Okay. So this was awesome.
( )

funny and entertaining

We’d come looking for a witch—I hadn’t asked Lock what kind of witch—and it was clear from the cabin that she was not a good one. There’s no conceivable reason why a good witch would have a gingerbread house.

Hansel and Gretel really is a nasty little story, isn't it? This is a fun little story about paybacks. Paybacks involving a pyromancer, a dryad, and some kind of kitsune.

Final verdict? I'll be reading [b:Firebug|16117921|Firebug (Firebug, #1)|Lish McBride|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1393959278s/16117921.jpg|21936326]. ( )

Cute and creepy and funny all mixed together - I love Lish McBride's short stories SO MUCH. I also love her books, but it's so great to get the occasional short like this. It's a fantastic take on Hansel & Gretel and urban fantasy and also Ezra is the best. You should read it. And maybe buy it, because, look, I know it's free but sometimes stuff is totally worth the 99 cents to tell the publisher and the author: MOAR PLS ( )

Ava and her friends Ezra and Lock are on a job–for the magical mafia, which, not their choice really but definitely their norm at this point. It ought to be a fairly simple task, present a sufficient show of force that the witch they’ve been sent to deal with pays up. Not too hard when you’ve got a werefox, a half-dryad, and oh, a girl who controls fire on your hands. But of course, things are never simple for these three.

I adore Lish McBride’s novel Firebug, so it was with delight that I discovered this digitally-released short story set in the same world and following the same three main characters. Chronologically within the story’s timeline, “Burnt Sugar” actually predates Firebug and gives us a good picture of an (honestly) pretty average mission for these three. Which isn’t to say the story’s average, by any means. It’s exciting and suspenseful, with a great sense of humor and some amazing friendships. Seriously, I just love these three and the relationship they share so, so much. And really, a plot that involves gingerbread houses, health-conscious witches, and a girl who can summon fire with just a thought–what’s not to love? Also, if you’re not familiar with this author/series and would like a sampling, “Burnt Sugar” actually provides sufficient information to appreciate the characters and what’s going on, while avoiding being a straight-up info dump. (Granted, if you’ve read Firebug, some of the information provided is unnecessary, but not annoyingly so.) I would definitely recommend this short story, honestly to a broad audience, although particularly to fans of quirky, funny urban fantasy. ( )