This book took everything I loved about DOTMG and improved upon it. I felt this novel was even more beautifully written and evenly paced. The characters felt even more alive and the relationships deepened. I'm riding the high of finishing this beautiful duology so perfect articulation of my thoughts will come later but I am so thoroughly impressed and enchanted by Sue Lynn Tan and I'll pick up ANYTHING she decides to write next

this was a great sequel and end to the duology i found the writing a lot more improved in terms of pacing of the plot and characters seemed much more developed and their actions were more planned out and less sparatic everything felt like a tighter more pht together story and you can see the authors improvement from her debut novel

I cried so much at DotMG but this had me bawling; I wasn’t sure where this was going to go since the first book ended in a way that left no major cliff-hangers and allowed you to envision what would happen after but then this book came along and kicked me in the teeth in the best possible way.

The relationships developing between Xingyin and Wenzhi, and Xingyin and Liwei were really interesting, and you could see the character development and emotional maturity shining through.

I felt as though there was a lot going on plot-wise, and it could have been overwhelming but I felt as though it all flowed really well with some amazing plot twists.

One thing I would have loved to have seen more of was the relationship between Xingyin and Houyi; it felt a bit rushed and I’d have liked to see the father-daughter relationship develop more.

The ending of this book full on broke me, an ending should not be that beautiful. I now need a total of seventeen novellas to see what happens afterward.

This one is just as amazing as DOTMG!! And a perfect end to the duology!

I feel like the writing improved, and was even more beautiful/lyrical. The world building is amazing in this too. After the betrayal in the first book that I didn't see coming, I was excited to see how this one would play out plot-wise, and if I'd be bored or not. I was definitely surprised!

This is the second book in The Celestial Kingdom Duology. It was as amazing as the first book. Sue's writing is so beautiful with amazing descriptions and details. You feel like you are part of their world...the clothing, food, animals, locations!
This book carries on with Xingyin's life post release of her mother and herself from the Celestial Emperor. Just when you think things have calmed down Xingyin's life is thrown back into turmoil. There are new enemies threatening her world and family and Xingyin is not going to just let life happen around her. This story carries you through Xingyin's amazing journey of protecting those she loves at all costs. This is the perfect conclusion of The Celestial Kingdom Duology. If you love Chinese mythology, love triangles, strong family bonds, this is the perfect series for you.

Against all odds, Xingyin succeeded. She freed her mother, the goddess of the moon, and returned home. However, her return isn’t as peaceful as she would like. After the betrayal of whom she trusted most, she finds her heart broken. The half that used to love Wenzhi now hates him, but the other half that loves Liwei knows that her life beside him as his empress would bring her no happiness. But Xingyin doesn’t have long to consider her feelings before trouble stirs on the moon once again. The emperor is under evil influences, and Xingyin and her mother are now in the crosshairs. Xingyin will have to perform more impossible tasks, this time not to free just her mother, but also the rest of the Celestial Kingdoms.

I received an advanced reading copy of Heart of the Sun Warrior in exchange for an honest review.

Heart of the Sun Warrior is a fantasy novel by Sue Lynn Tan. It’s also the sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess, and the second and final novel in the Celestial Kingdoms duology. After reading the first book and loving it, I of course had to read the second one. I can’t tell you how excited I was to get an advanced reading copy of it too, so I could find out what happened to Xingyin and her companions in the story.

Before I continue, a warning: there may be spoilers for the first book of the duology in this review.

I’m still processing what I just went through. There’s a lot to talk about, and even just sorting out my thoughts is hard, but know from now that I really liked this book. The places that Tan is able to conjure are just so magical, and I loved exploring the different kingdoms, their customs, what they look like, what foods they have. The descriptions she made in that almost lyrical tone of writing she has made this book something very different and something very special. She swept me away into something that almost felt like a fairy tale, but ended up with me curled up on a ball on my couch, crying my eyes out. Was I crying because it had a happy ending? A sad one? Of course I can’t tell you that! You’ll have to read the book!

But why am I talking about the ending? I’ve barely started the review!

The book has plenty of action, and Xingyin is one of those characters who is so capable, even as she sometimes makes mistakes. We’ve already learned that sometimes she puts her trust in the wrong person, and in this book, she’s incredibly guarded because of that. But even when she’s guarded, her heart still feels so much compassion and love for those around her, and I loved how much she was guided by that as she made her way through the story, even in some very desperate situations. Even in her pain, she remembers that others feel too, and does what she can for them.

I did spend so much of the book wondering if she’d go back to Wenzhi, even after all he did. If you were worried about that after his actions in the last book, rest assured, he has quite a big part in this one! But with his return, even with Xingyin’s insistence that she hates him now, I knew that sometimes there’s a very thin line between love and hate, and if she loved him once, she might love him again. I’m not sure how I felt about how persistent he was, and how he ignored every time she rejected him, but he continues to be a big character in this book.

Tan played with a lot of threads here too. So many plot arcs were added in this book, and I often wondered how they would fit in with the others, but I shouldn’t have worried, as Tan wove a tapestry of them all, bringing each arc to a satisfying close, and leading her character and the reader through an intricate story.

I really enjoyed Heart of the Sun Warrior, and thought it was the perfect end to Xingyin’s story. The ending in particular made me cry (although I won’t say if it was sad or happy tears). Just know that it felt absolutely right to the tone of the book, and especially how much like a myth it felt.

I’d recommend this duology to any fantasy fans, since I think it has something for everyone. There is magic and action, court politics and love, family and friendship. Fans of Asian-inspired fantasies would especially love it, but I do think anyone who picks it up would enjoy the story inside.

Heart of the Sun Warrior will be released on November 10. You can preorder your copy from Harper Voyager here.

The daughter of the Moon Goddess, finally reunited with her mother after freeing her mother from her imprisonment and healing from the betrayal from both her love interest must now face off against the Celestial Kingdom who threatens to destroy everything she holds dear... and she must choose between the two love interests that are once again in her life as she faces off against a new evil. Xingyin is still reeling from the betrayal of Wenzhi, who still haunts her dreams and visits her while also dealing with her feelings for Liwei, the prince. Wenzhi is the prince of the demon realm who trapped her but she defeated him, yet now he comes back begging for her forgiveness, telling her he regrets everything and that the only thing that matters to him is her. He’ll do anything she wants yet she is firm in her refusal of him. She firmly believes that he broke her trust, thus forever closing the door to anything between them. Now there is Liwei, the prince who was betrothed to someone else and wanted her to remain his mistress but now he is no longer betrothed but his family is bent on killing her and her family. Despite everything Xingyin is in love with both of them, despite the entire book being her denying and refusing Wenzhi and trying to stay firm in her love for Liwei ( obviously I am all for Wenzhi, honestly, Liwei is as bland as they come and the guy had basically zero character growth, I just didn’t like him despite him being considered the sweeter love interest). Wenzhi on the other hand is willing to do anything for her to get her to see that he loves her. While this back and forth is going on in the love triangle, there is also the issue that the Celestial Kingdom has kicked out Xingyin and her family, they are being hunted, a evil rises that wants to destroy them, and she might have found her father whom she thought was dead. Xingyin must find a way to save those she holds dear and finally pick a path for herself and who she wants to be and who she wants to be with. Overall it was an okay ending to the series, in terms of the love interests, the one I wanted ended up doing nicely so yeah, in the end it all worked out.

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Heart of The Sun Warrior
By Sue Lynn Tan
Out November 15th!

Brief Summary:
Xingyin freed her mother and is living peacefully after the adventure in Daughter Of The Moon Goddess.
Their peace is soon disrupted. A threat arises and Xingyin must band together with allies to protect those she loves and the entire realm.

My experience:
I didn’t know what to expect from this one. The first book in this duology was fantastic but it felt very complete. With no real cliffhangers, other than an unresolved love triangle, it took me awhile to pick this one up. Tan quickly brings up new and old conflict to get the story going. Just like Moon Goddess, Sun Warrior is full of beautiful description, excellent world building, and a high stakes plot. It was an extremely satisfying conclusion to this series.

I highly recommend this fantasy duology.

My rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley @suelynntan @harpervoyagerus @avonbooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest

Just like Daughter of the Moon Goddess, this one feels like an epic journey, but written in a beautifully whimsical way, reading like a fairytale. This story follows the aftermath of the first, and I found myself feeling so much for Xingyin, jaded and broken in invisible ways, but still so strong and forced to face a new evil that threatens the entirety of the world this time. I know many readers shy from love triangles, but I feel like this one was done really well, and the banter between them was probably my favorite part, aside from the end. I was so mad when I thought I was at the end guys, I almost didn't even want to read the last chapters... but I'm so glad I did. My heart broke, I cried, and everything ended... so perfectly. I didn't give it a higher rating simply because I struggled to feel connected to the story in the middle. It felt a bit longer than necessary and stretched thin in some places, however I did read an arc so that could be improved in final copies that go on sale here in a week. Regardless, if you dive into this duology, I hope you enjoy Xingyin's story♡

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with a proof in exchange for an honest review!

This reviewer received a digital ARC from Netgalley.

I loved the first book (Daughter of the Moon Goddess) and was thrilled to be able to read Heart of the Sun Warrior before official release! The sequel has just as many fantastical adventures as the first, with Xingyin traveling across the immortal realm to stop a new evil that threatens her loved ones. As someone who's enjoyed a few Chinese wuxia and xianxia dramas in my day, this story sits with the best of them. There's interpersonal drama, a despicable villain with a power that threatens even immortals, choosing between duty and love, making the honorable choices, and the raw honesty of the toll being a hero can take.

The early events of the book that set up the eventual plot that drives the majority of the book felt a little disjointed in pacing, but as someone who enjoys CDramas it fell within the kind of storytelling I've seen before so it didn't feel that out of place to me. Tan continually references and connects back to the first book, weaving the two together to make it feel like one long and continuous story where the characters grow even further.

Regarding the romance: I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed with the love triangle in DotMG. It felt like Wenzhi was introduced just as a tool to hurt Xingyin before being discarded, with Liwei as the de facto endgame despite the glaring issues. I was much happier with how the romance was handled this time around! Tan did an excellent job presenting doubts and conflicts to Xingyin's relationships; not just trials to overcome, but very real differences in values and responsibilities that make you question if love really is enough to overcome everything. I normally dislike love triangles, but I give HotSW the award of 'Only Love Triangle I Will Ever Recommend' even though it generally ran alongside the main plot instead of being part of it.

A sweet and enthralling love story to conclude the story of the daughter of the moon goddess. I said in my review of the first book that this would make a great movie or drama series, and the second book is just a good!

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Daughter of the Moon Goddess stunned me when I finished it earlier this year. The lyrical prose, adventurous story, sweeping romance, wonderful characterization, and gorgeous imagery blew me away. While the prose continues to shimmer in this sequel, many of the elements I loved about the first book are missing.

Sue Lynn Tan's writing continues to be beautiful. Nearly every sentence was clearly crafted with care. But that writing was employed in furthering a slogging story, downright frustrating love triangle, and disappointing characterization.

Elements of the story frequently appeared as one-offs with the payoff only being to further the next beat of story. Characters were introduced with such fanfare I thought they would stick around, only for them to disappear within the next pages. Often, it felt like I was reading a particularly beautiful summary of a fetch side quest. The high-quality writing wasn't enough to keep me from being bored. 2.5/5

This thrilling sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess captivated me from the very first eloquently written line. The lush descriptions transported me right back into the enchanting immortal realm, where a new enemy threatens the entirety of Celestial Kingdom. Xingyin is tested in more ways than one as she recovers her lifeforce, only to enter into a new war to fight for those she loves. Her family, her friends, and the two men who hold her heart despite the betrayals by each in different ways.

HOTSW introduces us to more kingdoms, builds out the realm further, and gives us more of the mortal realm too. We get some wins, some tragic losses and thralling adventures but also slower emotional narrative ARCs in development of the relationships with her and others as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery in a story against what it takes to be brave and fight back. Sue Lynn Tan has impeccable and evocative prose.

Inspired by different elements of the core Chinese mythology, this sequel was a fitting conclusion to this fantasy duology.

A very big shout out to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review Heart of the Sun Warrior.

Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan is the sequel to one of my favourite books that was released in January 2022. It follows the main character of Xingyin and plays out not long after the events of the first book in the duology.

Xingyin is the headstrong daughter of the archer Houyi and the moon goddess Chang'e from Chinese mythology. In the first book she finds herself on a quest to free her mother from being imprisoned on the moon as part of her punishment for drinking the elixir of immortality meant for Houyi. Heart of the Sun Warrior continues to deal with the politics of what happened as a result of her quest and some new and more sinister characters make their appearance, forcing the Celestial Kingdoms to pick sides in an inevitable war.

Aside from the politics and war, Xingyin's heart is also divided and we see her having to deal with her feelings towards the two princes in her life as well. After everything that's happened to her, which side will she choose?

In general, I struggled a little to get into the rhythm of this sequel. I don't know if it was because of my own mental state or if the beginning of the book is a little bit slower than the previous book. Once the quests started and everything was rolling it took off quite successfully. I did feel like the romance side was perhaps a little bit too much in the foreground, although it did play an important part in the plot as well.

All in all, I really liked reading this book and I would definitely recommend this duology to anyone wanting adventure, Chinese mythology or a good read that really fits well with the Lunar New Year.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Heart of the Sun Warrior is the second installment in the Celestial Kingdoms duology, and it follows main character Xingyin as she is once again forced from her home on a journey to save the realm.

My favorite part about this book is that I felt like I got to know the characters way better than I did in book 1. Daughter of the Moon Goddess tended to favor action, which was still wildly entertaining, but I found it honestly refreshing that, despite rich action scenes, Heart of the Sun Warrior really allows the reader to feel much closer to the main cast.

I also loved the plot arc of this book, as well as the way it ended. It felt new and unconventional, while also being exactly what the story needed. This is definitely a duology that I will be coming back to time and again!

Sue Lynn Tan has blessed us twice this year. She made an incredible debut in January with Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Then Tan capped the year with the duology’s heart-wrenching conclusion in Heart of the Sun Warrior. No sequel slump to be found here! Tan finishes Xingyin’s tale expertly, and I have nothing but glowing opinions to share with you.

Xingyin has spent a year recovering from her many hardships and adventures in book one. Having secured a bit of peace for her mother, Chang’e, Xingyin is happily bidding her time on the moon and indulging in short visits with Liwei. Yet, even the moon is not far enough from the machinations of the Celestial Kingdom’s court. A new plot pulls Xingyin and all those she loves into harm’s way, and she can no longer hide away in her peaceful home. Xingyin must confront a malicious enemy that will stop at nothing to destroy the immortal and mortal realms.

Tan is a fantastic storyteller. She introduces a new threat and amps up the dread with every chapter. It seemed as if Xingyin was up against impossible odds, and every choice was a bad one. I thought book one tested Xingyin but nothing can compare to what she must go through now to protect the realm. She did everything in her power to avoid political games, but Xingyin’s entire journey makes her confront the situations she tried so hard to avoid. Xingyin is brought low in this book and it hurts. A lot. Yet, so many new facets of her character are revealed and I loved every new part of her. Tan constantly puts Xingyin in difficult situations and her questionable decision-making had me on edge throughout the entire book.

The world is large and magical and rich in Chinese mythology. It gives Tan room to explore it more in the future if she desires, but she spotlights a perfect portion of the lore and magic through Xingyin’s perspective. Tan shared each droplet of information purposefully and it expanded the story beautifully. I love how Tan uses mythology to examine the featured immortals on a personal level. Chang’e suffers from being separated from her love, but mortals often view her as a selfish woman who stole the elixir of immortality. Houyi is portrayed as a hero of the mortal realm, yet the sun goddess suffers when nine of her children are killed at his hand. Tan peels back the surface of these powerful stories and shows us real people living with the consequences.

Sun Warrior broke me, several times over. The heartbreak in this book is real, and I was not prepared. The romantic threads at the end of book one appeared tied off, giving Xingyin an opportunity to heal and pursue a relationship on better footing. But, unfortunately for my poor soul, Tan has other plans. She really came out swinging. I can barely hold my own through this intense adventure and on top of that I’m served a heaping of heartache. Tan expertly crafts Xingyin’s feelings which adds an extra layer of suffering throughout the entire story. It was an incredible experience and the culmination solidified the book’s perfect rating.

The Celestial Kingdom duology is phenomenal. It has unique characters, intricate storytelling, strong worldbuilding, and a beautiful romance to boot. I am sad to close the book on Xingyin’s story, but I will look to the future and be ready to read anything Sue Lynn Tan writes.

Rating: Heart of the Sun Warrior - 10/10

"𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥𝘺, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮?”

I was provided an Advanced Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review so thank you Harper Voyager!

You know, I always say, if you’re gonna write a love triangle, one of the people doesn’t always have to be horrible and betray the other in the end—thus ensuring that they end up with the “right choice.” I’m regretting these words as I finish Heart of the Sun Warrior because I am SAD. A somewhat bittewrsweet but graceful end to a pretty outstanding duology. I’m not a big fan of love triangles and there were parts of this story that I didn’t love because of that back and forth, but how that part of the story was laid to rest—while not the ending I was expecting, was beautiful. I even shed a tear would you believe it. It’s an ode to love lost and love found. It’s about finding out what you truly want in your soul and knowing what it is you truly desire, even if it may not be the path you originally thought you’d end up on.

The imagery in this book left me breathless. I have so many quotes written down of Tan just describing things and my heart being a-flutter: “Her face possessed the soft curves of an apricot, though devoid of its warm blush.” Like, how lovely is that? Tab definitely has a way with words if you’re interested in something that really allows you to picture the scene in your mind.

“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴.”

For me, the fight scenes and the action was the true standout of this book. I remember loving it in book 1, but I was very impressed and immersed in Xingyin’s combat. The smooth curve of an arrow slicing through enemies, Liwei’s unique brand of magic and Wenzhi’s fighting as well all led to some very exciting battles throughout the book that kept the pace going.

“𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳.”

The villain!! I loved the villain—a betrayal and an upheaval of the Celestial Kingdom leads to a new Big Bad Evil Guy taking power and they are definitely one of those people with cause and it’s so juicy. I thought their thread was well done and was valid and entertaining as all get out.

A wonderful conclusion to a beautifully cinematic story. I’m just delighted to have had the chance to read it. Thank you so much to Sue Lynn Tan for writing this delightful story.

Tropes
-enemies to lovers
-love triangle
-strong family
-betrayal
-badass FMC with a bow
-dragons
-love lost and love found

I LOVED Daughter of the Moon Goddess and the sequel to this did not disappoint. Sue Lynn Tan is an excellent storyteller and I would love to read more from her. The characters were developed and the story flowed well. This series will be a great reread for me in the coming years!

Thank you endlessly to Avon & Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this before publishing. I am in awe.

The first book in this series, Daughter of the Moon Goddess stole my breath and my heart in a constant cycle, and this one felt very much the same. Going in, I had a bit of trepidation because I couldn’t tell where the conflict was going for a while, but once it became clear, all of the feelings I had about the first book came right back.

Sue Lynn Tan writes imagery like no one else. She absolutely transports you to a world of magic and monsters, gods and monarchs, dream filled skies and epic battles that have your heart pounding. The action is completely cinematic and the way all of our different immortals are able to entangle their powers is so immersive and creative. And the villain in this one! It took me a moment to warm up to him because he felt very unknowable to me compared to the conflicts in book 1. But once he his his stride, he was terrifying and complex.

And I’m the background to all this we have the relationships. I have warned others of the love triangle in book 1, and I know that is off putting for some. To avoid spoilers, all I will say about this one is… it’s a doozy, in the most beautiful way.
Aside from the romance, I also remain in awe is the friendships and familial love in this tale. There are so many characters to love and root for (and sometimes, to get irreparably hurt by).

I have too many amazing things to say, so I will end on this: Daughter of the Moon Goddess left big shoes to fill, and Heart of the Sun Warrior absolutely met my expectations. This duology was astounding and magical and poignant. I will gladly read Tan’s grocery lists, if I can get ahold of them. If you want a story of lost loves and found loves, heartbreak and healing, Chinese mythology and legendary creatures, and strong, stubborn, willful & fierce warrior main characters, look no further than this stunning debut series.

This stunning sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess (DOTMG) was *chef’s kiss*. Initially I was worried that I would be disappointed by the Heart of the Sun Warrior (HOTSW) as DOTMG was one of my favorite reads this year, but I don’t think Sue Lynn Tan could have written a better ending.

HOTSW is just as action packed as DOTMG and filled with heart wrenching scenes. It did feel a little different from DOTMG, but I think that is expected as our characters are older and more mature. Given this shift, the book doesn’t feel as fast paced and isn’t as much of a page turner. (Don’t get me wrong, I did not want to put the book down but did not find myself pulling an all nighter to finish). Regardless of this change in pacing, I still enjoyed the book and found the story to be very heart warming.

The focus of this book is more on Xingyin’s story. She is still your hotheaded heroine who finds herself torn between impossible choices. She is stubborn and kind but also very relatable. The book had themes of love, bravery and chasing what makes you happy.

I did feel like you had to read DOTMG to really understand HOTSW. If you did skip DOTMG a lot of the character relationships would not make sense and you may miss some of the meanings of certain scenes.

I would recommend this book to anyone who read the first book and the entire series for anyone looking for a fantasy filled with adventure but rooted in mythology. I would classify this book as a young adult/new adult crossover and perfect for readers looking for a light epic fantasy read.