While I decided to not finish this at 57%, I can see how this will be an amazing book for the right person! The premise of this is promising and I love the enemies to lovers relationship between liyen and the god of fire! I find the romance to be strong in this one but the plot and world building seems a bit lacking to me. At 57% I felt that the plot had not progressed enough to my liking and it’s definitely a slower read. Again, I think this will be great for the right person, just not for me!

I was not a big fan of the narrator for this one. The way she read the dialogue seemed over exaggerated and a bit immature, which distracted from the story.

Overall, I think the romance was strong in this one and the cultural fantasy elements were intriguing, but I found it to be overall lacking in plot and the narration didn’t help.

"Immortal" by Sue Lynn Tan follows a young woman named Liyen who is ruler of Tianxia, a city kept closed off from the rest of the world by the immortals. When Liyen is given a healing lotus highly coveted by the immortals, Liyen must hide it at all cost or risk the wrath of the immortal realm. As Liyen fights to free her city from the immortals tyranny, she must also guard her heart against the god of war, Jueng-We, while protecting her people from both the immortals and the wu-shin.

I'll admit, the cover got me. Sue Lynn Tan always has such amazing covers for her books. I had read this author's previous works and wanted to try another to see how it compared. While I enjoyed "Daughter of the Moon Goddess", I hated its sequel and was hoping this book would be this authors come back.

What I though was done well in this book was the beautiful writing. Sue Lynn Tan has such a way with words that makes every sentence feel luscious. I also think the audiobook narrator did an amazing job! I have listened to her work before and really enjoyed it-I think she does a great job pronouncing the foreign character and location names in an authentic way, and is very engaging to listen to. You can hear the character's emotions through the tones and inflections she performs. There were a lot of twists and turns in the plot, some of which were obvious, some which were a bit of a surprise, and I think a lot of readers will appreciate how the story wasn't super straight forward.

Unfortunately this was not my favorite story. I felt it dragged, had a lot of similar story beats as her other series (betrayal, redemption). There were definitely some plot holes that I could not figure out, as well as I didn't really see the motivation for Liyen hating the immortals so much when we don't really get to see what's so bad about living in Tianxia. I also did not feel any connection between Liyen and the main love interest. It starts as insta-love, and the insta-love is explained about 70% of the way through the book, but by the time we got there I was convinced there was not connection between the pair. It also drove me nuts that Liyen's love comes to help her escape from the situation she gets herself in near the end of the book, and instead of trying to figure out how to escape, they make love multiple times. I'm like "Hello!!! You are trapped dummy! Please save this for another time, you need to get out of here!" In general I think this book could have just skipped the intimate scenes as they did not add anything, but at least should have been done at literally any other time *facepalm*. I had a hard time with this book because I found Liyen insufferable and a lot of the plot just dragged too much or had a plothole. However, reading it via audiobook is what saved me because the narrator was so good!

Personally, I think this book is a 3.5/5 stars-its got beautiful writing but the plot just didn't grip me. However I will bump it up to 4/5 stars for the awesome narrator!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ARC of “Immortal” by Sue Lynn Tan in exchange for an honest review. This author has been on my radar for a while and I am honestly surprised I haven’t read anything from her until now.

“Immortal” is a standalone, romantic fantasy, set in the same universe as Daughter of the Moon Goddess. This story is beautifully written and features everything I love about this genre: political intrigue, magic, and a slow burn with passion that defies the odds.

Our FMC, Liyen, is faced with many difficult choices as she unravels the secrets of the mortal and immortal realms. Liyen’s character development is undeniable as this story unfolds.

I adored the God of War. His intensity and powerful nature hooked me from the first time we meet him. MORE PLEASE!

Sue Lynn Tan writes with beautiful prose and the world building in this book is incredible. Her previous books are now higher on my priority list.

“Immortal” is a beautiful novel that follows Liyen, an heir to the kingdom oppressed by The Immortals. Her grandfather, the ruler, dies by the hand of the immortals and Liyen swears vengeance upon them. On this journey of freeing her people and ending the reign of these gods, she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, where she seeks out knowledge and secrets in any way possible to bring about the downfall of the immortals.

The narrator- Natalie Naudus was a fantastic narrator. Each of her characters had a distinct voice, even with there being many male characters. Her voice invoked such emotion and I was mesmerized. I was drawn into the story and could picture everything. Her cadence was easy to listen to and her range of emotion was well done.

Liyen is an amazing FMC. She is an empress of a kingdom that seeks to rid her of her throne. She is a granddaughter distraught with the death of her grandfather. She is so full of self determination and motivation that nothing could stand in her way. She is smart and clever in finding solutions to what feel like impossible problems. But it isn’t so outrageous that she is invincible. She has her trials and her flaws but still chooses to continue on and fight for those she loves and what she believes in. The world building is very well done and the writing is beautiful. I am loving that we are in an era where every book surrounding mythology isn’t just Greek anymore. I love learning about other cultures and hearing their stories.

I loved it and absolutely recommend it to anyone that loves fantasy because it is a really good book. Anyone that likes high fantasy, gods, immortals, a strong FMC, a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romance subplot, and mythological creatures, this book is for you.

3⭐; Something about this just wasn't right.

I think my main issue with Immortal stems from the similarity it holds to a plot point in the Celestial Kingdom duology; there's a realm/kingdom filled with evil demons who are the primary antagonists, except they're not actually evil, they're just under bad management and trying to obtain the livelihood owed to all sentient beings. Am I talked about the Cloud Wall / Demon Realm of the duology or the realm of the Wuxin in Immortal? I couldn't get past this aspect of the story, it just felt like a reused concept and made things feel flat for me.

On top of that, Liyen and Zhangwei's romance did not spark joy for me, which is definitely not good since this is a romantasy. It felt like insta-love and even when it is revealed that Liyen has a forgotten history with the god of war, there still wasn't any way for her to have known that when she went all googoo for him.

I was confused by the second half of the story and felt like things weren't really given enough time. The betrayal of Aunt Shou, but not really. The loss of Chengyin. But not really. The transformation and reclamation of Liyen's past and immortal self. But not really. It all just felt kind of like a cop-out, which I don't enjoy.

One thing I can absolutely praise this story for is Sue Lynn Tan's continued excellent writing style. Her verbage and descriptions are just as lush, lyrical, and majestic as they have been in previous titles and I think she has only improved with her prose.

Another amazing aspect is having Natalie Naudus back. I feel like maybe she kept it a little too close to her voices from the Celestial Kingdom narratives, but she is an amazing narrator and I love that she came back for this title.

Overall, Immortal falls short where it should have hit hard, and wasn't the slam dunk I hoped it would be.

I tandem read and listened to the audio and let me tell you...AMAZING. The narrator did an amazing job at making me feel like I was a part of the story. One of my top audios of the year!

An interesting story. Very well written. Loved the mythology of the world and loved the world building.

Immortal is a standalone book set in the same world as the beautiful Celestial Kingdom series. A richly detailed world unfolds filled with mythology and touches of whimsy. The narration of the audiobook is done with gentle shifts in tone for characters and situations — leading to a pleasant and engaging listening experience.

Liyen, is an fmc who goes through many transformations as the secrets of her life begin to unravel alongside the rich storylines. Her story begins with her poisoning and her loving grandfather betraying the gods to get her the only thing that can cure her. The sacrifice he makes ultimately causes his death and sets in motion Liyens ascension to the throne of Tianxia. However, she must get the approval of the very gods her grandfather betrayed in order for her to solidify her rule.

Tan does a wonderful job weaving complexities of mythology, politics, misogyny, love, sorrow, and poses the age old questions of is there ever truly a right and a wrong when it comes to war?

The evolution of the relationship between Liyen and the god of war is one that snares you the further into the book you get. Seemingly simple at the start; filled with tension and banter, the thought crosses your mind that this is just another bit of insta love. Yet, Tan subtlety gives us bread crumbs that their love is more than what you are initially led to believe. I enjoyed the journey and evolution of this romance, yet, I wished for more tension and connection. Liyen, while her strife is understandable — she also has a brashness that detracts from the underlying connections.

The action in the book struck me as if I was watching a movie, it played out move for move in my head with a beautiful vividness and would genuinely translate well to a cinematic setting (think bold and beautiful colors like jet li in hero with each world having its own unique and vivid coloring at least that’s how I envision it).

Overall Immortal was enjoyable yet, had some minor pacing issues where some aspects of the book felt as if they progressed rather quickly and some just slowed. The initial world building lacked a little however Tan made up for that as the other realms were introduced. Liyen had moments where I felt extremely annoyed at her actions and her overly judgmental and stubborn thought process. However, as the story progresses it largely resolved. The last 25% of the book really kicked upped the action! If you’re looking for a mostly quick paced read, with Chinese mythology and wonderfully woven storylines then I definitely recommend giving Immortal a read.

Thank you to the author, publishers, and netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

I really enjoyed this beautifully written tale! Daughter of the Moon Goddess was one of my favorite duologies, so I couldn't wait to be back in the world of the Celestial Kingdom! This story had magical world building, exciting twists and a slow burn romance! Sue Lynn Tan is becoming a new favorite author and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future!

Book 📖: Immortal
Author ✍️: Sue Lynn Tan
Rating out of 5: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: January 7, 2025

Blurb: To save her life, Liyen is given the precious enchanted lotus, but when the immortal queen comes looking for the lotus, Liyen must face the consequences for her kingdom’s survival and their hopeful independence from the queen’s influence.

Review: This was such a fun standalone fantasy book! 😍 I always enjoy a good standalone fantasy because it means that I don’t have to wait for other books to come out, and I just get to binge it all in one sitting 😅.

I fell in love with this book! The setting was beautiful and atmospheric, the characters were strong, powerful, and wise, and I had a blast reading it!

Like her other books, I felt like this book had a couple different parts. As we moved from one Realm to another, the setting shifted with along with the momentum of the plot. This kept the story moving forward quickly, as well as introducing us to a wonderful variety of locations. 🥰

I loved the complexity of the end of this book. It would have been really easy for the author to make everything black-and-white and wrap it up quickly, but instead she really took her time to show Liyen making choices that a compassionate and wise ruler would.

🗡️ The God of War had such a good arc, and I loved watching all of the lies unravel to the truth beneath. 🙊 I had so much fun with his scenes, and the tension between them was great!

🪷 Liyen was clever and cunning, and she grew into herself so much throughout this novel! She truly wants what’s best for everyone, and I appreciate it that she didn’t fall into making rash decisions that would frustrate the reader.

Overall, I highly recommend this beautiful book that delves into Chinese mythology and the realm of the Celestial Kingdom, but with a whole new cast of characters and motivations! ❤️

Thank you #netgalley and #suelynntan for this early release copy!

I was really excited to get the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan especially after being so impressed by her Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology. This book had many of the same rich folklore and mythology elements I loved in the duology that just piqued my interest so much and created such a beautiful and intriguing world in this high fantasy romance. I really liked in this book the variation of the immortals and mortals and the dynamics that presented not only the main characters, but also the plot. The romance was really strong in this book and I think stood out more than the romance of the duology. It was more romance led than plot driven, but that being said, I really liked the romance and the twists that the main characters had due to the love story they shared and how that was woven throughout the book.
The audiobook narrator did a great job. I was able to follow along well and differentiate between the dialogue and characters. It was a good audio read and I enjoyed it. I recommend it.
I received an advance listening copy of this novel from Netgalley and Harper Audio. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content: closed-door romance with a bit of fade to black.

Wow, Sue Lynn Tan sure knows how to write a breath taking fantasy novel. This novel was just as beautifully written as her previous novels. I loved that it took place in the same world as the Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but a with many different elements. It even included "easter eggs" from her previous novels. Loved the romance between the new main characters. It was a lot more spicy than her previous novels too. Loved it! Looking forward to the next Sue Lynn Tan novel! Loved Natalie Naudus's narration of this novel. She's one of my favourite narrators and any book she narrates is an auto listen for me :)

Ever since reading Sue Lynn Tan's duology for The Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I have wanted to delve back into the world she has created for these immortal beings. And what a treat this was to come back and experience a different area of the world, and with new characters and a fresh story.

I had the privilege of listening to the advance audiobook copy, thanks to Netgalley.

I award Narrator Natalie Naudus 5/5 stars for her amazing storytelling abilities. She put a lot of heart and emotion into the characters and breathed life into them, and you can feel it when listening to her. The transitions between character dialogue and narrating thoughts and actions was very seamless and I wouldn't change anything about it.

In terms of the story, our main character is a female mortal named Liyen who has ascended the throne when her grandfather dies, and she vows to free her kingdom from the obligations they have towards the immortals. However, she is swept away on an adventure with the god of war, attempting to learn his secrets as her mistrust in him turns into something more over time...

I will admit that there were many moments in this story where I gasped audibly because of the plot twists. The story was very poetic, and reminiscent of Sue Lynn Tan's original duology and I applaud that her writing style felt similar, if not a little improved. It was comforting and very easy to dive into the world and was familiar and cozy.

4/5 stars for the story.

For anyone wanting enemies to lovers, close proximity, forbidden love and entanglements, with a twist to Chinese mythology I would recommend you give this stand alone novel a try.

I’m not even joking or being dramatic this was the most well thought out book i’ve ever read and it was beautifully written. Everytime I flipped the page it got better and better. AND THE WORLD BUILDING? THE CHARACTERS? mwah chefs kiss

Uuurgh, why does everyone think that they know what's best for the FMC (I don't know how to write her name, sorry)? Why don't they let her decide what's better for herself? Isn't she a sane person? She rules her people for God's sake. How I wished I had the eARC there are so many quotes I wanted to highlight. TBH, Once I knew the truth, I didn't care anymore,e, but Sue Lynn Tan has a way with words that makes me want to read the whole book, ok, even if I don't agree with some of what's in it.
PS It's not fully a YA book and that's new for Sue Lynn Tan.

Pre read

Oh My God 😭😭 I received the ALC from NetGalley 💋

A spellbinding standalone romantasy with excellent world building, great and complex characters, and a slow-burn enemies to lovers romance. The action scenes, political intrigue, and unexpected twists kept the pages turning. I appreciated that the world building stands on its own so that readers who haven't read the previous books in Tan's Celestial Kingdom can just dive right in and read it. Natalie Naudus is one of my favorite audiobook narrators and she does not disappoint in her rendition of this story.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an advanced reader's copy of the book.

What a lovely standalone novel! I loved the rich world building. And star-crossed lovers romance. And I loved the twists. Recommend for lovers of epic fantasy!

Sue Lynn Tan gives us another beautiful magical story. The twists, the romance and the magic is just perfect. It was so amazing to be back in this word. Her writing is like no other.

This book has me in a chokehold, i loved every minute of it and I love that it was a stand alone. It was a perfect introduction to the world and I'm definitely going to read the rest of the books in the world, it's alot less daunting.

Immortal is the sweepingly romantic tale of Liyen and the infamous God of War, Zhangwei. Liyen was poisoned and made a miraculous recovery with the help of a magical lotus flower. When the Immortal Realms demand an audience of the ruler-to-be and an explanation of where the magical lotus flower went, Liyen encounters the God of War. As a connection sparks, the Immortal Realm is inundated with enemies. Can Liyen and Zhangwei work together to save the realms?

Immortal is a beautifully written book, with lush description and heartfelt characters. Sue Lynn Tan always writes gorgeous prose. Liyen was one of my favorite characters! I loved how Liyen always tried to make the best choices for her people, while also not letting herself be pushed around by the immortals. Zhangwei and Liyen have excellent chemistry! I was spellbound by the betrayals and twists that take place as their story continues. Immortal is a satisfying standalone, though I’m eager to read whatever Sue Lynn Tan writes next!

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Natalie Naudus, and absolutely loved her excellent narration. Readers who love romantic fantasy, strong heroines, and lyrical writing will adore Immortal.

Thank you to Sue Lynn Tan, HarperAudio, and Netgalley for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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