Spoiler Free Thoughts:
- This book was such a gem, and I couldn’t put it down once I started it. We pick back up right where we left off with Anatomy: A Love Story.
- The Companions of Death were such an intriguing part of this story, the side characters were well developed (down to the little dog!), and I fell in love with the love stories.
- There is romance, fighting for other’s rights in true Hazel Sinnett fashion, and our story lines are tied up quite nicely at the end.
- As with its predecessor, if you shy away from surgery type elements, skip this one as our main character is a Doctor.
- The covers in this series 🥰

Interesting sequel but not as good as the first book. At times seemed dragged out. Would have liked more action. Interested to see where does Hazel’s story go next,

An amazing second half to the Anatomy love story! Dana Schwartz has crafted a beautiful gothic love story that has had me thinking what will happen next after reading each chapter. Hazel Sinnet, the main character, had me empowered to become the best of the best in my field! LOL. I truly did not want to stop reading this story and it was a breath of fresh air. Highly recommend to all middle and high school students!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I think this is a cute, yet creepy and fun follow-up to Anatomy. I think there are some parts (mainly the Lavoisier bits) that weren't truly necessary, and it could have been more of a novella. But I still found it a well-paced, enjoyable read. I blew through it in two days! Schwartz has compelling characters, especially her women! I love Hazel, Charlotte, and Eliza. That was a delightful friendship that I loved reading. The last 20 pages or so felt a bit rushed to the conclusion, but Schwartz does her readers justice in tying up the loose ends in this story and has her rooting hard for her characters. I'll read anything she writes.

I am so excited I got to read the ARC!
I find I could read Dana Schwartz writing all day, it reades with ease and the world and lives she builds for these characters is fun and reall captures your imagination of time period with a bit of "magic". The first half of the book was a lot of back story I found it a bit mundane. Once the story begins to come together the rush and excitement along with the slight twists pull you in. With love stories on two fronts I really enjoyed the way she wrapped up everything in the ending chapters. Overall I found the book enjoyable and one I would recommmend. I will absolutely be reading all books she writes in the future!

This one made me NERVOUS, omg. After such a cliffhanger and heart-wrenching ending from the first book, and then Jack not being in about the first half of the second, I was starting to sweat. When Simon was introduced, I was like, "the 'love story' in the title isn't this one, right? It's not about getting over a first love to find that life has more to offer?" But I didn't have to worry; Dana Schwartz got me, if no one else does. I liked Hazel and Simon's interactions--and if not for Jack, I might have shipped them--but because I was so decidedly on Team Jack, the love triangle didn't do too much for me. I'm still riding the collective highs of the two greatest love triangles I've ever read: the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology and the Legendborn series. Nothing compares.
I really liked the villain in this one, though. I wasn't expecting the twist, and yet it made total sense for Levoisier to be the villain. Maybe if I had been more intent on searching the text for a villain, I would've seen it coming, but the fact that I was surprised is a testament to good writing--that I was so immersed that I was just being swept along and allowing myself to be shocked.

I'd loved Anatomy and was not sure at the end of it if it would be getting a sequel or not. When it was announced that Immortality was coming... I was super excited. I reread Anatomy and then dove straight into Immortality and I have to say... wasn't as good as I thought it would be. It was even better. I spent the afternoon curled up soaking every bit of Hazel's story in. Literally couldn't peel my eyes away from the words for a few hours. I loved all the new characters and the historical references that Dana put in there, even if they were changed slightly for the sake of the story. More themes were added with some LGBTQ+ content and another possible love for Hazel, which I actually shipped more than Jack. Absolutely perfect sequel and I hope that there will be more!

What a fantastic follow up to last year's Anatomy: A Love Story, which was a Reese's Book Club pick!

This historical duology is so unique and engaging (just like the gorgeous covers). The author weaves fictional plotlines into real historical events, with a few dashes of mystery and romance. I definitely recommend it for fans of historical mysteries.

What a fantastic sequel!! I am in love with this duology. The science, romance, and Victorian era is what makes this book amazing. If you love dark academia and strong, empowered, smart women, you must check this series out.

I loved this book as much as I loved Anatomy! I love that Dana Schwartz takes actual history and turns it into fiction. It's especially fun when you know what she's talking about. Actually, I listened to her podcast about Princess Charlotte right before I started reading this, not realizing that she would be a character in the book. I really adore Dana's writing and the stories she tells are unlike any other that I've ever read.

We pick up with Hazel back at Hawthornden, treating patients and working on a medical treatise for the common population. She’s essentially finished her studies, but having never sat the final exam, she can’t call herself a doctor. But given that she’s something of a curiosity, being a female surgeon, people come to her frequently enough that she can continue her work. She’s still holding out hope that Jack may have survived the hanging, but she hasn’t had any communication from him beyond the “Find me in America” note. When she treats a patient who was about to bleed to death after a botched abortion, Hazel is suddenly on the wrong side of the law, staring down a potential hanging of her own. But at the eleventh hour, she’s summoned for an entirely different purpose - to be the personal physician to Princess Charlotte (granddaughter of King George III). The princess is the young, liberal hope for the country…just as soon as her mad grandfather and jerk of a dad are dead. But Princess Charlotte’s health has been fragile since her bout with Roman fever (I’m fairly certain this was a plot point in the first book), and she recently had to call off her engagement. Lots of other doctors have been unable to figure out what’s wrong with her, but maybe a lady doctor can crack the case!

Hazel begins treating the princess and of course immediately gets swept up in court drama - including a possible romance with the doctor treating the king. But she also receives another summons - this one to join a group called the Companions to the Death. The Companions are an influential group of scientists and artists (including some familiar historical faces), and although Hazel is initially thrilled to be included in their number, she senses something darker is going on.

As I mentioned, I wasn’t wild about the love story portion here. I felt like it brought the actual plot to a halt at times. But I thought the historical and scientific aspects were fascinating. Schwartz has clearly done the research (I confess I was hoping for a meatier author’s note! Perhaps in the published copy), and she manages to make a story that’s grounded in a pretty fantastical premise feel real to its time. We learn more about the Tincture here, and how it works, but also about its limitations (for instance that although it keeps you from dying, it doesn’t keep your body from breaking down - which is part of why the Companions are so keen to enlist Hazel in their ranks). I do enjoy an author who can make magic seem like science! I also enjoyed the fact that even though there are definitely contemporary issues being addressed here (jailing someone who provides life-saving services, sigh), the characters still feel authentic to the time period. Often in historical fiction - particularly YA and MG - the characters feel like they’ve time traveled from the 21st century. Not the case here!

As the end approached, I was concerned we were heading for surprise sequel territory, but without spoilers, the ending feels like a real ending. I suppose there’s the potential to revisit these characters and this world, but it definitely feels complete.

I was very excited to be approved for this ARC. Anatomy: A Love Story was a favorite from 2022 and I wanted to see how Hazel's story ends. The story picks up pretty much after the end of Anatomy. Hazel is reeling from the loss of Jack and trying to focus on her goal of becoming a surgeon. She thinks she sees Jack everywhere, so she focuses on helping others and learning more about surgery. After she saves a young woman's life, she is arrested and assumes she will die in prison or at the end of a rope. However, she is saved and is requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte who is suffering from a mysterious illness. Hazel is eager to save the princess, but is not excited to become part of the royal court. She discovers a group of people who call themselves The Companions to the Death and while she was eager to leave the idea of immortality behind, she may once again find herself intertwined with Dr. Beecham's vial.
I really enjoyed this story. My favorite thing about the story is that Hazel continued to be a strong character and didn't let the loss of Jack destroy her. She continued to pursue her passion and wants to be more than what society demands she become. Her grief over the loss of Jack felt genuine and was beautifully written. The whole story was wonderfully detailed and I couldn't stop thinking about it after reading it. I enjoyed the addition of the Companions of Death and what they brought to the story.
I did, however, feel like something was missing from the story. I didn't love it as much as Anatomy, but I thought it was the perfect ending for Hazel. I would definitely recommend it.

I was excited to read this as I really enjoyed Anatomy and couldn't wait to see what was next for Hazel! A mix of gothic historical fiction, mystery, romance, fantasy elements, and a secret society with some famous members--this was fun!

Edinburgh 1818: Hazel is missing Jack and has no idea if he is alive or dead. She is treating patients and trying to keep Hawthorne Castle from falling into ruin when she is falsely accused of murder by a patient. Jailed and expecting to rot in prison, Hazel is shocked when she is explicitly requested to treat King George III's granddaughter, battling a mysterious illness. Hazel finds herself at court and in another kind of danger.

Despite her many obstacles and dangers, Hazel is a trailblazer pursuing her dream of becoming a surgeon, and I love books featuring trailblazing women! Hazel is a relatable and strong female MC. And there are other memorable characters in this, particularly the other trailblazer, Princess Charlotte, and a scene-stealing Lord Byron. I can't say more without major spoilers, but readers will find some intriguing twists throughout this book. Schwartz's writing was engaging and kept me invested. Atmospheric, with an intriguing plot and fantasy threads woven throughout, this is a satisfying conclusion to Hazel's story. If you enjoyed Anatomy, you will want to pick this up!

Also, the covers of the books in this duology are both clever and stunning!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Wednesday Books for this ARC.

Great follow-up. The ending was what I had hoped for & was entertaining for sure. The artwork on the cover was beautiful & added a nice gothic feel to the story.

This is a follow out to Anatomy- A Love Story. I really loved the first one and getting to know Hazel I really liked the first one as it was a pretty easy read, but enjoyable to read. Now we are back with the sequel and it was a bit different from the first as the focus made a big shift. In the first book Hazel was working on her reputation and building her knowledge working in medicine. This second book I feel didn’t live up to my own personal expectations. I found that while parts were enjoyable, it took me awhile to push through. I just think I wasn’t as invested in the sequel as I was in the first one.

known as the Companions to the Death.

As Hazel’s work entangles her more and more with the British court, she realizes that her own future as a surgeon isn't the only thing at stake for her. Malicious forces are at work in the monarchy, and Hazel may be the only one capable of setting things right.
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts: I enjoyed this one a lot but not quite as much as the first book. I didn’t love the name dropping of prominent historical figures through the secret club. I think this could have just been tied to the first book without trying to fictionally tie it to history. Hazel was great but I was totally team Simon. Overall a fun book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Hazel is fantastic but I feel like I didn’t get enough of her brilliance in solving tough cases. This one releases on 2/28. Thank you @wednesdaybooks and @netgalley for the advanced copy.
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QOTD: do you enjoy reading YA books ? What YA books do you recommend ?!
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#immortalityalovestory #danaschwartz #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bookofinsta #booksofig #bibliophile #bookworm #bookwormsunite #bookish #bookobsessed #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #read

A great follow up to the first novel! I enjoyed this continuation of the first novel as Hazel continues to become a doctor.

Been sitting on this review for a while because it hurts me to give this a negative review when I had such high hopes.

First- yay better clothing in this book!

I want to note that I’m maybe too close to the material of this story academically to enjoy it how I could have. I’m waist-deep in research for my thesis, which- in brief- focuses on women and trans folks in mid Victorian medicine, thirty years after this story takes place. I couldn’t always turn off my nagging research mind when subject matter intersected and that’s no fault of the book but I want to be open that it may have impacted my experience.

That being said, for I think mostly unrelated reasons, I didn’t love this book. The beginning threw me a little, but I was drawn in until the last third fumbled things royally.

The first novel ended on a cliffhanger which I expected the sequel to pick back up. It did not, but the story was going in an interesting direction, so I didn’t mind for very long. However, in the final third it decided to return to the cliff hanger of the first book, making the new plot of Immortality feel shunted to the side.

I enjoyed both plots well enough- I preferred the first book to this one but preferred the new storylines in this one over the old- but they didn’t feel well balanced or integrated.

We didn’t get to see enough of Jack with Hazel in this book. He’s horrible to her most of the time he’s around. It made the ending not sit right with me the way it would have if they’d run away together at the end of book one.

I just didn’t like it unfortunately and that makes me sad, but it’s true. I like the fantasy elements, I liked the middle, I liked the better attention to fashion!! But I didn’t like the book. And that’s okay.


I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

I was extremely excited to know that there was a second book to Anatomy: A Love Story. The ending broke my heart and I need to know what happened to Jack. There’s no doubt that
Dana Schwartz writing is captivating and beautiful. Immortality follows Hazel continuing to work as a surgeon and moving on after Jacks disappearance. Hazel ends up getting arrested and is then requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte. Hazel meets another surgeon and establish a relationship. I am not a fan of love triangles but I am pleased how the book ended. Of course no one can be better than Jack! I can’t wait to have a physical copy because the cover is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me this amazing opportunity to receive an early copy. I can’t wait to introduce the second installment to my students.

I devoured the first book in this duology, Anatomy: A Love Story, and Immortality: A Love Story was no different. Dana Schwartz is enormously talented at weaving fact with fiction in a way that both informs and compels. These feminism-forward YA novels are hugely entertaining and propulsive, with just the right amounts of morbidity and romance. Gratitude to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.