House of Blight is a hauntingly intriguing gothic fantasy threaded with sickness, secrets, and swoony immortal tension. Maxym M. Martineau spins a story thick with atmosphere—decay and beauty coexisting like ivy on a crumbling stone.

At the heart of it all is Edira, a girl with the unique power to pull illness from the body using magical threads. Isolated and determined, she’s trying to master her gift to help her brothers—and the powerful elites who, of course, always come with complications.

Now let’s talk about that romance. It’s marketed as a slow burn, and... sure, technically. But once it sparks, it sparks. (If you know, you know.) I enjoyed Edira’s playfulness and deep loyalty to her family, even if she could be a little dense at times.

The audiobook was a delight, so beautifully narrated that I completely lost track of time. All in all, this was a dark, lyrical read that pulled me in like a whisper in the woods. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what Martineau writes next.

Wow, this was some excellent YA fantasy. I found the pacing a bit off and the plot a bit sluggish in the middle, but I still enjoyed it. I loved listening to the audiobook narrated by Catrin Walker-Booth and could visualise the story as it unfolded.

I found the ending a bit predictable but I'm still eager to read the second book. The characters were interesting and the atmosphere dark, everything woven together by brilliant writing.

Overall, it has some flaws but I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you to W.F. Howes and Netgalley for the ALC

Interesting magic system but unfortunately felt a little too boring for about 70% of the book… I didn’t love the last twist either, but I might still be tuning in for the second book!

House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau is a hauntingly beautiful romantasy filled with gothic atmosphere, dark secrets, and an unforgettable magic system. Edira, a secret threadmender who can heal others at the cost of her own life, finds herself entangled with the enigmatic Ever family after using her forbidden powers to save her brothers. Whisked away to the eerie Fernglove Manor, she joins Orin and his fiercely competitive brother Rorik in a desperate search for a cure to the deadly blight—only to uncover layers of secrets that may cost her everything.

Though the beginning is a little slow, things heat up quickly once Edira reaches the manor. The Ever family is fascinatingly dysfunctional, and Edira’s relationships with them—especially her chemistry with a certain MMC (yes, insect daddy energy included!)—are deliciously complex. The romance with Orin is slow burn and satisfying, with a dose of rivalry but no cheating. The audiobook, narrated by Catrin Walker-Booth, was a standout—rich, immersive, and expertly performed. This story weaves eerie fantasy with romance and mystery in a way that kept me hooked. Can’t wait for book 2!

4.5* from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and W F Howes for the ALC. This is my honest opinion.

A really interesting concept with some great characters. The world building is lighter than I like it but the magic system is fairly defined and comes with consequences. Romantasy with only light fantasy attributes is not usually my thing but I enjoyed this one.

House of Blight is a gorgeously written gothic romantasy that swept me away with its haunting atmosphere, original magic system, and morally grey characters. Edira, a Threadmender, has the rare ability to heal and hides her gifts from the world, coveted by Evers she fears for her brother's and for her lifeline which shortens every time she uses her gift. Though I found her frustrating at times and predicted some major plot points, the richly developed world and emotional stakes kept me turning the pages. A solid four stars—ideal for romantasy fans who enjoy slow-burn tension, ancient secrets, and a touch of darkness.

Horrible plague has taken over Edira's hometown. Within minutes of contact with the Blight, its victims begin to decay like a rotting, fetid garden. The impact of the Blight is agonizing and irreversible. Edira is a Threadmender. She has the ability to see people's life threads and cure them of almost any sickness or ailment. Except, everything she heals she must take into herself, leaving her in pain and with a shortened life span. Her ability is coveted and powerful, but also a threat to herself. Not only does exercising her power threaten her life, but it also makes her the target of Evers' greed.

Includes:
- vampire-ish eternal beings
- witchy shit
- bonds between siblings
- unbreakable vows
- a race against time
- cute bugs?
- lethal rivalries
- heartbonds

House of Blight has a really cool concept. While it has little world building and an untethered magic system, the idea of a Threadmender is fascinating, especially since each action had an equal and opposite reaction (okay physics!) which gave her Edira's actions real consequences in a way most fantasy does not. Those stakes also made her interpersonal relationships have so much more delicious tension and gave her believable reservations and motivations.

In general, I did not feel that any of the characters were particularly well fleshed out and I believe the author was resting too much on making the Evers "mysterious" instead of actually giving them real depth and personalities. I also found the big "twist" and its solution painfully obvious - but maybe I am just jaded. Maybe I would say that this book is good adjacent? I am sure booktok will probably eat this one up, but I was not impressed.

I also listened on audiobook and did not feel that the narration execution was great. I don't know if it was the tone, or the pace, or maybe the writing that was the issue, but I ended up finishing this book on 3x speed.

I received this ebook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Maxym M. Martineau, and W.F. Howes Ltd for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across my socials under the username @tinynightingales, check out my GoodReads profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863
my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/
and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

I found this to be a really original concept and very well executed.
The idea of threadmending to heal someone is an interesting idea and coupled with the blight that exists in the World, it added up to being a very good premise and a book that kept me interested all the way through.
It's part one of a duology and I'll definitely be reading book two when it arrives.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me a chance to review this ARC.

Let me start by saying you HAVE to pick up this book!! The book was phenomenal. I'm not quite sure how long I can wait for book 2, hopefully not too long or I may combust.

x Bug Daddy
x Enemies to Lovers
x Forced Proximity
x High Stakes
x Unique Magic

The characters in this book were written exceptionally well, brimming with depth and complexity.
It became easy to relate and empathise with them throughout the book. And oh, the drama!! I was hooked almost instantly from both the characters themselves and the drama they brought to the story. Edira's power itself is complex and tied with consequence, to see her grapple with this whilst chasing the ghosts of those who came before her was one of my favourite parts to the story. The tension was so thick between certain characters and within the plot itself, it could have been cut with a knife. I was quite literally on the edge of my seat anticipating what would happen next. (At one point I had so many theories I could have done with a peg board 😂)

The pacing was done expertly, there was never a dull moment but it didn't overwhelm. Hints and clues towards ulterior motives and true intentions were scattered subtly throughout the book and helped tie together the ending perfectly. I think if I re-read I would be highlighting like mad!

If you were a fan of FBAA, One Dark Window or the Cruel Prince I think you'll love this book!

Mavis is my favourite character and she barely spoke for the whole book - if that doesn't sell the vibes let me know and I'll try convince you some more....

Huge thankyou to Titan books for the proof copy and Netgalley for the ALC. Mixing Audio and written reads is my new favourite way of reading and the narrator did a phenomenal job!
2 likes

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 the immortal, powerful Evers who oversee 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.

I tried. I tried really hard. This just wasn’t the book for me. I struggled with the narration, it was too low pitched and whispery the story failed to capture my interest, the other reviews here are amazing, so give it a go, was not for me. Defeated to dnf at 70%

My gratitude to W F Howes Ltd via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC🎧