Member Review

Thorne Hall has a secret. Within its crumbling walls full of past splendor live not just the few remaining members of the Thorne family, there are also fifteen restless spirits bound to the Thorne line. Much to the current Thorne patriarch's disappointment, Elegy is the only heir and it will be up to her to control the more destructive and delay impulses of the spirits after he passes. Elegy has no other choice than to live as if she is another one of those spirits and has accepted that this will be her life. Until a handsome stranger walks into her home and makes her start to question is her doomed fate truly is the only way forward.

It took me a bit to fully get into the story because Thomas does too good a job of highlighting how incredibly hopeless Elegy's life is. She is trapped by the collection in a house with an emotionally abusive father, his bitterly crazy second wife, and spirits who (mostly) have no goodwill toward her. Unable to even leave the house for more than a few hours at a time or to at least have someone to talk to about it.

It takes a lot to get Elegy interested in even considering more in life and it's a testament to the writing that you believe she's been conditioned to think that way. The relationships she has are all complex in how even the people who know the truth and should be there to support her are mostly just accepting that she's out of luck. This is why Atticus is such a perfect match for her despite being her complete opposite. Even beyond the romantic way that they're pulled toward each other, the way he's set on supporting and helping her no matter what is fantastic.

I would have rated this a full 5 stars and loved it if it weren't for that bleak beginning, acknowledging that it's so good once we get past the depressing bits and it wouldn't be as enthralling if it weren't for those. It does become completely unputdownable somewhere around the halfway point and provides some excellently memorable scenes, it's just that getting past the bleakness took an effort.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the enthralling read!