Daughter of the Moon Goddess audiobook

“Some scars are carved into our bones - a part of who we are, shaping what we become.” You know, I didn't think I'd be saying this, but I was so here for this romantic angst.That's not all I liked, but it is the most surprising part. Daughter of the Moon Goddess pretty much opens almost straight onto a chase scene, with Xingyin fleeing the only home she has ever known to hide her existence from the Celestial Emperor who imprisoned her mother on the moon. So it's quite exciting from the get-go.Through a combination of chance and quick-wittedness, Xingyin moves from being a servant to a student to a soldier. A bond forms between her and her study partner, none other than the emperor's son, but he has a duty to his kingdom and they can never be anything more than friends with lusty glances.I found the mythology fascinating, as I did all the questing. Mostly, I think, because Xingyin's motives to finally free her mother were an emotionally-engaging and worthy cause. The stakes seemed high, especially if Xingyin should be discovered before she'd proved herself to the emperor.There is a love triangle, if that's something that bothers you, but I found it realistic and felt that it made sense within the context of this story. Plus it adds some delicious tension that I, frankly, couldn't get enough of!The only thing I wonder is if the author will be able to sustain the excitement through the second book now certain aspects key to this installment seem resolved. If the second book is all about winning wars, I'm not sure I'll like it the same.

this is one of the most jam-packed books ive ever read. im so surprised this is the first in a duology because i feel like theres enough content for two books in this alone. so im super excited to see what else this series is going to give. i mean, what a wild journey this is. from xingyin hiding away on the moon, then training with the prince, to her service in the royal army, and her quest to search for the missing dragons, all while trying to free her mother, this story is a rollercoaster. i loved the magic, the setting, the plot that keeps on giving, and the asian mythology. its such a cosy fantasy tale that is rich in culture. what a wonderful debut and such a captivating start to a series. a great book to look forward to if you are wanting to fill the void from ‘six crimson cranes’ earlier this year. thank you so much, harper voyager, for the ARC!!↠ 4.5 stars

Now a Goodreads Choice Finalist in Fantasy and Debut Novel!! When I first saw this cover and went to post about my excitement for Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I wrote that I was sure this was going to be “an incredible fantasy epic”. And that was exactly the right word: epic. Like a classic narrative epic poem, Sue Lynn Tan recounts the story of Xingyin, daughter of banished immortal Chang'e, and her quest to free her mother and herself from their eternal confinement.From the moment Xingyin escapes the moon on a cloud (yes, really), there’s feeling of immensity to her story. And as we follow her down the path of self-discovery, I couldn’t help but match up each stage of her tale with the traditional Hero’s Journey—a la Joseph Campbell. From the three “acts”: Departure, Initiation (& Descent), and Return; to specific elements like ‘supernatural aid’ and ‘apotheosis’ (raising a mortal to a god-like level), Xingyin more than rivals classic Homeric heroes such as Odysseus and Achilles. She endeavors to staggering heights and perilous depths, and is at her strongest when she’s acting on the behalf of those she loves.But in Xingyin’s quiet moments, we get to feel a number of dueling loyalties play out. Will she stay behind with the first boy in the Celestial Kingdom to show her true kindness, or will she follow the one who can help her achieve what she’s always wanted to be? Is Xingyin willing to sacrifice her own chance at happiness for a way to free her mother? Exactly how far is she willing to go in order to accomplish some of these goals? It would be reductive to say any of these questions fall into the expected fan-service style tropes. These motivations come so naturally to the character, and by extension the audience. Every bit of longing feels real and every betrayal fully stings. To read Daughter of the Moon Goddess is to become Xingyin, her strengths, flaws and internal discord all included.Every word of this over five hundred page novel is thoughtfully chosen, crafted with the utmost care. It’s poetic without being overly flowery, and never light on plot or action. While there’s many stages of the journey Xingyin goes on, it all feels like a natural extension—one story bleeding into the next. I’ve seen a few reviews mention how full this book is, that it could almost be split into two, but I think that would have been a mistake. Daughter of the Moon Goddess ends exactly where it should, with Xingyin completing this arc and preparing for whatever unknown is to come. And I can’t wait to embark with her on that one as well.**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!

Eastern folklore: inspired by the story of Chang’e moon goddess meets vivid, dreamy, action packed, adventurous, mythological fantasy with intriguing love triangle plot line ! The world building is dreamy! You feel like you walk in a spiritual world, smelling that beautifully described multi colored flowers, walking at the path to see the different houses of kingdoms and jumping on a cloud to fly between moon and different earths, tasting the delicious foods, being mesmerized and also threatening by mythological creatures including glorious and heroic dragons! This is mind blowing story of young girl who wants to discover her supernatural powers, is bold enough to challenge to her enemies in expanse of her own life to protect her loved ones! Xingyin: daughter of imprisoned moon goddess learns the hard truth about her mother’s past: she’s blamed to steal the elixir which made her immortal instead of her hero archer husband! When Celestial empress’ sudden visits their house after sensing an unconventional existence, Xingyin reluctantly flees away to protect her mother to walk her first steps into Celestial Kingdom to sharpen her warrior skills, finding her true identity and powers. She becomes companion of the prince: the son of empress who threatens her mother to ruin her life. An intimate friendship blooms between prince and her till she’s forced to get an important decision to fight beside a powerful soldier for fulfilling her potential. Learning to be a strong soldier may help her to set for mother free from imprisonment. I normally don’t like love triangles but this story needs that kind of conflict to test Xingyin’s emotional boundaries, learning to survive after true heartbreaks to become the person who she is. Overall: it’s amazing, fairy tale, epic fantasy! There’s a sequel but it seems like most of the mysteries already unfolded in this book including the big and heartbreaking twist at the last third. But I’m still curious to read its conclusion and the choices Xingyin will make for her own future! Giving my five mystical and dreamy stars! I highly and extremely recommend it!

All the stars and the moon. This novel was wish fulfilment, you guys. Seriously, it was all my smol Chinese heart could have wanted and more. And I loved it. I loved how it delved deep into a well of Chinese mythology and culture. I loved how authentically rendered it was, stirring an ache within me−a longing for a world of immortal beings, whimsical deities and glowing, mythical beasts, of blossom fields and full moon nights melding together.The writing was vividly mesmerising, and yet languidly wrought, as if from a dream. Daughter of the Moon Goddess was the perfect novel for me (yes, I'm very whipped for it). I'd not fault it for anything, although fair criticism has been directed at its plot, or rather, how repetitive it was. And repetition is a trait that has traditionally typified Chinese high fantasy stories, particularly in xianxia. But at the same time I can argue that this repetitivity is what grows and nourishes the story, shaping it into something meaningful, that it is to the story as repeating beats are to the heart. I'd love to write more about how perfect this novel was for Chinese-drama-loving me, but that'd be a rather futile pursuit, I feel. All I can say is that if you're a fan of friends-to-lovers, lovers-to-enemies, mutual pining and angst, court politics, deceit and enduring love, and needless to say, fairy tales and ancient mythology, this is the story for you. 5.0/5

There's no way that this is a debut. I'm having such a hard time believing that. I'm not the biggest fantasy reader, but when I say that this is one hell of fantasy book I mean that with every fiber in my body. Tan did such an excellent job with this story that I can't wait for the second book in the duology.I didn't necessarily know much about Daughter of the Moon Goddess before reading it. I knew that it was getting a lot of buzz and that most readers were enjoying it; however, it wasn't one that was high on my radar. Nevertheless, I decided to give it a try and it did not disappoint. Based on the legend of Chang'e and ancient Chinese mythology, this novel follows Xingyin as she is forced to leave the moon once she finds out that her mere existence and powers are a danger to her mother. Eventually, she finds her way to the Celestial Kingdom where she must hide her identity to survive. She not only befriends the prince of the kingdom, but becomes his aide of sorts. Eventually she joins the military where she embarks on dangerous journeys in attempt to save her mother. I don't even know where to begin in my praises of this novel. It's definitely well-written and accessible which makes it a good fit for those who are looking to transition from YA fantasy to adult fantasy. I know that Tan describes this as a sort of a "in-between" novel when it comes to target audience and I definitely can understand how it could be targeted at an upper YA audience and an adult audience. One thing that this book made me realize is that I really enjoy fantasy novels that include some form of political intrigue. It inevitable means that someone isn't who they say they are and betrayal is a guarantee. Tan used the politics of the world to not only shape the plot, but also her characters leading to one of the craziest plot twists that I've read in a fantasy in a while. This crazy political intrigue also led to some intense and interesting battles with mythical creatures (including mer people, dragons, and more). Combined with elemental magic, these scenes were some of my favorite parts of the book. It is clear from the beginning that this is an expansive world and there is potential for readers to see more of that in the second book. Tan is not only a gifted writer, but also a pro at character development. Xingyin is easy to root as a reader. I appreciated that every move she made was to put herself into a better position to help her mother. While we don't necessarily get to see a lot of their relationship on page, those small moments were so beautiful. Additionally, the other main characters were extremely interesting. While I can't reveal too much about them, I will say that it is interesting to watch the ways that they change throughout the course of the novel. Tan also introduces a love triangle in this book, BUT it's a love triangle done right. The fall out that comes from it is EPIC and I don't feel like it happened just for the sake of happening. It was a necessary move and it made sense in the context of the story. Also, there is a lovers to enemies trope in this novel that was "chefs kiss." I'm not sure I've ever seen it done before and my goodness I LOVED it. If it isn't clear from the context of this review, I absolutely loved this book. I will say that the writing style may not work for everyone as Tan is extremely descriptive, but I think it works well for the world building. Definitely one of my top books of 2022.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up 😊 “Titles are inherited, talent might be blood-bound, but true greatness lies within.” Xingyin is the daughter of the Moon Goddess. Her mother has been imprisoned on the moon since before she was born by the Celestial emperor and empress. She has kept Xingyin’s existence a secret ever since. But when the Celestial’s become suspicious Xingyin knows her life is in danger. She flees the only home she has ever known to live in the Celestial Kingdom, and to find a way to free her mother by any means necessary. I loved the world building, the secrets and betrayals. I could have done without the love triangle however it was done very well here. “Do not try to insult or guilt me into doing what you think I should do. How will we have a future together if you do not see me as your equal.” Xingyin is a fantastic protagonist, I loved her and her character is well fleshed out. She isn’t simpering and holds her ground when necessary, even when it is hard. I enjoyed learning more about Chinese mythology as I have no experience with it. I am really excited for book 2! “I would not yearn after what had been lost, impossible to regain. I would look to the days ahead, to the happiness which awaited me there…if only I were brave and steadfast enough to reach for it.”

*Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book! This book is one that I was eagerly anticipating, and my god did it live up to my hopes. Taking inspiration from Chinese Mythology, this story is a wild celestial adventure full of many twists and a whole lot of magic. I knew from reading the very first page that I'd enjoy this one. The writing captivated me immediately, and it seemed only natural to ease into such a rich and colourful world. I loved learning about this world, especially how the legends and history would intersect, and discovering everything along with Xingyin proved an interesting perspective, having been isolated in one place her entire existence so far. Having her learn how her world was interconnected with the lives of those elsewhere proved a smooth way to build the world without being overwhelming. Paired with Sue Lynn Tan's beautiful writing, I found myself just really enjoying sinking into this story each time I came to read.The story itself is one that's quick moving, with endless amounts of magic and monsters to keep the pages turning. Not to mention the relationships - wow did it make things intense! I'm not usually one to be caught between a love triangle, but the rising tension brought to the surface each time Xingyin was near danger was just too addictive to not get sucked in. Even the family dynamics, and the conversations surrounding what you inherit from your parents and how their actions impact generations to come, added a layer of tension to the story that was inescapable. Watching these characters try to figure out what's right vs their own desires proved to be an endless tug-of-war that you couldn't help wanting to see the outcome of. I really loved this one, and I'm certain many others will adore it too. I already can't wait for the sequel!

In a Nutshell: Loved the plot. Loved the Fantasy world and everything out-worldly. Liked the characters. Hated the writing style. Story:Inspired by the Chinese legend of the moon goddess, this story tells of a young girl Xingyin accustomed to living alone on the moon with her mother Chang’e. What she doesn’t know is that Chang’e has been exiled for stealing the elixir of immortality from the Celestial Emperor. Due to her presence coming to light, Xingyin is forced to escape from the moon and somehow lands up in the Celestial Kingdom, working as a maid for a local wealthy family. When there’s an opportunity to train alongside Crown Prince Liwei, she grabs at it, not knowing that her life will change from that moment. What follows is an interesting story of secrets and scandals, battles with strange and scary monsters, and even forbidden romantic entanglements.The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Xingyin.Where the book worked well for me:😍 The book has a distinctly episodic feel to it. Each segment of the story can be compartmentalised, and each has its own appeal. Some segments work better than others, but most were pretty good. I enjoyed the action sequences most of all, what with dragons and mind magic and octopuses and what not, each fight sequence was astounding to read.😍 The author’s world building is exquisite. The story had a genuine feel of a Chinese legend, even though it is only partially based on Chang’e’s story. The Celestial Kingdom, the various creatures, the magical weaponry, everything was enjoyable.😍 The characters are going to leave their marks on your mind, though you may not like them all. Xingyin is outspoken, impetuous and rude. She thinks only about herself and hardly ever learns from her mistakes. As such, she makes for quite an irritating protagonist. I suppose it’s a YA thing because many YA books seem to have such unlikeable leading characters. It works for the story, and that’s the most important thing. The two male leads have decently-sketched characters too, though both go through drastic behavioural changes as the story proceeds. Nevertheless, the characters shoulder the story well. 😍 The female representation in the story is amazing. I loved how many of the soldiers in the Celestial army and other key characters were women and the plot uses them well. This is unlike usual legendary fantasies.😍 While there are the usual Fantasy-Romance tropes such as romantic triangles and an all-surviving MC who always wins despite the odds, they are handled pretty well and don't feel boring. 😍 The book is volume one of an intended duology, but it has no cliffhanger ending. The story sets the foundation well for whatever is to come and at the same time, satisfies its readers with proper closure. Where the book could have worked better for me:😒 The only but biggest factor against the book: its writing style. God, how I hated it! As it comes to us from Xingyin‘s 1st person pov, I expected a certain amount of rambling, What I didn’t expect was for almost every paragraph to contain at least 3-4 sentences on her personal thoughts, even in between dialogues. This inner monologue became so irritating after a while. A typical scene in the book would be as follows:↳ Some character mouthing sentence 1 of his dialogue.↳ Xingyin with her thoughts: My heart thudded. My mind was in tremor. My hands shook… Blah blah blah medley of body parts and their reactions…..↳ Some character mouthing sentence 2 of his dialogue.↳ Xingyin with some more thoughts; I couldn’t believe what he said. I felt like … insert descriptive simile here… Heat rushed into my cheeks … more body parts mentioned…. ↳ Some character mouthing sentence 3 of his dialogue.↳ You guessed it. Xingyin coming up again…. Sigh. This is even worse in audio because you feel like you are listening to the most egotistical person on earth who wants to talk about EVERY SINGLE DAMN EMOTION!!!!There are also too many similes and metaphors. While many of them were apt and beautiful, it was an overkill. All this adds too much of clutter to the proceedings. The story would have worked even better had it been crisper by chopping out such needless flourishes. The audiobook experience:The audiobook, clocking at 15 hours, is narrated by Natalie Naudus. I appreciate the decision to take an Asian-American narrator for the story. She performs remarkably, and her voices and her emotions are good. The problem was, her accent is strongly American. While I am okay with this usually, the word that bugged me the most was her pronunciation of “duty” as “doody”. I understand this is quite common in some American accents, but it was very distracting to my ears! Thus, in a book where Liwei was constantly struggling with his “doody”, I just ended up rolling my eyes multiple times. I was pretty torn over my rating for this one because I loved the story so much and I hated the writing style almost equally. But what it boils down to is this: do I want to read the second part of this duology? Turns out, in spite of all my complaints, I do, eagerly! And that tilted the balance in favour.4 stars from me. (5 stars for the plot, world-building, fantastical elements and action sequences. 3 stars for the character sketching. 2 stars for the writing style.)My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “Daughter of the Moon Goddess”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.***********************Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.

I love this book so much, it's a new all-time favourite.

edit 12/07/2022: ugh only 5,500 away from wining in debut IT WAS SO FREAKING CLOSE (and of course it lost to sjm in fantasy DO I EVEN HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING??edit 11/15/2022: I AM PRAYING that this wins for fantasy but I just KNOW a sjm book is going to win again 🙄Reread #1: 100th read of 2022! SO COMPLETELY WORTH IT I REGRET NOTHING “Some scars are carved into our bones - a part of who we are, shaping what we become.” ✨spoilers are hidden ✨OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD. holy shit. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! *insert new obsession*THIS IS THE BEST FREAKING BOOK I'VE READ ALL YEAR. I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND, I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO IN LOVE. I picked this up thinking it would be a cute and sweet retelling of a mother and daughter. I WAS SO FUCKING WRONG. In addition to my last thread of sanity, this book has stolen my heart, my soul, my sleep (it's been so long since I stayed up all night reading a book- SO WORTH IT)I ALWAYS SAY I'M GOING TO TRY AND BE ORGANIZED AND COHESIVE IN MY REVIEWS, BUT IT NEVER WORKS.Anyways, the completely cohesive and definitely not crazed rant you've all been waiting for: CHARACTERS: Xingyin:this girl is the bestest most badass amazing *insert high pitched hysterical screaming* loyal sweet BADASS sneaky AHHHHHH this book deserves 99834197236129873 billion stars for her alone. SHE IS REAL. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT HER STORY IS THE SAME 26 LETTERS SCRAMBLED UP ON A DEAD TREE. i love her so fucking much, BEST MAIN CHARACTER EVER. so cunning, ambitious, humble, amazing AND DID I MENTION SUPER BADASS??? If anything bad ever ever ever happens to her I WILL BE RIOTING. Prince Liwei: screaming crying dying throwing up OH MY GOD. HE IS LITERALLY THE SWEETEST CINNAMON ROLL TO EVER EXIST IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. i want need just... AHHHHHHH... there is absolutely no way to convey his essence in words (unless of course i copy and paste all 512 beautiful pages here) EVERY TIME HE GOT PAGE TIME MY HEART WENT FROM GRINCH SIZE TO LOOKING-AT-CUTE-BABY-ANIMALS SIZE (much too big to be healthy) also im just noticing this but why does his name look like kiwi (AS IT SHOULD) I'm also convinced that he is most definitely adopted because HOW THE HELL IS IT POSSIBLE TO PUT TWO ASSHOLES TOGETHER AND GET THIS??asshole+ even bigger asshole= cute sweet little baby cinnamon roll with sprinkles on topthe math just doesn't add up.Captain Wenzhi: (now with mixed feelings for a limited time!) i have mixed feelings about this man. i both hate him and adore him and not gonna lie he acts like a big asshole sometimes but idk i don't know I DON'T KNOW his presence cast such a giddy light on me (view spoiler)[UNTIL THAT ASSHOLE FUCKING KIDNAPPED MY PRECIOUS XINGYIN AND EVEN THOUGHT OF PUTTING HIS DIRTY LITTLE FINGERS ON PRINCE CINNAMON ROLL (hide spoiler)]he had a great dynamic with Xingyin in battle, LIKE GODAMN I WOULD BE DEAD IN LIKE 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 SECONDS IF THEY WERE UP AGAINST ME.Side Characters!!The non-assholes: Ping'er, Chang'e, that one army friend that was always there for Xingyin (im not even going to try to spell her name), that one magic powers and sparkles teacher (yet another example of my poor spelling), the general guy, some of the solders, THAT LITTLE BOY PRINCE THAT IM CURSING MYSELF FOR FORGETTING THE NAME OF, the dragonss, and all the sorry souls i forgot: I LOVE YOUEveryone else (THE ASSHOLES™): I FUCKING HATE YOU AND HOPE YOU ALL BURN IN A SPECIAL HELL FULL OF UGLY FIRE BREATHING RATS (im looking at you oh great emperor and empress) PLOT :you are probably looking at this and thinking "the details and focus all went into the characters, the plot will be trash and a waste of my extremely valuable time."YOU ARE WRONG. usually when i read an EXTREMELY OVERLY AMAZING CRAZY book i do it really fast (which probably isn't good for my sleep schedule- sorry brain) everything kind of blurs together in this shimmering long long long complicated plot line that makes me feel complete and whole inside (in my brain this is pictured as the numbers 2 and 4 exclusively in green/yellow and purple- this is why i need more sleep) and sprinkled around are the actual plot points and the things i don't remember as green/yellow/purple blurs of perfection. I'm always really confused when I re-read, it's like WHERE DID ALL THE PAGES OF GREEN YELLOW AND PURPLE GO???? WHAT KIND OF BOOK SELLER ARE YOU!? anyways, this is one of those.my personal super exciting non making since synopsis:WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR SUPER PRETTY GODDESS MOM PISSES OF THE FIRE BREATHING RAT TURD EMPEROR AND EMPRESS? YOU ARE PLOPPED DOWN IN THEIR FANCY MILLION DOLLAR MANSION (it even comes with those fancy mints on the pillows) YOU ARE LYING TO EVERYONE'S FACES OF COURSE, EVEN THE SUPER HOT CROWN PRINCE THAT IS NOT AN ASSHOLE. YOU MISS UR MOM AND SET OUT TO WIN HER FREEDOM! But little do you know, there will be vicious, horrid, things in your way. Including but not limited to LOVE FRIENDSHIP HEARTBREAK HONER and just some little itty bitty demons, evil vine ladies, slimy mermaids, and corrupt kingdoms sprinkled on top! YOUR FATE (and just a bunch others) LIES IN YOUR HANDS! GOOD LUCK!! NO PRESSURE AT ALL IN ANY WAY!!everything about the plot is brilliant and amazing and I think I had a few minor heart attacks while reading (proceed with caution) WORLD-BUILDING :it's a fancy beautiful water feature infested place that is magical and amazing and crazy awesome and also might be in space and there are flower gardens turned evil and glittering oceans and gorgeous and menacing caves and palaces all written like I could walk out the front door and just be there (like what more do you want???)AND WOULD SOMEONE JUST CALL MY REALTOR PLEASE?!? ROMANCE 😍:YES. IT IS THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. ✨romance✨I'm just going to say it: there is a love triangle. And I know what you're thinking: the dreaded love triage, the ruin of any book, HOW HORRIBLE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!but no.this was actually crafted so beautifully and carefully. The book would be WORSE if it wasn't included. I don't even know how to explain it. GONE are your days of screaming at the main character to JUST FUCKING CHOSE SOMEONE. GONE 💥POOF💥Xingyin is not an asshole leading people on. If YOU think this YOU are a fire breathing rat turd.The triangle is between Xingyin, Captain Wenzhi, and Prince Cinnamon Roll (Liwei)If I were a sane person, I would talk about the main characters relationship in both corners of the triangle. BUT I AM NOT SANE (i read books after all) AND THERE IS ONLY ONE IMPORTANT CORNER OF THE TRIANGLE: Prince Cinnamon Roll (I also don't really give a flying rats ass about Wenzhi)EVERY SINGLE TIME XINGYIN AND LIWEI WERE IN THE FUCKING ROOM TOGETHER I HAD A HEART ATTACK. IN BETWEEN THOSE MY HEART SKIPPED QUITE A LOT OF BEATS.I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW THEY FUCKING CRUSHED MY HEART AND EXPLODED MY HEART AND OH MY GOD I COULDN'T BREATHE WHEN THEY WERE IN A ROOM TOGETHER. (if you are experiencing any heart related illnesses after reading this book, you are subject to compensation)The sexual tension *chefs kiss* by the end of the book i was just a melted puddle of helpless romantic on the floor.AND OH MY GOD THE MOTHERFUCKING BANTER. THEIR BANTER FILLS THE BLACK PIT THAT IS MY SOUL. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh *insert insane smile*THE WAY THEY GOADED EACH OTHER, THEIR COMPETITIONS, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I COULD NOT BREATHE.AND WHENEVER THEY WERE SEPARATED BECAUSE OF STUPID REASONS MY HEART HURT.(view spoiler)[I DON'T THINK I BREATHED ONCE IN THAT EVIL GARDEN LADY SITUATION- I AM NOT OKAY (hide spoiler)]oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my godKEEP YOUR HEART DEFIBRILLATORS ON HAND PEOPLEI LITERALLY CANNOT EXPRESS HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS BOOK AND HOW MUCH YOU NEED TO READ IT.WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!??! THROW YOUR PHONE IN A LAKE AND SPRINT TO THE CLOSEST BOOK STORE!!!["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

Audiobook read — I loved this so much! Full of action and adventure and romance, I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a new YA fantasy world to fall into!

1st read: 10/5/20212nd read: 4/4/2022Thank you to HarperVoyagerUK for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!I have so many thoughts and feelings right now and if you don't want to read all of them, here's the summary - this is a damn near perfect debut, in my humble opinion, and I haven't felt this deeply connected to or impressed by a high fantasy all year. The plot is fast-paced, the characters and their relationships had me weeping, the writing is lyrical, and the worldbuilding is lush - this book literally has it all. Add it to your TBRs, preorder it, request it at your library - do what you need to do because you NEED this book.The c-drama vibes in this book are absolutely immaculate. I don't know if everyone will love all the tropes as much as I did, but it honestly feels like this book was tailor-made to my personal tastes:- inner court drama/politics, civil unrest/political intrigue in the world at large, friends to lovers, forbidden love, lovers to enemies, mutual pining/yearning, training montages, back-to-back battle scenes, betrayals, mentor-mentee relationship, and moreI literally cannot believe this is a debut because of how polished and absolutely stunning Sue Lynn Tan's writing is. It's lyrical and beautiful, but so easy to read. I also was incredibly impressed at how well written the action scenes were. I often find that with more lyrical writing styles, action and battle scenes can be hard to pin down sometimes, but this just wasn't an issue here. The flow of the scenes worked really well for me, and I never really felt lost in a scene as I sometimes do with big battle scenes.The world is incredibly lush, and in a sense, a little nostalgic for me. Perhaps it's because I grew up watching c-dramas that featured a lot of these mythological creatures and settings, but this world just felt so vivid to me. I loved Tan's attention to detail in her worldbuilding - there's so many moments where she just throws in little tidbits of information that the average reader might not notice or care about, but that I appreciated a lot, such as the brief mention of Xingyin's first calligraphy lesson and the proper pu'er brewing method. These are probably things that a non-Chinese reader (or even one that is simply not a pu'er tea purist that took Chinese calligraphy lessons as a child) wouldn't think twice about, but were little things that just made me feel instantly connected to the world and the characters. I'm notoriously not the biggest fan of romance, but I loved the way romance and relationships really were the driving force behind this book. You have Xingyin's relationship with her mother, and the fact that everything she's doing is for her mother, her many friendships in the palace, her mentor, and of course, her two love interests. I was extremely invested in the love triangle situation. I won't say too much, but honestly, this book is love triangle perfection. I know love triangles aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I really liked the way this one was handled and it didn't feel like the author was just putting it in there for the sake of having one - I was genuinely so conflicted between which relationship I rooted for more. This is the kind of love story that made my heart actually physically ache and I cannot believe I shed actual tears over this. If it wasn't clear already, I love this book so much. It's been one of my most anticipated 2022 releases since last year, and despite all the build-up, it truly exceeded every expectation. While I feel like this first book wrapped up quite well, to the point where I would say if you wanted to read it as a standalone, you probably could (though why would you not want to read more?), there's just enough to be able to see where book 2 might be headed. I love this cast of characters so much, and cannot wait to spend more time with them and hopefully get to explore some of the side characters even more. If you are a fan of high fantasies, especially ones with heavy mythological elements and a whimsical fairytale vibe, I think you will love this one. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for anything else Sue Lynn Tan comes out with because this book was phenomenal.

"Titles are inherited, talent might be blood-bound, but true greatness lies within."°•*⁀➷I feel like I talked this book up so much in my mind that I did it a disservice. Did I like it? More than I can say. Did I love it? No. I think the plot and the characters fell a little flat for me... but the writing? You couldn't find something better.Sue Lynn Tan has a talent that has only just begun. I mean, THIS IS HER FIRST BOOK. And I'm so glad that I know it can only go up from here.In this story, we follow Xingyin who is, as implied, the daughter of the moon goddess. Her mother was confined long ago to her home, imprisoned, and never allowed to stray. As an immortal, she is confined forever. When Xingyin discovers this, and the reason why, she forges a path to her mother's freedom.Along the way, she meets two enchanting men. One who breaks her heart over duty and another who breaks it with betrayal. She comes to believe that maybe love isn't worth the imprisonment her mother has. Maybe it's not worth anything at all if all it does is hurt you, and make you question every decision you've ever made.As all books are, this is a book about finding yourself among loss, and pain, regret, and love. I wish I could have connected more to the story, and the characters, but the writing kept me enthralled and entertained. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book and see what comes of Xingyin's choices.To see where they lead her next.- Paige

FOUR STARSOH MY FUCKING GOD, I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCHReview to come

Rating ~3.5 I was no longer a child willing to drift with the tide - I would steer against the current if I had to. And if I won, by some stroke of luck, I would never be helpless again.If you enjoy the xianxia genre you’ll likely love this. A young girl with hidden power fighting for her mother's freedom, romantic entanglements oddly reminiscent of Red Queen, and a fantastical, folklore-inspired world combine to make a familiar but still entertaining tale. The heroine is likable, though she does feel decidedly young given her little experience with the outside world. So, in my opinion, this leans more YA. I see the Adult tag along with the YA one but I'd say this is YA. The world-building and visuals were lush and detailed - evoking a sense of familiarity in anyone who had ever seen a fantasy Chinese drama. I enjoyed most of all the side characters but found myself once again falling for the villain. Though that comes as no surprise given my love for the morally grey. At times the story could feel a touch predictable, but that could honestly be said about a lot of YA. Still, overall, I enjoyed it. The book doesn't end in a cliffhanger so you're not left reeling as to what will happen next, but it is clear there is more story to tell. The fates of certain characters and some unresolved issues leave you just curious enough to tune in for more. And I, for one, certainly will. I received a free ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. A huge thank you to Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy!