Day’s YA: THE ONLY IMMORTALS

THE ONLY IMMORTALS by Laura Steven
9781250333919
4/6/27
Wednesday Books
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

Madelena Caravita is a notorious sword-wielding thief, and a member of the only immortal family left in the world . . . or so she thinks until she has a chance encounter with Hendrie Strachan during one of her infamous robberies. Hendrie is on the hunt for the mysterious, long-lost Alchemist who created the elixir that turned him and his family immortal many centuries ago. The two immortals could not be more different, but as their paths continue to collide through the years, decades, and centuries, Madelena and Hendrie fall in and out of love in every corner of Europe. But Hendrie’s mother will do everything in her power to ensure that she and her son are the only immortals left in the world, even killing Madelena and her family. As the rivalry between the two clans descends into war, Madelena must travel back in time to save them all. But what she discovers while in the distant past could change everything she thought she knew about Hendrie, about her own family, and about time itself.

“The two immortals were not two sides of the same coin, but rather different currencies entirely. Madelena was leather jackets and stolen gold, black coffee and antique daggers. Hot-tempered and headstrong, stubborn and proud, forged strong and sharp as a blade in a furnace. Hendrie was sun-bleached moors and lopsided grins, the twang of a lute, the lilt of the lowlands, kind and loyal, soft and puppy-hearted, a fresh pot of tea, a peal of laughter, a ceilidh dance, a folk song.”

I get lost in Laura Steven’s writing the way one might get lost exploring a new city. Weaving through her storylines like hidden cobblestone streets; devouring her words like they’re a freshly baked pastry. She writes stories that sweep me away to distant lands, where I want to stay in the pages long after the book is done. I fell in love with Madelena and Hendrie as they were falling in love with each other. Their tale is tumultuous and imperfect, but ultimately rewarding; a love story for the ages that broke my heart and put it back together over and over again. 

The plot of THE ONLY IMMORTALS is full of perfectly-timed twists that kept my interest piqued and kept me wondering just how much I truly knew about our dear immortal duo. Every time I thought I had a grasp on the history of the immortals and their intricacies, a wrench was thrown in, throwing me for a loop in the best way. Laura Steven combines historical fiction with romance, mystery, and fantasy in such a masterful way that gives me a new appreciation for history. This is an epic story about fate and second chances, alchemy and time travel, family and love, and ultimately, the meaning of life itself. The last time I read a book this gorgeous and sweeping and transcendent was OUR INFINITE FATES (also by Laura Steven), and I am so, so eager to read whatever she writes next.

Happy reading!
<3 Emily

Day’s YA Archives