3.5 ⭐️

I’m not gonna lie, this book had me hooked.

It centers on Alecto, a half-mortal, half-witch student at a school of witches who considers her lesser. She is a member of the House of Snakes and is engaging the other Houses in a deadly game while also trying to deal with Blaze Leveau, her arch-enemy.

I liked the relationship between Blaze and Alecto, the setting of a dark academia, the dual points of view, the illustrations, and of course THE SPICE. 🔥 I find some of the writing a little cringey, and the lack of information on the other houses and individuals is also frustrating.

Thank you to Karolina Wilde and NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5⭐️ This book was entertaining and I liked the world the book was set in. I love books with magic, witches, and other creatures so this book was fun because of that. I feel like think book had a lot going on and there were many storylines unfinished, so I am hoping that some of the questions I have will be answered in the next book. This book did feel pretty long, but I still enjoyed it. I LOVED the art that was included throughout the book!

Themes in the book:
-Dark Academia
-Fantasy
-Witches, magic, and other magical creatures
-Boarding school setting
-Bully Romance

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC for my honest opinion.

⚠️ BE ADVISED, THERE IS A LIST OF TRIGGER WARNINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BOOK. ⚠️ This novel is for 18+

This is my 400th post and I couldn’t be happier that it is this book.

#harrypotter #darkacademia #dramoine #slytherin #spicy

From start to finish this had me hooked.
The writing is phenomenal and I felt like I was there, experiencing life as a Snake 🐍

The bully romance was intriguing, tho toxic af 😅 This is where you get Dramione vibes ❗️and I loved it ❗️

Some of the things the characters do the “good of the game” are a little mind blowing. This will definitely appease those who love morally grey characters.

I was upset when I clicked the link to preview book 2 and it didn’t work 🤣

Thank you @karolinawilde and @netgalley for graciously allowing me to preview this book. I am impatiently waiting book 2 ♥️ #houseofpain is available Dec 6

Thank you NetGalley and the author for this ARC!

I started reading this one without even remembering the blurb and it was a really really nice surprise. House of Pain is a dark fantasy taking place in the prestigious Venefica academy where we follow Alecto Black, a half-blooded witch in her 2nd year.

It does remind me of Zodiac Academy for a few thing :
- the plot revolved around the different houses competing against each others,
- Alecto and Blake relationship echoes Tory and Darius,
- Spicy, funny, dark academia setting...

Most of the characters are enjoyable, and I really love seeing Alecto finds her place more and more in the house and within the Inner Circle, discovering herself and growing even more fierce, fiery and brave. You really watch her becoming a morally grey heroine, embracing her witchy nature, and it works for her!

The book was around 900 pages and was an easy, fast-paced reading. I really recommend this to anyone who loved Zodiac Academy or anyone who love magic, dark romance and morally grey characters. I can't wait to re-read the book when is out and to discover the sequel as well!

I felt like House of Pain wanted to be a lot of things but did not fully succeed at any of them.

It is a dark, bully romance with morally black characters, enemies to lovers vibes but it doesn’t have enough plot or substance to succeed in all areas.

It’s kind of unnecessarily crude right off the bat. Like it is trying to prove its 18+ rating but it comes off as unnecessary and silly that the characters are swearing at each other every five seconds. Even with the sex angle in the book, for a group of witches that practice “sex magic”, there is not a lot of sex in their magic.

So much of the world building is either dumped on the reader or not explained at all. It felt like I was starting a book 2 or something where the world had already been set up in book 1.

Characters are an array of ethnicities and orientations though the main cast of characters are white and straight. They also aren’t necessarily likeable characters. Think gossip girl chatty and back stabbing. Characters are named and mentioned at the drop of a hat and though all don’t need explanations, some do and you don’t get it as a reader.

The further the story went along, the less of a main character Alecto felt like. So many plot points were introduced and then never touched on again. Some of these had the potential to be super compelling and interesting but without giving the reader a bit more to chew on, they fell flat. It is the beginning of a Trilogy but for me not enough happened with the characters development or with the plot in order to encourage me to read the next book.

This book is touted as 18+ and "extremely steamy," but it felt quite juvenile to me. There was sex, a decent amount of sex, but more so there was just a lot of referring to sex or saying cock or fucking, etc. There was far less actual sex than I figured there would be.

Alecto is a half-witch who comes from the most powerful witch family, and Blaze is a fullblood who comes from what I assume is the second most powerful witch family. They are in the same House together, which is like the same magical sorority or something. The story is pretty much just going back and forth between their perspectives as they live their lives and play "the game." They smoke a lot of pot, they drink a lot, they party, they fuck, and they try to win the game which is essentially them trying to steal the magical grimoires from the other Houses while trying to make sure theirs isn't stolen.

Alecto is a wet napkin. She so badly wants to fit in that it's just pathetic. This is one of the things that makes the book read so young to me. All she cares about is fitting in and gaining approval of her peers. She's incredibly one-dimensional and juvenile.

Blaze is just a douche. His dad is mean to him and makes him play sports, so he treats everyone around him like garbage and tries to make Alecto's life hell because he thinks she's got parental love that he doesn't have, and he's jealous. The choices he makes time and again do not really jive with what we're experiencing from his perspective.

I couldn't really get invested in "the game" because none of the characters are terribly likeable, so I didn't care who would win. The rules for the game also weren't really explained, and it's hard to get into something you don't totally understand.

I did think that the slow burn between Alecto and Blaze was pretty well done, though it could have been better. There were a lot of times that both of them did things that didn't really make sense.

I would have preferred if the author made more use of side characters. The summoned guardian is pretty much nonexistent until it's convenient to move the plot forward. Andro, Val, and Jolene are likewise underutilized. It could have made things a lot more interesting. It also would have been better if there was a more structured/cohesive and less meandering plot. I would have also liked more of the magical side of things. This leaned a lot more Gossip Girl than it did Harry Potter.

All that bitching aside, I read it in a day, and if the next one comes my way, I'll read it too.

4.5*
This book is a dark-fantasy-romance-academia. It's like Harry Potter for adults, if it were focused on the Slytherins and with a lot of spice. This book is about the students from the very prestigious magical school Venefica. Mostly centered around the House of Snakes, particularly Alecto and Blaze during the "Game" which consists of a sort of competition between the Houses that happens each year.

I always thought I hated the "Bully Romance Trope" but maybe this book converted me? I loved Alecto and Blaze's relationship: the hate, the angst, the scheming and the revenge. It was a GREAT time.

This book had me hooked and I couldn't put it down. With morally grey characters, an interesting enough plot and some steam, it was very entertaining. I can't wait to read the sequel!

3.75/5

This is a dark academia bully romance where the two main characters, Alecto and Blaze, cycle between enemies to FWB back to enemies and so on. Despite their physical chemistry that continues to draw them back to one another, they really are enemies, especially from Blazes side. Like attempted murder. We love it.

I found the plot of the Games to be an interesting concept but I actually wish there was more worldbuilding and background into the school's hierarchy and purpose of the Games. There is never a description of why the Houses are competing against eachother in the first place, and the students hardly ever spend time in a classroom I forget they're supposed to be in school. Also, the plot doesn't start in the main character's first year, so some of the relationship dynamics are hard to understand.

Additionally, I wish some of the side characters had a bit more fleshing out. I really liked Jolene, and I think Rogue could have been used so much more to add intrigue and jealously into the relationship.

Overall I found the book enjoyable and plan on reading the sequel!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, netgalley for this read. I'm kind of split with this one. I enjoyed some if it, but I wasn't as hooked as I thought I would be. It is dark and magical, but pay attention to trigger warnings if you're sensitive about some things. The spice was next level and I did enjoy the characters.

The friction between the MC was fantastic, and it story was wonderfully described.
I can't wait for the next installment!

Thank you Net Galley for the e-book!
Defiantly an interesting premise and I love a good dark fantasy. Overall it wasn't my favorite but I can see why people would enjoy it. I think it just wasn't for me. Definitely similar I would say to Zodiac Academy in some ways.

House of Pain is a new book by Karolina Wilde.
In this book, Alecto Black goes to a boarding school for witches. Unfortunately for her, she is only half a witch and faces a lot of prejudice for it. All the students are sorted into houses, and every year they have to play the Game. This year, Alecto is determined to win.
I liked few things about this book. It was an interesting premise, and could have been a very interesting book. Unfortunately, this plot is barely focused on. Even by the end of the book, I was unclear on what the Game was, they never explain it. What the book is focused on is the "romance" between Alecto and Blaze Leveau, the local Bad Boy. This also could have been good, but it fell into the same tropes as all the others. Namely, they get together, break up, get back together, break up again...and so on. Despite the awful things that Blaze does to her (trying to kill her a few times) she never actually makes him suffer for it, she just forgives. For a character who is meant to be strong and independent, this really undermines her.
I would recommend this book for younger readers (mid teens) who are more interested in romance than plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the ARC!

House of Pain is an adult fantasy novel about Alecto Black, a half-witch attending her second year at Venefica Academy in the world of In this. During this school year, Alecto and the other members of her academy house have to partake in the deadly witch games.

"There was not a single day in her life when she didn’t have to fight to prove her own worth. To belong in a world that didn’t want her."

This book felt like the love child of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Euphoria. While I thought the idea and premise of the book were great, it fell a little flat for me, which is a bummer because it had a lot of potential, but I found myself reading to finish rather than to progress the plot.

One of the areas where I feel this book could be more substantial is the world-building. There were so many things about the characters and the academy that I wanted to learn more about. Like what is the significance of each house of students being a different animal? Or the background on why witches hate the mortals and the purpose of the witch games at the academy. The book read more like the second book in a series where the reader is expected to know what all these things mean rather than a first book that is supposed to lay down the foundation of the world we're in.

When I first started reading, I had imagined the witch games to be similar to the Hunger Games or like Harry Potter and the goblet of fire. Instead, the game felt like a slow burn, with each house going about it in its own way. I had a hard time following along with it because I wasn't entirely sure what the end goal of these games was. It was another area where I would have loved to have more context and detail.

The central trope used in this book was an enemies-to-lovers romance between the female and male main character. While I'm a sucker for this trope, I feel it didn't stick with me. The book starts with them being enemies, and I had a hard time understanding why they were enemies until around 50% of the book. And even then, the reason behind them being enemies didn't feel strong enough for the significant actions between the two of them.

A couple of things that I did love, however, were the length of the chapters. Each chapter was around 8-12 minutes long, which made it perfect for reading in small bursts throughout the weeks. I also really loved the illustrations in the book! I loved seeing the artwork of Alecto and Blaze, especially in the way the author pictured them. It added a nice touch to the book!

Overall, the book has an exciting plot and a lot of potential but unfortunately missed the mark with world-building and context.

Every since I first heard about this book, I’ve been interested in reading it. I like the idea of a bully romance set in an academic setting with a lot of magic and competition. I was put off a little bit by the summary mentioning Dramione (bc of the crap JKR has done). Setting that aside, I kept reading and this book had me hooked. It read like a fanfic that you would find on AO3, which I mean in the best way possible, but it held its own. This was a really good quick, spicy, spooky book that was littered with politics and dark academic tropes. This book compares itself to The Atlas Six and Ninth House, and although I’ve not yet read Ninth House, I can say that this book was more of what I was expecting when reading The Atlas Six.

I wanted to enjoy this but just didn't. I've seen this compared to Zodiac Academy, but I hated that series... So if you liked that, you might like this one.

Dark and addictive, Hogworts wouldn't stand a chance against this crew of witches. No one can be trusted and friends are just as bad as enemies, if not worse, yet they somehow manage to keep each other alive. Secrets and suspense to the max, be prepared.

“Karma is a bitch, I suppose.”
Witches didn’t believe in karma. It was a moral thing.
If they did, they would never get a decent night’s sleep.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Karolina Wilde for the opportunity to consume this ARC!

House of Pain is a *DARK* fantasy, appropriately coined “Harry Potter meets Gossip Girl.” Throughout our time at Venefica we follow the half-witch, half-mortal, Alecto Black. There are what seem to be a myriad of houses (I counted seven) in which the college-age students are divided into. There is a huge competition between houses that is the main focus of the plot - there’s betrayal, sex, drugs, and magick…sometimes all at the same time. This book is definitely not for a prude reader: this book is HOT off the presses.

I was captivated by this story - I’ll admit that at first I was a bit overwhelmed by all the specific details and the academic world building along with sex magick from the getgo…but the first 5% of the book definitely sets the tone and the pace for the rest of the book. You will not be bored!! This book is full of twists.

Blaze’s dad and Alecto’s mom were romantic with one another once upon a time and *spoiler alert* that’s definitely a big part of this story - the toxic romance between these two. There is a demon that was summoned early on named “Rogue” who I was really rooting for as the love interest, so I guess I was a bit disappointed when she ends up pining for this extremely horny witch boy haha. I wasn’t really fond of the way Blaze was written, he was a bit cringey to me. I loved when Alecto gave him the business and put him in his place:

“I’m not here to be your play thing when Val or the others aren’t enough to satiate your fucking needs!”

I loved the art work that was sprinkled between the sections. The scene in the bath tub was my favorite.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is into dark acadamia looking for something FUN, fast paced and a little spicy!

I’m not gonna lie, this book had me hooked. It’s described as gothic Harry Potter meets Gossip Girl and I suppose that’s accurate enough with the school of magic, House competitions, rich kids, teenage drama, and romance. It follows Alecto, a half-witch half-mortal at a school of witches who see her as lesser. She’s part of the House of Snakes and is participating in a deadly game against the other Houses while also dealing with her nemesis Blaze Leveau.

What I liked:
- Blaze Leveau. I’d let him ruin my life too.
- The dynamic between Blaze and Alecto. Very angsty/passionate/will they or won’t they with a bit of bullying
- Alecto’s determination and willingness to be ruthless in order to survive
- The dark academia setting
- The spice 🔥
- The dual POV
- The illustrations

What could have been better:
- The writing - some cringey dialogue, modern slang, and excessive swearing for the sake of being edgy/shocking
- The reveal at the end could have been better
- Blaze and Alecto’s back and forth got to be a little too much for me by the end
- I still don’t really know much about the other Houses or the people in them
- The demon Rogue had a lot more potential

Overall the negatives didn’t bother me too much and the story kept me wanting more. I will definitely read the next book! Thank you to Karolina Wilde and NetGalley for the ARC!

This gave me Hunger Games meets Zodiac Academy meets The Craft. The storyline had me hooked the whole time. Lots of action and plot twists!

The enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies scenario between Alecto and Blaze was pretty intense. When they finally came together its was so satisfying. But then they'd fall apart again... it was a vicious cycle but it was so delicious to read.

I really enjoyed the writing style and finished it in about a day. It really kept you wanting more.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next at Venefica Academy!

Make sure that you read and head the trigger warnings!!!! This book was darkly magical and the characters where sexy, I did enjoy this book but needed to step back at times. You must head how you feel when it comes to darker subject matter and even though I was having fun I took breaks to make sure I finished this story.