gaslamp fantasy

Review of Lady Avely’s Guide to Guile and Peril by Rosalie Oaks

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Synopsis:
A widow shouldn’t infiltrate a military fort… unless she is wearing a mobcap.

When the Duke of Sargen is snatched away before her eyes, Judith knows she must follow him into Pendennis Castle before he can be stripped of his Gift and his memory. After all, she hasn’t had a chance to tell the man that she loves him yet.

But when she finds him imprisoned, Dacian has already forgotten her. Worse, his captor refuses to believe Judith’s testimony and sets her a task to prove her Truth Discernment: discover who killed a soldier found dead on the Cornwall seashore.

The body washed up near Judith’s new domain: a tidal island with a rundown castle, haunted cellars, and massive butler who is most definitely hiding something. Judith must call on all her resourcefulness—and her most trusted companions—to find the truth before the week is up… before Dacian is lost to her forever.

How does one jailbreak a duke if he can’t even remember his own name? Does a killer lurk in Judith’s own castle? And does Lanyon Isle have any drinking chocolate?

The thrilling conclusion to the Matronly Misadventures, featuring an amnesiac duke, a determined widow, and a daring jailbreak. Enjoy a slow burn, low spice second-chance romance and a twisty murder mystery in a magical version of Regency England.

Review:
“As much as one would like to be without guile, sometimes deceit is necessary.” (page 22)

“Pay attention to omissions and evasions.” (Page 138)

“Patience is a virtue, until it is not.” (Page 355)

Ah, this book was perfection! There was so much time spent wondering and worrying about Dacian but Judith shines in her ability to step in and oversee a house, even if she feels overwhelmed by all the new responsibilities. I quite liked her ability to keep her wits about her and see beyond what was obvious. In the grand mystery scheme, I had only figured out part of what was going on before it was revealed. Despite the high stakes of Dacian’s life/memory mixed with Judith caring for her family and the bats, she still kept her mind on the most important tasks at hand, even/especially when she had to involve her children. Marigold is her usual wonderful self, a true part of the family. The ending was almost perfect, and knowing that all the characters shall make an appearance in Eleanor’s book, it seems time that I start The Lady Diviner series.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of My Feral Romance by Tessonja Odette

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Synopsis:
A painter in need of a model.
A matchmaker seeking a subject.
An arrangement that will tangle their hearts.

Fae shifter Daphne has landed the opportunity of a lifetime: illustrating her favorite author’s steamy romance novels. If only she could master male physiques…and other essential anatomy. What she needs is a model. Yet how does the socially awkward fae with a tendency to bite find a man she can comfortably paint in the nude?

Self-proclaimed matchmaker Monty Phillips is a hopeless romantic…but only when it comes to others. Meddling in the love lives of strangers via his popular advice column keeps romance a safe distance away. Yet when he’s tasked with demonstrating his tips on modern courtship, he’ll need to step out from behind the pen and into someone’s love life.

And he knows just the perfect plaything.

The last time Daphne saw Monty, he broke her heart and discarded their friendship. Now he wants to drag her into one of his idiotic matchmaking games—where she’s the subject! But when he promises to pose as her model in exchange, she can’t refuse. At least it’s only temporary. If he’s the expert he claims to be, she can replace him with a lover in no time.

Painting sessions and flirting lessons commence, rekindling their friendship. But when instructional seduction turns their platonic spark into burning desire, will either have the courage to fan the flames?

Bridgerton meets My Fair Lady and He’s Just Not That Into You in My Feral Romance, a spicy standalone fantasy romcom in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series. Every book in this interconnected series is a complete story and ends with a HEA. If you like fae bargains, friends-to-lovers romance, and cozy fantasy worlds, you’ll love this sizzling tale.

Review:
“… you don’t have to pretend to be anyone you’re not. You deserve to be loved for exactly who you are.” (Chapter 33)

I have loved all of Tessonja Odette’s books, and this is no exception. I did prefer the first book in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series. I really liked that we saw Daphne and Monty thrown together and how their dynamic changed and yet stayed the same from when she was working as his assistant. I liked getting to know more of both of their pasts, and it was really interesting to see how Daphne grew up, and how that type of life might have shaped someone. There was so much more angst and turmoil in Monty’s past than could possibly be guessed (and I really hadn’t remembered him from the first book I had seen him in when I started this series). The romance was decent, and the way they had to work around fae bargains was *chef’s kiss*.

Another stellar book by Tessonja Odette. If you’re looking for something fairy tale esque, magical, with some spice, this will be a great fit for you!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

P. S. I don’t like Monty’s dad, and you likely won’t either!

Review of The Musician and the Monster by Megan Van Dyke

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Synopsis:
Music says things words never can. I love you. I miss you. I’m sorry I killed you.

Every night, Ceridwen Kinsley plays music on her rooftop for the spirit of her dead mother. A peaceful if odd ritual, until she witnesses a murder by something not quite human. The monstrous encounter earns her notoriety within the city and a visit from the reclusive Lord Protector Drystan Winterbourne.

Charged with protecting the backwater city of Teneboure by the king, Drystan is failing at his task, and he can’t afford another slip up. But when fate and the very monster he means to conquer bring Ceridwen to his notice, he seizes the opportunity and presents her with an offer: play music for him at his manor in exchange for the money her impoverished family desperately needs. Music eases the strain of his magic, and who better to hire than the woman whose tunes he secretly listens to at night?

At first, Ceridwen is put off by Drystan’s unkempt appearance and harsh demeanor, not to mention the odd ailment that plagues him. But as he embraces her passion for music and she draws the recluse out of his lonely tower, the two develop an unlikely attachment. Class lines begin to blur as fearful indifference shifts to unexpected desire.

However, the monster prowling the night isn’t their only enemy, and as terrible secrets come to light, even true love may not be enough to save them.

This retelling of Beauty and the Beast incorporates themes and motifs from Phantom of the Opera, and is set in a Bridgerton-esque world but with magic and strong gothic vibes. It should appeal to fans of romantic and atmospheric retellings and fairy tales by authors such as Hannah Whitten, Tessonja Odette, and Stephanie Garber.

Review:
“Music is the strongest form of magic.” (Loc 44 in the kindle edition of the book)

I was drawn to this as an avid Beauty and the Beast and Phantom of the Opera fan. I did like that Ceridwen plays the flute, though I am uncertain of whether or not the author has actually played before. There were several instances where it seemed as if the practical application of playing a woodwind instrument wasn’t considered, and there was definitely a missed opportunity for Ceridwen to mess up by going too high or low with notes when upset and needing to settle herself. I loved that this story gave our “beast” a hobby– that’s something I haven’t seen before, whereas usually the “phantom” has a musical hobby. It was quite interesting how music could reach Drystan in ways that nothing else could.

“Though he’d long enjoyed music, he’d never made a study of it himself. Though there, locked in an embrace with the woman he loved, he suddenly understood how two distinct melodies could come together to form something even more magical.” (page 326)

In some ways I thought that the evil was a bit overdone, but overall there were stakes, there’s a sweet love story, and an escape to a slightly gothic gaslamp setting. I didn’t particularly find the romantic scenes that enthralling, but perhaps they could be your cup of tea.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette

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Synopsis:
Two rival writers.
One prestigious publishing contract.
A bargain of hearts and desire.

They say never bargain with the fae. They also say don’t get drunk on fae wine. Yet romance author Edwina Danforth has managed a blunder with both on her first visit to the infamous faelands. Now she’s trapped in a magic-fueled bet she barely remembers with a man she’d be happier to forget. The terms? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long dueling book tour wins a coveted publishing contract.

The win should be easy for Edwina. She’s known for penning scintillating tales of whirlwind romance. There’s just one problem: her imagination vastly exceeds her bedroom experience. But when failure means plummeting her career back into obscurity, losing isn’t an option.

Her handsome fae rival, William Haywood, poses an even greater challenge. Not only are his looks as aggravatingly perfect as his track record behind closed doors, but he has his own reasons for playing to win, and he won’t go down without a fight. Unless, of course, it’s a different kind of going down. In that case, he’s fair game.

Edwina and William clash in a rivalry of romance. But what happens when their objects of desire…turn out to be each other?

Review:
I was uncertain what to think of this novel and put it off for quite a time because I love Tessonja Odette and didn’t want to become sour of her if this book didn’t live up to the expectations I had from loving all of her other novels. That was a silly notion, because Odette did an amazing job putting a book tour through all of our favourite fairy tale haunts. I loved how there were plenty of bits of fairy tale magic without it being a direct retelling of any of the fairy tales. I absolutely adored the banter and connection between Edwina and William; no part of this book felt forced or out of place. This book certainly had me rooting for everyone, uncertain but hoping that somehow everyone gets exactly what they wish, want, and need. One of the things I adored about this book is that everyone is considered amazing just as they are; there is no desire or attempt to change things that might be considered unruly by human standards.

If it had been out at the time of finishing, I would have immediately started the second book in the series. This book is a no brainer for people who love romance and fairy tales and reading late into the night waiting to see if there’s a happy ever after on the horizon.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

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Synopsis:
The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to steal him back.

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?

Review:
I wasn’t certain how I was going to feel about this book as I started it, realizing that Winifred is very different to what one expects from a governess. Her unlikely background made me absolutely fall in love with her. I absolutely love the world of Half a Soul so getting to continue on and read more in that universe is always a treat. I loved how well this book blended the fantasy with the realistic societal expectations of the time for women. I adore how the villain is both not what you’d expect, and yet those wrapped up with them is entirely who you would expect. This book is perfect. It has relatable characters, slowly developed relationships, realism mixed with the perfect amount of fantastical.

I highly recommend this book to any who love fairy tales, fairy tale retellings, magic, fantasy, mystery, adventure and a bit of romance sprinkled on top.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Lady Avely’s Guide to Truth and Magic by Rosalie Oaks

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Synopsis:
A Regency widow shouldn’t be hunting spectres all night.

Lady Judith Avely’s magical gift for divining the truth makes her prodigiously good at lying. To absolve a guilty secret, she travels to the exiled Duke of Sargen’s estate, but the last thing she expects is to run into the duke himself, who is lamentably now even more attractive than in his volatile youth.

The duke has his own concerns: he has returned home to a haunted house, with skulls floating about and a footman apparently bashed by a book. Such vulgar circumstances are best avoided, but the duke needs Judith’s unique talents to help uncover the culprit – even if it might put her in the sights of a killer.

With the help of a tiny vampiric acquaintance and a continuous supply of drinking chocolate, Judith should be able to solve the uncanny mystery…if only the duke will stop making improper remarks about her mobcaps.

A lady who can discern lies, the duke who lied to her, and a gothic cosy mystery full of bats, skulls, and cocoa.

Lady Avely’s Guide to Truth and Magic features a mid-life heroine, a slow-burn second-chance romance, and a magical version of Regency England.

Review:
This book was absolutely amazing. I adored the mystery and the mysteries/backstories wrapped together. Throughout the book there are bits and pieces of advice and truths scattered about how lies work, can be detected, and effect others. One such tidbit is, “One lie can give rise to a cascade of untruths.” (Chapter 9, Page 95)

While there are so many bits and pieces of lies and mistruths and withheld information, it was interesting to see how Judith traversed through everything to find out what was actually happening. I quite enjoyed this mystery and how she had to work both with Dacian and on her own; for who could expect a widowed woman to be good at anything? The ending left me greatly wanting to continue with the second book, which was not yet out at the time of reading. There was both magic and realism, and I quite recommend this book to any who enjoy intrigue, mystery, and a hint of fantasy/magical powers thrown in.

“A lie can last for many years before you stumble across it.” (Chapter 33, page 356)

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Den of Blades and Briars by LJ Andrews

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Synopsis:

She’s bound to serve her enemy for a hundred years. Now, she’s at risk of killing the man … or falling for him.


After she lands on the losing side of a war, Saga is sentenced to serve Ari Sekundär, the man she despises.

But when Ari is blamed for a tragic assassination, Saga is forced on the run with her reluctant master, and they must work together to survive. Soon hate feels more like passion and disgust more like desire.

What Ari doesn’t know is that falling in love with the enemy will have deadly consequences. But how can Saga tell him, if he ever gives his heart to her, it will unlock a hidden secret that can destroy the kingdom…and end her life.

The tale of the Swan Princess reimagined. This compelling New Adult Fantasy continues the bestselling world of the Broken Kingdoms as the first book in the Southern Kingdom. Welcome to a world filled with fae, Vikings, and spicy romance.


*This book contains content that could be triggering to some readers, so check the TW list inside, along with spicy scenes that are for readers 18+*

Review:
This book was good, but it seemed a bit more of a slow book that I didn’t find as gripping as the others in the series. I’m sure part of it is that I didn’t find Saga as interesting as previous heroines. Perhaps another part is that I waited so long since I last joined this world. Looking at the synopsis now, I clearly should have reread it before reading this book as I personally hadn’t made the Swan Princess connection though I can see some connections to that looking back now. I still loved Ari, but it took quite a while to warm up to Saga. There were definite moments when I felt like he should have seen right through her ruse, especially given his former occupation. All in all they make a good counterbalance to each other, though I did anticipate a lot of things about Saga before they were revealed. The spice in this book was great, and I did think that was well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I have already started the second book by the time of writing this review, and so far, it is picking up a lot quicker.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of The Raven Spell by Luanne G. Smith

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Synopsis:
Fleeing Victorian London, a witch finds her newfound independence comes with all-new perils—both mortal and immortal.

Forever untangling the branches of her strange family tree, Edwina Blackwood is at a turning point. Her parents’ disappearances still strike her as unaccountably odd. Her sister’s questionable life and untimely death have left her shaken. Spellfire has transformed her home and livelihood to ash. And now a devious stalker is on her trail. With supernatural detective Ian Cameron by her side, Edwina can’t get out of London fast enough.

Gaining safe passage, she finds refuge with Sir Henry Elvanfoot, famed wizard of the north, and is promised protection from ill-aimed curses. But in this unfamiliar city of fair folk and witches, where the veil between Earth and the Otherworld is about to be lifted, something is amiss. How else to explain Edwina’s sudden prophetic visions? Or the fear that surviving whoever pursues her will require the powers of an ancient bloodline she’s only beginning to comprehend?

Whatever destiny awaits, it’s Edwina’s to finally control. Where will it lead? Only time, cunning, and magic—in this world or the Other—will tell.

Review:
This book was absolutely phenomenal and I couldn’t get enough of it! The world building was exceptionally done and well crafted; the type of story you find yourself enthralled in and not wanting to put down… until you’re near the end and then you never want it to finish. This book perfectly followed Edwina, Ian, and her stalker. There was so much more fae, and magic, and fairy tales, and it was just the type of perfectly encompassed story that will stay warming your heart long after you finish the series.

I loved the aspect of choice and how it plays into fate and the future, whether everything is an illusion or written in stone. I absolutely adored all of the characters we were introduced to and became attached to; even those that were unsavory. I quite loved the Celtic tie ins, and the descriptions used so if you were unaware you weren’t left in the dark. The one caveat I had with this novel was how easily Edwina did the expected in a circumstance, however it is somewhat explained later given her lack of thorough magical studies. I love who Gavina turned out to be, and I certainly hadn’t expected how tied into everything she already was, or how much Sir Henry played into things. The only question left unanswered was the how of Ian and Edwina, but that isn’t as important as their feelings. All in all, I absolutely adored this little two book series and intend to one day have the paper version on my shelf.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Curse of Shadows and Thorns: A dark fairy tale romance by LJ Andrews

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Synopsis:
A rebellious princess. A cursed rogue. A forbidden love that will bring a kingdom to its knees.

As niece of the king, Elise Lysander cares about two things: sneaking into gambling dens, and avoiding an advantageous marriage at all costs.

When her uncle holds the life of her deathly-ill father over her head, reluctantly, Elise puts her fate into the hands of Legion Grey, the handsome and mysterious dowry negotiator. He may be arrogant and infuriating, but soon Legion incites a blistering, forbidden passion she can’t ignore.

As their attraction grows, so do the dangers: attacks from black-eyed people, a cursed enemy who is more beast than man, and rumors of fae returning for the crown they believe was stolen from them long ago.

After a bloody coup upends the kingdom, Elise flees with Legion, but nothing is as it seems. The man she allowed into her heart reveals his own secret plans with the return of magic—and he has every intention of using Elise to see them through.

With war between magic and mortal on the horizon, Elise must pick a side to protect her kingdom. Does she stand with her people who stole the throne? Or with a man who lied his way into her heart and whose secret past could bring her destruction?
 
Filled with luscious world building, banter-filled romance, and epic battles, this first book in the Broken Kingdoms series is part Viking, part Beauty and the Beast. One-click to start reading today.
 
This series will be 9-10 books with four different couples, but characters will be interconnected throughout the entire series. 
 
*Author Note* Be prepared, these fairy tale retellings might begin as a slow burn romance, but the series progresses with the spice and steam. Book 1 is not the standard for the heat of the romance and each book gets spicier.

Review:
I started this book because I’d finished the Hades and Persephone series I’d been reading and wanted to continue along the fairy tale/myth route. This book, I wasn’t sure of when I started. I already had it on my kindle and picked it based on the title; not actually remembering any description. Later I realized I’d found it off booktok, but I digress. I was quite pleased I picked it, as I fell into it right away.

Most of the characters, save Elise, in the royal family seem unredeemable. Following her adventures really resonated with me, for I believe most will feel like her about marriage. The world was well built and developed, the characters the same. Now, I had figured out our “main twist” from almost the beginning, however, I absolutely never would have expected how the end would come about. Oh my goodness! I had to immediately start the second book because I absolutely fell in love with Elise and Legion and need to know what happens next!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of The Silver Skull by Anne Renwick

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Synopsis (from Amazon):
An illegal border crossing. A fake marriage. A mad German count determined to create an army of unbreakable soldiers.

Lady Olivia is not all she seems. Trained for marriage to an assigned political target, her skills lie in programming household steambots to serve tea, dress her hair… and sound the alarm while she picks locks and listens at doors. Humiliated by a failed assignment, she decides to redeem herself by tailing a suspected double agent.

Lord Rathsburn must flirt with treason. Struggles to cure a horrible disease have met with unexpected complications. The cells he engineered can make a man’s bones unbreakable, but the side effects are fatal. He believed the research terminated… until his sister was kidnapped by a German count. Her ransom? A cure.

Piloting a stolen dirigible, he uncovers an unlikely stowaway, Lady Olivia. Arriving together at a crumbling castle, an impossible task is set before them: cure the count’s guardsmen. Amidst their fake marriage, a very real growing attraction, dying guardsmen and escalating hostilities, Lady Olivia and Lord Rathsburn are thrust deep into the world of international medical espionage from which there may be no return.

Review:
In the beginning I was quite sad because I expected that the Elemental Web Chronicles would continue on with Thornton and Amanda, and that they would continue solving crimes and working for the Queen. Once I got over that and gave Olivia a chance, I came to find the story quite amusing and enjoyed it.

Although I understand that Olivia’s abilities and intelligence were supposed to be suspect in The Golden Spider, I found it hard to believe the complete change in mentality that her mother was now shown/said to have. Although some characteristics of Olivia’s remained the same, the difference in her in this compared to how she was in The Golden Spider was at times hard to fathom. Treating this like a completely different novel, not necessarily one that should have flowed from one book to the next, made the changes easier to accept.

I quite liked Lord Rathsburn. He was gruff and not the greatest at dealing with people, much like the scientists I know. His familial loyalty was endearing, as was his sense of honour.

I did enjoy this novel quite a bit, though not as much as The Golden Spider.

Star Rating: