House of the Beast (A Novel) - Wong Michelle

NATIONAL BESTSELLER! *; This stunning paperback edition features never-before-seen full-color art on the inside front and back covers';As darkly whimsical as the most beloved fairy tales and soaked in gothic atmosphere. The gorgeous and evocative illustrations bring to life an unforgettably lush and hypnotically romantic story.' Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in DrowningStep into the dark coming-of-age fantasy debut from The Legend of Korra illustrator Michelle Wong, where a young woman bound to a mysterious god seeks revenge on her aristocratic family in a story of divine rituals, brutal magic, and twisted lovefeaturing illustrations throughout by the author.Born out of wedlock and shunned by society, Alma found solace in solitudeso long as her mother was by her side. But when illness strikes, Alma reaches out to the father she's never known and uncovers a dark truth: she's a bastard of House Avera, one of the four noble families that serve the gods, and her father is a vessel of the Dread Beast, a harbinger of death.To save her mother, Alma agrees to sacrifice her arm in a blood-soaked ceremony that binds her to the Beast. But the cure never comes, leaving her trapped in a hostile, gothic estatedespised by her relatives and used as a pawn in her father's schemes.Now vengeance drives her, guided by the god who shadows her every step. He appears only to hera beautiful, monstrous princewhispering that she's destined to reshape the world. With his dark magic fueling her, Alma sets out to destroy the House that took everything from her. But as their bond deepens and their plans grow more perilous, she must decide if her god's honeyed wordsand her forbidden feelings for himare leading her to victory, or dragging the mortal world to ruin.';A beguiling tale of strange gods, cosmic horrors, and ruinous revenge, House of the Beast dazzled me. With compelling characters and masterful world building, Wong's debut is sure to become a celebrated classic.' Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth ChildIf you enter the House of the Beast, prepare to find:Morally grey characters with toxic, codependent relationships (M/F, M/M)Vengeful heroine and her chaotic-evil trickster godSlow-burn yearning and forbidden attractionFamily rivalries and court intrigueDeadly trials and divine bargainsNightmare realm full of monsters and secretsMagic, violence, and madnessStunning black-and-white art by the author woven through the textFor fans of One Dark Window, Blood Over Bright Haven, and A Study in Drowning