The Ghost Bride

"This book might hook you in quickly. I most enjoyed the rich description of the spirit world/afterlife and learning the lore that came together from various religions and cultures, which is what kept me glued to the pages hardly taking breaks. I found the story pretty predictable, but still enjoyable."

"Really enjoyed this read. Found it very interesting to read about Chinese customs and beliefs. The imagery of the afterlife was fascinating. The audio book version is narrated very well, she has a really pleasant voice. "

"I grew up in east Asia so it was very refreshing reading Chinese culture/customs mentioned in this booked. I had long forgotten them since moving to north America. I appreciated this book. However, the ending was kind of a meh for me. Just a tad too fantastical for me."

"This was an fantastic read!"

"My reading of this tale was colored by the Netflix production, which, I confess, I adored. It was delightful story-telling and the script writers should be proud of what they accomplished in their creepy but entertaining rendition. I really could not have disliked this book after that, though in many ways it is a very different story. The novel is more two-dimensional, childish perhaps. It reads more like a fairy tale in many places, but I like a good fairy tale, and it enchanted me. <br/><br/>It's an unusual mix of mystery and journey, of cultural exploration and romance, with a strong but relatable young female lead. And a horse. And maybe even a dragon. What's not to enjoy? I will definitely be looking up other books by this author."

"The Night Tiger is so much better than this story. I wanted to like this book and the premise was interesting but I was just not that into it."

"This book takes you on a magical journey into the afterlife in a creative and beautiful way. Li Lan is the only daughter of a wealthy trader who lost his fortune while grieving the loss of his wife. Long ago, Li Lan was promised in marriage to the nephew of one of the wealthiest families but when the son dies unexpectedly, the wealth now goes to the nephew, so the arranged marriage no longer fits (economically speaking). She is instead offered the opportunity to be the ghost bride to the dead son. It is at this point that the spoiled dead son begins haunting her. In attempts to rid herself of his spirit she sees a medium who offers her a solution to the problem, only this solution causes more problems than she would have ever expected. Yangsze Choo takes the readers on a ride through History and folklore in a calm and even romantic manner. I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but it was definitely nothing close to what I actually read. I found myself smiling frequently at the beauty and love that is found in the words on the pages and I think there was a part of me that didn't want to leave when I turned the last page."

"Really enjoyed this story and the way it showed so much of a culture without being just a history or religion or culture lesson. Loved the blend of life and death and idea of death not being an end but just the end of one's part in the land of the living with a vast, complex afterlife that may follow with various levels of interaction both with other pre- and post-deceased. <br/><br/>The main character is believable as someone who is in a way, not fully in control of her situation nor allowed to be but still finds means of making her way through both worlds fumbling sometimes but finding support and managing to participate in her own fate. <br/><br/>Over all really interesting and fun."

"Review to come soon."

"I picked up this book at random on the shelf without going into the library with a researched list of books like I usually do- best decision I made that day. I was hooked on this book from start to finish and truly did not want it to end. Everything from the description of cultures, traditions, and even culinary dishes sparked my curiosity and imagination. I learned new information and definitely went on an emotional ride. Highly recommend!!! "