Book Review: Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall is a romance that rather defies being set in a singular category. It is the year 1814, and life for a young lady of good breeding has many difficulties. There are balls to attend, fashions to follow, marriages to consider, and, of course, the tiny complication of existing in a world swarming with fairy spirits, interfering deities, and actual straight-up sorcerers. Miss Maelys Mitchelmore finds her entry into high society hindered by an irritating curse. It begins innocuously enough with her dress slowly unmaking itself over the course of an evening at a high-profile ball, a scandal she narrowly manages to escape. However, as the curse progresses to more fatal proportions, Miss Mitchelmore must seek out aid, even if that means mixing with undesirable company. And there are few less desirable than Lady Georgianna Landrake—a brooding, alluring young woman sardonically nicknamed “the Duke of Annadale”—who may or may not have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune. If one is to believe the gossip, she might be some kind of malign enchantress. Then again, a malign enchantress might be exactly what Miss Mitchelmore needs. With the Duke’s help, Miss Mitchelmore delves into a world of angry gods and vindictive magic, keen to unmask the perpetrator of these otherworldly attacks. But Miss Mitchelmore’s reputation is not the only thing at risk in spending time with her new ally. For the reputed witch has her own secrets that may prove dangerous to Miss Mitchelmore’s heart—not to mention her life.

Mortal Follies is a book that I have trouble categorizing. It is a historical romance, a fantasy, a LGBTQIA+ romance, an adventure, and has a Shakespearean feel with the narrator.  I liked the cast of characters and the diverse and quirky personalities for several of the secondary characters. I thought the story and worlds building was well done, and the characters were multidimensional and highly entertaining. I am a fan of the author, so my enjoyment is no big surprise here. I only had two little things that bothered me, one was that I figured out the person behind the curse way to quickly. Second was that I had some trouble with the pacing- although this might have been more on me trying to break a reading slump with a favorite author. It just felt like it took forever to get to the end, and even though I enjoyed the ride it just felt slow to me. Again, this might just be because of my mindset while reading and I do not hold it against the author at all. In fact, I have two more oft heir books in my reading queue and I can wait to get to them. 

Mortal Follies is a romance with many twists and turns. and much that fans of historical or fantasy romance will enjoy.

Book Review: The Warlord (Rise of the Warlords) by Gena Showalter

The Warlord is the first book in the Rise of the Warlords series by Gena Showalter, which is set in the same world as the Lords of the Underworld series (with some character carry over). Newcomers will be able to enjoy the read, but longtime fans of Showalter will enjoy seeming some past favorites pop up.

For centuries, Taliyah Skyhawk has prepared to become Harpy General, leader of the deadliest female army in existence. One of the requirements? Remain a virgin. But, for a chance to save her people, she must wed the fearless leader of the Astra Planeta, Alaroc Phaethon. The time has come for Roc to sacrifice another virgin bride to his god. There has never been a woman alluring enough to tempt him from his path. No warrioress powerful enough to overcome his incredible strength. No enchantress desirable enough to make him burn beyond reason. Until now. With the clock ticking, war between husband and wife ignites. Except Taliyah never expected the merciless king to challenge the future she once envisioned. She certainly never anticipated the thrill of their battles turning into games. The problem is, only one spouse can survive.

The Warlord is a solid paranormal romance. I liked returning to the world created by Showalter- it has been awhile since I read the her work. I enjoyed the characters and the mixture of witty banter, heat, and trying to find a solution for the problems at hand. I think it was all woven together very well. There are secrets about heritage, powers, and how things could play out. There is a great set up for the books to follow, and part of that is how well done the secondary characters were fleshed out- and the larger story arch was introduced. I am very interested to see how the Astra move forward- and how the crazy extended family might play a role in the future. I also like that we get the voices of both Roc and Taliyah, so we know the plans and emotions behind the choices made.  The only problem I found will hopefully be fixed in formatting of the final version, because in the ARC I had there was no break of differentiation between the two points of view. One sentence would be Taliyah, the next Roc, and sometimes it took me a moment to catch up with the change.

The Warlord is a must read for fans of the author. Newcomers might not enjoy it as much, but the mixture of snark, heat, and danger is nearly perfect.