THE SCORPION & THE NIGHT BLOSSOM had me grinning like an idiot the entire time I read this book.

Àn’yīng’s world has been shattered by beautiful yet deadly demons called mó. Desperate to save her mother, she journeys to the immortal realm to compete in the Immortality Trials, where the prize is a cure that could change everything. But survival isn’t easy, especially when one of her fiercest rivals, Yù’chén, keeps stepping in to help her. He should be her enemy, yet their fates seem hopelessly entwined.

Drawing inspiration from Chinese mythology, AWZ masterfully reveals the intricate world of The Three Realms. I couldn’t help but feel for and root for Àn’yīng’s journey to save her family from the demons that waged war on the mortal realm. The tension between Àn’yīng and Yù’chén crackles from the moment they meet, and their meet cute had me cackling. The push and pull between the two throughout this book is delicious. While ending leans a little heavy on the info-dumping, it lays strong groundwork for where I imagine Book 2 will take us. Fans of romantasy, pick this one up!

Thank you Delacorte Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much! We meet Àn’yīng, searching for a cure for her ailing mother while caring for her younger sister. She decides to enter the Immortality trials to try for a chance to win a pill of eternal life. The mystery of trying to figure out who has been helping her survive while deciding whether to trust a particular handsome rival. There's so much tension between this rival and our FMC and we get some pretty spicy moments. The ending was unexpected, and some unexpected twists are revealed.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the e-arc!

I loved this book from start to finish. Before I even finished I had already recommended it to a handful of people. I'm so excited for the second book to come out so I can see where the story goes next. I have so many hopes for what will happen and for what I don't want to happen.
I liked the reality of how the trauma was still present and affecting the main character. I also loved the slow burn (and I have hopes it's not over). There were a lot of twists and turns that made the story more exciting. Some of them I had inklings about and others were more surprising.

Thank you to delacorte press and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book

Immortals? Demon? Trails? Unlikely allies? Enemies to lovers? YES PLEASE. I loved this. I want you to read this and experience it for yourself, but I thought this was just so enjoyable!

This took entirely too long to read.
It was fine, nothing ground breaking, no big shocking reveals, no fantastic love or character development, no big final battle that meant anything.
Honestly I would be a little disappointed if I paid to read this. I just did not find something in it to keep me going. I think I put off the last 5% of the book for about a week because I just couldn't find a way to connect and care about it.
Needless to say I will not be reading the next one.

Thank you Random House Children’s Books for the #NetGalley copy.

Absolutely stunning in this adventurous and magical story filled with a blade-wielding heroine, immortals, dragons, and rivals that you can never let your guard down around - be it one’s physical well-being or heart.

Rating: 5/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

Wow, just wow. If you love fantasy, YA books, with romance, mythology, enemies to lovers, great characters and plot. This book is about An’ying whose world has been ravaged by demons, her mother’s soul has been taken by a “mo” they’re like vampire demons. The only way that she can save her mother is to compete in a high-stakes competition and the prize is a pill that will grant you eternal life. You will go on an adventure to where the immortals live and then you will watch the trails begin. You will see death, you will see happiness and betrayal, you will find a well-developed plot with well written characters and at the end of the book you will be wishing that book 2 was already out.

I have loved Amelie Wen Zhao's work before and I love this book, but I couldn't put it down. I would have finished it in one sitting if I didn’t have to work. lol I found the plot to be fun, with the right amount of danger, the plot twists and turns might have been a little predictable but only because I am a huge fan of fantasy. If you haven’t read a lot of fantasy, you will love them, heck I still do. I loved that you would find a love triangle in this book, and I wasn’t expecting that when I went into this book. I loved that Amelie did a fantastic job with getting the reader to slowly build up trust with one character but at the same time making sure that the doubt that An’ying is feelings toward him is something to remember. I found the tension and chemistry between these characters to have been top notch, they just connected but at the same time you have this doom looming over. I do want to take a second and talk about how well Amelie wrote Yu’chen character, he is the perfect enemies to lovers’ trope, you will love him but feel as though something isn’t right…you might even know what it is but at that point you’re just hoping that he will do the honorable thing. I loved that he was so charming but honest at the same time. I liked that he slowly wore down An’ying and was there teaching her everything she needs to know and not just because he cares, but because she is hardheaded, strong willed, she can do herself and I loved that she kept it that way even when she was struggling, she wouldn’t ask for help until the last second. Ugh, I could go on and on, but I know that I will give out a spoiler and I don’t want to do that.

Okay just know going into this book you might have the pace to be slow at first, but I promise that it will pick up and when it does OMG! It takes off and doesn’t stop, you will find yourself at the end of the book picturing all the way that the sequel will show what happens next. You will be left with all the questions and not upset that you have to wait until the book comes out but you are excited.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This ! This book has everything that makes me a fantasy reader:
Mystery
Fantasy
Romance
Mythology
Romantasy
Young Adult
Magic

I was pulled in from page one and was lost in the world of the trials.

I had a really great time with this. High drama, lots of action, some nice character development (and an enemies to lovers storyline that isn’t just two characters being mean to one another!!). I would have enjoyed a smidge more worldbuilding and discussion of how magic works but that’s okay, there was enough to work with.

What I really loved was the tension between Àn’yīng‘s distrust of Yù’chén and her desire to be fair to him, which bleeds into affection. It’s complex and well explored, with lots of back and forth regarding how she can be fair to other halflings and feels guilty treating Yù’chén differently—all while she (and we, the reader) wonder if her mistrust is unfair or just prudent. The conflict felt very natural and I enjoyed the pacing of it.

Finally, the entire last 20% or so of the book was exciting, emotional, and full of twists. I couldn’t put it down and very much look forward to the sequel!

I was hoping for a story that captivated me somewhere as close as Song of Silver, Flame Like Night did, and instead I got a story that barely managed to catch my attention at all. I’m frankly surprised I managed to finish it.

The world building is there. The atmosphere is there. The plot? It’s been done before and had a trope I absolutely loathe. The story? Also been done before and done better. The characters? None of them were interesting, none of them felt new, and none of them had chemistry together.

I felt incredibly let down by this book. When you keep falling asleep during the climactic events of the book, you know you’re in trouble.

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars or under do not appear on my social media. Thank you.

Àn’yīng’s world shattered nine years ago when a demon killed her father and drank half of her mother’s soul. She must now provide for herself and her sister, while trying to keep their village safe. When she is given the chance to compete for a pill of immortality, which would restore her mother, Àn’yīng knows she will do whatever it takes. Along the way, she connects with Yù’chén and she forms a reluctant alliance with her rival to survive in the realm of the immortals. As they battle demons, both of them hold secrets that would shatter their alliance. How far can Àn’yīng trust Yù’chén and still win the Trials?

I absolutely loved The Scorpion and the Night Blossom! Amélie Wen Zhao is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to begin this new series. The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is filled with lush details, action-packed scenes, and lovable characters. Àn’yīng’s dedication to her family and her fierce fighting abilities make her a compelling heroine. I adored the romance between Àn’yīng and Yù’chén! Every time they were on the page together, I couldn’t put the book down! The realm of the immortals was fascinating and I enjoyed the immersive sensory details.

Readers who love beautiful romance, vivid world-building, and intricate fantasy will love this book. I can’t wait to read the next book to find out what happens next!

Thank you so much to Amélie Wen Zhao, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Wow!! This book is one of my favorite read in 2025 so far! I love Àn’yīng and Yù’chén’s banter and their push and pull. I also love a good Chinese fantasy read, so I had a lot of fun reading this book.

It has romance and fantasy tropes and that’s my vibe! The overall premise isn’t original (trials, falling for your enemy, etc). At first, reading the synopsis, I thought it was just like The Serpent and the Wings of Night. Both follow a typical trail/enemy-to-ally-to-lovers storyline, so keep that in mind. I was disappointed in Àn’yīng’s prejudices with the mo/demons and know that’s the point. Her perceptions are constantly challenged as she meets other characters and grows close with Yù’chén. I’m looking forward to Àn’yīng becoming a stronger fighter, because who doesn’t love a badass FMC?

Overall, I am obsessed with this book and the characters. I cannot wait for the sequel and see how their story ends!

Book: 4.5
Spice: 2

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's and Delacorte Press for the eARC! I always appreciate it.

I will preface my review with saying I didn't know this author beforehand, but the book sounded interesting. What I ended up reading was a cookiecutter fantasy with some mythology sprinkled in but not in any really meaningful way. Why this book got one star from me is not just that it was formulaic but also problematic. It was giving off very STRONG bigotry vibes and not in the way that makes you think and examines real-world issues- in a way that was fully supportive of the extinction of a whole species...Big yikes from me.

I picked this up at the same time I started getting into c-dramas, and it couldn't have been more perfect! This is a stunning addition to the romantasy genre and THAT ENDING??? I need book 2 ASAP!!!

I can still enjoy a book with a weak plot, but poor character development really bothers me. Àn’yīng is the most unlikable female character I have ever read. Actually, she was portrayed good at first. One tragic night, at just 10 years old, she witnessed her father's death and found her mother barely alive.

After 9 years of taking care of her bedridden mother and her little sister, she was set on a mission to acquire an immortality pill to save her dying mother. To get that immortality pill, she has to survive a few “trials” and make it through a deadly forest packed with hellbeasts and whatnot. Now, this seems like a very promising plot, and it actually is, if the character were portrayed well enough. I understand Àn’yīng was traumatized and self-taught to fight. I get it; one cannot just go and kill beasts without actual practice.

But at least at some point she has to fight, right? That's the whole point of the plot, to fight for her dying mother and her little sister. Armed with six blades, all she did was tease the male protagonist, Yù’chén. Seriously, for the first half of the book, every time she was in danger, Yù’chén saved her and she wasn’t even grateful. Instead, she insulted him every single time. Later in the book, Hào’yáng (another love interest) ended up saving her. And the other character keeps saying that she is strong, like how? She was like, "I will fight with you, Hào’yáng," while she can't even save herself.

While the plot focuses on completing the Immortal trials and learning to fight, most of the story revolves around the tragic love story and the tension between Àn’yīng and Yù’chén. That frustrated me even more than Àn’yīng herself. Even in her training sessions, there was more talking than actual training. The trials were portrayed as insignificant. She did practically nothing and winning them all with the help of others.

If there was no trial and no one was on the edge of dying to be saved by Àn’yīng, I would have loved the book, imagining her to be more grateful and less awful to others. I did love the twists nearing the climax. There were so many unexpected twists; even though they had nothing to do with the plot, they were all great. Considering the twists, the writing style, and the tragic love story, I’m giving this book 3 stars—because, for me, 2 stars means a bad read, and this one doesn’t fall into that category.

First of all, you had me at Amelie Wen Zhao!! Her duology still ranks in my top ten for a wholesome ending instead of a HEA!! I mean fantasy with a healthy dose of real life, what more could a reader ask for...

An'ying is my kindle of heroine, smart, sassy and entrusting, but with a beautifully stubborn streak and a slew of blades. Trying to save her mother after the loss of father to a Mo or demon, she is fighting to save her mother by winning the pill of immortality in the Kingdom of the Sky while secretly searching for her guardian of the jade.

This tale weaves hunger games, with Asian myths and demons, the end of the world, a dark hero and white knight dueling for affection in slow burn romance... A mortal competing against magical competitors in an immortal regime whist searching for her savior.. it had all the feels, all the twists and more!! I didn't want to finish it, and lo when I thought I reached the cliffhanger, there was more... and then more and then MoRE!!

Loved it to bits and eagerly awaiting the sequel(s)!! Write faster Amelie!!! Many thank yous to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the arc!!

THE SCORPION AND THE NIGHT BLOSSOM is my first 5 star read of March and one of my favorites for the year so far. I’m a huge fan of Amélie Wen Zhao’s books, so it’s not surprising that I’d love this one.

The world-building is my favorite element of the whole book. It’s beautiful, it’s glittering and opulent, but it’s also harsh and dark depending on which way you look. There are demons in this world that are a perfect mirror to the world — beautiful on the outside, but sinister the more you look at them. There’s also a magical school, which is the backdrop for the dangerous trials that the characters enter in order to gain immortality.

Never a dull moment, there’s excitement, danger, and action on seemingly every page, and there’s also a bit of a romance blossoming between MC Àn’yīng and not one, but two boys. I love a good love triangle, so I’m definitely not upset at that turn of events. The ending alludes to much more to come in this world, and I’m excited to for the second book in duology to see how things end. Pick this up if you enjoy:

➼ Star-crossed lovers
➼ Deadly competitions
➼ Chinese mythology
➼ Apocalypse/threat of the end of the world
➼ Demons
➼ Beautiful world-building
➼ Twists and turns


*Thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours, the publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

This was my first book by this author and I liked it well enough! THE SCORPION AND THE NIGHT BLOSSOM (such a great title!) kept my throughly enthralled.

The Scorpion and the Night Bloom is an exciting young adult fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore and mythology. Yes, there is romance, but the love for one’s family is what really shines.

I love reading for escapism, especially when it keeps to fantasy, but I also love it for exposing me to new cultures and points of view. This book did that for me. It took me a little bit to get into this story, I wasn't so sure if I would like it initially. That definitely changed by the time I finished and I will absolutely be reading the next book.

Àn’yīng leaves her mortal home in the Kingdom of Rivers to face the Trials in the Kingdom of Sky where a handful of winners will receive a pill of immortality. Most people choose to take the pill for themselves, but Àn’yīng is determined to win it for her mother.

Nine years earlier, Àn’yīng watched a mó (demon) kill her father and drain half of her mother’s life force, leaving her on the verge of death. Since then Àn’yīng has been training herself to fight these demons to keep her remaining family safe.

Stars 4.5

Third time's the charm?

Nope.

It took me three novels to learn that Amélie Wen Zhao's writing is definitely not for me. I thought Blood Heir was very formulaic and written to market. Nothing original. Passable for a YA fantasy if you're not well-versed in YA fantasies. I DNF Silver Flame something or other.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is more of the same. The characters are built with popular tropes and current romantasy trends, so they end up being very dull. The worldbuilding... exists. Other than the Chinese influences, it's your typical YA fantasy with trials and tribulations, interchangeable side characters, falling in love with the enemy (ish), corny flirting and even cornier declarations of love, and third act reveals that aren't really all that interesting or shocking.

This is style over substance, and the style isn't even as pretty as Sue Lynn Tan's Immortal. At least with Immortal, the worldbuilding is gorgeous. This one feels like it depended on the reader's knowledge of East Asian fantasy novels/movies/TV shows.

And every time I picked up this arc, it was guaranteed to put me to sleep. I only struggled through it because my buddy reader, Mai, felt similarly about this book.

Oh, well. On to the next one.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this arc.