Two words: absolutely incredible

Simply put, Jolie Lam is the female Vietnamese American Percy Jackson that I never knew I needed. But she is so much more than that. She is a queen.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣 by Aimee Phan is an epic coming-of-age story that blends history with myth, present with the past, homeland with motherland, and oneself with the world.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵: a unique family and community, mesmerizing magic, complicated relationships, mystery, suspense, and drama, all revolving around a lonely insecure teenage girl discovering her best self by reclaiming her roots.

This YA fantasy takes inspiration from the Vietnamese lore of Hai Bà Trưng (the 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀), who led the people to protect their land from the Han Chinese. Though they were ultimately defeated and their reign was cut short (41-43 AD), the Trung sisters are considered symbols of Vietnamese nationalism, and their feats are honored and memorialized to this day. Phan presents a version of their story rooted in Vietnamese mythology and reimagines their sisterhood through Jolie and Huong in a way that is more complex than you’d initially think.

My critiques for this book are minor, likely taking more issue with the YA genre than the story itself:

1. It would have been nice to see more of the Vietnamese language. There’s a whole part where Jolie realizes she understands Vietnamese, but we only see that dialogue in English translation. I’m not requesting a whole Viet script and translation; it just would have been cool to see. But this may be because I’m a bit of a nerd and love being exposed to different languages.
2. Some interpersonal conflicts were resolved too easily in my opinion. They involved minor characters but still felt too smooth sailing, even though I knew we needed to get past it quickly to change focus to the real villains. That said, it’s possible that the resolution was true to the nature of high school relationships and I simply don’t relate lol

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: If I had read this ten years ago, this would have become my favorite book of all time. My current 27-year-old self will never stop thinking and talking about this book, and I am certain that my future self will want to pass this story down to her kids. Having grown up in Southern California in the heart of Little Saigon, I have so much love for The Lost Queen. It’s a story that Vietnamese Americans can be proud of. I earnestly wish for this incredible story by Aimee Phan to be spread far and wide so that people young and old from all backgrounds can get a little taste of what it means to be Vietnamese.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC!

The Lost Queen is a beautiful and enchanting fantasy that features ancient magic unleashed, weaving magic, the bond of sisterhood, a heroine like no other, self-discovery, and is inspired by Vietnamese lore.

Jolie Lam, a high school sophomore in San Jose, is known for two things: her bizarre freakout at last year’s swim meet and her fortuneteller grandfather with visions of dragons and earthquakes. Friendless and ostracized, Jolie's life takes a dramatic turn for the better when she saves the school's it-girl, Huong Pham, during a haunting vision of her own. Taken under Huong's wing, Jolie's world transforms, in more ways than one.

As Jolie and Huong's bond deepens, they unlock long lost powers: telepathic abilities, fluency in Vietnamese, and eerie premonitions. This leads them to a shocking revelation: they have ties to legendary queens and goddesses of ancient Vietnam. While a thrilling discovery, it also sets them on a perilous journey. The girls must navigate dreams and portals to piece together their past lives and reclaim their immortal elements before their ancient enemies strike again. But all is not what it seems, and Jolie must determine friend from foe, truth from lie, and ultimately right from wrong in this battle for all she loves and the fate of the world.

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down! The Vietnamese lore, ancient magic, and sibling relationships all drew me in and held my attention the entire book. Jolie and Huong are strong female characters who each come into their own. Jolie's journey of self-discovery is one that I think many teens will be able to relate to. I also enjoyed Jolie's strong relationship with her grandparents.

The magic system in this book is fantastic. The elements of the system that Phan creates are intricate and unique. I loved watching Jolie discover each of her elemental powers and how to use them. The portals between present day, the dreams, and Jolie's grandfathers story book add so much to the story and the magic system. I loved seeing the girls live their lives in both ancient Vietnam and present day California. There are a few parts where the ancient world and the present world unite, and it is done very seamlessly; everything is tied together very well. It makes the reader believe this type of thing could actually happen in our present times.

Phan's writing style makes the story flow nicely. The way she draws Jolie really gives the reader insight into Jolie's thoughts and feelings. Jolie becomes this deep character who is struggling to discover what is real and what is not real; who she can trust and who is lying to her. Her journey throughout the book is incredible.

I am looking forward to the second part of this duology. Highly recommend this book!

Thank you netgalley! 🫶🏻

Let me first day I was not initially into it. But as I kept reading it got trippy and I could NOT put my kindle down. If i didn't have a hard time getting into it i would have rated it four stars. It was a slow start but once it gets going it's GOING lol.

I loved this book. It's like a new twist on old folklore that I read about when I was younger. The story kept me intrigued every step of the way and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next and how it was going to end.

I'm not too sure how I feel about this book—The Lost Queen is a YA fantasy based on the myth of the Trung sisters (a myth I'm only vaguely familiar with, though that's not a contributing factor to how I felt at all!)

I really liked the story in its large brush strokes, the idea of reincarnation and sisterhood, the idea of two young girls finding themselves to be a part of something so much bigger than themselves. I think what really made me hesitate rating this book a perfect five stars is the voice. I think the contrast of the contemporary narration style + the school setting made me like parts of the book that were moreso focused on the light fantasy/speculative element a lot more. I think, however, the big-concept ideas were super cool so I can't rate this lower than a 4 star!

This book blends Vietnamese mythology with a modern-day fantasy setting, and while it has a lot of potential, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The premise was intriguing, but I felt that the pacing was rather stilted – sluggish for a long early chunk, and then belatedly rushing into action – and the character development lacked the depth I was hoping for.

I did really enjoy the integration of Vietnamese folklore, with the sharing of powers between some dragons and humans, and there were some endearing supporting characters that kept me hooked. However, the plot felt thoroughly predictable, and I wished the emotional stakes were higher, especially considering the depth of the mythology involved. While it’s a fun and engaging read, this book didn’t fully captivate me as I’d hoped, but it still has a lot of appeal for younger fans of fantasy and mythology.

Not gonna lie, this was a strange book.

The beginning when the story was firmly the "ordinary" world started off okayish, though I found the portrayal of bullying/outcasting to be a bit of a caricature. The setup of the grandpa to granddaughter clairvoyance was the only bit of fantasy bit I was taken in by, only for the goddess sister plotline to come through and complicate the worldbuilding far too much. I couldn't really wrap my head around what exactly the other elements are other than the main four (earth, water, fire, and air); I still don't get what prime elements are even after my reading. Maybe if the reincarnation reveal came sooner (It took nearly almost half the book for Jolie to come to the conclusion) the story would have more room to relax on the high fantasy elements, but as is, it just made my head hurt.

I also didn't find Jolie to be all that compelling, to be honest. It's ironic, considering her character arc was all about her learning to utilize perceived weaknesses as her strengths, but I found her irritable for most of the book. Her coming into reincarnation only made her more self-righteous in her beliefs and made her the obvious better one against her cartoonishly evil siblings. The arc with her sister could have worked if the mystery around Huong was more subtle, because it made Jolie appear to be so dumb for not noticing the twist.

The book ended literally on the climax when the fight was won. I won't spoil, but there definitely should have been a chapter or two showing the aftermath. I was only mildly annoyed, as I was only invested in order to finish the book, but my point still stands.

All in all, a weird read that has some good but more choices that muddle any enjoyment it garnered out of me.

The Lost Queen tells the story of two sisters, two dragons, from Vietnamese legends. The premise of the story was intriguing, and the bending of time and space was inventive. I enjoyed learning about the myths and prophecies, and how they were woven into our story. I found Jolie and her “family” to be lovable characters. The first half of the book sets up much of the story to come, but I did find the first part of the second half a little repetitive and predictable. The ending wrapped up some loose ends, but felt a little bit of a let down at the very end. I was clicking on the kindle going where’s the rest. Overall, I found it intriguing enough to read through to the end.

I've always loved a well-crafted fantasy retelling—color me curious when you throw in dragons and magic—and The Lost Queen does a fantastic job blending the Vietnamese folklore of the Trung Sisters/Queens with modern-day struggles. Stories based on Vietnamese legends are rare, so I truly appreciated the chance to learn more about this history and culture.

Jolie, a high school student and descendant of a thầy bói (fortune teller), begins experiencing unsettling visions in class, which leads to her being labeled a pariah. As she unravels the mysteries of her past, the narrative moves at a fast pace. While I found some of the puzzle pieces easy to put together (I had more Huong tendencies, growing a bit impatient for Jolie to catch up), there were still some great surprises and satisfying "aha" moments when everything clicked into place. I also appreciated how we got to uncover Jolie’s past alongside her, experiencing each revelation as she did.

One of my favorite aspects was how seamlessly the story wove California’s earthquakes and wildfires into magic and mythology, bridging past and present in a way that felt natural and immersive.

Now, my complaint—or rather, my protest—is that I wanted more time with the supporting characters. Since this is a duology, I’m hopeful we’ll get to meet Jolie’s biological father from the modern world. I understand that this story was primarily about Jolie and Huong (and in some ways, Jolie’s journey of self-discovery), but I wished for more interactions with her grandfather and more insight into her training with him. The small moments we did get were lovely, and I wanted to see even more of her biological family and friends. Also, the ending felt like it needed a stronger hook—just a little more insight into what’s to come would have made it more impactful.

A good fantasy that incorporates Vietnamese folklore. I would recommend for readers that like any fantasy that involves mythology.

Thanks to NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was pretty trippy, to be honest. It was entertaining enough but...just very confusing. The beginning works fine but once it hits the middle, the author throws a ton of complicated fantastical plotlines and character stuff that it started to lose me. It focuses on worldbuilding...but more fantasy worldbuilding rather than real-world stuff, even though the book is mostly set in the real world.

The school is the big setting but it starts melting away into obscurity as the more fantastical stuff happens and I'm just left wondering what's happening in the real world as all the weird fantasy stuff occurs. I couldn't turn my brain off to stop thinking about these characters (especially her grandparents) since they were already established in the real-world setting.

I also thought the protagonist was especially dumb for not seeing the lying characters a mile away. She's not very smart and I got frustrated at her often throughout the book.

This was so much more than I think I was expecting it to be! I have not had the opportunity to read as many Vietnamese-based fantasy and this has made me want to find more! (Publishing: find more!) I think the story is great for young readers and I can’t want to get my hands on a physical copy for my students.

It has been some time since I really fell into a YA Fantasy book.
Harry Potter and Percy Jackson have been two literary characters that I have read and re-read time and time again, but as a middle-aged woman, YA has been on my TBR less and less.

So when I won a handful of YA books recently, I put aside some of my darker and smuttier stuff and decided to read a few YAs in a row.

I began with The Lost Queen, and it was an excellent choice.

Immediately I remembered why YA Fantasy is so fun- the MAGIC and wonder!
In this we meet Jolie Lam, a high school sophomore who's having a pretty bad year. No one can forget the swim meet when she had a mild freakout, in front of everyone! Her fortuneteller grandmother doesn't help by spewing visions of earthquakes and other devastation on a daily basis. Like most sophomores, Jolie is just trying to survive the year.

So when she saves the life of Huong, the IT girl, and starts having telepathic thoughts of her own, well, let's just say it's another obstacle in the path of "surviving the year"

Enter Vietnamese folkalore, mythology, magic and destiny. This book will sweep you up into a world of fantasy, you will NOT want to escape.
Thank you to NetGalley for this E-book, but I feel a physical copy deserves to sit on my Percy Jackson/Harry Potter shelf. It was engrossing and enjoyable!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
Wow! I loved this story so much, I started down a rabbit hole of researching Vietnamese mythology and lore. This book includes sisterhood-like drama, dragons, time travel, and more. I was completely invested through the entire book. There really was not a chapter or page that didn't keep my interest. The author does a good job of tying the story together without ever feeling forced or jumping around. I've added their other books to by TBR.

I loved getting to learn about Vietnamese mythology! I liked how the prose fit the fantasy aspect of it though it is set during modern times. The cover is also a standout. I will definitely revisit this book in the future.

,The Lost Queen‘ by Aimee Phan is a ya- fantasy based on the vietnamese legend of the Trung-Sisters who led the vietnamese army to fight against the Han warriors.
Jolie (our main character) was raised by her grandparents, her grandfather is a Thầy bói (a fortune teller) and he makes his living of predicting the futures of others. Jolie starts having visions which get far more frequent after rescuing Huong (her classmate) from drowning in the school pool during swimming class.
I really liked the first third (?) of the book but after that I started to enjoy it less. To be honest I‘m not quite sure what exactly it was that put me off so much, there were still scenes I enjoyed but it was quite the same. There are some pretty well done twists in this book.
One thing which still confuses me are the two realms that are introduced in this book, it wasn‘t quite clear for me wether they are changing history when they do something in Vietnam like what is the working of this?
Overall I did enjoy it and it has made me interested in researching Viatnamese mythology, but it wasn‘t really a life changing book

After an embarrassing swim meet incident that led to her best friends shunning her, all Jolie Lam wants to do is finish high school without drawing any more attention to herself. But fate has different plans for Jolie after she saves popular girl Huong Pham from drowning; she is having visions that tie to the old mythology book her grandfather is obsessed with.

This was such an interesting book! I was skeptical if I'd enjoy this because I am over a decade older than the intended audience.. but it was pretty good! I am a sucker for mythology, and the tie-ins to Vietnamese myths turn this coming of age story into something really unique. I think the twists will be perfect for early teens. This book is perfect for someone who wants to read about a typical Vietnamese high schooler, with not so typical fantasy elements.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the eARC! Projected publishing date: May 6th, 2025

I really liked this book, its in the same subgenre as the girl who fell beneath the sea, and i just couldnt stop reading.
However. some things were a bit unclear to me, such as what makes the dragon and fairy swords so special? And what is the difference between the two? Also why didnt jolie find her grandma in the egg when she also found luna and daphne?
I really liked the plottwists though, and the way the story really comes together throughout the book. It keeps you on the edge, it keeps you wondering throughout the book.

While there are a lot of amazing things about this book, I found that it just simply wasn't for me. It wasn't anything against the book, but more because of my personal tastes.

Well-crafted and imaginative fantasy based on the Vietnamese legend of the Trung sisters, queens who led the Vietnamese army against the Han warriors. It is surprisingly difficult to find English literature, retellings, or translations on Vietnamese folk tales, and I actually never learned about the Trung sisters until last year.

Jolie is a high school student who’s a descendant of thầy bói (fortune tellers). She starts getting unsettling visions in her classes that become stronger after rescuing her classmate Huong during swim class. Soon, she finds her grandfather’s ever-changing book on Vietnamese myths, is finally able to understand Vietnamese, and can read other people’s minds.

This tale blends modern day San Jose with ancient Vietnam, magic, and dragons. Once the story gets moving, it doesn’t stop, and there’s an element of mystery surrounding the past that ropes you in. Plus, the cover for this book is absolutely breathtaking.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are independently my own.