Nhika has a special type of magic that is almost gone from the world she lives in. With a single touch, she can alter a person’s biology to heal them or kill them. She’s known as a bloodcarver, and when she is finally captured, she is sold to the highest bidder. Nhika finds herself with a wealthy family where she spends her time attempting to heal the only witness to a murder, reading medical texts, and diving into mysteries.
I really enjoyed the world building and magic system. The way that Nhika’s heartsoothing intermixes with biology is really interesting and unique. Nhika was a strong female character and wasn’t afraid to do what she needed to in order to keep herself safe. Her character could have used a little more emotional depth, but she was definitely powerful.
The romance piece felt pretty rushed - it was almost instalove. It’s really just a subplot so it didn’t overtake the story, but the pacing of the romance felt a bit off. The ending also felt rushed. So many dramatic things happened in the last few chapters. I’m pretty sure my jaw was on the floor and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about the ending!
Overall, this is a great YA read and I’ll definitely grab the next book in this duology to see what happens. This is Vanessa Le’s debut which is so incredibly impressive!
I really enjoyed the world building and magic system. The way that Nhika’s heartsoothing intermixes with biology is really interesting and unique. Nhika was a strong female character and wasn’t afraid to do what she needed to in order to keep herself safe. Her character could have used a little more emotional depth, but she was definitely powerful.
The romance piece felt pretty rushed - it was almost instalove. It’s really just a subplot so it didn’t overtake the story, but the pacing of the romance felt a bit off. The ending also felt rushed. So many dramatic things happened in the last few chapters. I’m pretty sure my jaw was on the floor and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about the ending!
Overall, this is a great YA read and I’ll definitely grab the next book in this duology to see what happens. This is Vanessa Le’s debut which is so incredibly impressive!