The Last Immortal

by Natalie Gibson

I am Lady Ramillia Winmoore, daughter of the very late Earl of Brooksberry, or I was lifetimes ago. I am an immortal, and this is my story. Do what you will with it, but I must warn this tale is not for the faint of heart. Highborn Victorian Lady that I was, my life was one of violence and cruelty.
Lady Ramillia Winmoore has suffered gaps in her memory her entire life. This darkness has proven to be a blessing until the day she awakens strapped to an examination table at the West Freeman Asylum for Lunatics. Imprisoned for the gruesome murder of her parents, she is forced to endure years of torture until salvation arrives in the form of a benefactor named Sir Julian Lawrence. Betrothed to her through an arranged marriage, Julian helps her gain freedom. But appearances are deceiving and soon Ramillia learns the cost she must pay. The horrors she encounters in his household are far worse than the asylum. When he inducts her into a society of bloodthirsty, cruel immortals, she is forced to join them and accept their way of life. Armed with talents she doesn't know she has, Ramillia must break free of a prison she cannot see, kill an enemy who cannot die, and find a daughter who she cannot remember-all with the help of an ally she does not know. In this chilling gaslight-era Gothic horror novel where paranormal powers are bred and collected, friends and foes are not always what they seem when immortality is at stake.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Gothic, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Dark, Adult

422 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2024

About the author

I have always loved reading. In middle and high school, I could be found with my nose in a book between classes while others were flirting and primping. In a small way, I hated to turn 16 because it meant I could drive to school and didn't have the extra hour in the morning to read a few extra chapters. I love paperbacks. Hardbacks, not so much. They are heavy and cumbersome and come with dust jackets, which I loath. I adore my Kindle. I love the ease of buying books and the secrecy I can enjoy them in. No more bright pink or swarthy man-laden covers being seen and judged by cashiers for this gal!


I quit reading for fun in college; there was just too much to do. It was a hard time after graduation–in a new city with no friends and a first husband who didn't like me very much. One day I went into a used bookstore and tripped over a display of the Dark Series by Christine Feehan. I bought each one as they came out. Because of that, if I had to pick a favorite genre it would be paranormal romance. I do read tons of other stuff. I like action and adventure, and choose paranormal, fantasy or sci-fi over everything else. If a book only has romance without all the running and chasing and fighting of vamps or dragons or cyborgs, then I'll probably pass.


I am now married to a kind, artistic, highly intelligent man, who looks like a nerdy biker. He rocks the sideburns and forearm tattoo better than anyone I've ever seen. Eric's paperback collection is one of the main reasons I married him. He had a massive amount lining the walls of his bedroom (how sexy is that!) and I knew I had to have them–and him–as my own. Our wedding was aboard the Carnival Cruise Ship, the Ecstasy, and we were the only attendees save our officiant, the Justice of the Peace. It was just for us and it was perfect. I would advise more people to forget about what everyone else wants for their special day and to spend the money on a glorious honeymoon that just happens to start with a civil ceremony. It's what we did and we have no regrets. Eric is the reason I have time, and the inspiration, to write.


We have a genius daughter, Gwendolyn Ygraine, who takes the space and energy of four and may take over the world one day. Our family is further rounded out by our animals: three cats (Virgil, Trailmix and Mauvra), a Chihuahua/Terrier mix named Hitchens and several fish. I love to play card and board games and I am a sore loser– the worst. I was born and raised in East Texas and I have lived as far from home as Austin, Texas where I earned a BFA from UT in Acting with a History Minor.

I am the kind of writer who always has several works in progress and Wretched Blood, book two of the Carrier Trilogy, is almost complete. I also have upcoming releases for both my Mount Haven Quickie and Sinnis series. And, a standalone more horror than romance vampire novel is in the works. You can also visit my website for more Sinnis short stories. I am very excited about all of this and so thrilled that I get to write what I love and that I have people who want to read it. Thank you so much for your support."

Author Natalie Gibson writes what she likes to read. No matter what genre, her stories are filled with action and adventure that will keep you turning the page, haunting images that stick with you, and endings that keep you coming back for more. Her blend of paranormal and urban fantasy, whether it be contemporary or historical, provides for an entertaining read.

If you enjoy your romance on the steamy side and heavy on the paranormal, then try the books of Sinnis. If you like your erotica short, to the point, mildly romantic, and touching on a variety of kink, you will enjoy the Mount Haven Quickies. If you're looking for something darker with mind-bending thrills, then check out the Carrier Trilogy.

Reviews

[dee. · Rating 1 out of 5]

1★ star.

❝Violence is only horrifying when it is done to those who don’t deserve it.❞

➽ DNF at 70%

First of all, thanks to Netgalley and BHC Press for providing me an ARC of this book.

I have never been so conflicted over a book. I'm even conficted whether it's in a good way or a bad way. It was the toughest read I had in a while. My thoughts are so messed up right now, I'll try my best to sum it all up.

[spoiler free]

Before reading this, I strongly request you to check the content warnings so you have an idea what you're getting into. The author wasn't joking with the content warnings; it it serious. If you're skipping that part, be prepared to greet the unexpected, it won't be pretty.


➽ Vibes of this book:

Shatter me meets A Dowry of Blood in the world of the Bridgertons and gets rained on, only leaving behind the darker and twisted parts.

↳ Haven't read those books? I've got you.
Imagine a heavy mixture of science fiction with blood, gore and horror in a Victorian setting. Imagine putting on pretty ballgowns, twirling around scandalous social seasons; just blink and all the lights get sucked out of the room, the daze of glee is gone and the pretty gowns get stained with blood as the pitchblack darkness kicks in.


➽ Theme & Plot:

↳ Saying this book is dark would be an understatement. You can't blame a dark book for being too dark. I don't read books of this genre often, so I'm not sure I can compare it's levels of darkness. It deals with a lot of problematic issues I thought I could handle but ended up feeling terribly uncomfortable half the time. Other than that, I really liked the gothic atmosphere Natalie Gibson created here. I played some dark academia soft piano playlists from yt while reading this and it was amazing. It's the kind of slow-paced, gothic-horror read that'd be perfect for gloomy days.

↳ In this book, we are taken back to the dark age of the Victorian period. In the midst of evolution, creatures of nightmares and evil powers are taking root, infesting darkness within the land. Ramillia Winmoore, a child locked in an asylum far away from civilization for the murders she doesn't remember committing, is well on her way to becoming the monster that lives inside her. She doesn't understand the lethal power that hums beneath her skin and the endless voids in her head.

They fear her so they lock her up. They loathe her so they inflict pain. They don't understand her so they destroy her.

Until her noble betrothed, Sir Julian Lawrence, the man she only knows in letters, comes to claim her, promising her great things she never dared dream of. Soon she realizes she escaped one hell for another as she learns more about her husband and the evil that is his kind and comes to terms with her own powers she spent all her life afraid of.


➽ Characters & Writing:

↳ The characters of 'The Last Immortal' were twisted in their own ways while still maintaining individuality. It felt like they were eerie, empty and hollow from inside out and as we go further into the storyline along with the details we learned, they turn into more than words on paper and we slowly get a grasp on their personalities.

No moral. No judgement. No remorse. No redemption.
It took me a long time to sync with their thought process and understand what they were working towards; even then, I couldn't connect with them, couldn't feel anything for them. They were just another fictional character stuck in books who couldn't reach out to me. Honestly, Remillia was the only one with real developments here, though it was one of those that didn't feel like a development at all.

↳ The writing was beautiful, don't get me wrong. It was just difficult to get through. I didn't like the narrative, especially Ramillia's point of view. You need to be partially fond of a character to be invested in their thoughts, while I found Ramillia interesting, I wasn't fond of her; she actually made it super hard to be. I don't know if it's just me but I would read through a page, reach the ending and realize my mind went completely blank and I didn't catch a single detail. I had to go back and read that page again, that's why it took me much longer to reach the 70% mark than I thought it would. The story was intriguing but the writing style and pace couldn't keep my attention grounded for more than a few minutes.


➽ What I liked:

• The overall atmosphere of this book.
• FMC pushed her love interests in the backseat and was a force of nature all on her own.
• She made the right choices most of the time.
• The original idea of Carriers and Incolas, it was refreshing to read about.
• FMC knew where to project her rage and not being cautious of it.
• She embraced her deadly powers and violent nature.
• Despite being morally corrupt, she protected the ones who needed her protection.


➽ What I didn't like:

• More intrigue than explanation.
If you're going to put together a bunch of complex things, you need to back it up with sufficient explanation. I loved the idea of genetic disorders/ genetic superpowers that make a human invincible, immortal; the idea of Carriers and Incolas, carefully choosing and breeding to create more of their own. A lot was lacking in the build up, it could've been laid out a lot better.

• Character development or more like Ramillia's development.
I was completely thrown off guard by the huge leaps her personality was taking when it should've been a rather slow process. I know the book is already slow-paced, but it should've slowed down with the things that actually come first and foremost. Besides, I didn't get the chance to get to know the other characters better; they didn't get enough spotlight or much-needed details.

• The first half of the book was super slow, nothing important happening and a bunch of detail dumps on the world building that made little to no sense. The main plot and explanations came in later in the book but it was kind of too late; the first half was almost spent in confusion.


I'm so sorry, I really wanted to like it but it was way too confusing and a letdown in so many ways. There were interesting bits, yes, but it's dark elements overcrossed it many times. The level of darkness just goes up and up until it turns straight out horrifying. This book had no romance and no scope for romanticizing anything even. I didn't get the justification I needed and I'm thoroughly disappointed.

☑️ [dec 4/23]


∘₊✧──────✧₊∘


☑️ [dec 2/23]
My original plan was to read 'powerless' but I woke up this morning and received an ARC of this gorgeous book. ✨
-> I'll make a quick stop for this, so 'powerless' has to wait for now. In love with the cover already❗

[Brianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

***updating review as it's been brought to my attention that the trigger warnings now accurately depict the contents of the book by also listing CSA. Not changing my review as it should have been there in the first place.

I NEVER negatively review ARC's before the release date, but it needs to be said that this book depicts SA of a child and it IS NOT included in the triggers list. The fact that there has to be reviewers AFTER the fact listing the triggers is concerning as it's the job of the AUTHOR.

NetGalley deleted my review warning others of this so I'm posting here instead.

1 star for trying to silence a reviewer for trying to warn others that there is a HUGE TRIGGER that is not included by the author in her snarky list of triggers in the preface.

Do better.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overview:

- character life story
- gothic
- female rage
- secret societies
- bisexual main character
- a heap of trigger warnings

I almost gave the last immortal 4 stars, to be clear. It’s almost extremely extremely cool, but still worth the read.

Ramilla killed her parents when she was a kid, and was thrown into an asylum. She has no idea why she did it or how.

Until she is saved by her betrothed, Julian, who tells her that like him, he is an immortal being and a very rare. As she is taken deeper in his world, she realizes that the darkness that she grew up in is only just the beginning.


Theres quite a number of negative reviews on this book that just amount to The Concern about the books darker elements- so let’s get that out of the way. As with any story, Derek elements, do not mean the book is morally bad, and is a reader. You were entitled to put a book down at any point. If that makes you uncomfortable, but I think it’s absolutely insane That pretty much every that review of this book is a bunch of adult children acting angry that the book is dark. Yes, this book has every horrifying thing you can think about- pedophelia, extreme abuse, forced birth, violent deaths, child deaths… you need it, it is here.

It’s also peacefully done in the name of excellent story telling and a powerful reflection on the concept that regardless of how much status a woman gains, she is still a woman, and men still want to abuse her.

In the same way, that manhunt is a cathartic trans release book, the last immortal is truly a book about female rage, not just the aesthetics of female rage. The book is a a loving reflection on womanhood- and a striking condemnation of men, particularly men who abuse power.

The world is completely fascinating and original, with gaslamp elements while also introducing paranormal creatures that go beyond standard vampires and werewolves.

This is a slow Gothic story that hits the mark if you love gothics and is likely a tad boring if you don’t.

Honestly I loved every single part of the book until the very end. The book is split into 3 parts and based on the authors Goodreads profile it looks like it was originally 3 novellas that were put together. The first two are intense and beautiful and extremely weird. The last one is confusing and unnecessary- hence the three stars. It was just weird and boring and awful and didn’t need to exist, kind of like the author, wanted to stay in the world and stay with these characters, but didn’t necessarily know how to handle it.

Regardless, I think the story can absolutely be consumed in the first two parts of the book, and as well worth it. If you love dark gothic female focused fantasies. And you can ha do some very twisted content

[Maegan Regula · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to NetGalley and BHC Press for the advanced reader copy!
*spoiler free review*

wow, this book was really something. it was truly unlike anything I've ever read. it was very dark, and contained a lot of triggers, so read with caution! the whole book made my skin crawl (in a good way) and definitely lived up to its tag as a gothic. I loved the style that it was told in, with the sort of "unreliable narration" and it being told as a story from the future MC. does that make sense? fans of horror and the paranormal would be all over this.

it is definitely a heavy read so it required some breaks, but i was sucked in immediately and needed to know what happened, so it was easy to keep turning the page. i might not recommend this for the beginners of this genre, but those established and familiar with the triggers and vibe will burn through this book. thank you again!!

[Krystle Rouse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and BHC Press for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t even know what to say about this book. It was disappointing to say the least. I want to CAUTION everyone there are a LOT of trigger warnings and this is a very very dark book, so read at your own risk.
I felt the book was very stagnant and sluggish. The book didn’t seem to accomplish anything by the end of the novel. I had high hopes but was let down.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Ramillia takes you on a wild ride through her life Victorian gothic horror style. My jaw was dropped the entire time, and my head was spinning with Lady Ramillia. You are given mere breadcrumbs to piece together before you’re hit with a bunch of dark turns and crazy twists you didn’t expect! Be forewarned going in that there are a lot of triggers, and as Lady Ramillia warns, "not for the faint of heart"— she means it. ⚠️ If you have any child-related triggers, step away from the book; it doesn’t deserve 1 star. It’s definitely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. I on the other hand, will shelve this with my classics. Thank you NetGalley and BHC Press for the opportunity to read this ARC for free.

Some of the triggers include:
Assault/Murder
Animal cruelty
Blood/Gore
Cannibalism
Child SA
Child birth
Child death
BDSM
Drug use
Forced Abortion
Human Skin wearing
Incest
Mental health issues
Pedophilia
Reanimated corpse
SA
Self Harm

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Immortal by Natalie Gibson is violent, brutally violent, violence on the worst levels imaginable and it is a truth of life despite being a primary focus of a paranormal novel. However, the violence is not 100% of this novel, the strength, tenacity and fortitude of our protagonist is.It is testament to the enduring nature of womanhood in the face of the most terrible events imaginable and beyond

There are a litany of trigger warnings for this book and I cannot stress them enough. Anybody that is not able to read this book must have their opinion respected and understood as healing and tolerance take many forms and it will always be down to the individual to make choices as to what they can tolerate.

This aside, my praise is not a matter of convincing anyone to read it, but to express my opinion. The power of the book is empowerment. It does go through some horriffic acts and they are in no way glorified, or used as some sort of rage bait, they are there to show truth, survival, reflection and trying to recover through fair means or foul.

All this being said, it is important also to look at the incredible storytelling skill of Natalie Gibson of the horrors of Victorian asylums, of how women and children were treated and at its heart, an incredibly well written Gothic Horror.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you get past the graphic depictions of mental, physical, and sexual violence, "The Last Immortal" is a story of power and redemption. Or that is to say feminine power and redemption. Gibson explores the many facets of the female psyche; the mother, the child, the ruthless survivor, and raw sexuality. Each of these personalities enables the protagonist to overcome many obstacles even death. Throughout the novel it is evident that we are dealing with an anti-hero. As the books states nothing is black and white or gray it just is. As the book comes to a close, we are forced to watch and cringe at the final corruption of our heroine. The genius of this book is unique and lives with you long after the final page.

[Jennifer Setaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I would like to thank Net Galley and BHC Press for an advanced reader's copy.

The first thing you should know about this book is that there is a lot of dark content. Please check the trigger warnings if you feel the need to. It is a dark gothic horror book. There is a lot of body-horror and sexual and emotional abuse.

Positives:
- This book was dark as advertised! I loved the shock I felt at every turn.
- The main character felt very relatable and it was easy to sympathize.
- The premise felt new. I don't feel like I've read this book a million times before.

Negatives:
- This book felt like it was meant to be a trilogy and was smashed together into one book. There were many moments where in-depth descriptions were repeated as if I hadn't read it less than 100 pages ago. This made the book feel much longer than it was and caused it to drag a bit.
- The ending felt a bit anti-climactic. Without giving anything away, this book was so full of action and big reveals the ending felt a little out of the blue. Maybe if there was more alluding to this ending earlier in the book it would have felt more satisfying.
- The author also decided to put a little jump ahead in time at the beginning of each "part" that I felt gave away huge events that I wish had been left as a surprise. Could have done without those.
- The main character is supposed to be a centuries-old being recounting the events of her life, but she sounds more like a teenage girl throughout the whole book.

Overall I enjoyed my experience reading this book. It met expectations and deserves at least 3 stars. I think if the book had cut down on a few of the repetitive descriptions and had maybe aged the narrator a bit this could have been a 4 star book.

[Kristina Knizner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Ramillia only remembers portions of her childhood. Convicted of the murder of her parents she doesn't remember, Ramillia is sent to the insane asylum where she was put through horrendous "treatments". After years being tortured she is saved by Sir Julian Lawrence who declares that she is to be his wife. Swept into a new lifestyle Ramillia soon learns that she belongs to an secret society, but the cost of being in that secret society may be more than she is willing to pay.
This book was very well written with a very unique plot. I did enjoy the story, but at times it was much darker than I was expecting it to be. Definitely make sure to check all trigger warnings before starting this book. I do recommend this book if you enjoy the horror genre and are looking for a truly unique story with twists that you won't see coming.
Thank you Netgalley and BHC Press for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

[BasilReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you BHC Press and NetGalley for the e-arc of 'The Last Immortal'.
This review are my own thoughts and given freely.

Now I wanted to like this book, I did; It has most things that I love: a powerful female character, it's dark as f**k, and it's got a weird cult involved. But this book just fell flat for me. Also, I knew there were going to be a lot of dark elements in the book, but the mild trigger warning page DID NOT do the triggers justice. There needs to be 2 pages of trigger warnings for this book. None of it triggered me, but there were a lot of SA elements that could be upsetting to a lot of people.

This story had a lot of potential, but the execution was not there for me.

I ended up DNF'ing at 85%, I just couldn't do it anymore.

[Jesse Reads]

DNF @ 15%

Upon taking a look at the revised trigger warnings I’m deciding not to read any further as the themes are incredibly bleak and tragic and will surely put me in a reading slump. I am trying to be better at filtering what I consume through reading and while I may not have the most refined taste, this story would be nothing short of nightmare fuel that I refuse to subject myself to. I am giving a zero star rating as I could not read enough to fairly give it a review.

Thank you to Netgalley and author for
the opportunity but unfortunately this read is not for me.

[Alisha · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.... Trigger warnings were completely off and did not depict CSA...

I tried to read as much as I could, but could not get past this.

[j · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @50%

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC, I HATE DNF an ARC but I could not keep putting myself through this book

[quillsandpages · Rating 4 out of 5]

***This is a review of an ARC sample from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

This is a story of the use and abuse of people because there are a lot of triggering situations I was uncomfortable reading it. But on the whole, the story was good. It mostly revolves around Ramilia how she was once a victim and then used by Julian for his nefarious purposes and then she takes control back and becomes a very powerful lady in London. It's a bit dark and gory for my taste but the concept was different and It was time well spent.

MY RATING
Overall: ★★★★|4 Stars
Plot: ★★★★ | 4 Stars
Characters: ★★★★| 4 Stars
Ending: ★★★★| 4 Stars
Fun: ★★★★★| 5 Stars
Book cover:★★ | 2 Stars (it could have been much much better)

Read My full review here!!
Linktree

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 50% (and I barely made it)

Having my second book of the year be a 2 star is truly a disappointment. I almost didn’t make it to 50% but my rule is I have to read at least this much to feel comfortable rating a DNF.

Originally I requested this book bc it sounded right up my alley. Gothic Victorian vibes, supernatural elements, a woman breaking out of toxic relationships,,, one of the comps I believe is A Dowry of Blood, which was one of my favorite books the year I read it. And while I can’t say that anything I knew about the book was misleading I also have to say it failed to deliver on all of these aspects.

The book is split into three parts. I made it through the first and about a third of the second. First of story and pacing wise the book should’ve just kept the finale of part one as the finale of the story. Then there was some weird exposition at the beginning of part two that made me think there was at some point the intention to split the story into multiple books? We were given info we already had but in the way that is usually done at the beginning of a sequel to remind us of something that happened.

Something else that bothered me about the way the story was built is that there were almost no indicators how much time passed, which often was multiple years. We were often just completely lacking contextual clues (development etc.) in that regard. Also there were multiple times Ramillia found out a "twist" that was so obvious but written in a way, where I wasn't sure if we were also supposed to be surprised (spoilers, I wasn't in a single case)

Lastly, let’s come to the thing that actually made me dnf.
There’s many reviews out there already, talking about how dark the book is, and to be aware of the TW provided (although it was apparently not from the very beginning that the TW actually reflected the contents fully.
Personally I don’t mind dark stories, disturbing stories etc. under the right circumstances. I mentioned earlier that A Dowry of Blood is one of my favorite book, a book centering the escape from a toxic relationship. Another of my favorites is Juniper & Thorn, a book that maybe isn’t necessarily the same in themes but certainly in parts of the darker content.
Something both of these books however do, that I was sorely lacking in this one is exploring those dark contents with care , matching up the themes and seeing the stuff that’s happening reflected in the characters it’s happening to.
With all of that missing this book felt a bit like gory and voyeuristic trauma porn.
The stuff that happened to the FMC felt like it was there just to be shocking, it had almost no impact on her or the story at all. Even with the excuse of the missing memories (and other stuff i won't get into here for spoilers) there should have been *some* reaction on the side of Ramillia concerning all the stuff she found out was being done to her body. Instead it felt like it was "be angry for a bit, shrug, move on". This made it so that there was absolutely no point in any of the things she went through aside from titillation of the reader.

The book also at least started as queer but omg do I have so many issues with how that was done, again in a way I can't go into for spoilers.

After this point the review contains spoilers!!!

that thing I alluded to aside from the missing memories. I will not talk about the DID (kinda?) we got in this book because I genuinely don't know enough about DID to make any kind of judgement in either direction. But again, as with the missing memories, the taking over of the body (not by the alter but the magical taking over of the body), Ramillia's body goes through terrible things, from CSA, to g*ngbangs against her will. Even if her conciousness isn't there, her even just finding out about those things should have more lasting effects than just having anger management problems for a few hours.

The queer thing. The story starts with setting up Ramillia as sapphic. The first "relationship" we see her in is with a woman... where it is never adressed that the only thing that made Hester attracted to Ramillia was her gift of touch, meaning basically everything between the two was unconsensual. Sure we get that whole thing by Julian (the villain) that "if they wanted the people who get touched and excited by our FMC could just not act on it" but we're also told that Hester has never been attracted to a woman before. And Julian is trying to argue why it's not Ramillia's fault that she was SAed as a child. WHICH IT OBVIOUSLY WASN'T!!! Idk there is just so many issues with Ramillia'S powers on all sides.

The last thing I won't even linger on too long, but why did all of Ramillia's closer female friends have to die horrible deaths? (IDK if Moira can be called a friend but starting on Moira would open a whole other can of worms)

[Ariane Bilodeau (bibi.reads.writes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I heard the whisper. I actually heard it. I turned to find its source and found myself face-to-face with malevolence. Pure evil had my face.”

Wow, what a wild ride this was. 4⭐ This is going to be a long review. I have so many emotions right now, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget this book.

Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.

❤️ Atmosphere
❤️ Strong, resilient female lead
❤️ World-building and magic system
❤️ Character development
❤️ Vivid, evocative descriptions
❤️ Unpredictable plot twists
❌ Incomplete trigger warning list
❌ Anti-climactic ending

At first, I thought it would be *another* one of these books where triggering content is laid on thick just for the sake of shocking the reader. But as I read, I realized that Gibson perfectly described the way men graced with immortality could lose their humanity, their greed eventually turning to perversion. She showed us the very worst parts of mankind, with all sins laid bare. Thinking back on what I just read, I don’t think she could have done otherwise or toned it down: the cruelty and depravation were central to the plot. That being said, please please please, do read the list of trigger warnings provided by the author as well as the list below. Some warnings are minor spoilers, but I think it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you dive in this book.

● Trigger warning list provided by the author: graphic violence and gore, language, scenes of sexual nature, BDSM, SA, self harm, and child SA.
● My own additions: incest (lots of it), pedophilia, cannibalism, gang rape, animal cruelty, murder and mutilation (including of children), incest, human skin wearing, child birth and death (miscarriage, forced abortion), mental health issues, undead / reanimated corpses, drugs, and dismemberment.

Plot:
A highborn Victorian lady, Ramillia spends many years in an asylum after the gruesome murder of her parents. She endures years of torture and suffers from memory gaps until an arranged marriage to a very powerful man grants her freedom. Finally, everything seems just right. But the veil slowly lifts and Ramillia realizes that her idyllic life is a deception, and the horrors she now faces are far worse. Armed with skills she doesn’t know she has, Ramillia will stop at nothing to attain freedom for herself and all oppressed.

This book hooked me and intrigued me right from the start. It’s not an action novel, but there are so many twists and turns that it never gets slow. I usually smell plot twists and tropes for a mile away. But whenever I thought “Oh, I see where this is going,” Gibson would either go in a completely other direction, or she would go that way but add a totally unexpected twist (like killing off a main character behind the scenes and telling us about it later). My mind was blown many times. With first-person POV narrating and the early realization that the narrator is unreliable, in addition to never knowing if a character is in charge or is being controlled by another being, made it easy to suspect everyone and everything.

It was a difficult book to read, but the focus on female resilience and power in a deeply patriarchal setting was *chef’s kiss*. The social criticism was omnipresent, but not overpowering.

Characters:
There were many characters, and they were all memorable. The character development was on point, and characters were so complex and nuanced that even the ones that seemed most evil could evoke a sense of empathy. With the exception of the very few characters that I absolutely loved (*cough* Leon and Ed *cough*), I toggled between love and hate for most of the main characters, including Ramillia.

Writing:
Unpretentious and accessible, yet lavish. Biting. Sometimes the shortest and simplest of phrases forced me to reflect on uncomfortable topics. The descriptions (settings, characters, food, clothing, etc.) was vivid and evocative, and Gibson was amazing at describing human emotions. I loved her prose and is interested in reading more of her books.

[NookOfNightmares · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Violence is only horrifying when it is done to those who don’t deserve it.”

The Last Immortal by Natalie Gibson is a wilddddd ride!

It’s a very dark gothic fantasy/horror novel….and it’s pretty messed up. I wouldn’t normally describe a book like this but wow. This book won’t be for everyone and it’s definitely not for anyone under the age of 18. It has every trigger warning imaginable and then some. From SA, child SA, rape, incest, almost all forms of abuse, graphic violence, gore, language, BDSM, self-harm, abortion, murder, and so much more. This is a very dark and heavy read so again, it’s not for everyone.

Unfortunately it’s being review bombed due to the content list being incomplete at first. I understand that these things can be extremely triggering for some people but the book absolutely doesn’t deserve all of the one star reviews it’s receiving from early reviewers.

With that being said, I loved the character development and world building of this one. It immediately sucks you in and keeps you interested. As soon as you think you’ve figured out where it’s taking you or who someone truly is…it does a complete 180. Again, it’s very dark and it doesn’t really let up. As soon as you think it can’t possibly get more violent and horrifying…it does haha. It’s split into three sections and has multiple time jumps so it felt slightly rushed at times. I would’ve liked to see this spread out over multiple books but the author pretty much ties everything together perfectly. I loved this one and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling, dark ride set in a Victorian Era fantasy world.

Big thanks to Net Galley and BHC Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!

[Sarah Maloney · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I’m going to start off by saying, make sure you read all trigger warnings. This book is not for the faint of heart.

It’s hard to sum up this book. It starts as a tale of a disturbed young girl who has had to face many horrors and injustices in her life and her mind has fractured as a result of this. It then becomes a story of vampires and body snatchers. Then it completely goes off the rails and becomes filled with incest, rape, violence, and then some how zombies. The writing has an eloquent feel to it but I still almost gave up on this book multiple times. It just felt like it didn’t know what it wanted to be. I found myself thinking that it took bits and pieces from other horror books and stories and tried to fit them all into one book and it just didn’t work. By the end I wasn’t sure I truly understood the purpose of this book. There was no character I could say I really liked because they had no redeeming qualities and were not relatable. The flow of the book seemed to drag for the first part of the characters life and then randomly skim over whole decades at a time. There were things mentioned in passing that were never fully addressed and others that didn’t really make sense or were just added in for shock value. I was hoping the end of the book would have a big reveal or twist that would save it but it didn’t. It just jumped ahead decades again and then ended on an unsatisfying ending. I feel like the book had a lot of potential but it just couldn’t rise to the occasion.

Thank you to Netgalley and BHC Press for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Hello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't finish it a 60% Please, please check Trigger Warnings before reading.

"Violence is only horrifying when done to those who don't deserve it."

This book is an enigma for me. On paper a book that's unabashedly queer with protagonist hellbent on getting hee way on winning in the partiarcal society sounds right up my alley. Also it involves immortals AND historical setting.

It's a weird and confusing book and I don't if it's in good way. It's a historical horror book that's written like a memoir or an immortal living right now in modern times. And as a person who's bad at history I appreciate comments explaining rules of society (in "You know this is so f wrong!!" Way). One of my complaints with this book was that it never leant into historical setting at all. If you are writing a story about a class of super rich and powerful immortals it seems obvious to me that some of the historical figures are bound to be immortal/be aware of their existence. On top of that the author likes to repeat what's happened in previous chapter like I remember it I read this chapter 5 minutes ago.

At least part of the reason this book felt disjointed to me was that it's made of 3 separate and district storylines -> parts. I feel like it would have been easier to read if it were 3 novellas instead.

I could not care enoug for secondary characters. I don't know if it's me thing or not. Ramilla character development is okay but I found not enough depth to it. Like if you are doing a book about modern woman (and she freely admits to being modern women even back then) you might as well give some social commentary.

4 stars is probably too high for this one but it's a debut and it's queer so I'll round it up.

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and BHC for this advanced copy of this book!
This story was super intriguing. At first the whole world and what is happening to the main character is slightly confusing but once you learn more I couldn't put it down!
Lady Ramillia Winmoore is narrating her whole life through this memoir she's writing to remember her life by. Each part is divided into a "phase" of her life and there's a mystery as to has happened to Ramillia. Overall the plot of the book was entertaining and I kept wanting to read to find out what was happening. Ramillia def grew on me even if she did some crazy stuff.

But I will say that the trigger warnings (or lack there of) should have been more explicit. There was a lot of taboo/dark/trauma/gore that might not be for everyone.

Some things that affected my rating of the book were all the POVs we got and the switch between them was confusing and not very obvious. Id have to reread some stuff to get who was talking. At the beginning of Part 2 & 3 there were some recaps that felt unnecessary and repetitive. It made it seem like each part was it own book but it wasn't. The ending also seemed abrupt, and for all the build up that happened in the whole book it just wasn't a satisfying ending.

I enjoyed the writing style and the world building was interesting and unique. I'm not sure I'd reread it or recommend to someone who isn't into dark/horror genres.

[Anonymous · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of good and bad with this one but it's nothing if not unique. Rounded up from a 3 to counter all the bad reviews from people who can't read trigger warnings. Not the books fault.

This is more like three separate novels stuck together. The second "part" of the book even retells events of the first as if you didn't just read it yourself. There are several things that don't add up and concepts started but later abandoned. That being said, it's a very good look at how prevalent misogyny has been throughout history and how little freedom women had. It even highlights how once a man and woman were married, she ceased to exist. They were now "one", Mr & Mrs ______ with him deciding what to do with her body. The involvement of the Pope was interesting, and it did well to highlight the rampant sexual abuse in Christian hierarchy.

Unrelated but this has one of the most intense torture scenes I've ever read and I am an avid horror fan. The third part of the story (more like the third "book" in a series) was confusing but definitely the most interesting.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Last Immortal" by Natalie Gibson is a haunting tale that weaves together elements of gothic horror, paranormal intrigue, and a journey of self-discovery. As a reader, I was drawn into the rich Victorian-era darkness, reminiscent of the atmospheric worlds crafted by Anne Rice, one of my all-time favorite authors.

Gibson's storytelling mirrors Rice's ability to blend the supernatural with the deeply personal. The protagonist, Lady Ramillia Winmoore, unfolds her mysterious past with a narrative style that keeps you guessing and turning the pages. The reminiscent echo of Anne Rice's atmospheric charm is palpable, especially in exploring immortality, the intricate web of relationships, and the haunting backdrop of a bygone era.

The novel's strength lies in its well-constructed plot; every twist and turn is a carefully crafted revelation. The gothic setting is not just a backdrop but a character in itself, adding layers to the narrative that will appeal to fans of dark, atmospheric storytelling.

The complex and nuanced characters contribute to the story's depth. The writing style, vivid and evocative, captures the essence of the era while maintaining accessibility. Gibson's ability to seamlessly blend the supernatural with the historical is commendable.

For those interested in reading this beautiful gothic horror, please be warned that it contains heavy, dark material and themes that can be triggering to many, especially if you are not familiar with this genre. Please be sure to check all trigger warnings before reading.

In conclusion, "The Last Immortal" is a compelling read that successfully immerses you into a beautiful but horrifying gothic world that will leave you gobsmacked. Natalie Gibson has crafted a tale that stands tall in the genre, offering a fresh perspective on immortality, power, and the resilience of the human spirit. A must-read for fans of gothic horror with a touch of the extraordinary.

[Ailyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine waking up with amnesia to be told you killed your own parents, that is what happened to poor Lady Ramillia. There is no secret that Ramillia had suffered, but to what extent? In part one, we learn about her past. In parts 2 and 3, it is her future that we are concerned about.

Verdict

Dark gothic is not a genre for everyone, but the story is solid with questions answered and a journey of a girl from naive girl to hardened woman. One theme stays throughout the book: Ramillia wants peace and happiness. She has to fight hard to get it, but you will have to read to the end to find out if she gets it. Although I am not pleased with how it ends, I think it is a closure for everyone. If you love violent, gory genre with plenty of heavy themes, you will like The Last Immortal.

[Samara Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very first page of this novel, I was pulled in! Imagine waking up in an asylum without any knowledge of how you got there and being told that you murdered your entire family. I thought that was going to be the main part of the story, but I was so wrong. There's so much more to this story than I could have ever guessed.

The Last Immortal is a longer novel than I'm used to but don't let that discourage you! This was a page turner and it managed to cure me of my reading slump. I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Tytti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and BHC Press for providing a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I have never had such mixed feelings about a book.

I was very excited after reading the synopsis but this ended up being a DNF for me at 80% through.

The synopsis describes the book as dark and gothic and the author's introduction warns that the book isn't for the faint of heart. However, it lacks all trigger warnings. Which there are many and of very dark nature. Some of it includes SA of both adults and children. And it just keeps happening. This is something I'd like to know before going into a book. As a fan of dark romance I'm not completely new to morally questionable characters but even then I have my limits of how fucking unhinged and dark I can tolerate. And keep in mind, this is not romance, it's just dark as hell.

I appreciated the original idea of Carriers and Incolas but I felt like it was lacking a bit. I feel there's a lot that could've been explained in more detail but it never made it on page. There's also something missing from in between the different parts. The book begins as if Ramillia is going to live up to the modern day (and maybe she does, I wouldn't know since I didn't finish this) but it seems to me that the author lost that thread a couple of times while reading. I would've hoped for more discussion on immortality but it seemed more like an afterthought or a curious thing to make the story and the characters more interesting.

The book started to get boring at times. Mostly because the story never seemed to go anywhere. Things happened but what was supposed to be the end goal? You lost me there. Ramillia and Sally seemed to have plans at time but they were only explained to the reader afterwards. And sometimes it got really confusing. The storyline about Theodore is still a mystery to me.

I would've liked a little bit more of female rage.

All in all, I'm quite annoyed and disappointed with this book. It needs a better synopsis and better trigger warnings.

[Danee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holy f*ck! This book was the wildest of wild rides and I can’t believe how insanely wild it got. This one will stay with me, probably forever!!

This book DEFINITELY needs a very long list of trigger warnings and it’s lack of one did make it harder to get through the book as I had no idea what to expect as I read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting! I can't say I liked the narrative voice but I think it was an intentional authorial choice and well done. I did really enjoy all the surprise twists and turns the narrative took and was shocked by several. It felt a little too long for me and I did stop several times when I lost steam.

[Lauren K · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 22% because I lost interest due to the lack of direction with the plot. The premise absolutely had me hooked, but I just felt like the delivery wasn’t there. Life is too short to read books you aren’t enjoying, and unfortunately this one is not for me.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's quite violent and graphic but I liked the story ot this nightmarish characters and this world where there's no piety or friends.
it's intriguing and well plotted. Loved the original world building.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine