Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance reader copy.

I enjoyed the beginning of the book and found that the story felt like it dragged a bit in the middle. The general story and background for the vampires was a very cool idea and I enjoyed that it was a new take on vampirism.
I think the world building could have been explained better and a lot more put into how everything had started.

I did find the main characters very young and their decisions felt like they matched their ages.

Overall a good debut.

Oh I loved this - absolutely devoured it. Black vampires, 1920s New York, sapphic romance that bubbles over?? Brilliant.

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

I really did think I'd love this book because it sounded so good and exactly up my alley. Unfortunately it was a DNF because I found the world building too unclear despite the vibrant setting. It also needed more editing I think.

A sapphic story with a vampire and a vampire hunter who used to be childhood best friends, then enemies, now reluctant allies, perhaps lovers??? Ok, you got me there with this one. I think this book has the potential to become a good start to a series. In this war between vampires and humans, the Saints' empire fights to exterminate the reapers to restore peace. Former best friends, who are enemies now, become embroiled in these conspiracies and suspicious alliances when they must seek the long-awaited cure that promises to end the existence of vampires. The setting of this book was interesting, set in the 1920s Harlem and I find the concept of this one ambitiously brilliant, but the execution was a bit disappointing. The world-building felt incomplete to me, and I hope we get to know more about it in the next book. The pacing was average, though. There were excellent ideas in the development of the plot, but I think not all of them were executed properly as well as the plot twists. The ending was a good cliffhanger, although I noticed a bit of indecision in how to do it. There are also positives aspects here as the author weaves issues such as racism, privilege, class, and wealth at a time when it was very common and showed how the main characters handled this. The chemistry between Layla and Elise was intense; the yearning, the angst, how they hunt their minds even if they are apart and how they get in each other's skin was palpable. Although I would have liked to know more about their past together. I feel that there are missing details that make their relationship look not so deep. I liked Layla and Elise, but I don't care much about the rest, except for Jamie and Josie. Overall, it's pretty good for a debut, and I can't wait to see what the sequel has in store for us.


Thanks Netgalley for this ARC

I love a 1920s jazz era setting, and supernatural creatures are my favourite. However, I do think I'm getting a bit bored of vampires. That, combined with the fact that the characters felt very young put me off this book a bit. Hopefully others will love it though, as it definitely has potential!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

There are a few story elements I absolutely love. Blood drinking creatures are without a doubt one of them. Enemies to lovers is also one of them. And a historical setting including loads of Jazz is for sure also one of them. So, when I stumbled upon this book on the internet I added it to my wishlist and pre-ordered a copy. And then I discovered it was also on Netgalley. I requested a review copy and was very happy that Hodderscape granted me a review copy.

This book had elements I loved and elements not entirely working for me. I loved the politics, I loved the mythology and lore, I loved the influence of science and I loved the idea of the Saint family and all the complex family dynamics. I mostly had some issues with the pacing of the book which causes issues with the romance, the mystery part of the book and the emotional scenes in the book. So, I enjoyed reading the book, but I didn't really fall in love with it.

I also liked that Layla and Elise are quite clearly both young. Their emotions are all over the place. Every small little thing can make them go from liking each other to hating each other. Even though there are clearly feelings involved and these two girls are in love with each other, that love is still a little fickle. Especially since they're on opposite sides in this conflict and have a lot of outside forces making them hate each other.

However, due to the pacing there is not always enough time to really understand their emotions and to feel with them. At times the story is a little slow, but there are also a lot of really quick scene changes. Sometimes it therefore felt like there was no time to really process whatever was happening, had happened and was going to happen. Some scene changes also felt a little abrupt, just like it was sometimes confusing that the point of view changed within a chapter.

So, not a perfect book, but for sure an entertaining book and I will therefore keep an eye on the sequel's release date.

Set in the buzzing vibe of 1920s Harlem, this urban fantasy dives into a world slowly beeing taken over by vampires (or “reapers,” as they are called) while tackling some serious real-life issues like racism and black history.

Our main characters are Elise Saint, the classic good-girl from a wealthy family known for producing steel that can kill reapers, and Layla, a young reaper who used to be Elise's best friend (until the day she tried to kill her). Their feud is intense, but they end up having to work together to solve gruesome, bloody murders in the area.

I found myself totally rooting for Layla throughout the book. She’s a complex character with a lot of built-up anger, and she often gets misunderstood. She always seems to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, when she's just trying to help.

The jazz age setting is a treat. It adds a fun atmosphere to the whole story.

I also enjoyed Dennings' writing. That said, I did feel like the pacing was a bit uneven. Some parts had me totally hooked, while other sections dragged a bit, especially those repetitive conversations between Elise and her father. I think that if the book were just a bit shorter, it would’ve been even better.

But, if you’re into urban fantasy with a mix of vampires, romance, and don’t mind a few bloody scenes, this book is definitely worth a read. It’s a cool twist on the genre, and I’m excited to read the second book when it comes out.

A very interesting debut! "This Ravenous Fate" tells the story of two friends: Elise Saint, who comes from an influential family of vampire hunters (known in this world as reapers), and Layla Quinn, who was transformed into a reaper under tragic circumstances. Both heroines are pursued by the demons of the past and struggle with their own feelings for each other.

The book can certainly be praised for several things. First, it presents a very interesting concept of where reapers came from and how they function alongside humans. Amidst the plethora of vampire books available on the market, the author shows a lot of creativity here. Moreover, the main characters are not white, which reverses the trend in the majority of vampire stories. Secondly, the Harlem Renaissance is atmospherically rendered. While reading, you really feel that the book takes place in the interwar jazz era. Third, the dynamic between the two heroines is great, including the romance plot, with a lot of pining. The book has a really good slow burn.

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this novel—and it would have been even better without two issues I can articulate here. First, in my opinion, the plot is a bit contrived, especially in the ending. The "mystery" that the main characters try to solve turns out to be quite simple, but the author does a lot to complicate the matter as much as possible, sometimes resulting in deus ex machina actions. Secondly, while the relationship between the main female characters is well-written, it seems to come at the expense of their relationships with other characters, which change (often for the worse) over the course of the book without any broader commentary or internal experiences from the heroines. They simply get over it. I'm talking especially about the relationship between Elise and Sterling, who, after all, was her best friend, and to some extent, also Layla and Valeriya. It's a pity that these relationships weren't explored in more depth—by the end of the book I had the impression that no one counts for the heroines but themselves.

Anyway, I consider this book a very solid debut. I heartily recommend it to all lovers of stories about vampires and will be happy to pick up the sequel.

Such a well done sapphic romance. Loved it. It has it all, vampires, reapers, humans, gangs and vampire hunters. Loved the chemistry between Layla and Elise. Well thought out and written.

Will recommend.

Set in prohibition era Harlem this ravenous fates is an enchanting book where reapers which are vampire like beings are viewed as enmeies by humans and the Saint empire is a family business set to find peace one way or another.

Old best-friends where one was turned reaper and the other is a member of the Saint family have a slow burn sapphic romance following their reuniting, despite the chaos of the ongoing events between humans and reapers. It also addresses a lot of racial issues that have historically occurred as our two MC's are young black women and I though this was done thoughtfully while still educating upon historical harms.

Overall, i loved this and with the way it ended certainly hope to see more in this world develop in the future with either a series or spin off novellas.

This story has a brilliant concept but the execution of it just really doesn't work for me.

The story is set in 1920s Harlem and we follow Elise and Layla who used to be friends until Elise's betrayal caused Layla to turn into a vampire (or reaper as they are called here) and turned them into enemies, since Elise's family is in a business of hunting reapers. And now the two ex-friends have to work together to figure out what's happening to some of the reapers who start turning into humans again.

There's a lot of interesting things going in this story. The main one is how the vampires came to exist in the first place. The book unfortunately doesn't seem that interested in that particular aspect of the story so we are only given a few details. That's my main problem with this book, the worldbuilding is really weak. Somehow vampires are both hunted and allowed to live in relative peace, they are not allowed to hunt humans and at the same time kill humans over and over and over again. There's lack of any coherence to the world's own rules.

The mystery aspect is fairly straightforward which I don't have a problem with. But I think there's a point where the author decided it was too straightforward and started overly complicating the situation making the ending of this book almost impossible to follow. There's also a moment where one of the main characters has documents with big plot reveal information and I honestly felt like I skipped a few pages because there was no mention of those documents in a previous scene. There's few points of the story where I'm either completely lost by how the characters state things that didn't happen or happen differently or their reaction to events just completely don't make sense.

The relationship between the two main characters is also a vital part of the story and while they do have a few fun and tense scenes I feel like the story really lacked in some background on their past together. In a weird way it made Elise feel way less likeable with how badly she treated Layla, taking into consideration her hand in what happened to her.

Having said that, I think there's real potential in this author's work and I look forward to her future books because I think with experience, and possibly a better editor, she could create amazing books with the ideas she obviously has.

I like the themes. I like the characters. I'm ambivalent about the plot. I don't love the execution, but that says more about the editors than it does about the author. Overall this was a good debut, i enjoyed the writing and characters and I'm ready for the sequel I like the concepts.

This was a sapphic story with betrayal, secrets, science with a mix of fantasy. There are two sides to this story, Elise and Layla are on opposing sides because of their past and current reality. There is something going on with the reapers and at the heart of this story is Elise’s family, Layla and Elise may have to put differences aside to figure out whats going on and maybe it may change their future completely.

The pacing was kind of slow for me personally, but I liked the story, it was unique and interesting mixing science and fantasy in this way.

I so wanted to enjoy this book, it has been ages since I read a good vampire book, but I just found this to be too slow for me .I didn't really take to the characters either, so sorry to say it was not a good read for me, hope others like it more.

Hayley Dennings historical romantic fantasy was a compelling read, with a beautiful voice and narrative style that will really reel readers in. It felt like an immersive experience into the Reapers stalking the shadows of 1920s New York and the complex family vibes really brought the mystery to heed. While the setting was beautiful and descriptive, I really struggled with the development. The writing style is so poetic but the pacing was so slow and by the end, I had more questions than answers so I really felt like the plot was unbalanced leaving the reader more hungry, than satisfied.

✅ Black Vampires
✅ Sapphic Romance
✅ Friends to Enemies to maybe more ?
✅ Murder Investigation
✅ Corruption
✅ No one unalives her but me 🛐🛐

Writing and Pacing

Excellent paced throughout the book. If not for the fact I have adult responsibilities and I had a cold that had me napping like a baby goat I would have finished this in one sitting.

I would say sometimes a chapter had two povs and it would have been nice to have a marker to signify when one pov ended and another started. THAT BEING SAID the characters were so distinct they you knew which pov you were on without confusion!

No character felt the same they had their own distinct narrative voice which was just so 🤌🏿

The description of music and how it moves us was absolutely sensational.

Setting and World building

One thing about me is I LOVE and I mean LOVE the 1920's so seeing this set in that era. I knew I had to read it.

I loved that the world and history of reapers and how they came to be developed along with the story there was no info dumping.

Characters

Layla, she was better than me because the Saints played in her face so much and she managed to fight the urge not to take the entire bloodline to glory. Ugh, I love how bold and unapologetic she was about who she is and who she was.

Elise, I'm so glad she finally STOOD UP ! I'm so glad she shed the weight of expectations and stepped into her power.

Sterling, you know, I understood his motivations but he can catch my HANDS!

Tobias and Mr philanthropist, the downfall needs to be SWIFT AND SEVER!

My final note is Hayley who do I invoice my therapy bill too because the EMOTIONAL DAMAGE 😩.

I cannot believe I need to wait till 2025 for book 2 😩😩.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read This Ravenous Fate.
I don't even know where to begin with all my thoughts on this book. The way that reaperhood/vampirism is so effortlessly intertwined with black history and how the two things interact and impact the lives of the characters was so well written and thought out it genuinely blew me away and it did not disappoint with the slow burn enemies to lovers. I was absolutely gripped the whole book and didn't want it to end.If there is one vampire book I would recommend anybody read this year, it would be this one.

This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings
Rating: 3.5/5
Release Date: 6 August 2023

In 1926 New York, the rise of reapers—once-human vampires—threatens the city's fragile peace. The Saint family, renowned reaper hunters, confronts a new peril: the Harlem reapers have marked Elise Saint, the reluctant heir, for death.

Layla Quinn, a young reaper with a haunting past, holds Elise responsible for her cursed existence. As reapers begin regaining traces of their humanity and brutal killings terrorise the city, Layla is framed for one of these vicious attacks.

The Saint patriarch offers Layla a deal, prompting her to team up with Elise to uncover the truth behind the murders and the rumours of a reaper cure. Former friends turned foes, Elise and Layla must navigate the city's underworld, battling their intense feelings and unearthing dark secrets that threaten the lives of both reapers and humans alike.

"This Ravenous Fate" offers a captivating mix of mystery and supernatural themes, drawing readers into its fascinating world.

While I found this book enjoyable overall, there were moments when the pacing felt exceedingly slow. Additionally, I was left with more questions than answers, which was somewhat disappointing.

However, despite these shortcomings, Dennings did an excellent job of crafting compelling characters and an engaging narrative.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and the author, Hayley Dennings, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Title: This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings

Release Date: August, 6th, 2024

3.5 Stars

In 1926 New York, the rise of reapers, once-human vampires, threatens the city's peace. The Saint family, leading reaper hunters, faces a new threat: the Harlem reapers want Elise Saint, the reluctant heir, dead.

Enter Layla Quinn, a young reaper with a haunting past, blaming Elise for her fate. As reapers start regaining humanity and brutal killings rock the city, Layla is framed for one of the attacks.

With an offer from the Saint patriarch, Layla teams up with Elise to uncover the truth behind the murders and rumours of a reaper cure. Former friends turned foes, Elise and Layla navigate the city's underworld, battling intense feelings and unearthing dark secrets that endanger both reapers and humans alike.


In my opinion, "This Ravenous Fate" presents a compelling blend of mystery and supernatural themes, drawing readers into its intriguing world. However, the pacing felt sluggish for me , lacking the momentum needed to drive the story forward effectively. The book falls short in fully addressing certain aspects of its world-building, leaving some questions unanswered and detracting from the overall reading experience.

However Dennings's poetic writing style beautifully delves into the inner struggles of her characters, adding depth to the narrative and making Elise and Layla's journey both intricate and compelling.

Despite the drawbacks, Dennings succeeds in crafting unforgettable characters in Elise and Layla, making the novel a must-read for enthusiasts of dark vampire tales.

Thank you to The Publisher Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape ,The Author Hayley Dennings & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.