Thank you NetGalley for the arc! I have very mixed feelings about Immortal Longings. It fell a bit flat for me in many aspects and that pains me so much to say because I love Chloe’s books so much 😭 I was waiting to be grabbed but it never happened. None of the POVs were particularly interesting and I thought the world-building was not very fleshed out. I’m not sure how I feel about Calla and Anton’s love, there isn’t much chemistry between them. I will still be reading IL2 because I want to know what happens! I see the potential that IL has.

As per usual, I love Chloe Gong's writing style and how the how she builds her characters. I'm excited to see where she takes the next book. I still think I enjoy some of her other works better, but as her debut into the adult fantasy world, this feels like a good start. For some people I know that the details can feel a bit info-dumpy, but as a person who is very into world building I didn't mind it.

I loved Chloe Gong's first YA duology, so I naturally jumped at the chance to read her adult debut. The premise of this book is really compelling, but I felt like the execution just didn't quite reach its full potential. I struggled through the first third of the book, but once the action picked up and Anton and Calla were finally in each other's main orbit, I found myself more compelled.

I felt like we either needed to delve into the crescent society subplot more, or we needed more of August's POV to show his motivations for his actions because I got tired of this book dropping bits and pieces of compelling side plots in and never delivering on developing those side plots fully. So much was being orchestrated outside of Anton and Calla's awareness, and I wish we had gotten more than brief glimpses interspersed around their perspectives. The tendency to swap whose perspective was being described mid-chapter threw me off multiple times and made understanding the difference between Anton and August, two men with 'A' names and black eyes, really difficult in the beginning. Eventually, their perspectives and involvements were different enough for me to tell them apart, but in the first quarter of the book, I was constantly confused by whose perspective I was reading.

The first big twist had me immediately needing to read more, but when I thought about it, it made absolutely no sense within the rules of the world Gong has set up, for the exact same reasons that the final twist works so well. I couldn't focus on the second main twist and struggled to fully appreciate the final twist because I just kept going back to how the first main twist made no sense and didn't work. Hopefully, it gets explained further in the next two books, but I was majorly thrown off by the rules established throughout the book being thrown out the window because it made multiple things that happened prior fall apart.

I'm interested to see whether books two and three end up with a love triangle aspect, but I finished this book confused and frustrated enough that I'm not super likely to pick those books up when they come out. By no means was this a terrible adult debut, but the disregard for the worldbuilding she established within the same book has me unlikely to continue.

3.5 stars rounded up.
First off, I love Chloe Gong. I have loved everything she has written so far and I couldn’t wait to pick this book up.

Immortal Longings feels like a book by Chloe Gong. The way she constructs her worlds and her characters always pulls me right in. This book was no exception. The vibes were fantastic if you want a fantasy book with Hunger Games vibes and an enemies to lovers sub plot.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is the unique urban setting for the tournament. I’m used to tournaments in books being set in an arena but the fact that the action was happening around regular civilians was really interesting. You never knew who or where was safe which made for a fun time.

I also found the conflict between Calla, August, and Anton to be really interesting. While I understand why this book was so focused on Calla and Anton, I’m hoping we get more information about August in the next.

My biggest overall problem with Immortal Longings was the lack of discussion surrounding the moral implications of body hopping. I think in an adult book, those discussions would only make the overall story more interesting and I think it’s an important aspect that was missed. I didn’t always feel comfortable with this mechanic. I think if Chloe delved deeper into the moral conflict, I would have had an easier time accepting it. (Mainly looking at the sexual component and the idea of consent while inhabiting someone else’s body.)

As always in a Chloe Gong book, we are left with a massive cliffhanger. Overall, I’m looking forward to the next book. I hope that some of the things I mentioned get solved because I think this series has the potential to be another favorite of mine.

Think Hunger Games for adults, with a better imagined world of the Capitol, better writing, and somehow even more blood. Each year, the twin cities of San-Er gathers 88 desperate citizens to compete in a citywide fight to the death, with the winner getting enough money to live in comfort in the provinces. This year, there are two ringers in the mix: Anton, a former palace favorite who was forced out because of his use of "jumping" powers, which let him (and many others in San-Er) take control of other's bodies, and Princess Calla, in hiding after murdering the royal family of Er. Anton, who jumps with abandon, and Calla, who refuses to jump on principle, soon gather attention from the feeds due to their prolific killing and style. Drawn together in an alliance of convenience, Anton and Calla inevitably must face each other to claim the top prize. The cyberpunk world of San-Er pulses with life, and Gong's writing sparkles. All the passion she brought to her YA books is apparent here, The political elements, the romance, the blood - all balance well and left me desperate to read the next one.

Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra inspired story with a dash of Hunger Games set in a sci-fi esque setting... a deadly competition, betrayal, politics, and forbidden romance! Princess Calla Tuoleimi is known as the princess who murdered her parents and a whole room of other people and disappeared, now she’s hiding, plotting to kill King Kasa, the king responsible for the rot in the city. Calla will do anything to kill the King, even enter into a deadly competition and team up with her cousin.... the current heir to the throne all to just get a chance at giving the kingdom of Talin a chance to be free. Calla was trained to be deadly, she’s a killer and a good one. When the kingdom’s deadly game starts, Calla is already a member. In this kingdom there is a deadly game where contestants are given free reign to kill off all the other players until there is only one left and the winner is given power and money beyond imagination, and in a kingdom filled with poverty, starvation, and sickness, everybody wants to win. Calla’s only goal is to win so the moment she gets a moment alone with the King she will cut his head off and when her cousin August makes an offer to help her win the games in exchange for the promise that she will kill his father and make him king and he’ll free her once he is, what’s a girl to do but agree? Cue Anton Makusa, the exiled aristocrat and former best friend of August who has been spending his years paying the hospital bills to keep his childhood love who is in a coma alive... the same childhood love that is August’s sister. Anton is severely in debt and entering into these games would be a chance for him to clear it and help pay off the bills. Anton is one of the best jumpers in the city (in this kingdom people with special genes can jump bodies, and royalty have a distinct color to their eyes despite their body jumping). Anton purposes an alliance to Calla, they both help each other kill off all the other contestants until its just the two of them... but something more is happening as the more time Anton spends around Calla the more he is falling in love (vice versa)... but August has other plans... and betrayal is bond to occur because no one can trust each other and this is a game with high stakes. This is the first book in the series and the ending has me already begging to see where the second book goes. This was a really interesting story and it had an overall fun storyline especially with the citywide death game. My only issues were the constant info dumps that were thrown at us, seriously I’m positive this book could have been shaved down 50-80 pages of info dump of this world that we did not need. The other issue was the romance, I really did not buy the slow burn romance because honestly it just felt out of nowhere and suddenly it was like all at once. Calla and Anton spend about 70% of the book being allies and then suddenly they are throwing I love yous at each other?? I dont believe it. I liked the romance because the betrayal later makes it all the more fun and the angst was delicious but I just wish their romance was explored more so I could feel more invested and I could actually believe in their romance. Like Anton went form someone obsessed with saving Otta to being like: yeah she was my childhood crush but I’m in love with Calla now?? SIR???? REALLY??? August was definitely a really interesting character and I had fun seeing the political workings in his head and just how far he is willing to go to get the throne. Calla was a really fun protagonist and I am so excited to see what she does in the next book! Overall it was a super fun read and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

*Thanks Netgalley and Gallery Books, Gallery / Saga Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Chloe Gong's Immortal Longings is the first installment in the authors Flesh and False Gods series. Book is inspired by the 1990's Hong Kong Kowloon Walled City. Also inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. This is a story that revolves around (3) key players. August Shenzhi, the apparent heir to King Kasa of the Kingdom of Talin; Calla, the mysterious young woman who committed regicide on the former royals and is supposed to be dead; and Anton Makusa, the man who can easily swap bodies and become anyone at any time.

Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin will flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies (transferring your consciousness into another body), competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win a prize that will allow them a life free of poverty. This year, 88 players will fight to the death in a Gladiator like game, but things are not as they seem. Not when 3 have plans to bring down the King himself, and set a new course for the combined San-Er which used to be two kingdoms until 5 years ago when the monarchs where murdered.

Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him. The most interesting part of Calla, is that she has a deep, dark secret which she hides behind by wearing a mask on the lower half of her face. But one person knows that she is alive, and she is about to be one of the 88 forced to fight to the death.

Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning. Anton wants nothing more than to kill the King and take his rightful place as the sovereign after he was exiled. Curiously, he was best friends with August Shenzhi, the current heir of the kindgom of San-Er.

Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills, but is also dealing with an internal betrayal by a group which would love to she him removed and replaced. The three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom. The author has stated that this story was inspired by the 1990's Hong Kong Kowloon Walled City. This is definitely an enemies to hesitant allies to lovers to we shall see, shalt we?

Chloe Gong did it again! I have been a fan of Chloe's ever since I read her YA fantasy duology "these VIolent Delights" and was really excited to get started on this book.

In this Adult Fantasy debut from Chloe, we are entering the magical yet brutal world of kingdom of Talin. You experience this universe through 3 POV's. I will say, this reminded me a lot of Hunger Games but even darker. As a HG long time fan, I loved that. This is dystopia at its finest, there's betrayals, bloodshed, romance, action. You will not be disappointed by picking up this fantastic book.

I really loved Calla, she is so badass and such a powerful FMC. And I really enjoyed the slowburn between her and Anton.
The ending??? THE ENDING??? where is my second book, i need it right now!

Overall, this is a strong fantasy book which will captivate your attention!

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for the eARC!

I was extremely excited for Chloe Gong’s adult debut but it fell a little flat for me. This was a mixed bag - interesting premise, characters, unexpected twists, but the story was bogged down by long winded descriptions which made it move very slowly. The last 50 pages intrigued me enough that I’ll definitely read the next book. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the arc.

Thank you to Saga Press for the advanced reader's copy of Chloe Gong's masterful adult debut! Think Anthony and Cleopatra's volatile love story mixed with the threat and corruption of Panem's televised HUNGER GAMES.

This fantasy princess really knocked it out of the park with this book. The struggles and failings of the twin cities, San-Er, in the fantasy kingdom, Talon, were extremely well-developed and portrayed on the page. Never once did I doubt why certain characters were fighting so hard to change the regime, to replace the corrupt king and put someone in power who cared about the citizens and his people.

I was August trash from his opening pages and I'll be August trash until the day I die. He had the strongest motivations for wanting the king (his adoptive father, YES) to be removed from the throne and consequently, it felt, the most to lose. If divine right didn't accept him, then all of this would have been for nothing. Calla and Anton were just as compelling, as we learn dangerous secrets about them they have long tried to bury—but their intoxicating chemistry drew these secrets out into the open.

THE ENDING! Chloe Gong is not allowed to sleep, eat, or do anything else but write Book 2 until it is completed and delivered into my hands. Please do yourselves a favor and go out and buy IMMORTAL LONGINGS when it comes out on Tuesday, July 18th! You'll be in for the ride of your life—and you'll get to suffer with me until Book 2 comes out.

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery for an ARC of Immortal Longings in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This is my first Chloe Gong book and I am absolutely blown away. I’ve been meaning to pick up her other books, but after finishing this I will be reading them almost immediately. What the heck. This was so good I am blown away and also slightly upset over the fact that this isn’t even out yet and I have to wait even longer for the next book.

I absolutely loved Calla and Anton and even August. I really found these characters to all be so compelling and so so interesting. Calla is by far my favorite, she is just such a badass and I really just adored any time I read her perspective. Anton is so much fun. I loved reading about his past and his journey. Their relationship made me absolutely giddy. I adore the angst and seeing the lingering feeling of completely trusting this person but then with the environment they are apart of not trusting them at the same time. August is also such a complex character that I really enjoy. I can’t wait to see where his character goes from here.

I loved the plot and the world building. I thought it was written really well and flowed so easily. As someone who usually struggles with intense world building, I really enjoyed the pacing of this.

I had so much fun with this book. I absolutely cannot wait for the next one and I can’t wait until I get to meet chloe on her tour!!

Immortal Longings is a twisty, intense and vicious stab to the heart that I just absolutely happened to adore!!

This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year!

If you like Hunger Games and wished there was more bloodshed, then this is absolutely the book for you!

The concept of qi is fascinating and really opens up a lot of possibilities. And, thankfully, these possibilities lead to some great surprises! You may think you know where some of this is going, then Boom! Plot twist!

There's a little bit of romance in here. (It is, after all, inspired by Antony and Cleopatra.) There's definitely multiple plots for regicide and revolution. There's a cult that runs the underground market, hospitals that toss people out for lack of payment, and so many people that the annual games of culling civilians is seen as entertainment.

The world building is spot on. I felt like I was there in San-Er. It all felt so cinematic to me that I want this to become a movie. Yeah, sure, some of it was definitely like the Hunger Games, but I much prefer how this one is playing out. After all, Hunger Games took part in a special arena and was for the delight of rich people. This one, however, takes place in the midst of San-Er's impoverished and overrun society and is there to serve as a temporary distraction from their suffering.

Would you enter your name into the lottery? Riches and a chance to leave San-Er await the winners. After all, nobody can enter or leave San-Er unless the King wills it. Or would you body snatch another as soon as your own funds are depleted? In a world where bodies are nothing more than carriers of your qi, where you can switch with just the meeting of a glance, would you stay in your own body? If you held the gene for it, that is... What does it mean if you stay?

This book is very intriguing and I was hooked. I read 90% of it in one day. I just had to know more! Now that it's over, I need to know- When will the sequel come out?! Oh the agony!

As somebody who was not a fan of Chloe's YA works, I am so grateful that NetGalley gave me the opportunity to review her adult debut. It is amazing and absolutely worth checking out!

Although I’ve read Chloe Gong’s Secret Shanghai books, I didn’t know what to expect from her adult debut. The beginning took a bit for me to get into (mood? pacing? the usual struggle to wrap one’s brain around a new fantasy world?), but I was all in once the deadly games began. There were so many twists I didn’t see coming!

Out of the three main POVs, Calla immediately became my favorite. I really liked the complexity of her character and how the line between right and wrong were blurred. Also, knowing that she is inspired by Shakespeare’s Cleopatra, I became very interested in the idea of obsession vs. love in regards to her and Anton’s relationship. I’m curious to see how it continues to develop moving forward.

Overall, I really enjoyed Immortal Longings and can’t wait until the next book in the series is out!

Wow! This book blew my mind in the best possible way. There was so much going on and things to keep track of, but it kept my attention the whole time. This is my first book by this author, but it will not be my last! I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Hunger Games style competition. Unique Dystopian Setting. Betrayal. Mysterious Cults. Body Jumping. Will they, won't they? Who's the villain?! Slow burn. Bad Ass Sword Wielding Female MC. Plot Twists. Say less.

Admittedly it took getting about half way through for this story to really grab me, but once the pace picked up, I was hooked! San-Er, the twin cities of Immortal Longings is a unique setting, a strange and at first confusing mix of un-advanced advanced tech. I thought it was really interesting how this felt like a dystopian world, with advanced technology that was limited in ways our technology today is not. A really strong cast of characters led by Calla, who reminds me a lot of Cara Gee's Camina Drummer (The Expanse). I feel like the plot didn't really begin to pick up until over halfway through and the world building during the first half I found to be confusing or dense at times. Once Calla and Anton's relationship developed, I was hard pressed to put this book down. They really carry a lot of this story with their complicated "will they, won't they" energy. This story is filled with a lot of questioning who's who because of the body jumping element in the story, so you're constantly looking for a trick. I do wonder that there were a couple plot holes, things I felt were kind of skimmed over or forgotten, there really is a lot going on with various plot lines, but maybe they'll be resolved in future installments in the series. I really thought I had it figured out at the end, but I wasn't QUITE able to get it right and I gasped upon reading the last page, as there were multiple things I didn't see coming. Can't wait for the inevitably complicated and intriguing plot that will be revealed in book 2.

This was a great retelling/reimagining of the story of Antony and Cleopatra. I’ve really enjoyed this author’s YA fantasies so I was really excited to read her adult debut and it did not disappoint.
Her writing is just so good. She writes the best morally gray characters and her pacing is done so well. It makes the story so easy to get into.
This book will definitely be loved by fans of The Hunger Games. This was totally giving me the vibes of that book series from the competition that Calla and Anton were in to the forbidden romance plot line. Immortal Longings had an extra fantastical twist where people can actually jump between bodies which was so interesting and added a lot to the story. I also loved the world building in this, it had royalty and secret political agendas along with an urban fantasy feel.
The ending was crazy!! I knew there had to be a twist coming but I didn’t expect what happened at all. I can’t wait for the next book!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author and Simon & Schuster for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Shuster books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK. I love Chloe Gong and her adult debut blew me away. I knew I was going to love this story as soon as she mentioned it was her rendition of a Marc Antony and Cleopatra retelling with body jumping and hunger game elements. Ughhh this book is so perfect. I love Calla and her fierceness and I love the idea of the games.The twists in this book kept coming and that ending oooooo I can’t wait for the next one. Thank you again for allowing me to read this book early and I can’t wait to read the next one.

I’m probably in the minority on this one, but I’m such a sucker for world building y’all 🥹🫶🏼 it helps me get so much more into the universe and connect with all of the characters! so needless to say, I loved this one!!!!

loosely based on antony and cleopatra (mixed with a hong kong / aladdin setting and the hunger games vibe), the story follows calla and anton, two unlikely friends who must team up to stop the king’s lax rule of their cities. between the two of them, and their benefactor prince august, it is a non-stop slow burn chase to the finish 🤯

calla was by far my favorite character, especially the way she took princess to a whole new level 😅 all she wants is to save her people from starvation and unnecessary violence - and while her methods are a bit gory, I have to admit that I love a female MC who will stop at nothing to save the greater good 🥹

anton, on the other hand, doesn’t know who he is on the outside anymore, but he certainly has a plan to exact his vengeance on the palace. the tension between both him and calla and him and prince august was so palpable - I LOVED THE DRAMA OKAY

what I loved most, however, was that chloe wrote from multiple POVs, jumping around even to minor characters so the reader had the full picture the whole time 🫡 it really helped move the story along too!!!!

and can we talk about THAT cliffhanger at the end? after reading THE SERPENT AND THE WINGS OF NIGHT and any dystopia fiction book ever, I pretty much guessed it - but I loved it all the same wow this is definitely a top book this year!!!!

thank you to netgalley and simon & schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: ao yun cabernet sauvignon

I was in the minority of people who didn't love These Violent Delights, so I'm happy to say I liked this book more than her debut! I will also say that this book ended on a pretty big cliffhanger that actually upped my rating by a quarter of a star, although I'm still undecided if I'll continue with the series.

I think this is a very standard fantasy novel. It is far less heavy on the romance than the synopsis and marketing would imply, though it's definitely there, but that was honestly fine for me. I really loved the concept of the magic system and using qi as the essence of the magic. There are so many chances for this series to be a hit as it progresses.

With that being said, I think the weakest part of Gong's books is the worldbuilding, consistently. I didn't feel drawn in or captivated by San-Er, despite the fact that it's a really cool setting. The book centers around politics, but we never get a good idea of what's actually going on; the main antagonist is never characterized as more than a generic Big Bad. I was hoping the games in the synopsis would have the same tension and atmosphere as The Hunger Games, but I never felt like there were any real stakes.

Overall a mixed bag, but the potential is really there on this one.