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kgareis 's review for:
This Ravenous Fate
by Hayley Dennings
This Ravenous Fate is YA historical fantasy that reaches into the past atrocities of experimentation on Black people which resulted in the creation of vampires they call reapers. Elise is the heir to the Saint Empire in 1920's Harlem who is forced to ally with her childhood friend turned reaper to solve the mystery of why reapers and others are suddenly being murdered. Insert generational family drama, horrible father figure, questionable household friends/employees, white vs. black politics, prohibition, and two girls who have been in love for ages but never admitted and you have the recipe for an intriguing supernatural who-dun-it.
Sadly, the pace of the book was very slow, it seemed like finding out what the real problem was could happen whenever they got around to it, there was no real urgency. Even the prospect of reapers disappearing wasn't all that motivating, and other than lots of blood and fangs always piercing lips ang getting in the way (seriously?), not much happened. It was pretty obvious there was desire under the surface for both Elise and Layla, so that was no surprise yet it still fell flat when revealed. At the same time there was a very weird lover vibe happening between Elise and Sterling, which was odd based on the scientist Thalia (Sterling's long lost love) who appears and then dies almost immediately. it was also obvious who the bad guys were. I guess take away all the blood and carnage and you have a basic cozy mystery.
The 1920's Harlem didn't truly come through for me. The things were there, the speak-easies and the gangsters running alcohol, but it felt out of place, unnatural. Like at any moment someone was going to pull out there cell phone, or turn on the color TV, I didn't hate it, and there's someone out there who will love it. Just not for me.
Sadly, the pace of the book was very slow, it seemed like finding out what the real problem was could happen whenever they got around to it, there was no real urgency. Even the prospect of reapers disappearing wasn't all that motivating, and other than lots of blood and fangs always piercing lips ang getting in the way (seriously?), not much happened. It was pretty obvious there was desire under the surface for both Elise and Layla, so that was no surprise yet it still fell flat when revealed. At the same time there was a very weird lover vibe happening between Elise and Sterling, which was odd based on the scientist Thalia (Sterling's long lost love) who appears and then dies almost immediately. it was also obvious who the bad guys were. I guess take away all the blood and carnage and you have a basic cozy mystery.
The 1920's Harlem didn't truly come through for me. The things were there, the speak-easies and the gangsters running alcohol, but it felt out of place, unnatural. Like at any moment someone was going to pull out there cell phone, or turn on the color TV, I didn't hate it, and there's someone out there who will love it. Just not for me.