Calla Tuoleimi has succeeded in the impossible. Despite the odds, she has won San-Er’s bloody games and eliminated King Kasa, her tyrant uncle and the former ruler of Talin. She serves now as royal advisor to Kasa’s adopted son, August Shenzhi, who has risen to the throne.

Only Calla knows it isn’t really August.

Anton Makusa is still furious about Calla’s betrayal in the final round of the games. In an impossible feat, he took over August’s body to survive, and has no intention of giving up this newfound power. But when his first love, the beautiful, explosive Otta Avia, awakens from a years-long coma and reveals a secret that threatens the monarchy’s authority over Talin, chaos erupts. As tensions come to a boiling point, Calla and Anton must set their conflicts aside and head to the kingdom’s far reaches to prevent anarchy… even if their empire might be better off burning.

If you’ve ever experienced the agony of waiting for a sequel, you’ll understand the anticipation I felt for Chloe Gong’s follow-up to Immortal Longings. The wait for Vilest Things was excruciating, but it proved to be an exhilarating ride that justified every moment of suspense.

In this thrilling sequel, Calla Tuoleimi faces the aftermath of her victory in San-Er’s brutal games. She is now royal advisor to August Shenzhi, the adopted son of the fallen tyrant Kasa, whom she eliminated. Only August is not August.

Furious and intent on revenge, Anton Makusa has taken over August’s body. The plot thickens when his former love awakens from a long coma with a revelation that could destabilize the kingdom. The once-distant threat now forces Calla and Anton to work together, navigating through the kingdom’s darkest corners, to prevent its collapse.

Political intrigue, shifting loyalties, and the looming threat of anarchy: Vilest Things is everything the sequel to Immortal Longings needed to be. Brimming with suspense and twists that keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a must-read!