Synopses & Reviews
"Rosemary and Rue is one of the most successful blends of mystery and fantasy I've ever readlike Raymond Chandler by way of Pamela Dean. Toby Daye has become one of my favorite heroines, and I can't wait to read more of her continuing adventures." Tim Pratt, author of Dead Reign
The world of Faerie never disappeared; it merely went into hiding, continuing to exist parallel to our own. Secrecy is the key to Faerie's survivalbut no secret can be kept forever, and when the fae and mortal worlds collide, changelings are born. Outsiders from birth, these half-human, half-fae children spend their lives fighting for the respect of their immortal relations. Or, in the case of October "Toby" Daye, rejecting it completely. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating into a normal” life. Unfortunately for her, Faerie has other ideas...
The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose, one of the secret regents of the San Francisco Bay Area, pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evenings dying curse, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant to the Duke of Shadowed Hills and begin renewing old alliances that may prove her only hope of solving the mystery...before the curse catches up with her. Rosemary and Rue is the first installment of the highly praised Toby Daye series.
Review
"Smart, whimsical and bitingly funny, Verity Price is a kick-ass heroine that readers will love. Just when I thought she couldn't surprise me again, she would pull some new trick out of her hat - or, in the case of her throwing knives, out of her corset. I would send Verity and my Jane Jameson on a girl's night out, but I'm afraid of the damage bill they would rack up!"
Review
"Seanan McGuire's DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON is an urban fantasy triple threat - smart and sexy and funny. The Aeslin mice alone are worth the price of the book, so consider a cast of truly ORIGINAL characters, a plot where weird never overwhelms logic, and some serious kickass world-building as a bonus."
Review
"Original, pacy, and hugely entertaining-Seanan McGuire knows how to tell a good story!"
Review
“October Daye is as gritty and damaged a heroine as Kinsey Millhone or Kay Scarpetta.... Toby’s nocturnal existence is full of the kind of shadows that keep the pages turning. Changelings, like all faerie folk, live long; may McGuire and these novels do the same.”
Review
“The brisk pacing, the effective mix of human and magical characters, and the PI ambience all make this an excellent choice for fans of Butcher’s Harry Dresden series…. Toby’s unusual heritage and her uneasy relationships with her mother’s family will remind readers of Brigg’s Mercy Thompson series, and Thompson fans will appreciate Toby’s tough and self-reliant character.” Booklist (starred review)
Review
"This newest installment in McGuire’s October Daye series is fast-paced, without ever being frantic, with excellent characterization.... McGuire is a dab hand at dialogue, and the bantering between Toby and everyone -- especially Tybalt -- is one of the highlights of the book."
Review
"McGuire applies a hard-boiled mentality and a keen appreciation for mythology to a blend of politics, magic, and romance to make this the most entertaining series installment to date."
Review
"The October Daye series is one of those delicious worlds that becomes more and more beloved with each visit, and Ashes of Honor is my favorite of this series to date."
Review
"With Ashes of Honor, McGuire has crafted a deeply personal and intense story that will keep you on the edge, hoping to be pushed over. In my opinion, it is, hands down, the best Toby to date."
Review
"The October Daye series has become on of my favorites, and it just keeps getting better and better."
Review
"Swearing! Running! Sexy times! Leather jackets and folklore and secret offspring and tales of lost love. It’s all so much fun."
Review
"Why are you wasting time reading my rhapsodic review? Just go get the book, and see for yourself, if you’ve been following the series right along. If not, go get all six books.... If you love well written urban fantasy, with unique and interesting characters, you won’t be disappointed."
Review
“October Daye is as gritty and damaged a heroine as Kinsey Millhone or Kay Scarpetta.... Tobys nocturnal existence is full of the kind of shadows that keep the pages turning.
Changelings, like all faerie folk, live long; may McGuire and these novels do the same.” —The Onion A.V. Club
"This newest installment in McGuires October Daye series is fast-paced, without ever being frantic, with excellent characterization.... McGuire is a dab hand at dialogue, and the bantering between Toby and everyone -- especially Tybalt -- is one of the highlights of the book." —RT Book Reviews
"McGuire applies a hard-boiled mentality and a keen appreciation for mythology to a blend of politics, magic, and romance to make this the most entertaining series installment to date." —Publishers Weekly
"The October Daye series is one of those delicious worlds that becomes more and more beloved with each visit, and Ashes of Honor is my favorite of this series to date." —All Things Urban Fantasy
"With Ashes of Honor, McGuire has crafted a deeply personal and intense story that will keep you on the edge, hoping to be pushed over. In my opinion, it is, hands down, the best Toby to date." —The Ranting Dragon
"The October Daye series has become on of my favorites, and it just keeps getting better and better." —Fantasy Book Cafe
"Swearing! Running! Sexy times! Leather jackets and folklore and secret offspring and tales of lost love. Its all so much fun." —SF Signal
"Why are you wasting time reading my rhapsodic review? Just go get the book, and see for yourself, if youve been following the series right along. If not, go get all six books.... If you love well written urban fantasy, with unique and interesting characters, you wont be disappointed." —Tome Tender
Review
"
One Salt Sea is the best
October Daye book to date; everything thats great about the series comes together in one book...
McGuires usual beautiful writing and dark humor are present and accounted for. This has become one of my favorite urban fantasy series, and I cant wait to find out what happens next." —Fantasyliterature.com
"Fans of the series will be completely swept up with this fifth book, hooked to the very end where they get some answers and finally enjoy that satisfied feeling that not many books deliver this well." —BookBanter
"...a strong installment in a reliably entertaining series." —Locus
"This author is consistently impressive, no matter what she writes, and I would urge you to pick up any of her novels and prepare to be entertained with a smart, witty and heartfelt tale." —Owlcat Mountain
Review
"
Everything you'd ever need in an urban fantasy. It's a smart story, cleanly told that allows both humor and heartbreak to take their turn on stage but, more importantly, the 'urban' and the 'fantasy' are of equal importance." —Tanya Huff, author of the Blood Books
"Rosemary and Rue is one of the most successful blends of mystery and fantasy I've ever read—like Raymond Chandler by way of Pamela Dean. Toby Daye has become one of my favorite heroines, and I can't wait to read more of her continuing adventures." —Tim Pratt, author of Dead Reign
"McGuire knows her fairy lore, bringing the wonder and the danger of the fair folk to the streets of San Francisco so vividly you can smell the rose goblins. Action, intrigue, and a dash of romance make Rosemary and Rue a fun, engaging read. An impressive first novel that leaves you impatient for the second." —Jim Hines, author of Libriomancer
"Rosemary and Rue is a fast paced ride through the streets, parks, and cliffs of San Francisco, lifting the covers to reveal that which lies unseen. An incredible mix of action, mystery, fairy, urban fantasy, and just a smidgen of romance artfully woven into a story impossible to put down.” —Sacramento Book Review
Review
"[
An Artificial Night] is wildly and beautifully descriptive, with scenes that will simply take your breath away...the third installment in the
October Daye series is even better (if that could be believed) than the prior two.
Author Seanan McGuire seems to have hit her stride and should enjoy a long career." —Sacramento Book Review
"Book three of the October Daye series is the strongest to date as McGuire picks up the action and rolls an assortment of nursery rhymes, fairy tales and folklore into a taut urban fantasy that holds your interest to the last." —Monsters and Critics
"I'm enamored of the world the author has created and continues to build on in each successive book. Its vast and vivid and so very alive to me." —The Literate Kitty
"An Artificial Night is a terrific entry in the series, showcasing McGuire's impressive skills with character and plot alike. She is quickly establishing herself as one of the major new talents in urban fantasy and horror." —SFRevu
Review
"In this tightly plotted adventure, McGuire mixes nonstop action with a wealth of mythology to deliver
a wholly satisfying story." —Publisher's Weekly
"Vibrant writing and a likable narrator make this one of the stronger entries in the urban fantasy genre. It should appeal to fans of Jim Butchers 'Dresden Files.'" —Library Journal
“[A] thrilling, occasionally even nightmarish, adventure.” —Locus
"This is far and away the best book of the series so far." —Your Urban Fantasy
Review
"McGuire's second
October Daye novel is
a gripping, well-paced read. Toby continues to be an enjoyable, if complex and strong-willed protagonist who recognizes no authority but her own...McGuire has more than a few surprises up her sleeve for the reader." —Romantic Times Book Review
"...for those of you who have read Rosemary and Rue, I have to say: A Local Habitation is even better. All the things that made Rosemary and Rue such a strong debut are still there: the wonderfully damaged heroine, the melancholy story, the gritty details, the perfect rendering of San Francisco, [and] unique and varied fantastic creatures..." —Book Love Affair
"At last, urban fantasy done right!...Seanan McGuire's October Daye series gives us that perfect melding of "real world" and magic, with just a dash of romantic subplot, enhancing the main story rather than derailing it." —Collectortimes.com (for October Daye series)
Synopsis
New York Times-bestselling October Daye series - Hugo Award-winning author Seanan McGuire - "Top of my urban-paranormal series list " --Felicia Day
It's been almost a year since October "Toby" Daye averted a war, gave up a county, and suffered personal losses that have left her wishing for a good day's sleep. She's tried to focus on her responsibilities, but she can't help feeling like her world is crumbling around her, and her increasingly reckless behavior is beginning to worry even her staunchest supporters.
To make matters worse, Toby's just been asked to find another missing child...only this time it's the changeling daughter of her fellow knight, Etienne. Chelsea, a teleporter like her father, is the kind of changeling the old stories warn about: the ones with all the strength and none of the control. She's opening doors that were never meant to be opened, releasing dangers that were sealed away centuries before--and there's a good chance she could destroy Faerie if she isn't stopped.
Now Toby must find Chelsea before time runs out, racing against an unknown deadline and through unknown worlds as she and her allies try to avert disaster. Toby thought the last year was bad. She has no idea.
Synopsis
October "Toby" Daye is half-human, half-fae-the only changeling who's earned knighthood. But when someone begins targeting her nearest and dearest, it becomes clear that Toby is being set up to take the fall for everything that's happening.
Synopsis
Now comes the second in the series-from a dynamic new fantasy talent! Toby Daye-a half-human, half-fae changeling-has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world had other ideas...
Now her liege, the Duke of the Shadowed Hills, has asked Toby to go to the County of Tamed Lightning to make sure all is well with his niece, Countess January O'Leary. It seems like a simple enough assignment-until Toby discovers that someone has begun murdering people close to January, and that if the killer isn't stopped, January may be the next victim.
Synopsis
October “Toby” Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas…
The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening’s dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening’s killer.
Watch a Video
Read Seanan McGuire's posts on the Penguin Blog.
Synopsis
October "Toby" Daye is settling into her new role as Countess of Goldengreen. She's actually dating again, and she's taken on Quentin as her squire. So, of course, it's time for things to take a turn for the worse.
Someone has kidnapped the sons of the regent of the Undersea Duchy of Saltmist. To prevent a war between land and sea, Toby must find the missing boys and prove the Queen of the Mists was not behind their abduction. Toby's search will take her from the streets of San Francisco to the lands beneath the waves, and her deadline is firm: she must find the boys in three days' time, or all of the Mists will pay the price. But someone is determined to stop her-and whoever it is isn't playing by Oberon's Laws...
Synopsis
Read Seanan McGuire's blogs and other content on the Penguin Community. Experience the thrill of the hunt in the third October Daye urban fantasy novel.
October "Toby" Daye is a changeling-half human and half fae-and the only one who has earned knighthood. Now she must take on a nightmarish new challenge. Someone is stealing the children of the fae as well as mortal children, and all signs point to Blind Michael. Toby has no choice but to track the villain down-even when there are only three magical roads by which to reach Blind Michael's realm, home of the Wild Hunt-and no road may be taken more than once. If Toby cannot escape with the children, she will fall prey to the Wild Hunt and Blind Michael's inescapable power.
Synopsis
Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night... The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity-and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance. Sounds pretty simple, right? It would be, if it weren't for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family's old enemies, the Covenant of St. George. When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed. To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone's spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city...
Synopsis
A New York Times bestseller!
Its been almost a year since October Toby” Daye averted a war, gave up a county, and suffered personal losses that have left her wishing for a good days sleep. Shes tried to focus on her responsibilities, but she cant help feeling like her world is crumbling around her, and her increasingly reckless behavior is beginning to worry even her staunchest supporters.
To make matters worse, Tobys just been asked to find another missing child
only this time its the changeling daughter of her fellow knight, Etienne. Chelsea, a teleporter like her father, is the kind of changeling the old stories warn about: the ones with all the strength and none of the control. Shes opening doors that were never meant to be opened, releasing dangers that were sealed away centuries beforeand theres a good chance she could destroy Faerie if she isnt stopped. Now Toby must find Chelsea before time runs out, racing against an unknown deadline and through unknown worlds as she and her allies try to avert disaster. Toby thought the last year was bad. She has no idea.
Ashes of Honor is the sixth installment of the highly praised Toby Daye series.
Synopsis
Now comes the second in the series-from a dynamic new fantasy talent! Toby Daye-a half-human, half-fae changeling-has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world had other ideas...
Now her liege, the Duke of the Shadowed Hills, has asked Toby to go to the County of Tamed Lightning to make sure all is well with his niece, Countess January O'Leary. It seems like a simple enough assignment-until Toby discovers that someone has begun murdering people close to January, and that if the killer isn't stopped, January may be the next victim.
Synopsis
Read Seanan McGuire's blogs and other content on the Penguin Community. Experience the thrill of the hunt in the third October Daye urban fantasy novel.
October "Toby" Daye is a changeling-half human and half fae-and the only one who has earned knighthood. Now she must take on a nightmarish new challenge. Someone is stealing the children of the fae as well as mortal children, and all signs point to Blind Michael. Toby has no choice but to track the villain down-even when there are only three magical roads by which to reach Blind Michael's realm, home of the Wild Hunt-and no road may be taken more than once. If Toby cannot escape with the children, she will fall prey to the Wild Hunt and Blind Michael's inescapable power.
Synopsis
"...a Perfect 10."
Romance Reviews Today
October "Toby" Daye is finally doing all rightand that inevitably means it's time for things to take a turn for the worse. Someone has kidnapped the sons of the Duchess Dianda Lorden, regent of the Undersea Duchy of Saltmist. To prevent a war between land and sea, Toby must not only find the missing boys, but also prove that the Queen of the Mists was not behind their abduction. She'll need all her tricks and the help of her allies if she wants to make it through this in one piece.
Toby's search will take her from the streets of San Francisco to the lands beneath the waves. But someone is determined to stop herand whoever it is isn't playing by Oberon's Laws. As the battle grows more and more personal, one thing is chillingly clear. When Faerie goes to war, not everyone will walk away. One Salt Sea is the fifth installment of the highly praised Toby Daye series.
Synopsis
"McGuire hits her stride with this fast-paced, sharply plotted, tense urban fantasy, the third featuring half-fae detective Toby Daye."
Publisher's Weekly
Changeling knight in the court of the Duke of Shadowed Hills, October "Toby" Daye has survived numerous challenges that would destroy fae and mortal alike. Now Toby must take on a nightmarish new assignment. Someone is stealing both fae and mortal childrenand all signs point to Blind Michael. When the young son of Toby's closest friends is snatched from their Northern California home, Toby has no choice but to track the villains down, even when there are only three magical roads by which to reach Blind Michael's realmhome of the legendary Wild Huntand no road may be taken more than once. If she cannot escape with all the children before the candle that guides and protects her burns away, Toby herself will fall prey to Blind Michael's inescapable power.
And it doesn't bode well for the success of her mission that her own personal Fetch, May Dayethe harbinger of Toby's own deathhas suddenly turned up on her doorstep...
An Artificial Night is the third installment of the highly praised Toby Daye series.
Synopsis
"McGuire just keeps getting better and better."
RT Book Reviews
October "Toby" Daye, changeling knight in the service of Duke Sylvester Torquill, finds the delicate balance of her life shattered when she learns that an old friend is in dire trouble. Lily, Lady of the Tea Gardens, has been struck down by a mysterious, seemingly impossible illness, leaving her fiefdom undefended. Struggling to find a way to save Lily and her subjects, Toby must confront her own past as an enemy she thought was gone forever raises her head once more: Oleander de Merelands, one of the two people responsible for her fourteen-year exile.
Time is growing short and the stakes are getting higher, for the Queen of the Mists has her own agenda. With everything on the line, Toby will have to take the ultimate risk to save herself and the people she loves mostbecause if she can't find the missing pieces of the puzzle in time, Toby will be forced to make the one choice she never thought she'd have to face again...
Late Eclipse is the fourth installment of the highly praised Toby Daye series.
Synopsis
"Well researched, sharply told, highly atmospheric and as brutal as any pulp detective tale..."
Publishers Weekly
October "Toby" Daye is a changeling, the daughter of Amandine of the fae and a mortal man. Like her mother, she is gifted in blood magic, able to read what has happened to a person through a mere taste of blood. Toby is the only changeling who has earned knighthood, and she re-earns that position every day, undertaking assignments for her liege, Sylvester, the Duke of the Shadowed Hills.
Now Sylvester has asked her to go to the County of Tamed Lightningotherwise known as Fremont, CAto make sure that all is well with his niece, Countess January O'Leary, whom he has not been able to contact. It seems like a simple enough assignmentbut when dealing with the realm of Faerie nothing is ever as simple as it seems. Toby soon discovers that someone has begun murdering people close to January, whose domain is a buffer between Sylvester's realm and a scheming rival duchy. If Toby can't find the killer soon, she may well become the next victim.
Local Habitation is the second installment of the highly praised Toby Daye series.
About the Author
Seanan McGuire is a California-based author with a strong penchant for travel and can regularly be found just about anyplace capable of supporting human life (as well as a few places that probably arent). Early exposure to a vast number of books left her with a lifelong affection for the written word, and led, perhaps inevitably, to her writing books of her own, starting somewhere around the age of eleven. The October Daye novels are her first urban fantasy series, and the InCryptid novels are her second series, both published by DAW and bother of which have put her in the New York Times bestseller list. Seanan was the winner of the 2010 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer; Rosemary and Rue, the first novel in the October Daye series, was named one of the Top 20 Paranormal Fantasy Novels of the Past Decade; and her novel Feed, written under the name Mira Grant, was named as one of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2010. She also won a Hugo for her podcast, and is the first person to be nominated for five Hugo Awards in a single year. You can visit her at www.seananmcguire.com.