A review by invisible_universes
The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles

dark emotional funny lighthearted tense 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

4.25

There's something surprisingly compelling driving this compact little novel. I only picked it up because it was on sale for dead cheap, but it caught me off guard with the quality. The story, though brief, is compelling. The characters are even more so. I'm not usually huge on historical fiction, but in this case the sort of gothic setting added ambiance, conflict and thrill. The book as a whole has all the charm of 'Something Fabulous' by Alexis Hill (another, far more popular queer historical romance) and is just as entrancing, but with a considerably better crafted plot and more even handed tone. It's a high quality read that happens to be fun to boot. Excited to read more from this author!