I absolutely loved this book. Such a good story and such an emotional rollercoaster. Side note I listened to it on audiobook and I really liked the narrator ( )

I spent the last several hours forcing myself to give EMPRESS OF ALL SEASONS a chance and now I am. Just. Tired.

The ideas used in this book are phenomenal - the Season rooms were a personal favorite and had an amazing aesthetic. The struggles between the yokai and the humans was also a brilliant touch. But that's sort of where my interest in EMPRESS OF ALL SEASONS stops because the execution was messy at best. For one, we have too many POVs. I love books with multiple POVs, but they have to have a purpose. At least one of the POVs here was completely unnecessary, and his POV could have been effortlessly cut without affecting the overall story. We have interesting minor characters that aren't explored and major characters that keep getting cut breaks because to have them struggle and earn their place would slow the story down. This story rockets so fast that you don't have time to get to know anyone or experience anything.

And that's what frustrated me most of all. Stylistically, I really feel like EMPRESS OF ALL SEASONS fell short. The writing isn't compelling, the characters poorly explored, the objectives too easily gained... it just wasn't satisfying. And I'm sad because I really liked the idea and I REALLY liked the possibilities of the adventures to be had and dangers to be experienced in each of the Season rooms that never happened because they were rushed through. Disappointed. I am disappointed and unsatisfied.

For a more in-depth reviews as well as other bookish content, head on over to The Literary Phoenix. ( )

THAT ENDING. I'm still not sure how I feel, so more review to come. ( )

3,5 - first time I feel the need to put a half star in a book!

This was a good read, I'm glad I choose it for the "Asian readaton". It wasn't the most intriguing or original story, it was predictable (except for what happened in one of the last chapters) and I as I was reading I felt like it could be more intense but then I remember that is YA so... is okay. It has a good amount of blood and death in it for the circumstances.

What I loved was the yokai. The different types and their powers... and the collars! That was fun. The love story was pretty standard and same with the rebellion plot. But still enjoyable.

Until the end, I was thinking in putting a solid 3 starts, but!

The deaths! God, when I thought Mari died I literally say out laud What the f*ck! And then Taro died and was the same because I thought that he was going to do the typical revenge for my love and all that stuff. But no! It was cool and I liked it.

I would really liked to read more about the travel and siege of the Imperial City, the fight against Satoshi and how she defeated him, but is okay. Still, if someday a book about that or the other two wars that are mentioned comes out I'll definitely read it!

( )

I wanted to love this. I expected to.
I've loved learning about Japan--the language the culture, mythology, history, etc.--for most of my life. The synopsis of this book sounded like it would have everything I wanted in a book based on Japan.
It did have a lot: yokai, mythology, a lot of terminology that I was familiar with and some that I was not, and it was standalone, which I've increasingly been wanting from YA.

Unfortunately, the story was incredibly rushed. It seemed like it was supposed to be told as a fairy tale, as some phrasing and events read that way. It was too long and detailed for that, though, and at the same time, not detailed or fleshed-out enough for a novel. One character masters the use of shuriken in like three days, the main events of the story occur across a page or two each, and none of the characters are especially compelling. Akira makes too many stupid decisions, Taro's character is built up and then just totally trashed, and Mari has to basically be told to stand up for people, which takes a lot away from any real respect for her "strength."

I'm not even going to get into the romance aspects.

The action scenes were pretty bland. For a book about a competition where girls can (and do) die to become empress, and rebellion, the action scenes being glossed over in a few sentences doesn't work out so well.

The ending wasn't terrible. Not great, either.

One of the stronger points of the narrative was the message about individuality.

I'm sad I didn't like this more. I didn't hate it or feel like I was really wasting my time as I read, but every time I was really starting to get drawn in, it all just imploded. ( )