5/5. Thanks to Ms. Wong, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC.

What a stunning debut. This is the sort of fantasy novel I was craving without knowing about it. I may have gotten this as an ARC, but I'll be buying it as soon as it comes out to read again one day.

Alma Ven is a girl born out of wedlock, living in the slums of Mersey, in the land of Kugara. She has no friends and no family beside her mother, who unfortunately becomes gravely ill. To make friends, she dreams up her own - a prince from the stars she's named Aster. By chance, she finds a note from her father that contains an address which she writes to -- and starts her down the path to becoming a vessel of the Dread Beast.

The story spans from when Alma is a very young girl until she is a late teen, growing up in the House of Avera, whose every member hates her the moment she's brought back by her father. The Avera who are vessels can commune with the Beast, marked by the sacrifice of their flesh arm (replaced with a metal arm). Alma has her own monster she communes with: Aster. Their connection is intertwined, fated to bring revenge onto those who have wronged Alma in the past and bring change Kugara.

The worldbuilding is one of the strongest parts of this novel. The land is separated into houses, tied to the four gods that they're devoted to. Their roles are well defined and tied into the lore that Ms. Wong created for her land. The plot is seamlessly tied into this world, each piece feeding into the other to make the novel that much stronger.

The characters of Alma and Aster are another strong point. Though many of the characters in the novel are fierce and violent, there's a growth in Alma's character that brings a lot of her past back to her present. The development of some side characters also goes from dislike to devotion quite quickly. And there's a natural development to this.

Overall, I absolutely loved this one. I can't wait to see what else Ms. Wong writes over the course of her career.

House of the Beast may have been the most unique book I read all year. With the description it has, I went into it expecting a romantasy not very different than dozens other I read every year. However, Wong continually subverts expectations. I loved the characterization of every single character. The illustrations are gorgeous too. All in all, this book was very different in a good way, and I loved the fairytale quality of it.

Okay, House of the Beast is one of those books that will completely consume you in the best way possible. From the first page, it pulls you into a world that’s equal parts haunting and beautiful, with a darkness that feels like it’s alive and breathing in every moment.

This is a book of revenge, yes, but it’s also about resilience, and Alma’s journey is one of personal discovery, power, and a thirst for justice against the family that cast her aside. Her motivations are clear: she’s been wronged, and nothing will stop her from taking back what was stolen from her, even if it means embracing the dark power of the Beast itself. The estate, the rituals, the gods, the divine powers—everything is so richly imagined, it feels almost like you're inside a fever dream of dark romance and twisted fate. The story moves with an intensity that’s both thrilling and heartbreaking, and the pacing keeps you hooked as Alma plots her revenge against the family that trapped her in their world.

Twenty-four hours after finishing this book, and I am still gobsmacked by it.  I usually write reviews of books I read pretty quickly after finishing the book, but I was so floored by this novel, and it's ending, that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it justice in review if I wrote it right away.  I let this book percolate around my brain for a solid day, and I still don't feel like I could articulate in words how it made me feel even now, or ever.  

House of the Beast is a fantasy/sci-fi novel by Michelle Wong, who is also known as a graphic artist.  She lends not only her words to this novel, but amazing, detailed drawings as well.  These drawings really help bring the creatures and creations of the world of Kugara to life.  I really wish every fantasy novel I read now included illustrations in the pages.  This novel would be great for those who struggle to picture books in their heads as they read them, as the illustrations bring another rich layer to the world that Michelle Wong has built in this story.

Our main female character, Alma Alvrez, is a likeable if somewhat naive character.  After her mother falls ill, previously fatherless Alma discovers the truth of her parentage among her mother's effects.  In a desperate attempt to help her mother find treatment, Alma writes to her father beseeching him for help.  What happens instead is that her father, the powerful and influential Second Hand of the Beast - one of the four gods worshipped in Kugara - lures Alma away to his estate to become his rightful heir, and in exchange he will send healers to her mother.  Alma quickly agrees to this deal for her mother's sake, only to quickly learn that life at her father's estate is lonely and cold.  After she learns of her mother's death, Alma reconjures an imaginary friend from childhood who she had previously forgotten about, the charming and warm Aster.  Aster quickly becomes her best friend, confident, and teacher as he helps train her for a future pilgrimage alongside her father.

House of the Beast is a novel full of heartache, betrayal, action, detailed world-building, and suspense.  While the first part of the novel was a little slow for me, the action quickly ramped up and soon it became so immersive that I didn't want to put it down.  Michelle Wong weaves a coming-of-age story with found family, hard truths, harder lessons learned and perhaps even redemption.  The illustrations were fantastic and helped add to the story.  While it includes elements of love, and how that love is shown differently between the characters is beautifully done, House of the Beast is not what I would call al love story and has no spicy scenes, so those who are looking for less of a fantasy novel and more of a romantasy story may be disappointed in its lack of traditional romance elements, but the story is not without its emotions.  I had warm and fuzzy moments, moments of disbelief, and I cried like a baby at more than one point.  House of the Beast is a spectacular addition to the fantasy genre.

Dark, twisted, and utterly ravaging. I devoured this--or perhaps it devoured me. Fantastic prose, stunning visuals, and a story I'll never forget! I can't wait to see what else Michelle writes!

While there were many parts of this book that I really enjoyed, I felt as though the world-building was somewhat confusing. The characters were great and I thought the storyline was good, but trying to understand the world and some of the different elements was difficult at times. However, what really brought this book down a whole star for me was the weird and completely random discussion about television and radio. I had to reread the section a few times because I thought I read it wrong. It feels completely out of place in the story line, and then it is also never discussed again. That really took me out of the whole story.

I am sadly DNFing at around 60%. This one is heartbreaking for me. I'm not sure what happened. Why my reading experience differs so much from the majority. But I am just not immersed or invested in anything about the story.

I was just so bored and constantly was losing focus. My eyes were literally crossing on several occasions because my attention kept drifting even as i was reading. It took 250 pages for anything to happen. And ecen once the plot picked up - halfway through - I still couldn't get immersed in the story. I also didn't feel a thing for any of the characters. There were no relationship dynamics that I felt were good/interesting, EXCEPT for the friendship betwee. Alma and the other girl (can't recall how to spell her name right now), and that relationship didn't even start until halfway through the book as well.

I'm still giving it three stars because the writing style was legitimately good - nice prose - if pretty long-winded, and I didn't actively dislike anything in the book. I just didn't find anything to get attached to.

I might try this again at a later date to give it another go, but I'm not 100% sure.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the digital galley in exchange for my honest review!

The story follows Alma & her eldritch god companion Aster on a bloody path for revenge and retribution...will Alma lose herself in the process or will she remain?

I was not expecting this book to pack as much punch as it did. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the setting and overall world-building was very strong. I didn't feel bombarded with information or confused at any point to how the world worked. I really appreciated the "peeks" into the bigger world outside of the area controlled by the Elder Gods. It felt fully fleshed out. You are given breadcrumb hints throughout the story that unlocked the bigger plot points/twists as you continue. The plot twists aren't necessarily "a ha!" moments but rather you, as the reader, sit with the dread of having been correct.

The character dynamics in this book were raw and complex. I often find many MC's (especially in some fantasy) motivations to be rather shallow or unrealistic to their character as developed from the start of the story. That was not the case with Alma. Her journey starts at childhood and we are able to see it develop through the beginning part of the story. She is a flawed character that is motivated by grief, anger, sadness and revenge. You can completely understand how she reaches each moment in the story with Aster at her side. Without revealing any major plot points, I appreciated how Aster was the dark reflection of Alma. His motivations were essentially one and the same, despite being horrifically more bloodthirsty.
The subtle romance subplot was very well woven into the rest of the plot. You can see how Alma would fall in love with Aster, her companion from childhood, while also having her remain skeptical of his affections because he is a God. It was very well executed. And the ending was so much more impactful because of this.

Additionally the illustrations were especially beautiful and added to a fantastical cinematic aspect to the novel!

I loved this book so much. The characters, the religion, the world building- I don’t think I’ll be able to stop talking about it!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed House of the Beast by Michelle Wong. The story was exciting and kept me hooked from beginning to end. The plot was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing, and the way Michelle Wong wrote made it easy to picture everything. It felt like I was right there with the characters.

The characters were really well-written and felt real, each with their own personalities and struggles,making it easy to connect with them.Found myself caring about their journeys and wanting to know what would happen next. The book also had a great balance of action and emotional moments, making it both thrilling and meaningful.

Overall, I thought House of the Beast was fantastic. It’s the kind of story that stays with you even after you’ve finished it. If you’re looking for a gripping and heartfelt read, I highly recommend giving this book a try!

I am ruined!!! I stayed up late to finish this book after I got to that twist!! I can only describe it as beautifully tragic. The entire story was a wonderful adventure with endearing side characters. I need more immediately!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC!
I wanted so badly to like this book, but there wasn’t really anything in it that was more than mediocre. I will say that there was nothing that irritated me about the book - it wasn’t overly superficial, the prose was well done, and there weren’t really any obvious plot holes. The only thing that I truly liked was the relationships in the book, all of which avoided falling into stereotypes, even if none of them were explored to the depth I wanted them to be.
Overall, I think House of the Beast would be an excellent animated show or graphic novel, but struggles as a novel.

House of the Beast by Michelle Wong

Wow wow wow! Dark fantasy is my favorite. Alma is probably my favorite character. She is definitely misunderstood. I love how much she cares for her mom. When Alma’s mom becomes sick, she will do whatever she can to get her help. Even if that means, sacrificing her left arm. Poor Alma is a pawn in her Father’s schemes. Alma knows she must keep going and fight to survive. She plots to destroy the house that stole everything from her. The power of love allows us to see through the darkness.

The story is so well written and I absolutely loved the world building. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I was so invested in the story. I was shocked by the twist at the end. I can definitely see myself reading this again.

Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Michelle for the ARC!

Publication Date: August 5th 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#NetGalley #HouseoftheBeastDeluxeLimitedEdition

I cannot believe this is a debut novel! Thanks NetGalley for this ARC, the story will live in my mind forever. Michelle Wong’s voice is really strong, her metaphors are stunning (and her literal illustrations are stunning). The world building of the gods systems, the vessels, the Umbral Plain is all original and captivating and thrilling. I can’t wait for this book to come out and I can’t wait to see what else Wong writes! Absolutely recommend

This book pulled me in instantly. It broke my heart and put it all back together. The world building was exquisite I was constantly intrigued by all the little details. All of the beautiful illustrations throughout really made me enjoy the book soooo much more. I'm genuinely hoping there's more to come. 🤞🏽 If not I'm quite content with ending. Although Apart of me wanted Alma and Aster to end up together but I guess it's for the best , albeit bitter sweet . This book will be living in my head rent free for a while. I can't wait to actually have the physical copy in my hands.

House of the Beast is an intriguing dark fantasy debut that I have mixed feelings on! I loved the setting, and characters; the setting felt completely unique, and the characters were complex with fully developed backstories and motivations. The story is also intriguing and well-written. And the illustrations! I adore illustrations in books, and this one is full of absolutely gorgeous artwork. However, I struggled to get into the book, and I never really hit that "fully immersed into the story" moment; I finished it because so many of the story elements were good, but it wasn't grabbing my reader-brain for some reason. However, even though it didn't 100% work for me, I know this is a book that many readers are going to absolutely fall in love with! I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy gothic-leaning fantasy, complex characters in toxic relationships, and plot twists. I would also recommend the hardcover to book collectors who love special editions; the print copy of this book is one of the prettiest books I've ever seen outside of a special edition book box, and will be a gorgeous addition to anyone's library.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Voyage for the arc! All thoughts & opinions in the review are my own.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. At first, yes it was a bit slow for me but once it kickstarted with the 8 year time jump, I was really into it. I think reading about Alma and her journey as a eleven year old was definitely necessary, even if for me it felt slow, because later in the book you understand why she seeks revenge. At the same time time, she tries really hard to stay true to herself and not lose her humanity by letting Aster decide who lives or who dies.

I was very intrigued by this strange relationship between Alma, a bastard daughter, and Aster, a god with a lot of power. You could tell he was definitely enamored with Alma. But Alma is smart enough to not cave to his affections since he is a god. I really liked this friendship even if it turns into a very dark truth in the end.

As for the setting of this story, to me it was one hundred percent unique. How four divine being give their divine powers to a specific family and from there choose the most worthy ones. The history based on the umbral gate, the treasonous queen and the religion this world is based on was very engaging and entertaining. I was very glad our time in the umbral gate wasn’t long, it was the perfect length so we can see everything else leading to that. Now that plot twist and that ending, I loved it. Equal parts surprised and sad as it’s definitely tragic. You definitely had me like Aster even if he is bad. Overall amazing ending

DNF. I got to 40% before I quit. Was just way too slow and had a ton of unnecessary details that didn’t matter or made no sense. I was just super bored. Nothing interesting was happening at all.

I literally just finished this book and I am speechless. I’m trying to compose my thoughts but I’m still in shock from the ending. Im genuinely blown away by both the writing and the plot twists that I didn’t see coming.

Every single character was so well written and were so nuanced. Their actions make you both love and hate them.

Alma and Aster’s relationship is so crazy (for lack of better words). They’re both screwed up and have their own issues and you can really see that reflected in their relationship and their actions.

House of the Beast by Michelle Wong was an incredible read. It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel, as no words were wasted and once the story got going, it dug its teeth in and didn't let go, even at the very end. Alma is a bastard child, forced into the House Avera, to become a warrior for the Dread Beast. What others don't realize, is the Beast is living inside of her, helping her achieve revenge against her "family". The twist at the end was unexpected but beautifully done. While this is definitely a dark and gory fantasy novel, it is also about friendship and finding where you belong along the way. I will be purchasing a copy when it is released in August 2025. 4.75 Stars.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.