I thoroughly enjoyed The Epic Crush of Genie Lo when I read it a couple of years ago, but forgot about the sequel until Goodreads sent me an email on release day. I bought The Iron Will of Genie Lo for my Kindle within an hour or two of receiving said email and, despite taking nearly two weeks to read it, found it to be an enjoyable continuation and finale.

Genie is a realistic, relatable protagonist, and I liked her friendship dynamics — both human and heavenly. Her best friend Yunie was one of my favorite characters, and I appreciated that Yee didn’t sideline her to further other parts of the story. I also appreciated the flawed relationship she had with her parents, as that’s something I can completely understand and it was well-managed.

What I wasn’t such a huge fan of was her relationship with her boyfriend Quentin. Although they were cute at times and frequently bantering, something I always approve of, I didn’t really like the change in their dynamic from book one to two. It felt like there was too much unnecessary angst, and even if, arguably, that increases the realism, I didn’t like it.

However, in all other aspects, Yee succeeded in writing a fun, intriguing sequel that perfectly blended contemporary elements with Chinese mythology. The plot caught and held my attention, most of the characters were brilliantly three-dimensional, and the ending tied everything up happily without seeming cliché or unrealistic. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more detail in the final chapter, but overall, I was satisfied.

I’d recommend this duology to fans of Rick Riordan and anyone looking for a generous dose of humor in their urban fantasy.