I expected something great from Kylie Lee Baker, but Japanese Gothic still managed to exceed my expectations in every possible way. I’m still reeling from this story. The way it weaves together the lives of Lee Turner in 2026 and Iwasaki Sen in 1877 through a mysterious door in a haunted house is so brilliant. The dual timeline, the connections, the complexity, everything just wowed me. I will need a long time to unpack everything it threw at me. I love the kinds of books you want to start reading all over again the moment you reach the last page. It had a grip on me from page one and didn’t lose me for a single line. The horror is so subtle that at times I wasn’t even sure it was a horror story. The eerie atmosphere, the slow reveal of dark secrets, and the heartbreaking connections between the characters pulled me deeper into the unease with every chapter. The way Baker plays with perception, memory, and the idea of being haunted, both literally and figuratively, is genius. The way the story touches on themes like guilt, trauma and absolution is heartbreaking. And the ending - even more stuff to think about. My thoughts are not coherent yet, but I know this is a 5/5 stars highlight for me. Thank you to @NetGalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC! #JapaneseGothic #Bookstagram #NetGalley