e-Audio, 10:34:03
Narrated by: VyVy Nguyen
Release Date: March 19, 2024
Published by: Macmillan Audio (Roaring Brook Press)
Read from: May 14-15, 2024
Stand-alone
Source: Library’s Libby
Content Warning: Medical Content, Blood, Gun Violence, Death of a Parent, Colonisation, Murder, Animal Death, Child Death, Cannibalism
For Readers Interested In: Fantasy, Romance, Series Starter, YA, Racial/Ethnic DiversityThe tantalizing romance of These Violent Delights meets the mechanical wonders of Cinder in The Last Bloodcarver, the first in a two-book debut — with a riveting medical magic system and lush Vietnam-inspired fantasy world.
Nhika is a bloodcarver. A cold-hearted, ruthless being who can alter human biology with just a touch. In the industrial city of Theumas, she is seen not as a healer, but a monster that kills for pleasure.
When Nhika is caught using her bloodcarving abilities during a sham medical appointment, she’s captured by underground thugs and sold to an aristocratic family to heal the last witness of their father’s murder.
But as Nhika delves deeper into their investigation amidst the glitz of Theumas’ wealthiest district, she begins to notice parallels between this job and her own dark past. And when she meets an alluring yet entitled physician’s aide, Ven Kochin, she’s forced to question the true intent behind this murder. In a society that outcasts her, Kochin seems drawn to her…though he takes every chance he gets to push her out of his opulent world.
When Nhika discovers that Kochin is not who he claims to be, and that there is an evil dwelling in Theumas that runs much deeper than the murder of one man, she must decide where her heart, and her allegiance, truly lie. And — if she’s willing to become the dreaded bloodcarver Theumas fears — to save herself and the ones she’s vowed to protect.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I knew this was going to be a thing for me as soon as I heard about it. I’m usually not a fan of fantasy books because my imagination is too big for the book. Does that make sense? I’m usually like asking for too much backstory or too much world-building. And while this one was good, it didn’t give me all of those things and it bothered me because of it.
Now I will say, if there is some better world building in this, I might have missed it. I fell asleep A LOT in this audio. And I know it’s probably my own fault, but I did. I tried going back to make sure I didn’t miss anything, but I just could not get into this one. I don’t know what it was. Maybe the narrator? Or the writing style? Idk it just wasn’t for me.
The rest of the book was really just ok to me. I figured out who the person was, but I didn’t know about who they roped in to get it done. That one threw me for a loop. And the ending was absolutely the best part of this book. I think this is where I lost it. I don’t usually keep reading stuff when it just doesn’t hit for me, but I was reading this for work and I had to keep reading it.
Now the magical stuff was cool. I hate to say this, but I liked the way she had to find ways to overcome what she is just because people don’t approve of it. But it definitely mirrored real life society, because it was very reminiscent of racism. They’re usually just mad because its something that they don’t understand. And it’s ridiculous. They were literally scared because they didn’t know about it. They were scared for nothing. But I did love that the villain at least understood what they actually were. But the rest of the world-building was basically non-existent. I wanted more of the world to be up front and center. Idk I like to know descriptions and know how this world looks and so on and so forth.
I don’t see myself shouting about this from the rooftop, but I more than likely will read the second book. It seems that this first one was the filler one since its a duology, so I’m sure the second one will have everything that I thought was missing in this one. I can’t wait to talk about this series as a whole. I hope everything will come together cohesively!
Overall, I give this
