In the first book of her Flesh & False Gods series, Chloe Gong pens a new adult fantasy inspired by Antony and Cleopatra. Every year, the kingdom of Talin hosts a series of games, battles to the death where those skilled at jumping their minds between bodies usually win. In hiding after murdering her parents, Princess Calla is determined to kill the corrupt king and winning will be the perfect chance to do so. But she finds an unlikely alliance in Anton and must decide who she is really fighting for - her lover or her kingdom.

Gong's newest fantasy series builds an intricate world whose complexity made it hard to follow. In contrast, Calla and Anton's characters could have used more development, and their naive motivations bothered me. Although the action was consistent throughout, the Hunger Games-style competition didn't have the suspense and tension that you'd expect. However, I will say, the ending was superb.