Unfortunately, this book was not my cup of tea. I received an ARC through Netgalley, and the description of the book had me excited to follow Tanya's story.

The concept of a seventeen-year-old girl losing the tavern she'd hoped to inherit and setting off to demand the Queen return it to her intrigued me. However, the execution of the concept was mired by too fast, choppy pacing and a series of events that made it seem like the author had crammed two book ideas together which didn't fit.

When it came to the characters, I regret to say I struggled to connect much with any of them. Tanya has admirable qualities: she's organized, resourceful, and practical. However, her dialogue seemed inauthentic, and I found myself indifferent when she encountered conflicts. I also didn't fully invest in the slew of side characters she interacted with throughout the story. I did appreciate the LGBTQ content.

All in all, I liked bits and pieces of this book. The magic system was interesting.

This book has a great premise (and title). Tanya, a tavern wench, has her tavern unjustly taken from her, so she sets out to get it back. Tanya is a super strong character—indeed, thats her main characteristic, which makes her kinda annoying and boring. The pacing and plotting are off, particularly in the first half. Since Tanya’s central goal, and the outside forces challenging it, are never really made clear or connected, there isnt a lot to pull you through the book. I had trouble keeping track of all the characters, which is linked to a general lack of description; I had trouble picturing this world and the people in it.

While this sounded so fricken good, I couldn’t connect with the character or the premise like I anticipated. I’m really disappointed, but it’s just not my cup of tea.

Wench is a fantasy novel about a tavern wench who just wants to feel useful and finds out what she is capable of. I enjoyed the world building and magic system that Kaplan created. Tanya runs the Smiling Snake, but when the owner dies without willing it to her, she must travel to meet the Queen to try to gain ownership. Along they way, she meets lots of interesting characters including several fierce females and one ill-tempered horse. Tanya is a relatable character and I really enjoyed this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet Books for the chance to read this book.

More evidence that working as a server provides you with excellent skills for any job.

Servers have to keep up with a lot. They need to always aware of customer service. It doesn’t hurt to be a cooking magician. And, in Tayna’s case, always able to break up a bar fight.

Tanya grew up in a tavern after being taken in by the kindly owner as a child. She’s learned a lot about people but is also oddly naive. When her guardian dies suddenly without properly willing the Inn/tavern to Tanya she is forced to embark on an unexpected dangerous journey filled with unusual characters and magic.

I’m not a huge fan of fantasy but this one is done well and it’s funny. The main character is witty, spunky, and likable.

I was given an early release copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read this one because my DnD squad asked me to (I don't know how they knew about it, someone in DnD circles must have reviewed it). I think they'll like it, and that's all that matters in this world.

As soon as I read “fierce feminist fairytale” I knew I had to read Wench, but maybe I’m alone but I didn’t get that from this story? The story is slow, boring, and dull laced with moments of “humor” that I just couldn’t vibe with. There is magic in this book and I would say the system works well enough, and isn’t as confusing as the likes of Furyborn… but it doesn’t have anything special to it either? It feels that the heroine instead of being strong and fierce is hiding behind a mask and pretending to be these things while hiding insecurities and shortcomings. The writing is simple and also tends to leave much to be desired. I think it would be a good read for those on the lower age range of the young adult reading scale.

What I loved: The Premise, the magic, the feminism, Tanya, the world-building
What needs improvement: pacing and all the secondary character development.
I wanted to love it five stars worth, and instead, it's a 3 and 3/4.

This was a fun and lighthearted romp of a medieval fantasy. I really loved the strong female characters and how engaging the story was. It's humorous and fun, and makes for a really quick read! There's definitely moments in the book where it feels like there's a lot going on, but it doesn't detract from the story and is easy to follow. I enjoyed this a lot!

Cover > Book.

The premise for Wench was a good one, but unfortunately the book didn’t live up to expectations.

I was expecting something akin to perhaps Daughter of the Pirate King, but this one lacks that level of cleverness and the humor misses most of the time.

The magical system is fine, nothing special, nothing atrociously bad. But the story, which could have been a fun, rip-roaring adventure, is more of a dull slog peppered with moments of obnoxiousness.

Part of the problem is that the heroine is just a touch irritating. Our girl has skills, to be sure, but while striving for snappy confidence, she comes off more as shrill and overcompensating. She annoys far more than she impresses, despite the fact that her skill set and character traits ought to make her winning and lovable.

The book also skews very young on the young adult scale. This is not of course punishable in a review, but does make me feel compelled to warn off the adult faction of the YA audience. The drama and antics feel juvenile, and the writing is very simplistic.

This book is surprisingly promotional debut and there are too many positive attributes made me enjoy it mostly.

Here are the things which truly attracted my attention:

Tanya is strong, brave and adamant character you proudly call her a real heroine! She earned the trust of her guardian with her hard work and after he suddenly passes away without leaving a will pointing the next proprietor of the tavern, she is determined enough to talk with Queen to change things because she has every right and every capability to manage the possession of the place which takes her to the dangerous journey results with finding a magical object. This object gives her the leverage and power against her enemies.

Second thing I enjoyed about the book:
I loved LGBTQ representation and I wish instead of getting some snippets, we may get more serious and long F/F romance parts.

Third positive thing about the novel: The supporting characters are sooo lovely. I like those powerful, cheerful, strong women’s stories and their true desires to chase their dreams and raise their voices for equal rights. The feminism vibes with fantastic premise worked so well in this story.

But here are the negative things that bugged me about the story telling:
The inconsistencies and the aimless story progression, slow pacing were a little disappointing factors for me to lower my points. For so many times I felt lost and I couldn’t see where the story’s direction exactly went.

I decided to give three stars but I have to admit even though this is the first book of the author: I loved her ideas and her skilled character development. I only unliked the story’s bumpy direction. I still want to read future books of hers.

Special thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS KIDS/ Amulet Books for sharing this unique ARC in exchange my honest review.

I'm trying to branch out and read more fantasy, and this one caught my eye. I loved the idea of a tavern wench thrust into a wild turn of magical events that she never asked for - but I also loved the confidence she had in herself, and her unapologetic love of what she does for a living, even if it isn't particularly revered by society. I would recommend this as a jumping off point for reluctant fantasy readers.

DNF @ 35%

I guess this was "supposed to be a fierce feminist fantasy" but instead what I trudged through were events pulled along at an insane pace, a plethora of forgettable characters, and really none of what the blurb touts this book as having.

This is exactly the kind of feminist story I love. Tanya knows exactly what's he wants and won't let any man get in ger way of getting it. The fantasy aspects of this, with the quill and the awesome atmosphere and locations, just added to how wonderful this story was.

If I wanted to compare Wench to any other fantasy novel, I would choose to compare it to The Princess Bride. It has that same sort of irreverence and light-heartedness to it, but with a darker undercurrent. And that is primarily what I loved about it.

In the story, we follow Tanya, a tavern wench, whose guardian dies suddenly and then she loses her tavern when the Queen’s Guard commandeers it, for unknown reasons. Wanting to get her tavern back, she embarks on a journey to request an audience with the Queen. Her journey is somewhat complicated by the fact she has to travel with said guard, the appearance of a band of robbers, and a magic feather.

The book splits into two parts, and I think it would be safe to say that divide is also mirrored in my thoughts about it. It isn’t that I loved one and hated the other, but more that one I enjoyed and the other… well. I enjoyed less? I guess?

Primarily the difference between the parts was a matter of pacing. A lot happens in part one, so much so that you could probably see part one as a complete story in and of itself. And because a lot happens and the pacing is rapid, part two definitely comes off as slower in comparison. But the problem, I think, is that the second part starts right when you might ordinarily expect everything to start kicking up a notch. As such, what you get is this transition from an intense and action-packed section, to something that is much less so (both in what happens in it, and in that it’s the start of a new stage of Tanya’s life). And it didn’t really fit overall.

Pacing aside, I also sometimes struggled with Tanya’s motivations. As in, sometimes her actions do not feel as though they stem from her previously established motivations and worldviews. At one point, she tells another character that she only sees him as an asset to her, but I couldn’t tell you where that came from. Yes, there are a couple of times it’s specifically mentioned that she’s closed herself off to friendship, but it’s that old adage of show don’t tell. I felt that, in between being told this, I wasn’t also being explicitly shown it. If it all hinges on Tanya’s inability to accept love, then I need to be shown that throughout rather than realising right near the end that’s what’s going on here.

I guess this ties into my next point, which is that sometimes the world felt at minimum under-described, if not occasionally under-developed. Primarily this is about the magic system in place. Now, I don’t mean to say I wanted massive amounts of exposition, but I did want more than I got. It’s all very well dropping me into a world and not explaining, but you still have to describe it enough I understand it. I feel as though this is exemplified by the fact that, over 80% into the book, a patron god of criminals was mentioned. Despite not having made mention of any sort of patron god beforehand.

One final thing: at the start, there felt like way too many potential love interests (I counted four. In fact, it was pretty much everyone who was around Tanya’s age). And yes, two of them were actually gay, but they were still framed in the same way as the actual love interests. And by framed, I mean, it was entirely conceivable (up until the moment they were shown to be gay) that they could have been endgame with Tanya. So that was definitely weird.

As much as I have seemingly complained throughout this review, though, I did really enjoy this book. It was a fun, low(ish)-stakes fantasy! It was just that those things I noted above probably dragged my enjoyment down a little.

3.5- Tanya, a courageous tavern wench, is shocked when her guardian dies and hasn’t left a will naming her as the tavern proprietor. The tavern is promptly repossessed and Tanya sets out on a journey to see the Queen in hopes that she might grant her the building’s deed. However, the pathway to the castle is anything but smooth. In her travels, Tanya discovers a strange magical object that just might give her the leverage she needs. Undaunted by challenges, Tanya encounters suspicious characters and unlikely friends- featuring LGBTQ romance and representation.

There was a lot to like about this story: Tanya’s determination, the exploration of magic, and great supporting characters. (TW: Magic that requires self-harm.) The pacing seemed a bit off to me and lacked a consistent flow. I would’ve liked more development with the F/F romance. I felt the brief flashes of romance were immediately interrupted or diverted. I don’t know whether there will be a sequel to this book, but I would love to see more complexity in the relationships. Wench is an adventurous fantasy, with an intriguing take on magic and compelling characters! This book has a cheerful sense of humor, strong women who know their goals and dreams, and a unique world to adventure in. Wench releases on January 19, 2021. Thank you to Maxine Kaplan, Amulet Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wench had a lot of potential. The synopsis sucked me in but the execution was uneven. The story jumped from plot point to plot point and honestly might have been better fleshed out over a bunch of books or else tightened to not quite include so many characters and plot points. I hope since I read a very early ARC that the book will be smoothed out before publication because I liked the characters and the LGBTQ+ rep and the plot had potential.

Tanya has been working at her tavern for years and expects it to become hers one day. Then her guardian dies and her dream is ripped out from under her as the queen's guards take ownership and strip the tavern of everything. Tanya sees no other option but to go to the capital with them to petition for the tavern to become hers. But the trip isn't an easy one thanks to the enchanted feather the queen's guard and everyone else seems to want.

This is absolutely a feminist fantasy. Tanya knows what she wants and is willing to do whatever it takes to get it and stand up for herself. And a tavern wench who wants to hold onto her tavern and run it herself, well that struck me as very charming and easy to root for and a nice spin on medieval fantasy. This is a fast-paced read for those who like fun, pacey stories. The magical system was also interesting. On the flip side, the story felt too fast at times. So much happens in this book that it made the plot feel a little clunky at times and rushed. So overall I liked the concept, but the plot execution didn't quite work for me.

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from the publisher for review.

I have been reading medieval fantasy books since I was old enough to get through a chapter book. With lady knights at the forefront of my younger self’s role models, I never realized that I would have a new role model to look up to. I loved the antagonistic hero who has the faults of anyone trying to learn through the harsh lessons of experience.
I would recommend this to any student, teacher, person, etc.. who is looking for both a place to settle and an adventure.

This was a fun read. I loved the magical setting and the system was good. I enjoyed the feminist tale. The characters were okay, some of them I didn’t feel for as they disappeared for the majority of the book. I liked the casual queerness of the book too, there was a bisexual main character that ends up in a relationship with another woman which was great. I liked Tanya and I enjoyed the development she had, I also enjoyed her connection to the tavern. The writing could be better as there is a lot of telling and not much showing. Overall I found it to be an enjoyable read.