This was an interesting read! This was not my 1st book by Paula Brackston but will not be my last, I am adding their books to my TBR!

I definitely will read the rest of this series at some point as well as more by this author. It has a little bit of everything which I appreciate. I definitely would recommend reading the series in order, however I do feel that this is a standalone as well. I listened to it and the narrator was definitely well suited for this book and didn’t distract me from the book at all.

City of Time and Magic is the fourth book in the Found Things historical time travel fantasy romance series by Paula Brackston. Released 23rd Nov 2021 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out 4th quarter 2022. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats, it makes it so easy to find info with the search function.

The book has a complex and nuanced plot with well written, often lyrical prose. The books are sequential, with major plot turning events which are difficult to puzzle out if read out of order, so it would be much better read as part of the series. If binge reading the entire series from the start, readers should be aware that the author has a real thing for appalling "cliff-hanger" endings. I generally feel put out by cliffhangers (especially since there's usually a minimum year wait between series books). This installment's denouement and resolution didn't annoy me at all, which was a relief. It strongly foreshadows future stories in the series which I'm sure will be well written and worth a look.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 10 hours and 44 minutes and is capably narrated by Marisa Calin. She has a well modulated voice with a breathy, whispery aspect which suits the writing. I had no trouble at all following what she read. She does struggle somewhat with the character Harley's Scots brogue, but it's not a major problem. The sound and production quality are high throughout the recording.

It's an easy and fun read. It's more of a YA/NA story, but I enjoyed it very much and am certainly some decades outside the target audience age range. The language is PG with a few "damns" and nothing worse. There are some descriptions of bloodshed and violence, but they're very much in context in the story and not so very graphic.

Four and a half stars. This is a charming and well written book and series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I love books involving magic realism and time traveling. I thought this book, along with the others in the series, had a good mix of both. It started off right where the previous in the series ended. I really like Xanthe as a character and how she tends to think things through before just jumping into something. I loved her support system and getting to know the side characters even more. The audio narrator did a fantastic job making each voice unique. I had no trouble at all trying to keep up. The story really came to life for me through audio verse reading.

Thank you @macmillanaudio and @netgalley for the gifted copy.

This is the fourth book in the Little Shop of Found Things series. I haven't read the other books in the series, so had to fill in some missing pieces as I went along. I highly recommend that you read the first three before this one, so you can soak in every lovely bit of it! City of Time and Magic is so well-written with an enchanting mix of historical fiction, fantasy, time travel, romance, and suspense. You will feel transported wholeheartedly back and forth through time.

City of Time and Magic
Found Things #4
Paula Brackston

This series just keeps getting better and better and The City of Time and Magic is absolutely awesome and the best one yet. Not only has Xanthe finally confided her secret to her mother and Liam but fans of the Marvelous Ms. Brackston will recognize perhaps her greatest (before Xanthe) heroine, Elizabeth from The Witch’s Daughter as the wife of Erasmus. The first two books did contain some danger but were more fanciful than the last two which were much darker as both Xanthe’s role as time-spinner and the series itself evolves. The tale is fast paced and the narrative flows fabulously and how Paula switches from present day dialogue to Nineteenth Century speak is superb. The storyline is an intriguing edge of your seat puzzle that gives the audience that fly on the wall feel. The characters continue to amaze especially Xanthe and now that she and Liam are a couple it gives a sometimes romance feel to the mystery, plus now with Elizabeth involved readers will have to wonder if she’ll be making more appearances in upcoming novels. Only time will tell. From page one to the breathtaking last page fans will devour this unputdownable novel. Series should be read in order.

Narration:
Marisa Calin’s narration continues to awe she’s the perfect Xanthe and does a superb job on all the voices giving them just enough of a difference so that her audience can tell them apart and is excellent on both male and female parts. Plus she adds just the right emotion to every sentence taking listeners right inside the story and giving them an added dimension that reading alone can’t do.

When Xanthe returned home from her mission to help a Regency era bride she is horrified that her boyfriend Liam didn’t return with her. Fearing that he’s lost somewhere in time she frantically seeks found things to sing to her hoping one of them will take her to him. One thing she discovers is an antique writing box that takes her back to late Victorian London and the home of Erasmus Balmoral a former spinner and current time-stepper. Erasmus she knows was once connected to Lydia Flyte and knowing there is no such thing as coincidences it’s Lydia who she realizes must have Liam. Now that she knows the where she goes back home to the present to enlist the help of local pub owner Harley, a friend who has known about her secret life as a spinner from the beginning and together they travel back to late 1800s London to discover why a woman and fellow spinner that she thought was her friend and a good woman would do something like abducting Liam.

With the help of Erasmus and his family, his wife Elizabeth, a powerful witch and their son Thomas (Nipper) Lydia explains why she took Liam as she tells them about The Visionary Society located here in this time in London, founded by spinners who are using their gifts to make themselves and their client’s huge fortunes not caring who they hurt or what in time they disrupt and Lydia needs help to destroy them. This Xanthe knows will be a very dangerous mission and she has much to loose so everything must work just right so that she, Harley and Liam can all return home safe and sound.

I quite enjoy this series and the narrator, too. The story and characters build throughout the series and sometimes take you in unexpected directions. I did not read her earlier witch series, which Ms. Brackston gives a nod to in City of Time and Magic, but now I'm interested in going back and reading those, too. I highly recommend to others that they give this series a listen.

City of Time and Magic by Paula Brackston
Narrated by Marisa Calin
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Date: November 23, 2021

City of Time and Magic is the fourth book in the Found Things series by Paula Brackston. I have not read the previous books yet, and while I wish I had, I still was able to enjoy this book without feeling lost.

This books seems to pick up where the previous book left off, so it did feel like I was joining the story mid-way. That feeling quickly went away as I was swept away by the story and lost in this new world.

This was a beautifully written book, with fascinating characters. I loved how this was so much more than just historical fiction, there is time travel, magic, and so much more.

I can't wait to dive into the previous books, so I can get to know the characters better and I'm so excited for what is happening next! I highly recommend this book!

The narration by Marisa Calin was incredible! She brought each character to life and added vibrancy to the story!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I read the first novel in this series a few years ago and enjoyed it fairly well. When I saw this book (the 4th in the series) available on NetGalley in the audio version I thought I'd give it a shot even though I hadn't read the two in between. I did feel a little lost at first, wondering what had happened with Liam, so I would definitely recommend reading this series in the proper order. The narrator for the audio version is fantastic! The way she changes her speech--accent, intonation, etc. for each character demonstrates a level of skill that many narrators just don't have. It really draws you in to the story and brings life to the individual characters.

I am so glad I gave this book an opportunity! Even though it is book 4 in a series, it was easy to get to and I didn't feel as I missed much by diving into it at book 4. It is a wonderful story of a spinner who travels in time by virtue of old and antique items that sing to her. Wonderful story and I am so itching to read the whole series.

Paula Brackston’s fourth instalment in the magical Found Things series is charming. Brackston’s spunky heroine, Xanthe Westlake, is gifted with psychometry. She can 'feel' an item's history and the emotions attached to it from the previous owner. Xanthe is also a Spinner, one who can spin time and travel through it.
 
In “City of Time and Magic” Xanthe’s psychic ability sends her travelling from contemporary life in a market town in Wiltshire to London in 1878, on a quest to find her friend, Liam, who was spirited away in the previous novel, “The Garden of Promises and Lies”.
 
Although “City of Time and Magic” can be read as a standalone novel, I found myself wishing I had read the entire series as there are references to events and characters in previous books.
 
Well-crafted, quirky characters, rich historical detail and imaginative writing combine to create an engaging, cloak and dagger novel. I have no doubt “City of Time and Magic” will leave fans eager for future instalments.
 
Marisa Calin is a fine narrator. She is an Audie, Odyssey, Audiofile Earphones Award winning and SOVAS nominated audiobook narrator. She has had an Audible Best Audiobook of the Year, an Apple Books Must-Listen audiobook of the month, starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal, and books on YALSA’s Amazing Audiobooks of the year list.

Synopsis
 
“City of Time and Magic” sees Xanthe face her greatest challenges yet. She must choose from three treasures that sing to her: a beautiful writing slope, a mourning brooch of heartbreaking detail, and a gorgeous gem-set hat pin. All call her, but the wrong one could take her on a mission other than that which she must address first, and the stakes could not be higher. While her earlier mission to Regency England had been a success, the journey home resulted in Liam being taken from her, spirited away to another time and place. Xanthe must follow the treasure that will take her to him if he is not to be lost forever.



Xanthe is certain that Mistress Flyte has Liam and determined to find them both. But when she discovers Lydia Flyte has been tracking the actions of the Visionary Society, a group of ruthless and unscrupulous Spinners who have been selling their talents to a club of wealthy clients, Xanthe realizes her work as a Spinner must come before her personal wishes. The Visionary Society is highly dangerous and directly opposed to the creed of the Spinners. Their actions could have disastrous consequences as they alter the authentic order of things and change the future. Xanthe knows she must take on the Society. It will require the skills of all her friends, old and new, to attempt such a thing, and not all of them will survive the confrontation that follows.
 
Thank you to @NetGalley, @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for the audio galley.

Amazing new chapter to an excellent series!!

Thanks netgalley for giving me the advanced audio copy so that I can enjoy and share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 🧡

City of Time and Magic (Found Things #4)
Paula Brackston
This is the 4th book in the Found Things series. This is the first book I have listened to in this series, while it stands well alone, I would like to go back and listen to the previous books.
The premise behind the series revolves around Xanthe. She and her mother have an antique shop; Xanthe has always had a kinship with some of the antiques she discovers. They tend to sing to her; she can feel a bit of the history they come from and the tales they contain. When she touches the antiques, she is transported through time to the piece’s origin. There is always a mission she needs to complete.
In “City of Time and Magic” Xanthe faces a great challenge, there are three treasures singing to her: a writing box, a broach, and a hat pin. If she chooses the wrong one, she could end up on the wrong mission; she must complete the missions in a specific order. At the end of her last mission Liam did not return home with her; he was kidnapped and taken to another place and time. Xanthe must allow the follow the correct antique or she could lose Liam forever. She is sure Mistress Flyte has taken Liam and is holding him “hostage” in order to get to Xanthe.
Xanthe thought Lydia Flyte was her friend but now she has doubts. Lydia has been pursuing the actions of the Visionary Society. The society is a group of heartless and devious Spinners using their talent to increase their wealth and that of their clients. The actions of the society could change the original order of things and alter the future. Xanthe and friends take on the society, THEY MUST BE STOPPED.
I enjoy must time travel novels and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. Author Paula Brackston transports listeners back in time; it is obvious she has done her research well.

The City of Time and Magic is a fabulous continuation of Xanthe's time-travel adventures. Needing to go back in time to rescue Liam, she finds three objects that sing to her but this only confuses her as now she has to figure out which one will take her back to Liam. Which one will it be? This new journey of Xanthe's was just as exciting and full of adventure and suspense as the previous books. New characters are introduced that assist Xanthe when she travels back in time, and I loved them all, especially Elizabeth who had her own special magic. I loved everything about this book. Ms. Brackston is an amazing storyteller and helps the reader escape to another time. I am hoping this series will continue as I would love to see where Xanthe's time-traveling takes her to next.

I received an e-galley and an audio galley of this book so I was able to go back and forth from the ebook to the audiobook. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for these galleys.

This is the fourth installment in the Found Things series, and I absolutely adore the main character Xanthe, and this whole series. The last book ended on a cliff-hanger so I couldn't wait for this one to come out!

The premise of the series is that Xanthe is a time spinner, and certain objects from the past sing out to her, encouraging her to travel back to a particular time and place. But there are others out there who'd love to use her power for their own gains, and she has to be doubly careful because she's still learning how it all works herself, and time travel doesn't always go smoothly.

In this fourth book, Xanthe goes back and meets another of the author's amazing heroines, Elizabeth Hawksmith from The Witch's Daughter! Brackston has such a way of painting a visual picture that I always feel completely emersed in another place and time when I'm reading her books. They are a beautiful mix of both cozy and exciting and blend historical fiction, mystery, and fantasy (or maybe magical realism) so seamlessly. Once I start one of her books I am never able to put it down until the very last page.

The audiobook was SO good, and is narrated by Marisa Calin. It comes in at 10 hours and 44 minutes. Calin performs the story so beautifully. As well as narrating the other books in the Found Things series you might recognize her voice from the Maggie D'arcy series by Sarah Stewart Taylor (among others).

This is the perfect book (and series) for this time of year, so you'll definitely want to pick it up if you haven't already.

City of Time and Magic (Found Things, #4)
by Paula Brackston

The fourth book in the series but it still reads as a stand alone, with a few references to the prior books, almost as if they are a single prior book. The story is about time travelers that return to other times to help resolve issues for the people and the timeline. Xanthe is a time spinner, who has inherit a great time travelers volume of information. In this adventure she finds not only the first spinner to help her but also a new society of time steppers, that can move through time to change events with out an object. In this story objects from another time sing to the time spinner saying that help is needed. The adventure is vivid and remarkably complex. I am interested in looking at the prior books to read more of these adventures. The characters have remarkable depth at this time, and the mythos is detailed and elaborate. Great book.

The audible version is intriguing the voices of the reader create an element atmosphere telling the reader not only time change but the environment of the time. This is a great audible reading.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. I have read all the books in this series and this was a great addition. It flowed well from the book before. I liked the characters and their interactions and the choices they made. There is something about the way this writer tells her stories. You get the feel that Paula really is vested in her characters. I would recommend it for readers like me who like stories that occur in the current but don't have all the epic battles and angst that often come with the genre.

City of Time and Magic drops the reader directly into the story as this is book #4 of the series. I haven't read the previous books and didn't feel lost at all. There were a few times when the author would reference other characters, but it didn't confuse me. Everything in the time traveling/spinner world was explained in a way that was easy to follow.

The story was very charming and has a little bit of fantasy, magic, suspense, romance, action and time travel. Xanthe is such a unique name and is such an emphatic female character. She's able to connect with objects from the past which "sing" to her and has the ability to travel through time to interact with the person connected to that object. In this story, Xanthe starts out trying to find out where Liam is in time in order to bring him back and realizes that she has a higher responsibility upon finding him. The book was well written and details of the environments made it clear of what time period we were in as I listened to the audiobook. Of course now I'll be going back to read the first 3 books! I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it if you're into time travel and magic.

I listened to the audio book version of this story and enjoyed Marisa Calin's enactment of it all. She did a great job with the voices and emotions of the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for an audiobook copy to review in return for my honest opinion of the book.

This is the fourth book in the Little Shop of Found Things series, and this is a series that definitely needs to be read in order. This installment feels more finished than any of the previous books (which all ended on serious cliffhangers) but there is potential for either spin-off books or the continuation of the series at some later point.

Although this series started off as magical realism, I feel like it has evolved to include more magic, historical context, deeper exploration of Xanthe's powers (and those of others), time travel, and more sci-fi/fantasy themes. The books have become more complex as the series has progressed.

As The Garden of Promises and Lies ended on a huge cliffhanger with Mistress Flyte kidnapping Liam just as Xanthe returned to the present day, City of Time and Magic starts with Xanthe searching for an item that will take her to Liam. What she discovers when she returns to that time is surprising and much more complicated than she initially had believed.

This book series is filled with emotion and wonder, some suspense, some romance, and a great deal of adventure and peril. I am not typically a fan of historical fiction or heavy supernatural themes, but I really love this series and the characters that the author has created. I listened to this partially as an audiobook and the narrator Marisa Calin (who has narrated all four books in the series) does an incredible job voicing the various characters. At this point, I hear her in my head as Xanthe's voice even when I'm reading the book on the page.

If you haven't read any books in this wonderful series, I encourage you to pick up The Little Shop of Found Things and enjoy the adventure.