Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of "Empress of All Seasons" by Emiko Jean.
What I liked: 1.The unique, lovingly detailed fantasy world-building based upon Japanese culture. The magical, mythical fairy-tale feel was really cool. 
2. The romance, for at least part of the time. I believed the way Taro felt about Mari and vice versa and I felt the tension between them and it kept me reading for a while. 
3. It had some pretty lines here and there that I highlighted as I went along. It really had almost a fable-like feel to it at times. 
What I didn't like: 1. The chapters about the gods and goddesses' myths. The one at the beginning was a good introduction to the world. After that, they just felt like interruptions to the flow of the story. I ended up mostly skimming them. Maybe I could've given them a pass if they'd been more important to the plot at some point, but I didn't feel like they were. 
2. The overdone competition to the death story line. It forced me to compare the writing to The Hunger Games the whole time and it did not live up to it. I never really felt any suspense because it was obvious to me how things would turn out. There were a few good twists I didn't see coming in the overall plot, but there wasn't a lot of mystery to keep me wanting to see what would happen as I went along. 
3. The ending was super rushed and forced. It's almost like there was going to be a sequel, and instead they squished the whole thing into an epilogue. And while I appreciate it when authors bring feminism into a story line, I feel like in this case it happened at the expense of Taro's character development. His ending did not feel natural to me based on how he had been progressing throughout the rest of the story. 
Also Akira mostly bored me. I was always kind of disappointed when I started a new chapter and saw his name at the top. 
So, a solid middle of the line book for me. It definitely had its flaws, but it had enough good stuff for me to keep reading it to the end.

This is a standalone rich in Japanese mythology. Switching between three points of view, Mari, Taro and Akira, we see what happens during the competition, life inside the imperial palace and life outside the palace. The story is also broken up by small snippets of mythology, which I greatly enjoyed. Mari really grows throughout the whole story; and my friend’s aunt told her when she was young, “Barbie don’t need no Ken.” Though there is a romance in this story (and a slight case of instalove), it is about a young woman learning who she, while in a budding relationship and how she feels about herself and her self-worth.

This book almost got two stars but was saved by the ending and the fact that it won't drag into another book. Obviously since it's fantasy there's a lot of unrealistic things but the fact that someone masters a very complicated weapon over maybe, what, three-ish days? Crazy talk. 

However, it was an enjoyable enough read and I would probably read another story in this world, but I couldn't guarantee it.

I really enjoyed Empress Of All Seasons.  I can't tell you how happy all these Asian fantasy/retellings are making me.  I haven't read one that I've disliked yet.



Empress Of All Seasons is told by Mari, Taro, and Akira. 



Mari is an animal wife.  Her people are usually beautiful and can transform fully into animals.  Mari has been told her whole life that she's not beautiful and she can only partially transform.  The animal wives seduce men, get pregnant, and steal their money.  They come back home to the mountains where the yokai are free and not collared.  Their animals are only transferred to females, so if they have a male baby, they give him to the river.  They keep the girls.  Since Mari wasn't traditionally beautiful, her mother had her train early on.  She expected her to go compete to become the next empress.  Yokai were forbidden to compete, so Mari would have to keep her animal well hidden.



Akira is Mari's not so secret friend.  He is the Son of Nightmares and lives outside of Mari's village.  Akira is in love with Mari, but she only sees him as her best friend.  When Mari leaves to go compete, Akira follows behind.  He finds the weapons master and learns to fight/kill.  He wants to be strong for Mari, hoping that she'll fall in love with him.  He is also there to keep an eye on her.  Hanoko, Snow Girl, is the weapons master.  She lives with an Oni, Ren.  While Akira trains with them, he not only finds information, but he finds friends.  Hanoko is planning a rebellion of yokai that are going to kill the emperor and the prince.  She has a yokai in the competition. 



Taro is the emperor's son.  He isn't really thrilled with everything that comes with power.  He spends his time creating metal animals.  Taro also created the collars that are put on the yokai that contain a lot of their power.  Taro is often torn between taking over for his father, and what his heart tells him.  He doesn't hate the yokai as much as his father, but he is loyal and will follow most of what he's told.  Taro has a half brother, Satoshi, that wants nothing more than the power and love of his father.  



I enjoyed the pacing and action in the book.  To compete, the girls had to survive the seasons.  Each room had a season with dangers everywhere.  They had to solve a riddle and find the scrolls before the others.  Many of the girls didn't survive the rooms.  There is a bit of a love triangle with Mari, Taro, and Akira.  But Mari is a very strong female that really didn't feel like she needed a man, even when she had feelings for Taro.  I loved her attitude and growth  at the end of the book.



I gave this one 4  1/2 stars (rounded up to 5).  Thank you to HMH Teen and Netgalley for my copy for review.

Summary 
This book follows Mari and her trek to become Empress. She must conquer all of the Seasons' rooms in the competition to gain her ultimate goal. But she hides a dark secret that could kill her if she ever reveals it. She has to conquer the trials and tribulations of the palace politics as well as the competition to win her way into the court. 

Likes
This book was okay. I had seen it hyped a lot recently on social media and it reminded me that I really have to get on reading it! I appreciate the culture in this book. The world building is really good and I appreciate so many books with Japanese elements lately! I also read Shadow of the Fox and this had similar elements that I recognized due to have had read that. Anyway, I thought that it reminded me a lot of the Selection, in a way. There was a competition for them to become Empress and whoever won would get this chance. I liked the selection, so I wasn't mad about it. I liked Mari and I thought she was a great protagonist for this story.

Dislikes 
Unfortunately, I disliked more than I liked. I just didn't feel a connection to this book at all. It wasn't what I had expected, and while that isn't bad, I think that disconnect is what caused me to not like it as much. It was unique in story elements and as I mentioned before, it was a lot like a mashup of the selection and Shadow of the fox. It also reminded me a little of the talon series, where there are shapeshifters, and that was also neat. It simply wasn't something that I connected with, which is why the rating is so low.

Recommendation
I would recommend this book to fans of the selection and Shadow of the fox. I thought that it was definitely worth the read!

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The beginning few chapters were really great and drew me in. However, around the 40% mark I found myself getting a bit bored, whether it was the book or me combating  bad case of a reading slump I'm not sure, so take that criticism with a grain of salt. The competition aspect is a large part of the book and the part I liked the least. Emiko Jean did a great job of describing the different rooms and the atmospheres and challenges that went with it, but I couldn't care. I've learned that competition style books just aren't for me anymore. I really liked Mari. I could sympathize with her and understood her inner conflicts. The romance wasn't my favorite and could have used more development. While the world is lush and the political climate intriguing, the ending felt a bit rushed and I'm on the fence as to whether this story would have worked better as a duology. There is certainly more Jean could do with the world and characters. Even thought this wasn't a complete hit for me, I still think tons of readers will enjoy this. If Jean ever writes any fantasy in the future I will certainly look into it. Her writing, characters, and world make her a great new voice in YA fantasy.

It's an enthralling story however there was something lacking and I can't figure out what or why. It just felt like there was something missing to this story. The introduction to this book was amazing and I thought I was going to rate this one 4 or 5 stars especially when this book intrigued me from the beginning. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the ending. 

While I appreciated this book for the switching of gender roles (i.e. women competing to be the empress and to marry the prince), I just didn't think it was compelling enough especially in the novel's romance department. I think it had something to do with the timeline in this story. Both the romance and the development of these characters happened too quickly, in my opinion. It made it seem that the characters magically developed a new skill and/or had fallen in love too quickly.

Additionally, the scenes in the season rooms were engrossing to read about. I thought the action- packed scenes were well written, but the battle scenes nearing the end of this novel felt rushed and then it ended too quickly. Overall, I wasn't satisfied with the conclusion to this novel especially when this book's a slow and plot driven novel. I think this book needed a little bit of work when it comes to the plot building, characterization, and (magical) world-building. 

I think Emiko Jean is someone to look out for when it comes to YA fantasy stories. The writing was superb and the characters diverse, so I'm still going to pick up any book written by this author in the future.

Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean is a young adult fantasy book that is inspired by the author’s own Japanese heritage. I think if you took the Japanese infused story complete with monsters and tossed it into a blender with the Hunger Games and a smidge of the Selection then blend it all up you come up with Empress of All Seasons.

Mari is a Yokai, she looks human but has the ability to transform into a monster. Yokai are feared Honoku so Mari hides who she is along with her small village of women. When grown the woman are expected to marry and then steal their husband’s wealth but Mari’s mother gave her the ultimate goal, marry the prince.

Mari has spent her whole life training to enter the competition to win the honor of marrying the prince of Honoku. Those that try are expected to conquer the four rooms of the seasons in an all out battle for the crown and the prince’s heart. Taro, the prince, however doesn’t like being a prize to be won and doesn’t agree with his father on how Honoku should be ran.

The story is told from changing the point of view between the characters.  Mari is one of those snarky bad@ss female leads that pushes back when she needs to, then there is Taro the Prince who also goes against what is expected of him but he’s a bit uppity about it so I wasn’t too sure on him, but there’s also Akira who is part human and part yokai who Mari had known her whole life which you also might guess leads to a bit of a triangle, just to warn those who hate that set up. While there are touches of other stories this one still had a uniqueness of it’s own and I rather enjoyed reading it.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Mari is a yōkai, a supernatural monster/spirit. Her clan is the Animal Wives, who are cunning, beautiful yōkai that enchant human men into marrying them, then return to their remote mountain village with their husbands’ riches. Since Mari isn’t as preternaturally beautiful as the rest of the Animal Wives, her mother decides to train her in combat to become the Empress of Honoku. In this competition, girls from all around the country have to survive the elements and demons until the last one standing can marry the crown Prince. 

It was interesting to read a fantasy story inspired by Japanese folktales rather than the typical Western background. The world-building in this book was wonderful. I loved getting details about the different yōkai and the season rooms were easy to picture. The story as a whole fell flat for me. Even though the story is told through three points of view, the characters didn’t seem real and would change their personalities at the drop of a hat. That being said, I do think that many people will like this book. I would recommend it for fans of The Hunger Games and The Selection.

After reading Empress of All Seasons, we can say that this book is a combination of Brave and Hunger Games combined in a modern new world. All of our readers one way or another can relate to Mari and the passion she had for becoming an empress and being the missing piece of the puzzle for her kingdom. With Mari's curse/gift this book also reminded us of she hulk but we like how Mari kept giving effort in hiding her secret in order to keep training and competing. Then Mari meets Tokai and realizes he is one of her kind and the book also has a Shrek element to it where Monster falls in love with Monster.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. We will definitely be considering this title for our YFantasy collection at the library. This is why we are giving this book 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of "Empress of All Seasons" by Emiko Jean. I loved this book. It is beautifully written with a unique plot. The character is equally wonderful. I will be purchasing it for the library.

Empress of All Seasons has everything it would take to be an excellent book series, but by compressing it to one book, it feels like reading a Sparknote - all the main plot details are there, but the story layering and character development are lacking. 

First, I think it's worth mentioning how exciting and unique the world is. Blending mythology into a hierarchal society where the 'monsters' are collared out of fear, Jean expertly adapts Japanese folklore into her fantasy world with ease. For those not familiar with Yokai, part of the fun of reading this book can be supplementing Jean's descriptions with a quick google search and reading more of the myths she based figures on. Still, with some much energy focused on advancing the ambitious plot, the more delicate details of this world are trampled on, leaving the reader with more questions than answers. 

Sadly, this is also the same problem that faces the character development. Jean creates a diverse cast of characters, some of which with thrilling backstories, and some without a mention of their past, but doesn't have the time to develop them fully. Even the main characters are woefully left untouched and in some cases with plot holes. Taro, a prince who longs to be an engineer, is maybe the worst case of this with his personality and desires to change too rapidly to keep track of and without an explanation as to why. 

In turn, this makes the romantic storyline underdeveloped as well, as both characters aren't strong enough to carry their own stories, let alone a (complicated) romance. 

I'm genuinely sad that this book wasn't given the space it needed to develop into something great. Emiko Jean seems to be a talented writer, and I hope Empress of All Seasons is given a sequel - maybe in a Chronicles of Narnia fashion - in the future just to allow her to flush out this fascinating world. And possibly give the characters some depth. 

FOR: Readers of the Red Queen, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and A Court of Thorns and Roses series

3/5 Stars

I read this because it will be going in the November Illumicrate box. I really liked it, such an original concept and the world building was really interesting. I’m glad it’s going in the box, but I do think the cover leaves a lot to be desired. Bit frustrated by books with Asian-inspired mythology and characters having a vaguely Asian weapon on the cover rather than a person of colour.

I wanted SO badly to love this book. I am a huge fan of Japanese fantasy and there is a glaring lack of it in YA, so this was one of my most anticipated 2018 releases. Unfortunately, the writing style didn't work for me and I was also extremely bored because nothing happened until 40% through. The ONLY thing I liked was the culture. I made it to 45% before I had to put this one down because I had to force myself to pick it back up. No one is more sad than I am!

Mari is a yōkai in world where humans enslave and persecute the powerful beings of her kind. She's spent her life in her mountain village surrounded by the other Animal Wives, an all-female clan who entice men to fall in love with them, only to marry them and steal their riches. Oh, and they can also transform into flying beasts. With the competition to become the next empress about to be underway, Mari travels to the emperor's palace to conquer the seasonal rooms and win the prince's hand, despite the fact that yōkai aren't allowed to compete. It's the role Mari has trained her whole life for. But the young prince isn't who she expected, and her lifelong yōkai friend, Akira, isn't either. Mari's not the only one in the palace keeping secrets, and any number of them could cost her life.

Emiko Jean has created an imaginative mythology in EMPRESS OF ALL SEASONS. The pace is a bit of slow burn, but the intrigue and stakes are high. The writing was beautiful and the settings were rich and full of details. There were definitely a few fun surprises at the end.

An Advance Reader Copy was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In a society based on tradition, the rules of humanity are simply: be human and be free, be yokai and be collared. The yokai are mystical beasts of various forms and talents often hidden within humanoid characters and Mari of the Animal Wives tribe is no different. Her village in the mountains is exclusively Animal Wives who are beautiful women who secure husbands, rob them of their wealth, and return to the mountain and their treasures with the hope that they will soon give birth to new daughters. Any sons born from them are sent down the river. Mari however is not as beautiful as the other Animal Wives nor is her beast fully formed. She is not Animal Wife material but there is still a place for her. Taro, the crown prince, is obligated to marry the winner of the Seasonal Rooms. The women who enter into the competition must survive four rooms in the palace enchanted to replicate each of the four seasons. Mari may not be beautiful but she is fierce and has been training her whole life for this mission, the ultimate husband.

Taro, the crown prince, is a gentle spirit and very human. He lacks his father, the Emperor's, blood-thirsty ways and wishes for a peaceful life outside the palace walls. He abruptly meets Mari and is fascinated by her. Throughout the backstabbing, lies, and betrayal of the women in the Seasonal Rooms and the hushed fear and challenges for yokai, Mari must keep her Animal Wife self hidden while in the care of the palace, stay alive in face of a quiet rebellion surging through the competition, and realize that her growing affection for the Cold Prince is sincere and reciprocated.

---

I was firstly intrigued by the idea of battle within the seasons. Living in a climate that does indeed experience all four seasons (aggressively), the idea of facing both the best and the worst of each was fascinating. This, along with the inclusion of struggle between human and non-human characters and a fantasy-Asian society, was very exciting. I was however dismayed by the rashness of so many of the characters whose personalities seemed to shift dramatically at the most minor inconvenience. Much of the drama of this work could have been settled by the characters having a conversation. 

Also, why do YA book characters fall in love so quickly with people they know nothing about? What's that like?

Others have touted this book as a combination of "The Selection" series by Kiera Cass and "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and that is a fair description.

This novel is magnificent. Jean weaves fragments of Japanese culture into an empowering story of a young woman named Mari and her quest to overcome the expectations placed on her and pursue the life she wants for herself instead. I couldn't put this book down, couldn't turn my eyes away from Mari's struggle, couldn't keep myself from falling in love with Akira, from sympathizing with Taro, from aching for all the sorrows each character was forced to face as the story progressed. It was fascinating to read a story so steeped in a culture that I know so little about; it's the mark of good writing (in my opinion) that I felt as strongly as I did about the characters so early into the book. I think it will turn some heads once it is published.

Emiko Jean's Empress of all Seasons inhabits a wondrous, well-crafted world drawing inspiration from Japanese myth and legend.

...I loved the rich world-building so much that it was my favorite character. 

I really wanted to love this because the setting feels so fresh and well done, but I found it hard to get into Mari and Taro's heads. Their romance fell into the all-too-common YA trap of being too fast and too darn boring, with some eye-rollingly cheesy dialogue.

I would recommend the read to anyone looking for an Asian-inspired fantasy, and for those that don't mind a little cheese in their romance. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Empress of All Seasons immediately gripped my attention.  The first scene is full of action and thrusts you right into a part of Mari's life.  Plus, the world building is absolutely amazing. 

Mari is a supernatural monster that is competing to be Empress, but of course, Yokai are not supposed to be competing.  I really liked her.  I liked that she cared about others but could never be classified as a pushover.  She is definitely quite brave and smart.  

Taro is the Emperor's son, and the best and worst thing about him was his inventions.  I liked that they showed that he wasn't just a one dimensional character and that he should be given a chance.

I had a tough time getting into the Akira POV chapters.  I liked that they showed Mari's compassion, but I found myself wanting to get back to the other chapters.  I think I didn't always understand the decisions that Akira made.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Empress of All Seasons because it instantly sweeps you off to Honoku!

Even though this one didn't fully work for me, I still think it'll be an excellent story for many readers. It's not to say I didn't enjoy it at all, but I think my overall feel was too middle-of-the-road to garner anything higher than a 3 star rating towards my experience. The cover is swoon worthy and the influence of Japanese culture was stellar, and, honest to God, the intro was one of the most well written, engaging, and intriguing beginnings to an entirely unique fantasy idea that I've ever read.

I really appreciated the idea behind this story; these hidden monsters, coupled with the importance of the female gender proved to be an exciting new development, one where I enjoyed the prince finally being described as the prize to be won in a competition instead of our typical princess/damsel in distress. Jean has also created a complex and fascinating new world here, one that stands out amongst a sea of "been there done that" fantasy lookalikes, and for that I am grateful and grant a standing ovation.

I think my main issues were with the character development. I found myself only really connecting with Akira, and the romance felt a bit stale. For me, most of the characterization appeared one dimensional and too basic to compete with the lush, vivid descriptions of the world in which Empress Of All Seasons takes place. A little more work, and I think this author will be one to watch for in the highly competitive YA fantasy genre. Recommended to those who are looking for a creative, diverse, and atmospheric read to add to their fantasy line up.