I loved the Celestial Kingdom duology! Sue Lynn Tan’s writing is evocative and her characters are complex. The first book is my favorite, but I did enjoy this sequel! We see more of the world, have some very emotional character interactions, and experience some great battle scenes. I really adore the mythology behind these books and can’t wait to see what Sue Lynn Tan will do next because her writing is so beautiful. I’d highly recommend this duology to fantasy and mythology lovers!

It’s very rare that the second book in a duology will surpass the first novel in the series for me, and Heart of the Sun Warrior is an unfortunate addition to that rule. There’s nothing inherently bad here as a fantasy novel - but there’s also nothing that left me with a lasting impression of the series that a conclusion really should.

Some of the events of the book felt like random sidequests to fill page count. Not only did it throw off the pacing, but it didn’t particularly help me as the reader learn anything new about the characters. For just how important Xingyin’s parents' separation and eventual reunion was to the entire plot, their reunion felt oddly anti-climatic. And there was exorbitant amounts of lore being explained through characters’ long diatribes, breaking the cardinal rule of “show don’t tell.” Being the concluding novel in a duology, we should have gotten a lot of the info-dumps out of the way in book one.

I am a little bit of sucker for “I’ll find you in another life” type of romance so the ending did have me feeling something. But at the same time, I can’t help but feel making the closing notes here about Xingyin’s final choice in the love triangle - rather than her journey of self-discovery that occurred over the rest of the novel.

I think this is a satisfying conclusion to the duology, and I’m glad the author didn’t try and drag the series out into a trilogy. At the same time, between the pacing and intense focus the love triangle took over the plot here - I feel like this was the weaker of the two books.

Thank you to the publishers Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

I am always so in awe of Sue Lynn Tan's writing. It's like I can taste the food she describes, and feel the fabrics of the clothes her characters wear. It's the perfect amount of description and detail for me and it all just lulls me into a trance when I read her books.

This book was high on my anticipated reads after Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I was worried about how the love triangle would be handled, but I thought it was executed about as well as a love triangle can be executed.

The pace seemed similar to Daughter in terms of ebbs and flows. Periods of stillness in between big battles or intense escape scenes, some of which resulted in character deaths. All of them are extremely hard to read, which means Sue did her job in making you care for these characters.

I'm so happy I had a 5 star read so early into the year, and I can honestly say I'm not surprised that it was this one.

“For we were complex creatures of shades of gray, capable of wonderful and terrible things … of change, because our natures were not fixed like the stars in the sky but flowing as the river toward an unknown horizon.”

Okay I loved the first book, but this one was my favorite. I felt, like I was reading a Chinese drama, which I absolutely love, but at the same time I was so nervous, because Chinese dramas sometimes do not have a happy ending, and I could see that as a possibility reading this. And while it wasn't the ending, that I would have wanted, I loved the whole adventure and was so sad when it ended, like how I would feel after watching a 60-episode drama.

*3.75⭐️

For me, this was better than Daughter of the Moon Goddess, which I gave 3.5⭐️. The writing was really hard for me to get through, and the dialogue was not that great. I do like how the story came together more cohesively, and the timeline was better thought out. Although the ending with Xingyin finally finding out Wenzhi was reincarnated and it kind of fading to black was a little disappointing for I was expecting more from their reunion.

This took me forever to be in the right mind space to read this since I struggled to get through book 1.

The plot is well written and the characters so memorable. The action in this book gets ramped up all the way. I am going to miss Xingyin and her adventures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. 2.5 rounding up to 3 stars. After going into the first one expecting a romance and loving the fact that it focused heavily not on the romance, I ended up very much enjoying it. However, unfortunately this one is just full of romantic love triangle nonsense that I do not like reading about in books. This is completely on me for not liking to read love triangles. I was so looking forward to reading this one but the plot moved much too quickly for my liking and I almost wish this was a trilogy. I absolutely appreciated that the author pulled no punches with this one and if I was more emotionally invested, I would’ve shed some tears. The writing was beautiful at times but the writing almost seemed over written when it came to dialogue. This didn’t bother me in the first one but perhaps because I read this one instead of listened, I focused on it more. I liked the arc of the plot and it’s conclusion but didn’t like any of the love triangle or romance stuff. Overall, I’d say give this duology a go if you are looking for a soft magic, fantasy romance.

I am not sure what to think about this book because I liked it. But for me it did not live up to the first book. I had a hard time getting through the book and at time felt like it dragged.

This follow up was everything I wanted it to be and more. I was on the edge of my seat throughout trying to figure out how everything was going to turn out. I audibly gasped when the dragons showed up and would very much love for them to have their own book I love them so much. I thought this duology was very well done. I can’t wait to see what Tan writes next.

I absolutely loved this duology so much. Its so whimsical and magical and just beautiful to read. Its very atmospheric and steeped in lore. I loved Xingyin even more in this book and even though there wasn't as much action as book 1 this still held my attention and made me fall more in love with this world and characters. I can't wait for this authors next book because her writing style is one of my new favorites.

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

First, I enjoyed this book, but it was 3.5 stars for me (rounded up to 4).

It lost 1.5 stars for a few reasons.

1) The main character still frustrated me. I hoped to see more growth in this book, but she still seemed immature, selfish, and rash in so many ways. I understand it's YA, but it still left a sour taste in my mouth.

2) I'm not a huge fan of a love triangle...enough said.

3) <spoiler>For a woman who doesn't want to make sacrifices, she sure expects it from others. Kingdoms and lives must be given up to prove their love (and for her to realize who she loves).</spoiler>

I’m appalled at myself that I waited so long to read this sequel despite having an arc and absolutely adoring Daughter of the Moon Goddess. But what can I say, I fell into a bad slump around the time of the release of this book last year and I’m just trying to get back on track recently. I’m just glad I finally got around to it and it was everything I expected it to be and more.

The writing in this book is ofcourse stunning but that’s not new. The author wowed me with her talent in her debut and I can say she has only improved. Every line is gorgeous, the descriptions are a feast for the imagination, and the way she manages to capture every single emotion with so much depth is just stunning. More than just reading, I can say that I felt this book. There’s just so much pain and turmoil and sadness permeating the story this time, with some sweet moments in between, that I was completely swept away in those sad currents. And ofcourse having someone like Natalie Naudus narrate the audiobook helps immensely because she makes any book even better with her voice.

What I can say about the characters which I haven’t already said in the first book’s review. Xingyin, Liwei and Wenzhi are my favorite trio now and I just loved every charged moment between them. Xingyin goes through so much in this book and it was heartbreaking to see her having to make life altering decisions all the time for the purpose of saving her world, even though the world has never shown that compassion towards her.

Liwei has always been a sweetheart and even when things go bad, he is ever faithful in Xingyin’s capabilities and their love. Wenzhi on the other hand has a lot to make up for after his betrayal but the change in his character is definitely one of the best parts of this duology and every interaction between him and Xingyin was fraught with deep emotion and conflict, which made for excellent reading.

We also get more development of a new villain, some unexpected heart wrenching troubles, and new characters who made the proceedings even better with their presence - but I don’t wanna give out those details. All I can say is that all characters play important and well written roles in getting the story to its conclusion which left me a sobbing mess, but it’s our trio who will leave a lasting impression on any reader. The yearning that Xingyin feels, the love and companionship that she desires, and the love she feels for both makes for a very emotional love triangle, leading to a finale which I absolutely did not see coming.

In the end, all I feel is that I haven’t written a good review because this book deserves more. It’s a stunning, heartbreaking but immensely satisfying conclusion to one of my all time favorite duologies, and if you are someone who loves either YA fantasies or cdramas and haven’t checked these books yet, you are absolutely missing out. Also, if you like the audiobook format, you can never go wrong with picking up one narrated by the spectacular Natalie Naudus. Now that it’s over, I can only eagerly wait to see what the author writes next.

- It's hard to review the second book in a duology, so let me just say if you haven't read the first book, DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS, yet, go get it now! These books are so beautiful and engrossing. Despite their length, you will fly through them.
- HEART OF THE SUN WARRIOR is chock full of action, but the emotional relationships also shine. Both family and romantic relationships are given care and weight.
- I won't give anything away, but know that this is a satisfying conclusion to an incredible duology.

I love the concept and story of this dulology, but unfortunately, like it's predecessor, the pacing was really off and I found I did not care for the characters as much as I wanted to. I would still highly recommend it as a fantastic novel based off of Chinese myths and legends.

Like the first book in this duology, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, this was a beautiful work of mythology. Tan develops the world so intricately that you can see everything happening and the mythology feels absolutely real. The story is told in a way that keeps you reading, I couldn't stop listening to this one. I also listened to the first book and I highly recommend listening to these books. I love retellings of mythology and it's been wonderfulto see mythology from cultures beyond the Greek stories becoming so popular. These books read like a bedtime story - adventurous and engaging - but written for adults. I'll be recommending these books to lovers of mythology and adventure for the foreseeable future.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.

I was blown away when I read the first book in the Celestial Kingdom Duology last year, Daughter of the Moon Goddess. The writing and the story completely captivated me. So when I was approved for an e-ARC for the second book, Heart of the Sun Warrior, I was hyped! And then it took me forever to actually pick it up. I have a problem, y’all. Once I got to it, though, I found it just as compelling as the first book in this tale.

Spoiler Alert!!! If you haven’t read Daughter of the Moon Goddess, there will most likely be spoilers for that book in my review. If you would like to avoid those, maybe skip this review for now.

Heart of the Sun Warrior picks right back up where we left off after the first book. Xingyin is back home with her mother and settling into a less… eventful life. But the peace is short-lived when the Celestial Emperor and his right hand man set their sights on the moon and a secret hidden within. Now, Xingyin must team up with allies, both old and new, to fight for the home she had longed to return to and to find peace for her family… for good.

Once again, the writing in this novel was absolutely breathtaking! It’s vivid and lush, which helps to cement you in the story and keep you there as you fly through the pages. The worldbuilding continues to be well done and I found myself rereading passages because of how beautiful they were. This author definitely knows how to write a book that will have you in your feelings as you follow these characters on their adventures.

Speaking of the characters, they are all just as nuanced and compelling as they were in the first book! Xingyin continues to be an incredible main character, with a lot of heart and determination. I love that we get to see more of some of the side characters, as well, because they felt a lot more fleshed out in this book than they did in the first one. Not that they were flat in the first book, but they just felt more real as I read through the sequel. I didn’t even hate the love triangle, which is one of my least favorite tropes!

The only thing I didn’t care for as much in this book was it felt like it was too long. Like the plot was being dragged out so the author could hit a word count or something. It was fine while the action was intense and the adventure was ongoing, but it felt like the last few chapters were tacked on at the end. They didn’t flow as well as the rest of the book and seemed kind of unnecessary. I think it was an effort to wrap the story up nicely, but it fell flat for me. Overall, though, the journey far surpassed how I felt about the last few chapters. This was an excellent end to a great duology!

This was such a great conclusion to this duology! I love that it was cozy and messy. The plot was fun to follow, and I cannot wait to read more from Sue Lynn Tan!

Heart of the Sun Warrior was a beautiful story and a wonderful conclusion to the story we started in Daughter of the Moon Goddess. However, I really would expect no less from Sue Lynn Tan. Tan brings a thoughtful storyline to life through her lyrical prose. As other reviewers have noted before me: my hopes for Xingyin changed between books one and two. Although, I was never left disappointed. I went through an entire range of emotions reading this book and was very happy with how things ended.

Overall, I would recommend this book to other readers. I may even argue that this book is better than the first. If you enjoyed Daughter of the Moon Goddess, you are in for a treat. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review the arc of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I look forward to seeing what the future brings from Sue Lynn Tan.

Overall, I consider this to be a strong and engaging sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess though in some ways it’s not as strong as the first. At times it felt a bit winded with plot points stretched longer than felt necessary and the plot in the sequel is less linear and focused than that of DMG so which could have contributed to that feeling. It also has less action, which naturally slows down a story.

The characters though are just as enjoyable and the prose is beautifully written with a lovely unique voice. Xingyin takes a while to get to her true character development in the final act but I loved her just as much this time around. The love triangle between her, Liwei, and Wenzhi is even stronger in the book than the last, the complications feeling more grounded and mature as Xingyin wrestles with what future she wants for herself and how to let go of past mistakes. It was very believable the way they three interacted and made me more invested in that than the main plot line.

I might’ve given it a lower rating if not for the ending. Tan really knocked the final 25% of the book out of the park. The climax was exciting and impossible to put down. The resolution afterward was just as engaging as Xingyin struggles with her choices and facing the future. The resolution of what she decides to do, and how the love triangle works out, was absolutely perfect. We’re left with such a beautiful picture of the future, I found it impossible to rate it any lower with how satisfied I felt in the end.

I do think that the Celestial Kingdom duology is one of the best YA fantasies I’ve read in a very long time. It’s inventive, unique, and beautifully written with characters that you’ll love with your whole heart. I highly recommend both books to any YA fantasy reader.


Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

The sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Xingyin is back home with her mother. All seems to be well until someone comes to their home who isn't what they seem. Following her intuition, Xingyin finds herself on another adventure that could effect the Celestial Kingdom for the worst.

I enjoyed the many different dynamics of this book, but what I enjoyed the most was the use of family and healing. In so much YA we see parents dead or just plain terrible, but in this book it really rings in how much family matters and how the love of parents and children can shape both to be amazing and loving. I greatly enjoyed the healing aspect as well. While Xingyin has ben through so much, and unfortunately experiences death, I felt the grieving in this book was well done. Most books gloss over the healing process and the fact that a YA novel really focused on that and discussed how important self-healing is was such a breath of fresh air.

I only wish the love triangle wasn't as drawn out as it was. Sometimes it felt like the romantic dynamic stalled the progression of the story. Overall, I think this was a nice conclusion to the duology.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC.