The first of a new Fantasy duology, House of Blight follows Edira, a healer who loses time off her own life every time she uses her abilites. Because of this, she has spent most of her life hiding her gift from the world but when a terrible blight wreaks havoc in her household, she must accept an offer from the Evers, magical & immortal beings, who lord over her village. But everything is not as it seems, and a darker, more sinister secret is hiding within the walls of the manor. Can Edira put all the pieces together in time to save her family and herself?

I really really enjoyed this book. Martineau did a great job world building and setting the ambiance. A cozy, gothic manor house with macabre woods and an underlying sense of wrongness. Edira is a gutsy, quick tongued, take no sh*t woman, even in a room full of powerful immortal beings who could very easily end her life. The MMCs couldn't be more opposite, one a grumpy, brustish male with a short temper and a soft spot for Edira, and the other the doting and comforting voice of reason and reassurance. There's even a cute little maple moth as a familiar.

There is TONS of tension but not much spice.

Parts of the twist did feel a little predictable, others had my jaw on the floor. The climax was well done and the ending left me begging for more. I am so sad I have to wait for the next book!

Fans of ACOTAR and The Witch Walker series will notice some similarities but in a good way and will definitely enjoy House of Blight

Thank you to Harper for the opportunity to read this ARC!

To start, I am a big fan of Maxym and everything she's written, her Beast Charmer series is one of my favorites.

I was nervous about House of Blight solely because I don't love scary or creepy things and I wasn't sure how deep this one would go into that rabbit hole. Thankfully, it was unsettling and creepy but not like 'this will give you nightmares'. I knew as soon as I met two specific characters, I was being tricked. It was so well done I even started second guessing my suspicions BUT ALAS I WAS RIGHT. No further comment on THAT.

One of my favorite things about any book Maxym writes is how unique the world is. The races, world, names, magic are all entirely new and magical and beautifully done that it isn't some slog to read and learn. It's easy to follow but not so basic as to not feel like enough.

Our FMC is sassy and strong and loyal - our love interest(s) are ....well, you should read to find out but gave me anxiety in the best way LOL

I'm sad this isn't out until April, I want everyone to read it and also didn't realize how long of a wait I was giving myself for book 2 (insert a picture of me crying here).

Again thank you for this ARC, I cannot wait for the world to meet Edira, and all of this cast.

I'm thankful for the ARC to review. This book for me is 4.5 stars!

This book casts a haunting shadow over its readers, weaving a story that lingers long after the final page. Each chapter unfolds like a ghostly whisper, leaving an indelible mark that will haunt your thoughts and stir your imagination. Its definitely a must-read for the fall!!!

The story revolves around an incurable illness that is decimating humanity. In this world, we have humans who include threadmenders and Evers- Immortal beings. Threadmenders possess the rare and dangerous ability to heal others, with each act of healing costing them a portion of their own lifespan. These individuals are few and far between, often hiding from those who would exploit their abilities and bring about their early death. The Evers—immortal beings who seem invincible—dominate the towns and exert their power over all others.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The author's skillful world-building adds depth and intrigue to the narrative. The novel begins with a compelling backstory about a woman who defied death, setting the stage for the present events in the story.

I’m eagerly anticipating the release of the next installment in this series ♡

My goodness, I do not know where to begin with this review… I suppose I shall start by thanking Avon and Harper Voyager as well as NetGalley for providing me with this arc of House of Blight. <3 Although I abhor writing negative reviews of books that authors put their heart and soul into, I am going to be completely honest about my thoughts on this book.

House of Blight has a promising start with a riveting prologue. By employing the concept of threadmending/glamour, this book should have thoroughly engaged me. However, it DRAGGEDDDD (emphasis on dragged) until the last few chapters. The ending makes me consider giving House of Blight two stars, but I’m staying firm in my resolve to give it one star because it was an incredible struggle to finish, so much so that I considered not finishing it halfway through. :/ Seriously, EVERY single element fell short, including the Fernglove family’s magic. Instead of fleshing out the abilities of each character, the author reverts to describing them as “invisible and yet somehow tangible, a raw current of pure energy that charged the air like the moments before lightning struck.” Like what? 🤨

Irritatingly, EVERY single character is simply awful. Edira may deeply care about her brothers, yet she is just as hostile and volatile as each of the Ferngloves. I’m truly tired of brashness being mistaken for quick wit as well as romantasy tropes, such as flawlessly beautiful characters, brooding love interests and “touch her and you die.” I HATE that trope, my goodness!! Anyone else? Anyway, the romance in this book had me grimacing. Although the book description does not allude to it, there is a love triangle, which is not the source of my discontentment regarding the romance. Being a decent human being should not be the basis of romance, yet romance books in general push this idea.

As someone who does not believe in romantic love and is awfully cynical, I truly think I need to stop reading books focused on romance. In particular, House of Blight helped me realize that I have loved certain romance books in the past because of their intricate/unique concepts and storylines. From now on, I will stick to (animated) family movies/series if I want to be giddy over a romance. 🤍 All in all, with graphic violence, minimal swearing and spice (an unnaturally exaggerated amount of tension, a handful of kisses and one unnecessary/uncomfortable scene), House of Blight is a book I would never recommend reading for the aforementioned reasons. :(

p.s. the Fernglove family has animalistic attributes like horns, tails and wings…

“𝓢𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓷𝔂 𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼. 𝓐𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓾𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮?”

★★★★★

Rating: 5.0 🤩
Spice: 2.5

Read if you like:
♡ Unique Magic System’s
♡ Page turning twists
♡ High fae
♡ Romantasy

My review:
Can I just start off with saying I am unwell after that ending. This was such a quick and exciting read for me! It kept me entertained in all parts and had me at the edge of my chair all day!

I loved the authors writing style and descriptions! I really enjoyed the beginning and the small hints throughout the book that had me guessing at what would be the next twist (which I failed time and time again 😂)

Overall I will be reading more from this author and looking forward to the second book in this Duology!

I wanted to say a quick thank you to the author, NetGalley and Harper voyager publishing for being able to read this arc for free!

Please note the quote I used can be subject to change as this is the ARC edition.

Unputdownable fast-paced Romantasy, I binged this book in an evening!

The cover of this book is what initially caught my eye it is stunning but the author's writing style is what kept me flipping pages; this is the kind of book you don't set down until it's finished.

I thought the storyline (especially the magic system) was really interesting and easy to follow. The author did a fantastic job crafting a unique world her descriptions made the story really immersive.

I think this book is going to well received by Romantasy readers, I will absolutely be recommending it!

Thank you Maxym M. Martineau, Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC of this book!

LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!! I read it straight through. Couldn't get enough and can't wait for more!! I'm also going to buy the physical when it comes out because the cover is stunning.

I am a sucker for a good romantasy and House of Blight DELIVERED and then some. I devoured this book in about 5 hours and now I’m kicking myself because I NEED MORE. The world building is easy to understand and interesting. Edira is such a likeable FMC and her devotion to her brothers warmed my heart. I loved the story, the characters and this book. I cannot wait for when it’s released and I’m already yearning for the sequel.

This is a story about a girl who has special powers to heal and cure (from what we know). The main character is like a cat in a sense because every time she goes to “cure” someone she loses a life. There is a sickness in her world and the Evers’ world that is like small pox with the bumps and wounds, while it denigrates your body within hours so you turn into a mush pile. She is approached by Evers to find a cure. Meanwhile the Evers family has been plotting to use her aunt and her to harvest their powers and cure to blight, while making them immortal. Other Evers are also trying to take her to do the same for their family so she is under the protection of the family. However, she is unaware of their agenda and must try to figure out what the head of the family is planning while she is falling in love with him. There are no descriptions of the characters, which I think authors do that so that you can imagine it how you want. I honestly kept picturing the cast of ACOTAR because that’s who kind of fits the minimum descriptions. Definitely hope the author comes out with fan art soon.

I don’t really know what the creatures were in this book, but I am guessing Fae. The author never comes out and says it she just gives more details throughout the book of what the Evers are. I am guessing the main character could be characterized as a witch/angel because she is technically healing and cleaning souls.

The only Romance scene is OK, kinda all over the place and the language used is juvenile. There are some words you’ll recognize but most you’re going have to re-read to figure out what is going on and where a character is headed.
Spice: 2/5

Overall, I loved this book, it was so good I couldn’t believe it. It’s a medium paced book, but it will keep you absolutely hooked. The book has an ending that could go either way of a sequel or standalone. I think either way it’s good. A second book would be awesome

The author's use of descriptive language from the beginning of this book was instrumental in creating a rich and immersive world. I was struck by the attention to detail and found it reminiscent of my favorite fantasy novels. The story had me hooked from the outset, with an abundance of emotions being evoked within the first chapter. This is a truly captivating read that I would highly recommend to fans of the genre. The level of detail in the world-building by this author is outstanding. I find myself fully immersed in the world they have created. In the fantasy genre, I have become accustomed to encountering depictions of high fae and glamour magic, yet my mental image of Orin was inexplicably akin to a fox. This association seemed fitting given his initial impression. I was impressed by the skillful way in which the prologue was tied into the story's central plot. I was eager to see where this connection would be further along in the story. The story gave me goosebumps and left me eager for more. The author's use of suspense and plot twists kept me engaged and emotionally invested. I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next.

This whole book is a vibe.
And I am here for it.
I ate this book in one night because I couldn't put it down. And now I'll be sad and wait for book 2.

Edira was strong and I really loved her, which is rare for me in FMC. The worldbuilding is astonishing and I could have gotten completely lost in her world. The twist and turns of the entire book was great and kept you guessing.

It took me a bit to wrap my head around the magic system and the terminology, but that just made me realize I've been nonstop reading your typical faerie/fantasy books for a hot minute now. Her characters having certain ahem, features took me by surprise as it's just not what I'm accustomed to but I definitely did not hate it. So consider my tastes expanded. :)

I will point out that every twist and turn and major plot point is predictable but I'm a sucker for some of the tropes in this book and that kept me wanting more. This book wasn't very long either, which can be a blessing and a curse. You don't get alot of unnecessary filler but at the same time I feel like there's so much more to explore in terms of character development (team Rorik from the start) and backstory so I am very much looking forward to the next one and I do hope it's a little longer. But if anything happens to Ywena, all bets are off!

This was my first time reading anything from this author and I was pleasantly surprised, I'll be sure to check out her other books as well.

8/10, I will be recommending this book to others!

Oh my god. This book will be the next big fantasy of 2025. From the world building to the entire magic system this book is fantastic. I was completely hooked. The character development is so well done I felt super connected to the characters. I was holding my breath the whole last few chapters. This book is incredible and I cannot recommend it enough.

SPOILERS
I was over here rooting for Orin and then boom plot twist. Suddenly I hate his guts. I fell so in love with Edina, I totally connected with the fact that she will do whatever it takes to save her brothers. It just made her that much more lovable. I also was totally invested in everything she was trying to figure out about the house the whole time.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for giving me this ARC!

I absolutely loved this story, and now, of course, I can't wait for the second book in the duology to release. This story follows Edira, a woman with a gift for healing, and her brothers on a journey into a land near her town inhabited by the immortal Evers that rule her own town. Though Edira has been raised to hide her magical healing abilities from the townsfolk, everyone knows her as the local apothecary. One night, the blight that affects the land and people, causing a quick and hideous death to any who succumb to it, comes knocking on Edira's door. Forced to make a difficult decision, Edira finds herself in a bargain with the Evers she's been avoiding her whole life. This fast-paced story is filled with magic, deceit, slow burn romance, and a bit of mystery. You won't want to put it down.

House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau was a fun yet frustrating read. I was intrigued by the interesting world and the powers the MC has and while there's nothing new or groundbreaking here, it's an enjoyable standard read in the genre. I liked the writing and setting up of the scenes, and would love to explore some of the side characters more in future books, as they had some interesting stories and personalities.

The twist ending was predictable, but my real problem lied in the MC's relationships and interactions. She was just incredibly frustrating at times. She lived 20 years of her life in fear and hiding from these very people that she's going to work for/with and yet she trusts so easily. It bites her early and often and still, no lessons learned, even though she constantly claims she 'knows she can't trust anyone here'. But then at the end she's suddenly so angry and can't forgive anything from the side characters who weren't the main villains? It makes no sense! I wanted to see some growth from her, but it feels like it went the opposite way. I don't know if I'll continue the series unless there's some dual POVs.

This will be 2025s newest Talked about Fantasy series!!
Its unique world, struggling power, emotional peril will captivate you!

The FMC lives with the weight of precarious secret she's successfully kept hidden for year. Until the moment she must us it to try to save her brothers.
Her world is turned upside down trying to unearth and understand each new truth she finds. Thrown into a new world, she tries to learn who is friend and who is foe.

This book will take you on a journey of choices, schemes and ultimately life. Enjoy the ride!!

This was absolutely incredible, five stars without a doubt, The prologue was so well written setting the theme for the rest of the novel. I appreciated how the author took her time to set up the world, the characters, and ease us into the story while learning about the history of this world. The main character Edira carried the story gracefully; there were a lot of moments that made me laugh and many where I felt the same fear she was. I also enjoyed the pacing of the novel, there weren't any parts that felt rushed and the end itself left me wanting more because of how enraptured I was. I can't wait to see what comes next!

Full review will be posted after publication

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me this ARC.

I am so glad I found a new great author. This book was a fresh and fast paced Romantasy with a little spice. It had a great balance of romance and plot, but the story was a little predictable. I binged this book in a weekend and wish there were more books in this series already. I am so happy this author has more books for me to read next.

I received this book as an ARC.

I found the premise of the story to be interesting. It follows a young woman doing her best to survive along side her twin brothers. She is quickly forced to help a family as blight strikes both her family and theirs.

I enjoyed the story and twists and turns along the way. I felt like the main shock was quite predictable. I was waiting for it to happen for the majority of the book so the shock value was nonexistent. However, it was still a fun read.

First of all, I'm so happy there's more to the story to come because I fell in love with Rorik. Secondly, I loved the type of magic/healing used for the book. It felt magical and I can't wait to read more from this author.