House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

Reviewed by Amy P.
Grade 10

Erin A. Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows is a captivating retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but with a terrifying twist. It follows Annaleigh, daughter of the Duke of Salann, and her investigation into her family’s secrets and curses. Annaleigh’s sisters, once known as the Thaumus Twelve, are plagued with mysterious deaths until they can’t be passed off as accidents anymore. This novel also combines the classic components of a fairy tale with Craig’s lore of elemental gods and entities. Set in a manor by the sea, every chapter has a ghostly, aquatic atmosphere, leaving you wanting more.

Annaleigh had just lost her sister, Eulalie. She is expected to believe it was an accident, but who really plunges off a cliff to their death in the middle of the night in an “accident”? Eulalie was murdered, and Annaleigh is determined to prove it. While in her search, the world around her grows increasingly more twisted and a series of disturbing visions of her dead sisters torment her. Nobody around her notices, however, once her family finds a magical door that belongs to Pontus, the sea god the islanders worship. It leads to a different, wonderful ball every night and her sisters are almost intoxicated by it. But Annaleigh knows that there is something not quite right with this reality or the other.

The setting was lovely to read about; the author’s choice of words set the perfect ambiance for this book and almost made me feel like I was actually by the sea. The plot was a bit more confusing to read about, however. Although it’s normal for YA books to combine a story retelling with the author’s own mythology, I think it clashed with this one. I would rather have the author focus on only the deities and the sea setting, or only The Twelve Dancing Princesses tale, since they don’t pair very well together.

Other than that, I would definitely recommend this book. It was very exciting to read, and all throughout the novel there were new developments and plot twists. I haven’t read it, but A Court of Thorn and Roses seems similar to this as well.

The Summer of Tails & Tales

 

Summer at Winter Park Library is the best time of the year. Readers of all ages come through the door looking for that next favorite book. They also take part in super fun classes and events. And we offer those readers, and the entire community of Winter Park a challenge: read 10,000 books in June & July. 

This challenge is open to Winter Park residents of all ages. Read one book and log it in  Beanstack, and you are automatically entered in the Grand Prize drawing for your age group. The Top 10 Readers in each age group will also score themselves a prize.

Looking for your first read? The Teen Book Guild has some great suggestions:

London Shah’s The Light at the Bottom of the World takes place in the year 2099, where human life now completely exists underwater. Because her father was taken away under false accusations, protagonist Leyla McQueen lives by herself in the ruins of London. Leyla is terrified of venturing into the unknown waters, but she realizes that in order to rescue her father and protect herself, she must journey to confront a nefarious government. While this novel’s plot does not revolve around animals, sea creatures (as well as Leyla’s pet dog) do play a role in the story. When I started the book, I found it to be a bit unexciting, but as I continued reading, it became a riveting, mysterious adventure. This tale is a fantastic choice for the Tails and Tales summer reading challenge! 

“Her life is in his hands. His heart is in hers. One hundred days to choose who lives and who dies”. I just have one question about Wicked Fox: What did I ever do to Kat Cho? Cho wrote a book that essentially ripped out my heart, stomped on it, shredded it to pieces, sewed it back together, then stuck it back in my chest and I would read it again without hesitation. Cho’s writing style immerses the reader into a story with a blend of Korean lore and regular old reality. Her characters are so lovable and the relationships are breathtakingly portrayed. Cho’s story is centered around Miyoung, a gumiho (which is a nine tailed fox who must devour the energy of men to stay alive) who loses her fox soul the night she saves Jihoon, a human boy, from a goblin. They develop a flimsy friendship but when a mistake is made when trying to reunite Miyoung with her fox soul she must choose between her immortal life and Jihoon’s life. Although be forewarned before you start, this book will leave you scrambling for the second so I recommend having it on hand.

Ruta Sepetys did not just write a book; Salt to the Sea is a beautiful masterpiece! Taking place in 1945, it tells the story of four different characters: a Lithuanian nurse whose country is being conquered by Stalin and whose family has been taken captive by Soviet Russia and exiled to concentration camps in Siberia, a restoration artist who was lied to and unknowingly helped the Nazi’s steal some of the greatest works of art of history, a pregnant polish girl who was abused by Russian soldiers and lies to herself about her past, and a Nazi sailor who was brainwashed and in the process believed in some of the biggest, most evil lies told in all humanity. One struggles with guilt. One struggles with fate. One struggles with shame. One struggles with fear. They all have their demons, but it will be their choices that truly define them. I loved how Sepetys showed that even though they all came from different backgrounds, they were all interconnected, which I think applies in all our lives. Though it was difficult to read because of all the pain and suffering people endured during Hitler’s and Stalin’s rule, I would totally recommend this to ANYONE who has ever questioned what a true hero is or what makes us who we are. Do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK (YOU WON’T REGRET IT)!

    

While some retellings don’t do the original justice, Unhooked, a book based on Peter Pan, was not only an interesting read, but also, in my opinion, better than the original play. Lisa Maxwell, the author, kept all the fun parts: the fairies, the mermaids, the pirates, and of course the unforgettable Peter Pan. However, she added some incredible, very unexpected plot twists. Peter Pan has never been a favorite story of mine; therefore this was a nice change for me. Nevertheless, I think even people who love the story we all heard as children will enjoy this novel.

I don’t read many graphic novels, but Skip made me want to. When Bloom discovers a portal to a mysterious city in the lake, he soon finds himself in this city with no idea how he got there. This is where he meets Gloopy, and together they embark on an adventure throughout the dimensions. There is a great portrayal of friendship throughout the book between Bloom and Gloopy as they help each other grow, and a great portrayal of the importance of overcoming your fears. Although, the plot is only half of what makes this a great choice in novels. The artwork throughout the book makes you just want to flip through pages admiring it. The colors, movement, details, they are all just gorgeous on every single page. This is a book you could easily read in one sitting, and I definitely recommend it!