There were so many things I enjoyed about this book—it was irreverent, mystical, murderous, and mysterious. There were gods and curses and witches and sprites. The narrator was a verbose hobgoblin who was at times hilarious fun but who I too often found tedious. I was quite fond of them by the end though.

I loved all the other characters. Maelys, the heroine, was outwardly an ingenue but quite certain and determined in her desire to be ravished by Georgiana, “The Duke of Anadale.” Georgiana was a stern dominant lover who resisted a relationship with Maelys. Their dynamic was very refreshing to read about in a story about two women but their relationship wasn’t as developed as I would have liked.

Maelys’s best friend Lizzie was such a fun character! She’s flighty in the best way. I loved her and would definitely read her book if it’s ever written.

The pacing really dragged through most of the first half so I would give this a 3.5 but rounded up because maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood for the narrator’s humor.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very funny romp of a book, a fantastical alternate history LGBTQIA romance. The fantasy and ahistorically, humorously accepting friends and family were all delightful. Some aspects were a little hard to engage with, mainly around the narrator—though there were plenty of instances of humor in the narration, it was an odd choice to have a romance narrator with little interest in either human feelings or in sex, who kept turning away from or otherwise disdaining both sexy stuff and emotional arcs!

The narrator (Robin - featured in a Midsummer Night's Dream) is really want makes this so great. Robin is not a huge fan of humans unless they're in the middle of some catastrophe, and he watches plenty of it.

One of our main characters Maelys seems to have angered a minor goddess and thus is experiencing a variety of extremely inconvenient situations (like her dress falling apart at a party, being attacked by wasps, etc.).

Thankfully in each scenario she's handily rescued by the Duke of Annadale, or really Lady Georgiana, who is suspected of being a murderous witch.

Slowly suspicion turns into something else.

I'm a fan of most of Hall's works for there ridiculous humor and this one is no different.

Mortal Follies is a fun, historical fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed. Set in the Regency Era and narrated by a sassy hobgoblin, it was unlike any other fantasy I’ve read! Full of magic and romance with an LGBTQ Bridgerton vibe to it, I think all fans of romantasy will enjoy this story. Mortal Follies is available now!!

Thank you to the author, Penguin Random House and @netgalley for my review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have mixed feelings about this book.
I loved the story and the characters.
The narrator always made sure you understood what was going on.... however I didn't enjoy the narrator.
I like to feel immersed into a story and I kind of felt detached.

I loved the magical elements, that goes without saying.
There is romance but no real spice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I want to preface this review by saying that Alexis Hall is one of my favorite authors and I delight in reading whatever he wants to write. I think he is one of the more clever and prolific authors out there and I adore how he jumps into different genres and subgenres and is clearly having a ton of fun.

Unfortunately, the latest installment in his oeuvre didn't work for me as much as I wanted it to.

I know Hall can write beautiful romance and I know he can write beautiful historical romance. I think this was my first foray into reading any fantasy by him and although he has labeled this "romantasy" I sort of have to disagree with this characterization. The romance didn't seem to play as big of a part in the story that I wanted it to.

Part of that is because the story is narrated by an almost omniscient third party narrator, a faerie, a sprite, named Robin who can't be seen by the main characters mostly and who has knowledge of Other Worlds in addition to our own current mortal world. This gives the book a lot of charming and punchy moments I found really lovely but also keeps us at a distance from our main romance. In doing so I never latched on to the main romance or conceit of the story.

There were also SO many characters and while I enjoyed when they all got together on the page to be irreverent...sometimes it was a bit too much? Hall enjoys getting meta in his stories and while sometimes I enjoyed it, other times I was begging the book to pick up the pace.

Which is another problem. The pacing. The main conclusion of the book seems to come at about 50% and the remaining book is repetitive and bit slow although I do think it sticks the landing. One weird thing about having the narrator as such is that Hall can kind of...cop out in explaining things? I didn't love it.

I do think that this book will appeal to a lot of people and I will always enjoy being privy to Hall's word play and lush writing. I'll always pick up a book by Hall and be somewhat entertained and always charmed.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Narrated by a fairy, Mortal Follies follows Miss Maelys Mitchelmore on her rather disastrous entry into high society.

If Alexis Hall is going to do any one thing, it's going to be write an entertaining book. This fun, magical, sapphic regency romp kept me glued to the page, not necessarily out of suspense -- what is a regency romance if not at least a little predictable? -- but simply out of joy. I loved the narration, overwrought as it occasionally was, and I quite enjoyed the overall whimsical tone of the read. There was something of an imbalance to the plot, as there's a first-half conflict and then a secondary conflict near the end of the book, which took a bit of adjustment, but in all I was so enthralled with the characters and their romance that it didn't bother me as much as it might have.

Any fan of Alexis Hall will certainly find a lot to love in this book, and I for one already cannot wait until their next book.

I'm so glad that I kicked off Pride month with this wonderfully cute, gay book. I went in a bit blind, because I've never read a book by this author before and it's always such a treat to love a new book and discover the author has a huge backlist you can read next!

Do you like to read books where regency ladies kiss, fairies and gods cause a muck, and a dash of cozy mystery? If you said yes, you'll probably love this book, too.

I loved that this book balances a witty and at times dark humor with the MC's friends' acceptance of her feelings for a woman. While they didn't always support her choice in this lady in particular, it was never a point of contention that she had feelings for one.

I really enjoyed Alexis Hall's distinct voice, her unique characters, and the witty humor of the narrator and look forward to reading more from Hall.

To celebrate release day, I'll be jammin' to the Mortal Follies playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/52qSTicWtl7ShJ3B8CbFIS?si=9eb1dffc7d954c85&nd=1

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

I would honestly read Alexis Hall's grocery list and enjoy it. His writing style and sense of humor never misses for me and is always such a delight to read. This book was no exception, and I particularly loved the use of an in-world narrator. It's a trope that I'm finding I really enjoy. The setting of this book was spot-on; both whimsical/magical and historical at the same time. It was very much Bridgerton, but with actual queer characters and magic. I do wish more time had been spent establishing the rules of this world and the role of the gods- at the end of the book I still wasn't really sure on what the gods actually did and what the limitations of their powers were, as well as the role of their followers in society. On one hand it seemed like followers of the gods were shunned by society but then at other times it felt like they were respected.

I loved the characters of this book- I would die for Miss Bickle and I very badly want a sequel where she gets the adventure and love she's looking for (but not at the price of her idealism!! It was one of the best parts of her character). Obviously, I loved Robin as well, although at times I think the pacing of the book suffered for his need to be clever and insert quips rather than focus on the story he was telling. The development of the relationship between Mae and Georgiana as well was just delightful. I was concerned when about halfway through the book the plot felt resolved, but then I realized even if it was it wouldn't matter. I would gladly read an entire book about them living their lives together and being in love. The plot very much wasn't resolved but at that point it was just a bonus to the excellent relationship development.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would absolutely love it if Hall were so inclined to write additional books in this world (obviously with Robin as the narrator).

This was cute! I think it might appeal to Gail Carriger fans. Period romance, touch of the supernatural, fairly light read… I liked the character development and I enjoyed have Puck as the story narrator. I’ve also read and enjoyed The Affair of the Mysterious Letter. If you want fantasy with your romance this is a good story!

Thank you NetGalley, Del Ray and Random House Publishing Group for providing me an ARC, all views are is my own.

Alexis Hall is an automatic buy author for me. I always love their mix of heartwarming relationships—romantically and friendly— and top tier banter, while also diving into heavier subject matters in a realistic way.

Mortal Follies is my second regency read of theirs but first of magical/fantasy. I enjoyed it immensely. The side characters like Miss Bickel make this book even better, the dialogue is so entertaining and this book overall was so much fun. This story is told from a narration POV, the Hobgoblin Puck. I found it interesting told that way, but I sometimes felt like it was hard to connect to the main characters that way.
Overall, this is an amazing and delightful story.

When I heard that Alexis Hall had a sapphic fantasy regency era romance I was so excited. The premise of this book was interesting, but I think this one fell flat for me.

My major dislikes of this book were that it was over detailed to the point that the pacing dragged at times. This story is also told through an omnipresent narrator rather than one of the main characters thus the story feels devoid of details when it really counts. I think the only things that kept me going were the witty sarcasm from the narrator as well as the whimsical secondary character, Ms. Bickle.

I felt like it was hard to root for the two love interests as the narrator didn’t give us the chance to understand the depth of their emotions or relationship. Every intimate interaction felt stiff and brought back the issue of why we even had a narrator. I thought the fantasy elements mixed with the regency era setting was really neat, but despite how much I wanted to love this book, it just didn’t do it for me.

I had heard that Mortal Follies was like Queer Fantasy Bridgerton, which is totally correct. Told through the eyes of a fairy narrator, we first meet our regency heroine, Maelys, as her dress is mysteriously unraveling at a party. Each time she goes out, something bad happens and they keep getting progressively worse, pointing to her being under a curse. To figure out who cursed her and why, Maelys enlists the help of her best friend, her cousin, and the mysterious Lady Georgianna, who is rumored to be a witch that killed her whole family. Although Lady Georgianna keeps saying she doesn't care to help Maelys, it is odd that she always happens to be around when the curse is taking effect, putting into question where she is there to help or if she is the one cursing Maelys. As Maelys continues turning to Lady Georgianna for help, the undeniable attraction between them grows. But as one conflict ends another begins, and their burgeoning relationship just can't catch a break.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, it had a good premise and a lot of action! I was really invested in our group figuring out who was cursing Maelys and why. I really enjoyed her best friend, Lizzie, who was so funny and over the top. However, I was surprised when the curse storyline wrapped up and the book was only about 50% done. Because of that, the second half of the book felt confusing - it was focused primarily on the relationship between Maelys and Lady Georgianna, and while I really love love and romance stories, it felt like it really dragged on. A new conflict was introduced in the second half but it felt like it wasn't fully fleshed out and resolved too quickly.

I also enjoyed that the book was told through the eyes of a narrator, a fairy who is has been sent to the human world to find stories. I wish we got to hear more about the narrator's background! He does have a lot of running commentary on Maelys and her story throughout the book, and while I enjoyed that I could see how it isn't everyone's cup of tea.

The love story between Maelys and Lady Georgianna was fine! I wish there had been more explanation about WHY they liked each other but overall the romance was sweet.

There was also a questionable amount of detailed animal sacrifice, which was off-putting to me as a vegan!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Del Rey publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Firstly, I want to thank the publisher for proving an ARC on NetGalley.

The prose was absolutely gorgeous, containing extremely descriptive scenes and flowery language that made my brain happy. The plot was lacking a little for me, and I mostly continued reading for the aesthetics. The narrator wasn’t my favorite, it felt a tad convoluted but the other arcing message and themes are great.

Prepare yourself for an enchanting tale, a captivating sapphic regency romance that unfolds in a realm brimming with divine beings, ethereal spirits, and formidable sorcerers. Our protagonist, Maelys Mitchelmore, an intrepid young woman, embarks on her entrée into high society only to discover that a curse has befallen her. Determined to break this enchantment, she embarks on a quest for answers, seeking aid from none other than the enigmatic "Duke of Annadale," the illustrious Lady Georgianna Landrake. Uncertainty cloaks Lady Georgianna's true intentions, lending an air of intrigue that captivates Maelys's curiosity to no end. Alongside her steadfast cousin, Mr. John Caesar, and her loyal confidante, Miss Lysistrata "Lizzie" Bickle, Maelys ventures forth into the Bath society's intricate web, unraveling the enigma of her curse while simultaneously navigating the depths of her heart, where her emotions for the Duke reside. This triumvirate of delightful companions is sure to regale you with their escapades and enthrall you with their relentless pursuit of the truth.

Myth: 3.5/5

I quite adored Miss Mitchelmore and Lady Georgianna, but their story felt like two distinct stories, only slightly interwoven. The setting and world were fun, a Victorian England with faerie clothes a common-place item, and curses, while frowned upon in polite society, are not unheard of.



Magic: 3/5

We have an ousted fae narrator, Robin. He switches forms and shapes to blend into the scenery to tell the story, though I found this a little overly explanative for how and why he ended up being in each scene. I was happy to just assume he was there.

Besides fae charms, this book also plays with the vengeance of the gods, though I wasn’t completely sure on this one. It seemed to use parts of the Roman pantheon.

Overall: 3.5/5

This book definitely had lots of whimsy, a fantastically broody, wealthy, and gossiped-about female love interest, and characters that had the best intentions.

This book has more than its fair share of whimsy. It takes place in a historical world where all sorts of fantastical creatures are known, and at turns feared and adored.

Our narrator is a capricious sprite, currently exiled to the mortal realm, telling a tale of long ago when all he had to do was follow humans for his own amusement. He has never met a tangent he didn’t like, and has so many of the best lines - which is only fair as he’s the storyteller here.
It is a chaotic way to tell the story, and I loved it for that.

Maelys Mitchelmore has fallen victim to a series of odd and dangerous events. She also finds herself intrigued by the very woman who may or may not be the one who cursed her clothes into disintegrating and wasps from chasing her into a river where she could have drowned…which seems unlikely since she is the one who rescued her…unless…is the Lady causing these events just to set herself up as a hero?

Lady Georgiana, often referred to as The Duke of Annandale in sort of a rude way, is the main love interest slash prime suspect. As much as she draws Mae to her, she then rebuffs her as soon as feelings seem reciprocated, saying she doesn’t want to be a corrupting influence.

The big reveal - and climax to the curse storyline - came at the halfway point, which seemed like an odd choice. It did leave the second half of the book for Mae and Georgiana’s romance to build though, so I wasn’t hating it. It’s just that that it seemed like two separate books. Both enjoyable but missing a certain flow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC

Mortal Follies is a whimsical sapphic regency fantasy romance between noblewoman, Miss Mitchelmore, and societally speculated witch, Lady Georgiana, in a world full of magic, sorcerers, fae, and petty gods and goddesses. Miss Mitchelmore finds that she is cursed by some mysterious enemy, so she seeks help from Lady Georgiana, otherwise known as the Duke of Annadale, whose questionable reputation marks her as potential suspect, and yet Miss Mitchelmore cannot help but be intrigued by her. In addition to asking help from Lady Georgiana, Miss Mitchelmore, her cousin Mr. Caesar, and her best friend Miss Bickle, go about trying to solve who’s behind the curse and how to break it, all while Miss Mitchelmore is figuring out her feelings for a certain duke.

The chaos within this book involves blood, sacrifice, the wrath of the gods, and a carriage chase. This story, itself, is adventurous and fun and an overall entertaining way to combine regency romance with the fantastical layer of magic, fae, and goddesses in a world that’s more accepting of queer relationships than greater cishertero societal norms of the time would have readers believe. I might have liked to have seen a little more on page time between Miss Mitchelmore and Lady Georgiana, but there is a certain push and pull between them and their bickering that felt /right/ and true to the characters and how and why they are the way they are.

This historical romp of a story is narrated by the most humble, troublemaking fae storyteller, Robin, whose parenthetical quips and tangents have a cheeky sense of humor. He plays witness to the stories he tells, so his presence (while not necessarily /always/ known by the other characters) can be found in a sparrow, a vengeful wasp, or even the mists and shadows between people. Robin speaks directly to the reader, and I found myself laughing alongside his chaotic narration— I loved him; he was so fun.

Thank you, Del Ray and Netgalley, for the ARC!

I received a copy though NetGalley for review.

So I didn't mind the humorous, whimsical narration given by Robin.
They narrated a tale of two young women, one a notorious rake, murderess and clearly, obvious witch The 'Duke' of Annadale- Lady Georgianna, and Miss Maelys Mitchelmore- granddaughter of an Earl.
They informally meet when Maelys Mitchelmore finds herself the victim for supernatural mischief when the dress she is wearing at a ball suddenly disintegrates leaving herself in a very compromised position hiding outside of a Ball. Georgianna stepped out to smoke a cigar, something well breed ladies typically do not do, but as she's already notorious she doesn't much care for most people's opinions.

This tale really felt like two books in one, so it felt slightly disjointed for me.
I did enjoy both Georgianna, and Maelys as characters, although felt like Maelys was sort of roughly formed to start and more influenced by what happened to her and the people around her a bit.
Their romance at least felt genuine, and it was refreshing to see two unconventional women step forward to claim their desires.
And that her friends and family were supportive of her endeavors.

I DNF’d because this was not a book for ME but I think if you love a historical fantasy setting (think 1800’s), you will LOVE this book.

The narrator made it hard to follow some of what was going on in the story. This is told from the perspective of a brownie/sprite (speaks in 1st person) describing what is happening to other characters (3rd person)

The constant switching between 1st and 3rd person in addition to the narrator calling characters by their last names but in conversation, the characters refer to each other by their first names, just made this a hard book for me to follow.

However, I will certainly be checking out the authors other works and I think this was such a creative concept for a book!