BOOKS | Review: Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

Name: Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King #2)

Author: Rachel Gillig

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: October 2023

Genre: Fiction, new adult, fantasy, romance, gothic

Pages: 437

Rating: 5/5 

Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.
If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.
And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth's head. The Nightmare. And he's not eager to share any longer.

- From Goodreads. 

Rachel Gillig is excellent at writing dramatic moments and making them feel very epic and monumental. My favourite moments were when the Nightmare could really show what he was capable of, his connection with the land and trees and how he could use that really made for some very thrilling moments that were so enjoyable to read.

I think the Nightmare's link to Elspeth and their relationship was so fascinating and it was so well done how it built emotionally up to the very end. I really felt attached to both of the characters and wanted to see what would happen with their bond in the end.

It was interesting to see more from the other characters in this book as we got some additional perspectives and learnt more about the world than what we had previously just seen from Elspeth's point of view. Elm was especially compelling and I really liked following his development and watching him decide what was important to him and what he would decide to fight for.

Overall, I really loved this duology and will definitely be coming back to reread it at some point. I am looking forward to reading more from Rachel Gillig as I think she has a wonderfully atmospheric writing style, can create some truly cinematic scenes and creates very fascinating characters. 

BOOKS | Review: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

Name: One Dark Window (The Shepherd King #1)

Author: Rachel Gillig

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: September 2022

Genre: Fiction, new adult, fantasy, romance, gothic

Pages: 432

Rating: 5/5

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.

- From Goodreads. 

This story was incredibly atmospheric and wonderfully intense and so suspenseful in the plot. 

Elspeth was such a fascinating character to follow along, she had a lot of depth to her and so much heart, she cared a lot about the people close to her, but could not truly be herself with them because of the secrets she had to keep. Her relationship with the Nightmare was so intriguing and it was so interesting seeing their dynamic.

I really enjoyed the romance, I think Ryvan was a very compelling character, full of mystery at the beginning, but very empathetic once you got to know more about him, and I love that they wanted to be together and to be able to care for each other, despite everything around them working against them.

I found the plot very thrilling and all of the other characters very intriguing, the ending was very dramatic and exciting and I am curious to see what will happen in the next book and the parts each character will play in the events that follow on from this book.

I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy gothic and atmospheric fantasy romance stories, like Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. I will definitely be reading the second book very soon as I'm excited to see how the story continues! 

BOOKS | Review: Tales of a Monstrous Heart by Jennifer Delaney

Name: Tales of a Monstrous Heart (Tales of a Monstrous Heart #1)

Author: Jennifer Delaney

Publisher: Gollancz

Date published: August 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, gothic, academia

Pages: 468

Rating: 4/5

Be careful of the dark and those that call it friend.
Katherine Woodrow is Fey, and all she wants is to graduate from the Institute of Magic. But when the prejudiced mortal council threaten her position at the institute, she is left with only one option: accept a Mage Partnership with the elusive Lord Blackthorn.
Emrys Blackthorn is a riddle Kat is fearful of solving. The mysterious, cursed war hero with his stormy eyes and unpredictable ways leaves Kat with more questions than answers. What she does know is that she is irresistibly drawn to him... No matter how forbidden it might be.
When a string of murders and fey disappearances herald the return of dark magic, Kat and Emrys are thrown into a world of ancient books that hide hideous monsters, dark fiends who play with nightmares and mortal men who wish nothing more than to see them both burn.
But what haunts them both are secrets even ghosts dare not whisper, while insidious shadows lick their teeth and sharpen their claws, waiting for the moment that all tales will come to light - even the monstrous ones. 

- From Goodreads. 

This book had a wonderfully intense atmosphere, it was very gothic, with a lot of sinister details. I thought the world-building and magic system were fascinating and the magic especially made for some thrilling moments.

Katherine and Emrys were both intriguing characters and I think their dynamic was very compelling and it was exciting to follow their relationship and see it grow and change as they got closer. Both of them had their secrets and mysteries, so it was interesting to see them decide if they could trust each other and tell each other the truth.

My only real problem with the book was that it felt like it could have used another round of editing. There were some quite easy to spot grammar mistakes, but it was more that it felt like some descriptions and explanations of events were hard to understand, and I also could not always follow why characters were unhappy with each other or how they had reached certain conclusions. It seemed like with a little more time spent on the editing, these bumps in the story could have been smoothed out. 

Overall though, I still enjoyed the book and found myself speeding through it quite quickly. I was eager to find out how the mysteries unravelled and I was invested in the romance. I will definitely be picking up the next book. I would recommend this if you like Howl's Moving Castle, Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, and stories with sentient houses and dark, gothic romance. 

BOOKS | Review: Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Name: Starling House

Author: Alix. E. Harrow

Publisher: Tor

Date published: October 2023 

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, horror, gothic

Pages: 308

Rating: 5/5

Nobody in the town of Eden, Kentucky is old enough to remember the building of Starling House, but the stories have been passed down through the generations like good china. The hairdresser says it was the beginning of Eden’s bad luck - the river water they can’t drink, the coal dust they can’t breathe, the cemetery that fills too fast.
Opal has spent her life collecting stories about the house. One night, she meets its reclusive heir, Arthur Starling, and receives an invitation she can't refuse. But there are secrets and stories buried beneath Starling House, clamoring to escape and wreak havoc on the town. And even they might not be the biggest threat...

- Goodreads.

This had a perfect sinister atmosphere, the setting really felt like a living, dangerous thing. The house was a character itself and I loved how you could feel its personality without it actually speaking and you could see why the characters became attached to it and it became attached to them.

The mystery was very intriguing and I was excited the whole way through to uncover all the answers and surprises. I thought it was very well written and everything was revealed in a compelling way.

Opal and Arthur were wonderful main characters, I loved them both pretty much immediately and really wanted a happy ending for both of them. Opal had been through so much and had to make some tough choices but she never gave up on her determination to look after her brother and I loved that she still managed to be fierce and passionate, despite what she was going through. Arthur had been through a lot too, and had lost hope in some ways, but was also still determined to do what he needed to do, no matter what he had to sacrifice himself, and he did everything he could for Opal, not wanting her to suffer. It was just perfectly done how they came to care for each other and wanted to help each other, and how being together made them realise they could want things for themselves and not just other people.

I adored the writing style, the voices of the characters really had distinct personalities and I loved the addition of footnotes and illustrations, it made the story even more immersive.

I would definitely recommend this if you like Holly Black and the way she creates stories that feel like modern dark fairy tales. I would also recommend if you like gothic fantasies about sentient houses and curses, like Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek.

BOOKS | Review: The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

Name: The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater (Victorian Faerie Tales series #1)

Author: Olivia Atwater

Publisher: Olivia Atwater

Date published: November 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, fantasy, historical, gothic

Pages: 328

Rating: 5/5

Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn’t believe in faeries - which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.
Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness... but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust?

- From Goodreads.

I like that the author did something different to her previous books in this story. All her books feel distinct from each other in terms of plot and characters, while still having the the similar writing style and perfect romantic feelings that I love from her books.

The gothic, dark atmosphere was done perfectly. It definitely took a darker turn from her other books but worked very well for this story. All of the descriptions of the setting and all the details in the house and the way it became a whole sinister world of it's own all added to the spookier feeling of this story.

The characters were so fascinating and a joy to follow. I loved Winnie and how she slowly became more caring and protective of Robert who she had been hired to be a governess for, and how he slowly came to trust her.

I also loved the slow build of the relationship between Winnie and Mr Quincy. How they went from enemies who could not trust each other to falling in love and telling each other things they had not told anyone else was done so perfectly and written so well. I just adored every scene they were in together and he was such an intense, intriguing character.

The plot was thrilling and suspenseful, and I was intrigued the whole time to find out how Winnie would unravel the mystery and help to fix everything. I think it resolved well while also leaving enough suspense for the next book, which I will be very excited to read. I think this book solidified that Olivia Atwater is a new favourite of mine and I will definitely continue to read everything she writes.

BOOKS | Most Anticipated New Books of 2024

Here are ten of the books I am most anticipating that are releasing this year!

1. The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black

Expected publication 5th March 2024

Elhame #5,  The Stolen Heir Duology #2

An imprisoned prince. A vengeful queen. And a battle that will determine the future of Elfhame.
Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude ready to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, should Oak attempt to regain the trust of the girl he's always loved, or remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign - even if it means ending Wren, too...
With war looming and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak's guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. He will have some terrible choices to make.

- Goodreads.

I still need to read The Stolen Heir, but I am hoping to read it soon so that as soon as The Prisoner's Throne comes out I can get straight into it and find out what happens next in this series. I really loved The Folk of the Air trilogy so I have been really looking forward to finding out what happens next with the characters, it certainly seems like Holly Black has lots of dramatic reveals and plots twists in store!

2. A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandana

Expected publication 12th September 2024

Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her magical Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guest’s shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.
When she learns about an old spell book that could hold the secret to restoring her power, she finds herself turning to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous and icy historian who might be the only person who can help her unlock the book’s mysteries. The fact that he also happens to be her one-night stand from years ago is totally irrelevant.
Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and trying not to fall in love is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone... and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.

- Goodreads.

I absolutely adored Sangu Mandana's The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and this sounds like it will be another wonderful cosy fantasy romance with some charming humour and loveable characters, so I am very excited for this one!

3. A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Published 4th Jauary 2024

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.
But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more - until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible. 

- Goodreads.

I enjoyed reading both Down Comes the Night and A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft, so I think I should enjoy this next book from her too! This one sounds like it will be another well written romance with some intriguing drama, and I am curious to see how the plot plays out.

4. A Dawn with the Wolf Knight by Elise Kova 

Expected publication 1st August 2024 

Married to Magic #5

To enter the woods as a human is death... But I am no mere human. They call me, "witch."
As one of the last surviving witches, her sole duty was to keep the protective barriers on the forests where the lykin roam - creatures who can shed flesh for fur. But when she has a magical encounter with the rare, primordial spirit of the moon, she’s taken to the magical land of Midscape and claimed by the Wolf King as his bride.
But the king’s blisteringly handsome knight who’s now her sole protector has other ideas...

- Goodreads.

I really liked the first three books in the Married to Magic series, my favourite being the first, A Deal with the Elf King, so I hope I will enjoy this next one, and the fourth one that was released last year that I still need to read, A Duet with the Siren Duke, as much as I did the first one. I think the world of this series is really interesting and I always think the concept of each book is really fun. 

5. The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers 

Expected publication 25th January 2024

Curses are made to be broken.
For centuries, generations of Everlys have seen their brightest and best disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor is a woman named Penelope, who never ages, never grows sick - and never forgives a debt.
Ten years ago, Violet Everly's mother left, determined to break their curse, and never returned. Now Violet must find her mother, or she will be taken in her place.
To do so, she must descend into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge. She must also contend with Penelope's quiet assistant, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted - and yet to whom she finds herself undeniably drawn.
Tied to a very literal deadline, Violet will travel the edges of the world to find Marianne and the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began...

- Goodreads.

This sounds like it will be a wonderful magical adventure, with some fascinating characters, that I think I could really enjoy, and since it is a debut I am curious to see what the author's writing style is like.

6. The Darkness within Us by Tricia Levenseller

Expected publication 25th July 2024

The Shadows Between Us #2

Chrysantha Stathos has won.
By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has gathered important secrets, earned her father’s constant care, and become a wealthy duchess - all by age nineteen. Now, she is only one elderly, dying duke away from having all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted.
Or so she thought.
Turns out her little sister somehow snatched the true victory away from her: Alessandra is wedding the Shadow King, the most powerful man in the world. Meanwhile, after the death of Chrysantha’s no-good, lecherous husband, a man claiming to be the duke’s estranged grandson turns up to inherit everything that should be hers.
Chrysantha is enraged. There is no way that she’s going to let some man take everything from her. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive and alluring with mysterious power... No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.

- Goodreads.

When I originally read the first book, The Shadows Between Us, Alessandra's sister did not sound very likeable, so when this book was announced I was not sure how to feel about it and if I would enjoy a book from her perspective, but I enjoyed the first book a lot and I am curious enough to see what happens in this one and if I could like it, and just generally curious to see what Tricia Levenseller had in mind for what happens next in this world and it would be fun to see if any of the characters from the first book are included at all, even if it is just a mention.

7. Tales of the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan

Expected publication 1st February 2024

The Celestial Kingdom #2.5

Return to the Immortal Realm, a world of gods, magic, and legendary creatures - and embark upon new adventures of valor, danger, and love.
Tales from the Celestial Kingdom collects nine spellbinding stories - two previously published, seven original, including the epilogue to the duology - set in the enchanting world of Sue Lynn Tan’s stunning debut. Filled with magic and mythology, friendship and love, these stories intertwine through the past, present, and future of the two novels, told from the perspectives of multiple characters, including Chang’e, Shuxiao, Liwei, and Wenzhi.
With beautiful illustrations from Kelly Chong throughout, these wondrous tales make the perfect complement to Sue Lynn Tan’s breathtaking series.

- Goodreads.

The Celestial Kingdom duology was beautifully written and I really enjoyed the reading experience, so I am excited to read more stories from this world, which I think was wonderfully crafted. The first two books felt like an old myth so I think short stories from this world will be the perfect format for more stories from this series.

8. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

Expected publication 11th July 2024

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people, and as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.
She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, she and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. She’s hoping to lay low and figure out a way to survive before the revolution comes looking for her. To her dismay, in addition to a nosy - and very handsome - neighbor, she finds the town in disarray.
The empire with its magic spellbooks has slowly been draining power from the island, something that Kiela is indirectly responsible for, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right. Opening up a spell shop comes with its own risks - the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the quirky townspeople, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must break down the walls she has kept so high.

- Goodreads.

I read and enjoyed Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst some time ago and ever since then I have been wanting to pick up another book by her, and this new book seems like the perfect opportunity to! As mentioned earlier I really loved The Very Society for Irregular Witches, and this sounds like aother cosy fantasy romance with a similar feeling to that book, so I will be looking forward to giving it a try!

9. Lore Olmpus: Volume 6 by Rachel Smythe

Expected publication 7th May 2024

Lore Olympus #6

Chaos reigns in Olympus as Zeus publicly declares Persephone a traitor and issues a warrant for her arrest. But Hades defies his brother’s decree, sheltering Persephone in the Underworld - and as the pair spend more time together, they are able to speak openly about their pasts. The goddess of spring admits the truth behind the bloody secret that led to Zeus’s ire, and the king of the Underworld shares the trauma he suffered at the hands of his power-hungry father, Kronos.
But as Hades and Persephone’s relationship grows stronger, others begin to fall apart. The bond between Hades and Zeus is stretched to its limit, threatening to fracture the peace between their realms. Persephone and Artemis’s friendship hangs by a thread as the goddess of the hunt slowly uncovers the vile truth about her twin, Apollo. A line is being drawn in the heavens, putting everyone’s loyalties into question as all the gods are forced to choose sides.
And as the cracks in the foundation of the pantheon spread, something darker and more earth-shattering might soon be released...

- Goodreads.

I always have such a good time reading each volume of Lore Olympus, it always brings me such joy. Hades and Persephone and their slowly developing relationship is of course the highlight, but the other characters are so well done too, the art style is alway lovely to look at, the humour is delightful, and the plot always keeps me turning pages and wanting to find out more, so I am sure I will be picking up the next volume as soon as I have it.

10. Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek 

Expected publication 29th February 2024

Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters. After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood - the Leszy - who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.
Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska soon discovers the sinister roots of their bargain. And if she wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.
Those who enter the wood do not always return...

- Goodreads.

This book just sounds like it was made for me. It has been compared to so many of my favourite things, Howl's Moving Castle, Beauty and the Beast, authors like Margaret Rogerson, Brigid Kemmerer and V.E. Schwab, it would just be ridiculous if I did not read this.

So those are ten of the books I am most excited about that are releasing this year! In the comments below, let me know if you are also looking forward to any of these, and if there are any not on this list that you are eagerly anticipating!

BOOKS | Review: Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft

Name: Down Comes the Night

Author: Allison Saft

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Date published: March 2021

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, gothic, mystery

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5

He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness.

Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she’s been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend - the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself.

The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths.

With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall.

- From Goodreads.

The author built a very interesting world to set this book in. It felt very atmospheric and every scene was described in such detail that it really came alive on the page. I could really imagine everything the main character described and all the different places she visited. The best place of course was Colwick Hall, I really felt how haunted and cold the mansion seemed to the characters and how unsafe they felt there.

I really liked the relationship between the main character and her love interest, I think they had such an interesting dynamic and I really liked how things slowly built between them. I thought that it was good that Wren was allowed to feel emotional and Hal made sure she knew that and did not make her feel weak for feeling anything, and he really appreciated her kindness. Not a lot of books have this because in fantasy worlds where there is war or other difficult things to face, characters are often made to feel like their kindness or other "soft" emotions will make them weak in a tough world and the idea that acts of kindness could actually help is dismissed as unrealistic, but Wren was allowed to be kind and emotional and make things right in the end and help change things with her kindness and without loosing her emotional side. This idea and theme was not always done perfectly throughout the book, but mostly I really liked it and was glad it was included.

Although I enjoyed the plot and thought it was captivating to follow the mystery through to the end, I think it could have been made into a more concise story. Towards the end it felt like the plot was going back and forth a few times, making the same point a couple of times over, which I felt was down to the main character being indecisive and unsure when it really felt like she should have already come to a decision or realistion about certain things. This led to it feeling like the story could have wrapped up a little sooner, and while I did enjoy how the story ended and what happened in the final few scenes, I think the impact was lost slightly because it felt like the story had been stretched out for the sake of adding a little more angst.

Overall, I did really like this book, I thought it had an intriguing mystery, atmospheric setting, well written characters and a compelling romance. I would recommend it if you liked Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson or The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid.

BOOKS | Review: Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Name: Gallant

Author: V.E. Schwab

Publisher: Titan Books

Date published: March 2022

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, mystery, horror, gothic

Pages: 310

Rating: 5/5

Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source.

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal - which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home - to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant - but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unravelled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?

- From Goodreads.

This was a wonderfully atmospheric story that really immersed me in the world of the book and got me caught up in all the action and emotions. Everything was described perfectly, in detail that really added to the mystery and suspense. It made me feel fear for the characters and curious as to how the mysteries would be resolved and how everything would come to an end. This was enhanced by the beautiful illustrations that were interwoven throughout the book and were really crucial to the story.

I loved the main character, Olivia, my heart really felt for her and her desire to find her place in the world and have a family. I also do not remember reading many mute characters before and I really felt Olivia's pain and frustration as she wanted to make herself heard and make noise in the world, and when she so badly wanted to cry out and scream but could not, it was so heart-breaking. I loved that she fought for herself and had real determination and at heart really yearned for a sense of belonging.

I also really liked the other characters in the story and felt they each stood out as real, interesting people, even just the characters we knew through backstory. As this was not a long book, and it took place over quite a short amount of time, we did not spend a long time with these characters, but I still felt we got to know them quite well and even became quite attached to and really worried for some of them.

Overall, this was a very well told gothic style mystery with very strong characters at its heart that I found very easy to get lost in. I ended up very emotionally connected to the story and even cried at the end. I would absolutely recommend this if you have enjoyed V.E. Schwab's writing style in the past because I feel this definitely has her style, although the story certainly feels like something I have not read from her before.