This was my first Chloe Gong and if this was her weakest book (according to some), I am VERY eager to read her others.

Overall, this was good, not great.. I liked the characters and the plot had potential. I love a deadly competition, especially one where a woman kicks ass. I also really enjoyed the romance and loved seeing their relationship grow.

However, the negatives definitely brought it down for me. The world-building was just too much and the info-dumping made my ADD brain hurt. A lot happened, but it also felt like nothing happened? It was sooooo slow and I think I would have struggled if I hadn't been listening to it. As others have said, the lack of consent in this society and the overall disregard for the citizens of this kingdom gave me the ick.

Read If You Like:
-Enemies to Lovers
-Hidden Identity
-Badass FMC
-Deadly Competitions

Audiobook Review: I loved it. Jeena Yi beautifully narrates this story and every day I was eager to press play on this book. That said, there is A LOT of world-building and info-dumping. I absolutely know I missed some things that I likely would have picked up on if I was reading a physical copy.

That said, I do recommend as long as you go in knowing all of the above. I'm also very eager to read the second one, because that ending was a cliffhanger!!

Thank you to Gallery and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 65%. I took a break from it for awhile and tried to get back into it, but this just isn't for me. I really enjoyed Chloe Gong's other books and this did not live up to them. There was too much infodumping and the romance fell flat, which is especially disappointing when I know she can write romance better than this.

Also, with the whole body jumping thing, you would think there would be a point made about consent but, as far as I read, there wasn't. People just invade each other's bodies and there's no real discussion of how that feels for the person being invaded other than how nobility have taboos about it because their bodies are more important than everyone else's.

I hope Chloe's next novel is more on par with her previous ones.

Princess Calla has been in hiding since a massacre killed her parents five years ago. And she was the one who led it. While her goal was to take down the monarchy, her uncle, King Kasa assumed the crown. The King is reclusive, but he always greets the victor of the brutal games. Calla has to win the games so that she can meet her uncle again and finally take down the monarchy. But will true love stand in the way?
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I really enjoyed the concept of jumping between bodies. I like how every body has a soul or chi, and the jumpers can push it out and take power of a body. I did have a hard time connecting with some of the characters, but overall the story is enjoyable.
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Thank you to Gallery Press for this digital ARC.

This book had everything I love -- fantasy, political intrigue, and a romantic subplot, all within the framework of a competition for money and fame. I struggled to get into this one, as the beginning moved a bit slow for my taste, and the magic system is inherently confusing. I liked the premise after awhile, but there were some aspects of it that felt a little deus-ex-machina-y and a few holes in the logistics of it that I never felt got fully resolved. However, I really enjoyed the Calla's backstory and politics of the empire that I look forward to reading about in book two!

I didn't love or hate this book, and while I felt the magic system was really interesting, the world building felt a lot like information dumping which isn't a great way to learn more about the world we're in. Overall I felt like the book didn't necessarily meet expectations... That doesn't mean I won't read the next books though!

Absolutely amazing. This book is a lot to take in at first, but so worth the world building for the fantastic characters. There better be a sequel, that's all I have to say.

This was a very engaging story with characters that were easy to get attached to. It felt new and fresh even though it is a fantasy take on Anthony and Cleopatra.

I foubd this to be a decent story. I tried to get into this story, but it just didn't hold my attention. The world is interesting, but I didn't feel connected to the characters

DNF @ 50%

This had SO much potential! There was just so much info dumping that I forgot what the plot was. And there was absolutely no chemistry between the main characters. Maybe a 1st person POV would’ve worked better?

I will say the action was written really well, but other than that, I was not having a good time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a good adult debut for Chloe! I absolutely need to sit down and read her YA books. Taking a well known Shakespearean play and turning it into a Sci-Fi novel was brilliant. I am so glad I got invited to read this early and definitely will be rereading soon!

I am now convinced that Chloe Gong has the ability to write enemies to lovers that I will eat up every, single. Time.

In the twin cities of San-Er, the annual games are about to commence. Games where one of eighty eight players will be awarded, victory, fame, and riches to change their lives. Calla Tuolemei, lost princess of Er, enters with the intent to take her revenge on a brutal ruler. Anton only seeks to gain the funds needed to save the girl he loves. The two make an unlikely pairing knowing that in the end, only one can survive.

Ahhh the tension in this was SO. GOOD. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and Chloe Gong can write characters that hate each other like nobody else. The witty banter? Stunning. The angst? FLAWLESS. That alone was enough to keep me turning pages.

Which is good, because a lot of the other elements fell a bit flat. This was definitely like an adult version of The Hunger Games, with the added twist that certain citizens of San-Er have the ability to transfer their qi, and therefore consciousness, into other people’s bodies. Now the premise of this was SO FREAKING COOL, I genuinely don’t think I’ve read another book with that kind of magic system. But, and this is a big but, it was really underdeveloped. There were lots of arbitrary rules, like that kids couldn’t jump (and yet they did), or that one family bloodline was immune to being taken over, or that taking over another body permanently causes madness (also with exceptions). New rules cropped up all the time, often with little to no explanation to why they existed in the first place.

The games themselves felt like kind of a side note, a stage for the other themes to play out on rather than a central point of the book (unlike in the Hunger Games). But the thing that got me most about he game aspect, was there were SO MANY other ways it could have played out in the end, which I cannot go into because spoilers, but trust me. There definitely could have been a much more Peeta and Katniss kind of ending than there was. Easily.

Along with the enemies to lovers aspect, I did really like the characters. Calla was so easy to root for (and she had QUITE the commentary on gender, let me tell you. Minor identity crisis moment). Anton gave me puppy dog vibes for literally no discernible reason. And yet…if there weren’t that one spicy scene, I totally would have categorized this as YA. Which isn’t bad, I love YA. It was just a different tone than I was expecting. The turmoil and self-discovery angles felt a lot like tropes we see frequently in YA, and the characters themselves acted a lot like teens. None of this deserves a downgrade in rating, just a good thing to keep in mind before you pick it up.

In short, this was a solid first book with amazing enemies to lovers and an interesting, if underdeveloped, magic system. I’m hopeful that book two will resolve some of my questions and firm up the world-building.

Rating: 3.5/5
Pacing: slow-medium
Intended audience: Adult
Content warnings: murder, violence, gore,

Not my fav book by her but def interested in reading more! 4/5 stars! I'll probs pick up the next book.

DNF at 33%. The premise of this one is really interesting, but the execution just isn't working for me. I love the whole concept of a Hunger Games style competition coupled with body swapping (much like The Host), but the story is a lot more telling versus actually seeing the action play out.

- IMMORTAL LONGINGS is a retelling of Antony and Cleopatra, set in a world of poverty and despair where no one can be trusted because people can swap bodies at will.
- This book is very much an adult Hunger Games. The body-jumping element was a bit confusing at first, but Gong is quite detailed about the mechanics of it, so you're soon enough blazing through San-Er with the protagonists as they slash and burn their way to the top.
- I thought it got a little repetitive in the middle (there were a LOT of people to murder), but there are a couple of twists in the second half that literally made me gasp out loud. I'll definitely be reading the next installment.

I had the absolute pleasure of reading Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong this week and I cannot believe that it’s the first book of hers I’ve read!

Usually science fiction fantasy isn’t really what I gravitate towards in terms of books but this one kept me enthralled right through the end!

A rogue princess, a man on the run, a prince trying to get rid of the corrupt king to take the throne.. and this is me just loosely summarizing because this book is so SO much more. I absolutely cannot wait till the next book in this series that I’m sure will captivate me just as much as this one did.

I had a fun time reading this one. I’ve been reading more and more fantasy lately so I’m definitely entering my fantasy era but this one was fun, it kind of reminded me of the hunger games. There were a few parts where I got confused with what was going on but overall still really enjoyable. I cant wait for the next book because of the cliffhanger it was left on. I really enjoyed this one and the romance that was in this book but no one can top romajuliette (I miss them). overall I truly am a chloe gong stan first and human second. I recommend this one especially if you like adult fantasy that’s a bit like the hunger games

the premise of this book was interesting to me. a princess who killed the king and queen because she was tired of them abusing their power while the people of their country starved to death. and the power that majority of the people have of being able to jump bodies.
this was chloe gongs first adult fantasy book and it was a bit noticeable. it was adult fantasy that sort of read as Ya..minus the one and a half adult scenes.

one thing that sort of made me icky was the lack of consent. when Calla and Anton do the deed they describe not using their own bodies as normal
“this is someone else’s body, but in San-Er, that detail is as normal as jumping. When it comes to this sort of use, bodies are only accessories, discardable and utilized based on need.” i understand that anton didn’t have access to his body and Calla’s situation would have also made it impossible but it the idea of not having a clear idea of consent gave me a bad vibe.

the multiple povs was iffy for me cause it would take like a paragraph for me to realize whose story we were on and the descriptions were sometimes focused on the wrong thing and it made me skip some lines. instead of describing the building and how certain characters (that we’d never see again) looked i would have preferred more about what the actually people went through. we got a glimpse of some people being debt ridden or starving but I wish we were able to get more of a “how we are gonna change this” idea..Calla just killed one king to put another. August seemed like he also wanted to change a lot but what were his plans? how would it have changed? for a book trying to create this political conflict not a lot was given…i see this is a series so most likely we’ll get more in the next book. also leidas betrayal was a bit underwhelming and as she pointed out …anyone can have ideas but as soon as they feel the power they also become tyrants so is a monarchy even ideal in this world ??

well overall i’d say this is a good book to go into with an open mind. there’s a strong willed female character, the whole power of jumping bodies and the hunger games -esq trials

Like all of Chloe’s books the world building is so amazing! I had been waiting for awhile for this book though. And it was so much better than I thought. The concept of the body swapping is so amazing. I felt very grounded in this book. The setting, the descriptions of the palace and the setting is so grounded. Also, this is just such a clever concept for a Cleopatra and Marc Antony retelling. Truly the bloodshed and struggles are impaccibly well thought out and brilliant. They showcase so many incredible different voices and personalities throughout the story. I feel like I still have to read it again to get the full impact of everything.

I have never read anything by the author Chloe Gong until now but I am soooo going to read her other books!! I liked this book but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart when it comes to the deaths… it was giving Game of Thrones meets the Hunger Games! The body jumping is interesting though cause it gives me a mindset of not to get too used to a character’s appearance. You know how when you watch Game of Thrones it’s like oh can’t get attached to this character they may get the axe! Instead of that it’s like you can’t get used to a character’s appearance because who they are one day isn’t who they’ll be the next day.

I love how Chloe Gong was so descriptive with the world building in this book. It was as if I could picture everything in my mind! I know some people don’t care too much for the author describing things a lot but I do.


The Palace hosts a game every year in San-Er where the winner gets a chance to meet the King and collect their winnings. Princess Calla has joined the games to get revenge on the palace whereas Anton is actually trying win the games mainly to pay off Otta’s medical bills. The King who is known as King Kasa never had an heir to the throne so he adopted August due to most of August’s family dying or just no longer in his life. Prince August will do anything to become King. They all share an enemy in King Kasa. Each has gone through trials and tribulations to get to this point. And you may be asking yourself what point? Well…you’ll have to read to the end to see how the games unfolded!!!

<b>“They trained her for war. And she rose up to wage it on them.” </b>

A deadly game within a game? Check

A fervently poor and desperate world on the brink of revolution just waiting for a spark to ignite it all like a powder keg? Check

Televised and sensationalized murder against competitors serving as the bread and circuses to distract the miserable masses and bring them to heel with promises of violence? Check

<b>“Slaughter as an accepted entertainment track. Slaughter as a shortcut to wealth.” </b>

Chloe Gong fans rejoice!!!! Her foray into adult fantasy is a wonderfully executed feast of action that feels like you’re dropped right into the competition. It felt cinematic, propulsive, and entertaining. It was exciting and even claustrophobic at times, despite some of the above elements inevitably harkening back to the Hunger Games and, more recently Squid Game. While those references were undoubtedly there, Gong’s take felt refreshing and struck the right balance between her usual historical viewpoints and the modern twist and delivery her readers have come to expect. While I can speak to how accurate or strongly the Shakespearean Anthony and Cleopatra references are, I can say that Anton and Calla are intriguing characters that definitely both lean hard into the dramatic flair and melodrama, while neither presenting overtly as the hero of the story.

They’re both equal parts selfish and obsessive, while demonstrating a fondness for self destruction and chaos. I loved this about them, but if you’re looking for your next hero, try looking elsewhere. Everyone here has an agenda, rightly or wrongly, and even those that appear morally just suffer from a myriad of selfish aggrandizement. These are messy people entangled with each other is a viciously corrupt and increasingly cramped system and it makes for fantastic character and idealistic conflict and turmoil.

The magic system and world felt more dystopian sci-fi than urban fantasy to me in the best way. It’s the action packed momentum and enigmatic cool vibes of The Matrix that expertly taps into some of the darker elements we as a society are addicted to: power, reality tv, technology and shiny things, distractions from a world on fire. This gave it that cinematic feel, where I could vividly imagine this playing out on screen. While Gong doesn’t dive fully into all these darker underbelly issues she taps into when laying out San-Er, she does enough to get readers to start probing and interrogating their own opinions and behaviors.

Some of the twists felt expected, but that doesn’t detract from their enjoyment, particularly when the pacing was excellent in keeping you moving through without enough room to stop and catch your breath until the end. Speaking of which, I LOVED the ending, in many ways I expected it, but it sets everything up so well for the delicious tension and greater dark secrets that are no doubt coming.

Gong’s author’s note in how she’s putting her own spin / twist on the enemies to lovers dynamic and reimagining the source inspiration was particularly interesting. I won’t go into it further to avoid some spoilers, but I certainly think we’re in store for so much more.

While there is so much I liked, my 2 quips about this are that I would have wished this was longer, just to flesh s couple points out a bit more. Like Anton’s body, the secret society, and August. I have no doubt this is coming in the next book, but a little bit more on some of these things would have built a stronger foundation. The other thing is that the spice was…well it needed some work. I get this is Gong’s first adult book, but I think her intimacy moments in the Secret Shanghai series were better at showing both attraction and desire, balanced with emotional development. Here those moments felt a little…quick and frantic, and the one open door scene felt stilted. Hopefully this is smoothed out in subsequent books and strikes a better balance.

Lastly, I want to add a note that while the Secret Shanghai series is wonderful and beloved, this feels quite different from that, especially with the FMCs. I’ve seen several reviews call Calla a copy of Juliette and that’s just patently false. Their motivations are wildly different including how they think about family, loyalty, and their positions of power. Juliette is retrained and controlled, calculating where Calla is brash, chaos, and rules by central emotions that define her every action. Do they both use violence to get their points across? Yes, but to me that’s more of a direct reflection of the patriarchal and corrupt societies they’re born into and their precarious roles as females. Not every FMC that uses violence or has skills to fights back is the same, if they were, then nearly every single fantasy FMC would be identical.

Interestingly, and really by this I mean it’s really quite sexist, reviewers don’t feel Anton and Roma are the same character, or that MMCs are all the same when they use violence to get ahead and meet their goals / ambition. Don’t get me wrong, Anton and Roma are decidedly NOT remotely the same characters, but I think it’s frankly lazy and ignorant to have this critique at all and especially aimed only at FMCs, especially when if a non-fighting, totally ordinary human FMC was presented, these same reviewers would likely complain that she’s a damsel in distress and boring. Sigh.

ANYWAY, ignore the haters, pick this up, and quickly devour this.