3 stars

Got about halfway through before I DNF’d. Couldn’t keep my attention and I kept skimming.

Post-revolutionary Russia seems like a pretty good place to set a Gothic novel, but alas, the scariest thing in this book is the Bolsheviks.

I suppose if you look at this as historical fiction and focus on the sociopolitical situation at the forefront of the story, it’s a well-structured novel. Certainly the writing is lovely and the pacing is fine.

But this is supposed to be a gothic novel, and the actual gothic and supernatural elements of this are really a snooze. It’s not scary, it lacks the slow build dread that good gothic novels all have, and the house itself felt like a well-conceived but poorly deployed narrative device.

If you just can’t get enough of post revolutionary Russia as a setting, this will likely work fine for you. Gilmore is clearly a skilled writer and her sense of history is evident. But if you’re here for the gothic, look elsewhere.

3.75 stars
I found THE HAUNTING OF MOSOW HOUSE to be a fascinating mix of gothic horror, historical fiction, Russian folklore, and romance. I enjoyed the historical aspect, focusing on the aristocrats’ lives after the 1917 Russian revolution, the most. What could have been a bleak, depressing tale is deftly told with an underlying sense of hope for the future. The haunting adds an interesting layer to the story, and the climactic ending made for a satisfying read.

I recommend THE HAUNTING OF MOSCOW HOUSE to any reader interested in Russian history and a gothic setting.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

The Haunting of Moscow House is a delightfully spooky gothic historical fantasy with a basis in real life history. At the heart is a story of family and history. Also, it’s a story of how grief and loss can change a person and a country. Are the hauntings actual or just memories? Which is scarier?

***review as posted to my IG today***

MALEFICENT MONDAY

Thanks #partners @berkleypub & @prhaudio for my #gifted copies! #berkleyig #berkleypartner #penguinrandomhousepartner

The Haunting of Moscow House
Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
Available now

📖 The Haunting of Moscow House follows the Goliteva sisters, Lili and Irena, in 1920s Moscow — the years following the Russian Revolution. Before the war, the sisters enjoyed a life of aristocracy, but after the Bolsheviks commandeer their mansion, the family is forced to live in the attic, bartering family heirlooms for survival. When the Americans arrive, Irina and Lili are offered jobs for the ARA in exchange for food and a better life. But back home, supernatural occurrences unbury dark, sinister secrets that shock the sisters to their core.

💭 The Haunting of Moscow House has so many elements I love! It's based in part on true events, and weaves historical fiction with supernatural horror and a romance subplot. As someone who hasn't read many historical fiction novels set in Russia, this was as educational as it was entertaining. While it did drag at times, I was still fully invested in the story and the sisters' outcome. This tale is often dark — exploring both the horrors of Russian history and the those of the supernatural variety — but it's also an inspiring and hopeful story of sisterhood and perseverance in the face of unimaginable adversity. I appreciate the incorporation of lighter elements to offset the darker elements, which results in an overall well-rounded novel.

🎧 I chose to read this one in tandem, by combining my print copy with the audiobook. The Magnificent Maarleveld (Saskia Maarleveld) was the perfect casting choice here; I always love listening to books in her voice. She nails the accents and genders, flawlessly shifting from Russian to English, and women to men. Wonderful performance as always!

This is the perfect read to get you in the mood for the upcoming Halloween season!

📌 Out now!

This was a truly creepy and horrific gothic historical novel. The history was rich and well done, and I will admit you don’t see a lot of Russian historical fiction. It was very interesting to see a family of “former people” and what they went through after the revolution in Russia. I did think that while this story was full of interesting supernatural pieces and truly horrifying horror the story moved to slowly for me at bits which made it hard to focus on this book instead of the never ending pile of books waiting to be read. Lili and her sister Irina are struggling to survive in Russia and to protect what is left of their family. While they once had titles and riches the revolution has left them nothing more than their empty home. As strange things start happening the girls are determined to figure out what happened the night their uncle was killed and their father and grandfather arrested because it seems connected to what’s happening now. Overall I gave this one 3.5 stars rounded up for good levels of spooky.

Russia's history is drenched in war, instability, terror, the unknown, and the fear of the past sneaking up behind you and tapping you on the shoulder. You focus on the present and just get through the next horror. Your stomach caving in on itself in hunger, the Bolsheviks eyes caressing your every move, not knowing what your future holds. Your family is your priority. Getting them through the next obstacle, filling their belly's, and making sure they are loved. When the past finally catches up to you and completely sends you running in terror. You know you must do whatever it takes to get through to the other side.

Irina and Lili Goliteva are sisters. They were brought up in extreme privilege, which has been yanked away by the new government. Their family members have been murdered, their possessions sold off or destroyed. The Moscow House is the only thing they have left. A vast mansion that holds their past hostage. In 1921 a group of Bolshevik soldiers move in, turning their lives into upheaval. The ghosts of the past are not happy and are making it known. As accidental deaths begin to add up. Irina and Lili are beginning to see ghostly forms of their family members. The walls begin to mold, there is the smell of death and decay in the air. The gloom swirls around them, making them fear for their lives. The house haunted in every sense of the word. Their Aunt seems possessed at times. As the past and the present collide the girls need to confront their ghosts of the past to move forward.

Olesya Salnikova Gilmore weaves a fantastical tale. Bringing together Russian folklore, history, and a stunning atmospheric setting which had me at the edge of my seat. It is a slow burn, that quietly grows with intensity as more of the past is uncovered. I loved the Russian history, it literally oozed from the pages. Making me want to learn more and to read more of their folklore. Which let's be honest, can be horrifying on its own. Add in a dash of the occult and Russian Superstition and you have a perfect book to add to your pile of spooky book reads. Thank you to Oleysa Salnikova Gilmore and Berkley Publishing for this haunting read of love, sisterhood, and family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group as well as the author for this haunting ARC.
#NetGalley #BerkleyPublishingGroup #HauntingofMoscowHouse #Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

Title: The Haunting of Moscow House
Author: Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
Format: eBook
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Publication Date: September 3, 2024
Themes: family, Russian history, haunted house, paranormal, historical horror
Trigger Warnings: Alcohol abuse, historical horror, death of children, pregnancy/childbirth, psychological abuse, blood rituals, family drama, war and the effects on soldiers, sex and sexual harassment

This was a bleak one. I do love historical horror and old haunted houses. This delicious tale is about an old family mansion falling into disrepair during the summer of 1921. Some Bolsheviks
have taken over the family mansion and forced the family, including Lili and Irina Goliteva. The sisters try to get used to the way things are in Soviet Russia now, even though they’re used to the finer things. Lili and Irina find jobs and are doing their best when their ancestors wake up. Deaths follow. Are the spirits responsible or the Amercians? Do the dearly departed have something to say?

Everyone is occasionally visited by the ghosts of their past, just usually not literally. The ghosts of the family home of Irina and Lili Goliteva are very literal and provide an eerie, unsettling feeling for this gothic story. I enjoyed this book very much. I’m not very knowledgeable on Russian history so I learned quite a bit. I loved learning Russian folklore also and I also liked how these things didn’t detract from the main story. Not to say that history would detract but, in less capable hands, extra narrative can cause the story to drag. This book was beautifully written and I learned a lot.

It was interesting but bleak. The tone was grim and bleak. I have no problem with this but some may. I actually liked the dark narrative because it gave the sisters’ personalities and courage room to shine by comparison. I really loved these characters and I missed them when I finished this book.

All in all, I loved this one and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history, gothic ghost stories and family drama. Thank you again to Berkley, NetGalley, and the author for this treat.

The Haunting of Moscow House is atmospheric, with the backdrop of Soviet Russia and the harsh reality of prison, starvation, or death at any moment.
We are following two sisters who are living in Moscow House, they and the rest of their family are on the brink of starvation. They are selling family heirlooms, and just doing what they can day to day to survive. The atmosphere is really detailed, it felt like you were right there with the sisters, the rest of the story build-up was on the slower side, unfortunately too slow for me. I found my mind wandering while reading, and I found myself not really connecting to the characters.

I did enjoy the folklore, and certain other elements, but it was enough to keep me fully invested in what was happening with the plot or the characters.
While this didn't 100% work for me, I think others would enjoy it, so if the synopsis sounds interesting, I would recommend reading it.

The Haunting of Moscow Houseis a blend of gothic horror, Russian folklore, and historical fiction. The story is set in post-revolutionary Russia and follows two sisters, Irina and Lili, who were members of the Russian nobility, as they attempt to make their way in the new Soviet Russia.

To escape the Bolsheviks who have taken over their ancestral home, Moscow House, the sisters start working for the American Relief Association (ARA). However, while they find food, enjoyment, and even love at work, at home, the spirits of dead family members are roused and haunting the grounds.

Soon, some of the Bolshevik officials requisitioning Moscow House are found dead. Are the deaths from a supernatural cause or human one? It is up to Irina and Lili to unravel the sinister secrets of the Revolution, their family, and their home. Can they do it before it the deceased come for them, too?

I liked the post-revolutionary backdrop of this, found it to be the most intriguing part of the story. I haven't read many books about the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution and I appreciated the peek into it. I also enjoyed Irina and Lili's sisterly bond and the way they sought to help their family as well as others who were struggling in Russia. Where the story fell apart for me was in the gothic/folklore elements. The bleak and eerie ambiance was there, and well executed; however, it didn't mesh as believably or as seamlessly with the historical pieces as I had hoped it would. Narratively, it felt fragmented and disconnected. The pacing was glacial as well, which didn't help matters. I think I would've liked this better had it focused more on the sister's work at the ARA rather than the ghosts/Domovoy at Moscow House, but that could come down to preference more than anything.

Other readers will love the haunted house mystery with the Russian history tossed in. For me, it simply didn't merge well, read like oil and water.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Historical fiction + gothic horror + haunted house and we have a winner! Set in post-revolutionary Russia, I was immediately absorbed by this story of two sisters uncovering secrets in a haunted mansion. This story is dark, creepy, and unsettling. There is some romance as well, but it fit nicely into the story. The author did an incredible job of building tension leading to a satisfying ending. This is a perfect spooky season book club read.

Thanks so much for letting me read in advance and I’m highly recommending as a must-read for fall 2024!

The Haunting of Moscow House is a compelling and atmospheric novel set in post-revolutionary Russia. It follows former aristocrats Irina and Lili Goliteva after their ancestral home in Moscow is taken over by Bolsheviks and the remaining members of their family are forced to move into the attic. Irina and Lili secure jobs with the ARA allowing them a brief respite from their new landlords while supplying food for their family but the house has dark secrets that no longer wish to remain buried. Soon strange things start happening in the house - cold drafts, noises reminiscent of the past, mysterious deaths and excessive signs of decay and it's up to Irina and Lili to find out what is happening, before it's too late.

I loved the blend of historical horror and Slavic folklore. Add a haunted house to the mix and I'm sold! The house was terrifying and the worse things got, the more anxious I was for them to escape.
This is a slow burn and I found that it lagged around the half way mark but it didn't take long before I was hooked again. There's a bit of mixed-media in the form of journal entries that help uncover some of their family history and how it connects to what is currently happening which I enjoyed.

I liked the romance storylines for both Irina and Lili as they helped to lighten up an otherwise bleak plot. This period in time is devastating and my heart hurt for the sisters, especially Irina, as they struggled with their trauma and immense loss while trying to stay strong for the family they had left.

I definitely recommend this for fans of gothic horror. Be sure to read the authors notes at the end!

Thank you Berkley for my free ARC of The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore — available Sep 3!

» READ IF YOU «
✨ love lush historical fiction
🔆 enjoy a gothic atmosphere
🥂 prefer your historical fiction to be set fully in the past

» REVIEW «
First off, I love that this story was completely set in the historical timeline, rather than doing a dual timeline of past/present which is so popular these days. I enjoy those too, but prefer to be immersed in the past! Next, the atmosphere in this story was just perfect — gothic without being strictly horrific — and I think it was especially well done because the vibes linger even when you're done reading. Sisters Irina and Lili were very different and they read this way to me, which I also appreciated. I loved watching their relationship evolve as they dug for answers to the past, and I think the complex change in their status as "Former People" was really well navigated.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was looking forward to the Haunting of Moscow House and truly enjoyed it! It gave me a bit of the feeling of Amor Towles' Gentleman in Moscow, especially when Uncle Pasha explains why he would never leave Russia.

Knowing all we know now about the millions who died in the years following the revolution, especially those who were considered the enemies of the people, it is difficult to understand the desire to stay. Yet I can imagine how some of these formerly wealthy, highly educated people who lived according to their honor principles could not leave.

I am deeply curious about the 1920s in the Soviet Union, especially regarding the fates of the "former people." The author put a lot of time into research and it shows.

As a fellow Russian speaker who lives in the U.S., I enjoyed the book from the point of view of all the connections to folklore and history while appreciating the prose and Salnikova Gilmore's approach.

What I loved:

- The relationship between two sisters and how it evolves throughout the book.
- The attention to detail, from clothing and descriptions of spaces to rituals and creatures.
- The inclusion of Russian folklore and fairytales truly brought me back to my childhood and made me reexamine what I remembered. I did not question where these interesting storylines and characters originated when I was a kid, but the book inspired me to look into it all with fresh eyes. I hope readers without prior knowledge of these folk tales will also enjoy them.
- I enjoyed little bits of Russian here and there. "Her insides turn as wobbly as holodets meat jelly at the thought."
- The ending was quite symbolic, in my opinion, showing that both staying and leaving can be a good solution.

What I did not care for:

- Some phrases sound like they were directly translated from Russian or as if a crucial word is missing, not fully finishing the sentence structure.

"A place they are safe"
"But then the foyer, the doors, and they are leaping into the night and snow"
"Irina whirls, shutting her eyes against the oak, who is buried there, the usual dark feeling at the sight"

- There are some repetitions of the reasoning, which could be considered realistic - we often go back and forth in our thoughts about something - but reading about whether taking the job at the ARA is a good idea for the fifth time was a bit too much.

- The pace suffers in the middle part of the book before picking up again before the ending - repetitions and lack of anything truly happening don't help.

Overall, it is a very unusual and lovely read for fans of Russian history and ghost stories. How many books fit that criteria?

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for providing an early reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. The book is out on September 3.

Soviet Russia + ghosts? Sign me the absolute f*** up! This is my most anticipated ARC of the year (and probably ever) and it’s out today! The Haunting of Moscow House is a historical gothic set in 1921 Russia-after the 1917 Revolutions and Lenin is firmly in power. It follows the story of two sisters, Irina and Lili Goliteva, from a formerly aristocratic family (based on the real life Golitsyn/Sheremetev aristocratic families) as they navigate their new status as “Former People” in post-revolutionary Russia. The Bolsheviks take over their home and they and the rest of their family are relegated to the attic. Irina and Lily do their best to move on with their new normal and take care of their family, but their aunt seems unable to let go of the family’s former status. Then strange things start happening in the house and the spirits of their family members that died during the Revolution seem to emerge inside the house.

This was so great. Gilmore did such a wonderful job weaving together characters based on the dribs and drabs left in the history books about the Golitsyns/Sheremetevs. She really brought them to life for me. While I am no educated Russian history scholar, I’ve certainly read a lot about it and it seemed to me that Gilmore did not sacrifice historical accuracy for a great story. She managed to do both. Also shout-out for the numerous Gogol references.

If you are interested in this period of history or if this book piques your interest, I recommend you read Former People by Douglas Smith and Caught in the Revolution by Helen Rappaport. Thank you netgalley and penguin random house for the e-ARC.

I have to applaud Olesya Salnikova Gilmore for choosing a setting that many historical fiction writers tend to avoid. Then to successfully create a story of generational trauma centered around an upper-class Russian family in a way that is historically believable is a rare feat! The black rot and dust lift off the page, reflecting irrecoverable loss and a bygone era. The haunting is the result of a man's foolish pride that allowed anguish and pain to fester. Like a metaphor for the Revolution itself and how Tsar Nicholas II turned a blind eye until it was too late. With bread lines, cold outdoor markets and scavenging children outside, Gilmore reminds the reader how privileged the Golitevas were, even if they are only now coming to terms with it. For Irina and Lili, they must cling to the memories and fight for what the House represents; not wealth or status, but family. And old curses require even older magic, and they come to realize that sisterhood is the strongest magic there is.

My only issue is with the pacing at times. I was enraptured by the unique folklore and the terrifying spirits that the ARA party, the romance, etc cut the tension like a knife. I wanted to frantically remind both Irina and Lili about their imprisoned Aunt Marie, the children, and the constant threats from all sides. Once they're settled into the plot though, progressive Will and loyal Nicky prove themselves to be supportive and genuine. I was glad the ladies at least got the peace they deserved, but the ending is far beyond what you'd ever expect!

Thank you Penguin Random House for the ARC on NetGalley!

I was captivated by this gothic horror historical fiction, a paranormal mash-up set in 1920s post-revolutionary Russia. The story follows two sisters struggling to keep their family together and fed while living in their ancestral home, now occupied by Bolsheviks. As they begin seeing the spirits of their deceased relatives throughout the house, strange and eerie events unfold. Desperate to escape their haunted home and provide for their family, the sisters take jobs with the American Relief Administration which sets them on a path to uncover family secrets. The book is haunting not just because of the ghosts, but also because of the bleak and devastating reality of life in Russia during this tumultuous period. It’s a part of history I haven’t explored much but am eager to learn more about. This was an incredible blend of genres and a truly fascinating read.

The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesva Salnikova Gilmore

“ What is it about night that brings out the ghosts, you think?
Don’t you know? He had smiled, heavy lidded, teasing, his face incredibly close. Night belongs to the unholy and the dead, morning to God and the living.”

Thank you @berkleypub for the advanced readers copy of this gem in exchange for an honest review.

To me this book is perfection! And here is why:

1. The genre is gothic historical horror with elements of Russian/Slavic folklore woven in with a heavy dose of fairytales. What’s not to love about that mash up?

2. The history depicted is accurate to the time and you can tell the author thoroughly researched the political, social and economic situation in Moscow during the 1920s. And sources were included, which always gets bonus points from me!

3. The atmospheric writing is what makes a gothic horror book and it was executed flawlessly. It was creepy, kept you on the edge of your seat and engaged the whole time, even though it is a slow burn.

4. The character development was fantastic. Without giving away too much, I particularly loved how everything with the aunt unfolded/developed. The whole arc was so well done.

5. The house and people are actually inspired by real life places and individuals which I found to be fascinating. While events are obviously exaggerated and made up to make a good, fictional, story, I love that the bases of this book are founded in reality. I also love that the author provides that information in the historical note at the end.

6. I personally love a slow burn horror so, to me, the pacing is perfect for the genre. But I understand that isn’t for everyone.

If you are a fan of gothic haunted houses + slow burn horror novels, this is a must read and I cannot recommend it enough.

The Haunting of Moscow House is out today and I suggest you run to the book store to snag a copy for your fall TBR!

I think this was not the right book for me right now. I had so much trouble telling the characters apart and found that there was way too much info about the plot given in the very beginning of the story. The writing style just didn’t work for me, even though the premise was intriguing.

This was a really cool historical fiction horror that takes place in Russia, it was a wildly unique setting and premise but I just didn’t love the overall premise of this unfortunately y