By Samantha Pak
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
The Starlight Heir
By Amalie Howard
Avon, 2025
When Suraya Saab receives a gold-dusted court invitation, she believes it’s a joke. After all, why would the king invite a bladesmith to be a potential bride for the crown prince? Still, it’s an invitation to an adventure—to get her out of her forge and to the capital city of Kaldari, which her late mother had loved.
But once she gets there, Suraya learns there’s danger around just about every corner. The invitation isn’t to find a suitable bride, it’s a veiled hunt for the Starkeeper, a young woman rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. So when the rebel militia attacks the palace, she escapes with the prince—but not the crown prince—the king’s illegitimate son, Roshan, who has captured her interest. While on the run, the attraction between Suraya and Roshan grows, but they’ve got more pressing matters at hand, such as staying alive, and with the high possibility that she is the Starkeeper (because of course she is), Suraya figuring out and controlling her newfound power. And then there’s also the fact that Roshan seems to be hiding a secret of his own.
“Starlight Heir” is the story of a young woman looking for adventure—she has no real interest in marrying the crown prince—and getting way more than she ever bargained for. Suraya is a strong protagonist who knows who she is and her place in the world. Or so she thinks. So it’s fun to see her reactions when all of that gets shaken up and she begins to question all the things in her life that have led her to where she is.
Inspired by Persian and Indian mythology, “Starlight Heir” is also a fun fantasy story filled with gods and magic that will have readers wanting more.
The Rainfall Market
By You Yeong-Gwang, translated by Slin Jung
Ace, 2025
On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. And it’s said that if you send a letter, detailing your misfortunes, you might receive a ticket. And if you bring the ticket to the house, you’ll be granted entrance into the Rainfall Market on the first day of the rainy season, where you can choose to completely change your life.
It’s no surprise that Serin—a young woman living with just her mom, after her father died and her younger sister ran away—has written such a letter. But she is surprised when she receives a ticket. So with no real prospects for a future, Serin decides to visit the market, determined to create a better life for herself. Along the way, she acquires a magical cat companion named Issha, and makes friends with the resident Dokkaebi—the species that inhabit the market—as she makes her way through bookstores, restaurants, perfumeries, and more, in search of a new life. But she’s only got a week to do it before the rainy season ends and she vanishes into the market forever.
“Rainfall Market” is a sweet and cozy fantasy that embodies the saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” As Serin tries to decide what she wants her new life to look like, she constantly changes her mind as she realizes all of her problems could supposedly be fixed if she had certain things (a spot at university, a good-paying job, money, a family, etc.). But her constantly changing her mind reminds readers that everyone is different, and success and good fortune mean different things to each of us—and also that no life is perfect, even if you do get everything you’ve ever wanted.
In addition to Serin, “Rainfall Market” is filled with fun characters. I especially love all the Dokkaebi Serin encounters and seeing how they help her figure out what she needs, as well as how she helps them with their issues when she meets them.
The Girl with No Reflection
By Keshe Chow
Delacorte Press, 2024
Princess Ying Yue used to believe in love. But when she is chosen to wed the crown prince, Zhang Lin, her dreams of true love quickly fade as her husband-to-be is cold, indifferent, and locks Ying in her room for no reason. And then there are the rumors of seven other royal brides who have disappeared from the imperial palace shortly after their own weddings.
Left with nothing but her own reflection for company, Ying begins seeing things—movements in the corners of her mirror and colorful lights on its surface. And then the night before her wedding, she is pulled into the world inside her mirror, where she meets her reflection. She also meets the Mirror Prince, who couldn’t be more different from her betrothed: warm, kind, and compassionate. And before long, Ying falls in love.
But Ying soon learns things aren’t as they seem. There is darkness in this new world and there is a long, blood-soaked history between this one and hers. And to top it all off, Ying learns that she has a very important part to play in both of their futures.
Among other things, “The Girl with No Reflection” is a coming-of-age fantasy story as we see Ying come into her own. I’m not going to lie, as someone no longer in her early 20s, there were times when I wanted to shake Ying into realizing what’s right in front of her—for multiple reasons. But I also understood that she is a young person and young people make mistakes, jump to conclusions, and don’t always get it right—something people of all ages are guilty of. Chow does a great job of balancing Ying’s naiveté with her strength and determination, making it that much more satisfying when she rises to the occasion when needed.