Rating Breakdown:
Characters - 3
Plot - 3
Setting - 3
Writing - 3
Enjoyment - 3
Total Rating - 3

Review:
I was very intrigued by the cover and premise of this one. The main character provides an interesting view into a centuries old, dynastic family that is full of secrets. I loved the relationships between the main character and her grandfather, professor, and middle brother.

I just wish those things had been enough to fully hold my interest. I think this was trying very hard to be dark academia based on the writing style, but the side quests into deep family history and philosophical musings distracted from the plot of the story for me. I found myself not wanting to pick this book up because of the pacing.

Bottom Line:
I thought this book was fine. It's an interesting story, if you have the stomach for pages of family political info-dumping.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher for review.

This book was okay. I had a hard time getting into the storyline. There was a lot happening but not a lot of character development and building of where the plot took place. It just maybe wasn’t a good book pick for me, or I didn’t have the right mindset going into it.

I really wanted to love this one but it was really hard to get into the writing style. The scene switches were also really abrupt and kind of took you out of the story.

"Letters From The Dead" brilliantly fuses intricate family drama with dark mystery, creating a narrative that pulls you into the chilled marble halls of European aristocracy where every whispered conversation carries the weight of centuries.

The nameless protagonist—our eyes and ears throughout this labyrinthine journey—offers a fascinating perspective on power's isolation. Her anonymity paradoxically makes her story more universal while highlighting her erasure within her own family. Through her observations, the gilded cage of her upbringing transforms from privilege to prison, the sprawling Alpine estate becoming both haven and trap with each turning page.

Her exile marks the novel's most compelling shift. Watching this sheltered heiress navigate independence reveals unexpected depths, as if the very air she breathes becomes richer once she escapes her family's suffocating embrace. The contrast between her cloistered childhood and her eventual self-discovery creates a tension that drives the narrative forward even when the plot moves at a glacial pace.

The protagonist's relationship with her grandfather provides the emotional core—their conversations about ancestry and experience offering warm refuge from her parents' arm's-length approach to child-rearing. These moments of connection across generations illuminate the family's contradictions: outward unity masking private power struggles that simmer beneath polished surfaces.

Valeri's pacing requires patience. The narrative unfolds slowly, lingering on family histories and ancestral details that sometimes feel excessive. Yet this deliberate approach builds an atmosphere thick with anticipation, making the protagonist's personal growth more rewarding when it arrives.

The unresolved questions surrounding her exile and her grandfather's fate continue to haunt me, like unopened letters waiting on a silver tray—promising revelations that may prove equally illuminating and devastating in the sequel.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley, for the free copy for review.

This story is set in the 1990s. It is a story of an ultra rich , powerful family that seems to operate like such families from centuries ago, like the Medicis of Florence. There are all sorts of secrets and machinations. The children are raised in isolation and treated like pawns. They are groomed to maintain the family’s power, position and wealth. This is the story of the daughter of the house, her grandfather’s favorite. She is intelligent, independent and resourceful, not the best combination for a “pawn”. When she “outs” a family secret she is cut off from the family and sent to a boarding school in the United States. Her story is very interesting, and apparently there is to be a second book.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. It started off so good then took a left turn and never recovered. I was enjoying the silly kid antics amongst siblings and the mystery of Sophia. And I thought the story would continue that mystery. The actions and the way the characters spoke felt like it should be set in a different century but was just in the ‘90s. And why was the main character never named? She and her grandfather had such a sweet relationship, it was the best part of the story. But anything else didn’t hold my interest and was confusing.

This book has a beautiful cover and an intriguing title. Unfortunately it did not hold my interest and it took me a long time to finish it. Because I requested an ARC of the book I felt obligated to read it in it’s entirety. I am still confused and have many unanswered questions about what I just read. I do note that other reviewers have high praise for this book so this opinion is my own.

If I were to describe this book in one word, it would be verbose. There is a lot to this book that I feel detracts from the story. So much so that I got lost while reading it, and I don't mean caught up in the story; I mean that I had no idea what the words I read had to do with anything else I had read. What disappoints me the most is that, despite being intrigued by the description each time I read it, I knew I had to walk away, leaving this as an unfinished read. This is because each time I opened the book, I felt lost instead of excited. I'll keep it on my shelf, maybe at another time it will fulfill my soul the way I wish it did now.

I somehow both enjoyed this book and don’t completely understand what I read at the same time. It was a slower read since it’s a more literary book, but it does have fast paced scenes and get more engaging as you go. I’m not sure if I would read the second book when it comes out, but it might would answer some of the things that didn’t make sense.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It's beautifully written and I fell in love with the cover. I loved the historical feel to it and the mystery behind the main character's sister and the rest of her family. I also liked some parts of her boarding school life and the character herself was pretty likable and relatable.

The parts that I wasn't crazy about were the detailed lectures about history that I know nothing about, so I had trouble following along and making sense of what was happening. I felt very lost at some parts of the story and found myself just skimming when I didn't understand enough. I was also confused about the tone and theme of this book. It felt like this book was at times historical fiction, at others dark academia, some parts ghost story, then teen movie with sex, drugs, and alcohol - all this with a touch of suspense thriller. It was difficult to wrap my head around.

But in the end, I enjoyed the overall story and would like to know how it continues, as this book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.

Thank you to Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I got 102 pages into this before deciding to give up. It's too pretentious with little to no plot. It started off good, but got boring fast.

I had a tough time with this book. I felt that the young girl was too young to be experiencing life with the group she hung with. She had been isolated all her life. The family is too strange. I am left with no desire to know more.
Thank you, NetGalley. I am certain this book will appeal to others, but not me.

This was a tough read for me. The description sounded interesting, and I was trying to branch out from my typical genres, but I had a hard time getting through this. It was pretty slow and couldn’t hook me. I lost motivation early on to keep reading - it felt like a chore.

I enjoy first person narration. This style was great, however her being a pre-teen through most of it and not getting her name made it a little hard to connect. I really enjoy historical storylines too, but it just got really in the weeds and felt too textbook for my leisure reading time. There was a lot of family drama and dysfunction, but I liked those parts. FMC relationship with her gramps was nice to see after the neglect and absence of her parents.

I liked the gothic regency horror vibes and the writing was really beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

I received a free copy of the ebook, Letters from the Dead by Isabella Valeri, from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so Letters from the Dead by Isabella Valeri totally pulled me in. It’s this dark, gothic story about a girl from a powerful, messed-up family who gets sent away after uncovering some creepy secret. Years later, she’s forced back into that whole world—think arranged marriages, family drama, and a ton of things left unsaid.

It’s moody in the best way, super atmospheric, and kind of haunting. Some parts felt a little mysterious or vague, but honestly, that added to the vibe. If you’re into slow-burn, emotional stories with dark elegance and old secrets, you’ll really like this one.

WOW! This book was incredible. I started it the same day I finished it because the storyline dug its claws into me and did not let go till I finished it. The story of Isabella and all the terrible things she had to endure made me feel deeply for her. I just wanted to envelope her in hugs and tell her everything was going to be all right. I was shocked this was a debut book because I felt like Isabella Valeri had been writing for years. A well written book full of mystery, suspense and intrigue. I cannot wait to read more of Isabella's writing. Bravo job, Isabella!

Isabella Valeri's Letters from the Dead, is a gothic thriller that delves into the intricacies of old money, family secrets, and personal identity. Set against the backdrop of a secluded Alpine estate, the story follows a young heiress whose sheltered upbringing is disrupted by the discovery of a centuries-old manuscript. This revelation leads to her abrupt exile to an American boarding school, which seemed a bit extreme to me, but then she returns to confront the very family that cast her out, unveiling a web of betrayal and hidden agendas. This was a very slow paced book that goes into in depth historical descriptions that at times were very tedious. It's got some good suspense and drama for an author's first novel, but I had a hard time plowing through all the detail. When you find out what the big secret is, it doesn't seem that big of a deal. I think if the author had spent more time on character development and less on the historical detail of the time, I might have found it more enjoyable. It was well written, and a solid entry into the gothic genre.

I feel like this book could ave been much better. The premise sounded so good but it really fell short. I was bored through most of this book and really with it hadn't focused so much on history, which I love if told the right way. At times the story would drag on and I wasn't sure what I was reading or if I even wanted to finish the book. I did push through and once done it was one that could have really been better, a little history and more character development so you feel connected with them. Thanks NetGalley for a chance to read this book.

“Letters from the Dead” is by Isabella Valeri. This book is really difficult from to review for a number of reasons. I looked at other reviews to try to get some help - and the reviews tend to be rather scattered. The main character - unnamed like the main character in “Rebecca” - is eleven (or so) at the beginning of the book. For the first good half of the book she’s eleven or twelve, on the family’s estate learning history (some her family, some European, some war tactics). Then she reads something she shouldn’t (which didn’t seem that awful to me) and is sent away (to America - horrors!) to boarding school year-round. While there, the book picks up its pacing with interactions with classmates and roommates. While some of the book felt underhanded machiavellian (or maybe in-your-face machiavellian), it felt like not a lot happened and then a lot happened, but at the same time not a lot did - which feels odd to say about a nearly 500 page book. I didn’t know that this was going to be the first of a new series, which helps explain the rather open ended ending. Family dynamics are always complex - and this book felt like it was a coming of age one (and it is) mixed in with gothic horror (setting of the estate) mixed in with dysfunctional family (minus the FUN in dysfunctional). I found myself thinking, at times, that this book was like playing chess (something I’ve tried learning beyond the basics) - the author was always a step ahead of me. For example, while I liked the history lessons, I found myself skimming a bit, then realized later than some of that skimming should have been reading instead. Overall, 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 because the next book sounds interesting - what is next for our heroine?

What an interesting premise for a story! This debut sends a young heiress into a world of hidden secrets when she uncovers a family mystery. After being exiled, she returns years later to confront her enemies and risks unraveling everything her family has worked to protect.

3.5 Stars

A young heiress from an estate in the Alpine foothills has lived a sheltered life, as the youngest daughter in a European family that can be traced back 15 generations. Left to her own devices most of the time, she finds herself discovering family secrets that no twelve year old should uncover. As her grandfather notes her growing curiosity, he brings in a tutor to guide her education. But as more secrets are revealed and the questions of family succession come into play, she is mysteriously sent away to an all girls boarding school in the United States. Years pass with no contact from her family, and now in her 20s, she is ordered to return home, and face the unknown plans her family has set in place, to secure her role in the long line of their dynastic control.

Letters From the Dead is a well-written story of powerful families and the machinations of holding on to that power throughout each new generation. I enjoyed the mystery behind the FMCs family, and the doubts that her grandfather has for her father as the next in line as the family’s patriarch. It sets up a great storyline of family drama and intrigue, and brings some interesting questionable characters into the mix.

I was most invested in the relationship between the FMC and her grandfather. They had a heartwarming relationship, since she was mostly neglected by her parents, in a be seen and not heard household. While the family presents a polished front to the outside world, there are secrets and betrayals that makes the FMC a pawn among her family, without knowing fully what secrets are being kept from her.

While I did enjoy the book’s premise and following the life of the FMC, I did have some problems with the story. The FMC is twelve years old throughout 65% of the book, and I found that made it hard for me to stay connected to her as a character. From the situations she found herself in, I felt like her age progression should have taken place faster. Also, the book is set in the early 1990s, but because of the behavior, mannerisms, and speech of the family, it felt like the story was in the late 1800s, early 1900s. I just found myself having a hard time reconciling the setting, throughout the book.

I did enjoy the pacing of the latter part of the book, once the FMCs time at boarding school ended. This was a much longer read for me, at 11 days, and I think some shortening and editing of the first 65% would have made a big difference in the pacing and holding my interest in the story.

The book does end on a cliffhanger, and I am definitely interested to see where the story goes in the next book, now that the FMC has reached adulthood. If you love stories with family secrets, historical references, wealth and power, and a sense of mystery, then I would recommend reading Letters From the Dead.