livinliterary 's review for:

The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 4 by Natsu Hyuuga

5.0

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

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This book was one big rollercoaster! The beginning, with Lishu and the ghost, was a bit slow, but then everything picked up and got messy, oh my goodness! The twists and turns had me completely unprepared. And THAT ENDING? THE EPILOGUE? Wow. Just wow. It was even more than I expected. 

I didn’t think I could get behind a slow burn, but I am fully aboard the Maomao Jinshi train now. Their little moments together are absolutely special. I was smiling like a fool through so many of them. 

This volume balanced humor and heart perfectly. From Lakan being the delightfully crazy dad we all love, to Maomao turning torture devices into her own personal brunch setup, the book had plenty of laughs. But don’t be fooled. It also delivered emotional punches with the backstories and the intense final scenes for some characters. 

At the end, Maomao finds herself back in the pleasure district, and Jinshi can’t keep her working under him anymore thanks to a major move he made to protect her. But that can’t possibly be the end of their story, so I’m beyond excited to see where things head next!