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thosemedalingkidsss's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars, invested more in the mystery plot rather than the lead's romances.
adelaidebijou's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
ramakn22's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Homophobia, and Alcoholism
cyberhavok's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death and Murder
elm's review against another edition
5.0
YELLS FOR DAYS!!! I ADORED the dynamic between Justin and Nathaniel, watching them fall in love was one of the best things that has ever happened to me
madscientistcat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
booksthatburn's review
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm not a storyteller, that's not a thing my mind is set up to do. Reading hundreds of books does not place in me any desire to write my own stories. But sometimes I read a tale which is so artfully crafted that I'm in awe of how it's put together. AN UNNATURAL VICE by KJ Charles is one such book. I care about story structure, characterization by dialogue and internal thoughts, awareness of political/class forces, and intricacies of relationships. I'm interested in cults, con artists, and how twins are portrayed in stories. This has it all, the only thing it's missing to be my perfect story would be a heist or forced proximity, and it gets pretty close to that second one. I have reasons to think the third book will focus more on twins, so I'll save some deeper thoughts for that one.
AN UNNATURAL VICE is excellently crafted, as perfect of a middle book for a trilogy, as I could possibly think of from a structural perspective. It's a gay romance of opposites attracting and Nathaniel finding new love after a long period of mourning. As the second book of a trilogy, it provides a specific answer to something left open in the previous book, specifically, the formerly unknown heir to Clem’s father’s title. It has a new storyline involving Justin as a spiritualist, and his involvement with Nathaniel (which has a bit of a rocky start). A recent re-read of the first book prompted me to notice the ways that Justin’s existence is hinted at there, with the timelines of the two books having some overlap in the early stages. There have been several murders so far in the series, and no clear answer on who is orchestrating them. This is specifically mentioned towards the end of this book, with the implication that it’ll be resolved in the next one.
Does it make sense to start here? - As always with the middle book of a trilogy, begin with the first one, and don’t try to start here. The specific romance, plot line could make sense without the other books, but things like why the search for the heir even matters were established in the first book through the perspective of someone much closer to the issue than either Justin or Nathaniel are. As narrators, Nathaniel and Justin are very distinct from Clem and Rowley from AN UNSEEN ATTRACTION, though Nathaniel is consistent with how he appeared in the first book. Part of what reinforces this is that some scenes from the first book appear in abbreviated form here, but retold from Nathaniel's perspective. In these cases, the dialogue matches, but his internal monologue is often very different from how Rowley or Clem had perceived the same moments.
There’s a lot of very cool worldbuilding detail related to Victorian spiritualism and séances, explaining just enough of the tricks to keep the series out of the realm of fantasy, but not giving away all of the mysteries. One of the main conflicts in this book is between Nathaniel’s position as a journalist with a distaste for fraud, but a fascination in the person that is Justin, where Justin is a spiritualist, who has no reason to trust that something could be offered without expecting anything in return. Justin‘s existence up until now has been mostly transactional, for good or for it but mostly for ill. He tells rich people that they can contact their deceased loved ones, and doesn't feel bad for taking their money.
The way this book is handled makes me like the first one even more than I did originally, as this reveals the significance of several things which were present, but not emphasized. I’m very excited to read the next book, if it’s anything like this than this may become one of my favorite trilogies in recent years.
AN UNNATURAL VICE is excellently crafted, as perfect of a middle book for a trilogy, as I could possibly think of from a structural perspective. It's a gay romance of opposites attracting and Nathaniel finding new love after a long period of mourning. As the second book of a trilogy, it provides a specific answer to something left open in the previous book, specifically, the formerly unknown heir to Clem’s father’s title. It has a new storyline involving Justin as a spiritualist, and his involvement with Nathaniel (which has a bit of a rocky start). A recent re-read of the first book prompted me to notice the ways that Justin’s existence is hinted at there, with the timelines of the two books having some overlap in the early stages. There have been several murders so far in the series, and no clear answer on who is orchestrating them. This is specifically mentioned towards the end of this book, with the implication that it’ll be resolved in the next one.
Does it make sense to start here? - As always with the middle book of a trilogy, begin with the first one, and don’t try to start here. The specific romance, plot line could make sense without the other books, but things like why the search for the heir even matters were established in the first book through the perspective of someone much closer to the issue than either Justin or Nathaniel are. As narrators, Nathaniel and Justin are very distinct from Clem and Rowley from AN UNSEEN ATTRACTION, though Nathaniel is consistent with how he appeared in the first book. Part of what reinforces this is that some scenes from the first book appear in abbreviated form here, but retold from Nathaniel's perspective. In these cases, the dialogue matches, but his internal monologue is often very different from how Rowley or Clem had perceived the same moments.
There’s a lot of very cool worldbuilding detail related to Victorian spiritualism and séances, explaining just enough of the tricks to keep the series out of the realm of fantasy, but not giving away all of the mysteries. One of the main conflicts in this book is between Nathaniel’s position as a journalist with a distaste for fraud, but a fascination in the person that is Justin, where Justin is a spiritualist, who has no reason to trust that something could be offered without expecting anything in return. Justin‘s existence up until now has been mostly transactional, for good or for it but mostly for ill. He tells rich people that they can contact their deceased loved ones, and doesn't feel bad for taking their money.
The way this book is handled makes me like the first one even more than I did originally, as this reveals the significance of several things which were present, but not emphasized. I’m very excited to read the next book, if it’s anything like this than this may become one of my favorite trilogies in recent years.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Cursing, Violence, Torture, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Gun violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit, Suicide, Child death, Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
sarful's review against another edition
4.0
4.3 and only because it ended with a TBC!
This is book two in a really wonderfully atmospheric mystery thriller set in Victorian England. In book one we were introduced to sweet and naive Clem, in whom we meet the group of friends at the gay friendly club, the Jack and Knave. One of those guys is the upstanding journalist and former lawyer Nathanial. On a quest to expose spiritualists as frauds, he meets Justin, The Seer of London.
Justin, the man who not only challenges Nathanial mentally but warms his blood sexually. They begin as enemies, never trusting each other’s intentions nor outlook on life. And yet, the two have such massive sexual tension, you could cut it with a knife, that and the dense fog that fills London. Justin is the first man Nathanial has been attracted to since the death of his long time lover. And that he feels this way, makes him hopeful, that it’s Justin upsets him. Justin has had to fight for all he has and doesn’t care who he cons, it’s their choice and he’ll take their money. But, as the story goes on they find in each other peace and I loved their relationship. The two are supremely relatable, which I also adored.
There’s also the mystery of the heir to a dukedom. A dukedom it seems is not who currently owns it, as well as something worth killing, it seems. The plot thickens and I must find out the conclusion in the final book. Which, because it’s KJ Charles, I’m completely fine with. The rightful heir, as we find out at the end, is someone I’m excited to actually meet.
This is book two in a really wonderfully atmospheric mystery thriller set in Victorian England. In book one we were introduced to sweet and naive Clem, in whom we meet the group of friends at the gay friendly club, the Jack and Knave. One of those guys is the upstanding journalist and former lawyer Nathanial. On a quest to expose spiritualists as frauds, he meets Justin, The Seer of London.
Justin, the man who not only challenges Nathanial mentally but warms his blood sexually. They begin as enemies, never trusting each other’s intentions nor outlook on life. And yet, the two have such massive sexual tension, you could cut it with a knife, that and the dense fog that fills London. Justin is the first man Nathanial has been attracted to since the death of his long time lover. And that he feels this way, makes him hopeful, that it’s Justin upsets him. Justin has had to fight for all he has and doesn’t care who he cons, it’s their choice and he’ll take their money. But, as the story goes on they find in each other peace and I loved their relationship. The two are supremely relatable, which I also adored.
There’s also the mystery of the heir to a dukedom. A dukedom it seems is not who currently owns it, as well as something worth killing, it seems. The plot thickens and I must find out the conclusion in the final book. Which, because it’s KJ Charles, I’m completely fine with. The rightful heir, as we find out at the end, is someone I’m excited to actually meet.
danielle_dore's review
3.0
I liked this story. I didn't expect to like Justin better than I liked Nathaniel, because I'm a skeptic like Nathaniel and in his shoes would also look down on Justin's profession. However I found myself understanding Justin and liking his personality. Their romance was believable, and probably wouldn't have happened at all if circumstance didn't bring them together.
The reason it's only three stars is more about me than the writing. It's my first historical romance (aside from some Highlander novels I read a very long time ago), and I think the genre might not be for me.
The reason it's only three stars is more about me than the writing. It's my first historical romance (aside from some Highlander novels I read a very long time ago), and I think the genre might not be for me.
vitsa's review
5.0
I have a habit of making up traditions for myself that have nothing more to recommend them other than the fact that it happened once. One of the best by products of this habit has been the tradition of reading a K.J. Charles book on the first day of the year, or first night as the case may be.
As usual, this was excellently written and a lot of fun to read. The mystery picked up from where the last book left off and expanded on it while still leaving plenty of room for development for the last book in the trilogy.
The romance was a perfect execution of the hate to love genre and the leads were perfectly flawed and perfectly matched.
Another un-put-downable book from K.J. Charles and I look forward to doing this again next year.
As usual, this was excellently written and a lot of fun to read. The mystery picked up from where the last book left off and expanded on it while still leaving plenty of room for development for the last book in the trilogy.
The romance was a perfect execution of the hate to love genre and the leads were perfectly flawed and perfectly matched.
Another un-put-downable book from K.J. Charles and I look forward to doing this again next year.