Review: 2.75 stars

We are introduced to Jolie, who is a high school sophomore who has been ostracized due to her freak out incident a year ago. She is now the loner in school and her best friends, Lana and Daphne avoid her like a plague. Everything changes when she saves Huong, a popular girl from an incident at the pool. Huong takes her under her wing and as they spend more time together, they discover lost powers and realise that they were the legendary Trung sisters, queens who were meant to fight their brothers who bring calamity to the world…

This book was told in Jolie’s POV. I empathise with her character as she started as this nervous and bullied kid who lost her way through high school since a freak accident. It doesn’t help that her grandpa, a renowned fortune teller, is also having bouts of confusion and freak accidents leading her family to be ostracized. The author captured the growing pains of teenagers perfectly in this world. However, I have to question how the author portray the teens in their manner of speaking etc: I mean who finds the bible interesting

While I did enjoy the lore that the author based this book on, I struggled with this book. I was so lost in at least 50% of this book since Jolie had no idea what was going on. The pacing of the book was so slow in the first half especially with the introduction of their powers and their hunt for it. There were parts where the book felt repetitive and confusing with the back and forth from modern to ancient Vietnam and when it shifts from past to present suddenly.

The worldbuilding itself felt flat with vague descriptions such as the glossover of the magic system and how the elements work. It was so confusing to grasp. I could see all the major twists coming and the book got predictable and boring. And of course, the ending was so rushed that there were still many things left unresolved.

Overall, it was an okay read due to the ease of the writing style and the short concise chapters and it wasn’t for me. There were some points where I was close to dnf’ing since I failed to grasp the concept of the book until I reached the 50% mark and once I did, it felt flat.

Thank you Netgalley and PenguinTeen for the eARC.

I liked this more than I thought I would! The first part of this book actually feels like a magical mean girls, but there is a good twist that I predicted. I loved the mythology strewn throughout the book.

Jolie Lam used to be just like any other teenager until she had a strange outbreak at a swim meet. She’s since quit the swim team, her former friends are now among her many bullies. Jolie is the most lonely and miserable she’s ever been! Everything changes when she saves a classmate, Huong Pham, after a terrible accident that happened during PE. There’s something familiar about Huong. Now that they’re friends, Jolie quickly discovers there’s a reason why Huong feels like the sister she never had: they’re the Trung sisters reincarnated!

I absolutely loved this book! We follow Jolie, a high school sophomore, during the roughest year of her life. She’s lost all her friends, she’s being heavily bullied, and even her home life is stressful. Her grandfather is known as a fortune teller, but his visions have begun to take a toll on his mind, and now her bullies are dragging him into things! Thankfully, everything starts to change once Huong enters the picture.

Jolie’s story is inspired by the story of the Trung sisters, who led a rebellion against the Han in Vietnam. Jolie and Huong are the Trung sisters who have been reincarnated and are currently teenagers living in San Jose. As the story continues, we learn what history tells us about the Trung sisters and then what Jolie and Huong remember happened. Plus, we also see them find their elements, unravel a mystery, and prepare to continue the war against their brothers.

I was so excited to read this because it sounded like it was going to be a great book, and it did not disappoint! Plus, I was not familiar with Vietnamese mythology and this book is heavily wrapped up in Vietnamese history and mythology. If you’re a fan of books like the Percy Jackson series, Aru Shah and the End of Time, or We Shall Be Monsters, then this is a book you’re going to want to pick up. I loved every single page. While I do think it was a little heavy handed with some of the typical teenage stereotypes, it was an excellent read. I’m looking forward to checking out more from this author.

I really enjoyed learning more about Vietnamese mythology and how that was woven into the story. The different twists that were revealed as Jolie regained more of her powers were captivating. The characters were interesting, I did find some of the motivations and actions a little hard to understand though some of that was later explained. The pacing also felt a little off at times, but mostly i really enjoyed seeing Jolie and Huong's complicated friendship and sisterhood as Jolie uncovered more of their past. Overall the blending of the past, present, modern high school drama, magic, and sisterhood was so cool and kept me engaged in the book.

4.5 rounded to 5


At the center of this YA novel about sisters, brothers, siblings, parents and grandparents as well as friend dynamics and a whole lot of other intense themes, is mythology that has grown up around the Trung sisters, a pair of military generals who nearly two thousand years ago mnaged for two years to resist the massive Han invasion of Vietnam.

We begin with Jolie Lam, who has lost her two best friends after a sports incident. These two have become mean girls, but to her defense comes Huang, a cool girl who offers her friendship and support. It's set in and around San Jose, working in earthquakes and drought and other area-specific phenom.

Meanwhile, Jolie is dealing with visions, and her grandfather's apparent dementia. But when inexplicable magic enters her life, everything the sixteen year old thought she knew goes seriously sideways.

At that point, the book becomes a brakeless roller-coaster, getting more and more intense and weird, the pacing faster and faster until the sudden end. I thought the end kinda cool, and yet there had been so much setup at the start that I couldn't help wishing for a coda: emotional resolution especially, but also I really wanted to see how the "new" Jolie would pick up her high school life.

Still, a terrific read.

The Lost Queen by Aimee Phan was a great book! It had great character development, strong plot and great plot.

I knew nothing of Vietnamese mythology going into this book, and honestly, it left me craving more. The concepts of dragons and reincarnations fascinate me, and I love that they’re featured in so many creation stories. The Lost Queen is an incredible burst of color. It’s sunsets and sunrises, bright yellow flowers and orange flickers of flames. Hot summer days and chilly nights.

Jolie is an outcast. After an outburst at her last swim meet, she dropped out of the team, and her two best friends have abandoned her. Even worse, she’s constantly tormented by not only pictures and videos of the incident, but visions she cannot explain. While her grandpa is a thầy bói, able to use his abilities to tell the future and fortunes, only men inherit the gift, so why is she being tortured with this?

Enter Huong, the most popular girl in school, who enters Jolie’s life after she saves her in gym class. And she has the answers Jolie seeks: the two of them are reincarnations of the Trung sisters, Vietnam’s legendary queens, and their selfish brothers are closing in to claim their powers for themselves for good. But as Jolie regains memories of her past life, things aren’t adding up as they should….

And she has to choose between her sister and the mortals she cares for once again.

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review, and pre-order The Lost Queen before it comes out on May 6!

Review will be up on socials by Sunday or Monday, so check back for my links soon :))

well-crafted story based on the Trung sisters, one of my all-time favorite historical stories, and in general works well, although I wish there was more time given to the fantasy bits. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc. I loved the story and found the bonds of sisterhood that grew between Jolie Lam and Huong Pham's beautifully written. When I found out it was loosely based off of the legendary Trung Sisters, that piqued my interest even more. Aimee Phan wove the tale hauntingly and poignantly while set in modern times. Jolie is an outcast until she meets Huong and they form a fast friendship. As their bond grows, so do their powers. They have to learn how to use them and navigate school and their everyday relationships. The story was a little complicated but I was hooked.

3.5/5 stars

Summary: The start of a Vietnamese-inspired YA fantasy duology follows Jolie Lam, a high schooler with a mysterious past. After saving popular girl Huong Pham, Jolie gains newfound friendship and awakens ancient powers. As the two uncover their ties to legendary Vietnamese queens and goddesses, they must reclaim their immortal elements before ancient enemies return. With dreams, portals, and a looming battle, Jolie must decipher truth from deception to save those she loves—and the world.

I agree with some of the other reviewers in that this read was "trippy". I liked the world-building and the Vietnamese lore additions that were woven in the story. Aimee Phan also does a fantastic job at emulating teenagers in high school, which is honestly not my thing as I like to age up my characters and couldn't with Aimee's detailed writing (this is absolutely a compliment).

There were a few main reasons I couldn't get into this particular read. I had a difficult time with the characters and the overall character development. I loved the base of Jolie's character as well as Huong's arc; however, Huong's character was so obvious and Jolie had no clue (granted, she really had no clue about everything, starting from scratch). The pacing of the book was extremely slow in the beginning and then picked up to become pretty predictable and ultimately rushed in the end.

Again, I loved the lore, I just had a hard time putting everything together to make it an interesting read for me - I don't think this will be the case for every reader.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Aimee Phan for allowing me access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

One of the most beautiful and captivating books I've read in a long time! The voice is very lyrical and strong, the relationships very real and the story just fantastic. Can't wait to read more from this author!

Jolie Lam is your everyday high school outcast who is known primarily for a freak out at a swim meet. It also doesn’t help her grandfather is suffering from dementia while still trying to use his magical gifts.

Jolie has resigned her herself to a life on the sidelines quietly going through her days on autopilot. That all changes, however, when she saves the popular Huong from drowning during swim practice. Huong immediately takes Jolie under her wing and their friendship feels like a preordained fate. Is everything is as it seems, though? Is Jolie really just an ordinary girl? Is Huong the friend she says she is? What is up with all these dreams and visions of mythical beasts?

Phan has expertly woven together a multilayered story that manages to catch not only the teenage experience, but the human experience as well. The Asian myths used in the story perfectly match each stage of Jolie’s evolution. The final result is a an extraordinary story that is, to borrow a cliche, as old as time.

The Lost Queen is a rich, imaginative YA fantasy that blends Vietnamese mythology with modern-day coming-of-age themes in a way that feels both fresh and timeless. Aimee Phan crafts a story that is as much about ancient goddesses and elemental magic as it is about finding your voice and identity in a world that wants you to stay small.

At the heart of the novel is Jolie Lam—a girl burdened by isolation, family expectations, and a strange past she can’t quite grasp. Her journey from outcast to powerful heroine is messy, emotional, and utterly captivating. What I loved most about Jolie is that she isn’t perfect—she’s insecure, sometimes impulsive, but determined to understand who she is, both in this life and the ones that came before. Her relationship with her grandfather, a fortuneteller haunted by visions, is another highlight. Their bond grounds the story with warmth and heart even as everything around them becomes increasingly fantastical.

The friendship-turned-sisterhood between Jolie and Huong Pham is one of the book’s strongest threads. It begins with shared secrets and loyalty but unravels in unexpected ways as they uncover their ties to legendary Vietnamese queens. Their dynamic explores trust, betrayal, and the complexities of shared destiny. The twist in their relationship hit hard, especially because Phan takes the time to develop both characters and let their bond evolve naturally.
Phan’s use of Vietnamese lore, particularly the inspiration from the Trưng Sisters, adds a powerful layer to the story. The incorporation of myth and history makes The Lost Queen feel bigger than a typical YA fantasy—like it’s honoring a cultural legacy while also reinventing it for a new generation. The magic system, especially the elemental powers and reincarnation elements, was intriguing, though at times a bit dense. I appreciated how the portals, dreams, and different timelines wove together, but there were moments I wished for a bit more clarity on the lore’s mechanics.

That said, the writing style is lyrical without being overwrought, and the pacing (especially in the second half) had me fully locked in. The climax is intense and emotional, but I did find myself wishing for an epilogue or at least a few scenes of aftermath to give the story room to breathe after its biggest revelations.

The Lost Queen is a vibrant, sometimes chaotic, but ultimately rewarding fantasy that explores sisterhood, legacy, and self-discovery. Jolie Lam might not be a traditional heroine, but her story is one worth following—and I’m eager to see where the sequel takes her next.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Legitimately could not put this one down. LOVED the characters and the beautiful world building. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

Wow wow wow I loved this book so much! I am super picky on fantasy books but this one completely blew me away.

The characters the story everything in this book captivated me and left me wanting to read even more of the authors books.

Go buy this book when it comes out or get it from the library or borrow it from a friend whatever you gotta do to read it because trust me you are going to love this book.

Thank you netgalley PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the arc

This book was stellar. The voice hit really well for me and solidified it as a stand out for the year so far. I loved the story and the fact it is a contemporary fantasy. Middle grade is full of these sorts of stories, but YA not so much, something I think this book could lead a change for.

The complicated history is unraveled with great pacing, keeping things tense and readers curious without getting bored. There is lots of drama and lots of twists and turns.

I highly recommend this fantasy for teens.

I greatly enjoyed this book! I will be interviewing Aimee about it next week for my podcast, Novel Finds. The episode will air on May 4th, in anticipation for the book's release on May 6th, and can be heard wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for allowing me to read an early copy!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

Wow! Not much tonsay that hadn't been said. This book is incredible. You are going b to enjoy every page!

Highly recommend.

This is such a beautiful YA fantasy! I was just sucked into the story from the beginning and was intrigued by the different twists turns this story took. I both love the ending, but also wanted there to be an epilogue of some sort, something to show the aftermath of everything. But again, I loved the ending too because it just leaves it up to the readers imagination of what happened after. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!