The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee – Spoiler Free Review

 

 

Title: The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats & Piracy
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Series Name: Montague Siblings
Genre: YA Diverse Historical Fiction
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2018
Pages: 464 (Paperback)
Publishers: Katherine Tegen Books
Rating:

In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, Felicity Montague must use all her womanly wits and wiles to achieve her dreams of becoming a doctor—even if she has to scheme her way across Europe to do it. A must-have for fans of Mackenzi Lee’s extraordinary and Stonewall Honor-winning novel.

A year after an accidentally whirlwind grand tour with her brother Monty, Felicity Montague has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.

But then a window of opportunity opens—a doctor she idolizes is marrying an old friend of hers in Germany. Felicity believes if she could meet this man he could change her future, but she has no money of her own to make the trip. Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid.

In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that leads them from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

Argh, I love this book! Just every element of this book is so damn good!

 

“It’s remarkable how being around books, even those you’ve never read, can have a calming effect, like walking into a crowded party and finding it full of people you know.”

Let’s talk about Felicity for a minute as she is our main character. While I do love Monty and really enjoyed reading from his POV in book 1 I think I enjoy reading from Felicity’s POV even more. I just love her mindset and there were sooo many amazing quotes from her throughout this book.

I love that we have Asexual representation which is a rep I don’t see very often in books! I also love how it was handled in this book.  Then, of course, there was all the other rep in this book! LGBT, Muslim, Asexual and probably more rep are all in this book!

 

When stripped of the illegalities and the Biblical condemnation, their attraction is no stranger to me than anyone’s attraction to anyone.

Next, let’s talk about Monty & Percy. Yes, I love their relationship of course. But I also just love how they are opposite of each other and just work perfectly together. Monty is a smartass, vulgar and hilarious and Percy is nice, thoughtful and kind. I did enjoy seeing the softer side of Monty during a specific part in this book.

 

“Felicity, please, it’s six in the evening,” Monty says with great indignance, then adds, “We’ve been fornicating all day.”

I also love the family dynamics in this book. The back and forwards between Felicity & Monty is always funny but at the same time, they would do absolutely anything for each other. This also includes Percy as to Felicity he is family too.

 

“No, Percy writes me long lovely letters in his very legible penmanship and then you scrawl something offensive at the bottom about Scottish men and their kilts.”

Then, of course, there are the friendships formed throughout, all of which I loved. While I didn’t enjoy Johanna at the beginning, I grew to like her and did enjoy her friendship with Felicity after they figured everything out. Felicity’s friendship with Sim was really well done too. They started slightly as enemies and slowly grew throughout the book.

Your beauty is not a tax you are required to pay to take up space in this world

Next, let us talk about this amazing writing! This book was quick, interesting and intriguing the entire time! Not to mention the fact that this book is FULL of amazing quotes. I tabbed so damn much in this one it is crazy. I love how you can just tell she has done the research right when it comes to this time period and then of course she explains it right at the end. Also just in general I love those extra bits at the end of her Montague Siblings books that just give you that little bit more background of the world and also where she got some of her inspiration from. 

But one can only spend so long bookless in the company of another human before one feels compelled to make conversation.

I think that is about all I actually have to say about this amazing sequel. So now I just want to share some quotes!

Everyone has heard stories of women like us – cautionary tales, morality plays, warnings of what will befall you if you are a girl too wild for the world, a girl who asks too many questions or wants too much. If you set off into the world alone.

Everyone has heard stories of women like us, and now we will make more of them.

Next!

But I am a wildflower and will stand against the gales. Rare and uncultivated, difficult to find, impossible to forget.

Next!

It isn’t what I wanted. But I don’t care. It is not a failure to readjust my sails to fit the waters I find myself in. It’s a new heading. A fresh start.

This next one certainly shows the strong friendship elements. 

In company of women like this-sharp edged as raw diamonds but with soft hands and hearts, not strong in spite of anything but powerful because of everything-I feel invincible. Every chink and rut and battering wind has made us tough and brave and impossible to strike down. We are mountains-or perhaps temples, with foundations that could outlast time itself. 

Now onto my 2 favourite quotes of the book!

And thank God,  because I do not want simple. I do not want easy or small or uncomplicated. I want my life to be messy and ugly and wicked and wild, and I want to feel it all. All those things that women are made to believe they are strange for harbouing in their hearts. And I want to surround myself with those same strange, wicked women who throw themselves open to all the wondrous things this world has to offer.

Lastly!

I’m learning there is no one way for life to be lived, no one way to be strong or brave or kind or good. Rather there are many people doing the best they can with the heart they are given and the hand they are dealt. Our best is all we can do, and all we can hold on to is each other.

And, zounds, that is more than enough. 

You can purchase a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate links for Book Depository, Booktopia or Angus & Robertson.

Book Depository
Hardcover

Booktopia
Paperback  //   Hardcover

Angus & Robertson
Paperback   //   Hardcover

Amazon (Aus)
eBook   //   Paperback   //   Hardcover

Audible (Aus)
Audiobook

HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? WHAT DID YOU THINK OF IT? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS.

PURCHASE ANY OF THE BOOKS MENTIONED FROM BOOK DEPOSITORY! WORLDWIDE FREE SHIPPING.

AUSSIE? WANT QUICK SHIPPING? AWESOME PRICES? WANT TO BE ABLE TO USE AFTERPAY? MAYBE TRY BOOKTOPIA OR EVEN ANGUS & ROBERTSON!

FACEBOOK    /    TWITTER    /    PERSONAL TWITTER    /    PINTEREST    /    INKY: @DUSKANGELREADS   /    INSTAGRAM  /    PERSONAL INSTAGRAM    /    GOODREADS    /    PHOTOGRAPHY TUMBLR   /    LITSY: DUSKANGELREADS

SOME OF THE LINKS ON MY BLOG ARE AFFILIATE LINKS. THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE PRICE OF PURCHASES, HOWEVER, I RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION TO HELP ME KEEP THIS BLOG ALIVE!