Chimes at Midnight

How amazing is this series?!?! I love it. It is one of my very favorites for sure. Plus, it keeps getting better when series usually go down hill. 3 more books and it is over, :( which is pretty sad to me. I can't believe I have to wait a year to see what happens next. I love seanan mcguire! Can't praise her enough. I am glad that she doesn't leave books on a cliff hanger. What else? I love October,I love tybolt, and I love the Leueig!!

I'm rounding this score up from a 4.5. There were some things about this book that annoyed me, but I felt that it was overall the best book in this series so far.

Spoiler-free summary: Toby has been clashing with the local Queen more as the books have progressed. In this installment, we reach a new level as the Queen maneuvers Toby into taking an action for which she can be banished from the land. Toby is running against the clock to find a way out of this decree and then things, as they do, only get worse. Toby digs into the history of the realm and of her (extended) family on the way to defeat the evil Queen.

What I liked:

1) Toby's making progress. The previous books had her running and trying to catch up to the villains. In this book, she's still running, but she's also trying to get ahead of the villains. Even though she's known for a few books that there are clues about her family and what's been going on, in this book she starts to act upon that knowledge.

2) Toby's learning her power in the world. Toby's an underdog and she thrives on that. In this book, however, she realized how many allies that she truly has and how quickly she can bring them to bear. In addition, she's learning about consequences that her actions have. It's not just scramble so bad things are compensated for, it's going out when you screw up and trying to make things right.

3) The worldbuilding is more coherent and interwoven. Previous novels each focused on one part of the kingdom or discussed one group of people. In this novel, things are starting to come together. The different duchies are pulled in, the Firstborn are related to what's going on today, and people that we don't see anymore have their roles in history revealed. The story is transitioning from a monster-of-the-week with overarching metaplot to stepping back and seeing how threads are woven together.

4) The storyline was both more epic (changing the course of a kingdom) and more personal (because a royal decree will ruin Toby's life) than previous books. The Queen's deadline in the novel adds to the personal weight of this novel's story: in previous books, someone else was in danger and Toby put herself under the clock, but in this book, Toby was in danger from the get-go. This was a good plot to match with the previous two points.

5) Danny got more screen time. As a near-invincible taxi driver that can get Toby anywhere, I like that he got bumped up in the ranking of supporting roles and this time wasn't just a deus ex taxi for when Toby needed to get around fast.

What I disliked:

1) Toby still isn't pushing. She learns that there's stuff that she needs to know, but she only takes what she's given. She doesn't ask more questions and push for more knowledge. As a reader, this gets frustrating.

2) The main and supporting cast has gotten quite large and books now reference events that have, for me, occupied the better part of a decade ago. I don't need a remind that Toby started the series by being turned into a fish, but it would be nice to get a reminder how someone lost their magic or where another person was during some major event. An oblique reference without refresh-explanation just leaves me wondering what else I've forgotten.

3) The ending. It stopped a chapter too soon, at least. The final page held the resolution of the major plot line and then, literally, a list of all of the minor plot threads that had to be tied up with a throw away `I'll have to take care of those` comment. I felt a bit cheated.

4) Some threads and minor characters felt dropped. This ties in a bit with the last point, they may have just been swept under the rug to let the book finish. Was Karen real; if so, she doesn't even get a phone call or even a mention to the character that may have called her in? Is Walther still waiting in his lab to hear what happened to Toby; did Toby ever tell him the fantastic compliment that he got? What happened to the goblin fruit in her system and ice cubes; she worried about them...but I guess no biggie?

I stayed up until midnight, hoping that the store would be uploading to my Kindle at 12:01. No such luck. But, it was waiting for me when I woke in the morning. I always take the day off for Seanan's latest. As usual, I devoured Seanan's work whole. She just doesn't give the reader any stopping places. From one moment to the next I had to see what would happen. I love how Toby gets away with telling royalty what to do because she's "the hero." I never seem to get enough. I can't wait for the next release!

I love this series. By far my in my top 3, and I have read a lot of fantasy series. McGuire has a great character and always the intrigue to keep you going. I have not tired of this series and McGuire does not appear to be losing anything, it just keeps getting bettor and bettor.

I love Seanan McGuire. She weaves an eloquent story with flawless precision filled with intrigue and characters to die for. One of the few authors that I want to support. Also, this book is sheer magic!

"Chimes at Midnight" is a bridge towards really good things to come for this series. Very much an insider's book and not recommended to anyone who has not been a devotee of October Daye's engaging tale (and if you aren't a devotee, you need to start reading now), the author treats the reader intelligently with many shimmying twists and insane Fae politics and very little repetition. This book has less action and intrigue than previous books because it is transitional for the series as a whole, yet is still a fun and necessary read. Seriously, it's Sir October Daye: the bad guys always get their just desserts when she's around. Love her and love the series. Also, a special shout out to Tybalt, King of Cats. He is such a scene-stealer.

I love these books. They are hearty, full of good plot and character substance and depth. So many authors now think that the book must have as much sex, sexual inuendo, and extreme sex to make their book sell. I have stopped buying several authors because their books evolved to the point that they were only selling "sex" and not a story.....

This book was great and I love this series. The blend of the modern day world and faerie is seamless and believable. You can loose yourself and that's my favorite kind of book. Danger, terror, sadness, sorrow, love, joy, and a kick a** sense of everything ending up right in the world, what more can I say?? You have to read this...

I really loved this series, so I'm sad to say that the latest installment might be the last one I read. It has gotten so repetitive and boring, and the characters have lost their personalities. In Chimes at Midnight, Toby has to figure out a way to overthrow the queen. That HAS to be exciting, right? Nope. Overthrowing the queen consists of lots of dull conversations and unfunny quips, a trip to the library, and then of course, Toby runs to the Luidaeg for help who has the (insert magical object) to save the day. The tone should have been more serious, and there should have been a sense of urgency and drama. Changelings were dying, and they were trying to depose a monarch, but instead, Toby and her posse made light of everything and joked around constantly.

That brings me to another aspect of the book that bothered me: Toby's entourage. All of her friends (and even mere acquaintances) fawn over Toby constantly. She is the center of their lives. Even Tybalt seems to have abandoned his kingdom to trail after her and tell her how great she is. He became so boring. Their romance was also definitely anticlimactic. There was a lot of build-up, then something along the lines of "I like you." "Cool, I like you, too. Let's make out sometimes." YAWN.

Toby also had to go and get herself badly hurt once again, which gave everybody more of an excuse to fawn over her and coddle her. I'm starting to think that McGuire is the type of person who sits around thinking about how many people would come to her funeral. I just got so tired of the repetition, flat characters, and the story not living up to its potential. The book was a chore to read. I won't give it one star since the world building was still written well, and the "otherness" of faerie was handled well, too. I think I'm going to quit reading this series, though. I don't see it getting any better.

I've been a fan since the first book but this newest adventure of October's leaves me stunned. With this addition, McGuire takes the series to the next level. There was an amazing amount of character development for every character and we learn a few things that have been hinted at for awhile.

Tybalt and October's relationship deepened and was very sweet. I loved how he had to struggle against his instincts to be over protective of the disaster prone Toby, especially when she gets a face full of goblin fruit pie. As someone who has been waiting for this progression in their relationship since book one, I was extremely gratified to find out my waiting has not been in vain and that the reality of them together lives up to their promise.

As usual it is nonstop action in Toby's world as she gets herself out of one situation after another. McGuire does a good job of balancing the action with emotion and never let's the story drag.

A year is a long time to wait for the next installment and I have a feeling I'm going to have to retread this a few times before I can get my next fix!

I was pretty excited about this book; after the way Ashes of Honor ended I was finally looking for an upswing in McGuires sometimes awkward writing style. She's an excellent story teller and knows how to weave a plot and create action sequences that keep you gripped instead of skimming, but to my taste, I'm finding it harder and harder to actually like the main character. In the beginning of the series, Rosemary and Rue totally gripped me because of the unique mix of human frailty and Toby's place in Faerie; you're given the impression that she's a competent PI who gets a horrible turn, endures trauma, and eventually rises above having been turned into a fish and losing her entire life. To that point, Toby's not actually a really good detective at all, or perhaps suspense, mystery, and intrigue are not the writers forte. Every "mystery" in the books so far has been so blatantly obvious that I find myself banging my head against the wall at Toby's incompetence for not seeing what's plain as day to us more often than not. Of course the big reveal at the end about one of the characters was one of these; I think most of us knew since book 2 who and what he was and why he was a blind fosterage.

The romance between Tybalt and Toby was sweet, but sometimes tepid. There isn't a lot of tension between them, sexual or otherwise; the flirting is cute, but after the last book I was expecting some fireworks. The whole thing lacks the intensity that most romances would reflect when put under the pressure that Toby's and Tybalts would be under all the time. I'm also still having a hard time wondering why a gorgeous King of Cats in leather pants would drop his whole life (and his kingdom and responsibilities that are involved with it) to always be available to his lukewarm girlfriend all the time whenever she wants. I kind of thought that Tybalt being a king of something would create an interesting development between them; he has responsibilities and doesn't really belong to himself, and the person he's chosen isn't even in his court, yet we don't even see or hear from the court of cats in this novel, or are even led to believe that this is remotely a problem between them. everything is fine, and all the cats are okay with their King being gone all the time and being with someone who's not a cat.

I wish that, for once, a problem isn't solved by going to The Luideag.

And finally, I docked a whole star because the writer keeps on and on about her character being a Hero. We get it. We don't need Toby to constantly identify her character trope, as if we've somehow forgotten who she is and why we're reading the book.

All in all, a pleasant read, but a little dissapointing if you were excited by the last book.

I have not read any other books in this series- not certain if I will, either. I would place alongside Louis L'Amour: you only need to read one to get the idea. If you like fantasy and need a good relaxing read that will take you away from this world, this works.

If you haven't read any of the October Daye series, stop reading here now. Just go directly to Rosemary and Rue and click on through to "complete purchase." Oh, go ahead and splurge a little. Buy the whole damn lot. The series is just that good. Don't waste another minute reading here when you could be reading there. Seriously. Go. Shoo.

I found this series by mistake one night, bought Rosemary and Rue on a whim, and have never looked back. McGuire's worldbuilding is flawless, her characters have depth and life and grit, and her writing just makes me damn happy. She's smart, she's clever - there's a plot with enough twists and turns to just flat out entertain me - but there's also the artistry of a masterful storyteller woven throughout - such that by the end, I'm left both standing somewhere I never expected to be, and thrilled by the ride it took to get there.

Chimes at Midnight is the 7th installment in this series. I suppose you could read it as a stand alone, as the actual story would make sense from beginning to resolution without having read the prior novels - but I'd never recommend it. You'd miss so much of what's being carefully revealed and developed as these characters and their stories unfold and intertwine - as well as the delight at how McGuire forwards all of it through a storyline that is both neatly resolved and expertly unfinished. Not having the whole of the series as a backdrop for Chimes - well, you'd still hear a lovely chime, but more like one fabulous bell rather than the whole carillon that's there to be heard.

Chimes takes the reader on the next leg of whateverthehell quest we're on with Toby - the one we love and fear and question and dive into and basically just pray it won't end any time soon. Secrets previously hinted at are revealed, others move from hint to whisper, still others are voiced just enough that I think I might have a bead on where we could be going. Maybe. I'm left guessing, thinking, wondering - and that just may be my favorite part.

There are many, many authors I'll read once, several I'll read often, and a rare few I'll actually re-read because the second time is actually better. Seanan McGuire made that list early on with this series, and quite honestly - I'm thankful. Because at the end of Chimes at Midnight, as much as I want more, want what comes next - I'm also left wanting to go back to re-read the series. Again. I'm now sure there's more I missed. More to be discovered.

And that, for my 2 cents and all it's worth, is some darn good writing.

I'm not an impartial judge on this book, since I can't remember something that Seanan McGuire has written that I didn't enjoy.

With that in mind, I have to say that she's surpassed herself in this book. So many tangled threads, so many clues from earlier in the series are beginning to pay off, and it is glorious to behold. My only minus is that now I have to wait for Toby's next adventure.

The basic story of the showdown between Daye and the Queen of the Mists was pretty good. If that had been the entirety of it, I would have gone 4 stars for this addition to the saga that I have been folowing since I first saw Rosemary and Rue on the shelf at the local book store.
However, the 1/2 page break every other chapter for a kissing session between Tybalt and October kept dragging me out of the flow of the story - to the point at I was almost indifferent as to whether Tybalt survived a particularly dangerous situation that arose toward the end.

Note: Since my name is somewhat ambiguous on the mater - I will state for the record that I am a guy who absolutely hates "Chick Flicks" and, so far as I can tell, the majority of the reviews on this book are from women.
I will also note that this is the first book in the series in which the level of romance has risen to the point that it has had a negative impact on my opinion of the book.

I still think the author is tired from her main hero. If the serie goes to the length of 10 books then McGuire should take a Holliday from Toby for awhile. The story in itself is entertaining enough for a lazy afternoon. It's well written, a good plot new characters, some questions were answered,(but no surprise there, most were predictable), new were raised and it has a nice ending. The book served the purpose to entertain.

Toby's predictable story is getting old. Boss everyone around and treat them like brainless fools, almost die multiple times, then save the day by some miraculous feat. Of course everyone just LOVES her even though she's intractable, predictably flawed, and difficult to deal with even at her best. Now her sad sop story is punctuated by lusty kisses from a kitty who used to have claws before he was pussy whipped. Come on, really?!?

This turned out to be a different book for me. I was waiting for so long I tried not to over anticipate.

It took such an unexpected turn in the direction that I couldn't accept it. The first half was just great. A 5 star rating. The story was good and moved nicely. It dealt with the effects of the previous books and I loved that.

Around the 45% mark the book really goes in another direction. It's so unexpected that any build up of interest in the story was gone. I found the story incredibly boring. I could not read it word for word. The problem for me was that at that point October isn't October anymore. Except you know it won't last. So what was the point? There was no revelation or life lesson for October. There was no character growth. It held no interest for me whatsoever.

At 75% or so the build up for the end starts. Which saves this book from being bad. There is one moment where the author could really save the story. It has build up and its what you will be hoping will happen. Then the story face plants and doesn't do what it should. The ending also lacks closure. The author teases you with a couple things but all it did was aggravate me. It felt like a lazy attempt. Even when it was over the epilogue was short and felt thrown together. An important event was glossed over and conversations you want don't happen.

The second half I rate a 2.5. The author sets up things for future books but some stories are getting old and tired. October's crazy absent mother or the Ludage bound. Either address these issues or let them go away. It feels like the author is dangling those threads out there and not addressing them. There is so much more that I want to read about but with how long these books take to come out I doubt I will ever get those answers.

Still I'm glad I read this book. Just jump from 50 to 75% and save yourself some aggravation.

Toby's life has been pretty settled lately which is always a sign that things are about to go to hell in a hand basket! Her relationship with Tybalt is great, Quentin's training is coming along nicely and all her friends and allies are safe and happy so what could possibly rock the boat this time? Well, the increasing amount of Goblin Fruit in San Fransisco is what starts it all, Toby has been investigating and trying to shut down the supplier but when she gathers evidence that multiple changelings have been killed by their addiction she decides she has no option but to take it to the Queen of the Mists. Unfortunately the queen is holding a huge grudge against Toby and she's been waiting for something like this to happen so she jumps on the excuse to send her into exile. If Toby doesn't come up with a way to change her mind she has 3 days to pack up her stuff and leave the Mists for good.

There was just so much to love about this book! I have been shipping Toby and Tybalt for such a long time now that any scene with them together just gives me the all the warm and fuzzy feelings. The banter between them is great and there are more than a few heartfelt moments that just made me swoon. They really are the cutest couple! Add in fantastic characters like Quentin, May, Sylvester and so many others and this series has definitely become a favourite of mine.

There are lots of new things to love in this book too starting with a magical fae library that moves location on a whim - I want to see more of this in the future please! We've already met the Cait Sidhe and now we're introduced to a Cu Sidhe, yes, you guessed it dog fae! Madden was like an adorable walking, talking, human shaped puppy and I kind of want to adopt him. Expect, among other things, an evil pie, Luidaeg getting her scare on, rebellion, mayhem and a vulnerable side to Toby that we've not seen in a while. It's lucky she has a lot of great allies on her side because our girl is in for a bumpy ride in this book! Oh and we also finally find out who Quentin's parents are and let me just tell you now it's a doozy of a revelation (I had kind of guessed who they might be but it was great to get confirmation!).

The October Day series is going from strength to strength and I can't wait to continue my binge read!

My copy of Chimes at Midnight also included an additional short story called Never Shines the Sun, I'm not sure if all copies of the book include that or just the DAW Books mass market paperback so it's worth checking before you purchase.

Never Shines the Sun is a short story told from the Luidaeg's point of view and as I'm a huge fan of her character this was a really exciting one for me. It gives us a lot more insight into the Luidaeg's relationship with Toby's mother Amandine and raises a whole heap of questions about what Amandine was hoping to achieve by changing Toby's blood when she was a child. It also drops hints about how important Toby is in the grand scheme of things and just why the Luidaeg has been so interested in her since they met.

I have so many questions now about where Toby's journey is heading and I can't wait to see what Senaan McGuire has in store for her and her friends!

I'm a big fan of the October Daye series and have read each of the books quickly and with barely a pause to go to work or pay a bill (you know, those life things that get in the way of a good long read). This book was another winner and I really did love it, walked away eager to pick up the next book. The story was described well in both the summary and other reviews so I wont repeat the gist of the story.

With everything I said above you are probably asking yourself "why only four stars", well that's because I had a couple times in this story that either the rules that were previously set no longer applied or what happened just didn't make sense. I explain fully below under the Spoilers warning.

Rating: Four
Recommendation? Definitely read this if you are a fan of the October Daye series, however this is not a stand alone. You will be confused if you try to read this without the other books for reference.
Audio Book Performance: Excellent!

~~SPOILERS~~
1) During the story Toby is hit with a 'Goblin fruit/evil' pie. It thought this was a great arch, enjoyed the way the story continued. However, at the end of the story Toby saves herself from the goblin fruit addiction by using the hope chest to turn herself back to mostly fae but still part human. This is the issue for me. Toby clearly explained earlier that Humans and Changelings die from Goblin fruit, they are addicted forever and will die from starvation or overdose. No exceptions, not one. But when she turns to mostly fae (but still a changeling) she's good to go? She can now eat normally again and has no other mention of still being a addict. I'm annoyed when authors set very specific rules within their world and then break them when they feel like it or they think it helps the main characters. So for me this a gap and a bit of a deus ex machina. Hopefully in the next book she'll clarify that she is still an addict but maybe its not as strong....

2) Speaking of deus ex machina.. Late in the book Toby and Tybalt are locked into a iron filled prison cell/ evil dungeon and it looks like we might lose them. BUT! Then Toby gets an idea and uses the blood of the prince to help them teleport out and into another room. Wait.. What? They are in a prison, wouldn't a prison have wards against people teleporting out of rooms (since a good number of Fae can do that)? Coming in through the shadow roads almost killed Tybalt because the fake Queen had put in stronger wards, so shouldn't it have been impossible to just teleport out of the prison cell, not to mention prison all together? I love the realization of the new power, don't get me wrong that is awesome.. but how it was used here was a bit of a miss. Maybe they will explain later that the wards were all removed when.. um.. they broke in?

3) So the fake-queen walks into Goldengreen and uses her awesome siren abilities to stop everyone in their tracks and arrest one person. Makes sense to me, hell she uses those abilities to threaten people so why not in a time of war! So, why did no one remember she had this ability when they were setting up the new Queen and inviting the fake-queen to come along now and give up your crown. Really? No, one thought of this? Oh it happened of course and Toby got to save the day because of it, but I have a really hard time thinking that all these people who have been in plenty of battles and other wars would forget this. If it had been me I'd have half the army with wax or something in their ears so we'd have coverage no matter the issue... but no. This was a very small issue and I completely see how it helped the story but it was still something that caught me as a misstep. Maybe in the next book Sylvester will comment that since they were all fae they didn't know how to strategize not even Toby? OK, i cant think of a work around for this one.

OK those are my three issues with this book but please don't let them stop you. If you are already a fan of October Daye then read on! This was a fun ride, even if there were a few bumps along the way.

If you are looking for a urban fantasy series about Fae, this is the one i would recommend without a doubt. Chimes at Midnight is book 7 and Seanan Mcguire still captes my attention from the first page to the last one it’s full of action with a big dosis of humour and so, so many fae species.
I love to learn about new ones in each book - i’m fond of Cu sidhe now ; ) - and how they interact with each others even if i hate most of the nobles politics at the same time...fae can be so cruel

I’m really fond of Toby as she did mature a lot from book 1 ( getting trickier at the same time but with a Cait sidhe at her side that’s quite normal i guess^^). She is so fiercely loyal and wanting things to be fair.....but also getting in the worse situations possible...
Tybalt is here and so protective as well as Danny ( he alone would make you change your mind on trolls forever), we do get to see a lot of the Luiadeg as well which is always a moment a savor.

This time, wanting to protect Changeling, and Faerie in general, from a deadly drug, Toby manages to get exiled by the Queen (such a b*****)....since it would mean also big consequences for her friends she is determined to change the situation even if it means going against the monarch... and at the same time she is discovering how numerous her allies are and how glad she is for them.

I don’t want to reveal too much as the mysteries slowly revealed are part of what makes these books so captivating but i can tell you that once again i’m anxious for the next book as well as fearing it . You see Toby tend to do a lot of things that can have consequences in the long run and once again she jumped head first in a binding that could be so, so disastrous that i really want to discover what will be asked while a little afraid of what will happen... that’s the magic of this author... in each book you get answers ( big one this time^^) and at teh same time more questions nearly driving you insane ^^

5 Stars... An action packed, fast paced adventure from start to finish... October is in a race against time to overthrow the Queen in the Mists and place the rightful heir on the throne all while she avoids banishment and battles her own humanity... With the help of her allies, especially the King of Cats, Tybalt himself, Toby learns the value of her heritage, friendship, and the power of love... I was completely invested in this read from start to finish and found myself reluctant to put it down; every page was a new twist and peril that these characters faced... In addition, the author provides moments where secrets are revealed and Toby's potential role in Fairie's future is alluded to... This series continues to get more and more intriguing making me want to devour the next book immediately:)

Four and a half stars.

Wow, things in faerie...they are a changing. The latest book in the October Daye series, which kicks off roughly 2-3 months after Ashes of Honor, brought together many of the plot clues that have been sprinkled throughout the series since book one and diligent readers will be rewarded for their careful attention to detail. The you-know-what hit the fan pretty early on in this book and things never really let up from there. Toby and company are on the move throughout the book. In fact, I don't think they ever spend more than two chapters in any one location. There is a definite sense of urgency in the story, as dictated by the circumstances, but even so I found myself wishing they could take a break here and there.

If you have a favorite character in this series, the chances are high that they make an appearance in this book. It seems that anyone who has ever been introduced in the books makes at least a cameo in this installment which, if I'm being honest, makes it seem a little crowded at times. On the other hand, it also serves to highlight just how far Toby has come since book one when she was living a solitary life. Toby has some definite choices to make regarding just how much of her life she wants to own moving forward and her decisions are so very...her. :)

And then there's Tybalt. I dare anyone to discuss this series without mentioning the King of Cats. Tybalt is all over this book and shows, without a doubt, that he just the Best. Boyfriend. Ever. If I have one quibble with this book it's that he and Toby are so very rarely alone - which relates back to so many characters making appearances - and the private moments they do get are too brief, at least for me. After the way that [book:Ashes of Honor|10184345] ended, I was expecting...a little more. Don't get me wrong, the moments they have are lovely and sweet but they always felt prematurely ended to me. If they had lasted one or two beats more it would have been perfect and would have made this a five star book for me.

As for the future, there was one character reveal that confirmed my long held suspicions and I am very curious to see how that will affect things going forward. There are also some extremely intriguing clues about Toby herself that have my mind working overtime. Readers will be pleased to find a short chapter/short story at the end of the book, told from the Luidaeg's POV, that also reveals some clues about Toby and what be still to come. The author mentions in the introduction that this book represents a new phase in Toby's life and I can certainly see how that will be the case. This is a series that shows no signs of slowing down and you can bet that I'll be along for the ride.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie tales

Quick & Dirty: Another action-packed adventure as Toby tries to upset the balance of power for Queen.

Opening Sentence: Like many port towns, San Francisco is a city built on top of its own bones, one where broad modern streets can exist side by side with narrow alleys and abandoned thoroughfares.

The Review:

Chimes at Midnight is the seventh installment in the October “Toby” Daye urban fantasy series. This novel is non-stop from beginning to the end. It also has some comic relief so much so that I had a re-read a portion of the story just to make sure I correctly read what happened. Once again, I highly recommend that you read the rest of this series before reading this one in order to understand the politics and characters to know why the events of this story are occurring.

Toby is really trying to not be as suicidal as she normally is, now that she has someone to live for, so she starts to recruit her friends on her missions. When Toby discovers that goblin fruit is being sold to changelings and unsuspecting humans she is furious. She is even more pissed when she finds out how many people have died over this extremely addicting killer fruit. The only thing is that the goblin fruit is not addicting or killer for pureblooded fae and the Queen doesn’t see it the same way that Toby does. In fact, the Queen decides that she is finally tired of Toby and banishes her from the kingdom.

Toby has three days in order to get her affairs in order to leave the kingdom. Toby doesn’t want to leave so she begins to find a loophole or something that will help her get to stay with her friends and family. Thankfully for Toby, she doesn’t have to wait long to find out what that loophole is. If you’ve been reading the series from the beginning you should already have an idea of what is about to happen. Toby is going to overthrow the Queen and she’s got more than one deadline to contend with.

With the three day deadline looming over Toby, the story moves along at a pretty good speed. I thought it was almost too quick when she found the “loophole” but then other things happen that complicate Toby’s timeline. There is also quite a bit of humor to help with the dark side of this story. The cat and dog rivalry really steps up its game with the new character Madden.

Toby is a bit on the desperate side during this story. She doesn’t have a problem recruiting her friends like she has had in the past. She needs everyone willing to help her to stay in the kingdom. She doesn’t want to stay at Shadowed Hills for the rest of her life. Toby still has her strange sense of humor even when things don’t look so good for her anymore. I felt really bad for Toby during this story. The consequences for her and everyone involved could end in death if her plan doesn’t work.

Overall, I though Chimes at Midnight was another solid installment in the series. I haven’t been disappointed yet. I feel like there is still so much that Toby can do and hints at other parts of her story that haven’t been told. I can’t wait to find out what is still in store for her in future books.

Notable Scene:

“What happened?” she breathed, staring at me.

“I got hit in the face with a pie,” I said.

Mags stopped, blinking. “You got . . . hit in the face with a pie,” she repeated. “I . . . what? I’m sorry, but I’ve been in charge of this Library for a long time. I’ve seen a lot of really ridiculous things. I lived in Wales. And there is no way being hit with a pie should have turned you human.”

“It was a really evil pie,” I said.

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

According to the author Seanan McGuire, Chimes at Midnight (book #7) begins a new chapter in Toby’s life. This book starts off with Toby trying to find a way to vanquish the goblin fruit, a sort of fey drug that addicts mortals and changelings with just one taste, eventually killing them. Of course, for the pure bloods it’s all in good fun, so why would they care to take it off the streets? When Toby opposes the queen’s stance on the distribution of goblin fruit, she is exiled. Given three days to leave her kingdom…or else.

Toby’s answer to the problem of course comes through the Luidaeg. Toby needs to find a woman in hiding, as she could be the answer to all their problems. And…overthrow the queen. This is where the story fell apart for me. Completely. First, when attempting to overthrow your current queen, one would assume it would be smart to inquire about her potential replacement’s stance on issues you consider important. What if the new queen were to pick up where the previous queen left off? Second, Toby’s blood balance becomes the accompanying story line. Admittedly, it started off interesting, but after awhile it was just long and drawn out. I think if this novel was about half, maybe a quarter of the length it would have been great. A short story, maybe. But this novel really took me back to the beginning of the series, where events were repetitive and minute details were overly emphasized. If this is the dawning of a new era, I’m not sure I’m on board with it.

For more reviews visit Kickassurbanfantasy.ga

Title: Chimes At Midnight
Series: The October Daye Series
Author: Seanan McQuire
Rating: A
Review: I have to say that Seanan McQuire has done it again! Chimes is another wonderful addition to the series. I discovered the series about a year ago, and it didn't take long before I quickly read the whole series - I mean who can resist reading more about October after reading about how she got turned into a fish for 14 years! I was just simply hooked from that moment on, so I have been waiting anxiously for this book to come out.
But as with a series of books that I have enjoyed as much as this one, I always have that questioning in the back of my mind wondering if the next one can live up to the expectations that I have. I'm sure we have all had an author that you love and read book after book, only to stumble into one that just falls short. Sometimes more than one, and they can never seem to get that oomph back into the series. But I can honestly say that is not the case with this one...:)
If you've been a fan of the series, I have to say that this one is everything we have come to expect. It's another wild roller coaster ride of adventure with October and her band of misfits (including Tybalt of course!) And somehow McQuire still managed to have me gasping in surprise and crossing my fingers throughout the whole thing! This is definitely a book not to be missed!
If you're new to the series, I really recommend going back and starting from book one. You miss so much of this series and it's wonderful characters without it.
As usual, my only complaint is how long I have to wait to read the next one!

[...]

The October Daye series just keeps getting better and it shows no signs of winding down. This installment is fast paced and action packed. I didn't want to stop reading.

As the story begins, Toby and Tybalt are three months into their new relationship and they are every bit as good together as I knew they would be! They're working together to try to track the goblin-fruit drug that is permeating the streets. The drug is instantly addictive to changelings and deadly to humans, but the Fae don't really care. Unfortunately, the problem has grown too big for Toby's crew to handle on their own, so she brings the problem to the Queen for help.

Big mistake.

The Queen has had it out for Toby since day 1. This plea for help is the final straw. The Queen gives Toby just three days to get out of her kingdom. But leaving her home and her family is not an option. So Toby makes it her mission to get around the Queen's order, even if means unseating the horrible woman from her throne.

I don't want to give too much away, because the twists and turns of the plot are so great. I love how Seanan McGuire manages to take Toby to places I never expected. The pacing is spot on. The story just keeps gaining momentum until it hits a fantastic climax.

Meanwhile, our heroine continues to evolve. I love how much she has grown over the course of the series, while still maintaining a fragility and humanity that ups the stakes when she faces powerful enemies. I love how she thinks. I LOVE seeing her with Tybalt. Their relationship is every bit as satisfying as I had hoped. He is so devoted and courtly with her. It makes me swoon just thinking about it! But more than just Tybalt, we see how the many connections she has made end up serving her now... from the leaders of the Undersea, to Meg, to Sylvester, to the Night Haunts... the Luidaeg, and even Quentin. (Psst. We finally meet his parents!) It takes all of the relationships she has built and the experiences she has had, to not only find success in her mission, but to survive it.

The world-building keeps growing and impressing me with every book. So many things have changed since the start of this series, but with each book, I grow hungrier for more. This one isn't the same kind of emotional powerhouse that the last couple have been, but it's still extremely engaging and just plain good. Would definitely recommend.

Rating: B+

Chimes at Midnight appears at first to possibly be a throwback to the very first book, sending Toby back out on the mean streets of San Francisco to investigate an influx of addictive goblin fruit, deadly to changelings. But with six simple words, this book sets itself up to be the best one since Late Eclipses: "We're going to overthrow the Queen." As usual, Toby must rely on her many allies and make some new ones, but this book, like Late Eclipses, does put Toby's own life at stake, giving her a dual motivation to complete her epic quest. She must fight for herself as well as the kingdom, and it's going to force her to reevaluate her identity as a changeling, which has always been a good well to dip into for the character. Which world is she more a part of, human or fae? Regardless, it's the politics of Faerie that drive this story, which contains within it several startling revelations that are simultaneously incidental to the plot and completely essential. Once again, Seanan shows that she has the long game mapped out quite deftly, and every book, though it tells an individual tale, contains important pieces of that long game, even if they're not apparent until several books down the line. The strong focus on Toby Daye as a character really makes this book shine, and the ever-expanding supporting cast polish it to a sparkling gleam.

Yah know I’m starting to run out of ways to describe how awesome the October Daye series is. Like seriously, this series is beyond amazing and it truly gets better with each installment...which leaves me a bit lost for words. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, or that surely the last book is the BEST, McGuire surprises me yet again. Chimes at Midnight, the 7th in the October Daye series answered many of the questions readers had since book 2 but unsurprisingly it also gave us a whole lot of new ones. Chimes at Midnight takes place approximately 3 months after the events of Ashes of Honor. With life going seemingly well October and the gang do the occasional stake out on the streets of San Francisco to monitor the distribution/movement of the Goblin Fruit after hearing of changelings going missing. Goblin Fruit is an addictive berry with drug-like qualities that are deadly to changelings and humans alike. After finding a dead changeling in an alley, October learns the hard truth that Changelings aren’t missing but they’re dead/or dying due to Goblin Fruit. And October only hope to stop the drug and protect the secrets of Faeries is to ask for help from the Queen in the Mist. But instead October learns that the Queen is the distributor and instead of helping, the Queen banishes October from the realm.

I really enjoyed the plot this time around, more than all the others. I’m a sucker for stories with lost prince/princess, a rebellion and political pandemonium…and Chimes at Midnight had all three! Readers get to learn a lot more about the last king in the mist and will obviously meet his children that no one in Faerie knew about. Also we get to see first hand the affects of Goblin Fruit on a changeling. We’ve heard about Goblin Fruit since the beginning but never actually see it in effect; I thought that was pretty interesting (and crappy as heck). And finally the big one, the mystery of Quentin’s fostering. Many readers have speculated that Quentin comes from a rich-noble family but I was totally surprised at the big reveal. To be honest, I never thought much of his background…not till the last book at least lol. His fostering is supposed to be hush-hush, but with the cat-out-of-the-bag, I’m excited how things will play out in subsequent books. There’s also a short-story at the end of the book that corresponds to a scene in the book, when Toby takes The Luidaeg’s blood pills and catches snippets of her memories (which involves Toby’s mom). Although it was a short-story, it left me wondering what did The Luidaeg know about Toby’s future that made her wait seven years to interfere with her sister and what IS Toby’s big destiny? I can’t wait to see where McGuire takes Toby’s new story arc!

I highly recommend this series for those that haven’t read it yet, and to start at the beginning with Rosemary and Rue to see the full characters and world building development/growth (don’t recommend reading this series out of order). This series doesn’t disappoint, and if you’re looking for the best Urban Fantasy series out there, look no further because this is it! Now, on to the next October Daye novel, The Winter Long!

Seventh in the October Daye urban fantasy series revolving around a knight in Duke Sylvester Torquill’s service in San Francisco.

"Never Shines the Sun" is a prequel in the October Daye urban fantasy series, which sees the Luidaeg confront Amy over her daughter, Toby.

My Take
I love it! Setting the story in San Francisco and the Bay Area helps provide that modern twist that sets October Daye apart from other tales of Faerie. The realism of Toby Daye. The incredible range of friends Toby has acquired who support her where she leads (and needs!). All using the foundation of the basic myths and legends of Faerie.

I thought it was complex before with needing to find the rightful heir. But this addiction to the goblin fruit and Toby’s blood balancing abilities create problems in a HUGE way. It’s terrifying and I couldn’t turn pages fast enough. There has to be a way out of this for I’m as scared as Tybalt, Quentin, and Sylvester.

Toby and Tybalt are still in love, thank god as it took long enough, LOL. Their relationship has such an ease to it, and I love how accepting Tybalt is of Toby, such a modern view by an old sidhe with a gift of knowing.

After all the bigotry on the part of most of the fae, I love that Tybalt and the Ravens look out for their changelings! It’s only right.

Tybalt wishes Toby would “wear dresses more often. They make me itch to peel you out of them.”

Toby’s friends gather, unquestioning, to stand up for her against the queen. There’s simply no question that they’ll do what they can. And the story makes good use of the allies Toby has made so far.

“I am a cat...eventually we must go where we wish to be, not where we are told.”

It’s bittersweet as Toby loses all desire for her favorite addiction: coffee. That’s when everyone knows it’s real. Then, Quentin reveals the truth about himself. Just as I suspected...whew.

It’s a brilliant plan, and could work if Tybalt lives, if Toby can free Diana, if she can free Nolan, if, if, if...

I do adore this series. Toby is such a real person. Sure, this is fantasy with fantastic characters at both ends of the good-evil spectrum, but Toby is someone with whom I would love to be friends. She has her quirks and frustrating habits as well as her very good points, and she proves that, despite a dysfunctional childhood and family, it's possible to be a good person, to gain friends, to build a family of one's own choices. To have honor and stand up for what's right.

The Story
Just when things are going well—ain’t it always the way?—Toby discovers a drug that humans and changelings can't resist. One which leaves their dead bodies littering the city. A danger for which the Queen of the Mists is indifferent, but oh, that offers this evil queen the opportunity to remove Toby from her kingdom.

A mistake, a very big mistake as the Luidaeg sets Toby a task that reveals too much that is wrong.

The Characters
Sir October “Toby” Daye, Knight of Lost Words, is a changeling, living hope chest, a Dóchas Sidhe able to determine the makeup of someone’s blood. The daughter of a powerful Firstborn who is herself the daughter of Oberon—Amandine. Gillian is Toby’s daughter with Cliff.

The teenage Quentin is Daoine Sidhe, a blind foster from somewhere in Canada—Toby thinks Toronto—and Toby’s squire ( A Local Habitation , 2) and friends with Raj. May/Mai is Toby’s Fetch ( An Artificial Night , 3); Jasmine Patel is May’s girlfriend and a skinshifting raven. Cagney and Lacey are Toby’s half-Siamese cats; Spike is the resident rose goblin.

Tybalt, a Cait Sidhe, is the local King of the Court of Dreaming Cats and uses the Shadow Roads to get around; Raj is his heir, the Prince of Cats. Helen is Raj’s longtime half-Hob girlfriend.

The Queen in the Mists looks like the perfect faerie queen—a mix of Sea Wight, Siren, and Banshee—if only she weren’t mad. She hates and despises Toby, mostly because Toby refused to pretend. Unfortunately, San Francisco is her kingdom. She sends Candela and Ellyllon out to spy on Toby. Lowri is one of the guards.

The Luidaeg is a sea witch and Toby’s aunt. She’s also a patron of the Selkies due to the Roane having been her descendants.

Other Firstborn
Antigone of Albany is the Luidaeg; Eira Rosynhwyr, the Daoine Sidhe Firstborn, was given the Goldengreen hope chest; Acacia; Amandine (Toby’s mom) is Last Among the First; Blind Michael; Black Annis; Gentle Annie, a.k.a., Anglides, the Mother of Trees...

Walther is an alchemist, a pureblood Tylwyth Teg masquerading as a human chemistry professor at UC-Berkeley. Jack Redpath is his human grad student.

King Gilad Windermere, a Tuatha de Dannan, was the last ruler in the Mists, killed in the 1906 earthquake. Arden was his daughter, the Crown Princess in the Mists, and Nolan is her elf-shot brother. Sebille was their mother. Marianne is the nursemaid who whisked them away.

Ardith owns the Borderlands bookstore; Jude works there; and, Madden is a Cu Sidhe, a faerie dog, who works the coffee shop next door. When in his dog form, he answers to Buddy .

Danny McReady, a Bridge Troll, is a taxi-driving friend. Connie is his extremely talented mechanic. King Aethlin Sollys is King of the High Kingdom of the Westlands; High Queen Maida is his wife.

Goldengreen is the knowe that had been held by the Countess of Evening Winterrose, then Toby inherited, and she passed it on to Dean Lorden, now Count of Goldengreen and eldest son of Dianda, the Duchess of Saltmist, a Merrow, who rules the local Undersea. Patrick is his father, a Daoine Sidhe, and both parents were contemporaries of Gilad. Marcia is the Seneschal of Goldengreen, an appointment Toby made that Dean kept. Peter is Dean’s brother and heir to the Undersea.

Li Qin Zhou, a Shyi Shuai, a luck manipulator—don’t ask, seriously, don’t—is the widow of Countess January O’Leary of Tamed Lightning ( A Local Habitation , 2), and the current acting regent of Dreamer’s Glass while Duchess Treasa Riordan is stranded in Annwn ( Ashes of Honor , 6). April O’Leary, the current Countess of Tamed Lightning, is the world’s first cyber-Dryad and specializes in making mortal technology work with fae magic.

Magdaleana Brook is a Puca and the Librarian for the Library of Stars.

Duke Sylvester Torquill rules the Duchy of Shadowed Hills and is Toby’s liege lord. He’s provided the Victorian house in which Toby, May, Jazz, and Quentin live ( Ashes of Honor , 6). Luna is a Blodynbryd, a Dryad connected to fields of roses. Sir Etienne is a Tuatha de Dannan knight in Sylvester's service and still without his powers; Grianne, a Candela, and her Merry Dancers is still Sylvester’s second-in-command. Jin is an Ellyllon, a hedonisitic fae who heals and Sylvester’s personal physician. Melly and Ormond are the Hobs who come to help clean. Karen, an oneiromancer, is a child Toby rescued from Blind Michael’s lands ( An Artificial Night , 3).

Night-haunts are feared, a deep dark secret of Faerie, shadows that came for the dead and carried them away. Those whom Toby encounters are those she knew: Devin/Egil, her old mentor ( Rosemary and Rue , 1); Oleander de Merelands, the fae assassin who pursued her for so long ( Rosemary and Rue ); and, Connor, the Selkie man she had loved.

Goblin fruit is a naturally occurring narcotic that doesn’t affect the purebloods, but an unbreakable addiction for humans and changelings. Changelings are crossbred children of the fae and humans, a born underclass with few to miss them. A Fetch is created when night-haunts consume the blood of the living. A hope chest can change the balance of a person’s blood and were made to keep Faerie in balance.

Oberon’s Law is thou shalt not kill. Purebloods. Humans and changelings are fair game.

"NEVER SHINES THE SUN"

My Take of "Never Shines the Sun"
Damned frustrating is what this was. McGuire has simply left more questions. Lots more questions about why Amy was doing this. What caused her to believe this was best. How did October go from this happy seven-year-old to ??? Who is Toby's father?

Why did the Luidaeg believe she had to stay hands-off? What is someone of Amandine's blood supposed to do? What's wrong?

It's a tease is what this is, a bloody tease...!

The Story in "Never Shines the Sun"
It’s wicked what Amandine is doing to her daughter in this year, 1959, and the Luidaeg refuses to allow it any longer, refuses to allow her to do what Eira would do.

The Characters in "Never Shines the Sun"
Amy, a Dóchas Sidhe, Amandine, a daughter of Oberon, is full of lies and with a beautiful laugh. The youngest daughter who had always used her tears. Her daughter, October, is seven years old, and Amy refuses to allow her a choice. Luidaeg, the sea witch, is Maeve’s daughter. Eira Rosynhwyr is the oldest of the Luidaeg’s still-living sisters and Titania’s eldest daughter. Sylvester Torquill does something for October.

The Cover
The cover is blue-purples and black with a pointy-eared Toby clutching a curved dagger and what looks like a fish in a book-lined room glancing to the side as if at a sudden sound.

The best I can come up with about the novel's title is the deadline the Queen has laid on Toby, that the Chimes at Midnight will see her gone from the Kingdom.

The short story title feels like the Luidaeg's life, “Never Shines the Sun” on the sea-witch.

Number seven in the October Daye series has Toby, as usual, trying to sort out a fairy realm in turmoil. Someone is distributing goblin fruit, which is pleasurable for pure bloods but highly addictive and deadly to changelings and humans. Unfortunately, the person responsible is the chronically insane Queen of the Mists. Worse still, when Toby petitions her to stop the sale of the fruit the Queen banishes her from the Kingdom of Salt Mist.

With only three days to settle her affairs, Toby is set on the trail of the true heirs to the kingdom, King Gilad's missing children. She must find the prince and princess and place them on the throne before the Queen and her minions can silence them, and Toby, forever.

One of the best in this series, we are treated to a fast-paced mystery with twists and turns enough for any die hard fan. A great mixture of both detective stories and fairy tales.

I love this series; each book is better than the last. Chimes at Midnight is the latest in the October (Toby) Daye series, and Toby is once again called upon to resolve a problem that no one else will tackle. Goblin fruit is a naturally occurring drug in Faerie used by purebloods to give them a harmless high. Unfortunately changelings (or mixed bloods) and humans find it so highly addictive that it ultimately results in death. San Francisco is seeing a rise in goblin fruit use, and Toby aims to stop it. Unfortunately when she goes to the Queen of Mists for help she finds out the Queen is the one supplying the fruit. When Toby protests the Queen banishes Toby from her kingdom. What is a heroine to do? Overthrow the Queen, of course.

I love a smart author, and love it even more when something that seems inconsequential in one book ends up being critical in a later installment. In this case two words previously uttered by the Luidaeg set Toby on the path to find the rightful heir to the throne. As expected in a Toby Daye novel, there is a LOT of action as Toby and her faithful friends embark on a seemingly impossible journey. An added bonus is lots of interaction between Toby and her new boyfriend Tybalt, the King of Cats. McGuire is a master at interspersing incredibly touching scenes and dialog between the crazy action. A second bonus is an unexpected short story at the end of the novel that gives context to a memory that Toby sees in the Luidaeg's blood. I highly recommend this book, though suggest you start at the beginning of the series if you haven't read any of them.

This is the seventh book in the series following the exploits of Faerie Knight October Daye, as she does her best to right some of the wrongs she sees. October is only a Changeling, meaning she is part human and has limited Faerie power, but with the help of her friends, allies, and squire, she takes on the Queen in the Mists, to challenge the Queen's right to the throne.

Having read all the books in this series, I found myself, again, not being able to put the book down. I don't know if it is just the writing style, or the story, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the series. October seems more human than Fae, and though she seems to get the best of every bad situation, it still makes for a good read. Throw in some of the romantic tension from the previous books, her now current interest in this one, and you get yet another kink in the story, that adds to the plot.

Overall, the book could be read as a stand alone novel, though I suggest reading the series, to learn more detailed background on the characters. I enjoyed seeing October learning to use in more depth some of the power she has, and the fact that now she is being more pro-active in her fight against what she sees as wrongs in the world(s). There was more interaction on a world-scale versus some of the earlier more regionalized story-telling, bringing a larger cast together, yet McGuire was able to still get individualized on the characters, including the romantic stuff.

I enjoyed the novel, and hope that there may be a few more to be written yet for this series.

I read the last four books in this series in five days, in a delighted folklore-binge. (It wouldn’t have taken me so long, but I had to work for most of those days.) I am so delighted by the series that I am absolutely not an objective reader. THEY ARE SO GOOD TOBEY I LOVE YOU PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM ME.

I love them for the folklore, and for the character development, and the long-term plotting, and the characters in general, and the snark, and for the fact that I can dissect them endlessly with my flatmate Bekki. And I love this book in particular because it contains an evil pie.

The seventh volume of the October Daye series, Chimes at Midnight, is your typical Toby Daye book, as things seem fine and semi-normal for the first few pages, and then take a lunge to the bizarre and fast-paced, as things heat up. However, this time the stakes seem higher than ever.

Toby and Tybalt, the King of Cats, are now an item and can’t keep their hands and paws off each other, smooching in dark corners and brightly-lit streets, to the point where it starts to grate on the reader, who wants to just get back to the story and adventure at hand. Dead changelings are showing up on the streets, the victims of an overdose of addictive and dangerous goblin fruit. Toby takes this problem to the Queen of Mists, who she’s pretty sure is behind it all and fueling the whole enterprise. But Toby is soon kicked out on her butt and told she must leave the queendom within three days, banished. And before she knows it, Toby finds herself on the receiving end of an attack of goblin fruit that puts her under its dangerous spell. Then there’s the question of the queen’s valid claim to the throne, which seems to be in doubt.

As usual, Toby has a lot to deal with, under the spell of the muddling goblin fruit, it’s a tough one for her and time is running out. Things kick into the predictable high gear readers have come to expect from the series, as Toby jumps from place to place to place at an outlandish rate, leaving the reader’s head spinning, and things get nice and easily solved each time, with little threat to the protagonist or her friends. The climaxes and conflicts of the book feel somewhat contrived and are too easily resolved, making it seem as if the book was written in a hurry. While the ending, although predictable, is worth it, the journey along the way leaves a lot to be desired for the reader who has come to enjoy this series.

Originally written on July 30, 2013 ©Alex C. Telander.

For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site: [...].

I have yet to be disappointed by a book in this series. Fast paced and action filled, but it never takes itself too seriously. October is a great character, who has evolved nicely over time. A changeling, whose heritage and potential fate is still a bit of a mystery, October has become the hero of faerie. I enjoy her stories more when she is uncovering a mystery, something that was not featured as much in this book, but October saving the day as the hero of Faerie is fun too. In this book, October and crew finally take on the Queen. It is a wild ride from start to finish and seems to glide through difficulties a little too easily, but overall a solid and enjoyable read.

NO: Would I buy the AUDIOBOOK or REREAD the story because I enjoyed it so much?

NO: Was there good and realistic CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?

NO: Was the PLOT logical and/or interesting?

I have been following this series since the beginning finding the Fae universe complex and interesting. HOWEVER.....by the time I got to chapter 19 of this book, I figured I could jump ahead to chapter 26, finish the book from there and I didn't really miss anything.

I then asked "what in this book is lacking that makes me lose interest in the story?"

I now realize that each book presents a danger or a problem for Toby to solve. She goes in, almost dies, saves the day and none of the other characters have any personal struggles or growth. There is very little additional plot development and not even the love story is interesting enough to motivate me to read on.

See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!

4.5 Stars

Seanan McGuire is consistently proving she's at the top of the heap when it comes to Urban Fantasy and Chimes at Midnight helps her to slide a little higher. It didn't unseat Ashes of Honor or Late Eclipses as a new favorite and it wasn't quite as high on the emotional impact scale as the previous three books, but I think it was the story that Toby needed. She has been through so much in the past few books and this book kind of brought the story full-circle and helped her to wrap up some loose threads in her life. As with all her books, Seanan makes Toby's feelings and fears shine directly through to the reader and lays her character bare. Toby doesn't hide from people anymore and it was beautiful to see her so open and trusting here.

Chimes at Midnight begins by taking Toby back to a problem she faced in book one - goblin fruit. Goblin fruit is a widely accessible, addictive fae fruit and it is killing changelings. With Devon dead, no one is there to stem the flow of the fruit so it is up to Toby to find the ones responsible and stop them. When the trail leads to the Queen of the Mists, Toby knows there will be trouble. The Queen has never liked Toby and she lays down some harsh punishment and Toby's feet for her "meddling." Now, Toby has just a few days to prove that the Queen isn't really the queen and to have the right fae reinstated on the throne. Otherwise, life as she knows it will be changed forever... in more ways than one.

October "Toby" Daye has come so far since the first book, Rosemary and Rue. Seanan has given her main character a gradual, believable, and much appreciated development arc. She is finally letting herself be happy and is letting more and more people into her life. Her relationship with Tybalt is moving along nicely and she has formed a very real nuclear family with May and Quentin. Instead of just calling herself a hero, Toby has actually become one and consistently proves her self-sacrifice. In Chimes at Midnight, we get a happier, much less tortured Toby but as this is a Seanan McGuire book, the shit quickly hits the fan. Toby is still dealing with conflicted feelings about Devon and Home and the other changelings still on the street, but she has learned that her place in society is more fae than human. She has become comfortable now with the shifting balance of her blood and has come to depend on her new skills. When the investigation behind the Queen's heritage takes an ugly turn with a goblin fruit pie (yes, Toby takes a pie to the face!), Toby finds herself back to square one in the power department and must again rely only on her wits, cunning, and allies to get the job done.

Seanan McGuire is a master at character creation; I have yet to meet a character I don't care about one way or the other. There are plenty I don't like, but Seanan has made them so viscerally bad or evil that I can't be indifferent to them. The characters that I love, I love unendingly. I care about what happens to everyone. The returning characters continually have more depth and layers added to them and the new characters always catch my attention and interest. Chimes at Midnight was no different and I loved the new librarian character we got from the Library of Stars. I loved the return of the Undersea characters that were introduced in One Salt Sea and The Luidaeg was awesome as always. The night haunts are some of the characters that I find the most hauntingly effective and in this book they are used perfectly. Having the night haunts with Devon and Connor's faces dragged up many competing emotions in Toby but also helped show how secure she is in herself now.

Toby and Tybalt were so adorable in this book. Their relationship is progressing perfectly and it is easy to see how much they care for one another without being over the top mushy. They respect one another and they let each other be themselves, even though Tybalt does want to protect Toby all the time. Oh! We also get a terrific reveal about Quentin and his true parentage. Even though I suspected something like what played out, I was still pleasantly surprised by the events.

I don't want to give too much away about the end of Chimes at Midnight, but suffice it to say Seanan has set up a whole bunch of new directions for the story to go. Though she is already crazy prolific when it comes to putting out books (you guys know she writes as Mira Grant too, right?), I am already chomping at the bit for the next October Daye novel. I will try to contain my impatience - I will wait however long it takes to ensure we keep getting the quality stories that Seanan creates for Toby. The October Daye books are a master class on how to do urban fantasy correctly and Seanan McGuire is the department head of awesome!

Thank you to DAW Books for providing a print galley of this book!

This is the seventh book in the October Daye series and I swear this series just keeps getting better and better. I am a big fan of McGuire and have read and enjoyed her InCryptid series too. I also read and loved her Newsflesh series which she wrote under the pen name Mira Grant. This book was absolutely fantastic and one of the best in this series.

October has a new mission and that is to track down the source of highly addictive and deadly Goblin Fruit that is plaguing the streets. Dozens have died because of this evil fruit that addicts with the very first taste. When October does find the source of the Goblin Fruit things get more complicated and she has to deal not only with her own banishment but with serious questions about the Queen of the Mist and her history.

This was a spectacular read. I absolutely love the world created in this series and I love how it gets more complex and more interesting with each book. You never know what you will find in these books and I love that.

October has grown a lot as a character since the beginning of this series. She has learned to accept the help and support of those around her. She continues to come up with crazily creative solutions to impossible problems. October does still try to run herself into the ground at times, but her family of friends buoys her up and helps her to slow down and take care of herself when she needs to.

Tybalt is in the story a lot. Him and October have settled into a relatively comfortable relationship throughout the book. It's a relationship that is steamy, respectful, and fun to read about. The relationship takes a backseat to the story (which works well). Tybalt plays a support role in this book, helping Toby out when she needs it. He is funny and just as full of cutting wit as he has been in previous books.

We get to go to new worlds with Toby, meet some wonderful new characters, and watch as she unravels a number of mysteries. All of it is fascinating, very well done and absolutely engaging. Things are mostly wrapped up well, but new questions are opened up for future storylines too.

Overall a spectacular addition to this series, I really really enjoyed it. Toby has grown a lot as a character and has learned to depend on those she loves. The world of faerie is expanded on a bit more and we learn more interesting history behind that world as well. There is a wonderful mystery that starts out with the mysterious goblin fruit and then grows into a storyline that's much more complicated and complex. I love the characters in this series, love the great world building, and was absolutely engaged in the story. This series is highly recommended to fans of urban fantasy.

Chimes at Midnight
Seanan McGuire
DAW, Sep 1 2013, $7.99
ISBN 9780756408145

In San Francisco, the relationship between half-Fae private detective October "Toby" Daye and King of the Cats Tybalt is as strong as it ever has been. Toby becomes concerned when changeling corpses die from goblin fruit overdose. Investigating the drug-related deaths leads Toby to her adversary the Queen of the Mists.

The untouchable royal orders Toby to leave the Bay area or face retaliation much worse than banishment. A shimmer of hope to remain in San Francisco surfaces when clues claim the monarch may be a pretender sitting on the throne. However with time against her, Toby and her friends search for the true ruler.

The latest Toby Daye urban fantasy (see Ashes of Honor) is a taut thriller with a fabulous midcourse twist from an illegal drug problem to a political ruler legitimacy issue causing tremors throughout the magical McGuire milieu. Terrific Toby is at her best as she knows she and her friends are in trouble if she fails to produce the real monarch with time on the side of her diabolically brilliant opponent.

Harriet Klausner

October is a rare changling (half human) who has become a Knight of the Fae court. In the first tale , investigating a murder, she had been turned into a fish for fourteen years. In Chimes at Midnight (paper from DAW) Goblin Fruit is suddenly available. It is instantly addicting and quite deadly to changlings. The Queen of Mists has apparently been distributing the drug and exiles October when she tries to curb the influx. So it’s time to find a missing princess and replace the Queen while trying to stave off the addiction after being hit in the face with a pie made of the stuff. Lots of fun as usual.
Review printed in the Philadelphia Weekly Press

Chimes at Midnight is urban fantasy at its finest. A missing Faerie princess, action, romance, drama, comedy, and five impossible magical tasks to accomplish before breakfast. Read the other books in Seanan McGuire's excellent series first, starting with Rosemary and Rue.

flag comment · see review

October Daye is one of those series that just keeps getting better and better. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment. Toby is championing the changelings in a fight against the deadly goblin fruit. She stands up to the Queen of the Mists and spends most of her time fighting for her life, kissing Tybalt and looking for the Luidaeg, who has grown to be my favorite character. And finally finding out Quentin's origins was a treat. Excellent addition to an excellent series.

So a bit of background; I originally found this series while training for a half marathon. I love listening to fast-paced books while I run and this series seemed to fit the bill. But now that my half marathon is over, I was just so excited that I kept listening to the books regardless.

The things I enjoyed; the action is fast paced and can be pretty interesting. The book is also fast paced and I never find myself getting bored while things are being set up and/or explained. We have a pretty good cast of people – however they could all do with some 1) having more in their lives besides October the “Hero” and 2) some actual development.

And here’s where I see this series falling down;
October is a pretty fail PI – not that it’s super important in this novel, but it’s really good that she has an all power witch (specifically the sea witch) on her side to give her some sort of special item to help her solve the mystery and/or ‘save’ the day

She’s also super bossy – and I suppose she’s really lucky to have all these ‘powerful’ allies that just sit there and do her bidding. I mean, we have a King of Cats that just abandons his court (which he was accused of and almost deposed of because of this in the last book!) and her ‘liege’ who luckily has nothing better to do that show up when she needs him

It almost feels like no one has anything better to do than help her; I mean, really. It’s a good thing hr cabbie friend Danny doesn't have anything better to do. I mean, I feel like we could have a better ring leader for all these adventures besides October, who is seriously flawed in lots of major ways and it just… just hard to get along with. If she was my friend – I’d wonder why I bothered to keep the friendship. All this chick does is boss you around, make you worry about her while she recklessly throws herself into very dangerous situations, and is just constantly asking for ‘favors’ even though she hates asking for favors; not mention the fact that she is rather acerbic and just all around not a good person to be around. She takes without giving – unless you’re kids are kidnapped by Blind Michael.

She is always almost dying. Seriously. Multiple times in every book she almost dies. The author cannot keep putting the main character and/or people important to them in life threatening peril without it beginning to lose its luster and I just stop caring.

Toby’s sarcasm is just getting… it’s just too much. It may just be because I’m listening to it; but the dialogue seems pretty weak.

The Toby + Tybalt romance – while I was SO glad it finally happened – I agree with many others that this has just served to make Tybalt pussy-whipped and boring. Also – how many times can she just be like “ok Tybalt – take me here! Right now! And then just drop me off so I can get myself killed!” before he says “F this s***”

-----------SPOILERS:-------------
Also, wtf was with her ordeal with hope chest. The idea was that she was going to go Fae in order to cure her Goblin fruit addiction… but she just shifts her blood to be more fae and somehow is still able to cure her addiction?? This makes no sense and was super weak. Also, why is she SO determined to stay part ‘human’? It made sense when she had a family and/or a death wish – but now she has lots of pure blood friends, etc. so her actions don’t make sense

Also, we just somehow find a magic pitcher that can cure iron poisoning?

And even MORE hack – Toby can just drink someone’s blood and ‘borrow’ their magic? What – is she Rogue now? This was super hack and stupid. And Toby just ‘thought’ of it on her own? She can barely tie her own shoes and you expect me to believe that she can now ‘borrow’ magic? How hack.

And how on earth is Toby surprised that the current ‘Queen of the Mists’ isn’t the old kings daughter? They have NO races in common and the whole ‘knowing their heritage thing’ is supposed to her ‘forte’? She was seriously surprised at this revelation? And we have been having so many issues with this B but it takes Toby getting ‘banished’ for people to decide to do something about it?! Really? And multiple people knew about this whole ‘non-legit daughter’ thing? Seems weak and contrived.

----------End Spoilers------------

Oh and I agree with another reviewer… This whole coffee addiction thing is just getting old and grating

I mean, I will probably still keep reading/listening - but only while I run.

P.S. This review was done by a mid-20's female avid-fantasy reader.

Every time I read another in this series I always have more questions than answers. This is in a good way I am always left wanting more, but for every question that gets answered in this series two more pop up. Seanan feeds us background information in little bits and pieces and I am left waiting a whole year to see what happens next.

Toby always takes on impossible tasks and this time is no exception, this time she is taking on the Queen herself. With goblin fruit killing changelings, Toby appeals to the Queen to get it off the streets, Toby finds herself exiled instead with 3 days to get out of town and the Queen's guards following her every move. Toby does the only thing she can, she decides to depose the Queen.

Like every other Toby Daye book there is tons of action and small spoiler here the pie scene made me laugh. Trying to kill someone with a pie in the face...hilarious. As usual Toby has her crew to help her along in deposing the Queen, including May, Quentin of course Tybalt and My very favorite character the Ludaieg.

As usual some secrets were revealed including Quentin's identity...ok so everybody saw that one coming. One thing I love about this series is that for every secret that gets revealed two more questions pop up leaving me wanting to spend more time in Toby's world....sneaky Seanan Mcguire. Needless to say I dread waiting another year for the next one.

This is a great series!! I can't get enough of it. The plot is action packed and leaves you breathlessly anticipating the next step. More importantly the characters are so engaging and are developing before our eyes into richer and richer relationships. Toby and her friends are worth spending time getting to know. I particulary love the blossoming ties between Toby and Tybalt. I can't wait for the next installment.

Great character development, great story, wonderful detail and a plot that is worth waiting for! If you are an October Daye fan you will not be disappointed, if this is new for you you will love it, but there is a mysterious reveal in there for you so I suggest reading the others first...Enjoy!

I really have nothing bad to say about this author or her books. I don't want to spoil anything, so my advise is to start reading early because you won't want to put the book down. Pick a day you have time to read, curl up, and jump into the world of the fae, you won't be disappointed. Happy reading

Simply excellent, fun, scary, tragic, original, mystical and magic...a great addition to a truly great series. Warning: do not start one of these books at 9 PM, expecting to read for a bit and then go off too bed.