Hello Readers,
If you are looking for a Gothic horror novel dripping with blood, decadence, and deliciously disturbing imagery, House of Hunger needs to be on your radar. This was everything I wanted from a dark, atmospheric horror story, and I am completely obsessed with Alexis’s writing style.
The story follows Marion Shaw, who has spent her life struggling to survive in the poverty-stricken South. When she spots an advertisement seeking a "bloodmaid" for one of the wealthy Houses in the North, she sees a way out. Soon, she finds herself in a world of unimaginable luxury where the aristocracy have an insatiable taste for human blood. But beneath the lavish velvet and extravagant parties, things take a very sinister turn.
The atmosphere in this book is absolute perfection. Alexis builds a wonderfully unsettling Gothic setting full of debauchery and a constant sense of dread. House of Hunger is the kind of place that makes your skin crawl while still dragging you deeper in. One particular scene involving a game called Fox and the Hounds gave me actual chills… these characters are completely unhinged.
I also loved the dynamic between Marion and the fascinating Countess Lisavet. There is something intensely compelling about Lisavet’s dangerous allure and Marion's desperate need to please her. The psychological tension, power games, and twisted obsession made their scenes so gripping. Add in the cutthroat competition among the other bloodmaids and the creepy mystery of disappearances in the House, and I was completely hooked.
Alexis's prose is vivid, immersive, and features some seriously effective body horror. If you are squeamish about teeth, consider yourself warned. I was living for the eerie imagery, and the tension just keeps ratcheting up. I honestly drove my group chat crazy giving them daily updates because I needed someone else to freak out over how wild this book gets.
I really liked experiencing this bizarre world right alongside Marion. As she learns the strict customs of the North, we discover things at the same time, which keeps the world-building from feeling like a giant info-dump. Meanwhile, the central mystery slowly unravels, letting the darkness bleed through the glamorous facade.
Ultimately, House of Hunger is a deliciously dark Gothic horror packed with blood, obsession, sapphic tension, and a whole lot of secrets. If you love vampire fiction, dark academia vibes, and horror that actually gets under your skin, pick this one up. Alexis totally won me over, and my TBR had gotten larger.
Stay Spooky
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