Oh my goodness, I want to gush about this who book but I don't want to give it all away. It truly has to be experienced without any spoilers going in. But this was a fantastic end for this duology and it couldn't have ended in a better way.

The writing between this and Moon Daughter flows perfectly together as a story. Things that I needed answers for in the first book were all wrapped up nicely. The love triangle had me crying in the middle of work. It was just beautiful and I know I am going to go back to read this series a few times because of how much I enjoyed all of it. The writing, the imagery, the characters. Perfection.

Is this book as good as book one... depends.

The writing is incredible and Tan is 100% on my watch list! The characters are so well written and morally grey (which we love!). The romance was MUCH better/bigger in this book (very PG still though). However, the plot in Book 2 wasn't it for me.

It took me a long time to care about the plot in book 2, honestly I don't think I really was into the book until the final chapters (the ending is tragically beautiful). There was no proper lead up to book 2 in book 1. To me, book 1 felt like it's own standalone book despite the characters are the same and it really was truly a continuation of Xingyin's journey. It just seemed like a lot of random things happened in book 2 where there was no lead up to it in book 1.

With that being said, once I accepted and treated book 2 like it was it's own separate book, I really enjoyed it - ESPECIALLY the ending - UGH! 10/10 so glad she chose who she chose. So if you're on the fence, I say read it, just go into it without the expectations of book 1.

I'm hoping Tan goes into her next series considering the entirety of the series, so they don't feel like standalone books. Her writing is incredible and either way I'll be grabbing her next book!

Themes: murder, resurrections, second chances, love triangle, healing, grief, coming of age/finding oneself, morally grey, revenge, generational trauma, bittersweet Happily Ever After (it's so good)

Give me more, I’m not ready to say goodbye to such a fantastic series. Also, can I thank Sue Lynn Tan for not making us wait an AGE for both books?!

I don’t know what to do with myself now. Beautifully written, lots of wars/battles and losses. An emotional rollercoaster

That ending though, very The Mortal Instruments.

If I could change one thing, it was how many times 'moreover' is used - I don't know why that word sticks out to me

I wish this ARC came with a packet of tissues. Holy cow. I read Daughter of the Moon Goodness around two weeks ago and I had one complaint- I felt that things happened so quickly. I rationalized this by saying that everyone is an immortal so time is different, but it was hard to understand the love aspect because everything seem so fast-paced. That was not a problem in this book whatsoever.

Heart of the Sun Warrior was everything I loved about Daughter of the Moon Goddess and more. I loved how there were subplots within each of the parts but there was one, clear overarching plot for the entire story. I also thought it was so clever and masterful for some of the seeds planted in the first book to flower in this story. Additionally, as much as I hated it in the moment, I think the book was made better by the higher stakes and the loss.

I cannot wait to see people debate on whether they are team Liwei or Wenzhou (the latter for me). I also cannot believe that I spent the last few chapters trying to read through my tears. What an absolutely flawless story that is so full of heart and also so incredibly heart wrenching. I am going to be thinking about this book for a while.

The overall story and the lore behind it was great. But it felt incredibly tropey, and wading through those parts to get back to the main story felt tedious. The characters were well developed, and it definitely tugged at my emotions at times. I would have enjoyed it more had it not been for the overbearing trope.

Heart of the Sun Warrior ARC spoiler-free review 🌞⚔️

Heart of the Sun Warrior by @suelynntan is the second installment in the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology, a YA historical high fantasy based on ancient Chinese mythology.

HOTSW is the perfect conclusion to this duology. The imagery and writing across both books is so immersive and descriptive, it really feels like you’re right there experiencing this lush world with Xingyin. While this makes for a slower read and pacing, it is so worth it! The second book is a lot of the same as the first, with quests and battles and challenges galore. The action and adventure are constant, but in this book the stakes are definitely higher, with the fate of the world in Xingyin and her friends hands.

Then there’s the romance 💕 Boy is this one a slow and painful burn full of lots of groveling and love confessions.. A certain love triangle begins in book one and only heats up in book two. While I was always rooting for my fave, I thought the tension between all the characters was really well executed and believable and my heart was aching the whole time wondering where things would end.

Finally there’s the emotional damage. Yes, this book made me cry numerous times. At one point sobbing to the point I could not see the page 🥴 But boy oh boy did the ending stitch up all the wounds to my heart in the sweetest ways.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I cannot wait for you guys to get your hands on this book. If you haven’t read book one, now is your time to dig in and savor it because this sequel releases on November 15, 2022!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager Publishing for providing me with an eARC of the book for my honest review!

I honestly don’t know how to praise this book in the way it deserves. I was left an emotional wreck upon completing it, and I'm still not over it. What an absolutely beautiful way to finish off a duology.

This sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess picks off right where the first book left off. Chang’e and her daughter, Xingyin, continue to live their life on the moon. Xingyin has freed her mother from imprisonment and she wishes to be left in peace. She dreams of an easier days, maybe marrying Lewei, the crown prince of the Celestial Empire, and her longtime friend, and living their lives quietly. But there’s treachery brewing in the imperial palace, and Xingying is forced to flee her home with her loved ones and fight for the freedom of the empire.

There were times I couldn’t read through my tears. I was also that character who “released a breath she didn’t know she was holding,” so often I became a cliché. I put the book down numerous times in efforts to prolong the read. The world was just as magical as the first time and everything I look for in a good fantasy novel was present: magic, magical creatures (yay dragons!), magical objects, beings of power, romance, beautiful world building, interesting characters, minimal politics. The writing was exquisite. I loved getting lost in this fantasy and having my heartstrings tugged.

Praises for the love triangle done right and the infinite layers to relationships and longings of the heart, as well as the remarkable character development. Romance is a very big part of the plot and I truly didn't mind reading about Xingyin wavering. I loved how she was written to not fall into the trap of sacrificing herself to have an easy love life. Most of the time relationships in stories are wrapped up in a pretty bow to be easily digested by readers, but I prefer the more realistic dilemmas and complicated problems. And thank god that this book tears down the notion of all girls wanting to grow up to marry the prince to become princesses, queens, empresses. There's nothing wrong with wanting to find who you are in the world, away from people's expectations.

Do yourself a favor and read this duology. It was beautiful, it was epic, it was everything.

How do I manage to put words to describe my feelings about this book? It was a wild Rollercoaster of chaos and mixed emotions. This was by far my most anticipated book of the year and it did not dissapoint. I loved every minute and the folklore was so rich. The world felt so clear despite how otherworldly it was. Highly recommend this book to any fantasy lovers. Thank you so much netgalley for allowing me the honor of reading this lovely book.

I have a lot of love for this story. It is one of personal growth, duty, and love. In this sequel, it was incredible to see the development these characters go through. To see the unexpected in these characters, and to come to an ending I wasn't expecting until it was over.

If you loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess, you will love and cherish this second chapter to this story. My heart is so full and tearful, and I cannot wait for you all to read it.

To start, I loved the first book. The author has such a magical way of storytelling, and it is just as evident in this sequel. All of her characters are well developed and have their own shortcomings and flaws to overcome. I wanted to love this book just as much but this time around, I found myself less engaged with Xingyin's story. Whereas the first book had multiple journeys for our characters that lead to Xingyin finding herself, this time it felt more like a muddling of tasks to complete before heading to the final battle. As such, I found it difficult to push through the book, as I was unsure why Xingyin was more reckless than before and didn't understand her motives. I didn't understand the disconnect between the previous book and her father, I didn't feel the immediate danger from the ultimate bad guy, and I no longer saw her character growth.

All of these are minor issues. The strength of this book is clearly her writing, but this time I felt the weakness was the romance. The resurgence of the love triangle felt very out of place and a little bit forced, as I thought this was wrapped up in the previous book. Because of this, the last 15% of the book confused me even though I think it was an homage to a Chinese wuxia reincarnation stories. My final verdict is a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Xingyin (the daughter of the moon goddess) is back at it in book two, facing immortal villains in the most magical of settings!

Heart of the Sun Warrior begins at the Pure Light Palace, where Xingyin is recovering at home with her mother, Chang’e. She has worked so hard to obtain this peace and serenity at a great cost, however, the security does not last long. The action swiftly resumes, as our protagonist and her loved ones face a powerful enemy that is threatening not only their own family, but the entire immortal realm.

Just as in the beginning of this duology, this second installment is full of breathtaking scenery and magical elements. Possibly the most alluring ingredient in Chinese mythology is the travel by cloud. It excites me each and every time!. I also love the talk of auras, life-forces, healing magic, as well as the mythical beings that take part in this book: dragons, phoenixes, and the sunbird. The otherworldly features of this duology are what really make it unique and extraordinary, in my opinion.

Liwei and Wenzhi have also returned in Heart of the Sun Warrior. Love is certainly full of complications for Xingyin. The story really dives deeper into emotional complexity and ultimately, Xingyin does find clarity in her heart.

My only complaint is that the more serene, atmospheric scenes and descriptions were too brief. Once again, the action and conflict is the main focus of the book. This is likely a personal preference and impacted by the summer mood. I just found myself struggling to pick up the book some evenings, knowing that I would be plunging back into the pain and discord. Thankfully, Heart of the Sun Warrior will be released in November of 2022, which I believe to be perfect timing for a book of this length and intensity.

Overall, I would give Heart of the Sun Warrior 4.25 stars, and the duology as a whole 4.5 stars.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, and Avon & Harper Voyager for sharing this e-arc with me in exchange for my honest feelings!

This book was stunning - heartfelt, magical, lush, and full of adventure. I could not have asked for a more perfect continuation of Xingyin’s story.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess has been one of my favorite reads of 2022 thus far, and this book, somehow, rose above it. This was an easy 5 star read. Sue Lynn Tan’s writing is so lyrical. Her descriptions make you feel as if you are standing in each scene, a part of the drama, love, and journey of each character.

The ending of book one drew us into a false sense of peace and safety, I was curious what conflict book two would stir up to spur our heroes back into action. We start on the Moon, where book one ended, but things quickly go south as Xingyin and her mother are forced to flee their home and the Immortal Realm is threatened by great evil, unforeseen by our heroes. With the help of her two loves, Liwei and Wenzhi, we are taken on a magical journey where we encounter old friends, new dangers, and discover the importance of love. I was on the edge of my seat! I cried, I laughed, I smiled. You will feel ALL the emotions throughout this book.

One loose string book one left to be tied is the love triangle. Now, I am usually wary of reading love triangles but Sue Lynn Tan handled this one perfectly. My heart, too, is torn between the Celestial Prince and the Demon Prince as each character brings out a different, wonderful part of Xingyin. However, Tan handled Xingyin’s split heart so beautifully, as she struggles with Wenzhi’s betrayal, as well as her trepidation at one day becoming the Celestial Empress should she marry Liwei. Cue the drama! I absolutely ate it up, switching who I was rooting for until the end. No spoilers, but I LOVED the eventual resolution.

Overall, the draw of these books remains the strength and perseverance of our MC. Xingyin is strong, stubborn, graceful, and fierce. She is both fearful and brave and does not back down from a fight, especially if anyone she loves is in danger. I absolutely adore her.

This duology is easily one of my favorites of the year and I look forward to rereading it one day.

*Huge thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts/ review.*

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan, in exchange for an honest review.

“Some might think us weaker for our love, but it gave us strength we did not know we possessed.” ~ Heart of the Sun Warrior

⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5 ——————————————

This book is enriched with culture, love and action! I really enjoyed the major events that went down, it was heart wrenching, intense and allowed us to see other sides to the characters we haven’t seen before. What I loved most was reading about the redemption arcs of certain characters. I liked that characters were complex and each had their own story to tell. Overall, I enjoyed how most the characters, even the bad guys, had a great conclusion to their story.

For me, the book felt very fast paced and had almost too much plot going on for one book. It resulted in the reading flow feeling disjointed and rushed at times.

The love triangle. Xingyin’s indecisiveness allowed her to think it was okay to lead people on thinking there was hope in their relationship, when there was none. This is not okay. I did not like how the deciding factor for Xingyin's love story was based on her preferred lifestyle choice rather than selecting the individual she would want to be with. Despite this, the theme of love and sacrifice is definitely an impactful one which will leave readers feeling heartfelt and emotional.

📌 Read this series if you like:
- Plot twists
- Love triangle
- Chinese Mythology
- Fantasy (duology)
- Complex characters
- Redemption arc
- Fast pacing

This is book 2 of the Celestial Kingdoms Duology, following the first book Daughter of the Moon Goddess

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for allowing me this arc copy of this book.

Heart of the Sun Warrior is the last book of Sue Lynn Tan’s duology. It takes place about a year after the first book.

Xingyin has settled back on the moon. Her life is calm with the prince and her friends. Until visitors come. Her life explodes once more with more at stake.

I read the first book in January so when I started this one I recognized some names but forgot others. It took me a few pages to get into the story. Once I recalled the first book, I was hooked once again.

The story of Xingyin new adventure with old acquaintances and friends while finding secrets of the past are effecting the future and the whole existence of the worlds. It was amazing. It drew me in as we traveled to old and new places in the immortal and mortal worlds.

The only thing I could poo poo is the love triangle. That trope makes me pull out my hair in frustration especially when the is a seesaw between the two love interests. I wanted to scream, “choose someone already!”

Other than that, it was an excellent book. It gives me the Xianxia hit for my craving of this genre.

We need more Xianxia and Wuxia books!

Thank you again NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this amazing arc copy!

Thanks to NetGalley & Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sue Lynn Tan has an incredible future ahead of her. The Daughter of the Moon Goddess has been one of my favorite reads of the year, and Heart of the Sun Warrior did not disappoint in concluding Xingyin's story. Having grown so immensely from the struggles that occurred in DOTMG, we proceed on precisely where it left off. However, the good times don't last, and quickly Xingyin is forced into a desperate situation to save those she loves. Heart of the Sun Warrior continues with everyone's favorite love triangle, whilst poor Xingyin is still at war with herself over the two men she loves so endlessly. The rollercoaster of emotions this book sent me through was traumatizing, yet the ending left me so full. Through and through, Xingyin is absolutely a main character that one can resonate with. Torn between two loves, and just as capable of making mistakes as we all are. In the end, this duology has 100% settled me on Sue Lynn Tan's future books as being an autobuy. It's astonishing that this was her debut series, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ 4.5 stars

A big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!!

Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan had big shoes to fill after the amazing Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Overall, I really enjoyed this sequel. The world-building and relationships were created beautifully, to the point where I was rooting for both romantic interests. I think the finale was perfectly heartwarming and heartbreaking. The reason I would give a 4.5 instead of 5 stars was because the book seemed very long at some points. I wasn’t eating up every word like I would for a 5 star book, but it was still such a lovely ending to the duology. I am looking forward to holding the book in my hand when it releases!

Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan is a phenomenal follow up to the Daughter of the Moon Goddess. The story is engaging and the writing is lush, airy, and atmospheric. I do not know much about Chinese mythology, but this story has inspired me to learn more. I became invested in the characters and their stories and I am adding Sue Lynn Tan to my auto-read and auto-buy list!

A beautiful sequel. The world is still gorgeous, and I love Xingyin and her growth by the end of the novel. This was a very good end to the duology, and I think that it can be hard to wrap up a duology well as was done with this.

This was the perfect sequel to the perfect book! After the ending of the first book, I was so excited to read this one and I'm happy to declare that I was definitely not disappointed! I can't talk about the love triangle without spoiling a lot of things but let's just say that I was very happy about the resolution. This duology is one of the best ones I've ever read.

Holy Moly , This was a wild ride .

As soon as I finished Daughter of the Moon Goddess , i was hungry for the sequel . Never did I imagine that I would be approved for the sequel (I SCREAMED when i saw the mail ) . So deepest thanks to netgalley and HarperVoyager and Avon for providing me the ARC of my most anticipated reads 😊
And It did not disappoint . Our girl , Xingyin is relishing her fraught and hard won peace on the moon with her mother , However all is not peaceful in the moon or the Celestial Kingdom as thieves show up on the moon to steal the laurel seeds and Minister Wugang is promoted to General and schemes to usurp the Jade throne and conquer the realm . After an attack on her home led by evil Wugang and his undead army,Xingyin flees her home with her mother ,Liwei ,Wenzhi but not before attendant Ping'er is killed 😭. Xingyin and gang travel to various places in the Immortal Realm to gather allies to take back the celestial throne . The love triangle is back, though not as prominent and Xingyin finds herself torn between the two princes . At the same time ,they encounter old and new friends , shrewd rulers and enemies old and new . Wugang advances , seemingly unstoppable and time is running out . If peace is to be restored in the realm , Xingyin will have to make tremendous sacrifices.........

Sue lynn tan really outshone herself with Sun Warrior . It had me squealing with joy , brimming with hope , my heart riddled with anguish and grief ,crying like a baby , and at the end l was feeling epic . The most epic of all endings . And sheesh the character growth was HUGE and INCREDIBLE .

Xingyin is no longer the naive girl we meet in DOTMG . She has seen and experienced losses close to her heart , she rethinks her deepest desires and no longer bears grudges . She stays true to her heart till the very end . Xingyin spends the majority of the book distrusting Wenzhi and refusing to forgive him for the betrayal in the first book but by the end after he sacrifrices his life to save her , she sees that he is capable of selfless love and that he loved her until the very end . She mourns his death and berates herself for being stubborn and prideful . She realises that a life with Liwei in the celestial palace is not what she truly wants or needs and it makes sense for who she is as a character . Xingyin doesnt want to live a burdensome life in the celestial court and she has to be shrewish and cunning to survive and she had seen enough losses . Wenzhi is reincarnated as a minister and Xingyin vows to start anew free from their past and not to repeat the same mistakes. I need an extended epilogue please Sue . Give my babies true happiness 😭😭 or feature them as a cameo in your new book . Xingyin is courageous , strong and compassionate

I can see that Liwei will be a better man and king than his father before him . He respects Xingyin's choice to not become empress and marry him . He gives his blessing to Xingyin to start a life with Wenzhi in the mortal realm . He is so sweet and considerate ,

Wenzhi is so adamant on righting his wrongs and repairing his relationship with Xingyin . He lends his support ,fights beside her and protects her . His redemption arc was really great and i enjoyed every moment of it . Though Xingyin was late to realise it , she acknowleged in the end that she deeply cared and loved wenzhi all this time . Wenzhi is such a complex man .

All im going to say that after reading the Sun Warrior you will not look at Moon goddess with the same eyes . The characters are taken to new depths and you will question everything you ever known