This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

I wanted to enjoy this book, everything about it seemed to bemy thing, the cover is gorgeous and the synopsis sounded intriguing. I just couldn't get into it, it really wasn’t my cup of tea and I thought it dragged

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I really wanted to like this one. The whole thing felt rushed and it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was supposed to read this book but I had a hard time finding time to read. There are so many major life changes and I need to set aside this just to sort out my life. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to read this book.

I loved the use of historical stories, it was a great read with a engaging plot with great characters. I loved the use of vampires and thought this was a great read.

Really loved this book! The atmosphere was amazing and the characters were so compelling! Cannot wait to read more from this author.

#aportraitinashandlace #netgalley

I really really wanted to like this book. The cover is amazing and the storyline sounded intriguing. I just couldn't get into it, it didn't grab me like I wanted it to.

Giselle is abandoned by her father in a nunnery then sold to a man she has never met in a faraway country. She soon learns her husband is not human, but a vampire and there are things living she was unaware of. Can she find her way in this new unexpected place she finds herself?

This was a quick read for me as it's only 139 pages. I enjoyed the story and was able to read the entire thing in an afternoon. I loved Giselle's attitude as she embraced life and tried to see things in a positive light. She had an I can deal with this attitude. I liked the twists and turns the book took and the outcome.

I would recommend it to a friend.

A Portrait in Ash and Lace has a great premise, but it feels undeveloped. The narration flows pretty well, but it feels like there is a lot missing. Everything is happening very quickly. It feels like a draft. Intriguing, indeed, but still a draft. I think it needs more world-building, story and character development. It gets the reader's attention, but it's just scratching the surface.

For example, the insta lust/attraction has no context. I got confused when the characters have known each other for maybe 24 hours and ended up having sex. I found myself going back, trying to see if I missed anything and trying to understand what was actually happening.

It could have been a great story if it had a length of an average book and not just around 130 pages. If it had maybe 350-400 pages It could have been amazing because the characters seems promising, and I really like the eerie Gothic atmosphere and the setting of New Orleans with its bayous, alligators and a swamp witch. There is definitely enough material here to make a full-length novel from it. The plot and characters need work.

It would definitely need more dialogue. Sometimes it seems like the characters are reading each other's minds off page and it's confusing. I am also very confused by the abrupt ending. It was not explained at all. I also feel there is a backstory for Sebastian and Amy missing.

I hope the author gets back to it and develops it into a full novel. I would read it again then.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @netgalley and Perfectly Poisoned Press for the advance eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Written in a similar style to gothic horror novels, this book falls a little short. I'm a speed reader, but with this book, I had to keep going back pages at a time trying to figure out who was being talked about, what was being talked about, or even what was going on. While the author is a good writer, I think it was the fact that this is a short novella or not quite as long as a normal novel, that made the book feel a bit rushed. It was almost like there was to much being stuffed in a few pages, and that's why everything was murky and seemed too fast. The ending happened quickly, and didn't quite make sense as the main character faints and we lose most of the action. The ending happened quickly, and didn't quite make sense as the main character faints and we lose most of the action. I didn't hate the book, and I will probably read another book from this author.

Gisella was sold by her father and her government to be married to the highest bidder. Other girls being shippped to New Orleans from France in similar predicaments are called the Casket Girls. All these girls are told is that had essentially been sold to future husbands, and the gossip was that the bidders are vampyre. When Gisella first knows that she is meeting her husband it's instalove, although she should be frightened of him. But, Gisella should have been more wary, even starting back when she was still in France, for not everyone is what they seem.

This was an ok story. I liked the time period, and the history tied in. The characters were intriguing. I did feel the writing was a little dull. But it could be that is the style. The heroine was great, I really liked seeing her progress as she figured things out on her own.

⭐⭐ -- So much potential, badly executed.

Honestly, and I am trying not to be mean here, this book was a bit of a train wreck. I know ARCs are not polished copies, but this read like a first draft. The plot was flimsy and needed a ton more fleshing out. None of the characters were remotely developed. And that ending...like what the fudge?! Thankfully, it was a short book (@2 hours read time), so I didn't waste a vast amount of my time on it. I honestly think this could have been a really interesting story had the author put more effort into it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I tried so hard to get into this book as much as I enjoyed it, I wouldn't really be in a hurry to read anymore and I'm so upset because I have been hooked on fantasy recently I thought it would be right up my alley but I just couldn't. I read it and finished it and I do think it is a good book, someone who was a massive fan of this genre would like it but as I am a newbie to this genre, it just didn't do it for me.

Thank you to Sofia and Netgalley for allowing me this ARC.

I really liked to read that book. It was interesting to see how everything played out and the whole story came together.

I also loved that I couldn’t quite imagine in which direction the book would lead me! All together a great read.

Clutching her few belongings Gisella is shipped to strange shores to meet an unknown husband. She was sold and abandoned by her father into a nunnery, Gisella sails to the shores of New Orleans with her sister Casket Girls to provide French wives for the gentlemen of the fledgling city.

A gentleman husband of her own and an uncertain future.

Passengers whisper that the files a la cassette are vampire. But while the girls laugh at such silly superstition, they disguise their own fears that they are to be brides of such a monstrosity...

Absolutely LOVED this dark horror/romance read! It was so gripping and thoroughly enjoyed this. I didn't realise this was a #4 in the series, but thankfully it didn't matter not having read the previous books (I think).

What I enjoyed the most and added such value to this book was the beautiful atmospherical descriptions, it really was brilliant. I was gripped from beginning to end and would definitely recommend this to anyone! I'm now off to read the previous books!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The cover is what truly drew me in and then as soon as I saw Casket Girls within the synopsis I was sold.

This novel gave me "penny dreadful vibes" ​

Overall it was the length of this novel, I felt is was rushed in some areas and they could have expanded on more, but overall I really did enjoy this novel

A Portrait in Ash and Lace by Sofia Aves
The Casket Girl Chronicles #4

Fairytale vampire standalone story that is part of a series tells of Gisella sold by her father to be a mail order “casket” bride. Coming into the series on book four I may have missed backstory that would have helped flesh out Gisella and some of the others mentioned in the book although, perhaps not.

What I liked:
* Gisella: young, alone, abandoned and sold by her father, accepting, adventurous, loving, sensual, strong, intriguing.
* Sebastian: ancient, vampire, lives apart, provides work for many, aristocratic, wealthy, friend of Dolion, on good terms with Grannie Smyth and her pack, intriguing .
* The premise of the story and its fairytale feel – vampires, paranormal, wolves, gargoyles, witches, mail order bride
* The potential for future books in this setting with the same and other characters.
* The relationship developing between Gisella and Sebastian
* Wondering about the details of the backstories of Gisella and Sebastian.
* Dolion: an intriguing character that I would like to know more about.
* Minette: sweet, strong, friendly, happy, good, giving.
* Charleton: butler and perhaps more.
* Granny Smythe: witchy, old, intriguing, would like to know more about her and those in her pack

What I didn’t like:
* Amy/Anitta: old, evil, cunning, cruel.
* Gisella’s father – even though not much was said about him.

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley, Perfectly Poisoned Press and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

With the caveat that I have not read other books in this series, so perhaps I am just lacking needed context, this book just didn't hit for me.

The premise was very interesting, and some aspects of the world building were intriguing. The setting lends itself well to the introduction of this supernatural mythos and many aspects of the magical world were introduced via characters with good potential. However, each of these feels overall like just a blip along a path to a HEA that could be easily explained by whatever supernatural soul-mate trope is idling in the background. After a long and well written build up, the emotional challenge of the situation is waved off by “magical attraction” and the conflict gets resolved in quick rush with a “fridging” to cap it all off.

In short: good premise, solid writing, plot needs work.

This was awful, which is a shame because the premise of a mail-order-bride being delivered to a vampire has so much potential. It was extremely confusing what was going on, and the relationship was boring. Also, sex happens off the page, which is fine in many books, but this plot has them having sex constantly, but since it cuts away, it just creates a lot of choppiness in the story. I gave up half way through because I just didn’t care to read about the characters any more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Portrait of Ash and Lace is a is a wonderful and incredibly rich fantasy novel, so well built and fast paced that I wasn't able to put it down till I reached the end. I was absolutely captivated by the atmosphere, and the characters.

This novel submerges the reader in a landscape so imaginative and detailed that the information of the world building/plot never feels forced, and is never difficult to understand or picture in one's mind. I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!