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.

this book was such a lovely time! if you like regency era romance, queer characters, magic with a bite but also some whimsy, and, arguably best of all, the most chaotic neutral narrator I have ever encountered, then you will fall in love with this book. there is inherently a metafictional aspect to the entire book because puck (yes, the same puck who caused all that chaos in midsummer) treats us as his captive audience and weaves a tale of love and almost-tragedy while not interfering at all (or does he?).

our main character, Maelys, has been inexplicably struck by a curse. she and her ragtag friends band together to figure out just what mystical force wishes for her demise. along the way, she meets the mysterious duke of annadale. she gets tangled up in the plot as well and is a crucial part to Maelys realizing that “oh. OH. I like women. that’s why I have trouble finding a suitable husband prospect.”

in some elements, this book reminds me of the cozy fantasy genre, especially half a soul, where the regency genre blends seamlessly with the fantasy genre; where magic lives hidden in nooks and crannies, but doesn’t hide if mortals uncover it. but at the same time, the stakes here are a bit more dire and dramatic than other cozy fantasies. there are a couple of near-death scenes, but honestly the drama didn’t take away from my cozy enjoyment at all. I really enjoyed how expansive the magic system was here; it felt like it pulled from a few different cultures and had potential to have pulled from even more. puck as the narrator was my absolute favorite part. it gave a bit of a twist in perspective on the story as opposed to a close third or first person from one of the main characters. Alexis Hall’s voice is really clear here, mainly with the British-isms and the deadpan humor. I found myself laughing aloud several times while reading.

the only thing that brought my rating down a bit was the romance didn’t always have the most chemistry and even felt almost forced apart by dumb circumstances sometimes. I understand when characters have hesitations, but here it ended up dragging the story. other than that and overall, I really had a great time with this one. 4.5 stars out of 5!

This novel is a MASTERPIECE! Mortal Follies has sapphics, romance, high stakes, magic, an angry goddess, and laugh out loud dialogue and references that were just *chefs kiss*

This is THE romcom of the CENTURY I seriously cannot get over how much I BURN FOR IT!

The course of true love gets twisted up like a circus balloon in this story and the narrator, Robin Goodfellow, is here for it. I, on the other hand, had a hard time staying interested, I hate to say. While I did enjoy Robin's snarky narration and commentary, I felt like the story had the oddest pacing. A lot of hurry up and wait, then it ended super abruptly. Plus, the distance from the character's pov kept me from truly connecting with them.

What I did enjoy are the characters. My favorite is Miss Bickle! She brought humor and the wildest ideas to the story. Mr. Caesar, Maelys's cousin, is a perfect foil to Miss Bickle's fanciful nature, and is always ready with practical solutions. As a mixed race person, whose father is a freed African, and as a queer man, he also provides insight into facets of British society that are frequently ignored in historical romance. Maelys is plucky and determined and doing her best. Lady Georgiana gave me Gentleman Jack vibes, which is a big compliment. I also liked the fantasy elements! Having been to Bath, it was fun (and horrifying) to imagine a goddess lurking below the waters.

Overall, an enjoyable story with good characters, my main complaints are with the pacing and the ending.

Loved Alexis Hall’s writing and the characters in this book. Hall’s writing kind of reminded me of The Dangerous Damsels series by India Hilton (which I LOVE!!!) very cute sapphic rom com

This book was an absolute joy, as Alexis Hall's generally are. I loved reading it with the Shakespearean lens, the mix of magic and romance. I am not normally a romance reader but I make an exception for this author!

Alexis Hall can do no wrong. This mixes so many things that I love. Historical romance. Magic. Queer love story. All the bickering. It's just all so amazing. The characters are great. They make sense together. I never once thought "whelp, that was stupid and I hate it". This is another must read.

I tried, I really tried to like this. This was tediously slow and repetitious. At 43%, Mr. Caesar still doubts Georgiana, which has gotten old. She could provide irrefutable proof, yet he still wouldn’t believe her, and the constant doubting and questioning was tiresome.

Even the narrator was a mixed bag. I laughed a few times towards the beginning because he provided a much needed laugh, but then he, too, got repetitive, which felt like filler for the book. It slowed down the pace so drastically that I started skimming for conversation to avoid it, which is not a good way to read a book. I had such high hopes for this. I mean, look how lovely the cover is! But unfortunately, it fell flat. If this book sounds up your alley, definitely try it, as there are some nice reviews on this one.

From bestselling author of Boyfriend Material Alexis Hall, Mortal Follies is a story of fairy spirits, vindictive magic, and regency romance. Bridgerton meets A Midsummer Night's Dream with a magical, sapphic love story. When Miss Maelys Mitchelmore attempts to enter high society, a persistent curse blocks her path, forcing her to seek help from unexpected company. The Duke of Annadale, otherwise known as Lady Georgianna Landrake, is a bitter woman who might have murdered the men around her to inherit her family fortune. Can they work alongside one another to shatter the curse?

Told from the point of view of Oberon's jester, the story contains snarky asides meant to add additional depth to the tale. Rather, it slows the story's pacing with frivolous commentary. However,tI can see how that tongue-in-cheek commentary might capture the attention of other readers. The promise of a queer, Bridgerton-esque story caught my eye, but the execution felt messy and unfocused. The characters lacked dimension, making it difficult to connect with them on an emotional level that would have powered the story forward.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is best described as two separate plots surrounding the same characters. At points it feels like a planned duology that wound up being combined into a standalone, and how much that affects engagement with the plot will depend on the reader. I enjoyed the dynamic between the main two leads, though, and the choice of narrative voice was very fun.

3.5 stars. Overall, you won't regret reading it. I love queer novels and lately I'm craving the regency vibes. I read this over a couple of rainy days, and it was like a warm hug.

I have a sweet spot for a mystical being narrator and Robin reminded me of one of my favorite series growing up, the Bartimaeus Sequence. I genuinely enjoyed the narrator's sarcasm and quips. The book worked the best for me as a comedy, when the narrator made me laugh the most. I also thought the regency element was quite well done; nostalgic but not old-fashioned. Queerness might not be commonplace but it is not unaccepted or hidden away. Society's rules are allowed to be broken, and often are. Maelys's parents, in particular, really worked well for me. It made it an enjoyable read instead of a more tragic one.

Unfortunately, the plot didn't quite land for me as forcefully as I had hoped. There's one plot that occupies about half the book and is neatly resolved. (I'm not sure the mystery was quite as "mysterious" as Hall had hoped, but that's not why I was reading the book.) At that point, the romance takes full stage from halfway to about three-fourths done. Then suddenly a new plot emerges that last until almost the final pages of the book. I also struggled with the romance too; one of the MCs was so distant as to be downright rude, and it made it difficult to root for them being together. (The explanation of why she was so distant worked for me, but I wonder if it wouldn't have worked better occurring closer to the halfway mark than 75% of the way through.)

I have loved many of Alexis Hall's other books, so I was grateful for the opportunity to read this! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Del Rey for the e-ARC.

I'm not really sure what happened, but somewhere along the way I seem to have stopped finding Alexis Hall very funny? I DNFed Husband Material and Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble, despite adoring their predecessors - and Mortal Follies fell flat for me in much the same way.

I think it's objectively a lovely book, and I can see how it's supposed to be charming and a little bit silly and heart-warming, and I was happy with the neat worldbuilding. Having Shakespeare's Robin Goodfellow as the narrator is sheer brilliance, and his little asides to the reader are probably my favourite parts of the book. But I don't feel any incentive to keep reading and find out how it all ends.

I didn't care for the Narrator at all, the story felt like it was given secondhand and I just could not stay focused through it. I didn't get any enjoyment, either. I did try for over a month as I did receive this as an ARC thanks to NetGalley, but ultimately this is a DNF for me.

Really good! Fairies and regency era romance. I absolutely loved it. The characters were wonderful and the story was perfect. Had me laughing several times. I definitely recommend it.