Actual rating 4.25/5 stars

From the beginning, Kwan's writing is vivid and immersive, sweeping you into bith the story and the world. I absolutely adored the various folklore creatures and how eery they were. They helped sink me into the story even more.

The journey is this story is more an adventurous one than a perilous one. But that didn't seem to hinder my enjoyment at all even though I typically like a more action packed plot. I think it helped that Sai was such an endearing and sweet protagonist that you couldn't help but empathize with. Having a soft, sunshine boy be the protagonist of a hetero love story plot line was actually really refreshing.

One thing I would suggest is adding a content warning page. There was a couple pretty heavy themes to be blindsided by.

Sai, our main character, has always been able to see the red string of fate, and since his mother is sick, utilizes that gift to make a living by leading others to their Fated Ones. One day, while trying to get medicine for his mother, he gets captured and sent on a journey by the emperor to find the huntress searching for the last remaining dragon.

This was such a fast read. I was so invested in every word and plot point and DEVOURED this book within a couple of hours. The story line follows Chinese mythology and is centered around dragons and the red string of fate with a splash of re-incarnation. There are two types of time lines in this book, the present, and multiple different timelines in the past.

So anyone who knows me knows that soulmates/fated mates is my all time favorite romance trope and this book does it beautifully. The romance was so well written, even the flash back chapters, which added a whole new layer to the story. I don't want to give anything away, but those chapters are very important to understand.

Jyn annoyed me at first, because she wasn't being straightforward and I hate that, but once things were revealed later on, I kind of understood it. But also not really. She always found ways previously to find who she was looking for, not matter how much time had passed, but this time, she wanted nothing to do with it, which confused me a bit. I guess she didn't want to get hurt.

This story made me happy, sad, and all other types of emotions. And don't even get me started on that ending. It was beautiful and I was so glad that it ended the way that it did and truly amplified the sweetness of them always finding each other.

The only complaint that I have is that at times the writing seemed a bit bland, and could use a bit more descriptions when talking about things to allow the reader to get more immersed in the story and what is happening.

4.5 star rating, rounded up.

Thank you to Saga Press, Katrina Kwan, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

I found this to be a very fun adventure. The storytelling style isn't western and so the pacing and the plot feel a bit different in a nice way.

Would recommend to teens who are just getting into adult fantasy and want something fun and exciting to jump into.

Dragons, fate, and a love that transcends lifetimes.... this book has it all. Sai is a thread reader, able to see people's red threads and find them their fated person... yet he has not been able to find his own soulmate since his own thread is oddly turned grey. Yet while buying illegal dragon scales to use as medication for his sick mother he catches the eye of evil emperor who blackmails him into hunting down this dragon as it is the last one in existence. Sai has no choice but to comply otherwise he'd be killed.... yet when he does meet said dragon its none other than a beautiful woman who seems oddly familiar.... whose own string of fate is connected to him. Sai's world is turned upside down as he begins to get strange memories of a past life with her... but she refuses to tell him how they are connected... but with the emperor hunting them both down can Sai find out the truth or will they both die before he can be with his soulmate? This was a stunningly romantic story filled with magic and love, I absolutely adored the romance in this. The relationship between Sai and his fated one was absolutely so well done and I loved every second of it. The slow buildup and reveal was fantastic and honestly I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys mythological romances!!!

Release Date: October 8,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

As someone who loves Asian mythology in books, i just had to read this. The story spans over many lifetimes and the focus on the threads of fate was another aspect that I loved. Sai lives a quiet life awaiting his mother in running their family tea shop, until one day he uses dragon scales to make a medicine for her that helps heal some of her ailments. Sai also has the rare ability to see the threads of fate— a red string that shows who someone’s mate is. Sai’s string is a dull grey color and he longs to meet that person who is destined for him. When the emperor learns of this, Sai is sent on a journey to find the ancient green dragon in order to retrieve its scales for the emperor to use since it has magical properties. I wasn’t fully invested in the romance between Sai and Jyn at first, but as the story went on I grew to feel so deeply for them and all that they had be through. I think the story itself was actually quite beautiful in its execution, I just wanted these two to finally have a true shot at being together without anything threatening to tear them apart. After reading this I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes on this authors future books cause I loved the way this story was told.

I’ve always been drawn to books that explore red string fate and Chinese mythology, so when I heard about this one, I was eager to dive in! One of the standout aspects for me was reading from a male POV, which felt refreshingly unique, especially with the reverse grumpy x sunshine dynamic between the main characters.

While I enjoyed the plot and found the storyline engaging, there were moments that pulled me out of the story—particularly with how certain village characters used more modern or formal terms that didn’t quite fit the setting. The world-building and pacing were also a bit uneven for me, but I became much more invested once the focus shifted to the two main characters. Their connection was intriguing, and I found myself wanting even more of their story!

The ending, however, didn’t land as strongly as I’d hoped. It took a darker, anticlimactic turn, which felt somewhat flat, paired with a “Twilight-like” resolution. Still, it was a fun read overall, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys Chinese mythology and fated love.

Thank you Netgalley & Sagapress for the earc in exchange for a honest review.

Sai, a tea house inheritor, can see everyone red strings that lead them to their fated one. While helping others find their fated and selling tea, he also takes care of his sick mother. When he is brought dragon scales from a doctor, and sees them magically work, his is thrown into his own chase for his fated one.

Rating: 3.5 stars ⭐️

The “red string of fate” myth is one of my favorites so when I heard that this book was about that, I was super excited to read it.

I thought the plot and storyline was unique and interesting. I can’t say much without spoilers, but I did really like the plot and the twists.

I liked Sai as a character. It’s been a while since ive read a fantasy where the single pov was from a guy. I thought that was a nice touch.

My biggest issues with this are the pacing, emotions, and world building. These all kind of mesh into one issue together. This book moved so fast that the world building was left behind and the emotions of the characters fell flat and felt disingenuous. Not all fantasy books need these big worlds described, but this could have used a little bit.

I do recommend giving this book a try, especially if the red string of fate myth interests you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Dragon of the East somehow manages to be a fun read while also being awfully brutal, and breaking you emotionally.
The story moves quickly right from the beginning, and is full of excellent world-building that is fluid and never feels like a slog. The main characters are extremely loveable. Sai is sweet and genuine, and I loved that the book was from his point of view. Jyn, on the other hand, is intense and fierce. She has teeth, and is all the better for it.
This book was bloody and full of action, but also very soft when it came to the relationship between Sai and Jyn. The pacing of the story was great, with equal parts action and character building.
I enjoyed this book immensely and I can't wait to see what Katrina Kwan does next!

Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

I haven’t felt this immersed in a story in a very long time. The writing was captivating and the lore of the dragons and the red fate line was amazing. There were twists and turns I wasn’t expecting and when I thought I figured it out, something else would happen. I’ve always loved the idea of fated mates and reincarnation and I got my fill with this book. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and it won’t be the last!

A sweet and entertaining read with an enjoyable twist on the soul mates and “in every lifetime” tropes. It took me only a day to finish, and the hope and joy for the characters that I was left with at the end is something I’m going to be thinking about for a while.

This was a wonderful bit of Chinese mythology and a solid addition to the fantasy genre! Plus, I'm always a sucker for a sunshine/grumpy dynamic - especially when it's the girl who's the grump hehe

I genuinely enjoyed it! I’m always eager to explore books with a fated soulmates theme, especially those inspired by East Asian mythology, so I was excited about this one. Having a male protagonist was fascinating for me, as I usually read female-led stories. Sai’s intense feelings for Jyn really drew me in, and I loved experiencing their dynamic up close. I can't wait to read more!

Final Score: 3.5, rounded up to 4

I found a lot about this story to love, but there was a general niggling feeling in the back of my mind that kept me from enjoying The Last Dragon of the East to the fullest. What I liked: the world building, the various folk tales and legends, the conflict between the emperor and the dragons, Jyn, and of course dragons.

What I didn't like: Feng felt more like a plot device than a real character, only present to move Sai along or introduce conflict. The pacing over the course of the entire book felt....off. I can't explain it, but the story's progression felt almost formulaic or forced on some level. I found Sai kind of confusing as a character; he was described as slim and untrained for combat, then somehow can carry another adult for hours despite his own weakness and injuries, as well as fight off trained soldiers with blind anger. Yes, he is described as getting hurt while fighting, but the fact that he can successfully kill even ONE soldier is hard to believe, let alone when he is covered in wounds (and has broken legs??). I also felt like he had a lot of mood swings, and while in some cases it made sense, it didn't in others.

I also found that while I usually love the Soulmates/Fated Mates trope, this story presented a version that I couldn't quite get behind wholeheartedly. I prefer setups where the pair find out they are connected AFTER they have already met and fallen in love at least a little bit, but these two meet already knowing they are connected. It makes the romance feel a little forced, like their feelings are more of a compulsion than genuine. I'm also not a fan of the pairing where one character is immensely old while the other one has lived a normal, mortal existence. This is balanced out a little as Sai gradually regains his memories, but he never seems to completely remember? Or if he does it isn't clearly communicated to the reader. The ending also feels just a little rushed after all the time spent traveling around.

I still enjoyed the book enough to stay interested in what Kwan writes in the future though! If her writing and execution improves I am sure that would cover any misgivings I had about this book.

There's not really much to say about this. It's a cute romantasy with some life and death (ish) situations to make things slightly more exciting than your usual low stakes cozy romantasy.

Ultimately, this definitely wasn't for me. I'm not into reading about finding "The One" when it comes to romance, or anything hardcore heteronormative, so I was put off by those themes.

But readers looking for something quick and easy to read might like this. The plot isn't highly complicated and there are only a handful of characters to keep track of. It reads very YA too, if you're into adult books that read like YA.

Thank you to S&S/Saga Press and NetGalley for this arc.

4.5 Stars! This was a beautifully written fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology. I loved the characters and their tragic love story. Gosh. Fated love and reincarnations get me every time. This is a book I will definitely go back to and re-read in the future.

This was filled with all the emotions!

It was a sweet story about Fated Ones coming together. However, it also had more darker elements than I was anticipating and that made me absolutely hooked to find out what had happened.

Sei was definitely different than most of the MMCs in books I read, so he took me a little bit to warm up to, but I loved how much character growth he had throughout the book. Jyn was such a strong and capable woman who had been through so many hurts. I just wanted them to be happy.

There was a romance scene, but it was very tastefully done and not explicit, in my opinion.

Read if you love:
-Dragons
-Chinese Mythology
-Grumpy x sunshine

Thank you to NetGalley, author Katrina Kwan, and Saga Press/Simon & Schuster for this eARC. My thoughts are entirely my own.

Thank you Simon & Schuster + NetGalley for the ARC.

WOW this was delightful. I haven’t read a standalone fantasy novel in so long and I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read this. The world building and story telling was mesmerizing and I love how everything wrapped up so well at the end. There were definitely moments where this was rushed but for 300 some odd pages, I am so impressed.

A legend tells that thousands of years ago a family of three dragons existed. The three of them live together until one day the blue dragon, the prince and son of the green and red dragons, left with a stranger. Since that day nobody knows what happened with the dragons, and the world has forgotten about them. Since he remembers, Sai can see the red thread of destine that binds soulmates. That's why he decides to reunite soulmates to gain money. He's live wasn't easy, but after he saves a young woman, it gets more complicated. Sai is taken to the emperor who compels him to find the last living dragon. However, when Sai finds the dragon, he could not hurt it because it is his fated one.

The beginning of the book was slow and almost made me drop it. However, once Sai crosses the frontiers to the south kingdom and meets Jyn, everything becomes better. The narration is intriguing because it develops two parallel stories. While Sai is discovering who he is and a new world with Jyn, some other chapters explain the story of the blue dragon. I must be sincere and tell you that what made me continue the story was because I was confused. At the beginning I didn't know if the love interest of the main lead was the huntress or the dragon. Then, when the blue dragon was introduced, the confusion increased. That's when I started to think that maybe Sai was the blue dragon and the stranger his love interest. Imagine my surprise when the plot gets to the point where everything unravels, and it was more complicated than I thought.

Another point that I wanted to highlight is that the book talks about the legend of the red thread. In her book, Katrina Kwan talks about the version we all know. Humans are born with a red thread around their finger and the other side of the thread is tied to them fated one. However, she introduces a new plot twist. According to the legend, the thread could be stretched, but never broken. The only way it can be broken is when one of the soulmates dies. That's where the thread becomes gray and then it fades away. However, in this book we learned that there's a way to severe the connection voluntarily and it's when one of the soulmates rejects the other one. That rejection comes in the form of murder.

The Last Dragon of the East Sea is a short book in which every detail is essential to enjoy the story. That's why I didn't give many details because I don't want to ruin the story. The fun part of this book is that the reader must break his mind to guess what is happening and which characters are connected. The writer did an excellent job with the intrigue and fulfilled the expectations of what the ending should be. I like that the main lead was not soft and gave a cruel punishment to the villain. Also, it was good to know that love always wins, and that destiny always fulfills itself.

We’ll say this is a 3.5

Personally I’m not a fan of the fated mates/soulmates trope and I’ll explain why in the context of this book. Other than some witty banter, we use the red thread to skip the building of trust / getting-to-know-you / initial bloom of attraction. Like the immediate “love at first sight” vibe just because they’re fated always feels like an excuse to skip the foundation of a relationship (again, this is a personal preference).

Things I liked: Jyn‘s character and the way she holds Sai and hope and the world in general at a distance (she does kind of flip very dramatically but I would say that fits with her character in the context of the story); I always love when stories are woven throughout a book and this one was no exception (even better when Jyn gets to correct the legends with the facts); the whole section of the book when they’re in the Wastelands was solid.

Things I didn’t like: the pacing was weird (the whole book took place over the course of a month??); injuries were totally shrugged off / magicked away (the man was fighting an army while walking on two shattered legs??); I would have liked the villain to be present more than as a framing device (like sure, we see some minions but that’s a different ball game); and I wanted a bit more resolution to the huntress’s story (why didn’t they go back to her village at the end??).

Overall, a solid debut with a lot to like

This was a cute book I guess? I honestly have so little feeling about this book despite having read all of it. It was cute. Very romantic, personally I didn’t find that the romance was all that intriguing though.