I want to thank the author SO much for allowing me to read this book.

Sound the Gong is a strong, fierce, heavy-hitting book. I feel to fully enjoy this series, you should read book one and immediately dive into book two. Another thing: if you are NOT a fan of political strife / war discussions, this might bore you. But if you enjoyed what you got in book one, and wanted more - you get it.

If you're a fan of Crow, and wanted more of him? You get it. Crow and the depth of focus Joan gives in this book makes you question everything you learned about him in book one. (You also get an adorable chapter through his POV, but you have to wait until the end for it.)

I applaud Joan for taking The Three Kingdoms and adapting it / using it as the basis for her duology. The original tale, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, focuses on unity and stability. There is also intrigue and strife, and it is - after all - a tragedy in the end.

While I do not spoil the end of book in this review, I think the ending is perfect. If you are familiar with Chinese dramas, the ending makes sense and I can't think of a better outcome. Zephyr and Crow, they did what they did, for country, for fate, and for themselves.

This sequel broke me. I had a hard time keeping up with remembering who the characters were and which side of the war they were on, but the core themes of the story was still there: loyalty, self-identity, found family. This remains a story about war and the people and homes it destroys, and how the main character chose who she wanted to fight alongside with, even if it meant destroying herself as well.

I love that the romance was not truly a romance, and the unconventionality of it threw me for a loop. It was interesting as well how the author took Crow's plot twist in a new direction and reminds the readers to not let their guards down. I don't think Zephyr received the closed endings she deserved, but life also isn't fair.

True to historical Chinese tales, I quite liked the hopeful tone the epilogue gave the reader. In all, while the story and writing demanded more attention and brain cells than I had to give in order to appreciate the density of the book, the author made it clear what the themes and tones of the story were throughout. This was a very wild ride for me, and I found myself sad at the outcome, but that's what makes good writing. I would love to see what Joan has in store for us next.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Should have been titled something like "Torture the Crow."

This conclusion to Joan He's Three Kingdoms retelling is a triumph! Without entirely setting aside the wit and humor of Strike the Zither, the sequel retains its cleverness on a journey to much darker places.

How far will one person go to change fate? In the case of main character Zephyr, no strategy is out of bounds if it means achieving her goals. Though she may be a god, she is utterly human - her choices are not flawless and she has a great deal to learn about herself and the people around her.

I will never not love Joan's carefully crafted and complex stories. She writes about layered, clever people in imaginative settings with a heart that is utterly captivating.

Some may consider my review to have slight spoilers so.....you've been warned (though I don't think its spoilery lol)

I was going to give this 3 stars because....well, I felt something missing this time around. I felt Zephyr was SO smart in book one! But this one....no matter what she did, nothing was going to plan. Nobody listened and everything she thought she was a step ahead of, she was wrong. She did get back at Crow, but it was a soured a bit by her constant need for him even after the fact.
BUT Crow (surprisingly) was the comedy relief 🙀😹 I swear, almost everything he said cracked me up lol
But then...his thoughts disturbed me in the sense that it made it seem Zephyr was never on his mind the way we all thought she was. His heart belonged to another, which made Zephyr feel played. He did defeat her and she in turn tried to defeat him. But her objective didn't exactly come about as she hoped. Yet....it still kind of worked out?
Honestly, both strategists seemed more like villains than heroes after what they did to each other. Not sure how I felt about that haha
The plot was extremely complex. Lots of twists, ghosts, gods, alliances won and broken, rivals getting payback, action and torture.....just SO much going on. Kept things interesting! Even if slow in some sections.
So I was swaying between 3 or 4 stars. Maybe more of a 3.5 really, but then I read the bonus story which pushed it to a 4 star for me 🙈😹
It just made me feel so much better about Zephyr's end, Crow's future, and Zephyr's sisters as well as the empire. It really just gave me that closure I needed and filled in some of the missing pieces for me in the novel.
I shouldn't love Zephyr and Crow together but....I do 😭🙈 haha

4.5 stars
The second I read the first page of Sound the Gong , I was already in love. If I had to say one thing about this book, I would call it a masterpiece of political intrigue. I thought I might get bored by all the talk of strategy and war planning, but I honestly didn't. Joan He made it so interesting and wrote it in a way that immediately grabbed my attention. This book is an intricately crafted tale and gives us the perfect conclusion to what has been an incredible fantasy duology. Zephyr in this book was my favourite and I found myself loving her even more. Without spoiling, I want to just say that she has some really really cool scenes that I'm still reeling from.

This is a book you will not forget. You will be thinking about it for many, many days because it will just stick with you. The world-building, the characters, the magic/power system...just everything about it is a masterclass in writing a book full of political intrigue and strategy, with an added touch of a fantasy.

Sound the Gong is quite literally the perfect conclusion to what has been an amazing duology and I cannot wait to read more of what Joan He writes!

How am I supposed to write about this book without sharing all that happens? It is still six months until it's out. I feel the luckiest to have been able to read it early. But oh, how I hurt. Back when I first peeked at this one, I knew it would hurt me. But I did not truly realize how much it would destroy my heart. This book ruined me.

And yet I loved every moment of it. I suppose, haha. I am a little bitter about the ending. Even though it was so good. But yeah. It hurts. But more than the hurt, is the love I have for this story. This sequel was just as good as the first. Five stars for me. I read all of it in one sitting, mostly. It's been ages since I have last done that.

Now comes the hard part. Writing about this second book without sharing everything that happens in it, ha. I want to share so very much. And I will share a little, but nothing that actually spoils the book. Well, it will spoil the first one. So I will try my hardest not to share all the secrets of this sequel. But ohh, yess. I must share a few things that I loved. A few details. A little bit about what I wish had been. Sigh. My poor heart. But first I shall start by saying that the writing was perfect, as always. I loved getting to know more of this world and these characters. I love how Joan wrote about this world and the time it was set in. It is a duology based on a different tale, which I know nothing about, ha. But from the notes, Joan has made changes. All amazing, from what I can tell.

There is so much to say about the plot of this second book. I'm going to try not to say too much. But oh, there was something happening at all times. This begins pretty much right after Strike the Zither ends. A few weeks later. Zephyr is still by Ren's side in the war, while they figure out what to do next. Well. Except Zephyr is not actually her anymore. She is in the body of Lotus. And oh my gods. The twist of all that from book one ruined me. Who Zephyr actually is. Her entire past, how long it goes back. But it was very good.

And that is all I will say about that. I was a little upset for some time, that she lost her body, the body of Zephyr. As I loved her frail and small body. Sobs. So it took me a little while to get past that. But I did. And I loved her as Lotus as well. And later as someone else. Gosh. Though that hurt more than anything else. I wish to share. I shall not. But that new body of hers was the worst one. The pain it gave me. Sigh. But it was also done perfectly. Such a huge new plot twist, haha. Also, I loved seeing more of her actual sisters.

There is so much going on in the beginning of this book. It is about Zephyr learning more about living as Lotus, with her body and how others see her. Making Ren see her as Lotus, still believing that Zephyr is dead. I also loved getting to know more about everyone around her as well. Ren and Cloud and everyone else. I adored them all. I'm not the biggest fan of reading about war tactics and such, but in this book I did not mind it. And found all of it to be pretty interesting. And really wanted to know how it would all end, ack.

Something more I will say about the plot. It is about defeating the bad one in charge; Miasma. Free the empress from her. And also figure out what to do about the South, with Cicada, who actually betrayed them. It is a whole mess. And I loved it. Zephyr has to work her brain so hard to figure out how to solve everything. Many things go wrong, though. Which hurt. But it was written so well too. Hmph. There are more deaths in this one. A little more torture and hurt. Also a little less romance, which hurt me most, ha.

Because I had been expecting there to be more in this second book. As Zephyr and Crow are perfect together. I wanted to see more of them so badly. I know, she doesn't have her actual body anymore, but still. And Crow didn't know this. Yet I wanted them to have more so much. Gah. And they do spend much more time together. But most of it as mostly enemies, as there were many changes happening. Betrayals. Truths revealed. Loved their banter, though. And just loved them together. But yes. I missed my romance.

Yet I still loved this book very much. Because it was not all about Zephyr and Crow. It was about Zephyr wanting to help Ren and change her fate. Change the fate of everyone she cared about. What she was willing to do to make that happen. Which, well, was everything. Still. I did not actually blame her. Except for that one part, which involved steaming. That she did not have to do. And that still hurts so very badly. Oh. It was the actual worst. But so good. But goddamn. It hurt my heart. She should not have done this.

So anyway. There is so much going on in this book. I think I have already shared too much, yet also not enough at all. I was disappointed about the romance. As I wanted much more. And yet. It was still great, because it was almost there. It was so very obvious how much they cared for each other. I just so wish it could have been acted upon. Hmph. Yet I get why it was not, ha. Which you will understand, when you read it. Such a rude plot twist. Yet so good too. Much of this book made me smile as well. I so loved that.

Sound the Gong was a most incredible ending to a fantastic duology. This story truly ruined my heart. Yet I loved every moment of it. The story of Zephyr was so epic. Her adventure was big and hurtful yet full of great moments as well. I so loved her relationship with the other girls. I loved her and Crow the very most. But that ending. I am not over it. It was amazing, of course, but I am a little bitter, haha. It hurt. Very badly. But I shall forgive this. One day. Probably. Huge thank you to Joan for the chance to read the eARC early.

Oh. My review needed to be edited to add this. It turns out Joan has written an epilogue of sorts, a bonus short story to be read after Sound the Gong. I just read it. And it murdered me with happiness. Ha. I take back what I said about the ending. This made my heart so happy and I just. I loved it more than anything. So. Yes. If you read this book, look up In Another Life. It is a must read. But of course, the book is great without it too. But this bonus gave my heart life again. It was perfection and I am so happy Joan wrote it.

My only regret is that I won’t get to be your strategist, sister, friend, mentor, equal in another life.
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🌌Rating:5/5⭐
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I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this e-arc since I'm part of the street team.

Well, where do I even begin? If you guys know me well, I'm a very picky reader (we don't add classics to the equation because classics are classics for a reason). I thought that I was growing out of the YA section since I'm getting older and the protagonists are getting more and more dull with every passing year. In recent years, I thought that the quality of writing had drastically decreased. There was something missing from these books even if I gave them 4 or 5 stars. So what was it then? What was it that was missing from the other books except for this one? It was the combination reinvigorating something old along with the deep understanding of nuances when it comes to being a human.

You like being around the humans, because among them, you feel like a god.

Since this was a ROTTK retelling, I had some advanced knowledge beforehand. Like all previous books trying to retell a certain tale or story, I had initially thought that STG is also going to faithfully follow the original plot. But no, Ms Joan took the reins and made it her own. She managed to create something that was still ROTTK while also imparting some of her own artistic take on it. The pacing was well done in my opinion (even though some might argue it's too fast), it managed to keep the tension high throughout the book just like in The Poppy War trilogy. It's also this momentum that keeps you reading, wanting to learn the fates that are awaiting the characters.

However what made me like this book more than The Poppy War or any other war cantered books or YA is the nuances in the characters. Zephyr's determination to succeed in her goal hits home way too hard. Her willingness to sacrifice everything for her goal is something that I rarely see in protagonists. Oftentimes they would succumb to the 'by the power of romance' as a plot device to resolve the story. However in this case, Zephyr carved something out for herself. It was her being able to acknowledge that she has the ability to change her own fate and the others around her. Plus, Zephyr is actually smart? So I don't really have to deal with dumb characters trying to come up with idiotic plans that are bound to fail. Maybe I just love my smart and determined characters (some might call them crazy but shush) like Moriarty, Lelouch and Makima. And the thing is, these characters acknowledged their actions. They were able to understand the consequences of their actions but still carried out their plans. And I think that's what makes them compelling. Them actually stepping onto the grey line as they pursue a seemingly altruistic goal while leaving pools of blood behind them. And I think that's what many ya books these days failed to do. Oftentimes, authors label their books as morally grey but the characters often end up downright evil or just…dull and doing…nothing! Even though Zephyr had a strong voice, the book still managed to strongly display other characters as well. Crow's presence throughout this book was noticeable even though something happened (iykyk). His cunningness, humour and consumption are evident throughout the book till the end. I also really enjoyed the character arc for each character like Ren and Cicada. War wears people down and it changes people. Rarely do we ever get to become our former self after a war and I think that's what other books lacked. The characters just become stagnant. But STG allowed the characters to grow and reshaped their beliefs which made the readers feel lots of things like happiness, anger and loss.

The ending was the best ending I have ever read recently. It's the perfect melancholy feeling that I crave for. It leaves you lingering in your mind as the characters set out on a new journey. The ending broke me perfectly. I was so lost in the scenes as I empathised with Crow so much. His anger and yearning for the people he had lost. I rarely get to feel this way because books often end up on a happy note. But no, that's often not the case for life even less so for a war that just took place. The ending perfectly encapsulated the feeling of loss but it somehow felt right at the same time. Kind of like what I had felt after watching Spirited Away.

Anyways, I can't wait for the book to come out next year so that everyone gets to read it. I promise you, that the wait will all be worth it.

i>I received this ARC thanks to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley as a part of the street team in exchange for an honest review.</i>

DO remember Sound the Gong is a sequel to Strike the Zither, which I assume you're already familiar with writing this review. If you're not yet done with first part of Zephyr's adventure, please be aware I've warned you reading this text might spoil the fun of experiencing it yourself.

<b>"Some think the gods walk this realm.
For once, the peasants are not wrong."</b>
Hear ye, hear ye, Sound the Gong is coming your way soon, and you are NOT ready for the emotional rollercoaster it brings. You thought everyone was doomed with Zephyr's action in STZ? Well, who could beat her existing war crimes if not Zephyr the god herself.
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<b>"I told you before," he says, "I like ruinous things. And you were the death of me. So, you win. You're all I can think of."</b>
Zephyr's a perfectionist to the point where even death can't stop her from achieving her goals. Heavenly principles? Nah, nothing will stand against mortal desires of her immortal heart. As she just knows plans of her Lordess won't suceed without her help, all she needs is a spare body to command so she could lead west troops to the victory. Or maybe two, actually three... where there's war, there are plenty of bodies available to choose from. If not, one can simply... free up the desired one in less conventional matter.
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<b>"How do you forget someone who's carved themselves into your bones?"</b>
If you've loved gods shenanigans in interfering with mortals world in 香蜜沉沉烬如霜 (Ashes of Love, 2018) or the soul-jumping between bodies in 환혼 (Alchemy of souls, 2022), Sound the Gong will make you feel like you're home -- a little bloody one, but still a home. I do not want to spoil you much of what exact events are taking place in this sequel, because that's the fun this book delivers in its own unique way. Imagine entering a scary rollercoaster. In a huge fog, so you can'tsee past the seat in front of you. In the middle of Chicago so the weather could change from extreme sun to a terrible storm within few minutes (I'm from Poland, but got to experience this... magic of Chicago's weather myself ten years ago -- hence the graphic comparission). Sounds even more scary, right? Because it is. You have no clue what emotions will flood you with each new chapter --- happiness, grieve, love, need of giving a start to justified arson? You can't literally be sure for your own life, let alone all beloved characters of yours. All that, and Joan's amazing approach to retelling <i> Three Kingdoms </i> in her own breathtaking way.
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<b>"We're all chess pieces to the heavens."</b>
Reading STG made me realise how much I did miss the whole crew, and how awesome of a near psycho Zephyr is. But that's what I love about Kingdom of Three duology? It feels like a mashup of my favourite tropes, to be exact reading Sound the Gong brought me back so many emotions I felt reading R. Kuang's "The Burning God" (TLDR, this book broke me in a very beautiful way) -- and being broken by just reading a book is a thing I rarely get to experience, if it could tell you something about how impactful it was. You, as a reader, are just so immersed in this story you're getting all the emotions multiplied by the fact that they all just feel real. Another example, is how this story brings closure to the duet of strategists story -- some may don't like this kind of ending, but in my opinion they're one of the most beautiful ones characters deserve to get spinned for them. If you want to know what kind of >ending< I'm talking about, well take a hint of some of the other titles I've mentioned before and wait patiently till Sound the Gong releases to public in April next year. Because this book is soooo worth waiting for, just as some people in our lives, or in our books. As even though the wait may seem like it would never end, once it does you'll get to answer yourself in peace to the question you've asked yourself all along -- Was it worth it?

I couldn't rate this finale less than my special 6 stars rating <3

PS. After withstanding all the things the Author put you through reading Sound the Gong, you can claim your very sweet reward (sugar overload guaranteed by yours truly) on her official page ~

An angsty, bittersweet, tense, epic bulldozer of a conclusion to an excellent duology retelling an incredibly hefty and famous classical Chinese novel. In STG, the main crew barrel towards the inevitable clash that Zephyr has been so desperately strategizing for since she began working for Xin Ren. Faced with difficult choices and the knowledge she'd hurt and disappoint those around her, Zephyr goes to the extreme to defend her choices and forge her own destiny.

Kept on my toes due to the first novel's ending, I managed to foresee the story's main twists and the conclusion of our main characters' arcs. That made the reading experience even more better. Once again, Joan does a beautiful job simplifying the original's long backstories and weaving in allusions and iconic imagery into new contexts that capture the whimsy grandness of the original while making it her own. While many key characters of ROTTK have direct counterparts in Joan's duology, one doesn't have to be familiar with the original to love her iterations—who become their own.

Out of all of Joan's current set of pubbed books, Zephyr and Crow are my favourite leads. Zephyr's strong character voice, Crow's tragicness, their cunning intellect, chemistry and unwavering determination makes them an addicting duo. Also, Joan: Crow is the best boi.

Amidst the violence and dramas of war, betrayal and immortal meddling, you'll find several key messages. The most personal is that that rings clearest with Zephyr: we have the power of choice. In the time that we have, to live a life with no regrets, we must find the courage in ourselves to walk our own paths, even when we are challenged on the journey to find ourselves.

Thanks to Netgalley and Roaring Brooks for providing the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Kelsey Marrujo for linking us street team members with the invites 🙃

After the exciting twists and turns that Strike the Zither revealed, Sound the Gong delivers an equally exciting and stunning conclusion. War is chaotic, the human condition is fickle, and it is up to Zephyr to maneuver these pieces the way only a strategist can. With every turn of the page a new setting, a new challenge, and the same determined Zephyr awaits you. The epic blends war, the human condition, and the heavens that goes beyond good and bad and challenges the fates.