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Face the Night
On a harsh frontier where good and evil contend for people's minds, a young woman must fight for her true identity in this scintillating YA fantasy from the author of the award-winning Age of the Seventh Sun trilogy.
Once, Catriona Macgregor led a charmed life. Daughter of a wealthy rancher, pretty and educated, she looked forward to all the world had to offer--until fate took a turn. Now family, home, and even her name have been stripped away. As "Black Cat Whitfield," adopted daughter of an outlaw, she's wanted by the authorities. It certainly wasn't the destiny she imagined--especially as one of the Blessed.
The Blessed, rare people like Cat, are supposed to use their gifts to carry out missions for the Patron Saints, but she can only imagine that Saint Prudentia made a terrible mistake in choosing her. Still, her gift has never deserted her. Whenever danger threatens, Cat receives a vision--just in time to save her life. And when she meets a renegade priest, Father Ignatius, he helps her understand how her ability may be part of a much bigger picture. A picture that involves facing up to the monstrous Baron Caldwell - the one who ordered her parents killed - and his son, Adrian, who betrayed them all.
Cat is torn between guilt over her parents' death, a longing for vengeance against their killers, and a dismaying new interest in Adrian. It would be easiest to flee the whole situation and never look back. But as someone once told her, you can't outrun the darkness on your heels. There's only one way to break through to sunrise - by turning to face the night.
Once, Catriona Macgregor led a charmed life. Daughter of a wealthy rancher, pretty and educated, she looked forward to all the world had to offer--until fate took a turn. Now family, home, and even her name have been stripped away. As "Black Cat Whitfield," adopted daughter of an outlaw, she's wanted by the authorities. It certainly wasn't the destiny she imagined--especially as one of the Blessed.
The Blessed, rare people like Cat, are supposed to use their gifts to carry out missions for the Patron Saints, but she can only imagine that Saint Prudentia made a terrible mistake in choosing her. Still, her gift has never deserted her. Whenever danger threatens, Cat receives a vision--just in time to save her life. And when she meets a renegade priest, Father Ignatius, he helps her understand how her ability may be part of a much bigger picture. A picture that involves facing up to the monstrous Baron Caldwell - the one who ordered her parents killed - and his son, Adrian, who betrayed them all.
Cat is torn between guilt over her parents' death, a longing for vengeance against their killers, and a dismaying new interest in Adrian. It would be easiest to flee the whole situation and never look back. But as someone once told her, you can't outrun the darkness on your heels. There's only one way to break through to sunrise - by turning to face the night.
318 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2023
27 people are currently reading
3864 people want to read
About the author
Lani Forbes
10 books272 followersLani Forbes is the daughter of a librarian and an ex-drug smuggling surfer (which explains her passionate love of the ocean and books). A former teacher turned trauma counselor, her passion was showing readers the transformative and encouraging power of story on the human experience. A California native whose parents live in Mexico, Lani resided in the Pacific Northwest where she stubbornly wore flip flops no matter how cold it got. She was a proud nerd, Gryffindor, and member of Romance Writers of America and the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She passed away on February 3, 2022.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
August 29, 2023
Lani’s masterpiece. <3
FTN is a historical western fantasy with a cool magic system, lovable characters, and themes that hit me like a punch to the gut.
You could really see how Lani was wrestling with her own mortality in Cat’s POV (for those who don’t know, she wrote this while going through chemo and passed away before it was published), and the way Cat could see glimpses of the future, just like Lani did when she received her diagnosis… *ugly cry*
Edith is chaotic disaster child and I adore her. Her relationship with Adrian was so sweet. <3 Father Iggy was great. XD I wasn’t sure how I felt about an alcoholic priest, but it worked really well with the story. The characters were incredibly flawed, making them so real in my mind, and they made a lot of mistakes but owned up to them and worked to make them right. <3 the magic system, where the Saints blessed people with magic and how there was a substance that negated that magic, was really neat and well done. I wish we could’ve seen more Saints-blessed people and more of the gifts. The villains were also absolutely despicable (but not one dimensional). I wish we’d gotten more of Soap and Pedro, but I loved their brother relationship with Cat. And the found family with Amos!! *sobs* it was SO BEAUTIFUL.
I definitely preferred Cat’s POV to Adrian’s—he was a decent character but my least favorite of the prominent ones. Cat was just so raw and real, so unpolished and hurting. I wanted to wrap her in a fierce hug but she wouldn’t have liked that. This book has a lot grittier feel than her others and has a decent amount of mild swearing from Cat’s POV, but to me, it made sense with the story and made Cat more real.
I loved the twist at the end. The ending WAS a bit rushed, particularly with the romance, but I know Lani had initially been planning to make this a series. Alas. :(
This book is full of both Lani’s heart and her struggles. I highly, highly recommend it.
FTN is a historical western fantasy with a cool magic system, lovable characters, and themes that hit me like a punch to the gut.
You could really see how Lani was wrestling with her own mortality in Cat’s POV (for those who don’t know, she wrote this while going through chemo and passed away before it was published), and the way Cat could see glimpses of the future, just like Lani did when she received her diagnosis… *ugly cry*
Edith is chaotic disaster child and I adore her. Her relationship with Adrian was so sweet. <3 Father Iggy was great. XD I wasn’t sure how I felt about an alcoholic priest, but it worked really well with the story. The characters were incredibly flawed, making them so real in my mind, and they made a lot of mistakes but owned up to them and worked to make them right. <3 the magic system, where the Saints blessed people with magic and how there was a substance that negated that magic, was really neat and well done. I wish we could’ve seen more Saints-blessed people and more of the gifts. The villains were also absolutely despicable (but not one dimensional). I wish we’d gotten more of Soap and Pedro, but I loved their brother relationship with Cat. And the found family with Amos!! *sobs* it was SO BEAUTIFUL.
I definitely preferred Cat’s POV to Adrian’s—he was a decent character but my least favorite of the prominent ones. Cat was just so raw and real, so unpolished and hurting. I wanted to wrap her in a fierce hug but she wouldn’t have liked that. This book has a lot grittier feel than her others and has a decent amount of mild swearing from Cat’s POV, but to me, it made sense with the story and made Cat more real.
I loved the twist at the end. The ending WAS a bit rushed, particularly with the romance, but I know Lani had initially been planning to make this a series. Alas. :(
This book is full of both Lani’s heart and her struggles. I highly, highly recommend it.
May 23, 2024
If you like Kissing Kate Barlow from Holes, you need to read this book! It had a very powerful message and I didn't expect one of the plot points!
If you liked this book then I suggest:
The Age of the Seventh Sun series by this author
The Fable series
Killer of Enemies series
I can't believe they are publishing this book!!! Lani Forbes was one of my favorite authors!!! I need to reread The Age of the Seventh Sun series to prepare myself!!!
2/8/22 This author has now sadly past away from her 9 month battle with cancer. Lani Forbes' words were everything! She wrote with her heart and soul. She had the bravery to integrate her faith and her struggles into her stories. It was an honor and a blessing to discover this amazingly wondrous woman and her works of art.
If you liked this book then I suggest:
The Age of the Seventh Sun series by this author
The Fable series
Killer of Enemies series
I can't believe they are publishing this book!!! Lani Forbes was one of my favorite authors!!! I need to reread The Age of the Seventh Sun series to prepare myself!!!
2/8/22 This author has now sadly past away from her 9 month battle with cancer. Lani Forbes' words were everything! She wrote with her heart and soul. She had the bravery to integrate her faith and her struggles into her stories. It was an honor and a blessing to discover this amazingly wondrous woman and her works of art.
February 4, 2024
I listened to the audiobook of this one because I figured I'd never get to the ebook and I really wanted to get it off my NetGalley backlist. While parts of this story really grabbed my attention and held it, most of it was hard for me to focus on. I'm not sure if that was because I was listening to the audiobook or not, but I do feel like I would have liked it more if I would have read it with my eyes instead of listening to the story. I thought the world was interested. I loved the plot for the most part. The characters were just okay in my opinion, but overall they weren't bad. I do feel like if you are a fan of young adult fantasy book, you will like this, but just be warned that the audiobook wasn't my favorite and if I could redo reading this one, I'd go for the ebook instead.
July 7, 2023
I received an arc for an unbiased review.
Catriona MacGregor is an outlaw living a life of survival with the Wolf of the West and his men. Her parents were murdered out of greed to obtain the aurumium found under their land in a world reminiscent of the Wild West.
Catriona hasn’t faced the nightmare that’s haunted her since that night, her parents died because she leaked the information about the aurumium to the boy next door, Adrian Campbell.
But now her parents’ murderer, William Caldwell, Adrian’s father, has plans to officially steal her family’s land and use the magical aurumium for greed and power.
She must go undercover as a governess to uncover his plan, thwart it, and take back what is rightfully hers.
The catch - Adrian is more dreamy than she remembered.
A magical, adventurous young adult novel with beautifully created themes of facing your past, seeing the truth behind self-blame, and finding freedom to truly accept who you are and once were.
Catriona MacGregor is an outlaw living a life of survival with the Wolf of the West and his men. Her parents were murdered out of greed to obtain the aurumium found under their land in a world reminiscent of the Wild West.
Catriona hasn’t faced the nightmare that’s haunted her since that night, her parents died because she leaked the information about the aurumium to the boy next door, Adrian Campbell.
But now her parents’ murderer, William Caldwell, Adrian’s father, has plans to officially steal her family’s land and use the magical aurumium for greed and power.
She must go undercover as a governess to uncover his plan, thwart it, and take back what is rightfully hers.
The catch - Adrian is more dreamy than she remembered.
A magical, adventurous young adult novel with beautifully created themes of facing your past, seeing the truth behind self-blame, and finding freedom to truly accept who you are and once were.
July 6, 2023
I've read a lot of YA fiction about a lot of magic or dystopia. But this was something truly different! Lani Forbes combines Old West land ownership with themes of giftings, betrayal, trauma, and love that played into such a deep plot. The only critique I have is that the middle seems drawn out at first and doesn't develop as well, which makes the ending feel more abrupt and quick. I almost wish it used that time to expand more on the religious world the characters lived in. HOWEVER, I loved every moment of this book and hope that when it is officially released, everyone who loves fantasy fiction will pick this up! The characters were well-developed, and I fell in love with Edith immediately as well as Cat and Adrian. I got halfway through the book when I realized Lani Forbes had died last year, which made reading this more special though also wishing there was more after the conclusion just to see what happens. It is an excellent standalone novel in that.... you want to know the rest of these characters' lives.
July 15, 2024
I first read this book as a word document the November before Lani passed, similar to how I read her first book The Seventh Sun. It does not surprise me—with both the short timeline and the mastery of storytelling Lani possessed—that the published version is almost identical to the draft I read.
I’ve always meant to read Face the Night again as a physical book, but couldn’t face reading it, knowing that I would be encountering Lani’s soul, which she always poured into her writing and which I miss so much. Ironically, this made me an ideal recipient for exact same lesson Cat learns: stop desperately chasing the sun, face the night, and the sunshine on the other side will be that much warmer and sweeter.
An indulgent read that will perhaps keep you up past midnight the way it kept me. I seriously wish I could write like this. #writergoals
I’ve always meant to read Face the Night again as a physical book, but couldn’t face reading it, knowing that I would be encountering Lani’s soul, which she always poured into her writing and which I miss so much. Ironically, this made me an ideal recipient for exact same lesson Cat learns: stop desperately chasing the sun, face the night, and the sunshine on the other side will be that much warmer and sweeter.
An indulgent read that will perhaps keep you up past midnight the way it kept me. I seriously wish I could write like this. #writergoals
May 15, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
A nice fantasy standalone. It’s hard to find a fantasy standalone seeing as most are part of a massive series. Really sad that the author passed before her book was published :(
A nice fantasy standalone. It’s hard to find a fantasy standalone seeing as most are part of a massive series. Really sad that the author passed before her book was published :(
January 1, 2025
THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE BOOK!!!
August 5, 2023
Thank you to the author and the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, for sharing an ARC of this book with me on NetGalley!!!
When an author is great, there is not time limit to the magic they can make with their writing. Even if they have left us forever.
“What would you do with a glimpse into your future? A preview that gave away the next few moments?”
“It was the Wolf of the West himself.
Amos Whitfield had come for her.”
I haven’t read the main series from this author and now I profoundly regret it. But the miraculous thing about books is that the memory of an author is undying even after they don’t share our space anymore. This fantasy standalone with an hint of romance was marvellous!!! Absolutely brilliant. It has religious aspects. It had magic. It had mystery and it had deception. It had secrets and trauma and it had a young girl trying to find her purpose and setting herself on a path to avenge her parents, against the man who is responsible for the death of everyone she loves. The man who is also the father of her childhood best friend. Cat has to pretend to be a governess and infiltrate herself in this household and help Adrian’s little sister Edith. But forced proximity may lead to something more even if all she can do is keep deceiving everyone, pretending to be someone else. I had an amazing time reading this book and I read it in one sitting. It was a great fantasy book to get you out of a slump or simply to enjoy a good time with a light heart while also dealing with grief and trauma and loss of the people we love. I am so so glad and thankful I had the chance to read a copy of this book and I will always be grateful to everyone who made this possible!!
“Face the night, run right through it.
Catch the dawn on the other side."
"I'm facing the night, Amos." She laid the rose down gently atop his headstone. Several tears slipped down her burning cheeks. "And I intend to run through it. I will catch that sunrise on the other side. I promise."
When an author is great, there is not time limit to the magic they can make with their writing. Even if they have left us forever.
“What would you do with a glimpse into your future? A preview that gave away the next few moments?”
“It was the Wolf of the West himself.
Amos Whitfield had come for her.”
I haven’t read the main series from this author and now I profoundly regret it. But the miraculous thing about books is that the memory of an author is undying even after they don’t share our space anymore. This fantasy standalone with an hint of romance was marvellous!!! Absolutely brilliant. It has religious aspects. It had magic. It had mystery and it had deception. It had secrets and trauma and it had a young girl trying to find her purpose and setting herself on a path to avenge her parents, against the man who is responsible for the death of everyone she loves. The man who is also the father of her childhood best friend. Cat has to pretend to be a governess and infiltrate herself in this household and help Adrian’s little sister Edith. But forced proximity may lead to something more even if all she can do is keep deceiving everyone, pretending to be someone else. I had an amazing time reading this book and I read it in one sitting. It was a great fantasy book to get you out of a slump or simply to enjoy a good time with a light heart while also dealing with grief and trauma and loss of the people we love. I am so so glad and thankful I had the chance to read a copy of this book and I will always be grateful to everyone who made this possible!!
“Face the night, run right through it.
Catch the dawn on the other side."
"I'm facing the night, Amos." She laid the rose down gently atop his headstone. Several tears slipped down her burning cheeks. "And I intend to run through it. I will catch that sunrise on the other side. I promise."
April 26, 2025
Wow, this book was quite a thrilling ride! I've been searching for western-fantasy reads, and so many either bored me to tears or felt too... weird.
Having discovered it at a local library, this is one of those few that I enjoyed.
In the backdrop of a western-like empire run by dukes, governors, and cattle-barons is a young woman named Cat. Once the daughter of a wealthy family, until treachery destroyed everything she loved, she's now living the dangerous life as the adoptive daughter of a famous outlaw. But Cat is no ordinary outlaw. She's one of the Blessed, one of many individuals with supernatural gifts endowed by the divine-like Saints. Armed with her gift of foresight and her guns, she's a force to be reckoned with. But when explosive, unforeseen circumstances land her in a priest's sanctuary, she learns there is far more to her gift than she realizes. Her mission: to stop the villainous man who destroyed her family from rising to power and reclaim her birthright. Tormented by fear, guilt, pain, and rage, Cat would rather claim her vengeance and be done with it all. But soon, she will have to choose: keep running from the darkness of her past... or face it to find the sun in her future.
This book is quite a work of art that grips you until the end! Full of action-packed scenes of gunfights and epic showdowns and memorable characters that shine, woven with fantastical elements. There's also a rather TENSE growing romance subplot between Cat and her former childhood friend the second man character, Adrian, the son of the villianous baron (who definitely stood out for his struggle to please his father and to stand for goodness.)
Now, a word of caution: if this book were a movie, it would be rated PG-13. Some violence and graphic scenes, but not overly descriptive. There's also some language-- mostly "d--" and "h---", and several "s--" words. (Cat's got quite a mouth on her due to her upbringing.) They only show up every few chapters, so the story is still enjoyable to read. There's also a kissing scene that gets a little descriptive, but NOT steamy.
Lani Forbes, having recently passed away from cancer, was well-known and admired among many fantasy writers as a gifted author and an incredible person. Her stories with flawed but courageous characters set in vivid, magical worlds, woven with themes of hope, are evident of that.
Having discovered it at a local library, this is one of those few that I enjoyed.
In the backdrop of a western-like empire run by dukes, governors, and cattle-barons is a young woman named Cat. Once the daughter of a wealthy family, until treachery destroyed everything she loved, she's now living the dangerous life as the adoptive daughter of a famous outlaw. But Cat is no ordinary outlaw. She's one of the Blessed, one of many individuals with supernatural gifts endowed by the divine-like Saints. Armed with her gift of foresight and her guns, she's a force to be reckoned with. But when explosive, unforeseen circumstances land her in a priest's sanctuary, she learns there is far more to her gift than she realizes. Her mission: to stop the villainous man who destroyed her family from rising to power and reclaim her birthright. Tormented by fear, guilt, pain, and rage, Cat would rather claim her vengeance and be done with it all. But soon, she will have to choose: keep running from the darkness of her past... or face it to find the sun in her future.
This book is quite a work of art that grips you until the end! Full of action-packed scenes of gunfights and epic showdowns and memorable characters that shine, woven with fantastical elements. There's also a rather TENSE growing romance subplot between Cat and her former childhood friend the second man character, Adrian, the son of the villianous baron (who definitely stood out for his struggle to please his father and to stand for goodness.)
Now, a word of caution: if this book were a movie, it would be rated PG-13. Some violence and graphic scenes, but not overly descriptive. There's also some language-- mostly "d--" and "h---", and several "s--" words. (Cat's got quite a mouth on her due to her upbringing.) They only show up every few chapters, so the story is still enjoyable to read. There's also a kissing scene that gets a little descriptive, but NOT steamy.
Lani Forbes, having recently passed away from cancer, was well-known and admired among many fantasy writers as a gifted author and an incredible person. Her stories with flawed but courageous characters set in vivid, magical worlds, woven with themes of hope, are evident of that.
September 1, 2023
4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and BiblioLifestye for the chance to be on the tour for Lani’s last book. She wrote this after learning of a devastating illness that ended up taking her life. Reading it with that in mind made it more special and even more meaningful.
It’s a book about love, found family, identity and fighting for yourself. But mostly how fighting for yourself can be the most difficult of all. I love it and the story came to life very easily. It’s a beautiful message for her last book.
Thank you to BiblioLifestyle and Blackstone Publishing for the copy and chance to be on the tour!
Triggers/content:
https://www.theopenbooks.net/2023/09/...
It’s a book about love, found family, identity and fighting for yourself. But mostly how fighting for yourself can be the most difficult of all. I love it and the story came to life very easily. It’s a beautiful message for her last book.
Thank you to BiblioLifestyle and Blackstone Publishing for the copy and chance to be on the tour!
Triggers/content:
https://www.theopenbooks.net/2023/09/...
August 7, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
Let me start by saying, I love books with multiple POVS. In my opinion, it adds an interesting layer to the story and makes it easier to stay engaged.
This was a fantasy book with a mix of wild west thrown in, which was a totally unique feel to me.
FMC Cat was so interesting. She was strong and so intriguing.
Adrian and Edith were also great characters.
The worldbuilding in this book was brilliant as well.
I'm saddened to hear that the author has passed, and this book will be her last. She has left a lasting impression on the book world.
Let me start by saying, I love books with multiple POVS. In my opinion, it adds an interesting layer to the story and makes it easier to stay engaged.
This was a fantasy book with a mix of wild west thrown in, which was a totally unique feel to me.
FMC Cat was so interesting. She was strong and so intriguing.
Adrian and Edith were also great characters.
The worldbuilding in this book was brilliant as well.
I'm saddened to hear that the author has passed, and this book will be her last. She has left a lasting impression on the book world.
April 1, 2025
Beautiful, love the message at the end and am sad that this wonderful author passed away too soon. Character reminded me a but of Kissing Kate Barlow from Holes!
July 5, 2023
It’s so bittersweet writing this review. I absolutely loved this book, the magic, the world building, and everything about it but it is just devastating knowing that this is Lani’s last book.
Lani Forbes is an incredible author and she was a lovely person. I was fortunate enough to meet her at Yallfest in 2019 before her debut, THE SEVENTH SUN was published. I had just finished reading it and was so excited to meet her.
FACE THE NIGHT was clearly a labor of love and every word was perfect. It’s such a shame we won’t see more in this world because it was so well crafted. The premise was so unique. I can’t think of any other fantasy westerns (or at least not any that will stay with me like this book).
Don’t sleep on this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lani Forbes is an incredible author and she was a lovely person. I was fortunate enough to meet her at Yallfest in 2019 before her debut, THE SEVENTH SUN was published. I had just finished reading it and was so excited to meet her.
FACE THE NIGHT was clearly a labor of love and every word was perfect. It’s such a shame we won’t see more in this world because it was so well crafted. The premise was so unique. I can’t think of any other fantasy westerns (or at least not any that will stay with me like this book).
Don’t sleep on this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 1, 2023
As a huge fan of the Age of the Seventh Sun trilogy I am happy to say Forbes newest, but sadly last due to her untimely passing, book Face the Night while in a vastly different world is every bit as well written. This time Forbes takes us to the wild west, a place very familiar yet in her capable hands extremely unique and original with a strong infusion of fantasy.
One of the best features of the book besides the great plot is a cast of main and secondary characters who are so fleshed out and interesting. They are all thorough and utterly fascinating making the reader just as interested in being with these wonderful characters as well as what is going to happen next.
A marvelous book to close an amazing writer's career. Highly recommended.
One of the best features of the book besides the great plot is a cast of main and secondary characters who are so fleshed out and interesting. They are all thorough and utterly fascinating making the reader just as interested in being with these wonderful characters as well as what is going to happen next.
A marvelous book to close an amazing writer's career. Highly recommended.
December 5, 2023
Thank you to Bibliolifestyle and Blackstone Pub for the gifted book
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I feel like I could sit and nitpick small aspects of this that didn’t work for me, but by the end of the book I just FELT good about what I read and how truly enjoyable it was. It’s also well situated within the YA category without any major content issues (other than some light swearing).
The themes surrounding facing the night and the problems of the past was woven beautifully throughout. I loved seeing Cat going from a woman in hiding to taking what happened to her in the past and using that to be a source of strength towards the future. I also loved Adrian and his steadfastness in choosing the right path and looking after his sister.
There’s even a sweet, slow burn second chance romance that I thought was great. Little moments and reminders of who they were in the past and how that played out for them reconnecting and standing together.
I loved the western vibes thrown in with the middling gods fantasy aspects. It felt unique and something I haven’t recently read. It wraps up super well for a standalone and I highly recommend the audiobook!
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy
- Language: some light
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, loss of a loved one, gun violence, murder
TOOK ME BY SURPRISE.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I feel like I could sit and nitpick small aspects of this that didn’t work for me, but by the end of the book I just FELT good about what I read and how truly enjoyable it was. It’s also well situated within the YA category without any major content issues (other than some light swearing).
The themes surrounding facing the night and the problems of the past was woven beautifully throughout. I loved seeing Cat going from a woman in hiding to taking what happened to her in the past and using that to be a source of strength towards the future. I also loved Adrian and his steadfastness in choosing the right path and looking after his sister.
There’s even a sweet, slow burn second chance romance that I thought was great. Little moments and reminders of who they were in the past and how that played out for them reconnecting and standing together.
I loved the western vibes thrown in with the middling gods fantasy aspects. It felt unique and something I haven’t recently read. It wraps up super well for a standalone and I highly recommend the audiobook!
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy
- Language: some light
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, loss of a loved one, gun violence, murder
October 7, 2023
'Face the night. Run through it. Catch the sun on the other side". (Amos, Wolf of the West).
Face the Night contains everything I crave in a book: complex characters, a riveting plot and themes that are explored in beautiful and complex ways. I was unfamiliar with this author's work until I discovered a charity anthology by authors who wrote stories to commemorate Forbes's work. Although I have purchased the anthology, I wanted to read some of Forbes's writing as well in order to appreciate the person the anthology honors.
Face the Night is a page-turner, and I could not put it down. Western/Fantasy is not my usual fare, but the book was well-written with engaging characters.
Catriona McGregor is a wanted woman. Running from a traumatic past and from the ruthless baron who murdered her parents, she has sought refuge with a band of outlaws who call themselves the Wolves of the West. However, when the band's leader is captured and the group disbanded, Cat must seek help from a nearby mission. She learns from priest Father Ignatious that Baron Caldwell, (the man responsible for her parents' death), is now pursuing a devious plan to seize control of the territory. Many lives hang in the balance, and perhaps an even more sinister plan is afoot. Will Cat find the strength to confront her past? Can she face the young man who betrayed her so many years ago?
I particularly loved the characterization in this novel. Cat has just the right amount of spunk and vulnerability to endear me to her heart. Adrien Caldwell is authentic and a tormented young man who is desperate to prove that he is not like his father. I especially loved Edith Caldwell. She was absolutely precious with just the right amount of mischievousness and vulnerability. I wanted to reach into the book and give Edith a hug. One of my favorite scenes in the book involved Cat introducing Edith to a horse named Almond. Forbes does an exceptional job of exploring childhood trauma and the theme of facing fears, and Cat and Edith compliment each other very well. Their scenes were some of my favorites.
The minor characters were well-drawn, too. I especially loved Father's Ignatious and Ephraim.
The plot is fast-moving and kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to puzzle out Baron Caldwell's ultimate plan. I also loved Cat's growth throughout the story, and the way her hard exterior gradually revealed the true person. The climax was wonderful and featured a twist that I did not see coming. I love when books surprise me, and this one had a great surprise.
The worldbuilding was well-done. I enjoyed the lore of the twelve Saints and the Mother. The concept of the Blessed was also intriguing.
If you enjoy books like True Grit, authors like Terry Brooks, Frank Herbert and Jill Williamson, then I thoroughly recommend this exciting and complex story. The book is also a stand-alone, a fact which I appreciate.
Happy reading, and God bless you all.
Face the Night contains everything I crave in a book: complex characters, a riveting plot and themes that are explored in beautiful and complex ways. I was unfamiliar with this author's work until I discovered a charity anthology by authors who wrote stories to commemorate Forbes's work. Although I have purchased the anthology, I wanted to read some of Forbes's writing as well in order to appreciate the person the anthology honors.
Face the Night is a page-turner, and I could not put it down. Western/Fantasy is not my usual fare, but the book was well-written with engaging characters.
Catriona McGregor is a wanted woman. Running from a traumatic past and from the ruthless baron who murdered her parents, she has sought refuge with a band of outlaws who call themselves the Wolves of the West. However, when the band's leader is captured and the group disbanded, Cat must seek help from a nearby mission. She learns from priest Father Ignatious that Baron Caldwell, (the man responsible for her parents' death), is now pursuing a devious plan to seize control of the territory. Many lives hang in the balance, and perhaps an even more sinister plan is afoot. Will Cat find the strength to confront her past? Can she face the young man who betrayed her so many years ago?
I particularly loved the characterization in this novel. Cat has just the right amount of spunk and vulnerability to endear me to her heart. Adrien Caldwell is authentic and a tormented young man who is desperate to prove that he is not like his father. I especially loved Edith Caldwell. She was absolutely precious with just the right amount of mischievousness and vulnerability. I wanted to reach into the book and give Edith a hug. One of my favorite scenes in the book involved Cat introducing Edith to a horse named Almond. Forbes does an exceptional job of exploring childhood trauma and the theme of facing fears, and Cat and Edith compliment each other very well. Their scenes were some of my favorites.
The minor characters were well-drawn, too. I especially loved Father's Ignatious and Ephraim.
The plot is fast-moving and kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to puzzle out Baron Caldwell's ultimate plan. I also loved Cat's growth throughout the story, and the way her hard exterior gradually revealed the true person. The climax was wonderful and featured a twist that I did not see coming. I love when books surprise me, and this one had a great surprise.
The worldbuilding was well-done. I enjoyed the lore of the twelve Saints and the Mother. The concept of the Blessed was also intriguing.
If you enjoy books like True Grit, authors like Terry Brooks, Frank Herbert and Jill Williamson, then I thoroughly recommend this exciting and complex story. The book is also a stand-alone, a fact which I appreciate.
Happy reading, and God bless you all.
October 31, 2023
This was brilliant! Bravo Lani Forbes!
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, & Blackstone Publishing for the eARC!!!!
Y'all this was a wild ride all wrapped up in a highspeed chase! By the end of this one I was ready to give fantasy westerns another try...having sworn not to read another after a few horribly written ones. Face the Night was not only action packed with all my must have western elements (guns, chases, outlaws, men of the cloth, religion, power-hungry rich bad guy, a drug of a sort that fuels bad guy's pockets that he tried to take full control over territory with) this also incorporated some great fantasy tropes (slow burn romance, protagonist set on revenge for bad guy killing her family, hot romantic interest with flaws you can't help but want to help fix, demonic crazed right hand man of the bad guy). This novel was also very well written and the world building was spot on (not too much and not too little). Sometimes in fantasy authors take too much time explaining what readers should see, which makes it harder for the reader to immerse themselves in the story. This was not the case here. I felt as though I was encouraged to use my own imagination to create the background of this world with the descriptions given, which is my absolute preference.
If you are a fan of females with grit that live on the edge of their emotional circumstances and who feel emboldened by their choices in life, then this is the story for you. At first I wasn't a fan of Adrian because he seemed like a mouse in a wolf's clothing, but as the story progressed I was won over. Plus, I am a full fan of father Iggy who not only helps Cat find her part in the threads of destiny, but also because he is a religious leader who knows the importance of vows but also the understanding that sometimes we have to live in shades of gray, even when others would force us to believe life is either black or white.
Can't stress this enough, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!
5 outta 5 stars
NO REGRETS!!!!
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, & Blackstone Publishing for the eARC!!!!
Y'all this was a wild ride all wrapped up in a highspeed chase! By the end of this one I was ready to give fantasy westerns another try...having sworn not to read another after a few horribly written ones. Face the Night was not only action packed with all my must have western elements (guns, chases, outlaws, men of the cloth, religion, power-hungry rich bad guy, a drug of a sort that fuels bad guy's pockets that he tried to take full control over territory with) this also incorporated some great fantasy tropes (slow burn romance, protagonist set on revenge for bad guy killing her family, hot romantic interest with flaws you can't help but want to help fix, demonic crazed right hand man of the bad guy). This novel was also very well written and the world building was spot on (not too much and not too little). Sometimes in fantasy authors take too much time explaining what readers should see, which makes it harder for the reader to immerse themselves in the story. This was not the case here. I felt as though I was encouraged to use my own imagination to create the background of this world with the descriptions given, which is my absolute preference.
If you are a fan of females with grit that live on the edge of their emotional circumstances and who feel emboldened by their choices in life, then this is the story for you. At first I wasn't a fan of Adrian because he seemed like a mouse in a wolf's clothing, but as the story progressed I was won over. Plus, I am a full fan of father Iggy who not only helps Cat find her part in the threads of destiny, but also because he is a religious leader who knows the importance of vows but also the understanding that sometimes we have to live in shades of gray, even when others would force us to believe life is either black or white.
Can't stress this enough, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!
5 outta 5 stars
NO REGRETS!!!!
October 4, 2023
Yee-haw! Can’t say I expected to enjoy a cowboy book this much! I’m excited for the next wave of YA to settle in the wild Wild West.
The plot is the shining star of this book. A little bit of adventure, a smidge of heist, and a fantasy system of god-like Blessed ones? The perfect combination. The Blessed was easy enough to understand on a surface level—serviceable for sure—but there definitely could have been more to it. It was interesting and could have been the whole plot in itself!
Overall this brought something fun and feisty to YA. There are hardly any standalones these days, and while the pacing was a bit off, it worked relatively well considering I do not know the timeline in accordance with the authors death. Again, I don’t know whether the book was fully written before Forbes’s passing, whether there were notes left, etc so it is hard to fairly and accurately judge certain elements.
The writing was staccato and heavy handed at the same time, generally a bit cringey. A friend buddy reading with me pointed out the urgency in her writing, making every word count, and I think that’s fair—the words are not as important as the story, and there is little time to waste on parsing them out perfectly.
I found there to be many loose ends, many holes with opportunity for expansion based on interest alone. The plot was cohesive for such a short book, but had this been a different universe, I would have loved a chunky 400 pager or a trilogy.
The plot is the shining star of this book. A little bit of adventure, a smidge of heist, and a fantasy system of god-like Blessed ones? The perfect combination. The Blessed was easy enough to understand on a surface level—serviceable for sure—but there definitely could have been more to it. It was interesting and could have been the whole plot in itself!
Overall this brought something fun and feisty to YA. There are hardly any standalones these days, and while the pacing was a bit off, it worked relatively well considering I do not know the timeline in accordance with the authors death. Again, I don’t know whether the book was fully written before Forbes’s passing, whether there were notes left, etc so it is hard to fairly and accurately judge certain elements.
The writing was staccato and heavy handed at the same time, generally a bit cringey. A friend buddy reading with me pointed out the urgency in her writing, making every word count, and I think that’s fair—the words are not as important as the story, and there is little time to waste on parsing them out perfectly.
I found there to be many loose ends, many holes with opportunity for expansion based on interest alone. The plot was cohesive for such a short book, but had this been a different universe, I would have loved a chunky 400 pager or a trilogy.
August 23, 2023
**Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Before I even start my review, I want to let readers know.... lani Forbes passed away in February 2022. Days after giving birth to her son, she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. She sadly passed away 9 months later and this book is being published post humously. Her husband wrote a beautiful tribute to her in the foreword, and that was more than enough for me to pick up this book.
Face the Night is a stand alone, Western fantasy. I have to say, this was my first time reading a fantasy set in a wild West time period. Cat became an outlaw after witnessing the tragic death of her parents, but when a rumor sparks, she must return home and face the life she thought she'd left behind for good. I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and exciting, and Cat was a great FMC. Adrian was also a great lead. I loved the reversal of the normal weak girl/strong boy trope. The romance was sweet and never went past kissing. The ending was satisfying and felt complete. This book made me want to go back and read Forbes' other works, because her writing is lovely. I'd definitely suggest this book for YA fantasy lovers looking for something a little different than normal.
May you rest in peace, Lani ✨
Before I even start my review, I want to let readers know.... lani Forbes passed away in February 2022. Days after giving birth to her son, she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. She sadly passed away 9 months later and this book is being published post humously. Her husband wrote a beautiful tribute to her in the foreword, and that was more than enough for me to pick up this book.
Face the Night is a stand alone, Western fantasy. I have to say, this was my first time reading a fantasy set in a wild West time period. Cat became an outlaw after witnessing the tragic death of her parents, but when a rumor sparks, she must return home and face the life she thought she'd left behind for good. I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and exciting, and Cat was a great FMC. Adrian was also a great lead. I loved the reversal of the normal weak girl/strong boy trope. The romance was sweet and never went past kissing. The ending was satisfying and felt complete. This book made me want to go back and read Forbes' other works, because her writing is lovely. I'd definitely suggest this book for YA fantasy lovers looking for something a little different than normal.
May you rest in peace, Lani ✨
September 1, 2025
3.5 rounded up
Father Iggy was a fun character with a unique spin on the mentor archetype. The hints of found family with Cat, Amos, Soap, and Pedro made me smile. And I really liked how layered Edith's character was.
As Lani's husband Kevin mentions in the forward to Face the Night, Lani was a skilled worldbuilder. The fantasy-western setting is fresh and unique. Her magic system is intricately woven into the plot.
The plot was good. I was maybe expecting it to have a little bit more action to it, but it didn't drag. There was a plot twist near the end that could have maybe benefitted from a little bit of foreshadowing, but it wasn't so surprising that it jolted me out of the novel.
While I didn't keep exact track of cautions, there is fairly frequent swearing and coarse language throughout the novel. Overall, the romance is pretty mild with a few kisses, though there are two scenes where it's clear that the characters have a physical desire for each other. The violence is what you would expect from a Western, and isn't graphic.
Overall, Face the Night is a fresh fantasy-western novel. While I enjoyed it, there was a little too much language for my personal taste though.
Father Iggy was a fun character with a unique spin on the mentor archetype. The hints of found family with Cat, Amos, Soap, and Pedro made me smile. And I really liked how layered Edith's character was.
As Lani's husband Kevin mentions in the forward to Face the Night, Lani was a skilled worldbuilder. The fantasy-western setting is fresh and unique. Her magic system is intricately woven into the plot.
The plot was good. I was maybe expecting it to have a little bit more action to it, but it didn't drag. There was a plot twist near the end that could have maybe benefitted from a little bit of foreshadowing, but it wasn't so surprising that it jolted me out of the novel.
While I didn't keep exact track of cautions, there is fairly frequent swearing and coarse language throughout the novel. Overall, the romance is pretty mild with a few kisses, though there are two scenes where it's clear that the characters have a physical desire for each other. The violence is what you would expect from a Western, and isn't graphic.
Overall, Face the Night is a fresh fantasy-western novel. While I enjoyed it, there was a little too much language for my personal taste though.
August 12, 2023
4.5/5 stars
Lani Forbes was such an incredible author and it’s so nice to see Blackstone Publishing still publishing her works for her. Forbes is a great writer and I loved this standalone story. I know that this book could have been edited or alternated after she passed away but you can still feel the author’s touch in these pages especially if you have read her previous books. I loved the storyline of this book and was very intrigued by the story. The fantasy world-building was well done and I believe the setting is similar or the same place as The Seventh Sun. There was no moment I was bored as there were so many fun conflicts and development in the story. The characters, Cat and Adrian, were well-written and developed and I loved seeing them grow with each other. There were fun side characters and a cute bit of slow-burn romance. The ending was great and I loved how this fantasy world was created. If there are more Forbes manuscripts out in the world, I can’t wait to see them published, but if not then this was such an amazing gift to her readers.
*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
Lani Forbes was such an incredible author and it’s so nice to see Blackstone Publishing still publishing her works for her. Forbes is a great writer and I loved this standalone story. I know that this book could have been edited or alternated after she passed away but you can still feel the author’s touch in these pages especially if you have read her previous books. I loved the storyline of this book and was very intrigued by the story. The fantasy world-building was well done and I believe the setting is similar or the same place as The Seventh Sun. There was no moment I was bored as there were so many fun conflicts and development in the story. The characters, Cat and Adrian, were well-written and developed and I loved seeing them grow with each other. There were fun side characters and a cute bit of slow-burn romance. The ending was great and I loved how this fantasy world was created. If there are more Forbes manuscripts out in the world, I can’t wait to see them published, but if not then this was such an amazing gift to her readers.
*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
September 10, 2023
Face the Night is a beautifully-written Western fantasy with interesting characters, a wild west setting, and an intriguing plot. Catriona Macgregor, once an heir to the Macgregor ranch, is now an infamous outlaw. When she hears that the person responsible for killing her family is manipulating the system to get his hands on her family's land, she joins forces with a renegade priest to stop Baron Caldwell's villainous plans. Unfortunately, Cat's scheme involves her going undercover in the Caldwell household, which means coming face-to-face with her childhood crush - the boy who betrayed her.
The characters are well-written and well-developed. Catriona is a strong female POV and Adrian is a very caring and understandable POV. Both are extremely likable. Other favorite characters include Edith (she may be my top character) and Father Iggy. The wild west setting is beautifully written. I could picture every scene. Face the Night is a stand-alone book, and it felt complete. I usually like series; however, if more stand-alones were written like this book, I'd be reading much more of them. The story was unique and felt fresh. I will absolutely be recommending Face the Night!
The characters are well-written and well-developed. Catriona is a strong female POV and Adrian is a very caring and understandable POV. Both are extremely likable. Other favorite characters include Edith (she may be my top character) and Father Iggy. The wild west setting is beautifully written. I could picture every scene. Face the Night is a stand-alone book, and it felt complete. I usually like series; however, if more stand-alones were written like this book, I'd be reading much more of them. The story was unique and felt fresh. I will absolutely be recommending Face the Night!
July 18, 2023
Lani Forbes wrote this book while in her hospital beds, receiving Chemo treatments. While driving or flying from hospital to hospital across the country for care to slow down the life gripping cancer. She was an incredible author, and was working on so many pieces at once.
Keep an eye out, as it looks like a finished manuscript of hers will be published!!! Face the night may be the last one she wrote, but it wont be the last she gets published. Her Legacy continues to show me, her children and the world around that you can have hope, love and strength in the face of great struggle. Dont give up, she never did.
Keep an eye out, as it looks like a finished manuscript of hers will be published!!! Face the night may be the last one she wrote, but it wont be the last she gets published. Her Legacy continues to show me, her children and the world around that you can have hope, love and strength in the face of great struggle. Dont give up, she never did.
August 6, 2023
The Wild West fantasy mash-up of my dreams! This was an exciting story that starts out with a lot of action right from the start. I appreciated the "in medias res" beginning with the guns blazing and I was immediately drawn into the story, wanting to know Cat's story and about her "blessing." This was such a creative and unique story with unpredictable twists and turns. I loved getting POVs from both Cat and Adrian and the changes they each go through over the course of the story. I do feel as if the ending was a little rushed, but overall this was a really fun read!
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the e-ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the e-ARC!
September 27, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Lani Forbes and for letting me review this book.
There are secrets and twists you won't see coming at the beginning. There's western elements mixed in with fantasy elements. And there's feelings. Lots of feelings!
The beginning raised questions that I wanted answers to. But when I had read the first 25%, I knew I had to finish reading the book. I was hooked.
I loved the plot, the setting, the characters...everything!
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves westerns and fantasy, because this is the perfect mix of both.
Includes:
Twists
Secrets
Lies
Religious magic
There are secrets and twists you won't see coming at the beginning. There's western elements mixed in with fantasy elements. And there's feelings. Lots of feelings!
The beginning raised questions that I wanted answers to. But when I had read the first 25%, I knew I had to finish reading the book. I was hooked.
I loved the plot, the setting, the characters...everything!
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves westerns and fantasy, because this is the perfect mix of both.
Includes:
Twists
Secrets
Lies
Religious magic
May 25, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this standalone YA fantasy novel. I’ve heard of this author through mutual author friends, but had never read any of her books. When this came up on Libby I had to listen.
The prologue/note to readers was beautiful and heartbreaking. It was such a surreal experience to know I was consuming this authors parting gift to the world- a piece of herself left behind for readers and her family. It was such a fascinating concept- to chase the darkness.
I loved this story about Cat and the many lives she lived. The romance was perfectly slow and awkward, and the baby sister was a favorite character.
Now I’m excited to read her backlist
The prologue/note to readers was beautiful and heartbreaking. It was such a surreal experience to know I was consuming this authors parting gift to the world- a piece of herself left behind for readers and her family. It was such a fascinating concept- to chase the darkness.
I loved this story about Cat and the many lives she lived. The romance was perfectly slow and awkward, and the baby sister was a favorite character.
Now I’m excited to read her backlist
August 18, 2023
Face the Night … outlaw Black Cat Whitfield needs to watch her language and manors while disguised as a mission novice and governess to the out-of-control-mischievous Edith Caldwell. A truly difficult endeavor, but no more difficult than trying to claim revenge upon Baron Caldwell (who killed her parents) and trying not to fall in love with the Baron’s son…again! A well written, fast paced, clean, and humorous, read with a hint of the otherworldly. Will Cat Face the Night and catch the sunrise on the other side?
August 21, 2023
It was a good book. I remember reading Lani's first series a LONG time ago but I only think I read the first book of that. However, this book was very refreshing and I loved that it is a standalone. I think a lot of people will resonate with this story. This young girl trying to run away from her past and yet, the more she runs from it--the closer she seems to get. A bunch of misfit bandits and a past that requires fixing in order to move to her future, Cat will have to face her biggest fears in order to be able to live in her present.
September 28, 2023
Captivating and immersive, this YA fantasy grips you from the first page. The transformation of Catriona Macgregor into 'Black Cat Whitfield' is a riveting journey of self-discovery. The blend of destiny, unique gifts, and a fight against evil is expertly woven into the narrative. Cat's character is both relatable and inspiring, and her struggles resonate deeply. The dynamic between Cat and the enigmatic Father Ignatius adds an intriguing layer to this gripping tale. A must-read for fans of fantasy with strong, empowered heroines."
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