HALF A SOUL is the first book in the Regency Faerie Tales and I honestly can't wait to read more. This was a gentle story with some harsh life lessons for our main character when she learns what war and workhouses are really like in a world where magic exists.

She -- Dora -- sees life through a slightly skewed lens as it is, being as a Faerie Lord stole half her soul when she was only a child. Since then, she struggles to feel emotions, apart from "long-tailed ones". Her cousin, Vanessa, is the only warmth in her life and she will do all she can to please her. This includes going to London, although Dora isn't sure if she is going to help Vanessa's chances of finding a husband, or if she is going because of Vanessa's scheme to cure Dora. Either way, they end up in London, with the ton, and Dora has her own adventures whilst Vanessa is at the mercy of the matchmaking mothers.

I found Dora to be a heart-warming character who is aware of her own 'strangeness' but tries her best to fit in to please her cousin. I loved how she was truthful and direct, in a time when it was not fashionable to be so. Elias was the perfect foil for her. She didn't accept his rudeness or be put off by his temper, simply because she wasn't affected by it. Albert, and his mother, Lady Caraway, were jewels in this book and I loved every scene they were in. I was so happy for him!

Rightly or wrongly, I enjoy historical fiction as it is written. I have no idea if the dip of the neckline or the length of the hem is one hundred per cent accurate, and I don't really care. And if it is historically incorrect, so what? So long as the story fits together, and the inconsistencies remain the same throughout (now there's an oxymoron for you), that's all that concerns me.

I loved this story as it guided me along, all coming together nicely at the end. The epilogue was perfect. I sincerely hope to see more of this couple in future books. A fantastic start to a new series by a new-to-me author and absolutely recommended!

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

This book was described as Bridgerton meets Howl’s Moving Castle and it did not disappoint. This is exactly what I needed to get my much need fill of Regency romance but with a fun fantasy twist.

The story follows Dora as she navigates Regency England’s marriage market, all whilst trying to restore the half of her soul that a Fae Lord stole and assist the Lord Sorcier with curing a magical plague.

Overall, this book was fun and whimsical! I greatly enjoyed the plot, although the romance plot was a little predictable.
I hadn’t previously read anything from Olivia Atwater, but having finished this book I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series! If you’re a fan of historical fiction, fantasy and romance then this is the book for you.

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What I was looking for: This book has popped up on my social media continuously over the last few years, so I wanted to see what it was about.

Conclusion: Half A Soul is a well-written, engaging Regency fantasy romance. I found myself drawn into the story, not least by Olivia Atwater’s good writing style. I expected a light, quick read and that is what I got. Despite Dora being restrained in expressing her feelings, I did feel for and with her and I was rooting for her to finding her place (and love, obviously). The male love interested was another brooding, outwardly unfriendly but actually deeply caring, war-scared man. It has been done and unfortunately, most of the characters weren’t well fleshed-out (and the main antagonist was rather comically exaggerated). The fairy elements were well done and I liked this twist. And I enjoyed the banter between Dora and Elias.
My favourite part of the story was definitely the relationship between Albert and Elias, followed by Miss Jennings and her story.
Unfortunately, for me there were some shortcomings.

*SPOILER AHEAD*

In the earlier part of the story, I was quite confused by the episode of her washing her dress in a (nearly) public fountain. I get that she is socially awkward and “does not know how to behave” but I cannot understand how even she would think it a good idea to undress in the garden of a party to wash her stained dress. Apart from the social and societal impropriety, it is strictly unpractical. How would she be able to put a soaking wet dress back on? How did she think to walk around soaking wet? Also, how did she think that would remove the stain if washing it in the bathroom hadn’t helped? This episode puzzled me that much, it made me lose my grip on the story.
The second episode that made me feel uncomfortable was the arrogant way Dora thinks about Vanessa after having visited the workhouse. After all, she herself never ever thought about people in the workhouses until she had been to one but now she looks down upon her cousin for caring more for her than for strangers she has never met. The way she talks and thinks about her cousin is very unfriendly and I did not care for it at all. On the whole, the story very heavy handedly wants to teach about compassion. A good cause, but it could had been done much more subtle.

*SPOILER FOR THE ENDING*
Lastly, my biggest issue with this book is in the ending, especially the last few sentences of the epilogue. I cannot understand why they would decide to leave England and live in Faery at all but the implying that Dora gets “healed” – after Elias so convincingly said that he loves her the way she is, with only half a soul, i.e. her difficulty in expressing her feeling and picking up on social cues (which can easily be read as being neurodivergent), after she herself decided against having a “whole” soul but remaining the way she was most of her life. I do not understand why this had to happen at all. And on top of that, it does negate so many of the good things and implies once again, that one needs to be “cured”.

*SPOILER END*

I realise it does sound like I did not enjoy myself while reading the book which is not the case. It ust wasn’t as great as I had hoped after the first few pages. Apparently, this is pitched as Pride & Prejudice meets Howl’s Moving Castle – I say apparently because to me, this did not give of any of those vibes. At all. I think it is a bit of a stretch comparing the storylines or characters of either of these books to Half A Soul except in very broad strokes.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK & NetGalley for the gifted copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Fantasy & Historical Romance are two of my favourite genres, so when I read this book’s synopsis, I knew I had to read it!

The main character, Dora, is quirky & likeable. She has been fairy-touched as a child, losing half her soul to the fairy marquis her mother made a bargain with before her birth. Elias, the Lord Sorcier & male lead, is charmingly grumpy & speaks his mind, much to the dismay of the ton at large.

I really enjoyed the story, especially the last few chapters! Who doesn’t love a happy ending? I especially loved the epilogue as I’m fond of clear endings leaving no uncertainty about our characters’ fate.

Also, be sure to read the author’s afterword. For anyone who tries to help right a tiny bit of the wrongs in the world, this will surely touch your heart.

I’m looking forward to reading the other books by Olivia Atwater!

I had no idea I needed this book until I read it. A regency book full of glamour and balls with faeries?!
This book is very fast paced but so much fun to read.
I loved following Dora and her lack of visual emotions due to half a soul, I felt oddly connected to her due to this.

If you want a fun book then definitely pick this up.

Thank you NetGalley for this e-arc

Half a Soul is a highly entertaining regency romance with a touch of faerie magic.

Theadora Ettings lost half of her soul in an encounter with a faerie, resulting in her lossing the part of her that feels shame or fear, which in regency England is a scandle waiting to happen.

This was a very enjoyable and easy book to read. The plot wasn't overly complex but was still very unique. Whilst I wouldn't say that romance is the main plot, it is certainly plays a very important role and I adored Elias Wilder, The Lord Sorcier.

Overall, I highly recommend Half a Soul to anyone looking for a fun historical fantasy, reminiscent of Bridgerton and The Cruel Prince.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. My review will be posted on Goodreads on the publication date.

This was such a cute story! Honestly I don’t know why I loved it so much, I’m trying to find a critical thing to say but I was so into it, I loved all the characters (especially Elias) and the love story was so cute. The writing was so smooth it was really pleasant to read. I can’t find a reasonable thing in my love for this book. It’s not the book of the year and I feel like it’s a “weak” story (very easy plot and character development) but it works ! It works so well that you end up giving it 4 stars and adding the other books in your tbr! Well done!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4712343077

Loved this one. Bridgerton with added magic. Drew me in really quickly and although the second half was a bit rushed and didn't quite live up to the promise of the first, I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book! I love regency and I also love fantasy so i thought this would be the PERFECT mix for me, and whilst i really enjoyed it, i didn't love it. On paper it had everything i would want, but for some reason something was missing for me and i'm not entirely sure what it was.

I do however love that the main character and love interest were both less than perfect, something we don't see much of in regency era. I would definitely give this book a try, as I know many people who have LOVED it, but for me, it felt like something was missing. The pacing would go from slow to fast in the blink of a eye and some chapters felt like fillers, but it was a quick and easy read. I enjoyed it but i'm unsure i'll reach for a reread!

UGHHH I loved this! The concept is so clever, I got my hands on an ARC from NetGalley and it did not disappoint. Reminds me of the Cruel Prince meets An Enchantment of Ravens blended with Bridgerton themes, simply beautiful.

Olivia Atwater, you're a genius!

Theodora Eloisa Charity Ettings is cursed. Briefly captured by a faerie as a young girl, the curse has left her with no sense of fear or embarrassment, often leaving her open to accidental scandal. 20 years old and still unwed, on the verge on spinsterhood, Dora travels with her cousin to London for the season, in the hopes that Vanessa may find a suitable match – one whom she actually likes, instead of one foisted upon her by her overbearing mother. While Dora hopes to remain as under the radar as possible, she almost immediately catches the attention of the handsome, magical, and mysterious Lord Sorcier – though uncouth and downright insulting as he is, he may also be the only person who can help remove Dora’s curse.

The first half of Half a Soul was excellent – the world-building, description of the magic system, and the introductions to all of the characters really got me invested in the story and in Dora’s quest to be whole again. I enjoyed the strong bond between Dora and Vanessa, the fact that they're able to question each other's opinions and decisions, while keeping up with that closeness. Given the time-period, I thought it was especially apt that Olivia Atwater included some social criticism, a lot of which is paralleled in the Faerie court, and is still quite relevant to today as well. Although I did feel like everything moved too quickly in the second half, I loved the relationship-building between Dora and her Sorcier, and overall, I did really enjoy this book. High society ladies, plus faerie magic, with an extra sprinkling of a particularly handsome, grumpy love interest and his charming best friend? Sign. Me. Up. I need this to be a category all of its own.

Honestly I loved everything about this. From the original, quirky and lovable characters to the regency themed fantasy.
I have fallen in love with each and everyone of the characters and despite not being a fan of sappy endings where everyone is happy I truly loved this.
It’s very well written so that it’s easy and enjoyable to read. The romance had me on edge the entire time and the witty banter between the two main characters was truly fun to read.
This book has already become such a comfort read for me. I have rarely gotten the attached to a couple but Dora and Elias stole my heart form the very first time they met.
There is a a pride and prejudice with magic feeling to this book and I loved every second of it.
All in all it is a very comforting and whimsical feel to it. While there are some inconsistencies, like Dora somehow lacking just the right amount of emotions to make her standoffish yet still a good person or the fact that some things do sound rather American than British. However these are all things I can easily forgive and I would still highly recommend the book to everyone.

I was fascinated to read this story, I love a good fantasy book and having recently read all the Bridgerton stories the Regency appealed to me too. I felt the story started strongly, it rolled along at a good pace and kept my interest. The writing was good and it set the scene well. There was an element of mystery in having the fairie world running through it. I was definitely intrigued to find out how things would work out.

However, I felt the Regency element was quite weak and except for a few balls and ladies having to be chaperoned and married off, that was about it really. The workhouses played a large element in the story, although workhouses were really Victorian rather than Regency and I felt the historical detail was blurred at times.

I did like the characters, especially Albert and Elias and Dora grew on me. I felt they were well written and developed and there were plenty of secondary characters to add to the drama.

For me, the story started well with lots of intrigue and magic but it faded as the book went on. I thought the last half of the book became a little predictable and felt rushed. Overall, I think the story had great potential and I enjoyed reading the book. If you are after a light fantasy with a touch of romance and a smidge of history I think you will enjoy this one.

Half a Soul is the historical romantasy I didn't know I needed! Dora and the Lord Sorcier instantly drew me in to this alternate regency era England, where magic and fairies exist alongside all the grace and romance of "the ton".

I loved that Dora is a different kind of heroine than we normally see. Her curse makes it hard for her to feel the depth of emotion that those around her experience, but in her own way she is still warm and witty and worthy - and more than capable of going head to head with the formidable Lord Sorcier.

This the kind of moreish fantasy romance that a reader might devour in one sitting. If I had one complaint it would be that I wanted a higher page count - so I could stay lost in the story just a bit longer!

I was pleasantly surprised while reading to find how much I was enjoying the story. It was a little slow paced but the details hooked me enough to keep going and I’m glad I did! I loved Elias (but I mean, who doesn’t love a grumpy but soft soul). Also really loved Miss Jennings and wish we saw more of her. She had so much potential and seemed underrated. Dora’s cousin felt one dimensional and only present when she was needed in the story. I can’t even remember her name so that’s how unimportant I thought she was 😅

The one downfall was the ending. It felt rushed, as if the author realised she was reaching a limit and needed to wrap up quickly. The story seemed to go off track for a bit- not mentioning the marquess for ages until suddenly BOOM he’s part of the plot again. I almost forgot he was in the same story. I feel like this would have been better as a duology. Especially since the epilogue could have been expanded.

(P.S the scenes with Dora and Elias were so cute and so worth reading if you love witty banter)

A really beautiful book that I liked a lot and that I recommend to all the fans of Naomi Novik (author of Uprooted and spinning circle) and Gail Carriger (author of Soulless) in particular, but also to everyone else in general.
First of all we specify that this is not a romance regency with a hint of paranormal, this is a fantasy book for adults, but also suitable for a young audience (because there are no sex scenes or too gory) that is set in the regency era in England and has a romantic story to it, but that is not at the center of the plot.
At the center of the plot is Dora the protagonist from whom a faerie was able to steal half of her soul as a child, and who has now been living for almost twenty years without being able to feel strong emotions, just she who instead had too many before. And her cousin who loves her has decided that to be able to heal her side by side they must know the King's sorcerer who should be the most powerful sorcerer in England. In fact, in this alternative regency world, magic exists even if it is not common, and the existence of faerie and their pericolsità is also well known.
Dora's cousin manages to take her to London with the excuse of the worldly season and there they really meet the sorcerer who is not at all as they believed, he is a cynical man who cannot stand society and likes to scandalize her, but he will certainly not be able to scandalize Dora since she doesn't feel great emotions. This intrigues her and when she finds out her reason for this she will decide to help her. Also because Dora is not only not intimidated by him but she manages to keep up with him with some nice ironic dialogues by answering him rhyme by rhyme, and the fact that she does it despite having only half a soul strikes him even more because originally she really had to have a lot of spirit.
I do not want to reveal too much, of course a love story will blossom, but also much more, there is an epidemic to be treated and a mystery to be solved, and the concept of generosity and the duty to help the weakest will be truly central to everything. history.
The plot is well built and captures the reader because it is varied and interesting, Dora is a very well defined character as well as Elias, the sorcerer of the King, but also the other supporting actors are not completely flat, some are indeed very well rendered, perhaps the flatter ones are the faeries to be honest, but it could be a deliberate choice by the author.
There is romanticism, action, memories of war, magic, faeries, mystery, sacrifice, nothing is missing
to this story that in all this she also manages to remain extremely delicate. The writing style is pleasant, simple, but not trivial. I really hope that one day it will also be published in Italian because this novel has really conquered me, it has been a long time since a fantasy book had taken me like this, I could not detach myself from its page.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for providing me with this advanced reader copy of the re-release to review.

𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Half a Soul
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Olivia Atwater
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Young Adult, Fantasy
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My heart was so full reading Half a Soul!


𝐆𝐔𝐒𝐇:
• Devoured this in one sitting, I found this novel to be easily digestible and unputdownable.
• I found the characters endearing and uniquely charming! I loved reading their interactions and especially certain banter between some characters—from the grumpy Elias to the affable Albert, and who can forget the star of the show, Dora. I must admit, even the meddlesome aunties (“the hens”) were a hoot.
• Loved the relationships—both romantic and platonic! The platonic relationships were heartwarming and fun and the romance was slow-burn and so satisfying.

𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐄:
• I did wish it explored more of the magical aspects and faerie world and culture.
• The villain felt like a caricature and I wished their character was developed more (especially at the end).


𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
✔ Regency romance with a touch of fantasy (Fae)
✔ Pride and Prejudice meets Howls Moving Castle vibes
✔ Grumpy character (love interest) with a heart of gold


𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: social commentary on privilege (rich and poor in their times)

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫: fans of regency romance (like Bridgerton but YA), fans of stories with Faeries, fans of grumpy characters


Thank you to @NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠: 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐣𝐨𝐲.𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞

Half a Soul, Olivia Atwater

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Sci-fi and Fantasy

Well, I'm a sucker for a fairy tale. Throw in a Regency element and it sounded great fun. And was.
A fairy tale with a regency element or a Regency romance with a fae element, either way it was escapism. Yes, there's lots not quite right with the British language and the period setting/language but read it as the fantasy it is and put that behind and its a fun story.

Dora is lovely, kind of naive and innocent but with a strong sense of right and wrong. She made me laugh sometimes and want to cry at others. Elias, the Lord Sorciere was fittingly arrogant and rude, and the secondary characters were very good foils for these two.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the dances, the clothes, and of course the age old rich v poor separation. The ladies and their scheming, the workhouses and the desperate inmates, felt horribly real. The magic elements were great, the Fae logic inescapable, I could almost believe in their sense they were actually improving the poor children's lives. At least they weren't doing it for their own profit, not that it made the suffering any less, but does beg the question of who is more evil.

Its a fun, escapist read. Its not one I'd reread, but I did enjoy it, and would enjoy reading more like this.

Stars: Four, a fun fairy tale historical, or maybe a historical fairy tale ;-)

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

I saw a review that described this work as "if Jane Austen snorted pixie dust, but the pixie dust was made the Fairy Godmother's evil apprentice". It was such a catchy statement that I just had to pick this book up.😁
It was truly all that and much more. I loved the concept the author started her story with-that a split soul led the protagonist (Dora) to loose her ability to feel any strong emotions. With her strangeness that caused society to ridicule her and her aunt to dehumanize her whenever she could (..she may as well be a doll one carries around...), Dora immediately gained my love. Elias was the perfect match for her. I enjoyed the Regency England setup very much.

Not just the story itself, the book's metadata is very good too-the cover is absolutely beautiful. And the author's afterword even more so. Olivia Atwater added a small parable in there by way of her inspiration. I am glad that I came across this book when I did.

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher Little, Brown Book Group (UK) and author Olivia Atwater for providing an advance copy of the book.

✂️Half a Soul✂️

By Olivia Atwater

Description:

It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season - but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora's reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Bridgerton meets Howl's Moving Castle in this enchanting historical fantasy, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother.

✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️

I read through this book in about a day, it was such a fun and quick read. Dora is a great main character and very likeable. It’s hard not to see her inability to feel strong emotions and her struggles to identify social cues as a description of neurodivergence, which did have me slightly concerned as the character is literally missing half her soul, which is probably not the best allusion to draw regarding someone who is neurodivergent. However, a good part of the message of this book is that Dora’s unique viewpoint makes her a more interesting and farsighted character than most around her, and in fact, isn’t “missing” anything at all.

There are definitely some anachronisms about the Regency period but I’m not here for historical accuracy and you know, we’ve got fairies and what have you so I’m fine with it.

The romance is slow burn and sweet and I really liked some of the side characters- I hope we see more of them in future Regency Faerie Tales books.

I’m kicking myself for not jumping on the @fairyloot edition of this lovely book.

Thanks to @netgalley and @orbitbooks_uk for an advanced copy of Half a Soul in exchange for an honest review.