I really wanted to enjoy this book - it has such an interesting premise. The selling point of reading this was "Squid Games meets Peter Pan" aspects of the plot, however, they fell completely flat for me. The vivid setting and descriptions of the backdrop of Thailand and the deeper dive into the folklore was the main thing I enjoyed about this book.

3 ⭐️

The supporting characters, plot and dialogue were the main parts I had a problem with. Even as a YA novel, the dialogue was extremely childish. The first 30% was extremely slow and I really had to skim to get through it. Once the bulk of the plot started rolling, there were several twists I did not necessarily see coming which was a nice change from the extremely predictable beginning.

Overcoming and adapting to topics like grief and mental illness
OCD Representation
Easy, quick YA read
Adventure & Romance
Thai folklore
Hint of Magic

The Lotus Flower Champion publishes October 31, 2023! Great for a younger YA or pre-teen audience.
Thank you to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for this digital galley in return for my honest review.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. The Lotus Flower Competition was an interesting read, as it was my first time reading about thai mythology, however I don't think I was the best target audience, as I often found myself losing interest just enough that I wasn't itching to pick the book back up after breaks. I feel like the pace was slightly rushed/the story would do well with a slightly younger reader than myself. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

This was a really easy read. It dives into Thai mythology when the premise of being stranded on an island to unlock supernatural powers. I actually would have liked a bit more gore considering the story line but nonetheless it was a good young adult novel.

I liked the abundance of characters although it was sometimes hard to keep track of.

The challenges were entertaining but some parts were quite slow. I think I would have liked a bit more natural dialogue about how certain powers manifest according to specific Thai myths instead of one of the characters telling us the answer because she majored in Asian mythology.

The protagonist also has OCD and I think the novel did a good job in portraying the disorder and having to learn to live with it.

4.5 Stars!! I honestly don’t think I’ve ever rated a ya book this highly before but honestly following the characters and their journey was the best thing I’ve experienced. This book had me hooked from the get go and I 100% recommend it. Thank you to the publishers on NetGalley for letting me read a copy of this amazing book!

I really wanted to like The Lotus Flower Champion more than I did. Although it was an easy read, it felt a little rushed. I enjoyed the way that Thai mythology was interspersed throughout and being exposed to some of those stories was wonderful. Alaia is a wonderful character that overcame some very large obstacles (personal and external) that would've taken a weaker spirit down. There were several twists and turns that made you wonder where the story was going to take her which were well thought out. I just felt like this book could've slowed down a bit more to take time with the characters and their feelings and give the story a bit more room to fully develop.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing me this ARC!

Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of the book. The story felt stiff, disjointed and weird. The characters are way too cartoonish, the dialogue is VERY weird in places and their reactions to what unfolds in front of them is unnatural.

the Thai folktales and description of OCD were the only saving grace for this book for me. I would be interested though to read more books from the authors.

No escape. Follow the rules. And don’t count on reality—in this uniquely vibrant romantasy from NYT bestselling author Pintip Dunn and daughter Love Dunn…

This was fine, nothing special. I didn't hate it but I don't know that I would necessarily recommend it.

I didn’t know what to expect when going into this book, I wanted to read it solely based on the cover and I can honestly say that I don’t think I read the description for it before I started reading it. I found this book to have a slower start and it took a couple chapters to set up the world before the story really started to get good. Once we got to the boat, the story just kept getting better and better. This book is a YA fantasy book with a hint of romance and it was as if Lord of the Flies was combined with asian folklore. I have always found asian folklore to be some of the most interesting stories and it’s always weird to see how stories differ in different regions of the world, and the asian ones have some of the best. The fact that this book had such high stakes for the characters and a hint of magic, really kept my focus on never wanting to put it down. I can honestly say that the plot twists really got me, I was caught off guard when everything was revealed. But wow, this book was such a good read, I highly recommend it if you like magic, escape rooms, life or death situations, romance, or high stakes in books.

The Lotus Flower Champion is an enjoyable read. It is described as Squid Games meets Peter Pan. I can understand why, but its a stretch. Once I stopped thinking I was going to get a sense of Squid Games I enjoyed this much more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this book.

The book was a hard read for me. I am not into Thai mythology and just had a very hard time getting into this book.

The book s not fast paced and almost totally lost my interest. Not sure what could be done but it just did not engage me and I really tried to become invested.

I found myself putting it away, coming back and, rereading chapters.

I finished, but it just wasn't interesting to me in any way.

Maybe for someone interested in this subject, it would be different.

Two stars for me. Would not recommend.

The Lotus Flower Champion was a wild ride. I can honestly say that for the entire book the only thing I felt like I could predict was who became the champion. The story definitely keeps you guessing as you try to figure out the fate of each of the castaways. There were so many things I enjoyed about this book and a couple things that just fell short in my opinion.

Things I liked:
It was so nice to see representation of what dealing with OCD can look like and how it affects your day today. The character growth Alaia experienced was also written very well. I also really enjoyed the fact like I there were several twists that I didn’t see coming when usually I feel like I can predict what happens next. The use of Thai folktales was really interesting too as I have know prior knowledge to such things.

Things I didn’t like:
At times I felt like the pacing was strange. It felt a little clumsy to read through. If anything this would be what knocked a star off my review and kept the rating from 4 stars to more like 3.5 stars. It took me a while to get interested enough to sit and binge read mostly because of the writing style.

Overall I really enjoyed the story and would recommend for a preteen to teenage audience.

I received this book as an advanced reader copy from Entagled Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and options are my own.

Unfortunately this wasn't the "squid games meets Peter pan" that it was marketed as. I think that if it wasn't marketed that way I honestly would have rated it higher but if you go into something with a very specific expectation and it feels to meet that you feel a little dissatisfied with the book. It was also a bit more middle grade than I was expecting.

I absolutely loved all of the folklore. It was the shining star throughout the entire book and I could have read pages upon pages of it. The writing itself was also fantastic. The way things were written out gave them almost a magical feel to it. Add that in with the vivid descriptions and you easily have a very clear picture of what's being described to you and that's something that I love in books. Being able to clearly see what I'm reading in my head as I read.

It's by no means a bad book. I just went into it thinking it was going to be something completely different so I was a bit let down. It's still an extremely enjoyable read.

Rated 3.5 Stars

The Lotus Flower Champion was an enjoyable read but it didn't work for me all the way. The challenges grated on my nerves after a while. I got the point of them and even though I loved seeing the growth, strength and resilience come forth in the heroine I still found them annoying. I wasn't all the way sold on the romance either. It felt lacking in some ways while also being cute and sweet. What I did like was the infusion of Thai folklore into the story and the edge of the seat moments of which there were a few. While this didn't fully work for me I am interested in reading other books by these authors.

I received this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

CW: conversations around death and dying, loss of a parent, cancer, child abuse and neglect

This was such a great read! It's full of magic and myths! It's diverse and full of twists and turns. An island where X-men meets Maze Runner and entwined in Thai folklore. And representation of mental disorders as the main character Alaia has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. However, I cannot speak to the accuracy of the portrayal of the condition since I do not have it myself.

Alaia's mother is dying of cancer and to give her one last moment of true peace before she passes, they head to Thailand for one final adventure. While on a sightseeing cruise, the ship goes down after explosions in the engine room compromise the ship's integrity. The last thing Alaia remembers is getting on the lifeboat before waking up on a sandy beach in the middle of the ocean. Eleven other survivors are with her, including her mother. A series of events reveals that they're here for a purpose: to push them to their emotional and physical limits in hopes of revealing hidden abilities all around Thai folklore. Many refuse to play the game of their captor who has set up the island in such a way as to facilitate their research and experimentation.

I liked the variety of magical abilities. They weren't your typical set of pyromancy, telekinesis, and shapeshifting. Some served a single purpose and others were fairly useful. I don't want to give too much away without spoiling the adventure but I will say one character either spews flowers or worms from her mouth depending on the words she says and another person can turn into a crocodile!

As someone who is very close to her mother, this book definitely keeps me on the edge of my seat because I already struggle with the concept of losing my mother. I can't imagine what Alaia's going through knowing her mother is dying.

I like that every character gets a moment in the story. Something that highlights who they are. Not many stories do that I feel. It's like once those characters are introduced, they just remain in the periphery until they're needed again. My favorite characters were Mateo and Sylvie who show so much strength and spirit throughout the story.

I also liked how my questions were actually answered. I have a habit of looking for continuations of details that are brought up and love when I get answers to them. If I don't, it tends to impact my review without me realizing it. (whoops!)

Ok, clearly you see this isn't a 5-star review so let's talk about the things that weren't my favorite.
-I didn't think that they went as in-depth with the myths as they could have. There were definitely some stories told, but not all of them.
-I wanted to love Rae. I think she's still a strong character but she went back and forth from being this (pardon the phrase) badass to being "the mean girl". She'd redeem herself and then say something pretty crappy.
-There's a plot twist that I won't go into specifics of but it basically happens twice and as good as a gotcha moment is, it's less effective the second time. Kinda ruins the vibe because then you're just looking to have it happen a third time.
-There's also a scene towards the end that I wish we had dwelled on just a little longer. To really feel in that moment. Granted, I'm sure it would have ruined me if it did, but it just happened so fast I think it would've been more impactful on the reader if we held that moment just a little bit longer both before and after.

Otherwise, I enjoyed the read!

This was a great read! The cover instantly drew me in and I fell in love with the story right away.

The co-writing was good and overall it was well written. I really enjoyed the concept with Thai mythology.

The authors did a fabulous job of bringing the world to life with their amazing descriptions. I felt like I was right there with the characters.

I definitely reccomened this to any YA reader who likes an easy read with a bit of magic and lore!

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read this ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Lotus Flower Champion was bizarre and interesting, familiar and new, and a blend of genres. The settings were very picturesque. I felt the story was easy to get into and that Alaia was a very compelling character. The main character, Alaia, battles Obsessive Compulsion Disorder and is having to come to terms with her dear mother's health deteriorating due to cancer. The Lotus Flower Champion was well written, and I would recommend it to other young adult readers who enjoy bizarre reads with some magical elements with a secluded island as one of the main settings.

The Lotus Flower Champion felt like it was inspired by Twelve Blind Princesses and Caraval by Stephanie Garber, mixed with the hit TV Show Survivor and some more Thai Mythology.

Content Guide: Death. Grief. Horroresque Elements.

★★★
-
This book was described as 'Squid Games meets Peter Pan', but both components didn't even show up in the book. A bit of a slow start, but after you get past the beginning there was a lot of action. This was inspired by elements from Thai folktales, which was what made me want to read this book in the first place. This was very predictable in my opinion, you would think that there would be a lot of high stakes with the book being described as 'Squid Games meets Peter Pan', but the stakes weren't really all that high. I'm not exactly sure how to describe this feeling I got, but like at a scene where you think someone was actually going to be killed off, you just knew they weren't going to die. A lot of the plot twists were fairly predictable.

It's interesting to read about a character like Alaia, who has OCD; the authors did a really great job on portraying Alaia's emotions and struggles on how it felt to have OCD. Meanwhile a lot of the other characters like Rae, Lola, Kit and such, didn't have much of a personality... it was more like they were just there but didn't contribute much.

The ending felt kinda rushed, everything kinda happened in the last 10%. I'm not sure if there's going to be a sequel, but the epilogue felt like it was setting up for one (or it could just be an open ending).

Not too big of a fan with the writing, but I think it's probably because it's a middle grade read. Some parts made me cringe, but other than that it was alright. Overall this was a rather enjoyable fast paced read, but pretty forgettable in my opinion.

🪷 thank you entangled publishing for the e-arc through netgalley!

"The Lotus Flower Champion" is a standalone ya contemporary fantasy, inspired by Thai mythology, written by Pintip Dunn and Love Dunn.

Compelling, fast-paced and dynamic book that kept me highly entertained. A good mix of action, Thai mythology and family dynamics, sprinkled with a bit of romance. I don't consider it a perfect story, some elements didn't convince me, but overall I still enjoyed it.

I liked the writing a lot! Simple, effervescent and light, accompanied by vivid descriptions, kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end. The fast pace, combined with the presence of short chapters, enticed me to keep going, making me reach the end without almost realizing it. In my opinion, the author did an excellent job in portraying the emotions and turmoil of the protagonist, so much so that I felt them quite a bit and empathized with her.

The plot proceeds briskly, quickly and smoothly, full of action and adventure. After a slower, introductory beginning, the story accelerates and becomes a whirlwind of events, at times a bit too frenetic. I admit that I perceived several plot holes, several convenient situations, and a rushed ending, but overall I was convinced. I found the numerous anecdotes and stories regarding Thai mythology and folklore really interesting! In addition, the story deals with important issues such as OCD and the presence of a parent with terminal cancer, in a way that I found quite intense. On more than one occasion I confess to being moved and shedding a few tears!

I loved Alaia, the protagonist with her single first person pov! Alaia is a 17-year-old girl, daughter of two doctors, on vacation in Thailand for what should be a once-in-a-lifetime family trip. A last wish for her dying mother, suffering from terminal cancer. Alaia wants to make the experience perfect; she wants to make her mother smile so she can give her happy moments. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for them. Alaia is an extremely complex and tormented character, whose characterization I enjoyed so much. Alaia suffers from a strong and insidious OCD, which often makes her life really difficult. I appreciated the way it was portrayed, the attention behind the various details. Seriously, I was moved by Alaia and cheered for her! Also I cried over the relationship with her mother, painfully sweet and intense.

The rest of the secondary characters seemed rather shallow to me. I found them flat, poorly analyzed, albeit functional to the story. There is a romance component, never dominant over the plot, which unfortunately didn't convey much to me.

All in all, this is a fast, light, and engaging read, not without its flaws, which I recommend maybe when you are looking for a quick, easy-going book!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a tale set against the backdrop of beautiful Thailand. Alaia's unexpected adventure, triggered by a boating mishap, sets the stage for a unique plot.

What I found captivating about the book:

1. The author's vivid descriptions transported me to the enchanting Thai islands, making me reminisce about my own travels.

2. The choice to have a Thai heroine, Alaia, added authenticity to the story, and her multi-dimensional character, complete with OCD, provided a fresh perspective on a character's journey.

3. The first-person narrative style engrossed me in Alaia's world, creating a strong connection with her experiences.

4. The book's infusion of adventure and romance made for an enjoyable, well-rounded plot.

What didn't quite resonate with me:

1. The story had a slow start, which required some patience to fully engage with the plot.

2. As a reader not particularly interested in Thai mythology, I found some parts of the story less engaging.

If you have a penchant for tales that blend adventure and romance against a unique cultural backdrop, this book could be a worthwhile read. However, be prepared for a slower start, and if Thai mythology doesn't pique your interest, that aspect may be less appealing.

This was pitched as “Peter pan meets squid games” and it certainly wasn’t that. I appreciated the honest and forthright portrayal of OCD but a lot of the other components of this story were a pretty big miss for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.