mouth. Yes the author breathes vision and harsh reality into these books but sometimes I really want Toby to come out smiling!
Ok this is the fae as I've always imagined them. Not cute, pretty and happy to grant wishes but cruel, ambitious, self serving and politically manipulative. Hey they might eschew outright bloodshed and instead prefer to use the loss of a hundred years immortality as punishment but this book puts the use of the elf shot firmly in the firing line. It starts with such a human touch as Toby hosts a teenage sleepover but quickly turns into the crazy , politically correct world of court as nobility meets to decide the future of so many. Yet as usual when Toby is around bad things do happen and soon there's actual death in the hallowed halls. So can Toby protect secrets and yet at the same time discover who the murderer is? She isn't a political genius but Toby does understand court etiquette and right now with so much in play the last thing anyone needs is the chaos and disorder that seems to follow Toby around!
If you are a long time fan you will love this book but I feel for new readers the beginning might be a tad too slow. It is very much about the politics of the fae and took a while to really get going but when the action took over I was routing very much for Toby. I did like seeing characters from previous books show up and there's certainly growth as there's a feeling of change in the air . Yet there's still more to come for readers of that I'm sure and the short addition at the end about Queen Arden just points the way.
I was gifted a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This was an amazing addition to the October Daye series. I feel like this series just keeps getting better and better. These are hard books for me to review because I just love them so much and the storyline has gotten so involved.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was well done. Kowal does a great job with October’s voice, but some of the male voices sound unnatural and over characterized . She does do a great job conveying emotion and having different voices of all the characters.

All the story takes place in Queen Windermere’s castle and it is basically about the conclave convening to discuss the legalization of the cure for Elfshot. Of course nothing is simple...so when a King is killed and a Queen is Elfshot the High Queen and King ask October to figure out who is behind the hostilities.

Toby’s involvement in the investigation and her dubious status as a changeling means that both her and everyone around her becomes a target for the hostile forces lurking in the knowe.

All of our favorite characters are in this story. We spend a lot of time with Toby, Tibalt, and Quentin. I loved that the Luidaeg was in the story so much, she plays a major role throughout. I also loved that Megan, the oneiromancer, also played a large role in the story.

Things are changing drastically for Toby and the Luidaeg makes some rather large hints that Toby was “created” for a larger reason. This makes me curious to see what that reason is but also makes me nervous for Toby and her plans to marry and be happy.

Overall this was an amazing addition to the October Daye series. These books are absolutely spectacular and do a great job of blending faerie mythology with an urban fantasy paced story. I would highly recommend to urban fantasy fans or fans of mythology and faerie.

I will note I've only read about 30% of this book so far and will PROBABLY finish it (or maybe not). I just find it boring - I read for about 10 minutes (or less) then find myself just staring into space or wondering what else I could read. There are lots of new characters introduced, but it just seems like the main characters are standing in place at this time - no real emotional growth or change or move into major developments in their lives. As the series goes along, I'm less and less interested in it. My sense is more of "been there, done that" with the teenagers eating lots of food and Toby now tasked with finding another murderer. Even with relationship between Toby's squire and Dianda's son has no emotional impact -- I don't even get a sense they have a relationship. Hopefully it will pick up!

Do you know how hard it is to READ when you are crying like you're actually watching someone you love face mortal danger - the Tybalt storyline nearly destroyed me!!! October's adventures, as well as her general life, continues to amaze me - the tension of the situations she finds herself in and recovers from, all while trying to keep those around her safe and follow political Fae rules she doesn't actually support never grows old. As usual, this story is over-filled with riveting twists-and-turns. If I had to spend the day in bed, trying to recover from a serious cold, I'm glad for the company of this amazing story! Seanan McGuire will always have a fan in me! (I can't wait to check out her CRYPTID TALES series that I just got for Christmas!)

I’ve been waiting for the next “Toby” Daye book what feels like forever but really has only been a year. Luckily, I wasn’t disappointed though it was an emotional roller-coaster but that’s nothing new. I found myself right back right back where I was before, just a little ahead. Toby was finally returning from the Kingdom of the Mists where she had been elf-struck. Now everyone was trying to decide if they were going to use the cure for elf-struck on everyone else that had been and any future people. Oh and of course, someone ended up murdered. And let’s not forget the usual, which is that there’s someone who wants Toby dead. But that’s all in a day’s work for Toby. Par for the course, if you will. I’m not sure any book in the series has left Toby without having to fend off would-be assassins. Luckily, she’s the hero of the realm so she’s up to the task. Especially since she has her fiance, Tybalt, by her side.

So, all in all, the book was the same in many ways. Intrigue, murder, assassination attempts. But it was also so much more. There was a much more emotional side to it than before. I can’t really go into it without spoiling a huge plot line but I will say that the plot twist felt like my guts were being ripped out. I was gasping for breath. I wanted to kill the author! Yes, it was that bad and yet that good. ONCE BROKEN FAITH was like an old hat; something you’re used to, a lot of the same, comfortable, and yet there was still a something appealing about it.

I agree with the other reviewers that Toby is SPOILER [constantly healing from a death (hide spoiler)]. It's getting a little ridiculous. That's why the rating is down to 3-1/2 stars.

I wish Tybalt and Toby would just get married already. I like them together. Just as an aside, I have no idea how she makes a living enough to feed everybody when she's so busy with just fae stuff.

With Once Broken Faith, I've now finished reading the entirety of the Toby Daye series (at least the novels). I can't say enough about how great these books are. McGuire's writing is clever and hilarious. The plots are intricate and fast-paced. And you'll fall in love with the characters. This series is now one of those I want to recommend to everyone I know. It seems like each book gets better. I found myself wanting to highlight particularly fun/clever/poignant lines on nearly every page. Read this series!

The tenth October Daye is a routine murder mystery set at a conclave run by the King and Queen of the North American Fae to determine whether the cure for elf-shot (that kills half-fae and leaves the full Fae in a coma for a century) should be used. Once Broken Faith (paper from DAW) has Toby trying to solve the murder of a minor Fae king. Of course Seanan McGuire has the murder involving magic, and of course all of Toby’s friends get elf shot during the investigation. Fun.Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press

Following on soon after the final events of A Red Rose Chain, Toby is dragged into yet more politics and diplomacy as The Mists are required to host a conclave - headed up by the High King himself.

Everyone seems to be coming, and everyone seems to have a differing opinion on the matter at hand. But when one of the visiting Kings is found dead, Toby's growing reputation as a King breaker is only going to make the ensuing murder mystery tougher to solve!

Oh, and the Firstborn are taking a close interest in the Conclave... what else could go wrong?

Once Broken Faith is the 10th novel in the Toby Daye series. It is quite simply brilliant. The adherence to continuity throughout the preceding series installments is top notch - the writing is fantastic. Fans of the Toby-verse will not be disappointed! (I found myself awake until 5am finishing this book!)

I think this book is best read soon after reading A Red Rose Chain for best enjoyment (But then I always re-read the preceding books before a new release!), there is also a great bonus novella in this edition that follows Arden, Queen in The Mists and a couple of familiar faces.

Extra Bonus: This edition also features (for the first time) a map of the kingdoms we see so far in the series (Western coast of North America) which has some stunning details.

I have been afraid as the series continues that October will fall into a pattern, but McGuire swiftly sidesteps this problem in this book. October is evolving and not always running headlong into trouble with no sleep and preparation, without having any less trouble in her life. I couldn't put this book down and read it every chance I got.

The tenth October Daye is a routine murder mystery set at a conclave run by the King and Queen of the North American Fae to determine whether the cure for elf-shot (that kills half-fae and leaves the full Fae in a coma for a century) should be used. Once Broken Faith (paper from DAW) has Toby trying to solve the murder of a minor Fae king. Of course Seanan McGuire has the murder involving magic, and of course all of Toby’s friends get elf shot during the investigation. Fun.Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press

Following on soon after the final events of A Red Rose Chain, Toby is dragged into yet more politics and diplomacy as The Mists are required to host a conclave - headed up by the High King himself.

Everyone seems to be coming, and everyone seems to have a differing opinion on the matter at hand. But when one of the visiting Kings is found dead, Toby's growing reputation as a King breaker is only going to make the ensuing murder mystery tougher to solve!

Oh, and the Firstborn are taking a close interest in the Conclave... what else could go wrong?

Once Broken Faith is the 10th novel in the Toby Daye series. It is quite simply brilliant. The adherence to continuity throughout the preceding series installments is top notch - the writing is fantastic. Fans of the Toby-verse will not be disappointed! (I found myself awake until 5am finishing this book!)

I think this book is best read soon after reading A Red Rose Chain for best enjoyment (But then I always re-read the preceding books before a new release!), there is also a great bonus novella in this edition that follows Arden, Queen in The Mists and a couple of familiar faces.

Extra Bonus: This edition also features (for the first time) a map of the kingdoms we see so far in the series (Western coast of North America) which has some stunning details.

I like the October series but this book is an indication that the author is trying to stretch it out. A lot of internal dialogue, I skipped several pages at a time because a lot of it is the same thing said in different ways or too similar to scenes in previous books, no surprises what-so-ever. I really wanted some character growth, make some hard decisions instead of internally waffling and justifying not doing them until later. I love the October series and will read the next in the series, but I'm hoping this series will end just to bring some resolutions and then we can go on to other characters' stories.

I have been afraid as the series continues that October will fall into a pattern, but McGuire swiftly sidesteps this problem in this book. October is evolving and not always running headlong into trouble with no sleep and preparation, without having any less trouble in her life. I couldn't put this book down and read it every chance I got.

This latest bombshell from the gifted fantasy author makes use of her excellent ability to craft loveable characters and put them in mortal peril for a sincerely wonderful story, suspenseful, thought-provoking, hilarious, and tear jerking; Once Broken Faith is yet another testament to McGuire's unerring skill with story,