so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Gallant” was a perfect spooky and creepy read for Halloween, but it fell a bit flat for me. I‘m typically a fan of V.E. Schwab‘s books, however I just wasn‘t that into the story and its characters. The illustrations were interesting, but I even had trouble liking the ending of the book. It‘s not a bad book or that it‘s badly written, it just wasn‘t 100% for me.
pickA young girl at an orphanage finds out that she has family that has been looking for her. But the estate she comes home to is shrouded in shadows and secrets, especially the stone wall beyond the garden with the iron gate.
The main beats of the story were pretty predictable, but there were enough fresh elements to keep it interesting, and I enjoyed having a main character that was non-verbal.
#bookspin #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks
BookSpin: Gallant
DoubleBookSpin: Lucky Day
These are both appropriate selections for October 😁 and I am only one book behind in my BookSpin list for the year, so I should be able to catch up this month.
pick5 Stars • Gallant by V.E. Schwab is a gothic fantasy about Olivia Prior, a mute orphan who sees ghouls and lives at Merilance School for Girls. A mysterious letter leads her to Gallant, a eerie family estate, where she meets her cousin Matthew and a few loyal servants. The manor holds dark family secrets tied to a shadowy, dangerous force. ⬇️
pickA dark, hauntingly beautiful ghost story that perfectly captures Schwab‘s signature eerie storytelling. With zero romance and a focus on atmosphere, identity, and the thin veil between the living and the dead, Schwab once again crafts a world that is twisted and gothic, but never overly graphic. A must-read if you like quiet horror and lyrical, immersive storytelling. Book #13 in 2025
pickListened to the audiobook and greatly enjoyed it. Lots of fantastic details throughout that keep you guessing but then come back together at the end perfectly. I loved the main character and seeing the world through her eyes. Perfect amount of horror and spookiness for someone who doesn‘t like scary books.
pickI am always pleased to read Schwab stories. She is a very gifted writer. She crafts vivid imaginative worlds with complex plots and supernatural or paranormal elements that permit her readers to flee into a realm beyond reality.
#darkfantasy #familycurse #familysecrets #demon #orphan #ghosts #manor #gothic #paranormal #supernatural #mystery #mute
so-soAnother book with a spooky house. Olivia thinks she is alone in the world when she suddenly receives a letter from an unknown relative inviting her home. When she arrives what she finds is not the warm family reunion of her dreams but instead a house inhabited by ghouls and a cousin who does not want her there. Olivia is not one to scare easily or to leave without answers. This started out strong and then fizzled as it went along.
Finally, I thought the idea of the “mirror-world“ was kind of interesting, but, in all honestly, it kind of felt like a rip-off of Coraline to me. That was my chief issue with this entire book: it just felt like a re-telling of popular dark fantasy/gothic tropes.
I would like to say that I particularly enjoyed the prevalence of art and imagery in this book. A part of me, however, wishes that the art was not included as a part of the book. It takes away from the whimsical and transitory nature of the way that the images are described.
pickI have mixed feelings about this book. The writing is great, love me some VE Schwab. The story was intriguing, despite at first feeling very similar to another book I've read recently. This would be a great autumn book, it's very moody and spooky. I loved the portrayal of the main character. She is mute and finds unique ways to communicate despite others not caring enough to try. The ending was just a bit disappointing for spoilery reasons
For my #weeklyfavorites, I‘m sharing the tagged book. This book was compared to the book The Secret Garden and I agree with that because The Secret Garden has a garden and this book has a dangerous garden. I thought that was interesting. This was the first book I‘ve read by V.E. Schwab and I enjoyed it. I think it‘s a good book to start with if you haven‘t read anything by her because it‘s a standalone book and it‘s short.
pickHere‘s my review for a book I just finished reading.
I‘m counting this book for a reading challenge:
Hecate | Goddess of Magic, Necromancy & Ghosts:
A book featuring necromancy - #greekmythologychallenge
I looked on Libby and saw that my hold came in for the #whimsicalreadsbookclub book for this month. This is perfect timing since we‘re discussing the book at the end of the month but it also means I‘m in a dilemma because I want to read Gallant to fulfill a reading challenge prompt but I also need to read my book club book. I think I‘ll read Gallant first since it‘s shorter and I‘ll borrow my book club book too because I need to read it.
so-soI thought I would like this book more than I did; I'm usually quite a fan of fantasy (especially dark fantasy) but it just felt like there was something... missing from this book, if that makes sense? No spoilers, but I thought that there were certain threads that were started at the beginning of the story that weren't followed up on, and I didn't like that Olivia's muteness is rendered as a non-issue at the end of the novel.
so-soRead this one for my SciFi book club. It was okay. I enjoyed the ending but I had trouble getting sucked in.
Thank you @Chrissyreadit for my #AllHallowsReadswap package. Gallant has been on my TBR since it came out and the other book looks interesting and the candy will probably be stolen by the boys lol. @MaleficentBookDragon
pickThis was a different side of her writing for me. The themes of silence were interesting as well as how different people/magic could communicate (or not) but could reach an understanding without a word. I liked the open ending that felt ominious or hopeful, depending on your mood.
pickThis was a very comforting read. The book was quite small, which is nice for now and then. I also liked how the disability of the main character wasn't the entire subject of the book.
The plot kept me reading, although there were several moment where I wished things whould have gone a different way, although I guess that's how things work.
pick4.4⭐️ Victoria Schwab has to be one of my all-time favorite authors, and she doesn‘t disappoint with this story. Gallant was dark and mysterious with rediscovering family and purpose. It‘s sad and hopeful and can give you some feels. It is a YA so it does read a little young, but all in all a great book.
pick4✨ read this really fast! It was too good to put down. We have a young girl who cannot speak left at a girl home when her mother disappears. All she has is her mothers journal show her slowly going crazy. One day she gets a letter to return home to her uncle. When she gets there there is a lot more happening than just some family drama.
OK, let‘s see if I can focus my attention a little bit more on my TBR list for the month as I present August #BookSpinBingo. I have some pretty big reads on here this month, but also some fun cozy mysteries that I‘m hoping balance things out. Still working on catching up my #FriendsPicForMe so this month I am reading Belinda and The Shadow Of What Was Lost. I do have a re-read on here because last time I sped through it, so I‘m rereading Bunny.
so-soI don't know about this one. I loved the idea of the story. It started out slow, but it was interesting so that was ok, but it stayed slow. Then all of the sudden it just seemed to hurry up and end. Just felt like there should have been more. Maybe I just wanted there to be more. It wasn't a bad book. Just left a lot to be desired I guess. I always feel bad saying I didn't like someone's work.
pickA rather simple story, but it is atmospheric and captive. The writing was nice and the concept was cool.
pickFinished this audio while helping to scrap the paint off the nursery floor. Today we are finishing it and I'm so happy. 38.5 weeks and my body is rebelling by swelling so this is not an easy task. (Any tips? Happy to hear!)
This book was so Gaiman-esque that I would have assumed that's who the author was had I not known. So if you're a fan of that fantasy/supernatural/gothic style, queue it up!
Also, mute heroine was great!
#bookreport #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks
#6 - Audio - 7 March - Hollow Places - 2.5 🌟
#7 - Audio - 8 March - Butcher & the Wren - 3.75🌟
#DoubleSpin
#17- 10 March - Gallant - 3.75🌟
A little blurb about each is below in the comments. Been super busy with getting back to work after the break. Managed to squeeze in reading and 2 audiobooks!
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY! 💕💕💕
I usually highlight some of my favorite classic women authors (Virginia Woolf, Jane Austen, Anne Bronte) on this day, but with the exciting bookish announcement that dropped earlier today I decided to feature one of my favorite contemporary women authors - V.E. Schwab! I absolutely adore her! 🥰💕📚
pickOlivia, Olivia, Olivia, a mute orphan, finds her family home and relatives she didn't know existed. Gallant is her home, but it exists on the border between two worlds. Olivia learns that home is a decision and death is an inevitability.
pickA gripping display of world-building and personality. Shadows that reach beyond the page and into what it is to face death amongst life and life amongst death.
Thank you so much @Gissy This book has been on my list for awhile and I‘ve read others by her so looking forward to it. We shall see if I have time to start it tonight. And the chocolate sounds super yummy, my favorite. #jolabokaflod
pickThis book is not intended for high suspense or adrenaline. That was not the purpose behind the writing of this book and Schwab makes that very clear from the get-go. Instead, it more reads like a detailed/extended fable or Grimm‘s fairy tale. It‘s something I like to call a “cozy read”. The writing style is paced, purposeful, and slowly sinks you into this beautiful story about chosen homes and making “thick or thin” choices for family. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Seeing as this is the newest book by one of my favorite authors, AND I‘ve been absolutely dying to read it, I just can‘t understand why I‘ve been putting it off for so long! It‘s been almost a year since it was released and I am more than ready to jump into this as my next read!
#fantasy #veschwab #addielarue #gallant #newread #bookworm #book #booklovers
pickDark Academia/ orphanage / magical - this book had so much depth for a YA novel. I almost feel like it shouldn‘t be one. It‘s deep, well written, and causes you to 💭 ponder.
When people see tears, they stop listening to your hands or your words or anything else you have to say. And it doesn‘t matter if the tears are angry or sad, frightened or frustrated. All they see is a girl crying.
so-soGood read for spooky month, but not a great read for me, personally. Read my full review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#gallant
Gallant | 
