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When their parents died penniless due to a scam investment the three Tregarth children are split up and Elinor ends up at Hathergill Hall as companion to her spoiled selfish cousin, Penelope. Dragons, small enough to balance on their owner's shoulder, are all the rage as a fashion accessory. Unfortunately Elinor's cousin has little sympathy with her expensive new pet, Sir Jessamyn, and the dragon, young and nervous, has an unfortunate habit of letting his bowels go when particularly alarmed - very unfortunate when he's sitting on Penelope's shoulder. When Elinor is pushed too far, she walks out, with the dragon, but without a plan, and with only a few coppers in her reticule. She loses what money she has when a coach hurtles around a corner and knocks her into a muddy ditch. Benedict Hawkins, passenger in his friend Aubrey's coach, does the decent thing and takes Elinor to a nearby inn. In the depths of misery, Elinor wishes she could be like society leader Mrs DeLacy… and the dragon grants her wish. As the important society matron she finds herself thrust back into the limelight in Hathergill Hall while Benedict, for whom she is developing feelings, is doing his best to woo Penelope for her money to save his estate. This is a lovely Regency romantic romp with added magic and dragons. Highly recommended.
A set of young triplets, Cordelia, Giles and Rosalind, their older half brother, and their sorceress mother, live in a castle deep within an enchanted forest. Cordelia, a shapechanger and the wild one of the threesome, longs to see the other side of the forest but it's probably a case of 'be careful what you wish for' because, suddenly, after a lifetime of isolation, the outside world comes to them. It appears that one of them - the oldest - is the heir to the Raven Throne. but their mother has always been careful to hide the order of their birth. "I'll tell you when you're older," is just a way of fobbing off enquiring minds. The noble faction that wants to put one of the triplets on the throne desires a puppet ruler and - as has happened before - their puppet is not likely to live long, so Mom is not likely to give them up easily. Unfortunately the castle is overrun, Mom and big brother are captured, but the triplets escape, and thus begins their adventure.
The triplets are very distinct from each other, with contrasting but complementary talents. They have to figure out how to outwit both their supporters and their enemies. A lovely mix of politics and magic with an evil granny thrown in for good measure. It's a book about family, good and bad. The pacing is good, and the plot twisty withoiut being incomprehensible. Though this is obviously the beginning of a series, it's c9omplete in itself - no cliffhangers. Recommended for the 10 - 12 year-olds in your life. Possibly good for younger YA readers, too.
Set in the Britain of the Harwood Spellbook, in which women are the politicians and magic users are (usually) men. This is that rare thing, a magic school for girls. Miss Banks and Miss Fennell, supporting characters in previous Harwood Spellbook stories get their own novella at last. Caroline and Juliana have been in love for some time, but have kept their relationship secret. Feelings are tested to the limit and finally resolved. This is a novella, which makes it a quick read, but it hits the spot.
Publication 25th February 2019. Advance review copy supplied by the author.I love Stephanie Burgis' Harwood books. This is the second short novel (or maybe novella – not sure of the word count) which follows on from Snowspelled. There was a prequel (shorter) novella (Spellswept) featuring Amy and Jonathan Harwood between the two longer stories. Quick background note. This is a version of Britain (Angland) where strong women become politicians and the more 'delicate and emotional' men (well, those with talents, anyway) become magicians. And woe betide anyone who bucks the gender trend. In Thornbound. Cassandra Harwood is newly married to magician Wrexham, and work-life balance for both of them is proving problematical. Some years earlier she managed to scandalise the nation by becoming the first female magician, but a year ago she overstepped magical boundaries so can no longer practise magic herself as casting a spell would kill her. She still has the knowledge, however, so she can teach it. Despite the strong disapproval of the Boudiccate (Angland's all-female government) she begins the radical task of setting up a school for female magicians. A team of antagonistic inspectors from the Boudiccate are an immediate threat to the new school, but there's an even bigger threat looming from the direction of the bluebell wood adjacent to the school. An ancient treaty with the Fey is in danger. Cassandra (and her friends) must battle political and magical enemies. Cassandra is a good, if flawed, character. She's altogether too impulsive for her own good sometimes. We don't get to see much of Wrexham in this particular story, but it's nice to see Amy in a strong supporting role. I'm looking forward to seeing more Harwood books in future.
I read Stephanie Burgess' Snowspelled last year and was very happy to make another trip into her Angland, where the women are the politicians and the men are magicians. Politicians who enter the Boudiccate always have a magician husband. Amy Standish is an ambitious young woman who has taken a position with powerful politician Miranda Harwood in order to be boosted to the ranks of the Boudiccate. For that she needs an advantageous marriage with a magician, and Miranda has introduced her to the perfect one, except he's neither perfect nor 'the one'. Unfortunately the one Amy is drawn to is Amanda's son, Jonathan, who has flatly refused to train as a magician, something no one can understand. Amy doesn't understand either, until she discovers something about Jonathan's sister, Cassandra. This is a story about turning the established order on its head. At novella length, it's a perfect read-in-a-day story. (And 10/10 for a lovely cover.)
In 19th century Angland, only gentlemen practise magic while the ladies get on with running the country. Cassandra Harwood became the country’s first female magician. Everything was splendid. She was engaged to the love of her life… and then it all fell apart. Now Cassandra must never perform magic again and she’s estranged from her love. Still in recovery she’s trapped at a country house party—snowed in—and worse still, her ex is there. It might have all passed with nothing more than a few hurt feelings, but Cassandra makes a promise she might not be able to keep, and if she fails there’s a vindictive elf who will make sure she pays for it. I really enjoyed this. At novella length is a quick read, but it sets the scene for sequels.
