(ARC) A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

I miss blogging a lot, so my aim for 2024 is to post on here a lot more. Whatever better way to do that than to talk about a 2024 release that has already become one of my favourite books of the year. I am, of course, talking about A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur. I read and reviewed The Red Palace last year on my blog and that solidified one thing for me – I would read anything June Hur writes. I have been eagerly anticipating the release of A Crane Among Wolves and I am so so glad that I got a chance to read it early.

Thank you to June Hur and Feiwel and Friends for providing me with an e-ARC through Netgalley!

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BOOK DETAILS

Title: A Crane Among Wolves
Author: June Hur
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Release Date: May 14, 2024

June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.

Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.

1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.

Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.

Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.

When Iseul’s and Daehyun’s fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever

Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.

ADD ON GOODREADS | ADD ON STORYGRAPH

PREORDER THE BOOK HERE: AMAZON US | AMAZON AU | BARNES & NOBLE | BLACKWELLS | BOOKSHOP.ORG | INDIGO

FIND JUNE HUR AT: author website | twitter | instagram | goodreads

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BOOK REVIEW

my rating: 5⭐

“Iseul-ah.” His voice was impossibly low, whispering against my ear. “You have me, so use me….”

There are simply not enough words in the world for me to express how much I love June Hur’s writing. A Crane Among Wolves is one of my most anticipated releases for 2024 and I honestly feel so lucky that I got to read it early.

I do not know of a better way to describe it, but there is a strange intensity to this book that just draws you in. This book is truly the perfect mash-up of mystery, thrillers and historical fiction with the perfect dash of romance. The first page itself will pull you into the story and trust me, once you start reading it, you will not want to stop.

While I don’t have much knowledge of Korean history, I can truly feel the power and impact of the research that has been undertaken for this book. The historical accuracy is still maintained, even with the inclusion of original characters and that is just a testament to June Hur’s writing. Her words, for me, float off the page and create an immersive experience, where you see yourself with Iseul and Daehyun as they work together to solve the perils that plague the kingdom.

I quite enjoy the mystery and the political aspect of this book; I think they were done so well and honestly, I was kept on my toes, trying to guess and find out who the culprit was in the mind. I seriously did not expect it to be the person it was and that made me love the book even more. As for the romance, I will not call it anything less than perfect. Iseul and Daehyun were a reluctant pair, but to see them slowly grow to be friends and then to love each other was just wonderful. Their romance doesn’t take away the focus from the story; rather in my opinion, just adds another layer to it.

I won’t say much because I don’t want to spoil, but Chapter 42?? It was wild. Wild. Literally so crazy.

All in all, A Crane Among Wolves is one of the best books that I have read recently and I am so so glad that I got to read it early.

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