Though slow moving at times this is a very fascinating historical crime novel. There are a few curveballs thrown in there ,just for fun. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery! 

Thank you to netgalley for this copy in return for my review.

dnf :( unfortunately I couldn't get into this one. It was pretty slow and I couldn't really get into the characters. I think you'd maybe like this more if you enjoyed Stalking Jack the Ripper.

Opium and Absinthe provided the perfect combination of romance and historical fiction. I found both the plot and characters incredibly engaging, and truly appreciated the way Kang was able to create such wonderful imagery of this time period!

I enjoyed Opium and Absinthe from start to finish! I thought Tillie was a dynamic character, because even though she was an addict I still rooted for her. Lydia Kang did a fantastic job with all the characters in this novel. I was invested in everyone from Tillie to Ada. She handled Tillie’s addiction with precision. It didn’t happen instantly. And ultimately, Tillie was the only one who could overcome it. I think so often in novels the addict overcomes because of their love interest, and while that’s sweet, it’s also an unhealthy idea. I appreciated that Tillie got clean for her own reasons that didn’t have much to do with romance.

The way she incorporated Dracula into this story was so fun! And tagging along with Tillie and Ian on their investigation gave off these cool vintage true crime vibes. I loved it! I also found myself looking up some of the treatments mentioned in this book just to see if they really happened. Bayer Heroin?! Opium injections with dirty needles?! Cooking blood to ingest it?! I think Kang’s experience in the medical field is what gave this story an extra shine.

My only complaint was the ending. I could tell it was going to be a quick wrap up before I even got to the end. And it wasn’t a bad ending by any means, I only wish there had been more. And is that really a bad problem to have at the end of a good book? Overall I think  Opium and Absinthe can be a hit for lovers of mystery and historical fiction.

This was the first book I have read by this author but will not be the last. I really enjoyed the story and had to keep reminding myself of the time period the book is set in and that this explains away the reasoning and rationale of the constant drug abusive the book concerns as at that point in History this was the norm. The storyline is well written and the characters well thought out and considered. I would heartily recommend this book to all who enjoy a good read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. The world building of Ms. Kang was extremely well done.  I was pleased with the level of effort put into making this realistic.  While I did certainly enjoy Tilly, I always love the scrappy heroine who knows too much, I just had a difficult time getting into this book.  For me, there were the beginning to something great here, but it was almost as though the author Was rolling a d20 to see just how much adversity she could throw at the main character. Just how impossible she could make it for her.  There is a suspension of disbelief to a point with any book like this but for me I couldn’t get past it all. 
The world building as I said was lovely, some of the characters were truly excellent. This just wasn’t the book for me.

What a bizarre novel. It's taken me some real reflection to decide what I thought of it and I've settled on a 3 out of 5 - not bad by any means, but I have too many issues with it to give it a higher rating.

This was the first book I requested after joining NetGalley and, on reading the first chapter, I felt I'd made a mistake: I had thought I was reading a historical mystery novel, but this was clearly Victorian-set chick-lit, with a light tone and a heroine whose clumsiness and social ineptitude gets her into all manner of humorous scrapes. The tone of the first chapter is so at odds with the rest of the book that I wouldn't blame a reader who gave up after reading it. As the story continues, it becomes more what I expected: a murder mystery set against a backdrop of turn-of-the-century New York society, as Bram Stoker's Dracula helps fan vampire fever amongst the general population. The plot follows our heroine Tillie - at times an amusing and relatable character, though at others she leans too far into the 'not like other girls' trope, with the author making it overly obvious that she is the only quirky and inquisitive young woman amid vapid fashion-obsessed friends - and her friend Ian, a newsie who helps her to investigate the apparently vampiric murder of her sister. It's well-plotted, with a denouement that is unpredictable but makes sense with everything that has led up to it.

The writing itself struck me as another oddity of this novel. I read a lot of historical fiction, including historical crime, and the tone of the writing is generally mature. Especially with the vampire element, I expected a dark and adult tone - this felt at times like YA writing. Tillie is slightly older than the average YA protagonist, but her somewhat sheltered upbringing means she comes across as young - I would have guessed around sixteen. As well as dealing with her investigation, she also faces multiple suitors and considers whether she ought to go to college in the future - plot points I'd expect from YA. I teach teenagers, and despite the book featuring violence of many kinds, it is sufficiently non-explicit that there is nothing in this that would make me think it was inappropriate if a thirteen-year-old produced this as their reading book.

The setting was evocative - I'm a Brit who has never set foot in the USA, so I can't comment on the accuracy of the descriptions of New York, but I found it easy to envisage the environments in which Tillie found herself.

Despite my issues with it, it was a very easy read - I finished it in three sittings, and it kept me invested enough that there was no question of me giving up on it without finding out the killer's identity and motives. Three stars - slightly above average - seems a fair rating to me for a book which held my interest but failed to deliver on the tone and characterisation that I - and, I suspect, most readers of historical crime fiction - would expect from the genre.

Tilly is a young and interesting woman from 19. century era, and when her perfect sister Lucy is found dead, she immediately thinks that the murderers were vampires. She also battles her own demones, addiction to opiates due to her recent accident.

For me it was description and cover love for the first sight. As a fan of Bram Stoker and Ann Rice and all other vampire themed literature I've enjoyed the book even it was a little slow for me and I recommend it.

Thrillingly told, with snippets from the original 'Dracula', Opium and Absinthe is not to be missed.

I admit that it was cover love at first sight when I saw Opium And Absinthe, but I was completely sold as soon as I read the blurb. I've enjoyed Lydia Kang's books, including The Impossible Girl, in the past, and another historical setting with a medical twist sounded simply fantastic. On top of that, Opium And Absinthe promises to present us with a fantasy/horror retelling element involving Bram Stoker's Dracula, which had me even more excited. I know I'm basically allergic to vampire stories, but I did actually enjoy the original Dracula classic and I have to say that I really liked how Lydia Kang decided to incorporate this element into her story. It definitely ended up being one of the things that stood out for me!

That said, despite having high expectations for this story, somehow it didn't work as well as I thought it would for me. I'm struggling to point out exactly why, but I'll try to explain below. Part of the reason probably has to do with the slow pace as well as a bit of a repetitive plot with surprisingly dull moments. The slower pace made it harder to stay focused, and the lack of surprises and dull moments didn't help either of course. I know that the book is set in 1899 and things were different back then (I actually enjoyed those historical descriptions), but the plot was just too repetitive and dull for me and it didn't manage to engage me as I thought it would.

I also struggled with the constant repetition of the opium, morphine and even heroin use as well as the focus on just how dependent the main character Tilly becomes on it as it starts taking over her life and actions. While in a way realistically portrayed, I felt like it was turned into too much of a cliche and I didn't feel like I was able to get to know the character too well due to this focus on Tillie's spiralling addiction and the other characters both reacting to and fomenting said addiction. The characters themselves are not likeable at all (with the exception of Ian maybe) and as a result I struggled to connect to them. The main focus is on Tillie, and I found her to be too frustrating to really care for her and once again I found the focus on her substance abuse to be too much of a cliche and it took away the focus from more interesting elements such as the investigation into Lucy's death, the medical details and the vampire element.

I confess that I saw most of the plot twists coming from a mile away, although I did manage to stumble upon one or two surprises. This wasn't enough to make up for the things that didn't work for me though. I liked the historical setting, the Dracula element and the investigation into Lucy's death as well as the medical details... But the slow pace, the repetitive and sometimes dull plot and constant focus on the substance abuse instead of a proper focus on character and plot development ended up being mostly a letdown for me.

Oh to be a high society female in 1889 is hillarious where to think independently for yourself is considered " Female hysteria" instead of wanting more then to get married to someone rich as you or your equal and have kids to continue that bloodline.

Mathilda Pembroke and Her sister Lucy ( The perfect one) because Mathilda is more questioning everything such as why I guess you call that a curious mind. Instead of a dutiful daughter and constient. Takes place in New york when mysterious and sad circumstances happen. Bram Stoker's Dracula is mentioned and compared a lot which is really appealing to me.

It points out opiod addictions and there use ( to keep women in check or to get rid of reality) What is reality and what is fantasy ? They also talk about abinsthe alot which was very popular in the writing and acting scene especially around early 1900's. Aka  the green fairy. New york Immigrant culture is mentioned alot for historical accuracy.

I was given this Arc by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A terrific book that had me hooked right from the beginning. It features a strong, if flawed, heroine and a fascinating, detailed look at life in Gilded Age Manhattan. As a murder mystery, it has many twists and turns, which are resolved in intelligent, satisfying ways. I really enjoyed “A Beautiful Poison” by Lydia Kang, and this book is reminiscent of that one in the setting and use of old-fashioned medical practices.

For me this was very much a fun read.
Tillie was a spirited character,who over the course of the book becomes one of the biggest drug takers I can think of,yet still functions almost normally.
Blending a murder with the recently released Dracula was a great idea...
All loose ends were neatly tied by the end,with no major surprises.
An enjoyable read. I'll look out for this author again.

A fun vampire read that I really enjoyed! The story was gripping and the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat! I absolutely love vampires, and I'm so happy to see that they have been making a comeback in YA/NA lately. Opium and Absinthe wasn't your typical vampire cheesiness, but it still had all of the classic elements that I know and love.

My only complaint was that the characters were somewhat flat.

Other than that, this book was an utter delight!

I don't even know where to begin with this book, but I can say right off the bat that I couldn't put it down. The main character is Tillie Pembroke, an upper-class New Yorker doing her best to survive as a woman of means at the end of the 19th century. Trying to free herself from the familial and societal restraints placed upon her, she ends up in the role of investigative journalist and crime sleuth extraordinaire, all while juggling a fresh opium addiction and suitors vying for her hand.

If that sounds hokey, I assure you it does not come across that way in the actual telling. Tillie's growth throughout the course of the novel is engaging, and the historical touches throughout really make the setting come alive. In the end, it is a compelling murder mystery saturated in Dracula references and intriguing medical history. If Tillie and Co. were to return in the form of a series, I would not be upset.

I thoroughly enjoyed being taken away to a different time in this charming novel. Things get going right from the start with Tillie breaking a bone and her sister Lucy being murdered. Due to the broken bone, Tillie develops an addiction to laudanum and then morphine which makes her investigation of what happened to her sister complicated.  However there is more than her addiction complicating things, her standing makes moving about and meetings with Ian even more difficult.

I loved the vampire aspect and how that fit in the setting and time. There are quotes from Dracula throughout that added to the charm and mystery. But the strength for me was in the characters. Of course Tillie was my favorite but all of the secondary characters had draws and motivations that made them come to life. The grandmother gave me the shivers, and I could imagine her presence making everyone shrink back. The pace was snappy making it a fast read for me that is easy to recommend.

I love a story with a strong heroine... this did not disappoint! I found it interesting how this young woman found creative ways to fight the confines and limitations of her time for the greater good and to satisfy her very curious nature. I will read more from this author!

A very enjoyable read. I love reading books set in Victorian times and this was the perfect mesh of mystery, paranormal and romance. A beautifully detailed way to see 1899 New York. I felt that it was accurately painted. The author did an excellent job with her characters, making them detailed and interesting. The plot was well developed and although not a fast-moving book, it holds your interest and doesn't let go.

The main protagonist, Tillie, is wonderfully curious, extremely resourceful, makes blunders and yet follows through. She persistently attempts to locate her sister's killer, despite an injury to her collarbone, addiction to her painkiller and being restricted by the confines of being a woman in the Victorian era. A very resourceful young lady.

My favorite quote? "You'll learn how to survive this, Matilda. No woman lives a life unscathed. It's what makes us strong. We are broken and mended, remade every time. We must, or it destroys us." How prophetic Tillie's grandmother's words are. I definitely recommend this book.

I would like to thank Lydia Kang, Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the second book by this author and this book has now made me a huge fan. 
A historical friction / mystery and a huge page turner !

Interesting historical fiction/ murder mystery. Very well written! 
Once I started reading, I found myself fully engaged and couldn't put it down! 
I loved the well written characters and the plot was great!
4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley the publisher and author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.