by Yangsze Choo
First published 2013
Li Lan comes from a respectable family with little money. The wealthy Lim family approaches her with an extraordinary offer. They want her to become the ghost bride of their deceased son, who died mysteriously. Ghost marriages rarely happen, but tradition says they calm restless spirits. The arrangement would give Li Lan security and a home forever. The cost would be enormous. She visits the grand Lim estate and agrees to the union. Strange dreams begin to plague her nights. Through these visions, Li Lan slowly uncovers the dark truths her new family has hidden. She must navigate the world between the living and the dead while discovering what really happened to her ghost husband. The deeper she digs into the Lim family secrets, the more dangerous her situation becomes.
Genres: historical-fiction, fantasy, paranormal, asian-american
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: China
Period: 19th-century
480 pages · Paperback · Colmena