Shin Lina is a survivor, a thief, a sister, a talon. She does the dirty work and seeks revenge for the deaths of her Talon Family. She is forced to work for the rival gang to make sure her little sister Eunbie is safe. She does the job she is forced to do and then gets thrown into a fight she shouldn’t be in. This book is full of Korean Lore! Action, feelings, and survival. I loved it from the first page to the last!

This was a decent read. I enjoyed the Korean mythology and it being a Pied Piper retelling. I thought the concept was really interesting and overall it was a good story. I can't quite put my finger on it but I wasn't completely in love with the story. I think the alternating almost flashback timeline was kind of confusing and I would often find myself saying wait I want to get back to the present timeline and continue what is happening. The past information was interesting and definitely gave the story more depth but somehow it made the story a bit choppy.

I did think the characters were interesting. I liked the Dokkaebi and thought they were the best part of the story. The timeline was decent and the bargain gave enough time to have things happen without it being extremely fast or slow. I do wish Shin Lina had been the assassin we are told she was. I kept reading how amazing she is and how she is the best but yet she is often just angry and rushing things. She is frequently at the losing end of many fights. It would have been nicer to see her be the greatest fighter/assassin she is described as. The ending happens rather abruptly but it did make me want to find out what happens next.

Overall I think this was an interning and decent story and I am interested in the sequel. I think give this book a shot if you enjoy assassin enemies to lovers type fantasy's.

This was an interesting fantasy novel, based upon Korean mythology, although no knowledge of Korean mythology is needed to enjoy the story. Shin Lina is an assassin, a teenage girl who lost her parents at 10, and was taken in by a gang at 11, agreeing to train to become their assassin in exchange for support and safety for her younger sister, Eunbi - and at 14, she is just that: a trained assassin. Lina believes in the old gods of Korea, although many of those around her do not, and she prays to them to keep her safe so that she can continue to raise her sister. Caught in a gang war, forced to steal and kill for her sister's safety, Lina longs for a way out - and her meeting with Haneul Rui of the Dokkaebi may just be the way out she seeks - or it could cause her to trade one trap for another.

I enjoyed reading about Lina, a strong, fierce young woman plagued by her past and concerned for her family. The mythology upon which the novel is based seems authentic, although I was taken somewhat aback by the descriptions of various characters as having red, blond, or brown curly hair, as that seems somewhat out of the normal for people from Korea. However, that was a small blip, which did not detract from the story.

4 stars! i enjoyed this story a lot, it made me chuckle and it was kinda epic, so it was everything i wanted from this. some of the plot isn't exactly new, but its still written in a lovely way, and i loved the whole folklore and fantastic elements! the only thing i have to say, is that the emotional relationship progressed a little to quickly for my taste. but yeah, i quite liked it :)

Well that was fun! I haven't read a Pied Piper retelling before and this was much better than I expected. I loved this one so much I finished in under two days.

This did start off a tad slow but as it went along, it just got better and better. By the end I was thoroughly in love and can't wait to see where this goes next.

I sincerely appreciate Entangled Teen for the review copy. All opinions expressed herein are my own

Last of the Talons blends dark romance and Korean mythology together in a captivating way. We follow Lina who is a strong and formidable character who wants to save her sister. Since I know a bit of Korean mythology, I found this story easy to follow and understand. Great debut for Sophie Kim!

This was a disappointment. From the beginning, with a book that’s thick and based off of Korean mythology, I was excited. I love a thick book if it should be fat for a reason. I also love mythologies that I’ve never experienced before.

This wasn’t a good read even with the promise of a new mythology. Why? Characters, romance, pacing, plot, showing and telling, to be honest, it was a bit of a mess.

Question one: who are the talons? We don’t really know! We get these flashbacks into the MC’s past as a part but they’re quick, with little detail that will get us to care. We don’t really know who or what they are. Just that at the beginning of the story, she’s supposed to be this strong, badass member of the group and people strongly dislike her for it.

She is not a badass fighter. We are told over and over she is but the first fight we actually see? It’s her losing. Badly. Then she turns it around with a knife but she’s supposed to have these sharp reflexes, skills and none of them are present.

Follow that up with a character who is incredibly flat and you’ve got a situation where it’s hard to care at all.

She’s wrapped up in a gang because she’s trying to keep her sister safe from them. Her younger sister goes to school high on some mountain. And that’s her drive. But we don’t see how she is with her sister. We get told that she’s sweet and innocent and precious.

Everything we need to see is just told to us taking away any of the impact it’s supposed to have.

Then we get to the meat of the story. After stealing something, she’s now in a weird battle. Kill this god in 2 weeks. Guess what, it’s enemies to lovers except the romance is flat. Why are they interested in each other? What does a god see interesting enough in a literal teenager to want to be with her? With all that, it’s kind of creepy. Plus, there’s no spark. It doesn’t really track as a romance.

Now, not only does she have two weeks to kill this god, she’s also got thirty days to save someone and also keep her sister safe? It’s very confusing. A lot of the plot has some inconsistencies that will make the reading experience less than smooth.

All in all, this book was a massive let down. She tries to seduce a deity and catches feelings. That’s her plan to kill him. And that’s supposed to be the best plan this supposed best killer and assassin came up with? It feels more than a little reductive of her supposed abilities.

It’s the first of a series and I won’t be reading the rest. This book was just not it. I hate to say that because Korean mythology is so interesting.

This is getting a two (2) out of five (5). I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.

As a massive dragon fan this book made me very happy especially with how it was woven with Korean culture - this is absolutely delightful and fun to read!

Last of the Talons was honestly one of my most-anticipated releases of this year; the moment I found I was granted the eARC, I ran around in Clo’s DMs screaming excitedly. Sophie Kim’s debut novel, and the first in the Talon series, has everything I would enjoy in a book: enemies to lovers, Korean mythology, and failed assassination attempts! The last one is not concerning at all when taken out of context.

From the moment I opened up the book, this was one of those where I knew I would love it. Last of the Talons was overall a fun read for me; there’s plenty of sass and banter from Lina and Rui, and I loved seeing their relationship progress throughout the book as they got to know each other. I also liked their backstory, especially the flashbacks featuring Lina’s sister, Eunbi (the absolute cutest from the few scenes she’s in).

The world-building was intriguing and immersive, taking inspiration from Korean myths, and Kim’s writing was very engaging, with beautiful lines and quotations. With each chapter, I was interested in reading the next one and finding out what would happen next to the characters until the very end, and it left me wanting more.

Last of the Talons was also one of those books that, by the time I finished the book, it ended up being an unfortunate disappointment when looking back. But since it’s the first in a series, this could work perfectly in the long run, and I’m just very conflicted, so I hope I don’t shoot myself in the foot. Ratings are hard.

While I loved the world-building and writing style and the side characters, in addition to the mains, it was overall slow-paced. While there’s a relatively solid backstory for the characters that left me emotional at times, the transition from present to flashback was disorienting, rocky, and a little surface-level.

We don’t get to know the Talons (at least the people Lina spends a lot of time with) all too much, and it sounds like being a part of them was a huge and formative part of Lina’s life that it feels a bit lacking not to have more beyond what leads up to her becoming a part of the Blackbloods. I also wished we saw more of Rui’s council because they feel like Important Side Characters™. Since the book is mainly in Gyeulcheon, it feels like there were missed opportunities because they float around easily forgotten.

Additionally, there’s a lot of telling rather than showing. We get told a lot that Lina is known as the Reaper of Sunpo, a name she chose when she became a part of the Talons: someone who is grim, violent, and a ruthless killer. But we don’t get shown this, though it’s hinted at during Lina’s multiple failed assassination attempts on Rui. We find out early on that she’s treated poorly by Konrarnd Kalmin, though, so while it would’ve been nice to see her live up to her nickname, it also would’ve been unlikely. And considering this is the first in a series, it’s not the biggest of deals for me (but it might be for others).

Last of the Talons is very much a set-up novel, which I personally find a struggle to read (though I appreciate them). But I was very much invested in the entire story and enjoyed myself a lot while reading this because each of the chapters had a slow buildup that ultimately left me wanting more. Despite my qualms with the execution, this promises a more exciting and fun sequel, and everything that I didn’t enjoy so much here could fit well with the rest of the series.

a solid 4 star read!

I’m so glad I read this book- it was so much fun! A lot of the scenes have become my all time favourite scenes and I can see myself rereading them over and over again. The angst between Lina and Rui was literally sizzling. The enemies to lovers was done so well, and I loved the plot of this book; t was twisty, bloody and yet full of grief and hope.

Lina is such a strong character. She has lost everything and now only has her little sister to take care of. She is the last of the talons, a gang who I kind of don’t know what they did, but they had a constant rivalry with Kalmin’s crew the blackbloods. Lina is still battling her grief after losing her gang and kind of gets reckless through her grief. But when she meets the Dokkaebi emperor Haneul Rui, she finds herself hating and loving him as they spend more time together.

I think the romance was done REALLY well. Both the characters had a strong personality and were flawed in their own ways. I really loved whenever they communicated- Lina always telling him how she’s going to kill him and him just smirking ahhhhh.

The writing was great! I liked how fast-paced it was. However, it did get a little slow around the 70% mark so my rating reflects that. Still, this is a book that has a great premise, and strong Korean mythology interwoven throughout. I highly recommend it!

So hard to rate this book cause I honestly have no idea what this was. I requested an ARC cause I thought I was going to love it, but much to my disappointment, I did not.

I found the writing really amateurish. That’s what editors are usually for, but have they given up? I’ve said this in the past for other books, some editors don’t know how to edit books anymore. For starters, there are too many adverbs. Plot holes. We are told everything and showed nothing. This is literally the job of an editor, but I guess not anymore? I’m not an editor and I could have probably done a better job here. Harsh? Meh. Anyways… let’s move on.

The plot and the characters are average and already seen before. Which, okay, it’s hard to be 100% original, I’m not talking about that, but there is no original spin in anything.
The story has several plot holes (again, editors, are you there?). Why did the Pied Piper and Lina made the “who’s going to kill the other first?” bargain? Am I stupid and missed something?
I have no idea why Lina cares so much about Eunbi. She spends the whole book trying to save her, but I have no idea what’s she’s saving her from or why she cares so much.
And honestly, I did skim and skipped pages. Ops. I was so bored in the middle and the beginning, I did not understand what was the point of anything. The romance bored me to death.
The ending was fine. Things picked up and I was hooked. The writing threw me off on multiple occasions, but it wasn’t that bad. I wanted to actually read what was happening. And we finally saw why Lina is supposed to be a ruthless killer. We saw it for a second, but it was there.

I could say more, like… the brutal gang made up of five people that ruled everything and everyone but was easily killed made no sense to me. But at this point this is a minor problem.

Probably won’t read the sequel. Once again, I’m super disappointed with this.

It didn't have enough background mythology. I would have liked to know more about the gods and goddesses. Romance was unimpressive, I wasn't drawn to the characters.

Honestly, this gives me The Cruel Prince vibes in a good way. The beginning is a bit rocky, but it just gets better as it goes on. There is a enemies-to-lovers romance, a fantasy realm, a somewhat violent heroine, and some interesting magic. Of course, it has different inspiration: Korean mythology/ The Pied Piper, but it still gave me similar vibes. I think a lot of people will pick this up on the premise alone, but it’s going to deliver more.

I’m not sure that this book is going to be as successful of an age crossover as some other Y.A. books that have been released recently. Lina is eighteen, but sometimes acts immaturely, but she also is an assassin. It’s a bit of a juxtaposition. This juxtaposition should be fine for its intended audience, but I’m not sure if older readers thinking that this will crossover well, will enjoy it as well. However, this book has quite a bit of violence for a Y.A. book, so I would say 14-15+. I don’t have a child, I do teach children, but honestly, if you’re a parent it is up to you to decide what your child can handle.

Now, I have to say the enemies-to-lovers aspect of this book could have maybe done a bit more for me. It was a little instalove and I wanted a little more angst. I never believed that Rui really wanted to see Lina dead. Sure, she stole from him, but he was very flirty, even from the beginning. Lina, sure. She just wants to do what needs to be done to keep her sister safe, but… the dynamics weren’t as strong as I wanted. I also wanted more banter, but I am not going to let this impact my rating because we try to review what’s in the book and not what I waned from a book.

One of my favorite aspects of this was the mixture of Korean mythology and the Pied Piper retelling. It was great how the author has blended these two things together to create this story and this world. While the Pied Piper thing is touched upon in this story, I feel like more of it will be uncovered as the series continues. The Korean mythology aspects made me just want to see more of it in literature. I found it so interesting and magical. The different gods, the dokkaebi, the magic. I loved it. More please!

Overall, I would recommend this for fans of Y.A. fantasy with female assassins, enemies-to-lovers, Korean mythology, and a bit of violence. I wouldn’t necessarily call it romantic, but I think that a lot of readers will be just fine. I’m picky. Otherwise, yes, pick this up if it even vaguely sounds like it might be for you and give it a try. I’ll look forward to picking the next one up when it is released next year.

Thank you to the publisher, the author, and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book, however, all thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

4 solid stars for a wonderful debut!

It took me a little time to become fully immersed in this story, but I ended up reading the second half in one sitting, and I will be anxiously waiting for the second book.

There were some things in the story that didn't make a lot of sense to me, including the bargain that Lina made with Rui. Without heading into spoiler territory, there was a moment in the latter half of the story where he attempts to explain it and I guess I sort of understand it, but it seemed kind of weak. That said, I liked how their interactions changed throughout the book, even as she acknowledged, but tried not to admit her growing attraction for him.

I also liked how both characters have a lot of things happen in their past that make them understand each other better and that we're given their backstories in a way that makes sense. This story was told well, and I loved the worldbuilding. I am not familiar with this part of Korean mythology, so that made it even more interesting for me. The pocket realm of the Dokkaebi was particularly interesting and I liked finding out things worked over there. The reasoning behind the humans' presence is left unresolved though, and I am looking forward to finding out more about it in the second book. Yet, despite these unresolved details, this book works as a complete tale if that's all you want. Sophie Kim does a good job of completing the main plot of this book, and as much as I want more, I still finished the story feeling satisfied.

I loved Eunbi and would love to see more of her as she is Lina's "why" in this series. And of course the snake. I loved how the author turned her terror of snakes into something she can use, but that's all I'll say about that. Suffice it to say that if the next book continues to develop the way the second half of this book did, it will be a five-star book.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

took me almost two months to finish this oh my god. noting from some of the reviews, it appears that the main characters are the subject of the most of the criticisms here and i kind of agree, tbh. i like the concept, it basically had everything i would have loved in a book. i appreciate the unique approach sophie kim took on the pied piper retelling. it follows a young assassin from the talons—the greatest gang in their nation—who bargained with a dokkaebi emperor to kill him in order to ensure her little sister’s safety.

the author appears be torn between wanting us to think that lina is both merciless killer who are bent on revenge and have no remorse, yet, inexplicably, also kind, compassionate and sympathetic. the inconsistency confuses me sometimes. a character can be BOTH ofc, but the way it was executed irks me a bit. the romance also didn't strike me as particularly endearing, original, believable, or romantic. no chemistry at least before 60% and up. no build up chemistry just moments where lina pathetically trying to kill him and failing miserably then haneul rui smiling and giggling bc of the funsies. they’re soooo.

i however enjoyed the last part of the book, the writing gets better as you went on. if you side eyeing the inconsistency, lina is actually a fun mc. #real badass. no critical thinking whatsoever. she only had dagger and a dream. it’s quite refreshing i think? vengeful mc with a high tendency towards violence. i like the revelation part and the twist, also the way sophie kim truly pushed the mc to her very limit. the political aspect was a little bit fantasy-cliche but it’s still fun! if you like dagger-wielder snarky mc and not-right-in-the-head love interest who loves when the mc tries to stab him… you’ll like their banters!

arc kindly provided by entangled publishing via netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I'm sad to say that this one didn't hit home for me. I love enemies to lovers, but the bogged-down story, plot holes, confusion, and inconsistencies with the MC made it hard to love.

My first gripe was with the MC, Shin Lina, who is a seriously angry character, and for good reason. Her entire family save for her little sister was killed and she is now forced to work for the gang leader who killed them. She is supposed to be an infamous assassin, but we don't see much of that. It's all a lot of telling us how ruthless she is. She doesn't show us any emotion except anger which makes her a very unlikable character.

The gang element was very Six of Crows except I don't understand how the gangs worked. The Talons had five or six members but were so notorious. We don't see much of the new gang except at the beginning and that was only, two or three members I believe. I couldn't get a grasp on the city and the gang dynamic and their impact on it. I also don't see how a teenager becomes the most dangerous assassin, but this is YA so...

She steals an ancient tapestry which causes an immortal Dokkaebi to kidnap said gang leader and Shin to his realm. He decides to play a game with her, giving her a certain time period to try to kill him...for what and why I don't know. The thing is, she is also on a time crunch with her gang in the real world to rescue the gang leader in order to save her sister. All this happens so quickly. Are you keeping up?

The romance is very Shadows Between Us, but with less chemistry. With how cunning and ruthless Shin is, you'd think she'd try harder to kill her target, and lets it all go to poop by trusting some random guy who says he's part of a rebellion. I thought of her as super serious and goal-oriented, especially when the life of her sister hangs in the balance, but she seems to let it all go when she falls for her target who basically laughs at he the whole time she tries to kill him and kidnaps her. There was something wrong with that dude. Red flash everywhere.

There are scenes I loved and despite my rating, I would recommend this is anyone looking for elements of Korean mythology,

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Last of the Talons follows Shin Lina as she embarks on a dangerous mission to kill the emperor.

I'm pretty much always a fan of Korean mythology retellings, and this book was no exception. This was a fun enemies-to-lovers romance set against a rich fantasy backdrop steeped in mythology. Though I struggled a bit with some of the pacing -- particularly at the beginning -- and there were a few plot points which felt a little redundant, overall I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I'm already so excited for book 2.

5✰ // when i say i am obsessed with Last of the Talons, i cannot stress how much of a hold this story has had over me. this book grasped me wholly and i read it with an insatiable hunger straight through the night, without pause; i haven’t felt this wholly consumed by a book in a while and it was so nice to experience that sensation of having a book fully engross your attention and to be able to feel immersed in the story.

every single element that i long for in a fantasy book i found in Last of the Talons. some of these elements include: waltzing, gentle caresses, scars that go deeper than skin, beautiful imagery, enemies that possess the essence of night itself, intricate world-building that never felt cumbersome, and unflinching characters that will do whatever it takes to pursue their goals, also not to mention knives, daggers, swords,— i could literally go on for hours, if not days.

Sophie Kim’s writing style is immersive and touching in a way that is marrow-melding; it surpasses a hurtle that i’ve found a lot of fantasy books struggle with— it not only succeeds in being a ‘realistic’ fantasy story, but it also goes a step further and achieves being a 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 fantasy story. while reading this story, you are able to let the external world around you melt into a soft humming background and you find yourself entirely rapt in Lina and Rui’s story.

i cannot speak highly enough about this book; i am so grateful to Sophie Kim for creating this luminescent story, one that stands out as being authentic, original, and carefully crafted with true passion. Kim has masterfully created a story and woven it beautifully with Korean mythology and fascinating world-building. also, i’m so grateful for the diversity and representation of characters that deviate from the stereotypical standard/norm; as well as, having these characters and their features written in such a way that depicts them with such gentle and beautiful language— something that has been absent from so much of YA and NA lit for far too long.
i can't wait to read the next book in the series, as well as more of Kim’s writing in the future (i am truly awestruck that this book is Kim’s debut novel).

i cannot recommend Last of the Talons highly enough and i will be talking about this book for many, many moons to come. (*and yes, this book is getting added to my list of ‘books that have made me cry at 4am’*)

thank you so much to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

OMG!
I can honestly say, just WOW. It was dark and gritty, filled with a world of mythology and folklore you never imagined, and characters you'll love, loathe, despise, and DESPERATELY be unsure of. The battle between Rui and Lina is beyond comprehension, and yet you're constantly on edge trying to see just how it all plays out. There is one moment where it seems like she gets the upper hand, but if you're paying any sort of attention, you simply KNOW the proverbial rug is about to be pulled out from under her. I couldn't help but fear from her, and still root for her as she valiantly charges into the unknown, even with the odds stacked dangerously against her, constantly reaching for that one chance, that one moment where salvation for her sister might be found. That's right, I said for her sister. It's not her own life she fights for, although she'd love the chance to truly be free of all the hate, crimes, and ugliness that has enveloped her world, but she is so burdened down by grief, self-loathing, and misplaced guilt that she's right at the edge of believing her life to be forsaken. All she wants is a better tomorrow for her sister...even if it means she's not there to see it....and trust me, there are times you are pretty certain the chances of her seeing the next second, let alone next day, are slim to none!

I repeat...it is DARK, VIOLENT, and GRITTY....but you won't be able to look away. The messages repeating throughout run even deeper than the atrocities, ranging from the importance of family (chosen and/or blood) and its protection, believing in yourself at all costs, there is good inside most people if given the chance to shine...and pure evil is just that...pure...evil....and it comes in all shapes and sizes....as does retribution, revenge, and payback. A great read for Young Adult Fantasy fans, and a high recommendation from me to you!

This stunning cover and the game of life and death between Lina and Rui made this book irresistible. The description left no doubt I’d enjoy it – I just didn’t realize how much.

Lina may be young, but she’s experienced more tragedy and loss than most people. She lost her parents at a young age, she blames herself for the deaths of her gang/found family, and she’s now starved, beaten, and forced to work for the man responsible for killing the other Talons. If she doesn’t, he’ll kill her little sister, the one good thing in her life. Lina will sacrifice anything to ensure her safety.

The author has created a unique world filled with Korean mythology, magic, and vivid, breathtaking imagery. The dynamic between Rui and Lina is unusual and magnetic, and I was all in from their first scene together. The game is simple – she has fourteen days to kill him, or he’ll kill her. So much planning and plotting going on. And yet they’re civil to each other – he invites her to dinner, a ball, and shows her his favorite places in his kingdom. Lina is a clever and skilled assassin, but she underestimates how cunning Rui is. It’s hard to put anything over on this guy.

There’s so much to like about this novel. A protagonist who doesn’t give up and willingly sacrifices for those she loves, plot twists and unexpected paths, incredibly high stakes, and a supposedly cruel Emperor who might just possess a bigger heart than anyone realizes. I’m more than ready for the second book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.