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InCryptid #8
That Ain't Witchcraft
Now a Hugo-nominated series!
The eighth book in the funny and fast-paced InCryptid urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world of magical creatures living in secret among humans.
Crossroads, noun:
1. A place where two roads cross.
2. A place where bargains can be made.
3. See also “places to avoid.”
Antimony Price has never done well without a support system. As the youngest of her generation, she has always been able to depend on her parents, siblings, and cousins to help her out when she’s in a pinch—until now. After fleeing from the Covenant of St. George, she’s found herself in debt to the crossroads and running for her life. No family. No mice. No way out.
Lucky for her, she’s always been resourceful, and she’s been gathering allies as she travels: Sam, fūri trapeze artist turned boyfriend; Cylia, jink roller derby captain and designated driver; Fern, sylph friend, confidant, and maker of breakfasts; even Mary, ghost babysitter to the Price family. Annie’s actually starting to feel like they might be able to figure things out—which is probably why things start going wrong again.
New Gravesend, Maine is a nice place to raise a family…or make a binding contract with the crossroads. For James Smith, whose best friend disappeared when she tried to do precisely that, it’s also an excellent place to plot revenge. Now the crossroads want him dead and they want Annie to do the dirty deed. She owes them, after all.
And that’s before Leonard Cunningham, aka, “the next leader of the Covenant,” shows up…
It’s going to take everything Annie has and a little bit more to get out of this one. If she succeeds, she gets to go home. If she fails, she becomes one more cautionary tale about the dangers of bargaining with the crossroads.
But no pressure.
The eighth book in the funny and fast-paced InCryptid urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world of magical creatures living in secret among humans.
Crossroads, noun:
1. A place where two roads cross.
2. A place where bargains can be made.
3. See also “places to avoid.”
Antimony Price has never done well without a support system. As the youngest of her generation, she has always been able to depend on her parents, siblings, and cousins to help her out when she’s in a pinch—until now. After fleeing from the Covenant of St. George, she’s found herself in debt to the crossroads and running for her life. No family. No mice. No way out.
Lucky for her, she’s always been resourceful, and she’s been gathering allies as she travels: Sam, fūri trapeze artist turned boyfriend; Cylia, jink roller derby captain and designated driver; Fern, sylph friend, confidant, and maker of breakfasts; even Mary, ghost babysitter to the Price family. Annie’s actually starting to feel like they might be able to figure things out—which is probably why things start going wrong again.
New Gravesend, Maine is a nice place to raise a family…or make a binding contract with the crossroads. For James Smith, whose best friend disappeared when she tried to do precisely that, it’s also an excellent place to plot revenge. Now the crossroads want him dead and they want Annie to do the dirty deed. She owes them, after all.
And that’s before Leonard Cunningham, aka, “the next leader of the Covenant,” shows up…
It’s going to take everything Annie has and a little bit more to get out of this one. If she succeeds, she gets to go home. If she fails, she becomes one more cautionary tale about the dangers of bargaining with the crossroads.
But no pressure.
445 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2019
591 people are currently reading
2008 people want to read
About the author
Seanan McGuire
508 books17.1k followersHi! I'm Seanan McGuire, author of the Toby Daye series (Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses), as well as a lot of other things. I'm also Mira Grant (www.miragrant.com), author of Feed and Deadline.
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 466 reviews
May 8, 2022
Surprisingly fun and a nice return to the attraction the series originally held for me. Snappy dialogue, a tone that nicely balances fun with consequences and an interesting storyline all make for a perfect early-summer read.
"The corn was still moving, shaking and rustling like an entire platoon of creepy kids was hiding on the other side."
After having read the series on-and-off for most of the books over a number of years, I'd say the the strengths in this series are the incryptids, or the non-human species. Many benign, a few not, but all give McGuire a chance to exercise her imagination-brain and come up with scenarios that result in sentences like these:
“Oh, my sweet Lady Luck, can you people get a room?” asked Cylia. “Should you be making out with the monkey while you have your babysitter in your pocket? Because I’m not human, but that feels wrong to me.”
Weakness, at least series-wide, is a certain sameness in voice no matter which sibling is telling the story. In this case, it is Antimony, or Annie, the youngest of the three Price siblings, on the run from the Covenant with her boyfriend and two roller-derby friends, and occasionally guided by a ghost. They end up finding a place to hole up in Maine (home of the Stephen King novel, as is frequently pointed out).
There's a novella from the middle male sibling at the end of this one and it was instrumental in sending my mind down this path. I'd also note that I think that while McGuire can occasionally dream up a twisty plot, she can't always execute it as well particularly in sustaining action sequences, and the contrast between the novel--which was solidly done--and the novella--which was not--was stark.
"The Prices are what they are. They court danger like a lover, and seem surprised when their affections are returned."
Many thanks to Vivian, whose review inspired me to take a second (okay, fourth) look at the series.
"She started the car, and we drove on toward the future, which looked like it might at least have better plumbing than the past."
"The corn was still moving, shaking and rustling like an entire platoon of creepy kids was hiding on the other side."
After having read the series on-and-off for most of the books over a number of years, I'd say the the strengths in this series are the incryptids, or the non-human species. Many benign, a few not, but all give McGuire a chance to exercise her imagination-brain and come up with scenarios that result in sentences like these:
“Oh, my sweet Lady Luck, can you people get a room?” asked Cylia. “Should you be making out with the monkey while you have your babysitter in your pocket? Because I’m not human, but that feels wrong to me.”
Weakness, at least series-wide, is a certain sameness in voice no matter which sibling is telling the story. In this case, it is Antimony, or Annie, the youngest of the three Price siblings, on the run from the Covenant with her boyfriend and two roller-derby friends, and occasionally guided by a ghost. They end up finding a place to hole up in Maine (home of the Stephen King novel, as is frequently pointed out).
There's a novella from the middle male sibling at the end of this one and it was instrumental in sending my mind down this path. I'd also note that I think that while McGuire can occasionally dream up a twisty plot, she can't always execute it as well particularly in sustaining action sequences, and the contrast between the novel--which was solidly done--and the novella--which was not--was stark.
"The Prices are what they are. They court danger like a lover, and seem surprised when their affections are returned."
Many thanks to Vivian, whose review inspired me to take a second (okay, fourth) look at the series.
"She started the car, and we drove on toward the future, which looked like it might at least have better plumbing than the past."
March 5, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seriously, thanks. Because WOW. Seanan is just a master of her craft. She threw some huge curveballs into the storyline in this one and the risks paid off! I'll spoil as little as possible, but I have to say a few things to get my feelings across.
First, I adore Annie and her friends. I'm sad this is the last Antimony book for now. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about Sarah's two books coming up next, but I really like Annie's sarcasm and wit, and I like Sam and Cylia and Fern as well. I'd really like to see when Annie returns home, dragging her ragtag crew behind her. Maybe we'll get to see that one day.
Second, I really like how Seanan has made the Covenant a huge force to be reckoned with but not always the villain of the story. Even when they're not the main bad guy of the story, she reminds us they're there, and is building towards a huge finale in the long run.
Third, I love the world-building. The cryptids, the magic, the ghosts, the crossroads, I just love this world. It's urban fantasy at its best.
One major complaint: I need the Aeslin mice! Luckily in this one, we get to hear a little catechism of the Aeslin mice, even if we don't get to see them.
So if you haven't read this series yet, pick it up. And try to read as many of the shorties in between books as you can because they're all fantastic AND they develop the characters more. If you have read it, then this installment will definitely be worth your wait. :)
HAIL SEANAN, THE PROLIFIC WRITER OF WORDS AND THE STORYTELLING PRIESTESS.
(PS - for everyone who reads the audio book, this one has a short story at the end about Alex/Shelby/Sarah and the Gorgons. It's a MUST READ.)
---
Review to come upon release... but dang, I don't want to wait another year for more Incryptid.
Sarah's up next with Imaginary Numbers.
Seriously, thanks. Because WOW. Seanan is just a master of her craft. She threw some huge curveballs into the storyline in this one and the risks paid off! I'll spoil as little as possible, but I have to say a few things to get my feelings across.
First, I adore Annie and her friends. I'm sad this is the last Antimony book for now. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about Sarah's two books coming up next, but I really like Annie's sarcasm and wit, and I like Sam and Cylia and Fern as well. I'd really like to see when Annie returns home, dragging her ragtag crew behind her. Maybe we'll get to see that one day.
Second, I really like how Seanan has made the Covenant a huge force to be reckoned with but not always the villain of the story. Even when they're not the main bad guy of the story, she reminds us they're there, and is building towards a huge finale in the long run.
Third, I love the world-building. The cryptids, the magic, the ghosts, the crossroads, I just love this world. It's urban fantasy at its best.
One major complaint: I need the Aeslin mice! Luckily in this one, we get to hear a little catechism of the Aeslin mice, even if we don't get to see them.
So if you haven't read this series yet, pick it up. And try to read as many of the shorties in between books as you can because they're all fantastic AND they develop the characters more. If you have read it, then this installment will definitely be worth your wait. :)
HAIL SEANAN, THE PROLIFIC WRITER OF WORDS AND THE STORYTELLING PRIESTESS.
(PS - for everyone who reads the audio book, this one has a short story at the end about Alex/Shelby/Sarah and the Gorgons. It's a MUST READ.)
---
Review to come upon release... but dang, I don't want to wait another year for more Incryptid.
Sarah's up next with Imaginary Numbers.
March 13, 2019
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
4.5 hearts
The thing I really like about the Incryptid series is it follows a uniquely charming/crazy family of Cryptozoologists as they interact with a variety of creatures thought to be mythical. This ranges from things which are super small, like worms and plant life (be careful it might eat you) to loch ness monsters to Gorgons to mice that can speak. Let’s just say the range of creatures is staggering and then there are also the ghosts, did I mention there were ghosts? In That Ain’t Witchcraft, we follow Antimony, the youngest of the Price children, currently on the run and in hiding going up against none other than the entity that is the Crossroad, the thing people make bargains with and essentially end up selling their soul in the process. Sounds cool right, because it totally was.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the last book in this series. The mice were missing and I didn’t really enjoy being stuck at Loweryland (wannabe Disney theme park). But, That Ain’t Witchcraft was fantastic, Antimony and her band of misfit Cryptid’s currently in hiding with her were wonderful and I loved going to a creepy little town out of a Stephan King novel in Maine to battle the Crossroads. It made for a delightful plot I was totally invested in.
⚜ A few of the best things about the InCryptid series: ⚜
1 – All the family history. Each chapter starts with a quote given by someone in the Price family tree. They are so much fun and useful advice. Things like “Don’t look back. You’ll never see anything but what you’re doing your best to leave behind, and you’re a lot more likely to trip and fall down, which gives it another chance to eat you.”
2 – All the creatures. Seriously they aren’t your run of the mill things like Vampires and Werestuff. No, Seanan McGuire is great at giving you unique, sentient creatures like Fern, who is a Sylph that can change her body density from light enough to float away like a balloon, to heavy enough that she can knock you over and sit on you until you calm down and want to behave. Even the stuff you have heard of before gets a great twist to it. Like Unicorns which are really more like a “horrifying creature, bearing less resemblance to a My Little Pony than to a horse that had been sent to the glue factory, murdered everyone it found there, and come looking for revenge.”
3 – The Covenant of Saint George. So you might be wondering why is Antimony in hiding. Well, no story of a family of Cryptozoologists would be complete without a global organization of monster – hunting asshats looking to either kill them or bring them back into the fold since Antimony’s great-great-great grandparents used to belong to the Covenant of Saint George and defected, thinking it was better to save the monsters than kill them without discretion.
4 – The grouping of Stories around one of the Siblings also includes their love story. There is a tradition in the Price family of sending your children out into the world for a little while to “Do Research” this could actually be doing research or more aptly protecting the good, we’re not killing humans cryptids and killing or relocating the eat all the humans Cryptids. Antimony’s two older siblings have already done just that and Verity came home with an ex-Covenant of Saint George operative, while Alex found a lovely Australian equivalent to the Price family. Now it is Antimony’s turn and she is in love with a Fury, he is a little on the Monkeyish side of things but I’m fine with it since Sam is adorable.
5 – Hail The Aeslin Mice. I love the mice; they worship the Price family and each member has their own colony that remembers everything they do for posterity. Think of them as a black box or a sort. They have religious rituals to celebrate just about everything the Prices do and they are fantastic. The mice are missing in this book since Antimony needed to send them back to her family in a prior book BUT they are mentioned and their histories play a vital role on a section of this book. I missed them but also, I was glad to see how big a part they play in the lives of the characters.
Unfortunately I don’t think you can start with That Ain’t Witchcraft. There is a summary of stuff that happened in the prior books but I really think the story won’t read well if you haven’t read all the other main books of the series. Good news is that all of the other books are a lot of fun and you won’t want to miss out on the mice or any of the other creatures so I’d start with Discount Armageddon.
Listen to a clip: HERE
4.5 hearts
The thing I really like about the Incryptid series is it follows a uniquely charming/crazy family of Cryptozoologists as they interact with a variety of creatures thought to be mythical. This ranges from things which are super small, like worms and plant life (be careful it might eat you) to loch ness monsters to Gorgons to mice that can speak. Let’s just say the range of creatures is staggering and then there are also the ghosts, did I mention there were ghosts? In That Ain’t Witchcraft, we follow Antimony, the youngest of the Price children, currently on the run and in hiding going up against none other than the entity that is the Crossroad, the thing people make bargains with and essentially end up selling their soul in the process. Sounds cool right, because it totally was.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the last book in this series. The mice were missing and I didn’t really enjoy being stuck at Loweryland (wannabe Disney theme park). But, That Ain’t Witchcraft was fantastic, Antimony and her band of misfit Cryptid’s currently in hiding with her were wonderful and I loved going to a creepy little town out of a Stephan King novel in Maine to battle the Crossroads. It made for a delightful plot I was totally invested in.
⚜ A few of the best things about the InCryptid series: ⚜
1 – All the family history. Each chapter starts with a quote given by someone in the Price family tree. They are so much fun and useful advice. Things like “Don’t look back. You’ll never see anything but what you’re doing your best to leave behind, and you’re a lot more likely to trip and fall down, which gives it another chance to eat you.”
2 – All the creatures. Seriously they aren’t your run of the mill things like Vampires and Werestuff. No, Seanan McGuire is great at giving you unique, sentient creatures like Fern, who is a Sylph that can change her body density from light enough to float away like a balloon, to heavy enough that she can knock you over and sit on you until you calm down and want to behave. Even the stuff you have heard of before gets a great twist to it. Like Unicorns which are really more like a “horrifying creature, bearing less resemblance to a My Little Pony than to a horse that had been sent to the glue factory, murdered everyone it found there, and come looking for revenge.”
3 – The Covenant of Saint George. So you might be wondering why is Antimony in hiding. Well, no story of a family of Cryptozoologists would be complete without a global organization of monster – hunting asshats looking to either kill them or bring them back into the fold since Antimony’s great-great-great grandparents used to belong to the Covenant of Saint George and defected, thinking it was better to save the monsters than kill them without discretion.
4 – The grouping of Stories around one of the Siblings also includes their love story. There is a tradition in the Price family of sending your children out into the world for a little while to “Do Research” this could actually be doing research or more aptly protecting the good, we’re not killing humans cryptids and killing or relocating the eat all the humans Cryptids. Antimony’s two older siblings have already done just that and Verity came home with an ex-Covenant of Saint George operative, while Alex found a lovely Australian equivalent to the Price family. Now it is Antimony’s turn and she is in love with a Fury, he is a little on the Monkeyish side of things but I’m fine with it since Sam is adorable.
5 – Hail The Aeslin Mice. I love the mice; they worship the Price family and each member has their own colony that remembers everything they do for posterity. Think of them as a black box or a sort. They have religious rituals to celebrate just about everything the Prices do and they are fantastic. The mice are missing in this book since Antimony needed to send them back to her family in a prior book BUT they are mentioned and their histories play a vital role on a section of this book. I missed them but also, I was glad to see how big a part they play in the lives of the characters.
Unfortunately I don’t think you can start with That Ain’t Witchcraft. There is a summary of stuff that happened in the prior books but I really think the story won’t read well if you haven’t read all the other main books of the series. Good news is that all of the other books are a lot of fun and you won’t want to miss out on the mice or any of the other creatures so I’d start with Discount Armageddon.
Listen to a clip: HERE
April 10, 2019
4 + Stars
I love this series. And oooh what an ending. 🖤 Beyond hyped for the next book, I've been looking forward to reading about her and HIM and THEM together *eyebrow waggling* 👀
Eeeeekkkk so excited!!!!
I love this series. And oooh what an ending. 🖤 Beyond hyped for the next book, I've been looking forward to reading about her and HIM and THEM together *eyebrow waggling* 👀
Eeeeekkkk so excited!!!!
May 27, 2023
Re-Read 5/27/23
Muahahahahahaha. That's all. That's my take on the re-read.
Or rather, on retrospect, this is the novel that kinda propelled my appreciation of the worldbuilding from "Oh, this is really good," to "Oh, shit, this is really good."
Original Review:
Antimony had never been my favorite character out of the Price family, but she really grew on me during the circus. What was a bit surprising is how much I'd grow to love her by the end of THIS particular novel.
Magic, crossroads, sorcery, sure. Seanan even has two side novels that tie into this particular series and I happened to enjoy them quite well.
But to see the kind of tapestry that has now been woven after so many apparently one-off novels? This family just keeps landing in it over and over and I truly didn't expect THIS kind of huge ending. Helping people out is kinda their thing, of course, and deals with devils are never easy, but by the end of THIS particular novel, I'm kinda shocked at how *complete* an image we've got. Not just of this Cryptid world, but of its magic system. :)
I'll be honest, I always preferred all of Seanan's other UFs over this series, but now this is getting GOOD.
Muahahahahahaha. That's all. That's my take on the re-read.
Or rather, on retrospect, this is the novel that kinda propelled my appreciation of the worldbuilding from "Oh, this is really good," to "Oh, shit, this is really good."
Original Review:
Antimony had never been my favorite character out of the Price family, but she really grew on me during the circus. What was a bit surprising is how much I'd grow to love her by the end of THIS particular novel.
Magic, crossroads, sorcery, sure. Seanan even has two side novels that tie into this particular series and I happened to enjoy them quite well.
But to see the kind of tapestry that has now been woven after so many apparently one-off novels? This family just keeps landing in it over and over and I truly didn't expect THIS kind of huge ending. Helping people out is kinda their thing, of course, and deals with devils are never easy, but by the end of THIS particular novel, I'm kinda shocked at how *complete* an image we've got. Not just of this Cryptid world, but of its magic system. :)
I'll be honest, I always preferred all of Seanan's other UFs over this series, but now this is getting GOOD.
March 6, 2019
Annie, Sam, Fern and Cylia may have escaped Lowryland with their lives but it came at a high price considering that Annie now owes an unspecified favour to the Crossroads. It doesn't help that Annie is still running from the Covenant of St. George so she can't even turn to her family for help. All the group can do is try to stay ahead of the game, Cylia's luck magic has been playing a big part in keeping them safe but luck will only get them so far and it's only a matter of time before the Covenant catches up with them and the Crossroads calls in it's debts.
I have to confess that I still don't love Annie as much as her siblings but she has really grown on me as we've got to know her better and That Ain't Witchcraft was definitely my favourite of the stories she has narrated. It's no secret that I didn't love the Lowryland setting of the previous book so I really enjoyed seeing the group out in the real world again never quite knowing what they'll come up against next. We get to find out quite a bit more about Annie's magic in this book which I really enjoyed and she definitely has to keep her wits about her when her two biggest enemies come calling at the same time.
I don't want to say too much about what happens but I loved the plot with the Crossroads, we learn so much about them as an entity and the way their magic works which is something I've always been curious about. We also learn more about a certain Covenant operative and their plans for Annie and her friends but you're just going to have to read the book for yourself if you want the juicy details. This story just seemed to have far more action overall than the previous one and it really moved the overall series story arc forward. I'm already desperate to get my hands on the next book to see where things go from here.
This book also includes an extra short story at the end called The Measure of a Monster which is narrated by Alex and features Shelby, Sarah and the Gorgons. Once again Seanan McGuire proves her skill at writing short stories and this was an excellent addition to this world, it was great to catch up with Alex and Shelby, I loved spending more time with the gorgons and it was brilliant to see how Sarah's health is improving. I believe the next couple of full length books will be narrated by Sarah which just has me even more excited.
I have to confess that I still don't love Annie as much as her siblings but she has really grown on me as we've got to know her better and That Ain't Witchcraft was definitely my favourite of the stories she has narrated. It's no secret that I didn't love the Lowryland setting of the previous book so I really enjoyed seeing the group out in the real world again never quite knowing what they'll come up against next. We get to find out quite a bit more about Annie's magic in this book which I really enjoyed and she definitely has to keep her wits about her when her two biggest enemies come calling at the same time.
I don't want to say too much about what happens but I loved the plot with the Crossroads, we learn so much about them as an entity and the way their magic works which is something I've always been curious about. We also learn more about a certain Covenant operative and their plans for Annie and her friends but you're just going to have to read the book for yourself if you want the juicy details. This story just seemed to have far more action overall than the previous one and it really moved the overall series story arc forward. I'm already desperate to get my hands on the next book to see where things go from here.
This book also includes an extra short story at the end called The Measure of a Monster which is narrated by Alex and features Shelby, Sarah and the Gorgons. Once again Seanan McGuire proves her skill at writing short stories and this was an excellent addition to this world, it was great to catch up with Alex and Shelby, I loved spending more time with the gorgons and it was brilliant to see how Sarah's health is improving. I believe the next couple of full length books will be narrated by Sarah which just has me even more excited.
September 22, 2021
More Price family goodness/craziness!
April 1, 2019
A note on the rating: I was going to go with 4 stars, simply because this isn't the best of the best of the InCryptid series. But still, the entire series is terrific, so 5 stars it is!
Seanan McGuire can pretty much do no wrong in my worldview, and That Ain't Witchcraft is a prime example of why. The InCryptid series is relatively light-hearted, although bad things do happen, but overall these books maintain a whimsical, wise-ass feel that keeps the mood more on the fun end of the urban fantasy spectrum.
Eight books in, the series continues to rock and roll. The beauty (or I really should say, one of the beauties) of this series is the focus on the sprawling Price family, which gives the author plenty of characters to share the spotlight from book to book. So far, we've had three books with Verity as the lead, two with Alex, and now three with Antimony, the baby sister of the family. (I understand that the spotlight will be moving to a different family member in book #9 -- I'm already on pins and needles to see what happens next!)
That Ain't Witchcraft continues from the ending of book #7, Tricks For Free, with Antimony and friends on the run from the Covenant, the globally powerful cryptid-hating organization that would also like to track down and annihilate the entire Price clan. Looking for a hideout where they can rest and catch their breaths for a while, Antimony and the gang instead find themselves in a small town with a big problem involving the crossroads, the otherworldy entity that makes bargains that never seem to work out well for the human side.
The writing, as always in Seanan McGuire books, is snappy and snarky and full of pop-culture references and overall geekiness, and I love it all to bits. Random example:
Need I say more? In case it's not perfectly obvious, the 8th book in an ongoing series is NOT the place to start. So, I encourage you to go find a copy of book #1, Discount Armageddon, and dive in. If you're like me, you'll be hooked, and will want to keep going until you've gobbled up all eight books and are panting for more.
InCryptids rule. Check out this series!
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
Merged review:
An InCryptid novella that's included in That Ain't Witchcraft (InCryptid #8). The focus shifts to Alex and Shelby, who are called upon to help rescue a group of kidnapped Gorgon children. It's a fun, engaging story, and it's nice to revisit these characters, since we haven't seen them in a while. And we even get a little bit of the mice, which is always a plus in this series.
Seanan McGuire can pretty much do no wrong in my worldview, and That Ain't Witchcraft is a prime example of why. The InCryptid series is relatively light-hearted, although bad things do happen, but overall these books maintain a whimsical, wise-ass feel that keeps the mood more on the fun end of the urban fantasy spectrum.
Eight books in, the series continues to rock and roll. The beauty (or I really should say, one of the beauties) of this series is the focus on the sprawling Price family, which gives the author plenty of characters to share the spotlight from book to book. So far, we've had three books with Verity as the lead, two with Alex, and now three with Antimony, the baby sister of the family. (I understand that the spotlight will be moving to a different family member in book #9 -- I'm already on pins and needles to see what happens next!)
That Ain't Witchcraft continues from the ending of book #7, Tricks For Free, with Antimony and friends on the run from the Covenant, the globally powerful cryptid-hating organization that would also like to track down and annihilate the entire Price clan. Looking for a hideout where they can rest and catch their breaths for a while, Antimony and the gang instead find themselves in a small town with a big problem involving the crossroads, the otherworldy entity that makes bargains that never seem to work out well for the human side.
The writing, as always in Seanan McGuire books, is snappy and snarky and full of pop-culture references and overall geekiness, and I love it all to bits. Random example:
"He's a delicate boy. He doesn't need some loose woman coming from out of town and getting him all confused."
I blinked. "I... what? I don't know whether to be more offended by you calling James 'delicate' or you calling me 'loose.' I assure you, I am the opposite of a loose woman. I'm a tightly wound, sort of prickly woman. Hermione Granger is my Patronus."
Need I say more? In case it's not perfectly obvious, the 8th book in an ongoing series is NOT the place to start. So, I encourage you to go find a copy of book #1, Discount Armageddon, and dive in. If you're like me, you'll be hooked, and will want to keep going until you've gobbled up all eight books and are panting for more.
InCryptids rule. Check out this series!
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
Merged review:
An InCryptid novella that's included in That Ain't Witchcraft (InCryptid #8). The focus shifts to Alex and Shelby, who are called upon to help rescue a group of kidnapped Gorgon children. It's a fun, engaging story, and it's nice to revisit these characters, since we haven't seen them in a while. And we even get a little bit of the mice, which is always a plus in this series.
March 28, 2019
Some time has elapsed since Antimony (Annie) Price and her misfit crew of friends left Lowryland and her deal with the Crossroads. It begins with them Annie & Sam hunting a murderer in a corn maze before they settle into a property in New Gravesend, Maine but trouble hasn’t stopped following them.
James Smith is on a quest for revenge. His friend made a crossroads deal, and it requires researching books from his Uncle’s house…but people are renting it. Annie catches him, and I enjoyed what transpired.
The Crossroads are calling in Anne’s favor but not before they take Mary (babysitter ghost and Aunt from the Price family) from her. Oh and guess who’s in town…. Leonard Cunningham, aka, “the next leader of the Covenant,” Yep, he wants Anne to join him. Fun times!
This was an intense storyline. The Crossroads are scary and Anne has herself in quite the pickle, but she is a Price and they never quit. I loved the growth we saw in Anne. She has come along way since she infiltrated the Covenant in Magic for Nothing. She was a loner and a bit of brat but she has come full circle. We see development between her and Sam, the fūri trapeze artist and her boyfriend. Cylia and Fern are her loyal friends bringing luck to the team and helping in more ways than expected. Together they make a great crew. I enjoyed the dynamics of their friendship.
I love the world McGuire has created from the history of the families to the cryptids. Each story deals with a case or problem that a Price must face. We’ve gotten stories from each of the siblings, but there is more to be learned and battles to fought.
Fans of the author are in for a treat, we see Rose, a hitchhiker ghost and another familiar ghost from the Ghost Roads series. It all tied in perfectly. McGuire treats us to the history or the story of how the Aeslin Mice and Price family came to be. All hail the Aeslin Mice! I miss them, but hope we see them in the next book! McGuire hinted that we would.
Emily Bauer rocked the narration. I could not imagine the series without her. She creates unique voices and captures the intensity of the scenes. We got some nail-biting moments and tear-jerking scenes which were only enhanced by the audio. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
James Smith is on a quest for revenge. His friend made a crossroads deal, and it requires researching books from his Uncle’s house…but people are renting it. Annie catches him, and I enjoyed what transpired.
The Crossroads are calling in Anne’s favor but not before they take Mary (babysitter ghost and Aunt from the Price family) from her. Oh and guess who’s in town…. Leonard Cunningham, aka, “the next leader of the Covenant,” Yep, he wants Anne to join him. Fun times!
This was an intense storyline. The Crossroads are scary and Anne has herself in quite the pickle, but she is a Price and they never quit. I loved the growth we saw in Anne. She has come along way since she infiltrated the Covenant in Magic for Nothing. She was a loner and a bit of brat but she has come full circle. We see development between her and Sam, the fūri trapeze artist and her boyfriend. Cylia and Fern are her loyal friends bringing luck to the team and helping in more ways than expected. Together they make a great crew. I enjoyed the dynamics of their friendship.
I love the world McGuire has created from the history of the families to the cryptids. Each story deals with a case or problem that a Price must face. We’ve gotten stories from each of the siblings, but there is more to be learned and battles to fought.
Fans of the author are in for a treat, we see Rose, a hitchhiker ghost and another familiar ghost from the Ghost Roads series. It all tied in perfectly. McGuire treats us to the history or the story of how the Aeslin Mice and Price family came to be. All hail the Aeslin Mice! I miss them, but hope we see them in the next book! McGuire hinted that we would.
Emily Bauer rocked the narration. I could not imagine the series without her. She creates unique voices and captures the intensity of the scenes. We got some nail-biting moments and tear-jerking scenes which were only enhanced by the audio. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
April 12, 2019
Let me just warn you up front, that I am an InCryptid fan and cannot be expected to be too critical of my beloved series. I enjoy the Price family, in their weirdness and their oddly chosen purpose, to protect the cryptid species in their vicinity. I love the wide selection of creatures than McGuire has dreamed up for them to interact with and run interference for. I enjoy their opposition to and reluctant engagement with the Covenant of St. George. The Prices fight against prejudice in all of its forms.
I must confess that I miss the Aeslin mice. (Hail, cake & cheese for all!!) But I have a feeling that Annie will be able to rejoin the family fold soon and be reunited with her rodent worshippers. This is a consummation devoutly to be wished. In fine family style, Annie will be returning with a new adoptive family member and a potential spouse. Parr for the course among these crytozoological ninjas.
As long as Ms. McGuire chooses to write these adventures, I will continue to read them. They are a wonderful little hit of fun, frolicking among the gorgons and bogeymen and traveling the ghost roads with likeable characters.
Now that the Covenant is fully aware of the Prices' existence in North America, the plot will no doubt thicken. I can hardly wait for the next story!
I must confess that I miss the Aeslin mice. (Hail, cake & cheese for all!!) But I have a feeling that Annie will be able to rejoin the family fold soon and be reunited with her rodent worshippers. This is a consummation devoutly to be wished. In fine family style, Annie will be returning with a new adoptive family member and a potential spouse. Parr for the course among these crytozoological ninjas.
As long as Ms. McGuire chooses to write these adventures, I will continue to read them. They are a wonderful little hit of fun, frolicking among the gorgons and bogeymen and traveling the ghost roads with likeable characters.
Now that the Covenant is fully aware of the Prices' existence in North America, the plot will no doubt thicken. I can hardly wait for the next story!
May 27, 2023
Oh shit! OH SHIT! OOOHHH SHIIIIIT!
Yes, that is what I yelled and felt while reading this one.
Antimony ran from her theme park existance, shedding her alias and getting accompanied by her boyfriend and two best InCryptid friends. They end up in a small town in Maine (can you here the horror movie music in the background? thank you, uncle Stevie) where they encounter James, another magic-user.
However, things are not as they seem and it turns out that Lady Luck has actually dropped the group off EXACTLY where they needed to be to beat the odds. Be it the Covenant, be it the Crossroads. This is where they make their stand.
And what a stand it turned out to be! I have always been into mythology and the crossroads deals were of particular interest to me so this hit the sweetspot. HOW the author let the story unfold was nothing short of AWESOME. Moreover, it was very nice and rewarding to get this being tied back in with Antimony's family (hi-)story about her lost grandfather etc.
I'm still not that big a fan of Antimony's but I did care about all of the people here. Ok, not really about Leo(n)(ard), but the other gang members and I loved that James was included eventually and the Price family is still growing in a way that we are privileged to witness. Speaking of growing: someone's pregnant. *cheers* Can you imagine the possibilities now that there will be a baby in the mix? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
My favorite part, though it is difficult to choose here, was Antimony reciting the Aeslin Mice's history/prayer of the Price family as a . :D
So yes, this kicked ass! It simultaneously nicely wrapped up other threads and promised sooo much more for the future.
Yes, that is what I yelled and felt while reading this one.
Antimony ran from her theme park existance, shedding her alias and getting accompanied by her boyfriend and two best InCryptid friends. They end up in a small town in Maine (can you here the horror movie music in the background? thank you, uncle Stevie) where they encounter James, another magic-user.
However, things are not as they seem and it turns out that Lady Luck has actually dropped the group off EXACTLY where they needed to be to beat the odds. Be it the Covenant, be it the Crossroads. This is where they make their stand.
And what a stand it turned out to be! I have always been into mythology and the crossroads deals were of particular interest to me so this hit the sweetspot. HOW the author let the story unfold was nothing short of AWESOME. Moreover, it was very nice and rewarding to get this being tied back in with Antimony's family (hi-)story about her lost grandfather etc.
I'm still not that big a fan of Antimony's but I did care about all of the people here. Ok, not really about Leo(n)(ard), but the other gang members and I loved that James was included eventually and the Price family is still growing in a way that we are privileged to witness. Speaking of growing: someone's pregnant. *cheers* Can you imagine the possibilities now that there will be a baby in the mix? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
My favorite part, though it is difficult to choose here, was Antimony reciting the Aeslin Mice's history/prayer of the Price family as a . :D
So yes, this kicked ass! It simultaneously nicely wrapped up other threads and promised sooo much more for the future.
April 10, 2019
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
THAT AIN'T WITCHCRAFT, the eighth book in the Incryptid series continues right off where the last book ended with Annie on the run from chaos and violence of varying sorts and her crossroads bargain. I quite like the expanding mythology on the crossroads and sorcerer magic that this book delves into which I found fascinating. It was even more exciting to finally find out about the utter chaos that is the crossroads and the evil tentacled alien/monster that has been reeking chaos on the dead and living for centuries.
Aside from the eldritch horror plot happening with the crossroads and Annie's baragin, the characters remain so charming and fun to read about. Out of all of the Price siblings, Annie is probably the most determined and willing to sacrifice her life for the good of everyone/thing else. It's an admirable quality! I liked getting to know her friends cryptid Fern and Cylia better. They're super loyal and their abilities are pretty cool. Being able to spread luck around is a pretty cool and useful ability to have.
THAT AIN'T WITCHCRAFT is full of action, chaos, magic, and mystery. It's probably best to read the the previous book TRICKS FOR FREE to really understand what led to Annie's bargain. Amid all of the darkness that happens, there is always some fun humor and banter to these books which really makes them a delight to read.
THAT AIN'T WITCHCRAFT, the eighth book in the Incryptid series continues right off where the last book ended with Annie on the run from chaos and violence of varying sorts and her crossroads bargain. I quite like the expanding mythology on the crossroads and sorcerer magic that this book delves into which I found fascinating. It was even more exciting to finally find out about the utter chaos that is the crossroads and the evil tentacled alien/monster that has been reeking chaos on the dead and living for centuries.
Aside from the eldritch horror plot happening with the crossroads and Annie's baragin, the characters remain so charming and fun to read about. Out of all of the Price siblings, Annie is probably the most determined and willing to sacrifice her life for the good of everyone/thing else. It's an admirable quality! I liked getting to know her friends cryptid Fern and Cylia better. They're super loyal and their abilities are pretty cool. Being able to spread luck around is a pretty cool and useful ability to have.
THAT AIN'T WITCHCRAFT is full of action, chaos, magic, and mystery. It's probably best to read the the previous book TRICKS FOR FREE to really understand what led to Annie's bargain. Amid all of the darkness that happens, there is always some fun humor and banter to these books which really makes them a delight to read.
April 25, 2021
Annie is still on the run from the covenant. In case they find her, she can’t contact her family. She and her friends end up in a tiny town in Maine. Trouble finds her even in such a small place. She meets a strange local boy with interesting theories. The crossroads call in her debt. Liam Cunningham finds her.
I found this book to be vastly more interesting than the last one. Everything learned about the crossroads was fascinating although it by no means gave away all of its secrets. At first I was disappointed certain things weren’t revealed. OTOH it means that there is a good reason to continue with the series.
Even though several men were around, there wasn’t even a hint of a love triangle for which I am incredibly grateful. I really like Annie and Sam together although if I think too hard about the fact that his natural form is as an animal especially in regards to certain situations it squicks me out. There is something I really like about Liam Cunningham. He’s a dick, but some of that is a front he presents. If he was as ruthless and cut throat as he makes himself out to be, then he would have screwed Annie over long before now. He is a covenant boy I’d love to see Annie bring to the dark side. Also I think he and Annie would challenge each other more in a relationship than Sam does.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this in exchange for an honest review!
I found this book to be vastly more interesting than the last one. Everything learned about the crossroads was fascinating although it by no means gave away all of its secrets. At first I was disappointed certain things weren’t revealed. OTOH it means that there is a good reason to continue with the series.
Even though several men were around, there wasn’t even a hint of a love triangle for which I am incredibly grateful. I really like Annie and Sam together although if I think too hard about the fact that his natural form is as an animal especially in regards to certain situations it squicks me out. There is something I really like about Liam Cunningham. He’s a dick, but some of that is a front he presents. If he was as ruthless and cut throat as he makes himself out to be, then he would have screwed Annie over long before now. He is a covenant boy I’d love to see Annie bring to the dark side. Also I think he and Annie would challenge each other more in a relationship than Sam does.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this in exchange for an honest review!
November 8, 2025
Annie, AKA Antimony Price, and a group of her incryptids friends are on the run for the covenant. They thought they found a safe hide-a-way in Maine, only to discover that not only did the future leader of the covenant, Leo track Annie down. But they are also sitting on a serious crossroads, with the crossroads ready to claim the debt Annie incurred when they saved her and Sam.
That Ain’t Witchcraft is one of those white knuckle, packed full of everything you’ve been waiting to find out, McGuire reads! Not one second of down time in this amazing addition to the InCryptid series. I do believe That Ain’t Witchcraft is now my favorite in this series and that is saying something since I really enjoyed them ALL.
I received this ARC copy of THAT AIN'T WITCHCRAFT from Berkley Publishing Group - DAW. This is my honest and voluntary review. THAT AIN'T WITCHCRAFT is set for publication March 5, 2019.
That Ain’t Witchcraft is one of those white knuckle, packed full of everything you’ve been waiting to find out, McGuire reads! Not one second of down time in this amazing addition to the InCryptid series. I do believe That Ain’t Witchcraft is now my favorite in this series and that is saying something since I really enjoyed them ALL.
I received this ARC copy of THAT AIN'T WITCHCRAFT from Berkley Publishing Group - DAW. This is my honest and voluntary review. THAT AIN'T WITCHCRAFT is set for publication March 5, 2019.
April 9, 2022
Antimony takes on the Crossroads.
This might be the best of the series I’ve read to date; strong plot line and less exposition make for a better read.
This might be the best of the series I’ve read to date; strong plot line and less exposition make for a better read.
"I have so many problems with this plan that I don’t think I could list them all even if I wanted to try,” said Sam. “On second thought, no. I really want to try, because this isn’t so much a ‘plan’ as it is the Rube Goldberg version of a suicide attempt.”
"I need to talk to you, not feed you quarters so you can spit out excerpts from the Covenant training manual like some sort of fucked-up vending machine. Will you listen?"
March 4, 2019
If you've been digging deeper and deeper into Seanan McGuire's InCryptid world, both with this series and her Rose Marshall/Ghostroads series, you've probably begun to have a lot of questions about the Crossroads, both as a place and an entity. Well, do we have a book for you. You may not have all your questions answered in this outing- you won't be getting Thomas Price back for Alice Healy-Price- but you're going to find some satisfying answers in this eighth book in the InCryptid world.
When we last left Antimony Price in Tricks for Free she was on the run from the Covenant of St. George. She escaped with her life and that of her boyfriend Sam (a fûri), and friends Cylia (a jink) and Fern (personal density changing sylph), after making a dicey bargain with the Crossroads, with the help of her ghost babysitter Mary Dunlavy. Knowing the Price family as we do, it should seem only natural that Antimony should follow the gradient to more danger rather than less. And that's how the four of them end up in a nice small town in Maine called New Gravesend (you read that right), meeting a nice ice sorcerer named James, an all-too-familiar ghost named Bethany, and that eldritch terror called the Crossroads. If that isn't stressful enough, what will the quartet (quintet? sextet?) do when when none other than Leonard Cunningham, heir apparent of the Covenant, shows up, crossbow in hand, thanks to that awesome tracking spell he has for tracking Antimony? Over the past two books we've seen that Annie is at her best when the chips are down. Or, well, maybe she's just at her craziest. Whatever it takes, she's going to get her team through the evolving disaster that is a Crossroads bargain. If the Crossroads have any sense at all, they'll pack up and go back to whatever dimension they belong to. You know what? Maybe Leonard should go home, too. Antimony Price is just done with them.
This was a wonderful conclusion to Antimony's story arc. I'm hoping Mindy and also Mork will get an accurate accounting of the events, which were delightful fun if you don't mind a bit of mad terror. I continue to enjoy Annie and have grown very fond of Sam. James is a fine addition to the madcap world.
This novel is also bound with a novella titled The Measure of a Monster featuring Alex and Shelby, and Alex's cousin Sarah, a cuckoo, who will be the main character of book nine in the series.
I received a Digital Review Copy from DAW in exchange for an honest review.
When we last left Antimony Price in Tricks for Free she was on the run from the Covenant of St. George. She escaped with her life and that of her boyfriend Sam (a fûri), and friends Cylia (a jink) and Fern (personal density changing sylph), after making a dicey bargain with the Crossroads, with the help of her ghost babysitter Mary Dunlavy. Knowing the Price family as we do, it should seem only natural that Antimony should follow the gradient to more danger rather than less. And that's how the four of them end up in a nice small town in Maine called New Gravesend (you read that right), meeting a nice ice sorcerer named James, an all-too-familiar ghost named Bethany, and that eldritch terror called the Crossroads. If that isn't stressful enough, what will the quartet (quintet? sextet?) do when when none other than Leonard Cunningham, heir apparent of the Covenant, shows up, crossbow in hand, thanks to that awesome tracking spell he has for tracking Antimony? Over the past two books we've seen that Annie is at her best when the chips are down. Or, well, maybe she's just at her craziest. Whatever it takes, she's going to get her team through the evolving disaster that is a Crossroads bargain. If the Crossroads have any sense at all, they'll pack up and go back to whatever dimension they belong to. You know what? Maybe Leonard should go home, too. Antimony Price is just done with them.
This was a wonderful conclusion to Antimony's story arc. I'm hoping Mindy and also Mork will get an accurate accounting of the events, which were delightful fun if you don't mind a bit of mad terror. I continue to enjoy Annie and have grown very fond of Sam. James is a fine addition to the madcap world.
This novel is also bound with a novella titled The Measure of a Monster featuring Alex and Shelby, and Alex's cousin Sarah, a cuckoo, who will be the main character of book nine in the series.
I received a Digital Review Copy from DAW in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2020
“I’m still the annoying chick who wants to throw knives at your head. I’ve just diversified my interests.”
I was scared of reading this one. So darn scared. Why? Because 1)I knew it would be amazing and all kinds of awesome and hard to read and with so many twists and turns that I would either get motion sick or end up with a pretzel shaped brain. And more important 2)I’d be wailing and begging and ready to go to the crossroads for the next one… only that… next one won’t be Annie’s POV and more wailing would ensue.
So. I waited. And I staled. And the I waited some more. Then I ended up reading the next Mercy installment and it left me so lost, so angry, so darn unsatisfied that I thought heck, I’m already miserable, so, nothing to loose and all to gain. Right? Right?
Yeah… sorta.
“Are you making Harry Potter references because I’m British and you assume that’s the way to reach me?”
One thing we can always count while reading an Antimony’s POV book: Nerd references. Throwing knives. Heartbreaking moments where she sacrifices for those she loves. Unexpected family members. And character growth that makes us wonder why on earth was she the spoiled brat we always were led to believe.
What can we expect from a Seanan McGuire book: ALL KINDS OF AWESOME. And when you are so absorbed with action that the real world fades, she throws a curve ball your way. And when you think that all hope is lost, she finds a solution, temporary or not, and leaves you with a part of a puzzle done but with corners that can be expanded if needed be.
I really, really wished that we were able to see the family reunion. Maybe we still get to see it, maybe not. But I am so happy with this book that I’m almost bursting with joy.
The bonus story at the end didn’t hurt either. Because is always a joy to read some Alex and Shelby. And their interaction with the Aeslin mice is so cute, although not free from danger… since you know… “The mice have email”
I received a free ARC from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I was scared of reading this one. So darn scared. Why? Because 1)I knew it would be amazing and all kinds of awesome and hard to read and with so many twists and turns that I would either get motion sick or end up with a pretzel shaped brain. And more important 2)I’d be wailing and begging and ready to go to the crossroads for the next one… only that… next one won’t be Annie’s POV and more wailing would ensue.
So. I waited. And I staled. And the I waited some more. Then I ended up reading the next Mercy installment and it left me so lost, so angry, so darn unsatisfied that I thought heck, I’m already miserable, so, nothing to loose and all to gain. Right? Right?
Yeah… sorta.
“Are you making Harry Potter references because I’m British and you assume that’s the way to reach me?”
One thing we can always count while reading an Antimony’s POV book: Nerd references. Throwing knives. Heartbreaking moments where she sacrifices for those she loves. Unexpected family members. And character growth that makes us wonder why on earth was she the spoiled brat we always were led to believe.
What can we expect from a Seanan McGuire book: ALL KINDS OF AWESOME. And when you are so absorbed with action that the real world fades, she throws a curve ball your way. And when you think that all hope is lost, she finds a solution, temporary or not, and leaves you with a part of a puzzle done but with corners that can be expanded if needed be.
I really, really wished that we were able to see the family reunion. Maybe we still get to see it, maybe not. But I am so happy with this book that I’m almost bursting with joy.
The bonus story at the end didn’t hurt either. Because is always a joy to read some Alex and Shelby. And their interaction with the Aeslin mice is so cute, although not free from danger… since you know… “The mice have email”
I received a free ARC from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
January 17, 2022
"We build our presents on the ruins of our pasts, and we hope the foundations we construct from the dust of bad ideas and painful choices will be strong enough to hold up our futures. They have to be."
I devoured the Antimony books like they were chickie nuggies. LIKE ADDICTIVE CRACK-FILLED MORSELS OF ADVENTURE & FUN!!
That Ain't Witchcraft is my favorite InCryptid novel, so far! You may have seen me post about it on my Best Of 2021 Reads-- I loved it *that* much! Considering this is the eighth book in the series, that feels even more impressive! Usually one would start losing steam well by this point, but not Seanan McGuire!
Also, I love the cover by returning artist Aly Fell!
STUNNING.
Mysterious disappearances (this is an InCryptid novel, after all) creepy-ass breeding programs, secret societies. In order to protect her family, Antimony is hiding from them & must face the Crossroads in an eerie small town in Maine (😍).
Spectacular worldbuilding, hold onto your butts action, fascinating lore, charming characters, heart, humor & the talent of the writer behind it all! The InCryptid series is a true comfort for me! The genius it takes to tell these stories through this family & their multiple timelines is just RIDICULOUS, in the best way.
That Ain't Witchcraft brings Annie's story to a close, for now. I sincerely hope we see her again in future volumes! Luckily, I still have her short stories left to binge (available to read on Seanan's website!)
This series always has me glued to the page!
I devoured the Antimony books like they were chickie nuggies. LIKE ADDICTIVE CRACK-FILLED MORSELS OF ADVENTURE & FUN!!
That Ain't Witchcraft is my favorite InCryptid novel, so far! You may have seen me post about it on my Best Of 2021 Reads-- I loved it *that* much! Considering this is the eighth book in the series, that feels even more impressive! Usually one would start losing steam well by this point, but not Seanan McGuire!
Also, I love the cover by returning artist Aly Fell!
STUNNING.
Mysterious disappearances (this is an InCryptid novel, after all) creepy-ass breeding programs, secret societies. In order to protect her family, Antimony is hiding from them & must face the Crossroads in an eerie small town in Maine (😍).
Spectacular worldbuilding, hold onto your butts action, fascinating lore, charming characters, heart, humor & the talent of the writer behind it all! The InCryptid series is a true comfort for me! The genius it takes to tell these stories through this family & their multiple timelines is just RIDICULOUS, in the best way.
That Ain't Witchcraft brings Annie's story to a close, for now. I sincerely hope we see her again in future volumes! Luckily, I still have her short stories left to binge (available to read on Seanan's website!)
This series always has me glued to the page!
September 10, 2019
I enjoyed this conclusion for Antimony's arc. I’ve never understood all the Annie hate. There was not as much cryptid content as I would like since the story focusses on the deals and denizens of crossroads. However, this was a fun take on crossroads bargains and their consequences as only McGuire can create, and it pulled together a number of threads we've been following along with Annie. The bonus novella included "Measure of a Monster" is a good cryptid-full story and brings us up to date for some of the other characters in the series.
August 29, 2019
I literally cried from happiness on an airplane because the exorcism of an ancient site of magic takes the form of a catechism taught by mice. And then kept crying because what makes the exorcism stick is love— romantic love, friendship love, family love— and the responsibility love demands from us.
So, y'know, classic ordinary Seanan book.
So, y'know, classic ordinary Seanan book.
July 12, 2019
The crossroads vs everyone!
March 10, 2019
Well, Seanan McGuire does it again. I have no clue how she continues to pour out such a flood of incredibly entertaining material. She’s definitely got it figured out, that’s for sure.
This isn’t even my favorite Seanan McGuire series. That’s no put down when you consider that that honor goes to October Daye, which has the advantage of following the same hero throughout the series, a plus for me.
Still, this one earns all its stars. It follows the youngest Price, Antimony, as she goes up against a big bad on the scale of a season finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was truly left wondering how she was going to get out of this one. We also get a new character with a fascinating story of his own. And, as usual with this series, there are the cryptids. I think Seanan McGuire must’ve had a blast coming up with the particulars of all the different species in these books.
This novel has all the ingredients we could ever want, a seemingly unbeatable foe with sky-high stakes, romance, psychological complexity, and an opportunity for all our heroes to shine. There is even a little time travel thrown in. (sort of) It’s also fun, engaging, and clever. One of Seanan McGuire’s strengths is that she always leaves a way open for further adventures without getting tiresome. You don’t feel like you’re being strung along with promises of some fantastic payoff that never really materializes. I’ll be happy for this one to go on for a very long time.
Seanan McGuire, I tried friending you here on goodreads, but received no answer. I don’t actually expect one. I’m more than happy to just follow you since I have no doubt that you’re way too busy writing to bother with too much of this social media stuff. That is as it should be.
Stay tuned for the next one. I’m confident that it’ll be here at the same time next year and it will be terrific, though I have no idea what sort of iron self-discipline and awesome writing superpowers allow her to keep putting out at that level. I’m just glad she’s doing it and I’ll be happy to pony up my hard-earned when that time comes.
This isn’t even my favorite Seanan McGuire series. That’s no put down when you consider that that honor goes to October Daye, which has the advantage of following the same hero throughout the series, a plus for me.
Still, this one earns all its stars. It follows the youngest Price, Antimony, as she goes up against a big bad on the scale of a season finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was truly left wondering how she was going to get out of this one. We also get a new character with a fascinating story of his own. And, as usual with this series, there are the cryptids. I think Seanan McGuire must’ve had a blast coming up with the particulars of all the different species in these books.
This novel has all the ingredients we could ever want, a seemingly unbeatable foe with sky-high stakes, romance, psychological complexity, and an opportunity for all our heroes to shine. There is even a little time travel thrown in. (sort of) It’s also fun, engaging, and clever. One of Seanan McGuire’s strengths is that she always leaves a way open for further adventures without getting tiresome. You don’t feel like you’re being strung along with promises of some fantastic payoff that never really materializes. I’ll be happy for this one to go on for a very long time.
Seanan McGuire, I tried friending you here on goodreads, but received no answer. I don’t actually expect one. I’m more than happy to just follow you since I have no doubt that you’re way too busy writing to bother with too much of this social media stuff. That is as it should be.
Stay tuned for the next one. I’m confident that it’ll be here at the same time next year and it will be terrific, though I have no idea what sort of iron self-discipline and awesome writing superpowers allow her to keep putting out at that level. I’m just glad she’s doing it and I’ll be happy to pony up my hard-earned when that time comes.
July 19, 2022
3.5 Stars
March 13, 2023
Mini blurb: Though still on the run, cryptozoologist Antimony Price and her friends seem to have found respite from the Covenant, except now the crossroads are pinning her down to the bargain she was forced to make with them...and who said the Covenant was out of the picture? Caught between a rock and a hard place, not to mention powerless, Annie will need to hang onto all her friends and even a couple of unexpected allies - but mostly her stubborn streak - if she wants a chance to destroy the crossroads once and for all.
***
Picking up where the previous book ended, TAW tremendously ups the ante...but at the same time it plunges us into the domestic life of an adorable found family (1 human + 3 cryptids of different species), which even gains one more (human) member. Some domestic life of course, between a recent enemy relentlessly pursuing Annie and an ancient cosmic horror trying to break her for good, but still - you work with what you've got 😉. Keeping the reiterations to a minimum for once and the previous book's recap less conspicuous, McGuire gives us the best of two worlds: character development and action, friendship/romance and horror, smarts and magic (or lack thereof, but when has it ever stopped the youngest Price sibling? see also: smarts, but add a good dose of stubbornness to it), and even...time travel?!? sort of?!? Of course, I'm partly biased towards this story because it features two of my favourite ghosts and it crosses into one of my favourite series' territory (Ghost Roads, also by McGuire)...and when I say "crosses", I'm being literal (what with the crossroads being the big baddie). But TAW would stand on its own regardless, and it's both epic and strangely cozy, and all-around creative.
(The book also contains an excellent novella that brings us up-to-date with Annie's brother Alex and the Columbus' Gorgon community, not to mention the siblings' adopted cousin Sarah, preparing us for her brief tenure as main character in the next two installments...).
Note: As a rule, I review every book that I rate 3.5 stars and above in full, unless it's a novella or an anthology. But this series has been around for years now, and it doesn't sound like McGuire's going to stop writing it anytime soon, so I decided to only write mini reviews for its installments, or it would be too hard for me to catch up. I'll write mini reviews for the new ones as well, out of consistency.
***
Picking up where the previous book ended, TAW tremendously ups the ante...but at the same time it plunges us into the domestic life of an adorable found family (1 human + 3 cryptids of different species), which even gains one more (human) member. Some domestic life of course, between a recent enemy relentlessly pursuing Annie and an ancient cosmic horror trying to break her for good, but still - you work with what you've got 😉. Keeping the reiterations to a minimum for once and the previous book's recap less conspicuous, McGuire gives us the best of two worlds: character development and action, friendship/romance and horror, smarts and magic (or lack thereof, but when has it ever stopped the youngest Price sibling? see also: smarts, but add a good dose of stubbornness to it), and even...time travel?!? sort of?!? Of course, I'm partly biased towards this story because it features two of my favourite ghosts and it crosses into one of my favourite series' territory (Ghost Roads, also by McGuire)...and when I say "crosses", I'm being literal (what with the crossroads being the big baddie). But TAW would stand on its own regardless, and it's both epic and strangely cozy, and all-around creative.
(The book also contains an excellent novella that brings us up-to-date with Annie's brother Alex and the Columbus' Gorgon community, not to mention the siblings' adopted cousin Sarah, preparing us for her brief tenure as main character in the next two installments...).
Note: As a rule, I review every book that I rate 3.5 stars and above in full, unless it's a novella or an anthology. But this series has been around for years now, and it doesn't sound like McGuire's going to stop writing it anytime soon, so I decided to only write mini reviews for its installments, or it would be too hard for me to catch up. I'll write mini reviews for the new ones as well, out of consistency.
March 7, 2019
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
That Ain't Witchcraft is the Eighth installment in author Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series. It is also the third book featuring Antimony (Annie) Price, the youngest of the Price family of cryptozoologists. As Annie's story continues, she and her friends Cylia, Fern, and Sam are still attempting to lie low and not be caught by the Covenant of St. George who her sister Verity declared war on in the book called Chaos Choreography.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
That Ain't Witchcraft is the Eighth installment in author Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series. It is also the third book featuring Antimony (Annie) Price, the youngest of the Price family of cryptozoologists. As Annie's story continues, she and her friends Cylia, Fern, and Sam are still attempting to lie low and not be caught by the Covenant of St. George who her sister Verity declared war on in the book called Chaos Choreography.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
December 5, 2023
4.5 stars
July 15, 2019
I love these books and I want the next one now
March 12, 2019
You could say I'm a fan of this series - another way to put that would be that I've read all 8 books and 35 novellas, and still don't think there's enough InCryptid out there. So while this is definitely not going to be an unbiased review, I'm at least coming from a place of pretty thorough knowledge.
That Ain't Witchcraft marks the wrapping up of the arc focusing on Antimony Price, youngest of the Price siblings who first introduced us to this weird and wonderful - but scientific - world. This arc was much expanded over that of Verity and Alex, her brother and sister - we've seen much further into the Convenant than ever before, found out what would happen if the Magic Kingdom were to embrace real magic, and we've even been given a crash course in roller derby. But in this book, the stakes get even higher, and it's not just a big bad to face, but an enormous one.
As usual, this book stands alone, though there's a LOT in here that gets all Easter egg shaped if you've read the rest of the series, and the two books in the Girl in the Green Silk Gown duology (duology so far, at least). There's some personal favourites to be found - hiding out in a house in the woods that even has a library? Very yes indeed. And though it's fairly fast paced, there's room for some of the quieter moments that keep me coming back.
Merged review:
This novella appears at the end of That Ain’t Witchcraft, and provides a much needed update for some of the rest of the family, particular given who the series focus is moving on to next.
Loved it - Shelby and Alex and their Irwin-esque approach to cryptozoology are just the absolute best.
That Ain't Witchcraft marks the wrapping up of the arc focusing on Antimony Price, youngest of the Price siblings who first introduced us to this weird and wonderful - but scientific - world. This arc was much expanded over that of Verity and Alex, her brother and sister - we've seen much further into the Convenant than ever before, found out what would happen if the Magic Kingdom were to embrace real magic, and we've even been given a crash course in roller derby. But in this book, the stakes get even higher, and it's not just a big bad to face, but an enormous one.
As usual, this book stands alone, though there's a LOT in here that gets all Easter egg shaped if you've read the rest of the series, and the two books in the Girl in the Green Silk Gown duology (duology so far, at least). There's some personal favourites to be found - hiding out in a house in the woods that even has a library? Very yes indeed. And though it's fairly fast paced, there's room for some of the quieter moments that keep me coming back.
Merged review:
This novella appears at the end of That Ain’t Witchcraft, and provides a much needed update for some of the rest of the family, particular given who the series focus is moving on to next.
Loved it - Shelby and Alex and their Irwin-esque approach to cryptozoology are just the absolute best.
March 12, 2019
Mon avis en Français
My English review
Like always, I was really looking forward to get into this novel! How can I resist a new book on Antimony? Impossible! More than that, all her friends are there, Leonard too, and our heroine will finally have to deal with the consequences of her deal with the Crossroads.
Thinking that she could finally take a break, Antimony and her friends found themselves in Maine to take a break. But here it is, things are not going to go as planned and the Crossroads will come to recover their debt and they want Annie to kill James Smith, their new neighbor who seems determined to confront the Crossroads to recover her friend who has disappeared while establishing a deal with them. Since then, James has been trying to find her and is studying everything there is to know to do so. In addition to managing this, our heroine will also meet Leonard again, who is determined to bring her back to the Convenant and kill those with whom she is. Starting with Sam her boyfriend.
As I said, I had a really good time with this novel. As always it was a pleasure to meet all the characters and I must admit that I was very curious to see how our heroes would manage with Leonard, but also with the Crossroads which is far from being something easy to deal with.
And what about this end? I must admit I’m really curious to be able to find out what’s going to happen now! And above all, who wewill find for the next volume. That’s the big question of the moment!
My English review
Like always, I was really looking forward to get into this novel! How can I resist a new book on Antimony? Impossible! More than that, all her friends are there, Leonard too, and our heroine will finally have to deal with the consequences of her deal with the Crossroads.
Thinking that she could finally take a break, Antimony and her friends found themselves in Maine to take a break. But here it is, things are not going to go as planned and the Crossroads will come to recover their debt and they want Annie to kill James Smith, their new neighbor who seems determined to confront the Crossroads to recover her friend who has disappeared while establishing a deal with them. Since then, James has been trying to find her and is studying everything there is to know to do so. In addition to managing this, our heroine will also meet Leonard again, who is determined to bring her back to the Convenant and kill those with whom she is. Starting with Sam her boyfriend.
As I said, I had a really good time with this novel. As always it was a pleasure to meet all the characters and I must admit that I was very curious to see how our heroes would manage with Leonard, but also with the Crossroads which is far from being something easy to deal with.
And what about this end? I must admit I’m really curious to be able to find out what’s going to happen now! And above all, who wewill find for the next volume. That’s the big question of the moment!
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