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House of Carter: The Crimson Bond
Where magic commands power and the wood whispers the truth you seek.
On the eve of the Carter heir’s coronation, a fisherman discovers the body of the young heir washed ashore in the wreckage of a sunken vessel. His death sends shockwaves through the magic realm, thrusting Lady Isabella Carter into a position she never expected—nor ever prepared for.
Isabella stands poised between glory and ruin, haunted by family secrets, political rivals, and the curse that coils around her inheritance like a tightening noose.
She is feared. Admired. Destined for greatness.
But never—under any circumstance—meant to love a Terra.
When Ines Reinner, a humble herbalist with fiery red hair and no magic to her name, crosses her path, the two collide with the force of fate itself. What begins as hatred, resentment, and razor-edged tension slowly ignites into something far more dangerous
House of Carter beckons readers into a darkly enchanting tale—an 1800s-inspired world of Power, Fate, and Forbidden Devotion that will leave you breathless, yearning, and unable to turn away.
If you love villainous women, sapphic dark fantasy romance, and tension sharp enough to cut... Welcome to Everwood.
©2024 Greycashmere.
Isabella stands poised between glory and ruin, haunted by family secrets, political rivals, and the curse that coils around her inheritance like a tightening noose.
She is feared. Admired. Destined for greatness.
But never—under any circumstance—meant to love a Terra.
When Ines Reinner, a humble herbalist with fiery red hair and no magic to her name, crosses her path, the two collide with the force of fate itself. What begins as hatred, resentment, and razor-edged tension slowly ignites into something far more dangerous
House of Carter beckons readers into a darkly enchanting tale—an 1800s-inspired world of Power, Fate, and Forbidden Devotion that will leave you breathless, yearning, and unable to turn away.
If you love villainous women, sapphic dark fantasy romance, and tension sharp enough to cut... Welcome to Everwood.
©2024 Greycashmere.
- GenresLesbian
442 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 29, 2025
4 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Grey Cashmere
2 books5 followersGrey Cashmere is a Thai self-published author. She has an MA in Communication and IMC from Suffolk University in Boston. Her strong pursuit lies in sapphic romance, a love unbound by gender or time. Cashmere began her self-published journey in 2021, with 7 published works to date. She currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand, with her family and three mischievous kittens, who ensure her writing breaks are never too quiet.
When she’s not writing, she can be found on social media sharing her love for storytelling and handcrafted creations. Instagram: @greycashmere_ and TikTok/X: @greycashmere21
Discover more of her work at greycashmere.com
When she’s not writing, she can be found on social media sharing her love for storytelling and handcrafted creations. Instagram: @greycashmere_ and TikTok/X: @greycashmere21
Discover more of her work at greycashmere.com
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 22, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 (3.5 stars, rounded up here)
This was the first fantasy book I’ve ever read and I have to admit that I was positively surprised by it.
“House of Carter: The Crimson Bond” shines with its dark atmosphere and really well constructed story building. We start by getting to know Isabella’s (Mrs. Carter) backstory as to how she even became the head of the House of Carter and through all these twist and turns, and also Flashbacks, we eventually also get to know Ines (a low Terra) who has to jump in as a gardener at the Castle because her father is sick. Over the course of several weeks the two eventually get closer and through a pretty good turn also end up on an adventure together, where they find out more about themselves and each other than any of them would’ve ever imagined.
Though, I did like the story itself, the characters and the general pace as well as the writing. This isn’t a full 4 stars for me yet because this book just didn’t wow me. It was a satisfying read, one that I will remember now whenever I think of fantasy and one that made me realize that a fantasy read isn’t all too bad.
However, I want to acknowledge that the story was good! I really loved the sapphic storyline and the character development of Isabella’s. I also want to give probs to the author for putting SO much research and attention to detail into this piece. Every character, every place and even the other royal families that were mentioned felt like it all had a real story behind them too and I adored this. Besides that, I liked how the story never felt boring and how one could even fly through the book because it kept a steady and interesting pace.
Overall, a very nice 3.5 star read for me and one which I recommend even as a person who’s never read a fantasy in her life before.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for a honest and voluntarily given review.
This was the first fantasy book I’ve ever read and I have to admit that I was positively surprised by it.
“House of Carter: The Crimson Bond” shines with its dark atmosphere and really well constructed story building. We start by getting to know Isabella’s (Mrs. Carter) backstory as to how she even became the head of the House of Carter and through all these twist and turns, and also Flashbacks, we eventually also get to know Ines (a low Terra) who has to jump in as a gardener at the Castle because her father is sick. Over the course of several weeks the two eventually get closer and through a pretty good turn also end up on an adventure together, where they find out more about themselves and each other than any of them would’ve ever imagined.
Though, I did like the story itself, the characters and the general pace as well as the writing. This isn’t a full 4 stars for me yet because this book just didn’t wow me. It was a satisfying read, one that I will remember now whenever I think of fantasy and one that made me realize that a fantasy read isn’t all too bad.
However, I want to acknowledge that the story was good! I really loved the sapphic storyline and the character development of Isabella’s. I also want to give probs to the author for putting SO much research and attention to detail into this piece. Every character, every place and even the other royal families that were mentioned felt like it all had a real story behind them too and I adored this. Besides that, I liked how the story never felt boring and how one could even fly through the book because it kept a steady and interesting pace.
Overall, a very nice 3.5 star read for me and one which I recommend even as a person who’s never read a fantasy in her life before.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for a honest and voluntarily given review.
March 19, 2026
☆☆☆.5
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher & the author for providing me with a digital arc
The plot and the concept of this book was really interesting. One of the only things bothering me a bit were the mistakes in the translation (since this is a translated book), but I can pretty easily look past that. However, another thing bothering me a lot were the frequent time-jumps. It was like the author gave us a bunch of information and problems, but instead of exploring this and solving the problems, we were just given a time-jump. The first one was 17 years! And that just kept happening, even though the years decreased. The only place where it felt natural with a time-jump was at the end. One thing I did like a lot, though was the mixed-media, the letters and the pictures. They were a nice touch.
Despite this being just ”ok”, I still enjoyed it and I would recommend
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher & the author for providing me with a digital arc
The plot and the concept of this book was really interesting. One of the only things bothering me a bit were the mistakes in the translation (since this is a translated book), but I can pretty easily look past that. However, another thing bothering me a lot were the frequent time-jumps. It was like the author gave us a bunch of information and problems, but instead of exploring this and solving the problems, we were just given a time-jump. The first one was 17 years! And that just kept happening, even though the years decreased. The only place where it felt natural with a time-jump was at the end. One thing I did like a lot, though was the mixed-media, the letters and the pictures. They were a nice touch.
Despite this being just ”ok”, I still enjoyed it and I would recommend
February 28, 2026
This book had some good and bad aspects. I enjoyed the worldbuilding, which was a great mix of magical fantasy and a historical setting. I also really liked the characters at the beginning of the book. Isabella especially intrigued me and I was curious to learn more about her.
I did not like the pacing of the story. The chapters exist of very short scenes and there are huge time skips sometimes. Big events had very little buildup and were sometimes handled in only a few sentences. The writing style was also not my thing. There is a lot of telling instead of showing, with sentences along the lines of "she was doing XYZ because she felt scared" and "when she was hearing this, she did XYZ, because she was feeling XYZ." It felt like I was reading a report instead of being invited to empathize with the characters. The combination of this pacing and writing style made it hard to get into the story.
So although the setting and characters were great, the story wasn't really for me because of some issues with pacing and style.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I did not like the pacing of the story. The chapters exist of very short scenes and there are huge time skips sometimes. Big events had very little buildup and were sometimes handled in only a few sentences. The writing style was also not my thing. There is a lot of telling instead of showing, with sentences along the lines of "she was doing XYZ because she felt scared" and "when she was hearing this, she did XYZ, because she was feeling XYZ." It felt like I was reading a report instead of being invited to empathize with the characters. The combination of this pacing and writing style made it hard to get into the story.
So although the setting and characters were great, the story wasn't really for me because of some issues with pacing and style.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 25, 2026
House of Carter is beautifully written, the first page drew me in.
I like the concept that your fated love has a matching mark on their body as you.
The magic system had elements that were quite interesting but parts of it felt like it was lost amongst it all.
It’s definitely betrays female struggle, power dynamics quite well. How that to survive, you must be as cruel as others.
The Forbidden part was a bit of a grey area. The book highlights forbidden and taboo between different species but there is cases of where it seems a blind eye is turned to it?
All and all I enjoyed the book. Definitely an adult dark romantasy. The art within the book is stunning.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.
I like the concept that your fated love has a matching mark on their body as you.
The magic system had elements that were quite interesting but parts of it felt like it was lost amongst it all.
It’s definitely betrays female struggle, power dynamics quite well. How that to survive, you must be as cruel as others.
The Forbidden part was a bit of a grey area. The book highlights forbidden and taboo between different species but there is cases of where it seems a blind eye is turned to it?
All and all I enjoyed the book. Definitely an adult dark romantasy. The art within the book is stunning.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2026
[acquired on netgalley for honest review]
4.5 stars rounded !
This book was juicy perfection!
The atmosphere building is next-level impressive with lush descriptions and beautiful illustrations that immerse the reader in the novel immediately. Whether the reader is meant to feel impressed, disgusted, nervous, etc., all of it came through.
Despite the novel largely centring on Isabella, all of the other characters are introduced well and feel complex and dynamic. Isabella herself is a very interesting character who doesn't always make the most moral decisions, however you can see how she is influenced by her personal history with trauma and the relationships she has held in her lifetime. The repercussions of her actions are also acknowledged.
The tension between Isabella and Ines was electric and I loved how their relationship developed over the course of the novel.
My one minor ask is that I would have loved to see more depth on the magic system introduced in the novel. Otherwise, the worldbuilding was great, and I could truly picture the world that our characters were living in.
I commend the translator for translating the artistry of the original text into English. I'm looking forward to seeing more from this author if any of her other books are translated into English.
4.5 stars rounded !
This book was juicy perfection!
The atmosphere building is next-level impressive with lush descriptions and beautiful illustrations that immerse the reader in the novel immediately. Whether the reader is meant to feel impressed, disgusted, nervous, etc., all of it came through.
Despite the novel largely centring on Isabella, all of the other characters are introduced well and feel complex and dynamic. Isabella herself is a very interesting character who doesn't always make the most moral decisions, however you can see how she is influenced by her personal history with trauma and the relationships she has held in her lifetime. The repercussions of her actions are also acknowledged.
The tension between Isabella and Ines was electric and I loved how their relationship developed over the course of the novel.
My one minor ask is that I would have loved to see more depth on the magic system introduced in the novel. Otherwise, the worldbuilding was great, and I could truly picture the world that our characters were living in.
I commend the translator for translating the artistry of the original text into English. I'm looking forward to seeing more from this author if any of her other books are translated into English.
March 16, 2026
4.25
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.
The story centres around the Carter family and the complicated relationships that come with power, loyalty, and old grudges. A lot of the tension comes from the idea of the "crimson bond", which ties the characters together in ways that are emotional, messy, and sometimes dangerous. The book does a good job of slowly revealing secrets about the family's past, so I was constantly learning new things that shifted how I saw the characters throughout.
One of the highlights is definitely the characters. They're not perfect people, actually, most of them are pretty flawed, but that's what makes them interesting. You get betrayals, shifting alliances, and moments where you're not sure who to trust. If you like morally grey characters and complicated relationships, this book delivers.
The writing style is pretty smooth and atmospheric. Grey Cashmere leans into descriptive scenes and emotional tension, which helps build the story's moody tone. I really enjoyed how, at times, the pacing would slow down a bit in the middle when the book focused heavily on internal thoughts and family politics, which really worked for me as I was invested in the characters.
Overall, House of Carter is a solid pick if you enjoy dramatic family sagas with secrets, romance, and a darker edge.
Quick thoughts:
👍 Strong, flawed characters
👍 Lots of secrets and drama
👍 Dark, moody atmosphere
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.
The story centres around the Carter family and the complicated relationships that come with power, loyalty, and old grudges. A lot of the tension comes from the idea of the "crimson bond", which ties the characters together in ways that are emotional, messy, and sometimes dangerous. The book does a good job of slowly revealing secrets about the family's past, so I was constantly learning new things that shifted how I saw the characters throughout.
One of the highlights is definitely the characters. They're not perfect people, actually, most of them are pretty flawed, but that's what makes them interesting. You get betrayals, shifting alliances, and moments where you're not sure who to trust. If you like morally grey characters and complicated relationships, this book delivers.
The writing style is pretty smooth and atmospheric. Grey Cashmere leans into descriptive scenes and emotional tension, which helps build the story's moody tone. I really enjoyed how, at times, the pacing would slow down a bit in the middle when the book focused heavily on internal thoughts and family politics, which really worked for me as I was invested in the characters.
Overall, House of Carter is a solid pick if you enjoy dramatic family sagas with secrets, romance, and a darker edge.
Quick thoughts:
👍 Strong, flawed characters
👍 Lots of secrets and drama
👍 Dark, moody atmosphere
March 24, 2026
2.5 stars
Received as an ARC from netgalley - firstly this book was beautifully written, the atmosphere and worldbuilding were so compelling and the best thing about the book for me.
However, I wasn’t particularly interested in the story and if I wasn’t reading it as an ARC I probably would’ve DNFed around the halfway mark. The story and magic systems were hard to follow at times, and I felt like the romance wasn’t developed enough to justify the way the characters described their feelings about it.
I can definitely see why people would rate this book higher though, I think more gothic fantasy books can just be hit or miss for me sometimes!
Thank you the netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Received as an ARC from netgalley - firstly this book was beautifully written, the atmosphere and worldbuilding were so compelling and the best thing about the book for me.
However, I wasn’t particularly interested in the story and if I wasn’t reading it as an ARC I probably would’ve DNFed around the halfway mark. The story and magic systems were hard to follow at times, and I felt like the romance wasn’t developed enough to justify the way the characters described their feelings about it.
I can definitely see why people would rate this book higher though, I think more gothic fantasy books can just be hit or miss for me sometimes!
Thank you the netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
March 25, 2026
Me gustó mucho la ambientación, las descripciones super atmosfericas y poeticas. Pero en relación a la historia, me sentí muy perdida por momentos, no sentí que había un objetivo claro de la protagonista. Además con tantos saltos temporales, nunca llegué a conectar o encariñarme con los personajes.
Me gusta mucho que sea queer!! Es un libro muy entretenido para leer, siempre está pasando algo, pero siento que me faltó algo, no puedo dilucidar qué, pero no me terminó de convencer al 100%. Ciertas cosas quedan poco claras, el funcionamiento del mundo, el sistema de magia y esa sensación de que no hay realmente un conflicto tan fuerte como para contar una historia.
Me gusta mucho que sea queer!! Es un libro muy entretenido para leer, siempre está pasando algo, pero siento que me faltó algo, no puedo dilucidar qué, pero no me terminó de convencer al 100%. Ciertas cosas quedan poco claras, el funcionamiento del mundo, el sistema de magia y esa sensación de que no hay realmente un conflicto tan fuerte como para contar una historia.
January 30, 2026
House of Carter: The Crimson Bond is the first book I’ve read by this author. I enjoyed it very much. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it in the beginning but I continued reading and fell in love with these characters. I also found out this book was not originally written in English which surprised me, because it is very well translated.
I enjoyed the writing style in this, though I am not sure if it was intended that way by the author or if by the nature of translation, it ended up that way. It felt almost Shakespearean in the way that it gives you a feeling of romance in the words. I found it charming and beautiful. I felt the love between Ines and Bella, I felt the pain they both experienced when that time came, and I found myself aching for them in the end. The length of this book was a bit daunting as longer books tend to get a bit boring, and I anticipated taking the entire month to read it. I finished it in two days, and that’s a sign of great storytelling.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest feedback. I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I can’t wait to see what they write next.
I enjoyed the writing style in this, though I am not sure if it was intended that way by the author or if by the nature of translation, it ended up that way. It felt almost Shakespearean in the way that it gives you a feeling of romance in the words. I found it charming and beautiful. I felt the love between Ines and Bella, I felt the pain they both experienced when that time came, and I found myself aching for them in the end. The length of this book was a bit daunting as longer books tend to get a bit boring, and I anticipated taking the entire month to read it. I finished it in two days, and that’s a sign of great storytelling.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest feedback. I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I can’t wait to see what they write next.
February 15, 2026
House of Carter was exactly the dark, angsty, forbidden love story I’d been in the mood for lately. The world building was rich and beautiful. The writing style snagged my attention immediately. The characters jumped off the page. The family dynamics were interesting and the bond between Bella and Ines was palpable. I truly felt for these characters and was invested in their story. I’d never heard of or read anything by this author before, but I look forward to more of their work in the future.
February 5, 2026
House of Carter the crimson bond is tender, heartfelt, and emotional sapphic romance and was very beautifully written!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Did not finish
February 21, 2026DNF @ 6% 🤡
March 3, 2026
This is the first time in a long time I wished for a 400+ page book to be longer. The setting is lovely and so well done and I've grown to love the characters.
However, I did feel like there was barely any time to actually meet the characters because of the pacing. I flew through this book, but struggled to be emotionally invested.
The character development did make up for a lot of it, but if there was more time with the characters, less telling and more showing, it might've been a 4.5 star or even a 5 star book. The ending also felt a little rushed.
I didn't even realise it was a translated book until the end, so props to the translator!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
However, I did feel like there was barely any time to actually meet the characters because of the pacing. I flew through this book, but struggled to be emotionally invested.
The character development did make up for a lot of it, but if there was more time with the characters, less telling and more showing, it might've been a 4.5 star or even a 5 star book. The ending also felt a little rushed.
I didn't even realise it was a translated book until the end, so props to the translator!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2026
Everwood felt vivid, and visually cinematic. I could completely see it play out in my mind like a film. It’s one of the strongest elements of the book.
Bella’s character development stood out as especially compelling. Her emotional growth, internal conflict, and evolving sense of duty were layered well. Lyra, too, is wonderfully complex and magnetic whenever she appears on the page.
The three sisters personalities were distinct yet cohesive, and their dynamic added richness to the narrative. However, I genuinely think there could be more storyline from each of them. There is enough depth there to carry future installments.
Although the main leads are fated mates and the chemistry is definitely present, I personally wished for a stronger emotional connection between them. The romantic framework is undeniably well written but the deeper emotional bond could benefit from more shared vulnerability to truly land with full impact.
In terms of pacing and depth, the story occasionally feels rushed. With such a beautifully built world, I found myself wanting a deeper look into Everwood’s lore and more motivation for certain secondary characters. The potential is huge, and extending certain arcs or slowing key transitions could elevate the story even further. This world is rich enough to support a longer novel or an expanded series.
If you’re expecting a mix of mystery or action driven plot you should know that this book leans more toward character centered drama rather than detective style intrigue and it succeeds on that front.
Overall, it’s worth reading. The emotional beats, especially surrounding love, loss, identity, and legacy, are powerful. The attention to detail, from cultural nuances to visual descriptions is impressive, I can tell that the author poured genuine passion into the craft. With a bit more depth and breathing room, it could be truly exceptional:)
Bella’s character development stood out as especially compelling. Her emotional growth, internal conflict, and evolving sense of duty were layered well. Lyra, too, is wonderfully complex and magnetic whenever she appears on the page.
The three sisters personalities were distinct yet cohesive, and their dynamic added richness to the narrative. However, I genuinely think there could be more storyline from each of them. There is enough depth there to carry future installments.
Although the main leads are fated mates and the chemistry is definitely present, I personally wished for a stronger emotional connection between them. The romantic framework is undeniably well written but the deeper emotional bond could benefit from more shared vulnerability to truly land with full impact.
In terms of pacing and depth, the story occasionally feels rushed. With such a beautifully built world, I found myself wanting a deeper look into Everwood’s lore and more motivation for certain secondary characters. The potential is huge, and extending certain arcs or slowing key transitions could elevate the story even further. This world is rich enough to support a longer novel or an expanded series.
If you’re expecting a mix of mystery or action driven plot you should know that this book leans more toward character centered drama rather than detective style intrigue and it succeeds on that front.
Overall, it’s worth reading. The emotional beats, especially surrounding love, loss, identity, and legacy, are powerful. The attention to detail, from cultural nuances to visual descriptions is impressive, I can tell that the author poured genuine passion into the craft. With a bit more depth and breathing room, it could be truly exceptional:)
February 9, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. It was beautiful written and the character development was done phenomenally. I enjoyed every second of this book and hoped this book would never end.
January 22, 2026
This was everything that was promised, I enjoyed the forbidden love of this story and how it uses the dark fantasy element to that love. It had that feel that I was expecting and enjoyed about this type of book and thought the enemy to lover concept worked well and was realistic in this world. The characters were so well written and I enjoyed getting into their world and story. Grey Cashmere was able to weave the 1800s element perfectly to tell the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 17, 2026
I was given this book complimentary from Book Sirens in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily for providing this review.
I do not normally read translated books as however good the translator I always feel something is lost in the process. In this case the arc was in English and I did not realize that Grey Cashmere is Thai. I enjoyed this book so if I get sone free time I will probably try to find a copy in the original language (yes, I can read Thai)
This is a book that you grow to love as you are reading it. initially it feels like a bit o fa stuffy period piece with an unlikeable main character who you start to dislike more as the plot unfolds. Then things begin to shift and motives become clearer and your perspective on Bella begins to change. Do not pick up this book expecting edge of the seat action or spectacular mage battles, this book is all about the people, Bella, her parents, sisters, aunt and the other people in her orbit who change her character for better or worse. The society and settings are dark bringing to mind some of the novels of Charles Dickens. The world would be a joyless place were it not for the "fated mates" and even these are often a cause for sorrow when inevitable the bond crosses the social divide between mages and Terrras (non magic folk like muggles) or equally as bad between mates of the same gender, The penalty for either of these transgressions is not specified but the penalties are severe enough to make these folk leave the country.
This is a dark novel but ultimately one of hope that people can ditch their emotional baggage and change for the better. It also shows how your assumptions about people can be wrong, those you initially see as white are black and others you dislike are not what you think.
If you love novels driven by personality and character or are a fan of well crafted sapphic romances this is a book for you "to read" list. Five stars.
I do not normally read translated books as however good the translator I always feel something is lost in the process. In this case the arc was in English and I did not realize that Grey Cashmere is Thai. I enjoyed this book so if I get sone free time I will probably try to find a copy in the original language (yes, I can read Thai)
This is a book that you grow to love as you are reading it. initially it feels like a bit o fa stuffy period piece with an unlikeable main character who you start to dislike more as the plot unfolds. Then things begin to shift and motives become clearer and your perspective on Bella begins to change. Do not pick up this book expecting edge of the seat action or spectacular mage battles, this book is all about the people, Bella, her parents, sisters, aunt and the other people in her orbit who change her character for better or worse. The society and settings are dark bringing to mind some of the novels of Charles Dickens. The world would be a joyless place were it not for the "fated mates" and even these are often a cause for sorrow when inevitable the bond crosses the social divide between mages and Terrras (non magic folk like muggles) or equally as bad between mates of the same gender, The penalty for either of these transgressions is not specified but the penalties are severe enough to make these folk leave the country.
This is a dark novel but ultimately one of hope that people can ditch their emotional baggage and change for the better. It also shows how your assumptions about people can be wrong, those you initially see as white are black and others you dislike are not what you think.
If you love novels driven by personality and character or are a fan of well crafted sapphic romances this is a book for you "to read" list. Five stars.
February 13, 2026
Thank you Netgalley and Grey Cashmere for providing me with a copy of House of Carter: The Crimson Bond in exchange for my honest review.
I was excited to receive a copy of House of Carter to prepare to immerse myself in a world of gothic (gleaned from the cover) lesbians (from the synopsis). (Who doesn’t love gothic lesbians, am I right?) I am sorry to say, I did not receive what I was looking for, and while completing the story may have offered me what I was looking for, I chose to DNF this book at 26%.
There were a variety of reasons I chose to DNF House of Carter, but the largest was the writing and structure of the novel. The physical structure of the book was chaotic in that a lot of spaces were missing between words, as well as a lot of grammatical mistakes that would abruptly disconnect me from the story as a whole. While these were jarring, this is of course, an arc and also a translated novel from what I can tell, so I was willing to overlook it for the most part, believing they would be corrected in the final proof. More than this though, was both the pacing and actual word usage. The author chose to skip large swaths of time and present us with an almost episodic structure, even within single chapters. This means I never cared about our characters and I never felt the atmosphere. While the main character is objectively a bad person, by 26% I should have been invested enough in her to want to see how her story played out, but I didn’t. I had no sympathy for her and her situation because of how she treated others; and I also didn’t care enough to want to see her downfall. My apathy is the reason I chose to walk away from the story.
I don’t read manga that often, so I’m not very familiar with the types of readers who do, but I think this sort of story may appeal to manga readers more than traditional novel readers because of its episodic nature. You’re only getting (what I assume) will eventually be the important parts, and you’re skipping all of the mundanity and detail. Overall, every book has it’s reader, it just wasn’t me for this one.
I was excited to receive a copy of House of Carter to prepare to immerse myself in a world of gothic (gleaned from the cover) lesbians (from the synopsis). (Who doesn’t love gothic lesbians, am I right?) I am sorry to say, I did not receive what I was looking for, and while completing the story may have offered me what I was looking for, I chose to DNF this book at 26%.
There were a variety of reasons I chose to DNF House of Carter, but the largest was the writing and structure of the novel. The physical structure of the book was chaotic in that a lot of spaces were missing between words, as well as a lot of grammatical mistakes that would abruptly disconnect me from the story as a whole. While these were jarring, this is of course, an arc and also a translated novel from what I can tell, so I was willing to overlook it for the most part, believing they would be corrected in the final proof. More than this though, was both the pacing and actual word usage. The author chose to skip large swaths of time and present us with an almost episodic structure, even within single chapters. This means I never cared about our characters and I never felt the atmosphere. While the main character is objectively a bad person, by 26% I should have been invested enough in her to want to see how her story played out, but I didn’t. I had no sympathy for her and her situation because of how she treated others; and I also didn’t care enough to want to see her downfall. My apathy is the reason I chose to walk away from the story.
I don’t read manga that often, so I’m not very familiar with the types of readers who do, but I think this sort of story may appeal to manga readers more than traditional novel readers because of its episodic nature. You’re only getting (what I assume) will eventually be the important parts, and you’re skipping all of the mundanity and detail. Overall, every book has it’s reader, it just wasn’t me for this one.
March 8, 2026
A fated mates high fantasy drama with a sapphic romance.
This writing style is good and descriptive but the problem was the haphazard way it was written, where a lot of relevant details are skipped for the sake of brevity but leaves the reader confused and wondering about how exactly things progressed or happened. It diminishes the enjoyment and reading experience making it feel rushed and bewildering.
The character development and interactions felt almost one dimensional with little elaboration and emphasis on the characters' relationship and connections with each other. It just raises more questions than answers which was quite annoying.
The world building was rather dismal suffering the same brevity and summarization as other parts of the story.
The problem with fated mates tropes is it's usually insta-attraction focusing more on physical intimacy without any real emotional bonding. Though in this case it tied in well with the plot of the story.
Overall I really liked the story though I despised all the arrogance and feelings of entitlements and class racism of the ruling elites that pervaded throughout the book.
Apart from that there were a few formatting, grammatical and translation errors but they were minor and did not impact the overall reading flow.
This writing style is good and descriptive but the problem was the haphazard way it was written, where a lot of relevant details are skipped for the sake of brevity but leaves the reader confused and wondering about how exactly things progressed or happened. It diminishes the enjoyment and reading experience making it feel rushed and bewildering.
The character development and interactions felt almost one dimensional with little elaboration and emphasis on the characters' relationship and connections with each other. It just raises more questions than answers which was quite annoying.
The world building was rather dismal suffering the same brevity and summarization as other parts of the story.
The problem with fated mates tropes is it's usually insta-attraction focusing more on physical intimacy without any real emotional bonding. Though in this case it tied in well with the plot of the story.
Overall I really liked the story though I despised all the arrogance and feelings of entitlements and class racism of the ruling elites that pervaded throughout the book.
Apart from that there were a few formatting, grammatical and translation errors but they were minor and did not impact the overall reading flow.
March 30, 2026
I really liked this :,)
I didn’t know what I was going to get when I started to read this but I had a lot of fun. I liked the relationship that the sisters had and that they were there to protect each other. The magic system was a little simple but clear to understand and that didn’t bother me because I was so focused on the world and the atmosphere. It also did not feel like a 400 paged book idk how but I flew through it at one point I thought the full book didn't download sksks
At times the story didn’t flow too much but I assume it’s because with translated works it can be difficult at times but I still enjoyed it and understood. The only thing that I did see as an issue was the formatting like many others have pointed out. I’m sure it’s the way the ebook came out but with the pictures and breaks it would cut into the chapters at times and some words would mesh together so you would have to slow down to make sure you’re reading these 4 words that suddenly are without spaces.
thank you netgally for providing this for me to read ♡
I didn’t know what I was going to get when I started to read this but I had a lot of fun. I liked the relationship that the sisters had and that they were there to protect each other. The magic system was a little simple but clear to understand and that didn’t bother me because I was so focused on the world and the atmosphere. It also did not feel like a 400 paged book idk how but I flew through it at one point I thought the full book didn't download sksks
At times the story didn’t flow too much but I assume it’s because with translated works it can be difficult at times but I still enjoyed it and understood. The only thing that I did see as an issue was the formatting like many others have pointed out. I’m sure it’s the way the ebook came out but with the pictures and breaks it would cut into the chapters at times and some words would mesh together so you would have to slow down to make sure you’re reading these 4 words that suddenly are without spaces.
thank you netgally for providing this for me to read ♡
March 14, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley for providing ARC access!
A lush Gothic setting, powerful and morally grey female characters, and a sapphic age-gap romance?? I was SEATED the moment I read the little blurb, and I was NOT disappointed on any level. This book is one that I wish was a series, if only to get to spend more time with all of the characters and the fascinating worldbuilding. The plot was very reminiscent of some of my favorite Korean isekai/romantasy manhwas such as The Villainess Turns the Hourglass, so if that's your cup of tea, this book is a perfect match!
The prose is beautiful and incredibly descriptive, both telling of the author and the translator's immense skill. The writing style is polished, and its historical fantasy fiction backdrop makes it read a little bit like some of my favorite regency-era books at times. Very fun, witty, and fast-paced overall! I enjoyed it immensely and will be on the lookout for any of Grey Cashmere's future works!
A lush Gothic setting, powerful and morally grey female characters, and a sapphic age-gap romance?? I was SEATED the moment I read the little blurb, and I was NOT disappointed on any level. This book is one that I wish was a series, if only to get to spend more time with all of the characters and the fascinating worldbuilding. The plot was very reminiscent of some of my favorite Korean isekai/romantasy manhwas such as The Villainess Turns the Hourglass, so if that's your cup of tea, this book is a perfect match!
The prose is beautiful and incredibly descriptive, both telling of the author and the translator's immense skill. The writing style is polished, and its historical fantasy fiction backdrop makes it read a little bit like some of my favorite regency-era books at times. Very fun, witty, and fast-paced overall! I enjoyed it immensely and will be on the lookout for any of Grey Cashmere's future works!
March 21, 2026
Thank you, NetGalley and Grey Cashmere, for giving me this book! I thought the world-building was beautifully described, and the relationship between the sisters was interesting to read about. But unfortunately, I got too confused to keep reading after trying to get at least halfway through. Maybe it's the translation, or maybe it's just me, since English isn't my native language.😅 For me, it was often unclear whose perspective we were following, because it changed quite frequently within a single chapter, and the time jumps threw me off. I often felt like I’d missed an entire chapter’s worth of information, which completely pulled me out of the story. So sadly a DNF at 50%
March 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc, I won’t lie this was so close to being a DNF as the last quarter felt like pulling teeth out.
My problems came down to two things. One the formatting was painful,flipping between that of a graphic novel and the traditional book format. Two the story was bland, vampires should be engaging but I was bored out of my mind, the literal writing it’s self is immature for the age of the chargers and story that could’ve been truly interesting.
My problems came down to two things. One the formatting was painful,flipping between that of a graphic novel and the traditional book format. Two the story was bland, vampires should be engaging but I was bored out of my mind, the literal writing it’s self is immature for the age of the chargers and story that could’ve been truly interesting.
January 7, 2026
House of Carter: The Crimson Bond is an intense, engaging read with strong emotions and intriguing characters. Grey Cashmere creates a dark, gripping atmosphere that keeps you hooked. A great choice for readers who enjoy dramatic, character-driven stories.
February 18, 2026
This is a really well written dark fantasy book, revolving around Isabella. She makes some interesting choices and actions throughout the book and helps keep that darkness around. I enjoyed this a lot and honestly don't know how to process it more than just.. Oh my gosh!
March 26, 2026
thank you so much to netgalley for giving me the chance to read this, it was incredible and I absolutely adored it. there were minor parts I wasn't the biggest fan of but still an amzing read
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