Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really wanted to like this book, but it was just too boring for me. I was waiting to get entertained by the plot or get excited to read this, but I just couldn’t sadly.

I saw this compared to “First Kill” and if you like that show you’ll love this. Sadly I was not a fan of that show so this was not really for me.

I liked Layla a lot! She was cool. I liked reading from her more so than Elise. Elise was okay but a little dull most of the time to be honest. I thought they were good together and their banter was decent, but I never actually got invested in their relationship.

Some of the tropes that were in there I like, but it wasn’t enough for me. Like how Layla and Elise’s past haunted the narrative. Or the trope of, “no one kills her but me.” I just think it was just executed poorly. Everything was so slow moving. There was something missing I can’t quite put my finger on that made me not fully enjoy this book. I almost wonder if it was too focused on the tropes and the relationship that it ruined the plot.

This book was pitched as enemies to lovers, which we did get in a sense, but also I was expecting Layla to be more evil than she was. It seemed like Layla was only evil because she was a reaper, not because her personality made her that way. Sometimes she did monstrous things, but I was hoping to see more “the villain gets the girl” and not, people dislike her because she’s a monster but she’s not actually that bad. If it wasn’t pitched to me that way it would have been fine, but I was expecting her to be more of a villain because of how she was as a person.

I liked the characters but they weren’t enough to make the plot better. Jamie was such a fun character to follow though and honestly he might have been my favorite. He was well balanced as a cool gangster but also goofy and kind of lame (endearing) once you actually got to know him. I wish he was in it more because any time he was I was very invested in what was happening.

I almost liked the dynamic of Mei and Layla together better than Elise and her. That little bit I read of Layla and Mei was much more fun than Elise and Layla ever was! They had the betrayal going between them, but they understood each other and looked out for each other. To me they had a lot more chemistry.

I feel like the side characters showed up in the story a lot, but were brushed aside when they weren’t needed anymore. For example, Josi and Elise’s mother were mentioned a decent amount, and a lot of times Josi was Elise’s motivation for doing the things she did, and at the end they were randomly thrown in there as very important, but it was touched on for a page or two and then no mention of it again. Maybe it will be touched on more in the second book, but it was very unsatisfying reading it now.

There are spoilers in this next paragraph, so proceed with caution:

Some more examples of this: Layla really cared about Mei, but when she died Layla didn’t give her a second thought for the rest of the book. Or Valeryia, she seemed like a very cool character that was so underdeveloped. Being one of first reaper’s could have opened the story up to a lot of cool moments and to learn more what it meant to be a reaper, but she was barely in the book. She was pitched as being like a mother to Layla, though Layla only interacted with her a few times and we didn’t see Valeryia care about Layla very much when they did. Even when she died it was like, okay that happened. Layla got mad but not that upset in my opinion. What really got me upset was Sterling. You’re telling me that we spent this entire book seeing Sterling do anything for Elise, tell her how much she meant to him and he loved her, for him to get in trouble once time, suddenly he hates her and never wants to speak to her again, to the point where Elise would infect him with the “cure” in order to protect Layla. I get it, you love her and would probably pick her over Sterling, but still. Really? It’s not like Elise kept him in the dark about what he was doing and even warned him not to help so he wouldn’t get in trouble! But he still helped her anyway! That actually made me so angry. I liked Sterling a lot and thought he was a great friend, but he was just brushed aside and suddenly an enemy. It made no sense and was just bad writing.

That furthers my point of the relationship between Layla and Elise was the most important aspect of the book, which is fine, but don’t try to introduce a bunch of characters or plot lines as well because it will just be put on the back burner and make for an underdeveloped story.

The ending was too abrupt for me. Not that I wanted to read more no offense, but suddenly it was just done even though we started to get into a vaguely interesting plot line. I know she is writing a second book and some authors like to keep it open ended, but it felt like the story just ended in the middle of a scene.

Despite my complaints, I didn’t hate this book, I was just disappointed because I had such high hopes and was promised so many great things and I did not get it. I think if you go into this book not having high expectations you could like this, but it was not for me.

Rating: 2.5-3/5
Dedication: For Black girls everywhere— you are enough.

A bystander to carnage does not a saint make”

What to Expect
🩸Sapphic Vampire Romance
🩸 Friends/Lovers to Enemies
🩸 Vampires (Repeapers) vs. Humans
🩸 Jazz Age Harlem
🩸 Dual POV
🩸 Mystery/Political Intrigue

**sigh** I wanted to love this so bad but it just fell flat for me. I found myself trying to skip through the FMC's POV just so I could read about Layla - she carried the story for me and is the only reason I finished. My heart broke for her and I found myself drawn to her character and story. [sorry in advance for this buuuut...] Elise could kick rocks barefoot and I do not think I would care 🙄 Unfortunately the plot felt very predictable and boring. I think this book has a great premise and promise of a great story but it was not there, yet.

With this being a duology, I may read the second book just to see how to story ends but I'm sadly disappointed with this 😭

It’s easy to do anything when you love someone. Even if it’s the hardest choice you’ve ever made.”


NOTE: This book takes place in an alternative 20's-esque Harlem setting. The book features social and political commentary that would have been present during that time. Please read the content warnings before starting this book.

I received an e-ARC and ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review - this in no way affects my review or opinions outlined throughout.

Not my typical genre but interesting story with quite a bit of intrigue. I love me a vamp story just not into FF relationships. And I completely missed that when I requested so that's on me. That aside, was a solid read.

4.25 stars
Tis the season of the Vampire!

Elise & Layla: their history, the betrayals between them and the confusion of it all made for a PERFECT love/hate pinning.
This story incorporates many historical moments from the rise of gangs and racial tension, then adds the problem of Reapers (vampires) that fits seamlessly into the world. Two friends find themselves on opposites sides; one reaper, one human and no longer friends but out for each other's blood. When murders start that blame the vampire community, the two work together to discover what is really going on.

I hope we see more and more of the vampire lore in the next books because I really found it fascinating.
It was such a genius move to create vampires from the horror and cruelty of what was done to slaves in our history. The medical experiments that were done on human beings ... it's the dark history in our world for a lot of "medical miracles" - it's not a medical miracle if Black people were cut open, tortured and used as objects to get a 'cure' or 'solution'.

Looking forward to Book 2!

Thank you Netgally, Haley Dennings and sourcebooks fire for the ARC.

I had really high hopes for this book based on the premise and characters and timeline this was set. I will say at times the book kept me intrigued but then it would fall flat for me. This book felt very long and drawn out and I cannot say I connected with any of the characters on a personal level.

This book may not have been for me but give it a try it may be the one for you.

I have nothing good to say about this novel.

I originally picked this up because of the vampire element, sapphic relationship, and the setting of the Harlem Renaissance. First of all, the harlem renaissance was not in the room at all. I actively had to imagine these characters in thta type of setting with the clothes, atmosphere, etc. The "vampires" are not reaally vampires but rather monsters and thata irritated me so much as that was or is the selling point of the novel along with the relationship. Which leads me to these characters... They wereso one dimentional and boring. The only character thata I enjoyed somewhat wwas not even aa main character.

Elise anad Layla are so whiny and childish. The back and forth was almost way too much and nothing happened romantically until around the 90% mark which is ridiculous when it wasa marketed completely differemt. And the conflict wasa just so asinine. Overall I would not recommend this one. Which is dissapointing but this was such a let down.

When I read the description of vampires in Jazz Age Harlem, I knew I had to read it. What I didn't know was that this book would become my whole personality for a while. It's that good.

When Elise returns home after being in Paris for five years, she's immediately thrown into the family business- running New York's largest reaper hunting empire. She quickly runs into her former best friend-turned reaper, Layla, who has quite a past with Elise's family. The two of them are forced to work together to solve a mystery after several reapers die as humans.

What Dennings does to create this entire world is incredible. Her writing style is immersive, detailed, allows the reader to become one with the story. At no point does Dennings shy away from addressing racism, systemic powers, and political corruption, which just makes the story that much better. While the reader never gets a deep background of how politics work in this world, it's never missed since the story is told from Layla and Elise's POVs.

Layla and Elise are broken and flawed but so easy to love. I found myself falling in love with both of them and seeing their relationship evolve was the best part of this book. In addition to their powerhouse story, you also see how Elise and Layla relate to the rest of the world.

Elise's story goes deeper into the elite New York, where political decisions are made and Elise's dad is a brilliant character that will leave you guessing the whole time. He has deep relationships with powerful people, which is part of the world that Elise starts to discover and question. One of my favorite parts of a book takes place at a ball with lots of influential people- I could live in that scene for days.

Layla has been a vampire for only five years, but she's deeply involved with her clan, as well as gangsters that are heavily involved with speakeasies and running liquor. How Dennings intertwines these two worlds is brilliant and I can't wait for the sequel.

“𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.”

i’ve been looking forward to this since i discovered it through the author’s promo on twitter, and when i tell you i ran to netgalley when it was available i mean i RAN. this truly did not disappoint either — queer black fmcs, vampire x human storyline set in 1920s new york 👏❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 INCREDIBLE.

the plot was excellent and well executed imo. the backstory was also strongly built and provided the perfect start for the true enemies to lovers storyline. this book also handles underlying themes of black history, systemic racism, class differences and political corruption beautifully through our main characters.

our main fmcs, elise and layla, are complex characters and i really enjoyed their character development throughout, both as individuals and in their dynamic together. i’m forever a lover of a dual pov and this was utilised well to show the changes in their feelings towards each other over the course of the book.

this really was a great debut and i’m (im)patiently waiting for the sequel, or anything further from hayley to be completely honest ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

This Ravenous Fate has such an enticing premise. Sapphic enemies to lovers vampires in 1920s Harlem? With a murder mystery to solve? It hooked me from the prologue, but unfortunately did start to lose my attention by the second act.

I think the premise is great, but the editing is quite clunky which makes for a trickier read. Things move a little too slowly once the mystery starts to unravel, which is the opposite of what I would have hoped.

Also, you know when people say they can’t believe certain actors in period piece films because their faces just look like they’ve seen an iPhone? Both these girls have seen an iPhone and know what Google is. The dialogue was far too modern to sell the 1920’s setting.

That said, the glitz, glamour, danger and jazzy atmosphere of the era were described beautifully.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and RBmedia for the gifted copies.

🎧Narrator: Tamika Katon-Donegal🎧

This book had such potential. Vampires, reapers, queer rep, jazz era Harlem and the roaring 20s, enemies to lovers, a murder mystery… so many good things! It just did not deliver for me 🫣

I think the author had a great premise here and it could have been a really great YA read, but the editing needs/needed a lot of help. The flow was very clunky, the transitions between things happening and/or relationships shifting were really lacking. The world and character building doesn’t need to be super deep for me in a YA novel but it needed to be deeper than what this book offered. The dialogue was just ok and often times the POV or timeline would shift very abruptly, leaving me confused about where we were.

The author made a nice effort to shed light and bring attention to the racial divide and disparity, but it felt a bit too much like we were being told but not shown.

That being said, this was a super fast and easy read and the story itself was interesting enough for me to keep reading. I did mostly audio but finished with my eyes and I feel like I preferred reading with my 👀. The narration wasn’t terrible and I’m seeing many positive reviews on it so this might just be a preference issue for me, but it felt very over acted.

If you’re looking for a super fast, easy, YA read and are a fan of vampires and queer rep and aren’t feeling super critical, this might be a good read for you 💛

This fantasy mystery intertwines themes of racism, classism, & segregation with vampire lore. The narrative unfolds in the glamorous but brutal backdrop of 1920s Harlem, where Reapers, vampires created from medical experiments on black slaves raise important questions about power, exploitation, & resistance. This reinterpretation of vampires as products of historical injustices adds depth & relevance to the story. The author did an excellent job of capturing the essence of 1920s Harlem, with its vibrant jazz clubs, speakeasies, & cultural renaissance, while juxtaposing it with the dark, gritty underworld of the Reapers. The historical context added depth & poignancy to the narrative, making the characters' struggles feel even more real & urgent.
The evolving relationship between the two FMCs, as they confront their intertwined past & forced proximity, is engaging. The tangible tension, angst, & chemistry add emotional layers that enhance the main storyline. Both characters are complex & the slow burn enemies to lovers trope was done well.
However, the first act was long & drawn out, & I could not fully engage with the story until the two main characters began to interact & work together to solve the mystery. The story picked up in the final 100 pages, & the cliffhanger set up Book 2 nicely.
Overall, this book was a compelling blend of fantasy, mystery, & social commentary. I look forward to seeing how the story continues to evolve in the next book & how the characters will face the new challenges that await them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

I love the cover and anything that has to do with vampires. While in this universe they are called “reapers” it is pretty much the same thing. I also love a good slow burn friends to enemies to lovers. This book was a lot bigger than I thought it would be but it was still very easy to get through.

The background of Harlem during the roaring 20s was a cool concept. You get race politics as well as politics between Reapers and Humans. We also see the wealthy families be able to bring in alcohol and use the gangsters in the city during Prohibition. Elise Saint comes from one of the most well off families in the city whose major operation is getting rid of Reapers. Layla is Elise’s childhood best friend who lost her family and her humanity one night at the hands of the Saint family.

Sterling was my favorite character (biracial bonding) until near the end of the book because what was that? I really hope he comes to his senses in the 2nd book. I also didn’t expect to like Jamie as much as I did from his intro but I started having a soft spot for him. He is obviously a really sweet guy who’s just a bit prickly.

The romance was slooooow but obvious from the beginning. Seeing them dance around each other was maddening but worth it for the finale. I really want to see more of them in the next book. I also want to see more of Elise’s sister and mother because there’s so many questions that need to be answered with them as well as her Father. What could come next is a mystery that I’m excited to see unfold!

DNF at 44%. The 3-star rating reflects my reading experience up till the point I DNF'd. Had a great premise, but the writing wasn't for me!

There's a lot going on in this book- systemic racism, vampires, love.. it's just way too much. And it was still slow!

The world building was not detailed enough. The investigation was boring, and the girls' pasts with each other was built up with only a little pay off. Setting a fantasy romance during in 1920's Harlem is just too big of a task to take on. I didn't care for Layla or Elise somehow. It felt repetitive. And it felt like a chore to read.

Unfortunately, this book was not my favorite - the premise is really fantastic but Elise was not my favorite main character - she was weak which is fine however she would do anything for her father and the family "business" but he berates her every time she talks to him - she rarely stands up for herself and ultimately it was frustrating.

I will say I did like Layla a lot - she is a reaper (vampire) who is more morally grey and could be seen in some regards as one of the villains of this story however her story arc was much more enjoyable than Elise's.

The romance was nothing special - it was promoted as enemies to lovers which it was in some regard but they didn't stay enemies for long. This could be because of their shared past but based on how it is described they should hate each other more than just sarcastic digs.

I will read book 2 however because I really need to see the Saint Patriach taken down - he was awful and I need Elise to fight back against him more than she did in this book

3.5 ⭐️

I was so excited to read this book, set during the Roaring 20’s right after The Great War. It’s a lesbian, vampire romance between a reaper (aka a vampire) and a reaper hunter whose family has become rich on the empire of hunting. They were childhood friends, who became enemies when Layla became a reaper. And one thing I did absolutely love about this book was these two and their interactions. There was so much tension, hatred, longing, and sadness between Layla and Elsie as they were pared together to solve a murder.

What I struggled with was the pacing, to me, it just couldn’t keep and hold my attention. When I wasn’t reading this book, I wasn’t dying to pick it up. That is something I judge my books by, and while it’s subjective so is a rating. On another point though, the prologue was phenomenal and was written perfectly to make me want to read a book from the first page!

If you’re looking for vampire/vampire hunter lesbian romance, go check out this book!

Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This book wasn't terrible, but it was rather boring. The premise was promising—childhood friends turned enemies, with one as a vampire reaper and the other as an heiress protecting humans, coming together to solve a murder mystery. Unfortunately, the execution was lacking.

The plot barely felt like a mystery; the investigation dragged on with little urgency. The characters, Elise and Layla, were ineffective and seemed indifferent. The "big reveal" about the villains was predictable from the start, making the storyline a bore.

Layla was a tolerable character, but Elise was frustratingly oblivious and privileged. Their romance felt forced and unconvincing, lacking the tension or buildup needed to make it believable. The side characters were forgettable, and the setting didn't add anything special.

All of this said, I can see how others might enjoy the book, especially since it features African-American lesbian characters in a vampire story. Perhaps the author will improve in future works.

The first book in a decadent fantasy duology set in Jazz Age Harlem, where at night the dance halls come to life—and death waits in the dark.

It's 1926 and reapers, the once-human vampires with a terrifying affliction, are on the rise in New York. But the Saint family's thriving reaper-hunting enterprise holds reign over the city, giving them more power than even the organized criminals who run the nightclubs. Eighteen year-old Elise Saint, home after five years in Paris, is the reluctant heir to the empire. Only one thing weighs heavier on Elise's mind than her family obligations: the knowledge that the Harlem reapers want her dead.

Layla Quinn is a young reaper haunted by her past. Though reapers have existed in America for three centuries, created by New World atrocities and cruel experiments, Layla became one just five years ago. The night she was turned, she lost her parents, the protection of the Saints, and her humanity, and she'll never forget how Elise Saint betrayed her.

But some reapers are inexplicably turning part human again, leaving a wake of mysterious and brutal killings. When Layla is framed for one of these attacks, the Saint patriarch offers her a deal she can't refuse: to work with Elise to investigate how these murders might be linked to shocking rumors of a reaper cure. Once close friends, now bitter enemies, Elise and Layla explore the city's underworld, confronting their intense feelings for one another and uncovering the sinister truths about a growing threat to reapers and humans alike.

My Take:
Slated for release on August 6, 2024, "This Ravenous Fate" marks an impressive debut for Dennings. It delivers on its promise, leaving readers craving more. Here are several reasons to make it your next read:
- Vampires are currently trending, with AMC's "Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire," and Tigest Dirma's forthcoming "Immortal Dark," both showcasing Black vampires in innovative ways.
- The transition from friends to enemies to reluctant allies is a compelling dynamic: it compels characters to challenge their beliefs, revisit cherished memories, and confront their current selves before deciding on a path forward once secrets are unveiled.
- The mystery is captivating, set against the backdrop of New York during the Harlem Renaissance, honoring history while contributing to the narrative.
- It features sapphic romantic undertones.
- It's an excellent choice for a group reading experience.

This book has a lot of great ideas, just failed to hold my attention. Maybe could've benefited from a tighter plot and shorter page count? Tamika Katon-Donegal does make for great listening though.

Elise and Layla team up to solve a serious of violent murders in Jazz Age Harlem. This is a challenge because they used to be friends but became enemies when Layla turned into a reaper (similar to a vampire). They must overcome their past and confront some brutal truths before the truth is uncovered.

This Ravenous Fate follows childhood friends to enemies, Elise and Layla, as they team up to solve a string of murders in 1920's Harlem. I definitely recommend this for readers who love angst, sapphic pining, and vampires.

Featuring an all black cast, Dennings covers themes like family, friendship, and racism. Layla is a Reaper (this world's word for vampire), and Elise is the heir to an empire that hunts Reapers. When bodies start turning up, they must work together despite their animosity in order to solve the crimes. I really enjoyed these characters, and found myself particularly attached to Elise. The characters were very strong, and I really enjoyed seeing them bloom on the page.

This book introduces topics like prohibition and political power. Although I am not usually a fan of political intrigue, it was incorporated into the story where it wasn't the central plot, and was developed with excellent emotional pull and mystery that it kept me engaged.

The atmosphere? Phenomenal. It is grim, bloody, and sometimes a little gory. There is a masquerade ball, lavish parties, an abandoned hotel that serves as the Reapers' layer, who doesn't love those?

This is an excellent debut, and I am excited to see Hayley Dennings' career grow.