Enchantee by Gita Trelease
 
BLURB~
Paris is a labyrinth of twisted streets filled with beggars and thieves, revolutionaries and magicians. Camille Durbonne is one of them. She wishes she weren’t...
When smallpox kills her parents, Camille must find a way to provide for her younger sister while managing her volatile brother. Relying on magic, Camille painstakingly transforms scraps of metal into money to buy food and medicine they need. But when the coins won’t hold their shape and her brother disappears with the family’s savings, Camille pursues a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Using dark magic forbidden by her mother, Camille transforms herself into a baroness and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles, where aristocrats both fear and hunger for magic. As she struggles to reconcile her resentment of the rich with the allure of glamour and excess, Camille meets a handsome young inventor, and begins to believe that love and liberty may both be possible.
But magic has its costs, and soon Camille loses control of her secrets. And when revolution erupts, Camille must choose—love or loyalty, democracy or aristocracy, reality of magic—before Paris burns.”
 
REVIEW~
 
This historical fiction book is escapism at it’s best! Set in the French Revolution during the early 1790s, this author has managed to capture in writing, what French court must have been like. In college, I‘ve studied the French Revolution with a fair amount of depth and Trelease has succeeded, IMHO, to bring realism to her creativity and has obviously done her research. Historical facts, people (Marie Antoinette, King Louis, and other nobles), and occurrences are interwoven with her story of fantasy and magic. For me, it was such an original piece, and the book was written so very well that I was immersed in it. I didn’t want to stop reading to participate in that intrusive thing they call “real life.” I will admit, that I did have to look up the meaning of some words, but it was not detracting. I wanted to stay within the rich and atmospheric world Gita has given to us through this book. Was this a debut??? Surely, not!
 
The author’s expertise with “the pen” is noted throughout the book. So descriptive and striking, the paranormal was brought in so very adeptly, that it almost seemed a true normality and not at all whimsical. The superb word-building and dedication to the period was absolutely entrancing. Yes, this story has magic, forbidden and ostracized by society, but it also has heart, struggle, intrigue, and sedition. The MC, Camille is a pariah by simply her existing.
 
Speaking of Camille, and the other characters- Sophie, Alain, Lazare, and (OH MY GOSH) our villain, Viconte Seguin! They are adroitly penned and wonderfully captivating. I have to say that the inner struggle Camille goes through is felt profoundly by the reader, and though she makes some poor decisions, you find that you actually empathize with her. She and Lazare are both such a complicated and endearing characters. One of my favorite characters, however, was Viconte Seguin. (hmmmm, what does that say about me?) He was a perfect antagonist in this novel and his presence was brilliantly placed. He was such a, dare I say, gratifying villain?
 
The pacing of the book was sheer genius on Trelease’s part. The building tension of the characters and the revolution- it was all timed so well. This story captures you and you are victim to the author’s imagination throughout the entirety of the tale. (Or is it true?) I digress. I am in love with this book; I can’t deny it. I will gobble up everything this author writes just as if it were the cake Marie said to let the peasants eat.
 
Delightful and engrossing, Enchantee is a clever and immensely enjoyable story. I would very highly recommend this book to any historical fiction/fantasy fan. 5/5 stars from this reader.
I was given this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This review, or portions thereof, will be posted (when able) on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, Kobo, IG, FB, Pinterest, Litsy, and my own blog.
Unfortunately, I am unable to provide links to all sites as I am using my phone.
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Barnes & Noble~ Karyl-Ahn-white_7
Litsy~ Karylahn or Karyl White

I was sent an eARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not change my view in any shape or form.

I'm calling it now Enchantée: is one of THE books that you can't miss in 2019. It's definitely one of my favourites so far and I'm so in love with the vision that Gita Trelease paints for us throughout this book. This was such an exhilarating, vivid read! I mean--sign me up, all day every day, for historical fictional that is written this beautifully.

(And that cover. Oh-My-God.)

Admittedly, I went into Enchantée full of intrigue but I wasn't certain I'd end up liking the book let alone loving it. When I started it, I was all in within a few pages. It's pure magic. In-fact, I'd imagine that Trelease herself used some sort of magical compulsion to get me lured into this story because I was completely captivated and could scarcely look away.

What I found most enchanting (ha!) about Enchantée was the way in which Trelease portrays history. It reminded me, not wholly, of the way Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell presented that indulgent set of magical elements mixed with historical whims. The plots are, of course, highly different, but I got that same feeling of intrigue from both books.

My experience reading it, too, felt very similar in tone and excitement. Curled up on a cold, rainy day, with a cup of piping hot coffee and a delectable read. Does it get any better than that?

The answer is no. Not for a reader.

Trelease took me by surprise. I devoured this book and am positively aching for (a) a physical copy of it and (b) more books from her. All I could think up of for my review of Enchantée was "wow" so I think I deserve a pat on the back for managing more than just one word. However, I stand by that wow, because this book certainly wowed me.

There were some moments in Enchantée that I wasn't terribly keen on (the approach to sex workers and the general moments of slut shaming) but that I felt, still, were essential to the timeline and setting of the book. In short, the exchanges/thoughts/approach to these things were unfortunate and gross but not unrealistic for the times in which Enchantée takes place.

Overall, I'm obsessed with this book and can't sing its praises enough. Although it won't be for everyone, it is definitely worth the read if you're into magic and historical fiction.

Enchantée is a very enchanting adventure through 1789 France. I lost myself within the streets of Paris and the halls of Versailles. Beautifully written with characters you root for, my heart loved every minute of Camille's adventure. And don't get me started on Lazare!

The magic system is so unique in this book. With levels of magic all driven by the users sorrow, it was a well-developed breath of fresh air.

This debut from Gita Trelease is a must read for lovers of historical fiction/fantasy.

With a glittering backdrop of Paris and Versailles and infused with plenty of real historical figures, Enchantée was an enchanting and magical fantasy. With the threat of revolution tainting the air, all that glitters is certainly not gold, and that’s never been more apparent to Camille and her family. The divide between aristocracy and the common folk is as wide as ever and many people, like Camille and her family, are living in extreme poverty while the aristocrats wine and dine and waste to their hearts’ content. Camille is forced to rely on the one thing that she’s good at, the thing that’s dangerous, the thing that many of the French are wholly against — magic. The problem with using magic though is the threat of madness, and avoiding the madness is a struggle in and of itself because even the smallest amounts of magic come along with a mighty addictive quality. Camille is willing to take that chance if it can save not only herself, but also her sickly sister and her drunk, useless brother.

Enchantée was such an intriguing story that was littered with plenty of real historical figures and events, although in Trelease’s world, many of those people and events are heavily infused with magic. Which brings us to the French Revolution — Trelease based her revolution on much of what history tells us, but again, it’s infused with magic. Many folks want magic outlawed, while some want magic to be as accepted as anything else. Hands down, my favorite part of this entire book was when Camille used her magic to gamble at the Palace of Versailles, and it was definitely interesting to see how many of the aristos, ones who were vehemently against magic, also using little bits of it themselves.

There is a fair bit of romance in this book between Camille and a balloon enthusiast, although I wasn’t quite sold on their relationship and I can’t pinpoint why. Perhaps it’s because the relationship becomes so wrapped up in deception that I couldn’t really feel for either one at that point. Camille is living quite the double life, and that comes into play quite heavily as she and Lazare try to navigate their budding relationship, but the problem doesn’t stop there as Lazare also has plenty of secrets. And really, that sounds so exciting and juicy and tense, but I felt none of that. It was more of a niggling annoyance that they couldn’t just be honest with one another.

While I enjoyed much of the story, there were a few things that kept me from enjoying it as much as I expected to. The magic system wasn’t entirely clear, or at least clear enough for me to discern how it works. I also didn’t understand the balloons, or more specifically, why they were introduced and yet not given a bigger spotlight. That’s where things kind of got tricky for me because there are so many different threads happening with the magic, the romance, the balloons, the bad guy and the drunk brother, but none of them really came together for me at the end and instead felt like several disjointed stories that never really connected.

Bottom line — Enchantée was an interesting and magical read, and I did enjoy it for the most part. Trelease did a phenomenal job marrying history with magic, and I’m definitely looking forward to what she brings to readers in the future.


*eARC received via NetGalley.

I absolutely loved this one! I loved the magic system, I have never read anything like it so I loved the originality of it! Plus, the atmosphere of this book was beautiful, it sucked me right in and reminded me of my trip to Paris last year. The one thing that I didn’t really love is the casual degrading comments; like the term “whore” was used so many times it just started making me feel uncomfortable.

Enchantée is an equal mix of fantasy and historical fiction. If you're a fan of France or French culture, then this book is perfect for you. Gita Trelease perfectly encapsulates the essence of France during 1798. Although, this version of France is much different from the one we know and love. In Enchantée, there are people who are able to wield magic. Some can do minor illusions while some can perform the grandest and most intricate of illusions. However, performing magic isn't as easy as we all would think.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The reason I couldn't give this book 4 stars is because of the pacing. There were so many times where the story dragged. It took me way longer than it should have to finish this book. That being said, I still recommend everyone give this book a chance. It's full of history, magic, family, with a dash of romance.

Enchantee is a lovely book that I absolutely enjoyed. A mix between Historical Fiction and Fantasy it reminded me of Grave Mercy by Robin Lafever. The same kind of blending between history and the story Gita was trying to tell. This was another book where I couldn't put it down. Yes there were high stakes, but it was the need to hope for a resolution that really drove my reading experience. Camille Durbonne and her story reminded me alot of Ever After. Look for my full review on my blog coming soon. Many thanks to netgalley for the chance to read Enchantee ahead of publication :)

Enchantee is enchanting. The story takes place in Paris right before the revolution; where the cost of performing magic is sorrow. Camille must con the court of Versailles to survive and save her sister. The magic system is simple, and has different "levels". I loved the relationship between Camille and her sister, Sophie and what lengths Camille go through to provide for her sister. This book is for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, low fantasy, slow burn magic and court/political intrigue.
TW: abuse, alcoholism, gambling/gambling addiction,

There once was a young French girl and her little sister,

Who were poor beyond belief due to their gambling brother.

The death of their parents turned their life quite tragic,

That’s why the eldest sister Camille turned to gambling and magic.

A dress that requires blood to enchant and disguise,

Was all that she’d need to sneak into Versailles.

But little was said about the toll on the soul that trickery would take,

Or the consequences that come from a life lived fake.

Livres, love, ball gowns and hats,

Hot air balloons so high, that one tip and you’ll splat.

Versailles may be enchanting, with a Queen like Marie

But nothing in Versailles is black and white, and nothing is free.


Hold on to your wigs, there’s a new Versailles tale in town!

My dear Vicomtes and Vicomtesses, Enchantée is EVERYTHING and MORE that you could EVER ask for in a historical fiction set in late 1700 Versailles!

It is extravagant, it is DANGEROUS, and it is exactly what you would expect a palace of courtiers to be like.

JEALOUSY is CLAWING at my insides, my brain is working mercilessly to assure me that I will never be able to step into this beautiful world, and it is taking EVERY bit of self-control to not throw myself on the ground and weep.

Weep because I will never experience the abhorrent glory that was Versailles in 1789.

OR a Versailles with magic and trickery.

Enchantée was all the things I hoped for when I read its description: cinched waists, expensive dresses, powdered faces, dapper men with MANNERS galore, magic....and cake. But that’s a given. I think we can ALL agree that any and ALL Versailles retellings are welcome to us book lovers, especially when a Fantasy aspect is thrown into the mix.

You had me at aristocrat and la magie.

Though the beauty of Versailles may pull you in to reading this book, or even the cameo of Marie Antoinette, I can assure my lovelies…you will stay for the characters, plot and writing. Gita Trelease has outdone herself! This book is elegant and suave, delectable and enticing. I was swept away in the world that she presents on a golden platter smattered in frosting and wine, and I am horribly STRICKEN that it is over. The author has fused fact with fiction and given readers a story that is both historical, while also fantastical in that it is filled with magic. She included events leading up to the French Revolution, the prices in bread increasing and the eventual riots, while also capturing the voices of the rich and the poor beautifully. These courtiers are the typical snooty aristocrats that you know and love, so enjoy.

Camille is the main character of this story, and her story is quite a sorrowful one at that. Her parents had both died from small pox, her brother is a drunk and gambling addict who cannot control himself, and she must work la magie to provide food for her and her youngest sister. Once things turn worse for Camille’s brother, she is forced to work la magie on a higher scale. She infiltrates the Palace of Versailles posing as a Baroness, in hopes of earning money through gambling by changing cards with her magic. She is quickly swept up in the allure of the courtiers and the palace, and who could blame her?! There are masquerade balls, endless parties and games in the gardens, and cakes and wines all around! Courtiers strewn every which way, running wild with little to no rules to hinder their wants and needs.

Though a wonderfully created world, the truly amazing aspect of this story is the writing. The author has combined French words and phrases with this English version, and it made it THAT much more real and authentic. The reader will feel like they are in Paris in the late 1700’s, walking the streets with Camille or dining with her in Versailles! The creative writing was fantastic, and the setting was described impeccably. The characters were given such vast and comical personalities, while also proving to be well-versed in the etiquette and “ways” of the time period.

Don’t worry darlings, there is INDEED a romance to be had. It is a truly touching and gentle romance at that, and one that I wish I could catch and put into my pocket. It will give you the audible *sigh*, the immense feels, and of course…make you wonder why the hell men aren’t this chivalrous anymore! I thought the author did a wonderful job of keeping the characters true to the era by ensuring proper rules for courting and attire, and even found it to be amusing at the modesty that was displayed back then.

“If he took off his coat, she might expire”

I wish I could say more! With all of that said, I think it’s obvious that I LOVED Enchantée to the gold-encrusted moon and back! It was an incredibly fun and creative read, and I only wish this was a series and not a stand-alone! I suppose I will just be here waiting and hoping that Gita Trelease will write another story that can compare and compete with this. Because I feel as I do at the end of every beautiful party, sorrowful and nostalgic.

A brilliant entree into the seductive world of the Court at Versailles, where everyone wears a mask and it can be hard to distinguish friend from foe! Using magic, destitute Camille enters the world of aristocracy in order to win enough money to keep her younger sister fed and clothed. Her days are spent between her ordinary life as a balloonist's muse and her nights as an enchanting gambler. An artful blend of fantasy and historical fiction with enough action and intrigue to keep the plot rushing forward!

There is nothing I love more than ambitious girls who do whatever it takes to survive. Both because they have to, and because it shows who they are, and how even if they’re afraid, they’ll push through it and make a life for themselves. Camille Durbonne was running out of quick tricks and money because her brother kept taking everything she’d steal, and she had to care for her younger sister who couldn’t fend for herself. So she dug deep into her mother’s magic, even when she was told never to touch the dark stuff. But magic always wants a price, and Camille had to figure out just how far she was willing to go.

I LOVED herbcharacter. She was so intelligent and dependable, and hungry for a life where she and her sister could thrive instead of just get by. She spent months at the Palace of Versaille turning cards and lying to everyone she met there, and it was enough for awhile. She was able to move them out of their terrible apartment and away from her brother, whom she loved but could not afford to keep in her life. It cost her a lot, though, and it wore her down. So much that she wasn’t even sure if she knew who she was anymore. But she was unwilling to lose the game that brought them so much richness and light.

Yet she did not spend all of her time in the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, charming and deceiving people of their money. She made friends with balloonists who are also revolutionaries. While Camille’s magic drained her of her energy and blood, she was able to find small comforts with them, and she fell in love with a boy who really sees her. Her sister was chasing after a dream of hers, and Camille was tired but she was happy. She just needed time that she didn’t have, and a way to get out of the magic and still survive. But she got more than she bargained for when the streets erupted into rebellion.

This historical fantasy felt so decadent. It was long, but it pulled me in until I couldn’t help feeling like I was right there with Camille. There is something so enchanting (ha!) about the revolution and Marie Antoinette and everything that went on during that time period. And I just love when history is twisted in a way that is unique while also keeping its setting. The plot was intricate, and though not very difficult to figure out what would happen, I was thoroughly invested in these characters and their relationships with one another (such cuteness with the romance!). And I just ADORED Camille’s story, from the first page to the last.

RATING: 4 Paw Prints!

Enchantée by Gita Trelease is a book that I unfortunately didn’t get to finish before its release, I did read sixteen chapters in the little free time I now had because of grad school, but I loved what I did read and will definitely be picking up the finished copy.

I loved the sisterly relationship between Camille and Sophie. These two girls who have been show loss and horrible circumstances imposed on them by family - mainly their brother - who still have such real love between them in every situation was so great to see. Usually in YA books, the main character will rely on a new friend or romantic interest for that and the fact that this is a sister bond was so refreshing.

I am a bit into Act 2 of this book and the author does an amazing job at writing in a way that paints a clear picture of what the setting and characters look like. The reader is totally clear on what’s happening at all times and I always love that in books, especially those set in a place as beautiful as France. The author also does a great job distinguishing the different classes of people, since this is the time of the revolution. The reader can clearly tell, based on the atmosphere painted, when we are in a normal neighborhood and when we are in a palace.

I am also personally biased towards media that takes place in France. After studying French for four years in high school, it leaves an impression.

I am looking forward to picking up the finished copy and seeing where this story goes!

Enchantee was filled with secrets, love interest, magic, and family drama, all of which really entertained me! Camille has magical abilities she has only barely begun to tap into when her little sister becomes her sole responsibility. Camille assumes the best course of action is to dabble into a darker magic in order to provide for them-the problem is the magic requires much more from her than she expected. She finds herself thrown into the inner happenings of the wealthy/court lifestyle that are both terrifying and addicting. All the while with the burden of keeping her secrets.
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I loved the elements of magic and what it required of Camille. Her budding romance with a certain young inventor was adorable and frustrating. My only complaint was the villian who I just didnt care for. Also, at moments Camille made decisions that reminded me why I sometimes struggle to read YA. Overall I definitely recommend this book

Enchantée by Gita Trelease is a young adult historical fantasy that takes place at the time of the French Revolution. While the book has events and figures from this time in history it is a fantasy read with the use of magic being involved with the characters.

Camille Durbonne’s family had never been rich but when her parents both pass away from smallpox Camille and her siblings are left to fend on their own. Camille’s older brother however only gambles away any little bit he gets a hold of and is often abusive to Camille and her younger sister.

In order to protect herself and her sister, Sophie, Camille begins to dabble in the dark magic that had always been forbidden. Instead of only turning bits of metal into coins to survive Camille begins to transform herself to pass as a baroness to enter the high stakes gambling in the Palace of Versailles.

First for the positive side of this one I would readily admit the author did a good job incorporating magic into the historical time frame and bringing it all to life. However, with this one being close to 500 pages yet again I felt as if it just wasn’t going anywhere. I’m not a huge fan of such a slow burning story and want way more action happening than I found in this one. While this one was just so-so to me though I’m sure those that prefer a slow build would love it.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

France on the cusp of revolution
Camille is a young woman living in Paris just before the French Revolution. Her parents have died of smallpox and her brother, Alain, is in the grips of alcoholism and gambling addiction. To support herself and her younger sister, Camille uses magic to turn bits of junk metal into coins, just enough for them to eke by. But after Alain's gambling gets them into more hot water than usual, Camille decides to risk even more dangerous magic in order to disguise herself as a noblewoman and engage in some high stakes gambling at Versailles.

And then...uh...some...stuff happens? It was a very good set up, but then the rest of the book kind of took a wandering turn to just sort of spend time at parties in Versailles. There wasn't much of a plot besides Camille getting to know a whole cast of colorful new characters.
Some very good emotions but without a place to put them
A lot of the page time in Enchentee was given over to Camille's inner monologue and the extremely complex and tumultuous emotions she was going through. Still processing the death of her beloved parents and the loss of her former life, wrestling with her fears and abandonment issues, nurturing a resentment of the ruling class, it was all great stuff. And for the most part, I really liked her character. She was realistic and heartfelt and had a rich amount of potential.

Most of the book was slow and introspective and focused on Camille just existing and feeling things and starting a new romance with a nifty new beux. And that's fine. But there were hints and teases of a more tension-driven plot that just didn't go anywhere and it made me thing there was supposed to be something more that I just wasn't getting to yet. Which, in turn, made the whole thing feel like a drag. I kept waiting for this vaguely ominous bad guy to do something. I kept waiting for these threatened consequences to amount to anything. I kept waiting...and waiting and waiting and nothing much really happened. It would have been fine if I could settle into things, but the feeling of waiting was tedious.

You...you know there's a revolution coming, right?
For a book set at the edge of the French Revolution, there certainly wasn't a lot of rebelling going on. Certainly, Camille's hardscrabble life is contrasted with the excesses of Versailles, and she spends the odd occasion here and there waxing poetically in her head about freedom of the press. There's two scenes of other people being rebellious. But outside of that, it's just...rich people being fancy. While there wasn't any outright praise for that lifestyle, I got the impression of a kind of soft-core sympathizing for the nobles as a group. And of course, my least favorite, the old "okay, but the noble characters we like are NICE to their subjects." It was just an...uncomfortable focus, given the time period, to have such a relatively uncritical framing of this class of people while the other classes are largely absent from the narrative.
A Few Random Things

There's not enough consequence for the magic. There's talk of terrible consequences, but none of them show up on page or have any relevance.
Sexual violence and prostitution is used as a vague threat, a "oh no, that'll be me if I can't get enough money" kind of line. Very unnecessary.
The villain has extremely unclear motivations, although his plan at least made sense and was scary.
The romance between Camille and Lazare was really cute and sweet.
I liked most of the side characters, even if I very aggressively do not care about Chandon's family going bankrupt. Or any of their families, really.


Will I read this author again? Maybe
Will I continue this series? Probably not. Given that the sequel is pitched as "watch all these rich noble characters try to survive the Revolution" and...erm...I'm kind of on the Eat the Rich side.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

A book has never been so fitting of its title! Enchantée by Gita Trelease left me exactly that way — enchanted!

This book is a fabulous mélange of magic, mystery, and romance across the backdrop of revolutionary era France. The story follows a young girl who has lost everything but is trying to come back stronger.

Trelease absolutely captivated me with her writing. Her style is charming and brimming with imagery, and I was completely immersed in this story. I felt as though I was transported to 1789 Paris and could perfectly envision the opulence of Versailles and feel the struggles of the lower classes! The pacing, for me, was akin to that of a slow burn. However, it felt appropriate given the span of time of which the story traverses.

The magic system is really intriguing, weaving a dangerous thread throughout the story, as the magic comes with a price! The magic also allows the story to take on two parts, as our main character lives a double life with its help.

Camille is a character I found myself rooting for. She has the weight of the world on her young shoulders, but she is determined not only to survive but to make a new life for her and her sister, Sophie. Her struggles help to shape her into the character that she is — for better or for worse — and I appreciated that. She didn’t always make the best choices and I often wanted to reach through the pages to shake some sense into her, but I loved her regardless and wanted to see everything fall into place for her.

Overall, I absolutely recommend Enchantée! Fans of YA historical fantasy will love this debut! I will be eagerly anticipating reading more from Gita Trelease.

I don't understand some of these negative reviews. I thought this book was engaging and fun. At the beginning of the book, Camille is desperate and feels like she is out of options. As she tries to survive she creates an alter-ego to con money out of aristocrats, and ultimately is able to find out who she truly is outside of desperation or manipulation. Many of the characters are nuanced, especially the love interest, Lazare, who is half-Indian, half-French. The villain, I will admit, is not as nuanced, but I think he still fits into the excesses of Marie Antoinette's court.

I'm really bugged by the people who are hating on this book for its depiction of the brother and the mentions of sex workers. This book is a fantasy and has a very limited magical system, but apart from that very limited magic it's supposed to be France, 1789. Real events, like the Tennis Court Oath and the storming of the Bastille, still happen in this universe. OF COURSE our 18th century heroine is scared poverty will force her to become a sex worker. That was a common view in the time period and place, and (as Fantine from Les Mis shows us) was often a death sentence. Camille doesn't "let" Alain get away with being a terrible, abusive jerk-- as the first quarterish of the book goes on she starts to stand up to him, and the main plot is spurred on by her attempts to get away from him. This book doesn't claim to be like Children of Blood and Bone or Six of Crows, where the authors created a new world but borrowed some elements from the real world. This is more of an alternate history, where the "alternate" bit is magic.

My only problems with this book were that (at least in the ARC I received) French words and phrases were used in sentences without italics or anything setting them apart, and without translation. Once I got to the end of the e-book, I realized there was a glossary in the back. I also found some of the action scenes a little difficult to follow, and had to read The Big Final Action scene a few times to understand what had gone on.

I will also add a few content/trigger warnings-- there is one physical abuse scene that was pretty hard to read, but is pretty important to the plot/character development. There is also one aspect to the magic system that rings a bit like self-harm, so if those things bother you, maybe skip this one.

Enchantee follows the story of Camille who uses magic to help keep her younger sister and brother from starving and being thrown out of their apartment. With her magic she can temporarily turn objects, such as pieces of metal into coins. Desperation leads Camille into attempting more and more with her magic which thrusts her into the gambling world in Versailles.

The Story-
I really liked the idea of this story, but found that like Camille it had a story split up too much. Both parts of the story tied together, yet weren’t necessary to the other. At first I really enjoyed the part where Camille was off in Versailles, but quickly lost interest as a large portion of her time there was spent describing the opulence that surrounded her. After having several rooms and clothing choices described it all sort of blended together.

I was really hoping more time would be spent on her story in her own world without magic, but the story lacked the development of the friendship between herself and Lazare, the biggest driving factor that had me going was the unfairness of how she was treated within her relationship with her. I rather dislike a women succumbing and being accepting of being left hanging. I mean, there were moments when I thought he was going to ghost her, and he barely redeemed himself in my eyes.

The World Building-
I really liked the magic in this book! I liked that the power was derived from the sorrow of the magician. The fact that it took source that way gave it an undertone of evil and that it wasn’t actually a gift.

I was really hoping to get a little bit more about the magic, but most of it was Camille making herself prettier. There are at least two other magicians in the book, and we barely get an idea of what they are using their magic for.

With this being a historical fantasy fiction all the world building was wrapped around the start of the French Revolution, which was really fun, but I found wasn’t really necessary. The revolution itself could have had a much bigger role, however so much time was spent on descriptions of Versailles. I sort of wanted to stop the book midway and watch Marie Antoinette just to have a visual to entertain my eyes.

The Characters-
I loved how Camille was willing to sacrifice in unusual ways to help her family. I also liked that she was human, and wasn’t immune to the draw of addiction – both using the magic as a sort of shield as well as the gambling.

Enchantee is a dazzling French stand-alone story about Camille, a teenage girl who is struggling to use her magique to change scrap metals into coins to pay for food for her younger sister and her good-for-nothing older brother. Life is tough and the rent is overdue, but when she meets a boy and his crew in the park who are boarding a balloon about to crash, she doesn't hesitate in coming to their rescue. As the book goes on, Camille becomes more desperate for adventure and for money. She discovers more tactics for the magic and in turn, the magic begins to take its toll--on her life.

I loved this book so much in the beginning. It was so fascinating and so quick-paced with characters being so colorful and quickly introduced. However, it began to lose momentum about halfway through and I was ready to fast forward a little bit. There was just a little too much emphasis on other things that didn't matter as much--scenery and smaller details rather than plot movement. The end, however, picked up nicely once again and was an excellent tie-in to history. Personally, I feel that historical fiction gets a bad wrap and can be underrated but this book really does make it fun and come to life so my hat is off to the author on this one!

I don't know what's come over me lately but I have really been enjoying the occasional historical fiction book! First I was blown away by Stalking Jack the Ripper and its sequels last year, and now I'm falling in love with a man in a hot air balloon in France! Having a French last name, and French heritage I took it upon myself in college to study French as my minor. I have used said minor a total of pretty much zero times since finishing college and so needless today my French is a little rusty. This book was like a walk down memory lane, I was brushing up on my terms right and left. It was actually really a fun experience trying to figure out what I could remember correctly and looking them up in the glossary in the back of the book to see if I was right. I can see where this would get a little annoying for the non French speaking reader though, because the French writing was everywhere throughout the book.

Aside from the language in the book the time and the setting were perfect for the atmosphere. Set in Paris in 1789 this book follows the story of a young girl named Camille who is trying to get by on small magic tricks that turn scrap metal into coins so she can pay for a meager meal to share with her siblings. Her parents are dead from smallpox and they are barely surviving. Her brother is a gambling addict who has sold almost all of their belongings and still continues to lose what he doesn't even have. Her sister is recovering from her own illness and Camille doesn't want her out on the streets working until she knows shes healthy enough. Life is tough and when Camille sees a flying balloon with two young men aboard about to crash, she doesn't think twice to run to their rescue. What does she have to lose?

Along the way throughout this book we learn that magic and power have a strong allure and once you are in its hard to get back out again. Why would you want to go back to being powerless when you have felt all that it can do? Even if its hurting you, but saving all of those you love? What would you do to make sure your siblings are safe and healthy? What would you give up? When Camille is faced with these questions she knows the right path to take but its harder than it seems because not only did she find power among the magic, but friends and maybe even love. By getting out there and trying new things she found passion in things she never thought she would do, like flying in a hot air balloon, and playing hide and seek with friends. She discovers a life out there that she couldn't otherwise have if she didn't use the powerful magic that her mother warned her about. But even though it comes with a price, Camille thinks that she can handle it even when it starts to take its toll on her life.

The only complaint I would have while reading this is that it does sometimes get a little slow. This is usually the case when  I read historical fiction though, which is why I tend to lean towards other genres of books. Even though it was enough to notice that it does tend to slow and get bogged down with lots of descriptions of the lavish scenery, it has its purpose and in the end it wasn't enough to take away from the story. It picks back up quickly and I was able to keep my attention on the book and ended up enjoying it quite a bit.

By the end of the book everything wraps up well, It was a stand alone book so there won't be any sequels and that's okay because I think the story wrapped up completely without any loose ends. It was neat to see how the real parts of history fit in with the magical story being told in a way that the whole story felt real. I could possibly be convinced that it really was a bit of magic and a love story that got the first hot air balloon in the air in Paris all those years ago. Just the other day I saw a photo in a restaurant of all the history of flight, and on the poster there was the same hot air balloon flown by a man named Rozier and created by the Montgolfier brothers, which is mentioned quite a bit in the book. It was neat to see what I read about and see it is real but the flare that this book put to the real story was so well done that it made it seem like I knew secrets about history that no one else knew. I'm starting to finally realize why historical fiction can be so fun to read sometimes and its books like this that make that happen. I really enjoyed this and I hope you all do too!