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Bitter Medicine
In this xianxia-inspired contemporary fantasy, a Chinese immortal and a French elf navigate romance, family loyalty, and workplace demands. In her debut novel, Mia Tsai has created a paranormal adventure that is full of humor, passion, and depth.
As a descendant of the Chinese god of medicine, ignored middle child Elle was destined to be a doctor. Instead, she is underemployed as a mediocre magical calligrapher at the fairy temp agency, paranoid that her murderous younger brother will find her and their elder brother.
Using her full abilities will expose Elle’s location. Nevertheless, she challenges herself by covertly outfitting Luc, her client and crush, with high-powered glyphs.
Half-elf Luc, the agency’s top security expert, has his own secret: he’s responsible for a curse laid on two children from an old assignment. To heal them, he’ll need to perform his job duties with unrelenting excellence and earn time off from his tyrannical boss.
When Elle saves Luc’s life on a mission, he brings her a gift and a request for stronger magic to ensure success on the next job—except the next job is hunting down Elle’s younger brother.
As Luc and Elle collaborate, their chemistry blooms. Happiness, for once, is an option for them both. But Elle is loyal to her family, and Luc is bound by his true name. To win freedom from duty, they must make unexpected sacrifices.
As a descendant of the Chinese god of medicine, ignored middle child Elle was destined to be a doctor. Instead, she is underemployed as a mediocre magical calligrapher at the fairy temp agency, paranoid that her murderous younger brother will find her and their elder brother.
Using her full abilities will expose Elle’s location. Nevertheless, she challenges herself by covertly outfitting Luc, her client and crush, with high-powered glyphs.
Half-elf Luc, the agency’s top security expert, has his own secret: he’s responsible for a curse laid on two children from an old assignment. To heal them, he’ll need to perform his job duties with unrelenting excellence and earn time off from his tyrannical boss.
When Elle saves Luc’s life on a mission, he brings her a gift and a request for stronger magic to ensure success on the next job—except the next job is hunting down Elle’s younger brother.
As Luc and Elle collaborate, their chemistry blooms. Happiness, for once, is an option for them both. But Elle is loyal to her family, and Luc is bound by his true name. To win freedom from duty, they must make unexpected sacrifices.
325 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2023
About the author
Mia Tsai
2 books131 followersMia Tsai is a Taiwanese American author of speculative fiction. Her debut novel, a xianxia-inspired contemporary fantasy titled BITTER MEDICINE, was published by Tachyon Publications on March 14, 2023. Her next book, THE MEMORY HUNTERS, is forthcoming from Erewhon Books in summer 2025.
She lives in Atlanta with her family, and, when not writing, is a hype woman for her orchids and devoted cat gopher. Her favorite things include music of all kinds (really, truly) and taking long trips with nothing but the open road and a saucy rhythm section.
Sign up for her mailing list/newsletter, Liner Notes, here: https://buttondown.com/miatsai#subscr...
Writing excerpts, music recommendations, and thoughts on craft are included, so subscribe! It's free writing.
The archive can be read for free here: https://buttondown.com/miatsai/archive/
She lives in Atlanta with her family, and, when not writing, is a hype woman for her orchids and devoted cat gopher. Her favorite things include music of all kinds (really, truly) and taking long trips with nothing but the open road and a saucy rhythm section.
Sign up for her mailing list/newsletter, Liner Notes, here: https://buttondown.com/miatsai#subscr...
Writing excerpts, music recommendations, and thoughts on craft are included, so subscribe! It's free writing.
The archive can be read for free here: https://buttondown.com/miatsai/archive/
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 554 reviews
November 9, 2022
Delightful! Tsai has penned a charming fantasy romance adventure that really punches above its weight in worldbuilding, action, and character development. Lots of culture, multiple languages, anti-heroes to love and villains to hate, humor and heart throughout. Recommend!
February 20, 2023
I really wanted to love this, the premise is so unique but the execution fell short for me. Do note I am in the minority for this one, it just wasn't for me!
~ Quick Summary ~
Middle child Elle has 2 older brothers, 1 she is trying to protect and keep hidden from her younger brother who wants to murder him. Elle works in a shop selling magical items and her number 1 customer and crush is Luc.
Luc is a security agent who frequents Elle’s services. One day his next mission is to hunt down Elle’s younger brother.
~ Pick this up if you enjoy/don’t mind the following ~
✨ Magic and fantasy
❤️ Romance and a bit of spice
🏃♀️ Some action
🐢 Mixed pace (for example sudden spice or action)
~ What I didn’t enjoy ~
In summary, there wasn’t enough world building, tension and the book gave me whiplash from the sudden changes to an action packed or a spicy scene.
- I never felt immersed in the world, I didn’t understand it or the magic and there was little explanation. For example what do the ranks mean, why is Elle called an agent and spy, what are these glyphs and potions. We just dived straight in.
- There’s some mystery in why Elle is laying low but I didn't feel the danger or the tension. I’m simply told.
- Luc and Elle’s relationship went from 0 to 100.They didn’t have many sweet or intense moments. It was all very G/PG and then BAM it goes into a full on detailed sex scene. I do like spice, but this sudden change gave me whiplash.
- I never felt anxious for Luc, for his predicament in his feelings for Elle vs his job or during the confrontation. It was all very straightforward and handled easily.
- The middle felt like the climax and ending of the novel. Afterwards it dragged on
Thanks Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
~ Quick Summary ~
Middle child Elle has 2 older brothers, 1 she is trying to protect and keep hidden from her younger brother who wants to murder him. Elle works in a shop selling magical items and her number 1 customer and crush is Luc.
Luc is a security agent who frequents Elle’s services. One day his next mission is to hunt down Elle’s younger brother.
~ Pick this up if you enjoy/don’t mind the following ~
✨ Magic and fantasy
❤️ Romance and a bit of spice
🏃♀️ Some action
🐢 Mixed pace (for example sudden spice or action)
~ What I didn’t enjoy ~
In summary, there wasn’t enough world building, tension and the book gave me whiplash from the sudden changes to an action packed or a spicy scene.
- I never felt immersed in the world, I didn’t understand it or the magic and there was little explanation. For example what do the ranks mean, why is Elle called an agent and spy, what are these glyphs and potions. We just dived straight in.
- There’s some mystery in why Elle is laying low but I didn't feel the danger or the tension. I’m simply told.
- Luc and Elle’s relationship went from 0 to 100.They didn’t have many sweet or intense moments. It was all very G/PG and then BAM it goes into a full on detailed sex scene. I do like spice, but this sudden change gave me whiplash.
- I never felt anxious for Luc, for his predicament in his feelings for Elle vs his job or during the confrontation. It was all very straightforward and handled easily.
- The middle felt like the climax and ending of the novel. Afterwards it dragged on
Thanks Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
March 25, 2023
Happy release day to my favorite debut of 2023!
Thank you to Tachyon Publications and Netgalley for a copy to review - this book covered most elements I look for in a story.
Bitter Medicine is already a top book of 2023 for me, it is really that good. Checked all my boxes. Somehow Mia Tsai looked inside my mind, looked at the tropes and character archetypes I’d love, and made me a damn near perfect book.
First, the worldbuilding. Somehow the author perfectly merged a modern world with multicultural magic systems - we’re talking Xianxia-style Chinese magic systems and combat alongside European-style fae lore, and smidges of other mythologies. It was like the urban fantasy of my dreams, down to the pertinent social commentary about San Francisco cost of living.
And then there are the characters: protagonist Elle is an absolute delight throughout her arc, a perky, high-level magic worker from Hubei province whose main medium is calligraphy, wherein different qualities of ink give her more power, and it was so cool. Taking brush to paper is both magic craft and love language for Elle. The opening passage of her lovingly crafting a glyph, which I think is equivalent to a talisman, was incredibly vivid in my mind’s eye. She's very fun and relatable, too - there is a very entertaining scene involving her and a morphine drip. Half-elf Luc is The Whole Package, tall, angsty and stoic, with a killer accent and even better combat moves. He is very damaged after years of traumatic work with the elite forces of the supernatural agency that runs the magic half of their world, and being abused by the man who was supposed to be guardian and mentor. This brings in how great the side characters are; Oberon’s bigotry and sheer awfulness drives home what a cinnamon roll Luc is. Tony, Elle’s brother, was one of the most enjoyable characters I’ve read in a while, a queer icon with snark and wit to spare.
And the [chef’s kiss] ROMANCE. I loved that the main pairing was introduced as an already-established will they or won’t they friendship, and that both characters had not-quite immortality, but supernaturally-lengthened lifespans and were both over a century old. There was no “mortal high school girl meets ancient being” vibes and the power dynamics in their relationship were fantastic. Elle gets Luc to open up, Luc gets Elle to acknowledge she is not only her powers and what she can do for others. Their steamy love scenes - oh my gosh, you guys. Incredibly sensual and emotional passages, and in one a very sexy use of meridian energy channel reading as foreplay. Another thing - I found the dramatic misunderstandings that other books or shows apply liberally were neatly avoided by these characters talking it out in this story. Cannot stress how much I appreciate the realism of characters that care enough to hear each other out and not believe the worst immediately.
I found the trifecta in this story: lovable characters, a really cool world, and great writing, from dialogue choices to outfit descriptions. And there was a fourth secret ingredient - language. Tsai has a lengthy afterword describing why she chose to leave dialogue lines in authentic Chinese characters, phrases in French, and more. As a linguistics nerd, I loved this so much.
Yes, there are a couple weaknesses; the main conflict is not really at all what is described in the summary, and some characters are kind of just…Tidied away? For plot wrap-up convenience. The book has a not-quite finished feeling, and while I can see why it wouldn’t be a series, the end didn’t feel like an end.
That said, I binged this like the best fanfic, ravenously, thanks to brisk pacing, oodles of romantic lines and yearning from characters who were all seeking atonement of different kinds. This gets five exuberant stars from me and I will be immediately snapping up a physical copy when it comes out in March 2023.
Thank you to Tachyon Publications and Netgalley for a copy to review - this book covered most elements I look for in a story.
Bitter Medicine is already a top book of 2023 for me, it is really that good. Checked all my boxes. Somehow Mia Tsai looked inside my mind, looked at the tropes and character archetypes I’d love, and made me a damn near perfect book.
First, the worldbuilding. Somehow the author perfectly merged a modern world with multicultural magic systems - we’re talking Xianxia-style Chinese magic systems and combat alongside European-style fae lore, and smidges of other mythologies. It was like the urban fantasy of my dreams, down to the pertinent social commentary about San Francisco cost of living.
And then there are the characters: protagonist Elle is an absolute delight throughout her arc, a perky, high-level magic worker from Hubei province whose main medium is calligraphy, wherein different qualities of ink give her more power, and it was so cool. Taking brush to paper is both magic craft and love language for Elle. The opening passage of her lovingly crafting a glyph, which I think is equivalent to a talisman, was incredibly vivid in my mind’s eye. She's very fun and relatable, too - there is a very entertaining scene involving her and a morphine drip. Half-elf Luc is The Whole Package, tall, angsty and stoic, with a killer accent and even better combat moves. He is very damaged after years of traumatic work with the elite forces of the supernatural agency that runs the magic half of their world, and being abused by the man who was supposed to be guardian and mentor. This brings in how great the side characters are; Oberon’s bigotry and sheer awfulness drives home what a cinnamon roll Luc is. Tony, Elle’s brother, was one of the most enjoyable characters I’ve read in a while, a queer icon with snark and wit to spare.
And the [chef’s kiss] ROMANCE. I loved that the main pairing was introduced as an already-established will they or won’t they friendship, and that both characters had not-quite immortality, but supernaturally-lengthened lifespans and were both over a century old. There was no “mortal high school girl meets ancient being” vibes and the power dynamics in their relationship were fantastic. Elle gets Luc to open up, Luc gets Elle to acknowledge she is not only her powers and what she can do for others. Their steamy love scenes - oh my gosh, you guys. Incredibly sensual and emotional passages, and in one a very sexy use of meridian energy channel reading as foreplay. Another thing - I found the dramatic misunderstandings that other books or shows apply liberally were neatly avoided by these characters talking it out in this story. Cannot stress how much I appreciate the realism of characters that care enough to hear each other out and not believe the worst immediately.
I found the trifecta in this story: lovable characters, a really cool world, and great writing, from dialogue choices to outfit descriptions. And there was a fourth secret ingredient - language. Tsai has a lengthy afterword describing why she chose to leave dialogue lines in authentic Chinese characters, phrases in French, and more. As a linguistics nerd, I loved this so much.
Yes, there are a couple weaknesses; the main conflict is not really at all what is described in the summary, and some characters are kind of just…Tidied away? For plot wrap-up convenience. The book has a not-quite finished feeling, and while I can see why it wouldn’t be a series, the end didn’t feel like an end.
That said, I binged this like the best fanfic, ravenously, thanks to brisk pacing, oodles of romantic lines and yearning from characters who were all seeking atonement of different kinds. This gets five exuberant stars from me and I will be immediately snapping up a physical copy when it comes out in March 2023.
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 14, 2023DNF at 68 pages
This is one I really wanted to love and it has elements that are cool. Fae and other mythological beings living secretly in our world, a forbidden romance, and lots of queer side characters. Unfortunately I really struggled with the writing style. It feels overwritten- spending a lot of time on elaborate descriptions of everything or unnecessary backstory that interrupts the flow of the narrative. This has lots of potential, but I think it would work better if it was streamlined a bit and had a more consistent narrative flow. As it is I spent a couple of weeks getting to where I stopped, reading in stops and starts. It would get interesting and then wander off in another direction or stop and over-describe things. To be fair, this is a debut novel so I might be interested in trying something else from Tsai in the future. I'm bummed this one didn't work out for me but others may do better with it. I received a copy for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
This is one I really wanted to love and it has elements that are cool. Fae and other mythological beings living secretly in our world, a forbidden romance, and lots of queer side characters. Unfortunately I really struggled with the writing style. It feels overwritten- spending a lot of time on elaborate descriptions of everything or unnecessary backstory that interrupts the flow of the narrative. This has lots of potential, but I think it would work better if it was streamlined a bit and had a more consistent narrative flow. As it is I spent a couple of weeks getting to where I stopped, reading in stops and starts. It would get interesting and then wander off in another direction or stop and over-describe things. To be fair, this is a debut novel so I might be interested in trying something else from Tsai in the future. I'm bummed this one didn't work out for me but others may do better with it. I received a copy for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Read
April 27, 2023Really enjoyed the world building and complicated relationships between magical communities! It has a strong romance ties, and some delightfully sexy scenes.
September 9, 2022
Incredible. This book surprised me in so many more ways than i anticipated but the one thing I was not surprised about was that I loved it. Mia is a really brilliant storyteller and I'm so honored I got to read an early copy.
I loved the way that cultures clashed and melded together in this it's so REAL. I need more of this ASAP
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I loved the way that cultures clashed and melded together in this it's so REAL. I need more of this ASAP
Bookish Brews | Ko-Fi | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook
Read
November 10, 2023How lucky am I that fantasy romance is one of my favourite genres and Bitter Medicine exists? A wonderful book to fall right into that blends the best parts of contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and, of course, romance. Loved, loved, loved this.
November 6, 2022
Thank you so much to Tachyon Publications for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Holy hell, this book was SO FREAKING GOOD?! I remember first hearing about Bitter Medicine from Mia Tsai's socials and being super intrigued by the premise of the novel. I'm so glad I picked up this book because within the first few pages, I was immediately captivated by the world and magic system. In particular, the world that Mia Tsai has created in Bitter Medicine, filled with lush mythology and magic from a variety of cultures—not just Chinese—is so alluring. I'm only familiar with a some aspects of Chinese lore from reading other xianxia-inspired fantasies, but the level of intricacy Mia Tsai included with her magic system in this novel was soooo well done. The action sequences in this book are top-notch and truly feel like something straight out of a movie.
I also adored these characters so much!! Elle is such a relatable main character, and gives such "eldest daughter in an Asian household" energy. I empathized with her so much as she navigated protecting Tony from her family while trying to atone for her past actions, grieve over the loss of her family, find a deeper connection with her magic and art, and navigate her relationship with her crush, Luc, our other main character. I really enjoyed reading Luc's arc, too, and watching him struggle with his growing relationship with Elle while being forced to make incredibly hard and morally unjust decisions at work, most of the time against his will. The additional side characters, including Tony, Lira, and the Wrecking Crew provided such charming comedic relief that perfectly balanced the more serious parts of the plot. Watching these characters grow closer throughout the novel was definitely my top highlight of the story.
This is definitely one of the best contemporary fantasies I've ever read, and I would honestly love to read more stories from this world, because it's genuinely so cool! I really look forward to Mia Tsai's future works, but in the meantime, go pre-order Bitter Medicine!!!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
Holy hell, this book was SO FREAKING GOOD?! I remember first hearing about Bitter Medicine from Mia Tsai's socials and being super intrigued by the premise of the novel. I'm so glad I picked up this book because within the first few pages, I was immediately captivated by the world and magic system. In particular, the world that Mia Tsai has created in Bitter Medicine, filled with lush mythology and magic from a variety of cultures—not just Chinese—is so alluring. I'm only familiar with a some aspects of Chinese lore from reading other xianxia-inspired fantasies, but the level of intricacy Mia Tsai included with her magic system in this novel was soooo well done. The action sequences in this book are top-notch and truly feel like something straight out of a movie.
I also adored these characters so much!! Elle is such a relatable main character, and gives such "eldest daughter in an Asian household" energy. I empathized with her so much as she navigated protecting Tony from her family while trying to atone for her past actions, grieve over the loss of her family, find a deeper connection with her magic and art, and navigate her relationship with her crush, Luc, our other main character. I really enjoyed reading Luc's arc, too, and watching him struggle with his growing relationship with Elle while being forced to make incredibly hard and morally unjust decisions at work, most of the time against his will. The additional side characters, including Tony, Lira, and the Wrecking Crew provided such charming comedic relief that perfectly balanced the more serious parts of the plot. Watching these characters grow closer throughout the novel was definitely my top highlight of the story.
This is definitely one of the best contemporary fantasies I've ever read, and I would honestly love to read more stories from this world, because it's genuinely so cool! I really look forward to Mia Tsai's future works, but in the meantime, go pre-order Bitter Medicine!!!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
May 24, 2023
I have such a mix of feelings about this book. On the positive side, this is a well-written, compelling romance with a memorable hero. On the rare-ish occasions I read fantasy/SF romance, I often find the romantic plotlines underdeveloped compared to the rest, with the strictures of the "fantasy" world doing the heavy-lifting while internal conflict gets left behind. That wasn't the case here. I thought Tsai did a great job of making sure the external conflicts triggered some much-deeper internal insecurities and stumbling-blocks for her hero and heroine.
And, OH, what a hero. Luc is a delightful Alsatian French half-elf who exudes charm without being cocky, has deeply relatable insecurities and work-life balance problems (even when the "work" part is, like, killing harpys rather than attending committee meetings), and who does some really memorable caretaking of the heroine. Elle felt a bit underdeveloped in comparison: there were times where this book delved a bit into the "placeholder heroine/desirable hero" dynamic, but she also has a really cool job and some complicated family dynamics going on, which kept her from feeling too much like a blank slate.
Unfortunately, what didn't as well for me was the pacing and the world-building. The pacing felt all off to me: the book was 50% nothing-much-happening, 20% plot, 20% romance development, and 10% dénouement, in exactly that order, without enough balancing (especially between "plot" and "nothing-much-happening").
I also struggled MIGHTILY with the world-building, though I am aware that could be down to me being an irregular fantasy reader. But the main thrust of the plot has to do with Luc working for a terrible employer, Oberon (who is also obviously ) in ways that bring him into conflict with Elle's family. And... I just never actually understood the work he did? He's a "fixer," so he goes on missions and sometimes kills people and other magical beings. But how that fit into the logic of the universe was totally unclear to me. Who was he fighting? What values was this company fighting for? Was he doing morally grey work? Was it neutral work, just done for an evil, controlling employer? If you're going to make "duty vs. love" your main hero conflict, I tend to think that the contours of the "duty" have to make more sense within the logic of the world. As do the reasons that you're doing said work - aside from the magical "compulsion" that kept Luc working for Oberon, we never really learned how he got into the work, or why he continued to give it so much of his time and energy. There was clearly a metric ton of backstory that we just didn't get. I'm ok with not having my hand held when it comes to world-building, and I certainly don't want infodumps. But this was so vague it felt to me like a book in a series that was missing both a prequel and a sequel, when as far as I can tell, this is a stand-alone.
Some of my world-building struggles may have been exacerbated by listening in audio (which was very well-narrated, I just have a poor auditory attention span), so part of me is hesitant to give this a star rating, but I think it falls somewhere around 3/3.5
And, OH, what a hero. Luc is a delightful Alsatian French half-elf who exudes charm without being cocky, has deeply relatable insecurities and work-life balance problems (even when the "work" part is, like, killing harpys rather than attending committee meetings), and who does some really memorable caretaking of the heroine. Elle felt a bit underdeveloped in comparison: there were times where this book delved a bit into the "placeholder heroine/desirable hero" dynamic, but she also has a really cool job and some complicated family dynamics going on, which kept her from feeling too much like a blank slate.
Unfortunately, what didn't as well for me was the pacing and the world-building. The pacing felt all off to me: the book was 50% nothing-much-happening, 20% plot, 20% romance development, and 10% dénouement, in exactly that order, without enough balancing (especially between "plot" and "nothing-much-happening").
I also struggled MIGHTILY with the world-building, though I am aware that could be down to me being an irregular fantasy reader. But the main thrust of the plot has to do with Luc working for a terrible employer, Oberon (who is also obviously ) in ways that bring him into conflict with Elle's family. And... I just never actually understood the work he did? He's a "fixer," so he goes on missions and sometimes kills people and other magical beings. But how that fit into the logic of the universe was totally unclear to me. Who was he fighting? What values was this company fighting for? Was he doing morally grey work? Was it neutral work, just done for an evil, controlling employer? If you're going to make "duty vs. love" your main hero conflict, I tend to think that the contours of the "duty" have to make more sense within the logic of the world. As do the reasons that you're doing said work - aside from the magical "compulsion" that kept Luc working for Oberon, we never really learned how he got into the work, or why he continued to give it so much of his time and energy. There was clearly a metric ton of backstory that we just didn't get. I'm ok with not having my hand held when it comes to world-building, and I certainly don't want infodumps. But this was so vague it felt to me like a book in a series that was missing both a prequel and a sequel, when as far as I can tell, this is a stand-alone.
Some of my world-building struggles may have been exacerbated by listening in audio (which was very well-narrated, I just have a poor auditory attention span), so part of me is hesitant to give this a star rating, but I think it falls somewhere around 3/3.5
February 28, 2023
4.5 stars
Wow what a book.
The good:
- We are dropped into the world and left to figure out its rules on our own. This is my favorite kind of worldbuilding - no info dumps, just artfully placed hints as to how things function.
- In the same vein, Tsai trusts the reader to put things together. If you miss the first hint or three it's okay, it all gets explained eventually, but having that 'click!' feeling when a detail falls into place? Golden.
- This is fantasy romance, and fairly evenly split between the two genres. If you're a romance reader that's looking to get into fantasy (or vice versa), this is a fine place to start - enough plot for the fantasy people, enough relationship building for the romance folks.
- Ground is covered, both literally and figuratively, in Luc and Elle's relationship. Things change over time as they go from workplace acquaintances/friends to lovers.
- Both characters are caretakers, but Elle does it at the expense of herself. Luc shows her another way, where she can do what she needs for herself while also being there for those she loves. The dynamic reminds me of Murray and Tyler in Too Hot to Touch.
- Speaking of dynamics I'm reminded of, Luc reminds me of Jean Claude from the Anita Blake series in that he takes care of Elle, but is also f'ing scary in a fight. Also, people have secrets for Actually Good Reasons, which calls to mind any Emily Sullivan book (but especially The Rebel and the Rake).
- Several non-English languages grace the pages, written in their original scripts which is so rarely seen. All of the utterances are minor, so there's no translation or gloss into English. Tsai explains her reasons for doing this in an author's note at the back and it is brilliant.
- Chinese culture, in particular, plays a big role in the story and I love the way it's woven into both the magic and Elle's world.
- Elle has some wonderful scenes with her brother, while it's also very clear that family is not an obligation (huzzah!).
Neither-here-nor-there:
- I expected violence, but the fights had more blood than I was prepared for, almost reveling in it. It stuck out to me because I haven't read a book like this in a while, but your mileage will likely vary.
I haven't mentioned the plot because I don't want to give anything away, just know that it's solid and interesting and that I couldn't put the book down - I kept reading "one more chapter" instead of making dinner or going to bed. Bitter Medicine is a debut that doesn't read like a debut, a fantasy romance I can recommend even if you usually dabble in only one of those genres. Wonderful stuff, and I can't wait to see what Tsai comes out with next.
Thanks to Tachyon Publications for providing a review copy.
Wow what a book.
The good:
- We are dropped into the world and left to figure out its rules on our own. This is my favorite kind of worldbuilding - no info dumps, just artfully placed hints as to how things function.
- In the same vein, Tsai trusts the reader to put things together. If you miss the first hint or three it's okay, it all gets explained eventually, but having that 'click!' feeling when a detail falls into place? Golden.
- This is fantasy romance, and fairly evenly split between the two genres. If you're a romance reader that's looking to get into fantasy (or vice versa), this is a fine place to start - enough plot for the fantasy people, enough relationship building for the romance folks.
- Ground is covered, both literally and figuratively, in Luc and Elle's relationship. Things change over time as they go from workplace acquaintances/friends to lovers.
- Both characters are caretakers, but Elle does it at the expense of herself. Luc shows her another way, where she can do what she needs for herself while also being there for those she loves. The dynamic reminds me of Murray and Tyler in Too Hot to Touch.
- Speaking of dynamics I'm reminded of, Luc reminds me of Jean Claude from the Anita Blake series in that he takes care of Elle, but is also f'ing scary in a fight. Also, people have secrets for Actually Good Reasons, which calls to mind any Emily Sullivan book (but especially The Rebel and the Rake).
- Several non-English languages grace the pages, written in their original scripts which is so rarely seen. All of the utterances are minor, so there's no translation or gloss into English. Tsai explains her reasons for doing this in an author's note at the back and it is brilliant.
- Chinese culture, in particular, plays a big role in the story and I love the way it's woven into both the magic and Elle's world.
- Elle has some wonderful scenes with her brother, while it's also very clear that family is not an obligation (huzzah!).
Neither-here-nor-there:
- I expected violence, but the fights had more blood than I was prepared for, almost reveling in it. It stuck out to me because I haven't read a book like this in a while, but your mileage will likely vary.
I haven't mentioned the plot because I don't want to give anything away, just know that it's solid and interesting and that I couldn't put the book down - I kept reading "one more chapter" instead of making dinner or going to bed. Bitter Medicine is a debut that doesn't read like a debut, a fantasy romance I can recommend even if you usually dabble in only one of those genres. Wonderful stuff, and I can't wait to see what Tsai comes out with next.
Thanks to Tachyon Publications for providing a review copy.
August 24, 2024
ᝰ 2.5 stars ☆
꒰ ⛲️ : asian lit ꒱
╰ fin. 04. 14. 24 ┆ edited. 08. 23. 24.ᐟ
With its gorgeous cover, premise, and multicultural environment with a diverse cast? I was so prepared to love this, as in “this book was written for me” but the delivery fell off...multiple buildings. while on fire. while spinning in a washing machine.
The world-building was shaky at best. There were so many aspects to be explored in this that were neglected. There’s so much lore without zeo explanation. There are gods, harpies, elves, redcaps and so many more paranormal elements that are named and that's it. I felt like I was going into this world blind and definitions were hastily thrown around (if ever thrown around). I lost track of the plot around the ~50% mark. So many subplots were just started and just not continued. Sometimes I would need to stop reading because I was just so confused. When I reached the end, I was honestly so relieved bc it felt like leaving a maze. The relationships between characters also felt incredibly shallow (again I am still confused about the younger brother?? but it's ok we just completely forget about him around the 40% mark)
The romance was also poorly done. They had minimal interaction but so much attraction. Every big plot twist felt anticlimatic, the confession felt anticlimatic. I was trying so hard to root for them but I just couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong they had their cute moments but most of the time I was trying to figure out how to not cringe or puzzle out how they got there or what was going on in general.
꒰🗞꒱ — a note on translations .ᐟ
The reason I am not giving 1 star is the author’s note on translations at the end that just resonated with me.
I wish she just wrote an entire book about this idea with more of these translations or “code switches” because the thought process reminded me a lot of the argumentsBabel. The attention to detail surrounding language was also so well done.
It's in the small things: making Elle and Tony converse in traditional but having the media they consume being in simplified; seeing 汉字 in a book instead of pinyin; having non-Mandarin speakers speak without tone marks, and having Mandarin speakers speak with tone marks; and the addition of French within <> and Mandarin within [].
This precision with detail, the level of care the author has for languages is so genuine and touching. Even with the disappointing execution of the novel, I have to recognize and appreciate that. You don’t see this in most books, which was one of the reasons why I desperately wanted to love this book.
There’s something so special about seeing languages without any translations within these pages as if it's a special gift to the readers who understand as opposed to a gate blocking out those who don't understand. This is the ideas from Babel executed in writing, and I desperately need to see it in another book.
꒰ ⛲️ : asian lit ꒱
╰ fin. 04. 14. 24 ┆ edited. 08. 23. 24.ᐟ
— She couldn’t choose between her little brother, who’d been her best friend, and her big brother, whom she’d idolized. She can’t choose.
With its gorgeous cover, premise, and multicultural environment with a diverse cast? I was so prepared to love this, as in “this book was written for me” but the delivery fell off...multiple buildings. while on fire. while spinning in a washing machine.
The world-building was shaky at best. There were so many aspects to be explored in this that were neglected. There’s so much lore without zeo explanation. There are gods, harpies, elves, redcaps and so many more paranormal elements that are named and that's it. I felt like I was going into this world blind and definitions were hastily thrown around (if ever thrown around). I lost track of the plot around the ~50% mark. So many subplots were just started and just not continued. Sometimes I would need to stop reading because I was just so confused. When I reached the end, I was honestly so relieved bc it felt like leaving a maze. The relationships between characters also felt incredibly shallow (again I am still confused about the younger brother?? but it's ok we just completely forget about him around the 40% mark)
The romance was also poorly done. They had minimal interaction but so much attraction. Every big plot twist felt anticlimatic, the confession felt anticlimatic. I was trying so hard to root for them but I just couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong they had their cute moments but most of the time I was trying to figure out how to not cringe or puzzle out how they got there or what was going on in general.
˚ ◦ ○ ˚ 💌 Luc goes still. “In France, the custom is to kiss both cheeks.” Elle bites her lip to cover her grin and gives him another kiss. “I’d hate to be culturally insensitive.”
꒰🗞꒱ — a note on translations .ᐟ
The reason I am not giving 1 star is the author’s note on translations at the end that just resonated with me.
˚ ◦ ○ ˚🗝 The only acceptable language to speak is English because the dominant culture has an imperialist desire to know everything. If it cannot be known, it must then be conquered and colonized.
I wish she just wrote an entire book about this idea with more of these translations or “code switches” because the thought process reminded me a lot of the argumentsBabel. The attention to detail surrounding language was also so well done.
It's in the small things: making Elle and Tony converse in traditional but having the media they consume being in simplified; seeing 汉字 in a book instead of pinyin; having non-Mandarin speakers speak without tone marks, and having Mandarin speakers speak with tone marks; and the addition of French within <> and Mandarin within [].
This precision with detail, the level of care the author has for languages is so genuine and touching. Even with the disappointing execution of the novel, I have to recognize and appreciate that. You don’t see this in most books, which was one of the reasons why I desperately wanted to love this book.
˚ ◦ ○ ˚🪞 Because sometimes, code-switching is not a door shut. It’s a door opened and a gift given.
There’s something so special about seeing languages without any translations within these pages as if it's a special gift to the readers who understand as opposed to a gate blocking out those who don't understand. This is the ideas from Babel executed in writing, and I desperately need to see it in another book.
March 24, 2023
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/03/24/...
Fantasy romance isn’t my usual genre, but I will confess to indulging in it whenever the mood strikes! Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai came right at the perfect time when I was looking for something lighter—an urban fantasy inspired by xianxia, a genre of Chinese fantasy literature that often features magic, mythology, and immortals.
In this book, love is also a dominant theme. The story follows Elle, a powerful glyph maker descended from a Chinese medicine god. However, she lives a rather lowkey life in Raleigh, North Carolina, working at an unassuming charms shop which caters to the local population of supernatural denizens. The reason she’s keeping a low profile is because she is in hiding with her older brother, Tony, whom she had vowed to keep safe from those hunting him. Unfortunately, when one of those hunters is also your murderous younger brother, that means having to keep your location secret from the rest of your family too.
So, Elle spends her days creating magical calligraphy for her clients, many of whom work for the faerie agency that owns the shop. Their top security expert, a French half-elf named Luc, has become one of her regulars, coming in frequently for healing magic and protective glyphs. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome and charming, and before long, Elle has developed quite a crush. But Luc has his own secrets, and as much as he is drawn to Elle, he’s reluctant to let himself get too close. He’s done some things he’s not proud of in his line of work and is still trying to atone for them, even if it means being completely beholden to his tyrannical boss. Luc has no say over which missions he is sent on, and whatever tenuous relationship he has with Elle might be done for when he finds out that his next job will involve tracking down her younger brother.
At its heart, Bitter Medicine is a tale about two immortals who fall in love and find their way to each other despite the numerous obstacles in their path. What both surprised and impressed me was how all these elements were balanced so well, focusing mainly on the romance between Elle and Luc without sacrificing the quality of the story and other aspects like world-building. The characters were also wonderfully developed. Both Elle and Luc have sacrificed so much for the people they care about, and while their backstories make it easy to understand why they do what they do, all the secrets between them also mean they are both reluctant to dive into a relationship. As a result, we get a slow-burn but sweet romance that is also a story about finding your true self as well as the courage and trust it takes to open up to someone else and share that knowledge with them.
Granted, when things heat up, the love scenes can burn pretty hot. Like, scorching hot! But also, in the tradition of most contemporary fantasy romances, the story can be unbearably cheesy at times, with corny rom-com dialogue and awkward cliches. And it’s true that Elle’s “quirkiness” can sometime borders on grating, while Luc maybe plays the role of fraught and tortured immortal a little too well. But considering how the author was also partly inspired by C-dramas, I guess mission accomplished?
There’s some fantastic world-building here as well. Even if the details and explanation into Elle’s role are somewhat glossed over, I think Tsai makes up for it with the amazing integration of Chinese legends and mythology into this modern setting and fantasy world that includes other mythological creatures like fae, elves, and even harpies, redcaps, sphinxes, and the Jersey Devil.
If you can imagine the drama of a Chinese soap opera mixed with the action and magic of a gritty urban fantasy, that pretty much describes Bitter Medicine. Overall, it ended up being a very enjoyable, heartwarming read that perfectly hit the spot. If you’re looking for a touching fantasy romance full of tenderness and emotions, Mia Tsai’s debut should be on your list.
Fantasy romance isn’t my usual genre, but I will confess to indulging in it whenever the mood strikes! Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai came right at the perfect time when I was looking for something lighter—an urban fantasy inspired by xianxia, a genre of Chinese fantasy literature that often features magic, mythology, and immortals.
In this book, love is also a dominant theme. The story follows Elle, a powerful glyph maker descended from a Chinese medicine god. However, she lives a rather lowkey life in Raleigh, North Carolina, working at an unassuming charms shop which caters to the local population of supernatural denizens. The reason she’s keeping a low profile is because she is in hiding with her older brother, Tony, whom she had vowed to keep safe from those hunting him. Unfortunately, when one of those hunters is also your murderous younger brother, that means having to keep your location secret from the rest of your family too.
So, Elle spends her days creating magical calligraphy for her clients, many of whom work for the faerie agency that owns the shop. Their top security expert, a French half-elf named Luc, has become one of her regulars, coming in frequently for healing magic and protective glyphs. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome and charming, and before long, Elle has developed quite a crush. But Luc has his own secrets, and as much as he is drawn to Elle, he’s reluctant to let himself get too close. He’s done some things he’s not proud of in his line of work and is still trying to atone for them, even if it means being completely beholden to his tyrannical boss. Luc has no say over which missions he is sent on, and whatever tenuous relationship he has with Elle might be done for when he finds out that his next job will involve tracking down her younger brother.
At its heart, Bitter Medicine is a tale about two immortals who fall in love and find their way to each other despite the numerous obstacles in their path. What both surprised and impressed me was how all these elements were balanced so well, focusing mainly on the romance between Elle and Luc without sacrificing the quality of the story and other aspects like world-building. The characters were also wonderfully developed. Both Elle and Luc have sacrificed so much for the people they care about, and while their backstories make it easy to understand why they do what they do, all the secrets between them also mean they are both reluctant to dive into a relationship. As a result, we get a slow-burn but sweet romance that is also a story about finding your true self as well as the courage and trust it takes to open up to someone else and share that knowledge with them.
Granted, when things heat up, the love scenes can burn pretty hot. Like, scorching hot! But also, in the tradition of most contemporary fantasy romances, the story can be unbearably cheesy at times, with corny rom-com dialogue and awkward cliches. And it’s true that Elle’s “quirkiness” can sometime borders on grating, while Luc maybe plays the role of fraught and tortured immortal a little too well. But considering how the author was also partly inspired by C-dramas, I guess mission accomplished?
There’s some fantastic world-building here as well. Even if the details and explanation into Elle’s role are somewhat glossed over, I think Tsai makes up for it with the amazing integration of Chinese legends and mythology into this modern setting and fantasy world that includes other mythological creatures like fae, elves, and even harpies, redcaps, sphinxes, and the Jersey Devil.
If you can imagine the drama of a Chinese soap opera mixed with the action and magic of a gritty urban fantasy, that pretty much describes Bitter Medicine. Overall, it ended up being a very enjoyable, heartwarming read that perfectly hit the spot. If you’re looking for a touching fantasy romance full of tenderness and emotions, Mia Tsai’s debut should be on your list.
February 16, 2023
3.5 Stars
This is a fun urban fantasy story that blends together a lot of random fantasy tropes. I particularly enjoyed the Asian cultural influences within the story.
Overall this was an entertaining story, but I recognize that it was too fun, cute and lighthearted for my personal tastes. I have a strong preference for darker, more epic fantasy so it one wasn't destined to be a five star read. Yet I liked it for what it was.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy more lighter slice of life fantasy.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is a fun urban fantasy story that blends together a lot of random fantasy tropes. I particularly enjoyed the Asian cultural influences within the story.
Overall this was an entertaining story, but I recognize that it was too fun, cute and lighthearted for my personal tastes. I have a strong preference for darker, more epic fantasy so it one wasn't destined to be a five star read. Yet I liked it for what it was.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy more lighter slice of life fantasy.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
October 24, 2023
There were many points where I wanted to DNF this novel; instead, I buckled down in the hopes that it would improve and meet the expectations I had going into it. Unfortunately, it did not improve.
This novel falls into a familiar ARC category for me: gorgeous cover, intriguing synopsis, and poor story execution. For what I saw on that cover and in that synopsis wasn’t necessarily reflected in the pages of this novel. Rather, this novel wasn’t certain of what it wanted to be. At times, it felt like a fantastical thriller (despite its unexplained world-building); other times, it felt like a romantasy novel. The two main plots did not know who was in charge, which led to odd pacing and disconnect chapters. Was the A-plot supposed to be Luc and Elle’s tackling of the same issue: Elle’s younger brother hunting her down? (Why he wanted to hunt her down is something I still have questions about. That was not made clear in the novel. Never mind the fact that the younger brother plot was resolved between the 20-65% marks.) Or, was the A-plot supposed to be the romance between Luc and Elle? My instincts want to claim the latter as the A-plot, considering the story was bookended with romantic moments. However,, I wouldn’t fully claim this as a romance novel. The relationship between Luc and Elle unfolded with minimal conflict and a lot of attraction; but, without that conflict to test them, it made everything feel too easy and low stakes. Which would be fine if this novel was a cozy-fantasy, but it’s simply not in that genre.
When I reflect back on the world-building, I’m met with one feeling: utter confusion. There were many questions that were simply unanswered as the story went on. What was the Bureau? How was that different from Oberon and Luc’s job? What was a “Fixer,” and why were they needed in this fantasy society? Why is there a ranking system and how does that work? How was Elle an agent—and who was she an agent for?—when she was trying to remain hidden from her family and the world? Why did Tony never change his name from Tony, considering he was “supposed to be dead”? The only element of world-building that made sense was the concept of the laes and how an object could be the source of magical energy. Without that object, a magic-wielded will die; those are the only story stakes that kept me interested in the novel.
In addition to the questions about the world-building, I had numerous questions about the characters as well. I found myself longing for more in-depth backstory for both Elle and Luc. While we received equal amounts of backstory for both characters, I found Luc’s was explained better and with more clarity. Whenever Elle explained hers, I found myself utterly confused. She was the one who almost killed Tony—not her younger brother, as the world believes—but her motivations were never explained. With that being a key subplot to this novel, it was a weakness that the reader didn’t experience clear details about important character information.
Between the two, I found Luc’s point-of-view chapters to be more solidly written. With that being said, both perspective characters lacked internal conflict. I think back to the moment of Luc’s betrayal—how easily he gives up the truth about Tony and Elle’s true identities to Oberon—and how emotionally unaffected he was by needing to make that decision. There was a lack of tension, a lack of cognitive dissonance to make Luc pause and question literally betraying Elle’s trust for the sake of “this is my job and I can’t quit due to an unbreakable vow.” I wanted to see that hesitation, I wanted to see that emotional strain making such a call would make. Even the fallout of that choice was lackluster. Within a page and a half, Elle completely accepted Luc’s decision and they moved on from the situation. Despite the fact that Luc revealing her true identity would put a target on her back and literally put her life in danger. And this was something the novel consistently struggled with: presenting life-and-death situations but brushing them off as no big deal in order to move onto the next plot moment.
This is a smaller note, but I wish this novel had more translations for the Mandarin and French phrases used within it. I am all for using multiple languages in a story, but it felt like I was missing details and conversation pieces because translations were not provided for the other languages.
Overall, this novel was a case of mistaken genre identity. It didn’t feel concrete or clearly set in a given genre, and it struggled to explain important details that make a fantasy novel shine.
Thank you to Tachyon Publications and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
*~*~*~*~*
Connect with me on my socials!
nikiashreads' Linktree
This novel falls into a familiar ARC category for me: gorgeous cover, intriguing synopsis, and poor story execution. For what I saw on that cover and in that synopsis wasn’t necessarily reflected in the pages of this novel. Rather, this novel wasn’t certain of what it wanted to be. At times, it felt like a fantastical thriller (despite its unexplained world-building); other times, it felt like a romantasy novel. The two main plots did not know who was in charge, which led to odd pacing and disconnect chapters. Was the A-plot supposed to be Luc and Elle’s tackling of the same issue: Elle’s younger brother hunting her down? (Why he wanted to hunt her down is something I still have questions about. That was not made clear in the novel. Never mind the fact that the younger brother plot was resolved between the 20-65% marks.) Or, was the A-plot supposed to be the romance between Luc and Elle? My instincts want to claim the latter as the A-plot, considering the story was bookended with romantic moments. However,, I wouldn’t fully claim this as a romance novel. The relationship between Luc and Elle unfolded with minimal conflict and a lot of attraction; but, without that conflict to test them, it made everything feel too easy and low stakes. Which would be fine if this novel was a cozy-fantasy, but it’s simply not in that genre.
When I reflect back on the world-building, I’m met with one feeling: utter confusion. There were many questions that were simply unanswered as the story went on. What was the Bureau? How was that different from Oberon and Luc’s job? What was a “Fixer,” and why were they needed in this fantasy society? Why is there a ranking system and how does that work? How was Elle an agent—and who was she an agent for?—when she was trying to remain hidden from her family and the world? Why did Tony never change his name from Tony, considering he was “supposed to be dead”? The only element of world-building that made sense was the concept of the laes and how an object could be the source of magical energy. Without that object, a magic-wielded will die; those are the only story stakes that kept me interested in the novel.
In addition to the questions about the world-building, I had numerous questions about the characters as well. I found myself longing for more in-depth backstory for both Elle and Luc. While we received equal amounts of backstory for both characters, I found Luc’s was explained better and with more clarity. Whenever Elle explained hers, I found myself utterly confused. She was the one who almost killed Tony—not her younger brother, as the world believes—but her motivations were never explained. With that being a key subplot to this novel, it was a weakness that the reader didn’t experience clear details about important character information.
Between the two, I found Luc’s point-of-view chapters to be more solidly written. With that being said, both perspective characters lacked internal conflict. I think back to the moment of Luc’s betrayal—how easily he gives up the truth about Tony and Elle’s true identities to Oberon—and how emotionally unaffected he was by needing to make that decision. There was a lack of tension, a lack of cognitive dissonance to make Luc pause and question literally betraying Elle’s trust for the sake of “this is my job and I can’t quit due to an unbreakable vow.” I wanted to see that hesitation, I wanted to see that emotional strain making such a call would make. Even the fallout of that choice was lackluster. Within a page and a half, Elle completely accepted Luc’s decision and they moved on from the situation. Despite the fact that Luc revealing her true identity would put a target on her back and literally put her life in danger. And this was something the novel consistently struggled with: presenting life-and-death situations but brushing them off as no big deal in order to move onto the next plot moment.
This is a smaller note, but I wish this novel had more translations for the Mandarin and French phrases used within it. I am all for using multiple languages in a story, but it felt like I was missing details and conversation pieces because translations were not provided for the other languages.
Overall, this novel was a case of mistaken genre identity. It didn’t feel concrete or clearly set in a given genre, and it struggled to explain important details that make a fantasy novel shine.
Thank you to Tachyon Publications and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
*~*~*~*~*
Connect with me on my socials!
nikiashreads' Linktree
March 9, 2023
This book met my expectations just as I had hoped it would. A swoon-worthy urban fantasy romance featuring both advanced technology and ancient magic. Even though there were a few that I didn't really bond with, but this debut novel was excellent and simple to follow.
The part of the book that I find most impressive is how the author skillfully combines multicultural magic systems from different cultures with a contemporary setting. Here, we're talking about Chinese magic systems and combat from the Xianxia period as well as fae lore from Europe and other mythologies. This is new to me personally.
I really loved how they built a fascinating, rich world with enchantment systems and all the cultural allusions. However, before starting the book, I suggest reading the author's note because it offers insight that adds a new level of understanding to the cultures and languages in use.
It did take me some time to understand what was happening. There is a lot of talking and not much else occurring as the story is suddenly thrust into our laps. Although the beginning is a little abrupt and disjointed due to the fast pace, everything ultimately comes together and begins to make sense.
The number of worldbuilding and magic in this story was fantastic. It unmistakably had a mythological vibe from the past. With Tsai's writing's ease, I was drawn into the universe and found that it was more comfortable there than in my own. It has a warm, tranquil atmosphere that is perfect for reading during afternoon tea.
It was simple to adore these characters too! Elle, our main character, is a very approachable peacekeeper type who is just plain cute! She was also the least egotistical person I have read recently. Even though they were essentially all attempting to kill each other, she gave her life every day to make sure that her family survived.
Luc was a skilled murderer and was infamous for lacking personality, yet he let that little guy flourish with Elle! He embodied the badass with a beautiful heart so incredibly well! Although I do occasionally find their back and forth to be a little awkward to read, Lucien and Elle are the perfect cure. I love their relationship and the way it develops.
The supporting cast, which included Tony, Lira, and the Wrecking Crew, offered such endearing comic relief that it perfectly counterbalanced the story's more somber moments. My favorite part of the tale was also undoubtedly seeing these characters become closer to one another throughout the book.
Overall, there is something here for everyone, and I would describe it as lighter slice of life dream :)
I'd like to thank Tachyon Publications and NetGalley for providing this ARC! All opinion are my own.
The part of the book that I find most impressive is how the author skillfully combines multicultural magic systems from different cultures with a contemporary setting. Here, we're talking about Chinese magic systems and combat from the Xianxia period as well as fae lore from Europe and other mythologies. This is new to me personally.
I really loved how they built a fascinating, rich world with enchantment systems and all the cultural allusions. However, before starting the book, I suggest reading the author's note because it offers insight that adds a new level of understanding to the cultures and languages in use.
It did take me some time to understand what was happening. There is a lot of talking and not much else occurring as the story is suddenly thrust into our laps. Although the beginning is a little abrupt and disjointed due to the fast pace, everything ultimately comes together and begins to make sense.
The number of worldbuilding and magic in this story was fantastic. It unmistakably had a mythological vibe from the past. With Tsai's writing's ease, I was drawn into the universe and found that it was more comfortable there than in my own. It has a warm, tranquil atmosphere that is perfect for reading during afternoon tea.
It was simple to adore these characters too! Elle, our main character, is a very approachable peacekeeper type who is just plain cute! She was also the least egotistical person I have read recently. Even though they were essentially all attempting to kill each other, she gave her life every day to make sure that her family survived.
Luc was a skilled murderer and was infamous for lacking personality, yet he let that little guy flourish with Elle! He embodied the badass with a beautiful heart so incredibly well! Although I do occasionally find their back and forth to be a little awkward to read, Lucien and Elle are the perfect cure. I love their relationship and the way it develops.
The supporting cast, which included Tony, Lira, and the Wrecking Crew, offered such endearing comic relief that it perfectly counterbalanced the story's more somber moments. My favorite part of the tale was also undoubtedly seeing these characters become closer to one another throughout the book.
Overall, there is something here for everyone, and I would describe it as lighter slice of life dream :)
I'd like to thank Tachyon Publications and NetGalley for providing this ARC! All opinion are my own.
Read
June 26, 2023picked this book up for its xianxia theme; stayed for the romance
absolutely adored how multiple languages are threaded throughout the story!
also, it has queer reps: luc is mspec!!! tony is gay! lira is sapphic!
content warnings: mind control, violence, death, manipulation, misgendering, blood
absolutely adored how multiple languages are threaded throughout the story!
also, it has queer reps: luc is mspec!!! tony is gay! lira is sapphic!
content warnings: mind control, violence, death, manipulation, misgendering, blood
Read
September 23, 2023DNF at 25%.
Idk wtf was going on, I quit because I was done feeling confused.
Idk wtf was going on, I quit because I was done feeling confused.
February 1, 2023
Such a gorgeous book!
This an urban fantasy romance with ancient magic and modern technologies and the swooniest romance.
The book started rather slow and a bit confusing for me. We are thrown right in the middle of the story and there is so much talking and nothing much happening and I was impatient for some action and then boom, a whirlwind of events and emotions. I was completely on board both with the suspense plot (he is a deadly fixer for a shadowy agency; she has ancient healing magic she is trying to hide) and the romance (so much pining, so much "our love is doomed and impossible").
I don't want to reveal much about the plot so I will focus more on the rest - gorgeous writing, fabulous main and supporting characters. They are all so well drawn, standing strong on their own. Elle is a descendant of the Chinese god of healing and her past and her culture is so, so strongly present in the story. Luc is a French half-elf and his European and magical heritage is also very much in the story as well. There are talking sphinxes, and fae-touched being and ordinary humans and it all so seamlessly blended. I loved it!
Their coming together is not easy and it comes at a great personal cost. Slightly spoilerish comments ahead. Something I loved a lot in their relationship is the way he reacted to her being injured and recovering from it. The way he took care but also gave her space when she needed it. Something too much attention and care can be suffocating, can put pressure on the person to pretend to better than they actually are. Here is where Luc completely won me over. He listened to her, he was there for her even when she lashed out at him (for which she apologized later on). And then it was her turn to be there for him and support him in the life-changing, life-threatening decision he made for his future. It was scary but also magical.
The supporting cast was great as well. No relationship was bland or stereotypical, they all felt real - complex and changing. We see family members being absolutely toxic and others being full of love and support. Queer characters (both MCs are bi actually), found families - all effortlessly fitting in this world of magic and mayhem.
This is a debut by Mia Tsai and it's a perfect blend of SFF and romance. It makes me excited to read more by this author in the future.
CW: dark magic, violence, life-threatening injuries, abusive families
This an urban fantasy romance with ancient magic and modern technologies and the swooniest romance.
The book started rather slow and a bit confusing for me. We are thrown right in the middle of the story and there is so much talking and nothing much happening and I was impatient for some action and then boom, a whirlwind of events and emotions. I was completely on board both with the suspense plot (he is a deadly fixer for a shadowy agency; she has ancient healing magic she is trying to hide) and the romance (so much pining, so much "our love is doomed and impossible").
I don't want to reveal much about the plot so I will focus more on the rest - gorgeous writing, fabulous main and supporting characters. They are all so well drawn, standing strong on their own. Elle is a descendant of the Chinese god of healing and her past and her culture is so, so strongly present in the story. Luc is a French half-elf and his European and magical heritage is also very much in the story as well. There are talking sphinxes, and fae-touched being and ordinary humans and it all so seamlessly blended. I loved it!
Their coming together is not easy and it comes at a great personal cost. Slightly spoilerish comments ahead. Something I loved a lot in their relationship is the way he reacted to her being injured and recovering from it. The way he took care but also gave her space when she needed it. Something too much attention and care can be suffocating, can put pressure on the person to pretend to better than they actually are. Here is where Luc completely won me over. He listened to her, he was there for her even when she lashed out at him (for which she apologized later on). And then it was her turn to be there for him and support him in the life-changing, life-threatening decision he made for his future. It was scary but also magical.
The supporting cast was great as well. No relationship was bland or stereotypical, they all felt real - complex and changing. We see family members being absolutely toxic and others being full of love and support. Queer characters (both MCs are bi actually), found families - all effortlessly fitting in this world of magic and mayhem.
This is a debut by Mia Tsai and it's a perfect blend of SFF and romance. It makes me excited to read more by this author in the future.
CW: dark magic, violence, life-threatening injuries, abusive families
January 13, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley & Tachyon Publications for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
Tsai has created an incredibly detailed world within these pages. It did take some time for me to figure out what was going on - there’s an assumption at the beginning that you know Elle and her back story (so much so that I went back to confirm this wasn’t part of a series) - but, eventually, everything comes together and starts to make sense. I do think we’re lacking information at times which can leave the characters or their situations feeling a little underdeveloped. For the most part, though, I enjoyed this story and these characters.
The fast pace draws you into the narrative but makes the beginning a little choppy and disorganised. It feels like Tsai eventually gets into her groove, and things move more fluidly, but similar to the lack of information, it does take some time.
I appreciated Tsai's decision not to translate certain pieces of dialogue, especially after reading the afterword. It adds more realism and depth to a fantastical narrative. There’s not only a wide range of creatures but a wide range of cultures represented within these pages.
With a few hitches, it can be difficult to become absorbed in Bitter Medicine, but I found it incredibly worth it. I wish it were part of a series and we were getting more stories from this world, but I enjoyed this read.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
Tsai has created an incredibly detailed world within these pages. It did take some time for me to figure out what was going on - there’s an assumption at the beginning that you know Elle and her back story (so much so that I went back to confirm this wasn’t part of a series) - but, eventually, everything comes together and starts to make sense. I do think we’re lacking information at times which can leave the characters or their situations feeling a little underdeveloped. For the most part, though, I enjoyed this story and these characters.
The fast pace draws you into the narrative but makes the beginning a little choppy and disorganised. It feels like Tsai eventually gets into her groove, and things move more fluidly, but similar to the lack of information, it does take some time.
I appreciated Tsai's decision not to translate certain pieces of dialogue, especially after reading the afterword. It adds more realism and depth to a fantastical narrative. There’s not only a wide range of creatures but a wide range of cultures represented within these pages.
With a few hitches, it can be difficult to become absorbed in Bitter Medicine, but I found it incredibly worth it. I wish it were part of a series and we were getting more stories from this world, but I enjoyed this read.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
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April 4, 2023
Petition to make this into a TV show IMMEDIATELY.
This was an extremely fun read. It's kind of a mix between contemporary fantasy and paranormal romance, sort of like Shadowhunters but xianxia-inspired and for adults. It's also sort of reminiscent of the early 2010s paranormal YA, with immortals and interesting magic systems. But it makes so much more sense to me to read about immortals in adult fiction, since you know, if you're over 100 years old, why are you falling in love with a teenager. So this was really refreshing and something I'd very much like to see more of.
This was an extremely fun read. It's kind of a mix between contemporary fantasy and paranormal romance, sort of like Shadowhunters but xianxia-inspired and for adults. It's also sort of reminiscent of the early 2010s paranormal YA, with immortals and interesting magic systems. But it makes so much more sense to me to read about immortals in adult fiction, since you know, if you're over 100 years old, why are you falling in love with a teenager. So this was really refreshing and something I'd very much like to see more of.
May 10, 2023
I really didn't want to not like Bitter Medicine, especially since it's not one of those famous books that's just so fun to hate. (Is it okay to admit that I do that?) I remember seeing this a few months ago before it was released and thinking that, hey, the cover's pretty, the synopsis is interesting, why not? And then it somehow resurfaced while I was scrolling through social media, and it was like the stars aligned for me to find this book.
And I. Not only disliked it. I abhorred it. Disclaimer: there might be some very mild spoilers, and if I get my facts wrong, it's because I'm halfway to erasing everything I know about this book despite just having finished it today.
Don't believe that synopsis. This isn't adult Artemis Fowl, it's more like a romance with slapdash worldbuilding that wishes it was Artemis Fowl. I was so interested in the dynamic between these fae(? immortals? elves and descendants of gods?) and normal, mundane people, especially since there was a casually dropped sentence about it at the beginning, but no. That's not what we get. Instead, somehow they're starting fights at galas that I thought were open to normal human public, and then they're jumping and fighting in buildings whose locations we don't even know, and then they're fighting in a house that I thought was on a street that human public also live in??? So basically, there is no great divide between the two and for all we care everyone might as well be an agent who somehow never ends up on the news for fighting in public with harpies???
And the dialogue. Oh, dear God. The. Dialogue. It's every bad dialogue you hate. It's everything you cringe at. The love declarations are not Jane Austen or Emily Henry. They're so dull literally adult high fantasy, where everyone is honestly and really trying to kill each other, has better love declarations. And they spend the whole book fighting over whether they deserved each other, and backing away because they felt like they didn't. It's one thing to think that your partner is a good person. It's another thing to think that they're oh-so-holy, which baffled me. Isn't this book set in the modern times? Don't we believe that everyone is equal? Haven't we moved past the brooding main character who pushes away the other person for their own good, but now there are two of them, like one wasn't bad enough?
Speaking of modern times, why doesn't Elle know how to use a phone? Why can she curse and speak fluently our very modern language - see: yeah, gotta, gonna - despite being secluded for, what, twenty-six years, and still not know how to use a phone? And why, why, why, does this hundred-something year old have no maturity as a human being at all? Whenever she sees Luc, heart eyes. That's her only character trait, and you better believe that. Other than that, however, she's the adorable, messy girl who is gorgeous and doesn't know it. Kill me now. Better yet, kill her now.
Luc, our half-elven love interest, despite us never learning where the elves live and where Luc's mother met an elf and whether or not he's actually Catholic. I kind of find that funny, because by the time the rosary was brought up, I was halfway to tears with this book. Elle has no personality? That's okay. Luc rivals her by trying to have even least of a personality. And also that random sexy time that was just injected in the middle of the book: IS THIS GUY OKAY? He literally compares everything Elle does and says with the things his first lover did and said with him. What in the actual creepy hell. Who does that. This man is two hundred years old. Do you know how disgusting that is.
Lastly, plot. I usually keep my reviews really short and sometimes sweet because I begin to lose organization by the time I hit the third paragraph, but finally I understand all those writers who stuck to a basic plot structure. To all of you, thank you, I apologize if once in my life I mocked your plot because it was "basic." Thank you for being basic. Because this book, just like my review, had no structure at all. It's like the author wrote a hundred scenes, closed her eyes and shuffled them around before sending it to her editor, who then decided there was no way they couldn't mess it up even more. Pacing? Who's ever heard of that? Also why not add some scenes that will have no payoff the whole book? And then - and this is where it gets even better - why not never discuss the magic system in this whole book, and then throw in some really nice fights that hinge on understanding said magic system? Some very mind-boggling choices were made, and I was clutching my hair and moaning to my poor friend the whole time I was reading this book.
And understand, please, how short this book is. It had no right being this boring and confusing. It's a little over 300 pages. How could you mess up so much with that little?
No one should have to read this book not knowing that it's a romance trying to dress up as something more. I think it should've just embraced what it wanted to be, because it's not what I was sold on. This was very bitter medicine to swallow, and I'd like to wash it away from my brain. Now.
And I. Not only disliked it. I abhorred it. Disclaimer: there might be some very mild spoilers, and if I get my facts wrong, it's because I'm halfway to erasing everything I know about this book despite just having finished it today.
Don't believe that synopsis. This isn't adult Artemis Fowl, it's more like a romance with slapdash worldbuilding that wishes it was Artemis Fowl. I was so interested in the dynamic between these fae(? immortals? elves and descendants of gods?) and normal, mundane people, especially since there was a casually dropped sentence about it at the beginning, but no. That's not what we get. Instead, somehow they're starting fights at galas that I thought were open to normal human public, and then they're jumping and fighting in buildings whose locations we don't even know, and then they're fighting in a house that I thought was on a street that human public also live in??? So basically, there is no great divide between the two and for all we care everyone might as well be an agent who somehow never ends up on the news for fighting in public with harpies???
And the dialogue. Oh, dear God. The. Dialogue. It's every bad dialogue you hate. It's everything you cringe at. The love declarations are not Jane Austen or Emily Henry. They're so dull literally adult high fantasy, where everyone is honestly and really trying to kill each other, has better love declarations. And they spend the whole book fighting over whether they deserved each other, and backing away because they felt like they didn't. It's one thing to think that your partner is a good person. It's another thing to think that they're oh-so-holy, which baffled me. Isn't this book set in the modern times? Don't we believe that everyone is equal? Haven't we moved past the brooding main character who pushes away the other person for their own good, but now there are two of them, like one wasn't bad enough?
Speaking of modern times, why doesn't Elle know how to use a phone? Why can she curse and speak fluently our very modern language - see: yeah, gotta, gonna - despite being secluded for, what, twenty-six years, and still not know how to use a phone? And why, why, why, does this hundred-something year old have no maturity as a human being at all? Whenever she sees Luc, heart eyes. That's her only character trait, and you better believe that. Other than that, however, she's the adorable, messy girl who is gorgeous and doesn't know it. Kill me now. Better yet, kill her now.
Luc, our half-elven love interest, despite us never learning where the elves live and where Luc's mother met an elf and whether or not he's actually Catholic. I kind of find that funny, because by the time the rosary was brought up, I was halfway to tears with this book. Elle has no personality? That's okay. Luc rivals her by trying to have even least of a personality. And also that random sexy time that was just injected in the middle of the book: IS THIS GUY OKAY? He literally compares everything Elle does and says with the things his first lover did and said with him. What in the actual creepy hell. Who does that. This man is two hundred years old. Do you know how disgusting that is.
Lastly, plot. I usually keep my reviews really short and sometimes sweet because I begin to lose organization by the time I hit the third paragraph, but finally I understand all those writers who stuck to a basic plot structure. To all of you, thank you, I apologize if once in my life I mocked your plot because it was "basic." Thank you for being basic. Because this book, just like my review, had no structure at all. It's like the author wrote a hundred scenes, closed her eyes and shuffled them around before sending it to her editor, who then decided there was no way they couldn't mess it up even more. Pacing? Who's ever heard of that? Also why not add some scenes that will have no payoff the whole book? And then - and this is where it gets even better - why not never discuss the magic system in this whole book, and then throw in some really nice fights that hinge on understanding said magic system? Some very mind-boggling choices were made, and I was clutching my hair and moaning to my poor friend the whole time I was reading this book.
And understand, please, how short this book is. It had no right being this boring and confusing. It's a little over 300 pages. How could you mess up so much with that little?
No one should have to read this book not knowing that it's a romance trying to dress up as something more. I think it should've just embraced what it wanted to be, because it's not what I was sold on. This was very bitter medicine to swallow, and I'd like to wash it away from my brain. Now.
February 18, 2023
One of the top 10 anticipated books by Publishers Weekly in the horror, sci-fi/ fantasy genre, Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai, lived up to the expectation and the hype; it was a book which, from page one dragged me in as if I had no choice and held me there. If you can expect anything from Tsai’s paranormal adventure/ romance, it is that there will be drama and magic so unique I was left entranced as a reader and not the recipient of it! The book itself created magic in my world! Enamored by the creativity of Mia Tsai I am now and forever a lifelong fan.
When it comes to the drama, where is it mostly found? The two answers off the top of my head are, romantic partners and family. And, depending on who you are and what kind of situation you were born into, one can overshadow the other (or can compete against one another, like in a horse race, a photo finish, necessary). Mia, one of the main characters in Bitter Medicine, finds herself in a familial quandary which has overshadowed and derailed her life for centuries, putting her into hiding. Unfortunately, the person she is hiding from is a member of her own family, another of the descendants, like herself, of the Chinese God of Medicine. And, because of them, her great future derailed; she has had to hide her abilities, to ensure that the rest of her family is protected. Because, this family member, to them, having all the magic is better than having to share it with siblings. However, to have all the magic the other members must die. And, that has already been tried once, the very reason Mia is in hiding.
Mia meets Luc when he comes into the little, lesser known magic shop she has worked in for some time, for charms made by her. While Luc finds Mia’s magic better than all others, it even saves his life, the attraction he has to her is more because he finds her irresistible, for all the other qualities he has gotten to see she has the many times he stops in the shop to see her. But, Luc too, has a distorted, haunted, past. A French elf, the only person in his life for a long time, a dangerous employer. Closed off from the few people in his life, never letting anyone in, in the past and present, now, everyone is surprised to find Luc wants to let someone in. Luc, surprised, most of all. However, he is hiding a deeper secret than even Mia, and he fears if she were to find out, she could never love him, a man who could do the things he had done.
Problems get worse when Luc is given a job by his employer, to find a magically dangerous person. When Luc puts two and two together and realizes that the family drama his employer has been talking about, in reference to danger, is Mia’s family, Luc is at odds as to what to do. The only thing he ever has had in his life that has worked for him, his job and his employer, are now at odds with what he wants for his future and the only woman he has ever wanted to let into his life. Furthermore, he worries what Mia will do if she were to find out what Luc does. Or, more importantly, the things Luc has done in his past. However, when Luc and Mia combine in Bitter Medicine, in the end, better magic may be created if they are both able to shed their secrets and their past, looking toward fixing what they can and look toward the future?
Bitter Medicine is Mia Tsai’s paranormal debut and I must say I was not prepared, at all, for the enormity of how wonderful this book was. That I sank into the world, with the ease of Tsai’s writing and felt more comfortable in this otherworldly realm than my own, amazing. I only wanted more at the end and hope that this is the beginning of a long and quite numerous series. Because I loved watching Mia and Luc begin, but as they evolved together, the strength of the pair, well, I want to see more! And, as a reader, you know when a book keeps you wanting…I only want to go back and begin again until Mia and Luc continue or Mia Tsai combats this, with something more that I know will be just as good, if not better. Whatever it is, from this writer, I know it will be worth the read. Get a copy of Bitter Medicine, if and when, as fast as you can! Even if you’re not a fan of this genre, I daresay, you will still enjoy it!!
Happy Reading!
When it comes to the drama, where is it mostly found? The two answers off the top of my head are, romantic partners and family. And, depending on who you are and what kind of situation you were born into, one can overshadow the other (or can compete against one another, like in a horse race, a photo finish, necessary). Mia, one of the main characters in Bitter Medicine, finds herself in a familial quandary which has overshadowed and derailed her life for centuries, putting her into hiding. Unfortunately, the person she is hiding from is a member of her own family, another of the descendants, like herself, of the Chinese God of Medicine. And, because of them, her great future derailed; she has had to hide her abilities, to ensure that the rest of her family is protected. Because, this family member, to them, having all the magic is better than having to share it with siblings. However, to have all the magic the other members must die. And, that has already been tried once, the very reason Mia is in hiding.
Mia meets Luc when he comes into the little, lesser known magic shop she has worked in for some time, for charms made by her. While Luc finds Mia’s magic better than all others, it even saves his life, the attraction he has to her is more because he finds her irresistible, for all the other qualities he has gotten to see she has the many times he stops in the shop to see her. But, Luc too, has a distorted, haunted, past. A French elf, the only person in his life for a long time, a dangerous employer. Closed off from the few people in his life, never letting anyone in, in the past and present, now, everyone is surprised to find Luc wants to let someone in. Luc, surprised, most of all. However, he is hiding a deeper secret than even Mia, and he fears if she were to find out, she could never love him, a man who could do the things he had done.
Problems get worse when Luc is given a job by his employer, to find a magically dangerous person. When Luc puts two and two together and realizes that the family drama his employer has been talking about, in reference to danger, is Mia’s family, Luc is at odds as to what to do. The only thing he ever has had in his life that has worked for him, his job and his employer, are now at odds with what he wants for his future and the only woman he has ever wanted to let into his life. Furthermore, he worries what Mia will do if she were to find out what Luc does. Or, more importantly, the things Luc has done in his past. However, when Luc and Mia combine in Bitter Medicine, in the end, better magic may be created if they are both able to shed their secrets and their past, looking toward fixing what they can and look toward the future?
Bitter Medicine is Mia Tsai’s paranormal debut and I must say I was not prepared, at all, for the enormity of how wonderful this book was. That I sank into the world, with the ease of Tsai’s writing and felt more comfortable in this otherworldly realm than my own, amazing. I only wanted more at the end and hope that this is the beginning of a long and quite numerous series. Because I loved watching Mia and Luc begin, but as they evolved together, the strength of the pair, well, I want to see more! And, as a reader, you know when a book keeps you wanting…I only want to go back and begin again until Mia and Luc continue or Mia Tsai combats this, with something more that I know will be just as good, if not better. Whatever it is, from this writer, I know it will be worth the read. Get a copy of Bitter Medicine, if and when, as fast as you can! Even if you’re not a fan of this genre, I daresay, you will still enjoy it!!
Happy Reading!
January 24, 2023
Have you ever felt like you came across a book at exactly the right time in your life? Like the stars aligned and you were meant to read something given your current frame of mind? Well, this week I read Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai and I fell absolutely in love! Seriously, this author now has my undying loyalty for all future releases at this point.
So, what’s so great about it? Let’s find out!
What I liked about the book:
1. That cover is gorgeous! I love the deep, luscious blue color accented with the cream-colored lettering. I love the juxtaposition of the sweet embrace against the chaos of a busy city background. And I especially love how this couple already has me seeing their HEA with just the cover! Add to all of this the deep backwards v-neckline, the couple of tchotchkes, and the promise of heartache, and you have yourself a winning cover in my opinion!
2. I loved that the author dedicated this book, her debut novel, to herself! The dedication simply reads:
“To me, because I could.”
Yes, girl! Damn right you can, and you SHOULD! Love it!
3. I absolutely adored the writing style. It was lite, it was cheeky, and yet it had tension bubbling beneath the surface I couldn’t wait to dive into.
Mia Tsai did a great job weaving in background information without making it stunt the flow of the writing. She also did a fantastic job of creating the romantic tension that comes from two people totally into each other, probably knowing the other is into them, and yet not acting on it. The whole will-they-won’t-they was so masterfully done from the very first couple of pages that it hooked me until they finally did.
4. I loved the amount of worldbuilding and magic present in this story. It definitely had an old-school mythological feel to it, given all the background, the gifts individuals had, and the talk of Gods. It also gave me the same feels I typically have when reading mythology that is new to me, in that I trusted the author implicitly to get me to the end of the journey knowing she would answer my questions in due time. I can easily say, I do not have this kind of patience for any other genre.
5. These characters were easy to love!
Elle was a humble, peacekeeper type who was just plain adorable! Not to mention, she was the least selfish individual I have read in a while. She sacrificed her life every day just to make sure her family stayed alive, even though they were basically all trying to kill each other. Downgrading her job, downplaying her skills, allowing herself no romantic or even friendly relationships (outside of her best friend which is still strained), and committing herself to a life of drabness, she was perfectly content as long as she was loyal to her family.
Enter Luc…Luc was a trained killer, known for having no personality (aka never letting anyone in), yet he let that baby shine with Elle! He invoked the badass with a heart of gold persona so freaking well! Loved him and loved him for Elle! When he was around, she reminded me of all the feelings you have as a young person falling in love: the giddiness, the stupid jokes, the blushing…awwwwwwww I definitely got the heart flutters reading this one!
Furthermore, I loved watching their characters unfold for the reader as they did for the other MC. It was fun getting to discover more about Elle and Luc as they discovered things about each other.
Ok, let’s talk about Tony. What a ham! Dude was totally in love with himself in the most humorous way possible, and even gifted Elle a “housewarming” gift of a picture of himself! As much as he loved himself, the reader could see just how much he loved his little sister and was loyal to her like no other. Check out this snip from his conversation with Luc:
6. The amount of representation in this story was insane! Tony was gay, Luc was bi-sexual, Pei’s (a co-worker of Luc’s) preferred pronouns were they/them and I eagle-eyed their sections to make sure there were no slips into she/her. We also were gifted with an interracial relationship between Elle who was Chinese and Luc who was White, Elle’s best friend was a lesbian and Black, and there were several call outs to racist bosses/clients/etc. showing that this representation was no accident; this was clearly planned to show representation for so many groups. I absolutely loved the thought that went into this; It didn’t feel like the author was just trying to check the diversity factor box.
7. I loved how there were so many people in this book that there is definitely room for more stories. Spinoff potential is a huge plus in my book, and this one definitely had it!
8. So many fantastic lines and scenes!
– Oh Gods, that hits close to home
– I mean, same girl. Same.
– This whole scene is just beautiful, but 1. him with long hair? That’s incredibly hot! I definitely like guys that can rock the long hair look. 2. This compliment had me reacting the same but with a blush as well!
– WHY IS THAT SO HOT?!?!?!
– YESSSSSSSSSSSS!
What could have been better:
1. Ok, one of the only things I didn’t like about this book was how loooooong most of the chapters were. When I see a chapter is going to take me over 15 minutes to read, I die a little on the inside and reconsider my life choices that lead me to a book. I don’t have an attention-span problem, but I DO have a commitment phobia. I can sit and read 3 to 5 minutes chapters like candy for hours on end, but as soon as I see a 20-minute chapter I’m like “Wait, what? That’s, like, 1/3 of an hour, or 1/5 of a typical film length. But I have shit to do!” when I very well know that shit will not be done regardless.
With that said, I did finish the book in one day, but only because it was so good. If this book had lacked in ANY areas I typically rate a book on, it would have been hard to keep reading with chapter lengths involving that type of commitment.
2. The only other thing I think could have been better revolved around the villains.
I wish more time was spent on William, Elle’s younger brother. I feel for how villainous he was, we really didn’t get a lot of present-day insight into him. On one hand, I totally understood his motives and why he was doing what he was doing; on the other hand, I obviously didn’t want him to win given what that would mean. But his “ending” did leave some mixed feelings for me. What will the future hold? What was Lily’s backstory? Will there be a second book to clear this up???
Overall, I think there was a missed opportunity for developing a robust character in William, probably because the story was stretched between two villains.
Speaking of which, unless there is a second book in the works for these characters, I feel we missed out on how that ending impacted Oberon, Luc’s boss. Throughout the entire thing I had a really bad feeling that Luc was related to or somehow affiliated with Oberon in a way that he wasn’t aware of, but we never find out where Oberon ends up after Luc’s last stunt. Again, I’m really, really hoping there will be another book that follows these characters, but with perhaps a different set of main characters, in which this can be resolved.
Final Thoughts:
I’m going to be honest: this one caught me by surprise. I expected to like this book, but I couldn’t help but love it. Check it out as soon as you can!
Final Rating: 4.5 stars
Huge thank you to Edelweiss, Tachyon Publications, and Mia Tsai for the free copy of this book. My above review is honest and voluntary.
So, what’s so great about it? Let’s find out!
What I liked about the book:
1. That cover is gorgeous! I love the deep, luscious blue color accented with the cream-colored lettering. I love the juxtaposition of the sweet embrace against the chaos of a busy city background. And I especially love how this couple already has me seeing their HEA with just the cover! Add to all of this the deep backwards v-neckline, the couple of tchotchkes, and the promise of heartache, and you have yourself a winning cover in my opinion!
2. I loved that the author dedicated this book, her debut novel, to herself! The dedication simply reads:
“To me, because I could.”
Yes, girl! Damn right you can, and you SHOULD! Love it!
3. I absolutely adored the writing style. It was lite, it was cheeky, and yet it had tension bubbling beneath the surface I couldn’t wait to dive into.
Mia Tsai did a great job weaving in background information without making it stunt the flow of the writing. She also did a fantastic job of creating the romantic tension that comes from two people totally into each other, probably knowing the other is into them, and yet not acting on it. The whole will-they-won’t-they was so masterfully done from the very first couple of pages that it hooked me until they finally did.
4. I loved the amount of worldbuilding and magic present in this story. It definitely had an old-school mythological feel to it, given all the background, the gifts individuals had, and the talk of Gods. It also gave me the same feels I typically have when reading mythology that is new to me, in that I trusted the author implicitly to get me to the end of the journey knowing she would answer my questions in due time. I can easily say, I do not have this kind of patience for any other genre.
5. These characters were easy to love!
Elle was a humble, peacekeeper type who was just plain adorable! Not to mention, she was the least selfish individual I have read in a while. She sacrificed her life every day just to make sure her family stayed alive, even though they were basically all trying to kill each other. Downgrading her job, downplaying her skills, allowing herself no romantic or even friendly relationships (outside of her best friend which is still strained), and committing herself to a life of drabness, she was perfectly content as long as she was loyal to her family.
Enter Luc…Luc was a trained killer, known for having no personality (aka never letting anyone in), yet he let that baby shine with Elle! He invoked the badass with a heart of gold persona so freaking well! Loved him and loved him for Elle! When he was around, she reminded me of all the feelings you have as a young person falling in love: the giddiness, the stupid jokes, the blushing…awwwwwwww I definitely got the heart flutters reading this one!
Furthermore, I loved watching their characters unfold for the reader as they did for the other MC. It was fun getting to discover more about Elle and Luc as they discovered things about each other.
Ok, let’s talk about Tony. What a ham! Dude was totally in love with himself in the most humorous way possible, and even gifted Elle a “housewarming” gift of a picture of himself! As much as he loved himself, the reader could see just how much he loved his little sister and was loyal to her like no other. Check out this snip from his conversation with Luc:
"If you’re serious about her, you need to show it. No half-assing. She deserves the best, and if you aren’t willing to do that, you can kindly fuck off. She’ll get over you eventually."
6. The amount of representation in this story was insane! Tony was gay, Luc was bi-sexual, Pei’s (a co-worker of Luc’s) preferred pronouns were they/them and I eagle-eyed their sections to make sure there were no slips into she/her. We also were gifted with an interracial relationship between Elle who was Chinese and Luc who was White, Elle’s best friend was a lesbian and Black, and there were several call outs to racist bosses/clients/etc. showing that this representation was no accident; this was clearly planned to show representation for so many groups. I absolutely loved the thought that went into this; It didn’t feel like the author was just trying to check the diversity factor box.
7. I loved how there were so many people in this book that there is definitely room for more stories. Spinoff potential is a huge plus in my book, and this one definitely had it!
8. So many fantastic lines and scenes!
Just because it’s the truth doesn’t mean she has to be reasonable.
– Oh Gods, that hits close to home
He’s going to seduce her with caretaking. Of all the paths he could take, like accidentally getting too close and oops! kissing her, or doing that stretch that shows stomach between shirt and waistband, he’s chosen mother henning. This is how Elle knows she’s gotten old.
– I mean, same girl. Same.
Luc: Is an hour enough time to prepare?
Elle: Yeah, I just need to get dressed and put my hair up.
Luc: I think you look nicer with it down.
Elle: Um. Thank you. I’d return the compliment, but your hair isn’t long enough to put up.
Luc: Would you believe that it was, once upon a time?
Elle: No way!
Luc: Long hair isn’t practical for what I do. But yes, when I was much younger, I had hair to my shoulders.
Elle: *giggles* I bet you were so pretty.
Luc: Perhaps, but you’ll always have me beat in that department.
Elle: *mouth drops open*
– This whole scene is just beautiful, but 1. him with long hair? That’s incredibly hot! I definitely like guys that can rock the long hair look. 2. This compliment had me reacting the same but with a blush as well!
There’s no question he wants answered more than how she likes her pleasure, no directive more pressing than how good he can make her feel…”Tell me how to touch you,” he whispers into her ear.
– WHY IS THAT SO HOT?!?!?!
“Lovely,” Luc murmurs between her gasps, holding her hips, grinding her down until the base of him stretches her to the brink.
Elle doesn’t want to be lovely. She wants to be fucking destroyed. She wants to be destroyed with him and by him…
– YESSSSSSSSSSSS!
What could have been better:
1. Ok, one of the only things I didn’t like about this book was how loooooong most of the chapters were. When I see a chapter is going to take me over 15 minutes to read, I die a little on the inside and reconsider my life choices that lead me to a book. I don’t have an attention-span problem, but I DO have a commitment phobia. I can sit and read 3 to 5 minutes chapters like candy for hours on end, but as soon as I see a 20-minute chapter I’m like “Wait, what? That’s, like, 1/3 of an hour, or 1/5 of a typical film length. But I have shit to do!” when I very well know that shit will not be done regardless.
With that said, I did finish the book in one day, but only because it was so good. If this book had lacked in ANY areas I typically rate a book on, it would have been hard to keep reading with chapter lengths involving that type of commitment.
2. The only other thing I think could have been better revolved around the villains.
I wish more time was spent on William, Elle’s younger brother. I feel for how villainous he was, we really didn’t get a lot of present-day insight into him. On one hand, I totally understood his motives and why he was doing what he was doing; on the other hand, I obviously didn’t want him to win given what that would mean. But his “ending” did leave some mixed feelings for me. What will the future hold? What was Lily’s backstory? Will there be a second book to clear this up???
Overall, I think there was a missed opportunity for developing a robust character in William, probably because the story was stretched between two villains.
Speaking of which, unless there is a second book in the works for these characters, I feel we missed out on how that ending impacted Oberon, Luc’s boss. Throughout the entire thing I had a really bad feeling that Luc was related to or somehow affiliated with Oberon in a way that he wasn’t aware of, but we never find out where Oberon ends up after Luc’s last stunt. Again, I’m really, really hoping there will be another book that follows these characters, but with perhaps a different set of main characters, in which this can be resolved.
Final Thoughts:
I’m going to be honest: this one caught me by surprise. I expected to like this book, but I couldn’t help but love it. Check it out as soon as you can!
Final Rating: 4.5 stars
Huge thank you to Edelweiss, Tachyon Publications, and Mia Tsai for the free copy of this book. My above review is honest and voluntary.
January 29, 2023
Amazing paranormal saga!
In a world full of fae, where ancient figures are linked to Gods, where organizations have come to depend on the agency Roland & Riddles to solve their problems. The Bureau is the elite arm of the agency, led by the elf Oberon. The Fixers are special agents who report directly to Oberon, the legendary founder of Roland & Riddle.” Oberon has in his thrall a half fae Fixer, Luc Villois. Others don’t know it, but Oberon keeps Luc chained to him by Right of Dominion, a practice outlawed many years after Luc was under Oberon’s control. That control continues. I loathe Oberon!
Think of James Bonds on steroids and you have some idea of Agent Luc Villois’ capabilities.
Luc’s been going to a B Grade Chinese artist Elle Mai for protective Glyphs. She is the only one he’s come to trust.
Elle holds secrets. She hides her true abilities for very good reasons. She’s has the ability of a higher grade artist but she ‘s actually from a family of an ancient medical magic line, descendants from the god of medicine, and it’s complicated! Suffice it to say when one brother tried to kill the other, she saved him. Now he’s in hiding from everyone, including the Bureau. Hiding in plain sight. Her little brother Yìwú is also on the Agency ‘must find’ list.
I love it when Luc gives Elle an ink stick. She’s overwhelmed, “The stick is as hard as stone, the color a deep, pure black, and Elle knows from previous experience that it can last decades without cracking or losing potency. Grinding it verges on the spiritual. Using it in her work can amplify her magic fivefold, and that’s without a blessing.”
We see the true passion Elle has for her work.
A soaring tale of love, betrayal, friendship, families and more. Oh, and Luc has an aunt who’s a sphinx!
I was absolutely glued to every word leaping off the pages. I kept along with them. Mai Tsai is a bright light bursting onto the stage of paranormal fantasy.
A Tachyon ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
In a world full of fae, where ancient figures are linked to Gods, where organizations have come to depend on the agency Roland & Riddles to solve their problems. The Bureau is the elite arm of the agency, led by the elf Oberon. The Fixers are special agents who report directly to Oberon, the legendary founder of Roland & Riddle.” Oberon has in his thrall a half fae Fixer, Luc Villois. Others don’t know it, but Oberon keeps Luc chained to him by Right of Dominion, a practice outlawed many years after Luc was under Oberon’s control. That control continues. I loathe Oberon!
Think of James Bonds on steroids and you have some idea of Agent Luc Villois’ capabilities.
Luc’s been going to a B Grade Chinese artist Elle Mai for protective Glyphs. She is the only one he’s come to trust.
Elle holds secrets. She hides her true abilities for very good reasons. She’s has the ability of a higher grade artist but she ‘s actually from a family of an ancient medical magic line, descendants from the god of medicine, and it’s complicated! Suffice it to say when one brother tried to kill the other, she saved him. Now he’s in hiding from everyone, including the Bureau. Hiding in plain sight. Her little brother Yìwú is also on the Agency ‘must find’ list.
I love it when Luc gives Elle an ink stick. She’s overwhelmed, “The stick is as hard as stone, the color a deep, pure black, and Elle knows from previous experience that it can last decades without cracking or losing potency. Grinding it verges on the spiritual. Using it in her work can amplify her magic fivefold, and that’s without a blessing.”
We see the true passion Elle has for her work.
A soaring tale of love, betrayal, friendship, families and more. Oh, and Luc has an aunt who’s a sphinx!
I was absolutely glued to every word leaping off the pages. I kept along with them. Mai Tsai is a bright light bursting onto the stage of paranormal fantasy.
A Tachyon ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
Read
March 10, 2023This debut romantic fantasy has a lot going for it. Thing I loved most was the way the author seamlessly wove the characters' home languages in at moments. I got a thrill when I could read the Chinese as well as the French, but I don't think a reader has to know the languages to enjoy the book. The non-English bits add custom and layer to characters, but don't obscure important plot points.
I think it helps to think of this story as mainly romance, as the strongest element is the focus on Luc and Elle. The world building seemed subsidiary to the arc of their romance, and also, they didn't seem to be as old as they are: their emotional age was more like the teens they appear to be. Which, for the teen reader the book is aimed at, ought to mesh just fine. The story goes at breakneck pace, which is another element I think today's teen reader expects.
I liked Tony, and many of the subsidiary characters. I loved the mix of cultures, and I look forward to seeing more from this author.
I think it helps to think of this story as mainly romance, as the strongest element is the focus on Luc and Elle. The world building seemed subsidiary to the arc of their romance, and also, they didn't seem to be as old as they are: their emotional age was more like the teens they appear to be. Which, for the teen reader the book is aimed at, ought to mesh just fine. The story goes at breakneck pace, which is another element I think today's teen reader expects.
I liked Tony, and many of the subsidiary characters. I loved the mix of cultures, and I look forward to seeing more from this author.
June 17, 2023
I loved the glyphs so much! I am sad that this wasn't a bigger part of the story. I also felt like the story was two halves. The first half fit the title, while the second half veered off for the most part. It was still enjoyable.
A bit of the middle was muddy and slow, making my interest wane. It could have been better edited for narrative flow. Luckily the book picks back up, and once the romance gets HOT HOT HOT, I was hooked on the character's growth and humanity.
I love the way Language was played and the cultural aspects of the Chinese and French merging.
I literally still have no idea how Luc being an Elf is pertinent to anything or how it ended up in this story other than the name compulsion section.
Extra hot quote:
"She tries to speak, but he licks the words from her"
3.5 rounded up to a 4 star
A bit of the middle was muddy and slow, making my interest wane. It could have been better edited for narrative flow. Luckily the book picks back up, and once the romance gets HOT HOT HOT, I was hooked on the character's growth and humanity.
I love the way Language was played and the cultural aspects of the Chinese and French merging.
I literally still have no idea how Luc being an Elf is pertinent to anything or how it ended up in this story other than the name compulsion section.
Extra hot quote:
"She tries to speak, but he licks the words from her"
3.5 rounded up to a 4 star
January 20, 2023
I received an advance copy via NetGalley.
Bitter Medicine is, at heart, a contemporary fantasy romance with incredibly compelling, complicated leads, fantastic chemistry, and great action throughout. At first I thought it was going to be like an urban fantasy, but no--this is something different. It's not about saving the world or beating some bad guy. It's about two people--a descendant of a Chinese god of Medicine and a French fairy--doing their utmost to save each other through their profound love (with some hot sex along the way). There's magic, yes, and various fun fairy creatures and mythological references, but this defies a lot of standard western tropes of storytelling. I loved the book for its uniqueness and the realism of the central relationship.
Bitter Medicine is, at heart, a contemporary fantasy romance with incredibly compelling, complicated leads, fantastic chemistry, and great action throughout. At first I thought it was going to be like an urban fantasy, but no--this is something different. It's not about saving the world or beating some bad guy. It's about two people--a descendant of a Chinese god of Medicine and a French fairy--doing their utmost to save each other through their profound love (with some hot sex along the way). There's magic, yes, and various fun fairy creatures and mythological references, but this defies a lot of standard western tropes of storytelling. I loved the book for its uniqueness and the realism of the central relationship.
March 11, 2023
The concepts were interesting and I loved the urban fantasy setting that deliberately takes into account how magic changes between cultures, but worldbuilding and pacing were an absolute mess. Character actions felt questionable because the world behind their decisions was so flimsy, the story was pretty much over 60% in, and the villain was so comic-book mustache-twirly evil his actions were almost laughable.
April 28, 2024
Brimming with rich Chinese mythology and delightfully casual queerness, Bitter Medicine is a refreshingly diverse paranormal fantasy romance that reads like the best type of fanfiction, and I say that in the most loving way possible!
From page one, Tsai just sucked me into this delightful romp of a story with her beautifully immersive and addictive prose. The pacing might not be incredibly fast in the beginning of this novel, but I guarantee that you won't be able to stop turning the pages. Everything about this story is just so refreshing, and I loved how Tsai took some of the most beloved fantasy (romance) tropes, only to put a completely unexpected and unique twist on them.
The world building is simply phenomenal, and I was quickly enamoured with Tsai's wonderful imagination. From the diverse races, to the culture clashes, to the Chinese lore-inspired soft magic system, to the unique take on the Fae, to the casual queer-normativity, to the excellent implementation of Chinese and French language; it was all just so organically woven into this beautifully character-driven romp, which made Bitter Medicine such a well-rounded story.
Though, while I loved the world building and riveting plot, the characters are what truly made this story for me. I personally immediately latched onto both Elle and Luc (the descendant of the Chinese God of Medicine and a half-Elf security expert, respectively) as protagonists, and I loved that the tentative development of their romance never overtook their own powerful personal arcs. They both have so much personality and their intriguing backstories are revealed in the most captivating way possible, giving them incredible complexity and emotional depth. Moreover, I loved that they both have such long lifespans and are already over 100 years old, because that added a level of maturity to them and their dynamic that I really enjoyed.
Yes, there is plenty of delicious pining and yearning here, but all without the insufferable teenage angst and annoying melodrama or miscommunication. The witty banter and the 'will they, won't they' vibes are to die for in here, and I was eating up every single moment of emotional turmoil! Also, when the steamy scenes did eventually hit... holy smokes were those perfectly written. I mean, who knew you could use a qi meridian reading as foreplay?! So sensual, so tender, and soooo hot!
But it is not just the romance that gives this story so much heart, but arguably even more so the friendships and (found) family vibes. The entire diverse cast of side characters is established with so much skill, and they all leap off the page with personality. I especially loved Elle's brother, who I would absolutely love to read an entire spin-off novel about, thank you very much!
Sometimes I did feel like some of the dialogue came across a bit sillier and more juvenile than you'd expect from these otherwise very mature characters, but I also really liked how those light-hearted interactions balanced out the more serious and tragic moments of the story. In a way, the tone and humour in Bitter Medicine really reminded me of that in Django Wexler's Burningblade & Silvereye series, and I was kinda here for it.
If you are looking for a very character-driven paranormal fantasy romance with plenty of family drama, emotional turmoil, Chinese mythology, delicious pining, teasing banter, a touch of tragedy, and some surprisingly sensual steamy scenes, you have to check out Bitter Medicine. I had a true blast, and I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for whatever Tsai writes next!
From page one, Tsai just sucked me into this delightful romp of a story with her beautifully immersive and addictive prose. The pacing might not be incredibly fast in the beginning of this novel, but I guarantee that you won't be able to stop turning the pages. Everything about this story is just so refreshing, and I loved how Tsai took some of the most beloved fantasy (romance) tropes, only to put a completely unexpected and unique twist on them.
The world building is simply phenomenal, and I was quickly enamoured with Tsai's wonderful imagination. From the diverse races, to the culture clashes, to the Chinese lore-inspired soft magic system, to the unique take on the Fae, to the casual queer-normativity, to the excellent implementation of Chinese and French language; it was all just so organically woven into this beautifully character-driven romp, which made Bitter Medicine such a well-rounded story.
Though, while I loved the world building and riveting plot, the characters are what truly made this story for me. I personally immediately latched onto both Elle and Luc (the descendant of the Chinese God of Medicine and a half-Elf security expert, respectively) as protagonists, and I loved that the tentative development of their romance never overtook their own powerful personal arcs. They both have so much personality and their intriguing backstories are revealed in the most captivating way possible, giving them incredible complexity and emotional depth. Moreover, I loved that they both have such long lifespans and are already over 100 years old, because that added a level of maturity to them and their dynamic that I really enjoyed.
Yes, there is plenty of delicious pining and yearning here, but all without the insufferable teenage angst and annoying melodrama or miscommunication. The witty banter and the 'will they, won't they' vibes are to die for in here, and I was eating up every single moment of emotional turmoil! Also, when the steamy scenes did eventually hit... holy smokes were those perfectly written. I mean, who knew you could use a qi meridian reading as foreplay?! So sensual, so tender, and soooo hot!
But it is not just the romance that gives this story so much heart, but arguably even more so the friendships and (found) family vibes. The entire diverse cast of side characters is established with so much skill, and they all leap off the page with personality. I especially loved Elle's brother, who I would absolutely love to read an entire spin-off novel about, thank you very much!
Sometimes I did feel like some of the dialogue came across a bit sillier and more juvenile than you'd expect from these otherwise very mature characters, but I also really liked how those light-hearted interactions balanced out the more serious and tragic moments of the story. In a way, the tone and humour in Bitter Medicine really reminded me of that in Django Wexler's Burningblade & Silvereye series, and I was kinda here for it.
If you are looking for a very character-driven paranormal fantasy romance with plenty of family drama, emotional turmoil, Chinese mythology, delicious pining, teasing banter, a touch of tragedy, and some surprisingly sensual steamy scenes, you have to check out Bitter Medicine. I had a true blast, and I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for whatever Tsai writes next!
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