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Elisade #0.5
An Unexpected Invitation
Beatrice has always struggled with motion sickness in any form of travel. That’s why she made sure that she lived on the island of Maredudd, where she only rarely needs to get anywhere using anything other than her own two feet. However, it doesn’t make it easy for her to get anywhere in a hurry.
She gets called away for urgent help healing a friend who got bitten by an unknown creature and gets surprised by an unexpected invitation to a childhood friend’s wedding. She’s almost positive she won’t be able to get there in time, or in good shape enough to be able to attend the wedding.
However, with the help of two unusual friends and a little bit of magic, she’s going to try everything in her power to get there, even if it will be an unusual journey.
She gets called away for urgent help healing a friend who got bitten by an unknown creature and gets surprised by an unexpected invitation to a childhood friend’s wedding. She’s almost positive she won’t be able to get there in time, or in good shape enough to be able to attend the wedding.
However, with the help of two unusual friends and a little bit of magic, she’s going to try everything in her power to get there, even if it will be an unusual journey.
71 pages, ebook
First published January 23, 2019
3 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Ceillie Simkiss
8 books89 followers**PLEASE NOTE: I DO NOT ACCEPT FRIEND REQUESTS ON THIS ACCOUNT. IF YOU WISH TO KEEP UP WITH MY REVIEWS, PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER**
Ceillie Simkiss is an author from southern Virginia. She started writing fiction as an escape from her day job as a small town journalist, and has been at it ever since, with the support of her partner, her dog and her cats.
Ceillie Simkiss is an author from southern Virginia. She started writing fiction as an escape from her day job as a small town journalist, and has been at it ever since, with the support of her partner, her dog and her cats.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
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June 6, 2019Content Warnings
This is a magical quest kind of tale, that centers an aroace witch who is trying to find an accessible way to get to the wedding of chosen family, despite her motion sickness. It centers a range of platonic relationships, and has some fun moments of magical problem solving. My favorite bit was when the witch’s bisexual fae BFF gives her a beautiful present; it really held the way friendships can be deeply emotional and important, and I loved that.
This is a magical quest kind of tale, that centers an aroace witch who is trying to find an accessible way to get to the wedding of chosen family, despite her motion sickness. It centers a range of platonic relationships, and has some fun moments of magical problem solving. My favorite bit was when the witch’s bisexual fae BFF gives her a beautiful present; it really held the way friendships can be deeply emotional and important, and I loved that.
March 12, 2019
This was a sweet, short and atmospheric piece of writing about an aromantic and asexual character who gets horribly motion sick but doesn't want to let that stop her from attending the wedding of dear friends.
Okay, it's more her young companion who pushes her into attempting the spells that will keep her from motion sickness and getting across to the wedding. The thing I loved about this short story was that it was so community based.
The one thing that fell down was that I didn't really feel as though that community feeling continued after she left Maredudd. Despite the fact that we saw her interact with friends from her childhood, I didn't get a sense of the closeness she felt with those characters, and there was barely any time with Beatrice and the couple who were getting married for whom she travelled. That seemed... odd to me.
Okay, it's more her young companion who pushes her into attempting the spells that will keep her from motion sickness and getting across to the wedding. The thing I loved about this short story was that it was so community based.
The one thing that fell down was that I didn't really feel as though that community feeling continued after she left Maredudd. Despite the fact that we saw her interact with friends from her childhood, I didn't get a sense of the closeness she felt with those characters, and there was barely any time with Beatrice and the couple who were getting married for whom she travelled. That seemed... odd to me.
February 3, 2019
That was a lovely read. I love how it seamlessly wove its elements together. Plenty diversity too.
February 18, 2019
Such a cute, queer, quick-read!
February 27, 2019
An Unexpected Invitation is a no-angst novella about an aromantic asexual witch that has debilitating motion sickness and is trying to find a way to travel to her friends’ wedding. I loved how she got the aromantic/asexual rep perfect, too! There are moments in the book where she thinks people are beautiful, but has no romantic or sexual interest in them. It’s perfect for a cozy day where you just want to relax and not worry about any drama.
The story starts off with a side character being attacked off-page and his daughter, Molly, asking our main character, Beatrice, for help. I’m personally a bit squeamish when it comes to gore on page when I’m not warned of it, so I’m very thankful that Simkiss did cut out her bandaging and stitching his leg up.
After she gets an invitation from her friend asking her to come to his wedding (with a nonbinary character!), she starts planning out how she’s going to journey there with the help of Molly. I loved how she wasn’t perfect at magic all the time and that she recognized that she needed help.
Almost all of the characters were queer in some way. Two side characters are lesbians and there’s a queer fae that lives on the island. With the nonbinary character, their family was very accepting of them and there was absolutely no misgendering!
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The story starts off with a side character being attacked off-page and his daughter, Molly, asking our main character, Beatrice, for help. I’m personally a bit squeamish when it comes to gore on page when I’m not warned of it, so I’m very thankful that Simkiss did cut out her bandaging and stitching his leg up.
After she gets an invitation from her friend asking her to come to his wedding (with a nonbinary character!), she starts planning out how she’s going to journey there with the help of Molly. I loved how she wasn’t perfect at magic all the time and that she recognized that she needed help.
Almost all of the characters were queer in some way. Two side characters are lesbians and there’s a queer fae that lives on the island. With the nonbinary character, their family was very accepting of them and there was absolutely no misgendering!
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 12, 2019
Oh wow, so much diversity and yet so much different personalities that I all loved. I’m so mad that it’s short but at the same I’m happy that I was quick and fast paced. I’m so glad that I got a review copy of this cause I cold read it over and over again . The writing, the characters, the pacing need I say more. Of course nor, it was so good that I finished so quickly. Despite me being distracted and such. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is not good at reading larger books and want some natural diversity.
February 8, 2019
Aroace MC (Beatrice)
March 29, 2019
Received an e-ARC of this book from the author.
This was a cute wee story. I wish there was more of the family motif during the last third of the story.
This was a cute wee story. I wish there was more of the family motif during the last third of the story.
September 30, 2020
I had been expecting a bit more wedding after the travel, but this is a cute little story.
September 6, 2025
I want to read more books with (aro)ace main characters but why are so many of them like this. Cannot believe we had all that "plot" only for us to never actually talk to the people who sent that invite.
January 28, 2020
This was a cute fantasy novella with Regency-era vibes about an aromantic woman with chronic motion sickness who has to try to make it to her friend's wedding on time. I loved the relationships in this; Beatrice's found family is truly wonderful. I had a great time reading this. It ends a bit abruptly, in my opinion, but is otherwise a fantastic, quick read that I definitely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews