I am still shaking with excitement over the fact that I was able to read an advance reader's copy (ARC) of Chloe Gong's upcoming new novel, Foul Lady Fortune, the first book in her newest duology following her super successful These Violent Delights duology.
Huge shoutout to Grace over at Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, CA for giving me the opportunity to dive into this story ahead of its release. If you are local to Silicon Valley, give Linden Tree a visit, you won't regret it! And y'all...they have a rewards program! Anyone who wants to reward me for my overindulgent spending on books is top notch in my book 👌🏼
On to the review...I promise there will be absolutely no spoilers!
Following the conclusion of Our Violent Ends, I felt as though my family had figured out where their futures were headed - and I wasn't a part of it. It left a hole in my heart that I wasn't sure would ever be filled.
In comes Foul Lady Fortune.
I was hooked from page one. While the full cast of characters from the previous duology are not physically present in this book, I still felt like I had my family back - and then some! Chloe Gong was able to expertly weave in the relationships of the past with the new characters and relationships of the present.
The choices that each character makes feel true to who they are and not as though they are being forced in to fit the storyline. I was wrapped up in the intrigue and the mystery that the characters try to unravel and oftentimes was unable to predict what was going to happen next. The few times I was able to figure out the big reveal, it wasn't until literally right before it happened and, even then, I wasn't 100% sure.
While we see the story from different characters viewpoints, it does feel like I became more attached to Rosalind and Orion more than the others (and understandably so). I would have loved to see the other characters and relationships develop as fully, specifically Silas who kind of felt like he was relegated to sidekick/side character status that didn't allow him to fully shine as the others (though I feel like I can see him having a bigger role in the next book? Fingers crossed.)
As I continued to read into the later chapters, the pages dwindled and yet I felt like there was so much story left to tell. The story doesn't end on a huge cliffhanger in my opinion, but it definitely set up the next installment and left me feeling like I needed to figure out time travel so I could push myself forward in time for the next book.
Some of my favorite things are present in this book to varying degrees: LGBTQIA+ representation, (fake) marriage of convenience, and a girl with a thigh dagger *swoon*
If you're looking for a book full of mystery and intrigue that follows around a grumpy demisexual who begrudgingly works with a sunshine chaotic bisexual flirt, this is the book for you. And if any of that sentence brought you joy, I think we became best friends. I don't make the rules.
Foul Lady Fortune is available for pre-order now wherever you get your books (might I suggest Linden Tree Books?). Exclusive special editions are also available for preorder at Barnes & Noble and Waterstones now and coming to FairyLoot in June. You can find it on shelves starting September 27, 2022.
