so ... this is perhaps more of a 3.5. and no one is more devastated than I am about this not being a 5.

I never felt like this story got deep enough for me, and I felt like the story of Bluebeard was at the end of the day.... not a strong influence. I feel like bluebeard could have been ANYONE and this story would not have changed much.

That being said, I dont think it's a bad story, it just missed the mark as a solid fairytale retelling for me. If you've been a fan of Marissa's fantasy work thusfar i think this is a solid addition to her collection, the atmosphere is solid, and it has some great one-liners.

What didn't work for me though was the very fact that Bluebeard is a messed up folk tale. This needed to be a YA-Horror to really make the story feel authentic to Bluebeard and this is far more Fantasy with a hint of Romance which was, for me, throwing off the vibes.

I enjoy Marissa Meyer books. This book had an interesting concept and it kept you on your toes regarding who to trust.

Thanks to the author, MacMillan, and NetGalley, for the ARC. Three representative quotes:

"An unwanted betrothal. An eerie château on a windswept coast. A husband with a cruel smile, mysteriously widowed three times over. A stolen key. A cellar with a bloody secret. A magic spell. A daring escape."

“Sorry it took me so long [...] I stopped to grab a few more spoons.” She jangled the bag on her hip, suggesting it was full of much more than spoons. “Figured we could sell the stuff along the way.”

“Of course. So, literally, from the first moment of our acquaintance, then. I’ve been trying to court you, like an absolute fool, while you feared for your life.”

This Bluebeard retelling, gothic, witchy, murder mystery, slightly comical, slightly romantic book! Mallory and Anais are a hoot as cons-but-not-really who end up getting sucked into an attempt to exorcise Bastian Saphir, all around creepy bad dude ghost, and shenanigans ensue. The vibes were fun and atmospheric, the book was well paced, and regardless of whether more may come, this is a very solid standalone. And Armand, precious greenhouse tending/forest foraging lad who at one point shows adaptive and responsive thinking for day date planning: picnic, no; boat, no; cemetery, absolutely ... Bless.

Do you ever have s as book that you never want to end? A book that grips you from the very first page and makes you feel like you are there watching every scene? I remember getting so lost in a book when I was younger , not knowing what was going on around me, but it has been awhile since I have had this feeling. Marissa Meyer’s novel is exciting, scary and full of adventure! Find a comfortable spot and be prepared to be entertained!

This was a great retelling, and even though it was kind of dark, I would still describe it as fun.

There were romantasy, magic, mystery and thriller aspects and the world building was explained easily and without feeling boggy. The characters were enjoyable. Most of the ghosts were nice. The ending was happy. 👍

I thoroughly enjoy books by Marissa Meyer. I started with the Cinder series and appreciated her retelling of fairy tales with a Sci-fi twist.
The House of Saphir is completely different, being more a horror/ghost story. I guess you'd call it a dark fairy tale, complete with mythical monsters. This book really showcased Ms. Meyer's ability to tell a story. It was engaging and thrilling. The protagonists weren't typical heroes or heroines, instead having dark traits. In spite of this, I was cheering them on throughout the novel. The storyline had numerous twists, keeping me from predicting the outcome. I had trouble putting this book down. Overall, this was a spectacular read which I'd highly recommend. The House of Saphir strengthened my desire to devour the next work by Marissa Meyer.

I was so excited to get my hands on this one as I adored The Lunar Chronicles. I found it more difficult to dive into this world, though. The pacing felt a bit slow as I didn’t feel connected to it or at the edge of my seat until about 80% in. With that being said, I think the premise of the curse and overall magical elements were really interesting. Of course there was a little bit of romance sprinkled in, but overall it was much more focused on the uncovering of bigger secrets and learning to trust. This was a unique take on a rather dark tale.

It feels weird to say that this Bluebeard retelling was "fun," but that's the description I keep returning to. The first chapters pulled me in and I loved the reading experience. Two sisters pretending to be witches are hired by Armand, the descendent of Count Bastien Saphir, to get rid of the homicidal ghost from his mansion. Mallory is an expert of the Saphir family and runs less than legal tours of the Saphir home in the city. The fascination around the story of the man who killed 3 of his wives before the last one escaped feels like a mixture of our culture's fascination with Henry VIII and Jack the Ripper. Mallory also has insider information since she can see the ghosts of Bastien's murdered wives. Mallory is a con artist and a survivalist. Her main goal is money and she doesn't care how she gets it. But Armand is charming and she may be starting to fall for him. Which turns into a problem when a maid in the mansion dies and Armand becomes a suspect.

If you enjoy fairytale retellings and gothic vibes, you need to checkout "The House Saphir."

4.5/5 Thank you Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I love Marissa Meyer’s books, especially Heartless. The Cinder series was great but I felt it lost some of its appeal through the later books. But I am becoming a believer that she writes amazing standalones. I enjoyed this so much. Similar to the authors other books, this is a retelling. This one is a retelling of Bluebeard. I am not familiar with the original story but that did not affect my enjoyment of this at all.

The story follows from Mallory’s point of view. Mallory and her sister are supposedly ‘witches’ (this is what they tell people) but they spend their time conning people. Mallory cons people with tours of one of the Saphir houses and sells knockoffs of trinkets. But everything changes when the Saphir heir shows up and actually needs a real witch’s help and Mallory is ready to con the heir. Mallory and her sister and invited to the main Saphir House where Count Bastien Saphir murdered his wives. His spirit has come back and the heir (Armand) needs Mallory to try to expel the Count from the House.

The story has murder, suspense, magical monsters and witchcraft. I enjoyed the thriller aspect of the story and felt that the author did a great job with the story from beginning to end. The end did not feel over the top, rather I am satisfied with how everything wrapped up. My only complaint was that I was not a huge fan of Mallory, I get she is a con artist but I got annoyed at times with all her faking of spells and theatrics. It felt over the top at times. Towards the middle/end of the book, I enjoyed Mallory’s character more and especially with Armand.
If you are a fan of Heartless I definitely recommend giving this book a try, because it feels more similar to Heartless rather than the Cinder series. But if you haven’t read any of her books, I still recommend reading this! I had a lot of fun reading this and I am sad it is over. It is a book I can see rereading as well!

I absolutely adore Marissa Meyer's retellings so I was super hyped to read The House Saphir! Admittedly, I'm not familiar with the Bluebeard fairytale, so my perspective is coming from reading this as a completely independent work.

I immediately enjoyed the gothic feel of the setting of this story and was drawn in from the very start. I loved the FMC immediately as well and loved her as a narrator. She's smart, a bit snarky, and not afraid to break the law to protect herself and her sister. She felt like such a strong and well developed character who was super easy to root for.

The plot of the story was fascinating, as it encompasses everything I love in a haunted house mystery. From cursed families to ghosts, this book had everything. It also wasn't just a traditional mystery, the magical aspects of the world gave the mystery so much more depth and fascination.

The MMC was a great love interest and the romance was both intriguing in terms of the chemistry between the main characters as well as the doubt if everyone is who they think they are.

All in all, this was a great murder mystery that is enjoyable without knowing the original story! The atmosphere and vibes of this story were impeccable and I can't wait for the next Marissa Meyer retelling!

This was a fun book from the GOAT of fairytale retelling, Marissa Meyer. I read the fairytale of Bluebeard in college and was astounded that this was considered a children’s story. This book was a great reimagining of such a creepy and disturbing tale. This had a fun mystery element that kept the reader guessing. It was a little predictable, but that’s because I come up with a thousand theories when trying to solve a mystery. The writing is great, and the dialogue flows well. Marissa Meyer knows how to write characters that you want to root for, even if they have flaws. I can’t give it 5 stars because there were some dull parts in the middle, and I didn’t fully connect with the characters, but it was still an excellent book. I highly recommend this book.


Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early. I am writing this review based on my own opinion.

All of my students are huge fans of Marissa Meyer, and The House of Saphir is another hit. A gothic blend of mystery, romance, and magic, this Bluebeard retelling is rich with atmosphere and suspense. Mallory is a clever, flawed heroine, and the twists kept me guessing. A darkly enchanting YA read!

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer

The House Saphir was an absolute triumph—a darkly enchanting fairytale reimagining that wove together gothic mystery, ghostly intrigue, and slow-burn romance in the most delicious way. The author took the chilling legend of Bluebeard and gave it new life through Mallory Fontaine, a self-professed fraud of a witch with just one real gift: she can see ghosts.
Mallory was a brilliant, snarky, and surprisingly vulnerable narrator, and watching her navigate the eerie halls of the cursed Saphir estate—while pretending to banish ghosts and possibly falling for a man who might be a killer—was pure reading joy. Armand, with his tragic family legacy and questionable secrets, made for a compelling love interest, and their chemistry crackled from the first page.
The murder mystery element was tight and twisty, keeping me guessing until the end, and the atmosphere? Impeccable. Gothic opulence, creeping dread, haunted wives, and hidden magic gave this story a cinematic richness I couldn’t get enough of.
This was this author at her best—clever, emotional, immersive, and wildly entertaining. I didn’t want to leave the House Saphir, and honestly, I kind of want to read it all over again.

Oooo the witchy, gothic, fantasy vibes!!! I was pleasantly surprised by how fast paced this was. Mallory is such a badass and I loved how well her personality is written. I felt like she was my best friend or sister.

The House Saphir is a retelling of Bluebeard. I wasn’t familiar with Bluebeard’s story prior to reading this book.

Mallory Fontaine can see ghosts and has an affinity for all things related to Count Bastien Saphir. Count Saphir murdered all his wives generations ago. Mallory uses her knowledge to run an off the books haunted house of his estate. She stumbles upon Count Bastien’s heir and his estate in modern day is eerily suspicious. Question is can he be trusted? Is evil hereditary?

There were a few aspects of the story, I did not see coming. Throughout the book, we received more background on Mallory’s past and it helped tie the story together.

I enjoyed this book and have always enjoyed Melissa Meyer’s books. This was a fun time! 4/5 for me as a I did feel the book started off a bit slow. The last 50% was well paced.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan for the eARC.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian Publishing for an Arc in exchange for an honest review

This book was fun to read, and kept me on toes the whole time. I was not super familiar with the tale of Bluebeard before this retelling, which made the twists and turns of the book really get me.

Mallory (FMC) is the epitome of Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss and I respect the heck out of her for it.

This wasn’t for me but I think it was more of a me problem than any problems with the book. It was well written with plenty of drama. I just couldn’t get into it. It felt too predictable.

The House Saphir was such a fun and clever addition to Marissa Meyer’s magical universe. She’s always so good at blending whimsy with darker undertones, and this one really delivered on that front. It felt like a fresh spin on fairytale vibes, but with emotional depth and plenty of surprises.

What I loved:
• The sibling dynamics were a highlight—genuine, complicated, and full of heart.
• Meyer’s world-building is as charming as ever. The House itself felt like a character, and I loved the magical quirks woven throughout.
• The pacing was solid, with enough mystery and tension to keep me turning pages.
• The emotional beats hit well—especially toward the end. I definitely got misty-eyed a couple of times.

What didn’t quite land for me:
• A few side characters felt underdeveloped—I wanted more time with them, especially with how intriguing they were.
• Some plot twists were a little predictable, though still satisfying.
• The romance subplot felt a bit rushed or secondary compared to the rest of the story.

Overall, The House Saphir had that classic Marissa Meyer charm: magical, heartfelt, and just a bit sharp around the edges. It’s a solid, enjoyable read that fans of her work will definitely appreciate.

💀 Ghosts, Grifts, and a Gothic Mansion Full of Secrets

This wasn’t a murder mystery in the traditional sense — no fresh bodies, no “whodunit” — but The House Saphir still gave me exactly what I was hoping for: moody gothic vibes, rich atmosphere, morally gray characters, and a spooky manor with way too many secrets and way too many ghosts.

Mallory Fontaine is a witchy con artist who can actually see ghosts, even though she and her sister mostly scam tourists by selling bogus spells and haunted house tours. She’s smart, chaotic, and delightfully bitter — basically the kind of heroine I’d follow anywhere. So when she gets hired to cleanse a haunted country estate tied to the legendary wife-killing Count Bastien Saphir? Yeah, I was immediately in.

The ghostly wives? Iconic. Especially Triphine, who absolutely stole the show as a needy, dramatic, hypochondriac ghost with A LOT of opinions. The haunting stuff is atmospheric but not scary — think more Addams Family than The Haunting of Hill House — which makes it perfect for cozy fantasy readers who want mood without gore.

Now, the romance is there, but it’s not the heart of the story. Armand is soft, sweet, and totally unbothered by Mallory’s sharp edges. Their chemistry works in a slow-burn, lightly flirty, not-too-spicy way. This isn’t a “romantasy” in the genre sense — it’s more like fantasy with a side of feelings.

There’s a ton of lore hinted at — gods, fallen veils, magic markings — but don’t expect deep worldbuilding. The strength of the story is the house, the ghosts, and Mallory herself. The broader fantasy elements feel like window dressing, not the main act. Honestly? I didn’t mind. I was here for the ghostly drama, the family curses, and the snappy dialogue, and I got all of that in spades.

If you’re into:
• 💎 Gothic retellings with a twist
• 👻 Ghosts that talk back
• 🖤 Morally messy heroines with sharp tongues
• 🪴 Plant-loving soft boys
• 🏚️ Creepy castles with drama in every hallway

…then this book will be your cozy, witchy, fall-ready jam.

I’d 100% read a spin-off about the monster-hunting side characters.

I loved it.

This was a pretty solid introduction to Marissa Meyer for me and a fun one, too. I really loved the concept, and even though it’s a retelling, you don’t need to know the original story at all to enjoy it — and I can confidently say that considering I hadn’t even heard of the story it was based on prior to starting this.

The pacing was great. Things kicked off immediately in the first chapter and never dragged. Even though it’s over 400 pages, it flew by. One of the standout elements for me was how the monsters and magical creatures were based on French folklore. I haven’t seen that done before, and it made the world feel fresh and unique.

I do wish the world-building that wasn’t related to the house had more depth. The setup is interesting: the veil between realms has fallen, magic has spread, and some people now have marks to show their connection to it, but there wasn’t much explanation behind any of it. The fall of the veil is treated like this major event, but we’re never told how or why it happened. There’s also stuff about the Seven gods, but I couldn’t tell you a single thing about them aside from they are worshipped and there are seven of them. I honestly think the story worked best when it focused on the mystery inside the house since that part was explained and explored well. But once things shifted into the broader world, it started to feel a little underdeveloped and raised more questions than it answered.

The villain’s motivation also didn’t quite land for me. There was so much build-up around this character’s return that I expected something bigger or more intense. Instead, the goal felt surprisingly small in scale, especially coming from someone with such a legendary reputation. It didn’t ruin anything, but it left me wanting more from that reveal.

And just a quick heads-up: while this is being marketed as romantasy, I wouldn’t personally call it that. There is both romance and fantasy, but the romance is very much a subplot. As long as you go in with that expectation, I think it works well. In fact, I actually liked the balance here and that the romance added to the story without overshadowing the main plot.

And as for that romance, it was fine for the most part, albeit a little dull, but toward the end, there’s a certain unresolved aspect to the romance that left a weird taste for me. All I can say without spoiling is that some important truths between the main characters never fully come to light, which made their relationship feel a bit less convincing.

Overall, this was a fast-paced and intriguing read with a cool magic system and a spooky, immersive setting. A few more layers to the world and stronger stakes would’ve taken it to the next level, but I’m definitely interested in checking out Marissa Meyer’s other books after this because I’ve been meaning to forever.


Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

~🅞🅥🅔🅡🅐🅛🅛 🅡🅐🅣🅘🅝🅖: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ . 5~