Lia has known she was different since the age of five when her father taught her the skills of her ancestors. His stories of heroic exploits have fueled her fantasies for years. Little did she know that her expertise would be called upon when two cities, two triads, go to war. Will it be a step too far to think she can hide who she really is? 

Jaxon has known his career path since he was a little boy when his father promised his only son to the leader of the Yu Shi triad. Jaxon doesn’t mind—it allows him to center his chaotic thoughts and fight his opponents to the death. But when he’s partnered with a mysterious new recruit, he begins to question everything he knows. What is the young boy hiding from him? 

Zhanzhi is a modern day retelling of the tale of Mulan for the Sinister Fairytales Collection. Warrior Lia must find her inner strength to defeat a deadly enemy, who’s been left bitter by his quest for absolute power, while at the same time falling in love when she least expects it. Nothing will be as it seems in this dark triad world where a moment’s hesitation can be your downfall.

All I am a British author, from the depths of the rural countryside near London. In a previous life, I was an accountant from the age of twenty-one. I still do that on occasions, but most of my life is now spent intermingling writing while looking after my husband, two children and two cats (probably in the inverse order to the one listed!). When I have some spare time, I can also be found writing poetry, baking cakes (and eating them), or behind a camera snapping like a mad paparazzi.

I’m an avid reader who turned to writing to combat my depression and anxiety. I have a love of travelling and like to bring this to my stories to give them the air of reality.

I like my heroes hot and hunky with a dirty mouth, my heroines demure but with spunk, and my books full of dramatic suspense.

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My review of Zhànshì: A Dark Retelling

Zhànzhì: A Dark Retelling by Anna Edwards

My rating: 4 of 5 stars.

Very dark Mulan retelling!

This one may have been a bit too dark for my tastes. I did like the story and the character development was good. I just wondered about a few things that seemed a bit off. For one, most of these Sinister Fairy Tales have been set in present times and this one stated it was a modern day retelling as well, but it still seemed very past tense.

The premise was a war between two factions of the Chinese Mafia in California, the Yu Shi Triad and the Jin Long. However, they used traditional Chinese weapons in the war, especially swords, knives and batons. Now what I know or have heard of modern Chinese Triads, is that they use guns nowadays just like other gangs or organized crime.

The premise is that the Yu Shi triad is more traditional and wants to keep things that way, but I still can’t see modern day people chopping off heads with Katana swords. I think if a bunch of people were in hand to hand combat with swords, knives and batons, someone would pull out a gun and start shooting people. But that is just my thought.

Despite the weaponry, Wang the evil warlord of the Jin Long faction was a really bad guy that treated women like they were only used for the men’s enjoyment. He was known to be cruel and degrading to women and there was more than one rape scene. Which I didn’t like, though I am aware that it happens in war.

The main story surrounded Lia and the fact that she wanted to honor her family by fighting. She knew she was different from the time she was young and felt that she was meant for more than just being a wife and mother. Her father trained her to fight from a young age and when the two factions were at war, the Yu Shi triad enacted the one male per family rule in which one male from every family had to fight. Lia’s father was the only male in their family and he would have died because he already had a prior injury which caused him to limp and need a cane. So she sneaks out and takes his sword and his place.

Lia falls for Jaxon who is one of the top men in the Yu Shi triad after being raised by Gaozu, the leader. Gaozu took Jaxon in as a young boy after his mother was killed. The romance between Lia and Jaxon is great. At first, he thinks she is a boy named Zhan who he is training to be a better fighter. Jaxon is surprised at how good the boy is and impressed with his willingness to do better. Overall I liked the book, there were just certain things I didn’t so I will give this a 3.5 star rating (rounded up to 4).

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

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