The magic system in this book is fascinating, incorporating diverse Asian cultures and folklore to create a rich and layered hidden society in modern San Francisco. While the beginning could have been trimmed down, and the pacing felt slow at times, the story is enjoyable. Despite a short deadline for the main character, the action didn't move at the expected breakneck speed, and it felt like time was being stretched for plot convenience. The protagonist, Emiko, has an intriguing past, but her character lacks depth and engagement. However, other characters, such as the Tran siblings and Emiko's parents, are more intriguing. The action scenes are plentiful and enjoyable, and the magic system is detailed.
Overall, "Ebony Gate" is a fun read, but it leans more towards a young adult audience and could benefit from further character development.

Ebony Gate: The Phoenix Hoard is first in series (I hope!) and the narration (by Natalie Naudus) was outstanding. I was immediately swept into the story and found it fast paced, with well developed characters, who have insecurities and are quirky too.. If you like authors like Yoon Ha Lee, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, this is a MUST READ.
This is my first outing with authors Julie Vee and Ken Bebelle. I am now going back to find everything else they've written to read! 5*****

I received an advanced copy of this compliments of MacMillan Audio & NetGalley.

This book is great for those who enjoy contemporary fantasy. It gives off similar vibes to Jade City and I can see where the comparison to John Wick comes through. The authors did a great job at introducing our heroine, but I do have to say that the magic system confused me a bit. The authors created a great first book and I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes.

Ebony Gate is a great start to an urban fantasy series, filled with action, high stakes and magic.

Emiko Soong is retired from being the Butcher of Beijing and living a quiet life assessing antiques in San Francisco. When a death god calls in a favour, she finds herself drawn back into a fight between clans.

I liked Emiko, she’s a reluctant hero with a strained relationship with her family. I thought her journey to accepting her own power and adjusting her expectations of herself to be a very relatable one. I’m really interested to see more of Emiko’s history with her family and what secrets they have been hiding from her.

It will be really interesting to see where this story goes and how the repercussions of Ebony Gate’s plot affects the clans worldwide. I had some issues with the pace. (the ending was very drawn out) but I would still recommend this for fans of action based urban fantasy. I can tell book two will up the ante! There’s a lot that has been set up and I’m excited to see where it goes!

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

Emiko Soong retired from her life as the Blade of the Soong Clan, fleeing to San Francisco to trade antiques and kill the occasional monster. And then she's forced to fulfill a blood debt.

I really liked Ebony Gate and found it scratched a lot of the same itches that a good action movie or shonen series does, albeit more complex as Vee and Bebelle have given the story quite a bit of room to breathe. Emiko is a really excellent main character (I love a tired adult!) and I loved the magic and side characters, too. I thought Emiko's past was woven into the story well, and she had a strong narrative voice. Freddy and Fiona were very fun, and while I thought the villain was maybe a little less nuanced, I don't think the story overall is detracted from, and of the two John Wick movies I've seen, it's about what I had expected (I don't love putting a lot of stock on comps, but like, this one was such an easy sell for me).

I think the overall plot is interesting and sets the rest of the series up well, though the beginning takes a little bit to find its groove and the ending is a little bit drawn out. I think it's a bit less noticeable on audio as Natalie Naudus does an excellent job at bringing Emiko's voice to life and I'm quite used to slightly drawn out beginnings anyway. I do think it's a little difficult at times to wrap your head around the fact this is taking place over a couple of days, but I personally wasn't too bothered by this since I think this book is such a good time—the audiobook slotted into my normal "watch TV while cooking meals" routine quite well, as I found this hit a lot of the same beats.

Naudus' narration as always is excellent and every time I see her name on a production I am excited to hear her work.

In any case! I really enjoyed reading this and had a lot of fun doing so. I do feel primed to be a fan, but I think that Vee and Bebelle stuck the landing.

DNF

I got roughly twenty-five precent and released it was meant for me but it definitely has an audience out there.