Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this DRC.
Winnie Zeng and David Zuo are great guardians of our world! They are rival shamans but now it’s Halloween and the adults don’t think they can handle. They send in the absolute worst person, Kelly, a super snooty shaman, which of course, causes them to band together! Plenty of fun and fighting evil in this book.


#WinnieZengVanquishesaKing #NetGalley

"Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King" by Katie Zhao is a thrilling and empowering adventure that takes readers on a journey of courage and determination. Zhao's storytelling prowess shines through as she weaves a tale of a young heroine facing incredible challenges. The book's dynamic characters and richly imagined world create an immersive reading experience that captivates from start to finish. Winnie Zeng's journey from uncertainty to strength is both relatable and inspiring, making the story a captivating read for young readers and beyond. "Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King" is a testament to the power of resilience and the belief that anyone, regardless of age, can make a difference in the face of adversity.

I spoke about this book on a bookhaul video on IG along with the first book in the series and I absolutely loved both books! I'm anxiously awaiting the next book because this couldn't be the end of Winnie's story! There is such a great cast of characters and I think anyone who reads it would fall head over heels for Winnie & her crew!

Having read and enjoyed the first Winnie Zeng book, I was happy to see the sequel online. You really need to read book 1 to understand and appreciate this.

Winnie & David are still fledgling shamans trying to help save their corner of the world from evil spirits. But in this volume, they are sent a new girl to help them as Halloween approaches and demons get super active. Winnie and David were already competitive, so it doesn't help that the new girl breezes into town acting like a complete know-it-all. In book 1 they learned how to work with each other. In book 2, they learn what it is to be a team and get some insight in what it is like to be the new kid.

A good read, but not nearly as good as book #1. Still, an interesting addition to MG with Chinese mythology.

If the first book felt a bit formulaic, specific to this genre, this one felt even more so. This one did not have the character growth of the first book. Additionally, all of the adult characters, including Winnie's grandmother, a fully grown woman who apparently was an incredible shaman while alive, act incredibly childish which can provide some humor but ultimately felt grating to me. This entry in the series felt even more average than the first but the target audience may still really enjoy it.

*4.25 Stars*

Winnie Zeng comes back in this second book and has more spirits to fight. But at least now, she's a proper shaman with her own badge and everything. Except the council decided her and David weren't good enough to protect the town by themselves with Halloween around the corner... And this new shaman is the worst! She won't be a team player and she's truly such a know-it-all! But they have to work together, right? RIGHT??

I'm really loving this middle grade series by Katie Zhao. It's cute, funny and suspenseful. I really love these characters, mostly Winnie, of course, whom I love seeing get in and out of trouble. In this second book, I loved seeing new characters, seeing more of Winnie's family and seeing her relationships with other evolve. I also love her grandmother a lot, she's definitely my second favorite character. The plot in this one was good and I did see a couple little things coming but I still had a lot of fun reading it. My only drawback in this book was that the climax was over and done a bit too fast in my opinion, it ended a bit too easily?
But, overall, I had a great time and I'm loving this world so so much and its magic system and I cannot wait for the rest of this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC of this!

I loved the first one and I was so stoked to read more about Winnie! This was a solid sequel, it had a lot of the fun of the first book, and Winnie is so relatable. Overall, I really enjoyed it and am excited to continue the series.

I have to say, Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King is one of my most anticipated middle grade books of the year. After reading the first in the series last year, it instantly went on my “I can’t wait to read this to my kids one day” list. There are so many great characters that I absolutely want to introduce my kids to when they get to the right age, and Winne Zeng is near the top of the list.

This book is nearly flawlessly executed, with solid pacing and an engaging plot, taking into account its intended audience as a middle grade book. Picking up where Unleashes a Legend left off, this novel keeps with the awesome characters of the first book while adding a few as well. I’m not much of a person to summarize a novel, but I will say that it was a fun and comfortably predictable book that satisfies to the end.

The characters in this series are some of my favorite middle grade characters, because they actually feel like middle grade kids. They mess up, they argue, they have to take time to identify and process emotions, all things that I regularly see this age group go through. Winnie handles everything that is thrown at her with a great deal of grace. The evolution of her friendship with David from the first to the second book was great to see as it was one of the more obvious signs of her growing into herself and who she wants to be.

One of the best parts about the first book in the series, Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend, was the cultural elements that were threaded throughout the story. I absolutely loved seeing so many family traditions and connections, it really brought WInnie to life. Those connections and stories were flawlessly continued in Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King.

I would highly recommend this series for any parents looking for a great book to read together or are looking for a book that is really engaging.

5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King was a great second installment in Winnie's adventures!

Full of the same fun and authentic middle school musings as the first book, Zhao builds on Winnie's world to create yet another exciting dive into Chinese mythology. The addition of Kelly to the team was great, and I loved seeing how Winnie and David reacted to someone being even better than they were.

The Big Bad of the book made for a unique story, not knowing who it real and who's a spirit. It definitely kept me interested and reading until the very end to see what was going to happen next.

And of course, there are more recipes at the end, as made by Winnie in the book! I absolutely love that addition.

I highly recommend the second book in Winnie's adventures for anyone looking for a fun middle grade read with plenty of heart and butt-kicking for all!

After really enjoying book 1 in this series, I'm so glad I got to read book 2 as well! This was again so much fun, and I'd highly recommend if for any fans of mythology-inspired middlegrade. It really stands out in the genre, I think, because Winnie has such a fresh voice that keeps you so engaged and that's so funny to read.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King is the second fun adventure in the Winnie Zeng series. Just like the book, it’s steeped in Chinese mythology, and the world building with that aspect becomes more expansive, especially as Winnie explores more of her role as part of the Shaman Task Force. I love how there’s both a balance between the more spiritual/magical elements and the exploration of more Earth-bound elements of Chinese culture, like incorporation of various Chinese foods, including recipes in the back of the book to prompt engagement from the reader beyond the story.
Winnie remains a compelling heroine. She’s incredibly funny, with jokes and asides peppering her narration, as well as her dialogue. She also strikes a great balance between being someone expected to help protect the world and being just a kid with her own interests, with cooking being a big one.
Her rivalry with David, and how they must work together this time around, makes for an intriguing dynamic this time around, given the clashes not only between them, but also between their overspirits, hers being her Lao Lao and his being a former Chinese emperor. There’s also a new girl, Kelly, who believes she’s able to protect the town alone without help from the others, and that also provides a nice shakeup to their dynamic.
This is another fun installment, and I’d recommend the series thus far to anyone who enjoys middle grade fantasy.

Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King was a fantastic follow up to the debut in the series and perfectly sets up for the following book. Winnie's character gets explored more, especially her self-confidence, her initiative, and her ability to rely on her friends. I loved that the series continues to explore different Chinese myths and recipes in each book as Winnie continues fighting for the forces of good.

Ever since Winnie Zeng unlocked her shaman powers, her hometown of Groton has become a hotbed of activity from beyond the grave. With the help of her spirit guide Lao Lao, Winnie recently defeated the spirit of Hou Yi, which qualified her to become an official member of the Shaman Task Force. In order to level up her skills, though, there are several tasks Winnie must complete, including banishing another class three spirit from the living realm. Of course, Winnie must reluctantly team up with her shaman classmate David while also balancing the ongoing expectations of school and family. And when myriad bizarre events begin taking place around her, Winnie’s life becomes even more complicated.

This second in the Winnie Zeng series begins shortly after the first book ends and just ahead of the Halloween holiday. As in the first book, Winnie’s dry humor rounds out the narrative as she speaks in the first person and often tosses asides out to the reader. This break in the fourth wall enhances the entertainment factor of the book even as fantasy excitement fills its pages. Accessible writing and good world building help middle grade readers connect with Winnie’s story, and though the chapters are often long, they move smoothly thanks to the overall design of the novel.

Based in magic realism, this story paints a desirable picture of what life could be like just outside of one’s current existence. Additionally, there is a strong video gaming element woven into the plot, which is especially noticeable as Winnie must complete tasks—or quests—in order to level up. This, coupled with the myriad enemies she must vanquish, makes this book an especially enjoyable choice for readers who also appreciate video gaming. At the end of the book, readers will find recipes for the magical dishes described in the story, which are straightforward enough to be made at home. Filled with humor, heart, and action, this second in the series is pleasantly enjoyable as it sets the series up for its subsequent installment. This is a fun addition to library collections for middle grade readers.

I think this series is a bit too young for me. It's great for older elementary or younger middle school kids though.

Winnie annoys me, especially with how often she screams, like when a phone vibrates on a table.

Winnie and David know that spirits are taking on the form of people they know and they need to be on the lookout for people acting weird. Whenever they encounter somebody being weird, they just think "how odd" instead of "that's probably the spirit we're supposed to be looking out for." I know they're only 11, but it felt insulting to 11-year-olds.

I felt like the "work together" message was very heavy-handed.

I'm undecided if I'll read the next one, but I'm leaning towards no.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

What worked:
Winnie has shaman powers but she needs the overspirit of her deceased grandmother Lao Lao, a former shaman, to access her full abilities. This relationship, called combining, creates a couple of significant twists in the plot. Winnie must learn to create the connection on demand before she’ll be able to face higher levels of evil spirits. Lao Lao is constantly shadowing Winnie and wants to accompany her everywhere but her useful mentoring advice is offset by criticism and nosiness. Plus, Lao Lao’s spirit must remain near Winnie’s pet rabbit so this adds a complication to traveling around town together. To further complicate matters, another shaman named David is Winnie’s classmate and they’ve developed a rivalry and competition. David has his own overspirit, a deceased Chinese emperor named Joe who doesn’t get along with Lao Lao. Winnie and David must combine their shaman talents at times but the results of these collaborations aren’t easy to foresee.
All shamans have uncommon talents to accentuate their magical powers. Apparently, in the first book, Winnie baked moon pies that helped her sense and defeat an evil spirit. This time, she knows the rogue spirits are increasing in numbers and power but she can’t tell where they are. Winnie has a magic cookbook that is somehow able to determine which recipe is needed but all of the other pages are glued shut. Winnie whips up a batch of almond cookies this time and she immediately feels her senses become more acute. She can even use them as weapons. David uses calligraphy as his magical talent while another shaman performs Chinese fan dances to increase her powers.
Winnie has feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt that haunt her throughout the whole book. She defeated the demon in the first book but it seems a large amount of luck was involved. The Spirit Council makes her an official shaman and assigns her to protect the town of Groton, Michigan. One council member voices reservations about her role which only reinforces her insecurities. She struggles to link with her overspirit, David captures more spirits than she can, and the Spirit Council displays a lack of confidence in her by sending another shaman to Groton. This girl is pompous and “perfect” and there’s no way Winnie can match her talents and experience. The author thoroughly communicates Winnie’s trepidations so her ultimate success makes this almost an underdog story.
What didn’t work as well:
Winnie and David are very slow to recognize rogue spirits even though they will be obvious to readers. The characters are given one clue to look for but they immediately seem to forget it. In the end, Winnie thinks she should have noticed the spirits sooner and readers will most likely agree.
The Final Verdict:
The format of the plot will be familiar to young readers as Winnie tries to master her shaman powers. There aren’t too many surprises or twists to the plot although the shamans’ tactics are sometimes unexpected. The author adds a bit of humor through character relationships and dialogue. I recommend you give this book a shot.

I loved the first book in the series and was so excited to read the second one. This book contains a lot of the same as the first, Winnie and David are fighting against evil spirits and learning how to grow their powers as shamans-in-training. Alongside this, there are the typical middle school issues of grades, Winnie's relationship with her older sister Lisa, and fitting in. In both books I have loved the element of baking. In this book, I really appreciated Winnie's character growth and willingness to believe in herself and her abilities as a shaman. Overall, I loved this book! Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with a digital advanced copy! I hope there is a third book in the series!

Winnie is quite resourceful. This was an enjoyable sequel and I look forward to the next adventure.

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!

- this was a solid second edition to Zhao’s story! the writing was nice and the characters felt realistic and true to their age, growing and learning as they go on their adventures. a solid three stars!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this digital copy.

I adored Winnie! I came in not having read the first book in the series, but that didn't impact my enjoyment of this second book at all. There was enough backstory to bring the reader up to speed, and then the story jumped right into the main plot. Very engaging and hilarious, I think this will be a big hit with middle graders who love fantasy.

I loved the world building (I'm sure there is much more in the book 1). Winnie is a shaman and she with her classmate David and new girl Kelly must guard their town against evil spirits, some which are getting stronger with Halloween nearing. The spirit council gives them the task of taking down a level 3 spirit (which is kind strong) and Winnie must train and learn from her grandmother's spirit to be successful.

There is a lot of cool magic and I just loved the uniqueness of this storyline.

Winnie is also a pretty hilarious kid. A fun thing about her is that she loves to bake, and she gets her power from special recipes in a magic cookbook. It was mooncakes in the last book, in this one, it's almond cookies. I definitely wanted to eat some almond cookies and egg tarts after reading this book, so I was happy to find the recipes in the back! I'll be baking this weekend!

Fun book and I'm excited to read what's next in this series and see Winnie learn more about being a shaman and continue to grow her skills.