I was very intrigued by the premise of this novel that is inspired by the legendary Trung sisters of Vietnam, dragon mythology, and reincarnation. It centers around Jolie, a high school sophomore who has been ostracized by her former best friends and bullied by some of her other classmates after she starts experiencing some strange and unwanted psychic visions.

The first half of the story takes place primarily at the high school Jolie attends. Her grandfather is a psychic and Jolie is showing signs of following in his footsteps. But because he is suffering from dementia, she has no one to turn to for advice on what is happening to her. While I found Jolie to be a very sympathetic character from the first and some of things that happen with her early on were strange and intriguing, the pacing for me in this part was a bit too slow and mundane. That could be because I'm reading this as an adult rather than the teen audience this book is geared toward. However, once we begin to realize that Jolie is something more than anyone realized, and the Vietnamese folklore in the story begins to unfold and become more of the focal point of Jolie's journey, the novel became very intriguing and fun.

I loved the bits of story interwoven into the plot through the book of mythology Jolie turns to in order to understand her past. I was suspicious of the people who seem to take her under they wing as friends. But I still didn't foresee all the twists and turns the story takes. The way Jolie's abilities grow and develop was entertaining and well entwined with the mythology that inspired them for her characterization. My main complaint with this story was that I agree that the main villains that are hinted at throughout the book, when they're are revealed, were a little two dimensional. They could have been fleshed out more in terms of their motivations and in terms of how they found Jolie in the first place. I felt that part of the narrative was a bit rushed and glossed over. But perhaps we will learn more about them in the sequel since this is a duology. The end was heartbreaking and left me wondering how the story will continue from here, but in a good way. So, I will be interested in reading the sequel. All in all this was a solid 4 stars for me and I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers for allowing me to read the ARC of this novel in exchange for this honest review.

This was fast-paced and I could not put it down! This was the first Trung sisters retelling I’ve read and I thought it was very well done. It was an easy read and something I could definitely share with upper elementary to middle school/high school students. I felt connected to Jolie. I was suspicious of the right characters from the beginning but there were still twists I didn’t necessarily see coming. I felt the suspense and tension waiting for Jolie to reach her full reincarnation. Witnessing Jolie grow into her gifts and confidence was fantastically done. I am patiently waiting for the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC!

I saw this book listed on an upcoming releases insta post and was so very intrigued by the title and story blurb. Let me say this, it really didn’t disappoint.
I was hooked on this mythology retelling that was full of mystery and magic and folklore tales.
I struggled a little bit to get into the story only because it’s on the younger side of the YA genre and I can not stress enough that this isn’t a bad thing at all, just a fact.
I’m so glad I stuck it out though because by the last 1/3 I was so engrossed I truly couldn’t put it down.
Jolie goes through a truly beautiful character arc of self discovery, healing and reconnection while battling against some divine evils and unexpected traitors.
I also enjoyed walking into a world influenced by a new culture for me, the Vietnam influences and details were lovely to experience.

This wasn’t bad by any means. But the prose was so juvenile. To the point that I was cringing. I really a lot of YA books and never really feel like YA books are too young for me. But this one being set mainly at high school for the first part of the book didn’t help with an already naive and immature FMC. This had some mystery to it and the main character being psychic was interesting. But I don’t feel invested enough to finish it.

Jolie is struggling in school and finds herself being shunned by her one-time best friends, Daphne and Lana, and all the rest of her classmates. She’s been acting peculiarly and is seeing things that no one else seems to see. To make matters worse her beloved Grandfather seems to be losing his mind.
Based on Vietnamese history this is the story of two sisters who led an army against the Han who invaded Vietnam thousands of years ago. Though they ruled for only a few years they became heroes in the eyes of their people and are still revered to this day. This is the first of a YA fantasy duology that introduces us to Jolie and her sister Huong as reincarnations of the famous Trung sisters. The plot is centered around them, their relationship and their divergent desires. I felt the secondary characters were all a bit weak in development especially the villainous trio representing the Han. I liked the little introduction to Vietnamese history. The supernatural elements of the dragons and their elemental powers was interesting, but I felt the major story arc was Jolie and her evolving from a bullied teenager to a powerful goddess. It’s a good story, though not my favorite. It’s definitely worth a read if you like YA fantasy. 4 stars

This book started off with a really interesting premise, a very Percy Jackson-style setup where a presumably normal human teen finds out they are actually something greater. There was some really great reveals throughout the first half the book where you wondered what was real, what things the main character was maybe misunderstanding, as you start to piece together the whole situation.

However, with the second half of the book, once it was sort of "revealed" the big picture of the story (that the MC was one of the lost queens of Vietnam/one of the original dragons), I felt like things sort of fell apart and got confusing. As the story went on, the writing seemed to suffer a bit. It seemed jumpy, hopping from one thing to the next super fast without a lot of time to understand what was really happening. It also felt like the author relied on things like the psychic connections between characters to have to avoid ever having to explain a lot of things–she just said things like "I explained everything to her" or "She could suddenly see everything that happened over the last month" and that just felt like convenient ways to loop more people into the story without having to actually explain anything.

I also feel like the ending was rushed and I can't say that I felt like I left the book feeling like I really understood what the moral of the story is or what it was trying to say.

I gave this book 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 for Netgalley. Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A YA fantasy retelling of the story of the Trưng sisters, national heroines of Vietnam and real military leaders. Their true story is fascinating, and I also enjoyed this take with the sisters finding each other in another life.

The main character, Jolie, spends much of the first half of the novel very confused as to who she is and what’s going on, which led to me, the reader, also being confused as to what’s going on. But it really picked up around the halfway mark for me and I enjoyed the rest of it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

I loved it so much! I was sucked into the story from the beginning! The twists and turns kept me anticipating on what was going to happen next!

A 4.5 star read.

YA fantasy that is a contemporary retelling of a Vietnamese folktale. The dimension hopping in the book at first was a little confusing but as I continued with the story it became less of a problem. I enjoyed that the pacing of the story provided an immersive read. Overall, a highly enjoyable read. I will recommend the book to my friends.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was looking forward to reading this especially with its Vietnamese representation and the modern retelling inspired by the legendary Trung Sisters. The premise was so interesting with dragons, reincarnation, a rich cultural element in a contemporary YA setting.

It took me until around the 40% mark to really feel any connection to the characters. And just when I thought I was starting to get invested, my interest kind of fizzled out again toward the end. The pacing felt off, with a mix of dreams, flashbacks, and even time travel thrown in. It left me confused about what exactly was happening scene to scene. I couldn’t get a sense if it was one of the dreams or time travel. The magical elements were vague and not clearly explained.

I did enjoy Jolie’s character arc, particularly her fallout and eventual reconciliation with her friends. Her personal growth felt real. But I do wish the story focused more on the dragon mythology and reincarnation lore, rather than the high school swim meet drama that seemed to take up much of the book.

One part that left me feeling especially awkward was the early relationship between Jolie and Huong. Their relationship initially felt more romantic in tone, only for it to be revealed later that they were actually sisters. That shift felt jarring and a little confusing in retrospect.

As for the supposed side villains, they weren’t fleshed out enough for me to understand their motives beyond the usual hunger for power. Given their centuries long history with the main character, I expected more complexity. The final villain reveal and the plot twist that came with it didn’t wow me either. The twist involving the Trung Sisters, turning on each other out of jealousy felt like a betrayal of their legacy. These women are symbols of resistance, unity, and strength in Vietnamese history. To see their bond reduced to petty rivalry felt disappointing, especially when I was expecting a narrative centered around in sisterhood and solidarity.

Thank you Penguin Teen and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC.

3.5 ⭐️

The Lost Queen follows Jolie Lam, an Asian-American high school sophomore who begins experiencing visions that gradually unravel a mystical past, while also navigating the social fallout of an incident from the previous year. Things turn around for Jolie when she is taken under the wing of Huong Pham, a charismatic upperclassman who offers her friendship and guidance. As the visions progress, the girls discover that their fates are intertwined, revealing an ancient conflict that spans millennia. Together, they must piece together their past lives and locate the elements of their power in order to combat an encroaching evil that threatens to upend their world.

I had mixed feelings about this book. The first half of the narrative moves slowly, with a heavy emphasis on high school dynamics and contemporary issues that felt drawn out and disconnected from the more compelling mythological thread. However, the second half picks up the pace, offering a more compelling story filled with action and purpose.

One of the novel’s strongest elements is its incorporation of Vietnamese mythology, particularly the moments when Jolie begins recovering fragmented memories of her past life. These scenes are intriguing and elevate the narrative. I also appreciated the novel’s exploration of moral ambiguity—especially through its depiction of immortal beings wrestling with notions of duty and power through their interactions with humankind.

However, the novel suffers from uneven pacing and structural imbalance. The initial chapters linger too long in the mundane without sufficiently developing the mythological underpinnings, while the latter portion feels rushed, culminating in an abrupt ending that leaves many plot threads unresolved. Although withholding information can be a useful and necessary narrative device, the delay in revealing the significance of Jolie’s visions—nearly halfway through the novel—dampens the story’s momentum.

From a personal standpoint, I found the contemporary high school elements less engaging, though I acknowledge that this is likely a result of my reading as an adult and not as a member of the book’s intended young adult demographic. I believe the novel might have benefitted from a dual timeline narration, allowing the reader to experience the historical and mythological context unfold alongside the present-day story rather than being revealed primarily through dreams, visions, and readings through a mythology textbook.

Despite its flaws, The Lost Queen has a compelling premise and a unique cultural lens that will likely resonate with its intended YA audience. I remain curious about how the author will develop and resolve the overarching narrative in the second installment of the duology.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read an ebook ARC of this title!

3.5 stars
YA fantasy set in the US but focused on Vietnamese culture and mythology. That was the best part, IMO. This is apparently a contemporary retelling of a Vietnamese folktale, but not one I was familiar with. I didn't love the high school setting, mean girls, bullying, etc., nor did I really care for any of the characters. I need good characters to really enjoy a book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Lyrical and layered, The Lost Queen is a poignant exploration of identity, memory, and the ties that bind across generations. Aimee Phan weaves a captivating narrative that blends Vietnamese folklore with contemporary realities, crafting a story that is both intimate and epic. A stunning novel that lingers like a half-remembered dream—quietly powerful and deeply moving.

Thank you Netgalley and G.P Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

2/5 stars

As a Vietnamese-Canadian woman, I was so excited to read this book as there aren't a lot of Vietnamese folklore retellings in the Western market right now but unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. I think I would’ve liked it more if I read this as a teenager as there was a lot of Vietnamese representation in the book such as the author’s use of Vietnamese words and mentions of Vietnamese dishes. I appreciated the deep dive into the Vietnamese history and folklore of the Trung sisters.

I had a lot of issues with the plot and structure. The build up to Jolie’s powers and the progression of her relationship with Huong was just too slow to me. By the time everything was revealed, I had already lost interest. The dream sequences were hard to follow because I didn’t know when it was either Jolie’s dream or reality. I found that the way the author wrote Jolie’s relationship with Huong was more romantic than sister-like. There were a lot of unnecessary details that could’ve been cut out from the book. For example, I really didn’t need to know that someone’s vomit was sparkling in the sun.

I think this could have been a solid YA book if it wasn’t so painfully slow and the plot was improved.

This book started off well in the beginning as a solid YA book in modern-day San Jose, CA. I enjoyed the themes of isolation/depression in high school. the Vietnamese-American culture that was lightly tossed in, the mythologies, and the way Jolie's powers were manifesting and how it was affecting Jolie's life. The pacing was really good, and the intrigue/mystery about Huong was pleasant and had me slightly hooked.

But by the second half of the book, most of that fell apart IMO and left me feeling like this book didn't quite meet my expectations. For one, the pacing picked up, and it felt like we were zooming forward towards some doomsday situation without really having seen Jolie practice much with her powers, learn more about who she was, and for us to be more immersed. It felt too fast for me, and I disliked the change in pacing. And it seemed to just progressively get faster and faster the closer we got to the ending.

Another issue I found myself disliking was the time jumps. While they were interesting to the plot, the way Jolie and Huong would just jump back in time and just continue with the ancient Vietnam plot, like they already knew the small details and what they were going to say, like they were other people, felt odd. I also didn't like how the time jumping happened rather frequently. It sometimes left me feeling disoriented and confused as to what was going on.

The ending was pretty weird for my taste. I felt like it was just a quick give-up, and the author didn't know what to do, but all of a sudden threw Huong a chunk full of character development that honestly didn't make sense for her character. I also know that this series is going to be a duology, and I'm not even sure where the second book would even be heading. This felt like a complete end to the novel, so I'm really confused about that

I think if the book had given us more, was longer and took a slower pace for us to really get immersed with the characters, growing plot, and tensions all around, this book would have been a pretty solid YA book. I think it just slightly ended up missing the mark as it was a generally okay book.

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