I think if I have to choose, I'd choose Vilest Things as my favourite book in the series (so far!). The book does not fall prey to the notorious second book syndrome, and instead truly shines as we see the characters deal with the consequences of everything that happened in book 1. This time, I really enjoyed the number of different perspectives we get, interspersed with Calla and Anton's, showing how the outcomes of the games have affected each person differently and how they are dealing with them.

In book 2, we step outside of San-Er, into the provinces that make up this kingdom, allowing us a more expanded look at this world. One of the best things Chloe Gong does creating an atmospheric, stunning setting and her writing completely grounds you into the world. The world-building in this book is my favourite yet, as we get to explore much beyond the looming walls of San-Er. We also learn more about the functioning of the kingdom so that was really interesting to explore.

Otta's awakening adds another level of tension because she is also scheming for something more - for power, and of course, knows a hidden secret about the crown. Otta's addition was definitely my favourite part of the book. She was such an interesting character and I hope we get to see her perspective in the next book.

It is in this book that I feel both Calla and Anton truly shine. They are perfect foils to each other; each scheming for the same purpose but in their own remarkable way. The progression of their relationship was really done well considering what we know. These two are such badass characters - their fights were perfection, literally I could see their battles play out in front of me like a scene from a movie.

I won't lie - the climax was my favourite part of the book. In terms of the pacing, the action, everything that went down, it was intense and I loved it. The ending, in Chloe Gong fashion, will leave you gasping. I thought it might happen, but the way it did was just *chef's kiss*.

After reading Vilest Things , my excitement for book 3 has only grown. I cannot wait to see what the conclusion of this story is going to look like!

"Who hurt you?" - me: Chloe Gong
Chloe Gong hurt me with how amazing yet twisted and shocking. I don't want to take too much away from anyone else who wants to read this amazing series; but this I wanna say: you won't regret it!

Chloe Gong has the talent to leave you utterly destroyed by the end of her novels, the same was for Immortal Longings with that end. In the sequel, Vilest Things, the stakes are raised, the betrayals doubled and the action just sweeps you in. I absolutely loved book 2 and genuinely think this story cannot get any more nerve-wracking, blood hungry, dangerous... but well, it's Chloe Gong and we all know we need to brace ourselves for the next!

I love Chloe Gong, but this one fell a bit flat for me. It took me way longer to focus on the storyline, because there were some times where I just felt like I didn't know what was going on. I hope the next book is better!

I really enjoyed Immortal Longings and was excited to quickly jump into the sequel. Without giving everything away I think that this was the perfect balance of character development/ world building/ politics. Don’t really care for the ‘romance’ and it didn’t feature very heavily thankfully. I got a bit lost at points and had to reread but that could be my sleep deprived brain up with the baby all night 😬.
Cannot wait for the 3rd book.

4.25⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Hodder and Stoughton for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review. 


TW: death, body manipulation/body swapping, violence, murder, blood, gore, corpses, explicit sex, dubious consent


‘Immortal Longings’ was one of my favourite books of last year and I didn’t know if the sequel could live up to it but ‘Vilest Things’ definitely did. Set immediately after the shocking end of the first book, Calla Tuoleimi has killed her tyrant uncle King Kasa and set the twin cities of San-Er, the capitals of the Talin empire, free from his reign after a series of bloody, body hopping games. However, to get there, she had to brutally murder Anton Makusa- the man she’d teamed up with in the games and fallen in love with. Her cousin, August Shenzi is now the King but Calla knows the truth: in the few moments before he died, Anton hopped into August’s body and now he’s got all the power, he’s refusing to leave. He is furious at Calla for betraying him and intentionally speed running through August’s perfectly laid plans to repair their world. Calla is forced into the role of a royal adviser, kept just distant enough that she can’t hurt Anton again. When Anton’s first love- and August’s half sister- Otta Avia impossibly wakens from her seven year coma, she reveals a secret that looks set to destroy the monarchy’s legitimacy over its people. Calla is convinced this is a trick but Anton isn’t taking the chance of losing his crown so soon especially as chaos erupts in the cities and the countryside is struck by the discovery of hundreds of dead soldiers. Forced on a journey through the empire to discover the true crown of Talin, and to solve the mysteries of Otta’s intentions and the murdered soldiers, Calla and Anton have to put their differences aside. As they work together, it soon becomes clear that the world they’re trying to save might not deserve it- no matter how much August might want to come back. 


‘Immortal Longings’ was the brilliant adult debut of Chloe Gong, retelling Shakespeare’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ in a futuristic, bloodthirsty world full of body hopping and back stabbing. I adored it and I couldn’t believe the incredible cliffhanger at the end so I had really high expectations going into ‘Vilest Things’; I’m so glad to say that they were completely surpassed. I’ve loved everything Chloe Gong writes and I can’t wait for the final part of this series because the endings are always so brutal. Calla continues to be a morally grey, ruthless main character (she isn’t actually the Princess everyone believes she is, she merely stole Princess Calla’s body at eight years old and has been living as her ever since) but also in this book she’s deeply guilty and heartbroken over the actions she took against Anton. She has succeeded in what she wanted most in the world but now it’s not enough; she’s forced into an even worse situation having to serve as Anton’s adviser. Their relationship is so tense and shines every moment in its on the page, even when they’re just arguing or fighting over how to continue. One of my favourite scenes is where they play a game of Snakes and Ladders and it rapidly spirals into something much more serious. Anton is no longer the romantic who entered the games to continue keeping Otta alive, he’s betrayed and furious, drunk with power and disturbed to learn just how much of his life has been hidden from him. I loved how they left San-Er behind in this series and went into the countryside, expanding the world out further and bringing in new themes of rural depravation and wider conflicts. The magic system is even more focused on, especially as Calla begins to try out the “old ways” that allowed body hopping without light in the first book, no matter their consequences. This was a perfect slow burn sequel, building the world and its problems even further while remaining true to the destructive and turbulent relationships of the first- now with the added issue of Otta Avia, Anton’s murder and August trying to retake control. With the way this ended, the wait for the next book is going to be even more difficult than waiting for this one.

I loved it, The plot thickens and the misteries unravel, the story is filled with unique, gray characters that fight for the power. I really liked the story and the ambience, I don't know how is going to end this, but knowing how Chloe Gong writes is not going to be pretty and I'm here for it.

I absolutely loved reading the book 1 and was so excited to read this sequal too. This was as impressive as the book 1 plus the writing was amazing as usual.
I had a great time reading this as they characters and plotline was amazingly penned down right from the starting till the very ending.

Chloe Gong skillfully weaves intricate political machinations throughout her fantasy, creating a narrative that feels like an elaborate chess match. The ever-evolving motivations and shifting moralities of her characters add depth, making it a treat for readers who enjoy complex dynamics and tension.
However, the story occasionally faltered for me. At times, it felt like we were revisiting the same ideas, cycling through theories and accusations without clear progression. This repetition made it difficult to stay fully engaged, and once I lost that connection with the characters, it took effort to regain my focus.

Chloe Gong has the unique ability to create such different and unique premises in her books and in Vilest Things, the follow up to Immortal Longings, we are given yet another unique and spectacular story.

Big thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this title!

Vilest Things, the sequel to Immortal Longings, continues to explore a dystopian fantasy world filled with political intrigue and body/soul jumping. Chloe Gong's talent for creating complex political schemes and morally grey characters shines through once again.

I appreciated the push-and-pull dynamic between Calla and Anton, who are bound by secrets and tension, making their relationship one of the most compelling aspects of the book.

However, I couldn’t help but feel that the pacing was uneven. The beginning felt slow and bogged down by a lot of political exposition, which sometimes left me confused, especially when new elements were introduced without much explanation.

The magic system, particularly around qi and body jumping, became more chaotic in this instalment, and I would have liked more clarity on the new powers. That said, once the plot picked up toward the end, I was fully invested again, and the cliffhanger has me eager to see what happens next.

While it wasn’t as action-packed as the first book and did suffer from some repetition, I’m still intrigued by where the story is going and will definitely be reading the next book.

I can hardly put into words the emotional whirlwind that Vilest Things took me on. If you thought the cliffhanger in the first book was intense, just wait until you finish this one! The ending leaves you hanging, and with no release date for the next installment in sight, it feels almost like a crime!

What I adored most were the plot twists, the jaw-dropping reveals, and the betrayals that kept me on my toes. I also loved diving deeper into the world-building, especially the intricate politics and magic system that are richly detailed here. And if you're a fan of the enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers trope (with some serious slow-burn tension this time), this book will have you exclaiming, “Ah, shit, here we go again!” in the best possible way.

I really enjoyed this book, but it didn’t blow me away as much as the first one did. The first one had something truly special that just caught me up and kept me gripped. Few books can match it, but I had hoped for the same from this one as it’s the sequel.

Things get intense though! Having set up the rules of the world in the first book, Chloe Gong sets about breaking them in interesting ways in the sequel! Whatever you thought you knew about the rules? Things are much more complicated than that. Having seen it hinted at in the first book, it was fun to watch the characters’ reactions to the changes in this one. It meant that there wasn’t a lull that middle books in a series often have.

This book was very political. All the stuff that’s beginning to stir in the first bit is coming together in this one, with a very literal fight for the crown. I think that’s why it didn’t catch me as much as the first one. But it will be interesting to see what happens to the different factions in the third book.

I’m really, really looking forward to seeing what happens next as there’s a lot of intrigue in here that I’d like to see resolved.

I was slightly worried going into this knowing that the games were over, and although this did feel like a filler book I had a lot of fun reading it. There’s still plenty of violence, gore, body swapping, and cults. The main plot focuses on the aftermath of “August” being crowned king and Otta waking up. This book also goes deeper into the magic of the world and Calla’s past.

A few of the world-building things I was worried about in the first book are becoming clearer and more fleshed out which is a relief. The first person present tense still throws me and every so often it takes me out of the moment. I don’t mind it too much as there’s something in the way Chloe Gong writes these that makes them so easy for me to read.

The only thing that didn’t quite meet my expectations was the relationship between Calla and Anton. The last book ended with a perfect setup for true enemies and I wish we had milked it a little more. The betrayal was forgiven so quickly that it almost took the shock of it away. I wish we had more tension between the two. I’d have happily done without the romance in this book if it meant we had more will they won't they.

I'm really excited to read the next book and hope our main couple have one or two more fallouts.

I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Spoilers for Immortal Longings, the first book, in this review!

I will always support women's rights and wrongs. Calla Tuoleimi, I love you.

This book was so good 😭 I was so excited yet also a bit scared to read this book. The games from Immortal Longings were over, so what now?

Safe to say, Chloe managed to write an enticing sequel and I was lured in from the very start. Vilest Things starts off right where Immortal Longings left the story, and I was intrigued. Calla is still in her own body, but Anton has overtaken August's and is now pretending to be him to be the king, since Kasa has been killed. Calla is also reintroduced to court, I mean, she won the games, right? So tension was there, especially considering the end of the games.

Calla then gets sent out to the provinces, and oh boy, what happens there… I loved the turn this story took, and the plot twists at the end!!! I was so shocked and I am so excited for the sequel.

I will say that I still have some questions about the plotline that I felt weren't explained properly yet, so I'm hoping those questions get answered in the third book.

I still love all the characters in this series and I am in need of book 3. I will do anything for Calla, I love her so much.

Chloe, if you're reading this, at this point I will read your grocery list. Thank you for the pace you put your books out, I feel so blessed to be able to read your words.

Book review 📚
Vilest Things by Chloe Gong
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Vilest Things is the 2nd book to a series, the first book being the amazing Immortal Belongings. Book 3 to follow shortly, I hope!

Gong is an absolute mastermind – planning these endings knowing full well her readers are gonna sit here and SCREAM when they end on a cliffhanger. Honestly, she does this with intent, and each time I’m left with my jaw on the floor. Now to wait, AGAIN!

I would defiantly recommend going back to rereading book 1, especially if it’s been a while. Just to jog your memory on certain aspects of the book. I done a reread before jumping into book 2 and I am so glad I did. Plus who doesn’t love a reread to a great book.

This book has everything you want and more. Humour, magic, development, intensity. This book has everything you are looking for if you love a fantasy book. The world building is absolutely remarkable and I’m in utter awe over Gongs work and the imagery she sets. I now have to sit and wait 500 hundred years for book 3.

I had SUCH a great time with this book! It’s a heavily plot driven series but I think there is still enough character development to balance it out, and things kept happening or being revealed and I absolutely love that. Some of my questions from book 1 were answered and this trilogy overall is very much a “trust the process” kind of thing, because things WILL be answered, you just have to wait. However, I now have more questions so yay me 😭. I did guess the final reveal but that didn’t make the experience any less good so I don’t mind really (and that also means there was good enough foreshadowing for me to come up this conclusion). I really liked Calla and Anton in this one, they truly are compelling characters, and I’m a sucker for an angry girly, which Calla 100% is, so what can I say🤷‍♀️

I'm here to talk to you about Vilest Things, the sequel to Immortal Longings by @chloegong, her adult fantasy series, and honestly, I love it! I thought it was going to be just a duology, but a third book is planned, which is great!

If you haven’t read Immortal Longings yet, I highly recommend it! And there might be some spoilers in the text that follows.

We pick up the plot shortly after that cliffhanger ending of book one. While book one focused on the deadly competition, this time we’re clearly plunged into political intrigue and power struggles between our protagonists. The environment is complex, which is why I had trouble getting back into the flow at the beginning of the book. There are many characters, and they’re not who you think they are due to their ability to jump from body to body. We also have multiple POVs, and all these pieces stack up perfectly to build an incredibly gripping plot that had me hooked.

There are twists, betrayals, cliffhangers, and a kingdom on the brink of war. You won’t have time to get bored, and I found that it all came together to form a fascinating fantasy that blends power plays, of course, but also beliefs and religion.

Calla is smart, badass, and bold, always ready to wield her sword. Anton seeks vengeance, and both are after power. Their relationship is like a wild dance: they get close, pull away, want to kill each other, or jump on each other—super intense!

In short, an intense read that blew my mind and made me turn the pages eagerly. I highly recommend starting this series!

Vilest Things is an interesting mix of fantasy and dystopia as we delve into a world where body/soul jumping is common - and getting harder to track. The first book, Immortal Longings, had a high stakes competition that kept the pages turning, so I was intrigued to see where this sequel was going to take us after those events.

It’s easy to say Chloe Gong is masterful at political manoeuvrings in her fantasy, a complex game of chess being played throughout. She had a common theme of constantly shifting motivations and morals amongst her characters, and this book is a feast for those who love a push-and-pull dynamic.

Admittedly though it did lose me somewhat. We seemed to keep coming back to the same points repeatedly, going in circles with theories and accusations. It took a little effort to focus, as I couldn’t reconnect with the characters once I was lost.

Nonetheless, it’s a unique vibe and atmosphere that I know many readers will love, and quite the page-turner with all of its Shakespearean dramatics.

Chloe Gong, Queen of ending books with plot twists that will have you screaming and pulling out your hair. I should have reread the first book before reading this one cos I kinda forgot what was going on and who some of the characters are but I still enjoyed it so much and honestly what’s the point reminding yourself who’s who when they’re all jumping bodies every five minutes.

Chloe’s craftsmanship of worlds and characters is something I’ve never seen before. I slightly lost track of the plot at times but that’s on me not Chloe’s writing. Also the smut was the most eloquently written I’ve ever read.

My jaw will be on the floor until the next book after that ending, thanks.