'The Ninja Daughter' Book Review #19

After winning a giveaway on Instagram a couple months ago, I was gifted this copy of 'The Ninja Daughter' by Tori Eldridge. Below I will provide you the Goodread's synopsis so you can get a small look into what this book is kind of about!

Synopsis:

"An action-packed thriller about a Chinese-Norwegian modern-day ninja with family issues who fights the Los Angeles Ukrainian mob, sex traffickers, and her own family to save two desperate women and an innocent child.

After her sister is raped and murdered, Lily Wong dedicates her life and ninja skills to the protection of women. But her mission is complicated. Not only does she live above the Chinese restaurant owned by her Norwegian father and inspired by the recipes of her Chinese mother, but she has to hide her true self from her Hong Kong tiger mom is already disappointed at her less than feminine ways, and who would be horrified if she knew what she had become.

But when a woman and her son she escorted safely to an abused women’s shelter return home to dangerous consequences, Lily is forced to not only confront her family and her past, but team up with a mysterious―and very lethal―stranger to rescue them."

From the moment I began reading this book, it was already filled with action. Literally, from the first page all the way until page 300! This book follows a strong, bad-ass female lead named Lily who is also known as Dumpling. Lily has dedicated her life to protecting abused women after her sister was murdered. How she was murdered? We aren't 100% sure. All we know is Lily was about to get it on like Don

key Kong and her sister called her. Lily was wanting the man and ignored her sister's calls and well, she ended up murdered. Then, 10 years afterwards, Lily decides she wants to dedicate her life to becoming a hit man/patrol/female advocate in remembrance of her sister. The author does not include flashbacks of anxiety or anything from Lily's point of view when talking about her sister's death. It's one thing I would love to know more about and how it's fueled Lily to do what she is doing.

I believe there is going to be a second book, so a lot of the things I point out that haven't been answered might be answered in another book. Other than that, I am not sure if there is going to be a second book or not so until that day comes, I will treat these findings as annoying and unanswered.

Lily and her mother have a weird relationship. Like, there's tension you could cut through with a heated knife. And I'm not sure why. Maybe because Lily's sister was more of a girly girl and not so secretive? Who freaking knows? It's just strange like Lily's mother wants her to be someone she's not but she never flat out says it.

One night, while being the bad-ass ninja daughter she is, Lily is informed that her mother had ordered a place to cater dinner to them because she didn't want to cook and she was invited. It turns out that her mother invited a male named David to dinner as well. Apparently, this dinner has been planned forever yet Lily was not made aware. Probably so she didn't back out. I don't blame you, Lily.

David somehow knows Lily's grandparents and gives her a bracelet from her grandpa which is similar to her mother's. But why is it similar? You could tell from the mother's body language that she was wither uncomfortable or jealous or something.

Lily's mother literally set her up with this David guy. It was planned all along. Maybe mom was hinting that she wanted grand kids to fill the void of losing her first child. They talked about going on a second date and then that was the last of David. Why? Does he come back? What was the significance of this one date? Maybe if there is a second book, it will answer all of these questions.

I'm not sure about anyone else but I had a hard time keep up with all the people involved in a love triangle thing between a woman named Mia that Lily was watching out for. It started because a man named J Tran supposedly tried breaking in and killing her but the judge let him go because there wasn't enough evidence. Well, turns out, Mia pretty much had a sugar daddy who bought and was paying rent for her apartment because she left her job. Then it goes into this Metro system in New York and trying to figure out who the hell sent someone to kill Mia and why? It was pretty confusing but still nice to follow along.

I'm really hoping there is a second book because I would absolutely love to read it and get my questions answered and lose ends tied up into a neat little bow. I did rate this book 4/5 stars despite all the lingering questions I have. I highly recommend this book especially if you enjoy a strong female lead!