ivanareadsalot's Reviews > The Last Bloodcarver

I would like to thank Edelweiss and Roaring Brook Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

🦊What an absolute ride this was! Not only was this a gorgeous read in terms of the worldbuilding alone, but there was a bit of intrigue, a touch of murder, a soft exploration on class and cultural divisiveness, a magic system that was both esoteric and human, and a sharp, energetic group of characters i enjoyed reading a whole lot. The romance reads YA but it is what it is and i can accept that that piece is just NOT for me lol!🦊

🦾Though predictable (lbr what isn't?) i still found this compulsively readable. There was great pace to the story and a bit of feels, but for me the ultimate hook was the ending, which i thought was pretty awesome, and all kinds of dark! So i'm very much looking forward to all the ways Book 2 will expand on it, and open up this world and magic system in the future! I personally would LOVE to see more of the mech in action, and a lot more of this Vietnam-inspired fantasy landscape, because it was a pure treat to visualize!🦿

🫀All in all this was an awesome first installment of a promising duology that i can't help but be excited for, because i think there's quite a bit of story left to tell and i think i'm proper hooked lol! overall i thought this was one of the more unique offerings in YA fantasy that has successfully captured my attention because of its mature readability, propulsive narrative style, and an easy plot that asks the reader to not only consider the social stigma of "other", but to engage their "empathy organ" to find ways to heal the fractured, and to open minds closed off by trauma and loss. Fabulous debut with a whole lot more exciting storytelling from Vanessa Le still to come!🫀