I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It provides a folklore based tale that was easy to follow with just enough world building to be immersive without overwhelming a new fantasy reader. It reads similarly to YA but would likely be classified as new adult - some open door intimacy that focuses on emotions and thoughts instead of physical mechanics. For seasoned fantasy readers, it’s a quick endearing read. Epic fantasy lovers would need to be in a special mood to pick this one up. While high fantasy, it doesn’t have the world building power to keep their detailed brains happy. The folklore in this story is new to me and it held my attention really well. The audiobook was very good. I enjoyed the narrators throughout. I recommend this read in print or audio.

This was such a good read!! And it went in ways I didn't expect which was fun. It's so tragic but lovely and the MC is so cute with his whipped for you nicknames, ahhh!!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!
It was so beautifully written and it was an amazing adventure from the start. I was immediately drawn into the story from page one and Sai's story did not disappoint. Jyn...is an amazing character and I love her sass and independence. GRUMPY x SUNSHINE??? Incredible.
"I think you're my Fated One."
"I know I am. Now leave me the fuck alone."

I love how Sai loves Jyn. The way they fit together despite their differences, and went on this grand adventure, fighting together and for each other.

"It has become abundantly clear that I'm no fighter, nor am I a healer. I may not be strong like a dragon, but I can try to be as brave as one."

Between the lush prose, beautiful Chinese mythology woven into the story, and the romance, this is definitely one of the best books of 2024!! Hands down a story that will stay with me for many moons to come.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC of this book!

The Last Dragon of the East is a beautiful fantasy debut. It feels like a fairytale, a grand love story, and an epic adventure all in one. I listened to this in one sitting becuase I couldn't put it down. At times, I forgot this was an adult novel, so some of the descriptions of violence were surprising. The ending was so satisfying and made my heart happy.

My only complaints are that the plot lost focus around 40%, and many of the reveals were easy to predict and only withheld from the main character for the purpose of not revealing it all too soon. This isn't a complaint, but I wanted more from the worldbuilding.

I can't wait for the author's next foray into fantasy!

Sai is a chatty, sunshine character who inherited a tea shop from his father. He can see the red threads of fate between soulmates and helps others find them, but his thread is grey and tethered. While getting medicine (dragon scales) for his ill mother he gets tangled up with the Royal army, who take him to prison where the emperor assigns him the task of finding this dragon. And so his adventures begin which lead to the unravelling of ancient secrets and myths.

The Last Dragon of the East is a fast-paced fantasy and basically, you can't put it down. I loved the badass female characters and obviously dragons. It had everything, the reverses grumpy x sunshine, I blushed, smiled and even almost cried at times, I was reading it with a frown on my face as the characters went through a lot. It just felt a little too fast at some points as well.

I was very excited to be able to read this book because I had heard good things about it and I was interested in it, yet I was a bit disappointed because I thought (and hoped) I would enjoy it more.

I cannot say that this is a book that is not in my wheelhouse; on the contrary, it is a fantasy that takes its cues from the mild and Asian legends, Chinese in particular, with a sweet love story as well, yet it did not satisfy me. I definitely liked how the author weaved the legend of the red thread and other stories from Chinese mythology with an original plot, and the writing is definitely smooth and the story a quick read.

Overall, however, I found the book to be average, cute yes but nothing extraordinary, sometimes almost naive and I realize that it never really grabbed me, although I found the final part more interesting and compelling even if predictable in some ways.

The least successful choice in my opinion was to use the male point of view because unfortunately it did not convince me at all, for example I found the description of Sai's thoughts unrealistic and at times he seemed to me more like a female character.

As for the characters, I have to say that I could not get particularly attached to them, I found them all sketchy, not fully characterized.
The most successful one, strangely enough, for me, is the villain of the story, but he suffers from the same problem as the others, he too is well underdeveloped.

That said, is it a book I would recommend? Yes, but only as a nice read for those interested in Eastern folklore, I would not put it in the "book to absolutely recommend" category.

As far as the English is concerned, despite being a New Adult, I found no particular difficulty in reading it even though it tends to make use of somewhat more refined vocabulary, the syntactic structure however remains linear. I still would not recommend it as a first approach to reading in English though, but more as a next step to try your hand at something more challenging without overdoing it.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
Spice Rating: 🌶️.5 / 5

This novel is a love letter to the fated mates trope, and I ate it up.

Sai has only ever known a quiet life taking after his deceased father's teahouse. However, he does have a supernatural power: he can see the red threads of fate that connect soulmates. Every day he sees healthy red threads or even black ones for those whose soulmates have passed on. But his own thread is a strange grey color that he has never seen on anyone else before. Sai is determined to use his power to bring his mother money to cure her illness, but when he tries the miracle cure of a dragon scale, the emperor catches wind and blackmails Sai into finding the last dragon of the east for him. From there, Sai is thrust into a years-long war, foreign lands, and possibly the end to the search for his Fated One.

The Last Dragon of the East is a beautiful story that pays homage to Chinese mythology and shows the lengths people will go to in order to find their soulmates.

Sai is unlike any hero you've met before. He doesn't know how to fight, he's sarcastic, and he's great at making tea. I love his refreshing character and the fun way he banters with other characters. Throughout the novel, Sai's reality is challenged time and time again as he realizes there is so much more to this world, and his life, than he thought.

I can't say much more without spoiling the story, but trust me when I say readers who love a good love story and fated mates who find each other through time will absolutely love The Last Dragon of the East.

Katrina Kwan can just take my money now. Thank you @sagapressbooks and @netgalley for the ARC!

"She wasn't the last dragon," I say with a low, vicious snarl through sharpened teeth. "I am." - chills, all the chills.

I will be the first to say I am a sucker for a fated mates story and a story that gets told like a fairy tale. We totally get that in this book and lots of trauma. If I said I didn't cry reading this book, I would be lying. If I am anything, I am an emotional reader and this book will tug at your heartstrings.

A story with reincarnation done RIGHT. Our mmc has the ability to see strings that connect people to their fated. A bright red string, but when it comes to his own it's gray and rather lifeless. He has accepted the fact that he will probably never find his. After helping a girl out in town he is towed away and forced to find the last remaining dragon for the emperor.

On his forced mission from the emperor his life changes for the better even if it is full of a lot emotion. I want to just say so much about this book, but then it would spoil it. I think I'm into dragon love stories. 😭🩵

Short Synopsis:
Sai was born with the magic to see the red threads of fate between soulmates. When he’s not taking care of his sick mom or working in a teashop, he’s helping other people find their soulmate. But when the emperor catches wind of Sai using “medicine” (illegal dragon scales) to heal his mom, the emperor send Sai on a quest to find the last dragon.

My Thoughts:
This was such a pleasantly surprising novel. It had adventure, romance and political intrigue - all of my favorite things I want in a fantasy book.

I enjoyed the dragon shifter aspects and loved learning more about the red threads of fate. The love story was so sweet and beautiful too. Definitely a good pick for anyone who enjoys fantasy with some action and romance.

And can we take a moment to appreciate that cover?!

I did a mix of audio and physical reading for this one. Eric Yang was the narrator on this one, and did a great job bringing Sai’s voice to life.

What You’ll Find:
🎉Short fantasy (300 pages)
1️⃣Standalone fantasy
🐉Shapeshifting dragons
🪢Red strings of fate
💕Fated mates
☀️Grumpy//Sunshine

Sai runs a tea shop while also caring for his sick mother, but business isn’t great because there’s a war going on, so he utilizes his ability to see people’s red string of fate to help them find their love. Things go wrong when he purchases medicine for his mother and draws the eyes of the Emperor to him, sending him on a life changing journey.

Sai is the sunshine to Jyn’s grump and I am HERE FOR IT. There’s a lot packed into this book, and TW are on the authors site (and will maybe be in final print copies idk!) There’s a war happening, and it’snot always in the background the way it sometimes is. The world building is beautiful, pulling from mythology and woven into stunning vistas.

This honestly could have been longer and I wouldn’t have complained at all 😂

If you like fated mates, red strings of fate, dragons, bad ass FMCs, and touch them and die, I’d recommend adding this to your lists!

She can do modern romance, she can do sweeping romantasy, and I cannot wait to read what Katrina writes next.

This book releases tomorrow! (10/8/24). Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for this eARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

I’m a big fan of fated soulmate stories, and being familiar with the myth of the red string of fate, I was excited to pick up The Last Dragon of the East.

I appreciated that the story is told from a male main character’s perspective, which is a refreshing change since many East Asian-inspired fantasies lately feature female protagonists.

The world-building was simple and easy to get into, and I really enjoyed seeing how Sai and Jyn gradually got to know each other and uncovered their shared past and connection.

That said, my main issue was the pacing. Each section seemed to have a different tone, which affected both the characters’ personalities and their dynamic. At times, it felt somewhat fragmented and unsettling.

Overall, I thought the concept had a lot of potential, but the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I loved this book! It has dragons, Chinese mythology, adventure, family, and love. Sai has always been able to see the red thread of fate, and he helps people find their fated ones. Unlike others, his thread is gray, but he doesn't care too much about it. He cares for his sick mother and helps at the family teahouse. The emperor sends him off on a mission after Sai is given dragon scales to help his mother.

On this dangerous journey, Sai will learn many things about himself, the emperor, and his past. The descriptive images are beautiful, and they make it easy to imagine all the scenery and characters as you read the book. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to this story. After all the heartbreak our main characters experience, I'm so happy that they can finally live together and truly enjoy their time together being who they are.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book!

2.5 stars. I went into this one with high hopes because two elements of the synopsis stood out to me: dragons and the red thread of fate. Both are elements I've enjoyed encountering in other stories, and I was expecting to feel similarly about this book. Sadly, THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST ended up not being quite as memorable as I'd hoped.

At the start, I was liking the fairytale/folklore energy of the tale. There was something lighthearted, fun and magical about how the author introduced us to Sai, their quest and other elements of the world. But as I continued reading, I found myself less inclined to pick it up and keep going... despite the plot having some interesting, action-packed turns in the second half of the book. Ultimately, I just didn't have enough of an emotional connection to the story or the characters to really get the full impact of the way everything wraps up in the end.

An enthralling adventure with a love that lasts lifetimes!

“The Last Dragon of the East” follows Sai, a matchmaker born with the ability to see the red threads of fate between soulmates, after he is thrust into the search for a dragon long thought extinct. As his own thread of fate, one that is gray and fraying, begins to move, he may be able to solve the mystery of his Fated One at the other end of the line.

Kwan’s romantasy debut is captivating, weaving together her atmospheric writing and elements of Chinese mythology. I love how she incorporates the red threads of fate into her storyline to enhance the romance between San and Jyn. Their dynamic is such a breath of fresh air! Sai isn’t your typical MC, giving new meaning to the phrase “I’m a lover not a fighter.” His big heart perfectly balances Jyn’s more guarded personality. She initially tries to push him away when fate crosses their paths, but she soon comes to realize what I already knew from the start: their connection is undeniable. It manifests itself in their playful banter, their yearning glances, and the sacrifices they make for each other as the novel progresses.

Kwan is intentional about choosing to tell this story from Sai’s point-of-view and I could not get enough of his voice! She skillfully alternates between multiple different timelines to both build suspense and shed light on the mystery surrounding Sai’s unusual thread. The twists propelled me forward until I ran out of pages to read. While the end wrapped up a bit too quickly, I still found it satisfying. I hope there will be more to come from Kwan in this genre!

Thank you so much to Saga Press and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this ARC!! The Last Dragon of the East follows Sai, who runs a teahouse and cares for his ailing mother. However, Sai has the power to see the red strings of fate that connect soulmates, though his own string has always remained gray. After giving dragon scales to his mother in the hopes of curing her, the emperor discovers him and sends him on a perilous quest to track down this dragon, thought to be the last of its kind. Along the way, his own string of fate finally begins to lead him in the direction of his soulmate.

So, while I didn't fall in love with this book, I didn't dislike it either! This story moves quickly-- clunky in some places, but well-paced in others. In the beginning of the book, everything unfolds very fast and we don't get much in the way of world building. As a result, I think this is why I also couldn't connect well with Sai, the main character. Also, there is a distinct shift in the pacing and tone of the book around the half-way mark. The story gets much more intense, action-packed, and bloody. I preferred the first half, which felt whimsical and more fairytale-ish and centers around Sai's quest so I certainly wasn't expecting the shift, though I'm not complaining. It kept me on my toes, but beware the change of pace. The quest kind of gets put on the back burner -- I won't say more to avoid spoilers.

Onto the main character, Sai. I had a hard time getting invested in him at first because we just don't know much more about him. However, he was very sweet and selfless and I loved how he treated his mother and his fated mate, Jyn. The two of them embody the grumpy/sunshine trope with her being the grumpy one, which I thought was refreshing. Their relationship is far more layered than what it initially seems, so I did like that plot twist. It added an element of tragedy and yearning and I was genuinely invested in their happiness.

One last note: This book was said to appeal to fans of Hannah Whitten and Sue Lynn Tan, but you won't find the same lush prose and atmospheric world here that Whitten and Tan have made their signature. It's a beautiful story in many ways and I loved how it was rooted in Chinese mythology, but I wouldn't compare it to those two.

I have mixed feelings about this book! Both halfs are good individually, but they don't seem to align as well together. If the entire book was like the first half, which I read in one sitting, this would be an easy five stars. The second half dragged on, and the plot got a bit meandering, and I therefore am giving it 3.5 stars.

The Last Dragon of the East follows Sai, who can see the mythical red strings of fate that connect people to their "other half." Sai's mother is sick, and he saves up for a special medicine to help her. Little does he know, the medicine is a dragon scale, which is illegal and gets him arrested. The emperor then puts Sai on a quest to find this dragon and bring him back, otherwise he will be banished. Of course, Sai's own thread of fate is not red, but gray, and he finds out why on this journey.

The first half of this book was so cute, and it read so easily like a fairy tale. This was not the best of myth retellings, but it was pretty good.


Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rooted in the Red Thread of Fate myth, <i>The Last Dragon of the East</i> is a sweeping tale of true love, that carries heartbreak, rage, and . . . a surprisingly humorous twist.

When I first heard of <i>The Last Dragon</i>, I instantly got excited about the red thread myth. And the dragons. Of course the dragons. What this book gave me was everything I could have possibly hoped for. And so much more!

The story follows twenty-five-year-old Sai, a mama's boy in the best sense of the world. The man is devoted to his mother to the point where he crosses borders for her. I thoroughly enjoyed reading from the point of view of this twenty-five-year-old man and the humor he brought to the story. It was both an unexpected and pleasant surprise.
While Sai could definitely be a successful stand-up comedian in this universe, he could also be a poet. He had a beautiful way with words, especially when it came to descriptions of his loved ones. I was swooning at times and he wasn't even describing me!
Another thing I loved about Sai is that he was just an ordinary person. He was no great, all-powerful hero. Just a man who worked at his family's teahouse and cared for his sick mother. He was an ordinary man . . . who pushed his own boundaries, evaporated his fears, and traversed to the ends of the earth to protect his loved ones. This—an ordinary person acting extraordinarily for those he loves—is one of my favorite things to read about.

Jyn was the perfect grumpy to Sai's sunshine. She was hesitant, filled with hurt, rage, and irritation. It was so wonderful to see Sai slowly making his way past the walls she put around herself. Reading Jyn's journey as she slowly opens up was like watching a video of an abused puppy learning how to trust and love her new owner. It was painful, heartbreaking, but so fulfilling in the end.

While Sai definitely brings in the humor, there is a lot of underlying angst to break your heart if you really stop and think about the events these soulmates have had to endure in all their past lives. But I wouldn't love this book so much if I didn't thrive in angsty waters. The more angst the better.

While there was plenty of romance, there were also plenty of action scenes that really tied this story together and made for some intense speed-reading. Overall I think the romance-action balance was carried out really well, making it so that there was never a dull moment in the book. There were never any scenes I felt were redundant, which doesn't happen often for me.

If you liked the sweeping romance in <i>Daughter of the Moon Goddess</i> or enjoyed the myths and lore from <i>The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea</i>, or loved the lush landscapes from both, you will surely love <i>The Last Dragon of the East</i>.

➸ 5 stars

“We fit perfectly, made for each other in every way. Two halves of one fated whole.”

𓍢⊹ ࣪ thank you to netgalley, saga press, and katrina kwan for the arc and happy release day! i loved this book so much i immediately ordered a physical copy that i now have in my hands!! <3

⛰️ chinese mythology
🐉 dragons
☁️ red strings of fate/soulmates
🎋 reverse grumpy sunshine

“I have my Fated One and she has me, and in this moment, that’s all we need.”

i loved this book so much and i don’t think my words will ever be able to describe the feeling that this book gave me. this book has one of the most beautiful love stories i’ve ever read and brought tears to my eyes countless times. when i finished it i wanted more, yet… it was perfect, i was content and full and i wouldn’t change a single thing about it. i had the biggest smile of my face while reading this book and felt a happiness that made me feel whole. i utterly fell in love with this story and these characters and i would do anything to read this book for the first time again.

full in depth review is available on my goodreads!

The Last Dragon of the East

Romantasy, Dragons, Myth, and Destiny!

The Last Dragon of the East was a beautifully written fantasy featuring romance, duel timelines, multiple POVs, and lots of mythical elements. This story definitely gave me reverse grumpy + sunshine feels with a touch of enemies to lovers. While the beginning felt a little slow going for me, it definitely picked up and I was mesmerized by the story through the middle and the end.

The story follows Sai, who was born with the ability to see red threads of fate, and subsequently point people to their soul mates. Loved Sai but he had to grow on me. I started the story already bored with him but soon started to like him. I loved his sense of duty and how he stood up for anyone who needed help in anyway.

Jyn was just delightful in her grumpiness. My only complaint with her was the unwillingness to just come clean. It almost felt like the miscommunication trope which is not a favorite. A lot of the tension in the middle felt unnecessary due to this and I caught myself rolling my eyes instead of feeling bad for these characters I just started rooting for.

Overall, I think the book could of been shortened just bit. The beginning third of the novel felt like work to get through, and then I got to the middle and BAM, I was laser focus invested. Once the chemistry started to pick up, completely sucked in. The spice was also just enough and done so very well!

Katrina Kwan’s Last Dragon of the East has Sai, a teashop owner and seer of threads of fate, recruited by the emperor to hunt a dragon. It had a good premise, but the story wasn’t as gripping as it could have been. Maybe because Sai didn’t interact with many characters, maybe because different creatures seemed to be thrown in without purpose, of maybe because the story threads weren’t woven together so they could all be felt throughout the book.

I can’t quite pinpoint it, but whatever the reason, Last Dragon of the East was a bit of a letdown.