Love, Love, love this book! A very different take on The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Once I started reading, I could not put it down. This book is haunting, heartbreaking, and has some of the coolest mythology I’ve ever read. The relationship between Annaleigh and her sisters is written with incredible nuance. The descriptions are lush, the atmosphere creepy, and you’ll want to sleep with the lights on. Perfect for anyone who grew up on ghost stories.Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC copy of this book.

Really enjoyable - neatly combines a Twelve Dancing Princesses darkness with sea-related mythology and a potent mystery. I did find the end a little frantic, though, and wish that the romance had been a bit more interesting and better developed.

I was sold on this one when I read “brothers Grimm retelling” even though I’ve never read Twelve Dancing Princess. (Although I do believe it’s in a fairytale collection I own so I’ll have to check on that…)

The story starts with tragedy, another member of Annaleigh’s family is dead. With long grieving times at Highmoor – the manor above the sea – it seems like the girls have been in mourning for half their lives.

I love that we’re immediately thrown into the cultural aspects of the island, without it ever feeling like an insane info dump. As Annaleigh’s step-mother decides to put an end to the mourning we get to see more of the culture clash and how religion and island life plays a part in these girls lives.

However, I’m still not completely sure how I feel about Annaleigh, as she tries to “solve” her sisters deaths she has the best of intentions, but doesn’t always make the best decisions.

At first I had a hard time telling the sisters apart (I mean there are 12 total including the deceased), but as they’re own distinct personalities started to show through I was able to easily tell who was who. Considering there were so many, and a set of triplets, I feel like it would’ve been easy to give them all one-dimensional personalities or just one major trait/distinction. I love that Craig actually took the time to make each and every sister a real person, a person with their own unique part in the story and personality. It helped make every tragic and happy moment so much more meaningful.

Even though I’m not familiar with the original tale, this story has all the creepy Grimm-esque vibes that I live for. It doesn’t shy away from the peculiar or tragedy, it just piles more and more on top of an already gruesome scene.

In addition to our sisters, their father, and their step-mother, we have two men that add to the mysteries, Fisher, an old childhood friend of the family, and Cassius, the unheard of son of a recently deceased Captain. Discovering more about these two, their pasts, their hopes for the future, is just as much as a mystery as why Annaleigh’s sisters keep dying. And honestly, I did not expect either of their stories to go the way they did.

Things get more and more complicated and I found myself constantly questioning every “fact” we were given. I questioned if I interpreted pages wrong because I thought that person was the bad guy, or that thing explained the long and endless nights of dancing and mysterious places. But alas, I continued to be wrong at almost every turn, which for me makes a good story. If I realize the why’s and the who’s too early in a novel I get bored, there’s no reason to continue reading if I can predict everything that’s going to happen next. But Craig did a beyond brilliant job keeping the surprises coming until the very end. Hell, down to the last PARAGRAPH there were still “holy shit” moments coming.

Erin A Craig is definitely a new author to look out for and I cannot wait to read what she writes in the future.
Meanwhile, if you haven’t pre-ordered House of Salt and Sorrows yet, go do it now! You will not regret reading this twisted, creepy story.

Fantasy. Mystery. Ghosts. Horror. This book has a bit of all those things thrown in the mix. The problem, for me, is that they didn't all seem to blend well together and turned into chaos by the end.

Some of the language seemed out of place and choppy - like the nursemaid's 'no nonsense' scent - and most of the characters didn't strike me as anything out of the ordinary. Some of them actually seemed fairly pointless.

That being said, the twists and turns could definitely hold the interest of someone looking for this kind of book. And it definitely satisfies the reader looking for escapism as it's easy to get wrapped up in the world and the story.

I was so excited to read this book, mostly because I’m a sucker for a good retelling, but also because I haven’t read many books based on the Twelve Dancing Princesses (I’m pretty sure I’ve only come across two), and I adore the stories the authors tend to create, so I went with such high expectations into this one, and overall I have to say I ended up loving House of Salt and Sorrows with all my heart, despite having some minor issues with the story.

Even though this book have some elements from the original story, I was pretty surprised by how unique and different it was from what I first imagined it to be. I adored that macabre atmosphere that was present throughout the entire story, and the role it played within the plot. It was such a fascinating element that I was constantly being kept at the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen. There were a lot of twists and turns, and sometimes you didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t, and the descriptions were so creepy and eerie that I have to admit, they sometimes scared the crap out of me. I don’t tend to read often stories about ghosts because I’m a chicken, so I might be exaggerating a little bit, but to me, they were pretty scary.

The plot was so interesting to follow. Though there came a part during the middle where I notice it was a bit slow and not much was happening, the rest of it was so fast paced and easy to get into that I finished it in two sittings. Since it had some mystery going on, I found that that made me want to keep with my pace to see how everything would end up like.

When it comes to the characters, I would say there was quite a variety of personalities in the sisters, which I deeply appreciated. I loved the sisterhood and how much Annaleigh cared for the rest of the girls, and basically how they tried to protect each other, but at the same time I found quite realistic the way those relationships were written. You had some sisters that were closer to each others, and other times you saw little fights between them that made them appear more flawed and real to the reader. I really enjoyed their development throughout the book, and the dynamics between all of them.

There was some romance going on in this book as well, and though I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first, after finishing House of Salt and Sorrows given it much thought, I came to the conclusion that I liked it. Since this book was based on a fairytale, it had that whimsical element that made me look past that insta love-y romance. Still, if we forget about that, I think that the relationship between Annaleigh and her love interest was so beautiful, especially the epilogue.

I would say though, there were some revelations made towards the end that I found a bit predictable, along with other things. My issue with the story was that since it was a standalone, the world building and magic system weren’t really that complex. I loved that world, and I just wished we’d known more about the magic and the different places, but I can understand that it was more focused on the characters and the plot, so it wasn’t that bothersome to me.

Overall, I adored House of Salt and Sorrows, and found that the author created such an interesting and unique retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, so in the future I for sure will be checking out more of her work, because her debut totally blew my mind.

Raring: 4.5

This book was a slow burn type of book. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the subtle magic, and the overall plot. (Potential spoiler) There were moments when I completely felt the manic sense of “am I losing it” right alongside the MC. I am so excited to see where this series goes! Overall, the plot moved slower than what I prefer, but the promise of the overall story is well worth it!

I would say this is a 3 1/2 - 4 star book. House of Salt and Sorrows is a dark fairy tale retelling of one of my favorite tales - The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Here's what I will say for the book: the plot follows The Twelve Dancing Princesses in a fantasy noble family that lives in an island. The twist is that some of the sisters have already died by the book's start, and the local community is starting to believe the sisters are cursed, as they keep dying. The story follows the desperate search to figure out why the girls continue to die, and then eventually what is going on at the midnight balls they sneak off to.

That said, House of Salt and Sorrows is interesting but stuffed to the gills with every kind fantasy-horror trope you could squeeze into a YA book. Everything from a faustian bargain, to some lovecraftian ocean horror, to supernatural beings and hauntings. At points the book has some genuinely interesting world-building and psychological fear, but it does get a bit overstuffed and crowded. Details get pushed in continuously and there's less breathing room than there could be. I think the author will inevitably smooth out her horror writing though, and might pick up another book by her in the future. It was enjoyable to finish on the plane ride, but it's a busy book.

In this extremely loose retelling of the "12 Dancing Princesses", our 12 sisters are situated in a large manor by the sea. After the death of their mother in childbirth to the twelfth sister, the sisters themselves have been dying off in slowly more gruesome, and suspicious, ways. After the most recent sister is killed by a plunge to her death, Annaleigh, now the second oldest, thinks that something else must be behind her sister's deaths. A curse? A murderer? Or is it something else entirely? Annaleigh will do her best to find out, or perhaps be killed herself.

I'm highly conflicted about this book - for the most part, I really liked it. It felt fresh and new even though I've read multiple retellings of this fairy tale. It was also seriously spooky. I forgot it was horror and had to put it down in favor of a romantic comedy one night as it brings the chills. That said, there were some really glaring low points. I love fairy tale retellings, but the "12 Dancing Princesses" parts always felt like something of an afterthought. This might have worked better as a Jane Eyre retelling as it definitely had some Eyreish moments. There are actually kind of four different stories happening, and they never really gelled. About 60% through, there's this weird side trip into the the mythology of the world, which is really cool, but felt shoehorned in to explain some events later. Towards the end, the book kind of veers into this weird Norse-adjacent sex-death cult thing and I definitely could have done without that. The very end is quite good until its immediately reversed in a completely unnecessary epilogue. The book would've been great if it had just stuck to the Haunting of Hill House with the murder by the sea vibes. To use a hackneyed phrase, it needed to "pick a lane". That said, most of the ideas were really interesting, and while for me they didn't completely work together, they still added up to make a really captivating (and creepy!) read.

The other thing to note is that this book is plot-heavy. The main character mostly has stuff happen to and around her, and the romantic male lead gets almost no development at all. Moreover, the main character makes some pretty baffling decisions. Still, though, I liked it.

TLDR: While I wish it were more focused on the horror elements, House of Salt and Sorrows is a beguiling horror fantasy that's more than a little twisty.

I will definitely be checking out Craig's next book, and part of me is hoping its set in this same world. For older teens who like their horror with a healthy dose of fantasy (or vice versa). 4 stars - Ultimately, I really liked it (most of it, anyway).

Thanks to Delacorte and Netgalley for the advance copy which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. House of Salt and Sorrows will be released on 06 August, but you can put your copy on hold today!

I thought this was beautifully written, atmospheric, dark, and enthralling. I loved the nod to the classic fairy tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. This was a thoroughly satisfying standalone novel.

The characters were great. The ones I could differentiate anyway.

To be honest, I've never read or watched any version of The 12 Dancing Princesses where I could actually tell all of the characters apart. There's just too many, so that's not entirely the author's fault.

Although I must confess the main character's name made me giggle, and not in a good way. Annaleigh just makes me think of spoiled, middle-aged white women wanting to give their children "special" names and adding "leigh" to the end of everything as if it makes it's special (it's an actual thing).

But some of the sisters (the younger ones in particular) I could not tell apart. I even got some of the dead ones mixed up, and couldn't remember which one had died in which way. So I've made you a quick guide to what kills each of the sisters (it's not a spoiler, they're all dead before the book starts).

Ava - Plague
Octavia - Fell in the library
Elizabeth - Drowned in the bath
Eulalie - Fell from a cliff

Outside of that, we had an almost overwhelming cast of characters, from townsfolk, servants, lords and ladies, and even gods.

It was a bit odd how the gods were treated. It's clear that they're active in the world that the book is set in (Annaleigh has even seen a few of them) and yet they're not really involved in what's happening.

It's (currently) a standalone, although I'm hoping we'll get more books in this world, based on what the author has said on Goodreads. It's not proof, but it gives me hope.

But aside from praying for more content, I did have some other thoughts on the ending.

It was predictable (ish). Did I figure out parts of it from the beginning? Yes.

But there were also some pretty huge plot twists. 

Overall, I highly recommend this book. 

I loved it (I devoured it in a day, and it helped to pull me out of a reading slump). If you like fantasy, horror, retellings, or murder mysteries then this will be right up your alley.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced review of this book.

I was so excited to get the advanced review of this and when I noticed the author only lives like an hour from me, I was so excited to have a very local author.

This book was so amazing!!!!! The world building and development was very well done. If I am not mistaken this was a debut book and she did a great job on her first book. I can not wait to see where she goes from here. I loved the characters of the story but this plot was amazing. the story opens up with a funeral from death of the 4th sister. I was hooked from the start.

There was a bit of a creepy vibe to this story but I love that part of it. I know my brother read this book as well way before I got to it and he loved it. He kept telling me to read it because he could not put this book down. I completely agree with him.

I loved this book so much! The plot kept me on my toes the entire time. I loved the setting and character development throughout the story.

This is a dark, atmospheric, suspenseful, spooky gem of a book - this is a perfect mood read for a stormy, fall night. It’s loosely a 12 Dancing Princesses retelling, but is also reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe, the Ironborn from ASOIAF, and Greek & Roman mythology.

The writing of this was absolutely gorgeous; It was rich and descriptive without being info-dump-y or filled with purple prose. This book truly stands out in how seamlessly the reader can step into the world and start devouring the story - no slow starts or bits that feel like a chore to get through. The story was just frightening enough to be deeply unsettling without giving me nightmares. (I’m a big baby when it comes to horror!) This was such a page turner - I flew through it because I HAD know what was going on! I’m so absolutely in love with these sisters, this world, and everything about this. I can’t wait to see what else Erin A. Craig puts out - I think she’s going to be a must-read author for me from now on!

I loved everything about this book. It has a very creepy vibe that is perfect for a fall/halloween type read. There were a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting and it left me very curious on how it was going to end. I highly recommend this book to everyone that likes a little spook in their life.

Atmosphere: The setting took place on an island which helped to add to the creepiness of the book.

Characters: The book is told from Annaleigh's perspective. She is the 6th daughter in a family of 12 girls. Her 4 oldest sisters have all passed away and the family is believed to be cursed. She gets a feeling that something else is going on and sets out to find the truth of what happened to her sisters before any more succumb to the curse. I found her character to be very relatable and could easily feel the angst she felt trying to find out what happened.

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

House of Salt and Sorrows is a retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy-tale Twelve Dancing Princesses that takes on a dark twist. You would assume that with the word Sorrows in the title I wouldn't be surprised by the dark, suspenseful, and horror filled plot. Nonetheless I was here for it! This was a story of loss and a lot of it. After all the book opens with the funeral of the fourth sister to have her life cut short. The story picks up and grabs you when Annaleigh, sister number 6, becomes suspicious that her sisters' deaths were not accidents. She begins to suspects that a murder targeting the well-to-do family. As she gets closer to the truth things really begin to get weird but a good weird. You will have to suspend belief for this book as it mixes elements of both fantasy, suspense, and horror. It blends beautifully and made this book a fast and enjoyable ride.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an e-arc of this book in exchange for a review.

5 stars!
OH MY GOD! I could not put this book down. I love a good retelling and add some fantasy and mystery/thriller and I was hooked!
This book was a retelling of 12 dancing princesses which I was not familiar with but I did some research after reading this book and it makes me love the way the author wrote this story even more. This is one of the top 5 books I’ve read in 2019, heck it might be #1 right now. I’m still shook. I want to reread it already. Also Cassius is now my new favorite boy name.

I received this ARC through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such original, brilliantly written twist on such a great story. You develop an immediate connection to the story and the characters. This was written so perfectly it was an honor to receive the DRC through Netgalley!

I love fairy tale re-tellings but the 12 dancing princesses is a tough one to pull off. There are SO MANY characters. This one was a little bit easier to keep up with because a few of them were dead when the book started. After just a little while I had them all more or less straight. Moving along... immediately upon starting this book I was so intrigued by the world. I loved that they are people of an island nation and how much everything in the book reflected that. Their burial customs were fascinating, their Churning festivities sounded so beautiful, the ocean is a part of every corner of this book. I was fascinated by the horror element of this book. I thought that it was very intriguing at first, and while it did drop off a bit in the middle, it continued to be a bit dizzying and exciting until the end. It definitely had it's brutal and gory moments, so it's not a sickly sweet re-telling. I loved the bits and pieces we learned about other parts of the world.... but I felt like we don't know enough as readers to really digest how it all fits together, and with the story -- making it feel just a little bit disjointed during the ending. What we did learn though, I was intrigued by! I liked the bit of romance that was included, but I liked the sisterhood just as much. There was a little bit of a mystery to solve along the way, which isn't my usual thing, but I really enjoyed and did not guess the reveal. Overall I would recommend this if you are looking for a fantasy novel that is a little unexpected and beautifully envisioned. I am especially excited about this book as it is a debut for this author.... I can't wait to see where her writing goes. Wow!

"House of Salt and Sorrows" by Erin A. Craig was such a good, creepy twist on the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale. It definitely had plenty of weird, trippy moments that gave me all the right dark, twisted vibes and it had an enjoyable romance too. It also had this lovely atmospheric ocean theme for Salten with the crypt that fed into the salt water and the frequent callback to sea turtles and the lighthouse and octopuses and so many great things like that. It also had a good mystery that kept me guessing until the end. We need more horror twists on fairy tales in the world! This was such an enjoyable read.

This book was so refreshingly creepy, which is a strange description that I don't believe I've used before. It reminded me a little of the unsettling feeling that The Haunting of Hill House gave me. I'm also a sucker for fairy tale retellings, so this was right up my alley. I really enjoyed the setting of this book. Erin Craig does a wonderful job describing the salty sea air and it added to the whole atmosphere of the book. I would absolutely recommend (and have already!) this book to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy.