I really loved the worldbuilding in this novel! It was so vivid & well done! I also loved how tight-knit the family was and the various horror-esque elements in it! I love retellings & this book did not disappoint!

**3.5 Stars**

House of Salt and Sorrows was an atmospheric tale with a wonderfully blended feel of fairytale meeting the gothic. This story had beautiful imagery from its host of characters to its island setting, and even down to its deadly plot. Craig's transportive storytelling easily laid every necessary piece to crafting a creepy, chilling story.

I wasn't familiar with the original fairytale this story retold (The Twelve Dancing Princesses) prior to reading it, but it was a unique spin on an otherwise normal story. Each character—and there were many—felt as if they served a purpose and held their own position in a story where they could've easily blended in to each other. With all that it had going for it, it sadly fell victim to slow pacing for much of the middle of the story, and I found myself struggling a few times with continuing on. That being said, there was a surprising ending that—even though it didn't make up for the pacing—was executed nicely with twists I wasn't prepared for.

This was different than I expected- in a good way! I mean, to be fair, I never fully know what I am expecting because I rarely make sense, but that’s okay. Fine, I thought it was about mermaids or something, shhh. (It isn’t, by the by.) It is, however, about an upper-crust family consisting of a bunch of sisters (twelve in all but a whole bunch are dead) who live by the sea and are sure they are cursed. Which tbh, I feel, because how else do you explain all these deaths, goodness!

The sea setting is kind of awesome and atmospheric. To be fair, I could have used a little more worldbuilding, but that is because the worldbuilding we did get was interesting and I wanted to know more stuff! The family is incredibly tight knit, especially after all their losses. The sisters disagree on a lot of stuff, but they love each other so very fiercely. It is kind of how I imagine having sisters would work, really. You might get on each other’s nerves, but you love the heck out of one another. That’s how this group is, and obviously their terror of losing another one of them adds to both the tension and the love.

There’s a mystery at the core of the story. What exactly is happening to the sisters? Is there a curse? Can it be stopped? And hey, what’s with all the worn out dancing shoes, anyway? I’d do you a disservice by talking about any of it much more. You’ll get an ending that satisfies your answers to all those questions and more. Promise.

Bottom Line: Atmospheric and full of familial love, House of Salt and Sorrows lives up to its name and then some.

I liked it! It’s been a while since I’ve read a thriller/horror book, and this was a unique retelling.

House of Salt and Sorrows is the debut novel of Erin A. Craig, but don’t let that reduce your expectations any. House of Salt and Sorrows is a deeply complex and emotional piece of work – one that’ll chill you to your bones.
House of Salt and Sorrows is a retelling – yet another in a huge list following this trend. But it stands out for me, turning itself into something wholly new and different. Here it follows the tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, though you might know it by another name (it goes by many).
This novel follows Annaleigh Thaumas, one of the Thaumas dozen. Well, one of the ones that are left, at least. If you believe the townsfolk, she and her sisters are cursed – though nobody quite knows why. Annaleigh is determined to find the cause of her sisters’ deaths, before she loses any more of the ones she loves. But what will she dig up in the process?
House of Salt and Sorrow blends young adult with fantasy, adding a dash of a thriller element for good measure. It’s a perfect balance of the three, and held my attention from start to finish.

Warnings:
Warnings: House of Salt and Sorrows lives up to its name. It has some heavier elements to the novel, including (but not limited to), mentions of suicide, infant death, graphic deaths, and body descriptions.
House of Salt and Sorrows was everything I had hoped it would be – and then so much more. I loved everything about this novel, even the parts that occasionally broke my heart. Annaleigh’s journey was beautifully written and so compelling. I simply couldn’t put the book down until I was finished.
With a title like House of Salt and Sorrows, you already know to expect it to be at least a little bit depressing. And this novel didn’t let me down on that account. But it was more than that as well. It was intricate and beautiful and mysterious, all in one.
The world in this novel was so detailed that it felt real. In fact, it almost felt historical, thanks to all of the details and the tone of the novel itself. It was the perfect setting for Annaleigh and her sisters. Speaking of, her sisters (while many) were all unique and clearly well thought out. They all fit together as a family unit – but more than that, they were all unique enough where they didn’t have to be considered ‘Annaleigh’s sister’ in order to fit into the plot.
I loved Annaleigh’s journey to find the truth of what happened to her sisters. Well, really it started with the focus on one sister. But over time, things changed. The truth was revealed or obfuscated at every twist and turn. It’s no wonder Anneleigh found herself so confused.
Erin A. Craig wove this mystery perfectly. It was not given away at the start, but she dropped enough hints and pieces along the way that when the final reveal was made, it made complete and total sense. I absolutely love that.
One thing I failed to mention earlier – there’s also a love story that occurs within these pages. It blended in well with the mystery and tension of the series. At times it gave relief, and at other times it added to the concern and stress of the tale. In short, it was perfect.
House of Salt and Sorrows was a brilliant read. One that made me sad to see it end. I’m truly looking forward to seeing what else Erin A. Craig comes out with. And I promise I’ll try to be patient waiting for news.

The gothic horror version of the twelve dancing princesses? Yes please. This book was creepy and beautiful. I loved how immersive the world building was. Craig did an incredible job of tying everything into the setting and religion. I loved all the sisters. Starting with a funeral was a risky choice, since we don't know the characters well enough to care, but Craig managed to pull it together and then later, the next funeral was super emotional. I'm so glad I got a chance to read this one. I really loved this book.

Thank you @prhinternational for the free e-book!
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This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following impartial and unbiased review:
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4*
Pros: Enchanting and heart-clenching retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. As my first horror YA, it was definitely scary and gruesome, but also kept me at the edge of my seat. Detailed and immersive description and writing style. Lots of well-executed "jump scares", so to speak. Introduction of original and refreshing mythology. Important take on dealing with loss and grief.
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Cons: Freaking insta-love. Lacking a deeper understanding and involvement of these deities.

TL;DR - The story of the 12 Dancing Princesses darker than you've ever heard it. Part mystery and part fairytale retelling, it comes together better than expected even if a little confusing at times.

Sometimes I request books on NetGalley and then when it's finally time to read and review, I've forgotten what the book was supposed to be about. I went into this book pretty blind--I didn't realize at first that it was a retelling until they were buying their "fairy shoes". With that being said, I love a good retelling and I've actually read quite a few retellings of the 12 Dancing Princesses. This one was different. A lot of the ones I've read stick to the "secret door in their room that leads to another place" outline. I've even read one or two where the princesses are forced to dance against their will. Craig's take on the story felt a lot more insidious. I think part of it was Camille's desperation and refusal to let go of this outlet she'd found and part of it was the spooky stuff that was going on with Verity.

Annaleigh was a likable character from the beginning. Her sisters varied in likability depending on what was going on, but they were all enjoyable. The only thing I wished was that we got to see the softer, kinder side of Camille. Annaleigh states that they grew up as best friends, but we never really see that side to their relationship. Camille is mostly just bratty and grumpy the whole book. Craig did a good job of making a lot of the secondary characters feel kind of grey. I wasn't sure who was supposed to be good and who was supposed to be bad until almost the very end. It seemed like maybe we were getting set up for a love triangle, but the author managed to turn that on its head as well. I wasn't super into Cassius as the love interest. I mean, he seemed perfect, but (as is often the case) we're not really given any concrete reasons as to why he likes Annaleigh. He seems like this perfect guy (too perfect) so what exactly does he want with or flawed main character? Authors! We need an explanation for this!

The plot was twisty and suspenseful. I genuinely didn't know what was going to happen next or what the conclusion was going to be until it was upon us. Without giving anything away, I will say that I'm a little disappointed by some character resolutions...I'll just leave it at that. I thought the religious system could have used a little more explanation. Maybe the author could have started each chapter with a myth or legend about the gods that these people believed in. It's just that almost nothing is said about their gods in the first 2/3 of the book, and then all of the sudden they start playing this huge role.

Overall, I would recommend this book for people who are looking for darker fairytale retellings. While it has a happy(ish) ending, I wouldn't say that it's feel good at all. It was definitely darker and creepier than I had anticipated--I was surprised by the touch of horror! I would definitely say this could be a good book to read in late September or in October to get ready for Halloween.

Overall Rating: 4
Language: None
Violence: Moderate
Smoking/Drinking: Moderate
Sexual Content: Mild
Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh. Boy. Fans of YA fantasy and Gothic horror, get in this book immediately! I loved the added tales of gods & goddesses specific to these seaside-living people (people of the Salt), mixed with the Gothic elements of an old house, possible ghosts, magical doors, so many murdered sisters, and of course, love! I devoured this book in all the free time I had to read it. The story is just as sumptuous as the cover. I've never read anything quite like it.

I did receive this as an e-arc through Netgalley and Random House Children’s Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.

Well this is everything that I have been waiting for and have wanted in a book! 12 Dancing Princesses is one of my favorite fairy tales, and when I saw that House of Salt and Sorrows was a retelling of that famous fairytale, I got excited!

This tale follows Annaleigh as she tries to figure out what has been happening to her sisters. There was once 12 of them, but 4 have lost their lives and been returned to the sea. The town thinks that their family is cursed, and perhaps they are right. Annaleigh and her sisters begin attending glamourous balls where they dance all through the night. But soon Annaleigh begins seeing ghostly visions and finds that there is a mysterious stranger involved in the deaths of her sisters. Is everything connected, and who is behind the family curse?

This story did not disappoint. It was a retelling and mystery with paranormal events. Just my type of book! I loved seeing the connection to the original fairytale, and loved the twist that Erin. A. Craig brought to the story line. I loved Annaleigh and following her through unraveling the mystery of her sisters’ deaths. The plot had you wanting more with the beautiful writing, and kept you intrigued from start to finish.

I will say I had an idea of the end, just from reading quite a few mysteries, but the way that the story is laid out, new facts and events have you second guessing and changing your mind on how things are going to play out. This keeps you interested in the story as you read.
(And note, I was somewhat right. Didn’t factor in the paranormal that was attached though)

Overall I would highly recommend this book. If you are a fan of retellings, House of Salt and Sorrows will be a wonderful read. It has romance, mystery, character development, and mythological/paranormal elements. It will not disappoint and will leave you wanting more.

Available tomorrow, 06AUG2019.

That moment when a book kills it with the horror-esque fantasy atmosphere but can't sell me on the protagonist. . .

House of Salt and Sorrows was definitely not what I expected for a re-telling of the 12 Dancing Princesses. I was warned prior to reading that it wasn't as much a fantasy as it was a creepy paranormal story that reminded me quite a bit of Crimson Peak in that regard. The mystery, the haunting vibes, unsolved deaths, and a romance flung in the middle? Definitely an excellent choice if you're fond of the gothic romance movie. 

Craig sold me on the whole world and general concept of the book, but I wasn't really on board with how everything played out. A lot of that came down to the protagonist, Annaleigh.

First, there are a lot of characters in this book, which I expected since it's a re-telling and there needed to be the 12 sisters at least, not counting other supporting characters. But Annaleigh blended in with the rest. She didn't have a strong enough voice to stand out against the other characters. Nor did I ever really connect with her as the point of view perspective. Any of the older sisters would have worked and it wouldn't have made a difference to the story.

Second, as I was already disconnected from Annaleigh, I couldn't buy into the romance subplot. There's a hint of a love triangle (which I'm glad didn't happen) but the rival love interest bit played out for too long. And the romance that did happen felt like major insta-lust to insta-love. I didn't believe it for a second and, to be perfectly honest, it ruined the story for me. I don't think it was necessary.

But I did really enjoy the writing style. There were times I was sucked into the mystery and needed to figure out what happened next. Granted, I also put the book down just as many times because I wasn't engaged with Annaleigh's character on her own. I preferred the scenes where the other characters were more involved.

The story moved at a decent pace and I didn't feel like there were too many lulls in the plot itself. While the twists weren't terribly unpredictable, I still enjoyed them as they happened, and I really liked the overall concept for a 12 Dancing Princesses re-telling.

But I hated the ending. 

If House of Salt and Sorrows had just ended with that last chapter, I would have been perfectly happy (or at least mostly happy). But then Craig tacked on a mushy ending that felt unnecessary and so. . . off from the rest of the book that it felt more like wish fulfillment than necessary to the story. I'd have rather seen some of the epilogue woven into the last chapter, if anything, and the rest cut off. But that's neither here nor there.

I liked this book well enough, and probably would have liked it even more without the romance subplot and epilogue. House of Salt and Sorrows is definitely a solid book and I look forward to more from this author in the future.

The House of Salt and Sorrows is an Eerie, beautifully written and atmospheric tale. These are the words I choose to define this lovely book. I loved this whimsical retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. There are magic doorways, secrets to unveil, sisterly bonds and unique mythology. Telling more would be spoiler, but I'm impressed with this debut.
If you enjoy suspense and gothic romance you'll definitely love this.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!)

thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

4 stars

I really really liked this! I came into this with no expectations since I have not read the Brothers Grimm tale and I was pleasantly surprised.

The only reason why this wasn’t a five star read was because it was a predictable mystery. I don’t really mind that, but I would have liked something more surprising and different.

The writing was incredible and so very atmospheric! I think that was my favorite thing about this book besides Annaleigh and her sisters. I am a sucker for big families and sibling bonds!

The worldbuilding was incredible to me and it kept me invested! I love when authors write such complex mythology for the setting of their world.

What also irked me was the instalove like romance. While I did find Annaleigh and Cassius to be cute at times, I found a romance to be unecessary in this kind of story. I wished it her character was solely focused on her sisters rather than having her time focused on her sisters and a boy too.

This was a very refreshing read and I enjoyed almost everything about it! This was a nice debut for Erin A. Craig!

This was a great book! Dramatic and intriguing. I loved the characters and the plot. I greatly enjoyed the paranormal aspects of it. This very atmospheric. Definitely a book at the top of my favorite list.

The cover caught my attention but the storyline kept my interest. I did not know what to expect when I requested this book, but man oh man am I glad that I was able to read it. This was a creepy, pshycological, paranormal mystery book that kept my attention the whole time. It was nice to see how the author developed each sister throughout the book and kept the mystery and fascination until the end. I will not give any spoilers but anyone who reads this book will be very happy and entertained.

A dark, twisted, creepy, ghost filled retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princess written originally by the Brothers Grimm. If you don’t know now let me tell you those original tales are not the fairy tales i grew up with. They are just as dark and creepy as this retelling. At times i was so entranced by what was occurring on the page that if a dog barked or some loud bang happened i totally shrieked or jumped out of my chair. I not a huge fan of creepy but sometimes i do like to be scared to the point that i just so caught up i lost what is reality and what is make believe just like our main character in this tale. She haunted by her dead sisters and barely realizes she got in a game hosted by Gods.

Their is a lot of stuff in this book that could be triggers for people, still birth, dead siblings, ghosts, murder it a very dark tale so be fore warned if your not into creepy this retelling is not for you. All of the story gets wrapped up in this on creepy book so your not left with any haunting cliff hangers or anything. Pick this up August 6, 2019 and enjoy then or savior it when Halloween comes creeping around the corner.

This book was absolutely haunting, an unusual cross between 12 Dancing Princesses and Clue, House of Salt and Sorrows swept me off my feet and took me to a world where dream and reality were so seamlessly fused, I couldn’t tell the difference between the two.

While at times the story felt like three separate entities; murder, magical balls, and devious Gods, Erin A. Craig managed to bring everything together in the end.

The sole reason I’m not rating this a 5/5 is because of the romance between Annaleigh and Cassius. The contrast between the tones of their happy love life and the grim happenings in Annaleigh’s family life, were a bit jarring, as they were so different.

Overall this story was really about the love between sisters, and coping with the grief of a lost loved one.

I’m extremely looking forward to reading more books by this author!

I liked House Of Salt And Sorrows!  Not as much as I thought I would but I still liked it.

It very much reminded me of the tale of the 12 Dancing Princesses.  I don't know if it's a re-telling of that story, because I couldn't find actual confirmation that this is the case.  Either way, I liked that they were cursed, and the reason behind what was happening to Annaleigh's sisters was interesting.

I don't know how I feel about Annaleigh.  She seems to be the only one who knows what's going on, which doesn't surprise me.  Considering how things go, and what's really going on, it's not surprising.  I hope things work out for Annaleigh and her sisters, and it seems like things end in a pretty good place for them.  Hopefully, nothing horrible happens to them, and they can all live happily ever after.

I wish we got more with her sisters, but with so many of them, it's not a surprise.  You get a pretty good sense of the world they're living in, and how suffocating it is to be in mourning all the time.  You see what people think of them, and how hard it is for them to move past it and move on with their lives.

The setting is pretty haunting and very gothic.  I mentioned how suffocating it was for them.  You definitely feel all of that throughout the book, and how hard it was for Annaleigh when her father decided days after another funeral that they were no longer going to be in mourning.

I'm not sure what else to say about House Of Salt And Sorrows.  I liked the world and the setting but I wasn't in love with the characters.

My Rating: 3 stars.  I liked House Of Salt And Sorrows but I didn't love it.

The Thaumas daughters are cursed. Once twelve, they now number eight—with four sisters dying horrifically and mysteriously until they now wonder which one will be next. Annaleigh begins to suspect that her sisters were murdered...and on their island home the suspects are few.

My thoughts on this are incredibly varied, mostly because this entire book took me on a wild ride of emotions and thoughts and twists and turns.

And also because I WAS RIGHT.

If you, like me, were sitting at the blurb and going, "Is this a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling?" in Fred Savage's voice, and seeing no explicit "THIS IS A RETELLING" note in flashing letters, I'm here to tell you that those tingly feelings while you were reading the blurb and thinking, "Twelve sisters? Mhm, ok. Dancing at night? All right, all right. Interesting," were absolutely because this is a retelling.

But it's a twisty retelling that I wasn't entirely prepared for, and filled with a lot more horror than other TDP retellings.

I can't really go into further detail without major spoilers, but this entire book makes you question literally everything that happens and that Annaleigh sees.

It's part psychological horror, part fairy tale retelling, part murder mystery—with a mild love triangle. Because YA.

I really liked the world-building—mostly because I am a sucker for mysterious, atmospheric islands that isolate everything and everyone. However, the one thing that bothered me was that with all of the choppy water and high winds and the fact that they had to travel between islands for everything...how come no boats overturned and people died? I felt like that would have been a pretty easy gimme, ya know? Also I wanted a bit more lead-in with the gods and goddesses actually being alive and walking among the people and shit (this is not a spoiler) earlier in the book, because when it is thrown into the story part-way through I was like, "Wait—this is a key detail that needs to have been sprinkled in earlier" and that the rest of the world could have been a bit more developed.

However, there's a lot of different layers to this world, and this book leaves a lot that can be explored further.

Annaleigh was an intriguing main character. Kinda bland, kinda wrapped up in the past, very loyal to her sisters and very believable as someone slowly descending into some sort of madness.

Plotwise, there're a lot of things going on: dancing, creepy images, stepmother pregnancy, deaths, ghosts, creepy girls drawing creepy things, and of course shoes that are worn through more quickly than they should be—and a protagonist who struggles to be believed and sees things that no one else does. (view spoiler)

Is Annaleigh going mad?

Is everything just a figment of her imagination?

You'll just have to read it to find out.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. We have a story with a family of 12 daughters. They are dyeing in strange ways, as if the family is cursed. But is it? One sister suspects murder of at least some of her sisters. As the story progresses, we find much more sinister things adopt. But who is behind it? Her father? Her uncle? Someone who has a grudge with the family? Great twists and turns throughout