Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy!

Wow - this was quite a read. Sometimes I struggle with fantasy reads if there's too much world building that I have to engage in. But that wasn't the case here - Tan does a beautiful job of weaving the world together, bringing you into the story. I really enjoyed being transported to a completely different world than my own.

Highly recommend!

There are lots of things I love about this book, and just one or two that I docked a star for.

I love that this is a standalone.
Love the ramped up romance - - some scenes were spicy (still closed door but more than what I've grown accustomed from the author).
Vivid descriptions of the food, the setting, etc
Side characters-- Chengyin, you are a cinnamon roll that must be protected at all cost
Enemies to lovers banter

What I wish it had
I wish we could've read more of L&Z's growing up together and not just as a flashback. I think it would've better suited the narrative.

There were also so many times that I wanted to throttle the two of them especially in part one. I even wrote, "didn't know" distrust trope" was a thing! It drove me crazy.

But all in all, a beautiful story, because Sue Lynn Tan is a master at what she does. I cannot wait for her next one!

This book was beautifully written. I loved how the author was able to create the release and emotion just with her words. There were many times I had to reread something because it was a sentence or paragraph that just needed to be appreciated.

The characters were well written. I enjoyed the journey that they took through the different realms. Also the journey the FMC took to discover who she was. While she may have been weak physically due to illness she was a strong woman who had to learn to be a leader to people who didn't want to see a woman rule.

I also enjoyed the romance part of this book. The idea of how strong love is was woven throughout this book. It wasn't just romantic love either. The way the love of family can shape a person.

I recommend this book especially if you are looking for a standalone fantasy. I will definitely be picking up other books by this author to read!

Hi there! Big thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for sending me this ARC! Unfortunately, I did have to soft DNF this read. Even after multiple attempts, I was just unable to connect with this story. Will try again at a later date, as I did love Daughter of the moon goddess!

Thank you for providing me an ARC of this story. Those familiar with Tan's other books will immediately recognize her fondness for introspective characters who fully explain their thoughts and the range of emotions that are produced by such thoughts. Throughout the events of the book, our main characters thoughts and motivations are central to the story. I have mixed feelings about this style of writing. On the one hand, it provides us with a strong narrative voice and it forces readers to interpret what is happening through the main character's unique emotional lens. This makes the book compelling and provides emotional depth. Conversely, a danger in having such emotionally realized characters is there is often repetition on the page that bogs the forward progression down a little bit. This is the issue I occasionally had with this book, but I could be the only one. Overall, the world was very lush. The characters were interesting and had depth. The twists provided intrigue and fantasy and romance fans will definitely enjoy this book.

At the beginning of the book I was very confused and a bit lost. I wanted to fall in love with the book right away, but it took me until 3/4 of the book before I really started to enjoy it. I think it was more of a me issue than the book because fantasy is not a genre I read a lot about.

That being said there were lots of twists and turns that you do not expect. So that will keep you on your toes. The description of the worlds were almost as if you could visualize them and see what they were writing.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. Sue Lynn Tan is always a joy to read. Wrapped in the same gorgeous backdrop as her previous duology, this standalone novel focuses on the God of War, the heiress of Tianxia, and a fight between the realms. Shrouded in mysteries and twists, “Immortal” is romantically charged from the start. Zhangwei is in her business from the jump and unapologetic about it. Kudos.

My main hold-out with this novel is the pacing. This work is incredibly fast-paced and epic, spanning multiple realms and revelations in the matter of days. Based on the main twist the reader discovers about 80% into this novel, I found this all the more surprising. I wound up enjoying it but readers may feel disjointed for large swaths of the narrative. If you’re able to stick it out to the end, it’s all the more rewarding.

This book once again delivers a very magical and whimsical atmosphere. Sue Lynn Tan has always had one of my favourite writing styles: it's immersive, magical and very detailed.
The characters are also quite realistic and emotional, their feelings resonate with the reader. Liyen's confront with the Gods was super interesting and thrilling, keeping you glued to the pages.

I will eat up literally anything Sue Lynn Tan writes. Her descriptive narrative is absolutely untouched

I really enjoyed reading the daughter of the moon goddess and I was so happy to be able to read the prequel book. And it was amazing! The world building was just as good as the first book in the previous series!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This is my second chance with Sue Lyn Tan. I was not a fan of Daughter of the Moon Goddess but the premise of Immortal was very interesting and I couldn't resist. I'm glad I picked it up. The story is very beautiful and I adore the characters so much. I think the pacing a bit slow at times but overall, this is a very fun read.

Sue Lynn Tan is one of my absolute favorite authors. I recommend Daughter of the Moon Goddess rather forcefully to most people I know, because it is truly a work of art. Immortal takes place in the same world, but a different realm and with new characters and settings.

It was nearly as good as her others- it still had the same magic to it and I will always love reading Sue Lynn Tan’s stunning prose. For some reason, though, I didn’t *quite* connect as much with the romance in this one, and at times it felt both too rushed and too slow.

Overall, however, I still highly recommend this standalone. Particularly if you’ve read Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but it can be read as a complete standalone and enjoyed just as much.

Thank you to Harper Voyager for the e-arc!

Set in Sue Lynn Tan's world of the Celestial Kingdom, Immortal is a standalone entry in the midst of the secluded-by-mandate country of Tianxia's invasion by spooky enemies who Should Not Be Here and the Immortals who expect so much but give little in return. We meet Liyue, heir to lead, a woman cursed by a special poison, and the War God Zhangwei, who immediately seems to take to her...

Initially I had a lot of questions and issues here so imagine my surprise when a lot of those questions/issues were actually answered... about 70% into this ~450 page book but I was already so not into the problems I personally had that by the time they were worked out/revealed the book still left me sort of skittishly turning pages like 'Oh boy, I'm not sure about this....' (The one remaining thing was how very biased and presumptive Liyue's mind was toward all Immortals but then how immediately she was like, 'oh, maybe only SOME of them are bad' re: the Wuxia people... aka the people who literally fed off bad vibes and misery and were a generations old enemy to both Tianxia and the Immortal Realm, but never had this regard for the normal Immortal folks up there that had nothing to do with Tianxia's seclusion? Okay.

But! I can see how folks would be into this gritted-teeth Lady arguing with no clout to get what's hers, to make her way into doing what's right with nothing but that determination and the tall dark and handsome Immortal that is into her from the get.... even if it's not my particular cup of tea. I also appreciated the couple of queer characters that were presented like it was a normal part of this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for review!

Once again, Sue Lynn Tan paints an absolute masterpiece of a book. I absolutely did not see the plot twists coming. I devoured this book so fast because I just HAD to see how it would all end.

Unfortunately, Sue Lynn Tan's Immortal is a read that will not stick out for me. There were definitely high points in this fantasy, but at times the book came to a lull. I found it difficult to become engaged with the book at multiple moments throughout. There wasn't really anything in that book that hooked me.
There were parts that I did enjoy! I think this book will work for other people, but it just didn't work for me. I did not DNF, and I do willingly DNF, so there were redeeming qualities. I enjoyed the universe a lot, and reading this book has convinced me that I should give Daughter of the Moon Goddess a try!
I listened to this book as an audiobook, and I did enjoy the narration.
Thank you HarperAudio Adult and Netgalley for the ARC!

I loved the Celestial Kingdom duology and was so sad when I didn't love this one as much.

The world building is fantastic and the prose is beautiful as expected of a Sue Lynn Tan book. There was something about the characters that I didn't feel as attached to as I did with Daughter of the Moon Goddess but we did get less time. I think I didn't feel the stakes the way I did with DOTMG and I think the romance itself needed time to simmer a little longer which is harder in a standalone.

This felt so comforting, particularly because it reminded me of the c-dramas that I have enjoyed so much. Such love story-telling. I will definitely be reading more by Tan!

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan is a standalone romantic fantasy set in the enchanting universe of Daughter of the Moon Goddess. The story centers on Liyen, heir to the kingdom of Tianxia, who survives a poisoning thanks to her grandfather’s daring theft of an enchanted lotus. This act enrages the immortal queen, prompting the formidable God of War to launch an attack on Tianxia. Following her grandfather’s death, Liyen ascends the throne with a resolve to end her kingdom’s subservience to the immortals. Venturing into the Immortal Realm, she seeks to uncover their secrets and forms an unexpected alliance with the very God of War she was taught to fear. As their partnership deepens, so does a forbidden attraction, challenging Liyen to balance her duty with her heart’s desires.

MUST READ for:
🗡️ Enemies-to-lovers dynamic
🌸 Richly woven elements of Chinese mythology
👑 Liyen’s transformation from a vulnerable heir to a formidable ruler

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All opinions are my own. 😊

Sue Lynn Tan is one of, if not the best, romance writers in the industry! Her prose, her stories, her characters do not disappoint. I always get lost in her stories and cannot wait for her next adventure!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the e-ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars, rounded up

TW: death, grief, loss, violence

I have had the pleasure of ARC reading all of Sue Lynn Tan’s books and I have been so grateful for each opportunity. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors with dependable storylines that wrench at the heart and create vivid imagery. Each of her books play like a beautiful show and my mind and I’ll never give up hope that one day we will get a Chinese xianxia adaption (a girl can dream!). While this book is a true standalone and does not need to be read in with her Celestial Kingdom duology, I kind of want there to be more. I’m actually hopeful there may be, at least indirectly, since this is in the same world as her previous and the world she created is lush with both mortals and immortals with a stark presence. If you’re hoping for character callbacks to her duology, I am sad to report you will not be given a single crumb, not a morsel. That’s okay, this is another unique story that features Zhangwei, a mortal young woman who lives and is the heir to Tianxia. A mortal realm that is secluded and tasked with holding the line between the mortal and immortal worlds serving as guardians for The Golden Desert.

From the opening tragedy we are struck with calamity and have to watch our protagonist, Zhangwei, struggle with her burden of responsibility and the ever looming presence of the infamous God of War. To be quite Frank, I loved Part I of this book, it opened with a bang, presenting the mortal and immortal machinations, and providing a hint of context and lore. Unfortunately, Part II lacked a bit of excitement and was led by romance, but in a manner that felt more sluggish than enticing. Lastly, Part III had all the makings of being dynamic, but I felt that Tan was not daring enough and the story lacked impact. There were obviously many elements that I loved about the story, and how it presented love, both familial, platonic, and romantic. The tough choices people have to make and what we are willing to betray, give up, to accomplish and protect those we deem worthy of saving. Zhangwei was not my favorite protagonist, she didn’t annoy me per say, but her growth was heavily limited to one pivotal moment. So did she really grow..ehhh, it’s debatable. The God of War took a bit of a backseat role, in regards to his agency, we primarily viewed him through the lens of a potential love interest. I would’ve loved to see him more as the strong general he is separate from Zhangwei, and more on his struggle with his title as he can find it to be in conflict with his beliefs and how he wants to present.

This book does feature a storytelling amount, which I adore, but alas it’s a spoiler so I can’t say more. I can say that the ending was very disappointing to me and I am someone who is rather critical of endings. Perhaps it’s because I feel like so many authors don’t stick the landing and don’t spend enough time cultivating and nourishing it as they do other elements in the story. The cast was relatively contained, in reference to whom truly were acquainted with, but the prevalent side characters added much needed emotional range to the storyline. Now, jumping back to this book being a standalone. It is. Truly, it is. However —- maybe a potential spoiler — the ending felt a bit open ended. She could come back to these characters if she wants to, and I hope she does so directly, not indirectly via a reference or appearance in another book.

If you’re a Sue Lynn Tan fan, then, you probably will get something out of this book. If you’re reading her work for the first time, read Daughter of the Moon Goddess first. Immortal definitely had improvement with the writing and the beginning was crafted a little sharper, pulling you in quicker, but the overall story was more compelling and dynamic in Daughter of the Moon Goddess, and the Celestial Kingdom duology + novella (some people don’t know there’s a novella!!!!). I think for her to have accomplished everything she wanted to with this story she needed a couple extra hundred pages or so. Still good, still fun, but not great and definitely falls a little flat in comparison to its predecessor.