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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
House of the Beast ARC review ✨
Release date: tomorrow
Okay wow, I have read a lot of good and great book this year but this one blew me away. I genuinely think House of the Beast will be my top read this year.
Synopsis: In a desperate exchange for her mother's medicine, Alma agrees to sacrifice her left arm to the Beast in a ceremony that will bind her forever to the House Avera and its deity. One of the four noble families that serve the gods and are imbued with their powers-and her father is a vessel of the Dread Beast, the most frightening god of all, a harbinger of death.
This book stripped me down and left me reeling and dying for more. The world building is SO unique and beautiful, the characters are so complex. The struggles each character goes through, and how they cope is so well thought out. It genuinely surprises me that this is a debut novel, everything about this book surpassed every expectation I had going in. The relationship with Alma (fmc) and Aster is so complex, toxic, yet beautiful. I really had no idea what was going to come from this relationship and to tell you, I loved the outcome of it. Everything in this book was nothing I expected yet everything I needed.
To see characters that once hated each other, grow to appreciate each other and some to even become friends was so satisfying. Seeing Alma struggle with almost everything yet come out with people who genuinely care for her made everything worth it. I haven’t had a book leave me empty yet whole at the same time. Also, let’s not look past all the illustrations in the book cause HELLO?! Gorgeous 😍
Literally RUN 🏃🏻♀️ don’t walk to get this book!
Thank you so much to @lokhelle , @harpervoyagerus , and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC
Release date: tomorrow
Okay wow, I have read a lot of good and great book this year but this one blew me away. I genuinely think House of the Beast will be my top read this year.
Synopsis: In a desperate exchange for her mother's medicine, Alma agrees to sacrifice her left arm to the Beast in a ceremony that will bind her forever to the House Avera and its deity. One of the four noble families that serve the gods and are imbued with their powers-and her father is a vessel of the Dread Beast, the most frightening god of all, a harbinger of death.
This book stripped me down and left me reeling and dying for more. The world building is SO unique and beautiful, the characters are so complex. The struggles each character goes through, and how they cope is so well thought out. It genuinely surprises me that this is a debut novel, everything about this book surpassed every expectation I had going in. The relationship with Alma (fmc) and Aster is so complex, toxic, yet beautiful. I really had no idea what was going to come from this relationship and to tell you, I loved the outcome of it. Everything in this book was nothing I expected yet everything I needed.
To see characters that once hated each other, grow to appreciate each other and some to even become friends was so satisfying. Seeing Alma struggle with almost everything yet come out with people who genuinely care for her made everything worth it. I haven’t had a book leave me empty yet whole at the same time. Also, let’s not look past all the illustrations in the book cause HELLO?! Gorgeous 😍
Literally RUN 🏃🏻♀️ don’t walk to get this book!
Thank you so much to @lokhelle , @harpervoyagerus , and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC
dark
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
When I saw this book, I knew I was going to love it, but not this much. I can't stop thinking about it! The characters, the world, the story, the ending! It all spoke to me. Also the illustrations just added to the storytelling. Highly highly recommend, especially the audiobook. The narrator did an excellent job telling the story. If fact, a tandeum read is probably best.
A quick note: this is a book to take your time with. It seems like a simple revenge story, but the world, characters, gods, magic, and mythos is complex and needs to be savored.
Thank you to the publishers for a copy of the ebook and the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
A quick note: this is a book to take your time with. It seems like a simple revenge story, but the world, characters, gods, magic, and mythos is complex and needs to be savored.
Thank you to the publishers for a copy of the ebook and the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
House of the Beast is a fascinatingly intricate debut that weaves gritty themes, complex magic systems, and divine politics into a slow-burning tale of revenge. The worldbuilding is layered and immersive, centering on Alma, the illegitimate daughter of a destitute woman and a wealthy man whose family is magically bound to one of the four gods. When Alma’s mother falls ill, she reaches out to her estranged father and is drawn into a world of privilege, divine power, and manipulation. But when her mother dies despite these efforts, and Alma realizes she’s a pawn in her father’s ambitions, she and her newly bonded god begin to plot vengeance.
While the premise is compelling and the magic system is thoughtful, the execution suffers from a few major flaws. The most noticeable is the repetitive and overexplained narrative. Key events are often rehashed immediately after they occur, and character motivations are spelled out multiple times without adding new insight. This heavy-handedness detracts from the immersion and significantly slows the pacing. The book feels unnecessarily long; with tighter editing, it could have been far more effective at half the length.
Alma, unfortunately, comes across as a rather flat protagonist. She reads like a character the author intentionally left empty in the hopes that readers would project onto her, but the result is a character that’s difficult to connect with. Without enough depth or internal conflict, Alma lacks the emotional weight needed to carry such an intense plot.
That said, readers who appreciate intricately plotted stories with dark, divine undertones and don’t mind a slower pace may still find value in this novel. With stronger character development and substantial trimming of repetitive exposition, House of the Beast could have been a standout. As it is, it’s an ambitious debut that just doesn’t quite live up to its potential.
Audio ARC provided by NetGalley and Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review.
While the premise is compelling and the magic system is thoughtful, the execution suffers from a few major flaws. The most noticeable is the repetitive and overexplained narrative. Key events are often rehashed immediately after they occur, and character motivations are spelled out multiple times without adding new insight. This heavy-handedness detracts from the immersion and significantly slows the pacing. The book feels unnecessarily long; with tighter editing, it could have been far more effective at half the length.
Alma, unfortunately, comes across as a rather flat protagonist. She reads like a character the author intentionally left empty in the hopes that readers would project onto her, but the result is a character that’s difficult to connect with. Without enough depth or internal conflict, Alma lacks the emotional weight needed to carry such an intense plot.
That said, readers who appreciate intricately plotted stories with dark, divine undertones and don’t mind a slower pace may still find value in this novel. With stronger character development and substantial trimming of repetitive exposition, House of the Beast could have been a standout. As it is, it’s an ambitious debut that just doesn’t quite live up to its potential.
Audio ARC provided by NetGalley and Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The House of the Beast is a dark fantasy perfect for the spooky season. It's dark (Check the TW, as some scenes are a bit bloody), toxic, and haunted. It's about Alma, a girl seeking revenge against her father and her abusive family. Her family is noble and serves the Dread Beast, but what they don't know is that Alma and the Beast made a deal, and he will help her destroy her family. The Beast presents himself to Alma as Aster, he is sort of like her handsome imaginary friend, they grow up together, and they have a sweet but toxic relationship. (I’ve seen it categorized as “romantasy,” but it's not. It's fantasy with yearning, a lot of yearning. It's more What if…? than romance.
Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Alma and Aste. At times it could be tender, at others toxic or codependent. They are friends, there is laughter and tender moments, but there are also moments of tension and selfishness. Their friendship is based on getting something from each other: Alma seeks revenge, Aste seeks someone who can be a weapon. It is a story that focuses more on Alma's personal growth and her struggles with her family and society. Most of the characters are villains or morally grey. As the story progresses, Alma still wants revenge, but she is not consumed by it. She also has empathy and stops seeing everything in black and white; it's a matter of revenge for those who deserve it.
It’s a great debut and it’s standalone too, the setting is gothic, with an interesting world building and magic system based on gods, offerings, sacrifices, and mutilations. It’s a toxic political society, with manipulation and physical and mental abuse. It's about trauma and surviving it.
Overall, wonderful debut, very atmospheric, with a slow pacing but immersive world and imperfect characters, with hints of mystery and a gothic setting.
Thank you so much, Harper Voyager, for the stunning edition. The first edition has beautiful endpapers and stenciled edges. Plus, the story has B&W illustrations here and there, perfectly complementing the story.
Read it if you like:
Dark Fantasy
Gothic Vibes
Morally gray characters
Toxic setting
thank you to Harper Voyager for the e-ARC
a lot to love and a lot to feel kind of conflicted about. great vibes and atmosphere in this—I felt immersed at a storytelling and emotional level. I think the relationship with the beast is done quite well, in terms of feeling meaningful but off throughout.
I think the plot and pacing weren’t quite right. the giant time skip in the beginning plus a lot of the events just happening to our main character means she doesn’t come across very agentic. her decisions aren’t very meaningful in driving the plot forward, and particularly her successes don’t feel earned. however, there are some decisions she specifically pushes for which are meaningful character moments that I appreciated.
I loved the little illustrations throughout and thought it really added to my connection to the story.
a lot to love and a lot to feel kind of conflicted about. great vibes and atmosphere in this—I felt immersed at a storytelling and emotional level. I think the relationship with the beast is done quite well, in terms of feeling meaningful but off throughout.
I think the plot and pacing weren’t quite right. the giant time skip in the beginning plus a lot of the events just happening to our main character means she doesn’t come across very agentic. her decisions aren’t very meaningful in driving the plot forward, and particularly her successes don’t feel earned. however, there are some decisions she specifically pushes for which are meaningful character moments that I appreciated.
I loved the little illustrations throughout and thought it really added to my connection to the story.
adventurous
dark
fast-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
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4-Star Review of House of the Beast by Michelle Wong
House of the Beast is a dark, immersive fantasy that balances danger, desire, and transformation with a sharp edge. Michelle Wong delivers a lush and evocative world where every shadow seems to whisper secrets, and every character carries a hidden wound.
The story blends the mythical with the personal, following a heroine who is both fierce and vulnerable as she navigates a realm haunted by curses, beasts, and ancient power. The titular “beast” is more than just a creature—it’s a metaphor for grief, rage, and the monstrous parts of ourselves we try to hide. Wong’s prose is lyrical without being overwrought, and the emotional depth of the characters pulls you in, even when their choices are morally gray.
The romantic tension has a classic Beauty-and-the-Beast vibe but is layered with fresh twists and darker undertones that set it apart. Some parts of the plot felt slightly underdeveloped, particularly toward the climax, but the atmosphere and emotional stakes more than made up for it.
I received this audiobook as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. A gripping and gorgeously written tale for fans of dark fairytales, complex heroines, and slow-burn fantasy romance. I’ll definitely be watching for what Michelle Wong writes next.
This didn’t go as dark as it should have. The premise promised a brutal, theocratic kingdom where noble houses claw for power through divine favor and grotesque sacrifices, but the execution was uneven. The first 300 pages read like a sacrificial rite where the victim was my patience. The prose was lush at the expense of momentum, every sentence was so heavy with ornamentation that the story itself struggled to breathe. And then, finally, the Umbral Plane arrived (65-70% of the way in) and suddenly, everything clicked where I needed it to. Gothic, eerie, drenched in the kind of creeping dread I’d been craving from page one. Why did it take so long to get to the good part? The structure also felt unbalanced; too much setup, not enough payoff. While some seem to called this a romance, I don’t think that label fits. Alma and Aster were something far more twisted and fascinating; a mirror, a doubling, a bond that went beyond mere attraction; it was a haunting. They weren’t lovers, they were reflections, twisted and inevitable, each the other’s shadow and ruin. That was compelling, but not fully realised. The rest? A mixed bag. There’s a razor sharp story buried here, but it’s blunted by its own excess. It needed sharper claws. I liked it, didn’t love it, and I’m still annoyed by how much better it could have been.
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult for providing the ARC via NetGalley!
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult for providing the ARC via NetGalley!