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The Witch's Compendium of Monsters #2
Nächte einer Hexe: Das Hexenkompendium der Monster
Kosaras Kampf mit zwölf Hexenschatten – die mitreißende Fortsetzung von Tage einer Hexe
Wenn im Hochsommer Schnee fällt und eine Hexe mit zwei Schatten tot aufgefunden wird, dann stimmt etwas nicht. Der Feuerhexe Kosara wird schlagartig klar, dass die Grenze zwischen dem Reich der Menschen und dem der Monster durchlässig geworden ist …
Kosara hat ihre Magie zurückgewonnen, eigentlich sollte ihr Leben eigentlich wieder ganz normal sein – doch so einfach ist es leider nicht. Sie ist nun zwar im Besitz von zwölf Hexenschatten und das sollte ihr ungeahnte Macht verleihen. Dafür müssten die Hexenschatten aber erstmal auf sie hören. Und dann geschieht auch noch ein neuer Hexenmord. Auf der anderen Seite der Mauer, in Belograd, verfolgt Inspektor Asen Bacharow eine einzige Spur, die zu dem Schmugglerboss Konstantin Karaiwanow führt und direkt zurück nach Chernograd. Dort geschehen unheimliche Dinge und es werden Monster, die eigentlich nur in den Tagen nach Neujahr auftauchen dürften, gesichtet. Und Kosara ist sich sicher, dass sie Schuld an der sich anbahnenden Katastrophe trägt. Ein neues Abenteuer beginnt …
»Ein mitreißender Abschluss […] Fans von Dimovas Debüt werden von der Fortsetzung begeistert sein.« Booklist
Wenn im Hochsommer Schnee fällt und eine Hexe mit zwei Schatten tot aufgefunden wird, dann stimmt etwas nicht. Der Feuerhexe Kosara wird schlagartig klar, dass die Grenze zwischen dem Reich der Menschen und dem der Monster durchlässig geworden ist …
Kosara hat ihre Magie zurückgewonnen, eigentlich sollte ihr Leben eigentlich wieder ganz normal sein – doch so einfach ist es leider nicht. Sie ist nun zwar im Besitz von zwölf Hexenschatten und das sollte ihr ungeahnte Macht verleihen. Dafür müssten die Hexenschatten aber erstmal auf sie hören. Und dann geschieht auch noch ein neuer Hexenmord. Auf der anderen Seite der Mauer, in Belograd, verfolgt Inspektor Asen Bacharow eine einzige Spur, die zu dem Schmugglerboss Konstantin Karaiwanow führt und direkt zurück nach Chernograd. Dort geschehen unheimliche Dinge und es werden Monster, die eigentlich nur in den Tagen nach Neujahr auftauchen dürften, gesichtet. Und Kosara ist sich sicher, dass sie Schuld an der sich anbahnenden Katastrophe trägt. Ein neues Abenteuer beginnt …
»Ein mitreißender Abschluss […] Fans von Dimovas Debüt werden von der Fortsetzung begeistert sein.« Booklist
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2024
About the author
Genoveva Dimova
7 books494 followersGenoveva Dimova is a Bulgarian fantasy author and archaeologist based in Scotland. Her debut novel inspired by Bulgarian folklore, Foul Days, came out in June 2024, and the sequel, Monstrous Nights followed in October 2024. Her next novel, The Travelling Museum of Witchcraft will be released in 2027. When she’s not writing, she likes to explore old ruins, climb even older hills, and listen to practically ancient rock music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
May 17, 2024
this series is just: two people trying to hang out, rest, read some romance novels, and continue to deny their feelings for each other, but they keep getting interrupted by the most absurd things imaginable
honestly a banger of a duology 10/10
Read my review here
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honestly a banger of a duology 10/10
Read my review here
Follow me on Instagram
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September 12, 2024With a little over a month until Monstrous Nights comes out, I thought I should tell you a bit more about it.
While Foul Days was inspired by the early years after the Berlin Wall was built, Monstrous Nights is a very loose interpretation of the time of it falling—but with added magic and, of course, a tonne of monsters. I grew up in the 1990s when my native Bulgaria was opening up to the world for the first time in 40 years, and I clearly remember the turbulence of those times, as we were trying to rebuild our society from the ground up. Another thing I remember, however, is the hope that something better is finally coming – and the freedom, as Western movies, music, and books became widely available. My parents quickly filled our home library with anything and everything, from romance novels with Fabio on the cover to thrillers about aliens kidnapping the American president. Mostly, however, they filled it with fantasy. This was when my love of reading was born.
Monstrous Nights is a book about how there are no simple solutions to complex problems, about how someone can be a hero one minute and become a monster the next—but mostly, it’s about hope.
Welcome back to Chernograd!
As usual, please find the content warnings hidden in the spoiler below:
While Foul Days was inspired by the early years after the Berlin Wall was built, Monstrous Nights is a very loose interpretation of the time of it falling—but with added magic and, of course, a tonne of monsters. I grew up in the 1990s when my native Bulgaria was opening up to the world for the first time in 40 years, and I clearly remember the turbulence of those times, as we were trying to rebuild our society from the ground up. Another thing I remember, however, is the hope that something better is finally coming – and the freedom, as Western movies, music, and books became widely available. My parents quickly filled our home library with anything and everything, from romance novels with Fabio on the cover to thrillers about aliens kidnapping the American president. Mostly, however, they filled it with fantasy. This was when my love of reading was born.
Monstrous Nights is a book about how there are no simple solutions to complex problems, about how someone can be a hero one minute and become a monster the next—but mostly, it’s about hope.
Welcome back to Chernograd!
As usual, please find the content warnings hidden in the spoiler below:
August 30, 2024
Actual rating: 4.99587989648 stars.
unwilling camaraderie in this book! So much reluctant bonding over spilled intestines (dinner is served!)! So many severed heads and ripped-off hearts! There’s a whole bunch of cute, fluffy pets, too! (What do you mean, monsters from Slavic folklore aren’t cute and fluffy? They’re the most adorable bunch ever! It’s not because a cockerel is dubbed the “great harbinger of plague and death” that it’s necessarily evil, you know. So please keep an open mind and don’t be so prejudiced and stuff!) So many murders and deadly dead bodies as well! This really is one of the most heartwarming tales ever!
I’m not even kidding, you know. This book really is despicably cozy despite the death toll and the dark stuff and thedelightfully slightly gory stuff. It’s because of all the thermal underwear if you ask me. It makes you feel warm and comfy despite the sometimes dire challenging circumstances. Oh, and the purring cat ghost probably helps, too. So does the greatest book club ever (smut-reading werewolves varkolaks who get smashed regularly? Count me in!). And let’s not forget to mention the fastest giant cauldron in the history of the West (when it doesn’t fail to take off because of an engine failure, that is). Now if that doesn’t scream Super Extra Cozy (SEC™) to you then you better stick to Anne of Green Gables methinks.
TL;DR: Thisbook duology in a nutshell? A pretty shrimping fantastic world, a scrumptious cast of characters, super cool shadows, a delicious array of lovely monsters, lots of hahahaha, quite a bit of EW, and a house on chicken feet (👋waves at Baba Yaga👋) that kicks serious butt.
· Book 1: Foul Days ★★★★★
· Book 1.5: Ace Up Her Sleeve ★★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
⚠️ Watch out, all-caps incoming.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS A DUOLOGY??!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE WON'T BE A SEQUEL??!! GENOVENA DIMOVA, WE NEED TO TALK.
➽ Review to come and stuff.
“We’re all in this together, tangled like a pig’s intestines.”So much
I’m not even kidding, you know. This book really is despicably cozy despite the death toll and the dark stuff and the
TL;DR: This
· Book 1: Foul Days ★★★★★
· Book 1.5: Ace Up Her Sleeve ★★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
⚠️ Watch out, all-caps incoming.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS A DUOLOGY??!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE WON'T BE A SEQUEL??!! GENOVENA DIMOVA, WE NEED TO TALK.
➽ Review to come and stuff.
January 20, 2025
It's only been like a month since I've read Foul Days, but it seems like I've fallen out of love with this series rather quickly...
June 12, 2025
Every time I sat down with Monstrous Nights, I relaxed. Just like in Foul Days, Dimova delivers a totally immersive and punch story of characters who I could follow forever. Her witch is put-upon and lovable, and her former detective is more conflicted than ever. A dynamic like ill-they/won't-they doesn't usually work on me, but the two are remarkably cute together, and it creates great friction against the sprawling mysteries the witch and copper have to chase down.
Ultimately, Monstrous Nights is tremendous fun. It ends the two-book story well, and I can't wait for whatever Dimova writes next.
Note: I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
Ultimately, Monstrous Nights is tremendous fun. It ends the two-book story well, and I can't wait for whatever Dimova writes next.
Note: I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
October 30, 2024
4.5 stars / What a fantastic sequel and a great ending to this duology! It was just as fun as the first book; I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out. If you enjoyed Foul days, you’re in for a treat. This sequel keeps the excitement and heart going strong.
One of the things I loved most was how well the characters evolved this time around. Both Asen and Kosara had great arcs. It felt really rewarding to see them grow. Kosara, especially, stood out to me. The trauma from her time with the Zmey still haunts her, but in this book, we see how that darkness impacts her in more meaningful ways. However, I did wish Dimova had given more direct acknowledgment to the amount of abuse Kosara endured. Still, Kosara's decisions at the end of the book felt earned and organic, full-circle.
The monster hunting part was just as strong and entertaining as before. Dimova has a way of making those scenes thrilling yet effortlessly fun. The book felt like it read itself—easy, fun, and surprisingly touching at times. Considering the heavier subjects it brushes against and the overall setting (Slavic folklore is usually not full of happy-sunshine-moments), it could have easily gone darker. But the author kept the tone light, which I found refreshing, especially after binging a lot of grimdark fantasy recently.
Overall, Monstrous Nights delivered exactly what I wanted. Highly recommend this duology!
One of the things I loved most was how well the characters evolved this time around. Both Asen and Kosara had great arcs. It felt really rewarding to see them grow. Kosara, especially, stood out to me. The trauma from her time with the Zmey still haunts her, but in this book, we see how that darkness impacts her in more meaningful ways. However, I did wish Dimova had given more direct acknowledgment to the amount of abuse Kosara endured. Still, Kosara's decisions at the end of the book felt earned and organic, full-circle.
The monster hunting part was just as strong and entertaining as before. Dimova has a way of making those scenes thrilling yet effortlessly fun. The book felt like it read itself—easy, fun, and surprisingly touching at times. Considering the heavier subjects it brushes against and the overall setting (Slavic folklore is usually not full of happy-sunshine-moments), it could have easily gone darker. But the author kept the tone light, which I found refreshing, especially after binging a lot of grimdark fantasy recently.
Overall, Monstrous Nights delivered exactly what I wanted. Highly recommend this duology!
May 17, 2024
She nailed the sequel *so* hard. Full review to come, thank you Tor for the e-ARC (also can we just give me a round of applause because I am FINALLY getting Tor ARCs cause I FINALLY got through to them?)
December 1, 2025
While I enjoyed the fisrt book same can't be said for sequel. Just so boring.
December 21, 2024
3 ⭐️
This was quite a disappointment for me because I really had quite a good time with book 1, and book 2 was a step down in almost every way which was a huge bummer. I feel like if we had adjusted some things and combined these two stories into a standalone it would have worked better for me because the stakes really feel like they were significantly lessened for the majority of this second and concluding installment. That mixed with some significant hand waving in the lore and worldbuilding just left me a little wanting. This is not a bad duology by any means, if you want a campy monster-filled romp with some creatures from Eastern European folklore this duology might work really well for you!
This was quite a disappointment for me because I really had quite a good time with book 1, and book 2 was a step down in almost every way which was a huge bummer. I feel like if we had adjusted some things and combined these two stories into a standalone it would have worked better for me because the stakes really feel like they were significantly lessened for the majority of this second and concluding installment. That mixed with some significant hand waving in the lore and worldbuilding just left me a little wanting. This is not a bad duology by any means, if you want a campy monster-filled romp with some creatures from Eastern European folklore this duology might work really well for you!
December 25, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Monstrous Nights is the second instalment on the dark fantasy series The Witch's Compendium to Monsters, written by Genoveva Dimova, published by Tor. An excellent sequel to Foul Days which plays with the world and the consequences of the changes that already happened in the prequel, two cities that are suffering the shock of two cultures merging after the Wall fall, and in the middle of all, our two characters, Kosara and Asen, six months later.
Kosara has returned to her position in Chernograd, after defeating the Zmey, and with her twelve shadows; but the memories of her story with the Zmey are still haunting her. A witch with two shadows appeared dead, monsters are being sighted outside of the Foul Days and Kosara sees cracks in the sky; the barrier between worlds is breaking and Kosara will have to repair it before the monsters invade this world.
Asen continues chasing the last lead in a case of several witches murdered, against the orders of his superior and the mayor; he's convinced that Karainov is involved, and his investigation takes him back to Chernograd, where his path will eventually get interwoven with Kosara's one, restarting the relationship between both while they try to save the cities from the monsters that are threatening their unaware citizens.
While the plot takes a bit more to pick than in the prequel, I personally enjoyed how much growth there's in everything shown in Monstrous Nights: from the cities that are experiencing a cultural shock, with a certain rise of xenofobia and extremism, the own characters, and even the own mythology, as more details about the Zmey and the monsters are explained. The relationship between Kosara and Asen is delicious, even if they get angry sometimes because both are strong characters, but eventually you almost get a cozy feeling from this book (if you ignore the murders, the monsters and the darkness, there's space for laugh and heartwarming moments).
Both cities have changed after what happened during Foul Days, and we can see how greed is also driving the actions of some of the characters, aiming to restore the Wall and keep both cities separated. More monsters inspired in Slavic folklore appear, but Dimova also makes an excellent job of humanizing some of the creatures, going far from the mindless beast idea; in general, Monstrous Nights is more, all built on the foundations of Foul Days.
I loved each single page on the whole duology; if you are looking for a Slavic inspired dark fantasy that also drinks of its story, The Witch's Compendium to Monsters is the perfect election for you. Monstrous Nights is the culmination it needed, but personally, I would love returning to Chernograd at some point!
Monstrous Nights is the second instalment on the dark fantasy series The Witch's Compendium to Monsters, written by Genoveva Dimova, published by Tor. An excellent sequel to Foul Days which plays with the world and the consequences of the changes that already happened in the prequel, two cities that are suffering the shock of two cultures merging after the Wall fall, and in the middle of all, our two characters, Kosara and Asen, six months later.
Kosara has returned to her position in Chernograd, after defeating the Zmey, and with her twelve shadows; but the memories of her story with the Zmey are still haunting her. A witch with two shadows appeared dead, monsters are being sighted outside of the Foul Days and Kosara sees cracks in the sky; the barrier between worlds is breaking and Kosara will have to repair it before the monsters invade this world.
Asen continues chasing the last lead in a case of several witches murdered, against the orders of his superior and the mayor; he's convinced that Karainov is involved, and his investigation takes him back to Chernograd, where his path will eventually get interwoven with Kosara's one, restarting the relationship between both while they try to save the cities from the monsters that are threatening their unaware citizens.
While the plot takes a bit more to pick than in the prequel, I personally enjoyed how much growth there's in everything shown in Monstrous Nights: from the cities that are experiencing a cultural shock, with a certain rise of xenofobia and extremism, the own characters, and even the own mythology, as more details about the Zmey and the monsters are explained. The relationship between Kosara and Asen is delicious, even if they get angry sometimes because both are strong characters, but eventually you almost get a cozy feeling from this book (if you ignore the murders, the monsters and the darkness, there's space for laugh and heartwarming moments).
Both cities have changed after what happened during Foul Days, and we can see how greed is also driving the actions of some of the characters, aiming to restore the Wall and keep both cities separated. More monsters inspired in Slavic folklore appear, but Dimova also makes an excellent job of humanizing some of the creatures, going far from the mindless beast idea; in general, Monstrous Nights is more, all built on the foundations of Foul Days.
I loved each single page on the whole duology; if you are looking for a Slavic inspired dark fantasy that also drinks of its story, The Witch's Compendium to Monsters is the perfect election for you. Monstrous Nights is the culmination it needed, but personally, I would love returning to Chernograd at some point!
November 25, 2024
Audiobook (12 hours) narrated by Tim Campbell, and Zura Johnson
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
The narration and audio were good without issues.
Zura Johnson was especially creative with her tones and voices to match the scenes, making the audiobook version especially enjoyable.
Monstrous Nights is the second book of The Witches Compendium of Monsters duology, the first book Foul Days having been published earlier this year.
This book started out a bit slower than the first, but it didn't take long to pick up and come back into the same tone, revisiting Kosara in her witchy life living in a monsterous world, as in a world filled with monsters.
The adventures and side characters were different, however all of the excitement and entertainment of the first book carried over. This was a great addition to the story.
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
The narration and audio were good without issues.
Zura Johnson was especially creative with her tones and voices to match the scenes, making the audiobook version especially enjoyable.
Monstrous Nights is the second book of The Witches Compendium of Monsters duology, the first book Foul Days having been published earlier this year.
This book started out a bit slower than the first, but it didn't take long to pick up and come back into the same tone, revisiting Kosara in her witchy life living in a monsterous world, as in a world filled with monsters.
The adventures and side characters were different, however all of the excitement and entertainment of the first book carried over. This was a great addition to the story.
December 23, 2024
I adored this duology! I really liked the first book, but enjoyed this one just a little more. I think the pacing was better. The subtle humor in this was right up my alley.
For being endearing and heartwarming, it was still full of doom, gloom, and blood 😂
I loved the plot. I loved the characters. The magic and monsters were also super interesting. I wish there was another book!
For being endearing and heartwarming, it was still full of doom, gloom, and blood 😂
I loved the plot. I loved the characters. The magic and monsters were also super interesting. I wish there was another book!
August 13, 2026
Също толкова добра, колкото беше "Мръсни дни". Че даже и повече.
Ама може ли толкова да си приличаме с Косара, чак е светотатство!
Ще се препрочита някой ден при всички положения.
Ама може ли толкова да си приличаме с Косара, чак е светотатство!
Ще се препрочита някой ден при всички положения.
December 7, 2024
Yes, this is exactly how I like my witchy tales – full of magic, curses, ghosts and murder.
Oh, and don’t forget idiots-in-love, please- I need that yearning in romantasy.
Also- can you give it some mythology-ish vibes please? I never exhaust of houses with chicken legs.
This may not be high fantasy- but its world building is clever and I’m smitten over it.
I don’t know 100% what I would compare this to, because it felt pretty unique. I legit can’t wait to see what Dimova dreams up next for us to gobble up.
To the person responsible for adding the male narrator to book 2, please give them a raise. 🥰
4.5/5
Oh, and don’t forget idiots-in-love, please- I need that yearning in romantasy.
Also- can you give it some mythology-ish vibes please? I never exhaust of houses with chicken legs.
This may not be high fantasy- but its world building is clever and I’m smitten over it.
I don’t know 100% what I would compare this to, because it felt pretty unique. I legit can’t wait to see what Dimova dreams up next for us to gobble up.
To the person responsible for adding the male narrator to book 2, please give them a raise. 🥰
4.5/5
Did Not Finish
November 30, 2024Enjoyed the first book so much but this one just isn’t giving me any buzz
January 11, 2026
Много дълго чаках „Страшни нощи“ да излезе на български. Исках да чета за българския фолклор на родния си език – с думите, ритъма и атмосферата, които ми звучат най-истински. Може би точно заради това очакванията ми бяха толкова високи.
След „Мръсни дни“ обаче тази книга не успя да ме докосне по същия начин. В началото четях бавно и без нетърпение – първата половина ми се стори протяжна и някак без нужната динамика. Липсваше ми онова напрежение и мрак, които ме държаха будна при първата книга.
Някъде по средата историята най-после започна да ме печели. Сюжетът стана по-плътен, атмосферата се сгъсти и започнах да усещам онова познато чувство на тревога и любопитство, заради което харесвам подобни истории.
В крайна сметка „Страшни нощи“ не е лоша книга, просто не беше моята книга така, както „Мръсни дни“. Оставам с леко разочарование, но и с уважение към идеята и към начина, по който българският фолклор оживява на страниците.
След „Мръсни дни“ обаче тази книга не успя да ме докосне по същия начин. В началото четях бавно и без нетърпение – първата половина ми се стори протяжна и някак без нужната динамика. Липсваше ми онова напрежение и мрак, които ме държаха будна при първата книга.
Някъде по средата историята най-после започна да ме печели. Сюжетът стана по-плътен, атмосферата се сгъсти и започнах да усещам онова познато чувство на тревога и любопитство, заради което харесвам подобни истории.
В крайна сметка „Страшни нощи“ не е лоша книга, просто не беше моята книга така, както „Мръсни дни“. Оставам с леко разочарование, но и с уважение към идеята и към начина, по който българският фолклор оживява на страниците.
November 15, 2024
A great conclusion to this Balkan folklore-based fantasy duology. It was awesome returning to this strange world.
May 7, 2025
4.75
What other people read: love interest doesn’t fit the bill.
What I read: the fmc’s constant battle with herself and letting whats right prevail, even at a cost. She never let her feelings get in the way of her decisions.
It was funny, lots of ups and downs, also a deeper dive into the lore that I truly enjoyed in book 1.
What other people read: love interest doesn’t fit the bill.
What I read: the fmc’s constant battle with herself and letting whats right prevail, even at a cost. She never let her feelings get in the way of her decisions.
It was funny, lots of ups and downs, also a deeper dive into the lore that I truly enjoyed in book 1.
May 14, 2024
E-arc provided by Edelweiss.
I couldn’t download this fast enough! After thoroughly enjoying Foul Days, I’ve been clamoring to get my greedy little bookseller hands on the sequel. It was utterly delightful, full of the same vivid and gritty worldbuilding, delightfully flawed and entertaining characters, and absolute charm. Genoveva Dimova has a fan in me for life.
I couldn’t download this fast enough! After thoroughly enjoying Foul Days, I’ve been clamoring to get my greedy little bookseller hands on the sequel. It was utterly delightful, full of the same vivid and gritty worldbuilding, delightfully flawed and entertaining characters, and absolute charm. Genoveva Dimova has a fan in me for life.
September 5, 2024
3.25 stars
🎧Audiobook🎧 is well-narrated.
OK. First-off, I absolutely loved the first book in this series! The world-building is creative, detailed and so well thought-out. In the first book, I found the characters truly likeable and they pulled on my heart-strings. I dashed through every adventure with them, hoping desperately for a solid (if not truly happy) ending. And though I had only read/reviewed *Foul Days* only ~6 months ago, I reread and re-enjoyed that book before beginning this second installation.
I was SO EXCITED to read this second book by Genoveva Dimova, until.......
The shift from a one-person to two-person viewpoint probably could have worked well in this book - if it wasn't THESE two characters!! Not only did the witch completely lose all of the personal development that she gained in the first book, but now the cop (whose viewpoint we see for the first time in the second book) is just as self-conscious, un-confident and whiny as she had been and now reverts to. I swear that the amount of adventure fades for the first half of this book, only to make way for an onslaught of "I will never be enough", "I'm so stupid" and "There is zero chance that they return my feelings" - from both of them. Honestly, it went on long enough to ruin my love for this series!
I'm glad that I didn't completely give up on reading this audiobook, as things did sort-of pick up in the last half or third. The magic gets more complex, as do the consequences. The reasons that I loved the first book somewhat faded back into the fold. That said, it wasn't a true redemption.
I know from experience that healing and personal growth are cyclical, but both of these characters lost both that and any pull on my heart-strings as they whined their way through the first half of the book. Any balance that may have been an illusion due to the one-person viewpoint disappears. And it created my perception that neither of these people were even mature enough to maintain any kind of relationship whatsoever. Basically taking what I perceived to be more of an adult first book, and reverting the second into the kind of popular romantasy and YA that I thoroughly avoid.
There are so very few fantasy and sci.fi books these days that don't centre on romance, and I was so disappointed to see this series and this author be affected by the market in this way. Let's ditch the washing of all stories with romance to make them sell, and let fantasy and sci.fi maintain adventures, with a possible side of relationships rather than being complete overtaken.
Huge gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for an Audio-ARC of this book, in exchange for my (probably too) honest review. I really WAS so thrilled to receive this audiobook!!
🎧Audiobook🎧 is well-narrated.
OK. First-off, I absolutely loved the first book in this series! The world-building is creative, detailed and so well thought-out. In the first book, I found the characters truly likeable and they pulled on my heart-strings. I dashed through every adventure with them, hoping desperately for a solid (if not truly happy) ending. And though I had only read/reviewed *Foul Days* only ~6 months ago, I reread and re-enjoyed that book before beginning this second installation.
I was SO EXCITED to read this second book by Genoveva Dimova, until.......
The shift from a one-person to two-person viewpoint probably could have worked well in this book - if it wasn't THESE two characters!! Not only did the witch completely lose all of the personal development that she gained in the first book, but now the cop (whose viewpoint we see for the first time in the second book) is just as self-conscious, un-confident and whiny as she had been and now reverts to. I swear that the amount of adventure fades for the first half of this book, only to make way for an onslaught of "I will never be enough", "I'm so stupid" and "There is zero chance that they return my feelings" - from both of them. Honestly, it went on long enough to ruin my love for this series!
I'm glad that I didn't completely give up on reading this audiobook, as things did sort-of pick up in the last half or third. The magic gets more complex, as do the consequences. The reasons that I loved the first book somewhat faded back into the fold. That said, it wasn't a true redemption.
I know from experience that healing and personal growth are cyclical, but both of these characters lost both that and any pull on my heart-strings as they whined their way through the first half of the book. Any balance that may have been an illusion due to the one-person viewpoint disappears. And it created my perception that neither of these people were even mature enough to maintain any kind of relationship whatsoever. Basically taking what I perceived to be more of an adult first book, and reverting the second into the kind of popular romantasy and YA that I thoroughly avoid.
There are so very few fantasy and sci.fi books these days that don't centre on romance, and I was so disappointed to see this series and this author be affected by the market in this way. Let's ditch the washing of all stories with romance to make them sell, and let fantasy and sci.fi maintain adventures, with a possible side of relationships rather than being complete overtaken.
Huge gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for an Audio-ARC of this book, in exchange for my (probably too) honest review. I really WAS so thrilled to receive this audiobook!!
November 15, 2024
Welcome to the conclusion to "The Witch's Compedium".
While I felt a part of the character evolution got lost in the unrelending romantic uncertainty, constant self doubt and lack of mature communication, I still had a pleasant reading time.
I got some glimpses of the author's love for the Eastern European folklore, customs and traditions and I appreciate all the work she put behind this duollogy.
Genoveva Dimova is a promising Fantasy writer who's works I will continue to read in the future.
While I felt a part of the character evolution got lost in the unrelending romantic uncertainty, constant self doubt and lack of mature communication, I still had a pleasant reading time.
I got some glimpses of the author's love for the Eastern European folklore, customs and traditions and I appreciate all the work she put behind this duollogy.
Genoveva Dimova is a promising Fantasy writer who's works I will continue to read in the future.
October 22, 2024
When it comes to saving the world, you can’t just leave a job half-finished. Half-measures just won’t cut it.
Foul Days, the first half of this duology, was an intriguing surprise from debut author Genoveva Dimova earlier this year. I remarked at the time that it felt like a lot of brilliant ideas that hadn’t been brought together so smoothly but that I was very interested in reading Monstrous Nights because I really wanted to see where the story was going because I truly think Dimova is fabulously talented and very creative. Foul Days was just a bit rough.
You can see in Monstrous Nights that some of that roughness has been smoothed out. There are still some issues with character consistency and there are times when I felt like both of our main characters were being far too melodramatic for both their ages and constitutions, but since the machinery of this book was oiled so well and a lot of the unevenness from the first book seems to have been ironed out in this second half it made that issue much easier to brush away in favor of enjoying the world and story.
I really enjoyed this duology as a whole, especially when it came to worldbuilding, the variety of monsters pulled from Balkan folklore, and the creative ways they are used in the story. It was all really refreshing material that you don’t see much of and I really wish there were more authors out there writing fantastic stories about the lesser-known mythologies.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/Urban Fantasy
Foul Days, the first half of this duology, was an intriguing surprise from debut author Genoveva Dimova earlier this year. I remarked at the time that it felt like a lot of brilliant ideas that hadn’t been brought together so smoothly but that I was very interested in reading Monstrous Nights because I really wanted to see where the story was going because I truly think Dimova is fabulously talented and very creative. Foul Days was just a bit rough.
You can see in Monstrous Nights that some of that roughness has been smoothed out. There are still some issues with character consistency and there are times when I felt like both of our main characters were being far too melodramatic for both their ages and constitutions, but since the machinery of this book was oiled so well and a lot of the unevenness from the first book seems to have been ironed out in this second half it made that issue much easier to brush away in favor of enjoying the world and story.
I really enjoyed this duology as a whole, especially when it came to worldbuilding, the variety of monsters pulled from Balkan folklore, and the creative ways they are used in the story. It was all really refreshing material that you don’t see much of and I really wish there were more authors out there writing fantastic stories about the lesser-known mythologies.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/Urban Fantasy
January 6, 2026
Une conclusion trés satisfaisante. On retrouve nos deux protagonistes face à leur fantômes ainsi qu'une nouvelle enquête qui lève les dernière interrogations concernant l'univers. C'est une romantasy très additive avec un world building riche pour une duologie et des plot twist que je n'ai pas vu venir. Franchement rien à redire il correspond tout à fait à mes attentes.
October 30, 2024
A satisfying conclusion to a rather stellar, underrated Duology.
(Detailed review to come)
(Detailed review to come)
October 7, 2025
3.5. Perfect fun little witchy spewky book for spewky szn
September 7, 2024
Narrated by Tim Campbell; Zura Johnson
Genre: Slavic inspired fantasy
Six months ago, during the Foul Days (at the New Year when the Chernogradians hunker down inside with their vodka for a couple of weeks indoors while the monsters stalk their streets), witch Kosara and detective Asen trapped the Zmey, the terrible dragon-man monster, in the Wall that separates Chernograd and Belograd. The Wall is designed now to let humans through, but not monsters. Things should be relatively peaceful in Chernograd, but a cool summer and the creeping presence of monsters out of season have Kosara on alert for an early Foul Days.
For Kosara, a witch from Chernograd, the monsters are a part of her daily life: she ignores some and keeps a healthy distance from others, but also fosters relationships with her household spirits. Asen, the detective from Belograd, is still not used to the monsters, as the Wall has kept them away from his regular life, and to be honest, he’s still reeling from his first Chernogradian experience. But when something happens in Belograd, he knows Kosara is the only person he can turn to. (For my romance readers, there is just enough of a romantic thread between Kosara and Asen to hook you!) The character development while both Kosara and Asen sort out their pasts and try to navigate a future balances out a plot filled with monsters and peril.
I’m really impressed by the scope of this fantasy duology. I love Slavic folklore, and Dimova sets a strong, creepy, dark tone that makes you feel as if you should be reading this during a cold and stormy night, or with a glass of vodka in hand. The worldbuilding evokes an atmospheric setting of hard times with a dash of hope, common in Slavic tales. I, of course, cheered for the house on chicken legs, but also love that Dimova uses a huge range of the monsters (with a very helpful “Practical Guide to Monsters” in the back).
The audiobook is a dual narration by Tim Campbell and Zura Johnson, which is interesting because the first book is narrated only by Zura Johnson, and Foul Days is primarily Kosara’s perspective, whereas we get Asen’s perspective in this one as well. I highly recommend the audiobooks, but also recommend reading along with your eyes for the rich worldbuilding.
I can’t recommend this debut duology highly enough to readers who want a darker fantasy laced with Eastern European vibes and a touch of romance.
Thank you to Tor and MacMillan for the eARC and ALC for review. Foul Days is out now, so get started on it. Monstrous Nights is out 10/22/24, and is perfect as the weather starts to change again.
Genre: Slavic inspired fantasy
Six months ago, during the Foul Days (at the New Year when the Chernogradians hunker down inside with their vodka for a couple of weeks indoors while the monsters stalk their streets), witch Kosara and detective Asen trapped the Zmey, the terrible dragon-man monster, in the Wall that separates Chernograd and Belograd. The Wall is designed now to let humans through, but not monsters. Things should be relatively peaceful in Chernograd, but a cool summer and the creeping presence of monsters out of season have Kosara on alert for an early Foul Days.
For Kosara, a witch from Chernograd, the monsters are a part of her daily life: she ignores some and keeps a healthy distance from others, but also fosters relationships with her household spirits. Asen, the detective from Belograd, is still not used to the monsters, as the Wall has kept them away from his regular life, and to be honest, he’s still reeling from his first Chernogradian experience. But when something happens in Belograd, he knows Kosara is the only person he can turn to. (For my romance readers, there is just enough of a romantic thread between Kosara and Asen to hook you!) The character development while both Kosara and Asen sort out their pasts and try to navigate a future balances out a plot filled with monsters and peril.
I’m really impressed by the scope of this fantasy duology. I love Slavic folklore, and Dimova sets a strong, creepy, dark tone that makes you feel as if you should be reading this during a cold and stormy night, or with a glass of vodka in hand. The worldbuilding evokes an atmospheric setting of hard times with a dash of hope, common in Slavic tales. I, of course, cheered for the house on chicken legs, but also love that Dimova uses a huge range of the monsters (with a very helpful “Practical Guide to Monsters” in the back).
The audiobook is a dual narration by Tim Campbell and Zura Johnson, which is interesting because the first book is narrated only by Zura Johnson, and Foul Days is primarily Kosara’s perspective, whereas we get Asen’s perspective in this one as well. I highly recommend the audiobooks, but also recommend reading along with your eyes for the rich worldbuilding.
I can’t recommend this debut duology highly enough to readers who want a darker fantasy laced with Eastern European vibes and a touch of romance.
Thank you to Tor and MacMillan for the eARC and ALC for review. Foul Days is out now, so get started on it. Monstrous Nights is out 10/22/24, and is perfect as the weather starts to change again.
November 10, 2024
there's only so much stupidity i can take before it makes me frustrated (rtc, maybe)
September 25, 2026
Hmmm...
I'm not sure about this one.
I started with enthusiasm which just petered out the longer I read. In the end, I finished it just to finish it.
A few points I felt were weak:
- the pacing: the big "fight" happens like an afterthought, the plot feels like a checklist moving from point to point with little room to breath or steep in the atmosphere. It was actually quite boring despite being fast paced. Big plottwists? We don't have any room to actually feel the impact, we just move on and they become one of the many plot points we just glance over. Which is probably because of the next point:
- the distance to the characters: I did not feel with them as much as I feel I should. For example: We get a really gruesome revelation of a character death...and Kosara just thinks: oh, pity. I don't need melodrama from the characters, but I need a little feeling, at least. (There was another big death that also felt empty, though we do at least get some visible mourning, so there is that?)
- the themes: there was some talk of monsters vs humans. About value of life and how we judge what makes a monster. About the privileged of living in Belograd and the judgment of the underprivileged of Chernograd. But in the end, it got so muddled. I don't know what this book wanted to say?
- the characters: Kosara's character development is...lackluster. I feel like the biggest take-away for her was learning to work with others, let other people in and get help. But even that felt so forced upon her (mostly by Asen). It was like flipping a switch from "no, I work alone!" to "ah, yes, I need to work with others" in one scene and that was it. I generally dislike how Kosara is an active character - without actually having much impact on the story. The things she tries all backfire and while it is realistic that not everything goes according to plan - she could have had at least a few wins? To show us that she is actually capable of anything? She gets called the most powerful witch of Chernograd at one point (with her twelfth shadows and all that), but she never actually succeeds in her magic unless it's her standard fire balls? (and even those fail her at times) How is that powerful? (and yes, she does some things with the shadows, but those scenes always seem to progress despite her and not because of her). It often felt like the story forced her actions and not her actions forming the plot, if that makes sense? (which is unfortunate, because Asen, though being a little pitiful throughout the story, actually has a big impact on the story: he is the one who I'm not exactly sure how to feel about this imbalance.
In the end, I liked the idea of the story, but felt no particular enjoyment following it play out. (Even if I really wanted to like it)
I'm not sure about this one.
I started with enthusiasm which just petered out the longer I read. In the end, I finished it just to finish it.
A few points I felt were weak:
- the pacing: the big "fight" happens like an afterthought, the plot feels like a checklist moving from point to point with little room to breath or steep in the atmosphere. It was actually quite boring despite being fast paced. Big plottwists? We don't have any room to actually feel the impact, we just move on and they become one of the many plot points we just glance over. Which is probably because of the next point:
- the distance to the characters: I did not feel with them as much as I feel I should. For example: We get a really gruesome revelation of a character death...and Kosara just thinks: oh, pity. I don't need melodrama from the characters, but I need a little feeling, at least. (There was another big death that also felt empty, though we do at least get some visible mourning, so there is that?)
- the themes: there was some talk of monsters vs humans. About value of life and how we judge what makes a monster. About the privileged of living in Belograd and the judgment of the underprivileged of Chernograd. But in the end, it got so muddled. I don't know what this book wanted to say?
- the characters: Kosara's character development is...lackluster. I feel like the biggest take-away for her was learning to work with others, let other people in and get help. But even that felt so forced upon her (mostly by Asen). It was like flipping a switch from "no, I work alone!" to "ah, yes, I need to work with others" in one scene and that was it. I generally dislike how Kosara is an active character - without actually having much impact on the story. The things she tries all backfire and while it is realistic that not everything goes according to plan - she could have had at least a few wins? To show us that she is actually capable of anything? She gets called the most powerful witch of Chernograd at one point (with her twelfth shadows and all that), but she never actually succeeds in her magic unless it's her standard fire balls? (and even those fail her at times) How is that powerful? (and yes, she does some things with the shadows, but those scenes always seem to progress despite her and not because of her). It often felt like the story forced her actions and not her actions forming the plot, if that makes sense? (which is unfortunate, because Asen, though being a little pitiful throughout the story, actually has a big impact on the story: he is the one who I'm not exactly sure how to feel about this imbalance.
In the end, I liked the idea of the story, but felt no particular enjoyment following it play out. (Even if I really wanted to like it)
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