The Epic Crush of Genie Lo (Genie Lo Series #1)

by F. C. Yee

Overview

The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie’s every waking thought. But when she discovers she’s a celestial spirit who’s powerful enough to bash through the gates of heaven with her fists, her perfectionist existence is shattered.

Enter Quentin, a transfer student from China whose tone-deaf assertiveness beguiles Genie to the brink of madness. Quentin nurtures Genie’s outrageous transformation—sometimes gently, sometimes aggressively—as her sleepy suburb in the Bay Area comes under siege from hell-spawn.

This epic YA debut draws from Chinese folklore, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie’s grounded high school life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683351221
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	08/08/2017
Series:	Genie Lo Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	921,481
Lexile:	720L (what's this?)
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

F. C. Yee grew up in New Jersey and studied economics at Brown University. For his debut novel, he drew inspiration from the best and wisest people in his life. Outside of writing, he practices capoeira, a Brazilian form of martial arts. He currently calls the San Francisco Bay Area home.

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/03/2017
When Eugenia “Genie” Lo, a 16-year-old Chinese-American overachiever, discovers that she’s the reincarnation of the Monkey King’s legendary weapon, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, it throws her carefully ordered life into upheaval. It turns out that there has been a massive jailbreak from Diyu, the Chinese hell, and only Genie has the power to defeat the escaped demons. Charged by the goddess Guanyin to work with Quentin Sun, the annoying (yet alluring) teenage manifestation of the Monkey King, Genie has to master her newfound powers and return dozens of demons to Diyu, while still making time for her best friend and staying on top of homework—too bad Harvard doesn’t offer scholarships for fighting evil. In this dazzlingly fun debut, Yee mixes humor, Chinese folklore, and action to deliver a rousing, irreverent adventure packed with sharp-edged banter. Genie is resourceful and ferocious as she juggles her tyrannically strict mother’s demands while holding the fate of the world in her hands, and her fiery love-hate relationship with Quentin steals the show. Ages 13–up. Agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

**STARRED REVIEW**
"In this dazzlingly fun debut, Yee mixes humor, Chinese folklore, and action to deliver a rousing, irreverent adventure packed with sharp-edged banter."—Publishers Weekly

**STARRED REVIEW**
"A tough, self-disciplined Chinese-American teen deals with the supernatural derailing of her college-prep activities in this speculative fiction novel that draws on the folklore of the Chinese Monkey King... An exciting, engaging, and humorous debut that will appeal widely, this wraps up neatly enough but leaves an opening for further installments—here's hoping."—Kirkus Reviews

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Genie's perspective on the strange turn her life has taken will have readers laughing out loud...Hilarious and action-packed, this fantastically executed tale of the Monkey King in modern-day California introduces a great new character in Genie Lo."—School Library Journal

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Yee builds a world filled with characters that carry the page-turning plot... presented in a distinctive way, combined with Yee’s vivid action scenes that take place in a familiar setting, will send readers searching for more tales about Sun Wukong."—VOYA

"It’s refreshing to see the Chinese pantheon steal some of the literary attention lavished on the Greek, Roman, and Nordic gods, and Yee handily gets Western readers up to speed on requisite backstories and proclivities."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

From the Publisher

"It’s refreshing to see the Chinese pantheon steal some of the literary attention lavished on the Greek, Roman, and Nordic gods, and Yee handily gets Western readers up to speed on requisite backstories and proclivities."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Yee builds a world filled with characters that carry the page-turning plot... presented in a distinctive way, combined with Yee’s vivid action scenes that take place in a familiar setting, will send readers searching for more tales about Sun Wukong."

VOYA

"Fast-paced action is offset with moments of introspection as Genie is forced to decide what matters most. Ultimately, Genie epitomizes the type of kick-ass heroine promised by the book’s cover—one who uses her wits and brawn in her battles."

International Literacy Association

"Genie is a unique and uniquely funny heroine, a trove of biting cultural commentary, insight on life as an Asian-American teen, and compelling interpretations of ancient Eastern legends."

Chicago Tribune

★ 08/01/2017
Gr 7 Up—Genie Lo lives in Silicon Valley, but not the nice part. All she wants is to get into the Ivy League so she can escape. But then Quentin, the weird new kid at school, tells her that he's really the Monkey King and she is the human reincarnation of his weapon, the Ruyi Jingu Bang. In response, she punches him the face. Unfortunately for both of them, 108 demons have escaped from hell, and they need to track them down to save the world. Genie needs a crash course not only in demon fighting, but also in Chinese mythology—she has never read Journey to the West or seen one of the myriad movies. With the occasional helping hand from Guanyin and Erlang Shen, this rollicking page-turning adventure delivers action coupled with laughter. Genie's not the first girl who has to balance school, family, and friends with averting the apocalypse, but her biting humor make her first-person narration a stand-out. A Chinese American girl who was angry and strong before being saddled with the fate of the world, Genie's perspective on the strange turn her life has taken will have readers laughing out loud. Luckily, while the ending brings the story to a satisfying close, it does leave room for a sequel—readers will be demanding more Genie long before they turn the last page. VERDICT Hilarious and action-packed, this fantastically executed tale of the Monkey King in modern-day California introduces a great new character in Genie Lo.—Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA

School Library Journal

★ 2017-07-02
A tough, self-disciplined Chinese-American teen deals with the supernatural derailing of her college-prep activities in this speculative fiction novel that draws on the folklore of the Chinese Monkey King. In a dry, wickedly funny, first-person voice, overachiever Genie Lo easily brings readers into her corner as she puzzles with irritation over the behavior of gorgeous, goofy Quentin, newly arrived from China, who presents himself as a new student at her school and seems to think he knows her. As his story—and subsequently hers—reveals itself, it will surprise no one that the two have an extensive history together, though her actual relationship to him is a clever and fascinating detail. Genie gradually warms to him in a true-to-type romantic comedy that is filled with witty banter and valiant attempts by Genie to resist their attraction. Genie's poignantly rendered immediate family history and incisive observations about her mostly Asian classmates and community balance the plentiful action in the battles she and Quentin undertake against a plethora of ferocious, eerily described yaoguai. Readers unfamiliar with the story of the Monkey King are easily brought up to speed early on, and the contemporary setting provides plenty of comedic juxtaposition. An exciting, engaging, and humorous debut that will appeal widely, this wraps up neatly enough but leaves an opening for further installments—here's hoping. (Fantasy. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews