The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker

There were so many different styles in this book; I kept expecting them to crash and burn. I've seen it called gothic, paranormal, romance, mystery, and a ghost story. The wonderful thing is they jelled.

This book pleased me on so many levels. Six children were chosen to be "possessed" by spirits and become The Guard, a group responsible for policing the spirit activity of Victorian London. They're also given a prophecy concerning a seventh member to come, their goddess come again and the woman their leader will love.

Then they grow up and protect the city and settle into their lives. Some pair off. Some live with unrequited love. Some are still waiting for the prophesied woman. Nineteen years later she arrives. Both of her.

Most of The show more Guard believes Lucy Linden is their seventh, but Professor Alexi Rychmann can't deny the love he has for Miss Percy Parker, nineteen year old student at the academy where he teaches.

The relationship that grows between Alexi and Percy is fascinating. I enjoyed watching them deal with the difficulties of their situation: professor-student, an age difference but not one that is insurmountable or taboo in any way, ghostly forces trying to harm them both, and the identity of the mysterious seventh. And, because this is a romance set in Victorian times, there is a lot of wonderfully written sexual tension.

Things end well, but not before everyone is harmed in some way. This was a very satisfying read. If [a:Leanna Renee Hieber|1651952|Leanna Renee Hieber|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1250826580p2/1651952.jpg] writes more in this world I'll be right there. show less

Victorian Gothic fantasy comes to life in Leanna Renee Hieber's debut novel The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. As the title implies, the story is both strange and yet, beautiful, but also quirky, witty and downright fun. Fans of well-written, witty novels and paranormal/gothic romance will fall in love with Hieber's unique heroine.

Miss Percy (or, as we learn later, Persephone) Parker is an albino orphan with a gift for languages and, oddly enough for the period, a highly intelligent and well-schooled woman completing her time at Athens Academy. Percy's teacher and math tutor, Alexi is a member of an order charged to protect the world, and is strangely drawn to his pupil. In a somewhat awkward hot-for-teacher scenario, show more Alexi's relationship with Percy grows as they learn the truth behind the Prophecy and Percy's role in it.

Greek mythology abounds in Hieber's debut, and draws a unique and engaging world. The mythology is used in a way that I've never seen before and weaves a complex and tightly woven tale that pulled me in and made me want more. The only small issue I have is the depiction of supporting characters. They seem to be just blushed over in favor of focusing on just Percy and Alexi, and I would have liked to see a little more of the world and the story outside of these two characters.

Strange, and beautiful, Hieber's debut shines as a creative gem in a sea of cliches and repeats. show less

I have had this book for way longer than I should have, and I apologize for that. I read it all in one sitting, after I finally sat down with it. It is amazing! This book has everything you can want in a great paranormal! It has ghosts, outcasts, sexy professors, friends, and amazing writing.

The characters in this story are the some of the best I have ever read and truly make the story so beautiful. They jump off the page and beg you to keep reading about them. The story itself is unique and fresh, such a great ingenious premise, and so different from so many other paranormal stories I have read. To continue on my gushing spree, the writing is so beautiful, almost lyrical and poetic in nature. I enjoyed jumping into the writing just as show more much as I loved the story and the characters.

I love this book, it is so beautiful and I can't wait to read the next one. show less

A good way to describe The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is tense. Not in a bad way, but in an anticipatory way. You have the 6 Guards, chosen as children who have waited for their prophesized seventh member for almost two decades, the title character Percy Parker anticipating answers to the questions of who (or what) she is, the Darkness anticipating its return to chaos...and a timeless love waiting to be fulfilled.

No one person in the novel doesn't have something they are waiting for with bated breath. As their lives progress and converge with Miss Percy Parker, the waiting is almost unbearable for some. For others the waiting is an annoying burden to friendships and relationships they want to push farther.

I found show more myself drawn to Percy almost involuntarily. Raised in a convent all eighteen years of her life, Percy would stand out for that alone, except she also has snow white hair and skin, eyes that glitter like diamonds and the ability to communicate with spirits. Ok, and don’t forget the nightmarish dreams. She couldn't help being different; she stood out no matter where she was or what she was doing. For someone with a shy nature and anxiety over what others are thinking, I can well understand her hesitant approach to life.

The six Guards have a variety of personalities and sometimes they don't work well together. I found myself liking Jane (or rather “Lucretia Marie O’Shannon Connor", an Irish lass given to dramatics and preferring her own company most often) and being greatly irritated by Rebecca. She chastises their leader, Alexei, for being blind to other's thoughts and feelings, but she is guilty of the same! Elijah and Josephine are amusing, while Michael is perhaps the biggest mystery to myself.

Alexei is definitely a stern man with a set ideal of behavior. His approach to his duties as a Guard, to his hunt for Prophecy (used as a noun throughout, for their fabled 7th member) and his leadership are methodical. He is a scientist by nature and would have contentedly remained so if not for the call to duty as a child. I liked best that he didn't attempt to cover up the fact that he was a brusque man with little care for fools.

Watching the romance that the story both hinges on and dances around in a coy fashion kept me very interested. I wanted to see if and when Alexei finally found his Prophecy, if Percy would find answers she sought, if other relationships not settled could be cemented.

I greatly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next of the quartet eagerly! show less

This book gets 5 stars from me because any book that draws me in so completely that I hurt when the heroine hurts and I cry when she cries earns my 5 star respect.

The writing is really lovely, and I don't say that often. There's a poetry to it. I enjoyed the world building, and there's a very strong sense of the setting. I love the hero, but considering my angsty wizard obsession, that was a sure thing.

The heroine is very unique. I first heard of this book at a workshop given by [a:Leanna Renee Hieber|1651952|Leanna Renee Hieber|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1250826580p2/1651952.jpg] at the 2011 Lori Foster Reader & Author Get Together (and let me tell you, I drooled over her outfit, she looked fabulous). The workshop was all show more about creating nontraditional heroines, and Percy's an excellent example of that. Poor girl actually identifies with the Beast in Beauty and the Beast because of her supernatural looks. So while your average romance heroine might be all "oh he'll think I'm plain," Percy's "oh he'll think I'm a monster," and that's a big hurdle for her to overcome. And watching them overcome that is part of what makes this a great read.

It's rather marvelous. There's intrigue, action, a cool mythology aspect, good vs. evil. Fun for the whole family (actually it has a bit of a YA aspect to it too, because a good deal of it takes place in a school). If you're looking for a good historical paranormal, I definitely recommend it. show less

I have had this book on my to be read list forever, not sure why I never got around to reading it. I bought it for my Kindle when I first got my Kindle (along with a million other books) so it kind of got lost in the shuffle. It was beautifully written, engaging, and romantic. It does have a gothic overtone to it and I ended up absolutely adoring it.

Six kids are given powers and a task, to guard humanity against the ghosts and darkness that haunt it...they are known as The Guard. Their leader is Alexi and he is given power over spiritual blue fire. There is a prophecy that in their hour of need the Guards will gain a seventh member; she will be lost and need protection but will also save humanity.

Many years have passed since the Guard show more have been given their powers. Miss Percy Parker is excited to arrive at Athens Academy. She was an orphan raised at a nunnery but deeply desired more schooling and a profession. Percy is looking forward to higher education and is determined to be the perfect pupil. Of course all that is put in jeopardy when she meets Professor Alexi; there is something about him Percy finds very distracting and the visions she occasionally has hit her all the more frequently in his presence.

While Percy tries to unravel the secrets of her history and of the effect Alexi has on her; the Guard is desperate to find their seventh as more and more violent hauntings plague London.

I really loved this book, it is beautifully written and blends together a lot of interesting elements of fantasy, history, and mythology. The book is set in Victorian London during the Jack the Ripper crisis. In this alternate London ghosts are real and it is the Guards’ duty to protect humanity from them and make sure the public is fairly ignorant about it all. That is pretty much the world, there isn’t a ton of world building outside of that.

Aside from the historical setting there is also some mythology in here; you should be able to guess how greek mythology ties in with the story given Persephone’s name. This mythology was blended into the historical setting in a creative and well done way.

What really drives the story are the characters. I loved the Guard and how each Guard member represents an aspect of the Goddess who gave them their powers. The lead guard, Alexi, is of course the most interesting and compelling of them all. He has that whole dark, brooding, mysterious and noble persona going on..which I will admit I am a sucker for. He also has a darkly witty sense of humor which I loved.

I also enjoyed Percy as a character; in the beginning of the book she’s comes off as a bit naive and ignorant but she definitely grew more backbone as the story continued. I ended up enjoying watching her grow as she grew more confident and daring. The chemistry between her and Alexi is amazingly well done and very engaging. There are some beautifully written scenes between the two that will take your breath away.

The writing is very lush, descriptive, and flows nicely. It was a book that was enjoyable and easy to read. It’s a good balance of plot, mystery, action, paranormal, and romance. I will admit this is a pretty romance heavy story; there are a few times where the story takes a pause so that Alexi and Percy can have a romantic scene together. However, I never felt like the romance overrode the interesting storyline. The story is fairly predictable but I still really enjoyed the path we took to get to that ending.

Overall this was a beautifully written story that did an excellent job of blending history, mythology, and supernatural elements. The story has a very gothic/Victorian feel to it and I enjoyed it a lot. The characters are really what drive the story and I loved them all. There is quite a bit of romance in here that was incredibly well done; it never took over the story but was definitely a driver. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fantasy with some supernatural elements and romance. show less

I was shocked! I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. Ms. Hieber captured me in the very first few words. Her world is so gothic and romantic. I just love it! It was like Jane Eyre meets Harry Potter meets Ghostbusters.
The Guard was blessed with powers to rid the civilian population of evil ghosts/spirits and other demons. In order for them to succeed they must work together. As soon as they split, they weaken. Besides ridding the world of evil beings, they are looking for the reincarnation of Persephone, the goddess who gave them their powers. All they were told was that she would be their peer, to look for a doorway, and to be careful of imposters.
When Percy Parker arrives at Athens Academy after leaving the convent show more that raised her, she is immediately regarded as odd. With her white hair, glowing eyes, and uber-pale skin she has always felt she was different. By covering herself up, she protects herself from the gawking stares of others. That is until she starts spending her nights being tutored by Prof. Rychman, who insists she removes her “barriers.” The first time Alexi, Prof. Rychman, sees Percy without all the scarves and glasses he becomes mesmerized. During the course of their tutoring sessions, Alexi becomes more and more convinced that she is Prophecy. However, the Guard refuses to believe that she is their seventh since she is not a peer but a student. Instead they do everything they can to convince Alexi that the real Prophecy is Miss Lindon. Alexi must choose between the two. The wrong choice could mean the end of the world.
Ms. Hieber’s writing blew me away. I find that most historical romances have great stories, but the writing is weak. That was not the case in this one. When the characters spoke, their word choice as well as their sentence structure was appropriate for the time. I was so happy to not hear the words “yeah” or “Oh my god” or even worse, “buddy.” Nothing ruins a historical romance like 21st c. talk. Ms. Hieber’s Victorian era writing is itself ,enough for an applause. Her word choice and descriptions were just perfect. Seriously, this book could have been written in the Victorian era and there probably wouldn’t have been a difference in word choice or style.
Now onto characters. When we are introduced to Percy Parker, she is scared and alone. Her friends see her as “strangely beautiful” while others avoid her, if not for her strange looks then for the possibility of being mad. When she arrives at Athens Academy, she finds that her professors don’t think she is crazy when she (rarely) talks of seeing visions (or dreams) and speaking to ghosts. One professor in particular finds her fascinating. His name? Professor Alexi Rychman. Before I continue I must say his name bears a striking resemblance to one Alan Richman (aka Professor Severus Snape). After reading about half of the book I found out that Professor Snape was who Ms. Heiber had in mind when writing this character.
Alexi is cold, mean, stiff, and lonely. He is hard on Percy and considers her failure to do well in his class a major flaw. However, he falls more and more in love with her over the course of the book. Alexi was so frustrating (and oh so swoon-worthy). Shortly after reading The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, I watched BBC’s North and South. The second Richard Armitage came on screen, I almost fell out of my chair! It was Alexi! This was exactly how I had envisioned my Alexi! This was before I found out that Miss Hieber had actually mentioned him in an interview (at Darkly Reading) as an alternative to Alan Richman (too old now) for Alexi.
The romance was knit with so much sexual tension, you could almost see the sparks. Yet, there was very little kissing. The tension alone just made me want to scream “Get together already!” It was awesome. There was also a few subplot romances going on within the Guard which were equally fun to read. I can’t wait to read the rest of the books to see more of those play out. This book doesn’t really have a cliffhanger. These books are more like Harry Potter where there is a beginning, middle, and end, but there are certain story arcs that span across the whole series. Although I do want to find out what happens with Alexi and Percy. Basically, I love this book. I’ve read it several times since finishing it, stopping every once in a while to daydream about Alexi *sigh. I love the eeriness of it-very gothic.
If you like: retellings (ancient greek myth of Persephone), Historical romance (Victorian era), Paranormal (ghosts, demons, etc.), Gothic Romance (swoon-worthy hero, eerie qualities), and apocalyptic scenes, then you’ll love this book. show less