The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall by J. Ann Thomas is a contemporary twist on a gothic tale, offering readers an original and chilling ghost story. This captivating coming-of-age romance, infused with paranormal elements, kept me eagerly turning the pages.

4 Stars

The premise of this book was really intriguing. A woman, Elegy Thorne, literally frozen in time looking over this Hall/Manor. I loved the overall atmosphere and vibes that this brought, as it is told in modern day while Elegy is stuck in gothic times. This gives a really unique feeling of dark and light. Not only that she is living with all these spirits and not all of them are kind, but are vengeful.

The characters of this book are really well done. I found myself really rooting for Elegy to find her way out, while enjoying the romance that blossomed throughout the book. The MMC was really well cast and I found both her/his characters enjoyable. I also really liked that we get to know each of the ghosts that Elegy is living with.

The plot this book however is pretty slow and this could be off-putting for some. I didn't mind it but I did wish at times it was just a big quicker and engaging. Overall though I really did enjoy this one and I think I will be re-reading it again but in an audiobook format.

For a debut novel this was really great. I can't wait to see what else J. Ann Thomas comes up with as her story telling is unique and beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this advance reader copy. This review is voluntarily my own.

I quit reading at 50%. I was so bored and I didn't care what happened to any of the characters. I couldn't get a sense of the place- we're told we're in Massachusetts, but it might as well be in England since the folk songs are all English (and why is that, since there are plenty of American folk songs?). The language felt like the story was set in the 19th century, but we're told repeatedly that it's set in the 20th century. The dialogue sounds artificial, and it didn't read like a gothic novel at all. I was looking forward to reading this one since I love gothic novels, but it was very disappointing.

This book started out slow with a lot of descriptions and characters. There was a very strong gothic atmosphere, which was boosted by the way the characters in Thorne Hall dress and speak as if they are in the 1890s still.

The juxtaposition of the gothic hall and the modern world outside was really interesting. Elegy almost felt like a different person in the hall and outside of it. I liked the romance, but it felt very insta-love. I would’ve liked to see them connect a little bit more outside of the drama of the ghosts.

I had some trouble keeping track of the ghosts, but I did enjoy reading about their interactions with Elegy and her father. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with this type of ghosts and fantasy premise, so I really appreciated the creativity of it!

Thank you, NetGalley, and Alcove Press, for this eARC.

I think the idea of this book is fantastic but could've been executed better.
At times it was a little too slow for my liking, and I found myself easily predicting where it was going. I think I was expecting more of an eerie gothic horror than a gothic romance. All in all, it was a fun read at times and think it just wasn't my style, definitely a great spooky season read though!

This wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't really to my taste. It was a little bit too cutesy for my liking, but I thought the concept was really interesting and a lot of readers will love this!

Perfect for Halloween. It’s atmospheric and gothic with a romance that stops it becoming too dark. I loved the setting and characters but sometimes found the writing style a bit dense. The beginning was slow but worth getting through

Thank you to J. Ann Thomas, Alcove Press, and NetGalley for an eARC of The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall!

3/5 Stars

This concept of this book really drew me in. Set in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, Elegy and her father live in a mansion filled with spirits. Elegy is basically training to take over when her father dies, which he soon will. But Elegy is struggling to control the spirits and keep them in line. Elegy has accepted that she will live in the mansion forever, unable to leave and forced to marry her childhood friend to simply "produce an heir" until she meets Atticus and she realizes she may want more from her life.

I loved the setting. I'm from MA and went to college out near the Berkshires, so it was fun to read about the area and be able to create an accurate picture in my mind based on the descriptions. I also really loved the description of the house. It was basically another character in the book and gave the book a really gothic feel.

I wasn't super enamored with the characters, though Elegy's dad did absolutely disgust me. Atticus and Elegy's relationship seemed to move super fast from the time they first met, especially for someone like Elegy who hadn't ever been in a relationship before. I didn't feel like their interactions warranted such quick feelings. I also really wanted Fletcher, Elegy's stepmother, to get more air time! She was kind of a b*tch, but also really funny. I felt bad for her sometimes, but also didn't because she chose her life whereas Elegy was born into it. Either way, by the end of the book, I wanted her to get a happy ending too.

My overall feelings: This was an interesting read because of the setting and the concept. Those who enjoy quirky ghost stories and gothic novels would probably enjoy this book, too!

The premise was promising and I enjoyed the tense, atmospheric opening and introduction to the collection of spirits at Thorne Hall. Elegy was initially an interesting protagonist, but then the plot seemed to veer away from the eerie challenge of commanding the collection and more into a random romance that really seemed to grind all the action into a halt. A test of Elegy's ability that was mentioned in the first couple chapters did not come to pass until much later in the book. I also wanted more details about Elegy's supernatural training and why controlling the collection was such a struggle for her, as well as more of an emphasis on the backstory of the collection and the earlier masters of Thorne Hall. Although we do get some answers, they come much too late and with too little of a payoff for how long they were withheld. I thought the twist at the end was interesting but am a little confused about how some events then passed. Overall, I wish there had been much less focus on the romance and more attention given to the collection itself and the rules and rituals surrounding them. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a ghost story with plenty of romance and a character learning to stand on her own two feet.

"A young woman forced to live with ghosts in a mansion frozen in time must decide between forbidden love and the price of freedom in this Gothic fantasy where Jane Eyre meets The Haunting of Bly Manor, perfect for fans of Starling House.

At Thorne Hall, a grand estate nestled in the Berkshires, fifteen restless spirits roam, bound within the mansion's walls since the Gilded Age. Elegy Thorne bears the weight of her family's curse to preserve the mansion as it was in the 1890s, using ancient folk songs to keep the spirits secret and silent in order to avoid deadly consequences.

When a mischievous child spirit wreaks havoc on the manor, the Thorne family calls upon their trusted preservationist to restore the mansion. He brings along his son, Atticus - a vibrant man full of life and ideas of modernization - and Elegy is captivated by him, igniting a longing for freedom she's never dared to embrace.

Torn between her desire to follow her heart and her duty to her family and its legacy, Elegy begins searching for a way to release the spirit collection back to the afterlife and set both herself and the ghosts free. With century-old secrets, peculiar magic, and spirits both whimsical and deadly, Thorne Hall will haunt and enrapture readers - and you might just not want to leave."

This sounds like a very dark reboot of Ghosts.

I love gothic mysteries and stories in the spirit of “Jane Eyre” so I was absolutely thrilled to be granted an ARC of J. Ann Thomas’ latest book “The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall”. And this book was absolutely everything that I hoped it would be!

Elegy Thorne lives in a house frozen in time, haunted by fifteen spirits, and under the total control of her abusive father. One morning one of the spirits causes damage to the priceless Thorne Hall necessitating the family’s contractor and his son, Atticus, to visit. And Elegy’s life will never be the same.

“The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall” was a delightful cross between BBC’s “Ghosts” (but darker) and the book “Starling House”. It had just enough horror combined with a heartwarming romance and was absolutely compelling. Elegy was a great protagonist and I was really captivated by her story and character growth. This was a perfect book for the long winter nights and was my first five star read of the year. I can’t recommend it enough!

I do have a few small quibbles with the book. I was confused about the setting and time period for the first several chapters - I kept guessing between England and Massachusetts and the 1910s and present day. This definitely could’ve been indicated more clearly in the beginning but I did eventually figure it out.

Also, I was confused as to why Jasper Thorne raised the spirits to begin with - they definitely seemed to be more trouble than they were worth. I thought for most of the book that their existence was an accidental byproduct from the séance in the first scene (I didn’t think the 1902 séance was meant to keep the spirits, only raise them) and was very confused as to why none of Jasper’s descendants had tried to exorcise them. Everything was eventually explained but I spent way too much time trying to understand what was happening. I think this could’ve been fixed by having the narrative alternate between Elegy in the present day and William in 1902.

Regardless, the absolutely exquisite writing made up for the few small plot issues. And I can’t stress enough how absolutely beautifully this book was written. Yes, it was slow at times after the banger of an opening scene but the pace was perfect for this type of book - a slow build to a very strong finish. If you’re tempted to DNF please keep pushing just a bit more - the payoff at the end is totally worth it! This book cemented Thomas as an auto-buy author for me and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this books concept. A 1900s setting but modern day meets Thirteen Ghosts. I wasn’t expecting it to be as spooky as it was and it was so well done. There are also some twists and turns in there to keep you on your toes.

This book has a perfect gothic and eerie vibe. I was glued to the pages the entire read! This was such a unique and riveting story--highly recommend!!!

This is such a unique book that I totally devoured! Gothic, paranormal, haunted manor, mystery and romantic subplots: the vibes are immaculate.

Thorne Hall is a manor in the modern day, yet you'd never know it- the inhabitants dress, speak, and act as though they are over 100 years in the past to appease the spirits who have been bound to it. The Thorne family line has been bound to the spirits as well, and the MC Elegy has resigned herself to this fate, That fate also includes a classic arranged marriage between two rich families to her gay friend. He'll get to keep his inheritance and continue living his life mostly the way he wants, while Elegy remains stuck at the house. That is until she meets Atticus.

The idea of historical fiction meets present day was really fun. Elegy has such a great character arc, she is a a wonderful MC! I also loved getting to know the side characters, the romance, the dialogue, it was great. There are a lot of characters to keep up with, between the living and the dead, but it wasn't too difficult for me.

Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC

I thought the concept for this was incredibly interesting, so that immediately sparked my interest in it. I thought the writing and description of the collection in their mannerisms and looks so vivid I could clearly picture each of them. I feel like the end of the book was a little bit rushed? I would have liked to see more of the research done by characters introduced later in the story so the big surprise wouldn't have been so left field. It didn't really make sense to me truthfully. But all in all I think it's a good read!

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Slow but atmospheric

Elegy Thorne is a twenty-five-year-old woman living at her family estate, Thorne Hall, and its resident fourteen spirits. Nestled in the Berkshires, the estate has been home to fewer humans and more spirits than necessary for decades. Now, with her father’s illness and impending death, the responsibility of managing the place is on Elegy.
She has long given up the desire for a life of her own. But when sabotage by a ghost results in renovation work, she meets Atticus, the son of the contractor (and her father’s friend). Elegy’s yearning for more and the weight on her shoulders suffocate her. It’s time to find a way to send the spirits back to the afterworld if she wants a chance at a normal life. However, the process will not be easy!
The story comes in Elegy’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
So… this has a contemporary setting. Everything gives a historical vibe but there’s a proper reason for it. Even the writing style feels historical, with those long-winded sentences and the narrator’s voice dominating Elegy’s POV often.
The paranormal part is the highlight. Since the story relies on spirits and ghosts in a house, the gothic element needs to be strong. The writing does justice to this. I could feel the creepy house, the stinky ghosts (who look like zombies), the dead garden, the oppressive weight on FMC, etc.
However, this one needs patience. It is very slow. The beginning 30% was at a snail’s pace but I understood why. The stage was being set. Things improved after that but the last section was slow again.
The FMC’s characterization was great. She’s a 25yo from this century living her life in the past because it’s her inheritance. She gradually becomes stronger but without losing her sense of goodness. NGL, I was annoyed at her a few times for giving in easily but the change in her arc is steady and believable.
The side characters don’t get the same depth. That’s okay because there are fourteen ghosts and a whole bunch of humans. While it doesn’t matter for most of them, even the MMC ends up as a lever for FMC’s growth. He should have been more than that given the love track and romance.
This is insta love but works from the FMC’s side. Since we don’t get much info about the guy, it’s hard to see why he fell as fast. There’s some steam but not much. The interaction between the two could have been better. The punch is lacking and so is the banter.
There’s a twist or two in the climax. One of them was easy to guess due to the clues provided earlier. The other was a surprise; sad too!
The detailed epilogue is quite satisfying to read. I like it when everything gets sorted and we get HEA. This does dim the atmospheric effect a little but by then I was ready for it to move to the background.

To summarize, The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall is a slow-paced atmospheric read with some chilly moments and a bit of romance. The writing style could take some time to get used to. High chances of zoning out if you aren’t focused. Still, a nice read.
Thank you, NetGalley, and Alcove Press, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I was the most interested in the book during the 1902 parts. Then I got excited flashing to present day, but the rules are is they still have to live like 1902? Ok could be cool I guess... But it's not, it makes no sense. Maybe it gets better toward the end but I was too far in and nothing was happening that kept my attention. Plus it felt way too much like The September House without any intrigue to bring me in or make me want to finish, so I decided to DNF. After sitting on it for a bit, I also think gothic horror may not be for me. I don't prefer how they are written. If this is your vibe, you may enjoy it!

*This book is set to be published February 11, 2025.*
2.5 rounded down to 2 based on Goodreads star rating description.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read this early for my honest opinions as a reader.
I think this book will be a good one for Romantasy readers that want a paranormal read during spooky season. When requesting this I didn't realize it would lean as heavily into the romance, and as a reader who doesn't really fit well in the Romance niche not everything worked for me. If you are more of a romance reader I think you will love the spooky mix with the romance.
Although, if you are averse to the “insta-love” trope, this book did seem like that to me. Not too much pining before there was spice. In my taste, the spice seemed to be out of nowhere and very little getting to know one another well before it happened. Elegy is a very closeted woman though, so I understand it's a form of rebellion to her father and life. I wanted more of the cute, sweet note that the romance started on before we got a spice scene that I didn't really want.
The Paranormal aspect is what kept me reading, but unfortunately the ending “twist” just didn't work for me. You are built up to care about Elegy and Atticus, but I lacked concern for other characters. I felt like I had more questions after things were revealed that could have been better answered in setup and also would have hit harder if we got to grow with more characters.
I'm not saying this is a bad book with my rating, I am saying I took the wrong aspects of the synopsis going into it and I think that set me up for an “okay” read. If you are into Romantasy or Paranormal Romance, or want Romance with very scary vibes for Halloween. This will work for you.
I would check some content warnings if you plan to pick this book up.

An interesting concept for sure. I wish more groundwork had been laid to explain why the logical actions weren’t feasible. And while the pacing was pretty slow overall, the romance seemed to come out of nowhere.

Thanks to Alcove Press for providing an advanced digital copy through NetGalley for me to review!

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this. I did like it but never really felt called to pick it up. The pacing was pretty slow and didn't make me excited to get back to the story, until the third act that felt a lot more engaging. The writing is pleasant but extremely detailed, which I think is one of the reasons it felt so slow. At first I thought all these details must have a meaning and maybe it was important to pay attention to it all, but after a while I realized that was just the way the author writes and skimmed a little. The characters are mostly interesting, with additions throughout the story that create a fun dynamic. Elegy is a great MC; I felt for her and loved seeing her growth. I also enjoyed how different Atticus was and thought they were very sweet together. It would have been amazing to learn more about the ghosts and their story, it would perhaps have added some depth to the story. As it is, the plot and romance were a bit too simple, though still enjoyable and easy to follow. I loved the gothic vibe and the hints of foreshadowing. Overall, it was a nice read, but just lacked that spark that would have made it stand out.