Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I hate to end my year of reading on a low but here we are... DNF at 50%

So the premise was super intriguing; a house dropping into levels of alternate realities known as Echoes, dragging a party of people with it and a FMC and her ex trying to bring them back to reality. Love it. The main character, an early 30s new mum struggling with leaving her new baby and not feeling at her peak, so relatable! (literally spent most of my time reading this breastfeeding my 3 month at 4am, so I loved this POV) But the actual reality of this book was that it was a repetitive slog with no real urgency for something supposedly high stakes, filled with character interactions with no real dimension.

I just couldn't get invested in this story whatsoever. There was no explanation as to what was happening which lent to a disconnect from the mystery of the book. The world building felt lacklustre and each echo level slipped by too quickly to delve into. The sapphic enemies to lovers relationship had about as much passion as I have for this book. For a story about dropping into multiple dimensions, this is truly one of the flattest, two dimensional books I've read. At least I can start my new year with a fresh read!

An excellent combination of humour and suspense made this a very interesting read. Kembral Thorne From the hound Guild., and currently on maternity leave is invited to a New Year’s Eve party which turns to an absolute disaster. She pairs up with her nemesis Rika from the cat guild, and whilst they try to battle evil they also try to clear up their past misunderstandings.
A little bit overall in the middle, but excellent characterisations and intrigue.

I very much enjoyed the audio book and all the different voices from the narrator.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to have read/listened to this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book! I was excited to read it and it didn’t disappoint me! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I saw this book tagged as fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, time travel, and the like, but I think that it can also be considered horror. Sure, it’s light horror (does such a thing exist?) and not heavy on the horror side, but still, the setting fits the genre, in my opinion. The Echoes are fascinating places, but they are also creepy and unsettling as hell.
And also the Echoes inhabitants, who are also called Echoes, are deeply unsettling and more horror critters and beings than your typical fantasy creatures. And even if the whole story does not have really strong dream-like vibes, it is still quite nightmarish.
I think that this was part of the problem for me. I found it fascinating, sure, because the author did a great job with it all, but it didn’t work for me. It didn’t move me, I could appreciate it on a purely abstract level, but it didn’t pull at me, it didn’t speak to me.

Sadly, my problems with this book didn’t end there. I wasn’t invested in the characters, either. I really enjoyed some villains and some of the secondary ones, I found them fascinating and original, and I would have loved to spend more time in their company, but the two MCs didn’t really work for me. Kembral and Rika aren’t bad but they weren’t special, either. And that’s strange because Rika is the kind of character that usually works easily with me. But there is a big pro for Kembral. She is a new mother, and we get to see how motherhood started to change her. I think that, in this respect, the author did a good job, but it wasn’t really enough to make me invested in her. I was pretty lukewarm toward them both and things didn’t get better as the book progressed.

And last but not least, the plot is moving slowly. There are reasons for it, but still, to me, things lagged a lot, it was pretty sluggish and even if there were moments more fast-paced, in which my attention was fully engaged, they weren’t many, and I wasn’t really so invested in the mystery or the story. All things considered, I think that this author simply does not work so well for me. It wasn’t that it was bad, but for me, it was all pretty meh.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Orbit for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: blood, death, violence, bugs, injury, references to pregnancy and childbirth

‘The Last Hour Between Worlds’ follows Kembral Thorne as she tries to spend a few hours away from her newborn daughter at a party in a world where people can accidentally fall through time and become Echoes. Kembral is a Hound, an expert in traversing the different realms and fighting off the more threatening Echoes, but after months away from work she’s not ready for any problems. She just wants to enjoy herself and avoid her boss as he tries to convince her to return from maternity leave early. At the centre of the party is the most extraordinary clock, cracked down the centre and covered in time magic. When people start dropping dead and the clock causes the entire party to fall through the various realms each more dangerous than the last, Kembral is forced to team up with her nemesis, the beautiful cat burglar and former friend Rika Nonesuch. As the party begins again with variations every time, Kembral and Rika have to work together to try and pull it all back into the Prime world before whoever is playing with them can win the game- and potentially destroy the entire universe.

I knew I’d love this book from the description but it’s truly mind-bending as Kembral fights to keep the same group of people alive through increasingly traumatising and disturbing situations. She just needed a break, she feels like she’s lost her previous self since becoming a mother and I thought the way Kembral sees the world now was really well written. Some parts of this book are incredibly tense but there’s an undercurrent of humour that I really enjoyed, Kembral is suspicious and so overly focused on Rika (who she nearly had a romantic relationship with and still regrets) that at first she misses the mystery. I do wish the world had been explained a little more, we’re dropped into Kembral at the party instantly, but once you’re used to the world and the system of time travel it flows so quickly. Rika is complicated and has a dark history but she's exactly the kind of ally Kembral needs, even if there is bad history between them. Kembral and Rika are such good characters, I’ve never read a book where a new mum is struggling with her life as a warrior, the responsibility of her work protecting others and what that means now she has a little girl at home. All of the different worlds they dropped into were threatening in their own way, but I loved how they got weirder as time went on. I’m looking forward to the next book a lot, especially with that ending.

“Of course, it’s not easy. You never do anything easy. If it were easy, you’d figure out a way to make it hard.”

I discovered the Last Hour Between Worlds throught both its audio and ebook version. It took me a little while to get accustomed to the world, but it was SO worth it.
The narrator makes an incredible work to enhance Melissa Caruso’s words. There are a lot of alliterations and assonances that echo to each other, increasing the effect of the world building. She also adds a lot of dynamism to the story.
As you can suspect, I loved the writing style, as much as the world building (even though it is borderline horror sometimes, but it fits the story). That echo idea is brilliant, as much as the consequences in the deepest ones. I didn’t expect the mystery part, but it adds a great red line to follow, making the reader never stop turning the pages. It also introduced very interesting themes, especially around politics and morality.
Both Kembral and Rika are lovable and interesting characters, as much as the large cast of sides. I had no idea that this book pictures a sapphic romance (though it is very secondary) AND an ACE main character. It was such a great surprise to follow that, and I loved the representation. I also loved how Kembral speaks about her baby, with both incommensurable love and … a lot of tiredness. A baby changes everything and it’s not so frequent that an author pictures that in their book.
I cannot wait to read Kembral and Rika’s next adventure!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

This book was provided by Little, Brown Boon Group through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The main strength of The Last Hour Between Worlds is the world-building : the whole story takes place in a mansion, during a party that sinks through layers of reality, and gets weirder and weirder. I would love to see more of this world of prime reality and echoes in the next book. I'm so curious, I have so many questions.

Another strength of this book is the main character, Kembral. She is a new mom, on maternity leave, exhausted, not back into shape yet, but still an absolute badass, extremely competent at her job. It made for an amazing point view !
There was bit too many references to milk ducts being full for my taste, but I guess it's realistic.

I'm super curious to see more of the supporting characters as well, I hope we discover more about them in the next book. I loved Pearson, Jaycelle and Blair, they were so fun. Also, Rika and Dona Marjorie are full of surprises, I really want to know so much more about them !

One thing that disappointed me, though, is that The Last Hour Between Worlds feels like the type of story where the main character is investigating a mystery, and the reader is trying to solve it first. So I was expecting to play a mystery-solving game. However, the reader is not being given enough clues to be able to solve any mystery before Kembral. I was so frustrated ! Please let me play the game !

It was overall a very pleasant read. I'm very hoperful that the next book in the series will answer some of my questions.

Melissa Caruso’s The Last Hour Between Worlds is a dazzling blend of high-stakes sci-fi/fantasy murder mystery, intricate world-building, and deeply personal storytelling. With a narrative that weaves together time-travel, sinister mysteries, and heart-pounding action, this novel cements Caruso’s reputation as a good fantasy/sci-fi author.

For fans of richly imagined fantasy sci-fi with strong characters and intriguing plots, The Last Hour Between Worlds is a must-read. It’s an ambitious and rewarding tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

What a wild ride of a book! We get thrown in right from the beginning, with the mystery unfolding over time and us discovering it together with the protagonist. However I felt like the world was too complex to just be thrown in, I would have wished for a slower start and more time to explore this world and the political and guild-related systems in it.

The protagonist was well-rounded and provided plenty of room for identification, even though the whole "I have a child at home and that's my only motivation to live" fell a bit flat for me, however I'm not a Mom, so maybe I just don't get it 🙈 the romance aspect was very sweet and not too big which I liked in this case; also how they got to talk a few things out over the course of the book.

All in all a very interesting concept with a nice cast of characters (though most didn't get much page-time). The writing-style was easy to understand and immersive and the pacing was good, though maybe a tiny bit slow in the middle. So not a bad book, just a little too much diving in head-first for my taste and a few more pages of non-action, slower world development definitely wouldn't have hurt 🙈

Thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for the e-arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for the advance reader copy.

I had requested this book due to the premise and having a 30+ main character unfortunately the Groundhog Day style of time issues didn’t resonate with me.

There’s a lot of ‘why’s’ which don’t get answered within the book and then the world building feels shaky. I felt like I missed some important information on what echoes were and how they came to be but realised it isn’t really mentioned.

I really wanted to like this book but the pacing also took a toll and I found myself continually checking how far through reading I was which isn’t a good sign.

I was looking forward to this book because I'm collecting rare fantasy gems in which the protagonist in a 30-something mother - god knows we deserve characters like us too! Unfortunately, it just felt like a poor addition to the time travel trend (it seems to be the new •thing• in fantasy right now). For me what killed it was the Groundhog Day formula that removed all the fun and saved what every character stuck in the endless loop fears the most: painful boredom. On paper the concept of jumping into time and different dimensions is always captivating, but here the execution just lacked substance and in the end I felt that I was deliberately avoiding reading the book, because it was so dull. I didn't buy the main characters' relationship, it was shallow and there were no emotions.

https://lynns-books.com/2024/12/16/review-the-last-hour-between-worlds-by-melissa-caruso/
4.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Groundhog Day meets Dante’s Inferno

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from The Last Hour but Melissa Caruso is an author I like so I was immediately attracted to this and I’m really happy that I requested it. This is such a captivating story, I loved the writing, the characters the plot and the setting. Put simply it was quite magical.

I’m loving my mysteries at the moment and this definitely brings that element to the story by the bucket load. Caruso has taken a setting which she then uses relentlessly throughout the entire story. You’d think it would become tedious but it’s actually exactly the opposite because each time the clock tolls the hour the room is transformed. Basically, in this world there are echoes. Echoes are like the ‘real’ world but with changes, subtle at first but increasing in oddity and danger as the echoes get lower and lower. I realise I’ve probably made an absolute mess of explaining that but in my head it all makes perfect sense.

So, picture the scene. It’s New Years Eve and Kembral Thorne is going to a party. Kem is an investigator for the Hounds but currently on maternity leave with a young baby. She’s still struggling to come to grips with everything, especially as the father made a swift exit when he discovered the pregnancy. This is the first time that Kem has been out since the birth and she’s 50% elation and 60% guilt. She’s absolutely determined to enjoy this decadent party, even though some of her colleagues, also in attendance, are also determined to plague her about when she’s going to return to work.

Also at the party, Rika Nonesuch (which, can I just say I love that name for some inexplicable reason). The two have a history that ended in tears. Well, Rika is a Cat – and we all know that cats and dogs can be at each other’s throats. She’s a burglar, and one of the best.

On top of this something just feels wrong. Even though she’s exhausted, sleep deprived and ridden with guilt Kem can’t help detecting little things that seem amiss, not to mention having a sudden pull towards an old clock that seems to be a relic from the past – and also haunted by a young girl.

I don’t want to give away too much about the plot, basically, there are some seriously big players (by which I mean powerful) using this party as their own personal playground to try and score points over each other. Each level gets more and more intense until the bodycount and action are crazy.

The setting. Well, we have a few little excursions out into the wilder parts of some of the echoes and they are creepy and yet strangely exhilarating. But, the majority of the action takes place within the mansion where the party is being held. The absolutely winning element is that as the clock strikes the hour the house finds itself an echo lower with the danger cranking up each time. Also, each time the house ‘falls’, for want of a better word, it’s like a reset button has been pressed and all the players (mostly) are back on the board. I loved this idea – hence the groundhog day comparison. Each level the mansion changes. I mean, could you make it any more complicated for yourself as an author – but I loved this idea. There’s such a lot of creativity and it’s so cunningly explored.

I think the two main characters are good together. They know each other, they have a history, they start things definitely on a rocky footing but gradually have to pull together to survive and this is when all the kinks start to get worked out.

The pacing is really good. There is time to reflect, there’s plenty of action and sometimes it feels like hardly enough time to catch your breath before the next crisis, but, as I said, this is very well executed and there are always little moments for respite.

The writing is beautiful. I was quite mesmerised really. I don’t know what else I can say other than it was a lovely read. I wouldn’t say I sped through this but that’s more to do with my reading at the moment and I actually enjoyed taking my time and savouring every element.

In conclusion. A beautifully written mystery with plenty of magic, critters and characters that really grow on you. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

This was interesting!

Following a woman who is also a mother, this story deals with time travel and an agency that manages this particular job. there are some deep politics embedded into this, fast paced action, a hate to love romance that slowly brews within the story, and overall great writing. I did struggle with the pace and the slow moving beginning. The plot also teetered and I found the characters making some annoying and rash decisions, However, this was unique and I do love a pretty cover!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc!

Absolutely adored this book. It is rare for a fantasy book to explore how early motherhood feels, with the addition of how becoming a mother affects work/life balance etc. The main character, for me, was incredibly relatable. To add to that the concept of the book itself in which what is essentially a staff party at the new year is trapped in a time loop while they try to figure out who is trying to kill people. There was humour, action, sapphic romance, yearning and everything else that I love about fantasy. There is intrigue, mystery and as a whole the book is a swashbuckling good time.

This was an interesting fantasy read by a new to me author. I had no idea what to expect going into this, I do not think I even really read the blurb. I had just heard of a few reads by her and figured I would give it a shot. It had a good premise and it kept me interested, even when I felt like I had maybe missed a previous book as there just seemed to be some references to stuff I maybe should have know? Might just be confusing my self! Great characters, main character just became a mother and was having her first night out when all hell broke loose! Not really wanting to investigate she finds herself immersed in more ways then one by the end of it. A little romance thing happening, not the main focus. Getting out of the echoes and back to her daughter are what drives her the most I think. I felt at times, just a little, that I found myself skimming which makes this more of a solid 4 star read for me. I cannot give it 5 when I felt that happening every now and again. Perfect for anyone who like a little fantasy read that is pretty quick read!

“𝐼𝓉’𝓈 𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝓇𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹.”

All Kembral Thorne wants to do is enjoy herself at the year-turning ball after getting a few hours of freedom from her newborn, but when guests start dropping dead she finds herself pulled back into work, despite telling everyone that she’s still on leave! With a sketchy grandfather clock that seems to drop everyone into progressively more dangerous layers of reality at every chime and assistance from her almost-something nemesis, will Kembral be able to unravel the mystery and save her city before the year turns?

I wanted desperately to be obsessed with this story. On paper, it’s everything I love: time loops, parallel worlds, unique magic, and a messy, pining romance, but something just didn’t click for me.

The magic system and world-building is complex and not the easiest to follow or understand. I had to read the first few chapters twice before anything really stuck and I kept finding myself wishing for a glossary. Everyone had titles, guild jobs, and there was important-to-the-plot moon astrology that I lost track of, and I think having a list of these things would have helped a lot! People started blending together and I spent more time trying to figure out who everyone was than paying attention to the actual plot.

At the 50% mark, I was really struggling, but I was able to pick up the audiobook and it was a game changer! The narrator was excellent and it really improved my experience of the book. The overall story was enjoyable and I’m still planning to read book 2, but I may have to wait for the audiobook! If you plan on reading this one, definitely consider the audio!

Thank you to Orbit & NetGalley for the ARC!

I had a lot of fun with this story! It's a weird yet brutal groundhog day story, with a mc that recently became a mother. The writing was fun and engaging, and overall I really enjoyed this! The romance was also really sweet, and I loved how they learnt how to see each other properly in the end. It was just lovely.
What dragged my rating down a bit is the pacing, as I felt it lagged a bit much in the middle section, but it really didn't matter all that much to me.

This book was a breath of fresh air for me. The weird time-space setting in this story was intentionally confusing yet familiar, and I really appreciated the characters. It was really special to see Kembral navigate this story as a new mother, as well as seeing her be able to have softness while still being stern and competent.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

ARC Review

This was such an enjoyable read which gets better as you progress.

Kem is a newly single mother on her first baby-free night out, celebrating the new year, when chaos hits. She jumps straight back into her role as a Hound to solve the mystery and protect everyone, as they are dragged into increasingly more chaotic versions of their world called echoes.

I loved the idea of the prime world and the echoes and the scene setting for each layer was absolutely superb. Add to this the exciting plot and fascinating characters and you have an amazing book.

The only reason for 4.5 instead of 5 stars is that I wasn't hooked right from the start as it was a little slow at the beginning.

Themes/Tropes:
High Fantasy, Good vs Evil, Magical Artifact, Hero’s Journey, Side Quests, Survival, Magic, Fantastical Creatures, LGBTQIA+, Sapphic & New Mum Representation.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

0/5 🌶️ rating

Due to health issues cannot write a proper review now
A more extensive review will follow. Many thanks to the publisher