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sol_journal's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
**Thank you so much Penguin Group/Penguin Young Readers Group and Stacey Lee for the arc! All words and thoughts in this review are my own honest opinion!**
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The Storygraph
Posted on: 11 May 2024
3.4 (rounded down to 3) out of 5 stars.
Kind of struggling to write this review because I’m still on the fence of how I feel about this. I loved the theme, the plot, and the setting so so so much. The writing was a little lacking in some areas for me though. I didn’t feel as drawn towards the characters throughout the whole time I read, just during some scenes/parts. I think that if there was a little more depth to them, I’d have found ways to love them each a little more? They were just.. flat, with very redeeming qualities! Each of them, especially how May has her bits of growth or Gemma too! I also feel like Peony was kind of cast out too much? There was a bit of a struggle, it seemed, in deciding how important the little sister’s role would be in this too- or that’s what I felt anyways as I read.
What I liked was their cunning though. The sisters are given chances to grow, to see how they sway with the way the world is changing around them. There’s a certain kind of heart to be found in reading along, waiting to see how the mystery unfolds and just what might happen to our protagonists. I feel like that was the redeeming factor for me? Just the desire to see how the Chow Sisters will move next, how they’ll decide what’s best to do when it feels like things are wholly against them.
All of this back and forth to say that it was still an enjoyable read! I absolutely loved the era we are thrown in to, the challenges that the characters are battling, and the things they do for justice. In the heart of it all, it’s about friendship, it’s about family, and it’s about three sister clouds fighting against the perils thrown their way so they can stay together.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Blood, Drug use, Alcohol, and Gun violence
Less drug use and more a brief mention of drugs, no on-page usage that I can recall! Similar for alcohol, there is brief on-page uses of drinks at a party/event, but nothing terribly intense. Gun violence in thatalli_the_bookaholic13's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for sending me an ARC to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own honest review.
I loved this book. The setting was fantastic, and the author really transported me back to the 1930s with the Chow sisters. I liked the dual POV narration between May and Gemma, and I liked that the sisters were very different.
The mystery in this one was fantastic. Lulu’s death isn’t being investigated properly, so Gemma and May decide to do so themselves. They got into some trouble, but they also found answers. I liked how many different angles they had to look into. I also liked how they came across supporting characters who continued to play a role in the story. The ultimate villain was revealed really well, and the story had me guessing right up until a few pages before the reveal when all the clues were laid out.
The pacing was good, and I liked that there was the mystery but also the family elements and May and Wallace’s budding relationship. The story really followed their lives during this period of unease with the impending destruction of Chinatown and the murder of Lulu.
I was hooked by the story, the characters and the writing style. It was easy to read and follow along with, and the author did a fantastic job of setting up the mystery and dropping clues.
I loved this book. The setting was fantastic, and the author really transported me back to the 1930s with the Chow sisters. I liked the dual POV narration between May and Gemma, and I liked that the sisters were very different.
The mystery in this one was fantastic. Lulu’s death isn’t being investigated properly, so Gemma and May decide to do so themselves. They got into some trouble, but they also found answers. I liked how many different angles they had to look into. I also liked how they came across supporting characters who continued to play a role in the story. The ultimate villain was revealed really well, and the story had me guessing right up until a few pages before the reveal when all the clues were laid out.
The pacing was good, and I liked that there was the mystery but also the family elements and May and Wallace’s budding relationship. The story really followed their lives during this period of unease with the impending destruction of Chinatown and the murder of Lulu.
I was hooked by the story, the characters and the writing style. It was easy to read and follow along with, and the author did a fantastic job of setting up the mystery and dropping clues.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Death, and Drug use
justinekorson's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
Thank you to Netgalley for Providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
This is the first story I've read by Stacy Lee despite knowing about her work for several years now and WOW what a story to start with. I've always enjoyed a murder mystery so to read one that was centered around Los Angeles in the 1930's was really fun to read. I especially enjoyed the sisters because I felt like May and Gemma are like my sister and I. (It works too because my sister is also older than me, as May is, and I'm a little menace like Gemma is). May was constantly stressed about keeping the family afloat/together through their mother's pregnancy and their father's absence and Gemma was constantly making things harder for her! Gemma was also very clever and spontaneous though so I throughly enjoyed her. Gemma's banter with others was always great though. Her sarcasm was unmatched and the way her older sister would always hit her when she said something a little stupid or insulting was very on brand for how siblings act (in my opinion).
I also really enjoyed the small little romance aspect of this story. You could really tel from the get-go how much Wallace cared for May and was trying to play it off (and how May felt the same way but was ALSO pretending that she didn't like him). I loved their interactions together and thought they were so cute! I was glad that they ended on good terms.
What had surprised me was the small romance that sort of appeared between Gemma and Freddie. It was pretty unexpected, especially since I thought Freddie would have a one and done appearance when he bought flowers from the girls (and Gemma conned him into buying the most expensive flowers). I was also confused because Gemma was only 17 if I believe and Freddie was already a practicing doctor which meant he had to be at least 21? Maybe? I'm not sure how young doctors would be in the 1930's but I was very confused by how the author kept bringing them together. I do admit I thought they were cute and could potentially work out but it sounded like, by the end, that Gemma wouldn't forgive him for his role in Lulu's murder (even if it was unintentional). Gemma talked about the red string of fate in relation to her and Freddie twice, once when she was contemplating if he was meant to be in his life and then again when she found out what he'd done. So in my opinion, it doesn't sound like they ever end up together in some distant future.
I'm also really glad that May got to follow her dream of being an actor! I was worried that she wouldn't be able to, especially after the blowback from all the girls lies but everything worked out well in the end for the girls.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
This is the first story I've read by Stacy Lee despite knowing about her work for several years now and WOW what a story to start with. I've always enjoyed a murder mystery so to read one that was centered around Los Angeles in the 1930's was really fun to read. I especially enjoyed the sisters because I felt like May and Gemma are like my sister and I. (It works too because my sister is also older than me, as May is, and I'm a little menace like Gemma is). May was constantly stressed about keeping the family afloat/together through their mother's pregnancy and their father's absence and Gemma was constantly making things harder for her! Gemma was also very clever and spontaneous though so I throughly enjoyed her. Gemma's banter with others was always great though. Her sarcasm was unmatched and the way her older sister would always hit her when she said something a little stupid or insulting was very on brand for how siblings act (in my opinion).
I also really enjoyed the small little romance aspect of this story. You could really tel from the get-go how much Wallace cared for May and was trying to play it off (and how May felt the same way but was ALSO pretending that she didn't like him). I loved their interactions together and thought they were so cute! I was glad that they ended on good terms.
What had surprised me was the small romance that sort of appeared between Gemma and Freddie. It was pretty unexpected, especially since I thought Freddie would have a one and done appearance when he bought flowers from the girls (and Gemma conned him into buying the most expensive flowers). I was also confused because Gemma was only 17 if I believe and Freddie was already a practicing doctor which meant he had to be at least 21? Maybe? I'm not sure how young doctors would be in the 1930's but I was very confused by how the author kept bringing them together. I do admit I thought they were cute and could potentially work out but it sounded like, by the end, that Gemma wouldn't forgive him for his role in Lulu's murder (even if it was unintentional). Gemma talked about the red string of fate in relation to her and Freddie twice, once when she was contemplating if he was meant to be in his life and then again when she found out what he'd done. So in my opinion, it doesn't sound like they ever end up together in some distant future.
I'm also really glad that May got to follow her dream of being an actor! I was worried that she wouldn't be able to, especially after the blowback from all the girls lies but everything worked out well in the end for the girls.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Death, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Violence, Blood, Sexism, and Homophobia
devynreadsnovels's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Death, Murder, Gun violence, Hate crime, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Misogyny, Racism, Drug use, Racial slurs, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Blood, and Cursing
whitneyfoster's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I was excited to read this, but the story really dragged on.
May and Gemma, are sisters supposedly investigating the murder of their former classmate turned movie star. The authorities are not interested in a Chinatown crime during the 1930s, so the sisters take matters into their own hands. May is quiet and passive, Gemma more assertive.
I was looking forward to the mystery, but it was more like a historical fiction with the murder taking a backseat to the lives of May and Gemma. It does give an interesting story to life in San Francisco Chinatown during the 1930s, but I came for the mystery and there just wasn’t enough there. When the author then added love interests for the sisters, I’d had enough.
This is a great YA historical fiction, but not a mystery/thriller. The low rating is mainly because I wish there were more of the investigation and less about their personal lives because, again, it’s not what I came for.
May and Gemma, are sisters supposedly investigating the murder of their former classmate turned movie star. The authorities are not interested in a Chinatown crime during the 1930s, so the sisters take matters into their own hands. May is quiet and passive, Gemma more assertive.
I was looking forward to the mystery, but it was more like a historical fiction with the murder taking a backseat to the lives of May and Gemma. It does give an interesting story to life in San Francisco Chinatown during the 1930s, but I came for the mystery and there just wasn’t enough there. When the author then added love interests for the sisters, I’d had enough.
This is a great YA historical fiction, but not a mystery/thriller. The low rating is mainly because I wish there were more of the investigation and less about their personal lives because, again, it’s not what I came for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, Chronic illness, and Death
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