India Holton

Y’all lied to me about the spice level. I was UTTERLY jump-scared. And so late into the book too.

Tsk tsk tsk.

OK, OK, but in all seriousness, this was DELIGHTFUL. I cannot stop thinking about the pure magic that is this book.

In sum, this is about a bunch of menopausal Victorian pirate Barbies with cannons and teacups and impeccable manners.

I love nonsense. This was nothing but that. One reviewer mentioned it’s essentially “Jane Austen on shrooms.” I couldn’t agree more.

Please show more read. Just…. Be aware should you not desire to be jump-scared as I was. show less

I loved this book so much! It was so much fun to read. Dangerous, and often deadly, thaumaturgical birds, a cuthroat ornithologists competition, and a charming, and often, humourous romance ... what's not to love?! I really enjoyed the idea of these wonderfully creative magical birds and their strange abilities, and all the details our main characters knew and related about them. It was all so interesting! I'm not usually a romance reader, but the chemistry in the banter between Beth and show more Devon was so much fun, and his respect for her intelligence and his love of her as a partner, not just a bed partner, was lovely to read, especially in a historically set romantasy. India Holton did such an excellent job of describing the settings they found themselves in that it was easy to see them clearly in one's mind's eye. Can't wait to start the next book in this series! show less

It's 1895 and Beth Pickering is the youngest professor of ornithology at Oxford. While out in the field, she is on the verge of capturing a rare magical bird when it is scooped out from under her by the handsome Devon Lockley, professor of ornithology at Cambridge. As a result, Beth is determined to keep her distance from him. But when the International Ornithological Society announces a competition to capture a different rare bird that has suddenly appeared in England, with the prize show more including *tenure*, Beth will risk anything, including working with Devon to achieve the prize. However, as Beth and Devon travel across the country it becomes apparent that all is not as it seems.

I had an absolutely ball with this book. Holton has managed to craft a Victorian screwball romantic comedy with a dash of magic (although if romantasy is not your jam, note that the magic element here is very light). Holton's book is ridiculously funny, the romance between Beth and Devon is swoony, and the whole book has a definite madcap adventure plot running through it. I enjoyed every second of it and my only quibble is that there were couple anachronisms that pulled me out of the reading experience a bit (a character references a Robert Frost poem that was not published until 1915). Otherwise, a fun, frothy read that I recommend so highly. I'll definitely be seeking out Holton's other books in the near future. show less

When Beth Pickering and her companion are out in the field about to bag a rare bird, Devon Lockley swoops in and catches their prize. If that weren't enough, she's a professor of ornithology in Oxford; he, in Cambridge, so they are meant to be rivals. But when the International Ornithology Society announced a contest to capture a rare magical bird, they find themselves working together - and perhaps they have more in common than they realize.

A very fun rom-com with a dash of magic thrown in, show more as all the birds are magical species. I had as much fun seeing what birds Holton would come up with as I did seeing Beth and Devon's relationship develop. I also enjoy a narrator with personality, and this third-person one made me laugh multiple times. I'll look forward to reading the next book in the series. show less