‘Mortal Follies’ by Alexis Hail was beautifully written and highly entertaining. Absolutely recommend!

4/5. Releases 6/6/2023.

For when you're vibing with... Regency romance with a fantasy twist, Shakespeare influences, meddling fairies, and like... a lady duke who's got Gentleman Jack vibes, but on steroids. (If you know, you know.)

Miss Maelys Mitchelmore is entering society with a magical conundrum (perhaps even a soon-to-be-deadly CURSE) following her around. Which is troublesome. But just as troublesome is her run-in with the so-called Duke of Annadale, Georgianna Landrake, a mysterious (and very sexy) woman who's suspected of killing her father and brothers. Fortunately, Georgianna is suspected of being a witch, which is what Maelys might need--however, it turns out she might require the Duke of other things, as well.

Alexis Hall is a brilliant writer and could not possibly displease me with this. Obviously, I enjoyed it a lot. More on that!

Quick Takes:
--The story is framed by an interesting narrative device (think a capricious fairy that follows everyone around spying on them--exactly that). It really serves Hall's unique voice, and adds a bit of style and even more wit to the story. It also does remove you a bit from the leads; you're not in Maelys or Georgianna's heads the way you would be in say, Viola's (A Lady for a Duke) or Peggy's (Something Spectacular). But I still very much felt close to them, and it added a Shakespearian twist to the romance.

--There's so much playing with the Regency romance conventions in this one! Of course, despite not legally being the Duke, Georgianna is referred to as the Duke of Annadale throughout the novel, and God, she makes a great one. Brooding, seductive, intimidating, incredibly dramatic. Hall does a great job of underlining distinctions that separate a sapphic Regency romance from a het Regency romance, while at the same time really showing us that like... you can do both with a lot of these tropes. The amount of times Maelys threw herself at Georgianna while Georgianna steadfastly went "I shall not ravish you" (before doing something sexy that made Maelys throw herself at her again)... perfection.

--The whimsy is strong in this, but so is the drama and the magic and the darkness that comes with that kind of magic? I was really worried there for a minute! There's also a great pondering on the essence (and importance) of a happily ever after towards the end that's delightfully meta and lovely.

--It's not an Alexis Hall book without a great supporting cast (giving the lovers hell while also helping them get together) and this is no exception. You get queer found family vibes (though lighter than in the Something books), as well as a character that MAYBE invented shipping?

--I can't emphasize how good the imagery is with this one; maybe the most compelling I've read from Alexis Hall yet. Like, imagine a heroine beginning the book with a dress that's essentially magically disintegrating, then hiding in the hedges in horror before being rescued by a mysterious, alluring, shadowy woman who offers her a cloak and kisses her hand? GIVE ME FAN ART.

The Sex Stuff:
This one does have sex in it (about three scenes, technically), but it's very subtle and not explicitly written. I've read Alexis Hall's take on the variation of explicitness in his books--and I trust why he did this, as it does serve the narrative device of the book well. But I do wish it had been a little more explicit, as what we do read is BANGIN'. Think like... tied up with ribbon... and light foot stuff (girls can do it too!). I did really enjoy the progression of intimacy in Georgianna and Maelys's relationship, however, and the way in which Georgianna gave without allowing Maelys to give in order to resist showing true vulnerability. Well done.

Another great entry from this author. I hope he stays in the historical or historicalish sphere for a long time to come, because he kills it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book! Like a queer Bridgerton meets A Midsummer Night's Dream. I enjoyed the writing, though it took me a little while to really get into the story. Once I did, however, I was hooked. Will definitely be recommending this to anyone who loves a fun and frothy historical romance!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House – Ballantine for the opportunity to read an advance copy. What follows is my honest review.

Rating: 2.5/5, rounded up because honestly most of what I didn’t enjoy about this book comes down to personal taste alone.

Mortal Follies is a fun book full of sapphic romance, easily angered old gods, witches, and a fair bit of mischief and mayhem.

Credit where credit is due: Alexis Hall is an excellent author. The idea to have this story be written from the perspective of a hobgoblin watching from the outside and chronicling it into a tale for Oberon is so creative and genuinely very fun. It leaves room for interpretation—how much is real and how much is embellishment? But this is where we get into personal taste. Because of the perspective, you don’t get any deep or complete sense of the characters and the story itself has plenty of gaps. A lot of readers won’t have any problem with this, and the whimsy will more than make up for any shortcomings in characterization, but unfortunately it left me very unsatisfied.

The pacing, however, is something that deeply bothered me for reasons other than personal taste. The main plot wraps up around the halfway point, and the next ~40% is some relationship drama and development, with some heavy handed simple lounging around. At 92%, another major plot and challenge is introduced, which to me is far too late in the story to do so. It’s then wrapped up in that last 8%, meaning it’s very rushed.

I usually adore Alexis Hall's books, but this one just fell a bit flat for me. I think the premise was good, but the fae narrator just took me out of the story too much and I didn't feel invested in the characters. I need to feel connected to characters in order to really enjoy the story. For those who like romance with a touch of magic, and a regency retelling of Shakespeare's Midsummer's Night's Dream, this might be up your alley. I DNF'd at 44%.

Charmingly chaotic and queer, Alexis Hall creates a historical romance where wicked sorceresses lend their lovely cloaks, chickens can foretell the future, and mortals remain fools in the face of true love and friendship. While lacking the emotional "oomph" as their previous novels, Mortal Follies is the type of summer read to help you relax and laugh as Puck (yes, that Shakespearean Puck) narrates a swoony tale perfect for fans of Bridgeton.

All opinions are my own. NetGalley provided an ARC.

4 stars

A historical fantasy romance with deities, gods, goddesses, fairies, witches, and curses.

Miss Mitchelmore was a young debutante that found herself cursed when her dress started to unravel during a ball. She was rescued by Lady Georgina the Duke of Annadale and could escape from a scandal but the curse itself remained. Therefore, She and her best friend Miss Bickle, and her cousin Mr. Caesar started their investigation. They struggled to solve the mystery of course but with the help of the Duke of Annadale, they made progress. Miss Bickle was my favorite side character. She was a delightful Miss with peculiar opinions.

The story was narrated from a fairy’s POV. Robin was an excellent narrator, a funny one, and also a mischief that couldn’t stop bugging mortals. The narrative surely made the book more interesting during the uneventful parts of the book. The downside of it was that it made me feel removed from the romance. While I found Lady Georgina and Miss Mitchelmore an interesting couple, their chemistry and romance were somehow aloof to me.

I love to read more books from this world, especially about Miss Bickle.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an arc copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Pub Date: June 6, 2023

While this book isn't bad I struggled to connect to the characters. It seemed right up my alley with some fantasy elements but I really have been struggling with romance lately. So if you enjoy romance books this may work great for you!

The narrator was a hobgoblin observing events (which could be really funny with how they described something or compared humans to their race) so you don't really get any sense of emotions or thoughts of the characters they are watching. I also felt like there where two plot points, one of which gets wrapped up at about the 50% mark and then the other one took off so, while everything was connected, it also felt like two books.

While I didn't love this as much as Alexis Hall's other works, the delightful writing is still there and still brings me great joy. Having a narrator who is not a part of the story, but an observer from the realm of Fae was an absolute delight and a style I haven't seen before. The characters are delightful (Miss Bickle was my personal favorite because she was so ridiculous) and the plot was wonderfully twisty. When the issue that began the book was resolved before I was even halfway through I was shocked, but there was definitely more to be dealt with. The Duke (a derogatory name due to her family's deaths) and Mae are a lovely couple, but they could use a lot more communication. My only other reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the amount of animal sacrifices. There is a warning at the start of the book, but I did not anticipate so many of them (3 or 4 in total) or them being so detailed. Fair warning.

Another fun read from Alexis Hall! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
4.5

Some points that really were pluses for me were the unique writing style and the original story. It appeals to very popular (and a favorite of mine) the 1800s, the regency time period with the tons, balls, and budding relationships. There are many fun layers added to this beloved classic backdrop. There is magic, LGBTQAI+ love stories, funny friends, and a cheeky narrator. The book is packed with many events. It all flowed really well and none of it felt contrived. It is a book with magic however so that wouldn't have been the worst thing.

The book is already a bit on the longer side than the average book with over 400 pages, but the ending felt a little rushed. There are big events happening even in the last 2 pages and I wasn't sure how they would get a resolution so fast. However, even with the fast ending, it wasn't unsatisfying or too abrupt of an ending. I liked the writing style, but it took me a few chapters to really get used to them.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Regency-era books but wants something with a bit of a new twist.

I was really looking forward to reading this one by Alexis Hall. I knew it's a historical fantasy sapphic romance book, before I started it.

But the aspect of the narrator really threw me off. Unfortunately, I ended up DNF it at about 20%. I really did want to read the whole book, but I'm not sure if it was the narrator, the regency talk in the book, or both that just didn't do it for me.

This is one of those books where I wish I read the reviews before picking it up. 🥲

From the description, I knew it was going to be a sapphic historical fantasy romance… but I didn’t know it was going to be told from the pov of an omniscient hobgoblin narrator. 

DNF @ 31% but thank you to Random House Publishing, Ballantine, Del Rey, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Mortal Follies is anticipated to be published on June 6, 2023.

Content warnings provided by the author can be found here: https://quicunquevult.com/book/mortal-follies/#content-guidance8067-241c

I am an Alexis Hall fangirly through and through! I have lovingly and tenderly gobbled up everything he has published. While this was a fun, whimsical romp, it simply was not my favorite. I don’t think it was a “poor” book but some parts were a bit clunky for me.

Here’s what I LOVED:
-the regency era meets A Midsummer Night’s Dream aesthetic/world
-the hobgoblin/sprite narrator was HILARIOUS; Alexis Hall knows how to write self-aware, witty narrators
-the besties and side characters — those dynamics were an absolute delight!
-commentaries on sexual orientation and homophobia in the regency era

What didn’t work as well for me:
-the plot changes and is pretty much separated by the first and second half; It wasn’t horrible but it also felt a bit wonky in the second half.. The stakes didn’t feel as high in the second half
-the lack of an epilogue hahaha I’m such a baby, I need defined closure when it comes to a romance

Anyway, not my favorite but I still enjoyed most of it! I will continue to read Alexis Hall until I leave this mortal plane hahaha.

Maelys Mitchelmore is cursed and she doesn't know why. Infuriating! She decides to investigate the mystery with the help of her quirky best friend and her overprotective cousin. When they keep bumping into the suspected witch and murderess Lady Georgianna Landrake, she seems like a perfect suspect. Except Maelys is convinced Georgianna is innocent and she is determined to get to the bottom of who has brought the ire of the gods upon her, and why.

Mortal Follies was just okay for me. I kept waiting for the narrator to actually become relevant to the story, but he didn't really serve any important purpose and thus his inclusion grated on me. I felt like this book was split into two distinct storylines — the first half about one curse and the second half about another, completely unrelated, curse. Not sure why this was necessary? Demonstrating the fickle nature of the gods, perhaps? The romance is okay but not super believable until the end, when I can actually perceive the connection between the two characters.

Lysistrata is by far my favorite character, and I'm hoping there will be another book about her and her quest to get closer to the fae Ambassador...

Thank you to Alexis Hall, Ballantine/Del Rey, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

I am a fan of this authors previous work and was interested when I saw she had a fantasy romance coming out. It was something interesting. Might need a bit more tweaking and work in the future for the next novel but I want more!

💚💖 Mortal Follies ARC Review 💖💚

Thank you so much to Alexis Hall, netGalley and Penguin Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Mortal Follies is a sapphic historical fantasy romance. Miss Mealys Mitchelmore finds herself at a ball, dancing the night away, when suddenly her dress begins to inexplicably disintegrate. Embarrassed and afraid, she seeks refuge outside while she tries to regain her composure. When she is found by Lady Georgiana, the Duke of Annadale, she’s left in nothing but her undergarments and convinced that her reputation is ruined. When the Duke assists her with escaping discreetly, Miss Mitchelmore begins to wonder if she’s been the victim of a prank or sabotage

This was an interesting story overall. I loved the world building and the incorporation of magic into the Victorian world. I enjoyed Mae’s as a character and her growth throughout this book. While I liked her relationship with Georgiana, I didn’t personally feel the connection between the two of them throughout the book. They did start talking and connecting in the last 20% of the book, but I would have like it a little more consistently throughout - but I feel like this is a “me” issue and not a book issue.

Overall this was a 3 star read for me. I really enjoyed the world building and magic system, but I would have like to see more of a connection between the two MCs throughout the book. There were a few hints at spicy scenes but they were fade to black - so one flame for spice

If you enjoy historical fantasy romance with witchy vibes, curses and mysteries, then this is definitely the read for you!!

Review will be posted to Amazon upon publication

Our humble narrator is an observer of all, including things mere mortals can’t see and an occasional mischief maker. I laughed throughout this entire book. This book was so enjoyable with sapphic regency romance set in a world where deities, fairy spirits, and sorcerers exist.
A highly entertaining romance that blends fantasy, mystery, and comedy so well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

I love historical romance/fantasy. Mortal Follies was able to capture a whimsy and romantic feeling, while being very fun and witty. Also this book is sapphic, which is much needed in this genre!

Overall, this book was such an entertaining read! 4/5 ⭐️

Sapphic Bridgerton? Say Less. I had high hopes for this Alexis Hall novel but alas - stories from an omniscient narrator are not for me. I loved the grumpy sunshine pairing here and the leads were excellent.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lot of fun. While the story itself was pretty much what I expected it to be, there are a couple of things that put this above a typical historical fantasy romance. Obviously, the choice of narrator and how that voice is used is clever and quite fun. Secondly, I think that several of the characters are really well-done, particularly Lizzie; she's the perfect "wise fool" type of character and provides for several very interesting conversations throughout the book. I do wish that there had been more description; I thought that was the weakest part of the whole book. There's a lot of action and a lot of dialogue, as well as a significant amount of narrative asides and observations, but I just wanted more visuals. Maybe that's the only downside to the narrative choice for this novel?

Overall, this was a fun read; it's quick, it's entertaining, and it's well-written.