I absolutely loved Katrina's writing in this one!! Reading Sai's POV was really refreshing to read and I really enjoyed how Katrina explored the themes of reincarnation, red thread of fate, fated lovers and of course, the dragons. I'm not 100% fully brushed up on my mythology, but Katrina did make fun choices for this story. Intertwining the history with the current day was really nice and helped fleshed out the worldbuilding. Although the pacing was a bit too quick for me, this was a really strong 300 page YA standalone, and I like how things ended.

Review: The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan
⭐ 3.5/5 stars (rounded down)

What I Liked:
✔ Engaging Storyline: The plot kept me interested, and I especially enjoyed the flashbacks and how they tied into the main events.
✔ Solid Characterization: The main characters were well-developed, and I had no major complaints about their portrayal.
✔ Battle Scenes & Dialogue: Both were well-executed and added to the story’s momentum.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
✖ Inconsistent Tone: The writing style and overall tone felt mismatched with the darker elements of the story.
✖ Flat Side Characters: Many supporting characters seemed one-dimensional, existing only for a single plot moment.
✖ Rushed Romance: The relationship between the leads felt underdeveloped, especially considering what we learn through flashbacks.

Final Thoughts:
While I don’t regret reading this book, I found it a bit confusing in terms of tone. It often felt like YA or even middle grade, yet it included semi-explicit scenes and intense moments of torture. The contrast between whimsical storytelling and darker fantasy elements didn’t fully mesh. I think it would have worked better if it had fully embraced the fairytale-like narrative instead of trying to balance both styles.

That said, there were plenty of great aspects, and I’d be interested in reading more from Katrina Kwan in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!

I started this a few weeks ago and struggled to remain engaged. I'm in the mood for something with a faster pace right now, so this is a "me" problem. DNF for now, but I want to return later and try again.

What a phenomenal read. This book was great , the characters were well developed and you could feel so much for them. Love the mythology on it . This was written like a fairytale and I loved that about it. Definitely a very immersive read and worth every second of it .

While I was not as enamored of this romantasy as I was of Kwan's foodie romance, I enjoyed her storytelling and look forward to more of her works.

The world-building is rich and imaginative, and the characters interesting. I especially loved Sai's journey of self-discovery. The world-building is one of the strongest aspects of the book. Kwan paints a picture of a world that feels both fantastical and grounded, drawing inspiration from Eastern mythology and culture. The settings, from ancient temples to hidden mountains, are vividly described, making it easy for readers to imagine themselves within this magical realm.

While the pacing can feel a bit slow in places, and some parts are a little predictable, it's still a really fun read. Overall, it’s a solid start to a series, and I’m excited to see where it goes from here! If you’re a fan of fantasy, definitely give this one a try!

Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5

This was such a lovely read! I have never read a book that was in the Male's pov before. I was blown away by the details and beautiful romantic story between sai and jyn. One of my best reads last year.

THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST by Katrina Kwan is a unique blend of Chinese Mythology and Fantasy. Kwan , seamlessly incorporates a rich tapestry of characters and viewpoints. This story follows Sai, a 25 year old who can matchmake with his ability to see the threads of possible soulmates. His own thread is a bit to be desired. This book is filled with magic, danger, action, and love. If you enjoy fantasy and mythology, consider THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST as a potential read.

*4.5 rounded up*

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Even the purest of love is not immune to poison…” “…When love gives way to possession, it is no longer love at all”

I would like to thank Saga Press, Netgalley, and the Author for a copy of this ARC. Katrina Kwan holds a special place in my heart, and I actually got a little bit of a very early draft of this novel. When I read the intro chapter, I was hooked. I struggled with how not to talk about it, knew that it deserved to go to a big publisher, and knew exactly which friends I would shove it into the hands of.

Anyone who reads, writes or watches fantasy should know of the red threads of fate. It is a theme I have seen woven through stories in many different ways, and learning a little bit more about it's origin was a welcome adventure. The way she introduces Sai as into the story as a matchmaker, helping others find their fated ones, while so curious about it own seemed so curious to me. Had I had the ability I feel like I would have tracked down my soulmate without second thinking. But instead he never truly searched. He was curious yes, but he continued to help others, and believed that if he was meant to find his pair, fate would evenutally step in.

I went through so many emotions throughout this book, and sitting here trying to encapsulate this adventure in a short, non-spoilery review feels almost impossible. The banter was adorable and the grumpy sunshine aspect was out in full swing once we found "her". His constant nicknames made me want to punch him in the face for her, or throw him in a river (iykyk).

Once she finally opens up and reveals their history, my heart shattered. I felt so much pain for them both, and so much anger, and struggled to keep reading at times but knew that if I did, I would know their happy ever after. It took a lot to get there and the twist at the end made it so much harder to get there, but I loved every minute I spent with these characters, and am sad that it is a standalone novel.

If I had to find any moment that stopped this from being 5 stars, it would be that I felt that Sai's character took a bit of a 180 toward the end of the book, once he had regained memories. I feel as though he went from helpless and timid, to suddenly having the confidence of a war general. I think this is understandable with learning what he had, but wish there had been a little more build into this. It felt like a very stark contrast between the Sai I spent most of the book with, and the one I would be leaving the story with.

Setting this aside, Kwan wove a beautiful story rich in the lore of her own heritage and is a master at building relationships that are hard to step away from. Friends, enemies, lovers, every interaction felt high stakes and I left wishing for more in this world. Brava on her Fantasy debut, and I cannot wait to pick up what ever she creates next.

The Last Dragon of the East is a fantasy romance (kinda) novel written by Katrina Kwan, a Chinese Canadian author, and is inspired by different Chinese myths - most notably that of the Red Thread of Fate that connects every person to their own "fated one" (soulmate). The book follows Sai, a young man who lives with his sick mother and can see people's Red Threads of Fate and who helps other people with that power by matching them up with their fated ones. Except Sai's own thread is mysteriously gray and frayed and when he is forced by the powerful Emperor out on a dangerous journey to find a legendary green dragon, Sai finds that his own thread is connected to that very same green dragon.

The result is a story that is really delightful, weaving in bits and parts of other Chinese Myths, an adventure to escape from the dangerous corrupt Emperor, and of course a romance between Sai and the Green Dragon Jyn. I said "kinda" romance above, because there really isn't the classic romance arc you usually see in a usual romance (Jyn and Sai are fated to be together as we know from the start after all), but the romance that we have here is very charming and enjoyable, helped along by Sai's voice and the excellent writing of Kwan. There are bits and parts here and there that are predictable and might not really make much sense if you think about it too hard, but I was so charmed by this novel that I didn't really mind.

More specifics after the jump:

Plot Summary:
For most of his 25-year-old life, Sai has lived a life where has largely kept his head down and not tried to make big waves in the world. His biggest care is his mother and the teahouse that his mother and late father once ran...and now, with his mother sick, that burden has fallen to him. But with the teahouse failing, Sai's only way to make enough money for his mother and him to stay alive (and his mother get her medicine) is to use his one special skill: his ability to see the Red Thread of Fate between a person and their Fated One. It's a skill Sai can't explain, but he's been able to use it to match up those who come to him with the ones who are meant to be with them. Alas, Sai's skill presents him with a puzzle as to himself, for the thread attached to Sai himself isn't red...but is gray and fraying, unlike all of the other threads he's seen.

But events soon conspire to send Sai out into the greater world against his wishes: first, he discovers that the only thing that may heal his mother are forbidden green dragon scales, and then he comes to the attention somehow of the dangerous Emperor....who threatens to kill Sai's mother if Sai doesn't follow through a single task: to seek out the last Green Dragon herself and bring her to the Emperor. It's an impossible task, but Sai has no choice, and soon he finds himself with the Emperor's army on his way to parts unknown, in search of what he believed to be only myth.

And yet as Sai goes into foreign lands, he feels for the first time his own gray thread tugging him in a direction, as if his fated one is near. And when he finds the thread tied to the Green Dragon himself, he will discover truths about himself and his own love that have been fated since time immortal...

The Last Dragon of the East is told in the first person voice of Sai, a protagonist who I found to be really charming and delightful. Sai carries this book, because Sai is honest, caring, and well accepting to things in a way that most other people aren't. It's not that Sai is against necessarily keeping a secret (he certainly does at points). But when Sai goes on a journey in this book to find the green dragon and does and finds that his Thread of Fate is connected to her, Sai doesn't fight that (to the extent one can in this story), but goes all in on it. And yet while he's occasionally snarky and definitely a little quirky about it, he never feels rude or annoying, but just someone who I cared about and could carry this journey in full earnest good faith.

And it's a really delightful journey (sorry for reusing that word, it's hard to describe). Sai winds up meeting really two people of interest: a Huntress named Feng who is snarky herself and wants to kill the green dragon for reasons that are later revealed and the Green Dragon herself, who transforms herself into a woman named Jyn. Jyn and Sai's relationship is really lovely, as Jyn tries to push Sai away and Sai pushes but isn't rude or making inappropriate advances in response to those pushes (it helps that he can sense her true emotions). And the story colors that relationship with bits of a myth that reveal the truth about it and that are helped by the story not really trying to hide from Sai too long the truth as to the connection between he and Jyn in the first place, something that other books might do to keep intrigue up and to annoy the reader.

It's not the usual type of romance between Sai and Jyn, as well, there's very little feeling out of their character traits or why they should love each other in this book: they are fated to love each other. But how that love re-blossoms through their adventure is really well done, and the tragic nature of their pasts is surprising but works really well. And before I make this book sound too light and fluffy, it is strengthened by Kwan being absolutely willing to pull off plot twists that the reader might find shocking and disturbing...even though they make perfect sense. There's one moment here that made me go AHHHHHH and it worked really well for doing so.

There are certainly themes here about true love and caring vs a love being manipulative and power hungry as well to add to the plot that I haven't really gotten into here. The novel just works, even if some plot twists and character actions probably don't work if you think about it too much (how the antagonist is defeated is like, "why didn't the antagonist have a plan to deal with that?"). Recommended.

That is a really good reason to not like someone, on the list forever. "The Last Dragon of the East" by Katrina Kwan was much more brutal than I expected.

Everybody needs a side hustle it seems. For Sai it's bringing people in contact with someone they are fated for. He can see red strings that connect two people. His is grey though, not like he can leave to see what's at the end while taking care of an ailing mother. Unfortunately, he finds medication that saves her, but it is illegal and he gets wrapped up in events. Events that end with him either dead or bringing the Emperor a dragon.

Reasons to read:
-Directly to jail, bury in a pit that person
-Unexpectedly brutal, for justified reasons in some cases
-Bonding over fighting off crazy monsters in a pit who want to eat you
-Hey patience works

Cons:
-Well that was rather sad

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I found this book to be somewhat unmemorable and I really think it was because it was trying to do too much. The book starts off with a really fast pace which drew me in. There wasn't a lot of lore or world building, but that was fine because I was enjoying the story for what it was. Then all of a sudden about halfway through it seems that it all of a sudden tried to shift the story to be something more than just a nice young man doing the bidding of an evil emperor. It tries to stay cozy but also work all kinds of tropes into the second half of the book and gratuitous violence that seemed really out of pocket for what the book had already presented so far. I'll be honest I was just confused. It honestly felt like two different authors each penned a half of the book and shoved them together.

The Last Dragon of the East is a breathtaking blend of Chinese mythology, adventure, and fate-driven romance. From the moment I picked it up, I was utterly captivated by Sai’s journey—from struggling teahouse owner to an unwilling hero tangled in a dangerous search for a long-lost dragon. His ability to see the red threads of fate adds a unique layer to this story, creating a beautiful tension between destiny and choice.

Sai is a wonderfully endearing protagonist—charming, a bit awkward, and brimming with heart. His dynamic with Jyn, a fierce and guarded warrior, was an absolute delight. Their grumpy-sunshine dynamic had me grinning, and Sai’s devotion to her was swoon-worthy. Every interaction between them sparkled with chemistry, and the slow unraveling of their bond felt both epic and deeply personal.

Beyond the romance, the novel weaves in themes of sacrifice, legacy, and self-discovery, all set against a richly imagined world. The writing is lyrical, the emotions raw, and the tension builds beautifully throughout the story. While some plot elements were predictable, the execution made every moment feel fresh and impactful.

If you love epic fantasy with heartfelt romance, lush mythology, and dragons (even if they are more legend than presence), The Last Dragon of the East is a must-read. Katrina Kwan’s debut is a triumph, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

I was intrigued about the folklore and dragon origins of this one, however it fell a bit flat and I found it hard to remain interested in since it was a bit slow.

I tried for several weeks with this book and made it to about 20%. Sadly, I will be DNFing at 20%. The premise was interesting with the red threads of fate. The story just didn’t capture me or pull me in. That’s not to say I’ll never come back to this story but I’ve been working on it for over a month and just not picking it up.

The Last Dragon of the East is the story of an epic love spread across many lifetimes. The book focuses on various aspects of Chinese mythology, particularly the red strings of fate.

Sai has spent most of his life taking care of his ailing mother and trying to keep their family tea shop afloat. He also has a unique gift - the ability to see the red strings of fate that tie soul mates together, which leaves Sai as a bit of a romantic. His own string lies dormant, limp and dull grey. When Sai is found in possession of dragon scales he's acquired to try to help heal his mother, the emperor forces him to hunt the last dragon and retrieve more. On his journey, something happens with Sai's string and he's taken on an adventure to find his own Fated One and learn what he'll do to protect her.

The Last Dragon of the East was such a fun read and was so rich in Chinese mythology and even culture. The love story is unique and spans lifetimes and geography. The prose was beautiful and lush and Jyn is such a fun character.

I loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Violet Made of Thorns, and Jade Fire Gold, so I had high hopes for this one. And it started out STRONG. I was immediately pulled in but by the middle, I kind of lost interest? I don't know if it's a case of "it's not you, it's me" but even though the rest of the novel didn't deliver on its initial promise, I still feel this can be enjoyed by our readers.

2.5 ⭐️

I wanted to love this book—so much. I went into it with high hopes, but honestly, it didn’t work for me the way I wanted it to. The overall vibe was my biggest struggle. Fantasy can be heavy and intense, or it can be cozy and lighthearted—and both are great! But The Last Dragon of the East tried to do both at the same time, and it didn’t quite work. One minute there’s sarcasm and light banter, and then—BOOM—someone’s head gets chopped off and blood is flying everywhere. The characters also felt all over the place. One was supposed to be this supreme, all-powerful evil, and for a minute, it seemed like that was true… until he felt like just a regular dude. Another character was described as completely useless in combat, but somehow kept diving headfirst into fights and surviving against trained warriors. I just didn’t understand what the book wanted me to believe about them. And then there’s the language. I know this is a personal gripe, but when a story feels ancient or set in another era, I really don’t love it when the characters use modern curse words. It takes me right out of the world.

That being said, there were things I loved. Sai’s ability to see the strings of fate was such a cool concept, and I loved how it tied into his journey. The dragon legends and how they connected to the story were beautiful and emotional. I think what it comes down to is that I wanted something more consistent. There were areas that were strong, but the uneven tone, characters, and worldbuilding made it hard for me to stay engaged. I wish I could say I loved it, but this one just wasn’t for me.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing me with an e-arc & and physical copy! All opinions shared are mine and mine alone.

3.5 stars, rounded up

A fun romp!

I really liked Sai's voice, although his entire being changes toward the end, not toward the better IMO (there's an explanation for the change, though).

The book is fun, Jyn and Sai's star-crossed love is a delight, and the big bad is enough of a twist to warrant an "oh shit"...at least from me lol.

I received an ARC from NetGalley