💚💖 Mortal Follies ARC Review 💖💚

Thank you so much to Alexis Hall, netGalley and Penguin Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Mortal Follies is a sapphic historical fantasy romance. Miss Mealys Mitchelmore finds herself at a ball, dancing the night away, when suddenly her dress begins to inexplicably disintegrate. Embarrassed and afraid, she seeks refuge outside while she tries to regain her composure. When she is found by Lady Georgiana, the Duke of Annadale, she’s left in nothing but her undergarments and convinced that her reputation is ruined. When the Duke assists her with escaping discreetly, Miss Mitchelmore begins to wonder if she’s been the victim of a prank or sabotage

This was an interesting story overall. I loved the world building and the incorporation of magic into the Victorian world. I enjoyed Mae’s as a character and her growth throughout this book. While I liked her relationship with Georgiana, I didn’t personally feel the connection between the two of them throughout the book. They did start talking and connecting in the last 20% of the book, but I would have like it a little more consistently throughout - but I feel like this is a “me” issue and not a book issue.

Overall this was a 3 star read for me. I really enjoyed the world building and magic system, but I would have like to see more of a connection between the two MCs throughout the book. There were a few hints at spicy scenes but they were fade to black - so one flame for spice

If you enjoy historical fantasy romance with witchy vibes, curses and mysteries, then this is definitely the read for you!!

Review will be posted to Amazon upon publication

Our humble narrator is an observer of all, including things mere mortals can’t see and an occasional mischief maker. I laughed throughout this entire book. This book was so enjoyable with sapphic regency romance set in a world where deities, fairy spirits, and sorcerers exist.
A highly entertaining romance that blends fantasy, mystery, and comedy so well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

I love historical romance/fantasy. Mortal Follies was able to capture a whimsy and romantic feeling, while being very fun and witty. Also this book is sapphic, which is much needed in this genre!

Overall, this book was such an entertaining read! 4/5 ⭐️

Sapphic Bridgerton? Say Less. I had high hopes for this Alexis Hall novel but alas - stories from an omniscient narrator are not for me. I loved the grumpy sunshine pairing here and the leads were excellent.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lot of fun. While the story itself was pretty much what I expected it to be, there are a couple of things that put this above a typical historical fantasy romance. Obviously, the choice of narrator and how that voice is used is clever and quite fun. Secondly, I think that several of the characters are really well-done, particularly Lizzie; she's the perfect "wise fool" type of character and provides for several very interesting conversations throughout the book. I do wish that there had been more description; I thought that was the weakest part of the whole book. There's a lot of action and a lot of dialogue, as well as a significant amount of narrative asides and observations, but I just wanted more visuals. Maybe that's the only downside to the narrative choice for this novel?

Overall, this was a fun read; it's quick, it's entertaining, and it's well-written.

This book is utterly tedious. It's not clever enough to read like Oscar Wild. The characters are vapid and there is zero chemistry between the main characters.

4.5 ⭐️
This book was a lot of fun. From the get go, meeting Robin as a narrator already sets the tone for this romantasy where magic, goddesses, fairies, witches, curses, and queerness are all an acceptable part of life. This is a historical romance to be sure, but so much more happens over the course of the book. Maelys Michelmore has found herself cursed in proper society, but cannot find any reason why she should be the recipient of such malicious acts. With the aid of her cousin Mr. Caesar and best friend Miss Bickle, she attempts to seek out who has exacted revenge upon her. One particular person continues to cross paths with Maelys, Lady Georgianna Landrake nicknamed the Duke of Annadale, who seems to have an awareness when it comes to Miss Michelmore.
The storytelling is told through the eyes of Robin, a fairy spirit whose omnipresent voice is both humorous and unique—Robin is a collector of stories and not being mortal, has an interesting perspective on “mortal follies”. The story unfolds in two parts. The first being Maelys discovering who has decided to curse her and the second what happens to her after the curse is rectified. It was unique to have the setting take place in Bath. I have visited there and could very easily imagine Sulis Minerva and the underground temple. I loved this world and just like Robin, found Miss Bickle to be hilariously charming. Maelys’ parents are similarly delightful and I found myself smiling constantly while reading. I have no idea how Alexis Hall comes up with all the various ways of telling stories, but they are wonderful and magical to be sure. It was so refreshing to read about characters who are queer or transgendered and have them just be accepted in a historical—it is a rare find to be sure. My only regret is that I would have loved more of an open door story. Robin explains why the bedroom scenes are not part of his storytelling, but my personal preference would have been to include them. This was such a fun book and I always know I’m in for a good time with an Alexis Hall story. I received this advanced copy from Random House Del Ray and NetGalley and have written an unbiased review in exchange. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

And honestly? This book was delightful. 4.5 stars, easily. The dialogue was perhaps some of the wittiest I’ve had the pleasure of reading in years, and there were a number of times I laughed out loud.

You might enjoy this book if:
- you like a sapphic slow burn
- you enjoyed Bridgerton (or frankly, any other period piece, so long as you can accept a bit more whimsy and a few curse words)
- you enjoyed Gentleman Jack (the Duke of Annadale was giving serious Anne Lister vibes)

I’m a sucker for a good sunshine and grumpy trope, make is sapphic and you got yourself delightful read. The first chapter had me hooked right away, and while it dragged a bit halfway through, I found it charming, adventurous and whimsical enough to keep me engaged in the story. I also really enjoyed the friendships and interactions with the side characters.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, this is written with the same clever, sharp wit as The Boyfriend Material (which I loved). Alexis Hall is very, very funny and her books reflect that.

I am not a Shakespeare expert (or really even a fan) so I think a lot of the references went over my head. And it’s probable that the plot was inspired by some Shakespearean comedy (Twelfth Night, maybe?) that I read in high school and have completely forgotten since. But, as a reader basically going in blind, the plot felt very disjointed. Before the halfway mark there is a pretty big dramatic plot piece but then things fizzle and are pretty stagnant until what feels like a variation on the earlier plot occurs again.

The main characters were underdeveloped as was the chemistry between the MCs. By the end, the only characters I felt I really knew were the sarcastic narrator and the main character’s silly best friend.

This book may not have worked for me but I love the author’s unique voice and the representation in her books. I think that anyone who has even a passable grasp of Shakespeare might also appreciate this more than I did.

I don't know what I was expecting when I was reading, but not this. Alexis Hall writes in all sorts of genres, and I feel like they master all of them. This story is a regency fantasy and never feels forced. The main characters go through a unique journey trying to cure curses and find love. Its a fun story that is dramatic, magical, hilarious, and fun.

I personally love Alexis Hall and have read many of their books. This one just didn't do it for me, but I know a lot of people will enjoy it. I wish the narrator wasn't on the outskirts so to speak, this lead me to really not be able to get into the story properly.

As I have said, I know a lot of people will enjoy this book. It just was not for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for providing me an ARC copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Mortal Follies takes place in 1814 and follows a young woman who has been rudely cursed. When she enlists the help of an aloof woman who is also rumored to have killed her family for the Ducal title. she finds that there is more to herself than she realizes.
I also want to say that I have no say in the LGBTQIA+ representation in this novel. Please seek out own voices reviews of this novel for the representation.
First off, I really love this cover. It's absolutely stunning.
I've enjoyed Alexi Hall's work in the past and this was no different. I always find the way they tell their stories. The writing is always very easy to get into and something that I fly through when I am reading it. This book was no different. I love the unique perspective that the author chose to tell this story as we follow a storyteller rather than just the characters. I thought it made the story really interesting.
The reason this book got four stars was that the plot was a little disjointed for me. It felt like our main conflict was wrapped up quickly and very easily about halfway through. The rest of the plot was a bit disjointed as well. I believe that's how the author wanted to tell the story and I respect their decision.
I did enjoy the characters, mostly our main narrator. I do wish we could have gotten more of an ending that wrapped up the story but I, again, understand that was the author's choice and I respected it.
I am glad I was able to receive a plot of this book. If it interest you, I do encourage you to pick it up.

I absolutely adored this book. Mortal Follies follows a young woman in regency England (think Bridgerton) who finds herself cursed and has to team up with an a very dashing woman who is rumored to be a witch to fix it. This book is enchanting. Alexis Hall’s writing is beautiful, she melds the lush regency world with fantastical elements in a way that feels so magical and transportive. The chemistry between our two main characters is like a lightning bolt, and the secondary characters are equally as compelling. I particularly loved the narrator, Puck, who had such a strong, fun presence I want them to narrate every book I read from now on. I can’t believe this was my first Alexis Hall book, now I am determined to read them all!

ARC provided by NetGalley.

A laugh-out-loud funny, witchy, sapphic, regency romance that was an absolute delight to read.

I didn’t feel the mystery element of the story was quite as mysterious as expected, but I was having enough fun following blooming romance (supported by ally extraordinaire & a new favorite literary bestie of mine, Miss Lizzie Bickle) that I didn’t terribly mind.

My biggest, and really only, problem with this book was the narrator. At first I loved them, the witty fairy from one of my favorite Shakespeare plays who had such silly commentary to add to the plot; but eventually this got in the way of the story, and I wished we could just stop embellishing and move on.

Still, after how much I enjoyed reading this, I’m excited to dive into some of Alexis Hall’s other work!

I want to find more books like this one! I love that sapphic store line and would really like to see more of these kids of books!

I swear every time Alexis Hall writes a book, it's like he knows exactly what I want in a story and puts it all together just for me. I loved this book so much. The characters were fun and authentic while still being silly and endearing. I really enjoyed Mae and Georgianna SO much. Their dynamic is so good from their first meeting all the way to their end. I loved the way they frequently saved each other from the perils of magical things. I loved how sweet they were together and, overall, I just loved THEM. This is their story and they are just beautiful characters to bask in this tale with. The side characters are also very fun pieces to this story as well. And I LOVED the narrator, who honestly was a character in their own right and made this story even more fun than it would've been without that pesky hobgoblin :)
This story is one of my favorites from Hall and I continue to be a fangirl of all his books. This was SO much fun. My only minor complaint is that I think the ending went a little quick! Other than that, this was SOOOO much fun and I can't wait to read even more from Alexis Hall who has quickly become one of my favorite authors!

For the most part, I really enjoyed this, but I know that ultimately it'll be hit-or-miss for a lot of people. This book is narrated by an omniscient 1st-person narrator--Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream, actually--and the enjoyment of the entire book is hinged on whether you enjoy his narrative style or not. I happened to quite like it, even though I've only a passing familiarity with that work of Shakespeare's (or, honestly, any work except for being forced to read Romeo & Juliet in school), so the little nods to that particular work didn't really hit for me. I imagine if you enjoy that work, all the inside jokes and lore will hit the right mark, but it didn't detract any enjoyment I had.

What shines the most in this book is the characters. Alexis Hall does a fantastic job creating characters you love and want to root for, while also making you laugh. Miss Bickle is my absolute favorite character and every time she interacted with anyone, I was always delighted.

There were two things I had a bit of trouble with, to be honest. The first is that the pacing felt a bit off. One of the central plot points of the book is solved halfway through, which had me going, "Okay, but what else is there from this point on?" That had the unfortunate side effect of making the latter half of the book drag a little while simultaneously making the ending come on too quickly (if that makes any sense). I think if you go off the synopsis of the book alone, expecting that to fully encompass what the book is about, then you'll likely end up as confused as I was. Because the book's synopsis (or, at least, the synopsis on Goodreads) is only half the book, really.
The second thing is that I feel like Lady Georgianna needed a bit more character-shaping for me to root for her romance with Miss Mitchelmore. As it is, she is a terribly dramatic and a little tragic of a character who constantly rebuffs Miss Mitchelmore. It got to the point where I was like, "Hey, Miss Mitchelmore, you're like... 18. Maybe you could just... find someone else to chase after?" The whole of their relationship kind of stems from Miss Mitchelmore just not letting no be an acceptable answer. (Even if Lady Georgianna doesn't wholly mean it, it's still enough to make me question whether or not they should really be together in the first place.) I think if Lady Georgianna got just a little bit more asides into her character, I wouldn't be as conflicted about it as I am now.

To be clear, it's not that I think the romance is badly written. I do believe the two could work, but I think, given the pacing in the book currently, it didn't fully work for me. Not enough to make me dislike the book, though.

Overall, despite my issues with the book, I do think this is a fun read if you don't mind the narrator. Like, I'd say it's worth it for Miss Bickle alone, but I would be biased.

Alexis Hall is one of my favorite romance authors. His stories tend to be sweet and funny sometimes mixing in a bit of mystery or fantasy; Mortal Follies includes a bit of all of these.

Set in Bath in 1814, Maelys Mitchelmore is at a society ball when the unthinkable happens, her dress begins to disintegrate by some magical force. Lady Georgianna Landrake, nicknamed the Duke of Annadale, comes to her rescue and loans Maelys her cloak, but may have managed to steal her heart in the process. Maelys seeks out Lady Landrake's further assistance when the curse that has been placed on her continues to unfold. Will they be able to find the culprit in time?

One unique addition that helps shape the story is that it is narrated by the mischievous fairy Robin Goodfellow, who hides in the background telling us the story as it unfolds (banished from Oberon's court he has taken up writing to support himself). Another enjoyable element is the friendship between Maelys, her cousin, and Miss Bickle, her best friend.

Fans of Julia Quinn's gossipy regency romance Bridgerton series and Gail Carriger's Parasolverse, that mixes period society drama with fantasy elements, will enjoy this fun romp.

Mortal Follies will be available on June 7. I received advanced reader copy of Mortal Follies and Chef's Choice from from NetGalley and the publishers to provide you with honest reviews.

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall is a captivating and enchanting historical fantasy romance that will leave readers spellbound. Set in 1814, the novel introduces Miss Maelys Mitchelmore, a young lady of good breeding who is cursed with a strange and dangerous affliction that threatens her reputation and her life. To ward off the curse, Miss Mitchelmore must seek the help of Lady Georgianna Landrake, an alleged witch who is rumored to have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune.

The novel weaves a spellbinding tale of intrigue, magic, and romance as Miss Mitchelmore and Lady Landrake work together to uncover the source of the curse and put an end to it. The chemistry between the two main characters is palpable, and their interactions are witty, engaging, and often steamy. The sapphic romance between the two women is beautifully written, with a depth of feeling that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

The world-building in Mortal Follies is richly imagined, with a vivid and immersive setting that brings the story to life. The novel is filled with a cast of fascinating and complex characters, from the enigmatic Lady Landrake to the eccentric fairy queen Titania, who add depth and complexity to the story.

Overall, Mortal Follies is a delightful and captivating read that will appeal to fans of historical romance, fantasy, and LGBTQ+ fiction. With its engaging characters, intricate plot, and beautiful prose, this novel is sure to leave readers under its spell. Highly recommended.