Scan barcode
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked this one better than the first one I think because it had a bit more guessing to it with some good twists! There were some frustrating moments as usual - these characters definitely should have figured a few things out sooner - and some cringey moments BUT overall I enjoyed it! Trying to finish out some series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
lauren_shilling's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.75
This book was so good! It definitely had some flaws, and it wasn't perfect, but I just had so much fun and I just loved it so much! This was the second book in the Stalking Jack The Ripper series, and it completely delivered on what I wanted it to be! It was dark, and mysterious, and creepy, and it got so disturbing towards the end especially! There was a plot twist at the very end that came totally out of left field and wasn't entirely well-built up to, but that is seriously the sole reason for not giving it the full five star. And even that twist didn't bother me too much because it was based on a topic I know a lot about outside of the book that I really don't see mentioned in books or other media that often, so it was super cool for me. I can see, however, that it might bother some people. I need to give a serious shoutout to Thomas Cresswell too. Like... I haven't loved a fictional love interest this much in a REALLY long time. I loved him in the first book, and I absolutely adored him in this one. He is just incredible and everything about him is perfect. Honestly, his sister too. Like, I have a type, and that type is the Cresswell siblings. But yeah, this book was really good, and it was exactly what I was hoping it would be! I'm so excited to read the next one. Based on the title, it has been the one I have been the most excited for since starting the series and knowing (like three chapters into the first book) that it would be a series I would be continuing with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
_rosy_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Murder
ittybittyninja12's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
I liked this one a tad more than the first. I think mainly due to the killer being a bit more harder to guess than the first. If they hadn't done that one thing,I would have guessed it sooner though. I liked the mysterious castle setting and everything. The women characters are written very strongly in this series and I love it. I do wish some of the males weren't so rude. The only likeable ones being Thomas and Noah really. Which I guess the author was trying to depict how men were towards women during that time but still. This series is still a very fun read and I didn't feel bored at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Blood, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, and Sexism
alliecat1915's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Medical content
ocean_the_reader's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This was so incredibly boring. Hardly anything happened with the mystery. Compared to the first book this was a letdown. And it was too long and repetitive
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, and Murder
rosesbelair's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, and Murder
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
olivialandryxo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
[second read, December 2022]
These books will never not be entertaining. Audrey Rose and Thomas might actually be the most iconic duo ever. Their slow-burn friends to lovers arc is agonizing but absolutely delicious, and the fact that they’re so horny along the way is hilarious; it makes a great thing even better.
On that note—props to Kerri for some top-tier parallels. This one’s my favorite:
“What would it feel like to have my hair gently knotted in his fist, my back pressed against a wall, him tangled around me like vines wrapped around brick?” // “He didn’t hesitate to bring his mouth to mine. We stumbled against the wall, the entire length of him encompassing me in his warmth. His hands slid up my frame, knotting themselves in my hair as he deepened our kiss.”
It’s clever!! It’s brilliant!! It’s spectacular!!
And you know what else brilliant and spectacular?? THIS:
“‘You’ve got a dress with orchid blossoms embroidered on it. Ribbons in the deepest purple. You favor the color, but not nearly as much as I find myself favoring you. As to the stars? Those are what I prefer. For there are no limits to the stars; their numbers are infinite. Which is precisely why I measure my love for you by them. An amount too boundless to count.’”
Thomas Cresswell INVENTED romance and no one can tell me otherwise!! He might be an idiot sometimes, but he’s the smoothest idiot to ever walk this earth, I swear!! And the way he unequivocally adores Audrey Rose is just >>>> 🥹🥹🥹
Now it’s time for me to procrastinate starting the third book for as long as humanly possible because I don’t want to deal with Meph’s obnoxious face. :’)))
[first read, January 2022]
This series has me by the throat and I’m not even mad about it. I’ve only read the first two books, too; I can’t imagine how obsessed I’ll be when I’m finished.
Because that’s exactly what I am: obsessed. Hunting Prince Dracula is, somehow, even more amazing than Stalking Jack the Ripper. Even though both the plot and the romance had me incredibly stressed—especially the romance—I loved every page. In fact, I think most of them are highlighted, most even multiple times. I don’t think I’ve ever annotated a book as heavily as I did this one, or laughed as much while reading. Between Thomas’s witty jokes and flirty comments and the banter from him and Audrey Rose, I spent a large portion of the story audibly cackling or making other indescribable (and honestly unflattering) sounds.
Speaking of our two leads, I absolutely adore them, more than I can say. My love for them knows no bounds. I love Audrey Rose and Thomas like Thomas loves Audrey Rose, and I’m not ashamed. Add “Cressworth trash” to my list of personality traits. The angst!! The pining!! The almost-but-not-quite kisses!! The actual kisses!! I sped through the last third of the book between 2 and 3 a.m., and let me say this: the number of times I had to bite my lip to keep from squealing and/or shrieking and waking up my family was ABSURD. When it comes to my favorite ships, I have zero chill, and this is now one of my favorite ships, so… 💖💖💖
Also, Daciana and Ileana? MY SAPPHIC QUEENS. I didn’t expect to love either of them quite as much as I do, but I’m nearly as obsessed with them as I am with Audrey Rose and Thomas. And now that I’ve met Daciana, I can say that both Cresswell siblings are completely iconic, both as individuals and a duo. I want him to be my friend, and I’m crushing unbelievably hard on her. 👀
Oh, right, I should probably mention the actual plot and whatnot. I really enjoyed the Romanian setting, as that’s not a place I’ve ever read about, and the story was very well-written. Even though both this book and its predecessor feature a string of murders where the victims have been, in some way, violated, the story in this one never felt redundant. On the contrary, it was equally nerve-wracking and very suspenseful. The castle’s shadowy halls and creepy passages made the whole thing very atmospheric, too.
Whereas normally I don’t have the brain cells to put together the puzzle pieces in a mystery novel before the characters do, I did, surprisingly, manage to guess who the killer was. It was actually due to a random theory that slowly started to make an unexpected amount of sense, and then ended up being correct. Yet nothing felt predictable, as there were so many other details both large and small that I never saw coming. I’m still not over that room of spiders (*shudders*) or certain characters’ secret involvement. When I say my eyes widened and my jaw dropped, I’m not even slightly joking.
After the stress of everything else, the final chapters were so unbelievably perfect!!! I won’t spoil, but know that even as I write this review two hours after finishing the book, I’m still grinning like a fool.
I’m pretty sure I could go on about this book for a while yet, but I’m tired of typing so I’ll stop here. I’ve made my thoughts clear anyway. ;))
Representation
These books will never not be entertaining. Audrey Rose and Thomas might actually be the most iconic duo ever. Their slow-burn friends to lovers arc is agonizing but absolutely delicious, and the fact that they’re so horny along the way is hilarious; it makes a great thing even better.
On that note—props to Kerri for some top-tier parallels. This one’s my favorite:
“What would it feel like to have my hair gently knotted in his fist, my back pressed against a wall, him tangled around me like vines wrapped around brick?” // “He didn’t hesitate to bring his mouth to mine. We stumbled against the wall, the entire length of him encompassing me in his warmth. His hands slid up my frame, knotting themselves in my hair as he deepened our kiss.”
It’s clever!! It’s brilliant!! It’s spectacular!!
And you know what else brilliant and spectacular?? THIS:
“‘You’ve got a dress with orchid blossoms embroidered on it. Ribbons in the deepest purple. You favor the color, but not nearly as much as I find myself favoring you. As to the stars? Those are what I prefer. For there are no limits to the stars; their numbers are infinite. Which is precisely why I measure my love for you by them. An amount too boundless to count.’”
Thomas Cresswell INVENTED romance and no one can tell me otherwise!! He might be an idiot sometimes, but he’s the smoothest idiot to ever walk this earth, I swear!! And the way he unequivocally adores Audrey Rose is just >>>> 🥹🥹🥹
Now it’s time for me to procrastinate starting the third book for as long as humanly possible because I don’t want to deal with Meph’s obnoxious face. :’)))
[first read, January 2022]
This series has me by the throat and I’m not even mad about it. I’ve only read the first two books, too; I can’t imagine how obsessed I’ll be when I’m finished.
Because that’s exactly what I am: obsessed. Hunting Prince Dracula is, somehow, even more amazing than Stalking Jack the Ripper. Even though both the plot and the romance had me incredibly stressed—especially the romance—I loved every page. In fact, I think most of them are highlighted, most even multiple times. I don’t think I’ve ever annotated a book as heavily as I did this one, or laughed as much while reading. Between Thomas’s witty jokes and flirty comments and the banter from him and Audrey Rose, I spent a large portion of the story audibly cackling or making other indescribable (and honestly unflattering) sounds.
Speaking of our two leads, I absolutely adore them, more than I can say. My love for them knows no bounds. I love Audrey Rose and Thomas like Thomas loves Audrey Rose, and I’m not ashamed. Add “Cressworth trash” to my list of personality traits. The angst!! The pining!! The almost-but-not-quite kisses!! The actual kisses!! I sped through the last third of the book between 2 and 3 a.m., and let me say this: the number of times I had to bite my lip to keep from squealing and/or shrieking and waking up my family was ABSURD. When it comes to my favorite ships, I have zero chill, and this is now one of my favorite ships, so… 💖💖💖
Also, Daciana and Ileana? MY SAPPHIC QUEENS. I didn’t expect to love either of them quite as much as I do, but I’m nearly as obsessed with them as I am with Audrey Rose and Thomas. And now that I’ve met Daciana, I can say that both Cresswell siblings are completely iconic, both as individuals and a duo. I want him to be my friend, and I’m crushing unbelievably hard on her. 👀
Oh, right, I should probably mention the actual plot and whatnot. I really enjoyed the Romanian setting, as that’s not a place I’ve ever read about, and the story was very well-written. Even though both this book and its predecessor feature a string of murders where the victims have been, in some way, violated, the story in this one never felt redundant. On the contrary, it was equally nerve-wracking and very suspenseful. The castle’s shadowy halls and creepy passages made the whole thing very atmospheric, too.
Whereas normally I don’t have the brain cells to put together the puzzle pieces in a mystery novel before the characters do, I did, surprisingly, manage to guess who the killer was. It was actually due to a random theory that slowly started to make an unexpected amount of sense, and then ended up being correct. Yet nothing felt predictable, as there were so many other details both large and small that I never saw coming. I’m still not over that room of spiders (*shudders*) or certain characters’ secret involvement. When I say my eyes widened and my jaw dropped, I’m not even slightly joking.
After the stress of everything else, the final chapters were so unbelievably perfect!!! I won’t spoil, but know that even as I write this review two hours after finishing the book, I’m still grinning like a fool.
I’m pretty sure I could go on about this book for a while yet, but I’m tired of typing so I’ll stop here. I’ve made my thoughts clear anyway. ;))
Representation
- Indian-British protagonist
- sapphic side couple
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Blood, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Medical content: in-depth autopsies and discussion of and tampering with corpses. Mental illness: protagonist deals with PTSD. Not tagged but also significant: spiders. To clarify, there’s a scene where the protagonist and love interest are trapped in a room full of both benign and poisonous spiders, and at one point, there are spiders crawling on them.signebrum's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book is a great sequel to Stalking Jack the Ripper. We explore more of the characters, we see their relationship evolve, and there’s a new bloody murder mystery to be solved!
This book took me much by surprise by being better than the first one, and honestly, I’m looking forward to reading the final two installments.
This book took me much by surprise by being better than the first one, and honestly, I’m looking forward to reading the final two installments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit and Kidnapping
Trigger warnings comes from the book being a whodunnit in the Victorian times with a female protagonist.hannah_clover's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Sexism