Main Points:

Fast Paced
Satisfying Conclusion
Amazing Characters
So much well done representation
The way I will never cease to obsess over every single one of Chloe Gong’s books has more than continued through Foul Heart Huntsman. Reading this was an experience on its own, with compelling characters, a twist-filled plot, and a wonderfully satisfying conclusion to the entire series.

The pacing did not falter throughout the story, allowing for the reader to be captivated within the dangerously enchanting world Chloe Gong set up. The story alone does include enough background to be read as a standalone, however I’d definitely recommend giving the entire series a chance, as this book becomes so much more satisfying. The characters made the story so much better. Rosalind’s character growth was absolute perfection, and even though I’ve been captivated by her character forever, this book made me love her impossibly more. Not to mention how much I love Orion, and well, everyone. There wasn’t a single flat character in this book, and that’s what made it stand out so much more.

This book was heartbreaking in the best way possible, with mostly unpredictable, but well built up to twists. It’s the type of book I could reread over and over, and still discover new elements within. The dialogue is absolutely stunning, and Chloe Gong’s pretty prose shines through this once again. The dynamics wove so perfectly into the plot, and despite the multitude of perspectives- which led to highly intriguing and unexpected moments– this book lacked any confusing points. The Roma and Juliette interactions were genuinely perfect (there were lots!!), and I couldn’t’ve been more satisfied with this stunning conclusion to a lovely series.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this for fans of fantasy, fast paced intriguing plots, and some of the most well written characters I’ve ever read about. Am forever obsessed with Chloe Gong for this wonderful book, and will most definitely be buying a physical copy as well, for the beautiful cover.

Chloe Gong wow…just wow. This book had everything I love about all her books. The romance, mystery, intrigue, and politics!! So. Freaking. Good!

This book picks up where Foul Lady Fortune left off. I won’t give many details because there were some jaw dropping moments at the end that I don’t want to accidentally spoil it.

This book was incredible. From the politics and historical elements interwoven with a beautiful fantasy story, there were no misses. I loved Rosalind and Orien so much in the first book and it just was amplified in this one. There were some heart breaking, breathless moments that made me want to scream or cry. I genuinely wasn’t sure which would be more appropriate. I loved seeing all these characters develop and create their own relationships and growth. Also loved some cameos from These Violent Delights iykyk. The best part about these books is that there are so many twists and turns but still a greatly satisfying ending! I love Chloe Gong’s writing and how immersive it is. She makes stories and characters that are so hard to put down.

I can’t wait to read whatever she puts out next. This was such a good time and I loved it!

Thank you to @simonteen @thechloegong and @coloredpagesbt for an early copy of this wonderful book as part of Foul Heart Huntsman Tour.

As soon as I found out I got chosen to be part of the FHH tour, I had a freakout moment because I haven’t read any of the Secret Shanghai Series (even though it is on the top of my tbr *mood read problems*). I knew I had to start from the first book, These Violent Delights (TVD). Thus, begin my binge-ing - ZERO REGRETS!

I am still reeling after that climatic ending from the masterpiece of Foul Lady Fortune (FLF) and can’t believe Chloe pulled a fast one on me. I would share my screenshots of my conversation with AK on how much *beep* *beep* but it would be too spoilery.

Foul Heart Huntsman (FHH) takes place where FLF left off. Since I do not want to give the plot away - let’s talk about the characters and writing style instead.

Given that this world spans a total of 4.5 novels, it is only natural that there is a huge ensemble of cast playing multiple roles and different POVs. With that said, it can get a bit confusing at times but it all comes together in the end. I didn’t think I would love Rosalind more but I did - her vulnerability and her love for Orion holds true. So much, that she would go to the ends of the earth for him. There is also an unexpected reunion in this book and honestly, it was so well-done that I cannot ask for more. Her character especially has undergone such massive growth since TVD.

Chloe’s writing style is superb. I am so glad I had a physical copy, having annotated the heck out of the book. There were just some unforgettable moments and some brilliant quotes that gave me all the feels.

The pacing was great: there were some intense moments, crazy action scenes and some small poignant moments that made it a superb story. For a spy/assassin thriller, there is never a dull moment! Keep in mind it is very heavily political driven, but Chloe has a way of sticking to facts and making it all understandable. So much so that I read up on the history during that time and used some of the references the author provided to learn about it. It also brought me all the closer to my bestie who I had a frank and insightful conversation on the history of Shanghai and its colonialism.

Thank you, Chloe, for sharing your heart of a story with us.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BRILLIANT SERIES - you will not regret it!

Fans of Chloe’s prior works in the Violent Delights series should be a fan of this one. It feels similar in execution. I stopped at the end of chapter 3 (8%). I do think it was set up well enough to work without having read the prior books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC.

This was a heart-pounding, breath-stealing adventure of a series conclusion! I am still and forever obsessed with all these characters, and I loved seeing the ways their stories were developed and warpped up in this book. It was just. I dunno, it felt really in-line with the series, in that it was dark and stressful and tense, but in such a hopeful, uplifting way in the end. Big fan.

It was a good ending to their story. I read it super quickly because it was super compelling and intriguing.

Foul Heart Huntsman continues where our favorites left off in Foul Lady Fortune reeling from being exposed and losing the ones we love. This entire duology has been a testament to changing loyalties and siblings. To the decisions we will make in the wake of political shaking, of our world being thrown in upheaval, and enemies on all sides. In Chloe Gong's latest duology, our siblings are forced to decide where their priorities lie: in family or in party. And it's never simple as our changing code names and intentions - along with a heavy dose of subterfuge - shift.

Predictably so, Foul Heart Huntsman thrives off the juxtaposition of a lack of knowledge versus how we protect the ones we love. There's a steady thrum of action, shoot outs, and sneaking off into the night. Secrets about our intentions, identities, and loyalties. It's rooted in the contests of empires, history soaked into the skin, and imperialism in the streets. Foul Heart Huntsman is an epic endeavor where Gong allows us to see the pieces of stories, and lies, from everyone's perspective - working at cross purposes and in cross hairs.

I loved FOUL LADY FORTUNE (and TVD haha) so I was highly anticipating this story! It was a fairly satisfying conclusion to both this duology and the world as a whole, but there were some elements that left me disappointed. I've grown attached to these characters over the course of the series, and I love seeing the lower-pressure moments of them just interacting with each other, but there weren't a ton. There were some great plot twists and high-tension moments as well, some of which I predicted and some of which I didn't. I was really hooked in the first half of the book, but I got bored about halfway through and kind of trudged through the back portion of it. I don't have a ton to say about this one, other than that I think most readers will be really please with the conclusion as a whole!

The absolute best book I've read in 2023, 109082973291379710/5

But first, I want to thank SimonTeen and Colored Pages Book Tours for providing me with an e-arc of the book.

It is no secret that Chloe Gong is my favorite author, and that I love Foul Lady Fortune with my whole heart. So naturally I had high expectations for Foul Heart Huntsman. Let me tell you, this book surpassed every single one of them a thousand times over. It was everything I wanted it to be and much more.

It starts some weeks after the events of FLF, following Rosaling as she goes on a national tour as Fortune, in hopes to save Orion. However, the tour doesn't exactly go right, so Rosalind is forced to escape and take matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, other characters are otherwise dealing with the aftermath of the FLF events. To make matters worse, the Japanese don't seem to be giving up on invading China, and the civil war between Communists and Nationalists is still very much in place.

The characters are for sure the best part of this book. I cared a lot about every single one of the pov characters, with Alisa and Phoebe holding a special place in my heart. The relationships between the characters - romantic, platonic, familial, or otherwise - are always so complex, with extremely compelling dynamics. They are all so precious to me, and I rarely care so much about one character, let alone seven. I am so emotionally attached to all of them, that every little thing made me go feral (I would not want to be in a room with myself when I was reading it..)

The plot is SO brilliant too. It is very well thought through, and the amount of plot twists is absolutely insane. They start as early as 1/4-1/3 into the book (as is the atmosphere that gets tenser and tenser) and do not stop. Whenever I thought that I was right about something, there was another thing thrown at me that turned the situation upside down. Politics, secrets, betrayals, scheming, science. this book truly has everything.

Since FLF duology is a retelling of Shakespeare's comedy As You Like it, it is a comedy, with a happy ending. THIS DOES NOT HOWEVER MEAN THAT THERE IS NO EMOTIONAL DAMAGE. MANY OF THOSE MOMENTS ARE HEARTBREAKING AND SO VERY INTENSE, MAKING THE BOOK A LVL 100 EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER.

This is the last book in the Secret Shanghai Universe, and a perfect ending in my opinion. It takes all the threads of plot from all the books (tvd, ove, novellas) and beautifully weaves them together. TVD cast make their appearances, which was amazing to see, and Last Violent Call was super relevant (make sure to read in between FLF and FHH!!). I am honestly so sad to see one of my favorite series ending, I don't know how I will be without these characters. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHLOE<33333

P.S. I am not supposed to sad anything negative now bc of this being a book tour post, but I genuinely have nothing negative to say about it at all. This book is as close to perfect as they in my eyes. I could write a thousand more words about why I love it so much, but that would be too much for anyone to read so I'm stopping here. PLEASE READ IT AND THE WHOLE SECRET SHANGHAI SERIES I BEG

Hello, and you are listening to Ruby, a talk show from your dead host (me) who reads books by Chloe Gong and then mysteriously dies each time *cue nervous laughter*

This time, I died in numerous ways. The first death was acceptance onto this tour. Then receiving this early copy. Then reading the book. And currently, aka right now, trying to form words.

I DIED DEAD AND I DON’T THINK I SHALL EVER RECOVER DANG YOU CHLOE GONG YOU WRITER GENIUS YOU,,,,

Uhhh,,, soooo,,, words,,,,

I loved this book? Like a whole freaking lot? Yep, think that’s the whole review right there.

Ha, you wish because I will never shut up about Chloe Gong but you are now warned this review might just consist of me crying all the time oops.

We thank Chloe for publishing mayhem in 2023 because she’s literally released like 4 books this year. One of them is a prequel short story, but STILL. And I read them ALL this year (except her new series shhhh) and ugh how great has that been! Even though I should have read Foul Lady Fortune last year, I do love that I didn’t have to wait so long.

Anyways, I’m rambling. What I was getting at was that I found the politics going way over my head when I read the first one, but because I was familiar with everything else for book two, I was nowhere near as confused and found it so much easier to understand the world. Not that I didn’t with the last book but I was slightly more familiar. But ugh, it’s all so layered and well-crafted, and I absolutely loved getting to learn about the political system back then through these fictionalised eyes *CHEFS KISS*

And ahhh the world in and of itself was SO COOL. She took all the elements from book one and just amped them up to the max. Went fully sci-fi with book two and it was EVERYTHING. The plot was like bam bam bam whiplash, add a side of plot twist, more bam and did I mention the whiplash? Because my head hurt. But in a good way. In an I-couldn’t-breath kinda way. It was a lot. Did I mention I needed medical care? Because I did. Chloe, btw, if you’re reading this, you still need to pay for those <3<3<3

Have I yelled about literally ALL the characters? Because if not, we need to. I’m… in love with them all. Cannot choose a favourite of my babies. Actually, I can. Hey Orion. Love you more than Roma? Yep.

WAIT NO I TAKE IT BACK I TAKE IT BACK!!!!!!!!

Ha I’m kidding. I can’t choose. But Orion had me ON THE FLOOR. Rosalind is an absolute QUEEN and I really loved her in the first book, but I was fully ready to jump in front of a bus for her in this book. Her character development was E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. I honestly did not think I could relate to her this much but I did and I do not exaggerate when I say I’d jump in front a moving bus. She just,,, I just,,, words. It’s like we were seeing her through rose-tinted glasses and all of a sudden every bit of her was on display and samesies as Orion, me was in love *insert all the heart eyes*

Silas!!!! Guys. He took me on an emotional rollercoaster. Phoebe is who I aspire to be. Olivier and Celia? Babes. Especially my gal Celia who I would hire in an instant to be my personal bodyguard even though she says she’s awful at combat, I just trust her with my life.

But what I loved about this sequel was how I was able to care for literally ALL of these characters but they were all equally well-developed and fleshed out and Chloe wrote them to perfection. The POV would also switch every chapter and I LOVED THAT BC IT REMINDED ME OF CASSIE CLARE. I would simultaneously want to throttle Chloe because how can the chapter end like that but then oh wait this is just as interesting and HELLO EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER

Have I talked about writing yet? Gasp no, this is blasphemy. I’ll put it simply: if I could pick anyone to write my eulogy, it’d be Chloe Gong. Wherever this magic in her fingers comes from, I need it. I want to be as good at writing as she is. From setting description to character relations to history ITS ALL AMAZING FOREVER BOWING DOWN

I thought the romance in These Violent Delights was perfection and she could never top them. Umm, I was wrong. You all are in for a TREAT. A scrumptious one might I add. Haven’t been this obsessed with a fictional couple in a long time but Rosalind and Orion did that. As the kids say: ate and left no crumbs. Literally sobbing at every line, I am OBSESSED WITH THEM WTF SEND HALP

Also lemme just say I did not know I needed to know Marshall and Orion flirted one time but I was not mad. Not mad at all. Oh and on that note, LOVED the queer rep in this book. Of course, Celia is a trans queen, but ADORED how subtle Orion’s bisexuality was and also the demi rep from Rosalind. I think, unless I picked up on that wrong? Ugh my baby children xoxoxo

Quick moment of silence for the ending which left me utterly speechless and I will need 14 working days to recover. This series is over and I don’t know what to do with myself for the foreseeable future. Send help URGENTLY.

AHHH THIS FRRAKING BOOK WHAT THE HELL IT WAS SO GOOD READ THIS SERIES NOW!!!!!!!

I warned you of the crying and yelling folks,,,,

So. If you’re looking for one of THE BEST new YA historical fantasy series with the bestest of characters, genius political commentary, romance to have you screaming into a pillow and absolutely immaculate worldbuilding and writing PLUS they’re Shakespeare retellings? I think you are now more than covered. Go forth and cry your little hearts out. As I am because I am now UNWELL

We're back in the world of 1930s Shanghai! Look, I am going to get to the one downside I have with this series in general: There are just so many characters and events to keep track of! Guys my memory is just not what it used to be, and I read a lot of books, so remembering whole dozens of characters and what happened to them is hard! But then once I get back into things, and start to remember who was who and what happened when and where, I remember why I love this world and the characters so much. Perhaps I can obtain some sort of cheat sheet?

Anyway, the action and adventure is high stakes as always, the situation always seemingly more dire than before. There are some appearances by characters you know and love and will be glad to see, and as always, romance and friendships and betrayal. I do love all the dynamics that we get to see play out, and I do understand that a large cast of characters is necessary for said dynamics. So yeah, without giving anything away, it was a great wrap up to this duology, and I seem to always be here for whatever Chloe Gong wants to throw at me!

Bottom Line: Another solid book in a really lovely series. Sometimes overwhelming, but worth it.

This book is isn't for me and it's not what I was expecting. The Shanghai setting was great but still there is one thing that is off for me.

Foul Heart Huntsman is a force of nature. It brings the Secret Shanghai series to a triumphant finish and wraps up one of the best YA series I have read for the past few years.

Chloe Gong did something extremely interesting within her emerging brand of Shakespearean inspired stories by choosing to pivot from the tragedies underpinning her previous work to a comedy. The previous duology in the series These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends drew on aspects of Romeo and Juliet and her adult debut, Immortal Longings, published earlier this year and drew some inspiration from Anthony and Cleopatra.

The bones of Shakespeare here are excavated from As You Like It, a pastoral comedy of disguises, false identities, and miscommunication. Gong brings those latent themes to the forefront in this claustrophobic, tightly plotted tale of espionage, experimentation, and the looming threat of war. This is a series that has consistently raised the stakes, leaving a bloody trail in its wake. Foul Heart Huntsman doubles down on that, with looming threats materialising into real world consequences. The devastating final sequence of Foul Lady Fortune has far-reaching consequences. I absolutely adored the way these consequences linked back to the previous duology and there are plenty of nods for long-time fans, some of which are excellent payoffs from Last Violent Call.

That mesh of mixed identities is particularly prevalent for our heroine, Rosalind. Her cover has been blown and she is exposed as the latest fascination, an immortal super spy and former socialite. This duology has focused so much on her personal growth and development from the original series. It has been a real search for her own self-identity and grappling with the trauma she suffered before. Her voice is so cutting and calculated, but there is a deeply vulnerable ache to it that betrays itself from time to time. For me, it is like watching a flower blossom. That depiction of confronting your own guilt and trauma, no longer allowing it to dictate your life and who you are, is so impactful.

Gong’s writing is, as always, exceptional. She brings in unexpected moments of levity and joy, as benefitting its comedy roots. I did catch myself laughing at some of the witty dialogue and just from watching these characters interact. However, this is a dark story at times, delving into heavy topics and keeping those consequences real and bloody. Like the original comedy, there is a bleeding heart at the centre of it all, disguised in romance and levity. It cannot be fully concealed; it must be faced eventually.

There was one particular chapter ending that I knew was coming and the build-up had been deliciously unsettling. When I reached it, I had to put the book down for a second, stop and just take it all in. It was twisted and evil and so Chloe Gong coded. Luckily, I was able to tell her this in person. Everything truly has been building to this. After finishing this, there was an itch to go back and restart the entire series to see the little nods throughout. There is an attention to detail and mesh of genres that Gong pulls off so well. Those dramatic moments are earned through meticulous build up and only impact so well because you are heavily invested in these flawed, three-dimensional characters. The morality is always murky and firmly placed against the wider cultural and historical backdrop. There is that need to survive and that naïve hope for something better than this, often characterised through romantic aspirations and interactions.

Foul Heart Huntsman brings together a beautiful series that I will hold close to my heart for a long time. It is a bombastic conclusion in every sense.

"Truth be told, she wasn’t even entirely sure she was out of the dark yet. But her feet were moving, and she could only hope it was in the right direction."

Foul Heart Huntsman is the ending to both the Foul Lady Fortune duology and the Secret Shanghai universe and it could not have been a better ending. Picking up where Foul Lady Fortune ends with high stakes, tragedy and a war looming on the horizon - Rosalind is on the war path to save Orion Hong and the rest of the city as well. Alongside her sister Celia, her communist partner Oliver (Orion's brother) and Phoebe (the forgotten Hong sibling) and her best friend Silas - we got a full cast here!

A book with 6 main characters is bound to be hard, especially with shifting alliances and hidden truths but Chloe makes them all standout in their motivations, actions and love. One of the perks of a 4th book is that your readers really know the characters, and FHH benefits from this. No introduction is needed, you can just see it based on the interactions.

The easter eggs!! The Epilogue!!! I love everything about this including the throwbacks to the original duology, the undercurrent themes of forgiveness, love and family. I can thankfully say this is a HEA (I would've died otherwise !)

I truly cannot believe this world is ending (for now hopefully??) I've been reading these books since 2020 and letting go of this world is like a bittersweet goodbye with a dear friend. You always knew it was ending but you loved your time together and you're so thankful for it.

rep// Chinese MC's, Trans, demi, bi and queer rep

cw// violence, blood, human experimentation, death, guns

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

guys i don't what to say.

this was so good and i dont have anymore adjectives in me to describe how much i love this book. like it was perfection, and of course some may disagree but its ok to be wrong!
honestly, i wont oppose to an extended epilogue of everyones stories once more bc lowk i though 545 pages were too much but babes tell me why i needed more than that when i was nearing the end. BUT chloe put me through so much with this book lmaoooo

i personally have never loved a sequel more, like this was perfection. PERFECTION. i was so immersed in this book i was thinking about her 24/7 like i couldnt stop reading. even though i love FLF, that book took me like 2 weeks to read, this didnt even take me a week AND i think its thicker than FLF. there were no plot holes (at least that i could find, but im not the greatest judge of character for that bc i cant remember shit), nothing was prolonged too much, and most importantly none of my fav characters died so win win overall!! and thats all i will say for now ◡̈ one of my fav books fs, i cant choose between FLF and FHH so theyre both #1 to me, theyre twins. anyways love yall, bye!

out of context spoilers below!
<i>"I will love you if i please. i will make you my altar, ill out you above everything else in this world, ill revel in every morsel you are made of."</i>
like how am i supposed to move on from that.

<i>"you are bound to me in matrimony, if you break it and descend into another plane of existence, i will chase after you and snatch you back."</i>
the response to this was so funny lol

<i>"of course i was committed to her beyond what was acceptable for the mission, i was so fascinated because i could see the parts of you in her, i've loved you this whole time, just split in two."</i>
UGH i was screaming finally when this was said!!!

If you’ve been following me for a while, you must know at this point that I am a Big Chloe Gong fan and have been since 2020. Foul Lady Fortune is probably my favorite of her books, so of course I was absolutely desperate to read the sequel. I devoured it as soon as I received an ARC and I do not regret that decision at all! Foul Heart Huntsman was a brilliant series finale, with twists and turns and an ending that will leave everyone happy.

This review contains spoilers for These Violent Ends, Our Violent Ends, and Foul Lady Fortune.

Months after the events of the previous book, Rosalind is desperate to get Orion back after his mother brainwashed him and took him away. When she learns that she’s about to be released from service, she volunteers herself to go on a national tour in an attempt to lure Orion to her. Meanwhile, Celia and Oliver are tasked with intercepting him if he does show up at the tour; Alisa is on the run with the only vial of the cure for the super soldier serum; and Phoebe has her own plans up her sleeve to get her brother back.

I tend to write very long reviews for the books in this world, but I’ll keep this one short (relatively) since it’s difficult not to spoil anything. Foul Heart Huntsman is a bit of a tone shift from the first book since that one was all spies and secrecy whereas this book has more action. It’s much faster paced, especially since the majority of the characters are on the run at some point in the story.

We also get to see different sets of characters together in this book as opposed to Foul Lady Fortune. Alisa is on her own for part of the book, as is Phoebe and Silas, while Rosalind, Orion, Celia, and Oliver are together for the majority of the book. It was interesting to see all of these different dynamics and how they act in response to other characters.

I especially liked getting more interactions between the Rosalind/Orion and Celia/Oliver duos. It was very fun to see the sibling dynamics in addition to the couples. There was one line Rosalind says to Celia about their respective relationships that genuinely made me scream, like Chloe why!

I also liked getting Phoebe’s point-of-view, since we didn’t really know what she was up to most of the last book. Now that her twist is revealed, we get to dig more into her motives, mainly protecting her family, and her struggle to keep her identity from everyone else. It was great to see more of Alisa as well. I love all my girls in this book <3.

And then! Getting more Juliette and Roma in this book made me scream. Their domestic moments in Last Violent Call already made me feral but seeing this on top of their scenes with our main cast of characters had me losing my mind. I especially liked getting closure with Rosalind and Juliette since that’s a key piece of Rosalind’s inability to letting go of the past and pathological need to do penance for her mistakes. And Roma and Orion interactions…throwing Marshall in there for kicks and giggles…Chloe has truly given us so much.

Rosalind’s character arc was one of my favorite parts of this entire series. I think of all the characters, she is the one that I have resonated the most with, so I really loved continuing her journey and seeing where she ends up. I can’t even fully express how much love was in my heart by the end. The epilogue was one for the books honestly; I love this book, I love these characters, and I am so sad to see them go but I loved where we left them.

Heart-pounding and radiating love, Foul Heart Huntsman was a thrilling end to the Foul Lady Fortune duology. I loved the characters and all their personal journeys, as well as seeing all their different dynamics. If you loved Foul Lady Fortune or the These Violent Delights duology, you’ll enjoy the ending set in Foul Heart Huntsman.

It would more accurately be a 4.5 stars, but the 0.5 stars is worth rounding up for given how much I love being back among these characters I adore.

This conclusion to the duology is also the last book in the Secret Shanghai universe (for now? forever?), and Chloe Gong does a really solid job tying it all up to give us readers an exciting, funny, heartfelt finale. I enjoyed the shenanigans and the banter; I definitely laughed out loud a fair bit and got considerably concerned for the characters as the pages turned. While things did tie up a touch too neatly at the end, I do think it worked well for me as something that was ultimately satisfying.

4.5 stars

Reading FOUL HEART HUNTSMAN reminded me of why I fell in love with Chloe Gong’s writing in the first place, and this is not just because we may have gotten to see some familiar faces (no spoilers from me!). One thing about the writing is that it is super immersive; it really grounds you into the world and makes you, as the reader, a part of the story.

In terms of the plot, it keeps moving. I absolutely loved the pacing of this book. The action in this book literally never slows down and you’re just on your toes the whole time, wondering what exactly is going to happen. Yes, there are multiple storylines but trust me, they all work out and culminate together in the end, to give us a very amazing conclusion. And the plot twists? Don’t even get me started on those. Chloe Gong knows how to do plot twists and do them well, and this book is no different. There is one twist that literally left me gasping.

After reading the two novellas, I knew there would be some familiar characters making an appearance and oh my god, I loved the way they entered the story. There wasn’t a lot of focus on them and some were just there for a few pages, but their cameos were done so well. And of course, Rosalind and Orion. I literally cannot forget about them. This book solidified them as my OTP. Because their dynamic together? Perfection, I’m telling you. Literal perfection.

All in all, FOUL HEART HUNTSMAN is a great conclusion, to what has been an incredible universe, with some of the best characters and amazing plot twists. I am going to be missing this world a lot. (and of course, I may have stalked chloe’s pinterest and may have made a moodboard. Or two. hehe)

I have been waiting for the sequel to Lady Foul Fortune ever since the cliffhanger. It has had me on edge ever since, so thankfully enough, I was able to read Foul Heart Huntsman early. And I have so much to say.
Before I talk all about my feelings regarding Foul Heart Huntsman, I will warn anyone who doesn’t want any spoilers to avoid reading this review. I won’t spoil too much, but I might say something that would catch you by surprise. Full warning: there are a few spoilers, so avoid it if you don’t want to read any spoilers.
Now, let’s talk about the Foul Heart Huntsman. There is so much to say, but I won’t go into full details because I don’t want to spoil the finale to the duology. But there are a few things that I want to express.
Rosalind's endless determination to find Orion again had me in a chokehold. She is literally the definition of searching the ends of the earth in order to find your loved one. And I fully support her. Orion is her name. She is willing to do everything to get him back, no matter what. That’s what kept me going as I read through Foul Heart Huntsman.
While I fully support Rosalind’s determination, I felt highly annoyed with Orion's sister, aka the priest, Phoebe. She is literally annoying. I am sorry, but I can’t stand her. She acts so childish for her age. I don’t understand at all. Like why? Literally why? I dread reading her chapters.
Even though I am annoyed with Orion's sister, Phoebe, I truly enjoy Rosalind's sister, Celia. She was always my favorite character in the These Violent Delights series. So, it’s a bit expected that I will enjoy her in this sequel. She steps up her game. I won’t say what, but she did.
On the subject of Celia, I am loving that we are getting a love story in this book. There was a potential storyline that wasn’t fully explored until now. And I was screaming my lungs out whenever it was Celia chapters because we were getting her love story no matter how dangerous her mission is.
You know what I need from the Foul Heart Huntsman finale? Alisa is getting her chance. She is literally the definition of a girl boss in a secret operation. I need her to have her own book. I know you hear me, Chloe Gong. I need Alisa to have her own book asap, please and thank you.
With all of these feelings, I can say that I enjoyed reading The Foul Heart Huntsman. It was a thrilling finale to the duology. And it nicely wrapped everything up between Rosalind and Orion, even though it was kind of touch-and-go.

Historical fantasy inspired by Shakespeare and full of espionage? Talk about an untapped market. Full disclosure: I did not read the connected duology, These Violent Delights. Full disclosure, again: I loved this anyways. Such a fun world filled with lovable characters, betrayals, longing, secret agents, and epic proclamations of love. The temporal setting is 1930s Shanghai and I do wish there was a bit more commitment with the language (felt a bit too modern) but I think Gong did this intentionally to appeal to the target audience. I’m hoping we get to revisit this world via other characters but this wrapped up in a completely satisfying way. Overall, a great duology with fantastic characters. Looking forward to reading more from Chloe Gong.