Do you like YA books with competent heroines, love triangles, magic, and mythology? Then you'll probably like Daughter of the Moon Goddess. What sets it apart from other recent YA releases is that it is set in China and incorporates many Chinese myths and legends. As readers who are relatively unfamiliar with these myths and legends, the book was a great introduction to these charming stories.

In addition, the love triangle was pretty well done! We generally don't ship the villain and the heroine, but here we were more than a little convinced that Xingyin had a couple of good choices and in some ways was more suited to the third leg of that triangle than the first!

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a gorgeous retelling of the story of the Chinese moon goddess. Highly recommended for anyone who loves retellings especially since the setting is so rich and the food descriptions are incredible!! My one gripe was that while Xingyin does struggle with some of the challenges in her path she never truly fails at anything so the stakes don't feel very high by the end. It didn't bother me too much since the book was so excellent but might be good to know before reading if that type of storytelling annoys you.

Thank you so much to Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A dazzling debut filled with Chinese myth and wonderful storytelling, Daughter of the Moon Goddess will pull you in at page one. Sue Lynn Tan's storytelling is truly out of this world. Following the daughter of the moon goddess, Xingyin, she must flee the comofort of her mother and the only home she's known. No one knows she exists, and in order to find a place for herself in the Celestial kingdom, she must find a way to pardon her mother for drinking an elixir of immortality that was meant for her mortal father.

Xingyin is a fascinating character with so much complexity. Her story and her POV really added to this gorgeous world that Tan created. And while this book is a big one, it'll have you enthralled, loooked for the next page and the next chapter until, suddenly, you're done. Luckily for us, this is a duology! I honestly didn't want this to end, and now I'm waiting for news on an HBO or Netflix adaptation to the series, because when I say this world is beautiful and crafted so visually, I mean it.

Cannot wait for the sequel!!!!

In all honesty, I have no words as to the magnitude of just how much the Daughter of the Moon Goddess has affected me. It started as a beautiful tale of a mother’s lost love and sacrifice as well as a daughter’s innocence and love for her mother. Then it divulged into a magical tale of dragons and celestial beings and of first love and heartbreak and longing and then betrayal.

This book enraptured me from the first chapter with its lush descriptions of this magical world of gods and goddesses. I literally could not tear myself away from this book, the beautiful depictions of this world as well as the characters was just everything I’ve ever looked for in a book. In addition, to how realistic and raw the characters felt. From Chang’e the moon goddess to her daughter Xingyin and their love and sacrifice for each other. As well as Xingyin’s determination to free her mother from her imprisonment.

This book quite literally made my decaying heart start beating only to tear it out again (quite dramatic but you get the gist of it). I did not expect to feel so many emotions while reading this book but that’s exactly what it evoked from me.

The romance was wonderfully done as well although just as cheesy and beautiful as it was it was also wretchedly painful in a good way. I abhor heartbreak and longing but this book did it so well that I could not bring myself to find fault with it. The crown prince of the celestial palace, Li Wei was a kind and romantic love interest towards Xingyin even though towards the middle I wanted to throttle him for what he said and didn’t say to her but I digress. As well as Wenzhi, the second love interest whom came as a surprise since I did not expect a love triangle nor want one since I loathe them with a passion but I accepted it to the better of my judgement.

However, this was more than a romance book but rather a journey of self discovery for Xingyin and the lengths she would go to to save her mother. I loved Xingyin, I mean yes she was flawed and made quite the mistakes but she never diverged from the path she set forth even as her heart was torn in two. She fought tooth and nail to free her mother even at the risk of punishment and death and I loved her for it. Regardless, of the painful and hard path she had to take she did it relentlessly. She was strong, devoted, and honorable and stuck to her morals which to me made her a beautifully written protagonist.

I must say though the last fifteen or so chapters made me gasp and feel utterly betrayed and horrified but I took it in stride as I must. All in all, I can’t wait until Daughter of the Moon Goddess comes out so I can hold the physical copy in my hands and immerse myself in this raw and beautiful world once more.

reminds me of elizabeth lim. and i mean that as a compliment !! it's just a little slower paced than i thought it would be

This book is absolutely fantastic. I had a hard time putting it down to get anything done. Can’t wait for the next book!

Since the first time I saw the announcement of this book and later it’s stunning covers, I not only knew that I would read it, I had a very strong feeling that it would become a favorite. And I can now happily confirm that I was right. This is indeed an unforgettable favorite of mine from now.

While I love my YA and adult epic fantasies, mythological retellings as a subgenre will always have a special place in my heart because myths and legends are what I grew up on and how I developed my interest in reading. I also remember reading up on the story of Houyi and Chang’e after finishing another retelling, Burning Roses - so I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this novel. And the author doesn’t disappoint here. She has a flair for beautiful descriptions and even myself, who is not a fan of overly descriptive stuff, was immediately enchanted by the stunning palaces, serene pavilions, the delicious foods and delicate flowers. The author creates the perfect atmosphere for the Celestial Kingdom and I found myself lost in it. The writing is lyrical and poetic when it has to be, but also heart wrenching and emotional and violent when necessary. The pacing throughout the book varies, but matches the tone of the part being narrated, with everything culminating in an intense showdown.

And this gorgeous prose is perfectly complemented by wonderful characters. Xingyin starts off as a happy but naive girl content with her isolated existence until her idyllic life is shattered by some age old truths about her mother. But the arc that the author creates for her is just spectacular. She is devoted to her mother and determined to secure her freedom, and this gives her the conviction to pursue any opportunity available to come closer to her goal. She is also clever, resourceful, honorable and a very genuine person, easily making friends and impressing many others with her candidness. She doesn’t shy away from dangerous assignments, is fearful for her survival but not a coward to give up, and also too loving to punish the ones who betray her trust. I’m just completely in love with her.

Liwei is in someways the typical YA hero I expect in this kind of stories - born in a position of extreme privilege but not seduced by it’s power, a kind hearted person who can’t make himself to become the kind of ruthless ruler his parents expect him to become, one who values friendship borne out of the bonds of his status. But this doesn’t make him any less lovable - the reason why we encounter many guys like this in fiction is because we like them, we want to believe that compassion will triumph over brutality.

The friendship between Xingyan and Liwei is easy like a soft breeze, both finding something in each other, gladly enjoying their companionship while also furthering their education and training. And of course their developing romance across distinctly opposing classes is so full of deep yearning and angst that there were moments I wanted to just cry.

There are also many important side characters, some a bit fleeting and others with more important moments but nonetheless they are all memorable. The Celestial Emperor and his cunningness, the Empress and her unbridled rage, the open hearted Shuxiao who is a great friend to Xingyan, the very popular and powerful warrior Wenzhi, and the dependable General Jianyun - the author creates a plethora of distinct characters with their own backstories and motivations and it’s a joy to get to know them all.

In the end, this was everything I could ask for in a YA fantasy novel - a coming of age story, a strong female protagonist who suffers but perseveres, male protagonist(s) who will charm you with their earnestness and passion, love full of yearning as well as tenderness, some excellent action sequences as well as emotionally powerful moments, maybe some magnificent creatures - and all of this with the backdrop of a daughter’s devotion towards her mother. It’s a beautifully written story and now I will have sky high profile expectations for its sequel.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is filled with incredible culture, world-building, and characters. This book is fast-paced with plenty of action and character development, which fits well with the immortal nature of the characters. Xingyin's journey is probably one of my favorite character journies of all time, as she navigates politics, love, and earning justice for her mother. The plot is filled with vivid descriptions and near-constant excitement. The plot twist had me gasping aloud! I cannot recommend this book enough, and I urge you to pick it up!

This is a work of art. I loved everything about this book, not only the cover is immaculate but the story itself is gorgeous and the writing made me gasp a few times. I recommend this book with my eyes closed.

This is so good. This is so needed. We need more epic fantasy that is in no way, shape or form attempting to be the next Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. Just...I can't describe this. So readable, so, so good.

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

<b>DNF @ 54%</b>

I feel awful about this but it's been over three months and I've barely made it halfway through. It's just a total slog. I don't care about any of the characters, the writing is inconsistent at best, and for every vaguely interesting scene there's been 50 pages of the main character Xingyin pining over some boy who frankly doesn't seem all that interesting. It started out so strong with the beautiful imagery on the moon and then just went <i>nowhere.</i>

I wouldn't normally give a book I DNF 3 stars but I have nothing against this book and it isn't exactly bad or anything, I'm just bored out of my mind reading it and I don't want to try to force myself through it anymore. I'm sure many people will love it, especially romance readers and those who enjoy love triangles but I am the complete wrong audience for this one.

A really interesting concept for a book, but I couldn't finish it. The writing was odd and the first few chapters did not grab me enough to keep going.

I loved this book so much!! The world building, the romance, the adventure, the love triangle!! Holy moly, all of my favorite things wrapped up into one. I can’t wait to see all the special editions of this book. You will not be disappointed!

This is a lovely exploration and expansion of the legend of the Chinese Moon Goddess, expanding it to tell the story of her daughter's life. The daughter, Xingyin, ends up in the immortal Celestial Kingdom and becomes friends with the crown prince Liwei. And yet their friendship and eventual love is anything but simple or uncomplicated and it's fascinating to see the twists and turns that happen along the way. There are complications with his parents, with rival kingdoms, with the use of magic, as well as her need to free her mother from the banishment to the moon. The characters are well developed and the world building is believable and logical. My only quibble is that the ending leaves some key things unresolved and as a result I expect there will be a sequel.
On the whole, I really enjoyed the story and definitely recommend it.

Daughter of the moon goddess is the debut novel from Sue Lynn Tan and it certainly reads like a seasoned author’s best work! I usually have trouble reading books that have time jumps and long periods of time we don’t get to see. Xingyin’s training with the prince skipped to years later and I feel like I missed out on a crucial part of their relationship.. other than that, which is mostly a me problem, the book was written beautifully and the story was jam-packed with action and intrigue. This was the perfect start to a duology and fans of mythology and fantasy will certainly devour this book!

Daughter of the Moon goddess is a whimsical debut epic fantasy that tells the story of the titular character Xingyin, as she infiltrates the Celestial Court in hopes to find a way to free her mother from her confinement on the Moon. The novel explores themes of belonging, love and betrayal, as well as acceptance of one’s identity despite everyone’s bias.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a solid debut novel; while being quite flawed, it still has enough charm to capture the attention of a lot of readers. I was very excited to delve into this story—the premise, the Chinese folklore woven into the story, the cover(which is honestly one of the most breathtaking fantasy covers I’ve seen recently) seemed like the perfect blend for a dreamy, heartwarming experience, but unfortunately, the book fell a bit flat for me.

I enjoyed several aspects of the book—the romance of the main characters was cute with just enough angst, the descriptions reminded me of an enchanting fairytale and made me feel like I was at the locations that were described on the page, as well as the general story, albeit somewhat formulaic, was satisfying to follow. However, a lot of the elements of the book—namely, the characters, the dialogue, the plot twists—weren’t done as well as I hoped they would be. I think this is also partially my fault, since I had different expectations going into this book, because now that I think about it now, this book would work really well for readers with a strong preference for ya fantasy.

I can’t say I have strong feelings for any of the characters, but I liked them. Some of the characters felt a bit one-note: especially when it came to the main love interests, their whole personalities were boiled down to just that: being love interests with little qualities of interest. On their own, the characters don’t stand out as much as they do when they interact with each other: I cared more about the relationships than the individual characters. I was especially entertained by the romantic arc between Liwei and Xingyin—it was cute and fanciful and angsty and their interactions were the most enjoyable part of the book for me. I especially enjoyed some of the choices the author made and how the characters reacted to those choices. However, the love triangle took away from my enjoyment; I rarely ever enjoy those and in this book it felt too convenient for my taste. Wenzhi as a character I’m still conflicted about: I believe he could have been the most interesting secondary character of the novel, but the way certain choices were executed made him irritating and somewhat cliched. I like the idea that the author tried to pull off, but I wasn’t sold by the execution becuase I simply couldn’t get invested into the characters. They’re not exactly one-dimensional, but they feel like archetypes we’ve seen before and I didn’t catch any nuance that would have made them stand out.

The plot is where most of my issues with Daughter of the Moon Goddess lie. Right from the start, it is filled with convenient coincidences and meetings that don’t feel believable or convincing. Besides that, the middle of the novel dragged quite a bit—the cast of characters went on several different quests that were repetitive and quickly got boring; each quest expanded the worldbuilding and we got to see cool locations, but the character dynamics during those felt stilted. A lot of the time it felt like we were completing objectives of a game on each quest without a satisfying enough reward. Sure, the relationships developed, but it didn’t seem earned as with the relationships that took hold at the beginning of the book, as strange as that sounds. I think this is largely due to how repetitive the second act of this book is. Because of this, the pacing feels uneven; it started slow and despite the faster pace in the middle of the book and multitudes of the events it still dragged due to the repetitiveness of the events. Third act is definitely more entertaining; however, it is again plagued with conveniences and moments that aren’t fleshed out enough. The plot as a whole wasn’t gripping or suspenseful enough to keep me going; I was mostly reading the book for the relationships rather than the political intrigue/the quest of the main character to free her mother.

I liked certain aspects of the prose. The author succeeded at creating great visuals of the locations where the events take place—I was most immersed into the world when we got detailed descriptions of the Celestial Palace, the Southern Sea, or The Eternal Spring forest—the descriptions are lush and imaginative and made me wish I could see what they actually looked like on illustrations. I liked how diverse the environments explored in the book were: be it the mountains, the desert or the sea, every time the image was vivid and immersive and gave a sense of how expansive the world is. The prose is whimsical and lyrical, however I wasn’t a fan of how the dialogue is written: there were moments where it felt stilted, unnatural and info-dumpy, especially toward the middle of the book.

Overall, I still think this book can be enjoyed by a lot of readers, especially if you’re looking for an adult fantasy with YA elements that most of us love, this book may work for you. I think this author has a lot of potential, and even though I didn’t love Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I’m excited to see what Sue Lynn Tan has in store for the readers.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

More accurate rating: 4.5

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content warnings: girl-on-girl hate

Rep: secret identities, Chinese mythology, friends-ish to lovers, lovers to enemies, love triangle, forbidden love, Mother/Daughter love/bond

Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
The writing: In the very beginning of the book, the writing starts off very simple & I didn’t mind that cause I think that it helps represent how Xingyin is in the very beginning of the story. And while it still stays pretty simple, I still thought that it was good & just needed some work with the pacing. But because this is a debut, I am more forgiving when it comes to pacing or more simpler writing.

Xingyin: I liked her overall. I though that she was VERY naive in the beginning, and still through the events of the book, but I think that reflects the pureness of her ideals and her unwavering loyalty and her morals. She was just trying her best in order to set her mother free & finding herself and herself worth in the process & I could admire that about her.

This honestly is a SOLID debut & I highly recommend! I am not entirely sure where the second book in this duology is going to cover, but I am excited nonetheless!

Pros:
I really liked the lore in this one and how the Gods and Goddess were actual figures in this world, not just beings that were written about in ancient texts and stories that are told in the present timeline. How the Moon Goddess did things & how they were represented in our mortal world.

Some of the lines in this were absolutely beautiful. Like I literally had to stop and take the lines in & just are at them for a second.

The chapters in this were short & I honestly was flying thru this book like no other. One second I was on page 56, and the next things I knew I was on page 210 without even realizing it. So while the pacing was a little off in some instances, I was still flying thru the pages.

I also liked seeing the Mother/Daughter bond in this. I also have a strong relationship with my mom & it was really nice seeing the love that these two had for each other & seeing all of the sacrifices and actions that they did for one another because of the love that they had.

Gripes:
As I sit here and write this review I can’t think of any PRESSING issues (aside from the pacing) & the only thing I wasn’t a fan of for the most part was the love triangle that bloomed in this. And while it was THAT, but it is still a triangle nonetheless & I am NOT a fan of them.

The romance(s):
There is a love triangle in this 🙈 I know for this is a “buzz word” but for me it is not one at all. And while there is an inkling who Xingyin will be with at the very end of this duology based off what happened at the end of the book, I can see there being a “will they won’t they” and Xingyin going between Liwei and a certain General 😉(if you wanna know his name, by all means look at the spoiler (view spoiler)) in the next book. And while that ANNOYS me, I am hopeful for my boy Liwei 😭

Xingyin & Liwei: I REALLY liked them. Could they be described as insta-lovey? Perhaps. But I still liked them. First and foremost they saw themselves as friends, as two people who felt like they were lacking in themselves and the positions/roles that were forced into & just wanted a friend that they could lean on. And that is what I liked about them. It was not an instant physical attraction that they had for one another, it was an emotional bond that they formed first before looks came in to the equation. But lemme tell you, this gets angsty real fast 😹🙈 There is some heartache and some circumstances that separate these two from one another, but they may or may not reform their relationship at the end of the book… AND ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I BETTER SEE A MARRIAGE CEREMONY AT THE END OF BOOK 2

For those who don’t know, Liwei is the Prince of the Celestial Kingdom. I REALLY liked him 😹 HE WAS SUCH A CINNAMON ROLL 🥺 While he did kind of get on my nerves on some things, he was also just trying to do his best & having to make choices that he didn’t want to make, but he had to. But he thankfully pull his head out of his butt towards the end of the story & I was swooning all over again.

Xingyin & the other guy 😹: While I understood the blooming of their friendship/relationship, (I even kind of rooted for them at one point) I just do not support them. (When you read the book you’ll know why). But I can totally see people falling in love with him and their relationship.

I enjoyed this one so much!

The whole plot was a breath of fresh air - and very escapist, which is exactly what I needed right now. And what an adventure? I never could quite predict where the plot would end up, and it took so many fun twists and turns while Xingyin was on her many wild quests. Ah! And the magic! So cool.

One of my favorite parts was the developed friendship and then forbidden romance between Xingyin and Liwei. I couldnt help but root for and against them at different times (I'm not usually a forbidden romance fan, either) but something about the way it was handled here had me so hooked. I loved the introduction of Wenzhi as well, and oh goodness I soooo wanted them together especially during the quest at the sea kingdom (acomaf vibes, anyone?). I honestly loved feeling so conflicted as to who deserved Xingyin, but it wasn't like a typical love triangle either, and throughout the whole book we keep learning so much more about them both. What a ride. And listen, I would be lying if I said I wasn't still rooting for ... well, the one I shouldn't be after that ending. But I can't help it. That's my kryptonite.

I also loved all the mythology and monsters that popped up, as well as the different realms. I don't want to give much about the plot away (I'm the type of reader that likes to know very little and go in with no expectations) so just suffice it to say that it's very pacey and fun.

From here, I'm just hoping we get a second book because it's clear there are some unresolved...feelings. (Insert evil smile here.)

*thank you to netgalley and Harper voyage for the arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was one of the best books I have ever read. The world created is incredible! The descriptions throughout the book were impeccable. I truly felt like I was a part of the journey. I could not put this book down. I was so sad when I finally reached the end. I want more! This is definitely a book I will be reading again. (I’ve already preordered two copies so far). Stunning masterpiece! I felt every emotion I could throughout. Happiness, sadness, anger, and tears. Please read this book. I will be posting my review to Amazon and other retailers closer to the release date. Amazing amazing amazing!

Daughter of the Moon Goddess lived up to the hype in my reading. I fell in love with the characters, the mythology, the descriptions, the magic, the world and so much more.

The story is a re-telling of Chinese mythology and the author does a brilliant job of luring the reader into the story to become a part of the adventure as well as explain aspect that might be new to them. Besides that, the way the author drafted the story I had not choice but to because a part of the mythology myself and that felt amazing! It has everything I look for in a fantasy story plus things I didn't know I loved. It has to enemies to loves and friends to enemies, it has a nice pacing and brillant worlding building.

The characters were wonderful, and I LOVED that the female was the strong and dominate type where the male was the softer, more emotional one. The "role reversal" was a joy to read and felt natural and realistic (as it should).

I will caution readers who don't do will with a lot of world building, characters and facts that this story has A LOT of all three within the pages. It is book one in what I am more than sure will be a series and because of that there is a lot to learn about. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and a lot of places to remember but if you love immersing yourself in stories and shutting out the world then this book is one that will do that for you in spades.

I really could not have loved it more and I will be buying this (with that stunning cover) as soon as it is available. I received an ARC via NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager publishers and I am leaving an honest review.