Enthralling. I enjoyed Elsie as a character, and Ogden was so sweet! I also hope we get to learn more about Bacchus and his motivations in the next book. The pacing was a tiny bit slow in the beginning, and the climax was perhaps even a bit too fast, but I still very much enjoyed the reading experience. Not sure if I’ll continue won’t the series but it was a good read.

Elsie Camden is a spellbreaker, a person with the ability to, well... break spells, although she is not registered to practice her trade as a spellbreaker. With a heart of gold and a complex of not being worthy of being loved, fate has her caught trying to break a spell in a Duke's house, which begins a series of events that make this book an exceptional story, a series of mysterious murders, in which Elsie is involved and that cause the twists and turns that lead to a totally unexpected ending.
A story you won't want to stop reading until you reach the last page.

I really tried to get into this novel because it was a fantasy set in Victorian England. However, it was very slow moving. I also thought the romance was undeveloped. However, Mrs. Holmberg is an talented writer! The world-building did come alive! I recommend this fans of The Night Circus, Changeling, and The Dark Days Club!

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book. I've loved Charlie's other books, but this one just wasn't doing it for me. I may give it another try another time, but for now it is removed from my TBR.

Spellbreaker is the first in a duology, and tells the story of Elsie, a spellbreaker who was scooped from the workhouse that burned to the ground while she was there and is supported by a mysterious person. She works for Bacchus, fixing a variety of spells at his house that needs servicing. Their banter and depth of feeling as the book goes on were amusing to read.

This book is a dark Victorian gothic mystery, with so many things that need solving that you will never be bored. Who is Elsie, really? Where did she start? What is going on with Bacchus and his errant spells? In a world where the powerful and elite have control of magic, following a working-class girl who has the power to break spells felt empowering and interesting. I'm excited to read the second book!

I tried to read the finish copy via Kindle Unlimited but I ended up DNFing it about 50 pages in. This is a fantasy story set in a historical London setting and that can be really hit or miss for me depending on my mood. I might try to read this series again in the future, but for now it’s a DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly I didn’t love this one. I hadn’t liked the author’s previous book but was hoping this one would do it better for me. Unfortunately I had the same issues ; while the premise and some of the characters were interesting, nothing was ever fully explored and remained then very surface-level. The romance was just there, instead of growing naturally and the characters had no chemistry.

Moreover, the only reason this book seems to be set in the past is convenience, I did not feel like anything was different beyond appearances.

One thing I love about Charlie Holmberg's books is the unpredictability of each book. You're always in for a surprise and this book is no exception.

It starts off unassuming, then slowly builds up, with tiny details that turn out to be critical clues intertwined in between. It may be a book for Young Adults but older adults would enjoy it as well, finding themselves immersed in yet another unique fictional world.

I can't wait to read the sequel!

A captivating and engaging read that powerfully moves the reader deeper into the story. A satisfying experience!

Wow! A delightful mix of magic, spy thriller, historical fiction and romance! For readers of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Mairelon the Magician by Wrede or Charmed Life by Jones, Holmberg mixes historical fiction and magic with a deft hand. The plot moves quickly and leaves enough plot threads undone to make the reader really want the next work in the series. Recommended.

I didn’t download this book because I bought the ebook right before I got approval on NetGalley. I was planning to come back to review it after I read my copy.

I’ve been meaning to check out more of Charlie N. Holmberg’s work since I read (and loved!) The Will and the Wilds earlier this year, so when I saw she had a new duology coming out, I jumped on it! Boy am I glad I did.

Spellbreaker whisks the reader into a magical, historical world that feels on the brink of something major happening, with a slow burn romance that’ll capture the hearts of even non-romance readers.

This book was every bit as fun as the first book of hers I read. I’m not sure what it is about Holmberg’s romances, but even as a non-romance reader, I’m always sucked into her romances, despite my best efforts. I don’t know. It’s probably dark magic, but hey, more power to her.

The second half of this duology will be released early next year, and I’m already looking forward to it!

My Thoughts:

- This is a complex, vast world, where a historical setting is blended with fantasy, so the reader gets the best of both worlds. I actually love these types of settings, where the world is recognizable in some aspects as our own, but there’s still magic layered on top. There are historical references to things that have happened in history, though they’re sometimes changed slightly. It’s one of my favorite low fantasy things, and Holmberg does it so well. It was easy enough to slip into this world and understand the magic, which is laid out pretty concisely in the very beginning. What I thought was particularly interesting is that the magic in this book is used in tandem as a way to highlight the drawbacks of life in the historical setting, which Holmberg doesn’t shy away from in the least.

- There’s some definite found family vibes in this, and it just warmed my heart. Actually, there’s a whole mystery behind Elsie’s parents, who just vanished one night, leaving Elsie the sole person at the farm they were spending the night at. No one seems to know what happened to them or why they would leave Elsie behind, but that sort of abandonment has left marks on our poor young heroine, as you might expect. Hard to trust people after that. Yet, Elsie has found her own little family within her job, which is something I relate to so freaking hard, and I loved it. Ogden took her in and gave her work, and she’s got a sister in her coworker. Yet, things aren’t all sunshine and roses, of course, because there’s still that lingering doubt that Elsie is really alone in the world and not needed by others, easily disposable. It made for such a delicious inner conflict, even as the interactions between these characters were utterly adorable.

- The romance is a slow burn, sweet romance with just a whiff of enemies to lovers. One thing I have to say is that Holmberg can write romances that I find irresistible! And they’re not even stabby. How weird is that?! This romance starts out a little as enemies to lovers, except mostly it’s just misunderstanding, so if you’re expecting flat-out enemies, it’s not really that. More like adversaries borne of a misunderstanding. The snark between the two is fabulous, though, and I really enjoyed their banter.

- There’s a compelling mystery about a subversive group Elsie calls the Cowls, which extends into the second book. But oh my gosh, how I enjoyed this mystery! There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing, most of which I didn’t see coming. Nothing is really “solved” in this book, though there are some pretty big reveals, which has me all the more excited for the second part of this duology!

This was the first book I’ve read by Charlie Holmberg and I must say, I was absolutely charmed. The first few chapters were a bit of a rough start not because of the writing or the story, but because I picked it up near the end of my semester when deadlines were crashing in around me. Once things settled down and I could simply sit and read, I was transported to a unique and exciting magical place. We are given a Victorian England where magic is commonplace and most of those with magic are part of an organized system. The protagonist, Elsie Camden, is unregistered and works in secret for an insurgent group. Through one of her missions, she is discovered by Bacchus Kelsey who promises to keep her secret if she helps him break some spells.
Their relationship was a slow burn and was very sweet. They went from disliking each other to being friends to having feelings for each other. I also loved Elsie’s relationship with Ogden and Emmeline. Although they were not related they created a beautiful family atmosphere.
The writing was very nice. It was not extremely flowery, but it had some nice flourishes to it. Holmberg also moved things along nicely. She spent time where time was needed but didn’t dwell on things either.
Lastly, I loved that the ending surprised me! I was not expecting Elsie’s secret employers to be who they were and I was not expecting them to be so devious either. I had thought that there would be some great reveal of how the Cowls were right and the others were misusing their power, but I was so wrong!
This was a clean read - there was no profanity or explicit scenes.
I am excited to read the sequel to Spellbreaker which will be coming out on March 9, 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spellbreaker is a late Victorianish urban fantasy featuring a decent magical system and a smattering of thought-provoking ideas. The characters felt a bit dense and thin but there is enough action and mystery to keep the plot moving. A lot of the 'twists' are overly telegraphed in the beginning, creating a tendency to make the protagonist look fairly stupid. There are also some 'sexual tension' aspects of a romance that seem out of place and unnecessary. But in all, it is a decent read that is easy to follow.

Story: Ellie was abandoned by her family when she was young and taken in by a kindly family. But they could not afford to keep her and she was sent to the orphanage. Fortunately for Ellie, a stranger intervened and brought her to a new home and with a new purpose: to secretly help the poor and downtrodden by using her unusual ability of being a spellbreaker. As she grows up, she does small jobs, unweaving spells that help the 'cowls' (as she calls them) save the downtrodden from the wealthy lords of the land. Ellie hasn't given up on finding her lost family, though. When one assignment go awry she finds herself at the mercy of Lord Bacchus - who also has a specific mission he needs to accomplish. While their goals are different they both find the other useful and soon dsicover themselves embroiled in a world-wide mystery involving the deaths of several magicians.

There are some interesting mysteries: who is killing the magicians, where are Ellie's parents, who are the mysterious 'cowls' who rescued her, and what is Bacchus's background? As well, there is a lot of action in the form of Ellie doing her 'assignments' to help the poor (e.g., dispelling a ward that makes a doorhandle burn when used at night, locking in the workers unfairly), that Ellie is an unlicensed spellbreaker and therefore would be put to death if discovered, and the politics of the magicians in which Bacchus operates.

The book has two POVs, Bacchus and Ellie, though the focus is mainly on Ellie. There aren't any side characters of note other than the artist who takes care of Ellie like a father and another young girl who helps out at his shop. As a result, Bacchus' storyline can feel very under developed since there isn't a lot of focus on him. The 'romance' in the middle is the typical "oh, I touched his abdomen and it is so hard and masculine' type of thing that kind of makes you roll your eyes, especially since it happens during very tense situations where you'd think the character would be spending the time thinking of her dangerous situation instead. Of course, there is a lot of one noting the smell of the other in some romantic terms.

In all, I did enjoy Spellbreaker. I wish the heroine didn't feel quite so stupid and dense and that the male character was better developed and less of romance-hero cliche. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Taken from the workhouse as a small child, Elise is a spellbreaker, one of those who can see the magic and unravel the spells. Those who rescued her from the workhouse, she calls them the Cowls, send her on secret missions to unravel spells and fight the injustice of the rich vs the poor. But she is not registered with the authorities so every time she risks exposure, capture and arrest. Then, on the day she is caught trying to help the Duke of Kent’s servants, Bacchus Kelsey agrees to keep her secret if she helps him find and remove problem spells on the Duke’s estate. Little by little Elsie grows to question what the Cowls are telling her until she faces a devastating betrayal.

I really enjoyed this take on an alternate Victorian England where magic is commonplace and regulated. Elsie is a wonderful character, at times very confident and at other times hesitant about her actions and what the future will bring. I look forward to the next book in this series, Spellmaker, due out in March of next year. High recommended

3/5

I received this book for an exchange of an honest review from the lovely people at 47North and Netgalley. 

His hand stilled. "You're a bright young woman, Elise. You have no ideathe things awaiting you in this life." And oddly... she felt better. They were simple words, but they carried a strange power. A firm assurance she didn't quite understand. She thought she felt... but no, that was a hair tickling her face. 

Charlie N. Holmberg is an author I think alot of people can truly enjoy from. She writes various and unique stories about fascinating magical worlds, monstrous creatures to be shocked from and a delightful humorous writing to booth. I frankly only read The Paper Magician and sadly I feel abhorrent of not committing to reading her other books ever since. Thankfully, an opportunity has been given me by the powers that be and here I am, bragging about Spellbreaker! I was fervent to begin it as soon as possible. I finished it in 4 days, a bit preoccupied with work and my everyday depression but I was successful, pretty darn proud let me tell you. So What are my over whole thoughts? I think its good.

Spellbreaker is set in the era of the 19th century where the regency and industrial powers were blooming back in jolly old London. The idea of going back to the same setting and introducing the idea that magic is part of the norm is nothing new from Charlie. Her first series, the Paper Magician was about all about it and Spellbreaker is like that cousin that you meet up frequently and enjoy their company because you relate to them the most out of your other family members. The magic system is utterly fresh take on the concept, divided into physical, spiritual and temporal, three of basic forces in our known universes that magicians can manipulate but yet can't fully be all powerful due to the limitations the body can give out. I love when a magic system makes absolute sense in plot and world building and Mrs. Holmberg nailed it. You can't just take and not except to have nor backlash, hence why you got Spellmakers mirror opposites, Spellbreakers, who can tear runes, spells and are hunted heavily. 

"Are you in trouble with your employer?" 
Which one? She almost asked, but instead said, "No"

Which brings us to both the good and the bad of this book for me. Elise is a naive young woman who happens to be one of the detestable spellbreaker and she hiding it as best as she could. She utilize her skills however for a secret vigilante group called the Cowls who sent her letters and a target from time and time, who gave her finally a reason to feel proud of her powers. I felt her religion like belief in them was a fair lesson that a lot of people including me can relate. We want to sense that we doing great things and people can manipulate us for whatever devious intentions. She also happens to be an orphan and I felt her inexplicable hatred of herself, her unfair criticism she has over mind thinking she's driving people away because she has this ugliness inside her. I think this quote works best to describe how invested I am with this little sweet child:

Yet the soundest logic in the world could not heal her old wounds. It could not silence the voice that insisted she was unlovable. Unlovable. Unlovable.

Although I immensely enjoy Elise character, her growth and the world I did felt the plot lost me in the beginning. It felt like there was a reason for us to care for what happening to Bacchus, the love interest, who isn't bad mind you, me and Elise both agree he's quite a snack to lust for, but we just met him. The crimes occurring throughout London were basically written to be the main drive for both Elise and Bacchus storylines to collide and set them into each other lives.  Not only that but I couldn't find an ounce of care out of me to feel surprised by the revelations of who's mastermind. I think that by the time Spellmaker will be released Charlie can amend some of those nitpicks I had. I urge you to pick a copy and give Spellbreaker a read, I think you'd have a fantastic time with it :)

Is it Diverse? A bi-racial love interest.

Another great series by Charlie N. Holmberg, it's gripping and highly entertaining.
Excellent world building and character development. The plot is tightly knitted and I loved the storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Spellbreaker was a delightful read. Elsie Camden has worked for the elusive Cowls, using her Spellbreaking abilities whenever called upon. Ever since she was rescued from a workinghouse, Elsie has kept her abilities and her identity a closely guarded secret as it is illegal for her to be unregistered, but everything she has worked for is at risk when she's discovered by Bacchus Kelsey, an aspector determined to become a master and get his hands on an ellusive ambulation spell. Kelsey and Elsie come to an agreement that she use her spellbreaking to work for the Duke of Kent, but in the process they discover a secret dark curse that has been sapping the life out of Bacchus and that could have far reaching implications for the future of magic in England as a whole. As Elise and Bacchus get closer to the truth, they uncover a plot that changes everything Elsie knows about herself and the people she loves, and a corruption that goes to the highest levels of power in the aspecting community.
I really enjoyed Spellbreaker. I thought that Elsie and Bacchus were wonderfully developed characters with their own problems and story arcs that were equally as well developed. I love the yearning and propriety that is the Victorian era and Spellbreaker had all that and more. I thought that the magic system in this book was creative and the tension between aspectors and those who don't have magic perfectly encapsulated the social and economic inequalities and norms that existed during this time period. I also enjoyed Holmberg's writing style immensely. Spellbreaker is a story of ambition, greed and corruption, one where those considered other by the society they live in root out injustice and deceit in the society in which they live. I am now solidly a Holmberg fan

After having a friend recommend this to me, I had high hopes. I was expecting a fantasy with complex characters, a thought out plot, and twists that shocked me. This was about halfway there.

Spellbreaker follows Elsie, a young woman working for an unskilled spellmaker. After being saved by a group she calls the Cowls, she owes them, and to pay off that debt, they send her on missions using her ability to break spells. Soon, spellmakers are being killed for their knowledge, and Elsie is on a mission to figure out who is killing them.

I absolutely loved the magic system in this! Using the terms Spellbreaker and spellmaker was super smart, because it differentiated the two without confusing the reader. I’d never read a fantasy with a character who could undo spells, and I loved it. The magic system was well though out, and I loved all of the small details we are treated to.

My real problem with this book was the utter predictability. It was painful. From around the 20% mark, I’d predicted most of the ending, which is never a good sign. I really wish that at least one of the twists would’ve shocked me, but instead, I was kept waiting. So much of this was just Elsie wandering around, so I was expecting an epic climax that I didn’t receive.

The romance in this was very laid back, and although it might’ve worked for my friend, it didn’t work for me. This book needed something to spice it up, to differentiate it from the scores of other fantasies. If the romance had any substance, it might’ve been the magic ingredient. I really liked Bacchus and Elsie together, so I wish we would’ve seen them together. I can see why people would love this for the limited romance, but I was looking for more.

I would like to say that when I started this, I wasn’t in the mood for it. I had a buddy read for it planned, so I had to get it done, even though it wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted a fluffy romance, so a simplistic fantasy wasn’t the right thing for me. If I had read this at a different time, I might’ve enjoyed it more, but I guess we’ll never know.

Thanks to Charlie N. Holmberg and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Spellbreaker is an engrossing tale of a world where magic isn't really something people are in awe of since anyone with money and a bit of potential can become a spellmaker. Sure, not everyone has potential, but there are differing levels of magic. So, while one person may be a novice and know just a simple spell, others can become masters and are proficient at the most difficult of spells. However, spellbreakers are a different matter. You can't learn to break spells; spellbreakers are born not made.

I am so glad I gave this book a chance. I have been swamped with books lately, and this kept getting pushed aside. Once I was able to give it my full attention, I couldn't put it down. I stayed up way past my bedtime reading the final 40%.

This is the first book I've read by the author, but it certainly won't be the last. Holmberg has an amazing talent for world-building, and she skillfully brings her characters to life within this world. I love how Elsie can go from crabby and frustrated with the tasks she's got to do to gushy and weepy over her serial novel readers. That just cracked me up. I mean, yeah, I cry over books too, but it seemed out of character for her....at first. Elsie isn't the only character with many layers, and I love how the author slowly peels them away throughout the book.

Spellbreaker is a book you will not be able to put down! This "twisty-turny" book is exceptional, and I highly recommend it!