Vampires vs the saints. It’s almost like a Romeo and Juliet. Neithe one should be together but they find a way and kindle what was there.

Layla is framed for murders she did not commit and this up to her old friend Elise to prove her innocence. However, Elise Layla because when Layla first turned, she tried to kill Elise. Little by little things do not add up to Elise and she finds the real root to the problem and try’s to fix it even if it kills her.

Friends to enemies to lovers.

In 1926 Harlem, the reapers, vampiric creatures born from medical experiments, stalk the night. The Saint family hunt the reapers, keeping them at bay. 18 year old Elise has returned home after spending 5 years in Paris to reluctantly take over the family business. Layla is a reaper, who was turned 5 years ago. Layla is accused of a reaper attack, and enlists the help of Elise to clear her name.

I was really intrigued by a lesbian vampire x vampire hunter romance. I really wanted to like this, but something about it just didn't work for me. This was quite slow in my opinion, it took me quite awhile to get into it. I think the world building was lacking in this. I liked the childhood-friends-to-enemies-to-reluctant allies-to-lovers aspect, but wish the enemies aspect lasted a little longer. I also wish we got more of a glimpse into their initial friendship before they become enemies. I liked Layla, and thought she was an intriguing character. Her anger and rage was the best part. I loved how she would call Elise out on her bullshit prejudiced views and didn't let her get away with anything. Elise was a little harder for me to like. I think she was complicated, but a bit blind to her privilege.

Really cool vampire origin story couched in the systemic racism of America and the slave trade. Now in the 1920s tensions after the Civil War are high with the added pressure of Reaper violence and discrimination complicating everything. But there’s power there, too. In all this, our FMCs also navigate their own personal betrayals and feelings.

I really loved the atmospheric friction, the slippery secrets, and the cool worlds building. A great start to a compelling series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

I loved the world building in 1920’s, the setting and the intentionality of the book to address bigger topics like race and trauma in a world of vampires and black culture. However, it honestly took me awhile to get into this book...I’m not a big fan of historical fiction in general but I know it was needed for this book. Elise and Layla have a great story and with slayers it should have been a win but I didn’t connect to them like I wanted to. I think that the world building and story got confusing at parts. I will also preface that I listened to the audiobook and while I appreciated the authenticity and voice of the audio talent, I feel like reading the physical or ebook version would have been a better fit for me at least. I will reread and test this theory soon.

Either way, it’s worth a listen and definitely a read. I wanted to give it a 5, but there’s more to the series so I have high hopes for the next installment.

Thanks to #netgalley and #rbmedia for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

big thank you to netgalley for the arc of this book.
this story is set in 1920s harlem and it was such a fun blend of vampires and the 1920s. this book has the friends to enemies to lovers trope and is dual POV. it follows a vampire hunter and a vampire and their dynamic is so good and theyre forced to work together to solve a murder.

Well the angst and the family drama was on 100, and never really let off the gas.

But the vibes were right. The yearning, the plot, the characters were all really great and made for a really atmospheric read.

I think my only issue is that both Elise and Leila sounded a lot a like (there was only one narrator), and sometimes it was hard to parse whose brain we were in, but other than that, it was really good read and I enjoyed what I think is a great read to start the fall, October vibes.

Thank you to Recorded Books and Netgalley for an audio copy.

🌑✨ I just finished This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings, and wow, what a journey! This dark, gothic fantasy kept me hooked from start to finish with its atmospheric writing and intense plot, and reapers, aka VAMPIRES! Elise and Layla’s struggle with fate, curses, and inner demons was captivating, and the world-building was beautifully eerie. This was set in 1920’s Harlem, I loved that! If you’re into stories that blend supernatural elements with deep emotional struggles, this one’s for you. Can't wait to see where Dennings takes us next! 🌒🖤

Thank you NetGalley and Recorded books for the ALC!

- I loved the concept and atmosphere-friends to enemies to lovers + sapphic + vampire x vampire hunter + 1920s Harlem Renaissance? Count me in!
- I struggled a bit with the mystery. The mystery itself was a bit all over the place, and it didn’t feel as urgent as it seemed it should. The resolution felt a bit abrupt, and a bit cartoon villain, but this could be expanded on in the next book!
- The audio helped a ton with the pacing, and I highly recommend it! The writing is so well done, so the audio let me focus more on that without getting distracted by the slower pace.
- The world building for the vampires was a little confusing at times, but I thought the ideas behind it were so interesting and not ones I’ve seen in other vampire books!

This one was slow going at the beginning. Lots of exposition dumping mixed with some bloody vampire rage that didn’t make a whole lot of sense. The book does pick up about 1/2 way through for a while. I was able to become invested in Layla and Elsie even though I didn’t really like either of them. But things start to. fall apart again for me towards the end I think this was just too much and not for me

I was able to listen the audiobook and that kept me impressed involved. I enjoyed listening but still struggled to follow all the dynamics toward the end.

Thanks to recorded books and NetGalley for access to ALC for review.

Really good! I loved the characters; they felt so dimensional. The book explored themes of racism, sexism, medical experimentation, etc while combining it with the fantasy element of reapers (vampires). I do feel like some of the actions and dialogue didn’t quite fit with the 1920s but I have to imagine that obviously in a world with reapers things may be different in that way too.

Hmmmm what to say about this book.

ON PAPER
This book has it all. Black Vampires in Harlem during the 1920s?! PERFECT. The premise is golden and was bringing me back to my reading vampire YA days.

However,
Something fell flat. I had a very hard time connecting to the characters and even really understanding what was going on? Like I got it but like the pacing was just a little TOO clunky for my taste. Characters all felt a little 2D to me. Could be because it literally is a YA novel and I am in no way the target demographic but...

This was such a unique concept for a book and I enjoyed it! I didn’t love the narrator, and it did take away from the book a bit, but overall I enjoyed!

This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings is an intriguing mix of historical fantasy set in Jazz-era Harlem, with a dash of forbidden love and lots of action. The story centers around Elise and Layla—former friends who are forced to team up amidst a chaotic world of reapers, vampires, and family drama.

The world-building is rich, and the plot is fast-paced, keeping you on your toes from start to finish. While the enemies-to-lovers romance between Elise and Layla is a slow burn, it adds depth to the story without overshadowing the action. However, Elise's character development felt a bit slow at times, which might leave you wanting more from her.

The highlight of the audiobook is definitely Tamika Katon-Donegal's narration. She brings the characters to life with distinct voices and emotions, making the listening experience more immersive. If you're into complex characters, intense power struggles, and a touch of magic, this audiobook is worth a listen!

3.5 stars

When I read the description of the book I needed to read/listen it. It takes place in New York Harlem in the 1920s. There is a conflict between the reapers and the Saint family. I did not feel invested in the characters which made it challenging to get through the audiobook. I didn’t understand why Layla and Elise didn’t act on their hatred earlier because their romantic interest was unclear until about 60% in. At 70%, my perspective changed. I was invested in the storyline and wanted to know what would happen next. This is a perfect book for the fall/spooky season. The narrator made the story come to life. I will be reading the second book.

Thank you, RBmedia and NetGalley, for an advanced ARC of this book as an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Let's begin:

"sapphic /vampire /romance/friends-enemies-lovers"
This is how I would describe this book on a surface level.
Vampires are back, and not only are they back, they are vicious now. 

Just to clarify some things, reapers are a type of vampire that were made in a laboratory. Basically, people were experimenting on Black people with some weird chemicals, and the result was reapers.

The book takes place in 1920 where racism was very popular and Black people were criticized for breathing . Like imagine being a reapper ( who is basically trash ) and black :| like damn .

We have two main characters in this story: Layla (who is my favorite) and Elise. Elise is back from France and is ready to take over her family business. People and reapers are turning up dead, and it's her job—and Layla's—to find out what is happening.

I loved the fact that even though Layla is a reaper, she is not sorry that she kills people for blood. This is who she is now, and she is trying her best to survive. She might not like it, but that's her life now.

Elise will do anything for her family, especially her little sister. I found her very annoying and naive at times, but she grew on me by the end.


I liked it. I liked the characters and the plot wasn’t something i necessarily care for .

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This follows Elise, musical prodigy and eldest living child of the Saint vampire aka reaper hunting empire. She returns home from studying piano in France to visit her family to find Harlem more dangerous than when she left. Her father has named her younger sister heir to the empire, but Elise wants nothing more than to protect her sister, so she makes him a bargain he can't resist. This puts her in harms way and back in touch with her former best friend Layla who was turned several years ago. Layla has a vendetta against the reapers, but when she is framed for a crime she didn't commit she must work with Elise to uncover what is going on in reaper territory and causing chaos on her turf. The former friends uncover more than they bargained for as they learn about what happens behind closed doors between the reapers, the Saints, and those with deep pockets to keep the city running.

I found this to be a bit too long, and while I can appreciate a longer book with a slow burn plot this didn't keep my interest. There wasn't enough action, character development, or paranormal elements to keep me invested in listening to the book. This had all of the elements of a novel I would normally be very interested in vampires, a mystery element, morally grey characters, a romance; however the execution didn't work for me. I didn't feel the chemistry between Layla and Elise, I would have preferred the repair their friendship before delving into a romance.

Overall, I think this has all of the elements to be a great book and series, however it missed the mark for me. I think younger readers will really enjoy this. I think the slower pace paired with the author trying to tackle alot of topics in one book made it hard for me to focus on what was going on. The author does tackle some heavy and important topics, but I lose track if there are too many at once. This book reminded me quite a bit of These Violent Delights as it has some similar elements and is about the same length. I really enjoyed These Violent Delights, and while there are some major differences between the two tales if you liked one of these you may enjoy the other.

This Ravenous Fate is the first book of a historical fantasy duology sets in the Jazz Harlem era, packed with lots and lots of actions, angsty forbidden love enemies-to-lovers, complex family dynamics, power struggles, and magic. I'm glad I got to try the audiobook because the narrator was amazing. She sets out different tones and different voices for each character. Through the narrator, I could feel like I was in the story and watching all the events untangled in front of my eyes, I could feel the suspense when a reaper lunged at someone, the longing heartache between the lovers, and the chilling atmosphere. It was a wild ride.

This story was packed with actions from the start, making the romance as a subtle sub trope, which I liked. Instead, this book gave more stage on the world building, the multi-layered characters development, and the fast-paced plot. Although, I must say, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance hits the hardest.

Elise's development was too slow for my liking. I often found myself wanting to slap her to reality because she is the one causing my favorite character, Layla, the roughest pain. But, making me worked up on a character showed how well the author and the narrator were. In this book, we saw more of Elise's character development, but honestly, I enjoyed Layla's side of the story more. I hope to see more of Layla and Sterling in the second book. Josie annoyed me a bit to be honest, but I'm looking forward to her development in the second book.

Though it has lots of actions, the story could feel dragged at certain parts, making me double the speed of the narration. The writing and the narration were beautiful, but somehow it was not immersive enough for me. Perhaps it was because certain parts felt dragged.

Vampires in Harlem, in the 1920's... YES PLEASE!
This book was beautifully written, though the plot seemed to become skewed at points. The multiple conflicts, political, strained family situations, forbidden friendship/love. There was a lot going on but I was locked in. I do wish that it moved along a bit quicker..the pace became slightly stressful, it could totally be because I was so committed to finding out the ending.

I was given an audio ARC and enjoyed it. The narrator doing all of the voices made me chuckle...she is NOT good at male voices..lol. This is not a deal-breaker however, Tamika Donegal did a great job!

I can't wait to see what book 2 will bring with it!

Thank you Netgalley, and Haley Dennings for the ability to review this book and give my honest opinion.

Thank you to RBMedia and NetGalley for a free advanced listener’s copy. I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.

A rich historical fantasy set in 1920s Harlem. The vampire and vampire hunter love story is a tale as old as…well the invention of vampire hunters probably (I’m looking at you 2004 Van Helsing Movie) but This Ravenous Fate, I think, really leans into that proper friends-to-enemies-to-lovers trope that sucks me in. In a 1920s Harlem where reapers (the vampires of this world, victims of antebellum human experimentation) stalk the night, Elise Saint is the heiress of a vampire hunting empire that manufactures vampire killing bullets. Meanwhile, on the other side of this war, Layla Quinn, a young reaper and Elise’s childhood friend, is suspected of a gruesome murder. Even worse, the victims were human. Now Elise is assigned to solve the case to earn her place as the Saint Family’s true heir and Layla is helping to clear her name even though the two girls are…not friends would be putting it lightly.

Denning’s interpretation of the homoerotic friend break-up with a magical twist was definitely present through all of Elise and Layla’s interactions but from the beginning it felt like something was missing. The two girls always felt like they were on different pages and there wasn’t much done to clue the reader in on why that is. Their initial banter always felt both too aggressive and not aggressive enough and I think that weird feeling was attached to the lack of stakes to the venom between them beyond the vague explanations given. As the mystery of the story built, though, I became much more invested.

I loved the conversations around privilege that come about due to the existence of reapers and the conversation around what makes someone human, particularly in a world where your humanity can be taken from you so violently. Our window into the lives of reapers is already biased, seeing as Layla is wrestling with her desire to be human so, even in her narration, she’s kind of tugging the reader back and forth. She hates being a reaper and the monstrosity forced upon her but she’s very defensive of reaperhood particularly when faced with prejudice from Elise. Elise, on the other hand, was easy to understand both in personality and goals and it was easy to root for her even though she wasn’t perfect. An artist who has become a reluctant heiress to her family empire in order to save her younger sister from such a fate; she’s naive and well intentioned and privileged in many ways but under privileged in others and her growth is easy to map throughout the book. Layla isn’t so easy, and I had to sit with her a while more. She was hard to pin down particularly because of her inner struggles and how monstrously she paints reapers and their existence while still finding sympathy for their plight, her own plight.

The audiobook version of this book, in particular, was a must for me. I feel like the extra personality given by the narrator, Tamika Katon-Donegal, really helped me get invested in the story during those unsteady beginning bits. She also has such a way with action scenes and the force behind her line delivery during fights made one of my least favorite aspects of any book really enjoyable (it was also helped by the fact that they were vampire fight scenes).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book for its mystery and its creative storytelling. I think it’s a perfect read for this upcoming fall season to get you into that gothic horror or noir mystery mood!

loooved this! I'm not usually a huge historical fan but I thought this was so much fun and I love childhood friends to lovers!