The one that gets darker with every page: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig (Book Review) @PRHGlobal #partner #Fantasy

GIFTED / I am so happy to bring you my review for the book that blew my mind with it’s originality.
The House of Salt and Sorrows was published on August 6th 2019 by Delacorte Press and it has 416 pages.
I want to thank the team from Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

Review:

House of Salt and Sorrows is a hot topic ever since it came out, and it was hyped for months before it’s release.
I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to read it via Netgalley and I can tell you, I completely understand where the hype comes from.

This story really impressed me and even though it is a retelling of a tale of Twelve Dancing Princesses I would say it is one of the most unique books that I have read in the past few months. However, I have to stress out that I am not familiar with the original fairy tale nor did I watch the Barbie movie.

The atmosphere was spooky and I loved it so much. I like how the story became darker and darker as it progressed, that closer to the end it even had some horror elements.
The atmosphere was my favorite part of the novel.

What I found funny was how at some points Highmoor people gave me that Greyjoy vibes (Game of Thrones reference), and it almost felt like they were cousins (their funeral rituals are so similar that I couldn’t help myself but laugh, but in a good way).

The main character Annaleigh was likeable and it was easy to connect with her. I enjoyed following the story from her perspective and I also really liked her relationship with her older sister Camilla.
I was also fascinated with their stepmother and wanted to know more about her.
As for other characters, I have to admit that I wish they had more substance to them, because they felt pretty much dull and I had hard time to recognize one sister from the other.

One of the big reveals (how they went to the dances) blew my mind and in my opinion, it was the best part of the story.

I was also very happy with the way this story ended, including all the dark and spooky elements.

I really enjoyed reading House of Salt and Sorrows and I would like to read other work by Erin A. Craig.

I highly recommend this one to lovers of young adult fantasy and spooky stories.