Please see below for my review. I will include a Book Synopsis and a List of Tropes in my post on IG. This review will be posted the week of 10/28/24 and I will add links for both Goodreads and IG to NetGalley after it goes live.

Thank you so much Avon, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for gifting me for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was gothic Romatasy perfection! I will be super shocked if this book is not trending on Booksta next year when it releases. This book centers around Edina who is a a threadmender. Threadmenders are rare magic users who can heal people, but with a huge cost. Every time they heal, they lose a bit of their life. Edina is caught using her powers to save her two brothers by Orin Fernglove, who is the head of a powerful immortal family. She is forced to make a deal with him to save them.

This book had plenty of twists and turns. The gothic Romantasy genre is seriously becoming one of my all time favs. This book was atmospheric, eerie, and even had some fun creepy moments. Blight the illness her family catches, sounds horribly gross and makes perfect sense in this book setting. I really enjoyed the interactions Edina had with the Ferngloves. They are a family who puts the fun in disfunction. You really never know what any of their intentions are and I greatly enjoyed all those scenes. I also loved the descriptions of the Ferngloves magic and I want my own Ywena (Mothlike creature.) I can’t wait to read the second book in this duology. Solid 5 star read. Highly recommend this book.

You should read this book if you love the following tropes:

Gothic Romantasy
Magical Vows
Haunted House
Slow Burn Romance
Forced Proximity
Mothlike Creature Pet :)

I absolutely loved this book. House of Blight dragged me into its depths from the very first pages and I could not put it down. With amazingly well written characters, a plot that even I couldn’t begin to truly guess at, and a backstory that still has me reeling and wanting more, I have to say this is one of the best ones I’ve read in some time. And the authors writing style was perfect to me. Not overly flowery nor was it plain. The perfect blend to keep me entertained and fully capable of envisioning what was happening without feeling like it was dragging things out or rushing anything.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC and being my first ever ARC.
What can I say is that I’m definitely reading the 2nd book. The story line had me hooked after the story of Edira and her magical powers that allow her see life threads of people and help the injured and sick. However it comes to play when she now has to save her brothers from a sickness that once took their own parents lives.

The Evers Family in this story basically keeps the town Edira lives in to its potential and keeps the people sustained while having money, power and some secrets. When Edira works for them it’s everyone for themselves. The first MMC basically helps Edira save her brothers for the meantime while she finds a cure for the Blight (the sickness) as well as a few other secrets along the way!

This story really had me intrigued from start to finish! I’m so happy I rooted for the right Ever family member 🥲 this author almost had me fooled with me thinking it was a one man deal. I was going crazy with the lore and the betrayal that had me screaming for more.

⭐ 3-3.5

The prologue of this book was the best part. It had atmosphere and felt magical and left me wanting more, but the instant the book started in earnest, I lost that rapt interest. The rest of what followed wasn't bad, just much more predictable with some pretty slow pacing. I was constantly waiting for something to happen but then either nothing did or the events that transpired felt unimpactful, leaving me unsatisfied. Thankfully, none of the characters were annoying, except Edira perhaps with how naive she seemed at times. The plot had to be put in motion somehow, I suppose.

I just wish we explored the magic more! And the characters! And the world! So much of this story felt like it COULD be satisfying, fulfilling, or interesting (which is why I gave it a 3.5-ish rating) if only it was fleshed out better. Perhaps the second book will do this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a unique fantasy that didn't follow the typical fae fashion of today, which I appreciated. Very interesting and worth a read.

The land and its people have been suffering under the ever-growing blight. The humans that are infected have very little chance of survival. When the affluent Fernglove family, masters of social and magical influence, becomes aware of Edira's abilities. Edira's power as a "threadmender" allows her to save others, but her power depletes her own life. Orin, the mysterious head of the Fernglove family, presents himself as both an ally and a potential love interest. Enjoy the relationship tension build as it is a slow burn. Orin's genuine efforts to aid her brothers' survival appear to challenge his family's cutthroat demeanor. Fernglove Manor is a house of secrets as dark and deadly as the blight. A lurking menace heightens the Fernglove family secrets, creating a gothic feel with dark magic and the struggle for power. As Edira uncovers more, the storyline takes on the edge of suspense.

Edira's character has a strong sense of agency and moral resolve. Her cost-bearing magic system is rooted in real sacrifice and selflessness. d Edira's determination to protect those she loves knows no bounds. Aside from Edira, Rorik is the best character. I love his sharp wit and his mysteriousness throughout the story. It was a fun read, especially with the added allure of strange, magical creatures. There were a few pacing issues, but nothing you feel that you have to dredge through. I have very high hopes for the next book from this author.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Avon, Harper Voyager.

I found this eerie setting perfect for spooktober. I love a good gothic novel and this one did not disappoint.
I fell in love with Edira and her abilities to heal. I felt saddened that her healing comes with a cost to her but it gives you empathy for her and helps you see more about her character.
I enjoyed how twisty this book is and found myself not wanting to put the book down. I kept thinking just one more chapter then I'll put this down lol.
I like what the evers brought to this story. I can see this being made into a series and would be willing to read more books if this occurs.
Overall, this was a great read.

I loved this book! This was the first I have read from this other but I will be following her from now on and I can’t wait to continue this series. I felt as though the main Character Edira was well rounded and the author did very well showcasing her thought processes and conclusions in a way that brought me along with her. She also does VERY well with foreshadowing and you start to see everything come together in the end. The middle 30% or so was a little slow in my taste, which made the ending feel slightly rushed but it was all worth it for the unique storyline and absolutely wonderful characters! I already can’t wait to return for the next book!

I was literally hooked from the first page of the prologue! This was an insanely good, gripping read. I can't wait for the next book to release because I seriously need more of Rorik! This was probably one of my favorite reads of the year.

A huge thanks goes to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me on a WILD RIDE! The setting you can easily imagine as whimsical and enchanting until it’s not. This is a fantasy book that is so UNIQUE with the plot and how everything unravels. Edira is so sweet and just has so much kindness, that when it’s taken for granted, as a reader I wanted to rally in arms for her. I don’t want to share any spoilers but I knew not to trust certain characters and wasn’t surprised at their betrayal. I was surprised at how deep it ran of their betrayal. I adored Rorik’s character and only hope to see more of his father if there is another book coming. How the blight works was so interesting and the prelude in the beginning concerning death was attention grabbing. I knew immediately that I wouldn’t be able to put this book down. I definitely recommend this to anyone who’s interested in an even paced story or sacrifice and fighting against the unknown. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing a copy for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me the
E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

House of Blight was a dazzling read! It follows Edira Brillwyn, a young woman with an innate ability to heal others. When her younger brothers unexpectedly fall ill with the blight that is ravaging local townsfolk, she makes a bargain with Orin, the head of a powerful, magical family. He will slow her brothers' decline in exchange for her help on his estate.

This book captured my interest from page one. It's mysterious and atmospheric but also humerous enough to balance it out. The magic system feels authenic and original. The romance and angst I crave in a novel is there. The heroine is actually likeable! I really rooted for her throughout and grew to care for her.

And Ywena. She was the star.

I cannot wait to read the second installment!

House of Blight was an incredibly fun and engaging read. From the very beginning, I found myself hooked, eagerly flipping pages to see what would happen next. Martineau does an excellent job building tension and keeping the story's momentum going, which made it hard to put the book down.

One of the highlights for me was the love triangle, which added an interesting layer of emotional complexity to the story. I'm particularly drawn to Rorik, who is described as "a brooding harbinger of malcontent"—and honestly, what's not to like about that? His dark, brooding nature combined with the undercurrents of vulnerability made him a standout character. Rorik’s intensity really carried a lot of weight in the love triangle dynamic, and I found myself rooting for him the whole time.

However, I had some frustrations with Edira, the main character, and her decision-making. She often seemed blind to the obvious, particularly when it came to Orin's betrayal. The signs were all there, and it felt frustrating as a reader to watch her miss what seemed so clear. This predictability, unfortunately, lessened the impact of what could have been a more shocking twist. Because of Edira’s lack of awareness and the rather predictable nature of Orin's betrayal, I found myself docking some points from my overall rating.

Despite these issues, I really enjoyed the book. It was an entertaining read with a fast-paced plot, a solid romantic conflict, and characters that, while flawed, still kept me invested in the outcome. While I’m giving it a 3-star rating, I would still recommend House of Blight to fans of fantasy romance, especially those who love a bit of drama and tension in their love triangles.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Sarah J. Maas meets Rachel Gilling in a gothic fantasy that will leave you in desperate need for the next book!

House of Blight was hard to put down with its captivating blend of heartache and magic. It was filled with intrigue and compelling characters that will immediately draw you into the story.

Maxym M. Martineau certainly knows how to keep their readers engaged, promting us to take upon reflection of just how far we might go to protect the ones we care for most.

I’m excited to see where the story will lead us in the finale.

Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm very torn on this one. I liked the story and a lot of the fantasy elements that were sprinkled throughout the book, but it ultimately felt far too familiar to other romantasy books out there.

What I liked: I loved the unique magic that our FMC has. The history behind the Evers and their world was super fun to read about. The detailed imagery that the author creates is stunning.

What I didn't like: A large portion of the book felt like the author recycled scenes from other popular romantasy titles. So much of the book is just court politics (e.g. dinner conversations, balls) and very little of the unique magic that was introduced at the beginning of the book. The FMC irritated me.

Overall, I think this would be great for someone that wants to start reading romantasy! However, if you are someone that regularly reads in the romantasy genre, you may find yourself a little disappointed.

This book really took me by surprise. The gothic vibes were perfect for October. I love the concept of magic and threadmenders. It’s interesting how every time she heals someone she loses a piece of herself to the sickness. Then her brothers fall ill and she can’t save both she strikes a deal with someone she hates. You should really try this one out. It will not disappoint.

This book follows our fmc through a world filled with magic and disease. There are beings called Evers who are like fae. They have magic and are immortal beings. The Mc must try to help cure an ever in exchange for saving her brothers. There is a bit of smut.
The book is open to another, and I assume there will be at least one more book.
While I liked this book, I didn't love it. I see a few plot holes and saw the story twist coming from very early on. The themes are much like we have seen in many popular fantasy books as of late.

I was intrigued from the beginning and could barely put it down! Super excited to read the next book!
I've never read anything by this author but I will definitely check out her other work.

This is a tough book to rate for me. I enjoyed the story, thought that it was well written, and kept my interest throughout. I enjoyed the magic of the main character and her healing abilities and the dilemma that came along with it. However, as the story progressed, I was constantly thinking about how similar the story was to ACOTAR. At first, it felt like a Gothic retelling of beauty and the beast and then eventually a retelling of (ACOTAR). I felt like I was able to guess pretty accurately what was going to happen throughout the book because of it. The main character was a little frustrating for me because she came off as intelligent, however, was infuriatingly ignorant when it came to dealing with anything romantic, I guess they call it gaslighting for a reason. I just had a hard time believing rationalizations, especially in such a short period of time. In that way it kind of felt rushed. That being said, I did enjoy reading it enough that I plan on reading the sequel.

I couldn’t finish this book. I got 40% of the way through and had to stop because I was getting annoyed. I really wanted to love it. The magic system was promising but fell flat.
The Ferngloves are unbearable. The petty, childish behavior made it impossible to keep reading without getting mad. Orin’s behavior both cringed and creeped me out. He barely knows Edira and he randomly made a comment of saying he wishes getting her measurements was more hands on. I feel like the interaction between Orin and Edira are supposed to cute but they left me cringing. Most of the notes on my kindle were either “ew” or “this is awful and cringy”.
Also, the Ferngloves have powers but none of them have used them besides Orin. Maybe they use their powers later in the book but I feel like they would have used them even partially by 40%.
Edira says that she’s gonna put up a mask and not let people in the house know who she is. She was brought there because she’s a threadmender! They already know who she is! The stuff that Edira said could be frustrating at time.

I want to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced reader copy of House of Blight! I immediately ordered a copy upon finishing this book!

This book was a fun read. The world wasn’t super complex, so it was easier for me to figure out what was going on than it is in some other fantasy books.
I enjoyed the quick progression and timeline of this book too, I never felt like it was dragging on.

I was really a fan of how the sort of love triangle played out, and I felt like I knew it was gonna happen with it pretty early on which thrilled me.

I’m assuming the Evers are Fae of some sort, that’s what I Gathered from reading this. I really liked the different take on Fae and their powers and how they cohabitate with humans.

I liked Edira as a main character for the most part. She was easy to understand, and it was easy to understand what drove her throughout the book. Some of her decisions I didn’t get, and I felt like she was fooled pretty easily, but by the end, she sort of redeemed herself in my eyes. Part of the love triangle gave me the ick, but that also redeemed itself by the end and I was happy with that outcome.

We start Out with Edira being a Threadmender in secret and hiding her powers, because Threadmenders are coveted by the Evers, and she didn’t want to be taken from her family. But then her brothers fall ill, and one of the Evers promises to help her save them in exchange for her help. We quickly see that the Evers aren’t being completely honest and there’s more to the story, which slowly reveals itself throughout the book. And by the end Edira has some pretty big decisions to make in order to come out alive and save her brothers.

I definitely recommend picking up a copy of this book! Especially if you like A Court of Thorns and Roses