What do you think?
Rate this book
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo #1
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo
Genie Lo is one among droves of Ivy-hopeful overachievers in her sleepy Bay Area suburb. When she’s not crushing it at volleyball, Genie is typically working on how to crack the elusive Harvard entry code. But when her hometown comes under siege from hellspawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are dramatically rearranged. Enter Quentin Sun, a mysterious new kid who becomes Genie’s guide to battling demons. While Genie knows Quentin only as an attractive transfer student, in another reality he is Sun Wukong, the mythological Monkey King incarnate. Suddenly, acing the SATs is the least of Genie’s worries.
This epic debut draws from Chinese mythology, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie’s grounded Bay Area life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding.
This epic debut draws from Chinese mythology, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie’s grounded Bay Area life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 8, 2017
195 people are currently reading
9245 people want to read
About the author
F.C. Yee
10 books1,704 followersF.C. Yee is the author of four New York Times Bestselling books in the CHRONICLES OF THE AVATAR novel series set in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. His debut THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO and THE IRON WILL OF GENIE LO received six starred reviews. His newest project is slated for some time in 2027.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,087 reviews
July 27, 2017
After finishing this book, I thought to myself, certain as hell: No book has never EVER made me this happy. Do you know those books where you felt like it was written for you? The Epic Crush of Genie Lo felt like that book for me. Yes, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is my new favourite book! But not as in, five star tier favourite. I'm talking about, forever in my heart tier of favourite (I even made a Goodreads shelf for this).
When I first heard about this book in January this year, I was beyond ecstatic. It was pitched to be about a girl, 'who wonders if she's qualified enough to gain admission to an Ivy League school, then becomes powerful enough to break through the gates of Heaven with her fists'. How cool is that? I read this book with the highest of expectations; I felt like my hopes and dreams were riding on this book. And oh boy, this book and Yee delivered and surpassed all expectations that I had.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a seamless combination of action, folklore, romance (yes, romance!), and comedy. It follows sixteen year old Genie, who, like some sixteen year olds, are thinking and aspiring to get into a top-tiered college to secure her future and success. From this fact alone, I related to her instantly: here was a character who, like me, was working hard to get into a good school. It's such a mundane, everyday aspiration, but it matters so much, and how much it matters shines through in Genie's narrative. However, things get very interesting following the arrival of a new transfer student, followed shortly by demons straight out of Chinese folklore. Suddenly, Genie has to balance maintaining her high-achieving streak at school and fighting demons. Why does she have to fight demons though? You'll have to read to find it - and I promise the reason why is bloody awesome.
I grew up with Chinese folktale stories. I remember going to my grandparents' house and watching Doraemon (I know Doraemon is Japanese, but still!) and the Journey to the West cartoons (even though I had no idea what was going on because I couldn't understand Mandarin, but the images were good enough) and learning about Nüwa, Chang'e, or Kwan Im Ma. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo incorporates a certain folktale into its story, and for those who are familiar with it, you'll begin to pick up on the small clues throughout the beginning. However, if you're not familiar with the folktale, don't worry - everything will be explained (and, might I add, it's explained brilliantly)! Reading The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was such a pleasure and a wonderful experience, particularly so for me and other readers familiar with the original folktale, because it gave this small memory of my childhood a renewed sense of meaning. Not a lot of books can do this, but The Epic Crush of Genie Lo sure as heck did that for me.
Genie was such a fantastic character, and I related to her so much. Not only was her narrative voice hilarious and so charming, she was angry. I was an angry teen, and when that anger is confounded by other things like confusion and uncertainty for the future and the heavy cultural expectation of being restrained in emotional expression, I was as ripe as volcano ready to explode. In this sense, Genie's perspective was so refreshing. And, of course, Quentin: the strange but charismatic transfer student who becomes so much more in unexpected ways. I adored the relationship between Genie and Quentin; it was developed, funny, and they made such a dynamic duo. The other characters in the story were warm and funny in their own ways and I loved getting to know them. Furthermore, the family dynamics were a rare gem - complex, thoughtful, and a little tongue-in cheek.
But my goodness, Yee's storytelling was what made this story so stellar. As mentioned earlier, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo has elements of comedy, and that shines through in the storytelling. Where there was exposition, it was done in a way that was absolutely hilarious and fun to read; no one moment of this book was boring. I cackled so much while reading it, and even shared some snippets with my family who - despite how stoic some of them are! - laughed as well. Perhaps it's strange to say, but the comedy felt like a small part of home - whatever that is - familiar, warm, and a little nostalgic. Moreover, if you have geeky or nerdy humour (like I do!), then you'll appreciate the small references throughout. Truly, the writing in this book was fabulous. I enjoyed reading this book so much.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is as its name suggests: Epic. Easily one of my favourite books this year - and is definitely in my top two books, ever - The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a unique and fantastic book that I never knew I needed. I am so grateful for this book's existence, and I am so excited for everyone to read this awesome book. Don't sleep on this book, everyone! Read it now, thank me later.
Rating: 5 / 5
-
Is this book for you?
Premise in a sentence: A girl's life gets turned upside down following the appearances of a new transfer student and demons from Chinese folklore in her town, and she becomes more powerful than she could have ever imagined.
Perfect for: Readers who grew up with Chinese folktales and mythology or would love to learn more about it, who love comedy, action, and a purely fun book.
Genre: Young adult, fantasy/mythology, comedy, action
Recommended? 'If I could ask you to read one book, ever, it'd be this one'-level yes.
-
This review can also be found on my book blog, Read, Think, Ponder!
When I first heard about this book in January this year, I was beyond ecstatic. It was pitched to be about a girl, 'who wonders if she's qualified enough to gain admission to an Ivy League school, then becomes powerful enough to break through the gates of Heaven with her fists'. How cool is that? I read this book with the highest of expectations; I felt like my hopes and dreams were riding on this book. And oh boy, this book and Yee delivered and surpassed all expectations that I had.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a seamless combination of action, folklore, romance (yes, romance!), and comedy. It follows sixteen year old Genie, who, like some sixteen year olds, are thinking and aspiring to get into a top-tiered college to secure her future and success. From this fact alone, I related to her instantly: here was a character who, like me, was working hard to get into a good school. It's such a mundane, everyday aspiration, but it matters so much, and how much it matters shines through in Genie's narrative. However, things get very interesting following the arrival of a new transfer student, followed shortly by demons straight out of Chinese folklore. Suddenly, Genie has to balance maintaining her high-achieving streak at school and fighting demons. Why does she have to fight demons though? You'll have to read to find it - and I promise the reason why is bloody awesome.
I grew up with Chinese folktale stories. I remember going to my grandparents' house and watching Doraemon (I know Doraemon is Japanese, but still!) and the Journey to the West cartoons (even though I had no idea what was going on because I couldn't understand Mandarin, but the images were good enough) and learning about Nüwa, Chang'e, or Kwan Im Ma. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo incorporates a certain folktale into its story, and for those who are familiar with it, you'll begin to pick up on the small clues throughout the beginning. However, if you're not familiar with the folktale, don't worry - everything will be explained (and, might I add, it's explained brilliantly)! Reading The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was such a pleasure and a wonderful experience, particularly so for me and other readers familiar with the original folktale, because it gave this small memory of my childhood a renewed sense of meaning. Not a lot of books can do this, but The Epic Crush of Genie Lo sure as heck did that for me.
Genie was such a fantastic character, and I related to her so much. Not only was her narrative voice hilarious and so charming, she was angry. I was an angry teen, and when that anger is confounded by other things like confusion and uncertainty for the future and the heavy cultural expectation of being restrained in emotional expression, I was as ripe as volcano ready to explode. In this sense, Genie's perspective was so refreshing. And, of course, Quentin: the strange but charismatic transfer student who becomes so much more in unexpected ways. I adored the relationship between Genie and Quentin; it was developed, funny, and they made such a dynamic duo. The other characters in the story were warm and funny in their own ways and I loved getting to know them. Furthermore, the family dynamics were a rare gem - complex, thoughtful, and a little tongue-in cheek.
But my goodness, Yee's storytelling was what made this story so stellar. As mentioned earlier, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo has elements of comedy, and that shines through in the storytelling. Where there was exposition, it was done in a way that was absolutely hilarious and fun to read; no one moment of this book was boring. I cackled so much while reading it, and even shared some snippets with my family who - despite how stoic some of them are! - laughed as well. Perhaps it's strange to say, but the comedy felt like a small part of home - whatever that is - familiar, warm, and a little nostalgic. Moreover, if you have geeky or nerdy humour (like I do!), then you'll appreciate the small references throughout. Truly, the writing in this book was fabulous. I enjoyed reading this book so much.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is as its name suggests: Epic. Easily one of my favourite books this year - and is definitely in my top two books, ever - The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a unique and fantastic book that I never knew I needed. I am so grateful for this book's existence, and I am so excited for everyone to read this awesome book. Don't sleep on this book, everyone! Read it now, thank me later.
Rating: 5 / 5
-
Is this book for you?
Premise in a sentence: A girl's life gets turned upside down following the appearances of a new transfer student and demons from Chinese folklore in her town, and she becomes more powerful than she could have ever imagined.
Perfect for: Readers who grew up with Chinese folktales and mythology or would love to learn more about it, who love comedy, action, and a purely fun book.
Genre: Young adult, fantasy/mythology, comedy, action
Recommended? 'If I could ask you to read one book, ever, it'd be this one'-level yes.
-
This review can also be found on my book blog, Read, Think, Ponder!
February 15, 2021
Well damn, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was so much fun! Let's look at some amazing facts about it, shall we?
I've been avoiding demon/mythology YA Fantasy for a while, because they're so damn repetitive... Even though I'm a big fan of Greek Mythology, there's only so many white-girl-falls-in-love-with-the-reincarnation-of-Hades I can take, you know? Hence why I was beyond ecstatic to dive into The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, which deals with mythological beings I had never heard about before (because I'm a Western girl living stereotype, ughhh). I said it in my review for The Thief, but I love reading about lore and legends, and the way F.C. Yee made Genie relate Sun Wukong's tale was absolute perfection : funny, captivating, and did I say HILARIOUS? Yeah? Moreover, if it made me want to learn more about all these legends I didn't know about, I can't begin to imagine how amazing and important it is for readers from the Chinese diaspora to see their mythology starring in a YA novel. We definitely need more of this.
Genie, the Chinese-American main character, is everything I enjoy in my female-leads : she's flawed but oh so likeable, altruist but not in a unrealistic martyr kind of way, driven and overachieving but a little lost, hot tempered but caring, in one word : I really, really liked her. I loved especially the fact that she didn't forget her life, her friends, her family, her dreams for the sake of a demon hunting quest. On the contrary, she reacts in the only believable way, in my opinion : she's pissed at the mess Quentin brings into her life.
How dares he, indeed.
Quentin is another embodiment of the kind of characters I like reading about : infuriating but in the best way possible (the kind that makes me laugh, eh), arrogant but ultimately respectful. Sure, I went all Whaaat? at some of his reactions but he made me smile so big, I couldn't hold a grudge. Not to mention that Genie was 100% able to stand her ground.
*smiles slowly*
As for the romance? Ha! Again, F.C. Yee handled it perfectly, with just the right amount of interactions to let us wanting for more. My favorite kind, really. Also their meet-cute was GOLD bahahahahahaha go Genie!
The secondary characters were well-rounded and interesting, especially Genie's mum and Yunie, her best friend. I loved that they never seemed like cardboard copies but had a personal voice.
What can I say about the plot, except that reading this book was like a rollercoaster of fun? I'm always wary of fast-paced stories because too often the characters and world-building suffer from it. Not so much here. Indeed if The Epic Crush of Genie Lo does rely on a multitude of action scenes, it never feels hollow or gratuitous, and I appreciated that a lot. Plus it managed to surprise me several times, even though I guessed some parts, which is pretty rare in YA Fantasy, so there's that.
If The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is F.C. Yee's debut novel, I'll be sure to read more from him in the future (first : is there a sequel planned? Because?? Seriously??) : his storytelling feels effortless and the dialogues are funny and enjoyable. It reminded me a bit of Rick Riordan's, actually (yes. I went there) : a little young-ish, but in the best kind of way.
► Recommended to every reader who's tired of reading the same plots over and over again. Trust me, you'll enjoy the ride.
TW -
Vector illustration credit: www.vecteezy.com
For more of my reviews, please visit:
August 7, 2017
You can find this review and others, as well as win a copy of GENIE LO at arctic books.
THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO was fun, action-packed, and something not to miss. I’m going to be honest here, I have never read a book that I related to as much as this one. I’m Chinese-American, and seeing the stories of Sun Wukong that I heard as a child come to life in this book was surreal and just absolutely amazing. I felt so light and unbelievably happy, and I can’t express how much I loved this book.
Genie was a fantastic main character—she was spunky, sarcastic, overachieving; she felt real and it was so much fun to see aspects of myself in her characterization. To be honest, I felt so connected to Genie. She’s Chinese, super tall, overachieving – just like me. I’ve never felt so close to a main character (not even Juliette even though I love her with all my heart), and I find that this book needs to go into the hands of Chinese teenagers just like myself!
Quentin was also so much fun to read about. He was infuriating in the best way, and I loved the tension that he and Genie had. She and Quentin made a fantastic team (what did I expect?), and I loved the romance that bloomed. It was a bit weird at first, but I did end up jumping on board. These two characters made this book fly by so quickly and made all the action scenes feel so exciting.
Overall, this fantastic book is not to miss. This #ownvoices book was so powerful and made me so, so, so, so happy. I’m going to be shoving this book to my little sister and all the Chinese-American teens I know. I’m definitely looking forward to whatever Yee puts out next.
Thank you to Amulet Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO was fun, action-packed, and something not to miss. I’m going to be honest here, I have never read a book that I related to as much as this one. I’m Chinese-American, and seeing the stories of Sun Wukong that I heard as a child come to life in this book was surreal and just absolutely amazing. I felt so light and unbelievably happy, and I can’t express how much I loved this book.
Genie was a fantastic main character—she was spunky, sarcastic, overachieving; she felt real and it was so much fun to see aspects of myself in her characterization. To be honest, I felt so connected to Genie. She’s Chinese, super tall, overachieving – just like me. I’ve never felt so close to a main character (not even Juliette even though I love her with all my heart), and I find that this book needs to go into the hands of Chinese teenagers just like myself!
Quentin was also so much fun to read about. He was infuriating in the best way, and I loved the tension that he and Genie had. She and Quentin made a fantastic team (what did I expect?), and I loved the romance that bloomed. It was a bit weird at first, but I did end up jumping on board. These two characters made this book fly by so quickly and made all the action scenes feel so exciting.
Overall, this fantastic book is not to miss. This #ownvoices book was so powerful and made me so, so, so, so happy. I’m going to be shoving this book to my little sister and all the Chinese-American teens I know. I’m definitely looking forward to whatever Yee puts out next.
Thank you to Amulet Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2017
We’re gonna keep this short for everyone’s sake but mainly mine because I don’t recall half the ish I read today (I’m sick okay leave me alone)
Okay so,,,,
Pros
- Chinese mythology = very interesting
- Love the diversity
- I liked how genie was actually a strong fem character
- But like that’s it
Now buckle up kids, this one is gonna be loooooooong
Cons
- The WRITING is cringe (im sorry)
- Like I genuinely feel it would have been much more fitting if this was categorized as middle school than YA bc these characters are as mature as a tadpole
- The amount of times we hear how quinten is sooooooooooooo hot
- I just puked a little in my mouth
- Can you not please
- And that was LITERALLY THE SECOND CHAPTER I KID YOU NOT
- I felt like the plot was ALL over the place
- I could not keep up
- Nor did I want to
- Literally, I lost interest around 150 pages in and I was like hardcore skimming till the end
- The romance was so bland oh my god
- Its like, from the first page you know they’re DESTINED to be together so duh the whole time theyre supposed to be building angst or something but it doesn’t come out that way
- Also theres some semi-love triangle stuff that happens and JUST NO, THERE ARE ALREADY TOO MANY BOOK SINS, DON’T DO THIS TO ME
- Also quinten did some borderline stalkerish ish and yes he was called out for it but I don’t need this in my life
- I’m sorry to everyone and also to myself
To sum up, the Chinese culture and mythology was 10/10 but everything else I could do without
1.5 stars!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
im only 40 pages in but this feels very.......juvenile, hoping it gets betterPLEASE
Buddy read with a ravenclaw i picked up off the streets <3
Okay so,,,,
Pros
- Chinese mythology = very interesting
- Love the diversity
- I liked how genie was actually a strong fem character
- But like that’s it
Now buckle up kids, this one is gonna be loooooooong
Cons
- The WRITING is cringe (im sorry)
- Like I genuinely feel it would have been much more fitting if this was categorized as middle school than YA bc these characters are as mature as a tadpole
- The amount of times we hear how quinten is sooooooooooooo hot
Nothing good could come of our new classmate being that handsome. It was destructive. Twisted. Weaponized. He had the cheekbones and sharp jawline of a pop star, but his thick eyebrows and wild, unkempt hair lent him an air of natural ruggedness that some pampered singer could never achieve in a million years of makeup.
- I just puked a little in my mouth
- Can you not please
- And that was LITERALLY THE SECOND CHAPTER I KID YOU NOT
- I felt like the plot was ALL over the place
- I could not keep up
- Nor did I want to
- Literally, I lost interest around 150 pages in and I was like hardcore skimming till the end
- The romance was so bland oh my god
- Its like, from the first page you know they’re DESTINED to be together so duh the whole time theyre supposed to be building angst or something but it doesn’t come out that way
- Also theres some semi-love triangle stuff that happens and JUST NO, THERE ARE ALREADY TOO MANY BOOK SINS, DON’T DO THIS TO ME
- Also quinten did some borderline stalkerish ish and yes he was called out for it but I don’t need this in my life
- I’m sorry to everyone and also to myself
To sum up, the Chinese culture and mythology was 10/10 but everything else I could do without
1.5 stars!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
im only 40 pages in but this feels very.......juvenile, hoping it gets better
Buddy read with a ravenclaw i picked up off the streets <3
August 31, 2020
my 2017 review of this was terrible but if you want a much better book by FC Yee, try The Rise of Kyoshi <3
// buddy read with tea hater
July 9, 2017
How is this a debut novel? It's so good in every way: hilarious, imaginative, filled with memorable characters, and a plot that never stops moving. If you're a fan of Journey to the West, you need this. If you're a fan of fierce and flawed heroines, you need this. If you're a fan of books that will make you laugh, you need this.
FULL REVIEW TO COME.
FULL REVIEW TO COME.
January 15, 2019
edit: check out the paperback cover it's soooo PRETTY!!
Reread Edit (because I HAD to reread this book within a month of reading it.
I gave it to my sister and she LOVED this book! She didn't finish it... because she's a lazy butt... but she still LOVES it (the 40% that she read).
--
OKAY OKAY OKAY. OKAY.
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. *delirious laughter*
Let's start from the beginning.
I had NO IDEA this book existed BUT some humans on Twitter were screaming about it and so I read some reviews and they were ALL. SO. GOOD.
And then I read that it had a Chinese main character and that it was relatable and that Genie was an "angry teen" and I was SOLD. Okay, I don't really reading contemporary fantasy (excluding magical-realism because that's different in my book) but THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD.
[now I've noticed that I've been using the adjective "good" far too many times.]
I was SO EXCITED when I got this. But this blew away all of my expectations.
So, I read the book. And it was funny. Genie is SUCH a relatable main character, especially as an asian, and YES our asian mothers do screech a lot. And yes they care about grades and everything. This is something that I haven't really seen much in contemporary where they actually CARE about school and it was refreshing to see a book that had that. So yes, I loved Genie.
Here are some quotes. (I HIGHLIGHTED SO MANY QUOTES)
YESS, GENIE.
Genie is a remarkably fierce character who is strong and cares about woman's morals. When there's a "stalkerish" guy around school, she doesn't sigh and think that it's terribly romantic, she PUNCHES HIM.
She ALSO is incredibly awesome in terms of friendship, and I love how there are strong and healthy relationships with other female characters in this book.
Futhermore, her voice is extremely relatable and modern, which makes the book so easy to read that I completely blew through it in one go.
Now I want to talk about the magical aspect of this world. It was SO AWESOME, oh my gosh. The asian mythology that I recognized!! So, this book incorporates the myth of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, whose TV Show I watched when I was young. When others were watching Sesame Street or whatever, I was watching the freaking Monkey King tv show and also Hu Lu Xiong Di (which is not related to this book, but DID ANYONE ELSE WATCH THAT???)
Here's the link to the first episode of the live show tv show!
Here's the link to the first episode of the cartoon tv show!!!!!
YES I WATCHED BOTH ARE YOU JUDGING ME.
(And that music is just.... *nods*)
(And also Here's the link to Hu Lu Xiong Di which I also watched :')
My childhood was pretty epic.
Basically, I had no idea that it was called "Monkey King" and that the character was called "Sun Wukong" so I desperately searched up "Monkey King" and I FOUND IT AND I AM SO HAPPY!!!
This brought up SO many memories and I started asking my mother about Su Wukong and she was like "Ha, OF COURSE I KNOW WHO THAT IS."
I had NEVER thought about Su Wukong being in a YA book, but this book just. Pulled it off. So brilliantly. *claps*
And anyways, the incorporation is kind of interesting and weird in a way that you would never expect, but yes THIS BOOK PULLED IT OFF AS WELL.
Now for the romance. It's.. a little weird in the concept, but I AM SO FOR IT! This romance was kind of a slow burn, but there was definite chemistry and SHIP SHIP SHIP.
READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW.
Thanks to the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a review! This did not impact my review in any way.
All quotes are from the uncorrected version and must be checked against a final copy.
Reread Edit (because I HAD to reread this book within a month of reading it.
I gave it to my sister and she LOVED this book! She didn't finish it... because she's a lazy butt... but she still LOVES it (the 40% that she read).
--
OKAY OKAY OKAY. OKAY.
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. *delirious laughter*
Let's start from the beginning.
I had NO IDEA this book existed BUT some humans on Twitter were screaming about it and so I read some reviews and they were ALL. SO. GOOD.
And then I read that it had a Chinese main character and that it was relatable and that Genie was an "angry teen" and I was SOLD. Okay, I don't really reading contemporary fantasy (excluding magical-realism because that's different in my book) but THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD.
[now I've noticed that I've been using the adjective "good" far too many times.]
I was SO EXCITED when I got this. But this blew away all of my expectations.
So, I read the book. And it was funny. Genie is SUCH a relatable main character, especially as an asian, and YES our asian mothers do screech a lot. And yes they care about grades and everything. This is something that I haven't really seen much in contemporary where they actually CARE about school and it was refreshing to see a book that had that. So yes, I loved Genie.
Here are some quotes. (I HIGHLIGHTED SO MANY QUOTES)
"That's it!" he said, hopping in excitement. "That proves it! You really are mine!"
Okay. That kind of talk had to stop right here and right now. I inhaled deeply to unleash both a torrent of verbal abuse and a refresher in women's history over the last century.
YESS, GENIE.
Genie is a remarkably fierce character who is strong and cares about woman's morals. When there's a "stalkerish" guy around school, she doesn't sigh and think that it's terribly romantic, she PUNCHES HIM.
She ALSO is incredibly awesome in terms of friendship, and I love how there are strong and healthy relationships with other female characters in this book.
Futhermore, her voice is extremely relatable and modern, which makes the book so easy to read that I completely blew through it in one go.
...I was actually considering giving him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he was just a really, really awkward transplant with no sense of personal space.
Now I want to talk about the magical aspect of this world. It was SO AWESOME, oh my gosh. The asian mythology that I recognized!! So, this book incorporates the myth of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, whose TV Show I watched when I was young. When others were watching Sesame Street or whatever, I was watching the freaking Monkey King tv show and also Hu Lu Xiong Di (which is not related to this book, but DID ANYONE ELSE WATCH THAT???)
Here's the link to the first episode of the live show tv show!
Here's the link to the first episode of the cartoon tv show!!!!!
YES I WATCHED BOTH ARE YOU JUDGING ME.
(And that music is just.... *nods*)
(And also Here's the link to Hu Lu Xiong Di which I also watched :')
My childhood was pretty epic.
Basically, I had no idea that it was called "Monkey King" and that the character was called "Sun Wukong" so I desperately searched up "Monkey King" and I FOUND IT AND I AM SO HAPPY!!!
This brought up SO many memories and I started asking my mother about Su Wukong and she was like "Ha, OF COURSE I KNOW WHO THAT IS."
I had NEVER thought about Su Wukong being in a YA book, but this book just. Pulled it off. So brilliantly. *claps*
And anyways, the incorporation is kind of interesting and weird in a way that you would never expect, but yes THIS BOOK PULLED IT OFF AS WELL.
Now for the romance. It's.. a little weird in the concept, but I AM SO FOR IT! This romance was kind of a slow burn, but there was definite chemistry and SHIP SHIP SHIP.
READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW.
Thanks to the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a review! This did not impact my review in any way.
All quotes are from the uncorrected version and must be checked against a final copy.
June 25, 2017
I didn’t expect to love The Epic Crush of Genie Lo this much, but I did. I haven’t read YA in two months that’s how rough this has been for me; and this book just came in and it swept me off my feet.
THIS IS A MUST READ FOR ALL. I repeat: A MUST READ FOR ALL.
It is deliriously comical. It would make you laugh, it’s one of the most heartwarming and the funniest YA to this date. The characters are wild, and outrageous. Readers will fall in love with Genie’s resiliency, and Quentin’s charming personality. They’re both spectacular as individual characters, but even more so as a team. I DIDN’T EXPECT THIS BOOK WOULD BE ALL SHIPPY. It was full-on romance and sweet buildup. The pair easily becomes one of my favorite OTP.
I love the quirky humor, and the fast pacing of the plot. I am unfamiliar with the Chinese mythology the author has incorporated, even though that’s the case, it was threaded in a way that outsiders can follow easily. I like how refreshing that is. The pop culture references are too much. I love it. A+ for an all Asian cast. I also adore the family dynamics between Genie and her parents. It honestly reminded me of my childhood filled with Asian dramas, this book just makes me happy and nostalgic.
I hope Genie’s best friend was involved more into the plot. We need more female friendship in the page, and I wish there wasn’t a snippy portrayal of other girls. It wasn’t bad, but it could’ve been better.
Verdict: I love this book so much if you’re not planning to read it: WHY. This is perfect for fans of Sarah Kuhn’s Heroine Complex for the Asian heroine part and comical flair, as well as for Percy Jackson’s fans. If you love Riordan’s mythology series about demigods saving the day with a little bit of romance, then you’re going to devour The Epic Crush of Genie Lo. Full review to come.
THIS IS A MUST READ FOR ALL. I repeat: A MUST READ FOR ALL.
It is deliriously comical. It would make you laugh, it’s one of the most heartwarming and the funniest YA to this date. The characters are wild, and outrageous. Readers will fall in love with Genie’s resiliency, and Quentin’s charming personality. They’re both spectacular as individual characters, but even more so as a team. I DIDN’T EXPECT THIS BOOK WOULD BE ALL SHIPPY. It was full-on romance and sweet buildup. The pair easily becomes one of my favorite OTP.
I love the quirky humor, and the fast pacing of the plot. I am unfamiliar with the Chinese mythology the author has incorporated, even though that’s the case, it was threaded in a way that outsiders can follow easily. I like how refreshing that is. The pop culture references are too much. I love it. A+ for an all Asian cast. I also adore the family dynamics between Genie and her parents. It honestly reminded me of my childhood filled with Asian dramas, this book just makes me happy and nostalgic.
I hope Genie’s best friend was involved more into the plot. We need more female friendship in the page, and I wish there wasn’t a snippy portrayal of other girls. It wasn’t bad, but it could’ve been better.
Verdict: I love this book so much if you’re not planning to read it: WHY. This is perfect for fans of Sarah Kuhn’s Heroine Complex for the Asian heroine part and comical flair, as well as for Percy Jackson’s fans. If you love Riordan’s mythology series about demigods saving the day with a little bit of romance, then you’re going to devour The Epic Crush of Genie Lo. Full review to come.
December 20, 2019
Genie Lo is one of many over-achieving students at her San Francisco prep school, desperately studying and working to get into an Ivy League school with the scholarship that would require for her. But that's all put at risk when a bizarre new transfer student appears, closely followed by actual demons from Chinese mythology. When the new student reveals himself to be Sun Wukong, the Monkey King and that Genie has special powers that can help him fight demons, a lot of extra stuff gets put on Genie's already full plate of family, friends, school and volleyball. Something's got to give.
I'm an Australian of a certain age who was brought up in regional Australia. What does that have to do with anything? It means that for a very large portion of my teen years, I was only exposed to only two TV channels and one of them was the ABC, our national broadcaster, that for years had a killer one-two slot of afternoon TV programming of Monkey followed by Doctor Who. Both would be repeated year after year throughout the 1980s. Because of Monkey, I've always been interested in Journey to the West and I've followed later adaptations with interest. So, unlike Genie Lo, I know exactly who Sun Wukong is and have had the story in my head in much the same place as the Arthurian mythology for years.
So a book like this has both nostalgia and the cool factor thoroughly in place for me personally.
That's all on top of a story of a character with a hilariously direct way of dealing with things (usually by hitting them very hard) and who has some major conflicts going on in her life, not least of which being with the Monkey King himself, her supposed ally.
This also hits the YA sweet spot of identity fiction, where not only is Genie trying to define who she is, she has some incredibly powerful figures telling her exactly who she is, and that doesn't necessarily match up with anything that she actually wants for herself. Like the surface plot, there's a lot of violence going on here, to self-definition, relationships and responsibilities as much as to the demons that Genie and Quentin fight.
Sure, this is fairly light and relatively short (plenty of space for sequels), but because of reasons above it's definitely a five star read for me and recommended as one of my favorite recent YA books.
I'm an Australian of a certain age who was brought up in regional Australia. What does that have to do with anything? It means that for a very large portion of my teen years, I was only exposed to only two TV channels and one of them was the ABC, our national broadcaster, that for years had a killer one-two slot of afternoon TV programming of Monkey followed by Doctor Who. Both would be repeated year after year throughout the 1980s. Because of Monkey, I've always been interested in Journey to the West and I've followed later adaptations with interest. So, unlike Genie Lo, I know exactly who Sun Wukong is and have had the story in my head in much the same place as the Arthurian mythology for years.
So a book like this has both nostalgia and the cool factor thoroughly in place for me personally.
That's all on top of a story of a character with a hilariously direct way of dealing with things (usually by hitting them very hard) and who has some major conflicts going on in her life, not least of which being with the Monkey King himself, her supposed ally.
This also hits the YA sweet spot of identity fiction, where not only is Genie trying to define who she is, she has some incredibly powerful figures telling her exactly who she is, and that doesn't necessarily match up with anything that she actually wants for herself. Like the surface plot, there's a lot of violence going on here, to self-definition, relationships and responsibilities as much as to the demons that Genie and Quentin fight.
Sure, this is fairly light and relatively short (plenty of space for sequels), but because of reasons above it's definitely a five star read for me and recommended as one of my favorite recent YA books.
August 8, 2017
You can find my review on the blog One Way Or An Author over here!
Check out my fan art :D
It’s been a couple of days since I’ve finished this book and I’m STILL NOT OVER IT. Seriously, I have all the love for this book to the moon and beyond. But I told myself I’d finish this review so I can schedule it and spread the love when closer to release date. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo immediately grasped my attention with its fierce cover and tag. I knew about a Chinese-American girl trying to juggle fighting demons and a supernatural power she never knew she had. That’s all I knew, and I was already excited. When I got a bit more into the book, I fell absolutely in love with its hilarious narrative, Chinese folklore, and refreshing characters. This is the book my Chinese teen heart has been pining for since a young child, and it’s one that really resonated with me.
Genie’s your average, Asian-American student at a competitive prep school, looking to be at the top and go to a prestigious college. Her worries basically revolve around preparing for AP tests, her best friend Yoonie, and making conversation with her mother. But with the arrival of a mysterious classmate, her life pretty much turns upside-down. He comes from a super popular Chinese folklore story that I’ve never seen incorporated in a YA novel – one that I’ve always wished for while growing up. With his arrival also comes demons and goddesses that throw Genie’s Californian town into chaos.
“‘You are the most powerful thing on Earth short of a god. You can do absolutely anything.’”
The story that Quentin comes out of is called Journey to the West, and much of the storyline is summarized in down-to-earth colloquial terms by Genie in the book. While this ancient text originated in China, there are also lots of interpretations from across the East Asia region (fun fact: Goku from Dragonball Z was modeled after the main character). I’ve watched multiple movie versions of it and TV shows – both cartoon and live-action. It’s the kind of story that each Chinese household knows, or at least has heard of. Yee incorporates elements and characters of this story in present-day California, giving it a Riordan-esque feel as mythology melds with reality. I love the fact that it explores such a well-known story in Chinese culture, instead of the heavily popularized Greek and Roman myths that YA books like to use. The exposure of this story not only brings a refreshing take on YA, but also spreads a bit of Chinese culture and traditions. Always a plus!
So after the big reveal and Genie finally gets onboard with the mission she’s given (trust me, she enters with much reservation), her and Quentin embark on an adventure to bring the demons on earth back to hell. Fun stuff… except for the fact that she has to worry about college applications, keeping up her grades, staying on top of her social life, and all the other extracurriculars she has. I loved Genie’s representation as a competitive student, as well as her family life as a Chinese teen. She’s super worried about getting into college and Yee often adds comedic humor on the whole application process in America. The focus on her academics throughout the book was awesome to see and super relatable. There’s also great integration of Chinese culture in the book as well. Genie’s mother loves to keep on appearances and is so, so funny. Pretty much every Chinese Mom ™ with her antics. There’s a great discussion on the pressure Genie puts on herself academically, and a breakdown of common stereotypes for Chinese characters (including the fact that they’re not all quiet/meek, and not all are prodigies in musical instruments).
There’s a romance that goes on in the book and the ship is so. So. Cute. Like, adorkably cute and super subtle. It’s not a large part of the story at all – very light, in fact – but it’s solid and there to stay. Genie’s first response when Quentin first talks to her (in a very awkward and very forward way) is to punch him. She’s a girl after my own heart. She’s extremelyyy suspicious of him at first, but eventually warms up to his hilarious and sometimes strange antics. Genie is also a big believer in science so seeing all the supernatural stuff going around her makes her even more wary. Quentin is just adorkable. Let me just say: HEIGHT DIFFERENCE. Genie is much taller than Quentin and if that’s not cute I’m not sure what you’re looking for. All the other characters – from Genie’s school peers to the gods she gets introduced to – are all just a breath of fresh air with their hilarious antics and dialogue.
“Kissing Quentin was as rough and as confrontational as any of our other interactions, and I loved it.”
There are honestly not enough words to describe how much I love this book. You’ll definitely find more gushing on my Twitter and the Be On The Lookout post. Either way, my love for this book goes to the heavens and beyond. It’s the book of my childhood heart, the book that has a place in my soul. From Genie and her refreshing friends and adventure, the addition of Chinese folklore, and the heightened focus on academics as well as demonic peril all make The Epic Crush of Genie Lo an unforgettable book. Anyone who says otherwise can fight me.
Thank you Netgalley and Abram Books for the review copy!
AND MORE FAN ART TO CONVINCE Y'ALL TO PICK THIS BEAUTY UP.
---------------------------
HAHA DID I *LIKE* THIS BOOK? I *LOVED* THIS BOOK. MY CHINESE STUDENT HEART BARFED RAINBOWS AND LOVE LETTERS TO THIS BOOK.
It's been so long since I smiled so much while reading a book.
I've NEVER stopped a book just to tell my dad, "hey, dad. you know what legend/folklore this book incorporates? the one I used to watch, listen to, and read growing up!"
I've ALWAYS imagined for the Monkey King to have his story incorporated in a YA book, and The Epic Crush of Genie Lo delivers, fantastically. Brilliantly. Epicly.
I'm honestly cry because of how much I related to Genie and her Asian-American Student (TM) troubles about standing out in an application pool of nearly identical stats.
THAT ROMANCE???????? okay, I was hesitant at first bc like there's this LEGEND you're taught as a child, ok? And you've never read any fan fiction or whatever about this legend. So WHAM BAM suddenly there's a romance in it and you're like "whoa my childhood heart would never think this would be possible" but it ends. Up. Working. It really does. And I was really onboard by the end.
HAHA this is super incoherent but whatever, I'mma go draw some fan art for this masterpiece and then write a review.
Also, DAMN RIGHT for my Chinese friends' birthdays I'm buying them this book. They're gonna love the references like I did.
Check out my fan art :D
It’s been a couple of days since I’ve finished this book and I’m STILL NOT OVER IT. Seriously, I have all the love for this book to the moon and beyond. But I told myself I’d finish this review so I can schedule it and spread the love when closer to release date. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo immediately grasped my attention with its fierce cover and tag. I knew about a Chinese-American girl trying to juggle fighting demons and a supernatural power she never knew she had. That’s all I knew, and I was already excited. When I got a bit more into the book, I fell absolutely in love with its hilarious narrative, Chinese folklore, and refreshing characters. This is the book my Chinese teen heart has been pining for since a young child, and it’s one that really resonated with me.
Genie’s your average, Asian-American student at a competitive prep school, looking to be at the top and go to a prestigious college. Her worries basically revolve around preparing for AP tests, her best friend Yoonie, and making conversation with her mother. But with the arrival of a mysterious classmate, her life pretty much turns upside-down. He comes from a super popular Chinese folklore story that I’ve never seen incorporated in a YA novel – one that I’ve always wished for while growing up. With his arrival also comes demons and goddesses that throw Genie’s Californian town into chaos.
“‘You are the most powerful thing on Earth short of a god. You can do absolutely anything.’”
The story that Quentin comes out of is called Journey to the West, and much of the storyline is summarized in down-to-earth colloquial terms by Genie in the book. While this ancient text originated in China, there are also lots of interpretations from across the East Asia region (fun fact: Goku from Dragonball Z was modeled after the main character). I’ve watched multiple movie versions of it and TV shows – both cartoon and live-action. It’s the kind of story that each Chinese household knows, or at least has heard of. Yee incorporates elements and characters of this story in present-day California, giving it a Riordan-esque feel as mythology melds with reality. I love the fact that it explores such a well-known story in Chinese culture, instead of the heavily popularized Greek and Roman myths that YA books like to use. The exposure of this story not only brings a refreshing take on YA, but also spreads a bit of Chinese culture and traditions. Always a plus!
So after the big reveal and Genie finally gets onboard with the mission she’s given (trust me, she enters with much reservation), her and Quentin embark on an adventure to bring the demons on earth back to hell. Fun stuff… except for the fact that she has to worry about college applications, keeping up her grades, staying on top of her social life, and all the other extracurriculars she has. I loved Genie’s representation as a competitive student, as well as her family life as a Chinese teen. She’s super worried about getting into college and Yee often adds comedic humor on the whole application process in America. The focus on her academics throughout the book was awesome to see and super relatable. There’s also great integration of Chinese culture in the book as well. Genie’s mother loves to keep on appearances and is so, so funny. Pretty much every Chinese Mom ™ with her antics. There’s a great discussion on the pressure Genie puts on herself academically, and a breakdown of common stereotypes for Chinese characters (including the fact that they’re not all quiet/meek, and not all are prodigies in musical instruments).
There’s a romance that goes on in the book and the ship is so. So. Cute. Like, adorkably cute and super subtle. It’s not a large part of the story at all – very light, in fact – but it’s solid and there to stay. Genie’s first response when Quentin first talks to her (in a very awkward and very forward way) is to punch him. She’s a girl after my own heart. She’s extremelyyy suspicious of him at first, but eventually warms up to his hilarious and sometimes strange antics. Genie is also a big believer in science so seeing all the supernatural stuff going around her makes her even more wary. Quentin is just adorkable. Let me just say: HEIGHT DIFFERENCE. Genie is much taller than Quentin and if that’s not cute I’m not sure what you’re looking for. All the other characters – from Genie’s school peers to the gods she gets introduced to – are all just a breath of fresh air with their hilarious antics and dialogue.
“Kissing Quentin was as rough and as confrontational as any of our other interactions, and I loved it.”
There are honestly not enough words to describe how much I love this book. You’ll definitely find more gushing on my Twitter and the Be On The Lookout post. Either way, my love for this book goes to the heavens and beyond. It’s the book of my childhood heart, the book that has a place in my soul. From Genie and her refreshing friends and adventure, the addition of Chinese folklore, and the heightened focus on academics as well as demonic peril all make The Epic Crush of Genie Lo an unforgettable book. Anyone who says otherwise can fight me.
Thank you Netgalley and Abram Books for the review copy!
AND MORE FAN ART TO CONVINCE Y'ALL TO PICK THIS BEAUTY UP.
---------------------------
HAHA DID I *LIKE* THIS BOOK? I *LOVED* THIS BOOK. MY CHINESE STUDENT HEART BARFED RAINBOWS AND LOVE LETTERS TO THIS BOOK.
It's been so long since I smiled so much while reading a book.
I've NEVER stopped a book just to tell my dad, "hey, dad. you know what legend/folklore this book incorporates? the one I used to watch, listen to, and read growing up!"
I've ALWAYS imagined for the Monkey King to have his story incorporated in a YA book, and The Epic Crush of Genie Lo delivers, fantastically. Brilliantly. Epicly.
I'm honestly cry because of how much I related to Genie and her Asian-American Student (TM) troubles about standing out in an application pool of nearly identical stats.
THAT ROMANCE???????? okay, I was hesitant at first bc like there's this LEGEND you're taught as a child, ok? And you've never read any fan fiction or whatever about this legend. So WHAM BAM suddenly there's a romance in it and you're like "whoa my childhood heart would never think this would be possible" but it ends. Up. Working. It really does. And I was really onboard by the end.
HAHA this is super incoherent but whatever, I'mma go draw some fan art for this masterpiece and then write a review.
Also, DAMN RIGHT for my Chinese friends' birthdays I'm buying them this book. They're gonna love the references like I did.
August 29, 2017
Find this and other Reviews at In Tori Lex
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
This book was so much fun to read. If I'm speaking in terms of dinner courses, this reads like fried ice cream. The characters are likeable and the humor is memorable. Genie Lo is a formidable force who tries to fight monsters from hell, while crafting herself into a competitive college student. Her character is head strong in a brutish but relateable way. I could only imagine how I would react to learning I have super powers. Quentin is a friend who is full of surprises and a great guide for Genie about how to navigate this new life that crosses worldly dimensions. It was a pleasure to read about a female protagonist who was unapologetically bad ass.
The author does a great job of describing characters and developing them quickly. The only criticism I have of this short but satisfying book is a lack of world building. The book did fit in action, humor, Chinese mythology and even some romance. But I really wanted to learn more about the leaders and major players described in caring for Heaven and Hell. The pacing was great and every detail helped move the story and kept my face stuck to the book. I liked the focus on the Asian Community and their unique experiences.There are far too few books that focus on marginalized communities, and this was a great one.
This books ending made me hopeful for more action packed adventures where characters cross Heaven and Hell. The mythology described never read like exposition but was presented well as integral part of Genies adventures. The powers and action described stretched my imagination in ways like never before. I would recommend this to fans of Young Adult action packed fantasy, featuring diverse characters.
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
This book was so much fun to read. If I'm speaking in terms of dinner courses, this reads like fried ice cream. The characters are likeable and the humor is memorable. Genie Lo is a formidable force who tries to fight monsters from hell, while crafting herself into a competitive college student. Her character is head strong in a brutish but relateable way. I could only imagine how I would react to learning I have super powers. Quentin is a friend who is full of surprises and a great guide for Genie about how to navigate this new life that crosses worldly dimensions. It was a pleasure to read about a female protagonist who was unapologetically bad ass.
"I'm going to rip his balls off and shove them in his eye sockets."
The author does a great job of describing characters and developing them quickly. The only criticism I have of this short but satisfying book is a lack of world building. The book did fit in action, humor, Chinese mythology and even some romance. But I really wanted to learn more about the leaders and major players described in caring for Heaven and Hell. The pacing was great and every detail helped move the story and kept my face stuck to the book. I liked the focus on the Asian Community and their unique experiences.There are far too few books that focus on marginalized communities, and this was a great one.
This books ending made me hopeful for more action packed adventures where characters cross Heaven and Hell. The mythology described never read like exposition but was presented well as integral part of Genies adventures. The powers and action described stretched my imagination in ways like never before. I would recommend this to fans of Young Adult action packed fantasy, featuring diverse characters.
August 25, 2018
"Spiritual power isn't just or merciful. It's fair. That's what makes it so dangerous."
Any YA book based around a Chinese myth will just GET ME. I've had The Epic Crush of Genie Lo for years, and it wasn't until recently that I found out it was centered around the Chinese classic, Journey to the West (西游记). (You can find out about my odd fascination with this story in my post about Asian stories in YA!) I'm a bit half-and-half about the book after reading it, generally:
LIKES
🔥 Genie was such a feisty, realistic young teen! She said things and made decisions like I would. She was snarky, witty, and untrusting. She was also driven, and worked really hard to achieve her goals.
🔥 I LOVED THE NEW SPIN ON JOURNEY TO THE WEST! Of course, I know this story as a historical fantasy, so reading a modern, urban fantasy take on it was really intriguing. It provided me with a fun way to re-learn the classic tale!
🔥 The family dynamics were really honest. Genie's mom was a typical, overbearing tiger mom, but she was also constantly concerned about Genie. She truly cared, despite having some high expectations of her.
DISLIKES
🔥 The Epic Crush of Genie Lo read more like a middle grade novel than a YA one. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, I would've appreciated the book more and would've been less picky about it if it were marketed as middle grade.
🔥 Quentin (AKA Sun Wukong) was just okay. He may not seem like the thousand-year old dude he actually is, but if you put that at the very back of your mind, you'll like his sassy character enough. It just bothered me that sometimes, he even sounded more like a child than Genie did.
🔥 This one was extremelyinfo-dumpy. For the most part, Genie would learn about the world of demons via huge info-dumps from Quentin or from her mother. While the writing was still fun, I did not enjoy looking at huge chunks of text.
Thanks so much to Amulet Books for sending me a finished copy for review!
-
BLOG | TWITTER | BOOKSTAGRAM | PINTEREST
June 25, 2017
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is one of my favorite books this year. It's right there on top of the list and you all should definitely have it on your radar, because if not, you're so doing it wrong.
If you're into mythology, demons and action but also a slice of college applications and schoolwork, Genie Lo is so right for you! It has humor and a f* good storyline. The characters had all these layers that you think you had them all figured out but there was always something beneath that. Can't wait for this to become NYT Bestseller because it deserves it times a million. This is the kind of stories I wish I could see more in book community.
If you're into mythology, demons and action but also a slice of college applications and schoolwork, Genie Lo is so right for you! It has humor and a f* good storyline. The characters had all these layers that you think you had them all figured out but there was always something beneath that. Can't wait for this to become NYT Bestseller because it deserves it times a million. This is the kind of stories I wish I could see more in book community.
December 15, 2017
I had a pretty great time with this book. It's not deep or anything, but quite light and funny without being silly. The use of Chinese mythology and characters was refreshing, and made it different and interesting. That said, it is still a pretty basic YA story, but well told and ultimately entertaining.
The audio is excellent, with the narrator doing a spot on job with accents and voices. A good choice if you enjoy contmporary YA fantasy and want a quick pick-me-up.
The audio is excellent, with the narrator doing a spot on job with accents and voices. A good choice if you enjoy contmporary YA fantasy and want a quick pick-me-up.
December 18, 2019
2019-Dec-18: 4 stars I totally enjoyed this book on my reread. Genie and her tendency to punch her way out of problems had me laughing all over again, and looking forward to book two.
2017-Dec-17: 4 stars and lots of punches for the story Genie Lo. Genie's sarcasm, humour, lack of mythological knowledge and tendency to punch her problems made me chuckle frequently and laugh out loud at one point during Genie’s journey to become a superhero and vanquish all the demons plaguing her home town. F.C. Yee has written a fun, escapist tale about Genie and the Monkey God, with plenty of battles and punching. Also with some commentary on how girls are devalued in the culture, while Genie shows off her determination and strength. And how sticks are not just sticks.
2017-Dec-17: 4 stars and lots of punches for the story Genie Lo. Genie's sarcasm, humour, lack of mythological knowledge and tendency to punch her problems made me chuckle frequently and laugh out loud at one point during Genie’s journey to become a superhero and vanquish all the demons plaguing her home town. F.C. Yee has written a fun, escapist tale about Genie and the Monkey God, with plenty of battles and punching. Also with some commentary on how girls are devalued in the culture, while Genie shows off her determination and strength. And how sticks are not just sticks.
November 9, 2017
I do not enjoy this book too much. The jokes are like watching rerun comedy show and it stops getting funny.
There is no character development. Genie is giving me a cringe. She likes the perfect of everything. Its just to overwhelmed to connect with her.
There is no character development. Genie is giving me a cringe. She likes the perfect of everything. Its just to overwhelmed to connect with her.
August 13, 2017
Reread thoughts: I still laughed at the funny parts the 2nd time. Still Smashingly Amazing (pun intended). Also forgot to put TWs for some ableist language.
I LOVE THIS BOOK AND EVERYONE SHOULD BUY/READ IT!!!
Originally posted on my blog.
This is one of my favorite YA reads of this year. I pretty much read it in one sitting while live-tweeting my reactions. It’s a jam-packed mix of action, comedy, romance, and character growth. I laughed my way through most of it and yelled at the characters because I was engaged with the story.
Genie is a character that I was eager to root for because I related to her feelings a lot. She is uncertain and angry and she’s not shy about expressing her anger. Anger is an emotion that gets policed a lot, especially in POC and especially for Asians because of the stereotype of us as passive and non-threatening. It was refreshing to read about a character who embraces her inner angry Asian.
Another thing I loved about her is that she’s tall because I’m tall (though not quite as tall) and having some variety in Asian physiques is always nice. We’re not all tiny and dainty, mind you.
Genie’s anger and brawn become purposeful when demons start attacking the Bay Area. Of course, the attractive transfer student is involved, and she gets embroiled in a conflicting much greater than herself.
Although people tend to discount worldbuilding in contemporary, it’s no less important than in a secondary world fantasy. Genie lives in the Silicon Valley, and the author really captures the atmosphere and landscape well, down to the bubble tea shops that have taken over in recent decades.
On the fantasy side, we have demons and immortals from Chinese folklore putting in appearances, including some big shots that many diaspora Chinese readers will find familiar. Knowing Mandarin and having a background in the Chinese folklore integrated into the story was a bonus; my prior knowledge didn’t make the story feel reused or trite, it enriched the experience. For those who aren’t familiar, the narrative provides sufficient background and humorous cliffnotes versions of the relevant myths, so it won’t go over your heads.
Outside of the action, we get character development. Genie’s demon fighting problems bleed over into her normal life and affect her relationships with friends and family as well as her academics. She vents to and receives advice from a college application coach in a way creates humor because she is being literal about demon-fighting while her coach takes her complaints as figurative/hyperbole. Throughout the story, Genie’s priorities, sense of self, and agency are explored parallel to the action of kicking demon butt.
The romantic relationship between Genie and Quentin is rife with tension as despite her visceral attraction to him, Genie refuses to be less than equal to him or disrespected (which is a good thing of course). The development and changes between them that happen between start and end are dramatic but justified. For those who are into the hate-to-love trope or tall girl/short boy dynamic, this one’s for you. 😉
One of my favorite things about this story is how over the top it is. There’s definitely a sense that the story isn’t taking itself too seriously, and it almost feels like an Asian drama or anime/manga. It’s difficult to explain but leaves a distinct impression.
I LOVE THIS BOOK AND EVERYONE SHOULD BUY/READ IT!!!
Originally posted on my blog.
This is one of my favorite YA reads of this year. I pretty much read it in one sitting while live-tweeting my reactions. It’s a jam-packed mix of action, comedy, romance, and character growth. I laughed my way through most of it and yelled at the characters because I was engaged with the story.
Genie is a character that I was eager to root for because I related to her feelings a lot. She is uncertain and angry and she’s not shy about expressing her anger. Anger is an emotion that gets policed a lot, especially in POC and especially for Asians because of the stereotype of us as passive and non-threatening. It was refreshing to read about a character who embraces her inner angry Asian.
Another thing I loved about her is that she’s tall because I’m tall (though not quite as tall) and having some variety in Asian physiques is always nice. We’re not all tiny and dainty, mind you.
Genie’s anger and brawn become purposeful when demons start attacking the Bay Area. Of course, the attractive transfer student is involved, and she gets embroiled in a conflicting much greater than herself.
Although people tend to discount worldbuilding in contemporary, it’s no less important than in a secondary world fantasy. Genie lives in the Silicon Valley, and the author really captures the atmosphere and landscape well, down to the bubble tea shops that have taken over in recent decades.
On the fantasy side, we have demons and immortals from Chinese folklore putting in appearances, including some big shots that many diaspora Chinese readers will find familiar. Knowing Mandarin and having a background in the Chinese folklore integrated into the story was a bonus; my prior knowledge didn’t make the story feel reused or trite, it enriched the experience. For those who aren’t familiar, the narrative provides sufficient background and humorous cliffnotes versions of the relevant myths, so it won’t go over your heads.
Outside of the action, we get character development. Genie’s demon fighting problems bleed over into her normal life and affect her relationships with friends and family as well as her academics. She vents to and receives advice from a college application coach in a way creates humor because she is being literal about demon-fighting while her coach takes her complaints as figurative/hyperbole. Throughout the story, Genie’s priorities, sense of self, and agency are explored parallel to the action of kicking demon butt.
The romantic relationship between Genie and Quentin is rife with tension as despite her visceral attraction to him, Genie refuses to be less than equal to him or disrespected (which is a good thing of course). The development and changes between them that happen between start and end are dramatic but justified. For those who are into the hate-to-love trope or tall girl/short boy dynamic, this one’s for you. 😉
One of my favorite things about this story is how over the top it is. There’s definitely a sense that the story isn’t taking itself too seriously, and it almost feels like an Asian drama or anime/manga. It’s difficult to explain but leaves a distinct impression.
September 4, 2017
this completely exceeded all my expectations and i just FRIGGING LOVE THIS. ya know how people compare alot of books to buffy the vampire slayer and then the book is...NOT LIKE BUFFY at all. THIS IS BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER WITH CHINESE FOLKLORE AND CHARACTERS and i am here for all of it. the story is imaginative and so so exciting. the characters and the dialogue are effortless and I JUST LOVE THIS OMG I LOVED IT.
i just really need the sequel. i need it so badly.
i just really need the sequel. i need it so badly.
November 3, 2019
This book is sooooooo much fun....... based on the ancient tale of the Monkey King and updated to the nines, it's a book that this debut author should be very, VERY proud of indeed as it's a joy to read by being totally fresh and ever so endearing with it's plot and characters.
I'd encourage anyone who wants to read something fresh and new to give this tale a go as it's a joyous rampage full of excitement and a whole lot of fun!
I'd encourage anyone who wants to read something fresh and new to give this tale a go as it's a joyous rampage full of excitement and a whole lot of fun!
September 15, 2017
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was a fun read with a kickass Chinese-American, female protagonist.
I really enjoyed all the almost movie like action scenes and loved Genie's character! However, it was a little slow in pace for me in places and I wasn't 100% invested at times but I know I'm in the minority for feeling this way, as so many people have adored it (so definitely don't let me put you off picking it up!!) With that being said, it was definitely fun and so refreshing to have a diverse cast of characters. I really enjoyed the Chinese mythology elements, it was brilliant to have a unique story line and voice, rather than using the same stories that are regularly being retold. I'm a total sucker for the classic fairytale retellings but it was just nice to read something totally new to me and a story/mythology I could read up about after finishing!
I really enjoyed all the almost movie like action scenes and loved Genie's character! However, it was a little slow in pace for me in places and I wasn't 100% invested at times but I know I'm in the minority for feeling this way, as so many people have adored it (so definitely don't let me put you off picking it up!!) With that being said, it was definitely fun and so refreshing to have a diverse cast of characters. I really enjoyed the Chinese mythology elements, it was brilliant to have a unique story line and voice, rather than using the same stories that are regularly being retold. I'm a total sucker for the classic fairytale retellings but it was just nice to read something totally new to me and a story/mythology I could read up about after finishing!
December 10, 2019
This was very funny and excellent urban fantasy. I enjoyed the Chinese mythology. Quentin and Genie kicked-ass!
March 24, 2021
This was so much fun! I literally laughed out loud so many times throughout the book, and honestly, this is just peak Chinese American humour and I love it. I will say, I do feel like the humour and tone of the book feels more MG than YA, so just keep that in mind if you do decide to pick this up and you're someone who doesn't like MG humour. There's a lot (and I mean, a LOT) of references to stuff - pop culture, Chinese culture, American culture, etc. - and quite a bit of it flew over my head, but I don't think this impacted my enjoyment much because the jokes that I did get were hilarious. I do feel a little like some of the jokes haven't aged very well - nothing offensive or anything like that, but just a bit cringey. Or maybe I'm just old, I don't know.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book. Do I think it's the most profound book out there? No, but it sure is a lot of fun. This is probably my favourite modern interpretation of Sun Wukong, and as someone who grew up on Journey to the West, this was both refreshing and nostalgic at the same time. While I did feel like some of the romantic moments were a bit forced, I also just really liked the dynamic between Genie and Quentin. They're like an old bickering couple, and that has to be one of my favourite couple dynamics.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book as well is how it both played into some of the stereotypes surrounding Chinese culture and subverted them at the same time. In many ways, Genie embodies the stereotypical "good" Chinese girl - she's studious, she's padding her resume to get into an Ivy league, and she's got that filial piety down pat. However, she's also rebellious, cunning, and wears her heart on her sleeve, and is so much more than just the more stereotypical side of her. I really loved her as a main character, and I am really looking forward to seeing her continue to grow as a character in the sequel.
I'd say if you are a fan of MG urban fantasies, or if you want an action-packed YA that doesn't feel like the main characters are 20 years old instead of 16, and you're interested at all in Chinese mythology, I highly recommend this one. I also highly recommend the audiobook - I switched back and forth between the physical and audio and Nancy Wu's narration is fantastic. Overall, just a really fun read, and I'm so glad I picked this up on a whim!
Overall, I absolutely loved this book. Do I think it's the most profound book out there? No, but it sure is a lot of fun. This is probably my favourite modern interpretation of Sun Wukong, and as someone who grew up on Journey to the West, this was both refreshing and nostalgic at the same time. While I did feel like some of the romantic moments were a bit forced, I also just really liked the dynamic between Genie and Quentin. They're like an old bickering couple, and that has to be one of my favourite couple dynamics.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book as well is how it both played into some of the stereotypes surrounding Chinese culture and subverted them at the same time. In many ways, Genie embodies the stereotypical "good" Chinese girl - she's studious, she's padding her resume to get into an Ivy league, and she's got that filial piety down pat. However, she's also rebellious, cunning, and wears her heart on her sleeve, and is so much more than just the more stereotypical side of her. I really loved her as a main character, and I am really looking forward to seeing her continue to grow as a character in the sequel.
I'd say if you are a fan of MG urban fantasies, or if you want an action-packed YA that doesn't feel like the main characters are 20 years old instead of 16, and you're interested at all in Chinese mythology, I highly recommend this one. I also highly recommend the audiobook - I switched back and forth between the physical and audio and Nancy Wu's narration is fantastic. Overall, just a really fun read, and I'm so glad I picked this up on a whim!
May 23, 2018
DNF @ Chapter 30
If its boring then its boring then I rate it low even though it represents my culture
If its boring then its boring then I rate it low even though it represents my culture
June 1, 2020
I received a free copy of this book from Abrams&Chronicle/Amulet in exchange for an honest review.
Genie Lo is a normal Asian-American teenager. She’s dealing with school, best friends and parents who want her to exceed in everything, all the while worrying about what else she needs to do to get into a great college. Then Quentin Sun arrives and tells her he is the Monkey King, she is his famous weapon and they need to defeat a horde of demons that’s about to descend upon them.
This book was amazing, and everything I didn’t know I needed. It managed to bring a kick-ass female character, Chinese folklore and a whole lot of great laugh-out-loud funny. Genie Lo is such a refreshing character to have in a book - she’s smart, sassy, diverse, strong and just amazing at everything okay! But she works at everything too - it doesn’t come easy to her, except extending her arms like Stretch Armstrong but that’s a whole other thing.
I genuinely feel like I learned a lot more about Chinese folklore from this book. I know of Greek myths, and Celtic folklore (obviously) but I knew nothing about Chinese folklore until reading this. I am vaguely heard the term “Monkey King’ before but never knew what it actually was about. I am a lot more interested in Chinese folklore now and would love to read more books based around it.
The actions scenes in this book were great - I throughly enjoyed all of them. Some of them were a bit fast or they would start, and then the next chapter would have a time jump and i would be disappointed because I wanted more of a fight.
I really loved Genie’s friendship with Yunie. I would love to see more of it in the next book though, and maybe more of Yunie in the know if Genie eventually tells her what’s going on. I loved Quentin as well, what wasn’t to love about him.
Genie Lo is a normal Asian-American teenager. She’s dealing with school, best friends and parents who want her to exceed in everything, all the while worrying about what else she needs to do to get into a great college. Then Quentin Sun arrives and tells her he is the Monkey King, she is his famous weapon and they need to defeat a horde of demons that’s about to descend upon them.
This book was amazing, and everything I didn’t know I needed. It managed to bring a kick-ass female character, Chinese folklore and a whole lot of great laugh-out-loud funny. Genie Lo is such a refreshing character to have in a book - she’s smart, sassy, diverse, strong and just amazing at everything okay! But she works at everything too - it doesn’t come easy to her, except extending her arms like Stretch Armstrong but that’s a whole other thing.
I genuinely feel like I learned a lot more about Chinese folklore from this book. I know of Greek myths, and Celtic folklore (obviously) but I knew nothing about Chinese folklore until reading this. I am vaguely heard the term “Monkey King’ before but never knew what it actually was about. I am a lot more interested in Chinese folklore now and would love to read more books based around it.
The actions scenes in this book were great - I throughly enjoyed all of them. Some of them were a bit fast or they would start, and then the next chapter would have a time jump and i would be disappointed because I wanted more of a fight.
I really loved Genie’s friendship with Yunie. I would love to see more of it in the next book though, and maybe more of Yunie in the know if Genie eventually tells her what’s going on. I loved Quentin as well, what wasn’t to love about him.
July 12, 2017
Oh, this was so fantastic. I cannot wait for this book to release, because THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO is going to change lives.
Do you like:
- badass Chinese protagonists
- ancient Chinese legends
- wonderful friendships! and families!
- demons and demon-fighting
- the BEST story
- fab characters
- ON-POINT HUMOR
- characters who act their age
If so, you'll love GENIE LO!
It's an all-around wonderful story, and such a great addition to YA, and I HIGHLY recommend it.
Do you like:
- badass Chinese protagonists
- ancient Chinese legends
- wonderful friendships! and families!
- demons and demon-fighting
- the BEST story
- fab characters
- ON-POINT HUMOR
- characters who act their age
If so, you'll love GENIE LO!
It's an all-around wonderful story, and such a great addition to YA, and I HIGHLY recommend it.
December 10, 2017
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is actually not a bad book.
What do you do when you have a premise (Chinese demons in the Bay Area! Sun Wukong is a student at my school!) that would ask a lot of suspension of disbelief from your readers?
You write a book that is so intentionally over-the-top that no one can take what's happening seriously. What are you going to do, criticize it for being unrealistic? It's supposed to be that way. And, I mean, it works - this doesn't feel like a mediocre paranormal romance, and it's fun.
I should stop reading these kinds of book as soon as I realize what they are, because they're really, really not for me.
Quirky writing style, funny misunderstandings - books like these are fun for 100 pages. After that, I get really sick of them. It's just another Heroine Complex situation: I liked the premise, but the writing was so "not for me" that I got bored halfway through.
But just because it doesn't work for me (and now I know that) it doesn't mean it can't work for you. That's my only complaint, and if it doesn't bother you, you'll probably like this book.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo would be a great graphic novel. The writing style was perfect for that - the dialogue was the most interesting part, there was a lot of action, and you don't need descriptions (...there were almost none) when you have the pictures.
Also: Genie is an angry girl, and I liked that - she's not a stereotypical YA protagonist. She was also the only character I cared about. Quentin was fun, but nothing more.
What do you do when you have a premise (Chinese demons in the Bay Area! Sun Wukong is a student at my school!) that would ask a lot of suspension of disbelief from your readers?
You write a book that is so intentionally over-the-top that no one can take what's happening seriously. What are you going to do, criticize it for being unrealistic? It's supposed to be that way. And, I mean, it works - this doesn't feel like a mediocre paranormal romance, and it's fun.
I should stop reading these kinds of book as soon as I realize what they are, because they're really, really not for me.
Quirky writing style, funny misunderstandings - books like these are fun for 100 pages. After that, I get really sick of them. It's just another Heroine Complex situation: I liked the premise, but the writing was so "not for me" that I got bored halfway through.
But just because it doesn't work for me (and now I know that) it doesn't mean it can't work for you. That's my only complaint, and if it doesn't bother you, you'll probably like this book.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo would be a great graphic novel. The writing style was perfect for that - the dialogue was the most interesting part, there was a lot of action, and you don't need descriptions (...there were almost none) when you have the pictures.
Also: Genie is an angry girl, and I liked that - she's not a stereotypical YA protagonist. She was also the only character I cared about. Quentin was fun, but nothing more.
April 16, 2017
If The CW doesn't snap up the rights to this immediately, they're insane. Next Buffy, right here.
March 22, 2020
Re-read a second time. Absolutely love still.
----
I absolutely loved everything about this book!
It was hilarious, original, fast-paced, and had amazing characters, great writing, and did I mention hilarious?!
It's not easy to write comedy or even something so effortlessly funny. But Yee combines loveable characters who sometimes act and say ridiculously absurd things in seemingly normal setting and you can't help but just giggle as the situations escalate.
If I had to describe our main character, Genie, it would be ballsy. She's got a temper, a mouthy-mouth, and a height that lets her get away with it and she's not afraid to use it. God, I love her so much. But the thing is, Genie is also a perfect student who wants to get into Ivy League, a star athlete, and a devoted daughter. Except if you get in her way, she'll crush you. She's so well-rounded it's ridiculous.
And Quentin, oh my Sweet Monkey King, you expect to hate him. He's an ass, he says ridiculous things and has a bad case of a foot-in-mouth disease. But he's also charmingly sweet and has a disarming personality that managed to get past Genie's defenses and god damn, what chance did I have?
The romance build up was also so slow and even subtle, that I didn't even have time to be annoyed at the angst. It's obvious Quentin adores her, in a "you're a fearsome gal, and I want you to throw me over your shoulder to Chinese Heaven, so we can wreck it again" kind of way. Genie is obviously attracted to him even though she fights it tooth and nail. AND there's a high difference... and Genie is taller. AWWW.
The plot isn't the most original, but I think it's carried by the fact that it's based on Chinese mythology monsters not European/American monsters. It's also fast-paced and suspenseful so you keep flipping those pages. The fact that's it funny also makes it really entertaining. There's also a subtle depth to the story that makes it even more amazing. Genie's life isn't an easy one, with her parent's separation and college looming.
Overall, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is an amazing read. It has everything: humor, drama, romance, fighting monsters. I highly recommend it to everyone.
----
I absolutely loved everything about this book!
It was hilarious, original, fast-paced, and had amazing characters, great writing, and did I mention hilarious?!
It's not easy to write comedy or even something so effortlessly funny. But Yee combines loveable characters who sometimes act and say ridiculously absurd things in seemingly normal setting and you can't help but just giggle as the situations escalate.
If I had to describe our main character, Genie, it would be ballsy. She's got a temper, a mouthy-mouth, and a height that lets her get away with it and she's not afraid to use it. God, I love her so much. But the thing is, Genie is also a perfect student who wants to get into Ivy League, a star athlete, and a devoted daughter. Except if you get in her way, she'll crush you. She's so well-rounded it's ridiculous.
And Quentin, oh my Sweet Monkey King, you expect to hate him. He's an ass, he says ridiculous things and has a bad case of a foot-in-mouth disease. But he's also charmingly sweet and has a disarming personality that managed to get past Genie's defenses and god damn, what chance did I have?
The romance build up was also so slow and even subtle, that I didn't even have time to be annoyed at the angst. It's obvious Quentin adores her, in a "you're a fearsome gal, and I want you to throw me over your shoulder to Chinese Heaven, so we can wreck it again" kind of way. Genie is obviously attracted to him even though she fights it tooth and nail. AND there's a high difference... and Genie is taller. AWWW.
The plot isn't the most original, but I think it's carried by the fact that it's based on Chinese mythology monsters not European/American monsters. It's also fast-paced and suspenseful so you keep flipping those pages. The fact that's it funny also makes it really entertaining. There's also a subtle depth to the story that makes it even more amazing. Genie's life isn't an easy one, with her parent's separation and college looming.
Overall, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is an amazing read. It has everything: humor, drama, romance, fighting monsters. I highly recommend it to everyone.
January 18, 2020
"I was about as spiritual as a Chicken McNugget."
This is some of the most fun I've had rereading, partly because I remembered practically nothing about this (long term memory? Who dat?) but also because this book is just pure fun. Fast paced and never dull thanks to either epic action, humorous conversations, and humorous conversations with epic action at the same time! It reads a bit like a Marvel movie.
I also appreciate the world building a lot more now, it's unique and subverts some cliches, I especially like how the magic often feels like superpowers with clear abilities and limits and how there isn't anything magical keeping the human world from learning of the magical world, just some gods who don't want to deal with humans (relatable.) Also it's super cool to see some Chinese mythology because I feel like I don't read books like that too often (if you have any other recs with Chinese mythology I'd be open to them, I want more)
All of that is great, but the real star is the characters for me, specifically Genie and Quentin. Genie is just so funny and relatable if you were ever one of those nerds who tried too hard in school (I was that nerd), she has so much personality that just oozes off the page. Quentin is fun too, I dig how he's charismatic while also being stressed af. Their banter is to die for with him perpetually freaking out and her just being 644736% done. Oh, and this has a slow burn enemies to lovers, nuf said.
This is some of the most fun I've had rereading, partly because I remembered practically nothing about this (long term memory? Who dat?) but also because this book is just pure fun. Fast paced and never dull thanks to either epic action, humorous conversations, and humorous conversations with epic action at the same time! It reads a bit like a Marvel movie.
I also appreciate the world building a lot more now, it's unique and subverts some cliches, I especially like how the magic often feels like superpowers with clear abilities and limits and how there isn't anything magical keeping the human world from learning of the magical world, just some gods who don't want to deal with humans (relatable.) Also it's super cool to see some Chinese mythology because I feel like I don't read books like that too often (if you have any other recs with Chinese mythology I'd be open to them, I want more)
All of that is great, but the real star is the characters for me, specifically Genie and Quentin. Genie is just so funny and relatable if you were ever one of those nerds who tried too hard in school (I was that nerd), she has so much personality that just oozes off the page. Quentin is fun too, I dig how he's charismatic while also being stressed af. Their banter is to die for with him perpetually freaking out and her just being 644736% done. Oh, and this has a slow burn enemies to lovers, nuf said.
September 12, 2017
3.5 Stars
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a fun and engaging story of adventure, strength, and facing the unexpected. We follow Genie Lo who’s overachieving nature she hopes will land her a one way ticket to an Ivy League. Her steady and detailed plans are disrupted when her town is overrun by demons who’ve escaped from hell. Now Genie, along with new student Quentin Sun, must face these new threats and unlock the secrets of her past.
Things I Liked
Genie was a great MC. I loved her humor and spunk - she was really easy to connect with and to follow her journey. I loved her skepticism and questions. She was very engaging and made the entire book a great reading experience.
The Chinese mythology was awesome. It was integrated beautifully and completely accessible to everyone. I love mythology stories and when we see them in the modern world there's always a fish-out-of-water element I love. It was cool to see a non-Westernized mythology story and to learning about these myths and seeing them play out. I just loved it.
The humor was largely from interactions between characters and it created some great banter and dynamics. I wanted to see all the characters interact because they had such great dialogue. I loved seeing the lightheartedness in the midst of this epic battles.
Things I Didn’t Like
I didn’t love the action scenes in the book. I thought they were pretty formulaic and lacked detail. It seemed like a few times, we got to a fight and it was over before it started. I would have liked more from the action and battles because they were such a big part of the story and Genie’s journey.
I would have liked to see more from the side characters, especially Yunie and Androu. I felt like I never really got to know them and that’s sad because they were both interesting. I did like their interaction with Genie, like I said above, but I never really felt connected to them.
Personally, I found the ending to be a little muddled. There were some scene changed and character appearances that confused me and made me reread the passages several times. It was also a pretty anticlimactic for the final battle.
This was a fun read and it was so quick! I basically read it in one sitting and it was hard to put it down. Genie was awesome and I loved her from her first scene. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a truly unique paranormal adventure story that brings you into a vibrant world where Chinese mythology meets the Bay area.
“Genie Lo, you are unquestionably, undeniably human,” he said. “You just … have a whole bunch of other stuff going on as well.”
“Tell me about it.”
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a fun and engaging story of adventure, strength, and facing the unexpected. We follow Genie Lo who’s overachieving nature she hopes will land her a one way ticket to an Ivy League. Her steady and detailed plans are disrupted when her town is overrun by demons who’ve escaped from hell. Now Genie, along with new student Quentin Sun, must face these new threats and unlock the secrets of her past.
Things I Liked
Genie was a great MC. I loved her humor and spunk - she was really easy to connect with and to follow her journey. I loved her skepticism and questions. She was very engaging and made the entire book a great reading experience.
The Chinese mythology was awesome. It was integrated beautifully and completely accessible to everyone. I love mythology stories and when we see them in the modern world there's always a fish-out-of-water element I love. It was cool to see a non-Westernized mythology story and to learning about these myths and seeing them play out. I just loved it.
The humor was largely from interactions between characters and it created some great banter and dynamics. I wanted to see all the characters interact because they had such great dialogue. I loved seeing the lightheartedness in the midst of this epic battles.
Things I Didn’t Like
I didn’t love the action scenes in the book. I thought they were pretty formulaic and lacked detail. It seemed like a few times, we got to a fight and it was over before it started. I would have liked more from the action and battles because they were such a big part of the story and Genie’s journey.
I would have liked to see more from the side characters, especially Yunie and Androu. I felt like I never really got to know them and that’s sad because they were both interesting. I did like their interaction with Genie, like I said above, but I never really felt connected to them.
Personally, I found the ending to be a little muddled. There were some scene changed and character appearances that confused me and made me reread the passages several times. It was also a pretty anticlimactic for the final battle.
This was a fun read and it was so quick! I basically read it in one sitting and it was hard to put it down. Genie was awesome and I loved her from her first scene. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a truly unique paranormal adventure story that brings you into a vibrant world where Chinese mythology meets the Bay area.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,087 reviews