I had a lot of mixed feelings about this one and I wasn't sure if I should give it 3 or 4 stars, but eventually went with 4. The story started of a bit slow and I had a hard time getting into the book, after like 40% in, it got more interesting. It had absolutely nothing to do with the writing since that was great and I was really able to picture all the scenes.

I also liked the characters a lot and the different types of "creatures" or people. It was quite interesting to read about how each and everyone of them fit into this world. This book has multiple pov's, which I'm usually not a fan of, but I liked it this time. It mostly followed Rui and Yiran and both were very complex, but likeable characters

I do think this book is worth the read even though it took me a while to get into it.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let's start with a confession: I went into reading this book with kind of conflicted expectations. On one hand, I really really enjoyed June CL Tan's debut novel 'Jade Fire Gold' and I was excited to see what new amazing story she came up with. The book had great, complex characters, a well-executed plot and good writing and I also really wanted to see how Tan has developed as a writer from a craft perspective. On the other hand though, a lot of the marketing of this book focuses on its' inspirations being cdrama shows and kpop, and I have absolutely zero connection to either. Haven't watched a single episode of any beloved cdrama show and the whole kpop industry is, let's say, not my jam (also I just don't like most of the music). So yeah, I was both excited and worried that this might just not vibe with me because clearly I'm not the target audience.

Fast forward to me reading this book in one sitting and having a forking great time. Sigh of utter relief right there.
Now, I'm sure that fans of the aforementioned material will get a lot more out of this book than I did because they would probably notice all the references, but even if you're a complete noob about these subjects you can still very much enjoy your time with "Darker By Four".

My enjoyment of almost any fiction novel mostly hinges on whether I connect with the characters. I don't have to relate to them, but I have to feel for them, care for them in some way. 'Darker by Four' made me care for almost all of the important characters. Rui is our main protagonist really, a girl who almost died before she was even born because her pregnant mother was in a car crash that would have taken her life if not for the interference of two of the ten Kings of Hell, Four and One. They saved her mother's life because, well, Rui is the Chosen One trope incarnate even if we don't know exactly what that entails for now. When she's 14, Rui loses her mother when they are attacked by a Hybrid - a being half human, half Revenant monster - and still blames herself to this day, vowing to find the murderous Hybrid and take her revenge. Now at 18, she's the best student at an academy training new exorcists - people with strong magical capabilities that exist to fight the monstrous Revenants. She's a complex and layered character, even though she's a bit too Special and Chosen and Edgy at times.
The second major pov character is Yiran, who has by far the more interesting personal storyline to begin with. He's the son of the big boss of the exorcist guild, part of a family known to produce the strongest fighters with the strongest powers, yet he himself is what the people call a "normie". He's born without the inherent capacity for power, and he suffers constantly because of it. With low self esteem and a terrible grandfather who looks down on him, his journey takes a sudden turn when he meets Rui and he comes into a power he always desperately wished for. While it took me a little more time to warm up to him, I absolutely adored him by the end of the book and I'm very excited to see where Tan will lead him in the sequel.
The third pov character is Nikai, a reaper that helps the souls of the departed to find their way into the underworld. His chapters are far and inbetween and we don't learn that much about him, so I'm not super invested in him for now, but he might just be playing an important role later on. In this book, he mostly serves as our introduction to the underworld, its mechanisms and the Kings ruling them. When the King Nikai serves, Four, suddenly vanishes and thereby endangers both the underworld and the world of the living, it's Nikai who sets out to find him.
There's also another very important character, though he doesn't get his own pov chapter until the very end: Zizi is a rogue mage who saved Rui when her mother was killed, and the two have shared a close bond since then. She does the odd magical jobs for him, and he's her connection to the magical world beyond the guild of exorcists. He's a fun character, witty and clearly devoted to Rui and if I love one thing about my love interests, it's when they're very obviously simping for their girls. Their romance is pretty perfectly done, deliciously slow burn despite them both already having feelings for each other when we meet them. And well, it only gets better from there.
There are a bunch of side characters, though most of them aren't that interesting or fleshed out. Yiran's brother Ash, the golden child of the family, is intriguing because of his complicated relationship with his little brother, who he clearly loves very much. I thought that Rui's best friend (and ex) Ada would play a larger role, but she kind of disappears into "side character pops up when needed" territory later on. One of the most intriguing side characters gets introduced rather late into the story and I'm already very invested in him and finding out more about him because he offers a new perspective, and there's potential for a great relationship between him and one of the main characters, though I won't mention more because it'd be a spoiler. The Kings we meet are interesting and I hope we get to spend more time with them in the next book.

The plot is a very straightforward one: There are monsters called Revenants, caused by a mysterious Blight taking over the souls of the dead if they're not ushered into the underworld quickly enough. There are those that fight those monsters, the Exorcists. When one of the Kings of the underworld vanishes, more Revenants start to pop up while the underworld slowly but surely falls to a dark void called the Nothing. The solution? To find the missing King and return him to this throne, which will hopefully end the rising threat to both worlds. Only that finding said King is not an easy task. When one of the other Kings offer Rui a deal to give her what she wants (and return something that she lost) in return for finding him, she still agrees to take it on. There's a lot more surrounding this seemingly straightforward quest, but the mystery of the missing King is intriguing and exciting on its own.

The writing is solid, though at times a little clunky. Especially in the beginning there's quite a bit of exposition provided via characters telling other characters things that they already know. Sometimes, the characters don't talk like people would actually talk in order to get some information across. For example, to make sure we understand that both Rui and Yiran are queer, they both on different occasions reply to questions about their romantic life by explicitely stating that right now they're not interested in dating "boys or girls or anyone in between". Rui does so even to a person she just met. Noone would talk like that unless they want to make a point, which neither of them does, especially not in such a queerfriendly world as is shown in this novel. Feels a little like "look!! here's the representation!!", but could also just be clunky writing. There are way better ways to bring this information across, and Tan uses them in the very same novel. Other than that, the writing is perfectly fine and works well with the fast-paced story it tells.

All in all, I just had a really good time reading this book and I'm very invested in the characters. There are many ways the story could develop in the sequel and I'm really excited to find out! A fast-paced, quick fantasy that makes you want to read up on the underlying mythology, which is always a win in my opinion. Easy 4 stars.

DARKER BY FOUR was so much fun from start to finish. It's a YA urban fantasy where Chinese underworld mythology collides with a contemporary world. The plot is action-packed and keeps the reader engaged until the last page due to the many twists, turns, and reveals. The slow-burn romance is beautiful and Zizi is a fantastic character. I loved his interactions with Rui, an Exorcist-in-training on a quest to avenge her mother's death. It reminded me of 2010 YA in the best way possible.

Darker by Four is a perfect YA urban fantasy and the first book in a duology. Inspired by Chinese mythology, it brings magic into the modern-day world. The novel is fast-paced and full of magic, secrets, vivid world-building, fascinating characters, and plot twists. I was hooked from the first page and could not stop reading. Rui became one of my favourite heroines, as she is strong, determined, and bound on revenge, but she also really cares about the people around her. Even though she doesn’t want to admit it. The world created by the author is detailed and enthralling. There are still many characters and places I would like to learn more about, some secrets that need revealing, but I hope to find all my answers in the second book.

Darker by Four also has the perfect slow-burn romance plot. From the moment Zizi appeared, I was intrigued and wanted to know how his relationship with Rui would evolve. The contrast between their personalities makes them funny and adorable.

This novel is a perfect read for fans of YA fantasy and anime. I cannot wait for the second book in this series.

So gripping from the first page to the last. Fast paced, unpredictable and original with a twist that made me gasp out loud. Dramatic, atmospheric and fast paced.

I loved the urban fantasy setting, combined with the Chinese gods, it made for a compelling story. Certain aspects of the magic system did lose me at times, but I found the three main characters each engaging in their own ways, and the ending of the book was very exciting! Looking forward to the sequel

One of my new favorites !
This book is highly addictive and impossible to let down. We really feel the "The Mortal instuments" vibe blended with chinese mythology and a little bit of "Lockwood&Co" for the revenants parts. It is really anime coded, and I had this impression thoughout my reading. I crave for an adaptation right now !
Everything is efficient and well built. The plot, the characters,... OMG the characters ! Can we talk about them just for one minute, please ? They're fantastic ! One of the greatest strenghts of the story.

Now all I want is the final book of this duology !

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this ARC. 3.75⭐ rounded up.

I don't typically read a lot of *urban* fantasy. But DB4 was able to hook me quickly with its atmospheric writing, interesting magical lore of vicious ghosts/exorcism/Courts of Hell, and a maddening mystery that I HAD to know the resolution to. The latter especially was enough incentive for me to keep on reading, even when at times the three main characters of Rui, Zizi & Yiran weren't necessarily the most intriguing.

Rui and Zizi were the easiest to grow attached to, with their fun dynamic that they play off each other and contrasting personalities that is complementing rather than a source of conflict. Rui's drive for vengeance for her mother's murderer and ambition to rise up the ranks to join the Exorcist Guild is tempered well by her genuine compassion, which saves her from being a one-note GirlBoss. "She cares about people," as said by another character. Zizi comes off as a typical too-cool-for-school rebel with a heart of gold, but is so enigmatic and offers much welcomed comedic relief in an otherwise dark and tense atmosphere.

Meanwhile, I struggled with the character of Yiran, given that his character arc depended on him having Rui's magical power transferred over to him. Suddenly, this "normie" boy is given a place in a community of Exorcist cadets and a chance to prove himself. While I empathized with how he is ostracized by the patriarch of his family, being a child out of wedlock, and had never felt accepted by anyone until now, it still leaves a sour taste in my mouth how he is banking off an underprivileged girl's power. Rui never had his resources and privilege to get to where he does, and so I completely understand her frustration expressed on page. Tan at least makes sure to try to make Yiran somewhat likeable despite this premise, what with his attempts to befriend Rui and him learning to take Exorcist duties seriously given the lives at stake. The ending doesn't help my overall disdain for him, though.

While I appreciate that Tan takes her time to build up the main romance—they don't kiss until 80% into the story, which is my preference for a believable YA romance—I personally find the two lacking in romantic chemistry. Instead, they could've been an excellent example of Platonic Soulmates, and I far enjoyed their dynamic as ride-or-die friends before it evolved to will-they-won't-they. That said, ultimately I am ambivalent towards them as love interests, and therefore the romance doesn't take away my overall enjoyment of the story.

There's just enough to keep me interested and wanting to know more of this world & the impending war between the humans and Revenants/Hybrids. The action was good, side characters were neat, and I am eager to read the sequel!

I'm really struggling to sum up this book, but rest assured it is a bad ass fantasy with all sorts of supernatural elements. There was a lot to learn at the beginning which made the start a bit slow, but I'm glad I persevered as that ending was unreal! A really stand out story.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

"Darker By Four" by June presents an intriguing premise with potential, but unfortunately falls short in its execution. While the concept of a magical world filled with dangerous monsters and complex characters is appealing, the story suffers from inconsistent pacing and underdeveloped plotlines.

The novel's central characters, Rui and Yiran, lack depth and fail to evoke genuine empathy from the reader. Rui's quest for vengeance and Yiran's struggle to find his place in a world without magic are compelling on paper, but their motivations and actions feel contrived and lack authenticity.

Additionally, the romance between Rui and Yiran, touted as an "achingly slow burn," feels forced and lacks chemistry. The relationship between the two protagonists fails to evolve organically, leaving readers feeling disconnected and uninvested in their journey.

Furthermore, the world-building in "Darker By Four" leaves much to be desired. While the idea of a shadowy urban fantasy setting brimming with magic holds promise, the novel fails to fully immerse readers in its intricacies. The world feels thinly sketched and lacks the depth and detail necessary to truly captivate the imagination.

Overall, "Darker By Four" falls short of its potential, delivering a lackluster and uninspired tale that fails to leave a lasting impression. Despite its promising premise, the novel struggles to engage readers with its flat characters, lackluster romance, and underdeveloped world-building.

An absolutely fantastic and unique story. Really well written. I loved the magic system and the world building. I’ve read Junes CL Tan’s previous book (Jade Fire Gold), and for those that have read that this is quite different. But consistently good writing and entertaining books, I will definitely be reading whichever story this author releases next :)

This book played like an Anime in my mind.

Each character was so well written I adored each perspective, I always enjoy books with multiple points for view and in Darker by Four you get three. Each were complex and nuanced and full of delicious trauma.

Rui, oh Rooroo, burdened by guilt over the death of her mother, she is spurred by a need for revenge. She is strong, independent, sarcastic and keeps everyone at arms length or tries to.

Yiran, is all kinds of trauma wrapped up in more trauma. Being a magic-less normie and belonging to a family who are renowned for being Exorcists with strong magic was not going to end well, cue some severe grandaddy issues. So when he finds himself in possession of Rui's magic he isn't eager to give it back. He's got morally grey covered.

Nikai, is a Reaper from the Fouth Court, searching for Four. He the insight into the Underworld and is desperate to find his best friend and King and to stop the destruction of the realm.

And now the character who stole my heart, even though he didn't have a perspective of his own, he steals the show!
Zizi with his banter, his pyjamas, his sarcastic attitude and fondness for cats and creating the cutest nicknames was just perfection. I adored everything. He is my favourite.

The world building was brilliant, split between the duel setting of a contemporary city being terrorised by Revenants, with a guild whose job is to quell this supernatural enemy and the Underworld of Ten Courts and Ten Kings, the realm an unstable mess since Four abandoned his post as King, under threat of complete destruction unless he's found.
The threat levels were high throughout with made for an exciting read.

It's a fast paced read with themes of grief, guilt and revenge. Of familiar trauma, questionable morals and a desire for magic.
This story keeps you gripped with action packed scenes, unravelling mysteries and a slow burn to end all slow burns.
Don't even get me started on the ending...
I need book 2 NOW! It's just not right to leave me like this.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to netgalley for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is a strong 3 stars, I dont have anything really negative to say, it's just one of those books that didn't stand out to me. This book really suffered because of ME, I wasn't really paying that much attention sooo take everything I say with a grain of salt‼️‼️

 
For most of the book we follow Rui, an exorcist in training, and her friends Zizi, a mage( idk what that is tbh), and Yiran, the only magicless one in his family. I enjoyed the dynamic these three. The slow burn was fine, I thought it was enjoyable however the banter and tension didn't really stand out to me. The ending was CRAZY and I'm so excited to see how the character's dynamic will change. I enjoyed the characters as a whole, I would say they were pretty fleshed out, and they were all SO charming.

The plot provided was simple. Its an urban fantasy (be warned there are tik tok references, one of the characters literally says their face card never declines), an accident causes Rui’s power to transfer to Yiran, everything turns upside down. The world gets taken over by these things called revenants, and our three main characters have to solve mysteries and, yk, save the world and all that.

I was kind of bored through the 50-80% marks of the book, but the ending *kinda* made up for it.


Overall a really strong first book in a series, and I might pick up the next one.

This was sensational.

From its first page, Darker by Four pulled me into a dark and shadowy world of vengeance, monsters and secrets and I was more than happy to be there. With superbly developed characters, an excitingly crafted world and a plot that had me latched on to its every word, Darker by Four is an addictive start to a gritty new urban fantasy duology and one I can't wait to revisit when the time for book two comes around.

It was a slightly disappointed read. I did like the universe very much, and I would have liked to have more of it. The plot was rather interesting and the ending was particularly intriguing. However, I did not connect with the characters at all. Especially Yiran.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

DARKER BY FOUR is a contemporary/urban fantasy full of Chinese mythology about the underworld and death.

It was really interesting to read a book that look at underworld mythology from a less familiar (to me) perspective. It was so different to the Greek one dominates and I enjoyed learning a bit more about some myths that I wasn't familiar with.

Rui and Yiran contribute the bulk of the narration, with Nikai providing a minor part to flesh out a bit of what is happening in the ten kingdoms of hell. Rui and Yiran are the teenagers in the world trying to stop the disasters that keep finding them, while Nikai is a much older soul (literally) so the balance kept the book feeling a bit younger.

I liked that the romance was not between the two lead characters, but instead lead plus non-narrator. It's less predictable than other YA fantasies at the moment this way, and this book also makes the romance a significantly smaller thing than is the current norm, another thing I liked. I also enjoyed Rui being potentially demi - more acespec rep in SFF!

As much as there were these elements I like, this book simply didn't click for me. It could well be that I was reading this in the middle of the night (in the most difficult hours of a night shift) but this was a book that I wanted to like more than I did.

The ending sets up some major conflict between the characters for the next book that should be interesting.

thank you to netgalley and hodder & stoughton (UK) for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review


i read this book while in the middle of assignments & it was such a struggle because i just could. not. put it. down!! i dont know how to explain it only that it was a wild ride and a comfort read at the same time. as an asian & part of the chinese diaspora that grew up exposed to all sorts of stories and media about the chinese underworld, everything about darker by four (si) felt so familiar to me that i did not have to put in too much effort to learn about the world, because the underworld elements were all part of my childhood. i was able to fall in love with our main characters almost instantly.


june's writing has really improved so much from jade fire gold and maybe it was because this book was truly the book of her heart, but i found myself loving all the characters, even those who were meant to be antogonists. rui, my girl, i felt for her so much. she was brave, strong, resilient, determined and so selflessly caring. the main trio of rui, zizi & yiran have all been through harrowing experiences of varying degree and are all carrying so much trauma, and are all just trying their best to survive and do whatever they can for the ones they care about.

i LOVED the character dynamics between the three (& also each pairing within the three), and their relationships with each other. esp zizi!!!! *chef kiss* that's my dramatic traumatized man right there. his love for rui was immaculate and i have so many screenshots of every single one of their ~moments~ together lmao, i cant believe they had such little time together (june!!!! wtf) and i cant wait for the sequel to see how their story will continue after THAT ending in book 1. yiran, my miserable sad boy with grandfather issues who's just doing his best, i loved how morally ambiguous he was.

i loved the discussion of the main antogonists, the "hybrids", whether they deserved to be treated as demons and eradicated simply because they were different, because they, too, are merely trying to survive in a world that does not accept them. not all of them are heartless monsters, yet all of them are hunted. this question was a big part of the 2nd half of the book and im excited to see how that will be explored further in the sequel.


june c.l. tan has scored another hit with me, and i need the sequel so baddd!!! i know she's currently working on it and i know she's gonna make my faves suffer and i cant wait to be wrecked by it lmao. 5/5 stars for me!

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book so much. The concept, characters, and writing all amazing; even early chapters were so interesting that it was hard to put it down halfway through, and it got more exciting towards the finish!

4.75⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. I'm not a huge YA reader, but when I was reading this I was getting big Legendborn vibes and it had me hooked from the beginning.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story and honestly never really felt like there was a POV I didn't like, I was genuinely hooked from the get go. It's not often there's an ensemble cast of characters where I like every single one of them (aside from the big bad) and the side characters. I thought everyone was so well written and distinguishable from each other and I genuinely loved being in their heads and seeing them all interact and how their stories progressed.

I also really loved the writing style. It was simple, but not so simple that it felt like you were being spoon-fed information. Everything just seemed to flow together nicely and the pacing was fantastic. I never once really felt bored or like I wanted the story to hurry along, I was just really enjoying the whole experience of reading.

I'd definitely recommend this to people who loved Legendborn, and the TV show 'Wynonna Earp'.

4,5

Initially pitched as a blend of Shadowhunters and Chinese Mythology, this book transcends that comparison while embracing elements that made the Mortal Instruments series popular. With whip-smart, weapon-wielding teens facing familial and relationship issues, deadly non-human creatures, and a captivating found family dynamic, the narrative unfolds through three perspectives: Rui, a skilled exorcist cadet; Yiran, a member of a powerful family lacking supernatural abilities; and Nikai, a mysterious soul usher to the underworld with ties to the Fourth King of Hell. The story moves swiftly, easily consumed in two sittings, and I'm thrilled to anticipate a sequel!

thanks to netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me the e review copy!