“His Mortal Demise” by Vanessa Le is a thrilling, heart-pounding masterpiece that completely captivates from start to finish. This dark, immersive novel blends elements of mystery, supernatural intrigue, and deep emotional tension into a spellbinding story that will leave you breathless.

Le’s writing is masterful, with every sentence carefully crafted to pull the reader deeper into the gripping world she’s built. The pacing is perfect—each twist and turn feels carefully timed to heighten suspense while providing just enough emotional depth to make every revelation truly impactful. The characters are complex and multifaceted, with motivations that feel raw and real. The main female character Nhika, in particular, is someone you can’t help but root for, as she navigates a world of danger, betrayal, and personal struggle. You also can’t help but pull for Nhika & Kochin as their complicated relationship continues to evolve.

What truly stands out in “His Mortal Demise” is the way Le weaves together the supernatural elements with very human themes of loss, love, and vengeance. The supernatural intrigue isn’t just there for spectacle; it adds layers to the story that elevate it beyond typical genre fare. There’s a deep, almost poetic quality to the way the plot unfolds, with each twist revealing something not just about the world, but about the characters' very souls.

With its unpredictable plot, richly developed world, and haunting emotional depth, “His Mortal Demise” is a tour de force. Le has delivered a novel that is not only a thrilling ride but also an exploration of the complexities of the human spirit. It’s a dark, beautiful, and utterly unforgettable read that will linger in your mind long after you turn the last page. Le has given us such a beautiful end to this duology. Highly recommended for fans of supernatural thrillers, mysteries, and powerful character-driven stories!

What a fantastic ending to this duology! I really enjoyed the journey that the author took us on.

This world is so unique, I love the magic system in this duology. I think that I probably should have reread the first book and that would’ve made the experience even better. That being said I really enjoyed this and would absolutely recommend.

A fast paced sequel and finale! The alternating timelines for the majority of the novel was very clever helped unravel the mystery of how Nhika wakes up at the Congmi’s home after the events of the first book! This book seriously had me on the edge of my seat with its twists and turns! So much suspense!! Such a great duology! Will highly recommend!

A lovely ending to this duology! As a Bloodcarver, magic that can alter human biology, it is clear Kochin is desperate to succeed as he explores what costs he is willing to pay.

I think of these books as bringing romantasy together with science fiction, especially in the way they build on the author’s medical training. Overall, a unique take on fantasy.

The set-up in this book was really well done. You quickly learn that Kochin succeeds in his goal following the first book but the flashbacks help fill in the details and his character development.

Nhika continues to inspire and refuses to give up on anyone as her and Kochin pursue freedom and love.

With the way The Last Bloodcarver ended, I had no idea what to expect (other than Kochin trying to bring Nhika back to life). His Mortal Demise grapples with many topics like war, the price one is willing to pay to get what one wants, and love. This book goes back and forth between the present and the past in order to fully tell Kochin’s story. I thought it was a great way to tell the story. There weren’t any loose ends in the end of this duology, even though there was no promise of things working out throughout the book (Kochin and Nhika have been through more than any one person should). I think anyone who loves The Last Bloodcarver will love this as well. For people who have never entered this world, it is full of lush imagery of a Vietnam-like country and a magical system that is very unique and close to being extinct.

This sequel dives deeper into a beautifully complex world, balancing heavy themes like colonization and grief with strong character growth and a cinematic, action-packed climax. While the dual POVs and flashbacks were a bit confusing at first, everything clicked in the final chapters, making the payoff worth it. If you’re into YA fantasy with mystery, romance, and rich world-building, this series is definitely worth checking out!

The Last Bloodcarver was a beautiful, fantastical thriller filled with Vietnamese culture and history, but having to wait for the conclusion of the duology and the fates of Kochin and Nhika put me in a slight post read sad fog. Not to worry, His Mortal Demise was worth the wait. Vanessa Le wrote a novel that stands on its own and not merely a completion of earlier plot strings. The beautiful prose remains as does the suspense and thriller elements. Although it does take a different narration approach, a duo plotline: Kochin’s story in different increments of time leading up yo the present, while Nhika’s story in the present trying to figure out exactly what happened since the end of the previous novel. The struggle was each of the chapter cliffhangers, but the excitement to see where the other character was headed. A couple of new characters add to the complexity of the plot and bring new light to each of the old favorites.

His Mortal Demise has an intriguing premise and strong atmospheric writing, but uneven pacing and underdeveloped characters hold it back. While the twists are compelling, the emotional depth falls short, leaving it an enjoyable yet forgettable read.

This duology was so good! It’s such a unique premise and it features characters that you can’t help but love. I highly recommend this series to anyone, whether you normally read YA or not. I think it has something that can appeal to a wide variety of readers.

This excellent conclusion sequel to The Last Bloocarver, by Vanessa Le, was well-written and a page turner. Fans of Chloe Gong, Marie Lu, and Rebecca Ross will enjoy this rich fantasy set in a vietnamese-inspired realm. This romantasy, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, will capture readers and keep them following along with Nhika and Kochin until the last page; I devoured this book in one sitting. Five stars and two thumbs up for the duology.

His Mortal Demise is the 2nd book in The Last Bloodcarver duology, and you definitely want to read these books in order. I'll apologize in advance that my review will be a bit on the vague side, but I want to avoid spoilers for those who haven't read the first book yet.

This book follows the perspectives of two different characters in different points in time. From the start we know that something miraculous has happened, and while one character tries to figure out what happened, we follow the other character through the months leading up to it. This all gave the story a mysterious feel, and it sometimes took directions that I wasn't expecting at all. I'm not going to lie, there could be a very dark feel to this story at times, with grief, war, sacrifice, and questioning morals along the way. But there was also substantial character growth that was beautiful to watch. I'm glad that we were able to see many of the characters from the first book again and explore even more of this interesting fictional world. The last chunk of the book was especially packed with action and almost had a cinematic feel to it. And let's not forget the absolute rollercoaster of emotions I experienced along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed both books in this duology, and I look forward to seeing more from author Vanessa Le in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press, and NetGalley for the advance review copy of His Mortal Demise! All opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!!! So, this one starts a little slow. Honestly, it's all important and others might love this introspectiveness, but it took me way too long to get through this. On that note, if you make it through that you start getting into the meat of the story and that's where this book shines. Kind of sad about the ending, because family should never make you choose, but I understand why they did it, sort of. A very fitting end to the story. Sorry for this rambling mess.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I was obsessed with The Last Bloodcarver and I'm obsessed with His Mortal Demise. I love how this book alternated between Kochin in the past and Nhika in the present and eventually came together into one plot. I feel like the first book really focused on Nhika and her journey, whereas this book focused on Kochin. I love his character development and I'm happy with the ending. I would love to read more books by this author because I feel like there was a good balance between the plot and character development, so it felt like it was paced well.

What a thrilling conclusion!

I'm so glad that I found this new series. It's such a great intro to heavy themes (such as colonization and othering) for the YA set. I would've loved something like this as a teen, specifically because I can relate to Nhika, who's a brown Asian girl in a society with a majority population of light-skinned Asians.

Admittedly, I wasn't really into Kochin's story, but I really liked how the author wove in his story with Nhika's. I think this book would be better to read right after finishing the first book. Honestly, I forgot a lot of the plot points from the first book and I was a little lost coming in.

While I think the mystery aspect in the first half of this book worked well for the most part, it was slightly confusing to follow the back-and-forth narrative, especially since the POV switches from Kochin to Nhika and vice versa. There were a lot of flashbacks too, which added to my confusion. But it all made sense when everything came together in the last 25-30%, so the narrative choice worked out in the end.

While the Nhika/Kochin love story was a little too lovey dovey for my tastes, I think those who are more romance-inclined would like that aspect of the story.

The climax was great and read like an action movie. I'd love to see this story play out as a limited series, like something similar to season one of Netflix's Shadow and Bone.

All in all, I really hope that Vanessa Le writes more stories set in this universe. There's a lot of potential to explore, especially with the worldbuilding and world politics. There was a new character introduced and maybe she'll have her own spinoff.

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for this arc.

Vanessa Le's sequel to The Last Bloodcarver is a heart-wrenching and dark exploration of love and sacrifice. The book is told from Kochin and Nhika's dual POV. Kochin is reeling with grief and disappointment. When his brother asked him if he was why their mom cried, I felt it in the pit of my stomach. Kochin is obsessive and spiraling into madness on a quest to bring Nhika back from the dead. Meanwhile, Nhika wakes up wondering why she is alive and trying to discover the truth behind her resurrection.

The pacing of the story is slower than in the first book. The book observes the characters' introspection, especially with Nhika trying to piece together the steps Kochin took for her. The storyline builds suspense and moral tension when considering the potential gravity of playing god, making Kochin's character either deeply sympathetic or reckless. Nhika must confront the ramifications of Kochin's actions and the impact of his actions on the world. All this happens with a war raging in the background, adding to the story's grimness.

Both Kochin and Nhika are faced with choices that test their values, forcing them to confront the consequences of their actions in raw and impactful ways. It is a story of love when it's pushed to its limit. This book will leave you pondering the cost of love and the lengths we'll go to for those we hold dear. It was a powerful ending to the duology.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press

This book is just as enticing as the first! Vanessa Le does a phenomenal job of maintaining the mystery and keeping the stakes as high as possible. So high she had me shaking from nerves over who would live and who would die! I cannot recommend this duology enough. Such a perfect Fantasy/Sci-Fi. And yes, it is also science fiction. Science fiction does not mean space, it means fictional science which Vanessa Le balances perfectly with her fantastical elements! We are so excited to use The Last Bloodcarver for our 7th and 8th grade book club in the Rappahannock Region of Virginia and I cannot wait to bring in the sequel once it's released.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book, it made my winter!

thank you to netgalley for the arc!!!!!

After being brought back from the dead by Nhika, Kochin is determined to return the favor -- but at what cost? Desperate in his grief and yearning, Kochin realizes that he might find the answers in Yarong, an ostracized part of the world that has long been deemed dangerous and off-limits to the rest of Theumas.

Despite the impossibility of his task, Nhika opens her eyes months later, uncertain of how she was revived and where Kochin could possibly be. She seeks to uncover how he brought her back and at what cost, only to find a society consumed by war and the truth more difficult to find than she once believed.

This dual-POV novel suffers from a slow start and an equally slow middle, while at the same time not spending enough time in each scene or with any character to have any investment. It wanted to be mysterious and was instead dragged along, and 40% into the book, I couldn't tell what the stakes were, nor could I believe how deep Kochin's and Nhika's relationship with each other was beyond both being the only heartsoothes the other knows. Why couldn't this story have just been told in Nhika's POV as she retraced Kochin's footsteps? Why couldn't this story just have been told through Kochin's POV and had him truly, truly, truly go mad with grief until love came through to restore him? The dual narrative felt unnecessary, while the introduction of Lanalay, a Yarongese woman wanting to recover the last of her grandmother's legacy from Commissioner Nem, was a compelling part of the novel but came too late for me to buy into the book and, in the end, meant nothing. The worldbuilding felt plain compared to the last book.

Both Ven and Nhika needed someone to be their sidekick -- I think fantasy novels will always benefit from having a sidekick kind of character who the main character(s) can speak with or have a conversation with and have support from. Otherwise, the characters spend too much time inside of themselves and the interiority becomes difficult to get through. I think there's also a special skill required to write in third person, and I'm not sure how much thought was given to that process. Every day I read I wonder more and more how much authors take into consideration the craft of their writing beyond plot.

Slow and meandering and obvious if you have ever watched naruto or fullmetal alchemist or sailor moon or literally any book where someone dies and someone else wants to resurrect them.

This was an absolute fantastic sequel and finally to this duology. I really enjoyed the first book and the same can be said here.

Alternating timelines can be very tricky. And this is a prime example of how to do it and make it work extremely well.

This book had me on the edge of my seat throughout with the twist, the turns and the conclusion! Thank you for such an awesome duology!

Amazing book will definitely recommend to friends and family love the characters development. Love the plot line

5/5 stars
Recommended if you like: science fantasy, found family, Vietnamese mythology, magical medicine

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 10/24, to Instagram on 11/7, and to my review blog on 11/26.

We return to Theumas months after Nhika gave herself so Kochin could live...except Nhika is waking up to a changed Theumas and a vanished Kochin.

I liked being back in Nhika's head and seeing the way she thinks about heartsoothing. She can tell something is off immediately, but it takes her longer to figure out what's really going on. Once she does, she's of course determined to try and fix things, because she is a healer at heart and cares deeply about those she lets in. Her snark also survived death and Nhika still brings that dry humor to situations, which I liked.

Things were tumultuous toward the end of The Last Bloodcarver with Mimi and Andao, but they seem to be resolved, and as brief as it is, I like seeing the three of them together again. I do wish we got more interactions with them, but it makes sense for plot reasons why we don't. Mimi has definitely grown up in the intervening months, and she brings a greater sense of maturity to her stature, though she can still be mischievous at times.

I also enjoyed seeing Trin again, especially since he and Nhika were friends by the end of the last book. They balance each other well, both deeply caring, protective, and snarky. They balance each other even more now that they both care for the Congmis and I love their friendship.

Of course the other big character in this book is Kochin. The book is told alternating between Kochin in the months leading up to Nhika's awakening and Nhika after she wakes up while she tries to figure out what happened. So we get a lot of insight into what Kochin was going through after her death. I definitely feel like I understand him a lot better and find him easier to sympathize with, even though I think he was sympathetic by the end of the last book anyway. His dedication to bringing Nhika back is a little....concerning at times, but as his search brings him farther afield, he begins to grow and realize some things about himself and heartsoothing, and he really grows as a character.

The core of this book is heartsoothing and whether you can, or should, bring someone back from the dead. Yes, there's a war on and we do get a firsthand look at that via Kochin, but the main thread of the book is still heartsoothing. Kochin really has to go on a journey to understand the art of heartsoothing and how is 'half formed' talent fits in. He spends so much time thinking about his gift's inadequacies that he has trouble seeing it for the magic it is. At the same time, other people see it as a weapon, either to be stomped out or to be wielded in war. I enjoyed reading Kochin overcoming some of his self-doubts, and I liked that we got to see a greater examination of what heartsoothing means, not just from a medical perspective, but also from a cultural and belief perspective.

Overall I enjoyed this book and getting to dive deeper into heartsoothing. I liked getting Kochin's POV and getting a closer look at his struggles, both with heartsoothing and with Nhika's death.