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Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho
“He spoke the spell under his breath, still a little uncertain after the agonies he had endured. But magic came, ever his friend—magic answered his call.” Written in a playful pastiche style Sorcerer to the Crown will certainly appeal to fans of Susanna Clarke, Neil Gaiman, and Diana Wynne Jones. Cho’s bombastic prose, characterized by…
1800s, 1810s, 19TH CENTURY, 3rd pov, 4 STARS, academia, Adult, adventure, all girls school, alternate history, bombastic style, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, curses, DRAGONS, FAERIES, FAIRYLAND, FANTASY, FANTASY OF MANNERS, favourite authors, female authors, HISTORICAL FICTION, HUMOR, MAGIC, magic school, Malaysian author, My reviews, playful style, published in 2015, re-reads, read in 2016, read in 2021, reading, Regency era, SOCIAL COMMENTARY, Sorcerer Royal, WARLOCKS/WIZARDS, WITCHES, Zen Cho -
The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman
To say that I am incredibly disappointed by this final instalment would be pretty accurate.I enjoyed The Dark Days Club and I thought The Dark Days Pact was the perfect sequel. Goodman’s writing painstakingly depicted the Georgian era, its customs and language. Lady Helen, our main character, was both sensible and diplomatic, and…
1810s, 19TH CENTURY, 2.5 STARS, 3rd pov, ALISON GOODMAN, AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR, bath, DEMONS, england, FANTASY, FANTASY OF MANNERS, female authors, gay side characters, HISTORICAL FICTION, LADY HELEN, lgbtq+ side, MAGIC, PARANORMAL, published in 2018, read in 2018, Regency era, ROMANCE, series that went downhill, STEAMPUNK, The Dark Days Deceit, YOUNG ADULT -
Jane Austen at Home: A Biography by Lucy Worsley — review
Although I did—for the most part—find Lucy Worsley’s prose to be compelling, I thought that many of her arguments were unconvincing and biased. Of course historians have their biases, but shouldn’t they at least try to distance themselves from their subject? The problem I have with this biography props up in the author’s introduction: “While…
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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen — book review
It isn’t surprising that Pride and Prejudice has become such a classic, one that inspired thousands of adaptations and re-tellings. Many of the story’s components have become conventions…and to dismiss this novel as a ‘girl’s book’ is not only incredibly superficial but it negates Jane Austen’s clever social commentary. While many of its characters are…
1800s, 1810s, 19TH CENTURY, 3.5 STARS, 3rd pov, aristocracy, BOOK REVIEW, Booklr, British author, british classics, class, CLASSICS, drama, england, family, female authors, HISTORICAL FICTION, HUMOR, jane austen, MARRIAGE, novel of manners, Pride and Prejudice, published in 1813, READ IN 2019, Regency era, REVIEW, ROMANCE, satire, SISTERS, SOCIAL COMMENTARY -
The True Queen (Sorcerer Royal #2) : Book Review
The True Queen by Zen Cho★★★★✰ 4.5 stars Now, this is what I call a great companion novel. “Relations are a terrible burden to a girl with magical ability.” It’s not easy to describe this series. A mad fantasy romp? A fantasy of manners? A pastiche of 19th-century literature?I strongly recommend reading Sorcerer to the Crown before…
19TH CENTURY, 3rd pov, 4.5 STARS, academia, Adult, adventure, alternate history, bombastic style, DRAGONS, england, f/f, FAERIES, FAIRYLAND, FANTASY, FANTASY OF MANNERS, favourite authors, lgbtq+, MAGIC, magic school, Malaysia, Malaysian author, playful style, queer, re-reads, READ IN 2019, read in 2021, Regency era, ROMANCE, royals, sapphic, SISTERS, Sorcerer Royal, The True Queen, The True Queen (Sorcerer Royal #2), Zen Cho -
The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman
“Would you say you are a person who follows her head or her heart?”She stared at him, momentarily diverted. Such an odd thing to ask. “I am rational person, sir. I believe I follow my head.”“I see.” The Comte boed. “Then I wish you good luck.” After having recently read a few sequel that…
19TH CENTURY, 3rd pov, 4 STARS, ALISON GOODMAN, AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR, DEMONS, england, FANTASY, FANTASY OF MANNERS, female authors, gay side characters, HISTORICAL FICTION, LADY HELEN, lgbtq+ side, LONDON, MAGIC, PARANORMAL, POWERS, read in 2017, Regency era, ROMANCE, series that went downhill, STEAMPUNK, THE DARK DAYS PACT, YOUNG ADULT