The Song of The Last Kingdom books have been some of my favorites to read this year. If you've read my review for Song of Silver, Flame Like Night you already know what the author Amelie Wen Zhao's writing style is. It is poetic, and lush, and brings to mind the landscapes of the Last Kingdom beautifully. Storytelling that will have glued to your seat and not wanting to stop until you've reached the end. Even then, you'll want more.

This book starts off from where we last left Zen and Lan. They have gone their separate ways. They have the same goal. Eradicate the colonizers and restore their people. While they both want the same thing, both believe in different methods of achieving their goals. Lan refuses to use the power of the Silver Dragon bound to her believing that the Demon God and its counterparts bring nothing but death and destruction. Zen believes the only way to rid the land of the Elantions is to use the power of the Demon Gods. He has made a deal with the one who dwells within him. One that will cost not only his body and mind but in the end, his soul.

Who is right? Who is wrong? In the end, will either of them be able to save what they hold most dear to them?



Description from the publisher:

The epic sequel to the book Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, is a fast-paced, riveting YA fantasy inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.

The Demon Gods have risen. Skies’ End has fallen to the colonizers. And Lan and Zen have chosen sides.

But they will not fight together.

Though Lan inherited the power of the Silver Dragon, she understands the path she must take. She believes the Demon Gods to be the cause of war, conflict, and turmoil, and that the future of the Last Kingdom depends on their being eliminated forever. Worse, she knows that if the Elantians manage to bind one of the legendary beings, their army will be unstoppable. To save her kingdom and her people, Lan will need to find the only mythical weapon capable of destroying the Demon Gods: the Godslayer.

Zen is sure that the only way to free the Last Kingdom is to use the power of the Demon Gods. When he bound the Black Tortoise, he paid the ultimate price: to inherit its strength, he will forfeit his body, his mind, and his soul. Yet one Demon God is not enough against the might of the colonizers. In the ruins of the northern Mansorian lands slumbers a magical army of demonic practitioners capable of facing off against the Elantians—but Zen must find the Seal to awaken them to fight by his side.

At the center of both Lan’s and Zen’s journeys is one city: Shaklahira, a former stronghold of the Imperial Court that vanished without a trace when the Elantians invaded. Its location is a mystery, and both are sure that it holds the answers they need, but the past it hides might be more dangerous than anything they’ve faced yet.

The battle for the Last Kingdom rages on. But to win the war, Lan will have to decide: Can she face the boy she loves again? And when she does, can she kill him to free her people?




I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White Review
5/5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1/5🌶️
This was a perfect sequel, I absolutely adored this book. This is the amazing conclusion to the Song of the Last Kingdom duology. Dark Star Buring couldn't have been more perfect, I loved the story and the characters just as much if not more than I did in the first one. Once again the world-building and writing were magnificent. I got swept away into the magical world Amélie created for this series. I loved the first book but this one hit differently for me, it was just fantastic. In this book, we pick up close to where we left off in the first one, Zen and Lan are separated and their objectives are divided. They share a mission but are divided on the path towards it. I was laughing, crying, and swooning while I read this book. I fell in love with Zen and Lan all over again, their stories have become near and dear to my heart now more than ever before. Their love story is one for the ages, the dedication, and understanding between them is beautiful and heart-wrenching all at the same time. I will say this book was far more fast-paced for me than the first one, I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout reading. There was a lot of action and momentum driving our characters forward and I found myself anxious about every page turn. In the end, this book had me in full-blown tears. I absolutely adore the choice of ending and the way everything was wrapped up. I highly recommend this duology and can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book. (already have my pre-orders in) Dark Star Buring, Ash Falls White is expected for release on January 2nd. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book even more than the first one. The beginning felt a little bit slow for me, but then it picked up and I couldn't put the book down! The way that the whole story connects and how the characters learn new information was intriguing. It came together with a very satisfying ending, but I am also leaving feeling like I need a new series of books with the main characters again, because I already miss them so much. The magic system in these books is very reminiscent of Doctor Strange, and so if you enjoyed those movies and how they work, then this book will be great for you.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Dark Star Burning Ash was a beautifully written book, and I really enjoyed reading it. I must admit however, it seemed to be much slower pace than I was expecting for a follow up from the last book. It did take me a little while to get into it, which I hate to admit. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

Just finished the book and I had mixed feelings about the ending in the same way I had mixed feelings about the first book where I didn’t love it. I did enjoy the fantasy elements of the spirits and legends and the alternate POVs of Lan and Zen helped keep my interest. The romance and tension between the two was probably my favorite part, just wish there was a little less angst and more sweet moments to offset the doom and gloom. Zen being sweet and protective towards Lan was the highlight but there were so few moments.

For all the buildup leading to the climax, it fell a bit flat and melodramatic. I kept hoping there’d be some kind of plot twist to avoid the tragic end Lan and Zen kept preparing for and was resigned to, but for the sake of the heartbreak and hopeless melodrama, it went according to plan. The ending was disappointing, unfulfilling, and predictable. The main villain was mia for the majority of the book so I didn’t feel any sense of urgency or high stakes since all the characters were off doing their own thing. I kept waiting for the main villain to show up while the MCs were in the desert to raise the stakes but we’re just told he succeeds reaching his goal and now it’s time for the final showdown. For all the dread these characters felt towards the main villain from the first book to the second, he was eradicated in the span of a sentence so it was very anti-climactic.

The author tends to do a lot of telling rather than showing in both books so I didn’t feel too emotionally attached and would lose interest from the excessive info dumps. The pacing for the fighting scenes felt so slow with long descriptive sentences about the scenery. It felt both slow and rushed. I also didn’t feel emotionally attached to any of the side characters as they didn’t really contribute much to the story, have much character growth, or even a likable personality where I’d care about what happened to them. They were just…there lol.

This wasn’t my favorite read and I had to push through to finish but there were some moments I did enjoy reading about, namely the romance bits and magic elements. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5/5 stars

I am broken and I am okay with it - Amelie Wen Zhao had me in a chokehold through most of this book and the end….so much bittersweet but so much beauty as well.

I’ll admit, this one was a bit slower than the first but it was also so rich and well written that I didn’t mind. I didn’t fly through it, but I was never bored. This sequel is very character led with a lot of the development being internal to the characters, exploring their motivations and their methods of achieving the same end goal.

What I really loved about this series and book in particular is the examination of how those in power utilize control over the narrative and manipulation of history to maintain control - this is a common theme in stories about Westernization and colonization, but this story takes it a step further and used it with the Elantians (colonizers) AND the Imperial Family. It’s a really cool way of exploring how that abuse of power doesn’t always come from without but often from within as well. Think The Poppy War but YA, so much less bloody and brutal - really cool.

Zen and Lan are such great main characters and they really had to be for this book to work - the supporting cast is there but it’s much less an ensemble focus this time around. I loved the deep dive we got into both our protags and learning the richness of their history and culture with them. Everything is so well written and elicits a range of emotions from all over the spectrum.

I struggle to really dive into a review of the plot without spoilers and without going too far down a rabbit hole….but seriously this was just so well written and, while painful and bittersweet, such a satisfying ending.

Love it, highly recommend it, need others to read it!

Unfortunately, this book and series was not for me, but I am glad that other people found it enjoyable. Here are my thoughts on why I would not recommend this book/series, for those who read reviews to determine if they would like a book. Maybe the things that I did not like will be something that you find you do like, and you will end up picking up this series!

The whole series was dreadfully slow. There were paragraphs upon paragraphs of info dumping in the first book. It finally picked up near the end of book 1, and I decided to continue on to this book, Dark Star Bruning, aSh Falls White, with the hope that since there was so much info dumping in book 1, the next book would pick up quickly. This was not the case. Our main character Lan does not even reappear in book 2 until 15 percent of the way through the book. So much of this was paragraphs describing unimportant surroundings. There is even a part where they are amidst a war, and they start describing the interior of the palace. My thoughts were "We are in the middle of a war, one of the most intense parts of this book, which should be fast paced, and all you are talking about is the columns in the palace?!!!!". Needless to say, that was one of the things I did not like about this book. Basically nothing happens, and yet the story still takes forever.

Another thing I disliked was that the main male character Zen consistently makes poor decision after poor decision. For the first 15 percent of the book, we keep hearing him think "I cannot use the power of the Black Tortoise" and the immediately after HE USES THE POWER OF THE BLACK TORTOISE!! This happens multiple times in a row and is so frustrating.

This book lacks solid world building. The magic is so poorly explained, and there are a lot of non-english words that I just do not know that are not explained. Every character has at least 3 names and it is hard to keep track. One one page near the end of the book, a character is named by all 3 of their different names within one paragraph. I understand that the intention of this is to represent a different culture, however I feel it is so poorly done. Also the ending is unsatisfying, but I was just glad to be done with the book.

You may like this book if you like soft magic systems, asian inspired novels, slow burn romance, slow paced plot. I think a lot of people are drawn to it because the cover art is beautiful. However, I felt I wasted my time reading this series and will not read anything this author writes again due to its dreadfully slow pace and awful world building. I would have DNF'd the book had I not needed to review the ARC.

This is a really low 3/5 stars for me. I may even say something like 2 or 2.5 stars, but I want other readers to give this a chance, because it does seem that a lot of other people truly enjoy this series.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written book with excellent character development, this is a sequel to scream about. I have loved the world building from the start, so learning more about the history in the book was captivating. The Epilogue was also mind-blowingly satisfying. Loved every page!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review

I. Can’t. Stop. Crying. I knew from the last book that this one was just going to break me and it absolutely did. But it was so heartbreakingly beautiful and wonderful. I love all these characters so much. Not just Zen and Lan, but Tai and Shan Jun, Dilaya, and even the Nameless Master. Their stories are so incredibly rich and layered. And then the battle of good and evil, of conquerors and the conquered, of history and the present, of love and sacrifice. I loved this book every bit as much as the first, if not more. The emotions definitely got me more this time. I haven’t stopped crying since the 70% mark.
Anyway, I’m a mess, it’s was 1000% worth it, and you should absolutely read this devastatingly beautiful duology.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced look at the book to review. All opinions are my own.

4.5
Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an EARC of Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White i’m exchange for an honest review.

I read Song of Silver Flame Like Night a little less than a year ago and I remember being slightly underwhelmed. While I loved the story, I was bored from the world building. I remember feeling disconnected from the characters until around 70% and that’s when I felt enamored by everything, so going into this book, I was nervous, but also excited.

I absolutely loved Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White. I loved everything about this. I really loved each individual journey of Lan and Zen and learning how to be around each other again after the betrayal from the previous book. The growth these two characters experienced was amazing to see. I loved the lesson of balance and seeing that applied.

I really enjoyed the new villain almost more than the previous villain. He was challenging in different ways and I enjoyed seeing how Lan and Zen handled the this new challenge while still facing the buildup from the original story.

As for the ending, I know some people are saying it was rushed, but I really loved it. I thought it was a really great end to the duology and I really loved this book.

Obsessed!!! Amelie Wen Zhao has done it again! She creates such a lush, beautiful world in Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White.

I loved the first book and Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White was just as good. This is a beautiful, fast-paced fantasy novel. I loved returning to this world but felt like this could have been more than a duology- there could have been a little more character development and world building. I did love the mythology aspect and I loved the ending. Will definitely read again and buy a physical copy.

This book gave me such conflicted feelings. The first book I finished in a day and absolutely loved, this one took me over a month to finish. I don't think I've ever read a book that was both rushed and slow as hell.

When I first started the series, I thought it was a breath of fresh air, magic that's not rooted in Medieval Europe. I also thought each Demon God was going to get it's own book and boy was I wrong. I think that was part of what made it feel rushed.

Also the villain was swapped in this book, so the villain that has been built up for the last 500+ pages get his end almost like a footnote.

The ending was where I was real conflicted, I feel like the final battle was two books early and it's the same story for the final chapter. It did pull on my heartstrings though because of how Zhao had set up the love between Zen and Lan a book previously.

Overall I would recommend you read this book if you read the first, but based on this book's lackluster final third, I'm not sure I'd recommend this series to a new reader.

*Special thanks to NetGalley.com for an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of the book.

This book was a great sequel to the first! I rate it a solid 3.5-4 stars due to some content things.

There is some swearing, and there is a vague open door scene. It is vague, but, obviously heavily implied what is happening. I don't really think YA should have any kind of open door, even if it is vague. That's personally my opinion. There is also a brothel mentioned, again, nothing really described. But, not really needed.

I gasped at multiple points during this book. The plot is crazy. The star-crossed lovers is so beautifully tragic. I overall really did like this book. I think it is written well, and the ending was beautiful.

Thank you, nergalley, for this ARC. I really enjoyed the first book and looked forward to reading this. Story picked up right where it left off. Was captivated by the characters, story well told and perfectly paced. I'm not unusual fond of love stories but I'm sad to see this series end.

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is the second book and conclusion in this high fantasy duology and the author did not hold back one bit; readers keep your tissues nearby because it's going to hurt.

This series is a must read if you are a fan of the tv show Alchemy of Souls.

In the wake of new bargains, bad decisions, and a split group of unlikely allies we pick up around where we left off. Zen has come up with a plan of his own to save the world from disaster. However, it means coming to terms with his regrettable decisions and shattered trust .

While juggling what to do with the mess she was left with and plans gone awry, Lan decides to continue moving forward in search of the god slayer and the phoenix. Along the way Lan and her friends come across places and beings that were rumored to be myth and legends and begin to unravel how it all fits in with their plans.

In order to accomplish what they set out to do Zen and Lan have to put their differences aside to work together or everything they have done will fail in the worst way possible.

To start I love the details such as the maps and verses at the beginning of each chapter.

The first few chapters are catching us up with Zen and going deeper into his family's history, it was fitting and definitely necessary. My heart hurt for him this entire book, his struggle with the darkness slowly consuming him, turning him into a bit of a villian, an antihero. He reminded me of Anakin Skywalker and Jang Uk (Alchemy of Souls ) .

There was a lot of character development between Dilaya and Lan and I'm here for it, loved it a lot. The banter we came to love from book one remained heavy and made me wish we had more scenes of them together.

The amount of action and lore was rich, intriguing, and a perfect amount. It flowed from page to page well.

While it hurt my heart I was really satisfied with the particular reunion of Lan and Zen towards the middle end and how that left its mark in the epilogue.

What a way to end this series, I'm heartbroken yet also so incredibly glad to have read this duology. I highly recommend this series for those who love Asian inspired shows and movies such as Alchemy of Souls.

A massive thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book!

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White by Amélie Wen Zhao was a sequel that I was looking forward to since reading the first installment at the end of last year/beginning of 2023. But I never imagined that the sequel would have topped my experience of book 1.

The book kicks off right after the events that ended the first book, and things start escalating quickly. The two groups that were split by some drastic, desperate decisions continue their search for answers and a way to reclaim their homeland - at any cost.

Dark Star Burning introduces some new characters - some good, some not - and widens the scope of what we know about the country. I would love to explore a few of the newer characters more as they have some pretty interesting backstories that have the potential for their own series.

The duology wrapped up in a bittersweet way that was a worthy conclusion to the scale of the story told. I really enjoy Amélie Wen Zhao's writing style and I look forward to any new books she brings out in the future!

I loved this book, I just wish it was longer. I adored the characters and wished we had more time to dig deeper with them. The plot was so exciting and well written, but started to feel rushed by the end. But you can tell it’s a good book that you should recommend when you just wanted to read more!

I love Amelie Wen Zhao's writing style. The first book, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night absolutely hooked me and was my introduction to Asian fantasy. The author's writing style of very fast-paced and immersive and I constantly felt like I was wondering what would happen next.

After the cliffhanger ending of the first book, I was interested to see what the future held for Lan and Zen. They picked opposing sides and now have to deal with the consequences. I agree with other reviewers though, I do wish that we saw more of the aftermath and resolution. A trilogy might have better suited this story.

Dark star burning, Ashfall’s white is a wonderful conclusion and stunning sequel to one of my favorite books. I’ve read this year. The authors wonderful worldbuilding and excellent character development skills really shine as this duology comes to a close. I cannot wait to see what this writer will do next.