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A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure
Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family may be eccentric, but they certainly aren't insane.
London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.
London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2024
About the author
Angela Bell
4 books142 followersAngela Bell is a twenty-first-century lady with nineteenth-century sensibilities. She resides in Texas with her charming pup, Mr. Bingley Crosby. One might categorize her books as historical romance, but Angela likes to describe them as “a cuppa Victorian whimsy” because it sounds so much more poetical. Whenever you need a respite from the modern-day hustle, you're welcome to visit her parlor AuthorAngelaBell.com, where she can be found waiting with a pot of tea and a great book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
February 25, 2024
In a Nutshell: Historical + Adventure + Clean Romance + Christian. If all these points are appealing to you, this entertaining book delivers exactly as it promises. If faith-based content isn’t your cup of tea, stay away. I loved the characters and the story. What a charming debut novel!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Until a few years ago, if anyone called a book 'Christian fiction', all that came to my mind was a goody-goody family story where devout characters spouted biblical verses. Because of NetGalley, I discovered, to my great happiness, that this genre spans so many more sub-categories than just family drama. This book covers a jolly adventure though Europe, and the journey is thrilling as well as soothing.
Bookish Yays:
😍 Clara and Theodore: Loveable characters who are perfect for the storyline. Both are realistically sketched, and utterly adorable.
😍 Theodore’s physical features: If you observe the cover carefully, you will see that the MMC is disabled. This aspect is used well by the author in the plot without anyone resorting to sympathy or insults.
😍 Mrs. Stanton, Clara’s amazing mom: I dare you to find me a historical novel where the mom climbs trees willingly! Mrs. Stanton is such a wacky yet endearing character, well beyond her time. Her animal rights activism (or perhaps I should say, extremism) lends itself to some hilarious scenes. (Of all her non-human charges, I loved Fred the most!)
😍 The Scavenger Hunt: The hunt felt like a combo of ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ (without a challenge) and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (without the murders.) It runs through several wonderful locations across Europe, all of which are historically accurate in rep.
😍 The themes: Theodore has PTSD. Clara suffers from commitment phobia. Both of them have grief in their past. The writing also covers social stigma over supposed lunacy. The book doesn’t feel heavy-handed despite such intense topics.
😍 The romance: Slowburn and squeaky clean and based on a soul connection than a physical one – just as I love it. Moreover, the romance elements never overshadow the core plot.
😍 The automata made by Clara’s grandfather: These were far too advanced to be realistic, but let's treat them as an appealing fantastical addition to the story. I loved their imaginativeness! They complemented the scavenger hunt perfectly.
😍 The writing: Easy-going with a balance between characters and plot. There are many sweet moments balanced with tense ones, with a generous dollop of faith and fun.
😍 Some amazing quotable quotes herein, with a memorable first sentence that has the potential to become one of the best opening lines of 2024 fiction.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 The Christian content: As a practising Christian, I don’t mind books having faith-based content, as long the content isn’t restricted to characters spouting biblical verses. This book doesn’t have that issue. The belief system of the characters is integrated beautifully into the plot for most of the journey. However, the balance is missing towards the end, as the final quarter has too many faith-based thoughts and scenes, which affects the pace of the story.
😐 I wish Clara’s father had had a more active role in the story. He seemed like an interesting character, but we hardly get to see him.
Bookish Nays:
😒 I wish there had been no sob-story attached to you-know-who-if-you-read-the-book. That part didn't come across as convincing, and felt more like a forced justification.
All in all, I enjoyed this adventurous romance that is more adventure and less romance. The historical elements obviously are not fully accurate considering the whimsical storyline and the innovative automata, but overall, it is still an entertaining and magical journey.
Definitely recommended to readers of historical fantasy who are okay with strongly faith-oriented content. I loved this debut full-length novel, and look forward to seeing what more amazing adventures this talented author will spin in future.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
1860, England. Clara Stanton, lovingly called ‘little Atlas’ by her grandfather, actually feels like weary Atlas, always worried about protecting her beloved but eccentric family from her ex-fiancé who is intent on proving them to have hereditary insanity.
When her inventive Grandfather Drosselmeyer takes on a skilled vagabond named Arthur as an apprentice, Clara is sure “Arthur” is a spy working for her ex. She has no idea that “Arthur” is actually Theodore, looking for a fresh start away from his past. Before she can confirm her fears, her grandfather disappears in his secret flying owl machine, with a note asking Clara to follow him on the adventure and leaving clues for a scavenger hunt. Clara has no choice but to obey his wishes, but she isn’t happy about his last instruction: she needs to take “Arthur” along on the audacious journey.
To make matters worse, there is someone on their trail, who wants the flying machine at any cost. How will this quest pan out for the principal characters?
The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of Clara and Theodore.
Until a few years ago, if anyone called a book 'Christian fiction', all that came to my mind was a goody-goody family story where devout characters spouted biblical verses. Because of NetGalley, I discovered, to my great happiness, that this genre spans so many more sub-categories than just family drama. This book covers a jolly adventure though Europe, and the journey is thrilling as well as soothing.
Bookish Yays:
😍 Clara and Theodore: Loveable characters who are perfect for the storyline. Both are realistically sketched, and utterly adorable.
😍 Theodore’s physical features: If you observe the cover carefully, you will see that the MMC is disabled. This aspect is used well by the author in the plot without anyone resorting to sympathy or insults.
😍 Mrs. Stanton, Clara’s amazing mom: I dare you to find me a historical novel where the mom climbs trees willingly! Mrs. Stanton is such a wacky yet endearing character, well beyond her time. Her animal rights activism (or perhaps I should say, extremism) lends itself to some hilarious scenes. (Of all her non-human charges, I loved Fred the most!)
😍 The Scavenger Hunt: The hunt felt like a combo of ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ (without a challenge) and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (without the murders.) It runs through several wonderful locations across Europe, all of which are historically accurate in rep.
😍 The themes: Theodore has PTSD. Clara suffers from commitment phobia. Both of them have grief in their past. The writing also covers social stigma over supposed lunacy. The book doesn’t feel heavy-handed despite such intense topics.
😍 The romance: Slowburn and squeaky clean and based on a soul connection than a physical one – just as I love it. Moreover, the romance elements never overshadow the core plot.
😍 The automata made by Clara’s grandfather: These were far too advanced to be realistic, but let's treat them as an appealing fantastical addition to the story. I loved their imaginativeness! They complemented the scavenger hunt perfectly.
😍 The writing: Easy-going with a balance between characters and plot. There are many sweet moments balanced with tense ones, with a generous dollop of faith and fun.
😍 Some amazing quotable quotes herein, with a memorable first sentence that has the potential to become one of the best opening lines of 2024 fiction.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 The Christian content: As a practising Christian, I don’t mind books having faith-based content, as long the content isn’t restricted to characters spouting biblical verses. This book doesn’t have that issue. The belief system of the characters is integrated beautifully into the plot for most of the journey. However, the balance is missing towards the end, as the final quarter has too many faith-based thoughts and scenes, which affects the pace of the story.
😐 I wish Clara’s father had had a more active role in the story. He seemed like an interesting character, but we hardly get to see him.
Bookish Nays:
😒 I wish there had been no sob-story attached to you-know-who-if-you-read-the-book. That part didn't come across as convincing, and felt more like a forced justification.
All in all, I enjoyed this adventurous romance that is more adventure and less romance. The historical elements obviously are not fully accurate considering the whimsical storyline and the innovative automata, but overall, it is still an entertaining and magical journey.
Definitely recommended to readers of historical fantasy who are okay with strongly faith-oriented content. I loved this debut full-length novel, and look forward to seeing what more amazing adventures this talented author will spin in future.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
March 12, 2024
A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure - Angela Bell 🦉🌍 ✨
"Just as Grand would never expect a clock to mend its own windings, God would never expect us to mend our own hearts."
BLOG REVIEW POST HERE
🦉🌍 ✨What a fun, whimsical story with great quirky characters that go on an adventure together! This is a Christian Historical Romance that has some steampunk-ish vibes and is a great read for lovers of The Nutcracker or Around the World in 80 Days! 4 stars!
This book starts off with our main character of Clara Stanton trying to protect her family from her ex-fiancé's schemes and society's prejudice about them because they are very different! Her Grandfather brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg and boy do things get wild from here!
We see Theodore Kingsley, the apprentice who repairs clocks, desperate for a fresh start from his disappointed father who wants nothing to do with him and declared him dead. When Clara's Grandfather disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves a note behind and she goes on an quite the adventure/scavenger hunt with Theodore...
I had a fun time reading this one! It made me laugh several times throughout the story and the premise is such a unique one that I haven't seen before in the Christian Fiction market! While the first 40% took me a little bit to warm up to Clara as she was very hesitant to trust anyone, including Theodore and had quite a bit of sass with him, once she started opening up and realizing she misjudged him, I really liked her character arc and where things went, especially in the faith developments. While I am not the biggest enemies to lovers person, the ending of this was very well done and I really appreciate the romance and faith elements in the end.
Grand was also absolutely precious and chapter 27 was probably my favorite. I think anyone who loves a fun, whimsical story with unique characters, great historical background and beautiful faith content will enjoy this one! Excited to see what Angela comes up with next!
Thank you to the publisher for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
"Just as Grand would never expect a clock to mend its own windings, God would never expect us to mend our own hearts."
BLOG REVIEW POST HERE
🦉🌍 ✨What a fun, whimsical story with great quirky characters that go on an adventure together! This is a Christian Historical Romance that has some steampunk-ish vibes and is a great read for lovers of The Nutcracker or Around the World in 80 Days! 4 stars!
This book starts off with our main character of Clara Stanton trying to protect her family from her ex-fiancé's schemes and society's prejudice about them because they are very different! Her Grandfather brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg and boy do things get wild from here!
We see Theodore Kingsley, the apprentice who repairs clocks, desperate for a fresh start from his disappointed father who wants nothing to do with him and declared him dead. When Clara's Grandfather disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves a note behind and she goes on an quite the adventure/scavenger hunt with Theodore...
I had a fun time reading this one! It made me laugh several times throughout the story and the premise is such a unique one that I haven't seen before in the Christian Fiction market! While the first 40% took me a little bit to warm up to Clara as she was very hesitant to trust anyone, including Theodore and had quite a bit of sass with him, once she started opening up and realizing she misjudged him, I really liked her character arc and where things went, especially in the faith developments. While I am not the biggest enemies to lovers person, the ending of this was very well done and I really appreciate the romance and faith elements in the end.
Grand was also absolutely precious and chapter 27 was probably my favorite. I think anyone who loves a fun, whimsical story with unique characters, great historical background and beautiful faith content will enjoy this one! Excited to see what Angela comes up with next!
Thank you to the publisher for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 28, 2024
What a fabulous debut! A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is a clever, whimsical mashup of the Nutcracker, Around the World in 80 Days, steampunk, and faith with a witty, slow burn reverse grumpy/sunshine romance and lots of adventure along the way. I didn’t know what to expect going in and I highly suggest reading it that way. It’s best experienced with just the cover as your guide, and what a gorgeous cover! I loved the exciting scavenger hunt across Europe and the heartfelt clues from a grandfather to his granddaughter. The whimsy and humor is beautifully balanced with faith and overcoming truly painful betrayals. It’s an amazing story and I can’t wait for more!
Clara Stanton takes her family’s reputation and burdens directly on her slim shoulders. She firmly believes she’s the only one who can protect them, especially after her ex-fiancé threatens to expose a potentially damaging family secret. When her clockmaking, inventor Grandfather Drosselmeyer takes on a handsome, new apprentice, she’s immediately skeptical of Arthur.
Declared dead by his abusive father, Theodore/Arthur must rely on his talent for tinkering with clocks to make his way and is grateful for a new start. When Clara’s grandfather suddenly disappears in his owl flying machine, Clara, Arthur/Theodore, and her mother along with a growing menagerie of animals must work together as they follow Grand’s scavenger hunt clues across Europe all while trying to evade a vicious villain determined to obtain the invention for himself.
I loved the character arcs of both Clara and Theodore/Arthur. Clara experienced the hard-learned lesson that she can’t control everything. I loved how her grandfather helped her regain her faith and excitement for exploring again. Little by little his challenges and beautifully written clues lead her back to herself before betrayal made her controlling and bitter.
Theodore had to learn his own worthiness. His abusive father made him feel completely less than and his mistakes felt like a self-fulfilling prophesy of his father’s words. In this adventure of seeking Clara’s grandfather, he’s forced to come to terms with his PTSD from the war and his father’s treatment, and realize his many capabilities. I also adored Mrs. Stanton and her fierce love of all creatures. Her antics were hilarious and heartwarming and kept me smiling throughout the book.
This is definitely a must read for historical/Victorian romance fans who enjoy a bit of whimsy, steampunk, and faith in the mix. I’m so excited to see what this author writes next. A truly impressive debut. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher via AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4 1/2 stars!
Clara Stanton takes her family’s reputation and burdens directly on her slim shoulders. She firmly believes she’s the only one who can protect them, especially after her ex-fiancé threatens to expose a potentially damaging family secret. When her clockmaking, inventor Grandfather Drosselmeyer takes on a handsome, new apprentice, she’s immediately skeptical of Arthur.
Declared dead by his abusive father, Theodore/Arthur must rely on his talent for tinkering with clocks to make his way and is grateful for a new start. When Clara’s grandfather suddenly disappears in his owl flying machine, Clara, Arthur/Theodore, and her mother along with a growing menagerie of animals must work together as they follow Grand’s scavenger hunt clues across Europe all while trying to evade a vicious villain determined to obtain the invention for himself.
I loved the character arcs of both Clara and Theodore/Arthur. Clara experienced the hard-learned lesson that she can’t control everything. I loved how her grandfather helped her regain her faith and excitement for exploring again. Little by little his challenges and beautifully written clues lead her back to herself before betrayal made her controlling and bitter.
Theodore had to learn his own worthiness. His abusive father made him feel completely less than and his mistakes felt like a self-fulfilling prophesy of his father’s words. In this adventure of seeking Clara’s grandfather, he’s forced to come to terms with his PTSD from the war and his father’s treatment, and realize his many capabilities. I also adored Mrs. Stanton and her fierce love of all creatures. Her antics were hilarious and heartwarming and kept me smiling throughout the book.
This is definitely a must read for historical/Victorian romance fans who enjoy a bit of whimsy, steampunk, and faith in the mix. I’m so excited to see what this author writes next. A truly impressive debut. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher via AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4 1/2 stars!
April 9, 2024
a very unique and silly premise, and the perpetually annoyed woman x charming considerate man dynamic always hits!!!!
"I could never be that, Miss Stanton. Disappointed, yes. Pining for you, most earnestly. But never cross."
"I could never be that, Miss Stanton. Disappointed, yes. Pining for you, most earnestly. But never cross."
Want to read
April 17, 2024i too want to partake in the silly little giggles of this book (ty tiff for putting this on the radar, i need a cleanse after predatora ୨୧ )
April 17, 2024
I should have noticed that the publisher was Bethany House, a Christian imprint. The premise seemed great, but the summary neglects to mention how increasingly heavy-handed the Christian elements would get.
The summary doesn’t mention religion at all, so the only way you’d know there would be Christian content going in is by recognizing the imprint. I loathe when books are deliberately light with religious themes at first and then come on strong after drawing you it. This book actually gets downright preachy and the original point of the adventure is lost. A great premise squandered.
When God showed up in a dream around the 80% mark, I had to laugh. The character who lost half a leg in the Crimean War no longer needs a crutch! It's a miracle, y'all. No subtlety at all.
The summary doesn’t mention religion at all, so the only way you’d know there would be Christian content going in is by recognizing the imprint. I loathe when books are deliberately light with religious themes at first and then come on strong after drawing you it. This book actually gets downright preachy and the original point of the adventure is lost. A great premise squandered.
When God showed up in a dream around the 80% mark, I had to laugh. The character who lost half a leg in the Crimean War no longer needs a crutch! It's a miracle, y'all. No subtlety at all.
February 7, 2024
This book is so much fun! I absolutely loved it! It’s got a little bit of The Nutcracker in it especially with the main character being named Clara and her Grandfather Drosselmeyer. Also has Around the World in 80 days vibes as Clara chases/follows her Grandfather’s flying owl machine with him flying in it, to different destinations. Along with Clara, her mother and Theodore come along on the journey. Clara’s mom is hilarious, and does whatever it takes to help animals. Theodore, who has a metal foot, and newly employed to Drosselmeyer, is on Clara’s bad side. She doesn’t trust him but as they go along the journey together she learns to. I love Clara and Theodore’s relationship. There is a lot of banter and wit that just made me smile and laugh. They are awesome together. And then thrown in Clara’s mom and it’s just a good time. There is a villain in this story as well that is chasing them and they have to outrun them and get to Grandfather first. The Christian message is strong in this story, mainly being Clara tries to control everything and do everything on her own and learns to lean on God and let him control things and guide her.
“There is a God who loves us more than we could ever love each other, and because there’s no darkness in Him at all, we can trust His love absolutely. We can lean wholly upon it and follow Him into the unknown, trusting that He will carry us through sunshine and storm. Trusting that the Way, the Truth, and the Life is better than our way, our understanding, and our might.”
Overall a fantastic read and I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
“There is a God who loves us more than we could ever love each other, and because there’s no darkness in Him at all, we can trust His love absolutely. We can lean wholly upon it and follow Him into the unknown, trusting that He will carry us through sunshine and storm. Trusting that the Way, the Truth, and the Life is better than our way, our understanding, and our might.”
Overall a fantastic read and I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
April 20, 2024
A historical romance filled with fun, adventure and steampunk magic!
Once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. I loved the steampunk creatures, the eccentric characters and the faith. If you like National Treasure type clues, Mary Poppins magic and Around the World In 80 Days you are going to enjoy this fun ride!
*thank you to Bethany House for a copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own. (3.5⭐)
Once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. I loved the steampunk creatures, the eccentric characters and the faith. If you like National Treasure type clues, Mary Poppins magic and Around the World In 80 Days you are going to enjoy this fun ride!
*thank you to Bethany House for a copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own. (3.5⭐)
February 25, 2024
1860 London, England
What a unique debut! A charming and whimsical tale about a young woman, Clara, that feels the weight of her family on her shoulders. Her mother is eccentric and huge animal lover.
Theodore Kingsley has been turned away by his family and seeks employment as a clock maker with Clara's Grandfather "Grand".
Grand leads Clara and Theodore on a great adventure. They learn so much on their journey. Lots of banter between the two main characters.
My gratitude to publisher Bethany House and the author for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
What a unique debut! A charming and whimsical tale about a young woman, Clara, that feels the weight of her family on her shoulders. Her mother is eccentric and huge animal lover.
Theodore Kingsley has been turned away by his family and seeks employment as a clock maker with Clara's Grandfather "Grand".
Grand leads Clara and Theodore on a great adventure. They learn so much on their journey. Lots of banter between the two main characters.
My gratitude to publisher Bethany House and the author for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
March 16, 2024
First reaction:
*sighs*
So Satisfied 😁
I literally can’t stop smiling after that ending…
Full review:
*sighs* this book is so close to my heart…I just…this is gonna be a hard review. *clears throat* Okay let’s try to do this from the top!
Overview
Miss Stanton is simply trying to navigate life as best as she can. A life of balancing her mother’s collection of animals, her fathers mechanical butterfly collection, and the grief they all have after her grandmother’s passing. She has little time for enjoying life and going on the adventures her younger self happily indulged in. Theodore is simply trying to outrun the past. While searching for a different future his clock working skills land him a job with Miss Stanton’s grandfather. Soon, when her grandfathers owl invention takes to the skies, it takes Miss Stanton and Theodore on an adventure to find not only the clues Miss Stanton’s grandfather left behind but to the hopeful souls inside each of them that they once left behind.
Characters
- Mrs.S - AHHHHHH I think she was my favorite character. I loved how passionate she was about saving animals to the extent it was slightly silly. She made me laugh with her constant protests and bringing Clara into a crazy whimsical circumstance. I adored how motherly she was, the Christian like advice she gave, and her humor.
- Miss Stanton - wow she was just something else. I really loved how feisty she was. The thing was she reminded me of me and it was so hard watching her go through tests of her faith since it reminded me of me. It was so realistic in how people told her things that people actually told me in learning to not need to “fix” everything on our own.
- Theodore - Ahh! Who doesn’t love Theodore! I thought it was cool how he had a prosthetic leg since you don’t see that often. I like how the author portrayed him having a night terror too in a very realistic way not how the movies show it. And Theodore was just so sweet and amazing I just….big hugs from me. He made me laugh, smile, and learn all the same. And yea I shipped them from the first chapter of his POV 🤭
- Grand - Miss Stanton’s grandfather. I loved the little Christian nuggets he gave the whole time. I think I must have so many pics of quotes from his perspective.
- Mr. Forester - MR FOrrEsTeR!!!!! 😡 that’s it.
*But he needs a hug poor guy. I liked the opportunity for him to repent in the end.
My reading journey:
I adored this book. I feel like I’ve said that so many times already…but it’s true! It wasn’t a kind of binge read, I took it pretty slow but the world building was amazing. I usually don’t like world building bc then I end up skimming but this time it was gorgeous. And the food dishes that were described AND ACTUALLY REAL! I was like I need to put these dishes on my bucket list.
Christian/Mental Health Content
Wow this book really pushed me in my faith. JUST WOW. Big themes of letting go of control, letting God take control, forgiveness, and enjoying the little things. Also this book was highly accurate in mental health topics (the author def did their research) and addressed them while not capitalizing on it, which I truly appreciated. Also very strong family ties which I appreciated since you don’t often get a book where the entire family is super close.
Dislikes (tho very few)
There were only a few dislikes I had of this book (btw these are VERY minor in the book just pointed out here and there but I would feel bad if I didn’t state it)
- doctrinal issues: it does take place in cathedrals which personally I’m not Catholic and don’t necessarily agree with everything there since the Bible doesn’t really talk about priests and some practices. But I could overlook it because it had such strong spiritual content
- Drinking - some characters drank wine only once. Not in a bad way it’s just stated they drink wine. But can someone explain to me why books have characters drink wine? It doesn’t make sense to me…and I don’t really agree with it since John the Baptist was said to not be a wine bibber.
- Violence/Trickery - at times one character was rooting for a physical fight. It’s not the most Christian like approach but it was understandable with what the other character had done. Also some characters do lie to get animals into places where they’re banned.
AND THATS ALL FOLKS!
I will now have to put this book away 😭….
Oh yes and for those who don’t know if they should read it….READ IT. It changed my life. Maybe a big dramatic lol but it really made me rethink my faith walk.
*sighs*
So Satisfied 😁
I literally can’t stop smiling after that ending…
Full review:
*sighs* this book is so close to my heart…I just…this is gonna be a hard review. *clears throat* Okay let’s try to do this from the top!
Overview
Miss Stanton is simply trying to navigate life as best as she can. A life of balancing her mother’s collection of animals, her fathers mechanical butterfly collection, and the grief they all have after her grandmother’s passing. She has little time for enjoying life and going on the adventures her younger self happily indulged in. Theodore is simply trying to outrun the past. While searching for a different future his clock working skills land him a job with Miss Stanton’s grandfather. Soon, when her grandfathers owl invention takes to the skies, it takes Miss Stanton and Theodore on an adventure to find not only the clues Miss Stanton’s grandfather left behind but to the hopeful souls inside each of them that they once left behind.
Characters
- Mrs.S - AHHHHHH I think she was my favorite character. I loved how passionate she was about saving animals to the extent it was slightly silly. She made me laugh with her constant protests and bringing Clara into a crazy whimsical circumstance. I adored how motherly she was, the Christian like advice she gave, and her humor.
- Miss Stanton - wow she was just something else. I really loved how feisty she was. The thing was she reminded me of me and it was so hard watching her go through tests of her faith since it reminded me of me. It was so realistic in how people told her things that people actually told me in learning to not need to “fix” everything on our own.
- Theodore - Ahh! Who doesn’t love Theodore! I thought it was cool how he had a prosthetic leg since you don’t see that often. I like how the author portrayed him having a night terror too in a very realistic way not how the movies show it. And Theodore was just so sweet and amazing I just….big hugs from me. He made me laugh, smile, and learn all the same. And yea I shipped them from the first chapter of his POV 🤭
- Grand - Miss Stanton’s grandfather. I loved the little Christian nuggets he gave the whole time. I think I must have so many pics of quotes from his perspective.
- Mr. Forester - MR FOrrEsTeR!!!!! 😡 that’s it.
*But he needs a hug poor guy. I liked the opportunity for him to repent in the end.
My reading journey:
I adored this book. I feel like I’ve said that so many times already…but it’s true! It wasn’t a kind of binge read, I took it pretty slow but the world building was amazing. I usually don’t like world building bc then I end up skimming but this time it was gorgeous. And the food dishes that were described AND ACTUALLY REAL! I was like I need to put these dishes on my bucket list.
Christian/Mental Health Content
Wow this book really pushed me in my faith. JUST WOW. Big themes of letting go of control, letting God take control, forgiveness, and enjoying the little things. Also this book was highly accurate in mental health topics (the author def did their research) and addressed them while not capitalizing on it, which I truly appreciated. Also very strong family ties which I appreciated since you don’t often get a book where the entire family is super close.
Dislikes (tho very few)
There were only a few dislikes I had of this book (btw these are VERY minor in the book just pointed out here and there but I would feel bad if I didn’t state it)
- doctrinal issues: it does take place in cathedrals which personally I’m not Catholic and don’t necessarily agree with everything there since the Bible doesn’t really talk about priests and some practices. But I could overlook it because it had such strong spiritual content
- Drinking - some characters drank wine only once. Not in a bad way it’s just stated they drink wine. But can someone explain to me why books have characters drink wine? It doesn’t make sense to me…and I don’t really agree with it since John the Baptist was said to not be a wine bibber.
- Violence/Trickery - at times one character was rooting for a physical fight. It’s not the most Christian like approach but it was understandable with what the other character had done. Also some characters do lie to get animals into places where they’re banned.
AND THATS ALL FOLKS!
I will now have to put this book away 😭….
Oh yes and for those who don’t know if they should read it….READ IT. It changed my life. Maybe a big dramatic lol but it really made me rethink my faith walk.
March 20, 2024
Story Enjoyment Rating: 8.5/10 Christian Faith Rating: 3/3
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell is a historical Christian fiction novel. It follows Clara, whose ex-fiancé tries to have her family put in an asylum. Her grandfather is a great inventor and makes amazing things with clockwork. He takes on an apprentice and Clara is highly suspicious of him. Clara’s grandfather goes off in his flying owl machine, forcing Clara to follow after him, following the clues that he leaves her.
I loved the eccentric nature of this book. I loved the quirky characters. Although some of them got on my nerves to start with, I warmed to them by the end.
Both of the main characters have a redemption story. At the beginning, they are carrying a lot of hurt and this makes them either hit out and hurt other people or draw into themselves so they can’t be hurt by others. Clara feels she is responsible for her whole family and it weighs heavily on her.
Both characters go on a journey of faith in God and change considerably throughout the book. At the beginning of the book Clara has some unlikeable qualities, but she changes as she heals both emotionally and spiritually.
The book travels throughout Europe and I would have liked more description and grounding in the places that they visited. Many of them felt the same, and I would have liked to see more of a distinction in the atmosphere of each place.
The Christian content was great and choked me up on two occasions. The character development was also good. The clockwork automatons were a fun and an interesting touch too.
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell is a historical Christian fiction novel. It follows Clara, whose ex-fiancé tries to have her family put in an asylum. Her grandfather is a great inventor and makes amazing things with clockwork. He takes on an apprentice and Clara is highly suspicious of him. Clara’s grandfather goes off in his flying owl machine, forcing Clara to follow after him, following the clues that he leaves her.
I loved the eccentric nature of this book. I loved the quirky characters. Although some of them got on my nerves to start with, I warmed to them by the end.
Both of the main characters have a redemption story. At the beginning, they are carrying a lot of hurt and this makes them either hit out and hurt other people or draw into themselves so they can’t be hurt by others. Clara feels she is responsible for her whole family and it weighs heavily on her.
Both characters go on a journey of faith in God and change considerably throughout the book. At the beginning of the book Clara has some unlikeable qualities, but she changes as she heals both emotionally and spiritually.
The book travels throughout Europe and I would have liked more description and grounding in the places that they visited. Many of them felt the same, and I would have liked to see more of a distinction in the atmosphere of each place.
The Christian content was great and choked me up on two occasions. The character development was also good. The clockwork automatons were a fun and an interesting touch too.
March 8, 2024
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure 🦉🌍 ✨
“The Lord, never promised that life would be safe. But he did promise to be with us always. Whatever the horror and Journey of life may bring, rest assured, you shall never be left to face it alone.”
What a journey this was. Wow!
I loved every. single. second of this book😍🙌🏼. This is going down as one of my favorite books ever! The adventure, the characters, the animals, the romance, the family dynamics, the message, EVERYTHING is amazing! I am so happy I gave this debut a chance.
If you love witty banter, historical fiction, enemies to lovers, and quirky characters, please do yourself a favor and read this novel!
All the stars in Wyld’s Great Globe 🌎 🌟
“The Lord, never promised that life would be safe. But he did promise to be with us always. Whatever the horror and Journey of life may bring, rest assured, you shall never be left to face it alone.”
What a journey this was. Wow!
I loved every. single. second of this book😍🙌🏼. This is going down as one of my favorite books ever! The adventure, the characters, the animals, the romance, the family dynamics, the message, EVERYTHING is amazing! I am so happy I gave this debut a chance.
If you love witty banter, historical fiction, enemies to lovers, and quirky characters, please do yourself a favor and read this novel!
All the stars in Wyld’s Great Globe 🌎 🌟
March 27, 2024
This book had a lot of potential, and I’m a bit of an outlier, but I struggled to finish… in fact I did something I hardly ever do and skipped a few chapters. I will say the audiobook is well narrated and I did like Clara, and Arthur/Theodore was an interesting character and unusual to have a disabled main character, albeit with a mechanical leg! And there were parts of the story I enjoyed and found sweet.
What didn’t work for me was the LONG scavenger hunt… I just wanted to get on with the book. I know there was relationship building but it got old, especially Grandma rescuing animals at every stop. And the fact that every character seems so quirky. Now I love a quirky character, but combined with all the electronic gadgets it just was over the top for me. Also, I didn’t realize it was so Christian/faith based. It stated more understated but became very dominant as the book progressed. It was well done but not my typical choice and not what I was expecting. I did notice afterwards that it is tagged as Christian fiction so that’s on me, but it’s not noted in the summary at all.
A lot of people really enjoyed it, and I do think readers have an advantage over listeners when books drag because it’s easier to skim ahead. I did increase the speed more than my typical part way through and that helped.
What didn’t work for me was the LONG scavenger hunt… I just wanted to get on with the book. I know there was relationship building but it got old, especially Grandma rescuing animals at every stop. And the fact that every character seems so quirky. Now I love a quirky character, but combined with all the electronic gadgets it just was over the top for me. Also, I didn’t realize it was so Christian/faith based. It stated more understated but became very dominant as the book progressed. It was well done but not my typical choice and not what I was expecting. I did notice afterwards that it is tagged as Christian fiction so that’s on me, but it’s not noted in the summary at all.
A lot of people really enjoyed it, and I do think readers have an advantage over listeners when books drag because it’s easier to skim ahead. I did increase the speed more than my typical part way through and that helped.
April 5, 2024
❝𝙸𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙶𝚘𝚍, 𝚘𝚗𝚎'𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚗𝚎'𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.❞
I checked this book out on a whim and got so much more in return. 🥰
It's a book of
🔹 Adventure
🔹 Good hearted (but quirky) family
🔹 Learning to love again
🔹 Learning to trust the Maker with His own creation
🔹 Following clues around the world
And it's packed full of
🔹 Action
🔹 Ultra clean romance
🔹 Mysterious and tragic pasts
🔹 Quirky animal sidekicks (it's like Disney but better bc it could totally be pulled off in the real world)
🔹 Stunning Quotes (honestly I could've just made a review of all the quotes hehe)
🔹 Priceless banter and sweet sarcasm
🔹 Seamless faith ties that all of us can really relate to
🔹 Sarcasm & witty banter that had me laughing out loud 🤭
Honestly it was a pretty special book! At first I was hesitant but the quirkiness of the family is such a cool aspect, and the pets (er equally treated business partners... iykyk) were such a fun part too. I couldn't help but laugh out loud in way to many sections, and my heart felt every witty banter this book contained. So if you're a fan of historical fiction, strong families, gentlemen, growing to trust your Maker, and you know... animals with big personalities than this book is a must read! It's clean enough for a family read but still deep enough to hold your attention *glances at the lack of sleep I had for the past 3 days*
For me, it's definitely an amazing debut novel!!
(And to be real, I totally need my own copy so I can highlight all my favorite quotes <3)
But tysm for taking the time to read my rant 🥰
Le ✨Quotes✨:
~ “𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓒𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓪, 𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝓷𝓸𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓵 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓮.”
~ “𝐻𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒸𝒾𝑜𝓊𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒽 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓉𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝑒𝓃 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓋��𝓃 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒹𝑒𝒻𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝑒𝓃 𝒻𝒶𝒾𝓁.”
~ “𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓻. 𝓝𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓜𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓻.”
~ “𝒲𝑒'𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝐹𝓇𝑒𝒹𝒹𝓎. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎𝑒𝒹 𝒻𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓉𝒽 𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓉 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒾𝓊𝓂, 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒷𝑒𝒽𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓈, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝑒𝓃𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝒶𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓇𝓃𝑒𝒹.”
~ "𝓞𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓾𝓷𝓰 𝓫𝔂 𝓪 𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓽, 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓪𝓵 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓱𝔂 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓽𝓱����𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓫𝓾𝔃𝔃𝓮𝓭, 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓲𝓽 𝓷𝓸𝓽?"
~ "𝒫𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒹𝒾𝓂𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓇𝒶𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝒹𝓇𝒶𝓌𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝓋𝒾𝑜𝓁𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒."
I checked this book out on a whim and got so much more in return. 🥰
It's a book of
🔹 Adventure
🔹 Good hearted (but quirky) family
🔹 Learning to love again
🔹 Learning to trust the Maker with His own creation
🔹 Following clues around the world
And it's packed full of
🔹 Action
🔹 Ultra clean romance
🔹 Mysterious and tragic pasts
🔹 Quirky animal sidekicks (it's like Disney but better bc it could totally be pulled off in the real world)
🔹 Stunning Quotes (honestly I could've just made a review of all the quotes hehe)
🔹 Priceless banter and sweet sarcasm
🔹 Seamless faith ties that all of us can really relate to
🔹 Sarcasm & witty banter that had me laughing out loud 🤭
Honestly it was a pretty special book! At first I was hesitant but the quirkiness of the family is such a cool aspect, and the pets (er equally treated business partners... iykyk) were such a fun part too. I couldn't help but laugh out loud in way to many sections, and my heart felt every witty banter this book contained. So if you're a fan of historical fiction, strong families, gentlemen, growing to trust your Maker, and you know... animals with big personalities than this book is a must read! It's clean enough for a family read but still deep enough to hold your attention *glances at the lack of sleep I had for the past 3 days*
For me, it's definitely an amazing debut novel!!
(And to be real, I totally need my own copy so I can highlight all my favorite quotes <3)
But tysm for taking the time to read my rant 🥰
Le ✨Quotes✨:
~ “𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓒𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓪, 𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝓷𝓸𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓵 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓮.”
~ “𝐻𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒸𝒾𝑜𝓊𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒽 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓉𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝑒𝓃 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓋��𝓃 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒹𝑒𝒻𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝑒𝓃 𝒻𝒶𝒾𝓁.”
~ “𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓻. 𝓝𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓜𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓻.”
~ “𝒲𝑒'𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝐹𝓇𝑒𝒹𝒹𝓎. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎𝑒𝒹 𝒻𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓉𝒽 𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓉 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒾𝓊𝓂, 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒷𝑒𝒽𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓈, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝑒𝓃𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝒶𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓇𝓃𝑒𝒹.”
~ "𝓞𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓾𝓷𝓰 𝓫𝔂 𝓪 𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓽, 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓪𝓵 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓱𝔂 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓽𝓱����𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓫𝓾𝔃𝔃𝓮𝓭, 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓲𝓽 𝓷𝓸𝓽?"
~ "𝒫𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒹𝒾𝓂𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓇𝒶𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝒹𝓇𝒶𝓌𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝓋𝒾𝑜𝓁𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒."
March 15, 2024
One word: brilliant!
More words: I am endlessly excited when I discover a new author with a pitch-perfect voice and a storytelling talent that shines. Angela Bell's A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is such a delight! I adored the humor, the unique plotline and just the sense of whimsy and wonder that was threaded throughout the whole story. There's a lovely romance and touching emotional growth for the main characters, and the steampunk slant just adds another layer of fun. Charming all around!
I just really, really loved this and can't wait to see what Angela writes next!
More words: I am endlessly excited when I discover a new author with a pitch-perfect voice and a storytelling talent that shines. Angela Bell's A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is such a delight! I adored the humor, the unique plotline and just the sense of whimsy and wonder that was threaded throughout the whole story. There's a lovely romance and touching emotional growth for the main characters, and the steampunk slant just adds another layer of fun. Charming all around!
I just really, really loved this and can't wait to see what Angela writes next!
February 27, 2024
Happy Release Day!
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this story. I imagined it would be a fun, light-hearted read with a touch of silliness. While it was an enjoyable and silly read that offered some helpful life lessons, the silliness sometimes felt too over-the-top for my taste. That being said, I enjoyed the fun family dynamics that were explored, and the cast of colorful and unique characters was certainly entertaining. This story has a whimsical, steampunk vibe and is full of adventure reminiscent of Around the World in 80 Days meets Mary Poppins. While it's not primarily a romance, it's more of an adventure tale.
The story is faith-based - about putting trust in God instead of trying to control everything yourself.
Characters who love animals and have a great sense of humor make for an easy-to-read, enjoyable, and entertaining story that also has some depth.
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this story. I imagined it would be a fun, light-hearted read with a touch of silliness. While it was an enjoyable and silly read that offered some helpful life lessons, the silliness sometimes felt too over-the-top for my taste. That being said, I enjoyed the fun family dynamics that were explored, and the cast of colorful and unique characters was certainly entertaining. This story has a whimsical, steampunk vibe and is full of adventure reminiscent of Around the World in 80 Days meets Mary Poppins. While it's not primarily a romance, it's more of an adventure tale.
The story is faith-based - about putting trust in God instead of trying to control everything yourself.
Characters who love animals and have a great sense of humor make for an easy-to-read, enjoyable, and entertaining story that also has some depth.
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC.
March 4, 2024
Oh my goodness, this book was SO MUCH FUN!!! 😆😂😍 I don’t think any other book has made me laugh so much or so hard (I was seriously cackling)!!
Combine The Nutcracker, Around the World in 80 Days, a healthy dose of whimsy, bucketload of humor, and some sweet enemies-to-lovers romance with tons of witty banter, and you get A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure! From the first chapter, I fell in love with Clara’s eccentric family, especially her mother who is **extremely** passionate about animal rights and has a house full of disabled pets including a blind monkey named Bartimaeus 😂 I absolutely loved every second of following Clara and company on her grandfather Drosselmeyer’s scavenger hunt around Europe, and I was honestly sad to see the adventure end!
There were so many hilarious moments I wish I could quote here, but there’s too many to fit in this review and you won’t be able to get the full effect unless you read the book!! So just go read it, and I promise you will have a delightful time 😂😆😍👏🏻 Mrs. S and her living ermine “stole”, Fred, were my favorite characters in the book for sure 🤣 and most of my favorite moments/scenes involved them! LOL
What makes this book even better is that it’s not just fantastical and hilarious. It’s also filled with beautiful faith content from cover to cover! Clara and Theodore are each transformed spiritually as they travel the continent together, and all of the nuggets of truth woven in along the way were so good. I found myself wanting to highlight several really great quotes! 🩵
A brilliant debut, and one that will be on my top reads of 2024 list, without a doubt!! I’m so excited to see what other stories Angela brings to the world!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Combine The Nutcracker, Around the World in 80 Days, a healthy dose of whimsy, bucketload of humor, and some sweet enemies-to-lovers romance with tons of witty banter, and you get A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure! From the first chapter, I fell in love with Clara’s eccentric family, especially her mother who is **extremely** passionate about animal rights and has a house full of disabled pets including a blind monkey named Bartimaeus 😂 I absolutely loved every second of following Clara and company on her grandfather Drosselmeyer’s scavenger hunt around Europe, and I was honestly sad to see the adventure end!
There were so many hilarious moments I wish I could quote here, but there’s too many to fit in this review and you won’t be able to get the full effect unless you read the book!! So just go read it, and I promise you will have a delightful time 😂😆😍👏🏻 Mrs. S and her living ermine “stole”, Fred, were my favorite characters in the book for sure 🤣 and most of my favorite moments/scenes involved them! LOL
What makes this book even better is that it’s not just fantastical and hilarious. It’s also filled with beautiful faith content from cover to cover! Clara and Theodore are each transformed spiritually as they travel the continent together, and all of the nuggets of truth woven in along the way were so good. I found myself wanting to highlight several really great quotes! 🩵
A brilliant debut, and one that will be on my top reads of 2024 list, without a doubt!! I’m so excited to see what other stories Angela brings to the world!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
February 2, 2024
This is such a fun, whimsical romp of a book. I loved its uniqueness and ingenuity and Angela Bell really has a way with words so was delighted by her clever word choices and turns of phrases. It reminded me a bit of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton—historical and fantastical at the same time. Cant wait to see what the author comes up with next.
February 26, 2024
A little Victorian Steampunk, a little Jules verne, a little Nutcracker makes this a fabulous book that blends quirky characters, acerbic wit, an interesting premise and Godly wisdom.
Clara feels responsible to look after her family. She has a hard time seeing that God is in control, not her. Her grandfather Drosselmeyer, is a clockmaker and inventor of marvelous contraptions. Theodore Kingsley, who has a hidden past, is taken on as an apprentice. He is mistrusted by Clara but they, along with her Mum, set out on a scavenger hunt to track down Grand and his flying owl, while fleeing a dastardly villain.
The descriptions of the places they visit make me feel like I was there. And throughout the journey Clara thaws toward Theodore.
Mum was a favorite character. She advocated for animals and their welfare and wore a live ermine named Fred as a stole.
The clues for the scavenger hunt were so well done and were connected to an intricate pocket watch. The message clues from Grand to Clara were full of godly wisdom and helped Clara to see that she didn’t have to live up to her nickname of Little Atlas with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
An exceptional and cleverly executed debut from an outstanding author.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*
Clara feels responsible to look after her family. She has a hard time seeing that God is in control, not her. Her grandfather Drosselmeyer, is a clockmaker and inventor of marvelous contraptions. Theodore Kingsley, who has a hidden past, is taken on as an apprentice. He is mistrusted by Clara but they, along with her Mum, set out on a scavenger hunt to track down Grand and his flying owl, while fleeing a dastardly villain.
The descriptions of the places they visit make me feel like I was there. And throughout the journey Clara thaws toward Theodore.
Mum was a favorite character. She advocated for animals and their welfare and wore a live ermine named Fred as a stole.
The clues for the scavenger hunt were so well done and were connected to an intricate pocket watch. The message clues from Grand to Clara were full of godly wisdom and helped Clara to see that she didn’t have to live up to her nickname of Little Atlas with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
An exceptional and cleverly executed debut from an outstanding author.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*
February 26, 2024
This was…weird. And definitely not for me. I’m all for fantastical and whimsical things, but in my opinion certain elements of faith shouldn’t go there. I also wanted so much more from the romance. I’m just going to leave it at that since I seem to be in the minority here.
Thank you to Bethany House and Austenprose for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.
Thank you to Bethany House and Austenprose for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 10, 2024DNFing on page 82 (chapter 8).
The premise of this really got my attention as it's inspired by Around the World in 80 Days and some of the characters' names are inspired by The Nutcracker (two favourite stories). While I think the writing is great and there's been a lot of witty humour, I found Clara to be insufferable. I also don't really like the steampunk-y elements. I do enjoy enemies-to-lovers IF there is a good reason for it and if that reason is realistic (and both parties show some maturity at the very least). Unfortunately the way this trope was portrayed in the first several chapter I read was really irksome. I think this book is well-written and will definitely suit many readers' tastes! Clara's mother, Mrs. Stanton, has some hilarious things to say and adds something special to the story, but all in all it's not for me.
The premise of this really got my attention as it's inspired by Around the World in 80 Days and some of the characters' names are inspired by The Nutcracker (two favourite stories). While I think the writing is great and there's been a lot of witty humour, I found Clara to be insufferable. I also don't really like the steampunk-y elements. I do enjoy enemies-to-lovers IF there is a good reason for it and if that reason is realistic (and both parties show some maturity at the very least). Unfortunately the way this trope was portrayed in the first several chapter I read was really irksome. I think this book is well-written and will definitely suit many readers' tastes! Clara's mother, Mrs. Stanton, has some hilarious things to say and adds something special to the story, but all in all it's not for me.
Read
March 10, 2024YA with steampunk vibes, not my thing.
January 22, 2024
This was a delightful book! I loved the whimsical steampunk style, and the story reminded me of a combination of Around the World in 80 Days and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, which is admittedly sounds like an odd combination, but totally works here.
The Christian components of this story were beautifully done so that the messages were poignant without being preachy. There were so many quotes that I underlined, some because they were impactful and some because the vocabulary and comedy made me giggle. Here are some of my favorites:
"Don't confuse the character of your heavenly Father with the voice of your earthly one."
"I'm not a good Christian woman until after my tea and toast."
"Almighty had a penchant for answering him with a particularly profane four-letter word. Wait."
The only two (super minor) downsides of this book is that 1) it took me several chapters to get into the story, and 2) I was expecting more of a Nutcracker tie-in since two of the main characters are named Clara and Drosselmeyer. Overall, it was a delightful read!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I am writing a voluntary review.
The Christian components of this story were beautifully done so that the messages were poignant without being preachy. There were so many quotes that I underlined, some because they were impactful and some because the vocabulary and comedy made me giggle. Here are some of my favorites:
"Don't confuse the character of your heavenly Father with the voice of your earthly one."
"I'm not a good Christian woman until after my tea and toast."
"Almighty had a penchant for answering him with a particularly profane four-letter word. Wait."
The only two (super minor) downsides of this book is that 1) it took me several chapters to get into the story, and 2) I was expecting more of a Nutcracker tie-in since two of the main characters are named Clara and Drosselmeyer. Overall, it was a delightful read!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I am writing a voluntary review.
January 27, 2024
Angela Bell has penned an incredible debut as she cleverly combines a touch of steampunk with hints of Jules Verne in this unconventional scavenger hunt across Victorian Europe. I quickly found the story was more about the journey than the intended finish line. It is filled with some of the most lovable and quirky characters to grace the written page. The characters found a spot within my heart, causing me to smile and laugh out loud with pure delight.
Like many stories that have grabbed my imagination, A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventures is meant to be revisited again and again. Ms. Bell masterfully pens a portal into an imaginary world which is grounded with a faith thread that shines hope, a light that relieves the burdens we were never meant to carry alone . The true magic is in the knowledge that the sheer joy of reading this book will last forever. One for the keeper shelf!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Like many stories that have grabbed my imagination, A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventures is meant to be revisited again and again. Ms. Bell masterfully pens a portal into an imaginary world which is grounded with a faith thread that shines hope, a light that relieves the burdens we were never meant to carry alone . The true magic is in the knowledge that the sheer joy of reading this book will last forever. One for the keeper shelf!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 25, 2024
While this book was interesting, it was definitely very faith based and that’s not my exact cup of tea!
March 6, 2024
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure - Angela Bell
Reasons to read:
- Victorian Era
- Whimsical, Steampunk elements
- Unique cast of characters
- Disability representation
- Animosity to love
- Christian fiction
My Thoughts:
A fun and unique story of family, faith, and acceptance, A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is a debut unlike I’ve read before.
Clara Stanton was a character set on protecting her eccentric family and their reputation at all costs. At times it seemed like she was the most normal of them all, and I loved every second of their interactions and exchanges. I enjoyed seeing a healthy and supportive family featured in a historical novel- quirky and nonconforming as they were. Clara was also jaded by a past relationship and was untrusting towards others. I loved watching her slowly open up as the journey to find her mechanical owl-flying grandfather (yes, you read that right) before the reporters did. Though she went to extremes at times, it always came from a place of love and a protective nature. I also enjoyed her hostility towards Theodore. He was my favorite character, kind hearted but not without his own past hurts. Their relationship developed gradually as they slowly opened up to each other.
Though I enjoyed the initial whimsical feeling of the story, I saw a shift in the writing and tone towards the middle. The story featured more faith elements until it became mostly faith-centered. This is normally not an issue for me but I felt the story began to lean more into the faith rather than the character growth and romance that I was expecting. I thought this was an interesting writing choice, and it distracted me from the story only because the shift was abrupt and strongly seen, rather than featuring more faith elements towards the beginning of the read to set the tone, rather than change it from the whimsical notes I was picking up on. I also would have enjoyed seeing more of the romance between Clara and Theodore, as their chemistry and banter was great.
Overall, it was an original reading experience.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 :
Romance: Kissing only
Trigger warning: kidnapping, violence, child abuse, PTSD
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own
Reasons to read:
- Victorian Era
- Whimsical, Steampunk elements
- Unique cast of characters
- Disability representation
- Animosity to love
- Christian fiction
My Thoughts:
A fun and unique story of family, faith, and acceptance, A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is a debut unlike I’ve read before.
Clara Stanton was a character set on protecting her eccentric family and their reputation at all costs. At times it seemed like she was the most normal of them all, and I loved every second of their interactions and exchanges. I enjoyed seeing a healthy and supportive family featured in a historical novel- quirky and nonconforming as they were. Clara was also jaded by a past relationship and was untrusting towards others. I loved watching her slowly open up as the journey to find her mechanical owl-flying grandfather (yes, you read that right) before the reporters did. Though she went to extremes at times, it always came from a place of love and a protective nature. I also enjoyed her hostility towards Theodore. He was my favorite character, kind hearted but not without his own past hurts. Their relationship developed gradually as they slowly opened up to each other.
Though I enjoyed the initial whimsical feeling of the story, I saw a shift in the writing and tone towards the middle. The story featured more faith elements until it became mostly faith-centered. This is normally not an issue for me but I felt the story began to lean more into the faith rather than the character growth and romance that I was expecting. I thought this was an interesting writing choice, and it distracted me from the story only because the shift was abrupt and strongly seen, rather than featuring more faith elements towards the beginning of the read to set the tone, rather than change it from the whimsical notes I was picking up on. I also would have enjoyed seeing more of the romance between Clara and Theodore, as their chemistry and banter was great.
Overall, it was an original reading experience.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 :
Romance: Kissing only
Trigger warning: kidnapping, violence, child abuse, PTSD
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own
March 12, 2024
“For Miss Clara Stanton, the task of preventing her family from being committed to an asylum had become as commonplace as it was exhausting.”
🦉With an opening sentence like this, you know you’re bound to have a witty adventure. This was a whimsical story filled with great faith content from all the characters. The loving, eccentric family was so nice to see in a book. The wise words from her Mum and Grand were so sweet. I especially liked Theodore who was one of the best heroes I’ve read in a while. I do like that mysterious guy running from a tortured past who finds redemption. When it got a tad slow in the middle his storyline kept me reading. I’m glad I did because once it picked back up I couldn’t stop reading. I enjoyed all the automatons…it gave me a Hugo vibe. This was cleverly written and I am looking forward to what Angela Bell writes next.
Oh, the turtle’s name and sweater color. 🐢💜
🦉With an opening sentence like this, you know you’re bound to have a witty adventure. This was a whimsical story filled with great faith content from all the characters. The loving, eccentric family was so nice to see in a book. The wise words from her Mum and Grand were so sweet. I especially liked Theodore who was one of the best heroes I’ve read in a while. I do like that mysterious guy running from a tortured past who finds redemption. When it got a tad slow in the middle his storyline kept me reading. I’m glad I did because once it picked back up I couldn’t stop reading. I enjoyed all the automatons…it gave me a Hugo vibe. This was cleverly written and I am looking forward to what Angela Bell writes next.
Oh, the turtle’s name and sweater color. 🐢💜
March 6, 2024
Thank you to the author, Bethany House Fiction, and Austen Prose PR for sending me a copy of the book! All thoughts expressed reflect my honest opinion.
A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell is such a fun book to read! Featuring an eccentric but loveable cast of characters, an array of settings to satisfy any literary travel bug, and many nuggets of faith throughout the novel, this was a book that kept my attention from beginning to end!
The characters in A Lady's Guide took some time to grow on me. Heroine Clara Stanton begins the story as a grouchy and cautious young woman with a tendency to want to control everything around her. She frequently beats heads with her grandfather's new protegee, the mysterious Arthur, who has charmed everyone in her family but her. As the story progresses, though, Clara and Arthur need to depend upon each other and learn from each other. They help each other to grow and I came to really enjoy their story.
I loved learning about all of the cities that the characters travel to in this book. A Lady's Guide takes the reader on a literary tour of nineteenth century Europe, and I thought it was so fun that Bell chose to bring her characters to cities that we don't often see in literature. So many of the locations mentioned were familiar to me only by name, and I had fun looking up the various landmarks that the characters visited.
My very favorite part of the book was reading the letters from Clara's grandfather, whom she affectionately refers to as Grand. He passes on so many nuggets of faith and wisdom to her - I highlighted so many lines because they were just so good!
I really enjoyed reading A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure! If you enjoy books with great character arcs and lots of traveling, I think you'd like this story a lot!
A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell is such a fun book to read! Featuring an eccentric but loveable cast of characters, an array of settings to satisfy any literary travel bug, and many nuggets of faith throughout the novel, this was a book that kept my attention from beginning to end!
The characters in A Lady's Guide took some time to grow on me. Heroine Clara Stanton begins the story as a grouchy and cautious young woman with a tendency to want to control everything around her. She frequently beats heads with her grandfather's new protegee, the mysterious Arthur, who has charmed everyone in her family but her. As the story progresses, though, Clara and Arthur need to depend upon each other and learn from each other. They help each other to grow and I came to really enjoy their story.
I loved learning about all of the cities that the characters travel to in this book. A Lady's Guide takes the reader on a literary tour of nineteenth century Europe, and I thought it was so fun that Bell chose to bring her characters to cities that we don't often see in literature. So many of the locations mentioned were familiar to me only by name, and I had fun looking up the various landmarks that the characters visited.
My very favorite part of the book was reading the letters from Clara's grandfather, whom she affectionately refers to as Grand. He passes on so many nuggets of faith and wisdom to her - I highlighted so many lines because they were just so good!
I really enjoyed reading A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure! If you enjoy books with great character arcs and lots of traveling, I think you'd like this story a lot!
February 20, 2024
If I had to sum this book up in one word, it would be delightful! This was such a fun book to read! It was a great mix of Victorian whimsy and steampunk. This book was so unique! I loved the characters and their delightful quirks. How can you not love them? I can't recommend this book enough!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
February 28, 2024
I didn’t know what to expect going into this book. The cover looked good, and who doesn’t love a blue cover? I was pleasantly surprised by the story that awaited me!
A mixture of THE NUTCRACKER and AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, it had all the parts a good story needs:
- romance
- adventure
- retelling vibes
- family
- animals
- and clocks
I can’t wait for another book from Angela Bell!
A mixture of THE NUTCRACKER and AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, it had all the parts a good story needs:
- romance
- adventure
- retelling vibes
- family
- animals
- and clocks
I can’t wait for another book from Angela Bell!
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