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Kat, Incorrigible #4
Courting Magic
In Kat Stephenson's Regency England, magic is even more shocking than a stolen kiss. But now that she's eighteen, it's time for wild and magical Kat to be introduced to high society by her older sisters, whether she likes it or not...and to finally have a romance of her own!
Of course, her true love is hopelessly ineligible. But when has Kat ever let Society's opinion stop her from making up her own mind? Once she realizes she's found her perfect match, she's not going to let anything or anyone stand in their way - even if she does have to solve a magical mystery, matchmake for an old friend, and break a few rules along the way!
Of course, her true love is hopelessly ineligible. But when has Kat ever let Society's opinion stop her from making up her own mind? Once she realizes she's found her perfect match, she's not going to let anything or anyone stand in their way - even if she does have to solve a magical mystery, matchmake for an old friend, and break a few rules along the way!
140 pages, ebook
First published August 10, 2014
11 people are currently reading
665 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Burgis
81 books1,368 followersI grew up in America, but now I live in Wales with my husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, our two sons, and our sweet (and extremely vocal) tabby cat, Pebbles. I write fantasy rom-coms for adults (most recently Claws and Contrivances and Good Neighbors) and fun MG fantasy adventure novels, too (most recently The Raven Crown duology). My next series will be the adult romantasy trilogy The Queens of Villainy, published by Tor Bramble, starting in 2025 with Wooing the Witch Queen.
To get early sneak peeks at new stories and novels, sign up for my newsletter here: stephanieburgis.com/newsletter.
To join my Dragons' Book Club and get early copies of every ebook that I put out myself (so, all of my novellas, short story ebooks, etc!), check out my Patreon page, where I also published a series of fantasy rom-coms (Good Neighbors) across 2020-2021.
I only rate and review the books that I like, which is why all of my ratings are 4 or 5 stars.
To get early sneak peeks at new stories and novels, sign up for my newsletter here: stephanieburgis.com/newsletter.
To join my Dragons' Book Club and get early copies of every ebook that I put out myself (so, all of my novellas, short story ebooks, etc!), check out my Patreon page, where I also published a series of fantasy rom-coms (Good Neighbors) across 2020-2021.
I only rate and review the books that I like, which is why all of my ratings are 4 or 5 stars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
March 26, 2015
I loved Courting Magic: A Kat, Incorrigible Novella. I picked Kat, Incorrigible for my book group a little while ago and liked it very much but I think it was just a little too young for me. There was also some discussion on the book group over the shifting tone. However, Kat's character was always a delight and this novella is the perfect age update, giving Kat her own romance.
“No!” he muttered. “Don’t be stupid. I’d never dishonor you.”
“Well, I thought not.” There was a tiny, inconsequential quiver of disappointment in my belly, but I did my best to ignore it. “So—”
“But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to,” he muttered.
See? See! How could you not want to read that? The tone is spot on, perhaps a little melodramatic but that's what I want from someone Kat's age and an Austen setting in a romantic novella.
I adored the love interest so much, I decided I had to go buy the rest of the Kat, Incorrigible series just to read the story of how Kat and Alexander met.
“I remember every moment I spent with you five years ago,” he murmured, so softly I could barely hear him. “How could I forget? I spent the last five years waiting to meet you again.”
Not to mention some feels for a few of the new side characters who had hinted at back story that I now really want to know more about.
All that said, I think you could read and enjoy this novella even if you hadn't read the series, it a blast of fresh air, pure romantic joy.
“No!” he muttered. “Don’t be stupid. I’d never dishonor you.”
“Well, I thought not.” There was a tiny, inconsequential quiver of disappointment in my belly, but I did my best to ignore it. “So—”
“But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to,” he muttered.
See? See! How could you not want to read that? The tone is spot on, perhaps a little melodramatic but that's what I want from someone Kat's age and an Austen setting in a romantic novella.
I adored the love interest so much, I decided I had to go buy the rest of the Kat, Incorrigible series just to read the story of how Kat and Alexander met.
“I remember every moment I spent with you five years ago,” he murmured, so softly I could barely hear him. “How could I forget? I spent the last five years waiting to meet you again.”
Not to mention some feels for a few of the new side characters who had hinted at back story that I now really want to know more about.
All that said, I think you could read and enjoy this novella even if you hadn't read the series, it a blast of fresh air, pure romantic joy.
Read
July 29, 2015It's out, it's out, it's out!
That's all. :)
(I'd been waiting a LONG time to be able to share this story!)
PS: And to answer a good question that someone asked, it's available in all e-formats - definitely not just for Kindle! You can even find a printable PDF version on Smashwords.
That's all. :)
(I'd been waiting a LONG time to be able to share this story!)
PS: And to answer a good question that someone asked, it's available in all e-formats - definitely not just for Kindle! You can even find a printable PDF version on Smashwords.
August 13, 2014
Stolen Magic
left me hungry for more. After all of Kat’s matchmaking hijinks, it was only fair that she got her own romance, right? Except she was still too young at the end of the book. (Not that it stopped me from shipping her with a certain boy. Nope.)
Imagine my delight at finding out Ms. Burgis was writing a novella set a few years later. August 12 couldn’t come soon enough.
And now that I’ve read it? Why, this book is perfection. I couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot. It was everything I had hoped for, and then some. I loved that Kat’s friend and cousin, Lucy, from Renegade Magic played another significant role here. I loved getting another glimpse of Kat’s big, meddlesome family. I loved how fiercely protective her sisters and brothers-in-law were of Kat. And, of course, I loved the romance. For someone so quick-witted, Kat was rather clueless in the romance department. But once everything was cleared up, she took charge. It was endearing.
In short, I loved every word of this book. I would love to read another book with Kat in it, and another, and another!
Imagine my delight at finding out Ms. Burgis was writing a novella set a few years later. August 12 couldn’t come soon enough.
And now that I’ve read it? Why, this book is perfection. I couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot. It was everything I had hoped for, and then some. I loved that Kat’s friend and cousin, Lucy, from Renegade Magic played another significant role here. I loved getting another glimpse of Kat’s big, meddlesome family. I loved how fiercely protective her sisters and brothers-in-law were of Kat. And, of course, I loved the romance. For someone so quick-witted, Kat was rather clueless in the romance department. But once everything was cleared up, she took charge. It was endearing.
In short, I loved every word of this book. I would love to read another book with Kat in it, and another, and another!
April 28, 2021
At turns whimsical and hilarious, this little novella was an absolute treat. It was so fun to see Kat as a young woman, and yet still very much the same person at heart. My only, relatively minor, complaint, But it was still utterly delightful and I'm so glad to have read it. A perfect dessert for older readers who read and loved the Kat trilogy.
August 17, 2014
A must read for fans of the series, however I do have to admit a small part of me is disappointed this wasn't a full length novel. Hell, lets be honest, what I really want is a new trilogy of novels that follow Kat now that she's grown up. Sadly, it looks like that's not meant to be.
Courting Magic is a novella, so naturally everything was wrapped up very quickly. The romance could definitely have surpassed Angeline/Frederick heights, had it had the chance to be built upon and explored over several books. As it is, I'm just grateful we got to see Alexander and Kat working together again, even if their relationship felt very rushed (a little too rushed for my tastes). However, what scenes we did get between the two of them I loved. (Oh what could have been!....)
My old favourite, Frederick, was wonderful as ever, though the length of this one means we don't get to see much of other familiar faces. However I did rather enjoy the little sideline romance with Lucy.
So there you have it. Burgis is a wonderful writer and seamlessly picks up with her characters five years later. Kat is older, less likely to completely dive headfirst into trouble without somewhat considering the consequences, more conscious of her reputation as young woman (and not to mention a little preoccupied with thoughts of a certain young man), but she is still the same stubborn, no-nonsense, forthright Kat we all know and love. I really wish we could have had more time to get to know this Kat a little better.
Courting Magic is a novella, so naturally everything was wrapped up very quickly. The romance could definitely have surpassed Angeline/Frederick heights, had it had the chance to be built upon and explored over several books. As it is, I'm just grateful we got to see Alexander and Kat working together again, even if their relationship felt very rushed (a little too rushed for my tastes). However, what scenes we did get between the two of them I loved. (Oh what could have been!....)
My old favourite, Frederick, was wonderful as ever, though the length of this one means we don't get to see much of other familiar faces. However I did rather enjoy the little sideline romance with Lucy.
So there you have it. Burgis is a wonderful writer and seamlessly picks up with her characters five years later. Kat is older, less likely to completely dive headfirst into trouble without somewhat considering the consequences, more conscious of her reputation as young woman (and not to mention a little preoccupied with thoughts of a certain young man), but she is still the same stubborn, no-nonsense, forthright Kat we all know and love. I really wish we could have had more time to get to know this Kat a little better.
October 16, 2021
It's been five years since we last saw Kat and she's now old enough to be introduced to Society, much to her dismay. She's been busy battling evil magical villains and has little use for dancing, let along marriage and motherhood. What man alive would allow her to practice her Guardian magic, even if she COULD tell him about it? Still, Kat knows it's important to her family and she'll put on her game face and go through the motions. Therefore, she's delighted and relieved when Mr. Gregson calls her to the Guardians' Golden Hall. Only, Kat is in for a disappointment for even Mr. Gregson introduces her to two eligible gentlemen. Fortunately, they're all there on a mission, along with someone Kat hasn't seen in years but has dreamed about ever since he kissed her hand after the most intense battle of her life. The four youngsters must work together to figure out who has been using illusion magic to steal jewels from the ton. Unfortunately for Kat, this means entering Society and flirting and dancing. Yuck. As the villain moves in for the take, Kat thinks catching him will be easy but as it turns out, working with Alexander complicates matters- a LOT. If she wanted to marry someone- which she doesn't- it would be Alexander but there's no way her family and Society will ever approve. Will she ever be truly happy?
This was a cute short story. I don't have many memories of Stolen Magic and none at all of Alexander! I should have gone back to reread that one before turning to the sequel. It isn't necessary though but you should have at least read the first two books. There are spoilers for Renegade Magic. The story is a little long for a novella. It would have been more fun to see this drawn out into a longer story with more development of the new characters. At this length, it seems simple but that's deceptive. I figured out some of the clues but not all of them. The romance is a little too romancy for me, especially for a tween novella but the danger is good enough to be heart stopping even when I know Kat will save the day.
I loved Kat from the beginning and I still love her now. She's feisty, intelligent and stubborn. Kat has mellowed with age and responsibility a bit. She understands better the way Society works and why what her sisters want her to do is so important. She loves them very much but they all have different ideas of happiness. As an aunt of a 13-year-old, I don't buy the "OMG he kissed my hand so he's my true love!" plotline. I would have preferred them to meet and have this be a novel in which they have to work together to find and battle the bad guy and bring him to justice. Elissa and Angeline are more the one true love types, not Kat. Knowing Kat she'd try to fight it! I feel sad for her though because she'll always live this double life. She's still expected to marry and I'm sure Mr. Gregson would like it to be another Guardian to carry on for another generation. That's a lot of pressure. Given the Guardians we've met in the past, her options seem very limited and no one would suit unless they were nothing like their parents. Enter Alexander. The illegitimate son of Lord Ravenscroft, the young man inherited all of his father's magical talent but none of the social cachet to go with it. This Order seems as snooty as Society. Alexander has a chip on his shoulder because of his difficult past and the way people shun him for his birth. He didn't even KNOW his father, let alone know the man was a villain. He can't help being poor when his father's assets were seized by the Crown, so even if he were legitimate, he'd still be tainted by scandal and therefore, ineligible. Of the three young men, Alexander seems much more sharp and perceptive than the wealthy gentlemen. He does some mysterious government work so he's some sort of magical spy? He sounds really good at his job and worth 10 of the other two, especially George.
The Honorable George Packenham is sleazy. He's also very lazy, rude and snobby. In other words, a typical young gentleman of the ton plus he has magical powers. He objectifies Kat because she's wearing pieces of her gown from a dress fitting, but as she knows, she is not any less dressed than any other lady, at least in terms of evening gowns. If his treatment of Kat upon their first meeting is any indication, this investigation is NOT going to go well. He'll exclude her from work while continuing to leer at her. Lord Lanham is uptight, standoffish, bossy and somewhat rude. I don't think he's anywhere near as smart as Kat or even Alexander. He just seems kind of dull to me. I do like his storyline though.
I was delighted to see Kat's cousin-by-marriage, Lucy, return to the story. She's so much fun! Lucy is lively, energetic, smart enough to know what she wants and how to get it and fully able to take care of herself. You go girl! She loves Kat even though they got into a spot of bother last time they met, in Bath. (My favorite of the trilogy, I HAD to visit the Roman Baths Museum just to see the setting of the story close up). Lucy is also very kind and sympathetic. As much as I liked Kat's brother-in-law Frederick previously, he gets too overprotective and more like a real big brother. I think Kat has proven she can take care of herself. Frederick and Angeline are so cute together and so much in love but why are they so frisky all of a sudden? Kat's Papa is there, as is Stepmama so there's no need for Frederick to get involved. Mr. Stephenson is kind and sweet but clueless. He'd be happy to have Kat stay at home forever, his baby girl.
The Prince of Wales acts way of out character. The real Prince of Wales wasn't interested in very young girls, not even his own wife. This one MUST be an imposter, our villain, our thief! Why else would he show up at a minor dance? Or is he? He's surrounded by people who must know what he's normally like. Mrs. Montrose, for one. She's also too young for him so I think her hopes of social climbing may be dashed.
This was a cute short story. I don't have many memories of Stolen Magic and none at all of Alexander! I should have gone back to reread that one before turning to the sequel. It isn't necessary though but you should have at least read the first two books. There are spoilers for Renegade Magic. The story is a little long for a novella. It would have been more fun to see this drawn out into a longer story with more development of the new characters. At this length, it seems simple but that's deceptive. I figured out some of the clues but not all of them. The romance is a little too romancy for me, especially for a tween novella but the danger is good enough to be heart stopping even when I know Kat will save the day.
I loved Kat from the beginning and I still love her now. She's feisty, intelligent and stubborn. Kat has mellowed with age and responsibility a bit. She understands better the way Society works and why what her sisters want her to do is so important. She loves them very much but they all have different ideas of happiness. As an aunt of a 13-year-old, I don't buy the "OMG he kissed my hand so he's my true love!" plotline. I would have preferred them to meet and have this be a novel in which they have to work together to find and battle the bad guy and bring him to justice. Elissa and Angeline are more the one true love types, not Kat. Knowing Kat she'd try to fight it! I feel sad for her though because she'll always live this double life. She's still expected to marry and I'm sure Mr. Gregson would like it to be another Guardian to carry on for another generation. That's a lot of pressure. Given the Guardians we've met in the past, her options seem very limited and no one would suit unless they were nothing like their parents. Enter Alexander. The illegitimate son of Lord Ravenscroft, the young man inherited all of his father's magical talent but none of the social cachet to go with it. This Order seems as snooty as Society. Alexander has a chip on his shoulder because of his difficult past and the way people shun him for his birth. He didn't even KNOW his father, let alone know the man was a villain. He can't help being poor when his father's assets were seized by the Crown, so even if he were legitimate, he'd still be tainted by scandal and therefore, ineligible. Of the three young men, Alexander seems much more sharp and perceptive than the wealthy gentlemen. He does some mysterious government work so he's some sort of magical spy? He sounds really good at his job and worth 10 of the other two, especially George.
The Honorable George Packenham is sleazy. He's also very lazy, rude and snobby. In other words, a typical young gentleman of the ton plus he has magical powers. He objectifies Kat because she's wearing pieces of her gown from a dress fitting, but as she knows, she is not any less dressed than any other lady, at least in terms of evening gowns. If his treatment of Kat upon their first meeting is any indication, this investigation is NOT going to go well. He'll exclude her from work while continuing to leer at her. Lord Lanham is uptight, standoffish, bossy and somewhat rude. I don't think he's anywhere near as smart as Kat or even Alexander. He just seems kind of dull to me. I do like his storyline though.
I was delighted to see Kat's cousin-by-marriage, Lucy, return to the story. She's so much fun! Lucy is lively, energetic, smart enough to know what she wants and how to get it and fully able to take care of herself. You go girl! She loves Kat even though they got into a spot of bother last time they met, in Bath. (My favorite of the trilogy, I HAD to visit the Roman Baths Museum just to see the setting of the story close up). Lucy is also very kind and sympathetic. As much as I liked Kat's brother-in-law Frederick previously, he gets too overprotective and more like a real big brother. I think Kat has proven she can take care of herself. Frederick and Angeline are so cute together and so much in love but why are they so frisky all of a sudden? Kat's Papa is there, as is Stepmama so there's no need for Frederick to get involved. Mr. Stephenson is kind and sweet but clueless. He'd be happy to have Kat stay at home forever, his baby girl.
The Prince of Wales acts way of out character. The real Prince of Wales wasn't interested in very young girls, not even his own wife. This one MUST be an imposter, our villain, our thief! Why else would he show up at a minor dance? Or is he? He's surrounded by people who must know what he's normally like. Mrs. Montrose, for one. She's also too young for him so I think her hopes of social climbing may be dashed.
November 3, 2014
A welcome and worthy addition to a wonderful series of MG magical Regency-era adventures, this novella has all the wit and charm and fun readers of Kat's earlier escapades could wish for - along with a deliciously satisfying dollop of romance. Highly recommended!
August 22, 2014
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
I have made not secret about how much I adore Stephanie Burgis's Regency fantasy Kat Incorrigible books. When I closed that last page of Stolen Magic, I was left feeling satisfied with the end of Kat's story in those books, but I couldn't help wanting more. When Stephanie started talking about a novella she was writing that would take place upon Kat's debut into society and her own romance, I was beyond thrilled. Courting Magic is everything I wanted it to be. It left me with a huge grin on my face that hasn't faded. It is, in fact, only growing larger as I type this and think about it all over again.
Kat has aged well in the five years since the end of her adventures in Stolen Magic. She has learned to control her tongue and temper. She is still irrepressibly Kat though. Her family still treat her like the girl she was though, telling her what to do, talking over her at times, and not crediting her with the sense that time and experience have instilled in her. I enjoyed this element because this is so true to life. Our families know us so well, but they don't always see us the clearest because they are too close. Mr. Gregson on the other hand, seems to fully trust Kat. He has seen his years of training pay off time and time again. She is a full-fledged guardian and fighter against evil magic. It is rather impressive. Most of the characters from the previous novels make a reappearance here. I didn't realize how badly I needed to see how Lucy's life turned out, until there she was. Her role in this story is marvelous. Reading this is like attending a reunion where I just want to sit and watch these people I love interact with each other. It was incredibly well done.
The plot involves a magical mystery that must be solved. Kat and her entrance into Society set the perfect scene for an undercover operation that involves her taking on three others with guardian magic as her would-be suitors, all of them in the pursuit of justice. Shenanigans of the hilarious and romantic variety ensue. Kat helped all three of her siblings into true love and it was so rewarding to see her find her own. I don't want to spoil much about that, but the romantic element is well done. There is everything that makes a good romance: amusing banter, heated looks, some misunderstanding, and some pretty great kissing. The hero is everything Kat deserves in a partner and their whole dynamic in this story is just lovely.
If you have young MG age fans of the original trilogy in your life and you are wondering at letting them read this, have no fear. There is some kissing and giddy descriptions of attraction, but nothing more than kids this age generally get from movies and other books for their own age group. I let Bit read it (and she loved it too).
Basically this book was all that I could have asked for. Happiness bubbled up inside me as I was reading it, like I was a bottle of soda being shaken up. It just made me effervescent when I was done, walking around grinning like a fool.
Stephanie self-published this and here is her post on all the places you can purchase it if you wish. (And you should most definitely wish to.)
I have made not secret about how much I adore Stephanie Burgis's Regency fantasy Kat Incorrigible books. When I closed that last page of Stolen Magic, I was left feeling satisfied with the end of Kat's story in those books, but I couldn't help wanting more. When Stephanie started talking about a novella she was writing that would take place upon Kat's debut into society and her own romance, I was beyond thrilled. Courting Magic is everything I wanted it to be. It left me with a huge grin on my face that hasn't faded. It is, in fact, only growing larger as I type this and think about it all over again.
Kat has aged well in the five years since the end of her adventures in Stolen Magic. She has learned to control her tongue and temper. She is still irrepressibly Kat though. Her family still treat her like the girl she was though, telling her what to do, talking over her at times, and not crediting her with the sense that time and experience have instilled in her. I enjoyed this element because this is so true to life. Our families know us so well, but they don't always see us the clearest because they are too close. Mr. Gregson on the other hand, seems to fully trust Kat. He has seen his years of training pay off time and time again. She is a full-fledged guardian and fighter against evil magic. It is rather impressive. Most of the characters from the previous novels make a reappearance here. I didn't realize how badly I needed to see how Lucy's life turned out, until there she was. Her role in this story is marvelous. Reading this is like attending a reunion where I just want to sit and watch these people I love interact with each other. It was incredibly well done.
The plot involves a magical mystery that must be solved. Kat and her entrance into Society set the perfect scene for an undercover operation that involves her taking on three others with guardian magic as her would-be suitors, all of them in the pursuit of justice. Shenanigans of the hilarious and romantic variety ensue. Kat helped all three of her siblings into true love and it was so rewarding to see her find her own. I don't want to spoil much about that, but the romantic element is well done. There is everything that makes a good romance: amusing banter, heated looks, some misunderstanding, and some pretty great kissing. The hero is everything Kat deserves in a partner and their whole dynamic in this story is just lovely.
If you have young MG age fans of the original trilogy in your life and you are wondering at letting them read this, have no fear. There is some kissing and giddy descriptions of attraction, but nothing more than kids this age generally get from movies and other books for their own age group. I let Bit read it (and she loved it too).
Basically this book was all that I could have asked for. Happiness bubbled up inside me as I was reading it, like I was a bottle of soda being shaken up. It just made me effervescent when I was done, walking around grinning like a fool.
Stephanie self-published this and here is her post on all the places you can purchase it if you wish. (And you should most definitely wish to.)
January 20, 2016
Short, good, enjoyable read. Yay! We got to see more of our Lucy (who was a distinct highlight from book #2) and we got another long look at Alexander (a last-minute surprise highlight from book #3). (Can I also mention that I kind of love that Kat has been imagining and replaying that hand kiss in her head for five years? It just made me like her all the more.) Can we get some books that deal with the joining of the two societies and a series about fighting crime with magic and guardian magic? Since I'm in a demanding mood and all (see my review for Midnight in Austenland) I think I would enjoy seeing Lucy, Alexander, Kat and Lord Lanham take on the world. They'd be rewriting history in a delightful way.
June 26, 2019
just as good as I remembered! 💗💗💗
March 3, 2021
Kat, Incorrigible book 4. Very much a sequel to the trilogy, so spoilers for them ahead.
Kat is summoned away from the fitting for her gown -- she must have a Season -- to receive a task as a Guardian: to deal with an illusionist and thief who worked at Society events. Three young men are also on the task, and one is Alexander.
It concerns an old friend with a new name, making jewels look different, questions of fatherhood, and more.
Kat is summoned away from the fitting for her gown -- she must have a Season -- to receive a task as a Guardian: to deal with an illusionist and thief who worked at Society events. Three young men are also on the task, and one is Alexander.
It concerns an old friend with a new name, making jewels look different, questions of fatherhood, and more.
January 30, 2015
How could I describe it, except it was a perfect closure
My sister made recommendation for this trilogy ages ago. The #1 book, Kat, Incorrigible was lent to me since last year, but the passion to read books faded away since I had new interest last year, watching Korean soap operas :p. But as reading is ingrained in my blood, I now zealously started reading again.
The #1 book, Kat, Incorrigible introduced Kat, as our protagonist, who discovered she was a born Guardian, on which, as we read through this, we realise that Guardians and witches are two different breed. Guardians were seen as a bit snobbish, upper crust of the society and was supposed to protect normal people from malevolent magic. Kat's family was eccentric, her late mother caused a scandal performing magic while her father was a chaplain.
The #2 Renegade Magic described at's adventure in Bath, I particularly like the way she managed to gain her family admission to her stepmama's cousin by marriage and gained a friend, Lucy. The #3 Stolen Magic was a continuation of the second book where she met Alexander, the natural son of one outcast Guardian and where her another sister finally get married.
The whole series are funny, I like the fact that Kat voiced her opinions and even though it seemed a bit quite too good to be true, Kat has good guts.
This book Courting Magic was a perfect closure to the series despite it is set 5 years later and was announced as a novella. It was straight to the point and shorter than its predecessors. And it was sweet, heart bursting sweet. Kat is now a young woman at the throes of her prime about to enter the season. The flow of the story is much matured compared to before, but still Kat is opinionated and Lucy was introduced in this again. I always though Lucy is such a marvelous female, even though she was outcast by her immediate family, she was such an optimistic person and shined through this book.
I'm definitely looking forward to other works by this author. Thank you Stephanie Burgis for this magical, wonderful series
My sister made recommendation for this trilogy ages ago. The #1 book, Kat, Incorrigible was lent to me since last year, but the passion to read books faded away since I had new interest last year, watching Korean soap operas :p. But as reading is ingrained in my blood, I now zealously started reading again.
The #1 book, Kat, Incorrigible introduced Kat, as our protagonist, who discovered she was a born Guardian, on which, as we read through this, we realise that Guardians and witches are two different breed. Guardians were seen as a bit snobbish, upper crust of the society and was supposed to protect normal people from malevolent magic. Kat's family was eccentric, her late mother caused a scandal performing magic while her father was a chaplain.
The #2 Renegade Magic described at's adventure in Bath, I particularly like the way she managed to gain her family admission to her stepmama's cousin by marriage and gained a friend, Lucy. The #3 Stolen Magic was a continuation of the second book where she met Alexander, the natural son of one outcast Guardian and where her another sister finally get married.
The whole series are funny, I like the fact that Kat voiced her opinions and even though it seemed a bit quite too good to be true, Kat has good guts.
This book Courting Magic was a perfect closure to the series despite it is set 5 years later and was announced as a novella. It was straight to the point and shorter than its predecessors. And it was sweet, heart bursting sweet. Kat is now a young woman at the throes of her prime about to enter the season. The flow of the story is much matured compared to before, but still Kat is opinionated and Lucy was introduced in this again. I always though Lucy is such a marvelous female, even though she was outcast by her immediate family, she was such an optimistic person and shined through this book.
I'm definitely looking forward to other works by this author. Thank you Stephanie Burgis for this magical, wonderful series
June 12, 2014
I read an early draft of this novella, and it is awesome!
It's about five years after the events of the last Kat book, and Kat is finally old at 18 enough to make her debut in society. But she's also on a mission from the Guardians, the secret magical order that keeps an eye on magic use in England.
This book has everything you'd expect from a Kat novel: magic, romance, adventure, and humour. A lot of the fantastic characters from the earlier books are back, but there are some equally brilliant new characters Kat has to deal with.
This is a novella, not a full-length novel. It's about half the length of one of the full Kat novels, but it doesn't lack anything from the shorter length.
Much recommended!
It's about five years after the events of the last Kat book, and Kat is finally old at 18 enough to make her debut in society. But she's also on a mission from the Guardians, the secret magical order that keeps an eye on magic use in England.
This book has everything you'd expect from a Kat novel: magic, romance, adventure, and humour. A lot of the fantastic characters from the earlier books are back, but there are some equally brilliant new characters Kat has to deal with.
This is a novella, not a full-length novel. It's about half the length of one of the full Kat novels, but it doesn't lack anything from the shorter length.
Much recommended!
December 28, 2014
Lovely stuff! So good to see Kat grown up and still recognisably herself. Would have enjoyed (or would enjoy) more...
May 17, 2015
Not bad, but also too short to feel properly developed and anything other than expected.
January 25, 2015
Well that was delightful. Kat is as incorrigible as ever, as frustrated with social constraints, and much better at appearing respectable. And now she gets a romance too. :D :D :D :D
November 4, 2016
The only thing wrong with this was that it ended.
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March 26, 2017I started reading Kat, Incorrigible shortly after it was published, in 2011 and I found it so delightful, I decided to save the last in the series for a rainy day. That day came last year, when one of my best friends spent twenty-seven days in the ICU before ultimately passing away. During that time, I read the entire trilogy, thankful to be join Kat in her magical adventures.
This month, I had another such rainy day. I jumped into this novella and was excited and pleased to find that, though grown up, Kat is as fun and improper as ever. The story was fun--some parts made me actually laugh out loud, in the hospital, while the person I was looking after was sleeping (oops!)--the romance sweet, Kat's family as lovable as ever, and I loved seeing everyone from previous books.
The novella was wrapped up very nicely, but I wasn't completely satisfied because, obviously, I'm the book version of the cookie monster and I always want more. There's Flying Magic, of course, buuuut let's face it, what we really need is an entire series about Kat's adventures as a Guardian, especially if she gets to team up with Alexander again.
This month, I had another such rainy day. I jumped into this novella and was excited and pleased to find that, though grown up, Kat is as fun and improper as ever. The story was fun--some parts made me actually laugh out loud, in the hospital, while the person I was looking after was sleeping (oops!)--the romance sweet, Kat's family as lovable as ever, and I loved seeing everyone from previous books.
The novella was wrapped up very nicely, but I wasn't completely satisfied because, obviously, I'm the book version of the cookie monster and I always want more. There's Flying Magic, of course, buuuut let's face it, what we really need is an entire series about Kat's adventures as a Guardian, especially if she gets to team up with Alexander again.
April 18, 2018
A cute follow-up short story to the Kat, Incorrigible series in which we finally get to see Kat actually use some magic. She barely uses magic in the first three books (one or two spells per book), so it was refreshing to finally see her in action.
Kat, about to make her debut in society, is given a mission to track down a rogue witch thief preying on the nobility at society parties. She and a couple other guardians have to work together to find the mysterious thief. Meanwhile Kat is dealing with her family trying to find her a husband.
Why does every male love interest in every book I read have broad shoulders?
Kat, about to make her debut in society, is given a mission to track down a rogue witch thief preying on the nobility at society parties. She and a couple other guardians have to work together to find the mysterious thief. Meanwhile Kat is dealing with her family trying to find her a husband.
Why does every male love interest in every book I read have broad shoulders?
August 27, 2021
The truly delightful in every way conclusion to the Kat, Incorrigible series, taking place five years after the last installment with Kat preparing for her first London Season. All this time, Kat has been actively involved in her Guardian work, but just before she is to attend her very first ball, the head of the order gives her a mission - she has to work with three young men who will pretend to court her, as the four of them search for a rogue which. The problem is that one of these young men just happens to be the boy who stole her heart five years before, and she has no idea if he feels the same.
A shorter book, almost a novella, but so very good, and just what I wanted to complete Kat's story. I loved it!! I did notice that the author has also written a short story of Kat as a mother, which I will have to find. So glad I found this series!
A shorter book, almost a novella, but so very good, and just what I wanted to complete Kat's story. I loved it!! I did notice that the author has also written a short story of Kat as a mother, which I will have to find. So glad I found this series!
April 26, 2022
I don't remember much of the other 3 books---it's been so long since I've read them. I do remember liking the cast which shows up in one form or anther here. The dialogue is definitely modernized, as are other aspects of the plot. The fantasy set-up is a bit haphazard. It might be a bit more detailed in the earlier ones. I don't remember. But it isn't trying to be anything it's not. It's not going for deep statements about society or history or relationships. It doesn't elongate the plot purely for chemistry's sake. There's enough going on besides Kat's debut that it's not just about a romance. It's pure fun.
That being said, it's really difficult to track down. And I'm not sure I care enough to go back and reread the prequels. But I do think they (and this one) could easily appeal to the older MG reader.
That being said, it's really difficult to track down. And I'm not sure I care enough to go back and reread the prequels. But I do think they (and this one) could easily appeal to the older MG reader.
January 19, 2022
I loved this novella! Even more than the main trilogy, probably because this was written with a slightly older tone. Much of the histrionics found in the first three books is missing, and the plot is a bit more subtle than before. I loved seeing an older, more mature - though no less stubborn - Kat. Burgis wraps up Kat's story neatly in this, giving her a well-deserved HEA. And, I was so glad to see Lucy again! Lucy, who I had wondered about after book 2, and it was really nice to see her happy and well. I'm also a bit sad that there probably won't be much more in this series. I know there are short stories, but they just aren't the same, nor as satisfying. (Though, I would pay good money for a story about Lucy's mother and sister's reactions to the results of this story.)
May 11, 2017
Oh I don't have words to describe the delight this novella brought to me! No matter what, Kat definitely does every single thing with style. Obviously, including falling in love. This has become one my most favourite novellas of all time. I started to smile from the first page and can't help smiling till now when I've already finished the book. I don't even know how the author managed to write such an epic romance in just 140 pages! Absolutely loved loved loved the book.
June 10, 2020
I think I've been waiting to read this for five or six years now, and it was (slightly) disappointing, but I think that's just because I loved the original series so much and my memory placed a halo around it. My tastes have changed too much, but this was still pretty cute. I might reread the others if I wasn't so sure that I might not see what I saw when I first read them.
August 18, 2022
Once again, the twists in these books are amazing! I loved the sense of mystique woven into the book and the opportunity to see Kat as a fully-formed and capable witch! It is so enchanting to see her engage with others. The climax was so swash-buckling and the ending was so satisfying! Definitely a must-read for anyone that's followed Kat this far.
December 19, 2017
Wonderful
Wonderful mystery wrapped up in a regency romance. The heroine is headstrong, resourceful and quite modern and all the supporting cast is really enjoyable. Burgis makes me want to read more romance stories of this is what I can expect.
Wonderful mystery wrapped up in a regency romance. The heroine is headstrong, resourceful and quite modern and all the supporting cast is really enjoyable. Burgis makes me want to read more romance stories of this is what I can expect.
March 23, 2018
This was such a fun novella. It truly is a stand alone read. I haven’t read any of the other books and had no problem connecting with the characters or understanding their world. Kat was delightful. Now I’m going to have to get my hands on the other books in this series.
May 18, 2019
Kat, on a magic mission, finds her first love again. Kind of interchangeable with Snowspelled for me, even though they were somewhat different. Probably would have been stronger if I had read the others in the series first.
December 9, 2019
This is a perfectly nice romance novella rendered pretty much unreadable by the fact that the author doesn’t seem to have done any research on the period she’s set it in, its language, or its customs.
July 18, 2017
Good but short. Heavy on the romance less so on the magic.
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