Like a fantasy horror movie. Thoroughly enjoyed this one even if it was a little predictable at times.

This was a wild ride and I really enjoyed it. The relationships between the bloodmaids and Elizavet were really interesting and definitely disturbing with obsession a major aspect of the dynamic. I thought that the setting was wonderful and enjoyed exploring the house with Marion as she discovered secret passages and other delights. My main criticism is with the characters as they did feel a little bit one-dimensional and I would have enjoyed more exploration of their motivations. With that being said, this was a really fun and fast paced read that I would definitely recommend to anyone with a love of all things Gothic.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The ad for a bloodmaid is what pulled me in and all that I knew about this book. I didn't even know its genres so everything that unfolded was a pleasant surprise but thoroughly enjoyable!

I loved the atmospheric setting and getting to know the various characters. The author has painted such an animated and rich universe, from the smog-filled slums of Prane to the noble Houses of the North and their debauched aristocrats. Beneath this clever reimagining is also a tantalising exploration of love, abuse in its many forms and toxic relationships. The third act was exceptionally riveting and my favourite. I feel like this book will translate well on screen because I could picture everything happening so vividly.

Just like its architectural namesake, House of Hunger is a novel cloaked in intrigue, suspense and a sense of foreboding with a memorable cast that will keep you turning the pages. Fans of gothic horror, you'll want to sink your teeth into this one! 😉

House of Hunger is an absolute feast for the senses!

A creepy fantasy Gothic horror, we have a world divided into an ancient, aristocratic and failing north and a rich, industrial south. Decaying houses of nobles in the north survive by drinking the blood of blood maids, beautiful young women bought and sold, indentured to the houses, who are kept, pampered and regularly bled until their indenture is complete, when they're given a fat pension and sent on their way.

The word Vampire is never mentioned, but it definitely has that feel to it. And I'm sure our countess being a Bathory is not coincidental. Lizabeth Bathory definitely feels inspired by the historic figure of Countess Elizabeth Bathory.

There's a wonderful sense of the Gothic throughout, in the massive construction of the castle, built over many generations and filled with twisting corridors, opulent ballrooms and hidden passageways. And with it a sense of decay. This is a world that is falling apart, with just four houses of any power while new, industrial money moves in from the south. It also stands in sharp contrast with the slums Marion starts life in, a world of poverty and smog. The sense of decadence is captured perfectly too, from the behaviour of the bored nobility at their nightly parties to the decorations on doors, walls, ceilings and everything else. This is such a sensuous, possibly even scandalous world, and that comes across so well throughout the book.

One of the things I really loved about House of Hunger is the amount of sensory feedback. Right from the slums at the start, we get a strong sense of how the world smells, how it tastes. This really drew me into the beautifully described locations and made me feel part of that world, something not always a particularly comfortable feeling, but a visceral one and powerful for it.

This is a book about hunger, appropriately enough. It's about the hunger for blood, but also the hunger for longevity, for power. It's a book about needing money to survive, for some, and for something to do, for others. It's about ambition and the dangers of overreaching. It's about the hunger for belonging, for family, or for sexual satisfaction, or just for being needed, and with it jealousy and need, and the pain of being rejected for others.

It's a dark, creepy Gothic masterpiece.

"They existed only to be admired, and then devoured."

Marion escapes a life of poverty in the slums of the city of Prane by accepting the position of a bloodmaid to a countess and at once finds herself enraptured by her mistress.

House of Hunger is a gothic sapphic feast. Deliciously dark and vivid, dripping with decadence. I devoured every word from start to finish. This book has become an instant favourite and I cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy and consume it all over again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book.
It had the right amounts of creepy, girl escaping her past, old houses and mysteries to make the pages fly by.
That's without mentioning all the blood. There's a lot of blood.
I enjoyed the writing too.
That's reflected in my 3 stars (which to me means a good read).
It was predictable though, and felt like astory, or parts of stories I'd read more than once.
Maybe I've just read too much. 🤣

Definitely interested me enough to look out for authors previous book.