A brand-new, booze-soaked tale of the Rat Queens reveals a growing menace within the very walls of Palisade. And while Dee may have run from her past, the bloated, blood-feasting sky god N’rygoth never really lets his children stray too far.

The sword-wielding, ass-kicking, foul-mouthed Rat Queens are back to continue their story after an assassin was hired to kill the town’s battle groups.

As we know (and I’m going to assume if you’re reading this you read the first volume) the story ended with the Rat Queens throwing a party, assuming they defeated the villain. Now we start with the morning after. Hannah, Violet, and Betty had a steamy night, but Dee slept alone. We get the morning banter, Hannah trying to deny she and Sawyer had a thing, but the good times are cut short when the girls are summoned.

This time around we get more backstory to the girls. Someone from Dee’s past comes by just in time for a giant squid to threaten the city. We learn why Violet left her family, how hard it is for Hannah to be the daughter of Necromancers, and Betty…well I feel like this time around we didn’t get a lot of Betty. She had a moment with Hannah, got high off some mushrooms, but when it came to the final battle or backstory, she was lacking.

At times the story can get confusing. A villain comes in that we don’t know much about, only that he wants revenge and has stolen something (that is conveniently part of Dee’s religion) that will help him. There’s a mask that can summon a demon, but since he’s not really part of this religion, I don’t get how easy it was for him to do this.

And speaking of Dee’s religion…I don’t know there’s a squid and stuff. I wish that was explained more.

For those more conservative readers, there’s swearing, gore, nudity. Not that it matters to me, but for those who care, it’s there.

The ending leaves us on another cliffhanger that will give us even more of Hannah’s backstory and I’m pretty excited about that.

You have to read the first one (why else would you be here?) but things are moving along quickly while giving us some backstory and introducing a few new badass characters. I still highly recommend this series.

*moving onto spoilers*

Who would’ve thought the reason Dee doesn’t interact or get into relationships with other people is because she’s married. It seemed like one of those forced marriages, being that her husband could be her father’s age, but maybe Dee is older than she appears. Who knows?

I loved Hannah’s backstory and the reveal of a physical abnormality that she hides under her buns: horns. I wonder if the other Rat Queens know, but it was something she revealed to Sawyer after their what? 20th hook up? Hannah’s not usually emotional or “feely” but we get to see some character development and understand why she is the way she is. Her mother was murdered right in front of her! And now her father is contacting her…

I do get the feeling Hannah is probably the “main character” of this series. Everyone gets a good amount of time, but she’s the most powerful and does most of the talking.

Turns out, despite being a great fighter, Violet’s family never saw her as one. A bunch of clans got together to fight, but it was her brother’s duty to fight for her family. Violet sits off to the side and models fighting gear. For years she had to hear creepy old men make comments until she finally beats them up and cuts off her beard. Hannah appears in a mirror and drags her through…I’m really curious to find out why.

The fighting is always good. Each girl can take care of herself, but it was great seeing all the groups get together and save Sawyer.

The only downside would be the villain. He seemed so…cliche a bit. He wants revenge for his wife and talks in exposition. He saved the town a long time ago only to destroy it. Whatever, he was defeated.

I can’t wait to see how not only characters, but relationships develop. The Rat Queens is one of my favorite series I’m currently reading and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants some bad-ass female characters acting like female characters.