Honestly, I love previews of books coming out. I especially love that a lot of these fantasy books are somewhat intertwined with Asian mythology and legends.

I loved all of the pieces I'm this sampler, they were unique and interesting, within different sub-genres. Given the format, I wish that it was easier to just place the order for the book once you were finished with reading the sample. I did need a break between each sample as well. Overall, though, this is good marketing for each of these books.

This is a great collection of samples that allow one to have a glimpse into several books before committing to a specific one. I always enjoy reading samples of books I'm interested, and even those I am not. I've found several books I wouldn't have been likely to consider after reading an excerpt/sample of it.

As someone who doesn't typically read fantasy novels, I often find it overwhelming when trying to dip my toe into the genre as there are so many subgenres and books with heavy world building and political systems. This sampler was a great way to explore some fantasy books and I liked that the sampler included the first two chapters of each story so I could gauge the scale of the world building and whether I would be able to understand it. Out of the five books presented in this sampler, I would be interested in reading Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen, as I love Mulan and this book markets itself as being inspired by Mulan, and These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang as it contains a mystery element so could be a great way to ease myself into the genre.

I really love the design of this sampler particularly as the pages for each book match the front cover or general vibe of the book. It was clearly laid out and very ease to read and engage with,

Overall this sampler was a great way to discover some new books to add to my TBR.

As someone of Asian descent, these stories were masterfully cultivated and really respected and reflected on history. Each story brought something different to the table, and they were all such a pleasure to read. I admire the authors and their ability to blend captivating stories with reflection on ethnic backgrounds- it's truly an art.

A fabulous sampler of AANHPI fantasy stories! Teens and YA readers will devour this with delight, and find their TBR pile happily growing.

My Thoughts:
Like the earlier review of themed teaser or preview books, this one takes on the fantasy genre. I started my fantasy journey with J.R.R. Tolkien's Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but even before that, it was The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Maybe the earliest fantasy book that I loved was Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. Suffice it to say, these fantasy books are made up of white characterss and written by white authors. The fact that Julie Kagawa has opened the door for Asian and Asian American writers to write about their own culture through the once predominantly white fantasy genre is so exciting! This teaser is just what I needed to keep my summer reading going.

The sampler starts off with known YA fantasy writer Melissa de la Cruz who I considered an author of white characters, but to my shock and awe, she is a Filipina author. In The Encanto's Daughter, she uses Filipino mythology in this fantasy that will pull you in immediately. You get the first three chapters here, but just get the book.

The sampler ends with another book on my TBR list, Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen. The description the publishers used was "Mulan meets Iron Widow." Sold.

From the Publishers:
Check out these latest fantasy reads from Penguin Teen's Asian and Asian American authors!

The Encanto's Daughter by Melissa de la Cruz
A young woman claims the throne of a realm inspired by Filipino mythology in this YA romantic fantasy, the first in an enchanting new duet by #1 New York Times bestselling author.

These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang
A teenage sorcerer’s apprentice must solve her boss’s murder in order to prove her innocence in this twisty, magic-infused murder mystery perfect for fans of Knives Out and The Inheritance Games.

Spin of Fate by A. A. Vora
In a world inspired by karma, three teens encounter magnificent beasts, unforgiving magic, and epic battles in this propulsive and wholly original young adult fantasy.

We Shall Be Monsters by Tara Sim
Frankenstein meets Indian mythology in this twisty, darkly atmospheric fantasy where the real horrors are not the monsters you face, but the ones you create.

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen
Mulan meets Iron Widow in this thrilling silkpunk fantasy about a girl who must disguise herself as a boy and enter the famed and dangerous Engineer’s Guild trials to unravel the mystery of her father’s murder.

Fantasy is not my usual genre but I loved all these stories and can’t wait to continue on with the rest of the books. There was enough folklore in them to help me with my otherwise not-so-great imagination and I was completely engrossed in each of these.

I really enjoyed this fantasy sampler for AANHPI month. In particular, We Shall Be Monsters (Tara Sim) and Of Jade and Dragons (Amber Chen) were very interesting. These Deadly Prophecies and Spin of Fate were new to me and I will definitely keep an eye out for the books to release.

Thank you to Penguin Group Young Readers Group and Netgalley for a free sampler in exchange for honest feedback.

Reading these samples really caught my interest. Fantasy interwoven with mythology is always a go to for me, so Melissa de la Cruz and Tara Sim books were right up my alley and I can’t wait to pick them up!

Fantastic collection of writing samples. I already had half of these on my list, and I can’t wait to pick them up after this. This is a great way to get readers interested before the book’s release!

I love these samplers, and I so appreciate that this one featured AANHPI voices, specifically! I was unfamiliar with most of these books, so I enjoyed learning more about all of them. We Shall Be Monsters by Tara Sim was one that particularly caught my attention.

A few of these were already on my TBR list and I'm very glad I got the chance to read them! I actually got approved to read one of them (Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen). I'll be eagerly waiting for the release of all of these titles!. Also wanted to add that I'm very glad to see the inclusion of Southeast Asian authors because I feel like they tend to get overlooked a lot!

A very good job from PENGUIN GROUP for 5 of this year's Asian fantasy. I wish we could have it from all the publishers!

I really appreciated this sampler! I wish this was something that more publishers did. I definitely have some more titles to look out for now that weren't on my radar before.