Thank you Netgally for my copy in return for an honest opinion

This is a fantastic read! This book is so well constructed and clear from the off set. Every new paragraph and chapter starts with an atomspheric description, and it creates such a lovely image in your mind of the setting, and this is kept up throughout.

It was clear to me that something wasn't quite right about the set up at Broken Oak. The pace is so well done. I found towards the end I was trying to read as quickly as possible to inhale what was going on. This is such a refreshing new read to stumble on and I am thoroughly glad I was given then opportunity to read this. Excellent read I will be recommending to my friends. Thank you

Thank you so much to NetGalley and LV Russell for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses coming out May 17, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Theodora Corvus has always felt things deeply, in tune with the feelings of others and close to the nature around her. She can hear the whispers and creaks of her deteriorating family home. She can hear the whispers of Kingsward Manor, her new place of employment. She sees the watchers by the dark lake, dark-eyed and waiting. But Broken Oak is silent. Broken Oak is empty.

When Theodora takes the job as governess to young Ottoline Thorne, she leaves her beloved grandmother and the ruins of her childhood home to travel far north to Broken Oak Manor. There, she finds a house filled with dark secrets. Under the stern guidance of the foreboding housekeeper, Theodora quickly learns how to navigate the long and dark corridors of Broken Oak, only to find herself strangely drawn to the mysterious lord of the manor. But a mysterious figure walks the hallways after midnight, their footsteps leading to the attic. The only place in the large house that is never silent.

As her scandalous feelings for Cassias Thorne grow, Theodora works to find out the secrets of Broken Oak. Who wanders the house in the dark? Where is the Lord Thorne’s wife? What lies behind the locked attic door? Will Theodora find out the dangers before it’s too late?

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I loved the Jane Eyre, gothic feel of the book. There’s also this movie called Firelight that it reminded me of. It actually caught me by surprise because I didn’t see the ending coming. I loved it! I loved the characters and the story. The quotes for each chapter were a lovely touch. I definitely want to check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical gothic stories!

Theodora Corvus is a young, bright woman who loves being a governess and searching for ghosts. She enjoys her life, but her grandmother wishes for her to get out and explore the world. When she learns of a governess position that has opened up at a manor hours away, Theodora believes she’s found the perfect compromise to what she and her grandmother both want. Though her arrival at Broken Oak was a bit rough, Theodora finds herself quickly settling into her new position. All seems to be going well until strange things start happening around the manor. Footsteps when no one is there, dolls moving on their own, phantom screams… Theodora is convinced the manor is haunted and can’t help but question if the other occupants know. Because if they do, then that would mean they brought her to her own damnation.
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This was a decent book, but it was very slow. Gothic-horror usually is and is filled with little nuances and is all about mood, but when it comes to ghosts I’ll always want an investigation behind it. Knowing gothic-horror isn’t necessarily set up like that but still expecting it is my fault so there’s no blame whatsoever to the author or the book. so moving away from that, I just want add that the author’s descriptive writing was fantastic and I enjoyed the characters as well as the ending. I just wish the majority of the book wasn’t paced as slowly as it was - maybe a little more *pointed* foreshadowing might’ve helped? But I think i’m okay with this not doing it for me and I’d still recommend this bc the bones of the story are strong and the ending was super worth it.

A wonderfully woven tale that has you guessing from the very start.

I must admit I didn't know what to expect when I started this story, and I'm glad that I gave it a go. It definitely kept me intrigued. The reveals were well done, and the characters interesting. The ending definitely had me surprised and very satisfied.

Will definitely check out this authors other works.

Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC, all opnions are my own.

I really enjoyed this slow, spooky novella. The opening lines in particular caught my attention, and I loved the writing style throughout. The middle part of the book was fairly slow, but the writing was so beautiful that it didn't bother me too much.
Theodora's and Cassias' relationship seemed to move a bit quickly, but I understood as it's a very short book. I also liked Cassias a lot.
I definitely wasn't expecting the twist at the end: with all of the similarities to Jane Eyre plus the quotes from Jane Eyre, I was expecting something more similar to what happens in that book. I loved what actually happened, though, and the ending was so bittersweet.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

A beautifully written, gothic thriller following the story of Theodora. Although I did enjoy the reading experience, the twist was not a shock and I picked up on it before the reveal. The descriptions throughout add so much character to the novel, and enhanced the story.

haunting, romance, and lushly gothic, this was such a immersive read and such a well done ode to jane eyre and such gothic classics, definitely what i’ve been in the mood for as of late and served it’s purpose perfectly

highly recommend checking it out!!!

Story that delivers on the title. Quiet, lyric, and utterly gothic. I'm honestly disappointed that there isn't a Lady Running Away From A House on the cover, because that would make it a perfect 5 stars. If you like the Bröntes, cursed houses, and strange romance, this is your book.

Really enjoyed this one. Considering I don't normally read about governesses or Lords of manors, this was unexpectedly brilliant. I enjoyed the concept of this book, the twists and turns it took me through, and the creepy vibes as well. I enjoyed getting to know Theodora and the life she led. It's definitely one to pick up, and it's quite a quick short read as well.

Overall this was a short but fairly well written gothic story. I will not comment too much on the story because I do not want to give away the twist. The beginning felt like an unnecessarily long build up to her placement where the actual meat of the story began to take place.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Quill and Crow Publishing House for this opportunity to rate review and read this arc which is available May 17,2023!

This book is a hauntingly atmospheric gothic read. It sucks you in. Sorrow, suspense, romance and a gothic manor. Oh how I loved it. It was a cinematic read. Like I could see the characters, the rooms, the manor and the whole backdrop of the book in my minds eye.

This book was different then I was expecting (even though I didn’t really know what to expect lol) however it was really good and very interesting. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

OH MY GOSH THAT ENDING TWIST. When you pick this one up, don’t you dare stop early! The end is the BEST.

Overall, this was a quick read with gorgeous prose and easy to love characters. At first I thought this would be an average read as I was certain the direction the story was going already. But then the twist happened and I realized I had been so cleverly tricked! It definitely raised the rating up a star for me. Just so good!

I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good Gothic or creepy story. It’s a fast read and very unique.

Thank you to netgalley for the early copy!

This was a great read. I initially was skeptical and it was hard to imagine where the book was going, but within a few chapters this book really grabs you and captivates the reader. My only wish after reading this book was that there could've been more. I must admit, I pride myself on being able to guess the ending of a book prior to the reveal but this one definitely got me! Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of 'The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses' upon release and be prepared to share it in your next book club meeting. This book did a great job of keeping the somber and almost gothic element going while also keeping the reader hopeful for the love story. This book is a 10/10, will be reading again!

A beautiful written gothic romance novel/short story. The prose is incredibly gripping, especially with the big twist you don't see coming. This does have a slow start and takes a while to get going but it is worth sticking with this for a great book.

Book Review: "The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses" by L.V.Russell

In my opinion, the book is a solid 4.4 out of 5. In terms of writing, I did like the writing style, the author kept the ghostly, mysterious, and scary plot fast-paced, but lingering at the right times. I enjoyed the writing very much. It was scary and dark at times, but it was sprinkled with love and yearning, and even passion. There were times in which the main character, Theodora Corvus, would be funny, but just enough to light up the mood and maintain the sense of awareness throughout.

I enjoyed that the main character Theodora, and the other three (Cassias, Ottoline, and Mrs. Rivers) were different, important, well-described, and not annoying. I enjoyed each one of the characters by themselves and when together.

I also enjoyed the backstory of Theodora, was short, but provided the foundation to understand her personality, her fragility, and her strength.

The book was fast-paced, there were parts in which it could go deeper on the characters, or explain with more detail what is happening or has happened to some of the characters, but was written to keep you on your toes, and the end, the twist, was not expected. Even though I was truly aware that it was going to be a twist towards the end, and tried to put the pieces together, still it was surprising. I enjoyed the end very much.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍. 𝑰𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎. 𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔, 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒈𝒐.

Firstly I’d like to thank Quill and Crow Publishing and L.V. Russel for providing this eARC in exchange for a honest review!

The Quiet Stillness of Empty houses is a gothic, mysterious and romantic tale with exquisite writing that creates a deliciously dark and eerie atmosphere. The writing style is truly immaculate, the prose is lyrical and haunting- it worked so well with this book. I love the atmosphere L.V. Russel has created in this book, there is a constant sense of uneasiness and grief which really immerses you in the story- there were scenes where my heart was actually pounding and scenes that made me break out in a cold sweat. I feel like it is better not to share too much of the main plot because it’s one of those books where you just have to experience it by yourself but I promise this book gripped me from the start and I read the entire thing in one sitting. The mystery surrounding Cassias and Broken Oak Manor is built up so well, I had a lot of theories as I read but I never could have guessed the ending! The horror in this book are done really well, there are some really creepy scenes but I think the thing that really makes this such a good horror is the constant sense of unease created by the setting, it makes you as a reader constantly on edge which really adds to the experience. Honestly, this book honestly has all the features you could want in gothic literature- chilling atmosphere, mysterious secrets, supernatural forces and a passionate romance.

"𝑰𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑?" 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔, 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕. "𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚, 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒂? 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒐 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒑𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆. 𝑰𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑?“

Another aspect I adored about this book was the characters. For such a short book, the characters are brilliantly fleshed-out and well written. I really loved the main character, Theodora, because she was responsible, kind and overall a really likeable character. However, underneath all her kindness and manners there is grief and loneliness (which is sort of an underlying theme for the book) and it adds complexity to her character. Cassias is also a really great character- charming and passionate but has a lot of mystery surrounding him. He was a character that constantly has me guessing- is he trustworthy, is he not- he’s a perfect example of a gothic male lead. The romance between these two characters was beautiful and passionate, they had just the right amount of tension between them and they had some really deep conversations- the chemistry was on point. Ottoline was also a great character because she was so sweet and really wise for her age but again, underneath that there is something really off and mysterious about her. She could be really sweet in one moment and then say something leaving you really unsettled in the next. Her relationship with her father, Cassias, was really wholesome and made me smile a lot and her developing relationship with Theodora was one of the highlights of this book!

This book really rekindled my love for horror and might be my favourite book this year. I can’t recommend it enough, if you love a romantic, gothic horror then do yourself a favour and get this book!

This book was just sweet. In all honesty I can't think of much more to say than that. It was just a sweet little story about grief and found family with a Darcy Coates-ish twist. It made me happy and after a kind of meh day it was exactly what I didn't know I needed. This was simply a wonderfully and simply written ghost story with an ending that took it from a four star read to a five star read.

Definitely recommend to fans of Darcy Coates or really anyone who loves a good ghost story.

And as always thanks to Netgalley and Quill and Crow Publishing House for the eArc!

To be super honest, this book wasn’t my favorite but I didn’t hate it. I was glad it was more of a short story, because the writing style was what I really struggled with. I am glad that I stuck it out because, even though I would never read this again, I’d recommend others give it a try because k thought the plot was intriguing and kept me engaged!

So, if you are interested in a short gothic horror story, with lots of intrigue and a great plot twist, I would highly recommend this book.

But, my rating stands at a 3/5, if I sleep on it and change my mind, I may adjust, but I think that accurately reflects my reading experience.

Many thanks in to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

Cassian and Theodora deserve the world.
This took me by surprise ! Such a good read.
Super compelling, really good worldbuilding.
A beautiful romance story.

I LOVED the writing.
It was everything you would expect and want from a gothic romance novel.
I felt the twist coming but did not realise it until i read it, which was great!