Spellswept

This is great. It's a short piece - just one (long, complicated) scene - but with major complications and turning points, for the characters and for their world, within it. I knew, of course (having read Snowspelled) what would happen, but I had no idea how, or why. This story, for all its shortness, goes into more depth on the structure of the world and the way the rules are than all of Snowspelled does (or at least, lays it out more clearly and succinctly). That aside - it is also an excellent story, with major and minor conflicts among the characters. And the way those conflicts are resolved - the way they have to be resolved, in the emergency - starts the process of major changes (as I said above) for all these characters and for show more their world and social/political structure. Great story, now I want to read more of the series. show less

This is a fun prequel novelette that takes place before Snowspelled and shows us the official start of Amy and Jonathan's relationship. I really enjoyed how the stakes were completely focused on the family for this one. It was also great to see some of Miranda (Cassandra & Jonathan's mother) in this book. There's also magic, and dancing, and romance, but the best part is the family dynamic.

I greatly appreciate the cover making it clear that our main character, Amy, is a woman of color. There was a brief mention of her dark skin in the story, but not much more than that. I guess in such a short piece not much more was needed, but it does help my mental images of the characters in this alternate world.

I wanted to read Jonathan and Amy’s prequel story (novelette?) after reading Snowspelled last year, and I liked it OK. The underwater ballroom was pretty cool, and the romance was sweet. I remain unconvinced by the flipped social roles of men and women in this alternate Regency-esque England. Something about it doesn’t work, and I think it’s that men are still throwing their weight around about/with magic, so the reversed power structure doesn’t really hold up. I like the idea of it, but I don’t think it worked. Or maybe it just didn’t work for my brain.

{Prequel of prequel +3 Harwood Spellbook series; fantasy, romance, YA. Novella}

One enchanted evening to change the world!

I’ve just finished reading this, the prequel to the Harwood Spellbook series. It was a good point to time it; it was published between Snowspelled and Thornbound and I read it with the foreknowledge of the first two books. This novella sets in motion the events that lead to those stories.

Amy Standish is a wealthy orphan. Although she has always been treated well by her relatives, she has has been shunted from family to family all her life so she is determined that she will find her own place in the world and hold it hard. To this end she takes as her mentor the best politician in the Anglish Bouddicate, Miranda show more Harwood, and joins her household which includes her daughter, thirteen year old Cassandra, and her son Jonathan. This novella takes place in the underwater ballroom on the evening when all Amy’s ambitions (political and otherwise) are about to be realised.

The recurring themes that I especially I like in this series are the way Burgis incorporates a continuing romance rather than the first falling in love and how she shows the strength of a family standing together:

Amy had always known she would do anything to protect her family whenever and wherever she found them. But she’d never imagined just how much they would do for her.

A good addition to the series and just as well worth reading.

4 stars show less

Not to painful, but an Angland ruled by the Boudiccate? That repelled the Romans and the Normans but well, not the Angles in between? Fluffy fantasy romance which deals with stepping outside the society's gender expectations for profession, but not our society's.

Lovely alternate historical fantasy novella. My only wish is that it was longer, which is usually my complaint when I enjoy the world. Happily, there are more stories!