Wow, just wow!
Foul Lady Fortune was one of my most anticipated reads this year with its gorgeous cover and attention-grabbing blurb and I was not left disappointed.
From the first line, I was immediately captivated. This book had everything I love from fake marriage to grumpy/sunshine to who hurt you. The plot flowed at a comfortable pace and at times left me stunned with its unexpected twists, and the characters (to me) were perfect with their flaws and at times ineptitude.
Although Foul Lady Fortune is a spin-off from the These Violent Delights duology I don't feel that it is essential to read them first to understand the story.

Chloe Gong’s writing is so incredibly immersive that the minute you open this book, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into 1930s Shanghai.

I loved the These Violent Delights duology and wasn’t sure how this would measure up. There’s always a risk that a spin-off will be too similar or too different but Foul Lady Fortune falls perfectly in the middle.

The overall vibe was very similar. Chloe Gong’s books read very like action movies with lots of intricate world-building and a vast political system. Everything was really well explained but never info-dumped. Because there is so much detail, there is a risk for the book to feel slow but almost every chapter ended on a cliffhanger that drew you into the next one.

I really loved the returning characters. Rosalind, Celia, and Alisa were some of my favorite characters in TVD and I loved seeing how they were adjusting to life after the events of Our Violent Ends. Our new characters were great too. Orion was really well fleshed out, and I loved Phoebe, Silas, and Oliver. The dynamic between Rosalind and Orion was spot on and I liked seeing their different skills and personalities play off each other. I really loved the queer representation. Orion and Phoebe are bi-sexual, Rosalind is demi-sexual, Celia is trans, Alissa is aro/ace, and I believe Silas is also queer. The rep is brought in in a way that, although it’s not a big deal to our characters, you can tell it’s still considered something dangerous in the wider world.

The assassin/spy dynamic was a lot of fun and I loved the new supernatural twist, with Rosalind’s immortality. It felt very X-Men-ish. The plot, while reminiscent of TVD, was really twisty and kept me on the edge of my seat.

I will say, although you can technically read this without having read the TVD duology, I wouldn’t recommend it. You would miss so much of the backstory for half of the characters and the world itself.

This is another new favorite from Chloe Gong and puts her firmly on my favorite authors list. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Content warnings (as noted by the author): blood, violence, murder, weapon use, needles, description of human experimentation, descriptions of war, descriptions of head injury.

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2022, and I am still in awe that I got an arc, and devoured the book in less than a day. The subtle nods to tvd and ove were obvious, but it isn't necessary to remember everything, as the major plot points were explained, and so I thought flf worked well as a standalone.

Whilst I loved tvd and ove, I definitely think flf was my favourite so far. There was so much growth, and emotional depth in the story, especially with Rosalind, but also dealing with grief and finding your place without your loved ones and everything you're familiar with, that made me even more involved in the story.

I was so drawn by the way every character was written and the atmosphere was slowly built up, that I didn't want the book to end. The chemistry and tension between Rosalind and Orion was perfect. I loved how they bounced off of each other in every interaction, the same for Celia and Oliver.

It was nice to see old character's making a return, but also be introduced to new ones, Alisa was one of my favourite characters in tvd / ove and it was great to see more of her and her growth.

The beginning takes a while to pick up, but once it does, there is a lot of action, with plot twists everywhere. Some of the plot twists were easy to figure out, as there were subtle hints planted in the story, but some genuinely had me screaming. I am excited to see how the story develops and everything ties up, but also know my heart will probably be broken again in the sequel.

Foul Lady Fortune was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so my expectations were high and it is safe to say that those expectations were met and surpassed.

The story is set a few years after the events of Our Violent Ends and we follow Rosalind Lang— who is now immortal and seeking redemption by working as an assassin for the Nationalists under the codename “Fortune”. We also meet Orion Hong— a fellow Nationalist spy whose fame as a playboy and constant jokes annoy Rosalind to no end. The two are coerced into a fake marriage for the sake of a mission that will uncover the truth behind mysterious deaths. This time spent together will uncover secrets that the both of them have been hiding from each other.

I was hooked on this book from the first page. It is physically impossible to put down as the story just keeps drawing you in with every page turn, especially the last one hundred pages or so when the plot twists and answers just keep coming and coming. After turning the final page I had to sit for a minute and process everything that had just happened. Chloe Gong is a master at leaving subtle clues and letting you guess what will happen in the end, but even if you guess correctly, there is always a twist meant to keep you entertained and on your toes.

Although this book is not historical, it plays with the history of Shanghai beautifully. So much was happening in the city and the way bits and pieces of information were spread as the story developed made the historical elements easier to comprehend and digest. There is so much history in Shanghai and I hope Chloe Gong continues as its storyteller. She writes Shanghaiwith so much love and care that I always find myself researching the events mentioned in her books, desperate to know more.

Immediately after finishing Our Violent Ends in November of last year, I was a bit sad with the conclusion of Rosalind’s story because it felt incomplete. Everything was explained beautifully in the book and it had a nice conclusion, but there was a missing puzzle piece and Foul Lady Fortune is that missing piece. It brings closure to the character of Rosalind in These Violent Delights while not letting it go completely because trauma stays with us forever, to a lesser extent, but it stays.

I literally have no words to describe Orion. He instantly became one of my favorite characters and I believe his story is one of the best that Chloe has written. I can’t say much about him but trust me, Orion Hong will steal your heart.

Alisa was another character I was greatly surprised with. In These Violent Delights she was only known as Roma’s sister and played a very minor role but I loved her regardless, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard that she was going to be one of the main characters featured in Foul Lady Fortune. She did not disappoint. The growth from These Violent Delights Alisa to Foul Lady Fortune Alisa is big, she is a completely different person while keeping the essence of the character we knew and this growth went with the story naturally.

As for the rest of the characters, I must say that I was amazed by how easily they blended in with the characters we knew and loved from These Violent Delights, I found myself caring equally about them all, which oftentimes is hard to do since we have more of an attachment to characters we knew previously. I can’t wait to see more of them in Foul Lady Fortune 2.

While I do not think it is necessary to read These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends to understand the story (given that most of the events in those books are summarized into short paragraphs to give context in certain situations), I would strongly recommend reading them beforehand as it adds depth to the story.

Foul Lady Fortune will be released on September 27th in the UK, United States and Canada, and on October 1st in Australia and New Zealand.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a Digital Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing, easily 5/5

But first of all, thank you so much Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for a review!

This book follows Rosalind and Orion as they pose as a married couple in their new spying operation for the Nationalists, along with some other characters [known to us from TVD as well as manny new ones].

My perception of Rosalind changed a lot comparing to what I thought of her in OVE - she is my second or third FLF character now, after Alisa ofc. I absolutely loved the a-spec representation in this book)

The romance was so good, and with the amazing plot this book was a masterpiece. There were so many plot twists that I absolutely didn’t see coming, I just sat open-mouthed multiple times, having no idea where any of it is going. All this was well balanced with comedy, so I laughed a lot while reading it)
THAT ENDING THOUGH… how are we supposed to wait for the second book with THIS?!

Anyway, FLF was one of my two most anticipated releases of the year, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. EVERYONE GO PREORDER IT RN IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳 & 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊.⠀
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Foul Lady Fortune is set in Shanghai in 1931, four years after the events of our violent ends, and tells the story of Rosalind Lang, a murderer, spy, and immortal. Rosalind is assigned to investigate a series of murders in Shanghai, so she disguises herself as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong.⠀
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I enjoyed the beginning; I was quickly drawn in and thought Rosalind was a great character to follow, and the author made a wise decision to write her story with such an intriguing premise. And I was expecting this book to be even better than the previous duology. In fact, I hate that I didn't enjoy it; in other words, I was bored to tears while reading it. The writing style is sluggish, with too many characters told, which blurs the storyline. Rosalind's main goal is also unclear; rather than being a spy with astute actions in carrying out her mission, I found a lot of confusion and laughed at the ridiculous execution; I’m sorry. I struggled to finish this book without rolling my eyes every time the story led to the side characters and their unnecessary backstory.⠀
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I also found it difficult to relate to Rosalind and Orion, the main characters in this book, because the author seemed befuddled by the direction of their story after having written so many characters and the history of Shanghai during the Japanese colonial conflict.⠀
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However, If you enjoyed the previous duology, you should read this one, which comes out on September 27, 2022 🙂⠀
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Everything that Chloe Gong writes is exceptional. Foul Lady Fortune has exceeded expectations- Rosalind Lang is a fierce character that has been written so well. The plot is so well put together you can’t help but feel immersed in the storyline, impatiently waiting for the second book in the duology now

After loving These Violent Delights duology with all my heart, I was hesitant about this book. But I shouldn't have worried. Once again Chloe delivers an incredible, complex story with a fantastic set of characters and plot twists around every corner. To be honest, I wasn't sure I was going to love Rosalind after the events of Our Violent Ends, but this book totally changed my mind. You can see how she blames herself for what happened and wants to make amends.

“More than anything in the world, Rosalind Lang wanted redemption, and if this was how she got it, then so be it.”

So, chapter after chapter I came to understand her and grew fond of her. Besides, her slow-burn relationship with Orion was so beautifully developed that I loved them from the beginning. Trust me, these two are going to give you lots of feels.

“Your life is mine as mine is yours.”

I also loved the other characters, their personality and interactions. But I don't want to spoil too much. Last but not least, the historical background and the whole plot were masterfully developed, with intrigues and twists that will leave you open-mouthed. Not to mention the ending. I just need the sequel now.

So yes, Foul Lady Fortune meets every expectations and confirms how talented Chloe is.

This really wasn't my thing and I hate that. After a couple of chapters in, I had completely lost the storyline, and I had no clue what was happening. There were simply too many characters for me, and not nearly enough information. This kept happening until the end of the book, which made me dread it a little to pick up.

An absolutely wild, gorgeous rush of adrenalin. It took me a little while to get into this one, and to unravel the various factions (although this is the start of a new duology, you definitely need to read Gong’s other book first and preferably have it all clear in your mind!) Once I was in though I was utterly hooked.

I absolutely loved Rosalind’s character, and the romantic tension between her and Orion was spectacular. In fact, all of the characters in this book are fantastically drawn and I ended up having so much affection for them. The plotting was pacy and there were so many twists and turns it left me breathless - the action sequences felt cinematic, the whole book reads incredibly visually, and that’s a testament to Gong’s richly imagined, luxurious world building. I just loved it and now I am quite stressed out that I have to wait for the next book!

I cannot help but love anything that Chloe Gong writes, she hooks you in and makes you want to keep reading. Foul Lady Fortune is no different, I don't want to spoil anything but WOW. Rosalind Lang IS BACK. It is fantastic to get to see what happened next to her. I cannot express how much I enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the second in the duology!

Thank you for the ARC!

This book was just wow. I am absolutely speechless and I just know that I would be thinking about this book for a long long time.

In the beginning of the book, I was a little bit slow on trying to grasp the plot and I did get confused from time to time. I am not sure if the fact that I haven’t read the these violent delights duology affected that, but once I did undesirable everything I could not stop reading. I just had to know what happens next.

The characters were easy to love and I got attached to them immediately. I cannot pick a favorite character because all of them had their own unique charms that really made my reading experience.The found family trope is my weakness, and I adored the relationship of the characters to one another. I do hope in the next book we get more of Oliver and Celia with them.

Now, let’s talk about the romance in this book. This book definitely delivered on romance. There were three different love stories followed and all of them were equally interesting. First is Celia and Oliver, they were lovely together. We did not really see much of them in this book, but every moment they did had me smiling like a maniac. Next is Phoebe and Silas, I ADORE THEM! They’re dynamics are the best. I do have a soft spot for Silas, he’s been inlove with her ever since and would do anything for her. He’s also very awkward and I think it’s so cute. And last but definitely not the least, ROSALIND AND ORION. Chloe Gong put all the best tropes and expected me to be okay? FAKE MARRIAGE TROPE? check! REVERSE GRUMPY SUNSHINE? check! WHO DID THIS TO YOU? check! DO NOT TOUCH MY WIFE? check! They gave me so much butterflies and made me giggle like a schoolgirl with all their scenes.

And now let’s move on to the plot of the book. I was trying to solve the mystery with them as I go and I definitely did not expect that. I found the mystery of who is killer and why they were doing it so captivating. Towards the end of the book it was just plot twist after plot twist and none of them I saw coming.

“Foul Lady Fortune” has everything I want in a boom and more. It had the perfect amount of action, mystery and romance that had me excited for every next page. I will not be able to move on from this book for a while and I can’t wait for the next book already.

Always keeping the readers shocked until the end, eh?

Foul Lady Fortune is the first of a new duology set four years after the end of the TVD duology. This time, we follow the prickly, untrusting Rosalind Lang, aka Janie Mead/Fortune, who is now an assassin and has to work with Orion Hong, a spy, on a mission to uncover who's behind the chemical killings across Shanghai while the Japanese are on the horizon, eager to invade China.

I admit that when I heard that Rosalind was leading the series, I was hesitant. I was incredibly eager to return to this world, but, having just stepped off the OVE train and was still screaming from its epilogue, I was left not feeling pleased with Rosalind. However, curiosity was gnawing at me, and I took a chance. I'm happy to report that I'm now a Rosalind fan. The girl is an assassin trying to piece together the broken vase pieces of Shanghai to make up for her past, for she believes she is the cause of the death blow strike that made the city shatter.

Now, devilishly charming characters have a spot in my heart, and Orion very proudly took command of my attention. But as always, all that suaveness hides the pain characters like him hide under their masks. In his case, it's his strained relationship with his older brother and his father that causes him grief.

I love the development of their relationship, how it all began with fake marriage, and how in the process, they help each other take care of past wounds. Of course, there was tons of bickering and bantering and teasing (which I'm a sucker for) which led to a soft glance here and a heartfelt comment there which THEN led to feelings of "wait WHEN DID I FALL FOR XX?"

As usual, great attention was paid to the details of 1930s Shanghai: the multiculturalism that breathes with its citizens and visitors, the imperialist atmosphere that makes some pull at their collar and others puff up with pride and weigh down the shoulders of others, the constant battle of wit and timing between political factions for power and control. Just like the TVD duology, real-life events were carefully integrated into the story, enhancing the themes/topics that the TVD world focuses on but never fully taking one's attention away from the characters or the main plot of the story. And once again, just like the previous duology, the rising action/climax of the book made my heart race. Just... well done!

Quick-fire notes:
- GODDAMN ALL THOSE OBITUARIES!! STOP MAKING ME *WANT* TO CRY.
- I enjoy following the cast of FLF but... I'm currently the most interested in Celia, Oliver and Alisa. Celia and Oliver certainly have an interesting relationship. I'm quite curious to see where it goes, considering each of their reservations and goals. Will their commitment to their beliefs get in the way of their feelings developing beyond friendship? As for Alisa, I'm sure her role will only get bigger. Phoebe and Silas on the other hand are cute as hell.
-I'M VERY HAPPY FOR BENEDIKT AND MARSHALL! (They were only mentioned once lol).

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Omg Chloe Gong never disappoints, this book might be one of my favorites of 2022. The plot is amazing, all the new characters are so much fun, I'm so excited for book 2!!

I read this book through my pain and tears, and high anxiety— because yes it was a spy mission. I just finished FOUL LADY FORTUNE about 2 minutes ago, so I will not write an in-depth review as of now. What I will say is Chloe Gong creates an intricate atmosphere of 1930's Shanghai, where she explores a multitude of perspectives and uprisings. The reader is introduced to new characters, but I was glad to see some familiar faces too. The plot twists? They were mind blowing— I never expected them, and I'm usually good at predicting the plot. Rosalind Lang has had the best redemption ARC, and her romance with Orion was spectacular. I will not know peace until I read book 2, thank you for destroying me again miss Chloe. :')

Thank you so much to the publisher for an ARC!

The spin-off series to Gong’s highly successful debut duology, ‘Foul Lady Fortune’ takes place 5 years following the conclusion of ‘Our Violent Ends’. Gang rule has gone - Shanghai is now engaged in Civil War, this is a far different city to the one Juliette and Roma once ruled.

Rosalind is a nationalist Spy operating under the code name ‘Fortune’. It is a name synonymous with fear in every corner of the city - a ruthless, flawless assassin; trained by the best to every inch of perfection but, most importantly, an immortal. She cannot be killed, she does not age. Her role differs when she enters into a marriage under false pretences with Orion - a charismatic batchelor whose last name a carries a reputation - in order to solve a series of killings that are ravaging the city.

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This was utterly phenomenal. It did take a little while to get going, but I was hooked the entire time - the mix of political tensions to evoke the historical narrative, alongside the inner monologue of Rosalind, a character baring both mental and physical scars as well as the developing love story ensured for a fascinating read.

I once described ‘These Violent Delights’ as a love-letter to Shanghai, and FLF is very much the same. The attention to detail to 1930s Shanghai is nothing short of a marvel to read, you can tell the love and care paid to ensuring this city is portrayed as accurately (obviously, sans the fantasy elements) as possible. I am someone of a Chinese heritage and, though I do not speak the language, reading lines about linguistic / cultural differences that only those native to the country would understand meant the world.

As the case with her previous writing, the best came with the rise in action. Both the end of the book itself and the epilogue made me gasp out loud, Chloe is a master of the subtly obvious plot twist - the layers are there, but you barely suspect until it is spelled out for you.

Publication date is 27 September 2022. If you fancy historical fiction / slow burn / fantasy that is set in a world that feels very real, you better run.

I will say - I do not think this works as a standalone. Not necessarily a criticism , but I do think you would struggle to read this had you not read TVD / OVE beforehand.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my unbiased review :) xo