We Are The Witches Here, Lord Saphir. It Is The Monsters Who Should Be Bothered By Us.

I recently finished reading The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT

  Rating: 3.75/5 stars

"Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien's great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu's ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.

But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself."

While I’ve never read a Bluebeard retelling before, this one definitely piqued my interest. Meyer does an excellent job of weaving in the dark, suspenseful elements of the original tale while creating something fresh and compelling.

One of the standout aspects of the book for me was the dynamic between the characters, particularly Mallory and Anais. Their relationship reminded me a lot of Donatella and Scarlett from Caraval—that mix of sibling tension, loyalty, and secretive intrigue. It added a layer of depth to the story that kept me hooked.

As for the love story, I wasn’t completely sold on it. It felt a bit rushed and, for me, not entirely believable. However, this didn’t take away from the overall experience. The plot was fast-paced and action-packed, and I found myself invested in the mystery and the twists that kept coming. The intrigue surrounding House Saphir kept me on my toes, and I really appreciated how she kept things exciting.

A small critique I had was with Mallory's character. At times, she felt a little naive, especially in certain situations where I thought she should have been more cautious. Still, she’s a likable protagonist, and her journey through the story was satisfying.

Check out House Saphir, and discover what happens when a witch messes with a monster.

Happy Reading :)