Between Ghosts and Gods - by Ann Sei Lin (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From a rising star in the realm of YA dark fantasy comes an evocative and fast-paced feat of world-building--infused with Chinese mythology, macabre humor, and an enemies-to-lovers romance.

Having sold her soul to a demon lord, Kasu works the exchange desk at Camellia House, a high-stakes gambling den in the under-realm. Here, in Ghost City, Kasu keeps her head down, following the strict moral code of the Heavenly Principles in hopes of one day achieving reincarnation. Night after night, she dispenses gambling tiles to customers who surrender their treasures--jewelry, limbs, dreams--which Kasu stores in a ghoulish cabinet for her mistress. Into this regime drops Arun, a brash mortal prince in search of his mother. Desperate to honor her code and spare the foolish young man--as innocent as he is arrogant--a fate worse than death, Kasu enlists her companion "curse" Ruo, a wise-cracking cat with an appetite for eyeballs, and mounts a rescue. As danger and deceit engulf her, Kasu must reexamine her beliefs about the gods she worships . . . and the mortal she was. At once wry and poignant, teeming with masked demons, hungry ghosts, and high atmosphere, this dazzling dark-fantasy adventure draws from the deep well of Chinese mythology while crafting a richly appointed world like no other.

Review Quotes

Ghosts, demons, underworlds, and rogue princes . . . Crafted with cunning and care, this powerful dark fantasy will stay with you across every lifetime. Get ready for your next obsession.
--Rosie Talbot, author of Sixteen Souls

A ghoulish adventure full of twists and turns and world-building at its finest. I loved all of the details and descriptions of the under-realm and the characters that lurk within. And that slow-burn gothic romance had me completely enthralled.
--Scarlett Dunmore, author of How to Survive a Horror Movie

Get ready for your heart to be stolen (and possibly eaten by a hungry demon)! I fell in love with Kasu, Arun, and Ruo as this heartfelt, often hilarious, supernatural adventure twisted its way to a spectacular climax. Ghost City might be terrifying, but you'll never want to leave.
--Helen Comerford, author of The Café at the End of the World

There was obviously some kind of spell on me, because once I picked this book up, I could not put it down. Ann Sei Lin has created a vivid, terrifying ghostly city and an adorable trio of main characters trying to survive in it. Think the magic and imagination of Spirited Away but deliciously dark and occasionally grisly. I was totally spirited away into her world.
--Andreina Cordani, author of The Twelve Days of Murder

About the Author

Ann Sei Lin is the author of Rebel Skies, Rebel Dawn, and Rebel Fire as well as a librarian with a love for all things fantasy. When not writing, she is often studying, gaming, or making origami. Originally from Singapore, she spent several years living and working in Chiba, Japan, and now resides in London.