Spellmaker is a really solid ending for this short duology by Charlie Holmberg. Picking up where the first book, Spellbreaker, left off, we follow our heroine as she continues to unwind the secrets she uncovered. However, her enemy is canny and manages to get Elsie thrown in jail. The only way out is through a faked engagement with Bacchus. With their wedding looming close and the enemy slipping away, will Elsie and Bacchus manage to unveil the truth? Can they find a way through the lies and deceit to their happy ever after?

Holmberg doesn't disappoint readers with the resolution in this novel. I found myself happily reading through meals to complete the book. I found Elsie to be a little bit annoying, she is both a strong character and a dithering girl at times. As a heroine I wanted her to be a little less of a damsel in distress, but considering the time period of the novel, it was in line with the societal expectations. The plot is well-paced and the conclusion feels only a little forced and easy. If you are looking for a historical fantasy set in the time of Queen Victoria with a mostly charming heroine and a satisfactory ending then this duology is for you.

I enjoyed the first book, but didn't love it. There were quite some things that didn't work so well for me, but here... here things get better. Way, way better.
First thing first, the characters really came alive in there. Elsie felt more real here, and I could relate to her way more. And Bacchus and Ogden? Oh my! They finally found some backbone and I was so so glad! I love my characters with some backbone (ok, ok, the more the better, in my modest opinion!) and they finally get there! Also, they all become more real, more relatable and more complex.

In the first book, they were almost bidimensional, in there nope! And I was more invested in the story too. In part this is because of the characters (there were a couple of scenes that made me go fangirling around!!) and in part is for the plot. We don’t have any downtime in there. We get a lot happening, and the pace keeps up just so well!
The only complaint here is for the ending, because it was a bit rushed, again. But it is a minor thing, because I had a great time reading this second volume, and I devoured it!

So, I think that if we speak about stars (or hearts, or whatever) I would give the first book a 3 stars, and 3.75 to the second. It was mesmerizing in some parts, and I needed to keep reading.

ARC from NetGalley

I'm leaning toward 3.5-3.75 stars for this.

I quite liked the first book. I didn't dislike this one. I just found that things were a bit predictable, and there wasn't really any character growth. I found the romance to be sweet but underwhelming and not terribly exciting. The first book is definitely the better of the two. That said, I did still reasonably enjoy it.

Elsie was starting to get to me. I feel awful, sort of, but her constant "oh god everyone is going to leave me" is getting a bit repetitive and old. Also, it just doesn't really make sense. She was left by her family when she was very young. She was left by her boyfriend. So she assumes that everyone hates her and will eventually leave her even though she has been with Ogden for 10 years, and he hasn't sent her packing. She constantly second-guesses herself. I think the author wanted her to have some flaws, but these weren't believable flaws to me, and I was starting to roll my eyes and wanted to smack her a few times during the book.

While this was a duology, they left things open for another book in the same universe with many of the same characters while still tying this story up nicely. I would be open to reading that one if/when it comes out.

Spellbreaker and Spellmaker are a fun, light duology with an interesting mystery at its heart. Thank you NetGalley and 47North for the ARC.

I do have serious issues with Bacchus Kelsey's character, as 75-80% of his character traits and personality stem from the fact that he's Other. He's Foreign. He's exceptionally tall and dark and is a bastard and has an accent and lives in the British West Indies instead of in England but we are reassured multiple times that he's European. He's written as if dealing with going about life as a person of color in England in the late 1800s but he's half British and half Portuguese and it just feels like an enormous copout. Like doing EVERYTHING possible so that he's not Really a person of color. However, since this was already an issue in Book 1, I won't dock points this time around, though I sincerely hope that the author doesn't do this again.

Putting aside the issue of Bacchus, I otherwise found Spellmaker light and entertaining. The villain is revealed at the very end of Book 1, so there isn't a ton of mystery left regarding WHO, but we are still left with questions of why and how to be explored. I thought the use of newspaper articles with a kind of code was a nice touch. I was also, I suppose, pleasantly surprised by some of the newly introduced characters - Irene and Reginald. I do wish some more time had been spent on Elsie's abilities, which we realized were unusual and advanced previously. She can break spells as they're being unfurled, but this is never really further explored, despite a character literally asking how she does it in text. I have no problem with main characters with unusual powers (I reject the idea of "Mary Sues" most of the time) but some explanation is warranted. Some more time could also have been spent on why Merton is so fixated on Elsie in particular, as it feels like it should be more than just kindred spirits.

Still, I did enjoy the read. I like Elsie, I really like Emmeline, who is adorably sweet and supportive. I did appreciate the nuance of "punishment" for actions committed by people under control of someone else (missed a chance to allegory to slavery only recently abolished in England at the time!) Ogden, for example, is redeemed despite having done bad things under influence, and I was glad to see Elsie get to keep that treasured relationship and her little found family.

You know that feeling when you finish the first book in a series on a complete cliffhanger? And really, really hope that the next book picks up with the same action? That's exactly what Charlie Holmberg did with Spellbreaker and this absolutely wonderful duology follow-up, Spellmaker.

We find Elsie, Ogden, and the dashing Bacchus right where we left them in the first installment: simultaneously attempting to track down the dastardly magician behind recent murders and opus thefts while ALSO working through the more personal issue of their ability to preform unregistered magic. Holmberg beautifully combines all of this with a very slow burn Elsie/Bacchus romance that becomes much more physical as the book progresses.

Not to be forgotten is the lovable support characters-- Emmeline, Reggie, and Irene. The fast paced plot had me easily consume the book in a single day. Highly recommended to those 13+ as the sexuality and violence are kept to a very modest level.

This second installment of the duology felt more like a return to Holmberg's 'Paper Magician' series than the first. The characters popped, the magic system was utilized more, and the romance heated up. A very satisfying end to another well built fantasy story.

I didn’t simply read this book, I inhaled it. Objectively, I preferred the first volume, but I was too excited and it is indeed quite the page turner. With almost all the major revelations taking place a the end of the first book, there is not much mystery in this one. It’s more action packed and it has its share of exciting twists. This being said, the budding romance between Elsie and Bacchus shifting to light speed with a rather common trope, I didn’t like very much. In my opinion, the fake-marriage-but-not-that-fake thing is better left to fanfiction. I was a bit disappointed because I’d have preferred their relationship to evolve more naturally and I’m convinced that we’ve been robbed of what could have been quite the proposal! The subplot centered around Elsie’s origins also felt a little rushed to me, but it does leave an open door for further exploration in a potential third book (fingers crossed!). I did like this novel, but I think it could have been a little more realistic if all the plots didn’t have a somewhat easy happy ending with a bow on top. It’s frustrating because I really enjoyed this universe, the atmosphere and the characters of this duopoly, but to me it was missing a little something extra to make it truly gripping. It was nonetheless a very pleasing read and definitely what I needed to finish the year on a high note!

When I saw this follow up to Spellbreaker (which has got to be one of the most underrated books of 2020), there was no doubt in my mind that I would be devouring it as soon as I could get my hands on it. Seriously my only complaint about this book is that it’s supposed to be the last one. I love everything about this little self-made untraditional family and I need more. Especially with some hints at future complications that come in the last few pages. If we can’t have more in this series, I guess I can cross my fingers for a spinoff. Also consider this author on my auto-buy list until I die.

Spellmarker is the exciting conclusion of the story begun in Spellbreaker. Elsieand Ogden have discovered the murderer and are desperate to find them after the first installments cliffhanger. I
cannot provide a better summary without spoiling plot points.

I enjoyed this installment much more than the first.The overall pacing was better and with the world building done the characters had time to breathe. However,this duology really could have been one larger novel. My favorite part of the story was the magic system. It is an original concept and executed well. It also really allowed the author to naturally develop the world and major conflicts.

Thanks to Netgalley and 47North for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars

Spellmaker was an action-packed sequel to Spellbreaker and a satisfying conclusion to this historical fantasy duology with a little bit of mystery and romance. I was a little worried when I got to the 80% mark and felt that a lot still had to be resolved, and although I thought the climax was a little too simplistic for the build-up, I was still enthralled by the story and characters, and ultimately thought the conclusion was done well.

The story picks up not too long after the conclusion of book one and it's basically high-intensity action from the go as we get more devious and exciting reveals and a fair bit more of the slow-burning romance between Elsie and Bacchus. I grew quite attached to both characters in the first book so I really enjoyed coming back to both of them in this story! I also enjoyed that we get to see more of Ogden and Emmeline in this story, and we're introduced to more characters, such as a new Master spellbreaker and the mysterious American that we briefly met in book one. Holmberg writes with a wit that's really enjoyable to read in the characters and I found myself laughing out loud a fair few times at the wry humour. Definitely a big plus for me! Since the magic system was already pretty well established in the first book, we don't learn much more about it here but we see more ways that it can be used and I still really enjoyed it and thought it was pretty cool!

An aspect I found a bit jarring was the inclusion of Ogden's POV that we get twice (I think), which I didn't really find added that much to the story. It was interesting to get his perspective but it was also something I gathered from his character through Elsie and Bacchus' POVs. I also thought the transition between POVs within chapters wasn't as smoothly done as in the first book, but since this is an ARC perhaps it was the formatting that made it less clear? While I loved Elsie's strength of character, there were a few times in this story where I found myself feeling frustrated with her insecurity of self--I mean, I absolutely understood it, but after the lack of communication was cleared up, there was no reason for her to doubt anymore and I found it frustrating that she still did. It wasn't that big of a deal though, I just wished that her strength of character was a bit more stable. I adored Bacchus, and he was definitely the swoon-worthy hero, although there was a subplot to his story that I felt deserved better and I was a bit unsatisfied with how it was concluded.

I had conflicting feelings about the villain and I would definitely say they're in the "grey" area although I hated them for the most part. 😂 Their motive was technically good--a fight for social justice and equality, but how they went about achieving it and how it ultimately became twisted as they grew obsessed and willing to do anything to achieve it, made them the ruthless murderer in the end. The buildup to the reveal was really strong but I felt that when it came to 'the big reveal' it was a little anticlimactic. There was some action but it just seemed so simple and easy to solve after everything the characters went through to get there! That said, it wasn't a bad ending and it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story that much.

Although I had some minor issues with the story, they didn't greatly impact my overall enjoyment of it. This had a lot of action, a few red herrings that make you question just who the bad guy is, and some exciting and devious twists and turns that keep you on your toes until the end. I do hope this stays a duology because I thought it ended well, but I wouldn't be unhappy if we got more from Elsie and Bacchus (and the supporting characters?) because they're all great characters who are so easy to root for! As I enjoyed this so much, I'm definitely keen to try more of Holmberg's work in the future.

Note: The review on my blog will be posted closer to the pub date.

A lot better and exciting than the first book, which was very good also.

What I really like is that, when the author was describing the world in the beginning of the first book, she gave us some details, which she didn't used until the end of the second book.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

𝕊𝕡𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕣 - ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕖 ℕ ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕘 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Ok I was trying my hardest to do this review spoiler free BUT I just couldn’t there is too much to talk about ! 😅 so there are *SPOILERS* below...

First off I want to say Charlie N Holmberg’s writing is just touching, & beautiful! I absolutely love the elegance of her words and how everything seems to flow so well together throughout this duology ❤️

Ok on with the actual book review itself.. this one starts pretty much exactly where book one leaves us! Elsie has figured out who is killing wizards & who is going to be next ! She is more determined than ever, which in turn leaves her behind bars.

Of course Bacchus comes to her rescue with a proposal.. they must get hitched to keep up with their ever growing antics. I loved this part of the story because it brought in a good angsty romance between the two characters !! Elsie has always felt unlovable because of her past and because of this it takes a lot for Bacchus to prove his feelings are true and real for her.

The ending was pretty predictable BUT it didn’t ruin it for me! I still very much enjoyed this book and how it came together! 👏

Overall I gave this book four stars because the writing draws you into the world completely, the characters are lovable and relatable (even with magical powers 😉), plus this second book really brings out more action and twists! Which is my favorite way to end a story!!! 😍

I would completely recommend this duology to anyone who loves a slow burn romance, beautiful magic systems, and mystery!!!

Also you better believe I will be checking out Holmberg’s other series ! 👏👏👏

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I had recently read book one in this series, spell breaker, on Kindle unlimited and really enjoyed it. I was excited for the opportunity to read book two from netgalley. I have quite enjoyed this series. It is so creative with the idea of some people having the talent and skills to undo spells. I like that Elsie consensus spells and undoes them like you would untie a magical knotted rope.I enjoyed all of the characters, the storyline, the talented writing. This book has it all; magic romance mystery, and even a little humor. Fun read.

I liked this one more then book 1. I liked the growing romance between her and Bacchus. I liked the way that even friends weren't really friends in this one. It was interesting to see her 'train' to become a spell breaker although she has for years to save herself from prison. I liked how Elise grows within the book and not just by admitting her feelings for Bacchus or with her magic but she seems to go from the teenager to young lady and it was nice to read.

I became a huge Charlie Holmberg fan after reading the Paper Magician series. I was very excited to receive a copy of Spellmaker. Filled with magic, suspense and romance this is a story you will not want to put down.

I had only previously completed Holmberg’s Paper Magician when I got into this duology (I will be getting back into that series soon), which I quite enjoyed. It’s dynamic and protagonist are of a type with said series, and my highest praise for both is their equally unique magic systems. It is high praise to put the originality and thoroughness of both on a level with the systems of Sanderson. In this case, I dug the four aspects, colleges, whatever of Spellmaking, balanced with our protagonist Elsie’s covert Spellbreaking abilities. Excellent pacing and surprises continue from volume one, with the introduction of some also surprising new characters. I really enjoyed this novel!

This title was an ARC provided by NetGalley. I certainly appreciate the opportunity for the early read.

*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy from NetGalley.

I'm not sure what's with these books and the fast paced endings. They go by a little too quickly for my liking, with all the excitement happening at once. While I'm glad there was a resolution, I can't say I enjoyed this book as much as the first because of the pacing.

This book takes off pretty much where the last one left off. Only, this time, Elsie finds herself in a bit more trouble. Bacchus offers her a way out though, in the form of marriage to him. But with everyone having left her in her past, Elsie isn't sure she can muster the trust she needs to believe in Bacchus.

The characters were a little flatter this time around for me. The only one that really seemed to have any sort of development was Ogden. I enjoyed finding out more about him and his abilities and his relationship with Elsie. Elsie was pretty solid through the book, but didn't really grow or change in too many ways. She pushed the plot forward. And Bacchus, he was in this book, but I felt like he was more an afterthought and didn't seem to have as commanding of a presence. He had some questions raised that were specific to him, but even with the dialogue and situations that happened, I felt as if they were never truly addressed in the same fashion Elsie's issues were.

I know it seems as if I'm being rough in this critique, but it's because the first book was so good and engaging. This one just didn't hold on to that energy for me. A lot of it centered around Bacchus and Elsie's relationship and all the real action primarily came at the end. Regardless though, the magic concepts and world are pretty interesting in this book, and that makes the duology worth reading in itself. Although with some questions raised at the end, is this truly a duology?

Review by M. Reynard 2020

This fun sequel to Spellbreaker carries the tale on to its conclusion with some great action and lovely moments of emotion between characters.

As I’ve said before (probably many times) I’m a fan of Holmberg’s work so I’m always up for checking out the latest book. This duology has proven to be a fun read with a interesting magic system and lots of great characters–both strengths of the author. This second book continues the story from where the first one left off. Lady Merton is still on the loose and Elsie and Bacchus are uneasy about what her next move may be. Unfortunately, they don’t have to wait long as Elsie soon finds herself in danger and Bacchus does the only thing he can think of to get her out of it–offer her marriage. Meanwhile the rest of the characters, including Elsie’s new tutor, Master Ogden, Emmaline, form a sort of ‘Scooby gang’ working together to solve the mystery of where Merton is and what exactly she’s after.

I love a book with some mystery and romance and this one has both of those in spades. In fact, I’d say the romance in this one was ratcheted up a notch, which was great but also sometimes I felt like Elsie was a tad preoccupied with thoughts of Bacchus (understandably at least). I think when a book has a lot of elements it can sometimes be tough to strike a balance and this one definitely felt more on the romance-side of things but that’s not a criticism, just an observation. That being said, there was the mystery to be solved! I loved the way the characters came together and learned to trust in one another in order to protect and assist each other. There were some revelations at the beginning that showed that not everyone is worthy of trust. Despite that, the characters still chose to trust others when the occasion arose and I think that goes to show that while you don’t want to blindly trust just anyone, you can’t spend your life distrustful of everyone–eventually you have to put your faith in someone and here it pays off several times.

Merton is an interesting villain. She has a reason for what she plans to do and those reasons are very valid. And maybe her solution would bring about a lot of good in the world, but at what cost? Her problem, like most villains, is that she thinks she has the right to choose what’s best for everyone. There’s something to be said for this message. Is this a Thanos situation? Is it anti-socialism? Is it pro-America? (There is one part when one of the characters, the only American, mentions America and how precious freedom is…I’ll admit I almost laughed at that because, yes, America and freedom–we’re obsessed. That too has its costs. But of course this isn’t the time to get into that discussion. The point being in all of this is that this villain definitely gave me a lot more to think about than any of Holmberg’s previous villains, and for that I’m thankful. I do love a villain that has a little more depth to them. I wish that aspect had been explored more than it was–there wasn’t much time spent dwelling on those particulars.

The pacing on this was great, with the threat of danger hanging over the characters ever present it kept the tension high throughout the story. There was also some great action sprinkled in here and there but things really picked up at the end. Overall, I thought this was a fun read and I’m definitely keen to see what Holmberg writes next. 4/5 stars.

NOTE - Review link will not be live until 1/28/21

Let me start by saying I am a huge Charlie Holmberg fan! She was this knack for creating strong but relatable female characters and fantastical magical worlds that are unique, creative and yet easy to immerse yourself in.

When I read Spellbreaker, I immediately fell in love with Elsie and was dying for the conclusion of her story. The villain in this duology is great in that their motives aren't malevolent but the actions they take to achieve their goal are. I love a story with a moral gray area that makes you think.

The growth of the relationship between Elsie and Bacchus was fun to follow. They grow from cautious circumstantial allies into a loyal, fiercely protective duo. It's a slow burn relationship that was a much more comfortable read for me than some of the YA insta-love, overwhelming passion in 2 seconds relationships that seem to fly off the shelves.

This is a great, fun conclusion to the series that you won't be able to put down. I wouldn't hate another story in this world!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was sad that Ms. Holmberg made this series only a dualology as I would love at least one more adventure with Elsie, Bacchus, et al. Much like her Paper Magician series, she has a very unique way of making magic even more magical. In both the Spellbreaker and the Spellmaker, her fresh take on what magic and its gifted magicians can and cannot do is exciting, enticing, and creative. With Spellmaker, she neatly wraps up Elsie's story, that began in Spellbreaker, with enough satisfaction for its readers, but...oh man, I could go for one. more. book. Spoiler: I got on that boat with Elsie and Bacchus and now I want to arrive in Barbados with with them and have an island adventure.