Publication Date: 11th Feb 2025
Genre: Contemporary Gothic Paranormal Romance
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Slow but atmospheric
Elegy Thorne is a twenty-five-year-old woman living at her family estate, Thorne Hall, and its resident fourteen spirits. Nestled in the Berkshires, the estate has been home to fewer humans and more spirits than necessary for decades. Now, with her father’s illness and impending death, the responsibility of managing the place is on Elegy.
She has long given up the desire for a life of her own. But when sabotage by a ghost results in renovation work, she meets Atticus, the son of the contractor (and her father’s friend). Elegy’s yearning for more and the weight on her shoulders suffocate her. It’s time to find a way to send the spirits back to the afterworld if she wants a chance at a normal life. However, the process will not be easy!
The story comes in Elegy’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
So… this has a contemporary setting. Everything gives a historical vibe but there’s a proper reason for it. Even the writing style feels historical, with those long-winded sentences and the narrator’s voice dominating Elegy’s POV often.
The paranormal part is the highlight. Since the story relies on spirits and ghosts in a house, the gothic element needs to be strong. The writing does justice to this. I could feel the creepy house, the stinky ghosts (who look like zombies), the dead garden, the oppressive weight on FMC, etc.
However, this one needs patience. It is very slow. The beginning 30% was at a snail’s pace but I understood why. The stage was being set. Things improved after that but the last section was slow again.
The FMC’s characterization was great. She’s a 25yo from this century living her life in the past because it’s her inheritance. She gradually becomes stronger but without losing her sense of goodness. NGL, I was annoyed at her a few times for giving in easily but the change in her arc is steady and believable.
The side characters don’t get the same depth. That’s okay because there are fourteen ghosts and a whole bunch of humans. While it doesn’t matter for most of them, even the MMC ends up as a lever for FMC’s growth. He should have been more than that given the love track and romance.
This is insta love but works from the FMC’s side. Since we don’t get much info about the guy, it’s hard to see why he fell as fast. There’s some steam but not much. The interaction between the two could have been better. The punch is lacking and so is the banter.
There’s a twist or two in the climax. One of them was easy to guess due to the clues provided earlier. The other was a surprise; sad too!
The detailed epilogue is quite satisfying to read. I like it when everything gets sorted and we get HEA. This does dim the atmospheric effect a little but by then I was ready for it to move to the background.
To summarize, The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall is a slow-paced atmospheric read with some chilly moments and a bit of romance. The writing style could take some time to get used to. High chances of zoning out if you aren’t focused. Still, a nice read.
Thank you, NetGalley, and Alcove Press, for eARC.
#NetGalley #TheSpiritCollectionOfThorneHall
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