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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
funny
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bitter Medicine is a debut urban fantasy novel by Mia Tsai involving a descendant of Shennong and a half-French half-elf. Truly a fusion of eastern and western fantasy, I wholeheartedly enjoyed having sphinxes, redcaps and xianxia related elements all mixed together. Both the characters of Elle and Luc were endearing to me as well; they both take their responsibilities extremely seriously, can be rather hard on themselves (to the point of mental self-flagellation) and are trying their utmost to redeem themselves of guilt over past events.
I like having the mix of French, simplified and traditional Chinese as well as the author's thoughtful note on language at the end. The other refreshing aspect to me was the depiction of manipulative parents and Elle's decision to go low contact with them. So many times in other books the parents' toxic behaviour have been excused as parental concern (we only wanted the best for you) or due to their own baggage.
I was quite tickled by the mention of Chinese drama Nirvana in Fire and Mei Changsu. This was a quick read for me over two days and I am satisfied with the ending.
I wish I had written the review when the book was fresh in my mind but five months later, I can still remember the highlights and would definitely be interested in reading more from this author. Thanks to Tachyon Publications and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Bitter Medicine's publication date is 14 March 2023.
I like having the mix of French, simplified and traditional Chinese as well as the author's thoughtful note on language at the end. The other refreshing aspect to me was the depiction of manipulative parents and Elle's decision to go low contact with them. So many times in other books the parents' toxic behaviour have been excused as parental concern (we only wanted the best for you) or due to their own baggage.
I was quite tickled by the mention of Chinese drama Nirvana in Fire and Mei Changsu. This was a quick read for me over two days and I am satisfied with the ending.
I wish I had written the review when the book was fresh in my mind but five months later, I can still remember the highlights and would definitely be interested in reading more from this author. Thanks to Tachyon Publications and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Bitter Medicine's publication date is 14 March 2023.
BITTER MEDICINE is an amazingly fresh and sweet fantasy romance! Elle and Luc both have magic—Elle creates magic glyphs via her Chinese heritage and Luc is a French half elven Agent who struggles with All The Things He’s Done. When we meet them on page, Luc has had something of a crush on Elle for a while, but when a secret from her past crops up, it entwines them together along with his job.
I found the world for this book really fresh and fun in the same way that The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was so inventive and different! The book has an international feel as characters location-hop, and a large portion of the book deals with Elle’s background and culture, which is very present on the page. But since this is primarily a romance, the book makes very interesting pacing choices when you might expect a high-octane adventure or crisis. It chooses to make the emotionally resonant pivots. There were some plot threads that I wish were tied up a bit more, but I think they could be hooks for future novels if the author so chooses, so who knows! I’d be up for that!!
I enjoyed this so much and I’m definitely going to keep on the lookout for more books by this author! 4.5 stars!
Heat level: 2
I found the world for this book really fresh and fun in the same way that The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was so inventive and different! The book has an international feel as characters location-hop, and a large portion of the book deals with Elle’s background and culture, which is very present on the page. But since this is primarily a romance, the book makes very interesting pacing choices when you might expect a high-octane adventure or crisis. It chooses to make the emotionally resonant pivots. There were some plot threads that I wish were tied up a bit more, but I think they could be hooks for future novels if the author so chooses, so who knows! I’d be up for that!!
I enjoyed this so much and I’m definitely going to keep on the lookout for more books by this author! 4.5 stars!
Heat level: 2
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely devoured this book. A sweet romance, characters with secret pain, plus a mingling of magic systems and mythologies from around the world. Love it!
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
It was extremely boring. Plot not for me