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capucapulet's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Grief, Animal cruelty, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Gaslighting
merle_bookdragon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Really enjoyed this read and finished it in more or less 24 hours!
Definitely an interesting and more sinister take on the fairy tale of the 12 dancing princesses and it thoroughly messed with my head. When I thought I had figured out what was real and what was an illusion the whole thing was tipped over its head again.
I truly am happy that Cassius turned back up. I was scared for a while at the beginning that he might be the bad guy but I quickly he wasn't. Morella being the evil stepmother fit much better into the fairy tale but I thought maybe it would be a different take. It wasn't, but that's okay. I'm just happy that Verity lives because damn that girl had a rough time and I'm glad Cassius saved her.
ALSO so happy that Annaleigh got to be Keeper of Light at the end. It suits her so well and I think she will have a good future with Cassius there. Or at least that's what I'm imagining for them.
Definitely an interesting and more sinister take on the fairy tale of the 12 dancing princesses and it thoroughly messed with my head. When I thought I had figured out what was real and what was an illusion the whole thing was tipped over its head again.
I truly am happy that Cassius turned back up. I was scared for a while at the beginning that he might be the bad guy but I quickly he wasn't. Morella being the evil stepmother fit much better into the fairy tale but I thought maybe it would be a different take. It wasn't, but that's okay. I'm just happy that Verity lives because damn that girl had a rough time and I'm glad Cassius saved her.
ALSO so happy that Annaleigh got to be Keeper of Light at the end. It suits her so well and I think she will have a good future with Cassius there. Or at least that's what I'm imagining for them.
“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.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Child death, Grief, Body horror, Murder, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Blood, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent
chichalexisse's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
YAYYY! My first horror wohooOoOoo. My favorite part is all the kilig scenes and the last few chapters because it's so fast-paced, and Morella got threatened, suffered and died. I questioned everything, and at one point I said to france that I don't know anything at all.
I think it will be read mostly for the plot because I didn't get attached to the characters as much as I would like to. But I still liked Annaleigh and ofc Cassius, my half-god love.
My sweet Verity, I just wanna hug you. You didn't deserve every single one of those bad experiences.
Hi, fisher rip.
My favorite name out of all of them is Ligeia. (Fisher makes sense but…. huh? Hannah? why?)
Thanks so much for the rec france my sweet little book recommendator
I think it will be read mostly for the plot because I didn't get attached to the characters as much as I would like to. But I still liked Annaleigh and ofc Cassius, my half-god love.
My sweet Verity, I just wanna hug you. You didn't deserve every single one of those bad experiences.
Hi, fisher rip.
My favorite name out of all of them is Ligeia. (Fisher makes sense but…. huh? Hannah? why?)
Thanks so much for the rec france my sweet little book recommendator
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Pregnancy, and Body horror
gr3yfoxhound's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is a solid read for anybody who wants to enjoy the idea of book that mixes "pride and prejudice" with a "dark fairytale" trope. On top of the whole book sits a little delight in form of a "who dunnit" mystery. Though parts of it can be a bit lengthy the big payout is the third quarter I enjoyed most.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide
frantically's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
just like the characters in this book, i, too, don't know what the fuck is going on anymore
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Miscarriage and Murder
Minor: Suicide
slvt4b00ks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was such a treat. I have never really read anything tho close to horror. Definitely do not read at night if you’re prone to nightmares or scare easily. I love how many allusions there are to Edgar Alan Poe. There’s even a character named Edgar. This author has certainly mastered the macabre, I think mr. Poe himself would have loved this story. The ending had so many twists and turns, I was concerned that like our main character, I could not separate nightmare from reality. Please please please read this. I have no regrets other than that I wish I read this sooner. The book had been sitting on my shelf for a full YEAR, untouched. I almost feel as though the cover does not do it Justice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Grief, Death, Body horror, Suicide, Pregnancy, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Animal death, Alcohol, Murder, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Gore, Chronic illness, and Child death
abbymetallica's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
offbrandclubsoda's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gore, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, and Suicide
anielabooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
This book was such a rollercoaster for me. I came in with little knowledge of horror books and only the Barbie’s version of a 12 dancing princesses under my belt. Thankfully, the horror wasn’t very intense. I was so invested in the story the entire time and was very satisfied with the ending. I also loved the romance aspect of the book as I found myself falling in love at the same time as Annaleigh. I honestly did not predict the ending, which I liked. I particularly loved the motif of the sea turtles throughout the book; it really made the last few chapters that much more heart-wrenching. I’m so glad one of my followers recommended this book to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Pregnancy, Death, Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, Child death, Gore, and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Cursing, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
readwithria's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I don't know how I feel about this book, but I know that I liked it enough to finish it.
I don't have much to say as a preamble so I'm going to get straight into the lists
Things I liked:
- I like that Craig decided to group up the younger sisters to make them easier to keep track of
- I really liked the setting and how the religious celebrations were linked to location
- I think the spooky/horror aspects of the book
Things I wish were different:
- While I appreciated grouping some of the sisters together, it did make them less individualistic, which I didn't love
- I could not for the life of me figure out how old Morella, Mercy, or Honor were. I know the triplets were 16 and Verity was 6, but the two older Graces are just somewhere in between I guess? And Morella was apparently not much older than Camille and Annaleigh (19 and 18) but had been working as a midwife for 5 years before the beginning of the book? I was very confused
- I wish there had been another chapter or two of resolution between the last chapter and the epilogue. I don't actually feel like I got any closure
- I almost think the last third of the book could have been stretched into a second book. Have book one stop at the lighthouse, or even earlier when the two triplets die and have book two really dive into the madness and the beguilement with the unreliable narrator aspect played up.
- I don't think the world-building was as strong as it could have been. I didn't figure out something major about their religion until almost 75% of the way into the book. I think the book was trying to be too much with the fantasy religion, ghost story, murder mystery, romance/love triangle, and family drama. If it had picked two or three it would have been much stronger.
All in all, this was a 3.5 star read for me. I liked it, but I didn't love it.
I don't have much to say as a preamble so I'm going to get straight into the lists
Things I liked:
- I like that Craig decided to group up the younger sisters to make them easier to keep track of
- I really liked the setting and how the religious celebrations were linked to location
- I think the spooky/horror aspects of the book
Things I wish were different:
- While I appreciated grouping some of the sisters together, it did make them less individualistic, which I didn't love
- I could not for the life of me figure out how old Morella, Mercy, or Honor were. I know the triplets were 16 and Verity was 6, but the two older Graces are just somewhere in between I guess? And Morella was apparently not much older than Camille and Annaleigh (19 and 18) but had been working as a midwife for 5 years before the beginning of the book? I was very confused
- I wish there had been another chapter or two of resolution between the last chapter and the epilogue. I don't actually feel like I got any closure
- I almost think the last third of the book could have been stretched into a second book. Have book one stop at the lighthouse, or even earlier
- I don't think the world-building was as strong as it could have been. I didn't figure out something major about their religion until almost 75% of the way into the book. I think the book was trying to be too much with the fantasy religion, ghost story, murder mystery, romance/love triangle, and family drama. If it had picked two or three it would have been much stronger.
All in all, this was a 3.5 star read for me. I liked it, but I didn't love it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Blood, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide