If the movie Warm Bodies had a baby with Alberta from the show Ghosts you would probably get this book. Or something, anyway.

I am always looking for new vampire stories and chasing the high of a rare Historical Fiction book that catches my attention. The Ravenous Fate is very atmospheric and at times fast paced. It's a really unique take on vampires as well. No offense to the Interview With a Vampire show, but this book would make a (better) binge worthy show.


Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a review copy.

The premise was so good, but it missed the mark a few ways. The world building was rough to get through...between gangs and vampires and humans. there was just so much going on. I did enjoy the characters, they had depth and it was easy to root for them. i wanted to love this, but it was hard to get through.

Amongst the glitz and glam of 1920s Harlem, darker things lurk in the shadows. While Harlem is fought over by the gangs who run the glamorous jazz clubs and speakeasies in the area, even they are afraid of the reaper clans that stalk the night. Reapers are vampiric creatures who were born from cruel medical experiments conducted in the 17th century. These clans now plague America and have begun to spread across the rest of the world. The Harlem reapers are only kept in check by the Saints, a reaper-hunting empire who manufacture the only bullets that are effective against them.

When a wave of mysterious killings shocks the city, the number one suspect is Layla Quinn who was once the best friend of Elise Saint. That is until she was turned into a reaper and tried to rip open Elise’s chest. Elise, hoping to be granted the title of heir to her family’s legacy to spare her younger sister, is tasked by her father to investigate the killings and get to the bottom of Layla’s involvement. However once Elise and Layla begin working together, they uncover discrepancies around the case. And uncover a mystery around reapers turning more deadly—and possibly back into humans.
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I am a massive fan of slow burn romance, and I will say this delivered. Elise and Layla have a friends-to-enemies-to-reluctant allies-to-lovers relationship which is my favorite. There was some delicious tension and push-and-pull scenes. I also loved their dynamic being musician and dancer, I really wish we had gotten at least one scene of Layla dancing to Elise’s playing. I enjoyed Layla’s POV more than Elise’s but that might be due to have much of a sucker I am for jaded scandalous vampires. I really liked how Layla was not afraid to call of Elise’s prejudices and sheltered opinions. But the inclusion of Elise having OCD was a nice touch that helped flesh out her character.

Despite enjoying the romance, the rest of the plot really fell flat for me. The greatest weakness of this novel is a lack of descriptive imagery. Despite the glamourous and dark setting, none of the scenes truly popped off the page. It was incredibly difficult to immerse oneself into the scenes playing out and it left me wanting so much more. This lack of description paired with overly clunky writing left huge gaps in the story. It often felt as though we were skipping around and jumping over large details. It was difficult to follow along because of this and ruined any kind of flow in the story.

The entire mystery plot was lacking in suspense and buildup. Readers could generally guess what the twist was going to be early on, and the villains themselves were very one dimensional and obvious. Mr. Saint was the biggest let down. At first, the way he switches his moods and demeanor was really chilling as it denoted a level of instability. But the further we got in, the more the contradictory nature of his personality began to shift from his characterization to being clearly a product of the author’s weak writing. Elise was tasked by her father to investigate the killings with Layla and unravel her lies. However, at every turn he was incredibly hostile about their partnership and tried to shut her down constantly when she asked too many questions. It’s obvious that he did not want Elise to truly investigate the crime and simply wanted her to implicate Layla. But Layla had already been arrested for the crime at the beginning of the novel so why not just pin it all on her? There was no reason to allow Elise to begin poking around where she shouldn’t and unravel the bigger scheme around the crimes.

Also, the entire last 50 pages of this book had so many new elements and plot points thrown in out of nowhere. There was simply not enough time for readers to understand them or to set them up properly for the sequel. It was way too rushed and cramped and I felt like I couldn't quite grasp what was going on.

I wish I had loved this more as the pitch was everything I’ve ever wanted in a book. But the execution fell short of my expectations. I may tune into the sequel simply for the romance, but I hope with more experience the plot will be better developed and the world building can be expanded.

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't really like it either.

For the majority of the book, I was bored and it didn't grab my attention at all. It felt so long and I do think there could've been 100 pages less. Now the mystery wasn't that mysterious to me. This might also be the reason why I found the book a bit boring. As a reader, I wish I could've helped with solving the mystery, but there wasn't really much to solve myself.

I did love the romance. It's rare that I see something advertised as enemies to lovers and the love interests actually hate each other, and are technically enemies. I do wish they "fell" for each other earlier since they did go from enemies to lovers really quickly.

This book might be worth the read if you're into vampires (especially wlw, enemies to lovers, vampires)

Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book is SUCH a vibe! The mysteries and the vampires are top tier, and I loooove all things open sexually. While this one was a bit slower, I really loved the relationship between Elyse and Layla. I am very excited to see what Hayley comes up with next!

THIS RAVENOUS FATE follows childhood-friends-to-enemies, Elise—heir to a vampire-hunting empire—and Layla—vampire—as they work together to solve a murder, and how it might be involved with a potential cure for vampirism.

This YA historical fantasy, set in an alternate 1920s Harlem that's overcome by vampires, is for readers who enjoy VIBES. The pretty prose dedicates itself to those delicious enemies to lovers moments, and the first act tension between the two alternating POVs who have very different interpretations of the same traumatic event, is where the book shines.

The short chapters comprised of micro-scenes make for a fast read, full of complex family dynamics and ethical questions.

I really wanted to love this one. I was looking forward to an enemies to lovers, vampire queer romance that’s received mostly positive reviews on NetGalley, but if this hadn’t been an ARC (making me feel obligated to finish it) I probably would have DNF’ed it at 20%.

It seemed that for every positive thing I liked about this book there were two or three things I disliked. The 1920s New York setting with jazz clubs and vampires running amok in the city made for a really interesting atmosphere. However, I felt that the writing focused a little too much on the racial disparities in the beginning chapters and then the story line contradicted what was just written about those characters’ hardships. The narrator went on and on about how unfairly the minorities were treated, but then when the double minority character was found at the scene of a crime they decided to let her work with the main character to prove her innocence? If the system was as unfair as they let on, this person would have been executed without a trial and not allowed a chance to investigate and run around unguarded in the city where she could possibly commit her crimes again. It just didn’t make a lot of sense.

I wanted to like the characters, but they seemed one dimensional and incapable of having a conversation that didn’t end in screaming, hating the other person, or running off. Even the big love declaration somehow resulted in miscommunication or downright mistreatment of one other. I really hated how these characters spoke to and treated each other, and overall refusal to consider each others’ arguments.

I think this story had massive potential and I’d love to read more historical fiction vampire fantasies, but I think this was just poorly executed.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for providing this ebook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is such a fresh take on a vampire story. I knew that this was sapphic after following the author prior to her being picked up but i loved the pacing and the way the story developed. As I was reading this I felt myself being consumed by the book and I love that effect. My brain loved the w ay Hayley writes. I look forward to seeing what she writes next.. I thinking writing this story in the 1920 Harlem was such a. Great choice to make.

YA, Harlem in the 1920s, Black, sapphic, vampires, someone trying to find a cure, but are they really or is something more sinister at hand? Elise and Layla are just *chefs kiss* I loved the evolution of their relationship from the beginning to the end of the story and loved seeing how they came back from everything that happened in the past. Tobias Saint, ooh I’m going to love hating him.

A perfect blend of politics and vampire elements. The discussions of race as the backdrop of this book also elevated it up above many vampire books of its kind. I did find Elise and Layla's back-and-forth fighting to be friends to fighting again a bit tiresome but that does come with the territory of enemies to lovers.

A thrilling blend of urban fantasy and mystery set in Jazz Age Harlem. Despite some slow pacing, the intricate plot, vivid world-building, and well-developed characters, particularly the complex relationship between Layla and Elise, make it compelling. The novel skillfully combines historical fiction, paranormal intrigue, and romantic tension, exploring themes of loyalty, betrayal, and redemption. Highly recommended for fans of historical fantasy with romance and suspense.

I really thought this debut was quite amazing. The story was really engaging and refreshing. I love vampire books and have been missing them dearly so this definitely brought back my love for them. The tension between Elise and Layla was perfection I love it. The cast of characters was so much fun. Even if I loathed some of them… but overall had a really fun time reading! The mystery elements were great and I loved the dynamics between the characters. The reaper lore was super fascinating and I’m very curious to see where this story will lead next.
I will say parts of this book did take me longer to get through simply cause even though it is historical fantasy it does talk on some real racial topics and history that you know really got me in my feelings. And I personally found that acts 3 & 4 had much faster pacing and engagement while reading. But I do think Dennings just did such an amazing job, not only writing a really amazing debut but talking about racial trauma and harm against Black communities. So just read with care 💕
Thank you Sourcebooks for the arc!

Reapers have been around for centuries. In the early 1900s Layla Quinn and Elise Saint become friends at an early age. At the age of 12/13, a tragic incident happened and they are no longer friends. Layla Quinn has been turned into a Reaper and Elise Saint’s family makes money off of products that kill Reapers. After 5 years apart, Layla and Elise are brought together in a strange way to figure out who is responsible for the poison that is killing Reapers. Along the way, Elise learns the truth about who her father really is.

Fun, sapphic vampire story set in 1920s Harlem. Great tension between the two Black MCs. I loved the middle of this book so much, the murder mystery was well done and the reluctant rivals plot had me hooked. Unfortunately I felt it took a while to get going and the end cliffhanger felt out of place. I wished it was a standalone, the story felt finished. Overall though, a great setting, great characters, and a fun enemies to lovers story.

Set in the evocative and dangerous 1920s New York, "This Ravenous Fate" by Hayley Dennings paints a vivid picture of a city overrun by reapers—once-human vampires plagued by a horrifying affliction. The Saint family, led by the patriarch and his reluctant heir, Elise Saint, maintains a strong grip on the city's reaper-hunting business, often overshadowing even the most notorious criminals. Elise's return from Paris is marred by the knowledge that the Harlem reapers are out for her blood, a conflict that adds depth to her character and propels the narrative forward.

The novel's most compelling dynamic is the tension between Elise and Layla Quinn, a reaper with a tragic past and a deep-seated grudge against Elise. Their forced alliance to investigate a series of brutal killings and rumors of a potential reaper cure drives the story, offering a blend of mystery and emotional intensity. However, the book's pacing and the somewhat predictable plot twists slightly dampen the overall impact. While "This Ravenous Fate" excels in its atmospheric setting and complex character relationships, it falls short of delivering a fully satisfying and cohesive narrative, making it an intriguing but ultimately middling read.

I was wanting to read sapphic vampires and this delivered! It was so good and fun to read. I really enjoyed the setting of this being in Jazz Age Harlem as it makes it a little glitzy and I loved having a fancy event. The vibes were excellent, and the plot paired so well with the romance. I love a complicated past childhood friendship where they are on opposite sides of the coin and have to work together and think it worked perfectly in this fantasy settings with the reapers and trying to figure out what was going on. I think this was a great debut and I am super excited to read the sequel!

Thank you so much to Hayley Dennings for putting this up on Netgalley’s Read Now for a couple of days so that I RAN to snag it!
This book is just wow. Dennings’ writing style is so beautiful in craft, and her rendition of vampires - reapers - was fun and interesting! The racial commentary in this required reading also, done so blatantly but thoughtfully. My favourite character shifted dramatically (positively, well…you’ll see ;)) within the first half to the second half, and that doesn’t happen often! I’m very much looking forward to the next one!!

This is a book that fell short of its great set up. The setting and premise is great. The worldbuilding was good but simple enough that it didn't take too much deep thinking. I think that this book could have served to be a bit shorter. I know that obviously it is setting up for the second part in the duology, but it didn't keep me interested enough that I am excited for the second part. Love the vibes. Execution waivers.

This new sapphic vampire fantasy set in Jazz Age Harlem was full of darkness and glamour that made it an immersive read. The world building was accessible, and the tension between humans and the 'infected reapers' or vampires was palatable. Our main heroines, Elise and Layla were childhood friends ripped apart after a reaper attack that killed Elise's sister and turned Layla into a reaper herself. A new sinister threat is ripping through the city that brings the women back together in an attempt to keep their families safe. I really bought into the true 'enemies' nature of this romance plot, and enjoyed the mystery of the novel. The Cotton Club, rival gangs and vampire clans, and evil men trying to use science to influence political aims were exciting themes. However, the plot was rambling in places where I would lose interest. The ending felt rushed, and while I think some YA/NA readers will be excited to continue this series, I do not think I will be picking up the next book.

i thought i would love this book based on everything i heard about it and all the advertisement but the pacing was just too slow for me to actually enjoy it. it’s a good story in theory but it just wasn’t executed well.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc!