4 stars

I've read the author's books in the past and have really liked them, and I liked this book. The world building was excellent, and I liked that the story was set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan is a stunning mix of mythology, magic, and heartache. Set in a world inspired by Chinese mythology, the story follows an immortal who is bound by duty, love, and a deep, ancient curse. Tan’s lyrical writing creates a vivid, atmospheric world that pulls you in from the first page. The characters are layered and complex, making you feel every emotion—both the pain of lost love and the hope of redemption. If you’re a fan of mythological retellings or stories about fate and free will, Immortal will captivate you. A must-read for those who crave both beauty and depth in their fantasy. ✨

Honestly, phenomenal!

First of all I LOVE that this is a standalone romantic fantasy novel because I'm not waiting on a cliffhanger for the next year. The worldbuilding is so well done and descriptive, I never found myself confused or lacking for detail and the politics are complex but explained fully and easy to follow. I was fully immersed in this story from start to finish and really struggled to put it down.

I loved the God of War, Zhangwei, even when I didn't like him thanks to a couple questionable actions when they're enemies. He's strong, protective, and even when he's surly he gave very steady, genuinely GOOD vibes. Plus we love a man who will burn the world for his love. Liyen is such a strong, bad*ass FMC which perfectly balances her MMC and I love that they're both so dedicated to protecting their people. She's smart, witty, used to being underestimated, and very strong of character even before she's physically strong thanks to the Divine Pearl Lotus. I loved seeing her growth, and the tension from her struggling with her growing feelings for the God of War had me reading as fast as possible to get to the point where she would give in to her love for him! Both MCs are also super sassy and entertaining, so the banter is superb. Honestly, there's banter all around from basically everyone so if that's a key factor you look for, get ready.

The story starts off a bit slow but that's to be expected as the background/history needs to be built up, especially since it's a standalone, so I really didn't mind. And while it felt a bit slow, there was still a lot going on to keep you interested. I loved the development of the romance between Liyen and Zhangwei and the secrets we learn along the way. All I'll say on that is that situations can look very different depending on the perspective and to expect many twists.

The side characters are also super developed and interesting, I liked seeing how each of them grew as well while still focusing mainly on Liyen's development and Zhangwei. I think what really made this book so good to me was how on Liyen's journey, she is so focused on what's right but begins to learn that things don't look the same to each person and how every story has many sides. She goes from seeing only black and white to understanding there are many grays and that the heroes and villains are different depending on who's telling/hearing the story. It also emphasizes how important history is to the present and learning to not judge too harshly. The are so many morals to the story but even if you don't want to read too deeply into it, it's still a beautifully written romantic fantasy that will keep you engaged until the very end.

One of the biggest benefits of reading this one is everything will make sense at the end since it is a standalone. Some books I read and do truly enjoy but they don't stay with me or pull me in too deeply, but this book really etched itself onto my brain and heart and I'm so happy I read it!

I also had the audio for this one, which I honestly love to listen to as I'm reading so I can accurately read/pronounce the names of people and places created by the author. The audio definitely adds a little something extra to the experience especially for fantasy books and I highly recommend listening either while also reading the physical book or alone if you prefer audiobooks. The narrator, Natalie Naudus, does a fantastic job with this story, truly bringing the world of Immortal to life. Her voice is clear and engaging, the pacing is perfect, and I typically listen at 2x speed, so she's still super easy to listen to at that pace.

If you're a fantasy, romance, or romantasy reader, with a fondness for enemies to lovers and magic, you'll definitely want to check this one out!

Thank you Harper Voyager and HarperAudio for the eARC and eALC respectively, which I have voluntarily read/listened to in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book struggled to hold my attention and I often did not want to pick it up. I love Sue Lynn Tan and her other books, so this may just not be the right time for me to read this. I hear good things about the audiobook and hope to try that out eventually.

Wow!! The plot twists!! OMG, I didn't see any of them coming. The story was very entertaining, although it starts off slow at first it starts to pick up around chapter 4. There were some plot holes as well, a couple of things that weren't explained very well nor resolved. But overall a great story.

The Lord of Tianxia, harvested the divine pearl lotus by request from the immortal Queen Caihong. But when someone in his own court poisoned his granddaughter, Liyen, with the waters of the Wangchuan River, he has no choice but to give it to her instead. Without it, she'd die. When the Queen and the God of War come for the lotus, her Grandfather puts the lotus in her chest and tells her to go to a safe house to hide with two family friends. Meanwhile, the God of War sets the palace on fire due to the Queen's fury. After her grandfather admits that the lotus was stolen to the Queen, he has a heart attack from fear and dies.

But soon the winged devils show up and try to kidnap Liyen, Aunt Shou, and Chengyin. So Liyen destroys the God of Wars statue and offerings and he shows up to help them almost immediately.

What happens next will blow your mind. Add in some betrayal, romance, deceit, and so much confusion for Liyen.

A good read.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

This was my first Sue Lynn Tan book and it's safe to say that I am obsessed. As soon as I finished reading it I flipped back to the beginning and started reading it again. I was talking to a friend about how I was waffling between 4 and 5 stars for this book and she said, "It's obviously 5 stars because you won't shut up about it!" Ha. So very true of me and books I love, what can I say.

This book is set in the same universe as her Celestial Kingdom books, which I haven't read. But I understood everything in the story OK. In fact it was kind of fun going in totally blind. My thoughts on what the book was "supposed" to be changed so many times throughout it, as more things came to light. I can't wait to buy a physical copy of this one. It's so beautiful and definitely one I will return to time and again.

Big thanks to netgalley and Harper Voyager for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Sue Lynn Tan for the advanced reading copy of Immortal in exchange for an honest review.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior are two of my favorite mythological fantasies and I was beyond excited to return to their world in this new standalone novel by Sue Lynn Tan. I was not disappointed at all. This book was full of the same magic that made me fall in love with her other novels. There was just the right amount of tension between the FMC and the MMC, and even though it felt like there was a little bit of insta-love on the part of Zhangwei (the MMC), I loved reading their story.

There were unpredictable twists and enough banter to keep me engaged, even through some of the slower plot moments. I definitely recommend this book and I cannot wait to see what Sue Lynn Tan puts out next.

Everyone needs to read this! I ended up reading it all in one sitting(no regrets).


The plot and pacing were chefs kiss. The lore and world-building were great! The characters were dynamic and really made you root for them. The slow burn was sweet!


Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Voyager for the ARC

Chefs kiss! The way I devoured this in one sitting! I cannot begin to explain my love for this book! It was perfect. I loved it.

Unfortunately I don't think this author is for me, while the writing is well done and characters are well fleshed out I just don't vibe with the book or writing. I may try to read it again at a later date to see if my feelings change or give this authors other books a chance though.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 / 5 Stars

Thank you so much to Harper Voyager for sending me an ARC copy of this book! I am forever in your debt for accepting me to read these books 🙏

🪷✨️ "If you want to see me, nothing will keep me away." ✨️🩷

This was an absolutely perfect addition to this absolutely breathtaking world that Sue Lynn Tan has created through her books. This is a brilliantly done stand-alone that is perfect for new readers or those who already read The Celestial Kingdom duology.

The writing was absolutely phenomenal (as always 😘) and beautifully done. I absolutely adored Liyen as our main character and her quips and were one of my favorite parts. I literally had a tab called "Dayum" that was for these moments. Her banter with the God of War was great, and I loved the building of their chemistry.

The plot was absolutely addictive and it was very hard to put down! I don't want to spoil anything, but it was unpredictable in the best ways. I'm already looking at fitting a reread of this one into my 2025 and am hoping to bring a couple of friends into reading it with me.

I absolutely cannot wait for all the artists to get ahold of this book because I need to see some of these scenes brought to life! 😍 There were truly some memorable moments that I'm forever left thinking about.

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan is a book set in the same mythology inspired world as her previous Celestial Kingdoms duology. I really love Sue Lynn Tan's writing style and I was so excited to see her release a new book.

The story follows Liyen as it opens on the goddess that they serve being upset at her people because her grandfather has not given her the flower that she sent him on a quest for. But Liyen herself is sick, and the only thing that can cure her is this flower - so instead, her grandfather feeds her the flower and tells her to run to safety. While doing so her grandfather faces the goddess, and out of fear he passes away.

Liyen tries to run away with her aunt and cousin, but unfortunately they get cornered by flying devils. The only reason that they managed to escape was because of the God of War that arrived in time. He tells Liyen that she is now the ruler of her people and should pledge her oath to the Goddess. But Liyen realises that the Goddess would sense the flower in her, and begs for time to grieve. She gets given a month and then she would have to face and pledge service to the Goddess.

When the God of War comes back for her, it starts a journey that Liyen never could have dreamed of. And it ends up unlocking secrets from her family that she would never have dreamed.

I enjoyed this book a lot, although the romance set up was evident from the first chapter. I don't usually like that kind of story, but the narrative and the way that it was written really kept me invested in this story from the start. While it is an adventure, I would rather classify this as a romance. The focus is a lot heavier on the relationships between the main characters than it is on the plot.

Overall I really enjoyed it. And I'm excited to see what comes next for this author!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC! This was my first time reading a book by Sue Lynn Tan and it did not disappoint! I LOVED the world, everything was so beautifully described. I loved the magic, the politics were fantastic too. Liyen was the perfect heroine. I loved her character growth. The God of War, godly. Loved him so much!

I love how the author weaves such a vibrant & beautiful love story! I was captivated from start to finish. This is a stand-alone that ties in with her previous works of the celestial kingdom.

I ended up listening to the audio on Spotify. Love the narrator.

Sue Lynn Tan you have done it again like you always do!!! I was screaming, crying, doing a little dance and giggling through this whole read! I’ve missed being part of the Celestial world and I’m so glad I was about to be part of it again. I need more! Anything Sue writes I will read immediately.

Sue Lynn Tan, the woman you are.

SPOILERS.

This book was everything. The enemies to lovers. The long last lovers. The complex court intrigue. A stabby main female character. Respect for disabilities.

I was kicking and giggling my feet at every interaction Liyen and Zhangwei. They were so awkward and couldn't stop fighting with each other, it made me giggle.

I loved the reference to Chinese mythology. If you like Korean dramas such as Love Between Fairy and Devil, you'll like this one.

A brand new Romantasy with immortal Gods, plenty of suspense and intrigue, action and romance that will take your breath away. A young woman who has been sickly for most of her life, finds herself thrust into the role of leader after her Grandfather dies. The Immortal God of War seems like the easiest person to blame, so when she finds herself invited to the land of the Immortals to re pledge her people to them, she takes the opportunity to spy on him. What she did not expect was to find herself falling for him. Things however are not so simple, or as they seem, and fate takes her back home again, to her people. Danger is all around as the race that the Immortals banished are after her, and they will stop at nothing to get what they want, The God of War may be her best all in this fight. Their attraction is palpable and all consuming. This story is fantastical, well written and chock full of magic, creatures of legend and characters you will love and hate. I enjoyed it immensely and could not put it down. I think I have found a new must read author!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and harper Voyager for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sue Lynn Tan has done it again! I fell in love with her prose in Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but Immortal has solidified her in my list of favorite authors. While yes, I loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess, there's something about Immortal that completely captivated me. The chemistry between Liyen and Zhangwei is almost tangible, the YEARNING specifically made me so overwhelmed with emotion at times. And the WORLD BUILDING? The imagery of Tianxia, the Immortal Realm, and even the Netherworld are so lush and vibrant. This book is beautiful. I need whatever book is next because if Sue Lynn Tan writes it, I'm reading it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and harper Voyager for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sue Lynn Tan, is a master when it comes to the craft of writing and let tell you she hit this one out of the park. This book is definitely for fans or slow burns, because what a sweet, sweet slow born this is, and those who love a good enemies to lovers trope. Liyen is such a fun heroine to follow, she's relatable in all of the best ways but above all else she human, she's not perfect but that makes her all the more real. It feels so much like you are walking with her. The world building is so vivid and well done its like looking a picture, the world itself feels tangible. The mythology is like a siren you just want more! And please don't get me started on the romance, chemistry, longing some sizzle. It's everything you want out of a romance and more. I loved everything about Immortal it's one the best things I've read in a while, and Sue Lynn Tan is an auto buy author at this point. If you're still here reading please stop and go buy this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Based in the world of The Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Immortal is the standalone story of the Lady of Tianxia, a mortal realm under the control of a goddess, and the God of War. When her home is threatened, Liyen has not choice but to renegotiate the agreement between her people and the Immortal Realm by trying to win over the God of War to her side. However, she has no idea how much of a dangerous game she is playing as she uncovers the Immortal Realm’s past as well as her own.

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan is a masterclass in fantasy romance, as it brings forth a feet-kicking adorable romance within a complex and interesting fantasy world. Full of twists and turns, this story had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
I absolute adore Sue Lynn Tan’s writing and will read anything she writes!