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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
“Drinking from my throat will be faster. Hurry up before your food gets cold.”
3.5 stars!! so happy to have been one of the lucky ones to have had the chance to get an arc on Netgalley (terrible timing though)!! I loved everything about this and how could I not when: 1) it’s set in Harlem in the 1920s 2) there are POC vampires/reapers 3) it's a SAPPHIC LOVE STORY with a murder mystery storyline??? need I say more?? the chemistry between the two MCs drove it home! I loved how the act of biting/getting bitten became very euphoric & blended into their love story, definitely always a favorite quality in vampire stories! the lively and bustling energy of the jazz era, especially in Harlem, did not disappoint and made the stakes even higher regarding race relations!
however, the partners-in-crime dynamic felt flat. I would’ve LOVED for more suspense, more tension, and more….detective work. it felt like the two leads completely forgot what forced them to work with one another.
besides that, I thought that this was a great debut, definitely can’t wait for the physical release! <3
3.5 stars!! so happy to have been one of the lucky ones to have had the chance to get an arc on Netgalley (terrible timing though)!! I loved everything about this and how could I not when: 1) it’s set in Harlem in the 1920s 2) there are POC vampires/reapers 3) it's a SAPPHIC LOVE STORY with a murder mystery storyline??? need I say more?? the chemistry between the two MCs drove it home! I loved how the act of biting/getting bitten became very euphoric & blended into their love story, definitely always a favorite quality in vampire stories! the lively and bustling energy of the jazz era, especially in Harlem, did not disappoint and made the stakes even higher regarding race relations!
however, the partners-in-crime dynamic felt flat. I would’ve LOVED for more suspense, more tension, and more….detective work. it felt like the two leads completely forgot what forced them to work with one another.
besides that, I thought that this was a great debut, definitely can’t wait for the physical release! <3
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“You tried to rip my heart from my chest, but you’ve already had my heart; it’s always been yours—”
A sapphic love story wrapped up in horror, grit and gore; what more could you ask for? Set in the 1920s, This Ravenous Fate offers a unique and fresh take on vampirism, giving a new level of complexity to an age old horror while also delving into how race plays into both vampirism and society at large. Elise and Layla, human and reaper, have a relationship that is fraught with past hurts and distrust that threatens their forced partnership and stirs up complicated feelings.
This is a long one but 100% worth it! Elise and Layla are incredibly well-written characters with so much nuance and depth. Elise’s need to please and earn love is such a heartbreakingly perfect companion to Layla’s yearning and intense loneliness. Really big fan of their romance being based in vampirism as well! It’s one of my favorite tropes and adds that much more symbolism and gravitas than the standard.
The pacing works really well in allowing both Elise and Layla’s relationship to grow alongside their escalating investigation. Beautiful writing makes it easy to become just as invested in the character development as well as the plot. One of my favorite aspects by far was the reaper lore and the allusions to race and sexuality that went along with it. Such artfully woven and impactful messages about medical malpractice against the Black community and the othering of those we don’t understand.
The only thing that’s keeping me from giving this 5 stars was the development of Sterling and Tobias Saint. Both felt a bit cartoonishly evil in their final arcs compared to how they behaved earlier in the story. Additionally, Valeriya and Josi came out of nowhere in the end and I was left wishing we got to know a bit more of what was happening with them during their time away.
This is definitely one to be on the lookout for and I can’t wait for the next one in this series!
*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review!
A sapphic love story wrapped up in horror, grit and gore; what more could you ask for? Set in the 1920s, This Ravenous Fate offers a unique and fresh take on vampirism, giving a new level of complexity to an age old horror while also delving into how race plays into both vampirism and society at large. Elise and Layla, human and reaper, have a relationship that is fraught with past hurts and distrust that threatens their forced partnership and stirs up complicated feelings.
This is a long one but 100% worth it! Elise and Layla are incredibly well-written characters with so much nuance and depth. Elise’s need to please and earn love is such a heartbreakingly perfect companion to Layla’s yearning and intense loneliness. Really big fan of their romance being based in vampirism as well! It’s one of my favorite tropes and adds that much more symbolism and gravitas than the standard.
The pacing works really well in allowing both Elise and Layla’s relationship to grow alongside their escalating investigation. Beautiful writing makes it easy to become just as invested in the character development as well as the plot. One of my favorite aspects by far was the reaper lore and the allusions to race and sexuality that went along with it. Such artfully woven and impactful messages about medical malpractice against the Black community and the othering of those we don’t understand.
The only thing that’s keeping me from giving this 5 stars was the development of Sterling and Tobias Saint. Both felt a bit cartoonishly evil in their final arcs compared to how they behaved earlier in the story. Additionally, Valeriya and Josi came out of nowhere in the end and I was left wishing we got to know a bit more of what was happening with them during their time away.
This is definitely one to be on the lookout for and I can’t wait for the next one in this series!
*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review!
Wasn't vibing with the writing style. It felt a bit juvenile. Also the drama/mystery in the beginning was annoying me more than it was building anticipation.
3.75 stars
fast-paced and fun to read. sapphic friend to enemies to lovers between vampire and vampire hunter.
ending had a lot left unsaid.
fast-paced and fun to read. sapphic friend to enemies to lovers between vampire and vampire hunter.
ending had a lot left unsaid.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The renaissance of vampires, with the addition of sapphic vampires, makes my little queer heart so happy.
This book was so good? The Queer black vampires just kept you intrigued and held throughout the story. The relationship between Elise and Layla was just so cute. I also loved the underpinnings of female rage.
I need a physical copy for my vampire sapphic shelf like right now.
I read this book again because I was in a slump and it cured me.
This book was so good? The Queer black vampires just kept you intrigued and held throughout the story. The relationship between Elise and Layla was just so cute. I also loved the underpinnings of female rage.
I need a physical copy for my vampire sapphic shelf like right now.
I read this book again because I was in a slump and it cured me.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wanted to love this book so bad! And well, I just didn't.
I'll start by saying that the world Hayley Dennings has created is one that I'd love to explore some more, so I will be reading other installations of the series, but I couldn't really get behind the writing, especially when it came to dialogues. Something kept bothering me about it, and when I was about halfway done with the book, I realized it reads at times like a script for a TV Shows rather than a novel.
Some of the dialogue is clunky and it is highlighted even more by the cartoonish "reasonings" of the morally grey characters uttering these words.
I wanted to like this book and even had pre-ordered it because of the promise of black sapphic vampire/hunter dynamic, and I have to say the book did deliver on that front! The historical background as well as the duality of the racial and species tensions made me fear a bit for a story à la Romeo & Juliette, but my fears were unfounded.
The deep love (both romantic, familial and friendships) experienced by the main characters was a driving force that kept me reading.
The themes of chosen family, the complex relations between class and race, creation of art, and a few more were also broached in this book. I'm still unsure if it gave it more body, or made the overall story more confusing. I guess I'll let you be the judge of that should you chose to read it.
Overall, I think a bit more refined editing would have helped the novel.
In conclusion, I'm curious to read the rest of the series, but wouldn't recommend it unless I know for a fact the person wouldn't have (too many) issues with the things I mentioned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent
Minor: Sexual violence