I had too many questions left over at the end to rate this higher than 3 stars, but the writing is good. Gisella and Sebastian are meh, they don't have the flaming connection that I want my MC's to have and I felt like Sebastian had some grooming vibes that I struggled with. Overall, it's fine.

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

Reflections of Silence draws readers into a moody, gothic tale filled with dark secrets, mysterious settings, and brooding vampires. Gisella’s journey to the New World as a “Casket Girl” is anything but ordinary, as she’s whisked away into a world of shadowed corridors and unnerving silence, with a husband who only appears at night and an estate that seems alive with hidden dangers.

The atmosphere is rich with tension, and the dark, vampiric undertones give the story an eerie allure, especially as Gisella begins to uncover her husband Sebastian’s secrets. The vampiric elements and Sebastian’s dark, brooding nature add to the gothic charm, making for a haunting read. However, while the story has plenty of suspense, it doesn’t quite dive deep enough into the characters' emotions, making it hard to fully connect with Gisella’s journey and her complicated relationship with Sebastian.

Despite its pacing issues, Reflections of Silence is an enjoyable read for fans of dark, vampire-filled gothic romance, offering a unique twist on classic vampire lore in a creepy, atmospheric setting. If you’re looking for a broody, suspenseful tale with a taste of the supernatural, this one may be worth a try.

I was unable to read this book due to technical difficulties with the platform I was using. While I can't say anything about the story, characters, or writing style, I'm disappointed that I couldn't even start this book.
I hope to have another opportunity to read [Book Title] in the future.

Reflections of Silence captured my attention because of the cover and then when I read the summary I was hooked. I'm a sucker for a historical romance with some paranormal thrown in and this one has that in spades.

Gisella is our fmc and she's headed to the new world as what was known as a Casket Girl. Sent off to be married to an unknown man, she finds herself in a world she was not truly prepared for but one she is definitely interested in. As she tries to adapt to her new life, she is drawn to the man who is her husband but she knows he is not like other men and she doesn't really care.

Sebastian...I won't say much here other than that he has a long history and as Gisella is trying to find her place, his past comes back to haunt them.

I thought Hush did a good job of tying the paranormal into a historical while also keeping the romance thread throughout. I also thought the secondary characters helped to keep the story moving forward and I'll be curious to see how Hush picks things up in a next book as it was alluded to at the end of this one. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I will most likely pick up the next one.

Atmospheric, brooding, angsty, sexy vampire - yep. Throw in a Mail order bride (well, of sorts), a dark and isolated castle in the Bayou, an evil sorceress, and a few more not quite human staff, and you have a dark and romantic tale in a somewhat classic style. Dark tales don't always have a true HEA, but you knew that.

"You'd know something of that by now surely, about your husband? You were beautifully naive"
.
3.7/⭐
3/🌶️
#netgalley arc
#vampire #paranormal #voodoo

This book beautifully set in time follows the story of one of "the cascet girls"
Young girls who were 'sold' to merry over seas. But she would never expect her husband to be exactly this
.
What i loved:

-timeframe/background
the setting of the story in chapter one is amazing
It's an historical fact but the way it is linked to the story and it's myths is amazingly done

-monsters
I like that there is more than one " monster " and that not every monster is actually bad

-smut
I really liked the way the smut had been written
It doesn't feel too much in the story and it feels natural, well a bit much for a virgin maybe

What i didn't love:
-Amy
I had to reread some parts where amy comes into play
I find her reasoning behind everything a bit difficult to understand
Also why was she on the ship on purpose i assume but how did she know ?
I miss info i'm afraid but it can still be part of book 2 ?

-to little pages
It was only 174p in my ebook version
Not to much
Couldn't it have taken a bit more ? I feel like the writer knew what she wanted to say but ran out of pages

Overal lovely book:
Would recommend if you like a dark romance with vampires and witches
Something shorter in-between

I was sold on the idea of what this story could have been. Unfortunately this book didn’t do it for me. There was a lot left wanting and felt like things just kept popping up for the sake of trying to move this book forward. Grumpy, possessive Sebastian check and that was it. Gisella was there to stop a revenge ex that didn’t get too much time in said book. Their relationship was very instant, no development or time for them to know each other. I wasn’t a fan of the ending, sure it does set up the next book but why give us a female lead that stays mortal while the male lead says she’s the love of his life only to succumb to a mortal ending? Like can’t he find a way to make her immortal so they do have a HEA. In the end this wasn’t for me, it was trying to fit a lot in a little.

The plot was interesting, but the delivery could be better. At some point I was more interested in the second characters than the main characters.

The FMC is a innocent, almost naive girl sent oversees by the royal family to marry into the New World. I liked the historical note at the beginning and it really gave everything context, which made the beginning more immersive.

I liked learning all the secrets alongside Gisella (very beautiful name btw) and see how she adapts to everything. What I didn't like as much was the insta-love. I just prefer them getting to know each other better first, preferably with a strong chemistry between them.

For me, it was an okay experience, I don't usually read historical fiction (this is a mix of historical and paranormal anyway), but I really think the book has great potential, it just needs to be refined a bit, maybe add more substance and explain everything a bit better instead of rushing to the end.

First off I LOVED the historical note at the start of the book. Any story that has come from something specifically inspired should do that- it’s so good.

I was so intrigued at the beginning- the setting and the historical notes of it all had me sucked in. I feel like the further we got into the story the further this drifted away which was a shame! It started out at a good pace then felt overwhelmingly fast.
There were moments throughout where things happened so quickly that I actually couldn’t make head nor tail of it. It would have done so much better to draw certain scenes out.

My favourite characters were actually Dolion and Minette- I would have read a spin off juat dedicated to those two. Gargoyle/Human romance… who knew that’s what I needed? Their romance was actually more believable than Gella and Sebastian’s which I feel was a little too rushed. I also have a bit of beef with Sebastian as I think he was a little too “it’s all about my pleasure” if you’re getting my drift.

I will say I loved all the mentions of the paranormal beings. I greedily wanted to know more about all of them.

Alas if you want a fast-paced and spicy paranormal romance. This one is for you!

This is my first paranormal book, and all I can say is thank God it was short. There's insta love, vampires, marriage sight unseen, and a whole complex plot with a weird villian.

It was steamy and fast-paced, but not very well written.

#netgalley #ReflectionsOfSilence

Plot: 4/5📖
Spice: 3.5/5🌶️
Overall: 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Raven Hush, and Little Quail Press Publishing for my ARC of Reflections of Silence in exchange for an honest review.

"I have some mixed feelings about this book. I really wanted to love it, I really did. However, I think my taste in books has simply changing and that's okay! I also want to mention that I did not see that this is an ""erotic"" historical paranormal romance and so I was not prepared for that aspect. Am I mad about it? No, but it wasn't my favorite thing - to no fault of anyone but myself. "

"Let's start off with the fact that I did receive an unfinished eARC, so some of these criticisms may be ""fixed"", so-to-say, in the final published version. That being said, there were a few holes in the plot of the book that I feel were forgotten about because some things would be mentioned once throughout the whole book, but when they were mentioned, they were brought up with a note of importance to them. If it was important, why was it only briefly talked about and why did we never circle back around to it? Again, though, these may have been fixed in the final editing process before publication, so I'm intrigued to read again in a few days! "

The idea of the story really drew me in and the use of accurate historical themes and language were beautifully done. Sebastian and Dolion were both absolutely intriguing and I do hope to see more of Dolion in the second book!

This book gives slight beauty and the beast vibes. Well if the Beast was a vampire. I liked the sound of book with a grumpy vamp and an innocent young thing forced to marry him. For me the book lacked a little depth and plot/character development. However the book is pretty short so too much depth can’t be expected. Overall an ok read if you are looking for a short but spicy historical paranormal romance.

The cover of this book initially drew me in, and while I did enjoy it, I felt that the story was a bit rushed and the characters could have been more developed. Having the book be a bit longer might have allowed for a richer narrative. Despite this, I'm intrigued enough to check out the second book in the series.

The premise of this story is really great. The Casket girls, New Orleans, its a great story of their history. I'm obsessed with all things New Orleans which is another reason why i snatched this one up.
Gisella is a Coffin Girl, come to New Orleans in 1735
and Sebastian, well he's been there awhile longer.
The story wasn't nearly as long as it needed to be, and a lot of the times I couldn't understand what was happening, and what was supposed to be happening. The book wasn't quite 200 pages and honestly could've been a great book at double that.

The plot was a great idea that hasn't been done before. I just felt like this book missed that mark.

TLDR:
• ⭐⭐⭐I enjoyed the book and if someone told me they were reading it I would let them know I enjoyed it, but may not be quick to recommend it
•🌶️🌶️🌶️Incredibly explicit and lots of it. Not all of it adds to the plot but there is still a plot/spice balance
• I enjoyed the premise and the MMC, but the typos, messy phrasing, continuity issues, and the rushed meeting and conclusion left the book wanting
• I will likely read the second book when it is out

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Full Review:
Reflections of Silence by Raven Hush offers an intriguing premise, blending historical fiction with a vampire romance set against the backdrop of the casket girls arriving in New Orleans. However, while the concept is promising, the execution falls short in several areas.

The story follows Gisella, a young woman from France who quickly finds herself entangled with Sebastian, a dark, brooding vampire and her new sight-unseen husband. While Sebastian's mysterious persona is captivating, Gisella, unfortunately, comes across as a weak protagonist. She’s too willing to go along with events and never really stands up for herself, which makes her character feel less compelling and too passive for my taste.

One of the major drawbacks of the book is the pacing of the romance. Gisella and Sebastian's relationship develops almost instantly, with little time for the characters to get to know each other or for the me as the reader to feel the tension and build-up. The rushed development makes their love story a little less believable, and diminishes the potential emotional impact.

Moreover, the book is riddled with typos and continuity issues, such as characters changing positions abruptly without explanation. These errors, along with the rushed ending, make the narrative feel incomplete and disjointed. The final conflict, in particular, would have benefited from being drawn out more to provide a satisfying conclusion.

It seems as though the author was thinking faster than she could write, leading to moments where the narrative becomes unclear, leaving me confused about what exactly is happening. A more thorough edit could have smoothed out these rough edges and allowed the story to shine more brightly.

In summary, Reflections of Silence has a strong foundation with its atmospheric setting and intriguing male lead, (not to mention the frequent and exquisitely written spice) but it ultimately needs more development in both its characters and plot to reach its full potential. All of that being said, I will likely read the next duet as I found Sebastian and Dolion (supporting character) to be intriguing and the premise interesting enough to continue.

Reading Scale:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I think about this book long after I've finished it. It left its mark and I would recommend this to anyone and everyone
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I loved this book and would absolutely recommend it
⭐⭐⭐ I enjoyed the book and if someone told me they were reading it I would let them know I enjoyed it, but may not be quick to recommend it
⭐⭐ I would not recommend this book and is someone said told me they were reading it I would give my honest opinion
⭐ DNF

Spice Scale:
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Incredibly Explicit and lots of it. So much so that there is little plot left
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Incredibly Explicit and lots of it. Not all of it adds to the plot but there is still a plot/spice balance
🌶️🌶️🌶️Explicit and multiple instances. Most of the scenes weave into the plot and move the plot forward, though some may not
🌶️🌶️Intimate scenes but milder language. They add to the plot and are used as character development
🌶️Intimate scenes but mild language - just a step past closed door

Very smutty, very spicy, but lacking in plot. I'm always down for a super spicy read, but personally I also need some plot alongside it.

This story follows Gisella, who traveled to America from France because her father sold her to be married to a man there. Only she arrives... and realizes he is a much different man than she thought, carrying a lot of secrets and inner demons.

There was very little world building and barely anything in terms of character development. This book just didn't resonate with me. If you just want a smutty read to get lost in, you'll probably like this one. However, if you prefer to also have some plot alongside it, I wouldn't recommend this book to you.

This story was incredibly interesting, the premise hooked me from page one. I loved that it was fast paced and quite well described, even though it was such a short novel. I did feel that the story was missing a lot of information, that could have easily been written in with a couple of extra hundred pages.
I finished this book with so many questions, which unfortunately took away from my over all enjoyment.

This book is easy to read, and has a great base storyline. I just needed more.

Thank you NetGalley for providing my very first ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Overall, I liked the story the author was trying to tell. It was like a mix of Bridgerton, Twilight and Beauty & the Beast which I loved and is why I’m giving a solid 3 stars.

The beginning of the book did a really good job of setting the scene and providing the historical context in detail but I don’t find that continued throughout the book.

The story felt a bit rushed, especially towards the end which left me with a lot of questions and felt almost unfinished. I know it’s a fairly short book but I would have liked to read a bit more about Sebastian’s history with Amy in order to understand why she’s so vengeful.

It also felt like the chemistry between Gisella and Sebastian was fizzling as the story went on. I didn’t really feel the connection/passion between them as much as I would have expected. Spice level for me was a 2/5 but was well written so it was enjoyable to read.

Gisella and Sebastian’s story left me wanting more but a good read nonetheless.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

The first in a paranormal romance, Reflections of Silence has a very Dracula-esque vibe to it. Based around the Casket Girls history from the 1700s, we get a small introduction to this within the prologue, which is essential to understanding Giselle’s story.

The writing was beautiful, almost poetic. It flowed wonderfully and was easy to read. However, my understanding of the plot and characters faltered about 50-60% of the way through, around the time Amy was reintroduced.

It’s such a short book, that we didn’t get much time with each of the characters to flesh out their stories, their personalities and their history. What we do learn is brief, and not in great detail. Due to this, I struggled to connect with the main characters. Particularly the villain, Amy. I have no idea what she was (this might have been purposefully ambiguous but it felt more like a missing plot point), I didn’t understand her motives fully (particularly around Sebastian and why he existed and what role she had in his past).

Sebastian is flawed, clearly has some trauma from his past and struggles with human interaction due to his nature but there is minimal development of this. By the end of the book, I am unsure if Giselle and Sebastian have a relationship at all. The majority of her time seems to be spent with Dolion and an unnamed character by the grave of Minette.

I feel like this book could be spectacular if longer, the characters were developed more fully (potentially with additional POVs from Sebastian to understand his past and how he came to be) and a deeper connection forged between the reader and the plot of this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and Raven Hush for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. The review is my own opinion and I have given this freely.