This book was very entertaining for me, it was a quick and fun read and the pacing was really good. However...

The romance aspect was probably the most disappointing part of the book for me, it has some of my least favorite tropes: miscommunication, insta-love, and a love triangle (sort of? I guess we could call it that?) which I usually love, but this time it was annoying because it was mixed with the other two tropes. There's also the fact that the author kept telling us things instead of showing, therefore the chemistry between the characters wasn't something that we could feel, we just had to believe it's there.

The concept was very good: portal fantasy mixed together with Chinese lore and a drop of evil versions of the characters? Yes ma'am, sign me up please. Unfortunately, the execution lacked a bit in terms of character development and worldbuilding. We get bits and pieces about the mirror world all throughout the book, we learn about a prophecy, a song, and some myths which are only mentioned, but the magic system doesn't make much sense until very close to the end. I wish we had snippets of the myths, more thorough research done by the FMC, actual information coming from different sources which would help us understand how the magic works in both worlds.

There are also some small details which should've had that eureka moment, but we're left hanging. For example, the FMC remembers reading something about the mirror world leopards and how to defeat them, but doesn't remember what it was - and she never remembered; I was looking forward to that bit of information.

All in all, this was a fun and enjoyable read despite its flaws, and I'll definitely read the author's next book.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This story is an example of a good idea, but terrible execution. The begining held a lot of promise: I liked the horror/thriller element with reflections and the worldbuilding of the mirror world. Unfortunatly, once romance was introduced, the story went downhill. It felt like the author had a list of tropes that needed to be included - and it was done while sacrifising character development. Usually I like a good trope, especially when it includes twists, but The Girl With No Reflection was so predictable, that I guessed the ending and all the twists at around 40% mark.

1.5 stars

I've been struggling to write a review because I have some mixed thoughts! I don't want to be too serious because at the end of the day this is a YA book not an adult book (I was a bit confused on which it was because it says fuck a lot and people get hung)

I generally really enjoyed this book! The characters were fun to follow, the writing style was brilliant and the story was really interesting. However I did find a glaring issue and that was kind of in the main plot it's essentially the ending that put me in a downer

At the start with Mei Poe it's very "remember who the real monsters are" and "not all mirror people are evil" so in the end when they're all condemned to the same fate I just couldn't feel happy for our main characters. They froze them back into their mirrors when they were rebelling trying desperately to be free from their nightmarish lives forced to mimic those in the real world. I was really upset when they got locked back in there and there wasn't really a well done conclusion to that plot point of "remember who the real enemy is" and every other conversation with Mirror Mei Poe. It felt like a very odd direction for the book to go in given that the rest of it had been like not all mirror people are evil??

I think a way to fix this would've been once her family was hung, our main character goes on a destructive path of revenge and repeats the cycle? I think especially if the deaths of her family had been more directly caused by her mirror self and the mirror prince and their underlings so she condemns them and we get a villain arc!

I just found the ending for her locking them away being a bit underserved for the mirror people because it sounded so rough for them to deal with & I thought our main girl would've helped them and chosen kindness especially after Mei Poe died trying to teach her that and to not act in vengeance or rage.

It felt like the ending was poised as a happily ever after, but I just can't help but feel horrible for the mirror people & would've preferred if it was a villain arc and cautionary tale about violence, generational trauma and revenge.

Thanks to Netgalley and the pubòlisher for providing me with this ARC!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

-----------WHAT I ENJOYED: ------------

- So, I was really excited to get an arc of this book as it was one of my most anticipated reads for this year. I was hoping for a fairytale-esque adventure, that felt sweeping and magical. And, I'm happy to say, I absolutely found that in this book!

- I really enjoyed the ✨vibes✨ of The Girl with No Reflection. It had a very whimsical tone, with the magic and romance just making this story easy to fall into. However, it was also dark and gory in places, creating an atmosphere similar to the original Grimm Brothers' fairy tales! The author also took inspiration from traditional Chinese culture, which was woven throughout the story, creating an environment that felt steeped in history, whilst also feeling completely apart from our world. I thought that the author did a really great job in creating the impression that we were seeing a different version of history unfold - one where dragons and mirror people exist!

- Speaking of the mirror people, let's talk about them. Because, even though there are many versions of the "other self" or "doppelgänger" story (of course, The Vampire Diaries immediately comes to mind), Keshe Chow still managed to make this story feel unique and fresh. And, ultimately, I think that is down to the care with which the Mirror World was created. It was so interesting to uncover the lore and magic behind this world, especially as we learn about it and experience it all at the same time as our main character, Ying. We see her explore this world and find beasts she had never encountered before, and start to understand why we even have "reflections" in the first place. I think that most of these reveals about the world were paced perfectly, and created a depth that made me feel absolutely absorbed by the story.

- I also really enjoyed the romance in this book. Despite feeling slightly less developed on Ying's side, I thought that the romance was just really cute. You could tell how much they both wanted to love each other, whilst also trying to guard their hearts because of their circumstances. As soon as I met the Prince, I knew how much I was going to love his character. A lot of my highlights in this book are from the Prince showing how much he cares about Ying, and man, this man came out with some absolutely swoon-worthy lines. He made me fall in love with the romance, even if it was a little bit cheesy!

---------WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME:-----------

- An element of the book that didn't work for me, however, was the miscommunication between the characters. Ying annoyed me at times in how stubborn she was, and honestly, I felt that a lot of issues could have been solved if our characters sat down and had a single adult conversation. Don't get me wrong, I usually like a little bit of miscommunication but this was too much, even for me.

- However, the main issue that I had was that I think the first half of this book was a lot weaker when compared to the second half as, honestly, I think that the second half is where the book really shined. It was where we saw the action, where we finally understood the full scope of the magic system, and where the romance truly flourished. Whereas, the first half mainly focused on building up to twists that honestly...felt a bit predictable. I had guessed one of the twists from the beginning of the book, and so waiting for that reveal to happen felt like it really slowed the pace of the first half down for me. I think that if this reveal had come sooner, we could have spent more time on other things like developing the romance further, or seeing even more of this beautiful, but devastating, world that the author created.

---------OVERALL THOUGHTS---------

- Even though it wasn't perfect, I still found this to be an overall fun and enjoyable read. The fantasy elements really drew me in, and honestly, I'm super intrigued to see what this author writes next! I would definitely recommend picking this up if you are looking for some pure escapism, especially if you enjoy YA fantasy worlds usually!

Thank you again to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thoroughly entertaining, escapist debut from Chinese Australian author Keshe Chow - who practices as a cat vet in her other life. Chow’s YA novel blends romantasy with elements of other genres including flashes of horror. Her story builds on Jose Luis Borges’s short piece “The Fauna of Mirrors” which tells of a China in which reality is linked to a mirror world peopled by sentient reflections. Chow’s reworking of Borges is set in an imagined version of an Imperial Chinese court, a sprawling compound where 18-year-old Ying Yue’s now confined, reluctantly awaiting an arranged marriage to the Shan Dynasty prince, heir to the Emperor’s throne. But wandering the grounds surrounding her quarters, Ying encounters something terrible and inexplicable, reflections in the waters and mirrors that appear to have lives of their own. Creatures that may be the source of the sinister rumours about the Palace compound, a place where seven previous princesses have already disappeared without a trace. As the time for her wedding approaches, Ying becomes aware that her world has a mysterious counterpart, one that offers the possibility of escape and a means to dodge her fate. But her choices set off an ancient prophecy of war between her people and the people of the mirror world, one in which it seems she has a pivotal part to play.

Inspired by writers like Chloe Gong and Joan He, Chow’s fast-flowing narrative incorporates storylines and imagery from Chinese mythology such as the famous tale of the moon goddess and the archer; and features mythic creatures from dragons to water ghosts. I found the romance aspects, which leans heavily on the enemies to lovers trope, less enticing than other aspects of the plot - but then again, I’m not a huge fan of romance novels. But I enjoyed other aspects, particularly Chow’s variation on a coming-of-age story centred on hapless-but-feisty Ying, who gradually learns to navigate the complexities of her position and the challenges presented by the mirror world – a place that reminded me a little of Star Trek: Discovery’s mirror universe. Although it could be a little clunky at times, it's also carefully crafted with numerous pleasing twists and turns, and features a suitably gripping and dramatic climax fuelled by the collision of the mirror universes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

🌟🌟/5
Unfortunately, this book turned out to be YA in every negative sense of the word. The Girl With No Reflection is a house of cards built upon some of the most frustrating (and my least favorite) tropes without having any element of surprise or good writing to support the plot.

I was insanely excited to read this because of the stunning cover and the mythology that inspired it. I was hoping to find one-just one- YA five star read for 2024. Boy I was wrong.

To begin with, the first 50% was an absolute slog to get through. It was uneventful, mostly. Ying is one of the most insufferable MCs I've ever come across. She's annoying and constantly makes dumb decisions that put her into trouble. The writing style bothered me throughout the book. The prose is juvenile. I get that this is a debut, but it just didn't work for me. The dialogue was cringy and too modern. It stood in stark contrast with the historical-esque setting. The initial 'love triangle' was absolutely terrible. The characters lacked chemistry and it wasn't believable.

The plot itself was very weak. It was very predictable. I could see most of the twists coming and watching Ying fall into such traps over and over again was extremely frustrating as a reader. The concept of a mirror world was very cool and had so much potential but wad totally butchered. There were quite a few glaringly obvious plot holes that were not explained.

****KINDA MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD****
Just as I was starting to enjoy the book a bit more with the high stakes and all, the conclusion was disappointing. In a SHOCKING turn of events, the thing that saves the world from its downfall is *gasp* THE POWER OF LOVE!!! This particular plot device has aged like milk for me. Love that is not even believable saving the world is just incredible.
****END OF SPOILERS****

Overall, I feel like Keshe Chow had all the ingredients for an amazing story got the recipie wrong. The author definitely has potential, though and can definitely put out great stories.

**DNF at 30%**

After making a good effort to read this book, I finally had to accept defeat and move on. The book had an intriguing concept—a bride realises her reflection is moving, and on the day of her wedding is eventually pulled into another world within the mirror.
However, the writing style, characters, and overall plot just didn't work for me.

I felt the plot was rushed and found myself more annoyed than entertained while reading. Despite the promising premise, I struggled to connect with the story and its characters. The pacing didn't allow for enough character development, which made it hard for me to become invested in the narrative.

That being said, this book might appeal to readers who enjoy YA fantasy with unique concepts and who aren't too concerned about character depth.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. A mix of fantasy and horror with inspiration from East Asia.

Set in two worlds, the normal world and the mirror world which you can be locked/stuck in while only able to look through the mirror at your world.

There are mythical creatures, mystery, violence, characters you love, characters you hate and romance.

I read this book very quickly as I couldn't put it down

A very beautifully written books, I loved the imagery and visuals it gave me whilst reading.
The world building and characters were done really well.
I would like to read more by this author in the future!

The concept is unusual and sounds promising, two identical but different worlds at war claiming their places. This is a good entry to YA Chinese mythology as it is easy to absorb. It started strong, but with the female lead's naivety and impulsiveness, I became less confident on how this would end. Most revelations unfolded were predictable and the lovers' spat are almost ridiculous, but the book's ending appeased me.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the free copy!

The book has perfect setting, perfect characters and just the perfect amount of spice. I loved the description of two different realms and how the main character had a part to play in both the realms. In one realm, there was a responsible prince in real world while in the other realm, beyond the mirror, there was a charming mirror prince. All the strange happenings consumes Ying Yue and on the eve of her wedding, she accidentally opens the gateway to another realm. The secrets haul off and mystery unveils with romance, curse, prophecy and quest.

Thanks to the Author and Publisher.

Stunning cover and interesting concept, but quickly falls into too many ya tropes that are clunkily executed.

It impressed me with all the love & terror it held—a brave princess married into a royal family that hides a distressing history, a dutiful crown prince, dangerous reflections filled with vengeance, and a fantastical prophecy. Full review will be posted on 20th August.

This was a very unexpected worldbuilding, yet a very intriguing and fascinating one. A Mirror World, a prophecy, a curse, a really strong FMC, and all in an Asian setting.

The Emperor's family seems to be cursed, and now Ying is chosen to marry the grumpy prince. But before she has to do this, she is drawn into a mirror world that could be freeing or dangerous. From this point, nothing in this story will go as you think.

I loved the concept and would have liked to spend more time in the mirror world to see how everything works. However, this is not the kind of story this book wants to tell.

Instead, Ying has to unravel mysteries and find how own place in everything. And she has to fight - for herself, her friends, her love, and eventually everything in this world.

This is a standalone novel, which I very much appreciate. However, if the author ever wants to write a prequel featuring Mei Po, I'd be in so much.

4,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC!

#TheGirlWithNoReflection #Netgalley #Bookstagram

3.5/5⭐️

I found the premise of ‘The Girl With No Reflection’ intriguing and I loved the sound of the concept. I did end up reading most of it in a very short space of time. In fact, I found myself most enraptured by the book in the darker and eerier moments and ultimately would’ve enjoyed more of this. Thus I found it quite jarring, jumping from these moments of tension to the FMC, Ying, throwing herself at any relevant MMC at any given time- particularly when claiming love within what feels like 5 minutes of meeting. This paired with the miscommunication trope made the romance aspect of the story less appealing to me, as it felt like we were just going around in circles.

I am not typically one to try and guess where a story is going, but I did find certain plot points highly predictable and some aspects very convenient. In the same breath however, some of the twists really did take me by surprise, especially early on. I did, however, run into more plot holes than I can just brush over but I do think that is hard to remedy in a high stakes, fantasy standalone.

I didn’t find myself too attached to any particular characters apart from two whose places in the story both ended quite abruptly with minimal explanation. Something that I was very glad to see was Ying’s growth as a character towards the end, in which she is almost unrecognisable from the naive girl we are initially met with.

All in all, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to readers who enjoy high fantasy and don’t mind a quite prominent storyline alongside it. I think the story has a lot of potential.

This brought the energy of a super spooky Coraline but with way more mirrors. I actually really enjoyed the eeriness this brought and thought it was full of potential. Where I struggled was in the character dynamics. Ying's interactions with the mirror prince felt rushed and somewhat jarring. Equally so with the regular prince. Ultimately had to DNF as I found it very distracting.

The Girl With No Reflection has so many elements that I enjoy. I love the setting and attention to detail and the set up was so good. However, I have a few issues that are not quite working for me and at this point, 41%, I have made the decision to not finish this particular book. Thank you so much for approving me for a review copy.

This was SO close to being a perfect read for me, and I was blown away from the beginning as it was so atmospheric, eerie and captivating.

I loved the characters and the worldbuilding, which was perfectly explained and paced as the main character journeys along the strange, enchanting world she finds herself (literally) drawn into.

Things I adored: fierce chemistry between the leads, pleasantly surprising twists, engaging character growth, political drama, high tension throughout kept me gripped till the end. I was kicking my feet and twirling my hair as the romance heated up and I LOVED the misunderstandings and angst because it actually makes so much sense for the story and characters and shows they have to learn to trust each other, and that it's not easy to love in this dangerous world.

Things I'd critique: the tone occasionally gets muddled between a YA fantasy and an adult horror/Chinese political novel. I think it takes the best from both tones but sometimes, especially towards the end, favours heart over logic and depth. It's not a bad thing, just sometimes I felt the story was full of realistic violence, tension and complex messages, then became a younger and "hope and love win all!" vibe.

big thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this advance review copy.

4 stars.

this was a very fun read, actually. it was unique and engaging enough to keep me interested, right up until the very end. i loved the characters, i loved the setting (it's set in a fictitious, imperial china), and i loved the story. the only thing i didn't entirely follow was the relationship between the main character and her love interest(s). but again, i think this was just a case of the 'standalone curse', because it's just one book and things have to move quickly to advance the story. this and the lack of communication between them, which was very frustrating at times. like, just *talk*, please.

but overall, this was very good, and i would definitely recommend it. especially if you read and loved 'the girl who fell beneath the sea'.

TGWNF is a fantasy romance where two worlds co-exist in parallel to each other for millennia, one mimicking the other for the last thousand years...and Ying is the key to the fate of their worlds.

Perception is a major theme of the novel, as appearances and truths are deceiving. Inner selves are hidden away and so. are. real. FEELINGS! (We'll be back). This developed tension where we flip-flopped between one world and the next, between one person and their doppelganger out of mistrust of reality. Who and what is real?

I am surprised by the story's very tight scope, lingering little on Ying's status quo before getting engaged or the resolution long after the climax, as I haven't seen it as often with my recent reads. Considering the story's few plots, it allowed it to stay tight and taut (and light) around the Mirror World, royal secrets, and romantic plotlines.

My cover analysis where I guessed there was going to be something involving immortality did not lead me astray here! Yes, some of the elements in the cover are there more for opulence, others more for plot, but many of their inclusions doubled as hints at the Mirror World's way of life.

Back to real feelings (see): I was not surprised with a certain reflective twist. The build-up for it was giddying to read but alas, the swiftness and the context of how she got to meet him were clear red flag set-ups that the relationship was truly smoke and *mirrors* (ba dum shh). So, the guessing game was quick to be over on the "will-they-won't-they" front. Ying's romance with Zhang is sweet, though challenged by naivety, misunderstandings and guarded walls. Considering the nature of their relationship, it pushes the story towards the upper end of YA.

TLDR: a solid debut with a fun concept.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodderscape for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.