Kembral Thorne, a senior member of the Hound guild, is still on leave following the birth of her daughter when the guests at a party she's attending begin to drop dead. But following the chiming of a mysterious grandfather clock, she finds that everything has reset, the guests don't remember their untimely deaths (or the previous events of the party), and they're stuck in an Echo, a dangerous layer beneath their own Prime realty. Kem will have to team up with her nemesis Rika Nonesuch, a member of the rival Cat guild to learn the rules of this dangerous game and stop it before it destroys everything they love.

I absolutely devoured this book. I loved the fast-paced high stakes energy, and even though the same few hours repeated through the 12 layers of reality, Kembral and Rika's efforts to stop the game in each new layer made it feel like I wasn't continually reading the same events over again.

Even though the events of the story take place over a single night (albeit, a night that happens 12 times), the romance between Kem and Rika felt like a slow burn. As long-time rivals, the two already know a lot about each other, but they took time throughout the story to understand each other and their feelings for one another better, which I appreciated.

I do wish there had been a little more worldbuilding background given as the story progressed. There's lots of mention of the different Moons (which I took to be akin to astrological signs), but I wish they had been explained in a little more detail as they were obviously important to the story.

Overall, this was such a fun story and I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Read if you like:
Time loop
Alternate reality
High stakes
Rival guilds
Sapphic romance
Strong FMC

Wow! This book was absolutely fabulous. It takes place on one night, but the main character and some others are living through various stages of echos as the night progresses. Kembral Thorne is spending the night out at a party after just having had a baby. Unfortunately, there won't be much to enjoy as people start dropping dead and therefore, she will need to put her work hat on to save humanity. Rika Nonesuch is the nemesis of Kembral and they must work together, including a magical clock, in order to solve this case. I loved the characters in this book, and not just the main ones. I usually don't like books that relive the same hour over, but this one changed drastically as the story progresses. It was a fast-paced book that keeps you on your toes trying to figure out who did it. If you think you have it figured out, more complications are added to the story. An excellent fantasy/sci-fi read.

Kembral Thorne, dedicated Hound and accomplished dimension jumper, is on her first social outing after having her baby Emmaline. She’s determined to make the most of it despite her boss taking it as an opportunity to urge her to return to work and her nemesis, the cat burglar Rika Nonesuch, being there to aggravate. But when her fellow party guests start dropping like flies, Kem gets to work.

This was a marvel of a book and one of my favorites of 2024. Another reviewer described it as, “a campy, sinister locked room murder mystery that takes place in different layers of reality on the brink of the new year” and I can’t describe it better than that. Its frenetic pace perfectly captures the plot and danger. Kem’s asides about being a new mom feel so genuine and are a reminder that there simply aren’t enough books from the POV of new moms or middle aged women.

Wow! THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS will not be for everyone, but I had a blast reading its action-packed chapters, uncovering layer after layer of this mysterious magical world, and rooting for the likable characters.

TLHBW takes place in a world in which layers of varying unreality (called “Echoes”) lie under the real world (called “Prime”). When the veil between the layers is thin, objects, animals, or people can slip through, and it is the job of Hounds like Kembral, our MC, to retrieve them. On maternity leave, Kembral finally treats herself to a New Year’s Eve night out at a party, only to find herself caught up in a game of murder played by dangerous celestial creatures that takes them through more Echoes than is wise.

TLHBW has an Alice in Wonderland-like quality to it, with each chapter/Echo opening up more intriguing revelations about the world. Caruso did a great job of creating a world that goes deep rather than goes wide. Magical rules, strange creatures, and secrets revealed about seemingly normal “Prime” characters kept my interest throughout!

Kembral, our MC, is the kind of bad-ass, smart-talking, and competent urban fantasy heroine I like to follow for escapism. The unique feature about her character–her state of new motherhood–is relatable, though it does feel a bit forced after a while (particularly as her newborn, Emmi, never makes an on-page appearance). Rika at first struck me as being too cold and closed-off, but the way her character develops, and her interactions with Kembral deepen, had me cheering both of them on.

The main plotline of TLHBW is twisted, clever, and mentally engaging for me. To write about more would be to give too much away, so I’ll just say that snarky superhero movies in the vein of Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy are my guilty pleasure, and if you like those films, you’ll like this book.

THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS is really good magical escapism: well-developed, pacey, and with characters that I could cheer on. It’s great for 24-hour readathon pick, or a lighter read amidst more serious fare.

Genre: fantasy

Kembral Thorne, guild Hound, expert blink-stepper in interdimensional travel, and new mom, is taking her first night out since the birth of her daughter for a New Year’s Eve party. Nevermind that she has to grit between her teeth that she’s on leave and not accepting new jobs right now, and that seems to be all anyone wants to socialize with her about. In the flash of an eye, the party turns deadly, and despite Kem’s insistence that she’s on leave, she has the best understanding of the Echoes, or the levels removed from the Prime Reality, and she’s the only one who can reverse the murders.

Everything about The Last Hour Between Worlds appeals to my fantasy reader sensibility. It's a well-constructed time loop where the main character slips down through levels of echoes and with each layer down the world becomes increasingly complicated and weird. More importantly, our heroine Kembral Thorne occupies a unique and utterly common liminal space: that of new motherhood. She's a worn out sleep-deprived mother of a two-month old. The book is written in first person perspective from Kembral's POV and it couldn't be more perfect for the spiral of desperation to love and protect and maybe nap.

The worldbuilding in Last Hour is clever, and Caruso reveals information the more we descend into the deeper echoes. We start with limited knowledge - there’s some light political intrigue between guilds and city elders, revealed at the party. Seeing everything from Kem’s perspective means that we have the most experienced blink stepper telling the story, and Caruso does a good job of not overexplaining from a perspective that knows everything. She uses Kem’s frantic problem solving as the lens through which we learn more about the way the echoes function.

The romantic arc is particularly interesting. The father of Kem’s daughter is out of the picture - he bounced as soon as he heard her news. Instead, the romantic tension is with her rival, Rika Nonesuch, a Cat [burglar] who previously led Kembral on and betrayed her at her most vulnerable. Rika, like Kem, is the most talented at her profession. There is emotional uncertainty, and the tenuous truce that Rika and Kem strike in order to solve the mystery, traverse planes, and save the world is as believable as the pining.

The action starts strong from the beginning, and Moira Quirk's narration takes us at the relentless pace to save the world, and also to sort out complicated feelings and connections.

A fast-paced, exciting, and tension-filled adventure where the stakes continue to rise with each toll of the grandfather clock. This is such an interesting take on the locked room mystery, where the room is a house that continues to fall through different layers of reality in the middle of a deadly game. Even though we are experiencing the same period of time over and over again, it is still exciting and different each iteration. Our main characters are interesting and capiable, making them interesting to follow. The tension comes both from the external forces threatening their lives and their own history and internal problems they aren't willing to speak about with each other. I'm excited for book 2!

Such an interesting and exciting concept, I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the plot. I had a hard time relating to the main character but that's probably because I'm much younger and am not a mother.

The story introduces us to Kembral Thorne, a new mom who is also an investigative Hound. She faces the ups and downs of motherhood while embarking on an exciting multiverse adventure! Things get tense as she teams up with her rival, Rika Nonesuch, and they explore some dark dimensions together. The story mainly unfolds in a single house and city, giving it a charming vibe that resembles the early 19th century. With plenty of thrilling action sequences and an engaging plot, this book promises to keep readers hooked from start to finish. It's a read to look forward to!

I expected to hate this book, but I didn’t . The repetitiveness didn’t bother me as that is the point of the story. I found the idea of Echos fascinating. I didn’t much care for any of the characters. I do like a good game with murder as a consequence. I was surprised to find out it wasn’t a standalone.

I expected to hate this book, but I didn’t . The repetitiveness didn’t bother me as that is the point of the story. I found the idea of Echos fascinating. I didn’t much care for any of the characters. I do like a good game with murder as a consequence. I was surprised to find out it wasn’t a standalone.

4 stars!

The Last Hour Between Worlds is one of the most creative books I've read! I don't normally like Groundhog Day books as I find them repetitive, but I found Kembral and Rika so interesting and likeable that I didn't even care.

I find that I don't read many books with older main characters, so it was refreshing to an experience a main character who was really good at her job while also trying to figure out how her life was changing as she experienced being a mother for the first time. I also really enjoyed the romance and the sapphic representation!

I think where this book will really shine for people is the premise and execution. Where it wasn't a perfect five stars for me was that you're really thrown into the world and I don't think many things are explained. Also, I think this would've worked perfectly as a standalone, but I will still be reading book 2!

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Last Hour Between Worlds follows Kembral Thorne, who goes to a party and ends up stuck traveling through layers of reality. People start turning up dead and her (sort of, but not really) nemesis appears. What can she do to get out of this loop alive?

Unfortunately, this story wasn't for me. It might be best to read as much at once as possible, because due to the ground hog's day, world within worlds timeline of it all, it can be very confusing to jump in and out of. I also struggled to keep track of characters and wished that the main character had a wider range of traits. We know she is a new mom, an investigator, and has confused feelings about Rika, but who is she beyond that? There are more books planned in this series, so maybe that question will eventually be answered.

Thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

The Last Hour Between Worlds is the first book in the Echo Archives where we’re introduced to Kembral, Kem, who’s simply trying to find her way with a two month old at home. I loved that Caruso added this take to the story since those initial months can be really difficult to navigate your identity. I also loved the banter and tension between Kem and Rika. I also really enjoyed the different distinctions between the Hounds and Cats. In terms of plot, I was hooked pretty early on with wanting to understand the time loop especially after what happened in the first iteration. I will say, it got a little repetitive after a while. We certainly learn new things in the loops, some of which were absolutely shocking, but I didn’t feel like there was enough at times to keep my attention. By the end, though, I was fully drawn back into the story especially as all the threads started tying together. I combo read the ebook and audiobook. I will say, the audio is definitely the way to go. Moira Quirk is an incredible narrator, and her narration helped me get through the slower parts of the book. Quirk brings so much energy and emotion to the role that you want to keep listening. Overall, I ended up enjoying the story, and I’m curious to see where the next one goes.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This book was nothing like I was expecting and everything I could’ve wanted!

It’s a sci-fi fantasy LGBTQ ground hog day with a new mom as our FMC!
I LOVED seeing a tired mom as the one who saves the world instead of the usual 18-20 year olds. It was so relatable for us tired moms while also showing the readers that we too have the ability to save the world, to fall in love and fight tooth and nail for a better future. All while desperately needing to nurse lol
The alternate realities and different beings was such an interesting and fun thing to read.
For someone who reads a lot, I was so happy to read a book that was surprising and unpredictable. The twists I truly didn’t see coming. The story was unique and I liked how this first book wraps up the main storyline of the ground hog day situation while leaving other aspects open ended.
I’m excited to see where the rest of the series will take us.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like themes of
Sci-fi fantasy
LGBTQ
Alternate realities
Second chance romance
Mom FMC
Magical beings

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

The Last Hour Between Worlds was a cool concept, kind of like Groundhog Day with a fantasy/magical twist. Each time loop drops the characters deeper into a dangerous alternate reality, adding a strange and unique twist to the ongoing mystery. The world-building is solid and unfolds without spoon-feeding, which keeps things intriguing, but some elements, like the magic system, could’ve been more fleshed out.

Kembral, the main character and a new mom, is likable but falls a bit flat with repetitive mentions of her exhaustion and work-life balance, you don't really get to learn much about her other than who she's dated in the past and that she is a mother. The cast of supporting characters is interesting, but the dialogue can get campy, and the plot felt very repetitive. While it’s a fun setup this one just fell flat for me.

Interesting concept but I got extremely bored reading this book. I feel like if they cut the "resets" in half it would be less boring. I got maybe 20% into the book where I just kept yelling at the book to get to the point. It felt like the author was painfully dragging the story out. I thought the characters were pretty mediocre with no one standing out.

This book was was better than I expected. I love that it's Sapphic. The tension between them, add in them having to team up to save the world. I think it's an interesting concept to have this in the point of view of a new mom. I won't deny when I first started this I was confused and was not understanding it much but I decided to give it a chance and it was pretty good. One thing I wasn't too fond of was her constantly complaining about being a new mom.

My first NetGalley DNF. So sad.

I really wanted to like this book & by the blurb, it was definitely my kind of story - strong female characters, being stranded in strange layers of reality, and some romance thrown in for fun.

Honestly, though? I was dead bored. First, the world-building just wasn't there. The characters use all sorts of jargon that's clearly how people talk in this world, but we never really get the translation & there were times when the context did not give me a clue what they were talking about. There is this world and reality that is different than our own, but we never learn anything about it.

Second, I got bored by the groundhog dayness of it all! There's basically one series of events we see over and over and over and over again, but with slight changes due to the different layers of reality. Honestly, I can't read that scenario even one more time.

It pains me to write a bad review on NetGalley. I always want to send these ARCs off with a positive push, but this one just wasn't for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to try it though.

Now for the book, I like it is a huge mix of adventure with romance. More heavy on the adventure side. The plot was interesting and fresh . Doesn’t feel like everything that is out there right now. Definitely will recommend

DNF @ 30%

I really loved the premise of this book (and the cover, wow!!) buuuuut that’s about it 😭

I feel the concept of this book would work better as a Middle Grade novel rather than adult. It’s unique and quirky, but there’s only so many talking birds and man-eating sacks I can take until I’m like lol enough.

There is very little hand-holding when it comes to the world building. (I would like a LITTLE bit lol). They are split up into divisions like Cats, Hounds, Ravens, and there is quite a bit of Moon talk (waxing Compass Moon, half Sickle Moon, etc) that really did not have anything to do with the plot. (At least up to where I stopped.)

Because this is a time loop book, the same thing happens over and over (but in a grueling way not a fun way.) Time loops are a hard thing to execute and when done well, can keep the reader engaged throughout, but there was far too much repetition and I was done with it by Loop #4 (which sadly was very early into the book.)

If you like campy books, time loops, and cheesy dialogue, I’d say give this book a shot. Otherwise…don’t 😅