I loved this novel as much as I enjoyed reading the "Daughter of the Moon Goddess" series. The characters were great, I loved this world and not to mention the beautiful cover.
I highly recommend checking this one out!

This was a fun read!

Sue Lynn Tan's writing always immediately pulls me in, though just like with the Celestial Kingdom, I find that her way of writing always leaves me feeling like I missed something. I definitely see rereads for this in my future!

The beginning and ending were beautifully written and so engrossing, though I admit my interest waned a little in the middle with all the conflicts, but the ending pulled me right back in.

Also, this cover is gorgeous.

An absolutely adorable story. SLT delivers once again. I loved the celestial kingdoms duology and I loved this too. It was a bit predictable and could have some scenes mentioned beforehand before setting up a big reveal that I was already expecting. Otherwise, it was really great and I had a fun time with it

4.5 Stars

Sue Lynn Tan could write chicken scratch on a post it note and I would still read it.

Immortal is absolutely stunning! We return to the brilliantly crafted universe of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, meeting brand new characters and exploring another Celestial Kingdom.

When Liyen’s grandfather dies after saving her life, she finds herself having to cling on tight to her throne. In a court of vipers looking for any weakness, she has to remain strong, all while searching for a way to sever her kingdom from the immortals they’re bound to serve. When summoned to the Immortal Realm, she believes this to be a perfect opportunity to search for clues and put her plan into place!

Entering a strained alliance with the God of War, who seems to act like he knows her, Liyen has to guard both herself and the divine lotus from his unknown plans. As enemies close in and she finds her heart drawing closer and closer to him, she must find a way to save her people and avenge her grandfather, even it means her life and her heart are at stake.

With an ambitious protagonist and a love interest who definitely fell first, Immortal is a fantastic, spellbinding read! Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for sending me an advanced copy! Immortal is set to appear on shelves on Jan 7, so keep your eyes peeled and your wallets ready!

Immortal is my first experience with Sue Lynn Tan, and I was absolutely blown away. I fell in love with this book the moment I saw it on Netgalley; the cover had entranced me, the premise was exactly what I love in a book, and Sue Lynn Tan absolutely delivered on all fronts. I will be diving into her other books and will officially read anything she writes because I am in love.

To push immediately into what I loved about this book, enough so that it not only is an immediate five star for me but is officially entering my all-time favorite shelf on Goodreads - 我的一切‎, including being top 3 of the best books I've read this year, I'll start with the romance. It came off as insta-love from the male lead, Zhangwei. The swiftness was there, but it was subtle. Focusing a lot of the emotional development of Liyen. It was introduced rather early, but it developed at a pace that didn't feel rushed or unrealistic.

The banter between not only Liyen and Zhangwei, but also all other characters in the book from Chengyin, Aunt Shou, to other immortals and deities we meet. It was fun, light, hilarious, and easy to read. The bonds between characters were beautiful. I will say, I do wish we had more development on the side characters like Chengyin, but we did get a lot for Aunt Shou, and there was a beautiful focus on realizing there are always 2 sides to a story, 2 sides of a war. Shedding your beliefs against one side to listen to their story and recognize that neither side was all-good is such an important lesson. Not every story has a hero and a villain. Sometimes it has two heroes, both misunderstood, or two villains chasing different yet colliding goals. It was a premise focused on heavily in this book that was very well executed.

This book is as heavy on politics as it is romance. While it IS a romance novel, politics and war play a vital part in this book, as well as the emotional and mental development of Liyen. I would still recommend this book to anyone who may not be attuned or interested in political fantasy, because the romance balances it out.

The PLOT TWISTS!!!!!! I was not expecting ANY of them!!! They had completely caught me off guard, and yet they were woven into the story so perfectly. Through the smallest details, the most intimate situations, everything was being built throughout the book that was entirely unexpected when it came to light at the end. It was so incredibly done, I wept. I fell in love with this world, with these characters, and the plot twist only deepened that, as well as opened up my eyes to everything I had read prior. I genuinely did not expect any of the twists, which made this so much more enjoyable.

I feel like it is so rare to read a book where the plot twists are completely inconceivable throughout the book, and when they all not only get revealed, but make so much sense and tie so many minor things in the story you hardly recalled together into a beautifully woven story of love, politics, and strength. Sue Lynn Tan executed this to absolute perfection. I feel nothing was left unanswered, nothing was cringe or too unrealistic (ironic, considering it is fantasy), and it left me only wishing it never ended.

I have one complaint about this book, but it is so minute and quickly over before it really even starts. The start was slow. It was a bit of a slog to get through roughly the first ~2-4 chapters, but once it started picking up around 10% in, I couldn't put it down. The writing style can make the beginning feel much slower than it actually is, which I feel may have been what caused the beginning to drag for me a little. But as we got to know Liyen and Zhangwei more, I completely disregarded the slowness of the start.

Beautiful book, beautiful story, beautiful cover, immaculate execution. I will remember this book for many, many years to come. There are not enough stars on this app or in the sky to give this book in this rating to express how deeply I love it. I wish that I could read this book all over again for the first time so that I could cry and feel the way I did all over again. 10/5 stars.

My review can also be found on Goodreads through the link provided. It is a bit more fleshed out while also keeping it spoiler free and highlighting parts of the book that had grasped my heart fully.

DNF @ 10%

I know, I know I barely read anything but I genuinely do not think the writing is for me, which is something I usually do NOT focus on but I just can't I'm sorry😭 I just could not feel any shred of interest in this story from what I read--which could be because of the writing not being my thing--but I did skim a little ahead to see if any twist/scene would change my mind on this... and yeah I didn't find anything that would renew my interest in this book. This makes me sad because the covers are absolutely just stunning?? And its supposedly going to be a book box pick for a sub I have which I just know will be gorgeous, but also I'm not so far gone (yet) to be buying pretty books I know I won't love (also it lets me save some money). Unfortunately, this just doesn't look like it's for me.


Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to give myself time since finishing Immortal to review it, thinking that with some time I could put into words how I felt about the book.

Sue Lynn Tan has become one of my favorite authors after she published Daughter of the Moon Goddess series. Immortal definitely is her work. However, this standalone romantic fantasy just didn't connect for me. Immortal follows the story of the FMC who must ascend the throne of a kingdom sworn to serve the immortal goddess queen. The FMC is brought up to the Immortal Realm by the God of War, and their lives unfold entwined with one another. This story hits the following tropes: enemies to lovers, chosen one-ish, political intrigue, fated lovers, forbidden love, found family, with a dash of miscommunication.

The MC's romantic relationship felt forced, and not in the good "forced proximity" type of way. Yes, the relationship is partially rationalized later on in the book, but the beginnings did not feel organic and natural at all. No spark or chemistry between the two. If the relationship wasn't pushed in the beginning as much or had better dynamics, I think I may have enjoyed this book more than I did. It may even have been perfectly fine without the romantic aspect.

Sue Lynn Tan does very well with her imagery and further developing the immortal realms that she created in The Celestial Kingdom Series. You could also say that I am a sucker for retellings of Chinese mythology. Though I was not the biggest fan, I think many others will enjoy Immortal.

Thank you Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager, and the author for this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

I will be posting to Instagram, Goodreads, and Storygraph.

“Dawn would be dark without you.”

I fear I am down bad for the god of war.

What I liked:

This book is so romantic, and just lovely. I love the worlds that Sue Lynn Tan writes. The world building is easily understandable. I felt so immersed in this world while reading that it consumed a lot of my thoughts when I had to put it down.

The characters are so layered, and complicated. The character development is so well done, I’ll be thinking about these characters for a while.

The plot moves along at a good pace. There is a lot going on in this book, and it kept me wanting to turn the pages.

Sue Lynn Tan’s Immortal is an epic fantasy packed with gods, kingdoms, and betrayal. Liyen’s journey as the heir to Tianxia is full of political drama, forbidden romance, and high stakes battles, all set against a richly built world steeped in mythology.

While the writing is undeniably beautiful, it leaned too lyrical for my taste, occasionally bogging down the story with overly elaborate descriptions. The pacing also felt off at times, with some sections dragging in the middle.

The romance between Liyen and the God of War had its moments, but it didn’t fully click for me, so it felt more tropey than authentic in the end.

Still, if you’re into slow burn celestial romances and intricate political intrigue, this one might be your jam. For me, it was an okay read. Solid in some places but missing the spark to make it truly memorable.

Fans of Asian mythology inspired fantasy will probably love it more than I did.

What a wonderful read!

I was so incredibly ready to come back to this world and I am not disappointed. It was well worth the wait. The world building and the characters are chef's kiss. Sue Lynn Tan has such a way with words and it makes me come back for more every single time. The way I squealed and almost cried when I got approved for this ARC was inhuman... Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. It was world changing😭❤️

Sue Lynn Tan has done it once again. This is her fourth book that I've read, and each one has been beautifully written and crafted to tell a story about romance and history.

I've long searched for books that aligned with my own cultural background, to explore the myths and legends told to me when I was younger but books like this did not yet exist. As an adult, getting to read these stories is like a homecoming.

The author does a wonderful job creating a world that is familiar and yet new all at once. Her writing is incredibly atmospheric and you feel pulled into the story immediately. Watching the main character's story unfold was also thrilling. She is bold and noble and fierce, and watching her history unravel to reveal a mysterious past was extra exciting as someone who dies for reincarnation and lost loves. I don't know if I'm sad or grateful that this book is a standalone as it was wrapped up well by the end, but I also want more from the main characters and their romance.

I LOOVEEEDDD this!!

We've got two beautiful worlds--one of the mortals and one of the immortals. We've got betrayal. We've got banter. We've got sass. And it's so beautifully written, I couldn't put it down!

I really love Liyen and her entire character arc. She really goes through it in this one between illness, loss, betrayal, and being forced to rule Tianxia far earlier than she expected with no real guidance. She's emotional and strong at the same time, and doesn't let anyone bring her down or fight against her for long. I honestly want to be her when I grow up. Plus, she's super sassy and has an attitude problem (rightfully so), and that is my personal brand. Obviously, no notes.

The world building is so nice too! This takes place in the same world as Tan's other series, but you can read it as a standalone without feeling lost. There's beautiful descriptions of the worlds and characters without feeling like there's an information dump and you truly get to experience the worlds. I want art of every single one of these places done by a million different artists.

My only complaint is that I want a million more books like this and in this world. At LEAST a million. I will read anything and everything by this author until the dawn of time, including a grocery list if I'm being honest.

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan is a standalone Romantasy taking place in the Immortal realm but not in the Celestial Kingdom from Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I think those who have extremely high expectations from Sue Lynn Tan's previous books should do their best to keep them in check. My expectations were relatively low since I did not love the Heart of the Sun Warrior and I ended up enjoying Immortal. Also there are no cameos other than mentions of the Celestial Emperor which didn’t really count.

Plot: When Liyen becomes the ruler of Tanxia she gets an opportunity to journey to the Immortal realm and swear her loyalty to the Queen of the Golden Desert. While she is there Liyen intends to find information to free her kingdom and exploit any weakness the Immortals have. During her stay she and the God of War start to grow close despite Liyens efforts to hate Immortals.

Characters:
Liyen - the lady (ruler) of Tianxia after her grandpa dies. She is a very selfless/caring leader who values her people. Although she is extremely prejudiced against immortal people there are good reasons for her too. Overall I thought she was a good main protagonist with realistic flaws

Zhangwei - The “cold” god of war who is actually super nice and caring. Very typical love interest who is also kinda overprotective so if that's your thing you'll like him. Did I mention he is tall 😐

The main issue I had with the book was with the pacing. I found the beginning to be a bit slow since it was mostly just romance and no plot (I know it’s romantasy but the plot/romance balance was just off). Around 40% the plot started to pick up and really pulled me in. If you are thinking of DNFing early in the book, I would wait until at least getting halfway through, because you might like the second half. Personally I thought the ending could have been better but there were many things I did enjoy about this book. Some things I loved were Sue Lynn Tan's writing and the character development of Liyen. She writes the most beautiful descriptions and created so many highlight-worthy sentences. (I might add some of my favorite quotes after the book comes out). The prejudice and innate bias against the Immortals is wonderfully written and it was nice to see Liyen change her perspective and realize that she shouldn’t judge those she truly doesn't know. Anyone who loves Asian myths/setting, romance, and good characters should consider reading Immortal.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing this ARC

I really enjoyed this book! The world-building was stunning, and the way it drew from Chinese mythology made it feel so rich and immersive. The writing is beautiful but also easy to follow, which made it a quick and satisfying read for me.

Liyen is such a great protagonist. She’s stubborn and flawed, but that just made her feel so real. I loved seeing her grow from someone unsure of her place into a confident leader willing to risk everything for her people. She faces impossible decisions and challenges, and she never backs down when it counts.

The dynamic between her and the God of War had me hooked. The tension, mistrust, and slow-burning attraction between them were so well done—it had me rooting for them despite all the obstacles in their way.

What I really appreciated was how this story managed to feel complete as a standalone but left me wanting more. The different realms were so vivid, and I’d love to see more stories set in this world.

If you love enemies-to-lovers, high stakes, and fantasy grounded in mythology, this book is absolutely worth picking up. It’s one I’ll definitely be thinking about for a while!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Really loved this one! My only reason for giving it 4 stars was the beginning. It should’ve talked more about her beginning and her life to make it believable and start out with more rooting for the character. It jumped right into her being strong and as if she can conquer anything at all after one sentence about her being weak. It made it hard to believe she was capable of everything. The lotus healed her but why should we believe she is now a warrior?

Tentative 3.75 Stars

I am unfortunately not entirely sure how to feel about this book -- I liked the world-building and the extension of the world introduced in the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology (especially with the primary setting being in the mortal kingdoms, rather than the immortal world), but unfortunately for a lot of the book the romance fell short and the pacing was a bit off to me. While the reveal at around 70% helped things make a lot more sense and caused the relationship to start to grow on me, I still was not wholely invested by the end (though I did like the god of war as a character!). I'm also very glad this subverted the typical hundreds-of-years-old immortal man falling in love with a super young mortal trope because that is literally the worst and we need to eliminate it immediately!

I would recommend this if you enjoyed Daughter of the Moon Goddess (though you definitely don't have to read it first to understand this!) or are looking for a standalone fantasy!

A spellbinding standalone romantasy with excellent world building, great and complex characters, and a slow-burn enemies to lovers romance. The action scenes, political intrigue, and unexpected twists kept the pages turning. I appreciated that the world building stands on its own so that readers who haven't read the previous books in Tan's Celestial Kingdom can just dive right in and read it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an advanced reader's copy of the book.

Wavering between 2 and 2.5 stars.

While not the worst book I’ve read this year, this was a very disappointing read. I loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess (even if the second in the duology let me down a bit), so I was excited to return to Tam’s writing.
However, I felt like this book had none of the lush, magical writing of her previous books.

The characters felt like stiff stereotypes - the plucky young royal, the hot but outwardly cruel warrior. It was supposed to tell this grand love story, but I couldn’t care less about the their story. The dialogue felt so cringey and awkward, and the plot felt all over the place. The book was split into 3 parts and it almost felt like 3 different stories. There was a lot of story exposition in the form of dialogue (just characters telling each other what happened), which I generally get annoyed with when it’s overused.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Liyen, the young mortal queen of Tiaxia, must learn to navigate politics of the immortal gods after the death of her grandfather...even if it means choosing between her people and her heart.

Tan is the indisputed queen of romantic fantasy drawn from Asian legends, and she's done it again her. Her description of the scenery, the food, the clothing, is incredibly masterful. But I admit, tthe Winged Devils will haunt my nightmares. I also loved the way the side characters pop - Liyen's childhood friends Chengyin is a scene stealer. I also really appreciated the dynamic of the ttwo romantic leads - Liyen may be a mortal, but she has plenty to teach the God of War, Zhangwei.

I would recommend, particularly for those interested in Asian mythology.

From start to finish, this book was incredibly vivid, from the setting to the characters to the plot. I was enthralled from the beginning and absolutely ate this up. I loved each character's progression and reveals throughout, and really enjoyed the twists that this took. Sue Lynn Tan has definitely proven herself as an auto-buy author for me, and I can't wait to see what she gives us next.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.