Review: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

"Once there were twelve of us: the Thaumus Dozen. Now we stood in a small line, my seven sisters and I, and I couldn't help but wonder if there was a ring of truth to the grim speculations." (Loc. 87)

Annaleigh Thaumus is the second oldest surviving daughter of the 19th Duke of the Salaan Islands. Four of her sisters have died. The most recent death, that of Eulalie, triggers Annaleigh to investigate. The more she looks into things, the eerier it gets.  Meanwhile, she and her sisters have been mysteriously wearing out their slippers. 

This is a gothic retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. It has more death and ghostly happenings than the original. And a little romance as well.

Good things about this story include good characterization of Annaleigh. There is a strong gothic flavor. The mystery is interesting and a little different from the original. It has a lovely twist to it.

There were more positives than negatives. My main complaint was that it's slow early on and I had a little trouble getting into it. But, I found it worth it in the end.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars. It's well written and mostly well done. It's worth a read especially if you enjoy gothic literature or retellings. 

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig was published August 6th, 2019 by Delacorte.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not influence my opinion.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #269: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings. 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Get swept away in Erin A. Craig's mesmerizing House of Salt and Sorrows. As one by one her beautiful sisters mysteriously die on their isolated island estate, Annaleigh must unravel the curse that haunts her family. Be careful who you dance with. . . .

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next. 

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig is due to be released August 6th, 2019 from Delacorte.

Why am I waiting on this one? I enjoy retellings. This sounds like an interesting retelling based on "The Twelve Dancing Princesses."

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!