A beautiful love story that I devoured. The worldbuilding was magical, and I loooooved everything about this book. It was such a fun read! It felt very much like a fairytail!

A beautiful love story, filled with wondrous mini tales that build a legacy of dragons and their fated ones. Sadly however, it was never truly seen in my mind. The story, plot, and characters are good enough; but it all remains too superficial. With a lack of descriptions, the missing subtlety of what a room, clothing, or setting looks like, I found myself grasping at straws to conceptualize in my head what I was reading. I never felt truly immersed in the world Katrina Kwan presents to us. Where were the descriptions of the dragon scales sparkling as the sun hit them over the baby blue of a mountain lake tucked in a valley? Where was the vividness of the red blood splattering across the dark mountain cave seemingly glowing with the life of the dragon it came from? Why do we never learn what the feel and colour of the silk of an exquisitely adorned robe looks like? Or even what that adornment is? This failure to describe is tragic given the endless opportunities to truly immerse the reader in the world and story of the last dragon of the East. Seriously I’ve likely put more descriptive words in the above lines than are found in this whole book.

During this tale we witness torture, ruthless anger, evil, and (of course) death; yet I never truly felt like I was experiencing it the way I should have been. The read itself is good enough, but with the extra effort of setting the scene, especially determining the tone of the story, it could have been so much more. I can tolerate some lacking plot, moderate character development, or diminished magical building in a fantasy story; but to be missing the depth of sights and sounds of the world, to lack the descriptions of glorious landscapes, tight dungeons, or even what the scales of a dragon feel like was too much to ignore. There was just was too little to keep my attention as I kept wondering where our characters were and what they were truly experiencing with their senses. Be it taste, sound, touch, or smell, The Last Dragon of the East is a void of darkness leaving the reader to grasp at any descriptions of where we truly are and what our characters are experiencing.

You might want to argue that my imagination could fill in the holes, but it honestly never adequately did. I continually felt at a loss. Too many questions kept popping into my mind about the scenery and surroundings to truly enjoy the rest of the prose given over to the love story. It’s a tragedy really that such a powerful story of love, resilience, and dedication between two creatures cannot flourish in the world they are set. If even 10% as much effort had gone into prose describing elements as went into the lore and history between our dragons then this could have been a solid stand alone fantasy novel.

I’ve wanted to round up to four stars, because it may be that others will not be bothered by the same lackings I am, but I just couldn’t bring myself to. Perhaps some readers will only care about the story of our couple and their ups and (extreme) downs in truly finding one another. If you are able to do so then I commend you and encourage you to relish in the romance presented in The Last Dragon of the East. For me I couldn’t follow the thread of fate far enough before losing all sight of it and spending most of my time fumbling to find not only its depth, but also its substance.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

What would you do to save somebody that you loved? Would you be willing to go find a Dragon and take their scales to save your mother? That's what Sai is tasked with doing in order to save his dying mother who has been sick for a long time. Dragon scales are the only thing that can help her and he needs to find more and fast. Not only are there dragons, there are also red strings of fate, something only Sai can see and his own thread is grey and falling apart. Nothing here is ordinary and there is so much to be done with the emperor hovering over everything that Sai is facing. What happens when Sai finds this dragon? Why is Sai's thread of fate in such bad condition? And what is going on with the emperor?

This book is so good and the chapters are short in the best possible way. I find that if a book has short chapters I'll read more in one sitting because I'm constantly telling myself about how's it's only a few pages and I'd constantly be reasoning with myself about what I could consider as the starting chapter of the next day based on how long the surrounding chapters were. It also kept the excitement high as I was constantly needing to know what would happen in the next chapter and I remember a few times being surprised by the fact that I'd be in a new part of the book because I thought there were more pages before the next part began. I was so wrapped up in the book and enjoying my time reading that I didn't even take as many notes as normal because I was too busy reading and being absorbed in it all.

I'm somebody who absolutely loves theories and guessing what comes next in the plot and this book made me feel so successful. The plot had all of it's twists and gave you all of these fun and exciting hints throughout the book and I was constantly taking notes about what I thought things meant and having a blast as I told myself that I knew what was happening. It was so much fun following the story and waiting for the reveals that I was expecting. I tend to get so wrapped up in theories and will often take them in the wrong direction so I was delighted with the theories matching with this book and the reward of seeing it all come to life.

I love the prose in this book. There were so many times when I was reading this book and was just loving stylistic choices or quotes and how they flowed and would sound so pretty. I had a category that started as nice quotes, became romantic quotes that were super pretty, and ended with an entire page as a single note because of how much I loved it from the content to the way that it was written.

The lore and the story within the story were amazing. I loved learning about it all and seeing the way it connected to everything. I love a story within a story and get so excited when it all comes together, but I also just love them for the lore it provides and the way it can be written and shared. I think the best way I can think to describe it is how stories are handed down to people and when a great storyteller shares the story and makes it sound so magnificent and so much bigger and brighter. The storytelling with this one was so good and it really made the world fill with the majestic, magical, and mystical vibes.

I loved the characters overall, but I also loved the growth and depth they all had. I loved seeing people come together and learn about one another and seeing how people would change or react based on different things they learned. Seeing the relationships being built and seeing the big moments was always so enjoyable and you were always hoping for the best for them.

Overall this book was so good and I really enjoyed my time reading it. If I had to give this book a rating, it would probably be 4.5 stars or somewhere between 4-5 stars. The book being so quick and easy to read with the short chapters combined with the excitement of the content, so intriguing with the lore and the story within the story, and having such a fun cast all led to the book being so enjoyable.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this. The premise was very interesting and was well written however it was just not my personal preference. But I think that the author is great and will look out for thier other works

The Last Dragon of the East is a fast paced, romantic, fantasy adventure in the vein of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

Sai, our protagonist, is sent on a quest to find the last dragon of the East for his emperor and while on his quest, he is hoping to follow his magic sight to his Fated One. Sai has the ability to see the red threads that tie Fated couples together though, his thread is greyed and fraying and he does not know why.

We follow Sai on his journey at what feels like break neck speed. There were times where I wish the plot went a little slower and delved a little deeper into some character building, dialogues and plot development. At times, the pacing felt reminiscent of YA novels that move fast to keep a teens attention rather than for an adult that would enjoy a bit more depth.

That is literally my only complaint! I loved the characters, the world building and the romance that develops between Sai and his Fated One; there are a couple of well written, fantasy style (not romantasy style) sex scenes. I was hooked on the adventure that Sai finds himself on and I wanted to devour the pages of this book. I definitely look forward to checking out more Katrina Kwan books in the future; provided she continues to write fantasy!

On paper, this book has all the aspects of fantasy that I enjoy. I love the red string of fate and stories that dabble with reincarnation. However, this one didn't work for me most of the time. I found myself struggling to stay interested. The writing itself is technically sound and I'm excited to see what else this author cooks up. However, I just didn't myself that interested in the characters and that had an impact on my desire to finish this story. I would love to revisit it again in the future with fresh eyes, but for now this was a miss.

This book read like an old fairy tale, which was really nice in some respects and a little disappointing in others.
It was an easy and fast read, with a story moving quickly and not much of a world-building, but it still kept me interested to the end.
Although I didn’t connect much with Sai and felt his relationship with his fated one lacked chemistry, I still ended up being swept away by the stakes of their romance. I don’t really like insta-love and unfortunately, this was the kind of fated mate trope this story portrayed, but I appreciated how Jyn was still guarded at first and they had to take their time to get to learn other.
I think I didn’t mind the other characters not being developed or fleshed out, or even not being completely overtaken by the romance, specifically because of the tale-like quality of this story. I trusted I knew where this was going and it led me there without ever demanding too much from me, which is what I needed.
I won’t spoil anything, but this also had my favorite trope ever, so it of course helped keeping me invested.

This book is inspired by the Chinese myths of dragons and threads of fate, which sounded amazing to me. The story ended up being sweet but more YA-feeling than I was expecting. The dialogue was also very stilted and that kept pulling me out of the story. It's a cute quick read but not one of my favourites 🤷🏾‍♀️ What a gorgeous cover though! 😍

Katrina Kwan's debut novel, THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST is a mesmerizing blend of Chinese mythology and fantasy. The story follows Sai, a young man with the unique ability to see the red threads of fate that connect soulmates. His quiet life takes a dramatic turn when he acquires a pair of dragon scales, leading him on an adventure filled with magic, danger, and the search for his Fated One.

As someone with Asian heritage, the themes of fated soulmates and reincarnation deeply resonated with me. These cultural beliefs add a rich layer to the narrative, making the story feel both personal and universal.

Kwan's narration is nothing short of beautiful and lyrical. Despite its poetic quality, the story maintains a brisk pace, never sacrificing detail or depth. This balance keeps readers engaged from start to finish, making it a truly immersive experience.

The novel is vast in scope yet inclusive, weaving together diverse characters and perspectives. It explores themes of destiny, love, and the eternal search for one's soulmate, all set against the backdrop of a richly imagined world inspired by Chinese mythology.

One of the standout elements of Kwan's novel is her depiction of dragons. In Western mythology, dragons are often seen as destructive creatures that devour everything in their path. However, in Asian mythology, dragons are revered as protectors and symbols of power, strength, and prosperity. Kwan captures this beautifully, portraying dragons as noble and benevolent beings, which adds a unique cultural dimension to the story.

THE LAST DRAGON OF THE EAST is a must-read for fans of fantasy and mythology. Its unique blend of lyrical narration and fast-paced storytelling makes it a standout debut. Whether you're drawn to the cultural elements or the thrilling adventure, this book has something for everyone.

Book: The Last Dragon of the East
Author: Katrina Kwan
Rating: 4/5 stars

The Last Dragon of the East was an enjoyable story with elements of Chinese mythology, dragons, and fantasy woven into it. It follows the main character, Sai, who has the unique gift of being able to see the threads of fate between soulmates - which means he is quite the matchmaker. Sai purchases a pair of dragon scales from his ailing mother's doctor, which ends up turning his ordinary life upside-down. The emporer catches wind that Sai possesses these scales, and Sai is thrust into an adventure he never expected. For the first time in his life, Sai's own thread of fate begins to awaken, and he may be able to find his Fated One after all.

I thought that the soulmate thread concept was such a unique idea to have a story written about it. I have heard of the idea being tossed around before about the invisible string or threads of fate theory - but this book brought it to life in a fantasy setting that I thought was well-written. The romance between the two main characters felt very genuine, as it was not love at first sight, and the love built and progressed as the story did.
The story was fast-paced, which I enjoyed as I found that it didn't drag on. I also enjoyed how straightforward the story was, and it tugged at my heart strings more than once.
I also enjoyed that I was able to support a Canadian author by reading this book, and it was overall a very magical read!

The Last Dragon of the East is author Katrina Kwan's debut fantasy novel - and I am looking very forward to seeing what else she writes within the fantasy genre!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of The Last Dragon of the East.

This book was beautiful, the writing was lovely and it felt like a fairy tale! I fell in love with Sai, our MMC, he is sunshine personified, he was so funny, and enthusiastic about everything and it was such a nice change of pace from all the brooding grumpy men I've been reading about in romances (which I also do love). Jyn is his Fated One and she is our grumpy, brash, heroine! She was so strong and had been through so much, she was so raw and realistic. Their chemistry was perfect, and the way Sai describes Jyn and thinks about her was so romantic and lovely, you could only hope to have a man love you like that!

3.5 stars
This story is primarily a romance. The plot prioritizes resolution of the emotional drama over the action. Because of that the plot drags in the second half, all the development occurs internally to the character and all the external action takes a back seat.
As characters both Sai and Jyn are well rounded on their own and when put together interact in a delightful manner. Sai is a good person and puts himself in danger but other times he also acts according to his own interest and the balance between the two creates an interesting character and makes him less predictable. Jyn might seem as the typical cold and aloof beauty but, without spoilers, her personality makes sens in the context of the story and takes an interesting turn as the story progresses. Their dynamic evolves at a good pace so their interactions don’t feel stale or rushed.
Where this book suffers is in the wold building, the myths that directly affect the plot are explained in detail but that is it, no other stories or variations are told. We start in a location and get enough time to get to know the characters, the history of the people and the town, but that level of detail disappears after that and the lands the characters explore become rather generic, the climate changes but all the people act and think in the same way so in the end they all feel the same. Because of this the feeling that we are on a grand adventure is greatly diminished and the pacing suffers because of it.

I really enjoyed this one.
A very fast-paced book full of interesting older characters, romance, magic and dragons.
Overall, this is probably one of my favourite retellings of Chinese Mythology.
Highly recommend.

Thank you for the ARC, however, I will say I was a little underwhelmed with this highly anticipated release. While I do definitely see the audience being perhaps younger or somewhat newer to fantasy, I tend to crave something different. Again, I definitely think there is an audience for it and I do know exactly who I’d recommend it to however for me this was a miss

I really enjoyed this one! It was a phenomenal read all around. It was very well written, with interesting characters and a plot that kept me on my toes. I was instantly pulled into this, it was captivating from beginning to end

This one started really strong for me, but unfortunately didn't hold up as the story progressed.

I loved the elements of fantasy and Chinese lore, and the MC was charming. But I found the pacing to be off, with lots of dialogue and introspection followed by rapid action scenes that were over in a paragraph or two. I can't help but feel like a few of the events could have been removed to give more space for character development. We barely know Jyn except through Sai's memories, and their insta-love was surface-level (yes, even with their seven millennia of history).

I was also confused by the tone of the book. Some sections felt almost YA in the delivery, while others were distinctly adult. The plot skipped quickly over things that would have helped to raise the stakes and keep me invested, but there were far too many magical loopholes that swooped in to save the day.

I was interested enough to keep reading, but found myself skipping sections. Overall, the story had potential but fell flat for me.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

I was over the moon when I got the ARC. Sadly, It was not for me. I found the spacing of the book to be too rushed, which made it hard for me to connect with the story and the characters. Even in the sad moments, I didn't feel emotionally invested in the book. The romance was too abrupt and too insta-love. I liked the sunshine/grumpy dynamic between them, and the mythology was interesting.

I ended up finishing this in two sittings including staying up until 1 am to finish the last 23 minutes of it. I was into this book. I love the premise, I’m here for fated mates any time but especially when there’s reincarnation involved! The whole “I’ll love you across every lifetime” thing just gets me every time, not even death can keep these mates apart forever. And I love the way the dragon fits into the story, fantastic use of Eastern mythology there.

It lost a star for me because it took too long to actually get into Sai’s quest and before he starts the quest he is kind of annoying. That gets lost fast once he’s on his quest especially once he meets up with Jyn. Once he's forced into action he becomes more confident, even if he's not exactly good at defending himself, he tries really hard. Does Jyn have to rescue him multiple times? Yes, but we love it when it's turned around so that the MMC is the damsel in distress. Sai and Jyn have a superb dynamic and great chemistry. Jyn on her own is a broken bird of a character with such a tragic backstory you can't help but completely adore her. She's such a grump the whole time with a soft spot only for our eternally sunshine-y Sai. Feng, one of the side characters, was annoying and I did not understand the purpose of her heavy-handed accent, it didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the world around them. Having her show back up again so randomly and so long after she originally exited the story was weird and really forced.

The plot was exciting and engaging. The evil Emporer demands that Sai hunt down the dragon whose scales he bought to cure his sick mother so that the Emporer can kill it. Sai is threatened with his mother's death if he doesn't cooperate. In a subversion of the usual quest trope finding the dragon actually turns out to be really easy and that's where shit hits the fan, the fun starts, and things really get going with the plot. I sort of saw the big reveal coming, but what came after the reveal I was not prepared for, and all I can say to the big bad is DAMN, WOW. Luckily they gets what they deserve.

🐉The Last Dragon of the East🐉

When I saw that this book was described as perfect for fans of Sue Lynn Tang and Hannah Whitten I was super intrigued. I really enjoy a story inspired by Chinese mythology so I was curious to see how this one would go. I’ve included the blurb in the next slide’s if you’re interested.

Overall I enjoyed this one. I really enjoyed all of the Chinese mythology included in this one. It included quite a few, even just briefly which was so enjoyable. It’s quite fairytale-like which made it a fast paced and enchanting read. Of course, I also quite enjoyed the dragon-y aspect of this one. I enjoyed the first half much more than the second half. The second half was fine but just didn’t draw me in the same way that the beginning did. The ending brought me back into the story.

While I enjoyed the main characters, I felt like Sai could be difficult to connect with at times. The story is told from his POV but I think it could have greatly benefited from showing Jyn’s POV as well. I enjoyed that it was a reverse grumpy/sunshine where he was the sunshine and she was grumpy. It totally worked in the context of this story and I enjoyed observing how the relationship between Sai and Jyn changed throughout the book. Though the concept of fated mates isn’t my favourite trope I felt like it was well done in this one.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this one. I would definitely pick up other books by this author.

Thank you @simonschusterca for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Last Dragon of the East came out on October 8th!

⭐3.5/5 stars⭐

There is just something really spectacular about Chinese mythology and this story did not disappoint. The atmosphere of this one was truly breathtaking.

Read if you like
Fantasy
Chinese Mythology
Dragons
Fated mates
Reverse grumpy/Sunshine

I loved discovering Sai’s life, he was such an endearing character, caring and selfless, it was truly a delight to follow his story. The pacing was really great, I found myself intrigued by all that was happening all the time. The story traveled places, there was action, mystery as to what secrets Jyn was hiding, super emotional moments but also funny banter through it all which made this read really well balanced.

The whole idea of being linked to your fated one by these red strings was so interesting and also moving because not all love stories are perfect, and it showed through these strings. Such a great concept to navigate.

I quite enjoyed how we learned slowly about Sai's past, bit by bit we could put it all together so that it all finally made sense. I was a bit heartbroken by it all and would have certainly wished for a bit more suffering on the bad guy part *evil face*, but that's me, when a character is the worst, they'll never suffer enough in my opinion to justify what they put me through, haha!

All in all, this was a fantastic and beautifully told story that is all about the power of love, as good and bad as it can be.

Thanks to Saga Press & Katrina Kwan & ColoredPagesBookTours for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own.