Check trigger warnings and really evaluate if you can handle a book like this. If you can handle a very dark, gothic thriller, give it a shot. This book continues to change in my head - sometimes I liked it, other times I did not. Parts were very slow, and its mostly vibes over plot.

DNF at 30%
Unfortunately I was unable to finish this book.

I was really looking forward to reading The Last Immortal, however, I found it to be unnecessarily long and the writing felt very stilted to me.

I would recommend looking up content warnings before reading.

DNF at 22% because I lost interest due to the lack of direction with the plot. The premise absolutely had me hooked, but I just felt like the delivery wasn’t there. Life is too short to read books you aren’t enjoying, and unfortunately this one is not for me.

I struggled through this book, the triggers weren't what got me, but it was the pacing of the book. I was kind of just vibing through it and it never felt like anything happened at the end, I always expect growth to some extent, but I wasn't feeling it. It's definitely for someone, but just not for me.

DNF at 20%.

This book is dark as hell and the copy that I received from the publishers through NetGalley does not have a clearly labeled content warnings list. The content warning list is also incomplete, which according to other reviewers, is completed for the final copy that went into print. Check out other reviews for this book to find the full list before checking out the book if you're interested in it.

The author is a good writer, but the book is extremely dark. What seems like what is in store for the protagonist's future as her memories begin to return (and was confirmed by another reviewer's comprehensive trigger warnings list that they shared), it will be getting 100 times darker and will also be triggering as I am a SA survivor myself.

Quick Synopsis

This is a story about cruel immortals. Even after reading it, I could not describe it better.

My Review

I gave this book 2 out of 5 stars. I didn’t even know what was happening most of the time. There were jumps and random characters. It was also very weird and creepy. Especially the hand gloves. I didn’t understand about the other people Ramilia had inside her. The book dragged on. I also don’t understand the ending. It didn’t really do anything to help me understand the story. I have a very vague idea of the plot but even that didn’t help me to understand. I would not recommend this book to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

thank you to Netgalley and BHC Press for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

while i was initially really excited to read The Last Immortal (being a lover of the horror and gothic), i unfortunately found myself DNF-ing this one. while the writing style was captivating, the gratuitous presence of certain triggering topics left me wanting to take a break from the book, and i'm not sure if i will come back to it again.

"The Last Immortal" by Natalie Gibson is a haunting tale that weaves together elements of gothic horror, paranormal intrigue, and a journey of self-discovery. As a reader, I was drawn into the rich Victorian-era darkness, reminiscent of the atmospheric worlds crafted by Anne Rice, one of my all-time favorite authors.

Gibson's storytelling mirrors Rice's ability to blend the supernatural with the deeply personal. The protagonist, Lady Ramillia Winmoore, unfolds her mysterious past with a narrative style that keeps you guessing and turning the pages. The reminiscent echo of Anne Rice's atmospheric charm is palpable, especially in exploring immortality, the intricate web of relationships, and the haunting backdrop of a bygone era.

The novel's strength lies in its well-constructed plot; every twist and turn is a carefully crafted revelation. The gothic setting is not just a backdrop but a character in itself, adding layers to the narrative that will appeal to fans of dark, atmospheric storytelling.

While the book stands on its own merits, the subtle homage Rice adds an extra layer of enjoyment for those familiar with her work. The echoes of her influence are particularly felt in the nuanced portrayal of immortal characters and the exploration of the dark side of humanity.

The complex and nuanced characters contribute to the story's depth. The writing style, vivid and evocative, captures the essence of the era while maintaining accessibility. Gibson's ability to seamlessly blend the supernatural with the historical is commendable.

For those interested in reading this beautiful gothic horror, please be warned that it contains heavy, dark material and themes that can be triggering to many, especially if you are not familiar with this genre. Please be sure to check all trigger warnings before reading.

In conclusion, "The Last Immortal" is a compelling read that successfully immerses you into a beautiful but horrifying gothic world that will leave you gobsmacked. Natalie Gibson has crafted a tale that stands tall in the genre, offering a fresh perspective on immortality, power, and the resilience of the human spirit. A must-read for fans of gothic horror with a touch of the extraordinary.

Really interesting premise. Haven't finished it yet, but I'm definitely hooked. Can't wait to see how it ends!

I didn't finish it a 60% Please, please check Trigger Warnings before reading.

"Violence is only horrifying when done to those who don't deserve it."

This book is an enigma for me. On paper a book that's unabashedly queer with protagonist hellbent on getting hee way on winning in the partiarcal society sounds right up my alley. Also it involves immortals AND historical setting.

It's a weird and confusing book and I don't if it's in good way. It's a historical horror book that's written like a memoir or an immortal living right now in modern times. And as a person who's bad at history I appreciate comments explaining rules of society (in "You know this is so f wrong!!" Way). One of my complaints with this book was that it never leant into historical setting at all. If you are writing a story about a class of super rich and powerful immortals it seems obvious to me that some of the historical figures are bound to be immortal/be aware of their existence. On top of that the author likes to repeat what's happened in previous chapter like I remember it I read this chapter 5 minutes ago.

At least part of the reason this book felt disjointed to me was that it's made of 3 separate and district storylines -> parts. I feel like it would have been easier to read if it were 3 novellas instead.

I could not care enoug for secondary characters. I don't know if it's me thing or not. Ramilla character development is okay but I found not enough depth to it. Like if you are doing a book about modern woman (and she freely admits to being modern women even back then) you might as well give some social commentary.

4 stars is probably too high for this one but it's a debut and it's queer so I'll round it up.

I had really high hopes when requesting this book, unfortunately, it did work out for me.
What worked about this book: I loved how Ramillia fights to keep her humanity even after the many horrible and tragic things that happen to her. She has a defined set of morals which she does not cross until the very end. There were scenes in this book that hooked me and pulled me through.
What didn't work: There are a slew of trigger warnings that should not be taken lightly when engaging with The Last Immortal. Knowing that they were coming helped me to prepare for what I was reading. Beyond these, there are parts of the story that were very confusing. The main character, Ramillia is from the Victorian era, telling her story in modern times. Each section of the book opens with an introduction, modern day reflection and then goes back. This combination was jarring to me and I would have preferred an introduction and then timeline leading from the start to finish of the section. Ramillia also refers to "how it was back then" when I had thought that the action was back then. Also, there are a lot of characters within Ramillia all who are introduced and mentioned but don't play large parts. Her inner beings/personas were confusing.
Overall, I loved the premise. I just wish that the writing would have been clearer and not jumped around so much.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was so incredibly excited for this book but unfortunately it was .. underwhelming. Beautiful writing, poor character development.

I requested this book thinking it might be a contender for our book box but sadly could not make it past the trigger warnings.

Thank you NetGalley and BHC for the ARC of The Last Immortal for an honest review.

I finished the book yesterday, but still struggling to find the words to make a review. I will post an updated one when the book comes out and I can post spoilers

First and foremost, make sure you read the trigger warnings. It is most definitely a very dark goth-horror themed books.
I don’t have any trigger warnings so I skipped past reading them and was even shocked by some of the things that took place.
That being said, with a lot of the trigger warnings, they are briefly mentioned most of the time or kind of glossed over. Even the few smut scenes were like a 1 out of 5 rating. It was mentioned, but the author doesn’t go into detail.

The way the book reads is like you’re reading Ramilias (FMC) diary. On multiple occasions the author will start the chapter with the main climax, and then go back in time to tell you what happened. I was very confused at first but you kind of get the hang of it.

I liked the idea of a new way to be an immortal by this genetic mutation that could be passed on by family.
I wish there was more of an explanation of what exactly an Incola and a carrier is and how they came about.
Also, “Riding” a carrier also gave me the ick.

Another thing I had a hard part with is the fact that you can’t really relate to any of the characters.
You have these immortal beings with no good traits that you’re rooting for.
You have Ramilia who is finding out she’s a monster and learning about how she becomes that way and you can’t relate to her either.
I did like that even though it was the Victorian period, she became a woman of her own standards and takes matters into her own hands to get what she wants.
Just.. so much death, and for what exactly? Especially since they next generation pops up more incolas and carriers.

All in all, it is a dark, goth horror book so I expected nothing less than crazy and obscure.
I did finish it, but it was a very hard read.

I couldn't finish this book. I really enjoyed the first ten percent but after that it lost my interest completely. I got up to 25% I just don't think this one was for me, I couldn't get behind the new direction it was going and the characters. Thank you for providing me with an advance copy.

First I would like to thank Net Galley and BHC Press for an advanced reader's copy.

The first thing you should know about this book is that there is a lot of dark content. Please check the trigger warnings if you feel the need to. It is a dark gothic horror book. There is a lot of body-horror and sexual and emotional abuse.

Positives:
- This book was dark as advertised! I loved the shock I felt at every turn.
- The main character felt very relatable and it was easy to sympathize.
- The premise felt new. I don't feel like I've read this book a million times before.

Negatives:
- This book felt like it was meant to be a trilogy and was smashed together into one book. There were many moments where in-depth descriptions were repeated as if I hadn't read it less than 100 pages ago. This made the book feel much longer than it was and caused it to drag a bit.
- The ending felt a bit anti-climactic. Without giving anything away, this book was so full of action and big reveals the ending felt a little out of the blue. Maybe if there was more alluding to this ending earlier in the book it would have felt more satisfying.
- The author also decided to put a little jump ahead in time at the beginning of each "part" that I felt gave away huge events that I wish had been left as a surprise. Could have done without those.
- The main character is supposed to be a centuries-old being recounting the events of her life, but she sounds more like a teenage girl throughout the whole book.

Overall I enjoyed my experience reading this book. It met expectations and deserves at least 3 stars. I think if the book had cut down on a few of the repetitive descriptions and had maybe aged the narrator a bit this could have been a 4 star book.

Before I get into the review this book does contain a lot of dark themes, which are accurately described in the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book so please make sure to check those out before you read!

I overall did enjoy this book! It contained some really strong writings but at times I felt like we repeating information we had previously learned a few chapters back and that happened a few times throughout the book. I like that it was split into 3 parts, but considering the book was less than 600 pages it felt like I was reading an 800+ page book at time. I think it would've benefitted from splitting the book into two.

The "magic" system was really unique and I haven't read anything similar to this which is refreshing. I use the term magic loosely because the MC says herself its not magic they use. The FMC was more of an anti-hero because in no way was she a good person. Yes she did try to stop the main evil but she was also evil in herself which I thought was interesting. The world that was built was very thorough and I enjoyed reading and learning about the world and how it worked. I liked how it was written in a style where the FMC was recounting the past and wrote a journal. And how she did not conform to societies standards at the time. She grew a lot from relying on her husband to being someone who can stand on her own without a mans help. Which was refreshing and she became a power house in her own right.

This book isn't for everyone. It is very dark, very graphic, the triggers are definitely would be triggering to some. Which in my opinion is great, that means you are doing what you want to do with a dark fantasy novel. I've read my fair share of dark fantasy/dark romance books & this one one like no other. At time it was slow but it was worth it. I think to better help those that have triggers, make the trigger list longer.
Thank you for this arc!

I feel bad about giving this book such a low rating. I don't think it deserves three stars but I don't think it wholly deserves to be shut down as a two star read either. Maybe I'm too nice? Maybe I need to re-evaluate my rating system? Regardless, I've rated this book 2.5 but rounded down to 2 stars for Goodreads.

The reason I decided to round down is because, for me, the negatives outweighed the positives. The main negative was the pacing. I felt like there was too much packed into one book. For example, I thought the book ended at the end of Part 1 before realising there were two more parts to the book and then I felt exhausted. Each part began with a flash-forward which was interesting for Part 1 and got me excited about the book; but this felt jarring and spoiler-ish for Part 2 and almost made me DNF at Part Three. However, I obviously didn't care to much as I didn't DNF the book. That’s mainly because there were parts I found interesting and enjoyed in the moment.

Personally, I think Part 1 is where the real story was. This is mainly because of Hester as well as the toxic and abusive dynamic between Ramillia and Julian, and the topics surrounding childhood trauma. I would have loved to see these areas explored with more depth and nuance. Instead, these areas were sped over to make room for the other two-thirds of the book.

Also, I know a lot of ARC readers went into this story blind. I'm thankful that I got a copy with the trigger warnings at the front. I do caution anyone interested in this book to look at those and take care when reading, particularly survivors of CSA. While I wouldn’t call these dark themes ‘enjoyable’, their existence in the narrative did not impact my review.

For transparency, I DNFd at 60%.

I find that a lot of dark fantasy is dark for darkness' sake. I know the child SA is commonly talked about this this novel, but it's simply one of those things that makes you wonder why such a thing would be written in a novel that doesn't require the details of it, when things like the "why" behind a LOT of things, making this incredibly difficult to follow a lot of the time.

There was also way too much going on in terms of occult types and not a single character was likable. For how long this novel is, and how jam-packed with prose it is, not much can be discovered about its purpose, as it simply seems to be horrific for horror's sake.

Thank you to BHC Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC.