Tag: romance

Review: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

My Review:

I have been waiting for this book since I first heard about in. In part, because I like the folktale Sim Chung and the River Dragon, and have written my own retelling of it.

And I really enjoyed this retelling of it. I loved the lore and the myths. I loved the different takes on imugis. I loved the twists. I love the theme of family and love, and family ties that last beyond death.

I can’t wait to see what author Axie Oh writes next. (And seriously, this book will look great next to mine on the shelf.)

Have you read The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea? What did you think?

What are some of your other favorite retellings?

Review: Spin the Dawn

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia makes the ultimate sacrifice and poses as a boy to take his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors in a cutthroat competition for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the unthinkable final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the sun, the moon, and the stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this fantasy novel is not to be missed.

My Review:

This is the second book I’ve read by Elizabeth Lim. I really like her writing growth between this one and Six Crimson Cranes. I also grabbed the Unravel the Dusk to start reading.

Spin the Dawn is a beautiful story about love and family. I knew straight from the opening that this would have an epic romance. I was not disappointed. Maia would give up the sun and moon for Edan, and he would do the same for her.

I can’t wait to see where the next book takes me.

Content alert: There is a scene with off-the-page/fade to black sex. And another scene with heavy kissing and necking.

Review: A Bright Heart

Published on by Erica

Blurb:

What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes.
 
Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps.
 
As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right.
 
Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again.
 
But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined. 
 
She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love? 
 
Master storyteller Kate Chenli introduces a singular YA heroine in this vividly rendered and utterly original new fantasy series. 

My Review:

The cover caught my attention as I love Asian based fantasy.

I waver between a 3 and a 4 star on this one, but by the end, I really loved this book.

Mingshin wasn’t that likable in the beginning. Yes, she’d been wronged. And she had good character growth. By the end, she was both likeable and admirable. (And I really really want to read the next book.) And I was rooting for Jeih from their first meeting.

Things to be aware of:

First is the minor foul language. (The a and b words.) There was only a few usages, thankfully. Does not really support the setting or feel of the story, but you understand why.

Secondly, too many lines went into what could have been epic kisses. Less is more.

This story does hint at a lesbian romance between Yunle and Fei, but it is both respectfully and tastefully handled.

Now, I think the next book will be an epic conclusion. If it’s anything like current C-dramas, and with the talent this author has for storytelling, I expect it even. (Don’t let me down!)

I received an ARC via Netgalley.