F. C. Yee

Sixteen-year-old Genie's focus on getting into a top-tier college is destroyed when an enigmatic transfer student, Quentin, helps her transform into a demon-fighter.

Epic Crush of Genie Lo

Jasmine Neville

Nadine 

So I’d barely finished one book set in the chinese ghost realm or another was waiting. This time thanks to audiosync.
Think monkey king meets Californian Asian geek girl, have adventures, fall in love and deal with the supernatural realm. 
This is sure to be a hit with my students who grew up with the monkey king legend stories. 
Will definitely buy the physical book too

Becky

I had seriously high expectations of this book. So high I put off buying the thing to avoid disappointment. I freely admit I made a mistake and should have snapped this up as soon as it went on sale because it was amazing! Like addictive and amazing and exactly what I wanted to read without me even knowing it.

I can in no way relate to Genie Lo. I am a midget who was never driven at school because school and tests came so easily to me. I never had to push myself because I could cruise on by with a minimal amount of effort. Nothing should have made me relate to her so much as a character but something did. Maybe it was her humour. Maybe it was the ball of rage she was. I don't know, but that girl spoke to me and I loved this entire book because of her. She was awkward and crazy and brilliant and exactly like any sixteen year old she was impulsive, dramatic and prone to wallowing in self-pity whilst avoiding the bigger picture. She daydreamed and lost focus on things and generally was a mess. I loved her for it because she was a mess with goals and anyone can appreciate life gets messy... it gets even messier when you're stuck fighting demons too.

Genie wasn't the only character to love, though. Quentin was hilarious and I wanted to put him in my pocket and protect him from the mean old gods. He got a raw deal, definite short end of the stick with some of his life. He was awesome and stupid and utterly reckless and he was all the better for it. It was so much fun watching him grow in the human world and develop beyond his impulsive past into an impulsive future with Genie by his side (I hope, I definitely ship them big time).

I admit, I saw some of the plot twists a mile away, but I didn't even care because I was just along for the ride. The book could have been so blindingly obvious with no surprises at all and I'd have probably enjoyed it because the writing was brilliant. It was a balance of humour and action and it totally worked for me being fast paced enough to keep me hooked for an entire evening. I just wish the next book was out already.

Paige Green

Rating: 3/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 310

Amazon

Author

I received a free copy of this book through KidLitExchange. All opinions are my own.

The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie’s every waking thought. But when she discovers she’s a celestial spirit who’s powerful enough to bash through the gates of heaven with her fists, her perfectionist existence is shattered.

Enter Quentin, a transfer student from China whose tone-deaf assertiveness beguiles Genie to the brink of madness. Quentin nurtures Genie’s outrageous transformation—sometimes gently, sometimes aggressively—as her sleepy suburb in the Bay Area comes under siege from hell-spawn.

This epic YA debut draws from Chinese folklore, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie’s grounded high school life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding. - Amazon.com


Ever read a book that uses Chinese mythology?! What have I been missing in my life! I knew some of the more popular items in Chinese mythology, but what I've learned from this book just blows me away. I thought the characters in this book were marvelously well written (but I can't speak for the Chinese American rep), the plot was very fun and imaginative, and the author writing reminds me of Rick Riorden or Marie Lu, not complex but very well done and has a very easy flow. The pacing also never waned and kept me interested throughout the book.

However I do feel like the writing can be too simplistic for some readers and I feel that while the author did some new things in this novel there were still some of the same old tropes that we're tired of. The main character was a bit too perfect, the love interest was too hot, etc.

Verdict: While the book still has some of the same old tropes, it was an enjoyable novel for me. I can't speak to the rep but other than that I felt the book was very well done. Definitely a must read for diverse books and for readers who like books that are written a little younger than other YA.

Genie Lo is one among droves of Ivy-hopeful overachievers in her sleepy Bay Area suburb. When she's not crushing it at volleyball, Genie is typically working on how to crack the elusive Harvard entry code. But when her hometown comes under siege from hellspawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are dramatically rearranged. Enter Quentin Sun, a mysterious new kid who becomes Genie's guide to battling demons. While Genie knows Quentin only as an attractive transfer student, in another reality he is Sun Wukong, the mythological Monkey King incarnate. Suddenly, acing the SATs is the least of Genie's worries. This epic debut draws from Chinese mythology, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie's grounded Bay Area life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo

This book is just so freaking enjoyable. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who just wants to read because it can be fun?

Genie Lo lives in California with her mum, wants to get into Harvard, and is really tall. She also ends up befriending a god and fighting demons.

The entire time I was reading this book I was experiencing the vibes from watching Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. There was a storyline, but there was also so much humour and kickass-ing that it felt like you were reading a comic book. I really great, really cheesy comic book. With amazing diverse characters. And a wonderful representation of Chinese mythology. And also kickass. 



  
    “People can always say I don't look impressive enough, but they can't argue over how strong I am once I punch them in the face.” 

  



I loved the characters in this book. Genie and her hell-fire and brimstone attitude won my heart. She wants to do good. She won't stand nobodies BS. Not even the BS of gods and demons. And the whole being an over-achiever because you just wanna have a good job and a good future. I RELATE.

Quentin - well yeah he was a cocky, arrogant a**hole at times. But I mean, he's got god-like powers, he's immortal, and he is also a monkey. So, yeah, the entire character becomes that infuriating but lovable character (not unlike my own significant other to be perfectly honest). 



  
    “I was about as spiritual as a Chicken McNugget.” 

  



Honestly, I enjoyed this book so much that I don't want to pick it apart. It is just so well-balanced. It reliant on action, but not in a way that ends up feeling shallow and lacking, because it also has a storyline based on a wonderfully illustrated Chinese mythology. Yee's storytelling is just so on point for me. The comic book-esque feel to the story is pure gold. 

Also: there is gonna be a sequel!



  
    “What he really needed was a weapon. A big, threatening, FU kind of weapon that would show everyone the Monkey King meant business.” 

  




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Kate

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was a fun read with a kickass Chinese-American, female protagonist. 
I really enjoyed all the almost movie like action scenes and loved Genie's character! However, it was a little slow in pace for me in places and I wasn't 100% invested at times but I know I'm in the minority for feeling this way, as so many people have adored it (so definitely don't let me put you off picking it up!!) With that being said, it was definitely fun and so refreshing to have a diverse cast of characters. I really enjoyed the Chinese mythology elements, it was brilliant to have a unique story line and voice, rather than using the same stories that are regularly being retold. I'm a total sucker for the classic fairytale retellings but it was just nice to read something totally new to me and a story/mythology I could read up about after finishing!

Ayla Hawthorne

Ryan 

Moth

oberon vortigern

Laura

Julia

Amanda Kordeliski

The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie’s every waking thought. But when she discovers she’s a celestial spirit who’s powerful enough to bash through the gates of heaven with her fists, her perfectionist existence is shattered. Enter Quentin, a transfer student from China whose tone-deaf assertiveness beguiles Genie to the brink of madness. Quentin nurtures Genie’s outrageous transformation—sometimes gently, sometimes aggressively—as her sleepy suburb in the Bay Area comes under siege from hell-spawn. This epic YA debut draws from Chinese folklore, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie’s grounded high school life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding.

Epic Crush of Genie Lo

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