Brilliantly written fantasy! Took me a while to really get into the book, but once I did I was hooked. I loved the insect daddy. Soon as they met I was hoping she’d fall for him. When she was lured in by his brother instead I was like noooo not him! Such a unique magics system and character building, they aren’t fae but aren’t human and not really demon either, something wholly new. I loved that about this book.The prologue felt a lot like a twist on the deathly hallows. I am certainly looking forward to more of the story!

it's like the author went to build-a-bear and stuffed acotar and one dark window inside a lil stuffy that closely resembles a moth-like creature.

the author promised a gothic romantasy, but are the gothic vibes in the room with us? the descriptions of the manor and landscaping depicted colorful spring flowers and stain-glassed windows. so I glance at the cover with its gothic aesthetic, and then the title, and it all clicks into place. all one has to do is read the title of the book to know exactly what's going to happen and why the gothic aesthetic is being withheld.

the more I read, the less made sense. I begged for a deeper exploration of the history behind the blight, the rules and limits of this untethered magic system, the societal implications of threadmending among both the humans and the Evers. the immediate flirtation with both of the love interests (yes, there are two, and they are brothers) delved into medium-fast burn territory, with remarks from one about taking exercise routines into the bedroom and from the other about wishing taking her measurements was more of a hands-on experience. if you're looking for a slow build of yearning and romantic tension, look elsewhere. also, to note, I cannot get behind horns and tails. never been so sat for a book after reading an epilogue and then been so let down by the remainder of the writing.

thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ebook arc in exchange for an honest review

platform: netgalley ebook arc

Oh geez I really enjoyed this gothic fantasy! The magic, the characters (both human and not human), the descriptions of the castle, the high stakes, the romance, oh this book was enthralling.

Edira is a threadmender who can heal diseases and injuries by mending the threads that are causing the pain or the disease.. or at least the curable diseases.. at the cost that every time she uses her powers it cuts into her lifespan. When her brothers contract blight, an incurable disease, she is heartbroken. Enter in the Fernglove family, they are here to save her.. or are they?!
All of the Fernglove members are unique, they are kind of like a normal family with their strong personalities, sibling love/hate, older family members and secrets.

I really enjoyed the idea of this book, the story was great but the slow burn was too much for me and the book was very predictable. the idea of the main character being a thread weaver i loved, like the main character from a discovery of witches, to be a ble to fix peoples ailments she mends their threads but at the cost of cutting her life short. THis book was a fast read but very predictable to me, that being said, i did enjoy it but this book is more for a YA audience. thank you to netgally and to maxym m. martineau for the opportunity to read this book.

🌟 Just finished "The House of Blight" by Maxym M. Martineau, and wow, what a ride! This enchanting fantasy is packed with twists, magic, and heart-pounding adventure. 💫 The world-building is phenomenal, and the themes of love and betrayal will keep you on the edge of your seat. 📚✨

But what really caught my heart are the characters! Each one is so relatable and well-developed, making their journeys feel real. ❤️ If you're a fan of fantasy that’s full of excitement and emotion, this book is a must-read! Can't wait to see what Martineau has in store for us next! 🏰

This book was a quick and addicting read, and with fantastic dark and gothic vibes. And who doesn’t love a dysfunctional magical family?


One of the only downsides is that I felt it was a little too predictable. Which honestly is nice sometimes because I knew I wasn’t going to get emotional whiplash like I do with the plot twists in some books. I also wish there was slightly *more* burn between our love interests so I am hopeful for book two!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

Loved this mostly because BUGS are main characters 🪲🦋. And the FMC is the kind of girl who talks to them instead of smashing them. ❤️

This was a fun romantasy with a love triangle, enemies to lovers, and horny training scenes.

I need to stop reading unfinished series. I want to know more!! And meet more bugs!

I’d say 4.5 stars. Lots of characters to keep track of but so worth it. Trust me!!! This was such a lovely fantasy read and I found the story quite unique.

Yes there is an insect daddy. Yea there was action and tension as well as well-written banter.

There were a few twists and turns but easy to follow! I definitely recommend this fantasy romance book!

What I wish there was more of were more details in reverse of the research that Edira and Orin were looking into. I still want more details on Orin’s family, the blight, evervow and more. The information kind of just appeared with no additional context.

I would like to start off by saying thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for being generous enough to lend me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The world-building in this novel is amazing. You are quickly drawn into the narrative and are kept on the edge of your seat until the very end. It's a slow-burning narrative about loves and adversaries with a dash of spice. Throughout the novel, there are clear plot twists that will either make you gasp or scream at your book. The banter between two of the main characters is fantastic, and all of the minor characters are interesting as well. The novel, which is part of a duology, provides you a fairly happy ending for the time being, but it doesn't end on a dramatic cliffhanger or a happily ever after.

I think this was a fantastic start to the gothic fantasy duology! I don’t always gravitate towards gothic fantasies right away but the eerie setting and untrustworthy family even had ME looking over my shoulder and also screaming at our FMC to not trust a soul!! I actually would LOVE for the author to expand and flush out the world and magical elements even more!

This book was very much giving Tamlin and his affliction pretty early on only Orin gave me the ICK from the second he was brought into the story. Rorik on the other hand 👀🔥. I NEED to see more of him in the conclusion and the banter that he brings to the table!

This book was very much giving ACOTAR (the first book) only the FMC had the power to heal, at the cost of shortening her own life. I thought House of Blight was enchanting and eerie and I can’t wait to see how it’s all wrapped up!

How do you choose between them? How could you trust them? GAH so many emotions while reading this!

• dark fantasy
• forced proximity
• secrets
• gothic castle
• first pov

The only reason I didn’t rate it five stars is because I didn’t feel connected to the characters but overall I really enjoyed this plot and story. The brothers being infected had me hooked. I can’t wait until the second book!

This felt promising after reading the blurb last year and getting approved by NetGalley and the publisher to receive an eArc of this book.

The blurb was good, then the prologue really made me excited for this book.

But then….we wait for something else to happen. It’s a slow beginning that didn’t really pick up for me, even when Edira meets the love interests and is helping to cure (not just her brothers) people from the Blight.

This book was so hyped up. I’m really disappointed that it fell flat for me. Characters were meh, world building was meh and why are so many fantasy books written with the MMC’s being brothers? There’s always one that’s a bad apple.

It is entirely NOT okay that this was compared to the greats: SJM and Rachel Gillig. Had to DNF. It’s not even the human falling madly into a guy that has horns and scales she just met a day ago for me. The writing is very sub par and leaves a lot of questions for the reader. I had such a hard time keeping up with the plot and which character was who because the world build was just not there. I made it to almost 50% of the book entirely too fast with entirely too much going on. Do not recommend this at all unfortunately.

WOW. I kept hearing about this book and was so excited to receive this as an ARC. I was skeptical about liking this as much as an SJM book, but I do believe if you like ACOTAR you will LOVE this book!

Think gothic ACOTAR, steam punk ACOTAR. Loved the world building.

We get enemies to lovers. I am SAT for enemies to lovers. We get two love interests fighting for the FMC attention.

I do not want to give anything away about THAT ENDING! We need another book!!

House of Blight is a darkly enthralling fantasy that sinks its teeth in from the start and refuses to let go. The unique magic system is utterly captivating, decay and power woven together in ways that feel both fresh and inevitable. What truly elevates the story, though, is the complex web of relationships, especially the raw, unflinching devotion between siblings that pulses beneath every scene.

This book delivers peak dysfunctional family vibes: love, betrayal, and legacy wrapped in rot. I spent the entire second half bracing for the twist, convinced I had it figured out—only to be absolutely wrecked when it hit. And Rorik? Ugh. I know I shouldn't love him, and yet here I am, obsessed and a little ashamed.

I’m counting down the days until the conclusion of this duology. If the first book is any indication, the finale will be both brutal and brilliant.

This had good promise, but I'm hoping book 2 brings it in. I think that the world is really interesting. I was very intrigued in the beginning learning about her magic and the blight. I normally don't love healing magic, but the cost of it and the limitations worked well for me here. I liked the not fae "fae" and the different take. I did like the banter a lot, but I wish the romance had sucked me in a bit more. Aside from the banter, I didn't feel as much chemistry as I wanted. So while I enjoyed this, I'm hoping the second book can bring home the romance side of things.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, it had me hooked in the beginning but fell flat towards the end. I don’t think I’ll continue this series. A lot of it was predictable and I just didn’t connect with the characters

House of Blight kicks off the Threadmender Chronicles duology with an irresistible mix of gothic fantasy, intricate magic, and slow-burn romantasy. I received an eARC via The Nerd Fam and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Edira Brillwyn is a rare Threadmender, able to weave the threads of life at a personal cost. When her brothers fall ill from a deadly blight, she strikes a dangerous bargain with Orin Fernglove, leader of one of the immortal Ever families. What follows is a tense, emotional journey full of secrets, sacrifices, and unexpected bonds.

Martineau’s magic system — rooted in equal exchange — adds real weight to Edira's choices, and the character dynamics are strong and clear throughout. While familiar romantasy tropes are present (enemies-to-lovers fans, rejoice!), they’re handled with enough heart and mystery to feel fresh.

Some twists were predictable, but others genuinely surprised me. Overall, House of Blight was a compelling, emotionally charged read that left me eager for book two.

⭐ 4.5/5 stars. Highly recommended for fans of lush magic, gothic vibes, and character-driven romantasy.

Short synopsis: Edira is a threadmaster, trying to rescue her brothers infected with blight. She finds herself at Fernglove Manor trying to find a cure.

My thoughts: This took me a minute to get into, but once I was immersed in the fantasy world I couldn’t stop. This is a duology (which I love) and I’m so excited to see what happens in book 2.

I loved how fiercely Edira loves her brothers, she’s so selfless and determined. All of her choices reflect her desire to help them. The familial love is so refreshing.

The gothic vibes in this are a fun addition to the fantasy genre, and the magic was unique and different.

Read if you love:
* Gothic vibes
* Magic
* Selfless characters
* Love triangle
* Feminine rage

Oh man, from the beginning I was hooked in. I switched over to audiobook about 30% in because I literally couldn't put it down and needed to listen/read it any chance I got. Most books I go in blind, including this one. It's a little bit of a slow start but once it got going, I couldn't stop.

This dark gothic romantasy was so well done. I'm deeply intrigued by the Evers, and not just the Fernglove family. I loved the unique magic system and the mysteries of Fernglove Manor.

I had a slight feeling there is a love triangle involved but I'm in denial bc I hate love triangles (and also what happens with the plot without spoiling it). It does have me excited for book two though! Also. I was NOT expecting that plot twist oh my god. I recognize there's been foreshadow to it, but I am just a passenger princess okay??

And I know insect daddy was just a meme/troll for the marketing but honestly?? I get it. The tension and banter... I need sooo much more!!

Thank you Harper Voyager for the eARC, LibroFM for the ALC!