First of all, what a wonderful concept! When I first heard about it, I was instantly intrigued. It's also so amazing to think that Keshe and I both thought to write about stories based on people behind mirrors, yet both of our stories are soo different and that was also what pulled me further towards this book.

Thank you to keshe for giving me an early copy. This was a wonderful book for a debut, I love Zhang and Ying and I hope they rule together. Forever 💗💗

I hope we get more of these cuties again. Amazing book Keshe, and I hope to read more books by you soon. 🫶🏽

The Girl with No Reflection is a suspenseful, atmospheric read with a gripping premise. Keshe Chow crafts a mysterious storyline that keeps readers intrigued, and the eerie elements add a layer of tension that works well for fans of psychological thrillers. The pacing is generally strong, and the central mystery provides some compelling twists.

However, the plot can feel uneven at times, and some characters lack depth, which makes it harder to fully invest in their fates. While the story is engaging, certain twists and revelations are predictable, preventing it from reaching its full potential.

Overall, The Girl with No Reflection is an entertaining thriller with suspenseful moments—but it falls short of being truly memorable or groundbreaking in the genre.

The Girl with No Reflection is a really cool mix of fantasy, horror, and romance, packed with Chinese folklore. The story follows Princess Ying Yue, who gets caught up in a palace full of mirror magic and missing brides. The creepy mirror world feels super fresh and mysterious, and the Mirror Prince adds a nice twist with their enemies-to-lovers trope. Sometimes the story speeds up a bit too much near the end, but the worldbuilding and cultural details make up for it. If you’re into spooky, myth-inspired stories with a bit of romance and lots of twists, this debut novel is definitely worth checking out.

I do say the writing, though it is beautiful, sometimes leads to telling rather than showing, especially in the beginning. I had a difficult time getting started and pushing through the first three chapters because of this.

I had such high hopes for this story, but unfortunately it didn't work for me. Immediately I had such a hard time with the juvenile, awkward writing. I also found myself annoyed with every character we met. We are told about Ying's training and intelligence only to be shown none of those things. The story didn't make up for any of the novels flaws, and found myself uninterested in picking this back up once I stopped. Overall, I thought everything was executed in a lackluster way, and I'm sad since it had such an intriguing concept and a beautiful special edition.

I would be interested if the author eventually wrote an adult book, but perhaps edited by a different team.

This book…oh my where do I begin?
I mean, obviously based on the description, the book sounds like it will be an interesting read. It definitely caught my attention.

Unfortunately……this book….just wasn’t ….

It fell short and I struggled to finish it.

There are not many FMC I just absolutely don’t like. Perhaps a few I finding annoying or dislike at first but eventually they have a few redeeming qualities that make them tolerable. This was not the case with Ying. I disliked her. I just couldn’t with her… just…no.

Also, a few things threw me off and took me out of the story. The language, certain phrases, especially the curing seemed out of place for the setting and characters. Also the crude jokes not only seemed too much but why in a young adult book? Honestly, this book is a bit too far on the sexy side for young adult…it’s definitely not one I would allow my daughter to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 45%
I didn't like how the romance shifted so easily from one LI to another LI (I could totally see the plot twist coming). The MC was too hotheaded which led to disastrous consequences. The plot was interesting but I couldn't keep reading.

I was absolutely thrilled to read this book but unfortunately DNFed it. My reasons are listed below (spoliers included):
1. The MC fell in love way too quickly, I get it the Mirror Prince was everything she wanted in her real husband and she couldn't help but love him. But she seriously needed to doubt those around her a little more.
2. After the Mirror Prince's betrayal the MC shifted too quickly from him to the real husband, I was so confused.
3. The MC made decisions that made me so angry. She wasn't rational but impulsive and that resulted in chaos.
I wish I could've enjoyed it more!

Thank you to Netgalley and Keshe Chow for this book.

I'm going to make this review short and to the point. I did not finish this book, probably making it 40% through before ultimately giving up. The characters in the book were incredibly juvenile, and the plot was not well thought out.

I was fascinated with the concept of a mirror world and the lore about reflection beings, but the author just could not make this work for me. This was also a book that was marketed as horror, but I would err on the side of fantasy with a dabble of horror.

Keshe Chow’s The Girl with No Reflection is a beautifully imagined short story that weaves Chinese folklore into a compelling narrative about identity and belonging. The story follows a girl cursed to live without a reflection, exploring the emotional and cultural weight of being different in a world that prizes conformity. Chow’s prose is lyrical yet precise, and the atmosphere she creates feels both haunting and magical. What makes the story especially powerful is how it balances fantasy with very human emotions, grief, hope, and the desire to be seen. It’s a standout piece that leaves a lasting impression.

I loved it so much that I bought a copy for myself. I highly recommend this to any library serving teens. It has a similar vibe to The Neverending Story and I loved it. No so much in similarities with plot or style but the full embracing of the world building and the reader to embrace the events. It is stunning.

I got to say it. It truly didn't have to be so long in my opinion. Like, I still enjoy reading it but the story dragged a bit. I wished it was a bit shorter. I would have enjoyed it more.

Not for me. while I respect that this author is utilizing some classic tropes, it was too much insta-love for me. The characters felt flat and I wasn't able to get to know them well.

This felt like an average YA fantasy read. It was fun and enjoyable, something unique and different, but not one that will stick with me.

One of the facets that was a drawback for me was the modern language. The profanities had a tendency to take me out of the story and at times felt out of place and/or immature. It was a drawback for me and my ability to immerse myself in a pretty neatly built fantasy world.

I also didn't love some of the characters. Both princes were pretty mediocre. There was nothing to draw me in and get me invested in the romance. I also felt Ying fell in love too quickly. I am a huge fan of a slow-burn romance. When the character falls too quickly, it often feels like there's a lack of development and it makes it feel too YA to me. I didn't see the chemistry and the development.

The plot was fun and unique. It was the strongest part of this read and it was enough to keep me engaged and continuing on. Had some of the other facets (character and relationship development) been sufficiently coupled with it, this would have felt like a top notch read.

For me, this was a solid, average read: three stars.

Creepy and swoonworthy with lots of twists and turns! Can't wait for the next book by Keshe Chow!

Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte for this ARC!

3.5/5 stars

It's been a long time since I've read a standalone fantasy, and there are good things and bad things about them.

The first good thing is that the action gets started right away because every page is so important and the author doesn't have multiple books to span the story. However, the bad thing is there are only so many pages and certain stories might be better spread across two or three books.

The Girl with no Reflection started off quickly and yet I wish there had been time to build a little more paranoia and suspense into what's happening to Princess Yue in the palace. The whole premise of the story was very interesting and gave an Alice in Wonderland feel with the mirrors, and I think this series would have benefited from a duology to give some more back story and build up. I liked the dynamic between Yue and the two princes, though the twist was a little predictable. (Though that also comes from reading similar stories and understanding the "formula" for drama and story movement instead of anything the author did or didn't write.)

I think she created a wonderful world and, again, would have just benefited from more pages to delve into certain details a little more. Also to really flesh out the relationships between the characters. There were so many people that it was hard to establish these connections with such a relatively short number of pages.

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Children's | Delacorte Press. for the chance to read a book in exchange of an honest review.

Princess Ying Yue is chosen as a new bride for the crown prince and her dreams of love and fairytale soon fall apart, because her new husband is cold and indifferent, confining her in her rooms without a true reason. And the rumors about seven other women disappeared after their own weddings don't help her being calm and feeling safe in her new life. Left alone with her own reflection, Ying starts to see weird things, movements, lights and on the eve of her wedding, she unwittingly open a getaway and she's pulled into a mirror world. There, there are sentient figures, like the Mirror Prince, who, unlike her prince, is kind and lovely and soon they fall in love. Soon she will discover the bloody stories these two worlds share and her role in them, before it's too late like it was for the other spouses.

Mysterious, creepy, brilliant are only a few adjectives I want to use to describe this book. I truly loved it and I felt so involved in the story. I felt for Ying, for her suffocating life and her dreams so shaken and then I followed her falling in love, discovering secrets and I was so proud of her journey. I loved this book so much, very original!

Being so honest, this book wasn't my cup of tea. I believed it to have a lot of potential and was highly intrigued by the premise but it fell flat on every front. The characters, including our lead, were barely developed beyond the surface level. As a reader, I struggled to empathize with and understand their motives. The lead character flip flops back and forth between two guys yet fails to establish convincing relationships with either one. I admit it started off strong with the fear and creepiness convincing enough to send minor chills down my back but from the second the plot began to establish itself, it lost me as a reader. Still, I believe Chow to have potential and this book isn't enough to deter me from completely forgoing another shot at a different publication.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A really great example of incredible premise with lackluster execution. I wanted to know more about the world and how it came to be and how it functioned--but there was so much focus on the insta-love, the frustrating inactions of our flighty MC, and the nonstop action that explanations and worldbuilding fell by the wayside.

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***

Growing up I loved Alice Through the Looking Glass, I loved the idea have of having another world beyond the mirror. So when I saw The Girl with No Reflection, I knew I had to read it.

I love the concept of the story, it’s very unique. Plus there is a whole background lore that goes along with it that, I thought that part was well thought out. All of those elements of the story I liked very much.

Honestly I struggled a bit with the main character, Ying. She just made really silly decisions and I was trying to remind myself this is someone who is young and just sheltered I guess. It was hard though when you are like, seriously what’s the difference between this guy you don’t know and this other guy you don’t know. She made it seem like it was obvious. It was not. She was simply naive.

Despite getting frustrated with the MC I did like the story. It was very creative and I enjoyed the book. So I will read what the author has coming out next.

The mirror universe plotline was interesting, but overall there was a lot going on and lack of strong worldbuilding which made it a slog to get through. For readers looking for Asian-inspired ya fantasy, I wouldn't not recommend, but there are definitely stronger titles to recommend first.