The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is captivating from start to finish. Àn’yīng is such a strong main character. I couldn't help but root for her, even when I didn't agree with her. I loved watching her empathy grow throughout the book as she questioned her own opinions. The two male leads are such brilliant opposites, and I adore them both in completely different ways. One is enticing and mysterious, while the other is warmth and safety, but they both have their secrets. And speaking of secrets, the twists and turns kept me on my toes. There was so much going on in this book, but it never felt like I was being overwhelmed with information. The writing feeds you lore and world building at a very palatable rate while still making sure you are fully immersed in the story. The ending left me with questions, theories, and so much emotion. I truly can't wait to see where the journey goes.

Thank you to Random House Childrens and Netgalley for the ARC.

Could. Not. Put. It. Down!! From the moment I began the authors intro to the story I knew I was going to be hooked. She uses this descriptive writing that has been unparalleled in about 90% of the books I have read. I knew right away that I would be transported into her world in the most exciting way. I can’t get my hands on another of her books soon enough! This is a must read, and this author will no doubt be a staple in my favorites list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for providing me with the ARC for this book for my honest review.

My Rating - 3.5/5

tl;dr - I am definitely not the target audience for this book but Amélie Wen Zhao's exceptional writing kept me engrossed

I'll start with a disclaimer saying that this story had too much romance for my taste but I was happy that this was explicitly called out in the book's marketing, unlike many other books that are "hidden romantasies".

Overall it had the great writing that I've come to expect from AWZ - I was already a fan of her prose which was what led me to this book in the first place, but I think this is her best work in that area yet.

I felt the worldbuilding was rushed a near the end with a bunch of pieces just kind of thrown together. The stakes seemed to increase exponentially out of nowhere, losing its impact on me.

Characters are well-written, especially the main character, but most of the side characters are flat and mostly non-existent.

Overall, this book is dark, has fun magic and tense situations with good PoV characterization and tremendous prose.

The beautiful xianxia backdrop was right there and yet Wen Zhao’s books continue the trend of stagnating my interest; I was hoping that this one would fare better, or at least, improve from the her latest duology but now I may just move on from the author altogether. My problem was not that everything was bad, just that everything was aggressively… fine. The strong-willed heroine with a cause, yeah, okay. The mysterious man that she teamed up with, cool, but still missing the spark. The “competition” was genuinely so chill and without inspiration, there was no urgency in it at all. The plot twist might be the one saving grace in all this but by that time I was tired of everything else.

Despite my harsh reviews, romantasy readers will no doubt eat this book up. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this earc!

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amélie Wen Zhao is a darkly seductive tale of vengeance, loyalty, and forbidden love. Zhao’s lush, cinematic prose brings a morally complex world to life, filled with gripping twists and unforgettable characters. Perfect for fans of epic fantasy that blurs the lines between justice and revenge, this book is an unmissable masterpiece.

Set in a world ravaged by demons, the story follows Àn’yīng, a determined young woman who enters the deadly Immortality Trials to save her mother’s soul. The trials are fraught with danger, and Àn’yīng must navigate a web of alliances and betrayals, all while questioning the true motives of her enigmatic protector, Yù’chén
If you’re a fan of fantasy and adventure this book has that plus it’s both heart-pounding and heartwarming, you might find yourself Cheering the character on.
The ending leaves a few questions unanswered which I hope will be answered in the next book.
Rich, detailed world-building
Strong, relatable protagonist
Engaging plot with high stakes
Intriguing romance and character dynamics
Thank you netgalley

I couldn’t love this book more if I tried! Full of fast paced action, deceit, and practitioning (think magic) I was hooked from the very beginning.

An ancient deadly competition that our FMC An’ying must compete in to save her mother’s soul, we are faced with demons who wish to rule the realms and immortals who mostly turn a blind eye.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If I had to choose one word to summarize this book I would choose, BREATHTAKING

Amélie Wen Zhao executes the most captivating world building, perfectly balancing the beauty and darkness

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is fast paced with beautifully layered characters and INTENSE trials that had me flipping through the pages incredibly quick, I was so engaged and invested.

What an incredible start to this promising duology, cant wait to get my eyes on book two!

Scorpion and the Night Blossom is the first in a new duology by Amélie When Zhao. I was really looking forward to this novel after reading the author's previous Song of the Last Kingdom duology and I had such a fun time reading this book.

Plot: Scorpion and the Night Blossom follows Àn’yīng, a mortal practitioner on her journey in the Immortal realm to save her mother. Àn’yīng competes in the immortality trials and although she has spent her life protecting her family from mò, demons from the Kingdom of Night who invaded the mortal realm she has had very little formal training. In the trials she realizes that she is up against much more experienced practitioners so Àn’yīng teams up with a mysterious practitioner Yù’chén. As Àn’yīng stays in the immortal realm she unravels dangerous secrets about the war that has taken over her life.

Characters:
Àn’yīng - protective of her loved ones, determined, and unforgiving. She has not one blade but eight (and she isn’t just a useless fmc). How cool is that?

Yù’chén - mysterious, powerful, kind, 🙂‍↕️hes kinda funny?, typical mmc (aka. Seems like he wants to kill you, but is actually really sweet)

While this book is not perfect, I loved so many aspects of it. It’s been a while since I have been so invested in a book and had really emotional reactions to everything. I think I was looking forward to this book so much that I connected to the characters really fast which will probably not happen to everybody reading this book. I would recommend this book to people who like C-Dramas and Asian Fantasy. Also, to people who like (upper) YA fantasy. I can’t wait to read the next book even though it's going to be a while until it comes out 😭
The conflict between the three kingdoms was super interesting. I also thought Àn’yīng and Yù’chén had really good development in their relationship, which was very satisfying as a reader, even though it took a while. It was nice to see Àn’yīng make new friends but I wish we got to know more about them. Unfortunately the book goes in a love triangle direction which was something I am not particularly fond of. I will say Yù’chén is better but I don’t want to spoil anything 🤐

4.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the eARC

I loved the overall story and the world building in The Scorpion and the Night Blossom. The romantic tension was also super good and I’m a huge fan of Yù’chén! I love the way he interacts with Àn’yīng and the cute little nickname he calls her.

I do think the book felt a bit rushed. I feel like there was so much action and not enough down time or calm moments. I would’ve loved to see the characters interact more in a lower stakes environment, just for a little bit. I would have loved to get to know them without the threat of death hanging around all the time.

It also annoyed me how Àn’yīng is supposed to be like the protector of her town and seen as strong, but then she constantly needs help all the time when she gets to the trials. I know she doesn’t have much training, but still, she was too helpless. I hope in the second book she is more capable.

Despite a few little issues I have with the book, I am really looking forward to book two and seeing where this story goes!

*The Scorpion and the Night Blossom* by Amélie Wen Zhao is a lush, captivating fantasy that immerses readers in a world inspired by Chinese mythology and folklore. The story follows two complex characters—a fierce, skilled assassin and a mysterious, enigmatic prince—whose destinies intertwine through magic, betrayal, and a blossoming romance. Zhao’s world-building is rich and vivid, with intricate details that bring the setting to life, while the characters are layered and compelling, each grappling with their own moral dilemmas and desires. The pacing is dynamic, balancing action with emotional depth, and the slow-burn romance adds an element of tension and yearning. *The Scorpion and the Night Blossom* is a beautiful, evocative read for fans of dark fantasy and character-driven stories.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a brilliant, easy read with twists and a beautiful slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance. I adored it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy to review.

I definitely enjoyed and ate up the love triangle of this. There are heavy elements ofc-drama vibes with this and I also found that to be enjoyable. Book 2 makes me excited and curious to see how this continues, I will be recommending this and keeping my eye out. This is definitely a book I will be looking to add to my bookshelf!

Wow wow wow

first!! The grip this book had one me needs to be studied, I was FLYING through the first part of it. If my phone literally didn’t break, this would’ve been a one sitting read

In terms of action, character growth and insane twists, this book did NOT miss! Genuinely trying to catch my breath after the way it turned at the end

My only criticism and why it’s four instead of five is I do feel like some things felt rushed and I had to question if this was a standalone to have so much crammed into it? I just wanted a little more development for some of the relationships and plot points

But loved it and will 100% be eagerly waiting for book 2!

This book is so great and hard to put down! The world building is phenomenal and the characters are easy to love! The FMC makes mistakes, and I absolutely love that. There were a few times I shouted at her.

What a fun, action-packed read! The world built in this novel is stunning and the twists and stakes throughout were mesmerizing! I will say it did take me awhile to get into this book as it’s my first time stepping into this mythology, I’m used to Greek, so I had a slight learning curve to master. But once I got 60% in I really enjoyed this book and did not see some of the twists coming at all. I look forward to continuing the series in the future!

I will read anything by Amelie Wen Zhao. I hope to read her Blood Heir trilogy soon. This book was SOOOOO good. I really enjoyed it. It did take me a bit to get into it, but wow. We get a lot of action and romance and deceit. All the twists and turns I didn't see coming. We might get a love triangle here too. I cannot wait for the next book!

Okay spoilers below so I remember the pot when the next book comes out:

Anying decides to enter the trials of the Immortals in order to gain the pil of immortality for her mother. When Anying was 10 years old, the demon queen sucked a lot of her mother's life energy and also killed her dad. The pill will help her mother become like her old self. Before entering the First Trial, Anying meets Yuchen, who is half mo and half human. They kind of form an alliance. They get through the other trials together. During the trials, some candidates are found dead and a demon is suspected of killing them. Yanlu turns out to be that demon! Unfortunately, this exposes Yuchen as well. I was sad to see him sentenced to death. Anying was sad too, but then we find out he is the son of the demon queen who killed her father and was gaining Anying's trust to turn on her to find Haoyang, the heir to the mortal realm. Yuchen is also the stepbrother of Haoyang since he is the son of the mortal emperor as well. The demon queen ends up killing an Immortal, Shiya, who is Anying's birth mother. Shiya gives Anying the pill to save her mother. Haoyang also asks Anying to marry him so they can form an alliance between the mortal and immortal realms. At the end of the book, Anying is able to do exactly what she sought out to do by returning to Meizi and giving the pill of immortality to her mother. In the next book, we will see whether they can garner the support from the realm of the dragons and defeat the Kingdom of the Night. I think Yuchen will make an appearance too. I also will make a guess that Anying will have to decide between Haoyang and Yuchen.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An epic battle against good and evil, love and hate, logic and emotion to save a life, a love and a kingdom.

Read The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amèlie Wen Zhao if you like…

🌹 enemies to lovers
🌹 magic
🌹 mythology
🌹 immortals and demons
🌹 women who can fight
🌹 a pinch of spice
🌹 forbidden love


🩷HER🩷
A knife-wielding girl with a penchant for killing demons who is determined to save her mother’s soul at any cost

💙HIM💙
A secretive, powerful, and (of course) handsome stranger who decides to help her for (yep you guessed it) a cost

📖 THEIR STORY 📖
A demon killed Àn’yīng’s father and stole half her mother’s soul, right in front of her. Left alone to survive in a war between mortals and demons, Àn’yīng knows there is only one way to protect her little sister from the demons and save her mother’s soul.

Armed with enchanted blades and a fierce determination, Àn’yīng enters the deadly Immortal Trials for a chance to learn the magical skills she needs to protect her family from demons and win a pill of immortality that will restore her mother’s soul.

Àn’yīng fears she may not have what it takes to survive, let alone win the immortal trials, until a handsome stranger starts helping her survive.

But Yù’chén is a rival in the trials, and he refuses to say why he is helping Àn’yīng.
Can Àn’yīng unravel his secrets before it is too late for her mother, her heart and her kingdom?

Thank you to Amèlie Wen Zhao and #NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom.

Up for a gripping fantasy with surprises around each corner? Get your copy now!

I was sent an early review copy in exchange for my honest review! Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children’s for the ARC. This doesn’t affect my thoughts about the book in any way. Out on the shelves on March 4, 2025!

Buddy read with sea <3

Amelie Wen Zhao welcomes us back to the world of her luscious xianxia-inspired romantasy series in the first installment of The Three Realms Duology! The Scorpion & The Night Blossom is set in a world ravaged by demons, where a young woman fights in a high-stakes competition to survive and win the prize that will save her mother’s soul.

The elegant prose made this story all the more enjoyable, besides the vast elements woven into the world-building. An’ying’s character evokes feelings of hope and bravery in the readers, and with the challenging nature of the story itself, you will definitely feel as if you live through her within these pages. Some of the plot twists felt predictable, but I’m subjectively speaking, given that I’ve immersed myself in Asian romantasy this year. Nevertheless, this book reminded me of her popular duology, Song of The Last Kingdom. There is lots of tension in this book brought upon by a hopeless romantic affair, along with classic court politics, and treacherous magic. It already poses such a big potential for fans of Chinese fantasy dramas!

2.5 stars rounded down

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Amélie Wen Zhao's The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a romantasy following Àn’yīng who enters a deadly competition to save her mother and protect her family. When she meets the powerful Yù’chén during the competition, she has to balance her desire for him with her goal to win the trials.

This book was not for me, but I understand why other people love this book.

The biggest issue I had with this book was the characters. I cannot name one character that I liked from this book. They all had personalities that I had read before. I can't point out anything unique about a single one of them. I also found some of the dialogue embarrassing and hard to read. Not liking the characters is always an issue, but it's worse when the romance is the main part of the story. If you don't like the characters, it's hard to enjoy the romance. Since I only enjoyed the fantasy elements and not the love story, I was struggling through most of the book.

One thing about the romance that I actually enjoyed at the beginning was the banter. It was fun when it started, but there ended up being so much of it. The first half of the book felt like it was 90% banter and 10% actual conversations that meant something. There's a limit to how many witty comebacks I can enjoy in one book. This had far too many for my taste.

This is also one of the most obvious cases of insta love I've ever read. Most of her thoughts about him the second they meet is that she's attracted to him. There are a few moments where she tells herself she hates him, but they're flirting from the beginning. If you want slow burn, this isn't it.

I enjoyed almost everything about the fantasy elements in this book. The descriptions were beautiful. When entering a fantasy world, good descriptions are the main thing I hope for. The competition and trials were fun to read and worked well for the story. I loved how the weapons were described. The action scenes were well written. However, there were too many action scenes. When the main characters weren't flirting or arguing, it was non-stop fight scenes and training scenes. When you have so much fast-paced action, it starts to lose it's impact. There are barely any calm moments in between to let the big action scenes and plot twists actually have an effect on the reader. I felt like the story needed to slow down for a chapter sometimes.

Although I have so much I didn't like about this book, I would still recommend it. I don't think it brings anything particularly new to romantasy, but that doesn't mean it won't be a fun, loveable book for a lot of people. This book is great for people who want a quick but fun romantasy, or people who are new to the genre. I think this is a good introduction for people who haven't read many romantasy or fantasy books.

Review on Goodreads (sophreadingbooks https://www.goodreads.com/sophreadingbooks) expected 2/25/2025
Review on Instagram (sophiesreading https://www.instagram.com/sophiesreading/) expected 3/11/2025