Get swept away by the New York Times bestseller that’s sold over 100,000 copies. As one by one her beautiful sisters mysteriously die on their isolated island estate, Annaleigh must unravel the curse that haunts her family. “Step inside a fairy tale.”—Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval“Haunting, atmospheric, and immersive.”—Bustle “Nothing short of both haunting and … Caraval
“Haunting, atmospheric, and immersive.”—Bustle
“Nothing short of both haunting and mesmerizing . . . a perfect step into escapism and away from real life.”—Hypable
In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there 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 her sister’s deaths were no accidents. The girls 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. House of Salt and Sorrows is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Be careful who you dance with…
And don’t miss Erin Craig’s Small Favors, a mesmerizing and chilling novel about dark wishes and even darker dreams.
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I never realized how much I wanted to step inside of a fairy tale.
Erin A Craig is now a one-click author for me. This book is like a 12 Dancing Princesses retelling, but with more murder, ghosts, and set in a world that’s all sea and salt and holy shit yes world-building. I really, really loved it. Couldn’t put it down.
The Twelve Dancing Princesses has always been one of my favorite fairy tales, and this was such a creepy retelling – elegant and decadent with a fantastic Gothic twist. The best way to describe this book is Caraval meets Netflix’s Haunting of Bly Manor. There are plenty of balls and beautiful dresses, but there are also some truly disturbing moments with dead sisters and haunting monsters. It’s a fairy tale that’s perfect for the Halloween season, with just enough of the nightmarish to keep the story fresh.
What a hauntingly beautiful story!!! This book reminds me of the gothic romances I read when I was a young teenager girl . Erin did a marvelous job writing a spooky tale with intriguing characters and a unique storyline. I did figure out early in the book the one behind all that befell this family,but it did not take away the pure enjoyment I got from reading this story. I was drawn to this cover from the beginning and knew I had to read it. I will definitely be keeping this writer on my radar, she is a fabulous storyteller. Until next time Luv’s
I don’t remember the story of Grimm fairy tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but the cover and description were compelling enough to draw me to this book.
This novel is very atmospheric, and leans toward the Gothic side. It’s an engrossing blend of mystery, secrets, magic, and gods, with a tinge of horror. When the ghostly visions began, I was all in, and the imagery is spectacular and chilling. I could easily picture Highmoor manor perched on a steep cliff overlooking the churning sea below.
When Annaleigh sets out to prove her sisters’ deaths were no accident, the author provides a long list of characters, all with motivation, and plenty of red herrings for distraction. Although the hints were there all along, I was a bit disappointed at a turn the story took, but near the end, along with Annaleigh, the reader isn’t sure what’s real and what isn’t.
With a suspenseful mystery, excellent characterization, and a Gothic atmosphere, House of Salt and Sorrows is a perfect book to curl up with on a stormy night.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
An unusual retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses in that the young women don’t just dance their slippers to rags, but someone is trying to eliminate them as well. This isn’t a light-hearted story–it uses some of the darker elements of fairy tales, the ones not allowed in the nursery. I found the ending satisfying and am looking forward to reading more by this author.
*Possible spoilers*
I love reading fairy-tale retelling and reading a 12 dancing princesses retelling was perfect.
The writing and the scenery was my favorite part, I felt like I was inside the story. I felt the salt in the air, the fear when meeting these demons, and the passion inside the ball scene. The way it was described by our main character was well-done and filled with emotions. The characters in this story are interesting and contributed in the story. I feared for their lies. Seeing the sisters stick together and mourn for their older sisters showed the different relationships each sister had. I found it beautiful and compelling.
The two things that bothered me in this book was how it was anti-climactic and I wasn’t a fan of the main character. Personally, the main character wasn’t so special and she was outshined by the other characters I’ve read. I liked her POV, but her personality was a bit bland. As for the story, I really enjoyed the concept and what was happening to the family, but when things were finally being revealed I was disappointed. I was a bit confused of what was being revealed and how everything was all an illusion. This kinda left some plot-holes in the story.
Overall, I still enjoyed the story and I am going to read more from this author.
House of Salt and Sorrows is a brilliant gothic reimagining that submerges the reader in the eerie atmosphere by the sea.
Kingdom By the Sea
Craig did a fantastic job building up the atmosphere with House of Salt and Sorrows. Annaleigh lives in a castle by the sea with her father and remaining sisters. Once there were twelve of them, but they have been slowly dying off since her mother’s death, leaving the islanders to believe that her family is cursed.
For Annaleigh, she believes something sinister is going on and is determined to begin investigating after the mysterious death of her older sister.
Soon, her sisters discover a door that leads them to a magical place where they begin to dance their nights away. However, nothing is as it seems.
There is something dark and sinister happening here with her sisters. The atmosphere is perfect, capturing the somber tone of Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee. Her scene structure, building up the island, the religion, the gods, captures the essence of Poe but makes something new.
This is a fairy tale retelling of The 12 Dancing Princesses, but the gothic atmosphere makes it something entirely new and unique. Craig submerges the reader in her gothic tale, to the point that the reader can feel the sea breeze; can taste the salt in the air. It is breathtaking to be taken to this world by the sea, to this castle and lighthouse — another Poe allusion – and to see the mystery unfold through the unsettling setting.
Always keep a light burning
house of salt and sorrows
Aside from the spectacular pacing, tensing, and atmosphere, there were also some great characterizations. Unfortunately, however, there were some less than great characters.
Annaleigh was a strong character. Seeing her move, becoming aware, and staying true to herself makes a compelling character. Even when everyone around her begins to doubt her sanity, she does not give up, does not stop investigating the sinister things happening in her home.
Of course, one of the more minor characters, Kasamaras, was even more incredible. Goddess of Madness and Nightmares only appears in the last quarter of the novel, but she makes an impression. It made me want more of her, more of her madness and chaos. She was brilliantly done, her and the other gods. In the end, I wanted so much more of her in the story.
This highlights Craig’s ability to use her storytelling to her advantage and make the characters impactful even when given such limited time in the story. In addition, she made the readers want more of the gods and more of the mythology, which helped create the intensity with the rising tension and character dynamics.
However, there were some issues with the family dynamics. The family dynamics were a little strained. Annaleigh’s older sister was intolerable. Her tone, her attitude, was unlikeable, and it left much to be desired.
Final Thoughts
House of Salt and Sorrows is spectacular. It reinvents a fairy tale while delving into a gothic fantasy that is breathtaking.
**I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.**
Deliciously dark and creepy fantasy, perfect for the spooky season! House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig swept me away to a castle on a secluded island where the daughters of a ruler are dying one by one. From the first page to the last, I found myself taken by the story, the characters, and the curse that haunts them. Told entirely from Annaleigh’s perspective, the story unfolds as she begins to suspect that her sister’s deaths are not the accidents they appear to be. Someone or something is haunting the Thaumas sisters, and Annaleigh is determined to solve the case.
What I Loved
-I adored Annaleigh and her sisters. The family dynamic after losing the four eldest sisters has shifted. The girls are all trying to find where they fit in their new roles as oldest. Every girl that remains is unique, not once did I find myself confused about which sister did what in the story. I loved the triplets and the Graces (the three youngest sisters). They completely stole my heart, and that may have been because we are inside Annaleigh’s head, seeing them and feeling what she is feeling.
-The mystery surrounding the family and the supposed curse made for a fast-paced read. I did not want to sit it down. It’s engaging and really makes you think and scrutinize the details. When I wasn’t actively reading the story, I was thinking about it, hashing out the details with Stephanie and Berls who I buddy read this with. Many predictions were made by all of us, and honestly none of us were right. The unpredictability of the mystery added to my enjoyment.
-This story is mostly psychological thriller, more than horror. Annaleigh is an unreliable narrator in that you never know if what she is seeing and reporting are actually happening. It adds to the tension of the story, letting your mind wander about what is happening, who is behind it, and can it be stopped. I personally loved this element!
-The setting of the story on an island nation is fantastic. They are an extension of the mainland, yet isolated and have their own customs. It’s reminiscent of late 1800s or early 1900s Greecian. There are gods and goddesses roaming the lands but also gas lamps and indoor plumbing. It’s an interesting world, one I’d love to revisit in additional stories if the author chose to write them.
What Left Me Wanting
Not much, honestly. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. My only complaint (if it can be called that) is the amount of gore which served as the horror aspect of the story. At times, it felt appropriate, especially when Annaleigh is seeing what she believes are ghosts, but at others it was there for the “shock and awe” factor. Despite that, it works well with the story and overall mystery that Annaleigh is chasing.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I really liked House of Salt and Sorrows. The mystery, the madness, the gore, all of it makes for a dark fantasy tale that is unputdownable. Deliciously dark and only mildly horrific, House of Salt and Sorrows will leave readers pondering the details long after they hit the end. I highly recommend it for fantasy readers who enjoy a thrill and mystery.
This book was messy and not in the best way. The plot was really confusing and did not reveal all the mysteries. Also, I think that there should have been more world-building involving the gods. Regarding the characters, I noticed that Annaleigh’s actions towards her stepmother were inconsistent. First, she would be kind to her, and the next moment she would hate her. It was hard to empathize with her because of it. However, the rest of the characters were okay. Honestly, I think that the idea behind this story is great, but it lacked more development. I truly hope that other people like it more than I do.
An eerie, lovely Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling full of ghosts and gods and a fascinating waterfront world and I’m reading it from behind my fingers.
The House of Salt and Sorrows is a entertaining, Poe- like, romantic gothic. Twelve sisters that seem doomed to die untimely deaths. When the book opens, you find out that four of the sisters have already passed away and that the rest of the sisters seem to be cursed to follow. Along with that their father, who has recently remarried is being influenced by his new wife with what the main protagonist feels is disrespect to those that have passed away. As the story progresses, the mystery progresses with supernatural tones and gothic frights. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I was so excited to read this book. The first half flew by. The scenery, the dead sisters, the super cool world that this takes place in…all fantastic.
Then things started to go downhill. The story became jumbled and hard-to-follow in some parts. The ultimate conclusion (the reason behind why things were happening the way they were), made very little sense as two of the three antagonists were NEVER mentioned before! We get to the climax of the situation and find out who is making things happen, and then you go,
“Huh??”
I seriously thought I had missed something! It really takes you out of the story when you feel like you missed a major element.
The other two big ‘surprises’ were very predictable. I figured them both out well before they were revealed. Who the third antagonist was (the person who set into motion all the terrible things carried out by the two other people) as well as the character who isn’t who they seem to be.
I apologize if this review doesn’t make much sense, however I’m trying to explain why I didn’t love it without giving anything away.
Overall though, while I enjoyed the story as a whole, I feel it was a little sloppily done near the end. Giving some prior background to the two ‘bad guys’ would have made a WORLD of difference when the whole story was finally revealed.
Annaleigh used to be one of twelve sisters, but one by one they are mysteriously dying. Most of their small island village believe the girls are cursed and with her youngest sister drawing ghosts, Annaleigh is almost inclined to agree. But curse or no, the more she thinks about her sisters’ deaths the more she is convinced they were murdered by someone or something. The closer she gets to the truth, however, the more she puts herself at risk of being the next one to die.
This book was so good! It had aspects of horror, mystery, fantasy and romance, all mixed together for an interesting story with plenty of twists. The writing style was easy to read and held my attention well. While some parts of the plot were relatively predictable, some of the twists took me completely by surprise. I definitely recommend this book!
I really enjoyed the tone of this book! The characters were so fun and full of heart, but most of all I love the undertone of magic that builds in the crescendo of this story. The pro is a bit of a brainy Braveheart, which I loved that about her, and how she goes about solving the mystery behind her sisters’ deaths. Thumbs up.
Retellings are my jam and when you mix it with romance and mystery, 10/10 recommend! It was so intriguing and the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The creepiness just added to the whole vibe of the story. It was my first 12 Dancing Princesses retelling and I can’t wait to read more!
This book was hauntingly beautiful. I loved the gothic feel to this book and how dark it was. The character were all very well thought out and I loved the mystery behind the plot. The ending was not what I expected it to be and neither was the last half of the book if I am honest.
I had no idea when I started this book that I would be reading a retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses”. I was immediately immersed in this story full mystery and gothic descriptions. I connected with Annaleigh and her bond with her sisters. I was rooting her along as she put the pieces together to find out the mystery behind her sisters’ deaths. I had many emotions throughout reading this story and could not wait to see what came next!
HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS is the debut novel from author Erin A. Craig. For a first book, I don’t think it could get much better than this.
While it is described as a retelling of a fairy tale called “The Twelve Dancing Princesses”, I was completely unfamiliar with this origin story, and so went into this novel without any idea of what to expect.
“. . . My sister just died. I don’t exactly feel like dancing.”
We begin with only eight remaining Princesses living at Highmoor, a manor by the sea. Their mother died years before, shortly after birthing the youngest, Verity. The four older sisters–Ava, Octavia, Elizabeth, and Eulalie–had all died peculiar deaths recently. The remaining sisters, their father, Duke Ortun, his very young new bride, Morella, a nurse Hanna, and various servants made up the Thaumas household.
“Eulalie was fine, until she wasn’t.”
Despite the large cast of main characters–and additional ones brought in–I didn’t have any trouble keeping track of who was who. Most of the story is from the viewpoint of the, now second oldest daughter, Annaleigh; however, we get to know the thoughts and beliefs of the others.
“Which one of us would be next?”
While very emotional in some parts, I felt the pervading atmosphere to be that of a deadly mystery, injected with dark humor and some playful banter. For girls who have some thinking they are cursed, they move on remarkably well. Considering all the death they’ve endured, it felt “natural” at this point that some would wish to move on.
“. . . She’s been in mourning since the day she was born . . . ”
Th dynamics between the sisters constituted some of my favorite parts. Some were obviously closer than others, and a few–especially the youngest, Verity–were constantly reminding me that this was a horrific tale overall. The banter and easy manner with which they grew accustomed to a fairly isolated island life was spellbinding.
“And I’m sure your sisters are tired of being dead, but that’s how it is! . . .”
This story did take some very unexpected turns–and for this, I am glad I went into it without a hint of knowledge of the original fairy tale. There were some major twists I predicted, but that didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book at all. Craig has a wonderful, compelling writing style, and I am greatly looking forward to her next novel.
Highly recommended.
House of Salt and Sorrows is a hauntingly beautiful story written by Erin A. Craig. It starts off with a funeral ceremony so I guessed it would be dark. It resembles the story of twelve dancing princesses but with an eerie twist. It has curses, nightmares, ghosts, and many more elements enough to feel creepy.
Annaleigh, a beautiful girl lives in high moor a manor by the sea along with her 12 sisters, father, and her stepmother. She is happy but that happiness doesn’t last long as four of her elder sisters die one by one and the family is termed as cursed by the people in the town.
Disturbed by the ghostly visions Annaleigh starts doubting that the deaths of her sisters were no accidents. Things take a new turn when the sisters discover the secret door in the caves which leads them to new balls each day. Night after night the sisters go dancing without anyone suspecting them.
A mysterious stranger named Cassius enters the town and comes face to face with annaleigh. Though he is handsome and appears to be a simple passer-by his appearance in one of the dances confuses annaleigh and she starts doubting the existence of the balls.
All the characters are written beautifully, especially the bonding between the triplets. Verity, the youngest of all is treated like her own child by annaleigh. With their stepmother being pregnant and their father trying to hide his grief by avoiding his children, the girls seek comfort in the balls they attend each night.
The story goes on slowly and then suddenly there is a lot of strange occurrences and it all happens so fast that we might need some time to grasp all of it. One might actually say that this is the spooky version of the twelve dancing princesses.
Overall the story is good but, it feels like all the twists are forcefully stuffed in the end. Like the author wanted to write a long novel but then had to end it abruptly. Would recommend it to those who enjoy eerie and intriguing stories.