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So I was craving to read a mystery, cozy, cottage core type of book and I was trying to search some of these categories to find the perfect book. I posted on TikTok so people might give me some suggestions. A booktok friend suggested reading House of Salt and Sorrows. She said it is not cottage core but it is mysterious and interesting. I said why not let's do it. I started reading and finished it in 2 days and here is what I think about it.
I started reading it without even reading anything on Goodreads. I usually read reviews when I start a book just so I could indulge my brain to be a little curious. When I was halfway through the book then I read it and I was like whoa this sounds somewhat familiar. Then I went to GoodReads and found out it's a creepy retelling of 12 Dancing Princesses and I was so giddy and happy that I found this book. Well, I haven't read what the original 12 Dancing Princesses is but I remember Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses. I was obsessed with Barbie when I was little. Anyway I was so happy I was reading this beautiful retelling
GENRE
Dark, Mystery, Horror Fantasy
THEME AND TONE
Dark Gothic
LANGUAGE AND WRITING STYLE
Beautiful
CHARACTERS
Multilayered Characters
☙ Family Curses
☙ Deal with the Devil
☙ Haunted Estate
☙ Wicked Stepmother
☙ Family Secrets
☙ Ghosts and Haunting
MY REVIEW
So the story starts with 12 sisters who are cursed and mysteriously dying one by one. 4 sisters are dead and 8 are left. The story's main character is Annaleigh and she suspects that her latest sister's death was a murder mystery so she starts looking into it. Meanwhile, things are changing in the house. Their father has married someone and their stepmother is pregnant and now they are coming out of mourning and deciding not to mourn for the full year as they did with the death of other sisters.
The scenes with the youngest sister were creepiest where she makes drawings and says she sees ghosts of their dead sisters. Annaleigh doesn't believe her first but as the story progress, she becomes more and more worried about her. Another creepy fact about all of these sisters is that they discover a door that leads to anywhere they want to go and they use that door to go to balls in palaces all over their kingdom.
So as the story progresses, things get more and more blurry because I as a reader and the main character need to differentiate between what is real and what is not. There are so many factors involved and so many characters come out in the open that are doing shady shit and making the story whole more creepy and hanging. I loved every bit of it. Although at times it got a little scary and I was reading it at night so go figure.....😅
On the whole, I loved the book. It's a 5 start from me. I am going to read the next books too and I heard they are more creepy. This is the first time I read a somewhat horror fantasy and this is an achievement unlocked for me. Regardless I definitely recommend it.
Overall: ★★★★★ | 5 Stars
Ending: ★★★★★| 5 Stars
☙ As a reader the best part for me to identify what was real and what was imagination
☙ The part where the whole plot makes sense
THE WORST PART:
☙ The end of the wicked mother.
Best Words
“Oh my darling Annaleigh, remember when you let the turtles go? Some things can't be kept." He cupped my cheek, and my tears trickled down his fingers. "Be brave. Be strong. You'll always have my whole heart.”
“Come not as you are but as you wish to be seen.”
“All my life has been moonlight and the stars. I can smell the sunlight racing through your veins from across a room. Sunlight and heat and salt. Always the salt,”
Happy Reading!!
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