Two step-sisters reunited after a decade, bound together by trauma, secrets, and something much, much darker.
Writing: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Darkness: 5/5
Spice: 2/5
Editing: 4/5
Triggering topics: sexual abuse, religious abuse & indoctrination, incest, child abuse, self harm, gore,
The Mad House by Liza James (2022)
The Mad House by Liza James is a pitch black taboo romance about two step-sisters reunited after years of trauma. Cedar is a strong, self-assured queer woman who survived abuse at the hands of her parents and foster families. Now living alone, she has a dog, a sassy situationship, and a job as a tattoo artist. Ophelia “Phe” Esther McCammon just killed her mom and dad with an axe and got sent to the psych ward for it. Now, she is being sent home with the only family she has left: Cedar.
James weaves a gruesome and unflinching tale about the worst kind of pain and torment imaginable. She pushes every boundary unapologetically, and relishes in making you feel the raw pain of each character.
Let’s address the elephant in the room quickly: the romance in this book is between two step-sisters. If that’s not for you (as I found it wasn’t really for me), then try some other good queer smut.
The book addresses religious indoctrination, abuse within family systems, prejudice and violence, mental illness and self harm—and it does so without pulling punches. From Phe picking out her own stitches to Cedar confronting her sexual feelings for a non-blood family member, this book is not for the weak.
What it does well is drop you into the minds of two deeply disturbed individuals with addictive prose that keeps the page turning. Even when scenes got uncomfortable, I could hardly look away.
Phe’s inner voice is a compelling, convincing narrative dive into the mind of someone battling brainwashing and the thick residue of unspeakable abuse. Every decision she makes is aflame with a distinct monologuing between her own thoughts and those of her Demon. She is so well-written as a deeply traumatized heroine that I worry about what having to write this did to the author. She is fragile but not weak, curious but scared of hard truths, and greatly disturbed—justifiably so.
Cedar is the protector and the guide, but she messes up more often than she gets things right. Her humanity is refreshing. Her tempter gets the better of her and she says things without thinking. Cedar punches and swears her way to getting what she wants. After fleeing her parents’ abuse, she cobbled a modest life together for herself while still leaving time to hunt the predators who wronged her. She’s brash, a bit mean, and the dictionary definition of “rough around the edges.”
Neither of these women are readers “self inserts,” and it’s a welcome experience in the dark romance genre. Whether you hate them or love them, you will remember them.
The plot dances around several blisteringly bright dark romance star-crossed lover tropes: internalized homophobia, attachment issues stemming from trauma, misunderstandings about who has feelings for whom. And then there is the, er, other dilemma: the two are technically, on paper anyway, sisters. That serves as a major blocker as Cesar and Phe tango with the implications of their terrible lust for one another.
I’ll never yuck another person’s yum, but this book was one of my very few exposure points to faux-cest and/or incest kinks. And let me tell you: it’s not for me. Zero dings against the book through. All things considered, the conflict and passion between the two was tonally electric, well-paced, and rich with heated moments. It’s just not something I would spend quality time thinking about between the sheets, if you know what I mean.
Phe’s disassociative identity is a great conflict crafter, and a ton of fun to read. But anyone with an ounce of empathy will find it to be a sensationalized depiction of real mental health issues. It’s up to you as a reader as to whether that’s a ground you want to tread. I didn’t mind it; others will find it not to their taste.
There’s tons of violence in the book, too, but it’s always earned. No gore for the sake of making the book “darker,” just meaningful plot levers that move the story forward with a gush.
The sex scenes are sparse but eloquent. If you are looking for bang for your buck, look elsewhere. This book is comparatively long and light on the sauce compared to others in the queer dark romance category. Oh, it also ends on a dreaded cliffhanger (gasp). I don’t mind, but some readers might.
I’m glad I read The Mad House. Really. There’s not enough WLW dark romance on the market for my liking. James did a great job telling the story she had in mind. It gives me Jynx X Vi ship vibes from Arcane. It’s a daring, punchy read. Unfortunately, I just prefer other flavors of spice.
The Mad House by Liza James vibe quotes:
Survival is necessary and if there is one lesson I’ve learned in my life, it’s that no one is coming to save you. No one is waiting to rescue you, there’s no one watching, or searching or fighting for your freedom. – Ch 3
The pain keeps here, keeps me grounded. I deserve everything I’m feeling now and what is about to happen to me. – Ch 15
“Fuck you,” I whisper, speaking out loud to every human and lesson used against me in my past. A burst of rage suddenly explodes within me in the wake of what I’ve become. “All of you. For turning me into this.” – Ch 17
“She’s mine, Bex.” My voice drops lower, a predatory tone laces my words. My skin pulls tight and the tether I have within me draws me closer to this forbidden need, this desire to be near her. “No one else’s. Only mine. I won’t let her fucking go again.” – Ch 18
There’s something about Cedar that makes me want to beg for it. – Ch 19
The blade slides inside my mouth, coating my tongue with my own blood as I lick along the length of it. Cedar’s eyes watch me, and I tilt my head just slightly so I can meet her fiery gaze with my own. – Ch 28
She feels like my own personal prayer, sweet words of devotion and praise slipping from my lips freely as the only one I’ve ever truly wanted to worship. – Ch 29