4 ★

Portraits of Decay was an enjoyable read for me. I would’ve loved for the pacing to be a little bit faster in the beginning, as I felt that the build up to the main events of the story took a bit too long. I absolutely loved the progolue though!

The characters I think the author did an amazing job slowly pulling the reader into Gemma’s insanity. In general, the characters are really well established and fleshed out as much as the story needed them to be. There are some amazing scenes in this book, that really made me want to read more books by this author.

The story didn’t always go where I wanted it to, but I’m not neccesarily sure that’s a bad thing, since it did keep me curious as to what would happen next.

Overall, a great read!

I am able to write this review thanks to NetGalley and Ruadán Books. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book early, in exchange for my honest opinion.

'Portraits of Decay' by J.R. Blanes is a fascinating and perhaps uncomfortable dive into a deeply toxic relationship. The story immediately introduces us to Angelique, a woman teetering on the edge, tormented by a voice in her head and the constant criticism from her husband, Lyle. Eventually the voice in her head causes her to do the unthinkable. This dark setup establishes a grim atmosphere from the start.

The narrative quickly shifts to the manipulative relationship between Gemma and Jefferson, revealing the disturbing lengths someone will go to for control. The story can feel a bit repetitive at times, focusing on their dynamic and Gemma's constant need for control. This, along with the fact that the horror elements weren't as 'disgusting' or scary as they perhaps intended to be, kept it from being a full five-star read for me.

However, the supernatural aspects of the story are fantastic. Once Gemma's dark magic and voodoo come into play, the book really picks up the pace. The descriptions of the bayou and the home of the witch are so vividly eerie they gave me goosebumps. The dialogue also feels incredibly realistic, at times a bit snobbish, which perfectly suits the characters' social circle I suppose.

I absolutely loved to see how Gemma's plan to control Jefferson backfires in an unexpected way. Her desire for him to obey becomes a frustratingly empty victory when his responses are too perfect and robotic even. Honestly, it felt satisfying. Another thing I loved was the character of Nevaeh; despite her own issues, her wholesome connection with Jefferson felt like a genuine spark in an otherwise dark story. His non-judgmental acceptance of her past and scars was quite touching.

Got this from NetGalley, much appreciated.

New Orleans, the local flavor, it's rich historical roots, and the people watching it provides is truly the most unique experience you might experience if you haven't yet. Portrays of Decay and Blanes embodies so well that vibe, and I genuinely and graciously ate it up. Set inside a Carondolet art gallery, we meet our love triangle couple and follow them as they skulk around the city and experience sneaking around and spying on each other. When we are introduced to the swamp dwelling witch who deals in scorned lovers, things get interesting. As is typical for me reviewing novellas, I'll leave the synopsis at that to avoid spoilers and say I enjoyed this one quite a lot. Some of the phrases got repetitive/ annoying, but that's most likely my biggest complaint. Thanks so much to the author and Ruadan books for the chance to read this eARC!

Overall, this didn't do it for me.

The prologue did a good job of establishing a creepy tone and I enjoyed the the first third or so while the main characters and the art world they lived in were introduced. The author is adept at describing scenes, people, and the small actions that those people take outside of dialogue that really bring them to life. I was excited to see who was going to end up living a nightmare and how they would get there.

Unfortunately, I had a much harder time staying engaged once the horror plot kicked in. It felt clunky, rushed, and the vibe was off. Much more time was spent describing the feelings the characters had for one another and recollections of time they spent together than anything that I would consider lending to it being a horror novel. By the end of it I felt more like I'd just read a modern gothic romance without any happy endings.

What an incredible and devastating journey this was. This was my first ever voodoo/Bayou/black magic story and my first read from this author and neither disappointed. At first I really was not sure where the story was going because the preface felt disjointed from our main characters, but the strings tied together quite nicely and made complete sense in the end. It was kind of like when all of the puzzle pieces are put together and you step back and see the full picture and feel satisfied with the work. There was an atmosphere of swamp lands and unique architecture that the author did an amazing job bringing to life and etching out in great detail. His prose is very descriptive and precise and has a smooth flow that allows the transition of points of views to feel more natural rather than choppy and confusing. It has been quite a long time since I hated a main character this much and I honestly wanted to keep reading to see what would become of them and if they would be met with justice in the end.
Oh and that ending..that ending was so bittersweet you could taste it. This book had me feeling all of the emotions and the experience as a whole was so enjoyable. I caught myself wanting to see the scenes play out with actors rather than just in my head. This book is amazing and I highly recommend it! I cant wait to read more from this author!

Blurb (Spoiler-Free):
Reading Portraits of Decay feels like wading chest-deep into a swamp at midnight while something brushes your leg and you’re 80% sure it isn’t a fish. 🌙🐊 It’s Southern Gothic rot, folklore, and blood served humid and heavy.

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Review:
This book had me sweating like I was actually stuck in the bayou—mosquitoes, swamp fog, and all. The culture and language are so sharp you can practically hear the cicadas scream while the story gnaws on your ankles. 🦟🩸

At first, I thought I’d wandered into a horror version of a family reunion—so many characters, I was just waiting for someone to pass me a plate of potato salad. But then the story tightens, and suddenly every character hits like a gator bite. Snap, crunch, unforgettable. 🐊

The prologue? Oh, that thing slaps. Hard. Later on, it comes back around in ways that made me mutter “oh, hell no” out loud. Honestly, it deserved to haunt the main narrative more because it’s that nasty and effective.

The gore is like the perfect hot sauce—burns enough to make your eyes water, but not so much you’re sprinting to the bathroom. 🌶️💀 It’ll make you squirm, but not in a “I need to bleach my brain” kind of way. Blanes knows how to get under your skin without tearing it completely off… well, most of the time.

Overall, Portraits of Decay is Louisiana Gothic horror that sticks to you like swamp mud. It’s atmospheric, violent, and a little too fun for a book this gross. Honestly, if the swamp doesn’t kill you, this story will. In the best way. 🪦✨

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ARC Thanks:
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Ruadán Books for the advanced copy of this swamp-soaked nightmare. I regret nothing… except maybe reading it alone at night. 📖⚰️

Portraits of Decay by J.R. Blanes drops you right into the middle of a messy tragedy, and it doesn't let up. This is a story drenched in toxic love, where jealousy and revenge are the driving forces of a truly captivating plot.

The characters are brilliantly flawed. They're all full of ego, yet their human weaknesses are on full display, making their struggles with success and failure feel incredibly real. The New Orleans art scene provides a perfect, and increasingly deranged, backdrop. I particularly loved the moments that ventured into the bayou.

Though juggling multiple lead characters with alternating points of view felt like a risk at first, J.R. Blanes expertly braids their narratives together. What makes this story so compelling is that the characters are fully aware of their own looming downfall.

My only critiques are minor. I had braced myself for more body horror, but perhaps my expectations were too high. I also thought the pace would quicken once the main character's change happened, but this is a small note on an otherwise excellent read.

This book is well worth your time.

Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I did not know what I was getting into with this book.
It starts out slowly with an introduction to some very nasty folks in New Orleans’ Art district. Gradually and surely it descends into intense atmospheric dread where personal betrayal escalates into the uncanny. Toxic love goes monstrous in a terrible example of possessiveness and intimacy curdles into horrific physical transformation. Thrown into the mix are Witchcraft, hoodoo, zombies(?), suicide, postpartum depression and some good old fashioned humid gallery backstabbing. And it all takes place in New Orleans - from the buzzing art district to the creepy swamps.
It is so well written and the descent into madness is handled excellently with some well crafted characters. Descriptions of the city and the art scene bring both to life.
An excellent read.

I wanted to like this one more than I did. The premise is interesting. Going into it I was hoping for more.
I just feel like someo of the tropes were too obvious, not original.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of good parts, and the book was good overall.
Just in a different direction than I'd hope for myself.

I don’t think I quite understood what I was getting into with this book, but I really enjoyed it! Portraits of Decay almost gives me a “Layers of Fear” vibe which is probably why I had such a great time reading this with all the body horror and rituals.

The horror does take a while to come through but when it does, it’s full throttle gnarly descriptions and horrific imagery.

Portraits of Decay does deal with a few hard hitting topics including challenges with mental health which do play quite a large part within the story, so please make sure you check the trigger warnings before picking this up.

Portraits of Decay has been one of my favorite read this year from Netgalley library.

A dark and gore thriller with a New Orleans setup and a dash of voodoo. Take old Cajun lore and a bit of twisted romance (No smut thanks for that) with a artistic multi medium background and you've got an interested, wicked, twisted and gory tale with a great character development and an emotional creative approach that I deeply loved !

We are following 5 lead characters with an alternative pov during the whole book, I thought it was a bit too much at first but the author put it together perfectly.

Every one of them is connected in some ways, and emotionally broken in a way. I love how bold and straightforward the narration is.. When the story is starting to kicks and the characters shows their wicked face, you need to be ready. It's a nightmarish, creative and psychological dark thriller dipping deep and perfectly in old cajun lore and mixing together New Orleans artistic vibes, cajun folklore, and frankenstein-ish tale of love, friendship, control and doing everything to reach a goal (career, love, ...).

I totally recommend this one.

J.R. Blanes does an amazing job in writing this book, it had that element that I was looking for from a horror novel. I was hooked from the first page and thought the characters worked overall in this. J.R. Blanes has a strong writing style and glad it worked so well in the genre.

New Orleans, voodoo, and the local art scene combine in this terrifying tale of love, possessiveness, and madness.

Jeffrey is a local artist in New Orleans who's making waves. He's romantically involved with a woman who is abrasive, controlling, and possessive. But he's having an affair with another artist and when his girlfriend finds out, some very bad mojo is coming.

With the help of a witch living deep in a bayou, she'll give him a potion of sorts which turns hom into her slave, taking away his free will. But his true love isn't going to just give up and a bloody voodoo hexed battle will ensue for the prize of his soul.

New Orleans, Creole, and the history of the city play a big part in this novel. It's a great setting in my opinion because who doesn't love some creepy swampy hoodoo magic? Jeffrey isn't really a zombie in the traditional sense but it reminds me of the "zombies" in the movie Serpent And The Rainbow. This potion rots him physically though he's very much aware of what's going on though is helpless to stop it. He's under the control of this woman and her need for recognition and power knows no bounds.

I highly recommend this one.