Genie Lo's biggest problem has always been living up to her mother's very high expectations, making sure she's at the top of her very competitive class and her goal to earn herself a spot in a top college but that all changes when new student Quentin transfers into her school. At first Quentin's claims that he is the Monkey King, and that Genie is the human reincarnation of his most powerful weapon, are easy to laugh off but as she finds herself facing off against creatures straight out of her childhood storybooks Genie starts to realise that there is more than a little truth to them. The question is can they stop the demon horde before it takes over the city?

I had so much fun reading this novel, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a fantastic, fast paced debut and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. We've seen so many books full of Greek and Roman mythology but hardly any about Chinese folklore so it's something I know very little about and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the monkey king and some of the other Chinese gods and demons.

Genie is a brilliant character too, she's a hard worker who has her entire future mapped out in her head, all she has to do is get top grades and get a place in a great college, hopefully with a scholarship to help pay the way, and she can escape from her hometown, get out from under her mother's thumb and live her life the way she wants to. She will do whatever it takes to achieve her goals and she's not afraid of putting in the many, many hours of studying needed to be a success story. Quentin throws her completely for a loop, she has no idea how to deal with demons and she'd really much rather be left to her studies but when she starts to realise the danger her friends, family and even strangers, are in then she steps up to make things better.

If I had one complaint I thought Genie learned to use her powers a little too easily, there was a bit of a learning curve but I think I'd have liked to see more of her training sessions and for her to have found it harder to get to grips with all of Quentin's revelations, however I was having so much fun watching the pair of them fighting all different kinds of demons that it didn't bother me for long. Genie is like an Asian version of Buffy who is fighting Chinese monsters rather than vampires, the story zooms along at a fantastic pace and I was gripped from the very beginning. I really hope that this is going to be the start of a new series and I'm definitely going to be watching out for whatever F.C. Yee writes next!

*Review Live Date: 8/9/2017 9AM EST, links for blog post & Goodreads will be added once post goes live*

PLOT

This has to be one of the most fun and adventurous plots I've read all year long & I was so thankful for so many reasons! many have compared this to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series which I have much love for. I can say that there are some similar feels but that goes for much of mythology, we can always find similarities. For me, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo stands apart for the following reasons:

1. A relatable Chinese-American heroine who is first and foremost just a student in High School trying to get into an Ivy League College

2. The story originates from the Chinese tale Journey to the West telling the story of Sun Wukong aka The Monkey King...I love all re-tellings however, I have never come across Chinese Folklore in Young Adult so this was a MUST READ!

3. The inclusion of Chinese culture specifically as it pertains to education and expectations. The pressures at home to over achieve bore so many similarities to those in Latinx culture. The fact that Genie wasn't a child prodigy, she simply didn't have a skill to set her apart in college applications & that alone made her very relatable...

The opening has us meet Genie Lo as she is meeting Quentin aka The Monkey King for the very first time. She witnesses him getting beat up by a group of guys in an alley & intercedes. She doesn't know what to think of him when he shows up as the new kid in her class who just won't let up on following her around. He speaks oddly enough but more than that, it's what he is saying...he speaks of a greater power lying within her. Genie is someone who believes in Science and the things he is saying & more so doing are supposed to be impossible. Quentin doesn't give up until he has made her question all that is real. Encounters with demons that leave her fighting for her life make her realize he isn't lying and that the world may very well be in danger. Embracing her new found powers, Genie sets about to restore normalcy in California one demon at a time...

CHARACTERS

Genie Lo stole my heart with her sass but it's the temper when she thinks you're trying to take a jab at her that really made me care for her. She's very self aware and makes no apologies for what sets her apart. Described as being very tall with a body that isn't considered very feminine, Genie plays to her strengths. She's part of a volley ball team not because she's very good at it but because it's a sport where her body is an asset & it looks good on college applications. Her moments of honesty really resonated with me & my own memories of High School. In Genie I saw a lot of my own self & it was refreshing seeing her not trying to change who she is for anyone.

Quentin aka The Monkey King got a ton of laughter out of me! he dished out as much sarcasm as he got from Genie. I enjoyed the moments where he pointed out all the hoops students had to jump through just to get a higher education. He of course is a supernatural force & school is not really an obligation lol. Quentin teaches Genie to fight all the while knowing he hasn't told her the full story of who she really is...

Yunie-Genie's BFF has to be one of the best BFF's I've come across in YA! she is HILARIOUS!!! & also has no hairs on her tongue. She had me from the moment she referenced her Ovaries upon seeing Quentin's handsome self walk into their classroom smh HAHA!

Genie's Mom is by no means what you're probably used to seeing from parents in Young Adults. As a matter of fact, she reminded me of my own in many ways. Genie's mom is a single working mother trying her best to keep her daughter goal driven. She also doesn't have any chill when speaking her mind & seeing her conversations play out with Genie felt familiar. Her heart is in the right place, she just has high expectations for her daughter. There are some moments when she speaks about Genie's appearance that may make some uncomfortable, for me this was very relatable coming from an old school home that encouraged education but also an ideal marriage. Genie fortunately has tough skin & knows that her mothers ideals aren't her own & loves her nonetheless.

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is fun, adventurous, packs a punch, and will leave you rooting for this heroines victory! The time I spent in its pages sparked so much interest in the Chinese tale from which it was inspired that I found myself researching on the side for my own growth. This is when I know I've come across a good book, when it leaves me wanting to dig deeper. This book was highly enjoyable while still imparting the reader with an inside look to a small aspect of Chinese culture. I was also a big fan of the humor throughout this book, so many LOL moments that I truly lost count (like I said, a very fun book haha). I also enjoyed the progression or development of Genie & Quentins relationship throughout the book. It felt more realistic to go from truly not trusting Quentin to friends to something more than just friends. I only docked it 1 star because the writing in the beginning felt like it was trying to find its footing. It started off with a very middle grade feel and towards the middle/end, it makes its mark as Young Adult. I'm very much looking forward to more from this author who lends an authentic diverse voice to this genre.

*Please check out these Own Voices reviews: Read Think Ponder & One Way or an Author (links to these blogs provided in my blog post)

*HUGE Thanks to Amulet Books, Netgalley, and F.C. Yee for the eGalley of The Epic Crush of Genie Lo in exchange for an honest review

Hello Readers! yesterday was Genie's Book Birthday, did any of you get to grab a copy? & if you've already read it please share some non-spoilery thoughts down below ;)

If you’ve been looking for the next YA fantasy hit, look no further. Here are 5 reasons to read THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO.

1. An Awesome Protagonist

16 year-old Genie Lo is hell-bent on having a better life than her parents, and she has her plan all mapped out: perfect grades, a star place on the varsity volleyball team, and volunteering at the local library are her ticket into an Ivy League school. But the arrival of a very strange guy named Quentin – and the slew of demons in hot pursuit – throws a wrench into those plans. Unlike a lot of teens in fiction, Genie is very focused on school and her future; she’s struggling to balance everything and while she sometimes handles it with grace, more often than not she loses her cool. But even when you want to shout at her, Genie is hilarious and her decisions make a certain kind of sense. I dare you not to love her!

2. Chinese Mythology

When Quentin, the exchange student from hell, shows up, Genie starts wishing she’d paid more attention to the Chinese stories her mom told her because he claims to be a central figure in them…and Genie’s actually starting to believe him. F. C. Yee does a fantastic job incorporating Chinese mythology into the story and although I knew a few pieces of the original story, I was still surprised by the direction it took here. THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO features an impressive blend of classic mythology and urban fantasy tropes that will satisfy contemporary fans and fantasy readers alike. Fans of Buffy will love this.

3. Realistic Teenage Life

For a book about gods, demon slaying, and a magical staff, THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO is surprisingly realistic. Sure, Genie may have a few…special abilities, but at the heart of it she’s a normal teenager. She hangs out with her BFF Yunie at lunch and after school, she has a strained but loving relationship with her parents, and she occasionally screws up and makes mistakes. Getting into a great college is always at the back of her mind and it was refreshing to see that reality actually acknowledged in a YA novel.

4. Winning Humour

From the very first scene to the last, Genie’s voice had me cracking up. Her narration is witty and bitingly sarcastic, and her observations on what it is to be a teenager and Chinese-American had me in stitches. Obviously I can’t speak to the accuracy of her statements, but they felt very authentic based on what I’ve seen around me (and I’ve seen lots of Chinese and East Asian bloggers praising the representation here). There are a ton of examples that I could pull out, but my personal favourite was her reflection on the name “Eugenia” and its prevalence among the kids of Asian American parents. I legit laughed out loud…in public.

5. Strong Women Everywhere

Genie herself is hard working, tough, and yes, she’s also insanely strong physically. But this isn’t a story about one special young woman who fights every battle on her own: Genie has lots of other badass ladies backing her up. When things go sideways and the demon slaying gets too overwhelming, a certain Chinese goddess comes down from on high to help a girl out. Human girls are pretty boss in this story too, and Yunie is definitely gunning for “fictional best friend of the year” with her sass, protectiveness, and ability to call Genie out when needed.

With all these reasons (and more!) to pick it up, what are you waiting for? Go snag your copy of F.C. Yee’s THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO now!

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a fun, fast-paced YA novel which plays with elements of the Chinese legend Journey to the West. It was a delightful read, but suffers from a few flaws.

Genie is a great character. She takes her study seriously and uses her unusual height to round out her curriculum as a member of the volleyball team. Her greatest dream is to leave behind the Bay Area town in which she lives. She's disciplined, but underneath she's quite an angry person, which I liked about her. She's also a little bit juvenile at times.This suits her age, but contributes to an overall feeling that the book verges on Middle Grade rather than being Young Adult.

This is exacerbated by the relationship between Genie and Quentin. The romance between them is interesting in theory, but in execution it never feels that deep. Instead, it feels tacked on to a reasonably solid friendship. Part of this is due to Quentin's lack of respect for boundaries. This was entirely in keeping with his character, but it undermines the relationship. Genie pushes back, but we never really see Quentin's learning curve, making elements of the ending surprising.

Genie's relationship with Quentin also undermines her friendship with Yunnie. This is something Genie explicitly struggles with and it was disappointing that this was never properly followed through. Instead of Genie's decisions having a lasting impact on that relationship, it gets used as a plot device.

The action sequences were well-handled. The few shown on screen were dynamic and fast-paced, and I was happy the ones that took place but weren't really important to the story got hand-waved.

As I mentioned, the story plays with elements of Journey to the West. I liked how it had been updated for the modern age and its framing as a superhero tale. The way the original legend relates to Genie was clever and opened up some interesting discussions on the nature of personhood. It was also nice to see a story that not only centred an Asian-American protagonist, but an entire community.

Overall, I enjoyed The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, despite its flaws. The door has been left open for a sequel, which I would quite happily read.

That is clearly a book that I will remember as one of my favourites of 2017. I cannot believe this is a debut novel! There are so much great things to say about it.

I LOVED how Genie has the best reactions to Quentin doing weird things, things that we have seen happened before in novels, weird things that have sometimes been romanticised when they shouldn’t be. For example, Genie does not let strange boys into her bedroom because that is NOT romantic, that is creepy and our Genie knows it. I clapped when she screamed for her mom when a boy appeared at her window because THAT is the reaction one would have!
She is violent at times, she screams and is a bit crude , she is an angry teen and I love that. There is a lot she has a right to be angry about, and I found it a relief to find a YA heroine not afraid to state her feelings and speak about what bothers her in such a way.

An aspect I really liked was the complex relationships between Genie and her mom, her father, her best-friend and Quentin. The relationships felt real. While I was disappointed that her relationship with her best-friend suffers from the secrets she kept from her, this is a matter that is addressed and I think could get better in an eventual sequel.

Genie is also SO STRONG. Like, her strength is magnificent and I was in awe at how it was handled and her reaction to all the things revealed to her. She is one of my new favourite characters. She also is super tall, and while I can’t relate I’m glad because there aren’t enough tall heroines!

A “fun” detail is that Genie is allergic to pollen and I was strangely ecstatic for this because it is so rare to have a character sharing this allergy (which is actually quite common.) She also is really focused on her homework, her future and volleyball. She is a very well fleshed out character that has a lot of things going on in her life. That is something that is often missing from characters in fantasy or sf YA novels and I really appreciated this here.

I was afraid the plot and action would get repetitive at one point but it really didn’t. New characters appeared, fun action scenes worthy of our favourites anime happened, I kept laughing and laughing… It must be said that this is a very comedic book, meaning it really has vocation to be funny and action-packed in a wacky way.

For Western reference, I’d say if you love things like Buffy (no vampires here, rather demons), this could totally be right up your alley. I wasn’t familiar with the Chinese folklore/mythology explored in this book, but it is made sure that all readers could enjoy this book. I’m glad to see so many Chinese teens and friends on twitter and Goodreads being overjoyed to see a story they grew up with being used so well in a YA novel.

This is an amazing addition to YA novels and I hope it will get the success it deserves!

What can readers expect from The Epic Crush of Genie Lo? You’ll find what we all love in young adult novels; an amazing story with plenty of adventure, family and friendships, and some major swooning!

This book has been gaining so much love and hype around the YA book community, so I was beyond ecstatic when I got sent a review copy! I went into this story hoping to be blown away, and I’m happy to announce that my expectations were met and more.

Our main character, Genie, is introduced to readers as a regular teenage girl trying to maintain good grades. She is determined to leave behind her town and do something great in her life. Just when she thinks her college essays are all she has to worry about, her world turns upside down after meeting the new student, Quentin.

Genie is the best aspect of this book by far and I enjoyed her character so much! F.C. Yee’s writing completely captures the modern teen’s voice, which was refreshing because they all acted their age. Genie is hilarious, snarky, intelligent, and knows her worth. There are plenty of ways the I related to her. I grew up with a somewhat same family dynamic as Genie’s and it was nice to see that authenticity portrayed in the story for me.

I believe everyone will be able to find a piece of themselves in this story, though. All of the characters felt genuine. There was Genie’s best friend, Yunie, and then of course Quentin. He was as great as Genie, and the two of them have such a fun dynamic throughout! Also, their banter was everything. Their amusing arguments had me cracking up! They made an amazing team, balancing one another out in order to slay some demons! All while trying to keep up in school, might I add.

There is a lot of mythology inside of this story. I personally was not familiar with any of it and can’t speak to how well it was portrayed. I have read reviews by Chinese reviewers who absolutely love this book, so I have taken their word for it being written with great representation inside. And the great thing was that even if you aren’t accustomed with the mythology, F.C. Yee does a wonderful job fleshing it all out and explaining it to the readers. I never found myself confused or the wording too info dumpy.

I can not stop gushing about this book and I’m not sure how it’s even a debut? F.C. Yee’s writing is majestic! The fight scenes alone completely popped out of the pages! I felt as if I was killing some demons alongside my friends. And as for the romance aspect of the book, it was never center stage which totally worked for the story. It was slow-burn, super cute, and I ship it.

Overall, I loved The Epic Crush of Genie Lo. I wish I could buy a million copies and hand them out to everyone I see because it was that amazing. Readers will instantly connect with the characters and this world! The mythology mixed with the fighting scenes will have you turning the pages, too! The Epic Crush of Genie Lo will hit stores on August 8th so make sure to pick up your copy then.

This is one of my favorite YA reads of this year. I pretty much read it in one sitting while live-tweeting my reactions. It’s a jam-packed mix of action, comedy, romance, and character growth. I laughed my way through most of it and yelled at the characters because I was engaged with the story.

Genie is a character that I was eager to root for because I related to her feelings a lot. She is uncertain and angry and she’s not shy about expressing her anger. Anger is an emotion that gets policed a lot, especially in POC and especially for Asians because of the stereotype of us as passive and non-threatening. It was refreshing to read about a character who embraces her inner angry Asian.

Another thing I loved about her is that she’s tall because I’m tall (though not quite as tall) and having some variety in Asian physiques is always nice. We’re not all tiny and dainty, mind you.

Genie’s anger and brawn become purposeful when demons start attacking the Bay Area. Of course, the attractive transfer student is involved, and she gets embroiled in a conflicting much greater than herself.

Although people tend to discount worldbuilding in contemporary, it’s no less important than in a secondary world fantasy. Genie lives in the Silicon Valley, and the author really captures the atmosphere and landscape well, down to the bubble tea shops that have taken over in recent decades.

On the fantasy side, we have demons and immortals from Chinese folklore putting in appearances, including some big shots that many diaspora Chinese readers will find familiar. Knowing Mandarin and having a background in the Chinese folklore integrated into the story was a bonus; my prior knowledge didn’t make the story feel reused or trite, it enriched the experience. For those who aren’t familiar, the narrative provides sufficient background and humorous cliffnotes versions of the relevant myths, so it won’t go over your heads.

Outside of the action, we get character development. Genie’s demon fighting problems bleed over into her normal life and affect her relationships with friends and family as well as her academics. She vents to and receives advice from a college application coach in a way creates humor because she is being literal about demon-fighting while her coach takes her complaints as figurative/hyperbole. Throughout the story, Genie’s priorities, sense of self, and agency are explored parallel to the action of kicking demon butt.

The romantic relationship between Genie and Quentin is rife with tension as despite her visceral attraction to him, Genie refuses to be less than equal to him or disrespected (which is a good thing of course). The development and changes between them that happen between start and end are dramatic but justified. For those who are into the hate-to-love trope or tall girl/short boy dynamic, this one’s for you. 😉

One of my favorite things about this story is how over the top it is. There’s definitely a sense that the story isn’t taking itself too seriously, and it almost feels like an Asian drama or anime/manga. It’s difficult to explain but leaves a distinct impression.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo comes out next week! I repeat, NEXT WEEK! F. C. Yee’s debut novel might be my favorite book of this year, taking a spot right next to I Believe In a Thing Called Love and When Dimple Met Rishi.

Here's why you, as a fabulous bookworm, need to check out Yee’s debut novel when it hits shelves next week (and if you can't afford it, request away at the library!):

Chinese Mythology - As someone who is Chinese, I am ALWAYS on the lookout for Chinese representation in the books I read. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo focuses on a particular story, but those who are unfamiliar with Chinese Mythology will find the explanations included not overbearing.

Hilarious - Genie Lo is hilarious, and I swear 80% of my reading notes contain laughing emojis. There is never a dull moment in this book - every scene has a line that will have you laughing out loud, or trying hard not to laugh in public (I get embarrassed).

Breaking Stereotypes - I am SO glad there is a book out there breaking stereotypes. Genie Lo is tall and angry, something not typically associated with Asians. We're not all small and docile - we have claws, too!

Just A Little Bit of Romance - I am not a romantic person, but I loved the developing relationship between Genie and transfer student Quentin. It's not taking over the overall plot and action, and their interactions are entertaining to read as well.

Relatable - I'm not saying Genie Lo is relatable because she's Chinese like me. She's relatable to all of us - the ones who have gone through or will go through the struggles of junior/senior year of college: choosing the right college, writing the best essay possible, striving for good grades and scores, etc. There aren't many books in the YA category that deals with characters fighting demons while they're stressing over schoolwork and everything else at the same time.

With action and fantasy set in the modern world and comedic lines, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo deserves all the hype it has been getting the book community and so much more.

I knew this book would be great. I just had this innate feeling that this book would rocket up my list of best reads of the year (so far, of course). And it did. If you buy one book this year, let it be The Epic Crush of Genie Lo.

With a diverse cast, a world both unlike anything I've read but also made highly accessible, and a story that had me tearing through the pages, I devoured this book much like a yaoguai would a human. 

For starters, Genie is Chinese American. I'm not, so I can't speak to the rep of this book but I'll say that I think Yee addressed stereotypes of Asian-American people that I've heard over the years and instead of enforcing them, gave a more realistic view to this culture subset. There were differences in the way that Genie and her mom interacted, and with some of the comments Genie made about the world, that differed from my home life and that of others I know and I liked seeing a new side of the world. My own background has been relatively sheltered and whitewashed because of where I live, and I haven't had the chance to expand beyond that but I think this book was definitely a step in the right direction, and I encourage everyone to read it for that experience alone because there's a lot we can learn from fiction beyond how to defeat demons.

Then there's the mythology woven into the world. I love mythology, especially from cultures that aren't as prevalent (Greek mythology is great, y'all, but let's change it up). This book focuses on Ancient Chinese folklore and brings those stories to life through the characters (quite literally). I think the way Yee presented the tales -- not as a wise storyteller trying to impart wisdom, but as a teenager making sense of the stories -- really worked both to show Genie's character as well as make a likely unfamiliar topic accessible to a lot of readers. 

Genie has become one of my favorite YA heroines. She's got such much going on in her life, it's a wonder she manages it all and successfully at that. There was just the right balance here of fantastical demon hunting and the pressures of school (getting good grades, getting into a good college, not disappointing your parents, all the things that go with being a teen). She's a fluid character in that she felt real, as though this is someone I might run into on the street but who could also smash a god into the ground. She's down-to-earth and takes each situation in stride. This is the kind of heroine I want teens to read about, the kind of character that every reader can find a piece of themselves in. 

Not that the other characters were slouches. Quentin cracked me up, partially because the two of them together reminded me way too much of InuYasha and Kagome from the anime InuYasha (and yes, I understand the cultural differences between this book and the show, I am comparing the characters and the story itself in this case). Honestly, the comparisons were so prominent I could write a whole post about them on their own (and I might). He sees something in Genie that she hasn't seen herself yet and watching their friendship grow was a great display of how people feed off each other. They both learned something in the process of the grand adventure. 

A smaller note but I loved the twist on Genie's identity. It wasn't what I was expecting at all but added yet another interesting element to this book. 

Before I start rambling too much more, let me just say that The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was one of the most unique and entertaining books I've read in a while. It's beautifully diverse and original, one part superhero tale, one part mythological goodness. Everyone needs to read this book. No exceptions. Get on it, y'all!

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a story full of action, intensity, and reality. A combination of fighting, Chinese folklore, and the pressure weighing down on Genie's shoulders to get into a top college before high school is over.

Genie is driven. Not necessarily angry but certainly frustrated at times. She knows what she wants out of her future and has everything planned. Top grades leading to top schools leading to getting out of the Bay Area. She knows she'll have to work impossibly hard in order to get out. But then Quentin Sun falls into her life, pushy and demanding, and turns everything around. Revealing that he's an important figure in Chinese folklore and stories, revealing that Genie herself has mystical abilities. Revealing that demons are coming for them, demons she doesn't have time to deal with if she wants to get into Harvard or Yale. And so comes Genie's battle to keep her lives apart while she and Quentin try to save unknowing citizens from becoming demon food.

What struck me, as a white reader, was the pressure weighing down on Genie as a Chinese-American girl. The pressure to get prefect grades, to stand out among all the other Asian applicants sending essays to top universities. The pressure from her mother to not stand out, to listen and behave, to be proper, to be nice to boys that show interest. The uneasiness she feels in her own body, how she dislikes being a tall Chinese girl. In no way can I attest to the authenticity of Genie's personal life or experiences, that is for other Chinese-American and Asian-American readers to speak on, but it certainly felt real to me. Her worries and wants dripped from the page.

This book is a great mixture of action and real life. Genie's struggle is very real, her desire to get good grades to get into a top university at war with her given mission to stop the sudden demon invasion. Things are never easy for Genie, so rarely is she given a break. I would recommend this to so many readers, so many teens like Genie worried about the future while struggling through their present, fighting against some expectations while trying to live up to others.

Genie Lo was absolutely brilliant - I loved the characters, the relationship with the Sun Wukong legend, and I loved her anger! The only thing I wasn't sure of was the fight scenes, they were heavily built up and then so short it felt like they weren't worth the worry.

Genie Lo's Bay Area town is coming under siege by demons from Chinese folklore. As she traverses her old life of school and college admissions, Genie must also hone her powers and build up her strength. With Quentin her only guide, Genie finds out the hard way of how to be a hero. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo shows that a hero can defeat demons without skipping classes and admissions prep. 

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was a thoroughly entertaining read. It definitely has some tropes, but humour was often a factor which overshadowed them. Genie as the 'chosen one' to help defeat demons was a hilarious reveal moment. She's a very plain, average girl who gets both cynical and angry when told what she is. Unlike some common character arcs, Genie doesn't become the best fighter alive miraculously. Plus, Quentin gets himself into hysterically awkward situations. 

Genie was a great hero, but she also felt very real and ordinary. There weren't any points that made me question whether Genie was being written too old. She acted in a typical teenage way, although she was a lot more hotheaded. There were awkward teenage moments with friends, family and crushes alongside the fantasy and folklore elements. 

I'm used to reading many European fairytales, Greek mythology, and England based lore. But I really enjoyed reading more about folklore from China. It helped make the book less predictable and more surprising because I personally didn't know much about it beforehand. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo also brought the folklore out into America. Alongside this it discusses stereotypes within America which is important for middle-grade books. 

It only took me two nights to read the Epic Crush of Genie Lo. It was a very fast read. But it was a good one, I didn't think anything was missed due to it being smaller. There's also going to be a sequel so they'll be more expansion on the folklore introduced.

I've heard so many things about this book and with a tagline that enticing ("a demon invasion is no excuse for bad grades"), I knew I had to read it. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo definitely didn't disappoint and it definitely has to be on your must-buy list.

Genie is a sixteen year old just focusing on good grades so she can leave the Bay area she's growing tired of. But when her city is attacked by demons out of Chinese folklore, it's up to her to stop them, with the help of new transfer student Quentin Sun. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a hilarious and entertaining debut novel 

I loved the voice of this novel. The writing was just phenomenal and so hilarious, Genie was just one of the most engaging and relatable characters I've seen in a while. The combination of the realistic contemporary setting and the Chinese folklore that appeared within the novel was just effortless and made for an engaging read. I loved every minute of reading The Epic Crush of Genie Lo and I know that so many people will too. 

Overall, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was just a hilarious and engaging debut novel and I am absolutely dying to get my hands on the sequel. If you're looking for something unique and entertaining, I highly recommend this one!

Going into this book, I had the highest of expectations because all of my fellow bloggers have given it the five stars. Because of the hype, I was fully ready for this to be one of my favorites of the year, but disappointingly there were just some things that didn't work for me. In the end though, I felt that choosing the 4 star rating was the right choice, because although it wasn't my cup of tea, it is such an important piece of literature that should get in as many readers hands as possible.

We start out with Genie Lo, a high school student who is trying her hardest to get into an ivy-league school. Then her stalker/romantic interest Quentin comes to her asking for help with slaying demons from supernatural realms. She than embarks on this whole journey of trying to protect the people that she loves, her hometown, and herself. What's the most fascinating thing about this is that's it's based on Chinese mythology, something that I knew nothing about so I felt like I was in for a treat.

One of the things that bothered me is how long it took to explain the rules of the otherworld, because for most of the beginning parts we didn't get a chance to dive in deeper into the world of reincarnation, heaven, hell, etc. I tried to forced myself to care about any of the characters, but there wasn't any connection that I could grasp because of one trope that I absolutely hate being played out in any book.

The stalker one turning into the love interest makes me feel so uncomfortable. Especially in this book, because of their strange set-up/forced partnership there were lots of beginning scenes of Quentin hardcore stalking Genie and it made my skin crawl and so I started to skim those section.

On another note, I am so amazed how well Yee can capture the voice of a teenage girl, and not make it sound awkward or stilted. One of the highlights of this book was seeing how both Genie and Yee was in writing such an apologetically fierce hella angry female warrior. We need more of that, and this is the perfect example of how it should look like.

However, all of this rambling above is just my subjective preferences, right? I truly see the value of exploring the diaspora and what it means to be a Chinese-America by an ownvoices author. I would still recommend you picking this up to read, going in with a clean slate, because in every aspect of representation it is so brilliantly done. I'm sure that there are many Chinese people out there who would like to see themselves in book, and this is an excellent choice to pick up.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

A demon invasion is no excuse for bad grades. 

^

This tagline speaks to me on a whole new level!

Welcome to another book review by moi and it will be on the one and only, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C Yee. Genie Lo is a self-disciplined and rather tough Chinese American who is looking to finish high school and go to college when demons invade her quiet town. Now, she's caught in a supernatural mess of fighting them off, training with the Monkey King, and conversing with ancient Chinese gods, which all seems to be ruining her chances of college prep.

I started this book with high expectations after hearing amazing things about it. It did not disappoint. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is incredibly funny, action-packed and you need to read this if you love Chinese folklore. It's a modern retelling of Journey to the West set in contemporary society (which offers many moments of comedy in itself) and I feel like a lot of Chinese readers will thoroughly enjoy this. As a kid, I watched the live-action adaptions of Journey to the West, but for those unfamiliar with the story there is enough explanation throughout the novel that will bring you up to speed in no time.

So, where do I even begin to describe how fantastic this book is?



Genie Lo is the angry teen protagonist we need.

All Genie wants to is get into a prestigious college and ace her classes. She's an overachiever, has a lot of spunk and is such a nerd. She's realistic, relatable and entertaining. She's also got a lot of anger towards a few things (heck, I was an angry teen) but it doesn't border onto teen angst. She's also quite conscious of her Asian heritage, often making comments about the differences between her family and Western/American culture; while it adds a break from the battles and banter, it also offers an interesting insight into how some Chinese-American teenagers view their lives.

It is laced with light comedy and action.

When the goofy and rather strange Quentin introduces himself to Genie, it doesn't end well. But as their stories reveal they have a long history together, it brings a novel's worth of wicked banter, fighting demons, talking to Chinese gods and getting to know each other.

Genie's best friend Yunie provided some of the best dialogue I've read ever - she is certainly a force to be reckoned with. I also loved the touch of family dynamics, something I found added a genuine quality to Genie and her relationship with her mother and father. Rather than just having her parents as background noise, they are involved and shape Genie into who she is. 

I adored the blooming relationship between Quentin and Genie. Both of them offer such hilarious and refreshing perspectives, which is absolutely brilliant. And when they paired with Genie, they make a hilarious dynamic duo. There's also a lot of gaming and tech references which is A+.

The writing is absolutely brilliant.

How is this a debut novel? The writing is so easy to follow and down-to-earth. Yee balances the novel's battles with demons (yaoguai) with discussion of Genie's family history and her relationship with her best friend, Yunie. Oh, and chatting to the Goddess of Mercy.

So what are you waiting for? If you love mythology, action and light romance, pick this up. It's engaging, exhilarating and downright hilarious. Just read it.

The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie Lo's every waking thought. But when her sleepy Bay Area town comes under siege from hell-spawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are suddenly and forcefully rearranged.

Her only guide to the demonic chaos breaking out around her is Quentin Sun, a beguiling, maddening new transfer student from overseas. Quentin assures Genie she is strong enough to fight these monsters, for she unknowingly harbors an inner power that can level the very gates of Heaven.

Genie will have to dig deep within herself to summon the otherworldly strength that Quentin keeps talking about. But as she does, she finds the secret of her true nature is entwined with his, in a way she could never have imagined… (via Goodreads)
I received an eARC of The Epic Crush of Genie Lo from Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, Amulet Books, in exchange for an honest review!

With absolutely no hesitation, I adored The Epic Crush of Genie Lo. Full stop. I could just leave my review there, BUT I WANT TO GUSH ABOUT IT.

This book is Percy Jackson meets The Incredibles meets Chinese mythology, written by a Chinese man.You guys know I love all of that. This book was stunningly well-written. Every conversation had me laughing and cheering for Genie, Quentin and Yunie.

Genie was hilarious, and felt like someone I would have thought was scarily awesome as a teen, even without knowing about how much of a badass she was fighting demons.

I loved how, despite the story being a superhero one, Genie still cared about her academic record and goals, and talked about how her duties as the human form of a badass weapon got in the way of her school work.

I also loved that Genie wanted to share her new part of her life with her mother and Yunie, even though she also wants to protect them. I can't wait to see what happens

I really hope that I've been able to show how much I loved this book. You can pick up a copy on Amazon or Indiebound! I highly recommend it!



Disclaimer: All links to Indiebound and Amazon are affiliate links, which means that if you buy through those links, I will make a small amount of money off of it.

Bravo, F.C Yee! You've managed to make me laugh with a book until my stomach hurts.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo wasn't exactly on my radar until some of my close bookish friends (shoutout to Eri, Aila & Aentee), wouldn't stop raving about it. These ladies hardly ever lead me astray, so I decided that I was going to give it a shot and surprise, surprise - I had so much fun with it, by the end, I was just dying to have the sequel in my hands.

Books like The Epic Crush of Genie Lo remind me why I love reading so much. They are temporarily able to whisk me away to a different world. Sure, I'd probably be the first to flop dead in Genie's newfound world of demons, but it's still fun to imagine myself in her shoes. It helps that Genie is a super relatable character. I think a lot of readers are going to love her. She's just pure fun, but also smart, studious (Hallelujah! Finally a YA heroine who actually worries about things like college and school.) and witty! She's also super dramatic (honestly, I think she might be me), and her reactions to finding out about the demons, the monkey king, and her true self, were hilarious. She doesn't immediately embrace her newfound powers, she's actually wary and thinks Quentin is a stalkery nutjob, which only made me love her more. Her powers don't also come to her easily, and she has to train hard to unlock her limits.

Speaking of Quentin, what a joy this Monkey King was! He was just as hilarious as Genie for me. Some of his reactions, and comments left me breathless, holding my stomach. He and Genie made for great partners. Sure, they didn't start off on the right foot, which was totally understandable, because honestly, who in their right mind would be accepting of anyone who shouts out "You are mine!" on your first meeting? I know I'd be getting a restraining order! But they grow a friendship, which very subtly develops into a romance. I loved all the scenes of Genie and Quentin fighting demons together as a team. What I liked the best about their relationship was how Quentin continued to push Genie to be a stronger version of herself. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo also has terrific family dynamics. I adored Genie's mom, and saw a lot of my mom in her - I honestly think Asian moms were made of the same mold! She cared about her daughter, but also had certain expectations of her. I think perhaps if there was one thing I wanted more of from this book, it would have to be the friendship between Genie and Yulie. Yulie seems like a great girl, and I wanted her to have a bit more screen time.

My knowledge of any sort of Chinese mythology is sadly paltry, but I loved how F.C Yee incorporated the ancient Chinese legend of the monkey king, Sun Wukong, into this modern setting. He does a terrific job with the background, and giving readers a good understanding of the legend, and the roles each character plays in the legend. I also love any sort of book where the characters are fighting demons in a modern setting. They make for really fun stories, in my opinion, and F.C Yee was able to take it all a step forward with his addictive writing. My favorite scenes were definitely the action scenes with Genie at the center. I could read about girls kicking demon butts forever.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo ended with a nice twist, and I was left desperately in need of the sequel. I'm going to need more of F.C Yee's writing ASAP! Seriously folks, this entertaining debut YA Urban Fantasy needs to be at the top of your TBRs.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a modern day twist on characters from Chinese Folklore. While reading I found myself very interested in what elements were actually found in the old tales and what were new from the author, and after some checking, I discovered that the history or backstory if you will, for Genie Lo is actually from 16th century tale, Journey to the West. The modern translation by Arthur Haley is called Monkey, and I'm very interested in reading it now that I've read Genie Lo.

While the story wasn't as smooth as I might have liked, it does have a lot to recommend it, chief among those to me was getting me interested in the mythology it is inspired by. It is not a retelling of Journey to the West, instead it takes some of those characters, gives them modern personalities, and with a new conflict, goes to town! It is action packed, with interesting fight scenes that are unique in the problems faced to overcome each enemy. It is humorous in that Genie is dealing with an invasion of demons and trying to get into college at the same time, a tall order for any teenager, even one with heretofore unknown super powers.

I enjoyed the story line, and the use of mythology, and most of the characters, except for Genie herself. I don't dislike her, but I had a hard time bonding with her. I am okay with all the other characters but her, and I wonder if that's because it's written in first person narrative, with Genie telling us the story as it's happening. She grows as the story unfolds, but it's hard to overcome that initial discord for me. I didn't feel like the times she swears in the beginning of the story are really merited by the events taking place, and some of the expletives chosen really turned me off. I'll admit this is potentially more of a pet peeve of my own than a flaw, but it was jarring and didn't add to the story for me.

Overall The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was a fun read and got me interested in learning more about the mythological characters it showcased. I would recommend it to those who enjoy that mesh of modern and myth, like myself!

Genie is a very tall, slightly awkward, sixteen year old girl. Every hour of her day is spent in homework, volleyball, volunteering and trying to get into the college of her dreams. She’d like to think she has enough things on her plate, thank you very much, without the appearance of a very beautiful and very obnoxious boy half her size. But Quentin Sun, ‘transfer’ student from somewhere (definitely not China), seems to think that he knows her, worse, that she belongs to him somehow, and she just can’t let that stand.

But Quentin has a strange habit of getting everything to go his way and Genie’s mother may have fallen in love with the very idea of him. Genie’s attempts to get him to leave her alone certainly aren’t helped by the sudden appearance of demons from traditional Chinese mythology, or the revelation that she might not be quite human.

Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but even creatures from Chinese Mythology have to work to try and get into Princeton, and Genie isn’t giving that up for anything.

To say that I simply enjoyed this book would be doing it a disservice. I loved it.

One of the strongest parts of this story was definitely the narrative voice. It’s smooth, sharp and effortlessly witty, without you ever getting the feeling that Genie is anything other than a sixteen year old girl. If I had to compare Yee’s voice to another author it would definitely be Rick Riordan. A bit out there, a bit slapstick, and very very good. At certain points in the story , to help us clueless readers, Yee explains some of the more salient points of Chinese Mythology and, honestly, if Yee were to write a book of myths from Genie’s point of view I would preorder it in approximately two seconds.

The second thing on my ‘most beloved list’ are the characters. Genie is stubborn, driven and impatient, she’s bored and uncomfortable with herself, aka, she reads exactly like my sixteen year old self. Quentin is just…it’s very obvious from early on that he’s not functioning on human social norms. He’s blunt, arrogant and frustratingly charming. It’s the perfect recipe for an uncontrolled explosion, and, wow, when it blows, it blows. There are a couple of other characters in the book that I’d love to meet in more detail, especially Genie’s fierce mother and effervescent friend, Eunie, but as there’s a sequel on the way, I can hope that we see more of them there.

Now, going into this story I knew very little about Chinese Mythology. So little. Did it affect my reading? The answer is no, because Yee explains every mythological element in fun, engaging ways. You never feel that you’re getting forcefed information, it’s a lot more relaxed than that. There’s also a lot of references to Chinese culture and, specifically, the culture of the Chinese diaspora. Genie is raised Chinese-American, and whilst there are a lot of similarities with mainland Chinese culture, the diaspora also have cultures which are specifically their own. It was refreshing to read Chinese-American characters that were written by a Chinese-American author, not the cardboard cutouts, or just sheer non-existance, of such characters that we usually see in western media.

I will warn you that for the first 20-30% of the book that you might find Quentin almost pathologically annoying, very much in the same way that I’m sure Genie does. But he grows and changes and, indeed, Genie grows and changes through the book. Many of Quentin’s actions also make a lot more sense once you realise who he is.

The part of the story that resonated most with me is Genie’s academic life. I was once a hard nosed, over driven kid trying to get into a top Medical School. I worked all the time, did extracurriculars all the time, and was absolutely obsessed with getting where I wanted to go. It was painful, it wasn’t fun, but it never felt like an option to not be fighting for my future. Goal driven characters tend to maybe get slightly villainised in YA, or at least, the moral of the story tends to be that they’re happier when they’re not fighting above their weight. ‘Genie Lo’ does something different in that is advocates balance, work hard but also be aware of your social and personal needs. Work hard, but make sure you’re working hard at what you enjoy. I think that as a sixteen year old I would have been pretty chuffed to see myself in a book like that.

‘Genie Lo’ is not the book that I expected it to be. It is more than I expected it to be. I’m honestly a little shocked that Yee is a debut author. It’s laugh out loud funny, warm and quirky and I think that if you’re looking for something fun, and a little bit different then definitely give this a go.

Many thanks to Amulet Books for a copy in return for an honest review!

Hilariously witty, exceedingly clever, and loads of fun, the only thing i didn't like about GENIE LO was the fact that it's a debut so I don't have more books from Yee to read. Genie is a snarky protagonist with a lot of raw edges and a lot of heart who finds herself tossed into a world of Chinese folklore and trying to find a balance between fighting demons and getting into a good college.
I can't wait for the sequel. Every word of this book was fun and the way Yee wove Chinese folklore into the narrative was genius.