Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an eARC of the book for my honest review!

I wanted to like this book so much. It hurts my soul to say that nothing really stood out to me. Much like the author, I grew up wanting to see Korean myths in the stories I read. I wanted to see characters who looked like me and ones I could relate to. I was so excited to dive into what I thought would be my new favorite book. Alas, I was disappointed.

Don't get me wrong. I liked the idea of it. I liked the strong female lead. I liked the action. I liked the atmosphere. I liked all the creatures and lore that was written in. The story is well written to a certain extent. I think it could've used better world building though because I assumed this was based in a fantasy version of Korea, but there are white people and non Koreans? Or some weird version of Koreans who don't look like normal Koreans...Also, I speak Korean, but the random use of Korean words was really annoying. Sometimes it was just used with random objects like the word "pants" (baji) but proper nouns weren't given Korean names like "Blackbloods" or "Talons."

Maybe it's my fault for having such high expectations for a YA story, but I can't stand when the entire premise of a book is built on an extremely flimsy reason for why the protagonist has to do something. She really couldn't figure out another way out of her predicament? This girl has a reputation that far precedes her, and is even known in a world with powerful immortals, but she can't save her sister on her own? Even if I let it slide the first few times, it happens over and over again for forced proximity between her and the dokkaebi. Why does she have to hang out with him? Why does he even want to hang out with her? Also, why do they fall in love? What was that about?

Just solely based on flimsy plot armor and forced romance, I knocked off a star each. I feel like this normally doesn't bother other people though, so I'd still recommend it to anyone looking for a non white YA fantasy to read.

Oh my Goodness this book was awesome!!!! Enemies to lovers, Pied Piper element, and gangs. I was hooked from chapter 1 because you are immediately thrown into this world of Gods and humans and magic. I can’t wait for the next! Consider me a fan for life of Sophie Kin. Thank you so much Entangled teen and Sophie for this ARC.

How many different ways can I express how much I loved this book? The answer is infinite. I loved the characters, the setting, the pacing, it was an incredible book that left me immediately wanting another. There book does an excellent job of building up suspense as we see Lina and Rui’s relationship develop. I’m so glad that we have Sophie Kim in the publishing world now. I can’t wait to see what she does next! I absolutely recommend this book!

Last of the Talons is an engaging and thrilling beginning to a series that follows Lina, the last of her gang, who has been forced to work for the gang that killed her previous family. After they send her to steal something precious to a god-like entity, she is taken back to his realm and put into a life or death game - either she kills him, or he kills her.

The enemies to lovers trope is in full force in this novel and it is superb, with both Rui and Lina finding slowly that their similarities go far deeper than either would have thought, and that the burgeoning feelings they are discovering for each other is something that they might take a risk on. There's still so much to explore between the two of them at the end of this novel and that's one of the things that I like most - the story isn't rushed and the issues that Rui and Lina are dealing with are not easily swept under the rug.

Which brings me to my favorite part of the novel, which is how grief impacts both Rui and Lina. Grief is not soft or kind and for both of them, it leaves them angry and jagged. Their lives are forever changed by what has happened to them and how each of them copes with this is one of the most fascinating and compelling parts of the novel. Lina especially gets one chapter where I was reduced to tears as she is forced to reckon with her grief.

I am excited for the next entry to come in this series and Sophie Kim is an author that I'm definitely going to keep a closer attention to.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shin Lina is a feared assassin. But after tragedy strikes and she is forced to work under her rival gang, Lina wants revenge. One stole tapestry and two kidnappings later - Lina finds herself trapped in the pocket realm of the Dokkaebi. Their emperor, furious about the tapestry, proposes a game. In order to leave this realm, she must kill him within the next fourteen days or it is her life that will be forfeit. But as Lina spends more time with the young emperor, she begins to see that there is much more to him than what meets the eye.

Last of the Talons is a captivating book that had me in its thrall the whole way through - like a mortal under the influence of the Pied Pipers' magic flute. While I believed some of the characters lacked a little depth, I mostly enjoyed them and was always intrigued to see what would happen next. I appreciated the emphasis and roles that grief, revenge, sisterhood, family, corruption, and even the use of drugs played in this story. The plot was engaging and overall, just fun. It's the perfect quick read for people who enjoy female characters with a need for revenge, fantasy romance plots, and worlds based on real-life cultures.

Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I went into this book intrigued and came out utterly stunned. It is hands down the best book I have read all year and I am already itching to own a physical copy of it, re-read it via audio, and savor the story all over again.

Things I loved about this book:
1. The writing was beautiful; it was a perfect marriage of efficiency and lyrical fancy. It offered so much in the way of characterization and description, but it also never lingered too long and overstayed its welcome. Lina's voice was so clear and entrancing to me, hardened and strong, yet naive and hopeful. She and Rui both were so well-rounded it was easy to become attached to them.

2. The pacing was brilliant. There was a timeless quality to this story, like a legend out of time and space. Each beat felt appropriately fast or slow, never lagging or exhausting. I felt like I was able to truly savor the story as it unfolded.

3. The futility of Lina's position. Early on, it's obvious to the reader the utter despair of her position, and it's even reinforced a few times (the dagger scene lol). Yet somehow, in spite of all that, I still could not help but root for her—fan that spark of hope that she would find her way and succeed somehow.

4. The isolated settings. Sunpo was easy and visceral to imagine. Gyeulcheon was every bit the fantastical realm I adore in a fantasy—vast and yet tightly bound, isolated and yet just within reach. And the foray into Jeoseung was so. cool.

5. The twists and turns of the plot. Again, thanks to the futility of Lina's position, I truly had no idea where the story would go; each new conversation or failed murder attempt was unexpected and exciting. Though some things were a little predictable, the ways in which they played out were still new and satisfying. If this were simply a standalone, I'd still be perfectly sated. Also, the romance? I was wary at first, but the subtle push-and-pull was absolutely delicious.

Anyway, clearly I could continue raving about this book, but you don't need to waste your time. Do yourself a favor and please pick up a copy of this book IMMEDIATELY. You will NOT regret it.

5 out of 5 stars, ★★★★★

This was such a stunning debut! We follow Lina, a murderer and a thief, as she enters a game with the Pied Piper: if she can kill him within 14 days, she can save her sister. Lina is brutal and violent and carries survivor's guilt as the only surviving Talons gang member.

My only confusion was the duo timeline, the flashbacks to Lina's greatest failure and the present day are in the same chapters and there was no differentiation between the two. It took me quite a while to understand what we were reading was the past, but still tripped me up once in a while in the second half of the book.

I also really enjoyed the romance. Early on, I was hoping that the Pied Piper would end up being the love interest as there was so much tension between the two, and the book delivered. Rui also had a tragic backstory that leaves you rooting for him, even as the enemy. I'm quite excited to see where they end up next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was fascinating from the first page, I could not stop thinking about Lina and Rui, I was like obsessed. I loved Lina's strong, badass assassin character, also I loved the inspiration from the korean myths, it was amazing with the Dokkaebi emperor and everything. I didn't fell bored for one moment while reading this book. It was so well written and I loved all the action and adventures that we went through with the MC. It was so excellent!

Sophie Kim, as her first book, wrote a great story that I'm eager to follow in "Talon.2" because I got really attached to the characters, the world she created and I need to know how will Shin Lina get her revenge and what will she do with Rui and his secrets.

one of my true favourites of the year! i've been craving a good YA fantasy for ages and haven't been successful, and this one just reminded me of every reason i love the genre and age range. the descriptions, explorations of the MC's past, and the cat-and-mouse game were so fun to read. the lore and the worldbuilding were stunning and dripping with magic, and for that reason, i INHALED this book. the only reason i'd maybe give it a 4.5 instead of a full five stars is because even till the end, i wasn't fully in love with the characters. moreover, i often found myself reading the book simply to be back in the world, rather than me being curious about what would happen next. this was particularly prominent around the 20% mark where [slight spoilers] the MC goes into the new realm. apart from that, though, this fantasy gave me everything i desired. amazing, and would definitely recommend!

EXCERPT: “This young adult fantasy book, the first of a trilogy, blends Korean mythology with action-packed fighting, a cool and empowering protagonist, and a resonant emotional core about family and grief. In other words, the book not only contains all the elements of a great story, but successfully puts them all together.”

Full review published online at Asia Pacific Arts Magazine.

Last of the Talons is a beautiful debut. It is a book that leaves that satisfaction at the end. I was intrigued from the first page. I loved the Korean Mythology. Also, as a fan of the enemies to lovers trope-this book is good.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As the only survivor of her gang, the Talons, Lina is just doing her best to survive each day under the harsh hand of her rivals. One wrong move could result in the death of the only person she has left: her little sister. But when Lina steals something she shouldn’t--something belonging to a notorious Dokkaebi, long-lost immortals--the world of legend comes knocking. Thrown into a life-or-death assassination challenge, Lina will need to keep her guard raised in order to survive.

This YA book has it all--traumatic backstories, enemies to lovers, pining, rage, revenge…it was exactly what I needed. In addition to the plotline itself, Kim has woven in these great themes of battling survivor’s guilt and addiction that added a lot of dimension to her story and characters. I also loved how Kim incorporated Korean mythology; although I’m largely unfamiliar with Korean folklore, I never felt lost or out of the loop. Kim does a great job of easing readers into Lina and Rui’s world. However, the biggest selling point was the amazing tension and relationship building between Lina and Rui! Be sure to check this out as soon as you get a chance!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Sophie Kim, Entangled Teen, and NetGalley for the early access!

Content Warnings: violence, language, addiction

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advances copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This is an amazing book based on Korean mythology. Lina is a Reaper a skilled assassin that has lost everything. This is an enemies to lover book that once you start you will not be able to put down. I really can’t wait to this book is out in the world so I can have someone to talk about this book with. Once I started it I could not put it down. I cannot wait for the sequel.

It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put this book down! Thank you to netgalley for an ARC to read and review.

Lina is the Reaper, a highly skilled assassin that lost everything the night her gang was murdered by their rival. She has been punishing herself for their deaths ever since and is the property of the rival gang now and their reaper.

When Lina is told to steal a tapestry for a temple, she has no choice but to obey. Her little sister's life is only safe if she does what she is told. The tapestry belonged to the Pied Piper, a powerful being that is furious with her for her theft. He captures her and makes her a bargain, kill him in 14 days or he will kill her. She agrees to his bargain and begins plotting, but he is extremely hard to kill and time after time, she fails.

Can she kill him in 14 days or will she die here, in this foreign realm?

This book was so fun to read! I loved how fast paced the story was and Lina is a wonderful female lead.

After her gang is destroyed by a rival, the assassin Shin Lina is forced to work for the rival’s boss. When she’s tasked with stealing and dismantling a valuable tapestry from a Dokkaebi temple, both she and her boss are kidnapped by the Dokkaebi emperor and whisked away to his realm. Let’s play a game, he tells her. Kill him in two weeks and they’ll be returned to their realm, or he’ll kill her himself. But this assassination is not like any other, and this game may not be so easily won—by either of them.

For fans of:
- Korean Mythology
- Morally Gray Characters
- Enemies To Lovers
- “I Was Sent To Kill You”
- “Who Did This To You?”

I won’t lie. It took me some time to get into Last of the Talons, and the flashback scenes were, at times, confusing. But, oh, wow. That last third of the book made up for every other shortfall. The betrayals! The drama! And then that last boss fight! I loved the ending and I’m really looking forward to the next one.

Thank you Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC! I'll be posting a review to my instagram in a few days.

Actual Rating: 4.5✶

Oh. My. Gosh.

This was so good, guys. Like... wow.

It was very different than I was expecting, but not in a bad way. At the very beginning of the book, I actually found myself struggling to get into it. I was just feeling kind of annoyed with the MC's rash behavior and finding it difficult to connect to the setting.

But then something clicked and as soon as it did, I didn't want to stop reading. I was intrigued by everything. The setting, the character dynamics, the banter; it was addictive. But beyond that... it was emotional, which I was not expecting in the least.


This is - more than anything - somehow a book about grief. About a character that has lost herself in all of her pain and regret, and learning to live again. As soon as I realized that, I would have given anything for Shin Lina. Suddenly, her rash behavior makes sense. Not only does it make sense, it becomes painful.

Even with that, there is an undercurrent of hope. Of learning to forgive and to grow, but it isn't done in a corny, obnoxious way. It's painful and slow and there are moments that are better than others. It's a realistic portrayal of grief and I loved it.


And the romance in this book. I haven't been this invested in a relationship in awhile. This couple had some of the dynamic I think people tried to convince themselves that Alina and the Darkling had.
Except Rui actually asks for consent. But let's not get into that 😌

I can't talk about Rui or I'll never shut up. I adore him. Best character I've read about this year. Easily.


Overall, I cannot recommend this enough. I loved practically everything about it and I need the next book now. Like, right now. I can't wait for this to come out so everyone can read it with me. You won't regret it.

A dazzling and mystical debut by Sophie Kim, depicted a story full of tragic past, dangerous deals and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance.

Where can I find more books like this? Last of the Talons ticks all the boxes I love in a fantasy book-world. It is a fast paced with captivating writing that I pulled me in. I was begging for more each time I finished a chapter that I didn't even notice it was 2 am in the morning 😂 I had to force myself to sleep or else I'm gonna be a zombie from reading this incessantly.

Let's talk about the Lina, our badass yet feral assasins who was trapped in between saving her sister or beheaded her enemy where they controlled her freedom. She was such a strong girl, despite her dark thoughts and past that still haunt her. Her pain is so intense I could sense a hint of it. And after the Dokkaebi situation, Lina found herself stumbling upon different fates and she did what she needed to be done, no matter the consequences, so that her little sister's life could be guaranteed.

WOWWW that was freaking incredible omg. I can't believe this is a debut from Sophie Kim. I am in love with this book and I cannot wait until the next book in this series releases. YA fantasy is probably my favorite genre of all time and this book reminded me why I love the genre so much. It has all the tropes that I adore in a YA fantasy, including enemies-to-lovers, knife-to-throat, "I have to kill you," "Who did this to you," and more. One may argue that these tropes make it seem like every other enemies-to-lovers YA fantasy out there, but Sophie Kim integrates so many other elements, such as Korean folklore, multiple flashbacks, and incredible worldbuilding, to make this fantasy stand out on its own.

I loved following Lina as a main character. I'm a huge fan of female MC's in fantasies who are dagger-wielding assassins, and Lina did not disappoint. Her journey as a Talon to being forced to work for the Blackbloods, all while trying to make sure her younger sister, Eunbi (who is literally the cutest child I've read about in fantasy, even if we only got a few scenes with her) is safe and well-cared for was really intriguing to follow. The set-up of her assignment to kill Haneul Rui, the evil Dokkaebi emperor also known as The Pied Piper to the rest of Sunpo, was also super unique compared to other fantasies in which the MC is assigned to kill the love interest. Seeing Rui and Lina's relationship progress over the course of the novel made me so giddy. Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat, and I truly cannot wait for this book to release! I think this may be my top read of the year so far :)

A wild ride of action packed adventure, slow burn romance, knives to throats, enemies to lovers, all mixed with the backdrop of beautiful Korean mythology. I am already highly anticipating the sequel. Excellent work.

4.5⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you so much from Netgalley for providing me an e-arc to review.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (I would say this is safe for upper teens but satisfying enough for adults).

This book had me going from the moment I first started reading. I am a huge fan of Asian culture including Korean fairy tales and ever since I've watched the kdrama Goblin - I've wanted more.

This book delivers!

Shin Lina is a strong female assassin who has basically hit rock bottom. She works for someone she hates. She is basically a slave. I love that even though this is a strong fmc she is still flawed in a sense that makes her relatable, not so fantastical that she isn't fun to read about.

Rui - the Dokkaebi that pulls Shin Lina into an unwinnable bargain is mysterious and flawed as well.

They love to hate each other.

As an avid reader I enjoyed the pace and the plotline was unpredictable - I cannot wait for the next book.