Book: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
Read From: 13th September - 19th September 2021
Rating: 3/5 stars
Summary: Annaleigh and her sisters live at Highmoor, a manor by the sea alongside their father and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but now loneliness fills the halls as four of the girls lives were cut short - each death more tragic than the last. Haunted by ghostly visions, Annaleigh is convinced their deaths were not an accident. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend balls and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to stop them or join in. Because what - or who - are they really dancing with?
This was our @fantasyfriendsbookclub pick for Standalone September, and let me just tell you... we read this a month early!😆 This would have been the most perfect book for spooky season - when I tell you that it's dark, I really do mean it so be sure to check any trigger warnings before reading.
Despite being a young adult novel, it did not read like one at all and this was something I really liked. Not only is it mature in themes, the writing style is so lyrical and beautiful! I suppose it could be considered waffley at times, but surprisingly I really liked this (I don't normally!) - it added to the haunting atmosphere and it really captured me.
I feel like Annaleigh was the only character I really connected with. That's not a bad thing by all means - in fact it was probably bound to happen considering she is the protagonist. But as a reader who normally falls in love with side characters in books, it was a shame there wasn't really one I felt strongly towards. I especially wanted to love Verity, but I think that this was destined to not happen with eight sisters who all play a pretty equal role throughout the story - I think it would have been easier to connect with the sisters if there were two or three that were more central to the story. I did really like Cassius though! I thought he was very mysterious and intriguing.
The thing that gave rise to a lot of discussion in the book club chat was the ending - a lot of people said that it was rushed and I definitely felt the same way when I eventually got there. There were a lot of questions left unanswered, and not necessarily in an ambiguous way like some standalone books tend to end. I also didn't fully understand the mythology element - I liked it but at the same time it did seem kind of random!
Overall this was a great standalone fantasy and made a nice change from committing to yet another series. I'm happy it was picked for book club as I'm not sure I would have picked it up otherwise! Definitely glad to have read it, it's just not one I would ever revisit. If you're looking for a hauntingly captivating story filled with beautiful ballgowns one minute and curses and ghosts the next - this book is for you!