Morgan Smith

If you like the books of Mary Robinette Kowal or Emily Larkin, you'll love The Mourning Rose. It's a gothic historical with a bit of magic to enhance the romance.
Polly, or Polyantha, almost had a romance but her suitor died unexpectedly. Now she's invested in her cousin Eglantine's season. Eglantine is expected to make a brilliant match, and the leading contender is Lord Valremer. He's a confirmed bachelor who seems suspiciously (to Polly) interested in Eglantine.
Meanwhile, a disreputable smuggler named Mad Jack is overly interested in Polly and her cousin, much to Polly's dismay and delight.
The magic isn't a big part of the story. It consists mostly of the girls learning to serve tea magically or glamours of fireworks at a ball. Valremer uses darker magic which adds to the gothic element of the story. I really liked the romance of Polly and Mad Jack. They are both fun and interesting characters, a bit different from the usual members of the Ton. The other supporting characters enhance the story, especially the despicable Mrs. Anwing who is Valremer's confederate.
The writing flows at a fast pace which keeps the reader invested. I wanted to know what happens next at most every chapter. And I definitely would read further adventures of Polly and Jack.… (lisätietoja)

A Spell in the Country is another story in the Averraine Cycle. I had already read (and reviewed) Casting in Stone and enjoyed it very much. This book is much the same.
Keridwen is the youngest of a large family. She would have been expected to marry a young lordling but she is interested in fighting and swordplay so she enters the army instead. Despite her young age, she is put in command of a troop whose leader commits treason against his overlord. Keridwen is captured by Prince Tirais and is lucky enough to impress the Prince and his advisors instead of hanging.
Keridwen has a number of adventures, both in battle and in the Prince's court. She is a strong, smart, and lucky heroine who manages to prevail despite the odds.
The battle and fighting scenes are well-written and so are the scenes that take place in the soldiers barracks. The plot is intricate but moves right along. I enjoyed that many Welsh names were used in the story and look forward to more tales from the Averraine Cycle.… (lisätietoja)

Caoimhe is a warrior in the principality of Rhywn. She is somewhat feared because the circumstances of her life have been scarred by a malign force that has followed her always, unbeknownst to her. The story is told in first person from Caoimhe's point of view and starts with a bang as she and a fellow hunter named Joss have to find and kill some wolves that have been killing children in the village. At least one of the wolves is supernatural, changing briefly into a man at the end of their battle.
Caoimhe's story is revealed gradually in flashbacks of her life. Her grandfather was the only relative who cared for her until her little sister Meryn comes along. Even her life with her little sister is marred by horrible circumstances, but I don't want to give away too much of the story.
Caoimhe is a fascinating woman, tough as a warrior must be, yet always dogged by the curse on her life. The rest of the characters are also engaging. Be prepared for a lot of swashbuckling in an excellent read.… (lisätietoja)