A fun read full of atmospheric world that was super interesting.
The magic system was very unique in this world . The characters were so well done , especially since this is a Romantasy it was * chefs kiss * ! The mystery that develops throughout was done at such a well pace , I was shocked near the end !
I can’t wait for the second book !

The main character here should actually be the magical universe that was meticulously built to feature uniquely gifted characters. There is definitely a ton of potential for the next one and I’m already excited to read the next one!

I loved the gothic vibes of this book and the magic system was super interesting. I really loved the idea of magic taking something from the user every time they use it. There were lots of twists that kept me intrigued throughout. I really enjoyed all of the character interactions and it really added to the story.

BOOK I | THE THREADMENDER CHRONICLES
With its deeply unique premise and mesmerizing prose, House of Blight reveals a striking tale of romance where darkness blooms within its many dangerous creases.

A story that grows increasingly eerie and delectably dark, Martineau spins an entrancing drama where the lore of Fae, healing magic & beyond are realized in a wildly creative manner while underscoring each stage with a striking grim tone that hints at certain character suspicions and motives. A meticulously crafted cast of characters, who each leap off the page with their clever quips, insults and exchanges,
vividly color the dialogue in this tale which is equally as radiant as the lush atmosphere that snakes around it all.

CLOSING NOTES // With threats abound, magic and emotions carefully manipulated, romantic feelings flourishing and insects fluttering (and meddling!) about, House of Blight offers an incredibly entrancing reading experience from beginning to end — trust me, you won’t be able to think of anything else after. This is the kind of novel I need on my shelf to enjoy many times again. Utterly magnificent — a tale that needs to be read by all romantasy enthusiasts & admirers of lushly plotted tales of dark mystery.

Ps — I hope to see more of Ywena in Book II, she was such an unexpectedly adorable delight throughout!

My greatest thanks to author Maxym M. Martineau, Harper Voyager and Netgalley for this lovely ARC opportunity. 🪲♥️

Thank you to the Nerd Fam and Harper Collin’s for the e-arc that I received.


Sorry for the late review. House of Blight felt a bit different to me. Not sure if it was a good or bad feeling. I found the story original which is refreshing. However, it took a bit for it to really catch my attention. But, when it did, it becomes a page turner.

The world, the magic, the characters; everything was done beautifully. Our FMC is a strong (even when she doesn't want to be) character who will do anything to protect her brothers. Even if that anything lands her with the Evers who she has grown up to mistrust and hide from.

I had a great time with this book, and I didn't want to put it down. I just had to know what was happening next! I can't wait for it to be released so the rest of the book community can fall in love with the book as well.

If you are looking for something different with gothic vibes, Fae, unique magic, hidden secrets, a fierce FMC, intense sibling rivalry, and power that feeds on its wielded, then you HAVE to pick up this book.

Maxym kept me on the edge of my seat with this tale of Edira and her dangerous magic that could cost her everything. Throw in some gorgeous yet dangerous and arrogant Fae males who have entrapped Endira, forcing her to use the very power she’s fought to keep hidden, and I was sold!

What if saving a life costs you your own? Would you still do it? What if it was the lives of your brothers? And what if a Fae Lord made you a deal to keep them alive until another option was found - you just have to agree to use your power for him? What would you choose?

Edira is a bold, brave and strong-willed woman who refused to lose what family she has left. But she’s fighting against her own power while trying to navigate the dangerous world of Fae that comes with more deception and hidden secrets than she was prepared for, all while battling the growing chemistry between herself and a certain male. And time isn’t her friend.

I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2! I’m waiting with bated breath for the completion of this story and what comes next for these characters.

PICK IT UP. READ IT. It’s honestly not even a choice at this point, just do it!

I enjoyed this book. It was the first I have read from this author and I definitely will be reading more. I can not wait to read the next book! I loved the love triangle and can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

I received an ARC from NerdFam to enjoy and I 100% enjoyed this.
I was addicted very early on to the story line. The writing was beautiful and descriptive and I kept wanting to read.
Edira was powerful and strong. The family dynamics were intriguing and mysterious.
Highly recommend!
Doesn't end on a cliffhanger but I'm definitely wanting to read the next book in the duology.
This would also make an incredible movie.

3.5 ⭐️! If you liked ACOTAR, you will LOVE this!

When will the girls in fantasy books learn that they should never trust the first magical man who’s interested in them! It never ends well!

This was such an interesting read. It was decently slow paced at the start but then really picked up towards the end. The magic system is a little confusing to me, I feel like the Ever’s magic wasn’t explained very well, but I still found it cool nonetheless. The main character, Edira, has such a strong connection with her family and it’s so heartwarming to see how she will do anything for her brothers. Overall this was a great fantasy book and I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what happens in future books!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this E-ARC for my honest review.

Review: House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau

Thank you to NetGalley, Maxym M. Martineau, and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Darkly enchanting and impossible to put down, House of Blight weaves a tale of sacrifice, deception, and gothic allure that lingers long after the final page.

Edira Brillwyn is a threadmender—a rare healer whose gift comes at a devastating cost: every life she saves steals a piece of her own. When her brothers fall victim to the blight, a merciless plague ravaging their world, she’s forced into the orbit of the Ferngloves, a powerful and enigmatic fae family. Orin Fernglove, as magnetic as he is dangerous, offers her a bargain: train under his watch at Fernglove Manor, and her brothers may yet survive. But the manor’s opulent halls hide secrets as insidious as the blight itself, and the tension between Orin and his brother Rorik crackles with barely restrained hostility—think ACOTAR’s Rhysand and Tamlin, but with even sharper edges.

Martineau’s world-building is immersive, blending gothic atmosphere with intricate magic. The blight is a visceral, creeping threat, and Edira’s internal conflict—weighing her self-destruction against her love for her brothers—is heartbreakingly rendered. The slow-burn tension between her and Orin simmers with delicious complexity, neither purely romantic nor purely adversarial.

Fans of morally grey characters, lush gothic settings, and high-stakes magic will devour this. House of Blight is a standout debut, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting whatever Martineau writes next.

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐ – Dark, addictive, and utterly captivating.

House of Blight is a slow burn, gothic romantasy that follows Edira, a threadmender. She is able to heal others' sicknesses and injuries at the cost of time off her life.
After her brothers contract blight, the deadly sickness that is taking over Willowfell, she is employed by the Ferngloves-a powerful, immortal family. They want to use Edira's power to cure blight.

This was great—such a unique story about a sickness that spreads fast. House of Blight is like medieval Europe overtaken by the black plague but with magic in the mix.
Edira is an admirable main character. She will do anything it takes to heal her brothers, even if it means taking years off her life. A small love triangle forms between Edira, Rorik, and Orin. Orin is the powerful head of household.
This fantasy is pretty low stakes. There aren't any crazy action scenes, but the ethereal setting and descriptions really sell the book.

I do wish there was more information about the characters. While Edira had great character growth, I felt like her personality was kind of flat, along with the other Ferngloves. I wanted to get attached to these characters.

Thank you Harper Collins and Epic Reads for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to be given an ARC copy of this book. I didn’t know what to expect, but oh my god!!!! Easily the best book I’ve read this year!

House of Blight kept me wanting more and more at the end of each chapter. The writing was smooth and well written, the magic was enchanting, the spice and the tension throughout was addicting. The plot was so intriguing & had me in a steel grip.

The author did a phenomenal job creating such a strong and witty FMC. I found myself cheering for the main character the entire time and wondering how the problem was going to resolve itself.

The ending was beautiful and beyond satisfying.

I cannot WAIT for the next book of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review.

Tropes:
Hidden identity
Gothic romantasy
DNF
No chemistry
Book didn’t pull me in

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC!

3.5 stars!

A new magical world that was addicting for me! I found this story reminding me a lot of my first true love, The Cruel Prince. Edira has secrets of her own but finds herself allowing help from the Evers. She would normally stay away from them, but when a threatening situation calls for their help she can’t deny them. What’s even more troubling is how she finds herself interested in the dark brother. HELLO I ATE EVERY SCENE OF THEM UP.

The only reason I lowered a star is because this was highly predictable. I was able to predict the plot twist and ending. However, the author’s writing style was so beautiful when weaving this new world and characters, that I didn’t want to stop reading it regardless of the predictability.

This was such a pleasant surpise. I didn't go into it expecting a 5-star read, but I ended up loving every bit of this. While I can see the slight comparisons to ACOTAR and One Dark Window, I would say this is very much its own unique story. I definitely enjoyed the creepy, gothic vibes that this gave off. (Although I will say that the descriptions of blight were super disgusting at points. Don't read this while eating!)

I loved that the Evers were their own species, although they did share some similarities with fae, and how we slowly learned more regarding their lore. This also had good worldbuilding that I thought wasn't too difficult to understand and a unique magic system with the threadmending. This did start off a little slow, but there were several twists that ended up catching me offguard, and i felt like the story really flew from there and was impossible to put down.

I like that this is just a duology, and I can't wait for the sequel and where things are going to go, especially with Edira and Rorik. The tension between them and the few moments we got in this book were magnificent. Needless to say, a definite recommend, especially if you're looking for an underrated read.

House of Blight introduces an imaginative magical system that stands out in a crowded fantasy landscape. The worldbuilding is richly atmospheric, with vivid, ethereal descriptions that immerse you fully in its haunting environment.

Edira, the protagonist, is a strong and grounded lead. Her decisions, emotional responses, and internal logic felt believable and appropriate for the dire circumstances she faces. I appreciated that her journey—particularly her efforts to cure the Blight—wasn’t glossed over or conveniently resolved. The trials she faced had real stakes, which kept me engaged throughout.

The dynamic within the Fernglove family added another compelling layer to the story. I especially loved the prologue—it was gripping and set a powerful tone. I would have loved to see more threads from that opening woven more literally throughout the rest of the novel.

Where the book fell short for me was in the romance. While Orin made for an interesting twist as a character, the romantic connection between him and Edira felt underdeveloped. Without their glamours, their chemistry lacked depth, and their bond seemed to hinge more on circumstance than genuine emotional connection. A marriage of convenience rooted in mutual goals may have made more narrative sense given the story’s context.

Still, House of Blight was an enjoyable read overall. Despite a few missed emotional beats, the inventive magic system, layered protagonist, and slow-burning plot make it a solid start to what promises to be an intriguing series. I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The whimsical, cottage-core vibe was lovely but it also felt like the author was trying to incorporate a dark and gothic setting- the vibes didn’t mesh for me. The FMC was likable and believable. However, the other characters didn’t pull me in and I didn’t feel any chemistry between the MCs. While this book was not for me and I decided to DNF, it may be perfect for lovers of One Dark Window because it gives off a very similar feeling and atmosphere.

I am sorry I just couldn't get into this book for some reason. I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

This book cured me of my reading slump. A magical world with dark undertones. A strong female mc that is not a fighter but goes to her brink for her family. Delightful.

I loved the storyline of the blight and her forced to work with the Evers to try to save her brothers. The love triangle with the kind king and his broody brother was amazing. I was screaming in anger, delight and surprise throughout the whole book. It was giving a court of thorns and roses and I was here for it. The ending was just what i was looking for.

Thanks for the arc of this book netgalley.