As expected from this author, the writing was beautiful, the flow of the story just right. The ending to this duology was bittersweet in the end, but was to be expected.
One thing I love of this duology is that it doesn’t shy from the sacrifices of the characters. There are consequences to actions and I’m glad that they weren’t resolved unrealistically just to please the reader. I will say, there were times where I wished we could see more of what was happening on the villains side. They were relevant in the beginning of this book and then again at the very end. It definitely should’ve been a recurring subject throughout.
I am very thankful that I was approved to receive this book, thank you so much to the publisher for accepting my request!

The first book in this series really surprised me and I loved it! Let’s see how it ends:

+ The story takes places immediately after all the chaotic events that happened at the ending of the first book. Zen is on a mission to defeat the Elantians by any means possible but Lan doesn’t believe that’s the right thing to do. Both have their own path and it keeps them apart, which is sad because I loved them together.

+ There is so much conflict in this story. The Elantians want to take over but Zen is fighting tooth and nail to stop that from happening – does this make him a villain when he uses his demon god to try and fight them? Zen’s storyline is heartbreaking and I didn’t expect that. Lan is trying to achieve peace but feels it’s wrong to use the demon gods they are bound to because the demons could overtake their souls and she doesn’t want that for Zen but he makes a choice and she makes hers. I liked all the questions about power and about choices, and doing the right thing.

+ The love story is tragic and made me want to cry! They love each other but with everything going on they know it’s not going to end well. I loved their moment together where they confess what they feel and what kind of future they could have but their love is heartbreaking. This is a bittersweet love story. 

+ I love the battles between the demon gods – they are so epic! Also I love the secondary characters and wish we had more time with them. I love Dilaya, who’s a fierce warrior and a leader. She becomes Lan’s closest friend and their interactions were so good.

~ There are a few villains in this story because of the way they are bound to a demon and want more power and will do anything to achieve their goals but I felt like the Elantians weren’t as present in this story as they were in book one. I actually feel like this should have been a trilogy and not a duology because some parts felt rushed. It’s such an epic world – I think it definitely deserve another book to at least feature more conflict with the Elantians.

My Thoughts:

I wish this series was a trilogy because I felt like there could have been more tension to draw out with the enemies because there are multiple. But despite that I enjoyed this book a lot because of the questions it asks about power and choices. I love the characters and all their different journeys no matter how hard it got for them. The battles between the demon gods were full of action and epic. And even though this is a tragic romance story between Lan and Zen, I loved them so much together and their love story almost made me cry at the end. My heart broke. Although it’s a bittersweet ending, I think it ended perfectly.

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is the epic conclusion to the duology that started with Song of Silver, Flame of Night. This book is sweeping in its story and lyrical in its language with descriptions of powers, gods, and legends. At the heart of all these forces are Zen and Lan, the characters who a reader couldn’t help but to fall in love with. Their relationship is beautiful and painful all at the same time.

The author introduces some new nuances and explanations to the magic system and a few new characters, but all in all, this book really is the conclusion of the paths and journeys initiated in the first book. There are epic battles, heart-breaking decisions, pain, self-sacrifice, and resolutions. This is well-done, high-stakes drama, fantasy, and romance all rolled into one. Yes, epic is definitely the word for this book.

This is a read that is hard to put down and highly recommended, but be sure to start with the first book in the series.

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy Provided by the Publisher

After their sanctuary is destroyed, Zen and Lan have fled, each on a separate mission, each knowing the other is an enemy even though the love between them remains strong.

Zen has leaned into the darkness, bonding a demon god to himself in his quest to free his kingdom from the invaders. To achieve his goal, Zen is willing to sacrifice absolutely everything, including himself.

Lan now knows the dangers of the demon gods, and after Zen’s betrayal, she knows she has no other choice. There’s a weapon that is said to kill gods, and if she can find it, she can bring all of this to an end, and finally put the world to rights. Will she succeed in doing so before the demon gods inside her and Zen take them over completely?

I received an advanced reading copy of Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White in exchange for an honest review.

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is a young adult fantasy novel by Amélie Wen Zhao, and the sequel to Song of Silver, Flame like Night, which I read and reviewed late last year. I really enjoyed the first novel in the Song of the Last Kingdom duology, so of course I was thrilled to get an ARC of the second!

I think that what I really liked the most in this book was how much Zhao leaned into her morally gray characters, and Zen in particular. I feel like everything he did made so much sense, given his history and his goals, and it really made me root for him, even when he did a few more questionable things. But he stayed true to who he was throughout, which was the important part. And also, I loved how he would occasionally see himself and realize just what he was doing, and who he was turning into. He was very conscious of his every action, his very sacrifice, but that only strengthened his character in my eyes. I just love those morally gray and conflicted characters!

Speaking of conflicts, Lan is dealing with some pretty big ones herself. While she’s definitely sticking to the side of good, she knows that to stay on that side she has to kill the demon gods, and if she does that, she’s probably going to kill both herself and the boy she loves, since they both have tied themselves to demon gods. Not a decision I would wish on anyone, but Lan is nothing if not determined!

And besides these massive inner conflicts, there’s also the war with the Elantians going on, and so much more. There are some huge stakes in this novel, and the pace keeps moving fairly quickly throughout. I will say, though, that I thought it was strange that the main villain from the first book wasn’t as prevalent in this one as I expected, and I’m not sure if the way his story ended was as satisfying as it could have been. Actually, I wonder if this was originally planned as a trilogy, because an entirely new plotline appears halfway through this novel, and I wanted it to develop more than it did. I can’t tell you exactly what it is without spoiling the book, but this is just me wishing we’d been able to spend more time with the original villain and this new character to learn more about them.

So, how did I feel about the ending? Honestly, I thought that the ending fit the book and the character choices very well! I don’t think everyone will like it, but I commend Zhao for doing what she did here, and I, for one, was really pleased with how the plot ended. You’ll have to tell me if you feel the same way once you read it!

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White will be released on January 2. You can preorder your copy from Delacorte here.

. I really loved the first book in this duology, it was breathtaking and beautiful to read. I will say the first book is better than this follow up. I think mostly because this follow up is all over the place. Some random plots being woven and LAN and Xan are separated for like half of the book, which doesn’t work very well.

The writing is still beautiful and the message about colonization and the wiping out of culture is still strong. I did not love the ending though.

Major spoilers follow:
I was not surprised to learn that the four demons were actually four gods enclaves by humans for their own greed and thereby tainting the gods spirits. LAN learns this and learns the seal to destroy them but they aren’t really destroyed they’re being freed so they can be gods again I suppose.

The emperor’s son is still alive and a bad guy he’s been in hiding with the Phoenix. The Elantian gets the tiger and lan gives xan her dragon so she can do the gate seal on all the gods. She also gets pregnant with his baby and raises him in the new way that the clans who took over cast.

We don’t get like any info on the life that the remaining clan members set up. Disappointing considering that was a big point to the battle. Is there an emperor? Who is it? How many clan members are actually left? Also we. Get this big vow thing between lan and xan that’s like a makeshift wedding and they promise to find each other and honestly I thought the gods would have been grateful to her and given him back but I guess she’s still alone with her son…as I said a meh ending.

I enjoyed this book (and series). The magic is cool and the plot is interesting. Some of the characters make some dumb decisions, but they are like 18 or 20 I think, so some grace can be given. I’m thankful this book allowed the characters to make their own decisions a bit more compared to book 1 where there was a lot of “for your own good, we didn’t tell you xyz” overall, if you are looking for a good, YA leaning fantasy series set in an Asian inspired world, pick this duology up.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this work in return for a fair and unbiased review.

I really loved the first book so much, I was little scared that the sequel wouldn’t live up to it. But I’m so glad to have read it because it certainly lived up to the hype and promise of the first book. The stakes were high throughout the plot and I didn’t feel like dull or slow at any point. The characters and story also continued in a way that made sense and the characters grew naturally throughout the book. I was left an emotional wreck by the end (but in a good way)!

Thank you, @penguinteenca, and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.

Review: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Quote: All endings are found in beginnings

This book left such a mark on me, I can’t stop internally sobbing and I am still reeling from reading it. To say that I was not looking forward to this epic conclusion was an understatement.

Migod, it’s like watching a freaking Xianxia drama with all the angst, sweet love, internal turmoil, wrenched fate, magic, sacrifice, and strong familial bonds all thrown in. Ironically, I just came out of drama-land only to jump into this book - ahhhhh!!!

The story picks up where last left Zen and Lan in opposite goals. Lan is seeking the godslayer to destroy the four demon gods while Zen is seeking more power and an army to overthrow the colonizers that have invaded their land. As fate would have it, they keep meeting in unexpected circumstances with Zen coming into Lan’s aid every time. However, would they finally align in their goals when they realize they are on the same side of the coin?

If the first book is made of world building, character introduction and plot focused, this book is very heavily character driven, with a huge focus on Zen and Lan. Those moments when they meet…the angst, and the strong emotions and their growth! I can’t put the emotions into words given Amelie’s wonderful poetry writing. Their story is one of fate and destiny, one of yin and yang - it’s like the red thread of fate keeps bringing them together unexpectedly.

While the first book had some humorous moments, this book was completely focused on the love story of Zen and Lan and the emotions that it brings forth. I lost track of the amount of annotations I made throughout the book….

Since this book is very heavily character driven, my only small issue is that the plot took a small back seat especially with the character building of the colonizers. The world building is present but the colonists were only present in the start and end of the book. There was also an introduction to another character that did play a heavy part in the book and it felt very rushed in that aspect where they appeared, disappeared and reappeared in the very end. So, this part felt somewhat anticlimactic to me.

(SPOILER) AND THAT ENDING!! Talk about an ending almost similar to the drama, Til The End of The Moon. While I understand the nuances of it, that doesn’t mean I have to like it (SPOILER)

My only regret is not having a physical copy as I annotated this book so much that it’s full of my notes and reactions - I guess I’ll have to go back for a re-read when the book comes out on 2nd January 2024

Read this if you want:
- Intricate world-building of a Chinese Dynasty
- Xianxia: the mystical realms of the Chinese spiritual dimension
- A nod to historical themes, particularly the foreign invasion or colonization of an empire
- A play on mystical Chinese Gods of Direction, Fate and Destiny
- Star crossed lovers (angst alert)
- The haunting and elegant writing style

"If I have only this one night with you, Sòng Lián, it would still be better than a lifetime without you."

Much like the first book we are immediately immersed into a beautifully written world that is steeped in ancient Chinese mythology and folklore. The characters are developed further and I came to love them even more. This sequel with take you on an action-packed adventure with twists that you won't see coming.

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White takes place right where we left off in Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. Lan and Zen are trying to accomplish their separate missions. Lan wants to finish what her mother started and destroy the demon gods, whereas Zen would like to find the power to unleash his great-grandfathers undead army on the Elantian colonizers whom stole their land. Ultimately their missions collide as they work together towards a common goal.

This finale made me so emotional. The last few chapters had me sobbing. Although this is much more than a love story, the eternal bond between Zen and Lan is heartbreakingly beautiful. A bittersweet ending to one of my favorite duologies.



Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte for an eARC.

Book Two in the Song of the Last Kingdom Duology picks up shortly after the climatic ending of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. Lan and Zen continue their journeys to free their kingdom from the colonial rule of the Elantians. While they both strive to achieve the same goals their methods and ethical views on how it should be done keep them at odds with each other for a majority of the book. And, to be honest, it hurts because all I wanted was to see them happy together!

I enjoyed getting to see and get to know more characters that we were introduced to in the previous book and they started to really grow on me- but I needed more substance and deeper relationships between characters! There were so many parts that I should have felt an emotional reaction but just didn’t, because I didn’t get the developed relationships between characters.

Pacing seemed to be an issue. It took a long time to get going and was working well in the middle- but then hit fast forward and the whole thing was neatly wrapped up in a flash. The Chinese mythology and folklore is strong and central to the world building, which ranges between delightfully enlightening to unnecessarily redundant (there are only so many ways to describe qi).

Overall, it was a satisfying conclusion to this YA duology, but I felt like it was missing some emotional elements that could have brought it to a higher level. I would recommend for 14+.

The conclusion to Lan and Zen’s story will overwhelm your tear ducts.

Following the events of the first installment, “Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White” revolves around Lan and Zen as they seek out a way save their kingdom from the Elantian colonizers. At the center of both of their journeys are the Demon Gods and the immense power they have. Only, they are no longer fighting together. Now on opposite sides, Lan and Zen will have to face each other and the choices they made to free their people.

Inspired by ancient Chinese history and mythology “Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White” is just as lyrical and atmospheric as its predecessor.

Having done all the heavy lifting in terms of world-building in the previous novel, Zhao focuses mainly on Lan and Zen’s relationship. Their star-crossed love was captivating, making it difficult to put this book down even as my heart was breaking.

The internal struggle Zen faces throughout the book - losing himself completely to the Demon God devouring his soul, yet wanting to give Lan his heart - absolutely wrecked me. Seriously. Reading from Zen’s perspective was almost painful because I grew so attached to his character and understood the cause he sacrificed everything for, which is a testament to Zhao’s ability to heighten emotions in her readers.

Much like “Song of Silver, Flame Like Night,” this book’s ending is equally beautiful and devastating. While bittersweet, wrapping it up any other way would have been unsatisfying. Make sure you have tissues on hand!

The beautiful cover won me over and the description sealed the deal. It's a sequel so I grabbed the first book (Song of Silver, Flame Like Night ) from the library and excitedly read it all in one weekend. To be quite honest, I almost didn't read this one because of it but I was interested enough in the story to keep going. (And frankly, I hoped some of the issues I had with the first book might be resolved in this one.) I found the characters flat and their choices did not feel organic. Dialog (internal and between characters) seemed like missed opportunities to give us context and insight that could have helped flesh out the people we're supposed to care about. It did not help that I lack the cultural knowledge to fill in the blanks and did not understand many of the references, but that doesn't normally detract so much from my reading experience. All in all, the story itself was compelling enough for me to see it through.

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is a sequel about power and the future. About the ways we think we can achieve a better future and what are necessary consequences. Sacrifices that have to be made. And what happens when our version of who gets sacrificed is different? When we think we can afford to lose someone we can't? It's a story that explores what lengths we will go to for power and for change.

This is the strong sequel to Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. The basic summary is that, starting where book one left off, Lan and Zen must find the remaining Demon Gods and fight to free their land from the Elantian regime--but their paths have diverged in opposite ways.

The absolute best thing about this duology is the magic system. It's very visual and as a result very cinematic and epic to read, and the magic itself is conjured in very diverse ways that are often connected to family heritage and arts. The descriptions of the world are luscious and immersive. The themes of imperialism and resistance in this book are also really good. I'd recommend these books to readers who aren't quite ready for R.F. Kuang's Poppy War trilogy but still want similar themes and settings. I also really loved Zen's character and his struggle with his Demon God and the legacy of his family. The romance for me was pretty good. There were definitely a lot of moments where it really tugged at my heart. Sometimes it fell a little flat but on the whole it's really tender and I love the dynamic between Lan and Zen.

The main thing I struggled with was the pacing, which I also struggled with in book one. For some reason it took me a long time to read and it was hard to keep my attention. The plot itself is replete with action scenes and awesome settings and really cool world building, and I don't really know why I felt like I was slogging through. Maybe it's just me. Some of the writing was a little bit repetitive--lots of mentions of a romantic scene from book one, which of course is such a lovely and iconic scene. But those are my only gripes.

The ending was spectacular and I loved how all the subplots and different pieces of the magic system came together in an epic conclusion. I did tear up in the second to last chapter. I'm not sure how I feel about the last chapter (more of an epilogue) since it would have been such an impact to end with the second to last one. But overall I'm so satisfied with how the story turned out and the culmination of everything that's been building since book one. I definitely recommend this duology even if you're just reading for really cool magic and characters.

I was very surprised when I realized that Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White was a duology and not a trilogy, as the first book very much had trilogy feels. After finishing DSBAFW I stand by my expectation - this totally should have been a trilogy. There is so much lore and history to explore! It almost feels like a waste. Not that I didn't throughly enjoy this book, but I think it would have been so much more impactful had the characters and plot had more time to develop. Zen in particular. I really loved his path to villian in the Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. It was a slow burn, will he won't he, with tiny hints sprinkled along the way. I would've loved to an entire book with him actually being a villian before we are introduced to a new one. Which also, the new villian? Had so much potential! Seriously an entire book dedicated there would've been great.

Anyways, I digress. Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is a great sequel. I know I am complaining about wanting more, but I did finish the book very satisfied. It ended in the way I wanted it to end and I honestly would have thrown my Kindle if it hadn't .

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5/5
Thanks to Random House/Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

"So long as we live on, we carry inside us all that they have destroyed. And that is our triumph; that is our rebellion. Do not let them win today."

And thanks to Amelie for hitting me right in the feelings with this finale!! Dang it all, I really was hoping she wouldn't really go there, but I completely understand why she did as this is an impactful, heartbreaking and yet ultimately uplifting end to the story. I have certainly fallen in love with Lan and Zen and this journey to save the Last Kingdom has everything you want: twists, danger, friendships, loyalty, bravery, battles and plenty of demon gods and magic. Throughout both of these books Amelie has brought Chinese history to life as you feel completely immersed in the Last Kingdom, from food, clothing, military tactics, to the different peoples and clans, plus the descriptions of the landscapes and cities, it's all beautifully written. Lan and Zen are complex people who are easy to root for as they struggle to remake their world while trying to stay true to themselves and safeguard their friends. There are no easy choices and each of the characters makes flawed decisions, bringing about an ending that feels right and not easily won. I would highly recommend this duology to all fantasy fans as the world building, magic systems and character work are all superb and this is a wonderfully satisfying read.

Amelie Wen Zhao is a force to be reckoned with. First of all, I don't think this book should be YA. The complexity of the story, the depth of the lore, and the detailed magic system make it a much more "hefty read" than I would expect from YA. That being said, I loved every minute. Though Lan by herself is a little bit of a typical MC, her interactions with Zen are delightful. I was highly anticipating this book, and while I do feel like I enjoyed the first book more, this was very satisfying.

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really liked the first book in this duology, and was anxiously waiting for the sequel. However, said sequel, Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White left me with somewhat mixed feelings, especially upon realizing the conclusion to a duology, which compounded a lot of the issues.
The world is still quite interesting, and I enjoyed the Chinese historical and mythological influences. The history and lore was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed getting to explore the world more. The characters were pretty good, and I did get the sense that Lan and Zen grew a lot over the course of this installment, as well as over the course of the duology overall.
However, I found the plot and pacing underwhelming. The early part of the book moved at snail’s-pace, only picking up towards the end. But on the flip side, it’s also one hundred pages shorter, and with so much of the truly interesting stuff happening at the end, it ended up feeling too slow and too rushed at the same time.
While I found this book somewhat underwhelming, there’s still a lot to like here, and I’m hopeful for Amelie Wen Zhao’s future work. If you enjoy Asian-inspired YA fantasy, I’d recommend checking this out!

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is an excellent ending to the Song of the Last Kingdom duology by Amelie Wen Zhao. I read Song of Silver Flame Like Night last year and loved it. The dynamic between Zen and Lan was so perfect, but in the first books they are still just kids and don't yet to see the full scope of the roles they are destined to play. Here, we pick up right where we left off, with Zen and Lan now on opposite sides, each wielding the power of a God, but to different ends. Both have been the victims of a legacy of violence, but will they be able to break the cycle or simply perpetuate it through revenge? And at what cost?

I must admit, I remembered little beyond how much I loved these characters and the feel of the book when picking up this second chapter. It took a little time to get acclimated and remember some of the significant pieces in the original book, but once I got into it the story really takes off. The book is loaded with action, from battle scenes to hand to hand fighting. It is bitter to see Zen and Lan on opposite sides and yet they still clearly love each other deeply. Their connection is undeniable. All of this builds to a great conclusion that had me in tears and smiling at the same time. There is no question that Wen Zhao sticks this landing! Chinese mythology, romance, epic landscapes and intense action, this duology is likely to stay in my all time favorites. 4.5 Stars!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for access to an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great continuation of the series. I absolutely loved this first book and was so excited to continue the series. And it did not disappoint me. The romance in the book was so good and the plot was very well thought out. I would highly recommend this book!