I want more! I cannot wait to read more from debut author Charlotte Nicole Davis, and particularly the continuation of The Good Luck Girls; according to Goodreads there’s to be at least one more book in this series, but I could do with about a million!⁣
⁣
This creative fantasy adventure novel follows five young women on the run from the “welcome house” which owns them, after one accidentally kills a patron on her first night as a “sundown girl”. The worldbuilding of the setting, Arketta, is exceptional, capturing the tone of the Wild West but with many of its own twists, a dash of magic, and violent ghosts. Each of the Good Luck Girls has a magical brand called her “favor” on her neck and face, which cannot be removed or even covered up without excruciating pain, preventing the easy ability to disappear into a new life, and propelling the girls on a dangerous quest to find a woman out of children’s stories said to be able to remove the curse.⁣
⁣
I loved everything about this book. It’s well paced and imagined, and the characters really shine. Davis brings each of their main characters to life and beautifully explores the stress and struggle of their shared journey. The characters grow and change, both personally and in relationship with each other, and all of it was glorious to watch. I highly recommend this novel if you enjoy a fast paced adventure centering brave, complex women with everything on the line. And it’s queer!⁣
⁣
Cw for rape, violence including torture, withdrawal, suicide mentions