Kirstie / Roo

 Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw

“To exclude bisexuality from discussions of history, culture, or science is to belittle the human capacity for love and attraction. It also means that people with bisexual desires are often left abandoned in their search for a place in the world.”

Synopsis:

“ ‘Hetero' comes from the Greek heteros which means another, while ‘homos' means same, and both are melded with the Latin word ‘sexus'. Not long after this, ‘bi', or two, started to be used to refer to people who had both homosexual and heterosexual desires. A way that bisexual researchers often talk about this is that the ‘bi' in bisexual means two, but the two are not ‘men' and ‘women', they are ‘same' and ‘other'.”

My Thoughts:

• As a bisexual person who often feels a sense of not-belonging to either heterosexual or queer culture, I related to this book a lot and felt very seen by this.
• The author is also a bisexual woman who draws on her own experiences as well as current and historical scientific and psychological discourse.
• The book looks at how heterosexuality is treated as default & why bisexuality is often considered code for ‘closeted homosexual' or ‘promiscuous woman'.
• Shaw seeks to identify what, if any, is the ‘bisexual identity' and combat bi-erasure. She discusses the pervasiveness of bi-erasure is even (or especially) in LBGTQIA+ spaces.
• I would have liked the book to contain more and go into more depth. This may not be a fault on the part of the author though, more the limitations of the available research and discourse she is drawing on. Shaw presents a review of available literature and her commentary on it but has not engaged on any further study herself (although she is a working psychologist, her specialism lies outside of this field of study).
• Overall, a good overview but not terribly in-depth. Provides a good and accessible starting point.

“Many of our queer elders fought for their lives, and for our rights, and only some survived to tell the tale.”

 “Power does not transform you, it only reveals you.”
Synopsis
Since Ancient Greece, a handful of mortal bloodlines have participated in a game called the Agon. Every seven years, the gods and goddesses of Olympus become mortal for a week and if a mortal kills them, they will gain their power and godly status. At least until the next games. Lore was raised for this life and to compete in these games, but after her family was killed by a rival bloodline she swore to have nothing more to do with it. Now the Agon is on again and Lore is being pulled back in.

“Anger was like a disease to the soul and no aspect of it was more contagious than violence.”
Tropes & Themes
- Deadly competition
- Gods & Demigods
- Greek Mythology
- Vengeance

“I was born knowing how to do three things - how to breathe, how to dream, and how to love you.”
Content Warnings
- Descriptions of murder of children
- Violence

“The exceptional among mortals will always stand alone, for no one in the world was made for their task. Take confidence in that, and let it be poison to your fear.”
My Thoughts
- I found this book gripping from the intrigue of what happened in Lore's past, where the aegis, what happened to Castor and who could be trusted, even as the not-knowing sometimes frustrated me.
- Some of the flashback scenes were hard to read, especially those concerning the deaths of Lore's family.
- Overall the book is quite fast-paced, but although the flashbacks provided the necessary back story and exposition, they interrupted and slowed the pace of the narrative in a way I sometimes found frustrating.
- I enjoyed Cassian & Lore's past and evolving relationship. I appreciated how it wasn't a primary focus of the narrative and it didn't feel misplaced or emphasised over the main plot, which was focused on the Agon and the bloodlines.
- Miles and Van's attraction to each other was very clearly spelt out so I'm not sure why the other characters in the book were so surprised!

“An oath was, after all, a curse you placed on yourself.” 

Lost interest 

• 1st person POV from Apollo - he is a hilarious, pompous and narcissistic arse I found it impossible not to love.
• Introduces the character of Meg, who I really liked, especially the interactions between her and Apollo.
• More Nico DiAngelo development, hurrah!
• Lots of wit and snark throughout
• Cameos from Percy and lots of other old favourites
• Slow start but gains momentum
• Interesting watching Apollo interact with his kids while trapped in the guise of an awkward teen
• Really loved how each chapter starts with a poem composed by Apollo referencing the coming events
• All around fun read, with some good insights and character development.

“When one is a god, the world hangs on your every word. When one is sixteen... not so much. 

The story is told from the point of view of an alien who has been sent to Earth to inhabit the recently vacated body of Professor Andrew Martin in order to prevent the humankind gaining knowledge the aliens have decided they are not equipped to have. Our alien soon discovers that Professor Martin was quite unpleasant, grows attached to Professor Martin's friends and family, and discovers a love of poetry, all of which lead him to reconsider the mission he was sent to complete.

The narrator was very endearing and likeable, and the development & progression of his relationships and interactions with others are heartwarming and touching. The list for humans that completes the book is especially so. I read this book not long after a sudden and traumatic bereavement and found it a great comfort.

All in all, this book is funny, heartwarming, poignant, endearing and just beautiful. A definite recommendation.

 “I wish he would stop making me love him more... It's annoying.”
Synopsis:
Bree is a ballet teacher and the best friend of Nathan, a star NFL quarterback. They have been best friends since high school. When a viral video from a drunken night out draws offers of sponsorship deals that would save her ballet studio, Bree and Nathan agree to fake a relationship for the media.

“It's painful having to look at something so beautiful and never touch it.”
Thoughts:
- I liked Bree's habit of gifting trinkets to her friends, that was a cute personality quirk
- Bree's reluctance to let Nathan help her out financially was frustrating. You don't like him for his money, we get it.
- It could have had greater depth, but I was looking for a palate cleanser and this certainly fulfilled that.
- Nathan was adorably head-over-heels. Bree must be the most oblivious woman in the world as everyone else could clearly see it.

“Your soul is my favourite in the entire world.” 

Just not feeling it, have no drive to keep reading 

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

“The problem with knowledge, is its inexhaustible craving. The more of it you have, the less you feel you know.”

Synopsis:

“Funny how that worked; the innocent fragility of being human. There were so many ways to break and so few of them heroic or noble.”

My Thoughts:

• A slow-paced, introspective and reflective read.
• The prose was at times complex - not a light or easy read if that's what you are in the mood for.
• This book is much more focused on character exploration than plot, with long sections exploring their histories, motivations and experiences. The book is told from multiple POVs so you spend time in each character's head.
• More plot action happens in the last section than the whole rest of the book combined, which gives it a sudden pace change. Whether this is good or bad is likely personal preference.
• I found this interesting and intriguing, though not gripping until toward the end. I'm interested enough to know where it goes to read the next instalment. 
• If you like a plot that moves along at a steady pace and has a degree of resolution, this is not the book for you.

“The moral of this story is: Beware the man who faces you unarmed. If in his eyes you are not the target, then you can be sure you are the weapon.”

“Sometimes the point is to be sad, August. Sometimes you just have to feel it because it deserves to be felt.”
Synopsis
August has a massive crush on the tall, butch lesbian she sees on the Q train, but the course of love never did run smooth, and it turns out Jane is displaced in time from the 1970s and trapped on the train with no memory of her life or how she became trapped. August resolves to help Jane remember and send her home, despite wanting her to stay the more she learns about her.

“August has the sexual prowess of a goldfinch and the emotional vocabulary to match.”
Tropes and Themes

• LGBTQIA+ identity and history
• Found family
• Time travel (kind of)

My Thoughts

• A very cute meet-cute and heart-warming romance
• This is as much a love story to the queer community as it is a love story between August and Jane. August learning from Jane and reflecting upon the hardships endured and fight given by the queer community of the past that led to the freedoms we have today was touching and thought-provoking.
• I loved August's dedication to helping Jane, even if it meant heartbreak for her.
• At times the plot felt a bit overly contrived, but this was only a minor complaint and didn't detract much from my enjoyment.

A Pride & Prejudice variation from Mary's perspective that starts a few months prior to P&P events and runs a few years past its conclusion. The book develops Mary's character and gives her greater depth where she is often otherwise treated as little more than a prop in Lizzie's story in many works (or absent altogether). Telling and continuing the story from Mary's perspective is an unusual conceit for P&P variations, even stories that further develop the other Bennets are usually focused on Lizzie as the protagonist.

Mary's character isn't the only one developed further. Mr Collins became more sympathetic and likeable whilst remaining true to Austen's portrayal of his obsequious and ingratiating manner. Charlotte is portrayed as very shrewd, and at times this comes across as somewhat cold and calculating/ruthless, though only so far as she is aggressively protecting her own interests. There are insightful discussions between Charlotte and Mary regarding their places & prospects in the world as ‘plain' Regency gentlewomen.

There were a few callbacks/nods within the text to P&P's famous lines/scenes that were very well done - subtle and satisfying rather than in-your-face and forced as they can feel in other works.

The original characters did not feel at all out of place among Austen's creations. I found Mr Hayward instantly likeable and impossible not to fall for. The progression of his interactions with Mary was well-executed and nicely paced. However I did feel that the presence of Caroline Bingley didn't add much to the narrative beyond a stock ‘Mean Girl' to add conflict - her character would have benefited from the development and greater depth other characters such as Mr Collins and Mrs Hill got but she remained rather two dimensional. This is a minor complaint though and didn't stop me from immediately looking up the author to see if there are any more books by her to consume!

This novel picks up the story of Lizzie & Mr Darcy on their wedding day, where they have been upstaged by Caroline Bingley's announcement of her engagement to a charming American. As they navigate being newlyweds, and continuing acquaintance with Caroline, strange things seem to start happening, and Caroline begins to act very oddly. Lizzie being the curious and intelligent woman she is can't help but to try to unpick the puzzle.

For much of the story I wasn't sure what I felt about the new characters, or who was my number one suspect in the mystery, as the clues were well executed and it genuinely seemed liked many were implicated, which kept me carried along in the narrative. The dynamic of the relationship between Lizzie & Darcy is charmingly done and feels true to the source material, although sadly Jane & Bingley didn't appear to have any chemistry. I probably would have preferred that Lizzie wasn't in possession of some supernatural/psychic instincts - I don't think it is necessary for her to have worked out the mystery, she is an intelligent and perceptive person already without it, so I don't think they were needed to justify her solving things. I don't have any objection to the other supernatural elements (magic use, talismans etc), it just felt that Lizzie being powered/gifted in that regard was superfluous.

Opening in the aftermath of Darcy's failed proposal at Hunsford, we begin with our couple feeling miserable. Thankfully, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Anne de Bourgh take it upon themselves to help things along and it seems that all is going well once more for Lizzie and Darcy when Mr Bennet decides that Lizzie has a point about Lydia going to Brighton and sends her along as chaperone. And there begin separations, misunderstandings and miscommunications that ensure the path of happily ever after doesn't run smoothly.

An enjoyable, easy read.

  This was an Audible Plus title which is a quick and light romance story which made a great palate cleanser to follow up binge reading an 8 book fantasy series back-to-back. It follows Gabby who is considered by her family and friends to be quite flighty and fickle, she's not got her future figured out, not in a long-term relationship, bouncing from job-to-job. Her roommate is an actor that's just starting to find success with a recurring role on a long-running soap opera and encourages Gabby to give working as a recurring extra on her show. This brings Gabby into contact with hot actors, high-strung divas, starving writers and more drama off screen than on-screen. It's fun, it's an easy read, there is a great cast of well-defined characters. I called this a romance, as that's what it was sort of advertising itself as and it LOOKS like a romantic comedy, with the styling of the art and the synopsis, but I wasn't really all that invested in the romance parts of the plot. I would have been perfectly satisfied if Gabby ended the story still single. This didn't really let the rest of the book down to much as the sort of ‘coming-of-age', self-growth parts of the narrative and the entertainment of the characters and their conflicts was enough to carry it, and I wonder if it might have actually been even better if the authors had chosen to downplay the romance more and make it more of a woman's fiction, finding herself focused book instead. 

 

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. There are other books set in this same universe and I wouldn't rule reading or listening to those out, but I'm not particularly compelled to either. 

"It's not how long you live that matters, it's what you live for."

What it's about:Apollo remains trapped in the body of teenage Lester Papadopolous and on a mission to restore the oracles and regain his status as a god. Insane Roman emperors are still trying to stop him.

“We chose the only heroic option available - we ran.”

• Apollo continues to be loveably arrogant while developing further and learning more humility and a greater appreciation of mere mortals.
• Wasn't sure how I felt about Leo and Calypso at first, but I was glad to see recognition that there would likely be tensions in their relationship and that they still need to learn who they are apart, rather than teenage instalove that lasts forever.
• I like the way Meg's shown to have torn loyalties, and how it is hard for her to walk away from the man who has been raising her even while she is aware he is abusive and manipulating her - very realistic and skillfully handled.
• Loved all the new characters we met, and again some familiar faces returned.

“Everything living deserves the chance to grow.”

  One of the great things about book subscriptions and book clubs is that they can broaden your horizons a bit and lead you to books you wouldn't have otherwise come across, which is the case for me with this book – I'm not all that sure I would have picked this up of my own accord. But I would have been massively missing out as I have loved reading this. 

This book introduces us to Kurara, a young girl who has paper magic – she can fold paper with her mind and bring it to life. The story is set in a world where there is an Empire that controls the civilization living on the ground, and there are cities in the skies who at least some of the inhabitants want independence from the Empire. In addition, there are giant paper magic creatures called shikigami who can cause a lot of destruction. Early on in the novel, Kurara is found by a fellow user of paper magic, Himura, who tells her she is a crafter and takes her to live and work with him on board an airship, from where they hunt shikigami and retrieve their paper cores, which is what is implied to contain the enchantment that make these creatures live. The cores are then sold to the Princess, who researches them. 

The world building is exquisite and just makes me want to know more – I want to learn about the magic system, about the Empire and the political set-up, how the sky cities were established and how long ago such that the inhabitants are now considered like a separate race. It's very original and was a huge breath of fresh air – I love a demon and fae/chosen one style epic series but there are a lot of those so its good to shake it up and read something that really departs from that. In fact, if you don't like romance in your fantasy fiction then I have good news for you, because there is no love interest or romantic subplot. The closest it comes is the implication of a potential romance between two background characters. 

There were a couple of twists I didn't see coming – one I think I probably should have, but I was so wrapped up in soaking up all the world building and wondering about what I was learning about it that I didn't really take note of the clues that were there. It left me feeling winded and knocked off course, which is a really great reaction to have to a plot twist. I did suspect the betrayal of a certain character who I will decline to name to avoid spoilers, but even though I anticipated it, when it happened it left me so mad that I was still feeling it days later. I have rarely been so enraged with a fictional character, I wanted to reach into the book and shake them. 

Overall, though, I would have liked to see deeper characterisation, as many of the supporting cast felt quite flat and interchangeable, I didn't really have a good feel for their personalities. It was a bit like characterisation suffered at the expense of the world building, as that is so rich and detailed compared to the cast. 

When I started this novel, I didn't realise that it's the first in a trilogy, so I was frustrated by how little was answered or resolved at the end of this book. Even knowing it's the start of a series, it still feels a bit like it's the first half of a first instalment or a prequel novella of a sprawling fantasy epic. The ending feels quite abrupt, just as the action and narrative conflicts are really being laid out. 

That being said, I loved every moment I was reading it and will definitely be picking up the next instalment without question. Despite the weaker characterisation of the supporting cast, I gave it 4/5 stars because I am very generous with my star ratings, I adored reading it, I'd happily read it again, I'll absolutely be reading the next book and I do really recommend it. 

The second Mr & Mrs Darcy Mystery has Lizzie & Darcy settling comfortably into married life. They invite Kitty to spend the season in London with them and Georgiana, where they make the acquaintance of Harry Dashwood and his relations. The favourable connection starts to sour, however, when strange occurrences begin after Mr Dashwood takes possession of a portrait & mirror belonging to an infamous ancestor.

Of course, Lizzie sticks her nose in and takes it upon herself to invseitgate; Darcy is skeptical but along for the ride; and Professor Randolph pops back up with exposition and the key to solving it all.

As in the previous novel, the interaction between Lizzie and Darcy was brilliant - just the right balance of teasing banter and true affection. The pacing of the plot was good, no part of the story felt like it was too rushed along or drawn out, with the one exception that it seemed puzzling to me how quickly the Ferrars' accepted Lizzie's word and took her into the fold as if she was an old friend and not practical stranger.

I also felt that Professor Randolph was not as well integrated into the narrative, being much more of a side character in this novel, so when he pops up to explain the supernatural elements and at the end with the deus ex machina it does seem quite contrived in places.

I do have two big gripes though: first has to be when Darcy voices his admiration of Lizzie's telling falsehoods, as in canon he famously declares that he ‘abhors deceit' - it jolted me out of the story a bit. Second is the continual fat-shaming of Regina and mocking of her size by Lizzie and Darcy.

Despite all this though I did enjoy the book and will continue on with this series.

"Everyone deserves to have someone fight for them, even - and especially - when they're unable to fight for themselves."

Kiva is back in Zalindov following the events of The Gilded Cage and is desperate to fix things. Jaren & Caldon are in hiding and trying to reclaim their kingdom.

• Caldon remains my favourite character. In fact, I love him even more.
• As frustrating as it is that Jaren appears to be holding onto his anger and pride for so long, it's nice to see that he isn't perfect, as he was certainly looking that way in the last book. Hooray for flawed characters.
• I really loved the development of Cresta's character (except for the final reveal of her true heritage, which felt quite contrived). I would have not believed when reading The Prison Healer that she would become a favourite but she had such a delightful energy!
• The friendships and found family in this series are perfect.
• This series really does like to keep readers on the edge of their seats!

First chapter from male character's point of view, his thoughts about the women he saw and encountered, and the terms in which he referred to or thought of them, uncomfortably toxic and misogynistic, didn't make me want to continue reading.

What's it about?
Eliza believes she is the perfect candidate to be the next editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. She is running unopposed so if confident she has it in the bag. Unfortunately for her, former jock Len decides to throw his hat in the ring the morning of the election and beats her by a landslide. Eliza decides Len's win is due to misogyny and writes an impassioned manifesto to that effect, however she fails to log out of the computer she pens it on. Someone finds the manifesto, shares it to the school website, and a school controversy is born. In defending her name, Eliza inadvertently sparks a feminist movement among the student body. Meanwhile, Len and Michelle are instructed to work together on an article for the paper, which is more time than they have ever spent together previously.

My thoughts and feelings:

• I wanted to like this book. With the feminist agenda and promised rivals-to-lovers chemistry it really appealed to me. Sadly, I felt it fell flat on both fronts.
• I would have voted for Len too. He gave a good speech, is more charismatic and approachable and works better with others. While she is more technically qualified and has spent more years on the paper, Eliza is hypercritical and mean to others. She clearly thinks she is superior to most of the others at the school, so it's no surprise they don't want her in charge.
• Eliza has a great deal of internalised misogyny. She frequently criticises other girls for caring about their appearance, wearing make-up or fashionable clothes. The concept that a girl can either be pretty or intelligent but not both is expressed more than once and not challenged.
• The concept of feminism that Eliza and the other students have is very shallow and flawed. This would be okay if they were challenged or called on it if we saw their elders or school faculty educating them about the nuances of feminism they are missing... but they are not. In this book, feminism is akin to the bra-burning man-hating caricature radfem.
• There is also no intersectionality in their feminism. In fact, there is a lot of gender essentialism.
• Len is made the face of the patriarchy at the school, with the female students organising a walkout in protest at him being editor and demanding his resignation. The only thing Len did wrong, so far as they know, is a) existing as a male person and b) being better liked by his colleagues.
• The book touches on intergenerational trauma in the experiences of Eliza's mother as a Vietnamese-Chinese immigrant and the experiences of Eliza and her sister's upbringing, but this is not developed. Not saying it had to be, but it felt like a missed opportunity.
• I didn't feel the chemistry between Len and Eliza. 

 “Being immortal doesn't let you grow. All it does is let you lose pieces of yourself.”
Synopsis Ava's mother, a talented magician, was killed by a vampire, leaving Ava with a burning desire for vengeance. One night she finds a hidden club where she witnesses magic tricks that are impossible. The magicians reveal they are part of a society of real magic users who hunt vampires. They offer to take her on as an apprentice, but to join the society she will have to compete in a series of games for one of the limited places available to this year's apprentices.
“I feel sick and powerful all at once - like I could explode and have everything I've ever wanted.”
Tropes & Themes

• Magic
• Vampires
• Found family
• Love triange
• Secret society

“My mind is a scattered mess of revenge and death and pain and lust and some kind of matching brokenness between us.”

Content & Trigger Warnings

• Death
• Blood

“Killing him wouldn't make me forget how much I wanted his lips against mine. If it would, I might actually do it.

My Thoughts

• Interesting cast of characters
• Interesting world building and magic system
• Plot was interesting but there was a lot going on in the latter part of the book, could have been a bit longer and explored some of the reveals and history of the magicians and vampires more.
• I appreciated Ava's character arc, especially as concerns her issues and trauma surrounding family and belonging.
• The romance aspect is there but is not a major theme. The society and it's secrets, and Ava's journey to mastering her magic and surviving the games, is far and away the focus of the narrative.

It makes my guilt a living thing that grows like thorned vines inside me.

Rather than a traditional audiobook, this was recorded and presented more like a radio play with a full voice cast and background sound effects, which seems to be something Audible are doing to an increasing degree. 

The premise is that Amanda has recently won a Bachelor-like reality TV show and is laying low in her small hometown while waiting for the series to start and finish airing. She's signed an NDA so not a single friend or family member is aware that she won the show and is now engaged to the bachelor, a Scottish man called Liam. As just about anyone who has ever read a romance novel can probably guess, she reconnects with someone from her past and there is angst and drama and all the rest. Nothing ground-breaking, sure, but definitely lots of potential for an enjoyable narrative there. 

I found the characters of Amanda and Josh likeable but never felt any sympathy or affection towards Liam, which kind of took away from the tension of the supposed love-triangle for me. I couldn't really root for the Amanda/Liam relationship, what we saw of it never felt genuine and the endgame was really clear from the start – as in, Amanda and Josh had loads of chemistry and Amanda and Liam just... didn't. So, a lot of Amanda's angst over her feelings didn't really ring true. 

I also, despite LOVING Scottish accents, found Liam's dialogue very overdone in term of Scottish idioms, and although the accent didn't sound false or forced, the use of the idioms and slang did, which caused some dissonance and may have contributed to my dislike of the character. 

 Synopsis: John Logan, hockey player, has been enjoying college life to the full but is getting increasingly despondent about what life after graduation has in store for him. A chance encounter with freshman Grace, with whom he has an instant connection, seems like an ideal distraction until Logan handles a situation between them badly and Grace no longer wants anything to do with him.
“I love you, you stupid jackass!”
Thoughts:

• I was pleasantly surprised that the win-her-back part of the story wasn't overly drawn out or disturbingly stalkery - very refreshing!
• Great character exploration and growth for both Logan and Grace
• Positive masculinity through Logan and his friendships with his team mates, and how he bonded with his apparent rival for Grace's affections.
• When Logan realises he has been a selfish lover and that Grace didn't enjoy an encounter he does do some work to rectify this by his own initiative, I loved that.
• In terms of negatives, there is some perpetuating of myths about virginity and the hymen. I would have liked to see the concept of virginity and Grace's insecurity about this addressed in a more progressive and feminist manner.
• I did think a lot of Logan's angst about his family situation and post-university plans could have been solved by just talking to his brother and dad.
• A nice balance of plot, character development and smut. I enjoyed the pacing and writing.

TW:

discussions of alcoholism and addiction. 

 What It's About:

• Hart is a marshal who patrols the dangerous land of Tanria. Any corpses he finds (or creates by the slaying of zombie-like drudges) he has to deliver to an undertaker. 
• Mercy is single-handedly keeping her family's business Birdsall and Sons Undertakers running. 
• Mercy and Hart have never hit it off and every exchange they have is more trading of barbs than civil conversation. After a bad day and a run-in with Mercy, Hart pens an anonymous letter he addresses to a friend and posts it. Mercy mysteriously receives it, not knowing who it is from, and the two start up an anonymous correspondence.

“It annoyed Mercy to no end that after years of putting up with that insufferable marshal, some primal inner instinct continued to think he looked good enough to eat.”

My Thoughts:

• Content warning: This book contains depictions and discussions of death and grief.
• I felt like I warmed to Hart much more than Mercy – I'm not sure if this is because he was more loveable or because he felt more developed, I felt we saw a lot more of Hart's inner world than Mercy's, despite them both being POV characters.
• I adored Hart's apprentice Pen, and I liked the development of his dynamic with Hart. He was good for him.
• (Trying to word this carefully to avoid spoilers) – Hart spends the whole book convinced he is alone and friendless when we see that he is not at all. This is shown most clearly following a certain plot event toward the end of the book. I felt it was an accurate depiction of how self-esteem and mental health struggles can warp how we perceive our relationships with and value to others.
• At the start of the book it took me a while to get to grips with the fantasy setting & I'm still not entirely sure I understand the history and lore of Tanria and the old gods. In the beginning the fantasy elements & romance plot felt disconnected to me which had me wondering why it wasn't just a contemporary romance novel. This changed and the fantasy elements were integrated into the wider plot and romance plot further into the book, it just took me a while to get.
• On that note, I was a bit thrown by some of the fantasy terms used – maybe I was too distracted while I was reading the parts where these things were introduced and I missed some descriptions but it was a while before it was clear these weren't just weird fantasy names for cars, horses etc. Also, I was never quite sure if the land I should be picturing was supposed to be swampy marshland or Venice-like canals or what, but there was definitely water and lots of docks everywhere.
• The pantheon of gods and different names for days of the week confused me, especially when given as a reference to the passage of time, as I had no idea whether two days were supposed to have passed or six. These let it down overall for me, as I really enjoyed the romance plot and characters but I was often jarred out of the narrative by puzzling over these things.
• -A lovely romance that is definitely worth reading, although be warned I did sob heavily through the third act!

“I don't want to hear ‘I'm sorry, Mercy' or ‘I don't deserve you, Mercy' or ‘I hope you find someone else, Mercy'! I want to hear ‘I love you, Mercy'!” 

The best part about being the Seer isn't the tower or the amenities or the access to the King. It's how easily everyone believes what you say."

What it's about:
Violet is the court Seer for the kingdom of Auveny - an orphan plucked from the streets after she foresaw and prevented the death of Prince Cyrus when they were both children. She also regularly lies on the King's behalf, making fake prophecies that support his actions and goals. 

But true prophecy has continued to follow Prince Cyrus and he was subject to one by another Seer foretelling that who he gives his heart to will either lead to the kingdom's doom or salvation. With the King's health failing, Cyrus planning to fire Violet from her position when he ascends to the throne, a strange black rot spreading throughout the countryside, political tensions between Auveny and their neighbours threatening war, and the council & populace pinning all their hopes on Cyrus selecting a curse-breaking bride soon, tensions between Seer & Prince are running high. Violet's visions are telling her that she will die unless Cyrus does, but although they hate each other, she doesn't think she wants him dead. 

“There are no love stories found upon the throne. Only secrets and schemes and spider-fingered kings.”

What I thought:

• I really enjoyed the setting but I would have liked more in-depth world building, such as more about the Fairywood, and the source of the Seer's powers. This is hinted at but not expanded on so I'm hoping it will come more into play in the sequel.
• Despite being book 1 of a planned duology, the main arc of this story is pretty much resolved, with enough plot threads left hanging to intrigue me to want to read on without leaving things on a huge cliffhanger. 
• The story is told from Violet's POV. She is cynical and distrusting, but I liked her all the same.
• I adored the characters of Camilla and Dante.
• Like Violet, I found Cyrus frustrating yet compelling (I would have gotten out of my own way sooner though, tbh). The enemies-to-lovers chemistry and sexual tension between them worked well.
• The book provides a map of the Sun Capital, where the palace and seer's tower reside, but doesn't have a map of the wider kingdom and it's various “dominions” nor the wider world, which I would have found helpful to refer to when the dominions, Fairywood and other countries were being discussed.
• There are nods throughout to ‘traditional' fairytales - Cinderella, Beauty & the Beast, which helped contribute to the fairytale feel of the story.
• This was an easy and enjoyable read that I could see myself rereading and I will certainly be looking out for the sequel.

“Our entanglement wasn't inevitable in the way of the stars, but in the way you can only toss so many lit matches at a powder keg before one catches - and I should have stopped tossing matches.”

  The great thing about this series is that it is not too difficult to dip in and out of the supplementary novellas when the fancy takes you, as the narrative is forever jumping around in time anyway, although it's probably best you don't read the ones set in between main books you've not read yet, in case of casually dropped spoilers or general confusion. 

This particular novella was The Steam Pump Jump, which is set between novels 9 and 10. The St. Mary's series is, in my opinion, excellent however you consume it, but it is one of those series that is truly magnificently narrated on audiobook. Zara Ramm has narrated all of the books and novellas, and I believe also the spin off series the Time Police, and she is just so good. Know if I read any St Mary's I automatically hear her voices for all the characters and I wouldn't want it any other way. This novella, like it's brethren in the rest of the St Mary series, was warm and amusing. I especially loved this one as it has a lot of my favourite character in the series, Markham. This got a 5/5 from me, which to be honest most If not all St Mary's books do, as usually my only complaint is that they have to eventually end, and I could just live in this world forever.