LOVED IT, the worldbuilding, the magic system, the characters, the vastness of the morally gray area was really satisfying! What choice will YOU make in the face of danger!?
Really loved this story and cannot wait for the sequel!

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.

Okay. I’m sure you all might have noticed that I’m a bit of a “judges books by their covers” kind of person. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a beautiful book! So when I saw the cover for Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, it immediately ended up on my TBR. Now, having finally read it, I’m happy to report that this book is just as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside!

This story follows a young woman who goes by the name of Lan. At night, Lan is a singer at a teahouse in a city occupied by the colonizers of her country, the Elantians. By day, she searches for artifacts from the past, pre-occupation, to help her make sense of the mysterious mark on her wrist that only she can see. That all changes when she meets Zen, a practitioner of arts long thought squashed by the Elantians. With their fates thrown together, they set out on a journey that could save their people… or destroy the world.

I’m finding it hard to put into words how much I loved this book. Y’all, it was everything! This YA fantasy took me on a journey and I was fully invested for the entire trip. I suppose we’ll start with the worldbuilding. Zhao has crafted a world so vivid that I feel like I should be able to find it on a map! I loved learning about the magic, the country, the demons… all of it was so flawlessly woven into the story that it never felt info-dumpy or like it bogged down the plot.

Speaking of which, this story had me in its grip from page one and I didn’t want it to let go! I was invested, okay? I needed to know what was going to happen next, how Lan and Zen were going to overcome the numerous obstacles in front of them. I thought the pacing of this story, though not consistent, made sense for what was happening in the novel. There were also some twists at the end that I predicted, but the way they were accomplished on page just blew me away! The fact that this author is also tackling the issue of colonization in this fantasy setting just added another level to this story that made it *chef’s kiss*

Now, my favorite part of this novel has to be our two main characters, Lan and Zen. I loved Lan and Zen! Moreso Lan, but Zen definitely still has a place in my heart. They are such interesting and compelling characters that it was easy to get lost in their story. I loved watching their relationship deepen and grow. I loved how they played off each other, their dynamic was absolutely top shelf. And, those the two of them are the ones that shine the most in this story, the side characters had just as much depth and nuance to them.

Overall, I loved every minute of this book and I’m happy this is not the end because I definitely want more from this world!

The Chinese mythology and folklore that was interwoven into this story was amazing and I had so much fun getting to know all of these characters - especially our main. She was so much fun to learn about, to get to know just as much as it was to understand the setting and the world building of what will be a very amazing series I can already tell. As a beloved author to me already, reading one of Zhao’s books again was nothing short of magical and I was filled with joy as I read.

Another stellar series starter from Amélie Wen Zhao! Thank you for this free arc in exchange for an honest review. I really loved this book! I was unable to post my review at the time of publication due to the strike.
If Amélie writes it, I will read it (and most likely love it).

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is such a beautifully written YA fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out Song of Silver, Flame Like Night today.

Full review to come. I adored this story and it's one of my favorite reads so far this year. Amelie's writing is fun, entertaining, and compelling. I'm truly intrigued and fascinated by the lore and the world and there were so many wonderful characters to love and even hate to love. It was a wonderful start to this duology and I'm excited to know what happens next!

This took me a while to get through but I am glad I pushed through. Amélie Wen Zhao crafted an absolutely beautiful story with a lot of history and magic. While my biggest struggle was the extensive information presented to readers, it made the story more unique and memorable. I love the relationships between the characters and how their slow trust of each other grew - I'm smiling just thinking of them. I will definitely be checking out the author's backlist now!

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night had me sucked in from the minute I started reading. I felt like I was watching a drama only it was a book. Amélie Wen Zhao did a great job of creating a world and mythology that you get lost in.

I just happened to be watching Alchemy of Souls at the same time I was reading this book and they were kind of perfect companions to one another. Especially from the magic school point of view so I felt like it was easy for me to picture how the school worked. I also think the descriptives used helped as well.

I really liked the characters. I’ve never been a fan of the perfect character. I love when you can both hate and love a character at the same time. Also that they might make bad decisions with good intentions. Lan and Zen were both not perfect and they both had motivations for their actions that seemed right to them but might not have aligned with one another.

I did also like them discovering what they like about each other because it was very cute.

I love mythology and I’ve always really liked the mythology of the four gods. I think I started with my love of Fushigi Yûgi manga as a kid. Which made me look into Chinese mythology and the mythical creatures guarding the four directions. I loved seeing the mythology incorporated into the story and reading about it.

The book was fast paced, I was very into and read it very quickly. I think it’s hard to keep good pacing with a fantasy novel and Amélie Wen Zhao does it well.

Overall I just really loved the book and I can’t wait for the next installment.

Many regards to Random House Children's for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange of my honest review.

"A sword's purpose may be determined by its wielder, but take the weapon away entirely, and neither the merciful nor the cruel may draw blood with it.


This book brought me onto a roller-coaster of emotions with a great start, a mediocre medium, and an excellant ending. I rarely change my rating as quickly as this: at the 50% mark, I was convinced that this was going to be a 2-star-read, but the last action sequence blew my mind, and now we're here, with a 3.75/5 rounded down (because the ending left me a little disappointed).

The book started out smoothly: we were introduced to our main characters, Lan and Zen, who I quickly fell in love with. I love their dynamic, and how they balance each other. The slowburn is exquisite, and I loved seeing how they came to trust and to lean on each other.

However, the middle bit of this book was incredibly tedious as the actions were quite repetitive. I honestly didn't know that this book is 500-page-long (which is a lot for a first book of a YA Fantasy series), and I think that a big chunk of it could have been cut off or condensed. Nevertheless, I was really getting into the tension around the 75% mark. Amélie Wen Zhao knew how to build up tension for an explosive final battle and I can appreciate that. I was on my toes, reading as if my life depended on it.

Pacing problems aside, what really prevents me from loving this book was its lack of uniqueness. At this point, every mythology-inspired book starts to read the same, because the authors would take the original myths and dress it up as worldbuilding with little to no change. I think that's why I tend to enjoy Adult Fantasy more, because the YA Fantasy genre lack the freshness I crave. The same can be said for the characters and the events: a lot of them falls into archetypes or clichés that I have seen again and again. For example, I wish the ending was a little different, more intense perhaps, because I feel like I have read this before in other books.

Bottom-line: I didn't plan to read the sequel, but the last 80 pages changed my mind. I hope Amélie Wen Zhao has planned something explosive for the second book and the publisher has a gorgeous cover waiting for it *wink wink*.

Find me on my bookstagram @shardsofdeadlove

The characters are rich and detailed as is the story's history and lore. There is a lot of information given throughout the book but it doesn't feel overwhelming or confusing. The author does a wonderful job of delivering information at a pace that keeps you invested in the characters and their story. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys epic fantasies.

I loved the world building in this story so far. The way that Lan and Zen's backgrounds are unveiled come across quite naturally. Lan's character is easy to root for since she continues to be motivate throughout her hardships. I like the mystery behind Zen's character and how he leans toward being more morally grey at times. The ending definitely sets up the next book well. The magic system is interesting to see, and I would like to see more direct combat between magicians using metal magic and the practitioners with their more traditional style. Overall, I'm excited to see how Zhao continues this series.

Being the start of a new series, there is a lot to learn about this world, so much of the book deals with explanations and the flow of magic. At times, the latter becomes redundant. There is interesting worldbuilding alongside commentary on colonization. The book also retains Zhao's descriptive style, which allowed me to easily immerse myself into the story. Despite liking the story and the characters, I was not fond of the pacing and the story sometimes dragged.

Zhao writes of wanting “to be a blade,” and successfully creates Yan and other female characters as such, although Yan still has ways to go. While Yan is being shaped into a blade, certain pivotal scenes that would show Yan as one fade to black. This was also common with the battles, which I was often disappointed with. Not only were they not detailed enough, they often occurred off the pages with just a few lines about the aftermath.

While I might have jumped between books when trying to finish this one, I still liked the story. I want to know what happens to Yan and Zen, so I will definitely be picking up the next one. (3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

Oh, I enjoy this sweet fantasy novel. I really enjoyed seeing LAN through her eyes as she goes from a struggling dancer to fleeing for her life. She doesn’t know anything in her past except for her mother’s murder. She runs into Zen expectedly who changes her life by saving her and escaping with her. They go on a journey where Lan is trying to remember her past and has been totally honest where Zen has not been. The finally reached their destination, a very secret s school and sanctuary. They learn more of dreams, magics and powers. Zen has irritated me a lot with his poor decisions and secrets. The ending was most definitely a cliff hanger. I’ll just have to wait and see what the second book will bring.
The beginning was strong then the story line will have ups and downs. This isn’t a fast paced book if this is what you’re looking for. Three and half stars from me.
Thank you, Delacorte Press for this sweet ARC ebook. As usual, all of my reviews are purely my own opinions without any influence from any publisher.

Not your easy-relax-turn off your brain fantasy (trust me I know. I tried to read this during covid and almost died from the awesome overload.) This is a Chinese mythology intersecting intersecting with cultural assimilation and colonialism, tied together with a mind stabbing mystery and living breathing characters. Well they’re not living and breathing, but they may as well be with how perfect they are written. If all these benchmarks that the best of books sometimes fail to meet aren’t enough, then the love story between Lan and Zen will leave your heart quivering! The world building will keep your mind spinning. And what can I say, I just enjoyed it!
If you want epic fantasy that surpasses cliché story settings and plot devices, you will love this!

Song of Silver, Flame like Night hit on a lot of C-Drama vibes. The 4 Demon Gods a darker take on the cardinal animals was a really different take. The story content and and tone land. Both MCs are looking for revenge and eventually redemption after finding power. But they learn the high cost of this in the brutality of actual war. Thought it was a one off so the ending threw me a bit, but it was good and it will be interesting to see the further conflict of the powers at the end.

What a great start to a new series. The story and the writing were gorgeous and haunting. I loved the Chinese folklore aspect and the demons. Lan was a complex character that I immediately connected to. The love story was also sweet, tender and believable. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

4/5 stars, gorgeous cover & lovely story to match

Thank you to Random House Children's for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

There was so much hype surrounding this book as it was coming out that I was so surprised to see that I got an arc on netgalley, but I was so excited to start it. I am very glad to say that this book didn't disappoint and was a really gorgeous and interesting book. Because of how much I enjoyed this book, I am really looking forward to reading Amelie Wen Zhao's other books, especially as I own The Blood Heir. It has definitely moved up my physical tbr.

My favorite thing about this book was probably the worldbuilding, I love discovering and experiencing new magic systems and I felt that this was really unique. There was a lot to take in for this magic system though, and sometimes I was a bit confused so that's one reason it wasn't a complete favorite for me. But now that all this magic and worldbuilding, by a very descriptive writing style I must say, has been expressed and created I believe it will be easier to understand in the coming books. Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was how quickly the plot picked up, even from the first few chapters very important things were happening while still allowing the reader to absorb information about the two main characters. That being said, the chapters sometimes felt a little long, but it wasn't something that hindered my enjoyment too much as I was so interested in everything happening.

Lan is the first main character that is introduced, working as a song girl in a teahouse and a city transformed by the conquerors. She has a strange mark that was burned onto her arm by her mother before she died and will give anything to figure out what it means, and tries to seek out relics of the past to help her understand it. She meets Zen, the other character when he saves her life and understands the mark on her arm signals a power she hasn't focused herself on before. Zen is a practitioner, a fabled musician from the Lost Kingdom rumored to draw power from the demons that they commune with. Both of them, especially with all the secrets they held, were very interesting characters and I think a very good balance to one another. I liked both of their traits, Lan was compassionate but not afraid to fight for herself and Zen was very similar, but exhibited these traits in a softer or more secluded way.

The connection that began to be built up between Lan and Zen was also really interesting, not just because it appeared to be a slow-burn romance. Zen was the person who saw in Lan what other people did not, the fire of someone who had nothing left to lose. They bonded over this, even if it was not explicitly said, and I loved how their friendship evolved and how they helped one another. I am looking forward to reading more of them in future books as well.

Overall, I am really looking forward to continue reading this series in the future as I think this was a really solid start for both the world and the characters. The cover is just as stunning as the story inside, and while I've heard less about this since the release I think it's definitely a book that every fantasy fan should check out. Especially if you enjoy Chinese folklore and mythology or exploring new mythologies.

[TW: physical beatings mentioned, physical assault and sexual assault threat, blood and gore, murder, parental abandonment, death of parents]

I really enjoyed novel based on Chinese Folklore and inspired by China’s Century of Humiliation. Despite not being familiar with this event of Chinese Folklore I still found the story to be fascinating and engaging. I was immediately drawn to Lan and her mysterious past. I found that the more Lan discovered about herself and the truth behind why her mother died and the mark she left on her, the more invested and intrigued I became in both her and the greater story as a whole.

I found the world building to be so wonderfully plotted out and portrayed that as I was reading I could easily see everything that was being described and felt as though it was a world both familiar and fantastical all the same. I especially enjoyed learning about the differences between the magic used by hose of the Last Kingdom and the Elantians. I loved how the two magic systems were opposites of one another and a great example of the Yin and Yang principle which is found throughout the book.

Between the amazing and well crafted characters, to the descriptive language and the magic systems, I cannot wait for the final book in this duology to come out. Amélie’s writing was so engaging from the start that I look forward to reading her Blood Heir trilogy while I wait for to find out what happens in the final book in this duology.

This was a really good fantasy read, there was enough in the world to get me stuck in, but sometimes I felt the plot and pace slipping beneath me. I enjoyed how the characters acted and felt, but there could have been more depth to them in my opinion…

Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars. But definitely more towards the 5 star than the 4 star range, so I rounded up. I felt like it deserved it.

Thank you to netgalley for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now, onto the exciting stuff. This book was good like, GOOD good. I would even go as far as saying it was excellent. It still didn't quite pull from this dispassionate funk I am stuck in towards books, or just stories in general. But that is on ME. This book is absolutely made up of all the things I've loved in books. The writing is absolutely beautiful, with a natural and easy flow, making for a fluid reading experience. The pacing never lacked, nor was it overwhelming. The plot held my interest and was full of intrigue and sorrow and excitement and curiosity. And the two MCs have my heart. Very very good book.