The writing and pacing was done well, it was easy to follow along and held my interest. The vibes were unreal! The premise really hooked me in, but the drama kept me coming back for more!

I just loved getting to enter this world. I just loved getting to meet these characters and see what they are currently getting themselves into. This book was just a really fun read. I just lost myself in this great story and I didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

After reading this I think there's some great potential for this duology. There is unique world building and plot. The threadmending was really cool. Our FMC can cure and mend but at the cost of her own life. When her remaining family has been hit by the blight she has to work together with the MC to find a cure. I enjoyed the plot and looking forward to book two.

Thank you @thenerdfam, @avon for the gifted ebook.

Oh I loved and hated this book equally. I hate that she went for the easy brother the light to the dark. The dark brother you could tell was the right path from the start. Or I could anyways. The first meeting of light brother just gave the wrong vibe.
I wanted to hit our heroine so many times. lol. But I don’t like the cliffhanger for this one bit lol. I need their story. They need a happy ending.

House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau is out now! Thank you NetGalley

House of Blight is a gothic fantasy that follows threadmender Edira as she navigates healing her village while also keeping herself and her brothers safe from the Evers. Threadmending is a rare power that can save lives, but comes with a cost. Edira has been hiding her powers so as not to attract the attention of the Evers, but that all changes once her brothers come down with the deadly Blight.

This story hooked me in right away! I never suspected how it would end and it blew my mind! The author does a great job of showing each personality and explaining how the magic system works.

I love a good dark fantasy book and this one didn’t disapoint! The haunting manor, strange family and deadly disease, all contributed to creating the grim athmosphere.
The pacing was perefct, I read half of the book in one sitting! I also enjoyed the mystery plot of both the family and the Blight. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance (love triangles aren’t my thing), it wasn’t the main focus, so it didn’t bothered me too much. All the characters, main or secondary, had well-developped and believable arcs.
Overall, I absolutly recommend this book if you enjoy Dark and Gothic Fantasy with a touch of romance.

Ohhhh this was fun. I was stressed from the moment I started reading this so I knew it was gonna pay off and be a good one 🙂‍↕️ I couldn’t put it down from the moment I started reading it. The writing was addictive and the worldbuilding and magic were so good 🪲🌱

"House of Blight" is the first in the "Treadmender Chronicles" by Maxym M. Martineau. After loving "The Beast Charmer" so much, I knew I definitely wanted to read the new series from the author!

Edira Brillwyn has a rare gift that allows her to stitch life's threads back together - but she always has to give up a small part of her own life to do so. When her brothers fall ill with the insidious blight, she has no choice but to make a pact with the powerful Fernglove family. In order to save her brothers, she becomes increasingly entangled in a maelstrom of secrets and intrigue.

The magic system is innovative and has been described by the author in a very tangible way. Once again, I can praise the vivid and fluid writing style, which made reading easy for me.
The story mostly takes place on the Fernglove family estate. Even though the plot has some quieter scenes that create authenticity and shed more light on the characters, it never gets boring. On the contrary - the search for a cure for the blight turns out to be a race against time and uncovers more and more secrets.

In the last 100 pages, events come thick and fast - if you thought you finally knew the truth, you now have to realize that this assumption is simply wrong.
Edira is a strong female protagonist who, despite foul play, pulls the right strings to save the ones she loves.

"House of Blight" is a successful start to the series that I can only recommend.

4.5/5 ⭐️, 1.5/5 🌶

If you’re in the mood to curl up with a gothic fantasy that weaves together magic, mystery & just the right touch of romance — add this one to your TBR. ✨️ The world is richly detailed in a way that made it so easy to imagine... even down to the scents. I felt like I was there & gagging with the descriptions of the blight. 🤢

Edira is such a sweetheart, but don’t mistake her kindness for weakness — cough insect daddy cough. 😉 She fiercely protects her brothers, even if it means sacrificing herself.
That’s how she ends up magically bound to Orin, who offers his help... but of course, not everything is as it seems. 👀

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear: trust no one! I was collecting breadcrumbs like a detective, trying to uncover the truth & don’t get me started on the love triangle. 🫠 I knew in my soul who I wanted to root for, but the twists kept me second-guessing. The dark vibes, the sharp banter, the slow-burning tension? Absolutely perfect! I'm SO excited for book 2! 🫶🏽

Blight is spreading across the country, and only threadmasters can help heal the diseased. But as Edira helps others, her life is slowly taken away as her magic is passsed on. When her secret is discovered, she must make wise choices to protect her life and her family.

I personally liked this so much and looking forward to the next book already. It’s romantasy for sure in that there is world building (which is easy to comprehend) and there are stakes but it isn’t high fantasy and it does have a juicy little love triangle.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well it was written and how much I loved the characters! Well…most of them.

I really enjoyed the unique take on immortal beings and magic system that I haven’t seen the exact likes of before. Every time I read a well crafted fantasy novel I’m rendered speechless by the sheer volume of creative ideas that have been somehow wrestled and arranged into what we, as readers, consume. House of Blight is definitely one of those novels!

Edira’s life has been anything but simple or easy, and I found myself getting teary-eyed multiple times at the weight she had to carry. The woman is STRONG!

The Fernglove family….oh boy do I have a lot to say about them. Lol it’s a good insight into how manipulative and deceitful people can be, but also how unlikely friendships can be formed in the strangest of ways. There’s also a found family element to this story that I loved.

The ending had me groaning in frustration but it’ll be a great way to jump into book 2!!

I’m an Arizona girl, so reading a book by an author who is from my home state is always extra special.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Maxym M Martineau for the gifted review copy. I cannot wait for the next installment of The Threadmender Chronicles!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the ARC.

This book has filled a dark fantasy void in me that I didn't know I had until just now.

Oh my goodness what a great start to this duology. This book is dark and tense, but in the most thrilling way possible. The characters are dynamic and flawed, and I am so drawn into their story. Edira is such an amazing character. She is fierce and brave as she faces something dark and sinister at Fernglove Manor. The two brothers, Orin and Rorik, are delicious and deadly. I really loved how the magic system worked in this book and I loved the deeper looks into Edira's magic as the book went on.

What a fantastic dark fantasy opener.

House of Blight has the elements I enjoy in a fantasy - a magical disease and a healer paired up with powerful magical family. Unfortunately I struggled to connect to the MC or the romance, and I predicted the ending fairy early. I think this fantasy is perfect for readers who are newer to the genre, but avid fantasy readers might find it repetitive.

I received an ARC from Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

House of Blight is a sweeping gothic romantasy that will draw you in and not let go until the end.
The vibes are immaculate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Voyager for my review copy.

House of Blight is a gothic romantasy novel with secrets and uncertainties coursing throughout. With drama, cunning characters, and a house that appears to be alive, I would definitely recommend venturing into Maxym M. Martineau's unique world.

The story introduces us to our powerful but naïve protagonist, Edira Brillwyn, who is an exceptional threadmender, which means she can heal people. However, this magic has a cost: every time Edira utilises her power, she sacrifices a part of her own life. Edira has been forced to keep her abilities hidden, and just as she believes she is safe, the prestigious Fernglove family discovers her secret. Edira is compelled to join the family's enticingly sinister services in order to find a cure for the blight that is eroding her world to a deeper core than she realises.

If you love decay and grotesque beauty in every aspect of a novel, I highly recommend giving this book a try. I was engrossed in Martineau's world and could not get the pages to turn fast enough to see how this consuming living environment would progress, and it did not disappoint. Secrets are woven throughout, and the cryptic exchanges kept me on edge the entire time, as did the FMC's naivety, which made me want to yell at her at times because the manoeuvrings were so evident and she got so many signs. As much as I adored Edira and felt terrible for her in many situations, I thought her character was a little too naive for what she had been warned about; I didn't think her background or personality would let fall into so many traps. I believe she would be more curious, rather than shoving obscurities to the back of her mind. For me, she was bit too trusting. However, there are other aspects of her character that I simply adore, so she was redeemed for me.

The gothic elements perfectly blended with the fanatical, and Martineau produced a truly eerie and unique world that was simply incredible; I could go on and on about it. Everything just left me awestruck since the image of the gorgeous monstrosity of the world was so vivid, especially the glamoured forms of Ferngloves. The suspense and family intrigue were expertly portrayed; and I must make a special shoutout to Ywena, the sweetest moth companion ever!

Favourite Quotes:

"I'm training you to survive."
"Why?"
The rise and fall of his rib cage slowed, and I forced myself to match his breathing pattern. He waited until I'd settled into the new pace before finally answering.
"Because you deserve to live."

"Magic doesn't care about intention - just the word itself."

"You are stunning.
He stared at me as my words washed over him. "Truth or lie?"
"Which is more dangerous?"

🌶🌶/5

Thank you so much NetGalley, The Nerd Fam, and Maxym M. Martineau for letting me read this amazing book.

Can't wait to see what happens next!

You guys, this could seriously be my creepy gothic fantasy Roman Empire. My next One Dark Window. (<—If you know me, that’s a big deal). I’m going to need character art, special editions, and stickers. Please and thank you.
Welcome to a world of unique magic, complicated history, amazing characters, and a mysterious sickness that can’t be stopped. Edira lives her life hiding her Threadmending skills because to use it is to shorten her own threads. Until she catches the eye of one of society’s elite, and her brother’s fall ill to the Blight, thus forcing her into an uncomfortable arrangement with the Ferngloves. From there, she’s thrown into a crazy world of immortals and magic, lies and half truths, infatuation and hate.
The concept of being able to view someone’s life threads and mend them to heal people is a really cool concept in its own. Add in the fact that her healing comes at the cost of shortening her own life span and you have an amazingly unique magic trait within an already unique magic system. I also love that the different houses have their own elemental magic so to speak, and that they are a different take on the idea of fae.
Edira is a little naive for me at times but I think her selflessness and ability to be nice to people makes her character arc more special. Her need to put everyone first definitely has its pros and cons, and watching her realize it’s okay to put herself first sometimes is refreshing…even if I don’t always agree. I won’t go much into our MMCs because I don’t think I can discuss them without spoilers but let’s just say I struggled to decide if my theories about either of them were correct for most of the story.
I do hope we get more of Seville’s story in the sequel, and I wouldn’t mind knowing more about Vora either. I think she’s a very solid character and I bet her history is fascinating. Lastly, YWENA💚 I love her and I want one!

Thank you to NerdFamily, NetGalley, and Maxym for this amazing ARC opportunity!

Thank you for this ARC! I was hooked instantly by this gothic novel and the FMC unique magic! Can’t wait for book 2 in this duology!

4/5 Stars!
2/5 spice!

Quick Summary: Edira has a special power where she can cure people, but it comes with a cost of losing some of her life threads. Edira gets thrown into the house with Evers (those who are immortal/powerful) due to a sickness called blith affecting everything.

This book grew on me. For the first 50%, I was not vibing with it, but once it got going, I was shocked that it was over. The author uses such descriptive language, and it is necessary to understand how awful it is to have blith. I loved learning about all the characters and trying to figure out what their intentions were. There were some things I enjoyed about Edira (her empathy, how intelligent she was, and how she saw the world around her), but there were things I didn't like about her (she was intelligent but made dumb decisions). Overall, I did like her character development throughout the book and her will to do what she wanted no matter the cost. There is romance in this book, but I'm going to save it as a surprise because of how much I enjoyed the love triangle. The spice was perfect and fit perfectly in the book.

Overall, if you enjoy love triangles, books with family tension, constantly trying to figure out what is going to happen, and immersive worlds, this is for you!

Thank you to Maxym, Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm so excited to continue on with this series!

The first in the Threadmender Chronicles follows Edira, a thread mender who can trade years of her lifespan to heal others. After keeping her magic secret throughout her life, when her brothers catch the deadly blight, she takes a job with the Evers, hoping to heal her brothers and emerge alive.

The book has an incredibly unique worldbuilding, so it did take some time to fully understand the setting. I would really urge an interested reader not to worry if it doesn't instantly become clear - the book is so multi-layered, it is worth diving into it. I hope future books in the series will highlight some of the fascinating side characters (I loved cheeky Ever, Seville Fernglove), and really enjoyed the love triangle between Edina and two Evers - even if it was constantly unclear who she should trust.

The gothic fantasy made this an easy book to escape into and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series