thank you to netgalley for the arc!!!!!

After being brought back from the dead by Nhika, Kochin is determined to return the favor -- but at what cost? Desperate in his grief and yearning, Kochin realizes that he might find the answers in Yarong, an ostracized part of the world that has long been deemed dangerous and off-limits to the rest of Theumas.

Despite the impossibility of his task, Nhika opens her eyes months later, uncertain of how she was revived and where Kochin could possibly be. She seeks to uncover how he brought her back and at what cost, only to find a society consumed by war and the truth more difficult to find than she once believed.

This dual-POV novel suffers from a slow start and an equally slow middle, while at the same time not spending enough time in each scene or with any character to have any investment. It wanted to be mysterious and was instead dragged along, and 40% into the book, I couldn't tell what the stakes were, nor could I believe how deep Kochin's and Nhika's relationship with each other was beyond both being the only heartsoothes the other knows. Why couldn't this story have just been told in Nhika's POV as she retraced Kochin's footsteps? Why couldn't this story just have been told through Kochin's POV and had him truly, truly, truly go mad with grief until love came through to restore him? The dual narrative felt unnecessary, while the introduction of Lanalay, a Yarongese woman wanting to recover the last of her grandmother's legacy from Commissioner Nem, was a compelling part of the novel but came too late for me to buy into the book and, in the end, meant nothing. The worldbuilding felt plain compared to the last book.

Both Ven and Nhika needed someone to be their sidekick -- I think fantasy novels will always benefit from having a sidekick kind of character who the main character(s) can speak with or have a conversation with and have support from. Otherwise, the characters spend too much time inside of themselves and the interiority becomes difficult to get through. I think there's also a special skill required to write in third person, and I'm not sure how much thought was given to that process. Every day I read I wonder more and more how much authors take into consideration the craft of their writing beyond plot.

Slow and meandering and obvious if you have ever watched naruto or fullmetal alchemist or sailor moon or literally any book where someone dies and someone else wants to resurrect them.

This was an absolute fantastic sequel and finally to this duology. I really enjoyed the first book and the same can be said here.

Alternating timelines can be very tricky. And this is a prime example of how to do it and make it work extremely well.

This book had me on the edge of my seat throughout with the twist, the turns and the conclusion! Thank you for such an awesome duology!

Amazing book will definitely recommend to friends and family love the characters development. Love the plot line

5/5 stars
Recommended if you like: science fantasy, found family, Vietnamese mythology, magical medicine

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 10/24, to Instagram on 11/7, and to my review blog on 11/26.

We return to Theumas months after Nhika gave herself so Kochin could live...except Nhika is waking up to a changed Theumas and a vanished Kochin.

I liked being back in Nhika's head and seeing the way she thinks about heartsoothing. She can tell something is off immediately, but it takes her longer to figure out what's really going on. Once she does, she's of course determined to try and fix things, because she is a healer at heart and cares deeply about those she lets in. Her snark also survived death and Nhika still brings that dry humor to situations, which I liked.

Things were tumultuous toward the end of The Last Bloodcarver with Mimi and Andao, but they seem to be resolved, and as brief as it is, I like seeing the three of them together again. I do wish we got more interactions with them, but it makes sense for plot reasons why we don't. Mimi has definitely grown up in the intervening months, and she brings a greater sense of maturity to her stature, though she can still be mischievous at times.

I also enjoyed seeing Trin again, especially since he and Nhika were friends by the end of the last book. They balance each other well, both deeply caring, protective, and snarky. They balance each other even more now that they both care for the Congmis and I love their friendship.

Of course the other big character in this book is Kochin. The book is told alternating between Kochin in the months leading up to Nhika's awakening and Nhika after she wakes up while she tries to figure out what happened. So we get a lot of insight into what Kochin was going through after her death. I definitely feel like I understand him a lot better and find him easier to sympathize with, even though I think he was sympathetic by the end of the last book anyway. His dedication to bringing Nhika back is a little....concerning at times, but as his search brings him farther afield, he begins to grow and realize some things about himself and heartsoothing, and he really grows as a character.

The core of this book is heartsoothing and whether you can, or should, bring someone back from the dead. Yes, there's a war on and we do get a firsthand look at that via Kochin, but the main thread of the book is still heartsoothing. Kochin really has to go on a journey to understand the art of heartsoothing and how is 'half formed' talent fits in. He spends so much time thinking about his gift's inadequacies that he has trouble seeing it for the magic it is. At the same time, other people see it as a weapon, either to be stomped out or to be wielded in war. I enjoyed reading Kochin overcoming some of his self-doubts, and I liked that we got to see a greater examination of what heartsoothing means, not just from a medical perspective, but also from a cultural and belief perspective.

Overall I enjoyed this book and getting to dive deeper into heartsoothing. I liked getting Kochin's POV and getting a closer look at his struggles, both with heartsoothing and with Nhika's death.

Thank you to Macmillan for this e-ARC of His Mortal Demise in exchange for an honest review. While I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the premise of this Vietnamese inspired healing magic duology, I did not feel any real connection to the characters and often the dialogue would take me out of the story. It felt very stilted and like the author was trying to capture the fantasy ambiance but it really just felt like I didn't feel like the characters were real. The stakes of this story were great and I am glad that it got a chance to be a duology. Since this is the author's debut, I thought Vanessa Le did a great job.

This duology was amazing. The first book ended in heartbreak, the second brought it all together. I enjoyed having the story unfold from two different characters perspectives as well as different timelines. The concept of the heartsooth and the way they worked was intriguing. Just an all around good read.

Book Review: His Mortal Demise

“His Mortal Demise” is an intriguing and emotional journey told through two distinct points of view that add depth and suspense to the story. One perspective follows Kochin in the “past,” after Nhika’s death, as he desperately struggles to bring her back to life. The other POV is Nhika’s in the “present,” after she awakens, confused and searching for answers about her resurrection and Kochin’s whereabouts.

The dual perspectives were my favorite part of the novel; they beautifully balance the tension between Kochin’s relentless determination and Nhika’s confusion and courage as she tries to understand her new reality. These alternating timelines create a layered experience that allows us to piece together the mystery of Nhika’s return to life while witnessing the sacrifices Kochin has made along the way.

While there was a brief section in the middle where the action slowed down, the strength of the characters and the unique narrative structure kept me invested in the story. Overall, I loved the characters, the two POVs, and the skillful way the author structured the book, making it a compelling read that I’d highly recommend!

this was a beautiful and stunning conclusion to the duology! the second book lived up to all my expectations and more.

it was heartbreaking to see kochin’s journey through grief, guilt, and heartbreak. it was even more heart wrenching to witness him battle with his morals and test how far he’d go to bring back nhika. as the reader, you truly feel yourself going through the same emotions kochin feels which can be so hard to execute but it’s done so well here. we also see how much love trin, mimi, and andao have for nhika as they work or interact with kochin, who we know killed their father.

another aspect i loved about the book, is the war setting and the different places we visit as the story develops. in addition, the back and forth between kochin and nhika’s chapters between past and present made the story flow beautifully. i would not change a thing about this book!

thank you netgalley and macmillan children's publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finale to The Last Bloodcarver duology, His Mortal Demise wastes no time in capturing you with its allure of mystery by utilizing duo POVs in alternating timelines. In one timeline, Kochin races against time to unlock the secret to reviving the dead while navigating as an enlisted war medic on Yarongese land. In the other timeline, Nhika wakes up 6 months after sacrificing herself to save Kochin, who is nowhere to be found, to an country embroiled in war. As the story progresses, the timelines and characters converge,

Vanessa Le continues to explore the beauty, nuances, and consequences of medicine in the form of heartsoothing and the decision Kochin must make as he grapples with his identity. Nhika is still the fierce, unhinged, and determined heroine that we all got to know and love in the first book. Found family continues to be a major theme in this book as Nhika finds herself surrounded by the ever supportive and comforting Congmi siblings. The romance isn't as prevalent here due to Nhika and Kochin being separated for a majority of the book, but the longing and determination to save/find one another was sweet and added to the urgency of the story.

There is a re-used trope in this book that was already used in the first installment, which I wasn't a huge fan of because it felt a little overdone, but everything else made up for it. A new character is also introduced, and I felt like they weren't given enough time in the story to make a big impact on me. In terms of the ending, I was a tad disappointed that the war wasn't fully addressed, but it ended on a hopeful note.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and it has a special place in my heart for its use of medicine and Vietnamese-inspired world building. I think it's an amazing way to introduce medicine to a young adults and get them interested in how the body works. It's also incredible to finally see more Southeast Asian representation in fantasy.

An interesting magic system and decent world building, however the relationships between characters was underdeveloped. The dialogue at times felt unnatural and I did not feel engaged with the overarching plot.

His Mortal Demise is a heartwarming end of Vanessa Le’s duology. The story pucks up shortly after the end of The Last Bloodcarver and it was exciting to piece together what happened during the months in between. Witnessing Kochin’s struggle with how to honor both Nhika and his own heartsoothing was captivating. Seeing the love and affection that Trin, Mimi, Andao, and Nhika continue to have for each other was refreshing, as well as the growing respect they have for Kochin.

His Mortal Demise is the second installment of the The Last Bloodcarver Duology by Vanessa Le. It continues after the untimely death of Nhika, love and one of the last two bloodcarvers left. The book follows Kochin's attempts at bringing his one and only love back to life.

This was a quick and easy read because I did not want the book to end. Kochin and Nhika are two characters I love along with their circle of friends Mimi, Andao, and Trin as well as the introduction of a new character. It is a story of friendship, love, loyalty, and overcoming the atrocities of war and genocide while trying to find where they fit into the world as it is now. This story is relatable to many in the world and losing one's homeland due to invasions from other countries and making a mark in the new world order while staying in touch with their roots and who they are.

I highly recommend this Duology to not only Young Adults but Adults because it follows a plot and a story with a hint of romance.

The Last Bloodcarver continures and ends here. Nhija and Kochin’s alternating and merging POVs.
3.5 stars.

Really loved all the cultural aspects of this book! Found the writing to be engaging and I really liked how vivid the world was. The magic system was very interesting and unique and I also loved the romance!

I really wanted to like this one considering I loved the first book. I truly did. But I could not for the life of me get invested in this second book. It felt flat to me like something was missing. The structure, worldbuilding, and atmosphere were all good. However, I didn't really care for the dialogue between characters or feel much chemistry. I didn't get the mysterious vibes that the first book gave. It doesn't have the same zest. Part of the reason is that this book is quite different from the first in terms of the plot and I found the first book aligned with my taste better. It was nice to learn more about Kochin and understand his struggles better, and the ending will leave readers satisfied. I genuinely think this author is a talented writer, I just did not feel a connection to this book.

This heart pounding conclusion to the Bloodcarver duology picks up right where the first one ended.
The dual POV and dual timelines keep you guessing and keep you turning pages.
I liked how it all came together.

Thanks to Netgalley for an early copy for review.

The epilogue of The Last Bloodcarver entices readers to this continuation and satisfying ending. His Mortal Demise creates a dual pov narrative with alternating timelines that move together to tell one cohesive story. Kochin's tale picks up where the prior book ended and tells of his plight to bring back Nhika, and her story begins when she awakes and must find her way back to him. They face new challenges in their suspense-filled adventures, meet new and returning characters, and discover additional aspects to their magics. The view of their world becomes a bit wider and more facets of the author's SE Asian heritage peek through to the environment as do a few more steampunk elements. As with the prior book, this is a fun quick read and caps the duology off with a rewarding end.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - Roaring Brook Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

A beautiful conclusion to this duology! I loved The Last Bloodcarver (I'm actually obsessed with it), so I was dying to read this sequel asap.

I don't want to spoil anything, but the mystery of what happened to Kochin and Nhika kept me alert and addicted. I really liked the dual POV, as it allowed Kochin's backstory to be explored more. What he went through in this book was insane.

The ending was well-done and tied everything up nicely. Overall, this was very poignant and full of gorgeous prose. One of my favorite YA duologies! I'm definitely keeping an eye on Vanessa Le's future work.

This story wastes no time picking up where it left off and you are immediately pulled in with a mystery and a missing 6 month gap. His Mortal Demise has a unique magic system, is fast-paced and even higher stakes than The Last Bloodcarver.

The prose was beautiful and I enjoyed reading about Nhika in this book more than I did in The Last Bloodcarver. Kochin's development and hero's journey so well done (especially because I thought he needed a bit more development after book 1). I'm not personally a fan of split timeline stories so the jump between two timelines isn't something that I personally enjoyed in the first half of the novel, but I thought the story came together once the timelines caught up.

Similar to The Last Bloodcarver, feels like a classic YA story and doesn't skew toward the older side of YA. So while it's missing some of that depth and nuance that would push it to a 5-star read for me, it was a fun read. And overall, I enjoyed this and thought it was a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press for the ARC!

I requested this book immediately after finishing book one, The Last Bloodcarver. What a fantastic, unique YA duology. I loved the magic system. The characters were a little snarky and I thought their humor brought some levity to the serious situation (war) happening in the background. Can’t wait to read more from this author!