The narration: while witty and later on enjoyable, is not going to be everybody's cup of tea. It's very sarcastic, deeply emotional and at times self-depricating, and conveys Jing's anger and fear in a way that is not always pleasant. It took me a good 20% of the book until I was able to enjoy it. The slow burn romance between Jing and Mr Tony Lee, a human from Mortal Shanghai who was a balm to her fiery nature. He is the epitome of hope and was also brave in partaking certain responsibilities. u>Her inner voice is such a fun part of this book. She’s irreverent, hilarious, and completely badass. She’s 99 years old, however for an eternal life that’s not much. She’s immature, passionate, and impulsive. The author portraits her “teen years” perfectly. She’s also broken and a bit lost in her life, as many of us are too. However, if you are expecting a serious, fully developed adult character, this is not your book. But if you like unserious characters and you relate with her personality and mood, Lady Jing will be the perfect choice to make you laugh. Lady Jing is half-vampire and half-hulijing (a fox spirit), sold by her mother to Big Wang, the King of Hell. For ninety years, Jing is raised as the King's ward in Hell, living amongst the hulijing courtiers, who regularly torment her. Now, Jing runs errands for Big Wang. A wildly inventive and moving romp that goes through the mortal and immortal realms of China, with an endearing and tumultuous main character

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I admire how A. Y. Chao combines sarcasm, humor, and a badass MC with poetry and politeness. It's a strange combination although it worked. I learned some new phrases and new words. As a non-native speaker, I sometimes struggled with words such as piss-fart and stink-eye. But it was fun. This book is a really good debut and I highly recommend it.The plot was amazing! Always filled with adventures yet we still had time to drink tea--and other things--and eat xiao long bao. I personally need this balance because to me, this is what makes the story even more real. Gorgeous book in all aspects, from the characters to the plot and worldbuilding and the writing. Shanghai Immortal is one of my all-time favorites. 5 stars are not enough!!!!!!! I want to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 4/5'5 I'm really fond of this story, it speaks about finding out where you belong and learning to love and be loved. The elements of chinese-mythology as well as the idea of both Mortal and Immortal Shanghai cohexisting are very entertaining, so if you're a fan of Chinese Mythology, you don't want to miss out on Shanghai Immortal! Mr. Lee is a very interesting male protagonist. I like firm people who don't change their values yet don't remain stagnant, either. I kind of feel like he's still some of a mystery because he himself adapts to his environment and according to the circumstances--and what trouble Little Jing is in. We love to see committed and dedicated love interests!

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing this. Today’s review is for Shanghai Immortal by A. Y. Chao, a story centred around a main character who is a half-vampire, half-hulijing fox-spirit and sets off in search of exposing those she knows are horrid.Relationships, whether romantic, friendly or familial, play an important part in the story throughout and yet Jing can’t seem to shake those self-doubts. There’s a wonderful found family aspect to Shanghai Immortal and if you’re a fan of those kinds of stories then this will definitely be a book for you! Every one of the “good” characters has something incredibly endearing about them. Shanghai Immortal includes many great quotes but this line cuts deep. And I think it describes this book quite well. Yes, we got vampires and hulijings, Chinese mythology, jazz-era Shanghai (the 30s to be accurate), the sassy main character, and humor, nevertheless, the story is mostly carried by dialog. But honestly, I enjoyed, devoured and loved this book. Although I'm ashamed to say I was unable to read it in one sitting because of my schedule being too tight because of college, I do believe I had a chill, nothing-to-do day, I would have definitely sat on my couch and read this thing from start to finish in one sitting!!

A delightfully wild ride through a fantastical Shanghai filled with rich mythology, endearingly snarky characters, and laugh-aloud mischief. Entertaining from start to finish!" - Chelsea Abdullah For the romance, I was fully invested in Mr. Lee and Lady Jing’s development. The entire time I was just rooting for them to be together even though one of them is a human living in yang Shanghai while the other is a fox spirit/vampire living in yin Shanghai. BUT WHO CARES. They need to be together. Also, the interactions between Gigi and Ah Lang were overtly romantic which made it funny in some scenes, especially when they had the drinking competition. Chao said: “I am thrilled Shanghai Immortal found a home at Hodder and so excited to be working with trailblazing editor Molly Powell. Having not only my agent Jamie Cowen but now also Molly and her amazing team cheering on Lady Jing in all her irreverent arseyness fills me with gratitude and joy.” Speaking of her personality: I (greatly) enjoyed her distinctive character voice, but it will not be for everyone. Think Joan He's Zephyr and her overconfident personality from Strike the Zither. So reader, beware. The Chinese concept of saving face is no stranger to me so her motivation is completely valid, but might be for foreign audiences. So, to those readers: keep an open mind.When the King requests that she escorts a human guest to meet him, she has to make sure no one or something eats him. Things get complicated when she overhears the courtiers planning to steal the dragon pearl from the King's treasury. With the help of the mortal guest, Jing embarks on a journey to prove herself, expose (or get revenge against ) those responsible for her pain and trauma, and maybe... fall in love in the process. What can possibility go wrong? Pawned by her mother to the King of Hell as a child, Lady Jing is half-vampire, half-hulijing fox-spirit and all sasshole. As the King's ward, she has spent the past ninety years running errands, dodging the taunts of the spiteful hulijing courtiers, and trying to control her explosive temper - with varying levels of success. Hodder & Stoughton has triumphed in a five-way auction for debut author A Y Chao’s adult fantasy trilogy. Shanghai Immortal is the must-read debut of 2023, both intensely fun and heart wrenching. A wild ride through a Shanghai you've never seen before So, hell, the mortal world… and we also get to know the celestial lands! Home to the likes of Chang-e and dragon lords. This is just a little part of the large amount of world-building Chao has put into Shanghai Immortal, and everything fits together just so perfectly. I won’t delve into this element, but I absolutely loved how roosters were used in the overall world.