The Titanic and what went down on this majestic ship will always be a matter of a mystery. We can only speculate so much, and it is always fun to dive into the world that someone creates for this timeframe.

The plot, which started out really strong, fell flat about 150 pages in and never picked back up. Lots of characters that were never really developed.

DNF at 20%

I really thought I would love this but every time I would put down the book, I felt less and less compelled to pick it back up again. I've heard great things so I know this is a just me type of situation.

This book got me in my feelings. I connected with the characters really quickly and was along for the ride with them on this journey. The dynamic between Valora and Jamie was fun and the found family with Jamie's crew members and Valora with Charlotte and April was really heart warming.

OMG, that ending destroyed me. I don't cry often when reading but this one brought tears to my eyes. I would say that last 30% of the book was non stop intesity and my heart was racing. I mean, if you know anything about the Titanic then you can expect what will be happening but it was very interesting to see the story told from a new perspective.

Thank you so much to Penguin for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This had a diverse cast of characters, but failed to meet the level of excitement suggested in the synopsis. Valora sneaks onto the Titanic to find her brother in hopes to make it to America and join the circus. She does so by pretending to be her former mistress (who died before the voyage) and travels back and forth between upper class and lower class. She ends up convincing a man from the circus to take them on, but then they hit the iceberg and the story ends in such a ridiculous was. This wouldn't have been terrible, but the characters all fall flat, and Lee describes every detail that happens. This might be good for Titanic enthusiasts, but fails for general readers. I appreciate the author note about the 6 surviving Chinese men, but history has let them be lost to time, so it really doesn't add anything to the story. I had hoped for more based on the description, but in then end it wasn't a success.

A must read story told through a historic event we thought we knew. I never would have known or thought to know more about this time in history told from the lens of someone from the Asian diaspora. I would recommend these to those who love historical fiction and are wanting Asian representation in young adult.

This book is well-loved for good reason. I love historical fiction stories about characters that are not well-known. This book is exactly that. I enjoyed the characters and learning about the Chinese survivors of the Titanic.

I have always been fascinated by the Titanic. I was seven when I first saw the Titanic movie sand ever since I love finding new stories about it from different perspectives, even fictional. That’s what I love so much about this book, it was a fresh and fascinating new story. Valora Luck has a ticket and wants to become a circus performer once the ship makes it to America but is turned away. Chinese people are not allowed in America she is told. She is sneaks on because she has a plan to impress a circus owner that is aboard. But we know happens that night and wow what an ending.

I endued up not finishing this book as I had a hard time being fully engaged with the story and characters. But over all if i would have made a connection i do believe this book would have been amazing.

This was a nice YA historical fiction! I was super intrigued by this title and it was a solid read. A lot of stuff about the characters and the titanic, it was a little slow at times, but a overall I enjoyed it! And the cover is gorgeous.

This was such an interesting view into the Titanic story! I loved Valora’s character and the language used to tell this story. This tale has so much action and Valora’s dreams that drive this story really make it unique!

I really enjoyed this one! The reading was great, I loved the setting of the titanic. I highly recommend this one! Its a fast read and has a great plot.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the eARC of this book! I enjoyed this one and I see why Stacey Lee has such an enthusiastic fanbase. It was fascinating to get a glimpse into what could have been the lives of the eight Chinese passengers who were on the Titanic. It was definitely more of a character-driven novel than a plot-heavy one (I understand why people thought the beginning was slow, and I too grew weary of Valora's many costume changes), with most of the tension coming from the inevitable sinking of the ship. The book's setting is a microcosm of society in the 1910's, with racial and class disparities on full display in the different cabins, treatment from the crew, and seating arrangements at mealtimes.

The relationship between Valora and Jamie was complex and is really what drew me into the story. As twins, they had a deep bond that could be both comforting and painful. They each matured a lot as they struggled to reconcile the sibling they had known growing up with the one that boarded the Titanic. I admired the way Lee chose to end the book, as well as her graceful and informative author's note. While I don't read a lot of YA historical fiction, this author is added to my list of ones to watch!

Luck of the Titanic brought me back into the world of historical fiction with its old-timey phrases and idioms. The writing was so beautiful that I didn’t mind the author crushing my heart with that devastating ending. I really appreciated how the theme of tightrope walking came full circle at the conclusion.

I was super fascinated about these chinese passengers on the titanic and who survived and how this book was inspired by that. This is exactly why I enjoy reading about historical fiction because I end up learning so much about history that might not have been taught during school.

It was also very enlightening to read about her experience on board while being chinese and facing prejudice and discrimination. For some reason, I was shocked by this because I didn't expect it even though I should've known better. It was obvious how much discrimination Asian people faced from Westerners throughout the ages.

I also loved reading about Valora and her interaction and relationship with her brother. And the actual sinking element wasn't a major part of the book at all which somewhat surprised me since it's such a big scene but I think ultimately it worked out well.

This was a really good book club selection. There is so much to delve into historically from UK to America, but also about the Titanic itself. Valora was a good main character even if she made some choices that were beyond frustrating.

This was a tough read because I was waiting for what historically I knew would happen and it takes place pretty late in the book. I also expected something after the little acknowledgement in the opening, but I didn't expect the ending I got. I'm still wrapping my head around that.

My favorite part of the book was when Valora gets her haircut by Bo. It was so sweet and tender and just hit me.

Lee does a great job weaving lovable and interesting characters into a history we are familiar with and I will gladly read more of her books.

Such a beautiful cover, for a beautiful story. The world building, and the characters were phenomenal. I felt like I was living amongst the Pages. YA has been a struggle for me lately. But this book was exactly what I needed.

This story is so beautiful. Lush prose. A strong Mc. A terrifying story of bravery and will. The other side of the titanic, if you will.

I was excited to read this one since I devour anything related to the Titanic. But, this just fell flat for me in many ways. The plot seemed scattered and lacked connection. I wasn't able to connect with the characters like I wanted to. At the end when I should have felt something for a character, I just didn't care about what happened to them.

I will openly admit I've had an obsession with Titanic my entire life, so this book having to do with Titanic, I knew it would be an instant favorite. Obsessed with the cover. Obsessed with the plot. Obsessed with the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.