I was actually quite surprised with this one! I love a romantic gothic fantasy! This book was really freaking good!

House of Blight is about magic, forbidden love, and a world shrouded in mystery in this gothic romantasy that will pull you into a realm where everyone holds a secret and every touch ignites a dangerous passion.

The FMC (Edira) has the type of magic that people are willing to kill for. She is able to keep her magic hidden until an unexpected tragedy hits her family and the wrong person sees her powers.

The MMC (Rorik) is the is the head of his household. He holds his own secrets and desires that will impact not only his life, but his family and the kingdom.

These two main characters meet under very strenuous circumstances. However, Rorik finds a solution that could benefit both Edira and her family, as well, as his family. Nonetheless, there are untold stories and hidden agendas that will tear apart alliances and families.

Do I recommend? Yes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 4
Plot development: 4
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of Reading: 4

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

I really enjoyed this book - I was immediately gripped by the plot and characters. It did give off slight ACOTAR vibes, though. Not a bad thing but it did take away from the sense of originality. I also think the dialogue and setting were a little bit mismatched at times. Very modern way of speaking in a gothic/historical context. (Gothic also isn't the descriptor I would use, necessarily). The unexpected spice was fun, though. And I love getting to root for Rorik in book 2

I really wanted to like this book, but sadly I’m DNFing it at 44%.

The premise sounded incredibly intriguing, and the prologue sucked me right in, but as I kept reading I found myself becoming bored, and feeling like the story dragged.

I just don’t think this was my cup of tea

So where are the gothic romantasys at ?! The dark errie presence of death with a fantasy setting and romance are a match I need more of. The world and magic are simply fascinating. All I wanted the entire time I read was to figure out the way everything worked. I LOVE the explanation of glamour and why it’s used. I was picking up on some hints of what was going to happen. It was fun putting pieces together on the mystery side of things.

In the beginning, a lot of characters are introduced, but the importance of each character from the found family is crucial. The status of power is being tested and it makes sense to everything that happens when the plot unravels. Speaking of characters, I love an animal sidekick and Ywena ( a pink and yellow mothlike creature 💖) was my absolute favorite.

If you do decide to add this to your never-ending TBR, I highly recommend going back to the beginning and reading the prologue again after you have finished. Its ties things together in the most staggering way. This will be a hard wait for book two with a cliffhanger I can’t seem to forget.

after multiple attempts at reading- I have decided to DNF. I’m hoping to return to it in the future but right now i’m unable to connect with the author’s writing style.

I have to tell you that you may love this book or you may not like this book. There is no in-between. Sorry to inform you. I know some readers have mixed feelings regarding this book. Thankfully, I was able to enjoy reading this book. I have a fun time reading it, and let me tell you why you might love reading this book.

Reasons why you may love reading this book:

-It's a dark gothic romantic read. It's literally the best genre to read if you are in the mood for romantic genres.

-The enemies to lovers trope is top tier. It gives the perfect tension between characters.

-The possible love triangle is so good yet so messy. It creates the perfect drama between all of the characters.

-The endless secrets unraveling is so freaking good. You may suspect one, but you won't suspect the others. Trust me, there are a few secrets that left me shocked and on the edge.

-The betrayal was a bit expected. I just knew right away because we have been warned.

-The determination in saving her family was everything. You just know as a reader that the main character will do anything to solve their family. It's just perfect to read.

-The shocking ending was everything and more. I literally need more!

I really enjoyed this one! I was a little annoyed by the FMC at points, but overall this was a good read. I honestly cannot wait for the next book!!

3.75⭐️

The House of Blight is a great gothic fantasy that hooked me from the very first page. This is the first book in a planned duology and introduces us to Edira, a selfless and resilient FMC living in a disease-ridden world. The atmospheric setting is marked by the presence of the blight, a grotesque and incurable illness that has devastated her family and now threatens her younger brothers.

Edira’s rare ability as a threadmender allows her to heal others by sacrificing parts of her own lifespan, a gift she’s been forbidden to use. But desperation drives her to make a life-altering decision when her brothers get sick with the blight. Enter Orin Fernglove, a powerful and immortal “Ever” who offers her a bargain: he will put her brothers in magical stasis while she works to find a cure at the Fernglove estate.

The story’s gothic undertones are perfectly balanced with its eerie yet mesmerizing setting. The Fernglove family—beautiful, immortal, and utterly enigmatic—pulls Edira into their orbit of hidden motives, dark secrets, and simmering tension. The dynamic between Edira and the Ferngloves, particularly Orin, is fraught with mistrust and reluctant alliances, making every interaction layered and thrilling. EVERYTHING IS NOT AS IT SEEMS! 😉

For fans of slow-burn romance, magical bargains, and haunted estates, this book delivers in spades. The plot is fast-paced yet rich in detail, and the ending is satisfying, avoiding the dreaded cliffhanger while still leaving room for the sequel. I highly recommend!

Thank you Harper Voyager for allowing me the chance to read this ARC through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

This book was effortlessly captivating and I’m already eager for the next one.

Edira Brillwyn has healing powers that she’s only just scratched the surface of, powers that she tries to keep hidden for her safety. She finds herself working for powerful people, which means she begins to uncover what she is capable of along with secrets that change everything.

If you’re looking for a gothic, romantic fantasy that has you questioning everything yet completely enthralled…this is for you. I was so pleasantly surprised by this book and will definitely be checking out some of Maxym M Martineau’s other works.

I was hooked from the first page of *House of Blight*, the first book in an exciting new series!

The story follows a young woman in a village ravaged by a deadly disease, blight, which has already taken her family. When her brothers fall ill, she decides to use her forbidden healing powers, despite the cost—each time she heals, she loses a bit of her life.

Before she can act, a fae lord intervenes, offering a deal: help him find a cure for the blight, and he’ll save her brothers. But as she delves into the secrets of the fae world, she discovers much more is at stake—and she may not survive it.

A thrilling read with forbidden powers, fae intrigue, and high stakes. Can’t wait for the next book! If you love dark fantasy with twists and danger, this one’s for you.

I love a good Romantasy novel but I feel like this one didn’t carry through for me. I was intrigued by the plot but unfortunately was disappointed

Such a unique magic system and gothic feels! There was just a little something missing here (can’t put my finger on it), but overall I really enjoyed the book! I think there is a lot of potential for the second book, but luckily doesn’t leave us on too big of a cliffhanger. The relationships felt very obvious and tropy, but the setting did a good job of making it just unique enough. Would recommend to my romantasy lovers!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!!

(3.5) This was a pretty basic romantasy story. While there was nothing really wrong with it, the plot was incredibly predictable and lacked any complexity that would cause it to stick with me. Not life changing, just alright.

This is a fantastic dark fantasy with gothic vibes. It is so unlike most of the books I have read recently. The apocalyptic type world is creepy but so interesting. The dedication and prologue pulled me in and I could not put this book down. As someone who’s often easily distracted while reading I can say I wasn’t distracted by much, even reading late into the night until my eyes couldn’t stay open.

Edira is a threadmender in a world filled with a horrible disease called blight. She must hide her ability to heal the sick by mending their broken threads of life for fear of being taken by the Evers. The Evers, immortal beings with immense magic, lord over the country of Glaes. The Ferngloves are the specific family that control’s Edira’s city. The Ferngloves took her aunt when they discovered she was a threadmender. Edira must help make ends meet with her two brothers all while hiding her identity because blight killed the rest of her family… until her brothers fall ill with blight. Orin Fernglove promises to stave off the progression of the disease in exchange for Edira’s help in researching a cure for blight. Edira is thrust into the Fernglove estate with a family that is kniving, secretive, and extremely powerful. She is warned to trust no one, but her heart tells her otherwise.

The story is muah, chef’s kiss! Edira is constantly questioning the Fernglove’s motives. The characters are dynamic, especially Edira. She is full of sass, plus she gets a cute animal companion. The sarcastic interactions between the Fernglove family are so entertaining. The imagery is immersive and beautiful but absolutely disgusting. I really enjoyed how Edira’s magic works.

Edira is constantly giving of herself to help others, but slowly learning to let herself live. I admire her character’s steadfast determination to protect her brothers all while learning the secrets of the Ferngloves.

This was the first ending I’ve read in a while that was actually satisfying. It’s my understanding that this is a duology, but I’m not left with the sour taste of most cliffhangers in the end.

I will be suggesting to book to anyone and everyone. Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eARC.

I found this book to be very entertaining with a new and interesting concept. The prologue drew me in immediately and the writing was done very well. I am interested to know if this will turn into a series or not. I was not completely satisfied with the ending but I am hoping there will be a book two that will resolve it. Overall, I definitely recommend this book.

Eh. DNF at 35%. I don’t think this book is for me. I don’t think I’m understanding the world and don’t love the writing style. I just feel so confused

This book started off really strong. I was intrigued by the magic system—it captured exactly the vibe I was looking for at that moment. But after the 30% mark, it went downhill. The FMC was insufferable and incredibly annoying. She kept making the most ridiculous mistakes and went along with things without ever questioning them. The other characters were okay but didn’t stand out; they felt average at best. The premise itself was fantastic, but the characters just didn’t live up to it. The ending was predictable, too—I saw it coming. I really wanted to love this book but I'm so sad I didn't.


Thank you to the publisher for this Arc . This Arc was provided in exchange for an honest review.

This one just wasn’t my cup of tea. I am not much into this trope so it fell flat for me and I caught myself losing interest often. If that is something that interests you you’re going to love it! It is just not something I seek out💕