I didn’t want to put this book down, I loved it so much. I couldn’t get enough and I can’t wait for book two. I loved the slow burn in this book, the magic system, world building, and class system. I could see fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Cruel Prince enjoying this book.

Phenomenal. Dark and gritty and all the right vibes.

Gothic romantasy done exquisitely! The story had such a great magic system (Threadmenders who can heal people by manipulating their 'threads' but giving up part of their life as they heal).

Edira, the FMC, has had it rough. She's lost her parents, she's responsible for her two brothers -who work a dangerous mining job-, and the one thing that would actually earn her enough money to live comfortably is also what would condemn her to a life serving the magic wielding "Evers." Oh- and there is a fatal plague spreading throughout her world- no cure, no hope, and a gruesome death guaranteed.

I loved Edira. She was so resilient and selfless, and while I did raise an eyebrow at some of her choices, they were completely understandable given her situation. There's a love triangle of sorts in the romance aspect of this book, which is usually a big no-no from me, but it worked beautifully in this story. Because at no point did I know who was telling the truth, who to trust, what anyones motivations were, and how Edira was going to get herself and her brothers out of Fernglove manor with minimal harm. Add to that the mystery of the Fernglove grandmother and Edira's own aunt, who had also served the Ferngloves as a Threadmender but died trying to find a cure for the Blight, and my head was spinning in the best way possible.

I don't even know if I would classify this as pure romantasy. It's part fantasy, part horror, part mystery/thriller, part romance, all wrapped up in a gorgeous plot. Someone described this as "dark moody cottagecore" and that's it exactly and als0, can we make this a thing please? I would really like this to be a thing.

I can't wait for this release! This is going to be everyone's next fantasy obsession, I can just see it.

Thank you to Harper Collins for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

This book hooked me right from the start with its unique blend of Death, magic, and mystery. I was immediately curious about where the story would go, and as soon as Edira crossed paths with Orin and then Rorik—I was all in. Any great romantasy needs a love triangle!

The writing was beautifully descriptive, bringing an enchanting yet dangerous world to life. Edira and Orin’s chemistry had me caught up in the what ifs, while her sharp wit and banter with Rorik made me root for sparks to fly there too. The slow unraveling of secrets and the anticipation of the truth kept me glued to the pages.

I loved how the story built up to what seemed like a happy ending—only for everything to blow up in the best way. But even with the chaos, it still wrapped up on a happyish note, leaving me excited for the next book. I can’t wait to see where the love story goes and whether the blight will finally be defeated!

Thank you NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my honest review!

HOUSE OF BLIGHT is a slow burn gothic romantasy about a woman Edira who can stitch the threads of life, a powerful immortal family with secrets, and a creeping blight that refuses to be stopped.

The plot is good and I especially loved the prologue! The book did gave us some background throughout that I didn't feel confused. I actually would have loved even more details and hope we get that in book 2.

I did find myself thinking it was slow in the beginning but fast with trust in the "relationship." It picked up around 30% with more excitement and I was then hooked. The pacing from there was great and I was sad that I had to finally tapped out at 1am and restart this morning.

The characters were well written but it did feel they were a little reminiscent of other Romantasy characters and some of it predictable. I still enjoyed them tremendously especially Vora and Seville.

I'm totally down for insect daddy Rorik 😍 I immediately knew I would like him from the beginning, He also gave us the best little moth familiar

Overall I rate this book 4 stars and 2 peppers. There is only 1 open door scene so if you are not a fan of spice you can easily skip it.

This book did remember the " recipe" for a good Romantasy and that is a good thing!

I just want to say thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC for honest feedback! I'm so glad I finally got to sit down and read this. I accepted over the holidays and feel so bad for taking so long! I am definitely interested in book 2! Can't wait!

If you love gothic undertones and a very unique magic system this one is for you! Gothic Romantasy with Fae and more! Some of the tropes include slow burn, haunted house, forced proximity, cute pet, gothic, magic costs/balances, and more!

Blight has taken over the world, and its incurable. This puts our FMC in a precarious position when her brothers contract it, and a very rich family takes notice! Her magic costs little slivers of her life. She must make a deal to save them.

Orion has a tail! (Hello Cardan?), I did struggle with the first third of the book it seemed slow. This is another one of those that I struggled with but am glad I finished. I think there is a lot of setups, (info dumps, world building, exposition/prose etc). And I struggle with those when they get too heavy. I think this is a 3.5 star read but will give it 4 just because I personally struggle with the above and others like it. I wanted more romance, but I think that will be forthcoming as it is a series. (Duology maybe?) There wasn't really a cliffhanger so if those bother you, you're good with this one!

A Captivating Gothic Fantasy - 4 Magical Stars ✨

This book is a must-read for fans of slow-burn romance, magical bargains, and haunted estates.

The story follows Edira, a threadmender with the rare ability to heal others, as she navigates a world of disease-ridden gothic fantasy. With its eerie yet mesmerizing setting, the book perfectly balances beauty and tension.

The complex relationships between characters, particularly Orin and the Ferngloves, add depth to the narrative. While the ending may leave some questions unanswered, the journey is satisfying and engaging. Overall, "The House of Blight" is a great read that will leave you hooked from the very first page..

A new author to me! So happy to have found her..I will be reading more of her .😀

A fantasy series starter that treads a familiar path. While the main character is 25 years old, you could easily mistake her for younger based on her thought processes and behavior. The writing is simple, and the story moves at a quick pace.

If you like fantasy mysteries with cottagecore vibes, this might be to your liking. Expect the usual hallmarks of the genre: love triangle, betrayal, reveals, etc.

The House of Blight
By Maxym M. Martineau

O.M.G.
This books is a mixture of cozy and Gothic vibes that hit just the right way! It was a slow burn haunt all the way until the near ending which had me in the edge of my seat. I adored the characters and found them fleshed out, I am torn between Rorik and Seville as my favorite, personally. The world feels fleshed out and real while keeping the story focused on one area with the possibility of more added in the future. I want more; I need more.

10/10 read for me! What a way to start the month of February!!!!

It comes out on April 8th 2025! Keep your eyes out!!

~Thank you to @thenerdfam for the e-ARC~

3,75⭐️ thank you for the ARC to the author, publisher, and NerdFam! the premise of this was so interesting and it did not disappoint! the eerie almost gothic spring court vibes, complex characters, mysterious illness, and sometimes even naive fmc made this so unique!

Rorik has my heart and I was literally so suspicious of everyone else the whole time and even annoyed that Edira wasn't! the start was slow but after 3/4 it really picked up and I was quite floored by the end. I liked how this reads as a standalone as well as part of a series so no cliffhanger!

tldr: I liked it a lot and the vibes were so unique! various complex characters and mysterious plot. the fae-like Evers and their magical vows made me pay attention to words extra carefully and trying to catch all the breadcrumbs!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This is the first in a new fantasy series about Edina, a threadmender who is hiding her power to avoid the notice of the Evers. The Evers are immortal beings who rule the land. Edina is forced to reveal her power while trying to save her brothers from an illness known as the Blight, which is 100% fatal to humans. This is a solid start to a new series. The characters, world-building, and story are good, and I will read more in the series. 3.5 stars

The word amazing doesn't do this book justice. Ive read a lot of gothic romantasy but this one is the best of the best. Sucked in from the very beginning, I loved the plot and the characters. The plot twists had me saying what the heck?! I just couldn't put it down. I immediately need the second book in this duology!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!! The very first page had me sucked in and I was very intrigued by the blight. I love Edira and the whimsical world building. I think the author has a really great writing style. I loved all the characters and creatures especially sweet Ywena. The banter between two of the characters was so good. And there was one spicy scene between two characters. The descriptions and glamour of the Ever were intriguing and I think would be best described like Holly Black’s fairy characters with horns and tails. There were many things I didn’t expect and I enjoyed reading about Edira learning how to cure the blight. I’m excited to see what happens in book two. There were so many secrets that unfolded and it kept me reading it. I read this whole book in under 24 hours that’s how much it hooked me. Thank you again to the author and NerdFam for sending me a copy of this on Netgalley!!

Dark gothic romance? Sign me the heck up!! I love a dark, gothic read that is not gross just slightly haunting. This book has it all. Edina is a great FMC and the over all story is creepy at just the right level, romantic and strange with all the fantasy elements that make a great fantasy novel. I can't wait for it's release date!! Absolutely a fun read!!

Brilliant idea. Great read! I loved the gothic feel. The description and characters kept me involved I'm the book. I read it in one sitting!

I was able to read an arc of this amazing gothic romantasy! I want to thank NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the early arc for an honest review. House of Blight had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning and had me glued until the very end. It follows Edira who is a threadmender but her magic comes with a cost. Whenever Edira uses her magic it takes off minutes, days to year from her own life, so she has always been told to hide. In this amazing world the have an disease called Blight and it makes your whole body decay and die within hours. Ediras brothers come home one day from mining and they caught blight and she has to make a deal with this mysterious and handsome Fae Orin who also wants to cure blight. So they go to his manor and its not all what it seems and from there it goes down and Edira has to figure out who to trust. The plot twist literally had me staring at my wall for awhile! The gothic aspect of this romantasy was AMAZING. House of Blight is amazing for fans of ACOTAR and One Dark Window. I fell in love with the world and the story. That cliffhanger at the end has me jaw hanging to the floor. I need the second book now.

This new dark fantasy is brimming with gothic elements, suspenseful mystery, and otherworldly magic.

Edira has been told all her life to keep her healing abilities hidden from the mysterious and powerful Evers, families of substantial dominance and magic over the lands. But when she encounters one of the Evers and her secret is unveiled, he offers her a chance to help heal the blight—a terrifying disease plaguing the town—and it’s an opportunity Edira can’t resist.

Instantly, the eerie mythical prologue caught my attention, and I loved the nature-filled elements with gothic nods and influences throughout the novel. At times, the pacing was a little on the slower side, but the ending kept me intrigued to see how this series will continue.

3.25/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

The idea of a threadmender is brilliant. The give and take, the cost of using such a powerful magic.
I loved the characters. I loved the world. I loved the magic system. I am so hyped for book in this duology.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

House of Blight is an enthralling gothic romance novel filled with a unique magic system and numerous twists and turns that keep you guessing about what’s to come. The elements of this book were reminiscent of a beauty and the beast retelling. The beautiful writing style and incredible world building made me feel as if I were truly teleported into the story. I was hooked from the very first page of the prologue, and the pacing of the book made it almost impossible to put down!

Edira is a threadmender, which means she can visualize people’s lifethreads to help heal them. However, this magic comes at a cost of her own wellbeing. She is a strong fmc who is driven by her love for her brothers. Once her brothers fall ill, she is forced to strike a deal with Orin, the head of the Fernglove family. The eccentric Fernglove family dynamics contribute wonderfully to the mystery and suspense of the plot. While working with Orin, Edira learns stories of past threadmenders and is finally given an opportunity to explore the true depths of her power. In the end, Edira must decide whether to use her power to save others or if it’s okay to save herself.

I can’t wait for the final book in the duology to read the conclusion to Edira’s story!

Premise:

Edira is a threadmender, she has hidden her gift a secret until her two brothers fall under the sickness that ravages their town called Blight. Threadmenders are rare, and can heal people at a huge cost to themselves. It is not until she is caught using her magic to save her brothers, Orin Fernglove an immortal promises to save her brothers in exchange for a deal that could cost her life.

Wow! What a read! Definitely from the prologue I knew I would be hooked. There were so many plot twists with this book from the beginning of the story until the very end I could not put it down. The characters, story, banter was so delicious and a perfect book to read with this weather. The toxic family dynamic was very entertaining, I couldn't stop giggling when there was an argument taking place.

I do have to say one plot twist was predictable right when I hit 40% into the book. But once you reach about 80% it went into a spiral of madness. I could totally imagine this book as a Tim Burton movie, with the gothic fantasy vibes of the manor and the illness of blight.

You get both "insta love" and "enemies to lovers". I am not a huge fan of "insta love" but "enemies to lovers" helped subdue that. The banter between Edira and another character is chef's kiss.

This book will be a duology and I cannot wait for book 2.

I want to thank Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing me an arc in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!
~
This book hooked me in IMMEDIATELY. I loved the FMC having powers from the get-go; they weren’t something she had to earn or get through her relationship with a man.
I really liked the world of the Evers - while sometimes it’s nice to have the Fae be ~just like us except pointy eared and magical~, I really do enjoy when shit gets weird!
I figured out about midway through that Orin was not the good guy, and DEFINITELY noticed when Rorik became Mr. tall, dark, and handsome but the moment that whole situation actually clicked felt really well done imo.
I think the only thing I actually really didn’t care for what the last 1/4 or so. Edira gets kidnapped and it’s resolved like… the same chapter. I wish it had been more drawn out and actually meant something. It all started to feel kindof rushed at the end - I usually feel like books could cut some extraneous content and be shorter, but I felt like this could’ve used another 100 pages to extend on some of these scenes! I wish she hadn’t been able to cure the Blight in this book!
Regardless, I’m going to be feral for the sequel when it comes out and I’m ride or die for Rorik and idec.