This was a heart-pounding, breath-stealing adventure of a series conclusion! I am still and forever obsessed with all these characters, and I loved seeing the ways their stories were developed and warpped up in this book. It was just. I dunno, it felt really in-line with the series, in that it was dark and stressful and tense, but in such a hopeful, uplifting way in the end. Big fan.

It was a good ending to their story. I read it super quickly because it was super compelling and intriguing.

Foul Heart Huntsman continues where our favorites left off in Foul Lady Fortune reeling from being exposed and losing the ones we love. This entire duology has been a testament to changing loyalties and siblings. To the decisions we will make in the wake of political shaking, of our world being thrown in upheaval, and enemies on all sides. In Chloe Gong's latest duology, our siblings are forced to decide where their priorities lie: in family or in party. And it's never simple as our changing code names and intentions - along with a heavy dose of subterfuge - shift.

Predictably so, Foul Heart Huntsman thrives off the juxtaposition of a lack of knowledge versus how we protect the ones we love. There's a steady thrum of action, shoot outs, and sneaking off into the night. Secrets about our intentions, identities, and loyalties. It's rooted in the contests of empires, history soaked into the skin, and imperialism in the streets. Foul Heart Huntsman is an epic endeavor where Gong allows us to see the pieces of stories, and lies, from everyone's perspective - working at cross purposes and in cross hairs.

I loved FOUL LADY FORTUNE (and TVD haha) so I was highly anticipating this story! It was a fairly satisfying conclusion to both this duology and the world as a whole, but there were some elements that left me disappointed. I've grown attached to these characters over the course of the series, and I love seeing the lower-pressure moments of them just interacting with each other, but there weren't a ton. There were some great plot twists and high-tension moments as well, some of which I predicted and some of which I didn't. I was really hooked in the first half of the book, but I got bored about halfway through and kind of trudged through the back portion of it. I don't have a ton to say about this one, other than that I think most readers will be really please with the conclusion as a whole!

The absolute best book I've read in 2023, 109082973291379710/5

But first, I want to thank SimonTeen and Colored Pages Book Tours for providing me with an e-arc of the book.

It is no secret that Chloe Gong is my favorite author, and that I love Foul Lady Fortune with my whole heart. So naturally I had high expectations for Foul Heart Huntsman. Let me tell you, this book surpassed every single one of them a thousand times over. It was everything I wanted it to be and much more.

It starts some weeks after the events of FLF, following Rosaling as she goes on a national tour as Fortune, in hopes to save Orion. However, the tour doesn't exactly go right, so Rosalind is forced to escape and take matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, other characters are otherwise dealing with the aftermath of the FLF events. To make matters worse, the Japanese don't seem to be giving up on invading China, and the civil war between Communists and Nationalists is still very much in place.

The characters are for sure the best part of this book. I cared a lot about every single one of the pov characters, with Alisa and Phoebe holding a special place in my heart. The relationships between the characters - romantic, platonic, familial, or otherwise - are always so complex, with extremely compelling dynamics. They are all so precious to me, and I rarely care so much about one character, let alone seven. I am so emotionally attached to all of them, that every little thing made me go feral (I would not want to be in a room with myself when I was reading it..)

The plot is SO brilliant too. It is very well thought through, and the amount of plot twists is absolutely insane. They start as early as 1/4-1/3 into the book (as is the atmosphere that gets tenser and tenser) and do not stop. Whenever I thought that I was right about something, there was another thing thrown at me that turned the situation upside down. Politics, secrets, betrayals, scheming, science. this book truly has everything.

Since FLF duology is a retelling of Shakespeare's comedy As You Like it, it is a comedy, with a happy ending. THIS DOES NOT HOWEVER MEAN THAT THERE IS NO EMOTIONAL DAMAGE. MANY OF THOSE MOMENTS ARE HEARTBREAKING AND SO VERY INTENSE, MAKING THE BOOK A LVL 100 EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER.

This is the last book in the Secret Shanghai Universe, and a perfect ending in my opinion. It takes all the threads of plot from all the books (tvd, ove, novellas) and beautifully weaves them together. TVD cast make their appearances, which was amazing to see, and Last Violent Call was super relevant (make sure to read in between FLF and FHH!!). I am honestly so sad to see one of my favorite series ending, I don't know how I will be without these characters. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHLOE<33333

P.S. I am not supposed to sad anything negative now bc of this being a book tour post, but I genuinely have nothing negative to say about it at all. This book is as close to perfect as they in my eyes. I could write a thousand more words about why I love it so much, but that would be too much for anyone to read so I'm stopping here. PLEASE READ IT AND THE WHOLE SECRET SHANGHAI SERIES I BEG

Hello, and you are listening to Ruby, a talk show from your dead host (me) who reads books by Chloe Gong and then mysteriously dies each time *cue nervous laughter*

This time, I died in numerous ways. The first death was acceptance onto this tour. Then receiving this early copy. Then reading the book. And currently, aka right now, trying to form words.

I DIED DEAD AND I DON’T THINK I SHALL EVER RECOVER DANG YOU CHLOE GONG YOU WRITER GENIUS YOU,,,,

Uhhh,,, soooo,,, words,,,,

I loved this book? Like a whole freaking lot? Yep, think that’s the whole review right there.

Ha, you wish because I will never shut up about Chloe Gong but you are now warned this review might just consist of me crying all the time oops.

We thank Chloe for publishing mayhem in 2023 because she’s literally released like 4 books this year. One of them is a prequel short story, but STILL. And I read them ALL this year (except her new series shhhh) and ugh how great has that been! Even though I should have read Foul Lady Fortune last year, I do love that I didn’t have to wait so long.

Anyways, I’m rambling. What I was getting at was that I found the politics going way over my head when I read the first one, but because I was familiar with everything else for book two, I was nowhere near as confused and found it so much easier to understand the world. Not that I didn’t with the last book but I was slightly more familiar. But ugh, it’s all so layered and well-crafted, and I absolutely loved getting to learn about the political system back then through these fictionalised eyes *CHEFS KISS*

And ahhh the world in and of itself was SO COOL. She took all the elements from book one and just amped them up to the max. Went fully sci-fi with book two and it was EVERYTHING. The plot was like bam bam bam whiplash, add a side of plot twist, more bam and did I mention the whiplash? Because my head hurt. But in a good way. In an I-couldn’t-breath kinda way. It was a lot. Did I mention I needed medical care? Because I did. Chloe, btw, if you’re reading this, you still need to pay for those <3<3<3

Have I yelled about literally ALL the characters? Because if not, we need to. I’m… in love with them all. Cannot choose a favourite of my babies. Actually, I can. Hey Orion. Love you more than Roma? Yep.

WAIT NO I TAKE IT BACK I TAKE IT BACK!!!!!!!!

Ha I’m kidding. I can’t choose. But Orion had me ON THE FLOOR. Rosalind is an absolute QUEEN and I really loved her in the first book, but I was fully ready to jump in front of a bus for her in this book. Her character development was E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. I honestly did not think I could relate to her this much but I did and I do not exaggerate when I say I’d jump in front a moving bus. She just,,, I just,,, words. It’s like we were seeing her through rose-tinted glasses and all of a sudden every bit of her was on display and samesies as Orion, me was in love *insert all the heart eyes*

Silas!!!! Guys. He took me on an emotional rollercoaster. Phoebe is who I aspire to be. Olivier and Celia? Babes. Especially my gal Celia who I would hire in an instant to be my personal bodyguard even though she says she’s awful at combat, I just trust her with my life.

But what I loved about this sequel was how I was able to care for literally ALL of these characters but they were all equally well-developed and fleshed out and Chloe wrote them to perfection. The POV would also switch every chapter and I LOVED THAT BC IT REMINDED ME OF CASSIE CLARE. I would simultaneously want to throttle Chloe because how can the chapter end like that but then oh wait this is just as interesting and HELLO EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER

Have I talked about writing yet? Gasp no, this is blasphemy. I’ll put it simply: if I could pick anyone to write my eulogy, it’d be Chloe Gong. Wherever this magic in her fingers comes from, I need it. I want to be as good at writing as she is. From setting description to character relations to history ITS ALL AMAZING FOREVER BOWING DOWN

I thought the romance in These Violent Delights was perfection and she could never top them. Umm, I was wrong. You all are in for a TREAT. A scrumptious one might I add. Haven’t been this obsessed with a fictional couple in a long time but Rosalind and Orion did that. As the kids say: ate and left no crumbs. Literally sobbing at every line, I am OBSESSED WITH THEM WTF SEND HALP

Also lemme just say I did not know I needed to know Marshall and Orion flirted one time but I was not mad. Not mad at all. Oh and on that note, LOVED the queer rep in this book. Of course, Celia is a trans queen, but ADORED how subtle Orion’s bisexuality was and also the demi rep from Rosalind. I think, unless I picked up on that wrong? Ugh my baby children xoxoxo

Quick moment of silence for the ending which left me utterly speechless and I will need 14 working days to recover. This series is over and I don’t know what to do with myself for the foreseeable future. Send help URGENTLY.

AHHH THIS FRRAKING BOOK WHAT THE HELL IT WAS SO GOOD READ THIS SERIES NOW!!!!!!!

I warned you of the crying and yelling folks,,,,

So. If you’re looking for one of THE BEST new YA historical fantasy series with the bestest of characters, genius political commentary, romance to have you screaming into a pillow and absolutely immaculate worldbuilding and writing PLUS they’re Shakespeare retellings? I think you are now more than covered. Go forth and cry your little hearts out. As I am because I am now UNWELL

We're back in the world of 1930s Shanghai! Look, I am going to get to the one downside I have with this series in general: There are just so many characters and events to keep track of! Guys my memory is just not what it used to be, and I read a lot of books, so remembering whole dozens of characters and what happened to them is hard! But then once I get back into things, and start to remember who was who and what happened when and where, I remember why I love this world and the characters so much. Perhaps I can obtain some sort of cheat sheet?

Anyway, the action and adventure is high stakes as always, the situation always seemingly more dire than before. There are some appearances by characters you know and love and will be glad to see, and as always, romance and friendships and betrayal. I do love all the dynamics that we get to see play out, and I do understand that a large cast of characters is necessary for said dynamics. So yeah, without giving anything away, it was a great wrap up to this duology, and I seem to always be here for whatever Chloe Gong wants to throw at me!

Bottom Line: Another solid book in a really lovely series. Sometimes overwhelming, but worth it.

This book is isn't for me and it's not what I was expecting. The Shanghai setting was great but still there is one thing that is off for me.

Foul Heart Huntsman is a force of nature. It brings the Secret Shanghai series to a triumphant finish and wraps up one of the best YA series I have read for the past few years.

Chloe Gong did something extremely interesting within her emerging brand of Shakespearean inspired stories by choosing to pivot from the tragedies underpinning her previous work to a comedy. The previous duology in the series These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends drew on aspects of Romeo and Juliet and her adult debut, Immortal Longings, published earlier this year and drew some inspiration from Anthony and Cleopatra.

The bones of Shakespeare here are excavated from As You Like It, a pastoral comedy of disguises, false identities, and miscommunication. Gong brings those latent themes to the forefront in this claustrophobic, tightly plotted tale of espionage, experimentation, and the looming threat of war. This is a series that has consistently raised the stakes, leaving a bloody trail in its wake. Foul Heart Huntsman doubles down on that, with looming threats materialising into real world consequences. The devastating final sequence of Foul Lady Fortune has far-reaching consequences. I absolutely adored the way these consequences linked back to the previous duology and there are plenty of nods for long-time fans, some of which are excellent payoffs from Last Violent Call.

That mesh of mixed identities is particularly prevalent for our heroine, Rosalind. Her cover has been blown and she is exposed as the latest fascination, an immortal super spy and former socialite. This duology has focused so much on her personal growth and development from the original series. It has been a real search for her own self-identity and grappling with the trauma she suffered before. Her voice is so cutting and calculated, but there is a deeply vulnerable ache to it that betrays itself from time to time. For me, it is like watching a flower blossom. That depiction of confronting your own guilt and trauma, no longer allowing it to dictate your life and who you are, is so impactful.

Gong’s writing is, as always, exceptional. She brings in unexpected moments of levity and joy, as benefitting its comedy roots. I did catch myself laughing at some of the witty dialogue and just from watching these characters interact. However, this is a dark story at times, delving into heavy topics and keeping those consequences real and bloody. Like the original comedy, there is a bleeding heart at the centre of it all, disguised in romance and levity. It cannot be fully concealed; it must be faced eventually.

There was one particular chapter ending that I knew was coming and the build-up had been deliciously unsettling. When I reached it, I had to put the book down for a second, stop and just take it all in. It was twisted and evil and so Chloe Gong coded. Luckily, I was able to tell her this in person. Everything truly has been building to this. After finishing this, there was an itch to go back and restart the entire series to see the little nods throughout. There is an attention to detail and mesh of genres that Gong pulls off so well. Those dramatic moments are earned through meticulous build up and only impact so well because you are heavily invested in these flawed, three-dimensional characters. The morality is always murky and firmly placed against the wider cultural and historical backdrop. There is that need to survive and that naïve hope for something better than this, often characterised through romantic aspirations and interactions.

Foul Heart Huntsman brings together a beautiful series that I will hold close to my heart for a long time. It is a bombastic conclusion in every sense.

"Truth be told, she wasn’t even entirely sure she was out of the dark yet. But her feet were moving, and she could only hope it was in the right direction."

Foul Heart Huntsman is the ending to both the Foul Lady Fortune duology and the Secret Shanghai universe and it could not have been a better ending. Picking up where Foul Lady Fortune ends with high stakes, tragedy and a war looming on the horizon - Rosalind is on the war path to save Orion Hong and the rest of the city as well. Alongside her sister Celia, her communist partner Oliver (Orion's brother) and Phoebe (the forgotten Hong sibling) and her best friend Silas - we got a full cast here!

A book with 6 main characters is bound to be hard, especially with shifting alliances and hidden truths but Chloe makes them all standout in their motivations, actions and love. One of the perks of a 4th book is that your readers really know the characters, and FHH benefits from this. No introduction is needed, you can just see it based on the interactions.

The easter eggs!! The Epilogue!!! I love everything about this including the throwbacks to the original duology, the undercurrent themes of forgiveness, love and family. I can thankfully say this is a HEA (I would've died otherwise !)

I truly cannot believe this world is ending (for now hopefully??) I've been reading these books since 2020 and letting go of this world is like a bittersweet goodbye with a dear friend. You always knew it was ending but you loved your time together and you're so thankful for it.

rep// Chinese MC's, Trans, demi, bi and queer rep

cw// violence, blood, human experimentation, death, guns

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

guys i don't what to say.

this was so good and i dont have anymore adjectives in me to describe how much i love this book. like it was perfection, and of course some may disagree but its ok to be wrong!
honestly, i wont oppose to an extended epilogue of everyones stories once more bc lowk i though 545 pages were too much but babes tell me why i needed more than that when i was nearing the end. BUT chloe put me through so much with this book lmaoooo

i personally have never loved a sequel more, like this was perfection. PERFECTION. i was so immersed in this book i was thinking about her 24/7 like i couldnt stop reading. even though i love FLF, that book took me like 2 weeks to read, this didnt even take me a week AND i think its thicker than FLF. there were no plot holes (at least that i could find, but im not the greatest judge of character for that bc i cant remember shit), nothing was prolonged too much, and most importantly none of my fav characters died so win win overall!! and thats all i will say for now ◡̈ one of my fav books fs, i cant choose between FLF and FHH so theyre both #1 to me, theyre twins. anyways love yall, bye!

out of context spoilers below!
<i>"I will love you if i please. i will make you my altar, ill out you above everything else in this world, ill revel in every morsel you are made of."</i>
like how am i supposed to move on from that.

<i>"you are bound to me in matrimony, if you break it and descend into another plane of existence, i will chase after you and snatch you back."</i>
the response to this was so funny lol

<i>"of course i was committed to her beyond what was acceptable for the mission, i was so fascinated because i could see the parts of you in her, i've loved you this whole time, just split in two."</i>
UGH i was screaming finally when this was said!!!

If you’ve been following me for a while, you must know at this point that I am a Big Chloe Gong fan and have been since 2020. Foul Lady Fortune is probably my favorite of her books, so of course I was absolutely desperate to read the sequel. I devoured it as soon as I received an ARC and I do not regret that decision at all! Foul Heart Huntsman was a brilliant series finale, with twists and turns and an ending that will leave everyone happy.

This review contains spoilers for These Violent Ends, Our Violent Ends, and Foul Lady Fortune.

Months after the events of the previous book, Rosalind is desperate to get Orion back after his mother brainwashed him and took him away. When she learns that she’s about to be released from service, she volunteers herself to go on a national tour in an attempt to lure Orion to her. Meanwhile, Celia and Oliver are tasked with intercepting him if he does show up at the tour; Alisa is on the run with the only vial of the cure for the super soldier serum; and Phoebe has her own plans up her sleeve to get her brother back.

I tend to write very long reviews for the books in this world, but I’ll keep this one short (relatively) since it’s difficult not to spoil anything. Foul Heart Huntsman is a bit of a tone shift from the first book since that one was all spies and secrecy whereas this book has more action. It’s much faster paced, especially since the majority of the characters are on the run at some point in the story.

We also get to see different sets of characters together in this book as opposed to Foul Lady Fortune. Alisa is on her own for part of the book, as is Phoebe and Silas, while Rosalind, Orion, Celia, and Oliver are together for the majority of the book. It was interesting to see all of these different dynamics and how they act in response to other characters.

I especially liked getting more interactions between the Rosalind/Orion and Celia/Oliver duos. It was very fun to see the sibling dynamics in addition to the couples. There was one line Rosalind says to Celia about their respective relationships that genuinely made me scream, like Chloe why!

I also liked getting Phoebe’s point-of-view, since we didn’t really know what she was up to most of the last book. Now that her twist is revealed, we get to dig more into her motives, mainly protecting her family, and her struggle to keep her identity from everyone else. It was great to see more of Alisa as well. I love all my girls in this book <3.

And then! Getting more Juliette and Roma in this book made me scream. Their domestic moments in Last Violent Call already made me feral but seeing this on top of their scenes with our main cast of characters had me losing my mind. I especially liked getting closure with Rosalind and Juliette since that’s a key piece of Rosalind’s inability to letting go of the past and pathological need to do penance for her mistakes. And Roma and Orion interactions…throwing Marshall in there for kicks and giggles…Chloe has truly given us so much.

Rosalind’s character arc was one of my favorite parts of this entire series. I think of all the characters, she is the one that I have resonated the most with, so I really loved continuing her journey and seeing where she ends up. I can’t even fully express how much love was in my heart by the end. The epilogue was one for the books honestly; I love this book, I love these characters, and I am so sad to see them go but I loved where we left them.

Heart-pounding and radiating love, Foul Heart Huntsman was a thrilling end to the Foul Lady Fortune duology. I loved the characters and all their personal journeys, as well as seeing all their different dynamics. If you loved Foul Lady Fortune or the These Violent Delights duology, you’ll enjoy the ending set in Foul Heart Huntsman.

It would more accurately be a 4.5 stars, but the 0.5 stars is worth rounding up for given how much I love being back among these characters I adore.

This conclusion to the duology is also the last book in the Secret Shanghai universe (for now? forever?), and Chloe Gong does a really solid job tying it all up to give us readers an exciting, funny, heartfelt finale. I enjoyed the shenanigans and the banter; I definitely laughed out loud a fair bit and got considerably concerned for the characters as the pages turned. While things did tie up a touch too neatly at the end, I do think it worked well for me as something that was ultimately satisfying.

4.5 stars

Reading FOUL HEART HUNTSMAN reminded me of why I fell in love with Chloe Gong’s writing in the first place, and this is not just because we may have gotten to see some familiar faces (no spoilers from me!). One thing about the writing is that it is super immersive; it really grounds you into the world and makes you, as the reader, a part of the story.

In terms of the plot, it keeps moving. I absolutely loved the pacing of this book. The action in this book literally never slows down and you’re just on your toes the whole time, wondering what exactly is going to happen. Yes, there are multiple storylines but trust me, they all work out and culminate together in the end, to give us a very amazing conclusion. And the plot twists? Don’t even get me started on those. Chloe Gong knows how to do plot twists and do them well, and this book is no different. There is one twist that literally left me gasping.

After reading the two novellas, I knew there would be some familiar characters making an appearance and oh my god, I loved the way they entered the story. There wasn’t a lot of focus on them and some were just there for a few pages, but their cameos were done so well. And of course, Rosalind and Orion. I literally cannot forget about them. This book solidified them as my OTP. Because their dynamic together? Perfection, I’m telling you. Literal perfection.

All in all, FOUL HEART HUNTSMAN is a great conclusion, to what has been an incredible universe, with some of the best characters and amazing plot twists. I am going to be missing this world a lot. (and of course, I may have stalked chloe’s pinterest and may have made a moodboard. Or two. hehe)

I have been waiting for the sequel to Lady Foul Fortune ever since the cliffhanger. It has had me on edge ever since, so thankfully enough, I was able to read Foul Heart Huntsman early. And I have so much to say.
Before I talk all about my feelings regarding Foul Heart Huntsman, I will warn anyone who doesn’t want any spoilers to avoid reading this review. I won’t spoil too much, but I might say something that would catch you by surprise. Full warning: there are a few spoilers, so avoid it if you don’t want to read any spoilers.
Now, let’s talk about the Foul Heart Huntsman. There is so much to say, but I won’t go into full details because I don’t want to spoil the finale to the duology. But there are a few things that I want to express.
Rosalind's endless determination to find Orion again had me in a chokehold. She is literally the definition of searching the ends of the earth in order to find your loved one. And I fully support her. Orion is her name. She is willing to do everything to get him back, no matter what. That’s what kept me going as I read through Foul Heart Huntsman.
While I fully support Rosalind’s determination, I felt highly annoyed with Orion's sister, aka the priest, Phoebe. She is literally annoying. I am sorry, but I can’t stand her. She acts so childish for her age. I don’t understand at all. Like why? Literally why? I dread reading her chapters.
Even though I am annoyed with Orion's sister, Phoebe, I truly enjoy Rosalind's sister, Celia. She was always my favorite character in the These Violent Delights series. So, it’s a bit expected that I will enjoy her in this sequel. She steps up her game. I won’t say what, but she did.
On the subject of Celia, I am loving that we are getting a love story in this book. There was a potential storyline that wasn’t fully explored until now. And I was screaming my lungs out whenever it was Celia chapters because we were getting her love story no matter how dangerous her mission is.
You know what I need from the Foul Heart Huntsman finale? Alisa is getting her chance. She is literally the definition of a girl boss in a secret operation. I need her to have her own book. I know you hear me, Chloe Gong. I need Alisa to have her own book asap, please and thank you.
With all of these feelings, I can say that I enjoyed reading The Foul Heart Huntsman. It was a thrilling finale to the duology. And it nicely wrapped everything up between Rosalind and Orion, even though it was kind of touch-and-go.

Historical fantasy inspired by Shakespeare and full of espionage? Talk about an untapped market. Full disclosure: I did not read the connected duology, These Violent Delights. Full disclosure, again: I loved this anyways. Such a fun world filled with lovable characters, betrayals, longing, secret agents, and epic proclamations of love. The temporal setting is 1930s Shanghai and I do wish there was a bit more commitment with the language (felt a bit too modern) but I think Gong did this intentionally to appeal to the target audience. I’m hoping we get to revisit this world via other characters but this wrapped up in a completely satisfying way. Overall, a great duology with fantastic characters. Looking forward to reading more from Chloe Gong.

This is probably a 3.5 for me like some of the author’s other books this would have benefited from tighter editing. There’s probably like 100 pages you don’t need in this story dedicated to repeated run ins and repeats in general. The book is just too long.

I do still love the world of Shanghai and the gangs and the secret agents and all that stuff. And I was pleased that most of my theories were correct. I am wondering if Phoebe is gonna get a book?

Major spoilers follow:
So Rosalind is determined to save Orion. Celia is pushing Oliver away. Alisa is doing her own thing and protecting that last vial. Phoebe is a sniper and trying to trick her crush and family friend Silas to stop him from finding her.

So basically Roma and Juliette are alive (called it!) and Rosalind finds them and the whole gang is back together after saving Orion. Turns out his mom needs him or his brother Oliver to make the stuff she injects people with to turn them into super soldiers.

Phoebe is dumb and goes to her mom Silas is like a quad agent (this is where it gets honestly annoying like way too much is happening and it’s confusing when they get even more into the fake science).

They save Oliver too and find out Rosalind will die unless she gets the cure from their mom. So Orion gives it to her and nearly dies but her blood saves him and now they’re both normal and gonna get married.

For whatever reason Juliette and Roma are pregnant.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon&Schuster for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: 4.5

Having followed this series from the beginning, it was bittersweet to get to read the conclusion to the Secret Shanghai universe early. I will preface this by saying that I read this while moving into my first apartment, so I definitely didn’t give it the attention it deserved in terms of noting my favorite parts. Enough so that I eventually want to reread this book in a difference headspace and with all of this excitement I’d had after finishing FLF. I also will say that I definitely did not remember enough about FLF before reading, but nonetheless, I have a review.

Where Chloe Gong has and always will shine is her character relationships and character work in general. From Roma and Juliette to Phoebe and Silas to Orion and Rosalind, she creates unique, believable relationship dynamics that carry you through the story, gripping you. My main complaint about FLF in my review last year was a lack of attention paid to the side relationships but boy did she make up for it! Celia + Olivier as well as Phoebe + Silas very quickly became my favorite parts of the book and I was so invested (I know this is the finale but also PhoebeSilas book when?). However, I will say that in FHH, it felt almost like Rosalind and Orion were the ones taking a backseat, and while I LOVED the moments they did have, I wanted some more from them.

From what I remember (I finished the book about a week ago), Orion here felt a bit one dimensional, less of a leading man than he did in FLF, and I know there’s reasons for that, but still. Rosalind, however, remained just as compelling a character as always. My favorite characters however, have to be [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] as always (iykyk).

In terms of plot, it was difficult to tell where this was going at times, and I’m not sure that was necessarily good or bad, just hard to get a sense of. My favorite chapters beyond the cute character moments were actually the chapters where Gong, like in her other books, has a switch into a semi-omniscient present tense pov. These chapters are where some of the more gorgeous writing came through. The copy I have asks reviewers not to quote an unfinished version or trust that this review would be inundated with my favorite lines. The inclusion of politics and political tension was interesting, as always, but it felt less consequential than other books compared to a plot that was otherwise kind of all over the place.

I’m not sure if I would put this down to pacing, and that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book because I most definitely did, but the ending didn’t hit as hard for me as I would’ve liked, especially for the universe finale. I know there is an extended epilogue in the B&N edition, but as it stands, the epilogue felt a bit too summary, like a high school reunion of all the plot lines wrapped up in a way that felt a bit unsatisfying.

I’m realizing that this review comes across as rather negative and I don’t intend for that. I did really like this book, Chloe Gong is still an auto-buy author for me, and while it serves as a very good conclusion to the universe, I just found myself wanting a tiny bit more out of it. I 100% think that I was just not in the right mood/headspace to read this when I did, and that makes me so sad :(.

Thank you again to Netgalley as well as Simon & Schuster for an e-arc in exchange for this review.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing!
A fantastic continuation of the series! I am a big fan of Chloe Gong's books and was really excited to receive this arc. This book did a great job at ending this in a way that really did the story justice and left me wanting to read more by her. I am sad the series has ended especially cause I really love Rosalind as a character!

review ♥
foul heart huntsman- chloe gong
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Did Chloe Gong make me cry again? Yes. Yes, she did.

Foul Heart Huntsman begins after the attack at the warehouse, and Rosalind’s cover has been exposed. At the same time, Orion has been taken by his mother to aid in her chemical experiments of creating pure immortality. The catch is, that all of Orion’s memories have been wiped. Now Rosalind and her friends have to save Orion and stop his mother (and her alliance with the Japanese) from causing mass destruction to the world.

This book was everything I had hoped for as an ending to such an incredible universe. I am so sad to say goodbye to some of the characters who impacted my life so deeply, but I am so happy with the endings they received.

I loved reading more about the complexity of the civil war in Shanghai and the science behind the chemical experiments. It gave a full circle moment to the series and brought all the pieces together. I love how each couple had special moments and plotlines of their own. I was also so excited to read about cameos by the original duology’s cast.

Chloe never fails to write a captivating story with relatable characters who make you feel seen. Rosalind is someone I connect to very deeply, and I am so glad her story was told. I adore how a girl who was so desperate and reckless in love could grow into a confident woman. I love how coming into herself brought out the beauty in her personality, which was evident to Orion. I am ecstatic that she finally got the happy ending she desired in Our Violent Ends. Also… Roma and Juliette’s NEWS?!!!! I embarrassed myself talking about this fantasy in front of the author two years ago, and now it’s true!!!

I’m so grateful to have been given an advanced copy of the finale to my favorite series!!!! Thank you Jessica for this book!! I will cherish this forever!

#books #bookreview #read #reading #theseviolentdelights #ourviolentends #foulladyfortune #lastviolentcall #foulhearthuntsman