Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova Narrator: Zura Johnson
Series: The Witch's Compendium of Monsters #1
Published by MacMillan Audio, Minotaur Books on June 25, 2024
Genres: Science Fiction Fantasy
Pages: 362
Length: 15 hours, 4 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley
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As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice taming rusalkas, fighting kikimoras, and brewing lycanthrope repellent. There’s only one monster Kosara can’t defeat: her ex the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed to him by someone close to her, Kosara’s only hope is to trade her shadow―the source of her powers―for illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, where monsters can’t follow.
Life in Belograd should be sweet, but Kosara soon develops a fast-acting version of the deadly wasting sickness that stalks shadowless witches―and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To trace her shadow, she’ll have to team up with the suspiciously honorable detective investigating the death of the smuggler who brought her across the Wall.
Even worse than working with the cops is that all the clues point in a single direction: one of the Zmey’s monsters has found a crack in the Wall, and Kosara’s magic is now in the Zmey’s hands.
I felt a little hesitant to start a longer book with fantasy themes often oppressive of some peoples. The pacing was good and with the character and world development at a reasonable amount of detail, I didn’t have trouble.
Kosara was a great character. She was very relatable having her fears and desires. She was caught up enough in her own guilt and worry that she didn’t pay close enough attention to others’ manipulations. She lives in Chernograd which is on one side of a wall. Chernograd has witches, monster hunters, smugglers, thieves and some poverty. During the Foul Days at the start of the New Year, the monsters from Slavic mythology come out at night and so everyone must stay inside.
Belograd is on the other side of the wall, full of color and wealth. The wall keeps the monsters out so they have no fights, deaths or worries about monsters. There are smugglers and thieves though, and they are the ones who know how to get back and forth across the wall.  People from Chernograd who manage to get to Belograd have to be quarantined (caged) during the full moon to make sure they don’t turn into monsters. There are many kinds of monsters though.
Kosara because of her fear of a monster loses her witch shadow. The story focuses on her retrieving her shadow, her confidence. She finds out who her true friends and allies are. She makes a new frenemy, Asen, who is with the police in Belograd. They each have their own secrets and it is intriguing to watch them unfold and find common goals.
I love that this will be a series, The Witch’s Compendium of Monsters, with Monstrous Nights in October 2024.  I want to watch Kosara and Asen as they right wrongs and give more people a chance at a safe and comfortable life. There are more bad guys to put out of commission. And who doesn’t want to learn more about monsters?
Narration:
I had not previously listened to this narrator. The voices felt authentic for the region along with the accents. I am not knowledgeable enough to say they are accurate but were comfortable for me. There were distinct voices for characters. I really enjoyed the emotional tones which added to the performance. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 24-COYER
I’m glad you enjoyed this. I have a copy but wasn’t able to get to it yet. But I know the sequel is coming out soon, and I’d like to catch up.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’m looking forward to the next one in October.
That does sound like it would be a good read.
I really liked it once I settled into the world a bit.
Sounds like an intricate and original plot. Glad to hear you’re looking forward to the next book!
yes, I’ve always enjoyed these Slavic mythology type stories. The characters here are relatable, too.
I don’t read much fantasy, but this plot and the characters sound interesting enough to tempt me.
I enjoyed them.
Great review, Anne💜 Though it’s not my cuppa, it sounds fascinating.
Thank you. I really enjoyed it. It had the Slavic mythologies like Naomi Novik, and Katherine Arden, and some Baba Yaga stories have.
I get nervous with books like this too. Glad it worked out
I like this kind of book with mythology but sometimes they are hard to get into the story. This one I didn’t have much trouble and I liked it.
This one is new to me, love the cover. Glad you ended up enjoying it so much!
It’s very much a Slavic mythology story but I did really enjoy it.