house of blight. was an unexpectedly good book. i went in with 0 expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed this one. i haven’t seen many people talking about it on social media, and i do wish that would change. this book deserves the hype!!

the first thing we’re introduced to is edira, her special magical power, and her brothers. i really liked how her power was written — she could heal people, but each time she did, time would be taken from her life. it’s not the first time i’ve heard of this type of magic, but it’s so well written in house of blight that i couldn’t help but love it. throughout the book, edira has a love and fierce protective nature towards her brothers. she never once lost sight of what she was fighting for. she was so strong willed and determined.

the setting and the world building was also a really cool aspect of this book. the use of blight was both interesting and somewhat gross. the author was very good at describing everything in such captivating detail, it really felt like i was in their world.

i will admit though: i got a little bored in the middle somewhere. between the fae court and her immersing herself in their life, it lost my interest slightly. because of this, i did lower my rating.

and to finish it off, plot twist at the end was really unexpected. the stakes were so high and nothing went as i expected it to. i swear, my mouth was agape during those final scenes.

House of Blight is a gothic romantasy that follows Edira, who has been in hiding for her whole life to keep her secret magic hidden. However, when a deadly blight threatens the lives of people she cares about, she is forced to work with an immortal fae lord to find a cure. His kindness and honesty surprises Edira, as does her undeniable attraction to him.

First off, the vibes in this book were immaculate. The imagery was dark, gothic, and beautifully depicted. It reminded me of the spring court in ACOTAR, but darker. The storyline was also quite similar to ACOTAR in the sense that it felt like a loose dark beauty and the beast retelling. While I didn’t mind this because I really enjoy these type of stories, it did make the plot feel quite predictable.

The beginning of the story gripped me immediately, and the ending was very fast-paced. However, I found the middle of the story dragged a little for me. While I enjoyed the writing style, I did find the dialogue a little too modern for a fantasy book. I found it slightly jarring and it pulled me out of the story.

The magic system was unique and interesting, and the scenes of Edira using her magic were beautifully written. I appreciated that Edira was in her mid-twenties, as a lot of fantasy heroines tend to be younger. I found her quite naive at times, and she lacked agency, which frustrated me. The male main characters were fine, but overall felt quite flat and one dimensional.

I didn’t realise that there was a love triangle in this book, which is not my favourite trope. The romances relied on the initial sexual attraction, and I wish the relationships had more emotional depth to them.

The love triangle was resolved by the end of the book and I’m hopeful that we’ll get more character and relationship development in the sequel. Overall, this was a decent start to a new series and I’ll keep an eye out for the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!!! This book took all the things I loved about belladonna, the folk of air series & the powerless series and wrapped it all up in a pretty bow.

Thread-mending is such a cool magic system, I was feral for the MMCs, I got teary at the end, all in all such a fun time. Thank you to NetGalley & HarperVoyager for the eARC of this book!

House of Blight is an immersive gothic fantasy romance that swept me away from the very first page. Edira’s journey as a gifted healer mage thrust into the mysterious and seductive world of the Ferngloves is captivating, with every twist of her threadmending magic adding to the rich tapestry of the story. The atmosphere of the manor, with its dark corners and hidden secrets, feels almost tangible thanks to the narrator’s evocative delivery, making the entire experience feel like stepping into a beautifully haunted dream. I was completely drawn in by the delicate balance between danger, desire, and the allure of forbidden magic.

What really made this book shine was its blend of lush world-building and steamy enemies-to-lovers tension. The interactions between Edira and the charismatic Orin are charged with a subtle, magnetic energy that keeps you eagerly anticipating what comes next, all while the intricate magical system unfolds in a way that’s as enchanting as it is original. It’s a story that invites you to savor every detail - from the spellbinding prose to the rich, atmospheric soundscape - making it a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Overall, House of Blight is a fantastic escape into a darkly magical world that leaves you excited for more adventures, earning it a solid four stars in my book.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you very much for this eARC. This review contains spoilers.

A gorgeous, twisting gothic fantasy novel about a healer makes a deal with an immortal creature to save her brothers from the mysterious blight.

I loved how immersive the story was from the very first chapter. The setting and characters were described in gorgeous prose full of detail, and even seemingly mundane things like oil lamps and beetles (!) were given a poetic treatment.

The book maintained a fast pace throughout, without sacrificing on the immersive and detailed worldbuilding—a very impressive balance in my opinion! Edira’s introduction to the world of the Ferngloves raised the stakes. I enjoyed the toxic wealthy family dynamics, and the powerful magic on display in their house—the (fae-inspired?) bargaining power was used to great effect, and the way their seductive and manipulative natures were juxtaposed was immaculate.

Edira as a main character was very well developed and complex—throughout the novel she struggles with the choices she faces between her own life and her other motivations; between trusting the Ferngloves and taking care of herself. I think often she makes the wrong choice, but that makes her even more interesting! When she finally starts to make good decisions and use her own power, I was cheering her on.

The relationship at the centre of the novel was an interesting one—I didn’t trust Orin as much as Edira did! But I also think it makes sense that she trusted him quickly, since she had so few other people showing kindness to her. Still, I kept my suspicions and the twist that he was lying to her made me feel vindicated. Her relationship with Rorik was a perfect contrast to the one with Orin—a lot of the time Rorik acts meaner to her, but underneath it actually seems to care about her. I wished Edira worked that out sooner!

Though I guessed it early on, I still thought the twist was super clever—a magic court that is secretly glamoured to hide the rot beneath it? Chefs kiss. Orin’s betrayal and the subsequent development of Edira’s bond with Rorik really worked for me, even though they still had their issues and didn’t exactly end the book on good terms. Still, at least Edira learnt to be less trusting! I can’t wait for the sequel to this book to see how Edira’s power and relationship with Rorik progress!

This novel kept me intrigued and wondering what was going to happen next throughout. I really enjoyed the characters and the twists and turns of the plot- can’t wait to continue the story in the next installment and see where the author takes it!

This book is going to rock bookstagram.

🖤Gothic Vibes
💖Immortals
👀Mysteries
🏠Haunting Estate
🎇Magic Bargains
🦋 Animal Companion
💕Romantic Tension
... am I missing a trope here?
It's got it all!

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

It was a fun read that I think the community will eat up! There are still some questions at the end of it that leave room for book two and I did find it Echoed some notes of ACOTAR- without saying too much. But readers might appreciate that. The tale follows our main girl Edira and her healing magic that-like a cat- costs one of her nine lives to do it. She has a rare ability to use healing magic (threadmending)but the risks are high and when her brothers get sick with the blight, in swoops Orin to cut a deal. She will work at the Fernglove estate looking for a cure while her bothers are put in a coma like stasis. I connected Edira and her sass and whit and distrustful nature. However she was a little slow in the love department and felt a bit of a disconnect with her time with our MMC which... happy I guessed it... won't say more, but overall a fun read and will defiantly be picking up the sequel.

This one was a cover read for me. And I was let down at all.
Very beautiful imagery, and a well written and fascinating read!

Dark, beautiful, and wondrous with body horror interwoven and haunting atmosphere. For fans of life-consuming magic and buried generational vows.

This was a quick compelling read!! It you are a fan of Holly Black's The Cruel Prince and Sarah J Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses you will most likely enjoy this.

Edira was a likeable character from the start - she has a soft spot for healing kids and her love for her brothers will stop at nothing to protect them. Her Threadmending was a novel and bittersweet form of healing I haven't encountered before - she can heal others but at a cost to her own lifespan. This makes her a covetted magical asset to the immortal Ever families, who eventually get their paws on her and set her to an impossible task. The Evers were a unique take on immortals - they reminded me of Fae crossed with vampires and something more alien and monstrous.

Another unique element I enjoyed was the authors clear love of insects - particularly when it came to descriptions of Rorik and his powers.

The Fernglove estate was instantly mysterious, and though the plot points were easily predicted it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. I'm not sure labouring on the flirting and romance with EVERY Fernglove added to the story too much, it got to be a bit unbelievable that Edira could be this horny when her brothers were on the brink of death (romance and the Blight do not mix well in the imagination....in every way they cross in this book).'Nonetheless, I loved Rorik and Ywena as characters. I'd definitely read another book if it involved more of them! And it seems like I might get to, as we still need to discover the source of the Blight!

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Cruel Prince fans, do I have the book for you!

Edira hides her secret or Threadmending - her magical ability to heal by using her life essence - from the village and immortal, powerful Evers who oversees everything.
When Edira's brothers unexpectedly contract blight—an incurable virus killing people throughout the town, one she cannot heal; the head of the Evers Fernglove house offers to help.

Despite Edira’s fear and hatred of the Evers, she is drawn to Orin and his dark brother.
Of course, this is very reminiscent of many other romantasies. This meant I was very aware of the plot twists and reveals, making it less tense than I think was intended.

I did love Edira - she is strong, stubborn, and loves her brothers with everything she has. She is also way too caring for her own good.
Another bonus - magic has a price!!

<b>“Oh, Edira.” He draped one of my hands about his neck before wrapping his arm around my waist. With his free hand, he threaded our fingers together. “The only pain I’d ever intentionally inflict on you is the agony of making you wait to feel the pleasure of release.”
</b>
Who can you trust when everything is glamoured and everyone is scheming and secretive.
Oh, by the way - Orion has A TAIL!

This was addicting, but just missed the mark for me due to its predictability.

Physical Arc gifted by Titan Books.

The House of Blight really intrigued me, because it has all the elements of a five star read for me:

✨unique magic system
🖤slow burn romance
✨gothic fantasy elements
🖤love triangle
✨plot twists

I went into it hoping that it would hit the mark but, unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me 😥

Let's start with what I did enjoy though! I thought the writing was descriptive and painted the world itself in stark detail (always helpful when jumping into a new fantasy world!), Edira was a proactive protagonist and actually made things happen rather than events occuring around her. I also really loved the 'will they, won't they' romance and the slow-burn of it all! That part was really excellent.

The areas that fell a bit flat for me were the pacing, the vivid descriptions of some elements but then not enough of others and finally, the stakes not feeling high enough even though they should have felt really dire.

While the plot itself is super interesting, I felt myself getting a bit bored during random sections where I felt there was too much 'day-to-day' going on, when I really wanted to keep up the tension and continue with the main plot. I also felt that while Edira was a good FMC, she didn't question the actions or words of others enough and did things that were a bit baffling 😂 sometimes this was fun and pushed the plot forwards but other times I was just so frustrated!

Overall, I would still recommend this to fans of gothic fantasy as there were elements I did really enjoy! I just don't think it was the right book for me, sadly.

SUCH a fun concept, and yet I felt it didn't quite hit the mark. The idea of threadmending was so intriguing, and yet I felt like the magic system and world building was slightly flat. The immediate innuendo from the two potential love interests also felt a bit jarring.