Genre: Historical Fantasy, Gothic Horror, Romance, Vampire Fiction
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It At Amazon | Universal Buy Link
About The Book
A dark and deadly curse haunts a dying family, manifesting itself with neither rhyme nor reason in its frequency except for its victim: a male child who will then be born without a soul. Living in a great house designed specifically for entrapment, monsters and the women who become reluctant champions for their children carry on a tragic cycle shaped by an inexplicable mystery.
And every final confrontation between the tainted and the protector is recorded in an old journal—a bloodstained volume handed down from champion to champion who must then learn how to rid her life of the monster she loves.
Helena Ash is terminally ill, and she is forced to take on the mantle of guardian for her grandson’s sake. Crispin is only seventeen, and he is blind and has lived a secluded and sheltered life. Keeping him safe while confronting otherworldly forces intent upon destroying their bloodline means Helena will have to resort to every trick in the book to ensure her grandson’s survival.
Now that includes, perhaps, the recruiting of a young gentleman who stumbles across the great house during a storm. Tadzio Michalak, a cynical Polish student traveling with his tutor, suddenly finds himself caught in a grotesque web that sounds like something his misguided and occult-loving father would prefer him to experience. And the longer he shelters against the storm’s fury outside, the more he realizes there is simply no going back—no, not when Crispin lays unexpected claim on his heart.
Warnings: off-screen incest (depicted as evil), murder, references to rape in distant past
The Review
Tadzio Michalak is touring the country with his older tutor, Mr. Wyndham. He’s retracing his Fathers own grand tour, visiting places unknown to seek out the arcane, and to unearth abandoned legends, lore, superstitions, and the darker occults of different regions. He’s documenting it all in his journals. His family are dabblers in the unknown. The subject matter doesn’t excite Tadzio, as he spent time as a youth and at university trying to avoid it. But to have the chance to travel is much better than staying home and finding a wife.
England’s weather is constantly gloomy and raining, and on their way to the next destination it worsens and their carriage looses a wheel. Instead of waiting in the horrible weather, Mr. Wyndham takes one of the horses and offers Tadzio a ride. But Tadzio is not excited about horses, and so he grabs his bag and starts walking towards the Inn, which is not too far away.
Tadzio gets lost in the darkness and foul weather, and finds himself in a large house from ancient dark lore, heavy with gloom with odd words scrawled on the window panels. The bright spot in this gloom is a blind young man named Crispin Ash.
Crispin is beautiful, curious, lonely, intelligent and withering away in the old house. Tadzio is drenched and exhausted, and becomes very ill. Crispin helps him recover. As Tadzio recuperates from his illness, he shares stories, lore and gossip with Crispin. He is mesmerized by and attracted to Crispin in a most unusual way.
Helena Ash, with the help of her loyal servant Luther Dabney, has done what she could to protect her Grandson, Crispin Ash from his father, Maximillian and her granddaughter Marianne. They have committed a repulsive sin of father and daughter. Helena will not let her precious Crispin fall into this horrifying end. As the 16th century cursed bloodline continues, Helena strives to complete her journal, as so many women of the past have done. She fights with dignity and hope to end The House of Ash, and to purge its dark shadows of the cursed bloodline. Helena knows she can always trust her long time servant Luther, but what of Tadzio, when he learns of the fate of The House of Ash?
I usually don’t look names up but I did for Tadzio – it is Aramaic and means “heart”. I loved how Tadzio and Crispin evolve and play off each other’s personalities, and how Tadzio changes when it comes to Crispin. Within all the horror, there is also a growing and beautiful romance here between Tadzio and Crispin.
Thorne has crafted a gruesome tale of horror and chilling nightmares with the House of Ash. I highly recommend it – the tension builds gradually as we wait for the inevitable, slowly creeping up on you. There’s many frightening moments here, starting with eerie sounds within the walls, then voices and much more as the story hits its horror-filled peak. An excellent paranormal book.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
