Blurb
As a Victorian clergyman’s daughter, Edith Worms has seen everything — until a mythical salamander tumbles out of the fireplace into her lap. When a letter arrives from estranged relatives, Edith is swept away to a crumbling gothic Abbey in the wilds of Yorkshire.
Wormwood Abbey isn’t just full of curious beasts and ancient family secrets: there’s also a tall, dark, and entirely too handsome neighbour who is strangely reluctant for her to leave.
An unexpected bond with her prickly cousin Gwendolyn gives Edith a reason to stay in this strange world — especially when it turns out that Edith herself may have a role in guarding her family’s legacy.
But not all of the mysteries of Ormdale are small enough to fit in her lap…and some of them have teeth.
WORMWOOD ABBEY, Book 1 of The Secrets of Ormdale, is a cosy gothic novel of mystery, dragons, and the perils of friendship, perfect for fans of EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES and Maria Grace.
Preorder today to explore the hidden valley of Ormdale, the first in a new 5 book series!
My Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ & ❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎
5+ stars (6/10 hearts). When I first heard of this (through Lindsey from Books For Christian Girls), I was hooked. Cozy, nonmagical fantasy with dragons? Sounds great. But I quickly discovered it was even better than I expected.
Excellent humour? check.
1800s English historical setting?
Mystery without spook or second-hand embarrassment? check.
Strong family circle? check.
Great writing style, similar to 1900s classics? check.
Good message? check.
Living characters? check, check, checkety check check.
All right, my favourite thing was Edith. We’re about the same age… and I’m also a pastor’s daughter… and I also write… and I write mysteries… and I’m homeschooled… and I love history… and I love frogs… okay, that last bit doesn’t have much to do with the story BUT I think Edith would like frogs if she tried it. I don’t think there’s that much difference between a dragon and a frog, when it comes to their feel. Anyways, I loved Edith. I related to her a lot, and she was such a solid MC—sensible, realistic, flawed, honest, strong, but not anti-men (well, by the end at least). Her character arc was so well done. (And I, too, find that “my rambles always turn out best when there is someone to tell me when I’m going the wrong way.”)
But I loved the other characters too! Gwen was such a dear, and Drake was a real gentleman, and Violet + Una + George were fantastic supporting characters, and Mother & Father were just delightful. I love absent-minded studious male characters (they’re such a hoot) but I LOVED that father was quite able to be sensible and present and Fatherly and protective and wise. (The recurring cup of tea was *kiss fist*). And saintly, wise mothers are my favourite every time. Also, Pilot is a darling, and Rivers was the PERFECT villain.
And I loved the plot. It reminded me of Amanda Kastner’s Questless series, actually… that same time of feel, like Victorian England reimagined to include dragons—real, nonmagical, little pet dragons. (And the occasional real, nonmagical, venomous wyvern). Dragons are real creatures, and the author is very specific to say the story is NOT magical and the dragons are totally normal, as they were back in medieval days. The antidote is also nonmagical and just a matter of genetics, which was super cool. I love how the mysteries were slowly revealed… the pacing was epic! And personally, I loved that the suspense was so fully tempered with humour.
I loved the sensible gothic abbey setting (it’s a thing, I promise!) and how Edith handled the history and past of the place but also looked to the future and broke the generational trauma of the place. The whole thread about sacrifice was amazingly done. The spiritual aspect was subtle, but deep. I love how bookish it was and Edith & Drake constantly dragging up classics. I loved the ridiculousness tempered with seriousness—such a great balance, and well displayed in the whole part of Edith thinking she was dying. It was hilarious but had such a deep message.
Honestly, I’m not sure what to say! This story scratched a bookish itch I didn’t even know I had. I am so hooked to this series and absolutely cannot wait to read the next book. I NEED TO MEET MRS. DRAKE. And I also need Edith to confess her writing. 😏
Content: mild language, a mention of a guy not making an attempt on a girl’s honour.
A Favourite Quote: The world has not emptied of mythos. It is we who have grown empty, and dull to its wonders.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: My eyes fell on the primroses on my desk. That was what she was like, a green thing struggling to live between inhospitable slabs of stone. Fragile, beautiful, and determined.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “Do be careful, children,” I warned. “I’m not sure, but I suspect he may bite.”
“Do his bites kill people?” asked Violet, as if this was a perfectly normal question….
“Would he like a mouse, Eddie?” asked George helpfully. “I’ve got a mouse in my pocket.”
“Of course you do. And he may indeed like a mouse. But I’m quite sure I should not like to see him eat one.”
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
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