Take a photo of a barcode or cover
thebookcourt 's review for:
A Tale of Mirth and Magic
by Kristen Vale
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), NetGalley, and Kristen Vale for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC!
I honestly don’t read enough cozy fantasies and that’s a darn shame because I almost missed out on this gem! We’ve got fantastic queer representation, inter species relationships, a sprinkle of action, and a plus size sex positive FMC!
A Tale of Mirth and Magic follows Elikee, a half elf jewelry maker who’s had a bit of a rough go in life thanks to her non committed parents. When she gets into trouble after dealing with a rude and handsy customer, she ends up on the run with a seven foot tall half giant named Barra. Together they travel to different towns to escape the bounty hunters all while developing quite the crush on each other. But both have their hesitations about relationships albeit for different reasons. Will they be able to resolve their differences?
This was such a fun read. I absolutely loved the world, all the unique characters, the queer community, and just the overall coziness of the story. No too high stakes or heavy drama, just two characters falling in love while on an adventure.
Barra was absolutely adorable. So caring and kind to everyone but especially Elikee, even if he was scared to show it. I do wish we got to see some more confidence with him as I found myself getting a little frustrated with his constant negative self talk and pushing his desires away.
Elikee was a freaking powerhouse and the way she’s described reminded me of myself so it was easy to connect with her. I loved that she could hold her own but also that she appreciated the help that Barra was willing to give (after some thought of course). Similar to Barra, Elikee’s reluctance to let things progress was irritating. She’s had her struggles sure but I felt so bad for Barra when she kept pushing him away or not telling him the truth.
The story itself was well paced, although I honestly forgot that this all happened over the span of week so I guess I can’t be too upset with the characters not making up their mind about each other. It was fun having a little bit of action with the bounty hunters and Elikee’s metal magic, and watching her confidence grow with her magic was done really well.
Overall, besides the personality irks and slight miscommunication trope, this book was so cute and fun and one that I wouldn’t mind picking up again as a comfort read. I hope to see more from this author for sure!
I honestly don’t read enough cozy fantasies and that’s a darn shame because I almost missed out on this gem! We’ve got fantastic queer representation, inter species relationships, a sprinkle of action, and a plus size sex positive FMC!
A Tale of Mirth and Magic follows Elikee, a half elf jewelry maker who’s had a bit of a rough go in life thanks to her non committed parents. When she gets into trouble after dealing with a rude and handsy customer, she ends up on the run with a seven foot tall half giant named Barra. Together they travel to different towns to escape the bounty hunters all while developing quite the crush on each other. But both have their hesitations about relationships albeit for different reasons. Will they be able to resolve their differences?
This was such a fun read. I absolutely loved the world, all the unique characters, the queer community, and just the overall coziness of the story. No too high stakes or heavy drama, just two characters falling in love while on an adventure.
Barra was absolutely adorable. So caring and kind to everyone but especially Elikee, even if he was scared to show it. I do wish we got to see some more confidence with him as I found myself getting a little frustrated with his constant negative self talk and pushing his desires away.
Elikee was a freaking powerhouse and the way she’s described reminded me of myself so it was easy to connect with her. I loved that she could hold her own but also that she appreciated the help that Barra was willing to give (after some thought of course). Similar to Barra, Elikee’s reluctance to let things progress was irritating. She’s had her struggles sure but I felt so bad for Barra when she kept pushing him away or not telling him the truth.
The story itself was well paced, although I honestly forgot that this all happened over the span of week so I guess I can’t be too upset with the characters not making up their mind about each other. It was fun having a little bit of action with the bounty hunters and Elikee’s metal magic, and watching her confidence grow with her magic was done really well.
Overall, besides the personality irks and slight miscommunication trope, this book was so cute and fun and one that I wouldn’t mind picking up again as a comfort read. I hope to see more from this author for sure!