Many thanks to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Where to start? Oh buddy, I wanted so much to enjoy this book. It has everything I usually love, like Asian mythology, dragons, lots of lore, and DUMPLINGS!! Like come on, how could I not vibe with a book that has so many tasty dumplings and had me craving them late at night?

I think my biggest issue was Emiko's characterization. She frustrated me a bit with a bit of her childishness. I believe she's supposed to be in her early twenties, but a lot of her decision-making seemed to place her as an older teen. The pacing seemed off to me and I wasn't too fond of that. The world-building was beautiful and I wanted to see more of that, but there was too much discord with the main character, her love interest, and the plot to really pull me in.

I also felt that the writing could have used a bit of a touch-up. I'm not sure, but it felt a bit stilted to me. The cadence and flow of the writing that I usually look for weren't there. This isn't to say that the author is bad, but I think working on their tone and storytelling a bit more will definitely help future works.

I won't not recommend to others, but I will sat that it was a miss for me and I'm sad about it.

Ebony Gate felt like a movie; it's quick-paced and keeps moving. In the beginning, I enjoyed the side plots, but I was wished there was more focus on the main danger, especially towards the end. I loved Emiko; her humor was absolutely on point. I look forward to the second book!

This book had an extremely slow start, and a lot of details that didn't immediately make sense to me. I liked Emiko as a character, but there was almost too much unnecessary information provided at times. We were introduced to characters that never made another appearance, and some parts of the story felt like filler that had just been added to draw out the page count. I think this would have been a fantastic book if it was the second in a series, something that came before it to give us all the detail it felt like we were missing, especially when it came to Emiko's backstory and history of other parts of the world. I wanted to like this so much, but I think it wasn't for me.

DNF @ 5%

It’s possible I didn’t give Ebony Gate enough of a chance, but it’s been three days and every time I try to read, my eyes glaze over, and I immediately forget each sentence as I read it. Most of the reviews I’ve read speak to a slow start, which I could probably overcome, but they also promise a drawn-out ending, so I’m giving up on this one.

The most tepid, level-headed thing I can say about this book is that it’s fine. I don’t regret the time I spent with it, by any means, but I admit I was a little bit disappointed by it. That said, at face value, this is a solid urban fantasy story with plenty of action and intrigue to at least carry the plot to fruition and keep the reader engaged throughout.

Honestly, I’m surprised this wasn’t comped to “Jade City,” because to me that makes a lot more sense than “John Wick.” They’re both urban fantasy series with Asian-inspired settings and magic systems, they both revolve around feuding clans, they both have elements of political intrigue, they both heavily involve combat. That, I think, makes much more sense. But I digress.

I appreciate how the story is both action-driven and also driven by interpersonal dynamics. It’s about Emiko struggling to separate herself from her family and these clan politics but then landing right back in the middle of them without really having a choice. That inner conflict really supplies this tension between her desperately trying to be herself and live by her own standards while being sucked back into this conflict that she wants no part of. I have a lot of respect for the story’s thematic work in that sense. I think there’s a level of catharsis watching Emiko go through this journey, really trying to resist the powers that be, and in the end exercise her free will to make her own decision about how she wants to live her life.

The other main thing I enjoyed about the story is that it’s action-packed and fast-paced. There’s a very clear ticking time bomb that the story has to abide by, which definitely brings a sense of urgency that constantly keeps the story moving from one thing to the next. I don’t want to say too much about it, but there’s also some very cool “City We Became” type vibes towards the end that I enjoyed very much.

All that said, I think this really boils down to “cool idea, not so great execution.” The world-building was severely lacking for me. Not only did the majority of it come from these huge info-dumpy sections, but it almost felt like we needed a prequel to fully understand the context of this world.

There’s a lot of really important things that happen before the story begins that play a significant role in how the characters have been shaped, but that we, as the readers, never get to understand in context. And yes, maybe those flashbacks will come in later books, but for me that’s not enough. Staving off that character-building until later in the trilogy feels too little too late. If I’m not invested in the characters in book one, I’m not going to read those later books in the first place, which I fear is the case here.

Going back to that ticking time bomb element, while I really appreciated the urgency and tension that infused into the story, it made the pacing of the book so strange for some reason. I think Emiko was given maybe 48 hours to accomplish her task, but it felt like she did way more than 48-hours’ worth of things and only some of those things were actually related to tracking down the gate. She did all these weird little "side quests" that took me out of the story, because all I could think was, “Babe, you do not have time for this. You don’t even have a working lead right now.” So even though there was a very clear time restraint in the story, it caused time to balloon in ways that didn’t make a lot of sense.

I don’t have much more I want to say about this. It was a cool story with a cool premise. I don’t regret reading it, by any measure, but ultimately I was not invested in the characters or in what might come next after this. So I gave this three stars, which admittedly might be a little generous.

This book was amazing! i loved everything about it and was sucked in right from the beginning. The writing is beautiful and the urban world building was fantastical. I really enjoyed the characters and thought that they had great development. The story line was so good. I honestly couldn't put it down. There was plenty of action scenes that i thought were done well, and i loved the magic system.

This one took me a minute to get into, but once I got into it, I was very invested. I loved having an urban fantasy with queer presentation that is set in San Francisco with Japanese and Chinese culture/mythology. Emiko was incredibly badass, making her such a fun FMC to read about. Overall, I really enjoyed this and I'm very excited for the next book,

4/5 stars!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this title in exchange for this honest review.

Couldnt really get into this book sadly. Might give it another chance in the future, since a good friend really loved this.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Neat magic system, seamless writing between both authors and POVs, family politics and drama. Lots to enjoy here.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

If you're on the hunt for your next book with dynamic characters, full of action, sword swinging, family politics and an intriguing magic system, EBONY GATE is one for you.

The story follows Emiko Soong, the retired Butcher of Beijing, from one of the eight premier magical families of the world. While Emiko just wants to retire in peace, she finds herself being pulled back into family drama when an old blood debt is called in.

I enjoyed how the culture and love of San Francisco’s Chinatown was woven into the novel, it felt reminiscent of NK Jemisin’s ’The City We Became’. As I read I was continually impressed with how smoothly it was written for two separate authors coming together to write a novel that is not split up into different point of views. Although at times I did crave less on Emiko’s lack of talent and more understanding of the world as a whole, some key backstory felt missing but hopefully this is all to come in book two. But seeing how the whole book took place within 2 days, an awful lot happened and we met a bunch of great side characters, Fiona and Kamon in particular and was that a hint of romance to come?

As always I read along with the audiobook which was narrated by one of my favourites Natalie Naudus so I highly recommend audio lovers to check that out.

3.5⭐

This was a great read! I struggled at times with the setting, but that has more to do with urban fantasy settings and me than the author's writing style and abilities (I find it easier to suspend reality in brand-new, never-before-seen settings rather than real-life settings). The characters were relatable and felt realistic, the action was epic, and the magic system was really fun. I hope there will be future installments because I'm already eager to revisit the characters and find out what happens next!

Book Summary:

Emiko Soong was born into one of the eight magical families of the world. That said, her life has been anything but ordinary – even by their standards. She once walked the path of the Blade (of the Soong Clan). Now, she walks her own path in life.

Well, mostly. As it turns out, when a blood debt is called against her family, even Emiko can't ignore it. So now she must find the missing Ebony Gate anchor, or else ghosts will take over San Francisco. Hardly ideal.

My Review:

Okay, can somebody please explain to me why I didn't read Ebony Gate sooner? This book is AMAZING! No, seriously, if you're craving a solid urban fantasy series to dive into, this is the one. I promise.

Ebony Gate has been described as a female John Wick story with dragons. The former didn't catch/hold my attention, as I haven't seen the movies (don't kill me – I don't want to see what happens to the dog). However, the dragon's promise tempted me.

I am so glad I gave this series a try. It has a similar vibe to the Kate Daniels series (one of my all-time favorite series). Mostly because Emiko is also a badass and stubborn heroine. Admittedly, the comparison ends there because both series are incredibly unique in their own rights.

There's so much to love about this book: the world, the characters, the magical system, and the intrigue. Wait, did I say intrigue? You bet! Even in this first book of the series, you can tell that there's a lot Emiko is holding back. Likewise, I'm certain there's much about her family that she doesn't yet know. I can't wait to follow this series (Phoenix Hoard) and learn more.

Highlights:
Urban Fantasy
Dragons!
Kate Daniels vibes
Pitched as Female John Wick

A delightful introduction to the Phoenix Hoard urban fantasy series -- I am excited for the continued adventures of reluctant Sentinel Emiko Soong and her squad! (Yes, especially Bao!)

"Ebony Gate" follows Emiko Soong, the former Butcher of Beijing who is dragged back into the underworld of the eight dragon families when the Ebony Gate is stolen. Emiko must find the Ebony Gate in order to save her city and her soul. I thought that the plot line of this story was well paced and generally exciting. Vee and Bebelle do well at crafting a world which feels lived in and describing the various factions and families within their world. I enjoyed each of the characters we met and the ways in which Emiko interacting with them. That said, I would have like a bit more time to explore the different characters and Emiko's relationship. Within the story this does make some sense as Emiko is a standoffish person, but as I learned about the people around her I found myself wanting to now more and more. Overall this was a fun adventurous read and I look forward to more in this world and with these characters.

Thank you to B2 Weird for including me on the tour, and Tor Books for a finished copy in exchange for promotion and an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This urban fantasy novel follows Emiko Soong who has escaped her bloody and traumatic past to live a quiet life as an antiques importer in San Francisco, California. When a god of death calls in a family death, Emiko has no choice but to answer. The shinigami commands her to find and restore the Ebony Gate, which holds back ghosts from the world of the living. Emiko will have to use everything at her disposal to bring back the gate and it’s legendary anchor or forfeit her own soul.

Y’all this book is wild!! It does not stop and I loved every second of it. If you were to take the Jon Wick movies and give them a better plot than just violence, soak it in Asian mythology and folktales (I remember Japanese and Chinese to be specific), and make the MC a woman, you would have this book. I enjoyed the Jon Wick movies to be clear, but this was so much better! This book isn’t a heist but it definitely has that high stakes, we must recover this object feeling.

I really loved Emiko’s character. She was compelling and while I wanted to shake her at times for her stubbornness, the reluctant hero vibes really worked for me. Emiko grows a lot in this story too. We see her go from a very closed off person, to someone who is starting to realize how many people depend and count on her to be there for them. We see her slowly begin to take down her high internal walls and I can’t wait to see this continue in the sequel. While there are two men I would say could possibly be a romantic interest for Emiko, there really isn’t romance in this book and I loved it for that! I would love to see Emiko eventually get to a place where she feels safe to trust someone like that, but she’s definitely not there yet. Also a 48 hour countdown to your possible eternal death is not the best time to start kissing people lol.

Overall, I cannot recommend this one enough and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Rep: Japanese-Chinese cishet female MC with PTSD, various BIPOC side characters, sapphic side couple.

This book had SUCH a cool concept but I struggled with the writing/editing and understanding the worldbuilding.

Why isn't anyone talking about this book? It has everything---a badass main character, action, and magic! The idea of cities having their own magic was cool, but what REALLY had me were the action scenes. They were some of the best I've read in a long time. In the end, I was left with a lot of questions, but I assume that's because this is the first book and the setup for something more to come. All in all, a really solid story!

A worthy and fun addition to the urban fantasy shelf! Vee & Bebelle take great joy in writing a coming-out-of-retirement story rooted in an intimate knowledge of San Francisco and Asian culture in California. It's a strong series opener, if at times a bit over-stuffed -- but they're aiming for a trilogy instead of an open-ended series, so I get it. It's fantastically rich and a total blast for summer reading, and I look forward to the next book!

Reading this reminded me of how much I love Urban Fantasy as a sub genre. My first thought after finishing this was is this going to be a series? Because I am going to need a lot more!

I liked the premise of this with Emiko minding her business and trying to overcome her reputation as the butcher of Beijing (Doesn’t help that she stills walks around strapped with the sword though lol), even as events and politics strive to draw her back in.

The world building is really interesting - I love everything dragon related but in this scenario the characters draw on their powers and have dragon like traits as opposed to seeing actual dragons. Character development is mainly focused on Emiko in this first book but there are some minor players (Kamon, Fiona, Popo, Uncle Jimmy) that I really want to delve into as well as some almost completely absent ones that I’m dying to see in action (Emiko’s parents). I also love thatSan Francisco as a city is also a character and has its own powers and relationship with Emiko.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about her talents and I want to see how that unfolds going forward. She’s not the sharpest mind and has no head for cunning and politics but Emiko is a very interesting badass character that carries the book. Can’t wait for the next one.