A GIRL WITH NO REFLECTION by KESHE CHOW
A Unique Twist on the Love Triangle

When the time comes to seal the mirrors, which side will Ying choose?

When Ying Yue is kept prisoner in the Crown Prince’s quarters, she is understandably disgruntled. He’s insufferable and seems uninterested in getting to know his future wife. Right from the start this dark fantasy lured me in when Ying is confronted by her own reflection in the mirror. At first, she’s terrified, who wouldn’t be? But when she’s dragged into the mirror world by her reflection, she agrees to trade places to evade her upcoming marriage, with the understanding it’s for a limited time. During her stay, Ying finds the Reflection Crown Prince-Zhang Lin-much more alluring than the one who exists in the real world. However, things aren’t as they seem, and Ying must return to her world and locate the Book of Alchemy to figure out how to seal the barrier between the mirror world and her own before a war that threatens to destroy them all takes place.

I was delighted to be given the ARC for this upcoming YA dark fantasy.

I found the romance in this novel refreshing. It has a unique twist on the love triangle. Instead of two separate love interests, Keshe Chow cleverly has the reader bouncing between the real Zhan and his reflection self. I truly enjoyed Ying being so strong-willed and although she has romantic feelings, it doesn’t completely take over her character arc. Personally, nothing annoys me more than when we start with a strong female protagonist, and she loses herself and personality when she meets the love interest in the story. I’ve never liked the message that true love equals obsession.

To avoid spoilers, I’d highly recommend this Chinese-inspired mythology novel if you want a unique clean romance with a dark fantasy twist that includes a complex mystery, dragons and other fantastical creatures.

This book was not stop action. The romance went a little to fast for my taste, however the action made up for it.

A regrettable miss for me. I was drawn in by the premise, but the prose lacked a literary quality that I usually need to be drawn into a fantasy world. I do think the prose will make the book accessible for the target audience (YA), though maybe not readers used to “lush” fantasy world-building. I think the plot was also slowed down my some overly common romantic tropes.

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I DNF'ed at 30% of the way through.

It really had a lot of potential but was bogged down by an annoying love triangle. Between the protagonist and the same two guys, weirdly enough. I just didn't like the slow pacing and romance overtaking the unique magical mirror world which is what I wanted to see more of.

I liked the elements of Chinese mythology in this book, although the magic system was a little confusing to me. I think I was expecting something akin to Joanna Ruth Meyer's "Echo North" with the main character going to an entirely different realm, rather than going back and forth between the real world and a literal reflection. The mechanics of the mirror people having to imitate the 'real' people in order for them to have a reflection in the mirror raised more questions than it answered for me. Aside from the logistical questions that I had, I thought the writing was good and I liked Ying. The romance was a bit too fast for me; it seemed like Ying was just attracted to both of the princes, but as soon as one revealed himself to be good (truthfully or not), she decided she was in love with him. I would have liked just a little bit more of a slow burn, especially since I did really like the prince.

Rife with betrayal, heartbreak, and everlasting love, THE GIRL WITH NO REFLECTION is at its very core, one of the most vicious stories I’ve ever read. Not only was my heart pounding with anticipation every time I turned the page but I was utterly entranced by the dazzling world Chow created.

I think my favourite part about the book was the worldbuilding—which I thought was so unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Keshe spares no detail in crafting her mirror-world, spinning a haunting atmosphere that pulls you straight into the pages.

I also really enjoyed the story’s main character Ying, whose multifaceted personality made the experience that much more interesting. On one hand, she is terribly fierce and independent, and one the other, she’s a hopeless romantic looking for someone to call home. Her want for love proves to be both her greatest strength and her greatest flaw at the same time, and I really enjoyed her perspective throughout the entire book.

ALSO the ROMANCE. It was so freaking cute I was literally swooning every time the love interest opened his mouth. He was so head over heels in love with Ying to the point where she had him on his hands and KNEES for her. I’ve never felt so single.

Overall this book was so so so good and I would highly recommend to any fans of fantasy! Thank you so much to Keshe Chow for letting me be a part of your street team and for personally giving me this eARC! A definite 4/5 stars and you do NOT want to miss it.

Evil. Mirror. Twins! Chow expertly blends horror and romantasy in ways that you didn't know were possible. I had high hopes for this one and it was exactly the delight I wanted! Ying Yue is a character that draws you all the way in and the pacing of this book is sublime. You'll barely catch your breath, but you'll never feel wholly winded. The Mirror realm will haunt your dreams. Think Alice in Wonderland vibes meets Chinese mythology. Don't miss this one!