DNF @ 29%
Nothing wrong with this one, but for now it failed to keep my attention.

I loved the setup of Wench and Tanya, the no-nonsense protagonist who is determined to get her tavern back at all costs.

From the very beginning the plot was fast-paced, and scenes, moods and allegiances changed quickly. It was not particularly funny or surprising, but while I did find it entertaining, somehow I was not especially deeply invested. I think ultimately things just happened a little too fast, and I didn't really know what to do with and think of with various plot elements that were introduced in frequent intervals without really letting the previous one sink in.

In the part I read there were already several intriguing developing relationships, and I am looking forward to eventually picking it back up and finding out how they all end up.
Related to that, Tanya definitely reads as bisexual.

The most overt thing that bothered me was all the misogyny. Tanya knows how to handle herself and use her situation and how men view her as weaker to her advantage, and while it certainly was never condoned it also was treated as so deeply normalized that it was barely worth remarking, much less get upset over.

I picked this book up based upon the author's description of why she wanted to write it. She talked about how the character of the "Wench" is always there to further another's story - to serve the beer, to provide a quick tumble, to overhear secrets and pass them along, or a variety of other things that helps the MC get what they want. She never gets her own story. And so Kaplan decided to give her an adventure of her own.
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Tanya is a tavern wench. She's damned good at it too, and she's proud of having the best tavern in her village. But when her guardian dies having forgotten to name her as the next rightful owner of the place, the kingdom's soldiers seize the property and all its goods, leaving Tanya effectively penniless and homeless. Turns out the only way that Tanya can get her tavern back is to petition the Queen herself, and this sets in motion Tanya's epic adventure.

Filled with magic, thieves, kidnappings, suitors, shifting alliances, far off lands, a enchanted feather, and a cranky horse, Wench more than meets out the usual epic fantasy genre elements. But it kind of seems just meander to plot point to plot point. It all blends but even at its end I'm still not quite sure what the actual goal of the story was.

I still enjoyed reading it though as Tanya's a solid character with a good head on her shoulders and she doesn't waver from that the entire book. Wench comes out in January 2021, and if you're okay just going on a journey without a destination in mind you should check this out.

I love that the theme of renaissance fairs, medieval taverns, etc. is having a moment in fiction right now, especially as they tell new feminist spins on women referencing those time periods. Historical fiction doesn't need to follow a male dominated norm. There were then and are now women who stood up for themselves and led amazing feminist lives. I also appreciate the LGBTQ representation of course. While the plot wasn't a stand out, the characters, main and supporting, were very well done.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.


Sadly this book failed to grab my attention and it'll be a DNF. The pacing was slow for me and I couldn't fully pull myself into the story to continue.

Wench by Maxine Kaplan is a fun younger YA feminist fantasy that follows a character type that we rarely ever get to see lead their own story in the genre. Tanya is a tavern wench. She may not be the chosen one, a princess, an assassin, or a thief, but she is very good at what she does and finds herself on an unexpected adventure to see the queen anyway when her guardian, the tavern's proprietor, dies without a will and without naming a successor (which deserves to be Tanya herself) to get the deed the business put in her name. While the book is uneven in terms of pacing, Tanya herself really makes the story work. Like I said, she's very good at what she does, is a hard worker, and has a sharp sense of humor all of which I greatly appreciated. In the long run, though, the novel doesn't work out as well as I would have hoped and as much as it should have. The pacing is all over the place and the story itself is inconsistent in places. Plus, the world-building is a little too thin for my tastes as well. Overall, I don't feel like I have a broad enough of a view of characters and the world they inhabit to really become invested in them. Maxine Kaplan's Wench never quite hits the mark that it's aiming for but it still manages to be a fun ride.

This is the first book I've read by Maxine Kaplan and won't be my last. Loved this story so much. Strong women, fantasy, magic, and so much more. Tanya is the strong heroine protagonist in this story and she is determined to get what is hers. Along the way we meet many characters that will both help and try to hurt her. The story moved along and I was swept into the fantasy. Truly enjoyed this book.

I was excited about the premise of this book, being an avid fantasy reader and always curious about the backstory of those tavern wenches, who are always relegated to the background. The story started off strong, but the pacing felt really slow and the plot seemed bogged down by this. In such a crowded YA fantasy market, this one just didn't stand out, as much as I wanted to love it. I do appreciate the chance to read and review it early though, and I'm sure there will be readers with more patience than me!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

This book had so much promise. A feminist tavern wench on a quest to save her beloved inn sounded like just the adventure I needed while stuck in quarantine. 

This was originally a DNF for me, but I actually went back and finished just to see how it all turned out. 

If not for the main character, Tanya, I probably would not have made it as far as I did. She’s funny, smart, quick-witted and confident in her skills. I love seeing a take-charge lady be the main character. I relate to Tanya in many ways, and that’s what made her such an enjoyable character for me. She gets the damn job done and it was a joy to follow her journey.

Someone in another review commented that Tanya seems like the main player in a game and that all the side-characters are NPC’s who only exist to further the plot. That’s exactly what it felt like. By chapter eight, Tanya had met so many different people and faced so many hiccups that I couldn’t believe I was less than ten chapters in. I think this story could have perhaps been two books instead of one, that way things could be more fleshed out and take their time. 

Edited to add: Upon finishing, this was an enjoyable story, it just felt LONG. So much happened and we went to many places,  but the second half of the book was much more enjoyable for me. Things fell into a better rhythm in the second half. It still felt a little all over the place, but once you get through it, it's a cute story.

First I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for providing me with an eARC! I was really excited to read this one, but unfortunately I had to DNF. After trying multiple times to read past 25 percent, I decided to call it quits. The writing style didn’t mesh with me and because of that, I couldn’t get invested in the story or characters. I am incredibly sad that this book didn’t work out for me.

There have been so many times that I’ve wanted to read a fantasy book, but just didn’t have the time or patience to devote to an entire series, and finding a stand alone fantasy book can be difficult. I was so excited when I saw this one listed on Netgalley as a stand alone fantasy book! 

I feel like this is a good way to dip your toes into fantasy, without committing to a full force series. Tanya is a self-reliant, intelligent, and funny tavern wench. I loved having her as our main character because it was just so easy to like her! She took no bull from anyone, and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty when need be. I could have done without so much explanation of the magic. It was a little convoluted, and while I mostly followed along, I did find myself glossing over most of that. 

What I liked the best though, was the ending! Usually with stand alones, the ending tends to get tied up in a pretty little bow just in time. While the ending did tie up some loose ends, I liked that it also wasn’t a traditional happy ending, and kept some things open.

3.5 stars. This was a thoroughly decent book - engaging, interesting magicking, good group of characters, LGBTQIA characters, strong women all over the place. It hits on an "epic fantasy" adventure pretty squarely, as we begin one place, then trek so so SO much to get to another place, we meet danger and new required tasks along the way, and we meet many new characters, mostly nefarious and not at all well meaning.

The pacing is a bit unbalanced, in my opinion. I read the first half somewhat slowly, as things don't quite force us to move. I found myself annoyed by Tanya's constant missteps and inability to just figure her way out of all these nutty scenarios. How can one person be kidnapped so many times but have nothing really bad happen? Why can't Tanya be more clever and confident in her people-dealing so that she doesn't come off so helpless? This is where ratings were lost for me.

That being said, I was pleasantly surprised when after the 50% mark the plot really picked up and turned SUPER interesting. Once we get to the castle and the Queen, we suddenly experience a world-learning explosion, and the Queen herself is pretty fascinating and holds the strength and sharpness that I ultimately felt Tanya should have. Bloodstone was also quite an interesting place, and that element of the plot was fascinating as well.

So, points off for a slow start, and I'm afraid many won't get beyond the slow start to get to where things really get interesting.

Way too slow paced. I think I could give it to a Harry Potter kid though and they'd like it. I couldn't get into it, though

A Supper cute heroine, she makes cleaning and cooking a supper power since men are useless and lazy. Loved this unique heroine and her crazy strength.

Wench was a promising title that ultimately fell short for me. I loved the idea of following a tavern wench as she tried to get back her tavern was really interesting. I was also pleasantly surprised by the role magic played in the story. However, the book ultimately failed to please me. Tanya was the only character who had a real arc. Other characters felt unimportant and under-developed. They had very little backstory and served no purpose beyond helping Tanya. They didn’t feel like real people. Relationships also suffered. Most of the relationships Tanya has by the end of the book seem unreal because they were never actively built up through the novel. Her romantic relationships are never given the time to form. She just suddenly has feelings for the characters. They just don’t seem like reality. By the end of the book, I had trouble believing that Tanya had built any real relationships through the novel because they felt poorly executed. 
	The plot was also wildly unpredictable. I liked what I read from the synopsis, but the more I read, the more I wondered “how did I get here?” It felt like the book took sudden and unexpected turns. This isn’t bad in theory because being too predictable can bore readers, but it isn’t done right in Wench. I had trouble believing in everything that was happening. It took turns that didn’t seem logical. 
	Despite my ideas about the characters and plot, the book was really fun to read. While I was disappointed that it didn’t live up to my expectation, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The book was interesting and easily held my attention. I’d be eager to see other stories told in the same universe as Wench because I think it’s very promising.

Tanya the Tavern Wench has always known where life would take her.

Her guardian has been training her from the moment she was informally adopted to taking over the tavern.

And honestly? She's loved it.

There's nothing more satisfying than a well-ran tavern - the food served hot an' fresh, the ale cool an' delicious, the barfights entertaining but nondamaging...she could go on (and on) (and on).

But when her guardian unexpectedly dies...Tanya finds herself unexpectedly out of a tavern.

She was never formally named the tavern's heir and by queen's law, she has no claim to her home.

Well...that just won't do.

So Tanya hikes up her skirts and starts walking. If the Queen is the only one who can save her tavern then that that's exactly where Tanya will go!

Overall - I felt like this one worked really well.

I loved Tanya as a main character - she felt so relatable and down-to-earth. She was such a cool person to follow around for this story.

Her banter with the other characters was spot on and would completely make every scene.

The plot itself was pretty wild. When I picked this one up, I thought we were just going on an adventure.

But the book deviates into magical thieves, magic, feathery quills, Queenly assistants, dark-and-infectious magic and so much more. It was a bit much at times but never overwhelming.

I can honestly say I had no idea where the plot was going next but I was excited for that.

All in all, this was an amazing book!

// I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. //

The premise for this book was so promising. I love books with unorthodox protagonists and the idea of following a tavern wench on an adventure sounded like a thrilling Dungeons & Dragon-esque story that would absolutely delight me. In some ways it absolutely lived up to my expectations. Tanya was fiery and fierce without every shedding her femininity or “bettering” herself from her career as a wench. Tanya knew who she was and what she wanted through the tale.

The magic system is unique, and while not wholly realized, it’s definitely interesting. The concept of junkoff is really fun and I love the way Tanya “organizes” the world after discovering her own powers. The magic Tanya uses is both wondrous and horrific. There were moments in this book, despite it definitely skewing younger, that turned my stomach a little. Magic has clear consequences in this world.

I adored the flickers of romance and Tanya’s unapologetic bisexuality. Both romantic interests were thrilling…though we didn’t really get much time to expand upon either. Which sort of ties into my main issue with the story. Tanya feels like a player character surrounded by NPCs.

Tanya flits from place to place in the story solving her problems while meeting countless new characters. None of them feel important or fleshed out. Not Jana and Greer. Not Rees. Not the Queen. Not Lord Rollo. In fact, I would argue that other than Tanya the most fleshed-out character is horse, and she’s just a horse. Part of the issue is that, as a reader, I felt really trapped inside Tanya’s head for the whole story. Everything felt told to me and there was very little showing.

Despite Tanya knowing her goals she does feel a lot like a leaf on the wind through most of the story. Moving from prisoner in one place to prisoner in the next and doesn’t really find her true power and place until near the end. This didn’t have to be a negative thing but it leaves Tanya feeling like she has little agency in a story where she’s the only character who got any development at all.

The book spread itself too thin over too many characters and too many events. The plot is fast but messily stitched together. None of the side characters feel compelling or detailed. It would have been much more satisfying if Tanya had a more steady cast of allies instead of characters appearing for fifty pages then disappearing for most of the book and reappearing as though they had never left.

There’s also far too little closure. Very little is tied up at the end of the book. Tanya is in a worse place than she started and it’s heavily implied she’s living on borrowed time until she’s hunted down. The mystery of the Queen is never fully explored nor that of where the demon came from in the first place. So much is left hanging that it feels like there should be a sequel…but there presently isn’t. There was a lot of potential here but in the end Wench fell flat.

Wench is incredibly cute! An incredibly fun story with good world building. Unique and driven characters that are full fleshed out and have wonderful interactions. I really loved the main character of Wench and her drive throughout the story.

Thanks to Net Galley and ABRAMS Kids for this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Unfortunately, I DNFed this book at about 30%. I really didn't like the writing and the book confused me. I didn't understand the magic system and how it related to the story and didn't even really understand what was happening while I was reading. I felt bored and confused the whole time. This book wasn't for me but the plot still might intrigue other readers.

Tanya is a tavern wench from Griffin's Port. Serving at the Smiling Snake, under the leadership of Froud, her only friend is her small world, is all she knows and she’s quite good at it. When sudden unexpected tragedy hits, Tanya is forced to take care of things all on her own. This leads to a long winding journey of new people, new places, and a tremendous amount of self-discovery. Tanya is sure of herself in the role she plays at the Smiling Snake. Outside of Griffin’s Port, she has run ins with people who she feels do not see her value. She doesn’t even consider herself to be overweight until someone tells her that she is “heavy”. Even withstanding, Tanya holds her own and speaks her mind at every turn. As Tanya leaves her home, in order to save it, she seems to seems to run in with people that voice their opinions about what they view as her limitations. On the way, she meets some other unforgettable characters. With the entrance of Jana's character, you can immediately tell that she will be trouble. Being Tanya’s opposite, Jana has had to learn to take care of herself in a tough man’s world. Her wit and strength surprise at every turn. The author did a great job at building the dynamic between Tanya and Jana. You can tell something clicked within their first meeting. The other thing I enjoyed about the author’s writing style is the comedic aspect. It was entertaining to have a laugh at Tanya quick tongue and wit. I feel that the overall underlying message of the story is not to let others determine your limitations and that it’s okay to trust others. It resonating in the lines of each page and it all came together in the end. This book is advertised as middle grade and up and I completely agree. I also feel that older age group may enjoy it as well.

This story started out strong. The main character Tanya is sarcastic, strong, and she doesn't take crap from anyone. What started as a potentially fun story about a barkeep trying to get her bar back after it is seized by the Queen, turns into a weird quest revolving around a magical quill. 

The supporting characters were forgetful, the plot pulled along at a slug's pace, and I just lost interest once she got to the Queen.