House of Hunger has an interesting premise, but ultimately it fell a bit flat. The world felt a bit like a steampunk/dark fantasy aesthetic, which I really liked, and Henderson's writing style doesn't disappoint. Marion takes a job as a bloodmaid to pull herself out of the slums. As an indentured bloodmaid, she must give blood to the wealthy Lisavet of the House of Hunger. The first part of the novel was interesting, where Marion must travel North despite her best friend Agnes and her brother Raul's wishes. Once Marion gets to the House of Hunger, I got a bit confused over the different plotlines. There was a mystery, romance, some scary encounters with strange men, rivalries with the other bloodmaids-- none of them fully committed or explored. I would still recommend House of Hunger as it was a fun read, but it didn't completely satiate me.

A job as a bloodmaiden where all you have to do is dress cute, go to parties, eat good food and let a sexy vampire drink your blood every night? What ever could go wrong?!

I really loved this book - I've been in a bit of a reading slump but this book scooped me out of it. The characters were so lovely, the setting divine -- besides the whole vampire thing, what a great gig! I was almost like Marion please stop asking questions like just let me live vicariously through you! girl!! think about us!!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC because this is probably one of my fav books of this year and perfect for the coming Halloween season.

With a story that had me feeling Countess of Bathroy vibes how could I not love this.

With a dark and gothic setting complete with a train ride through a storm that would be terrifying, the imagery in this book is both mesmerizing and terrifying.

Marion is someone that's stuck, both in her life and in her prospects and then her friend shows her an add, be a Blood Maid for a noble in the north, a few drops is all it will take to apply and who can't spare a few drops of blood?

From the moment she reaches the north and has to face everything she did to get there Marion knows that she'll do whatever it takes to stay her full contract and receive what's promised to her.

The only problem, well Marion begins to wonder if anyone actually makes it to the end of their contract, as people start disappearing she doesn't know who she can trust or if she's always going to be the little rabbit in the games of the rich nobles who hold her life in thier very hands.

Will Marion make it out, will the other Blood Maids be found or should she have listened to her instincts after finding that tooth.

This is a fabulous book if you're looking for a fall horror read and will keep you not only invested in the characters but envisioning the palatial and forbidden locations described with such loving detai.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this EBook in exchange for an honest review.

★ 4.5 // 5

If Mary Shelley and Jane Austen had a sapphic book baby, it would be this beauty.

I have never read an Alexis Henderson novel before, but it fit my wildest, gothic dreams. House of Hunger is not marketed as a vampire book— simply because its not—but there is significant blood consumption and bloodletting. It is sensual, lustful, and absolutely ravenous. Cue the flicking tongues and never-ending hunger.

Marion Shaw, our defiant lead, is a bloody joy to follow. She's definitely not heroic by any means, far more morally ambiguous, but her ambition for a better life is downright magnetic. She's a lead that you'll want to follow into the deep underbelly of the story. House of Hunger actually begins with Marion at a crossroads debating whether to stay in her city as a maid or answer a call to becoming a bloodmaid, young girls sent to the Houses in the north and used for their tantalizing blood. Obviously, Marion answers the call and leaves blood in her wake as her journey begins. Upon arrival, she meets Countess Lisavet of the House of Hunger and immediately leaves a notable... impression.

Thus, we are thrown into personal politics, sapphic pining, and cartons of blood worth of betrayal. I loved Alexis' lyrical writing. It was gorgeous to picture her metaphors and imagery. She's also somehow able to write a 304 page book masterfully. A lot of authors may write a short book, but the pacing and flow fo the story is typically choppy. Not the case with this one. The writing style actually enhanced the quick moving plot and overall short book length. I can't wait to dive into The Year of the Witching to see more of Alexis's work.

One of my favorite parts to this book was the fact that side characters, sometimes even minor, are given the proper characterization. Lisavet, our leading second lady, felt at times like the main character because of her level of detail. I'm really excited to see reactions to her character, in particular, once the book releases because she is sophisticated and sexy. But even then, she's a tragic character—in more than one way. Moreover, other characters like Mae, Irene, or even Cecilia will memorably enhance the story. While the plot is important to the story, the characters drive it far beyond its reaches by the end because of their willingness to... simply live and be more than fictional.

All in all, I urge any sapphic, gothic, vampy fan to pick House of Hunger up this October because it will satiate all of your spooky tastes. Yes, it releases technically in September, but it will send chills down your spine if you read it during the scariest month of the year.

Thank you to Ace Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book early. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4,5 stars
Think the seductiveness of Interview with a Vampire and the allure of gothic horror, mix in a solid central POC character and lgbtq+ representation, and you have HOUSE OF HUNGER. which I promise will satisfy a literature hunger you didn't know you had!

The tone and atmosphere of this book grip you the most in the gothic novel. You see everything unfold hauntingly; the obsession and tension grow as things come to a head - and they DO! The desperation in the bloodmaids are taken advantage of, and you see how easy and subtle the cracks are made in their will and humanity. Plus, the ending was bittersweet, depending on who you think of.
It did lose half a star because I feel like Marion's voice got a little lost.

Alexis Henderson, you have a fantastic hold on words. I swear I could see every moment unfold like a film before me. It added so much to this reading experience!

House of Hunger is a new take on the vampire genre that fans of horror will appreciate. Set in an alternative past, the aristocracy in the north feast on blood for their survival and pleasure from bloodmaids--young women who are hired to serve their masters every need and desire in exchange for lodgings and a pension. The bloodmaids enter a world of dark glamour with velvet ballgowns, luxurious bedrooms, and indulgences like they've never experienced before,

The atmosphere was beautifully described by the author, harkening back to the decadence of classic horror novels. The world she created was interesting without being too fantastical. The pacing was good and the suspense was hit and miss. I would have liked more plot! The entire story was about a relationship between Lisavet and Marion but I didn't find it believable, because Marion came across as stronger than that. I would have liked more story about Lisavet and perhaps more supernatural elements.

House of Hunger is a bloody and glamorous tale about what someone is willing to sacrifice for luxury and the evils of self-indulgence. Horror and dark fantasy fans will enjoy this unique story but for me it's only 3/5 stars.

The ad for a bloodmaid is what pulled me in and all that I knew about this book. I didn't even know its genres so everything that unfolded was a pleasant surprise but thoroughly enjoyable!

I loved the atmospheric setting and getting to know the various characters. The author has painted such an animated and rich universe, from the smog-filled slums of Prane to the noble Houses of the North and their debauched aristocrats. Beneath this clever reimagining is also a tantalizing exploration of love, abuse in its many forms and toxic relationships. The third act was exceptionally riveting and my favorite. I feel like this book will translate well on screen because I could picture everything happening so vividly.

Just like its architectural namesake, House of Hunger is a novel cloaked in intrigue, suspense and a sense of foreboding with a memorable cast that will keep you turning the pages. Fans of gothic horror, you'll want to sink your teeth into this one! 😉

I can’t even describe how incredible this book was. I went into it blind, having never read anything from @lexish I didn’t know what to expect. I LOVED IT. The details, the setting, the characters. I couldn’t put it down, and I immediately ordered “The Year of the Witching” this is a must read for spooky season. Set to release later this month!

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the advanced copy. Below is my honest review.

I really enjoyed the author's debut novel, The Year of the Witching, so when I saw this one, I knew I had to pick it up.

This one was fantastic! It was an interesting take on a historical legend (no spoilers), and was really well done. It was so compelling that I read it in less than a day! I just had to know what was going to happen next... and then I got the end and was disappointed that such a good story was over.

Looking forward to her next idea! :)

“Hunger makes monsters out of the kindest souls. And to be quite honest… I’ve never been particularly kind.”

It feels like I've waited all of my life for House of Hunger. Sure, it's been maybe a year max but still. This book was EVERYTHING.

I felt like I couldn’t read this fast enough and couldn’t read it slower. I knew I’d love it from the first few pages and honestly didn’t want this depraved story to end. I didn’t know the inspiration behind this story going into it, but as I was reading, it started to click what this was based off. You can very easily find the inspiration on some posts but I suggest not doing that and going in blind.

“Sometimes I feel like I’ve been building you a House out of my own bones.”

Alexis Henderson can do many magical things and creating a nightmarish gothic environment is one of them. It was so easy to visualize Marion walk the halls of the House of Hunger or run from the nobles during fox and hound. She’s also an expert at creating messy characters that embrace the flaws that come with being human.

“It’s a strange thing to go from the hungry… to the hungered for.”

Marion was an amazing MC to follow. She was incredibly strong, fierce, and didn’t frequently hold her tongue. Or, she often found ways to circumvent the binds of her indentureship even if just for a moment. She let herself revel in her desires and power, but never lost sight of what was right or wrong. I just lovedddd her. She was the perfect heroine for this dark story.

I could honestly ramble about this for days, so I’ll leave you with this - go preorder this. Right now.

We’re seeing a resurgence in Gothic horror, and Alexis Henderson has joined the movement. Henderson’s sophomore novel, House of Hunger, follows Marion Shaw of Prane, a young adult whose only living relative is her older brother who suffers from addiction. She’s a street-smart domestic worker who dreams of making it outside of the slums. When she finds an add seeking a bloodmaid for a House in the North, Marion takes the opportunity to leave the South for riches and freedom. She thinks the life of a bloodmaid is simple and worth it…until the secrets of the oldest standing House come to light. Countess Lisavet entices Marion, but she soon finds out that Lisavet’s games aren’t that fun to play.

This book tackles sapphic relationships and the role of power dynamics, the issue of economic and social class disparities, and touches on the issue of misogyny. Within three hundred pages, Henderson manages to not only highlight specific social commentary of the real world while placing it in a fictional setting, but she also adequately critiques these issues. Too often, we find novels that brings up an issue without diving into them. The characters in House of Hunger plainly state the root of issues and how that affects them. There’s no touch-and-go in the narrative, which is something I appreciate in storytelling.

From the beginning, I wanted to root for Marion after all that she went through. She’s a likeable character, smart and daring, and wants the best for people despite claiming she’s not a nice person. She thinks through her emotions at time where they alarm her, and this skill helps her become the hero she needs to be. I do think that her time in Prane during the first act should’ve been longer. Henderson wanted to get to the House of Hunger quickly, where the plot could give us desire and powerlessness, and it shows. However, the story gets bolder and tenser with each chapter, and I suggest picking this one up.

Lush, dark, and delicious, a contemporary gothic novel you can sink into like velvet – but one that feels underdeveloped, even unfinished. The premise, the characters, and the world are all intriguing and compelling, but none felt fully fleshed out. The final act feels rushed, the ending less than satisfying: many characters and plot points left dangling; many loose ends left untied. Ultimately, I got the impression that this was an early draft that could have used another pass of revisions to make it feel fully polished and to ensure it fully lived up to its promise.

How do I even begin to relate how much I loved this book. How obsessed I am. House of Hunger was gorgeous Gothic perfection. The kind of book you just want to roll around in. Get lost in forever. And then it takes a breathtakingly dark and vicious turn, which only makes it better! Just so good.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!

This thrilling horror became darker and darker the more I read, and I was more than happy to devour this whole!

Marion lives in the southern part of this world in an area named Prane. This is one of those places where the exceedingly rich live in one part of town and the devastatingly poor in another, but both are neighbors. Marion breaks her back at work everyday as a maid, but the worst part is that she comes home to her violent brother. When she sees the blood red advert in the paper calling for possible new bloodmaids, she finally finds a way to escape from her current situation.

Bloodmaids are all beautiful women, but most importantly, their blood is used for the enjoyment of the elite Houses in the far North. Marion's blood seems to taste divine to the taster and she soon becomes a member of the House of Hunger. However, what at first appears alluring and desirous begins to show a different side, a wretchedness. And, this is where the true horror lies.

Definitely recommend this to fans of horror!

Out September 27, 2022!

Content warning: blood, gore, violence, death.

Marion, a young woman struggling to survive, decides to become a bloodmaid- a girl who gives her blood for others to drink- in order to secure a better life for herself.

This book had an interesting premise, but ultimately suffered from underdeveloped characters, rushed plots, and not enough worldbuilding. The first third of the novel is quite slow, introducing ultimately superfluous characters and building up the tension for when Marion finally arrives to become a bloodmaid. This would not be a problem if the rest of the book didn't seem so rushed in comparison. The other bloodmaids are barely characters, we are told rather than shown Marion spending time with them and their personalities. Marions relationship with Lisavet also comes across as rushed and their feelings for each other not built up enough to justify the payoff later. The last third of the novel introduces and resolves plot points so quickly it seemed pointless for them to happen at all or for the reader to get invested in them. By the end of the book I was also left confused about some aspects of the lore and wished there was more explanation of the world and the magic in it.

Ultimately a book with promise, but in need of better execution.

I discovered this author last year when I read The Year of the Witching. House of Hunger features Marion Shaw, a woman born into the slums and just trying to survive day to day. After seeing an advertisement for a bloodmaid she starts to envision a way out of her situation and to a better life. One where she serves a Northern house, offering up her blood to its wealthy noble in exchange for a chance at a prosperous future.

Once she applies, she is quickly swept into a world of decadence and depravity. The House of Hunger and its patroness, Countess Lisavet, are cold and cruel, but also mysterious and powerful. Despite Marion’s misgivings and unease, she is soon caught up in their spell and wants nothing more than to please Lisavet. Then she begins to discover the truth about the bloodmaids that came before her and why her mistress sneaks off in the middle of the night.

I’ve read two books by this author and haven’t been disappointed yet. House of Hunger is true gothic horror, where the atmosphere and house full of secret passageways and creepy history are just as much of a character as the people who reside within its walls. I wasn’t expecting the ending which made it all the more satisfying.

Another enjoyable read by Alexis Henderson, I look forward to her next release.

Perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood, this novel blends simmering seduction with creeping dread. House of Hunger's recasting of vampires not as supernatural creatures of the night, but humans with a taste for the blood of their social lessers, adds dynamic to an already compelling narrative arc about what an individual is willing to sacrifice for a taste of power.

House of Hunger is Alexis Henderson’s sophomore book, following The Year of the Witching. I absolutely adored Witching- while this isn’t a sequel it does hold much of the macabre, creepy imagery I now associate with Henderson’s writing.

The book takes place in a world where the aristocracy of the north hire young women, often from the slums, who trade their blood and their bodies for comfort and safety. These women are Bloodmaids; and while they appear to live in luxury, things are not always what they seem. Marion Shaw, desperate for a way out, responds to a newspaper clipping requesting a bloodmaid for the notorious House of Hunger.

There is a steady building of dread in Henderson’s writing that kept me on the edge of my seat for Witching, and it did the same in Hunger. The premise was interesting, the world intriguing. Countess Lisavet, the center of the mystery and originally written somewhat sympathetically, is an intriguing figure, and it takes some time to discover her true nature.

With all of this said, House of Hunger felt rushed for me. The pacing felt off and I didn’t find the relationship between Marion and Lisavet as convincing as I would have liked for how much emotion was put into the writing- and I cannot overstate how superb Henderson’s writing is. I needed a greater lead up to this grand love, an understanding of why these two were so drawn to one another, and I just didn’t get that. It felt dry. Additionally, Marion falls out of love as quickly as she falls in love, and there doesn’t seem to be… well.. ANY sort of grief cycle. The whole relationship feels abrupt. There were also several moments in the book where I felt like it was catering strongly to the male gaze. It got a bit better towards the end, but was still definitely present. It just didn’t do it for me.

I feel like Hunger has strong potential to be incredible. It’s gothic, and spooky, and grisly, and I can tell a lot of energy was put into it. I wish I could rate it higher, but it’s a 2.5 for me. It kept me on the edge of my seat, but it didn’t land. It just needs… something more.

Trying to escape her life in the slums, Marion answers a listing seeking a Bloodmaid. But, things are not as she expected once she gets there.

The synopsis of this book is not entirely correct. A part of the synopsis that is completely misguided is, “But when her fellow bloodmaids begin to go missing in the night, Marion is thrust into a vicious game of cat and mouse. She'll need to learn the rules of her new home--and fast--or its halls will soon become her grave”. Her fellow bloodmaids do not go missing. One of them goes away, but everyone knows she’s leaving and think they know where.

Marion becomes obsessed with Lisavet, and we are told that Lisavet also becomes increasingly interested in her. But everything felt too sudden, and I never felt like Lisavet was as enamored by Marion as the synopsis makes it seem.

The pacing is the most significant issue. I was 40% in, and everything felt inconsequential. I appreciate the detail, but it felt like the author focused too much on describing irrelevant things. Every scene felt disjointed. After this, we see Marion living her life in the house, but I still never got the sense of mystery or dread that I was expecting.

Everything in the plot happened in the last 20% of the book. Things started to feel rushed, and while I liked it, I wished that some of these plot points had started happening earlier in the novel; it would have added more tension.

I think the ending was fantastic, which bumped the rating from a 2.5 to a 3, at least for now.

I really enjoyed the ways in which House of Hunger played on Gothic tropes like the unknown girl searching for her fortune by answering a vague ad for a questionable position, the brief taste of ecstasy before a downfall, and the precarious balance between supernatural explaination and bizarre privilege. The characters were engaging and a little off from trope which gave the book more depth than the standard modern Gothic possesses, and the North/South divide as well as the Night Train concept and the separation of the Houses were all things I would have liked to know a bit more about.

There were a few places I did feel I needed to suspend my disbelief overmuch: I don’t think Marion would have lingered on the death of her brother; he had effectively ruined her life and seemed to care very little for her. I also felt Lisavet was almost overly mysterious, even for a Gothic, in compensation for her not having much else interesting about her, in contrast to Marion and other blood maids. I would also have liked to see the ending distinguish itself from other Gothics in some way rather than wrap up perhaps overly quickly and with such a standard send off.

Overall, I really did enjoy House of Hunger and read it in only a couple of sittings. My quibbles are small ones and deal mostly with places where the book was almost too standard for its own good, a few sections where it cleaved to closely to its predecessors instead of using them as a jumping off point for something that payed homage while also taking note of what doesn’t work as well with modern sensibilities and adapting what WAS to the potential of all we’ve learned since.