Snowspelled
Ratings9
Average rating3.3
15
Ratings9
Average rating3.3
In nineteenth-century Angland, magic is reserved for gentlemen while ladies attend to the more practical business of politics. But Cassandra Harwood has never followed the rules... Four months ago, Cassandra Harwood was the first woman magician in Angland, and she was betrothed to the brilliant, intense love of her life. Now Cassandra is trapped in a snowbound house party deep in the elven dales, surrounded by bickering gentleman magicians, manipulative lady politicians, her own interfering family members, and, worst of all, her infuriatingly stubborn ex-fiance, who refuses to understand that she's given him up for his own good. But the greatest danger of all lies outside the manor in the falling snow, where a powerful and malevolent elf-lord lurks...and Cassandra lost all of her own magic four months ago. To save herself, Cassandra will have to discover exactly what inner powers she still possesses - and risk everything to win a new kind of happiness. A witty and sparkling romantic fantasy novella that opens a brand-new series for adults from the author of Kat, Incorrigible, Masks and Shadows and Congress of Secrets. "With its unique twist on the Regency Era, SNOWSPELLED is clever, romantic, and filled with magic. Stephanie Burgis is a fresh new voice and I can't wait to see what she does next. Bring on the sequel!" - Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of the Kate Daniels series and the Hidden Legacy series
Series
3 primary books6 released booksThe Harwood Spellbook is a 6-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2017 with contributions by Stephanie Burgis.
Reviews with the most likes.
Snowspelled is delightful, lighthearted romantic fantasy set in an alternate version of England in which Boudicca's rebellion against the Romans succeeded, leading to a tradition of matriarchal rule. While only women handle politics, magic is considered the domain of men. However, Cassandra Harwood has always dreamed of being a magician and becomes the first woman to enter this male-dominated sphere–until an incident leaves her unable to cast the simplest spell without risking her life.
This novella picks up four months after this occurred and follows Cassandra as she contends with her loss, a devious elf-lord, and the ex-fiance she believed to be better off without her. Though Cassandra's devastation is palpable, it still remains a fairly light, optimistic novel since a lot of the focus is on moving forward and societal progression (and this is further enhanced by fun dialogue and a great romance!). It's a little too straightforward and predictable to be a book that sticks with me despite admiring the author's ability (thus the 3 1/2 star rating), but I still found it very enjoyable: the perfect match when in the mood for a fairly short, diverting, engaging tale.
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I enjoyed reading this and plan to continue reading the series.
Pros: interesting politics and worldbuilding, fun romance
Cons:
Cassandra's first social event after losing her ability to work magic and breaking up with her fiance starts off poorly. A carriage of ladies has been stopped by trolls and forced to walk in the snow, getting lost. While helping look for them, Cassandra's ex shows up just as she wakes another troll and makes an unfortunate promise. Now she has a week to find out who's cast an impossible weather spell or be imprisoned by an angry elf lord.
This is a fun novella with romance and fantasy elements. The setting is an England where Queen Boudicca ran off the Romans and her descendants made a peace pact after warring with the elves. Politics is a woman's game, and the pact demands rituals be performed perfectly.
Cassandra was the first female magic practitioner, but after a mysterious event, she can no longer use magic. She's a headstrong character that you can't help but sympathize with, who learns a few lessons about her own privilege even as her life hasn't turned out as she planned.
The romance is fun and engaging.
Magic is sparingly used, but interesting when it comes up.
This is the start of a series but can be read as a standalone.
