Sue Lynn Tan’s Immortal offers an intriguing dive into a world rich with Chinese mythology and cultural elements, but it ultimately falls short of its potential due to uneven pacing and underdeveloped relationships.

The world-building is one of the book’s strongest aspects, with intricate descriptions and fascinating cultural details that transport readers into a lush, otherworldly setting. Tan weaves elements of Chinese mythology seamlessly into the narrative, offering glimpses into legends and traditions that add depth to the story. However, the pacing detracts from the immersive experience. Some sections drag on with excessive detail, while pivotal moments rush by so quickly they lose emotional impact.

One of the central themes of the novel is love, which permeates the story in various forms—romantic, familial, and even self-sacrificial. This theme lends the book emotional weight and offers moments of beauty and resonance. However, the execution falters at times. While the theme of love is clearly present, the relationships themselves often feel rushed or unconvincing, leaving a disconnect between the intended emotional impact and the reader’s experience. The inclusion of spicy scenes also feels out of place and disconnected from the overall tone, diminishing the depth of these relationships.

Despite these flaws, Immortal offers a fascinating exploration of Chinese culture and mythology, making it worth a read for those interested in these themes. While it may not fully deliver on its promise, the strong theme of love, unique cultural lens, and imaginative world-building make it a memorable, if imperfect, experience.

This novel was so beautifully written. I need a God of War in my life immediately. I am convinced Sue Lynn Tan is only capable of writing 5 star books.

A promising story for those who love romantasy and Asian folklore. This is the story of Liyen and Zhangwei as they fight for love and the future of Tianxia. I liked this story. It starts out with a fast pace but then it slows down and takes its time to introduce the reader to the world. I liked how this story was a love story between an immortal and mortal as they always present questions about the longevity of love.
There were some aspects of the romance I wished had been flushed out a little more or paced a bit more slowly, but overall. It was a good book.

Immortal is a beautiful, lushly written asian-inspired epic romantasy standalone and such a great addition to the genre. I’ve been in a reading funk this month and I did not hesitate staying up till 4am bingeing this book. Parts 1 and 2 had me hooked in with the strong FMC and the swoony MMC. So many twists and reveals! That first one totally floored me. If you enjoy books with forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, political intrigue, and very high stakes, then look no further because this is the book for you.

I absolutely loved The Celestial Kingdom series and if you did too, you’re going to really enjoy this one! Genius that Tan set it in the same world but with different characters, so this is thankfully spoiler free for the original books if you haven’t had the pleasure of reading them yet. I will admit that I preferred The Celestial Kingdom, but I do have a pen chance for duologies. I was being a greedy reader and wanted everything flushed out instead of the convenient way things panned out in this book. Still enjoyable, but there were several fronts that left me wanting just slightly more.

Overall, I loved it and recommend to all my felllow romantasy lovers.

I absolutely adored this book. I have loved Sue Lynn Tan’s previous books, so I was very much looking forward to this story, and I have to say it is my favorite one of all so far. Immortal tells the story of Liyen, a mortal, and the God of War Zhangwei. Liyen, the Lady of Tianxia is attempting to gain freedom from the immortals for her people, and wants to use the God of War to do so while hiding the thing the immortals want the most from them.
I was absolutely enchanted by this book from the start. I loved how cunning and wise Liyen was. I loved Zhangwei and how he interacted with Liyen. Everything about their dynamic was so much fun to me and I was just absolutely smitten the whole time. While they were by far my favorite part of this story, the actual plot was also so well done. As always I think Sue Lynn Tan does a phenomenal job at world building. While there are so many parts to the celestial kingdom, she makes sure that all the discussions surrounding them don’t drag. I was enchanted at the magic, and the different kingdoms in this world and loved the different directions this book took.
I think this worked great as a stand alone and I cannot wait to see what else Sue Lynn Tan writes as I will read every single thing she writes.

4.5 Stars 🌟


Thank you so much to Netgalley and HarperColllins for giving me an ARC of this amazing, beautiful and breathtaking book! Sue Lynn Tan knows how to write a beautiful romantasy that sweeps you in and won't let you go. I was captivated by the beautfully written world buidling and the amazing detail. Immortal is an amazing story between an mortal women and the God of War, and the have to come together to work against a common enemy. Let me tell you, this book had be going crazy with not one plot twist but like 3!! Immortal had me wanting more and I definitely got what I wanted. I would love to have more to their story but from the ending it tells me all that I needed to know and I loved it. You should preorder this amazing book that comes out January 7th.

Sue Lynn Tan's "Immortal" is truly a masterpiece! As my first experience with this author, I was amazed by her exceptional world-building, memorable characters, and poignant storytelling. Set in the Celestial Kingdom universe (Daughter of the Moon Goddess), this standalone novel captivated me from the very beginning.

The narrative centers on Liyen, the mortal heir to Tianxia, who is gradually succumbing to poison. When her kingdom faces an attack, her grandfather sacrifices himself to provide her with a cure—the Divine Pearl Lotus. Now the ruler of Tianxia, Liyen is resolute in her quest to end the mortals’ subjugation to the immortals. Her adventure leads her to the immortal realm, where she discovers perilous secrets and forges alliances, including an unexpected partnership with Zhangwei, the fearsome yet misunderstood God of War. Their witty exchanges are sharp, their chemistry is electric, and every interaction between them made me smile.

The story's twists left me breathless, and Liyen’s character development was truly inspiring. Zhangwei’s depth added significant richness, and the supporting characters brought this world to life. Although the pacing was somewhat inconsistent at times, it did not diminish my enthusiasm.

I am now a devoted fan of Sue Lynn Tan—what an incredible introduction to her work!

Gratitude to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

First of all, this book is going to be beautiful when it releases. I can't wait to get my hands on this deluxe limited addition. The story was really good. When her grandfather dies and she has to take the crown, she really has to grow up. It was very enjoyable and a great fantasy.

This is a beautiful standalone fantasy centered around Liyen, a mortal who is fighting for her people against the immortals who control their lives. Sue Lynn Tan has such a beautiful writing style and every book I read by her is absolutely amazing! If you haven't read her Celestial Kingdom duology, please go and do that! It's my second favorite duology and both books were absolutely stunning. She is one of my auto buy authors! I'm looking forward to going to the bookstore to get a physical copy of this book in the new year!

Thanks @netgalley, @avonbooks, and @harpervoyagerus for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first book by Sue Lynn Tan. I thought this book had a lot of promise and I did enjoy it quite a bit. The plot was unique and the plot twist I didn’t see coming. I thought the love story was very strong as well. I wish I connected a bit more with the characters themselves but I enjoyed the story as a whole. I’m excited to explore more of this world when I read daughter of the moon goddess as well!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the early arc 🫶🏼🫶🏼

DNF @10%

Unfortunately, I did not like the writing. I can't even explain what it was about it, but I actively disliked it and couldn't read any more. I can't say much to the story other than that it didn't captivate me enough to try to trudge on.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of this book. My thoughts are entirely my own.

4.5/5. Part one was a bit difficult for me to get into but once I got further into it I could not out it down. And while there were times I wanted to strangle Liyen, I grew to adore her and Zhangwei and their journey. Another great one from Sue Lynn Tan. Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the arc.

This delivered romance, action, political intrigue and war commentary all in one beautifully written book.

There's enough world building to make it a compelling story, and while it's set in the same universe of Sue Lynn Tan's previous books, it works on its own (I haven't read the other books, and didn't feel lost at all).

The slow burn romance is so sweet, and it's not the whole plot (which is why I'm reticent to call it romantasy). I'm also really glad it never became a love triangle.

The first act is a bit slow, and it felt somewhat repetitive, but it definitely picks up after the 30% mark.

Overall, this was an excellent book, and now I'm excited to dive into Sue Lynn Tan's other works.


*ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This will be the third book I have read by Sue Lynn Tan and it very much falls within her similar writing style. I felt the book was very slow to start and it took me a while to really connect with the characters. There was a lack of world building/development, and most of what I understood about the world was pulled from my readings of her other books set in the same world. However, about half way through the book there was a shift and I started to really feel connected and invested in the characters and their stories. The slow-burn romance and witty banter from the two main characters was done really well and my favorite moments were when they were talking back and forth to one another. There were also unexpected twists and mystery that were very enjoyable to slowly unwind and discover while reading. Though this book ended up probably not being one I would read again, I think this might be more due to the fact that I struggled to feel as invested in the characters as I would have wanted and though the book redeemed itself by the end, it just isn't one I would want to do a re-read on.

If you have liked her other books, I think you will really enjoy this book. It does have a lot of similar elements and writing style. The character banter and the surprise twists were enjoyable and helped keep me engaged.

Suggestions wise, I would recommend having further world building added to this book. Since it is not one that is marketed as an extension of her previous works, I would want to be able to dive into this book without knowledge of the world and understand more what is happening beyond the bubble the story takes place in. I also felt like there was a lack of character development in the main character, making it harder for me to connect with her and her story. The reason I ended up liking her in the end was after I saw her interact with others, especially the God of War.

I had a great time here! This is as close to wuxia as I’ve ever seen in a book, and I really like wuxia so it worked out well! I absolutely loved “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” and was worried that this wouldn’t live up to that - but I think it is actually better! Tan’s writing style has smoothed out, and the characters ended up with a lot of depth.

I finished this ARC (thanks netgalley) and immediately
pre-ordered it, which is as high a compliment as I can give!

I rarely fly through fantasy books the way I flew through Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan - it was captivating! I have to commend the author on their world-building; I was truly immersed in the world they created. I am very fond of the way the romance between our FL and ML was framed; although it was slower-paced, it felt realistic and made sense considering the nature of their relationship (which I won't spoil!), and I thought it was well thought-out and quite lovely! Zhangwei and Liyen were definitely characters that you root for, both individually and together.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC - it was a wonderful read!

WOW! My mind is blown.

This is my first Sue Lynn Tan book and it did not disappoint. The world building, the character development, the plot, the immersive storytelling!! All accumulates into a book that is truly *chef’s kiss.*

Her writing is just so stunning and I’m so excited to dive more into her books in 2025.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC!!

Immortal had stunning world-building, epic twists, and characters that felt so real and were very likeable. It started off a bit slow, but once you hit part 2 (30% in), it really picks up. Liyen shows amazing character growth, quickly becoming a badass FMC who’s fighting to protect her people while dealing with secrets, betrayals, and a super tense enemies-to-lovers dynamic with the God of War, Zhangwei. Their chemistry was great, and I couldn’t get enough of their interactions.

Sue Lynn Tan created such a vivid world with mortals, immortals, and the Nether realms all woven together perfectly. Every character brought something special to the story. If you’re into romantic fantasy with a good mix of action and heart, you’ll definitely enjoy this one!

Sue Lynn Tan's standalone adult fantasy did not disappoint! With rich characters, wonderful prose, and a descriptive narrative, this book is sure to delight fans of her Celestial Kingdom Duology. An absolute must read. Liyen is a strong protagonist who readers will empathize with as she becomes a formidable force, despite her tattered past.

Sue Lynn Tan has such a beautiful and captivating writing style that draws the reader in and Immortal is no exception! Liyen, the FMC, has a story twisted with secrets, betrayals, secret identities and so much more! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book and there is no shortage of shocking surprises.

The world building of the immortal, mortal, and the Nether realms are superb and there isn't a dull character in the book. Tan has crafted a masterpiece filled with lore, heart break, and finding one's self that will pull on anyone's heart strings and want more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the eARC!