I liked how spooky this was and the slow build to see what was going on. Was I happy with the ending, not 100%, but I enjoyed the ride of getting there so much I'm not mad about it. This gave me all the best vibes of all the great gothic novels so I never wanted to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first experience reading anything by V.E. Schwab, and it certainly didn't disappoint. It was equal parts haunting and beautiful, and Schwab's writing is near lyrical. I'll definitely be recommending this to my readers that want something spooky, but not terrifyingly so.

V.E. in my opinion is a heck of a story teller. You can't help but be drawn into the worlds and words she builds. This was crafted so hauntingly - the characters were unforgettable. Every moment I had was dedicated to finishing this book.

Thank you HCC Frenzy for the eARC! I've never read any V.E. Schwab books before but now I'm obsessed and want to read everything! I love her writing style 😍 It's so atmospheric and gives off a dreamy spooky gothic vibe! I liked how the story of Gallant was slowly revealed throughout the book so readers are hooked till the very end. The story isn't really epic but it's more of a relaxing, spooky read. The pacing is also quite relaxed until the end where all the main action happens. I was also left stunned with what happens to one of the characters at the end. It also features a mute main character who uses sign language to communicate. Anyhoo, I highly recommend this 😍

This book was fantastic and an excellent addition to V.E. Schwab's already wonderful collection! This book took me less than a day to read and it was so beautifully woven together between the two sides of Gallant, and I couldn't decide which side of Gallant was more interesting to read about. The characters have just enough development to still provide a bit of mystery surrounding them without feeling like you need more to understand the storyline.

V.E. Schwab described this story as not a fairytale, but a deathtale, and that is EXACTLY how I would describe this story.

Olivia Prior is an orphan at Merilance when she receives a letter from who she thinks is her uncle asking her to come home to Gallant. The only problem is that the last line in her mother’s beloved journal tells her that the only way she can stay safe is if she stays FAR away from Gallant. With the orphanage kicking her to the curb, she has nowhere else to go but the one place her mother told her not to. Her arrival is nothing short of strange, and it only gets even more intense as the events unfold.

This book has Schwab’s classic writing style, and the fact that Olivia can say so much without ever uttering a single word is a testament to their strength as a writer. Olivia was born with the inability to speak, and I loved to see the neurodivergence representation in this YA novel. I’ve recently been struggling to connect with YA characters because of their more “juvenile” motivations, but I never felt this with Olivia and I was rooting for her the whole time.

This seems strange to say because the book was fairly complex in its story, but the plot was somewhat basic, and that’s why I took off the one star. There was a tonne of build up for mostly predictable events by the end of it. Of course there were still things I did not anticipate, but the general ending of the story was something I was able to piece together while reading.

HOWEVER, it was still magical and beautiful and everything I’ve come to expect from a V.E. Schwab book. I also may have shed a tear or two by the end of it… because it wouldn’t be one of their books if I didn’t.

Overall, I definitely recommend for all Schwab fans, and any younger readers who are into a paranormal mystery, or are just trying to find a main character with the same struggles as them.

Thank you so so much to HarperCollins Canada and NetGalley for sending me an eARC for review!!

V.E. Schwab masterfully weaves this mysterious tale of the thin line that separates the living from the dead. Equal parts charming and creepy, this story will have you turning pages until well past the witching hour.

Raimskie Read: Gallant by V.E. Schwab (@veschwab)
Digital Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC),
To be released on March 1, 2022
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I’m going to be completely honest here when I say that I am not a huge fan of anything gothic, queer book or otherwise. The genre just feels a bit heavy, a bit dark for me to read and appreciate, and the last time that I read a quadrilogy with that genre, it took me almost three months to finish them.
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[FULL BOOK REVIEW on my Bookstagram, @raimskiereads.]

Despite Schwab's typically lovely writing, this atmospheric YA fantasy falls down a bit in terms of character - even the small cast lacks depth and focus - and gets somewhat mired in the slow pacing and lack of action. Fans of haunted house books might enjoy, as well as those who focus on language over plot or character.

I really enjoyed this book. I also appreciated that it was a quick read (only took me two days!) because Addie LaRue took me literal months to read. Don’t get me wrong, Addie is one of my favorite books of all time but I like that VE can split their books so that the pacing is different. She does a very good job at writing a story about something confusing but not leaving the reader confused at the same time.

This is a story about finding home.

This strongly felt like The Secret Garden by way of Black Mirror to me- and I have no complaints! It was creepy & lovely- full of hope, but with an edge. I also love a book with a disabled main character whose disability is not portrayed as their only personality trait or interest. I think this is a perfect October pick!

Thank you so much Netgalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, & Greenwillow Books

A history of madness. Sentient shadows. An old manor full of darkness. A locked door. Blood, bone, and death.
Is our heroine meeting a grim end, or find a fantastical beauty in darkness? Gallant is a classic gothic horror novel in the truest sense, layered with complexity through old family drama, and a protagonist you will never forget.

First of all, I am new to Schwab. I went into this book relatively blind. I knew nothing of this book, not even the plot synopsis. I have a friend who absolutely adores Schwab's books, so I figured I would give it a chance.

Now the book. I really enjoyed the story. It was a one day read for me. The style follows the gothic horror tradition. In the best way, this story gave me the dark creepy vibes much like Henry James' Turning of the Screw. Schwab nails it with creating atmosphere. Her imagery is quite strong. Her descriptions of the ghouls and Gallant enveloped me in that dark gothic feeling. It's suspenseful, filled with mystery and intriguing. I was right along with Olivia Prior as she tried discover the history of her family, the fate of her mother, and why her cousin is so eager for her to leave. I felt Olivia's frustration with her world and lack of answers. The mystery of it all pulled me a long. It's a solid book, in my opinion. It's a great story with a fun atmosphere and some wonderful over arching themes of life and death. I don't know if this book is typical of Schwab's other works, but I am really compelled to dip my toe into her bibliography a bit further.

I greatly appreciate an arc of this novel. However, this was not good. It read very quickly, but the actual plot of the story was boring and unimpressive. I’m not sure what Victoria Schwab wanted to do with this book, but she didn’t do it. Also where was the climax? I couldn’t find one at all.

Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity!

Honestly, this book felt very underdeveloped in terms of characters and somewhat plot wise? Like I can describe Olivia Prior but the rest of the characters-I don't even think I rmemeber their names.

This book is just pretty language and ominous vibes to chalk it up with a few words.

I'm going to wait until I get my physical copy from Illumicrate box and listen with an audiobook and see if my feelings change.

Wow. Just finished this one. I got to start it a little early because I received an arc from the publisher. I've been trying to process it all and decide what to do about my rating.

I enjoyed a lot of the novel. It felt so very gothic. Gray landscapes, dark imagery, it begins a little like Jane Eyre, an orphan left at a school for girls. Her only option to obey the matrons - but she can't speak and explain or express herself. All she has is a journal that her mother left her full of art and half-truths. There are cobwebs, and ghouls, and finally a mysterious letter asking her to go to Gallant, to be with her family.

When she finally arrives we see a classic gothic mansion full of secret passages, ghosts, ghouls, mysterious innkeepers, and an even more mysterious garden and gate to explore.

Olivia's story was extremely interesting and full of twists. The only think missing from this gothic tale would be the mysterious byronic hero. What I can't decide is what to think of Gallant. He is a villain, not a byronic hero or an anti-hero. Cousin Matthew is non of the above...So will this novel stand alone or will it have a sequel? I think that changes everything for me.

Final decision: Closer to a 3.5. I would definitely recommend it to my YA readers. I think it is a great look at some of Schwab's more dark tales.

Review will be posted on Forever Young Adult on 3/14/22.

Cover Story: Montell Jordan

I’m a sucker for this kind of cover; it’s giving me elegance and mystery and vague globe shapes, and I love at beautiful houses AND collecting globes, so all in all, it’s perfect for me. The UK cover is a bit more “generic” looking but delicately lovely, too.

The Deal:

All that Olivia Prior has and knows of her family is her mother’s journal, full of more questions than answers. She’s spent almost all her life at a drab orphanage for young girls, but that changes when she gets a letter from her long-lost uncle inviting her to return home to Gallant. Except…her mother’s journal explicitly tells her that she’ll always be safe as long as she stays away from that place. But with zero prospects, Olivia is dropped off at its door with little more than her suitcase.

What she finds isn’t at all what she was expecting. No uncle awaits, just a sullen cousin and a kindly but tight-lipped staff. Dozens of empty rooms and a riotous garden. And an oddly placed, crumbling wall that seems to sit in the field beyond, a place where the sun never touches…

BFF Charm: Yay

Given the right circumstances, Olivia seems like she’d be the friend who pushes you out of your comfort zone and makes you try new things with her. Growing up with other girls in the orphanage, Olivia was picked on because she is mute and people are assholes, but she’s got a strong sense of self, a defiant streak, and a whole lot of fortitude. She longs for answers, but even when that makes her go out exploring a creaky old house, she keeps her wits about her and doesn’t make completely irrational decisions. Plus she can see ghosts, which, I know, if it really happened to me would probably make me pee my pants in fear, but in theory it sounds so cool.

Swoonworthy Scale: 0

There’s very few players, and most of them are related to Olivia in some way. We learn a little about her mother’s doomed romance, but that’s only told in broad strokes.

Talky Talk: Baby’s First Gothic Novel

While searching for an image link to share for the UK cover, I found on a bookseller’s website that this book is being classified (at least in their store) as “romantic fantasy”. In what effing world?? The words “gloriously gothic extravaganza” were also used, which made me giggle-snort. I’ve also seen this likened to Crimson Peak. As you can see from my Swoonworthy score, there is absolute zero romance in this book, so consider yourself forewarned if that’s important for you.

Is there a gothic tone? Absolutely, yes. “Glorious extravaganza”? Eh. I think I’ve rewritten this paragraph like three times, and this is what I’ve settled on: this is a solidly YA novel. It’s not a crossover. It wasn’t an already-written Adult novel that was smushed onto a YA shelf for purposes of getting people like me to read it. *cough*ACTOR*cough*

Schwab’s writing still managed to pull me in enough that I finished it relatively quickly, but it lacks the bite and darkness of an adult Gothic novel, and because of that, the plot points feel…neutered. If you were going to introduce a younger reader to the world of Gothic tropes then this might be a good place to start as it’s not so grim and hopeless that you’ll scar an impressionable young mind. But if you’re reading this review for yourself and you’re past the target demographic, I’d suggest skipping it.

Bonus Factor: Fancy Houses

As with all Gothic stories, a young girl, alone in the world, comes upon a slightly ramshackle mansion with nooks and crannies galore, just waiting for her to explore. I love secret passageways even though, let’s be real, there’s probably more spiders than I am comfortable with (and that’s ZERO spiders).

Bonus Factor: Mirror Worlds

There’s just something so deliciously creepy about finding a portal to another place that is like yours, but different. This trope just never fails to send glorious shivers down my spine.

Bonus Factor: Journals

I do also love when a character has to unlock a mystery through a journal that doesn’t make sense until they understand more of what’s going on. It always gives a story a sort of sweeping, timeless quality connecting past and present.

Relationship Status: May-December

You’re cute, Book, but our age difference is just too much for me to overcome. I’m sure you’ll find an age-appropriate companion in no time.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Greenwillow Books. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. Gallant is available now.

"Olivia, Olivia, Olivia, Remember this -
the shadows c̶a̶n̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶u̶c̶h̶ are not real
the dreams a̶r̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶ ̶d̶r̶e̶a̶m̶s̶ can never hurt you
and you will be safe as long as you stay away
from Gallant"

Olivia Prior knew almost nothing of her past. She was left at Merilance School for Independent Girls when she was a baby with nothing but a journal - her mother's, filled mostly of entries addressed to her father, talking about their relationship and, later, Olivia herself. But the entries become less lucid, more haunted by shadows and voices, before the journal ends with one last letter to Olivia. Even in the school of orphans and outcasts, Olivia is an outsider due to her muteness; she can't make a sound, even cry out in pain. This makes it easy to keep secret another difference - she can see ghouls, or scraps of them, anyway, hanging around the house. So she's flooded with emotion when a letter arrives from an uncle, inviting her home, to Gallant. She's always wanted an escape from Merilance and to have family of her own... but her mother's journal ends by warning her away from Gallant, which she hadn't even known was a place until receiving this letter.

But go to Gallant she does. And Olivia finds a lovely house, too large for its occupants, Hannah, Edgar, and Matthew, none of whom were expecting a girl to arrive on their doorstep. She finds that her uncle, Arthur, has been dead a year, so the letter, which said it was sent to locations all over the country in the hopes Olivia would be there, could not have been sent by him. Matthew, a few years older than Olivia, is angry at her arrival and wants her gone. He's clearly unwell and seems haunted by something. Olivia wants to stay at Gallant, especially enthralled by the bright colors of the garden. Beyond the garden is a wall, crumbling, and beyond the wall, seemingly only more fields. But something else must be happening here, something they're not telling Olivia. Why else would they so strictly lock down the house at night, patch the cracks in the wall between Gallant and nothing? And what could Matthew mean when he talks about their family needing to guard the gate, and their ties to the house, the wall, and what lies beyond?

This was a fun read, the first I've read from Schwab, though I have a number of her titles on my to-read list. I really liked the dynamic between Gallant and what lies across the wall, and as I was reviewing my thoughts for this review was struck with some Anastasia vibes?? Just a couple of things that would be spoiler-y to mention, but touched little chords with my nostalgia for that movie. I liked the evolution of the relationships at Gallant, though the relationships at Merilance were kind of flat, very "we can be mean so we will be". I'm undecided on whether the passages with "the master of the house" helped to build suspense, or a little bit took some of the surprise the reader might otherwise get if he hadn't been met in these occasional sections between chapters. Journal entries are also interspersed in the text, with some sections struck out, along with ink bloom illustrations. And of course I love a character that signs, though I sort of wish the signing had been written with more of a sign gloss grammar style as opposed to italicized English. I would recommend this to fans of the gothic; Don't Tell a Soul and Coraline came to mind as I was putting this together.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the eARC. Gallant was published earlier this week, on March 1st.

I really did not like this book. It was really slow to start, and when the villains were finally revealed, I was over the book. I did not connect with the characters at all. This was very disappointing after reading Addie Larue last year by the same author

still my favorite author. her ability and imagination is unparalleled. i am truly envious of her talent