The Lost Queen has an intriguing premise with its blend of Vietnamese mythology and fantasy, but the execution falls short. The plot feels underdeveloped, and the pacing is uneven. While the concept has potential, the story doesn't quite deliver on its promise.

1.5 stars.

Buddy read with Mai!

This started out great with the focus on competitive swimming in high school, Asian mean girl cliques, and witty observations about growing up Vietnamese. I was digging it. Mai was digging it. We were highlighting and sending each other funny quotes.

But sadly, (and a very rare occurrence for me), things started going downhill when the fantasy portions were verrrrry slowly being introduced. It took so long for Jolie to come into her own power and experience her history that I was really bored when the midpoint hit.

After that, the story did pick up as the villains were introduced. But unfortunately, I wasn't invested anymore.

Other reviewers have mentioned how the dimension hopping was confusing, and I definitely agree. There was a battle that started off in a swimming pool and I was confused how no one else in the pool realized that there were two dragons battling it out. Then the narrative mentioned that they had dimension hopped into the past.

There were other scenes where I wasn't sure if Jolie was having a flashback, a dream, or if she literally teleported to the past. It didn't make for an enjoyable read.

I think if this was reworked into a Middle Grade novel with more literal descriptions of the time/dimension hopping, it might work better. The entire good vs. evil showdown read like something out of a MG novel. Hell, even the dimension jumps felt very MG.

And as much as I wish the historical portions, including Jolie and Huong's relationship, held a deeper meaning, it all felt extremely surface level to me. Absolutely perfect for MG, but not so much when it comes to YA.

And I know it wasn't just me, but Jolie and Huong's relationship felt more romantically coded than sisterly. So that was strange to read and interpret.

Anyway, on to the next.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.

This was an unexpected good read. I enjoyed the plot of two characters being able to share abilities and travel in the past. I would like a continuation of this story but it was also good enough to be left where it is.

Noting that I received an ARC from NetGalley for review purposes

I will always eat up stories by Viet writers about the Trung Sisters, and The Lost Queen was an absolute delight. Phan's writing voice is evocative, and felt both on par with contemporary high schoolers but also a match for the more high stakes fantasy elements that come to play in the novel.

It did feel to me a slower paced fantasy novel, which I'm always a fan of. If you prefer a high octane narrative, this may not be a fit. However, if gave me opportunity as a reader to really submerge myself in Phan's world. We are immersed in the hints of supernatural in the early part of the novel before being completely dropped into the lush world of immortals and the monumental stakes the girls are coming up against. I also loved the characterization - there's a contrast between the powers that awaken and the girls' humanity that resonated with the inner teen girl in me still grappling with identity and belonging.

Overall, if you love mythology steeped fantasy with very high stakes, The Lost Queen will be right up your alley!

Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2025 #6

I'm 0/2 on these Trưng sisters' rebellion retellings 🤞🏼

I really thought I was going to enjoy this one. The first third was solid. I got a little PTSD from high school swimming, but at least that brought out some emotion in me.

This isn't a spoiler, so I don't know why I was surprised, but things went downhill for me as soon as the reincarnation plotline emerged. I know we're supposed to be angry with Huong, but it's Jolie I'm annoyed with. The thầy bói also annoyed. Everything annoyed.

The last third was a, "WTF WTF," moment one after the other. Not in a good way. What were the eggs? What was the Han plotline? Who were the alluded to siblings? You know what? Don't answer me. I don't care.

The most unbelievable thing of all was Jolie learning how to drive and successfully merge onto a California freeway in days. And being good at it. Reincarnation? Sure. San Jose rush hour? No way.

🥃 Take a shot every time I'm triggered by high school swimming
🥃 Take a shot every time Vietnamese grandparents absolutely destroy your mental health
🥃 Take a shot every time we make an allusion to r/WMAF

rep: Vietnamese American

Book pairings: BRONZE DRUM | CHLORINE

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

I was excited to read my story based on Vietnamese lore. I don’t normally gravitate towards books that centered around a modern school setting but wanted to give it a chance and read more south-east Asian inspired books!

Unfortunately it was hard to get through the entire book. The characters weren’t compelling and a lot of the story was quite repetitive. The writing style also wasn’t for me. Overall…it was disappointing.

I would like to thank the publisher and Netgallery for an eARC in exchanged of an honest review.

Sadly The Lost Queen was a DNF for me. The cover and premise are both beautiful and interesting but the story just fell flat for me. The pacing was super slow to a point where I forgot what was happening and the writing style just wasn't for me. I did love and find the excerpts of Vietnamese folklore and legends very interesting. I'm a fan of YA so that wasn't the issue, I probably would have loved this if I were still in highschool, it just fell short to me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC!

So... as I say this, please keep in mind, that I read an ARC, and things may have been more refined by the time it's actually published.

My main thing is that I wasn't invested in the story, like at all. The idea was great, but the execution wasn't really there. I'm not sure if I just wasn't feeling it, or if it was the writing, or what it was. It didn't help that any plot twist was insanely predictable. I also noticed some inconsistencies, but, again, this was an ARC.

I liked maybe one of the characters, and he wasn't even one of the main characters. I didn't connect to the characters and all of their arcs felt very basic. I definitely didn't like the main character. I'm not entirely sure why, but I just didn't care about her.

So, this was okay. I really hope it's had more work done since the ARC I received.

This book had such a cool premise, blending Vietnamese folklore with modern San Jose vibes, and at first I was hooked. Jolie was super relatable, and I loved seeing her connection to her heritage unfold with all the magical twists. But honestly, the second half lost me a bit—the story got chaotic, the magic system felt super vague, and it leaned more into cartoonish fantasy than the grounded, emotional journey I was hoping for. Still, I’m so glad books like this are bringing more Vietnamese legends into YA fantasy, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re in the mood for something unique and fast-paced!

3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Lost Queen on May 6, 2025.

This was a fun, quick fantasy read chock full of Vietnamese folklore and legend. Jolie, a typical high school sophomore, has no idea that she's actually a reincarnated Vietnamese queen of lore, and that her long lost sister has joined her in San Jose. But as Huong and Jolie grow closer, things aren't exactly what they seem....

I have to give Aimee Phan so much credit for weaving in tons of world building and magic into a contemporary setting. It definitely kept things interesting, and the short chapters helped the story move quickly. But I really struggled with this book's pacing overall. The beginning introduced fantastical concepts, but Jolie (and the reader) didn't learn what any of these components ACTUALLY were until maybe 35-40% in. I was intrigued at first, but by a certain point I just wanted a clear transition to the rising action so I knew WHAT we and Jolie were working toward.

Then the ending was the opposite problem. We're introduced to the main conflict super early, and then it just KEPT GOING for another 100 pages. I was waiting for it to wrap up, but more and more kept being added on, and I was kinda over it at that point.

As for the characters, I appreciated Jolie's arc and her reconciliation with her two human friends, Daphne and Lana. Huong on the other hand.... I didn't know how to feel about her from the start. I think I clocked pretty quickly that she wasn't all good, but again, I wish I knew what the main conflict was earlier on because her behavior was just weird up until then.

I think this is definitely a good read for a younger YA audience, but it could have been even better with improved pacing and plotting. If you love dragons and Vietnamese folklore, though, you'll eat this up quickly!

Steeped in Far Eastern mythology, The Lost Queen is a wild ride through 'history' and 'the present' with all the teenage angst the targeted audience would expect. With a heavy focus on reincarnation, I found myself struggling to stay connected to the story. The story flows well, moving back and forth in time once two particular characters meet. There is much good to be said about what true love and sacrifice looks like throughout the story.

I received an ARC; this is my honest review.

I decided not to continue this ARC after the 51% mark. It has a few too many plot and structure issues for me.

First, the relationship between Jolie and Huong was written in a way that felt romantic and not like reincarnated sisters. It honestly threw me when that is revealed. Jolie is written like she is enamored with and possibly has a crush on Huong.

Second, the dream sequences were hard to follow when reality came back into play, which created interest in the first few chapters, but had me thinking a bunch of their school friends were in their dream later in the book. I had to go back and reread the scene after I realized the girls had woken up from their nap. (When the two teenage girls take a nap together, it felt odd. They hardly know one another.)

I was hooked in the beginning, intrigued by the mystery of Jolie's visions, but I didn't feel the overarching mythology was easy to follow. Lost in the weeds, as it were. And I couldn't imagine this would be easy for an 8th grader to follow. I think the story needs more work.

I won't be rating the book publicly and will post on goodreads that I did not finish. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for my e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Overall, I think it was a solid book, 3.5 stars.

I would have loved this book if I was younger and looking for a fantasy book that represented me. The best parts of the book were the different Vietnamese myths and lore. Really interesting take on the Trung Sisters myth and not what I was expecting but I took it for what it was.

Vietnamese words were sprinkled in at the start but then kind of dropped off halfway through with only Ong Nói and Ba Nói being the consistent words. I think it would have been nice to have more.

I had a few standout chapters that I loved but then everything else was a little flat, including the characters. The pacing was off, and some plot points I thought were too convenient and unbelievable. There was too much bullying for my liking, it wasn’t revealed why until later but during those parts I found it difficult to go on because it was constant. The ending was also quite rushed, I didn’t really get it.

How exciting to discover a fantasy story based on Vietnamese history and folklore! And what a great read!

From the first lines of chapter 1, the book comes alive with imagery. The reader will feel like they've been plunged into another world, one that is both oddly familiar and beautifully unique.

"The more I remembered, the more powerful I became."

I love Jolie and Huong's journey (both physical and dream) and the creative way the author has built up a world that seems mystical and realistic at the same time.

Most of all, I enjoyed the multiple points of view: of both girls, but also the sisters whose pasts live within them. Tangled and tragic, and ultimately triumphant.

"That little liar. That backstabbing, treacherous, lying liar. The poems, songs, and stories about our deaths were wrong. It wasn't a sacrifice or suicide. It was a betrayal."

The lesson? Never underestimate the power of a teenage girl and her friends.

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

my favorite aspect of this book is the vietnamese representation especially the history and mythology surrounding the trung sisters. It was interesting to learn about some vietnamese folklore especially as a vietnamese american myself. it was delightful to see vietnamese culture as a core characteristic of this book’s plot especially with the usage of vietnamese words and mention of vietnamese dishes such as thit kho! I also love that the book is set in the bay area!!

the animated writing and imagery is strong in this book but sometimes the detailed writing was unnecessary. i notice the author would overdescribe the smallest details that ends up being useless to the overall plot which would contribute to the turtle pacing.

anyways, the idea of the book sounded better than how the book was executed in my opinion. the author’s writing has potential but the plot was just too dreadfully slow.

The Lost Queen
By: Aimee Phan

4 Stars

This book brings the meanness of high school and the magic of fantasy together. Two young girls, high-school drama, and a destiny that is thousands of years in the making. Dragons. It also has dragons.

I was completely wrapped up in this story. Flashing through from past to present and story to story, this book was filled with drama, magic, friendship, and dare, I say, love. It told of a tale of two sisters that changed their world in the past and present. Following a magic book, as well as their dreams and memories, they find themselves on a crazy journey from the high school gym to the fields of ancient Vietnam. This book was a very well written YA novel, and no matter if you are young or old and love a good fantasy, this was it.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

The first half of this book really had me hooked and hit all the elements I usually like in a YA contemporary fantasy. Jolie is a Vietnamese-American teenager living with her grandparents and attending a San Jose high school. I loved the colorful, grounded details about teenage angst, bullying and the high school experience, with the hint of supernatural underpinnings. Jolie's grandfather is a fortune teller and the book is interspersed with ancient Vietnamese folk legends.

Then weird stuff keeps happening to Jolie, like she has a psychotic break at a swim meet and alienates her two best friends, who become mean girl enemies. In gym class she rescues popular girl Huong, who befriends her. This could have been an opportunity to explore Jolie's character and identity as she navigates this new world of popularity, but instead she just becomes a bland character as her identity is completely taken over by the supernatural. She keeps seeing visions. It turns out she and Huong are the reincarnations of two ancient Vietnamese goddess queens, the Trung sisters, into the bodies of two teenage girls.

That could have been a really interesting conceit, and indeed I appreciated the deep-dive into Vietnamese folklore. But I wanted more insight into Jolie's immigrant roots and how this identity juxtaposed with such strong elements of Vietnamese culture, and I wanted more grounding in reality with a whisper of the supernatural.

Instead the second half of the book felt like a completely different book as we are transported into a cartoonish world of vengeful, battling immortals with elemental powers and I stopped caring about the characters as they lost touch with their humanity and reality. Jolie did hang on to her humility and mercy, but everything was so larger than life that it felt too cerebral and superhero-adjacent for my taste.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3-3.5 stars⭐️

‘The Lost Queen’ follows Jolie Lam, a sophomore in high school who after an incident at a swim meet, is an outsider. One day during a swim unit in gym, she saves Huong Pham who is popular and ends up befriending Jolie. As they get closer, they begin to unlock impossible abilities and soon she learns they are the reincarnations of legendary queens/goddesses, the Trung Sisters. They’re soon set on a dangerous adventure of self discovery, unlocking their memories and elements (magic), as the threat of their enemies loom.

This was my first book involving Vietnamese history and mythology and found it incredibly beautiful and easy to jump right into without having prior knowledge.

I think this book is a wonderful YA adventure that I would have LOVED in middle school and appreciated in high school. I would say Jolie was a very realistic example of the experience of isolation and ridicule as a teen girl, when we all believe high school and friends is life or death. And then how one person changing everything can be all consuming, and not necessarily a good thing.

I think where this lost stars was simply the YA-ness of the story— inner monologue, decisions and pacing was frustrating for me at times but think it’s on par for a YA novel. I will def pick up the next one when it comes out to see what happens :)

I tried to enjoy this, I really did. Unfortunately, I have decided to drop the book halfway through. I wanted to give it a chance until the plot mentioned in the summary happened but now that it finally came together about 50% in, I’m not inclined to finish it after all. I was interested to learn more about vietnamese mythology but the pacing was so slow that I couldn’t get a grasp on what was even going on (probably because even Jolie didn’t understand what happened).

Unfortunately, The Lost Queen ended up being a DNF for me. The story started off with promise and initially caught my interest, but as I continued reading, I found myself losing connection with the plot and characters. While I don't take DNFing an ARC lightly, I ultimately had to set this one aside. I truly appreciate the opportunity to read and review, and I hope others find the story more engaging than I did.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the chance to read this title.