Tag: historical fantasy

Recent Reads #1 – Scandal, Mystery and Magic

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

It’s been a while. This year has ended up being quite a difficult one, and the unplanned hiatus I’ve been on the last few months was certainly far longer than I’d expected. In the spring, my long covid was flaring quite badly and then, because life loves a curveball, I got covid again in June. I had a month off work and another month of reduced hours, before going back to work as normal. The recovery has been slow and I’m still not back to feeling quite myself. But I decided I wanted to try and get back into blogging as I’ve missed doing my hobbies while I’ve been unwell.

Today’s post is a whistlestop tour of some of the books I’ve read while I’ve been away from blogging.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin ⭐⭐⭐⭐– While Sophie Irwin’s new novel isn’t a sequel to A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, it does follow in a similar vein to the author’s first novel. I was once again thoroughly entertained and had lots of fun reading this novel. It was a light and fun historical romance. I’m looking forward to Sophie Irwin’s next book very much! 

Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs ⭐⭐⭐.5 stars – This was an interesting take on part of the Beowulf story I’m not familiar with. I felt very immersed in the historical setting of this novel and the author did an excellent job of including details which really brought the place to life. There were a lot of POVs which gave the novel an unfocused feel – it would have benefited from having fewer. Something just felt missing from this book. There were many great elements, but the way the story was told just didn’t pull me in or leave a lasting impression.

Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This book sure was a ride, and I certainly wasn’t able to predict what would happen next. It’s part mystery, part romance, part family drama. Some pretty odd and unbelievable things happen, and yet I found myself having a great time reading it. This was a really fun read and had some very amusing moments.

Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber ⭐⭐⭐.5 stars – I was immediately drawn into this story and both authors have great writing. There were also quite a few humorous moments which I hadn’t been expecting, so that was quite fun. The story alternates between the POVs of twin princesses who were separated at birth. There were two narrators for the audiobook which helped make the characters’ POVs distinct. Although I was hooked at the start, this book didn’t hold my attention all the way through. There was a lot of backstory, worldbuilding and set up. Perhaps the next book will have more momentum now that all the set up has been done, but I’m not sure I was captivated enough to keep reading the rest of the series.

Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This witchy romance was such a fun, cosy read. I loved the magical house that shifts its shape and style with the residents’ moods. The humour was spot on, especially in the first half. While the second half took a bit of an unexpected turn which I wasn’t sure about, I still enjoyed finishing this one as I was invested in the characters and their story. Asides from the main character and love interest, there is also a great cast of side characters. I especially enjoyed seeing Josh and Sienna’s sibling relationship grow. The writing style and narration are what drew me in from the start. The author’s writing just really pulled me into the story and the audiobook narrator was just perfect for this book. I’ll definitely be checking out more books from this author and narrator. 

The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by Suzanne Allain ⭐⭐⭐.5 stars – This was a sweet Regency romance but I felt there was some detail or depth missing in places. It was quite a short book and possibly could have benefited from being a little longer. Some conflicts also felt too easily resolved. Having said that, I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and particularly liked the female friendships the author explored. Though the story is fictional, the idea for the registry of ladies with fortune came from a real, similar historical document, and is an interesting springboard for the characters to meet. The ending was very satisfying with several happily ever afters for multiple couples.

What books have you enjoyed recently? Chat with me in the comments!

Audiobook Review: Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall

Genre: Romance, Historical Fantasy

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Gollancz, narrated by Nneka Okoye

Star Rating: 3/5

Back Cover Summary:

A young noblewoman must join forces with a rumoured witch to conquer an ancient curse in this devilishly funny and heartwarming sapphic Regency romantasy from TikTok titan and bestselling author of Boyfriend Material Alexis Hall – unmissable for fans of Juno Dawson’s Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, Sophie Irwin’s A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting, and Freya Marske’s A Marvellous Light.

It is the year 1814 and Miss Maelys Mitchelmore finds her entry into the highest society of Bath hindered by an irritating curse. It begins innocuously enough, with her dress slowly unmaking itself over the course of an evening at the ball of the season, a scandal she only narrowly manages to escape.

However, as the curse progresses to more fatal proportions, she realises she must seek out urgent assistance, even if that means mixing with the most undesirable company – and there are few less desirable allies than the brooding Lady Georgiana Landrake – who may or may not have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune.

If one is to believe the gossip, she might be some kind of malign enchantress.

Then again, a malign enchantress might be exactly what Miss Mitchelmore needs.

Having seen mixed reviews for this book, I was unsure whether to give it a go. However, when I listened to the audiobook sample, I found myself completely drawn in by the author’s writing style and the audio narration, so when it came to the end of the sample, I was eager to continue reading.

The novel is narrated from the perspective of Robin, a hobgoblin who decides to follow Maelys in the hopes of collecting a good story. This is an unusual narrative device that will definitely not click with all readers. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I ended up really enjoying this aspect of the story and think it worked very well. The only time I didn’t enjoy the magical narrator, was during spicy scenes. It felt a little strange, intrusive almost, to be seeing these intimate moments from the perspective of a third-party observer.

Although I was never bored, the pacing was slow at times, and for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on, I just wasn’t keen on a lot of the plot choices. It felt meandering. There are also a lot of similar scenes in the second half which made it drag a little. If this book had been shorter, it would have been a much more engaging read. While I was happy enough to continue reading, I was never excited to. Apart from, perhaps, the midpoint which did provide some suspense and tension.

While I liked Lady Georgiana when we first meet her character, her continued meanness and mockery of the protagonist began to grate. Reasons for her to push Maelys away of course come to light, but even so, there was something about her attitude and treatment of Maelys which, rather than being attractive or sexy, was just nasty most of the time.

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Audiobook Review: The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left4 Comments

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance  

Publishing Info: Audiobook, June 2021, narrated by Elizabeth Knoweldon

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.

Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She’s also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it’s a pleasant existence. Until the men show up.

Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he’s under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman.

When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her–hopefully proving, once and for all, that she’s as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them.

Fancying a change of pace, I decided to pick up The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, expecting a historical romance with a dash of adventure. That is what I got, but with a tad more of the fantastical than I had anticipated.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is bizarre yet brilliant, with Victorian ladies flying pirate houses using incantations, regularly attempting to assassinate each other, capably wielding guns and knives, and drinking tea. The juxtaposition between the well-mannered ladies and their piratical behaviour provided some excellent humour. The magical element is only a small part of the world as aside from the flying pirate houses, there wasn’t any other magic. After my initial bafflement at the concept, the idea was so well integrated into the Victorian world that it quickly seemed normal. Why wouldn’t women fly pirate houses around England?

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January 2022 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left5 Comments

Well, I can’t believe it’s already the end of the first month of 2022. I’ve not been blogging much for the last couple of weeks as I’ve not been feeling so well unfortunately. I’m moving house (again!) at the end of February as well so will probably not be around that much this month either. Once we’ve moved and things have settled down a bit I’m planning to be back posting more regularly again!

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This book was absolutely not what I was expecting and was completely strange but kind of amazing at the same time. This historical adventure romance with a splash of magic (and tea) was a delightfully fun read.

Aurora’s End by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – It feels like forever since I read Aurora Burning and I was so desperate to see how this story would end! While I did enjoy it, the first book is still my favourite in the series, followed by the second, but Aurora’s End was still a good conclusion to the series.

The Councillor by E. J. Beaton (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – With political manoeuvring, intrigue, twists, elemental magic, a great protagonist and engaging narration from Moira Quirk, I absolutely loved this fantasy novel!    

Another month without much writing! I think covid knocked me really bad because I am really struggling with my energy levels so I haven’t been feeling up to writing. My books are having some time to simmer in my mind though, maybe I’ll brew some new ideas.

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!