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Girls of Paper and Fire

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Girls of Paper and Fire

Written by: Natasha Ngan, James Patterson - foreword
Narrated by: Allison Hiroto
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About this listen

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most demeaning. This year, there's a ninth. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.

In this richly developed fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards for an unknown fate still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time, it's Lei they're after - the girl with the golden eyes whose rumored beauty has piqued the king's interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit a king's consort. There, she does the unthinkable - she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world's entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.

©2018 Natasha Ngan (P)2018 Hachette Audio Bullying & Abuse Difficult Situations Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction LGBTQ2S+ Legends, Myths & Fairy Tales Literature & Fiction Romance Royalty Science Fiction & Fantasy Heartfelt

What the critics say

"This gorgeous book is everything I want in a fantasy. Beautiful, lush, lyrical with fantastic world building and an epic forbidden romance, I devoured every word and was left desperately wanting more." (Ellen Oh, author of the Prophecy series and cofounder of We Need Diverse Books)

"This glittering commercial romance has real stakes, and the lavish, intriguingly conceptualized world will capture readers. Love stories between women are still disappointingly few in fantasy, and romance and action fans alike will find much to savor here." (Booklist)

"With deliciously deep world-building and a cast of fierce young women fighting to take charge of their own story, Girls of Paper and Fire cuts you deep and leaves you breathless for more." (Ashley Poston, author of Heart of Iron and Geekerella)
All stars
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got the audiobook because I bought the hardcopy of the second one, loved it and about to open the second and start right away!

Great!

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I really wanted to love this, but it left me feeling uninterested in starting the second book of the series. The author paints a beautiful picture with her descriptions of the world but the plot was slow and repetitive. The ending was really just, meh. I am happy that she did break the trope of the main character being special in some way and falling in love with the captor. However I just felt like the love story was rushed and I didn’t buy it. The main character was kinda whiny and the narrator wasn’t great at changing her voice to suit the dialogue. I’d still give it a chance if you’re interested, maybe I’m totally jaded? I’m happy that there’s a f/f love story, and it was a cool concept.

Left more to be desired

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The story itself i would say was more of a young adult type story. i would have loved it at 16. It moves quite slowly and theres not a ton to keep you hooked. The narrator was good, i liked her voice.
I won't be buying the rest of the series.

It was OK

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A magical story...captivating. You become enveloped in the story. A must read. I hope there are many more books to come.

the best!

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A lovely story set in a magical world and following a hero who is placed in a dangerous palace, GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE is a book I’ve always been curious about. The story is well written and has an enchanting feel to it. There is a slower pace, but I remained intrigue throughout the book and think it is worth checking out.

The story follows Lei, a young merchant girl who’s taken to be the concubine of a ruthless king. As she adapts to her new world and its surprising dangerous, she learns to find her own inner strength and fight for the people she loves.

Lei is a character that many people can relate to because, for the most part, she is normal. There isn’t anything wildly unique about her and while she may have some secrets, it’s refreshing to watch her work as a normal person might. Her romance with Wren is soft compared to some of the other bonds she has with the concubines.

The world-building took me by surprise, but I found it to be inventive and unique. It reminded me of MONSTRESS, in that there are animal human hybrids in abundance.

Much of the plot revolves around relationships and court life, so don’t expect a ton of action in this book. There are some shocking, tense moments that amplify the stakes and make the danger of this world clear, but it’s the epilogue that really seals the danger.

All told, I think this was a great story with unique world-building and a sweeping romance. Highly recommended for anyone looking to add it to their reading list!

Unique and Romantic

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Really enjoyed this book and love that there’s lgbtq+ rep in it! Wasn’t expecting the little twist at the end and can’t wait to read more.

Loved it!

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Book tok sent me here. It’s a great book. The author does a great job. It does not feel like it’s pandering or anything like that. 10/10 wlw story that feels genuine unlike others I’ve read which just feel icky and “male fantasy” this is creaky for women.

Real wlw read

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I loved this book so much that I had to finish it all in one day, I can't wait to read the sequel!

Amazing Book!

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For once I feel I would have enjoyed a book more in print. The narrator sounds wistful the entire book, like she is reading a fairy tale or something .. which doesn't fit at all with genocide, slavery and sexual assault. Her tone of voice even on dialogue sounds sweet and gentle, which rarely fits with the conversations. It really takes away from the book. I'll be finishing the series in paper form for sure.

wish the narrator was different

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