Review: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

Book Blurb:

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.

Find out more about the House of Salt and Sorrows on Goodreads

My Review:

4 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Fairytale, Ghosts, Mystery, Retelling, Romance, Royal-Court, Scary, Supernatural, Teen--

Annaleigh is tired of having her sisters die, her life has been spent in mourning and she wants the death to end before it claims any more. When her mother in law announces she is pregnant, and with a son no less, her father decides it is time for celebration. His daughters need shoes, beautiful dancing shoes, but he doesn't know what they are using them for...or where they are going.

I am always on the prowl for retellings (I am a sucker for fairytales) and I was excited to find that this was a new version of the 12 Dancing Princesses. I thought this was a fantastic way to have the bare bones of that fairytale but in this new dark and scary version! Yep, I said it- House of Salt and Sorrow was dark and creepy, full of death and shadows, misdirection, vivid imagery, and it made me terrified to read it at night. I had no idea what to expect when I started the book, but this was not it and I mean that in the best of ways. The author sucked me into this world and kept me guessing, no idea what was up or down, what was a true or imagined, who was telling the truth- it was perfect! And there was a swoony romance sprinkled within the horror, just the way I like my stories. I have no idea how this was a debut book because the author seemed like a season pro with her plot twists and descriptive imagery as well as her unique world building.

Overall this was a great read, so unexpected and engaging. The author was able to create something so new and unlike anything I read before and I can't wait to read what she comes up with next. I highly recommend this for fans of dark fantasy, YA reads, retellings and mystery.