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.

I devoured this book in one night. This is my first experience with this author, but I was so impressed by the detail from the world building and the characters. I love an immersive book where I can picture scenes clearly with detail from the author. Well written with twists and turns, never knowing who to trust and who isn’t telling the whole tale.


*Our journey follows a healer Edira, who is caught up in a tangled web of half truth and lies, trying to figure out how to cure the blight. Edira attempts to help the all powerful Evers with the cure, but it’s hard to trust anyone at Fernglove manor. Plus there’s Rorik so that’s all that really matters 😅.

I would love to see more of Roriks pov in the next book, but overall this was an amazing read. Thank you so much for the arc NetGalley and our wonderful author Maxym M. Martineau.




House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau was refreshingly original with lush world building and imaginative characters. Highly recommend this page turning fantasy.

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

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!

This is the perfect book for those who love acotar series or the shepherd king duology. It’s an amazing Romantasy.

This book is absolutely amazing and it’s so hard to write a review on this one because I want it to remain spoiler free.

Edira is a threadmender who has been living with her abilities kept secret. When her brothers fall sick to blight, an incurable disease that is deadly once caught, she is lucky that Orin Fernglove, an Ever, is nearby to help put her brothers in stasis, in return for her threadmending services to help his family. Once at his estate she begins to learn more about her own powers but also the issues plaguing Evers and their families.

I loved the magic system that this book had and I loved the layout and progression of the story. Seeing Edira learn more about her powers and trying to cure blight while finding out the secrets about Evers and the Fernglove estate made this a fantastic read.

There is a bit of spice and romance with lots of passages about lust and longing. I’d rate it 2/5 spice level just because there is a spicy scene in the book.

I’m really excited for the next book and this is definitely the type of book I’d buy once it releases to have as part of my collection.

Other than that this is the type of story if I say to much it spoils it. Happy reading!

Characters: 4/5 stars
Plot: 5/5 stars
Writing: 5/5 stars
Overall: 4.75/5 stars

First I want to thank netgalley for letting me read this ARC, I very much appreciate it!

This book was the best book that I have read in a very long time! I enjoyed every second, every word of this book! From the prologue all the way to the last page of this ARC I was enraptured in the world building, the characters and the plot. Everything was just *chef's kiss'. This is a book I am eagerly awaiting publication so I can add it to my shelves.

Bring in Edira, a threadmender, a healer able to see the threads of life. She can take those threads and stitch them together and heal you, but at a cost. Minutes, hours, days and even weeks off her own life.
There's this sickness going around, fast acting, killing people within minutes and there's no cure. Edira can't help either, the Blight is too strong for her to heal. One day, her brothers come down with the Blight and an Ever (a magical, immortal being) Orin walks in on her desperately trying to heal her brothers. He makes a promise to her that he can slow down the Blight with his magic if she agrees to move into the Fernglove mansion and learn how to wield her power. She agrees and from there it's a wild ride. Edira, during her stay, finds out untold truths and betrayals ensue.

"For those who constantly sacrifice in the name of others, it's okay to save yourself first."

"I'm training you to survive."
"Why?"
"Because you deserve to live."

Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down! I felt like Edira was really relatable in the sense that she's constantly doing things to help other people. I love the subtle crumbs throughout the book that had to do with color schemes, the banter between Edira and Rorik, and the way the plot developed. This book kept me on the edge of my seat as Edira was trying to put together all of the pieces about the Evers, and when everything finally clicked I wanted to scream. I'm excited to see how that plays out in the next book!

This was the fantasy book I have been looking for the last several months. Maxym M. Martineau has created a new magical world and crafted a story that was a delight to dive into. Edira is a human with powers that make her a threadmender. She can see the life strings in people and heal them but the magic comes at a cost as every time she uses this power she loses time off of her life. As a result, she holds back and hides this while she struggles to care for her two younger twin brothers. The worst part is that there is a disease called "blight" which is disgusting and kills humans quickly. I mean, mold spores and decay abound. (gag) This disease she cannot cure which is why she and her brothers are orphans.

She hides her powers, especially from "Evers," who are an immortal race of people with unique powers and beast attributes. Think of them as variations on Fae. The Evers eventually find her and so begins the story of her working for them to find a cure for blight. It seems like a noble act initially but there are so many twists and turns that I found myself not sure who to trust. I did predict a few things but there were always pieces missing and it may remain that way till there is a sequel.

I really enjoyed this book. I truly mean it. I can't wait for the next one in the series. The story ends with a resolution but there is a cliffhanger. I loved the world-building and hidden details throughout the story. Yes, Edira did make a mess of things with her decisions but it was all for the love of her brothers. The story has a bit of romance threaded through and some spice but it isn't nuts. There is tension, a lovely animal sidekick (which I love!), and constant bathing. Seriously, she is always bathing. There was one scene where I actually wondered if she bathed yet because it happened so much. Sorry, let me refocus.

Anyway, this was a delight and I highly recommend it.

I was provided this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Harper Collins. These are my real and honest thoughts.

This is going to be the next big fantasy romance book, and I feel completely honored to have been able to read an early copy. I can't wait to read more. Now I'm off to read Martineau's backlist.

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!

Wow just wow. This book was amazing in every way! I couldn’t put it down! The last 100 pages really had me on the edge of my seat. It’s the perfect amount of romatansy. If you like Sarah j Maas and want something similar to her books this is definitely it. I’m now super bummed that I have to wait so long for the next book! I can’t wait!
Thank you Harper Collin’s publishing for allowing me to read the advance readers e-proof!
Read through NETGALLEY.

I'm so in love with this book I cannot get it out of my head.

5/5 I devoured. One of my new favorites from the 300+ books I've gotten through this year. Enchanting writing style I'll dream about for years to come.

As a prologue hater, this was the best prologues I've ever read and had me hooked, desperately hanging on to find out what came next. The writing flows magically well. Not only was the story enchanting, but I read every single word because of how beautifully written it was, and I needed to soak it up.

I hope they release a special edition because I need the physical book on my bookcase.

The magic system was maybe not the most unique, and there were a lot of borrowed ideas from Fae for the Evers, but they were still interesting and had enough unique aspects to grab my attention. I love Fae as they're wildly popular right now, but I was happy with the twists on them and making a new creative story with new ideas. The story walked us through every aspect in a delicate way that did not bog down the storytelling. I also liked that the story wasn't dark but hinged on darker ideas so I could see the story appeal to a lot of people, even people newer to fantasy stories. I'd recommend it to everyone who loves a good book. I don't know how anyone could rate less than 5. I'm still mesmerized by the writing style and voice of the story. The plot hooked deep claws into me, and I can't wait for more.

House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau is a gothic romantasy that drew me in from the first chapter till the very end. I could not contain my joy being able to get a hold of this arc and reading it in a couple of days!

The story starts with the main female character named, " Edira Brillwyn" who is a twenty-five years old Threadmender. As a threadmender, she has a magical gift to heal. Tragically, every time she ails and heals anyone it takes some threads of her own life. By threadmending it diminishes and causes her life to be shorten. In the later story, a disease called, "The Blight" creeps and is discovered within her two brothers. The blight is a sickness that is a incurable , grotesque and terrifying disease that is spreading through the land. As the story is revealed in the story, she is assisted by the Ferngloves who is led by Orin Fernglove. She learns to yeild her power as a threadmender as she stays in the Ferngloves manor. The more Edina stays in the Ferngloves manor, secrets, deception and mystery begins to stir within the manor.

House of Blight is beautifully written. I loved the world that Maxym M. Martineu built and had me image. She knows how to draw you into a different world and relm. Not only did I love this gothic romantasy, I envied the way the blight was described. There is no one else that I would be a perfect fit to describe the Blight than Maxym M. Martineau! This is a read that I've been yearning on reading around Halloween. I know this the first book in this duology. I can't wait to read the second book! There was a twist in the book that had me SPEECHLESS and FLABBERGASTED.

Thank you so much Maxym M. Martineau and Harper Voyage for this ARC on NetGalley!

House of Blight is a spectacular Gothic Romantasy with fantastic world building and a unique magic system. It is the story of Edira, a young healer. She works in her small village, selling medications and tonics to help support herself and her two brothers. Edira has a secret though that could lead to her destruction if ever discovered by the wrong people; the Ever. The Ever are immortal beings with magic that pose a threat to people like Edira.

When tragedy strikes in Edira’s home, she has to make a choice to risk everything to save the only family she has left. Will working with the very people she’s spent her entire life hiding from be worth the sacrifice of herself for her brothers? Or will she lose everything?

This book has fantastic world building. It immediately draws you into story and keeps you on the edge of your seat right up until the end. It’s a slow burn, enemies to lovers story with some tasteful splashes of spice. There are definite plot twists throughout the book that will either have you gasping or yelling at your book. The supporting characters are all engaging as well and the banter between two of the main characters is delicious. The book is part of a duology and while it doesn’t end on an extreme cliffhanger or a happily ever after. It gives you a somewhat happily for now.

Loved this book and can’t wait for the next in the series. The world building isn’t too over the top and confusing, I was engaged and excited about what was next, and I liked the main character ok. The writing was great and like the story and concept. If you like Sarah j. Maas and enjoyed the ACOTAR series you will enjoy this! Great fantasy read for 2025!

This book was effortlessly captivating and I’m already eager for the next one.

Edira Brillwyn has healing powers that she’s only just scratched the surface of, powers that she tries to keep hidden for her safety. She finds herself working for powerful people, which means she begins to uncover what she is capable of along with secrets that change everything.

If you’re looking for a gothic, romantic fantasy that has you questioning everything yet completely enthralled…this is for you. I was so pleasantly surprised by this book and will definitely be checking out some of Maxym M Martineau’s other works.

This is a fantastic dark fantasy with gothic vibes. It is so unlike most of the books I have read recently. The apocalyptic type world is creepy but so interesting. The dedication and prologue pulled me in and I could not put this book down. As someone who’s often easily distracted while reading I can say I wasn’t distracted by much, even reading late into the night until my eyes couldn’t stay open.

Edira is a threadmender in a world filled with a horrible disease called blight. She must hide her ability to heal the sick by mending their broken threads of life for fear of being taken by the Evers. The Evers, immortal beings with immense magic, lord over the country of Glaes. The Ferngloves are the specific family that control’s Edira’s city. The Ferngloves took her aunt when they discovered she was a threadmender. Edira must help make ends meet with her two brothers all while hiding her identity because blight killed the rest of her family… until her brothers fall ill with blight. Orin Fernglove promises to stave off the progression of the disease in exchange for Edira’s help in researching a cure for blight. Edira is thrust into the Fernglove estate with a family that is kniving, secretive, and extremely powerful. She is warned to trust no one, but her heart tells her otherwise.

The story is muah, chef’s kiss! Edira is constantly questioning the Fernglove’s motives. The characters are dynamic, especially Edira. She is full of sass, plus she gets a cute animal companion. The sarcastic interactions between the Fernglove family are so entertaining. The imagery is immersive and beautiful but absolutely disgusting. I really enjoyed how Edira’s magic works.

Edira is constantly giving of herself to help others, but slowly learning to let herself live. I admire her character’s steadfast determination to protect her brothers all while learning the secrets of the Ferngloves.

This was the first ending I’ve read in a while that was actually satisfying. It’s my understanding that this is a duology, but I’m not left with the sour taste of most cliffhangers in the end.

I will be suggesting to book to anyone and everyone. Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eARC.

Sometimes you just read a book and you know that the romantasy crowd is going to eat it up. House of Blight is one of those books. Two immortal brothers and a human girl with some special powers? Sold. The female main character isn't still a teenager, and is, in fact, firmly in her 20's?! Bonus points.

It's easy to say I enjoyed reading this one. I thought the premise was fairly unique while incorporating well loved tropes. I thought the author, Maxym M. Martineau, did a good job painting a picture of who the three main characters are, while still leaving room for us to learn more about some of the characters in the next book. I also loved the love shown to insects. Bugs aren't appreciated enough. There was also some nicely subtle foreshadowing which is always a good addition.

I will say, as someone with a VERY detailed imagination when it comes to visualizing what I'm reading, I had a hard time during some scenes. Got a bit of the ick. The visuals I conjured up took me out of the moment a bit. Especially when there are references made to Edira (the FMC) having some of her own visuals, though conveniently for her, not in the places I was thinking about it. I don't think this would be a problem for many readers though.

In general, I would absolutely recommend this book to any fans of romantasy. I really enjoyed reading it and I'm only sad that I'll have to wait even longer to read the next one than folks who will read it upon release.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for the chance to read this book as an ARC for review. All opinions are my own.

The House of Blight was my first Maxim M. Martineau book, but it will not be my last! I found the premise of this story to be a bit different than anything I have read before. My initial intrigue, coupled with an opening paragraph (pure poetry) and its strong prequel, had me instantly hooked. I could not put this down!

Edira is a threadmender, a rare magical healer able to cure any ailment, except the blight that is plaguing their world. Each time Edira mends, she sacrifices some of her own threads, taking time off her life. Edira is careful to conceal her ability from others, particularly the Evers, the immortals who own the mine that supports her village and have a keen interest in anyone with this unique ability. When her brothers become infected with the blight, Edira makes a deal with one of the Evers: come to work with him on finding a cure for the blight and he will put her brothers in stasis, preventing the blight from spreading and buying her the time to discover the cure. Despite not knowing how much time she has left, she enters into an agreement bound by magic with the Ever. But when she heads to Fernglove estate with the Ever, she finds by not being specific in her word choice she may have agreed to more than she planned, the blight may be tied to dark secrets, and the estate she moved into may be as furtive as its residents… and if she’s not careful, she may not survive.

The world building is descriptive and well done and the array of characters are varied, from compelling and dynamic to love-to-hate and rigid. Several of the plot twists were a bit predictable, but I enjoyed how the author developed the story to get the reader there. The ending does leave several threads left loose, but was more mild than most cliffhangers. Overall, this book exceeded my expectations and I am excited to see where Martineau takes these characters in the sequel! 📚
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✨Gothic romantacy
🦋Duology
🧵Haunted House
✨Magical vows
🦋Glamours
🧵Magical healing powers
✨Single POV*
🦋Magical pet
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Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review! 📚
Publishers release date 4/8/2025
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“When the stars were young and the sun was new, a woman of great power and strong mind met Death at a four-way crossing.”
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“Welcome to Fernglove, Edira. May you live to see something else.”
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*The entire book is from Edira’s POV with the exception of 1 chapter toward the end.
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Update: this was a 4⭐️ review, but I am upping it to 5⭐️ because I cannot stop thinking about this book!