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.

Thank you to Macmillan for this e-ARC of His Mortal Demise in exchange for an honest review. While I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the premise of this Vietnamese inspired healing magic duology, I did not feel any real connection to the characters and often the dialogue would take me out of the story. It felt very stilted and like the author was trying to capture the fantasy ambiance but it really just felt like I didn't feel like the characters were real. The stakes of this story were great and I am glad that it got a chance to be a duology. Since this is the author's debut, I thought Vanessa Le did a great job.

This duology was amazing. The first book ended in heartbreak, the second brought it all together. I enjoyed having the story unfold from two different characters perspectives as well as different timelines. The concept of the heartsooth and the way they worked was intriguing. Just an all around good read.

Book Review: His Mortal Demise

“His Mortal Demise” is an intriguing and emotional journey told through two distinct points of view that add depth and suspense to the story. One perspective follows Kochin in the “past,” after Nhika’s death, as he desperately struggles to bring her back to life. The other POV is Nhika’s in the “present,” after she awakens, confused and searching for answers about her resurrection and Kochin’s whereabouts.

The dual perspectives were my favorite part of the novel; they beautifully balance the tension between Kochin’s relentless determination and Nhika’s confusion and courage as she tries to understand her new reality. These alternating timelines create a layered experience that allows us to piece together the mystery of Nhika’s return to life while witnessing the sacrifices Kochin has made along the way.

While there was a brief section in the middle where the action slowed down, the strength of the characters and the unique narrative structure kept me invested in the story. Overall, I loved the characters, the two POVs, and the skillful way the author structured the book, making it a compelling read that I’d highly recommend!

this was a beautiful and stunning conclusion to the duology! the second book lived up to all my expectations and more.

it was heartbreaking to see kochin’s journey through grief, guilt, and heartbreak. it was even more heart wrenching to witness him battle with his morals and test how far he’d go to bring back nhika. as the reader, you truly feel yourself going through the same emotions kochin feels which can be so hard to execute but it’s done so well here. we also see how much love trin, mimi, and andao have for nhika as they work or interact with kochin, who we know killed their father.

another aspect i loved about the book, is the war setting and the different places we visit as the story develops. in addition, the back and forth between kochin and nhika’s chapters between past and present made the story flow beautifully. i would not change a thing about this book!

thank you netgalley and macmillan children's publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finale to The Last Bloodcarver duology, His Mortal Demise wastes no time in capturing you with its allure of mystery by utilizing duo POVs in alternating timelines. In one timeline, Kochin races against time to unlock the secret to reviving the dead while navigating as an enlisted war medic on Yarongese land. In the other timeline, Nhika wakes up 6 months after sacrificing herself to save Kochin, who is nowhere to be found, to an country embroiled in war. As the story progresses, the timelines and characters converge,

Vanessa Le continues to explore the beauty, nuances, and consequences of medicine in the form of heartsoothing and the decision Kochin must make as he grapples with his identity. Nhika is still the fierce, unhinged, and determined heroine that we all got to know and love in the first book. Found family continues to be a major theme in this book as Nhika finds herself surrounded by the ever supportive and comforting Congmi siblings. The romance isn't as prevalent here due to Nhika and Kochin being separated for a majority of the book, but the longing and determination to save/find one another was sweet and added to the urgency of the story.

There is a re-used trope in this book that was already used in the first installment, which I wasn't a huge fan of because it felt a little overdone, but everything else made up for it. A new character is also introduced, and I felt like they weren't given enough time in the story to make a big impact on me. In terms of the ending, I was a tad disappointed that the war wasn't fully addressed, but it ended on a hopeful note.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and it has a special place in my heart for its use of medicine and Vietnamese-inspired world building. I think it's an amazing way to introduce medicine to a young adults and get them interested in how the body works. It's also incredible to finally see more Southeast Asian representation in fantasy.

An interesting magic system and decent world building, however the relationships between characters was underdeveloped. The dialogue at times felt unnatural and I did not feel engaged with the overarching plot.