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

I really enjoyed the book, I found the premise interesting and the cover really drew my attention. The magic system is really unique and fun and I liked the world building.

I found it refreshing that the two protagonists were older and more experienced. This made it feel more mature and gave them more depth. I liked the back and fourth between them and their relationship.

I would recommend this book if you like interesting magic systems and sapphic relationships

A hugely enjoyable read, Melissa Caruso has nailed it - capturing the audience from the very beginning and sweeping them away throughout.

3.25 stars

I loved the set-up and the characters, so I really enjoyed this read. It could've had better pacing at times, but overall great for fans of a good fantasy x science fiction crossover!

Such a beautiful and atmospheric book. Very unique story, and I loved the writing style.
First book from this author, but I will be trying more!

Thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for providing with me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a book that really intrigued me. I loved the concept of a Groundhog Day type set up and the world that Melissa Caruso created around it, as well as the fact that we had a sapphic romance at the heart of story and a main character who was a new mother which is not often seen in fantasy novels. I felt that this was done really well and I liked how this part of the main character was integral to her development and not a throwaway character trait. It was built into all of Kembral’s considerations and decisions while not shying away from the realities and challenges involved with new motherhood which felt authentic.

While overall I enjoyed the story, it was fun and felt fresh within the genre, I didn’t love it and I think this was down to the fact that the pacing felt a bit off at times and that I didn’t massively connect with the characters. That being said I loved the world created and I will very likely pick up the next book. It’s also made me very intrigued to try more by the author as well.

The atmosphere of the book was everything and the entire idea was just 😍😍😍

Loved everything I literally could not put it down