An exciting adult debut from an author whose Young Adult work I very quickly fell in love with! A dark and unsettling world was a great backdrop for this Hunger Games-esque battle to unfold upon, and I'm intrigued about where the series will continue from here.

This book made me think so much to the Hunger Games… but in the city and with a paranormal vibe (I mean.. moving from a body to another body?!). It was original and even if I had difficulty to jump into the story at first, I was quickly engrossed with Calla’s story. And the ending… I was hoping I’d be right… it’s explosive. 🧨

TW for violence, gore, blood.

A gripping fantasy inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, set in a world of political intrigue, deadly games, and star-crossed romance.

Did not finish! I just honestly could not get into this. The story did not pull me in or capture me in any way, and every time I put it down, it was easy for days or weeks to go by before I thought of it again. Only got through about 50% of it.

I really enjoyed Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong! The mix of fantasy and romance kept me hooked, and the world-building was super immersive. The characters felt real and complex, and the plot had some great twists. The only thing that held me back from giving it five stars was that a few moments felt a bit predictable. Still, it’s definitely a solid read and worth picking up if you’re into epic fantasy with a lot of heart!

Immortal Longings was an interesting story around power, intrigue, fantasy and romance. Gong did a great job at building a complex and elaborate world, with a story based around a deadly game where competitors fight for survival, glory, and ultimate control. I enjoyed the push and pull of Calla and Anton's relationship, and it was intriguing to watch it play out. I did find the world building a bit dry at times, but overall the pay off for the end part of the book was worth it and I am excited to pick up the next one.
Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada | S&S/Saga Press for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I’m truly a sucker for a deadly games trope, that in combination with some very intense and magical world building and beautiful writing is a recipe for the perfect fantasy read (in my opinion).

The characters were perfection - complicated and messy in the best way! The romance was the slow-burn, rivals to lovers that I didn’t know I needed.

As much as I did enjoy this book, it took me a while to get into and I found the plot moved pretty slowly. However, the details did ultimately become important to developing a very interconnected story, so I came to appreciate them in the end.

I absolutely can’t wait for book two… that cliffhanger!! Immediately requested book two!

5/5 stars
this was an easy five-star read for me. the world-building instantly kept me captivated and the magical elements of this book is so unique and intricate. everything was so skillfully crafted that it just tied together so well and no words were wasted.
also, the romance!!!!!!! calla and anton are so angsty!! their first interaction just made me fall in love with them instantly. the rivals to lovers was done so incredibly well and the tension is so on point. i'm in shambles over them.
chloe gong is a true mastermind for creating this universe. every aspect of it is so detailed and nicely executed. love the setting of the story that really helped add to the overall mystique and action of the story. this was also really different and special from other fantasy books that i've read recently, which was really refreshing.
also MAJOR getaway car vibes were promised and delivered.

There are a few books that I just feel a little too dumb to read, and this was one of them.

I loved These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. The world, the writing style, the story. I think that the mythology/historical Shakespeare thing that she does is amazing. However, I feel like I needed a bit of an introduction to the world before the story started, simply because there is so much going on. I did go into this almost blind, which might’ve been my problem.

Calla, Anton, and August are all wonderful characters, but I do think that they fall into the category of being a bit too unbelievable. With the Hunger Games style plot line, it felt just a bit too perfect for my liking. Everything worked out so well, and even the hiccups were handled without comment, and within a few pages. It felt a bit more rushed, as if some things had to be cut or moved without revision and just needed to be in the book.

By the second half though, I couldn’t put it down. I think that the ending was perfect, and I’m really excited to see where the next book takes off. That being said, both plot twists were almost expected, and I did see the coming by the 2nd to last chapter.

Overall, I would give this a 3 out of 5. I think that the storyline is similar to that of All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody, and this would make a great read for someone who loves more of a sci-fi inspired setting. I would also say that it reminds me a bit of The Walled City by Ryan Graudin, as they are both based on the same historical cities.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF. In between requesting this ARC and starting to read it I'd attempted Chloe Gong's other books and I could not get through her writing style. It's just personally not for me. A lot of the issue I have with her writing is her fantasy building without context, just saying "that's whatcha-ma-call-it" and not giving any context as to what that's supposed to mean or do.

For the first of a fantasy series it did ok, but boy was there a lot to learn and imagine in this one. Definitely a harder read to get into if you don't know the reference material. I eventually did get into it as the game started and the political drama ramped up a bit as well but the second half was miles better than the first.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved her YA books and I was so excited to read her first adult book. That it's also a retelling, but set in this new fantasy world, yeah, I loved it, and I couldn't get enough! I loved this story!

All of these characters have complicated pasts, which complicates all the plots and scheming going on with these games. I loved getting to know them, and seeing how this world worked with the magic and the politics. I just had to know more!

The relationship with Calla and Anton, was complicated, since they were both after the same prize. That there were the games going on, with all the body jumping further complicated matters. But oh, I really enjoyed reading about the pair of them!

That ending was just amazing though! It has me so excited for the sequel, because while I had the idea that something like this was going to happen, it did, and I need to know what's going to happen next! The wait for book 2 is going to be evil!

This was such a fantastic read, and I can't wait to continue this series!

I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book as some authors struggle to make the jump from YA to adult fantasy and while this book does have a few issues, it was still a solid and engaging read! I can't wait to read more adult fantasy from Chloe Gong!

i enjoyed this one quite a bit! i only ever read This Violent Delights by Chloe Gong and had enjoyed her writing style, so i was intrigued to dive into this new book and it didn’t disappoint me at all! it made me
excited to read more of her works. great characters and the story was engaging and kept me entertained.

In all honesty I wasn't sure I would like this just cause it's not something I would normally pick up but I wanted to read it so bad. I was genuinely interested in the story and enjoyed reading this book. I highly recommend reading this book it is so well written.

Currently a DNF. I have started it twice and cannot get into it. I think I'm just not in the mood, I will try again in a few months and update my review then.

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

While this author usually writes in the Young Adult category, this Adult Fantasy book is a breath of fresh air! Gripping and mysterious, the world-building and story are both excellent! I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of this book!

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong was one of my anticipated reads of the year. After loving These Violent Delights and Foul Lady Fortune, I was eager to see what Gong followed up with.

However, this was the least captivating novel I’ve read by Gong. While the plot was exciting and seemed on par with traditionally successful YA books, its execution fell short. There was far too much “telling” rather than “showing”, which made for pages and pages of bleak and uninteresting text. The worldbuilding was very flat, and rather than immersing the reader in the story, it felt like I was reading a textbook that explained the history of the city/setting.

I won’t go into the actual plot, because it did not live up to my expectations for an author’s fourth novel. My main issues were with the writing style and lack of character, setting, and thematic development. There were opportunities for further discussions of social classes, communism, and corruption, but these chances were missed in favour of lengthy descriptions.

Thank you, NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Chloe Gong for this ARC of Immortal Longings.

Immortal Longings was a thrilling, fast-paced, fun and nail-biting journey and i cannot wait for the second book. Chloe Gong does it again!

Immortal longings

I have seen rave reviews for this one and then I’ve seen reviews from the extremely disappointed. I’d say I fall somewhere in the middle.


The backdrop is a hunger games-esque battle hosted in the kingdom of Talin’s capital, San-Er, by the king each year. The winner gains audience with King Kasa and unimaginable wealth and treasure.

A cast of questionable characters rounds out the story and, of course, in true Chloe Gong style, the plot is rife with political intrigue and strife, infighting and plots for revenge.

In a lot of ways it did feel like what I’ve come to expect from Chloe Gong albeit a bit less polished and a little more fragmented. The world building felt a bit more clunky. Such that I wondered if, bring her first adult novel, she was under pressure from publishers to get it out in a hurry. Between the heavy politics and world building, I found the first half, at least, to be a slog which, in turn, made the characters harder to connect with.

There was a point, however, where things turned a corner though…and then that ending!!!! Whoa! With a cliff hanger like that, I will have to read the next one.

Something really interesting she added was the ability of a certain group of the population to jump bodies. Certain individuals quite literally have the ability to move their soul (their qi) and take over a different body, essentially overlapping and overpowering that body’s original owner. It felt a little morally grey and played a key part in the story. I felt like Gong was just starting to really dive into the depth of this part of the story line when it ended so I’m curious to see where that goes in the next book.