Kingdom of Without is pitched as a crossover of Full Metal Alchemist and Les Misérables for fans of Six of Crows which are all immediate buzzwords that piqued my interest. Set in a futuristic Beijing where society is divided into class rings, we follow Zhong Ning'er, a Sixth-Ring thief, who takes a job that sets her in the heart of a revolution that stems on freeing a former rebel leader inside a secret lab. 

isbn: 978-1665901444 | pages: 288
       publication date: November 28th, 2023 | source: physical / tour
      genre: young adult, asian, science fiction
     rating: 6.7/10

     A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    
       B O O K S H O P *    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

I received a physical and digital arc from the publisher for the purposes of this book tour -  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

For a novel that's just shy of 300 pages, Kingdom of Without utilizes every single page to deliver a high-stakes story that doesn't pause to catch its breath. From the start, we are exposed to the clear divides of societal class wealth as Ning'er sells her artificial limbs to make her next month's rent. When she's introduced to a job with the notorious Red Yaksha, Beijing's vigilante hero, she finds herself working with a crew of young rebels bent on exposing the corruption of Beijing. Kingdom of Without tackles the tensions of political corruption with the hopes of a better future through rebellion and at its heart brings to life a group of characters that quickly come to feel like family.

The heist plot doesn't occur till the later half of the novel and gets less page time than I had originally anticipated. This contributes to the fast-paced nature because once the main plan took off there was no going back. I appreciated the author's dedication to not only the heist itself but to spending time developing each character's motive. Ning'er spends the first part of the story torn between not wanting to involve herself and growing to realize the possibilities of a better future if their plan succeeds. The Red Yaksha himself represents the juxtaposition of wealth and a bright future with a passion for the people. The rest of crew with Zhenyi, Zian, Feifei, and even Ge Rong all join the Red Yaksha because they believe a better future is possible - and it's impossible not to root for them.

The world of Kingdom of Without has so many intricacies and opens up so many questions for the future of this alternate Beijing. On its own, this novel perfectly captures the hope of a younger generation bent on overthrowing political corruption, a theme that is timeless and constantly reflected in our modern society today.

I received a physical and digital arc from the publisher for the purposes of this book tour -  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

huge thanks to Colored Pages Book Tours, Andrea Tang, and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to participate in this book tour! be sure to check out all the other stops by clicking the banner above!

The stunning conclusion to the Foul Lady Fortune duology, Foul Heart Huntsman throws you right back into the center of mounting tensions between a potential civil war and an outright foreign invasion. Separated from Orion and with her identity exposed, Rosalind embarks on a press tour to boost morale as she tries to find a way to save her husband. 

 isbn: 978-1665905619 | pages: 560
       publication date: September 26, 2023 | source: physical / tour
      genre: young adult, asian, fantasy, historical, romance
     rating: 8.7/10

     A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    
       B O O K S H O P *    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

Excuse me if this review is slightly more unhinged than usual because Foul Heart Huntsman did everything I wanted it to do. From the heart-pounding stakes to all the adorable mushy moments, my heart was screaming in both pain and exhilaration. Reading this really solidified my understanding that Chloe Gong writes characters that truly stick with you, in my case it just took me a couple books to realize how much I adore the Shanghai crew - new additions and all.

Rosalind finds herself navigating increasing political tensions as China is torn between the Nationalist and Communist parties and she'll need every scheme up her shoulder if she wants to rescue Orion from his mother and her experiments. I've come to a conclusion that Chloe Gong loves making us cry because her lovers are always separated at the end of the first book so I was very excited when we got plenty of Orion and Rosalind in this sequel. 

Finishing this finale felt like a piece of my heart had finally clicked into place completing the puzzle but now there's also an aching nostalgic sensation left behind knowing that the characters have completed their story. The development each character underwent tested their relationships with each other as well as their loyalty to their country and I cannot tell you how many lines I highlighted where my only thought was incoherent screaming. We get a perfect balance of screen time between characters introduced in FLF while also being reunited with beloved characters from the Secret Shanghai universe and it all culminates into one happy found family. 

In terms of writing and pacing, you can really tell that Chloe Gong went into this book ready to put readers through the wringer. I was holding my breath as individual plot lines diverged and then reunited to address the larger points of conflict. While some elements wrapped up with simple timely convenience, others were handled with more delicacy to reveal the hearts of each character. 

In its core, Foul Heart Huntsman once again addresses the question of how much is loyalty worth especially through the lens of one's country, family, and love. I will sorely miss these characters because I have grown to absolutely adore them and cannot wait to jump back into their stories again with a future reread.

I received a physical and digital arc from the publisher for the purposes of this book tour -  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

huge thanks to Colored Pages Book Tours, Chloe Gong, and Simon Teen for the opportunity to participate in this book tour! be sure to check out all the other stops by clicking the banner above!

all images from pexels

Hello there! I've been on a reading high and have come up with plenty of lofty plans for the remainder of August as I'm in denial that September is approaching. Somehow, one of these plans have come to fruition and was 100% spurred because I watched Sunny Kim's Reading 200 pgs a day Challenge. 

I took this as an opportunity to tackle some of the books on my tbr that I've started and...left sitting in the dust. With how much fun I had tracking the pages and minutes, I might have to return to this challenge if I find myself struggling to read during the school year.

links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

pages: 304  | source: e-book arc, NetGalley
publication date: September 12, 2023
genre: ya, contemporary, coming of age
rating: 6.5/10

B O O K S H O P *    |    G O O D R E A D S    

The Name Drop is perfect for fans of rom-com kdrama fans who love a case of mistaken identity and the heartwarming vibes from a coming-of-age story. When Jessica (Yoo-jin Lee #1) finds herself in a first class seat to her new internship, she doesn't think much about it. That is until she finds herself in a completely different intern program and living in a bougie NYC brownstone. When Elijah (Yoo-jin Lee #2) finds himself in a cramped apartment with other interns, he thinks his CEO father is trying to teach him a lesson. Discovering the case of mistaken identity becomes the perfect opportunity for him to fly under the radar of his oppressive father's control and enjoy a summer in the city while Jessica can do all the work and get the connections she needs.

When I initially started The Name Drop it took me a while to get into the story. The characters are in their late teens but the prose read very young in tone. However, it isn't difficult to understand and you easily become enamored with the characters and their goals to make the most out of the summer in NYC. Jessica is the lovable female lead who has a habit of oversharing when nervous and is determined to make her parents proud. Her interactions with Elijah were so cute and I was already picturing them in a classic kdrama scene (cue emotional OST music and Subway ads). I loved seeing them overcome their differences and work together with each other and the intern team to break against the limitations the adults place on them for simply being younger. 

The Name Drop manages to capture literal summer sunshine and coffee-run internships while also providing a dose of adorable friendships and romance as it highlights the importance of knowing one's worth and the endless possibilities that come with the next chapter of your life.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher -  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

favorite line: Be happy. Every single day, make choices to make yourself happy.

pages: 352  | source: e-book, own
publication date: June 20, 2023
genre: ya, contemporary, coming of age
rating: 8.5/10

B O O K S H O P *    |    G O O D R E A D S    

When I say that An Echo in the City changed my life, know that I don't say those words lightly. I was deathly afraid to pick this up initially because the 2019 Hong Kong protests hit really close to home. As a Taiwanese-American, you don't have to search too far on the internet to see the rising tensions and understand why my heart physically ached while reading this story. Phoenix and Kai find themselves on opposite sides of a growing political upheaval and each made decisions they think is best for themselves and their country, even if it risks ripping them apart. The tensions are so high I was getting chills and my heart felt like it was running a marathon. Amidst the chaos, an incredibly sweet but dangerous love story also begins to blossom.

While I had my fears going into this book, I also had some reservations - especially with knowing that Kai would provide insight into the police side of the protest. I loved how the author didn't try to justify the police or even humanize them for all the evil and pain they caused. We just saw Kai and saw his struggle to comprehend what was going on and how he feared hoping for a better alternative. An Echo in City goes beyond just a commentary on the protests themselves as both Phoenix and Kai became incredibly real individuals that represented a spectrum of uncertainty and societal failures on the younger generation. From the difference in social class privilege to familial expectations, reading their story was like getting hit in the heart and I understood their struggles more deeply than I anticipated.

It is really sad when something that happened only four years ago feels like a historical event and is constantly reflected in the current news as we have to continue to fight. My favorite line below absolutely destroyed me with the realization that as a child of immigrants, my parents have fought so hard for my future, and with the current state of the world, my generation now has to fight for them.

favorite line: We have each other. It is a sad day when only children are willing to fight for their future.

pages: 464  | source: physical/gifted from publisher
publication date: April 18, 2023
genre: adult, fantasy, sci-fi, action & adventure
rating: 7.2/10

B O O K S H O P *    |    G O O D R E A D S    

This book took me four months to read because I was petrified for the characters. I am the self-proclaimed queen of conflict avoidance and when I tell you I was anxious and unwell for Kenna and the squad, I was literally worried sick. The Blood Gift follows Kenna after going rogue and trying to find allies in an attempt to stop the war and impending genocide on her country by the Accacian Empire. After being Chosen by the goddess Amaka, Kenna knows her only course of action is to try and assassinate Accacia's bloodthirsty tyrant. What she doesn't expect is finding unexpected but equally as deadly allies and more power than she ever anticipated flowing through her veins.

I'm doing a lot of proclaiming in this review but N.E. Davenport is seriously one of the best plot/pace-driven authors I've read in a while. Once I sat down and actually got over my initial anxiety, I literally could not stop reading. The characters already went through hell in The Blood Trials and they go through it again in this sequel. There's blood galore (fitting since the magic is blood-based) and so many deaths, it's not for the faint of heart. As intense as the story itself is, I've also developed a fondness for everyone on Kenna's rogue squad, even Caiman who was absolutely insufferable in book one. This elite group of killers has somehow made it into my list of favorite found families because they're literally getting beaten down constantly but continue to stand their ground and have each other's backs. 

Dare I say I want more of this world after finishing the conclusion to this duology? The world-building was able to expand so much along with the magical history. It's a brutal ride and my heart literally died for the characters multiple times but it was absolutely fantastic.

I received a physical copy from the publisher -  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

favorite line: I'd go to war with the very cosmos to hand you that.

pages: 454  | source: physical, own
publication date: July 6, 2021
genre: ya, fantasy, fairytale & folklore
rating: 6.8/10

B O O K S H O P *    |    G O O D R E A D S    

With the prequel's release only a few weeks away, I finally sat myself down and finish Six Crimson Cranes and once again bow down to Elizabeth Lim for delivering an incredibly magical tale. Shiori is somewhat of an entitled princess at the start, loved by her father and brothers, and very unhappy about being betrothed. When she discovers her innate magical abilities, she hides them from her family until an incident reveals them to her stepmother, who is also hiding some magical secrets of her own. The Nameless Queen turns Shiori's brothers into cranes and curses the princess - for every word she speaks, one of her brothers will die. 

The inspirational fairytale is one that I've grown up with and always had a fondness for so it's no surprise that I loved how it was  spun something familiar into a brand new story. Shiori is incredibly headstrong and her character growth throughout all the trials of reuniting with her brothers and figuring how to break the curse hones her determined and stubborn personality. We're transported into the kingdom of Kiata as the disappearance of the royal heirs breeds unrest and Shiori finds herself in the middle of the chaos, with her magic tested and hunted. I would be lying if I didn't also acknowledge Takkan, Shiori's betrothed, who once again reminded me that Elizabeth Lim just writes male characters that raise the bar each time (I'm still not over Edan and now we have Takkan). Needless to say, the characters are easily lovable and with each revealed secret, I was cheering for Shiori to win.

Six Crimson Cranes weaves together familiarity with an Asian-inspired twist and creates a world full of characters that I've grown incredibly attached to and will be jumping into its sequel immediately because I cannot wait to see how their journey continues.

favorite line: I would tell you stories from dawn to dusk if it meant filling your eyes with happiness.

Forged by Blood is a fantasy adventure from debut author Ehigbor Okosun that follows Dèmi as she experiences the prejudices of being a magic-wielding Oluso and her journey to fight against a tyrannical society that seeks to wipe her people out. When she is tasked to kidnap the prince to help an Oluso regional lord gain a seat on the king's council, Dèmi's powers and strength are tested - especially when the mission reveals pieces of unfinished business from her past.

 isbn: 9780063112629  pages: 400
       publication date: August 08, 2023 | source: physical arc from publisher
      genre: adult, fantasy, adventure, Nigerian mythology/folktales
     rating: 6.5/10

     A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    
       B O O K S H O P *    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

I received a physical arc from the publisher -  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

From page one, the author introduces us to a world lush with magic and folktales inspired by Nigerian mythology and harshly juxtaposes its beauty with the cruel reality of the racist regime that is determined to destroy it. Dèmi is quick to act and dare I say a tiny bit hot-headed, but her intentions are good and she truly just wants to see the world become a better place. Even when her world is brought crashing down by her mother's death and her worldview becomes more vengeance-tinted, Dèmi doesn't stray from her ideals of wanting peace for her people.

Her compassion and sense of duty towards the other Oluso send her down a path of possible rebellion but also reunites her with someone from her past. Her journey exposes more of herself and her morals while she battles against time and uncovers truths that threaten her own survival. Despite being marketed as an adult novel, the characters felt more targeted towards an upper YA or NA audience because of how black and white everything was portrayed. The bad guys are bad (for obvious reasons) and the good guys are good, but there's a lack of morally grey characters to help sway the story. Not to say that every novel needs the whole spectrum, but I found myself being less convinced and almost worried by the idealistic goals of the characters as a result.

With that being said, I still rooted for Dèmi and her friends because of how much they believed. With all that is thrown their way, they refused to hope for a better world even when set against a colonial power that has brought so much violence and suffering. This just leads to an explosive ending with angry mobs and literal chaos raining down as Dèmi has to choose whether violence is the only answer or if peace is possible to achieve. And while the story itself wraps up nicely, there's room for the author to expand and challenge the characters which I am very intrigued about.

Forged by Blood is a fantastic story of hope in the face of tyranny and a solid introduction into a captivating world of magic and spirits. Despite being younger in tone than I expected, Dèmi is a strong storyteller and I am excited to see how her story and world will continue to grow in the sequel.

I received a physical arc from the publisher -  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

Chloe Gong's Immortal Longings is her adult debut and takes readers into a high-stakes competition where players must kill each other until a sole winner remains. Calla Tuoleimi has been in hiding ever since she murdered her parents in an attempt to start a revolution five years ago. Entering King Kasa's games is her only way to get close enough to the reclusive monarch in order to finish what she started and bring about the change the kingdom of Talin. 

 isbn: 9781668000229  pages: 384
       publication date: July 18th, 2023 | source: e-arc from publisher
      genre: adult, fantasy, retelling
     rating: 7/10

     A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    
       B O O K S H O P *    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

Set in a 90's inspired world, the capital city of San-Er used to be ruled by two families before Calla Tuoleimi committed parricide. Now ruled by King Kasa, the city is becoming overly crowded with poverty and crime running rampant in the streets while the nobility live their lives of luxury on the sky-rise floors. The yearly games invite the citizens of San-Er to enter into weeks of ruthless killing until one remains standing and this year, Calla finds herself as one of the chosen players. While the games start off in her favor, things become complicated when she learns of another outcasted noble, Anton Makusa, who is also playing to win.

Chloe Gong is incredibly talented in creating worlds that include complex politics and unlikely allies that strike up a tension-filled temporary truce. Calla enters the game with the plan to win on her own skills but finds herself aided by King Kasa's adopted son, Prince August, providing her with inside intel while she and Anton try not to kill each other. The stakes of the game are raised with the inclusion of jumping, a skill that allows an individual to "jump" into another person's body temporarily as a host. Anton is one of the best jumpers and utilizes this to his advantage as do many of the other players.

Throughout the novel, the recurring theme of revolution and what it means to overthrow a tyrant on the throne is explored as the characters grapple with their own moral compasses. Calla and Anton soon find companionship in each other that expands beyond their initial alliance agreements. As the number of players dwindles, they have to come to terms with where exactly their relationship with each stands in the grand scheme of their original goals. I loved seeing their relationship develop especially with how resistant they are to each other initially. The slow build and tension created a captivating dynamic that kept me hooked, I honestly could not stop reading.

Chlog Gong's first adult novel is immersive in its world-building and storytelling with characters that challenge and question what it means to bring about lasting change for the good of the people. With a cutthroat competition and stakes that seem to climb higher with each chapter, Immortal Longings is a fantastic start to a trilogy that I have no doubt will absolutely crush my heart in the best way possible!

I received an e-arc from the publisher through NetGalley -  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

Kelly Loy Gilbert's newest novel Everyone Wants to Know is a reflective deep dive into the digital world and the constant need for perfection. We get to see the toxicity of the Internet as well as the repercussions of fame through the lens of the Lo family. Honor, as one of the younger Los, has stayed relatively away from the spotlight and been content with participating in her family’s social media fame from the sidelines. With her family as her anchor and her friends by her side, being in the public’s spotlight is manageable. But secrets are soon revealed and Honor finds herself struggling to keep everyone and everything together.

 isbn: 978-1665901369 pages: 374
       publication date: June 13, 2023 | source: physical / tour
      genre: young adult, contemporary, family drama
     rating: 6.8/10

     A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    
       B O O K S H O P *    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

Someone explain to me how Kelly Loy Gilbert manages to hurt me every single time with her stories and how she manages to simultaneously make me feel seen through her characters despite having different backgrounds? This novel is truly the definition of Internet toxicity and we get to see firsthand how horribly nosy and entitled people can feel when protected by a digital screen. From the fans who claim to support the family, to the haters who are just looking for any sign of weakness to exploit, it really says a lot about our current culture and its dependence on being entertained by others.

I wish I had the time to go a whole deep dive and analyze how being in the spotlight has affected each Lo sibling and how they’ve internalized it, but we’d honestly be here for forever. In short, this family is both supportive and incredibly toxic towards each other and the author captures that dynamic perfectly. While the argument could be made that everyone is just trying their best, it’s fascinating to see the how each family member contributes to feeding the flames of the internet’s narratives. Seeing each of her siblings through Honor’s POV also reveals her desperate need to keep her family together. I loved being part of her journey as she discovers what being a Lo meant to her and how to develop her own moral compass when it comes to dealing with the Internet.

With the aftermath of her friends’ betrayal, Honor spends a lot of novel in a very isolating mindset and her connection with Caden  becomes a sort of beacon. They both are coming from a place of distrust towards the world and slowly realize through each other the gentle reprieve that comes from finding someone to be vulnerable with. I’m honestly a bit conflicted because while I love that we got to really focus on family, I also wanted more page time for Caden and all the others at Saint Simeon. With Caden, Honor finds a space to process her life and all the trauma her family has heaped onto her and Kelly Loy Gilbert’s writing just draws you into her inner turmoil. It’s painful but so cathartic because once again, the author has written a character who so scarily mirrors part of me that I did multiple double takes while reading.

With her fourth novel, Kelly Loy Gilbert establishes herself as a masterful storyteller in creating incredibly real narratives that show the process of real growth. With a fully intended pun, I left this book feeling honored to be part of Honor’s journey and it gave me hope in one day confronting some of my own unprocessed emotions. Everyone Wants to Know is a novel that follows the influence of family versus media and the journey of carving a space for yourself in the narrative of a digital world. 

thank you so much to Colored Pages Book Tours, Kelly Loy Gilbery, and Simon & Schuster for a chance to be part of this tour! be sure to check out all the other tour stops by clicking the banner above!

images sourced from unpexels