House of Monstrous Women is terrifying from start to finish, navigating monstrous frights amidst the horrors of living under an authoritarian regime where every step could be your last. At the root of the book is an examination of fear and its many forms. Fear of being alone in a crumbling house, fear of never succeeding where your parents couldn’t, fear of not having the family you so hope for. All of these fears are wound together by a game that seems simple on the surface but turns into a horrifying journey of self discovery for each of its characters. Part haunted house story, part paranormal horror, House of Monstrous Women is, at its core, an examination of a world where women aren’t allowed to live the lives they want and what it means to fight for the life they want to live. It’s powerful, horrifying, and thought-provoking until the final sentence.

The Best Bits

The House - so many rooms, so many horrors
The Game Itself - there’s so much at stake and it glued me to the page
Monsters, Creatures, Bugs - so many gross things to get past

A Few of My Favorite Things

A Truly Epic Haunted House
I love a good haunted house story, especially when the house has a mind of its own. From the first moment Josephine walks through the doors, every piece of the house feels wrong. It’s twisted and confusing, winding about through endless doors, filled with dirty rooms and broken things all piled there by past generations now disappeared. Bugs are crawling in every nook and cranny, there’s a sickly sweet smell mixed with rot, and the creepiest servants imaginable are around every corner. It’s a truly haunted house, and all of that happens before we really get to see under the covers. This is a brilliant setting and it only gets creepier as the game begins and the house really shows its true colors.

The Promise of a Future
This was the most brilliant part of the book. All four of the characters are here to play a game and, if they win, they can wish for the future of their dreams and receive it. They all have something they’re desperate for and so far life has beaten them down and cornered them into arriving at the house’s front door. Everyone is desperate to change the path they’re on and it makes the stakes of the game incredibly hight. Throw in a few curses, a few rules that don’t seem fair, and endless servants who are essentially zombies chasing them at every turn, and it’s a high adrenaline chase that spans the later half of the book.

The Paranormal Horror of It All
I’m a big fan of paranormal horror, especially if it’s done well, and this book gets it right in every scene. It starts with little things - bugs and nightmares about creatures eating your flesh, unease woven within every interaction inside the walls of the house. As the story unravels, so too do the paranormal aspects until Josephine is running between undead, endless insects, and a final monster that is epically horrifying to imagine. Everything is tied together by a mysterious spirit that has its tendrils in the generations of women born to this family and getting away from it seems impossible. There are so many gross elements alongside physical and mental discomforts, making it the perfect paranormal horror.

Josephine has been invited by her dearest childhood friend to the Ranoco house where they will play a game. The prize, if she manages to win, is her heart's desire. The house itself is mazelike, with color coded hallways and ominously decorated walls. Veiled servants lurk silently in corners and corridors. The game is one they played in the forest as children, with much higher, darker stakes. Because the book is set in the Phillipines in 1986, I didn't have a clear picture of the setting and had only the vaguest understanding of the politics that play a major part in Josephine's life. (I knew a bit about the folklore because one of my kids explained it to me a few months back.) It's a dark, fascinating horror story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Full disclosure, I didn't finish the ebook before it expired (I got to about 40%). BUT I have already preordered the audiobook because I am that invested in finding out what happens and I didn't want to wait for my library to get a copy.

What stood out to me the most was the beautiful writing. There is a delicate balance in the world building that gives you enough to picture the island and the house but isn't pages of non essential descriptions, which was very refreshing. I have never been to the Philippines can't say anything to the accuracy of the culture depicted, but I would really like to learn more. Part of the reason I wanted to get the audiobook is so that I can make sure that I'm pronouncing some of the character and place names correctly. There seems to be a lot of the Filipino culture represented in this book and I want to make sure that I can talk about it correctly.

I cannot wait to find out the story behind Hiraya and her games and see how Josephine and her family deal with the results of the trip.

I will update my review when I finish the book.

This is a challenging book to read. It was very different from what I normally read. It started off as a five star read. Just the imagery alone was incredible, and that remained consistent throughout the entire novel. The author paints extremely visual and vivid scenes all the way through. They were just a little hard to take later on, especially as we grow closer to the book's climax. The reader should be forewarned that if they are easily grossed out, this author might just push them close to the edge. There were moments that I was very glad to have not just eaten, the imagery was that much.
This book takes place in the Phillipines during the Marcos regime. The author had a clear opinion about what happened. I absolutely loved this angle of the book, and if anything, her veering more toward the fantasy and way from the political, took that fifth star away in my perspective. People may disagree, but there were hidden meanings and metaphors that were so strong and compelling but the stark horror and imagery became overwhelming and detracted a bit from the overall messages.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for providing me with the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest opinions.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

A house of horrors that is also a metaphor for standing up against oppression, The House of Monstrous Women is a creepy and lush novel of generational trauma and resistance.

You don’t need to know anything about the People Power Revolution before going into this, as I'll admit I didn't but how Josephine thinks of what’s going on in her country explained it enough for me to get the gist. I requested this book on NetGalley so long ago I had no idea what it was when I went into it (which is how I prefer ot anyway) and I found myself intrigued by what was clearly a real-life event and looked it up later. If you are curious, it was a non-violent revolution which ended the 20-year dictatorship of a man, Ferdinand Marcos, who had been growing increasingly violent and undemocratic.

Josephine's parents are also killed for political reasons that resonate through the text, so these aspects served to make this a gothic horror with layers of meaning. While it’s full of creepy hallways, body horror, and dark magic, it’s also about more than just the surface layer horror.

I wouldn’t say it was terrifying, as it’s a very slow-burn horror, but it definitely has parts that are high adreneline, and if you’re freaked out by bugs, well, this one has a lot of them. There is some body horror, but it’s not overly graphic - I was never really grossed out, but that’s subjective.

The setting is very cool. An island off the Philippines with a huge, twisty mansion with labyrinthine halls, freakish servants, and very odd decor. It was hard to picture, but I think that’s the point - it’s meant to be confusing and almost eldritch in its immensity and creepiness. And the descriptions we do get are lush and very specific. I could tell what all the rooms she entered looked like, just not how the house was laid out. This gave it a very mimetic feel as we’re just as turned around as Josephine.

She’s a great character. She has clear motivations, and while she is much too loyal and giving to her friends and family, she’s also tough, brave, and smart. She felt well-rounded and human. The few side characters we get are good, but I think we could have used some more flashbacks to really cement their relationship with Josephine. A certain plotline would have been harder hitting emotionally if we’d seen her and a certain person’s relationship when they were younger, and we’d also see why Josephine has such a hard-on for her friend Hiraya. I mean, I just don’t see why; she was a little annoying.

I have no real background in Filipino myths, so what was based on that and what was purely the author’s imagination, I can’t tell you, but this story has so much cool, interesting lore, specifically the monstrous elements - the aswang and Engkanto - part of the fun for me was being introduced to these new-to-me things.

The book is just so thematically rich. The entire thing is about oppression, as I said before, weaving in the real-life political aspects of the late 1980s, but also women’s oppression and the oppressive nature of generational trauma. But also how oppression is often parasitic, something that is shown again and again in the novel through imagery like the balete trees. Even Josephine’s own acceptance of her life, to a certain extent, is parasitic.

And the book is also beautifully written with visceral, descriptive language that is both lovely and disturbing.

Overall, I thought this was an excellent example of a modern gothic horror - great mansion, foreboding setting, woman main character, deeper themes, and some creepy-ass scenes. And we also get queer rep too!

The family of women that the town whispers about. But Josephine never cared about the rumors, she just loved their family like her mother did. Himaya is her best friend. It's been a while since she's seen her since because they moved away after some political violence and unrest in their city. However, Josephine has finally been invited to see her friend again.

When Josephine arrives, her brother Alejandro is also there along with his girlfriend (and Josephine's other close friend) Gabriella. They explain that they have been brought there to play a game - one that, whoever is the winner, gets to ask one wish to be granted.

This is a wild, fast moving story. Josephine is an interesting character and I liked being with her through the story. The creep factor was well done, the house felt both claustrophobic and like a sprawling maze. The added race, stalking servants and nightmares were a great addition to keep the story feeling eerie and keeping the reader on their toes. The political violence added an interesting layer and I liked that it was kept in the background as a reminder at what was at stake. Such a good read!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Josephine is a tougher cookie than she gives herself credit for, driven by respect for herself and a desire to take care of the people she loves, she enters a game in the Ranoco house after being invited by her childhood friend, Hiraya. As a child, she was also close to Hiraya's family, and feels a love for the Ranoco women.

I feel like saying too much will spool things, but this game is dark, and not without legitimate risk. Josephine has to mine her own past, her feelings, and what her true desires are in order to survive the game, let alone win it. Her love for Hiraya, and her desire to do the right thing, are what keep her alive...mostly.

There's some really good body horror in this, at one point I had to work hard not to gag because my brain was imagining something to vividly. This is the story of the terrible lengths women will go to in order to survive, and that they're better at it because of a lifetime of training to guard our own safety because you can't trust anyone around you.

First of all, that title 🤩I knew I had to read this!

I love settings that feel like characters and Hiraya's house breathes with the story. Fama creates a house of macabre horrors and delights and I was totally entranced. I've never read a book set in the Philippines and this gothic horror set against the tumult of the 1980s in the country heightens all the stakes and gives depth to all of the characters.

I liked the slower burn and eerie vibes that culminated in absolute creepy chaos! The combination of gothic and folk horror had me locked in and I read the last half in one sitting.

I got a little lost with some of the folklore in the final act, but I loved where the story ended. The themes of women's sacrifice in a patriarchal society, family, duty, generational trauma, and love wove through the stories of Josie, Hiraya, and all the other "monstrous" women in the house. I'm still thinking about the circumstances they each found themselves in and the choices they had to make.

A great debut and I look forward to reading more from Daphne Fama!

4.5⭐

I wanted so much to love this book, but it starts very slowly. I had a tough time getting into and connecting with the characters. The writing style is just not for me.

3.5 ⭐️
The horror elements of this book were great with an incredibly creepy house and spine-chilling scenes that kept my heart pumping. The overarching story, however, left a bit to be desired. Particularly when it came to the sibling relationship between Josephine and Alejandro. Their back story and dynamic was a bit weird and didn’t really fit with the story. The whole concept of the “game” was also strange and was not explained very well. Overall, it’s a dark, haunting and entertaining read.

I was unsure of this but the writing was beautiful. The descriptions were absolutely beautiful even the disgusting gory aspects felt beautifully written. I will say this definitely isn't for those who are squeamish. Still overall this was a fantastic book

3.75⭐ (will create a post for this closer to the release date)

This book will haunt me for a while. I was so excited to read this book as it was embedded in Filipino folklore and history, but I did not know what I expected from this book. Thank you, Daphne Fama, for ruining lechon for me and giving me serious high blood pressure!

I loved being able to read more about my culture, and this story seamlessly braided itself within it. As a child, I've been told of stories of aswangs (vampiric monsters), but I didn't know too much about it. It was interesting to see innocent things that I was familiar with as a child like tagu-tagu (hide and seek) be manipulated into something so terrifying. It added a chilling layer to the story, because it demonstrated that anything could get to you.

It was so interesting because I didn't like any of these characters (and not in a bad way). Actually, never mind, I did like Sidapa. Anyways, the way the story was written, it was as if the characters were meant to be unlikable because since the story was all about winning a game, they were all in it for themselves. For example, one of the characters, Hiraya, orchestrated the event and brought people she cared about to peril, which was an act of desperation, but I think many of us still can't agree that they'd put their loved ones in danger to benefit ourselves.

This was a bone-chilling horror that was something I enjoyed. I can't wait to read more of Daphne Fama's work!

What makes this book stand out is how it blends gothic horror with the roots of Filipino folklore. The novel is great at building tension, and it starts with a slow, creeping unease that gradually escalates into something much more terrifying. The setting is rich with atmosphere, and the historical backdrop adds a sense of real-world dread that enhances the supernatural elements. The story also digs into themes of inherited trauma and the roles women are expected to play across generations, giving the horror an emotional depth that stays with you.

"House of Monstrous Women" was one of those books I really wanted to love, but didn't. While I didn’t connect with it as much as I hoped, there was still a lot I appreciated. The book slowly builds a chilling atmosphere ... emphasis on slowly. The pacing was much more gradual than I expected, and I didn’t feel fully pulled into the story until more than halfway through. If you enjoy a very slow-burning, historical type of horror, you might click with it sooner than I did. Once the tension finally hit, though, it really hit, and the descent into supernatural horror was intense.

Thank you, #NetGalley and Berkley Publishing, for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[edit]
3.75 stars! This was not for the weak.

I really liked reading this book despite the heart palpitations I had to endure in the middle and the end of this book. As a Filipino, I appreciated the fact that it gave a little history lesson AND incorporated folklore that I've heard (& hated) as a kid. I think if this book was read by someone not Filipino, they may have a hard time getting into this book because of the historical aspect, some bisayan phrases that are used, and just no knowledge of Filipino folkflore.

For me, this book kept me on my toes. I paced around my house for the whole day reading this book because I couldn't put it down. It was creepy, it was graphic, and it made me want to vomit in a couple of chapters because of how detailed and gross it was. For a horror book, I do wish it was a bit shorter. I feel like they were just tiptoeing on what was wrong with the Ranoco house and we didn't find out what the game really implied until it was about 60ish % finished... which in my opinion, is kind of absurd. I think it would've been more appropriate maybe 35-40% in instead. Josephine and Sidapa were my favorite characters in the book but Josephine annoyed me by the end of chapter [redacted]. After that, I was team Sidapa all the way.

Overall, it was a good read just a little bit too long for my liking when it comes to horror books. I hope people who aren't Filipino do take a chance in this book just to learn a little bit more about our culture. It's rich in folklore and maybe a little scary but read it anyways.

House of Monstrous Women is a heavily atmospheric gothic horror story in the midst of political upheaval in late 1980s Philippines. We follow our protagonist Josephine as she goes off to join her old childhood friend Hiraya at her family home. There ensues a deadly game in which the winner's wish gets granted and the only thing the hunted lose is their life.

A very well-written and powerful exploration about family and the tradition responsibility that passes down through generations.

The insect horror and and body gore is something to be warned about if anyone is sensitive to these.

I enjoyed the writing and the setting in a spooky house that feels like a trap and the descriptions of the servants were pretty creepy although I didn't feel like they posed as much as a threat as they were supposed to. It took about halfway into the book to get to the game which didn't really last very long. But I suppose the book is more about the characters and their relationship with each other as it is a prominent theme.

The author's note at the end gave much appreciated insight into the book.

Overall, I liked House of Monstrous Women. It's definitely an interesting addition to the gothic horror genre with its unique setting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy to review.

Set in 1980s Leyte in Eastern Visayas, Philippines towards the end of the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos, the story is told in the perspective of Josephine del Rosario. Years after the upheaval of the lives of the del Rosario siblings after the slaughtering of their family (parents, cousins, aunts and uncles, even journalists), they are still forced to cope with their loss.
This part of the story eerily echoes the Ampatuan massacre in Maguindanao, where a rival family of the incumbent political dynasty, including some journalists who went to cover the events, were massacred, their bodies thrown in mass graves. I am unsure how to feel about fictionalizing this piece of real history that is so horrible, even though it sheds some light in the incident. I think it would have been better if the author acknowledged the real tragedy that inspired the backstory of the del Rosario's to educate people better on Philippine politics and history.
The author was able to show how even though the characters are not in the country's center in Manila, they are still influenced by what goes on in the country, though in smaller, slower waves. I think it goes to show how even though a lot of people in parts outside of Manila might think that things did not affect them, there were still dissidents and believers alike throughout the country.
I liked the author's use of terminologies specific to the location--like, "mananambal", which is the Visayan equivalent of the Tagalog "albularyo", and the research that went into their practices. I love folklore, especially Filipino folklore and it was wonderful to finally get to read a story on my culture.
I'm a big proponent of a "show, don't tell" type of story telling, and I wasn't a big fan of the big walls of text for dialogues exchanged between characters when a lot of the information can already be deduced from their behavior and the main character's internal monologues. It honestly felt repetitive.
I am a big fan, however, of the way the house of the Ranocos was portrayed, as well as the towns of Carigara and Biliran. The house was creepy, unsettling, but also somehow beautiful in its own twisted way, rooted in hundreds of years of tradition. It reminded me a lot of old rural places in the Philippines, and how we must always strive to do better for the people who will come after us, even if that means sacrificing a future that we would have wanted.
At its heart, this story talks a lot about sacrifices and hope, and how we don't always have to adhere to tradition if it doesn't feel right to us.

In 1986 Philippines under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, Josephine lives alone, maintaining her family home after her parents were murdered and her brother and friends have all left their hometown, Carigara for one reason or another. After several lonely years, Josephine receives a letter that will change everything. It's an invitation from her childhood best friend, Hiraya, inviting her to visit and play games as they did as children. Josephine's brother, Alejandro, as well as friend Gabriella will be there as well.

But upon arrival to the Ranoco house, Josephine quickly realizes as she traverses the labyrinthine hallways that this isn't the same game from their childhood. The winner will receive the future they long for, but what sacrifice must be made to earn that victory? And what does it mean to lose...?

***

4.5 stars round up!

Woweeeee, this is exactly the kind of gothic novel I've been craving. I believe this is a debut by Fama and I found myself constantly in awe of her stunning, lush prose. Truly, her writing is so atmospheric and descriptive I may as well have been there in that massive, insect-filled house.

The pace was also perfect! More than half of the book is slow and steady to really set the scene and let the reader get to know the characters a little and understand their motivations. And then after that all bets are completely off and everything becomes super unhinged in the best and weirdest ways. Even the chapters were shorter throughout the final third and I found myself entirely unable to put it down until the end. I was really rooting for some of these characters and loved that I never truly knew who could or couldn't be trusted until the conclusion.

Additionally, the parallels to the actual historical events of the time was really great and provided extra context for character motivations. The way Fama managed to weave in elements of the revolution within this story was so creative and I feel like it was really well done.

I'd like to note that this book is also very GROSS. Definitely some body horror and so, so many things related to bugs and insects throughout. You've been warned!

But beyond being uncomfortably descriptive at times (I mean all of this in a good way btw), it's actually just genuinely creepy sometimes. There's a sequence that happens in the first half that creeped me out so much and I thought about it for the duration of the book. Even after finishing, I'm still a little haunted and I love that for me.

I literally keep flashing back to a part where Josephine wants to LAUGH at something absolutely horrific she's witnessing because of how absurd it is and honestly, she's so real for that.

So if you're in the market for a unique, unhinged, claustrophobic, atmospheric gothic horror...this is probably a great pick for you! House of Monstrous Women is out August 12, 2025 for anyone interested!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Dark, gothic and haunting tale. Definitely not one for the squeamish especially about bugs. We follow for friends that grew apart and have been brought together by a deadly life changing game on a haunted island. This was spectacular. The details of the island and house were exquisite. The body gore and insect horror was so wonderfully horrifying. There’s a ton of generational witchcraft and sacrifice. A truly wonderful scary good time!!

I had a hard time with this review because I still don't know how I feel about this book, and I couldn't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. After giving it some more thought, I decided it's a good thing, because isn't that what you want from a book? To stick with you and have you thinking about it days later?

This story combines a lot of my loves - mythology (Filipino, which is a treat), horror, gothic historical fiction, and a really unique premise - and I was excited to see where it was going to take me. Well, it definitely took me places! It started out slow, which I didn't mind because we got a lot of good backstory that way, and when it did pick up the pace, it didn't slow down. There were a lot of mystery, supernatural, and suspense elements to it, and it grabbed you and kept you reading until the end. My problem definitely wasn't with the writing, it was with the characters. I just didn't connect with any of them. I didn't find them to be very likeable, and that made it hard to root for anybody. When the story got really freaky, it was interesting, but I would like to have felt a pull towards one or two characters, which I think would have made it even better. The descriptions of the setting were phenomenally done, and the use of the Filipino mythology was, as I mentioned above, a real treat.

All in all, I didn't really connect with this story as much as I would have liked, but it was well written, with a unique premise, and I can see how people would, so I'm giving it a 3.5 out of 5 rating, rounded up to 4 out of 5.

4/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Daphne Fama for the opportunity to read and review House of Monstrous Women.

Disclosure Statement: I received an e-galley of this novel from the author. My thoughts and opinions of it are entirely my own and have not been influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.

Sometimes, a book just fucking nails it. House of Monstrous Women is such a book.

What I go to literature for is often to explore big, dramatic ideas, ideas that can only be handled and digested through art, through metaphor. House of Monstrous Women gets that, and as such bristles with all kinds of nuance and meaning, coupling very real historic, political strife with a metaphor for what it means then to fight, to resist, to overcome. It's the story of a girl playing a game, sure, but which game? Is it a game of politics? A game of power? A game for self-determination, for agency? And at what scale? The book is about the deeply personal struggle and sacrifice for a life that is lived better, but it's also a story about that same struggle but at a national scale, a generational scale.

It's about women, and it's about a nation. It's about a woman, but also about her family's whole legacy. It's about being infested, it's about being corrupted, it's about fighting for empathy and also about fighting for dignity. It's about a whole lot of things, any one of them worthy of exploration and every one of them shoring each other idea up into a delicate, deliberate fabric. It has beautifully constructed prose, but it also has dramatic pacing and terrifying horrors.

In short, this is a strong contender for debut book of the year, a standout literary bombshell that showcases a powerful new voice in horror and literature. If House of Monstrous Women is any indication of what Daphne Fama is capable of doing, she's going to be a singular powerhouse in the horror genre for our modern age.