The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker ~ Leanna Renee Hieber

What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Considering how few of Queen Victoria’s Londoners knew of it, the great Romanesque fortress was dreadfully imposing, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met the powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadow, the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She knew simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow-white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gifts. But this arched stone doorway offered a portal to a new life, an education far from the convent—and an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death….

Yesterday morning, shortly after finishing Howl’s, I began The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. One late (early?) morning and a strange event of my own later, I turned the last page, an action that was swiftly followed by the desire for more. More of Ms. Hieber’s blend of myth and magic, more of the rain soaked streets of London, and more of Percy Parker herself.

I think, perhaps, my favorite thing about this novel is Percy’s timidity, which may be an odd thing to say, but not when you consider the potential for growth. Percy is a character who has it in her to be spectacular; I think as the series continues we are going to witness her spine straighten and her head raised with strength and confidence, and it is going to be a lovely journey. And as she’s written, her timid nature is easy to bear because it’s understandably warranted, and her nature is so sweet in spite of it that certain scenes are more meaningful because of it.

If it seems as though I’m talking in circles, I’m sorry. I’m trying rather desperately to not reveal the surprising turns of the novel. In some ways, good ways, it was not at all what I expected. It was more…intricate, with a storyline that is indeed part Victorian era ghostbusters and also mythical exploration. As the pieces began to fall into place I could sort of see where it was going and couldn’t help but delight in it just a bit.

I’m tired today but it was thrilling to be engaged in a book that kept me reading well past 1 a.m, that got me out of bed not long after to begin again. And that, of course, means that I will absolutely be reading the next book, and the one after that and so on.

And in the next book, I hope we get more of the Guard, the individuals responsible for protecting an unsuspecting world from supernatural encroachers. More of Percy’s progression towards being a strong and commanding presence. And more of a certain Professor Alexi Rychman who, I’m sure, would have made my academic days a little, ah, brighter.

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is going to be released by Dorchester on August 25th. I hope you’ll seek out a copy then. But…because I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC, I’m going to be holding a giveaway in early August for a finished copy to be mailed to the winner upon its release. Make sure to check back if you’d like to enter!