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mariamsaidwhat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The first book in this series was captivating, but sadly the plot of this sequel didn’t quite live up the the dazzling debut. I found it difficult to stay interested in the amulet chase, but there were still moments that drew me back in. I will definitely continue reading anything Holton publishes because of her unique wit and humor.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
hobbithopeful's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Charming, witty, romantic, the only ingredient missing from the second book in the Dangerous Damsels series is diversity.
I enjoyed seeing more of the world, and seeing the differences (and similarities) in how witches and pirates interact and steal valuable items. I didn't go a single chapter without chuckling to myself, this is one of those books that brightens your day, and leaves you in a better mood than when you started.
Charlotte is so different from Cecilia, and I liked seeing a more bristly character as the FL. Her and Alex had such fantastic chemistry, and I loved their denial of them being together even while they are holding hands!
I'm glad we got to see so many returning characters (Lady Armitage always has me in stitches!) that had roles in the first book, and it is always so refreshing to see healthy and refreshing female friendships. Girl power is one of the first themes that comes to mind whenever I read any of Holton's books. I loved how the men were aware of their inadequacies and were willing and ready to take a back seat to let their ladies take charge. A memorable quote from Alex comes to mind: “Does anyone else get the feeling,” he said, “that in fact we’re their boys?” (I mean if that doesn't summarize the series nicely, I don't know what else does!)
My only real complaint is there is not a single crumb of diversity in this book. Not. One. Fun fact, BIPOC have existed since the dawn of time, and lived in England. (Shocker, I know!) I was so enthralled with the first book in the series I didn't really think about it, I figured we might see some diversity in the sequel. But this book is whiter than a corporate board room. It is..isolating in a way to read a book series where the beauty standard is pale and soft skin. Characters are constantly being told to stay out of the sun, and no one dares venture out into the sun without a parasol, for fear of their porcelain skin darkening.
All that being said, if you liked the The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, you will thoroughly enjoy this one as well. A perfect book for lovers of cozy fantasy, and badass ladies. Less recommended if you like diverse reads.
I enjoyed seeing more of the world, and seeing the differences (and similarities) in how witches and pirates interact and steal valuable items. I didn't go a single chapter without chuckling to myself, this is one of those books that brightens your day, and leaves you in a better mood than when you started.
Charlotte is so different from Cecilia, and I liked seeing a more bristly character as the FL. Her and Alex had such fantastic chemistry, and I loved their denial of them being together even while they are holding hands!
I'm glad we got to see so many returning characters (Lady Armitage always has me in stitches!) that had roles in the first book, and it is always so refreshing to see healthy and refreshing female friendships. Girl power is one of the first themes that comes to mind whenever I read any of Holton's books. I loved how the men were aware of their inadequacies and were willing and ready to take a back seat to let their ladies take charge. A memorable quote from Alex comes to mind: “Does anyone else get the feeling,” he said, “that in fact we’re their boys?” (I mean if that doesn't summarize the series nicely, I don't know what else does!)
My only real complaint is there is not a single crumb of diversity in this book. Not. One. Fun fact, BIPOC have existed since the dawn of time, and lived in England. (Shocker, I know!) I was so enthralled with the first book in the series I didn't really think about it, I figured we might see some diversity in the sequel. But this book is whiter than a corporate board room. It is..isolating in a way to read a book series where the beauty standard is pale and soft skin. Characters are constantly being told to stay out of the sun, and no one dares venture out into the sun without a parasol, for fear of their porcelain skin darkening.
All that being said, if you liked the The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, you will thoroughly enjoy this one as well. A perfect book for lovers of cozy fantasy, and badass ladies. Less recommended if you like diverse reads.
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny and Child abuse
lovely_fantasy's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I had a good time reading this! Victorian England with some added magic, the lives of ladies. I read it as a stand-alone even though it’s the second book in a series, so I was a little confused about the intracies of magic and witches vs pirates, but I never had to guess who was who, so it didn’t really matter. It was fun and very lighthearted, and the writing was probably my favorite part. I’m hoping to read the first book soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Classism, Child abuse, Bullying, Cursing, and Death
rhi_'s review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Violence, and Child abuse
j_squaredd's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Blood, and Child abuse
rosalie_pearl's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
khymihr's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Classism
overflowingshelf's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
CW: Child abuse; emotional abuse; violence; fire
I absolutely adored the unique writing style of India Holton in The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels and could not wait to start book two in the Dangerous Damsels series! This book was bonkers, chaotic, over-the-top, and so, so, so much fun. I didn’t think it was possible, but I loved it even more than book one, as the romance really shines in this!
Miss Charlotte Pettifer is a witch and the prophesied next leader of the League of Gentlewomen Witches – a league that strives to improve the world in small ways by using magic to tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper. They use the magic in subtle ways, not like the pirates in the Wisteria Society. When the long-lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it’s up to Charlotte to ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands (i.e., pirate hands). Unfortunately, she keeps crossing paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy and harbors a bit of a grudge against Charlotte after stealing his briefcase. When the amulet mistakenly ends up in the wrong hands, Alex and Charlotte need to join forces to steal it back, though they cannot stop stealing from each other, including stealing each other’s hearts.
You need to read this book series in order as each builds on the other, so I highly recommend checking out The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels before you read The League of Gentlewomen Witches. If you read out of order, I think you’ll be very confused by the rules of the world and the backstory of many characters.
The writing style of this book follows the same vein as The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, which I absolutely adored. Holton has such a unique voice, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I love how tongue-in-cheek and self-aware the writing is – I constantly found myself laughing at little quips here and there and had the biggest grin on my face the whole time while reading. The book never takes itself too seriously, so the over-the-top nature of the story works perfectly!
I absolutely adore every single character in this book. From our main characters down to the smallest bit players, each character has their own distinct personality and quirks. I seriously think I adored every character we met, even the villainous ones, as they’re so fun to read about!
Speaking of characters, Charlotte and Alex are at the center of this story, and I adored both of them so much. Holton shared that she wrote Charlotte to be neurodivergent, and I definitely picked up on that while reading. I loved her unique view of the world – particularly her love of Jane Austen. It was also really great to see her come into her own and push off the expectations others had for her as she went on a wild journey with Alex. And Alex was so perfect for her! I loved how he adored her quirks. He’s very much a loveable rogue with a bit of a tragic past, but the two balanced each other out so perfectly.
And, oh my god, the romance in this! I was LIVING for it. I enjoyed the romance in book one, but Holton knocked it out of the park with this one. First off – the BANTER. I cannot tell you how often I was squeeing out of pure joy watching Alex and Charlotte go head-to-head with each other. The verbal sparing, coupled with physical and magical sparing, led to some truly romantic and sexy moments. You get enemies-to-lovers as pirates and witches do not mix with literal knife-to-throat moments. And the CHEMISTRY! My goodness, the chemistry was bursting off the pages. And yes, this is open door with more than one sex scene, which I found sexier than the scenes in book one.
I also love how Holton subverted common romantic tropes in fun ways throughout the story. My favorite was her spin on the ever-popular “only one-bed trope,” as she made that her own in a memorable way. This book knows it’s a romance and leans into that in the best possible way. There is even some breaking of the fourth wall regarding the romance, which I thought worked incredibly well here.
When it comes to the plot, it is a bit all over the place – and I mean that as they go all over the place! So much happens in this book, and I’m amazed at how much Holton crammed into it with the action, adventure, and romance. I loved the adventure as you truly go on a RIDE with Alex and Charlotte in their quest to retrieve Black Beryl’s amulet with lots of twists and turns. Things felt a tad chaotic sometimes, but it worked with the story’s pace and added to the overall vibe, so I had no problem with it.
As I said in my review for The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, India Holton has such a fresh voice. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this before, and I don’t know if I ever will, as the style is so unique to Holton!
I’m now anxiously awaiting the final book in the series, The Secret Service of Tea and Treason, which comes out later this month. I loved the scenes we got with the protagonists of the next book and cannot wait to see how the series wraps up! I highly recommend picking up this series now in preparation for the final book, as I think you’ll have a rip-roaring fun time reading it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
mjwhitlock18's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
4.0
Delightful, quirky in the best way. A dry, humorous, comedy-of-manners with lots of sexual innuendo. A feminist take on historical pirates and witches fantasy, with a forbidden enemies->allies->lovers romance. I think the first book in the series was better, and I have some reasonable critiques about the plot of this book. But honestly, this is the kind of book you read for vibes, and the vibes are ~immaculate~.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse
brianneh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This sequel to The Wisteria Society for Lady Scoundrels is very similar to its predecessor. It’s light and funny, with a slight tendency to overdo it on the amount of innuendo used. It’s Austen-esque, and definitely means to invoke Jane Austen’s style as the main character Charlotte makes a ton of references to Austen’s characters. Charlotte views many of them, particularly Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, as role models. As a big fan of Jane Austen, I liked this aspect of it, but I can also see where it gets to be a bit too much at times.
Like the first novel in this series, the women are in charge here. The League is very similar to the Wisteria Society, in that the women lead both groups and there’s magic present in all of them. It’s a very feminist take on the time period and just like in the first book, I really like that about it.
I appreciated that we were given a list of characters at the beginning of the book, because we meet quite a few people throughout the book (maybe a few more than are completely necessary). While I enjoyed the different personalities for the most part, we also met many of the eccentric ladies who make up the different societies in the last book, so this felt a little repetitive.
Overall, I did like this sequel, but not as much as I enjoyed the first one. They are very similar in many ways, which can get a little annoying, but to me it worked since I really liked the first book. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book, anyone who likes Jane Austen or anyone who needs a light read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse and Pregnancy