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This House Will Feed
Win a free print copy of this book!
6 days and 04:48:06
25 copies available
U.S. only
Amidst the devastation of Ireland’s Great Famine, a young woman is salvaged from certain death when offered a mysterious position at a remote manor house haunted by a strange power and the horror of her own memories in this chillingly evocative historical novel braided with gothic horror and supernatural suspense for fans 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....
“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.”—Hester Fox, author of The Last Heir to Blackwood Library on This House Will Feed
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....
“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.”—Hester Fox, author of The Last Heir to Blackwood Library on This House Will Feed
Audible Audio
First published January 26, 2026
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About the author
Maria Tureaud
2 books189 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 243 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.
January 28, 2026
Look, I have no doubt this is a stellar read to many people. There’s nothing especially wrong with this book, it’s very well written and the story is solid. And maybe it’s me reading it at the wrong time, which seems to be the story of my life lately, but this lacked something for me. I can’t rate it higher than how I’m rating it now and I’m honestly surprised this is the case, because again, it has all the bones of being a great read.
It did not hold my attention at all, I thought it would grab it immediately because the first line definitely intrigued me. But after that, my interest significantly decreased. I only started to get more into it at the halfway mark.
I was also under the impression that this was a horror book. I kept waiting for something horror-adjacent to happen and the closest we got was all the death, famine, grief. And the odd mention of cannibalism. And maybe the witchy things that happen all over. Overall I just wouldn’t say this was a horror book, it read gothic for sure, but horror? I don’t know.
I liked that there were some Irish folklore and myth elements instilled into it, like the Cailleach. So that’s a positive.
I couldn’t connect with the main character much. And in a book like this, that’s half the experience. You have to like the writing and connect to the main character. That’s probably why it didn’t work for me, I wasn’t all the way in.
I am proud to say that I understood a lot of what was said in Gaeilge, though it wasn’t much, and I only briefly glimpsed at the pronunciation guide. I’d say that’s progress!
I have to mention that part of what kept me reading was the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I was like, let’s see what the next idiot from The Times (London, 1847) has to contribute (the answer is, nothing that won’t make you want to rip your hair off). Or, there you go, another heart wrenching quote from an Irish writer who lived through that time period, fantastic. I didn’t need my heart anyway.
Overall, I’d still recommend it. Maybe not to people who want a horror book, because I don’t think they’d find what they’re looking for here. Objectively, this is a good book. The problem lies with me and my inability to connect with the main character, that’s all. I’d give it a 3.5/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It did not hold my attention at all, I thought it would grab it immediately because the first line definitely intrigued me. But after that, my interest significantly decreased. I only started to get more into it at the halfway mark.
I was also under the impression that this was a horror book. I kept waiting for something horror-adjacent to happen and the closest we got was all the death, famine, grief. And the odd mention of cannibalism. And maybe the witchy things that happen all over. Overall I just wouldn’t say this was a horror book, it read gothic for sure, but horror? I don’t know.
I liked that there were some Irish folklore and myth elements instilled into it, like the Cailleach. So that’s a positive.
I couldn’t connect with the main character much. And in a book like this, that’s half the experience. You have to like the writing and connect to the main character. That’s probably why it didn’t work for me, I wasn’t all the way in.
I am proud to say that I understood a lot of what was said in Gaeilge, though it wasn’t much, and I only briefly glimpsed at the pronunciation guide. I’d say that’s progress!
I have to mention that part of what kept me reading was the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I was like, let’s see what the next idiot from The Times (London, 1847) has to contribute (the answer is, nothing that won’t make you want to rip your hair off). Or, there you go, another heart wrenching quote from an Irish writer who lived through that time period, fantastic. I didn’t need my heart anyway.
Overall, I’d still recommend it. Maybe not to people who want a horror book, because I don’t think they’d find what they’re looking for here. Objectively, this is a good book. The problem lies with me and my inability to connect with the main character, that’s all. I’d give it a 3.5/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2025
This House Will Feed is both a luscious Gothic, as well a poignant examination of the nature of loss and collective memory in a time of unspeakable horrors. I absolutely adored it, and look forward to what Tureaud has in store for us next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely loved every page of This House Will Feed. I started reading this about an hour after waking up and finished in the same day! If you love historical fiction, gothic horror, folklore, mysticism, multiple time lines, and rage then this one is for you.
Maggie, destitute and alone, has lost her entire family to the great famine. She has not other choice but to submit herself to the workhouse, laboring away to skin and bones. Her luck changes when the mistress of the workhouse offers her a way out - live with her and impersonate her deceased daughter Wilhelmina. If Maggie can fool Lady Catherine's solicitors she will grant Maggie true freedom. But as Maggie assumes the role of Wilhelmina she learns not all is right in Lady Catherine's house. What's worse is that Maggie starts having vivid dreams of her past, and she starts to wonder if her dreams and what haunts the house are connected.
I really enjoyed that the dream element was how we learned about Maggie. Her story is heartbreaking but even when she's at her lowest she manages to keep on going. This is a strong female character done right - she's completely believable because she adapts to each situation a little differently, and not without struggle or by being rude and outspoken.
While I guessed a lot of the plot correctly there were still some moments of surprise (mostly around the supernatural bits). I have a bit of knowledge about Irish lore from previous books and video games but I still managed to learn new things from this book. It has a pronunciation guide of the Irish words that are used throughout that I found super helpful. I enjoyed the writing, the pacing, the characters, the worldbuilding, absolutely everything. I sincerely recommend this to everyone!
I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley, which has no influence on my review.
Maggie, destitute and alone, has lost her entire family to the great famine. She has not other choice but to submit herself to the workhouse, laboring away to skin and bones. Her luck changes when the mistress of the workhouse offers her a way out - live with her and impersonate her deceased daughter Wilhelmina. If Maggie can fool Lady Catherine's solicitors she will grant Maggie true freedom. But as Maggie assumes the role of Wilhelmina she learns not all is right in Lady Catherine's house. What's worse is that Maggie starts having vivid dreams of her past, and she starts to wonder if her dreams and what haunts the house are connected.
I really enjoyed that the dream element was how we learned about Maggie. Her story is heartbreaking but even when she's at her lowest she manages to keep on going. This is a strong female character done right - she's completely believable because she adapts to each situation a little differently, and not without struggle or by being rude and outspoken.
While I guessed a lot of the plot correctly there were still some moments of surprise (mostly around the supernatural bits). I have a bit of knowledge about Irish lore from previous books and video games but I still managed to learn new things from this book. It has a pronunciation guide of the Irish words that are used throughout that I found super helpful. I enjoyed the writing, the pacing, the characters, the worldbuilding, absolutely everything. I sincerely recommend this to everyone!
I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley, which has no influence on my review.
January 16, 2026
I absolutely loved the descriptive prose and foreboding atmosphere of this gothic novel. There’s something deeply unsettling about this isolated house with a locked attic that no one is ever allowed to enter. Our main character is imitating the household’s presumed-dead daughter, but it’s clear from the start that there’s far more going on than meets the eye.
I really appreciated the historical setting and I felt for Maggie as she navigates the poverty and grief left in the wake of the Irish potato famine. She’s had a hard life, which makes her understandably cautious about trusting others. The Irish folklore elements were a major highlight, I loved learning about myths I’d never heard of before.
While much of the plot was predictable, there were still a few surprises along the way. And honestly, the writing was strong enough that the predictability didn’t bother me. Ultimately, I really loved this book, especially its rich Irish folklore and moody gothic setting.
I really appreciated the historical setting and I felt for Maggie as she navigates the poverty and grief left in the wake of the Irish potato famine. She’s had a hard life, which makes her understandably cautious about trusting others. The Irish folklore elements were a major highlight, I loved learning about myths I’d never heard of before.
While much of the plot was predictable, there were still a few surprises along the way. And honestly, the writing was strong enough that the predictability didn’t bother me. Ultimately, I really loved this book, especially its rich Irish folklore and moody gothic setting.
May 16, 2025
A Note from the Author (Content Warnings)
This book portrays one of the worst tragedies (and some argue, genocide) of the 19th Century—An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger, known simply in America as the Irish Potato Famine). The population of Ireland halved as a result, from an estimated 9 million down to just 4.5 million.
As such, depictions of extreme starvation, desolation, death (including instances of child death), possession, use of slurs, cannibalism, suicide, and murder appear on-page. This book includes epigraphs, most documenting eye-witness accounts (from Irish, British, and American observers) and should be read with caution.
As an Irish author, born and raised, the researching and writing of this book dredged up generational trauma that we as a people have not truly dealt with. Therefore I suggest native Irish readers should approach with a steady heart, and the heady knowledge that our great-great grandparents were forged in steel, and you are the freedom and legacy they dreamt of.
This book portrays one of the worst tragedies (and some argue, genocide) of the 19th Century—An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger, known simply in America as the Irish Potato Famine). The population of Ireland halved as a result, from an estimated 9 million down to just 4.5 million.
As such, depictions of extreme starvation, desolation, death (including instances of child death), possession, use of slurs, cannibalism, suicide, and murder appear on-page. This book includes epigraphs, most documenting eye-witness accounts (from Irish, British, and American observers) and should be read with caution.
As an Irish author, born and raised, the researching and writing of this book dredged up generational trauma that we as a people have not truly dealt with. Therefore I suggest native Irish readers should approach with a steady heart, and the heady knowledge that our great-great grandparents were forged in steel, and you are the freedom and legacy they dreamt of.
January 20, 2026
A historical horror done right!! This book was so atmospheric and will literally chill you to your bones. I loved the writing format and the flash backs were so well done. Im also a huge fan of supernatural elements mixed with historical elements and loved the way the author tackled this. Absolutely recommend, all the stars
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.
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
January 16, 2026
Oh. My. Goodness.
I can’t even put into words the emotions I felt while reading this book. Combining a real life devastating time, with this absolutely capturing storyline was the move of all moves. I ate this UP. Maggie was such a fierce and determined FMC, and I found myself crying with AND for her. I feel like I learned so much about this time in history, and it makes me want to do a deep dive into it to learn more.
This just earned my first 5 read of the year. Thank you to Kensington Books for my gifted copy and the opportunity to read it ❤️
I can’t even put into words the emotions I felt while reading this book. Combining a real life devastating time, with this absolutely capturing storyline was the move of all moves. I ate this UP. Maggie was such a fierce and determined FMC, and I found myself crying with AND for her. I feel like I learned so much about this time in history, and it makes me want to do a deep dive into it to learn more.
This just earned my first 5 read of the year. Thank you to Kensington Books for my gifted copy and the opportunity to read it ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Well this is such a different book than what I normally read, but I saw so many people saying it was really awesome so I was super intrigued. I loved the supernatural elements and the history, taking place during 1848 Ireland’s Great Famine. The setting of the haunted mansion was really atmospheric and gothic. This is a slower read, but the lyrical and descriptive writing style was really engaging and vivid. Sometimes I was frustrated over the MCs actions but I guess under her circumstances, it could be understandable. I'm glad I decided to check it out.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
December 31, 2025
Review to come-- suffice to say: This is my favorite book I've read this year. A powerful dive into a time many of us know next to nothing about. Maria beautifully blends incredible storytelling while holding a painful tragedy with respect and care. Can't recommend this highly enough.
January 28, 2026
✨ Rating: 3.5⭐️
🫧 Vibes: grief and survival
📖 Favourite Quote: "Finally, the life I always wanted was there for the taking. And no one - above or below - could have a say in the choices I made from this day forth."
📚 Would I recommend? I do even if it wasn't for me
💬 tldr thoughts: unfortunately it took some time for me to get hooked
In the package:
📦 gothic atmosphere
📦 resilience
📦 loss and memory
Plot: Amidst the devastation of Ireland’s Great Famine, Maggie is salvaged from death by accepting a strange position in a remote manor house haunted by a stranger power and the horror of the own memories.
Thoughts: I can see this being a hit in book clubs but unfortunately it wasn't really for me. I didn't really get many horror vibes from this book at all, I'd say it's more paranormal than anything else; it is, however horrific what the characters go through and witness. The opening line for this book was insane and I thought I would get instantly hooked but I didn't. I kept losing interest and only about 70% into it is when I started getting interested. While the pacing was the main issue for me, the writing was beautiful and this story was really heartbreaking 😩
Thank you Hambright PR and Kensington Books for the eARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: grief and survival
📖 Favourite Quote: "Finally, the life I always wanted was there for the taking. And no one - above or below - could have a say in the choices I made from this day forth."
📚 Would I recommend? I do even if it wasn't for me
💬 tldr thoughts: unfortunately it took some time for me to get hooked
In the package:
📦 gothic atmosphere
📦 resilience
📦 loss and memory
Plot: Amidst the devastation of Ireland’s Great Famine, Maggie is salvaged from death by accepting a strange position in a remote manor house haunted by a stranger power and the horror of the own memories.
Thoughts: I can see this being a hit in book clubs but unfortunately it wasn't really for me. I didn't really get many horror vibes from this book at all, I'd say it's more paranormal than anything else; it is, however horrific what the characters go through and witness. The opening line for this book was insane and I thought I would get instantly hooked but I didn't. I kept losing interest and only about 70% into it is when I started getting interested. While the pacing was the main issue for me, the writing was beautiful and this story was really heartbreaking 😩
Thank you Hambright PR and Kensington Books for the eARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This House will Feed us a slow burn Gothic horror set during the Great Famine in Ireland. While I had heard of this event, I didn't know much and the book prompted me to do some extra reading of the horrific, devastating time. We follow Maggie our FMC, who is living in a workhouse after losing her entire family. A wealthy landlord arrives with a proposition she cannot refuse and the story bounces between present and past as we learn details while also weaving in Irish lore.
The character development and relationships in this book are so well done. I was immediately attached and invested in Maggie and her story. And I also developed quite a bit of hatred and resentment for the English during that time period.
The creepiness picks up about half way through and once hitting 70% I did not want to put it down.
I don't think there was any way for me to be more satisfied with the ending. My only feedback is that I wish the pronunciation guide was in the front of the book versus the end. There's one point towards the end when the final reveals and truth are coming out, but it had been too long since I read the original perspective so I had too many questions.
Overall this book was engaging, emotional, thought provoking and satisfying. Well done. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC.
The character development and relationships in this book are so well done. I was immediately attached and invested in Maggie and her story. And I also developed quite a bit of hatred and resentment for the English during that time period.
The creepiness picks up about half way through and once hitting 70% I did not want to put it down.
I don't think there was any way for me to be more satisfied with the ending. My only feedback is that I wish the pronunciation guide was in the front of the book versus the end. There's one point towards the end when the final reveals and truth are coming out, but it had been too long since I read the original perspective so I had too many questions.
Overall this book was engaging, emotional, thought provoking and satisfying. Well done. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC.
January 28, 2026
I love a good historical thriller, but especially mixed with gothic horror. And this one….didn’t disappoint! The story was continuously unsettling/foreboding, with a main character that just couldn’t get comfortable and stayed on edge during a time in history that was riddled with trial and tribulation (which honestly, her own personal history alone makes sense for her feeling that way).The plot was mysterious and eerie, and rich in Irish culture and history, with dashes of language and folklore set in a time of the great potato famine when poverty and grief was most common. The author did a good job of making the true horrors of the time more real and devastating, while allowing for the reader to get to know our main character and also be on edge with what this mysterious house may have in store. The storytelling is a slow pace, but is proper and fitting for the story. I love a good story that has a person on the brink of desperation taking what seems like a good opportunity, but everything is likely too good to be true and it what it seems. My favorite part was the supernatural elements, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much i liked and appreciated the historical aspects since that isn’t my usual read. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author!
February 1, 2026
This managed to scare me and hurt my feelings, which is honestly impressive!! I did not go into this expecting to cry during a horror novel, but it caught me off guard.
Not only does this take place during the Irish Potato Famine, but it ropes in Irish folklore too so you get this twisty horror story with historical elements. Every time I thought I understood what was going to happen it pivoted into something darker.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone in the mood for a good emo horror read, but please check the author's content warnings first!
Not only does this take place during the Irish Potato Famine, but it ropes in Irish folklore too so you get this twisty horror story with historical elements. Every time I thought I understood what was going to happen it pivoted into something darker.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone in the mood for a good emo horror read, but please check the author's content warnings first!
January 20, 2026
✨6 stars ✨
Every chapter had me clutching my chest like a sickly Victorian woman about to faint. A gothic heartbeat dressed as poetic fantasy.
The kind of sadness in the pages sits with you and haunts you until the grief crawls under your skin. Dripping with quiet, unsettling melancholy.
This dark gothic fantasy is perfect for fans of One Dark Window, The Knight and The Moth, Alchemised, and In The Veins of the Drowning.
Immediately preordered. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC!
Every chapter had me clutching my chest like a sickly Victorian woman about to faint. A gothic heartbeat dressed as poetic fantasy.
The kind of sadness in the pages sits with you and haunts you until the grief crawls under your skin. Dripping with quiet, unsettling melancholy.
This dark gothic fantasy is perfect for fans of One Dark Window, The Knight and The Moth, Alchemised, and In The Veins of the Drowning.
Immediately preordered. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC!
January 30, 2026
Love a good historical fiction with Gothic Horror vibes. Writing flows. Dual tinelines keep you intrigued. Definitely recommend
🍀 Irish Author
🏚️ Haunted House
🖤 Gothic Horror
💫 Irish Folklore
📖 Historical Fiction
⏳ Dual Timelines
❤️🔥 Female Rage
🎧Audiobook Narrator has a soothing beautiful voice that adds to the atmosphere. Definitely recommend the audio
🍀 Irish Author
🏚️ Haunted House
🖤 Gothic Horror
💫 Irish Folklore
📖 Historical Fiction
⏳ Dual Timelines
❤️🔥 Female Rage
🎧Audiobook Narrator has a soothing beautiful voice that adds to the atmosphere. Definitely recommend the audio
January 1, 2026
An Gorta Mór (Ireland’s Great Famine/Great Hunger) is a moment in history that lends itself well to being the setting of a Gothic horror. Tureaud expertly entwines the historical details of a genocide into a tale of the supernatural while honoring the million of real people who died along with the generational trauma that continues to present day. My heart broke as Maggie began to remember the details of what happened between when she expected to marry Teddy and when Lady Catherine takes her out of the Ennis workhouse.
The Cailleach was the perfect threat to drive the plot and Lady Catherine's house with a village that appeared to be surviving a little bit better than the rest of Ireland was just the right setting for Maggie to work through her grief while also facing some supernatural horrors.
This is one of those reads that delivers both a perfectly unsettling slow burn of a Gothic horror while also showing how terrible true events can be. It'll stick with you long after you turn the last page.
The cover art is stunning too.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
The Cailleach was the perfect threat to drive the plot and Lady Catherine's house with a village that appeared to be surviving a little bit better than the rest of Ireland was just the right setting for Maggie to work through her grief while also facing some supernatural horrors.
This is one of those reads that delivers both a perfectly unsettling slow burn of a Gothic horror while also showing how terrible true events can be. It'll stick with you long after you turn the last page.
The cover art is stunning too.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2026
MINI REVIEW: 5🌟
I don’t read horror or stories based on real-life events where there’s suffering — I feel it too much — in my heart. I took a chance on reading This House Will Feed based on the blurb and told myself I wouldn’t read it at night. I’m not going to lie, I read this book in less than two days. The gothic horror aspect did not outweigh the suffering, which, in my opinion, is the real horror. I cried and cried, even though I had an inkling of what the end would bring. Then at the end, I cried some more because, while this story is a work of fiction, the FMC, Maggie, was written to live during Ireland’s Great Famine. And Maggie f•ck•ing suffered.
Will I recommend This House Will Feed to my friends? Honestly, no.
Will I recommend this book in general? Yes.
This House Will Feed is a story that will stay with me for a very long time.
If you decide to take a chance on this book… DO NOT ENTER … until you read the content warning in its entirety.
I don’t read horror or stories based on real-life events where there’s suffering — I feel it too much — in my heart. I took a chance on reading This House Will Feed based on the blurb and told myself I wouldn’t read it at night. I’m not going to lie, I read this book in less than two days. The gothic horror aspect did not outweigh the suffering, which, in my opinion, is the real horror. I cried and cried, even though I had an inkling of what the end would bring. Then at the end, I cried some more because, while this story is a work of fiction, the FMC, Maggie, was written to live during Ireland’s Great Famine. And Maggie f•ck•ing suffered.
Will I recommend This House Will Feed to my friends? Honestly, no.
Will I recommend this book in general? Yes.
This House Will Feed is a story that will stay with me for a very long time.
If you decide to take a chance on this book… DO NOT ENTER … until you read the content warning in its entirety.
January 26, 2026
Thank you the publisher and Goodreads for a gifted copy!
📖 Book Review 📖 As you drive along the hilly ridges of Ireland, if you look closely, you will see the haunting reminders of the Great Irish Famine. Along the peaty, bogged soil are the furrowed fields that bear witness to the intersection of a scientific and socioeconomic crisis that changed history. Maria Tureaud delivers a chilling, atmospheric read that lures readers into a grim and dark look at the past.
Maggie has lost it all but the opportunity to escape the workhouse perhaps isn’t what it seems at all…This House Will Feed combines Irish literature and folklore with a twist of gothic elements to produce one heartbreakingly powerful novel. But in the midst of the fog and famine is a tale of resilience that pushes through with fortitude and adversity in the face of oppression.
📖 Book Review 📖 As you drive along the hilly ridges of Ireland, if you look closely, you will see the haunting reminders of the Great Irish Famine. Along the peaty, bogged soil are the furrowed fields that bear witness to the intersection of a scientific and socioeconomic crisis that changed history. Maria Tureaud delivers a chilling, atmospheric read that lures readers into a grim and dark look at the past.
Maggie has lost it all but the opportunity to escape the workhouse perhaps isn’t what it seems at all…This House Will Feed combines Irish literature and folklore with a twist of gothic elements to produce one heartbreakingly powerful novel. But in the midst of the fog and famine is a tale of resilience that pushes through with fortitude and adversity in the face of oppression.
January 27, 2026
Wow! This book was well written and very atmospheric. It is a supernatural gothic horror set during the Irish Potato Famine. The FMC Maggie endured unimaginable horrors losing everything including her family and the man she loved with all her heart. Maggie ends up in a workhouse with no future. One day a mysterious lady appears and promises her a future that includes her own land and home. She also gives Maggie a chance for vengeance and she takes it. What does she have to lose? What transpires next is heart wrenching and horrific. This book was a haunting read that stayed with me long after I finished it.
January 16, 2026
This book was heartbreaking, incredibly well-written, and full of thrilling gothic/horror elements. It was a little slow at times, but I think it was necessary to create the level of depth and complexity this story needed.
I felt so many emotions while reading this but was overall very happy (albeit with complicated feelings) with how everything unfolded. Maggie was the perfect FMC for this book. She faced an unimaginable reality and I was completely captivated by her story. I appreciated how the twists and details were incorporated throughout the story and how the timelines were woven together to create something so special.
(I also strongly recommend reading the author’s note to fully grasp the importance of this book.)
I felt so many emotions while reading this but was overall very happy (albeit with complicated feelings) with how everything unfolded. Maggie was the perfect FMC for this book. She faced an unimaginable reality and I was completely captivated by her story. I appreciated how the twists and details were incorporated throughout the story and how the timelines were woven together to create something so special.
(I also strongly recommend reading the author’s note to fully grasp the importance of this book.)
January 15, 2026
Fuck the English on God
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.
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.
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.
January 29, 2026
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.
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!
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