House of Salt and Sorrows (SISTERS OF THE SALT)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Get swept away by this “haunting” (Bustle) novel about twelve beautiful sisters living on an isolated island estate who begin to mysteriously die one by one.
"Step inside a fairy tale." —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there 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 her sister's deaths were no accidents. The girls 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 is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Be careful who you dance with...
And don't miss Erin A. Craig's newest novel, The Thirteenth Child, a haunting and romantic novel about the impossible choices we make in the name of love.
"Step inside a fairy tale." —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there 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 her sister's deaths were no accidents. The girls 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 is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Be careful who you dance with...
And don't miss Erin A. Craig's newest novel, The Thirteenth Child, a haunting and romantic novel about the impossible choices we make in the name of love.
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Community Reviews
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
House of Salt and Sorrows is a brilliant gothic reimagining that submerges the reader in the eerie atmosphere by the sea.
Kingdom By the Sea
Craig did a fantastic job building up the atmosphere with House of Salt and Sorrows. Annaleigh lives in a castle by the sea with her father and remaining sisters. Once there were twelve of them, but they have been slowly dying off since her mother’s death, leaving the islanders to believe that her family is cursed.
For Annaleigh, she believes something sinister is going on and is determined to begin investigating after the mysterious death of her older sister.
Soon, her sisters discover a door that leads them to a magical place where they begin to dance their nights away. However, nothing is as it seems.
There is something dark and sinister happening here with her sisters. The atmosphere is perfect, capturing the somber tone of Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee. Her scene structure, building up the island, the religion, the gods, captures the essence of Poe but makes something new.
This is a fairy tale retelling of The 12 Dancing Princesses, but the gothic atmosphere makes it something entirely new and unique. Craig submerges the reader in her gothic tale, to the point that the reader can feel the sea breeze; can taste the salt in the air. It is breathtaking to be taken to this world by the sea, to this castle and lighthouse — another Poe allusion – and to see the mystery unfold through the unsettling setting.
Always keep a light burning
Aside from the spectacular pacing, tensing, and atmosphere, there were also some great characterizations. Unfortunately, however, there were some less than great characters.
Annaleigh was a strong character. Seeing her move, becoming aware, and staying true to herself makes a compelling character. Even when everyone around her begins to doubt her sanity, she does not give up, does not stop investigating the sinister things happening in her home.
Of course, one of the more minor characters, Kasamaras, was even more incredible. Goddess of Madness and Nightmares only appears in the last quarter of the novel, but she makes an impression. It made me want more of her, more of her madness and chaos. She was brilliantly done, her and the other gods. In the end, I wanted so much more of her in the story.
This highlights Craig’s ability to use her storytelling to her advantage and make the characters impactful even when given such limited time in the story. In addition, she made the readers want more of the gods and more of the mythology, which helped create the intensity with the rising tension and character dynamics.
However, there were some issues with the family dynamics. The family dynamics were a little strained. Annaleigh’s older sister was intolerable. Her tone, her attitude, was unlikeable, and it left much to be desired.
Final Thoughts
House of Salt and Sorrows is spectacular. It reinvents a fairy tale while delving into a gothic fantasy that is breathtaking.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
House of Salt and Sorrows is a brilliant gothic reimagining that submerges the reader in the eerie atmosphere by the sea.
Kingdom By the Sea
Craig did a fantastic job building up the atmosphere with House of Salt and Sorrows. Annaleigh lives in a castle by the sea with her father and remaining sisters. Once there were twelve of them, but they have been slowly dying off since her mother’s death, leaving the islanders to believe that her family is cursed.
For Annaleigh, she believes something sinister is going on and is determined to begin investigating after the mysterious death of her older sister.
Soon, her sisters discover a door that leads them to a magical place where they begin to dance their nights away. However, nothing is as it seems.
There is something dark and sinister happening here with her sisters. The atmosphere is perfect, capturing the somber tone of Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee. Her scene structure, building up the island, the religion, the gods, captures the essence of Poe but makes something new.
This is a fairy tale retelling of The 12 Dancing Princesses, but the gothic atmosphere makes it something entirely new and unique. Craig submerges the reader in her gothic tale, to the point that the reader can feel the sea breeze; can taste the salt in the air. It is breathtaking to be taken to this world by the sea, to this castle and lighthouse — another Poe allusion – and to see the mystery unfold through the unsettling setting.
Always keep a light burning
Aside from the spectacular pacing, tensing, and atmosphere, there were also some great characterizations. Unfortunately, however, there were some less than great characters.
Annaleigh was a strong character. Seeing her move, becoming aware, and staying true to herself makes a compelling character. Even when everyone around her begins to doubt her sanity, she does not give up, does not stop investigating the sinister things happening in her home.
Of course, one of the more minor characters, Kasamaras, was even more incredible. Goddess of Madness and Nightmares only appears in the last quarter of the novel, but she makes an impression. It made me want more of her, more of her madness and chaos. She was brilliantly done, her and the other gods. In the end, I wanted so much more of her in the story.
This highlights Craig’s ability to use her storytelling to her advantage and make the characters impactful even when given such limited time in the story. In addition, she made the readers want more of the gods and more of the mythology, which helped create the intensity with the rising tension and character dynamics.
However, there were some issues with the family dynamics. The family dynamics were a little strained. Annaleigh’s older sister was intolerable. Her tone, her attitude, was unlikeable, and it left much to be desired.
Final Thoughts
House of Salt and Sorrows is spectacular. It reinvents a fairy tale while delving into a gothic fantasy that is breathtaking.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
Really enjoyed the spooky elements of this book! About midway through, I felt like the story was dragging a bit. I was also disappointed on how the story wrapped up so neatly, especially since there is another book in the series.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Never has a book left me speechless. This book was fantastic! It was a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses fairytale, even though I was unfamiliar with that fairytale I decided to give this book a try.
Immediately, I was hooked from the first chapter and felt a connection to the characters, who were engaging. The plot itself was completely enthralling with a twist of mystery and tragedy, with romance sprinkled in. I devoured this book for hours until my eyes blurred because I just had to know what happened. This book hits all the emotions, agony, sorrow, fear, happiness, and love.
HIGHLY recommended for anyone who likes a dark tragedy stories with a HEA.
Never has a book left me speechless. This book was fantastic! It was a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses fairytale, even though I was unfamiliar with that fairytale I decided to give this book a try.
Immediately, I was hooked from the first chapter and felt a connection to the characters, who were engaging. The plot itself was completely enthralling with a twist of mystery and tragedy, with romance sprinkled in. I devoured this book for hours until my eyes blurred because I just had to know what happened. This book hits all the emotions, agony, sorrow, fear, happiness, and love.
HIGHLY recommended for anyone who likes a dark tragedy stories with a HEA.
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