Darker By Four

This book was unputdownable. I couldn’t stop reading. The story hooked me in from the first page. The worlbuilding was easy to understand and I found it very interesting. I mean we have magic, “exorcisms” and gods?! Worlds colliding! Ten Courts of Hell , an academy, a night market , a mysterious hotel and so many secrets!

The writing was SO good, the more I read the more I felt like I was part of the book and I was experiencing what was happening, and that the characters were my friends too. There is also a mystery aspect to this book and well I was shocked by the plot twists! While reading there were clues to where the story was going and I was trying to put them all together, some of my theories were right.. some were very wrong. But, truly , the writing kept me on the edge of my seat!

Our protagonists are all amazing in their own way. I seriously loved all of them and just wanted to give them an hug. They all have tons of baggage and so many layers to them.
The banter was amazing , the author managed to insert some bits comic relief through out the book and it balanced the serious moments so well.

But let’s dive in into the characters a bit more:

Rui is our female protagonist and what’s not to love? She went through the wringer but still found a way to be a certified badass. She was looking for vengeance and I admired how tenacious and loyal she was. And how she found her strength again despite losing her magic. And she was so awkwardly adorable while she was trying to understand her feelings.

Zizi is my favorite. He is a mysterious mage and he is fiercely protective. He is also awkward in his own way and I just can’t get enough of him. He wears pajamas, loves cats, and creates weird spells.

Yiran also has a difficult past and his family life is complicated due to his “grandaddy issues” ( can we call it that? Lol) . He goes through a vast range of emotions and it’s totally understandable. I could feel his frustration and rage and the need to be finally accepted. He is also smart and obsessed with coffee.

Nikai is a reaper for the Fourth Court and thanks to him we could glimpse into the underworld. He is very loyal to Four and he has been trying to find him for a long time. He is very loyal and fair and I loved how he decided to help Rui even if there would be consequences.

As for the romance, it was amazing. The slow burn and the tension were very well done. I cried at the end with that cliffhanger and those confessions?!

There is a second romance that started to develop and well it’s definitely an enemies to (hopefully) lovers? They are for sure enemies in the literal sense. I’m very excited to see what will happen in the sequel.

I’ll finish this review with one of my favorite quotes:

“You want to save the world and the innumerable fools in it, whether they deserve a chance or not. But I—I would give up this entire world for a single breath to leave your lips again. And I don’t need you to feel the same way about me to do it. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodderscape for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review

hanks to Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape, for my advanced reader copy. Here's my honest review from the heart.

I absolutely loved this book. I was immersed In this book, and we followed away; I was inquisitive about Four and why they had disappeared. In this book, we follow three points of view: Rui, Nikai, and Yiran.

Nikai is an otherworldly figure who is a reaper tasked with transporting souls from Earth to the afterlife. With a sombre demeanour and a black cloak that seems to swallow light, Nikai is a fearsome sight to behold. Nikai is investigating why Four has disappeared, as this has caused danger to humans and is causing the underworld barriers to be weakened.

Rui, on the other hand, is a cadet of Xingshan, a prestigious academy that trains young magic users. Rui is a talented spellcaster and combatant with a natural gift for weaving magic and martial prowess into a seamless dance of destruction.

Yiran is a member of the esteemed Song family, one of the land's most potent and influential magical clans. Though he is respected for his pedigree, Yiran is often overlooked by his kin due to his lack of magical talents. Despite this, Yiran remains determined to prove his worth through his wit, resourcefulness, and sheer force of will.

As Rui's powers are transferred to Yiran, both worlds turn upside down. Rui wants what belongs to her back, and Yiran is finally at a place where he feels he belongs. This book has plenty of action and significant character development.

This is my favourite book that I've read so far this year. It has excellent character development and a well-paced plot; it keeps you engaged until the end. The emotional impact it had on me was intense, and I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the next book in this epic fantasy duology.

Darker By Four combines elements of CDramas, K-pop, anime & mythology to create one of the most fun books I've read in recent years.

I adored the characters, Rui, Zizi, Nikai, Yiran, Ada, Ash, Yuki & even the Kings. (Also Mao! 🐈) Everyone had such vibrant personalities and stood out. The settings as well were all so unique and combined together made an amazing backdrop to the story (The Academy, Night Market, Underworld & the hotel to name a few).

The story flows so well and is fast-paced but there's still room to breathe such as everyone gathering together for karaoke. We get a proper look into the academy students lives in class & outside of it and ahh it all works so well!

Honestly, one of my favourite reads! Absolutely cannot wait for the sequel to see what happens next to Rui, Zizi & Yiran (let alone everyone else) but also just to see more of this world and hopefully expans upon a certain few locations we saw briefly!

Thank you so much for the arc Hodder & Stoughton

I am really really extremely excited to read this book and positive that I will love all the characters, however, I am unable to read my ARC as the formatting has messed up and chapters are combined together so that it’ll have a half paragraph from one chapter, a different paragraph mid sentence, and then resume that paragraph , the whole way through, which makes attempting to read it difficult. I am still extremely hyped for this book tho !!!!!

thanks to netgalley and the publisher Hodder & Stroughton for the e-arc!

final rating: 4.5/5☆ (so why is it a pseudo 5? because i really really liked this one :)

'darker by four' is such a clever title. after the big turning point in the story where it gets out to the Guild that our main trio knows about hybrids and they've fought one, the sky starts getting darker by four o'clock. and not to mention, the world they lived in with the evolving blight and the Nothing swallowing towns up only turned darker by Four (the king) leaving the underworld and forgetting his life to be a moral. brilliant.

honestly, a modern cultivation story?? sign me up the moment i say this!! i really liked the creavity of the whole setting. it's not just a historical drama but set in reality. it's not cultivation sects and politics and someone practicing demonic cultivation and being shunned by everyone else (if you know what i mean). i love the twist on the setting with am actual school teaching them to use their magic to defeat Revenants (spirits infected by a supernatural virus calles the Blight to become monsters). already, it was shaping up to be a unique story.

the first half of the book was a big of a drag for me. it felt like things were happening too fast, and yet a whole lot of nothing was happening. suddenly bam, Zizi gives Rui the talisman that can move one's spiritual energy, bam, Yiran heads out to nab himself a Revenant. and well........ you know where it's going. for a good while, it felt like a lot of character motivations like Yiran's home life, backstory etc were beong word vomited at me, which did not make me sympathise for him at all, which of course made me like him even less when he started NOT wanting to give Rui's powers back, even when she only transferred it to him to save both their lives.

it's kinda a funny story for Yiran actually. i went from hating him (even if i really did understand wanting to hold on to something good that falls into your lap), to kind of tolerating him and maybe liking him a bit later on in the story, and then back to absolutely disliking him when he got mad at Rui at the end because he lost his magic again when she got it back. Rui feels bad because she now did it twice to him, give him magic and take it away without consent.

but well, it didn't belong to him in the first place, did it? but i really did like his character journey, and morally grey characters written well!! [and the whole thing of Yiran and Yuki (a Hybrid and literally an enemy) being attracted to each other and seeing each other for a chat after a big fight?? a solid idea, and i can't wait to see where this goes, especially after Yuki offered to help get his magic back. (even if it's not even his to begin with!!)]

not gna lie, when i was still early in the book, i was so sure Zizi was the second lead and i'm gna be feeling be bad when Rui ends up with Yiran because that's how such stories always go, and the way their relationship just gets more complex, from a secret more than friends less than lovers situation from the moment Zizi saved Rui, to being ACTUAL lovers, and later on to the ??? did he really love me or was it Four protecting his vessel— (spoiler alert: he did!!) was such a ride.

would 10/10 read this again and i look forward to the next installment to this series :"

(cross posted on goodreads)

I’m gonna be real honest here and say that this book will be harder to review than Jade Fire Gold, which is one of my all-time favourite books (and also written by June CL Tan) but, somehow, I loved Darker By Four even more.

First up, I read through this so quickly. It’s the quickest I’ve read through a book in over a year and that’s down to two reasons:

1. June’s mentions of it since the first interviews (things like Jujutsu Kaisen were mentioned, my interest was well and truly at peak levels already)
2. IT’S JUST SO GOOD.

This book is genuinely like all the coolest parts of animes mixed in with some Chinese mythology and then with some very lovely Easter Eggs, an entire cast of endearing main characters you’re rooting for alongside the found family elements that I adored in Jade Fire Gold and… I just really adored this whole package of a book. Figured I would, because of everything I knew about it going in, but my lord.

We have a mix of POVs in this book, three in total, with the most prominent being Rui; a girl who had her life saved as a baby, only to accidentally end up then being linked to the disappearance of one of the Ten Kings of Hell, the titular Four.

I loved all main perspectives, genuinely can’t say I disliked any chapters, but Rui’s character was one of my favourites. If you’re a fan of Bleach, she gave me strong Ichigo / Rukia vibes. If you’re unaware of Bleach then basically Rui is an absolutely kickass young woman but you can absolutely tell it’s because of how big her heart is that she’s like that.

Early in Rui’s chapters we also meet Zizi, her lovable friend usually chilling in PJs, because why not? Upon our second meeting with him, just about a third into the book, he very bluntly says that Rui is everything to him. And he lives up to that throughout. (He’s my absolute favourite character, for several reasons)

Yiran is very different from Rui and Zizi, but another main perspective we encounter. He’s grown up entirely without magic, albeit from a family renown for their magical abilities, and very rich. “Poor little rich boy” as someone calls him though, he just can’t seem to win his grandfather’s approval no matter what the situation is. He’s introduced as a character with a huge wall up, but you definitely warm up to him throughout the story.

An outlying perspective we have is Nikai, a Reaper who kind of has a personality that reminded me of Aziraphale from Good Omens. He can’t even bring himself to call himself a Reaper, using a term far sweeter instead. He just wants to help bring his friend and King back however he can.

Time is, unfortunately of the essence. Because after so long with Hell being unbalanced it’s causing problems there and for humans, with some humans even turning into monsters called Revenants (kind of like vampires, they feed off humans).

Rui herself is a trainee Exorcist, and part of her role as that involves hunting Revenants. When she inexplicably performs a very powerful spell, one of the Kings assigns her to the role of finding Four, on top of everything else she has to deal with.

Romance-wise, we have a lovely dash of friends-to-lovers for one match up and a queer enemies-to-lovers, I’m hoping we’ll get more of both in book two, but book one’s taste of both is definitely enjoyable.

Likewise though, book one low-key ripped my heart out at the end. Have you ever read a book and cared so much for the main characters that you go ‘okay, as long as they’re fine Hell and everything else doesn’t matter’? Because that was me with Darker By Four. I just want these characters to be happy and I’m hoping we see that by the end of book two.

This book was enthralling from the beginning all the way to the end and although it’s only February at the time of my writing, Darker By Four has become my favourite read of the year so far. It’s absolutely everything I want in a fantasy book, but also so much more than I had ever anticipated it to be. Set in a world filled brimming with magic, with the most loveable characters, shadowy creatures, and an achingly slow burn but beautiful and wholesome romance, this book follows Rui, Yiran and Zizi as they strive to regain lost powers, navigate love and unintentionally create both enemies and friendships against the treacherous backdrop of a city besieged by dangerous monsters. Rui's determination to regain her powers drives the plot forward and the narrative promises twists and turns as Rui navigates through shadowy realms and forges alliances with enigmatic characters in her pursuit of a god who remains elusive.

This magical book is poised to captivate a diverse audience, and is the perfect book for fans of Kdramas, Animes, The Mortal Instruments and Asian mythology - basically everything that I never thought I needed but everything I could ever want in a book!! I think this is largely due to its masterful infusion of Asian mythology that provided a unique and enriching layer to the narrative, promising a reading experience that transcends genres, as well as the achingly beautiful slow burn romance that was also incredibly wholesome and swoon worthy, that further deepened my love for this book. The romance was so wonderfully done, and I was squealing, kicking my legs in the air and hiding my face in my pillow because all the emotions were there. Darker by Four is a must-read for those seeking a blend of magic, mystery, and heartfelt connections.

The characters, by far, are literally my favourite cast of characters because I loved every single one of them – there was not a SINGLE character I disliked, and this has never happened to me in all my years of reading. Honestly, they all felt like my babies and they must all be protected at all cost. However, I will dive into my favourite side characters, which consists of Nikai, Ash and Yuki. Nikai is such an interesting and loveable character who literally exemplifies loyalty and I loved his interactions with Rui because it gave us such a wonderful glimpse into his soft nature despite being a Reaper. In terms of Ash, I absolutely adored him because despite being a flawed character he also just had such depth to him that we could understand why he is the way he is – despite holding such a high position that comes with SO MUCH pressure, he remains a dedicated, compassionate (in his own way) and strong leader and I just loved his dynamic with his brother. Lastly, I found Yuki to be an extremely compelling and multifaceted character who just pulled at my heartstrings and his hinted relation to a certain someone was just too adorable, and I look forward to seeing more of this pairing because they had me smiling from ear to ear with their adorable banter and flirting.

Now, onto the main characters and I’ll start with Rui first. Strong, independent and powerful, Rui is a character that reminded me of myself and I really connected with her on so many levels because I felt like she always kept everyone at an arm’s length due to her trauma and conflict within herself, and it honestly made all her interactions with the other characters that much more engaging, heart-wrenching in some cases, and absolutely hilarious in others. She was such a brilliantly fleshed out character with so much breadth and charm.

As for Yiran, I felt like he was the perfect morally grey yet equally soft character and I could really empathise with him, largely due to the excellent writing that really brought Yiran’s many facets to the surface whilst remaining subtle and full of complexities. I think his charm is in the fact that he is a very flawed but very real character who is very reminiscent of a byronic hero – he has so much to offer and the world is not kind to him but deep down, I do believe that he is only a ‘mochi’ as Zizi so eloquently put it. Mochi is the perfect nickname for Yiran.

Okay, now onto my favourite character. Zizi. I have never loved a male character as much as I adore him. Firstly, I would just like to affirm that Zizi reminds me of Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle SO MUCH. Zizi is an elusive, mysterious and wickedly handsome mage who lives alone in a magical house, with an open love for expensive pyjamas and cats and a secret love for romance novels and a certain someone. He is also part of an underground magical society and regularly dabbles in bizzare, highly dangerous and potentially extremely powerful spells. Not only is he such a fascinating and multifaceted character, but he also possesses great wit, charisma and would make the perfect boyfriend due to his protectiveness and capacity for unconditional and wholehearted love. He would literally burn the world down for her and there is no better quote that could describe him except this one – “this boy would go to the ends of the earth for the injured girl” Or maybe this one: “I would give up this entire world for a single breath to leave your lips again”. If I could, I would write a whole dissertation for my love for Zizi.

Overall, Zizi had my whole entire heart, and if he were Howl, I would let him eat my heart and this book was the easiest 5/5 I have given in a long time. Thank you so much to Netgalley and publishers for allowing me to read this amazing book and thank you so much June CL Tan for writing such an incredible story with everything I love intricately and adeptly woven into the heart and soul of this book.

The original pitch for this book was apparentlyShadowhunters meets Chinese Mythology and while it's much more than that it has a lot of the features that made the Mortal Instruments series popular: whip smart, weapon wielding teens with family and relationship issues, deadly non-human creatures threatening life as we know it and a great found family dynamic and will they/won't they romance.

The story is told via three different POVs, Rui - an exorcist cadet, marked by family tragedy and insanely good at what she does; Yiran - a member of an illustrious, wealthy and powerful family who lacks the abilities the rest of his family are blessed with and the mysterious Nikai - usherer of souls to the underworld and friends with the Fourth King of Hell.

The story rattles along and is easily finished in two sittings - so relieved to know a sequel is on the way!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Darker By Four is a celebration of xianxia tropes, Chinese underworld mythology, queer enemies-to-lovers romance, and the coolest fandom references!!! In k-drama talk, this book is Alchemy of Souls meet My Demon meet Goblin, and I AM HERE FOR IT! I'll never shut up about this book!!!!!!!!!

It's told by Rui's and Yiran's perspectives. One of the MAAAAANY things I loved about this book is that it was so clear whose perspective we read that we didn't need it explicitly written. Rui and Yiran may be interconnected but their personalities are clearly distinct.

Rui is our fierce sword-fighting girl, leading all of the glorious xianxia fighting scenes. If you're not aware of the terms or how the magic system of xianxia works, don't worry; the author describes it beautifully and accurately so you will understand and discover this cool worldbuilding. If you're already knees deep into this world, you'll LOVE every second of it. Anyway back to Rui! She's a rare talent that doesn't appear often, a talent that is only rivaled by Rui's need to succeed. She's ambitious and determined and well...quite cranky lmao She has lost her once happy family and had to fend for herself and then she had to make a name of herself in a society that still appreciates long, renowned bloodlines. I loved Rui! She's strong, stubborn, loves fiercely, and yet maintains a strong sense of right and wrong in a world where killing is ordinary.

Yiran is our sweet but scowling guy who comes from one of the most powerful families in the city and yet who has no magic of his own. He's an illegitimate son of a dead hero who is treated like dirt by his own grandfather. No magic, no respect. *cue eye-roll and glaring* Yes, I do want to strangle the grandfather for many reasons, first and foremost for our Yiran!

Zizi....I mean, if you love Magnus Bane and Howl, then meet Zizi, your new obsession!! He's our pan mage extraordinaire who accomplishes the impossible and who definitely needs a hug at the end! He identifies as pan but at the moment as Rui-sexual 😎

I loved how Rui and Yiran have an undeniable connection that is NOT romantic. They're like platonic soulmates, and I don't encounter it as often as I'd like! And I loved how what Rui and what Yiran want are the exact opposite, but they're never jerks about it.

LGBTQIA+ rep: Rui and Yiran are bi, and Zizi is pan. We also have sapphic best friends and a non-binary character who helps one of the characters a lot and yet tells them off when it's needed! As for the romance, we have a f/m and a m/m romance line. No discrimination scenes. This world is queer-normative. The characters just are!

As I said before, the worldbuilding is heavily inspired by Chinese underworld mythology and by xianxia tropes and magic system. It's basically a Chinese-influenced Shadowhunters underworld. The book's underworld is ruled by ten Kings, and we get to meet four of them. Every single one of them is very different from each other, and some you may want to strangle more than others! Yes, Ten, I'm talking about you... If you long for more books that build on spiritual cores and spiritual weapons, then you will absolutely love this one!

The plot is strong, and the pace is excellent. Not too fast, not lagging. The plot keeps you guessing throughout the entire book. I kept guessing who Four really is, and the author made an excellent job at not making it obvious. I was also too busy being in awe and love with everything, as well.

Some may wonder if it's too YA, whatever that means. The characters are teens, and I found the book true to its rightful audience. But it's definitely upper YA, borderline light NA.

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED. IT'S A HOMAGE TO "OUR" FANDOMS AND TO XIANXIA. IT'S UTTER PERFECTION, AND I'LL PROBABLY REREAD THIS BOOK AS MANY TIMES I'VE REREAD PERCY JACKSON AND THE CRUEL PRINCE.

5 STARS AREN'T ENOUGH FOR THE BOOK OF MY HEART AND SOUL. IT'S NOT JUST AN ALL-TIME FAVORITE. IT'S THE BOOK OF MY HEART.


PS
It's the pick for an April monthly box. To Skip Or Not To Skip? HECK NO!!! Don't skip!!!! RENEW, RENEW, RENEW!!!

Oh, how I loved this!! And I am not big on YA, mind. But June Tan has gifted readers with a tale that gripped me from the word go - from plot to character, from action to pacing, I was hooked through every page. Imagine a hybrid between K Dramas (Tomorrow and Doom at your Service kept coming to mind) Chinese myths of the Ten Courts of Hell, xianxia and wuxia novels full of lore and excitement, all set in a contemporary scenario, with a worldbuilding that just weaves itself organically, without need for info dumps or excessive explanations. Plus, the writing style, though simple and direct, was - unlike most YA i've read lately - NOT amateurish, lacking the infanto-juvenile flare that seems to be the tone to this genre in recent years. I was so invested in the characters - especially Four - that I could hardly put the book down and kept wanting to return to it. Now, I'm even more invested, especially after those mind-blowing reveals at the end!
Do yourselves a favour and grab a copy of this.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

This book is my first 5 star read in months and it has every right to be. It has cured me from my book slump. It was such a fun read from the beginning to the very end. I love it when a book is well paced throughout. Nothing felt too slow or rushed and i was always left wanting to read more. I kept telling myself that i'd, just, read a little bit more before doing my daily tasks or having to sleep because the storyline and characters had me hooked!

It was, definitely, giving off anime vibes which i thought was really cool and it was action-packed throughout. The author did an amazing job of creating this world where humans and creatures from the underworld exist. Thanks to her great storytelling, i was able to play the scenes in my head with ease and didn't have to think too much on them.

I'm really excited for the second book and can't wait to find out what happens next. Thank you to hodder & stoughton and netgalley for allowing me to read an early copy for an honest review.

This book took me by surprise and completely captured me. I'm not familiar with anime or manga, which was clearly an inspiration for this, but it doesn't matter at all for this story. The Chinese mythology of the underworld is intriguing, the characters are so strong, and the story is both tight and kept me at the edge of my seat.
Rui, Zizi and Yiran are connected to each other in ways that are interesting and only partly foreseeable. They live in a world of magic (both institutionalized and chaotic), and that is at the whims of the ten Kings of Hell.
Nikai is a Reaper and the best friend of Four, a King of Hell, who has disappeared and cannot be found.
Revenants are symptoms of chaos, endangering humans and having brought forth the Guild of Exorcists. And there's also Hybrids - half human, half Revenant - which are kept secret and might redefine of what is perceived as 'normal' and 'good'.
This is a story where both the narrative and the characters are equally interesting. There's not a character I didn't like (or liked to hate). Even the sidekicks are fully formed or have enough mystery to them that I need to learn more. And of course there's our trio at the heart of it, navigating trust, friendship, romance, fate and betrayal. Zizi was my fave, this powerful chaotic mage who likes to chill in his PJs.
I was also eager to learn what the title of the book is about, and when it became clear, it was just so clever and multi-layered.
I was delighted to learn there will be a sequel, and I desperately need to know what happens to my lovelies and the world they live in.

5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC!

#DarkerByFour #netgalley #bookstagram

"Darker by Four" is the first chapter of a ya fantasy duology written by June C.L Tan and currently in progress.

A city invaded by Revenants, souls corrupted by a supernatural virus that feed on the energy of the living. An exorcist-in-training who loses her powers following a spell. A powerless boy, member of one of the most illustrious families of exorcists, who receives them. A bizarre, listless and distracted mage. A reaper in search of his missing boss. And finally, the underworld, with its Ten Courts of Hell, on the verge of collapse. These are just some of the ingredients that make up "Darker by Four," a compelling, bewitching and exciting novel that completely won me over. I read and loved "Jade Fire Gold," the author's debut work, and couldn't wait to jump on this her new book. And in the end it did not disappoint! I was captivated by the dark and intriguing story, the author's evocative and vivid writing, the ominous yet enchanting setting, the extremely complex and tormented characters, and the numerous references to Chinese mythology. In addition, there is a wonderful queer representation, an intense and suffering found family, and a slooow burn that made me sweat and despair so much. Basically, I loved everything about this book and can't express anything but kudos!

The story takes place in a city of contemporary China, haunted by hordes of Revenants, in a world where the existence of the supernatural is officially recognized. Revenants are the souls of the dead who, at the moment of detachment, waiting to be collected by reapers and transferred to the underworld, are reached and infected by a supernatural plague that turns them into monstrous creatures, hungry for the energy of the living.  To fight them are the exorcists, endowed with spiritual energy, who hone in magic and infuse in customized spiritual weapons. The exorcists are gathered under the control of the Exorcist Guild, and aspiring exorcists train in the Xingshan Academy. In contrast to the Guild, there are a whole range of magic practitioners who operate outside the organization, illegally. In addition to all this, thanks to one of the protagonists, the underworld, the realm of the dead, with its ten courts, controlled by ten kings, is introduced. A dangerously unstable realm, on the verge of destruction after Four, one of the kings, abandoned his position and disappeared. It is a simple world building, without too much explanation, which fascinated me so much. I loved the numerous references to Chinese mythology! Maybe I would have liked to know and see more of the underworld, but I guess there will be time in the sequel.

The story proceeds quickly and dynamic, accompanied by a brisk pace and the presence of short chapters. Intrigues, mysteries and action alternate between the pages of the book, without moments of boredom or heaviness. I admit that I guessed some plot twists in advance (except for one, which surprised me and made me scream), but this did not affect my overall enjoyment. I loved the angst of the novel and suffered at the same time! It is a story about grief, remorse, revenge, sense of helplessness, and complicated family ties, but it is also a story about friendship, hope, and love. I loved everything, even the highly illegal ending, and can't wait to read the sequel!

Rui, Yiran and Nikai are the main characters, all with their respective third person povs. Rui is an exorcist-in-training at Xingshan Academy, first in her class and endowed with high spiritual energy. Marked by the death of her mother, right before her eyes, at the hands of an unusual Revenant, Rui aims to hone her skills, find the Revenant responsible and kill him. A task that suddenly becomes unattainable when, during a fight with a strange Revenant, to save her life and that of a boy, she uses a new, experimental spell that transfers her power to the boy, seemingly permanently, depriving her of her magic and setting events in motion to try to recover it. Rui is a protagonist that I loved! Strong, determined, courageous, independent, stubborn, sarcastic and reckless, she hides a sensitive soul, tormented by grief and guilt. Rui feels responsible for her mother's death, for the destruction of her family, and this pushes her to try to keep everything and everyone at a distance. Yiran, is the black sheep of a renowned family of exorcists, born without magic. That is until one night he finds himself fighting a Revenant in an alley, with Rui, and as a result of a mysterious volatile spell he receives the girl's power, killing the monster and finding himself with everything he has always desired. Yiran is a morally gray character with whom I have a complicated relationship! In the sense that yes, I like him and find him well portrayed, but at the same time I detest him. Seriously, I have alternated between moments of affection and sympathy for him and moments when I wanted to yank him and yell at him. Yiran is the only one without magic in his family, and this has stuck him in a difficult situation. Yiran was forced to grow up fast, developing a cocky, brash and sarcastic attitude to try to hide his constant sense of inadequacy, his disappointment, his feeling of being a constant failure. Yiran covets magic and is envious of those who possess it. And when he finds himself with Rui's powerful magic, the last thing he wants to do is look for a way to give it back. Even though it does not belong to him. The conflicted friendship that develops between Rui and Yiran, made up of lies, mistrust, and deceptions on the one hand and open-hearted confessions and mutual support on the other, sent me into juices! I can't tell you the angst they gave me!

And then there is Nikai, reaper of the Fourth Court, searching for Four, the missing king and his best friend. Nikai is a nebulous character, with few chapters and few interactions with the other protagonists. However, he intrigued me a lot!Through him more of the underworld and the Ten Courts are shown. He is a complex character, well portrayed, who because of his particular situation doesn't remember anything from when he was alive. I am curious to find out more about him!

And lastly, I can't not mention Zizi, a not quite legal mage and Rui's best friend. A character who won me over from his first appearance, despite not having his own pov. Zizi has a seemingly distracted, listless and sarcastic attitude, with a fondness for pajamas, a great love for cats and a deep passion for tea. A quirky and ambiguous figure, able to alternate between wry jokes and swoon-worthy statements! Zizi and Rui met shortly after Rui's mother died and little by little, bit by bit, they became first friends and then a kind of family. I madly love Zizi and, along with Rui, they are my favorite characters!

All in all, "Darker by Four" is a fantastic start to the series, characterized by powerful writing, a fascinating setting, a dark and intricate story, and wonderful characters. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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 !

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.