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clarabooksit's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, Classism, Death, Violence, Alcoholism, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Child abuse
Minor: Suicide
rachtmh's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wickedly funny and very much a page turner. I barely wanted to put this book down!
The characters are brilliant, the plot is explosive, the representation is great, and the ending is pleasing.
You do need to be able to pay attention whilst reading to make the most of the ‘accent’ and language used in the writing/conversation.
I was pleased how the book turned out for most of the characters and didn’t feel like there were any loop holes or obvious loose threads.
Overall very funny and enjoyable.
The characters are brilliant, the plot is explosive, the representation is great, and the ending is pleasing.
You do need to be able to pay attention whilst reading to make the most of the ‘accent’ and language used in the writing/conversation.
I was pleased how the book turned out for most of the characters and didn’t feel like there were any loop holes or obvious loose threads.
Overall very funny and enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Drug use, Addiction, Classism, Grief, Death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Cursing, Gun violence, and Violence
Representation: Infertility, LGBTQIA+, mental and physical illness.basil_touche's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I'll just say right off the bat that I found this book extremely disappointing.
At first I was really into the victorian style of writing and a story involving magical female bodyguards with a sapphic romance on the side. But then the book dropped the bodyguarding aspect less than 100 pages into it and insteadfocuses on the characters starting a drug ring to catch a murderer. The blurb for this focused solely on the bodyguarding aspect and I wouldn't minded the change had it actually turned out to be anything interesting, but it just wasn't. I was expecting some deep governmental conspiracy that links in with the classism that the book features (I will give the book that it handles that well), not a narrative that doesn't really deliver anything.
Around five chapters focused on just the romance andthe building of the drug producing laboratory, it was a repetitive cycle of working on in the lab, luncheon, flirting and resting. It was just so dragged out and unnecessary. All this meant that the ending was extremely rushed and we aren't even given a motive for the antagonist. All the characters are rather one dimensional as well, that by the end of it I didn't care about any of them or if the romance between the protagonist and the rich half-troll clanner worked out in the end.
It's a real shame as I love the idea of a fantasy book set in a victorian setting with the period appropriate writing style but this book just did not fullfill anything for me. Waste of time.
At first I was really into the victorian style of writing and a story involving magical female bodyguards with a sapphic romance on the side. But then the book dropped the bodyguarding aspect less than 100 pages into it and instead
Around five chapters focused on just the romance and
It's a real shame as I love the idea of a fantasy book set in a victorian setting with the period appropriate writing style but this book just did not fullfill anything for me. Waste of time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Death, Classism, Murder, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Suicide and Sexual content
blewballoon's review
There are so many fun ideas here. I love the idea of a Sapphic fantasy romance in a pseudo Victorian England setting. I like the concept of the different types of magic users and a found family of female bodyguards. The execution just wasn't working for me, though. None of the items I just listed felt like they were done well. The dialogue felt unnatural, the main character was hard to like, and the writing went too far over the edge of whimsy to become convoluted. If you liked The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels but wanted more swearing, drugs, poverty, alcohol, and casual sex, you might like this?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Murder, Cursing, Death, and Sexual content
lbelow's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
4.5
This is one of my favourite books. The prose seems overly flowery at first until you realize that it isn't how everyone talks/thinks, it's how Delly does. By then, you're well and truly hooked into a rollicking ride filled with romance, mystery, a little light crime, a broken mother-daughter relationship not too far to fix, and a whole cast of strong female characters. This is always a fun read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Cursing, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Alcohol, Child death, and Addiction
Minor: Sexual content
the_lesbrarian's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Suicide, Death, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Grief
Minor: Classism and Animal death
katrinepoetry's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Be prepared to be transported to an alternative world Victorian in style and with a dash of D&D thrown into the mix. The style writing style takes a little time to get used to, but once it is you will love it for its quirks and unique insults!
Meanwhile, the characters are rough, calculated and, most of all, lovable. It got a little bit of danger, a little bit of adventure, and a good dose of arguing. Not to mention a skeleton mouse which makes unpleasant gong sounds!
All in all, a fun fantasy story with twists and turns you'll not see coming.
Meanwhile, the characters are rough, calculated and, most of all, lovable. It got a little bit of danger, a little bit of adventure, and a good dose of arguing. Not to mention a skeleton mouse which makes unpleasant gong sounds!
All in all, a fun fantasy story with twists and turns you'll not see coming.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Death, and Violence
willowd's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
(Note: I haven't read the first book!)
Is this book amazing? No. But was it fun? Certainly.
A bit heavy on the accents, so if that bothers you, skip it. I recommend listening over reading this story, due to the accent & grammar. If you're a non-native speaker, some of Delly's made up words might be more challenging. I found the dialogue very enjoyable to listen to. Oh also - the chapter titles are delightful.
I found the second half a bit drawn out - but I truly warmed up to the old lady and her mouse. The pacing of the second half could have been tweaked, or used another twist.
Now, somehow my book club thought this was marketed as sapphic (Idk where, because I didn't see anything like that? I dunno, I didn't look super hard!) and I want to be clear that it's not. The main character is clearly bi/pan. The main couple is two ladies, but there is sexual content that is not sapphic, and there is no wlw sexual content. However, the sexual encounters the MC has before are fairly glossed over, and honestly, as someone who doesn't love romance novels, was fine by me. I've read too many books with sudden love nonsense! With everything else going on, it sounded too exhausting for a romp.
I think this author has promise, especially in the realm of audiobook. Maybe even a play? I look forward to her next work, and hope that it gets marketed accurately!
Is this book amazing? No. But was it fun? Certainly.
A bit heavy on the accents, so if that bothers you, skip it. I recommend listening over reading this story, due to the accent & grammar. If you're a non-native speaker, some of Delly's made up words might be more challenging. I found the dialogue very enjoyable to listen to. Oh also - the chapter titles are delightful.
I found the second half a bit drawn out - but I truly warmed up to the old lady and her mouse. The pacing of the second half could have been tweaked, or used another twist.
Now, somehow my book club thought this was marketed as sapphic (Idk where, because I didn't see anything like that? I dunno, I didn't look super hard!) and I want to be clear that it's not. The main character is clearly bi/pan. The main couple is two ladies, but there is sexual content that is not sapphic, and there is no wlw sexual content. However, the sexual encounters the MC has before are fairly glossed over, and honestly, as someone who doesn't love romance novels, was fine by me. I've read too many books with sudden love nonsense! With everything else going on, it sounded too exhausting for a romp.
I think this author has promise, especially in the realm of audiobook. Maybe even a play? I look forward to her next work, and hope that it gets marketed accurately!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Animal death, Murder, and Drug use
Moderate: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, and Alcoholism
Minor: Sexual content
theodorawhitly's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, and Death
ehmannky's review
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What a little treat of a book! I loved the strong voice of the Delly as a narrator. It was such a fun read, and I was delighted that it was a stealth sequel to Unnatural Magic, which I adored. A little meandering at times, but overall a really solid and fun book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Child death, Drug abuse, and Drug use