I received this as an audiobook to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to The Parliament House for giving me access.

This one was different! For me, I think I would have enjoyed it better as an in hand book or ebook. The audiobook just made me want more and I couldn't connect with the story. I am still not sure what happened.

That being said, Sover did create a fascinating world where animals/creatures lived like humans. Ate humans. Had human pets - I think, don't quote me.....Like I said, I am not sure what happened. There was a comment about how they have a restaurant that is the equivalent to a seafood restaurant (the one where you pick your lobster) and I thought that was hilarious.

I will definitely have to give this a reread in the future.

I received a complementary copy of the ARC through NetGalley.
Comedic, easy read that satirizes the plight of many post-college graduates to face the music of adult life, but with Shrek vibes. The heavy crass content and sexist/specisist analogies weren’t my cup of tea, but others may enjoy.

Full review at Whispers & Wonder

Later, they wrote stories for their offspring about trolls, goats, flying pigs, and wishes, convinced they had created entire worlds from nothing but their own minds. The human ego was nearly a match for human stupidity.

What’s a troll to do when they’ve lost their job, are being hounded by their landlord for back rent, have far too much time on their hands, and moths are practically flittering out of their pockets? They mastermind a plan to rob The Covered Bridge Corporation blind, of course. TCB Corporation is one of the most lucrative and influential businesses in all of New Metta, sitting atop a mountain of cash, and Granu needs that cash. Alongside her childhood besties, Kradduk and Fillig, she must do whatever it takes to find the clandestine vault and relieve those piggish swog owners of their fortune. If that’s not difficult enough in itself, TCB has eyes and ears everywhere, and it seems like the more they try to keep their scheme under wraps, the more others want a piece of the pie. Can Granu and the gang pull off the heist of a lifetime, or will they be left out in the sun, becoming stone sentinels as a warning to the future ambitious to never cross The Bridge?

Double-Crossing the Bridge is a refreshingly unique and hilarious twist on your run-of-the-mill fantasy heist story. In an expansive underground society, out of sight from those pesky, unintelligent humans, various species co-exist amongst each other, working, and living, and surviving. After a hard night at the job, it’s not uncommon to head on over to the local pub for a flagon of grog, and a tasty plate of crispy fairy wings and infant spines, with a side of hearty toddler stew. Rent needs to be paid, respect needs to be given, and the goats need to be avoided at all costs. In this world, when a troll is riding high on a lucky streak, they need to keep a wary eye out for the billy goats, who surely wish to prevent them from climbing the ladder of success any further. When all fails, you still need to scrape out a living somehow – the rich are too rich, and the poor are too poor. It’s time to finally balance the scales.

While this story is splashed with a humor that keeps you laughing throughout, it also tackles several very serious injustices that currently plague our own world. Corruption and gender/racial/socioeconomic inequality within the corporate workplace, discrimination and bigotry towards things one has no control over (as seen with the Billy Goat Blight), and being unfairly judged based on your outward appearance. The ways in which these issues are addressed are remarkably intelligent, using a bit of lightheartedness, and oftentimes exaggerated behavior, preventing the book from becoming overly political. Yes, these issues exist, and yes they are often overlooked, but Double-Crossing the Bridge is all about the consequences of these unfair transgressions. And these consequences are oh so satisfying.

Sover has given breath and voice to some amazingly fleshed out characters, with their own needs and desires hidden far beneath the surface. Granu, the educator with a mind built for cautious planning, but a deep-seated fear of her violent past repeating itself. Kradduk, the playboy trust fund troll, whose sole goal is to avenge the wrongdoings bestowed upon his beloved mother. Fillig, the overly-serious hopeless romantic, concealing an unexpected bravery and loyalty beneath his leathery skin. Len, the unattractive computer nerd, and Lyssa, the beautiful demolitions expert, both of whom complete the rest of the ragtag crew, outwardly seem invested in the plan, but silently scheme in the shadows towards another end. These characters feel so…human, but “trollified” (yes, this is now a thing). Each chapter allows us to get a further glimpse beyond the facade, proving nothing is at it seems, making this a gripping and enjoyable read.

The plot is pretty straightforward and easy to follow, as we witness the birth of the idea of a heist, through planning, execution, deceit, and the aftermath. The story itself moves along at a comfortable, steady pace, always presenting the reader with essential information and little fluff. The amusing references to real-world aspects, many of which hit very close to home personally, had me laughing out loud – the failings of higher education, turning down free tacos (a travesty, really), and a campaign to “Make the Bridge Great Again”. There are tons of pop culture references littered throughout, just waiting to be discovered.

Double-Crossing the Bridge is definitely a book that embraces the weird and extraordinary, and one I feel deserves to be in the spotlight. It’s playful when it needs to be, sincere and serious when called for, and exceptionally emotional, even though emotions are considered weakness by our lovely trolls. I’ve always been a fan of the bordering-on-ridiculous, and while the official blurb is what initially caught my attention, I was pleasantly surprised with how this exceeded my expectations. If you’re looking for something that isn’t afraid to color outside the lines, give you a good laugh, and FINALLY give you the “monster’s” perspective, then this is what you’ve been waiting for. An excellent debut, and tons of fun.

NOTE: I want to give a huge thanks the The Parliament House for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Why I picked up this book:

Sarah is one of the loveliest people I know, and she’s got a wicked dark sense of humor, which is probably why we get along so well. I was lucky enough to read an early iteration of Double-Crossing the Bridge years ago, and again recently when her ARCs came out. This story is so left of center from my usual books, but I absolutely fell in love with Granu and her crew, and of course who can resist those damn meddling billy goats!

This review may contain spoilers.

5 stars for Sarah! Though there’s honestly a scene with one of the goats that is a 15-star, coffee-spitting moment that should be preserved in stone.

What I loved:

Can we just say everything? From the fried fairy wings to flying unicorn poop, this book takes the bizarre and flips it on its head.

But seriously, I adored Granu, an ex-teacher nearly eaten by her students when they hit troll puberty. She’s a character who’s just trying to make it to the next day, and the day after that, and each small struggle in her life pushes her closer and closer to a wreckless decision that takes all the normality in her life and throws it out the window. She’s single, she’s trying to make it on her own, and she’s got a stubborn pride that keeps her strong from the beginning to the end. Well, minus her walk of shame, of course. But what I adore most about Granu is she takes that near-tragedy in her life and puts it to good use later in the book, and the results are hilarious.

What I loved most though (aside from the goats, of course) is that this dark, quirky comedy pulls out all the weird. Just when you think you’ve got this world figured out, a human shows up. Then you finally get your stomach to settle from the outrageous foods the trolls eat, and you learn about cleaning sniggles and need to throw up all over again.

Double-Crossing the Bridge reimagines the tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff gone bad and subverts it to the view of the trolls in this hilarious heist caper. There wasn’t a single character I didn’t love, and I adore how they each had such a strong role and deep characterization interwoven into the overall narrative.

What the book needs more of:

More goats! Their role wasn’t as large in this story, but damned if I didn’t keep searching for more of them, especially during the ‘squeak’ scene where I nearly fell out of my chair with laughter. I can’t wait for Sarah’s next iteration into this world. More goats please!

Overall:

If you like anything dark and twisted, or just need something different from an average fantasy, definitely pick up Double-Crossing the Bridge. It’s Deadpool meets the original Grimm tales with a whole lot of WTF going on. I can’t wait for Sarah’s next book as she has me as a reader for life.

If you ever wanted a story about the Underworld, filled with trolls and other monsters, Double-Crossing the Bridge is for you. Sarah J. Sover's debut successfully blends an Ocean’s Eleven-type heist with sheer fantasy with high Monty-Python quality wildly-hysterical humor. The book works on so many levels. The humor ranges from gross-out moments a teenage-boy would find funny (such as Anal Gland Cologne) to droll word-play to Wiley-Coyote-esque stunts. The world-building is sublime (despite the grodiness of the characters) down to details such as troll bar food (fried fairy wings, unicorn testes aphrodisiac, and infant spines). The plot is that of the typical heist, but the twists and turns that follow are unique. In the midst of the hilarity, Sover manages to comment with satirical accuracy on such topics as unemployment and discrimination prevalent in modern society, while lacing in pop culture references like “Make the Bridge Great Again.” I can totally envision this as a not-Disney feature-length animation.

If you ever wanted a story filled with monsters, mayhem, and less-than-master criminals, then DOUBLE CROSSING THE BRIDGE is the novel for you!

Sarah J. Sover's debut is a skillful blend of traditional heist, absurdist fantasy, and satirical takes on modern society. What's fantastic is that it works on so many levels: the fantasy is solid, the humor darts from clever word-play to gross-out moments, and the whole book is laced with surprises and delights in every twist of the plot.

It's an extremely solid debut, and I'm looking forward to see what Sover comes out with next!