chirson's review against another edition
4.0
I read this courtesy of the gracious author. Thank you! :)
A Solstice read for Yuletide.
I enjoyed this short romantic fantasy novel quite a lot. It was light, fluffy and fun, with nice - and kind! - characters and thoughtfully developed themes. There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about its treatment of gender, perhaps, with the partial role reversal, but the way the author weaved her ideas with the world and distributed information without info-dumping (but while giving all the useful knowledge at the right time) was particularly enjoyable.
I felt like it could have used some fleshing out, plot-wise, but the disability theme was, for me at least, nicely done. And the protagonist's family (brother and sister-in-law) were delightful to read about.
I look forward to the next volume!
A Solstice read for Yuletide.
I enjoyed this short romantic fantasy novel quite a lot. It was light, fluffy and fun, with nice - and kind! - characters and thoughtfully developed themes. There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about its treatment of gender, perhaps, with the partial role reversal, but the way the author weaved her ideas with the world and distributed information without info-dumping (but while giving all the useful knowledge at the right time) was particularly enjoyable.
I felt like it could have used some fleshing out, plot-wise, but the disability theme was, for me at least, nicely done. And the protagonist's family (brother and sister-in-law) were delightful to read about.
I look forward to the next volume!
mairead_parade's review against another edition
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This had an interesting gender-reversal conceit, but I don’t think it ever quite fulfilled its premise, even taking into account the novella length. A lot of world-building felt elided and ideas thrown out and not explored.
*2.75 stars
*2.75 stars
folded_between_pages_of_books's review against another edition
Not in the mood for it right now
avid_reader_sf_and_f's review against another edition
4.0
Snowspelled, the book one of the new HARWOOD SPELLBOOK fantasy series. Picking up several years after the prequel, it's an equally fun, light read, right at the intersection of magical fantasy and Regency romance, alternate history and Fae story telling. I really enjoyed the way the magic and the politics work in this world, and I am very much looking forward to reading rest of the series. Our MC in this book is Cassandra Harwood, the standout sister from the prequel.
Cassandra is the first female magician in Angland and has been in a major depression since she lost her magic in a horrible mishap of her own design. We find out in snippets throughout the book what and how it happened, but for now we follow her and her brother and sister-in-law to a big Solstice holiday fête at Cosgrove Manor, deep in the elven territory.
This regency-inspired novel make race and sexuality non-issues, they just are, and it's delightful. Women are the ruling class (only females go into politics) while the men, poor emotional dears, are doing the magical heavy lifting. Cassandra wanted to break the glass ceiling and paid the price, but mostly for letting her ego get away from her. Hopefully, she can her circumstances into something positive, and paving the way for future female magicians. If only she hadn’t made that promise to a fae.
This short story contains a another forbidden romance, dangerous Fae shenanigans, and more political intrigue. It's utterly charming, if still too short. I’m looking forward to book 2.
Cassandra is the first female magician in Angland and has been in a major depression since she lost her magic in a horrible mishap of her own design. We find out in snippets throughout the book what and how it happened, but for now we follow her and her brother and sister-in-law to a big Solstice holiday fête at Cosgrove Manor, deep in the elven territory.
This regency-inspired novel make race and sexuality non-issues, they just are, and it's delightful. Women are the ruling class (only females go into politics) while the men, poor emotional dears, are doing the magical heavy lifting. Cassandra wanted to break the glass ceiling and paid the price, but mostly for letting her ego get away from her. Hopefully, she can her circumstances into something positive, and paving the way for future female magicians. If only she hadn’t made that promise to a fae.
This short story contains a another forbidden romance, dangerous Fae shenanigans, and more political intrigue. It's utterly charming, if still too short. I’m looking forward to book 2.
sullivc5's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
kcrowellphd's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Fun, lighthearted read of low Fantasy
hermelina's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
simi22reads's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
terapsina's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
This one's been on my to-read pile for a while. As I began to read, I was instantly enchanted. This is a light, romantically pleasing Regency romance-adventure voiced by Cassandra Harwood-- the scion of a politically powerful family who eschewed her mother's ambitions to become a magician.
But this Regency romance has an Angland where women wield political power both in parliament and in their homes and men are consorts who do magic. Women aren't supposed to do magic and men who are magic-less don't make great husbands for women with ambition. Cassandra bucked the system and became a magician anyway, with the loving support of her brother Jonathan who loves history and his politically powerful wife, Amy.
Four months ago, Cassandra almost had it all: a loving fiancee, powerful magic, and a bright future (if she could manage to convince someone to hire a female magician). Something happened to her magic, and we meet her at a snowbound house party of the powerful unable to do magic at all and estranged from her fiancee.
She soon gets mixed up with a vicious elf lord who is there to break the centuries-long treaty between Angland and the elves.
Watching Cassandra navigate the social awkwardness of having to face society when she's lost her magic, deny her feelings toward her fiancee despite him helping her along with the elf problem, and realize how much she has to give the world even without magic was lovely and wonderful and hit all my (clean, not steamy at all) historical romance buttons along with introducing me to a clever version of England. Folks who like Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories or Zen Cho's Sorceror to the Crown will like this book.
But, and here's the reason for only 4 stars, it was waaaaay too short. There was definitely room in this adventure for more actual adventuring on Cassandra's part (she stays in the house party for the most part) and some actual sleuthing around the elves. Things happen quickly (it's about half the size of what I would consider a normal romance or fantasy) so when the pay off came I was delighted but still hungry. I wanted to watch her and Wrexham's relationship develop a tad more slowly, she seems to just give in despite all her worries and fears. I wanted more results for Amy and Jonathan post-elf ritual, and I wanted more actual physical danger for Cassandra to overcome.
Great, fun read, but didn't quite satisfy all the way.
But this Regency romance has an Angland where women wield political power both in parliament and in their homes and men are consorts who do magic. Women aren't supposed to do magic and men who are magic-less don't make great husbands for women with ambition. Cassandra bucked the system and became a magician anyway, with the loving support of her brother Jonathan who loves history and his politically powerful wife, Amy.
Four months ago, Cassandra almost had it all: a loving fiancee, powerful magic, and a bright future (if she could manage to convince someone to hire a female magician). Something happened to her magic, and we meet her at a snowbound house party of the powerful unable to do magic at all and estranged from her fiancee.
She soon gets mixed up with a vicious elf lord who is there to break the centuries-long treaty between Angland and the elves.
Watching Cassandra navigate the social awkwardness of having to face society when she's lost her magic, deny her feelings toward her fiancee despite him helping her along with the elf problem, and realize how much she has to give the world even without magic was lovely and wonderful and hit all my (clean, not steamy at all) historical romance buttons along with introducing me to a clever version of England. Folks who like Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories or Zen Cho's Sorceror to the Crown will like this book.
But, and here's the reason for only 4 stars, it was waaaaay too short. There was definitely room in this adventure for more actual adventuring on Cassandra's part (she stays in the house party for the most part) and some actual sleuthing around the elves. Things happen quickly (it's about half the size of what I would consider a normal romance or fantasy) so when the pay off came I was delighted but still hungry. I wanted to watch her and Wrexham's relationship develop a tad more slowly, she seems to just give in despite all her worries and fears. I wanted more results for Amy and Jonathan post-elf ritual, and I wanted more actual physical danger for Cassandra to overcome.
Great, fun read, but didn't quite satisfy all the way.