I like the occasional weird genre mash-up, so when I saw Black Water Sister, with its gorgeous cover (because yes, I’m the literary equivalent of a magpie and really that’s all it takes) and promises of gods and mobsters, obviously I was on board. I really didn’t know what to expect past those two elements, so imagine my pleasant surprise when, in addition to gods and mobsters, I also got a complex family drama with a healthy dose of urban fantasy in a really wonderful setting!

Black Water Sister follows Jessamyn, a recent Harvand grad with few prospects. As she prepares to uproot her life to relocate to her birthplace of Malaysia with her parents, she begins hearing a voice in her head. She originally chalks it up to stress, until the voice claims to be her dead grandmother. That’s when things really take a turn for Jess, because it just so happens that her family has a history of acting as mediums for various minor gods and goddesses, and Jess may be next in line.

I absolutely LOVED the setting of this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book in any genre set in Malaysia, and the urban fantasy elements of this book made for a really fun way to “explore” the city of Penang. The author does a fantastic job of immersing the reader into the city and its culture. I also loved that there’s no handholding here. Black Water Sister is unapologetically Malaysian; there are no italics when Hokkien or Malay words are used, no anglicized names (apart from Jess herself), no long, drawn-out explanations of basic cultural elements like the Chinese New Year celebrations or the use of honorifics when referring to family members. The author drops the reader in and says “figure it out.” This might not work for every reader, but for me, this was perfect – it forced me to look things up in far more detail than I would have gotten from a cursory explanation in the context of the novel, and it added to the immersion I felt as I read.

The plot itself is wonderful. It’s twisty and unexpected, with lots of fantastic mythology and some dark humour that often caught me off-guard and made me chuckle out loud. I won’t say too much about the specifics, but the blend of genres and the relationships that move the plot forward are all very well executed and I was never bored. Really the only relationship I found lacking was that between Jess and her girlfriend. Things are already rocky between them before the book really gets off the ground, and Jess is nearly immediately lying and keeping secrets, so I found it hard to really root for their relationship.

In terms of the other characters, Ah Ma definitely stole the show. She’s the best kind of snarky, and while she’s not exactly pure of intention, she generally tries to protect Jess. I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold over the course of the novel. Jess herself is an interesting character, though a bit meek at times, especially when interacting with her parents. Her personality does really evolve as the book goes on though, so I was able to get past those moments where she seemed a bit bland and lacking in backbone.

Black Water Sister is a novel with a LOT going on, but it manages to make all of its elements work together to form an urban fantasy unlike anything I’ve read before. Definitely a novel I would recommend to anyone who enjoys unconventional fantasy.

Irresistible

A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.
When Jessamyn Teoh starts hearing a voice in her head, she chalks it up to stress. Closeted, broke and jobless, she’s moving back to Malaysia with her parents – a country she last saw when she was a toddler.
She soon learns the new voice isn’t even hers, it’s the ghost of her estranged grandmother. In life, Ah Ma was a spirit medium, avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a business magnate who has offended the god—and she's decided Jess is going to help her do it, whether Jess wants to or not.
Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business, but dealing with her grandmother is just as complicated. Especially when Ah Ma tries to spy on her personal life, threatens to spill her secrets to her family and uses her body to commit felonies. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny – or the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.

Ghost stories excite me. A ghost story by an author I haven’t read before, impossible to miss. And Zen Cho has created a book that is compelling, dynamic, and irresistible. There are several reasons for why this novel is so good.
First, Zen Cho is obviously talented. The only reason I haven't read anything by her before now is lack of time. She was a name on my radar that I’ve wanted to try so I’m glad I finally did. Part of what makes the story compelling is that having been written by an author who is from Malaysia and is Asian adds an undeniable authenticity to the character. There are rich details and perspectives that wouldn’t be captured by someone not from Malaysia, someone not as familiar with the environment and the culture. The character of Jessamyn Teoh is a beautiful character full of contradictions that the author highlights and explores. Jess, in dealing with her dead grandmother, must come to terms with her contradictions, her secrets that she keeps from her parents, and the secrets her family has kept from her. The mysteries and intrigue of her family drama make the story so absorbing it is difficult to put down.
The plot weaves together the culture of Malaysia, the beliefs, the religion. I love different cultures, studying other religions, and I loved the way all of those aspects were brought together into the story. It is integral, just as those elements are in the culture itself. The belief in the ancestor, in spirits, to the best of my understanding, is part of the story because it is part of the culture. But tackling the idea of a dead grandmother who takes over your body, who was a medium, is incredibly riveting. I also loved the way the novel highlighted the character’s feeling of being a fish out of water. Because she wasn’t raised in Malaysia, we as readers are introduced to the area as the character explains it. Not only does it give a way to connect readers to the location, it also allows us to connect to the character. We feel Jess’ struggle in a more realistic way. The plot also ties the modern world with the ancient traditions seamlessly.
If you love stories featuring ghosts, different cultures and religions, the paranormal, and family drama and secrets, you will want to read this novel. Zen Cho is fantastically talented, her novel is beautifully rich, engaging, and her main character, Jess, is unforgettable. I loved the growth in the character and the story has the perfect ending. The theme of being an outsider, even in your own family, are wonderfully explored and the paranormal aspects are so good I had a difficult time putting down the book.
5 out of 5 spirits

This is the first Zen Cho novel I’m reading and suffice to say I will be checking out their other works! Black Water Sister is an urban fantasy that follows the story of Jessamyn who moves back to Malaysia where she connects with the ghost of her grandmother and is introduced to vengeful spirits, gods and family dynamics.

Jess has just graduated from Harvard with no idea about job prospects, family problems forces her to move back to Malaysia and she’s still finding her footing as an America returned, figuring out how to come out to her parents as gay while trying to maintain a long distance relationship. Jess’s life is complicated enough but now she starts hearing her dead grandmother’s voice who has unfinished business and comes to know of the god she served.

Her character is compelling, she’s trying her hardest to dodge the problems life throwed at her but more kept piling up. She makes messy decisions and is unlikeable sometimes. Cho captured the feelings of a 20-something year old struggling in life through her character perfectly. The internal conflicts that she goes through in the book ultimately make her more confident to stand up for herself.

She was relatable, minus the otherworldly part of course. It was interesting to read her come to terms with the ghostly things happening to her all the while figuring out why and fulfilling her grandmother’s and the spirit’s wishes.

Ah Ma… what a character. She’s bitter, holds a grudge and has an agenda but she’s also a snarky and funny character I loved to read. Her interactions with Jess and views on the world were so endearing and entertaining.

The setting of the book, in Penang, is brought to life by showing the different ethnicities to exist, the beliefs in gods and mediums, languages as well as the food. The dialogues reflected speech of the locals, Malay or Hokkien and the author dived into both Malaysian and Chinese cultures. Asian vibes felt both familiar and foreign to me. The gods and myths were explored really well to unfold the plot

Family is an important theme to the story and Jess, as she discovers past secrets. The dysfunctional family dynamics were a delight. They have been through hardships and developed a bond. I found Jess’s feelings about her relatives all too relatable, we Asians go through the same thing after all. Everyone plays a role in pushing the story forward.

While I expected a sapphic relationship, it was nothing explicit. Jess is closeted, reluctant to come out. I wished we’d gotten more light on the part as well as on her girlfriend. But then again, I understood that romance is not the focus and means for Jess’s character arc.

The pacing felt somewhat slow, I struggled getting into the book and through some chapters. Though, I flew through the action and revelation scenes.

If you’re looking for a solid Asian inspired fantasy that tackles both real life feelings and supernatural problems then you should check out Black Water Sister!

I have had a hard time getting into books lately, but this one broke my book reading issues. I was pulled in by the general summary of the book; A stressed zillenial fights God's, ghosts, and gangsters in 21st century Penang. Who couldn't be enticed by that?

I really enjoyed the story. It could be slow at times and bogged down by details, but who couldn't love Jess' mom and grandmother? I loved seeing the interweaving of old school gods with modern day and learning about the culture of Malaysia. I hope that everyone gives this book a chance!

Right from the start, <i>Black Water Sister</i> had me hooked. The way Jess relates to her identity in the story was incredibly powerful. I especially love that she calls her grandma Ah Ma, as that's how I've always referred to both my grandmothers. (There are many different terms for grandma in various Chinese cultures/subcultures.)

The Malaysian setting and cultural aspects to the story were an absolute joy to read. I loved the Black Water Sister character, Jess' language struggles, the way she's sorting through what it means to be Chinese Malaysian and lesbian, and the family secrets.

Please note: though there are funnier/lighthearted parts, the story does go a bit darker than the tone might suggest.

Overall, this was a great read! Thank you Berkley Publishing for sending me an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which was part post-collegiate existential crisis, part ghost story, and part thrilling page-turner with gangsters and family feuds. I especially loved that it was set in Penang, as I was fortunate to visit the island a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

A story of a closeted lesbian having just moved back home to be there for her ailing father...only for home to move to Malaysia...and for her alienated grandmother's ghost to start haunting her.

This novel was a contemporary/urban fantasy novel, so don't think its going to have an entirely new world to explore like some fantasy. That being said, the author does a wonderful job of laying out the scenery of Malaysia for us! There is a romantic in this novel, but it takes place entirely long-distance, with the characters girlfriend acting as a supporting cast member. Most of this novel is about family, and the skeletons that can be found in their closets.

I really enjoyed the rich cast and the plot of the novel. this was my first book that I have read from Zen Cho and I want to find more!

(I received this book as a digital arc through Netgalley)

so there is a lot to unpack and I haven't read the other reviews in fear of spoilers but I have noticed the several things that made this book disappointing to me: causal racism, homophobia, and colorism.

I need to clarify that I am Black and I understand racism and colorism through the American lens and if you are reading this review you need to understand that colorism and racism develop to particular regions of their society. So when I was presented with the colorism in this book it was in regards to the color of your skin is attached to the type of job you had: indoor jobs fair tone and outdoor jobs darker tone; Our main character Jess grew up in the US and sees the colorism throughout the book and doesn't speak out against it which rubbed me the wrong way ON TOP OF her families' blase racist comments about people from India. When Jess is meant with racist comments, homophobia, and colorism she wasn't being anti-racist, she was not having those hard conversations with her parents.
Jess throughout the book prides herself on talking back to her parents and challenging them but when it comes to these hard discussions she backs down. The homophobia was likely the only Jess challenged when she is hinted at coming out to her parents so baby steps



The Book
The magic systems felt unclear and nothing progressed the understanding for the reader. The later scene with the medium really brought everything into perspective but the pay off wasn't there. The character has a meta moment where she realizes that she is living in a world where she is the outsider and doesn't know where to being in her search for ~reasons~ for a brief moment she does ask her parents on insight but it doesn't help up go anywhere. The information that we need never gets discovered by our MC but only told to her through her grandmother which got repetitive.

I think the tag line for the book was what really drew me in and the execution is what drew me out

I have another of Zen Cho's fantasy novels (Sorcerer to the Crown) sitting on my TBR shelf which is much different than her latest I am told. I am even more eager to read that one now that I have read the author's Black Water Sister, which is a Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy. Jessamyn Teoh, aka Jess, and her parents have moved back to Malaysia to start a new life after having lost just about everything due to her father's bout with cancer. Jess starts hearing voices, which at first she is sure must be due to stress, only to soon come to accept that it is the ghost of her estranged grandmother. Jess does not know much about her mother's side of the family and her mother does not like to talk about it. During her life, Jess's grandmother was a spirit medium for a god known as the Black Water Sister. Jess reluctantly agrees to help her grandmother's spirit settle a score with a gang boss who offended the god. She soon finds herself in over her head in a world of gods and ghosts--with her own life at stake.

I admit it took me a moment to settle into Black Water Sister. It starts out a bit slow, but eventually I found myself not wanting to put the novel down. I felt just as lost as Jess did at first, not really understanding what was going on--which is a point in favor of the author for putting me in the shoes of her main character early on. I enjoyed seeing Jess come into her own over the course of the novel. She is a new Harvard graduate, trying to find her place in a new country and life. She feels a strong sense of responsibility to her family, especially to their mental well-being given her father's recent illness. It cannot be easy. I also can appreciate how difficult it must be for Jess who is hiding a very big part of herself from her family, knowing how they feel about same sex relationships.

I found the mythology and world building very interesting. I know so little of Malaysian culture. I loved the juxtaposition of the traditional versus contemporary, including ancient beliefs with more modern Christianity, which is most obvious when Jess's paternal aunt becomes involved. I love Jess's family--how supportive and close they are. I think Jess's mom and her grandmother were among my favorite characters.

Black Water Sister has its dark moments as well as some funny moments. It was hard not to empathize with the Black Water Sister and Jess's grandmother and see how they ended up where they did. Although one particular mystery (or secret, if you prefer) was pretty obvious early on, so much of what happens in the novel was not. Add to that how things played out . . . well, this was a very satisfying read.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho is a chilling, family-centred ghost story about cycles of harm and reclaiming power. Jess, a young Malaysian woman raised in America, moves back to her hometown with her parents—only to find her grandmother, Ah Ma, haunting her. What proceeds is a romp through Penang’s spiritual circles, real-estate tussles, gang rivalries, and hipster cafes in search of a way to resolve Ah Ma’s gripes, stop being haunted, and go back to every recent grad’s beloved pastime: looking for a job. There was an almost superhero-esque note to the story that made it a lot of fun, even when the subject matter grew dark.
Jess and I are of different backgrounds, but we’re both immigrants, and a lot of her experiences sent a pang of sadness and familiarity through me. Cho writes the precariousness of half-belonging beautifully, showing us the ceaseless and overlapping comfort-discomfort of living across two cultures. Watching Jess grow more familiar with Penang, her family history, and her language reminded me that belonging isn’t static. Reconnection is always possible.
Cho leads us on a mostly straight path through this haunting mystery. There isn’t much lingering on backstory or filler information. The tight focus really let the setting and characters shine, and I found it helped avoid the believability issue I so often have with paranormal fantasy. Ah Ma and Black Water Sister felt viscerally real—Ah Ma hilariously so, spirited and witty. Black Water Sister, on the other hand, was terrifying.
The connection between the three women holds together the core of this book. Jess’s experiences with them brought up so many painful questions—what price will we pay for our own safety? What harm do our traumas lead us to inflict upon each other? How can we heal when the damage is ongoing? Cho handles these wounds and fears with grace, honesty, and tender care. Black Water Sister is a powerful story of belonging, diaspora, family, courage, faith, forging agency under patriarchy, and kicking some ass.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I opened this book. What I first interpreted as a straightforward narrative about familial bonds turned out to be so much more. Set primarily in Malaysia, Zen Cho’s novel is spellbinding mix of folklore, reckoning with one’s heritage, and coming into your own.

This is 100% a case of "it's not you, it's me." And for that reason, even though I usually rate DNFed books only 1 star, I cannot do that to this book.

There is an element in this book where (the best way for me to describe it) people speak in dialect. I believe it's supposed to be in English, but I could be wrong and it's actually in Malay or Hokkien, which are two other languages mentioned in the book. I have always had an issue with fully understanding dialects or accents when they are written in books. And so I usually try my best at those parts and hope that it's not a big part of the story. Here it is. Because of how hard I have to try to comprehend it, I keep getting taken out of the story. And it is making my reading pace slow way down.

Normally if this happened I would try the audiobook, and I did try a bit of that. I had a much easier time with it, but the story also felt more focused on family ties than the ghost aspect I thought we were getting. I went in expecting an urban fantasy and instead it feels like a literary family drama.

I in no way think that this book is bad, but I know it's not for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

I'd like to start off that I'm really conflicted about writing this review. The main reason for this is: I liked the story but didn't like the execution. I really enjoyed the idea of girl being haunted by her grandmother and having to complete said grandmother's unfinished business. However! The way it was written was like an a constant inner monologue gone wrong with the grandmother being so annoying and Jess being the most boring character ever. Like the grandmother had more personality and back story then Jess did. Also my e-book had all these random words and punctuation so it made it super difficult to follow. The overall plot was satisfying though and I did like the ending. I definitely will be checking out Zen Cho book in the future to see if this was a fluke.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

After graduating from Harvard, Jessamyn Teoh, finds herself broke, unemployed and still unable to come out to her parents. With her father ill, her parents decide to move back to Malaysia and Jess is going with them. Having grown up in the United States, Jess knows it is going to be a huge adjustment, but also feels like she doesn't have a choice.

Now she gets to deal with a secret, long distance relationship with her girlfriend, on top of everything else. It's a lot of pressure, so when Jess begins to hear voices, she thinks she may actually be losing it. As it turns out, she's not really hearing voices, she is hearing one voice; that of her deceased Grandmother, Ah Ma.

When she was alive, Ah Ma was a spirit medium for a mysterious, local deity, known as the Black Water Sister. Ah Ma's spirit is restless, unable to cross over, until she seeks revenge against a powerful man who has offended the God. Ah Ma plans to use Jess for this mission.

Black Water Sister was like no other Contemporary Fantasy novel that I have ever read. It was modern, magical, fast-paced and full of over-the-top family drama! I really enjoyed watching the evolution Jess made as a character. She was smart, intuitive and had a great ability to adapt from the very beginning, but it also felt like she was really holding herself back.

Once she meets Ah Ma, even though the two butt heads in a lot of ways, that pressure made Jess grow and find a strength within herself that she didn't realize was there. The Malaysian setting and cultural background were so refreshing to read. That back drop is an important part of the story and I truly became immersed in it.

I was very impressed the complexity, nuance and fantastical elements included in this story. While this is my first Zen Cho novel, it certainly will not be my last!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I truly appreciate the opportunity!

Omg omg this book was legit insanely good!!!! I never heard of the author so thank you SO much Berkeley Publishing for uplifting asian authors. I like books that mix modern life with cultural/traditional ideologies. Sure they do not mix but boy does it make a great story! Honestly, I’m more scared of Ah Ma then Black Water Sister. The god is angry because she died a injustice and violent death. Ah Ma is a ghost with unfinished business but she’s a gangster mob figure head! She such a badass (sorry for the cuss word but she is!) spirit. I love how author’s word flow. It’s so poetic and straight forward. Makes the story move along more smoothly and easier to read. This definitely has to be a series or movie on Netflix or Hulu! It’s a great ownvoices story and quite entertaining! Thank you Berkeley Publishing for my e copy in exchange for an honest review of my own.

Overall: Gods, ghosts, family secrets and sapphics makes for a happy Amber.

Pros:
Relatable. This is an urban fantasy and all the parts that make it urban made it feel so relatable.
Gods and ghosts. Okay, I had to do the built like that because I requested it that way, but it was so worth it.
Family. At the heart of this complex story is really a story about family.

Cons:
Pacing. While this was not a downside for me, it is a bit slower paced that what I typically like.

I really enjoyed this story. I’ve never read anything quite like it. Jess is a recent Harvard grad who moves back to Malaysia to be with her family. She carries secrets from her family as she is juggling a LDR with another woman. The story revolves around Jess’s journey not only learning about herself and her extended family, but also Malaysian culture and mythology.

If you enjoy horror, supernatural, and humor elements in a story, I highly recommend picking up Black Water Sister. There were moments I laughed out loud. Ah Ma and Jess are both fierce characters who aren’t afraid to say what’s on their minds. I loved the parallels in their stories and personalities.

I ended up giving this story 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. The story took me until about 35% to feel invested.

3.5⭐

Overall I really enjoyed this paranormal urban fantasy! This was full of vengeful ghosts, zillennial identity crises, and complicated familial dynamics. Zen Cho really captured what it's like to be a little lost as a 20 something while simultaneously battling evil gods and invasive aunties. While this book got dark at times, it was overall a really fun and action packed story.

I loved the setting and exploration of immigration through the eyes of a woman who grew up in the US and is now moving "back home". I loved how the feeling of belonging and different were explored outside of a US/Western setting.

Jess was a great main character! She's messy and lost and sometimes unlikeable. But she captured what it's like to be a 20-something to perfection. She was strong without feeling invincible, smart yet struggling to find her place. I loved her internal conflict just as must as the external conflict.

And the external conflict was so unique and fun! I loved the combination of vengeful gods, nosey spirits, and gangsters. The action scenes were so well done and so intense - I FLEW through the last half of this book because things were so twisty and out of control.

I did feel as though the start of this book was a little slow - it took me about 25% before I was hooked and invested in the main character. But once I was, the rest of the book completely had me. The audiobook is fantastic as well if you're looking for next listen!

Overall this book felt really fresh and new. It's action-packed and full of great themes and mythology. I'm so excited to read more from Zen Cho!!

This review is live on Goodreads and will go live on my blog on 5/14 @ 9am

A novel about the intricate web of family - particularly when it spans generations and socioeconomic classes and country lines. It was the balance between doing right by your family and being true to yourself (the sheer number of secrets Jess had from her family when they were all up in each other's business all the time was just... Ooh girl you need to get something off your chest because your support system is full of holes of your own making).

Another thing: the book was unexpectedly very funny. There were random moments when Jess would say something that was so outside of the realm of the conversation (but very much in line with what I might be thinking) that it drew out laughter. It was the American-trained brashness and penchant for cursing, which was so incongruous with the polite way all of the characters were speaking to each other. It was so direct and refreshing and added a bit of levity to an otherwise pretty dark story.

I think I wanted a little bit more reconciliation at the end between Jess and the various people in her life she needs to reconcile with - but there is also something to be said for the vibes of "life goes on" that the end of this book leaves you with.