Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Amber Chen
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune.

Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own.

The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the free book.

THE ENDING BROUGHT IT.

I was minding my own business reading this book, enjoying it, thinking this would be a good four star and I’d be happy to pick up the next book. BUT THEN, I just absolutely loved that the last 25% took it to another level for me. This had the classic middle ground young adult vibes (and actually kept it that way with the content) that reminded me of all the things I love about young adult books.

I loved Ying. She was tenacious and full of heart. There were some Mulan nods alongside a fantasy woman in STEM and I loved the combination. The competition and guild trials were interesting and paced well. I loved that the progression of the story kept moving forward and had me glued to my book.

The slow burn romance made me FEEL by the end. And I am HERE FOR THE DRAMA of it all. I can’t wait to see how things shake out and where they go. I love that this ended on a cliffhanger that demanded my attention. I also really loved the friendship Ying had with a few of her fellow apprentices. It showcased a true boy / girl friendship (which I feel like we don’t see enough of???) and I loved how the loyalty was truly forged in fire.

Fantastic book, can’t wait for more!!

Overall audience notes:

• YA Fantasy Romance
• Language: low
• Romance: kisses
• Violence: moderate
• Content Warnings: war themes, near death experiences, murder, weapons violence

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