This really kept me on the edge of my seat and caught me off guard. Some of the moments were a little awkward to read and the relationship between Saige and Jasper was a little cringe at times, but overall I became quickly invested in the story. Saige's family has a dynamic that makes you love to hate them all and the mysteries surrounding the mansion and the family history was jaw-dropping at times. It was also a little more graphic than I expected, creating a visual of the hauntings and all of the things that Saige sees. Definitely worth the read and kept me up past my bedtime at times.

4.5 stars

Saige has been gone from her childhood home on an island for years, but her brother wants to get married there. The last time Saige was there, she saw her mother kill herself. Saige also “sees” things (i.e. ghosts) and because of this her father had her institutionalized. What the rest of her family doesn’t realize is that Saige really is seeing these things. It’s not all in her head. She is very anxious about returning.

Once there, she finds that her brother’s best friend from when they were younger, Jasper, is also there. He is a musician and will play at the wedding. What the rest of the family doesn’t know is that Saige and Jasper were not only in a relationship, they were engaged until Jasper just up and left without a word.

When Saige starts seeing ghosts again, it seems that Jasper is able to see them, as well, so the two embark on trying to figure out why all the ghosts are there and how to stop them from what appears to be a curse on the house and anyone who marries into the family.

While I feel like I gave a lot away, I don’t really think it’s too much, as so much more goes on in the story. The atmosphere of the book is very very creepy and very well done. The haunted old mansion. A storm that has them trapped. The ghosts are very scary and quite well-described so this book may not be for the squeamish. It was fast-paced. I also really liked the relationship between Saige and Jasper, though (not surprisingly) Saige had a hard time with Jasper, him having abandoned her way back when. ( )

Hoped – expected even - to really enjoy this given its premise and the Gothic/horror feel it promised in the synopsis. Hoped this would be a new excellent read.
Unfortunately, I had a few issues with the story, so it turned out just ok.
First: the inaccuracies in details and unnecessary historical references.
Ok, this is one of my biggest pet peeves in books, I'll give you that.
IF you try to use local history and geography of a region/time period etc. you're not familiar with, then do your research.
I have no problem with e. g. men writing from a female perspective and neither do I have a problem with an Australian writing a story set on a (fictitious) Channel Island in Europe. Just do your research.
And do. not. use Nazi references when they're not crucial to the story. I have an issue with there being a torture chamber in the story and it's like: 'Oh, we need bad guys we can attribute the chamber to, the book is set in Europe – so it's Nazis who used the chamber'.
The book doesn't touch the Nazi era at all apart from that. There's no necessity whatsoever to attribute the chamber to a specific group in the first place - it does nothing for the story in this point, on the contrary.
I hate when real dictatorships, mass murderers or torturers are thrown in simply as names for the bad guys without any necessity.
Then: Endless story loops over more than two thirds of the book where nothing really happens – 'There's things that go bump in the night in the dark aisles of the mansion – We are shocked - We get away from the house – We return to the house – repeat'.
Saige and Jasper were written like overdramatic teenagers. The whole book is like a blockbuster Hollywood movie – action scene after action scene, explosion after explosion after explosion, always going at full-throttle; the story without any substance yet full of inaccuracies and inconsistencies.
Light, fast-paced action with a threadbare veneer of romance and tragedy glued on.
If you like such stuff and are able to consume and enjoy it as such, fine.
I could not. What a pity, as the author seems like a cool person and is certainly talented.

I received this eARC via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program - Thanks, LT and author! - in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Saige Wolvercraft swore she would never return to Wolvercraft Manor. While idyllic & mysterious as a young child, Wolvercraft Manor now means nothing but heartache...and horror. After watching her mother commit suicide, Saige has been plagued by hallucinations, depression, and anxiety - all of which were brought on at Wolvercraft. But...her brother is getting married & both he and Saige's father want her to attend this lavish event of the year. While Saige would rather (and almost did) jump off the ferry rather than return to the island, fate seems to have other plans for her. One of those unexpected plans is being forced to mix, mingle, & be in the presence of her ex-fiancée Jasper. He states that he was only invited to play at the wedding (convenient when you are the groom's best friend), but something about his story does not add up. As Saige tries to figure out what Jasper is up to, she is also trying not to lose her sanity and prevent another tragedy at Wolvercraft Manor. A storm of the century is coming - and while everyone else is worried it will destroy the wedding plans, Saige is worried history will repeat itself and Wolvercraft Manor will destroy herself or someone else.

This was a REALLY good book! I read it in 2 days and could not put it down! I will definitely be on the lookout for more books from this author! Thank you LibraryThing for the Early Reviewers copy! ( )

Wolvercraft Manor: Saige Wolvercraft is returning to her ancestral home on a small island in the English Channel, fully against her will. She has a strained relationship with her family, who all think she is crazy, but she still came for her brother’s wedding. Oh, and her ex who ghosted her five years ago is here too. Lovely. She starts experiencing some supernatural happenings before she even gets to the island, and it only gets worse when she gets to the house. Is Saige really crazy, like everyone thought her mother was, or is there something wrong with Wolvercraft Manor?
I love a gothic haunted house story and this did not disappoint. Wolvercraft Manor is spooky, funny, and there is even some romance. The ghost story is really well done and I was sufficiently creeped out while I was staying up way too late, trying to solve the mystery. I really liked Saige. She is smart and funny and brave and I just wanted her family to LISTEN. Jeez her family was infuriating. Like, they just thought all the mysterious deaths in the family were a coincidence??? Anyway. Her ex, Jasper, was a good mystery solving partner who obviously cared about Saige but was also young and dumb and figuring out how to be a romantic partner.
This was great spooky book that had everything I was in a gothic horror novel, like seances, generational trauma, and inclement weather. Perfect for reading during a thunderstorm.
Thanks to LibraryThing and Tangled Tree Publishing for the ARC!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.