Immortal follow Liyen who is forced to rule a kingdom held hostage by the gods above after her grandfather dies. In order to be accepted as the new ruler, she must swear loyalty to one of the Queens of the Immortal Realm but she wishes nothing more than freedom for her kingdom. Stuck in between the will of the gods, whats best for her kingdom and her own desires and dreams, Liyen has to stay true to her own values.

This is my first book by Sue Lynn Tan so I can't say much about Immortal in relation to her other works. This was beautiful. The world built was amazing and every scene described was truly beautiful. The plot was so much fun to follow along. There were so many twists that really worked with and enhanced the overall story so well. Liyen's character was so strong and probably my favorite part of the entire book. Her values are so important to her and she stays loyal to them throughout the novel.

There were aspects of the story and the characters that, at the time, made little sense but as plot twists and new information was revealed, these oddities made so much sense. It was satisfying for these things to be answered in a very logical way.

4.5/5

Thank you Harper voyager and NetGalley.
I really enjoyed this romantasy. The world was beautiful and well thought out
Liyen found her own way through challenges and stayed true to herself. I loved her passion for all people, even her enemies.
There were great twists that I did not see coming and a few I did which made the pacing feel right.
Fantasy readers who don’t enjoy explicit spicy scenes will really like this book.

I had loved Sue Lynn Tan's "Daughter of the Moon Goddess" duology so eagerly accepted the opportunity to get an early read of her upcoming novel. "Immortal" is set within the same universe as her earlier works, but instead focuses on the story of Liyen of the kingdom of Tianxia, a young woman who's forced to take on the leadership of her kingdom after the unexpected passing of her grandfather. Tianxia is in a difficult political situation, having previously sworn allegiance to the Immortal Kingdom in an earlier battle with the Wuxin, but has yet to be released. Liyen's own situation is even more complicated as her grandfather gives her the Divine Pearl Lotus just before his passing, a gift of love to restore Liyen's physical condition, but also one that risks the wrath of the Immortal Queen.

Liyen's new role means she's forced to work with the God of War, a fearful immortal known as Zhangwei. Despite Liyen's initial dislike of him, she grudgingly comes to see him as more than just a violent, fearful being, especially when she's summoned to the Immortal Kingdom to take on her grandfather's duties. As Liyen gets pulled in deeper, she's forced to confront the truth of her own background as well as the underlying factors causing the increasing presence of the Wuxin, an old enemy that was banished years earlier.

While "romantasy" is not a genre I read much of, I've come to appreciate how Chinese mythology has been woven into Tan's writing (and many other AAPI authors) so was easily pulled in after just a few chapters. In Liyen, we have a strong, stubborn, and admittedly flawed protagonist who's forced into a role she was not prepared for and responsibilities that are far heavier than she could have imagined. The world-building is beautifully done, however, with some reference to Tan's earlier universe of the Celestial Kingdom, and the cast of characters around Liyen are also well fleshed out. I also enjoyed the balance of action/adventure (the swordfighting and magic scenes were so engaging), character/backstory development, as well as romance.

Very much a recommended read for when "Immortal" is published in January 2025!

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers, NetGalley, and Sue Lynn Tan, for the ARC e-copy!

Sue Lynn Tan’s writing is poetic, charming, a cadence. Gods, monsters, and mortals mix in the newest of her novels, a book that doesn’t disappoint. Set in the same world as her acclaimed Daughter of the Moon Goddess series, it carries the same charm and enchanting magic, if not an identical cast of characters.
That said, I’ll get into why I gave it four rather than five stars:
This book was pitch-perfect, but the pacing was erratic. In Sue Lynn Tan’s earlier works, the rhythm remained steady, the plot flowing like water to carry the characters along. Unfortunately, this time it seemed rushed, a feat, considering the length of the book.
The female main character got on my nerves, but I feel like that was due to her inconsistent personality. It is difficult to inject realistic emotional depth into a book, to make the readers—such as I—care attentively about the characters we follow. I didn’t really care about Liyen, who attempted to be strong, but fell short and just became burdensome. She, herself, didn’t hardly make a difference to me.
The God of War, on the other hand, was respectable and diplomatic, and actually seemed to have a moral code established. The scenes he was in were easier to read than any others.
All of this said, I don’t regret reading it. Remember, I still gave it four stars. I had a good time. But I feel like people need to be warned that this doesn’t quite live up to the admittedly high standard Daughter of the Moon Goddess set.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sue Lynn Tan, and the publisher for allowing me access to the e-Arc.

Omg, this was incredible! It was so beautifully written. The romance between Liyen and the God of war was breathtaking and heartbreaking. It hooked me from the start. I cannot recommend this book enough. I loved the Celestial Kingdom series but this was even better than that! I will read anything Sue Lynn Tan works!

I highly recommend it!

✨Found family
✨Forbidden magic
✨Enemies to lovers
✨Who did this to you?
✨Standalone romance fantasy

4.5 stars ⭐️

Immortal is a standalone romantic fantasy that follows Liyen, a girl who is determined to protect her kingdom, and Zhangwei, the mysterious god of war.

I really enjoyed this story! There is great world-building, interesting character development, high stakes, and unexpected twists. There were times when I didn’t understand the behavior of some characters, but as the story developed, their actions made more sense to me. I like when a book surprises me, and I was surprised several times.

After reading so many series, it was refreshing to experience a story that wraps up in one book. I found the ending satisfying, but I would have loved an epilogue as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Overall it was a good book. Unfortunately, I found it to be overly descriptive on some nonessential scenes but rushed on important details. Jumping through without clarification on important history details.

I really struggled to connect with this. There just wasn't anything that made it stand out for me.

If you enjoy immortals type romantic fantasy then you'll probably enjoy this. It's not super deep, but it is melodramatic and offers some fun twists.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sue Lynn Tan is one of my favorite authors so I’m so grateful I got to read this! If you loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess or any of Sue Lynn’s books you will absolutely adore this book. If you read and loved this you need to go read her series!

The writing and pacing of the plot in this standalone was perfect! I always adore her writing style and the magical world she has created, so I loved being back in it for another book.

I was hooked from the beginning of this book and was trying to figure out where it was going to go, instead I wasn’t able to put it down till I finished it. Different mysteries and plot twists had me on the edge of my seat and feigning sleep to find out more alongside our MFC.

This book is filled with love (romantically and platonically), adventure, and as with all of Sue Lynn’s books and incredible strong female character (which I adore). I highly highly recommend this book and will be buying it when it comes out!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sue Lynn Tan is quickly becoming an instant-buy author for me. She truly crafts magic in her stories. I absolutely adore her lyrical writing, as well as her well thought out characters, and engaging plot. That goes for both this standalone novel, as well as her Celestial Kingdoms duology. Immortal weaves together so many elements that many readers will love. The romance was brilliant (if you know you know!) and I absolutely loved the message that the love of many (familial, romantic, platonic) can embolden rather than weight you down.

This will certainly be popular amongst fans of Romantic Fantasy. The romance plot was 10/10 and while was a main plot thread, it didn't feel overwhelming at all. It was woven so well into the actual story, that even when the main focus was not on the romance, I was not bored at all like I sometimes find myself being with other romance heavy fantasy books. Tan writes her female characters so well. Reading Liyen's character arc is so satisfying. She was an easy character to root for, and I loved reading her story. I truly hope that Sue Lynn Tan will continue writing in this world, I love being able to explore more of it! I highly recommend this wonderful book - everyone grab this in January!

Lovely things:
- amazing romance (enemies to lovers)
- wonderful found family moments
- tension/ angst/ banter!!!!!
- great plot progression
- strong FMC
- magical and meaningful
- standalone!

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

I absolutely loved this book! It was my first Sue Lynn Tan book, but I will definitely be reading her Daughter of the Moon Goddess book/series in the future. It is clear that Tan has a way with words & Immortal contained some of the best tension between the fmc & mmc, feet-kicking giggling, & jaw-dropping moments.

I will say that this book started off as a strong 5 star read for me. I was immediately immersed in the world, & loved the God of War & Liyan’s dynamic. There were so many twists & turns that I did not expect at all! The romance was great, I just wanted a little more (but that might just be the romance lover in me)
However, as I kept reading I felt overwhelmed with so much information, flashbacks, & history of the realms. I do read the fantasy genre often but I just felt as though there was too much information packed in too few chapters. ( I felt like she was traversing all over the realms & meeting all these powerful people & I couldn’t keep up for some reason lol)
I do think some parts dragged on a tad.

Immortal is most definitely worth the read. It is so beautifully written!!

First of all, Daughter of the Moon Goddess has been on my TBR ever since I bought it at Barnes and Noble two years ago from a cute bookseller. It’s just, you know, it’s easier to read books you don’t own yet than to read the ones actually on your shelf? So Immortal was my first introduction to Tan’s Celestial Kingdom, and I’m very glad that this standalone novel didn’t actually require me to understand what came before. This book was long but gorgeous, and I found it hard to put it down once I got into it.

Liyen is the heir to the throne of Tianxia, mostly kept hidden from the public because she’s never been physically strong. When her grandfather dies after saving her life, she’s thrust into a role that she feels unprepared for: ruling Tianxia, navigating tricky court politics, and trying to negotiate with the Queen of the Golden Desert for her kingdom’s freedom. And why is the handsome God of War being so nice to her when all he wants is the very Divine Pearl Lotus that she’s trying to keep hidden?

I feel like you’re probably supposed to want an adaptation of the series rather than the standalone, but Immortal was so beautiful that I specifically want this one made?

This world was beautiful. Liyen is a human caught between the gods and the monsters, trying to keep her people safe from those who kill without a thought. The Golden Desert is a place of beauty where the immortals live without fear of hunger or death. The Netherworld is a place of despair where spirits feed off the deathly Wangchuan River. The duology seems to be about the Celestial Kingdom, and I can’t imagine what riches are there that can’t be found in the Golden Desert.

Halfway through this book I started fancasting it. But basically the only wuxia/xianxia that I’ve seen are BL, so I am just imagining Wen Kexing as the God of War. Beautiful, would definitely kill (for) you.

This romantasy was just very beautiful, and I loved the slow-burn as Liyen fell in love and learned to trust Zhangwei. I expected this to be a book about a human falling in love with a god, but it was so much more. Liyen loves her people, and her journey to becoming a worthy leader was satisfying to read. As far as the romance story goes, I would have been happy with a mysterious but romantic ending, but Tan gave us an HEA to melt your heart.

The deluxe edition of the hardback book has sprayed edges, so I guess that will be the one to order!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the e-ARC. This is another book that I will be preordering (as soon as we’re in a new credit card billing cycle).

Big thanks to NetGalley for this eARC!!

This book Immortal was beautifully written! Sue Lynn Tan crafted a world of beauty, romance, heartbreak, politics, and magic. Even as a standalone novel, this book left me wanting more. The twists throughout the story had me sitting at the edge of my seat, the romance had me kicking my feet and giggling like a school girl, and the action was breathtaking and pulse racing. This book is a perfect read for those who love world building, characters that are relatable, enemies-to-lovers romance, and fans of the romantasy genre.

Overall, this book is my top read for 2024 and I will absolutely be buying a physical copy when it finally releases!

This was my most anticipated read this year. I had HIGH expectations. And let me tell you, this book did not disappoint!! Nobody tells a story like Sue Lynn Tan. She has this magic that completely immerses you in her story. I could not put this book down. I lost sleep. I neglected my house. My family. This book was a masterpiece. I didn’t think I would like this more than her Daughter of the Moon Goddess series, but here we are. There wasn’t a single thing in didn’t love. I loved the characters. The histories. The old romances. The new. And I was completely invested. The twists. I expected them, but I can never imagine the ways she will resolve conflict. This book was perfect. It’s one of those stories that are fun to reread with new understanding and see all the hints you missed. Incredible. If you don’t read any other book this year, read this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this masterpiece.

For whatever reason I thought this was a physical book going to be sent out because of showing off the sprayed edges. Skipping the read.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. May include spoilers.

Overall, I enjoyed Immortal. My favorite part was the world building, I really enjoyed the lush descriptions of the various realms the protaganist, Liyen, experiences throughout the book, and the Chinese mythology weaved into it.

Story-wise, I don't love it when books begin smack in the middle of an action scene, and at the beginning it seemed like a fairly typical romantasy, which didn't immediately grab my attention. It picked up later on in the book, with some twists that I didn't 100% see coming, and plot points were filled in (like the circumstances of how Liyen drank the waters of the Wangchuan River b/c at first I was kinda like how?? That seems kinda hard in the mortal realm?). So this point became more engrossed in the plot, and was generally happy with the ending.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the chance to read an e-ARC.

Sue Lynn Tan is one of my favorite authors - I loved the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology and I was so happy to receive an ARC of Immortal! As expected, the book was gorgeously written, and contained plenty of action, romance, and intricate worldbuilding and magic systems.
All of the characters were really complex and likable. I enjoyed Liyen as a character - her ambition and drive as a leader was really admirable and I liked that she was brave and wise but also flawed. The plot twist in the middle was a little predictable, but it was a nice addition to the plot and resolved some of my loose ends. The God of War was also a lovely main character as both a love interest and protagonist. It was refreshing to have a character whose war-like tendencies lean more towards wisdom and strategy instead of death and violence. I really liked his chemistry with Liyen and I wish there was going to be a sequel or prequel about his and Liyen's past!
The plot was nicely done - a mix of political intrigue, epic fantasy, and romance. I liked the different elements of the magic system and the realm of the Immortals, though some of the magic was a bit vague at times. I thought the worldbuilding was nicely done, and it seemed like a great companion to the information that we get from Daughter of the Moon Goddess, without having to recall the previous books.
I am so happy that I was able to read this and I cannot wait for Immortal to release in January - readers are in for a delight! Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for the eARC!

Perfect fantasy read! Sue seriously knows how to write an immersive fantasy world the romance kept you wanting more the tension between the characters just leapt off the page!

Highly recommend

What a perfect standalone! My expectations were high and yet I was surprised by how much I loved this book. Sue Lynn Tan definitely knows how to write immersive fantasy with captivating romances, the tension in this book was palpable and I ate it all up. This book definitely earned a spot in my top 5 best fantasies of 2024!

Immortal was an enchanting romantic fantasy story. Sue Lynn Tan’s writing always has this beautiful, elegant, dreamy quality to it. I can’t help falling in love with her words. In Immortal, Sue once again weaved a magical story by intertwining politics, betrayal, love, and exuberant worldbuilding. She proves that it’s possible to write a well written standalone fantasy! The pacing and arching storyline were perfectly timed. Despite it being only one book, I never felt like the story wasn’t developed enough, nor did I ever feel like things were rushed. It was an enthralling tale that kept you guessing. There were so many good twists in this story!

The story follows Liyen, heir to the throne of Tianxia. Upon being poisoned, Liyen’s grandfather gives her an enchanted lotus to spare her life. In doing so, he incurs the Immortal Queen’s wrath. Upon being summoned to the Immortal Realm to face the Immortal Queen, Liyen decides to take the opportunity of her precarious position to learn the secrets of the Immortals. She strives to find a way to help her people and become worthy of her title as Heir, while simultaneously fighting against her growing attraction to The God of War.

I adored Liyen’s vulnerability and her compassion. Her love for her grandfather was very touching. I also enjoyed that the romance was a central element to the storyline. It was sweet, heart wrenching, and had a slow burn quality to it I appreciated. There was a lot of heart in this story. The emotional turmoil in this was felt!

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