TW: sex work and magically coerced sexual themes
Thorn of the Night Blossoms is a novella set in the Legends of Tivara world by J.C. Kang. It is the first of the Scions of the Black Lotus series. For a suggested reading order, please see graphic below review.
This story wastes no time getting started (which is good considering its shorter length). While we lose a bit of the expository world building, the scenery feels lush and immersive, the background an East-Asian-inspired fantasy creation that’s best described as Memoirs of a Geisha meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It took me a couple chapters to acquaint myself with the terminology, but past that point, I was all in. The action is immediate, slowing only slightly to allow for character development and romance. Jei is relatable, but epic in her own right. If I found one fault with the writing, it was that I wished to have more time with each of the characters. Even the secondary and tertiary characters left me wanting more.
I’d have loved for this to be a full-length novel, however, the novella feels complete. There’s no cliff-hanger ending, but I’m left with just enough questions to have me looking forward to the next installment. In all, I’d recommend this for anyone looking for a quick fantasy read with lgbtq+ themes, an East-Asian flair, and lots of action.
Thank you Book of Matches Media and J.C. Kang for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
