I was immediately intrigued by the mixture of magic and Regency and I have to say that Atwater delivers on both of these brilliantly. The journey that we are taken on as a reader along with Dora's character is superb - whilst she struggles to express her emotions due to having only half a soul (stolen by a Faerie), she is well known for being blunt but this also makes her astute, and her position on the outskirts of the society circle allows her to observe and see what others might miss. The growth to her understanding of her own worth - and the proving of this to others around her - is a wonderful one.

The addition of complex characters such as Elias, the Lord Sorcier again highlights Atwater's ability to turn the reader's feelings towards a character on their head and at the end, you are rooting for him fully! I also thought the inclusion of the workhouses and the slow turning of upper class understanding of the plight of the poor at this time was well written.

All in all, this was a gripping read and a world that I would definitely want to read more about!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

As soon as I saw the words Regency Faerie Tales I knew I had to check this out. The mixture of Historical/Regency, Fantasy and Romance is done so brilliantly here, you can see threads of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians on the Fantasy side, and hints of Georgette Heyer and Julia Quinn in the Regency and Romance aspects. It comes together in a tale that manages to tackle disability and class while placing it firmly at a time when those things were misunderstood. Like most Regency Romances, the characters are part of the upper class, but Atwater makes room for them to learn and grow, and discover the elements of their society that are less ‘pleasant’, all via Theodora Ettings, a wonderfully written, determined character with ‘muted’ emotions.

As a child, Dora is cursed by a faerie, leaving her unable to feel fear or embarrassment. When she is whisked to London with her aunt and cousin, she plans to remain on the side, wanting to give her cousin her best chance at finding a suitable husband. But Dora soon meets the Lord Sorcier, who might hold the key to her faerie curse.

I’m going to recommend, firstly, reading other reviews around this one. Some do touch on something I felt initially unsure about – Dora reads as neurodivergent, and the plot feels at points like it’s building up to a magical cure, however this comes to us largely via Dora’s cousin, and this is one of the aspects Atwater uses to show the differences between Dora’s cousin – happy to be part of society and to search for a husband – and Dora, who can see more of the cracks.

The characters around Dora are wonderfully written, too, from meddling mothers and aunts, to the Lord Sorcier’s best friend, a doctor who is forced to take Dora to a workhouse to help him with his work. Dora and her companion prove they are capable of the help, and Dora feels deeply impacted by what she’s seen. This is where the story completely drew me in. I’ve seen others question how can she feel one thing when she can’t feel another, but I thought this was handled quite well – Dora is empathetic, and almost doesn’t realise it, because she has been raised in a society of well to do privilege, but when she is confronted with the reality of poverty, she describes it as the difference between emotions with ‘long’ tails and ‘short’ tails. It’s hard to explain, but I think if you’ve had those sort of periods of numbness, it’s not difficult to grasp what Dora means.

There’s some really great moments in the book where the kind of society they’re in is really highlighted, most notably with the faeries. These are definitely the cruel, twisted kind of fae, not the mischievous but friendly sort. As noted above, there feels like there’s elements of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell here, but throw in part of Holly Black’s Folk of the Air trilogy, too. In short, these are the exact kind of faeries I love to see as antagonists.

They desperately try to mimic English society, in their own way exposing it for its hypocrisies and cruelties, equating virtuousness to wealth and obsessing over what makes someone the ‘perfect English gentleman’.

Overall I found this be a really excellent blend of the different genres, with empathetic and determined characters, critique on the attitudes of society, and fairies. Definitely one worth diving into.

Thanks to Orbit for providing a copy of this ebook via NetGalley. Views remain my own.

Theodora (Dora) has been cursed by a member of faerie gentry who yanks away half her soul. Left with a telltale mark, she is spurned and ridiculed by her aunt. Her cousin, and champion, the lovely Vanessa, is a whisper from twenty which is nigh spinsterhood in Regency society. Vanessa does not take no for an answer when it comes time to mingle in London society, enabling her to take Dora along. Dora and Vanessa soon set their bonnets for some smouldering leggy types and here begins the adventure.

The story has action and adventure and a soupcon of magic that moves the plot along. In time-honoured tradition there is a gaggle of gossipy aunts determined to chaperone the pair into submission and provide lots of backstory. There’s a couple of glorious baddies – the maleficent Lord Hollowvale and the miserable Master Ricks – both oozing with evil, a Darcy-esque lead and some upstanding young men of good character (it must be said). There’s a captivating subplot in a notorious Workhouse that inspires empathy and outrage.

I was delighted and captivated by this Austentatious romance half set in the world of faerie. Dubious at first, any scepticism melted as the story flowed smooth as a chocolate fountain. Dora is a brilliant neuro-diverse main character and many readers will become besotted with the golden Lord Sorcier. I don’t know how Olivia Atwater managed such a engaging, meaningful and believable tale except she must have one foot in faerie-land as well. I cannot wait to dig into the Atwater Scandal Sheets and read more Regency Faerie Tales. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalleyUK.

A beautifully written book. Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read

Who needs all of their soul anyway?
Absolutely loved every minute of this story. Faeries and magic all set in regency era of London with balls and proper ways of behaving, which is super hard to do with only half your soul I might add, add a moody sorcerer and you have the makings of a wonderful story! Not to mention the mystery of a new sleeping plague that is sweeping through England's work houses, will they find a cure in time?

Definitely worth a read if all the above appeals to you!

I really enjoyed this one and am curious about the author's other works!

This was such a beautiful read, it swept me right into the historical and magical world and I could not put it down. I love a slow burn / gradual romance and this gave me all the feels. The ending made me so happy and I cannot wait for the sequel!

This book was delightful!!!
I enjoyed it so much and it made me giggle a lot!
i guess we can say is like Bridgerton with magic and fairies. it has great banter as well, beautiful characters and life lessons. In short 5 stars 🌟
Absolutely recommend it.
Dora's mom sold her daughter soul to a fairy for money before she was born. when she is 8 years old the fairy comes to collect, but thanks to her cousin help he only gets to collect half the payment. This makes her unable to feel emotions like most people, and struggles to understand those emotions, she have no filters and don't often understand when her words can come as impolite. If you know anything about autism you will notice that she struggles in the same way that an autistic person will.
At the beginning, it felt rather uncomfortable that somehow this book equals autistic behaviour and feelings with having lost half of one soul. So for most part of the book I was divided as this feels problematic, but at the same time I was enjoying the book extremely and loving the characters, as well as seen myself, in part, in the MC. But slowly the book shows how there is nothing wrong with Dora, and she is perfect the way she is, worthy of the love and respect of the people. And way better person than those who complain about her. I dont want to make spoilers so I won't say anything else.
I have to say the ending is marvellous, lighthearted and happy.
And I am very much in love with Elias, he is absolutely my type of person ❤️

I completely devoured this charming and heartwarming book. it has to be by far my favourite read of 2022 so far.

Half a Soul follows Dora, at a young age finds herself with only half a soul in recency London.
This stunning blend of historical romance and a dash of faerie fantasy will have you absolutely besotted with its characters and feasting on its plot.

Firstly Doras character development is on point! Trying to write a character with half a soul and lesser feeling and emotion whilst developing and maintaining that characteristics seems an impossible task, but Atwater masters this character. Dora is emotionless, fearless and bold but she is also kind, caring and forgiving, she has so much personality but you also feel her struggle of lacking her emotions, they only way to understand her is to read this book, as you really do go on her journey with her.

Elias is everything I wanted from a despised member of society, again his character develops so beautifully without compromise to his values and personality. He is mean and grumpy, dismissive and rude and I grew to love him!

This book was so immersive. A regency laced world comes to life as the author details the contrast of a privileged and a poverty driven world, blending the classes and working the plot to encompass both. As much as the author builds the beauty and class of the lord and lady's of this world, they also build the dread and squalor of the workhouses and combines them perfectly.

I was super pleased with the ending, I loved the element of faerie to the story. I really don't want to ruin it for anyone so do go and read but the plot twists are enjoyable and I honestly could not put this book down.
It is full of emotion, suspense, magic and high society privilege.
This book is the comfort read that everyone needs in their life.

"Oh, this is love then. How wonderful and terrible."

E-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (Thank you NetGalley). I will be buying myself a paperback immediately.

Half A Soul is a gorgeous faerie tale that sparkles with romance and magic. "Bridgerton meets Howl's Moving Castle" is absolutely right. Set in Regency London, this delightful book has a plot that is somehow both gentle and gripping. It begins with a run-in with a faerie that hooks you in right from the get go, and goes on to explore the many sides of Regency society through the eyes of a young woman and her intriguing companions.

The main character, Dora, is delightful and totally fresh. She's kind and smart and doesn't have a filter so is therefore very direct, which the English see as a big no-no. We're annoying like that. Having half a soul feels remarkably similar to being neurodivergent, and there were so many descriptions of Dora's actions and feelings and emotions (or lack thereof) that help me describe my own, and I will forever adore this book for making me feel less alone.

Unlike Dora, I was taken with Lord Sorcier Elias Wilder from the moment he appeared. He is rude, stubborn, and has seemingly no concept of Proper society. He is also passionate, witty, gentle (but crucially never a gentleman), and deliciously romantic. I highlighted nearly all of his dialogue and found myself saying "I love him" FAR too often. He's raised the bar for book boyfriends, and I worry that no one will ever compare.

The side characters, Vanessa and Arthur, among others, are fully realised and captivating. The dialogue and interactions feel real, and it really heightens the reading experience when you come to genuinely care about the characters. I keep wanting to use the word "charming" but that's the only word I can think of that describes these characters.

Half A Soul is beautiful written and with so many relatable or stand-out quotes; I found myself highlighting lines or passages every other page. This book talks about injustice at great lengths and much of it is applicable to my own (less magical) version of London.

I found myself beaming as I finished this book, and can't wait to read the other titles in the series.

This book whisks us away to a regency era (not unlike Bridgerton) with balls, marriage marts and pushy mammas. However in contradiction, there is a secondary country/land nearby to England where the faeries dwell. Herein lies another contradiction to most modern fantasy, the faeries within this novel are honestly a bit thick, evil and completely un-swoon worthy.

We follow Dora and her cousin as they attend balls, and try to find out how to repair Dora’s half soul so that she may feel emotion as others do.

This leads us to explore a variety of historical themes, and at times it did feel a bit like the requirements and personalities of the faeries were a bit of an afterthought, but it didn’t detract from the plot and so I’d still definitely recommend this if you like regency, romance and a sprinkling of fantasy.

Quote for ratification: “I did not come here
only to dance. I came here only to dance with you. It is quite a different thing.”

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC.

I loved this book. It was a light read, with just the right amount of social commentary weaved into it that avoided being preachy but got the point across.

The gradual romance between the 2 socially awkward MCs was perfectly timed and the gradual realisation played out perfectly.

I love how the author perfectly interlaced the Regency period setting with the land of the fae.

I can't wait to devour the remaining 2 books in the trilogy.

Everyone who told me this would be right up my street was absolutely spot on; I read the whole thing in one afternoon, and adored every second. The book was originally self-published, but is now being republished traditionally by Orbit; I have no idea if/how much this has changed from the original, but if like me you missed that version, I cannot recommend this one highly enough!

I absolutely loved Dora – Olivia Atwater has clearly really thought through how Dora would experience motion and which ones would be affected, and she did such a great job showing that Dora actually did feel things very deeply, just buried slightly further than most people. Dora actually really reminded me of some of my favourite characters who have very strong feelings but struggle to express them (see: Elinor Dashwood), and she’s definitely joining my favourites in the same way! I also loved seeing her exhibit more emotions as the book goes on, almost as though all she needed to be able to access the emotions she has was a few more people in her life who would simply accept and love her for her!

Dora and Elias’ relationship was so wonderful. Elias is the kind of grumpy and brooding love interest who I often don’t get on with, but somehow it didn’t bother me here. I think a lot of that is down to the way Dora doesn’t care when he’s rude to her, and just gives it right back – a lot of their early banter really gave me Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing vibes (one of my earliest OTPs), and as they get closer and start to trust each other my heart just melted: certain scenes between them had me physically squealing out loud!

The side characters were also brilliant. I especially loved Vanessa and how protective she was of Dora, and the rest of the secondary and tertiary characters were also great (and impressively well-developed in such a short space). The only thing I could have wanted to see more of was a little more development of Dora’s Auntie Frances – it wouldn’t even have occurred to me to want it, except that there’s one line which hints at her having more depth/more complex motivations for her cruelty than we see. It’s never brought up again, but it just left me wondering – but equally I don’t necessarily need her to be redeemed and don’t think the story is at all lacking for that, so it’s hardly a criticism!

I really appreciated the themes of privilege and righteous anger and doing whatever good that you can. It’s not too blunt or jarring next to the whimsy, but nevertheless it pervades the whole book and I found it really effective. The idea of channelling your anger into action is clearly something that Olivia Atwater cares a lot about, and I loved the way this book presents different characters who view their privilege in different ways and have different approaches/journeys towards utilising it for change.

The setting was so well done: I really appreciated how this book was so specifically set in a particular historical moment, and that the realities of that moment were so integral to the story and actually had a bearing on the plot. The magic system isn’t particularly developed or explained in much detail, but it doesn’t need to be – it’s exactly the kind of ‘just accept it and let it happen’ magic that all your favourite fairy tales usually have, and that suits the tone of this book perfectly! Similarly the writing was just so comfortable and familiarly reminiscent of classic fairy tales, and the overall vibe of the story was the perfect balance of seriousness mixed with humour at just the right moments – largely thanks to both Dora and Elias’ dry snark.

When I initially finished this, I gave it 4.5 stars, but the more I think about it the more I love it, and I think I’m upping my rating to a full 5. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series, and I really hope that being traditionally published will help this reach the wider audience that it deserves!

This book contains content warnings for: poverty; workhouses; child abuse

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Half a Soul is a whimsical romance set in a semi-magical Regency-era London. I enjoyed this book a lot - it’s a very easy read, with lovable, entertaining characters and an intriguing premise. It suffers a little in its pacing, however, and feels a bit rushed towards the end. I also wish that the world building had been further developed - we know very little about how magic and society are intertwined outside of our small circle of characters - hopefully this will be explored in later books.

I enjoyed the relationship between our heroine, Dora, and the relentlessly grumpy Elias - she is more than a match for him, and refuses to diminish herself for any man’s comfort. Very much girlboss of her, especially in Regency London. 😌💅🏼

We also have some anti-capitalist rage, which we always love to see.

Tldr: Pride and Prejudice meets Howl’s Moving Castle. Snark, magic, regency drama, a sprinkling of social justice.

3.75 I think.
This was certainly quick and easy to read. Cute romance even though kinda insta lovey. The characters were loveable even if I felt a bit detached to the main character.
The last bit of the story, when Dora was in the faeries' land were so odd, but in a good way.
Overall this was fun to read !

This is an original take on a Regency style romance - think Bridgerton but with less spice and more magic. It is a unique read and I believe the first book in the Regency Faerie Tales.

Dora had half her soul stolen by a faerie when she was a child, taking her emotions and changing the colour of one of her eyes.

Now of a marriageable age she must accompany her cousin during the 'Season' to find a suitable husband however Dora has no wish to settle down just yet. Despite her misgivings she is drawn to Lord Sorcier, a magician and in helping him save children from the sleeping plague a love develops between them.

I really liked this book. I'd been worried at the start of it that it was going to go in a direction that would end up being boring, but that didn't end up being the case.

It was fun and swoony and the ending especially made me happier than I expected.

Curious to see how the sequels play out.

This was an interesting read. It kept me hooked throughout. Not only was the plot intriguing the characters were so lovable. The various relationships whether it be familial or friendship and more easy to understand and relate to. The banter as well was just perfection.
This book was described as "Bridgeton meets Howl's Moving Castle." Obviously I would immediately want to read it.

The plot immediately drew me in and the characters kept me hooked. The protagonist Dora was so lovable and her and though only having half a soul that affects her emotions or should I say affects the ability to feel emotions, it is not a set-back on her character. Rather it makes her so much more likable being able to know and describe how she does feel without her emotions to herself and to those around her.
The relationship she forms with other characters was so fun to read especially her bluntness towards them especially Elias who was also rather blunt and harsh at times. Honestly, he is a new book boyfriend. Dora and Elias 's relationship from strangers to allies to somewhat friends and then lovers was paced really well and the author's writing allowed the reader to see the gradual shift between them.
It was such an easy read and I got lost in it, not only with Dora try to fix her "problem" to the troubles Elias and also Albert were trying to investigate and fix but also the struggles that English society was facing and the views of the upper and lower class on such matters.

Review posted to @reading_in_the_tropics Instagram account.
Posted on 18th June 2022.

Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC 😍❤️

I really enjoyed this book it is a really amazing mix of two things that love, I mean who doesn’t love the Regency period and Fae?!

Dora is completely lovable, straightforward and she is selflessly and dreamily loving with Vanessa in her own half of souly kinda way. She might not feel happiness, embarrassment or fear the way we do but she’s still amazing!! She doesn’t act the way a young lady should (or like her cousin Vanessa does) but, to me, that makes her amazing!! Elias, Lord Sorcier of England, is odd, blunt, can be a bit fierce (by fierce I mean rude 😂😅) and a bit messy but is very handsome and I absolutely adore him. He’s absolutely brilliant and was my favourite character 😍😍 Their kind of one side indifference that grows to ‘oh and I love you’ and the other side ‘I’m definitely not interested Miss Ettings!! …Oh actually yes I really am!!’ Romance made my heart sing 🥰🥰 There’s so many characters in this book that are brilliantly written, Olivia Atwater is a genius!!

The Regency setting was perfect, all the etiquette was amazing and I love how the faerie aspect was established so well at the beginning of the book along with it. It was interwoven so well that when we went to Faerie it was so vivid and colourful in my mind!! I loved the political aspect as well, the workhouses and the child workers were made such a main part of the plot and it’s so important.

This book whimsical, romantic and it made me smile completely. It’s strong, has meaning as well and that makes even better!! Please give it a read, you won’t regret it!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a delightful, whimsical, fantastical romance. For someone who rarely picks up a book for the romance plot, it was my favourite part of this book. Dora is an amusing main character. Her lack of social awareness, as well as her disregard for what she knows is polite at times, had me laughing often. Her romance with Elias kicks off with grumpiness and an insult, and I find that's the best way for these things to go. Elias is a compelling character all on his own, but we only get to discover that due to his opening up to Dora. I loved every moment they shared together. Their chemistry is amazing, and I rooted for them all through the book.

Dora is missing half her soul and feels things very vaguely, but over the course of the novel she begins to feel more strongly, or maybe that isn't the right word. It's more that she feels more deeply, about more things. This was a joy to explore, and it got me thinking perhaps if she hadn't been so sheltered she would've felt these things before.

There is a deeper mystery running through this novel, which carries the characters along beautifully. Everything that happens interconnects in such unexpected ways, and brings the perfect amount of growth the characters need to become the best versions of themselves. It's rare that I love every part of a book I read, but I did here. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

This book is so cute and so perfect! It's labelled as a regency fae romance and that is exactly what it is. I got bridgerton vibes but also old school fae!

I love the cover, it is beautiful.

I loved the plot and the characters. Everything ties in really well with each other and it flows perfectly. You root for the main character and to be honest she's very blunt and stands up for herself!

Will be reading more books by this author for sure!