Family Bond. Gothic. Fantasy. Secrets. Betrayal. ...

House of Blight is a dark gothic fantasy that I almost DNF, but by 35%, I was hooked. The story is full of secrets and betrayal. The MMC is frustrating and the second MMC is more interesting. The twists were well done, and this novel is great for gothic fantasy fans. I’m hoping book two will have a dual POV.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed the magic system in this book. The fact that our protagonist possesses healing powers is one of the most advantageous magical abilities for a main character. I also appreciate the dark gothic romance in this book, which keeps the reader engaged and on the edge of their seat. I entered this book with no prior expectations and left wanting more. I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book and become fully invested in this captivating world.

Holy goodness gracious. I finally sat down (laid in bed) and just read House of Blight by Maxym M Martineau. I think this is my first 6 star read of 2025.
First of all, the plot? It did not stop. Not even once. I was never bored or lost.
Second, the character growth? Edira, out main girl, was thrust into a not-so-good situation with the Evers who oversee her town, Willowfell.
When Orin, the head of the Fernglove Evers, makes her a deal she really can't refuse, Edira gets thrust into the most whimsical and fantastical setting. I personally really lived the banter with Rorik. Vora is easily my favorite side character. I'm pretty sure I'm willing to do anything for Ywena.
I'm eagerly waiting book 2!

Lush, dark and atmospheric gothic fantasy with an interesting spin on magic and immortal beings.

This started off with a compelling and gorgeous prologue but in the end it was just a bit too descriptive for my taste. I think if you don’t mind, very atmospheric and descriptive settings you’ll enjoy this one!

Whats to love…
- dark, atmospheric, gothic
- slow burn
- forced proximity
- interesting spin on “fae”
- animal companion
- secrets and intrigue

What’s not too love…
- slower plot
- some descriptions can feel overly detailed

🌶️ - Ch 21 is the only chapter with explicit scenes, the rest are alluded to and ambiguous.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon (Harper Voyager) for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

adventurous emotional tense
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0

this pretends to be a standard romantasy for the full first third of the book but it really starts to pick up at the halfway point and the last third is a WILD ride in a cool af way. wish a developmental editor had been a little stricter on the author and made her cut some of the lust-at-first-sight so that the plot stayed closer at hand. but romantasy just likes to bully me by having good ideas stuck behind dumb MCs too busy making heart eyes, so frankly this is pretty well done

the body horror is constant, and in a GROSS way. very much uhhh like blisters and spores and such? rather than gore. just an fyi

hey Maxym this is a random nitpick but i am begging you to find another way to describe "capping" powers because it was too many times.

FMC's magic reminds me of the Thread magic of the Truthwitch books, but in an interesting compare and contrast way! made me wanna re-read that series lol

looking forward to a sequel!

Thank you to The Nerd Fam and Netgalley for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the magic system in this book. The fact that our main character has healing powers is on of the best magics to have as a main character. I like the dark gothic romance in this book keeps you on your toes. I went into this book with no expectation and left wanting more. Thankful for the chance to be able to read this book and be invested into this world

First off, thank you to NetGalley and to the author for gifting me with a copy of this arc. This is the start of a duology. It is gothic romantasy. The FMC has lost nearly everyone due to a sickness that is taken over her world. It has claimed her brother’s so she goes to the people who have everything to try and save them. Until she discovers the secret that can change everything.

This is a book for people who know that “real” faeries, while often beautiful, are almost always sly, calculating, and unknowable. If you combined The Cruel Prince, The Fall of the House of Usher, and Crimson Peak, you might get House of Blight.

The Evers, faeries straight out of folklore in all but name, are the distant ruling class in a world where a sickness called blight (a core deep rotting and decaying from the inside out) is a threat to not only humans, but the otherwise nearly immortal Evers. The only exception to this rule are threadmenders, humans with the ability to utilize healing magic, although the use of the power comes at the cost of their own longevity. It is also the only injury or illness, they are unable to heal using their magic.

Enter FMC Edira, a threadmender who has hidden her abilities her entire life. The only thing in the world she cares for is keeping her younger brothers alive and well. When they are both struck down by the blight, her only option is to accept a bargain from the head of the nearest family of Evers. He will hold them in stasis while she learns and trains how to heal blight and agrees to heal their ailing matriarch.

But as always when dealing with the fair folk, there is more to the situation than meets the eye and more than she realizes at stake. At its core, House of Blight is a gothic family drama.

You will and should question the motives of everyone you meet, and a pretty presentation may be concealing ugliness underneath. Breadcrumbs leading to as much of the truth as we know by the end of the novel are cleverly laid, however you are left guessing as to true motivations until the very end.

Definitely a should read for anyone interested in:

-faeries
-family secrets
-gothic settings
-love triangle
-feminine rage
-multi-layered characters
-a unique magic system

An excellent read that will keep you off kilter and guessing into the eleventh hour. I can’t say that I’ve read anything quite like this before, and wasn’t sure how to rate it until the very end. It defied categorization or true understanding for the longest, but ultimately I think that is one of the reasons why I liked it so much.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: Fantasy Romance
POV: 1st person
Series: Book 1
Relationship: M/F
Cliffhanger: Yes!
TW/CW: Slightly
ARC Platform: NetGalley
Format: e-ARC

Favorite Quote:
“I’ll pin you to the ground beneath my boots, and you’ll pray I’m wearing a skirt so you at least see something nice before I spit in your face.”

Darkness Rating: 1/5🖤
This story follows a human with trying to cure a nasty, gory illness. There are scenes that might be disturbing.

Spice Rating: 1/5🌶️
A lot of tension and heavy kissing. One open door, sexual scene but it wasn’t too explicit….but the author also didn’t shy away from giving us the details that mattered.

Overall Rating: 4/5⭐️
Definitely, trust the process type book. The prologue captures your attention immediately. Then it dulls the first few chapters. As other reviews mentioned, there is an obvious love triangle early on BUT I urge you to keep reading. Trust me. I HATE love triangles. This is where you have to trust the process.
The FMC, love her spirit. A perfect blend of compassion, empathy, and bite.
Mid-end, the plot picks back up and you will stay up reading! It hurt the way it ended!!
I cannot wait for book two.


*disclaimer: my darkness and spice rating might not be the same for you. Please do your own research before reading*

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was such a fantastic and gorgeous read! I went into it without any expectations and ended up really enjoying it. It’s a gothic romantasy with eerie and vivid worldbuilding and a cool magic system based on equal exchange. The gothic and fantasy vibes were very *slightly* reminiscent of One Dark Window, Belladonna, and Cruel Prince.

Edira is a threadmender who can heal injuries and diseases by mending the “soul”-like threads of the afflicted, at the cost of her lifespan. When she risks using her magic on her brothers who get sick with blight (a deadly and incurable disease), she gets caught by an Ever of the Fernglove family. Under certain circumstances, she then has to work for them in their home to research and find a cure to blight.

The book has a slow start but it picks up once she meets the dysfunctional family of Fernglove House. Evers are a similar to faeries in this book, but I love how the author set up the worldbuilding and their magic system to give her own spin on it. The worldbuilding could still use some work in showcasing how the abilities of Evers and their lore, but I hope it’s something that will improve in the next book.

I liked Edira’s character and how she was so determined, caring, yet sassy, and fierce in her beliefs. She had a few frustrating and naive moments but i can’t really blame her, considering everything she’s been through.

And the family members of Fernglove house were all very interesting! I really liked Edira’s relationships with them as she constantly questions their motives and intentions that lead to her discovering a very big secret. Also shoutout to Ywena, Edira’s adorable moth companion! She didn’t have a ton of page time and was more of a silent background “character”, but I would love to see Ywena have a more involved role in the next book.

The romance was also super fun and I loved the banter! I was scared of a potential love triangle at first, but it was obvious later on that it’s not a triangle at all. Don’t want to give away any spoilers as to who, but the slowburn chemistry between Edira and a certain character was so satisfying and I need more of these two ASAP. The existence of an insect daddy MMC (hear me out, I swear it’s not as weird as it sounds and dont let it deter you) genuinely was a first for me.

The plot itself was well paced for most of the book. The twist was very foreshadowed if you read between the lines but it was exciting to see how things took a turn by the end. It doesn’t have a cliffhanger, but the ending definitely hints at what book 2 is about. Also, im hoping the romance develops even more because it had so much potential with that surprise angst!

Thank you The Nerd Fam and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

House of Blight is a gorgeous fae gothic romantasy, and I felt llike I was transported to an enchanting and treacherous world filled with beautiful fae and twisted magic, where nobody can be trusted and nothing is what it appears to be. It is imaginative, thrilling, and un put downable. There is a great mixture of worldbuilding, magic, romance, and darkness. There is forced proximity, slow burn romance, crazy family dynamics, female rage, and an INSECT DADDY!! (that's a first for me) The author did a fabulous job enthralling the reader and immersing me into this world of grand beautiful wrong things. I look forward to the next part of this duology.


This book was such a great read. I was captivated from the very beginning. The prologue reeled me in and the FMC Edira secured the win.

This is an eerie, gothic romantasy book with a relatable FMC who would stop at nothing for the people she loves.

Edira lives her life in hiding due to her magical abilities. She has the ability to heal people but at a great cost. Where she comes from they have the Evers, who are immortal beings that have in the past taken all threadmenders with them to their "world" where they were never to be seen again. When Edira was a young girl he aunt was taken in a proposal that she couldn't refuse. She has gone to great lengths to stay hidden and low key so that her abilities aren't discovered.

When the most handsome man she has ever seen , an Ever, Orin Fernglove, comes into town with a preposition she literally can not refuse, Edira chooses to help him find a cure for blight (a fatal disease) and in turn help her brothers who have contracted the Blight.

When Edira is transported to a world of magic, wonders, and an eerie subtle unease. There just always seems to be a hint of something behind every stare and every spoken word directed towards her. Since agreements are magical binding contracts, Edira doesn't know who to trust.

When her hatred for Evers turns into attraction, Edira finds herself falling for Orin Fernglove but is she also falling for his brother Rorik? Although she can't seem to shalke the feeling that something is off about her new residence, Edira finds heself falling harder and harder for Orin.

But everything is not what it appears to be at House of Fernglove. There is this feeling that she is being watched constantly.

I was turning page by page trying to see which brother she would fall for first and why there seemed to be feeling of dread and uneasiness.

The story is easy to follow with nice imagery and world building.

The writing flows easily and the characters do a great job of being themselves in a world of lies deception and betrayal.

This book had me intrigued from start to finish. I can see this booking being a hit after it's released. and I just preordered my copy even though I have the ARC.

Thanks again to The Nerd Fam, Net Galley, Harper Voyager US, and of course Maxym M. Martineau for the gifted ARC.

Gothic romantasy may be a new favorite genre for me.

Edira is a thread mender with a unique gift. She can heal almost any ailment but at the cost of time off her life span. After watching the Ferngloves take her threadmending aunt, Edira has lived in hiding; however, after the blight infects her brothers, she's forced to make a deal with Orin Fernglove to save their lives.

The writing is atmospheric with a unique magic system. I love the way each family member is described. They're dysfunctional and all hiding a secret. The book has several twists and turns and you're not sure who to trust or who's on whose side.

House of Blight is a duology but does not have a major cliff hanger, so don't put off reading this one!

You should read this book if you love the following tropes:

Gothic Romantasy
forced proximity
Magical Vows
Haunted House
Slow Burn Romance



Thank you Harper Voyager US and NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ooh, this was definitely one for the books! I enjoyed reading this novel. I believe this book is part of a duology. Our FMC is Edira. She has this wonderful healing power. Wonderful right? Nothing is more amazing than the power to be able to heal. She does whatever she can to hide her magical ability, and it explains as much as possible in the book. I really do not want to give any spoilers out. It's an enjoyable book. What I do like is that you can read this story in a short time. She's written as a selfless character, and even though her character can be frustrating at times, her intentions come from a good place. The book ends in a cliffhanger setting you up for the next book, and I really want to read what happens next. I like that it had the elements of magic, the romance didn't feel as if it was overpowering. I also felt like it gave the tone of Once Upon A Broken Heart type, except in a less YA form. She reminds me of Evangeline for some reason, just so determined! Anyway, its a great book. Worth reading!

Thank you to nerdfam

4.5 rounded down.

I was really impressed with this. The magic system was well explored, and Edira's power was super fascinating. I had some suspicions about how this would end so I wasn't quite as floored as I could have been, but it was an interesting twist.

I knocked off half a star because I'm not a huge fan of the love triangle vibes and also the middle dragged a hint - though it was minimal and the rest of the story more than made up for it. I'll be keeping an eye out for book 2!

Characters: 4.00⭐️
Setting: 4.25⭐️
Plot: 4.00⭐️
Themes: 4.00⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 4.25⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.75⭐️
Overall rating: 4.00⭐️

Edira is a threadmender which is a rare, and special power that has lifesaving capabilities to cure diseases and heal injuries. Though she must keep it hidden. Any use of her power, she must sacrifice a part of her life. When her brothers contract the blight, a deadly virus that spreads rapidly on contact and is not curable, the powerful Fernglove family discovers her gift of threadmending and coerce her to live at their estate to research a cure and Orin, the Fernglove leader, uses his magic to slow the spread of her brothers blight.

Without giving too much away in this review, I will say that there are many layers to this story. This is a romantasy with very little spice, which honestly, I was here for it. I don't think it needed it. The story was original, and I liked Edira as a FMC. What I also liked about the "magic beings" of this world were that they weren't your standard romantasy "fae" or "elf". It was never really explained what the Ferngloves actually were and I enjoyed that. It gave them this sense of mystery which added to the story.

The world itself was unique. The idea of a blight that was incurable for ALL magic and non-magic beings also was a breath of fresh air since most magical beings in other stories always seem to be immune to it. In my opinion, this was a higher stakes romantasy since there was a lot more at risk for the magical being side of the story.

I would have liked to get into Edira's family history a little more and a little more world building, but I can see the story unfolding more as the books continue. Though there were some standard romantasy tropes, they felt fresh and not too tropey. The pacing was great and I enjoyed reading this book.

Would I recommend this? Yes.

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 House of Blight
✒️ Maxym M. Martineau
🗓 8th April 2025
💫💫💫

What's your favourite form of magic in books?

I always like elemental or shadow magic ✨️

Thank you to @thenerdfam and @harpercollinsaustralia for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would say this book was a blend of gothic and romantasy. We meet Edira, a woman with threadminder who heals people of her village in exchange for sacrificing a portion of her own. She helps everyone but must hide who she is, even dyes her hair to hide the stark moonlight shade.

Her two brothers contract the Blight, a mysterious illness that she is unable to heal them of. She makes a deal with the Ferngloves and finds herself drawn to Orin.

But her world is crumbling around her, and she must choose who she values more; herself, her brothers, or her heart.

I liked this book, but I found it too predictable. Nothing jumped out at me and made me go, "Oh my goodness!". The world building was also a little off, I got confused, and a few times, I didn't know where scenes were occurring in the world.

House of Blight focuses on our FMC Edira who is living in a small village where disease is rampart. When the blight, which has no cure, takes her brothers Edina is faced with a life changing opportunity to try and save them.
Edira is a threadmender which costs her time off her life every time she uses it. I thought it was such an interesting take on magic and really makes you think what is worth shortening your own life for.
Orin Fernglove of the immortal Evers makes a deal with her to try and help the blight and find a cure.
I enjoyed the gothic setting, the relationship between Orin and Edira even if some of the plot was a bit predictable.
It forces Edira to decide who to rescue and what price of that will cost her. This story pulls at the heart and makes you reflect on all the ways and the lengths one would go to protect and save loved ones.


-Dark fantasy romance
-enemies to lovers
-Forced proximity
-Secrets and intrigue
-Healer
-Gothic castle

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

You can tell that Maxym put a lot of effort into their writing with all the details that they put into their work! Looking forward to reading more from them.

4.5⭐️
I loved this one so much! There were some pretty predictable moments but I still enjoyed it. This follows Edira who is able to heal sickness, however it comes at a cost.
She is then tasked with trying to help those she loves when a deadly disease takes over her land.
I loved this one and can’t wait for the next one. I do think there are some areas that dragged a little, but I thought this was an exciting read over all!
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this! Read it soon after One Dark Window and the vibes are very similar (in a very positive way!)

Enough the same and enough different within the gothic romantasy sub-genre to make it comforting but also interesting. Characters and atmosphere were very strong. Pacing had hits and misses, but that's often the case in 1st books in a series and I'd certainly continue reading!