I really enjoyed this read. The characters were well developed and the world and magic system was amazing. I’m really excited to see where this goes and what’s next.

I initially tried to read this in March and really didn’t enjoy myself for whatever reason, I ended up getting the audiobook from Libro.fm and decided to give it another shot and I’m SO thankful I did!

I found the premise to be extremely intriguing, almost like Fullmetal Alchemist in the sense that there is an equal exchange that must happen with the FMC’s (Edira) healing magic. The only thing she can’t mend is the Blight, which is a super nasty disease that rots a person from the inside out. Her brothers get the disease and she ends up in a pact with an Ever (fae) to research the Blight and hopefully find a cure while her brothers are in a magical stasis.

I enjoyed the gothic world, everything had an eerie and unreal atmosphere about it. Like the Blight, there was rot lurking under the surface of everything. I do think some of the twists were obvious, but I was hit with a couple that did surprise me. This book had me questioning myself often which I really liked.

The pacing could have been better and some of the character work needed to be a bit strengthened but overall I did have a great time and really enjoyed the narration. This almost gave me Crimson Peak vibes, so I really enjoyed that aspect of it. I’m excited for the sequel, whenever that may be and I’m really glad I picked this up again!

I was not expecting this to have so many twists and be so suspenseful! The author did such a good job of keeping me on my toes and hiding the truth from the reader. I love a strong FMC and Edira was that! Absolutely wonderful world building! I can’t wait for more!

What would you do if you could cure diseases, illnesses, and injuries with your magic? But what if that very same life healing magic could only work by taking away a little of your own life to do it? Such is the life for Edira, a threadmender whose rare powers are both a literal blessing and a curse. She lives in fear of the Blight, an incurable disease that threatens those around her every day, and when her two brothers show up on the doorstep with telltale signs of the Blight, Edira is torn between survival and trying everything in her might (and magic) to save them. Everything seems hopeless until the head of the powerful Fernglove family, Orin, arrives and makes a bargain she can't refuse - he'll slow down the effects of the Blight on her brothers if she accompanies him to his family estate to work on researching a cure for the Blight. When things begin to become even more muddled and murky as Edira desperately searches for a cure and finds herself in the midst of a love triangle between Orin and his brother, Rorik, Edira is left to wonder just what the Ferngloves are up to and how she is involved.

I would say this is more of an upper YA dark gothic fantasy as it does have a little bit of spice and mature themes, but it was very quick to read and honestly I enjoyed the love triangle (which I know is not for everyone but it works for me most of the time). There are some parts of the plot that I wish were a bit more developed but I honestly can't wait for the sequel to this duology because I need some closure with Edira after that ending!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the eARC for review consideration - all thoughts and opinions are my own!

This was such a wonderful read that I completely lost myself to! It's magical with so many twists! The author did an epic job of keeping you in suspense, not seeing the truth until she wants you to. I loved Edira! She's strong, feisty and so smart. She loves entirely and is so ferociously protective of her loved ones. The world building is magical! It gives you that swept away feeling. I desperately want more!

Book Review: House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 stars)

While House of Blight had an intriguing premise and a rich gothic setting, I struggled with the pacing throughout. At times, the story would jump forward abruptly, then slow down significantly in other sections, which made it difficult to stay grounded in the narrative.

I also don’t think the writing style was a great fit for me. The plot felt a bit scattered, and I often found myself confused about where we were in the story—especially after taking breaks between reading sessions. Unfortunately, the book didn’t fully capture or hold my attention, which made it hard to stay invested.

That said, readers who enjoy moody, atmospheric fantasy with morally gray families and slow-burn romance may still find elements to appreciate here. It just wasn’t quite the right match for me.

3.75 stars

I’m actually so sad it took me so long to start this book cause it was really good!
House of Blight follows Edira, a threadmender capable of curing diseases and healing injuries. After her brothers are infected with a blight, Edira makes a deal with an Ever named Orin. He’ll keep her brothers protected and in turn she’ll help cure them as well.

I was hooked from the beginning and it was everything I wanted from a fantasy novel! I won’t give any big spoilers but I had a bad feeling about one of the characters and I was right. All in all, House of Blight was a fun, fast-paced book that I’d definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc!

The writing in this novel is everything! The prose is soul catching and it fits the gothic fantasy aesthetic perfectly, much like Rachel Gillig and her stylistic prose. The characters are deep and engaging and the world is richly crafted. The plot centers around the FMC who has healing magic, but it uses her life to heal others. So, she shortens her lifespan whenever she heals.

A mysterious, incurable disease is ravaging the world, and has already taken her entire family except her brothers. So, she decides to use her power to heal them knowing she will likely die along with them anyway. Before she is able to attempt healing her brothers, the Fae lord who owns her family’s property asks her to work with him to find a cure. I’m eager for book 2 to continue the story, and I think this is a fantastic read.

House of Blight delivered fully on the atmospheric Dark Gothic vibes for me. I really enjoyed the unique magic system - our main character has Healer magic and she is known as a "threadmender". As a threadmender, she is able to see other people's life/soul threads and mend them. However, each time she does that, she loses years off her own life. Yikes. The pacing was a bit off for me and I did find moments where I was able to fairly easily predict what was going to happen next. Other than that, the storyline definitely hit the mark on being a Slow Burn romance, it was very well done. All in all, I would recommend this one.

This book sucked me in from the beginning and wouldn’t let go. I loved every minute of this story!

House of Blight follows Edira as she desperately tries to save her brothers and the Evers from a sickness called the Blight. She finds herself in a house full of secrets, with people she doesn’t know if she can trust. She has to look past the glamour and fake smiles to find the truth of what’s going on.

This is a fast-paced story, which I enjoyed, but it also made the romance feel like it was moving at a fast pace too. There is a very sudden change between Edira and Orin went from, I hate you and want nothing to do with you, too, I crave to be with you so quickly. I wish there would have been more buildup on the romance part.

This book did not need the romance to keep me entertained. It had me wanting to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next.

The ending felt perfect and unending at the same time. I’m glade Edira grew as a person and was able to see past all the lies at the end, but there was also a little bit of heartbreak with how everything went down.


Thank you to The Nerd Fam and Netgally for the gifted ebook.

4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the E-Arc in exchange for my honest review!

To be honest, I had low expectations of this but I got into this enjoying the writing style and following the pacing of the story. Kind of insta-lovey and although I did find the ending and "twists" predictable, I still can't wait to read the next book. It got me intrigued on what would happen next and if I'm able to predict the next ending and 'twists' lol

DNF-ed at 20%. This failed to hook my interest, because it felt way too similar to other romantasy books I’ve read. Those trying to recapture the vibes of ACOTAR may enjoy, but I was hoping for something more original

Edira is shouldered with an immunity to a blight taking over her community. She is brought to the elite class to try and see if her powers can be molded into healing the blight in others. It had a lot of plot points/scenarios that are not uncommon in romantasy, but definitely make for easy consumption. Hello, forced proximity and a love triangle. There were certain things that I called from the others, while others were surprises. Is anyone telling the truth? I am interested in seeing where this heads!

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

House of Blight is, for better or worse, quintessential romantasy.

I was intrigued by the prologue of the book; Martineaux captured a folktale-esque tone and set a promise of a story that would center a clever mortal woman in the fantastical, tricksy, dangerous world of the fey.

Did it deliver on that promise? For me, no. The moody, magical writing style of the prologue was quickly abandoned for 1st person narration designed to be skimmable instead of thought-provoking, with sentences. Punctuated. By. Periods. For. Emphasis. in the style of bad fanfiction; and anachronistic vocabulary and phrasings (why, in Medieval Fantasyland, are people talking about their adrenal glands and “default settings”?); and repeated phrases/crutch words used constantly (everyone chuckles darkly, everyone feels a strange heat/something heated because they don’t recognize attraction, etc.). The plot’s pacing dragged and flew by in turns, but never quite let me sit in any scene with satisfaction. And the characters… hoo boy. If you’ve seen one romantasy heroine, you really have seen them all.

But for fans of the genre? The promise is knocked out of the park. There are so many tropes and story beats that are perfect for readers who are looking for the familiar in their reading:

We follow Edira, an orphaned and parented FMC with a Unique Physical Characteristic (moon-white hair that glows when she uses her powers) marking her as special. She has some Not Like Other Girls tendencies/thoughts upon introduction, of course, but that’s only because she’s So Smart and Good At Medicine (we do not se evidence of this on page except as informed characterization. Edira is a smart apothecary in the same way that Caelena Sardothien is a ruthless assassin: only theoretically). The magical beings Edira is summoned toward, called the Evers, are basically fey; don’t worry, they’re all of the Gentry variety (so hot! Supermodel humans with pointy ears and magic! No uggo, weird lil guys here!) at least on the surface, and their more bestial qualities don’t move them so far out of the realm of humanoid that it’ll make them undesirable. The Ever women immediately inspire girl-hate, with Edira clearly being the moral victor of the interactions, but through her great compassion the animosity is handwaved away by the end.

And naturally, the two Ever men Edira interacts with are immediately attracted to her (feeling is mutual) and regularly flirt and proposition her instead of, like, actually talking and getting to know each other in any capacity (in Martineux’s defense, they DO do a little feelings-talking here and there, but there’s far less of that than the “banter”). We have stoic, gruff softy Rorik, who’s So Mean! to Edira while he trains her how not to die when she uses her magic but is also so protective and has little insect familiars he dotes on. And noble, charming, tragic Orin, who despite having almost the same name as his brother couldn’t be more different in that he’s overly kind and attentive to Edira (he’s also very clearly Evil. We all got that, right? We all knew he was evil?). They’re both, like, maximally powerful, too. Of course.

Anyway, with both parts of this love triangle, you get the annoying-to-me, presumably really-hot-to-romantasy-fans classic of refusing to admit attraction. It appears too fast, but it’s like there’s this odd desire for purity alongside it, like admitting to having attraction would taint Edira. It feels very puritan-coded and squicks me out, but it’s so common that I have to imagine fans of similar books would love it here, too. were also more informed of bonding rather than shown on-page relationship development (see: Endira sassing Rorik at end of chapter 10 as though they were close and he was safe to sass). And because Martineux wanted both spice and slowburn, the Rejected Love Interest got to have sex with Edira, whereas the Real Love Interest mostly got to pine tragically. Honestly, kudos to the author for that. A true having your cake and eating it, too moment. I think the romantasy girlies will go wild for it.

I’m not a total curmudgeon, and there were some elements to the story that I appreciated. I do read in the hopes that I’ll like things, and House of Blight has some! Edira’s determination to fix her brothers’ illness doesn’t just disappear when she arrives in fairyland, and remains her central driving factor even after she decides she in love with one of the Evers. The insect familiars are such an unusual choice for animal companions, but the varied nature of bugs leaves so much room for personalization and distinction, and I find them fitting for the fey. It’s a shame that it’s just the one of the Evers who has them, because the weird bug thing makes them less the supermodel with nothing going on/ACOTAR types (a comparison that will be made for any romantasy with fae, for better or worse) and more weird and cool. And honestly, I like the eponymous Blight! I think it is a cool system for driving horror and plot progression! I like the idea of rot creeping in on an eternal source of life, and it was delightfully visceral every time it was depicted on page. The rules of it don’t quite make sense to me (why are insects immune and how are their carriers? From what does it stem? What is the symptom progression?) but it’s great for the vibes. And I did like that the concept of heartbonds isn’t just yet another fated mate thing. I liked that you could have multiple heartbonds (though presumably only one at a time), and that you had to mutually choose each other. And I especially loved!! That the immediate logical question that arises when you learn that magic shared via the bond is kept forever by the one who outlives the other is answered!! We don’t just have a gaping plot hole in one of the magic systems!! I can’t overstate how rare that is in romantasy, and it’s single handedly added a half-star to my rating.

I recommend House of Blight to fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros, who are looking for a very easy to read new author telling a familiar type of story to tide them over until the next release of their favorite series. I will not be continuing with this series, but I’m excited that House of Blight’s story isn’t over for the readers who will love it.

I am a sucker for enemy to lover, and it worked so well in this. Loved the unique magic, the high stakes, and eerie gothic atmosphere.
The characters were complex and layered, adding to the mystery, and the tension was intense.
I enjoyed all the dynamics between family and rivals, and the creepy horror aspects. It's intriguing and emotional, and I'm invested for more.

What a fun book this was. The whole entire time I was reading this, I wished I had a camera recording because I was literally giggling, wanting to chunk my kindle because I was yelling at the main character, and I need absolutely more of this book!

The characters, the world, the atmosphere was everything, and I needed the second book yesterday.

It has a haunted house, forced proximity, a little Moth companion I adore, and magical vows. It was so fun, and I absolutely need more of this world.

"Be careful who you trust".......

This book devoured me. Twisted, tragic, and beautifully written—House of Blight is a dark gothic fantasy that seeps under your skin and refuses to let go. Every chapter pulls you deeper into the decay, the danger, and the heartbreak.

The world-building is very eerie and immersive. Blight isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a creeping, living curse, and you feel its rot in every breath the characters take. The magic is unique and the lore is rich.

And the characters… raw, complex, and beautifully broken. The heroine is a force—resilient, clever, and burdened by grief. The hero? Dark, dangerous, and full of secrets.

Maxym M. Martineau doesn’t hold back. This book is emotional, suspenseful, and tender all at once. It explores pain, hope, and what it means to fight for a future in a world already decaying around you.

If you love:
🖤 Betrayal
🖤 Gothic magic
🖤 Enemies-to-lovers tension
🖤 Deadly secrets
🖤 Morally gray characters
🖤 Emotional slow-burn romance

…then run. Don’t walk. Straight into the Blight.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in return for my honest review.

Overall, House of Blight is a gorgeously atmospheric debut. It balances a smart, consequential magic system with gothic tension and emotionally grounded storytelling. A few mid‑book slowdowns are worth enduring for the eventual payoff—this tightly-woven story delivers dark romance, haunting imagery, and a heroine you’ll stand behind. With a near-complete arc and just enough promise for Book 2, this is a must-read for romantasy and gothic fantasy fans.

House of Blight is such a refreshing change of pace; if it hadn't been for life getting in the way, I would've knocked this out in a couple of days, max.

The Gothic romance and world building were chefs kiss, and the love triangle? Quite well done, even if we know exactly which brother it's going to wind up being, the buildup is pretty well worth it.

For my ACOTAR fans that are wanting something a little different, this scratches that Romantasy itch well. I'm quite excited for book 2!

Thanks a ton to netgalley for early access to House of Blight!

In House Of Blight we follow our FMC Edira, a threadmender, this worlds version of a magical healer, who has to sacrifice her own life threads in order to “mend” others. She has managed to keep her powers hidden for her whole life by dying the distinctive white hair that threadmenders have, so that others are not tempted to abuse her powers. But, when her brothers succumb to the deadly blight that is ravaging the world, Edira is left with no choice but to step into the dangerous and mysterious world of the Evers, a number of enigmatic Fae families, in an attempt to work with them to find a cure for the blight. Taken off to Fernglove Manor, home to the most prominent of the Ever families the Ferngloves, she is manipulated and coerced by the entire family in her race to not only cure their matriarch and her brothers, but to do so without sacrificing her own life. She soon discovers that all that glitters is not gold however, when cracks start to form in the meticulously crafted and maintained glamour the Ferngloves have cast over their lands.

Despite Edira being quite admirable for her loyalty to her brothers and her determination to find the cure no matter what, I did find her incredibly annoying at points as she makes some pretty poor decisions even though she is constantly warned not to trust anyone or anything within the manor. She appears to be so taken with the magic and shiny surface that appears to her within the manor that she’s blinkered to what is actually going on under the surface. The romance is so contrived and its clear that she’s being manipulated into it, but she seems to be so blinded by the pretty exterior that it almost comes across as her being purposely obtuse.

The manor and its grounds play a pretty key role within the plot, almost coming across as a character of its own. It has this creepy, gothic feel to it which adds to the tension in the plot, and with the addition of the horrific sounding Ancestor Tree (no spoilers!), what Edira believes to be a spirit roaming the halls and the brutal blight which we discover is not only affecting its inhabitants, but the manor itself, the book actually borders on fantasy horror.

The story is a pretty familiar format – the down on their luck, struggling to survive FMC is seduced by the mysterious and handsome immortal who convinces her that she is the only one who can save the day, and falls in love with him in the meantime, but it is so incredibly well written with enough variation in the stereotypes to make it feel completely new and addictive. The pacing was a bit slow in parts, but the pay off is worth it as the intense sense of unease increases and some pretty bombshell revelations and twists are thrown at you in the second half of the book.

While the plot is pretty neatly wrapped up at the end, there is JUST enough left untethered to set up beautifully for the second book which I absolutely cannot wait for. I actually rated it 4.5 but theres not an option for half stars!