This book was every bit as good as I knew it would be. I loved it even more than I thought I would. I simply could not stop reading once I started. The story was just too good. Five stars, of course. And my favorite book of the year. The writing was just perfect, as always with books by Marissa. Her fairy tale stories are the best.
This book is mostly based on the fairy tale of Bluebeard. A story filled with ghosts and murders. And such am incredible romance. With the best sibling relationship and good friendships as well. It has several awesome and creepy monsters. It's filled with blood. And a little gruesome. But it was also so wonderful and fun too.
There is so much that I want to share about this book. Yet I fear I won't be able to write anything down, haha. I just loved this story so much. And it feels impossible to be able to put all my thoughts into words. But going to try. This book feels like it is set far in the past, like all the best fairy tales. Which I love the most in books, honestly. It's set in a world where monsters and magic exists. We only learn a little about this world, but it made me very curious to know more. It was written very well. This book tells the story of seventeen-year-old Mallory. And her older sister Anaïs. They lost their mother some years ago, and have been trying their best to make it on their own. Which has not been easy for them. And I so loved learning all the details of their lives. They were trying their best, though they truly weren't the most honest sisters.
They both had so many secrets. So rude. I loved it very much. It was exciting to slowly learn more about them both. Their mother was a witch, and she used her powers to help people. Both sisters have been trying to do the same. But they did not have her powers. So they have been pretending for years, pretty much tricking people into paying them. Which I honestly didn't mind much, ha. Mallory has been sneaking into an abandoned mansion, giving midnight tours of a murder site. Which was just so fun to read about.
This is where the book starts. With her giving her tour to some people. And then it goes wrong. Which I honestly did not even see coming. Rude. We also learn that Mallory can see ghosts. Which I very much loved. As this haunted house had the ghost of the first wife killed by Monsieur Le Blue. And she was so much fun to read about. Mallory is the only one who can see her. And she does not like her very much. Yet I think she was fond of her as well. I just adored this ghost, to be honest. She was grumpy and lovely.
At this ghostly tour, Mallory bumps into the only heir of Le Blue, a young man named Armand Saphir. And he needs her help to get rid of the ghost of the murderer who died about a hundred years ago. He started haunting Armand's home some years ago. Growing more violent and dangerous. Mallory definitely do not want to help, as she is not a real witch like her mother, and so she has no way of getting rid of this ghost. But Armand doesn't know that. And he is offering to pay her and her sister so much, which they so need.
I honestly loved the first meeting between Mallory and Armand so very much. To me, they had the best chemistry. And so many fun moments. It just made me smile at all times. I loved the moment they fell out the window. Mallory ends up having to help him. And so she and her sister travels with him to his home, the more official house of the murderer. We do learn a whole lot about the dead Bastien Saphir. Mallory has studied him for years. He brutally killed three of his wives. A fourth escaped, and he ended up dead.
And there were so many secrets around all of that too. It took a while before we learned everything. But I did not mind. Most of this book takes place inside this country mansion. With Mallory and Anaïs trying to figure out how to exorcize a ghost, which they have not done before. It did hurt my heart a little bit, how Mallory kept lying to Armand about what she could do. But I did not mind it too much. As she did try her best to figure it out anyway, after a while. I liked this place a lot. I found it exciting to learn more about it.
Yes, the book may have been a little slow at times. But I hardly noticed. As I kept reading it and could not stop. I loved learning more about Mallory and Armand. I so loved reading about the murderous ghost and why he was there, when he should have been long dead. I loved when Mallory got to meet the other two ghosts of his dead wives. They were fun and just great to read about. I loved the three ghosts wives. And their stories were just so heartbreaking and sad. Yet fully wonderful to read about too. I loved them lots.
There were also two other characters who somehow just showed up at times. Some types of monster hunters. And I loved them to pieces. They felt a little random. Yet they were so adorable and I just loved them both. Armand had just a few servants at his home, but they were interesting. I did not like Julie and Yvette much. But they were great characters. This book is also filled with monsters at times. Small ones. Scarier ones. And I simply adored them all, haha. I love my monsters. The fire salamander was too cute.
I have already written too much about this book and yet not really said anything about it. Oops. I'm trying not to write spoilers. And yet I just cannot seem to stop writing about the story. While Mallory is trying to figure out a way to get rid of the ghost, she and Armand get closer. And I loved that the very most. The romance in this book was just too cute. They were fully adorable together. Though I do wish the romance had been a little more, honestly. But it was also perfect, as there was just enough. They made me smile.
Armand was a mystery, though. Especially once Mallory starts to realize he might be the murderer, after a girl ends up dead. Which was all kinds of interesting to read about, to learn the truth of everything. I loved how she still wanted him, even when she thought he had killed someone, haha. Mallory was simply the best. All kinds of grim and dark and full of humor. I just loved her. Her sister was amazing too and I loved how close they were. I also loved that her sister was a part of the book too, that they were there together.
Anyway. Armand was such a precious one. We got to know him so well, and I kept loving him more and more. He loved plants. Which was too adorable. He was shy and sweet. And I honestly just adored him to pieces. I loved how he and Mallory fit together. I loved the time they spent together as well. Okay. So this book was more about the ghosts and the murders and trying to figure that out. Which was fun. And a little disturbing and creepy. I loved it. The details were a little gruesome at times. And I thought it was so good.
I have written too much. Yet not enough. But going to stop now. Just know that The House Saphir was such a perfect story. I loved every moment of it. It was an excellent fairy tale retelling of Bluebeard. But, honestly, I do not know much of the original tale. I just loved this one. I thought the ending was good too. Would have loved more, but it was enough. I'm so glad I decided to read this book right now. As this was just what I needed. And I truly loved all of it. I think you will all love this book as well. Go read it right now.
