Hex House

by Amy Jane Stewart

A feverishly told, dark and unsettling Scotland-set fairy-tale about a safe haven for women which transforms them into vessels of revenge, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, A. G Slatter and Julia Armfield

ELLY

Elly is running. Pregnant and still in her wedding dress, she flees the cottage that her new husband has rented for their wedding night. Because he’s not what people think he is – and she knows that, one day, he’ll hurt her in a way she can’t fix. Freezing and lost in the dead of night, Elly begins to lose hope.

A woman in the woods alone is never the beginning of the story. It’s usually the end.  

So, when a beautiful house appears out of nowhere and a woman beckons her inside, it almost feels too good to be true.

Welcome to Hex a refuge, a home, a sanctuary. A place that can only be found by those who truly need it; a place that promises to teach Elly how to access a power more incredible – and more terrifying – than anything she could have imagined. 

SIOBHAN

Four years after Siobhan meets Elly at Hex House, her life is in ruins. Once a promising filmmaker invited to the house to make a documentary with her brother, Theo, she’s given up on her dream after witnessing unspeakable horrors there. Now, she spends her time drinking too much, toying with an older man in increasingly dangerous ways, and trying to get Theo to speak to her again. She ignores the scar on her stomach that never fully heals.

That is, until someone reaches out with news about Hex House that could change everything.

And Siobhan knows, deep down, that she was always destined to return.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Adult, Fiction, Scotland, Magical Realism, Audiobook

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 28, 2026

Reviews

[Heidi Zuva]

A dark fairytale with rich atmosphere, for fans of Scottish folklore and creeping, slow-building horror.

Premise - Pregnant newlywed Elly flees her honeymoon cottage on her wedding night, knowing a life with her new husband would be more dangerous than facing the wild unknown of the woods.

Elly, near hopeless, stumbles upon a beautiful house, Hex House, and learns that it’s a refuge that appears only to those who need it most.

Fast forward four years and we meet Siobhan, an alcoholic hot mess with a mysterious scar, a brother, Theo, who won’t talk to her, and ties to both Hex House and Elly. Now, the only way forward is back.

While this is a very well-written story and surely find a large and eager audience, it wasn't quite for me. I can't seem to figure out what it is that didn't grip me, so I'm not going to put a star rating on it. It's a good book, just not my specific taste.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lianne Walker. She did a great job building the atmosphere of Hex House in her read!

Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love when a debut is perfect.

[domsbookden · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5

Hex House is a fantasy-horror blend done in a way that actually works for me. It deals with serious subject matter, features fully developed and realistically flawed characters, and uses its darker elements to serve both the plot and a larger purpose beyond just aesthetics.

The story tackles heavy topics including domestic abuse, women’s autonomy, substance abuse, and handles them with care. They’re woven into the narrative well, keeping the story engaging without trivializing it’s themes. This reads like a dark, feminist fairy tale that explores trauma, resilience, and rage, with a strong focus on women's struggles and transformations.

This is also one of the rare times where I enjoyed both POVs equally. Both perspectives follow complex characters dealing with their own issues, and their threads move at an even pace toward the same end goal. I liked how the perspectives contrasted and gradually came together in the final act.

I loved the investigative/documentary-making aspect. It keeps the mystery of Hex House front and center, making the story more plot-driven while also giving solid character development for both the observer and the observed.

Stewart definitely made her presence known with this debut! I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next.

Readers who enjoyed The Brood by Rebecca Baum like I did will have a phenomenal time with Hex House.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Titan Books for an early copy - all opinions are my own.

Hex House is a cleverly woven dual-timeline, fantastical horror that promises feminist themes and an atmospheric Scottish setting. While it delivers strongly on both counts, magical realism is not something I seek out in horror so there was a disconnect early for me.

This is a wonderfully strong debut with an excellent balance of heart and bite. The tone perfectly matched the dark, disturbed setting. Amy Jane Stewart masterfully uses timelines and POVs to feed the reader small pieces of the plot until they form a whole, cohesive story.

The pacing was a bit disjointed but mostly leaned slow. Rather than assisting in building the dread, it smothered it a bit. My largest disconnect in the cast of characters was with Siobhan. I could not find anything relatable or endearing about her. The women of Hex House as a whole were lovely though and watching the friendships bloom was a nice juxtaposition to the horrors unfolding.

I’m anxious to try more by Amy Jane Stewart. This is an excellent story and I’m hoping to find additional connection with the next.

I recommend for fans of atmospheric stories, fantastical horror, and psychological darkness.

[Emma Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the start i literally couldn’t put this book down and found myself waking up early to get a few chapters in before my day started. A cross over of genres between fantastical and horror truly terrifying but beautiful . Cleverly written that makes every chapter ending a cliffhanger and keeps you reading. I can’t wait to read more from this Author with thanks to Titan books for the ARC

[The Reading Rose (Hannah)]

DNF @ 40%

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan for the e-ARC.

This book was sadly not for me. While the writing was good, I'm not a fan of magical realism at all. I thought the book would be a horror fantasy but this wasn't the vibe.

I did not like the characters at all, and while I did get the sense that I was supposed to feel bad for them, I had no clue about them or their personalities as far in as 40%. While I would be intrigued to know what happens, I found myself not caring and not wanting to pick up the book.

[Chewable Orb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hex House by Amy Jane Stewart
4.35 rounded down to 4 orbs 🔮
Est. Pub. Date: April 28, 2026
Titan Books

A father's intuition…

💡 Orbs Prologue: Since you were small, your greatest strength was your unwavering loyalty. Every person you befriend is like fine china in a wooden hutch that you must protect from breaking. So, daughter, I have failed as a father. When you brought home this man to meet us, I put on a trepidatious smile. A wolf in a sheep's designer suit greeted me, shaking, or rather obliterating, my hand to prove his alpha maleness to me. The California tan, white veneers, and Rolex watch were meant to signal prestige and wealth. But I knew better. I have seen his kind before, standing charismatically upon the docks, casting his line of lies for the next naive victim. Your giddiness brought a sense of worry. You were enamored with the superficial and often overlooked the obvious flaws that were pelting me straight in my protective fatherly face. And so it went, my artificial acceptance of this man. That is, until you went missing…

🧐 A small glimpse: In a split-perspective novel by Amy Jane Stewart, we are introduced to pregnant Elly. Entering your wedding day with regret is often a recipe for disaster, but for meek Elly, she stays the course. In a chance encounter with a mysterious woman, Elly is offered a solution, one that sees her escape to a safe place for women, the Hex House. This house is one of folklore, something magically materializing in the depths of the forest for women in need of safety, an escape from the cruelties of men. Siobhan, a drunken filmmaker, is our other set of eyes, as she orchestrates an abundance of mayhem. Following Shiv, we partake in her demented relationship with her ex-college professor, Owen. Simultaneously, we learn about Siobhan’s complex relationship with her brother Theo. One that includes a “falling out” after the two were invited by Haina, the Hex House matriarch, to tape a documentary. This is where our story lines intersect, as Siobhan, Theo, and Elly meet within the confines of the mysterious Hex House. What happened there changed their lives forever.

👍 Orbs Pros: The solid prose! I loved Amy Jane Stewart’s ability to weave in enough debauchery to keep me biting my fingernails while also interjecting just enough tender moments to draw me in to feel empathetic for the main characters. This is all done within the framework of the serious topic of domestic violence and abuse. Women Power! From victim to hunter, the women's outlooks morphing into something otherworldly proved empowering. Creative! One would look at the cover and think, well, this must be your average slasher. But oh, how you would be fooled. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but there is something quite unusual residing in these pages. Moral ambiguity! The grey area between right and wrong… I love a story where there are many ways to look at the outcome.

👎 Orbs Cons: I will play devil’s advocate on this one and say “some” might find the male characters in the novel are overdone. To be honest, I am not sure if there was one that had any redeeming qualities other than Theo. With that in mind, the bigger question at the conclusion was, had the victim turned into the villain? Scenes of physical abuse and torturous ways exist. If you are particularly leery of that type of content, you might want to steer clear.

Highly Recommended! I loved the story! A wickedly deceptive novel that creatively snuck up on me. The dual POV gave distinct levels of variation and helped secure my overall satisfaction.

💡 Orbs Epilogue: I tight-lipped my way through the toasting at your wedding. Being the bigger man, I just wanted my little girl to be happy. Perhaps I had misread the signs. That is, until your husband came calling, hysterically. An act, perhaps? He said, "You were gone without a sign, just poof!" It took every fiber of my being not to interrogate your man and demand answers. I had concluded that he was the perpetrator. Every time you rushed off the phone when he appeared, or the lame excuses you made for his blatantly horrid behavior. I abstained, for what would happen if I intervened? A wedge would be driven between us! Some time later, the police reported that your “husband” went missing as well. How convenient! So now I sit, a daughterless father, nary an answer in sight. I often rewind time until that unfortunate initial meeting where I correct my misdoings and tell him what I actually think of his tired act. Perhaps that would have saved me the pain and sorrow of missing a child.

Many thanks to Titan Books for the ARC through NetGalley. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's feral to start a book with a pregnant bride sprinting through a freezing Scottish night in her wedding dress. Elly fleeing her brand new husband on their literal wedding night is the kind of opening that makes you sit upright like, oh, we are not easing into this, we are running barefoot through trauma immediately. And the fact that she knows, bone deep, that he will hurt her in a way she cannot fix? I was already clutching my emotional pearls.

Then the house appears.

Hex House does not creep into the story, it materializes like a morally ambiguous fairy godmother with a side hustle in vengeance. It only reveals itself to women who truly need it, which is either the most comforting thing ever or the beginning of every cult documentary I have ever watched. The woman who beckons Elly inside, Haina, radiates that serene, ancient energy that says, I have seen some things and I am not explaining them to you. I was obsessed with her and also side eyeing her the entire time.

What Stewart does really well is lean into the idea of sanctuary as something sharp. This is not a cozy witch cottage where you bake bread and process your feelings. Hex House offers power. Real, transformative, slightly terrifying power. And the revenge element? Delicious in theory. A refuge that turns survivors into vessels of something darker, something avenging. It scratches that primal part of your brain that wants every abuser to step on a cosmic Lego.

But then we get Siobhan, four years later, and this is where things get messy in the best and worst ways. Siobhan was once a promising filmmaker who came to Hex House with her brother Theo to document it. Now she is spiraling, drinking too much, sabotaging her own life, and engaging in some deeply questionable dynamics with an older man that made me want to gently shake her and also hand her a glass of water. She carries a scar on her stomach that never fully heals, which is both literal and the least subtle metaphor in the world, and yet it works because her entire life feels like an open wound.

Here is the thing. Siobhan is not likable in a traditional way. She is sharp, self destructive, sometimes cruel. If she were a man, half of Goodreads would be calling her irredeemable. But I kind of loved that about her. Not in a girlboss way, more in a, this woman is deeply unwell and I respect the commitment to the bit. Watching her try to outrun what happened at Hex House, while clearly being magnetically pulled back to it, is like watching someone keep texting their toxic ex and being shocked every time it goes badly.

The dual timeline structure mostly works. Elly’s story is immediate and desperate, all raw survival and creeping enchantment. Siobhan’s is slower, soaked in regret and self loathing. Sometimes the back and forth made me feel like I was emotionally resetting every few chapters, just as I got settled into one thread. The pacing drags in places, especially when you want answers about Haina or the true nature of the house and the book just stares at you mysteriously instead. There are questions that remain very much unanswered, and your tolerance for that will absolutely determine your final rating.

Tonally, it sits in that murky space between folk horror and dark feminist fairy tale. Think less jump scare, more creeping dread in the woods. It is atmospheric, misty, a little cult adjacent without ever fully committing to being a cult story. The magic itself feels intentionally slippery. Is it supernatural? Is it psychological? Is it both? The ambiguity is a strength thematically, even if it left me occasionally wanting a few more concrete breadcrumbs.

What really lingered for me is the rage. Not explosive, scream into the void rage. The quieter, marrow deep kind. The kind that builds in women who are told to endure. Hex House offers an answer to that rage, and the book never fully decides whether that answer is salvation or corruption. That moral grayness is compelling. It just does not always hit as hard as it could, especially in the final stretch where I wanted either more devastation or more catharsis.

By the end, I was unsettled, thoughtful, and slightly emotionally bruised, which is honestly the goal with something like this. Did I love every choice? No. Did I want tighter pacing and a bit more clarity about Haina and the origins of this vengeance factory in the woods? Absolutely. But did it give me haunted forest feminism, messy women, and morally complicated magic? Yes, and I will always show up for that.

Three and a half stars. Moody, witchy, imperfect, and interesting in all the right ways

Huge thank you to Titan Books, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC. You handed me a haunted house in the woods and said, good luck, and honestly? I respect that.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have seen this book pop up frequently with my amazing BookSky friends. I read the blurb about it and I added it to my TBR. I was absolutely intrigued. Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, the audio version of this came up for an ARC. I jumped at the chance and thankfully was approved prior to release on April 28, 2026. Thank you very much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read this for a review.

I realize this will sound cliche and possibly condesending with the recent “Not all men are scum” Tic Tok thing. I do not agree with that movement at all and thought this was absolutely the best time to read and review this book. I will never lie to you, Men are scum, I am constantly sorry for my gender and the constant scum that is revealed daily. I am ashamed for my gender for the exact reasons Elly left her husband. My job as a husband is to uplift and support my wife, not force her into complacency and do as she is told. We are a team and that gave me a strong opinion when reading this book. Here is the blurb for this book.

A feverishly told, dark and unsettling Scotland-set fairy-tale about a safe haven for women which transforms them into vessels of revenge, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, A. G Slatter and Julia Armfield
I got very lucky. I was approved for this book right before I was going to have to drive 7 hours for my daughter’s Regional gymnastics completion. I asked my amazing wife if this was something she would be interested in, and she said sure. we are both big readers but seldom do our tastes overlap so I was excited. We listened to this on the way home. We made our daughter listen to the last Harry Potter book with us on the way there since we started the series before wefoudn out J K Rowling is a horrible piece of garbage human. We listened the whole way home and then finished this book the next day, the fastest I have finished a book this year.

This book went off the rails!!! Before I get into anything, may I warn that there might be “SPOILERS” ahead! Stop now if you have any inkling you might read this book at some point… Skip to the rating if you want to know my thoughts but not spoil the story.

OK, now that you are still here, what do you think of when you read the phrase “ Vessels of revenge”? I was completely prepared to see women get their full vengeance on men who did them wrong. I was not expecting…. (Last Chance)… I WARNED YOU!!!

I was not expecting physical transformation into women sized birds of prey who ripped and stripped flesh from bones to feed the house that protects them. I LOVED THIS TWIST!!! I was 100% here for the vicious gory revenge that was sent through this book.

This book follows 2 main characters, Elly, who has been abused by her husband and realizes early to flee on her wedding night to protect her and her unbound child. The second character we follow is Siobhan (pronounced shi-VAWN). Siobhan is a documentary filmmaker with a tragic violent past who might need Hex house as much as she needs to make this documentary.

OK, so time for the meat of the review. I did listen to this with my wife. She could not stop thinking about this the next day and both of us were itching to finish this with an hour ish or so left to finish. Normally that would bode well, but my wife just really didn’t like Siobhan as a character. Not in the good way like, “she loved to hate her”, but in the way that towards the end any chapter of Siobhan was just one to get through. I will agree, Siobhan was really hard to like; or sympathies with. My wife gave this ⭐️⭐️⭐️ because she enjoyed the book but just hated Siobhan so much as a character.

I have thought about this and taken my wife’s thoughts into consideration. I give this book a solid 🥃🥃🥃1/2 which will round up to 🥃🥃🥃🥃 until Goodreads decides to do half stars. I enjoyed this book and it really brought an emotional response from both me and my wife so I feel it is worth the 4 shots.

I’m very grateful for the opportunity to read this for a review and I do recommend it for the good revenge story. I love seeing a toxic man get what is coming to them,

This book will be released April 28, 2026. Pre-orders are still live at your favorite book retailers. You can always support my favorite Indy Bookstore here: Main Street Books. This is Amy Jane Stewart’s Debut novel and I will admit, I’m here for it. I thoroughly enjoyed this even if I gave it 4 stars and I look forward to what she puts out next.

This was a solid Debut and I will be anxiously waiting for what comes next. I absolutely followed her on Goodreads and I hope after reading this you will too.

[Chelsea Sherridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hex House - Amy Jane Stewart (ARC review)

Hex House: folklore, myth, sanctuary, reality. A house for the lost and wayward. When Elly finds herself running through the woods to escape her newly wed husband, she finds a house in the woods offering refuge. After some time, Siobhan and Theo arrive to make a documentary about this infamous house and how it transforms its occupants, but four years later Siobhan is still grappling with everything that unfolded. The burning question is, can you ever really leave Hex House behind?

This horror-witch-lit-cautionary-fairytale novel is everything that I hoped it would be and is a brilliant debut to say the least. I’ve always been a lover of folkloric and witchy stories and this ticked every single box for me. It’s beautifully grim with a prose that wraps you tightly between its pages. Amy has a real talent for creating such a vivid image in your mind that you can’t help but feel like you are right in the house with the characters. The Scottish backdrop only adds to the atmosphere along with the wonderfully gritty use of the natural earthly elements both when painting the landscape of this book and how it intertwined with the house and its women.

The characters within this story have a real nuance to them which I loved. Siobhan makes many questionable choices and she often isn’t the nicest of people, her rage is ugly and palpable which is something I really enjoyed to read. As women, we all know how often we are told we must be gentle and delicate and Siobhan is anything but this. As much as I didn’t always like or agree with her, I really felt hooked by her anger and it’s something that stuck with me. Elly was almost the opposite to Siobhan but was strong in her own way. I loved to see her transformation within this book and felt so tender towards her. This book explores trauma and feminine rage in such a unique way. The setting of this being very much centred around a ‘women’s circle’ held this fantastic juxtaposition as we often view these types of communities as some kind of safe haven, so watching this story unfold in this setting really adds to the horror of the overarching themes.

The colour orange felt really symbolic to me within this book. Haina, the ‘leader’ of this sanctuary is often described as wearing orange which I found such an interesting tool in telling the story. Orange is often associated with high energy and is seen as this warming and comforting colour, which as this story leads on we find that Haina has such a ferocity to her which really opposes this often gentle colour. The duality of it almost shows how she is this great imposing character who is all consuming.

The dual narrative within this book really keeps you on your toes. The story is told from two perspectives: the first being Elly and her story set in the ‘then’, and the second being Siobhan and her story being set in the ‘now’. Each chapter switches between the two and both narratives were highly enjoyable and at no point do you feel like this story takes a dip. It was really interesting to see how these two women’s lives began to mingle with one another and it really kept the story pushing forward.

I really do feel like I could sit here all day and talk about this book. It has some gorgeously grim body horror, it’s packed full of femininity and rage, its full of heart and emotion, it’s steeped with elements of folklore and witch magic, and it’s everything a debut novel should strive to be. Hex House publishes on the 28th of April through Titan Books, and it’s definitely one you should be looking out for. Welcome to Hex House.

[GJO AND PUPS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and The author for my advanced copies of Hex House.

This book has left me unsettled, with a strong sense of grief and unease for characters I have never met.

From the first page I was engrossed in the authors atmospheric writing. There is an immediate sense of foreboding, and personally I have a weakness for a tale that I anticipate will not end with a happily ever after.

This is evident when we meet Elly on her wedding day. Unfortunately this isn't the happiest day of her life and she ends up fleeing and stumbling across Hex House, until now a myth told through Scottish lore. Once Elly enters this sanctuary that offers refuge to women in need, we too enter a warm, glowing cacoon of support and wonder. However it is not long before Elly realises not all is well and in fact the cacoon is festering and putrid.

Elly's story is entwined with Siobhans, who we follow through two POVs, four years apart. Weaved seamlessly together, we learn Siohan and her brother Theo have escaped Hex House and four years later Siobhan is merely existing with the consequences of her visit... "If Siobhan had to describe the feeling that had eaten away at her for the last four years, rotting her brain chemistry and gnawing at her nerves, she wouldn’t have been able to put it better than that. ' I 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴'

This story is told so well, I could see and smell the stale air infecting Siobhans broken psyche. The kitchen in which Elly held onto her sanity. Theo's anger and yearning.

The authors writing is consuming, the story well paced. There is not action packed, fast paced feminine rage and triumph, this book manifests darkly and slowly, just the way Hex House reveals itself to Elly and Siobhan. Calculated with twists and turns that unsettled me.
I could feel Siobhans self hatred manifesting into self sabotage , deep down into my bones. I could also feel Ellys brain chemistry change with her, and her resilience blossom. "Something has already changed, Elly can tell. Some delicate balance is being recalibrated with every second that passes."

The ending was satisfying for me, not in a happy way but with a heavy inevitability that is realistic to both women. I cannot wait to read more from this author. What a debut!

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎧 Audio Review: The narrator’s accent was enjoyable to listen to.

📝 Story Review: I’m all for feminine rage, but the way this house of refuge was used to help battered women find their strength and rage was a bit unsettling.

This story was interesting enough and I did enjoy how the horror elements and tidbits from the past were slowly revealed along the way. But sadly I wasn’t a big fan of either of the FMC’s. (I wish there had been more of Elly & Theo, as he was just so kind and sweet.) - Elly was difficult for me to connect with because, although I understand and sympathize with being abused and wondering if you deserved it and doubting if you did the right thing in leaving, I had a hard time with how she couldn’t even acknowledge her own inner feelings and how after having given birth to her child, she didn’t fight harder to stay alive for him. - Siobhan was a really unlikable character for me. I don’t do well with alcoholics (have had far too many in my family) and hated how she toyed with her former professor and specifically set him up to fail. She just did not seem like a nice person at all, in either timeline. I guess she redeemed herself a bit at the end of the story, but still… Wish I’d enjoyed the characters more than I did.

Also, I wish there had been more back story/explanation as to how Hex House came to be and more about the unlikable Haina, who ran the house.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

Vibes: Creeping unease; tragedy; unraveling and trying to make things right.

Tropes 👇

- Dual Timelines
- Scotland
- Feminine rage/revenge
- Body horror
- Tragic love
- Dark magic/magical realism
- Brain washing (of a sort)
- Refuge for abused/broken women

CW’s 👇

- Domestic abuse
- Pregnancy
- Alcoholism
- Murder
- Toying cruelly with a former teacher

Audio Release Date: April 28, 2026
Audio Run Time: 10 hrs, 32 mins
Narrated By: Lianne Walker
Genre: Horror/Thriller
POV: Third Person; Dual

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC in return for my honest feedback.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hex House is one of those novels that feels like stepping into a shadowed forest—unsettling, enchanting, and impossible to look away from. Set against the wild, eerie backdrop of Scotland, it blends folklore, horror, and women’s resilience into a story that’s both darkly magical and emotionally grounded.

Elly’s opening chapters are gripping and heartbreaking. A bride fleeing her new husband in the dead of night is already a powerful image, but the way the narrative leans into her fear, exhaustion, and instinct for survival gives the story an immediate emotional pull. When Hex House appears—glittering with promise, danger, and something ancient—it feels like a fairy‑tale refuge with teeth. The idea of a sanctuary that finds women who need it most is compelling, and the power Elly begins to access there is both thrilling and unsettling.

Siobhan’s storyline adds a rich, layered contrast. Four years after her own time at Hex House, she’s unravelled in a way that feels painfully human—drinking too much, drifting from her dreams, and carrying a scar that refuses to heal. Her guilt, her fractured relationship with her brother, and her inability to move on give the novel a raw emotional core. When news about Hex House pulls her back toward the place she swore she’d never return to, the tension sharpens beautifully.

The dual perspectives work wonderfully, weaving together themes of trauma, sisterhood, revenge, and the dangerous allure of power. The writing is atmospheric without being overwrought, and the sense of dread builds slowly, like mist creeping across the moors.

Overall, Hex House is a dark, compelling fairy‑tale for adults—fierce, unsettling, and full of emotional depth. Perfect for readers who love stories where magic is both a gift and a threat, and where women reclaim their power in the most unexpected ways.

With thanks to Amy Jane Stewart, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

I found this book riveting. I was totally engrossed by the plot. This takes place over two timelines, with two central characters. We have the before with Ellie, and four years later we’re following Siobhan in the aftermath. Everything is connected by a house, Hex House to be specific. Hex House is a fascinating concept. It’s a mysterious house in the woods that will only appear to people (mostly women) who are desperate and in need of it. It’s run by a woman offering sanctuary… and something more, and the women aren’t exactly free to leave.

We meet Ellie on her wedding day, she’s pregnant and her husband is controlling and problematic. It’s definitely worth reading trigger warnings for this book. It’s dark and although I saw it listed as a thriller, I think it’s leaning more towards horror. There’s some harrowing treatment of the women in this book so do check content warnings. This is integral to the story so we understand why they ended up at Hex House rather than being gratuitous.

There’s an element of magical realism to this book. When we meet Siobhan in the present timeline, she’s traumatised by the events she saw in the earlier timeline. She was there creating a documentary about it and she never released the footage. Her trauma and guilt are driving her to drink, and causing her to behave cruelly and manipulatively towards others. She’s pressured by another filmmaker to share her footage and story.

I really enjoyed this. The way the story was told across the two characters and timelines was really well done. It’s dark, it’s unnerving and it’s conflicting with how the refuge holds something more sinister.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Titan Books for the early copy to review.

I feel as though I've read this book in varying formats with different plots all throughout the years - it's such a strong take on feminism and female rage and physical manifestations of those emotions. A creepy house in the woods, a cult-like group of women not just surviving their horrors but taking revenge, secrets layered on top of secrets. But this book takes that classic vibe and really does it well.

The split timeline of Elly at Hex House in 'then' and Siobhan in the city post-her Hex House experience in 'now' was a nice bookending plot-device that allowed both past and present to be slowly revealed throughout the book, and it kept the tension nice and high.

I also really think that the girls' 'hexes' are very reminiscent of the Greek Mythology of the Furies, in the bird-like nature, the transformation, and the revenge on evil-doers. And as someone who loves Greek Mythology, this really made me enjoy the book even more.

I absolutely zipped through this book (and not just because I have eyes bigger than my stomach when it comes to Netgalley requests) and it kept me wanting to go back even when I was supposed to be working! The characters were so unique I couldn't wait to see what happened to them.

Siobhan specifically was really unique, a kind of morally grey avenger? Her inner monologue really toes the line between meek traumatised woman relying far too heavily on her vices, and furious moral vengeance seeker, with a dash of manipulation thrown in for good measure. I haven't read about someone like her in a long time and it was quite refreshing.

I'll definitely be looking out for more books written by Amy Jan Stewart.

[frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Dreamscape media and Netgalley for a copy of this arc

3.5 stars rounded up for good reads

Lianne Walker has a very engaging narration style. She does her best to make each character compelling even when they are less than sympathetic.

Her style is quick and I have to admit in general I simply enjoy an accent. Despite the accent I had no trouble picking the content even at hirer speeds.

I enjoyed the prose of hex house immensely. I however did not enjoy so much the dual POV characters.

The Siobhan storyline unfortunately was far less interesting to me than the Elly one. It wasn’t even that I didn’t like Siobhan. She complicated, miserable but a real force. We just spend a lot of time in her head waiting to get to the meat of the story.

I think if t. Kingfisher hadn’t been a comp author this would have been more enjoyable.

There was this element where I feel like we weren’t quite allowed to see the girls be truly evil. Theres a real we only kill bad guys vibe and i think it would have been a bit stronger if we had had some more explicitly “bad” characters or at least more cruel?

I think a better comp would be Grady Hendrix’s house for wayward girls. This feels like the book that one was trying to be. If you picked it up and wanted it to be written by a woman this might be a great read for you.

There are moments of effective horror but I think lit fic hans might enjoy this a bit more than strictly horror fans.

The whole time I was listening I was trying to piece together the story in the most delicious way. It was a mystery unravel and I’m glad I picked it up.

I would for sure pick up more by this author.

[Lauren Bayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for fans of Weyward, this dark and feminist fairy tale, set in a rugged and eerie Scottish forest, explores the impact of trauma and the toll of both resilience and rage. I simply could not put this down; I stayed up way past too late to finish it because the third act is just that enthralling.

I honestly can't put into words just how incredible this book was. The writing is atmospheric, beautiful, and haunting. The dual POVs are both established well, each heartbreaking in its own right, and the contrast in perspectives (both in how the women receive Hex House and in how time impacts that perception) is artfully written and elevates the narrative.

A couple of random nickel-related notes:
1) If I had a nickel for every time I ended up rooting for an unlikeable Siobhan, I would have two nickels (yes, that is a Succession reference)
2) If I had a nickel for every time I actually took notes while reading, I would have two nickels because I could not put the book down long enough to bother with notes once Siobhan and Theo make it to the House.
3) If I had a nickel for every time this week I read a book about women experiencing some sort of transformation with feathers, I would have two nickels (I also read Aviary by Maria Dong, but I much prefer transformation as a form of empowerment)

Long story short: I read this in February, but I think it might already make my Best Books list for 2026.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Claire Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am honestly stuck on how to review this book. It was raw, emotional and strangely intimate. All them women in the house, caring and nurturing each other. It follows 2 women perspectives, Elly who is running from an abusive partner and desperately needs a place to hide, who stumbles upon Hex House and Siobhan who has witnessed something at the house that has changed her forever.
Hex House is a portrayed as a haven, a place where women who have had troubled or traumatic pasts, can go to so that they can heal and find new strength to go back into the world but none of them knew what the true cost of this place would be. I knew something was off about Haina but I wasn't expecting that basement scene thats for sure. I loved how Elly was welcomed into the house by the other girls though, she made friends and did find power and strength within herself. I also loved Theos character too and I now understand his reasoning with Siobhan. I loved the ending with Zara, I was so happy by that. (Can't give spoilers but it was heartwarming.)
I found this story to be a bit slow in places and did struggle with some of it but it is an intoxicating read, I struggled to put it down. You feel almost absorbed in Hex House as the women who live there are. Its going to definitely be a story that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to @titanbooks for my giveaway copy to this early proof copy. I very much appreciate it.

[RobbyReadsActually · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Amy Jane Stewart for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 3.75 rounded up to 4
Audiobook Release Date: 4/28/2026

My thoughts on the book:
I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this one, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. It's a creepy slow-burn horror set in Scotland and I thought it had an interesting take on feminine rage which was explored through magical realism.

I did enjoy the writing for the most part, with a couple exceptions. The author relies heavily on the phrases "something unnamable" or "something she couldn't name." It's an effective descriptor when used once or twice, but after seeing it pop up so many times, it started to feel like a filler phrase rather than an effective description. This is more of a pet peeve of mine that I've been noticing more and more with a lot of books, but it definitely disrupts the flow of the story for me when I come across it.

My thoughts on the audio:
That said, the audio was fantastic. Lianne Walker's narration was a real highlight for me; her accent really dialed up the atmosphere. There is just something about a Scottish accent that I've grown to appreciate so much in audiobooks lately.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time listening to this one. If you are into dark, slow-burn stories with multiple POVs, dual timelines, and a bit of Scottish folklore, I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

[Alyssa Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Titan for my gifted copy!

Sometimes, a book comes along and puts you under a unique spell. The spell is a combination of alluring and transportive writing, well developed characters, a dash of whimsy, horror, and fantasy. And birds. Of all shapes and sizes. It all fits together just right. And Hex House is that book.

I fell in love with the cover first. An almost splintering of reality, two halves of a whole being carried away by a murmuration of starlings. It is beautiful. And so is the inside.

Amy Jane Stewart, this is your DEBUT? I am knocked off my feet by it.

Her writing is profound. It is silken, like a lullaby. I was so invested in the beauty and tragedy of this book because of how well it was written.

I long to be a witch, in a house magicked to any woman who truly needs it, with roses forever growing up trellises, sun warming the gleaming glass windows, highlighting the dust motes gently floating above warm wood floors. Women draw strength from other women, and that’s what we are led to believe when we first enter Hex House. But the flip side of being witchy is that darkness. And there is plenty of it simmering below those warm wood floors. It’s that splintering of reality; the honeyed façade cracking to show the ugliness beneath.

Absolutely stellar. I cannot wait for more from Amy Jane Stewart. What beautiful words, what a beautiful story.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this for what it was. A solid horror-lite story soaked in magical realism with some really complex characters. I even found myself vibing with the much-maligned Siobhan. The beginning was really good in particular. Watching Elly work her way through that rising dread as she came to terms with the fact that she married a would-be abuser was really upsetting and compelling. Also, the mystery surrounding Hex House itself and the body horror imagery delivered.

That said, I wouldn't call this feminist. I went in expecting something like Kirsten Miller where women channel witchy vibes to get revenge on the bad men in their lives, but that’s not really what happened here. The primary threat to these women wasn't their abusive partners, but another woman claiming to save them. If I thought about it too much, the whole thing started feeling more anti-feminist than empowered. As much as I love weird lit, I think a more traditional arc where Elly found her power and took down her abuser would have hit harder.

On the audio side, Lianne Walker killed it. She perfectly captured the balance between the heavy trauma and the more magical elements. The Scottish accent made the whole thing feel like a dark, twisted fairytale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC. Hex House comes out April 28, 2026.

[Sacha · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I was excited about this because I LOVE T. Kingfisher and really enjoy Julia Armfield, Since this book is recommended for fans of these authors, I dove right into the audio. Having finished the book, I can see the general concept behind this connection, but I had some challenges with this listen.

I had a really hard time getting into this. For me, the pacing was so slow that I had to return and jump back a few chapters (yes. A few chapters) more than once because I lost track entirely of what was going on. Full disclosure, I'm sometimes listening to an audiobook and getting distracted by something important and backtracking because of that. That is not what happened here. I was in ideal listening conditions and focused, and still I kept drifting. No matter how much intention I applied, I just couldn't stay hooked. This was mostly a pacing issue, but the characters are tough and the magical realism, well...

The concept is great, and for that, I'd give this author another shot. It's also possible that we aren't a good match and that prospective readers will have a much different experience.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[cinnamonwitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

The premise of this book was so interesting and unique to me. I was super excited to read and it am still so grateful to have received an early copy.

Unfortunately, the book falls a little flat in some areas which explains my 3 star rating. Firstly, I loved the dual timeline and different POVs. Both of the girls are so totally different that it was always exciting reading each of their chapters. Sadly, Siobhan is so deeply and utterly unlikeable that I found myself really hating her as the book went on.

Secondly, the cross between reality and fantasy didn’t quite work in this book. I’m no stranger to magical realism and dark fantasy books, but this didn’t make sense to me. There was no deeper explanation about how the house or Haina came about. It just was. The ending explained how the house sustained itself, but it all felt a bit…far fetched? Maybe that’s not the right term. All I know is that the fantasy elements of this book just didn’t quite hit and it took me out of the story a bit.

Overall, it was a good book with some very strong elements that ultimately fell a little flat.

[Sanya Ruggiero · Rating 3 out of 5]

“What do they see when they look at her?…She must look like a nightmare. Like a reckoning.”

🥀Hex House by helped feed the hunger within me that I think most women (and i’m sure others) feel — the hunger to somehow break free of a physical body that feels too small to contain the multitudes that are within us; a hunger to physically express the power, rage and full spectrum of feelings that live within a body that sometimes feels too small to contain everything.

🥀This is a dark feminist fairy tale about a house set deep in a cold, isolating Scottish forest that appears when it’s needed most — offering refuge to women escaping violence, trauma, grief. At first it feels like safety….BUT not for long 🪶

🥀 This is NOT fast-paced horror; plot-heavy or action-driven: And this is not a “satisfying” or comforting read.

🥀This IS very slow-burn, dual pov timelines, deeply flawed, complex female characters; with a big dose of lush prose and magical realism.

🖤This book is definitely for those who are more interested in the journey, rather than the destination or conclusion of a story.

Is Hex House on your TBR? 👀

✨#HexHouse comes out 28th April | Thank you to #netgalley for this wonderful arc.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an eerie and atmospheric read. The setting and slow sense of dread really pulled me in, and I loved how unsettling the story became as it unfolded. Hex House feels part dark fairy tale, part psychological horror, and it kept me curious the entire time.

The book follows two timelines and two narrators - A “then” with Elly, and a “now” with Siobhan. Elly runs away on her wedding night to escape her abusive husband, ending up a Hex House. Siobhan was a one-time filmmaker who attempted to film a documentary about Hex House, but her time there has left her life in shambles. Eventually the two timelines and narratives collide, and the dark secrets of the house are revealed.

Overall I really enjoyed the experience and the ideas it explored. Definitely worth picking up if you like darker, feminist-leaning horror (which I do!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Anni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully atmospheric, Scottish-set horror story centred around a mysterious house that offers refuge to women in need of protection. The novel follows two main characters, Elly and Siobhan.

Elly is trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship that turns physical on her wedding night. With nowhere else to turn, Hex House appears as a place of sanctuary. Meanwhile, Siobhan, a filmmaker, is invited to Hex House with her brother to create a documentary, but things are not as they seem.

The story unfolds across a dual timeline, with Elly’s perspective set four years before Siobhan’s present-day narrative.

I really enjoyed the narration by Lianne Walker, who brought the Scottish setting vividly to life. While the story felt a little slow at the beginning, I became fully drawn in as more was revealed about the women of Hex House.

This is an impressive debut from Amy Jane Stewart, and I’m excited to see what she writes next. I’d recommend this to fans of Weyward by Emilia Hart.

[Shafaah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Objectively Hex House wasn't a bad book but it was a bit boring. The pacing was so slow and I found my self putting it down and not coming back to it a lot. I liked the dual pov and time line and I kept waiting for it to converge but it just took too long for me. The idea of Hex House as an entity was quite interesting but there was no pay off in the end. The two main characters, Elly and Siobhan, were OK. I found Siobhan deeply unlikeable and frustrating. She was clearly an awful person and I get why her brother wanted to stay away from her. I wanted to shake Elly every time she said "He's my husband" and in the end I was dreading her chapters because they just dragged me down. Although if I'm being honest I dreaded both characters chapters since not enough was happening to keep me interested 😞

[Tabathareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a unique and unsettling horror and it completely worked for me. The concept of Hex House felt eerie from the start, and the way the story unfolded between Elly and Siobhan added so much depth. There is something about a place that only appears when you need it that always gets under my skin, and this one did it so well.

The imagery was incredible. It was vivid, creepy, and stuck with me long after I finished. The atmosphere carried the whole story and made everything feel tense and slightly off in the best way. The story itself was so intriguing and kept me fully locked in.

Lianne Walker did such a great job with the narration and really elevated the experience. The ending was strong and landed exactly how I wanted it to. I had high expectations going in and this absolutely lived up to them. No notes!

Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the gifted copy!

[Allison Romeo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!!!

I could not put this book down!!! If you are looking for a creepy book with a little bit of "haunted" house, a little bit of witchiness, body horror, supernatural, feminine rage, and past/present timelines running alongside each other, you will love this!

The story follows the past timeline for Elly, a pregnant newlywed who is escaping her abusive husband on her wedding night, and the present timeline for Siobhan, a drunk woman making a documentary about the house in the woods that women can only find if they need to.

I felt so bad for Elly the whole book, and I hated Siobhan for most of it too, which I thought brought in a nice balance. I did catch on to the "twist" near the end fairly early on but I don't think it made a difference in my enjoyment of this book!

Thank you so much to Titan for the early copy!

[Amy A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one just wasn’t it for me. Cool concept, but the execution didn’t land.
It’s a Scottish folktale with a dual timeline woven in. Women escaping abuse by finding a magical house in the forest meant to rehab them in order to send them back into society.

My biggest issue was with the characters. Siobhan (MFC filmmaker, Theo’s sister) came off condescending and rude the entire time, Anya (second MFC POV) felt frustratingly gullible, and honestly… I didn’t connect with anyone except maybe Theo. It made it hard to stay invested. The story itself isn’t bad, and I’ll give it this - the ending does explain things and wraps up the storyline well. But overall, it just felt off and kind of weird in a way that didn’t work for me.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity!