I really enjoyed this story. The reversed grumpy/sunshine trope works beautifully here—Sai, the sunshine MMC, is impossible not to love, while Jyn’s reluctance to accept his affection adds real depth. Their quest together was one of my favorite parts, allowing their bond to develop naturally as they slowly come to embrace their red thread of fate. The world-building is vibrant and immersive, and my familiarity with Asian dramas made it easy to visualize the setting and atmosphere. This book is a refreshing, heartfelt read, perfect for fans of Asian-inspired fantasy and romance.

Happy to have read this! I loved the voice and energy of the main character, Sai, who liked his quiet life of running his family’s tea house and caring for his ailing mother - but as it turned out was destined for so much more.

This was a very creative, epic mythological tale with fated mates, reincarnation, a villainous emperor, and, of course, dragons. Above all though, it was a beautiful love story.

This book felt like a big adventure, and I really liked it.

I though the characterization of the main character was a little...bland? but only in that I don't really like class clowns, and I don't find that type of character terribly interesting. I also don't tend to enjoy male main characters as much as female main characters, but that's a personal preference.

This was a very easy read, super quick, I read it in probably two or three sittings. I wanted to just...keep reading. Not because I was stressed or because I felt like I had to to know what was coming next, but just because I really got sucked into the world, and the characters, and was happy seeing their story play out. I didn't feel obligated and there was no pressure to keep going. It felt cozy in that way, but I wouldn't describe this as cozy fantasy. There is very much drama and conflict and frustration and confusion and yearning.

Definitely encourage folks to pick this up who 1) like dragons 2) like cute romance 3) enjoy silly class clowns.

4/5, definitely worth the read.

A phenomenal fantasy debt by Kwan! Voicey, unique, and a wonderfully immersive world that allows me to explore cultures not like my own, which I always appreciate. So much care and attention went into this book, and it's obvious.

Thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Thank you Netgalley andnthe publishers for providing an arc. 

This was an unexpected adventure of finding lost love and family. After Sai uses dragon scales to heal his aiding mother, he gains the attention of the emperor and is sent on a quest to locate the last dragon of the east. Unbeknownst to Sai, their is a greater connection and powers at play, ready to determine his future. Throughout this quest, he must come to terms with his own identity,  secure his tread with a fated mate, and overcome unearned prejudices. 

This was a really cute read about fated love and possessed a hint of found family. It begs the questions. What lengths would you go to to protect the ones you love? How much pain can you endure before giving in? Can you choose to live alone knowing that your fated mate is somewhere out in the old without you?

The story within these pages is just as beautiful as the book cover.

The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan is inspired by Chinese myths of ancient dragon gods and threads of fate. Twenty something Sai lives a quite, peaceful life with his family until someone sells dragon scales at his teashop to his mother. His life is turned upside down and we are on an adventure with Sai and Fated One.

The book kept me on hook since the very beginning, plus the whole bit of dragon along with fated soulmates equation was a star. It reads like a fairytale and is fast paced at the same time. The world building and history, culture is equally depicted very well. What I felt was lacking that the MMC was kinda dull.

For a debut novel I felt the book was quite good, but maybe at the same time a lot of tropes were thrown at us here and there which could have been handled better. Jyn is a very powerful character, full of angst and willpower.

#TheLastDragonoftheEasttour #fantasybooks #coloredpagesbooktours #gifted

Thank you to Simon & Shuster and NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

I loved this debut. I'm a big sucker for a soulmate storyline, and if you're looking for a sweet emotional romance, this is your book. The POV character has an unusual flavor, kind of a cheeky but good-hearted bumbler. It took a bit of getting used to, but I ended up really liking the originality of it. The plotline is lovely and unexpected, feeling very much like a legend retelling (which is clearly intentional). Not weighty or epic, but colorful and moving.

There were some small plot details that I wished had been fleshed out rather than just covered by "reincarnation, I guess" -- Sai's sudden ability to defend himself, why he was born with dragon magic this time, how he knew the emperor needed to die to revive A-Qian, etc It did require some suspended disbelief. I also have a bit of a pet peeve for inconsistent anglicization; some names had pinyin tone markings but most didn't, and that bugged me. But maybe that's a me problem. 😂

Overall, an easy but lovely read with characters that are easy to root for and a romance that felt like a breath of fresh air. 4⭐

thank you NetGalley & Saga Press for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars. i had high hopes for this book, particularly because i love dragons, and while fated mates isn’t my favorite trope, i was interested in seeing the author’s take on the red thread of fate. unfortunately, the story embodied many of the reasons why i tend to stay away from fated mates fantasy books. I found it difficult to feel genuinely invested in the connection between the characters, as their bond was often too much tell and not enough show. this left me feeling like their emotions were dictated by the bond itself rather than by a real, mutual affinity and likebility. In my opinion, the relationship lacked the depth i was hoping for, and the book felt more young adult in tone—this isn’t necessarily a negative, but it wasn’t quite what I had expected.

This book utterly destroyed me. The first thing that drew me in was the title (dragons!) and then the synopsis (fated lovers!) and I knew I had to read this book.
Sai runs a tea house and is struggling to earn enough money to take care of his sickly mother. What makes Sai unique is that he can see the red threads of fate and in his spare time he brings the people on either end of a string together. While Sai can see that everyone else’s threads are bright red, his own is a frayed grey that sags and never leads anywhere. Through his match-making and the tea house, Sai finally has enough money to buy a cure for his mother. Instead of medicine though, the doctor gives him two dragon scales with instructions to feed them to his mother. At this point, it is already clear that Sai is a softy and has a great sense of humor. I already felt comfortable reading from his perspective and would do anything to protect him. After Sai has given his mother one of the scales, he is caught and arrested since dragon scales are an illegal substance. In prison, the emperor gives Sai a choice: die or travel into the neighboring country to find and bring back the dragon the scales belong to. Sai hesitantly agrees and is thrust into the army that will invade the neighboring country. After the battle, Sai sneaks away to the forest to look for the dragon when his thread starts to show some life and pull him toward the unknown.
The action picks up quickly and there are plenty of battle scenes as well as wonderful character development. As Sai uncovers myths and hidden truths, he begins to have a better understanding of himself and his tragic past. You can expect mythical monsters, dragons(!), hunters, doomed love, imprisonment, transformation, and lots and lots of banter. Sai is the best narrator and even in stressful situations he has funny quips that lighten the mood, while keeping the narrative serious.
I won’t spoil the ending, but let me just say that I was sobbing for the last 50 pages and it was so worth it.
I highly recommend this book for readers who want love stories with a little magic, and of course anyone who loves dragons.
You won’t regret it.

Well, this was a bait & switch! The first quarter was great: the plot starts with a bang and the introduced characters had a lot of potential.

Sai is a humble matchmaker and tea house owner, but when he gets arrested for illegal possession of dragon scales that were supposed to cure his sick mother, he's given an ultimatum by the emperor: find and bring him the dragon the scales originated from, or get executed (and likely his mother too).

When Sai reaches, after facing death and danger, the southern kingdom, he meets a huntress who also seeks this dragon to kill it for glory and revenge. But when he finally meets the dragon, oh no, she's his fated mate!

This had so much potential for angst, adventure, even a love triangle.

Sadly, the book goes downhill from there.

The whole middle is Sai and his dragon lady stumbling around into random trouble, then finding random solutions of said trouble, and that's interspersed with some romantic bonding scenes. The plot feels aimless and the solutions to the problems random and a bit deus-ex-machina.

The dragon lady stubbornly withholds information from Sai which was supposed to create tension, but because the reader can easily guess what these "secrets" are, it's just frustrating waiting for the "big reveal" to drop. There are 2 other secrets (what happened with the 3rd dragon and why is Sai's thread gray), but neither of them are such plot twist to warrant so much stalling.

So after random laundry list of adventures we reach around 80% mark where something needs to happen and it feels rushed and predictable all the way. The secondary character of the huntress gets next to no character development staying a mostly one-note addition to the story (what a disappointment) and how her sub-plot is resolved is extremely anti-climactic and nearly an afterthought.

The ending goes way too much into cartoon villain vs shonen anime hero trope which tbh doesn't feel like doing justice to the story. It's shallow.

There's a HEA ending for the romance readers out there wanting to know. Spice is open door mild / non-explicit language used.

Anyway I feel like the first 25% was a 5-star read, the rest was like 3.5, but I'm docking points for treatment of Feng because this character was such a wasted potential. Half the novel is just the main duo wandering around and there's lack of development of side characters. The villain was very over the top one note too.

Also I picked the book because I wanted to see ordinary human mmc x ancient powerful fmc (she's a 7000 year old dragon with great strength and powers) and guess what, the further we go into the book, the more the characters fall into ye olde overdone standard gender roles. I can only dream that someone someday will do this trope right.

Anyway, this book desperately needed a developmental editor past act 1.

Thank you NetGalley, Saga Press / Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

I was pleasantly surprised by the beginning of this book. I was quickly drawn in and invested in the main character, Sai. As the story evolved and the Chinese myths began to emerge I was thoroughly enjoying the story, however at some point the book fizzled out for me.

The book did well establishing the characters and Chinese mythology. I had a hard time enjoying the book when the “Fated One” entered the story. I would have enjoyed the story more without the romance element.

Overall this is a decent read and had a young adult fantasy genre feel. I definitely see the young adult fantasy fans raving about this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Saga Press and the author for the opportunity to read an early edition.

✨ If you love fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology, this is a must-read. The story follows Sai, a young man with the ability to see the red threads of fate that connect soulmates. When his mother falls ill, Sai embarks on a perilous quest to find the last dragon, whose scales might hold the cure. This book is an epic adventure with stunning world-building and complex characters. The themes of fate, love, and sacrifice are woven throughout the story. The pacing is fast, with plenty of action and emotional depth. The mythology and folklore elements really shine, making this feel like a modern fairy tale.
While the romance is a key part of the story, it's the kind that spans lifetimes, adding to the book's sense of scope.
Overall, "The Last Dragon of the East" is a captivating read that blends fantasy and romance. If you enjoy stories about dragons, reincarnation, and the power of true love, you'll love this. I do believe it ultimately tried to reach too far, though


Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

This was really fun! I had some issues with it but overall I enjoyed reading it a lot and I’d read more from this author!

My biggest issue is just that it felt somewhat clumsy. The writing style felt juvenile enough that I thought I was reading YA, and then I got hit with a sudden sex scene. It didn’t feel consistent at all, at points it felt super young and had that overly cheerful middle grade energy, and then at points there was extreme gore that didn’t fit with the rest of the vibes. The characters were very caricatured, with sudden extreme swings in mood or belief that didn’t make a lot of sense. It felt like a debut from an author who doesn’t have a strong idea of what genre they want to write.

That being said tho, I really enjoyed reading it! I loved Sai as a main character, and I haven’t read anything remotely similar to this. It had a super unique plot that had me shocked at multiple points. I think Katrina Kwan will definitely be an author to watch out for!

A good book is a good book.

I love it! I could even imagine it like I am watching a fantasy movie because the writing and the worldbuilding are amazing. I can't wait to see more from the author!

Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for an ARC!

I loved this book so much! The story was unique, so beautiful! I was immediately immersed in the story due to the amazing writing and plot. I felt like the love story was as old as time, because it sort of was, and I just loved the depth to it.

A massive thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan is an absolutely beautiful story about how we are each tied to another by the red string of fate.

The main character Sai has a very special talent, he can see everyone's red string of fate - the one that ties you to your fated love. He uses this talent to gather more coin to care for his mother who is bedridden with sickness, even though his own thread is grey and fraying. When their village healer promises a rare type of medicine that will cure his mother, Sai scrapes together all of his money to pay.

What he did not know is that the medicine promised were dragon scales - a creature that was thought to be extinct. When the emperor hears of the scales, he arrests both the healer and Sai, and forces Sai on a quest that will change his life - to find and bring back the last remaining dragon of the East. But as he starts searching for this creature, Sai's own fate thread starts to move. And this journey might answer his own questions about his thread, but only if he survives.

This story was written beautifully. I flew through it in one day and enjoyed it thoroughly. The characters have so much history and character progression that you feel like you're learning with them. This book is for anyone who has read The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea and wanted something that had that dreamy feeling while still being an adventure.

I am looking forward to reading more of Katrina Kwan's books in the future, since this was my first. And I will be sure to recommend this to anyone looking for a Chinese inspired fantasy full of heart.

3.75 stars rounded up!

Chinese mythology-inspired romantasy featuring dragons, the threads of fate, multiple timelines, and the POV of the MMC primarily. The Last Dragon of the East is a sweeping love story focusing on Sai, who helps his ailing mother run a tea shop. He has the ability to see the threads of fate that reveal a person's fated life partner. The only catch? He can't see his own - it only appears as a gray, dormant thread. And boy does he long for this partner. The emperor soon discovers Sai's ability and sends him on a quest to find an ancient dragon so its magical scales can be retrieved. Along the way, will he find his Fated One?

I really enjoyed Sai's and Jyn's romance, though it did feel a little underdeveloped until their pasts/other timelines were revealed more. Once this happened, I felt a lot of empathy for both characters and was invested in their connection. I would have liked for them to come together without having to be torn apart so many times, but it did make for a very emotionally compelling and moving narrative. The ending was satisfying, and I recommend this book for anyone who's looking for a culturally specific, tender romantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Saga Press, and Katrina Kwan for providing this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed my time reading this book! It has been ages since I’ve been so deeply engaged in a story. I loved the writing, the lore about the dragons, and especially how the concept of the red string of fate was incorporated in this story. I've always been fascinated by the themes of fated mates and reincarnation, and this book satisfied that interest completely. There were plenty of surprising twists, and just when I thought I had everything figured out, new developments would arise which kept me want to keep reading.

This is a really strong debut! The storytelling is solid, especially the revelation of the characters’ backstory. I did have a few questions at the end, but nothing that ruined the experience.

Giving this one a 3.5 out of 5 starrs. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the publisher, Saga Press, for the gifted book.

The Red String of Fate mythos is one that has always been really interesting to me, because on the one hand the idea that you have SOMEONE out there in the world meant for you is a really heartwarming idea. But at the same time, there are lots of ways that it can go awry, and that is one of the central premises of this book. I love how this myth was layered with dragons and always comes back to family, giving it a whimsical air. The story doesn't hide the fact that there is "something" special about Sai and it is pretty easy to figure out what that is if you read between the lines.

However, the first half of the book and the second half have completely different tones. The front end is lighter in nature and at first I did not like the relationship between Sai and Jyn; but once the second half kicks in, the story takes a dark and honestly violent turn that really drew me in. I devoured the second half in one sitting. I almost wish that tone had been present throughout the story, giving it a grittier nature.

Another pro of this story is that it is standalone. It can be exhausting to have to invest in multiple, several-hundred page books to get a conclusion to a story so this was a really nice change of pace.