This was wonderful! I loved the writing style, the characters, the world-building…everything about it was top-notch. I will definitely be recommending this book!

This is a fun and quick fantasy read. I really liked the first 30% and found myself intrigued. However, the middle of the story kind of dragged for me. I got the story the author was telling, and I love this kind of fated souls stories, especially with themes of reincarnation. However this story just lacked a bit of plot for me? It takes so long for the very obvious reveals to happen, and I think there just needed to be more to the story to keep the reader engaged.

I love books that are inspired by Chinese mythology and myths, and this one didn't disappoint! It's been a while since I read a book with a male main character, and it was a nice change! The author truly brought out his personality and suffering! Some reviewers said that the brutal, violent scenes were jarring in comparison to the rest of the book that read like a fairytale, but that is a feature common in Chinese literature and storytelling. The prose reads like an eloquent fairytale, but the story itself is tragic; that is the core of Chinese storytelling. Just check any c-drama. Anyway, The Last Dragon of the East was all about Sai's journey not only to love but self-discovery, as well. The point was to see him from being a person who can see other people's vibrant red strings of Fate, as in the string that connects 2 soulmates, and his own fraying string, to finding love and happiness.

Overall, it is a beautiful adult fantasy novel, inspired by Chinese mythology, and I recommend it to anyone who loves c-dramas and Chinese myths.

I was only able to read the first few chapters before I lost access to the book (my fault completely with poor time management!). that said, the forst chapters had me hooked and I will be picking up the book from my library shortly to finish it.

A different kind of love story inspired by Chinese myths and people who are meant to be together in many lifetimes.

It starts off with the main character, Sai, who can see peoples Fated one but cannot see his own. The evil Emperor makes him go search for the possible last remaining dragon. Along the way he discovers things about his past life and a story that reveals the story behind his Fated one.

Well written and you could feel the emotion the main characters had for each other. Some parts are a little graphic and violent, but it was necessary to tell the story and portray the suffering. I overall enjoyed the story and could not wait to see how Sai's story would end.

4 ⭐️ rounded up.

If you are someone who enjoys standalone fantasy, especially fantasy with a very strong romantic element….look no further. We also get to experience the romance from the male love interest’s point of view which I have rarely seen is romantic fantasy/romantasy. This book is steeped in Chinese mythology and folklore and is a great time, but prepare yourself for some incredibly heavy themes and scenes there are some things that will really get you thinking and feeling all of the things. Follow Sai as he is sent on a quest by the emperor as he finds out more about himself and his mysterious travelling companions that he gains along the way. I totally agree with the marketing I have seen that says this is perfect for fans of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, that definitely passes the vibe check.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy to review!

Sai helps at his family teahouse, but he was born with a gift to see the Red Threads which help others find their soulmates.

My thoughts: I love a book that I can learn from, and I thoroughly enjoyed a deeper look into this story inspired by Chinese myths!

I loved learning more about the red strings of date and watching Sai help others in the quest to find each other. This had a bit of everything with Romance and the search for a dragon!

Read if you love:
* Fantasy with adventure and romance
* Fate and soulmates
* Dragon shifter
* Shorter standalone fantasy

Beautifully written but a tiny bit boring at the beginning. It was pleasant enough to read until about halfway through when the tone completely changed. It feels like multiple people wrote it who weren’t on the same page with the pacing or tone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Dragon of the East is a standalone NA fantasy romance by Katrina Kwan. Released 8th Oct 2024 by Simon & Schuster on their Saga Press imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback, library binding (large print), audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is an Asian folkloric fairy tale, full of dragons, fated romance, demigods, and "chosen one" tropes. It's full of romance, with a backdrop of political intrigue and war. It has potential, and the author is talented with characterization and pretty good with pacing, but there are a lot of oddities that detract from the whole.

There are a number of gruesomely specific, explicit, kind of nauseatingly violent torture, murder, and exploitation scenes. It wouldn't have been (terribly) amiss in a violent bro-war fantasy saga (Sanderson, Rothfuss, Correia and the other boys in the band), but is more than a little jarring in a fantasy romance. The world building is noticeably lacking in depth and it's sad, because the source material is so rich and varied.

The author (or at least editors and marketing crew) at Simon & Schuster seemingly couldn't decide who the book was *for*, and as such it was an odd dichotomy of war and tea-house cozy. There are funny moments, but juxtaposed with the torture are mostly just queasy-making.

Three and a half stars. There certainly could be fantasy tea-house-romantasy-cozy fans who are also Monster Hunter International/Mistborn Saga lovers, but that Venn Diagram has to have an oddly small overlap and it's not at all clear which readers the author and publisher were aiming for.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I've read this authors debut and loved it so I was excited to read this even though it's so different. I was hooked on this from the very beginning. I wanted to know more about their love story so badly. Jyn had been through so much alone, just waiting for the chance to be with him. I loved this.

𝙈𝙔 𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃𝙏𝙎:
This is a beautiful, heart wrenching tale of a love that transcends time and place. Sai’s journey is dangerous and filled with several challenges. As his search continues, the revelations concerning his thread and the dragon he seeks become intertwined. I laughed and even shed a tear or two as I followed Sai’s captivating story. This book solidifies my belief in 𝚂𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚂! If you are meant to be with someone - you will always find them…in this lifetime and the next!

*I recommend this book if you are a fan of dragons, fated mates, grumpy vs. sunshine (reversed) and Chinese folklore/myths.

**I really enjoyed Katrina Kwan’s beautiful writing and look forward to reading more from her!

I went into this book not thinking I would like it, but I was wrong. It was phenomenal. I loved every bit of it. I sunk into the story and didn’t want to emerge. It was a romantasy that I will not soon forget of love and loss, second chances and fate. I devoured the story and highly recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, dragons and or romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Sega Press Books!

I absolutely loved Katrina's writing in this one!! Reading Sai's POV was really refreshing to read and I really enjoyed how Katrina explored the themes of reincarnation, red thread of fate, fated lovers and of course, the dragons. I'm not 100% fully brushed up on my mythology, but Katrina did make fun choices for this story. Intertwining the history with the current day was really nice and helped fleshed out the worldbuilding. Although the pacing was a bit too quick for me, this was a really strong 300 page YA standalone, and I like how things ended.

Review: The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan
⭐ 3.5/5 stars (rounded down)

What I Liked:
✔ Engaging Storyline: The plot kept me interested, and I especially enjoyed the flashbacks and how they tied into the main events.
✔ Solid Characterization: The main characters were well-developed, and I had no major complaints about their portrayal.
✔ Battle Scenes & Dialogue: Both were well-executed and added to the story’s momentum.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
✖ Inconsistent Tone: The writing style and overall tone felt mismatched with the darker elements of the story.
✖ Flat Side Characters: Many supporting characters seemed one-dimensional, existing only for a single plot moment.
✖ Rushed Romance: The relationship between the leads felt underdeveloped, especially considering what we learn through flashbacks.

Final Thoughts:
While I don’t regret reading this book, I found it a bit confusing in terms of tone. It often felt like YA or even middle grade, yet it included semi-explicit scenes and intense moments of torture. The contrast between whimsical storytelling and darker fantasy elements didn’t fully mesh. I think it would have worked better if it had fully embraced the fairytale-like narrative instead of trying to balance both styles.

That said, there were plenty of great aspects, and I’d be interested in reading more from Katrina Kwan in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!

I started this a few weeks ago and struggled to remain engaged. I'm in the mood for something with a faster pace right now, so this is a "me" problem. DNF for now, but I want to return later and try again.

What a phenomenal read. This book was great , the characters were well developed and you could feel so much for them. Love the mythology on it . This was written like a fairytale and I loved that about it. Definitely a very immersive read and worth every second of it .

While I was not as enamored of this romantasy as I was of Kwan's foodie romance, I enjoyed her storytelling and look forward to more of her works.

The world-building is rich and imaginative, and the characters interesting. I especially loved Sai's journey of self-discovery. The world-building is one of the strongest aspects of the book. Kwan paints a picture of a world that feels both fantastical and grounded, drawing inspiration from Eastern mythology and culture. The settings, from ancient temples to hidden mountains, are vividly described, making it easy for readers to imagine themselves within this magical realm.

While the pacing can feel a bit slow in places, and some parts are a little predictable, it's still a really fun read. Overall, it’s a solid start to a series, and I’m excited to see where it goes from here! If you’re a fan of fantasy, definitely give this one a try!

Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5

This was such a lovely read! I have never read a book that was in the Male's pov before. I was blown away by the details and beautiful romantic story between sai and jyn. One of my best reads last year.

THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST by Katrina Kwan is a unique blend of Chinese Mythology and Fantasy. Kwan , seamlessly incorporates a rich tapestry of characters and viewpoints. This story follows Sai, a 25 year old who can matchmake with his ability to see the threads of possible soulmates. His own thread is a bit to be desired. This book is filled with magic, danger, action, and love. If you enjoy fantasy and mythology, consider THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST as a potential read.