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This House Will Feed
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100 copies available
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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 . . .
Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 27, 2026
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About the author
Maria Tureaud
2 books136 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 60 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.
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.
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.
Read
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
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.
October 3, 2025
This House Will Feed...
and feed it does.
It's been awhile since I've started and finished a book within 24 hours.
This House Will Feed is a historical horror novel that draws you in from the moment you read the first sentence. I could not stop lest I have to sleep tonight wondering what happened in the end.
There is much in the story that is steeped with the truth of what the Irish went through during a very dark time, and most was not easy to read. (Specially as a mother). But it is the foundation laid down for the paranormal folk lore horror that will consume you, and it is all brought together very well.
Some of the plot was a bit painfully obvious in some parts, however the other not so obvious moments of the past brought present were sti engaging enough to remove said pain.
I did enjoy being enthralled with this book today, but you will excuse me now as I start reading something a little lighter, and hold my son so very very close.
Thank You to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read This House Will Feed before release.
and feed it does.
It's been awhile since I've started and finished a book within 24 hours.
This House Will Feed is a historical horror novel that draws you in from the moment you read the first sentence. I could not stop lest I have to sleep tonight wondering what happened in the end.
There is much in the story that is steeped with the truth of what the Irish went through during a very dark time, and most was not easy to read. (Specially as a mother). But it is the foundation laid down for the paranormal folk lore horror that will consume you, and it is all brought together very well.
Some of the plot was a bit painfully obvious in some parts, however the other not so obvious moments of the past brought present were sti engaging enough to remove said pain.
I did enjoy being enthralled with this book today, but you will excuse me now as I start reading something a little lighter, and hold my son so very very close.
Thank You to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read This House Will Feed before release.
August 26, 2025
Before I start, I want to mention a few things about this book. First, if I could give more than 5 stars, I would. I don't say this lightly either, and almost never think about wanting to give more than five stars, but this book more than deserves it. Second, this book is so much more than it seems; it's lush, horrifying and beautiful and tells a tale like no other.
It's 1848 during the Irish Potato Famine, and young Maggie O'Shaughnessy is in the workhouse after losing her entire family. From ten people down to the remaining one. A workhouse like hers is only a way of barely staving off starvation and death; even then, many fall to sickness and perish due to the conditions and lack of hearty meals. Maggie has not only lost her family, but also the man she loved, betrayed by him in her moments of most need. She sees no out for herself and despairs at the conditions she will continue to live in. A woman named Lady Catherine then arrives and changes everything for the young Maggie, whisking her away to a grand house in the landscape of the Burren with the promise of giving her a home and property on which to live - all she has to do is impersonate Lady Catherine's dead daughter. She gets more than she bargained for when spirits start to appear, irish folklore comes to life and her lost memories start returning to haunt her dreams.
This House Will Feed is the peak of the historical fiction horror novel - a genre that I would happily say is my favorite and contains favorites like The Hunger by Alma Katsu and The Terror by Dan Simmons. In this story we not only see the struggle of Maggie, Lady Catherine and the staff of the Browne home, but also the struggle of Ireland as a whole. The vivid descriptions of how the potatoes were found in blighted conditions is heartbreaking, and the intermixed Gaelic language and irish folklore brings the story to life, transporting you back to Ireland during the 1840s. Due to reading this novel, I looked more into the potato famine to better understand it and just like Maria Tureaud writes, the famine wasn't just a problem with crops. It was a politically fueled dismissal of the Irish people by the British, a failure of absentee landlordism and a horrible dependence on a single crop to keep the people alive.
Everyone should read this book and understand this story - not only Maggie's, but Ireland as a whole. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC, and thank you to Maria Tureaud most of all for an amazing read.
It's 1848 during the Irish Potato Famine, and young Maggie O'Shaughnessy is in the workhouse after losing her entire family. From ten people down to the remaining one. A workhouse like hers is only a way of barely staving off starvation and death; even then, many fall to sickness and perish due to the conditions and lack of hearty meals. Maggie has not only lost her family, but also the man she loved, betrayed by him in her moments of most need. She sees no out for herself and despairs at the conditions she will continue to live in. A woman named Lady Catherine then arrives and changes everything for the young Maggie, whisking her away to a grand house in the landscape of the Burren with the promise of giving her a home and property on which to live - all she has to do is impersonate Lady Catherine's dead daughter. She gets more than she bargained for when spirits start to appear, irish folklore comes to life and her lost memories start returning to haunt her dreams.
This House Will Feed is the peak of the historical fiction horror novel - a genre that I would happily say is my favorite and contains favorites like The Hunger by Alma Katsu and The Terror by Dan Simmons. In this story we not only see the struggle of Maggie, Lady Catherine and the staff of the Browne home, but also the struggle of Ireland as a whole. The vivid descriptions of how the potatoes were found in blighted conditions is heartbreaking, and the intermixed Gaelic language and irish folklore brings the story to life, transporting you back to Ireland during the 1840s. Due to reading this novel, I looked more into the potato famine to better understand it and just like Maria Tureaud writes, the famine wasn't just a problem with crops. It was a politically fueled dismissal of the Irish people by the British, a failure of absentee landlordism and a horrible dependence on a single crop to keep the people alive.
Everyone should read this book and understand this story - not only Maggie's, but Ireland as a whole. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC, and thank you to Maria Tureaud most of all for an amazing read.
December 10, 2025
thank you to kensington and maria tureaud from who i received an ARC in exchange for a review.
"this house will feed" is a gothic horror in all of the classic literary fashions while subverting the very same genre's expectations of accountability, climax, and resolution of not just the major conflict in the novel but of the source of the horrors itself. while this is a ghost story with spirits and myth, it is also deeply based in reality and chronicles the great hunger in ireland—which takes focus as the gothic horror's central theme and source of terror. unique among its genre companions, the monster isn't a creature in the dark or villain in the night, but the truth of what happened to ireland and its people. and tureaud doesn't sugar coat a second of it.
maggie, our heroine against all odds, is often blinded by love, foolishness, and perhaps ignorance. throughout the novel, maggie's failure to make an educated leap from moment to moment keeps her in a tailspin of victimhood and some manner of helplessness. this helps ground maggie's character in how truly limited her options for security are (even though it may have annoyed me) and drives the ultimate conflict of the novel. the pacing at times left me wanting as we danced back and forth between memories unfolding and maggie's inability to progress while awake. ultimately, well written and deeply researched, tureaud's novel was truly haunting for more than just the ghosts.
"this house will feed" is a gothic horror in all of the classic literary fashions while subverting the very same genre's expectations of accountability, climax, and resolution of not just the major conflict in the novel but of the source of the horrors itself. while this is a ghost story with spirits and myth, it is also deeply based in reality and chronicles the great hunger in ireland—which takes focus as the gothic horror's central theme and source of terror. unique among its genre companions, the monster isn't a creature in the dark or villain in the night, but the truth of what happened to ireland and its people. and tureaud doesn't sugar coat a second of it.
maggie, our heroine against all odds, is often blinded by love, foolishness, and perhaps ignorance. throughout the novel, maggie's failure to make an educated leap from moment to moment keeps her in a tailspin of victimhood and some manner of helplessness. this helps ground maggie's character in how truly limited her options for security are (even though it may have annoyed me) and drives the ultimate conflict of the novel. the pacing at times left me wanting as we danced back and forth between memories unfolding and maggie's inability to progress while awake. ultimately, well written and deeply researched, tureaud's novel was truly haunting for more than just the ghosts.
November 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC!
What to expect:
🏚 Gothic horror setting
🌾 Historical famine backdrop
💀 Supernatural elements
🪞Creepy old house
🕯 Slow start, strong finish
💔 Loss and survival themes
🖤 A haunting, emotional conclusion
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I started this book or how the famine aspect would tie into the story, but I had an idea based on its gothic horror roots. It started slow, and I found myself struggling to get into it until the final third of the book, when everything shifted and I was completely hooked.
While this wasn’t as horrifying as I expected for the genre, the realism of the story felt far more disturbing than the supernatural elements. There were definitely moments that made me cringe in disgust and even say “ew” aloud, yet the context made it understandable why those scenes unfolded the way they did.
The house itself is steeped in negative magic, and you watch Maggie take on a new role after losing her entire family. The way she navigates her promises to Lady Catherine, her need for survival, and her drive to secure her future makes the conclusion deeply satisfying.
Overall, despite a slow start, this ended up being a great read with a haunting payoff.
What to expect:
🏚 Gothic horror setting
🌾 Historical famine backdrop
💀 Supernatural elements
🪞Creepy old house
🕯 Slow start, strong finish
💔 Loss and survival themes
🖤 A haunting, emotional conclusion
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I started this book or how the famine aspect would tie into the story, but I had an idea based on its gothic horror roots. It started slow, and I found myself struggling to get into it until the final third of the book, when everything shifted and I was completely hooked.
While this wasn’t as horrifying as I expected for the genre, the realism of the story felt far more disturbing than the supernatural elements. There were definitely moments that made me cringe in disgust and even say “ew” aloud, yet the context made it understandable why those scenes unfolded the way they did.
The house itself is steeped in negative magic, and you watch Maggie take on a new role after losing her entire family. The way she navigates her promises to Lady Catherine, her need for survival, and her drive to secure her future makes the conclusion deeply satisfying.
Overall, despite a slow start, this ended up being a great read with a haunting payoff.
September 2, 2025
IT WAS NEVER A FAMINE, IT WAS GENOCIDE!
What an interesting novel exploration of what is known by descendants as The Great Hunger, and usually taught elsewhere as The Potato Famine. As someone of Irish descent with relatives in Ireland, I thoroughly enjoyed the way it was treated in this novel.
It’s 1848 and in the years since the potato blight began, Maggie O'Shaughnessy has lost her family and her love and is at the Ennis Workhouse doing what is necessary to earn her rations. One day, Lady Catherine shows up and whisks her away to her mansion. Lady Catherine wants Maggie to impersonate her late daughter so that Lady Catherine can use her widow pension to keep her villagers safe and cared for. If Maggie agrees and all goes well, Maggie will receive her freedom and land of her own. But as Maggie learns to act as Wilhelmina, she begins remembering more of her past and hearing whispers of a mysterious woman in white. Will Maggie be able to complete this task, and will Lady Catherine keep her promises?
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel.
What an interesting novel exploration of what is known by descendants as The Great Hunger, and usually taught elsewhere as The Potato Famine. As someone of Irish descent with relatives in Ireland, I thoroughly enjoyed the way it was treated in this novel.
It’s 1848 and in the years since the potato blight began, Maggie O'Shaughnessy has lost her family and her love and is at the Ennis Workhouse doing what is necessary to earn her rations. One day, Lady Catherine shows up and whisks her away to her mansion. Lady Catherine wants Maggie to impersonate her late daughter so that Lady Catherine can use her widow pension to keep her villagers safe and cared for. If Maggie agrees and all goes well, Maggie will receive her freedom and land of her own. But as Maggie learns to act as Wilhelmina, she begins remembering more of her past and hearing whispers of a mysterious woman in white. Will Maggie be able to complete this task, and will Lady Catherine keep her promises?
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel.
August 29, 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.
July 1, 2025
Incredibly engrossing genre blend of historical fiction and horror set during the Irish famine and steeped in folklore. The writing was both visceral and incredibly emotional. I loved leaving this book feeling like I learned something, but also like I really felt and understood something tragic. Plus it is an amazing revenge story - can’t go wrong with that!
November 5, 2025
I received an ARC copy from a Goodreads Giveaway. This was the perfect read for daylight savings, as it will be an excellent read in March during Women's and Irish History Month, after the book has been released properly. I do highly recommend this book. The Historical Fiction elements captivated me the way Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale did, but the Gothic Horror pieces speak to my heart's delight. This is not an easy read, and Tureaud kindly gives trigger warnings beforehand signifying the amount of "extreme starvation, desolation, death (including instances of child death), possession, use of slurs, cannibalism, suicide, and murder" covered in the novel. That said, I was more familiar with the Irish Potato Famine than the average person, and I believe she did the history some justice. You cannot write about that time period and also provide a happy and light story. This novel takes something that many are at least passively acquainted with and invites the reader to have a more personal experience.
Tureaud delivers on everything promised. In the Author's Notes she talks about how no character is intended to be wholly good or bad, in line with Irish storytelling traditions. This also happens to produce realistic characters full of the nuance innate to the human experience. I hurt with the characters and mourned as they mourned. Feminine Rage only scratches the surface of this experience and the reader is given so many perspectives to consider without it ever getting to the point of being overwhelming.
I can be rather curmudgeonly at times, but every moment I thought to nitpick was made relevant by story's end. Any proverbial fat to be trimmed was indeed necessary to breathe life into this tale. It's also rather unfortunate that the book be published in so timely a manner, but it is better to know how to survive and not need the knowledge than to find yourself wanting. At the time of my reading, in the United States, there's been a noticeable increase in grassroots organizations preparing for mass benefit cuts that will likely lead to families going without while raising the already elevated costs of groceries. It is in no way the same situation as the Great Hunger, but I do hope that readers pull a sense of community and camaraderie from this text. As the days grow short and shadows long, the answer to isolation is warmth and kindness when possible. I thank Maria Tureaud for writing This House Will Feed as I'm truly grateful for being able to read it.
Tureaud delivers on everything promised. In the Author's Notes she talks about how no character is intended to be wholly good or bad, in line with Irish storytelling traditions. This also happens to produce realistic characters full of the nuance innate to the human experience. I hurt with the characters and mourned as they mourned. Feminine Rage only scratches the surface of this experience and the reader is given so many perspectives to consider without it ever getting to the point of being overwhelming.
I can be rather curmudgeonly at times, but every moment I thought to nitpick was made relevant by story's end. Any proverbial fat to be trimmed was indeed necessary to breathe life into this tale. It's also rather unfortunate that the book be published in so timely a manner, but it is better to know how to survive and not need the knowledge than to find yourself wanting. At the time of my reading, in the United States, there's been a noticeable increase in grassroots organizations preparing for mass benefit cuts that will likely lead to families going without while raising the already elevated costs of groceries. It is in no way the same situation as the Great Hunger, but I do hope that readers pull a sense of community and camaraderie from this text. As the days grow short and shadows long, the answer to isolation is warmth and kindness when possible. I thank Maria Tureaud for writing This House Will Feed as I'm truly grateful for being able to read it.
Review of advance copy
4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you Netgalley, Maria Tureaud, and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC and voluntarily provide a review.
This House Will Feed | Maria Tureaud
Maggie is made an offer she cannot refuse - pose as Lady Catherine's daughter to scam solicitors. If she is successful, she gets a home and land to call her own. After years of loss, hunger, and labor - this sounds too good to be true. When she begins seeing ghosts and hearing voices, Maggie wonders if she signed up for more than she bargained for.
Maria Tureaud makes her debut in adult literature with this novel that combines so many amazing genres! Historical, supernatural, gothic, suspenseful, with a dash of horror - what more could a gothic horror fan need?
The setting was incredibly detailed and I felt like I lived on the grounds of the estate. The character development was fantastic. I enjoyed how Maggie developed through two timelines - one prior to her time as an inmate at Ennis Union and the other during her time with Lady Catherine. The series of losses and tragedies that led Maggie to seek her vengeance was heartbreaking. I liked Maggie and I was rooting for her throughout.
Lady Catherine is a complicated character and I enjoyed the reader's conflict of whether to trust her or not.
The supernatural aspect of the book was perfectly balanced with the horror and mystery. It is a great standalone novel and I look forward to reading more from Maria in the future!
Thank you Netgalley, Maria Tureaud, and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC and voluntarily provide a review.
This House Will Feed | Maria Tureaud
Maggie is made an offer she cannot refuse - pose as Lady Catherine's daughter to scam solicitors. If she is successful, she gets a home and land to call her own. After years of loss, hunger, and labor - this sounds too good to be true. When she begins seeing ghosts and hearing voices, Maggie wonders if she signed up for more than she bargained for.
Maria Tureaud makes her debut in adult literature with this novel that combines so many amazing genres! Historical, supernatural, gothic, suspenseful, with a dash of horror - what more could a gothic horror fan need?
The setting was incredibly detailed and I felt like I lived on the grounds of the estate. The character development was fantastic. I enjoyed how Maggie developed through two timelines - one prior to her time as an inmate at Ennis Union and the other during her time with Lady Catherine. The series of losses and tragedies that led Maggie to seek her vengeance was heartbreaking. I liked Maggie and I was rooting for her throughout.
Lady Catherine is a complicated character and I enjoyed the reader's conflict of whether to trust her or not.
The supernatural aspect of the book was perfectly balanced with the horror and mystery. It is a great standalone novel and I look forward to reading more from Maria in the future!
November 19, 2025
A devastating, thoroughly researched gothic horror story that is both creepy and intense, exploring themes of survival and vengeance.
࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪
A ghost story, but the true horror in this thoroughly researched novel lies in the real-life history of late 1840s Ireland during the Great Potato Famine.
Maggie has lost her entire family and is severely starved, doing everything she can to survive in a workhouse. When a mysterious woman, Lady Catherine, offers Maggie the chance to own land in exchange for posing as her deceased daughter, Wilhelmina, she cannot refuse. Upon moving into Lady Catherine's home, Maggie soon discovers that something strange is happening in the attic. Is this more than she bargained for?
࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪
I don't do romance in my books, but the "love" story in this one was crucial, and I couldn't wait to see the outcome of Teddy and Maggie's relationship. I was rooting for Maggie from the beginning. She was dealt a difficult hand in life but did everything she could to survive and keep her promise to her father. She was a remarkably strong woman.
I almost DNFed this book; I wasn't sure why I picked it up. But then, BAM—the story hit about 100 pages in.
࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪
A ghost story, but the true horror in this thoroughly researched novel lies in the real-life history of late 1840s Ireland during the Great Potato Famine.
Maggie has lost her entire family and is severely starved, doing everything she can to survive in a workhouse. When a mysterious woman, Lady Catherine, offers Maggie the chance to own land in exchange for posing as her deceased daughter, Wilhelmina, she cannot refuse. Upon moving into Lady Catherine's home, Maggie soon discovers that something strange is happening in the attic. Is this more than she bargained for?
࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪
I don't do romance in my books, but the "love" story in this one was crucial, and I couldn't wait to see the outcome of Teddy and Maggie's relationship. I was rooting for Maggie from the beginning. She was dealt a difficult hand in life but did everything she could to survive and keep her promise to her father. She was a remarkably strong woman.
I almost DNFed this book; I wasn't sure why I picked it up. But then, BAM—the story hit about 100 pages in.
November 28, 2025
Rating 4.5
This House Will Feed is a deeply haunted piece of historical gothic fiction. Based in the very real devastation of the Irish Great Famine but with a supernatural twist. Tureaud’s prose is atmospheric and heavy with revenge, deeply felt grief, and somatic memory. Its more then just a horror built on grief and revenge, its a story of taking back what was rightfully yours no matter the cost.
The story leans more into mood and symbolism than anything really concrete when it comes to the supernatural aspect. Which works in its gothic ambiguity but some may want more defined supernatural logic. This story truly has all the hallmarks of a good gothic mystery its whispers behind walls, rotting secrets and uncertainty about reality.
Overall This House Will Feed is dark, lush, sorrow-soaked, and filled to capacity with folkloric dread. A must read for gothic supernatural mystery fans.
This House Will Feed is a deeply haunted piece of historical gothic fiction. Based in the very real devastation of the Irish Great Famine but with a supernatural twist. Tureaud’s prose is atmospheric and heavy with revenge, deeply felt grief, and somatic memory. Its more then just a horror built on grief and revenge, its a story of taking back what was rightfully yours no matter the cost.
The story leans more into mood and symbolism than anything really concrete when it comes to the supernatural aspect. Which works in its gothic ambiguity but some may want more defined supernatural logic. This story truly has all the hallmarks of a good gothic mystery its whispers behind walls, rotting secrets and uncertainty about reality.
Overall This House Will Feed is dark, lush, sorrow-soaked, and filled to capacity with folkloric dread. A must read for gothic supernatural mystery fans.
September 17, 2025
In This House Will Feed, Maria Tureaud sets her story against the backdrop of the Great Famine in Ireland. The book focuses on Maggie O'Shaughnessy, who experiences immense loss. Raised in harsh workhouse conditions, Maggie gets a chance to escape, but it comes at a price. She must pretend to be someone who has died to get resources for a village on the brink of collapse. The story mixes historical difficulties with supernatural elements, creating an atmosphere of dread across the Burren landscape, suggesting hidden secrets.
Maggie's story shows how she grows and becomes resilient. Initially broken, she transforms from desperation to determination through a dangerous agreement with Lady Catherine. The relationships seem authentic, built on shared suffering. Maggie's inner struggle and increasing strength propel the tense, supernatural narrative.
The book addresses survival when systems fail, the price of community sacrifice, and the impact of memory and trauma. Issues that still resonate now. By combining historical events with ghostly elements, it shows how the past can affect the present literally and figuratively. This encourages reflection on how societies treat their vulnerable and how past wounds affect generations, which connects to current talks on displacement and social justice.
Tureaud's writing is clear and creates a strong atmosphere. The tone shifts smoothly between bleakness and moments of fragile hope, and the story’s pace builds suspense without overshadowing the historical background. The language is accessible yet descriptive, capturing the beauty of the Burren and the oppressive atmosphere of the manor and workhouse. The structure alternates between Maggie's current struggles and hints of past horrors, adding depth without causing confusion, heightening the sense of unease.
This House Will Feed is moving, filled with sorrow, strength, fear, and defiance. It makes the historical tragedy feel immediate and personal, encouraging empathy while keeping readers engaged with the supernatural. More development of minor characters could enhance the emotional impact. Overall, the novel’s combination of gothic suspense and historical realism makes it worth reading for those interested in stories of survival, memory, and the shadows of the past.
Maggie's story shows how she grows and becomes resilient. Initially broken, she transforms from desperation to determination through a dangerous agreement with Lady Catherine. The relationships seem authentic, built on shared suffering. Maggie's inner struggle and increasing strength propel the tense, supernatural narrative.
The book addresses survival when systems fail, the price of community sacrifice, and the impact of memory and trauma. Issues that still resonate now. By combining historical events with ghostly elements, it shows how the past can affect the present literally and figuratively. This encourages reflection on how societies treat their vulnerable and how past wounds affect generations, which connects to current talks on displacement and social justice.
Tureaud's writing is clear and creates a strong atmosphere. The tone shifts smoothly between bleakness and moments of fragile hope, and the story’s pace builds suspense without overshadowing the historical background. The language is accessible yet descriptive, capturing the beauty of the Burren and the oppressive atmosphere of the manor and workhouse. The structure alternates between Maggie's current struggles and hints of past horrors, adding depth without causing confusion, heightening the sense of unease.
This House Will Feed is moving, filled with sorrow, strength, fear, and defiance. It makes the historical tragedy feel immediate and personal, encouraging empathy while keeping readers engaged with the supernatural. More development of minor characters could enhance the emotional impact. Overall, the novel’s combination of gothic suspense and historical realism makes it worth reading for those interested in stories of survival, memory, and the shadows of the past.
September 25, 2025
Love the design of this book, the eerie colours, the house and how it looked so intriguing. Wow this book had real hidden depths , thanks to netgalley for the advanced reader copy. The hidden depths is the sheer amount of history and research that has gone into this book . It was great to see an Ireland setting as i have visited lots of places. Maggie has had a hard life for the era its set in and it makes you realise and be thankful of how far we have come in history as to what rights we have now. The author has done a good job of combining history and horror together. The horror then builds up in this book and my heart really did go out to Maggie in this book as she really does face hard times and it shows the power of how resillient a person can be. The chance of a new life to give her hope is what she needs but as we know if something sounds too good to be true it really is. This is alot deeper than what we think. The setting and characters and history all worked really well together , the horror setting is more of a gothic and history setting. The language and key words also make you realise the era it set in . I loved this book , it really was brilliant and the author notes at the back show the dedication of how research can shape a fictional book but also give meaning and value using history.
October 26, 2025
4.5 rounded up
Historical horror both in the sense of supernatural spooky-ness AND in the true horrors of reality…because excuse me for sounding uneducated but why did I never know that The Great Potato Famine was actually a genocide!? Like…the British blocking aid from getting to Ireland—sound familiar?
AND there is a revenge story nestled in between all the horrors! I did not see any of that coming and I was just speedily turning pages to see how the story progressed.
I am thankful to Maria Tureaud for not only writing a book that is dark, Gothic and speaks to me as so much of what I love in a book, but for giving me the chance to learn as well.
The house does indeed feed and this book ATE.
Historical horror both in the sense of supernatural spooky-ness AND in the true horrors of reality…because excuse me for sounding uneducated but why did I never know that The Great Potato Famine was actually a genocide!? Like…the British blocking aid from getting to Ireland—sound familiar?
AND there is a revenge story nestled in between all the horrors! I did not see any of that coming and I was just speedily turning pages to see how the story progressed.
I am thankful to Maria Tureaud for not only writing a book that is dark, Gothic and speaks to me as so much of what I love in a book, but for giving me the chance to learn as well.
The house does indeed feed and this book ATE.
September 30, 2025
I may or may not have teared up a bunch of times! I love the blend of historical fiction and Irish folklore in this book. It's entertaining in an educational way. Growing up, I did not know much about the Great Famine. In history classes as a kid, all I learned was that it had to do with potatoes, a bunch of people starved, and that this event led to the importance of crop diversity. Where was all the information about the atrocities the British committed? The mass exports of crops while Ireland starved? The cannibalism?
Despite this book being fiction, much of its content holds devastating truths. I'm glad the main character had a happy ending. The message that kept repeating itself in my head was that there are always consequences that come with having wishes come true. Great book
Despite this book being fiction, much of its content holds devastating truths. I'm glad the main character had a happy ending. The message that kept repeating itself in my head was that there are always consequences that come with having wishes come true. Great book
September 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this spooky book.
I like how it combines ghost stories, Irish folklore, and history to make an engaging ghost story. The writing is very vivid and really draws you in. Maggie is an excellent protagonist.
I really liked the creepy atmosphere throughout the novel. The novel does a good job balancing Maggie's past life with present events and both storylines are very engaging.
While I did not love some of the gorier aspects of this story, I do like how they demonstrated just how much Maggie and her family love each other
I also liked the author's note at the end with all the additional historical context it provided for the events in the story.
Overall, this was an excellent read. If you like horror or historical fiction, give this story a try! Be aware: this story contains some very dark and disturbing topics, so make sure you pay attention to the warnings at the beginning.
Thank you to GoodReads and Kensington Books for an early copy!
I like how it combines ghost stories, Irish folklore, and history to make an engaging ghost story. The writing is very vivid and really draws you in. Maggie is an excellent protagonist.
I really liked the creepy atmosphere throughout the novel. The novel does a good job balancing Maggie's past life with present events and both storylines are very engaging.
While I did not love some of the gorier aspects of this story, I do like how they demonstrated just how much Maggie and her family love each other
I also liked the author's note at the end with all the additional historical context it provided for the events in the story.
Overall, this was an excellent read. If you like horror or historical fiction, give this story a try! Be aware: this story contains some very dark and disturbing topics, so make sure you pay attention to the warnings at the beginning.
Thank you to GoodReads and Kensington Books for an early copy!
October 29, 2025
This book was amazing. I’m weird with historical fiction because typically it isn’t my favorite genre but this one has me hooked right from the beginning. It was a ghost story for sure but the real fear and unsettling feelings come from what the Irish people had to live through during the Great Hunger. This book is one that everyone should read at least once. I’d give this 10 stars if I could.
December 5, 2025
Thank you Kensington for the ARC.
Let's start with the fact that this is not my normal genre. I'm not usually a horror/thriller reader, but this grabbed my attention.
This takes place in 1848, during The Great Hunger-the Potato Famine that devastated Ireland in the mid 1800s. That fact on its own would have made this a story worthy of nightmares, but Maria Tureaud goes one step further when Maggie (our main character) is taken from the workhouse by Lady Catherine to impersonate her late daughter, Wilhelmina. But while learning her part, Maggie starts seeing and hearing things she shouldn't—disembodied voices, specters of the dead—as well as dreaming of things best left forgotten.
But what happens when these dreams are the key to figuring everything out? To letting go of all the pain she's suffered? Will she be able to give the house what it needs? or will she become its next meal?
I've gotta say: this didn't disappoint, and the twists be twisting. Though, I gave the flashback versions of Maggie the benefit of the doubt I did yell I KNEW IT when it all came together at the end. Maria Tureaud is definitely a master storyteller.
Let's start with the fact that this is not my normal genre. I'm not usually a horror/thriller reader, but this grabbed my attention.
This takes place in 1848, during The Great Hunger-the Potato Famine that devastated Ireland in the mid 1800s. That fact on its own would have made this a story worthy of nightmares, but Maria Tureaud goes one step further when Maggie (our main character) is taken from the workhouse by Lady Catherine to impersonate her late daughter, Wilhelmina. But while learning her part, Maggie starts seeing and hearing things she shouldn't—disembodied voices, specters of the dead—as well as dreaming of things best left forgotten.
But what happens when these dreams are the key to figuring everything out? To letting go of all the pain she's suffered? Will she be able to give the house what it needs? or will she become its next meal?
I've gotta say: this didn't disappoint, and the twists be twisting. Though, I gave the flashback versions of Maggie the benefit of the doubt I did yell I KNEW IT when it all came together at the end. Maria Tureaud is definitely a master storyteller.
Want to read
May 13, 2025this historical gothic horror highlighting the dark period of famine in Ireland sounds chilling.
November 1, 2025
The House Will Feed was a captivating Gothic tale. I was caught up in Maggie's story right from the first chapter and enjoyed following it until the end. The book moved at a good pace throughout with just the right blend of drama/emotion and action. The Gothic vibe was beautifully set once she arrived at the mansion, with new layers of intrigue building as the story progressed. I could see this being turned into an atmospheric film by someone like Guillermo del Toro. I felt the background of the famine was poignantly portrayed and explained, with enough detail for understanding without overshadowing the other elements of the story. I would certainly pick up another book by this author in the future. I am giving this one 4 stars. It is a worthwhile read for fans of Gothic tales.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2025
One of the best historical horror novels I’ve read. The backdrop of the actual history was very hard to read about at times, but it’s important not to forget past atrocities so we don’t repeat them. The ghost story was just as compelling and interesting and I enjoyed seeing the strength and resilience of main character Maggie.
This book will stay with me for a while.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this amazing story!
This book will stay with me for a while.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this amazing story!
October 29, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.
A great example of gothic literature, with a morally grey-ish protagonist. There are nuances to her character. I loved the setting and the characters. Michael and Cormac were too nice. The descriptions of the house and Catherine's attire were on point. The atmosphere was just perfect for this time of the year.
The only thing that bothered me a little was the repeated mentioning of a duvet. Duvets, as we know them, became a thing much, much later. What I think the author meant was an eiderdown.
A great example of gothic literature, with a morally grey-ish protagonist. There are nuances to her character. I loved the setting and the characters. Michael and Cormac were too nice. The descriptions of the house and Catherine's attire were on point. The atmosphere was just perfect for this time of the year.
The only thing that bothered me a little was the repeated mentioning of a duvet. Duvets, as we know them, became a thing much, much later. What I think the author meant was an eiderdown.
November 9, 2025
Blistering, devastating, thoroughly researched, nuanced, cathartic. Well done
December 2, 2025
I’m so grateful I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. It is a fictional gothic novel full of information on the Great Hunger in Ireland. It rips your soul like only a true gothic can.
December 22, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
“The unknown might terrify me. But I’ve faced it before… and there were worse things than death.”
This House Will Feed by Maria Tureaud is a heartbreaking and visceral insight into The Great Famine of Ireland during the mid-1800s. Tureaud portrayed the losses and injustices of that time period with reverence and heart-wrenching poignancy. Many of the characters are defined by their resilience and self-sacrifices.
Maggie had lost her parents, and all nine of her siblings. The British regime over Ireland further exacerbated the racial tension and tragedies.
Trapped in a workhouse (institution established for starving Irish people where meager food and abhorrent living conditions were provided in exchange for hard labor), Maggie’s only objective was to survive and exact revenge on the cruel nobleman who had taken everything from her. Hope came in the form of a dubious deal when Maggie was hired to impersonate a noblewoman’s daughter.
Starvation is the central theme of this book; hunger for food, justice, humanity, family, acceptance, and survival. This was a well-researched morality tale on the devastating costs of dehumanization. The book drives home the point that when people are no longer viewed as fellow human beings, the capacity for cruelty becomes limitless. This House Will Feed is heavily character-driven with vivid main and side characters alongside subtle twists that aren’t revealed until about halfway through and the story really takes off around the 60% mark.
Thank you so much Maria Tureaud, Kensingtonm, Netgalley for this ARC!
“The unknown might terrify me. But I’ve faced it before… and there were worse things than death.”
This House Will Feed by Maria Tureaud is a heartbreaking and visceral insight into The Great Famine of Ireland during the mid-1800s. Tureaud portrayed the losses and injustices of that time period with reverence and heart-wrenching poignancy. Many of the characters are defined by their resilience and self-sacrifices.
Maggie had lost her parents, and all nine of her siblings. The British regime over Ireland further exacerbated the racial tension and tragedies.
Trapped in a workhouse (institution established for starving Irish people where meager food and abhorrent living conditions were provided in exchange for hard labor), Maggie’s only objective was to survive and exact revenge on the cruel nobleman who had taken everything from her. Hope came in the form of a dubious deal when Maggie was hired to impersonate a noblewoman’s daughter.
Starvation is the central theme of this book; hunger for food, justice, humanity, family, acceptance, and survival. This was a well-researched morality tale on the devastating costs of dehumanization. The book drives home the point that when people are no longer viewed as fellow human beings, the capacity for cruelty becomes limitless. This House Will Feed is heavily character-driven with vivid main and side characters alongside subtle twists that aren’t revealed until about halfway through and the story really takes off around the 60% mark.
Thank you so much Maria Tureaud, Kensingtonm, Netgalley for this ARC!
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