1920 Harlem!! Sapphic dark queer vampire novel, little slow for me but still enjoyed the book.

Felt rushed in the end however I’d still give the book a chance.

This was such a good fantasy read and now I'm not going to shut up about the book. It takes place in the 1920's in Harlmen and the vibes and setting are so thought out and written well. In this world, there are vampires, reapers, humans, gangs, and vampire hunters. The main characters Layla and Elise are opposites and have a complicated relationship as they are 2 different beings that normally shouldn't work together. The chemistry and tension between them was so good especially them working together to see what was happening to the vampires in their city. I liked how their relationship developed and I'm rooting for them so bad. There were so many underlying themes in this book like segregation, systematic racism, class differences, and so many things the black main characters in this book had to go through. That added layers to the story and characters and how they developed. I liked the action, lesbian romance, and vampire lore in this though it was slow in some parts of the book. Overall this was a good debut, i enjoyed the writing and characters and I'm ready for the sequel. Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for this arc for an honest review.

Set in 1920s Harlem, This Ravenous Fate tells the story of two women, one vampire and one human who is part of a vampire-hunting family, who have to team up with each other to figure out why sime vampires are turning human again. The fact that they have a history and also want each other makes this even more complicated.

I'm so thankful I was able to catch this ARC on Netgalley because I've had this book preordered for a WHILE. This YA historical fantasy debut has me ready for the sequel already. The setting is the first thing that stood out to me while reading because I can picture every setting. There's this rainy, gritty vibe to the story that made me feel so immersed and ready to go along with these characters to solve the mystery of what's happening in their community. Because the main characters, Elise and Layla, have such a complicated dymanic, I wasn't sure how they would get anything accomplished and that plus the action scenes really kept me turning the pages. The constant romantic tension between Elise and Layla was just a delight and the vampirism plays such a big role in that - I just love seeing women yearn for each other in such an intense way. Lastly, I really want to praise the way this story uses the history of the time to enhance the plot points. We're dealing with prohibition and the Harlem Renaissance and the way Paris was seen as a refuge for Black artists during that time and this isn't just happening in the background; it really is part of the story. That's what I love about historical fantasy and I love what Dennings does with that here.

There's a place or two where the pacing feels like it slows down a bit but I don't think that's too different from other books in this genre so I'm not mad at it.

I think that if you enjoy These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong or almost enjoyed it but felt like maybe the romance wasn't as strong as you hoped, this could really work for you. I had a similar sense of excitement while reading this This Ravenous Fate and I'm stoked to receive my final copy on August 6.

I really enjoy the setting and themes for this book, but overall unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I think that the characters needed to be developed a little more and given a lot more backstory. We were told about it, but not shown enough to make the betrayal between them make sense and there really wasn’t much romantic chemistry between Elise and Layla.

LETS GO WE ARE IN A LESBIAN REINASSANcE and we are winning *this is such a good read omg i cannot erase it in my head. 6/5 stars

When I saw this book get announced I was foaming at the mouth for it. Sapphic, black vampires?! Absolutely sign me up. Unfortunately, this fell flat for me.

🩸I did not like a single character. Elise & Layla, our main fmcs, I found both to be so annoying and frankly one dimensional. The side characters? All forgettable. If I had to read the word gangstar one more time I was going to pull my hair out. Also, said gangstar, was scared of a teenager...

🩸There is a huge murder mystery aspect here and it is not giving. Our FMCs are forced to work together to solve some murders & that basically just consist of bad interviews & going in circle. Boring circles. It is very obvious from the jump who the "bad guys" are.

🩸The pacing did not do it for me. I was so bored.

🩸The "chemistry" we are supposed to be feeling between our FMCs is laughable. They stop hating each other after Layla, the reaper, is nice to another reaper? That is not enemies to lovers. Nope.

I wanted this to succeed & I wish nothing but success for this author. I hope to enjoy something she writes in the future but this was a DNF @ 59% for me.

Perfectly well written Black queer vampire story. Action packed throughout the book. I loved every single second of it. Layla and Elise’s friendship went through so many hurdles but their special bond was always there. Definitely recommend this story if you want to read a queer story but with vampire elements.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc copy!

sapphic vampire x hunter (enemies to lovers but also childhood friends) set in 1920's New York? Denning's is FEEDING US.
The moment I saw Hayley posting about This Ravenous Fate, I knew I needed to have it. And boy did she not disappoint.
The writing style is easy to read with the perfect amount of detail that wont overwhelm the reader but allows enough to set the scene beautifully. I truly felt transported to the 1920's and wanted to live in this book forever.
This Ravenous Fate is a slow burn romance that will leave you itching for the two fmc's to HURRY UP AND KISS ALREADY. I loved the tension between Layla and Elise as they navigated the mysterious happenings within their city while also trying to decipher their own feelings about each other.
Everyone should pick up a copy of this book as soon as it releases in August 2024, you won't regret it. I can't wait to see what Hayley Dennings does next. <3
Thank you to Hayley & NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book before its release.

I loved this! I think the world and characters were built out nicely and it set up for book two. I think the dialogue was a bit formal but that goes with the setting of the 1920's so no harm there. I did guess the twists and who the culprit was but the romanceof between Layla and Elise kept me going and the pacing was excellent.

Content Warnings: violence, murder, gore, racism, emotional abuse, suicidal idealation, depictions of mental illness (anxiety, OCD)

It's 1926, and Elise Saint has just travelled home to Harlem from Paris, where she was safe from the reaper who attacked her five years earlier. But it doesn't take long before Layla, once Elise's childhood best friend and now a reaper, catches wind of her return.

Honestly, 'black lesbian vampires in 1920s Harlem' as a pitch had me 100% sold from the beginning, and I'm happy to report that I did really end up enjoying this! From chapter one, I was immediately drawn in - the story being set up was really enticing and Dennings' writing is very engaging. I adored Layla as a character - she's wonderfully complex and her conflicting goals and emotions are all set up so well. I did find myself less interested in Elise's point of view, but I still liked her. The romance is really fun - childhood friends to enemies to reluctant allies with sexual tension to lovers… what a dynamic. I also was really intrigued by some of the vampire lore we get here - it's nothing groundbreaking for the most part, but the hints we get at the history of how vampirism has come to exist in this world really interested me. It's implied that vampirism emerged as a consequence of slavery-era experimentation on Black enslaved people, and this is something I'd love to see expanded on in the sequel.

My main issue with the book was pacing - throughout it was marginally too fast for me, leaving some elements (both plot and character) feeling underdeveloped. This could totally be handwaved for most of the book, but honestly the breakneck pacing of the last 10% or so kind of put me off a bit. I would personally have preferred the book to have been paced slower and maybe 150 pages longer, but it is what it is! I do wish the romance in particular had been paced a bit slower since it's enemies to lovers, but again, this wasn't a huge issue for me until the very end. Nonetheless, I'm definitely excited to read the sequel once it comes out!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Hayley Dennings, and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC!

Vampires and Hunters in Prohibition Harlem. So delicious. The writing style is fun and enjoyable and the characters are full and well-built (including several side characters).

The reason for a 3☆ is because it felt way too long for me (especially for being only book 1 in a new series). The pacing slowed down way too much in places and I felt myself rushing through whole parts.

Overall I had a good time though and would recommend!

Thank you, Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Elise and Layla, best friends turned enemies after Layla was killed and turned into a reaper 5 years ago. Elise came back from studying music in Paris to her family that is trying to eradicate the reapers. Layla is mostly trying to survive and stay out of trouble. When strange killings threaten the agreement between the reapers and humans, they decide to team up to figure out what exactly is going on. I thought the dynamic between these two characters was well done. I also enjoyed the backdrop of Prohibition/Jazz Age Era Harlem.

This was not my favorite. I really liked the premise and the lore of the reapers/vampires, but didn’t love Layla. And the whole Saint family was kind of insufferable, especially Elise.

This book was trying to do too much in my opinion. With themes of racism, queerness, and the urban fantasy aspect of vampires, it felt all over the place. I think the author made some great points, but they didn’t land for me.

I was consistently annoyed with the relationship between Layla and Elise. It seemed like every chapter they would fight and make up. Like make up your mind.

I think this series has SO much potential, and maybe it just wasn’t the book for me right now. But I don’t think I’ll read the sequel unfortunately.

The writing is really pretty and atmospheric. I stopped after chapter 1 (5%), but it feels like a solid 3-4 stars and 5 for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

vampires are so back ! the 1920s setting and prose was so good ! I cannot wait to read more from this author .
Thank you for the eArc .

This was such an amazing debut! I loved everything about it and the world was very interesting. I can't wait to see what's in store for her future books! Thank you for creating powerful stories with BLACK SAPPHIC WOMEN as the focus. I am in love.

Dennings's writing style is undeniably poetic, drawing readers into the rich, inner worlds of her characters. Her ability to explore the intricate struggles and growth of Elise and Layla is truly remarkable. Both protagonists are complex and compelling, with vivid personalities that leap off the page and resonate deeply.

Elise's journey, particularly her protective nature towards her younger sister Josi and her poignant piano scenes, is beautifully rendered. The emotional abuse she endures from her father adds a layer of depth to her character, evoking sympathy and understanding. However, her privilege, especially in interactions with Layla, can be grating, although it serves as an essential aspect of her character development.

Layla, on the other hand, is a standout character. Her anger, rooted in the layers of discrimination she faces as a Black woman, an orphan, and a reaper, is powerful and palpable. I lived for her fiery spirit and resilience. However, I wished for more flashbacks, particularly to the pivotal attack when they were thirteen, to deepen the understanding of her and Elise's backstory. Her cautious yet daring approach to the experimental cure was surprising but added to her multifaceted nature.

The atmosphere Dennings creates is both beautiful and gritty, blending elements of the Jazz Age with crime noir to craft a setting that is as vibrant as it is dark. This juxtaposition works well, enveloping the murder mystery plot in a captivating, moody ambiance.

However, the pacing of the novel felt slow at times. While the deep dives into Elise and Layla's lives were enjoyable, I found myself yearning for more action to propel the story forward. The plot, while rich in concepts and themes, could have benefited from tighter execution, which might be more a reflection on the editing than Dennings's skill as a writer.

Despite these pacing issues, "This Ravenous Fate" remains a must-read for fans of mysteries with a supernatural twist. Dennings has crafted unforgettable protagonists in Elise and Layla, and I eagerly anticipate what she has in store next. The themes, characters, and atmospheric setting make this novel a compelling read, even if the plot's execution leaves something to be desired.

This felt like an episode of Smallville.

I love reading about vampires, I do think this was too YA for me. I was more invested in the beginning and enjoyed elements throughout the book. However the execution could have been more refined. The flow of it felt a little off — vampires were referred to as Reapers but then they called criminals gangsters. For some reason that took me out of being immersed in the book.

I did feel for Elise’s relationship with her wretched father. He’s so miserable and overbearing it manifested into Elise’s constant need to gain his approval.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Atmospheric and with an engaging sapphic romance and interesting, unique take on vampires! Definitely worth the hype.

This Ravenous Fate (love that title) had me very excited when I read the description. Vampires, sapphic Black characters and it takes place during the Jazz Age? Sign me up. I have to admit, it only semi-delivered on my expectations but it was still an enjoyable read.

I have no idea if this is a YA book but it very much reads like one and the characters are 18. This didn't take away from the story overall but it does impact some of the story-telling, especially the relationship between Elise Saint and her father which felt very childish in some aspects. Her dad is the patriarch of their family and determined to kill Reapers, the vampires of this world. Her former best friend/love interest is Layla Quinn who was turned into a reaper when her family was killed by a group of them. There is a lot of tension between the two young women due to what happened since it was Elise's father who sent the reapers their way. I found their friends-to enemies-to lovers storyline good but I do wish they had shown more of them together in the past so we could fully feel invested in their relationship.

The story takes place in Jazz Age Harlem but other then some scenes at the Cotton Club, I don't feel like Dennings did a very good job with the setting. I never felt like they were in that time period and just mentioning racism and prohibition was not enough to give that feel. It felt like it could have taken place at any time and quite frankly I think it should have just been in modern times. Would have changed almost nothing in the story.

I loved her concept of Reapers and I honestly wish more was done with that. I still am not sure how they came into existence other than vague references to experiments done on slaves. It was odd especially not to go more in depth since Layla lived with a reaper that presumably went through the process. Too much time was wasted on scenes that didn't move the story forward and could have been better used to immerse us in what was happening. Also the mystery wasn't really all that mysterious.

Overall, I liked this story despite my critiques. I look forward to the next book because I think Dennings has the potential to become a really good fantasy writer.