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currentlyrhiding 's review for:
This Ravenous Fate
by Hayley Dennings
I would be lying if I said I wasn't genuinely crushed to be giving this a 2-star rating. I was so sure I was going to love this book. On paper, it has everything: Jazz Age Harlem, Black sapphic vampires, female rage, and a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance. The execution, I'm afraid, fell a little flat for me.
The main plot of this book centered around our main characters, Elise and Layla, Despite this being central to the story, it felt more like background noise. Very little of the investigation happened on the page, and it felt like both Elise and Layla lacked the urgency that should have been warranted by the situation at hand. The outcome of the investigation, once "revealed," was a bit of a letdown. While I think the concept——was an excellent idea, it seemed a little too obvious to work as a mystery or be a big reveal. I wish there would have been a red herring or something to throw suspicion in another direction.
The other focal point of This Ravenous Fate was the relationship between Elise and Layla. The friends-to-enemies-to-lovers premise really drew me in, but I just didn't find a lot of satisfaction in the way it played out. Their chemistry was lacking, largely because the author never really delved into the dynamics of their initial friendship. After they reunited and were essentially forced to work alongside one another, the changing dynamics and the depths of their feelings about one another still weren't fully explored. At best, all I was really able to believe was happening between them was lust, as evidenced by the scenes wherein. When Elise confessed that , it felt like too little too late.
On a slightly more technical note, I struggled a bit with the writing in this book coming across as clunky and unnatural at times. The dialogue especially read as a bit robotic, and I think that could've been resolved with some minor tweaks, such as a more liberal use of contractions. I also noticed a lot of repetition within the writing (e.g., the phrase "the Saint heiress" was used on what felt like nearly every page). Unfortunately, these aspects made me feel distanced from the characters, and I had a harder time really connecting with them.
I don't want it to come across as if I hated this book. I didn't. I was, for the most part, just bored and unmotivated to continue reading. Conceptually, this book had a lot to offer, and I think with a little more fine-tuning and experience, Hayley Dennings could write something really phenomenal. There's definitely an audience for this book, and I'm sure a lot of people will be able to enjoy it for what it is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The main plot of this book centered around our main characters, Elise and Layla,
Spoiler
investigating the death of Theo, a human-turned-reaper-turned-human.Spoiler
Black folks being used as test subjects and facing horrible outcomes as a resultThe other focal point of This Ravenous Fate was the relationship between Elise and Layla. The friends-to-enemies-to-lovers premise really drew me in, but I just didn't find a lot of satisfaction in the way it played out. Their chemistry was lacking, largely because the author never really delved into the dynamics of their initial friendship. After they reunited and were essentially forced to work alongside one another, the changing dynamics and the depths of their feelings about one another still weren't fully explored. At best, all I was really able to believe was happening between them was lust, as evidenced by the scenes wherein
Spoiler
Elise allows Layla to drink her bloodSpoiler
she was in love with Layla and that was why she had struggled so much in the aftermath of their falloutOn a slightly more technical note, I struggled a bit with the writing in this book coming across as clunky and unnatural at times. The dialogue especially read as a bit robotic, and I think that could've been resolved with some minor tweaks, such as a more liberal use of contractions. I also noticed a lot of repetition within the writing (e.g., the phrase "the Saint heiress" was used on what felt like nearly every page). Unfortunately, these aspects made me feel distanced from the characters, and I had a harder time really connecting with them.
I don't want it to come across as if I hated this book. I didn't. I was, for the most part, just bored and unmotivated to continue reading. Conceptually, this book had a lot to offer, and I think with a little more fine-tuning and experience, Hayley Dennings could write something really phenomenal. There's definitely an audience for this book, and I'm sure a lot of people will be able to enjoy it for what it is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.