When Thera inherits a house on the cliff from her estranged aunt, her husband suggests they spend a week on the coast to sort through her family's belongings. But Hector has ulterior motives and hopes she'll fall in love with this gothic location. Instead, these newlyweds find themselves trapped inside a house concealing an ancient family secret that might tear them apart before they get the chance to start their lives together.

This was a solid gothic horror novella. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I wish it was a little longer.

Thea and her husband Hector comes to Karras house when Thea received it as an inheritance from her aunt. the book's synopsis seems to highlight the story's gothic atmosphere and the legacy haunting the Thea’s family, what drew me in was the amazing pace. Wings of Sorrow is told in dual POV and the both characters stole my heart immediately. They're a perfect couple and are so in sync.

Sfetsos blended mythology into the paranormal in a way that was completely unique. If you enjoy gothic horror, greek mythology, haunted houses and curses, this is a perfect book for you.

DNF at 22%

I really struggled with the pacing of this book. Sections were slow and then other sections rushed which left me confused and I didn’t enjoy the writing style. If more work went into it I do feel I would have enjoyed it more

"But no matter how far you went, Destiny was always going to bring you right back.”

Wings of Sorrow - Yolanda Sfetsos
Pub date: Jul 19, 2024
★★★☆☆

Thank you to Netgalley and Darklit Books for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The story follows Thera who is left with inheritance from her aunt in form of a peculiar house on the edge of a cliff. Though it's a place where she spent her childhood in, she remembers nothing about it. Once her aunt dead, she's back to the old house with her husband, Hector, and spent their last weeks of honeymoon there. Or it was supposed to be when strange things keep happening leads to forgotten secrets and inevitable fate.

This book is a short and fast read and live up to the genre and the title with eerie and creeping vibes coming through every pages of the book. I know nothing about harpy until now but the way the author put it as the foundation of this book and how they executed it is brilliant. It's a horror, bittersweet, story about love and unwanted yet inevitable legacy ripped them apart. Even though i can't connect with the character at some point, it was an exciting experience!

Ps. Never read this at night 👀

Thank you Yolanda Sfetsos and Netgalley for the eArc of Wings of Sorrow.

This is a beautifully written gothic tale of family secrets, grief and acceptance in which Thera and Hector inherit an old house of her estranged Auntie. Thera has only vague memories of her Auntie and doesn't want to go back. However, her Husband, Hector is a Gothic writer and wants to boost ideas from this atmospheric old house. Within a few days, both start to experience strange happenings, the house starts to change and Thera has no choice but to face her family secret.

Firstly, I loved the cover art of this book. It's beautifully illustrated and suits the tone and darkness of the book itself. Yolanda has a great writing style that suited the tone of this book. It's dark, descriptive, creepy and sets the scene right from the off. I loved the description of the house and where it was situated in Anglesey., Wales, Uk. You can tell it's a desolate but beautiful place.

The plot is medium paced throughout most of the book. I did find it lagged a little in the middle but it still oozed the suspense, the dread and plenty of spookiness, You will probably catch on quite early where the plot is going and it does and it doesn't disappoint. The end game of the book, was well executed which built in more of the body horror elements. I loved how Yolanda ended the narrative itself. I would love to see more of her work in circulation and would definitely pick anything of hers to read.

4 stars

I enjoyed the pacing, while it does start a bit slower the creepy vibes are from the beginning. Thea has minimal memories of living with her aunt and has no desire to return. Then her aunt passes away and leaves Thea her house by the sea. Thea and Hector go to just clean it out to get it ready to sell. They have no idea that their fates are sealed as soon as they arrive.
I loved watching the story unfold as Thea uncovered more and more of her past and realized that the unbelievable stories that her aunt told her were all true. The sense of wrongness in the house builds until it reaches this completely surprising climax.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I will definitely check out the others.

Just wasn’t a fan of this book. It was really slow in the beginning and I think that was what made it harder to relate to the characters in the story. I really wish I would have liked this one. Thank you NetGalley and DarkLit press.

DNF @ 25%
Whilst the story was interesting I couldn’t get along with the writing or the characters. I feel like due to the short nature of the story I didn’t have the time to know the characters before they began acting in ways that made me unable to suspend my disbelief. In regards to the writing I kept noticing the lack of sentencing openers and it felt like reading a text message or a TLDR post and I couldn’t get immersed in the story as a result. I did enjoy the descriptions of the setting though and they really helped me to visualise the scene.

A beautiful entryway into the works of Yolanda Sfetsos. I loved the dark lore that expelled itself around the protagonist as her ignorant husband refused to see the ominous signs around them as they stayed longer in the house. The ambiance of the story was unsettling and I engulfed thoroughly into this novella until the end. I actually wanted to have an unhappy ending so that I could read the description of the change and it did not disappoint. As a first time read by this author, I anticipate her next release.

Wings Of Sorrow is steeped in gothic tradition, taking imagery common to the sub-genre and using it to propel a darker, more twisted tale. The story follows Thera and her husband Hector as they return to her recently deceased aunt's house, a strange and creepy cliffside building. Thera last left this home at a young age, vowing never to return—her new beau has convinced her, reluctantly, that they should at least have a look for any valuables or anything they want to keep before they put it on the market. The building, however, just may have different ideas about the newlyweds leaving any time soon.

The marriage is really the core of this story. While the plot focuses on a familial curse handed down to the inhabitants of this home, the book is asking if true love, pure love, is enough to conquer the damnation of a bloodline... Or will it consume that, as well?

I thought this novella was paced perfectly, maintaining an air of mystery throughout. With elements of a ghost story, or traditional haunted house tropes, it ended up going in a direction I did not expect. Our protagonist starts in an almost-amnesic state, with memories of her previous time in the house few & far between—the plot is driven forward as her memories return, racing towards a chilling climax. I enjoyed Wings Of Sorrow a lot, and hope to read a full novel from Sfetsos in the not-too-distant future.

Wings of sorrow by Yolanda Sfetsos has all my favorite things when it comes to a horror story that is it is a short read it doesn’t Drag on, gets straight to the point, has a Gothic feel and the satisfying ending. when Fearah and Hector arrive at the home on the cliff where she grew up with her aunt and despite her growing uneise about being home again he is hoping she’ll want to keep it because he could stay there forever. And in the end he just may get his wish.I find miss Sfetsos‘s writing style is my favorite kind in in my opinion one that is a mark of a true story teller. When you have a good story to tell you don’t have to bogg it down in details that are unimPorten to the actual story. I love that the story had monsters from mythology made in to a modern day Gothic horror and I also loved that instead of a woman fleeing for her life this time it was poor Hector. If you like to read a horror story that is not written with a bunch of flowery filler words and over description then you will definitely love this book I certainly did. It is a fast read and a great one. Just know if you can’t watch the movie Birds by Alfred Hitchcock or have a great fear of birds attacking do not read this book. I want to thank dark lit press for my free arc copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

“Not all thoughts are meant to be heard out loud.”

“Wings of Sorrow,” by Yolanda Stetsos

Thera inherits her aunt’s home on the coast. Her memories of her aunt and the home are haunted, but her husband talks her into visiting and going through the belongs. He’s looking for inspiration, but she just wants to forget all of it. The home has secrets, and it is changing both of them in ways they don’t want.

I really liked this novelle. The story was interesting and well written even though it is such a short book. The characters were relatable and realistic. The story plot has unique lore that fit in perfectly with the gothic coastal theme. 4 out of 5 stars, will definitely be rereading the book.

-Ghosts
-Horror
-Family Trauma
-Married Couple

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

Talk about a journey. Thera inherits her aunts gothic home on a cliff. Thera and her new husband sort through her aunts belongings and it gets all gothic and twisty from there. A great short read.

Wings of Sorrow reminds me a little of Riley Sager The Only One Left vibes. If you’re a Riley Sager fan, definitely try out Yolanda! No spoilers. Just give it a read for yourself.

Thank you Netgalley and Yolanda Sfetos for giving me this opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book so much! It's super dark and gothic compared to what I usually read but the change of pace was great. It kept my attention the entire time! I definitely hope to get a physical copy of this soon and will be recommending it to all my bookstagram friends!

This was an enjoyable novella. The book gave me American Horror Story vibes, with a couple moving to an old house and sinister happening following. I actually wish the book was longer so that the the author had even more time to build up the atmosphere and characters. The author stated on Goodreads that there is an additional novella about the family curse, and I definitely intend on picking it up and anything else the author may write.

Wings of Sorrow” by Yolanda Sfetsos is a captivating gothic tale set in a mysterious cliffside house. As Thera and her husband Hector uncover family secrets, they’re drawn into a chilling curse that threatens their love and Thera’s very identity. Sfetsos skillfully blends romance, mystery, and the supernatural, crafting a gripping narrative that keeps readers enthralled until the final page.

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this advance reader copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thank you so much to DarkLit Press for offering this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was initially drawn to this Wings of Sorrow by the beautiful cover, upon reading the description I knew it was one I needed to try.
Thera fresh off her honeymoon with Hector is tasked with returning to her childhood home after her Aunt Anthea passes away. Upon her return she begins to remember things she had long thought lost to her. A dark long standing secret is revealed to her, a secret that will change everything.
The beginning of the book had me hooked with the pacing and story until the very end.

A gothic mansion by the sea A family curse A dead old woman .. say no more I couldn't put this baby Down!!

Yolanda Sfetsos's "Wings of Sorrow" is a modern take on a more classic gothic novel, based
in myth and set on an appropriately windswept cliff, complete with anachronistic manor and neighboring lighthouse.
Thera inherits her aunt’s house, and she decides to go clean it out before listing it. Hector, her horror-writing husband, comes along for the potential inspiration. The house immediately draws him in and the words begin to flow. Thera, however, is battling the ghost of her aunt and her ominous warning that nothing good will come of Thera and Hector staying at the house.

The premise of this story is intriguing with the genders sort of swapped from the more traditional tellings. The why of things, which we learn from the ghost and Thera’s forgotten memories, are equally fascinating. The delivery, however, left something to be desired. The truth comes out in a lot of exposition where I would have liked to see more mystery-solving and discovery by the characters involved in the immediacy of the plot. As a reader, I felt plenty of sympathy for Hector, but I found Thera a bit distant.

A quick and entertaining read with a good setting and an engaging premise, “Wings of Sorrow” would be a good read for any fan of horror. I received a copy from NetGalley.

This was so hard to get into. It was hard to picture myself in the book, to understand the characters, this was really not for me. I struggled to get through it and it took me a very long time to finish, even though I absolutely love horror books.