Thank you to Vanessa Le, Netgalley, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Roaring Brook Press for the eARC!

This is one of those debuts that feels rocky, but also I'll be keeping an eye on the author because I feel like there is a lot of potential there for great things. I will start by saying that I loved the Vietnam-inspired worldbuilding and although it wasn't fantastic--debuts are rarely the best with worldbuilding--it felt much more solid and realized than the last YA fantasy I read, HEARTLESS HUNTER. The magic as healing concept was very interesting and decently well fleshed out.

THE LAST BLOODCARVER has a premise I feel a lot of people have seen before, but also one that a lot of people gravitate toward, including myself. The biggest letdown, I have to say, was the romance. Obviously not being a teen anymore, I do acknowledge that what I see in a YA romance is different to what a teen see and enjoys, but here, I felt none of the chemistry and authenticity that I was supposed to be feeling, particularly in pivotal moments. My other big piece of criticism lies at the fifty percent mark, where we suffer from the tired, boring middle stretch before being thrust into a heart-pounding (and pretty great) ending sequences. I put this book down for weeks, mostly because I felt no drive to continue, and if this were not an ARC, I might have DNF'ed.

The lack of interesting tension and plot really dragged the rating of this book down for me.

My final note is on the prose. It was not as polished or as well-written as I'd have liked (subject to change as this is an ARC) and pretty basic. A more lush, interesting writing style really could have elevated this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 4.25 (rounded down for goodreads’ sake)

A sweeping debut that blends magic, science, and familial ancestry in a Vietnam inspired fantasy world, The Last Bloodcarver is definitely worth the read.

By far, my favorite part of this book was the magic system. The way in which medicine is blended with magic is so fascinating and truly so so creative in a way I haven’t seen in a long time. I may be biased as I’m a pre-med student but it was still so cool. The pages long descriptions of Heartsoothing and the intimate connection with the body were gripping and engaging to read. I also enjoyed the hints at a larger society, with mentions of a technocracy, automatons, and a looming war based around colonization. The line level writing was quite beautiful at times and I truly felt that Nhika’s character development was both realistic and well handled.

The plot provided a solid anchoring to carry you through the book, and I felt that in many parts, tension was adequately maintained, although I did guess what I’ll call one of two twists that are revealed about 60% through. That’s nothing against the author, however.

I think my only complaint lies in the development of the romantic relationship. I won’t spoil much, but the ending for me fell a bit flat as I did not fully believe in the relationship in relied on. I wish we could’ve seen more establishment of that. However, I did enjoy the development of platonic relationships although I also would’ve wished for a bit more set up from those. I also slightly wish we could’ve seen more about the world and the greater issues going on that I mentioned above.

All that is to say, this was a very good book. If you’re looking for a diverse fantasy that blends magic, medicine, and murder mystery in a technocratic society, then this book is perfect for you. I enjoyed it, and I hope you will too.

Thank you again to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Bloodcarver is a wonderful blend of science and fantasy. I couldn’t put this book down! Nhika is a young bloodcarver, the last of her kind with the ability to heal or hurt by inserting herself into another’s physiology. Hunted by those who think consuming parts of her will give them power she finds herself bought and used by a wealthy family to help solve a murder. Dark and brutal Vanessa Le weaves a story that will keep your attention right up to the surprise ending.

Finished it days ago and finally have my thought together. The Last Bloodcarver is a fenominal debut! I ended up having so much fun reading it.

The world that Le created was so vivid and the magic system was so unique. Nhika is the last of her kind carrying on the tradition of her healing magic. The story explores how strongly one must fight to keep their heritage when they are displaced. The diaspora perspective is so important to have in fantasy and this book is a wonderful addition to that conversation.

The world that Le created is so vivid and the magic system is so unique. I loved reading her descriptions of it. The characters were well rounded and the romances were satisfying.

Le with great care tackled how it can be when POC enter spaces that were not created for them. I found it so powerful to see that represented. In academia or prestigious professions there's a lot of self doubt for POCs and I definitely have experienced feeling imposter syndrome while I was in a university and later at one of my jobs.

I can't wait to read more from this author!

A very unique book with an interesting cast and a strong protagonist. I hesitate to say it has a unique magic system, as the book itself is uncertain of whether to call bloodcarving - or heartsoothing - magic, and I don't necessarily want to pigeonhole it either, but the love and care given to this system of healing is really breathtaking. Every scene in which Nhika uses her gift to heal feels so visceral and vivid, really showing that sense of connection she makes with those she helps. Her journey to accept herself, her gift, and her desire to care for others in a world that wants to punish her for it is really touching.

While I found the romance aspect a bit quick, I also don't know how else I would have managed it and still reached the same emotional cues the story wanted to hit, so this is less of a critique and more of an observation. I do wish we'd gotten maybe a little more time with the Congmis, but I always felt a bit distant from them. While this fits in with Nhika's initial feelings, I feel like as time went on we should have felt some of that wall come down, and to be completely honest, the Congmis never felt like much more than window dressing for most of the story.

That in mind, this was an excellent story and I'm looking forward to the sequel to deal with that shocking twist!

Nhika is a heartsoother - although in the terminology of the conquerors of her nation, she is a bloodcarver, a person to be feared rather than a healer to be welcomed and thanked. As far as she knows, she is the last of her kind, and, due to her grandmother's untimely death when Nhika was only 12, only partially trained. Her status as a bloodcarver could get her killed at any time; her kind is both legally prohibited and sought by those wealthy enough to ignore legal issues. Caught by the Butchers, infamous traders who will buy and sell anything, including people with gifts like Nhika who are considered subhuman, at best, Nhika has only one choice: to go with the well-dressed young woman who pays far more than any other bidder has offered her captors. But once she's been removed from the Butchers, Nhika finds that her circumstances may have disimproved even more than she thought.

A thought-provoking novel that invokes the dangers of prejudice and stereotype, The Last Bloodcarver is a fascinating look into a society that has, as a whole, decried a subsection of itself as evil because of its genetic heritage, an issue that has plagued history for at least as long as it has been recorded in print. By choosing a special ability that does not exist within humanity at this time, the author separates the issue from any existing prejudices and examines it apart from the historical issues that impact the investigation of discrimination. In addition to its thought-provoking investigation into prejudice, The Last Bloodcarver is a mystery contained within a fantasy novel, and fulfills its various roles well.

This story intrigued me by the cover and synopsis. I do enjoy a good morbid anatomy based story. This started off really great. Nhika is a compelling character and I enjoyed her character growth throughout the story. The plot was interesting for awhile with the murder mystery and her trying to learn how to use her ability better. It started to drag around 50% though, and I felt myself skimming a lot of what Nhika was learning and the interactions she was having. I felt like the romance wasn't very genuine. It felt like she loved him because he was the only person she ever met who had something in common with her. I wish it would have just stayed platonic. The ending while great, gives me the impression this is going to have a sequel and undo what the ending did. I think it would be more impactful to stay a standalone. With that ending it would leave more of an impression. All in all this is a unique story with some fascinating lore but it won't stand out to me in the long run. 3 stars.

I flew through this book! Nhika's abilities were really interesting and the murder mystery plot kept me guessing until the end. I loved Nhika's connection to her heritage and the Vietnamese representation. Overall, this was a fast-paced and enjoyable read.

The tantalizing romance of These Violent Delights meets the mechanical wonders of Cinder in The Last Bloodcarver , the first in a two-book debut - with a riveting medical magic system and lush Vietnam-inspired fantasy world.

Gorgeous prose, wonderful plotting, intriguing characters--I really loved this book!

This book would be perfect for an older crowd such as 8-12 grade. I believe it would hook reluctant readers-everything from the beautiful cover illustration, to the character development and the quick-moving plot, would engage them and hold their interest.

I can see class discussions going beyond the typical plot and main idea/details to how does the world in The Last BloodCarver reflect the world we are living in? Have you ever been treated like Nhika? How did/would you deal with this treatment? Would you still heal others? Would you have made the same final choice as the main character, Nhika? Why or why not? I’ also would be interested in discussing what plot points could be developed in a potential sequel?

I enjoyed this book and would recommend that fans of suspense and fiction read it as well.

The Last Bloodcarver follows Nhika, who for survival must heal people in secret to earn money. At one of her appointments, Nhika is captured and brought by an upper-class family to heal their family friend: the last witness to their father’s death.

The Last Bloodcarver transports readers into the industrial, steampunk city of Theumas where science and magic blend together effortlessly. Through vivid descriptions of bodily anatomy and healing, Le creates an original and enthralling magic system that makes it easy for readers to escape into. From these descriptions, it becomes clear that Le spent extensive time and effort to explain the more biological aspects to readers but still making it engaging and simple to understand.

On top of all of this, Le creates a poignant commentary on the power of language. Within the story, there are two different names for Nhika’s abilities: bloodcarver and heartsoothe. One intended to strike fear into people’s hearts and the other highlight an intention of healing. Le argues that language has the power to alter people’s perspective, stripping people’s abilities to act for themselves.

The Last Bloodcarver features a romance, but within the story it functions differently as opposed to other young adult fantasies. It acts more as a subplot adding to themes of identity, heritage, and diaspora explored within the novel. Due to this, I do not want to go too much into this aspect as I’ll be going into spoiler territory.

A fresh and bold entry into the young adult fantasy sphere, The Last Bloodcarver is a vivid, gorgeously written debut that features an intriguing magic system, a well-developed main character, and will have readers wanting more.

The Last Bloodcarver is a fast paced book that I couldn’t stop reading once I picked it up. I absolutely adored these characters.

Our MC is a badass and I was rooting for her from the beginning. I loved how her character developed and how we get to see her grow into herself. I loved the romance and the found family trope. I also really enjoyed the mystery aspect, although I did call the bad guy from the start.

The ending really took me by surprise and I can’t wait to see where the story goes.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the sea of YA fantasy, sometimes a book stands out from the rest for all of the right reasons. The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le is a steampunk YA fantasy with a stunningly original premise. The story revolves around Nhika, a bloodcarver who can alter the bodies of anyone who she touches. She's seen as a monster or myth by society, but when she's bought by a wealthy family who wants to solve their father's murder, she has the chance to prove that she's not such a monster after all. Can she solve the murder before the murderer comes after her?

Here is an enchanting excerpt from Chapter 1, which introduces us to the main character:

"Someone like Nhika, with her fidgety smile and frayed satchel of snake oils, didn’t belong in these streets.
In the Dog Borough near the harbor, she never would’ve stood out in this attire, with her cropped sleeves and bare hands. There, residents traded silk for cotton and wool, and the cogwork of their automatons crackled with rust and crusted sea salt. Here in the Horse Borough, women wrapped themselves in tight silk dresses and men in boxy robes, concealing every inch of skin with long gloves and high collars. It was the fashion, stemming from the fear of people like her.
The myth of them, anyway."

Overall, The Last Bloodcarver is an amazing YA fantasy that will appeal to fans of The Last Airbender and Not Even Bones. One highlight of this book is how it starts off with a punch and never lets go. There is nonstop action from beginning to end. Another highlight of the world building that actually felt original and complete. This book takes place in an Asian-inspired steampunk world that I wanted to visit and never leave.

Another highlight of this book are the emotional parts that got me emotional, which is hard to do for a book. One final highlight of this book is the #ownvoices Asian representation. I am happy to support an author of Asian descent in the YA fantasy space, especially when the book is so well-written and fun to read. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that some parts are gory. This book is not for the faint of heart. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in March!

A rich fantasy with a great protagonist and a surprising ending. The world was a unique Southeast Asian style that I enjoyed. It was fast paced but detailed and the MC’s abilities were described in a really different but good way. I will definitely be looking forward to the next one to see what happened.

Nhika is a heartsoother - although in the terminology of the conquerors of her nation, she is a bloodcarver, a person to be feared rather than a healer to be welcomed and thanked. As far as she knows, she is the last of her kind, and, due to her grandmother's untimely death when Nhika was only 12, only partially trained. Her status as a bloodcarver could get her killed at any time; her kind is both legally prohibited and sought by those wealthy enough to ignore legal issues. Caught by the Butchers, infamous traders who will buy and sell anything, including people with gifts like Nhika who are considered subhuman, at best, Nhika has only one choice: to go with the well-dressed young woman who pays far more than any other bidder has offered her captors. But once she's been removed from the Butchers, Nhika finds that her circumstances may have disimproved even more than she thought.

A thought-provoking novel that invokes the dangers of prejudice and stereotype, The Last Bloodcarver is a fascinating look into a society that has, as a whole, decried a subsection of itself as evil because of its genetic heritage, an issue that has plagued history for at least as long as it has been recorded in print. By choosing a special ability that does not exist within humanity at this time, the author separates the issue from any existing prejudices and examines it apart from the historical issues that impact the investigation of discrimination. In addition to its thought-provoking investigation into prejudice, The Last Bloodcarver is a mystery contained within a fantasy novel, and fulfills its various roles well.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NETGALLEY & Roaring Brook Press / Holtzbrinck Publishing / Fierce Reads for eARC

Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Writing Style: 4
Cover: 2
Enjoyment: 3.5ish

> Told in third person POV from Nhiki, an 18 year-old Heartsoothe/Bloodcarver.
> Cast includes Mimi (15ish), Andao (few years older than Nhiki), Trin ('older than her by some years'), Kochin (19), amongst other adults.
> I was *very* put off by the use of the word "Anyways" in the narrative. It's one thing to speak it aloud, but to use it otherwise is just....no.
> Also? You can't keep using eavesdropping at door as an excuse. Loses its believability, etc
> I liked the platonic chemistry between Nhiki and Trin.
> There were a few awkward conversational exchanges, albeit brief ones. But Nhiki and Kochin are just weird until they're not. Still, it's really off putting.
> Minor complaint, but if you keep the accent on "façade", why not keep it on other French words? It was also an inconsistent choice, as the author spelt it with and without it.
> I will steadfastly say that I did NOT buy the romance AT ALL. Extremely forced and lacking chemistry.
> Third act slough somehow? Even though it’s the culmination? Surprise ending, though, so. Kudos there, I guess. Still, not enough to bring me back for the next installment. Maybe I'll google what happens once it's concluded.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC.

Nikha is a heartsoother, or bloodcarver, who can use magic to heal others. Some of the parts of this were confusing to me, as it discusses parts of the anatomy. I feel like this could have been described in a way for YA to understand this better. Also, Nikha is one of the last remaining heartsoothers left in the country.

She is caught by "the Butchers" and sold to an aristocrat, Mimi. This rich family wants Nikha to cure their dying friend so that he can tell who killed their father.

The story is very well done, and the magical world is set up very well. Maybe in book 2 will the relationships between characters develop more. Just when you think relationships are developing, one of the characters changes the attitudes.

The book is left open for a book 2, which I am excited to read. Not a 5 star read, but definitely will be popular amongst fantasy readers.

Vanessa Le intrigued the readers with her magical story of Nhika with dark themes in a fantasy world of steampunk. Genocide is briefly addressed in this book and would make a great alignment to the current events for people who enjoy reading fiction.

The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le is a dark yet enchanting fantasy read that drew me in from page one.
What I loved
1. Our main character's magic is fundamentally misunderstood by much of the world around them and that allows the reader to experience learning about it not just by its nature but by how others have seen it.
2. There is a strong mystery and intrigue element to the main plot
3. The romantic subplot is well fleshed out without taking over the story.
What Didn't work as well for me
Honestly my only compliant is that I must now desperately await a sequel when book one isn't even out yet.
Who I would recommend this title for
Readers who enjoy their fantasy exploring dark themes and plots will be at home within these pages.

The Last Bloodcarver blends together fantasy and science in an interesting way to create a unique story. There was a sort of darkness to this story that was appealing and I truly enjoyed the concept.

There was a bit of romance but more as a subplot within the story. My main issue was that I found myself more interested in the side characters like Trin than the main character. I just didn’t connect to our main character here. I also found much of the story to be a bit slow for my liking, but it was still enjoyable.