Chloe Gong's Immortal Longings quickly became one of my favorite books of all time when I read it earlier this year, so I was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed Vilest Things even more.

Sequels are difficult to perfect, especially the second book in a trilogy, but perfect is exactly the word I would use to describe this book. Immortal Longings has one of the most memorable endings I've read recently, and its impact is felt throughout Vilest Things. Chloe Gong considers both significant and minor changes in the world and relationships between characters that were caused by the previous book's cliffhanger. While allowing the events of book one to affect the story in book two, readers get to experience a new side of the world and characters they've grown to love. This is a sequel that sets up for another book, explores the effects of the previous book, and has its own strong storyline all at once. I've never read a Chloe Gong sequel that I didn't love, and I don't think I ever will.

Part of the reason I loved Immortal Longings so much was because of the competition/deadly games aspect. Even though we're no longer following the games in this book, there is a plot you just can't look away from. With political intrigue, fast-paced action, complex relationships, and a fight for power, Vilest Things will keep you on your toes, unable to put the book down for even one second.

Of course, there are plenty of smart, brutal twists. The way Chloe Gong has mastered tricking and shocking her readers is always so fun to see in her books. This story is filled with scenes that will have you gasping and (considering) throwing your book across the room. And if the first book's cliffhanger wasn't bad enough, the ending of Vilest Things is sure to haunt you until the release of book three.

The world-building was phenomenal. So many questions I had about the world and the magic were answered in this book. The way everything is described brings you into the world and allows you to explore it with the characters. The magic system is unique and just addictive to read about.

Chloe Gong's Vilest Things truly is vile with its twists and betrayals. It's also the most intriguing and compelling sequel I've read this year. I can't wait to talk non-stop about this book.

Title: Vilest Things by Chloe Gong
Genre:
Pub Date: September 10, 2024
📖 384 pages

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴, “𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵. 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥.”

🗡 Political Court Intrigue
✨️ Enemies to Lovers
❤️‍🔥 Toxic Relationships
🗡 Complex Characters
✨️ Unique Magic System
❤️‍🔥 Morally Grey Characters
🗡 Epic Betrayals
✨️ Body Swapping
❤️‍🔥 Lethal Romance

After the devastating cliffhanger we're left on at the end of Immortal Longings, I was so excited to get to ARC read Vilest Things!

Chloe has a way of creating such complex and interesting characters, especially when it comes to bada** females (Calla may be my new favorite FMC)! I loved the tension between MCs, the multiple POV that left no stone unturned, and high-tension action scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat!! The pacing at the beginning was a little slow but once it picked up, I couldn't put it down!
I really appreciate how in depth this book dives into the magic system and politics, as well as the gorgeous world building that made for an incredibly immersive read.
As expected, we're punched in the gut with yet another gut-wrenching cliffhanger, so reader beware!

Overall, Vilest Things was pretty great, and I look forward to seeing how Gong wraps everything up! If you loved These Violent Delights, you should absolutely add this trilogy to your TBR! ❤️‍🔥😍

Thank you so much, TBR and Beyond Book Tours and Saga Press, for the gifted copies of Immortal Longings and Vilest Things. ❣️

Vilest Things
Chloe Gong
Publishing Date: September 10, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hear me out for a minute… So I went to an author event with Rebecca Roanhorse and Mia Corland a couple months back and they were talking about the process of writing trilogies. The general idea of what they said was that the first book gets written and it’s what gets the audience invested and hooked. Then book two comes along and the author is often like, oh shoot…. I need to build upon this world, magic system, character history in order to keep things moving forward and lead to the next book/conclusion.

And here lies Vilest Things. This book felt very much like a bridge between Immortal Longings and the trilogy’s conclusion. The focus was put much more on the history, the politics and power shifts, and the development of the magic system. The writing was complex and skilled and often left my head spinning with all the directions things were moving at once. Was I hooked the same way I was with Immortal Longings? For most of the book, no I wasn’t. Did the end of the book have me in a chokehold and then leave my jaw on the ground again? It sure did. Am I over here NEEDING book three right now? Abso-freakin-lutely. While this book didn’t have the same action packed momentum as Immortal Longings, it felt like a necessary step to where we are headed next.

🎧 For my audiobook lovers, I did listen to much of Vilest Things on audio. It was narrated by Jeena Yi who did a good job. This wasn’t an audiobook that felt really acted out or like the characters were really differentiated between by change of voice. It was more just having the story read to you.

Chloe Gong can write.

I really loved Immortal Longings and I couldn’t believe I received the ARC for Vilest Things!

While I didn’t love this book, I enjoyed it. Vilest Things starts right where we left off ( remember that cliffhanger?) This book is not as action packed but really focuses on the politics and history of this world. This reads as a transitional book to get you to a great conclusion.

For me, the influx of new information pertaining to Gods, magic and qi, and slower pace had me kind of lost and I did have to refocus while reading in the beginning. Halfway through, it started to come together and then bam! Lots of action and what an ending!

World building is excellent and I am super excited to see how this series ends!

I would recommend to fans of Chloe Gong and those readers that enjoy history and politics in a fantastical setting with a unique magic system.

THIS BOOK.
This was incredible, dark, deep, and absolutely delicious. The twists and romance were enduring and I couldn't read this fast enough. I am forever impressed with Chloe's ability to tell such a beautiful story. The cliffhanger killed me and I need the third book immediately.

I absolutely loved this book. It picks right up from Immortal Longings and takes a deeper dive into the world of San-Er, the politics, the magic system, and the characters. The stakes are even higher in this book and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! It was an emotional rollercoaster filled with plot twists and mind blowing events.

I’m keeping this brief because it’s a sequel and I want to avoid spoilers, but just know that this series is absolutely amazing and Vilest Things is -of course- another five star read for me.

After the shocking ending of Immortal Longings I was excited to see what happened next and the story picks up pretty much where we left off. Calla is very reluctantly an advisor to King August and comes across some troubling things during the course of her new duties. Odd things are happening far outside the city. If life wasn’t already difficult enough Otta Avia has awakened and returned and causes much chaos. It seems everyone wants power and the city of San-Er is restless a mission to restore peace and order takes Calla, Otta and the King on a desperate search. Past secrets and altered history provide both clues and obstacles in the quest for control over the kingdom.

I love love loved this book! I am completely obsessed with this series. What comes next promises to be rather explosive. The way things ended didn’t surprise me all things considered there are always clues in the story that make things obvious upon reflection. I love Calla and Anton and I really would love for them to have a happily ever after but with the way their lives are going and with how we left things that’s probably unlikely. Still a girl can hope can’t she? I still have many questions about a few revelations that come up during the course of the book. I cannot wait for the next one, I read the first two close together so I’m not looking forward to the wait. Since the book can’t magically fall into my hands now I’ll just have to impatiently wait for it.

What can I say, I absolutely loved book 2 even more than book 1. From the first sentence, I was pulled into the continuation of each characters' story and journey. Each chapter was a jaw drop at the end. I found myself on a journey trying to make sense of the constant unraveling of what is true, false, and their fleshes.

The way Chloe writes is so intricate and intentional with the complexities of the world, magic, character, and plot of the story. It leaves you craving to know what happens next, to know how it all ties together.

I cannot wait to read book 3.

Chloe Gong is such a brilliant writer and storyteller! Vilest Things had me intrigued from start to finish. The world building and characters are so compelling and complex.

With the plot driven storyline, the complexities and intricacies of the characters and what drives them to make the choices they do is something that I found to be captivating.

The romance is not a focal point as this is not a romantasy but Calla and Anton are such angst characters. Gong knows well how to write star-crossed lovers with yearning and heartbreaking!

I am looking forward to book 3!

Vilest Things is the thrilling second book in the Anthony and Cleopatra inspired fantasy series The Flesh and False Gods. The plot has moved on from the death tournament games from the first book and is now filled with political court intrigue. Maybe that’s the reason I found myself not enjoying this book as much as the first one.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this one but it just didn’t excite me as much. Both Calla and Anton are still the same morally grey characters I loved in the first book, but with the added political element of this one it didn’t allow them to shine as much. Not to mention the antagonist was just obviously there only to stir things up in the most annoying way. It just became frustrating to read at times.

But the ending made me intrigued to see what will happen in the third book. Hopefully it can return to the excitement of the first book now that the political court landscape has been thoroughly explained. Because the cliffhanger ending left me needing answers.

"Some people spend their whole lives pretending to be someone they're not in pursuit of achieving a goal. It says everything about her machinations and nothing about you." - Calla Tuoleimi

✨ Vilest Things is the second book in the Flesh and False Gods series. It picks up with Anton and Calla as they adjust to life in the palace and work together to stop August and Otta.

✨ This is definitely an intense and wild read that'll have you fastening your seatbelt, with plot twists that’ll literally give you goosebumps.

✨ I absolutely loved Immortal Longings, so I was really excited for this one. It took me a bit to get into it, though, because the story got pretty complex—there were still a lot of jumping mysteries, the Crescent Societies got involved, new characters were introduced, and more. The scenes were intense, and so many jaw-dropping revelations had me hooked. I especially got chills when Calla’s true identity came out. Ughhh. And Anton and Calla? Their chemistry is just off the charts, with even more spicy scenes this time around. That ending though... urghhh, it left me with even more questions!

✨ Overall, I had such a great time with this book. If you’re into The Cruel Prince or Powerless, you’ll love this series. It’s got a similar vibe.

✨ Huge thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for giving me the opportunity to read the amazing and wonderful story of Anton and Calla. Forever grateful I get to read this in advance!

✨WHAT I LIKED:
📌 Anton swearing loyalty to Calla
📌 Anton not being able to kill Calla
📌 How Calla and Anton always recognize each other, no matter whose body they're in
📌 The trust and friendship between Calla, Yilas, and Chami
📌 Those jaw-dropping revelations. Seriously, that was intense!

✨TROPES:
📌 ENEMIES TO LOVERS
📌 SWITCHING BODIES
📌 ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA RETELLING
📌 POLITICAL INTRIGUE
📌 DECEPTIONS & BETRAYALS UNRAVELED
📌 FOUND FAMILY
📌 JAW DROPPING PLOT TWIST
📌 A MODERATE AMOUNT OF SPICE

🖥️ GOODREADS REVIEW: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6822060736

💻 BLOG REVIEW: https://kimthebookdragon.wordpress.com/2024/09/08/arc-review-vilest-things-by-chloe-gong/

What can I say except that Chloe Gong could step on my face and I’d thank her for it.

Vilest Things was near perfect. While there were some slower sections of the story, the action more than made up for it. Chloe did a great job writing in twists and mysteries to unravel. She had me literally gasping in surprise at those last two chapters. The idea and science of ‘qi’ is unlike anything I’ve ever read. I can’t wait to see how it is used in the next book.

Calla: new favorite female character. She is beautiful but also so strong and smart and RUTHLESS. Can I be her?

Anton: big fan. And the way he feels about Calla? *chefs kiss* is it maybe a little toxic? Sure but we love it.

August: is he the villain or the victim? Maybe both. Such a good character. Complex and unique.

Our side characters: love them. Yilas and Chami are to be protected at all costs. Bibi? Chaotic and I love her.

I loved this and ate it up. What more can I say? Here’s some of my favorite quotes:

“You may think otherwise,” she mumbles, “you are my anchor in this world. I’m sorry I tossed you adrift. I thought I was burying us instead.”

“What’s wrong with a little dearest of my heart?” “Tyrant of my heart is more fitting.”

She looks up, and through the blood splattered down her face, she is the most glorious vision across Talin, second only to the sun.

Full of twists and turns that shocked me to my core! Vilest Things is a delicious follow-up to Immortal Longings, and I can’t believe I have to wait another year for the finale to this series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 4.5 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review!
Vilest Things is the second book in the Flesh and False Gods trilogy. Calla has won the games, killed the king and now serves as a royal adviser to August, who has risen to the throne.

“A life is short. Legacy of forever”

Beware of spoilers for Immortal Longings!
Chloe has quickly become one of my auto buy authors after I fell in love with her writing in These Violent Delights! I enjoyed Immortal Longings and especially after that ending I was super excited to dive into Vilest Things!
The writing style was just as well done as in the first book, but less atmospheric. I think this is mostly due to the many traveling moments and how little time is actually spend in San-Er. Still, I loved seeing more of the country and the provinces surrounding the twin city! It opened up the world more!
The story did start off a bit slow and I needed a few chapters to really get into the story once again. Still, very early on a known moment, that is Otta waking, happens and I feel like the story truly took off from that point on! Bringing Otta in made for an interesting dynamic between Anton, Calla and her and I was fully invested!
Calla is still very much looking out for herself and Mao Mao in this book, but the feelings she developed for Anton in the first book are still apparent and she is still very willing to burn down the world for him! I also really liked seeing her wanting to become stronger and breaking down barriers to do so. Anton is interesting as he is masquerading as August in this book, but what I found intriguing is seeing his own personality break through the mask he had put on!
The love between Anton and Calla was built while they were running for their lives in the games and while the dust has settled, the fact that Calla ‘killed’ Anton at the end makes for a fun dynamic between the two at the start. Especially while knowing their true feelings all along!
I really liked how this plot moves along and how the barriers and boundaries that the characters know in this book are broken down as they discover there is much more in the world. Some great reveals were added and high-tension fighting scenes as well. I enjoyed every minute of the last part of this book and especially the very last paragraph left me wanting for much more! I already can’t wait for the finale in this series!!
Overall, Vilest Things is a great continuation of the series, breaking down the walls and expanding into much more!

It’s really difficult to write a sequel to a book like Immortal Longings. The premise of Immortal Longings involves a competition to the death, and it’s always interesting to see where authors will take the story once a competition trope is over. I didn’t like this book quite as much as book one but it was enjoyable overall.

Chloe Gong devastates readers in the best way possible!

Vilest Things is the second book in her Flesh and False Gods series. The first, Immortal Longings, absolutely blew me away. So, of course I requested book 2 as soon as it was available. Best. Decision. Ever!

Gong’s writing packs a punch! I connected with the characters and plot viscerally. Expertly delivered scenes broke my heart, made me scream, and by the end I was writhing on the floor. While this sounds harsh, I mean it in the most positive way possible! Readers, is a rite of passage and the greatest privilege to have your heart shattered by Chloe Gong.

When I read Vilest Things, I felt like Gong herself was in the room with me. I’ve had the pleasure to meet the author in the past and have plans to do so on tour for Vilest Things. When I tell you she is such a lively presence, I mean it! Gong is incredibly passionate about her work and I can feel that through her text alone.

I would like to take the time to thank Gong for giving the people what they want—more Mao Mao! Vilest Things would not be complete without everyone's favorite furry companion.

THAT ENDING! I cannot say anything more, but I’m pretty sure I looked like Drake & Josh after they got off The Demonator.

If you do one thing next Tuesday, make it to your local bookstore. Vilest Things is a book you must pick up! This is Gong at her best and it has been a privilege to follow her growth over the years.

It is with a warrior’s heart that I anticipate the epic conclusion Gong has planned for us!

Thank you to Saga Press for my arc


Haha wow this book was a wild ride. We pick up right after the ending of Immortal Longings and can I just say there were so many twists I didn’t see coming? Nothing I expected to happen happened and the ending left me speechless. I need book 3 asap.

Thank you Saga Press and Chloe Gong for allowing me to read the arc of Vilest Things in exchange for my honest review.

No one will be as shocked as I am to rate this book five stars. I will admit, I haven't always clicked with Chloe Gong's writing and i have yet to finish any of her other series. But as I was an arc reader for the first book in this series and kind of enjoyed the first book, something told me to get my hands on this one.

I am so glad I did.

The world in the second book opens up vastly and we spend most of our time outside the walls of San-Er. There is so much happening in this book; political scheming, divine power, romantic tension and so much more. The twists and turns this book had me going through had me saying "what the f**k" out loud more times than i can count.

The entire final steamy scene between Calla and Anton of the book had me absolutely kicking and screaming because of the dialogue. But then as they entered the throne room a few chapters later, I was almost in tears for Anton.

Chloe has shown me her growth as a writer. She kept me captivated and entertained throughout the entire book. i can only imagine how everytthing is going to conclude so I am extremely eager to read the next book in this series.

Thank you Chloe for converting me, I will absolutely be picking up your other works again.

Thank you to Saga Press and Chloe Gong for this ARC.

I read “Immortal Longings,” book 1 of the Flesh and False Gods series, earlier this year, and TBH, it wasn’t my favorite. The ending was spectacular, so I picked up book 2, “Vilest Things.” Let me say, THIS BOOK is why I love Chloe Gong. It renewed my love for her writing, story-building, and incredible twists on classic stories. I rarely love a sequel more than the original book, but here I am, saying, READ THIS BOOK.

This series is loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra but set in a fictional world with modern tech yet older gods. It sounds like a weird combo, but it just works here. In this book, the games are over (finally), and the focus is on politics, backstabbing, and magic. The lore of this world is explained so much better than in book one, and I finally have a grasp on all of the key players because their relationships are shown so much more in this book.

When you think you have it figured out, Gong pulls the rug from out under you, and you are left wondering what the heck just happened. The last 50 pages of this book were INSANE, and I need someone to talk to about it ASAP 🤣

Anton and Calla are both incredible, crafty, backstabby, and powerful. They make for such a villainous duo that it mimics Shakespeare’s original couple. Near the end of this book, there are some incredibly swoon-worthy quotes, and I cannot wait to see where their relationship goes in book 3.

Originally, this series was only supposed to be a duology, but I am so excited that Gong decided to do a third book instead of rushing and packing everything into this installment. The pace of this one is so much faster and steadier than book 1. We get to explore new locations and so many morally grey situations that I lost track of them all. I highly recommend pushing through book one so you can enjoy the masterpiece that is “Vilest Things.”

I’m so grateful to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC of Vilest Things. I adore Chloe Gong’s writing and how she is able to tell stories. Vilest Things was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it did not disappoint.

The story jumps straight from where we left off in Immortal Longings. There was so much action and politicking, the scheming will keep you intrigued. The book does lull a bit about half way through but the pace picks up again for an amazing ending that sets up for a grand finale (to my knowledge this is only a trilogy). We’ve got more romance and betrayals that will keep you seated.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Vilest Things and I cannot wait to read the next book. This is going to be such a great series and I’m interested on seeing how it’ll end. I absolutely love the way Chloe Gong writes and tells stories, she has definitely become one of my favorite authors. I’m excited to she what she comes out with next and what kind of story she will tell beautifully.

One last remark for Vilest Things: I support women’s rights, but more importantly I support women’s wrongs. 🤍

Final rating: 4 stars ✨