The Charmed: Fae of the Crystal Palace is Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes with a little fantasy thrown in. I did find myself enjoying the mystery elements of story, but failed to find the main love story enjoyable. If fact, I couldn't stand the male love interest and didn't think there was any real chemistry between them. It was built up like an enemy to lovers, but there never seemed to be a moment where there was a reason for the switch, they just somehow realized they needed to be together. There was some good world building and the plot was fun, so if you can overlook the love story, it was an enjoyable read.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Jane Austen style fun fantasy. Maybe you'll like the love story. Either way, the mystery was at least entertaining.

The Charmed is a wonderfully charming first addition in a fae romance series set in Victorian England. Filled with magic, suspense, a murder, and some swoon worthy lines of dialogue it a lovely romance held back by some of its fine points.

Alice Hyde has a future secured in a good engagement, and a good family name, however it all comes crashing down when she finds a body in the Crystal Palace of the Great Exhibition, and she must choose between her own desires and the life so carefully chosen for her. That is when she meets Cyan, the enigmatic and infuriating man who she is assisting in finding the murderer who has countless secrets of his own.

This novel has a great setting, good leads, and wonderful dialogue, however some of the finer points make it hard to say this is a truly wonderful novel. For example, a badly explained magic system, a 'ray gun' (mentioned by name as a ray gun), and a few other out of place references took me out of the story and broke my suspension of belief.

While I won't say this is a novel I would recommend to everyone I do think those that will love it will really love it for the setting and romance side of the story. I would recommend it if you like:
- Fae Romance
- Historical Romance with magic
- Well written dialogue with a good amount of swoon worthy quotes
- A lightweight fun read that doesn't take itself too seriously

I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

A wonderfully written victoriana fantasy mystery. I love this era and it was beautifully described.

The world building and character descriptions were so well done I felt i was there.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review

I do like a good fantasy read and I really enjoyed this book. It is such a mixture of historical Victorian England, fantasy, suspense and romance. It was interesting and had great characters. It was charming yet mysterious, it was easy to read but had enough depth to make it worthwhile and it was even fun to read.

I do look forward to seeing what comes next from this author as I think there is room to make an even better book/story next time. That is exciting. 3 1/2 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and Lorikeet Ink for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Overall this was an enjoyable standalone read with character growth, creative twists, interesting magic, and a fun balance between Sherlock Holmes, Bridgerton and Fae magic.

I got this book of netgalley based on the cover itself. It has a very interesting take on faes and human and that was amazing! It was a mystery romance. I loved the part of easy India company was mentioned and since I'm from India I loved that part. Wish there was more to it - because FMC lived in India - I wished she showed a few Hindu customs to indicate her long stay there. But I was quite disappointed at that. a mere mention of India was not enough for me.

Apart from that, the mystery was quite gripping! I was turning pages to know who must be the culprit and the romance was quite sweet.

While the Victorian setting is not my favorite, I was captivated by the author's skillful incorporation of historical elements from the real world. This added a delightful sense of whimsy, grounding the fae realm in a recognizable human world and sparking my curiosity about the unique world-building.

The storyline included a murder mystery, enemies turned lovers, and a fae world, which initially drew me to the story. However, as I read on, it felt like a mix of too many good ideas thrown into the story to please every reader. In theory, this idea works, but in practice, it didn't work for me. Despite this, the story was engaging.

In the end, the mystery took a backseat, and the book focused primarily on romance and world-building, which I enjoyed. The romance between Alice and Cayan was sweet and cute, and I found myself rooting for them. However, the fae interpretation of being technopoly-savvy mixed with time travel was too much for me. I found it hard to keep up with the different concepts.

Overall, the book was well-written, with several interesting storylines and points, and I'm glad to have picked it up. The author's writing style was engaging, and I found myself immersed in the story.

I loved this book!! Romantic suspense in Victorian England with supernatural elements in it?! Yes Yes Yes!!! What's not to love in this slow burn romance. I cannot wait to see what they get into in the upcoming books! Loved it!!! 5 star read!!!
I just reviewed The Charmed: Fae of the Crystal Palace by Kylie Fennell. #TheCharmed #NetGalley
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This book unfortunately wasn't for me. I've felt bored most of the time and I'm saying that as a fan of Victorian setting. There were parts of the world that were interesting to me, but all of them were an actual historical events and places- the fantasy additions didn't really add much to the plot. All of the time I've been wishing I was reading Veronica Speedwell series instead.

And don't even get me started about the romance. The romance part felt extremely YA (in a book marketed as an adult novel) and the push and pull made me actually roll my eyes A LOT. Both of the main characters are very immature and honestly some of the relationship traits were quite toxic, such as reacting with anger or resentment when the other person didn't act in a way MMC wanted her to react. It screams a red flag to me and in my eyes honestly such a relationship either has a base for turning straight up abusive or wouldn't last and I'm not really enjoying reading about it.
The attraction was based basically on nothing, and the characters felt flat. If you're gonna give me a theme of defying social expectations, I'm gonna expect the FMC to also maybe be more aware of the man literally wanting to condition a woman on how to act to please him.

The mystery was the only thing that sometimes kept my interest, but it wasn't enough to save this book. I'm sorry to say it's my first two stars rating of this year.

This book unfortunately wasn't for me. I've felt bored most of the time and I'm saying that as a fan of Victorian setting. There were parts of the world that were interesting to me, but all of them were an actual historical events and places- the fantasy additions didn't really add much to the plot. All of the time I've been wishing I was reading Veronica Speedwell series instead.

And don't even get me started about the romance. The romance part felt extremely YA (in a book marketed as an adult novel) and the push and pull made me actually roll my eyes A LOT. Both of the main characters are very immature and honestly some of the relationship traits were quite toxic, such as reacting with anger or resentment when the other person didn't act in a way MMC wanted her to react. It screams a red flag to me and in my eyes honestly such a relationship either has a base for turning straight up abusive or wouldn't last and I'm not really enjoying reading about it.
The attraction was based basically on nothing, and the characters felt flat. If you're gonna give me a theme of defying social expectations, I'm gonna expect the FMC to also maybe be more aware of the man literally wanting to condition a woman on how to act to please him.

The mystery was the only thing that sometimes kept my interest, but it wasn't enough to save this book. I'm sorry to say it's my first two stars rating of this year.

I really wanted to like The Charmed by Kylie Fennel, but unfortunately, it was not my cup of tea.

The Good: Kylie Fennel's writing is lyrical and beautiful. I think she has a true talent for writing in a way that feels like poetry. Her writing flows so well. Even though I didn't particularly like The Charmed, it was pretty easy to read because the writing was so well done. I can imagine, with a well-thought-out plot and likable characters, that Kylie Fennel would be able to write an amazing novel.

The Not So Good: The Charmed severely lacked in two aspects: 1) characters. The characters in The Charmed survive and thrive off of tropes. We start off with some great descriptions of Alice, the main character, who is not like other girls. She doesn't want a husband and doesn't feel the need for material things. She just wants to read and learn. Go off, queen.

"All were dizzyingly delighted at the prospect of securing a husband - it was everything a young woman dreamt of. All except Alice."

"She could have reminded her uncle that she had never possessed an appetite for the finer things a woman typically wanted."

Ick. Icky. Aren't we past shaming women for wanting to be married and wanting that material thing? Alice being averse to these things doesn't make me like her more, and it feels like a trope I am more than tired of.

Cyan, the main male character, was flat as a piece of paper. Think shadow daddy, but without the shadows - he's just a grumpy and mean fae man. Fennel attempts to create a background for Cyan, but that also falls flat. I didn't feel bad for Cyan. I just felt underwhelmed and bored.

Aspect 2) the instant love. I legitimately have no idea when or how Cyan and Alice fell in love, but suddenly it was happening and they couldn't be separated. Or else. To the point that it felt almost (definitely) toxic, and I was concerned.

"There was no existence, no future, without Cyan by her side."

Alice, bestie, I'm worried.

"'No life is worth living without you,' she chocked out"

GAH?

"'I need nothing but you.'"

I could go on, but I won't.

The instant love was really what did it for me. The romance between Cyan and Alice was a large proponent of the book, and it felt extremely tropey and false. There was no build-up, no tension, no slow burn. I wasn't convinced I liked either of them as characters, let alone together.

That being said, you may like this book if you want a quick read with a little bit of spice and a happy ending. I know this book is part of a series, but I also feel that it could work as a standalone. If you don't mind instant love and tropey characters, The Charmed may be the book for you.

2/5 stars. Thank you, Lorikeet Ink, Kylie Fennel, and NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed The Charmed. I always love a good 'ol murder mystery that isn't too graphic and easy to keep up with. It was interesting to see how MFC, Alice, flourishes into such a strong independent woman during an era where it was not socially ethical for women to be of this nature. Also, there's just something about a man who can swallow his pride and let love fill the heart and let go of the past just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!

tl;dr
Dedicates most of its time to the historical romance and the fantasy adventure. Mystery gets a bit lost along the way.

Thoughts
According to the description, this book is a blend of three genres: historical romance, mystery, and fantasy/fae stuff. I came away feeling like it mostly only hit two of those genres, with the mystery being more of a set piece rather than the core focus. The front of the book read mostly like a Victorian romance, complete with an intelligent lady trapped by societal expectations, and strong historical setting with some well-researched flourishes. The back half read mostly like a fantasy/fae adventure with magic, plot twists, and some interesting time travel(ish) lore. Yes, there is a murder. Yes, occasionally clues are found or suspects interviewed. But through it all, the mystery took a back seat to the developing romance and the much bigger fae plot that comes into focus, so anyone looking for your usual mystery plot might find themselves a bit deflated on that point. Anyone looking for a very romance-forward romp will probably find plenty to enjoy, however. Alice and Cyan's attraction isn't instant, but it is fast-paced and very passionate, with some medium steam and plenty of drama. Writing style is very straightforward, with copious narrative detail, and some compelling supporting cast (the informant in particular is a lot of fun). This is the first in a series, and I hope that future installments lean further into the fae lore set up here, because it feels like there's a lot to mine in there.

"I am yours with every agonizing beat of my heart"

This was such a fun read for me.
The mix between the Victorian Era society and the fantastical fae realm was perfectly executed in this book. I felt fully immersed in the atmosphere of The Great Exhibition and the history behind it all. This may be the first time I actually enjoyed reading a little bit about history (haha).

This book really does have something for everyone: history, romance, fantasy, mystery, and action. The author did an excellent job at spinning the intricate web of this story and I enjoyed every minute of it. There were twists and turns throughout the book and although you were given pieces of the puzzle along the way, we were surprised up till the very end.

Watching Alice overcoming the challenges she faces as an intelligent woman in a society that likes women to be anything but, is inspiring. Her and Cyan's relationship evolves beautifully throughout the book and echoes the sentiment that someone who truly loves you, will take every part of you.

"In that moment, despite having almost infinite power in the palm of her hand, Alice was utterly powerless. That was the thing about surrendering to true love. It made you stronger and more vulnerable all at once. But she wouldn't have it any other way"

I'm excited to know there will be another book and look forward to reading the next one when it comes.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

Unlock the secrets of Victorian England's underworld of fae magic, love and murder in this spellbinding romantic fantasy.

This was a decent romantasy with a good setting and interesting characters.

The book cover was interesting and had that aura :)
I always enjoy a good Fae story, add some romance, mystery and fantasy and that is a perfect weekend read!
Many of the tropes we recognise, and which are still, enjoyable to read :) The time travel elements sometimes were interesting, sometimes made me go off into threads of thoughts.

Set in London at the time of The Great Exhibition, this cleverly fuses historical fiction, fantasy, romance and thriller genres. I've read a couple of other stories with fae folk in our world and this was another good example of merging worlds. For me this was true escapism, very cosy to escape into.

I loved that this book combined romance, historical mystery and fantasy, I don't think I have ever read a book with all three in it and I really enjoyed it. It was done so so well

The Charmed by Kylie Fennell is set in 1851 the year of The Great Exhibition, the infamous Crystal Palace so named by the glass building designed by Joseph Paxton. Organised by Queen Victoria’s consort, Prince Albert and Henry Cole, The Great Exhibition was an international exhibition that housed exhibits from all over the world. The Crystal Palace is a place of wonder, and it is everything that Lady Alice Hyde could ever dream of, filled with inventions and offers her access to a world that will be closed to her soon.

She’s engaged to be married, and her dreams of travelling to the countries exhibited in The Great Exhibition are disappearing before her eyes. Little does Alice expect to have her world turned upside down while visiting The Great Exhibition. Witnessing the murder of a woman she knows, Alice is drawn into the world of the mysterious fae as she works with Cyan Symond, the Exhibition’s caretaker, to find the culprit. As Alice soon learns, there’s much more going on, and she’s right in the middle of it.

I wanted to like The Charmed, however, there were so many issues that I couldn’t ignore. Fennell’s world-building was interesting at times, and for me personally, the setting of The Great Exhibition was a selling point as it’s my hometown’s local history. Unfortunately, the interesting points were let down by stereotypical characters, weak plot points and huge over-reaching in the world-building.

Let’s start with the characters. Alice is the stereotypical clever and nosey female Victorian character who infuriates the male character, and ultimately they fall for each other. That trope doesn’t bother me so much. What did bother me was that as soon as they slept together, she turned into a completely different person who was fawning over him every second to the point where she couldn’t even finish a sentence. If this was one of those books where fae had a natural sexual attraction, pheromones or anything to explain such a reaction, then fair enough. However, there was nothing to explain this sudden change.

The other characters in the book can all be fixed to a trope. There wasn’t an original character at all in The Charmed, and the big reveals of the book were also huge tropes. The overall plot felt weak due to this. At the start of the book, there appears to be anxiety representation. Alice’s Uncle, the Viscount, struggles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive thoughts about germs. Later in the book it is revealed that Fennell has not written a character with anxiety or OCD representation, instead, she has just used mental health as a plot device.

While I found Fennell’s interpretation of fae interesting, she has chosen to mix time travelling with her world-building. On some levels, this works and adds interesting components to the story, but Fennell has over-reached at times. For example, bringing technology from the future into the Victorian era and completely ignoring the consequences of doing so. She has just thrown time travel into the mix and brushed any actual technicalities about it under the rug. I also kid you not that one of these items was called a “ray gun”.