Longshadow
Ratings6
Average rating3.5
15
Ratings6
Average rating3.5
Proper Regency ladies are not supposed to become magicians—but Miss Abigail Wilder is far from proper. The marriageable young ladies of London are dying mysteriously, and Abigail Wilder intends to discover why. Abigail’s father, the Lord Sorcier of England, believes that a dark lord of faerie is involved. But while Abigail is willing to match her magic against Lord Longshadow, neither her father nor high society believes that she is capable of doing so. Thankfully, Abigail is not the only one investigating the terrible events. Mercy, a street rat and self-taught magician, insists on joining Abigail in unraveling the mystery. Mercy is unpredictable, and her magic is strange and foreboding—but the greatest danger she poses may well be to Abigail’s heart. A queer romantic faerie tale of defiant hope and love against all odds, set in Olivia Atwater’s enchanting version of Regency England. Praise for the Regency Faerie Tales “A delightful, romantic romp. The definition of a comfort read.” —Hannah Whitten “Fully a delight! Whimsical, witty, and brimming over with charm.” —India Holton “Sweeps you off your feet in the swooniest way possible.” —Megan Bannen “I wolfed this down with great pleasure.” —KJ Charles “Whimsical but never frivolous, sweet but not sugary. I loved it.” —Alix E. Harrow “A perfect historical fantasy romance: Warm, sparkling with magic, dangerous, and delightful.” —Tasha Suri
Reviews with the most likes.
Another 4.5 read this month, yay !!!!
I've been eager to read this third installment of the Regency Faerie Tales since I got a copy last year but it just never worked out. But I definitely needed something sweet to get through my troubles this month and this book turned out to be the perfect medication.
The writing is as charming, witty, whimsical and lovely as the first two books and I was instantly delighted to be back in this world. It was also nice to be back in this world among familiar characters, because this is kind of a direct sequel to Half A Soul. Abigail is the adopted daughter of Elias and Dora and their relationship is one of the sweetest in the book, along with Abby's dynamic with Hugh, her cool ghost brother. It's just such an endearing family and I loved following their quest to solve murders involving the ton in this book. Abby is ably assisted by Mercy who is as mysterious as her shadow magic and while they both start off as adversaries, the development of their love story absolutely adorable.
While family and love are the core of this book, I also liked how the author tackled important themes without them overwhelming the cozy tone of the story. We see the kind of classist and snobby behavior the ton exhibits and how Abby has to lie or trick her way through conversations even when she is investigating murders among their own. The other theme that is quite deeply explored is the idea of death and while it's true that it's inevitable for everyone, it doesn't mean that it's wrong for a person to want to fight to live, or even want to remain a ghost without moving on from their loved ones. The author integrates these ideas through character development and I thought it was masterfully done.
Overall, this was a delightful read and something that made me very happy. While the first two books of the trilogy can work as standalones, you'll enjoy this book more if you've read both of them. If you are in the mood for a regency sapphic romance, some delightful family moments, as well as some cool magical and ghostly sleuthing, do pick up this book and I promise you will not be disappointed.
Series
3 primary books4 released booksRegency Faerie Tales is a 4-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2020 with contributions by Olivia Atwater.
