Love Between Fairy and Devil Vol. 1 by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Love Between Fairy & Devil by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang

This is the original novel on which the TV series of the same name is based. However, as becomes clear already from the description, the original and adaptation share the premise and that’s about it. The two stories are completely different. So, if you’re looking for something that deepens the story of the TV adaptation, this isn’t it. The two are so different that there’s no point in trying to compare them either. (There's also an animated version that appears to follow the plot of the book more faithfully, but I haven’t watched it myself.)

The start of the book is maybe the weakest point of the story and very vague about how events have unfolded before the opening scene. Demon Lord Dongfang Qingcang has resurrected after a hundred thousand years, having been bested by Lady of the Scarlet Wastes, the god of war, and immediately captured by the officials of the heavenly realm. But he has had time to take a hostage, an orchid fairy Xiao Lanhua, and forced her to switch souls with him, so that he occupies her body and vice versa. He then uses her mouth to convince the troops that she’ll spend the rest of eternity imprisoned with him to make sure he never escapes.

He escapes, of course, and there’s nothing Xiao Lanhua can do, as she’s behind bars inside Dongfang Qingcang’s body. But as she tries to prevent him from leaving, she accidentally destroys her own body. Now the Demon Lord’s soul has escaped and she’s trapped inside his body with no body of her own to return to. So, out of options, she heads to the ghost realm to find his soul. She finds it, but when he tries to take his body back, she refuses to leave until he provides her with a new body.

The first volume is about the two of them travelling mostly in the mortal realm looking for a suitable body for her. But she soon realises he has an agenda of his own and he’s only helping her because it temporarily aligns with his interests. They get into hairy situations, and despite his better judgement, he finds himself saving her time and again. But he betrays her equally often, and by the time the first volume ends, the two are still together only because she’s managed to force his hand to keep her alive.

The first volume isn’t much of a romance, but it’s a good start to that direction. Dongfang Qingcang starts—and continues—as a truly evil character, but the presence of Xiao Lanhua, first inside his body and later with her own, starts changing him, and he occasionally finds himself doing things to please her—in his own fashion. She has no romantic feelings about him either, and the volume ends with her wholly disillusioned about him.

I liked this story very much. It didn’t matter that it didn’t match the adaptation. It’s fast-paced, funny, and well-written. The stakes are high from the start and they don’t lessen by the end of the volume. I didn’t miss the side-plots and other characters that filled the adaptation. The two were enough to carry the story. I liked Xiao Lanhua especially. She was strong and resourceful and not a clueless, wide-eyed creature wholly at the mercy of Dongfang Qingcang like in the adaptation, even when she was at his mercy. And he was truly evil and selfish, not just posturing.

The ending wasn’t a cliffhanger as such, but it doesn’t conclude anything either. The story has only begun and I really have to find out how this original version continues from here.

 

Peerless Vol. 3 by Meng Xi Shi: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Peerless vol 3 by Meng Xi Shi

The story really gets going in volume 3. It starts at the encampment of the Western Khaganate where Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao had been honoured guests until the second prince was suddenly murdered at the end of the previous volume. Now the men stand accused of the deed. The way out of the situation is to solve the crime themselves. But instead of Cui Buqu doing the investigation, he volunteers to stay as a hostage while Feng Xiao investigates. Only, the latter has no intention of doing so.

Cui Buqu has an ace on his sleeve though, and doesn’t need Feng Xiao—until he does. In the end, the mystery is solved rather fast, and not in any way I thought it would. The men are now free to travel back home where they are hailed as heroes.

Their adventures at end, they continue their separate lives as heads of their rivalling secret service organisations. But Cui Buqu has promised a rare musical instrument for Feng Xiao as a reward for saving his life. It turns out to be in the hands of Cui clan, and the men travel together to fetch it. But the instrument is all but forgotten when Feng Xiao has a chance to learn about Cui Buqu’s past and his connection to Cui clan. It’s an interesting and sad story, but Cui Buqu has a chance to air old grievances and eventually emerge on the top.

But the men haven’t forgotten the mysterious secret organisation that seems to be behind all their troubles. Going after it again leads to a sudden gut-wrenching twist and betrayal the kind that’s familiar from the author’s Thousand Autumns novel. The end is a huge cliffhanger that leaves Cui Buqu in mortal peril. It’ll be an agony to wait for the next volume.

This was maybe the best volume so far. A lot happened and the men really became their own characters. Cui Buqu especially had a chance to shine. There wasn’t much in the way of romance, only brief teasing moments, and after this volume, the road to a happy ending will be long. The secret organisation and its motives remain a bit over the top, but as an adversary, it’s interesting. Side characters from previous volumes didn’t really show up and new ones didn’t take their place. All in all, an entertaining read.

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun vol 7 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

The Husky & His White Cat Shizun vol 7 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Volume 7 continues the hunt for Xu Shuanglin who has hid himself in the ancestral burial mountain of the Rufeng sect. Led by Nangong Si who is the only one who can open the mountain’s defences, the entire cultivation world head there, only to face a battle after another. Xu Shuanglin is more powerful than they believed, and he’s managed to harness the entire mountain, including the dragon at its heart, to his help.

It’s mostly Nangong Si’s story. He’s the last member of his sect and Xu Shuanglin—Nangong Xu—is his uncle. Time and again, he throws himself to defeating the mountain to help others reach its peak where Xu Shuanglin is hiding, facing not only the dragon but his most revered ancestor too. In a very moving scene, he has a chance to encounter his long dead mother, reanimated by Xu Shuanglin. But despite his constant sacrifices, the wrath of the cultivators against his sect doesn’t ease, not even at the end.

Mo Ran is having difficult time during the battle. He struggles with keeping the truth of his first life hidden while trying to use what he’s learned during it to help defeat Xu Shuanglin. At one point he’s poisoned with a substance that makes him relive scenes from his past life, trying to convince him he’s never left it, which really messes with his head. But when they finally reach Xu Shuanglin, he’s the only one who can reach through is madness, having gone through the same.

Mo Ran is the only one who realises too, that Xu Shuanglin isn’t the final boss, on top of which there’s a secondary player among the cultivators, who attacks at the worst possible moment. The one who suffers most is Shi Mei. Facing certain death, he gives a speech that I’m not entirely sure how to take. Maybe he wanted to give his piece of mind to Mo Ran and Xue Meng, or maybe he wanted them to act against him to focus on winning the day. Either way, it isn’t dealt with in this volume. (He didn’t die though, in case you’re worried.)

But just as Mo Ran starts to believe he might make it out of the mountain without facing his past, the worst happens. The past arrives, concretely. The last quarter of the book focuses on Mo Ran and Chu Wanning, as the latter finally learns about the other Mo Ran, in a very physical and painful way. But the volume ends before we learn what he thinks of it.

The most interesting twist is saved for the last couple of chapters. We learn where Chu Wanning comes from and it’s nothing I could’ve imagined. He had no idea of it either, but the aftermath of that is saved for the next volume. There’s also a twist about Mo Ran’s connection with Rufeng sect that stems from his past life (if I understood it correctly, which isn’t all that certain.) That’ll have consequences later too.

This was a mixed read for me. First three quarters was an endless battle that focused more on other characters than Mo Ran and Chu Wanning. It was interesting enough with its twists and turns and moving sacrifices, but much too long. The volume was saved by the last quarter though, that focused on the two main characters. The stunning revelations for both of them were enough to lift the volume back to excellent. If (when) the aftermath of that goes sideways, there’s a long road ahead for the two to happily ever after. I can’t wait.

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun Vol. 6 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun vol 6 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Volume 6 finally brought Mo Ran and Chu Wanning where they’ve been heading all this time: in the bedroom. There was plenty of hot and heavy action, and it was very good, even if Mo Ran managed to keep himself in tight rein and didn’t go all the way. Chu Wanning didn’t immediately turn into a wanton, and even managed to subdue a lust demon even though he wasn’t pure anymore. His forays into seduction were delightful.

The relationship remained slightly uneven outside bedroom. Chu Wanning is the more senior cultivator and Mo Ran’s teacher, and the two never forget that, even though Mo Ran tries his best to seduce his Shizun in compromising places. And Mo Ran is still torn by guilt about what he did in his previous life, and can’t quite be himself with Chu Wanning.

Outside the romance, the hunt for the enemy intensifies. As he reveals more of himself, Mo Ran recognises some of his own dark spells and makes a stunning revelation. Someone else has reincarnated too. But do they know about Mo Ran, and will they come after him specifically, revealing all his horrible deeds to the world. And what will then happen to his relationship with Chu Wanning?

This was an excellent volume, fairly tight and uncomplicated. Much of it was told from Chu Wanning’s point of view, which was a nice change. Knowing there will be several volumes, I didn’t expect a fast solution here, although I can’t see how much longer the author can drag this storyline. There were also scenes of the previous life about Mo Ran’s first steps towards becoming the evil emperor. His treatment of Chu Wanning felt uncomfortably bad, contrasted with their happiness in this lifetime. He almost confesses everything to Chu Wanning too, only to chicken out at the last moment. At this point of the story, I can’t even predict how Chu Wanning will react when he eventually learns the truth—and where his vivid dreams come from.

Peerless vol 1 by Meng Xi Shi: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Peerless vol 1 by Meng Xi Shi

Peerless starts a new danmei series by Meng Xi Shi. According to the back cover text, it’s set in the same world as their Thousand Autumns series, but in this first volume the connection is mostly the jianghu, as the author calls their martial arts world. Here, jianghu only plays a secondary role though.

The main characters are Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu, leaders of rivalling secret agencies of the new dynasty. Feng Xiao is a martial arts expert, beautiful beyond belief, and self-centered in a way that’s both aggravating and amusing. Cui Buqu doesn’t know any martial arts and he’s sickly and weak, but his mind is sharp. He’s on a secret mission on a remote border town, working under cover when Feng Xiao arrives to town to investigate a murder of a foreign emissary.

Feng Xiao immediately suspects Cui Buqu, who seizes the opportunity to hinder Feng Xiao’s investigation. But soon, the two must start working together. There isn’t love lost between the men, but some kind of respect forms in between the endless bantering.

This was a fun start to a series, and very different from Thousand Autumns. The beginning was a tad confusing, as it was told from the points of view of random characters, and it took several chapters before Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu came to fore. The main plot is a murder mystery, although a convoluted and highly illogical, the suspects springing up at random. The men manage to explain everything in the end though. The start of their relationship is rocky, but very entertaining, each holding their own. And the next mystery is already waiting for them. Looking forward to reading it.

Thousand Autumns Vol. 5 by Meng Xi Shi: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Thousand Autumns vol 5 by Meng Xi Shi

Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu has ended with the fifth volume. It ended like it began, more focused on the politics of the empire and the cultivation world (called jianghu in this series, “rivers and lakes”, like the author explains in the afterword), and on the questions of morality and human nature than on the romance.

At the beginning of the volume, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi help Puliuru Jian to free his children from being held hostage by the emperor, and subsequently to seize the throne. It’s a fairly fast affair, compared to some in the previous volumes.

From there, the men part ways and Shen Qiao finally heads back to Xuandu Mountain to handle the traitors in his sect and to assume the leadership once again. But he’s barely done when he learns that Yan Wushi has challenged the best cultivator in the world, Hulugu of the Göktürk Khagnate, to a duel. Everyone knows it’ll be to death, and so Shen Qiao rushes to be by Yan Wushi’s side.

At this point, I thought the romance would finally bloom, but no. Only in the final paragraphs of the last chapter does Shen Qiao show some emotions towards Yan Wushi, but it isn’t until the last of the seven epilogue chapters before the men finally become a couple. Even then, they both remain true to their characters.

The story began with Yan Wushi trying to corrupt Shen Qiao to prove that everyone would put their self-interest first, a thread that prevailed over the romance throughout the story. In the end, he was forced to admit that Shen Qiao was unique, and therefore worthy of his admiration, the basis of his romantic feelings. Why Shen Qiao would love him in return was never clear, but his ability to forgive was great and Yan Wushi managed to manipulate Shen Qiao into missing him. Of the two, Yan Wushi changed more, but only with Shen Qiao. Their coming together was kind of cute, but if the reader is looking for high emotions, great declarations, and carnal relations, they’re bound to be disappointed.

The main story is followed by several short stories that show that while the men never settle down to living together, they remain a couple and always return to the other after roaming the empire. The stories aren’t very romantic or emotional either, but they show cute glimpses of the men’s lives from past and future.

Despite the lack of great romantic emotions, I was satisfied with the ending and the series as a whole. It remained true to its premise, the political plots were interesting, and as I realised early on that the romance wouldn’t be there, I wasn’t disappointed with what I got. I’m happy where the men ended up, and the lives they live seem interesting and rather carefree. After everything they went through, they deserve happiness.

Ballad of Sword and Wine Vol. 1 by Tang Jiu Qing: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Ballad of Sword and Wine by Tang Jiu Qing

Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu is the latest Chinese boylove series translated by Seven Seas. It’s set in a secondary world that resembles ancient China with its culture, but with a completely different geography. The book even comes with a helpful map.

A war has almost ended in defeat when Prince Shen Wei shamefully fled before the enemy before killing himself. All his family has died too, except the youngest, illegitimate son, Shen Zechuan. He’s fourteen and hasn’t even met his father, as he’s been raised by his shifu, Ji Gang. Nevertheless, he’s been brought to the nation’s capital to face death for what his father has done. But political machinations and the Dowager Empress intervene, and he’s confined to a house arrest instead.

Xiao Chiye is sixteen and a son of another warrior prince. His family had to step up to defend the nation when Shen Wei fled. He’s a volatile young man and he hates Shen Zechuan for what his father has done. But political machinations catch him too, and the reward he’s granted to command the useless Imperial Army is in fact a prison for him too, as he’s basically held hostage in the capital to keep his family from revolting.

The main story starts five years later. Tides turn again, and Shen Zechuan is released, much to the dismay of the nation. Xiao Chiye’s hatred hasn’t eased at all, and he makes it his business to make life difficult for Shen Zechuan. But the emperor is dying and he doesn’t have children. People have started to take sides, and Xiao Chiye has his own player in the game. And behind the scenes, helped by his shifu and an old teacher of the former crown prince, Shen Zechuan is working on his revenge.

When the plot comes to a point, the two young men find themselves on the same side and Shen Zechuan ends up saving Xiao Chiye’s life. Their lives become tangled, but their animosity doesn’t ease. The problem for Xiao Chiye is, however, that he’s finding himself attracted to the younger man. For his part, Shen Zechuan is willing to make most of the attraction to get his revenge. It’s a game about power and manipulation that slowly comes to a point.

This was a great book. The two men were very similar in how they gave the world to understand they are useless while hiding their true strength and intent. Shen Zechuan is a dainty, beautiful man who seems to be plagued by an ill health. But he’s traumatized by the war and almost sociopathic in his behaviour when he finally has the chance for revenge. Xiao Chiye pretends to be a wastrel and  drunkard, while he’s reorganising and training the Imperial Army for a coup.

Court intrigue dominates the plot, but the relationship between the two men is its backbone. It’s in no way romantic in this first book. Both are using the other for their own ends, and neither trusts the other. Xiao Chiye is open about his lust, but determined to control it. Shen Zechuan doesn’t feel the same, but in a fit of anger, he’s willing to push things to a point. The book ends with a bedroom scene, quite literally with a climax. It’s a slightly odd choice, but kind of works well with the tone of the book, and leaves the reader desperate for more.

The book is well written and doesn’t suffer from the over-abundance of telling instead of showing like so many of these Chinese BL series. Court machinations and background stories are handled in the dialogue, there are no repetitions, and the story advances in a fast pace. The opening chapters have some descriptions of torture, and there’s a very disturbing scene of animal cruelty in chapter 18: Donkey Roast, which you can easily skip, though it’s referred to later. All in all, one of the best BL series translated so far. I’ll definitely continue with it.

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun vol. 5 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

The Husky and His Wite Cat Shizun vol. 5 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

The most satisfying volume so far, emotionally. It’s the wedding of Nangong Si, Chu Wanning’s former disciple, and Song Qiutong, Mo Ran’s wife in his previous life whom he hates. The reader was given to understand already in the previous volume that something big was going to happen during the wedding, but it went beyond even that.

The pre-wedding feast is ruined by accusations of a masked intruder, that Song Qiutong has not been chaste and that she’s carried a relationship with Nangong Si’s best friend, Ye Wangxi, who saved her from being sold as a slave. That led to a stunning revelation that I didn’t see coming. But it was only a start.

A rift opens to a demon realm, and when Mo Ran and Chu Wanning go to investigate, they learn it’s done by the enemy they’ve been chasing for years. But the truth behind their identity is nothing either them or the reader expect, and the reason for their actions comes a bit out of the blue. But what is revealed causes a literal inferno that sends everyone to fleeing for their lives.

Mo Ran and Chu Wanning take shelter in a remote fishing village and there we finally come to the best part: feelings. Both are really bad expressing them, and both believe their feelings aren’t returned, so there’s a lot of angst to get past before we get a confession. Nothing happens, but it’s very satisfying nonetheless.

There’s no cliff-hanger ending this time, but nothing is solved yet. And the way things were left, taking back their confessions is entirely possible too. I’ll have to read on to find out.

Thousand Autumns vol. 4 by Meng Xi Shi: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Thousand Autumns vol 4 by Meng Xi Shi

The story of Shen Qiao, the good Daoist cultivator, and Yan Wushi, the leader of the demonic cultivating sect, has reached the second to last volume. After the excitement at the end of the last volume, the start of this one is fairly calm. Shen Qiao takes Yuwen Song, the last heir of the previous emperor, to safety with the Bixia Sect. Life for them would be serene even, if Yan Wushi didn’t insist on accompanying them.

Yan Wushi has had a great change of mind—or heart—since the previous book. All of a sudden, Shen Qiao is the most wonderful and perfect person in the world for him, and he’s determined to make the younger man his in a very forceful way. Shen Qiao is equally determined not to believe a word that comes out of Yan Wushi’s mouth, and he most definitely won’t open his heart after the way Yan Wushi broke it earlier by betraying him.

The political turmoil catches with them when they attend the Sword Trial Conference where the rankings of the cultivation world are determined with several battle scenes. An old grandmaster, long believed dead, shows up. And he’s someone even Yan Wushi isn’t willing to face. So he whisks Shen Qiao away, and the pair head to save another contender to the throne. The book ends in the middle of a scene again, before that storyline finds conclusion.

This was the most romance filled book so far, if one can call it such. At least for the first time, it dominated the narrative, and we get Yan Wushi’s point of view of things. But it’s difficult to see how everything could be solved between the men in the last book that’s left, the misunderstandings and mistrust are so strong. But I’m definitely eager to find out.

Remnants of Filth vol. 3 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Remnants of Filth vol 3 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Volume 3 of Remnants of Filth offered a heartbreak after a heartbreak. I’ll try to review it without great spoilers, but continue at your own discretion.

The story picks up on the burial mountain where Mo Xi is paying respects to his father. Gu Mang, feeling the need to show Mo Xi that he can become a good person again, sets to ask forgiveness in front of all ten thousand graves on the burial mountain. This even though Mo Xi tells him that no matter how good he becomes, he’ll be executed in the end.

And Mo Xi is right: people aren’t swayed by Gu Mang’s show of humility. Things might have continued like they have so far, with Mo Xi frustrated with Gu Mang, whose memory remains poor, but then Yue Chenqing goes missing. The emperor orders Mo Xi to go rescue him with his Fourth Uncle Murong Chui and half-brother Jiang Yexue, and Gu Mang has to come along too. It’s an uncomfortable journey, as Murong Chui and Jiang Yexue don’t get along at all, and Gu Mang remembers some of the more embarrassing things.

They locate Yue Chenqing to an island of bat demons, but the rescue mission goes sideways. In the heat of the battle, Gu Mang and Mo Xi have a chance to observe the events of the past, namely the moment Gu Mang decides to defect.

It’s a revelation in many ways to Mo Xi. He learns things about Gu Mang he had been too young to understand at the time, and gets some insight into why Gu Mang defected, though he has now more questions than before. And he realises exactly how the emperor sees Gu Mang and what his role in Gu Mang’s defection was. All of it is heartbreaking; more so, because Mo Xi has no way to help Gu Mang or console him.

Mo Xi is greatly shaken by what he learns, but since the battle is on, he has no time to reflect. Gu Mang is changed too. But not back to the man Mo Xi knew before. The final heartbreak comes when Mo Xi finally gathers courage to ask Gu Mang if he ever loved him. The book ends before we get the answer. It’ll be an agony to wait for the next volume.

Thousand Autumns vol. 3 by Meng Xi Shi: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Thousand Autumns by Meng Xi Shi

Thousand Autumns, the story of Shen Qiao, the pure and good Daoist cultivator, and Yan Wushi, the leader of the demonic cultivation sect, set in imaginary 6th century Chinese empire has reached its third volume. It continues where the previous one left, Shen Qiao rushing to save Yan Wushi from an ambush he couldn’t possibly survive—only to arrive too late.

Yan Wushi’s enemies learn that they and Shen Qiao are on opposing sides politically too, no matter what Shen Qiao thinks of Yan Wushi personally. Reluctantly, they give his body to Shen Qiao who has now made powerful enemies. But Yan Wushi is not dead.

Tides have turned for the two men. It’s now Shen Qiao’s turn to nurture Yan Wushi back to health. It’s not an easy task and comes with a curious twist. A head injury surfaces multiple personalities in Yan Wushi, most of whom are more likable than the man himself. Some tender feelings rise, but those hoping for a proper romance are again disappointed. In the end, the original personality returns and Yan Wushi pulls yet another shitty move, leaving Shen Qiao to deal with the political ramifications of what his alleged death has caused.

This was a great volume. Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi spent most of it together, and even though there weren’t many scenes from the latter’s point of view, there were some insights into him. Mostly though, it’s still the story of Shen Qiao growing to become the most powerful martial artist in the realm. There were even more battle scenes than before where he fights against an overwhelming enemy, surprising them with his skills. The volume ends after one such scene, not quite with a cliffhanger but leaving everything open-ended. It’s impossible to tell where the story is going from here, but I’ll definitely read on to find out.

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun Vol. 4 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

The Husky & His White Cat Shizun vol 4 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

The series has advanced to its fourth volume and I believe this is the best one yet (which I said of the previous volume too). The previous one left Chu Wanning to recover from being dead for five years, so the reader could expect a time jump in this one.

The volume starts with briefly telling what Mo Ran did during those five years. He’s taken to heart to become a man worthy of his Shizun and has spent the years travelling, cultivating, and helping people where he can. He’s built a heroic reputation for himself, not that he cares, and grown up quite a bit.

Chu Wanning wakes up in a good bodily and mental health, and he remembers everything that happened in the underworld when Mo Ran saved him. He’s also ready to admit his feelings for Mo Ran, but only to himself. He’s struggling with lust for the first time in his life too, having practiced cultivation method that forbids sex. The strange dreams that are flashbacks of a life he never lived don’t help. And as always, he never speaks of any of this to anyone, and definitely not to Mo Ran.

Mo Ran is having the exact same problems, made worse by his memories from the previous life. But he knows he isn’t worthy of his Shizun and tries to keep his hands to himself, tormented by his memories of how he behaved before.

But the story keeps throwing the two together in various ways. Mo Ran grows to realise that it’s love he feels for his Shizun, not having really experienced the emotion before. And Chu Wanning starts to give in to his needs and coming to terms with it.

It’s a story of two tormented people who simply refuse to communicate with each other, which would make things much simpler. While the author deliberately drags it on, it still manages to be interesting and entertaining throughout, with one of the best sex scenes so far. There wasn’t much of a plot beyond the romance—not a single monster attacked or ghost needed vanishing, and the mastermind after Mo Ran didn’t make a move—but it didn’t need more. The end wasn’t a cliffhanger as such, but it promises conflict to come in the next volume. It’ll be an agony to wait again.

Heaven Official's Blessing vol. 8 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Heaven Official's Blessing by MoXiang Tong Xiu

It’s the end of the Heaven Official’s Blessing, and it didn’t go out with a bang. It was like a wistful thought that left the reader longing for more.

The volume has the last eight chapters, which take about 45% of the book, and several short stories from various points in the lives of Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. There’s the final battle with White No-Face, which dominates the narrative, and the aftermath. There are some emotional scenes and most storylines are wrapped up.

There’s the happily ever after too, but the romance didn’t quite deliver the emotions I hoped for after following it this long. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng keep their thoughts so tightly guarded that the reader is barely allowed a glimpse even at the end. The extra stories help a little, but without them, the ending would’ve been a slight disappointment.

That said, I’ve enjoyed the journey. After everything that has happened, Xie Lian was much like he was at the beginning, only happier and more powerful. And the reader can be sure that his love story with Hua Cheng will last the eternity.

Remnants of Filth vol 2 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Remnants of Filth vol 2 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Volume 2 continues where the cliffhanger ending of the first volume left things, the desperate situation with the sword spirit who has been killing women. A miraculous rescue solves the situation, after which the reader learns the tragic story behind the spirit.

That is as much action as we get in the second volume. The focus is on Mo Xi and Gu Mang. The first has been given the custody of the latter, and it isn’t easy for him. Gu Mang is like a skittish wolf, and Mo Xi doesn’t have patience with him. Luckily his housekeeper, Li Wei, understands the situation better and under his care, Gu Mang starts trusting the people around him.

Mo Xi needs Gu Mang to recover his memory, and he requests the services of the best medicine master, Jiang Fuli, who manages to help Gu Mang. We get scenes from Gu Mang’s point of view, as he tries to make sense of what his past has been like, what kind of relationship he had with Mo Xi, and why everyone hates him. But it isn’t until an old friend finally explains to him what ‘traitor’ means that he starts to understand why Mo Xi considers him filthy.

This was a very slow read. There wasn’t much action or a plot, and the story advances in leaps of description. But there were moving and even heartbreaking moments when the men tried to understand each other, Mo Xi through his hate and Gu Mang with his poor grasp of the world around him. The book ends in the middle of a scene again, but not with a cliffhanger. I’ll have to read on to find out if Gu Mang ever recovers and if the men can mend their relationship.

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun Vol. 3 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Volume 3 of The Husky and His White Cat Shizun continues where the previous one ended. I expected some kind of tension from the revelations at the end of the previous novel, namely Mo Ran running into the woman he married and hated in his previous life. That didn’t happen.

Instead, events of the current life catch up with Mo Ran and his Shizun, Chu Wanning. The ghost of the vengeful bride they thought they’d dealt with has managed to kill everyone in her village, and Chu Wanning is being blamed. As they are trying to solve the mess, the event Mo Ran has feared the most since he reincarnated, arrives three years early.

In his previous life, a Heavenly Rift unleashing demons killed the man he loved the most, Shi Mei, plunging Mo Ran on the path of destruction. Determined to avoid the same fate for both of them, he takes Shi Mei’s place next to their Shizun to close the rift. His plan is successful, but only partially. The aftermath throws Mo Ran on a new path of self-discovery that takes him to hell and back, literally and figuratively.

This was the best volume so far. The story flowed well, action was good (including a NSFW scene right at the beginning), and Mo Ran’s soul-searching was emotional and heartbreaking. Mo Ran learns things about his Shizun he had no idea about, which causes him to reevaluate his two lives. It brings him to his knees and what emerges is a completely new man who knows one thing: the most important person in his life is Chu Wanning. If only Chu Wanning had been on a similar path, but he guards his emotions as tightly as ever.

The book ends at a natural place, but with a small cliffhanger that hints at a time jump between this book and the next. I wish I could jump in time too, to get the next book immediately.

Heaven Official's Blessing Vol. 7 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Heaven Official's Blessing Vol. 7 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù: review

Well, if this wasn’t a ride. The book starts in the Kiln where Xie Lian and White No-Face are supposed to fight it out, but after the build-up of the previous book, it was over rather fast. A lot of action follows, as Xie Lian and Hua Cheng try to stop White No-Face’s plans to destroy humanity.

And then, we finally learn the identity of White No-Face. I for one was gobsmacked. It was more interesting than learning what he wants with Xie Lian. Things get rather difficult for all gods, with an epic battle following. Everything rests on Xie Lian, but before he can find a solution, the book ends.

This volume was full of action and not so much about romance. But Xie Lian is more comfortable with showing his emotions with Hua Cheng, and everything was cute and sweet. A lot rests on the last volume. I can’t wait to read it.

Guardian: Zhen Hun vol 1 by Priest: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Guardian: Zhen Hun by Priest

Guardian: Zhen Hun is urban fantasy set in an imaginary Dragon City in modern China, with references to party politics and complete with a nepo hire, when a nephew of a high-up party official is given a job at the Special Investigations Department, the supernatural division of the Ministry of Public Security.

Guo Changcheng is a recent college graduate and a shut-in who has no idea what he has been signed for. Learning that some of his coworkers aren’t human, or even alive, is a bit too much for him, but after the initial blackout, he promptly (timidly) sets out to work, only to spend most of the book fainting, screaming, and crying. But he has an empathic nature and isn’t quite as hopeless as his boss originally feared. And after encountering some really bad ghosts, his coworkers don’t seem so scary anymore either. The only one who frightens him is his perfectly human boss, Zhao Yunlan.

Zhao Yunlan is the Director of the Special Investigations and in charge of investigating supernatural crimes. He’s in his early thirties, a handsome and temperamental chain-smoker and a bit of a player. He’s also the Guardian to the Soul-Guarding Order, which allows him to freely move in all three realms (heaven, mortal realm and the netherworld) and hobnob with the people there, like the Soul-Executing Emissary feared by everyone but him.

The book consists of two stories. In the first, Guo Changcheng and Zhao Yunlan investigate a murder of a university student that’s supernatural in origin. At the university, they encounter Shen Wei, a handsome, mild-mannered young professor whom they end up pulling into their investigation, mostly because Zhao Yunlan is attracted to him at first sight. But the professor isn’t what he seems, as the readers are soon shown.

The second story takes place in the mountains after an earthquake. Wang Zheng, a ghost employee at the SID, is from that region and she wants to return to rebury her bones. By coincidence, Shen Wei is going there with his students too, and the two parties travel together. But things aren’t how Wang Zheng has let them believe, and Zhao Yunlan ends up needing the help of the Soul-Executing Emissary to get everyone home safely. And once there, it’s finally time for Zhao Yunlan to confront Shen Wei to find out who he truly is and if he’s as indifferent to Zhao Yunlan as he pretends to be.

This was an excellent book. The mysteries weren’t complicated but they were suitably scary. Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei were interesting characters, and even though there wasn’t as much interaction between them as I wanted, theirs is clearly a romance larger than life. Side characters were fun, especially Daqing, a talking black cat who is thousands of years old. There was a lot of information about Chinese mythology, but I would’ve wanted more about the everyday Chinese life too. The book ends at a natural point with a promise of interesting things to come. I will definitely read more.

Thousand Autumns vol 2 by Meng Xi Shi: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Thousand Autumns vol 2 by Meng Xi Shi

The second volume of Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu, a xianxia set in alternative 7th century China, picks up where the previous left, at the banquet where stunning revelations have ruined the party. Battle after battle ensues, barely giving the reader time to adjust. In the end, Shen Qiao has to step in to save the night and reveal who he is.

Pace calms a little after that, but not by much. The narrative is much tighter than in the first volume. The politics of the backstory have been set aside, the cast of characters is smaller, and Shen Qiao has a clear goal: finding his treacherous friend who poisoned him. He parts ways with Yan Wushi, only to have the man return in his life in a most unfortunate manner possible.

It’s clear by now that this isn’t a love story. It’s the story of Shen Qiao’s trials and tribulations. He’s tested time and again, beaten to near death, only to rise back up and grow even stronger. Yan Wushi barely makes an appearance, and there are no scenes from his point of view. But I still read it like a love story, rooting for the pair, only to have my hopes crushed.

Even without a romance, it’s a wonderful story. Shen Qiao is a great character with excellent morals and kind personality. It’s wonderful to follow his journey. Yan Wushi is ever the schemer and it’s difficult to get a hang of him. The volume doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but there’s a promise of an interesting story to come. And I haven’t given up on Yan Wushi yet—and neither has Shen Qiao. I absolutely have to read more.

Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang Vol. 1 by Priest: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Stars of Chaos by Priest

Stars of Chaos is Chinese BL fantasy set in a slightly more modern alt-history Empire than the other books in the genre I’ve read. Westerners (spearheaded by the Pope!) have established trading and diplomatic relations with the Empire, and there’s new, exciting steam technology powered by violet gold. There are airships—with kites instead of balloons—and automatons among other things. The army especially makes use of these inventions, keeping the Empire powerful. But everyone covets the violet gold, making it worth wars and treachery.

Chang Geng is thirteen when barbaric northerners invade his small rural town, breaking a peace that’s lasted fourteen years, to stop the Empire draining their huge reserves of violet gold. But their presence in his town isn’t random: they want Chang Geng.

Turns out, Chang Geng’s life has been a lie, and he’s a more important person than he thought. Not that he believes a word of it, a great cause of internal conflict for him. But even worse is to learn that his godfather—so elected because he once saved Chang Geng’s life—isn’t who he’s claimed to be either.

Chang Geng is whisked off to the Empire’s capital to live with his godfather there. The story follows the pair trying to come to terms with their new life as a family. Gu Yuo is utterly unsuitable for a father figure; he’s too young and selfish, and he’s mostly absent with the army anyway. But when, at fifteen, Chang Geng tests his limits by setting off to see the world, Gu You follows, only for the pair to stumble on a coup.

The story is advertised as a boylove romance, and it’ll likely head there eventually. In this first volume, Chang Geng rather abruptly becomes aware of his feelings for his godfather, a cause of great agony for him. Gu Yuo, however, sees him only as a child, and isn’t interested in men anyway. He has his own troubles to deal with, issues that he hasn’t shared with Chang Geng, making the boy mistrust him.

Chang Geng and Gu Yuo were interesting characters, more nuanced than in average web novels. The side characters were fun and had a proper role in the story. Narrative was more coherent too, with no internal inconsistencies that so often plague these stories. Either it’s written as a novel and not serialised first, or it’s been properly edited for a book.

I don’t know how many volumes there are in the story, but if each take only a couple of years of their lives, it’ll be a long time before it reaches the romance part. But I’m here for it.

Heaven Official's Blessing Vol. 6 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Heaven Official's Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

The story of Xie Lian, the trice-ascended god, and Hua Cheng, the king of ghosts, continues where it left in the previous volume. They’re in the ghost realm, striving to reach the volcano where the ghosts will battle over who will emerge as the ghost supreme. Their job is to prevent anyone from becoming one.

Their journey takes them inside a system of caves that turns out to be Hua Cheng’s old lair. There, finally, Xie Lian learns just how far in the past their connection reaches. Nan Feng and Fu Yao (now in their true forms) are determined to keep the two apart, but they only manage to make Xie Lian declare his feelings for Hua Cheng in one of the sweetest scenes of the series so far.

But opposing force is at work too. White No-Face, who Xie Lian fears more than anything, shows up. Despite all their efforts, he reaches the volcano, and the final battle commences. But the combatants aren’t who Xie Lian thought they would be.

The rest of the volume takes place in the past. We learn why Xie Lian fears White No-Face, and it’s a tragic and heartbreaking story. Xie Lian is on the run with his parents and attendants, the future gods Mu Qing and Feng Xin, after the fall of Xianle. Things are dire and Xie Lian becomes more and more disillusioned with people around him who he’s worked so hard to protect.

When Xie Lian is at his lowest point, White No-Face appears. It’s a story of mental manipulation and physical torture, and it works. Reader follows in disbelief as Xie Lian sheds his godhood to become an instrument of avenge.

But there are small things around him trying to make him see the good in the world. A compassionate human, and a persistent ghost determined to make him remember who he is. But White No-Face is too powerful, and they might be too late.

This was one of the best volumes so far with true tragedy and growth. And for once, it didn’t end in the middle of a scene or at cliffhanger but with a new beginning for Xie Lian. But the present-day battle inside the volcano is yet to come. It’ll be an agony to wait for the next volume to be translated.