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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Alma is no stranger to solitude. She was born out of wedlock and her father’s identity has remained a secret. Other members of their village believe this is reason enough to ostracize the two. As long as the two of them have each other, it’s enough.
However, that small comfort is too fragile to endure the tribulations fate has in store for them. When Alma’s mother grows ill and her condition rapidly worsens, Alma becomes desperate. Digging and grasping for any possible solution, she uncovers the identity of her father. He’s a noble lord of House Avera, sworn to the elder god The Dread Beast. He has the resources to provide for the treatment that Alma’s mother will die without. So she writes him a letter begging for his help. He agrees, but now that he knows of his daughter’s existence, he demands that in exchange she come live in the Avera palace and adopt their surname. For her mother’s sake, she agrees, but it’s not enough to save her.
Once there, she must offer herself as a vessel for the Beast through the sacrifice of her arm. If he accepts her offering, she will be able to make use of a prosthetic. By devoting her life and herself to him fully, she may even be lucky enough to hear his voice and instruction. At least, that’s what her father tells her. That’s why it surprises her when she hears him almost immediately, and can even see him in the room. She’s even more surprised to recognize him as her imaginary friend from childhood. He promises to guide her to her revenge.
I knew I was going to love this book before I’d even read halfway through the synopsis. At the very end of the blurb was where I saw the author’s credentials. Although this is a debut novel, Michelle Wong has been telling amazing stories for a while now. Prior projects she’s been a part of include Goosebumps and The Legend of Korra. Both series are near and dear to my heart.
It’s very easy to see the influence of anime on this story. I’m the type of reader who will get a very vivid visual experience when reading a well-written story. This time, those visuals even appeared animated. From the choreography of battle scenes to facial expressions on characters, it’s astoundingly easy to picture the way an animators would portray the narrative. I believe this would have been true even without the included illustrations, which were absolutely lovely. I’m not certain whether those are in both the deluxe and standard editions or only the deluxe. If the latter, the illustrations alone are more than worth upgrading your purchase for.
The worldbuilding is both rich and unique. I found it utterly fascinating, and the characters even more so. Those familiar with my book reviews already know how much I appreciate complicated characters. This story had an abundance of them. Much like the real world, nothing and no one felt truly clear-cut or overly neat. If it ever appeared so, there was always another layer of complexity to uncover. The pacing felt flawless as well. I felt neither bored nor inundated at any point, and each section flowed very naturally to the next.
House of the Beast was another five-star read. I absolutely devoured it, and I’m hungry for more. I will be anxiously awaiting any and all future titles from Michelle Wong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I have mixed feelings about this one, there are parts I really liked but then other parts DRAAAGED.. It had an interesting plot full of political intrigue and machinations but I found Alma to be a bit irritating as a main character.
I dual-read this with the audiobook, and I can't recommend that enough! Jeanne Syquia's narration was incredible. She brought so much emotion and depth to Alma's story, capturing her pain, rage, and resilience. The illustrations in the book were so beautifully done as well!
The atmosphere was rich and eerie, and I was immediately drawn in. Alma's desperation and grief were so raw that I couldn't help but stay with her, hoping that she would find a way out. Her sacrifice, which bound her to a terrifying god to try to save her mother, only to end up trapped with her father broke my heart! Aster, the beast she's bound to, is both her protector and the cause for so much more heartbreak. Their connection is intoxicating
The immersive worldbuilding was layered and full of unsettling horrors. The divine Houses, the rituals, and the estates all felt fully realized without being overexplained. It added so much depth to the story and made the stakes feel that much heavier.
If dark fantasy, gothic vibes, and being emotionally wrecked are your vibe, then this is absolutely worth reading!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and to Harper Voyager/Harper Audio for providing an ARC for my honest review.
The atmosphere was rich and eerie, and I was immediately drawn in. Alma's desperation and grief were so raw that I couldn't help but stay with her, hoping that she would find a way out. Her sacrifice, which bound her to a terrifying god to try to save her mother, only to end up trapped with her father broke my heart! Aster, the beast she's bound to, is both her protector and the cause for so much more heartbreak. Their connection is intoxicating
The immersive worldbuilding was layered and full of unsettling horrors. The divine Houses, the rituals, and the estates all felt fully realized without being overexplained. It added so much depth to the story and made the stakes feel that much heavier.
If dark fantasy, gothic vibes, and being emotionally wrecked are your vibe, then this is absolutely worth reading!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and to Harper Voyager/Harper Audio for providing an ARC for my honest review.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
WOW!!!!!! THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Talk about everything I was craving wrapped up in one dark, decadent, and dangerous bow. I have never been so vehemently behind a character--whether they're making right decisions or wrong--than I was with Alma. The story starts when she is still a child and on the cusp of the most frightening, formative period of her life. Then, we flash forward and meet the young woman forged in those trials and desperate for revenge against those who inflicted them. Her story broke my heart and stitched it anew </3
That's not even to mention the quality of every other character in the book who were all so well formed and written. Aster has my heart forever. That is all I will say at this time. I loved coming to love Fion and Kaim; Sevelie and Six brought much needed comic relief and companionship when the going got tough; and boy did Zander provide the perfect villain to hate to the bitter end. All of it was so beautifully crafted and effortlessly executed, giving me a story that I inhaled in two sittings but will remember for the rest of my life.
Rich in worldbuilding, character development, mystery, political intrigue, and inventive magic systems, this book shines like obsidian or onyx. It glimmers with beauty born of darkness and, though precious as any other gem, stands distinct from its peers. Honestly a required reading for anyone who has ever loved dark fairy tales, lessons in revenge, or fantasy stories in general.
Talk about everything I was craving wrapped up in one dark, decadent, and dangerous bow. I have never been so vehemently behind a character--whether they're making right decisions or wrong--than I was with Alma. The story starts when she is still a child and on the cusp of the most frightening, formative period of her life. Then, we flash forward and meet the young woman forged in those trials and desperate for revenge against those who inflicted them. Her story broke my heart and stitched it anew </3
That's not even to mention the quality of every other character in the book who were all so well formed and written. Aster has my heart forever. That is all I will say at this time. I loved coming to love Fion and Kaim; Sevelie and Six brought much needed comic relief and companionship when the going got tough; and boy did Zander provide the perfect villain to hate to the bitter end. All of it was so beautifully crafted and effortlessly executed, giving me a story that I inhaled in two sittings but will remember for the rest of my life.
Rich in worldbuilding, character development, mystery, political intrigue, and inventive magic systems, this book shines like obsidian or onyx. It glimmers with beauty born of darkness and, though precious as any other gem, stands distinct from its peers. Honestly a required reading for anyone who has ever loved dark fairy tales, lessons in revenge, or fantasy stories in general.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
More books should have illustrations. That was a nice touch.
This is a fun bit of gothic fantasy. I really enjoyed the lore and the ways that lore was twisted. Our main characters are horrible and likeable in turns. It was a fun dynamic to sit with. (I also enjoyed the toxic gay rep in the side characters.) I've seen it described as gothic Howl's Moving Castle, if Howl were a bit of a psychopath. Fairly accurate.
This wasn't entirely what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it all the same.
This is a fun bit of gothic fantasy. I really enjoyed the lore and the ways that lore was twisted. Our main characters are horrible and likeable in turns. It was a fun dynamic to sit with. (I also enjoyed the toxic gay rep in the side characters.) I've seen it described as gothic Howl's Moving Castle, if Howl were a bit of a psychopath. Fairly accurate.
This wasn't entirely what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it all the same.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t want to talk to anyone after finishing this book 😭
House of the Beast by Michelle Wong held me in its grip right until the dreaded end. With the dark and gothic atmosphere, Wong introduces readers into an alluring and unique fantasy world. This book is a great balance of whimsical magic with wicked and visceral fighting scenes. The pacing was just to my liking, however, I do think the last 100 pages of the book could have been prolonged. I loved the Umbral Plane and wanted to read more of Alma’s navigation through this monster-filled shadowland.
Alma… MY SHAYLA! My girl was well and truly fighting demons. Her angst, inner turmoil, and morality made her development enjoyable. While Alma treks down a road of vengeance, there is a softness to her which is refreshing.
While I see this book being marketed to focus on the relationship between Alma and Aster, I was more intrigued by Alma herself. Again, Alma’s story of self-discovery was what held my attention. So for my peeps who are looking forward to a romantic book, look somewhere else because you ain’t finding it here 💀
Genuinely loved this book and would 100% recommend to my fantasy fans.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
In a world where 4 Gods rule in 4 noble houses and carry the powers of their Gods, Alma discovers she is a part of the house of the Dread Beast. Her father, who has never acknowledged her before, takes her arm to bind her to the house. Alma, along with her childhood imaginary friend Aster, took 8 years to train and take her revenge against her father.
Aster is very mysterious as he seems very real but can't be seen by anyone except Alma. There are trials to slay a "fallen star" and to become First Hand of the Beast that has Alma pitted against powerful people that have their own agendas, no matter who it might hurt.
I was taken by surprise at some of the ending and felt bad for Alma at some of these discoveries.
I loved that there were illustrations throughout the book. I was a tad disappointed in the end as it was a little lackluster after the journey throughout the rest of the book.
Aster is very mysterious as he seems very real but can't be seen by anyone except Alma. There are trials to slay a "fallen star" and to become First Hand of the Beast that has Alma pitted against powerful people that have their own agendas, no matter who it might hurt.
I was taken by surprise at some of the ending and felt bad for Alma at some of these discoveries.
I loved that there were illustrations throughout the book. I was a tad disappointed in the end as it was a little lackluster after the journey throughout the rest of the book.
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was lucky enough to read an ARC copy of this, and it was one of my best reads this year. The pacing was good, and the plot was engaging. This book is more fantasy focused without much romance, which I appreciated.
I have too many thoughts, none of which are actually constructive… anyway very much enjoyed except for maybe the last 10-15% which I couldn’t even tell you why I didn’t except that the vibes just felt wrong lol… anyways I’m big into interesting and unique magic systems and fantasy world building recently and this definitely ticked that box! Also shoutout to that random TikTok girl who I saw recommending this book after reading the arc bc it reminded her of full metal alchemist lmaooo
OH and the illustration actually came across in the epub ver so even reading on my kindle I didn’t feel like I was missing out on the extra details that were in the physical copy so that was amazing!!
OH and the illustration actually came across in the epub ver so even reading on my kindle I didn’t feel like I was missing out on the extra details that were in the physical copy so that was amazing!!