*4.5 stars*

The Stormborne Vine is a wonderfully fun & cozy historical fantasy! The magic system felt unique, Fern (the FMC) was well-written and likeable, and the story was funny and sweet. And perhaps most importantly: there is a tiny dragon, AND a carnivorous plant. What else could you want? I really enjoyed this sweet book, and would recommend it to fans of Olivia Atwater or T. Kingfisher; as well as to readers who enjoy cozy fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc! All thoughts & opinions in the review are my own.

A cosy fantasy set in a magical version of Regency England, The Stormborne Vine is a fun quick read that sows the seeds for a series. I enjoyed the majority of the book although I felt there was a lot of telling not showing (and the main character narrating her thoughts aloud to nobody) and a lot of different plot lines established in a relatively short number of pages. There were a couple of plot points that I thought would be resolved in this book that weren’t - hopefully later on in the series. Overall, The Stormborne Vine was a fresh, unique take on a cosy fantasy with a pinch of mystery and some very cute dragons.

Thank you NetGalley and Ribbonwood Press for the ARC.

This was a beautiful book that questions what is life and what makes something worth saving. Fern struggles with this as she fights to save a tiny origami dragon brought to life after a magical storm. The novel is an alternative history (set in 1818 England but magic is real), cozy fantasy, mystery all wrapped up in what should be too much but turns out to be just right. If you are looking for a read that will pull some heartstrings, make you think and still be a cozy fluffy feel good book then this is the novel for you. This is the first time I have read Tilly Wallace but I look forward to reading more by her. This novel is the first in a series but not in a giant cliff hanger way. It looks like it will be set up that each novel is a new mystery but the characters continue their growth and interactions between the novels.

I went into this book expecting a comforting and cosy read. It certainly delivered on that but I was not expecting how totally engrossed I would become that I had to read the whole book at once!

I read an eARC of this book on Net Galley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

I was utterly charmed by this lovely tale of dragons, botany, magic and headstrong heroines. There was so much to love in this book. The plot was tight, exciting and there was real jeopardy as our main character Fern is forced to run between crises, with looming deadlines to try and save two different dragons and learn to solve a magical mystery.

Fern is strong-willed, dedicated to her studies of botany but also kind and pragmatic. She refuses to be held back by the social expectations of her gender and is committed to continuing her late father’s work as a botanist. She’s kind and loving to her household and this is extended to those she believes deserving of her care, whereas the cruel and callous earn her disdain.

Fern’s adventure starts when she is asked to attend a stately home to help with continually dying plants in the gardens. However a ferocious storm will kick up new challenges to solve in said gardens!

I enjoyed this book so much, it was magical, I loved the world building, I loved the gentle inclusion of magic within a specific and recognisable historical period that was done so naturally. I loved the challenge of female stereotypes and the bold nature of our main character. I will definitely be getting and recommending this book and looking for more from this author.

'The stormborne vine' is definitely on the cosy side. The mystery is simple yet entertaining, the alt historical england with magic works well for the story. We also have a protagonist ahead of her time, living with her uncles in a remote area, giving small community vibes. I don't know if I wasn't in the right mood to appreciate the story to its fullest and enjoy it, but I found the historical grounding a bit lacking, more surface level that I prefer.

The plot is quite linear, from a slow beginning setting the contest of the story to the little mystery to resolve. The characters are entertaining, though a bit flat a time. Our protagonist has a tendency to make out loud commentary that could easily been set in the narration. It was a bit perturbing at times, but she is still a good story-carrying character.

All in all, a good read for someone looking for a quick story, without too much happening !

The Stormborne Vine is a cozy historical fantasy with dragons. Highly readable, but it ends rather abruptly.

A bit unusual for her time, Ms. Fern Oakby shuns Society after a disastrous chance at love has left her disgraced. Instead, she makes a living cultivating rare botanical plants for use in both gardens and alchemy potions. She’s called to investigate a garden incident, which quickly turns monstrous after a magical storm leaves a regular ivy turned into a literal man-eating vine. To make matters more complicated, an origami dragon has come to life and seems to be connected to the vine. In order to save the dragon, Ms. Oakby must figure out how to separate the two before time runs out and both are destroyed.

What a delightful little fantasy. It has definite cozy vibes reminiscent of Emily Wilde with a strong female character who does not hesitate to defy Society’s rules. I love the magical realism steeped into this tale with its dragons, witch sisters, and other magical bits and bobs that elevates this story. And if a woman ends up saving the day in the end… well, isn’t that just the cherry on top?

Recommended if you like: cozy fantasies, magical realism, historical fantasy

This is a unique and refreshing find among fantasy novels. So often, they are the same recycled world and drama. It is such a cute and quaint story. It is a historical fiction fantasy set in the Regency period of the English countryside but with a twist—magic exists. However, magic seems to be slowly disappearing, with science leading the way for reason.

Fern lives a life between the stuffy rules of nobility and commoners. Our MFC takes center stage as events and mysterious problems run amuck in a neighboring country estate. The reader goes along on this journey as she works through balancing the old ways and the new. The author hints at future possible stories, and I am all in. I plan to follow the author so I can continue the adventure. I highly recommend it to all readers, especially those needing something different.

4.2/5 Stars

A fantasy tale when magic and dragons are dying out yet still exist. Bowing out of society and living with her two uncles , Fern Oakby makes her living as an experienced botanist. While on a consulting job at a nearby estate she meets Millicent the owner’s interesting sister during a violent thunderstorm. The next morning when the storm has passed its left behind strange magic both good and bad that Millicent inadvertently created.
A fun quick easy read I throughly enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lovely cozy fantasy story and a lovely start to a new series. I loved the initial premise of a botanist discovering a carnivorous plant and trying to save a tiny origami dragon that is inexplicably connected to this plant. Fern is an absolutely lovely main character who is smart, loving and full of charm. She is determined but also practical and was a joy to read about. She also has a lovely family dynamic that added so much warmth to the story and the dragons in the story are so cute and sweet.

The plot was cozy and intimate similar in vibe and style to T. Kingfisher's Nettle and Bone. The carnivorous plant added a bit of a horror dynamic without making the entire book feel like horror. I think the story also left lots of space for future instalments to expand the world and further develop the characters. I also expect that future books will contain a found family, animal companions and a potential slow burn romance that I am really looking forward to. Overall, this was a very fun read.