A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Harper Voyager for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a perfect companion to read after the Celestial Kingdom duology. These short stories give you insights into the minds of the characters we met and loved during the books, and gives us glimpses into their lives before and during the events of the books. These stories were a perfect way to come back to this duology that I love so much, and felt like visiting old friends. I think these stories provide a perfect accompaniment for reading the books (on a reread, the spoilers are real) to go back and see some of the different experiences that we didn’t get fully exposed to during the initial books. We also get different POVs, and Wenzhi’s chapters had me kicking my feet, I love him so much.

Other than the first section, which is a prequel story of how the Moon Goddess became the Moon Goddess, these stories have spoilers for both books in them and should only be read after you finish both books. I absolutely think this would be a great book to pick up after finishing Heart of the Sun Warrior to help recover from the book hangover, and to gain more insight into some of the little side stories of events that happened. (PLUS THERE’S AN EXTENDED EPILOGUE THAT TRUST ME, YOU NEED.)

I loved this so much, and if you loved this duology I believe you’ll also love revisiting with these characters and storylines.

Reading Tales of the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan is like sitting down with a warm cup of herbal tea. It’s a serene, sensory, and heartwarming experience. At 176 pages and 9 total stories, the book is fast-paced, one I finished it in two sittings.

Spoiler wise, Sue Lynn Tan has us covered. Readers concerned about spoilers should check out her author note at the end of the collection for full spoiler details. She also includes handy and brief notes at the start of each story, explaining its position in the duology’s timeline. Generally, I think you can read the first four short stories safely without spoilers.

Xingyin’s first person point of view is the only one presented in Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior. The big surprise in this collection—and a fun difference from the duology—is the multiple first person point of views it offers. There’s six total: Chang’e, Houyi, Liwei, Wenzhi, Shuxiao, and, lastly, Xingyin. (Alas, there’s no story dedicated to Ping’er, which I was hoping for.) I enjoyed being in the minds of different (and beloved) characters and seeing familiar events and moments through their eyes and memories.

I also didn’t expect this wonderful angle: the collection only fleshes out plot points that happen off-screen in the duology—things mentioned, but not delved into. It feels like every short story belongs seamlessly to the original books, like you could copy and paste them right into the text and not skip a beat. Here’s an example: remember in HOTSW when Shuxiao teams up with General Mengqi to rescue hostages at the Jade Palace? In the book, the entire rescue happens off-screen. We see the mission is assigned in Chapter 34 and hear about it's success, but that's it. That omission worked fine in the duology, but was still sort of a sad thing to miss out on because Shuxiao is such a great character. But never fear, in the 6th story in Tales of the Celestial Kingdom Sue Lynn Tan treats us. The 6th story titled “Shuxiao: Return to the Jade Palace” gives us all the details of that adventure.

I recommend reaquainting yourself with Archer Feimao by rereading chapter Chapter 15, Chapter 21, and Ch 23 of DOTMG. He plays a key role in Shuxiao’s short story. This is the only supporting character I felt I needed to really look up to enjoy the duology fully.

One word. Magical. I loved reading this. It took me a while but I got it read and I enjoyed it. A solid 3 stars. Thank you netgalley,.

I absolutely loved reading all of these short stories with characters I adored from the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology! Any chance to get even a little more of a glimpse of their lives and stories!!

I will always love anything Sue Lynn Tan writes without a doubt! I loved that we got more of a background story of what happened with the sunbirds and how they were slain. I also liked that we got to see more of wenzhi mortal life before he ascends to godhood that was great overall a great ending to all the answers we all the wondered

Daughter of the Moon Goddess was among the first fantasy books that got me back into reading, so I’ll always have a soft spot for it.

Returning to Tan’s writing now…well, perhaps I can see how reading DotMG would hit differently if I picked it up today. The writing is overtly flowery and the characters are pretty one-dimensional. If sections hadn’t been labeled by the different POV character I would’ve had a hard time differentiating between their voice.

However this short stories collection is a sweet addition to the previous two books and she picks characters and stories that answer questions and breathe new life into the duology. This is a short book written for already-established fans and it does the job! Also, the illustrations throughout?? LOVE. More adult books need to start including this, it really added to the swept away feeling.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of TALES OF THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM in exchange for my honest review!

This was the perfect novella to a beloved duology. Through a sequence of stories that take place both before, during, and after the events of the Celestial Kingdom duology, we receive more context and insights into these characters.

It starts out following Chang'e and Houyi and what happened in their lives leading up to where we pick up Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I honestly could read a novella that focused solely on them.

And then we also get chapters from Liwei and Wenzhi...the way my heart splits in two for both of these characters! They are complete opposites, but both of them have such a deep love of Xingyin. I am even more satisfied with how things resolved between the three of them with the edition of this novella.

Tan's writing continues to be effortless, vibrant, and magical. Reading this novella made me really want to reread the entire series again!

For anyone who loved the Celestial Kingdom duology, I highly recommend adding this novella to your TBR!

I've been fortunate enough to receive advanced copies the past TWO years of the @suelynntan upcoming release.

Since I can't remember yesterday, let alone the plotlines of Daughter of the Moon Goddess or Heart of the Sun Warrior, I needed to look up where both stories left off before I could fully enjoy these connected tales. But once I did, I couldn't put the book down.

I missed these characters, these stories, and of course the relationships between Xingyin, Liwei, and Wenzhi. These short pieces carried on storylines past the previous books and gave us an opportunity to see what happened next.

I enjoyed the last story the most. ❤️

No notes, Tales of the Celestial Kingdom was immaculate.

A beautiful collection of short stories spanning the width of time covered in the original duology, Tales of the Celestial Kingdom did not disappoint. At the end of the collection is an Epilogue to Heart of the Sun Warrior, a continuation I cherished so much, as it unveils much sought after answers as to what happens after the finale of the duology!

So often, I find myself wanting more story after I’ve read a duology. I was enthralled to find that Sue Lynn Tan would be delving back into the Celestial Kingdom world, giving readers a unique glimpse of the foundation of the books in “Dusk” which includes a formative tale of Chang’e, Xingyin’s mother, “Twilight” which gives us hidden moments during the books from the eyes of Liwei, Wenzhi, and Shuxiao, and “Dawn” a stunning conclusion to the Heart of the Sun Warrior. If you haven’t read the first two installments, be sure to do so before you pick this volume up as it has a wealth of spoilers inside!

Tann is one of my favorite storytellers. Her lush prose and capacity to capture a sort of ethereal world within the bounds of a book always leaves me wanting for more. It’s so easy to drift into the world of the Celestial Kingdom. The characters, magic, intricate world, and unique story that binds them all together make it truly an unforgettable adventure.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

I'll be posting my Instagram review when the book releases! I've attached the link to my profile, where it will be located, below.

I wish I had a physical copy of this book so I could hug it close to my chest.

I absolutely adored Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior so getting to step back into this world, albeit briefly, made my heart so warm.

The writing style of these books is just incredible. It’s so magical and whimsical, making you immersed into the pages. This book had the same delightful qualities of the duology, providing those who wanted a bit more of the world with the perfect bite-sized edition.

This book takes place before, during, and after the events of the duology. There are different perspectives and expanded details on past events.

I truly did just find this book to be a joy to read. I read it in a couple hours and enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This book comes out February 6, 2023. #NetGalley

Sue Lynn Tan returns to gift us with these short stories set in the Celestial Kingdom universe. The tales go into further detail for events/stories described in the original duology, from the perspective of the characters involved. It immerses you back into that gorgeous world Tan created with her beautiful writing style. Also included are some gorgeous illustrations. What a fantastic combo.

I highly enjoyed this return to the Immortal Realm. Tan’s writing is so beautiful and lush, and fits the theme of the book so well. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, and seeing what happens next with Xingyin and Wenzhi.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tales of the Celestial Kingdom is a collection of short stories from the Celestial Kingdom Duology. There are three parts: Dusk, Twilight, and Dawn. Dusk has 3 short stories that kind of serve as a prequel to the duology. Twilight takes place during the duology, and the reader gets to have 3 different POVs. They let the reader live through the duology but through another's perspective. Finally, Dusk is the epilogue and the gift that kept on giving. It gives 2 different POVs of events after the duology.

The prose for this book was exquisite, just like The Celestial Kingdom duology. The author has a way of weaving the words on page, and it hits in all the right places. Overall, all the short stories were short and easy reads. Every perspective offered something new, and it kept me engaged on the character and what they were feeling. At no point did I get distracted or annoyed (which is common when I read a book with multiple POVs).

I would be lying if I said I did not have a favorite part. Dawn had my heart and soul. Sue Lynn Tan knew exactly what her audience wanted, and she served. This part also left me with more questions and longing.

I received an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

Tales of the Celestial Kingdom is a collection of short vignettes expanding on events that happened before, during, and after Tan's Celestial Kingdom duology. And most importantly it includes the epilogue to Heart of the Sun Warrior! I gave Heart of the Sun Warrior five stars but I won't lie the ending regarding Wenzhi left me majorly wanting more. There were some loose ends that I was happy to see tied up in Tales of the Celestial Kingdom.

I don't go into short story collections with high hopes. Earlier this month I read Holly Black's Elfhame short story collection and was very underwhelmed. But Sue Lynn Tan did a great job with Tales of the Celestial Kingdom. While the first three prologue stories told by Xingyin's parents weren't my favorite, I felt like the rest of the stories added emotional depth to the original story. You learn more about the motivations and emotions of the characters that surrounded Xingyin throughout her adventures. I'm looking forward to re-reading Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior with some of these vignettes informing my perspective, and I'm sure it'll enrich the read-through.

It was wonderful to get to spend more time in the Celestial Kingdom. I'm especially excited to see that Tan has plans to expand the universe in the future (although I heard it's going to be with another set of characters). 4 out of 5 stars,

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ooooh brain is buzzing so hard. I am such a sucker for epilogues post happy ending because I get to see my favorite people even happier. Sue Lynn Tan’s ‘Tales of the Celestial Kingdom’ was a perfect companion to the Celestial Kingdom duology. I absolutely adored her spin on Chang’e’s mythology and how we as readers get to dive a little into her and Houyi’s origin story before DOTMG begins. Liwei and Wenzhi’s POVs were EVERYTHING to me. The epilogue post HOTSW was so beautiful and perfect and special and magical. The art. THE ART!!!!! Words cannot express how much I love these characters and am absolutely overjoyed that we get to go back into their world. Definitely buy this book!!!! The proceeds go to charity which is amazing!!!!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read and review Tales of the Celestial Kingdom. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tales of the Celestial Kingdom is a gorgeous and rich addition to the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology. The nine stories included are beautifully written. We are gifted with more insight and depth to an already well-developed world and the beloved characters who live in it. The artwork that corresponds with each story is breathtaking. I loved looking at all the details, the armor and the expressions. The emotional impact for each scene paired with Sue Lynn Tan's storytelling took my breath away. The love I have for this series grew ten times bigger and I can't wait to read Sue Lynn Tan's future releases.

All of Sue Lynn Tan's personal proceeds made for this book are going to be donated, according to the author's note in the e-ARC, which makes me respect Tan as an author and a person even more.

*Side note: if you have not read the duology before Tales, you will be spoiled.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the e-arc!
As a giant fan of Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior, I am ecstatic about this arc! I absolutely love that the author is donating the proceeds to charity and that we are able to see more of this universe. This book contains information about the moon goddess and the sun warrior, snippets from the duology, and a fantastic epilogue. I think the stories complement the original books really well, and the artwork is truly breathtaking. My favorite part has to be the epilogue where we get to see the the next chapter in this love story.

I stan Kelly Chong- the cover and the artwork are gorgeous.

The Dusk and Twilight sections were fine. It's been a minute since I read the Celestial Kingdom, so maybe I would have enjoyed them more if some of the finer plot points were fresher in my mind.

BUT the Dawn section was such a perfect epilogue to the duology. Part of me wishes it had been included in Heart of the Sun Warrior, but I know it wouldn't have had as much of an impact.

Soooo, I'm honestly indifferent on Dusk and Twilight, but I'd recommend reading this just for Dawn. It's pretty small portion of the novella, but if you enjoyed the duology, it's worth the read.

Tales too late?
While I deeply enjoyed the duology, this latest book felt too disjointed after the original plot line. I struggled to remember the characters, settings, and storyline from two books while having only one opening subheading to orient the timeline. As always, the book was well written, emotially heartbreaking, and worth the soft happy ending. But this was by far the greatest disappointment of the series. There's no way to pull off a good "tales of" book. It's been too long between the ending of the last book and the release date of this one. If anything, this should have been released in tandem with the second book. Love the story, can't stand the presentation.

This was truly beautiful. Those last 3 short stories though? Those were perfection. Especially A Rival's Spirit, I needed that one after the resolution from Heart of the Sun Warrior.

The first 3 shorts are like prequels to the main story, the next 4 happen during the two books, the second to last one is an event that happened right at the end of Heart of the Sun Warrior, and the final short is an emotional epilogue that after the emotional turmoil of the two main stories, we as readers deserve it.

Getting other POVs is what made this short story collection a real winner. It scratched a craving I didn't realize I had from the first two full length novels in the series. This is one of the few short story collections I think EVERYONE who loves DotMG and HotSW would benefit from reading.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retelling, Mythology, Asian Fantasy
Format: Novella, Expansion of former duology

You absolutely must read the duology before picking up this gem. There are spoilers in it.

I felt like I was visiting old friends while reading this. We get to see some key events from another character's perspective. It was like a warm hug.

I highly recommend reading this—it's fun to revisit the world created by Sue Lynn Tan. It's a collection of tales. And she's giving the proceeds to charity.

Happy reading!