This is my favourite duology ever!

The only thing I didn't like about the series was that is has only two books.
But I must admit that the two books fit each other perfectly. Anything left open in the first book is reseloved in the second one.

The story picks up only a few weeks after the events of the first one. Elsie is trown into jail for unregistered spellbreaking and struggles with the events of the last half of the fist book. The real criminal is still at large and Elsie teams up with her friends and aquaintances to catch them. The book held some really unecpected plot twists and the mystery aspect did not fall short for me.

Elsies internal struggles (the feeling of being unlovable and her involvement in the events of the last book) make her a relatable, kind and caring person. Bacchus is as lovable as Elsie, since he also is kind, caring and compassinate. The love story between him and Elsie is so sweet (I gasped at their cuteness on more than one occasion) and I was so glad to see it resolved happily.

The worldbuilding and magic system are immaculate. The magic is different from other books I've read so far which was very refreshing, and I have recently found to enjoy the setting of victorian England immensely.

I can't help but praise this book in every aspect.

If you are a fan of Jane Austen and fantasy (and don't mind the two of them combined) I suggest you read this book.

Spellmaker is the second book in Charlie N Holmberg's Spellbreaker duology, and I would recommend that readers who pick up this book read Spellbreaker first, as it does not really work as a standalone. This book picks up from where Spellbreaker leaves off, with the dramatic arrest of Elsie as an unregistered Spellbreaker. Things are looking grim for our heroine but fortunately her friend Bacchus Kelsey is able to come up with a plan that sees her being released on condition that she undergoes training to become licensed and registered , plus one or two other requirements that he hopes she will not find too onerous. Once freed the pair resume their search for the rogue Spellmaker who has been killing magicians for their spellbooks , using their ability to manipulate and control thought to incriminate the innocent.
Once again Holmberg has created a clever magic system that is easy to understand, and as always her skill with words and her storytelling ability is superb, I do think that this duology could have worked as a single novel, and that would have helped with some of the pacing issues I felt overall. Solidly entertaining.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Holmberg writes easy, flowing prose, guiding the narrative to its natural course. Her exploration of personal insecurities is a very contemporary dramatic layer, deftly woven under the overall scheme of a late-Victorian society, prejudiced against women and individuals of color. If I do have a comment to make, it would be on a couple of points about pacing, and political messaging. The first book follows a first-act template - with the conclusion solving the current predicament, but raising the prospect of a much larger conflict. The second book resolves the conflict but may feel like an about-turn in circumstances for our heroes in a too-short-a-period. Maybe the exploration of (mild spoilers) Elsie's family and a maybe friend-mentor could have been split into three books instead of two? Secondly, the political messaging is a bit too on-the-nose -- Elsie is manipulated into acting in a class-war, hoping to create a more just society where everyone is equal, but the implicit conclusion one draws from the narrative is that activism for such a political cause is harmful (?) I would have appreciated if the author had also proposed a solution instead of marking out a particular cause as a societal ill. I do want to emphasize though, that different political leanings (I am a hardcore Democratic Socialist) do not take away from the enjoyment of the duology.

Please find my complete review of the Spellbreaker Duology here:
https://echoes-empty-mind.blogspot.com/2021/02/book-review-spellbreaker-duology-by.html

Thank you for the opportunity to read the advance review copy!

Elsie and Ogden have been released from Master Merton’s plans. But they are far from free yet - Elsie gets arrested for being an unregistered spellbreaker and the only way to free her is for Bacchus to convince the magistrate that she only recently discovered her talents and he only knows this because they’ve been courting for a few months, spending a lot of tome together, and are engaged to be married. And Master Merton has gone into hiding and must be caught. Elsie, Bacchus and Ogden are on her trail!

I will say I liked this book better than the first book, though still not saying much - this book actually had something happen. The duology probably would have been better served as a standalone single book. As a reader, I found myself constantly annoyed with Elsie always talking about being unlovable. But there is never any substance to her beliefs, she just says “there’s something unlovable about me.” Ugh, ok, what is it? Maybe it’s just that little bit because it is super annoying. If you’re looking for a fairly quick read without much depth, go for it. Otherwise, probably a skip.

This is the second book in this duology. I was so excited when I saw that NetGalley offered this book! If you love sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, time-travel and a tiny bit of romance then quickly grab this book!! I loved the way the author, Charlie N. Holmberg, created a descriptive text making me hang onto every single word wondering what was coming next. The characters are well thought through, as well as not having so many characters that they are hard to remember. The story will take you through the life of Elsie after it's discovered that she is a secret spellbreaker.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley, 47NORTH.*

Thank you 47North for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Spellmaker
By: Charlie N. Holmberg

REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Spellmaker is the second book in the Spellbreaker duology. The setting of the Victorian era in an alternate reality is perfect with a sinister undertone that is not overdone. The characters are complex, dashing, entertaining and uniquely suited to this story. I found them easy to like. Overall, this book is fun to read and I would recommend it.

Another great read. This one kept me on the edge of my seat and I never saw the ending coming! Great mystery mixed with an interesting magical system.

I know that this is a duology but I need a third one. Or a spin off. or a stand alone. I need to know if Reggie is successful. Back to the book. I really enjoyed this book. It was delightfully wrapped up (for the most part, see above). The world she developed feels a lot like the paper magician world but different and unique enough to stand part. There really were a lot of similar elements. And that might bother some people, not me though. It is obviously her niche and one she does very well. The characters are likeable and you want to spend time with them. The plot is captivating.
Overall a very good time.

I love the stunning covers of this duology and they also stand out because they are so similar, it made me instantly recognise this book as part of a series.

I really enjoyed the action in this book and kept waiting for the title “Spellmaker” to come into being. I personally gave 4 stars because that didn’t quite pan out as I was hoping and the story became more focused on the romance plot. There were many great things about this book including the character development and the great writing that makes this book an easy read. I would highly recommend this book as a YA romance/fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley & 47North for an advance copy.
#Spellmaker #NetGalley #BubblyBookReviewer

Links to be added closer to publication date.

Such a lovely, cozy ending to such an amazing duology, rather upset there will be no more books in the series!

Charlie N. Holmberg is and always will be one of my favorite authors and she is an auto-buy and read straight away for me! If you haven't read anything from her I urge to you pick up her books straight away, what are you waiting for!

The Spellbreaker series continues the story of Elsie Camden and Bacchus Kelsey, set an alternate Regency world where magic exists and is heavily regulated. Elsie's secret as an unregistered spellbreaker is revealed which turns her life upside down. If you liked the first novel, this is just as fun and more of the same!

I read The Paper Magician a while back but didn't really remember it. This is the second book in the series but it never gave the reader any back story so I was confused by some of the storyline. I would have liked a little background about the different types of magicians, something to ground the story for me.
I did enjoy the story, there was enough pace and action to keep me entertained but then slower times like deciphering the news article codes gave us time to pause.
Looking forward to the next one in the series. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC, this is my honest review.

I was in love with this story from the first chapters of Spellbreaker. The originality of the characters, the world-building, everything... I'm just SO sad it's a two-book set! This was absolutely satisfying as a sequel in every way. The plot is resolved without feeling rushed, and lingering questions were answered.
I love the family Elsie has built with Emmeline and Ogden, despite never knowing her own family. I absolutely adore the chemistry and relationship between Elsie and Bacchus. Terribly swoon-worthy! I can't say enough about Holmberg's originality with her world-building and magic. If you loved the Paper Magician Series, you'll love these books too.
Despite the fact I wish I had more of these characters, Holmberg managed it in a way that I feel like there shouldn't be more. I'm not left hanging on anything. it's strange to say - I feel like I will miss these characters, but their story is done. I would love to see this world and this magic system in other stories though. Maybe there could be a side story with other characters in the same universe? Like the paper magician series??

As a fan of book one in this duology, Spellbreaker, I was really excited to read the next in the series and rejoin well-loved characters, Elsie, Bacchus and friends, in resolving the remaining mysteries.

Spellmaker is action-packed and as full of adventure as the first novel, with an added dash of romance.

The twists and turns kept me hooked right through to the final page and I really hope the author writes more in this world.

It is so well-crafted and I would love to learn more about the Atheneums and the world of aspecting.

The Spellmaker is the second book in the set. The first book, Spellbreaker was captivating, as is this one! The way Holmberg spins a web of intrigue, romance, and magic is stunning. It will wrap around you and draw you into the world of Elsie and Bacchus. Elsie is an unregistered spellbreaker who has been embroiled in a web of murders. With Bacchus, a master spellmaker, by her side they take on the challenges that are relentlessly thrown their way. There is never a dull moment in the story, you just get swept along with it.

However, the one thing I was really missing is seeing the connection between Elsie and Bacchus grow. There were not many moments set apart to show how their relationship has grown and evolved from the first book. Overall though, it was a really good book!

This was an interesting story! I absolutely loved this take on soellmaking and spell breaking and following Elise, an orphaned unregistered spell breaker as she tries to catch a murderer without incriminating herself in the process! This is action packed story with a take on magic I haven’t encountered before! Throw in some romance with Bacchus Kelsey and this was a quick, fun read! I recommend for fans of a discovery of witches or stalking Jack the Ripper.

I have to say, I liked this a lot more than the first book. Now that we've established the characters and world, the plot could focus on more of the magic and Elsie's relationship with Bacchus. I really enjoy the two of them together and I think they make a great couple. I also liked seeing more spells and the different specialties the spellmakers have.

Bacchus is a great male lead, he's strong and confident and doesn't let others push him down because of his race. He cares a lot for Elsie and supports her in whatever she wants to do, especially in a time period where wealthy women didn't usually work. Elsie evolves a bit in this, partly because of Bacchus' love. She starts to feel like she has value and trusts her friends around her to help her. I thought Elsie and Bacchus brought out the best in each other and I'm so happy to see them together!

The plot was interesting and moved at a faster pace than the previous book. More characters are introduced and brought into Elsie's fold and we saw some pretty amazing acts of magic. The battle against Master Merton wrapped up nicely and I thought the final fight scene was well done. I did feel like there were a couple loose ends left, maybe in case of another book or spin off?

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Review
✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
After reading Spellbreaker, I was eager to continue the duology. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity. As I said before, I love Charlie Holmberg’s writing and her Paper Magician series. The magical worlds she creates are so accessible and Spellmaker is no different.
💜 What I liked:
Spellmaker follows the connection of Elsie and Bacchus as well as unraveling the mystery of who is murdering magicians. The characters are well written and relatable.
😱 What I didn’t like:
Sometimes the plot of Spellmaker dragged at times. Also there were points that I thought a twist was going to happen, but it didn’t.
💁‍♀️ The Characters:
We follow the same characters from Spellbreaker - Elsie, Bacchus, Emmeline, Ogden. There are some new characters in this book: Irene Prescott, a magician who tutors Elsie, and Reggie, someone from Elsie’s past!
🚦 The Ending:
Excellent action scene in the ending! Wraps everything up nicely and I was very satisfied.
💭 Consider if you like:
Accessible period fantasies that get you invested in the characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

A great follow-up to the first book! The author continues to develop worlds and characters that leave readers hoping for more. I really enjoyed reading this and cannot wait to see what comes out next from the writer.

Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this E-Arc. All new releases as of February 2021 will be featured on my blog.