Review: A Waltz of Sinister Import by Stephanie Burgis

Name: A Waltz of Sinister Import (The Supernatural Adventures of Lady and Lord Riven #3)

Author: Stephanie Burgis

Publisher: Five Fathoms Press

Date published: October 2026

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, vampires, historical

Rating: 5/5 

Thank you to the author for sending me an early review copy of this book!  

When the notorious Lady Riven is summoned to Vienna to solve a supernatural mystery, her debonair vampiric husband insists on accompanying her. However, neither of them is prepared for the true scope of the danger lurking within the sprawling Hofburg Palace... and by the time they uncover the truth behind every glittering illusion, their relationship may change forever.

- From Goodreads. 

I like that with each novella in this series, the world has widened a little bit, we've learnt more about its history, met more of its characters, and visited new places. It meant that while we got to see Margaret and Lord Riven learn more about each other and their relationship, we also get to learn more about the world and their perspective on it.

The mystery in this one was very fascinating, and I think it made the story feel both whimsical and sinister at the same time. All three novellas have had fairytale elements, but this is the one that felt the most like we were being immersed in a fairytale, which I loved.

I liked that Margaret and Lord Riven continued to grow together and to understand each other better, they faced challenges that could have pulled them apart but actually helped them grow closer and helped them to be more honest with each other and less afraid to show their emotions. They are a very endearing couple, and it is very clear how much they care about each other, which is so lovely and enjoyable to read.

I think this installment wrapped up their story well, but I would definitely be happy to read more stories about Lady and Lord Riven if there ever are any more. I am sure the two of them could find enough adventures to fill up a few novels at least!

BOOKS | Review: A Honeymoon of Grave Consequence by Stephanie Burgis

Name: A Honeymoon of Grave Cosequence (The Unexpected Adventures of Lady and Lord Riven #2)

Author: Stephanie Burgis

Publisher: Five Fathoms Press

Date published: September 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, vampires, historical

Rating: 5/5

Thank you to the author for sending me an early review copy of this book! 

Margaret, Lady Riven, never expected to find herself married, much less enjoying a honeymoon with her vampiric husband. Obviously, they’ve only agreed to stay married for logical, practical reasons, but Lord Riven has kept his promise to supply her with excellent tea and even better company as they travel together across the continent. Unfortunately, her newfound notoriety has traveled along with them - so she’s delighted when they arrive at a secluded inn deep within the Black Forest, far from high society.
However, the inn is full of lethal supernatural creatures who find Margaret’s arrival anything but welcome - and for all of Margaret’s academic prowess, she’s infamously inept at making friends. When a new threat appears in her own mirror, she realizes that the greatest danger is to her heart... and she’ll have to rely on a remarkable assortment of newfound allies to help her save the immortal vampire who holds it.

- From Goodreads. 

This was a very heartwarming and charming follow-up to A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience, I really enjoyed that this story was a little longer and we got to spend more time with Lord and Lady Riven and see how their relationship was developing. It was also fun to explore a new location and meet quite an eclectic set of new characters! There was an intriguing mystery to solve, some exciting confrontations and of course more delightful romance.

Margaret and Lord Riven's relationship is definitely my favourite part of these books, they work so well together, have such great chemistry and obviously care so deeply about each other. Every scene between them is so wonderful to read.

If we ever get more in this world, I will definitely be reading it, I would love to see more of Lady and Lord Riven's adventures, and I'll certainly continue to read more from Stephanie Burgis as she has a very engaging and clever writing style. I would recommend this series for you if you love other fun and charming fantasy romance series like the Emily Wilde trilogy by Heather Fawcett, or the Love's Academic series by India Holton.

BOOKS | Review: The Book of Gold by Ruth Frances Long

Name: The Book of Gold (The Feral Gods #1)

Author: Ruth Frances Long 

Publisher: Hodderscape

Date published: November 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, historical, romance

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5

There's only one thing notorious thief Lyta loves more than a big her little brother, Kit. But when Kit is arrested for producing seditious pamphlets, he stands to lose not only his printing press, but possibly his life.
In exchange for her brother's freedom, Lyta strikes a daring bargain with the king - she will steal the infamous Book of a mysterious manuscript reputed to be hiding vast magical power within.
It's just the kind of challenge Lyta relishes, but she didn't bargain for a secretive scholar, her brother's interference, or the return of handsome and brooding Captain Sylvian Chant, once her lover and partner in crime, now an incorruptible royal bodyguard...

- From Goodreads. 

The story of this book was a great adventure, it almost didn't give you a moment to catch your breath! It had a very fun heist plot line, and a wonderful collection of characters to form the heist crew.

I enjoyed that as the story went on there continued to be mysteries and twists and surprises in the plot, it definitely kept me on my toes. Ben's storyline was fascinating with his connection to the gods, and I thought the way his relationship developed with Kit was very sweet.

Meanwhile Sylvian and Lyta's second-chance romance was intense in a great way, with so much tension and both of them struggling to come to terms with their past and yet still caring for each other so much. Sylvian's backstory of what had happened to him while he and Lyta had been apart was so compelling and heartbreaking.

I think the only problem I had with the book was Lyta being stubborn to the point where it became a bit frustrating at times. I don't mind when characters have flaws and aren't perfect of course, as it makes them more realistic and sometimes quite relatable, but it's also great to see them grow and change and Lyta's parts of the book could be difficult to read when you thought she was learning and had come to a realisation about something but then she would go back to thinking or acting the same way she did at the beginning of the book. I only felt this frustration a few times throughout the book though and most of the time I still liked her as much as the other characters.

Overall, this was a thrilling and intriguing book and I will definitely be reading the next one as I am curious to find out what will happen with all the characters and especially with Lyta and Sylvian's relationship. 

BOOKS | Review: The Geographer's Map to Romance by India Holton

Name: The Geographer's Map to Romance (Love's Academic #2)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Penguin Books

Date published: April 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, fantasy, historical

Pages: 354

Rating: 5/5

 

Professor Elodie Tarrant is an expert in magical disasters. Nothing fazes her - except her own personal disaster, that is: Professor Gabriel Tarrant, the grumpy, unfriendly man she married for convenience a year ago, whom she secretly loves.
Gabriel is also an expert in magical disasters. And nothing fazes him either - except the walking, talking tornado that is his wife. They’ve been estranged since shortly after their wedding day, but that hasn’t stopped him from stoically pining for her.
When magic erupts in a small Welsh village, Elodie and Gabriel are accidentally both assigned to the case. With the fate of the country in their hands, they face perilous conditions like explosions, domesticated goats, and only one bed.
These geography professors are lost. But can they find their way into each other’s hearts - and save the day?

- From Goodreads. 

This book was as absolutely delightful as the first one. India Holton just has such a brilliant way of writing, the humour in this series has been so excellent, I laughed out loud at multiple scenes! She also just has such a wonderful way of writing romance, leaning into clichés and tropes, keeping it fun and lighthearted, but also letting you get swept away with lovely sweet romantic moments that really show you the connection and feelings between the characters.

I loved how the author continued the world building in this book, the magical creatures, specifically birds, were so creative in the last book, and the way the magic of the world was expanded in this book into the magic of the land and nature was so inventive too! I'm so curious to see how it's further explored in the next book.

Elodie and Gabriel were such wonderful characters, I thought the story of how they, amusingly, became inconveniently married was so unique and it was so interesting to see how they viewed things from their different perspectives and how they eventually realised how they'd both been seeing things differently, it was written so perfectly. They were so loveable and I really adored their relationship.

Of course I will be reading the next book, I cannot get enough of this world, the characters and how India Holton writes these romances, it's all such perfection. 

BOOKS | Review: A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience by Stephanie Burgis

Name: A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience (The Unexpected Adventures of Lady and Lord Riven #1)

Author: Stephanie Burgis

Publisher: Five Fathoms Press

Date published: August 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, vampires, historical

Pages: 72

Rating: 4/5

Margaret Dunhaven may have been forced into marriage with the sinister vampire lord of Shadowcroft Manor in order to fulfill a family obligation, but she's not about to stay trapped there for long. The beastly man doesn't even have any decent tea leaves in his kitchen!
However, when she realizes that she's not the only one who's been forced into this marital union, it's time to join forces with her unwanted new husband. If they can combine her scholarly skills with his ancient history, then, working together, they might just manage to reclaim her inheritance, break his curse, and find their freedom.
...Just so long as they don't fall in love along the way.

- From Goodreads.

This was very delightful and fun to read. The narration had a great, entertaining voice and the world was explained quickly in an understandable way which was good considering it was such a short story.

The author also did a good job of introducing us to the characters and giving us a good picture of who they were in a short amount of time. Margaret and Lord Riven were both very loveable characters and the romance that developed between them was very charming.

The only fault I did find with the story was that it could have been just a little longer to immerse us in the world a little bit more and to give us a bit more time to see the characters getting to know each other, I think just a little more could have been added while still staying within the constraints of a novella and it would have been perfect.

I would definitely recommend this if you love a fun vampire fantasy romance and want something quick to read, and if you like books like the Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett and Elise Kova's Married to Magic series, I think you'd like this too. I'll certainly be going on to read more from Stephanie Burgis, and I will be curious to see what her longer books are like.

BOOKS | Review: Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

Name: Ruthless Vows (Letters of Enchantment duology #2)

Author: Rebecca Ross

Publisher: Magpie

Date published: January 2024

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, historical

Pages: 420

Rating: 5/5

Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign.
Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together... the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.

- Goodreads.

This was a brilliant follow up to Divine Rivals, I think it gave the story a satisfying conclusion and was just as thrilling to read as the first book. 

Iris and Roman's story was still wonderfully romantic, they wrote so beautifully to each other and when they could see each other in person it felt like such a beautiful moment.

It was good to see more of the side characters that were introduced in the first book and see more of their personalities, and we were introduced to new characters who were also just as fascinating and fun to get to know. Everyone felt very well rounded and real, and in general all the characters were well written.

We learnt more about the magic and the gods in this book and I felt that continued to be a fascinating and inventive part of the world building. It really added to how compelling the plot was and how it kept you wanting to read more.

The emotional moments were also very well done. I was very invested in what happened to all of the characters and their relationships to each other and I was anxious to see how things ended for them all. There were painful and sad momennts that definitely got to me, but they all felt right for the story and were balanced well with happier and more hopeful moments.

Overall it was a really wonderful book and duology in general. It had such loveable characters and a really exciting plot. I will definitely try more books from the author and I would definitely recommend if you love historical fantasy and stories involving letter writing.

BOOKS | Review: The Thorns Remain by J.J.A. Harwood

Name: The Thorns Remain

Author: J.J.A. Harwood

Publisher: Magpie Books

Date published: February 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, historical

Pages: 410

Rating: 3/5

A dance with the fae will change everything
1919. In a highland village forgotten by the world, harvest season is over and the young who remain after war and flu have ravaged the village will soon head south to make something of themselves.
Moira Jean and her friends head to the forest for a last night of laughter before parting ways. Moira Jean is being left behind. She had plans to leave once but her lover died in France and with him, her future. The friends light a fire, sing and dance. But with every twirl about the flames, strange new dancers thread between them, music streaming from the trees.
The fae are here.
Suddenly Moira Jean finds herself all alone, her friends spirited away. The iron medal of her lost love, pinned to her dress, protected her from magic.
For the Fae feel forgotten too. Lead by the darkly handsome Lord of the Fae, they are out to make themselves known once more. Moira Jean must enter into a bargain with the Lord to save her friends - and fast, for the longer one spends with the Fae, the less like themselves they are upon return. If Moira Jean cannot save her friends before Beltine, they will be lost forever...

- From Goodreads.

This book had a great use of folk tales and mythology and it was fascinating to learn about all the different creatures included in the story and to see what the faerie realm looked like. The atmosphere was created very well and you could really feel the fear and tension build throughout the story. I was definitely kept in suspense and was hooked until the end to find out what was going to happen.

The characters were all interesting and distinctive, I think the Lord Under the Hill was especially well written and really felt like he was not human and saw the world differently.

Unfortunately I did not end up feeling completely satisfied by how some of the plot threads wrapped up, not that it was a bad ending, and it was fun to read, but it did not feel like quite the right ending from the way the story had been building up, and some parts never felt fully explained.

Overall while I did not completely love it, I still think that there was a lot of good to it and I could see why other people might enjoy it more than I did. I think it is definitely worth a try if you enjoy stories using folklore and stories about fae.

BOOKS | Review: The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

Name: The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love (Love's Academic series #1)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Penguin

Date published: July 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical, comedy, cosy, mystery

Pages: 361

Rating: 5/5

Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon.

For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals.

When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can't trust anyone else - for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology.

- From Goodreads.

The two main characters in this book had wonderful chemistry and the attraction between them felt very real, you could really get lost in the moment with them. I loved that they obviously really liked each other from the moment they met but their connection became deeper over the course of the book and they came to admit it to themselves and to each other by the end. It was very sweet and endearing. It made both of the characters even more loveable.

Both characters had different personalities but they fit so well together and both were sympathetic and understandable and I enjoyed reading from both their perspectives.

It was very cleverly written, with meta jokes about romantic comedies and about the time period it was set in, and I liked the general silliness and goofiness of the tone of the story, but it was also balanced well with more sincere and touching romantic moments.

The world was very interesting with all the different magical birds which I thought were so fascinating and creative. I would have loved to learn more so hopefully in future books we will see the world expanded.

I would definitely recommend reading this if you enjoyed Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, they both have the brilliant sense of humour and academia in a whimsical fantasy setting along with a perfect romance. I would also recommend if you enjoyed Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater as this was also a great historical romance with excellent humour where the characters had to deal with the rules of society.

BOOKS | Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Name: Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment #1)

Author: Rebecca Ross

Publisher: Magpie Books (Harper Collins)

Date published: April 2023

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, historical

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish - into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

- From Goodreads.

This was a very dramatic and compelling story that kept me invested all the way to the end. I liked that the story took you on quite a journey and the setting was often changing and the characters had a lot of opportunity to learn and grow and change.

Roman and Iris were wonderful main characters, both had a lot of depth, a lot going on in each of their lives that pulled at your heart and made you feel for them, and you could see why they would be drawn together despite their initial rivalry and begin to have such an intense and meaningful connection that I really loved.

I thought the world was so interesting and the way it was built and all the ideas put into it were so creative. The idea of the gods fighting a war but using the humans to do it and it also being set in a time equivalent to something between World War One and Two in our world was quite clever because it brought together something so ancient and powerful as the gods but in almost a modern setting. I thought the war scenes were described very well, you could feel how terrifying it was to be in the middle of all the destruction and how heartbreaking it was to be surrounded by all the loss.

Overall, it was a really incredible book that I was really happy to have enjoyed so much. I was devastated by the ending so I will have to pick up the sequel soon to find out what happens next!

BOOKS | Review: Upon a Frosted Star by M.A. Kuzniar

Name: Upon a Frosted Star

Author: M.A. Kuzniar

Publisher: HQ (HarperCollins) 

Date published: September 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, historical, fairy tales, retellings

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5

This review contains major spoilers.

When the snow falls, she will be free...
The invitations always arrive the same way - without warning, appearing around the city on the first snowfall of the year, simply inscribed with 'Tonight.'
When struggling artist, Forster, finds an invitation, he's bewitched by the magic of the evening, swept up in the glamour of this notorious annual party and intrigued as to who is behind them.
Determined to find out more about the mysterious host, Forster discovers an abandoned manor house silent with secrets and a cursed woman who is desparate to be free...

- From Goodreads.

Upon a Frosted Star had all the magical atmosphere, whimsical fairytale elements and beautiful descriptions that Midnight in Everwood had, but with a unique set of characters, different plot structure and new setting. I think you could enjoy this if, like me, you loved the previous book, and will find yourself swept away in a completely new story too. It will depend though on how you like sad endings as to whether you like the ending of this book. Personally they are not usually for me and I do not think this one was either, but I do not think it reflects badly on the book, it will just be a matter of personal preference. Obviously if you know the story of Swan Lake you might be able to see the way the story is going, I was just not sure after Midnight in Everwood had such a hopeful ending if this book might take a more romantic story approach rather than a tragic tale, but it did not in the end.

However, there was a brief mention of Marietta from Everwood and what happened to her after her book that made me very happy to see and I was glad we got to have that.

Other than being conflicted by the ending, I thought the rest of the book was very well written. The characters were full of life and loveable, the romance was beautiful and full of yearning and tenderness. I thought the mystery was very suspenseful and kept me intrigued to the end, so I mostly enjoyed reading the story apart from being so nervous for the characters and what was going to happen to them of course. I am just not sure I would read it again because of the ending. I still adore Midnight in Everwood though and would definitely give another book from the author a chance.

BOOKS | Review: Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Name: Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde series #2)

Author: Heather Fawcett

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: January 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, historical, fantasy, fairy tales, mythology, folklore, cosy fantasy

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5

Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore - she just wrote the world’s first comprehensive encylopaedia of faeries. She’s learned many of the secrets of the Hidden Folk on her adventures... and also from her fellow scholar and former rival, Wendell Bambleby.
Because Bambleby is more than infuriatingly charming. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother, and in search of a door back to his realm. So despite Emily’s feelings for Bambleby, she’s not ready to accept his proposal of marriage. Loving one of the Fair Folk comes with secrets and danger.
And she also has a new project to focus on: a map of the realms of faerie. While she is preparing her research, Bambleby lands her in trouble yet again, when assassins sent by Bambleby’s mother invade Cambridge. Now Bambleby and Emily are on another adventure, this time to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambley’s realm, and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.
But with new relationships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors, and of her own heart.

- From Goodreads.

I really enjoyed how this book expanded the world building that was started in the first one. We got to see more of both the mortal world and the faerie realms and there was so much detail in the descriptions and in the history and backstories, it felt very real. I loved the way the faerie realms had to be described differently to the mortal world and sometimes Emily did not even have the words for them, it really gave the sense that it was something otherworldly and almost incomprehensible to humans, too beautiful to witness.

The romance was so sweet and affectionate. I loved how clearly Wendell adored Emily and how Emily tried to be brave when taking steps in their relationship. I think they were both good for each other and helped each other grow. I loved that Emily was quite honest with herself and so her relationship with Wendell was quite open and honest too and they told each other how they were feeling. Reading them together was just very enjoyable as they could be both lighthearted and humorous and also serious and romantic and I think both sides to them were written very well.

I think it was a great sequel to the first book, the author was able to continue writing in both Emily and Wendell's voices well and I will definitely be reading the next book as I am very much looking forward to finding out what happens next on their adventures.

BOOKS | Review: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Name: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde series #1)

Author: Heather Fawcett

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: January 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, historical, fantasy, romance, fairy tales, folklore, mythology, cosy fantasy

Pages: 315

Rating: 5/5

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party - or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones - the most elusive of all faeries - lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all - her own heart. 

- From Goodreads.

This was such a delightful story to read, I really struggled to put it down anytime I had to stop reading. I always wanted to know what would happen next and wanted to see more of the characters.

Emily and Wendell were both so loveable. I loved how they both had their own quirks and were both a little ridiculous at times but in a way where you could not help but be fond of them. Their friendship and developing feelings for each other felt so unique and was slowly built in a perfect way. I really liked the place they ended up at by the end of the book and how, although it felt like a satisfying ending, there was still room for more growth in their relationship in the next book.

It has been quite a while since I have read a book written in journal entries and I really liked how it was done in this one. It did not feel like it restricted us from getting the full story and was used very effectively to add suspense and intrigue and the characters wrote in their own distinct voices which really added to developing their personalities and giving us a good sense of who they were. They also both wrote in quite a humorous way that made it even more entertaining to read.

I loved the way folklore, myth and fairy tales were interwoven throughout the story. It made the world feel very real, with a rich history and it was all clearly well researched, including details and elements of folklore from our world while also creating its own tales and magic.

Overall it was just a perfect story for me, so charming and full of fairytale magic, but also with some darker moments that made it feel intense and compelling. I will definitely be picking up the next book!

BOOKS | Review: The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

Name: The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater (Victorian Faerie Tales series #1)

Author: Olivia Atwater

Publisher: Olivia Atwater

Date published: November 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, fantasy, historical, gothic

Pages: 328

Rating: 5/5

Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn’t believe in faeries - which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.
Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness... but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust?

- From Goodreads.

I like that the author did something different to her previous books in this story. All her books feel distinct from each other in terms of plot and characters, while still having the the similar writing style and perfect romantic feelings that I love from her books.

The gothic, dark atmosphere was done perfectly. It definitely took a darker turn from her other books but worked very well for this story. All of the descriptions of the setting and all the details in the house and the way it became a whole sinister world of it's own all added to the spookier feeling of this story.

The characters were so fascinating and a joy to follow. I loved Winnie and how she slowly became more caring and protective of Robert who she had been hired to be a governess for, and how he slowly came to trust her.

I also loved the slow build of the relationship between Winnie and Mr Quincy. How they went from enemies who could not trust each other to falling in love and telling each other things they had not told anyone else was done so perfectly and written so well. I just adored every scene they were in together and he was such an intense, intriguing character.

The plot was thrilling and suspenseful, and I was intrigued the whole time to find out how Winnie would unravel the mystery and help to fix everything. I think it resolved well while also leaving enough suspense for the next book, which I will be very excited to read. I think this book solidified that Olivia Atwater is a new favourite of mine and I will definitely continue to read everything she writes.

BOOKS | Review: Longshadow by Olivia Atwater

Name: Longshadow (Regency Faerie Tales series #3)

Author: Olivia Atwater

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: August 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, fantasy, historical

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5

Proper Regency ladies are not supposed to become magicians - but Miss Abigail Wilder is far from proper. The marriageable young ladies of London are dying mysteriously, and Abigail Wilder intends to discover why. Abigail's father, the Lord Sorcier of England, believes that a dark lord of faerie is involved - but while Abigail is willing to match her magic against Lord Longshadow, neither her father nor high society believe that she is capable of doing so. Thankfully, Abigail is not the only one investigating the terrible events in London. Mercy, a street rat and self-taught magician, insists on joining Abigail to unravel the mystery. But while Mercy's own magic is strange and foreboding, she may well post an even greater danger to Abigail's heart.

- From Goodreads.

Although I still really loved this book, I think I did struggle with it a little more than I did the other two books in this series. It was a little frustrating at the start that Abigail could not understand that Elias wanted to protect her. Of course her desire to help and take part in the investigation was understandable, it just might have been better it she had still been able to see that her father just did not want her involved because he did not want her harmed. Even if she still went against his wishes it would be better than her not being able to understand his feelings at all, which did not really make sense to me, even if it was somewhat resolved later, it did not really seem like a necessary conflict to include and just made the beginning of the book a little more difficult to get through, when for the previous two books I have not had any issue finding them enjoyable and easy to read right from the beginning.

It still had a really great sense of humour and some really funny moments, like with Mr Hayes the little scarecrow, that I really enjoyed. I also thought the plot was really clever and exciting to read, the mystery was well done and had a few surprises I was not expecting.

It was really nice to see characters from the previous books again and to catch up with them, I still just absolutely love the romantic couples from the first two stories so much, Elias and Dora and Euphemia and Juniper just have the perfect affection for each other and it makes me so happy.

Abigail and Hugh's bond was really sweet and they had some really heartfelt and emotional scenes together. It was nice to see Elias, Dora, Abigail and Hugh all as a family, they had some lovely moments together and you could tell how much they loved and cared for each other.

I do not think I fell in love with Abigail as a main character and her romance with Mercy as much as I fell in love with the characters and romances from the previous books, but I did still really like Abigail, she was a good character to follow and I did like that the romance was something a little different in this book, each one in this series certainly stands on its own and does not feel at all repetitive.

Overall this was a lovely book to read and I still really adore the way Olivia Atwater writes so I will definitely be picking up her next book.

BOOKS | Review: The True Queen by Zen Cho

Name: The True Queen (Sorcerer Royal series #2)

Author: Zen Cho

Publisher: Pan Books

Date published: November 2019

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical

Pages: 367

Rating: 4/5

When sisters Muna and Sakti wake up on the peaceful beach of the island of Janda Baik, they can't remember anything, except that they are bound as only sisters can be. They have been cursed by an unknown enchanter, and slowly Sakti starts to fade away. The only hope of saving her is to go to distant Britain, where the Sorceress Royal has established an academy to train women in magic.

If Muna is to save her sister, she must learn to navigate high society, and trick the English magicians into believing she is a magical prodigy. As she's drawn into their intrigues, she must uncover the secrets of her past, and journey into a world with more magic than she had ever dreamed.

- From Goodreads.

I liked that in this sequel we got to see old characters as well as new ones and that the story was told from more perspectives because of that. We got to see the characters we already knew in a new light and learnt to love them even more at the same time we were getting to know the new characters, and growing to love them too.

I think it did a good job of building upon the world we already knew, adding details to characters and places we were already familiar with and filling in the gaps in our knowledge. It was especially nice to see more of Henrietta, to learn more about her and see more depth to her character, I thought she was really sweet and lovely. I am glad we got to see quite a bit of Prunell, but it would have been nice to see a little more of Zacharias as he was such an important part of the first book, although we did get a couple of scenes with him, I did still miss his presence in this one.

The romance in this book could have been built up more in the beginning, with a few more little hints at what might happen between the two characters and more moments between them as they only really had time for the romance to grow in the third part of the book, and I think the romance in the first book was developed slightly better, although this one was still very sweet and I did really like how it ended, it was very heart-warming.

There could have been a bit more at the end to wrap up the story more thoroughly and see a little more from each character, but overall I did enjoy the ending. Generally I really liked this duology and how creative and unique and heartfelt it was, and I would definitely like to read more from this author.

BOOKS | Review: Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Name: Sorcerer to the Crown (Sorcerer Royal series #1)

Author: Zen Cho

Publisher: Pan Books

Date published: January 2016

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical

Pages: 371

Rating: 5/5

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers - one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain - ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up. But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain - and the world at large…

- From Goodreads.

I thought it was clever how the story had the history of our world but took it and added magical elements, it was very creative and made for a very fascinating world with interesting politics that added to the twists and turns of the plot. The plot was very exciting as the different mysteries unravelled and I thought the climactic scene that everything culminated to was very well done and fun to read.

I really loved the two main characters, Zacharias and Prunella, they both had such intriguing stories to follow and and really great personalities and their romance was definitely my favourite thing about the book. Every moment they had together was delightful to read and I loved how they became protective and supportive of each other. The final scene of the book with them brought me so much joy.

The writing style was perfect for the book and very well done, it really helped me feel immersed in the setting of the book.

I would recommend this if you also enjoyed books like Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater and Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson.

BOOKS | Review: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg

Name: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House series #1)

Author: Charlie N. Holmberg

Publisher: 47North

Date published: November 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical, mystery, cosy

Pages: 330

Rating: 5/5

 

Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home - until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever.
Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.
Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda’s work still proves unexpectedly difficult. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern - something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within.

- From Goodreads.

The plot of Keeper of Enchanted Rooms had an intriguing mystery and was well paced as it slowly built up to the exciting conclusion.

The author managed to create a villain that was awful and irredeemable and did horrendous things, but still made him sympathetic enough that you understood his motivations, why he had done what he had done and how he had got to the place that he had.

The magic of the world and the setting of the house was so creative and it was exciting to learn about it as the book went on. I loved that the house had such a personality and story of its own, it really made it a character too.

The romance was lovely, it built so slowly and sweetly and the way the affection grew between the two main characters was wonderful to read, I could read so much more of them together. Hulda and Merritt were both such interesting characters that really attached themselves to my heart. Their backstories were both so sympathetic and compelling and really made you hope things could end well for both of them.

I also loved the side characters in the book and how, along with Hulda and Merrit, they all became a very loveable found family, it was very wholesome.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable book with a sweet romance and also quite a dark, suspenseful fantasy plot. It was a well written and made me very interested to read more from the author.

BOOKS | Review: Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater

Name: Ten Thousand Stitches (Regency Faerie Tales series #2)

Author: Olivia Atwater

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: July 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, historical, fantasy, fairy tales

Pages: 245

Rating: 5/5

Regency housemaid Euphemia Reeves has acquired a faerie godfather. Unfortunately, he has no idea what he's doing.
Effie has most inconveniently fallen in love with the dashing Mr Benedict Ashbrooke. There's only one problem; Effie is a housemaid, and a housemaid cannot marry a gentleman. It seems that Effie is out of luck until she stumbles into the faerie realm of Lord Blackthorn, who is only too eager to help Effie win Mr Ashbrooke's heart. All he asks in return is that Effie sew ten thousand stitches onto his favourite jacket.
Effie has heard rumours about what happens to those who accept help from faeries, but life as a maid at Hartfield is so awful that she is willing to risk even her immortal soul for a chance at something better. Now, she has one hundred days - and ten thousand stitches - to make Mr Ashbrooke fall in love and propose... if Lord Blackthorn doesn't wreck things by accident, that is. For Effie's greatest obstacle might well prove to be Lord Blackthorn's overwhelmingly good intentions.

- From Goodreads.

Ten Thousand Stitches had the same heartwarming, whimsical, and humourous writing style as Half a Soul, with similar messaging that was both emotional, meaningful and hopeful while having a realistic, thoughtful, and sometimes quite serious undercurrent, all while still managing to have a different plot and distinct characters.

Lord Blackthorn was quite a unique character, who still to had the dangerous element of being a faerie while also being very sweet and loveable and endearing and I loved seeing him learn and change over the course of the story. His romance with Effie was so heartwarming and made me so happy to read.

Effie was a wonderful main character, I loved how she learnt more about herself and how she discovered the effect she had on people around her and how she could help them.

The author still writes female friendships very well, I loved Effie and Lydia's friendship and how they cared about each other so much.

I still found the world to be inventive and I enjoyed learning more about it and seeing it from a different perspective than we did in Half a Soul. It felt both realistic and whimsical, and all the descriptions were lovely to read, especially whenever we went into Faerie and saw the magical home of Lord Blackthorn.

I will definitely continue to read more books in this series and anything else the author writes. I really enjoy her writing style and everything I have read from her so far has just made me so delighted.

BOOKS | Review: Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

Name: Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales series #1)

Author: Olivia Atwater

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: June 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical, fairy tales

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5

It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season - but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora's reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world... but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

- From Goodreads.

This book was just utterly wonderful. It left me feeling so happy and overall was just such a joy to read. The idea for the story felt very unique and an interesting storyline to follow. I thought the fact that Dora had half her soul taken from her and this left her unable to feel emotions as strongly and to react like other people was written very well and felt very creative. I could still connect to Dora and found her to be very loveable and endearing. She was very complex and self aware and I loved following her development. I also loved her relationships with the other characters in the story. Her friendship with her cousin Vanessa was so heartwarming and it was so lovely to see two female characters so devoted to each other and who were such a good comfort to each other and could be such a good influence on each other.

I also really loved Dora's romance with the Lord Sorcier, Elias, the way the relationship between them changed and grew was done so well. I loved the affection they had for each other and how the dialogue between them was so charming and witty. I think they have definitely become one of my favourite fictional couples already.

Another character I loved was Elias' friend Albert, he was a wonderful part of the story and it was lovely to see him becoming friends with Dora and them helping and supporting each other.

I thought the book did a great job of showing all the different parts of society. Dora and Vanessa faced difficulties being women of their social class at that time, especially Dora who found herself a bit of an outcast when she could not behave the way she was expected to, but they also saw the hardships of people who lived different lives to them and I thought all the discussions around that in the story were well done. I also liked that there was an overall theme in the book that said that we might not be able to change all the bad in society all at once but you can keep doing your best to do something yourself and you can still make some positive difference.

I liked how magic was involved in the story. The descriptions of how Elias used magic were always so enjoyable to read and I also enjoyed the elements of faerie folklore that were in the book and how they were used, they made it very mysterious and enchanting.

Overall it really was a fantastic book. I loved every moment and will definitely read it again and read more from this author. I would recommend this book if you liked Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones or An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson.

BOOKS | Review: Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar

Name: Midnight in Everwood

Author: M.A. Kuzniar

Publisher: HQ

Date published: October 2021

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, historical, romance, retellings

Pages: 348

Rating: 5/5

 

There’s nothing Marietta Stelle loves more than ballet, but after Christmas, her dreams will be over as she is obligated to take her place in Edwardian society. While she is chafing against such suffocating traditions, a mysterious man purchases the neighbouring townhouse. Dr Drosselmeier is a charming but calculating figure who wins over the rest of the Stelle family with his enchanting toys and wondrous mechanisms.
When Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate set for Marietta’s final ballet performance, she discovers it carries a magic all of its own. On the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, she is transported to a snowy forest, where she encounters danger at every turn: ice giants, shadow goblins and the shrieking mist all lurk amidst the firs and frozen waterfalls and ice cliffs. After being rescued by the butterscotch-eyed captain of the king’s guard, she is escorted to the frozen sugar palace. At once, Marietta is enchanted by this glittering world of glamorous gowns, gingerbread houses, miniature reindeer and the most delicious confectionary.
But all is not as it seems and Marietta is soon trapped in the sumptuous palace by the sadistic King Gelum, who claims her as his own. She is confined to a gilded prison with his other pets; Dellara, whose words are as sharp as her teeth, and Pirlipata, a princess from another land. Marietta must forge an alliance with the two women to carve a way free from this sugar-coated but treacherous world and back home to follow her dreams. Yet in a hedonistic world brimming with rebellion and a forbidden romance that risks everything, such a path will never be easy.
- From Goodreads.

Midnight in Everwood was a perfect winter fairy tale, and an incredibly inventive retelling of The Nutcracker. I enjoyed every moment of reading it and wanted more, not wanting it to end.

The descriptions were so magical and whimsical, so detailed in such a lovely imaginative way. All the settings, the clothes, the characters, it was all so delightful to read. The parts in the magical world, in Everwood, were my favourite, but even the set up in the real world and the descriptions of the society, how difficult it was to navigate, was interesting to read and well written.

Marietta was an enchanting main character, I loved how she was full of imagination and spirit and found ways to be brave even in the most terrifying circumstances. I liked that she tried to be aware of when she had privilege and when she made a mistake or spoke badly she tried to make things right. Her passion for dancing was wonderful to read and I admired how she was determined to prioritise her love for dance and make it a part of her life.

I also loved the friendships Marietta developed with other women in the book. Dellara and Pirlipata were such fascinating characters and the bond she had with them by the end of the book was so heartwarming and had me quite emotional.

There was also a romance in the story that I absolutely adored. Everything about the way Marietta and her love interest interacted was written so perfectly and it was so clear how much they came to love and care for each other. The way they spoke to each other and the way Marietta thought about their relationship was written so nicely it just made me so happy to read.

This was just such a magical adventure, I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a heartwarming fairy tale to read over winter, it just has the perfect atmosphere.