I was given an arc of this in exchange for my unbiased review of the book. Thank you Netgalley for the arc.

This book takes place 4 years after the events of Our Violent Ends. It follows Rosalind Lang, Celia Lang (formerly known as Kathleen Lang), and my favorite surprise- Alisa Montagrova. In addition to these, there are a few new ones which I loved each and every one. It is so hard to choose a favorite character.

As for the plot, I loved it so much. It was way different than These Violent Delights (which I also loved). I loved the aspect of spies, missions, assassins, etc. It does integrate a small fantasy element but is explained by science. I would label this as YA fiction. It kept me hooked the entire time. Though the book is on the longer side, I didn't feel like it dragged on.

The relationships in the book were *chefs kiss*. Orian and Rosalind are similar in more ways than they think. When they meet, Rosalind instantly dislikes him, and Orian is drawn to her. As the story continues, they begin to find comfort in one another. HE CALLS HER "BELOVED" AHHHHH. Celia and Oliver's relationship is so cute. Though they do not communicate their feelings to each other, every scene between them was sweet. Phoebe and Silas are funny but cute.

Every time there was a reference to the These Violent Delights duology, I got giddy. (I love those books if you couldn't tell).


Chloe Gong is a genius and I love her writing style. With that being said, I NEED THE NEXT BOOK LIKE NOW! <3

Foul Lady Fortune was an unforgettable read that had me infatuated from page one.

With a deranged killer running rampant in the streets of 1930s Shanghai, secret missions being carried out from all sides, and a fake marriage between our vigilant Fortune and her playboy counterpart, what could possibly go astray?

The book centers around our main character, Rosalind, as she not only fulfills her mission, but also struggles to become one with the person that her past has molded her into. Her character in this book had me rooting for her and screaming at her from chapter to chapter.

This plot is like none other with reveals and secrets waiting to be unveiled from every dark corner you pass. The tension and pace doesn’t let up for a second.

I want to go back and read it all over again.

The cast of characters each felt very authentic and fleshed out, I had the time of my life going along with their (often troublesome) choices. Orion is one of my new favorite book boys!

I truly believe this to be Chloe Gong’s best work to date and cannot wait for more from this duology.

It's 1931 in Shanghai, and Rosalind Lang is trying to make up for her past. No longer able to age or sleep due to an experiment that saved her four years ago, she's now an assassin for her country. She uses her newfound skills to make up for her traitorous past. Now, she's known as code name: Fortune.

When the Japanese Imperial Army starts to invade, Rosalind's mission changes. Now, she must infiltrate a foreign society to see who is committing mysterious murders happening in Shanghai. However, as a part of her new mission, she must post as a wife of Nationalist spy Orion Hong. As the two attempt to work together, Orion is also determined to find out about Rosalind's past. A past she wants to stay buried.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of Foul Lady Fortune to review! This is a spinoff series of Gong's duology from last year, These Violent Delights. If you enjoyed Gong's writing in that series, you'll definitely love diving into this new one.

While you don't have to have read These Violent Delights to understand what's going on in this book, there are spoilers included. Just a heads up! It also makes some of the other character cameos more satisfying. In general, I think it adds more to the story if you already know what went on up until this point. But I digress!

This is pitched as a retelling of As You Like It, so if you're into those Shakesepare retellings, Gong does some of the best. For this one, she definitely adds that historical thriller intrigue. A spy and an assassin working together? Sounds like another series I'm a fan of (Spy X Family, if you're curious!). But this one definitely isn't as lighthearted.

I will say, Gong takes a while to get going in any of her novels. The starts are pretty slow, but once the action picks up, it picks up. It was hard to put the book down for the second half of the book. You'll definitely be hooked!

All in all, if you like historical retellings of classics with unique spins, definitely pick this one up when it comes out!

A beautiful continuation of the These Violent Delights world; Chloe Gong has done it yet again. I loved this new take on As You Like It, and even more so how Rosalind got her own story, and a redemption arc!

Chloe Gong has done it yet again! I was so excited to hear that Rosalind gets her own story! After OVE, I wasn’t the biggest fan of her but this book made me completely have a change of heart about her! Lots of character development that I really loved.

On top of having secret spies in 1930s Shanghai, Chloe Gong threw in the fake dating/marriage trope! Loved the chemistry between Orion and Rosalind. This book was definitely one I really enjoyed and can’t wait for the next one to come out!

This is the first book of a new duology, but I would recommend reading both These Violent Delights and These Violent End first. Lady Fortune Foul has some spoilers and some of the same characters appear. The other books also give a lot of background in regards of the society and the political background.

Lady Fortune Foul is about Rosalind Ling (Juliet’s cousin) and it’s 1931 in Shanghai. She was brought back from the dead yeas ago by an experiment that stopped her from sleeping, aging and heals all of her wound. She is now an assassin under the Nationalists, but when targeted killings begin to spread, she has a new mission. She is forced to play the role of wife of Nationalist, Orion. They must join forces to infiltrate a foreign society and find out what’s going on before more people are killed.

If you enjoy the world of gangs and espionage then this one is for you. The story is slow burn but the writing is amazing. It’s historical fiction with fantasy woven throughout. The characters are dynamic and complex. There is mystery and a sprinkle of romance. The ending was a shocker, and I can’t wait to read the next one.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to read Foul Lady Fortune after reading the These Violent Delights duology not so long ago. It was a unique and engrossing story, as is this new book. The story weaves history, fantasy, and Shakespeare in such clever and seamless ways. The world-building is rich and immersive and vivid, and the symbols, imagery, and foreshadowing add so much to the story.

Stylistically it’s like These Violent Delights in its carefully woven plot and powerful, thought-provoking words and scenes. I love Gong’s way of telling a story, slowly unraveling and exposing the characters and taking the story to unexpected places. I also appreciate the little nods to Shakespeare and his plays, particularly As You Like It and Romeo and Juliet. Added to that, the dark, ominous tone and a plot filled with suspense, murder, assassins, spies, lies, manipulation, romance, and brewing war make for an exciting read.

Initially, I thought the story was a little slow. It kind of reminds me of House of Earth and Blood in that way. The beginning didn’t immediately suck me in, but the story as a whole was amazing. Political intrigue abounds as Gong presents a 1930s Shanghai setting and two undercover agents posing as a married couple to uncover a serial killer. The story begins several years after the conclusion of Our Violent Ends, and it was exciting and a bit bittersweet to come back to this world. I adored many of the characters in TVD and was so happy to see they had roles in this book.

The cast of characters, some from TVD series and many new ones, are fantastic. Layered and complex, they all have such intriguing stories. Rosalind shows so much growth as she faces her immortality and seeks redemption for her past actions. I have to admit, I didn’t really like Rosalind in the other books, but she was fantastic in this one. Snarky, grumpy, and alone, Rosalind is also a survivor and one who fights to redeem herself throughout the story. I like that her story delves into her past, her mistakes, and what led to her detrimental decisions. It presents a well-rounded view of a complex woman.

I like Orion too, and how his playboy attitude and reputation contrast with the person we get to know. He is the sunshine to Rosalind’s grump, and their chemistry is fabulous. The way they bicker and banter is angst-filled and as complicated as the characters. I also like that though they are opposites in many ways, they actually share many similarities and connect on a deep level because of it.

Celia, Oliver (LOVE them!!!), Phoebe, Silas, Alisa, and so many more also have compelling stories, and it’s easy to become invested in each of them. I can’t wait to read the next book to find out what happens to them. Their relationships, connections, and romances (LOVE them all!!!) are sure to change after some of the shocking revelations and events that unfolded.

I would definitely recommend the book to readers who enjoy YA fantasy, especially if they read and loved the These Violent Delights duology. The suspenseful plot, the amazing characters, the fantasy elements woven together with history, the Shakespearean elements, the writing, THE LOVE STORIES!! There’s a lot going on and a lot to enjoy in this addition to the TVD world. And that ending!! Oh, my word, that ending! So good!

Thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I loved being back in this world. I missed the glamorous gang lifestyle from the originals but the political intrigue mixed with science experiments gone wrong rang true to the original duet. Al the characters I wanted to see were back in action bigger and better than before.

I loved Rosalind's perspective, the glorious Shanghai setting, the twists, the dynamic between characters, the espionage, and the era!
Orion is a dreamboat, and the chemistry between himself and Rosalind was a spicy treat. The slow burn romance wasn't drawn out, but it was achingly heartfelt and sprinkled through with great witty banter. The plot was face paced and fun and left me wanting more.

Plot: 8/10
In the aftermath of the Nationalists taking power and dissolving of the two ruling gangs in Shanghai, Rosalind grapples with her past actions. On top of that, she has been granted practically immortality through a dubious experiment; she no longer ages, and hardly any injury is enough to kill her. She now utilizes her skills under the Nationalists as an assassin with the code name Fortune, but when targeted killings begin to spread, she is forced to team up with another Nationalist, Orion, to infiltrate a Japanese company and find out their motives.

I actually like the plot of Foul Lady Fortune more than Gong's previous duology. It seems that this book embraces the fantasy side of historical fantasy a bit more, and I kind of just enjoy how almost ridiculous this story is. It's far-fetched and unbelievable at points, but I personally like it that way. Especially since I want a lighter tone in this book as it's based on a comedy (As You Like It).

Rosalind and Orion are trying to discover why these chemical killings are happening, and you'll probably figure it out early on. The context clues are a little overkill. I will say, there is a great plot twist around 2/3 through the book. It's predictable in a very good way, the way that makes the reader feel vindicated that they were right. I, unfortunately, came to that part and then had to put the book down, and I was truly thinking about it until I could pick it up again.

The big thing I didn't like was that Rosalind's newfound immortality is gained entirely off-page. Apparently, she got very sick and Celia took her to a doctor of dubious morality who then turned her immortal. It's glossed over for the most part, which felt rather odd to me. Other than that, it was predictable but a lot of fun. (Bonus! There are some allusions to some characters I didn't think we'd be seeing again!)

Characters: 9/10
It's hard to root for Rosalind. Most of the readers of this book will likely have read These Violent Delights before, and—spoilers—Rosalind betrays Juliette and Roma in that one, pretty severely too. She doesn't get closure, and that is reflected in her character this book. Her past actions haunt her to the extreme, which I loved. Despite my initial aversion to her, getting to see her side of things and the intense manipulation she went through; it was all just done very well. It also gave a good reason for her hostility towards romance, which was actually done right; Rosalind has a genuine, personal reason to not want to be romantically involved with Orion and she doesn't immediately throw it out the window. It takes a while for her to even consider it, and then everything goes to shit anyways.

Speaking of Orion, he was pretty flat for the most part, but I have high hopes for book two. Gong really put this poor boy through a lifetime's worth of trauma in the last fifty pages of this book, and he's going to be all kinds of screwed up in the sequel. As for the romance, all I will say is that Miss Gong is definitely reading Stucky fanfiction in her spare time, especially considering that ending.

This book also sees the return of other beloved characters, such as Alisa and Celia who are also coincidentally assigned to coinciding assignments by the communists. Even though it is very convenient, I liked the decision since I do love these characters. Personally, I am rooting for a book focused on Alisa.

Writing Style : 10/10
As I've mentioned before, I love Chloe Gong's writing. It's detailed, flowery, and a great medium for descriptions. It's not for everyone—I know people who have DNF'd because of the writing—but this style is one of my favorites. I think it especially contributes to the atmosphere of the setting since everything is so vividly described. Sometimes certain settings, particularly historical ones, get away from me in that I forget the time period and can't properly picture things. I've never had that issue with Gong's books. Also, I just enjoy long-winded writing sometimes.

Overall: 9/10
I really enjoyed this book as a high-stakes fantasy, even if it did feel a bit ridiculous at times. I liked that Gong leaned into the comedy of the original play, even if the story itself is pretty serious. I think if she'd done another tragedy it wouldn't have been able to distinguish itself from her previous books. The story itself was separate enough but Rosalind's character development was based on other books, so there wasn't a complete divorce. Rosalind as a character is very well done, but I'm hoping for some more depth to Orion. As always the writing is stellar, and I do think the pacing has improved from Gong's previous works. Although it has its faults, I liked this book and I think it shows that this author will only continue to improve.

First thing first.. I highly recommend reading These Violent Delights and Our Violent End before picking up Foul Lady Fortune. There are major spoilers for the TVD storyline and I feel like the world building/history that comes from TVD is necessary to understanding the complex political background in FLF.

I always find it interesting when an author takes more or less one of the worst side characters in novel and tries to make a redemption story for them. Is Rosalind on the same level as Nesta? No.. but she's not my favorite, that's for sure. In fact, if I were to put together a ranking list of all the major TVD side characters she would be at the bottom. It makes reading these redemption stories hard as I tend to have more negative feelings towards the characters than positive. I find I often have to over come my negative feelings before I really appreciate the growth the story gives to the character.

Foul Lady Fortune very much falls into this pattern for me. I greatly enjoyed it, but ultimately I loved TVD more. This might change upon re-read, especially once the duology concludes, but for now its a soft 4 stars.

The beginning of FLF was extremely captivating. I'm a sucker for the sneaky assassin stuff and experiencing Rosalind go through the process of her new role was great. I wished there were more scenes like that through out the book, but I have hopes for the sequel.

As always, Gong excels at her side characters and if pattern repeats, I believe we'll get more exposure to them in the second book. Celia and Oliver are just... ugh. They are SO good, I wish they were the main romance. I'm insanely curious about the paths both Phoebe and Alisa will take. Phoebe starts off as a fairly minor character, but something about her POVs really draws you in (really similar to how Alisa was in TVD). I am truly excited to see where her story will go.

Ironically the least interesting POVs were Rosalind and Orion. I think its due to the fact that I'm not totally convinced of their feelings for one another, Orion in particular. There are some cute scenes between the two of them that had potential, but none of the oomph you get in the scenes with Celia and Oliver. I recognize that their circumstances are different, but that's always what makes it a little unbelievable for me. Its too quick. Roma and Juliette had history, Oliver and Celia had history and Gong is really so good at building that history into romance that the it makes the intensity of feelings between Orion and Rosalind a little too insta-love.

The world building is fantastic, complex because of the three political factions at war with one another. I really love how Gong handles history and weaves a story within it. It all feels well researched and grounded. The overall pacing is good. Its starts of a bit slow and then really takes off in the last 30% - which will ultimately leave you needing book 2 asap.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Confession: I was lucky enough to receive a digital arc via NetGalley and was thrilled! This premise (spies in Shanghai in the 30's? A grumpy demisexual x manic train-wreck bisexual having to be fake married?? YES) had me intrigued. The only thing is...I still haven't read the previous duology (These Violent Delights).

So it took a minute to work out details and get familiar with the characters and storyline. It wasn't until I reached the 50% mark of Foul Lady Fortune that I felt myself really get invested. Despite the slow start, I was unable to put it down once I got over halfway through. And by then, it just snowballs in intensity until we reach THAT ENDING! I have to wait a year until the next book comes out? I could scream.

While the pacing was off in some places, I think the main reason for withholding a 5 star rating is the lack of investment in the details surrounding these likable characters. I'm not going to lie, the mix of Nationalist VS Communist VS Japan's invasion of Shanghai had me a bit confused in some parts. It was a lot to sort out while trying to place each character's role within those titles as well. While I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between Orion and Rosalind (I know the multiple POVs helped form the plot but I was always eager to get back to these two!), I couldn't shake the feeling that this book was written less as a book manuscript and more like a script for a Marvel movie. Nothing wrong with that (some of the action scenes have that cheeky Marvel humor it's hard not to compare), but I don't think it's my preferred writing style. Personal preference though, so I still highly recommend this book for others to check out.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, especially once I got halfway through - the pages started flying by then! I'll definitely be eager to read the next book once it comes out. Now that the plot is established, the twists and turns have been made, shits going to go down in the concluding book, and I'll be impatiently waiting to find out what happens!

OMG Chloe Gong you are AMAZING!

I absolutely loved this book!

If you want my full review please check out my video

https://youtu.be/1BRgsOpSD8I


This book definitely has the same atmosphere that TVD and OVE had! I really loved reading rosalind's part and watching how her and Orion developed. I honestly couldn't read this fast enough!

First, I’d like to say thank you to @netgalley for my ARC of this book. I found myself wanting to learn more about Shanghai as I read about Rosalind’s adventures as a 1930s spy. I love a good whodunnit, and I found myself changing guesses every chapter or so; Gong really kept me on my toes. I feel like Gong also did well by her characters; they felt authentic, and I appreciated that she could show some of the downsides/concerns of immortality and other genetic changes. I didn’t know much about the Nationalist/Communist/Imperial war over territories in China, so this left me wanting to learn more. I don’t want to share any spoilers, but I will say that this book was addictive; I found myself engaged and had no desire to put it down each time I started reading it. If you love mysteries or historical fantasy, I suggest snagging this title when it releases later in the month 🔎🔪

*3.5 stars*

I love Chloe Gong. Like, to the degree that when someone asks me to name my favorite authors, hers is one of the first I say, no hesitation. THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS and OUR VIOLENT ENDS destroyed me in the greatest of soul-shattering ways. So I came into FOUL LADY FORTUNE ready to be absorbed into the same world that once orbited Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov with the MOST enthusiasm and anticipation.

And I was really let down.

The premise is great. Rosalind as immortal and seeking redemption through vengeance is an extremely strong hook. Then her being paired together with Orion as a husband-wife duo that are really undercover spies? Awesome.

But on paper it all just kind of fell flat. I never once found myself rooting for Rosalind and Orion to be together — their internal monologues, chemistry and interactions just didn't really evoke much of anything. They also progress so SLOWLY, and not in a good, will-they-or-won't-they tension-building kind of way. There's some development toward the very end of the book, but by that point, I wasn't even sure why I was rooting for them, or if I was.

Beyond that, the murder mystery was compelling – and who ends up being behind it, better still — but the multilayered spy network, with everyone double-crossing everyone, was difficult to follow. I found myself re-reading passages to make sure I was understanding everything correctly.

Major highlights were actually the side character POVs (which honestly isn't something I say often). BIG FAN of the scenes with Celia and Oliver (might have even liked the book a lot more if they were the focus?), and the dynamic between Phoebe and Silas was cute. Alisa Montagova showing up and crossing paths with Rosalind was another positive addition. And did my heart break a little every single time our beloved former MCs Juliette and Roma were mentioned? Yes, yes it did. (But it also made the book all the better. JUSTICE FOR J+R!!!)

Of course, the best part of FOUL LADY FORTUNE is Chloe Gong's unbelievable writing style — she makes every word in every sentence come alive, and for that alone, this was a joy to read. Will I catch the sequel? Most likely — if for no other reason than to sob my way through more haunting tributes to Juliette and Roma.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.*

Spies, magical science, and assumed identities abound in Chloe Gong's new, Shanghai-set adventure based loosely on Shakespeare's As You Like It. Rosalind Lang survived death due to an experimental serum that has given her immortality, and now works as an assassin for the Nationalists, wiping out former members of the White Flower gang aligned with the Communists. Assigned a new mission with Orion Hong, Rosalind investigates growing Japanese influence in the city while the Japanese Army moves into Manchuria. Exciting, dynamic, and glamour-filled, Foul Lady Fortune is a great read for lovers of intrigue and adventure. Though reading Gong's previous duology helps, it's not necessary to enjoy the ride.

I received an ARC of Foul Lady Fortune from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I hate giving three-star reviews, especially when I enjoy the book. And I did enjoy Foul Lady Fortune. The story was interesting, the writing was beautiful, and the characters were fun to read about.

Honestly, who can resist a story of spies and assassins? Not me. I will say that I was expecting more killing and less spying, but at the same time, I ended up not minding. It was enjoyable to watch how Rosalind tried to spy rather than just kill everyone she came across, though she did do a little of that too. And the writing itself was beautiful. I loved the language, how it was written, and the integration of many different languages. Granted, it was a little confusing because not all of the phrases were translated or placed in spots where you could figure out what the characters were saying, but it didn’t happen so often to become distracting.

The characters themselves were a curious bunch. I thought that Rosalind and Orion were fantastic, and they related to each other in a way few could: they were trying to make up for past mistakes, whether their own or their family's. This gave them the motivation that some characters lack in recent books I've read for why they do what they do. If I'm not convinced that an average person in that situation would do what the character is doing, then that character is highly unrelatable and, frankly, hard to read about. But Rosalind and Orion were compelling, and they felt real.

Now, as much as I enjoyed the book, there is the matter of the two stars missing from the picture.

Let me start by saying that if you have not read Chloe Gong's previous books ... good luck. That's the boat I'm in, and man, was I wholly and utterly lost. Apparently, Rosalind was a pivotal character in the previous series (These Violent Delights), which I did not know going into this. So, for everyone who is thinking about reading those but want to read Foul Lady Fortune first? Don't. I was so confused. I had no idea that this book connected to the previous ones and there are spoilers out the wazoo for the ending of that series since this book takes place, I believe, four or five years later. I can't remember exactly. I won't give anything away, but I almost don't even need to read that series for all the backstory Foul Lady Fortune gave.

Even with all of that backstory, I was still very confused. This story occurs in the middle of a power struggle between the Nationalists, the Communists, and the Japanese Imperialists in the city of Shanghai, China. It took me a ridiculous amount of time to figure out which side was which, who was doing what, who was where, who was with who ... The list goes on and on, honestly. The first third to half of the book was just a jumbled mess of "I don't know what in the world is going on." Once you get used to it, it's all fine and dandy, but until then, you might sit there and scratch your head a little.

Two last things I kind of had a problem with. One: so. Many. POVs. I think I lost track of how many people's heads we ended up in. Rosalind, Orion, Phoebe, the killer, some random omniscient POV, Alisa, Celia, I think we ended up in Oliver and Silas' heads too. I can't remember. There were so many. I won't lie; I did understand why we were in their heads. It was just a lot.

Two: Predictability. I knew who the killer and Priest were about halfway through the book. Granted, I didn't know the details about how or why, but I knew who they were. The one thing I didn't know was who was behind it, and that surprise almost made up for being able to figure everything else out. But I was sad when I found out that I was right. It really sucks when you know where everything is going halfway through.

All in all, I did enjoy Foul Lady Fortune and highly recommend it. I'm excited to see where the story goes after because that cliffhanger was brutal.

Chloe Gong has done it again - written an action packed gripping new YA book. You will not be able to wait for book two after reading this. With the way her last duology ended, I didn’t think I needed any more from the “These Violent Delights” (TVD) world - I thought it ended perfectly - but boy was I wrong. This redemption arc for one of the characters was definitely needed and a fun twist in this fantasy world that she has built. I didn’t really care for Rosalind in the TVD world but Chloe has really shown a new spotlight on her that is sure to make readers fall in love with her.

I just finished this book and my brain has turned into mush - but in a good way. The last 100 pages had me losing my mind and asking “How could you do this to us Chloe?” while also wondering “Why Chloe, WHYYY?!”.

Let’s start with the basics: this book follows one of the characters from her first duology (TVD) a few years after the second book ends. I would highly recommend you read that duology before reading this one - I enjoyed it and Foul Lady Fortune definitely has big spoilers to that series sprinkled throughout. It follows Rosalind Lang, cousin to the female main character in the TVD series. Honestly, you won’t really care for Rosalind after TVD but it does give you a lot of context on her character and what happens in the world to set the stage for this book. The book takes place in 1930’s Shanghai and other areas of China, so the book is set in a more urban setting.

Rosalind is a very blunt and no-nonsense character. She is on a personal mission to redeem herself from her traitorous past while also wanting to protect the city she loves. She ends up feeling very similar to the main character of TVD - Juliette - just as deadly but a lot less cocky. It was refreshing to get a chance to read from Rosalind’s point of view and understand her better through this series.

On the other hand, Orion is a brand new character to this series and is your rich, influential playboy type. He is skilled at seducing others in order to gain intel for the Nationalist cause and uses his party boy image to his advantage when going undercover. He is on his own personal mission of redemption and grows very suspicious of his partner.

In addition to Rosalind and Orion, we also get a cast of other characters that have their own agendas and add to the overall mystery that is terrorizing the city. The author does a great job giving each character their own story that makes you feel for the characters and character interactions that really emphasize each character’s personality. The reader is sure to fall in love with the characters in some way or another through Chloe’s writing.

Chloe writes in a third person omniscient point of view following different characters and sometimes even panning out towards anonymous characters and scenes happening separate from the main story line. It is like those scenes in mystery tv shows where they show something bad or scary happening but you cannot see who is doing it. This style of writing is very easy to follow as she jumps to different characters and locations throughout the story line while also giving the reader enough insight into all the characters to grow very attached to them.

This book has themes of redemption, finding purpose in life and figuring out the boundaries of what you will do for your cause.

When reading this you can expect slow burn romance tropes like fake relationships and enemies to lovers mixed with some superhero and spy action along with mystery solving clues. Although the romance is slow burning, the plot is medium paced and you will get some great plot twists with a few moments of slight emotional damage sprinkled in.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys young adult historical fiction with a bit of Sci-Fi and Fantasy elements. I would not recommend this to someone looking for a more traditional fantasy with magical powers/creatures or a fantasy world. I would also recommend this to anyone who enjoys slow burn romance with fantasy elements but would not recommend this to someone who is looking for more realistic romance or contemporary romance books. Lastly, I would recommend this if you enjoy mysteries but not if you are looking for a more traditional or more thriller mystery read. Although this book is marketed as speculative fiction retelling, I think this book has a lot of fun elements and tropes that it can appeal to many different readers and their individual preferences.

I would like to thank Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Margaret K. McElderry Books and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest review.

This is spoiler-free review. Thank you to Simon&Schuster and NetGallery for providing me with this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
(rounded to 5 for goodreads’ sake)

TL;DR: Orion Hong thoroughly abuses the words “my wife” and “beloved” for 500 pages straight and I love it so much.


“This is an age of consumption, time speeding away on American flavors and jazz, French literature and a sea of lost cosmopolitan love”

I read an arc of this book back in July in one sitting, and I can say that it fully lives up to the hype and cements Chloe Gong as one of my favorite authors. As someone who really enjoyed the TVD duology, I think Foul Lady Fortune allows her to demonstrate her strengths in character interactions and world building and to really show off her skill in gorgeous line-level writing. Some lines I won’t share because of potential spoilers took my breath away, while others had me laughing out loud. I love that she maintains the rich historical storytelling of her previous books and I think it speaks of great planning,skill, and care on her part, and elements of foreshadowing add to the overall richness of the story.

“A city reborn is a city traumatized.”

I think the book has a solid plot, although at some points it may be slightly confusing as to what everyone is doing since there are so many spinning threads. But still, there seriously were twists that I only figured out half a page before the answer was revealed. Besides that, my only real complaint and the reason this is 4.5 instead of 5 stars is that I felt the secondary relationship, (Oliver and Celia) felt a little forgotten about, which is a shame, because they had a lot of potential.

‘“Shh,” Celia interrupted, both because she had heard something and because she took joy from telling Oliver Hong what to do.’

I didn’t quite understand where they were in their relationship development, and where they were going. Also, there would be a chapter from their perspective in the middle and then suddenly they were gone until the end of the book when all threads needed to come together. It’s not something I noticed too much while reading, hence only the half star off, as I was very distracted by Rosalind and Orion, but when I thought back for this review, that definitely stuck out. I was a bit disappointed by it as I felt invested in Celia and Oliver’s story and their relationship, and we all know that Miss Gong excels in secondary relationships (BenMars anyone??).

Now that we’re through all that, let’s talk about the rest of these characters. Orion is hilarious, masking his insecurity and fear with arrogance in a way that is rather endearing. Silas was rather cute and Phoebe was another fun addition and is one of those characters you can just tell is in for something more, similar to Alisa. Although Phoebe and Alisa are both younger sisters of the leading man, Chloe Gong was able to not fall into a character format and they remain distinct, which I liked. I’m sure that there are others that I’m forgetting, but I did enjoy that each character seemed unique and fleshed out and none of them seemed like they were there for no reason.

“Orion couldn’t stop looking at her. Those determined eyes and the set of her brow. Artists would scramble to paint a face like that onto their war posters. Render her expression in vivid enough lines, and the sight alone could lead the world into battle.”

And finally, my girl Rosalind. As someone who didn’t particularly care for/grow attached to Rosalind in the original duology, I was surprised when she was announced as the protagonist of FLF. But, I can say that I am so glad she was. The stunning character development, taking her from something broken and fairly unlivable to passionate and intense, intertwined with the fun and occasionally ridiculous plot line of fake marriage, creates a profound juxtaposition and a full bodied story.

All in all, as I said I read this in one sitting (didn’t even stop to eat) in about 6 hours and I left it with a 4.5 star rating and an immediate need for the second book. The pains of an arc is that the first book isn’t even out yet, let alone the second.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Simon&Schuster for this e-arc

Content Warning: violence

I have to be honest and say I struggled with the beginning of this book because of the mystery and spying going on but wow does it pick up at the ending! Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:

+ We are back in Shanghai but way after Roma and Juliette are gone. This time we are in the thrall of Rosalind’s story – if you remember from the first series and how it ends, things didn’t go so well for Rosalind. This time though she has a chance to do more with what she is left with. And Aliza is in this story, she’s older now and a spy in her own right.

+ The new cast of Orion, Oliver, Phoebe and Silas is wonderful! I was more interested in Orion and Phoebe though since Oliver was on the other team with Celia (Rosalind’s sister).

+ Rosalind and Orion really grew on me. They are assigned together on a mission and have to be in a fake marriage. I love how their relationship grew and by the end I was emotional about what was happening to them.

+ The story gets good at the end! Like that alone makes me want to read book two asap. I’d say more of the action starts midway into this book and into the second half.

~ The beginning is slow – because it starts off like a mystery and moves at a mystery pace. A lot of the politics, which I was interested in during the first series, was lost to me in this book. Now there are communists, Nationalists and the Japanese trying to fight over Shanghai and a lot of that stuff went over my head. I

Tropes: fake marriage, spy romance

Spice Level:

Why you should read it:
*if you loved These Violent Delights and want to return back into that world
*sweet relationship between partners Rosalind and Orion
*the second half of the book is suspenseful and action packed – it was the best part of the story in my opinion

Why you might not want to read it:
*beginning of the book is slow and it was hard for me to get into
*all the politics made it hard to follow who was on which side

My Thoughts:

I’m sad I struggled through the first part of this one since this is one of my highly anticipated reads – it was a two and a half/three star read until the 50% mark came into play. The ending was what I was hoping most of the book would be like…well, maybe not most haha, but it is a long book and the beginning was promising and then went into slow, mystery mode. I enjoyed seeing old characters and meeting new ones. The romance that is growing between Rosalind and Orion was fun to see because they were in a fake marriage but by the end I was totally invested and only want the best for them. I look forward to reading book two!