Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4.5/5 stars.

I wish I hadn't waited to read this until 1) after publication day and 2) after the stunning owlcrate edition I got because....I BINGED this. I read it SO QUICKLY because it's a quick read that sucks you in. Holy heck. I love the set up with the Hearthsoothers/Bloodcarvers and the effects it talks about with colonialism, the steam-punk elements, etc. Some of the science stuff and anatomy stuff I was like ?!?!?!?! but AH.

I really love how this was done. There were some questions about world building I had, but it's still done well for this only being a duology. It does touch on colonialism and "helping" those who don't have advanced medicine and tech as well.

TBH, I only docked it half a star because the ending was RUDE. SO RUDE. LIKE EXCUSE YOU??? HOW DARE YOU??? anyways, waiting for the next one now.

The Last Bloodcarver was an incredibly intriguing debut from Vanessa Le!! The premise of this Vietnamese-inspired fantasy novel and the concept of the magic system in this book was so unique and very cool to read about. I enjoyed following Nhika as a heartsooth and seeing her unravel the mystery that she's forced to solve. The plot twists and secrets that are revealed kept me hooked! It was also super interesting that this story was a lower-stakes story set in a much larger world, and really focused on the characters of this novel. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am definitely looking forward to the sequel (especially after that cliffhanger at the end omg).

4.5. stars The Last Bloodcarver is a little bit Vietnamese folklore and a little bit Frankenstein wrapped up with a mystery/romantacy plot. and I loved it! Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going I would be kinda right, but then it would take a turn I didn't expect. This book is well paced, full of action. while also developing all of the characters to a great degree. I loved the main character, Nhika, and felt that the combination of magic and medical science was interesting! Honestly there is nothing more macabre than early medical science. No way around needing to cut up a body to see what is there. (I'm not exaggerating about the Frankenstein vibes! This is definitely one I will be waiting eagerly for the next installment!

I was SO into this book at the beginning! It has been nominated for a local reading program and I couldn't wait to finish so that I could second the nomination. But as the last 40-50 percent of the book dragged on, I lost my will to give it an endorsement. I know I could sell it to kids because it has a great premise and hook - healing, outlaw, murder! - but very few of them would keep reading due to the lengthy descriptions and fairly complex language. I like all the characters and they were developed enough for my taste to fulfill their point in the plot. I just wish there was some serious editing, particularly in the last 25% where the final plot is put into action. And good god! - where were Trin and Mimi in the hospital scene?! He said he would be there to back them up if he heard anything, and yet Dr. Shon had plenty of time to lock Nkiha in a coffin and begin cutting out a heart before anyone showed up to help? That was so frustrating, and felt like a contrivance to ramp up the tension. I'd put this more in the 2.5 star range, but rounded up.

My Views - The Last BloodCarver is a Vietnamese inspired YA fantasy book where Nhika is a BloodCarver who can alter human anatomy with just a touch of her hand. Her predecessors used this power to heal others and was known as Heart Soother but in the city of Theumas, she is known as cold-blooded killer and everyone is scared of her. One day she was captured by underground gangster group known as 'The Butchers' and was sold to one of the richest family in Theumas City, the CongMi family. There she gets to know that she has to use her healing abilities to heal the driver of the CongMi family , who was in an accident along with the head of this family. The father was dead in the accident but the driver is in coma and Mimi and her brother Andao,the children has brought Nhika in their Mansion to heal the driver to know more about the accident. But as Nhika delves deeper into the investigation, she begins to notice similarity between this job and her own dark past. And when she meets Van Kochin, the entitled physician's aide , he seems to drawn to her.
When Nhika discovers that Kochin is not who he claims to be, and there is an evil lurking in Theumas that doesn't stop with the murder of one man, she must decide where her heart truly lies and if she's willing to become the dreaded bloodcarver to save herself and ones she's vowed to protect.
The book is a debut YA fantasy with a mix of science and biology set in a Vietnamese inspired fantasy world. The pace of the book from the very beginning is very good and it is not boring anywhere throughout the book. The world building of the book is done really well. All the characters are very well written and Nhika as the main character is very interesting but she also has depth and maturity in her. The author, being from the human biology background herself, has beautifully used her knowledge in the book and it is written in simplified way so that the readers don't have any problem understanding.
The mystery part of the book is quite captivating and the climax part is quite unexpected and shocking. The book ends in a cliffhanger and you have to wait till the second book.
Overall, a very different kind of fantasy book based on biology and I really enjoyed reading it.

The Last Bloodcarver is a reminiscent of These Violent Delights and Cinder with a dash of Vietnam-inspired fantasy. This YA read combines Vietnamese culture into its story, offering a unique landscape for this plot.

This story is a fresh perspective, tackling themes of heritage and tradition while delivering a plot that kept me engaged from start to finish. The world-building is fantastic and I really enjoyed it.

What set The Last Bloodcarver apart from other YA books I've read recently is its ability to balance a gripping story with the enemies-to-lovers theme. Rather than focusing on just that relationship, Vanessa managed to keep the main story the focal point while having the relationship as the secondary thing that pushed the story forward. The character and relationship development was well done.

The story was a bit repetitive at some parts but it was minor. As the story wrapped up, I was left with goosebumps.

Overall, The Last Bloodcarver is a wonderful YA fantasy that balanced nicely with everything I look for in a YA read. Would recommend giving this a read.

Do not judge this book by it's cover. What I expected and what this book delivered were different - in a good way. I absolutely loved it!

The Last Bloodcarver follows Nhika, a heartsooth who lives and hides in a country that fears and reviles her for what she can do - connect with and heal or harm the body through magic and her touch. When she heals an old man's wife, he turns her over to the Butchers - black market dealera of goods and people. Nhika is desperate to escape when she's sold to a wealthy teenage girl and ends up drawn into an attempt to solve the murder of a wealthy, high profile inventor by healing the only witness to the crime.

Nhika is rightfully incensed by the demands placed on her by the people who both mistrust her for her gift and seek to use it for their benefit. She doesn't shy away from that anger, but she also doesn't allow her actions to be dictated by her anger alone. Yes, she longs to live in a world that is safer for her and people like her, but she also just wants to live, so she partners with the family to help them solve this mystery.

I love that Nhika doesn't shy away from making impossible choices. Over and over again, she's faced with circumstances where all of her options are terrible, but she chooses anyway. She doesn't allow herself to be paralyzed by fear or indecision. She exercises her agency and rolls with the consequences.

The story arc of this book is satisfying. There are twists and betrayals and an ending that appears to tie everything into a heartbreaking but neat little bow... until you get to the epilogue, and you realize this IS a duology and book 2 promises to be absolutely unhinged.

If you like anti-colonialist fantasy, a badass FMC who makes her own rules, and a morally gray MMC who would do anything for her, you'll absolutely love this book.

This book was so good! It hooked me in from the start. The plot is interesting, the cast compelling—however, I did note that there were some issues with pacing and overall quality.

Absolutely captivating. Everything from the world building to being able to experience the story through Nhika's unique perspective made this my favorite read of the year so far. I am eagerly anticipating the sequel, I cannot wait to see where the story goes after that breathtaking ending of The Last Bloodcarver!

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

I love fantasy that is unique and immersive and yet accessible to people who don't read fantasy. This story is that. You get immersed in the Vietnamese culture and the unique and dying art of heartsoothing, an art which allows people to heal others. Nhika is on the run because of her talent as a 'bloodcarver' because with the ability to heal comes the ability to harm. When she is caught and subsequently purchased by one of the richest families to heal the witness to the patriarch's murder. Suddenly she is caught in a web of intrigue where she is sought after and able to enjoy the better things in life. This also puts her squarely in danger.

The pace of this story was perfect. Not too much world building but plenty of time to understand the healing magic and the history of Nhika's people. The murder mystery is at the center but there is also a great story of finding your place in the world and of course a story of love. Unlike many series of the day, there is an ending and yet a nice open door to book two that won't leave you frustrated.

Read this one if you liked Dana Schwartz's Anatomy series or Kerri Maniscalco's Stalking Jack the Ripper.

4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5) Bloodcarvers are known to be ruthless monsters that can alter your body with just a touch. However, Nhika was taught as a child that bloodcarving (or blood-soothing as she was taught) is for healing and good.

After being arrested for using her magic, Nhika is taken to be sold to the highest bidder, a wealthy young woman buys her. The young woman and her brother are kind and are hoping she can help solve a murder mystery by healing a man who was at the scene. Nhika is given everything she’s never had in her simple life and her attachment to the family grows strong. Initially she is not able to help them but is given a library full of medical books for her to research in hopes to find a way.

Because the Congmis are kind and generous, she finds a contentment she hasn’t felt in years. This helps her study endlessly on the brain and the body systems that provide her with information she’s never known. But also opens her heart to friendships and relationships because these people accept her for who she is.

The classism is a large part of the story and it is portrayed well by showing the two extremes. It also shows the hearts of people, good or bad, regardless of that position.

The science Nhika was researching and how her mind is opened begins a rush of knowledge into her. Then something sinister arises and she’s caught between two choices. This revelation spurs the mystery into another direction while keeping the intrigue high. She has searched for belonging, acceptance and people to love her for who she is. Now she has very difficult decisions to make.

If you’re looking for a unique story filled with magic, strong spirit and found family, you will love this one!

AUDIO REVIEW: VyVy Nguyen was perfect for the voices of teens but also adults. She excelled in speed or intensity in all the right places to add that extra entertainment. My only complaint would be to add more Asian accent to the story but it did not deter my entertainment in any way.

Thank you to Fierce Reads, NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Roaring Book Press for the beautiful copies!

The Last Bloodcarver is the first in a duology by Vanessa Le, inspired by Vietnam, following Nhika, a bloodcarver. I loved the concept of heart soother, someone who used magic that speaks to body autonomy. The magic system the author has introduced is one of its’ kind, strongly focusing on medical practitioners.
Nhika lives by herself in a city where she sees her kind as a killer more than a healer and so she hides in broad daylight, trying to be one of them. Her lifestyle changes when she is employed by the Congmis siblings to cure their driver who might be the sole witness of their father’s last moments.
The Last Bloodcarver takes a very impressive take on classism and diaspora. Nhika slowly develops a special bond with the Congims siblings and Trin, their bodyguard. Then she meets Kochin, an aide to a well-known physician who is also uncle to the siblings. More than the mystery element of a murder, the world-building kept me hooked. I loved how the author had added some of the most important and relevant topics in today’s time in a fantasy world.
Nhika ‘s guilt and burden of being the sole survivor who is constantly thinking about how to hold on to her legacy and how difficult that can be if she wants to stay alive.
In terms of romance, there is one but it happens so late that honestly, I forgot there was supposed to be one as per the blurb. And it also felt a little insta love types, I didn’t see the shift between the characters at any point. But like I said it felt like such a small part, that I don’t think I need to take my rating down for it. Besides what Nhika lacked in terms of a love story, the side characters, my two sweetheart boys, Andao and Trin, make up for it.

Once in a while, a book will come along that just surprises the hell out of me in the best way. The Last Bloodcarver is one of those books. The city of Theumas is heavily industrialized, pushing the limits of technology and science. Nhika is struggling to get by, peddling oils and herbs and generally posing as a healer. Thing is? She actually can heal people, reading someone's body with a single touch to diagnose them. Nhika is a heartsooth, in the tongue of her people. The citizens of Theumas, however, fear the abilities she wields, and call her a bloodcarver. The power to manipulate a a body requires only energy and knowledge, and when Nhika has both, she can be deadly. However, she would far rather honor the memories of her lineage, her deceased parents and grandparents, and all the other heartsooths from the island of Yarong that have gone before her. Nhika is the last surviving member of her family, and to the best of her knowledge, the last heartsooth.

When a scam job goes wrong, Nhika ends up in the clutches of The Butchers, a gang of thieves who deal in rare animals. As far as they're concerned, a proven bloodcarver is just that, and they plan to sell her to the highest bidder. That bidder turns out to be a 15-year old girl named Mimi. Nhika is whisked away from Butcher's Row to an elaborate estate and introduced to Mimi's brother Andao, the and informed that they are the children and heirs of one of Theumas' leading tech magnates. Their father has died, and they suspect foul play. Only one man was witness to what happened to Mr. Congmi on the night he died, and that witness is now in a coma. It is with the desperate hope that he might have memories of the death that Mimi and Andao sought out Nhika and her abilities. If Nhika can heal him, he might be able to tell the siblings what actually happened to their father.

Nhika must soon begin to navigate the upper echelons of a society that would kill her for her talents, learning more about medicine and politics in order to blend in at the Congmi estate. How long she can keep her secret when the grounds are buzzing with people? Was Mr. Congmi's death really just an accident? Is that doctor's young aide flirting with her? Will she be able to find peace in her family's traditions when everyone she loved is dead?

Vanessa Le has created an enthralling world in The Last Bloodcarver. Using her own Vietnamese heritage as a background, she's wound magic and history together in an immediately engaging story. This book starts off fast and doesn't let up. This is planned as book one of a duology, too, and I'm already looking forward to the follow-up work.

The Last Bloodcarver is out from MacMillan today. My utmost thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for a fair review.

This review originally appeared here: https://swordsoftheancients.com/2024/03/19/the-last-bloodcarver-a-review/

3.5 stars

While this was a fine story it didn’t feel fully fleshed out. It needed more world building. It seemed like the story offered pieces of this world but didn’t link them together. There is magic - blood carving which is simultaneously thought of as extinct but also terrifies people. Like the boogeyman. There is technology but at like 1930s level. Rotary phones, X-rays are brand new, and organ transplants haven’t been fully perfected yet. But at the same time there are complex and advanced automatons that do everything for a household or business. I ‘think’ this was supposed to be Vietnamese gas lamp? While this is an interesting mystery, the story telling and dialog was a bit simplistic, so it wasn’t fully engaging and had me skimming through parts. I also dislike the “I’m not telling you things to protect you” trope. If you’re looking for something simple, with a who-done-it premise and a love story, you may enjoy this.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's already out, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

Nhika is a heartsooth - or, as the people of Theumas would call her, a bloodcarver. She can alter a human's biology, can heal or hurt with just a touch. After being bought by the wealthy Congmi family, she's tasked with healing the only witness to their father's murder.

I loved the world-building and the blend of science and magic! It was so interesting to read Nhika describing the technical aspects of her powers, I haven't read anything like that before.

I only wish that there had been more development to Nhika and Kochin's relationship. I did like their eventual bond and what brought them together, but the strength of their feelings came on a little too fast for me.

Overall this was a really solid debut and I'm looking forward to the sequel (especially after that cliffhanger)!

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC!

"Maybe, that was all that legacy truly was, remembrance from beyond the grave.
It didn't need to be resounding, and it didn't need to be celebrated; it just needed to be."

I buddy-read The Last Bloodcarver with my best friend this weekend and we had a really fun time with it, EVEN if that ending left us clutching our pearls, with our sanity hanging by a thread.

The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le is a Vietnam-inspired, silkpunk fantasy set in a technocratic city-state that follows heartsoother Nhika, who may very well be the last of her kind. Vilified and feared for their ability to alter human biology with just a touch, Nhika's kind are referred to as bloodcarvers, seen as monsters that kill for pleasure rather than gifted healers. When Nhika gets caught after hiding her identity for so long, she's forced to use her abilities to heal the last witness to a high-profile murder. As she delves into high society to pursue the investigation and is faced with a terrifying evil, the key to her survival comes with a price: embrace the monster that the city fears or risk endangering the future of her kind.

This book navigates topics like classism, racism, the diaspora experience, generational trauma, but most of all, the preservation of culture, knowledge and legacy. It was heartbreaking, yet so beautiful, seeing how Nhika longed for a homeland and a culture that she never got the chance to fully experience, how she clung to that connection to the family she lost. I especially loved how she continued to treasure, nurture and protect her gift of heartsoothing, despite living in a place where something so precious and integral to her being is condemned and vilified.

I was hooked on this story from beginning to end. It was fast-paced, the world-building was easy to understand, and it had a great cast of characters. I adored the magic system and the fact that while it is based on science, it relies upon empathy. As always, I loved the found-family aspect, and we even got a delicate, budding romance towards the end that I hope we get to see more of in the sequel.

I’ve started and deleted this review several times, because nothing I write seems to really do this book justice! It’s the first in a YA fantasy duology with Vietnamese mythological roots. It covers so many big ideas like colonization, “otherizing,” legacy, and ethical use of science and medicine - all while telling a fascinating story with a badass FMC at the center of it all (my favorite kind of main character).

Nhika as a special gift of heartsoothing - also referred to as bloodcarving by Theumas, the reigning territory - which is illegal and has been thought to be eradicated from the population. Her love for her gift and for her ancestors who passed it down to her is paired with her shame and fear of being found out and exploited by others as well as loneliness from having to navigate heartsoothing and life on her own. She finds herself pulled into a mystery and is able to share her secret with a few individuals, but she’s constantly reminded that her worth to them is contractual and is a result of what she can do for others, not for who she really is.

I loved pretty much everything about this book! My least favorite aspect, to the surprise of absolutely no one, was the romance that blossoms. I also got bogged down in some of the medical terminology, but I just skimmed those paragraphs and was able to still enjoy the story.

The plot, characters, and setting are all deeply layered and beautifully written. I absolutely adored Le’s prose in this book and have so many highlighted passages! And the ending - OMG. I will absolutely be reading the second book in this installment and would recommend this to anyone who loves Young Adult books, fantasy, romance, and/or mysteries!

What a stunning and unique debut novel from author Vanessa Le - full of healing magic, a caste country heavily influenced by Vietnam and the East, and a mystery that captivates the reader until the last pages.

Nhika - who inherited the magical healing properties of heartsoothing or bloodcarving - is orphaned in the country her family fled to. Left to fend for herself, she works as a healer - but during an appointment gone wrong, she’s captured and sold on the black market to a wealthy family desperate for answers.

The story follows Nhika’s search for their answers, while she continues to grow in her understanding of her own gifts. There’s also a smidge of enemies to lovers, in a perfectly written YA way, in which Nhika is forced to make the ultimate choice.

The characters are complex, the world is rich in detail, and the slightly horrific plot isn’t predictable. Win, win, win.

The Last Bloodcarver is absolutely brilliant. Vanessa Le bringing in Vietnamese inspiration and contexts to the story brings forth a rich world as yet unexplored in this sort of fantasy setting -- but is clearly ripe for it. Le's writing is brilliant, balancing the romance and fantasy elements well while keeping the stakes high throughout the novel. I absolutely loved this one!