Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very interesting at some parts, but lulled at others. The premise sounded great with female empowerment in the Victorian era, spiritualism/occult practices, and seances, and it was executed well, but I just wish we got a little bit more out of the story. We did not get much character development, which I would have liked a little more from. Nora was probably the most interesting character, and you did see good development with her character. The magical elements could have been explained a little more as well as it seems like they just are, and that's it. Definitely give it a try if you're interested as it's still a good book, just nothing outside the box.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey is a captivating, haunting historical fantasy with a compelling cast of characters and magical atmosphere.

This was spectacular. From the first page, Kathleen Kaufman’s immersive, lyrical, and addictive prose hooked me. She presented a darkly enchanting world filled with engaging historical details, vivid settings, and wonderfully eerie spirit magic. The characters were well-developed and powerful, and I loved their development. The plot was exciting and twisty. The pacing fit the story nicely, and the ending was satisfying. I highly recommend this fantastic debut!

Mhairi Morrison was an incredible narrator for this one. Her accents made the story even more atmospheric, and she beautifully captured Kathleen’s lyrical prose and vibrant characters. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

I was really interested in this at first, but then somehow somewhere it took a nose-dive and I no longer cared about it... Speculative fiction is an interesting genre, or it can be interesting. I don't think we dove into the magic and wonder of it quick enough for it to retain my attention.

The narrator did a wonderful job though. I'm not a native speaker of that region, but nonetheless if actually proper and well done, it was still fine to my ears.

thank you to netgalley and HighBridge Audio for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook ARC.

The narrator was perfect for this book. She used a slight Scottish accent that was clear and understandable. Her pacing was good and I enjoyed how smooth it sounded.

The story confused me a bit, I had whiplash with the first time the story line switched to Lottie. At 38% there still wasn’t a clear explanation for how the two different time characters were connected, so the stories seemed disjointed until then. The move to bell manor also seemed disconnected. It left me feeling lost in the plot. I struggled to keep up with who, where or what was going on. I was very invested in Lottie’s story and less interested in Nora, even though I knew what was going to happen to Lottie’s baby. I felt like the name change was rather late in the story, since the book is the name Nora Grey. But we don’t use that name till more than 15% into the book.

I did like when the storylines finally converged and Lottie and Nora met. Though, we knew it was coming, it was still a good scene. I loved the concept of the familiar lines being tied. I also liked the time period for Norah and the spiritual aspect of it.

Dual POV historical fiction, exploring the power of women. I listed on audiobook and liked the narration. The reader has an accent, possibly Scottish? That added another layer to the story and I enjoyed it. It made it feel even more engaging. The story reminds me of books like The Lost Apothecary. The story was good and easy to follow. It is almost a cozy read, I love cozy fantasy, so I saw some similarities. I was drawn to the cover and title, very intriguing. Pick up this book if you enjoy an easy read.

I received an ALC from NetGalley for my review.

Thanks to NetGalley and RBMedia for providing me with an ALC.

It was a nice read typical of the genre. I liked how Nairna/Nora evolved throughout the story. The writing was comfortable to read. I was hooked by the title and the pretty cover. The dual PoVs were done well. I'm just starting to think that this genre has been overused now so I didn't find anything unique about this story that I haven't seen before. Some parts were confusing but for the most part it was straightforward but atmospheric. Overall, this book was quite enjoyable to read and is suitable for readers who like books like The Lost Apothecary or Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil in terms of the atmosphere and setting.

The narrator did a great job with the accents and the voices, especially during the seances. It improved my reading experience significantly.

I wasn’t sure what to expect and normally I don’t pick up historical fiction but the title and the cover art won me over. I read this book in about 3 settings; it was catchy, fun, fascinating, and well written. I loved the focus on women and the innate power they hold.

This one is told in a dual storyline/timeline that intersect in such a cool way! As it was happening it was so fun to read the intersection. Overall, I thought the women were well written and the underlying ideas of powerful women were so good. Loved every minute of this one!

Those that know me or have followed my reviews know that historical fiction isn’t my favorite genre except for very specific situations. I’ve come to realize that my apathy for the genre is a lot narrower than o thought it was and more about not enjoying historical war fiction as I’m going to call it. Aka, I don’t like Kristin Hannah, but I digress.

This book was delightful! I loved the historical aspect and duel timelines that the author set out and did a great job exploring. I will say that when I first started reading the physical book I was checking out several times but that changed when … wait for it… I got the audio ALC!

I ended up doing an immersion read and boy did it completely transform the experience. Now, I did have to make some speed adjustments to the audio because narrator Mhairi Morrison spoke so painfully slow that I thought I had accidentally hit the button to slow it down. Then I thought maybe it was because she has this beautiful Scottish accent and since it’s with an American publisher and some Americans have trouble to certain accents…. Anyway. That’s not the case as she spoke so clearly that her accented vocals would not have had to be that slow even with the most challenged listener.

On the good side of things. It enabled me to speed it up to 2x without any issue and then behind to get it closer to my eyeball reading speed and thus cut the 13 hour and 14 minute playback time in half (and then some for chunks of it). And speeding it up didn’t overly affect the pitch of her voice which can be an issue. Other than that she narrated it beautifully. She gave enough to capture the prose and keep the reader engaged but didn’t cross that line into the territory of affecting my imagination in allowing the book to come alive in my head.

As for the book itself, I loved the fusion of the historical fiction with the magical realism. It brought out the very real situations that happened during those times (and beyond) of mentalists and spiritualists trying to scam people but coupled it with reading cards and beyond.

My only peeve is that the chapters weren’t numbered. I really don’t get why authors/ publishers do that.

The book comes out July 29th 2025 so go reserve your copy today! And for this one- the audiobook definitely adds to the experience so I highly suggest it!
I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary physical ARC from Kensington Publishing and the audio ALC from HighBridge Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as so don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again.

I received an ALC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This is a well-written, dark story about women's exploitation across generations. I appreciated Nairna/Nora's journey towards having more control over her life and her relationships, although at times it felt frustratingly slow.

I enjoyed Nora's story more than Lottie's. I don't like it when books make a point about misogyny by having women suffer relentlessly, and Lottie's story was so grim that it fell into this category for me. I did think it came together really well at the end, though, as Lottie's and Nora's stories became more intertwined. It allowed for a kind of justice and hope after so much misery.

I think I would have liked to see both women making use of their supernatural/psychic abilities for more than just other people's benefit. Apart from facilitating the connection between them, we don't see their abilities as much more than a reason for their exploitation.

The narration was excellent. I'll definitely keep an eye out for other books narrated by Morrison.

Nairna is dragged through the early 20th century Scottish countryside by her charlatan father, who travels from town to town bilking people into believing he can communicate with their lost loved ones. What he doesn’t know is that his daughter has a real gift for being able to reach into the afterlife, a skill she inherited from her grandmother. The story follows her as she attempts to find justice for her grandmother, who was committed to an institution because of her abilities and later, Nairna’s reinvention as Nora Gray in America. This was a great story to listen to, and to look back at the spiritualism movement that took place across Europe in the United States, following World War I and the Spanish flu epidemic.

Release: July 29, 2025
Author: Kathleen Kaufman
Publisher: Kensington

Rating: 3.5 ★ 

Set during the height of the spiritualism craze in the early 1900s, this haunting, feminist tale follows Nairna Liath, a Scottish girl with a genuine ability to communicate with spirits—a gift that’s both powerful and dangerous. Traveling the countryside with her fraudulent father, who stages fake séances while she reads tarot cards, Nairna hides her true talent, fearing it might brand her a witch. But her gift is more than inherited instinct—it’s a connection to her grandmother, Lottie Liath, a woman imprisoned decades ago in a cruel asylum, whose spirit urgently reaches out to guide and warn her.
Nairna’s life changes when she’s taken in by a wealthy patron and thrust into the world of Edinburgh’s elite spiritualist circles. Surrounded by mystics, scientists, and charlatans—including the famed American medium Dorothy Kellings—Nairna becomes a rising star. But a terrifying séance sparks a scandal that forces her to escape to America, where she reinvents herself as Nora Grey.
Even in hiding, her past and spiritual ties haunt her. When Dorothy reappears, offering Nora a high-stakes opportunity to prove herself in front of believers and skeptics alike, Nora must confront the truth behind her abilities—and her grandmother’s tragic story. The final séance at Boston’s Old South Meeting Hall will challenge everything she thought she knew, tying together past and present in a reckoning of female strength, betrayal, and spiritual legacy.
This novel truly lives up to its intriguing title. Set against a beautifully atmospheric backdrop, it tells a quiet but powerful story about women, magic, resilience, and the weight of untold histories. What I expected to be a light, whimsical tale based on the cover ended up being a much more emotional and reflective read—melancholy in places, with a strong undercurrent of longing and feminine strength.
The dual timelines worked well, gradually unraveling the mystery at the heart of the story in a slow, deliberate way. While the pacing is definitely on the slower side, it suited the tone and allowed space for rich character development. I especially appreciated the subtle ways female friendships and shared rage were portrayed—not loud or dramatic, but deeply felt and thoughtfully written.
Kaufman’s writing is lovely—quietly poetic and layered with emotion. The spiritualism and magical realism elements were compelling, especially early on, though I do wish they had been explored a bit more fully in the second half. There were times when the momentum lagged, and I found myself wanting deeper immersion—more tension, more magic, more emotional intensity.
Still, the story left an impression. It’s one of those books where you miss the characters after it’s over, and you carry their struggles with you. While it didn’t quite reach the level of magical intensity I hoped for, it was still a touching, bittersweet, and empowering read—perfect for fans of historical fiction with a mystical twist and an emphasis on the quiet strength of women.

Favorite Quote:
"she didn't have to tell Nairna the truth she sought; her heart was full of equal measures of hope and fear, and the way she unconsciously rubbed the luckentooth told Nairna that she had little experience in love."