Another fun read from Alexis Hall! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
4.5

Some points that really were pluses for me were the unique writing style and the original story. It appeals to very popular (and a favorite of mine) the 1800s, the regency time period with the tons, balls, and budding relationships. There are many fun layers added to this beloved classic backdrop. There is magic, LGBTQAI+ love stories, funny friends, and a cheeky narrator. The book is packed with many events. It all flowed really well and none of it felt contrived. It is a book with magic however so that wouldn't have been the worst thing.

The book is already a bit on the longer side than the average book with over 400 pages, but the ending felt a little rushed. There are big events happening even in the last 2 pages and I wasn't sure how they would get a resolution so fast. However, even with the fast ending, it wasn't unsatisfying or too abrupt of an ending. I liked the writing style, but it took me a few chapters to really get used to them.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Regency-era books but wants something with a bit of a new twist.

I was really looking forward to reading this one by Alexis Hall. I knew it's a historical fantasy sapphic romance book, before I started it.

But the aspect of the narrator really threw me off. Unfortunately, I ended up DNF it at about 20%. I really did want to read the whole book, but I'm not sure if it was the narrator, the regency talk in the book, or both that just didn't do it for me.

This is one of those books where I wish I read the reviews before picking it up. 🥲

From the description, I knew it was going to be a sapphic historical fantasy romance… but I didn’t know it was going to be told from the pov of an omniscient hobgoblin narrator. 

DNF @ 31% but thank you to Random House Publishing, Ballantine, Del Rey, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Mortal Follies is anticipated to be published on June 6, 2023.

Content warnings provided by the author can be found here: https://quicunquevult.com/book/mortal-follies/#content-guidance8067-241c

Mortal Follies is a delightful read. If you're a fan of fantasy and regency romance, as well as witchy vibes, and lovable characters then this is a must read.

I am an Alexis Hall fangirly through and through! I have lovingly and tenderly gobbled up everything he has published. While this was a fun, whimsical romp, it simply was not my favorite. I don’t think it was a “poor” book but some parts were a bit clunky for me.

Here’s what I LOVED:
-the regency era meets A Midsummer Night’s Dream aesthetic/world
-the hobgoblin/sprite narrator was HILARIOUS; Alexis Hall knows how to write self-aware, witty narrators
-the besties and side characters — those dynamics were an absolute delight!
-commentaries on sexual orientation and homophobia in the regency era

What didn’t work as well for me:
-the plot changes and is pretty much separated by the first and second half; It wasn’t horrible but it also felt a bit wonky in the second half.. The stakes didn’t feel as high in the second half
-the lack of an epilogue hahaha I’m such a baby, I need defined closure when it comes to a romance

Anyway, not my favorite but I still enjoyed most of it! I will continue to read Alexis Hall until I leave this mortal plane hahaha.

Maelys Mitchelmore is cursed and she doesn't know why. Infuriating! She decides to investigate the mystery with the help of her quirky best friend and her overprotective cousin. When they keep bumping into the suspected witch and murderess Lady Georgianna Landrake, she seems like a perfect suspect. Except Maelys is convinced Georgianna is innocent and she is determined to get to the bottom of who has brought the ire of the gods upon her, and why.

Mortal Follies was just okay for me. I kept waiting for the narrator to actually become relevant to the story, but he didn't really serve any important purpose and thus his inclusion grated on me. I felt like this book was split into two distinct storylines — the first half about one curse and the second half about another, completely unrelated, curse. Not sure why this was necessary? Demonstrating the fickle nature of the gods, perhaps? The romance is okay but not super believable until the end, when I can actually perceive the connection between the two characters.

Lysistrata is by far my favorite character, and I'm hoping there will be another book about her and her quest to get closer to the fae Ambassador...

Thank you to Alexis Hall, Ballantine/Del Rey, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

I am a fan of this authors previous work and was interested when I saw she had a fantasy romance coming out. It was something interesting. Might need a bit more tweaking and work in the future for the next novel but I want more!

💚💖 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.