The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso is an enchanting and thought-provoking fantasy novel that blends intricate world-building, compelling characters, and an exciting plot. The book is set in a beautifully crafted universe where two distinct worlds collide, each with its own politics, cultures, and magic. At the heart of the story is a gripping narrative about love, loyalty, sacrifice, and the price of power.

The novel follows a strong and complex protagonist, who must navigate the challenges of two worlds that are on the brink of destruction. Caruso's writing is atmospheric, and she builds a vivid world that feels rich with history, magic, and lore. The stakes are high, and as the protagonist faces internal and external conflicts, readers are taken on an emotional rollercoaster.

One of the standout features of The Last Hour Between Worlds is the deep exploration of its characters. The protagonist is well-developed, with a mix of strength and vulnerability that makes them relatable and interesting. The secondary characters also bring depth to the story, and their relationships with the protagonist are layered and nuanced, offering plenty of emotional moments.

Caruso’s magic system is another highlight, intricately tied to the world-building and the story’s core conflicts. It’s clear that she has put a lot of thought into the mechanics of the magic and how it affects both the characters and the broader world. This added layer of complexity makes the plot even more engaging.

The pacing of the story is well-handled, keeping the reader hooked while allowing for moments of reflection and world-building. There are plenty of twists and turns, and the narrative never feels predictable. Themes of duty versus personal desire, the cost of power, and the importance of choice are explored in ways that make the reader think long after finishing the book.

Overall, The Last Hour Between Worlds is a fantastic addition to the fantasy genre. Caruso’s ability to create a compelling world, intricate magic, and multifaceted characters ensures this book will resonate with fans of epic fantasy and character-driven stories. Whether you're a fan of high-stakes adventure, romance, or deep world-building, this book has something for everyone.

Thank you, NetGalley, Orbit Books | Orbit

Kembral Thorne has just had a baby and it's the first she's letting herself being away from her newborn for a few hours. She only wants to enjoy this year-turning party. But when people start die and mysterious forces are dropping the whole party through layers of reality and nightmares, she has to do something. Even allying herself with the beautiful and compelling cat bulgar Nina Nonesuch, for a chance to save her city from the deep Echoes.

The last hour between world is definitely one of my favourite books. An intriguing fantasy set in a complex and very inventive world, that reminds me a lot of Made in Abyss by Akihito Tsukushi (don't ask me why). A world where different layers of reality exist, one of top one other, and deeper you go, deeper the reality is distorced and nightmares start to become real. Kem is used to the Echoes, more than the other guests at the party and with Nina she's ready to discover who is doing this, why and how and to save everyone.
Reality-bending magic is definitely one of my favourite and I loved how the mystery was intertwined with magic, memories, nightmares and sapphic romance, to make everything more and more high staking the deeper they go.
I loved reading this book! It was so filled with twists and so atmospheric and I really enjoyed everything in it!
Totally recommended it!

I am a HUGE fan of time travel and multiverse books, so this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. However, after a strong start, this book started going downhill and never recovered. My biggest issue is that I couldn't find a "so what" that made me care to keep reading. I was initially intrigued by the descriptions of the echo worlds and the dangers that lie in each of them as you go lower down. Beyond this, the plot was convoluted to a point that it made me disinterested because rather than peeling back layers or adding intrigue, it felt like it was dragging on. There are many time travel/multiverse books that I would recommend over this one. Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy!

I loved how the different groups of government agents were broken into animal factions (dogs, cats, ravens). I’m a mom and it was very relatable how things were described, especially the exhaustion, bodily changes, and anxiety about the baby. It took a minute to understand the overall plot but once I got the “big picture” I felt like this became a world I could keep coming back to!

Not my usual genre, since I don’t really read mysteries, but I liked it nonetheless. The fantasy elements were great, the plot was interesting, and the characters were complex. It’s light and fun and easy to read, I thought the writing was great. Some plot holes, but it’s the first book so I won’t be sad about that. The world building was very creative too… overall, recommend :) 4 stars!

I wanted to like this book... I really did. There were many parts that were unique and really interesting - especially the part about Echos being layers of the same world and the farther you go down, the crazier it gets.
However, I was so bored...I felt like the storyline kept repeating over and over. I was confused most of the time and the book just didn’t capture my interest.

DNF ~54%

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, and really enjoyed reading the first third too. Past this, I did start to lose track of what was happening / who people were, which ultimately led me to DNFing. I think there could have been a bit more explanation of the echo world earlier on to help with this. I also found it read a little young for me and it was hard to personally relate to the main character. I think a lot of people would however love this book as its a very unique story.

I wasn't really sure how I felt about this book at first because half the time I didn't really understand what was going on but also at the same time I was so intrigued by the world and the story. The story was so unique and I really loved the main character and that she is a new mom with new mom problems such as being exhausted from lack of sleep and having to decide whether she wants to go back to work or not, but at the same time she's also a bad-ass with a sword doing whatever it takes to save her friends. The only issue I had with this book was that I really wish there was a little more info about the lore and the world at the beginning of the story, even though I did end up figuring it out as the story went on I was really lost at first.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The plot and the characters were really interesting, the world was unique and of course I loved the sapphic romance. I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for the ARC of this book.

Thank you Orbit for the gifted book!

The Last Hour Between Worlds
Melissa Caruso
Publishing Date: November 19, 2024

I wanted to love this book so badly! Look at how pretty the Illumicrate edition is! And a physical arc in my hands?! But it just didn’t work for me.

The concept of a new mom escaping reality and trying to save the world as we know it was so intriguing, especially being a mom myself. Kembral is at a party and suddenly all hell breaks loose. We go on a mysterious and world bending adventure through echos into other realities as she and her rival try to figure out how to stop what is happening.

I was basically confused for most of this book. There was so much going on and yet at the same time the chapters felt so repetitive? I honestly don’t even know. I did read much of this via audiobook and maybe that was the problem? Although the narration was in no way bad! I have seen amazing reviews for this one so I feel like this was just a matter of this book not being for me 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel!

The Last Hour Between Worlds has a cool premise. Kembral Thorne is on maternity leave from her job as a Hound, where she investigates various mysteries and travels through different realities (called Echoes) to save people (and dogs!). She ventures away from her newborn child for the first time to attend a New Year's Eve party, where she's hoping she can relax and catch up with old friends and colleagues. Unfortunately, things take an unexpected turn, as several people are murdered and the party starts falling through different Echoes, each one stranger than the next. It's up to Kem and her rival, Rika, to figure out what's going on and find a way to save everyone. The story has elements of fantasy, science fiction, romance, and even a bit of horror. It's a fun read!

This book has a lot happening, and it definitely won't be for everyone. I enjoyed it, though. The plot follows a Groundhog Day theme; the party resets each time it drops to a new layer of reality, so everything starts over. If you're not a fan of repetitive plots, this may not be for you. I love Groundhog Day, though, so I thought this was a fun basis for a fantasy mystery. The story is also pretty campy, with overly dramatic dialogue and characters that feel a bit exaggerated. It contrasts entertainingly with the high stakes and violent murders. However, if camp bothers you, then this story may also not be for you.

One of my favorite things about this novel is the characters; they're great. Our main character, Kem, is fairly likable. She's a new mother, and being a caregiver is pretty much her entire personality. Mothers are rarely ever given the main roles in fantasy books, though, so I thought this was refreshing (even if I found her constant references to her daughter a bit tiring). She truly cares about everyone around her, as well, so I was rooting for her to save the day. I liked the love interest, Rika, too. She has a super interesting backstory. The sapphic rivals-to-lovers dynamic works well with the overarching plot. There are also a bunch of neat side characters - the villain is fun, the Echo characters are intriguing, and most of the partygoers are entertaining. I'm glad this is a series, so that the side characters are hopefully fleshed out more in the next installment.

I also loved the strange atmosphere of this book. The concept of Echoes was awesome and allowed for some good Alice in Wonderland vibes. I liked all of the weirdness and whimsy that came with each different Echo. The sprinkles of cosmic horror that popped up here and there were fantastic! I stayed engaged with the plot, because I just had to know what weird thing was going to show up next. I hope we get even more horror in the next book. I thought the writing was pretty good and struck a nice balance of describing the varying settings without becoming overly detailed and dragging down the pace.

There were a couple of things that didn't work for me, though. I thought this might be a three-star read for awhile, because the middle third of the book just feels so long. The author does a good job of keeping the action moving, so the constant party resetting doesn't feel too repetitive. However, the worldbuilding is pretty vague - as is the world itself. The Echoes are always moving and changing, so even the characters don't know what to expect next. This makes it difficult for readers to get a grasp on what is and isn't possible in the book. There are like twenty different problems that come up, as well as twenty different solutions. But, since I never had a good handle on the world, it felt like I was just along for the ride without being able to predict or absorb each new thing. It was still interesting to read, but it became tiresome in the middle, because so much was happening and I couldn't really gauge what was important to the overarching plot. I also couldn't tell if there were plot holes or if I simply wasn't understanding certain plot points. I'm all for letting readers come to their own conclusions, but I wish that the foundational elements of the world and plot had been explained a bit more clearly.

The other thing I struggled with was that there was a lot of telling, rather than showing, of the characters' relationships and backstories in this book. If you hate flashbacks, you'll be happy, because there aren't really any here! However, I almost wish there had been a few, because Kem basically had to tell us about each and every character at the party and how they were related to her. It also made the book feel longer, because many chapters had heavy amounts of infodumping. The last third of the book was much better, because I finally knew who everyone was and didn't have to sit through long explanations from Kem.

Even though there were aspects of this that I didn't love, I still had a great time reading this novel, which is why I'm rounding my rating up. I also really liked the last third of the book; it was exciting, emotional, and tied things up well, while still leaving a lot open for the sequel. I would recommend this to anyone who finds the premise interesting, as long as you think you'll enjoy the Groundhog Day plot and the campy characters. I'm glad this is a series; I definitely plan on picking up the next one!

3.75 stars out of 5, rounded up to 4 stars.

Wow, what a journey. It took me a couple of months to read this, with everything going on I kept dropping in and out, but I am glad I stuck it through to the end. A very inventive, intricate, mysterious, sapphic sci-fi read. This book is really quite silly while also dealing with a few quite serious things. The author is clearly having the time of her life, and I love it for her. Because of that, the energy is kind of A Lot TM so readers must be ready for that.

Overall, I'm obsessed with Kembral and Rika, really into the worldbuilding, and mildly exasperated at the (over) writing style. Which counts as a recommendation for most!

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review

Admittedly, time manipulation stories are not always my favorite. So it should mean more when I say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were so delightful and compelling, the story moved quickly, and I found it hard to put down. Caruso is the first author in a while to change my mind about this plot type.

*4.25 stars*

This was such a fun fantasy mystery. I haven’t seen as many reviews for this so I went in with pretty low expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

The world was very interesting and the romance was cute. If you’re going into it hoping for very detailed world building however you’re going to be disappointed. I was left with a lot of questions about how the world works that I hope will be answered in the next book but the world was built up enough and with such amazing imagery that it didn’t impeded my enjoyment of the story. I also love to see older MCs in fantasy.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

3.5 ⭐️

I really wished I had time to go back and read this book twice. It gives a lot of Christopher Nolan's movies vibes, especially Inception. And just like in Inception I need to read it multiple times to fully understand everything that is going on here. This book took twists and turns that I was not expecting and did not see coming. I will love love love to watch an adaptation of this book. I don't think my imagination did I great job to the world found in this story.

If you are a fan of the movie Inception or you are looking for something different to read I think you should give this book a try.

Thank you Orbit and Net Galley for an e-ARC of this book.

A reality-bending high fantasy murder mystery that takes place entirely during one New Year's Eve party. This was the perfect book to start the year with!

I'm actually a little surprised it took as long as it did for me to pick this one up, considering it's sapphic, read by Moira Quirk, and fantasy murder mysteries are a niche favorite genre of mine. This book was genuinely a delight - it's light and fun, packed with over-the-top camp and melodrama and theatrics. Expect scheming politicians, multiple ladies with swords, abyssal horrors that insist on talking about feelings, magical costume changes, and increasingly sinister twists on the setting as the characters plummet through layers of reality. I especially loved the quirky horror-comedy elements when the characters explored alternate versions of their city, which gave me really strong Boiling Isles vibes. (Owl House sapphics come get your food.) The fae-like/demonic echoes were so intriguing, familiar and intuitive enough to pick up quickly while also getting me really excited to explore more of this world and its echoes in the next books.

I could definitely poke some holes here if I wanted to - in certain ways, the plot and worldbuilding were overly simplistic; in others it got way too convoluted. I have a few remaining questions that may or may not be plot holes. The romance was also not terrible, but not outstanding. This book suffers from having made the odd decision to give Rika and Kem a major falling-out before the events of the book. We're TOLD that they're longtime rivals with a complicated cat-and-mouse relationship, but all of that happened off page. On page, we have them dealing with the fallout of a betrayal we didn't actually get to see, which involves a lot of petty sulking and bickering that gets slightly annoying. They did win me over by the end, though.

Altogether - fun and silly and fast paced, with a great mix of familiar and creative worldbuilding and a lot left to explore. Loved. Can't wait for the next one.

This book builds a fascinating world, moving between dimensions of reality and chasing down some truly larger-than-life villains. It does an excellent job setting up the world - very compact descriptions and straight-forward presentations make the somewhat magical. somewhat supernatural world very accessible. The scaffolded realities theory creates a complex world to play in while being based off a very simple premise, making it imminently readable. The connection between the two main characters is strong, though at moments odd. The role of motherhood in the main character's narrative was a mixed experience for me; on the one hand [SPOILER] I loved the connection between the clock-maker and her child. On the other, the constant call-backs to her concerns as a mother felt forced. While the constant presence on her mind as a new mother makes sense, the way it was discussed and integrated simply didn't connect for me; it was both too present and, in some of the most critical moments, not present enough. That said, a fascinating world and clearly well set up for the series that's meant to follow

While this book was not my preferred genre of reading, I can say that the story is very well-written with interesting characters and a unique fantasy world. Additionally, there were a few plot twists I was unable to predict. Melissa uses a fascinating mix of language and ways of living of the past, with fantastical and allegorical twists. If you are looking for the typical fae/complex magic system/romance focused fantasy, this may not be for you. If Doctor Who and H.G. Wells are more your style, definitely give this a try.

This was so much fun. Just the right amount of wibbly wobbly timey wimey....stuff. A main character who is both smart and sassy and determined and overall badass. A sapphic love interest. Lots of mystery, with the answers paced out just right. I always felt like I was in step with the story, realizing answers just as they were about to be revealed.

Also, must admit I did not get to this before pub date, so I picked it up on audio, and the audio is AMAZING. Narrated by the incomprable Moira Quirk, who lends just the right amount of personality to the narration.

A strong start to 2025.

Honestly, this was so much fun and yet very different from what I thought it would be. Will definitely be checking out the next title.

This was wonderful! I loved the writing style, the characters, the world-building…everything about it was top-notch. I will definitely be recommending this book!