YA Addicted Book Club discussion

This is Elena and my TBR twins book choice for January. Anyone else is more than welcome to jump in and join us!

I'll be reading this for my #RockMyTbR Challenge in November, so I look forward to seeing what you guys think of it!

Elena are we still doing this one now? My hold just came in!

I haven't really started it yet just saw the beginning that starts with a character guide with pronunciation!!! I love this so much. High hopes going in

Chapter 6 - 11.2% (view spoiler)[ So I love the setting, and the author has done a good job of making me dislike Guma. Poor Xinfeng, I want to know more about her though. I know that she is beautiful and according to the cards will have this special fate. But I want more and I hope with her leaving town she will have a chance to learn who she is apart from her beauty.
Looking forward to seeing the imperial city! (hide spoiler)]

Xifeng is not a likeable MC! But I think that is kind of the point? Enjoying being in the setting and the idea behind the story but not loving the character
Halfway through Chapter 18 (view spoiler)[ I want to strangle Xifeng with her treatment of every other female and how the I am pretty and the cards say I'm special so give me everything I want as this is my destiny attitude. Her stringing Wei along for years has been cruel. I do get the not wanting to go from belonging to one to another and having a chance to be herself but still not cool.
I do love the setting and the writing is beautiful. I hope the story moves along more now that we are in the palace.
Oh and I loved the Tengu garden! What a serene place! (hide spoiler)]

I'm sorry for being a little bit late to start. I've been too busy at work.

No worries!
Its taking me longer than it should to get through. Not loving it but its okay.

Chapter 26 (view spoiler)[ Okay I really don't like Xifeng. She is a self absorbed, conceited, terrible person. I get the obsession with beauty to a degree but there is so much talk about how a single mark ruins her completely and it gets to be too much.
Kang seems to be an interesting character, I want to know more of his story and where he came from. I think he would be a better MC at this point.
Wei and his "love" for Xifeng even after she left him is something. See what happens when they see each other again.
I dont know, so much potential but I am rather bored. (hide spoiler)]

I finished it.... And I really dont know how to rate it

I've also finished reading and have mixed feelings.
I do understand why you felt bored. The story is a slow-burn. But for me it felt just right as it supposed to be slow as other stories of that type.
I agree with you on the setting and writing style - really amazing!
As for the main female character - Xifeng - I agree on some points but (view spoiler)[she is not that unreasonable actually. If we consider how she was raised, Guma always reminded her of her fate, she's been learning for the whole life to be an empress and raised for only that one particular purpose so that's why she always thinks about her destiny. I think she just doesn't know how to live another life.
Also about the obsession with the beauty. It comes from the asian culture. At that time period beauty for a girl was everything. Even for ordinary girls. But especially if you are meant to be an empress or even a concubine.
As for the dark things she's doing I want to learn more. For now I don't totally get the idea behind. Whether it's because of being selfish or because of the serpent god or both?
Overall she is a pretty interesting character and has a great potential to develop into many different characters either bad or good, but more likely - complicated.
I also think there is more things to happen with the previous empress's daughter. (hide spoiler)] And I want to learn how author developed the story. So I'm definitely in for the next book.

Elena I did enjoy parts of the story a lot and while sometimes I love a slow burn book I needed this one to move forward a little faster even with the beautiful writing style. (view spoiler)[ Xifeng is definitely a complicated character and I too want to more more about her dark aspects.
I do realize that the beauty obsession is a culture thing but I will never be a fan of the girl hate that comes along with it.
I also agree she was raised to be unreasonable but she was never a character I was going to love and that is okay as she is to be the "evil queen" and all that.

The daughter is essentially going to be snow white from the synopsis of book 2. I have a copy of it now so I will be reading it too :) (hide spoiler)]

Wow! I like the role for the daughter and now I want to buy the book as soon as possible :D

I'm just worried that (view spoiler)[ we wont get the interesting dark parts in book 2. (hide spoiler)]
Let me know when you plan on reading book 2. We could add to this thread if you would like.

I'd love to! I probably get the book after I finish one of my current books. So maybe Wed-Thu.

Oh wow that soon! Not sure I can start it quite yet but put your thoughts here and I'll try and get to it before the end of the month.

I was busy this week so didn't get to start the new book (as I haven't finished the current ones yet). So maybe next week :D

Totally fair! I am at least that long away from picking it up too. All my holds are coming in at once again from the library.

Actually I somehow managed to finish one book yesterday but started several mangas. So maybe I finish Mistborn 2 and after that start the Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix.

I've started reading the second book and it should be more interesting!

I'm sorry I couldn't wait! So I've read about 70% of a book and it's so very different to the first one.
I love both books though. The first one is more about the palace and all the intrigues and disgusting price a person sometimes has to pay to follow the destiny.
And the second book is full of classic Chinese wisdom, adventure and fairytales.

No problem I totally get it! Add some spoiler thoughts in if you have them and Ill enjoy them when I get there!

I finished the book and loved it! It was nothing special and very special at the same time. I loved the adventurous part of it and the writing style.
(view spoiler)[All the quest Jade gone through was so predictable and also the end was pretty much predictable. Even when she was dead I knew she's going to survive. May sound strange as I usually hate when the story is so obvious6 but in this particular book I appreciate it being so predictable and smooth. (hide spoiler)]

So glad to hear you loved it!