Review: What Stalks the Deep (Sworn Soldier #3) by T Kingfisher
5 January 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Horror, Review, Sworn Soldier #3, T Kingfisher, What Stalks the Deep
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Soft horror with Unexpected Outcome
I am enjoying the Sworn Soldier series by T Kingfisher although the first book still remains my favourite.
In this story Alex Easton travels to America to help out an old friend whose cousin has gone missing, last known destination – an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia.
The story is a mystery that takes our MC into a supposedly haunted mine where the threat of rock falls or suffocation is the least of the problems. Disturbing lights can be seen where there shouldn’t be any light and strange things go bump in the night.
What I really enjoyed about this.
First and foremost the writing. I love reading Kingfisher, she manages to write compelling characters who find themselves in the strangest places and she infuses her stories with her own brand of humour and darkness.
I like the character that she’s come up with for this series and that’s also what I find myself returning for. Alex Easton is a good friend and a strong person who doesn’t flinch from danger or discomfort. In the past stories Alex has dealt with strange mushrooms and ghosts and in this edition, well, I don’t want to give away any spoilers but this went in a direction that I really didn’t see coming. Really quite creepy – and I must mention the dog! I realise I’m being very cryptic but you have to discover these things for yourself.
I liked the setting although at the same time this was also the issue that brought the story down a little for me. It started off very dark, creepy and claustrophobic. Alex isn’t a lover of small spaces and so caving and crawling through tight spaces into the unknown really brought out the fear factor. I did feel that after the reveal the tension and atmosphere seemed to dissipate. I still enjoyed the story and this is a very quick read but I didn’t feel the sense of dread that I had felt during the first half when the unknown occupant of the mine was creeping around.
Overall, a good instalment in the Sworn Soldier series. I can’t wait to see what dilema Alex gets into next and I hope for many more weird and wonderful adventures.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars rounded to 4
Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
28 December 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Agatha Christie, Book Reviews, Booking Ahead, Books, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, fiction, reading, Sunday Post, T Kingfisher, The Last Death of the Year, Weekly wrap up, What Stalks the Deep
Weekly Update
To those of you who celebrate Christmas I hope you’ve had a lovely time and happy holidays to those who don’t I hope you’ve enjoyed the past few days. I’ve definitely eaten too many naughty treats and not been terribly good at exercising so that’s something I need to work on. In bookish news I completed The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah, this was okay but not quite as gripping as I’d hoped. I also picked up and completed What Stalks the Deep by T Kingfisher. This was also okay, I enjoyed the writing but didn’t think it quite captured the atmosphere I was hoping for. I’ve now picked up and am hoping to complete before the year concludes The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Cañas – at the moment its slow going so we’ll see.
Next Week’s reads
Hopefully complete The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Cañas and I’m thinking that will be it for my reading for 2025.
Reviews Posted:
- Ragwort by Sam K Horton
Outstanding Reviews
- Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
- Outlaw Planet by MR Carey
- The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah
- What Stalks the Deep by T Kingfisher
Countdown to 2026: Day 15 – Mince pies – a little sweet something
15 December 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: A Little Sweet Something, Countdown to 2026, Day 15, Mince Pies, Paladin's Grace, T Kingfisher
Once again I am counting down to the New Year, as with the previous years I shall be highlighting at least one book per day to fit the prompt on that given day. The main aim for this countdown is to highlight some of my reads during the past year and to shine the spotlight on them once again (although some of the prompts relate to forthcoming reads).
Today is Day 15 of the countdown to 2026 and a list of prompts can be found here if you wish to join me in counting down to 2026 and casting a spotlight on some of your favourite books.
Today’s Prompt: Mince pies – a little sweet something:
For today’s prompt I’ve chosen: Paladin’s Grace by T Kingfisher. I had such a good time with this book and in fact have the second waiting to be read.
16 Days Remaining
Tomorrow’s prompt: Turkey Dinner– eye’s too big for your belly? A chunkster
Friday Face Off: What Stalks the Deep (Sworn Soldier #3) by T Kingfisher
5 September 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Friday Face off, Sworn Soldier #3, T Kingfisher, What Stalks the Deep
Today I’m returning to the Friday Face Off, originally created by Books by Proxy). I’ve missed these for the past few months and so would like to get back to comparing covers (and hopefully I will be updating this page with a new banner. This is an opportunity to look at a book of your choice and shine the spotlight on the covers. Of course this only works for those books that have alternative covers (although sometimes I use this to look at a series of books to choose a favourite). So, if you have a book that has alternative covers, highlight them and choose your favourite. If you’re taking part it would be great if you leave a link so I can take a look at what you’ve chosen. This week I’ve chosen a book that I’m very much looking forward to: What Stalks the Deep by T Kingfisher (the third in the Sworn Soldier series). Here are the two covers:
My favourite this week:
Which is your favourite?
Join me next week in highlighting one of your reads with different covers
Review: Hemlock & Silver by T Kingfisher
14 August 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, Fantasy, Hemlock & Silver, Review, T Kingfisher
My Five Word TL:DR Review: This Author is My Catnip
I simply cannot resist T Kingfisher, I love her writing and she creates such great characters that you really relate to and Hemlock & Silver is no exception.
Let me count the ways in which I couldn’t resist:
Author – oh hell yes
Description – you had me at ‘a dark reimagining of “Snow White” ‘
Writing – beautiful as always
Anja – the central character. She clearly hasn’t heard of the saying ‘curiosity killed the cat’ because her inquisitiveness is off the charts. I love her character, she’s always questioning and she doesn’t balk at taking risks.
So, this is a dark reimagining of Snow White that has a strange and captivating Alice Through the Looking Glass feel (even a, sometimes helpful, other times not so much, cat). I can’t/won’t say more. In terms of the original fairytale and the elements that shine through here. well there are poisonous elements, apples, mirrors, a Queen hellbent on achieving her goals and a touch of Kingfisher-style romance.
As the story begins Anja is visited by the King himself, desperate to find help for his daughter who appears to be slowly dying. Surely she is being poisoned and Anja, following her years of study, does seem like the perfect person to investigate what’s actually going on. Of course, as soon as the would-be poisoner discovers Anja’s purpose she herself will become a target – which is why two guard’s are assigned to look after her at all times.
It seems however that nothing is quite as it seems and this is no simple poisoning. Anja and one of the guards (who definitely becomes a friend and eventually something more) discover a whole new world and as a result find themselves in a good deal of danger.
I really enjoyed this. It was a quick read and full of Kingfisher’s signature dark twists and intoxicating writing. I have my fingers and toes crossed for more fairytale reimaginings in the not so distant future.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 stars.
Books and travelling with Lynn 