I would read Alexis Hall’s grocery list, so needless to say, I was thrilled for the opportunity to read Mortal Follies, which finds a suddenly cursed Maelys Mitchelmore and her friends launched into a world only one of them is keen on entering. As the title promises, there are follies galore, and several mortals, though most of the conflict is not of mortal provenance.

I found the narrative style particularly interesting, with an exiled Robin Goodfellow inserting himself into the story throughout. This narration indulges both the readers’ wicked thirst for chaos and their desire for sensible solutions as filtered through Robin’s criticisms of the characters’ more sensible decisions compared to his own puckish tendencies. He frequently inserts himself into the story in all his various disguises, an effect that forces the reader to reconsider the scene with him in mind. I found this to be fun rather than distracting, but I acknowledge that some readers might dislike this style.

Though Robin would abhor the comparison (or at least insist on his credit as the original storyteller), the similarities to Shakespeare are apparent, as are the characteristics of historical romances- with a sapphic twist. Throughout the book, Miss Mitchelmore works through a new understanding of her sexuality, but this discovery is met with curiosity and acceptance from all parties and is refreshingly lacking in conflict on this point. In the same vein, any conflicts that are not supernatural in origin arise from the characters’ internal conflicts rather than anything they are doing to each other. In typical Alexis Hall style, serious topics are treated seriously, even within the context of an otherwise humorous book.

The plot itself offers sufficient mystery and conflict to keep readers interested (which would no doubt please Miss Bickle). There is a charming mix of romance, witchcraft, and the wrath of vengeful gods, all of which are happening to characters who are likeable if sometimes over the top. I felt the plot was sometimes overshadowed by pacing issues and Robin’s narration. There were times I found myself wondering why Robin was still following a story that was seemingly resolved, but my patience was rewarded with an exciting and unexpected ending. I would recommend that readers in a similar situation trust in Robin’s expertise as a narrator (or rather his enthusiasm for avoiding boredom at all costs).

Overall, I found Mortal Follies to be the fun, charming romp, with genuine laugh-out-loud moments and a lot of heart that I’ve come to expect from Alexis Hall. I can’t wait for his next book- or grocery list, whatever.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the opportunity to read, rage and review this arc which is available for purchase June 6th,2023.

This is a sapphic romance full of magic, Georgian manners, balls and fluff. Maelys is cursed and it is a doozy so she turns to the black listed Duke of Annadale who happens to be a woman and a witch, Georgianna. What ensues is a series of adventures laced with the etiquette and manners of 1814 with a bit of romance. It was cute. The pacing was okay. Story got a bit boring and I had to force myself to finish this book. It is definitely worth the read if this is your bag but it just was not for me.

I loved this book. I’m a big fan of all the different genres that Alexis Hall writes in because they still have the same unique voice, amazing characters, wicked sense of humor and interesting word play that I am always delighted by. When he announced he was writing queer regency books I was so excited to read his take on this time period, and it does not disappoint.

This book is billed as Queer Fantasy Bridgerton, and that is exactly what it is, but it’s also a story where A Midsummer Night’s Dream is canon in a world full of goddesses, fairies, witches, magic waters and sorcerers and it’s great fun. Hall plays with Regency language in that the characters have polite etiquette, but the things that are happening around them and to them are extremely wild and it makes for a fun juxtaposition. Being queer is accepted in this world and all the women are strong-willed and marriage is not their goal. The Duke of Annadale is a woman and she and Miss Mitchelmore have to remove a curse together which brings a lot of magical hijinks. It’s both creative and refreshing.

Puck, a Hobgoblin, is the narrator and is so sassy and sarcastic I adored him. He plays the role of a Lady Whistledown where he is bound to tell us stories of all the hottest gossip that he witnesses first hand. We don’t learn what he did to deserve this fate, but it is a very clever device in the book. He interrupts the story to talk directly to us the reader to explain things to us and it’s super fun. Hall seems to delight in writing in Puck’s voice. I giggled along with everything he says.

There were so many things that reminded me of Bridgerton: the MCs bicker, but are attracted to eachother and won’t admit it (Anthony & Kate), someone falls into the water (Anthony), Maelys is super horny (Daphne), stubborn and tenacious (show Eloise), the Duke of Annadale is a brooding Duke (Anthony) and Maelys’s best friend Lizzie is a pure romantic dreamer (Benedict). Of course Puck is Lady Whistledown (Penelope).

If you are a fan of Bridgerton, queer romance or A Midsummer Night’s Dream you will love this book.

**Thanks to NetGalley & DelRey for the ARC***

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

An immensely enjoyable, sapphic regency romance set in a world where deities, fairy spirits, and sorcerers exist. Maelys Mitchelmore is a young women entering society who soon discovers she has been cursed. She seeks out the help of the mysterious "Duke of Annadale," Lady Georgianna Landrake, whose trustworthiness is unclear. In addition to the Duke, Maelys has assistance from her cousin Mr. John Caesar and best friend Miss Lysistrata "Lizzie" Bickle. The trio are a delight as they attempt to help Maelys find the source of the curse amongst Bath society and navigate her feelings about the Duke.

Our humble narrator is an observer of all - including things mere mortals can not see and is an occasional mischief maker. Their voice is an absolute delight and I laughed throughout the book as they chronicle the story for our reading pleasure, with frequent wicked comments.

A highly entertaining romance that blends fantasy, mystery and comedy superbly.

What a DELIGHT! Such a fun and funny read. I think this would make such a fun series but I could also see that not being entirely fun for the author. In any case, I cannot wait to read Alexis Hall's next book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I’m a sucker for a pretty cover, so when I saw this available for ARC request, I was all in.

Mortal Follies is part romance, part fantasy (old gods), part mystery. The narration is by fae. A bit wordy and quirky at times, so I’ll be honest… I skipped over most of the narration. The dialogue however was very good. Each character had a very distinct way of speaking and clear motivations. The back and forth conversations and such were very well done and realistic. The romance was okay but I kept questioning how easily one character fell for the other. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

DNF I couldn't get passed the way the author wrote the main character. It may find its audience but it wasn't for me.

This romance had a very Shakespearean feel that I really enjoyed, although I can see how, in a romance novel that might not quite work for some readers. The entire story is narrated by Robin Goodfellow, an invisible fairy observer, narrating the love story of Miss Maelys Mitchelmore and Lady Georgianna Landrake. It had a very Midsummer Night’s Dream feel to it, with some gods and goddesses and curses thrown in with the fairy mischief for good measure.

Mortal Follies is a fascinating, quirky book from Alexis Hall. He takes elements of fantasy, historical romance, magic, and mystery and bundles them into a story that kept me intrigued page after page.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

While attending a ball in Bath, Maelys Mitchelmore can’t figure out why her dress keeps shrinking and shrinking away. She’s finally forced to hide in the gardens, where she’s found by the scandalous and aloof Lady Georgiana, known as the Duke of Annadale. The Duke of Annadale helps Maelys escape without incident, but now Maelys is intrigued. Clearly she’s been cursed, but by a person, witch, gods or fairies? And what about that growing attraction between the two women?

To tell too much more of the story would take away some of the fun. My favorite character by far is Robin, the cynical hobgoblin narrator. He speaks directly to reader, and he’s hilarious. There are times where he makes no secret of his scorn for his mortal characters. Individual mileage may vary; personally, I found him immensely entertaining to the point he upstaged the other characters.

In this story, the mystery was more interesting than the romance. As a mystery lover, I always enjoy when characters have to puzzle things out for themselves. The curses and magical goings on take center stage, and Maelys’ delightful BFF and her cousin help her figure out what’s happening. But if you are going into this story expecting a traditional romance, this isn’t that book.

Alexis Hall is one of my favorite authors. I love his ability to write diverse queer experiences in different times and settings, all while keeping the banter witty. The magical plot of Mortal Follies was quirky and fun. If you love a book that combines fantasy, romance and mystery draped in magic, check out this original story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing group for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this book quite a lot! The narration was different from what I am used to, and was not disappointed. I loved the historical blending into the story while keeping the characters at the front of mind.

I feel like at about 60% of the way through the book, the pacing slowed considerably and by the time it picked up again at about 85% of the way though, I struggled with caring for the characters.

Overall, it was a fun read and look forward to reading Alexis Halls’ other novels.

Mortal Follies was one of my more anticipated reads and it 100% lived up to my expectations! It’s probably my top read of the year so far!

This book is the perfect mix of romance, historical fiction, and comedy. I loved the characters and their storylines, but I think my favorite part was the narrator! I wasn’t expecting a narrator and from the very first page I was invested! I plan on rereading Mortal Follies when it comes out and I can’t wait!

Oh gosh, this book is so lovely.

This may be my most anticipated book of the year, and it did not let me down. It was funny, it was riveting, and it was so, so fun. The narrator is an absolute joy, and often stole the show. All of the main characters are immediately likable, though I wish Lady Georgiana leaned into the title of "The Duke" because I think it would be really cool of her, but that's just me. The inclusion of various deities was delightful. I love when Alexis Hall gets a bit experimental and weird (in the best, most wonderful ways!) with his writing, and this is that with the humor and tempo of Something Fabulous.

I've been talking about this book non-stop to friends since it was announced, and I plan to continue doing so now. I cannot wait to read the final version and be able to enjoy the story again

Oh my god it was so silly. I will give it that it had pretty good historical fiction backstory and setting which made it easier to be in the moment. But the characters and the plot man. I only liked the Duke of Annedale. Maeyls was annoying. I just hated the plot of “oh someone’s trying to curse me, who is it” because it took so long to get them going properly. I don’t know, other people may love it, but it just was not my cup of tea.

The story of Mae is one of intrigue. Told by a spirit and in a way that makes you wish for more. I could not stop reading this enchantment and certainly hope for more like this.

Thank you NetGalley!

I love this author so much. And the plot seemed so interesting, i mean come on it has witches and it is a sapphic romance? Heck yeah! And most part i liked this book a lot! I loved the characters, it just was lil underdeveloped for my liking. It could have been more fast paced. I expected more. But nonetheless it was a good book and I’m sure others will fall head over heels for it. <3
3.5/5

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I received a copy of Mortal Follies but I can say I was happily surprised by how much I enjoyed this story.

Told from the perspective of a hobgoblin, known as Robin, we follow Miss Mitchelmore as she navigates the trials and tribulations of the ton. However, Miss Mitchelmore has much more to deal with than the average young lady. She has been cursed. Doomed to have unlikely and almost traumatic happenings any day she is in society. But Miss Mitchelmore has no clue as to who or why she may be cursed. With the help of her cousin, Mr. Caesar, and her best friend, Miss Bickle, the trio sets out to get to the bottom of this mystery.

In the process, Miss Mitchelmore makes the acquaintance of the elusive Duke of Annadale. With a past all her own, the Duke has taken great interest in Miss Mitchelmore and her plight. Along the way, Miss Mitchelmore finds herself more and more intrigued with the Duke and the mysteries she provides.

Filled with humor and beautiful writing, I found it incredibly difficult to put this book down. Alexis Hall does a fantastic job of creating intricate characters and storylines that leave you wanting more!

Mortal Follies is set to be released June 6, 2023 by Random House Publishing.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to enjoy this one but I found the plot, story, and characterizations hard to follow and not really resonate the best for me at times.

I really loved the concept behind this book, but I wasn't really a huge fan of the writing style, and the book failed to draw me into it, as I couldn't become particularly attached to the characters or the plot, and in all honesty, the humor was not as funny as I hoped

Thank you NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

From the very beginning I fell in love with the main character of this book. I loved the point of view in which this story was told. The banter in this book was very enjoyable for me as well as the romance! I can't wait to read more books by Alexis Hall!

Mortal Follies falls into a genre I’m beginning to love, the combination of the Regency era and Fae mischief . Our narrator is Robin, a hobgoblin who decides to chronicle the unfortunately cursed Miss Mitchelmore after her dress begins to fall apart at a ball. Miss Mitchelmore is then rescued by the scandalous Duke of Annadale, a woman is said to have murdered her whole family to get the Dukedom. Then begins a mystery of finding who cursed the seemingly enemy-less Miss Mitchelmore, while she starts to grapple with her complicated feelings toward the Duke.

I loved the prose. I found myself laughing quite a lot. I’m very thankful that my kindle was able to tell me definitions, the author clearly found a thesaurus. The word soup sentences did occasionally drag, bogging down an already somewhat slow pace. I felt that the ending was a big rushed and clunky.

But my biggest issue is the romance. I will say that I’ve never been one for hot and cold romantic leads, but some may enjoy it. I felt that the Duke moved from begrudgingly kind to just mean. Whenever she would call Miss Mitchelmore a child, I felt so uncomfortable. They are only about five years apart. I don’t really understand what their relationship is built on. It felt deeply one sided.