Introduction
House of Bane and Blood was published in June 2025 by Alexis L. Menard, and is the first novel in the Vows of Vengeance series. This series blends fantasy with forced proximity into a nice mix that fantasy lovers will enjoy.
A Summary
This story follows a young woman whose life is suddenly pulled into a world of magic, danger, and political tension she never really asked for. As she’s thrown into new alliances and unexpected responsibilities, she starts uncovering secrets about her own abilities and the people around her. Along the way, she crosses paths with a powerful Attano whose motives aren’t always clear, but whose presence definitely shakes up her world. The plot mixes magic, romance, and a bit of mystery as the characters try to navigate shifting loyalties and rising threats. At its core, the book is about discovering power- both magical and personal - and figuring out who you can trust when everything around you is changing.
Writing Style
The writing style had moments where it genuinely pulled me into the world, especially during the more atmospheric or emotional scenes. It’s written in dual POV, which I actually liked—it gives you a clearer look at both characters and adds some needed context. That said, I still found myself wanting way more description overall. The pacing moves fast, sometimes too fast, and without enough detail it was hard to fully picture the setting or understand what was happening. With a bit more depth and grounding, the writing could’ve felt much richer, because the potential is definitely there.
What I Loved
The magic system was honestly the part that kept me going. Even when the plot or worldbuilding got a bit messy, the actual idea behind the magic was super cool. You can tell the author had something interesting brewing—there were little glimpses of rules, abilities, and lore that felt fresh and fun. It just needed more space to breathe. With a bit more detail and consistency, this could’ve been one of those magic systems you think about long after finishing the book. So while it wasn’t fully developed, the potential was definitely there, and I found myself wishing the story had leaned into it even more.
What I Didn’t Love
Okay, so here’s where the book really lost me. The worldbuilding just wasn’t doing what it needed to do. I kept feeling like I was being dropped into scenes without enough context, and half the time I wasn’t totally sure what the stakes were supposed to be. I was flipping back to the map so often it started to feel like part of the reading experience, which… probably isn’t the goal. And then there were the characters. There were so many of them, but barely any of them had depth or distinguishing traits. Names would pop up and I’d genuinely have no idea who they were supposed to be or why they mattered. Honestly, if a handful of them had been cut, the story would’ve been cleaner and easier to follow. More characters doesn’t automatically mean richer storytelling - sometimes it just means more confusion. The romance side of things also threw me off. There’s technically only one sex scene, but the intensity of the dynamic made it feel like the book was trying to be spicier than it actually was. And the “daddy” moment… in front of other people? I had to put the book down for a second. It felt out of place and kind of awkward. I also couldn’t shake the feeling that the author added the male love interest’s POV because without it, he’d come across as a straight-up murderer with anger issues. His internal monologue is basically the only thing softening him, which isn’t the strongest foundation for a romance. And finally, the relationship dynamic itself was weird. I love a jealous male lead, but this guy was jealous to the point where it felt controlling rather than romantic. The standard it sets for relationships is… questionable.
Recommendation
I’d recommend this one to readers who love fantasy and can fall into new worlds without needing everything explained. If you enjoy magic, big emotions, and a bit of chaos, you might click with it. And if you like your books with a touch of smut, even the kind that makes you blink twice, there is definitely something here for you. Just a heads up: if you reach the 70 page mark and still feel completely lost, it probably will not get easier to understand. This is a story that works best for readers who do not mind doing some of the work themselves.
Does House of Bane and Blood Contain Explicit Scenes?
This book is not for those under 18 years of age. There is only one sex scene, but the entire book is full of sexual tension and make-out sessions.
