Twisted, exciting, dark story to lose yourself in this year.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Enjoyed Van Essler, first time reading her. The book had well developed characters, and a good plot/pacing. Will need to read more from her. #VialThoughts #NetGalley

Balanced on a tight wire between horror, steampunk, and dark fantasy, Van Essler’s debut novel Vial Thoughts is a chillingly and fascinating examination of one Lenora Leahill. An heiress who has recently inherited her father’s estate, Lenora lives in a world where knowledge can be delivered and absorbed via injection. Determined to make her way in a difficult environment, Lenora is bound by a promise of her forebear, left to claw her way to a future.

Essler combines a great deal of elements to make the plot work, from the intriguing premise of injecting knowledge into a world whose sky is blackened by ash. Crumbling estates and dark circuses form the setting of the plot, with a motley cast of colorful characters to balance out the action.

Perhaps the major flaw of the book is it sometimes seems too ambitious. Having to balance out such worldbuilding with compelling characters is no simple task and sometimes the plot slows under the weight of its own creations. But the characters remain compelling throughout, particularly Lenora.

Vital Thoughts takes care with themes of classism and power. There is much to explore in perhaps future installments, and Essler’s prose is tight and on point. The writing is sharp and detailed, introspective and intelligent throughout. The mysteries are compelling, and the payoff leaves the reader wanting more.

Hopefully, we see more from Van Essler in the future, and continuing books in the saga of Lenora.

This book is super interesting, existing at the border of steampunk and horror, with a world that could fascinate fans of either.

The main character Lenora is one you can't help but root for even as she goes against the grain in the setting. She begins by taking over the estate of her late father, and that leads to an encounter with a horrific circus and it's ringleader, an interesting doctor her father used to be friends with, and finding out where she sits in the world.

The writing is beautiful and the world comes alive in all its sometimes terrible glory.

I was excited about the combination of steampunk horror and circuses, and this did not disappoint! It was genuinely upsetting in parts, from the body horror to the protagonist's realizations of the evils of capitalism, which was a pleasant surprise for such a short work. I wasn't fully on board for the romance, partially because I think it took away from the other subplots and partially because I just didn't see the connection between the two, but that was my only minor gripe. I'll be thinking about the torture scene for a long, long time.

The unique premise of this book intrigued me, I thought it was well executed, the world building was a little labourious at times and a bit confusing (for me anyway) but I absolutley loved the characters and was fully invested in their story, if you enjoy character driven books with a vast and unique universe this is the book for you!

The font size of this book make it hard to read and hard to focus (sigh..im old) then the book leave with clifhanger (flip the table) hope Leonora can reunite with Eliot.

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#VialThoughts #VanEssler #RDSPublishing #RawDogScreamingPress #NetGalley #ARCs

Though a bit slow to start, once the gears start whirring in Van Essler's cross-genre lovely monstrosity of a novel, they don't stop. Thrilling, fascinating, and surprisingly fun, this story of a world ravaged by both ash-laden skies and a horrifying dementia and the heiress seeking to discover the government's dark secrets, and the cause of said dementia has every thing one could want from this kind of story. A likable, multi-faceted protagonist, a dastardly, memorable villain, even a cadre of lovable side kicks (and a cute mascot to boot!) Of course, don't take this for your usual fantasy fair, for at its heart this is pitch black, with horrific nightmare circuses and asylums full of horrifying cyborg patients, giving the novel a unique edge that keeps it from straying too far into well-worn tropes. It's the perfect combination of the thrills and frights, and should be a nice down-the-middle choice for both fantasy/steampunk and horror/mystery fans.

Themes:
This book reminded me of almost a steampunk limitless dystopia. If I had to describe this book in three words or less that is what I would choose.
Quotes:
“ I could nip that pretty little nose off in a single bite, and that would be but an hors d'oeuvre of the agony I could unleash on you. I can introduce you to a whole new spectrum of suffering a veritable rainbow of torture. Do you hear me?”
“ Be furious. Books had shown her that warriors turned to rage to overcome unfathomable odds. That’s precisely what she needed.”
“It has occurred to me that you, my dear, are unaware of your role. Look where you are: the stage. This is where we all are. The acts unfolding around us. Some we play an active part in, while others we stand at the sidelines waiting for our entrance cue. The performance is only a successful, coherent piece if everyone assumes their roles properly. You aren't playing your part. Naughty, naughty.”
Review:
Now this book is not the type that I would typically read. I am not usually a fan of any historical reads however this book kept me guessing the whole time. In an attempt to not spoil the plot I will say that I really liked the gusto of the main character Lenora, It is repeatedly stated throughout the book that she is doing things that a woman should not do including simply taking over the estate of her father. But more than that I definitely feel like she represents some underlying strength that is constantly underestimated. The characters in this book have their faults but I can not express my adoration for Jacob enough he is loyal literally to a fault. This review would also not be complete without giving my love to the character Beef, he reminds me of someone I know who has a special place in my heart. Additionally Dr. Brechin or as he prefers to be called Elliot, reminds me that we are all just a little weird, his office of taxidermy, his lizard Harold, His lacking people skills, and his painted fingernails remind me a little of myself and truly bring his character to life.

Eloquent, suspenseful, and elegant.

The story was beautifully written and brings you into the a different world., where things work different than our world. The capability to inject stories into our minds is an interesting and unique way of establishing how the world works and where it is headed. The main protagonist is a a young lady who has high aspirations for herself but is thrown into a world in which she know very little about. She wants to save the world and make a name for herself but she doesn’t understand how truly dangerous and evil the world is. The mystery of her father’s death leads you through a series of twist and turns and you can’t help but fall in love with the characters. The ending leaves you wanting more and I can’t wait for a sequel. If you love mysteries, and steampunk this is the book for you.

This book is ambitious. It questions the importance of knowledge and how we receive the knowledge. It took me awhile to really get invested in the novel, although I tried. I just could not resonate with the main character.

In a world where you can read an entire book by injecting it and ash is falling from the skies, pure and utter chaos begins. Lenora is seeking questions about her father and The Age of Awareness. With a loyal friend and driver, Jacob, she navigates this insane world full of strange people and a circus! Oh, and Harold. HAROLD! I love Harold.

Well written and character driven, this was a great read and I highly recommend it! I already can’t wait to read more from this author.

Loved this so much. My review is live on Goodreads and I’ll be posting it on Amazon and social media as well

this was a great debut novel, I enjoyed the use of circuses and the way people interacted in this world. It had a great concept and worked in the horror and steampunk genre. Van Essler has a great writing style and I enjoyed how good it was. I'm excited to read more from the author, as I enjoyed this.

“So, you see, Miss Leahill, the cost of running the presses during both shifts, as well as the expense of staff, far outweighs any profits brought in.” Mr. Cobbet patted her hand. “This month two more papers have converted to Peritia-only, cutting profits further. It doesn’t make sense to keep running the houses any longer.” “And how long have they been unprofitable?” Lenora asked.