Sadly ,I've had to do a soft dnf for now and come back to the book in the future. I think the writing was very good. Based on what I've read so far I would still recommend this to people I know would love this type of story.

This one fell squarely in the middle for me. I didn’t love it, it I also felt like I wanted to keep reading to get to the end. Sure the mystery wasn’t anything crazy as far as twists go, but the writing was well done and the characters were relatable and like-able.

If you want fantasy mixed some mystery/sleuthing and characters that are enjoyable, you’ll like this read!

This is essentially fan-fiction but I had a decent time with it. It was fun and light and I wouldn't be opposed to picking up the next book in a series. Made me think of watching shows like Elementary, X-files, Buffy etc. Something you have a decent time with but probably wouldn't be your favourite thing.

I enjoyed the characters and especially how horny the MC was. She really saw any decent looking person and said 'omg im in love' and I love that for her. The mystery wasn't too twisty but ultimately it was satisfying. It sets up an interesting world but sometimes I had a hard time taking it seriously.

This is a mash-up that should be a dream for fans of historical fantasy and these two classics. On paper, it’s a perfect fit for readers drawn to stories of powerful women, dark secrets, and shadowy creatures, but in execution, it didn’t entirely hit the mark for me.

Sam Harker and Hel Moriarty—the daughters of two legendary figures—team up (and butt heads) in a grisly Parisian mystery, which is undeniably intriguing. Sam’s ability to connect with monsters adds a supernatural edge while Hel brings the ruthlessness of a Holmesian antihero to the table. Their dynamic is great with a subtle hint of attraction, though that felt added on and wasn't given much room to grow, in my opinion.

One of my biggest hurdles was pacing. While the book has flashes of brilliant tension and clever plotting, it’s bogged down by stretches of monotony that make it difficult to stay fully engaged. At least for me. The concept of these adult children living in the shadows of larger-than-life figures like Dracula and Moriarty was fun and promising, but I couldn’t quite shake the Disney Descendants vibes. I think it would have been better served having SOME important characters that weren't children-of-legends.

That said, I still enjoyed the atmospheric world-building and the exploration of feminine power. Sam’s inner turmoil was the best part. It just didn’t fully capture me the way I’d hoped.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bindery for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

God I so wish that I liked this. I really love the work that Bindery is doing and I want their books to be really successful, but this just was not it. When I requested this ARC I thought that the concept was so interesting but as I started reading I immediately saw all the holes in it. To start off the missing grandfather plot was pointless and unnecessary, it should have been cut in the developmental editing process. It seems to be included to act as a catalyst for Sam getting involved with the mystery, however a much more compelling entry point would be her wanting to prove her value as an investigator and that being a channel is an asset not a hinderance. The premise really began to crumble for me when we introduced Helena Moriarty and the magic within this setting. Having a character directly connected to the Sherlock Holmes stories exist in a world where everyone knows about magic and monsters is an illogical choice. I'm no Sherlock expert, but to my knowledge the series refutes magical explanations so this plot feels antithetical. The further I got into this book the more I wished that the main characters were not connected to Dracula or Sherlock Holmes. I understand that was a major selling point, but it hindered my suspension of disbelief and led to the mystery plot devolving.

I think the concept of the mystery is really great and the explanation of how the Beast worked was very compelling. However, the reveal that their was a big mastermind behind it all who we never meet on page SUCKED. It reminded me of the TV show Sherlock and how we can't just have a contained mystery it all has to connect back to Moriarty. I'll be honest I'm still a bit confused about the murder's motivation because the reveal of the big bad took time away from understanding them.

I'll keep checking out Bindery books in the future because they're doing great things, but I'm somewhat worried that their model may be lacking a critical eye. Are there editors providing oversight and feedback to the influencers that are selecting books? If not I think that they need it to help fine tune the story.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris in exchange for an honest review. I loved having the daughters of Moriarty and Harker investigate a potential werewolf attack. This book had so many layers and a beautiful love story.

Where to start
-Dark fantasy & folklore
-Gothic vibes with a rich, historical setting
-Paranormal ,
-Chemistry off the charts

3.5 out of 5

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

So this is the story of the daughter of the slayers of Dracula (Samantha Barker) investigates supernatural murders in Paris with the daughter of Professor Moriarty (Dr Hel Moriarty). It's a bit silly but fun and very queer. Story-wise I found the book shallow and predictable, the idea of the daughters of these famous literary figures investigating the supernatural as well as being entangled in their family histories a bit predictable. I would probably read a sequel but wouldn't expect innovation or depth from it. 3 stars.

A Sherlock/Watson mystery thriller with queer representation and a monstrous plot line.

Disclaimer: I received a free arc of this novel via NetGalley. However, I did read it through an audiobook that I purchased myself.

The audiobook was done very well, and I absolutely loved the narrator. I have read other an audiobook by this narrator before and have always enjoyed their emotional take that they bring to every novel.

This book absolutely had me in a chokehold from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the Gothic dismal atmosphere that was presented within the novel. I liked the monster aspect and how interesting it was that it involved alchemy as well as magic. I enjoyed the characters themselves. I really felt an emotional connection to both main characters as well as some of the more prominent side characters. I really hope more novels are set with these characters in this world because I feel like this would be a stellar series.

My literal only complaint that I can find with this novel is there was some downtime where I started to wander a little bit because I started to get bored. But those times did not last too long and the action picked back up. I wouldn't say that the pacing was necessarily off because it wasn't long enough for me to lose interest, but it was long enough for me to notice that I was starting to get a little bored.

Overall, a stellar debut from Susan J Morris and I cannot wait to read more by this author.

Solidly 3 stars for me. Not a bad book by any means, but the writing choices were just not for me, simply from a stylistic standpoint. If you want clarity at every stage and characters with strict demeanors and choices made flow-chart-style, you will have a blast. I was charmed by Sam and enjoyed the mystique of the plot itself. Monsters are alway a yes from me. The also story moved at a fast pace, almost like a thriller, and that kept me motivated to make it to the final page. I think fans of R.F. Kuang’s Babel will have a great time with this one. But that one wasn’t for me either.

As I said, the writing is very clear and deliberate but left me looking for something, anything, that I’d be left to figure out on my own, rather than it being presented to me on a silver platter like I was very fancy and deserving cat. But that’s just me; I like rummaging around in a story like a raccoon in their favorite dumpster.

Loved this! A 1900s mystery with mystical creatures and Sherlock Holmes vibes, it had everything I could want. Sam and Hels, a compelling duo from the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomenon, investigate brutal murders in Paris with a chilling, otherworldly twist. The slow-burn romance was lovely, but the gripping mystery stole the show. Perfectly eerie and engrossing!

it took me a while to finish it (thanks to oncoming winter and all that), but oh it was so worth it 😍

a serial killer? an unreliable partner? paranormal stuff and interesting powers? two women beating all odds and putting men in place? give me all of it and more!

A historical and paranormal murder mystery in Paris. Two women are on their way to investigate and find the serial killer, but even the road to Paris is dangerous. Once Sam and Hel arrive in Paris, they face the cold shoulders of French people, the mysterious circumstances of murders, unreliable witnesses and much more.

it was a fast paced mystery that left me wanting for more every day after closing the book. they both got themselves in weird situations all for the sake of the investigation. from questionable people to goose-bump inducing places. this book did not lack gore nor manipulation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books for providing me with the ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this is somewhat of a hard book to rate, because while i love some aspects of it, other parts left me mildly disappointed.

first of all, what i love about the book is the plot and mystery itself. i love following our main characters, sam and hel, as they go around Paris to find out who's the culprit behind a string of murders. i also like the incorporation of monsters and sam having visions and creating this conflict on whether she can trust these visions or if they'll drive her insane instead.

now, to the things that i found quite lacking. first of all, for a book that deeply points out how monsters and monstrous acts aren't always synonymous and that humans are often more monstrous, this felt quite surface-level. i couldn't help but somewhat compare it to monsters of verity, which is wildly unfair to me, but it made me realize that this aspect of the book left me unsatisfied.

secondly, the ending was also unsatisfactory to me. the book was very violent when it comes to the killing and how easily people died, but the resolution was so lukewarm and too easy compared to the rest of the book that i was frowning hoping there was something more to this. not to mention the insane misogyny that, while it's true very apparent in the time that the book was set on, was bothering me so much by how prevalent it is but there's nothing to it except for it to be there. simply put it, the men should've gotten their well-deserved violent karma at the end and not whatever the fuck that ending was.

lastly, while the characters are okay enough for me, the romance was barely there, and i would've been fine with it if they kept it as that and not had sam and hel develop into something more when there's barely any build-up towards there. they had angst here and there, but the romantic development was so barely there that i almost forgot they're supposed to be romantically entangled and when we do get to them kissing, it caught me by surprise. i was soooo disappointed because i loved them even as just partners in crime, and i wanted them to have actual romantic chemistry if they were to be more than just friends.

all and all, i quite like the story, but i can't brush off the major aspects of the book that bother me throughout reading it. i would still recommend it for anyone who wants a gothic murder mystery sapphic story, because maybe more people would love it more than me.

What a rollercoaster this story was. As a former SuperWhoLock girlie this scratched a very specific nostalgic part of my brain in a very satisfying way! Supernatural creatures, a mystery with sapphic detectives and a very companion/Doctor dynamic between MCs? I was enamoured.

I will admit that I wasn't sold off the bat because the writing was not quite to my taste in the beginning. Something about it felt disingenuine? But that feeling didn't last, luckily! I had no issue with the writing after the first couple chapters.

I really enjoyed the main characters, the mystery and the atmosphere. I wouldn't say the mystery was anything new or exciting but it was good. I was a bit confused about why it took our MCs so long to figure out who was behind things for such a long time but I never was really frustrated with it cuz they were still always doing something interesting.

I really hope there's a sequel to this because this can't be the end of the story. I can see that next book easily getting that 5 star or at least close to a 5 star rating. I really enjoyed it.

This book had all the factors I want in a magical realism. Mystical creatures, lovable characters, and an infectious setting masterfully depicted. The prose is smart, and the sentence level craft deliberate. I will definitely find myself finding other books by Morris, as I feel this genre is perfect for her writing voice.
My only complaint is I do feel I was left with a lot of questions at the end, in a way that felt the slightest bit unsatisfying. I can tell how some readers may feel bogged down in the amount of details and information, so perhaps I just missed a few things during my read. It may warrant a reread, or perhaps it is a level too dense for me.
Fans of Sherlock Holmes, classic lit, or dungeons and dragons would love this book.

Strange Beast follows Samantha Parker, a young talented extraordinary girl who can read the minds of people.The power runs in the family and her mother always insisted to not reveal to others or behave herself as a channel.She is working for Royal Society of Abnormal Phenomena and always proved herself as a diligent one.When there is a hot serial case of murder of men, she request to be a part of it but to do that she will have to work with Dr Helena Moriarty as partners .But that's a risk considering the reputation of Helena's partners being killed.However she decides to do the case together and the investigation leads them to the dangerous underground slowly seeping into the darkness

I really enjoyed Samantha and Helena together,Both of them doing their best to protect each other and find the culprit.It had a victorian era vibes which was apt for the mystery.At first Helena and Samantha didn't trust each other but then they start a slowborn tension between them and ends up falling for eachother.Samantha's channeling comes handy with lots of mystery area and I was too happy when she become so helpful with her power.

The only issue I faced was to find certain terms hard to understand and the complexity of the writing altogether.Overall I really enjoyed the mystery and the diversion into romance.

Samantha Harker has always wanted something more than life as a researcher. It’s why she jumped at the chance to get some hands-on experience with her new partner, Dr. Helena Moriarty. Unfortunately, Hel doesn’t have a good track record with partners because they always die under strange circumstances. While their partnership is still fresh, they work against the clock to find the werewolf-like beast that’s been on a murder spree.

I was excited to read this because it sounded like an interesting supernatural gothic story that combined the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes. Instead of following the usual suspects, we’re following the daughters of the characters we know very well. With a romance brewing between the characters, it was sure to be a hit!

The main plot is pretty interesting. Sam and Hel travel to France to investigate the mysterious and seemingly random murders committed by a beast. However, this beast seems to be a werewolf when werewolves are long gone. Along the way, they struggle against society, each other, and Sam’s abilities as a channel. I found the mystery plot pretty interesting, but I do think it started to drag somewhere around the halfway point. It was different and had me excited about the world it takes place in even though I would never want to visit it.

That said, I am extremely disappointed in the romance. Sam and Hel have absolutely no romantic chemistry, so I don’t know about the “unmistakable attraction” that was described when I requested the ARC. They don’t even have almost friend chemistry, which sold their rocky partnership, but not the romance that develops out of the blue at the end. If you manage to find the romance plot before it suddenly materializes with nothing to back it up, I will give you a gold star because I certainly didn’t find it before it suddenly smacked me in the face.

All in all, I liked a good portion of the paranormal mystery and I think there is a ton of potential there. There’s a cast of interesting characters for us to love and hate, and if the friendship and romance between Sam and Hel actually worked, I think I would’ve loved to see this turn into a series.

The pacing of this book kept going back and forth between feeling slow and fast. It always stayed entertaining enough for me to want to keep reading though. The romance was expected but it felt underdeveloped.

I found this book to be wildly enjoyable. Initially, there was a lot of words and not a lot being said. But as the story progressed, there was tension, development, mystery, and lots of questionable decisions. The narrator seemed a bit untrustworthy at times, too. The last 50% was much faster paced than the beginning.

I’m not sure if dark and cozy really go together but this seemed like a dark, cozy, murder mystery to me and I’d assume another book will be written as there was a promise made at the end of the book that would make for a great plot in book 2. Thanks to netgalley for letting me read this ARC!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bindery Books for this copy in exchange for my review.

When I saw the references to both Sherlock Holmes and Dracula I was immediately interested. Morris does an amazing job of mixing these literary classics with her own story. The world building is amazing and I love the descriptions of well known creatures and how they interact with the world.

Samantha and Helena are as different as night and day, but that one thing I love. Because they are so different they work together very well. And while the sapphic content was lighter then I was expecting, I still loved the murder mystery aspect, as well as learning more about our MC themselves. I loved the aspect of Samantha's powers that focused more on scent. It's not something very often used when it comes to powers and I feel it offered a very unique aspect to the story.

Overall a really great read and I am definitely keeping an eye out for more of Morris's work in the future.