The Last Bloodcarver follows the sudden mystery/adventure that Nhika has been thrown into. One misfortune after another, Nhika must come to turns with who she really is and what she really wants with her life. The storyline shows clear signs of asian (Vietnamese based on author's heritage) cultural influence which I really enjoyed. I have been studying East Asian History for well over 10 years now so it was nice to see the nine-tailed fox theme and language references (Nhika, I feel yah on trying to piece together characters/radicals.)
Now the reason why I gave this four stars instead of five. Slight kindof spoilers coming up as I discuss how this book made me feel. This was an easy read for me which I mean as, I was absolutely gripped by the story and quickly finished because I wanted to know how this played out. The only reason I docked a star and honestly i would rather give it a rating of like 4.9 stars was because of the ending. It wasn't a rushed or poorly written ending which I really appreciated. But I am really just tired of reading books that leave off with "well what-if" and ultimately a sad ending. The ending is very much like the ending of divergent series. Once again not a bad ending in my opinion but just not necessary. All in all though, great book and great author. I would recommend it. ( )

This was fantastic! A southeast Asian industrialism/technocratic dark YA fantasy with hard colonialism themes. Definitely a five star read and some excellent world building! The ending was so incredible and left me excited for the next book.

I absolutely loved the characters. Nhika is dynamic, growing and changing. She is angry but kind and wants to be good. I loved her interactions with the Congmi family. It felt so relatable and I liked seeing the way their relationships developed and changed throughout the story. The romance was also super sweet! Especially towards the end, I felt like the characters really made each other better.

All in all, this was a wonderful read! It felt more mature than a lot of YA that I’ve read. The issues felt bigger and Nhika - while angry - never felt annoying to me. Highly recommend this to anyone who likes dark YA with themes of death, healing, and found family.

There was a lot I enjoyed in this book, up until the end where it sort of fell off. In some ways, the characters’ actions near the end seemed forced to allow for a sequel, rather than the most natural or in-character choices for them to make. And that was made worse for me because I find the direction the sequel seems to be going in to be questionable. I won’t pass judgment on that since it’s not out and maybe the plot will be handled cleverly, but the setup has me worried.

What I did enjoy was Nhika’s character. She is naturally an empathetic and compassionate person, but her circumstances have beaten her down till she views that as a weakness and has hardened her to act cold and self-serving to protect herself. This not only makes her isolated, scared, and lonely, but also it has further cut her off from her already dying culture and heritage. Her heartsoothing is a deeply empathetic process that she has been forced to use in a limited, detached way.
I would have liked more from her romance with Kochin since it digs into these aspects of her character. I can understand why they would draw close and find something in each other that nobody else can give based on their circumstances. There was solid potential there. But in their actual interactions and characterizations, I did not see the romance blooming.

The way bloodcarving/heartsoothing worked was also fascinating to me. It was almost a science with how much it required a precise understanding of physiology. The contrast of the Theuman medical science with the practice of heartsoothing, showing both as having their benefits and limitations, was interesting. The hints at how both could evolve if only there were more of a chance for them to mingle added depth to this magic system and world. ( )

This is a blend of mystery, dystopia, and fantasy. Nhika scrambles to survive every single day. Her father drowned at sea and her mother died not long after, leaving her an orphan on the streets of a hostile city. She has a gift, but one that, if revealed, could get her killed, or captured by a gang called the Butchers, who would have no qualm about selling her to the highest bidder.
When she uses the gift to enter the body of a dying woman by placing her hands on her, she saves the woman’s life, faking what she did by telling the husband she used herbal tinctures. Instead of gratitude, he calls the Butchers and she tries escaping from a second story window. Unfortunately, she’s captured and sold for a mind-boggling sum. Her buyer is the daughter of a recently deceased industrialist. The daughter, her brother, and the brother’s assistant all believe she might be able to use her abilities to reverse the brain injury their late father’s assistant suffered during the ‘accident’ that killed the father and reveal exactly what happened.
What ensues is her getting a mental and physical reprieve while living in unexpected luxury and attempting to heal her new patient. However, the mysterious assistant to the family physician is alternately flirtatious and hostile, leaving Nhika confused. Add in what really happened to the father, who the evil person behind the curtain is, and one of the most unusual endings I’ve seen in years, and you have a dandy tale ( )

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the sea of YA fantasy, sometimes a book stands out from the rest for all of the right reasons. The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le is a steampunk YA fantasy with a stunningly original premise. The story revolves around Nhika, a bloodcarver who can alter the bodies of anyone who she touches. She's seen as a monster or myth by society, but when she's bought by a wealthy family who wants to solve their father's murder, she has the chance to prove that she's not such a monster after all. Can she solve the murder before the murderer comes after her?

Here is an enchanting excerpt from Chapter 1, which introduces us to the main character:

"Someone like Nhika, with her fidgety smile and frayed satchel of snake oils, didn’t belong in these streets.
In the Dog Borough near the harbor, she never would’ve stood out in this attire, with her cropped sleeves and bare hands. There, residents traded silk for cotton and wool, and the cogwork of their automatons crackled with rust and crusted sea salt. Here in the Horse Borough, women wrapped themselves in tight silk dresses and men in boxy robes, concealing every inch of skin with long gloves and high collars. It was the fashion, stemming from the fear of people like her.
The myth of them, anyway."

Overall, The Last Bloodcarver is an amazing YA fantasy that will appeal to fans of The Last Airbender and Not Even Bones. One highlight of this book is how it starts off with a punch and never lets go. There is nonstop action from beginning to end. Another highlight of the world building that actually felt original and complete. This book takes place in an Asian-inspired steampunk world that I wanted to visit and never leave.

Another highlight of this book are the emotional parts that got me emotional, which is hard to do for a book. One final highlight of this book is the #ownvoices Asian representation. I am happy to support an author of Asian descent in the YA fantasy space, especially when the book is so well-written and fun to read. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that some parts are gory. This book is not for the faint of heart. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in March! ( )