I wanted to like this book. I have a weakness for fairy tale retellings, and I like horror fiction as well. Strange mix, I suppose, right? Well, it definitely didn't work in this book. This plot felt like a complete mishmash and there really wasn't a good enough framework to hold it all together. And frankly, the parts of this book that were not confusing or nonsensical were totally predictable.

the house of salt and sorrows is a loose retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales, the twelve dancing princesses. it sets the story in a kingdom by the sea, and then proceeds to dazzle with lush description and scary twists and turns.

the thing about fairy tales, is that under all the glitz and glamour, all the talk of fairies and royal trappings, things are never quite what they seem. they're scarier and creepier and edged with danger. the stakes are real, annaleigh needs to figure out who is killing her sisters. because she doesn't want to mourn another one, and she doesn't want to lose her life.

enjoy the ride as you read this story, and just follow the path the author leads you on. it's well worth the read.

**the house of salt and sorrows will publish on august 6, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/random house children's (delacorte press) in exchange for my honest review.

J's thoughts: In the beginning, I really enjoyed this book. It was a little more scary than the books I’m used to. I would call it horror adjacent. But the ending felt a little off to me, and I’m feeling unsure about the depiction of what could be considered mental illness in the story, what ramifications does the ending have for that? I think I like the idea of the story, and I enjoyed the execution of the story right up until the end. And the prologue didn't really explain what happened with Cassius. Maybe all things that were changed when the finished copy was published, but from the ARC, I would say I initially really liked it, it was really exciting, and I didn’t know where each twist and turn was going to take me, and then I was a bit disappointed in the end.

K's thoughts: Agreed on all accounts. I certainly had some issues with the novel, but I would read Craig’s next books because of the world building, which I’m going to rave about.

Full episode & show note: http://bit.ly/Ep25HouseOfSaltAndSorrows

As a concept, House of Salt and Sorrows is a winner, but in the end the execution tried to include far too many elements and lost the original story along the way. House of Salt and Sorrows was a loose retelling of 12 Dancing Princesses with a Gothic seaside atmosphere. Craig made great use of her world, the people depended on fishing and their religion centered around the sea as well. There was a bit of a haunting story line, but it was far too infrequent for me to enjoy. Overall, House of Salt and Sorrows unraveled as it became clear that the book was trying to do too much. There was the retelling, a vague ghost story, and a mythology that was never fully fleshed out. I enjoyed the atmosphere and wanted more (or should I say less) from the story.

I would give this book 3.5 stars. It was good, entertaining and spooky. I feel like the end was a little rushed and not as satisfying as I would have liked, but the story itself was interesting. I was able to figure out who the “bad guy” was pretty quickly but it was still entertaining. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a dark spin on the fairy tale Twelve Dancing Princesses. The Thaumas family is cursed, or so it seems. All but one of Annaleigh's older sisters have passed away in a tragic way. When two of her younger sisters are found frozen to death, Annaleigh begins to suspect there is another force at work.

Dark and haunting, this book kept me reading well past my bedtime. I loved how eerie it is. Annaleigh is haunted by visions of her dead sisters. At the same time, she and her remaining sisters find a magical portal that transports them to glittering balls and parties every night.

I loved the main character, Annaleigh. I also enjoyed the mild love triangle and the romance aspect of the story. I liked how Annaleigh had to try and distinguish between what is real and what was a nightmare or a disturbing vision.

If you love fairy tales and you're in the mood for something spooky and dark, give this book a try. It's not so over the top that it will give you nightmares, but it's spooky enough to give you chills.

4.5 stars

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

A new and exciting retelling of the classic, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” The moment I heard of this retelling, I was sold. And the moment I saw the cover, I was done for. This retelling is hands down one of my favorites of all time. It was so creepy and enjoyable from the first page. I didn’t expect to read this in one sitting but I did. Totally worth it.

But first, let's talk about this stunning cover! I still can’t get over it. I could stare at this cover all day long and not get sick of it. It really does go perfectly with the book.

And now let's get onto the actual review, this book was hands down unputdownable. Erin A. Craig took all my favorite genres (fantasy, thriller, murder mystery) and rolled it into one good story. The book revolves around Annaleigh, one of twelve sisters, though death has claimed 4. Annaleigh and her remaining sisters must learn to navigate their new life while rumors that the sisters are cursed. With their future questionable, the sisters sneak out and spend their nights dancing and attending balls. But Annaleigh begins to see ghostly visions and meets a mysterious stranger who could hold the secrets she has been searching for.

I know I said it before, but still hands down one of the best retellings out there. Annaleigh was so enjoyable to read about. She was smart and brave, both of which are my favorite characteristic for the main character. I did like the sisters, each sister was vastly different and it was nice to see their different personalities. But as for other characters, I think I will have to keep my mouth shut because of SPOILERS!

The overall mystery was so intriguing. It’s why I couldn’t put the book down, I just had to know what was happening. Was there really a “Thaumas curse” or was it all made up and purely a coincidence. I mean I can’t tell you, but holy heck it was so worth binging this book. I wasn’t ready for the big reveals and I am glad it turned out the way it did. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.

Okay, now go read this book and if you do let me know! I for one am super excited to see what Erin A. Craig writes next! I hope it's as spooky and creepy as this one.

Spooky, dark and enthralling, this book sucked me into its world and didn’t let go until the very last pages. I loved the world that Craig created. I could almost feel and smell the damp salty air while I read and I definitely felt the creepy goosebumps during some of the creepier scenes. The writing in this book was superb, the flow and pacing was great and I loved all of the characters. I was surprised by the ending and I enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery. This gothic retelling of the twelve dancing princesses is one that I would highly recommend!

I wasn't very familiar with the story of the 12 Dancing Princesses, but the synopsis of The House of Salt and Sorrows sucked me in. I can't believe this is Erin A Craig's debut--it's so gorgeous and the world building is so intricate and captivating. The relationships between the sisters as well as other family members, old family friends, and townspeople is lovely.

This book has it all--intrigue, mystery, romance, horror, suspense, and fantasy. Just when you think you've figured out where the book is going, your path is altered and you're somewhere you never expected to end up, unsure who to trust. The last half of the book is especially engrossing and fast paced.

The only downside for me is I think it's a little too slow at the beginning, and a little too quick at the end. A lot of loose ends are tied up within a chapter or two, while other questions are left unanswered forever.

House of Salt and Sorrows was a great mix of fantasy, mystery, gothic horror, and a little bit of romance thrown in. Now, I am a granny. 9pm? I’m in bed usually asleep. But this book kept me up LATE – and by late I mean 1030pm. I could not put it down! The night I stayed up reading I got up to go to the bathroom and I thought, well, I’m kind of thirsty. I was at a rather creepy part of the book. I looked down the long, dark hallway and thought, nah. I’m ok. I don’t need water. And I got back in bed. No lie. It creeped me out!

The descriptions of this novel brought it to life. I usually have a hard time picturing what I’m reading, but Erin made it so easy! I loved the descriptions of the castle, the dresses, and all the creepy things that I won’t mention because I don’t want to spoil it!

The start was a little slow, but once I hit about 30% I did not want to put this baby down. It was so good!

Two funny things about this novel: first, I think I am being called to make squid ink risotto because it is everywhere in my life. It was on Queer Eye, it was on Master Chef, and now it’s mentioned in this novel! So I think I need to find a recipe. Also, my sister hates names that end in -leigh. Well, the main character is Annaleigh and every time I saw her name I smiled and thought of my sister in law. She said she wouldn’t read it because of the name. I told her she was making a grave mistake.

The only reason this book isn’t getting five stars is because of the pace at the beginning. Maybe I’m just hard to please, but it felt slow. But like I said, after 30% I just wanted to devour it!

Would I recommend?

Yessss! It was the perfect mix of fantasy, horror, mystery and romance. It had everything you could ever want in a novel. And this is a debut! I’m expecting more great things from Ms. Craig. I can’t wait to read the next one!

This retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses takes the form of a horror story as Annaleigh is faced with her sisters' continual, mysterious deaths, ghostly occurrences, and her own possible descent into madness. The story is fast-paced and suspenseful, although some plot points that pay homage to the original fairy tale (such as the magical portal or the dinner scene where the king offers a daughter's hand in marriage for whichever gentleman can figure out why their dancing slippers are wearing out so quickly) feel a little forced and delayed in their introduction. The kingdom's mythology is also only half-developed and minimally mentioned, even though it ends up playing a central role in the plot, which makes some of the later revelations feel like cop outs rather than payoffs. Although the ending is not a complete surprise, it is not as glaringly obvious as it might have been, especially given the limited cast of characters, and the story is complicated by several plot twists. The narrative maintains an increasingly creepy tone throughout, although Annaleigh's relationship with her sisters balance the narrative with a more endearing vibe and also increase the stakes for Annaleigh to protect her remaining sisters' wellbeing. The seaside setting also creates a unique and compelling twist on the traditional tale. Great for fans of horror, gothic fiction, and fairy-tale retellings.

I was sucked in by that synopsis and the cover and couldn’t wait to get to this story.

I liked Annaleigh. She’s tenacious and loyal and so full of love for her family. I truly loved being in her head. I was a bit concerned at the idea of 12 sisters and keeping them straight in my head, but each had a unique personality.

Plot wise, it was so very slow to start. I spent a good third of the book enjoying the atmosphere, but also sort of bored and wondering if I should continue. Thankfully, I kept going because I do love an unreliable narrator and that’s what this morphed into.

Overall, it was a story that kept me guessing until the very end with an epilogue than couldn’t have been done any better.

**Huge thanks to Delacorte Press for providing the arc free of charge**

House of Salt and Sorrows follows Annaleigh and her family as they’ve suffered one tragedy after another. Originally twelve girls, three have died (including their mother) when the story begins, and their family is considered cursed. Annaleigh is sure someone killed her sister, that their family isn’t cursed, and that more deaths will follow if she doesn’t find out who is behind the murders.

Part who-dunnit, and part is-the-main-character-crazy-am-i-crazy, this book was such a thrill to read. There’s ball dancing, small romances, laughs, murders, ghosts, and tons of moments that make you wonder if you’re losing your mind.

I enjoyed this book right from the beginning and was swept up by the writing and the imagery of the fictional kingdom the girls live in. The author does such a great job with world-building and expertly rotates between showing and telling.

Even though there are a handful of main characters, all of them felt unique in their own way, and I loved the relationships that were portrayed. The author also did a good job on showing how grief effects different people differently. And in the end, the message rang loud and clear about treating people right.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a thrilling almost scary read. The book has a strong summery feel due to the cover and the setting, but it also would make a good late fall or winter read too.

This is a fairy take retelling of a story called The Twelve Dancing Princesses which I haven't heard of until this story and will say very well done.
The book dragged for me and suspense doesn't pick up till about 60 percent of the book, but once it started to have those jaw dropping moment it was hard for me to put it down.

This story is about 12 sister's (which was very hard to tell who was who for while) who is dying off one by one, some would day a curse. . Annaleigh doesn't think that her sister's deaths were accidents or has anything to do with a curse, but that someone has murdering them. As Annaleigh seeks answers on her sister's recent death, things start to get weird. After the death of her sister Eulalie her stepmother has had enough of the mourning seeing that they mourn for long periods of time and thought that celebrating the the triplets birthday as well as informing that them that that she was pregnant was get them into better moods.
After receiving new shoes they find and sneak out to a magical portal that takes them different balls each night where they dance and find potential husbands. After a while Annaleigh feels things are wrong and also seeing visions of her dead sister's. This book is dark and get very creepy.

All in all I think this was a great story, the world building was amazing, the writing was great and the ending was well done. I think the flow of the book wasn't well put together and feel it dragged in the beginning.
I rated this book 4 stars and cannot wait to read what Erin has in store for us next.
Thank you Netgalley and to the publisher for the advanced copy to review.

I received this book as an arc a few months ago and have no earthly idea why I put it off so long. Up until about a month or so ago I was kind of burnt out on fantasy. It just takes me longer to read this genre and honestly, the world building can suffocate the overall plot (in my opinion). Ya’ll, when I say this book is good I mean this book is gooood. It has quickly become my favorite fantasy of the year, hands down.

This book is set in a world where the mainlanders and islanders all worship different gods. In the Salann Islands, where the story in set, they worship the god of the ocean, Pontus. The religion is unique and is felt, along with their customs, all throughout the novel. They wear old western-y dresses and have the same kinds of customs (finding a husband young is of utter importance in this society or they’ll become “old spinsters”). The world building in House of Salt and Sorrows was just enough to help emerge me into the story without suffocating the plot. It helped me understand what exactly was going on and kept me engaged with the characters themselves. Craig really develops and introduces this world to you in a way that feels natural. She doesn’t overload you with information, but instead allows you to see everything in a way that enhances the storyline.

The story itself, as you know from the synopsis above, is centered around the Thaumas sisters. Right from the beginning we know everyone around the Thaumas’ think they’re cursed due to the unfortunate circumstances this family has had to endure in the last few years. Due to these events, the main character, Annaleigh, and her sisters have had to spend most of their lives in mourning of not only their mother but their sisters who keep dying off. The book opens up in the middle of a funeral/wake for yet another sister who has died under questionable circumstances. Annaleigh definitely doesn’t think her sister passed naturally and she’s determined to find out everything she can.

The characters were easy to connect with and I empathized with them almost instantly. I loved Annaleigh’s inquisitive personality and her tenaciousness in protecting her family. Even though we don’t get the others sisters’ perspectives we get a lot of glimpses into each of them. It’s easy to see the love and loyalty between all of them and it’s obvious this family has suffered loss on a huge level.

The plot was amazingly well written and executed perfectly. At its core House of Salt and Sorrows is a spooky mystery filled with twists and turns that will give you whiplash if you aren’t careful. I loved every single minute of this book. I had my suspicions on who and what the ending lead to but I was completely unprepared for what actually happened. The overall vibe of this book in all its gothic, eerie spookiness really helped me get into the story and kept me on my toes the whole time. I was sucked in from page one and was shocked at how the book ended.

Overall, House of Salt and Sorrows was an epic fairytale filled with ghostly characters and gothic overtones that will leave you guessing all the way until the very end. It was definitely a 5-star read for me and I can’t wait to see what else Craig throws our way! I’m a fan for life!

This book was great! It definitely creeped me out, and it was just the change I needed from usual genre! It was a great retelling, although it has been a while since I read the original!

Title: House of Salt and Sorrows
Author: Erin A. Craig
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Annaleigh Thaumus lives a sheltered life at Highmore. Once there were 12 Thaumus girls, but since her mother died and then four of her sisters, things are grim in the home. Even more grim are the whispers from surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Her sisters sneak out every night to attend secret balls, but what is the glitz and glamour hiding? When Annaleigh starts seeing ghostly visions and a handsome stranger arrives, she starts to wonder if her sisters’ tragic deaths were really accidents—or something more.

The culture in House of Salt and Sorrows is vivid and imaginative, with hints of fairy tales and legends sprinkled about. I liked Annaleigh, but I didn’t connect with her as well as I could’ve. Some parts of this book were very creepy, and the myths and the gods were intriguing. I’d have to say I liked the culture itself—and the hints of the cultures of surrounding lands—the most.

Erin A. Craig lives in Memphis, Tennessee. House of Salt and Sorrows is her debut novel.

(Galley provided by Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.)

This book was the perfect mix of eerie suspense, romance, mystery and whimsy. The beginning is a slow build up but I promise you the ethereal quality of writing paired with the goose bump inducing sights of Annaleigh's deceased sisters kept me turning pages long into the night. This is definitely not a straight laced retelling. It's more of a nice foundation to something sinister. I enjoyed the dances, ballgowns and magic but what I enjoyed the most was the mystery and constant feeling like you should be looking over your shoulder. Is the love interest simply that? Do we trust the step mother or does she have something to do with the piling bodies? Or, worse of all, do we even trust Annaleigh's recounts? Whose that strange man that constantly shows up everywhere in the background? If you're looking for a firm romance with some nice safe magic, I recommend moving along. If you're looking for something unique though, then sit down and be prepared to be wowed.

Would I buy this book? Yes, the cover is just gorgeous and I loved the story.

Would I recommend it?  Yes!

Would I re-read it? Yes

This book blew my mind. It was so incredible and really enjoyable to read. This book did not disappoint. I loved the characters as well. The author did an excellent job and I hope they write more and more good books like this to help me get out of my reading slump.

This was a phenomenal retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses in a macabre and paranormal setting.

"We are born of the Salt, we live by the Salt, and to the Salt we return."

There is a fantastic twist towards the end of the book that cemented my enjoyment of the book. I thought Annaleigh remained strong throughout the story, but props to Camille and Verity for holding their own during all the weirdness occurring at Salten. There is so much spookiness and otherworldliness, especially at the balls the sisters attend. The fact they can only access them through a magical door belonging to Pontus, the sea deity, only adds to the paranormal setting.

Also, Cassius was a nice touch. Annaleigh needed a happy ending after everything.