Rating: 5 stars

For everyone who loves their heroine scarred but badass, their hero powerful, lethal but with a deliciously wicked smile, their world rich, filled with action and myths that transport you to a different continent, in a different time: this book can't be missed! It's Korean history and mythology at their finest.🤌

This was my first venture into a Asian/Korean world but it will definitely not be the last! So magical, unique, whimsical and deadly. Different from everything else out there but at the same time, having everything we hope to find in our fantasy books.

A heroine with a difficult past who is forced to travel into a land of powerful creatures, set to kill their leader; court politics, intrigue, killing plots, action, adventure and a hero who pushes all her buttons and who makes her to want to kill him more every day - or get closer to him for all the forbidden reasons. A hero who can end the world on a whim, but who finds a spark and someone worth living for. These two... I can't even. 🙆‍♀️👌🤤

It has ALL - let me repeat that in case you didn't get it the first time: 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐒! !

Tropes:

✔️Badass stabby heroine (assassin!)
✔️Immortal scary but yummy hero
✔️Enemies to lovers
✔️Forbidden love
✔️Slow burn
✔️I came to kill you
✔️Forced proximity
✔️Banter
✔️Sword to the throat
✔️Who did this to you?

I wish I could read it for the first time again.🥰🥺

I can't wait for this book to become all the rave! I want it to be a bestseller. I want it in special edition boxes with sprayed edges and foiled covers. I want reels and aesthetics. I want it on favorite lists. I want bonus chapters from HIS pov. I want a fangroup where we can all swoon and squeal over best scenes.

Totally recommend to all fantasy lovers out there, it's a very unique story, with strong characters and beautiful, imaginative writing. Add it to your TBR and preorder asap. You're welcome🤗.

Many THANKS to Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read this gem!

Last of the Talons reminds me a bit of Uprooted by Naomi Novik, though in truth they seem nothing alike. And yet, both are about young women who are taken away from what is familiar and put in a situation where the person in control is older and more powerful than they are. I’m not going to call it Stockholm Syndrome, nor am I going to call in instalove, because that is not what is going on here.

Last of the Talons is a romance, in the sense that there is an enemy to friend or lover vibe going on from the start. But beyond that, they are both two very different stories. It is just the feeling of a being more powerful that has control of your life, that makes me wonder why both women tend to fall in love with someone who could kill you in an instant.

This is not to say I didn’t enjoy this book. I actually found it quite thrilling, and wanted to know how it would all turn out. Lina is a thief, and an assassin, who gets on the wrong side of another gang, and is forced to steal something that is important to an ancient immortal, Rui, who just so happens to want it back.

But he is also bored, and curious about Lina, so he takes her to his realm and offers her a challenge. Kill him, and he will let her go back to her own place and time. And if she doesn’t, she will be killed.

The world building in this book is based on Korean folklore, and is quite rich and interesting. The situation that Lina finds herself in is very much a Catch 22. She can not win, or so it seems. Because this is the beginning of a duality or trilogy, there are some things left unfinished in the end, but that just makes you want to read the next book when it comes out.

This is apparently the author's first published book. So well done.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. </em>

I almost dnfed Last of the Talons at like 30% and I am very glad I was not stupid and did not do that! It's very rough at first because the main character has a lot of self hatred/guilt, and it honestly felt depressing being in her head.
But then Rui happens. And then dagger to the neck happens more time than I can count. AND THEN WHO DID THIS TO YOU TROPE HAPPENED!
I am still screaming. This book served enemies to lovers on a steaming gluten free platter just for me. Also I liked the way her character arc ended up, it made it all worth it. This book was just satisfying. I don't feel like we got much from any of the side characters though and they could easily be expanded on.
I recommend to all my enemies to lovers friends.

<i>I received this ARC thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.</i>

<b><i>The Reaper of Sunpo does not fall, </i> Yoonho whispers. <i>Death does not die, and neither will you, Shin Lina.</i></b>
Beautiful cover, intriguing description, and a bucket of korean fantasy was what invited me to read this book. And What can I say, it delivered. I'm honestly surprised how could I not expect to acquire another bookish husband to my harem after lecture, but if you're listening Rui please feel very welcome to the family!
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<b>"Is it my fate to always be subject to another's will?"</b>
Lina works hard to make a living for her and Eunbi, baby sister she adores. Recently loosing her gang to homicide, now she has to be under command of the very person who stands behind it. Hiding hatred away, she completes another mission of stealing a supposedly forgotten tappestry from some rich man. Turns out it's still precious to him, and she gets caught. Now not only she's got a deadline to retrieve the man who's her biggest enemy so she could have her sister back, she also makes a deal with the mysterious Dokkaebi who's the owner of the tapestry, to kill him within two weeks. This, or she'll be killed herself. If only one could slay immortal so easily, sadly life's hard and so is the game of assassin.
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<b><i>There is power in being apologized to, </i>I realize. <i>I do not need to forgive him</i>
So I don't.</b>
Hate to admit it, but this whole deadline thing, at least the reason behind it, was my least favourite part of the story. I was much more invested when the immortals court appeared, and I was gracefully sipping the tea when Lina was struggling to not turn her dying game with the emperor to a simple lovers affair. It felt like I was sitting beside Rui, watching her join the rebels, seeing one after another plan of assassination fail, and whispering "that's cute" over my delicious tea. Rui, you're the best partner to do so, please invite me for some more! Lina had to make all these attempts, while working in the kitchen she was asked too, and managing to go unseen by the emperor that followed her every step, trying to invite her for another outing.
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<b>"So kiss me or kill me, Shin Lina. You'll find that I'll enjoy either equally.</b>
Comparing books to others is not always a ood thing, but I don't want to spoil too much from the plot for You so anyone reading the book later could enjoy it as much as I did. So I will indeed compare it to give you yet another reason to reach for it -- imagine it as korean A Court of Thorns and Roses, with Tamlin being Rhysand, and Feyre being Celaena (from Throne of Glass). I'm not intending to hurt anyone's feelings with that statement, it's just what came up to my mind after finishing the story, and I consider this comparison as a honorable achievment as it's a perfect blend in my opinion! I think it's also good to mention to help someone understand what they're getting into, as I was quite confused after reading the bio for the first time.

Of course I always look forward to sequels of the books I've read, but in this particular case I'm super excited to see what comes next for Rui, and Lina, and immortals, and Rui... did I already mention that Rui stole my heart? No? Well, that's too bad as he run away with it and I don't want to have it back either! 4.5 Stars for me, definitely worth reading for anyone keen with tropes for enemies to lovers, and good asian folklore!

It was a little slow to build at the start but when it hits, it was like damn it hit hard! Absolutely loved the story it's an older ya genre with a darker romance vibe and some beautiful world building, intricately weaving you into the story until you just cannot stop reading. I'm hanging out for the next book already.

Mythology, and particularly that from around the world - seems to be a hugely popular sub genre and I am hete for it all. This was a brilliant read in ebery way!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Lina and Rui. I liked seeing their relationship change and grow. I love the idea of the Dokkaebi in the story. Different Asian mythologies have always intrigued me. There’s definitely an opening at the ending, hinting towards a sequel. I really hope that comes to be and would love to read it.

This book was such a pleasant surprise, it was engaging and very interesting. I had never read a book steeped in Korean mythology and gods before but it was so interesting to learn about. Plus, the main character is ferocious and fierce in the best kind of way. The romantic chemistry between the leads felt real and reasonable. Overall, I think learning about the Korean mythology was the most fun part of it all but the plot itself was really intriguing and well-written as well. I would definitely recommend this to fantasy romance fans and fans of mythology.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was definitely a 5 star read! Once I got to about 25% I couldn’t put the book down!

This book follows Shina Lina who’s been taken by a rival gang and is forced to work for them to protect her sister!

Once she and her “boss” get transported to the realm of the Gods she makes a bargain for her life so she can get back to her sister!

This book is well written and it’s a quick easy read!!

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"I am a trained assassin. Skilled and versed in every weapon and poison imaginable. This is just another assignment…only with higher stakes."

I'm going to start by talking briefly about YA as a genre. I think sometimes I come into young adult fantasy expecting it to be something it's not. YA is actually more than just a genre, it's a style, with familiar tropes and plot conventions. And that is absolutely okay. It's true that I have some problems with the more...ah...annoying (?) pitfalls of YA (I'm looking at you, insta-love) but overall the genre has so much good to offer. Some of my favorite on-page romances aren't from romance novels at all, but from YA; the backdrop under which love interests get to know each other tends to be higher-stakes in YA (think: the world is ending and it's up to them to save it) verses a classic romance (think: she lost her job and moves to a seaside town to find herself).

So my ramble takeaway is this: when I stop clenching my teeth over the little things, young adult fantasy can pack a ton of goodness.

Like this!

"A small part of me whispers that if he wasn't a dangerous Dokkaebi, I'd be more than ready to join him for dinner."

Without taking a walk down spoiler lane, the premise of Last of the Talons is this: Lina, a trained assassin who’s gone through a few very rough years, finds herself in a situation where she must kill a dangerous and powerful emperor in order to save her sister. What follows as a story of cunning, fighting, and yes, all the aforementioned angsty love I really could read endlessly. I am a huge fan of any story where the MC is tasked with killing the love interest (Brian Staveley's Skullsworn comes to mind), not only because it's delicious, but because it makes the stakes that much more insurmountable. *How will she ever overcome this? She loves him but she's supposed to kill him!*

I think the book could have stood on that premise alone, but Sophie Kim treats us to unique worldbuilding, the integration of mythology and folklore, a tragic MC backstory, and well-developed cast of side characters. The story tends to change quickly as well - you think it's going one way, and it is very much not.

Five stars, I say. Give it a read.

*Disclaimer: as a fellow fantasy author, I only rate books I actually enjoy and recommend. If I don't love something, I won't review it!

Last of the Talons was everything i expected and more! This book is perfect for anyone who wants to read a story containing a badass mc, imugis, goblins, and a witty love interest!

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in return for an honest review!

CW: Severe PTSD episodes, murder, gore, death of a loved one, severe cigarette addiction.

I loved this, I loved the enemies-to-lovers trope, I loved the rich Korean mythology that this book is oozing with. The world crafted is so vivid and descriptive, when the characters were walking through a new area it was easy to imagine myself alongside them!

This story is a tale of grief and learning how to live alongside it. Not getting over it, "curing" yourself of grief, but the journey to take to acceptance. And that journey isn’t quick, or painless at all. It’s slow, and mixed with Lina’s debilitating PTSD, it’s a very bumpy road but I think it’s written well personally.

I’ve not been reading many straight romance stories recently, but honestly this one was a stand out. I really loved the emphasis about consent in the relationship, especially considering the context of well, them wanting to murder each other initially. It felt like they did actually have chemistry, albeit perhaps a bit rushed? They did certainly have a good vibe together though, both caring for each other, both wanting to help each other.

On that last point, I really wish this book was even just a bit longer. Everything felt like it happened really fast, which yeah this book doesn’t cover many days honestly. I cannot wait for the next book though, the ending to this one felt nice and solid enough for me to not hurt too much for the wait, but also at the same time I need to see where these ending emotions will take the characters!

Marvelous!

Perfect for fans of Korean Literature and Goblins or dokkaebi! I devoured the book and felt all sort of emotions while reading it. It was
truly heartwarming to see the main character grow and change for the better. I truly loved it and I cannot wait to read the next installment because we certainly want more of the silver-eyed dokkaebi, right?

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this book was really good! It has a wonderful enemies to lovers tension, a bad ass strong assassin female main character, Lina, and a sly/mischievous Dokkaebi emperor, Rui. I really enjoyed the Korean mythology and folklore. The world building was detailed and through and the characters were compelling. I’m eagerly awaiting the second book

*4.5 stars
To be entirely honest, I have absolutely forgotten the name of every character, but THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DIDN'T LIKE IT. It just means I have a short attention span and finished this two weeks ago.
I honestly loved everything about this book. It was both a traditional fantasy novel and something entirely new; we have our typical bargain ending in freedom or death, our romance with a man who could absolutely be a sadist, and an assassin/gang member with a soft spot for her younger sibling. However, I really liked seeing everything unfold, and it felt completely different from a lot of books I could compare it to.
Even though I don't remember everything really well, I loved what I saw in the characters. Lina was such a cool character, especially since, at the beginning, I thought she had learned her Unmatched Skills in less than a year, which was hilarious and thankfully untrue. I loved Lina's unmatched ambition and dedication to killing Rui (and her denial of her infatuation). I didn't enjoy how much Rui dodged the "why do you kidnap children" question, but I guess I can forgive him since we got a "who did this to you" moment.
This relationship definitely developed really well. It was a true enemies to lovers where even though there was desire, it was impractical and mostly disregarded. I didn't love that Lina prioritized Rui over other goals later, but I thought their relationship was more than okay.
For world-building this was pretty simple. We have three main realms, the underworld, the world of the demons, and the mortal realm. I can't remember much of the rest, but we had some nice stuff going on. The plot flowed really well, too.
I'd recommend this for fans of any fantasy, but especially people who like fantasy romance and Korean mythology. I loved reading this, and I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an eARC of the book for my honest review!

I wanted to like this book so much. It hurts my soul to say that nothing really stood out to me. Much like the author, I grew up wanting to see Korean myths in the stories I read. I wanted to see characters who looked like me and ones I could relate to. I was so excited to dive into what I thought would be my new favorite book. Alas, I was disappointed.

Don't get me wrong. I liked the idea of it. I liked the strong female lead. I liked the action. I liked the atmosphere. I liked all the creatures and lore that was written in. The story is well written to a certain extent. I think it could've used better world building though because I assumed this was based in a fantasy version of Korea, but there are white people and non Koreans? Or some weird version of Koreans who don't look like normal Koreans...Also, I speak Korean, but the random use of Korean words was really annoying. Sometimes it was just used with random objects like the word "pants" (baji) but proper nouns weren't given Korean names like "Blackbloods" or "Talons."

Maybe it's my fault for having such high expectations for a YA story, but I can't stand when the entire premise of a book is built on an extremely flimsy reason for why the protagonist has to do something. She really couldn't figure out another way out of her predicament? This girl has a reputation that far precedes her, and is even known in a world with powerful immortals, but she can't save her sister on her own? Even if I let it slide the first few times, it happens over and over again for forced proximity between her and the dokkaebi. Why does she have to hang out with him? Why does he even want to hang out with her? Also, why do they fall in love? What was that about?

Just solely based on flimsy plot armor and forced romance, I knocked off a star each. I feel like this normally doesn't bother other people though, so I'd still recommend it to anyone looking for a non white YA fantasy to read.

Oh my Goodness this book was awesome!!!! Enemies to lovers, Pied Piper element, and gangs. I was hooked from chapter 1 because you are immediately thrown into this world of Gods and humans and magic. I can’t wait for the next! Consider me a fan for life of Sophie Kin. Thank you so much Entangled teen and Sophie for this ARC.

How many different ways can I express how much I loved this book? The answer is infinite. I loved the characters, the setting, the pacing, it was an incredible book that left me immediately wanting another. There book does an excellent job of building up suspense as we see Lina and Rui’s relationship develop. I’m so glad that we have Sophie Kim in the publishing world now. I can’t wait to see what she does next! I absolutely recommend this book!

Last of the Talons is an engaging and thrilling beginning to a series that follows Lina, the last of her gang, who has been forced to work for the gang that killed her previous family. After they send her to steal something precious to a god-like entity, she is taken back to his realm and put into a life or death game - either she kills him, or he kills her.

The enemies to lovers trope is in full force in this novel and it is superb, with both Rui and Lina finding slowly that their similarities go far deeper than either would have thought, and that the burgeoning feelings they are discovering for each other is something that they might take a risk on. There's still so much to explore between the two of them at the end of this novel and that's one of the things that I like most - the story isn't rushed and the issues that Rui and Lina are dealing with are not easily swept under the rug.

Which brings me to my favorite part of the novel, which is how grief impacts both Rui and Lina. Grief is not soft or kind and for both of them, it leaves them angry and jagged. Their lives are forever changed by what has happened to them and how each of them copes with this is one of the most fascinating and compelling parts of the novel. Lina especially gets one chapter where I was reduced to tears as she is forced to reckon with her grief.

I am excited for the next entry to come in this series and Sophie Kim is an author that I'm definitely going to keep a closer attention to.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shin Lina is a feared assassin. But after tragedy strikes and she is forced to work under her rival gang, Lina wants revenge. One stole tapestry and two kidnappings later - Lina finds herself trapped in the pocket realm of the Dokkaebi. Their emperor, furious about the tapestry, proposes a game. In order to leave this realm, she must kill him within the next fourteen days or it is her life that will be forfeit. But as Lina spends more time with the young emperor, she begins to see that there is much more to him than what meets the eye.

Last of the Talons is a captivating book that had me in its thrall the whole way through - like a mortal under the influence of the Pied Pipers' magic flute. While I believed some of the characters lacked a little depth, I mostly enjoyed them and was always intrigued to see what would happen next. I appreciated the emphasis and roles that grief, revenge, sisterhood, family, corruption, and even the use of drugs played in this story. The plot was engaging and overall, just fun. It's the perfect quick read for people who enjoy female characters with a need for revenge, fantasy romance plots, and worlds based on real-life cultures.