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Deceptive Queen
Power is inherited.
Monsters are made.
Larissa Mountbatten has spent years perfecting the art of deception.
At Duxbury Academy, where billionaire heirs inherit empires before they inherit adulthood, appearances are everything—and Larissa has mastered them all. She rules the elite with calculated precision, hides a past no one can uncover, and refuses to let anyone see the cracks beneath her carefully crafted crown.
Until Viktor Yaroslav returns.
After disappearing without explanation four years ago, the heir to one of Russia's most feared empires walks back into Duxbury with a single glance that threatens everything Larissa has buried. He watches too closely. He knows too much. And with every passing day, it becomes impossible to tell whether he's trying to destroy her… or save her.
But when ghosts from Larissa's past begin resurfacing, a deadly game of lies, obsession, and betrayal unfolds—one that neither crowns nor kingdoms can survive.
Monsters are made.
Larissa Mountbatten has spent years perfecting the art of deception.
At Duxbury Academy, where billionaire heirs inherit empires before they inherit adulthood, appearances are everything—and Larissa has mastered them all. She rules the elite with calculated precision, hides a past no one can uncover, and refuses to let anyone see the cracks beneath her carefully crafted crown.
Until Viktor Yaroslav returns.
After disappearing without explanation four years ago, the heir to one of Russia's most feared empires walks back into Duxbury with a single glance that threatens everything Larissa has buried. He watches too closely. He knows too much. And with every passing day, it becomes impossible to tell whether he's trying to destroy her… or save her.
But when ghosts from Larissa's past begin resurfacing, a deadly game of lies, obsession, and betrayal unfolds—one that neither crowns nor kingdoms can survive.
- GenresRomance
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2026
About the author
Aroona Abbas
4 books48 followersAroona Abbas believes every plot twist deserves a cup of chai and a little drama. When she’s not sketching or reading manhwas, she’s probably living as a character in a fantasy kingdom, a dystopian paradise, or somewhere deep in Regency-era drama. She loves creating new worlds and writing characters readers can truly love (or love to hate). Sketching may be her first passion—but writing is the one that keeps her up at night.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 15, 2026
3.25!
A quick thank you to the author Aroona Abbas for sharing an ARC of this book with me!
A very easy and simple read! The writing could use more edge, but it was pretty decent and quick paced (thank you for that). Tbf, its giving a revamp effort on gossip girl ngl. At least in the beginning. I felt like i was reading bits of mean girls, gossip girls and the twisted series.
The story is about Larissa Grosvenor Mountbatten—The golden girl of Duxbury, perfect life, loyal friends, a boyfriend who worships her, her carefully constructed image of a queen who rules the hallway is threatened by the return of Viktor Aleksandrovich Yaroslav, who challenges her in every way possible.
The Larissa-Vikor thing was…iffy. The whole Fallon thing was seemed to be dismissed and ruled out solely to focus on some sexual tension, like, what even was fallon doing there when the whole tension to some actual plot started due to her entrance? The ending seemed extremely rushed. Its like the problems kept coming in and the story just kept moving on to different settings.
““You two are so cringe.” Irene announces.” same cause Benjamin what the hell.
Im sorry but Larissa is MESSED up, like girl, get a grip. Reading about Larissa after naive little Evangeline Fox, gotta say, im baffled.
“Ghosts don’t get to live twice.” I murmur.
My hands move. They find her neck. And then they tighten. Get some fucking help Larissa, you’re worse than Georgina Sparks for christ’s sake.
I would love to read more about Aina’s and Emiliano’s dynamic!
A quick thank you to the author Aroona Abbas for sharing an ARC of this book with me!
A very easy and simple read! The writing could use more edge, but it was pretty decent and quick paced (thank you for that). Tbf, its giving a revamp effort on gossip girl ngl. At least in the beginning. I felt like i was reading bits of mean girls, gossip girls and the twisted series.
The story is about Larissa Grosvenor Mountbatten—The golden girl of Duxbury, perfect life, loyal friends, a boyfriend who worships her, her carefully constructed image of a queen who rules the hallway is threatened by the return of Viktor Aleksandrovich Yaroslav, who challenges her in every way possible.
The Larissa-Vikor thing was…iffy. The whole Fallon thing was seemed to be dismissed and ruled out solely to focus on some sexual tension, like, what even was fallon doing there when the whole tension to some actual plot started due to her entrance? The ending seemed extremely rushed. Its like the problems kept coming in and the story just kept moving on to different settings.
““You two are so cringe.” Irene announces.” same cause Benjamin what the hell.
Im sorry but Larissa is MESSED up, like girl, get a grip. Reading about Larissa after naive little Evangeline Fox, gotta say, im baffled.
“Ghosts don’t get to live twice.” I murmur.
My hands move. They find her neck. And then they tighten. Get some fucking help Larissa, you’re worse than Georgina Sparks for christ’s sake.
I would love to read more about Aina’s and Emiliano’s dynamic!
June 8, 2026
The story is amazing, I love how well written it is and how full of tension. I love the spicy scenes and the rapid pace of the story. I could barely put this book down; it had me absorbed in it. I do have to admit that it took me like 10-15 pages to get into the rhythm of the story, but once I did, I could not stop. I loved the tension, the drama, the Gossip Girl kind of vibes. I loved all the characters, and I would actually love to read about all of them in the same detail. I liked the dynamic between Larissa and Viktor, and my second favourite couple dymanic vas between Aina and Emiliano. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this series. Thank you to the author ❤️❤️❤️
June 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
A very fun read! The writing could've used a little more edge, but it was enjoyable, quick-paced, and kept me turning the pages. Thank you to the author for letting me read & review this!❤️
Honestly, it gave me Gossip Girl vibes, just with more money, more drama, and set in Switzerland. Some parts of the story felt rushed and some plot points overlooked, but I really enjoyed the tension and chemistry between Larissa and Viktor (Poor Ben lol). I just wish there had been a bit more consistency in their dynamic toward the end. The constant push-and-pull started to feel repetitive after a while.
Larissa was actually my favorite part of the book. She was completely unhinged at times, but I loved being inside her head and reading her inner monologue.
My biggest issue was the ending. It felt incredibly rushed. I looked at my page count and genuinely thought, "Wait... how is this ending already?" There were several plot points that could've benefited from more development before wrapping up.
That being said, I really enjoyed the world the author created and I'm definitely interested in continuing the series. I'm hoping to see a deeper connection between Viktor and Larissa in book two, and I'd also love more of Bastardino, I mean, Emiliano and Aina.
One final side note that drove me crazy: if you're going to include luxury cars throughout the story and make the FMC host underground races, please do some more research. Ferrari, Porsche, Bugatti, Pagani... and then suddenly a Lamborghini with back seats? Unless Beatrice was driving a Urus (which she clearly wasn't), Lamborghini doesn't make modern supercars with back seats. As a car girl, that detail annoyed me way more than it should have and honestly pulled me out of the story every time I thought about it. 😂
Overall, an entertaining read with lots of potential, and I'll definitely be picking up book two!
A very fun read! The writing could've used a little more edge, but it was enjoyable, quick-paced, and kept me turning the pages. Thank you to the author for letting me read & review this!❤️
Honestly, it gave me Gossip Girl vibes, just with more money, more drama, and set in Switzerland. Some parts of the story felt rushed and some plot points overlooked, but I really enjoyed the tension and chemistry between Larissa and Viktor (Poor Ben lol). I just wish there had been a bit more consistency in their dynamic toward the end. The constant push-and-pull started to feel repetitive after a while.
Larissa was actually my favorite part of the book. She was completely unhinged at times, but I loved being inside her head and reading her inner monologue.
My biggest issue was the ending. It felt incredibly rushed. I looked at my page count and genuinely thought, "Wait... how is this ending already?" There were several plot points that could've benefited from more development before wrapping up.
That being said, I really enjoyed the world the author created and I'm definitely interested in continuing the series. I'm hoping to see a deeper connection between Viktor and Larissa in book two, and I'd also love more of Bastardino, I mean, Emiliano and Aina.
One final side note that drove me crazy: if you're going to include luxury cars throughout the story and make the FMC host underground races, please do some more research. Ferrari, Porsche, Bugatti, Pagani... and then suddenly a Lamborghini with back seats? Unless Beatrice was driving a Urus (which she clearly wasn't), Lamborghini doesn't make modern supercars with back seats. As a car girl, that detail annoyed me way more than it should have and honestly pulled me out of the story every time I thought about it. 😂
Overall, an entertaining read with lots of potential, and I'll definitely be picking up book two!
August 16, 2026
A fast-paced and addictive read! I was especially hooked by the tension and chemistry between Larissa and Viktor. I loved their conversations and the way they challenge each other.
Larissa was definitely a highlight for me. I love seeing powerful female characters who are trying to maintain their position while dealing with everything around them.
My only issue was the pacing. At some points, it felt like the story was rushing to get to the next scene, and the ending came so suddenly that I was like, wait… we're already at the ending? I wanted a little more depth and more time with certain scenes and characters.
Still, I really enjoyed it and I'm definitely looking forward to the next part of Larissa and Viktor's story “I just hope the author adds a little more depth to the story in the next part." And Aina and Emiliano's chemistry has already caught my attention and I hope the author gives us more of their story in the next part.
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Larissa was definitely a highlight for me. I love seeing powerful female characters who are trying to maintain their position while dealing with everything around them.
My only issue was the pacing. At some points, it felt like the story was rushing to get to the next scene, and the ending came so suddenly that I was like, wait… we're already at the ending? I wanted a little more depth and more time with certain scenes and characters.
Still, I really enjoyed it and I'm definitely looking forward to the next part of Larissa and Viktor's story “I just hope the author adds a little more depth to the story in the next part." And Aina and Emiliano's chemistry has already caught my attention and I hope the author gives us more of their story in the next part.
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2026
I really wanted to love this one because the premise immediately caught my attention, but unfortunately it just wasn’t the right fit for me.
The strongest part of the story was definitely the mystery surrounding Larissa. The dreams, the missing pieces of her past, and slowly trying to work out what Viktor knows kept me turning the pages. I also really enjoyed the friendship dynamic between the girls, they were fun, supportive, and brought some much needed humour to the story.
If you enjoy elite boarding schools, privileged students, high society drama and strong Gossip Girl vibes, this will probably be right up your alley.
It’s also a very easy book to read.
Where it lost me was the emotional connection. I never quite clicked with the characters, so it was hard to become invested in what was happening.
The opening introduces a lot of characters and influential families all at once, and I found myself constantly trying to remember who everyone was rather than settling into the story.
The secret race-car driver storyline also felt a little out of place for me. Instead of adding intrigue, it pulled me out of the story, and I struggled to fully buy into that part of Larissa’s character.
Overall, this wasn’t a bad book, it simply wasn’t my kind of setting or story. I can absolutely see why readers who love glamorous dark academia, wealthy elites, mystery and slow-burning secrets would enjoy it much more than I did.
While it wasn’t for me, I appreciate the opportunity to read an ARC and I’m grateful to the author for trusting readers with an early copy.
The strongest part of the story was definitely the mystery surrounding Larissa. The dreams, the missing pieces of her past, and slowly trying to work out what Viktor knows kept me turning the pages. I also really enjoyed the friendship dynamic between the girls, they were fun, supportive, and brought some much needed humour to the story.
If you enjoy elite boarding schools, privileged students, high society drama and strong Gossip Girl vibes, this will probably be right up your alley.
It’s also a very easy book to read.
Where it lost me was the emotional connection. I never quite clicked with the characters, so it was hard to become invested in what was happening.
The opening introduces a lot of characters and influential families all at once, and I found myself constantly trying to remember who everyone was rather than settling into the story.
The secret race-car driver storyline also felt a little out of place for me. Instead of adding intrigue, it pulled me out of the story, and I struggled to fully buy into that part of Larissa’s character.
Overall, this wasn’t a bad book, it simply wasn’t my kind of setting or story. I can absolutely see why readers who love glamorous dark academia, wealthy elites, mystery and slow-burning secrets would enjoy it much more than I did.
While it wasn’t for me, I appreciate the opportunity to read an ARC and I’m grateful to the author for trusting readers with an early copy.
June 7, 2026
What a ride, it had it's ups, it's downs, twists and turns. I devoured this story, it gets you hooked almost immediately. 4/5
It features Larissa the Queen of her school, calm, polished and calculated. Everything starts to unravel when Viktor gets anywhere near her. Her mask falters, her composition starts to crumble. She is always focused on being in control, but he takes that away from her.
There's a few things that I loved, and a few things that I didn't.
- I loved the feel of the overall story, a very prestigious atmosphere and almost nostalgic in a way. It gave a very Mean Girls kind of vibe, reminiscent of high-school clicks.
- It was incredibly descriptive, each scene in the story made you feel like you were right there with the characters.
- The amount of spice that was there was steamy!
- The story seemed very fast paced, like there is always something going on under the surface...
- It keeps you guessing, on your toes while a certain Queen's past is slowly reveled.
A couple things I didn't like
- Sometimes the story seemed a little dis-jointed. Certain things didn't quite line-up.
- It pains me to say it but the relationship between Larissa and Viktor doesn't seem well put together. It didn't quite depict the enemies to lovers trope quite right.
- The ending...
Overall, I really enjoyed the ride, a quick easy read.
It features Larissa the Queen of her school, calm, polished and calculated. Everything starts to unravel when Viktor gets anywhere near her. Her mask falters, her composition starts to crumble. She is always focused on being in control, but he takes that away from her.
There's a few things that I loved, and a few things that I didn't.
- I loved the feel of the overall story, a very prestigious atmosphere and almost nostalgic in a way. It gave a very Mean Girls kind of vibe, reminiscent of high-school clicks.
- It was incredibly descriptive, each scene in the story made you feel like you were right there with the characters.
- The amount of spice that was there was steamy!
- The story seemed very fast paced, like there is always something going on under the surface...
- It keeps you guessing, on your toes while a certain Queen's past is slowly reveled.
A couple things I didn't like
- Sometimes the story seemed a little dis-jointed. Certain things didn't quite line-up.
- It pains me to say it but the relationship between Larissa and Viktor doesn't seem well put together. It didn't quite depict the enemies to lovers trope quite right.
- The ending...
Overall, I really enjoyed the ride, a quick easy read.
June 9, 2026
The best dark romance ever. Even thinking about comparing this to K M Moronova's is impossible to do.
Did Not Finish
June 20, 2026DNF it after chapter 2.Gonna read it after my exam
August 17, 2026
This was so good! For me, the beginning was a little slow, so I had a harder time focusing on the book. Around chapter 4 is when is captured me full attention. I couldn’t put it down! I was so invested on wondering what was going to happen next. I love the characters and the dynamic that they had. The cliffhanger at the end has me hooked! I am really looking forward to book 2!
Thank you Aroona Abbas for sending me the book!
Thank you Aroona Abbas for sending me the book!
June 17, 2026
I went into The Deceptive Queen expecting secrets, privilege, and maybe a little chaos. What I got was Fast & Furious meets Gossip Girl with a psychological thriller twist.
Larissa is the queen bee of an elite private school, but beneath the polished exterior she's leading an underground racing team, hiding dangerous secrets from her past, and trying to maintain the carefully curated image everyone expects from her. Enter Viktor, the boy who knows more about Larissa than anyone else and isn't afraid to bulldoze his way back into her life.
This book was incredibly ambitious. Underground racing, elite prep school drama, morally messy relationships, childhood secrets, mystery, and high-stakes suspense all collide in one story. There were moments when I genuinely couldn't put it down.
That said, the execution didn't always work for me. Some of the reveals came so late that I found myself confused rather than intrigued, and certain plot twists felt disconnected from the story I thought I was reading. I could see exactly what the author was trying to accomplish, but I wish the breadcrumbs had been placed a little more intentionally along the way.
I also struggled with the cheating element. As someone who personally dislikes cheating tropes, I found myself sympathizing with Benjamin more than I expected. It didn't ruin the story for me, but it definitely shaped my experience.
Overall, The Deceptive Queen wasn't a bad book by any means. In fact, I found it entertaining, addictive in places, and full of interesting ideas. It just didn't always stick the landing for me.
If you enjoy privileged teens with too much power, underground racing, morally complicated characters, and secrets that threaten to destroy carefully crafted personas, this one might be worth adding to your TBR.
Larissa is the queen bee of an elite private school, but beneath the polished exterior she's leading an underground racing team, hiding dangerous secrets from her past, and trying to maintain the carefully curated image everyone expects from her. Enter Viktor, the boy who knows more about Larissa than anyone else and isn't afraid to bulldoze his way back into her life.
This book was incredibly ambitious. Underground racing, elite prep school drama, morally messy relationships, childhood secrets, mystery, and high-stakes suspense all collide in one story. There were moments when I genuinely couldn't put it down.
That said, the execution didn't always work for me. Some of the reveals came so late that I found myself confused rather than intrigued, and certain plot twists felt disconnected from the story I thought I was reading. I could see exactly what the author was trying to accomplish, but I wish the breadcrumbs had been placed a little more intentionally along the way.
I also struggled with the cheating element. As someone who personally dislikes cheating tropes, I found myself sympathizing with Benjamin more than I expected. It didn't ruin the story for me, but it definitely shaped my experience.
Overall, The Deceptive Queen wasn't a bad book by any means. In fact, I found it entertaining, addictive in places, and full of interesting ideas. It just didn't always stick the landing for me.
If you enjoy privileged teens with too much power, underground racing, morally complicated characters, and secrets that threaten to destroy carefully crafted personas, this one might be worth adding to your TBR.
July 31, 2026
If you ever wondered what would happen if you threw Gossip Girl into a blender with a high-stakes thriller, Aroona Abbas’s Deceptive Queen is your answer.
One thing this book does incredibly well is keep you entertained. There was never a dull moment. Every chapter revealed another secret or shifted the dynamics between the characters, making it almost impossible to predict what would happen next.
The boarding school setting was one of my favorite parts. It had all the messy friendships, rivalries, and drama that reminded me of Gossip Girl, but with much higher stakes. I genuinely enjoyed watching the relationships evolve, and the friendships were just as compelling as the romance.
My only reason for giving it four stars instead of five is that there was so much happening. Around the middle of the book, I found myself struggling to identify the central plot because there were so many twists and storylines unfolding at once. At times it felt a little overwhelming, and I had to stop and piece everything together.
That said, I was never bored. If anything, the nonstop drama kept me turning the pages because I needed to know how everything would connect.
If you enjoy:
Elite boarding school settings
Secrets and betrayals
Thriller vibes with constant twists
Romance woven into the mystery
Friendships that feel just as important as the romance
I think you'll really enjoy Deceptive Queen.
It was chaotic in the best way: dramatic, addictive, and full of surprises. Even though I occasionally felt lost in the middle, I still had a great time reading it and can't wait to see what happens next.
One thing this book does incredibly well is keep you entertained. There was never a dull moment. Every chapter revealed another secret or shifted the dynamics between the characters, making it almost impossible to predict what would happen next.
The boarding school setting was one of my favorite parts. It had all the messy friendships, rivalries, and drama that reminded me of Gossip Girl, but with much higher stakes. I genuinely enjoyed watching the relationships evolve, and the friendships were just as compelling as the romance.
My only reason for giving it four stars instead of five is that there was so much happening. Around the middle of the book, I found myself struggling to identify the central plot because there were so many twists and storylines unfolding at once. At times it felt a little overwhelming, and I had to stop and piece everything together.
That said, I was never bored. If anything, the nonstop drama kept me turning the pages because I needed to know how everything would connect.
If you enjoy:
Elite boarding school settings
Secrets and betrayals
Thriller vibes with constant twists
Romance woven into the mystery
Friendships that feel just as important as the romance
I think you'll really enjoy Deceptive Queen.
It was chaotic in the best way: dramatic, addictive, and full of surprises. Even though I occasionally felt lost in the middle, I still had a great time reading it and can't wait to see what happens next.
August 14, 2026
This feels like it would be a natural fit for fans of Rina Kent or more general dark academia vibes. Dynamic FMC brimming with agency and competence grapples with skeletons in her closet. Mysterious MMC with an axe to grind and inscrutable motivations. Slow reveals
Abbas clearly has a very descriptively rich way of painting scenes to complement the action in any given moment. I appreciated her literary flourishes, with subtly clever use of zeugma such as "students draped in designer and arrogance..." I think her writing style might lend itself well to period pieces, which is why I plan on trying A Scandalous Venture in the near future.
I appreciate how much page space Abbas dedicated to the relationships surrounding the FMC other than romantic prospects, it made the world feel dynamic. Overall, While I think this work does a good job laying foundations for future pairs to be explored in sequels or subsequent series installments, I do think some of the exposition feels slightly inorganic. I am very interested and love the banter between Aina and Emiliano, presumably they will get a book in the future, but their introduction threw me since, these people who have presumably known each other for years are explaining to each other what each other’s backstory is just feels a little artificial.
Thanks to the author for a courtesy copy in consideration for an offer to write an honest review.
Abbas clearly has a very descriptively rich way of painting scenes to complement the action in any given moment. I appreciated her literary flourishes, with subtly clever use of zeugma such as "students draped in designer and arrogance..." I think her writing style might lend itself well to period pieces, which is why I plan on trying A Scandalous Venture in the near future.
I appreciate how much page space Abbas dedicated to the relationships surrounding the FMC other than romantic prospects, it made the world feel dynamic. Overall, While I think this work does a good job laying foundations for future pairs to be explored in sequels or subsequent series installments, I do think some of the exposition feels slightly inorganic. I am very interested and love the banter between Aina and Emiliano, presumably they will get a book in the future, but their introduction threw me since, these people who have presumably known each other for years are explaining to each other what each other’s backstory is just feels a little artificial.
Thanks to the author for a courtesy copy in consideration for an offer to write an honest review.
August 10, 2026
—5⭐
Qué pasada. Me ha gustado muchísimo lo caótica que es esta historia. Entre el ambiente de instituto de élite, las familias poderosas, los secretos enterrados y la sensación constante de que absolutamente todo el mundo está ocultando algo, es muy fácil quedarse enganchada. Además, me ha encantado ver cómo esa imagen perfecta de la protagonista empieza a resquebrajarse poco a poco, porque desde el principio se nota que hay muchísimo más detrás de lo que aparenta.
Y el regreso de alguien de su pasado… 👀 No voy a mentir, ahí ya estaba completamente dentro. Me encanta cuando una historia te hace sospechar de todo el mundo y empiezas a montar tus propias teorías sobre quién sabe qué y quién está mintiendo.
Sí que creo que algunas cosas podrían haber tenido un poco más de desarrollo, especialmente ciertos personajes y algunos aspectos de la trama, pero los secretos, las rivalidades y todo el drama consiguieron mantenerme leyendo. No es perfecta, pero sí tiene ese punto de «vale, necesito saber qué está pasando aquí» que hace que una novela sea muy difícil de soltar.
Un comienzo de saga muy entretenido, bastante dramático y lleno de gente que claramente necesita aprender a comunicarse. Y yo, por supuesto, encantada de cotillear. 😭
Qué pasada. Me ha gustado muchísimo lo caótica que es esta historia. Entre el ambiente de instituto de élite, las familias poderosas, los secretos enterrados y la sensación constante de que absolutamente todo el mundo está ocultando algo, es muy fácil quedarse enganchada. Además, me ha encantado ver cómo esa imagen perfecta de la protagonista empieza a resquebrajarse poco a poco, porque desde el principio se nota que hay muchísimo más detrás de lo que aparenta.
Y el regreso de alguien de su pasado… 👀 No voy a mentir, ahí ya estaba completamente dentro. Me encanta cuando una historia te hace sospechar de todo el mundo y empiezas a montar tus propias teorías sobre quién sabe qué y quién está mintiendo.
Sí que creo que algunas cosas podrían haber tenido un poco más de desarrollo, especialmente ciertos personajes y algunos aspectos de la trama, pero los secretos, las rivalidades y todo el drama consiguieron mantenerme leyendo. No es perfecta, pero sí tiene ese punto de «vale, necesito saber qué está pasando aquí» que hace que una novela sea muy difícil de soltar.
Un comienzo de saga muy entretenido, bastante dramático y lleno de gente que claramente necesita aprender a comunicarse. Y yo, por supuesto, encantada de cotillear. 😭
August 18, 2026
so good!
Such a good book. Definitely recommend if you are wanting boarding school and underground racing vibes!! Cannot wait for book 2
Such a good book. Definitely recommend if you are wanting boarding school and underground racing vibes!! Cannot wait for book 2
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews