The first thing I have to say is I hope this series never ends because at this point, I am completely addicted to the storyline and its characters. With each new book the series just gets better and better. This book is a prime example of that, it provided more insight into the Wong families past and showed a complexity of emotions that gave each character a new level of depth. As well as with all the others in this series the author gives plenty of action and suspense that will make it hard to put the book down. I also loved the ending and its nice little love curveball. I can not wait to read more about Lily and her family. I highly recommend this book and series to everyone.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2022 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2022/01/readers-advisory-announce-2022-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

This is the 3rd Lily Wong book and they just keep getting better and better. The Ninja Betrayed is like Eric Van Lustbader's old ninja series from the 1980s updated for 2021. The first third of the novel is about business and corporate intrigue but it explodes into the kind of action Eldridge is great at writing our ninja Lily and her "particular set of skills" to Hong Kong where she addresses the riots and young people expressing themselves. As a character Lily has grown and changed from book to book as her experiences leave their marks (mentally, emotionally and physically) on her. While it would be helpful to have read the first books (both HIGHLY recommended), you could start her and still have a very enjoyable read. We need Lily to now make the leap from the page to our screens!

In book 3, Eldridge moves the setting for her Lily Wong series to Hong Kong. We now have the opportunity to see Lily's mother's side of the family on their own turf. The book takes place during the height of the Hong Kong Protest Movement (2019-2020). The overall theme is conflict. Conflict within the Ma's family, conflict with Lily's romance with Daniel, conflict with pro democracy movement and authoritarian reality, and most chillingly conflict with a strong criminal element that seems unstoppable.

Ma has been summoned to an in person Board Meeting. Her father, gung gung, refuses to be open with his daughter. Is Ma being pushed out of the firm? Lily thinks Daniel's business in Hong Kong is coincidental, but when she realizes he is related to one of the Board members, are there other motives? Lily has kept her ninja life separate from Ma, will protecting her in this setting be the way Ma will see Lily in a new light? For me, the most surprising re evaluation of a character from the previous books who has introduced the Triads into the series. Will this almost mythic criminal element become Lily's downfall?

A word of caution for those who may be hungry while reading this series. Eldridges' description of Asian cuisine, focusing on Hong Kong delicacies might find you pausing to order your favorite take out. It was either that or book a flight on Cathay Pacific and hope Covid disappears.

Full disclosure: I received this ARC from Netgalley and Agora books in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank your for this opportunity.

I really enjoyed the look into Lily's family life. overall, it was a solid story line, well written, and great pacing. I also am constantly in want of food while reading :) so many great dishes mentioned in this book.

4.☆

"First rule of defense: don't be there."

That's a difficult rule to follow for 25 year old Lily Wong, ninja and self-appointed protector of women. Lily works for Aleisha's Refuge as the women's shelter's tracker and defender. But this first rule becomes nearly impossible when Lily accompanies her mother Violet Wong overseas for a crucial board meeting.

Violet works as the Los Angeles director of the financial investment firm HKIF, which was founded by her father Shaozu Wong. Shaozu retains majority control of HKIF, and thus influence over his only child Violet, from Hong Kong. Despite Lily's grandparents' recent visit to California, a mysterious yet urgent board vote abruptly summons Violet. It's really not an opportune time to visit the former British colony as pro-democracy protesters continue to agitate and disrupt the densely-packed city of millions.

"Ninjas fought from the shadows, but they didn't hide."

Once in Hong Kong, Lily's protective instincts surge to the surface as the tension between her grandfather and her mother is palpable. Lily begins to investigate the other HKIF board members. Violence erupts, not just from the government's response to the peaceful pro-democracy protesters but also from incidents that are targeting the board members. Complicating Lily's emotions is the appearance of Daniel Kwok, the handsome and oh-so-eligible man who had begun dating Lily in California just one month earlier. Ever since the brutal murder of her 15-year old sister Rose, Lily has avoided the entanglement of men in order to grieve and avenge her sibling's death.

"Since when do you run from what's hard?"

The Ninja Betrayed is the best installment so far in this series as it is a total page-turner. (This can be read as a standalone.) Family has consistently played a significant role in the Lily Wong series, and this time the focus is on Lily's relationship with her mother. Conflict abounds on multiple levels as the generational and gender expectations among family members are exposed against the backdrop of Hong Kong's civic unrest. The detailed descriptions of the political situation and cityscape are evocative and easily immersive. All of Lily's martial arts skills are heavily put through their paces while Lily simultaneously avoids drawing the attention of the Hong Kong authorities. The recasting of a minor character in order to assist Lily as well as Lily's stealthiest endeavor, however, did seem a bit of a stretch. A bigger grievance though is the number of typos I found just in the first ten percent of the book. But what always increases my enjoyment is when an author can touch my heart. I've followed Lily Wong since her beginning in The Ninja Daughter and this character's emotional and mental journey is appealing and utterly relatable. I'm looking forward to the next installment as Lily appears to be bound for Shanghai.

Thank you to the author, Polis Books, and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotations are from the ebook (ISBN 9781951709365), which was published on September 14, 2021.

Lily Wong in The Ninja Betrayed transports us to a fantasy world that I would love to return to. Lily Wong is half Hong Kong Chinese but lives in the US. She agrees to accompany her mother to Hong Kong for a critical board meeting in her grandfather's company. We appreciate the subtle hints and language that the family and the business allies signal when Lily and her mother meet with the main shareholders. Lily soon realizes that the fight is more serious than expected and her mother's board seat is at risk.

The difference between what is said and what is meant is beautifully done. The scenes of the privileged life on Victoria Peak and the affluent areas of Hong Kong contrast with the intense protests against Mainland China's control over the island. Regardless of what Lily faces, she is a heroine in control of her environment, unafraid of physical risk, willing to face an overwhelming force, and quick to act. As we learn more about her history and demons, Lily Wong is someone that I want to spend time with.

Another great entry in the Lily Wong series! Lily and her mother travel to Hong Kong for a board meeting in her maternal grandfather's company, and discover things amiss. Lily's "secret identity" as a ninja who protects battered women has begun to erode when her father discovered her activities in the previous book. Her mother suspects that there's more to Lily than the college drop-out persona, but doesn't want to confront Lily's hazardous life as she's still grieving her younger daughter.

Lily uncovers many secrets in The Ninja Betrayed and must confront her feelings about herself and her family. This book kept me hooked until the last page...and I'm already impatient for the next book!

Thanks to Polis Books for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

Lily Wong finds herself in Hong Kong alongside her mother who has been summoned by her grandfather to attend an emergency board meeting. The trip has an air of tension, but Lily is looking forward to family reunions and the possibility of a romantic date or two with her new boyfriend, Daniel, who also happens to be in town. As the truth of the meeting comes to the surface, Lily finds herself investigating her grandfather’s business. When men with scorpion tattoos begin targeting Lily and those around her she realizes that she might be in over her head.

Last year I fell in love with Tori Eldridge’s character Lily Wong. She’s a badass modern-day ninja who uses her skills to work to save those in danger. While in the states she is familiar with her Los Angeles territory, this book finds Lily in Hong Kong where she must work double-time to unravel the mystery at hand. Eldridge does an incredible job of bringing the setting of this story to life and I instantly felt like I was racing down the streets of Hong Kong alongside Lily. Being able to feel fully immersed within the location of this book made it easy to reconnect with Lily and form a bond with our cast of characters.

One of the aspects I loved most about this book and the series as a whole is the way Eldridge portrays family relationships. Everything is incredibly genuine and the reader is able to see not only the tensions and disputes that happen in families, but also the deep love that thrives to keep them together. This familial bond helps to form the characters in these books and give them depth. Mixed with an exhilarating and mysterious triad that clearly have murderous intentions there’s a nice balance to the story. I loved my time with Lily once more and look forward to future installments in this series!

Who doesn’t love a modern day Ninja who can kick some serious a$$? When Lily’s mother is summoned back to Hong Kong for business, Lily is more than happy to tag along. While hoping for some sight seeing, meeting up with her new flame and catching up with family, Lily also gets thrown into some political turmoil as well as plenty of family drama. What is really going on with the family business? Can her ninja skills protect her and her family from murderous triads?

First of all, do not read this book while hungry!!!! I’m still salivating from all the delicious food in this book. This is the third book in a series and I loved learning more about the family, being transported to Hong Kong and following Lily’s budding romance with Daniel. A good amount of action, family dynamics, humour and witty banter made for a very entertaining read, perfect for readers of all genres!

Lily Wong’s mother Violet is called by her CEO father to attend an emergency board meeting in Hong Kong. Lily is happy to accompany her there and is looking forward to eating exotic food and spending time with her new boyfriend Daniel Kwok. Instead, Lily and her mother arrive in a city in turmoil as angry protests are ratcheting up. To Violet's shock, it appears that the entire board of directors is preparing to oust her as head of the Los Angeles division. Lily soon finds evidence of financial wrongdoings that involve the dangerous triads. When the teenaged daughter of her grandfather's driver Jing joins the protestors, Lily steps in to protect the naive young girl from danger. And with the surprising help of family friend and her dad's chef Uncle, Lily tries to negotiate a truce with the triad head. But Lily is not ready for a closer betrayal that will shatter her heart and affect the fate of her family's business.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Polis Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

If you’ve enjoyed Tori Eldridge’s two previous Lily Wong novels, ‘The Ninja Daughter’ and ’The Ninja’s Blade’, be prepared: Eldridge’s latest, ‘The Ninja Betrayed’, is an entirely different plate of dim sum.

Lily, for a change, is deep in the bosom of her mother’s Hong Kong family. Instead of her 18-speed racing bicycle, Lily gets around The Fragrant Harbor city in a Mercedes limousine, chauffeured by an affable and attentive gentleman named Tam.

Violet Wong, Lily's mother, Director for Los Angeles and the US for her father’s investment firm, is summoned to an important board meeting at its Hong Kong headquarters. Violet asks Lily to travel along to spend time with her maternal-side family. Strange comments and evasive answers about her mother and the business alarm Lily.

Signs and portents become ever more clear; a replacement waiting in the wings is rumored. A palace coup may be staged to depose Violet Wong and remove her from the corporation. Why? How? By whom? When? To mix languages and metaphors, there is a thick fog wrapping the question “Cui bono?” As to the title betrayal, there may be more than one. Surprises and plot twists continue to the very last page.

A puzzling mystery as well as an action thriller, ‘The Ninja Betrayed’ is strongly recommended.

Lily Wong is in Hong Kong with her mother - and she's in for a lot of surprises. Turns out the board of her grandfather's company, is about to take a vote and it looks like her mother will be pushed out. But why? Lily, who usually spends her time protecting abused women, turns her ninja skills to protecting her mom, especially once it becomes apparent someone is out to get her. This blends corporate intrigue with Hong Kong politics with triad activity and kept me, like Lily, guessing. Oh, and Lily's father who owns a restaurant back home, falls and hits his head. Oh and Lily learns a secret about Uncle Lee, who works fo her dad. And there's a little romance. I loved this for the Hong Kong atmospherics (oh those switchbacks and the food!) as well as for the complex story. Eldridge has effectively merged the topical (the protests) with family dynamics and well, lots of other stuff. It's also funny in spots. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I adore this series but think this would be fine as a standalone. I'm eager to know what happens next.

The Ninja Betrayed is the 3rd in a series of novels featuring Lilly Wong. Although this is the first book I have read, I felt right at home and believe the author includes more than enough background information to catch you up on the action.

And there is a lot of action! Lilly Wong has the ultracool job of defending women escaping abuse at a local shelter. A modern day Ninja, she has all the tools to defend herself and others and does so in the memory of her sister who was murdered 7 years before.

In this book Lilly travels to Hong Kong to accompany her mother who has been called home by her father to
discuss family business. Very quickly elements of espionage ​and

The descriptions of food, shopping, culture and intrapersonal family relationships were fascinating. I love learning about other cultures through novels and this book provides lots of information that I had never come across in other China-based novels. They mystery was well crafted and I was dying to know what was going on right until the end. My only complaint is that the romance was a little too YA. I didn't buy Lilly's lack of a romantic life or the reason for the lack. It detracted from the story a bit.

Overall, loved this story and recommend it to anyone looking for a strong female character in mystery and action genres. The author has done a fantastic job creating characters that I would like to follow. I will definitely going back to read book 1 and 2! Thank you to #NetGalley and #Agorabooks for this arc in exchange for a fair review.

Tori does it again! This time Lily Wong goes to Hong Kong! I love following her on her Ninja adventures! She has quite the task in Hong Kong and some family issues. She’s smart and brave and willing to protect loved ones. It’s a great read! If you haven’t, read the whole series!

I've been lucky enough to receive arcs of all 3 books of this series by Tori Eldridge, and was so excited to get a copy of the final book in the series. Tori is a passionate author who infuses so much character into Lily, the main character of the series.

In this last installment with Lily, we see her still fighting to balance the elements of her life while she fights to both help her family and work on her relationship with her new boyfriend. As usual, the reader can't help but be behind her 110% as she uses her ninja skills to protect what matters most to her.

Highly recommend!

In The Ninja Betrayed, the third book in the Lily Wong series, Tori Eldridge brings the exotic city of Hong Kong to life with her vivid imagery of towering skyscrapers, lush gardens, and mouth-watering delicacies. Filled with high personal stakes, dangerous triads, corporate intrigue and the wondrous possibilities of a budding romance, this action-packed adventure is a great addition to the series. Looking forward to book four!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

This is the third installment of the Lily Wong series. A modern day ninja vigilante for women and children who are in abusive situations. In this book Lily and her mom travel to Hong Kong. I like that we learn more about Lily's mom and grandparents. I'm looking forward to the next boom, but hope we return to the US. This series is starting to feel more and more like Ava Lee, but that isn't what I want.

I also hope the editor does a better job - lots of sloppy mistakes (muscle tea should he muscle tee).

Really glad the author provided enough background to catch me up as I hadn’t read previous entries in the series. Lots of action plus personal relationships make for the recipe of a good story.

The third installment in the Ninja series does not disappoint. There's plenty of action and more romance than unusual, which is a good thing. I really enjoyed how the family dynamic is evolving; I even cried at one point, which surprised me! The plot gets a little complicated, but the author stops and recaps it for the reader, which was really needed. There are plenty of great fight scenes and a balanced perspective on the relationship between China and Hong Kong. I've been watching the news lately, but I really enjoyed a personalized take on the situation; I think it helped me to get a more nuanced understanding of the current unrest. Lastly, as always, the book is a foodie's delight. Fans of the series, enjoy!