📖ADVANCED READER COPY REVIEW📖

His Mortal Demise by Vanessa Le
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!

Thank you to Roaring Books Press and @lochnessly for a free advanced reader copy of this book.

💭BLURB💭

Freedom, peace, love.

After losing the one he loves, Kochin will do anything to bring her back.

After awakening, Nhika is trying to piece together exactly what he did, and where he is.

📖REVIEW📖

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm pretty emotional writing this review. The Last Bloodcarver was my very first ARC review that I did and I loved it. Now to be reading the conclusion of this story is an incredible opportunity. I feel so lucky to have it. It's coming full circle.

This book was the perfect conclusion. The dual timeline filling to gaps for the povs was such an amazing way to tell the story and everything these characters went through to find each other.

Vanessa Le writes beautifully, almost lyrically. The ache you feel for these characters, the joy they feel is your's because the writing is just that good. Just the right amount of dark and hopefully, this will keep you hooked from beginning to end.

First of all, the narrators did a great job bringing the two main characters to life. After the events that took place in the first book, we now find Kochin alone, completely devastated. He is willing to do anything to bring Nhika back, even if it means losing parts of himself. I liked that they were given dual POVs and were able to tell their memories of past events and what they were feeling at the time. We were able to follow Kochin on this journey and experience his state of mind as he fought to bring back Nhika. We also got to see Nhika's journey and how, after being disregarded for so long by others, she finally found a group of people who cared for her.

Thank you to Fierce Reads for the e-arc and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Immediately following the events of "The Last Bloodcarver", the second installment in the duology has our main heroine, Nhika, awakening after the catastrophic events that left just one of her kind alive, but it wasn't meant to her still breathing. Choosing to make a selfless sacrifice she had given her gift to the boy she loved and now he's nowhere to be found and the country is at war under a new commissioner who will go to tremendous lengths to win a victoryless war. Nhika must follow the clues left behind, searching for where Kochin may be, praying he's still alive and well against all odds.

I cannot express enough how much I loved this follow up. This duology itself is utterly breathtaking with its imagery and homage to Vietnam and with giving remnants of war and the message I took home from it I couldn't help but tear up with the heavier topics including displacement, the after effects of a taxing and violent war, and the mistreatment of a population and their land. Le writes with such grace and as a Vietnamese descendant myself, I am so happy to have this literature to be able to share with my future children to show just how resiliency is steadfast.

This duology deserves way more hype! It doesn’t rely on the recycled tropes that are currently saturating the genre - it’s fresh, engaging, and impossible to put down.

The romance? Amazing. The dual POVs between Kochin and Nhika add so much suspense, and I completely get the Divine Rivals comparison in this book (though I’d argue it’s more similar to Ruthless Vows!)

Kochin’s profound grief was the focus of this book, and it was so well-written. His longing, his guilt, his loneliness. He would do anything for Nhika, and you feel it on every page. Their banter is top-tier, and I adored how fiercely protective he is of her.

Beyond the romance, the found family and platonic relationships were arguably one of the best parts of this book. I especially loved Trin and Nhika’s friendship. Their dynamic was hilarious, and I loved seeing their slow shift from distrust to grudging respect to family. 🥹 Her sass and their banter was hilarious.

The magic system is also insanely cool and unique. Bloodcarvers (or heartsooths) can alter bodies with just a touch - mostly to heal, but also to harm. It’s biology-centric yet magical, which I think you’ll enjoy if you’re also a biology nerd!

Plot-wise, we hit the ground running after that book 1 cliffhanger. I won’t spoil, but it’s pretty fast-paced! I can totally see this being adapted into a TV series.

What also made this book shine was the moral complexity. There are no clear heroes or villains, just flawed people making choices. The author doesn’t spoon-feed you a stance, just lays out the questions and lets you wrestle with them yourself.

If you’re looking for a new duology to binge read, I highly recommend this!

This was so incredibly satisfying of an ending.

After the whirlwind of an ending from The Last Bloodcarver, this book picked up with some serious gaps, which were interesting and all filled in along the way.

Nhika gave her life for Kochin. Now she’s back, and we get to follow both her story of realizing what happened while she was dead (a little Avatar-esque) while also following Kochin’s story of what he had to sacrifice to bring her back. As the timelines jump around, we eventually see them converge into a single story.

I can already tell there will be criticism about how conveniently some of the conflict resolved, but that for me was exactly what I needed.

Both Nhika and Kochin grew so much! As did Mimi and Andao and Trin. Their growth was realistic and in some ways harsh as they faced the changing realities of their world.

Overall, this book exceeded my expectations and built on the wonder and magic of heartsoothing that made the first book so unique and intriguing.

Definitely refresh yourself on book 1 (at least the end) before diving into this one! It’ll help.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This book was the perfect combination of dark & wondrous, with intricate world building, and deeply compelling characters and their connection with one another.

I have to be honest—the split timeline — flipping between the two main characters — was a little tough (selfishly, because I needed them reunited) but it created TENSION like no other.

And the heartsoothing? It was a great rewrite on the beautiful yet sacrificial nature of magic and the cost of keeping balance.

Nhika—fiercely loyal, determined, and impossible not to root for. She never wavered from her convictions which is absolutely admirable. And Kochin? His past and his “why” is finally revealed and satisfying in EVERY WAY. His love and sacrifice for Nhika—adds so much to their relationship and the way they grow together is EVERYTHING.

I just wanted more of them TOGETHER — the dynamic of their relationship is set up SO WELL in book one that I CRAVED their interactions in book two and they were few and far between 😭 Regardless, the finale was incredible and this duology is phenomenal.

4.5 stars
I absolutely loved this duology from start to finish. Even in the midst of a reading slump, the first book was so fast paced that I read it in one sitting. I couldn’t get enough of the unique world, the incredible magic system, or the romance that really tugged on my heart strings in both books. I’m still confused how I don’t see The Last Bloodcarver talked about everywhere because this is exactly the kind of YA fantasy I’m always searching for. This Vietnam inspired world has a medical magic system with blood and heart magic and I was glued to the page every time the main character used her powers. It was such a cool concept for magic and I always appreciate something fresh and new with how much fantasy I read. This series also deals with grief in such a profound way and I just wanted to hug the main characters for all that they’ve went through. The romance was amazing, I was rooting for this couple so hard. I won’t give anything away but the cliffhanger at the end of the first book is absolutely brutal and I’m secretly glad I waited to read it until I had the second book in my hands so I could immediately find out what happens next. I really loved that there was dual narrative in this one to jump between timelines and events. His Mortal Demise was a great conclusion to this duology and I will be eagerly waiting to read whatever Vanessa Le writes next.

Was super excited to dive into His Mortal Demise, but unfortunately the story fell a bit flat for me :(

What are you willing to risk to bring back the one you love? In The Last Bloodcarver, we’re introduced to heartsooths, powerful beings capable of altering anatomy with a touch, except bringing the dead back to life. In His Mortal Demise, the MMC is willing to sacrifice everything, even his morality, to bring back the love of his life.

The beginning starts off at a slower pace, but it offers a much needed continuation from book one, providing important backstory for how events unfold. Much of the story revolves around MMC’s internal struggle with his morality. The book title couldn’t have been more fitting and the narrative makes you feel how emotional heavy it is on him.

A nice change from book one is that it’s told in dual POVs, with different timelines that eventually merge into one. I feel this added more depth to the story and every piece of the puzzle fell nicely into place.

Overall I LOVE this duology. There’s themes of colonialism, classism, power, love, grief. I read this duology back to back and it made the story that much better. Although book two isn’t as strong as the first, for me it was still very enjoyable.

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is such an excellent YA fantasy duology with such a unique magic system of bloodcarvers/heartsooths, who can manipulate peoples bodies, usually to heal but also to harm.

This book picked right up where that massive cliffhanger left off. There was a lot of jumping between Kochin and his 6 months ago to present journey and Nhika in the present to slowly reveal what happened to get to present day, so I was on the edge of my seat the whole time waiting to find out what happened!

I enjoyed Kochin’s story through the war and felt that this had more of a focus on him in this book vs Nhika, who more of the focus in the first book. I enjoyed getting to see his POV and his journey!

The romance was light be so sweet and I really enjoyed it.

I loved this duology and definitely recommend!

The minute I saw this was available as an ARC I had to request it! The Last Bloodcarver surprised me in the best way with how fresh and engaging it was. And Vanessa Le carries that same energy into book 2, keeping me on the edge of my seat wondering how it would all work out. Once again I loved the medical magic system, the Vietnam-inspired world building, and the premise of sacrifice and what good intentions can cost us.

How far would you go to bring back the love of your life from death? Picking up right where the first book left off, Kochin is a heartsooth with the ability to heal any wound except death... and its the only thing he wants to do after Nhika, his beloved, sacrifices herself for him. Kochin has kept her body in a life preserving casket and is determined to find a way to bring her back. There's nothing he wouldn't do to bring her back but the answers lie in the battlefield and when Nhika does wake up she discovers that Kochin is gone... now they'll both have to work out how he did it and how she will get him back before it's too late once again. This was a stunning and beautiful ending to a fantastic fantasy series. This is one of the most unique fantasy series I've read and I absolutely adored it. The medical fantasy element, the Vietnam inspired fantasy, it is so good. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants a unique fantasy read that will suck you in and keep you on the edge until the very last chapter! It was a gorgeous ending and I can't wait to read whatever Vanessa comes out with next!

Release Date: March 18, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Roaring Brook Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A very satisfying conclusion, but one that hits a little less hard than the first book did.

As a massive fan of Book 1, requesting this ARC was an absolute no brainer. I loved every second of my time spent in this fantasy world (both in book 1 and book 2), but I did struggle with the lack of engaging dialogue between characters. Keeping in mind that I am not necessarily the targeted age demographic for YA reads, I think that this will not be a glaring issue for younger readers. Even for myself it wasn't a dealbreaker, just something I noted and thought "Oh, this isn't *that* engaging..." It didn't cause me to enjoy the book any less!

This story, in as few words as possible, encapsulates the absolute magic and mystery that are Vietnamese-inspired stories. Vietnam has some the richest, most unexplored stories out there, and I can't wait to see more authors gaining inspiration from Vanessa Le. I hope that she continues to write and create magical places and people inspired by both her own culture and other's.

As always, all my thanks to both the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC!

this was so, so good!! this duology absolutely needs more hype, because it's one of the most well-written, unique, fascinating series to be released in recent years. honestly everything about this is revolutionary - the magical system is a beautiful combo of dark and miraculous, the (vietnam inspired !!) worldbuilding is gorgeous and captivating, and i'm insanely obsessed with the characters. i bow down to this author - vanessa le, please keep writing more books!! also the covers?? stunning.

his mortal demise did not disappoint. a good portion of the book had us flipping back and forth between the two protagonists perspectives on different timelines, which frustrated me slightly because i just wanted them reunited, but it did really draw out the suspense and let me have access to both of their stunning povs. and i'm truly obsessed with all the heartsoothing - words cannot emphasise my adoration for the slightly macabre, slightly scientific, fully magical craft that vanessa le has created!

nhika was persistent, determined, and strong as always - i loved her constant headstrong attitude and deep loyalty for her loved ones, and i'm never not on nhika's side. kochin is my precious mixed boy - he learnt more about himself in this book, and i loved being alongside him while he came to terms with who he is. he had such a deep seated love for nhika that i truly adored - this may be YA, but they were so perfect together, and their relationship growth was immaculate.

the only reason this didn't get 5 stars is because i wanted a little more of our heroes together - book #1 truly did set the bar sky high in terms of relationship bonding + action + fascinating magic!! but this was still such a marvelous book, and i'm so thankful to the author and publisher for the arc copy.

His Mortal Demise continues to ask what we would do to bring back our loved ones. With this intriguing mix of magic and science, this duology continually has this idea of the responsibility of our creations. Taking on an even more Frankenstein vibe, His Mortal Demise asks us about the power of bringing back the dead. We can think we have the best intentions, but it often requires sacrifice. It's a power that could be used for nefarious purposes from the beginning. And what would we do to avoid the power getting into the wrong hands? And, are we the right ones?

Thanks to NetGalley for the Audio ARC!

After how much I loved and enjoyed The Last Bloodcarver, I don't quite want to say this was a disappointment...but it definitely wasn't as enjoyable for me. I think it was mostly how broody and self-sabotaging and self-deprecating Ven was. I'm not saying he shouldn't have been upset and broody, but it was so much and so strong the entire time that it just because obnoxious. That said, I did really enjoy the structure - Ven's POV being 6 months previous (at the end of The Last Bloodcarver) to current, and the other picking up 6 months after The Last Bloodcarver was over, with the two coming together for the last part of the book as their timelines collide.

I highly recommend this duology overall - it's a shining example of what YA can be, with an amazing magic system and fascinating worldbuilding and lore and complex/flawed/broken characters that will have you cheering them on as well as scolding them for their stupidity. The writing is super solid and the story compelling - a great read for any fantasy lover.

The world-building and medical magic system are expanded beautifully, creating a lush, immersive backdrop for a story of love, loss, and sacrifice.
Though I initially struggled to reconnect with the world after the first book, once I did, the emotional payoff was worth it.
A great finish to the duology, offering a captivating mix of romance, magic, and sacrifice. Fans of the first book will find this a worthy conclusion.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!!

His Mortal Demise is the follow up to The Last Bloodcarver. The story begins six months after the events in the first book. Nhika has awakened and the circumstances around how that came to be are a mystery. There are alternating chapters, with the reader going back in time to see events from Kochin's point of view.

This is a great conclusion to the story of The Last Bloodcarver. This time we spend most of the time Kochin and get to know him better. Everything he goes through to get Nhika back is portrayed really well. His determination, his inner turmoil as he has to make some decisions, his thoughts and emotions are all so easily felt. The writing is fantastic and the descriptions of heartsoothing are lovely and interesting to read about.

I feel the introduction of a new character could have been explored more. The climax was good but I also wanted a little more from it. Despite those couple nitpicks I loved this book. There is a scene near the end that reminded me of a favorite movie. I don't know if it is intentional but I loved it. There is another scene at a critical moment that is fantastic. His Mortal Demise is a great story and the two books together make a great duology not to be missed.

4.75 stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read!

3.5

📊 Strengths:

✨ Worldbuilding, structure, and atmosphere were well-done 🌐.
✨ Kochin's character development and backstory were compelling 👨.
✨ Unique blend of romantasy, science fiction, and medical themes 💡.

📊 Weaknesses:

✨ Flat and unengaging dialogue between characters 💬.
✨ Lack of chemistry and mysterious vibes that made the first book shine 🔮.
✨ Slow start, with too much introspection that made it hard to get into the story 📖.

👏 Conclusion:

✨ A fitting end to the duology, with a lovely ending that will leave readers satisfied 💕.
✨ Astrid Holm is a talented writer, but this book didn't resonate with me 📚.

👍 Recommendation:

✨ For fans of romantasy, science fiction, and unique worldbuilding 🌐.
✨ Be prepared for a slow start, but persevere for the meat of the story 📖.

I went into His Mortal Demise with high expectations, but unfortunately, it didn’t fully meet them. While there were some strong moments, overall, the story felt repetitive and lacked the depth I was hoping for.

Let’s start with what worked. I appreciated how the book summarized key events from the first installment, making it easy to jump back in. I didn’t have to work too hard to remember what happened, and I think that’s very important for a series.

The last 30% of the book is where the story finally picked up. There was action, and I found myself leaning into the story. I just wanted more of it, and that’s where His Mortal Demise fell flat.

The pacing throughout the rest of the book felt sluggish, and the plot didn’t have enough momentum to carry the story forward. Conversations between characters lacked depth, and some scenes felt unnecessary because they didn’t add much. The writing often felt rushed, moving from one action to the next in quick succession. Rather than being immersed in the story through vivid descriptions—sound, feeling, taste—I felt like I was being told what was happening rather than experiencing it.

The writing style also didn’t quite match the promise of the first book. While I understand this was an ARC, the overuse of certain words stood out—“breath” (this word stood out aggressively), “Mother” (as a god figure, not a parent), and repetitive references to loss (“she died, I love her”) made the prose feel unpolished, as if words were being used just to fill space.

I also found myself losing the emotional connection between Nhika and Kochin, which made the stakes feel lower. As the main characters, I wanted to love them easily, but something was missing to make them feel fully three-dimensional.

Overall, the plot leaned on the weaker side, and while the ending was decent, it didn’t deliver the level of thrill I had hoped for.