Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
A charming, short novella in the Innkeeper Chronicles, from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ilona Andrews.

Thank you for joining us at Gertrude Hunt, the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, during the Treaty Stay. As you know, we are honor-bound to accept all guests during this oldest of innkeeper holidays and we are expecting a dangerous guest. Or several. But have no fear. Your safety and comfort is our first priority. The inn and your hosts, Dina Demille and Sean Evans, will defend you at all costs. [But we hope we don’t have to.]

Every winter, Innkeepers look forward to celebrating their own special holiday, which commemorates the ancient treaty that united the very first Inns and established the rules that protect them, their intergalactic guests, and the very unaware/oblivious people of [planet] Earth. By tradition, the Innkeepers welcomed three guests: a warrior, a sage, and a pilgrim, but during the holiday, Innkeepers must open their doors to anyone who seeks lodging. Anyone.

All Dina hopes is that the guests and conduct themselves in a polite manner. But what’s a holiday without at least one disaster?

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2020

About the author

Ilona Andrews

146 books31.8k followers
Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
10,015 (52%)
4 stars
6,493 (34%)
3 stars
2,174 (11%)
2 stars
189 (<1%)
1 star
36 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,378 reviews
April 19, 2023
And the moral of this rererererereread is: there is a slight chance that I might rerererereread this series until my dying day. Because it never fails to make me feel most despicably warm and fuzzy inside.



Yeah yeah yeah, I know, this is putting my nefarious reputation in serious jeopardy but some things cannot be helped. Besides, seeing Orro hurl cabbages around and hearing Qoros chant “Devourer give me strength, I will not chase” makes it all worth it if you ask me. So to bloody shrimping hell with my villainous street cred, I say!

👋👋 Until next time and stuff.

· Book 1: Clean Sweep ★★★★★
· Book 2: Sweep in Peace ★★★★★
· Book 3: One Fell Sweep ★★★★★
· Book 4: Sweep of the Blade ★★★★★
· Book 5: Sweep of the Heart ★★★★



[March 2021]

🏰 My Name Is Gertrude Hunt Buddy Rerererereread (MNIGHBR™) with the IA Addicts 🏰

And the moral of this rerererereread is: I've always been a huge fan of using one's enemies' little heads on spikes as low-key home decor items, but I have to admit that the Shish Kebab Option (SKO™) gives the practice a wonderfully creative twist.



Indeed.

👋👋 Until next time and stuff.



[July 2020]

💊 IA is the Ultimate Cure to Covid-19 Buddy Rerererereread (IAitUCtCBR™) with the IA Addicts 💊

And the moral of this rerereread is: going all ninja on Gertrude Hunt territory is not advisable. I repeat, it is NOT advisable. Unless you want to end up in a slightly awkward, um, sunken position. Or have your head somewhat bit off by an oversized, lupine pet. Or be served for lunch to an ex galactic tyrant.



Yes, that sums it up quite nicely, methinks.

P.S. the General Who Sinks His Fangs Into The Throat Of His Enemy says hello.



[January 2020]

And the moral of this reread is: I want a Quillonian chef named Orro for my birthday. (Which is coming up in about two months. In case you were wondering. And wanted to gift me a Quillonian chef. Named Orro. You know, for my birthday and stuff.)



No idea what the fish ↑this↑ is about? Read the bloody shrimping book. You're welcome and stuff.



[Original non-review]

Question: How do you know you just finished reading an IA story?

Answer #1: Because even though it's only 140 pages long (most outrageous, that) it packs more punch, creativity, sheer fun, humour and emotion than the last 256 books you read.

Answer #2: Because it makes you feel kinda sorta like...



Answer #3: Because it makes you want to sing this dreadfully cheerful song at the top of your nefarious little head even though it totally wrecks your nefarious act and completely ruins your nefarious rep. (And you don't give a bloody stinking shrimp about it, either.)

Answer #4: Because you want to reread the book the second you finish it.

👋 Until next time and stuff.





January 10, 2020: bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, Chapter 8 and the epilogue are already up!!

I want to go on a field trip to Baha-char with Dina and Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not the character's real name). I want to move into kidnap Gertrude Hunt. I want to be a Drífen when I grow up. I want to chop Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not the character's real name, either) into tiny little pieces and feed her/him/they/wouldn't you like to know to my murderous children. Then again I might not have to. Because reasons and stuff. I want Qoros to become a permanent guest at Gertrude Hunt. And to hook up with Caldenia. Because they are just about perfect for each other. I want to expand my nefarious breeding program to Funky Albeit Zany Space Chickens (FAZSC™). (Get along famously with the crustaceans I predict they will.) And I want a Red Cleaver chef Orro for Christmas. Obviously.

January 10, 2020: Chapter 7 is up!
Orro surged to his feet and roared, “You are a fraud!”


Yeah, that field trip went about as well as expected. Not sure whether I want to laugh my exoskeleton off, hug Orro nefariously, or both. Probably both. yeah, definitely both.

January 8, 2020: Chapter 6 is up! Sean and Orro going on a field trip...Now that should be interesting!



January 6, 2020: Chapter 5 is up!

Hahahahahahahaha. The ninjas. Hahahahahahahaha.

P.S. Caldenia, I 💕lurves💕 thee. Please marry me and stuff. I promise to feed you juicy ninjas, not dreadful hamburgers.

January 3, 2020: Chapter 4 is up!

Neighborhood pornography + dens of iniquity + Caldenia the wi-fi stalker + the purpose of small tigers =



January 1, 2020: Chapter 3, Part 2 is up! Gertrude Hunt wishes you a Happy New Year and stuff!

December 30, 2019: Chapter 3, Part 1 is up! Only IA would come up with Super Extra Funky Space Poultry (SEFSP™).



This little koo-ko guy will be a nice little feathery addition to my High Security Harem Zoo, methinks. So poof, gone, kidnapped adopted and stuff! (Keeping my pincers crossed that my murderous children don't mistake him for a juicy turkey and roast him for their belated Christmas dinner.)

December 27, 2019: Chapter 2, Part 2 is up!

December 24, 2019: Chapter 2, Part 1 is up! Merry Christmas and stuff!

December 20, 2019: Chapter 1, Part 2 is up already!!!!



December 18, 2019: Here we go again and stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chapter 1, part 1 is up and stuff!!!!!!!!!!!! Now please excuse me while I celebrate a little much and stuff.



What the bloody fish is this you ask? Nothing much, really. Just a free online serial courtesy of the Mostest Awesomest Writing Duo (MAWD™) this side of the shrimpoverse. No big deal, really.

Profile Image for Anne.
4,397 reviews70.2k followers
July 27, 2020
Great novella addition to the Innkeeper Chronicles!

In case you don't know, the Innkeepers run galactic/interdimensional B&B's all over Earth for all kinds of alien cultures both terrifying and benign. Earth is the Switzerland of the cosmos and everyone who comes here is supposed to play nice with each other.
Does that always happen? Eh. Mostly.
But The Gertrude Hunt is a special sort of house, so when someone doesn't behave, it doesn't work out well for them.

description

I love Dina & Sean (and all the residents), so this was a nice little vacation novella to the Gertrude Hunt.
If you love Ilona Andrews, you'll walk away satisfied.
Profile Image for carol. .
1,672 reviews9,185 followers
January 15, 2020
Solid feel-good that reminded me why I enjoyed the world of the Innkeeper. Diana and Sean are asked to host an unusual guest during the annual celebratory Treaty Stay, but other groups want to stay at the Inn as well. Tradition has a visit from a warrior, a sage and a pilgrim, and the guests surprisingly fall into traditional pattern. The eminent guest has an unusual food request, that sends Orro into a tizzy. Loads of fun, with only a couple small hiccups. Of course I bought it, silly.
Profile Image for Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽.
1,880 reviews23.1k followers
June 2, 2020
3.5 stars. It's a shorter, quicker and less meaty read than the prior novels in this series, but still good fun. Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:

Sweep with Me, the fifth book in Ilona Andrews’s INNKEEPER CHRONICLES series, finds Dina DeMille fretting with her boyfriend Sean about an upcoming official review of Dina and the Gertrude Hunt, her magical inn for interstellar travelers. The innkeepers’ Assembly is concerned about some of the goings-on at the Gertrude Hunt and whether Dina and Sean have been keeping their rules, like, say, not letting anyone on Earth know that their inn isn’t an ordinary one. Or maybe the "no crazy stuff that will draw the attention of otherwise unsuspecting natives" rule. Or possibly the "no nukes" rule. (Actually, that one wasn't their fault.)

In the meantime, though, it’s the annual Treaty Stay holiday for earth’s galactic inns, and the tradition is that no innkeeper may turn away a guest during Treaty Stay. So, naturally, Dina and her inn are asked to host a set of particularly troublesome guests: the Drífan liege lord of Green Mountain, originally an Earth woman who’s now the powerful leader of a mysterious and highly magical people, and who is being harassed by her unscrupulous multi-millionaire uncle; two feuding groups of koo-ko, who consider themselves philosophers and look like oversized chickens with hands under their wings; and a Medamoth, a wily hunter and natural predator who ostensibly just wants to visit the Alamo, but makes Dina nervous about whether the plump and presumably delicious koo-ko are safe from him.

This volatile combination of guests causes all sorts of trouble, but it’s fun to watch Dina and Sean (a particularly powerful werewolf) and the magical semi-sentient Gertrude Hunt inn rise to the occasion. The most interesting of the subplots involves the Drífan, a magically-talented ruler who is not entirely happy with her life: she’s hemmed about by well-meaning but strict advisors, she’s homesick for a lot of things about her Earth life (including fast-food burgers and fries, which is making chef Orro's brain explode) and she’s concerned about her upcoming meeting with her ambitious uncle, a man who’s made a living out of ruthless corporate takeovers. And Uncle Rudolph’s actions, like sending mercenaries to attack the inn where his niece is staying, certainly show that the Drífan has good cause for concern.

On the other hand, it seems clear that the koo-ko — or as Sean calls them, the “space chickens” — are there for comic relief, but I never really connected with these chicken-based philosophers who spend far more time squabbling than philosophizing. Apparently my brain is fine with space werewolves and vampires but balks at accepting space chickens.

Sweep with Me is a novella-length book, quite a bit shorter than the prior books in this series: it clocks in at about 140 pages. All of these INNKEEPER CHRONICLES books are light sci-fi/fantasy mixes, but the first three books still had a sense of emotional depth and intricacy that I didn’t get with Sweep with Me (or, for that matter, with the prior book, Sweep of the Blade). There are several ongoing story arcs in this series, like Dina’s search for her missing parents, but none of those progressed in Sweep with Me. It’s still an engaging and fun read, though, and I’d certainly recommend it to fans of Ilona Andrews.

Initial post: WHAT?! An Innkeeper novella by Ilona Andrews that I haven't read? How did I miss this? I'm on it tonight.
Profile Image for Nicole.
821 reviews2,383 followers
June 11, 2021
The Innkeeper Chronicles original trilogy didn't end on a high for me, I found it to be the weakest installment of the 3 books and it introduced a new character (who will eventually have their own book). I was not a fan of that. I thought this novella is 3.5 and not 4.5 but even if I know a small (albeit expected) spoiler of book 4, I can now say I'm looking forward to it. I wasn't sure if I want to read the book but I don't think I'm strong enough to skip a book by a favorite author of mine. My dislike for Maud's arc certainly lessened even if my question marks about her didn't.

Sweep with Me made me remember how much I like the world setting in this series and enjoy reading about all those unusual guests. It's Treaty Stay celebration and they can't say no to anyone who asks to stay at the Inn... which can only lead to a big mess. It's another story about Dina, Sean, and the weird guests. It was so very fun and heartwarming read.


I enjoyed that we saw more of Orro, how I want to taste his cooking honestly!! His part of the story was hilarious and cute. I will always be a fan of the side characters IA writes. I'm also now wondering more about the Drífan (will she have her own book?? I'd be interested in that!). The space chickens *cough* were also a nice addition.

I don't believe this series ended yet because we still don't know what happened to Dina's parents. The books are really entertaining however and while will never be a match for KD nor HL (and let's be honest, these are so much better than most UF out there), I'm sure I'm going to enjoy them because of IA style and humour. I'm glad the romance wasn't heavy because I don't feel anything for Dina and Sean as a couple and we focused more on the side characters.

Overall, a light novella that made me want more stories in this freakish world. I can easily see it as a long series of separate stories (and who knows, maybe we'll see more of The Edge's characters). I certainly hope she continues with it once we resolve Dina's arc with different characters. Just like Kinsman's universe, KD, and HL, I always want to see more of these worlds (they're so fun and interesting) but also meet new characters.
Profile Image for Aisling Zena.
634 reviews508 followers
January 2, 2022
Re-read 29/8/21

4.5 stars 10/1/20

The book is completed and will be available to read on their site linked below, for free until the 13th of January.

18/12/19
Free online serial at:

https://innkeeper.ilona-andrews.com/2...

https://innkeeper.ilona-andrews.com/c...

Review updated on every chapter release! For those of you that would rather wait and read it in one go, pre-order is available and the novella will be out on January 14th! My birthday this year is going to be awesome!


Chapter 1 Part 1
18/12/19
https://innkeeper.ilona-andrews.com/2...

Dina and Sean! Squeeeeee!!!! So happy to start this one! And it will continue my tradition of ending and beginning the year with Ilona Andrews books.

description

"[..]on January 14th, we would celebrate Treaty Stay, the oldest of the innkeeper holidays." I'm gonna pretend they are celebrating my birthday.

description
Gertrude Hunt, maybe?

description


Chapter 1 Part 2 20/12/19

description


Chapter 2 Part 1 23/12/19

description


Chapter 2 Part 2 27/12/19

Caldenia and plotting!
description


Chapter 3 Part 1 30/12/19

Image direct from authors site and credit to the artist Doris Mantair. It is surprisingly not easy to find an image of a dressed up chicken on the net.

First Scholar Thek
description


Chapter 3 Part 1&2 1/1/20

Happy New Year everyone!!

“I’m on a tiny planet, and there is a comet heading my way and I can’t do anything about it.”
description


Chapter 4 3/1/20

description

description

Chapter 5 6/1/20

I laughed so hard!
description

description

description


Chapter 6 8/1/20

description


Chapter 7 9/1/20

description
description
description


Chapter 8 & Epilogue 10/1/20

description
description
description
Profile Image for Corina.
781 reviews2,486 followers
December 16, 2022
2022: Reread - getting ready for Sweep of the Heart


Fun, but way too short - lol.

Getting a novella to tide me over is one thing, getting to the end of it and knowing I won't get any more this year is another.

I love this series, it's one of my favorite IA series, and this novella was fun, light hearted (compared to others) and even packed a little action.

I'm always astonished by the imagination that comes out of IA, every guest to the Inn is completely different, with a unique background and abilities. I'm just amazed by it all.

This novella was perfectly balanced and had everything I come to love about this series. I wished it was longer, but who doesn't, and I'll be rereading the series until a new book is released, hopefully next year.
Profile Image for Holly.
1,492 reviews1,419 followers
January 17, 2020
Only Ilona Andrews could write a novella featuring philosophical space chickens. Yes, you read that correctly, and no, I am not kidding. I am not even going to write anything else about this. Because space chickens. That's all you need to know.

Profile Image for Jilly.
1,838 reviews6,479 followers
July 10, 2020
Hey, the day I don't like a book with a giant hedgehog that's a moody drama queen chef, just pull the plug. I assume there will be a plug somewhere. And, if that doesn't work, use the plug to beat some sense into me.


Wait. I just found something else to live for. What magic fuckery is going on here? I need more time to examine it thoroughly. Leave the plug alone, you monsters!

Sean the werewolf is now an innkeeper, and I like his fresh point-of-view about the guests:

The koo-ko looked at us with purple eyes, fluffed up his feathers, and strode back and forth, his plump body rocking with each step.

Sean cracked a smile. "They are chickens."

"Technically they're not even avian."

"Dina, we're going to host 61 space chickens."

I gave up. "Yes."

"And they're going to argue philosophy."

"Mhm..."


Just when I thought I couldn't love Ilona Andrews more, they come up with philosophical space chickens (with foul-tempers BTW, or if you like puns: fowl-tempers. What? Yeah, hanging my head in shame now. Sorry.)



Then, Sean's take on their chef, the giant Hedgehog, Orro:

Orro: "You will bring this Grand Burger to me and i shall make it. You will taste it and you will weep, for it will be the best Grand Burger to ever grace a human mouth."

He spun around dramatically and stalked off into the kitchen.

"We should get him a cape," Sean said.


Gosh, I love Sean. I think my hubs needs to take a lesson here. I say that I want to dye my dog's hair with blue jello mix and suddenly I'm "crazy" and "been in the house too long." I think Sean would be in agreement with me that this is a great idea. So the bathtub takes a hit and the kids look like Smurfs after bath time. It's not like anyone will see them.

Anyway. I'm in agreement with the cape idea.

So, this book was short and mostly just fun. There were, of course, bloody fight scenes, but they didn't bring down the mood from the chicken-party. Things definitely get wild at the chicken party. Chef Orro might just end up making a nugget tray or two if these crazy chickens keep up their fowl behavior.

Okay, I'm done.


Profile Image for Choko.
1,381 reviews2,661 followers
June 6, 2022
Perfection!!! For a short story, it packs all the goodness of Ilona Andrews!!!

"...“Sentient beings are spectacular liars. We are gifted with an unparalleled ability to deny things that make our life unpleasant. We even pretend death isn’t a certainty, because contemplating our own mortality drives us mad.”
― Ilona Andrews, Sweep with Me..."


Dena, Caldenia ( “Excellent. Life gives us precious few opportunities to put our best foot forward, so when a chance to shine presents itself, one should always take it.” Caldenia grinned, baring inhumanely sharp teeth. “Besides, it’s been almost two weeks since anyone was brutally murdered. Things were getting a bit dull. We wouldn’t want to die of boredom, would we?”) , and the Inn gang are hosting a murderous "pretty" alien (His hair was long and fell to his shoulders in perfectly symmetrical golden blond waves, as if he had spent a staggering amount of time with a curling iron and then killed half of the planet’s ozone layer spraying it in place.) , a powerful Lord Magician, and 61 sentient giant space chickens who are using the Inn as a place for their philosophy convention. Yes, Chicken Philosophers!!! And a chef who is trying and miserably failing in reproducing a fast food cheeseburger - the conclusion is, it is not real food!!! Such poisonous for the body food product just doesn't exist in nature... (“If this human creates problems, we will feed him the Grand Burgers. Once he consumes enough of them, his body will surely fail.”)
Profile Image for Kat.
Author 12 books557 followers
September 2, 2023
What an absolutely delightful installment in the Innkeeper series by Ilona Andrews. In this brief novella, Dina and Sean are still picking up the pieces after the events of book three. They were delightfully domestic in this one. With some interesting guests coming to town (when is this ever not the case with Gertrude Hunt?) Dina must prepare. But the one who totally stole the book was Orro, galaxy famous chef, and his desperate attempts to replicate for a guest a “quarter pounder” fast food meal. Completely hilarious. Oh, Ilona Andrews, you always leave me in stitches!
Profile Image for Lucie V..
1,138 reviews3,089 followers
June 30, 2024
✅ Characters
✅ Inn and Innkeeper powers
✅ Funny moments
✅ Pace
✅ Light plot
✅ Beautiful cover
🆗 Romance
❌ The parent disappearance plot is getting frustrating

3.5 stars

Life gives us precious few opportunities to put our best foot forward, so when a chance to shine presents itself, one should always take it.” Caldenia grinned, baring inhumanely sharp teeth. “Besides, it’s been almost two weeks since anyone was brutally murdered. Things were getting a bit dull. We wouldn’t want to die of boredom, would we?”


This novella is really similar to the three first books of the series, but the plot is much lighter. Dina and Sean are now both Innkeepers and they are trying to keep all of their guests alive, which seems to get harder with every passing hour as more guests just "drop by" to stay at the Inn.

“You want to bring outside food into my kitchen?” Oh no. “Am I not a Red Cleaver chef?” And here we go. “Have I not cooked delicacies from a thousand planets?” His quills stood straight up. He raised his right hand, his talons spread wide, appealing to heavens. “Am I not a master of my craft?” He paused, glaring at me.
“Of course you are,” I said, trying to keep my voice soothing. This would end in disaster.
“Then you will bring this Grand Burger to me and I shall make it. You will taste it and you will weep, for it will be the best Grand Burger to ever grace a human mouth.” He spun around dramatically and stalked off into the kitchen.
“We should get him a cape,” Sean said.


I have to say though that Orro was the star of this novella. His devotion to homemade food is inspiring.

Also, still no development about the freaking parent's disappearance, but of course Dina explained how the picture of her parents was there because she hoped that one day someone would recognize them and blablabla we know the speech by now... There better be a book 5 where Dina FINALLY gets closure, otherwise, it would be quite frustrating.

0.5 Gerard Demille and Helen meet ⭐⭐⭐
1. Clean Sweep ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Sweep in Peace ⭐⭐⭐.5
3. One Fell Sweep ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
4. Sweep of the Blade ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Follow me on Instagram 🙂
Profile Image for aarya.
1,510 reviews14 followers
July 19, 2024
Reread on July 18, 2024: “But Aarya, didn’t you read this less than a month ago?” Well, some people have therapy dogs. My therapy includes emotional support books. Don’t worry, I’m not about to embark on a series reread (again). Read via audio (narrated by GraphicAudio full cast).

Reread on June 24, 2024: I want Orro to get back his Red Cleaver certification again. Or whatever they call it. Read via audio (narrated by GraphicAudio full cast).

Reread on April 16, 2023: I accidentally clicked play while browsing the GA app and didn’t stop listening. Typical. Read via audio (narrated by GraphicAudio full cast).

Reread on February 12, 2023: I want to stay in Gertrude Hunt inn and watch Dina mold my perfect room and eat Orro’s delicious desserts and have tea with Caldenia and window-shop in Baha Char. 😭 I want it so bad. Read via audio (narrated by Natalie Naudus).

Reread on August 1, 2022: I upped the rating to 5 stars because it feels ridiculous to keep 4 starring something I've read three times. I'm so sad that the Graphic Audio adaptation has come to an end. Read via audio (narrated by GraphicAudio full cast).

Reread on January 11, 2022: Orro is a treasure.

First read on January 14, 2020: I have no objectivity when it comes to IA as I am a fangirl. I read this holiday novella when it was published as a serial on their website.
Profile Image for Phrynne.
3,663 reviews2,485 followers
January 24, 2020
Only a novella so of course it was not long enough, but I so enjoy everything this pair of authors writes. I think the Innkeeper series may be my favourite of their series but I really enjoy all of them.

In Sweep with Me Dina and Sean are the innkeepers of the best magical inn you can possibly imagine. The authors' imaginations know no bounds and we are treated to a fantastic variety of space creatures and an inn which can create any number of rooms in any kind of décor,and where the innkeeper moves through floors and walls to visit guests. Dina is a lovely character and in this books she has a beautiful romance going with Sean who is a were wolf. Of course he is!

I loved the chef with his obsession with TV reality shows, and the crazy philosophical space chickens. In fact I loved the whole book. More please!
Profile Image for Robin (Bridge Four).
1,786 reviews1,595 followers
January 20, 2020
Reading a new Ilona Andrew’s novel/novella is like slipping into a nice warm bath with a nice glass of wine. I know that it is going to go smoothly and I can relax in the knowledge that I’m going to enjoy the story and feel better on the other side of it.

description

Welcome to Treaty Day, the Innkeepers holiday where Three Travelers will come and can not be turned away from the Inn. It could also be the start of a good joke A warrior, a sage and a pilgrim walk into an Inn…we however get a fun holiday story Ilona Andrews style.
“Excellent. Life gives us precious few opportunities to put our best foot forward, so when a chance to shine presents itself, one should always take it.” Caldenia grinned, baring inhumanely sharp teeth. “Besides, it’s been almost two weeks since anyone was brutally murdered. Things were getting a bit dull. We wouldn’t want to die of boredom, would we?”

Dina and Sean are setting up house, well Inn to be exact and recovering after saving everyone in the last book. She was hoping for some down time but it seems like her Inn is about to host some of the strangest beings to ever stay at Gertrude Hunt and that is saying something. There is the seriousness of the business with a grand being called The Mountain, the hilarity of debating chickens and a new creature we haven’t seen before in the books that wants to tour The Alamo. It is a great time to be at Gertrude Hunt.

Added to that Orro’s quest to make something not delicious and an obsession with a particular cooking show. All I know if that Bobby Flay beware, I think Orro is coming for you next and I’m sure he can take you down in any house.
“Then you will bring this Grand Burger to me and I shall make it. You will taste it and you will weep, for it will be the best Grand Burger to ever grace a human mouth.”

Treat yourself to something wonderful post holiday and go for a short stay at Gertrude Hunt. You will thank me for it.
Profile Image for Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller.
771 reviews1,487 followers
May 22, 2020
Mini Review: Now we’re back on track! I really missed Dina and the Inn in the last installment (which was a great read, but it was more a spin-off than a true continuation) so I’m glad to see her back with flair. I really loved the conflict in Sweep with Me and the interesting characters who visited the Inn (the inclusion of so many non-human entities is what makes this series so fun). It hits the spot perfectly for that light-hearted palate cleanser between heavier reads, and sadly finishing this one puts me completely up to date with IA reads (::shrieks:: what am I going to do?!!?). This series has been excellent to recommend to people looking for something light, and it stretches nicely to fill a lot of spec-fic genres (it reads like an urban fantasy, the magic feels very fantasy, yet the concept and world-building is all modern scifi… I love it when books break molds). I can’t wait for the next one. :) Emerald Blaze (the newest Hidden Legacy book coming out August 2020) will have to hold me over!

P.S. I love the cook. He reminds me of Huido in Julie Czerneda’s Trade Pact Universe / Clan Chronicles.

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com

Other books you might like:
Spellslinger (Spellslinger, #1) by Sebastien de Castell Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers, #1) by Rachel Aaron Blood Engines (Marla Mason, #1) by T.A. Pratt A Thousand Words for Stranger (Trade Pact Universe, #1) by Julie E. Czerneda Legend (Legend, #1) by Marie Lu
Profile Image for Sarah.
3,347 reviews1,235 followers
December 10, 2020
A new Innkeeper novella you say? Publishing on the 14th of January you say? HELL YES! I hit that preorder button so fast & hard I almost broke my finger!!



Even better is that we don't have to wait until January because Ilona & Gordon are doing what they always do with the Innkeeper books and giving fans the chance to read them for free on their website in advance of publication!! Keep an eye on the Innkeeper website for at least weekly (but probably twice weekly!) instalments between now and January https://innkeeper.ilona-andrews.com

Chapter One, Part One is already available HERE: https://innkeeper.ilona-andrews.com/2...



Profile Image for Emma.
2,621 reviews1,040 followers
January 16, 2020
I really love these authors writing this series. They have a great sense of humour and I found myself snorting with delight throughout the story.
Profile Image for Meagan.
334 reviews203 followers
April 18, 2020
Read this a while back and didn't realize it qualifies for one of the items for the Pop Sugar 2020 Challenge
a book by an author who has written more than 20 books .
I know this is a novella but I'm counting it dammit 😜

This was one of the more mediocre entries to this series. Not much to say about it. The conclusion felt rushed and anticlimactic. The solution to Dina fully accessing her power again felt ridiculous and oversimplified. But if the series continues I'll read the next one. I'm hooked on Orro's character and the magical house concept is brilliant 😊.
Profile Image for Anna [Bran. San. Stan].
360 reviews230 followers
December 20, 2022
3.5 fluffy stars. This novella is what you would call a filler episode in a TV show, entertaining but not moving the needle in the series’ overall plot. But if you enjoy the worldbuilding with all its diverse magical races and seeing Dina and Sean work together in the inn for the first time, you will definitely have a good time reading - as I did.
Profile Image for Zero (semi-hiatus).
582 reviews24 followers
April 9, 2023
Cute, but I think it needed something more to make the story pop. It was nice to see Sean adapt to being an Innkeeper. And Dina does a great job with her guests, as usual.

I really like this series and I like Dina and Sean. But I love Maud and Arland, so I hope that the authors write more books from Maud's perspective.
Profile Image for Deborah Obida.
689 reviews686 followers
April 19, 2020
This book is another great instalment to this series, I just wish it was longer, if it was it won't be a novella anymore.


Sentient beings are spectacular liars. We are gifted with an unparalleled ability to deny things that make our life unpleasant. We even pretend death isn’t a certainty, because contemplating our own mortality drives us mad.


The events in this book happened after Maud left with Arland so its just Dina, Sean, Orro and her Grace. This book just like the previous is told from Dina's POV. After the incident that happened with the baby inn she is still not as strong as she was, treaty day which is like Christmas for Innkeepers is fast approaching and she is expecting two guests that she can't refuse and to make matters worse an unexpected an aggressive guest also came. That's not all the Innkeeper council also want to inspect her Inn for rating.

“What kind of bad poetry do they write?”
Sean gave me a look and recited, “Hunt. Hunt. The scent of prey. The light of the moon. Blood on the fang. Taste the heartbeat. Rapture.”
I clapped. “That was lovely.”


The characters are already well developed I love the improvement and the change I saw in Sean and Dina, I also like the way the new characters are incorporated in the book.

Profile Image for Woman Reading  (is away exploring).
465 reviews354 followers
January 8, 2024
4 ☆
“Besides, it’s been almost two weeks since anyone was brutally murdered. Things were getting a bit dull. We wouldn’t want to die of boredom, would we?”


Gertrude Hunt B&B officially gains another Innkeeper. And that Innkeeper is "christened" in fire … from their chef exclaiming "fire" in his kitchen domain to an ugly conflict culminating in a face-off between a woman and her uncle. Let's not forget the feather-ruffling debates between the two opposing koo-ko clans.

Sean cracked a smile. “They are chickens.”
“Technically they’re not even avian.”
“Dina, we’re going to host sixty-one space chickens.”
I gave up. “Yes.”
“And they’re going to argue philosophy.”


As only a novella in length, Sweep with Me is just another week in the life of the Innkeeper Chronicles. Sadly, there is no advancement on the long term mysterious disappearance of Dina's parents, but the authors keep playing with their poultry jokes. This can be read as a standalone as a quick mood lifter.
Profile Image for Geri Reads.
1,232 reviews2,124 followers
January 21, 2020
This was such a fun little novella. I’m glad to see Sean and Dina thriving. Plus I love LOVE Orro! He needs his own intergalactic cooking show! 😂
Profile Image for h o l l i s .
2,612 reviews2,230 followers
March 29, 2020
Reading this after all the excitement of Maud's story, even though that was a while ago, makes me realize how much more I enjoy Maud than Dina. But that's okay. This was still good. But the best part was the EMERALD BLAZE sneak peek at the end of the file..
Profile Image for Wanda Pedersen.
2,103 reviews455 followers
April 14, 2020
A very fun novella, which I purchased while rounding out a book order that included a recipe book that I wanted very much. I’d read the story in installments online, but what fun to have it all in one book and be able to absorb it all in one evening.

I’m a true blue Ilona Andrews fan and I really enjoy the Innkeeper Chronicles, so this little offering was ideal for me. I always appreciate Dina and her gentle-but-firm ways of dealing with guests. Orro is a favourite character and we get to know him a bit better here, including getting to peek into his living quarters. And although I’ve always suspected it, we readers get to see why Orro has never left Gertrude Hunt Inn. Of course, Sean is right by Dina’s side, riding herd on difficult guests, taking interstellar assassins on field trips, and raining destruction on any battlefield he encounters!

I don’t know how many more of these adventures that the Andrews have inside them, but I’m hoping for many, many more. I never get tired of this world and we still haven’t a clue what has happened to Dina’s parents and Dina has yet to be reunited with Klaus, her brother (although he showed up at Maud’s beside at the very end of Sweep of the Blade). Fingers crossed for more Innkeeper Chronicles!

(There was also a teaser included for Emerald Blaze! I await it with impatience and anticipation.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,378 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.