I have tried to start this book multiple times over the past few months and I just cannot get into it. I don't know if it's me that is not connecting or what, but I think this will be a DNF for now. I did snag a physical copy, so I do plan on eventually trying to finish it. Personally, I think it was getting a bit confused with keeping the characters separated while reading, so it was not making much sense and was taking longer than normal to read. If it would have been told in first person, that may have helped. Like I said, I will definitely be trying to read it again because I do generally enjoy Alexis Hall's books.

If you’re a fan of regency romance with a bit of fantasy narrated by the world’s best-known trickster, this book might just be for you! If you’re looking for Alexis Hall’s signature spice and well-thought-out plots, this book might not be for you.

Here we meet Miss Mitchelmore, a recently cursed young woman about to be introduced into high society and of course everything goes exactly wrong – though she does meet the mysteriously elusive “Duke of Annadale,” one Lady Landrake that sets her heart beating faster. But with a curse wrecking havoc across the season, the issue of romance can’t be at the forefront of Miss Mitchelmore’s mind.

I’ve enjoyed some of Alexis Hall’s other books and this one certainly bears their trademark wit and banter that I’ve come to enjoy. Narrated by Puck, the Bard’s famous imp, there’s no shortage of commentary on humans from the perspective of a fairy. It’s entirely delightful and unexpected – until it isn’t. There does come a point where I had a moment of “I get it, that’s enough” but Puck kept right on Puck-ing. Though entertaining, his narrative does get decently repetitive after a time, and though the story is supposedly the tale of romance between two women, we are never truly in either of their heads due to Puck’s presence. (And of course, they are never aware of this.) This gives the whole book a sense of distance, and I confess I was never much affected by the romantic aspect because I was watching it all unfold from the outside – and Puck doesn’t feel all that strongly about mortal love in the first place.

That being said, this was certainly a fun read. The magic and mythology are entertaining, if never quite explained, and the curse (curses, really) – and Puck’s appearance – insinuate a much larger magical world than the one with which we’re actually presented. The story could have ended at multiple points, but then yet another obstacle would be thrown in to keep things going, creating a plot that felt more cyclical than anything else.

Overall, it was a fun enjoyable read that I would have enjoyed more had it been cut a bit shorter; I had to remind myself how close I was to story’s end once I hit 70% or so. It’s well worth a perusal just for the sake of Miss Bickle, likely one of the best original book characters I’ve ever met. She is a HOOT.

Content warning: animal sacrifice, death, blood, violence, kidnapping.

I typically do not have issues with stories that are told from an omniscient point of view, but I really struggled here. It took me forever to adjust, and by the time I did, I just wanted it to be over. I never cared about the couple or any of the characters.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, Del Rey, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've read Alexis' other books before and I think I really enjoyed this one best so far. Witches/Jane Austen kind of vibe was a lot of fun. I'm also so glad that it was LGBT because that isn't something you get a lot of in a book set during that time period. Here for it!

I had to DNF this one. I just don't vibe with an Omniscient narrator. I can do both first and third person POV, but omniscient narration makes me feel like I'm being told when I'd rather be show.

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall is a novel written with a storytelling narrator. The author uses the narrator, who we conclude is a Puck, exiled from Oberon’s side and forced to pen novels in order to support himself. He told the story of Miss Mitchelmore, during the year 1814, who found herself the victim of a supernatural curse. He follows her and her friends as they discover the cause of this curse and all the experiences that befell her as a consequence. This is an LTBQIAP+ novel.

I enjoyed this story. The narrative style was unusual, and I felt that it kept distance between myself as the reader and the characters of the novel. Nevertheless, it was a unique storytelling style that added to the overall story due to Puck’s inside information and personal commentary on the young woman’s experiences. Puck also extolled his own suffering as one who suddenly had to have money to pay for the things he had always taken for granted. The story described a world of gods, goddesses, fairies, and witches that existed alongside that of everyday mortals. In this world, the mortal characters had much more knowledge of the Otherworld than one would expect a story set in this time period to have. It seemed as if their normal everyday life of balls, picnics, and parties of the Season were interspersed with petitions to goddess’s to curse or remove curses. Characters who had chosen to dedicate themselves to the service of a goddess were in the realm of believable in their everyday world. Usually stories which tell of the Fae have most secondary characters being completely unaware of the existence of Otherworldly creatures. This book is also a love story, a coming old age story, and a coming out story all wrapped up into one. I think that the tale was very well told, but there remained a disconnect between myself and the main characters of the story, which I feel the narrator contributed to. I did enjoy the book and feel that it is well worth the read. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy LGBTIAP+ fantasy or paranormal historical romance novels involving the world of the Fae as well as deities of a number of dead religions. I am voluntarily submitting this honest review after reading an advanced complementary copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey.

I had a lot of fun reading this! I think it’s the first time I’ve read a story told in this way, which I thought was interesting. I got really attached to the narrator and was sad I didn’t get to learn more. As for other characters I loved, Lizzie! She was the MCs friend and I honestly found her very charming. I’m hoping she got a happy ending. The story was very well told and the messages that came across, I felt, were very important. Def recommend

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book. The beautiful cover is the only thing I enjoyed.

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall is full of their trademark wit and humor. The story is narrated by a character, whose asides sometimes impeded the flow of the story. However, the story was a good one. There were plenty of plot twists and a lot of action. Hall's stories tend to have the "just right" mix of silliness and heart. Recommended for romance readers who like a little magic and a lot of humor.

Mortal follies is such a good read. I loved the plot, characters, witty banter (Lizzie is hilarious) and the mythology mixed in. I would love to read more stories told from the same narrator, and the narrators story itself!

Alexis Hall's books are always a delight, and I really enjoyed this one! The setting is regency England, but everyone knows about magic, and agrees that the old gods sometimes meddle in mortal affairs. The narrator is a hobgoblin named Robin who sprinkles the narrative with his wit as he omnisciently recounts mortal affairs. The main trio of Maelys, John, and Lizzie were all very fun characters. And Lady Georgianna, the Duke of Annadale, was sufficiently broody. A lesbian regency romance as told by a puckish fae creature isn't something I had even thought to wish for, but I'm so glad it exists.

Alexis Hall is an insta-buy for me. I loved the narrative structure of this story. Hall's writing is always stellar, managing to be both precise and lyrical, relatable and evocative.

Oh I LOVED this. The faerie narrator really sold me, she was so much fun.

I love this regency era world where homophobia is virtually nonexistent. While the book took place during the regency era, I would argue it had much more of an adventure plot, which I really enjoyed. Let more women in skirts have adventures, please.

All in all this was such a delightful read, if you're someone who is bothered by the mixing of contemporary language and regency language I'd advise you to approach with caution but it was obvious that Hall was not attempting to be historically accurate between the faeries and use of the word "fuck".

I enjoyed reading this book - I love a sapphic romcom, and the fantasy elements definitely made this one stand out. One of my favorite things about Alexis Hall's books is how consistently funny they are, and this one was for sure up there. For some reason, this book struggled to keep my attention - it ended up taking far longer for me to finish than I expected, since I ended up taking several weeks-long breaks from it. I don't think there was any one factor that made it less gripping than I expected, but I found that the narrator's interjections were sometimes irritating for me as a reader, and the narrative style left me wanting more depth in both the main character and the love interest. I did love the characterization of Miss Bickle - that was probably my favorite element of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I thought it was an interesting storyline but found it hard to get into the book right away. I recommend readers push through though because it's a great read.

Maelys Mitchelmore is set upon by mysterious magical forces while at a garden party in Society. She's rescued by Lady Georgiana, a purported witch and murderess who many call the Duke of Annadale, as she has inherited all her father's property. The two, along with Miss Mitchelmore's besties, Miss Bickle and Mr. Caesar, embark on a hint to find her tormentor and get the curse lifted, and get to the hooking up. Magical antics ensue.

I'm not gonna lie, guys. This took me ages. I think as much as I enjoy Alexis Hall's modern work, I think the Victorian Era stuff is just not for me. This is my second historical fiction by Hall and the second I haven't enjoyed. But yet, I LOVED Boyfriend Material, and Husband Material, and I can't wait for Father Material. It took me AGES to get into this, and the only way I wound up getting through it in the end was listening to the NetGalley app read it to me while I was doing other things.

I liked the premise, I loved that a hobgoblin was the narrator. It made for fun commentary throughout, and was a connection to the reader with some references to modern inventions, including phones and the internet. The general plot was good, and the magical elements were on point. I think I just am not made for most Victorian Era romance, no matter how hard I try.

I was going that this would bring me back to the joy of the Boyfriend Material, but it was not to be. It's good, and well written. I just think I'm not right for the Era, unless it was actually written then. (I'm looking at you Ms. Austen!)

I'm sure someone else will love this on so many levels. It was just not for me.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

Mortal Follies is a sapphic historical romance. Need I say more? I will. One of my favorite things about the story was that the narrator was a hobgoblin. So fun. Our narrator collects stories, and decided to tell Miss Mitchelmore’s story. She ends up under a mysterious curse, and seeks the help of the Duke of Annadale ( who is suspected of being a witch).

The story is very fun. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this historical romantasy. There is a lot of great LBGTQ+ rep, some spiciness, and a lot of love. I also liked the narration style with Puck from Midsummer Night's Dream. They stole the show sometimes, though, so I can see why it doesn't always work for people. There were times I definitely just wanted more of Puck and lost some interest in the characters.

I’m very sorry to say this honestly but I couldn’t for the life of me get into the narration. The POV didn’t work out for me at all, making it impossible to get into and I had to DNF.

This book is utterly delightful and filled with humor and whimsy. I adored the first person outside POV. The narrator, along with Miss Bickle, were my absolute favorite parts of the story. They were phenomenal!

The only thing keeping me from giving Mortal Follies a 5 star review is that I didn't feel like I got to know the main characters enough. Maelys and Georgianna seemed to pale in comparison to the vivid personalities of the narrator and side characters.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable, wonderfully written and extremely creative sapphic romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.