✨House of Blight✨

Cozy cottagecore meets The Cruel Prince meets Dark Shadows in this first installment of Maxym’s Threadmender’s Chronicles.

We find ourselves in a world where humans are ran by the immortal Ever’s, a fae-like species that harbors deep power and dark secrets. Edira, our human FMC, has a power that the Evers seek and she has been in hiding her entire life. At least until her brothers acquire the blight and her identity is revealed: she is a Threadmender, a healer of extraordinary rarity. In a moment of desperation to save her brothers, Edira makes a vow to work with the Evers in trade for stabilizing her brothers until she can heal.

It is within the Evers’ walls where she learns many truths and many betrayals. Two MMCs have conflicting courses. No one can be trusted. The eyes are foolish. And her one warning: cure no one.

I really enjoyed this! While it was decently low stakes, I found it unique and intriguing. The cost of magic kept me interested and the two MMCs had me reconsidering myself over and over. (Not to mention one has a tail and the other has broody Loki vibes). I also got super amped with Edira coming fully into her own.

Tropes you may find in HOB are gothic cottagecore vibes, secrets and hidden identities, no one can be trusted, feminine rage, low spice (one scene), heart bonds, forced proximity, and an ending that has me eager to explore more!

Thank you to Maxym, Netgalley, and Nerdfam for this gifted arc. I’m excited to see what happens next in book two!

This book drew me in from the start! The story follows Edira who’s is a threadmender and can heal almost any injury. However, when she heals using her magic she loses pieces of her life source so the more she heals with magic the closer to death she becomes. Following her aunts advice of hiding her abilities her plan derails when Orin, one of the most powerful Evers, shows up requesting her help to fight the blight. The blight is a fast acting disease that kills humans instantly and we come to find out is affecting other plants and animals. Edira forms a bargain with Orin after her brothers get infected and comes with him to his estate to work towards a cure for the blight. As much as Orin promises safety Edira is constantly in danger from other Evers.

Now the Evers are very interesting. Their magic, appearance, and immortality were quite interesting to read about but what I loved most was seeing the different types of beasts and creatures they have characteristics and appearances of. Throughout the book we slowly learn more and more about the history and past of Orin’s family. His siblings, Rorik and Seville, and his cousins are all so different that we see many different personalities.

From the beginning I was so skeptical of Orin’s supposed friendliness and helpfulness towards Edira. And at times I was very frustrated with Edira when she let her relationship with Orin grow and develop throughout the book. I liked Rorik, who is Orin’s brother, from the start. He challenges Edira and does not have a good relationship with Orin. He’s very mysterious and we slowly learn more about him. Rorik and Edira had more chemistry and I loved all of their interactions.

For me the best part of the book was the last 20%. So much started happening and we really start to solve the mysteries around Orin’s shady history and ways to solve the blight. Heartbonds are very interesting since they allow for power to be shared between couples. I loved seeing how Edira used this to strengthen her magic and become so strong at the end. The ending isn’t a big cliffhanger but sets up for the second book. In very interested to see where this story will go and can’t wait to see more from Edira and Rorik!

This was such a captivating read!
The world-building is immersive, filled with eerie magic and hidden agendas, while the slow-burn romance between Edira and Orin simmers with tension. The story moves quickly, sometimes a bit too fast, but the mystery and character dynamics keep it engaging. The gothic atmosphere, with a hint of cottagecore, adds to its unique charm, and Ywena, the lovable sidekick, is a delightful addition.

If you love dark fantasy, magical bargains, and intricate family drama, this book will keep you hooked—especially with that cliffhanger ending.

Getting hooked up with this book from NetGalley and often loving Gothic fantasy and romantasy, I expected to so love this book and it was an utter flop.

I had to DNF it at 60% because I truly couldn't take it anymore.

The concept was unique and had potential but the execution lacked. I rated it one star and that's just because the author had a semblance of writing, you could tell they have talent, but boy does this need to be finessed and edited.

1. Plot Progression
A plot goes as such: beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. But it felt like not a whole lot happened, like we were stuck in boring limbo between the beginning and rising action but it never rose. It was a plateau.

2. Character Depth and Development
There were so many characters in this book and I couldn't latch onto anyone, not even the MC, because they were so surface level and I didn't get to feel and buy into their deepest desires and struggles, who they were, especially Orin, which makes no sense as in the synopsis he's presented as the second MC.

3. The Romance
Imagine watching a movie and all of a sudden there's just heat and sparks between people but they deeply dislike each other. There's no build up, no explanation. That's what this book had. Sorry, but you're not making me believe the two MCs love each other let alone like each other when you didn't even define the WHY.

Wouldn't recommend. Sorry book friends.

I loved all the tropes in this book. I enjoyed the dark story telling. I love me a morally gray character. There was good world building. Overall, I enjoyed the book! Author did a great job!

HOUSE OF BLIGHT is a slow burn gothic romantasy about a woman who can stitch the threads of life, a powerful immortal family with secrets, and a creeping blight that refuses to be stopped.
The fmc, Edira, is good, strong, and loves her brothers more than life itself. She will stop at nothing to save them even if it means sacrificing her own life.
This book is unique and held my interest from cover to cover. It’s easy to like the fmc but all of the other characters are shady and you don’t know who to trust. There’s definite betrayals and things aren’t as they seem.
🥀 Female rage
🥀 Beast forms!!!
🥀 Training scenes
🥀 Crazy family dynamics
🥀 Maple moth familiar

🥀 Forced proximity
🥀 Slow burn romance
🥀 Cool magic and worldbuilding
🥀 INSECT DADDY!!

I am currently in my Gothic fantasy book was like a chef’s kiss. It was 100% exactly what I expected. I loved the characters the growth the story everything about this book was perfect. It’s a masterpiece in disguise.

This was a dark, gothic read that focused primarily of the atmosphere and slow burn. I am not typically a fan of slow burn, but I thought this was well done and the descriptions of the setting were beautiful and magical. The only part I didn't love was that the plot felt slow at times, which made parts of the book feel overdone.

Wow!! This book is EVERYTHING!!
I loved everything about it!! The vibes are perfection and this book literally hooked me from the prologue!!
Hands down a new favorite, I cannot wait for the next one!!

**My thanks to NetGalley and Avon & Haper Voyager and The Nerd Fam, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is the first book that I have read by this author and the description of the book had me hooked from the moment I read it.

We have Edira, a young woman looking after her younger brothers after the death of her parents and the disappearance of her aunt prior to that. Things are hard for them as the mines do not pay her brothers well and she only makes small amounts of money with her tonics.

But Edira has a special talent that is soon spotted by a family that wants her thgreadmending talents to cure the blight. But is all as it seems?

What are the family hiding and who can she really trust? Altough the book does not end in a cliff hanger it does end with us knowing that there is more to be explored with her talent and that we know that she and one of the family will get together again.

I really enjoyed the book and liked the twist at the end as who to trust finally is revealed.

I would certainly recommend this book for those that like Romantasy with a little Dark Romance sprinkled in.

I had a great time reading this slow burn fantasy romance! It follows Edira, a girl who can heal almost any ailment at the cost of time chipped from her own lifespan. A deadly disease called Blight runs rampant and threatens to take her brothers’ lives. Edira makes a binding oath with the enigmatic and beautiful Fernglove family to use her powers in attempt to find a cure.
I really enjoyed the unique world building and mysterious, gothic atmosphere. It was reminiscent of Cruel Prince, One Dark Window and Belladonna. Edira was a little naive and frustrating at first, but it’s hard not to care for her, her sacrifices and strong will. I loved her companion Ywena who needs more stage time. The mysterious Fernglove family was also quite intriguing. I enjoyed Edira’s reluctant alliance with them as she questions and unravels layers of secrets and motives. I found the book to be well paced and engaging with a satisfying ending and great twist. Would recommend for fans of slow burn romance, mystery combined with fantasy and magical bargains.
Thank you to The NerdFam and Netgalley for a gifted arc in exchange for an honest review!

House of Blight by Maxym Martineau (Releases April 8, 2025)

Thank you to The NerdFam and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a romantasy filled with female rage, beast forms, intense training scenes, and a delightfully wild family dynamic, House of Blight has you covered. Add in a maple moth familiar, forced proximity, slow-burn romance, and a darkly enchanting magic system, and you’ve got a story that’s impossible to put down.

This book had such a unique magic system—it felt like a darker take on ACOTAR’s Spring Court, with its own rich lore and eerie beauty. While the plot followed some familiar romantasy beats and was a bit predictable, I honestly didn’t mind because the worldbuilding and magic were so compelling. I was completely drawn into the atmosphere and had a great time reading.

My only complaint? I wanted more scenes between the main love interest and the FMC! Their interactions left me wanting more, but since this is the start of a series, I’ll just have to be patient. If you’re a fan of ACOTAR, I think you’ll love this one.

holy cow you guys, i blew through this book in ONE NIGHT. Not even being dramatic I could not put it down from the very first page. The author takes the time to build the world, build the lore and insert the needed history in a way thats not rushed but not leaving anything to be desired, Maybe its the nursing student in me but im always a lover of the healer role / trope but this was done in SUCH an interesting way! And the family dynamics in this book? talk about kooky? It was giving literary nonsense of a family and I LOVED IT! and the spice? of course we have to touch on the romantasy / spice aspect of a book and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! There was enough romance to sustain the subplot and the LONGING? I LOVE YEARNING !

Easily a five star read and I simply cannot wait to read book 2 when released!

House of Blight was an atmospheric, gothic slow burn romance. The author was able to make you feel like you were in the book. The worldbuilding and magic system were easy to understand. We had Morally gray side characters, never knowing who to like or who to trust.
Our FMC is a threadmender, which means she can heal others. In return she loses time on her own life. The Evers are the top tier of the population, having magic, money, and anything they desire. But something most can't escape is Blight which is Killing people and the lands. Our threadmender can not catch blight, however no one can cure it. The Evers find out about her ability and strike up a deal with her to help cure another ever. From there the book takes off on the quest to cure blight.
My only complaint and its more a me thing is I do not care for long chapters. I feel like 15/20 min for 1 chapter can be daunting. While that made the book drag for me a little the actual story and pacing itself did not drag. I am excited to read book 2

4⭐ .5🌶️3❤️
I was gifted this ARC for free, and this is my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, it was different then a lot of the other books I've read this year. I enjoyed the story a lot and I liked the writing for the most part. There were some points in the book that felt like it was dragging for me. Witch I understand, it is the first book and there is a lot of world building, that I loved. This world it so different and I love it. There were just some spots where I thought the pacing slowed down and then dragged for a bit. That would be my only critique about this book.

In this story we have our FMC Edira and she is a threadmender, which means that she can see the life threads of living creatures and use her power to heal them, but at a great cost to herself. Every time she uses her power she suffers the effects of whatever wound she healed, and she sacrifices some of her own life threads. In her world there is only one thing that she can't heal without killing herself in the process and that is the Blight. In comes this books MMC Orin, he tracks her down just as some of her family members contract the Blight. He uses his Ever magic to pause the infection so that he can make a deal with Edira for her to come work for him and work on a way for her to heal people with Blight without killing herself in the process.

I loved the FMC for the most part, there were some points in the book where I was sitting there screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!" But she becomes such a power throughout this book. I love her. The MMC in this book Orin, I have very strong feelings about him. I had a hard time rating the romance in this book, because of one of the main plot twists in the book. I do feel like the main romance and the main love interest for the series as a whole will be so good, but with this first book it was hard to rate the romance on my normal scale. I am so excited to see where the romantic sub plot will go through the rest of the series.

Other then the pacing at some points, I really enjoyed this book. This world is so unique and interesting. The plot was exciting and that is what kept me going during the slower parts of the book. I needed to know what happened! I can't wait to learn more about the world and these characters in book two. I am so excited to see where this story is going to go.
Highly recommend if you enjoy eerie, gothic fantasy romance.

Family Bond. Gothic. Fantasy. Secrets. Betrayal. ...

House of Blight is a dark gothic fantasy that I almost DNF, but by 35%, I was hooked. The story is full of secrets and betrayal. The MMC is frustrating and the second MMC is more interesting. The twists were well done, and this novel is great for gothic fantasy fans. I’m hoping book two will have a dual POV.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed the magic system in this book. The fact that our protagonist possesses healing powers is one of the most advantageous magical abilities for a main character. I also appreciate the dark gothic romance in this book, which keeps the reader engaged and on the edge of their seat. I entered this book with no prior expectations and left wanting more. I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book and become fully invested in this captivating world.

Holy goodness gracious. I finally sat down (laid in bed) and just read House of Blight by Maxym M Martineau. I think this is my first 6 star read of 2025.
First of all, the plot? It did not stop. Not even once. I was never bored or lost.
Second, the character growth? Edira, out main girl, was thrust into a not-so-good situation with the Evers who oversee her town, Willowfell.
When Orin, the head of the Fernglove Evers, makes her a deal she really can't refuse, Edira gets thrust into the most whimsical and fantastical setting. I personally really lived the banter with Rorik. Vora is easily my favorite side character. I'm pretty sure I'm willing to do anything for Ywena.
I'm eagerly waiting book 2!

Lush, dark and atmospheric gothic fantasy with an interesting spin on magic and immortal beings.

This started off with a compelling and gorgeous prologue but in the end it was just a bit too descriptive for my taste. I think if you don’t mind, very atmospheric and descriptive settings you’ll enjoy this one!

Whats to love…
- dark, atmospheric, gothic
- slow burn
- forced proximity
- interesting spin on “fae”
- animal companion
- secrets and intrigue

What’s not too love…
- slower plot
- some descriptions can feel overly detailed

🌶️ - Ch 21 is the only chapter with explicit scenes, the rest are alluded to and ambiguous.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon (Harper Voyager) for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

adventurous emotional tense
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0

this pretends to be a standard romantasy for the full first third of the book but it really starts to pick up at the halfway point and the last third is a WILD ride in a cool af way. wish a developmental editor had been a little stricter on the author and made her cut some of the lust-at-first-sight so that the plot stayed closer at hand. but romantasy just likes to bully me by having good ideas stuck behind dumb MCs too busy making heart eyes, so frankly this is pretty well done

the body horror is constant, and in a GROSS way. very much uhhh like blisters and spores and such? rather than gore. just an fyi

hey Maxym this is a random nitpick but i am begging you to find another way to describe "capping" powers because it was too many times.

FMC's magic reminds me of the Thread magic of the Truthwitch books, but in an interesting compare and contrast way! made me wanna re-read that series lol

looking forward to a sequel!

Thank you to The Nerd Fam and Netgalley for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.