My kindle became slippery in my sweaty palms, my pounding heart causing me to gasp for breath. I had made a huge mistake. I was reading this book on my kindle at night... in the dark... and I was completely terrified in the best possible way.

I really don't like scary stories, I'm a bit of a chicken, but I couldn't put this one down. I needed to know what was happening after every beautifully delicious plot twist. Right when I thought I was on the right track everything would be ripped from me and turned upside down. The way this book was written blew my mind and kept me always searching for answers.

The sisterly love was one of my favorite parts of this story. I found myself crying and laughing right along with the them. Their story is tragic but gripping. You can't stop reading and caring for these characters.

The ending felt a little rushed to me. I would have liked more during the last big climax, but overall I really enjoyed it. This book was the perfect mix of dark fantasy and a little romance. I will definitely be reading more from Erin A. Craig.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Erin A. Craig’s debut House of Salt and Sorrows is a fairytale worth waiting for! It’s a retelling of one of my most favorite fairytales, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It’s not as common as our other princess tales, but I read a kid version of it once and loved it! Erin’s story is quite different from the original tale, though its concepts are similar. I found I was quite enamored with this story and never wanted it to end!

Annaleigh and her sisters believe they are under a curse, they were once twelve and in the beginning of the story we learn that they are eight. Tragedy has befallen this family time after time. Their mother died many years ago and their father remarried and then sister after sister has died in some tragically devastating way. The most recent sister died by falling off a cliff, but Annaleigh thinks there is something more to the story than just a simple accident and she decides to investigate.

It’s important to know in this world, people believe in a set of entities, I’m not sure if they are considered gods and goddesses, it’s possible, but I was never really clear on that impression. They do pay homage and honor these entities, so I guess that’s considered godlike. Anyway, it’s because of their beliefs that the sisters stumbled upon a doorway for one of them. One that takes them to a magical place where there’s dancing and parties all night long. They continue to visit this magical place night after night, wearing through their shoes in one night’s time, completely baffling their father.

Then Annaleigh meets Cassius, a newcomer in town, one is her age and just the overall man of mystery persona. Annaleigh begins to lose sight of her sister’s death as she and her sisters continue their nights of dancing, but she soon finds herself focusing on the mystery once more.

This book has left me speechless! I don’t know if there’s ever been a fairytale retelling that has taken the original fairytale and turned the story on its head so much as this one! And I mean this in the best possible way! We have the general theme of the story remaining true, but the reasons and the mysteries behind it are so vast compared to what the original story had! Here there is magic, curses, gods, tricksters, and most of all, murder!! This book seriously had it all, all while remaining true to its fairytale nature!

Fairytales are where I found my love for reading! I always loved reading the magical tales that were so different from the Disney movies (lol)! This one had me feeling every fairytale vibe that I get when reading the original ones and when an author can do that to you, you know they have real magical talent! This story enchanted me from start to finish and I am only sad that it’s over.

This story isn’t without its romance either! Cassius, our man of mystery, is the love interest for Annaleigh and let’s just say there were a few romantic interludes between these two!

Erin does a magnificent job of keeping the reader on their toes! I mentioned there’s a great deal of mystery in this one and there were so many instances I found myself falling down rabbit holes thinking one thing, only to have something occur later that shattered my theories. I loved that this one kept me guessing at every turn! It was mind-boggling and yet, I loved that about this story! I loved that I never knew what to believe! I really should remember my rules for fairytales and never trust anything! The added fallback of knowing the fairytale tropes helps too. Had I remembered these things, I wouldn’t have been caught off guard! Lol.

House of Salt and Sorrows was without a doubt the most magical and magnificent read I’ve read this year! It’s the kind of read fairytale fans live for and not one of them should pass up on this read! It’s spellbinding and lyrical style will have you mesmerized from the beginning and you will not want to let go! If there’s one fairytale book you read this year, make it this one!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars


House of Salt and Sorrows releases August 6, 2019

This book was awesome! I loved everything about it. It was enthralling and super creepy at first! I loved the way the entire story came together. The last 60 pages were insane, I couldn't have put the book down if I tried.

I had a hard time getting into this book at first, but I thought it had a really unique plot. I think it took me about five chapters to get into, but once I did I liked the characters. I thought the retelling part about the Twelve Dancing Sister's was very unique. This was one fairy tale I didn't know as much as the others but I still enjoyed it.

One of my favorite characters was Fisher, he was a family friend loved by all of them.

One thing I did not like was the ending. It seemed like everything was going smooth and then the author realized at about 90 percent how much time was left and it was like a whirlwind of action. There was definitely a lot to take in at the end, and my mind is still trying to wrap my thoughts around it.

Overall, it was a four star read. I do recommend it to those that like eerie retellings. I think House of Salt and Sorrows is perfect for fans of Truly Devious and These Vicious Masks. It just had the same haunted vibes and mystery those books had.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read it.

This review will be on my blog tomorrow.

I absolutely loved this book. I am a sucker for a fairy tale retelling, and the Twelve Dancing Princesses was a story that I was fascinated with as a kid, so this story was right up my alley, and it more than met my expectations. The setting was amazing, and so real that I felt like I could smell salt and feel the fabric of the dresses. Annaleigh is a wonderful heroine, and the story is so twisty and surprising. It was excellent. I highly recommend this book.

This story is the reason books are written.

House of Salt and Sorrows is a wildly original, intricately woven, and absorbing tale of mystery, family secrets, love, monsters, Gods, and magic. I rarely give out 5 stars but this book earned it easily along with a spot on my "favorites and recommends" list.

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, character development, history, world building and pacing. I love when a story is so well written that it effortlessly plays out like a movie in my mind, without hesitation to details. I read it slowly, wanting to soak in and devour all the details as if they were rare warm rays of February sunlight, and not wanting it to end. I had to sit back in silence, contemplating for a few minutes, not even able to write my review right away. Stunning, Spellbinding. Wholly satisfying. If not my favorite book of 2019, it's destined to be in the top 5. This one will stick with me for a long time to come. I will be on the lookout for more work from this author.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with a copy.

House of Salt and Sorrows is a book filled with twists and turns. I was continuously surprised and couldn’t guess what would happen next.

Annaleigh is the daughter of a Duke living in a manor by the sea. Her family has suffered one tragedy after another beginning with the death of her mother when the youngest of twelve girls was born. In the time since that tragic day four more of Annaleigh’s sisters have passed away unexpectedly and now everyone believes that her family is cursed.

Annaleigh doesn’t believe in the curse but starts to question what happened to her sisters after she starts seeing their ghosts around the manor. Were their deaths truly accidents or something more? Annaleigh begins to search for answers but starts to worry for everyone’s safety the closer she comes to discovering the truth.

In a land filled with magic, gods, and mystery I love the world that Erin Craig has created. It took me a little time to get into the story at first primarily due to the number of characters and trying to keep all of the sisters straight but once I got pulled into the story itself it was difficult to put down. I’d recommend House of Salt and Sorrows for those who love a bit darker fairytales and want the be kept guessing until the very end.

Beautiful, beautiful, exciting world-building. I can't emphasize that enough. This book inspired me to create a Pinterest board for visuals - mainly because once I realized it is a stand-alone and not a series, I was sad. I need to be able to revisit this place.
Craig has created an incredible world - I love the idea of a chain of islands so big and so vast that they have completely different climates and geography, and that Craig built an entire culture for these people with its own religions, festivals, customs, and rules. So much detail and attention went into every aspect of this book.
Part fairy-tale, part ghost story, this is a re-imagining of The Twelve Dancing Princesses with some supernatural and macabre twists.
The twelve Thaumas girls are dying mysteriously, one by one, their number already reduced to eight. Rumors of a curse are gaining credence. Since the death of the girls' mother following the birth of the youngest child, the household has been in constant mourning. Tragedy has followed tragedy without reprieve. When Papa's new wife announces an addition to the family during the latest wake, Papa declares an end to the family's mourning. The "fairy shoes" were meant as a celebration - the highlight of a coming-out wardrobe for all the girls. No one could have anticipated where they would lead.

Annaleigh has gone from being sixth in line to inherit her father’s estate to second in line. It’s the last thing she wants, and she would give anything to bring her sisters back. She’s convinced that instead of being victims of a curse, her sisters have been the victims of foul play. When the girls find a way to escape to glittering balls every night, Annaleigh is torn between solving the mysterious deaths, and her remaining sisters’ wild abandon. Not to mention their growing disapproval of Annaleigh’s insistence that the deaths are anything more than terrible accidents. Only the youngest, Verity, believes Annaleigh. But it’s Verity’s certainty about facts she couldn’t possibly know, and the disturbing sketches in her notebooks that convince Annaleigh she’s running out of time.

I couldn’t put this book down. I thought it went a little off the rails at the end, and it suddenly got a little gory, but ultimately, a ridiculously original and creative suspense story to be based on a fairy tale. It has it all, love, mystery, murder, magic, and the most beautiful setting. I would recommend this to any readers of fantasy, historical fiction, fairy tales, and suspense. Even if fantasy isn’t typically your cup of tea, give it a try.

So so good!! I had several guesses about what was going on and it kept throwing me for a loop every time! I absolutely loved this. I loved the story, the characters, the twists, everything.

HOLY. FREAKING. COW.
I cannot get over this book. I just finished it seconds ago. I got this book from netgalley and started reading it and then I couldn't put it down. I'm talking driving in the car and pulling it out at red lights. It's been a good, long while since I've read a book this good. This book has it all, and its all in increasing amounts: the good, the bad, the ugly. It's all there. This is a 12 Dancing Princess retelling, yes, but its one like no other. You know how the Brothers' Grimm stories are so much more gruesome than the Disney versions? This book is like that. And the plot continues to thicken. You have your suspicions about things, of course, but you're never really certain, and then towards the end you begin to doubt everything you ever thought you knew. I seriously want to pick up the book and read it all over again just to experience it once more. READ THIS BOOK, okay? Thanks, bye.

The atmosphere of this book is lovely. Smoky and foggy, with a hint of old school mythology. I love the way this story makes me feel, blue and grays with the taste of fresh sea air.

The book starts out on a sad note that sets the undertone of the story, and adds to the mystery and magic. The author does a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere with color choices, names and flow; it reads like a magical version of a regency romance. I found the first half of this book a bit tedious. It felt bogged down with unimportant details, introduced characters too soon (then forgotten for a few hundred pages), and allowing too much internal dialogue between action. The characters were well developed and interesting to read. I liked the distinctive personalities and how they interacted with each other.

I liked the premise of this book, but it got a bit garbled in its climax. It felt like two very different books with the ending rushed and not as well fleshed out as the beginning of the story. I did love the way the story ended, I loved the authors choice of “bad guy,” and I really loved the way she wove years of mythological history.

This was a new and fresh read, it might a bit dark for younger readers at times, but a good read. I received an ARC vis NetGallery and I am leaving an honest review. #HouseOfSaltAndSorrows #NetGalley

I really loved this one. It was so atmospheric. The writing was very beautiful and vivid. I really liked the main character Annaleigh and her relationship with her sisters, especially Verity.

Annaleigh has loved her life on the edge of the sea. Daughter of a duke in a sea-faring land, her life would be perfect except that tragedy will not leave her family alone. When another of her beloved sisters mysteriously dies, Annaleigh knows something sinister is going on, but no one will listen. In a world of gods that are known to prowl among the living and where the ocean is on your doorstep, Annaleigh has to start asking questions that might not lead to anywhere she wants to go.

I’ve read other retellings of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, but this one several uniquely dark and gruesome twists. I liked the fantastical setting and the family drama, the mysteries kept me reading - but the horror did startle me sometimes! It definitely kept me guessing, near the climax it was so trippy that I had a hard time knowing what was really happening. I also wished that the ending hadn’t wrapped up so quickly and nicely but in the end, it was an entertaining read.

I received a free copy of this book through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Actual rating 4.5

I loved this book! It's everything I expected it to be and more! So atmospheric and magical, reminds me of old fairytales! This is what a retelling should be like!
I loved the way the world was introduced to us. No info dumping and not too slow, I wasn't confused or bored. It was just sprinkled here and there and little by little we learn everything. And I just adored this story! A perfect mix of fantasy, mystery and horror (there were some scenes that scared me and made me look up and check for ghosts).
So many great characters. It's a retelling of Twelfth Dancing Princesses, so there were a lot of characters to follow. Annaleigh is our main protagonist and we follow her on this journey to find out the truth about her sisters' deaths. We learn more about her sisters throughout the story as well as other side characters. They don't blend in together, and don't look like a cookie cuter characters. I loved getting to know them all!
The writing style was easy to follow and Erin created a wonderful atmospheric story full of mystery and dancing! I loved reading the descriptions of their gowns and shoes and places they went. It just all adds to this amazing tale!
My only issue was the romance part. It was all good until the end. It was just a little bit too much and very unrealistic. It didn't feel natural to me. (Also I was hoping for another character to win Annaleigh's heart).
Overall, I definitely recommend this book! It's a dark fairytale retelling with lots of twists and I loved it all!

This book was fantastic! I loved the magic, the bond of the sisters, the setting, the description, the gods they worshipped. That was a big run on sentence but this book was absolutely wonderful. The author did an amazing time with the description. It felt like I could picture everything so clearly in my mind and was there with Annaleigh and her family. It had love interests which are always good. There was also drama and mystery. There were some spooky parts which I loved. I actually found myself scared during a few parts. All in all I will definitely be picking up a copy when this is released and any other future books from this author as well!

House of Salt and Sorrows is more than just a retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." Craig does a terrific job building a world that is interesting, unique, yet believable, and she somehow does this without sacrificing story, character development, or readability.

House of Salt and Sorrows is atmospheric and compelling without becoming a gothic trope. A seafaring duke and his second wife are raising his eight remaining daughters in a castle by the sea. The first four daughters all met with an early death, as did their mother, fueling gossip that there is a curse on the family. Our protagonist, Annaleigh, the sixth eldest daughter (now second in the succession) believes one of the sisters was murdered and seeks to discover the truth.

What I love most about House of Salt and Sorrows is that it is not predictable YA fantasy romance fare. Annaleigh is not a stubborn Mary Sue, and the sisters are well-defined. I guess you could say there is a love triangle, but it's definitely not the focus. I also adore that House of Salt and Sorrows is a standalone novel. We don't need a book for each sister, and Craig avoids the series trap that many, many authors have fallen into these days for books that are better on their own.

Annaleigh has her own goals and ambitions, but she's not pigheaded about them or trying to achieve them at all costs. She also doesn't blindly run around bashing into everything as she tries to save her family from impending doom. She occasionally steps back and trusts that she's done all that she can to persuade them, even if she's wrong. In short, Annaleigh is a realistic character.

Actually, what I really love most is how interesting the world is which Craig has built. It's like Sea Witch but better. A series of islands, some with very unique sociocultural traditions and climates, but not in a trope-y way. The explanation of the different gods and how geography affects religious beliefs was intriguing without being an info-dump. While giving us a Greek/Romanesque view of gods as being more hands-on in the human population, the interactions are unique and don't necessarily need to be explained ad nauseam.

All in all, a really interesting and well done novel, especially for a debut.

First off I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Children's Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and review House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig. Before reading this book, I have never read or knew anything about the story of the Twelve Dancing Princess. I love when a author takes a fairy tale and twists it into something like House of Salt and Sorrows. As from the synopsis, the story follows the lives of a family who is believed to be cursed. This curse is killing off the daughters one by one. The plot takes many twists and turns. I was not expecting several of them nor was I expecting the ending. The author does a really good job with the suspense of the plot and definitely keeps you on your toes. The character development is also pretty good. I could visualize each daughter and understand their personality. The book even turned a little scary a few times which I was not expecting. Not like horror scary just enough to creep you out a bit. House of Salt and Sorrows is definitely on my top list of reads this year and I can't wait to pick up the hardcover when it is available.

I have read quite a few retellings of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, and this was definitely the strangest. Without posting spoilers, I will just say that a little over halfway through, this book turned into something completely different and unexpected. Honestly, I did not care for the tonal change. I greatly enjoyed the main character, Annaleigh, and her journey was fun to read. There were two possible love interests as well, and I really liked them both. The book was not wrapped up very well in my opinion. Overall it was a book I'm not sad I finished but just wasn't my cup of tea.

I am a sucker for fairy tale retellings and the story of the "Twelve Dancing Princesses" has always been one of my favorites, so I was pretty well hooked before I even made it to the first page. Craig's macabre take on the tale did not disappoint, spinning an entirely unique vision of the princesses' fate that mixed elements of mystery, fantasy, horror, romance, and psychological thriller. The characters and settings were richly depicted in a world that I sincerely hope the author chooses to revisit.

My one complaint, and the only reason I did not give the book five stars, is that the ending felt rushed compared to the almost leisurely (but effective) pace of the building mystery of the princesses' curse that had me aching for a resolution. That resolution came, but felt comparatively trite after the careful layers the author built to reach that point. Regardless, I would happily recommend this book and look forward to future works by this author.

Once known as the Thaumas dozen, Annaleigh, and her remaining seven sisters have been burdened with tragedy. They reside in Highmoor, a manor by the sea, where their father, The 19th Duke of the Salann Islands, rules over the people of the salt. Annaleigh's mother and four older sisters Ava, Octavia, Elizabeth, and Eulalie, each died tragically, one after the other, inciting rumors of a family curse. Annaleigh is certain her sister Eulalie's death was not an accident. Disturbing ghostly visions, a mysterious stranger, and enchanted nightly balls might just hold the key to her families secret...if it doesn't kill her first.

House of Salt and Sorrows is a fantastic dark reimagining of the fairy tale 12 Dancing Princesses. Similar to the classic fairy tale, the remaining sisters are transported to an enchanted ball each night where they wear out their shoes, a mystery to be solved. Unlike the fairy tale, someone or something is murdering the young women. This novel is a dark fantasy with filled with Gods, Goddess, Ghosts, and magic. This definitely has some very graphic and violent content so it might not be suitable for some young readers. The novel was beautifully written with a unique twist on the original tale. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed and felt a little disjointed from the rest of the novel but I'm keeping the 5 star rating for several reasons: I enjoy dark retellings, I love the cover, and the author used a fairly unique fairy tale versus one that's been overdone. This book hooked me from the first chapter and I really didn't want to put it down. I will definitely be adding this to my library when it releases so I can revisit it over and over again. As someone who reads quite a bit of YA fantasy, I feel like many novels begin to feel very similar. This was a very refreshing and much needed change from the mundane. This is definitely going in my favorites as a must read for 2019!