Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape for the ARC of Shanghai Immortal!

This novel is SO unique; I have never read anything like it before. The magical system is well-developed and interesting. The female main character, Lady Jing, is described in the advertising as "half-vampire, half-hulijing fox-spirit and all sasshole" and it made it hard to connect with her at first. Eventually as the character grows she begins to control her temper and pay more attention to the world less in regards to how it treats her, and she becomes a more likeable character for it. The supporting characters are incredibly interesting. I cannot wait to read the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I had a really hard time with this, which is a shame because I thought the premise sounded really good. For a book that is meant to be Adult, it felt very YA. Especially with how much the main character whined, the tantrums she threw and the language used. I.E. 'ta-tas'. I also think that the MC did not help in terms of the flow of the story. The lack of explanation throughout this back was another thing I found difficult to grapple with. There wasn't really a build up to the romance so it just felt forced. I didn't think any of the characters were particularly likeable however I would say the most interesting character was the Dragon King. The attempts at humour didn't quite land either. I'm so disappointed because I was looking forward to this but unfortunately the lack of development, lack of growth, juvenile language and the childish nature of the MC let it down.

The concept of this book was super intriguing and is one of the best parts of this book! The idea of more than one Shanghai and all the different species was great. Overall I think the plot is a great idea, the historical setting is exciting, and the mythology is very interesting. However, I unfortunately wasn't sold on the characters, and it didn't feel like an adult fantasy. The characters felt young and immature and the writing style was maybe a little too sassy for me. I think it should have been marketed as a YA book instead of an Adult book as it feels very YA.

Overall this gets 3/5 stars.

I received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This took me months to read, it really wasn't for me.

I was attracted by the cover, the summary and because I heard a lot about it before it came out (it's been a while, I know).

Honestly, the concept was very good: the historical setting, the mythology, the plot, almost everything came together for an excellent book.

The main problem I had with my reading was therefore entirely to do with the writing and the characters. I'd been told it was going to be an adult book, but to me it sounded more like YA or even middle grade. Overall, it was very immature, especially the dialogue and the main character. This clearly prevented me from enjoying my reading.

Nevertheless, I think it's a book that a younger audience will enjoy.

3.5 stars rounded up

The best bit of this was the romance, which was SO CUTE. It was a slow build, but Mr Less was a sweetheart and there was a gentleness to their growing connection that I found charming (there was a kiss scene that had be clutching my kindle to my chest). The setting was fascinating, with the characters moving between mortal and mythical realms and versions of Shanghai, and the prose was great, the descriptions atmospheric.

The ending was, in a word, convenient. It involved lots of people turning up at just the right time to say “here is information you didn’t previously know but which sorts this whole matter out!” It wasn’t unsatisfying, precisely—it did, after all, tie everything up neatly—the problem was that I already wasn’t very invested in the non-romance plot, so having it put aside so easily kind of confirmed it as not particularly important to me.

The most frequently used expletive is ‘piss fart’ which… got old quickly. I don’t know if that’s the literal translation for an equivalent to ‘shit,’ or just a character quirk the author chose to use (it was hardly the only potty humour, ‘turd-egg’ was another frequent one), but I found it carried a childishness that then reflected on Lady Jing in a way that influenced how I felt about her defiance and non-conformity (it took away some of the potential depth for me - but given the irreverent tone of the book, maybe I was trying to cling to a depth that wasn’t supposed to be there in the first place?). Basically, she was just so immature and the language choices made it worse.

I really tried to get into this book but it honestly just didn't work for me. I found myself unable to connect with & even constantly irritated by the FMC, which made it hard for me to keep reading this.

When I read half vampire, half fox spirit I knew this was a book I’d definitely be interested in. Lady Jing works for the King of Hell and is sent on a new task to transport a human, all while trying to solve the corruption going on and find away out of her own entrapment. I loved the charm and wit of the characters though I did find some of the language used didn’t necessarily feel like the right fit.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review,

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Shanghai Immortal" by A.Y. Chao follows Jing a half vampire and fox spirit who gets the opportunity to get her revenge.

I would give "Shanghai Immortal" by A.Y. Chao a 2 star review because, while the description sounded okay going back to the description and reading the story everything feel short to my expectations.

There's a reason it's taken me nearly 6 months to read this after the publishers sent it to me. Every time I think about how the MC is purposefully described as a “sasshole” in the synopsis, I physically cringe. and I knew it was a sign of things to come.

This is meant to be an adult novel, but the immaturity of it all significantly deters the book's target audience. The childish language/dialogue, as well as the whiny and unrelatable MC, not only prevented me from enjoying this, but it also hinders the world-building and any other redeeming aspect of this story.

Which, surprisingly, there are a few. The entire concept is actually quite intriguing - it's why I picked this up and finished it, even though the writing and MC annoyed me. I think the plot is a great idea, the historical setting is exciting, and the mythology is very interesting. Which is why it's such a shame all of this was held back by poor writing choices and characterisation, preventing the book from living up to its full potential.

However, younger readers who can relate to this particular kind of writing and humour may actually really enjoy this (this should have been marketed as YA instead). But, for me, this definitely could have been so much more than what it is as an adult fantasy novel.

"Shanghai Immortal" by A. Y. Chao is like diving headfirst into a whirlwind of magic and mayhem in the bustling streets of 1920s Shanghai. With a kick-butt protagonist, wickedly cool supernatural powers, and a plot that twists and turns like a rollercoaster, this book is an absolute thrill ride. A. Y. Chao's writing makes you feel like you're right there in the middle of the action, and the blend of Chinese folklore and the roaring '20s vibe adds an extra layer of awesomeness. Whether you're into fierce heroines, urban fantasy, or just crave a story that'll keep you hooked from start to finish, "Shanghai Immortal" is the book to pick!

Shanghai Immortal by A. Y. Chao is a brilliant blend of fantasy and historical fiction. This book is an immersive experience that transports you to the vibrant and chaotic streets of Shanghai. The author's descriptions of the historical setting are vivid and well-researched, bringing the story to life.

The plot follows the journey of a young woman, Jing, who has always been considered an outsider. The characters are well-developed, and their struggles are relatable and heartbreaking. The themes of identity, love, loss, and sacrifice are explored in a nuanced and thought-provoking way.

Overall, Shanghai Immortal is a beautifully written and engaging novel that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves fantasy or historical fiction. A. Y. Chao has created a masterpiece that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of Shanghai Immortal in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Lady Jing's character in this book as well as the complexity of this world. Lady Jing's character felt endearing even with and even because of her course exterior and behavior. She's supposed to act courtly in this world that treats her poorly but she won't have any of it. I also really loved the fact that she never called the love interest by his first name, so adorable! It's a bit strange to say that this felt like a comforting read but it did. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Shanghai Immortal has a great setting - a flipside to the real Jazz Age Shanghai populated by the immortal court. It's definitely irreverent and campy and adventurous, and a vampiric Hulijing who's battling to control her bloodthirst is SO fun. I think readers who enjoy that will love it, but unfortunately the humour and the juvenile main character wasn't really for me.

This book was a lot of fun! Lady Jing is a brittle potty-mouth half-Vampire, half-houlijin demon fox. I grew to love her courage to stand up to herself and her bark that tries to push people away. I adore her frenemy relationship with Gigi. The romance subplot between Lady Jing and Mr Li was quite cute.

The story moves at a good pace through immortal and mortal realms of 1930’s Shanghai which is dynamic and vibrant. I also found myself craving Xiao Long Bao while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers

Shanghai immortal is a great book that is written exquisitely, I fell into the story straight away and I enjoyed the journey .
The characters in this novel are created with a realism and they're well developed, they all serve a purpose in this novel and the world around them is lavishly described creating a world that as a reader it was easy to fall into.
The play out of this novel was enjoyable to read.

I loved this!

Lady Jing is a heroine with so many layers. I love how Chao weaves Chinese myth and legend to create a unique story that is thoroughly intriguing and gripping until the end.

I cannot wait to see what else Chao brings to the table.

One of the best fantasy books I’ve read. The story, the setting, the characters! It was all beautifully written in this amazing debut. I cannot wait to read more form this author and I just enjoyed every second off it. It was very atmospheric, very engaging and a book I picked up and didn’t put down until I finished. It was a great start to a new series and I really think an interesting debut that left me with questions that hopefully the sequel will answer.

I had to DNF this one about a quarter of the way in. I really struggled with the writing and also didn't really connect with any of the characters. I think my main problem was with with my expectations, I was expecting an adult fantasy but this reads very much like a typical YA one and I found that very jarring. The premise and world building were amazing though and I did enjoy all the mythology the author explored.

Thank you to Hodderscape and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book gave me serious Spirited Away vibes, I am obsessed. Lady Jing is half vampire all trouble, running around 1930s demon Shanghai (sometimes in her underthings) and I adore her.

/!\ This review contains some spoilers

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Shanghai Immortal is A.Y. Chao's debut novel, published on June 1st, 2023 and the first in the Shanghai Immortal series, in which we follow Lady Jing, a half-vampire, half-hulijing as she tries to expose courtiers because they are planning to steal a dragon pearl, with the help of a mortal named Mr Lee.

First of all, vampires and dragons? Sign me up for that. I really enjoyed the fact that this universe was a mix of real-life Shanghai and Chinese folklore and mythology. I highly suggest reading the author's note for more information, but this story takes place in 1935 Shanghai, so historically-speaking it takes place just before the Second Sino-Japanese War and it shows as the author describes the political and social context (with the American, British, Japanese and French jurisdiction, and the way people dressed). There are also a lot of references to Chinese legends and mythology such as Hua Mulan, pixiu and dragons and dragon kings.

The plot was great and the book kept calling to me, but it was missing something at the end (at the beginning of the book, the author insists on the fact that she is almost 100 years old and that she will soon discover how many tails she has, but there is no mention of that during the story; maybe in book 2?) and I loved learning more about Chinese history and mythology. There was a romance subplot with little to no spice that appeared around the two thirds of the book and I was here for it, even though I didn't really like the female main character, Lady Jing. The reason why is because although she is 99 years old, she still behaves like a teenager and curses a lot.

One thing I struggled the most with is the book formatting on NetGalley: as you can see on the second slide, the page numbers and the meta information are all over the page and it was a nightmare to read.