Beauty is just like a book. Some will not bother to look beyond the cover; others will find the entire tome utterly captivating.

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House 1), Charlie N. Holmberg

Review: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Charlie N. Holmberg)

Rating: ★★★★/5

"Hulda swallowed. 'I'm not sure I follow.' 'I think you do.' He offered her a flicker of a smile. 'Some people prefer women who look like their mothers, and some prefer women who look like their fathers. Beauty is just like a book. Some will not bother to look beyond the cover; others will find the entire tome utterly captivating.'" This was a very sweet historical fantasy with a lovely found family and relatable characters. Hulda Larkin manages magical houses. But the houses she manages are typically of a more...feisty variety than what you're probably imagining. When Merritt Fernsby acquires a home in isolated Rhode Island, he's in for much more than he expects; the house has gone rogue and seems intent on his destruction. Hulda vows to get to the bottom of the enchantment, or haunting, or whatever has the house so spicy. What none of them (the house included) expect is finding a family along the way. It took me a while to buy into this one, because I felt like the characters took a while to get to know. Especially Hulda is quite closed and stern, and I found it took a long time to warm to her. Once we learn more about her and her backstory and everything, THEN I was fully invested and I loved her. It just took a long time to get there. Merritt was easier to like, but I also just wanted more from him, more quickly in the book. However, the story of the house is more than intriguing enough to compensate for that. I needed to know why the paint was dripping from the ceiling, why the stairs turned to a ramp at the least opportune moment, why Merritt is sent to the root cellar without a means of getting out; I also needed to know why everything is kept so nicely, why the house itself seems to be "showing off", all of that. Who or what is haunting this lovely old home? That drives the story until the rest of the mystery picks up, and I really loved the ultimate answer to those questions. This book is a 0 in terms of spice or really any kind of romance; it's there, yes, but it also took me a long time to buy it. I absolutely had to be convinced, because I felt like it wasn't *there* for a long time. There really is no door, in terms of closed or open door though; there is 1 kiss in the whole book, and it comes right at the very end. This is usually not my kind of book, but because things with the house were so endearing, it still kept me invested overall. If you like historical fantasy with moderate cozy vibes and a good mystery, this book will be right up your alley. Now that I'm invested in the characters, I'll definitely be back for the next book.

The Hanging City

By Charlie N. Holmberg.

Design by Micaela Alcaino.

Can we talk about Spellbreaker and Spellmaker for a minute? Absolutely incredible book series, especially if you love things like Pride and Prejudice. Elsie Camden is a wonderful character and I adore this series with all my heart

Title: Spellmaker | Author: Charlie N. Holmberg | Publisher: 47North (2021)

The Master Magician - Charlie N. Holmberg

My Thoughts

Time and again, Coeny has proven herself to be headstrong and resourceful throughout this trilogy. And this is never more true than in its conclusion here.

Quite a bit of time has passed between the events of The Glass Magician and The Master Magician, and now we see Ceony who is preparing for her testing in order to become a fully licensed Magician, while she navigates her new romance with Emery.

I was rather hoping for a bit more buildup to the romance, but jumping right in also makes sense, considering how much time has passed. (And honestly, if after 2 years they still hadn’t gotten their shit together, I likely would have been hugely annoyed.) They’re very subtle in their affection for each other, which tracks for their situation.

The whole teacher/apprentice thing isn’t necessarily my favourite, but I can recognize how it works in this setup. I also recognize that Emery did try valiantly to keep things strictly platonic until a time when Ceony was no longer his student. (Though he didn’t really dissuade her affection in any way.)

The romance aspect aside, things were on track to be a pretty low-stakes, happy conclusion. Until a danger from their past came back to haunt them both. And of course, both Ceony and Emery had to go stumbling along, full-throttle, with their sole focus on protecting the other.

While the action was short-lived, it did create a tension that made the book very difficult to put down. Overall, I enjoyed how fast-paced this trilogy was, and how fully enraptured I was in the world, and the characters. It was a very fun adventure, and I look forward to the next one to come!

The Will and the Wilds #OutOfContext

The orphaned Elsie Camden learned as a girl that there were two kinds of wizards in the world: those who pay for the power to cast spells and those, like her, born with the ability to break them. But as an unlicensed magic user, her gift is a crime. Commissioned by an underground group known as the Cowls, Elsie uses her spellbreaking to push back against the aristocrats and help the common man. She always did love the tale of Robin Hood.

Book Review: The Hanging City by Charlie N. Holmberg

Wow, what a wild ride. The Hanging City is an exciting story with a strong theme of prejudice, but at its heart, it is about love and acceptance. Since she was twelve years old, Lark has been running from her unusual ability to instill fear in others and a cruel father who bullies and uses her power for his own gains. So desperate for a place she can call home in this drought-stricken world,…

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Hoping this one will help get me out of my slump.

Caribe's Historical Fiction TBR - Part 2

2024 Book #1: The Hanging City by Charlie N. Holmberg

Intended Audience: Adult Genre: Romantasy (Romance-focused fantasy) Length: 335 pages Finished: February 17th, 2024

Narration: single narrator, first person pov

Summary: In a fantasy world consumed by an endless drought, a young woman on the run from her father has arrived at the last place that might take her in: the troll city under the greatest bridge ever built. But in order to get in, she must tell the leaders of her strange magic ability - she can push fear onto others, though she'll feel it too. As Lark, our MC, tries to fit into trollis (their preferred term) society, she finds herself struggling to fit in when kindness and compassion don't get you far in a society of strength. But some trollis soften to her, especially a handsome one named Azmar that Lark can't stop thinking about, no matter how dangerous it is.

Review: This is a very good book. Lark is a fun, compassionate, and quick thinking main character whose mistakes are understandable and who uses all the information at her disposal in clever ways. I loved how her compassion and struggle to fit in led to so much of the conflict in the story, and I loved how it also was a huge part of her success in the story, too. Lark's relationships with other characters, including Azmar and Unach, who she lives with, are just so, so good. I loved the job that Lark ended up with - monster hunting - and I really appreciate how it never stops being relevant to the story, both in activity and in social situations. In fact, this is just a very tightly written little book and everything circles around in some very fantastic ways.

The writing is lovely, too. I really enjoy the way this author writes books - I own a few of them - and I find there's a nice cadence to the words. It's smooth to read. And that spreads into how information is given to the reader, as well. Everything feels very smooth and easy flowing.

And, just to come back around, I really, really love compassionate protagonists. I love when characters want to help others, no matter the cost, and sometimes make stupid decisions because of that. Lark is such a fantastic protagonist who works around everything she is given. I love her. I love Azmar, too.

I think my biggest problem is that this is a seriously closed door romance. A few on-screen kisses and that's about it. Some light references. I would have loved to see more - I prefer my romances a little smuttier - but YMMV.

Just a fantastic book, seriously. So glad it was my first of the year.

Things I liked, specifically:

The romance was good. I understood why Lark was attracted to Azmar, and even though we never get Azmar's point of view, it was clear to me why he liked her. Watching them fall for each other was just adorable. Also, I love when a romance doesn't rely on badly done miscommunication for its third act drama. This does something SO GOOD that has nothing to do with that!

The worldbuilding was really neat. This is a standalone, so there's a lot of questions left unanswered, but the answers we got were fun. I also loved how it tied into the plot, as well as the culture of the trollis. You really get a sense for what their people value when the architecture is described. It's very evocative. And the cultural bits we get, the government and tax and law systems, the currency and caste stuff. God it's all so good and intriguing. Layered in just enough, in my opinion.

The friendships. There are so many good supporting characters in this story, including Unach, the trollis woman originally assigned to look over Lark. She's Azmar's sister and she's basically my fave. She's so gruff and short-tempered but also fantastic. Love her. I loved all of the supporting characters. All of them were well-written, well-rounded, and had motivations that were clear to me.

LARK. Again, emphasizing that Lark is just a fantastic, compassionate and kind protagonist. She is tired of fighting. Tired of having to hurt others. She wants a family, friends, and peace, and it is beautiful to watch her strive for her.

The themes. Sometimes you can't change a place, only you can change. Family isn't what your born into, but the people who will accept you no matter what you are. It is always right to try and save others. What is a monster? What is a man? Just to name a few that I personally pulled out of the story that I just adored the execution of. It's so good. And the trollis society embodies both good and bad, and you get to see the way it echoes into the themes and guh.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars.

Recommended for: Fans of romance who enjoy good worldbuilding, fans of Holes, fans of Gentle Giant men.

Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home—until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever. Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too. Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda’s work still proves unexpectedly difficult. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern—something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within.

The Hanging City by Charlie N. Holmberg WIP

Title: Spellbreaker | Author: Charlie N. Holmberg | Publisher: 47North (2020)

The Glass Magician - Charlie N. Holmberg

My Thoughts

When I first read The Paper Magician, I was so captured and enthralled, I knew I needed to take my time with this trilogy in order to really savour it. After reading The Glass Magician, all those thoughts went out the window. I need to know how this trilogy ends!

We start The Glass Magician shortly after the events of The Paper Magician. Ceony has come to terms with falling in love with Emery, but chooses to focus on her studies. However, there are still threats out there, and Ceony is rightfully uneasy.

Following an incident during an outing for her studies, everything kicks into high gear. Emery’s past comes back to haunt them both in a big way, and it’s all Ceony can do to keep her head above water.

Just as before, Ceony proves herself to be highly logical, intelligent, and cunning. She also has a rather reckless sense of responsibility, and chooses to run in, head first, by herself. I can’t really fault her for that – her heart is in the right place when she makes her decisions. Her tunnel vision just seems to cloud some big-picture planning.

Ceony’s recklessness and quick thinking do tend to work out in her favour, though. Especially in the knowledge that she’s learned some incredible new skills.

Now I just have to wonder how her newfound knowledge is going to come back to bite her in the third installment. I am also excited to see how her relationship with her mentor changes shape. If it changes shape. (I’m really hoping that it does, and it doesn’t drag out too, too painfully.)