Category: gothic

House of Roots and Ruin by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of the Salt, #2)

Author: Erin A. Craig

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 544

Publication Date: 7/25/23

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Mystery, Romance, Fantasy, Gothic, Horror, Young Adult

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In a manor by the sea, one sister is still cursed.

Despite dreams of adventures far beyond the Salann shores, seventeen-year-old Verity Thaumas has remained at her family’s estate, Highmoor, with her older sister Camille, while their sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

When their sister Mercy sends word that the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a celebrated botanist—is interested in having Verity paint a portrait of her son, Alexander, Verity jumps at the chance, but Camille won’t allow it. Forced to reveal the secret she’s kept for years, Camille tells Verity the truth one day: Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t know it.

Stunned, Verity flees Highmoor that night and—with nowhere else to turn—makes her way to Bloem. At first, she is captivated by the lush, luxurious landscape and is quickly drawn to charming, witty, and impossibly handsome Alexander Laurent. And soon, to her surprise, a romance . . . blossoms.

But it’s not long before Verity is plagued with nightmares, and the darker side of Bloem begins to show through its sickly-sweet façade. . . .

Content Warning: violence, death, gruesome experiments

We are back with Thaumas sisters but mostly one in particular, Verity. I will note that only Verity and Camille are present in this story though the other girls are mentioned. But that’s totally okay because this is Verity’s story and what a story it is.

Verity goes to Bloem under the pretense of doing the future duke’s portrait. But she has longed to leave Highmoor for awhile now and live her own life and this is her chance. But Camille tells Verity something about her that is shocking. Bloem is way different than Salaan and Highmoor but it is as gothic a setting as Highmoor but filled with more…flowers.

Without giving any spoilers let’s just say the first part of this story builds slowly like a mystery but the new characters like Alex, Gerard and Dauphine are intriguing. Something is going on at Bloem, and I kept trying to guess what was happening and I will tell you when all was revealed I was in shock. The hits kept coming and I was wondering to what end?! And what an ending it was. I loved the mystery, the gothic vibes of Chauntilalei, the ghosts, the romance (which didn’t really start off with sparks – it’s a slow burn), the creepy experiments and the reason behind it all!

Tropes: girl can see ghosts

Why you should read it:

  • great storytelling and building up to that ending
  • gothic vibes, creepy, ghosts, romance, Gods

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into Gothic mysteries

My Thoughts:

I was so excited to get a copy of this arc and I can say I was not disappointed. I didn’t know which way the story was going and when I thought it did – it changed on me and in an unsuspecting way. I enjoyed Verity and the gothic estate of Chauntilalei where there are secret passage ways, long, dark hallways and someone or something lurking in the corners. I am eager to read book three!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | House of Salt and Sorrows ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Small Favors by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

All the Dead Lie Down by. Kyrie McCauley | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Title: All the Dead Lie Down

Author: Kyrie McCauley

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 5/16/23

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Categories: Mystery, LGBT+ Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Gothic, Horror

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Sorrows in award-winning author Kyrie McCauley’s contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we’ll cross for love.

The Sleeping House was very much awake . . .

Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace—an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family’s coastal Maine estate.

Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice’s peculiar girls. Thea buries her dolls one by one, hosting a series of funerals, while Wren does everything in her power to drive Marin away. Then Alice’s eldest daughter returns home unexpectedly. Evie Hallowell is every bit as strange as her younger sisters, and yet Marin is quickly drawn in by Evie’s compelling behavior and ethereal grace.

But as Marin settles in, she can’t escape the anxiety that follows her like a shadow. Dead birds appear in Marin’s room. The children’s pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her.

Content Warning:

I never read The Haunting of Bly Manor (but now I’m intrigued) but I did read House of Salt and Sorrows and loved it. This book was not what I expected. Here is what I thought:

+ Right away the cover gives off that this will be a creepy book and I’m here for it. Marin moves into the house of her mom’s friend, Alice, an author with three daughters. Marin’s mom died so she’s alone and so she is now the nanny to Thea and Wren. The girls, especially Wren – are creepy. The writing is atmospheric and I got the gothic vibes for sure.

+ I was definitely kept guessing throughout the book. And there were weird and gross things like finding teeth in clams, or the girls cutting their hair and saving it in a chest and of course the dead animals around the property. If I was Marin, I would have left the moment Wren tried to feed me poisonous berries as a test lol.

+~ The lgbt+ romance was a sweet one – Marin and Evie complimented one another and they bonded through their grief. Marin lost her mother and Evie, her father. But I also felt like it didn’t work for me. I was caught up in trying to figure out what was going on at the Lovelace estate instead of wanting to read a romance happening.

~ The main reason this story didn’t work for me was to slow in the first half and it just lost my attention. I also failed to connect to any of the characters.

~ I’m probably not the right audience for this book or it was due to me not being in the mood to read it that I didn’t really enjoy it.

Tropes: creepy secluded house

Why you should read it:

  • you like gothic mystery and horror
  • the theme of grief

Why you might not want to read it:

  • too slow for me

My Thoughts:

The beginning was too slow for me to get invested into the story but I did think the writing was atmospheric and brought the creepy vibes. This one didn’t work out for me but I think if you like gothic horror and mystery, you will enjoy this one a lot especially in the second half of the book.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Mexican Gothic by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Mexican Gothic

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Narrator: Frankie Corzo

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 6/30/20

Categories: Horror, Audiobook, Adult, Fiction, Gothic, Mystery, Thriller

After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.

Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemí’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.

Content Warning: violence, death, attempted sexual assault, inbreeding, disgusting body afflictions, cannibalism

I’ve been wanting to read this book for awhile now and I decided to do it as an audiobook and I’m glad! The story went fast and the narrator has a great voice and kept me engaged.

I don’t think I knew what I was getting into with this book but I was lured into the mystery of High Place. Plus, I love Noemi as a character. I love how she is carefree, out-going, charming and a ray of sunshine in High Place. The contrast between her and everyone else at High Place really put into perspective how isolated and creepy the house is.

And this book goes beyond creepy but the story builds up to it. At first I was just wondering, like Noemi, if the house was haunted – especially when the history of the house was told. There was a murder at the house and there were also many people that died in the community when they worked in the mines. I did not expect the turn the story took when everything is revealed. Ugh..and can I say that’s when it goes from creepy to disgusting! And I literally looked like this 😱😫 while listening to the second half of this book. The secrets really are horrifying.

Tropes: creepy house, family secret

Why you should read it:

  • you like gothic horror
  • Noemi’s character was a light in the darkness of this story

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into horror, some gross scenes and it’s a very dark story

My Thoughts:

I don’t know why I decided to read more horror this year but I’m mostly enjoying it! I enjoyed the audiobook for this story – the narrator had a great voice and the author did a great job with building up the story to it’s horrifying end. I really enjoyed Noemi’s character and how she was a bright light, fighting for her cousin Catalina in this creepy, dark home called High Place. I love the mixture of paranormal, gothic, horror, and history that I got a taste of in this book. For me this was a strange and intriguing tale that had a slow start but finished with a bang.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Beautiful Ones | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by. Hester Fox | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Last Heir to Blackwood Library

Author: Hester Fox

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 4/4/23

Publisher: Graydon House

Categories: Historical Fantasy, Mystery, Alchemy, Gothic

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Graydon House for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In post–World War I England, a young woman inherits a mysterious library and must untangle its powerful secrets…

With the stroke of a pen, twenty-three-year-old Ivy Radcliffe becomes Lady Hayworth, owner of a sprawling estate on the Yorkshire moors. Ivy has never heard of Blackwood Abbey, or of the ancient bloodline from which she’s descended. With nothing to keep her in London since losing her brother in the Great War, she warily makes her way to her new home.

The abbey is foreboding, the servants reserved and suspicious. But there is a treasure waiting behind locked doors: a magnificent library. Despite cryptic warnings from the staff, Ivy feels irresistibly drawn to its dusty shelves, where familiar works mingle with strange, esoteric texts. And she senses something else in the library too, a presence that seems to have a will of its own.  

Rumors swirl in the village about the abbey’s previous owners, about ghosts and curses, and an enigmatic manuscript at the center of it all. And as events grow more sinister, it will be up to Ivy to uncover the library’s mysteries in order to reclaim her own story—before it vanishes forever.

Content Warning: holding someone against their will

I am always intrigued by books by Hester Fox, so I requested this one right away. Here is what I thought:

+ The writing is lush and engaging. I could envision Ivy going to Yorkshire to live in this haunted, old abbey. There were moments the story gave me the chills and creeps. It had all the gothic vibes I was expecting from this author.

+ I like the twist in the story because it was totally unexpected. There is a sentient, evil library – which I thought was pretty cool. I was afraid for Ivy because even I didn’t know what was going on until it was explained, but I could sympathize and feel her confusion and terror when certain things start happening to her.

+~ Ivy is an unreliable narrator which is fascinating and frustrating at the same time. By the middle of the book, I was so irritated with her decision making! There is an explanation to her behavior but you have to keep reading.

~ Though this is a quick read, there is so much information withheld from Ivy it was very frustrating. I just was wishing someone would tell her something to help her out. I just kept judging her and saying she was very naive but there is more to the story that I can’t reveal.

~ There were some parts to the story that felt disjointed. The romance didn’t quite work for me, it could have, but the way the story is written – it just didn’t work for me. And after the explanation about the Abbey’s library – everything felt rushed from then on to the end. I wish there were more creepy scenes, and more incidents with the library books!

Tropes: sentient library

Why you should read it:

  • you like gothic, historical fantasy
  • the atmosphere of the Abbey, the library, the writing is engaging
  • Ivy is an unreliable narrator

Why you might not want to read it:

  • some parts of the story is rushed, romance didn’t work for me

My Thoughts:

I’m always picking up a Hester Fox book because I know the gothic vibes will be there. I love how her writing captures a setting, in this case, Yorkshire and the Abbey. I love the creepy vibes and wish it were creepier! I enjoyed the twist in the story about the library and wish there were more instances where we got to see the library in action. The romance didn’t work for me and I do think the ending was rushed but I still found it entertaining.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BLOG TOUR} A Lullaby for Witches by. Hester Fox | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | The Widow of Pale Harbor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One Dark Window by. Rachel Gillig | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: One Dark Window (#1)

Author: Rachel Gillig

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 9/27/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Gothic, Young Adult/New Adult

Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Content Warning: violence, mentions of children murdered

I have finally read this book and what a book it is! Here’s what I thought:

+ Elspeth is such an interesting character, especially with a Nightmare in her head – who’s been in her head for 11 years! I loved the both of them together because Elspeth is just trying to live her life hiding all these secrets and here is this voice in her head, annoying her at all times. The Nightmare brought the humor!

+ I love all the gothic, dark, horror vibes of this story. I love the uniqueness of the Providence card, the magic surrounding them, the lore and how they were created. I like the quest of trying to find the remaining cards, the riddles and rhymes are fun and I don’t usually like possession unless it’s done right, and I think this one is done great!

+ The romance is fun, maybe a little insta-love, but I love it anyway. Ravyn is the captain of king’s guard, and Elspeth is the daughter of the former captain. The two are mistrustful of one another until they decide to work together and from there the sparks fly between them. There is a steamy scene but it’s not descriptive at all and over and done with quickly.

~ The only issue I had was it took me a bit too long in the beginning to figure out how the cards work. But once I pushed through and the story went on, it made more sense. I think it’s a cool magic system, especially with the lore tied into it.

Why you should read it:

  • the enemies to lovers romance, fake courting
  • the magic system, the lore, the story and the monster
  • the dark, gothic vibes

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into dark reads

My Thoughts:

This one is deliciously good especially if you like the dark, gothic stories! I’m eagerly looking forward to reading book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Belladonna by. Adalyn Grace | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Belladonna (#1)

Format: ebook (own)

Author: Adalyn Grace

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/29/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, New Adult, Gothic, Mystery, Paranormal

New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal.

Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.

However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.

Content Warning: poisoning, illness, death, grief

I have finally read the book everyone is talking about and I feel like the hype is well deserved. Here’s what I thought:

+ This book has a little bit of everything! Romance, mystery and gothic vibes and all of it worked so well together. Usually mysteries can be too slow for me, but I was totally engaged in this story. There are a few twists in this story that was so good – it makes me wonder what book two will bring!

+ Signa is no wilting flower – she’s been basically been passed off from relative to relative all her life. I love that she is optimistic even with Death always near her. I like how she helps her cousin even though she barely knows her. She’s not afraid when most people would be. And I love Death too – I mean, what a gentleman and so unexpected! Who knew he could be such a romantic figure. But I love how he isn’t an evil entity because really what is life without death? They have great chemistry and their love story is sweet and romantic.

+ A mystery always needs a good cast of characters to make us keep guessing and though I had my suspicions who was the villain, I still wasn’t spot on with my assessment. I love the paranormal aspect of the story and how Signa can see spirits. It really had everything I want in a gothic mystery and I actually wish I read this near Halloween!

+ This could have been a standalone book with how questions were answered at the end but I love the twist in the end! Glad we will get a sequel.

Tropes: Death is a character, a girl who cannot die

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

  • it’s a dark fantasy with Death as a character, ghosts, mystery, gothic vibes and romance
  • the mystery about what is happening at Thorn Grove kept me on my toes
  • the romance between Death and Signa

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into Death falling in love? lol

My Thoughts:

I waited to read this one because I wanted the hype to die down and go in with lower expectations and I’m glad I waited. I fell in love with this story about Signa and Death. The dark tones, mystery, ghosts and gothic vibes were captivating and kept me engaged with the story. The romance between Signa and Death I thought was unexpectedly sweet and romantic. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Hacienda by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Hacienda

Author: Isabel Cañas

Format: ebooks (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 5/3/22

Publisher: Berkley

Categories: Gothic Horror, Historical Fiction, Forbidden Romance, Young Adult, Supernatural

In the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father is executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost.

But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined.

When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo’s sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz’s fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark its doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano?

Beatriz only knows two things for certain: Something is wrong with the hacienda. And no one there will help her.

Desperate for help, she clings to the young priest, Padre Andrés, as an ally. No ordinary priest, Andrés will have to rely on his skills as a witch to fight off the malevolent presence haunting the hacienda and protect the woman for whom he feels a powerful, forbidden attraction. But even he might not be enough to battle the darkness. 

Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.

Content Warning: abuse, gory scenes, cheating

I don’t read a lot of horror, but I really enjoy gothic horror type of stories so when I see it I try to get a copy to read it.

+ What I love about historical gothic fiction is the history facts I get in the story. This one takes place after the period of Mexico’s War of Independence which I know nothing about. I learned a lot just from this story alone about the casta system, the racial issues and socioeconomics of the hacienda owners, colonialism and religion – I mean they were threatening to bring people to the Inquisition which I knew happened a long, long time ago like in the 1300’s or something like that, but I didn’t know it was still happening in the 1800’s! A lot of eye opening information.

+ The gothic atmosphere around the hacienda was really creepy and chilling especially at night. You know something is wrong, the house is clearly haunted by some evil spirit but we don’t know why. There is a bit of a mystery about the first wife of Don Rodolfo Solórzano, and Beatriz being his second wife is the target of some entity or someone in the house.

+ There is haunts, there are scary hallucinations, there are gory bloody scenes and witchcraft. It made me even question if I should walk in the dark to the bathroom because I was reading late at night lol. That’s what I want in a horror/gothic story.

+ I liked Beatriz and found her to be really brave while dealing with a haunted house without any support and no husband by her side. Even though she was terrified night after night, she slept there – that would so NOT be me lol. I felt like she was so fed up with the spirit haunting her, I liked her fighting spirit.

~ There isn’t much scenes between Beatriz and her husband. He leaves right away to go somewhere after he drops her off at the hacienda. So her budding forbidden romance with Padre Andrés had lots of room to grow. I wasn’t into it though – and not because he was a priest – I get that it’s a forbidden love situation and what’s more forbidden than a priest and a married woman?! I understood his and his family’s reasoning to pushing him into priesthood but I did like them as friends. I didn’t quite feel the chemistry between them.

~ Like with most mysteries, it feels like a slow read, especially in the beginning when we don’t know much about the history of the house or Beatriz’ husband and his first wife. Once we get more information, it picks up. I did feel like I wish Padre Andrés had more witchcraft powers – he seemed so weak against the spirit at times. Maybe I was just expecting too much from him.

Why you should read it:

  • you like mysterious gothic, historical fiction with a bit of creep factor and lite horror
  • the time period and information we get about the state of Mexico after the War of Independence
  • thrills, chills and lush world-building

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into horror
  • not into forbidden love between a priest and married woman
  • kinda slow at first

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one because it gave me scared to read at night haha – especially once night came to the hacienda! Some parts were a bit slow but once Beatriz and Padre Andrés set to exorcizing the house of the spirit, there is a bit of action. I enjoyed all the historical aspects of the book and found it an entertaining story. I look forward to reading more from this author.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

Life has a way of taking the wind out of our dreams sometimes…”

Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

Tea for me is home, is joy, is family.”

Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

Human hands make mistakes, Ning, but they are the hands the gods gave us. We use them to make amends, to do good things.”

Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

BLOG TOUR} Mrs. England by. Stacey Halls | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Mrs. England

Author: Stacey Halls

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

BUY HERE: BookShop.org | Harlequin | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Books-A-Million | Powell’s

Publication Date: 4/12/22

Publisher: MIRA

Categories: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Gothic

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to MIRA for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Simmering with slow-burning menace,  Mrs. England  is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, an enthralling tale of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception. 

West Yorkshire, 1904. When recently graduated Ruby May takes a nanny position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear something is not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs. England.

Distant and withdrawn, Lilian shows little interest in her children or charming husband and is far from the angel of the house Ruby was expecting.

As the warm, vivacious Charles welcomes Ruby into the family, a series of strange events forces her to question everything she thought she knew. Ostracized by the servants and increasingly uneasy, Ruby must face her own demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there’s no such thing as the perfect family—she should know.

This captivating new feminist novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Stacey Halls  is her third work of fiction and proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our time. 

Content Warning: Abuse, Manipulation, Misogyny

I read this in one sitting and my favorite part of the book has to be the setting and all the details the author gave us about West Yorkshire, England. I could totally imagine the pollution in the air due to the industrial jobs around at that time. I don’t know how anyone could breathe well there! I love how remote location of Hardcastle House, it really added mystery and a creepy undertone, giving the feeling that something wasn’t right in the town…or in the family. But what it is – we don’t find out until later. Ruby’s position as nanny/nurse was very well detailed also. She was a very fleshed out character and through her eyes we see the ongoings within the England household where something is amiss but we don’t fully know the extent until the end.

I thought the story did a good job of making me suspicious of everyone around Ruby, except for the kids, who are amazing kids with different personalities. I was as attached to them as Ruby were. Ruby was indeed a good nanny to her charges. Mrs. England was so mystery, aloof and inattentive towards her children, seeming afraid of her husband and just absolutely unhappy – but is she a danger to herself like Mr. England tells Ruby?

The writing is fantastic and kept me hooked into the story.

The things that didn’t quite work for me was I felt like nothing much happened in the story until the very end. I found the writing and the household dynamic interesting enough that it held my interest but in the end, I felt like it was missing something. I wish there was more suspense. Also there were some interesting feelings Ruby was feeling for a man in the town who was already engaged to one of the maids at the house – not sure where it was going with that storyline but it went nowhere.

Why you should read it:

  • you like historical fiction with some mystery that involved a dysfunctional marriage and a nanny
  • good writing
  • great setting details

Why you might not want to read it:

  • for me it fell a little flat, needs more suspense

My Thoughts:

I read this in one sitting because I found the writing to be wonderful plus it gave me some suspenseful vibes but I feel like it fell short and had to much more potential to surprise me. I love the setting and characters but I wish more of the action happened earlier in the book instead of at the end of the story. I look forward to reading more from this author.

📚 ~ Yolanda

About the Author:



Stacey Halls grew up in Rossendale, Lancashire. She studied journalism at the University of Central Lancashire and has written for publications including the Guardian, Stylist, Psychologies, the Independent, the Sun and Fabulous. Both of her first two novels, The Familiars and The Lost Orphan, were Sunday Times bestsellers, Mrs England is her third novel.

Author Website | Twitter: @stacey_halls | Instagram:@staceyhallsauthor | Goodreads

BLOG TOUR} A Forgery of Roses by. Jessica S. Olson | ARC Review

Welcome to the blog tour for A Forgery of Roses by. Jessica S. Olson!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Forgery of Roses

Author: Jessica S. Olson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Buy HERE: Amazon | B & N | Books a Million | IndieBound | Bookshop.org | Apple Books | Google Play

Publication Date: 3/29/22

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Thriller, Gothic Fantasy, Horror, Murder Mystery

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the author of Sing Me Forgotten comes a lush new fantasy novel with an art-based magic system, romance, and murder…

Myra has a gift many would kidnap, blackmail, and worse to control: she’s a portrait artist whose paintings alter people’s bodies. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone. But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son.

Once she arrives at the legendary stone mansion, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. A killer stalks these halls–one disturbingly obsessed with portrait magic. Desperate to get out of the manor as quickly as possible, Myra turns to the governor’s older son for help completing the painting before the secret she spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

Content Warning: Gore, Violence, Kidnapping

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but I enjoyed what I read a lot.

The magic in this story is quite unique. Myra can alter or heal someone through her paintings. She paints the person on canvas and then infuses it with her magic. It does come with consequences though, she will feel the pain the person is going through. She is what they call a Prodigy and although her magic can heal, it is forbidden in her town to have such powers. With both her parents gone she is a caretaker and mother to her thirteen year old sister, who is very ill. I love her relationship with her sister, the love between them is so beautiful. They don’t have the money for good care and though Myra can heal injuries, she cannot heal a disease in someone. But when the governor’s son dies, his wife wants Myra to bring him back to life…but can she?

The story unfolds as a murder mystery and it comes with a few twists which was really nice! I love the scary tone of the story, the creepy house the governor and his family lives in, the story of the 5th floor being haunted, and grotesque paintings on the wall. Whoever painted those was sorely unwell, but who did them?

There is some romance in the story as well. Myra and August (the governor’s oldest son) befriend one another and try to solve the mystery of his brother’s death. August is an interesting character who suffers from anxiety and his father, who is a hard man, has no patience for it. I was happy to see his growth and also fight for his right to feel safe in the space he’s made for himself. There were times Myra would tell him how to overcome his struggles and he really stands up to her, explaining how she can’t expect him to change overnight. It’s easier said and done when it’s not something she herself struggling with. He definitely had some fight in him even when he was afraid of his family’s reaction.

Why you should read it:

  • it’s a story filled with mystery, romance, danger, and magic
  • there’s a good twist in the story
  • Myra’s unique magic skills

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into gothic fantasy

My Thoughts:

This story was a real treat and I enjoyed the unique magic, anxiety rep, the romance, the creepy and thrilling parts of the story, and the twist at the end. I haven’t read a book by this author before, but I’m looking forward to reading more from her.

📚 ~ Yolanda

About the Author:

Jessica S. Olson claims New Hampshire as her home but has somehow found herself in Texas, where she spends most of her time singing praises to the inventor of the air conditioner. When she’s not hiding from the heat, she’s corralling her four wild—but adorable—children, dreaming up stories about kissing and murder and magic, and eating peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar. She earned a bachelor’s in English with minors in editing and French, which essentially means she spent all of her university time reading and eating French pastries. She is the author of Sing Me Forgotten (2021) and A Forgery of Roses (2022).

https://www.jessicasolson.com/

Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Anatomy: A Love Story by. Dana Schwartz | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Anatomy: A Love Story

Author: Dana Schwartz

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 1/18/22

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Gothic, Mystery, Romance, Historical Fiction

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A gothic tale full of mystery and romance about a willful female surgeon, a resurrection man who sells bodies for a living, and the buried secrets they must uncover together.

Edinburgh, 1817. 

Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry. 

Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die. 

When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, the university will allow her to enroll. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books – she’ll need bodies to study, corpses to dissect. 

Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living, then. 

But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets. Hazel and Jack work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

I was totally surprised about this book. When I was asked to review it, I was first drawn to the cover. Look at that cover, it is outstanding! The synopsis sounded intriguing with the a young woman trying to become a surgeon in a time when women were not allowed to practice medicine, let alone become a surgeon!

Hazel is a wonderful main character. As a lady she is expected to marry well and keep her future husband happy but the thought doesn’t bring her joy at all. She wants to become a surgeon but how? I love her fortitude and persistence to pursue her dream of being a surgeon even when many challenges were thrown her way. I loved the scenes of Hazel practicing medicine for those who couldn’t afford to pay for good medical service. Reading this story reminded me of when once upon a time I thought I was going to be in the medical field.

Now Jack is a fun character because he is not a nobleman, he is a stagehand and a part time resurrection man – meaning he digs up dead bodies on the side and sells them to doctors. It’s a high risk job and if caught Jack can be hung for grave robbing. He befriends Hazel when she needs dead bodies to study and practice surgery on to pass her medical exam. I love their interactions together.

There is a sweet romance budding between Hazel and Jack even though she is betrothed to her cousin. It’s a heartbreaking romance too because their stations in life really don’t allow them to be together.

The story isn’t just about Hazel wanting to become a surgeon, there is a mystery going on in Edinburgh. There is an illness going around called the Roman fever and also something else is happening where people, mostly the poor, are going missing or coming back with a missing limb. It reminds me of the story of Jack the Ripper, obviously it’s not the same story but the chilling vibes are the same.

Content Warnings: gore, dissecting bodies/animals, bullying, misogyny

Though the ending was definitely a plot twist and fascinating, I don’t know that it totally worked for me. It worked when it came to the romance part but it still left me a bittersweet feeling. But it’s an interesting twist to the mystery of the people with missing limbs or people dying not from the Roman fever – it did seem a bit farfetched but I went with it for the sake of the romance.

Just being reminded of how the field of medicine didn’t allow women to study or how they had to dig up bodies in order to study them is so amazing to me. It’s awesome to see how far we have come in the field of medicine and yay to women who broke through such a male dominated field.

Why you should read it:

  • history of medicine fascinates you and you aren’t squeamish about dissecting bodies
  • a sweet romance
  • good mystery
  • woman empowerment

Why you might not want to read it:

  • gory
  • farfetched ending

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this story. I didn’t realize how much I missed reading books about the history of medicine, even if this one is a historical fiction, I was still inspired by Hazel’s ambition to become a female surgeon. I adored the romance between Hazel and Jack but it isn’t exactly happily ever after for them. The ending is just something I went with even though it seems a little bit out there but it’s a fun book to escape into if you are into gothic settings with mystery and romance.

📚 ~ Yolanda