Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Sexy, mysterious, spooky, seductive. The Impossible Julian Strande is one of the more unique reads I’ve picked up this year. A smutty mystery with magic, art nouveau vibes, a little kink, and one seriously egotistical ghost. I love that the Alice has a typically masculine job/hobby of tinkering with animatronics. I know we’re supposed to low key root for the sexy villain, but Charles might be my new book boyfriend *insert panting emoji*
I didn’t like how Billy’s suicide came out of left field and nearly ruined the whole book’s vibe. I thought Julian did it which felt very scary for Alice. Or worse, maybe Charles did it? Oh I hope not!
There were a few times I thought I was being faked out, but I wasn’t, so I was confused … unless I find out in the next book I was right all along???
There were a few times I thought I was being faked out, but I wasn’t, so I was confused … unless I find out in the next book I was right all along???
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Suicide
Moderate: Confinement, Grief
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
The writing in the first couple of chapters was... shaky and almost made me metaphorically put the book down (I read it on my kindle). Once the story (and prose) picked up I was HOOKED. It’s incredibly sexy and sinister, I read it in one straight shot I couldn’t put it down. It’s reminiscent of a manga I read a few years ago called Jack: The American Ghost but this story is almost more disturbing and depraved in an understated way. I personally loved the profanity it made the characters more believable and interesting. The only thing I don’t quite care for is the Alice in Wonderland connection, it’s so overused in so much literature and i don’t think it’s necessary.
I’m itching to read the next book but alas I must get some chores done today.
I’m itching to read the next book but alas I must get some chores done today.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
If I had known this wasn’t a complete story in itself I wouldn’t have carried on reading because I thought it was dire, I just wanted to see what the twist was supposed to be. It basically finishes part way through on a to be continued - even trilogy’s are supposed to have a complete story arc in one book.
So this is meant to be a romance of sorts? I think this is a villain romance but even those the villain is supposed to have some attractive features - here there is nothing. An unpleasant ghost who supposedly died 150 years ago - that’s 1870 - although I feel that fact keeps getting forgotten. The other love interest, robot whatever it is, who knows, is a dullard.
It was a complete waste of time.
So this is meant to be a romance of sorts? I think this is a villain romance but even those the villain is supposed to have some attractive features - here there is nothing. An unpleasant ghost who supposedly died 150 years ago - that’s 1870 - although I feel that fact keeps getting forgotten. The other love interest, robot whatever it is, who knows, is a dullard.
It was a complete waste of time.
Will stick with me a long time
I had to take a day to digest and really process what I wanted to say about this book. In summation: I seriously f*cking loved it. This was the first book I’ve read by Mrs. Kingsley, and I’m DYING for book two. Literally counting the days. Honestly, it was a master class in how to make a book about a ghost and his house utterly enthralling, s*xy, mysterious, & spooky. And speaking of puzzle house-I can’t say enough about how Mrs. Kingsley threaded interesting tidbits into the prose without overwhelmingly focusing on detail. I could see it all so clearly in my mind and yet the story didn’t drag or snag anywhere. (Again-master class.) This isn’t a typical romance, but none of the characters are your “typical” people. We have Alice, whose growth I genuinely appreciated as it was really her finding what her limits were, and Charles, Alice’s new boss and descendant of the sinister ghost, who I’m so friggin’ curious to find out what his whole thing is about. And let’s not forget the Impossible Julian Strande, because forgetting him would be the worst slight you could do to him. I love him. I have my suspicions about the ‘behind the curtain’ scenes, and I can’t wait to see if I’m right. I love Charles, too. That slightly unhinged thing they both have going is just so interesting. I felt the two removed scenes could have totally been included in the book, and actually shed some light on a few plotty threads I’d been confused on. And trust me—when you read this book, you absolutely want to read those scenes. (Don’t skip them. It’s worth a trip to her site. If the white on black bothers your eyes like it does mine you can swap the browser to night mode and it should reverse it) I am BEYOND glad I took a chance on an odd little book that popped up in my ads. There are plenty of sexy encounters, some intense scenes, and lots of chemistry. So, if you’ve ever dreamed about visiting a spooky old mansion, haunted by a sexy, insane, sadistic magician and filled with a plethora of bizarre exhibits, creations, traps and more, this is legit the book for you. 5 magical stars.
I had to take a day to digest and really process what I wanted to say about this book. In summation: I seriously f*cking loved it. This was the first book I’ve read by Mrs. Kingsley, and I’m DYING for book two. Literally counting the days. Honestly, it was a master class in how to make a book about a ghost and his house utterly enthralling, s*xy, mysterious, & spooky. And speaking of puzzle house-I can’t say enough about how Mrs. Kingsley threaded interesting tidbits into the prose without overwhelmingly focusing on detail. I could see it all so clearly in my mind and yet the story didn’t drag or snag anywhere. (Again-master class.) This isn’t a typical romance, but none of the characters are your “typical” people. We have Alice, whose growth I genuinely appreciated as it was really her finding what her limits were, and Charles, Alice’s new boss and descendant of the sinister ghost, who I’m so friggin’ curious to find out what his whole thing is about. And let’s not forget the Impossible Julian Strande, because forgetting him would be the worst slight you could do to him. I love him. I have my suspicions about the ‘behind the curtain’ scenes, and I can’t wait to see if I’m right. I love Charles, too. That slightly unhinged thing they both have going is just so interesting. I felt the two removed scenes could have totally been included in the book, and actually shed some light on a few plotty threads I’d been confused on. And trust me—when you read this book, you absolutely want to read those scenes. (Don’t skip them. It’s worth a trip to her site. If the white on black bothers your eyes like it does mine you can swap the browser to night mode and it should reverse it) I am BEYOND glad I took a chance on an odd little book that popped up in my ads. There are plenty of sexy encounters, some intense scenes, and lots of chemistry. So, if you’ve ever dreamed about visiting a spooky old mansion, haunted by a sexy, insane, sadistic magician and filled with a plethora of bizarre exhibits, creations, traps and more, this is legit the book for you. 5 magical stars.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes