When Xingyin flees the moon to avoid her discovery after her mother kept her hidden for the entirety of her life, she is thrust into the world and learning to use the power that comes with being immortal. In a quest to save her mother from exile on the moon, she befriends the Crown prince, and finds herself fighting lengendary opponents to earn the favour of the Celestial Court.

This was a really fun adventure! This spans many years, which made sense to the setting - for immortals, years must pass similar to days. I really enjoyed the love triangle aspect, and the forbidden love angle that we are given as the book progresses. I especially enjoyed the young Prince Yanming, and I hope we meet up with him again in the sequel!

I really enjoyed the writing and will be highly anticipating the last piece of Xingyin’s story!

DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS was absolutely sublime, one of those books that is going to stick with me for a long time and one I will not be shutting up about any time soon. DOTMG has an emotionally poignancy to it that I find to be unmatched almost anywhere else, and that combined with lush world-building, beautiful prose, devastating romance and betrayals really just sealed the deal for me. Sue Lynn Tan's prose is just plain old gorgeous and she expertly balances action and character development in a way that really didn't give me any sense that the plot was lagging because it just never did. And Xingyin. My girl. I love her. Her passion, her sense of honor, her passion and her strength all make her such a compelling leading lady. All of the characters in this book are fully complex and developed. And the romances here? Lots of twists, heartache, swooniness, and one betrayal I absolutely did not see coming. That was a twist of SJM proportions. I savored every moment of this story and was blown away by how amazing this was. I knew it would be good, but it surpassed my already high expectations. And it's a DUOLOGY?! I'm going to need book 2 ASAP because I need to see what happens to my darlings. DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS is a story about freedom, self-determination, loyalty and love and is absolutely a book I think everyone should read. I'd imagine this will be my fave of the month! Sue Lynn Tan is an author to watch. Fans of CIRCE, the story of Mulan, and even SJM fans will absolutely enjoy this, hopefully as much as I did.

DNF. I wanted to give this book a shot, even though a friend of mine read it recently and really didn't enjoy it. But unfortunately there are so many things I already don't like and I'm only a few chapters in. The way the story is told reminds me of more middle-grade fiction (which would be fine if this was MG). The writing I know is intended to be flowery and prose-y, but after a while, especially when the main character's inner narration is also this way, it started to get annoying and took away from what was actually going on.

I already do not like the MC. She's too self-righteous and her thoughts are annoying to read. She's constantly thinking how her life was so easy and now it's so hard, but she shouldn't complain, yet she should also stand up for herself because she deserves dignity and respect...it just made me roll my eyes at how whiny she is. There are also time jumps, which I'm not a fan of because it just allows the author to tell us what has happened and how much our main character has "grown", but we don't actually see it/experience it ourselves.

The last few years I've tried to dnf books I'm not enjoying instead of pushing through because I just don't have that much time to read or do things, so I would rather spend my time reading books I enjoy. This isn't one of them unfortunately.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a sweeping fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology. Truly a stunning debut. I cannot imagine where Sue Lynn Tan's writing will take readers in the future! This story is rich with culture and magic and decorated with a wonderful cast of characters.

Our heroine, Xingyin, sets out on an epic journey to free her mother from her captivity on the moon, and discovers a whole lot more than she bargained for along the way. Full of friendship, love, and self-discovery, Xingyin's journey explores themes that will resonate deeply with readers. I really enjoyed her character arc throughout the course of the book. Xingyin has been isolated from the world for her entire life and is suddenly thrust out on her own. With no one to guide her, Xingyin must discover her own path, develop her own beliefs, and make choices that will determine the course of her future and that of those she loves.

I felt that the plot really picked up beginning in part two. Part one is a deep exploration of characters and introduction to the world, but part two thrusts the reader in the action and I absolutely loved it. From battling fearsome beasts, to navigating tumultuous relationships, to weathering political conflict, the story starts rolling and does not stop until the last page. Plot-driven readers will eat up the second and third parts of the book just like I did.

Fans of high fantasy, glittering world building, and complex characters will be begging for the second installment in The Celestial Kingdom Duology. Sue Lynn Tan is certainly an author to watch. I look forward to the second half of Xingyin's story and whatever else Tan writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!

Ah yes, yet another ARC I read after it was released. In my defense, I did actually start it before it came out.

I was so freaking excited about this book when I found out about it. First of all, Chang’e is one of my favorite Chinese myths (out of the admittedly small number that I know). Second of all, a female warrior protagonist? And an Ancient Chinese fantasy aesthetic setting? Yes.

In reality, I was a bit disappointed.

I was expecting something so immersive and exciting, and while this book started out that way, it didn’t last and it wasn’t strong enough for me to really get that experience.

The plot follows Xingyin, the daughter of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess. Her mother has been imprisoned by the Celestial Emperor for becoming an immortal, and when the Celestial Army threatens her mother, Xingyin is forced to flee from the palace of the moon.

She lands herself - quite literally - in enemy territory, falling into the Celestial Kingdom itself. She earns a position as the Crown Prince Liwei’s companion, training alongside him in all things. From there, she struggles to find a path back to her mother while navigating the romance between herself and the Prince.

I was honestly expecting more from the storyline. I wanted something more action-packed, more intense. I wanted to feel more emotions about the events of the book. But I just couldn’t.

Too many things in the story were just too obviously rigged. It felt like they were there to keep things going without much real intrigue. There were so many time skips where Xingyin just says something like, “The next two years I spent by his side”, or, “I spent my time training and the months flew by.” I don’t want detailed depictions of every day, but this felt too much like the author trying to get to specific parts of the plot with minimal effort.

The part where Xingyin enters the competition to become Liwei’s companion should have been so much more tense. A competition that, according to Xingyin, could change the course of her life - but it only took up a few pages?

The events of the competition were so quick and way too easy that it was almost laughable. It was set up for Xingyin to win from the beginning, and that took away any excitement I as a reader had about that scene.

“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 miraculous stroke of luck, I would never be helpless again.”

Honestly, my main issue was Xingyin. Her decisions were what got her into this mess. “Oh, it’s the energy that my mother told me not to reach for! It can't be that bad, I’m going to reach for it!” I can understand her going into a ~rebellious teenager~ phase, but this one random instance just once again felt set up in order to advance the plot.

Half of her problems were caused by her own stupid decisions. “Oh no, I have to join the Celestial Army now!” But technically she doesn’t because she could have just left at that point if she wanted to, and she only stayed out of a sense of obligation and because she was ~in love.~

She as a character was very compelling, but her narrative wasn’t that exciting. I really enjoyed her development, and I loved the way she grew as a person through the book, but I didn’t feel a strong connection with her and therefore wasn’t as invested in her perspective.

I liked that she was stubborn, and ambitious, and held herself to a high standard, but I feel like she as a person could have been developed so much more. I was fully prepared to enjoy her character and didn’t get to do that as much as I wanted to.

“A glorious future beckoned on the horizon. Yet I still clung to a shred of my past, as a flowering peach blossom tree yearning for its fallen bloom.”

Liwei was an interesting character, but I liked him a lot better when he was first introduced compared to him later on. It felt like, instead of getting more fleshed out as Xingyin got to know him, he just gradually became more and more bland compared to his first impression.

Honestly, he felt like a lot of other characters in a lot of other books. He was the Crown Prince who wasn’t interested in his responsibilities or betrothal arrangements, and all he wanted to do was paint and spend time training, but when it really came down to it he was invested in the good of his kingdom.

“I do care," he ground out. "Despite my sense, my judgement and honor - I cannot help but care.”

Wenzhi was very interesting but felt a little bit cliché as well. He was the famous army man who was known for his skill and had a distaste for the court he served. He was tough but understanding and had a very mentor vibe to him but then had a hidden romantic side. I thought he was interesting when he was introduced, being a powerful captain and seeming important to the story, but I stopped really paying attention after a few chapters.

The romance was okay, but it just didn’t feel interesting. Xingyin and Liwei got along well and their banter was fine, but there wasn’t any of the “passionate romance” that the synopsis was promising.

Also, the love triangle that developed about 40% into the book was completely unnecessary. It added nothing to the plot except for obliviousness on Xingyin’s part (“Why are these two attractive men competing for my attention and getting hostile toward each other whenever they’re in the same room”).

Oh wait, I do know what this added. A healthy dose of not-like-other-girls™ to Xingyin’s character. I was not here for the “I’m not beautiful, why would these two men ever want me, I’m just average and plain - EVEN THOUGH I’M THE BEST ARCHER IN THE WORLD I HAVE THIS ONE TALENT” narrative.

Xingyin was fine at first, but she gradually just became this stereotypical heroine. For example:

“It was only later that I learned the Chamber of Lions was reserved for the army’s most skilled warriors. While most had taken months, a year even to master every trap, it took me a matter of weeks.”

Wow she’s so strong and gifted, it doesn’t matter that she’s not pretty because she can do archery! And archery comes naturally to her!

Honestly, a lot of this book just felt the same as other books I’ve read. The first-impression scene where Xingyin meets Liwei? They have an ~honest conversation™~ because he “just wants honest companionship” and “a break from court” and she doesn’t recognize him until someone calls him by his title. It was honestly the same as so many other stories that I’ve read and none of it felt special pertaining to either of the characters. I don’t see the appeal of this cliché anymore.

What really saved this book for me was the writing and the setting.

The writing came across really nicely, and I liked the lyrical quality there was to the words. I’m a sucker for fantasy writing, and while this wasn’t the most flowery, gorgeous writing in existence, it really didn’t have to be. It melded with the story well and got across without an overuse of metaphors.

“Some scars are carved into our bones - a part of who we are, shaping what we become.”

The setting was beautiful, because I love ancient-Chinese mythology and I love the way mythological Asian settings come across. The intricacies of the world-building and descriptions of the environment were just so enjoyable.

Overall, this book could have been so much better than it was for me. Maybe I just went in with too-high expectations, but can you really blame me? Yes. Yes you can.

But still. I really wanted this to be more powerful, intense and immersive, and it just didn’t get there for me. It started out really strong and exciting, and something about it declined as I went.

I enjoyed this book a lot, despite how salty I sound about it. It was beautiful and I liked the narrative, and while it wasn’t my favorite book ever, it was still a good one. I would absolutely recommend it. It just fell short of the hype for me.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a beautiful epic fantasy about a daughter and her quest to free her mother from eternal banishment. The writing is lyrical and well-written. The worldbuilding is lush, the characters are complex, and the relationships feel genuine.

I appreciated that this book, despite being a duology, didn’t end on a cliffhanger. I am excited to get my hands on book 2, and look forward to more of Sue Lynn Tan’s writing!

I received an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

How to describe this book?!? It had so much information that I loved it! I can't believe that it took me so long to request and read it.

Books that are based on myths usually have a ton of information packed into it. However, while Daughter of the Moon Goddess did, Sue Lynn Tan wrote it in such a way that I wanted more.

This book has so much that I love, from mythology (so excited Asian mythology is becoming more well known!), Friends - lover, kick butt female...and so much more!

I can't wait for the second book to come out!

Rating: 3.5 of 5

My most highly anticipated 2022 release, and it did not disappoint!

First of all, this book is gorgeous (absolutely stunning!) inside and out. I first fell in love with the cover and after turning the last page, I fell in love with the story.

The book started out a bit slow for me but after Xingyin arrived in the Celestial Kingdom, I was swept away by the lushness of the world, the most slowburn romance, the magic, the court intrigue and the looming dangers… and I can barely keep my eyes off of the pages. Daughter of the Moon Goddess is the story of Xingyin’s personal quest to save her immortal mother and what this journey will teach her about the world and herself. Along the way, Xingyin finds friendship, love, heartbreak and discovers her own strength. DotMG is a character driven story and I loved it!

“I had taken a wild chance then, rather than await certain capture. So why not here? Where shelter came at the price of my dignity and dreams? I might not find a means out now, but through small nudges, little steps— I might carve my way after all, one that might lead me home.”

“You’ll never grow if you only do what you’re good at,” she had said. “The most difficult things are often the most worthwhile.”

“He pulled the cloth away, staring at the shell within. I picked it up and blew gently into it, the shell glowing as my song filled the room. A joyous one, rippling with promise and hope—and yearning, I realized now. The song of my heart, before I had known it myself.”

“My eyes collided into his. How warm his smile, like a ray of sunshine had slid into the solitude of my soul.”

I’m usually not a fan of time jumps in books. But I think it worked really well for DotMG. I felt what it was like to live as an immortal. Years feel like blinks of time. And time is, really, rather inconsequential.

“Time to an immortal was as rain to the boundless ocean. Ours was a peaceful life, a pleasant one, and the years passed by as though they were weeks. Who knows how many decades would have swept by in this manner if my life had not been tossed into turmoil, as a leaf torn from its branch by the wind?”

I also immensely enjoyed the author’s writing style. She has a knack for story telling and I can’t wait to read more books from her!

“Something about the way the melodies formed, stirred emotions in me which I did not yet comprehend—whether from the strings plucked by my fingers, or the notes shaped by my lips.”

“Some scars are carved into our bones—a part of who we are, shaping what we become.”

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is steeped in Chinese mythology I truly enjoyed reading about. It’s all parts magical, romantic and captivating with beautiful writing, stunning prose and vivid worldbuilding. Oh and did I mention there are dragons? DRAGONS. (Because who doesn’t love dragons?!)

The last few chapters took me by surprise and had me grasping the book in nervous anticipation. Really excited for book two!

I received an ARC to read and review. Quoted excerpt/s may change in the final print.

This book is fast-paced with great world-building and I found the story to be well done.


Love this book and I can’t wait for the next book.



Just note, if you aren't into a Fantasy with romance in the storyline this might not be for you. For me though it was just perfect. I just can't wait for the second book to come out.



Also, look at that stunning cover!!

I selected Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan as one of my most anticipated reads for 2022, and the bar has officially been set high. Tan’s debut novel can be described as nothing short of beautiful as it honors and expands upon the legend of Chang’e.

Xingyin lives a quiet, solitary life on the moon with her mother, Chang’e. Xingyin’s mother is secretive and sometimes sorrowful, but Xingyin grows up surrounded by love in their private slice of the world. One day, Xingyin decides to activate her magic and it catches the attention of the Celestial Empress. In a panic, Chang’e reveals to Xingyin her tragic past and shares that the Celestial Kingdom must never find out she has a daughter. Xingyin leaves the moon in a desperate attempt to hide but swears she will find a way back to her mother one day. And so begins the epic adventure of Xingyin and the trials she will face in the immortal realm to reclaim what once was lost.

I am astounded at how much plot there was in this book. Xingyin has an insanely full adventure, spanning three separate parts, and there is still more to tell. I can’t believe all that Tan was able to accomplish in just one book and tell it in such a satisfying way. Xingyin’s every moment is also immensely purposeful and has implications for the rest of the story. Even something as trivial as a joke informed a major event later on, and I had completely forgotten that moment occurred because it seemed so ordinary. To top it off, Tan’s storytelling is so smooth. Whether Xingyin was fighting mythical monsters or having a quiet moment with the prince, the words flowed across the page like silk.

The heart and soul of this story is Xingyin’s relationship with her mother, but most of what we learn about Xingyin’s character is through her interactions with new characters. I don’t want to reveal names here, though, because a lot of the adventure is discovering who Xingyin meets along the way. After fleeing her isolated life on the moon, Xingyin discovers friendship, companionship, and love for the very first time. Xingyin quickly adapts and learns to extend her heart in different variations to new people. These relationships are what keep her focused and grounded in her adventure. Xingyin is willing to sacrifice a lot for the people she loves, and it makes her selfless actions all the more powerful. It gets intense when she’s faced with choices that force her to protect either her mother or her friends.

What I love most about this story is the agency that Tan gives Xingyin. She really drives the story, and it’s not exactly all peaceful strolls through the gardens. Xingyin makes some really hard decisions and even in the quieter moments, she still takes some form of action and pushes the plot forward. It’s not like Xingyin makes rash decisions either, she’s very measured and stays focused on her goal. There’s truly nothing that could get in her way when it comes to the people she loves. Xingyin is strong and powerful, but she’s also not a ferocious force of nature. She’s graceful, unsure, and selfless. I wouldn’t say she’s an unassuming heroine, but I appreciate that she’s not a blazing sun either.

I experienced the same awe and wonder reading Daughter of the Moon Goddess as I had when I first encountered the legend of Chang’e. Sue Lynn Tan enchanted me with her beautiful story and brought a fresh perspective through Xingyin’s exciting adventure.

Rating: Daughter of the Moon Goddess - 9.0/10

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is reminiscent of the wuxia movies and Chinese fantasy dramas I watched growing up with meddling immortals, magical artifacts, and poisonous flying needles. I appreciated the moderately quick pace of the book and how it spans a few years rather than months. It makes Xingyin's rise to be the kingdom's best archer more believable, especially when it encompasses multiple conflicts that feed into the larger storyline of lifting the Moon Goddess's punishment.

The conflicts are resolved quickly, most without any loose ends. While I enjoyed this aspect at first, I began to realize that because it didn't linger very long with any one conflict, I couldn't develop a close connection with the characters, and emotional tugs that were just beginning to form were oftentimes stunted.

I was not, however, disappointed with the world-building. Because of Chinese dramas and folktales, the concepts of the world were not entirely new for me, and the world imagined in the novel was still stunning. I found a strength of the writing to be its descriptions. They were vivid and lush, with words that flowed freely like poetry. There was an elegance in them that painted a Celestial Kingdom one could truly believe was heavenly.

Although the book didn't meet all my expectations, I still found it to be one I enjoyed. I look forward to the sequel.


(3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

“Daughter of the Moon Goddess” is well written, at times lyrical, and the world building complex and based on Chinese mythology, which gives the story a refreshing spin. The magic system seemed to be based in Asian myth and legend. There are mythical creatures including dragons, and lots of plotting, scheming, and deception.

As you can see, the cover is stunning. As soon as I saw the cover, I wanted to read the book.

I love strong female characters, and Xingyin starts out as an innocent with a desire to save her mother from her magical imprisonment, but she’s been sheltered and doesn't know how the Celestial society works. With determination and fortitude she carves out a place for herself and grows into a strong, independent woman.

There are exciting scenes and adventures, but Xingyin's path is often far too easy and her abilities unrealistically perfect for someone without training or experience. Also, she's exceptionally and unbelievably lucky in her circumstances--one fortuitous circumstance is forgivable, several aren’t realistic.

What saves the story from being ordinary is the emphasis on Chinese culture, myths, and creatures, and the writing. Plus, during and after her training, there's plenty of adventure for those who like action and fighting.

Zingyin has a clear mission that drives her story, but there's also a strong romance plot. The people who influence and develop friendships with her are primarily male. Unfortunately, her relationships with female characters are superficial.

Despite these negatives, this story has many excellent qualities. Tan's writing and her focus on the Chinese culture kept me interested and engaged with the story and characters. I'm looking forward to the next book. I think Sue Lynn Tan is an author to watch.

If you like sweet fantasy stories with a strong female protagonist, romance, battles, and intrigue, this might to the story for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC copy of "Daughter of the Moon Goddess"

Thank you to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I wish I could put into words how much I absolutely adored this book! It was a spell-binding tale that I couldn't get enough of. Tan really knocks it out of the park with this one and I am dying for the sequel.

Tan builds an intricate world made even more interesting with her talented prose and detailed writing. It pulls you into this world of the Celestial Kingdom and makes it feel like you're right there with Xingyin as she goes on her quest to save her mother. The lush detail aids the reader to feeling like they can paint the picture of the story as it continues to build. This action packed novel will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

I loved the character building and ARCs throughout the book. I loved the way Xingyin went about navigating the Celestial Kingdom. I can't even say enough times just how much I enjoyed this. This swept me off my feet and I am anxiously awaiting to see what unfolds in book two!

🏹Hi!!🏹
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It’s no secret Fantasy is one of my all time favorite genres…Because of this, I find myself being an unintentionally harsher critic of the genre.

With that being said, I was absolutely blown away by this book. It is probably one of the best fantasy books I have ever read.

@suelynntan wields her words in such a poetic and transformative way- to the point that this book had me enthralled from chapter one.
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Standout Quote: “Some scars are carved into our bones-a part of who we are, shaping what we become.”

(I bookmarked 50+ pages so this was a hard choice)
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My thoughts:
🌙This story is action packed but in a way that is simultaneously filled to the brim with adventure but not overwhelmingly so. I think this is largely due to the amazing world building and stellar pacing.
🌙The love!! I will not spoil anything but if you know how much I love a morally grey character you know who I’m rooting for😍🤫
🌙The writing is gorgeous. Even if you aren’t the biggest fantasy fan I think you’d still be able to appreciate the quality of storytelling. It truly made the story come alive off the pages.
🌙Xingyin is a character you can’t help rooting for. I adore her heart, but I also love her journey in discovering how to protect it and those she’s loves the most.
🌙I was so emotionally invested in this story… and felt like I had to find out what happened next. I’m talking feeling betrayed, adrenaline, and even swooning as though I was a character in the story and not just a reader. (Which doesn’t happen to me often)
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Overall: I know it’s early… but I predict this will be one of my favorites of 2022- and of all time. I am so glad this is a duology so this is not a full goodbye but rather a see you later to this story and these characters.

I cannot comprehend the fact that this was a debut novel. I absolutely cannot imagine parting with this book so I will without a doubt be adding a physical copy to my collection. I don’t say this lightly- this book is perfection in my eyes and I can’t recommend enough!
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Thank you so much @suelynntan @avonbooks @harpervoyagerus @netgalley for this beautiful arc🌙✨

Out now!!🥰

"We should appreciate the flower, regardless of its roots."

HUGE thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc of what has become one of my favorite books that I've ever read!

I cannot believe this is a debut novel. Sue Lynn Tan writes some of the most lush, beautiful, haunting, atmospheric, gorgeous writing that I've ever read. I want to tattoo the pages onto my skin. I want to live in this world and never turn back. I honestly enjoyed every single second of reading this book! This is what I've been craving from a fantasy! This is how you do it!

The story follows Xingyin, the daughter of Change'e, the Chinese moon goddess. Xingyin is forced to leave her home on the moon in order to keep her identity a secret, as no one knows that Xingyin is even alive. She ends up in the Celestial Empire, the same kingdom that banished her mother. The story follows Xingyin as she learns to live undercover in this kingdom, practicing her magic, and hunting for any opportunity to free her mother from her eternal prison. Among all this, we have...

- D R A G O N S !!! & other Chinese mythology
- Elemental magic
- A love triangle that's actually interesting and well developed (though I have my preference, because (view spoiler) has my entire heart)
- A main character who recognizes her flaws and actively works to grow and learn. Thinking about it now, all of our characters seem to acknowledge and recognize their flaws, which is such a breath of fresh air. They know when they're being jealous, spiteful, careless, etc. and they don't really try to justify it or convince the reader that it's okay, and I LOVE IT.
- Absolutely GORGEOUS writing, I cannot stress this enough

This is my favorite book of 2022 so far and has become my new favorite fantasy. It's also become a favorite of all time. You know when you read a book and you're just so thankful that it ended up in your hands? That's me with Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

I can't wait to read more from Sue Lynn Tan, and I'm even more anxious for book two in this duology. GIMME GIMME GIMME.

It was pretty lengthy but worth it! Daughter of the Moon Goddess gave me what Six Crimson Cranes could not. It gave me complete world-building, strong character development, love triangle tropes that made sense, deception, and redemption. I never heard of this mythology before, but it's a retelling I can stand by.

The world-building is what grabbed me. I was sucked into a vortex of poetic-sounding locations, fashion, and the love of culture from the first paragraph. It's an imaginative world, but the text is richly dripped in the love of the ancient Asian lifestyle.

Throughout the story, I also noticed the pattern of the theme being "the right to choose." Xingyin made it a point to let people know that it was her choice and no one else's whatever she did. I feel as if the world forgets that there's always a choice and everyone has a right to choose for themselves.

Overall I'm rating this book 4.5 stars. I don't know how Tan will come up with more content for the sequel because I think she wrapped up this story with a pretty bow.

This is a beautiful fantasy novel, with a stunningly beautiful cover to match. I will definitely be recommending this book to customers looking for new fantasy/mythological retellings, and I can't wait for the concluding sequel to finish the story.

First off, the cover is absolutely stunning. I was super excited to have gotten an ARC for this book - a romance fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology?

Follow Xingyin, the daughter of Chang'e, who has to flee her quiet life on the moon when the Celestial Emperor discovers her existence. In order to save her mother from exile, Xingyin embarks on dangerous quests across the Celestial Kingdom.

I absolutely loved the worldbuilding in this book. The descriptions of each location were stunning and the various adventures Xingyin went on gave us a great picture of the various kingdoms in their world.

I enjoyed the romance at first, although I wasn't a fan of the love triangle, mostly because like most love triangles, there's a clear preference in how the main character behaves between the two love interests, and there wasn't much chemistry between the Xingyin and the other love interest, which made it feel a bit unnecessary. That is a personal preference though and was mostly resolved in this book. I did enjoy the way that the question of what to do when love and duty get in the way of each other, and the angst that resulted because of that.

I also was a bit jarred by the time skips in this book, which made the pacing feel a bit off. Sometimes it would feel a bit slow, while other times I'd turn the page and see that two years have passed and feel a bit confused. The great thing about the story taking place over years was the full exploration of these realms where immortals, mythological creatures, and monsters live, I just wish some of the transitions were a bit more smooth.

Overall, a great debut that was fun to read. It stands alone nicely, although I'm incredibly excited to read the sequel.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC.

Though Daughter of the Moon Goddess is over 500 pages long, I blew through the story so quickly that I couldn't believe it when I reached the end! The pacing of the book was spot-on, moving quickly enough to keep me engaged at all times without losing me in a fairly complicated story world. Daughter of the Moon Goddess has some of the best world-building in a fantasy novel that I've ever read because of how elegantly this information was integrated into the story. There was never a part where I felt lost in the world development, which helped me read the story so quickly. Although this is a high-fantasy retelling, Daughter of the Moon Goddess is very much a character-driven narrative. The fierce strength of Xingyin propelled the plot forward in such a delightful way! I cannot wait to see what Sue Lynn Tan will have in store for the characters in the second book in the Celestial Kingdom Duology!

My Recommendation-
If you love well-written retellings packed with action, romance, and plenty of magic, you need to pick up a copy of Daughter of the Moon Goddess! This book would be the perfect read for fans of Elizabeth Lim or Leigh Bardugo!

Happy Sunday y'all! Today is a super cold and snowy day here in NC, so it's the perfect day to curl up with a book (or to tell y'all about a book)! Thank you so much to Turn the Page Tours for having me as a part of their tour for Daughter of the Moon Goddess! My stop on the bookstagram portion of the tour took place on the 8th, but today, i'm going to be telling you my favorite things about Daughter of the Moon Goddess. As always, thank you to the publisher, Harper Voyager US, for sponsoring this tour. Now, onto the good stuff!
Daughter of the Moon Goddess 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.
Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.
Oh I loved so much about this book you guys! I loved how much Xingyin loved her mom and took on so much in order to try and free her from her imprisonment on the moon. I loved the way she built up her relationships and friendships even when they were hard. And most of all, I loved how much she trusted herself and her instinct even when others were telling her to do something different. But besides those things, here are my favorite part of the book:
1. The battles: Xingying immediately takes to fighting and loves the classes with the general when she becomes the prince's companion that it only makes sense for her to become part of the army. And while she's part of the army, she battles so many cool creatures and other enemies. I love the way that all of the battles were written and how much detail each of them had- your girl loves action, so I mean it only makes sense that those were some of my favorite parts.
2. The fantasy/world building: Sue Lynn Tan does such an amazing job creating this world and making it come to life. I could picture the Celestial Palace and the army and the emperor and empress because of the way that they were written and I really understood the intricacies of their personalities, the battles being waged, the power struggles- basically everything you'd need to know to understand a new world. Plus the magic within the world was amazing and I loved how that magic system was explained!
3. The ending: The ending was great- I really loved the last quarter of the book and what I liked the most about the ending was that even thought things felt complete, because I know this is supposed to be a duology, I'm the most excited to see where book two is going to take us because I love the world and the characters.
All in all, I really enjoyed Daughter of the Moon Goddess, and since it came out on January 11th, you can go out and grab it now and love it too!