My thanks to Saga Press for sending me a review copy in exchange for my honest review! I still can’t believe I secured an ARC. This doesn’t affect my thoughts about the book in any way. The Last Dragon of the East is out on October 8th!

This dazzling adult romantasy debut from Katrina Kwan is woven from the tales of Chinese folklore and mythology, and features the fated soulmates trope between a grumpy dragon and a charismatic teahouse owner. I was captivated by the storytelling, with the perfect thrill of adventure and romance between the two characters. I absolutely loved Sai’s softhearted and courageous persona because he wasn’t a typical MC who wields a sword from the very beginning into battle. Sai is clumsy and impulsive, and gets into a lot of trouble throughout this book (the man is literally on death’s doorstep that’s how unlucky he is). However, it never diminished how loveable and appealing he is to me because of his devotion and loyalty (the man is literally down bad). Reading this book from Sai’s perspective was sweet and funny. To avoid spoilers, I will simply say that this book is a tragic and hopeful story of love and loss. Perfect for fans of Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Legend of The White Snake.

I’ve been trying to branch out from my usual genre of thrillers to try new genres. This is the second fantasy novel I’ve read recently and I’m hooked!

Think dragons, Chinese mythology, romance, and fate. I easily fell in love with the characters. I’ve read other novels about the red string theory of fate and I enjoyed the way it was incorporated into this story. The world building was phenomenal. The romance story was beautiful. I loved everything about this. If you are a fantasy fan do not miss this one! Even if you do not usually read fantasy this is one to not miss!

Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

sai has led a quiet life by keeping the family teahouse up and running and taking care of his mother. he also has a side hustle of matchmaking, as he’s been given the special gift of seeing the red threads of fate that run between soulmates. so far, he’s been content to not follow his own thread, the only one he’s ever seen that’s grey and fraying. but soon, his life is turned upside down, leading to him running from the ruthless emperor and into the arms of a mysterious dragon.

i LOVE books with a fated soulmates aspect and with inspirations from east asian mythology, so i was very excited to dive into this one! i ended up really enjoying this book. i thought it was interesting that the lead was a male, because i honestly don’t read that many male-led books. i really loved this because sai was so down-bad for jyn and we got to witness that firsthand.

overall, this was a lovely book that i’d recommend to fantasy romance fans. i will be adding katrina kwan’s other books to my tbr!

The Last Dragon of the East, follows our MMC Sai, as he travels through the Five Kingdoms in search of the last dragon. I really enjoyed that the point of view for this novel was male, as it's not something I typically see in fantasy romance novels. He is a very enjoyable character to read as well! He is quite funny and gives off golden retriever vibes. Sai can also see the red threads of fate, a concept that initially drew me to this book.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. Sai is running a teashop and acting of a matchmaker of sorts, bringing people together with his ability to see the red thread of fate. Eventually the emperor notices Sai and his ability and asks him to seek out the last dragon. Sai is thrown into battle and eventually meets the FMC, Jyn. Unfortunately, this is where the book takes a turn for me. From this point on, the two MCs don't have a lot of time to talk and get to know each other as they are constantly in some life or death situation. Jyn is also super secretive about her past. While I understand the pain she went through, it would have been nice to see her open up a little sooner and not leave Sai completely in the dark. That being said, I did really like the ending of this book. I found it fitting for a story about fated lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I received an eARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It had a slow pace but was almost giving cozy fantasy vibes. The story was at times so bittersweet it hurt. This book is about fated and cursed love and those who will sacrifice everything for that love. Its a beautiful story with dragons and yaoguai and a love that transcends lifetimes. If you love Chinese mythology and books about soulmates you will probably love this book. This book also left me with questions that will probably go un-answered but they weren't really about the main characters directly. I love the way this book came full circle with its story; it left me with a feeling of completion and quiet satisfaction with the ending. I could see this story being the kind of story you would read to someone (with some edits if it is to a child). I cannot gush too much about this book without revealing spoilers.

In The Last Dragon of the East, the main character Sai has the ability to see the red string of fate that connects two people together. Though he can see others' strings as bright red his string is grey and fraying. But, he is too busy taking care of his ailing mother to worry about his string. Sai uses this ability to pay for his mothers medication but when he takes a risk on a new medication for her he finds himself conscripted to a secret mission for the ruthless emperor. Namely, to hunt down a dragon. Though this book is an adult fantasy novel I would say it reads more like a YA book so if you are looking for a bridge into adult fantasy this would be a great place to start.

This book is romantsy read and is filled with Chinese mythology. It is also a flipped grumpy/sunshine romance, he's the sunshine she's the grump.

Before I get into the review, I will say that the vibe the cover gives off absolutely does not match how intense the book can get inside. But more fool me for judging a book by its cover.

Now, the positives: I think the initial concept (seeing the red strings of fate that tie people together) is very fun. The prose, too, really shined at times, especially when it came to describing the environments. There were some really lovely descriptions that added to the atmosphere of the book.

Unfortunately, that was really all I liked about this. This book is listed at 320 pages on Goodreads and it needed more for what it was trying to do, doubly so because of the shortness of the book, the pacing of the plot felt very, very uneven. The story is divided into 1 POV--Sai's--and brief interludes detailing the story of the 3 dragons. If the story had stuck firmly to Sai and the dragons rather than delving into a romance, I think the page count could have worked as a sort of folk tale/retelling-type of story. However, with the romance and single POV, this was way too short. Especially since the Fated Mates trope has an element of insta-love, it would've been way better and more interesting to see that from Sai's POV and Jyn's.

Speaking of Jyn, she was another problem I had. She feels very, very half-baked as a character. (Diversity win! The brooding, grumpy, cardboard cut-out of a love interest is a woman!) Actually, that's being a bit unfair, it's not that she's a cardboard cut-out per se, she's simply not fully actualized. Especially because from Sai's POV, she comes across as someone with an inconsistent character. Even when, later, we learn her reasons why, it still doesn't fully flesh her out. This is largely due to the fact that the bulk of the emotional work for a good portion of the book is done via Sai feeling her emotions through their bond. It took the hard work out of building up their relationship organically. I really think this book and story would have benefitted from chapters in Jyn's POV, possibly instead of the short folktale-like chapters in between Sai's POVs.

Lastly, and this is two points in one, the villain felt very generic in a way that didn't really add anything to the story. And my god did I hate the ending. I won't spoil anything, but a choice the author made really sat uncomfortably in my gut. In fact, there was another instance a little earlier in the story that also made me a little queasy, but the ending definitely didn't work for me at all.

Overall, while there were some beautiful writing moments, the uneven pacing and characters didn't work for me.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC!

The Last Dragon Of The East is a spectacular tale of love that transcends lifetimes, unbearable loss and the strength to overcome every obstacle that life throws in your path.
What made me love this book was the extremely unique ability of the MC, Sai, to see red threads of fate. I'm very intrigued by red threads of fate and absolutely adored the author's spin on them. Sai's personality is very different from other MCs which was fun to read about. The plot itself wasn't that unique but I did enjoy the mythology that seeped through every page.
One of the things I didn't enjoy however was that the villain wasn't that original, he had the same greed for power and wealth that every other villain has. Another thing I had a difficult time understanding was how casual the love between Sai and Jyn was even though they had a few proper conversations. I didn't understand how the red threads of fate and the countless lifetimes of Sai made him love Jyn without having had proper interactions with her. Other than that, I had a great experience reading this book and am excited to read Katrina Kwan's other works!

Rating: 4.25 stars

Sai is resigned to his quiet struggle of a life - keeping the family tea room afloat, looking after his sick mother, making matches for others thanks to his ability to see the threads of fate.

But as much as Sai believes his own thread will never have a match, a pair of dragon scales changes the course of his life. They work as medicine for his mother, and they bring notoriety to Sai that takes him on the greatest adventure he's ever had along with the grumpy Jyn.

Sai is a wonderful main character - he is steadfast and kind, and his wonder and determination are admirable. The prose is beautiful and it flows along with the character development. I enjoyed this book so much, Katrina Kwan blends the mundane and the fantastical and comes up with a heartwarming, romantic story.

Sai is a matchmaker: one of the few who can see the red strings of fate. When he purchases dragon scales to heal his sick mother he never would have guessed that they would lead him to his own match—the dragon! As they are fhased by hunters, feral magical creatures, and the emperor with all his armies, they grow closer. But Sai can’t help feeling like he had met her before. If he can convince her to give him a fhance he might discover much more about himself than he ever would have imagined!

I am a sucker for the legend of the Red Strings of Fate—an invisible thread that connects you to your soulmate and cannot be broken. There’s just somwthing inherently romantic about the surety that there’s someone out there for everyone.

This book takes the normal fantasy tropes and turns them on their head! The protagonist is a man in his mid twenties. He is chasing the girl who wants nothing to do with him, despite them being bonded together by the red string. He is the happy, social, bright-side person and she is the introverted grump.

I suspected the reincarnation twist early on but it was done so well that I didn’t mind seeing it coming. We got to experience Sai remembering his past lives and betrayals along with him. The gradual build up of the romantic plot was satisfying when Jyn finally admitted she was scared to lose Sai again.

This book is a wonderful introduction to someone who is interested in Asian fantasy and mythology. A lot of other series jump right into the culture and mythos, which a lot of Westerners might not be familair with. Not only does it include the creatures and magic but a great explanation of the cultural norms and how important family is.

I will give points to this book for being the extremely rare male POV fantasy, but I was vastly underwhelmed by this story.

The plot has far too many conviences. From how easily Sai meets the huntress and his Fated One to the meeting with the Moonstar Isles people, it really sucked the tension from the plot. Instead of being a curious, "what will happen next?" reading the story became "sure, how easy for them." It felt like the author was simply taking the simplest road possible to get to scenes she wanted to write instead of creatively weaving a story.

The setting was simply a paper cut-out of a fantasy imperial China. It was bland. I need more than giving characters Chinese names and mentioning well-known cultural dishes like congee and steamed buns. Really beefing up the setting and incorporating more Chinese elements with the author's own ideas for a fantasy world would have breathed so much more life into the story. Probably would have made it a more exciting read too.

The characters themselves are fine. Nothing special. There aren't any real character arcs. Sai doesn't grow or even change fundamentally personality wise. The rest of the cast are only sketched. Not fully inked. The villian had the potential to be realistically evil, but again he wasn't developed enough.

I will say that there are several descriptive sentences in the book that I stuck with me after reading the page. The snippets of the three dragons tale were another aspect that I enjoyed. I don't think Kwan is a total hack as a writer.

Ultimately, this will be a book that fades from my memory.

Every part of this book is perfect. Sai just wanting to run his little teahouse but accidentally ending up in the middle of a war, searching for a dragon that may or may not exist, and dealing with court intrigue. Sai's character being a lot of "what am I doing? I want to make tea!" is great. I also love his care for his mom. This book was beautifully written, and I need to get a physical copy for my shelf.

Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press for the ARC!

A gorgeous cover, a story sprung from myths, and involving dragons...I was destined, no, fated to read this book. My bias for tales of dragons and myths notwithstanding, this was an enjoyable tale combining romance and adventure. The characters of Sai and Jyn are an enchanting pair. The progression of their interactions, their history, and their love story really pulled me into the book. The story of the emperor counterbalanced the romantic tale nicely, providing a villain and a plot that added suspense to this dragon tale. The story inspired a wide range of emotion, from sorrow to joy, tension to serenity, and an ending that left me wanting more. This book is a first-rate choice for readers who enjoy romantic myth-inspired tales.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, S&S/Saga Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Thank you Saga Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

An adventurous tale of a man who possessed the ability to see the red strings of fate which tie two fated souls together. Sai is struggling to keep his father’s old tea shop afloat amidst a war while taking care of his ailing mother. When Sai’s hope of getting his mother the medicine she needs dashed, he is sent on a mission by the Emperor himself to track down the last dragon of the east.

The first quarter of this book was very much an adventure with the main character leaving his home for the first time and meeting different characters along the way. I really enjoyed this portion and blew through it relatively quickly. Then there is a sudden mood shift from what felt like a high fantasy to romantasy that I really didn’t see coming. The shift was a little jarring and the main character changed pretty dramatically all of a sudden so I had a difficult time continuing with the book. However, once I realized where the story was going I did genuinely enjoy it as a whole.

By the end of the book I was so deeply attached to the characters and their story that I understood the character and tone shift. While I wasn’t expecting this to be a romantasy, it was a pleasant surprise. I will admit I’m not usually a fan of romantasy, however, when the couple is well thought out and woven into a well built story like The Last Dragon of the East, I will make exceptions. The book was well written, if lacking a little world building. I loved the breaks the book took to have characters tell an ancient tale that ties in with the overarching story. That’s probably my favorite fantasy trope! I will be recommending this book to readers who are looking for a good, short, romantic fantasy standalone.

3.25 stars - Sai, is the quiet and dutiful son of a teahouse owner who is blessed with the ability to see the red strings that tie Fated Ones together. Though his own string is grey and frayed, Sai has been able to use his gift to help others which in turn has provided him enough coins to purchase a forbidden cure for his mother's illness. But when both his secret and the smuggled medicine come to the attention of the kingdom's emperor, Sai finds himself forced into service for his ruler and tasked with catching a beast of myth - a dragon.

Fated love can be such a heartwrenching and beautiful approach to a romance tale, and Kwan does a lovely job with this one. Although I would have liked the book to be a bit longer to allow for more of a build, I do think the story still felt complete in the end. Sai is an interesting character and the perfect point of view for this story, and I loved the bits of myth that were woven throughout. Overall, The Last Dragon of the East is a fast-paced tale of love and loss with some wonderful world-building.

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

If you were to judge this book by its cover you’d probably think “aawww a beautiful and low-key love story set in a fantastical world.” And you’d be way wrong. It’s beautiful for sure but it’s a deeply moving story about soul mates, reincarnation, and love turned to greed.

Sai can see red strings of fate. He subsidizes his parents’ teahouse by leading lovers to each other. And then he’s caught with the magical cure all the local doctor gave him for his mother’s illness - a dragon scale. This leads him on a journey. Sai starts out on a journey to save his mother but instead meets his Fated One.

After the initial chapters, my interest waned as I wondered if this was going to be a light-hearted story as the cover suggests, or a darker one. It is both. Thankfully, once I settled on the mood being both, I let myself enjoy it. I loved getting to know Sai and Jyn and being able to be privy to their unique love story..

Some elements (happily!) reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender: myths, an underground library, a tyrannical ruler, fated love, and dragons!

Content Warnings: detailed violence, adult scenes (not explicit though), language

I really enjoyed reading this book!

I think the story is compelling and elements of Chinese mythology are some of the best I've read. The book kept me engaged from beginning to end. I'll also say it is a pretty fast-paced story!

The characters are interesting but more on the surface. I can only say that I would love more development of their characters to provide the depth I'd love to be able to connect to them more. Sai and Jyn are entertaining and have a great banter. I think they're a great match and they kept me engaged in the book the whole time.

There is a lot of action in this book, especially with blood and guts, but all of it serves the purpose for building and building toward the end.

Definitely check this book out!

Thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

when i first read the description for this book i was so excited to read it and even more so when i was approved for the arc of this. the main character being able to see red strings of fate and the basis of soulmates/fated ones has always been such a niche favorite trope of mine i was thrilled to see it being implemented in a fantasy book. unfortunately it turned out that this trope was more secondary to the story but i was more than happy to still give this book a shot. while a lot of things in this book worked for me; the world building, the lore, the prose and writing style and the romance between ages there we’re also just as many things that didnt. like the main character being a bit too one dimensional and the some times meandering pace of the first 40% of this book. i think this book would have benefited from having Jyns Pov in addition to Sai’s and maybe some edits to the first half of the book but overall i was still able to have an enjoyable time reading it 3.5⭐️

4+ stars

Ummm wow! This book took me completely by surprise. But each page, it builds and builds and gets better and better, until at the end I was a mess of emotions and in love. The vibes are a bit "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea," but make it adult.

It starts with a bit of fairy tale-style story telling. We jump right into the action with the plot moving into the meat of things quickly. Sai seems in over his head and very well-intentioned. And we meet Jyn pretty early. To buy into this book, you have to buy into fated mates/soulmates. Because the history between these 2 souls finding their way back to each other does a lot of the work, but it's just so beautiful.

Sai and Jyn are fighting for their lives throughout most of the book, so that gives things a lot of tension and suspense. The last 40% had me in a chokehold as the danger built and our MCs fought for each other. I was seriously a mess at the end. I loved it though. There is quite a bit of bloody action too (and a few gross pages with a cannibal, so beware). We also get some very sweet intimate scenes.

Overall, definitely recommend this one. The gorgeous cover matches the inside!

Many thanks to NetGalley and SagaPress for the preview. All opinions are my own.

As someone that knows almost nothing about Chinese myths, I found The Last Dragon of the East to be captivating and endearing.

I wouldn’t say there was a ton of character development involved in the story, but there was enough depth and personality given to each person that they at least felt unique; I loved the relationship between Sai and Jyn, and I especially adored the way Sai’s sense of humor drove Jyn insane.

It should be mentioned, though, that book was a little darker than expected; parts were definitely gruesome and gory, especially in comparison to how light and humorous the rest of the book was. This wasn’t a bad thing, just unexpected.

Also, the cover to this is absolutely gorgeous. I love the artwork and the colors.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.