Chapter by Chapter

Of the two Widdershins novels, The False Covenant is, by far, my favorite. I’ve decided that I want Widdershins as my friend. Seriously! I absolutely loved her in this book. And her loyalty never ceases to amaze me.The False Covenant was a darker, creepier read than its predecessor, Thief’s Covenant. In The False Covenant we are re-introduced to the characters that we know and love *cough* Renard *cough*, and are also introduced to new characters and new evils.The False Covenant picks up six months after Thief’s Covenant. After the death of her best friend, Genevieve, Widdershins is struggling to keep The Flippant Witch tavern in business and finds herself still indulging in her past time of thievery to help supplement the income. During a routine stake out, Widdershins finds herself confronted with a dilemma. Help her fellow thieves, led by a sneaky man who goes by the name Squirrel, in stealing items during an Aristocrat party? Or help out the Guard, most especially her favorite guard of them all, Julien Bouniard from injury and/or death? Widdershins conscious gets the better of her and gains more trust from a soon to be ally, but in turn has her own “kind” plotting against her. Oh, Widdershins.Not only does Widdershins have to worry about the wellbeing of the tavern, a new foe has come to town seeking revenge for past crimes made by none other than Widdershins. Add in a supernatural being stalking the streets of Davillon, who at first seemed harmless enough, but has progressed into something straight out of a nightmare. Can those who uphold the law and those who make a living breaking the law, work together to rid the world of a being even feared by Widdershins’ god, Olgun?This book was … awesomesauce! It was a creepy read that was completely full of action and humour. I’ve always loved Widdershins’ humour, but in The False Covenant, she is more witty, more of a smart ass and … seriously I want her for a friend! She is such a strong female heroine that is easily likeable and full of surprises.Author, Ari Marmell’s world building in The False Covenant topped Thief’s Covenant. The world came alive all around me. I loved that it wasn’t just Widdershins needing to run and hide from the law…she faced her foes dead on in this installment. I found that this story made me appreciate Widdershins even more now that she really doesn’t have to do everything on her own.The supernatural being, of which was loving called “Iruoch” was scary as all hell! I mean, there was no delicacy when it came down to the description of this character, and the carnage that he brought forth on the citizens of Davillon. He was a walking, talking nightmare that I could clearly picture in my head, thanks to Mr. Marmell’s unbelievable description. The way in which he described Iruoch’s voice, as being that of man and child together, was eerie AND I could totally hear it and hear the unseen giggling children. GAH! I was freaking myself out!And let’s not forget Renard. Oh sweet, sweet Renard who we now know is the Shrouded Lord unbeknownst to Widdershins. He is such a true gentleman and his wit and humour made me fall head over heels for this guy. (But in my head, the Renard that I crush on does NOT have a moustache…just sayin’) I personally am hoping that Widdershins and Renard end up together…but who knows! One of the other reasons that I absolutely adore these books is that love is certainly not a main factor at all. There is no swooning and near deaths because our main heroine is busy contemplating lust or marriage or kisses or anything like that!I recommend The False Covenant to fans of the first installment, Thief’s Covenant, as well those who are looking for a fantastically unforgettable creepy read.