Hello, my beautiful bookish friends! It has been a CRAZY few weeks! So much has happened and I have been super busy, but I had to hop on my computer right now and type this up, because I found a book that you all NEED to read! Honestly, I read it for the first time a while ago and it floored me then, but I recently re-read it and I decided that it is the perfect book to kick off fall and the SPOOOOKY SEASON!! I'm so excited to tell you all about it, so let's jump right in!
House of Salt and Sorrows
By Erin A. Craig
Alright, today we are talking about House of Salt and Sorrows, by Erin A. Craig. First, look at that cover. Is it not the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?? I was immediately drawn to this cover and without reading the reviews or anything, I knew I had to have it. Even if I just stared at the gorgeous cover art all day. I got lucky though, and behind this incredible cover was an equally impressive story! Though I was hooked by the cover alone, the description on Amazon really pulled me in. When I saw the words "Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling" I knew that I had to read this book immediately. I love Twelve Dancing Princesses! When I was a kid my mom gave me a big book with a ton of different fairy tales and Twelve Dancing Princesses was always my favorite. I have honestly always been a little bitter that Disney never made it into a movie for me, but it's fine....(no, it's not. I'm still waiting!!) With fantastic cover art, a super intriguing title, and the descriptor "Twelve Dancing Princesses Retelling", I knew this book would be a win. What I was not prepared for was how quickly I would lose myself in the incredible world built by Craig.
The story begins at a funeral. Annaleigh Thaumas mourns the loss of yet another of her sisters. Originally a sisterhood of twelve, they lost their mother and four sisters in quick succession. Rumors abound throughout the town that the family is the victim of a curse that is bent on taking every one of the Thaumas sisters. When these rumors tarnish their reputation so much that young men decline to court them, the sisters seek an escape. They find a door; a magical door that takes them to incredible parties held in lavish ballrooms far from their superstitious home. It seems too good to believe, maybe even a dream come true! But is it? As Annaleigh searches for answers she will be forced to confront everything she knows to be true. Can even reality be trusted? Even what you see with your own eyes? Or is their entire world a "dream" (or nightmare) come true?
This book is not only incredibly well-written, it is immersive and so original. This book did not remind me of anything that I have read before. It is a world in itself, and it took me a few minutes (okay, hours) after finishing to stop jumping at every tiny noise. What I expected to be an adorable princess story was one of the most intense and eerie things that I have ever experienced. I'm not a fan of some horror because they can rely on a gross factor to make you feel afraid. This book achieved much more than that without a single chainsaw or creepy clown guy. Part way through the book I started to question if even I knew what was real. It was eerie and intense while still telling an incredible story with fully thought-out characters and plots. I loved every minute of it and plan to read it again and again and again.
That is my review of House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig! I seriously cannot recommend this book enough! It's perfect to get you in that fall/Halloween mood and make your heart beat just a little too fast. Make sure you also check out Erin A. Craig's Facebook page and watch out for any new releases! Comment and let me know what you thought of the review and if you decide to read the book! Also comment any books you would like to see me review or check out! Thank you for reading, stay safe, and I hope to hear from you real soon!
Erin A. Craig Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Penchant4Words
