To begin, the cover is amazing. That and the author are what originally drew me to the book. Having read Chloe Gong’s other works, These Violent Delights duology, I was so excited to read this with it being about the character from that duology that I loved. But I just couldn’t get into this, and I’m absolutely heartbroken I couldn’t. I just wasn’t feeling the writing as I did with her other work. I hope that when I come back to this book and try again I will enjoy it more for it has a great premise and potential. That being said do read this book for yourself and make your own judgement. Just because it’s not for me doesn’t mean it’s bad. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this e-arc

Bestselling author of These Violent Delights duology, Chloe Gong, gives us Foul Lady Fortune, the first book in a new duology.
Foul Lady Fortune is about two spies who pretend to be married and investigate murders in the city of Shanghai in 1931. Set a few years after The Violent Delights duology, we follow Rosalind Lang/Fortune (Janie Mead) and Orion Hong as they investigate the chemical killings.

I haven't read TVD yet, but the author mentions that this book can be read even as a standalone duology but if you've read TVD you'll be more familiar with certain characters. After I found out that Foul Lady Fortune is connected to TVD, I bought a copy of TVD and will definitely be getting into this duology soon since I'm curious to see how the connections are made.
I enjoyed this book from the first chapter and was gripped until the end. It took me some time to get into this story since it's my first book by Chloe Gong, but once I got into the story, I couldn't put the book down. Those last few chapters were intense - plot twists, revelations, and fighting. There are some swoony moments too, every time Orion called Rosalind 'Beloved' I felt like melting.

I like Alisa and Phoebe's characters. Phoebe is so curious and upbeat, she always finds a way to be a part of everything. Since I'm new to Rosalind's character, I can't help but favour her too. I can't wait to read TVD and get to know her better. There was never a dull moment in the streets of Shanghai, Gong made sure to keep the reader engrossed in the plot and wondering what happens next. The ending had me on the edge of my seat, how will I sleep at night after that ending!

A combination of 'who did this to you' and a fake marriage makes this historical fantasy a book you need to read. I can't wait to get a physical copy of this book and do a reread.
This was an anticipated read for me and I was thrilled when I got approved for an eARC. I had such a great time reading this book, nothing compares to these characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for gifting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 Stars!

Synopsis: Shanghai is a broken city, and Rosalind stands in its debris. Now an agent, a weapon, Rosalind must go undercover with another agent to discover the truth about a series of strange murders occurring throughout Shanghai.

CW/TW (May contain spoilers): Violence/Blood/Experimentation/Murder/Poisoning/others may be present.

Rep: Demisexual MC (Rosalind) | Bi/Pan MC (Orion)| Bi/Pan Side Character (Prominent character) | Transgender woman (Prominent character)| AroAce (Prominent character) | PoC cast.

OH MY HEART! I enjoyed TVD and OVE but Foul Lady Fortune??? I ADORED.

So you can read this book without having read the These Violent Delights Duology. However, this book does spoil the ending of the duology, as well as some other plot elements that occur. I would recommend reading the duology first as it also gives you all the background of Rosalind’s character and provides a basis as to why she is as she is now.

Ok, so let’s start with Gong’s prose. Gong’s prose is gorgeous, from her descriptions of settings, to characters, to dialogue. This book is very beautifully written and is engaging right from the start. Moreover, Gong gives us a multiple POV structure that includes Rosalind, Orion, Celia, Oliver, Alisa and more. The multiple pov structure works incredibly well in this book, it perfectly balances the pacing of the story, gives us insight into new and old characters alike and helps to balance the mystery that slowly unfolds over the course of the book. I actually enjoyed all of the POV’s in this novel!

The Plot. Oh I loved the plot! Spies, assassins, fake marriage, mysterious murder, and all set against the backdrop of a Shanghai embroiled in politics – Perfection! There are multiple plots in this book that work together to give us a rich and deep story that is also emotional and personal. Firstly, we have Rosalind, Scarlet Gang turned Nationalist assassin on a one woman mission to take down any and all remaining White Flowers. – This part is deeply embroiled in the plot of the TVD duology and explores the aftermath of it all through Rosalind. This was a minor plot element that feeds into Rosalind’s character as a whole, but I really enjoyed how the book opens up with it.

Secondly, we have the fake marriage spy mission with Rosalind and Orion – magnificent! This was so so well done I loved it SO much. The covers, the spying, the uncertainty, the lack of trust, the slow burn, the slow unravelling of the truth. It was such an excellent plot line and I loved how we also got to learn more about the rest of the cast through this and saw their perspectives on the mystery and murders that are occurring.

Thirdly, alongside the strange murders and spy mission, we get other little mysteries that arise. Secret identities being uncovered, the mysterious Agent known only by a code name, and of course the secrets Rosalind and Orion keep to themselves from each other. All of the mysteries were woven so well throughout the book that I was actually shocked at multiple reveals, only to then realise the pieces of truth were there all along!

I also loved the slow burn romance between Rosalind and Orion – this was slow burn done well – with tension, angst, and even some very comedic moments tied in. It was a true delight to watch these characters interact throughout the book and I adored every minute of it. I also really loved the characters connections with each other and how this facilitated some elements of the plot as it progress, with Alisa being very funny and witty but also still as awesome as ever, Oliver and Celia being on the Communist side and following their own clues towards other truths was excellent. I also have to put a nod too Oliver and Orion’s shared habit of using terms of endearment – MY HEART it was so sweet. Not to mention other characters such as Phoebe and Silas who added even more to the story – every character was so well fleshed out and given such strong characterisation that I loved every single one of them and was thoroughly captivated by all of their stories.

OH AND BOOKNERDS I HAVE THEORIES!!! The ending of this book will blow you away – it is actually cruel that we have to wait for book 2 because I am so desperate to see where the story goes next! Honestly, the ending had me by the throat and still hasn’t fully released me.

I am also so glad that Rosalind was the MC in this book. Her character was interesting in TVD and OVE but I wanted to see more of her. This book gives me everything I wanted from her. Her character is phenomenal – her flaws, her strengths her motivations – everything about her had me completely captivated. Pairing her with Orion was an excellent choice as his character was equally compelling and his personality truly shone through the pages.

Overall, Foul Lady Fortune, by Chloe Gong is a stunning success. It is a complex story that is subtle in its clever weaving of plots and will have you laughing, crying and completely and utterly captivated.

*I received an eARC via Netgalley from Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review – thank you!!*

Rosalind Lang aka Lady Fortune: spy, assassin, & practically immortal since she was injected with a strange serum several years ago - her fearsome reputation for poison (her weapon of choice) precedes her but her identity is known to few. Rosalind works for the Nationalists against the Communists in 1930s Shanghai, whilst her sister, Celia, works for the other side, but they still look out for each other. Orion & his brother Oliver have the same dynamic ever since their father was named hanjian (traitor) & their mother disappeared. Rosalind's handler summons her to a meeting where she is introduced to Orion & they are told they are to pose as a married couple to infiltrate a company owned by the Japanese to try & smoke out a murderer who is killing people with the only evidence on the body being an injection site.

Orion is sure that Rosalind (whom he knows as Janie) is hiding a big secret whilst Rosalind is wary of Orion's reputation as a rich playboy. This sets off the usual dynamic of a pairing that ostensibly hate each other but gradually come to respect each other & even develop feelings that they try to keep hidden from each other at first. The other main players are Celia, Oliver (Orion's older brother), Phoebe (Orion's younger sister), Silas (friend of Orion's, also a spy), Alisa/Lisa (enemy of Rosalind's from an earlier phase of her life), & Dao Feng (Rosalind & Oliver's handler for the mission). There's a decent amount of LGBTQ+ representation amongst the characters which is always nice.

The character names are taken from As You Like It & the book is very loosely based on the play in terms of characters not being who they say they are. In fact the dynamic & bickering between Rosalind & Orion reminded me more of Beatrice & Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. The setting is 1930s Shanghai & the political turmoil of that time. It should have been really interesting but I had to keep reminding myself of when it was set as there was nothing that really anchored the reader in the past. Pacing was another issue for me - the final third of the book was great, I just wish the first two-thirds had been as good rather than so much talking with little actual action. Most other readers seemed to love it so don't be put off by my review, there was just something missing for me.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

First of all. I haven’t read Chloe’s first duology and I don’t plan to even though there are some connections and many of the characters were present in both series. I heard how Our violent ands ended so I wasn’t surprised with all the spoilers In got in this book from the previous books. But yeah, I think it’s good to read the main duology because it give you a clearer picture when you read Foul Lady Fortune.

Second of all. I loved it anyway. Still couldn’t convince myself to read Roma and Juliette story but I absolutely loved Rosalind, Orion and the others. I dare to say this is the best fantasy I’ve read this year and I’m so looking forward to the next book. The mystery, the plot twists and the betrayal!!! I loved it all.

Author: Chloe Gong
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Range: Young Adult
Format: Paperback (E-Book)
Published: 27th September 2022
Pages: 511
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Foul Lady Fortune, the first in a duology, is a speculative historical noir surrounding the events of Imperial Japan's expansion into China in the 1930s.

It's 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging-and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind's mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind's new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion's cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

Review

Trigger Warnings: Death, Murder, Violence, and Blood.

This review may contain spoilers.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, however, this in no way influenced my opinion. Thank you to the publisher Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with a copy.

I was such a huge fan of the These Violent Delights duology and I was super excited when this was announced since it follows one of the characters from that series and I was delighted when I was approved for an ARC. From the very beginning, I was completely drawn into this story and invested in the plot, and I was kept gripped throughout by the plot as I was theorising about what was going on and what was going to happen next. The writing was another great aspect of this book, I loved the lush descriptions and the humour between the characters. Chloe Gong captures the chemistry between Rosalind and Orion so well, it oozes off the page and I am obsessed with them now. Although, after that last section of the book I was completely heartbroken by them, and I’m intrigued to see where their story goes in the next book. One of my favourite things about this book was the characters, especially Rosalind – I just love her character so much and it was interesting to be back with her and find out what she was up to after the events of the TVD duology. We are also reunited with Alisa; Roma’s younger sister and I loved seeing her again. Orion is a new favourite character of mine; he was such a fun character and I loved watching his relationship with Rosalind develop throughout the story. There were also some shocking and unexpected twists including one at the very end about Priest which I didn’t predict, and I cannot wait to find out more about that.

Overall, this was an excellent YA historical fiction novel with a thrilling plot that had me gripped from the very beginning and compelling characters. I cannot wait to read the sequel.

This book was incredible! I absolutely loved it. Chloe has once again destroyed me because how am I supposed to survive until the sequel?!

This book has a lot more political intrigue but I loved it so much and seeing some of my favourite characters from These Violent Delights! I didn’t particularly like Rosalind in the duology but I ended up really loving her in this book. Orion however, stole my heart. I love him and I will protect him with my life.

We get several points of view in this book and I loved seeing things from the different sides and what each side is thinking. I loved getting all that insight and yet was taken by surprise when we got those revelations at the end. I really thought I knew what was happening but there were twists on twists that left me reeling!

The best way to hold up a false identity was to keep it as close to the truth as possible.

I really liked Rosalind’s character development in this book and how she views the events of what happened with Juliette and Roma, and how she influenced everything that happened. The events of the duology and her part in them impact the person she is now and why she decided to become a spy and yet she cannot tell anyone who she is because of the ending of Our Violent Ends. This causes her to become isolated and not let anyone in, she doesn’t form attachments or emotional bonds and when she meets Orion she really struggles with this. I loved seeing her slowly break down her walls a little at a time to start letting Orion in and letting him see the real her. How he shows her that she can trust him and depend on him and will have her back.

Orion is my new favourite character, he is a ray of sunshine and always ready to have a fun time but he also has his secrets and is hiding something from Rosalind but we just don’t know what. He quickly became my favourite character because of how charming and charismatic he is and I loved his banter with Rosalind so much. This boy fell hard and fast for her and I loved watching him be completely in love while she has no idea! The way he is protective of her and isn’t afraid to show how he feels, there were scenes that had me screaming! One of my absolute favourite scenes was the car chase scene and it now lives rent free in my head. Just chefs kisses, I loved it so much!

You cannot save the world. You can try to save one thing if you must, but it is enough if that one thing is yourself.

I also really enjoyed seeing Celia and the snippets we get of Orion’s family and also Alisa and how she is managing now. The whole cast of characters were so great and I cannot wait to see more of them in the sequel.

This book had a lot of politics and intrigue and a murder mystery so there was a lot going on but I still felt the threads of the plot were all really great to read and fleshed out. When they all started coming together, I was on the edge of my seat and then those revelations left me shook! I cannot wait for the sequel and this has become a favourite read this year!

Welcome to your Rosalind era.
I usually summarize book but I'm not going to do that here. I jumped in not knowing anything except "Rosalind" and I think you should too.

Chloe Gong did it again. This was simply amazing. I loved loved loved loved it. I loved the new characters and I loved seeing the old ones. I will without a doubt reread it, probably several times. I love how new layers were brought to characters we already knew and I loved how everything and everyone connected together.
The story was perfectly paced and I just had the greatest fun reading this but also, pain. Chloe Gong really doesn't do it like everyone else and I truly have to recommend this book to everyone, whether you've read TVD or not, no matter your age. Just jump in, and don't look back.

Okay so at first, I wasn’t really into it. It took me some time to get into the story and to understand the whole situation, so the first 2/3 of the book were just me trying to understand the politics and questioning my brain.. so I was leaning towards 3 stars here. But the last third was amazing, I loved the plottwists and the writing in this part.

At the beginning Chloe Gongs writing felt really distanced and impersonal, the pacing was too fast and with the whole historical background I couldn’t follow the story that good (maybe it’s my English tho hahha). I’m not into politics and especially not historical politics so I couldn’t really follow the storyline. I was confused until the end about the different sides and who on which side is.

Something else that I disliked besides the pacing at first and the politics were the multiple povs... they came out of nowhere and Olivers and Orions names are just so similar that I was very much confused at the beginning. But as a reader of these violent delights, I was happy to see some of the characters again.

BUT Rosalind and Orion as the main characters was the best thing in the entire world for me. I loved them so so much. If you know me, you know that fake dating and marriage of convenience is my favorite trope and well let’s just say that Chloe Gong did not disappoint. I loved their banter and their chemistry. Rosalind being grumpy and Orion being a sunshine is just the most enjoyable thing about the book.

And as I already said, the last third really sucked me right in. I was obsessed. The whole plot was so good, all the plot twits… I was really in awe the whole time. If somebody could’ve seen my face while readind... they would’ve wanted to read this book too!

So overall, I really enjoyed it. If you are into historicl fiction and politis, this one is for you! And if you are like me - not into these tings- this book is still for you. cause the romance is amazing and so are the plot twists.

4/5 stars for me :)

Picture this. You’re working on your dissertation. It’s due in less than a month. You need to spend nearly all your time working on it if you’re going to have a chance of getting it done on time. However, you know that if you don’t do something you enjoy from time to time then you’re likely to burn yourself out very quickly, which is the opposite of helpful. You also have an arc of your most anticipated book of the year sitting on your NetGalley account. Waiting for you. Naturally, you start to use this book as a reward system of sorts. You use reading a chapter or so here and there as a break from working, as well as letting yourself read as much as you like whenever you’re stuck waiting for the bus. This system works perfectly. Everything is fine.

Until you reach roughly the last third of the book, of course. Because that’s when shit hits the fan and the book goes from being already highly enjoyable to utterly un-put-downable.

I lost a whole day to this book and I don’t regret it at all.

I’m less familiar with As You Like It than I am with Romeo and Juliet so it wasn’t as easy to spot where aspects of the original play were being adapted as it was through the original duology. It took me longer than I’m willing to admit that Rosalind’s alias for much of the book was chosen due to it sounding similar to Ganymede. In my defence, my brain was a little fried while I was reading this due to the whole dissertation thing. However, just like in the original duology, Gong has taken the events of the play and real historical events and blended them with her own characters and speculative elements to create a story that I’m genuinely happy to call a masterpiece.

Another thing that’s carried over from the original duology is my love for the characters. I enjoyed reading from every single different pov, which is no small achievement, and by the end of the book I knew that I need all of the major characters to get a happy ending. This duology being based on a comedy rather than a tragedy means that I have a lot more hope that I’m going to get that happy ending this time around, and I’m clinging to that, because I need them to be okay!!!

Something that I think Gong did particularly well in this book is the different sibling relationships and dynamics. Rosalind and Orion both have siblings working for the opposing side. Rosalind and Celia have remained close despite everything, even though as far as their superiors are concerned they aren’t in contact anymore, and it’s probably not inaccurate to say that their first loyalty is to each other rather than to anyone or anything else. This is very different from how Orion feels about Oliver, though Orion does still deeply love his younger sister Phoebe. I love stories about siblings and about complicated sibling relationships, and this was a great instance of both.

A book about spies and intrigue is naturally going to have plot twists and uncertainty as to who can and cannot be trusted. There are so many twists and turns that kept me guessing right up to the last few pages, and nobody is beneath suspicion. Crucially, at no point did the twists feel egregious, or that there was too much going on. Everything felt perfectly paced and felt like they worked for the overall story.

Also, I dislike fake dating as a general rule, because it usually involves the people doing the fake dating lying to the rest of their loved ones and it leads to a lot of miscommunication, so I was a little wary going into this even with how high my expectations were. I needn’t have worried at all. All the elements of fake dating plots that I dislike were absent, and Rosalind and Orion made such a great team! Reading about their growing trust in each other and their developing relationship was nothing short of a joy!

If you’re even passingly interested in this one I’d highly recommend giving it a go. Though beware, it does spoil the events of the previous duology, so if you’re interested in those books then I’d recommend reading them in chronological order rather than starting here. Good thing those books are great too!

I enjoyed this story since the prologue, it was intriguing and followed with strong early chapters. But after that FMC remind us so much about events from previous duology. Actually, I don't get chance to reading These Violent Delights duology first and after read this I suggested other reader to start with those. Expecially if they had strong responses with spoilers.

Foul Lady Fortune was following Rosalind Lang's journey after Scarlet gang era. She survived Red Fever and come back stronger with her new roles as spy and assassin. She is prefers work alone and enjoy her lonely personal angsty but new mission pushed her to take partner in one code name. This book unravelled her new mission and her relationship with her partner agent, Orion. For someone who enjoyed reading multicultural HF mixed genre, this book fulfill my reading palate with romantic Shanghai setting era 1930s, hints of sci-fi medical and delicate politic intricates between Imperialist, Communist and Nationalist.

This book is my first read from the author, I found her narrative is fascinating. She digging deep into the setting and flesh out characters on it until I could imagine them vividly. Although I kinda struggles to keep track all other names and their political aspects, Rosalind personality is easy to remember. Her relationship with Orion built slowly, their banters is enjoyable and I wish to see more from them. The plots offer multilayer stories and the ending will make readers wish to get their hands on the next installment.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for provided my copy. I am enjoying the story and my thoughts are my own.

B/N review with name Alexa Ayana

Chloe Gong’s writing just keeps getting better and better. I’m so glad we got a story about Rosalind and it was such a delight to read. I am a sucker for a fake marriage.

4.5 stars

Oh my, this book took me on a journey I’m still recovering from. But in the best way possible. But let’s start from the beginning. It took a little while for me to settle into this book, but once I did it was an absolute joy to read. I love Chloe Gong's writing, and this book shows how perfect it is for writing mysteries. Because nothing was ever easy for me to guess what would happen next. There were so many layers to the plot, that when you thought you'd figured it out there was something else there to put you in a different direction. Having the book set among spies and assassins, the story is fast-paced and action packed. There’s hardly ever a dull moment. There was plot twist after plot twist, and the last plot twist was such a slap in the face. I wasn’t prepared for it and I’m still recovering from it.

This cast of characters was amazing! I wasn’t the biggest Rosalind fan in These Violent Delights duology, but here she came into her own and I was quickly heavily invested in her story. Having her pov also helped get a better understanding of her past actions and the guilt she carries with her because of them. She and Orion were a fun pairing, their banting was hilarious and the fake married trope was so well done. I had a great time reading their shenanigans! There were some more familiar faces in this book, and I was delighted to see them again. Especially one of my favorite characters from the first duology. I’m so happy to see more of her, and the fact she got some time to shine here.There also were some excellent new additions. Overall this rag-tag gang of weirdos was really fun to read about. I have to say - the girls were the stars of this book! Seriously, they were the MVPs! The book features multiple povs, and it actually works. I’m sensitive to having more than 2-3 povs, but here I had no problem at all. I don’t know if it was because I already was familiar with some of the characters, or what it was. But it just worked.

Going in I was worried Foul Lady Fortune wouldn’t be able to live up to the previous book. But it ended up being even more entertaining than them, so I shouldn’t have worried. It was fantasy, mystery and spy adventure all mixed up in one great story that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen nex. I can’t wait for the sequel, and I’m interested in the novella coming next year set during this time. I’m heavily invested in this rag-rag spy group

Chloe Gong has done it again!
Set in 1930s Shanghai, a former dancer (I.e. showgirl) has become an infamous assassin who cannot die. Queue Orion, spy extraordinaire, who she must now enter into a marriage of convenience. The twists. The SLOW BURN. Swooning.

Let’s not forget about Celia (aka Kathleen) and the unfolding relationship with Oliver. Now that’s what I call chemistry.

A historical spy noir type thriller we never knew we needed! A spy. An assassin. A fake marriage. And oh my, the representation. Thank you, Chloe. This book kept me the edge of my seat the whole time.

I don’t think I can withstand a tragedy between these characters.

Need I say more?
I can’t wait to see where this Shakespearean reimagining of As You Like It takes us.

The vibes of this book are impeccable, and I was chuckling when any character that appeared or was already known from other carnivals (understand these carnivals as These Violent Delights), or later on was revealed as a spy for one of the parties, is the same energy as watching a British series: you arrive expecting to see about 20 familiar faces. Those who came back from the other duology are Rosalind Lang, Celia Lang and Alisa, and because of their different points of view, I trusted theirs right away and went with the flow when reading Foul Lady Fortune.

Rosalind gave me a little stress in Our Violent Delights, but at no time did I have problems following her journey, she is the grumpy of the grumpy x sunshine romance cliché rolling around, but I still felt a lot of charisma rolling in and the cloths were always ready to be passed on to her, as she is an assassin with her priorities and loyalties in the right places.

Foul Lady Fortune is a perfect example of the right book at the right time, because the anime Spy x Family left me thirsty for more stories with spies and the release of Chloe Gong being one left me jumping for joy, because in addition to spies I would also receive characters deliciously ridiculous and a lot of historical bullshit in an East Asian setting.

Full review at: https://deiumjeito.blogspot.com/2022/09/review-foul-lady-fortune-chloe-gong.html

Her code name: Fortune. Her purpose: atonement.

A captivating story about an ill-matched pair of spies, a fake Marriage, a thrilling investigation into a series of brutal murders (with the backdrop of events surrounding Imperial Japan's expansion into China in the 1930s).

If you enjoyed the ‘These Violent Delights’ duology, then you will love this. It has the same vibes but very different too. With Chloe Gong’s writing is absolutely stunning (the vivid descriptions of Shanghai, the use of prose; the fabulous dynamic characters) a brilliant, refreshing plot, I was hooked from start to finish.

Rosalind really impressed me in this book. Her characters arc really developed and shone. And I adored the fake marriage aspect - the banter, the nemesis to lovers chemistry was on point. (The perfect grumpy demisexual x energetic, sunshine bisexual).


‘Rosalind had broken the city; she wouldn’t be happy until she fixed it.’

4.7 stars ⭐️

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review**

3.5 ⭐️

After reading the beautiful These Violent Delights duology, I just couldn't wait to read the next instalment in this universe. Unfortunately, due to a persistent reading slump, it took me two months to finish this book. But don't let that time frame fool you; I really really liked this book.

This is set four years after the ending of Our Violent Ends and follows Rosalind as she enters an undercover mission for the Nationalists and is assigned a partner, Orion.

First of all, I knew that this was a kind of coworker-to-lovers kind of romance (if you view spies and assassins working together as coworkers) so I was of course down to read that, but in my opinion, it kind of is a grumpy vs sunshine situation and I really liked that!! Rosalind is a very stubborn character who's been hurt in love before and won't trust easily, whereas Orion is this bubbly flirty man willing to tear down her wall of secrets.
They're not the only characters; of course, we see some fan favourites make their return and meet three new adorable persons, Silas, Phoebe, and Oliver. I really enjoyed Silas and Phoebe's interaction and Phoebe as a character as well, and I think we might be seeing more of her in the future, so I'm thrilled!
Continuing on the romance aspect, has anyone counted the amount of "beloved" said? because I have and it's a lot and I loved it. It's such a sweet endearment term, and I'm a sucker for those.

Now, regarding the plot. Overall, it was way slower than the previous duology, which is not a bad thing, but if you're worried about it, it does pick up pace in the end. Despite this relative slowness, the novel is very interesting, but I would advise reading it more quickly than I to not have trouble getting back into it :') I feel like if I had read this in a week, I would have enjoyed it more because I would have stayed in the loop. But a slump is a slump, and it cannot be helped.

Also?? So many quotes to highlight omg, Chloe Gong did it again !!

I have some theories about the next book and I'm going to think about them a lot while we wait for the second volume of the Foul Lady Fortune duology.

In the end, I would recommend this book, except maybe to readers who like a bit more of an action-packed novel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Foul Lady Fortune is a companion book to These Violent Delights. It takes place four years later and we follow Rosalind, who is an assassin and spy.

“Lady Fortune, you play foul.”

I have loved reading These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends a lot and had a hard time getting over the ending, even though it hadn’t come as a surprise. Knowing we would get to revisit Shanghai and some of the characters made me so excited! At first, I thought Alisa would be the main character haha. I was surprised it was Rosalind, but super eager to start reading the story as soon as possible!

The story starts in 1931, four years after the events which led to the deaths of many in Shanghai. A major backbone for the story is the political instability present in Shanghai and the different parties, Nationalist, Communists and the Japanese being major players in the civil war brewing. In the beginning it was a little difficult to follow along all the politics and different parties, but it didn’t take away from the story itself.

The plot was very fun to be honest, even though it was grim as well. It is a bit similar to These Violent Delights, with killings happening and two people trying to figure out why. A difference is that Rosalind and Orion are on the same side and not opposites haha. Those from the other side are closely connected to them though, so we see characters from both sides.

I really liked the characters, both known and new! Rosalind seemed a bit more subdued than before, but that also isn’t surprising when you know what she’s gone through. I loved seeing her coming more out of her shell when around Orion. Guarded as she was, it was super sweet seeing him break through the walls she put up. Orion as well is a character with layers. I loved his mannerism and how he went about the whole operation.

I loved the chemistry between Rosalind and Orion! While they started off bickering a lot, I sometimes missed a bit of humor or something at the start. Nonetheless, they were very amusing and sweet as the story progressed. I loved how slow and real their relationship grew. From the little sweet conversations they had when they opened up more, to the scheme they had to keep up where the lines between real and fake blurred more and more.
It might’ve also been just me, but I honestly took so long to finally connect the Oliver from Celia to Oliver from Orion…

The plot twist and the end, while fully anticipating one coming, still blew me away! The same with the ending! I love the way Chloe writes her books in a way that is super engaging and addicting to read! With the way she ends them as well! I so want to read the sequel, and not even its title is currently known… I am also super intrigued by who -JM is! My BTS loving mind jumped to Jimin hahahaha, but that is kinda impossible. My second guess went to Juliette! I honestly don’t think they would be in the books even if they were alive, but if she and Roma married and she took his name, that would be her initials! I guess we’ll find out next year.

Overall, an intriguing, fun book which was a blast to read! I loved the characters, their development and the overall plot.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved 'These Violent Delights' and 'Our Violent Ends' so you can imagine my excitement when the release of 'Foul Lady Fortune' was announced.

'Foul Lady Fortune' takes place four years after the events of the first duology. Shanghai is no longer controlled by the Scarlet and White Flower gangs. The remaining members have scattered amongst the political factions. And whilst the Nationalists and communists battle for power - the Japanese Imperial Army threatens to invade. People are being murdered in the streets and the Japanese are the prime suspects. Rosalind Lang – forever changed by a strange experiment – is pulled into a Nationalist spy operation. Her mission is to unravel the terror plot and identify those responsible for the murders. But to evade suspicion she must pretend to be the wife of her fellow agent - Orion Hong.

Chloe Gong’s writing just keeps getting better and better. I am truly in awe of how real this world and its characters feel. I love spy stories and 'Foul Lady Fortune' is a brilliant one. It is an intriguing mystery, full of exciting fast-paced action and shocking plot twists. I found myself rapidly turning each page – desperate for more. I loved trying to piece together the mystery as the characters picked up various clues. But even so, the ending was completely unexpected and breathtaking, living up to the tension that gradually built throughout the story.

Chloe Gong always finds a way to pull on our heartstrings. Amongst the excitement, there are soft, quiet moments in the book where the characters take center stage and we explore their innermost thoughts and vulnerabilities.

“Trauma doesn't have to lead to destruction. Trauma can be the guiding point to something better, something stronger”

Chloe Gong gives us a character that is familiar but also massively changed. Rosalind is haunted by her past and struggles to find a place in this dangerous world. It is so interesting to see her growth. Even if you did not like Rosalind from the first duology (note: I did) - 'Foul lady Fortune' offers a side to her that is hard not to love.

Orion Hong. I have to admit it took me a while to fall in love with him. But before long I found myself addicted to the grumpy/sunshine dynamic between him and Rosalind – their conversations added a much-needed lightness to this dark story. Behind his playboy persona, Orion is also tormented. Seeing the pair work through their issues together gave their relationship so much power. Their love (and friendship) was tangible. Their scenes together were my favorite parts of the book.

Overall, 'Foul Lady Fortune' completely surpassed my expectations. I do not read as much YA as I used to but I will always be here for these books. I will be counting down the days until the second book releases! Chloe Gong is such a wonderful talent in the YA genre – we are lucky to have her.

If Chloe Gong is going to finish this series like this violent delights I’m gonna scream for an entire day. I really loved all the new characters, especially the sweet sweet Orion who is already in my top 10 of favorite bookish boyfriends. Rosalind was a character with enormous potential that here is realized in its fullness. I got attached to her immediately, especially because I see myself in her. Her trust issues are so real after what she went through in Our Violent Ends, and only a cinnamon roll like Orion could’ve breached her armor. Plus, her relationship with Celia is so true and pure, even if they are on opposite sides, family is stronger and they know how to protect each other. The plot is quite intricate and there are some plot twists that really let me speechless. It’s incredible how bad I need the sequel even if I literally just finished it. Let’s pray all together for a happy ending this time!