3.5 stars rounded up

The best bit of this was the romance, which was SO CUTE. It was a slow build, but Mr Less was a sweetheart and there was a gentleness to their growing connection that I found charming (there was a kiss scene that had be clutching my kindle to my chest). The setting was fascinating, with the characters moving between mortal and mythical realms and versions of Shanghai, and the prose was great, the descriptions atmospheric.

The ending was, in a word, convenient. It involved lots of people turning up at just the right time to say “here is information you didn’t previously know but which sorts this whole matter out!” It wasn’t unsatisfying, precisely—it did, after all, tie everything up neatly—the problem was that I already wasn’t very invested in the non-romance plot, so having it put aside so easily kind of confirmed it as not particularly important to me.

The most frequently used expletive is ‘piss fart’ which… got old quickly. I don’t know if that’s the literal translation for an equivalent to ‘shit,’ or just a character quirk the author chose to use (it was hardly the only potty humour, ‘turd-egg’ was another frequent one), but I found it carried a childishness that then reflected on Lady Jing in a way that influenced how I felt about her defiance and non-conformity (it took away some of the potential depth for me - but given the irreverent tone of the book, maybe I was trying to cling to a depth that wasn’t supposed to be there in the first place?). Basically, she was just so immature and the language choices made it worse.

I really tried to get into this book but it honestly just didn't work for me. I found myself unable to connect with & even constantly irritated by the FMC, which made it hard for me to keep reading this.

When I read half vampire, half fox spirit I knew this was a book I’d definitely be interested in. Lady Jing works for the King of Hell and is sent on a new task to transport a human, all while trying to solve the corruption going on and find away out of her own entrapment. I loved the charm and wit of the characters though I did find some of the language used didn’t necessarily feel like the right fit.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review,

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Shanghai Immortal" by A.Y. Chao follows Jing a half vampire and fox spirit who gets the opportunity to get her revenge.

I would give "Shanghai Immortal" by A.Y. Chao a 2 star review because, while the description sounded okay going back to the description and reading the story everything feel short to my expectations.

There's a reason it's taken me nearly 6 months to read this after the publishers sent it to me. Every time I think about how the MC is purposefully described as a “sasshole” in the synopsis, I physically cringe. and I knew it was a sign of things to come.

This is meant to be an adult novel, but the immaturity of it all significantly deters the book's target audience. The childish language/dialogue, as well as the whiny and unrelatable MC, not only prevented me from enjoying this, but it also hinders the world-building and any other redeeming aspect of this story.

Which, surprisingly, there are a few. The entire concept is actually quite intriguing - it's why I picked this up and finished it, even though the writing and MC annoyed me. I think the plot is a great idea, the historical setting is exciting, and the mythology is very interesting. Which is why it's such a shame all of this was held back by poor writing choices and characterisation, preventing the book from living up to its full potential.

However, younger readers who can relate to this particular kind of writing and humour may actually really enjoy this (this should have been marketed as YA instead). But, for me, this definitely could have been so much more than what it is as an adult fantasy novel.

"Shanghai Immortal" by A. Y. Chao is like diving headfirst into a whirlwind of magic and mayhem in the bustling streets of 1920s Shanghai. With a kick-butt protagonist, wickedly cool supernatural powers, and a plot that twists and turns like a rollercoaster, this book is an absolute thrill ride. A. Y. Chao's writing makes you feel like you're right there in the middle of the action, and the blend of Chinese folklore and the roaring '20s vibe adds an extra layer of awesomeness. Whether you're into fierce heroines, urban fantasy, or just crave a story that'll keep you hooked from start to finish, "Shanghai Immortal" is the book to pick!

Shanghai Immortal by A. Y. Chao is a brilliant blend of fantasy and historical fiction. This book is an immersive experience that transports you to the vibrant and chaotic streets of Shanghai. The author's descriptions of the historical setting are vivid and well-researched, bringing the story to life.

The plot follows the journey of a young woman, Jing, who has always been considered an outsider. The characters are well-developed, and their struggles are relatable and heartbreaking. The themes of identity, love, loss, and sacrifice are explored in a nuanced and thought-provoking way.

Overall, Shanghai Immortal is a beautifully written and engaging novel that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves fantasy or historical fiction. A. Y. Chao has created a masterpiece that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of Shanghai Immortal in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Lady Jing's character in this book as well as the complexity of this world. Lady Jing's character felt endearing even with and even because of her course exterior and behavior. She's supposed to act courtly in this world that treats her poorly but she won't have any of it. I also really loved the fact that she never called the love interest by his first name, so adorable! It's a bit strange to say that this felt like a comforting read but it did. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Shanghai Immortal has a great setting - a flipside to the real Jazz Age Shanghai populated by the immortal court. It's definitely irreverent and campy and adventurous, and a vampiric Hulijing who's battling to control her bloodthirst is SO fun. I think readers who enjoy that will love it, but unfortunately the humour and the juvenile main character wasn't really for me.

This book was a lot of fun! Lady Jing is a brittle potty-mouth half-Vampire, half-houlijin demon fox. I grew to love her courage to stand up to herself and her bark that tries to push people away. I adore her frenemy relationship with Gigi. The romance subplot between Lady Jing and Mr Li was quite cute.

The story moves at a good pace through immortal and mortal realms of 1930’s Shanghai which is dynamic and vibrant. I also found myself craving Xiao Long Bao while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers

Shanghai immortal is a great book that is written exquisitely, I fell into the story straight away and I enjoyed the journey .
The characters in this novel are created with a realism and they're well developed, they all serve a purpose in this novel and the world around them is lavishly described creating a world that as a reader it was easy to fall into.
The play out of this novel was enjoyable to read.

I loved this!

Lady Jing is a heroine with so many layers. I love how Chao weaves Chinese myth and legend to create a unique story that is thoroughly intriguing and gripping until the end.

I cannot wait to see what else Chao brings to the table.

One of the best fantasy books I’ve read. The story, the setting, the characters! It was all beautifully written in this amazing debut. I cannot wait to read more form this author and I just enjoyed every second off it. It was very atmospheric, very engaging and a book I picked up and didn’t put down until I finished. It was a great start to a new series and I really think an interesting debut that left me with questions that hopefully the sequel will answer.

I had to DNF this one about a quarter of the way in. I really struggled with the writing and also didn't really connect with any of the characters. I think my main problem was with with my expectations, I was expecting an adult fantasy but this reads very much like a typical YA one and I found that very jarring. The premise and world building were amazing though and I did enjoy all the mythology the author explored.

Thank you to Hodderscape and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book gave me serious Spirited Away vibes, I am obsessed. Lady Jing is half vampire all trouble, running around 1930s demon Shanghai (sometimes in her underthings) and I adore her.

/!\ This review contains some spoilers

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Shanghai Immortal is A.Y. Chao's debut novel, published on June 1st, 2023 and the first in the Shanghai Immortal series, in which we follow Lady Jing, a half-vampire, half-hulijing as she tries to expose courtiers because they are planning to steal a dragon pearl, with the help of a mortal named Mr Lee.

First of all, vampires and dragons? Sign me up for that. I really enjoyed the fact that this universe was a mix of real-life Shanghai and Chinese folklore and mythology. I highly suggest reading the author's note for more information, but this story takes place in 1935 Shanghai, so historically-speaking it takes place just before the Second Sino-Japanese War and it shows as the author describes the political and social context (with the American, British, Japanese and French jurisdiction, and the way people dressed). There are also a lot of references to Chinese legends and mythology such as Hua Mulan, pixiu and dragons and dragon kings.

The plot was great and the book kept calling to me, but it was missing something at the end (at the beginning of the book, the author insists on the fact that she is almost 100 years old and that she will soon discover how many tails she has, but there is no mention of that during the story; maybe in book 2?) and I loved learning more about Chinese history and mythology. There was a romance subplot with little to no spice that appeared around the two thirds of the book and I was here for it, even though I didn't really like the female main character, Lady Jing. The reason why is because although she is 99 years old, she still behaves like a teenager and curses a lot.

One thing I struggled the most with is the book formatting on NetGalley: as you can see on the second slide, the page numbers and the meta information are all over the page and it was a nightmare to read.

Thank you so so much to Netgalley and the author/publisher for accepting my request to read and review this book early.

I was really excited for this one, I also had heard it would be a Fairyloot book pick which had my expectations even higher.

However, I just could not jam with this at all, and actually I this this was falsely advertised. It says on goodreads it is an adult book, it also was an adult pick for a book box: which is crazy as this read as YOUNG YA... not even mature YA.

I am so frustrated by YA books being marketed as adult maybe due to a tiny bit of gore or sexual content when the book as a whole is YA.

Even aside from this: I do like some YA but this was not gripping me at all and I didn't really care for any of the characters.

Also, this was definitely another case of "romance for the sake of romance" when the author themself clearly wasn't that interested in it so as a reader I couldn't care less.

I could be interested in this author's works if it wasn't trying to fit the mould of everything else coming out.

You know what?
I received the e-ARC in exchange for honest review, but I'm too lazy to read so I put in on my TBR ... BUT, when I read just several pages, ISTG THIS IS THE BOOK I AM LOOKING FOR ALL THIS TIME. So, I close the ARC, I buy the book instead. End of story.

You will be wacthing me roaming around on instagram, goodreads and twitter, talking about how much I love Lady Jing <3

Thank you for the e-ARC tho.

I really enjoyed this intriguing Chinese inspired fantasy! I thought the mythology and world building were so intriguing.
I thought the characters are very well written, and likable. I absolutely love the cover of this book too! The pacing was good and kept my attention start to finish. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

3 /5

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

Shanghai Immortal is an urban fantasy of a half-vampire half fox-spirit set in Shanghai. Just on premise alone, it sounds like it should tick all the boxes for me, but unfortunately, this one fell short. I found the main character quite intolerable, rather than feisty she comes off as insufferable. I feel like her being a vampire was glossed over in most of the novel only unless it could somehow progress the plot. It seemed like the author thought making the main character a vampire would be cool (true) but then did not care to flesh out that part of her identity fully. The plot felt all over the place and I think I spent the first 30% of the book being confused about what the plot was supposed to be. I think the found family aspect of the book was great. I loved watching the main character blossom into her relationships and realize how much she was cared for. I did enjoy the mythological aspect of things and the setting as well. This book had some strong points but the weaknesses really detracted from my ability to enjoy the story. Despite this, the premise and world were creative and interesting enough that I would keep an eye out for future works from this author.