I really love Sue Lynn Tan’s writing style. It’s so lush and descriptive, and just flows beautifully. I’m also a big fan of the Celestial Kingdom series. However, I have to admit, I struggled through this one.

The interaction between the two main characters just didn’t gel for me. I just couldn’t get into the story, and the FMC irritated me. The MMC was great though, so I enjoyed his scenes, but I just couldn’t understand the instalove from his side when she was such a brat. While it makes more sense towards the end of the book, it didn’t erase the irritation and boredom I felt for the first 3/4 of the book. This could just be me though, as the book appears to be getting lots of great ratings.

Again, I love the beautiful and descriptive writing, and not enjoying this book will not stop me from reading more of the author’s work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me an advanced copy of this book.

This was an excellent fantasy that returned us to the world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but with completely new characters and kingdoms. The worldbuilding is strong, giving us a setting that is both ethereal and lush. The plot is complex, weaving a riveting tale of destiny, forbidden magic, political intrigue, betrayal, and love. The characters are compelling, well-rounded, and just flawed enough to be realistic. Liyen is a great heroine. She’s stubborn, brave, fiercely loyal to her people, and vulnerable as a human in an immortal world. Zhangwei is the God of War, and is grumpy, possessive, protective, and broody. I absolutely loved him. Their story is so beautifully written, and I adored it. This book is filled with twists and turns, and you won’t be able to guess how it’s going to end. If you want a fantasy that’s heavy on politics with a beautiful story of love woven throughout, I highly recommend this one!
🪷
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️
🪷
Read if you like:
▫️Chinese mythology
▫️gods, immortals, and magic
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️he trains her
▫️court politics
▫️found family
🪷
Thank you to Harper Voyager, Avon Books, Sue Lynn Tan, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

This captivating standalone romantic fantasy completely swept me away! With its lush worldbuilding, treacherous secrets, and a fierce heroine, it delivered everything I crave in a fantasy romance. Liyen’s journey—from a poisoned heir to a queen navigating complex alliances—was both empowering and emotional.

The tension between Liyen and the God of War was perfectly crafted, balancing mistrust, passion, and vulnerability in a way that felt authentic and gripping. The stakes were high, not just for their romance but for the survival of her entire kingdom, making every twist hit harder.

Sue Lynn Tan’s writing is beautifully immersive, filled with poetic descriptions and moments of breathtaking tension. If you love strong heroines, morally complex love interests, and fantasy worlds woven with mythology and danger, this one is a must-read.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration.
All opinions are my own.

When faced with death the sick heir to a mortal crown is given the one of a kind Lotus that can cure it... the very same Lotus promised to the Queen of gods who demands it now and sends the ruthless God of War to find it... but when the two meet, a strange connection forms... and with secrets, betrayals, and complicated feelings, the line between what is a lie and what is the true begins to blur in this deadly game of hearts. Liyen is the mortal heir to a crown, and has been sick her entire life with an unknown disease. Her grandfather is the servant of the Queen of gods and is tasked with finding a one of a kind Lotus that promises to cure anything... and when faced with the decision on whether to hand the Lotus over or not her grandfather gives it to her instead to heal her while facing the wrath of the Queen. Her grandfather dies and Liyen witnesses the Queen send out the ruthless God of War to find where the Lotus is. Liyen knows she has to find a way to evade the Queen and the God of War but as the new ruler she has to meet the Queen in the immortal realm and swear fealty to her... despite not wanting to. Liyen wants only one thing: to free her kingdom from the Queen and to give her kingdom it's peace and safety away from the forced duty of fighting against the deadly monsters. Liyen comes up with a plan: to steal the God of War's magical shield, to try and win his heart and convince him to root for her kingdom and her, and to try and escape with wrath of the Queen should the truth of where the Lotus is actually at is revealed. Liyen is forced to stay at the God of War's home while she remains in the Immortal realm... yet despite her attempts to seduce him she finds herself falling for him for real... but he is hiding his own secrets and plans.... and when the secrets that they both have begin to reveal... deadlier plots arise and soon Liyen will have to question where her heart lies and who she can fully trust. This was such a fantastic and romantic story. It perfectly captures the magic of C-dramas that I adore and fairytale romances, it truly has so many twists and turns and I adored the romance throughout it all. I loved the God of War so much, like damn, talk about romantic. The story just grips you and has you hoping for the best until the very last chapter, I could even say I would love another epilogue to see more of these characters. I just had an absolute blast reading this and would highly recommend it for fantasy romance lovers.

Release Date: January 7,2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

i finally finished my first book of january! even though i read this on the 29th of december 2024, paused on the 31st, and proceed on the very first day of january of 2025 (the fact that it's only a day left before the actual release. so that's a relief)

this book took me a week because yes, the world building got me in awe. but the pacing is sooo slow (for me). but despite the slow pacing this book is, i actually kinda enjoy it (even though i hated some of the characters in here)

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Voyager for the ARC. First book I read in 2025 and so happy that it was a 4.5 star read. If you're looking to read more books by diverse authors PICK THIS BOOK UP. I RECOMMEND IT.

This admittedly is the first book by Sue Lynn Tan that i've read. (her other works are on the list!) As a Chinese American I do love reading stories that involve our culture so I was super excited to read it and damn did Sue Lynn deliver. She does an amazing job balancing world building, plot, and the romance. I find that authors do tend to struggle in that balancing the three. I understand that this takes place in the same world as her other books, but as a new reader I didn't feel lost. I was also not annoyed by the FMC, she's appropriately stubborn and wants the best for everyone and I get it. The MMC, while I wouldn't describe him as "broody" he was definitely an interesting character and the later plot points is an "ahhhh" this is why he is the way he is.

Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for this advance copy


Here’s my take on this.

At first, I was like, ‘Uh, why is this happening? This doesn’t make any sense. There’s no logical foundation to this, it’s sweet, but I don’t think so.’ But then, I had a sudden realization, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this makes perfect sense!’ But then, I was like, ‘WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! I trusted you!’ And then, I was like, ‘This is so good and amazing!’

So, without giving away any spoilers, I say this:

GO READ IMMORTAL!!

This book was just ok for me. I really love the two Celestial Kingdom novels, but this one didn't have the same physical or emotional world building to reel me in. That said, I did enjoy the overall story and will certainly try out whatever her next book is. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC.

My Thoughts
This was a fantastical story full to the brim with interesting characters, creatures, and lands. Overall I enjoyed it, including the magic, the relationship built between Liyen and the God of War, and the mystery behind Liyen.

Minor spoilers:

The “amnesia” hidden identity piece didn’t quite hit for me. The interactions between Liyen and those that knew her before, prior to the reveal of her hidden identity just feel wrong, knowing who she is to them.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

this was my first sue lynn tan novel and i was obsessed with the world building, characters, and character development. stunning.

linyen had such an amazing character arc as a someone who is both headstrong and willing to sacrifice herself for her loved ones. i loved following her grow, she just felt so relatable especially in those moments of self-doubt and such. zhangwei is just a misunderstood god of war, like he’s just a guy. there were so many moments between zhangwei and linyen that had me kicking my feet, their love story was beautiful. the banter between all of the characters was such a fun time.

the balance between the smaller moments felt off in comparison to the pacing of the rest of the book, other than the slower start.

this is a standalone in the same universe of the celestial kingdom series (*adding to the tbr*).

✶⋆.˚ thank you netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review ˚.⋆✶

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins publishers for the eARC copy of this book!

This book was so unexpected yet one of the best stories I've read. The main characters are so well written and their connection to each other makes the story a lot more interesting and concise.

My favorite aspect of this book is the way the storytelling is coherent and the plot twists seem natural. It really had me reading until my eyes couldn't stay open.

It has romance in a way that does not exaggerate so it doesn't seem too much or purely a romance book (I say this because I usually don't read romance books because I find them cringey or overwhelming.) But I liked the amount of romance this book has and the dynamics between characters.

As for the main plot, I loved how many questions were answered the more I read. It seemed like it could be part of a series at times but by the end it became more concise and tied up any plot holes.
The ending was nice too, it left me smiling and convinced of what I read.

Overall, this book was an amazing adventure. The writing was beautiful, the characters were well written, and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading past my bedtime. The descriptions were also an important aspect that helped me enjoy the story as much as I did.

We neeeeever get standalone fantasy books so I was so excited to see this one come up in my Approved list on Netgalley! Liyen, a mortal who suddenly comes into her crown, ends up with something the Immortals want, and along the way crosses the God of War's path. This book had good characters, interesting mortal/immortal dynamics, and the growing relationship between Liyen and the God of War was done well. The pacing lagged a bit in the middle but became action-packed in the last 20% of the book. I haven't read DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS yet, and while this wasn't a standout read for me, I'm interested in picking up more by this author.

I will be the first to say that my recent fantasy reads have been hit or miss, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Immortal is a standalone romantasy book, and that description alone made me nervous as I typically enjoy the intricate plotlines and character development that can be explored when books are part of a fantasy series. While I was still longing for more exploration of the nuances of certain relationships (there is one in particular but this is spoiler-free since I'm writing this review before the publishing date) and felt some chapters stalled a bit in terms of pacing, I was very impressed by how each line of the plot wove into one another.

ZHANGWEI, the man (or immortal if we're being contextually accurate) that you are!! I loved the banter between the FMC and MMC in the beginning of the book - I was literally turning page after page to see what would happen next. I love that Sue Lynn Tan concealed some major plot twists but revealed enough to keep you on your toes and able to guess some of the reveals that would happen in future chapters. Liyen as the FMC was someone I grew to love despite initially being hesitant about her. I felt like she stepped into her own identity (and destiny, you could argue) and solidified my fondness for her character in the second half.

Sue Lynn Tan is such a master of creating beautiful world building inspired by Asian legends, and while we didn't get to explore it as much as in the Celestial Kingdom duology (to be fair, this is a standalone book) I really enjoyed navigating the realms of immortals and mortals. I would say this for me definitely falls into the romantasy category, as the plot is heavily driven by the romance but also dives into the story of Liyen seeking to do what's best for Tianxia. I also appreciated learning about the other characters that were part of this story and how even the smallest of decisions or details could impact the direction of the narrative.

Overall, this was a solid 4.75-5 for me, and I fear anything from Sue Lynn Tan will be an auto buy! I loved this book enough to read it again (and appreciate the details that allow you to appreciate a shift in perspective in the middle of the book). What a great start to 2025!

Sue Lynn Tan’s Immortal is an epic Chinese romantasy novel about the dueling interests between the mortal kingdom of Tianxia and the Celestial Kingdom of the Immortals. The story begins with the heir to the mortal throne, Liyen being poisoned. Her grandfather secretly gives her an antidote, the magical Divine Pearl Lotus, a flower he had been instructed by the immortal Queen of the Golden Desert, Caihong, to harvest for her. Her grandfather then has an encounter with the Immortals and then dies of a pre-existing heart condition, leaving Liyen as the heir to the mortal throne, but that doesn’t stop Liyen from blaming the intimidating God of War for his death. It’s not until the God of War saves her and her companions that her opinion starts to shift and the romance starts brewing.

This is my first ever read from Sue Lynn Tan, and I’m thoroughly impressed and understand the hype! The world-building descriptions of the Celestial Kingdom world of the Immortals versus the mortal kingdom was simply masterful. It’s action-packed, adventurous, epic, and smart. Such a captivating book and reminds me of why I like reading fantasy. Liyen’s defiance and determination to protect herself, rule her kingdom and gain independence from the Immortals, without relenting to the pressure of getting married to hold the throne makes this a great feminist read.

Thank you to Harper Voyage and NetGalley for providing an eARC for review.

2 stars
——————

Despite my best efforts, this was a DNF @ 21%.

I loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess and its sequel, so I was excited to read this one. I could not get myself invested in the story at all. The plot was dragging, the characters are insufferable. In 90 pages, nothing of substance seemed to happen. The entire beginning was rushed. I wanted more backstory to start off the book so I knew where I was going. Instead, it felt like being thrown into a story halfway through with no context. I’m sure it would have made sense later on (I hope), but nothing could get me to care enough to continue. Liyen was selfish and annoying and the God of War was a textbook romantasy MMC.

I’m really disappointed.

Sue Lynn Tan once again enchants readers with Immortal, a breathtaking journey into the Celestial Kingdom universe. From the very first page, I was captivated by the seamless fusion of Chinese mythology and fantasy, creating a vibrant and magical world I wish I could call home.

While fans of Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior will find familiar threads, this standalone story welcomes new readers without missing a beat. You don’t need prior knowledge of the series to fall in love with the intricately woven tale of Liyen and the God of War.

Their story is a masterful dance of fate, determination, and love—a testament to the resilience of the heart and the power to shape one’s destiny. Sue Lynn Tan’s lyrical prose brings every emotion to life, and the poignant line, “Welcome back, my beloved,” will linger in my heart long after the final page.

Immortal is everything I hoped for and more—a beautifully crafted tale that reminds us love and courage can overcome even the strongest chains of destiny.

Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and Sue Lynn Tann for the eARC! I will be purchasing a physical copy for my collection. 🥰

My first read of 2025 was the stunning upcoming release “Immortal” by Sue Lynn Tan. The first 35% of the book served as a slow build-up, introducing the world and characters. However, after this the twists and relationships began to develop quickly. I loved the romantic writing and the playful banter between the main characters, who oscillated between being hot and cold with each other. I was disappointed that I didn’t have a highlighter, as there were so many quotes I wanted to mark.✨

Sue Lynn Tan is a master in her craft and constantly changing my life with her books. Immortal is beautiful. After reading The Celestial Kingdom books, I was sure that she was going to be an author I loved forever and Immortal made me love her writing even more! I love a good slow burn- Sue Lynn Tan excels at slow burns, especially in Immortal. Her descriptions really make you feel so immersed in the world and like you're standing next to the characters living in the story with them. I'll always recommend Sue Lynn Tan and Immortal.

Thank you harper voyager abd sue lynn tan for an advanced copy of this book.

SUE LYNN TAN DOES IT AGAIN.

Bringing us to the magical world of immortals, building an immersing world, creating in depth characters that capture your heart. Her love stories are epic and poetic and this book is no exception. Showing love that spans across life times, memories, and worlds, Sue Lynn Tan gives us a story that breaks your heart and heals it all in one beautiful journey of self discovery.

Do not skip this one.

First 5 star read of 2025!!!
Wowow Sue Lynn Tan has absolutely outdone herself with Immortal. I knew in my heart by the 60% mark this was going to be 5 stars for me. This was a breathtaking adventure and incredible love story. The beginning and middle of the book had me smiling and kicking my feet with the banter between Liyen and Zhangwei. I am a big fan of Liyen's determination and character development throughout this book. She definitely is someone I would want to rule the country/kingdom.
And boy, once the plot twists started, it just kept coming!! As someone who is usually a passenger princess to those type of things in books, my jaw was on the ground and my mind was absolutely floored. It was all just so well done and well written!

Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC.