Enchanting and Thrilling! THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST weaves together mythology and romance into an epic quest to save one's family, appease an Emperor, and discover a love that lasts beyond lifetimes.

Katrina Kwan has written one of the best character arcs I've ever read. The home body Sai we first meet caring for his ailing mother is not the same young man by story's end. The Emperor charges Sai with finding the last mythical dragon in the kingdom thrusting him into an epic quest the likes of which he'd believe only to be legends. Beasts and battles, love and honor, sacrifice and destiny all shape Sai into a most beloved lead character.

Sai's world is steeped in myth and fantasy. This is not a fairytale - war is violent, flesh eating demons are putrid, and fairies are mischievous. There is a visceral nature to Kwan's prose that does not let you look away from the hardships Sai faces on his journey. As relief though, dragons are glorious, tea house proprietors are brave, and love finds a way.

This is also one of the best Soul Mate stories I've ever read. Sai and his fated mate broke and mended my fragile heart seven hundred times. Their connection may have been instant, but there was much work to do to build a trust worthy of their Red Thread of Fate. And yes, they suffered and sacrificed and fought for every moment of their peace.

THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST is for readers looking for both peril and passion along an epic quest.

Thank you Netgalley and S&S/Saga Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I grew up watching C-dramas, and have always been fascinated with the myth of the red threads of fate, the idea that we are connected by an invisible string to our soulmate. I guess it’s kind of like the concept of fated mates in western stories but unlike the aforementioned, the threads of fate is not so much a primal connection as it is an inevitable destiny. To get to read a story where the red thread myth was present and had such a significant role in the plot made me so happy. It reminded me of the romance and magic that pulled me in each and every time I watched a fantasy C-drama as a kid.

I’m usually not a fan of insta love, but it worked really well in this story for our main characters Sai and Jyn. Their quips and bantering were very cute, and both of them were such sweet and likable characters that I found myself rooting and caring for them fairly quickly. They were both kind souls who always tried to do the right thing, even if it ended up putting them at a disadvantage and in harms way.

Although I enjoyed this story quite a bit, I did have some issues with the pacing. It felt very off at times, like we were being whisked from scene to scene at a frantic gallop. Because of this, I felt like I was not given much time to savor the story; everything happened so quickly that it was hard to stay immerse in the story sometimes, as there was just so much condensed into a relatively short novel.

Overall I was impressed with this fantasy debut and am hoping Katrina will put out more books in this genre!

Sai is keeping the family teahouse running while taking care of his ailing mother. When he obtains forbidden
dragon scales from a doctor to treat his mother, the emperor sends Sai on a quest to find the last dragon.
If Sai fails, his mother's life will be in danger. During his quest, Sai faces many challenges. When he discovers .
the last dragon, past lives will be remembered and his life forever changed.
Charming story of fated mates.
#TheLostDradonoftheEast #SagaPress #NetGalley

At first the speed of which the book progressed made me not so sure about it but the characters and story had a clutch hold on me especially when there were unanswered questions with cryptic responses but it all came together to give me the most heartbreaking then sweet ending so thank you

Sai runs a failing tea house and cares for his ailing mother, he also has a not so secret-secret, he can see the red strings of fate. He uses this tiny bit of magic to run a matchmaking business - where all the profits go towards the purchase a magical cure for his mother. Much to his disbelief this cure is none other than dragon scales, and for the first time in a long time his mother is feeling better. He is soon thrust into a quest to find the last dragon of the east.

This was an absolutely phenomenal time until about the 50% mark until it became just a decent time. Overall it was a good time.

What I loved…
- vivid atmosphere and descriptions
- an unexpected bit of gore, just a touch
- “fated mates” - via the Red Strings of Fate
- a bit of mystery and intrigue
- really cool variety of monsters/creatures
- shapeshifting dragons
- QUEST! I love quests!
- he’s the sunshine and she’s the grump
- 25+ MCs


What I didn’t love…
- lost the plot for a bit around the 50% mark - I was left wondering when we were going to get back to our quest…
- While at first I loved the emotions being conveyed and the desired related to the red strings of fate, it seemed to morph into a whole lotta lust after a while and felt disingenuous.
- while the atmosphere was great the world building overall was lacking. There was so much about the world/empire that we didn’t know or understand and it felt hard to connect.

**3.75 stars, rounded up for Goodreads

Anyone who knows me knows I love mythology, especially Asian mythology(might be due to being South Asian myself, but idk lol). One story that tugs at my heart a bit more than the rest is the story of the red strings of fate, which I believe started in Chinese mythology and which I've now started to see more in books, which I absolutely love. This book used this myth for a good portion of the book, and it was so easy to dive in and speed through it!

Sai was a wonderful main character, and a rare male character which is something I haven't had the pleasure of reading much, but it was done so well here so I hope the author writes more books in male POV in the future. He was sunshine in human form, but burdened with so much trying to take care of a sick parent and trying to take care of the house and family in the best way he could. Fortunately, early on in the book something happens that triggers a series of events sending him on an adventure to find a long lost dragon, and from that point on the story really picked up. I also loved how his "power" was shown throughout the book and how easily it flowed through the book. The only complaints I had reading this was that I wish the fmc was a bit more fleshed out, and I wish the ending was a bit more developed, more so we could've gotten another few chapters to stay in the world, but mostly just because it felt a little cramped in the end and it had the potential to be spaced out a bit more. Overall, this was a super enjoyable read and I'll be looking out for more of the author's work in the future!!!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. Everything in this review is my own opinion and has in no way been influenced by the writer, publisher, or Netgalley.

The Last Dragon of the East was a quick and fun read with some unexpected darker elements. While I thought the darker parts really added to the story, I can see that it could be jarring to some readers as both the cover and the writing feels quite YA.

I was quickly endeared to the main character Sai and really liked that the book was from his perspective. I think the male first person POV also helps it to stand out compared to other romantasy books, which might be appealing for people who read a lot of books from that genre.

The story being centered around strings of fate was fun and made me able to forgive the instalove. I also found Sai and Jyn to be good together, I especially enjoyed their interactions in the beginning and Sai being desperate to get Jyn’s attention. By far my favorite part of the book was the interludes about the three dragons and discovering how Sai and Jyn’s lives were connected. In fact, I personally think that adding a bit more of this aspect could have improved the overall book. I also wished that the characters were a bit more fleshed out and the villain more than just your standard power-hungry one.

Without going into detailed spoilers, the way the one mlm relationship was portrayed made me feel very uncomfortable. I think it would have been different if there had been more than one prominently featured gay relationship, but as it was it left me uncomfortable and questioning why this was the representation the author chose to include.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC.

My thanks to Saga Press for sending me a review copy in exchange for my honest review! I still can’t believe I secured an ARC. This doesn’t affect my thoughts about the book in any way. The Last Dragon of the East is out on October 8th!

This dazzling adult romantasy debut from Katrina Kwan is woven from the tales of Chinese folklore and mythology, and features the fated soulmates trope between a grumpy dragon and a charismatic teahouse owner. I was captivated by the storytelling, with the perfect thrill of adventure and romance between the two characters. I absolutely loved Sai’s softhearted and courageous persona because he wasn’t a typical MC who wields a sword from the very beginning into battle. Sai is clumsy and impulsive, and gets into a lot of trouble throughout this book (the man is literally on death’s doorstep that’s how unlucky he is). However, it never diminished how loveable and appealing he is to me because of his devotion and loyalty (the man is literally down bad). Reading this book from Sai’s perspective was sweet and funny. To avoid spoilers, I will simply say that this book is a tragic and hopeful story of love and loss. Perfect for fans of Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Legend of The White Snake.

I’ve been trying to branch out from my usual genre of thrillers to try new genres. This is the second fantasy novel I’ve read recently and I’m hooked!

Think dragons, Chinese mythology, romance, and fate. I easily fell in love with the characters. I’ve read other novels about the red string theory of fate and I enjoyed the way it was incorporated into this story. The world building was phenomenal. The romance story was beautiful. I loved everything about this. If you are a fantasy fan do not miss this one! Even if you do not usually read fantasy this is one to not miss!

Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

sai has led a quiet life by keeping the family teahouse up and running and taking care of his mother. he also has a side hustle of matchmaking, as he’s been given the special gift of seeing the red threads of fate that run between soulmates. so far, he’s been content to not follow his own thread, the only one he’s ever seen that’s grey and fraying. but soon, his life is turned upside down, leading to him running from the ruthless emperor and into the arms of a mysterious dragon.

i LOVE books with a fated soulmates aspect and with inspirations from east asian mythology, so i was very excited to dive into this one! i ended up really enjoying this book. i thought it was interesting that the lead was a male, because i honestly don’t read that many male-led books. i really loved this because sai was so down-bad for jyn and we got to witness that firsthand.

overall, this was a lovely book that i’d recommend to fantasy romance fans. i will be adding katrina kwan’s other books to my tbr!

The Last Dragon of the East, follows our MMC Sai, as he travels through the Five Kingdoms in search of the last dragon. I really enjoyed that the point of view for this novel was male, as it's not something I typically see in fantasy romance novels. He is a very enjoyable character to read as well! He is quite funny and gives off golden retriever vibes. Sai can also see the red threads of fate, a concept that initially drew me to this book.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. Sai is running a teashop and acting of a matchmaker of sorts, bringing people together with his ability to see the red thread of fate. Eventually the emperor notices Sai and his ability and asks him to seek out the last dragon. Sai is thrown into battle and eventually meets the FMC, Jyn. Unfortunately, this is where the book takes a turn for me. From this point on, the two MCs don't have a lot of time to talk and get to know each other as they are constantly in some life or death situation. Jyn is also super secretive about her past. While I understand the pain she went through, it would have been nice to see her open up a little sooner and not leave Sai completely in the dark. That being said, I did really like the ending of this book. I found it fitting for a story about fated lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I received an eARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It had a slow pace but was almost giving cozy fantasy vibes. The story was at times so bittersweet it hurt. This book is about fated and cursed love and those who will sacrifice everything for that love. Its a beautiful story with dragons and yaoguai and a love that transcends lifetimes. If you love Chinese mythology and books about soulmates you will probably love this book. This book also left me with questions that will probably go un-answered but they weren't really about the main characters directly. I love the way this book came full circle with its story; it left me with a feeling of completion and quiet satisfaction with the ending. I could see this story being the kind of story you would read to someone (with some edits if it is to a child). I cannot gush too much about this book without revealing spoilers.

In The Last Dragon of the East, the main character Sai has the ability to see the red string of fate that connects two people together. Though he can see others' strings as bright red his string is grey and fraying. But, he is too busy taking care of his ailing mother to worry about his string. Sai uses this ability to pay for his mothers medication but when he takes a risk on a new medication for her he finds himself conscripted to a secret mission for the ruthless emperor. Namely, to hunt down a dragon. Though this book is an adult fantasy novel I would say it reads more like a YA book so if you are looking for a bridge into adult fantasy this would be a great place to start.

This book is romantsy read and is filled with Chinese mythology. It is also a flipped grumpy/sunshine romance, he's the sunshine she's the grump.

Before I get into the review, I will say that the vibe the cover gives off absolutely does not match how intense the book can get inside. But more fool me for judging a book by its cover.

Now, the positives: I think the initial concept (seeing the red strings of fate that tie people together) is very fun. The prose, too, really shined at times, especially when it came to describing the environments. There were some really lovely descriptions that added to the atmosphere of the book.

Unfortunately, that was really all I liked about this. This book is listed at 320 pages on Goodreads and it needed more for what it was trying to do, doubly so because of the shortness of the book, the pacing of the plot felt very, very uneven. The story is divided into 1 POV--Sai's--and brief interludes detailing the story of the 3 dragons. If the story had stuck firmly to Sai and the dragons rather than delving into a romance, I think the page count could have worked as a sort of folk tale/retelling-type of story. However, with the romance and single POV, this was way too short. Especially since the Fated Mates trope has an element of insta-love, it would've been way better and more interesting to see that from Sai's POV and Jyn's.

Speaking of Jyn, she was another problem I had. She feels very, very half-baked as a character. (Diversity win! The brooding, grumpy, cardboard cut-out of a love interest is a woman!) Actually, that's being a bit unfair, it's not that she's a cardboard cut-out per se, she's simply not fully actualized. Especially because from Sai's POV, she comes across as someone with an inconsistent character. Even when, later, we learn her reasons why, it still doesn't fully flesh her out. This is largely due to the fact that the bulk of the emotional work for a good portion of the book is done via Sai feeling her emotions through their bond. It took the hard work out of building up their relationship organically. I really think this book and story would have benefitted from chapters in Jyn's POV, possibly instead of the short folktale-like chapters in between Sai's POVs.

Lastly, and this is two points in one, the villain felt very generic in a way that didn't really add anything to the story. And my god did I hate the ending. I won't spoil anything, but a choice the author made really sat uncomfortably in my gut. In fact, there was another instance a little earlier in the story that also made me a little queasy, but the ending definitely didn't work for me at all.

Overall, while there were some beautiful writing moments, the uneven pacing and characters didn't work for me.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC!

The Last Dragon Of The East is a spectacular tale of love that transcends lifetimes, unbearable loss and the strength to overcome every obstacle that life throws in your path.
What made me love this book was the extremely unique ability of the MC, Sai, to see red threads of fate. I'm very intrigued by red threads of fate and absolutely adored the author's spin on them. Sai's personality is very different from other MCs which was fun to read about. The plot itself wasn't that unique but I did enjoy the mythology that seeped through every page.
One of the things I didn't enjoy however was that the villain wasn't that original, he had the same greed for power and wealth that every other villain has. Another thing I had a difficult time understanding was how casual the love between Sai and Jyn was even though they had a few proper conversations. I didn't understand how the red threads of fate and the countless lifetimes of Sai made him love Jyn without having had proper interactions with her. Other than that, I had a great experience reading this book and am excited to read Katrina Kwan's other works!

Rating: 4.25 stars

Sai is resigned to his quiet struggle of a life - keeping the family tea room afloat, looking after his sick mother, making matches for others thanks to his ability to see the threads of fate.

But as much as Sai believes his own thread will never have a match, a pair of dragon scales changes the course of his life. They work as medicine for his mother, and they bring notoriety to Sai that takes him on the greatest adventure he's ever had along with the grumpy Jyn.

Sai is a wonderful main character - he is steadfast and kind, and his wonder and determination are admirable. The prose is beautiful and it flows along with the character development. I enjoyed this book so much, Katrina Kwan blends the mundane and the fantastical and comes up with a heartwarming, romantic story.

Sai is a matchmaker: one of the few who can see the red strings of fate. When he purchases dragon scales to heal his sick mother he never would have guessed that they would lead him to his own match—the dragon! As they are fhased by hunters, feral magical creatures, and the emperor with all his armies, they grow closer. But Sai can’t help feeling like he had met her before. If he can convince her to give him a fhance he might discover much more about himself than he ever would have imagined!

I am a sucker for the legend of the Red Strings of Fate—an invisible thread that connects you to your soulmate and cannot be broken. There’s just somwthing inherently romantic about the surety that there’s someone out there for everyone.

This book takes the normal fantasy tropes and turns them on their head! The protagonist is a man in his mid twenties. He is chasing the girl who wants nothing to do with him, despite them being bonded together by the red string. He is the happy, social, bright-side person and she is the introverted grump.

I suspected the reincarnation twist early on but it was done so well that I didn’t mind seeing it coming. We got to experience Sai remembering his past lives and betrayals along with him. The gradual build up of the romantic plot was satisfying when Jyn finally admitted she was scared to lose Sai again.

This book is a wonderful introduction to someone who is interested in Asian fantasy and mythology. A lot of other series jump right into the culture and mythos, which a lot of Westerners might not be familair with. Not only does it include the creatures and magic but a great explanation of the cultural norms and how important family is.

I will give points to this book for being the extremely rare male POV fantasy, but I was vastly underwhelmed by this story.

The plot has far too many conviences. From how easily Sai meets the huntress and his Fated One to the meeting with the Moonstar Isles people, it really sucked the tension from the plot. Instead of being a curious, "what will happen next?" reading the story became "sure, how easy for them." It felt like the author was simply taking the simplest road possible to get to scenes she wanted to write instead of creatively weaving a story.

The setting was simply a paper cut-out of a fantasy imperial China. It was bland. I need more than giving characters Chinese names and mentioning well-known cultural dishes like congee and steamed buns. Really beefing up the setting and incorporating more Chinese elements with the author's own ideas for a fantasy world would have breathed so much more life into the story. Probably would have made it a more exciting read too.

The characters themselves are fine. Nothing special. There aren't any real character arcs. Sai doesn't grow or even change fundamentally personality wise. The rest of the cast are only sketched. Not fully inked. The villian had the potential to be realistically evil, but again he wasn't developed enough.

I will say that there are several descriptive sentences in the book that I stuck with me after reading the page. The snippets of the three dragons tale were another aspect that I enjoyed. I don't think Kwan is a total hack as a writer.

Ultimately, this will be a book that fades from my memory.

Every part of this book is perfect. Sai just wanting to run his little teahouse but accidentally ending up in the middle of a war, searching for a dragon that may or may not exist, and dealing with court intrigue. Sai's character being a lot of "what am I doing? I want to make tea!" is great. I also love his care for his mom. This book was beautifully written, and I need to get a physical copy for my shelf.

Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press for the ARC!

A gorgeous cover, a story sprung from myths, and involving dragons...I was destined, no, fated to read this book. My bias for tales of dragons and myths notwithstanding, this was an enjoyable tale combining romance and adventure. The characters of Sai and Jyn are an enchanting pair. The progression of their interactions, their history, and their love story really pulled me into the book. The story of the emperor counterbalanced the romantic tale nicely, providing a villain and a plot that added suspense to this dragon tale. The story inspired a wide range of emotion, from sorrow to joy, tension to serenity, and an ending that left me wanting more. This book is a first-rate choice for readers who enjoy romantic myth-inspired tales.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, S&S/Saga Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.