The concept really intrigued me, but the execution didn't work for me. It was a DNF for me.

Sorry for the delayed review. I'm working on clearing out my Netgalley backlog.

i dont even know what i read when i read this book. i love horror and retellings, but this was something i didn't enjoy.

Hey!

Oh boy, I know two reviews in less than one week. What can I say… I’m on a role. Now, do you like horror? Do you like things that go bump in the night? How about Grimm’s fairy tales but darker… Yes its possible. This book was provided to me by NetGalley. Here is my honest review.

First, here’s the synopsis. People in the town of Deer Park, Texas are vanishing. There is a strange museum, known as Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault, that appears overnight. Perrie Madeline’s best friend and ex-boyfriend are among the missing. Perrie and her friend August go on a pursuit for them in the mysterious museum. Could the elusive Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault have anything to do with the disappearances?

Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault is the start of a thrilling duology full of magic, danger, and romance.

The first thing I would like to mention about this story is that it is very, very repetitive. But if you persevere you reap the rewards. For instance our Main Character’s… They seem to forget important details extremely easily and seem very easily distarcted and this, at points, ruins the mood that was created.

The genres of this book are Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. The fantasy aspect I understood more or less straight away. Horror took a while to kick in. By a while, I mean almost all of the book. You get through about 97% of the book and you still can’t figure out how the Main Character’s are going to get out of the mess that they have been sucked into… Literally.

As much as I love the idea of the Main Character’s being thrown around all of these exhibits with no way out, I would have liked to see a subtle change from the last. Other than the change to the story, or fairy tale, there is no change to the circumstances. They are stuck in this place and they are being hunted. The problem is that it isn’t really gripping until the end.

The description and the way its all portraied is brilliant. You don’t feel scared until the author really wants you to and even then the horror is ramped up and the whole thing does a 180 degree flip. The end is so clean and brilliant that I had no idea it was happening until it had happened. By this point you realise its to late for any of the Main Characters.

The plot reminds me a little of Caraval but with a ridiculous twist that you don’t expect. The whole story is very clever and different. It’s such a new and gripping idea in the end.

Grimm’s fairytales gets even more grim, with horrific twists that will leave you trusting no one in the tale.

For this review I give the book: 4 stars.

I loved this book so much! I loved the characters and the world! I would and have recommended this book to all my friends.

DNF. Unfortunately just didn't end up being the book for. Apologies for not being able to deliver a proper review.

A marvellous, dark twist of classic stories, fairy tales and legends that leaves a lasting, positive impression!
​
Perrie Madeline has a pretty ordinary life and very ordinary problems until the strange museum Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault appears in her two of Deer Park overnight. When people start mysteriously disappearing and both her best friend and ex-boyfriend join the missing person’s list, Perrie vows to discover the truth no matter what it takes. The problem is she soon realises that it takes a lot more than she believes. Together with her friend August, Perrie goes in search of her friends inside the museum only to find themselves locked out of their world and trapped in a world of magic and madness. Will they be able to discover the missing people or will they become the next in the missing-persons list?

A peculiar, highly enjoyable novel! It’s the type of book that seems predictable but in the end, makes you fall down the dark rabbit hole into a world where “happily ever after” turns into one of the most horrific fictional worlds possible. It’s not for the faith of heart though. If you want to keep a good image of the stories you know, I strongly advise you not to read it. From the Little Mermaid cutting off her own tale to Pinocchio sowing a suit of human flesh to dress his wooden body, this tale is very far from being a happy one.

The characters are solid and well developed. The main female character, Perrie is very well explored and her way of being and acting make a believable character, almost real. Her troubled family life and the first scenes of that life make you feel for her, it’s easy to understand her occasional rudeness, and her determination to keep the barriers around herself tightly closed. She’s far from being perfect; she often runs from confrontation and hides when she feels uncomfortable. Ultimately, she is sincere and she truly cares about her friends. She grows in a steady rhythm throughout the story but there’s still a lot of ground to work on when it comes to character development. Maisie, Perrie’s cousin and best friend, is a great secondary character. I couldn’t help but connect with her, it’s like she floats through the story but at the same time, she’s very realistic. Her relationship with Perrie is very pleasant to read about and I truly felt that they complete each other nicely.

The plot goes from predictable to full of twists and turns. The beginning starts at a slow pace, almost convincing you that you know exactly what’s going to happen and then it throws you into a loop. For me, the excitement started after they enter the museum. You spend a great part of the book not knowing what to expect and it makes it almost impossible to put down. The ending was brilliant. Nothing satisfies me more than an end with no loose ends and Robinson gives the perfect one to her readers. At the same time, she prepares the stage of the next instalment.

The style of writing is good but there is room for improvement. The language is simple and the transition between the flashbacks and the present are well made. You don’t lose track of the characters or the story in the process. On the other hand, there’s an unbalance with the descriptions. First, there is lack of depth when it comes to describing feelings and the reaction to the surroundings. The characters should describe what they feel, so the user feels them too and connects better with the said character. Here, that didn’t happen. But then, Robinson explores the gruesome scenes in a very detailed way. I think the author needs to explore the emotional expression of the characters more, not just by saying it but by living it in a way. Then the connection between the reader and the story would definitely improve.

Overall, a great book and a refreshing storyline that I will remember. I recommend it to the fans of the horror genre mixed with a re-told version of the known fairytales and legends.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher The Parliament House and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

This book was sort of confusing for me and it was difficult to follow along. I will not be writing a review.

This book was...confusing. *Caution: SPOILERS AHEAD* The premise of "Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault" is really creative and intriguing. The execution could've been better.

The writing and character dialogue is stilted and juvenile, especially during the first section of the book before they go into the vault. Based on that, I thought, OK this must be for a younger audience than I thought (despite the characters being seniors in high school; I was trying to give it the benefit of the doubt). But then later, Robinson drops in some curse words and adult-ish themes, so then, no it's not for a younger audience I guess? Confusing and inconsistent.

When Perrie and August enter the vault, the story really picks up and the mystery builds, and it really pulls you in. Unfortunately, it ends really abruptly and not much is explained - for example, <spoiler>why did Vale choose Perrie? Why trick her for months on end? And if Perrie was the main target, why did he take Josslyn and the college guy, who Perrie didn't know?</spoiler> I understand this is the first book in a series, so hopefully it will be more fleshed-out in the next book.

I often like horror books but this was not one of them, apparently.

This story was rather addicting, I just needed to know what was going to happen next. I even managed to read it in one sitting and that doesn’t happen often to me. The beginning of the book was boring and slow. It basically introduced the characters and their situations, I didn’t care much about that if I’m being honest. Once the retellings start it gets much more interesting and it becomes impossible to put this book down. The retellings were amazingly creepy and I greatly enjoyed them! I wish there were even more of them, as they were definitely my favourite part of the book.

The characters were bland, I don’t feel like any of them developed in any way and they weren’t really memorable either. There wasn’t a single character that I particularly cared about. I just cared about the story as I wanted to know what was actually going on in that museum. There was also kind of a love triangle thing happening (somewhat?) and as you may know I tend to very much dislike those as well.

Now onto the two of the biggest problems that I had with this book.

First there was an instance of ACEPHOBIA at the beginning of this book. (I believe in the first 5 to 7 %) Our main character, Perrie thinks this while describing her best friend:

“Maisie gets plenty of offers from both guys and girls, but as I have come to realize, there’s no one like her. Sometimes, I think she’s asexual like certain plants.”

Everything is fine, aside from the last part. “Certain plants” was seriously unnecessary and could have easily not been mentioned. As this is an ARC that I read I hope that the finished edition doesn’t have this. It put a bad taste in my mouth immediately and honestly I’m happy that it was the only instance of it.

The second problem was the TOKENISM. Maisie, the best friend of Perrie, is biracial. Her father is from somewhere in the Middle East. And I’m wording it like that because we have no idea where he is actually from, as it’s only referenced in passing. Nothing else indicated that Maisie was biracial, I honestly forgot that she was while I was reading the book.

Overall this book didn’t impress me. I expected a lot more from it and was left rather disappointed. I honestly wouldn’t recommend this book.

I think that this book is brimming with potential. There was a lot I liked, and a lot that I think with some fine tuning could become GREAT. What initially grabbed my attention was the description that it blended a bit of horror and retelling, two things that define all that is good in the world! I definitely felt that inspiration. What I also really enjoyed was the pacing - it was fast, chaotic, and fun! I will absolutely be keeping an eye out for this author in the future. 3.5!

I enjoyed this fairy tale fantasy. It is quite dark in places but I wouldn't call it horror. I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

I'm not usually a YA fan but I really quite enjoyed this.

There's a good mix of humour, mystery, excitement, bit of violence, friendships and love. It's a very quick read and that's because of how well it flows. It is a very well done story.

Looking forward to the 2nd book now!

Oh, dear! I'm in love with a YA book yet again.

It's always a pleasure to find a gem among all the unnecessary angst out there, in the genre.

"Some see it... Some don't...

People in the town of Deer Park, Texas are vanishing. There is a strange museum, known as Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault, that appears overnight. Perrie Madeline's best friend and ex-boyfriend are among the missing. Perrie, along with her friend August, go on a pursuit to search for them in the mysterious museum. Could the elusive Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault have anything to do with their disappearances?

A book that intertwines horror elements and retellings, with humor and darkness."

One of the best things about this book is that Perrie is not a virgin. Yes, she dared have sex!

Mind you, this is not erotica. It's safe to be read by a teenager. Just that you don't get the naive virgin who's silly and wanders all day if the guy likes her or not. She even dares leave her first lover, and I like that in Perrie. A relationship gone bad is not the end of the world, and we all can start all over again (and again, if necessary).

Perrie is also a kick-arse lady without being the typical hero. She gets scared, and takes it from there. Also, the moment she gets face to face with Vale is utter perfection. I didn't see that coming. Kudos to Candace Robinson for that.

That said, is the next book out yet?

P.S. Telling you the real reason why I love this book would be a huge spoiler!

I got this book through NetGalley to review. There are some interesting concepts in this book but the writing style comes off as very juvenile despite all the gore and young adult aged characters. In the end I just could not get past the poor writing.

The book is basically about some characters that get lost in a strange museum which transports them from one horrific fairy tale to another. All the fairy tales are grounded in tales most people are familiar with but they have ghastly twists to them. It reminds me a bit of Adam Gidwitz’s A Tale Dark and Grimm series which I absolutely loved.

As mentioned above the writing is very juvenile sounding. There is very little description and the words and phrases used are very simple. This makes the dialogue between characters sound stiff and stilted and made the story flow poorly. You never really get to know the characters and their fumbling from scene to scene comes off as just that...fumbling.

For a story with such a simple and juvenile writing style it is very gory. However because of lack of description even the really gory scenes come off as a bit cartoonish. They mostly left me rolling my eyes at the unintended silliness of it all rather than breathless with fear.

It is isn’t until the last few pages that the story actually gets interesting. In the last few pages the premise is expanded on a lot and much of what has been happening is explained. It’s all kind of out of the blue but could make for further interesting stories. I almost wish the whole book had been from Vale’s perspective rather than Perrie’s it would have been much more interesting. This book went from 2 stars to 3 stars in the last 10 pages for me.

Overall this was an okay book but it had some issues. My main issue is the very juvenile and stark writing style coupled with the gory YA storyline; it just doesn’t flow well and feels off. Everything sounds stiff and stilted and scenes are hard to picture because of lack of description. I do like some of the concepts behind this story and am slightly curious as to where the story will go. However, I am not curious enough to suffer through more of this writing style.

If you are interested in this sort of fairy tale retelling meets horror mash-up I would strongly recommend reading Adam Gidwitz’s A Tale Dark and Grimm series; that is an awesome series with a lot of fun and unique ideas and a writing style the flows well and is engaging.

Can I tell you how much I adore creepy books? This one sounded VERY creepy so I just had to request it. And man it didn't disappoint. The characters could have used just a little more to them but all in all, they were pretty well formed etc. I loved the twists and turns this one has especially the ending and I really can't wait for book two!! This is one that although it was self-published it shouldn't be missed it's a real gem that I couldn't put down and would love to have on my shelf.

I picked up Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault as soon as it was released after reading the blurb and viewing the cover. I love retellings and the idea of intermixed horror really pulled me in. I’m amazed at how perfectly matched this cover is after reading the story.

The story starts out with the main character Perrie and her cousin Maisie. They are really close and live next door to each other. Perrie is thinking about what she wants to do with her life while juggling the mystery that’s going on around town with people who are just disappearing without a trace. Everything is uncertain and one day while driving down Oak Street with Maisie and their friend August, something strange appears. A building they’ve never seen before. A building that is there one moment, and gone the next.

Nobody knows what’s going on with the mysterious building, but as more people start to disappear, Perrie and August begin to search for answers. As they enter the Vault world, they are unable to leave and have to discover a way out. This is where the story takes off and becomes an adventure like no other. A nightmare that you just want to get out of. There were some really grotesque parts in the story when the horror came in. I liked the addition of the horror paired with the fairy tales and romance because it really makes the book unique.

I personally liked the story and there were some surprises that I totally unexpected, including an interesting twist at the end. I love the way this author writes and this was a fast- paced read that kept me interested. I found only a few parts of the story a tad boring, but then it picks back up again and leaves you wanting answers. Anyone who enjoys retellings and horror will love this book.

I can’t wait for the second book in the series! 4****

This book, where to begin, it felt like a mashup of quite a few things I’m nostalgic about. It felt like it could have been an addition to R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series despite having nothing to do with the street mashed up with one of my favorite 80s horror films, Waxworks, starring Zach Galligan from Gremlins. It follows a similar plot as to if you go into a mysterious museum, no one hears from you ever again.

Unlike other reviewers, I actually had an issue with the way the main character, Perrie, point of view. Many of her sentences were slight, quips, and often short in a way that made no sense to the plot and there were times where they were often not needed. The writing structure in general needed work. It maybe since the copy I was sent was un unpolished draft, but the writing was weird at times and I’m not even discussing the plot.

The plot itself is genius and executed in such a way, you can’t help but keep reading. The thing is, you have to get past Perrie’s delivery. The images, other characters, and even the secrets hiding in the dark gave me chills as I continued to read on. It kept me hooked to say the least and the twist was very unexpected.

If you are a horror fan or looking for a quick thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat, then this is the book for you. I would be happy to read a sequel to this, but I’m strongly hoping Candace Robinson puts more work into how her characters speak and describe settings.

I first requested this book due to the GORGEOUS cover, and I am really glad I did.
As a 30-year-old who suffered memory loss, I do far better with YA and MG books than I ever will with adult. I really struggle with the complexity of a book - so this one was perfect. It was a good length, and right off the bat, you find yourself connecting with the characters.

I really loved the concept behind this story, and it was really well done from the writing to the characters, to the story setting. I really hope there will be more books that follow as I'd love to read them too!

<I>Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault</I> by Candace Robinson

<b>Star Rating</b>: ★★★★★ 5/5 stars

<b>Format</b>: ebook galley

<b>Summary</b>: People have been going missing in Perrie's small town around the same time a new mysterious building pops up. It advertises itself as Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault and no one really knows much more about it. When Perrie's ex boyfriend and cousin both go missing she and her best friend August set out to figure out the mystery of this glass vault.

<b>Review</b>: I received a free copy for review from NetGalley.

I legit almost put this book down in the first few chapters. It just seems like silly high school nonsense at first, I don't really like contemporaries which is why the setting put me off at the start. But it quickly changes and becomes something I totally did not see coming at the beginning of the book. I'm so glad I kept going because this book was so good and the ending left me shook.

SHOOK. I am shooketh. There was no way I could have seen that ending at all. It was great, I love when I'm totally blown away by a twist in a book. This definitely cemented my rating for the book, I enjoyed the whole book too. I just can't get over the ending, twenty four hours later and I'm still just shook.

I liked how the horror and retellings worked into the novel. It was well done and I really liked them, especially since Perrie and August were trying to figure out each story that they were thrust into and work out how each one varied. I liked the chemistry between Perrie and August a lot, thought it was well done.

All the characters were really awesome and I liked them, I wasn't really sure about the ex boyfriend Neven. I wish we got to really see more of who he was. I don't have a very clear idea about him at all. I think the ending could be more powerful if we knew more about him, we mostly got a lot of telling from Perrie who was mad at him most of the book.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, of a sort, it could be a definite ending in my opinion but there is a lot of unanswered questions and a second book coming. I'm really eager to read the second book, I am invested in finding out what happens next.

<b>Recommendation</b>: If you like horror and retellings, pick up this book. It was a lot of fun to read and I highly recommend it. Also I need more people to yell about that ending with.