Debut standalone fantasy with a magic system that involves gods and a section of society that has fattened itself up on power — that’s the perfect recipe for my best read of the year.

Having read 120 books this year, a first for me who reads 52-60 books usually, I found that I couldn’t stop thinking about this particular book in December even though I read it a couple of months ago. I ask that you excuse my lack of details in this review, but the story itself is worth it, and I hope to convince you without names or specific details this time.

This story of revenge, betrayals, secrets and found-family was an instant 5-star read for me. Gods that talk in the characters’ head is a favourite trope of mine. It has to be a god, just mind-speak doesn’t do it for me. One example of the god in your mind would be Hannah Kaner’s Godkiller trilogy. House of the Beast is a close second.

I went in blind for this one because of that amazing cover and the premise and prose had me in a chokehold from the opening chapter.

Alma, the female main character (FMC), is 11 years old when the story begins. She lives in poverty with her mother and finds out about her very wealthy father just in time to help her mother afford healthcare. In return, she has to go live with him and his family, forsaking her mother.

Now, this world has four primal gods who favour specific houses and grant them powers as vessels. Alma’s father is heir to one of those houses and takes Alma in, a bastard child, in pursuit of more power after losing his legitimate son to this selfish power struggle. Alma is presented as sacrifice to the god and he takes her arm in exchange of granting her power. This is customary in the families, and her father, uncle and cousin brother have all gone through this to gain their powers. Alma, however, is special. She wins more than just a kernel of the house god’s power, she gets chosen by the Dread Beast.

Her uncle has the seat of power at court currently, but the power erodes sanity, and the uncle is hanging on by his fingernails. So, a power struggle in the family for the seat is imminent. This house politics coincides with the Astral plane opening up above their capital city. Alma has to win the favour of the court by winning the trial that takes place within this other dimension to revenge herself upon her father and his family.

The houses get provisions and whole teams to do this challenge but Alma is on her own. Well, almost. There’s the Dread Beast living in her head, guiding her hand, but she doesn’t know if this god — who appears as her imaginary friend from childhood, Asher, to her — is to be trusted. But who can she trust among the people she knows anyway?

Alma has a plan, but it takes on a shape of its own.

The dark, gothic vibes of this fantasy fiction is supported by an intense plot, action, drama, betrayal and sacrifice. The conversation about power and its implications are done very well and blend in seamlessly with the plot.

The author has worked as an illustrator on The Legend of Kora and the gorgeous illustration of this book is done by her.