#Joan He

[jessread-s]

Thanks to @fiercereadsya and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

✩🌬️🪷Review:

An explosive conclusion that won’t let you come up for air.

Picking up where “Strike the Zither” leaves off, “Sound the Gong” follows Zephyr, now a god in a warrior’s body, as she pays the ultimate price to see her lordess Xin Ren succeed in ruling over the three kingdoms.

This book takes a darker turn with more betrayal, more scheming, more politics, and more death. My heart was racing as Zephyr slowly unravels Crow’s master plan and discovers where his loyalty truly lies. With a deeper understanding of his motivations, I found myself looking back on every move he made in the previous book with fresh eyes and marveled over Joan He’s craft.

Zepyr is ruthless in her pursuit of taking fate into her own hands. She stays true to her character in not deviating from her mission of putting Ren on the throne, but her act of cutting down whoever is in her way toes the line of villainy and makes readers question whether the harm she inflicts is justified by her noble cause. As the author puts it, Zephyr isn’t a “shining hero” and I loved her all the more for that. I was rooting for her to the very last page.

As a ZephyrCrow fan, the ending of “Sound the Gong” shattered my heart, but it fits the story well. The bonus epilogue is what put me back together again (available on the author’s website - you won’t want to miss it) and left me feeling hopeful. Both endings are satisfying in their own ways and wrap-up the duology nicely.

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

#strike the zither #sound the gong #joan he #kingdom of three #kingdom of three duology #kingdom of three series #zephyrcrow #pan qilin #zhou senru #xin ren #gao yun #huang lianzi #chinese fantasy #ya retelling #ya recs #ya romance #ya fantasy #morally grey characters #found family #booklr #book blog #book blogger #bookish #book review #young adult romance #young adult fantasy #bibliophile #book rec #bookaholic #bookworm

[arcadialedger]

Do yourself a favor and go purchase ‘Descendant of the Crane’ by Joan He.

Not only is the cover beautiful, but the publisher withheld money from the author after the initial hardcover (left) release and she could use the support in the new paperback publishing (right)

Not to mention, the characters are beautiful!

#descendant of the crane #joan he #young adult #ya #fantasy #the arcadia ledger

[mydarlinginej]

read my full review of sound the gong by joan he here.

From New York Times and Indie bestselling author Joan He, comes the dazzling and sweeping conclusion to The Kingdom of Three duology, Sound the Gong, the breathtaking sequel to the critically-acclaimed Strike the Zither.

All her life, Zephyr has tried to rise above her humble origins as a no-name orphan. Now she is a god in a warrior’s body, and never has she felt more powerless. Her lordess Xin Ren holds the Westlands, but her position is tenuous. In the north, the empress remains under Miasma’s thumb. In the south, the alliance with Cicada is in pieces.

Fate also seems to have a different winner in mind for the three kingdoms, but Zephyr has no intentions of respecting it. She will pay any price to see Ren succeed—and she will make her enemies pay, especially one dark-haired, dark-eyed Crow. What she’ll do when she finds out the truth—that he worked for the South all along…

my review:

After adoring Strike the Zither, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the sequel. I was so nervous to start it though; I got an ARC months and months ago, but I knew Joan was going to break my heart like she always does. Sound the Gong certainly pulls no punches and leaves you stunned by the ending.

This review contains spoilers for book one, Strike the Zither.

Still in Lotus’s body, Zephyr continues to scheme in secret from her place alongside Ren. She’s still facing Miasma as a threat and reeling from the betrayal of Cicada and Crow. But for all her plots, can she really go against destiny and the will of the gods?

I knew that the original idea was to just have one, long standalone book, and I think you can certainly tell that it was split in half here. This book picks up pretty immediately after the first book’s ending, but thankfully the author has written a recap, if you’re like me and don’t have time to reread the first book. This was extremely helpful although I do kinda wish I had reread Strike the Zither anyways just because it would’ve immersed me in the world more.

read my full review here.

#sound the gong #strike the zither #joan he #kingdom of three #book reviews #reviews #booklr #mine #link

[slaughter-books]

Day 16: JOMPBPC: Naked Hardcovers

#justonemorepage #jompbpc #naked hardcovers #descendant of the crane #joan he #the rest of us just live here #patrick ness #the wicker king #k. ancrum #the sunbearer trials #aiden thomas #beautiful books #beautiful covers #amazing authors #lgbt+ #tweety bird #i love books

[bookgrotto]

#descendant of the crane #joan he #booklr #book photography #book photo shoot #my photos

[pancakepoet]

#iron widow #strike the zither #joan he #xiran jay zhao #xjz #chinese history #chinese #zhuge liang #zephyr #yes i know why #i know there are more examples #it's for the MEME

[angelsaxis]

At first I wasn't feeling this book but.....damn this is CRAZY

#angel posts #descendant of the crane #joan he #angel reads descendant of the crane

[bookishintherain]

⭐️Book Review: The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He⭐️

TL; DR:

I definitely recommend this book. Give it a chance if you enjoy Black Mirror esque sci-fi tales that draw you in and make you think.

Full Thoughts:

To start, I don’t think the dust jacket cover does this book justice. It just doesn’t sell the book, and is a huge reason why I’ve put off reading this. I’ve seen a lot of people say they love the cover, and while it’s pretty, it just does NOT fit the book in my opinion.

So this sat on my shelf, collecting dust, until I finally read the blurb inside and found myself interested. This was a sci-fi book? And not some book club fiction book? Colour me intrigued.

And then I started reading and was instantly hooked. You get the two perspectives of Cee and Kasey as they both are working towards the same goal in completely different ways and from their own unique angles. The sci-fi future the author designed is interesting and unique and yet all too affected by human nature.

Cee is a positive, kind, talkative character and her island survival endeavors have you rooting for her success as she tries to find a way to find Kasey.

Kasey, while not personable like Cee, is quiet and thoughtful and her mind is a machine that seems to be able to solve any problem. She’s pragmatic and while I can’t say I liked her, I was more than intrigued at where her plans and investigations would lead.

And the ending left me so conflicted in the best way, and I think it was a perfect end.

#bookish thoughts #books & libraries #booklr #the ones we're meant to find #joan he #book reviews #five star reads #bookish #fiction #bookstagram #rainy reviews

[dracereads]

Spring Scavenger Hunt  🌸

OH! This was such a blast @agardenandlibrary; I really appreciate the tag. Thank-you. (I added a twist, I made it all Asian Authors cause it’s May)

🌸  A book that starts with S: Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

🌸  A book with birds on the cover: Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

🌸  A book with an insect on the cover:  Heaven Official’s Blessing (Tian Guan Ci Fu)  by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (Thank the Heavens for Hua Chang and his butterfly incarnation)

🌸  A book with flowers on the cover: A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

🌸  A book that takes place at Spring time: Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

Tagging: Oh. curses. this is what I hate about being new to a community. I need to chitchat with more people. If you want to do this, then you’re more than welcome to say I tagged you. Also if you do it feel free to tag me so I can see. @thereadingchallengechallenge if they haven’t yet!

#heaven official's blessing #peach blossom spring #mxtx #Melissa Fu #A Magic Steeped in poison #Judy I. Lin #Starfish #akemi dawn bowman #Descendant of the Crane #Joan He #Tagging challenge #tag game

[richincolor]

It's getting very cold in my part of the world, so I thought it would be fun to compile a list of books I want to read this winter with a hot beverage and selection of snacks. What's on your TBR list?

Strike the Zither (Kingdom of Three #1) by Joan He, illustrations by Kuri Huang Roaring Brook Press

The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty, and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne. The realm has fractured into three factions and three warlordesses hoping to claim the continent for themselves.

But Zephyr knows it’s no contest.

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the best strategist of the land and serving under Xin Ren, a warlordess whose loyalty to the empress is double-edged—while Ren’s honor draws Zephyr to her cause, it also jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed. When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp to keep Ren’s followers from being slaughtered, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, an opposing strategist who is finally her match. But there are more enemies than one—and not all of them are human. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds Roaring Brook Press

What’s more important? Knowing the truth or keeping the peace?

Seventeen-year-old Avery Anderson is convinced her senior year is ruined when she's uprooted from her life in DC and forced into the hostile home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. The tension between Avery’s mom and Mama Letty makes for a frosty arrival and unearths past drama they refuse to talk about. Every time Avery tries to look deeper, she’s turned away, leaving her desperate to learn the secrets that split her family in two.

While tempers flare in her avoidant family, Avery finds friendship in unexpected places: in Simone Cole, her captivating next-door neighbor, and Jade Oliver, daughter of the town’s most prominent family—whose mother’s murder remains unsolved.

As the three girls grow closer—Avery and Simone’s friendship blossoming into romance—the sharp-edged opinions of their small southern town begin to hint at something insidious underneath. The racist history of Bardell, Georgia is rooted in Avery’s family in ways she can’t even imagine. With Mama Letty's health dwindling every day, Avery must decide if digging for the truth is worth toppling the delicate relationships she's built in Bardell—or if some things are better left buried.

Friday I'm in Love by Camryn Garrett Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Mahalia Harris wants.

She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend Naomi. She wants the super cute new girl Siobhan to like her back. She wants a break from worrying--about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.

Then inspiration strikes: It's too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a Coming Out Party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms.

The idea lights a fire in her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the Coming Out of her dreams. But it's not long before she's buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English Lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia's party be over before it's even begun?

A novel about finding yourself, falling in love, and celebrating what makes you you.

#strike the zither #we deserve monuments #friday i'm in love #joan he #jas hammonds #camryn garrett

[judgingbooksbycovers]

​Descendant of the Crane

By Joan He.

Cover art by Sija Hong.

#Descendant of the Crane #Joan He #Sija Hong #animals #books #book covers #cranes

[jessread-s]

✩ 🪭🐦‍⬛Review: 

A gripping fantasy that will pull the rug out from under you.

“Strike the Zither” follows Zephyr, one of the best strategists of the Xin Dynasty, as she infiltrates an enemy camp to keep her warlordess Xin Ren’s followers from being slaughtered. When she finally meets her match in Crow—an opposing strategist—Zephyr must take fate into her own hands to ensure her survival and change the tide of the war. 

Joan He’s fantastical storyline draws inspiration from the Three Kingdoms period of China, which drew me in and sparked my interest in the source material. I really love how the author’s reimagining has a predominately female cast because of the strength the characters exude and the dynamics that are at play in the novel. The reluctant found family that forms between Zephyr, Xin Ren, and Ren’s two fierce generals showcases their starkly different personalities and how they work together in the name of honor and duty to claim the continent.

I LOVE Zephyr and Crow’s relationship arc! I found it so unique and refreshing because it isn’t your typical enemies to lovers romance. Yes they are enemy strategists that fall in love, but they prioritize their causes over their own feelings. They would rather die at the hands of each other than give in to their desires if it means winning the war. Their relationship is so toxic, but I couldn’t get enough of the tension, mutual pining, secrets, betrayals, and scheming. I was endlessly entertained as I tried to anticipate who would come out on top in their battle of wits, but nothing could have prepared me for that ending! 

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

#strike the zither #kingdom of three #kingdom of three duology #joan he #zephyrcrow #panqilin #zhousenru #xinren #gaoyun #huanglianzi #chinese fantasy #ya romance #ya retelling #ya fantasy #morally grey characters #found family #book review #book blog #book blogger #booklr #bookish #young adult fantasy #young adult books

[bookishlyvintage]

Happy Map Monday folks!

[The Book: Strike the Zither, Joan He]

#strike the zither #joan he #descendants of the crane #the ones were meant to find #fantasy #map monday #books #reading #booklr #studyblr #bookblr #fantasy map #current read #book review #book lover #book nerd #ya fantasy #duology

[wishesofeternity]

“I’ll live without the blessing of the skies. I will seize what I like, whether they think me deserving or not. Isn’t that what it means to be a god?”

- Strike the Zither by Joan He 

#strike the zither #joan he #words #book quotes #queue #the book was very YA but i really liked this quote lmao #mine #books

[the-infitesimal-stars]

“We’re all so transient. We live and we die; we forget and we’re forgotten. The earth claims our bodies and strangers claim our names. Only empresses are remembered—and the ones who kill them. The ones who break empires, or restore them to their rightful rulers.” — Pan Qilin, aka Rising Zephyr, in Strike the Zither by Joan He

#the style of this book isnt really for me but i appreciate it nonetheless #zephyr is a fascinating character #strike the zither #joan he

[bookgrotto]

#strike the zither #joan he #book photography #book photo shoot #booklr #my photos