House of Bane and Blood by Alexis Menard is a steampunk-inspired mafia romantasy, and yes all those words do in fact belong together. It is a singular fantasy experience that seamlessly blends magic, family dynamics, love, and danger in a way that makes for a seriously compelling read.
Camilla Marchese will do anything to protect her family and regain their fortune, including selling herself to another prominent family for an arranged marriage. The deal is all but done when Nicolai Attano, head of a rival family, sweeps in with his own offer, one that’s too good to refuse.
Nico is a remnant, which means he’s a descendant of the saints, carrying a piece of their power. Camilla is a native, which means she is a descendent of the original inhabitants of the island before the remnants and their powers arrived.
Overnight, Camilla finds herself in enemy territory, married to a man whose motives she doesn’t truly understand. When things in the city get worse, and danger lurks around every corner, Camilla must confront her past and her growing feelings for her rival-turned-husband.
House of Bane and Blood reads like a mafia romance, although in a distinctly fantasy world. The Attano family has distinct Italian crime family vibes, and it’s a great blending of genres, one that I haven’t read before. Genre-bending fantasies seem to be a new trend in fantasy, and thus far it’s wildly successful.
The world-building in this book is so creative, and unlike anything else out there right now, but like Crescent City, another fantasy series that mixes modern, real-world aspects and high fantasy, it definitely takes a few chapters to fully understand what this world looks like. While it’s confusing at first, it’s worth it for the unique kind of magic this story provides.
This story starts out by teasing the readers. It jumps right into the steamy but not all the way spicy bits, before pulling back and heading into the plot. It’s a slightly unusual way for a romantasy to open, but I am here for it.
Camilla and Nico’s tale is a slow burn, rivals-to-lovers romance with so much tension. Their love story is plagued by near-constant action, betrayal, and danger, with a very twisty ending and a hell of a cliffhanger. The good news is the second book in the series released on May 1st, so you won’t have to wait to find out what happens next.
Writing: 4
Spice: 2
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