Loved this so much I ordered a special edition from a book box, I loved her portrayal of the London Season alongside the general Faerie Court being within the Regency period, such a fun twist and so thoroughly engaging. With two more books planned I can’t wait to read more of these Regency Faerie Courts

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Books are such powerful things and the experience of reading can bring so much. In the case of this series, which I read one after another, they brought me sheer joy and comfort. These books are the equivalent of being curled up with a cozy blanket and a hot drink by a roaring fire. They were a perfect escape.

Olivia Atwater’s series delivers a well balanced combination of regency romance and light fantasy. We are introduced to various characters in the familiar regency romance landscape who then find themselves drawn in to some mystery or plot involving inhabitants of the adjacent lands of Faerie.

The characters are all likeable, and I absolutely loved the back and forth banter between Dora and Lord Sorcier in this book. As in the other books, the characters act as the champions of the less fortunate, and Lord Sorcier here is an angry man, angry at the hand being dealt to those in the lower echelons of society. It was great to see his character be revealed from the cocky, unpleasant man that Dora first encounters.

As I said, the books were a real comfort, they are sweet but not overly so.

I’ve seen the series described as “Bridgerton meets Howl’s Moving Castle”. It certainly shares setting elements with Bridgerton but anyone looking for the steaminess of that series should look elsewhere.

I’d really recommend this series to anyone looking for a whimsical, cozy fantasy-romance read. You won’t regret it.

An interesting mix of faery story and regency romance, I enjoyed this book and have already have the next on my TBR pile.

I liked Dora and enjoyed how her having half a soul gave her a bluntness and lack of sensitivity that made her interactions with the world perhaps a less delicately ladylike than those around her might prefer or expect from a young lady. Elias, being a man and a magician, has less pressure to conform to social niceties and he certainly pushes the boundaries there with his bluntness! The two of them together make a believable romantic match and I enjoyed their adventures through the somewhat sinister fae issues they were investigating.

Off to read the next in the series!

A mash up of two things I didn't know i needed! Magic and period romance! A great story about Dora, who is trying to navigate the rules of courting with half a soul, while she also meets a mysterious magician who is trying to cure a plague befalling children. A lovely story!

Dora Ettings struggles to keep up with the conventions of Regency Society when the missing half of her soul means she doesn't feel the same fears or social anxieties as the other eligible young ladies. Her aunt is content to keep her hidden away in the countryside, but her cousin thinks London's Lord Sorcier might be able to help - because Dora does need help, doesn't she? Unfortunately, spending time with the least-liked man in high society does nothing for Dora's reputation, but it does give her an insight into the world of the fae, and a dark sickness which is sweeping across London. And, like Dora, there might be more to the Lord Sorcier than the fashionable world sees.

Half a Soul is the genre mash-up I never knew I needed (also, genre-mashups should definitely be more of A Thing). This novel has a Regency setting and a brilliant faerie-filled narrative. I raced through this novel and absolutely adored it. It was warm, sweet and utterly magical.

I enjoyed this book overall, it was a really novel set up that started very strongly. I liked the mix of regency and Fairie folk and the liberal sprinkling of social commentary. However I think keeping the brevity typical in regency romance means it screeched to a halt rather than developing the personalities and interactions that would have been a more gripping finale rushing the final third making the peril seem meagre and the heroic intercession by our brooding hero whizz by too fast for my liking.and the resolution of the severed soul was unsatisfactory

The side characters and the workhouse storyline made this for me. A light read which had much promise and whilst enjoyable was not standout!

I loved this. I found the characters so fascinating, I loved Dora's tart replies and sassiness, Vanessa's love for her cousin, Albert's sincere nature, Elias' elias-ness. I loved how a wonderful regency fantasy romance could be so brilliantly written with such keen social and political commentary. In another writer's hands this could have been heavy-handed and clumsily done because these were no fleeting mentions of the harm done to the vulnerable in Regency England. But Olivia Atwater expertly blends the commentary with the narrative, making us think about the points she wants us to think about without ever being too preachy with it. This was neatly tied up with the afterword and the story about the girl and the fishes.

Preliminary 5-star review. Will post a full review and adjust the rating accordingly after I finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

Such a great read! A cross between Pride and Prejudice and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell! Such a great twist on the usual regency romance, great chemistry and great paced action, perfect ending too. Can't wait to read the others in the series.

Half a Soul was the comfort read I didn't know I needed. Reading this book was absolutely delightful and I enjoyed every moment of it, finding myself wanting to pick it up multiple times during the day and reading well into the night. And as the last page turned, that warm and fuzzy feeling lingered for quite a while.

The Regency atmosphere of London ball season suited this very well, and I loved seeing it through the eyes of our main character, Dora. Following a meeting with a faerie lord as a child, Dora lost half her soul and with it the ability to experience feelings. I found Dora to be really endearing as a character, and I loved that she tried to adapt to various situations by emulating other people's reactions and feelings while slowly realising that maybe not all her feelings were compromised. I also really enjoyed her arc, and especially her move from a painful, excluding "otherness" to a more wholesome and peaceful uniqueness and self-acceptance.

This is a Regency faerie tale romance, and so I would be remiss if I didn't mention the romance part fairly early on in this post. I LOVED it. Elias and Dora gave me definite Pride and Prejudice vibes, especially in the beginning, and their banter was always witty and absolutely spot on. The build-up in their relationship was beautifully set up, and there were a couple of scenes that had me literally squealing in joy. I also really enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters and some of the side characters, and the fierceness of their love for one another as friends/family members even while calling each other out on problematic behaviour.

One element of this book I particularly enjoyed was the mystery surrounding the inexplicable sleeping plague hitting children in various London workhouses. Although the solution to this was, in the end, maybe a tad too simplistic, I really enjoyed how this was used as a way to introduce some (sadly) still current themes. Characters shared some deep reflections on socio-economic inequality and privilege which I really appreciated.

The class critique was maybe used a little conveniently at times, and certainly lacked some depth upon closer scrutiny, but it worked well in the context of a feel-good romance fantasy novel. The same goes for the more satirical/farcical episodes in the latter part of the book: I had a nice giggle out of them (which I greatly needed), but don't go in expecting a treatise on equality and virtue.

Similarly, most of the characters lack depth and it is entirely possible that several plot points would not really hold up on a focused re-read, but I had such a great time with this book that this time I'm going to rate it (almost) entirely based on the way it made me feel rather than on a logical, rational analysis.

Highly recommended to anyone looking for an easy, fluffy, romantic read - especially if you ever thought you'd like Bridgerton to have magic!

I didn't expect I'll like this book after the initial chapter. The author didn't do any work in establishing a world where I could suspense my beliefs and get into the story of a girl attacked by a faerie because of some deal her mother made.
But then I got into the story, I wanted to know what will happen. The main character was so endearing in how she was trying to emulate emotions she saw others have. The story has many poorly developed moments that seem jarring when observed too closely. So you must drop the need for the story to make sense to enjoy it. It flows and takes you on a trip to a whimsical world, with Austen-like romance and a sprinkle of magic.
Enjoyable Regency England romance with a twist.

This was a solid book. I felt myself becoming disinterested and wanting to DNF multiple times but I persevered and ending up really enjoying it!

I really enjoyed Half a Soul. This regency romance fantasy was exactly what I needed! I loved the characters and the way they interact with each other. The world building was great and I loved the magic system. Half a Soul was the perfect read and I will be reading more from Olivia Atwater in the future

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K. Orbit for a review copy via NetGalley of ‘Half A Soul’ by Olivia Atwater. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition.

This is Book 1 in Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales series that blends a delightful Regency romance with elements of Faerie fantasy. Definitely my kind of novel.

When Theodora (Dora) Ettings was ten she had a frightening encounter with a Faerie Lord. He wanted to carry her away but her cousin, Vanessa, defended Dora using her tiny iron embroidery scissors. Lord Hollowdale left though he took half of Dora’s soul, swearing that he will return for the rest.

As a result one of Dora’s eyes loses its colour and she seems to be without normal emotions. Her aunt declares her faerie-cursed. Years pass and Dora always wears tiny scissors as a protection against Lord Hollowvale’s return. Dora’s partial lack of soul has left her with no sense of fear or embarrassment, a condition that leaves her prone to accidental scandal.

When it is time for Vanessa to make her debut during the London Season her mother, who is also Dora’s guardian, reluctantly invites Dora to accompany them. Lady Frances and her friend, Lady Hayworth are noted as ‘meddling hens’ and are plotting away to ensure Vanessa makes an advantageous match. Dora figures in their plans though more as a way to promote Vanessa. Dora isn’t interested in the social whirl and is happy to be a quiet and sensible wallflower. However, readers of Regency romances know how that attitude usually works out.

Then Dora is introduced to Elias Wilder, known as the Lord Sorcier and magician to the Royal Court. He is strange, handsome and completely uncouth. When he learns of Dora’s condition he draws her into his dangerous world that brings her back into contact with Faerie.

I was pleased that the novel opened with a handy Dramatis Personae as well offering the bonus novella, ‘The Lord Sorcier’, a prequel that focuses upon Elias Wilder.

I enjoyed ‘Half A Soul’ very much and felt that Olivia Atwater did splendidly in portraying the hothouse atmosphere of the London Season as well as imagining the Regency era Faerie Court. It proved an engaging and delightful read.

There are two further books in this series and I am looking forward to reading more of Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales in the near future.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Terribly charming and sweet fantasy/romance. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance copy!

A sweet magical story, I just hoped there would be a little more of a storyline with the two leads. Thank you for the opportunity to review this ARC,

This book was unexpectedly lovely! The main character is cursed as a child, and now, as an adult doesn't feel things properly or react perhaps as she should. Set in the regency period, Dora and her cousin go to London to get her cousin a husband. Whilst they are there they discover a sickness of sorts plaguing children in the workhouses. The love story in this is very sweet and the bits set in faerie are quite funny.

3.75 stars. They had me sold when it was described as ‘Pride and Prejudice’ meets ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’. Pretty much the quintessential Regency romance/fantasy mix, with elves (of the cruel sort) supplying the magical element. It's clean and on the lighter side - it feels like a YA romance - but it does do a quite good job of delving into social issues relating to society's treatment of the poor.

I really enjoyed this entertaining slightly dark story about the consequences of faerie bargains.

It was very enthralling and i loved that the Lord Sorcier was not the typical stuck up society member.

A great mix of magic and high society entertainment.

Great book. Love the romance and the fantasy. Cool to see friendships form between friends and family and the faerie realm. Slow start but once it picks up its impossible to put down. Excited to read more from this author