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holleysings's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sofiesbooked's review
3.0
I really wanted to enjoy this book - it has such an interesting premise. The selling point of reading this was "Squid Games meets Peter Pan" aspects of the plot, however, they fell completely flat for me. The vivid setting and descriptions of the backdrop of Thailand and the deeper dive into the folklore was the main thing I enjoyed about this book.
3 ⭐️
The supporting characters, plot and dialogue were the main parts I had a problem with. Even as a YA novel, the dialogue was extremely childish. The first 30% was extremely slow and I really had to skim to get through it. Once the bulk of the plot started rolling, there were several twists I did not necessarily see coming which was a nice change from the extremely predictable beginning.
Overcoming and adapting to topics like grief and mental illness
OCD Representation
Easy, quick YA read
Adventure & Romance
Thai folklore
Hint of Magic
The Lotus Flower Champion publishes October 31, 2023! Great for a younger YA or pre-teen audience.
Thank you to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for this digital galley in return for my honest review.
3 ⭐️
The supporting characters, plot and dialogue were the main parts I had a problem with. Even as a YA novel, the dialogue was extremely childish. The first 30% was extremely slow and I really had to skim to get through it. Once the bulk of the plot started rolling, there were several twists I did not necessarily see coming which was a nice change from the extremely predictable beginning.
Overcoming and adapting to topics like grief and mental illness
OCD Representation
Easy, quick YA read
Adventure & Romance
Thai folklore
Hint of Magic
The Lotus Flower Champion publishes October 31, 2023! Great for a younger YA or pre-teen audience.
Thank you to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for this digital galley in return for my honest review.
jlreadstoperpetuity's review
3.0
Marketed as Squid Games x Mythology I expected a lot of action and magic... it did deliver on a lot of aspects.
Plot-wise it is not a usual YA fantasy book, tons of wonderful concept mix and matching some unusual tropes. Word building though is something a little bit different as it absrobs all of these intricacies written through middle grade to YA language [which was actually more fun than it sounds]
It's a good starting book for those wanting to dip their toes to YA fantasy.
Plot-wise it is not a usual YA fantasy book, tons of wonderful concept mix and matching some unusual tropes. Word building though is something a little bit different as it absrobs all of these intricacies written through middle grade to YA language [which was actually more fun than it sounds]
It's a good starting book for those wanting to dip their toes to YA fantasy.
atrailofpages's review
3.0
Alaia and her parents go to Thailand as one of her mother’s last wishes before her cancer takes her away. They go on a yacht tour when suddenly the yacht starts sinking and they abandon ship. While on a lifeboat, they drink water that puts them to sleep and they wake up stranded on an island with the other survivors trying to figure out how to get off this island.
I’m not quite sure what to say about this book
I’m not quite sure what to say about this book
dioisdabest's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
aislinnmcewen's review
4.0
Alaia is the unlikeliest of superheroes and I think that's what made me love her so much. She thought she was on a last trip with her dying mother to learn how to manage her OCD on her own, and to get a chance to say goodbye. She ends up living her worst nightmare, stranded on a (dirty) deserted island with a bunch of strangers. What's worse, her mother only has a few days' worth of medicine left to keep her comfortable. Alaia has to grow up fast with this extreme version of exposure therapy, where Thai folktales hold the answers, and no one is who they seem to be on the surface.
The OCD feels real, and not over-the-top. The anguish of losing a parent is deep and sad. I liked that it focused on a good mother-daughter relationship, one with real struggles and real love. Many YA novels focus on the love-interest, so I found this refreshing. There was a wide array of characters that felt natural, and the Thai mythology angle is a nice twist on the fantasy genre that usually focuses on Western characters.
A good read for fantasy fans and realistic fiction fans. Not a lot of romance and just the right amount of action to keep the story moving.
The OCD feels real, and not over-the-top. The anguish of losing a parent is deep and sad. I liked that it focused on a good mother-daughter relationship, one with real struggles and real love. Many YA novels focus on the love-interest, so I found this refreshing. There was a wide array of characters that felt natural, and the Thai mythology angle is a nice twist on the fantasy genre that usually focuses on Western characters.
A good read for fantasy fans and realistic fiction fans. Not a lot of romance and just the right amount of action to keep the story moving.
staceybigner's review
3.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book though I wouldn't classify it as YA. It seems more middle-grade to preteen. That being said, it was a fun and sweet read.
mirandabrooke21's review
adventurous
slow-paced
3.0
It’s a good book. I think it’s classified incorrectly as a YA though. I think I would have enjoyed it more had it been labeled as middle grade and gone in from that perspective. As a YA it I feel like it should have gone a bit deeper into the harder emotional issues the characters deal with.
aliciasreadingjournal's review
i just really disliked the writing style and the fatphobic comments throughout the story, even if they were said by unlikable side characters
timitra's review
3.0
Rated 3.5 Stars
The Lotus Flower Champion was an enjoyable read but it didn't work for me all the way. The challenges grated on my nerves after a while. I got the point of them and even though I loved seeing the growth, strength and resilience come forth in the heroine I still found them annoying. I wasn't all the way sold on the romance either. It felt lacking in some ways while also being cute and sweet. What I did like was the infusion of Thai folklore into the story and the edge of the seat moments of which there were a few. While this didn't fully work for me I am interested in reading other books by these authors.
Copy provided by publisher through NetGalley
The Lotus Flower Champion was an enjoyable read but it didn't work for me all the way. The challenges grated on my nerves after a while. I got the point of them and even though I loved seeing the growth, strength and resilience come forth in the heroine I still found them annoying. I wasn't all the way sold on the romance either. It felt lacking in some ways while also being cute and sweet. What I did like was the infusion of Thai folklore into the story and the edge of the seat moments of which there were a few. While this didn't fully work for me I am interested in reading other books by these authors.
Copy provided by publisher through NetGalley