Peasreads: Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai

 

Tesia Tsai has woven a story so beautifully that I read it in two days. A story about duty, honor, love, letting go, and holding on. Fighting for what you love and knowing when to let go is best. Siying is a priestess who is tasked with guiding the deceased to their resting places. She lives in a kingdom that is in the midst of war. She takes on a job to bring a soldier to his home across the border. The soldier turns out to be the missing crown prince. When she reanimates him, he comes to life. Though not completely, she soon finds out that he needs qi to actually stay alive. They set off on a journey to bring him home, gathering purified qi along the way.

I do hope @illumicrate it @fairyloot will do a special edition of this one I can't wait to have a copy on my bookshelves.

Description

A sweeping debut inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy, Deathly Fates is perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, The Bone Shard Daughter, and A Magic Steeped in Poison.

As a priestess paid to guide the deceased home, Kang Siying has never feared death. But when her beloved father collapses, Siying realizes that even she is not free from the cruel grasp of mortality. Desperate to provide her father with the medical aid he needs, Siying accepts a dangerous job that promises a generous commission, and travels to a hostile state to retrieve the corpse of a missing prince.

But the moment Siying places her reanimation talisman on the dead prince's head, rather than make the corpse obedient to Siying's commands, the talisman brings the prince back to life. Worse, he won't stay alive for long—not unless he absorbs enough qi, or life force, to keep his soul anchored to his body.

In return for a reward worth twice her original commission, Siying agrees to aid the frustratingly handsome prince in finding and purifying evil spirits for their qi. But as they journey across the countryside, encountering vengeful ghosts and enemy spies alike, they gradually uncover dark secrets about the prince's death—secrets that could endanger both Siying's father and their entire kingdom.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: The Dragon Wakes with Thunder

What an amazing conclusion to this duology!

Rounding up to 4 stars. I loved the first installment and the character development. This second installment was good but I started to dislike some of the characters. I found it hard to forgive them for past actions. I understand that no one is perfect, but there are deal breakers. Still the story was good. There was a lot to keep me interested. I loved how this duology ended. It was sad though to lose a character I liked 😭

I can't wait to have my hardcopy in hand to complete my collection. 

From the publisher

The war may be over, but Hai Meilin is still paying a heavy toll. In spite of securing victory for the kingdom of Anlai, she is imprisoned upon her return. Her crime? Wielding a sword as a woman.

In the palace, Meilin is an outcast and a social pariah. But beyond the imperial walls, the legend of the woman warrior has taken on a life of its own. To the east, a new rebel leader needs Meilin to helm his people’s revolution. In the south, a former enemy prince, now a prisoner of war, seeks Meilin’s aid in restoring balance to the Three Kingdoms. And back home in Anlai, Liu Sky, Meilin’s commander and first love, requires Meilin by his side in his bid for the throne.

Pulled in all directions by those who seek to use her for their own ends, Meilin vows that this time, she will not be so quick to trust. Yet there is one she cannot help but listen to—for he dwells within her.

Beyond any human machinations, the sea dragon Qinglong has his own plans for the spirit realm. During the last war, Meilin wielded his power to cheat death and attain victory for Anlai; now the dragon has come to collect his dues. Meilin’s mother warned her long ago: The spirits demand blood. And Qinglong is ravenous

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Penguin Random House I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are  my own. 

Peasreads: The Demon and the Light by Axie Oh

The conclusion to The Floating World by @axieoh is fantastic. We meet up with Ren and Sunho along with "side" characters that all have just as much personality as the two MC. I was happy to read about all of them and their stories. I didn't find myself skimming over paragraphs to "get back to the real story". I enjoyed all of it. 

I can't wait for my pre order copies to come in

From the publisher:

Sunho from being overcome by the monstrous power in his blood. Now he's gone, transformed into a feral, deadly creature that doesn't even recognize her anymore, and her heart aches for the sweet boy she's grown to love.

But the escalating war will not pause for her grief. Seen by some as a heavenly savior and others merely a figurehead to be manipulated, Ren must use all her courage and cunning to survive the royal court's game long enough to find Sunho and bring him home before he loses himself to the Demon forever.

Also by Axie Oh

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

The Floating World

I'm so glad I was chosen to read this conclusion to this duology. 

Thank you @netgalley @macmillanusa and @Feiwel & Friends for this egalley. I was not obligated to leave a review.

Peasreads: The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim

Magical. Just as good as and maybe even a smidge better than the first book The God and the Gumiho. Seokga is ever the moody, trickster who has searched for Hani's reincarnate. When he finds her she not only doesn't remember him but she is almost the opposite of Hani. Watching Seokga fall in love with  Yoo Kisa for who she is was such a treat.  Sophie Kim is quickly becoming a must read author for me.

Description:

In this swoony sequel to The God and the Gumiho, a trickster god must work with his reincarnated lost love to solve his brother’s murder on board a luxury underworld cruise ship.

Seokga the No-Longer-Fallen is working on himself. Reinstated as a god, the trickster now attends much-needed therapy, even as he desperately searches for his lost love, Hani. But when the red thread of fate tangled around his finger—signaling Hani’s reincarnation—leads Seokga to a luxury cruise down the river of the dead, the woman he finds waiting for him isn’t Hani . . . she’s Yoo Kisa, and she has no memory of him.

Yoo Kisa is exhausted with her afterlife. While she’d hoped the underworld would be peaceful, whoever she was in a past life racked up quite the karmic debt, and now she must pay it, working thanklessly aboard the SRC Flatliner. Even worse, the red thread wrapped around her pinky followed her into the underworld . . . and although her fated partner has found her, he seems to find her lacking.

When the heavenly emperor is murdered aboard the ship, Seokga and Kisa must solve the crime before the cruise ends. As the mystery draws them closer, the god and the gwisin will have to decide what they truly mean to each other. But there’s something bigger at play aboard the SRC Flatliner, something that holds the key to Kisa and Seokga’s fated connection—and the fate of the mortal and heavenly realms.

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are  my own. 

Peasreads: The Floating World by Axie Oh

I already have this book on pre order and I just finished this e galley.  

This is a beautiful reimagining of the Korean legend of the Celestial Maidens. 

Axie Oh builds amazing worlds and has such interesting characters. The setting:The Floating World, the Underworld, and every where in-between in this book are detailed in description, unique, yet also familiar. Children playing in the streets, a favorite noodle house, buns being sold during a festival. It's all magical but also familiar. 

 The MC are both so likeable. Ren and Sunho were mature, brave, kind. Their friendship grew without drama from pettiness. It was refreshing and so healthy. The side characters were also likeable. Other than the bad guys that is. 

Such a great book if you liked The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Castle in the Sky, and Daughter of the Moon Goddess. You'll love this one. 

I cannot wait for the second one. 

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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for this egalley. I was not required to leave a review, all opinions are my own.

Peasreads: Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan

 Each time I read a Sue Lynn Tan book I'm memorized that written text can be so colorful, rich, and saturated with beauty. Just from the descriptions of the settings, the clothing, the food. Everything pops off the page. Immortal is no exception. Set in both the human world and the Celestial Kingdom the story is about a mortal, Liyen who is ruler of the Tianxia kingdom. All she wants is freedom from the gods who once protected her kingdom from a threat that is no more. Unlike the rulers before her, Liyen's grandfather has given her a bargaining chip. Something that the immortal queen desperately wants that he stole. After the death of her grandfather Liyen must pledge her kingdoms loyalty to the immortals. However she has a different plan. To win her people's freedom. 

I highly recommend this book. It's beautifully written. The story is exciting and the characters are amazing. 

From the publisher

 A stunning, standalone romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, of a young ruler who fights to protect her kingdom, from bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan and set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

What the gods did not give us, I would take

As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdom’s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia. 

Upon her grandfather’s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal… even if it means losing her heart. 

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for this e galley. All opinions are my own

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are  my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: THE NIGHT ENDS WITH FIRE by K.X. Song

 

Get ready for epic storytelling. I've heard so much buzz about this book. It's in my read next que. Mulan? Yes. Magic? Fantasy? The Three Kingdoms? Yes. Yes and YES please. Plus one of my favorite authors is singing praise about it:

“Sweepingly epic and tenderly romantic, The Night Ends With Fire

is a fiercely feminist adventure about a young woman fighting to

shape her destiny in a world of lore, magic, and war.”

—AMÉLIE WEN ZHAO, New York Times bestselling

author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

From the publisher:

Infused with magic and romance, this sweeping fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan follows a young woman determined to choose her own destiny—even if that means going against everyone she loves.

The Three Kingdoms are at war, but Meilin’s father refuses to answer the imperial draft. Trapped by his opium addiction, he plans to sell Meilin for her dowry. But when Meilin discovers her husband-to-be is another violent, ill-tempered man, she realizes that nothing will change for her unless she takes matters into her own hands.

The very next day, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place.

In the army, Meilin's relentless hard work brings her recognition, friendship—and a growing closeness with Sky, a prince turned training partner. But has she simply exchanged one prison for another? As her kingdom barrels toward destruction, Meilin begins to have visions of a sea dragon spirit that offers her true power and freedom, but with a deadly price.

With the future of the Three Kingdoms hanging in the balance, Meilin will need to decide whom to trust—Sky, who inspires her loyalty and love; the sea dragon spirit, who has his own murky agenda; or an infuriating enemy prince who makes her question everything she once knew—about her kingdom and about her own heart.

About the Author

K. X. Song is a diaspora writer with roots in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Raised between cultures and languages, she enjoys telling stories that explore the shifting nature of memory, translation, and history. She is the author of An Echo in the City and the forthcoming The Night Ends with Fire, her adult fantasy debut. You can learn more at kxsong.com

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Peasreads: Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen

 

This book took a lot of work to get into at first. There were times I picked it up and only read a chapter or so. There were other times when I couldn't wait to keep reading. However, it took me a bit to really want to keep reading. This isn't the author's fault. The world she has built and imagined is very cool. It just didn't pop off the pages for me. I like the main characters. I appreciate that Ye-Yang wasn't a clueless prince., I like him the most. Ying herself is smart and resourceful. This is a great start to a YA fantasy (trilogy I believe?) I DNF but will keep reading. I just wanted to get this review up before the date of publication. I like it enough to have a special edition on the way and I will read the next book. 

Description

Mulan meets Iron Widow in this thrilling silkpunk fantasy about a girl who must disguise herself as a boy and enter the famed and dangerous Engineer’s Guild trials to unravel the mystery of her father’s murder.

Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune. 

Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own. 

The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?

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Thank you Netgalley and  PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for this galley, I was not obligated to leave a review. All opinions are my own.

Peasreads: The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

One of my favorite reads so far this year!

This story about a Korean diety (Seokga)

who has lost everything and is sent to the moral world to earn his powers and position back. His job is to catch demons that tried to help him take over as top god. He is on the hunt for a notorious gumiho. 

The Gumiho, Hani is a nine tailed fox. She is powerful, witty, smart, funny.  She inserts herself into the investigation to throw Seokga off her trail. 

These two characters are fun, snarky, smart, and determined. It's a battle between two strong characters both with everything to lose. Will they risk it all in the end? 

The flow of this book is a good steady one with some twists. In the end I was surprised. I cannot wait for the second installment.  If you like folklore, mythology, kitsune\gumiho, Asian stories read this book! I will definitely add this title to my personal library.

 

Publisher description. 

They'll do anything to outsmart each other. Anything, except fall in love.

In this delightful Korean contemporary fantasy, a fallen trickster god must pair up with a coffee-slinging, shapeshifting fox to track down a demon of darkness before it devours the mortal world.

Kim Hani - the once-terrible gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox - spends her days working at a café and trying not to let a certain customer irk her.

Seokga - a trickster god thrown from the heavens for his attempt at a coup - spends his days hunting demons and irking a particular gumiho.

When a demon of darkness escapes the underworld, and the Scarlet Fox emerges from hiding before quickly vanishing, Seokga is offered a chance at redemption: kill them both, and his sins will be forgiven.

But Hani is prepared to do anything to prevent Seokga from bringing her to justice, even trick her way into his investigation. Anything, that is - except fall in love . . . 

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I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: Fathomfolk (Drowned World, #1) by Eliza Chan

Folklore, mythology, magic, mystical creatures, East and South East Asian vibes. This book is a great read if you like all of these things. It is the first in the Drowned World series. Fathomfolk live in the depths of the Ocean that has become polluted by humans, and some of them live among the humans. Fleeing the polluted waters as refugees. They are seen as less and looked down upon. This story touches on classism, racism, and how different people deal with living in these conditions. Mira the half-siren tries to do things "by the book" though she is well aware that the humans are oppressing all Fathomfolk. Nami the dragon is a little hot-headed, she wants change, and she knows the source of her people's pain. She joins an extremist group. 

Both will have to decide if change is worth the price they each will pay. Stakes are high, lives are lost. Freedom the goal.

Such a fantastic book! I highly recommend it.

 Description

Revolution is brewing in the semi-submerged city of Tiankawi, between humans and the fathomfolk who live in its waters. This gloriously imaginative debut fantasy, inspired by East Asian mythology and ocean folk tales, is a novel of magic, rebellion and change.