This was a tedious read for me.
This book is by no means 'bad', it is just very juvenile and haphazard. Despite its merits, the cons really overshadowed my experience.

What I liked:
1. The concept is unique, interesting and well thought out. The mirror world is an amazing alt dimension that the author conjured up, I was wayyy to invested for the first quarter of the book.
2. The Chinese mythology setting has been a favourite of mine since The Poppy War and its aftermath, and I found its use in this setting colourful and fitting.
3. I loved the promise of a future bad marriage premise and the mystery regarding the royal family.
4. The book has an array of interesting characters, I felt invested in some of them, The initial introductions are very well done. I was constantly in a state of being suspicious of every single character which is AWESOME.
5. My personal favourite was the horror tea scene in the beginning - amazing imagery and creepy. The first few chapters are a great hook - Ying as she is preparing for her Wedding day and she is absolutely convinced that something is after her

What I disliked:
LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE.
This book is the return of intolerable YA heroine - I hated the FMC and I won't even explain why. I have no opinions on the Prince as he had the personality of a wet cardboard. Mirror FMC held so much potential for evil - wasted. The romance was insane and non existent to me - instalove x 2? NO, THANK YOU. The bad arranged marriage trope totally discarded for the same guy, 2 times? I can't-
The book is about too many things to focus on any one aspect; The author uses many overused tropes in a very heavy handed manner - the chosen one, one bed trope, the prophecy.
To me, this book could have been a really good attempt towards building an intricate mirror world, but NOTHING about how it operates is explained. We're supposed to just accept it exists? Instead we get an info dump with superficial explanations and repetition. It felt like the author decided to introduce elements of the story to simply serve the linear plotline, not vice versa. This lack of foreshadowing made the book one dimensional. So the first half of the book is a different experience than the second.

This book was not for me, even though I really wanted to love it because of the cover.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Girl with No Reflection by Keshe Chow is a third person-POV YA epic Fantasy Romance inspired by Imperial China. When Ying Yue is married to the future emperor, Zhang Lin, she makes a deal with her reflection to trade places until they can escape. Unknown to Ying, her reflection has no intent of helping Ying with anything.

The slowburn romance was handled quite well. Ying finds Zhang to be quite cold at first and falls for his mirror image when she crosses to the mirror world. When she comes back after witnessing her own reflection trying to murder Zhang, Ying spends more time with her new husband and slowly starts to see his good points. She's torn between this very charismatic and kind version of him and the version of him that recognizes her agency but pushes back. The more of Zhang's layers that get peeled back, the more we start to see why he does the things that he does and the harder it is not to see that he's the better choice.

The mirror prince does some things that I think are very important for teens to be able to see. He love bombs Ying and is very manipulate but acts very thoughtfully to give her a good impression. He also asks her to stay with him and does what he can to keep her from seeing what her reflection is doing while either making it seem like it's for her own good or that he's only listening to her. It's very easy to fall into the trap of a predator who knows all the right things to say, so it's good for teens to see that you can't always tell immediately if someone is going to be a good romantic partner.

One of my favorite parts was the use of the story of the carps transforming into dragons from Chinese folklore. I've loved that story since I first found out about it and how it's integrated here really fed into the fantasy elements and the playing with tropes, such as the Chosen One narrative. That it was also connected to Ying's family, who was said to guide carps to the gate to become dragons, was a fun detail I liked seeing brought back.

I would recommend this to fans of slowburn romances with married couples, readers of YA Asian fantasy looking for more romance, and those looking for an epic fantasy inspired by Imperial China

3.5 - The Girl with No Reflection is a really fun concept with lots of interesting ideas. I loved seeing the mirror world.

There was a fair amount of telling rather than showing — I think some moments could have been given more time to breathe and develop. The abruptness left me feeling a little disconnected from our lead characters early on.

Overall though, it was a good time!

Thanks to Delacorte Press for providing an advanced digital copy for me to review!

I was very invested in the first half of the story but as we get past the halfway mark, I personally felt like the book started to slow down and drag a little. The idea of the mirror world was a very interested concept. However, the story was also fairly predictable and I wish there was more character development. Ying's character was fine but I wasn't very interested in the prince's character. He's just... there. Ying read like a typical YA character. I didn't really care for their relationship and I wish their backgrounds were talked about more. There are definitely a lot of things that needed to be developed more but it was still an enjoyable read. I would have loved for the mirror world and the mirrored characters to have more depth. The book started off great but after the halfway point, Ying's journey is pretty linear and there were no shocking factors, no plot twists.

a fresh new voice in YA fantasy! when i saw this book, i knew it'd be perfect for me, it reminded me a lot of dark fairytales i'd imagine in my head, or the darkly enchanting tales of books like The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea or even Laini Taylor/Roshani Chokshi's books. i love the slight horror undertone and i adored the pacing!

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow is a Genre-Bending and delightfully enchanting read for fans of such books as The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea looking for such themes to be explored in a more darkly realized setting.

What I loved
1. The immediate mystery of what happened to the other brides
2. excellent pacing
3. Masterful handling of dialogue
4. Stand-alone debut
5. Nonwestern mythos and Chinese cultral elements.

This book was fabulous. I really loved it. It was different from most books I’ve read.
The beginning had some scary scenes. I was obsessed immediately. I liked how it mixed genres, it made it even more original. This was an amazing book. It had me turning the pages late in the night and excited to see how it ends. I will be sharing this with all my friends. I will be on the lookout for more books by this author! This was for sure 5 star read. Thank you to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for the eARC!

I enjoyed this book and I was hooked from the beginning. The pacing and storyline were great. I loved the mirror world and all the twists and turns. If you want a quick fun read then i recommend this book. The plot was a little predictable but still had me on edge in various parts. Overall I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book! The romance was a little odd but I understood how it worked as the story progressed. Ying is a great main character. She’s a strong woman but isn’t afraid to show her emotions. So many strong female protagonists can be out of touch with their emotions so that was really nice that she would just cry sometimes because she had too. Zhang I had so many mixed feelings about but I loved him by the end for sure. The lore of the world was fascinating and the mirror world was so cool. I kind of wish we had dived more into the lore of the mirror world because I thought it was so cool! I also read this quite quickly because it is super fast paced and every chapter is basically a cliffhanger so you just want to keep reading!

One of my most anticipated releases this year.

I believe this could’ve been better as a duology. I would’ve liked to get to know Ying a little more before and her back story. I think the connection she had with her brother and how her taught her to fight would’ve been a great start.. It feels like the book started right in the middle of the story. Everything feels slightly under developed and the story was moving a little too fast for my liking. There were some parts that felt like a fever dream to me..

I will say though that it kept me at the edge of my seat and I read it so fast because I wanted to know what will happen next. The plot twists were actually really great.

I really liked that Kesha added Chinese traditions and words in the book.

For a debut book I think this was pretty solid. Can’t wait to see what Kesha Chow comes out with next!

3/5 ⭐️
This is strangely another book where it started off strong and had me hooked, but nosedived off a cliff and suddenly was not for me. Initially I loved the world and it’s a very gothic-Esq story with a girl going to a fancy new house to marry and then strange shit happens. And the mirror element is my favorite. But suddenly it felt so rushed yet meanders, but mostly incoherent, like things contradicted itself. It also felt like this particular style that I would’ve been all for when I was 16, but I’m kind of over it now. For example the FMC is a noble lady yet is a fighter, but it doesn’t make sense with the culture of the world for this to be the case. I’m here for warrior fmc but I need them now to make sense in the context of their upbringing. Like give me a cunning woman instead. I want to see that brand of badass not the trademark fighter feminist girl boss that feels cardboard cutout like. And then the romance happened so fast.
I don’t know. I think the idea was excellent, but I think this story needed to go through a few more drafts to give it slightly more purpose instead of meandering and catering in a way typical to say wattpad/ao3 stories. You know where things are going on but they feel superficial. Or it’s action, action, action, yet they are coming out of left wing and don’t really feel like it goes. And things definitely could’ve been trimmed down and condensed. Tighten things up and cut repetitiveness. It didn’t need to be this long. I think it would’ve been a strong YA story if it was streamlined more.
I definitely think there’s an audience for this and I think its core idea is amazing, but it could’ve used a few more drafts to refine the edges. But that being said, it’s still entertaining and enjoyable.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

(2.5⭐)

ugghhhh im so sad because this was an anticipated read and it honestly started off well. like cool concept? check. interesting characters? check. the thriller aspect to this in the beginning especially!! like damn i was invested. but... i dont know when it began but i started losing interest FAST (maybe it was around the 30% or 40% mark?? idk). its not even that this book is bad, but i just got bored??

and then ying was very annoying in a lot of aspects i got tired of her and could care less about her fate or anything that happened throughout the book + the prince?? i really do not care about that guy. i saw a very very small potential at one point but that was quickly squashed and then eventually i just felt like the "romance" blossoming between them was SO forced?? like huh?? i dont buy the explanations we were given and the moment they began considering the other in a romantic view i just didnt see it, it felt like such a quick change. especially after the 58% mark with a *certain* reveal and im like wow did her feelings change fast?😂 it just felt out of place and so sudden considering the events that had just occurred but oh well! there was some build up i suppose afterwards but i still wasnt sold on their love for each other--or maybe they really were in love but i just didnt care🤷‍♀️they were just so boring and so unconvincing in their banter and the 'enemies to lovers' aspect i genuinely cringed so many times... it really was just not good at all. i have absolutely zero things to say that i liked about the romance.

anyways yeah i thought this would be really fun and honestly the potential it had with the unique concept got me really excited but personally it just fell flat for me. also not sure if it's only me but i genuinely could not take anything seriously after a certain point like it felt wayy too dramatic but i think that also ties in with me getting bored sooo💔

i was literally about to DNF 60% in and even prepared a review for it but then i just decided whatever il finish it since i was nearly done anyways, and frankly i just did a lot of skimming to get it over with. sad that i didnt end up liking this as i hoped🥲 oh well



Many thanks to Random House for providing an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I was surprised that this was a debut, I thought it was very well done. The story itself was creepy and a little off putting, but in the way I think it was intended. I really enjoyed it, it definitely reads like a YA with how quickly things move and how much emotion everyone has.

Rating - 3.5⭐️

I think this was a solid debut! I really enjoyed the idea of the mirror worlds and reflections. I thought it was really cool how they worked. The plot was fast-paced so I flew through the book really fast and there was a lot of action happening which was good.

I just don’t think this book was the right one that suited my tastes. The beginning had a strong promising start and it made me feel like I could rate the book 5 stars but then I started gradually losing interest in the characters and the story as a whole after the first 30% of the book unfortunately.

I’d still recommend the book if you like the romantasy genre and enemies to lovers, love triangles, Chinese mythology, and mirror worlds.

The first couple of chapters of this book are amazing. If this had stayed a more horror fantasy than a romance fantasy, I would have LOVED this book. But unfortunately, the creepy build up in those chapters is short-lived and it is no longer scary but just obnoxious. The "romance" is quick and unbelievable, the romance and plot are super melodramatic like, I laughed out loud when the empress announced she had been poisoning her husband, it was laughably dramatic. . I really wish this had stuck to the beautiful horror it could have been.

This book exceeded my expectations in every way. The cover drew me in first and then the writing itself was spectacular! I couldn't put it down and kept thinking of it even after the last page. Thank you for the read!

"The Girl with No Reflection" by Keshe Chow is a spellbinding tale that captivates with its novelty of plot, unique characters, and masterful storytelling.

The plot is refreshingly original, weaving a narrative that seamlessly blends fantasy, romance, and mystery. Ying Yue's life takes an unexpected turn when her dreams of a fairy tale marriage to the crown prince shatter, leaving her confined and isolated in the imperial palace. This sense of confinement is palpable, and it sets the stage for an extraordinary adventure. The characters are vividly crafted and immensely engaging. Ying Yue herself is a strong and relatable protagonist, whose resilience and quest for true love make her journey deeply compelling. The contrast between the cold, indifferent crown prince and the kind, compassionate Mirror Prince is striking, providing a fascinating exploration of duality and perception.

Futhermore, the clever plotting keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The suspense surrounding the fate of the previous brides and the dark secrets of the mirror world are skillfully unveiled, creating a sense of urgency and tension. Each twist and turn is meticulously crafted, leading to a climax that is both thrilling and emotionally satisfying.

i kept waiting to like this book as i was reading but things only went downhill the more i read. i usually don't DNF books because i like to have the full picture before i form a solid opinion and can usually muscle it through to the end even if i'm not enjoying it, but there comes a point where finding out what happens next is more frustrating than not knowing what happens next and that's when i tap out lol so here's why:

the main character felt so wishy washy. ying is conveniently portrayed as either ridiculously naive & dependent or uncowed & capable. she loves her family so much but doesn't think twice about what living in the mirror world would mean for ever getting to see them again; she states several times that she doesn't like the prince only to lines later to be comfortable in his proximity and have her pulse racing at his "hot" touch; her <spoiler>arm aches after being attacked by the serpent but she falls asleep not realizing her neck wound is bleeding and crusting all across her front until the prince points it out</spoiler>. she felt incredibly artificial and inconsistent

the "romance" is either <spoiler>insta love with the mirror prince where ying for some reason is immediately trusting and head over heels for him</spoiler> or a horrible attempt at what i'm guessing it meant to be a <spoiler>"grumpy x sunshine" type trope except the actual prince is just unlikeable and selfish, and every moment he has with ying is just him making suggestive comments that she expresses discomfort and disinterest over.</spoiler> not to mention it also feels distinctly not YA, especially in the romance but also in the themes, self exploration/identity, and writing style.

i also wasn't impressed with the writing, where repetition was frequent (at times for effect) and there was no real evocation of emotion--i felt disinterested and distant from everything that happened and each of the characters, and i got sick of seeing "ying walked and walked" "she ran and she ran" or "her belly was empty--the fruit had not been enough to fill her belly." i never felt the urgency of whatever stakes there were meant to be. everything that happened to ying, like <spoiler>when she was attacked by the gjushe/serpent, felt insubstantial because i guessed/knew she would be saved every time. opportunities for intriguing foreshadowing were wasted/used too soon--i was hoping ying's opal ring would come in at a pivotalpivoto moment in the climax where it's been mostly forgotten until you realize it's perfect to save her in some way, and it was underwhelming for (all of it, mind you) to be used to "hopefully knock out reflection ying a little longer than without it."</spoiler> it made me feel like ying didn't need strategy or skill to get through her obstacles and she would just succeed in everything she needed to in the end. specifically where i gave up on the book was the end of ch 15/beginning of ch 16, where 1) the prince makes another suggestive comment that made me want to close the book and 2) <spoiler>they were chased by more monsters/creatures</spoiler> that i knew wouldn't actually cause anything other than maybe another opportunity for a tropey moment before we move on to the next basically inconsequential thing. by this point i lost any investment in the story because the cards were shown too early and i could either guess the answers to my questions or didn't care anymore--for example, finding out <spoiler>reflection ying's motivation stripped the potential for a feeling of betrayal between ying and what's basically another version of herself, which could have been so cool--and the "betrayal" ying is meant to feel after with the mirror prince is entirely manufactured because my first thought after finding out reflection ying wanted to take ying's place was that the mirror prince was in on it & that that explains his insta love with ying without ever missing a beat when he learned she swapped with his soon to be wife. it makes no sense for him to be so unbothered at having romance with someone else when he has no reason or no insinuation is made about him not liking relfection ying (especially because, since he's supposedly nice unlike the actual prince, reflection ying has no reason not to like him back). but apparently all this never even crossed ying's mind because, even though she's only spent a few days with the mirror prince and for some reason never doubted his unhesitant agreement at the yings swapping, she only ever thinks "he's in danger because reflection ying might go after him too, i have to save him, i want to be with him."</spoiler>

additionally, i couldn't help but feel like the better parts of the book's concept were unoriginal. in the beginning, ying discovering the reflection oddities and then being introduced to the mirror world and its magic was interesting and different, like the detail that <spoiler>mirror people are cold to the touch like glass and how they could only dress in what their real-world counterparts wore. as soon as reflection ying's intentions were revealed, however, it became glaringly similar to the film "Us" which explores the exact same idea of people's reflections rising against them to take their places in the real world at any cost after living the other side of the same life with countless deficits-- </spoiler> but with poor execution and shortsighted intention.

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence, death, profanity

When I first started reading this I was surprised and thought I was maybe reading a horror story but it isn’t! I honestly wouldn’t have minded if it was. Ying is about the marry a prince but she’s not feeling like he cares about her and keeps her trapped in a room except for the times she is allowed to be out. A way to escape this marriage is in front of her – literally. In the mirror!

I thought this was such an interesting story and one that is a little bit creepy because what do you mean there is a whole world inside a mirror and your clone is basically living there? Ying finds out though that not everything is so great on the other side of the mirror. There are monsters, there are untrustworthy mirror-people, and now she has to find a way to close the portal in the mirror or else these monsters will take over the real world. And why does it have to be her? Because there is a prophecy and she is the chosen one.

The romance was enemies to lovers but there is a love triangle, which I thought was messy but very entertaining. I felt like Ying was falling too fast for a guy in the mirror!

Speaking of Ying, there were times I found my eyes rolling because of her behavior and actions. She’s falling fast for a Mirror-Prince yet on the other side of the mirror she hated the real Prince and fought with him every chance she got even when it wasn’t called for. And then the prophecy said Ying is the fish who will close the mirror portal, but I didn’t know why a fish? Maybe because water is reflective? Anyway there’s even dragons in this book. Yeah it gets wild by the end, but I just went with it.

In summary…

Reflections are not so nice, Ying is the Fish-the one in the prophecy to close the mirror portal, there is a war, and fights with mythical monsters. There are even dragons in this story! The romance is a love triangle between Ying, a Mirror-Prince and the real Prince. Ying did get on my nerves at some points, but overall the story was still pretty entertaining. I look forward to reading more books from this author!

The Girl With No Reflection is a unique blend of royal court drama, spine-chilling horror, and pushes the boundaries of fantasy in today's world. The premise of the story is brilliant and the book overall had a decent pace to it. While there were some issues about how the characters talked that clashed with the time period the story was set in but other then that I really enjoyed this novel. The protagonist, Ying, is wonderfully written being brave, witty and hostile when necessary. Overall, The Girl With No Reflection is a good YA novel that anyone who enjoys Asian culture, witty characters, romance or double-world fantasies should add this book to their TBR.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Random House for providing the eARC.