House of Hunger

"A new take on the Vampire novel. Sapphic and bloody"

"It was rather easy to figure out what was occurring prior to the main character figuring it out. However it was still a good read. "

"This story, much like Marion herself, was filled to the brim with potential - ultimately though, Henderson failed to deliver. <br/><br/>I was recommended this book with the promise of aristocratic vanpires, of horror and gore, of a new author who wrote with incredible detail. I must say that, on almost all accounts, I am sorely disappointed. <br/><br/>The first couple chapters were sluggish in their build-up, and the plot took far too long to introduce itself. I didn't feel that the story truly began until halfway through the book. Until then, it was so difficult to pick up and keep chugging along. And even when the plot does finally reveal itself, the story seems to wander aimlessly as if faking out the reader as to what the mystery truly is. We don't get any hint as to the true evil until the final few chapters, and by then it is too rushed to deliver anything close to a satisfactory conclusion. Chapter 31 contained ALL of the action, and Chapter 32 (the final chapter) simply deigned to say, "Oh yes, by the way they did exactly what they said they were going to do halfway through the previous chapter." This is the kind of story that I would have appreciated an epilogue to, to tie up all the many, many, many loose ends. I'm left with so many questions that it feels like a cliffhanger, though the writing suggests that it isn't that kind of book.<br/><br/>Overall, I'm left with the impression that Alexis Henderson had a genius idea about a fascinatingly different kind of vampire, but didn't take enough time to fully flesh the idea out, let alone deliver a satisfying ending. <br/><br/>Can we talk about the fact that Henderson, for all the praise she receives on the matter, is awful at descriptions? Don't get me wrong, it's blissful at moments... but the rest of the time it's downright boring, and confusing at best. <br/>Marion's first impression of the North seems like it was written hastily as a way to get it done and out of the way. I suspect Henderson may have written this during a point of writer's block, or as a last-minute addition when she was already bored of this book. <br/>There are many other moments like this in between the meandering plot and the few-and-far-between impactful points. But I'd be writing all night if I listed them all.<br/>Even Marion's personality is lacking. It's like Henderson couldn't make up her mind on which fmc trope she wanted to go with, and thus Marion bounces between at least two of these tropes at any given moment, making her feel much more like a puppet than a genuine character. We don't get much insight into how Marion thinks or why. We moreso just see her actions, and listen in as she reflects vaguely on those actions. <br/>And why do we keep getting minor plot points repeated to us?? If I read one more time about the tooth that Marion "had taken to carrying around in her pocket like a sort of good-luck charm," I'd lose my mind. Scratch that, I DID lose my mind the final time I read that line. <br/>Again, there were many others like this but I'd be here all night listing them.<br/><br/>At best, Alexis Henderson needs a new editor. At worst, she needs to quit writing novels and downgrade to fanfiction or short stories. (There's an idea, this book might have been excellent as a short horror story, without all the forced meandering of the plot to fill pages and the rushed writing to connect scenes.)<br/><br/>I actually hate this. I had such high expectations, the premise drew me in immediately, everything about it overflowed with promise and potential. But I was annoyed before I'd even read through a third of it, and by the end I was just crushingly disappointed. I'll certainly be avoiding this author in the future, unless she hires a much better editor (I would even do it myself for a reduced fare, that's how much potential is here!), or drastically improves her writing endurance. I so desperately wanted to love this book. I thought it was going to be my next favorite. I very nearly DNF'd it because it grew clearer and clearer by the page that this was to be a disappointment. And yet, those glimmers of the original idea shine through in very rare moments, keeping me digging for more. Ironically, the way I feel about this book seems to mirror the way Marion feels about Lisavet at the very end. So much hate for the sad reality, but so much love for what could have been."

"Liked the concept, hated the execution"

"It was a fun read a little bit more on the YA side but still really good "

"as of right now, my favorite is such sharp teeth by rachel harrison"

"the best book i’ve ever read. page turning fr please read it if ur thinking about it "

"Decent read. Ending was off the wall (*complementary). Thin world-building and really inconsistent characters, plus what may be a few plot holes."

"As a thriller it was excellent. I enjoyed some of the world building, but overall the plot itself wasn’t too remarkable. I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a gothic thriller, especially a sapphic one, but I felt a lot of the more interesting day to day was rushed through"

"3 ~ ~ ɢᴏᴏᴅ. ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴄ.<br/><br/>ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴍᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ɪᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴɴɪɴɢ ɪs ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ʟɪɴᴇ ɪs sᴇᴛ ᴜᴘ ᴡᴇʟʟ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ sᴏʀᴛ ᴏғ ғᴇʟʟ ғʟᴀᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ɪ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ sᴇᴇᴍᴇᴅ ʀᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛᴏ ᴏ̨ᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʀᴀᴘ ɪᴛ ᴜᴘ."