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.

I have always enjoyed a good fiction story and this one did not disappoint. With such strong and thoughtful characters, you can’t help but love how thing unfolds. Hope that there is going to be a next book in this series.

Helen Harper does not disappoint. Dark and dystopian, Mairi is mute and lives in a world where the men mages have all the power. A solid story with a strong heroine who despite her disability believes she can exact change after a horrific personal loss. Females are not allowed to have magic and are put to death. Going against the mages means being put to death. Revolution is stirring. 4.5 stars I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book from Netgalley.

Another great example of worldbuilding and showing over telling. Although this is labelled as Urban Fantasy, I think it leans more heavily in the Fantasy genre than Urban Fantasy.

Mairi’s begins her story with next to no power as a mute orphan who became an indentured servant. She is attempting to study to become an apothecary and make something of herself as she also sticks to her principles and values. I like the fact that her muteness was both a plot point that didn’t disappear when it became inconvenient for much of Book 1, and other characters struggled to communicate with her. Mairi is resourceful, canny, practical, and resilient. All the best things in a protagonist, it was also nice to take a break from the “sassy strong woman-skinned man” protagonist, (which I love too)… There’s still a “chosen one” element but only due to a process of elimination… Harper’s worldbuilding choices could be seen as a feminist piece.

This is a world full of shades of grey - the Afflicted, mages, familiars, daemons, and secret rebels. Be careful who you root for and hold off snap judgments! I’ve always liked how Harper manages to make her supporting characters have depth… This is a promising beginning and I liked how Mairi’s motivation managed to just about avoid the fridging trope - Isla did have agency, her own origins, and she made her own choices.

If you like gritty dystopian world building and sensible but gutsy protagonists, give this a go! I finished it off in one sitting.

Hummingbird
by Helen Harper
Fantasy
Paranormal/Urban
NetGalley ARC

In a world where male Mages rule, (because women cannot be a mage) and the Afflicted roam the streets at night, the common people do what they can so not to bring the Mages' attention to them. The Mages are the only ones who will protect them, keep the Afflicted at bay, and make sure there is enough food to go around. But to bring their eyes towards you, could set your appointment with the gallows.

When another female baby disappears, Mairi finds herself not only in the Mages' path but drawn into the path of a rebellion because she has magic but no voice to cast it.

This is the first book in a new series and I read it in one afternoon. The story kept up at a very quick pace; not a lot of rambling descriptions, internal dialogue, unnecessary side plots, or internal wandering. The descriptions, while vivid, the story needed a few more to remind the reader that a character had horns. Even though he looked mostly human, he was the only daemon in a lair of humans and more mention of the horns, of his difference, would've set him more apart, which I feel his character needed to be. The minor characters were brushed over, and a few of the major characters were a little flat, but it was still a good story.

The violence was at a minimum and not really gory, but there was a bit of erotica, and yes it had something to do with the plot, but I feel it could've been toned down. This story didn't need that touch of porn. I feel that it brought the story down a peg.

4 Stars

Helen Harper has been on my radar for a while...though this is the first book of hers I have read. It won't be my last. I enjoyed the world-building though I am not sure what time period it takes place in. From the way things were described it could take place a hundred years ago or be more recent. I think this was intentional and I love both Urban Fantasy and a more Historical Urban Fantasy so it was right up my alley. Mairi was great and I did enjoy all the characters, the pacing was good which made this really hard for me to put down. I can't wait to see what happens in the next installment!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. What follows is my honest review.

I am a big fan of Helen Harper. Her books all are in the fantasy genre but range from cute, light fantasy to vampires. This book is a bit darker but no less interesting.

It takes place in a dystopian Edinburgh where all is controlled by male mages using magic and fear to control the populace.

Maire is of the servant class, raised in an orphanage and mute. When her only friend is wrongly executed by the mages, Maire decides to avenge her.

The world building is spot on and readily believeable. The real interest was seeing Maire grow into her own and discover her power.

The second book can't come out soon enough.

Hummingbird by H. Harper, published by Harper Fire/ Bookbuzz, is the first book in the new A Charade of Magic Series.
It's the introduction to Miari and her pnr world. Magic exists, women can't wield it, and the heroine doesn't have a say. Pheww as if. Mairi is a heroine just I love it, strong, cunning, knows what she wants and how to get it.
A fast paced, action packed, complex read that had me read it, cover to cover, in one sitting.
I can't wait for the next story, 4,5 stars.