Maxine Kaplan

A funny, fiercely feminist YA epic fantasy—following the adventures of a tavern wench Tanya has worked at her tavern since she was able to see over the bar. She broke up her first fight at 11. By the time she was a teenager she knew everything about the place, and she could run it with her eyes closed. She’d never let anyone—whether it be a drunkard or a captain of the queen’s guard—take advantage of her. But when her guardian dies, she might lose it all: the bar, her home, her purpose in life. So she heads out on a quest to petition the queen to keep the tavern in her name—dodging unscrupulous guards, a band of thieves, and a powerful, enchanted feather that seems drawn to her. Fast-paced, magical, and unapologetically feminist, Wench is epic fantasy like you’ve never seen it before.

Wench

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Wench

Author: Maxine Kaplan

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: ya readers, fantasy lovers

Publication Date: January 19, 2021

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 15+ (TW self-harm, violence, gore, sexual content)

Publisher: Amulet Books

Pages: 400

Synopsis: Tanya has worked at her tavern since she was able to see over the bar. She broke up her first fight at 11. By the time she was a teenager she knew everything about the place, and she could run it with her eyes closed. She’d never let anyone—whether it be a drunkard or a captain of the queen’s guard—take advantage of her. But when her guardian dies, she might lose it all: the bar, her home, her purpose in life. So she heads out on a quest to petition the queen to keep the tavern in her name—dodging unscrupulous guards, a band of thieves, and a powerful, enchanted feather that seems drawn to her. Fast-paced, magical, and unapologetically feminist, Wench is epic fantasy like you’ve never seen it before.

Review: For the most part I thought that this was an okay book. The plot is really interesting and the book hooks you in immediately upon reading it. And I also like the premise of the book and the ending was very satisfying I like some of the books that I've read in this genre.

However, there were some things that didn't make this a memorable book. The character development is literally non-existent and the author takes no time to world build. The pacing is super fast and within about 30 pages I was in a completely different setting and very confused. the author also doesn't explain the backstory and expects us to feel sorry for this character for the death of a father figure to her but yet we are given no information on how he was a father figure to her. I think that this book read more like a first draft than it did a book.

Verdict: It’s good, just needed more work.

Samantha Bass

You can see my full review, favorite quotes, and an interview with the author on my blog We Write at Dawn!


The first half of this book is amazing. I couldn't put it down and kept pushing myself to read one more chapter because I had to know what was going to happen next! As the plot progressed though, things started to fall apart for me though I love how the book ended!

Tanya is a take no sh*t, tough girl who just wants one thing - not to lose her tavern and her home. This leads her on a journey across the world where she has to face corpsmen, smugglers, thieves, magicians, and even the Queen herself. There's a lot that goes on in this book and it's easy to find yourself twisted around because Tanya goes through a lot on her journey!

I loved the cast of characters we meet. Jana, a queen in her own right, is a sharp shooter who not only woos the corpsmen, but the reader with her fun personality. She's the kind of girl who is effortlessly beautiful and fun, while also a well trained shooter who could shoot an arrow through your arm as she hides in the trees. Basically, she's a fun time. Then we have other characters like Rollo, Greer, and Riley who add some pizzazz to Tanya's journey - which is a good and bad thing at times. 

Another thing I really liked about this book was the humor. There were some solid moments of me laughing out loud at the sassiness that Tanya brings to the table. She's a fun character to follow around and while I question a lot of the decisions she makes, she can sure make me laugh. 

Some of my favorite moments are also moments with Rollo - a sassy magician who is very upset with Tanya. The poor guy has his quill, his horse, and his dignity stolen by Tanya all within a short amount of time. He's a takes no sh*t person too, which makes it even funnier when they start to bicker. 

Along with great characters, funny moments, and perfect dialogue, the magic system is also really cool and unique! The basic rule of magic is that any thing you do, there is an equal consequence that must occur. Take some gold from a safe and the river floods. Create a fire and it rains rocks. You never know what the consequences are until they appear, which they call "junk off". I thought the magic system was so cool and the fact that Tanya gets in the middle of a whole magical debocial made it that much cooler!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the world, the magic, and the characters. I did have an issue once I got halfway, since it felt like the plot went off track almost, but I was still happy with the end. Tanya goes through a lot on her journey and I loved every moment of it. Even with the plot beginning to clutter, I still found myself excited to read what happened next!

A funny, fiercely feminist YA epic fantasy--following the adventures of a tavern wench Tanya has worked at her tavern since she was able to see over the bar. She broke up her first fight at 11. By the time she was a teenager she knew everything about the place, and she could run it with her eyes closed. She'd never let anyone--whether it be a drunkard or a captain of the queen's guard--take advantage of her. But when her guardian dies, she might lose it all: the bar, her home, her purpose in life. So she heads out on a quest to petition the queen to keep the tavern in her name--dodging unscrupulous guards, a band of thieves, and a powerful, enchanted feather that seems drawn to her. Fast-paced, magical, and unapologetically feminist, Wench is epic fantasy like you've never seen it before.

Kerri McDonald

Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours, the publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Tanya was good at many things, but her most useful gift was breaking up bar fights.”

Well, this book was certainly a surprise! I went into thinking I knew what to expect: Medieval shenanigans, fight scenes, and even a bit of magic. I came out of realizing there were layers upon layers and I probably only scratched the surface!

This is the story of Tanya, a tavern wench who has been working at the Smiling Snake since she could barely walk. She was raised by the owner and knows very little about her parents. What she does know is that she is extremely good at running the tavern while her old caretaker takes frequent naps. So imagine her chagrin when said caretaker up and dies and she finds out that he didn’t even leave the tavern to her. She had always assumed it would be hers once he was gone, but a mysterious writ from the queen and her council soon has that fantasy snatched away. Tanya then takes it upon herself to travel to the Capital and petition the country’s ruler for the one thing she wants: the Smiling Snake and her chance to run it as she sees fit. Getting there, however, is much tougher than Tanya could imagine and the circumstances she encounters along the way will change her forever.

“She was too busy to leave. The place wouldn’t function without her — she had made sure of that. Fear of being left under a tree was for other, less important, girls.”

My favorite part of this book would have to be our main character, Tanya. She is quite a lot of things all wrapped up in one: a tavern wench, an girl longing for a place in the world, and someone so obsessively organized that it hurts. I do love a multi-faceted protagonist and Tanya has facets in spades! She’s tough but cares about helping those who can’t help themselves. She’s smart as a whip and not afraid to let others see her cleverness. Though she presents a rather strong exterior, there’s always the underlying current of an abandoned little girl who is afraid of being consider useless and being abandoned. I loved that foil to her character… it helps to explain some of the less intelligent decisions she makes during her journey. I think the best part of Tanya, though, is that she is so relatable. I can see younger self in her as she figures out who she is and what, exactly, she wants out of life. She is such a rich character and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to witness her story.

On the other hand, the other characters in this story fell a little flat for me. They all read like caricatures of what they were meant to represent in Tanya’s story. Here we have Captain Life Ruiner, who’s only purpose is to get Tanya out of her tavern and into the adventure. Now here are some random potential love interests that flit in and out of her life, but are otherwise rather forgettable. I will say there are a lot of characters and moving parts to this story, so I understand how they might not all be as well-developed and intriguing as our main character, but I would have enjoyed a little bit more depth.

“One could plan for ordinary evils — people. But one couldn’t plan for what one didn’t know, and no one — not even the magicians themselves — ever knew what was going to happen when they manipulated matter.”

Now, let’s talk about the magical system. At first, much like the magicians of this story, I had no idea what was going on, lol. It seemed kind of confusing and more than a little bit strange, what with the “junkoff” (the consequences in this world of dabbling in magic) and whatnot. But, as I got more into the story, I either got used to the oddness or it started making more sense because I found myself quite enjoying the magic! It gets even better once Tanya encounters the enchanted feather that is mentioned in the synopsis. I loved how everything came at a price and that the price was so weird and uncontrollable. Like conjuring a fire causing it to rain gold. It was bizarre, but with something as mind-boggling as magic, it made sense that the consequences would be bizarre. I found myself really intrigued by it all, which kept me immersed in the world. The rest of the world-building equally wormed it’s way into my subconscious as I read until I was thoroughly a part of the kingdom of Lode. It made for quite a captivating reading experience!

“Tanya obeyed, thoroughly enjoying her breakfast, although she quite disagreed with Violet about the benefits of sleeping late. Something in her shoulders and back felt off, and she had a strange floating, relaxed sensation behind her eyes. It didn’t feel safe.”

The last thing I want to talk about is the writing. Though the writing struck me as a bit stilted and choppy, the one thing I really loved was the tone and the humor. There were several moments where I legitimately laughed out loud, usually when Tanya was speaking my thoughts like she’d read my mind. Which is impressive for a fictional character! Her biting sarcasm and wit aligned so well with my own and had me grinning quite often as I read. I do love a good quest, as well, and this book certainly delivered on that aspect! Though sometimes I felt like we jumped from one dilemma to another a little too quickly, it made for a fast-paced read and I still had a ton of fun!

Final thoughts: This book was fun, intriguing, and a fast read! The main character is someone you will find yourself rooting for throughout the story, even if the other characters fall a little flat. The world-building is immersive and will have you sucked into the story. The magic system is a bit puzzling, but, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be captivating in figuring out it’s potential as much as Tanya! If you’re looking for a Medieval adventure story that features a compelling, female protagonist and is more than it appears to be, you should give Wench a try!

Becca Futrell

Thank you to Netgalley & TBR and Beyond Tours for providing me with a copy of Wench in exchange for an honest review!

If you’re looking for a non-stop adventure, I have the book for you. From the beginning chapter to the final words, Maxine Kaplan’s Wench takes you on a journey that you never expected. What would you do in order to win back what you believe was rightfully yours in the first place? Wench’s protagonist, Tanya, answers this question by.. well, doing everything that comes her way — from horse thieving to attempting to figure out the secret behind the magical feather. 

Wench is by far one of the most adventurous books I’ve read in quite some time. I never knew where I would land, nor had I any clue how long Tanya would keep me stationed in that spot. She was constantly on the go, and each chapter ended with a hook that begged you to keep going. 

It’s impossible to not fall in love with Tanya and the various characters that you meet along the way. Our main character starts off alone and on her own, to winning the hearts of those around, including the reader’s. Come for the plot but stay for the tavern wench. Wench will have you cheering Tanya on the entire time.

I’m not going to dabble too much into the negatives of this book, because really it was solid in terms of plot and characters. And, I could see readers absolutely eating this one up — however, there’s something that didn’t hit the landing for me, making me give it an average 3-stars. Perhaps, the story was too adventurous, therefore not allowing the reader to stay in one spot & causing the story and characters to feel a bit too underdeveloped.

Wench

Reviews