"Red in Tooth and Claw" by Lish McBride

 

"Red in Tooth and Claw" by Lish McBride is a captivating Western fantasy following seventeen-year-old Faolan Kelly. I love Westerns and Fantasy; as a child, I watched a lot of Western movies with my pop, just like the author, so the combination of the two stirred my imagination. And let me tell you from the outset, I absolutely LOVED the book.

Faolan Kelly is a young woman raised by her pop as a lad (the reasons are explained later). After he passes away, she keeps her disguise for safety measures, not that it helps her much. The Mayor wants to take over her homestead, so he whisks her away to a remote fort run as a cult by the fanatic religious leader Gideon Dillard (HisBen). A gunslinger named Will is hired to take her there.

At first, the Settlement seems too good to be true. There is plenty of food, Miss Moon (the woman in charge of all the children) is strict but decent, and she even befriends two teenagers, Jesse and Dai Lo. But then, HisBen (Gideon Dillard) starts to show his true colors. Also, there are strange noises during the night. The plot thickens when she meets Tallis and his sister from the Rovers people, and a mangled body is found in the forest. Troubles seem to follow Faolan around, and she has to stay one step ahead of the game to survive.

Wow, the book absolutely blew me away! From the moment I opened this book, I was sucked into the pages. The opening is extremely attention-grabbing, and the story never loses momentum. I loved the Western settings, the detailed, flushed out characters, and the romance. The story is told from Faolan's POV, and what a great character she is! She is outspoken, has a short fuse and smart mouth, she is a redhead after all, rash at times, and one can't help but like her and root for her. Whatever she does, she does with panache.
 
The book may not be hardcore horror, but it does have some horror elements and chilling moments. This is a story about loss and betrayal, family, trust, love, relationships, and friendship. I enjoyed the way the relationship between characters was portrayed with great passion but without being trite.

I also loved the wit, dialogue, and interactions between the characters. The cleverly crafted, versatile main characters endeared themselves to me from the word go. Though it's written for a YA audience, it will appeal to older readers as well, and to anyone who loves fantasy and Western books. The characters, setting, and dialogue are realistic and maintain a genuine Western feel throughout the novel.

If you are looking for something fresh, alive with mystery, mysticism, a strong heroine, and just overall an incredibly well-written and fantastic book, then this book is right down your alley! I loved the message that even strong characters need alliances and friendship to survive. It is written in a way that you will remember these characters, care for them, and root for them. Full stars from me!

* Thank you Edelweiss and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Red in Tooth and Claw" by Lish McBride