⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭒ ⭒
2.5 stars


·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ I really liked the atmosphere of this book. The gothic vibes? Absolutely there. The moody, shadowy setting of Thorne Hall was a strong point for me, and I found myself appreciating the eerie, almost cinematic feel of the environment throughout.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ When it comes to the characters, though… I was kind of neutral. I didn’t hate them, but I wasn’t really attached to them either. Elegy, the protagonist, grew on me a little the more I read, but she never became particularly interesting. She was bland and so were most of the characters. Nothing about them really stood out. I appreciated that they weren’t annoying, but they didn’t exactly jump off the page either.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ The romance element was okay but didn’t entirely work for me. I understood that Elegy was sheltered and isolated, so her immediate attachment to the first handsome boy she meets is kind of understandable, but it also felt a bit meh. I think I would’ve liked the story more if her motivation had leaned less toward romance and more toward self-discovery or a thirst for adventure. That would have made her desire to live feel more powerful.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ The pacing is where the book lost some ground. It started off strong. I was really into it in the first 20% but then it dipped and lost me for a while. It picked back up again around the 50–60% mark, which helped, but the inconsistency in flow was hard to ignore. It felt like a pattern of momentum → stall → momentum → stall. That back-and-forth rhythm pulled me in and out of the story.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ I think my biggest issue is that I went in expecting a little more from the ghosts and the paranormal side. What I pictured in my head didn’t quite match what I got, and in the end, it felt a little underwhelming. But maybe that’s more on me than on the book.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ Overall, it’s a decent gothic read with a strong setting and some good moments but the characters and pacing held it back from being truly memorable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall is a beautifully crafted supernatural romance that combines chilling ghostly suspense with heartfelt emotional depth. I really enjoyed the way the story balanced eerie, atmospheric tension with moments of genuine warmth and connection between the characters. The haunted house setting was richly detailed, making Thorne Hall feel alive with its own secrets. What stood out most was the nuanced exploration of grief and healing, which gave the paranormal elements even more weight and resonance.

The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall was spooky and ambitious, blending the eerie supernatural elements with an emotional journey. I did enjoy most parts of the book, but the pacing being uneven makes it hard for me to rate it higher.

I like the setting and the story behind the mansion (also the spirit's backstory). It's probably because I was not in the right mood to genuinely enjoy and be fully invested in the story, which made me feel bad. The slow burn made me fall into a reading slump.

That said, I still recommend it if you love supernatural and poetic tales of love that are just not here to spook you out but also to invite you into this enchanting, beautiful mansion.

A hauntingly atmospheric gothic fantasy that blends eerie supernatural elements with an emotional journey. The setting feels both enchanting and unsettling which makes it spellbinding. I was captivated by the spirits backstories and the mansion’s history. A very good read.
Many thanks to Alcove Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had to put the book down and do the audiobook because this was too slow to slog through. I ended up enjoying the book in the end, but it was much to slow to sit and read.

This had some interesting spooky vibes and moments that kept me intrigued. I liked the setting and the idea behind the story, but it didn’t fully come together for me.

The pacing was a bit uneven, and I found some parts dragging, which made it harder to stay fully engaged. Still, if you enjoy ghost stories with a slow-burn feel, this might be worth a try.

Elegy Thorne lives in the present but exists in the past—trapped in a cursed mansion alongside fifteen very opinionated spirits and a whole lot of eerie ambiance. Think crumbling grandeur, flickering candlelight, and the scent of dried roses and regrets. When the arrival of preservationist Atticus (brooding, alive, and decidedly modern) threatens to shake the dust off her carefully curated life, Elegy dares to dream of something more—of love, of escape, of freedom.

This book is a slow, slow burn. Like, light-a-match-and-wait-for-a-gothic-miracle slow. I love a slow burn so it's worth it for me! The setting is lush and immersive and the spirits are equal parts terrifying, tragic, and weirdly charming.

The pacing might frustrate readers looking for quick thrills, but if you’re in the mood for something atmospheric and melancholic with glimmers of hope? This is it.

A hauntingly poetic tale of legacy, love, and liberation. I recommend :)

was a cute story but I wasn’t super invested and there were points where I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read it anymore. 2 stars seems like it would be too harsh but I feel like this was probably more like a 2.5 stars for me.

Creepy and gothic, I loved Elegy and her atmospherically gothic home. Perfect spooky read for the Autumn. Slow, but stick with it for Jane Eyre vibes.

The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall is a surprise read. I did not know that I would be loving this as much as I did. Elegy is the heir of Thorne House. A house that has a collection of ghost haunting its halls. I loved the characters in this and laughed out loud at the banter. I think that the ghosts were a bit hard to remember who was who. But the descriptions of their injuries and how they died can be a bit gory. It threw me for a loop sometimes, but I liked how the author did not hold that back. I would recommend this book if you wanted something that was a like Thirteen Ghosts that wasn’t so cheesy. The other reviews that I have seen compares this to Bly Manor and I would agree with them.

The gothic vibes of this book were great, but I found that it dragged - the pacing was rather slow and inconsistent. I also think I would have enjoyed it more if the paranormal aspect were the focus, rather than it battling with the romance story, though that is a personal preference.

This was wonderful! I loved the writing style, the characters, the world-building…everything about it was top-notch. I will definitely be recommending this book!

Dnf early
I loved the set up for the novel. I would have loved following how Thorne Hall got its spirit collection and the how the ghosts are depicted are intressting but some of them as well as the main character's father rubbed me the wrong way.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The premise of this story plus the title immediately captured my attention. This book did not end up being what I thought it was however. I did find it interesting if not quirky. The characters and writing style definitely grew on me as the story progressed. There are elements here that remind me of 'Evelyn Hugo' but with ghosts and inheritances. Mild spice present but only like one scene. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Bridgerton, but wants to have ghosts.

I loved the premise of this book, but unfortunately, the execution didn't win me over. The gothic setting is truly fascinating, and the descriptions are vivid, but the characters didn't convince me. I don't know, I found them rather anonymous and superficial, which prevented me from connecting with them. In addition, there is a powerful insta-love in the novel, a trope that I unfortunately can't stand, which made the situation even worse.

I tried this book three times and just could not get into it. The premise sounded right up my ally but it just at times dragged and could just not pick back up. Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The atmosphere was good but just could not connect to the characters which was disappointing.
2 star

I absolutely ADORED The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall. It was dark, it was complex, it was creepy AND spooky and it kept me on my toes. Elegy was an absolutely wonderful character with all her quirks and I loved her relationship with venegful spirit collection. The ghosts are described so horrifically and this book is definitely graphic but it added so much to the story. This book was the perfect gothic ghosty horror read and I think readers are going to love it.

Can a gothic paranormal that’s horrifically graphic also be considered cozy? Because that is still the first word that comes to mind when I think of this genre-blended novel.

Cursed to the eventual fate of having dominion over a whole host of tragically disfigured ghosts that haunt her family home, Elegy Thorne feels trapped by legacy. Until the arrival of an empathetic and charming stranger changes everything. Is there a chance Elegy can escape a life stuck in a haunted house and exchange it for a life of her own?

Not much to say about this tale other than it is both so warm and fuzzy I couldn’t help but grin and diabolically dark and graphic when it comes to the ghosts that follow Elegy and their vengeful natures. A wild contrast that does work, but also fails to make a lasting impression. I would most definitely read more of this author’s work, and I appreciate what she did here, but I was never more than affected in passing rather than deeply feeling for Elegy and her tribulations.

Atticus is a gem, though.

DNF @25%

I was expecting this book to be more interesting and entertaining than it has been by this point. It was boring and I didn't like the writing stye.

The atmosphere was dripping with dark beauty - and I absolutely adored it.
If you are into gothic avibes, restless spirits and forbidden love, then this book is for you!