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This House Will Feed
Win a free print copy of this book!
1 day and 11:14:18
10 copies available
U.S. only
Amidst the devastation of Ireland’s Great Famine, a young woman is salvaged from certain death when offered a mysterious position at a remote manor house haunted by a strange power and the horror of her own memories in this chillingly evocative historical novel braided with gothic horror and supernatural suspense for readers of Katherine Arden’s The Warm Hands of Ghosts and The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins.
County Clare, 1848: In the scant few years since the potato blight first cast its foul shadow over Ireland, Maggie O’Shaughnessy has lost everything—her entire family and the man she trusted with her heart. Toiling in the Ennis Workhouse for paltry rations, she can see no future either within or outside its walls—until the mysterious Lady Catherine arrives to whisk her away to an old mansion in the stark limestone landscape of the Burren.
Lady Catherine wants Maggie to impersonate her late daughter, Wilhelmina, and hoodwink solicitors into releasing Wilhelmina’s widow pension so that Lady Catherine can continue to provide for the villagers in her care. In exchange, Maggie will receive freedom from the workhouse, land of her own, and the one thing she wants more than a chance to fulfill the promise she made to her brother on his deathbed—to live to spite them all.
Launching herself into the daunting task, Maggie plays the role of Wilhelmina as best she can while ignoring the villagers’ tales of ghostly figures and curses. But more worrying are the whispers that come from within. Something in Lady Catherine’s house is reawakening long-buried memories in Maggie—of a foe more terrifying than hunger or greed, of a power that calls for blood and vengeance, and of her own role in a nightmare that demands the darkest sacrifice . . .
County Clare, 1848: In the scant few years since the potato blight first cast its foul shadow over Ireland, Maggie O’Shaughnessy has lost everything—her entire family and the man she trusted with her heart. Toiling in the Ennis Workhouse for paltry rations, she can see no future either within or outside its walls—until the mysterious Lady Catherine arrives to whisk her away to an old mansion in the stark limestone landscape of the Burren.
Lady Catherine wants Maggie to impersonate her late daughter, Wilhelmina, and hoodwink solicitors into releasing Wilhelmina’s widow pension so that Lady Catherine can continue to provide for the villagers in her care. In exchange, Maggie will receive freedom from the workhouse, land of her own, and the one thing she wants more than a chance to fulfill the promise she made to her brother on his deathbed—to live to spite them all.
Launching herself into the daunting task, Maggie plays the role of Wilhelmina as best she can while ignoring the villagers’ tales of ghostly figures and curses. But more worrying are the whispers that come from within. Something in Lady Catherine’s house is reawakening long-buried memories in Maggie—of a foe more terrifying than hunger or greed, of a power that calls for blood and vengeance, and of her own role in a nightmare that demands the darkest sacrifice . . .
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2026
352 people are currently reading
36025 people want to read
About the author
Maria Tureaud
2 books212 followersMaria Tureaud hails from the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland. A Developmental Editor of fourteen years, and acclaimed author of children's and adult fiction, you can find her drinking tea in New Jersey as she dreams of moving home to her beloved County Clare, Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 460 reviews
December 17, 2025
My dear friends, I present to you a historical-horror-supernatural masterpiece. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Bravo to the author!
This is a tale that portrays The Great Hunger, known in America as The Irish Potato Famine. It wiped out an estimated 4.5 million people! However, I didn’t focus in history class, so I learned something new.
Maggie O’Shaughnessy is the sole survivor of her entire family. Everyone gone. Starved to death or by sickness. Until, she is presented a life changing opportunity…. pretend to be someone else in order to receive land, a home, and ultimately her freedom.
What I thought was going to be about a gothic witchery tale turned into an epic story of resilience. This House Will Feed absolutely gutted me. Ripped me open. There were times I was almost brought to tears.
Trigger warnings throughout. Genocide, cannibalism (mentioned lightly), child death, starvation, and more.
Please check out the author’s note! The book is told in 1848 Irish dialect. This was new to me with certain words and phrases. Tureaud has even included a pronunciation guide and websites as resources.
If you love gothic vibes with your horror, add this to your TBR! This book will stay with me forever and deserves nothing less than 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date - 1/27/26
Grateful to Kensington and the author for my gifted copy.
This is a tale that portrays The Great Hunger, known in America as The Irish Potato Famine. It wiped out an estimated 4.5 million people! However, I didn’t focus in history class, so I learned something new.
Maggie O’Shaughnessy is the sole survivor of her entire family. Everyone gone. Starved to death or by sickness. Until, she is presented a life changing opportunity…. pretend to be someone else in order to receive land, a home, and ultimately her freedom.
What I thought was going to be about a gothic witchery tale turned into an epic story of resilience. This House Will Feed absolutely gutted me. Ripped me open. There were times I was almost brought to tears.
Trigger warnings throughout. Genocide, cannibalism (mentioned lightly), child death, starvation, and more.
Please check out the author’s note! The book is told in 1848 Irish dialect. This was new to me with certain words and phrases. Tureaud has even included a pronunciation guide and websites as resources.
If you love gothic vibes with your horror, add this to your TBR! This book will stay with me forever and deserves nothing less than 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date - 1/27/26
Grateful to Kensington and the author for my gifted copy.
February 20, 2026
What’s worse than losing your loved ones, and having to choose between having clothes on your back, shoes on your feet vs. food? This story reads like a desperate prayer at times, then vacillation between resignation and an insistent desire to seek revenge shutting off reason. But amidst the justified anger, there is hope. Survival instincts kick in to also preserve whatever dignity one has left, in the form of kindness, mercy, clarity of thought, and humanity.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC.
This House Will Feed was so much more than I expected it to be and I am so glad I got to read it.
It had horror elements, but the story is really fragile and heartbreaking, because it is set during Ireland's Great Famine and depicts so very well how a young woman is haunted by those events. I could feel the anguish, starvation and hopelessness of the characters while trying to stay alive. My heart broke also for Maggie, for everything that happened to her.
The mystery of the novel starts once Maggie accepts an offer from Lady Catherine and moves to an old mansion with her. Once there, strange things happen and buried memories start resurfacing.
I loved Maggie's determination to find the truth and to fight for what's hers, and it broke my heart to read about what she and her family went through.
I must say, the ending was satisfactory, especially after such a turmoil of emotions while reading.
Do read also the author's note, it is very informative.
This House Will Feed was so much more than I expected it to be and I am so glad I got to read it.
It had horror elements, but the story is really fragile and heartbreaking, because it is set during Ireland's Great Famine and depicts so very well how a young woman is haunted by those events. I could feel the anguish, starvation and hopelessness of the characters while trying to stay alive. My heart broke also for Maggie, for everything that happened to her.
The mystery of the novel starts once Maggie accepts an offer from Lady Catherine and moves to an old mansion with her. Once there, strange things happen and buried memories start resurfacing.
I loved Maggie's determination to find the truth and to fight for what's hers, and it broke my heart to read about what she and her family went through.
I must say, the ending was satisfactory, especially after such a turmoil of emotions while reading.
Do read also the author's note, it is very informative.
January 28, 2026
Look, I have no doubt this is a stellar read to many people. There’s nothing especially wrong with this book, it’s very well written and the story is solid. And maybe it’s me reading it at the wrong time, which seems to be the story of my life lately, but this lacked something for me. I can’t rate it higher than how I’m rating it now and I’m honestly surprised this is the case, because again, it has all the bones of being a great read.
It did not hold my attention at all, I thought it would grab it immediately because the first line definitely intrigued me. But after that, my interest significantly decreased. I only started to get more into it at the halfway mark.
I was also under the impression that this was a horror book. I kept waiting for something horror-adjacent to happen and the closest we got was all the death, famine, grief. And the odd mention of cannibalism. And maybe the witchy things that happen all over. Overall I just wouldn’t say this was a horror book, it read gothic for sure, but horror? I don’t know.
I liked that there were some Irish folklore and myth elements instilled into it, like the Cailleach. So that’s a positive.
I couldn’t connect with the main character much. And in a book like this, that’s half the experience. You have to like the writing and connect to the main character. That’s probably why it didn’t work for me, I wasn’t all the way in.
I am proud to say that I understood a lot of what was said in Gaeilge, though it wasn’t much, and I only briefly glimpsed at the pronunciation guide. I’d say that’s progress!
I have to mention that part of what kept me reading was the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I was like, let’s see what the next idiot from The Times (London, 1847) has to contribute (the answer is, nothing that won’t make you want to rip your hair off). Or, there you go, another heart wrenching quote from an Irish writer who lived through that time period, fantastic. I didn’t need my heart anyway.
Overall, I’d still recommend it. Maybe not to people who want a horror book, because I don’t think they’d find what they’re looking for here. Objectively, this is a good book. The problem lies with me and my inability to connect with the main character, that’s all. I’d give it a 3.5/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It did not hold my attention at all, I thought it would grab it immediately because the first line definitely intrigued me. But after that, my interest significantly decreased. I only started to get more into it at the halfway mark.
I was also under the impression that this was a horror book. I kept waiting for something horror-adjacent to happen and the closest we got was all the death, famine, grief. And the odd mention of cannibalism. And maybe the witchy things that happen all over. Overall I just wouldn’t say this was a horror book, it read gothic for sure, but horror? I don’t know.
I liked that there were some Irish folklore and myth elements instilled into it, like the Cailleach. So that’s a positive.
I couldn’t connect with the main character much. And in a book like this, that’s half the experience. You have to like the writing and connect to the main character. That’s probably why it didn’t work for me, I wasn’t all the way in.
I am proud to say that I understood a lot of what was said in Gaeilge, though it wasn’t much, and I only briefly glimpsed at the pronunciation guide. I’d say that’s progress!
I have to mention that part of what kept me reading was the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I was like, let’s see what the next idiot from The Times (London, 1847) has to contribute (the answer is, nothing that won’t make you want to rip your hair off). Or, there you go, another heart wrenching quote from an Irish writer who lived through that time period, fantastic. I didn’t need my heart anyway.
Overall, I’d still recommend it. Maybe not to people who want a horror book, because I don’t think they’d find what they’re looking for here. Objectively, this is a good book. The problem lies with me and my inability to connect with the main character, that’s all. I’d give it a 3.5/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2025
This House Will Feed is both a luscious Gothic, as well a poignant examination of the nature of loss and collective memory in a time of unspeakable horrors. I absolutely adored it, and look forward to what Tureaud has in store for us next.
February 21, 2026
This House Will Feed
by Maria Tureaud
Love odd books and this one is unique. A young starving girl from a workhouse, the last in a family of 12, is chosen to go with a lady of means. She is to pretend to be her daughter so she can keep her land. Otherwise, she and all her land tenants will lose everything. This is about the time of the Irish potato famine. The girl agrees and is treated fair but the large house is a mystery of its own. She hears voices, dreams, and more. Interesting story.
by Maria Tureaud
Love odd books and this one is unique. A young starving girl from a workhouse, the last in a family of 12, is chosen to go with a lady of means. She is to pretend to be her daughter so she can keep her land. Otherwise, she and all her land tenants will lose everything. This is about the time of the Irish potato famine. The girl agrees and is treated fair but the large house is a mystery of its own. She hears voices, dreams, and more. Interesting story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely loved every page of This House Will Feed. I started reading this about an hour after waking up and finished in the same day! If you love historical fiction, gothic horror, folklore, mysticism, multiple time lines, and rage then this one is for you.
Maggie, destitute and alone, has lost her entire family to the great famine. She has not other choice but to submit herself to the workhouse, laboring away to skin and bones. Her luck changes when the mistress of the workhouse offers her a way out - live with her and impersonate her deceased daughter Wilhelmina. If Maggie can fool Lady Catherine's solicitors she will grant Maggie true freedom. But as Maggie assumes the role of Wilhelmina she learns not all is right in Lady Catherine's house. What's worse is that Maggie starts having vivid dreams of her past, and she starts to wonder if her dreams and what haunts the house are connected.
I really enjoyed that the dream element was how we learned about Maggie. Her story is heartbreaking but even when she's at her lowest she manages to keep on going. This is a strong female character done right - she's completely believable because she adapts to each situation a little differently, and not without struggle or by being rude and outspoken.
While I guessed a lot of the plot correctly there were still some moments of surprise (mostly around the supernatural bits). I have a bit of knowledge about Irish lore from previous books and video games but I still managed to learn new things from this book. It has a pronunciation guide of the Irish words that are used throughout that I found super helpful. I enjoyed the writing, the pacing, the characters, the worldbuilding, absolutely everything. I sincerely recommend this to everyone!
I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley, which has no influence on my review.
Maggie, destitute and alone, has lost her entire family to the great famine. She has not other choice but to submit herself to the workhouse, laboring away to skin and bones. Her luck changes when the mistress of the workhouse offers her a way out - live with her and impersonate her deceased daughter Wilhelmina. If Maggie can fool Lady Catherine's solicitors she will grant Maggie true freedom. But as Maggie assumes the role of Wilhelmina she learns not all is right in Lady Catherine's house. What's worse is that Maggie starts having vivid dreams of her past, and she starts to wonder if her dreams and what haunts the house are connected.
I really enjoyed that the dream element was how we learned about Maggie. Her story is heartbreaking but even when she's at her lowest she manages to keep on going. This is a strong female character done right - she's completely believable because she adapts to each situation a little differently, and not without struggle or by being rude and outspoken.
While I guessed a lot of the plot correctly there were still some moments of surprise (mostly around the supernatural bits). I have a bit of knowledge about Irish lore from previous books and video games but I still managed to learn new things from this book. It has a pronunciation guide of the Irish words that are used throughout that I found super helpful. I enjoyed the writing, the pacing, the characters, the worldbuilding, absolutely everything. I sincerely recommend this to everyone!
I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley, which has no influence on my review.
January 16, 2026
I absolutely loved the descriptive prose and foreboding atmosphere of this gothic novel. There’s something deeply unsettling about this isolated house with a locked attic that no one is ever allowed to enter. Our main character is imitating the household’s presumed-dead daughter, but it’s clear from the start that there’s far more going on than meets the eye.
I really appreciated the historical setting and I felt for Maggie as she navigates the poverty and grief left in the wake of the Irish potato famine. She’s had a hard life, which makes her understandably cautious about trusting others. The Irish folklore elements were a major highlight, I loved learning about myths I’d never heard of before.
While much of the plot was predictable, there were still a few surprises along the way. And honestly, the writing was strong enough that the predictability didn’t bother me. Ultimately, I really loved this book, especially its rich Irish folklore and moody gothic setting.
I really appreciated the historical setting and I felt for Maggie as she navigates the poverty and grief left in the wake of the Irish potato famine. She’s had a hard life, which makes her understandably cautious about trusting others. The Irish folklore elements were a major highlight, I loved learning about myths I’d never heard of before.
While much of the plot was predictable, there were still a few surprises along the way. And honestly, the writing was strong enough that the predictability didn’t bother me. Ultimately, I really loved this book, especially its rich Irish folklore and moody gothic setting.
May 16, 2025
A Note from the Author (Content Warnings)
This book portrays one of the worst tragedies (and some argue, genocide) of the 19th Century—An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger, known simply in America as the Irish Potato Famine). The population of Ireland halved as a result, from an estimated 9 million down to just 4.5 million.
As such, depictions of extreme starvation, desolation, death (including instances of child death), possession, use of slurs, cannibalism, suicide, and murder appear on-page. This book includes epigraphs, most documenting eye-witness accounts (from Irish, British, and American observers) and should be read with caution.
As an Irish author, born and raised, the researching and writing of this book dredged up generational trauma that we as a people have not truly dealt with. Therefore I suggest native Irish readers should approach with a steady heart, and the heady knowledge that our great-great grandparents were forged in steel, and you are the freedom and legacy they dreamt of.
This book portrays one of the worst tragedies (and some argue, genocide) of the 19th Century—An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger, known simply in America as the Irish Potato Famine). The population of Ireland halved as a result, from an estimated 9 million down to just 4.5 million.
As such, depictions of extreme starvation, desolation, death (including instances of child death), possession, use of slurs, cannibalism, suicide, and murder appear on-page. This book includes epigraphs, most documenting eye-witness accounts (from Irish, British, and American observers) and should be read with caution.
As an Irish author, born and raised, the researching and writing of this book dredged up generational trauma that we as a people have not truly dealt with. Therefore I suggest native Irish readers should approach with a steady heart, and the heady knowledge that our great-great grandparents were forged in steel, and you are the freedom and legacy they dreamt of.
March 9, 2026
Finally, a book described as gothic that is actually gothic! My favorite part was the history woven throughout. I knew little about the potato famine and now feel like I had an education in its history in the best way. There are some first novel jitters here, but they were easily overlooked as I was totally absorbed into the story and the atmosphere. Maggie, our heroine, is easy to root for, but she’s also incapable of connecting the simplest of dots. There were many chapters where I was incredibly frustrated with her, but for the sake of the story I was willing to keep going.
September 6, 2025
This book is a historical horror novel. It's also a ghost story. However, those looking for purely a ghost story should be warned that the ghosts don't arrive until a huge amount of the book has gone past, maybe 40-60% or so before the ghosts? Before that it's all potato famine all the time. It's very well researched and very horrifying. The kind of horrifying that is uniquely the province of the truth. That is to say that the potato famine was so horrific in life that a book about it is all the more horrible because it is true. I devoured the first 40% of the book in one sitting, but then it became so real and so hard to stare into the abyss that I had to read the rest of the novel more slowly in several sittings. This is a novel that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical horror. I also think that anyone who enjoyed the book The Reformatory by Tananarive Due will also enjoy this one. Just as the true events in the Reformatory are a piece of the past that we should all remember, so too are the events of the potato famine.
January 20, 2026
A historical horror done right!! This book was so atmospheric and will literally chill you to your bones. I loved the writing format and the flash backs were so well done. Im also a huge fan of supernatural elements mixed with historical elements and loved the way the author tackled this. Absolutely recommend, all the stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Well this is such a different book than what I normally read, but I saw so many people saying it was really awesome so I was super intrigued. I loved the supernatural elements and the history, taking place during 1848 Ireland’s Great Famine. The setting of the haunted mansion was really atmospheric and gothic. This is a slower read, but the lyrical and descriptive writing style was really engaging and vivid. Sometimes I was frustrated over the MCs actions but I guess under her circumstances, it could be understandable. I'm glad I decided to check it out.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
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June 28, 2025the english are the real villains as is literally always the case in history
but also (and this is a compliment) the actual supernatural elements were not nearly as horrifying as the starvation and pain that lead the lead character into the supernatual elements
but also (and this is a compliment) the actual supernatural elements were not nearly as horrifying as the starvation and pain that lead the lead character into the supernatual elements
February 12, 2026
A beautifully written, haunting story that blends gothic horror and folklore with the real tragedies of history.
▪️Irish Folklore
▪️Dual Timelines
▪️Haunted House
▪️Female Rage
▪️Supernatural Suspense
There were parts of this book that were difficult to read, but the dual timelines did a wonderful job of shining a light on some of the darkest parts of Irish history. I was truly moved by this story and its characters, and I think it will stick with me for some time.
Thank you Kensington for the early gifted copy and NetGalley for the e-arc.
▪️Irish Folklore
▪️Dual Timelines
▪️Haunted House
▪️Female Rage
▪️Supernatural Suspense
There were parts of this book that were difficult to read, but the dual timelines did a wonderful job of shining a light on some of the darkest parts of Irish history. I was truly moved by this story and its characters, and I think it will stick with me for some time.
Thank you Kensington for the early gifted copy and NetGalley for the e-arc.
January 16, 2026
Oh. My. Goodness.
I can’t even put into words the emotions I felt while reading this book. Combining a real life devastating time, with this absolutely capturing storyline was the move of all moves. I ate this UP. Maggie was such a fierce and determined FMC, and I found myself crying with AND for her. I feel like I learned so much about this time in history, and it makes me want to do a deep dive into it to learn more.
This just earned my first 5 read of the year. Thank you to Kensington Books for my gifted copy and the opportunity to read it ❤️
I can’t even put into words the emotions I felt while reading this book. Combining a real life devastating time, with this absolutely capturing storyline was the move of all moves. I ate this UP. Maggie was such a fierce and determined FMC, and I found myself crying with AND for her. I feel like I learned so much about this time in history, and it makes me want to do a deep dive into it to learn more.
This just earned my first 5 read of the year. Thank you to Kensington Books for my gifted copy and the opportunity to read it ❤️
January 15, 2026
Fuck the English on God
January 28, 2026
With such an exciting premise - impersonating a dead woman in a haunted house during the Irish Potato Famine - I expected Rebecca-esque vibes but with a historical context that illustrates themes of generational trauma, oppression, and hunger. Instead, this book does not illustrate its themes but tells them to the reader outright through unwieldy dialogue and a messy structure, and it delivers hardly any atmosphere at all. This work has great intentions behind it, but I didn't feel respected as a reader because there was little for me to think about or interpret for myself.
The characters could have been really interesting if the book had been structured differently - especially Lady Catherine, since she had multiple dimensions to her character that were not fully explored. Since all of Maggie's biggest woes are dumped on the reader in the first chapter and many of them had similarities to Lady Catherine's life, I think it would have made more sense to reveal what happened to Maggie in flashbacks that coincided with her finding out about what happened to Lady Catherine. This would have made these flashbacks more meaningful, especially given how repetitive they became when the reader already knew what would happen in each one.
These flashbacks happened whenever Maggie fainted (which was often) or was given the unexplained incense made from herbs that make people remember things. This need to remember, which is repeated throughout the book, was very strange to me; it wasn't clear how or why Maggie forgot any of what happened just a couple of years ago, or why Michael and the woman in white were both so aligned in making her remember who Cormac was.
Given the title and the popular association of haunted houses with trauma, I expected the house to be much more present than it was. The house was hardly described at all; I never had a sense of what it looked like or what the vibes were like, and I never felt unsettled by the environment. There just wasn't enough imagery to engage my imagination or my senses.
I also wanted more about the impersonation plot, but that hardly factors into the book either. I wanted more about the day-to-day of becoming another person and the erasure of Maggie's identity. It was hard to connect with Maggie when she described losing her identity because I had no sense of what it was to begin with: there were no stakes to this inner conflict. She describes herself as old Maggie and new Maggie based on before and after her traumatic journey, but the difference is not demonstrated by her actions in the flashbacks or in the present.
The dialogue between characters was so on-the-nose that it regularly jolted me out of the narrative. For instance, towards the start Lady Catherine says, "Vagrants, Maggie. Aren't we so very lucky to not have to run them over in my carriage? Why, Mr. O'Brien, how very thoughtful of you to clear our path of the good and honest subjects of her majesty the queen, whose crime is naught but being Irish" (p.21). As another example, in a flashback, Maggie's father says, "Our family's standing and survival relies solely on your father's good humor. And if you think I will overlook the gross imbalance of power you used to extort my daughter, you are very mistaken" (p.107). These characters were not wrong about what they described, but I wanted to infer this myself based on the story - I don't need or want the characters to explain it to me.
Lastly, there were several minor inconsistencies that stuck out to me. In one flashback Da is described as never having laid a hand on any of his children, but in a previous flashback he had boxed Michael's ears. Similarly, Teddy describes his father as having never struck him, but he says in the next paragraph that his father is guilty about all the beatings. Abuse can take many forms, but this is a weird thing to be so inconsistent about. Also, at the risk of being nitpicky, there's a point where Maggie reflects on what the English think of the Irish: "Yet they called us barbaric savages, lazy, with naught between our ears to allow us to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps." At the time the book is set, the phrase about bootstraps was roughly a decade old and referred to absurd, impossible tasks - it wasn't used seriously until much later. This was yet another instance where I wanted the narrative to show me the English doing this to the Irish rather than telling me.
I did enjoy the historical quotes at the beginning of each chapter, but I wish they had been chosen more deliberately to reflect what happened in the narrative. Maggie's flashbacks felt so thematically disjointed from her present circumstances that the present story could be picked up and placed in any time period and work as a dramatic thriller. I really would have preferred if this book had married its plot and the spooky aspects more to the historical context and themes.
I don't know enough about Irish literature to recommend relevant alternatives, but here are a few ideas for what to read instead:
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - replacing a dead woman in a weird house
A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo - a poignant exploration of famine
The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister - spooky folklore and family trauma
The characters could have been really interesting if the book had been structured differently - especially Lady Catherine, since she had multiple dimensions to her character that were not fully explored. Since all of Maggie's biggest woes are dumped on the reader in the first chapter and many of them had similarities to Lady Catherine's life, I think it would have made more sense to reveal what happened to Maggie in flashbacks that coincided with her finding out about what happened to Lady Catherine. This would have made these flashbacks more meaningful, especially given how repetitive they became when the reader already knew what would happen in each one.
These flashbacks happened whenever Maggie fainted (which was often) or was given the unexplained incense made from herbs that make people remember things. This need to remember, which is repeated throughout the book, was very strange to me; it wasn't clear how or why Maggie forgot any of what happened just a couple of years ago, or why Michael and the woman in white were both so aligned in making her remember who Cormac was.
Given the title and the popular association of haunted houses with trauma, I expected the house to be much more present than it was. The house was hardly described at all; I never had a sense of what it looked like or what the vibes were like, and I never felt unsettled by the environment. There just wasn't enough imagery to engage my imagination or my senses.
I also wanted more about the impersonation plot, but that hardly factors into the book either. I wanted more about the day-to-day of becoming another person and the erasure of Maggie's identity. It was hard to connect with Maggie when she described losing her identity because I had no sense of what it was to begin with: there were no stakes to this inner conflict. She describes herself as old Maggie and new Maggie based on before and after her traumatic journey, but the difference is not demonstrated by her actions in the flashbacks or in the present.
The dialogue between characters was so on-the-nose that it regularly jolted me out of the narrative. For instance, towards the start Lady Catherine says, "Vagrants, Maggie. Aren't we so very lucky to not have to run them over in my carriage? Why, Mr. O'Brien, how very thoughtful of you to clear our path of the good and honest subjects of her majesty the queen, whose crime is naught but being Irish" (p.21). As another example, in a flashback, Maggie's father says, "Our family's standing and survival relies solely on your father's good humor. And if you think I will overlook the gross imbalance of power you used to extort my daughter, you are very mistaken" (p.107). These characters were not wrong about what they described, but I wanted to infer this myself based on the story - I don't need or want the characters to explain it to me.
Lastly, there were several minor inconsistencies that stuck out to me. In one flashback Da is described as never having laid a hand on any of his children, but in a previous flashback he had boxed Michael's ears. Similarly, Teddy describes his father as having never struck him, but he says in the next paragraph that his father is guilty about all the beatings. Abuse can take many forms, but this is a weird thing to be so inconsistent about. Also, at the risk of being nitpicky, there's a point where Maggie reflects on what the English think of the Irish: "Yet they called us barbaric savages, lazy, with naught between our ears to allow us to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps." At the time the book is set, the phrase about bootstraps was roughly a decade old and referred to absurd, impossible tasks - it wasn't used seriously until much later. This was yet another instance where I wanted the narrative to show me the English doing this to the Irish rather than telling me.
I did enjoy the historical quotes at the beginning of each chapter, but I wish they had been chosen more deliberately to reflect what happened in the narrative. Maggie's flashbacks felt so thematically disjointed from her present circumstances that the present story could be picked up and placed in any time period and work as a dramatic thriller. I really would have preferred if this book had married its plot and the spooky aspects more to the historical context and themes.
I don't know enough about Irish literature to recommend relevant alternatives, but here are a few ideas for what to read instead:
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - replacing a dead woman in a weird house
A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo - a poignant exploration of famine
The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister - spooky folklore and family trauma
December 31, 2025
Review to come-- suffice to say: This is my favorite book I've read this year. A powerful dive into a time many of us know next to nothing about. Maria beautifully blends incredible storytelling while holding a painful tragedy with respect and care. Can't recommend this highly enough.
January 28, 2026
✨ Rating: 3.5⭐️
🫧 Vibes: grief and survival
📖 Favourite Quote: "Finally, the life I always wanted was there for the taking. And no one - above or below - could have a say in the choices I made from this day forth."
📚 Would I recommend? I do even if it wasn't for me
💬 tldr thoughts: unfortunately it took some time for me to get hooked
In the package:
📦 gothic atmosphere
📦 resilience
📦 loss and memory
Plot: Amidst the devastation of Ireland’s Great Famine, Maggie is salvaged from death by accepting a strange position in a remote manor house haunted by a stranger power and the horror of the own memories.
Thoughts: I can see this being a hit in book clubs but unfortunately it wasn't really for me. I didn't really get many horror vibes from this book at all, I'd say it's more paranormal than anything else; it is, however horrific what the characters go through and witness. The opening line for this book was insane and I thought I would get instantly hooked but I didn't. I kept losing interest and only about 70% into it is when I started getting interested. While the pacing was the main issue for me, the writing was beautiful and this story was really heartbreaking 😩
Thank you Hambright PR and Kensington Books for the eARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: grief and survival
📖 Favourite Quote: "Finally, the life I always wanted was there for the taking. And no one - above or below - could have a say in the choices I made from this day forth."
📚 Would I recommend? I do even if it wasn't for me
💬 tldr thoughts: unfortunately it took some time for me to get hooked
In the package:
📦 gothic atmosphere
📦 resilience
📦 loss and memory
Plot: Amidst the devastation of Ireland’s Great Famine, Maggie is salvaged from death by accepting a strange position in a remote manor house haunted by a stranger power and the horror of the own memories.
Thoughts: I can see this being a hit in book clubs but unfortunately it wasn't really for me. I didn't really get many horror vibes from this book at all, I'd say it's more paranormal than anything else; it is, however horrific what the characters go through and witness. The opening line for this book was insane and I thought I would get instantly hooked but I didn't. I kept losing interest and only about 70% into it is when I started getting interested. While the pacing was the main issue for me, the writing was beautiful and this story was really heartbreaking 😩
Thank you Hambright PR and Kensington Books for the eARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
February 17, 2026
i honestly can’t stand a writer who thinks their readers won’t remember anything so they repeat names and things a lot. i understand who beth is, please stop telling me who she is over and over again lol
i also did not think the two different timelines really worked. the flashbacks deeply DEEPLY stalled the present plot, and made it not enjoyable for me. i would have preferred the book to just be one timeline and start from the beginning to be honest.
i also did not think the two different timelines really worked. the flashbacks deeply DEEPLY stalled the present plot, and made it not enjoyable for me. i would have preferred the book to just be one timeline and start from the beginning to be honest.
February 21, 2026
I can't tell if I'm just in a really bad reading slump or if I read a completely different book from everyone else.
I'll start with the positives; the historical setting is really interesting. I will admit, I don't know a lot about the Irish potato famine and I'm now really interested in learning more.
That's it. That's all I have to say positive about this book.
This is not at all what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting a story about a desperate woman who takes on the job of pretending to be somebody else in a haunted house and the deep secrets of that house. And sure, there is a little tiny bit of that but there basically isn't. The house is not important at all, really. I don't know why the title of this book focuses on the house. It's just sort of there.
Maggie barely pretends to be Wilhelmina at all. Sure, she uses the name from time to time, but really only with people who know she's actually Maggie. She never actually had to pretend to be Wilhelmina. This plot goes nowhere and serves no purpose at all.
We get this really weird narrative reason for why there are flashbacks which actually makes things worse. I wouldn't have minded going back and forth between past and present if they had paralleled each other. I would have thought Maggie would uncover things about Lady Catherine and then we would get a flashback to see how much alike they are or whatever. Instead, it's this weird thing where Maggie has to "remember" something and so what we instead get is a stupid main character who can't remember really important parts of her life, apparently. There's this weird plot device where there are specific herbs in incense that mean when Maggie goes to sleep she has vivid dreams that are literally just her memories, and they play out almost in chronological order with no weird dream-isms to them at all. It's so stupid, and for what? I was expecting there to be some weird twist for why she can't remember these incredibly important parts of her life but no. She's just dumb.
Because oh my god Maggie is one of the stupidest protagonists I've read in a while. She is frustratingly stupid. I could sort of wave away her not asking Lady Catherine too many questions about the deal because she was in an awful situation and desperate. Sure, fine. But then she just kept being so frustratingly stupid. She can't remember anything about her life, apparently.
And then the whole plot was just so dumb it made no sense.
One thing that was so dumb but made me laugh was Maggie read The Count of Monte Cristo and just in case you don't know the plot, it is also explained in the book. And then I realized, this is a joke of a retelling. There is the element of her taking on the persona of a noble person and getting her revenge, but that is it. The persona of a noble person isn't used at all, and is thrust pointlessly on her. It wasn't her idea. It wasn't used as part of her revenge. She didn't even really seek revenge herself. But she has no agency in any of this. She doesn't make any of these choices. She doesn't decide to take the position to use it for revenge, which could have been interesting. The whole Wilhemenia thing gets thrown in so that Tureaud can go "see? It's a retelling" but also still has to have Maggie read The Count of Monte Cristo so we know because otherwise how would we?
I seriously must have read a different book from everybody else. This was maddening. I hate this book so much, actually. This is also not horror. Gothic, maybe, but this is not scary at all. This is historical fiction with an element of fantasy to it. I had such high hopes for this book, especially with the glowing reviews, but I have not been this angry about a book in a while. A truly dumb main character and plot that makes no sense.
I'll start with the positives; the historical setting is really interesting. I will admit, I don't know a lot about the Irish potato famine and I'm now really interested in learning more.
That's it. That's all I have to say positive about this book.
This is not at all what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting a story about a desperate woman who takes on the job of pretending to be somebody else in a haunted house and the deep secrets of that house. And sure, there is a little tiny bit of that but there basically isn't. The house is not important at all, really. I don't know why the title of this book focuses on the house. It's just sort of there.
Maggie barely pretends to be Wilhelmina at all. Sure, she uses the name from time to time, but really only with people who know she's actually Maggie. She never actually had to pretend to be Wilhelmina. This plot goes nowhere and serves no purpose at all.
We get this really weird narrative reason for why there are flashbacks which actually makes things worse. I wouldn't have minded going back and forth between past and present if they had paralleled each other. I would have thought Maggie would uncover things about Lady Catherine and then we would get a flashback to see how much alike they are or whatever. Instead, it's this weird thing where Maggie has to "remember" something and so what we instead get is a stupid main character who can't remember really important parts of her life, apparently. There's this weird plot device where there are specific herbs in incense that mean when Maggie goes to sleep she has vivid dreams that are literally just her memories, and they play out almost in chronological order with no weird dream-isms to them at all. It's so stupid, and for what? I was expecting there to be some weird twist for why she can't remember these incredibly important parts of her life but no. She's just dumb.
Because oh my god Maggie is one of the stupidest protagonists I've read in a while. She is frustratingly stupid. I could sort of wave away her not asking Lady Catherine too many questions about the deal because she was in an awful situation and desperate. Sure, fine. But then she just kept being so frustratingly stupid. She can't remember anything about her life, apparently.
And then the whole plot was just so dumb it made no sense.
One thing that was so dumb but made me laugh was Maggie read The Count of Monte Cristo and just in case you don't know the plot, it is also explained in the book. And then I realized, this is a joke of a retelling. There is the element of her taking on the persona of a noble person and getting her revenge, but that is it. The persona of a noble person isn't used at all, and is thrust pointlessly on her. It wasn't her idea. It wasn't used as part of her revenge. She didn't even really seek revenge herself. But she has no agency in any of this. She doesn't make any of these choices. She doesn't decide to take the position to use it for revenge, which could have been interesting. The whole Wilhemenia thing gets thrown in so that Tureaud can go "see? It's a retelling" but also still has to have Maggie read The Count of Monte Cristo so we know because otherwise how would we?
I seriously must have read a different book from everybody else. This was maddening. I hate this book so much, actually. This is also not horror. Gothic, maybe, but this is not scary at all. This is historical fiction with an element of fantasy to it. I had such high hopes for this book, especially with the glowing reviews, but I have not been this angry about a book in a while. A truly dumb main character and plot that makes no sense.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This House will Feed us a slow burn Gothic horror set during the Great Famine in Ireland. While I had heard of this event, I didn't know much and the book prompted me to do some extra reading of the horrific, devastating time. We follow Maggie our FMC, who is living in a workhouse after losing her entire family. A wealthy landlord arrives with a proposition she cannot refuse and the story bounces between present and past as we learn details while also weaving in Irish lore.
The character development and relationships in this book are so well done. I was immediately attached and invested in Maggie and her story. And I also developed quite a bit of hatred and resentment for the English during that time period.
The creepiness picks up about half way through and once hitting 70% I did not want to put it down.
I don't think there was any way for me to be more satisfied with the ending. My only feedback is that I wish the pronunciation guide was in the front of the book versus the end. There's one point towards the end when the final reveals and truth are coming out, but it had been too long since I read the original perspective so I had too many questions.
Overall this book was engaging, emotional, thought provoking and satisfying. Well done. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC.
The character development and relationships in this book are so well done. I was immediately attached and invested in Maggie and her story. And I also developed quite a bit of hatred and resentment for the English during that time period.
The creepiness picks up about half way through and once hitting 70% I did not want to put it down.
I don't think there was any way for me to be more satisfied with the ending. My only feedback is that I wish the pronunciation guide was in the front of the book versus the end. There's one point towards the end when the final reveals and truth are coming out, but it had been too long since I read the original perspective so I had too many questions.
Overall this book was engaging, emotional, thought provoking and satisfying. Well done. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC.
January 28, 2026
I love a good historical thriller, but especially mixed with gothic horror. And this one….didn’t disappoint! The story was continuously unsettling/foreboding, with a main character that just couldn’t get comfortable and stayed on edge during a time in history that was riddled with trial and tribulation (which honestly, her own personal history alone makes sense for her feeling that way).The plot was mysterious and eerie, and rich in Irish culture and history, with dashes of language and folklore set in a time of the great potato famine when poverty and grief was most common. The author did a good job of making the true horrors of the time more real and devastating, while allowing for the reader to get to know our main character and also be on edge with what this mysterious house may have in store. The storytelling is a slow pace, but is proper and fitting for the story. I love a good story that has a person on the brink of desperation taking what seems like a good opportunity, but everything is likely too good to be true and it what it seems. My favorite part was the supernatural elements, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much i liked and appreciated the historical aspects since that isn’t my usual read. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author!
February 1, 2026
This managed to scare me and hurt my feelings, which is honestly impressive!! I did not go into this expecting to cry during a horror novel, but it caught me off guard.
Not only does this take place during the Irish Potato Famine, but it ropes in Irish folklore too so you get this twisty horror story with historical elements. Every time I thought I understood what was going to happen it pivoted into something darker.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone in the mood for a good emo horror read, but please check the author's content warnings first!
Not only does this take place during the Irish Potato Famine, but it ropes in Irish folklore too so you get this twisty horror story with historical elements. Every time I thought I understood what was going to happen it pivoted into something darker.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone in the mood for a good emo horror read, but please check the author's content warnings first!
January 20, 2026
✨6 stars ✨
Every chapter had me clutching my chest like a sickly Victorian woman about to faint. A gothic heartbeat dressed as poetic fantasy.
The kind of sadness in the pages sits with you and haunts you until the grief crawls under your skin. Dripping with quiet, unsettling melancholy.
This dark gothic fantasy is perfect for fans of One Dark Window, The Knight and The Moth, Alchemised, and In The Veins of the Drowning.
Immediately preordered. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC!
Every chapter had me clutching my chest like a sickly Victorian woman about to faint. A gothic heartbeat dressed as poetic fantasy.
The kind of sadness in the pages sits with you and haunts you until the grief crawls under your skin. Dripping with quiet, unsettling melancholy.
This dark gothic fantasy is perfect for fans of One Dark Window, The Knight and The Moth, Alchemised, and In The Veins of the Drowning.
Immediately preordered. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC!
February 20, 2026
I know little of the starvation and genocide of the Irish people during the potato famine. This story absolutely hooked me in with the plot and location. I love that the story also mixed in family, vengeance, and betrayal.
But, for some reason, this one just never hooked me in. I had wanted it to be a little darker, I think. I wanted more vengeance, more rage and I really wanted to dig deeper into the feelings and betrayals. But read pretty dark stories, so for one that focused more on the people and less on the rage, I'd say this is horror light and I liked it, but it just hadn't been what I'd been fully hoping for. Still good and very entertaining.
But, for some reason, this one just never hooked me in. I had wanted it to be a little darker, I think. I wanted more vengeance, more rage and I really wanted to dig deeper into the feelings and betrayals. But read pretty dark stories, so for one that focused more on the people and less on the rage, I'd say this is horror light and I liked it, but it just hadn't been what I'd been fully hoping for. Still good and very entertaining.
March 2, 2026
This book had a genuinely great premise and was set in a really fascinating period of time (The Irish Potato Famine), which made it all the more womp womp when the execution didn’t live up to the concept. The pacing of the story in general was wildly inconsistent & the alternating timelines completely disrupted the flow of the story. Instead of adding tension or depth, they felt long, gratuitous, and lacking any real urgency, which made the narrative feel messy and unfocused.
While this one opened strong and pulled me in initially, somewhere around the 50-page mark it started to lose steam and never really recovered. I considered DNF’ing more than once, but by that point I was too far in (pg 150-200) and felt obligated to push through. The ending itself was solid and I DIIIIID like where things ultimately landed (so happy for maggie's happy ending), but it took way too long to get there. Also i felt the cannibalism lacking slightly but maybe that's just me.
My biggest issue, though, was the FMC. Her level of naivete was incredibly off-putting and often felt like unignorable plot armor. I had a hard time believing any woman would be quite so stupid or oblivious, especially given the circumstances, and it made a lot of the conflict feel forced.
Ultimately, the only truly compelling part of this book was the final 60 pages. Unfortunately, this was a 337-page novel, and that imbalance made the journey feel like way more work than it was worth.
While this one opened strong and pulled me in initially, somewhere around the 50-page mark it started to lose steam and never really recovered. I considered DNF’ing more than once, but by that point I was too far in (pg 150-200) and felt obligated to push through. The ending itself was solid and I DIIIIID like where things ultimately landed (so happy for maggie's happy ending), but it took way too long to get there. Also i felt the cannibalism lacking slightly but maybe that's just me.
My biggest issue, though, was the FMC. Her level of naivete was incredibly off-putting and often felt like unignorable plot armor. I had a hard time believing any woman would be quite so stupid or oblivious, especially given the circumstances, and it made a lot of the conflict feel forced.
Ultimately, the only truly compelling part of this book was the final 60 pages. Unfortunately, this was a 337-page novel, and that imbalance made the journey feel like way more work than it was worth.
January 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for generously providing an ARC of this book.
This House Will Feed broke my heart, creeped me out, and gave me hope. I loved it. Ireland and her people are most definitely the main character of the story, and it’s impossible not to be moved by the resilience of the Irish and heartbroken over the suffering caused by the genocide. But this wasn’t an ordinary historical novel - the tinge of the supernatural makes the story new and gripping in a multitude of ways. Even though you know the British are the enemy, you’re left wondering whether there aren’t other dangers in the attic or out in the wild.
Although there are ample references to real people, places, and events that ground this story in reality, it really is the story of the courage and ingenuity of one (fictional) woman - Maggie, and her struggle to survive first the genocide and second the bargain struck with the enigmatic Lady Catherine. I originally was interested in the supernatural elements of this book but really found that Maggie’s story was the real hook. As Maggie tries to secure her future, the puzzle of Maggie’s history starts to unravel, tragedy after tragedy. And all you can think about is how is she going to get her HEA because oh my god if she doesn’t get a HEA I’m going to cry myself to sleep.
I appreciated the author’s nods to the true history of The Great Hunger, as well as the resources listed so readers can learn more. It’s important to remember with a book like this that although this is fictionalized story taking place during a true historical time, real people likely suffered as much or more than Maggie. I appreciate fictional stories like this that educate while telling a really compelling story.
This House Will Feed broke my heart, creeped me out, and gave me hope. I loved it. Ireland and her people are most definitely the main character of the story, and it’s impossible not to be moved by the resilience of the Irish and heartbroken over the suffering caused by the genocide. But this wasn’t an ordinary historical novel - the tinge of the supernatural makes the story new and gripping in a multitude of ways. Even though you know the British are the enemy, you’re left wondering whether there aren’t other dangers in the attic or out in the wild.
Although there are ample references to real people, places, and events that ground this story in reality, it really is the story of the courage and ingenuity of one (fictional) woman - Maggie, and her struggle to survive first the genocide and second the bargain struck with the enigmatic Lady Catherine. I originally was interested in the supernatural elements of this book but really found that Maggie’s story was the real hook. As Maggie tries to secure her future, the puzzle of Maggie’s history starts to unravel, tragedy after tragedy. And all you can think about is how is she going to get her HEA because oh my god if she doesn’t get a HEA I’m going to cry myself to sleep.
I appreciated the author’s nods to the true history of The Great Hunger, as well as the resources listed so readers can learn more. It’s important to remember with a book like this that although this is fictionalized story taking place during a true historical time, real people likely suffered as much or more than Maggie. I appreciate fictional stories like this that educate while telling a really compelling story.
March 12, 2026
Gripping retelling of The Great Hunger in Ireland in the mid-19th century. What holds me back from making it five stars is the fact that I found the parts where Maggie recalled the trauma of experiencing such loss way more fascinating than the present predicament she found herself in. I guess I'm not as big a fan of gothic haunted house thrillers as I thought I was, but the devastation wrought by the potato famine and Britain's cruel repressive policies at the time were very enlightening and I'd like to learn more about this sad time in history.
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