Very interesting storyline with some shocking twists along the way. At times very heart wrenching, but all in all a very cool read.

What an… ambitious story. (That’s a compliment, maybe?) The first quarter of this book was promising to me—not like “oh my god, I love this” but more along the lines of “this might not be a complete waste of time”—and then the last quarter essentially skewered any good will I had remaining. But how do you review a book without spoilers when all you wanna do is complain about the ending? (We’re about to find out, I guess!)

This harrowing take on the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairytale would have worked much better for me if it weren’t so obviously a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling. More subtlety would’ve helped exponentially, because the devastation of the dying sisters just did not mesh well with the, you know, dress shopping and makeup application and suitor seeking. In fact, the deaths of the sisters maybe should’ve been avoided altogether, because Craig didn’t handle the family’s grief effectively or believably.

It felt as though Craig couldn’t land on a distinct tone—even while the mood was dark and dire, there was almost a fluffy air surrounding the misery—so when that very disturbing, weird, and disappointing ending wrapped everything up, it punched me in the face from all the way over in left field. It’s as if House of Salt and Sorrows was originally two distinct stories: a family tragedy/horror narrative and a coming-of-age fairytale (side note: the inevitable romance was a nonstarter). For some reason, these disparate narratives somehow ended up in the same novel. Craig definitely has a clever and admirably vast imagination, and I liked where she tried to go, but she just couldn’t pull it all together cohesively.

Now, for a rare compliment: Craig is as committed to her seascape theme as I am committed to Flaming Hot Cheetos*, by which I mean Craig is hardcore. And I appreciate that! Every single piece of scenery and detail was nautical in some way, and she crafted the world so vividly and easily for me. So many blues and greens and sea creatures and bubbles and storms… it was dreamy in a wonderfully dreary way. The hot chocolate was salty and they ate jellyfish jerky! This was basically as close to living undersea as you can on land. There’s a particular memory that the main character recalls, in which she gathers with all of her sisters in front of these massive windows in their creepy mansion overlooking the sea, and they cuddle up together to watch a storm brewing, like it’s Friday night and there’s a new Netflix original release. How gorgeous is that? I’d spend forever in that house if I weren’t afraid of my own shadow and badlywrittenoverusedtropesoopsdidisaythat.

*Not sponsored.

I really really enjoyed this, much more so than I had expected to.  I have been rather disappointed lately in many of the new books being published.  They seem to be the same old tropes over and over again.  But this was fresh and different.  Craig does a wonderful job painting a magical, yet macabre world.  I felt like I could close my eyes and feel the salt air of the islands.  Annaleigh was a likable and easy to root for main character, and I loved the relationship and respect the sisters all seemed to have or each other.  When I realized I was nearing the end of the book, I wanted to slow down... since I wasn't quite ready to leave that world yet.  

While I felt like the story as a whole was pretty fleshed out, I do think that the relationship between Annaleigh and Cassius could have used a bit more... something.  Hard to put my finger on, but it just felt like the connection they shared mostly happened behind the scenes, and we were just supposed to understand they were falling more and more for each other.  It didn't feel like they spent enough time together, especially romantically to suddenly be spouting unconditional love.  This book doesn't have any steamy scenes, and it doesn't even need it... but it does need a little something more between them.  Even just more time spent with the two of them on the page.  

It looks like this may be the author's first book (though I could be wrong about that), and it was an excellent introduction into the type of stories this author is capable of.  She's definitely one I will follow, and hope to read more from.

It was a hauntingly beautiful retelling. This book took so many surprising twists and turns. I was so entranced by this book. I could not put it down! I'm so excited to have gotten an advanced copy.

I love the sisterly love. I felt that they have such an amazing relationship.

The world building of this novel was amazing. Completely mesmerizing. I am not usually a fan of horror in books but I truly enjoyed reading this book. I'm honored to get my hands on this book. There was such a beautiful narrative style!

Dancing the night away at balls brings joy back into lives of sisters burdened by years of grief in Erin A. Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows, but just who are they dancing with?

One of twelve daughters, Annaleigh has lived a life sheltered within her family’s seaside estate, harboring her dream of one day manning the local lighthouse. With the fairly recent, untimely demises of four of her sisters, people in the surrounding villages, as well as some within her family, believe them to be cursed; though Annaleigh is skeptical of a curse, she is growing increasingly suspicious of the circumstances of her sisters’ deaths, thinking them to be more than mere tragic accidents. With the surprise suspension of their traditional mourning period, the sisters begin to sneak away in the evenings, dressed in new, brightly colored dresses and fairy shoes, to a magical door that takes them to balls where they dance the night away, but Annaleigh is conflicted if she should continue joining them. As she tries to piece together the reasons behind her sisters’ deaths, she meets a young man new to their village whose own mysteries vie for her attention as she tries to prevent yet another sister from dying.

An enchanting tale that expands upon the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses, the story creates an intriguing and strongly atmospheric seaside world that is well-developed with a thorough mythic cannon for the gods and goddesses the world functions under. With an abundance of characters, there was a surprising amount of characterization provided for the primary players, and Annaleigh in particular is a relatable headstrong character with her dogged determination to figure out the mystery haunting her family, although the depth of some of her emotional responses didn’t seem to match the tone of the situations. The incorporation of supernatural elements was gradual and crafted to feel natural, but as they built up there was a stronger reliance upon them, and their convenience, to drive the narrative forward toward a fairly rushed ending.

Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was really going on. Although the romance angle didn't really work for me, I can see my students enjoying that aspect of the book. Even though the romance didn't work for me, there were other things about the book I really liked a lot. Creepy gothic mystery/horror wrapped up in the twelve dancing princesses? Yes! I was actually a little bit too creeped out to read this very much at night.

Talk about an original story! I’ve certainly never read anything like this before. The plot line was very refreshing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I’ll cut to the chase and say I recommend it.

I’m not sure how many other readers would have connected the dots, but there were a lot of references in this book. For example, Edgar Allan Poe actually wrote a poem called Eulalie. He also wrote The Masque of the Red Death. If you are familiar with either of these works, then I’m sure you will see the connections between them and this book. There was definitely a gothic element to this story and some of the scenes might not be suitable for young children. As this book is listed as being for teens and adults, I don’t see this as being a major problem. The grammar on the other hand... It wasn’t terrible, but every thirty pages or so you would come across misspelled words or two separate words with no space in between them. I’d recommend another proofread before officially publishing.

The story itself was magnificent. This is truly a very creative and somewhat dark take on a classic fairy tale. Coming from someone who has read every single Brothers Grimm fairy tale ever published, I loved it. The story was somewhat creepy at times and it was well worded enough that you could actually picture yourself there alongside the main character. For the descriptive writing alone I’d recommend it. Give the House of Salt and Sorrows a chance. You won’t regret it.

This book was so lovely and perfect. I love fairy tales and this stuck to the fairy tale theme all the way to the end, I mean, I was picturing the entire book as a Disney animation like Frozen. See? Sometimes I do like YA, I just hold it to a very high standard. I love Annaleigh and she was the perfect protagonist to take this journey with, so many sisters to keep straight and I ended up loving them all, even the ones who were already gone from the start. The way she wove the sea customs into this fantasy kingdom reminded me of House Greyjoy in Game of Thrones, with less awkward sibling groping and pirate shenanigans. This was a wonderful standalone novel and I'm giving it 5 stars only because I immediately passed it on to my kid as soon as I was done, so something has to be amazing for me to want my child in on it.

Thank you so much, Netgalley, for the eARC of this spectacular retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, I'm going to immediately need a hard copy as soon as it goes on sale to grace my shelves..

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with this digital ARC.

I’m always in awe of authors who are able to write an incredible story intertwined with deep mythology. In Craig’s debut YA novel, she does just that. When I saw this book was based on Brothers Grimm story The Twelve Dancing Princesses, I knew this was a must-read, and it did not disappoint. This was a page turner the whole way through. Part fantasy, part mystery, part horror—I found it difficult to stop reading at the end of each chapter.

The characters were well developed and the relationship between the sisters along with each of their distinctive voices was impressive.

A darkly beautiful and addicting retelling of the 12 dancing princesses. The story begins at the funeral of the fourth Thaumos sister to die tragically. Is their family unlucky or are they cursed?

What I loved 🖤🖤🖤:
1. The world-building and settings are fantastic with the islands of the Salt, their gothic home, Highmore, and the light house.
2. Although the premise is dark, the story is exciting and never dreary or depressing, despite sad events happening.
3. The relationships between the sisters as they cope with grief, change, and their own hopes and dreams.
4. The mystery of why the sisters are dying is perfectly plotted with more twists and turns then a dancing princess.
5. The romance simmers and burns and keeps the reader guessing until the last page.

Pick up cautiously because this book will swallow you whole.

Unique writing and story that kept me interested. A story that had me wanting to read more. Relatable characters and a good flow. Would recommend!

House Of Salt And Sorrows is a story that dips into many pots to be told. Seeming at first glance to be a lore based whodunit. Only to morph into full fledged paranormalcy somewhere around mid-book. Staying firmly rooted in that subgenre until its spectacular finish.


The story opens with Annaleigh, the main character, having to bury another of the 12 females of her line. In this case, her sister, Eulalie. Who was found dead at the bottom of a very high beach side cliff.
Though there have been other deaths, including that of her mother three other sisters. The fact that "the loveliest of the Thaumas roses was plucked so early by death." Is a burden to heavy to bear. For all it seems. Save the new and very young Duchess of the Salaan Islands. Their stepmother Morella.
Who in fact, has some very happy news that she can't wait to share with the world.
She is pregnant.
So eager is she to let the world know...
That she chooses to spill the proverbial beans in the middle of her stepdaughter's wake.
Hmmmm...
Suspicious much?

Well, it gets better.
It seems that not only is her pregnancy a boon for the female rich bloodline of her husband. (She is sure that this offspring is male.)
But it is also the perfect reason for the family to cut short the customary mourning period for poor Eulalie.
And get their party on.
Starting with a birthday ball for triplets Rosalie, Leonore, and Ligeia.
Complete with new dancing slippers for all the girls, and a very new take on a very old story for the reader.
The 12 Dancing Princesses?
Give or take a few?
Perhaps.

While this plot twist seems a little iffy at the outset. One only has to wait a bit for all of the elements of curses, gods, murder, new people, ghosts, and plots to marry and simmer.
And voila!!!
Be still my heart utter YA deliciousness!
One is never sure who to trust. If it's safe for the budding romances that dare to bloom. Or who will ne the next to die.
The one certainty that this read does provide however.
Readability.
The characters, plot, and premise provide readers of any age with a tale complex enough to engage the mind. And characters tailormade to inspire both ire and compassion in many a heart.
And the ending...
Let's just say...
Disney could take lessons!!!

This book! Oh my goodness this book!!

I've been on a huge fantasy kick this past month. (It's been the only thing to pull me put of my reading slump)
And when I saw this one on Netgalley I decided to take a chance and requested it.

And I'm so happy I did.
Erin A. Craig is a new to me author, but she's now one I will definitely go back to the more books she writes.

This story just really drew me in. It had that great mix of suspense, mystery, well built characters, and amazing story telling.

It took me a bit to really put together that this one was loosely based on the 12 dancing princesses (at least I think it is haha)
But the spin on it, if I'm right about that. Was so great. It was such a fresh look on the story. And even if that isn't the true bases for the story, I loved the mythology that was created in the book.

There was just so much thought and world building put into HOSAS.
I could picture myself on the islands. Surrounded by the salty breeze and crashing waves. And I loved that. It takes a special kind of author to create such a vivid and realistic world. And to put it mildly, I was impressed.

Something else that really did that for me too, was Erin's ability to keep me on my toes and guessing.
I always joke about having bookish spidy powers. Being able to guess book plots and twists and all that. And this one had me 2nd guessing myself so many times. Just when I would think I had the plot twist down, something new would be thrown at me and I'd be reevaluating everything. (I was right on 2 of the biggest things though. So go me haha)
But I'm always super in love with books that have the ability to make me question my own thoughts. They are a fun surprise and just drive me to keep turning the pages to see what will really happen.

And let's talk characters for a second.
From all 8 sisters, to the maids, to dreamy boys and broody guards. I honestly enjoyed them all.
Everyone had their own special personality. And all contributed to the story. No one was there as a place filler. They all had a purpose, and built off one another to deepen the attachment to the story.
There was a great dynamic between them all. How they could showcase the others weakness or flaws. But also allow them to blossom and shine at times.
It was like looking at the cast of a well written script reading about each of them and seeing how they interacted.
Annaleigh, Verity, and Cassius especially. I truly adored all 3 of them. And they quickly became my favorites of the bunch. Plus, the craziness that surrounded the 3 at any given time was just a blast to read.
They all had different stories to share. But they added so much to the overall plot and helping to put all the pieces together.
Plus.... Cassius was especially dreamy in his dark and mysterious ways *wiggles eyebrows

And the twist. Oh man the twist. I won't spoil it, but just know. This one will be one you will be dying to find out about. To see how the book unfolds and who will live and who may not.

My maybe only one complaint would be that I felt the ending was just a tad rushed. Like the wrap up of it all. The big climax was pleanty suspenseful and crazy with the reveals.
But I felt the last chapter just maybe could have given me just a bit more. But even at that I cant say it changed how I felt about the book. It was still an amazing read, and the final ending was pretty perfect.

This book is a seat of the pants, can't turn the page fast enough kinda book. And you will want to scoop up a copy as soon as it releases.

I give HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐5 STARS⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was blown away by this twelve-dancing princesses inspired story. This book is nothing that I expected and I was blown away by all of it. This kept me guessing on what was really going until the very last page, like a great thriller.

This book has a complicated family relationship, with a middle sister far closer to inheriting her family's estate and shipping business than she ever would've liked. But when something doesn't sit right with her sister's death, Annaleigh starts to question everything she's ever known. With whisperings of a curse upon the sisters and a mysterious, handsome stranger appearing, Annaleigh's world becomes even more complicated than she could've expected. Had someone in her family brought down the wrath of Pontus? Another god? Or are they really cursed?

I loved everything about this novel. Annaleigh was a wonderful MC who loves her family more than anything on the planet. She's kind, levelheaded and stubborn. The customs on the island were unique and magical, truly making me feel like I'm a world away while reading this. The festival they went to was truly one of the most magical parts of the book. I loved all the descriptions of the elaborate gowns they wore to the balls and the glamour and magic that they found there, from swan boats that carried them of their own accord to elaborate costumes at a masquerade.

The relationships in this book were stunning. Annaleigh has a unique relationship with each sister and I loved seeing all these different, close relationships. From Camille who is an annoying best friend to Verity her little shadow, each relationship comes across differently on the page. There's an interesting relationship with an unwanted step-mother and a doting yet angry father. The love interest that comes along reminded me of Prince Caspian and I couldn't get enough of him.

At the end of the day, is anything real in Annaleigh's world? Or is she stuck in her worst nightmare?

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Delacorte Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

*Spoiler free, 4.5 stars*

I saw this cover, read the synopsis, and knew that I definitely wanted to read it. While I haven't been head over heals for the 12 Dancing Princesses fairytale, this seemed like it would be really good. And I enjoyed it enough to be really intrigued.

I loved this book. I really, truly did. It was so good.

The setting was so strong. I felt like I could taste the salt in the air. Highmoor felt dark and closed off, while also feeling bright and welcoming. I thoroughly enjoyed being there. It's absolutely gorgeous and incredibly easy to picture.

I was surprised on how easy all the sisters were to picture and how easy it was to keep the straight. Going in, I honestly had no hope of figuring out who was who. It's a lot of sisters to keep track of! And while in the beginning, it was a tad hard to know who was who (again, a lot of names and faces!), I sorted them out really quickly. I feel like every single one of them was well developed and such a full character. I'm kind of floored with how much I connected with all of them!

I didn't go into this book thinking there would be huge twists. I'm not sure why, but I didn't expect this book to shock me to the core. BUT IT DID WOW. It has the kinds of twists you don't know are happening until their over. And then the foreshadowing clicks into place and it is so intricately and masterfully woven. You can see the small hints dropped along the story and everything makes complete sense. It was amazing!

I also loved Annaleigh's character. She was soft, but fierce in her own way.

The writing was spectacular. It pulls you into the story and spins it around you with an effortless grace. It felt like the heart of the story and I loved it.

I also really enjoyed sea turtles and other sea creatures that made appearances!

I did have a few issues, despite loving this book a ton. I didn't feel the deep sadness over the deaths. It affects Annaleigh in a huge way, but it's also sort of offhand. I didn't feel the connection towards that aspect. Yes, the plot has to progress, so some things have to be put on hold. I just thought that sometimes her feelings didn't feel proportioned to what had happened.

I also wasn't a huge fan of the romance. It felt rushed and kinda thrown in there. I loved Annaleigh and her love interest together, I just didn't love how it came about.

I also wasn't a huge fan of the ending. It felt sort of abrupt. I would have liked more of a conclusion, something that made this story about family bonds instead of what it was. Despite that, I still felt like it wrapped up the story well and I felt like the plot was wrapped up. (Maybe a few faint lingering threads for a companion novel which I would totally love!)

Despite my few issues, the things I felt were done well overpower whatever I didn't like. The amazingness is so prominent that it's all I want to focus on haha. I also couldn't stop thinking about the Barbie movie version of the 12 Dancing Princesses. In a good way! This book and that movie work together weirdly well haha.

This book was magical! From every little detail that made up the setting and world-building to the enchanting retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses", to the eerie and horrific mystery and captivating characters, I enjoyed every single page. I loved the mystery that kept me guessing even though I suspected and questioned a certain someone and ended up being (sort of) correct. I loved Annaleigh for her persistence for justice and being the strength her sisters needed. I loved Cassius for just being Cassius. I loved the traditions they carried throughout the book in the name of the Salt and absolutely loved the dancing. Where can I get myself a pair of those fairy shoes? They sounded magnificent.

I'm craving more of the 'Salt and Sorrows' world and Cassius - please tell me there's more coming?!

Summary

This is a re-telling of the classic 12 Princesses fairy tale. It follows the story of Annaleigh and her 11 sisters, whose family is under a curse that kills the sisters one by one, as well as their mother. Their father is wealthy and re-marrried, and for once there isn't an evil stepmother involved. They begin to attend balls in hopes of finding romantic prospects, but magic has another idea for them. Annaleigh must traverse tales of ghosts, mystery and what isn't real in order to figure out how to save her and her sisters from more death and despair.

Likes

As evidenced by my rating, I loved this book. I absolutely devoured it and I'm still left wanting more. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I was enveloped by wanting to know what happened next. Annaleigh was an amazing main character; I truly felt her love for her sisters and how much she wanted to save them at any cost. She was also incredibly intelligent and her sleuthing abilities were something that I really admired as well. The sisters as characters in general felt genuine and I could feel their bond and love for one another. I cared about them as a whole and felt attached to them as characters. I liked that there wasn't a focus on a romance in the story because not every novel has to have that to be a great novel. I also felt some Pride and Prejudice vibes from this too and that was welcome because I love that classic! 

Dislikes

As evidenced by my rating, there isn't much I disliked. This is--luckily!--the beginning of a series and I can't wait to see how the rest of it plays out. I would give the critique that while the world-building was mentioned briefly, I didn't feel as much solidly as I had wanted. I want to know more about the legends in the book and the origin of them, as well as more about the other provinces mentioned. This, though, was a small critique and I look forward to more expansion in the rest of the series! 

Recommendation

I would recommend this book to fans of re-tellings as well as someone who likes mystery and magic. I felt like this storyline was really unique and you won't be able to put it down!

Pardon my French but wow Erin A. Craig was not fucking around when writing this novel!

“House of Salt and Sorrows” sees a family surrounded by grief as they bury another sister and struggle to rebuild their reputation as their small island town whispers of a curse that plagues their family. As Annaleigh tries to honor her sister in the old ways the rest of the family is eager to move on and seek out ways to meet suitors and dance the night away but not all is as it seems and if they’re not careful they might find that their dreams of parties and luxury are nothing more than a nightmare.

I wasn’t aware of the 12 Dancing Princesses story before reading this so I was afraid it might leave me a little in the dark as I moved forward but thankfully the book manages to have some of those key moments stand in between the pages of a plot that’s so twisted and completely unique that even those who did know of it before hand will be completely surprised at how this take on the fairy tale turns out.

Fairy tales isn’t the only aspect that shines in this book but mythology stemming from the old gods plays such an important role and I loved every second of it. Crafting an entire novel that gave us moments of grief and joy all the while knowing that something sinister was at play was so much fun to read and watching these characters descend into their own forms of madness to the point that as a reader you’re unsure of what’s real or not is something not many authors can do let alone do well but here it was as if I could hear the music enticing me to dance and smell the salt in the air as I read as fast as I could trying to figure out the ending!

I am just in awe of this book and even though it’s January this holds the top spot for my best read of the year and I know it says it’s book 1 which makes me all the more excited for what may come next!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**

Thank you to Random House Children's for the arc of this book.
This book held me from the get go, very well written with so many twists and turns you think you have worked it out only to be wrong.
My heart did break towards the end, I have come to the conclusion I am a hopeless romantic.

What a delightful surprise this was! I admit I was originally drawn to House of Salt and Sorrows by that gorgeous cover, but when I saw it was a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses I knew I had to read it. And let me tell ya, it blew my expectations out of the water!

Erin Craig did such a wonderful job of adding a unique spin on an old tale and making it her own. I particularly loved the mythology she created and how it anchors the story without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details. The mystery surrounding the deaths of Annaleigh's sisters kept me guessing until the end. The writing is so fluid and perfectly paced; I couldn't put it down and finished it in a single day!

**Thanks to the folks at Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.**