Book Review: The Witch of Painted Sorrows by M.J. Rose

The Witch of Painted Sorrows (The Daughters of La Lune #1) by M.J. Rose
Published Date: March 17th, 2015
Format: eARC from Netgalley

Possession. Power. Passion. New York Times bestselling novelist M. J. Rose creates her most provocative and magical spellbinder yet in this gothic novel set against the lavish spectacle of 1890s Belle Époque Paris.

Sandrine Salome flees New York for her grandmother’s Paris mansion to escape her dangerous husband, but what she finds there is even more menacing. The house, famous for its lavish art collection and elegant salons, is mysteriously closed up. Although her grandmother insists it’s dangerous for Sandrine to visit, she defies her and meets Julien Duplessi, a mesmerizing young architect. Together they explore the hidden night world of Paris, the forbidden occult underground and Sandrine’s deepest desires.

Among the bohemians and the demi-monde, Sandrine discovers her erotic nature as a lover and painter. Then darker influences threaten—her cold and cruel husband is tracking her down and something sinister is taking hold, changing Sandrine, altering her. She’s become possessed by La Lune: A witch, a legend, and a sixteenth-century courtesan, who opens up her life to a darkness that may become a gift or a curse.

This is Sandrine’s “wild night of the soul,” her odyssey in the magnificent city of Paris, of art, love, and witchery.

Sandrine leaves her home from the states- mostly because of her toxic husband, but because she wanted to get away from everything and start anew back in Paris. Knowing that she has a relative back in Paris, she decides to return back to her... but she didn't come back to a heartwarming welcome. In fact, she's told that it would be better for her health if she returned back to the states with her husband.

Not a sort of welcome anyone would want to receive, right? But, even worse, she realizes that the old home that her parents used to live in... she was no longer able to visit anymore. In fact, she's not even allowed to walk inside of it anymore. Her grandmother claimed that it was for her safety, and that it was too dangerous for her to go in, but... Sandrine isn't convinced that it's the truth.

When she finally manages to sneak in the house, she discovers a man called Julien. He has been hired to fix up the house so, that way, the house would be perfectly set up as a sort of small museum for all the treasures that are left behind or what Sandrine's grandmother wanted displayed.

This seems simple, but soon Sandrine finds herself entranced by this man. Soon after, it doesn't take long before she finds another side of herself that she never expected. But she discovers that this is not just another side of her... it may be something that has been haunting her and the females in her family for generations... and there may be no way to end it.

I don't want to say much more about this story because of spoilers, but this is a wonderful read. The writing and the story is magical and beautiful. I have never read any of M.J. Rose's books before I snatched this one up but, if their future books are anything like this one, I will be more than willing to read more of their books in the future.

Minor warning, though: there are graphic sexual scenes in this book. If that's not your thing, I wouldn't read this. It's a fairly integral part of the story so I wouldn't recommend skipping around it. Either way, it's written so well that I honestly didn't mind it as much as I usually would. It did help that it's actually a part of the plot and not there just for the sake of things.

I highly recommend this book. Check it out when you get the chance!