goyvonreads's Reviews (444)

An easy, funny, read in between book.

Rosalie Corwin lives in darkness—literally. A rare and deadly sun allergy confines her to the shadows, and a looming prophecy predicts her death before she turns eighteen. Her overbearing mother claims to be seeking a cure, but her “treatments” start feeling more like punishment. When Rosalie sneaks out one night and meets Cal—and the mysterious girl in white by the lake—her world begins to crack open.

This book is a beautifully eerie mix of gothic horror, twisted fairy tale, and magical realism. The pacing is fast, the tone dark and emotional, and the sense of mystery kept me hooked. While the writing style is fairly simple, it worked in the book’s favor—making a heavy, emotionally intense story easy to devour. I especially liked Rosalie as a main character; her determination and vulnerability made me like her. She feels something is wrong with her mom and she starts doubting her conditions, but is not able to pinpoint what is really going on.

The character of Fran, the housekeeper, added some tension, though I found her a bit pushy and inconsiderate at times, despite her efforts to help.

Towards the end, more characters were added to the story, which really helped to move the plot along. We finally got to meet the previous housekeeper, who had been with the family for a long time, but was fired at one point.

The plot surprised me in places without being completely unpredictable, and I appreciated the mix of character depth and story momentum.

If you're into emotionally complex stories with family secrets, atmospheric settings, and a touch of the supernatural, this one's worth picking up.