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.

I loved The Last Bloodcarver, and had high hopes for His Mortal Demise - and it wasn't bad at all; it just didn't enthrall me the way The Last Bloodcarver did. Nikha is a wonderful character, and I am very pleased to see the end of her story, but Kochin didn't grab my attention the way she did. Also, the format of this book, with Kochin's story beginning 6 months in the past, and being told parallel with Nikha's, in the novel's present, didn't work particularly well for me. Knowing from the first page of the book that Kochin was successful took away a great deal of the suspense for me. The major plot twist, intended to be a surprise, didn't surprise me at all. Like many second books in a series or set, the second one didn't quite live up to the first one.

Still, this is a good novel; it probably would have been better if I had reread The Last Bloodcarver before reading it, as I had forgotten nearly all of the previous volume, which I read over a year ago. The characters are interesting and engaging, and the moral challenge that Kochin faces is well done - interesting and detailed, without shoving it down the reader's throat. As a standalone novel, this volume lacks something, but as a sequel, it completes the previous volume well.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Duology - part 2/2
Themes: Colonization, classism, diaspora, and grief
POV: Dual voices and flashbacks - Kochin and Nhika

A great book helps us escape. It grabs your attention and takes you on a journey so that you can forget your own world. 
This whole duology had me hooked from the start.

I highly recommend reading the first novel to fully understand this duology. The heartbreak continues from “The Last Bloodcarver”, where Kochin’s life is saved, but at the cost of Nhika’s.

In this book, we see Kochin's guilt and heartbreak as he relentlessly seeks a way to bring Nhika back to life. He struggles with his moral compass, questioning his actions each time he crosses a line and does things he never thought he would.

While many beloved characters from the first book return, the story is primarily focused on the love between Kochin and Nhika, and the lengths he will go to in order to bring her back; no matter the cost.

Though the pacing can feel slow at times, overall, it’s a compelling YA fantasy novel.

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.

I listened to this one on audiobook and I would say that it was a bit weak. But, I did expect this from a sequel. But nonetheless this was written well and I was transported back into the world quickly!

His Mortal Demise, written by Vanessa Le, is a captivating fusion of science fiction, fantasy, and romance. The intricately crafted world within the novel feels vibrant and authentic, while the characters leap off the page with vividness. This unique and exquisitely written novel is a must-read for fans of genre-blending storytelling.

His Mortal Demise
- The Last Bloodcarver Part 2
By Vanessa Le
Narrated by Jason Vu; VyVy Nguyen
4 ⭐️

I found this duology to be a page turner with a unique magic system. I think this a great YA duology worth checking out - I think these would read best as back to back reads.

The second half of this duology shifts the reader’s focus to the war as characters try to find their way back to each other after tragedy and war does what they do and scatters people. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away by going into details. I missed the character to character interactions book 1 did a magical job at; I did like book 1 a bit more than book 2.

I combo read this via ebook and audiobook. The audiobook was good with dual narrators - I did find some intonation choices to be odd here and there from Nguyen. I found I preferred eyeball vs audio in various parts; I was thankful to have both format options to flip back and forth with.

Thank you to NetGalley, Vanessa Le, Macmillan audio, and Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing group for audiobook ARC and eARC copies of this book.

I am OBSESSED with the way Vanessa had decided to tell books 2. While book one was single pov of Nhika very linear timeline. “His Mortal Demise” is dual pov with Kochin and Nhika except it NOT linear, Nhika pov is her waking up 3 month later after end of book one and Kochin pov starts from the end of books 1. So the readers slowly piece together everything that happens through the povs. I also really liked how deeper in themes Vanessa got with the questioning of morality with heartsoothing, and the ongoing war. Something about the way she separates the characters makes their love even more tragic and deeper.

EEEK! The second installment picks up right where Nhika wakes up in Congmi’s home and she’s trying to piece everything together. This is a good mystery that has a dual POV with alternating timelines that follows both Nhika and Kochin. We actually get to learn about Kochin and what he does in the aftermath and it’s a nail biter the way he has put himself in harm's way to get the answers that he desperately seeks. Around 70% is when both stories weave together and I was listening intensely as the climax hit and then waiting to see how everything would fall. The narrators, Jason Vu, and VyVy Nguyen both did a wonderful job portraying the characters. The tones and inflections were spot on. I could feel the desperation, love, and hope through their voices. They truly brought the story to life. This duology is perfect for fans of the medical magic system, morality vs. survival, high stakes, and Vietnam inspired romantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Roaring Book Press, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up His Mortal Demise on March 18, 2025.

The ending of The Last Bloodcarver absolutely destroyed me last year, and I'm so happy I had a chance to pick this one up early and finish Kochin and Nhika's story! I loved how Vanessa Le crafted the dual timeline that slowly met up in the present day. The pacing was really well done and had me invested in both timelines. Like Nhika, I wanted to know where Kochin was and how he'd miraculously brought her back to life. And with Kochin, I loved seeing his descent into desperation as he sought to save her without losing himself.

The last 20% was absolutely action-packed, and I honestly had no idea if anyone would make it out alive. I loved the increased stakes and political intrigue with Theumas being drawn into the war, and Kochin seeing the effects of it first-hand. There were some really powerful and poignant moments when he crossed enemy lines and realized how everyone's just trying their best to survive. And the final battle with the Commissioner just had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Highly recommend picking up this duology for an emotional, action-packed ride!

This duology strongly echoes The Lunar Chronicles, particularly the character of Cinder, which immediately drew me in. What truly impressed me was how this second book diverged from the first, offering a refreshing shift. It leans heavily into a captivating romance, expertly delivered through dual points of view, all while maintaining a thrilling, action-packed plot. The world-building is rich, and I could easily envision numerous future stories set within it.

If you're a fan of young adult fantasy that seamlessly blends romance and science fiction, this duology is a must-add to your TBR! Mark your calendars for its release on March 18, 2025.

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.