With The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses, L.V. Russell will pull you in and hold you tight until the end. Maybe because I read this while I’d been experiencing thunderstorms and had lost power and thus was reading in the dark with only the light of my e-reader illuminating my room, but this one oozed atmosphere. The characters, setting, storyline, tone it all seemed to come together so perfectly. I found myself thinking about the story well after I’d finished, and that to me is the sign of a good book. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Thanks so much to Quill and Crow Publishing House and NetGalley for the eARC.

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The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses is one of the most beautiful gothic stories I've ever read. The lush storytelling presented here lingers long after the last word is read and continues to live in my head even now. I love the twists and dark secrets between these pages and the writing itself is magnificent. Russell has a real talent for writing poignant, heart stirring scenes that flow and intertwine with one another in a truly gorgeous way. I can't wait to read more from this author.

This was exactly the Rebecca-esque Gothic read I was hankering after. Beautiful writing and a decent pace, sent me through the entirety of this book in one sitting. If you’re a fan of Crimson Peak, or looking for a fairly short gothic read, then this is definitely the book for you.

This year I have read more gothic novels than I have in my entire life, and I have another one to add to the list.

The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses by L. V. Russell is a novel following a governess as she goes to live at Broken Oak Manor following an upset in the previous household she worked at, and from there things just feel off. This book very much gives Jane Eyre vibes. The pacing was kind of slow for the length of the book, and it was slightly difficult to get into. The writing spends a lot of time describing the scenery at the beginning of the book, which was not really for me, but around the 60 page mark, things start to pick up. I will admit, this book took a turn I was not expecting and I appreciated that.

Rating edit: 4.5 stars.

It doesn't happen immediately, but you have this sense of apprehension, a nagging feeling that something is wrong and something is going to happen.

The credit goes to the writing and storytelling. It's a strange book (the strangeness shall remain unnamed). And slow paced, but the writing is so beautiful that I ―someone who's not a fan of slow paced, descriptive writing ―did not mind. In fact I liked the way it evoked an eerie sensation and painted vivid imagery.

I'm impressed with the author's ability to describe the same things in different and equally beautiful manner. However, it did feel a tad repetitive at times. Just a little. The details of Kingsward House could have been cropped to a simple, short narrative, as it doesn't contribute to the story (and I didn't understand a certain thing that happened in that house).

The characterization is good, the conversation engaging; and the settings creepy, particularly that attic. I loved the bonding of Cassias and Theodora ―the protagonists. Theodora is one strong and lovely female protagonist. There are some beautiful lines in their conversation. Ottoline is so adorable. Certain things, at some point, might confuse you a bit, but hang in there, they're all meaningful.

Overall, a wonderfully creepy, mysterious and poignant read. Might remind you of Jane Eyre and Rebecca but it's different. Go for it, if you enjoy gothic/horror/mystery.

This book has all the makings of a Jane Eyre or Rebecca gothic mystery. A dark isolated mansion, a stern housekeeper, things that go bump in the night - oh and a scary attic. I loved the characters and the spooky setting.

This is a wonderful and eerie atmospheric and Gothic story perfect for fans of Jane Eyre and Crimson Peak. The characters were extremely well flushed out and the setting was superb. It was a short, but quick read that was highly enjoyable and one I will definitely recommend to others.

A massive thank you to NetGalley for this early copy of The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses by L. V. Russell.

I went into this not knowing too much but being intrigued by the blurb given on NetGalley. Right from the beginning, I was captivated by how beautifully written this was. Every page had such descriptive writing and really captivated you into the story. The chapters are also fairly short which made it a quick and easy read.

There were so many aspects to this story, and for a while I was left questioning what was really going on and the strange things that kept happening. Theodora’s struggle to deal with the coldness she receives from her Grandmother throughout the first part of the book, trying to contact her when she is away from home and she misses it terribly. And you soon come to discover why all of her letters to her Grandmother go unanswered.

Theodora takes on a new job as a governess for a young child, Ottoline Thorne and their relationship soon blooms into something strange yet also wholesome and full of love. Other relationships seem to be blooming too when Theodora meets another resident of Broken Oak Manor. What is deemed a scandal of the feelings Theodora has towards the Lord of the house, Cassias Thorne, that doesn’t stop them from sharing those feelings for one another and acting upon it. Even if the housekeeper disagrees and warns Theodora to be careful.

A number of creepy things seem to start occurring late into the night that wake Theodora and she has one person in mind who is behind the noises and all the running around at night, but she is wrong. As you learn throughout, that who she believed to be causing such a disturbance at night, has no part in it. Secrets of Broken Oak Manor are soon uncovered and Theodora is left questioning everything she believes in.

Overall I really enjoyed this story, I do think there could have been some more development of some of the aspects of the story and some of the relationships. It was a very short book, so I think there is room to add more and include some more details about the relationships.

A beautifully dark, gothic thriller.
The author has created a wonderful darkness in this story and you can not help but to be drawn into its murky depths. A mysterious tale, entangled with webs, uttered intriguing which inevitably builds your curiosity with each chapter. You can’t help but to endeavour to figure out what is truly going on.
A twisting and vivid narrative, beautifully constructed to give the reader an unhindered perspective of our protagonist's world.
A lovely and unexpected end has you entirely at the edge of your seat.

A Delightful and entirely enjoyable read.

I just reviewed The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses by L.V. Russell. #TheQuietStillnessofEmptyHouses #NetGalley

The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses is a book completely out of my comfort zone. But the cover of this book intrigued me, and I just gravitated towards it. I am so glad that I read it.

A very Gothic inspired book that is reminiscent of Jane Eyre, this book is the story of Theodora who can listen to the voices of the houses. She can feel the echoes of the homes she lives in. Theodora travels to a house where, as a governess to a little girl, she is finding an adventure.

This book is a ride. Nothing is as it appears. The twist is everything. Is the ending predictable? I didn't see it coming. I had my doubts, but it's still thrilling to read it. I usually don't read horror fiction, and this book, to be honest, is not proper horror. I finished this book in one sitting and really enjoyed it.

Thank you, Quill and Crow Publishing House and Netgalley, for this book.

This is a wonderful little Gothic story with fantastic atmosphere and very well drawn characters. Though it is only a novella (less than 200 pages) the slow burning storytelling makes it feel like a longer, more engrossing read. I guessed the punchline but that in no way spoiled my immense enjoyment of this deliciously eerie tale. Highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I would say it's perfect for fans of Jane Eyre and the film Crimson Peak. Complete with a gothic atmosphere and a great twist that wasn't the one I was expecting at all!

That being saqid, I do feel like there may have been some plot holes - why did Theodora's carriage wreck? ...amongst a few other things that just nagged at me a little.

All in all, a great short read that I definitely would recommend.
4.5/5 stars

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Theodora, having to leave her last governess duties behind embarks on a new adventure.

But her new governess placement is surrounded by darkness literally and figuratively, strange noises at every corner, and a wandering lord in the hallways at night.

A gothic novel reminisicent of Jane Eyre in all the best ways.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Theodora Corvus decides to take the job as governess to Ottoline Thorne in Broken Oak. She soon realizes that something is not quite right with the house and its tenants.
Well this was a lovely spooky read. And the twist at the end was totally unexpected and I loved it. It made the whole story better.
I quickly fell in love with the characters and was really curious to get to the bottom of the story. The author did a great job in creating the gothic atmosphere – the rain, the coldness, the darkness…
Around the middle of the story it got a bit dragged out but the ending made up for it!
I would definitely recommend it! Especially during rainy days.

What can I say about this book. It's a Gothic haunted house type novel. The romance between the characters was lovingly paced throughout the book.

It started out at a slow pace, building up the creepiness/spookiness of old houses, then the pace picked up.

The descriptions of the mood, locations and certain moments were giving spooky vibes and vibrant imagery throughout the entire book. I fell in love with them from the start.

The final third up till the twist, I thought I had an idea of where it was going, I didn't expect the full picture. Definitely felt like a gut punch a couple of times.

Will definitely check out more of the author's style of writing and novels.

“This world needs less well-mannered women, Theodora.”

This gothic novel is everything i enjoy in life. Haunted houses, mysterious absence of people, restless unease and an unrelenting MFC.

“Should I allow my house to be overrun with wild things, Theodora?”

An eerie stillness. Mysterious absences of people. Closed off parts of giant manor homes. Strange sounds and unexplained events.

All of these are things that make up a good Gothic story. And The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses is a good Gothic story. It has the faint, restless unease that follows our main character, Theodora, as she works as a governess at Broken Oak Manor. A manor with one housekeeper and a Lord, Cassias, that seems broken and lost and not sure how to care for his daughter, Ottoline. Theodora is there, caring for them both, in a way. She provides a sharp counterpoint to the festering wounds that surround the house and its' occupants. Her own life is not without sorrows, but at Broken Oak, they only serve to give her insight into her new companions and their apparent predicaments.

As with any Gothic tale, it is only in the end, after Theodora builds relationships with both Ottoline and Cassias, that the strange occurrences and air of melancholy finally take shape in a twist both familiar and yet somewhat unexpected. The story may have been short, but it wove a deft tale of life and hope, and understanding. Theodora mentions that she has "an affinity for things that refuse to know their place." That seems to be both a truth and a lie for all of the people at Broken Oak. For stories like this know their place, and yet also seek to break out of it just enough to make themselves a little more interesting.

4 stars

This was a wonderfully creepy, very gothic mystery with a delightful romance and a pretty big twist. I have a weakness for spooky stories about old houses so this was right up my alley. The set up is wonderful and Theodora is delightful as a character. The time period feels beautifully drawn and the settings are each so vividly done. There are three houses in this story overall and I love how each was written to feel distinctly quite different.

The story really picks up when Theodora gets to Broken Oak. There's a lot of spooky, mysterious things going on almost immediately and yet there also manages to be a pleasant almost cozy feeling. Then Cassias comes onto the scene. He was wonderfully written in a way that made him both sincerely very likeable yet also left one wondering about his true motives. The romance, though rather quick did feel mostly very believable.

It was also pretty easy to love Ottoline and even Mrs. Rivers, despite all her sharp edges. There were so many characters in this that were deftly drawn so they were easy to love. I felt so many things about Theodora's grandmother and her subtle ways of being very loving.

Then there is the plot, which I found quite enjoyable. The writing and that gradually deepening feeling of unease and dread, the dark hallways, all were written wonderfully. I was drawn in, trying to puzzle out the mysteries and feeling that horrible unease as the resolution drew closer. I was almost expecting the reveal when it arrived and yet it still caught me off guard.

After that there was a bit more to the ending and the ending was satisfying, yet held its own kind of uneasy element that will certainly keep me thinking about it for sometime. Overall this was a wonderfully spooky, relatively quick read, that manages some pleasant coziness and some genuine romance in the midst of a frightening story. My first read by the author but I am very curious to see what else she's written now. I do love a good ghostly tale and this hit the spot for me.

Thank you NetGalley for my e-arc of this book

This novella did not disappoint. A very gothic and eerie setting, There were good twists that kept me wanting to read the next chapter. It reads a bit slowly, like any classic gothic novel. I loved her writing style. I will be sure to check out this author. 4 Stars

This was amazing! I loved this so much. It kept me engrossed in the story. Loved it!! Very Gothic and I loved every word of it!!

I just reviewed The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses by L.V. Russell. #TheQuietStillnessofEmptyHouses #NetGalley
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