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A Charade of Magic #1
Hummingbird
The best way to live in the Mage ruled city of Glasgow is to keep your head down and your mouth closed.
That’s not usually a problem for Mairi Wallace. By day she works at a small shop selling tartan and by night she studies to become an apothecary. She knows her place and her limitations. All that changes, however, when her old childhood friend sends her a desperate message seeking her help - and the Mages themselves cross Mairi’s path. Suddenly, remaining unnoticed is no longer an option.
There’s more to Mairi than she realises but, if she wants to fulfil her full potential, she’s going to have to fight to stay alive - and only time will tell if she can beat the Mages at their own game.
From twisted wynds and tartan shops to a dangerous daemon and the magic infused City Chambers, the future of a nation might lie with one solitary woman.
Hummingbird is the first thrilling book in A Charade of Magic. The fight for freedom starts here.
That’s not usually a problem for Mairi Wallace. By day she works at a small shop selling tartan and by night she studies to become an apothecary. She knows her place and her limitations. All that changes, however, when her old childhood friend sends her a desperate message seeking her help - and the Mages themselves cross Mairi’s path. Suddenly, remaining unnoticed is no longer an option.
There’s more to Mairi than she realises but, if she wants to fulfil her full potential, she’s going to have to fight to stay alive - and only time will tell if she can beat the Mages at their own game.
From twisted wynds and tartan shops to a dangerous daemon and the magic infused City Chambers, the future of a nation might lie with one solitary woman.
Hummingbird is the first thrilling book in A Charade of Magic. The fight for freedom starts here.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2022
791 people are currently reading
3357 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
June 18, 2023
I crashed out of this pretty fast. It's grim. The treatment of women in general is awful. And of Mairi in particularly is abusive. And everybody seems perfectly alright with that. Also, zombies. I generally like Helen Harper books, at least a little. But Mairi's misery is so pronounced I just couldn't.
I'm going to rate this one star but that's highly personal. Harper is a great author and I can see that there's some depth to the characters. I'm just not patient enough to stick this out.
I'm going to rate this one star but that's highly personal. Harper is a great author and I can see that there's some depth to the characters. I'm just not patient enough to stick this out.
April 19, 2022
Yes I know this is the beginning of a series so many would rate a four but I enjoyed this so much for its originality that for me this is a definite five ! There are numerous books that use magical words that have to be imbued with intent to get the desired results but what if the person who has the magic inside them were mute ? That’s exactly the difficulty that faces Mairi when she discovers that she’s a rare female who possesses magic. Surrounded by powerful men you would think that she would kowtow and be subservient but Mairi is a strong character with backbone, courage and as dark secrets become revealed she’s unafraid to stand up for those who cannot do it themselves. Prepare to stay up late my fellow bibliophiles because this story will grab you by the throat and keep you eagerly turning the pages !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
April 20, 2022
This is a world where Mages are male and any female who has magic in her body is seen as an abomination. It just strictly isn't allowed. Mairi is a young, mute, girl who lives in this world, and is just passing her days working for a couple who owns a tartan shop. She cleans, organizes tartans, does anything they ask of her, and then retires to her room to study for a scholarship exam that will allow her to go to school for Apothecary Studies. That all changes one night when a baby disappears from the orphanage she used to call home, and the Mages take an interest in the shop she works in. Within 24 hours, Mairi's life gets flipped upside down when she begins her journey of revenge, new-found friendship, and self-discovery.
For full disclosure, I was given a free advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review!
I want to start out by saying that I was pleasantly surprised by this story. I found Mairi to be quite likeable and I enjoyed her inner monologue. As a woman in the world she lives in, she is at quite the disadvantage. Add her unexplainable muteness on top, and she seems almost screwed! Except… she isn’t.
I loved Mairi’s rise to self-confidence and her general self-discovery. I am really looking forward to seeing what this new version of Mairi will choose to do and what paths she will take. She was strong and resilient, while something being awfully impulsive. She isn't perfect, but I enjoy that.
Overall, there was a lot that I enjoyed about this book. It kept me on my toes for pretty much the entire read. I laughed out loud at the Scottish slang and how little of it I truly understood as a Canadian (shoutout to Mairi’s inner monologue for helping with the translation on that front), and I found myself rooting for her and the people around her. Plus, a little touch of romance never hurt anybody.
I am genuinely looking forward to seeing where this story goes and feeling very thankful for receiving an advanced reader copy.
For full disclosure, I was given a free advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review!
I want to start out by saying that I was pleasantly surprised by this story. I found Mairi to be quite likeable and I enjoyed her inner monologue. As a woman in the world she lives in, she is at quite the disadvantage. Add her unexplainable muteness on top, and she seems almost screwed! Except… she isn’t.
I loved Mairi’s rise to self-confidence and her general self-discovery. I am really looking forward to seeing what this new version of Mairi will choose to do and what paths she will take. She was strong and resilient, while something being awfully impulsive. She isn't perfect, but I enjoy that.
Overall, there was a lot that I enjoyed about this book. It kept me on my toes for pretty much the entire read. I laughed out loud at the Scottish slang and how little of it I truly understood as a Canadian (shoutout to Mairi’s inner monologue for helping with the translation on that front), and I found myself rooting for her and the people around her. Plus, a little touch of romance never hurt anybody.
I am genuinely looking forward to seeing where this story goes and feeling very thankful for receiving an advanced reader copy.
June 13, 2022
This book in a nutshell: ineptitude + sheer dumb luck. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
April 20, 2023
It started really interestingly - a mute girl, with apparently a strong magic within her, trying to find a way to break the city's grip over powerful Mages (who also has been stealing female babies, and experimenting on Afflicted - people who have been transformed into something else by disease)...
BUT, after halfway through, it seemed everything was going in a RUSH RUSH RUSH. Mairi, who can only knew few magic words ended up (). Strong start but lazy finish, IMHO.
I still find this interesting enough to want to read book #2 though. Especially knowing that this is only a trilogy, and book #3 is out already.
BUT, after halfway through, it seemed everything was going in a RUSH RUSH RUSH. Mairi, who can only knew few magic words ended up (). Strong start but lazy finish, IMHO.
I still find this interesting enough to want to read book #2 though. Especially knowing that this is only a trilogy, and book #3 is out already.
May 21, 2023
Szkocja, magowie wykorzystujący swoje moce, by terroryzować miasto i dziewczyna, która zrządzeniem losu, z szarej myszki staje się ikoną tych, którzy chcą magów obalić.
Owszem są tu momenty, przy czytaniu których aktywowało mi się "Nie no, serio?", ale w ogólnym rozrachunku, była to ciekawa lektura.
Owszem są tu momenty, przy czytaniu których aktywowało mi się "Nie no, serio?", ale w ogólnym rozrachunku, była to ciekawa lektura.
May 9, 2022
I usually love Helen Harper's works, but this one pissed me off right from the start as it introduced pointless gender dynamics to score points via a "YAASS, Queen, SLAY!" style climax and conclusion.
Mairi is mute servant girl that grew up in an orphanage living a dreary humdrum life. She lives in Glasgow, and like every city in this world, is plagued with "The Afflicted" at night. Not much information is given about the Afflicted other than they're supposedly mindless (something we see isn't quite true failry early on) and they seek to attack normal people, but for some reason they never try to beat down a door to get to people; that's also not explained. The cities are protected by mages that are all male, but within a few chapters we learn there are female mages, but they tend to disappear.
The ending is pretty much a ripoff of The Force Awakens where the protagonist is super powerful for no real reason and knows how to do everything and do it well. She's yet another Mary Sue.
This book would have been better served to drop the gender crap and just create a sect of mages that steals power from all magical babies as more of a caste system argument than a trite and over-used gender argument.
Mairi is mute servant girl that grew up in an orphanage living a dreary humdrum life. She lives in Glasgow, and like every city in this world, is plagued with "The Afflicted" at night. Not much information is given about the Afflicted other than they're supposedly mindless (something we see isn't quite true failry early on) and they seek to attack normal people, but for some reason they never try to beat down a door to get to people; that's also not explained. The cities are protected by mages that are all male, but within a few chapters we learn there are female mages, but they tend to disappear.
The ending is pretty much a ripoff of The Force Awakens where the protagonist is super powerful for no real reason and knows how to do everything and do it well. She's yet another Mary Sue.
This book would have been better served to drop the gender crap and just create a sect of mages that steals power from all magical babies as more of a caste system argument than a trite and over-used gender argument.
May 8, 2022
Wait, what?
This book had promise and in places sucked me in, but the pace... All over the shop. Some parts of the book were speedy, others were slow and steady. The latter was more engaging. The last 10% of the book made very little sense because it was so rushed. I don't know why the book couldn't have been longer- I read it in an afternoon (in between taking care of a toddler) so it clearly wasn't very long. For example, Mairi and Laord: starts as a slow burn, then someone refers to him as her mate (wait, what?), And near the end he tells her he's in love with her? The slow burn is now a bonfire.
But the characters are really interesting. And I'm hoping the author course corrects for the next one.
This book had promise and in places sucked me in, but the pace... All over the shop. Some parts of the book were speedy, others were slow and steady. The latter was more engaging. The last 10% of the book made very little sense because it was so rushed. I don't know why the book couldn't have been longer- I read it in an afternoon (in between taking care of a toddler) so it clearly wasn't very long. For example, Mairi and Laord: starts as a slow burn, then someone refers to him as her mate (wait, what?), And near the end he tells her he's in love with her? The slow burn is now a bonfire.
But the characters are really interesting. And I'm hoping the author course corrects for the next one.
April 29, 2022
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Hummingbird, by author Helen Harper, is the first installment in the authors A Charade of Magic series. There are three absolutes in Mairi Wallace’s world:
1. The Mages rule every city in Scotland with terrible, violent authority. Mages control ravens which they use as their eyes and ears, and if needed even as an attack force. They also control Daemons, a more or less humanoid race with some extras, like horns.
2. It is not physically possible for any woman to wield magic.
3. Mairi does not have a voice.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Hummingbird, by author Helen Harper, is the first installment in the authors A Charade of Magic series. There are three absolutes in Mairi Wallace’s world:
1. The Mages rule every city in Scotland with terrible, violent authority. Mages control ravens which they use as their eyes and ears, and if needed even as an attack force. They also control Daemons, a more or less humanoid race with some extras, like horns.
2. It is not physically possible for any woman to wield magic.
3. Mairi does not have a voice.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
April 20, 2022
Anything Helen Harper writes goes straight to my must-read list and with Hummingbird she has again confirmed her guaranteed position.
This is a dark tale. It is set in a city that is suffering and oppressed, and we have a lead character that is an orphan, mute, and in her own words, her status is that of an indentured servant. Nothing about the life these people are living is easy.
When a horrible tragedy strikes, Mairi feels she must take action. And that’s where the story really comes alive.
The interaction of the characters in this story is where the magic happens for me. Hummingbird intertwines such a wide array of different personalities and Helen Harper does a fantastic job of building an image of their society through their eyes.
Love each character or hate them, they each play their part in demonstrating to the reader how this city runs. And it’s definitely not a place that I would want to live!
But, although I am painting a dark picture, through it all runs a thread of light and hope. These people, many of whom have every reason to be miserable, still retain their goodness. And they demonstrate it sometimes in the most unexpected moments.
Those of you who read my reviews regularly will know that for me, it’s all about the romance. And in this book, calling it a romance is stretching quite a bit. But romance comes in different shapes and sizes, and there’s enough of a hint in here to keep the love alive for me.
There are a couple of men that have potential for Mairi. One I like, one I’m particularly suspicious of. I’ll let you work out which is which. But I’ve got my fingers crossed tightly for my preferred guy!
And there’s a scene that I totally love, which is both funny and a little bit heart breaking, all at once. Mairi is mute, so she’s never had an actual conversation. Just imagine, never having been able to share all of those little thoughts that we have each day, big and small. I absolutely love the way that Helen Harper handles Mairi getting her first ever chance to ‘talk’. What would be the first things you would want to say? Very hard to imagine!!
I also found it highly entertaining, as a non-Scottish person, to read the little bits of Scottish vernacular throughout the book. I even found myself Googling a few times to work out what they were saying, but to me that was part of the fun. I love learning new unexpected things from a book! There definitely wasn't enough of the local speech to be annoying though, and if I chose to, I could have easily proceeded on without doing any search and understood the general gist of the conversation.
This is the first book in the Charade of Magic series and the end of this book leaves us with such a teaser that you won’t be able to help wanting to come back for the next installment!
Thank you to Helen Harper and BookSprout for my copy of Hummingbird. I am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a dark tale. It is set in a city that is suffering and oppressed, and we have a lead character that is an orphan, mute, and in her own words, her status is that of an indentured servant. Nothing about the life these people are living is easy.
When a horrible tragedy strikes, Mairi feels she must take action. And that’s where the story really comes alive.
The interaction of the characters in this story is where the magic happens for me. Hummingbird intertwines such a wide array of different personalities and Helen Harper does a fantastic job of building an image of their society through their eyes.
Love each character or hate them, they each play their part in demonstrating to the reader how this city runs. And it’s definitely not a place that I would want to live!
But, although I am painting a dark picture, through it all runs a thread of light and hope. These people, many of whom have every reason to be miserable, still retain their goodness. And they demonstrate it sometimes in the most unexpected moments.
Those of you who read my reviews regularly will know that for me, it’s all about the romance. And in this book, calling it a romance is stretching quite a bit. But romance comes in different shapes and sizes, and there’s enough of a hint in here to keep the love alive for me.
There are a couple of men that have potential for Mairi. One I like, one I’m particularly suspicious of. I’ll let you work out which is which. But I’ve got my fingers crossed tightly for my preferred guy!
And there’s a scene that I totally love, which is both funny and a little bit heart breaking, all at once. Mairi is mute, so she’s never had an actual conversation. Just imagine, never having been able to share all of those little thoughts that we have each day, big and small. I absolutely love the way that Helen Harper handles Mairi getting her first ever chance to ‘talk’. What would be the first things you would want to say? Very hard to imagine!!
I also found it highly entertaining, as a non-Scottish person, to read the little bits of Scottish vernacular throughout the book. I even found myself Googling a few times to work out what they were saying, but to me that was part of the fun. I love learning new unexpected things from a book! There definitely wasn't enough of the local speech to be annoying though, and if I chose to, I could have easily proceeded on without doing any search and understood the general gist of the conversation.
This is the first book in the Charade of Magic series and the end of this book leaves us with such a teaser that you won’t be able to help wanting to come back for the next installment!
Thank you to Helen Harper and BookSprout for my copy of Hummingbird. I am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 28, 2022
4.5/5.0
Wow! What an awesome start to a new series! Usually the first book in a developing series takes a bit to warm up to, build the world and get things in order (translation moves slow). This one does not do that at all! Somehow the author succeeds in achieving all those things while plunging the reader into the action and intrigue almost immediately. It was AWESOME!
Mairi, the main character, is a young, mute girl who works as an indentured servant by day and studies by night to achieve her dream of becoming an apothecary. When she discovers children are going missing and tragically loses her dearest friend, who is trying to find the children, Mairi dives into the vicious world of the mages in order to bring their treachery down and avenge their victims.
The story deepens and develops at a fast pace while never losing the nuances that make the reading enjoyable and riveting. There’s even a hint at a possible romance that will definitively keep readers wanting to grab the next book. I know I will be anxiously waiting and checking out more of this new-to-me author’s books!
Wow! What an awesome start to a new series! Usually the first book in a developing series takes a bit to warm up to, build the world and get things in order (translation moves slow). This one does not do that at all! Somehow the author succeeds in achieving all those things while plunging the reader into the action and intrigue almost immediately. It was AWESOME!
Mairi, the main character, is a young, mute girl who works as an indentured servant by day and studies by night to achieve her dream of becoming an apothecary. When she discovers children are going missing and tragically loses her dearest friend, who is trying to find the children, Mairi dives into the vicious world of the mages in order to bring their treachery down and avenge their victims.
The story deepens and develops at a fast pace while never losing the nuances that make the reading enjoyable and riveting. There’s even a hint at a possible romance that will definitively keep readers wanting to grab the next book. I know I will be anxiously waiting and checking out more of this new-to-me author’s books!
May 5, 2022
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars!
May 30, 2022
Can't wait for the sequel.
June 12, 2022
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
This is a decent read with a strong willed heroine who doesn't have too much of a 'too stupid to live' syndrome. It feels like an edgier YA story in that regard. But it doesn't bring much of anything new to the table either: the usual alternative history location (UK) where mages rule the world and need to be taken down by a unique snowflake.Story: Mairi is an orphan who is trying to get by in the world. She works as a servant to a couple who aren't too terrible to her (relatively speaking, of course) and works long hours in a fashion house/textile company. She is mute - has been her whole life - but that has never hindered her too greatly. That is, until the mages target someone she loves and she finds out she may have the power to bring them down once and for all.
As noted, there was nothing too new to the story. The characters were interesting in a very Dickensian way and the Scottish slang/cant was well represented. Mairi is a strong character but a lot of the supporting characters and love interesting do feel a bit much like YA cliches. That said, I will likely continue the story with book 2. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
May 30, 2022
This might be a bit dark but it was still a fun and fast read. It’s a shame I have to wait till end of this year to find out what happens next. Mairi is a likable character and you will be rooting for her to succeed the whole time. This wasn’t perfect but I sure enjoyed it.
April 30, 2022
’The Mages power was absolute, and there was no gainsaying their actions.’
Set in an alternative old fashioned Glasgow, in a country which is ruled by totalitarian Mages where you can’t go out at night for fear of the Afflicted (zombie like creatures that could kill/infect you), Mairi is trying her best to make something of herself and get a scholarship to become an apothecary. Treated as an indentured-servant by day, she spends her nights studying for a better life. But when the Mages tyranny claims her closet friend, Mairi sets her sight in revenge, discovering more about the Mages, and herself, then she ever thought possible.
This was a brilliant fast paced story which did not let up. Helen Harper has created a dark and gritty fantasy with an intriguing plot and good world building. I really enjoyed the Scottish slang in this, but I do feel she could have leaned slightly more it to the beautiful, gothic atmosphere of the city.
Mairi, our main character, is vibrant, strong, cunning and brilliantly sarcastic- even if it’s only to herself. I thought it was fascinating how much was conveyed without her ever saying a word! I absolutely adored her inner monologue and how she observed the world and the people she interacted with.
‘Hummingbird’ also had the bonus of having a slight romantic sub-plot which I am SO here for. I definitely would have liked to see more from that aspect of the story.
Overall this was a brilliant start to a new fantasy series, with great characters and a brilliant premise. It could have been fleshed out a bit more a certain parts, but I’m really looking forward to the next one and seeing where it all goes.
**** I was given a free advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review****
Set in an alternative old fashioned Glasgow, in a country which is ruled by totalitarian Mages where you can’t go out at night for fear of the Afflicted (zombie like creatures that could kill/infect you), Mairi is trying her best to make something of herself and get a scholarship to become an apothecary. Treated as an indentured-servant by day, she spends her nights studying for a better life. But when the Mages tyranny claims her closet friend, Mairi sets her sight in revenge, discovering more about the Mages, and herself, then she ever thought possible.
This was a brilliant fast paced story which did not let up. Helen Harper has created a dark and gritty fantasy with an intriguing plot and good world building. I really enjoyed the Scottish slang in this, but I do feel she could have leaned slightly more it to the beautiful, gothic atmosphere of the city.
Mairi, our main character, is vibrant, strong, cunning and brilliantly sarcastic- even if it’s only to herself. I thought it was fascinating how much was conveyed without her ever saying a word! I absolutely adored her inner monologue and how she observed the world and the people she interacted with.
‘Hummingbird’ also had the bonus of having a slight romantic sub-plot which I am SO here for. I definitely would have liked to see more from that aspect of the story.
Overall this was a brilliant start to a new fantasy series, with great characters and a brilliant premise. It could have been fleshed out a bit more a certain parts, but I’m really looking forward to the next one and seeing where it all goes.
**** I was given a free advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review****
March 31, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
Wow, you better hold on because "Hummingbird" by Helen Harper is a fast-paced ride from start to finish. As someone who has listened to a number of Helen Harper's books, I've found some to be hit or miss, but this one was definitely a hit for me.
The story's rapid pace kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. However, I did feel that the swift momentum came at the expense of character development. While the plot was thrilling, I found myself wanting more depth and emotional connection with the characters. There is an overall plot, but there are some subplots that are there too, which is why I found I missed parts with the speed. I'm curious to see if future books in the series will delve deeper into the characters' backgrounds and emotions, providing the development that was somewhat missing here.
There is one spicy scene, but if you blink, you might miss it! It was brief and added a little extra flavor to the story.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the balance of action and humor. The light-hearted moments provided a nice contrast to the intense action sequences, making the story more enjoyable and keeping the tone refreshing.
Moreover, I see a lot of potential for the series to develop further. While some aspects of the book felt underdeveloped, I'm hopeful that future installments will expand on character arcs and provide deeper emotional engagement.
As for the narration, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ruth Urquhart's Scottish (or maybe English) accent added a layer of charm to the listening experience, and I didn't mind it at all. It complemented the story well, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the audiobook.
"Hummingbird" is a captivating listen for those who love fast-paced stories. While it may lack some emotional depth, it promises excitement and adventure. I'm looking forward to seeing how the series unfolds and hoping for more character exploration in the upcoming installments.
Wow, you better hold on because "Hummingbird" by Helen Harper is a fast-paced ride from start to finish. As someone who has listened to a number of Helen Harper's books, I've found some to be hit or miss, but this one was definitely a hit for me.
The story's rapid pace kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. However, I did feel that the swift momentum came at the expense of character development. While the plot was thrilling, I found myself wanting more depth and emotional connection with the characters. There is an overall plot, but there are some subplots that are there too, which is why I found I missed parts with the speed. I'm curious to see if future books in the series will delve deeper into the characters' backgrounds and emotions, providing the development that was somewhat missing here.
There is one spicy scene, but if you blink, you might miss it! It was brief and added a little extra flavor to the story.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the balance of action and humor. The light-hearted moments provided a nice contrast to the intense action sequences, making the story more enjoyable and keeping the tone refreshing.
Moreover, I see a lot of potential for the series to develop further. While some aspects of the book felt underdeveloped, I'm hopeful that future installments will expand on character arcs and provide deeper emotional engagement.
As for the narration, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ruth Urquhart's Scottish (or maybe English) accent added a layer of charm to the listening experience, and I didn't mind it at all. It complemented the story well, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the audiobook.
"Hummingbird" is a captivating listen for those who love fast-paced stories. While it may lack some emotional depth, it promises excitement and adventure. I'm looking forward to seeing how the series unfolds and hoping for more character exploration in the upcoming installments.
January 11, 2023
This is a actually more like 2.5 stars for me. I have read this author's phoenix series and I liked it well enough. She is very good at setting the mood. Other reviews said that they liked her world building but it was kind of thin with almost no explanation about how things devolved into its current state. The MC would just say that no one knew and that was it. Character development was not satisfactory either. There was a lot of telling in this book and not much showing, like we missed a lot of scenes of character development that would have helped us like and understand the characters better. All the characters served the plot so a lot of their actions made no sense. It had enough elements to keep me reading but such a shame that it felt more like a draft than a finished book.
May 1, 2022
Amazing!!
I absolutely loved this fast paced tale from Helen Harper. I was crying, laughing, on the edge of my seat. Amazing. This is everything I love in a book. Already dying for book 2!! Helen Harpers best book yet...and that's saying something!
I absolutely loved this fast paced tale from Helen Harper. I was crying, laughing, on the edge of my seat. Amazing. This is everything I love in a book. Already dying for book 2!! Helen Harpers best book yet...and that's saying something!
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November 26, 2022Rating: minus 2
The main character was interesting and seemed well drawn, until the question of her origins starts to interfere with enjoying her story. Then the source of all magic and magicians becomes a question that demands an answer. I suggest a look at the one and two star reviews. I can not see them but they should say something similar to my review.
A rogue (?) Goodreads tech has grayed out "like" buttons, blocked my view of others' reviews and masked the commenter ID's on my pages. 🤔🤔🤔 My queries were all forwarded to the same "rogue" techs, who have never responded. 🤔 I finally closed my pages to comments and removed all lurkers but one. A rogue (?) Goodreads tech will not "Allow" me to remove a Dr Susan Hamilton (Maths professor at University of Tennessee ?). 🤔
She posted nothing over two years since her friend request, yet has not responded to five (now) requests that she unfriend me. 🤔 It would be sad if she finds me that fascinating because I am neither credentialed nor am I that interesting. 🤗🤗🤗
It all began when I wrote a brutally honest review of a "sorry poorly written salute to the January 6, 2021 hero". Suddenly a rogue (?) Goodreads tech decided that my being a communist is a bad thing. 🤔. What a surprise. 🤗🤗🤗🤗
For more Goodreads, see my review of "Stowaway" a poor space adventure or Powers of the Earth (a sorry poorly written salute to the January 6, 2021 hero)) and the comments from a Claes Rees, Jr/cgr710 (self-identified NeoNazi and US patriot).
Claes Rees, Jr/cgr710
Don't be a numpty. Be a smarty. Come and join the Communist Party.
I wish these US patriots (Tucker Carlson, US Republican Party and Claes Rees Jr, for example) would be forced to publicly explain why they support the Russia that has threatened to retake Alaska and nuclear war against their own USA. In any case.
GLORY TO UKRAINE !!! and GLORY TO THE HEROES !!
I liked the story for the first part but was troubled by missing background elements. The world building as usual was the failure point for novels that do not quite satisfy .
Was this an alternate reality, a near earth other world or just an undefined standard fantasy universe with a Scottish accent? That makes a difference if I am to appreciate the characters and locate them in their place and their time. What history created this society regardless of what this world is?
Who rules this society and why? How does the economy work and where does capital accumulate? Manufacture (goods are necessary, after all) and agriculture require a work force and ownership structure, both need clarification.
What are the limits on magic and magical power? How is strength of magical abilities increased or decreased? Does it change with the needs of the plot?
If women are needed to provide magic users, how do magicians reproduce? Where are the mothers and why are they killed at birth? What is the logic here? It makes for exciting life or death scenes but where do they lead and should the reader really care.
One need not be an economist or gods forbid, a communist to question the absence of explanations for the society in which the story is set. The lack of serious world building has several inherent weaknesses in every book without a solid underpinning. This is true whether spaceships or magic wands are the main feature of the story.
The characters are not clearly defined because their motivations seem threadbare or implausible. The plot is reduced to a series of more or less connected scenes, with less and less impact or with no logical outcomes. There are many logics but I refer to a commonly recognized logic that any reader might bring to their understanding of the book.
Another weakness will always be a reduction in the discipline of the writing. That is my observation. I first realized that phenomenon fighting my way through the Anderle hot mess. He throws spaceships, werewolves, vampires, some mutiny in the US military, a Caribbean expedition of working class veterans with no clear purpose into a personal history of an entitled sociopathic "Karen". Queen Bitch is not a misogynistic term in his universe but instead is a term of female empowerment. 🤔🤔🤔 That is not my judgement. That is explicitly stated and some female readers seem to love it.
The lack of structure and writing discipline are not tempered by rigorous editing. These edited books seem to further exaggerate what is bad prose. I have come to think of it as "throw every element of science fiction, fantasy or horror against the wall in a single series and see what sticks". The justification is a simple one. It is only science fiction.
The weakness of the world building might be more easily overlooked in a film because of the focus on the characters but it still reduces entertainment value (Star Wars movies are a good example). With only the page as the guide, the picture becomes muddled more obviously and quickly. Still, this is a better written story than most of Amazon's fantasy and almost all of its science fiction offerings.
The low bar for current science fiction has resulted in my loss of interest in science fiction and fantasy print at the moment. The streaming services provide more solid worlds and are more entertaining as a rule. A broad multicultural collection is also offered by Netflix.
I only started watching YouTube a few years ago and stumbled across the educational video sites. Sites like Curiosity Stream/Nebula are documentary , essayist and other educational video libraries and worth a look. I began with Curiosity Stream/Nebula at a cost of about $15 USD, which was a great bargain.
YouTube hosted many Interest area channels, including documentary and essayist channels. I liked the special interest channels but was stunned by the book channels. 😍😍 These are communities of readers who are curious about writers and books, are cosmopolitan, thoughtful, varied in their tastes and love all bookish things. I recommend a visit to several book channels for any reader and have listed some below.
They are the total opposite to Goodreads, a sales tool for badly written and/or politically suspect fiction. The current low end US science fiction is so obviously slanted towards US hegemonic fantasy that the stories should all boast flags on the cover.
My YouTube picks of the moment.
Lex Fridman, 2Cellos, JamCam and Cam, Violet Orlandi, Tom Nicholas, IzzzYzzz, A Cup of Nicole, The Juice Media, Wizards and Warriors, Elina Charatsidou, The Snake Charmer, Digital Engine, Mandy, The Historian's Craft.
As for Goodreads, please consider this as a potentially hostile site. 😐
In science fiction especially, the racial superiority and even pro slavery commenters on Powers of the Earth (that last, really forced my eyes open) are not just vocal but claim to speak for all the "right" members. 🤔🤔 Read some comments to one star reviews (especially by women) for a wake up. Remember that complaints about the Goodreads behaviors above were forwarded to the same "rogue" techs, I discovered.🤔
I removed personal information from my profile, avoid messaging in favor of emails and removed all the lurkers that Goodreads "allowed". Taking a screenshot of the oddity and especially horrible comments, might be a good practice. If none of the above will ever affect you, then ignore the this and the paragraph above. 😊
Seriously, just consider protecting yourself and Good reading. 😊😊
Some of my favorite YouTube channels are.
Beautifully Bookish Bethany, Eleanor Morton, Some More News, Tara Mooknee, Munecat, Novara Media, The Mindful Narrowboat, Chugging Along, Invicta, Tom Nicholas, Tulia, The Armchair Historian, Sabine Hossenfelder, Chloe Stafler, A Clockwork Reader, Then and Now, Between the Wars, The Great War, Real Engineering, With Olivia, I'm Rosa, Patrick is a Navajo, Second Thought, Cruising Alba, Sort of Interesting, Jabzy, IzzzYzzz, Swell Entertainment, We're in Hell, Make Better Media, Tibees, Up and Atom, Half as Interesting, Big Think, Spacedock, Books with Chloe, What Vivi did next, Cruising Crafts, Northern Narrowboaters, Ship Happens, Randy Rainbow, Holly the Cafe Boat, Lady of the Library, Camper Vibe, Digital Engine, The Templin Institute, GateWorld, The Piano Boat, Cambridge for Europe, Myths Baby!, Lantern Jack, Adult Wednesday Addams, Robert Murray Smith, JamCam and Cam, May Moon Narrowboat, Voices of the Past, AllShorts, Philosophy Tube, Art by Annamarie, Event Horizon, Noah Samsen, Three Arrows, Zoe Baker, 2Cellos, Sarah Z, Bookleo, Anton Petrov, The European, Political Custard, Katie Colson, Useful Idiots, Prime of Midlife, Crecganford, Cruising the Cut, Artificial Intelligence Universe, Autumn's Boutique, Merphy Napier, Writing with Jenna Moreci, Storyworldling, A Cup of Nicole, History Line, UA Courage, Karolina Zebrowska, Jill Bearup, Perun, Book Odyssey, Alexa Donne, Books and Lala, World of Antiquity, Jessie Gender, Lilly's expat life, Kathy's Flog in France, Told in Stone, History Marche, The Shades of Orange, The Gravel Institute, The Juice Media, Quinn's Ideas, Maggie May Fish, May Moon Narrowboat, Kelly loves Physics and History, Eckharts Ladder, Boat Time, Pentatonix, Denys Davydov, With Olivia, Battle Order, Zoe Bee, Overly Sarcastic Productions.
I wish you a glorious morning, a gorgeous afternoon, a splendid evening, a pleasant night and may we all keep learning.
Poverty is always described as an inherent evil of the Human Condition, rather than the inevitable outcome of Human Economic Systems.
Societal Studies, Thirteenth Route Trade Fleet
The main character was interesting and seemed well drawn, until the question of her origins starts to interfere with enjoying her story. Then the source of all magic and magicians becomes a question that demands an answer. I suggest a look at the one and two star reviews. I can not see them but they should say something similar to my review.
A rogue (?) Goodreads tech has grayed out "like" buttons, blocked my view of others' reviews and masked the commenter ID's on my pages. 🤔🤔🤔 My queries were all forwarded to the same "rogue" techs, who have never responded. 🤔 I finally closed my pages to comments and removed all lurkers but one. A rogue (?) Goodreads tech will not "Allow" me to remove a Dr Susan Hamilton (Maths professor at University of Tennessee ?). 🤔
She posted nothing over two years since her friend request, yet has not responded to five (now) requests that she unfriend me. 🤔 It would be sad if she finds me that fascinating because I am neither credentialed nor am I that interesting. 🤗🤗🤗
It all began when I wrote a brutally honest review of a "sorry poorly written salute to the January 6, 2021 hero". Suddenly a rogue (?) Goodreads tech decided that my being a communist is a bad thing. 🤔. What a surprise. 🤗🤗🤗🤗
For more Goodreads, see my review of "Stowaway" a poor space adventure or Powers of the Earth (a sorry poorly written salute to the January 6, 2021 hero)) and the comments from a Claes Rees, Jr/cgr710 (self-identified NeoNazi and US patriot).
Claes Rees, Jr/cgr710
Don't be a numpty. Be a smarty. Come and join the Communist Party.
I wish these US patriots (Tucker Carlson, US Republican Party and Claes Rees Jr, for example) would be forced to publicly explain why they support the Russia that has threatened to retake Alaska and nuclear war against their own USA. In any case.
GLORY TO UKRAINE !!! and GLORY TO THE HEROES !!
I liked the story for the first part but was troubled by missing background elements. The world building as usual was the failure point for novels that do not quite satisfy .
Was this an alternate reality, a near earth other world or just an undefined standard fantasy universe with a Scottish accent? That makes a difference if I am to appreciate the characters and locate them in their place and their time. What history created this society regardless of what this world is?
Who rules this society and why? How does the economy work and where does capital accumulate? Manufacture (goods are necessary, after all) and agriculture require a work force and ownership structure, both need clarification.
What are the limits on magic and magical power? How is strength of magical abilities increased or decreased? Does it change with the needs of the plot?
If women are needed to provide magic users, how do magicians reproduce? Where are the mothers and why are they killed at birth? What is the logic here? It makes for exciting life or death scenes but where do they lead and should the reader really care.
One need not be an economist or gods forbid, a communist to question the absence of explanations for the society in which the story is set. The lack of serious world building has several inherent weaknesses in every book without a solid underpinning. This is true whether spaceships or magic wands are the main feature of the story.
The characters are not clearly defined because their motivations seem threadbare or implausible. The plot is reduced to a series of more or less connected scenes, with less and less impact or with no logical outcomes. There are many logics but I refer to a commonly recognized logic that any reader might bring to their understanding of the book.
Another weakness will always be a reduction in the discipline of the writing. That is my observation. I first realized that phenomenon fighting my way through the Anderle hot mess. He throws spaceships, werewolves, vampires, some mutiny in the US military, a Caribbean expedition of working class veterans with no clear purpose into a personal history of an entitled sociopathic "Karen". Queen Bitch is not a misogynistic term in his universe but instead is a term of female empowerment. 🤔🤔🤔 That is not my judgement. That is explicitly stated and some female readers seem to love it.
The lack of structure and writing discipline are not tempered by rigorous editing. These edited books seem to further exaggerate what is bad prose. I have come to think of it as "throw every element of science fiction, fantasy or horror against the wall in a single series and see what sticks". The justification is a simple one. It is only science fiction.
The weakness of the world building might be more easily overlooked in a film because of the focus on the characters but it still reduces entertainment value (Star Wars movies are a good example). With only the page as the guide, the picture becomes muddled more obviously and quickly. Still, this is a better written story than most of Amazon's fantasy and almost all of its science fiction offerings.
The low bar for current science fiction has resulted in my loss of interest in science fiction and fantasy print at the moment. The streaming services provide more solid worlds and are more entertaining as a rule. A broad multicultural collection is also offered by Netflix.
I only started watching YouTube a few years ago and stumbled across the educational video sites. Sites like Curiosity Stream/Nebula are documentary , essayist and other educational video libraries and worth a look. I began with Curiosity Stream/Nebula at a cost of about $15 USD, which was a great bargain.
YouTube hosted many Interest area channels, including documentary and essayist channels. I liked the special interest channels but was stunned by the book channels. 😍😍 These are communities of readers who are curious about writers and books, are cosmopolitan, thoughtful, varied in their tastes and love all bookish things. I recommend a visit to several book channels for any reader and have listed some below.
They are the total opposite to Goodreads, a sales tool for badly written and/or politically suspect fiction. The current low end US science fiction is so obviously slanted towards US hegemonic fantasy that the stories should all boast flags on the cover.
My YouTube picks of the moment.
Lex Fridman, 2Cellos, JamCam and Cam, Violet Orlandi, Tom Nicholas, IzzzYzzz, A Cup of Nicole, The Juice Media, Wizards and Warriors, Elina Charatsidou, The Snake Charmer, Digital Engine, Mandy, The Historian's Craft.
As for Goodreads, please consider this as a potentially hostile site. 😐
In science fiction especially, the racial superiority and even pro slavery commenters on Powers of the Earth (that last, really forced my eyes open) are not just vocal but claim to speak for all the "right" members. 🤔🤔 Read some comments to one star reviews (especially by women) for a wake up. Remember that complaints about the Goodreads behaviors above were forwarded to the same "rogue" techs, I discovered.🤔
I removed personal information from my profile, avoid messaging in favor of emails and removed all the lurkers that Goodreads "allowed". Taking a screenshot of the oddity and especially horrible comments, might be a good practice. If none of the above will ever affect you, then ignore the this and the paragraph above. 😊
Seriously, just consider protecting yourself and Good reading. 😊😊
Some of my favorite YouTube channels are.
Beautifully Bookish Bethany, Eleanor Morton, Some More News, Tara Mooknee, Munecat, Novara Media, The Mindful Narrowboat, Chugging Along, Invicta, Tom Nicholas, Tulia, The Armchair Historian, Sabine Hossenfelder, Chloe Stafler, A Clockwork Reader, Then and Now, Between the Wars, The Great War, Real Engineering, With Olivia, I'm Rosa, Patrick is a Navajo, Second Thought, Cruising Alba, Sort of Interesting, Jabzy, IzzzYzzz, Swell Entertainment, We're in Hell, Make Better Media, Tibees, Up and Atom, Half as Interesting, Big Think, Spacedock, Books with Chloe, What Vivi did next, Cruising Crafts, Northern Narrowboaters, Ship Happens, Randy Rainbow, Holly the Cafe Boat, Lady of the Library, Camper Vibe, Digital Engine, The Templin Institute, GateWorld, The Piano Boat, Cambridge for Europe, Myths Baby!, Lantern Jack, Adult Wednesday Addams, Robert Murray Smith, JamCam and Cam, May Moon Narrowboat, Voices of the Past, AllShorts, Philosophy Tube, Art by Annamarie, Event Horizon, Noah Samsen, Three Arrows, Zoe Baker, 2Cellos, Sarah Z, Bookleo, Anton Petrov, The European, Political Custard, Katie Colson, Useful Idiots, Prime of Midlife, Crecganford, Cruising the Cut, Artificial Intelligence Universe, Autumn's Boutique, Merphy Napier, Writing with Jenna Moreci, Storyworldling, A Cup of Nicole, History Line, UA Courage, Karolina Zebrowska, Jill Bearup, Perun, Book Odyssey, Alexa Donne, Books and Lala, World of Antiquity, Jessie Gender, Lilly's expat life, Kathy's Flog in France, Told in Stone, History Marche, The Shades of Orange, The Gravel Institute, The Juice Media, Quinn's Ideas, Maggie May Fish, May Moon Narrowboat, Kelly loves Physics and History, Eckharts Ladder, Boat Time, Pentatonix, Denys Davydov, With Olivia, Battle Order, Zoe Bee, Overly Sarcastic Productions.
I wish you a glorious morning, a gorgeous afternoon, a splendid evening, a pleasant night and may we all keep learning.
Poverty is always described as an inherent evil of the Human Condition, rather than the inevitable outcome of Human Economic Systems.
Societal Studies, Thirteenth Route Trade Fleet
March 25, 2023
Mairi is a mute who works in a shop as a servant. She isn't treated very well and has hopes of a better future in apothecary. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worst when her best friend, only friend, is executed by the Mages for standing against them. Mairi, wanting revenge for her friend and to stop the Mages abusing their power, takes a job in the City Cambers to take them down from the inside after she finds she has magic. The Mages say women aren't supposed to have magic, so why does she?
The final book of this series was recently released, which means I could finally read it! I hate starting a series and having to wait for the next book, don't you?
The main character, Mairi, is mute, and it's unfortunate that I have to say I have never read a book where the MC is mute. Helen Harper does a good job in keeping the pacing in this book even without the MC dialogue. Some things were left unclear, which I'm sure will be explained in the next books.
I liked the storyline overall, and the story kept me entertained through the whole book. It's less than 300 pages, so it was a quick read.
I was a little let down by the chemistry of the 2 LI for Mairi. I didn't feel attraction between either of them, and when a spicy scene (YA) came, it was more about lust. After the lust took place, it seemed to create a relationship that didn't really give me anything. I'm hoping those feelings will pick up in the next books.
I would still recommend this if you want a quick magical read 📚❤️
The final book of this series was recently released, which means I could finally read it! I hate starting a series and having to wait for the next book, don't you?
The main character, Mairi, is mute, and it's unfortunate that I have to say I have never read a book where the MC is mute. Helen Harper does a good job in keeping the pacing in this book even without the MC dialogue. Some things were left unclear, which I'm sure will be explained in the next books.
I liked the storyline overall, and the story kept me entertained through the whole book. It's less than 300 pages, so it was a quick read.
I was a little let down by the chemistry of the 2 LI for Mairi. I didn't feel attraction between either of them, and when a spicy scene (YA) came, it was more about lust. After the lust took place, it seemed to create a relationship that didn't really give me anything. I'm hoping those feelings will pick up in the next books.
I would still recommend this if you want a quick magical read 📚❤️
April 19, 2022
I really enjoyed this inventive fantasy. Deftly written, fast paced and with wonderful worldbuilding, which perfectly balances the line between not info dumping but also being clear and consistent from the start - not an easy thing to do.
Little better than an indentured servant, Mairi lives in a Victorian-esque Glasgow ruled by the all male Mages and plagued by the Afflicted, zombie-like creatures who keep inhabitants in after dark. Mairi has a plan to improve her lot, by studying for one of the very few scholarships and becoming an Apothecary, in the meantime she spends her very limited free time gathering herbs and helping those she can, especially fellow orphans.
But her life changes when a baby girl goes missing from the orphanage Mairi was raised in and the Mages start to show an interest in the shop where she works. In less than a day she is plotting revenge and learning to use powers she didn't know she had - that any woman could have. Revenge that takes her into the heart of the mages power.
Tense and original. Recommended.
Little better than an indentured servant, Mairi lives in a Victorian-esque Glasgow ruled by the all male Mages and plagued by the Afflicted, zombie-like creatures who keep inhabitants in after dark. Mairi has a plan to improve her lot, by studying for one of the very few scholarships and becoming an Apothecary, in the meantime she spends her very limited free time gathering herbs and helping those she can, especially fellow orphans.
But her life changes when a baby girl goes missing from the orphanage Mairi was raised in and the Mages start to show an interest in the shop where she works. In less than a day she is plotting revenge and learning to use powers she didn't know she had - that any woman could have. Revenge that takes her into the heart of the mages power.
Tense and original. Recommended.
July 12, 2022
Hard to put my finger on why I didn't like this much. As someone who knows modern Glasgow a little, I appreciated the effort to include a sense of place and people and local dialect. The introduction of dialect was natural and well done so as to bring the reader along (unlike the approach by a different author I criticised in reviewing What Abigail Did That Summer). Harper tells a good story with tension and high stakes and while the world-building elements are quite familiar she does manage an oddball but interesting flavour to it.
There was one (brief) sex scene, and I won't argue about the necessity or otherwise of it, but I normally prefer things kept clean. The whole relationship did seem mostly about lust and mutual advantage with only a hint of something more at the end, so I'd hesistate to say there was much romantic content at all.
My main issue I think is that I didn't like any of the characters much. Our single POV MC Mairi is very isolated, bitter, and (rightly) angry and while she tends to impulsive acts of selflessness it was a bit grim following her around for the whole book. Won't be continuing this series.
There was one (brief) sex scene, and I won't argue about the necessity or otherwise of it, but I normally prefer things kept clean. The whole relationship did seem mostly about lust and mutual advantage with only a hint of something more at the end, so I'd hesistate to say there was much romantic content at all.
My main issue I think is that I didn't like any of the characters much. Our single POV MC Mairi is very isolated, bitter, and (rightly) angry and while she tends to impulsive acts of selflessness it was a bit grim following her around for the whole book. Won't be continuing this series.
May 12, 2024
Wow! An incredible book one! 😘
This is absolutely a wonderful read, thoroughly enjoyed it! 😚 I'm really looking forward to the next book and I'm happy to report I've found a new author to read! 😁 The author told the story in such a way that we really get to know our FMC, I was so happy when the chains were broken and she could speak again SPOILER ALERT!! but his reaction wasn't really one of amazement lol 😅 but it didn't ruin the moment or anything and I found the cursing to be a bit excessive but I'm a conservative middle aged mom of five so it kind of grates on my nerves lol 🤣 but it didn't detract from the story at all for me, in fact I think it gives us clues to how the characters are feeling in that particular moment. Overall I'm very happy over this read and I'm excited to read more by Helen Harper! I love when I discover interesting stories! 😚
This is absolutely a wonderful read, thoroughly enjoyed it! 😚 I'm really looking forward to the next book and I'm happy to report I've found a new author to read! 😁 The author told the story in such a way that we really get to know our FMC, I was so happy when the chains were broken and she could speak again SPOILER ALERT!! but his reaction wasn't really one of amazement lol 😅 but it didn't ruin the moment or anything and I found the cursing to be a bit excessive but I'm a conservative middle aged mom of five so it kind of grates on my nerves lol 🤣 but it didn't detract from the story at all for me, in fact I think it gives us clues to how the characters are feeling in that particular moment. Overall I'm very happy over this read and I'm excited to read more by Helen Harper! I love when I discover interesting stories! 😚
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2022
I was delighted to receive an ARC of Hummingbird, (A Charade of Magic Book 1). This story is the first book in a new Helen Harper series and I am looking forward to subsequent books in this world.
Mairi Wallace is a mute young woman who labors for a couple of shopkeepers in a tartan shop. Underfed, abused, and most certainly underappreciated, Mairi thinks that this is the life that she has been given. An orphan with no family and no understanding of her background Mairi heeds the call of an old friend to care for a very ill child at the orphanage where they both grew up. Little does she know that her life will change forever with this mission.
Harper does a good job of creating an oppressive world where mages rule, take what they want, and execute whomever they deem troublesome
Mairi Wallace is a mute young woman who labors for a couple of shopkeepers in a tartan shop. Underfed, abused, and most certainly underappreciated, Mairi thinks that this is the life that she has been given. An orphan with no family and no understanding of her background Mairi heeds the call of an old friend to care for a very ill child at the orphanage where they both grew up. Little does she know that her life will change forever with this mission.
Harper does a good job of creating an oppressive world where mages rule, take what they want, and execute whomever they deem troublesome
April 28, 2022
This is so so good that it grabbed me from the very beginning and did not let go till the very end! The world building is extraordinary, the storyline gripping and exciting and is set in a world where mages rule and even control the daemons. The city is dark and people are suffering and has the afflicted which gave me the creeps. Our main mc Mairi is such a great character and is so strong despite being unable to talk for whatever reason. It’s a fantastic fast paced story, dark, gritty and intriguing and I am excited to read more!
June 21, 2023
The MC is just TSTL, not a little bit but all the time all the way through. Her successes are ower to dumb luck and the lot of conveniences written into the plot to make it work. You are told and not shown quite a lot of the time and the why of things isn't very well covered at all. Save yourself the time and skip this one.
May 6, 2022
This was a fun read for me, and I really needed that after the last few months. Helen Harper always delivers and once again, super happy I picked this up. (It was sight unseen as I saw the author's name and did not look any further. *click*. Sold.)
Since I stayed up reading and barely know the English language right now, I'll say this:
This book holds your attention. It keeps you engaged, and Helen Harper creates a world that you are drawn into. You ignore your real life and important things like sleep and possibly eating.
I cannot wait for book 2.
Now, I'll go catch up on my zzz's.
Since I stayed up reading and barely know the English language right now, I'll say this:
This book holds your attention. It keeps you engaged, and Helen Harper creates a world that you are drawn into. You ignore your real life and important things like sleep and possibly eating.
I cannot wait for book 2.
Now, I'll go catch up on my zzz's.
November 24, 2022
Loved this, and very happy book 2 is set to release in 5 days.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews