This audiobook was a bit slow for me; it felt like the characters were bogged down by the setting and you didn't get to see much of them in the beginning. I was very interested in the house and the spirit collection; those are really novel ideas that I thought worked well for this book I just wish it had bit a more quick and that the main character was able to shine more.

If you like logical/rational reasons behind things than this is not for you. If you are go with the flow and don't need much world building than this could be for you. The idea was there but the execution was not unfortunately.

The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall was an interesting mix of horror, humor and romance. I found it to be unique, in that the humor came often from the main character being out of touch with the times and using antiquated turn of phrases. It was an endearing character trait. It also served to make the horror portion less...well...horrific. The romance in the story helped with this as well.
The plot was interesting. Characters were delightful.
The narration for this book was different than I am used to. It felt like the narrator did less for the voices of different characters. The effect was mire like being read a story. While it took sone getting used to, the experience was not unpleasant. I rather enjoyed it.
I found myself really enjoying this the further I got into the book. Definitely worth reading.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the ARC!

Despite the slow start (100 pages worth) I really enjoyed The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall. We have a gothic mansion that houses trapped ghosts and the Thorne family that manages them. Elegy doesn't have the power over them that her ailing father does, but once he dies the collection will pass to her and much of the book is Elegy fearing how she will be able to control the malicious spirits so they can live peacefully (TW here for talk of rape). There is also Atticus, Elegy's love interest and an altogether swoony and perfect specimen of a man. I loved their relationship so so much and that really carried the book for me and because of that I wanted more page time for them.

Thank you to Netgalley for granting me access to the audiobook. Narrated by the author herself, the audio was really enjoyable. I don't know the authors background in audio narration, but her differentiating between characters was decent - much better than when an actor reads an audiobook for example.

The top genre tag on Goodreads is horror and that really does not track. This is an atmospheric book for sure and a good spooky season read, but not in the least a horror book in my opinion.

Elegy has a unique life. Living in a hundreds year old mansion that eschews any modern updates or necessities, wearing clothes from long dead ancestors, and oh, managing the 15 spirits that are trapped within the walls of the house. See, years and years ago, Elegy's great-great-great... grandfather had a medium help resurrect spirits, why, it never really gets a good explanation. There's a reason why the medium does it, but why they allowed all 15 to stick around made no sense. Some of the ghosts are nice, but some are pure evil. She is also the only heir, and her father is dying, so she needs to figure out a way to keep them in line.
In comes Atticus, the handyman's son, and apparently an Adonis. This is the first boy that Elegy has really seen, and she falls for him hard and fast. He thinks she is quirky and odd, but also beautiful and he wants to help her. There's a strange plot line where Elegy is supposed to marry her gay (bi?) best friend which is honestly only there to drive the plot that she has no available men around her to marry.
A lot of strange occurrences happen, a lot of miscommunication happens, Elegy realizes she wants to be a strong independent woman (who needs one man) and is able to sort of save herself (but isn't the one who does the saving) in the end. The narrator was a delight to listen to and thoroughly enjoyed her voice.

I don't know how I feel about this story. I feel bad for the Thorne's and the curse they inherited, but their ancestor brought it upon them and it doesn't feel like they tried to do anything to get rid of the curse.
Elegy is living a half-life and I wanted her to stand up to her dad and the spirits the entire book, I am glad that she finally did.

This was a fun and spooky read and would be a great addition to the books you read during spooky season.

J. Ann Thomas did a great job narrating this book and setting that creepy vibe as they narrated.

dnf at 60%

Before you can make me care about this book, you should be able to explain to me how a rich young woman living in this day and age would be so cut off from any knowledge of contemporary society - even if she has to live inside what amounts to an oversized time capsule - that she doesn't even follow modern patterns of speech. She has two very high-society, bratty and frivolous friends growing up with her. So make it make sense! I am begging you!

But even if you could, I still wouldn't finish reading The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall. You can't just throw together a cast of ghosts (some of which I was struggling to keep apart because of how interchangeable they felt), a decrepit manor house, and a young girl with a bothersome inheritance, then call that a gothic. Where is the pacing? Where is the mystery? Where is the love interest that doesn't sound like the guy on the cover of a contemporary sports romance ???

You know what. The more I talk about it, the more annoyed I get, so I'll just stop. Two stars.

✨ The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall ✨ is a cozy blend of mystery, magic, and just the right amount of spooky. The story follows a family heirloom (aka a bunch of trapped spirits) that have been tied to the Thorne Hall estate for generations. 👻🏰

Honestly, I went in expecting the usual see-through ghosts creeping around dark corners... but these spirits were way more corporeal — like undead, rotting, super-creepy vibes. 🧟‍♂️ The descriptions of their decaying bodies totally amped up the gothic atmosphere, and I loved it.

The audiobook is on the slow side 🎧, but the narrator really nails Elegy's vibe — super calm, a bit reserved, and always composed. Thomas also does a great job weaving in suspense, humor, and just enough heart to keep you hooked.

It’s definitely a slower read, but if you love ghost stories with a twist (and don’t mind a little creepiness), it’s totally worth picking up! 📚💀

This should have been right up my street. Unfortunately, it did nothing I found novel with the spiritualist movement and the Gothic setting drained away in the wake of characters who I just couldn’t engage with. This one just didn’t work for me, attempt at a Jane Eyre reimagining or no.

Two months ago, J. Ann Thomas released her adult debut, The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall. This modern gothic follows Elegy Thorne, a young woman whose family has managed a haunted estate for over a century. Fifteen spirits are trapped in Thorne Hall, and once Elegy’s father passes, it will be up to her to care for the ghosts and prevent mayhem. But she longs to be free of this place and these spirits, and when she meets Atticus, son of their preservationist, she starts to plan her escape and a life with him instead.

Why I Chose This Book:
This book wasn’t on my radar, but when I saw its cover and comparisons to Jane Eyre and Starling House (two novels I love), I was instantly excited to read it. I love anything gothic and involving ghosts and hauntings. Also the author lives really close to me, and I love supporting local authors.

What I Liked:
- Ghosts and a house stuck in time. Fifteen spirits have been residing in Thorne Hall since the Gilded Age, and the mansion, too, has remained a relic of the past. Nothing about it has been modernized in the last century, and even the clothes Elegy wears must be the wardrobe of her ancestors of the time. I loved the whole atmosphere of this novel.
- Music as a way to soothe and control. While Elegy’s father has his own methods of managing the spirits, her best resource is music. Like everything else, she sings only the oldest songs, especially the Child Ballads. I really enjoyed the lyrics of some ballads included at the end of chapters!
- Plotting her escape. Elegy isn’t content to stay in Thorne Hall, surrounding by spirits, for the rest of her life. But the ghosts can’t be banished and they can’t be left alone. What choices does she truly have? Through getting to know Atticus, though, Elegy starts to believe there is a way forward… and that she absolutely must find it before it’s too late.

Audiobook:
The author narrates her own novel, which is a rare treat! We get to hear it how she intended, and she does a wonderful job of infusing the gothic character of the story. Like Elegy’s century-old style of dressing and speaking, J. Ann Thomas speaks in a formal and regal manner that befits our protagonist. Her intonation is almost haunting, mirroring the spirits bound to Thorne Hall. This was an excellent listen, and I’m so happy I read the book in this format.

Final Thoughts
If you want a modern gothic that’s a little spooky, a little romantic, and a lot of ghostly atmosphere, The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall is a must-read. The story sucks you in, and if you opt for the audiobook, the story feels especially entrancing. I truly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from J. Ann Thomas.

This was the first book that I've read by J. Ann Thomas, and I was quite happy happy. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the chance to review this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Elegy Thorne is forced by her family's curse to maintain her family's mansion in this gothic tale. There are many ghosts living in Thorne Hall, and Elegy sings and uses runes to keep them in check. The ghosts are described in great detail, and there was definitely a bit of gore. I really loved Atticus' character and that he supported her, not trying to pull her out of the past that she was stuck in, but giving her courage to make her own choices.

The ghosts were creepy and nefarious - I loved learning more about how they came to be trapped in Thorne Hall.

J. Ann Thomas' narration of her book was wonderful - the voices were clear and the pacing was well-done.

I received an Audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrator(s): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes, etc: Haunted House, Forbidden Love, Paranormal
POV: Single, 3rd Person

Brief Summary: Elegy Thorne is expected to maintain Thorne Hall and keep the 15 spirits that live there in check, even if it means sacrificing her own happiness. But when a contractor hired to fix the house brings along his charismatic son, Elegy begins to wonder if there might be a better life for her outside of Thorne Hall’s walls.

Vibe Check: Atmospheric, Gothic, Mournful.

FMC Is: Old-fashioned, resigned to her fate.
MMC Is: Kind, willing to fight for her.
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪

While Reading I: Cried, gasped, raged.

What Kept Me Hooked: The many ghosts and Elegy’s connection with them, the author’s narration.

Room For Improvement: There were a lot of ghosts, so it was hard to keep them straight sometimes.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this. It reminded me of The Haunting of Hill House (the show, not the book), which I loved. This was also the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to that’s narrated by the author, and it really made a difference as she knew exactly what tone and inflection she intended. Overall, a great gothic read.

A really intriguing premise and an innovative idea! The writing was also excellent. I did not finish in time but I thoroughly enjoyed what I did read! Really looking forward to finishing this.

Knowing it this book was slower paced going in I think saved it for me. I actually liked the slow pacing with all of the characters. This was a great story, and I can't wait to try out more books by Thomas.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to review this book.

Interesting premise, terrible pacing.

Elegy's family has been responsible for the ghosts living in their home for over a hundred years. Her father keeps her on a tight leash and has overwhelming expectations of her. She has barely any will of her own. The story is about how she gets control back over her life, with the support of the man she falls in love with. Oh, and also getting rid of the ghosts.

The horror scenes are marvelously descriptive, but a bit out of place in what is pretty much a romance novel. Sadly, even the love interest and most of the side characters remained rather flat, with their personalities mostly consisting of 1-2 traits.

The love scenes were empowering and we need these kinds of depictions of relationships where the woman has agency and the man supports that. But I don't really know what made Atticus fall in love instead of just being curious.

The book was read by the author, who has a nice voice and enunciation. While I understand, why the many ballads in the book were not actually sung, I still missed that. The slow reading of them, even several times in some cases, was frankly tiresome.

Around the midpart the story really slowed down, then there was unnecessary drama, hope, more drama, even more drama and some unearned reveals with tragic endings. The interpersonal relationships needed more elaborating before that had any real weight.

And finally, this was the most unnecessarily long epilogue I had the misfortune to encounter. 30 minutes! It's like an entire second chapter in a smalltown cozy fantasy. Too many details about gardening, how they managed their living situation years ago, how the wedding went, etc. I understand Elegy needs closure, but this is really going overboard.

I'm sad I ended up listing so many cons when the elements of the story in themselves are pretty good and some of the ghosts are quite cute and funny and event their backstories are interesting. But I feel like nobody told the author to focus and so she spread her writing thin over all the bits and pieces she wanted to tell instead of letting some of them just stay notes.

Wow, I really thought I wasn’t going to enjoy this book, but it was so enthralling. The ghosts were portrayed as ghosts but living people, and the story of them being summoned and banished was fascinating. I really became teary by the end and was sad to see everybody go. I loved the two main characters bond, but hugo really annoyed me.

First I want to say that who liked the haunting of hill house will love this book, the spirit is much on point with hill house. I got to listen to the audiobook read by the author, and I feel she wasnt the right person to read the book, perhaps I am too spoiled by voice actors and actresses and I am hoping I will get the same kind of reading every time. Another thing I didn’t like that much, was how slow the book was, it was like having a picture painted in front of us and we were seeing each paintbrush of paint drawing in a canvas. Maybe that is what will make you love this book, but for me it was a bit too much.

I will definitely get a written version of the book to read, I think it will make my experience better, but if you like slow telling story that paints a picture on your mind, just grab a copy for yourself because you’ll like it.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media, for the free AAC and this is my honest opinion.

The premise reminds me of the Tv show Ghost with Rose McIver, except the ghosts are darker & more malicious.

What I loved 💕:
💕 it’s an ode to Gothic literature
💕 Our FMC displays emotional strength rather than physical
💕Excellent Ghost Story
💕Discussions around generational trauma

What was not my cuppa tea ☕️:
☕️some scenes were really uncomfortable to read
☕️ limited characterization at times

Ideal Reader ⭐️:
⭐️ Fans of horror movie 13 Ghosts
⭐️ Fans of Gothic Ghost Stories


Trigger/ Content warnings:
‼️Descriptive Gore including child victims
‼️Sexual Assault/Harassment

I love the cover of this book, and I was hoping for a haunting gothic vibe. Perhaps some degree of charm is acceptable, but this felt entirely too whimsical and out of touch for my liking. I am grateful for the opportunity to listen, but I was not able to finish this audiobook.

I am immensely grateful to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for my copy.

I absolutely loved this cozy, ghostly gothic story! The concept of being a keeper of the spirits who inhabit the home because of a family curse was delightful. The characters were diverse and so fun! I adored the romance and how I felt transported to the time period. I will definitely be looking forward to more by this author.
The narration was exquisite and very easy to follow. Almost melodic in a sense that enabled me to get lost in the story.