Wow, so many twists and turns in this story and even when I thought I knew a plot twist it wasn’t the true plot twist! Really enjoyed the story building between mortal, immortals and the mo.

I always enjoy a good Asian fantasy novel and I’m excited to read the next one in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review !

Another fantastic Asian-inspired fantasy from Amélie Wen Zhao! Taking place in an entirely different world from her previous duology, this rich tale of immortals and demons was absolutely captivating, with fantastic action and engaging characters adding to create an utterly fantastic package! I can hardly wait to see where this series is going next! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for a free ARC In exchange for an honest review!

Holy… WOW! This book was INCREDIBLE!!! I need the second one ASAP and this one hasn’t even been published yet! By far one of my top 3 reads of this year. I haven’t felt this strongly about a book since I finished the “Six Crimson Cranes” series by Elizabeth Lim!

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc of this incredible book! I will be recommending it to everyone I know!

“This one is for the C-drama girlies.” And oh did it not disappoint! Dark Romantasy meets Asian-inspired drama in this wonderfully adventurous, romantic, and mysterious tale!

After Anying’s family is attacked by the demonic Mo she decides to journey to the Realm of the Sky, home of the Immortals, to win the pill of Immortality and cure her dying mother. Along the way she joins forces with the mysterious Yuchen, Lingling and her half spirit shapeshifting friends, and Haoyang, Captain of the Immortal Guard. Together they must face three deadly trials, each more difficult than the last, while avoiding murder at the hands of the other candidates, who might have some demonic help of their own.

Anying is the perfect female protagonist: determined, clever, protective, righteous, family-oriented, but with a bigger heart that keeps getting her into trouble. She isn’t afraid to risk her own life for the sake of others, even if it helps those she has been told are her enemies her entire life. Anying sees life as something to be protected and vows to free her world from the claim of the demonic Mo, whose power has overthrown the mortal emperor and plunged her world into darkness.

Yuchen is the handsome, charming, mysterious, and powerful male lead with a rescue complex that won’t quit—you can’t tell me you didn’t picture Xingyue Wang in his iconic red cloak from The Double as AWZ was describing him! I started to suspect very early on that he was holding back some pretty serious secrets—all the C-drama girlies know the villains are usually the ones dressed in black! So I was pleased when my theories held true!

Their banter was the best part of the relationship! Every time he called her “little scorpion” I just wanted to squeal! The romantic tension between them was incredible and I was constantly waiting for it to snap as they grew closer. So of course it happened at the worst moment.

I don’t want to spoil too much so I will just say be prepared for the thrilling ending (that last 70ish pages was just WOW) and someone needs to let me know ASAP when the sequel is coming out!

Myth-based ya fantasies always seem to grab my attention with an eye-catching cover and The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is no exception. And between the covers is an attention-catching tale of three realms, the immortal realm, the Kingdom of Night (demon realm), and the Kingdom of Rivers (mortal realm). The protagonist of the story is a strong, gutsy young woman who lost her father and potentially her mother's soul to a demon from the Kingdom of Night. To save her mother, years later, she enters a competition that the immortals hold where the prize is a pill of eternal life. In her adventure, Àn’yīng meets a half-demon, Yù’chén, and tries to determine if he is a rival, romantic interest, or foe. She also becomes acquainted with one of the immortal guards. As the story develops, Àn’yīng learns more about her father, herself, the war between the kingdoms, and the two young men. There is a fair amount of action in this well-paced story and at the conclusion of this first book in a duology, we are left on a precipice. I am now eagerly awaiting the culmination of this very enjoyable tale. Anyone who enjoys ya action-adventure-fantasies, especially ones with elements of Asian mythology should find this to be a delightful read.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Children's - Delacorte Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read before publication.

The book opens with the words: "this is for the cdrama girlies". Yesssss. Makes me super excited. I'm fairly new to cdramas (2023), but I started at a great time - so many good leads and stories. So sat I did and read I did. Everyone. I MARATHONED this book it four hours.

Amelie gave us a vampire story without so much calling vampires by name.. Gave them a different name, "mo". The mo were creatures that were in a war with the immortals. The immortals in this case lost a war so to speak, and our female starts out with a scene where she is collecting lotus blossoms for her ailing mother and encounters a mo sucking the life out of a girl. Our girl has eight blades on her and she puts the Mo at a disadvantage, for he thinks judging how she is dressed she is some village waif. No, she is one tough gal.

I really enjoyed her character. She reminded me of cdrama ladies I've seen recently - Esther Yu (My Journey to You), Zhou Ye (Back from the Brink), Bai Lu (Legends / Till the End of the Moon), Wu Jin Yan (The Double). She is fiercely determined to rescue her near comatose mother from a Mo attack she was a part of nine years ago. The one that killed her father. She has vowed to hunt down the female Mo who went after her. The reminders of her father are half of a jade pendant (that sends messages to her from a guardian), the blades, and to seek out the Immortal sect beyond the sea. Our story focuses on her vying for Immortal cultivation so she can be gifted a Immortal pill that will save her mother and bring her back to who she was.

On her way, she encounters our male. Our fierce, sexy, tough, 'touch her, I dare you' male. He is dressed in black and red with long black hair. Originally she thinks he is a Mo and tries to kill him thinking he killed a convoy, and bites his neck in retaliation. Yet! He bleeds... he isn't a Mo... but he has powers that are a lot like a Mo. Which makes her unwary, but she needs an ally and a way to protect herself from getting killed by other hopefuls who are competing for a shot at immortality.

There is a murder mystery, romance, and a lot of interesting "what is a monster, or what defines a monster". Our main character has a heart, and though she has never really come across demons (or any non human persons), she learns slowly that maybe her trust can be given.

I swear, this book floored me in the last fourth because secrets and heartache are abound, and the book ends on a cliffhanger. But it makes me so very excited to get book two. I think I love this more than her first CDrama-esque story.

I loved every bit of this book, and I really do hope that people pick it up next year. I think our male and female lead will be the most interesting pairing of 2025.

Wow! This is a breathtaking and highly promising start to a dark and opulent duology, with mesmerizing world-building that perfectly balances darkness and beauty, life and death, love and hate!

The story follows An'yīng, a fierce young woman who takes on the role of protector after the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tears her family apart. Nine years after nearly losing her mother to a ravenous, beautiful demon—known as a mó—An'yīng must face the Immortality Trials, a deadly competition that offers the chance to win a pill of eternal life, the only hope for saving her mother’s soul. Armed with her father’s crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, An'yīng is determined to survive the Trials, even though death is common, and the immortal realm hides dangerous secrets.

Her journey is fraught with peril, not just from the Trials themselves but from the enigmatic and powerful Yu'chén, a rival who mysteriously aids her. As the line between enemy and ally blurs, An'yīng must decide whether she can trust him, even as their fates become intertwined.

The fast pacing, layered characters, and intense trials keep you on the edge of your seat, while the blossoming romance between An'yīng and Yu'chén adds emotional depth. With each twist, the stakes rise higher, leaving readers anxious for the conclusion of this thrilling duology. It's fresh, exciting, and earns blazing five stars! Amélie Wen Zhao did not disappoint, and I enjoyed this even more than her Blood Heir Trilogy!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing this promising fantasy novel's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book was so good! I felt like the story was very well paced that kept you intrigued from the start to end. The characters were very well written and I’m very excited to see how the story will continue! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Inhaled this. It was just the kind of read I needed when I picked it up. Beautiful world building imagery and a quick moving plot. I really enjoyed the dichotomy of the dark imagery of the demons and the heavenly characters. Such a grand scale. Likable, it not always lovable, protagonist. Little bits of romance. Very happy that it's a planned duology and not a longer series.

This book is a spellbinding beginning to what promises to be an unforgettable duology! The writing plunges you into a world of fierce trials and dark magic, where every page crackles with tension and emotion. Àn’yīng’s journey is nothing short of riveting; her fierce determination and the heart-wrenching stakes of the Immortality Trials are portrayed with such raw intensity that you can't help but be swept along. The world-building is exquisite, painting a vivid picture of a realm where beauty and danger coexist in a delicate balance. The romance with the mysterious Yù’chén adds a layer of heartfelt complexity, making every moment of their interactions charged with emotion. This book is a rich, immersive experience that will captivate you from start to finish and leave you eagerly craving the next installment.

I absolutely loved this book! I read it in one setting because it was so good and I could not get enough of the characters. I really loved the characters the author created and there journey that they took. The story was fast paced but detailed where I felt immersed but not bored. I will be recommending this book to all of my family and friends.