Marion Shaw has been raised in the slums, where want and deprivation is all she knows. Despite longing to leave the city and its miseries, she has no real hope of escape until the day she spots a peculiar listing in the newspaper, seeking a bloodmaid. Though she knows little about the far north–where wealthy nobles live in luxury and drink the blood of those in their service–Marion applies to the position. In a matter of days, she finds herself the newest bloodmaid at the notorious House of Hunger. There, Marion is swept into a world of dark debauchery–and at the center of it all is her.
I really liked Marion as our main protagonist. I thought she was quite strong and resilient and doesn’t back down despite the situations she finds herself in. Although in that same vein I thought she pushed the boundaries a little too much and thought she was above all the rules and didn’t have to adhere to them like the other blood maids. I liked the evolution of Marion’s character throughout the course of the book and even though she succumbs to Lisavet and gives herself wholly to her I liked that she regained some sense to investigate when things felt off.
I just kind of wish we got to explore more of the court and debauchery that takes place, I just feel like we were always just adjacent to that side of the house and I wanted to see more of Lisavet in her element as the Countess. I also wish we get to know the other blood maids a little more, we do get introductions to them and a little bit of a back story but not enough for me to feel a connection to them.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book, the setting was wonderful and the pacing was fast and consistent. I was pulled into this world right from the start and the intrigue continued to build as we progressed through the plot with all of the twists and turns.
⭐️4/5 stars This was a ‘bloody’ good time!
Amy Leigh Reads 