“ When your days are dark you forget the existence of dawn”

This was my first book by Sue Lynn Tan - I am a big fan, I need to go and read her duology The Celestial Kingdom asap!!

“ Dawn would be dark without you”

Immortal follows Liyen as she reels with the death of her grandfather, and attack on her city by the God of War. She must ascend the throne, all while hiding the secret that she possess the pearl lotus the immortals are in search of. Liyen is headstrong, witty, and dedicated to her people. She unknowingly summons the God of War. Zhengwei is the epitome of “grumpy sunshine” and “touch her and you die”. I absolutely loved the dynamics of their relationship

“ Don’t be a hero they don’t have happy endings”

Sue Lynn Tan weaves an incredible story with vast world building, character depth and development, betrayal, love, heroism, and plot twists you never saw coming.

* “I will make my own destiny”

“You would stay here, with me?”
“Forever, if you’ll have me.”
“I want you for longer than that.”

* I am home 😩😭

Thank you to Sue Lynn Tan, Harper Audio, Harper publishing, and NetGalley for an Audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When her grandfather unintentionally loses his life at the hands of the immortal queen and God of War, Liyen vows to use her new position of authority as ruler of Tianxia to free her country from the interference of the immortals. She is summoned to the Immortal Realm to pledge her loyalty, and she insteads takes the opportunity to learn as much as she can to secure her people’s freedom. In doing so, she must make a dangerous alliance with the God of War. New threats to Tianxia begin to emerge, and Liyen must risk everything she loves to save her people - and herself.

This was an absolutely perfect book to finish off the year with. The writing was beautiful, with many stand-out quotes and a good balance of action and dialogue. Liyen was great as a main character. I appreciated her ability to use her own perceived “weaknesses” to give herself an advantage over others, and I thought her personality was the perfect mix of hard and soft. The narrator of the audiobook did well with making the narration and dialogue distinct from each other, and I would definitely recommend it as a reading format.

I did think that the pacing got a little bit off during the last 20% of the book or so, and there were a couple of plot devices that I thought worked well in the story but didn’t really do much for me personally. But I enjoyed the book enough that I was easily able to overlook those two issues and enjoy the story for everything else that I did love about it. I would absolutely recommend this to fans of fantasy, romance, and adventure. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this ARC. This is my honest review.

5/5 “For those we loved, the greatest disservice was to forget them.”

For the first like 200 pages I considered DNF because of the propaganda barrage in the world building. The confusing interactions between people that just seem incomplete somehow.

After the chunk of disillusionment that is the next few hundred pages the dots connected, the emotional investment came, and I binge read the remainder of the story.

Sue Lynn tan’s writing style was evident and magical as usual. Her imagery is beautiful, and her mc’s are dynamic and powerful. They make their own way in a world of tradition and distortion of reality. Almost all sides were victimized by two immortals in search of power.

Natalie Naudus is the narrator. She is excellent in her performance of this story and pronouncing the character names. If I had to read it myself I would butcher it. She is also excellent in Sue Lynn Tans other books 📚.

4.5/5 stars

Immortal is a standalone that brings readers back to the Celestial Kingdom. In this gripping fantasy, Liyen, heir to Tianxia, ascends the throne after her grandfather’s death, determined to free her kingdom from its oppressive ties to the immortals. When the immortal queen retaliates by unleashing the ruthless God of War, Liyen seizes the chance to uncover the immortals' secrets to protect her people. Amid political intrigue, perilous alliances, and a perilous attraction, Liyen must navigate a treacherous path to save her kingdom, risking both her heart and her destiny.

Sue Lynn Tan has done it again! I just recently finished her the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology, and I sincerely wish Immortal was more than a standalone. I loved being able to return to the Celestial Kingdom, and I loved Sue Lynn Tan's storytelling in this epic narrative. The romance and the charisma/banter between Liyen and Zhanwei are impeccable. Their love and devotion to each other across time is the epitome of relationship goals. I loved the vivid world-building and the focus on the political challenges that Liyen has to navigate (she does a wonderful job at being a fair and just ruler in some of the most difficult situations). This book definitely tugs on the heartstrings!

In addition, I loved Natalie Naudus as the narrator - she has always done a fabulous job portraying Sue Lynn Tan's characters!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and Sue Lynn Tan for allowing me early access to the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that the romance actually had time to develop and that we saw them growing closer together instead of them immediately being in love. Sue Lynn Tan's writing was so immersive and it played really well in the audiobook edition of the book. It was such a gorgeous story.

Thank you Harper Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to have an audio ARC of Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan!

This is my first Sue Lynn Tan book and I’m ASHAMED that I have not read any before this. The writing was so perfect and I loved the story line. I’m excited to dip my toes into more of her books! The world building was fantastic and the characters were so great!

I’m not one to judge a book by its cover but the cover is as beautiful as the writing itself and I love that.

First I want to thank NetGalley and HarperAudio for providing me with an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I previously read Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan, and while I appreciated the beautiful writing I didn’t really feel connected to the story or the characters. But Immortal was a different experience for me. I really enjoyed this book. The writing was once again very beautiful and descriptive, and I felt immersed in this world and this story right from the beginning. I thought the dynamic between Liyen and Zhangwei was intriguing and ultimately very sweet. While the feelings between them felt a little instalovey at first, there is a piece of the story that later makes the instant attraction make sense. If you’re looking for a spicy romantasy , this is not it. And that was perfectly ok by me. I definitely prefer sweet romances, and this one delivered that for me. I enjoyed the reveals and the progression of the story, and found the plot to be very interesting. Overall, I thought this was well paced, lushly written, and full of very interesting characters that I found myself rooting for.

I absolutely love the lush language Sue Lynn Tan brings to every story. This was such a stunning book and i absolutely devoured it. The story was intriguing and gripped me at the very beginning and absolutely wrecked me time and again.

I loved the setting and characters of this epic romantasy even if I did find the plot to be a little too predictable. The ancient Chinese mythology was a joy. The slow burn romance was burning until it wasn't if you know what I mean. Closed door I'm looking at you. However, I digress. The attraction was nonetheless believable and the world building was interesting.

The audio narration is fantastic. Thank you to Netgalley and HarperAudiio for the ALC!

An epic fantasy exploring the ambiguous nature of enemies and power - and what you thought you knew. With a solid enemies-to-lovers romance and a layered main, readers will enjoy the journey of self-discovery and strong character development bringing this rich world to life. Sexual content not explicit and rather a ‘fade to black’ encounter.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

Let me just say, the beginning of Immortal absolutely hooked me. It starts off with a bang—action-packed and intense—and the God of War’s entrance? Amazing. It really felt like the story was going to deliver something epic.

But as things went on, I started to notice some cracks. The pacing was all over the place. Some events happened way too quickly or too conveniently, and then suddenly we were off to the next thing. It left a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions that were hard to ignore.

The romance was a mixed bag for me. At first, I was intrigued, but the back-and-forth dynamic got frustrating fast. So much of their conflict could’ve been avoided if they just talked to each other or, you know, trusted each other a little. And while the male lead, Zhangwei, definitely had his moments (especially when he embraced his God of War persona), he ended up feeling kind of bland.

Liyen, the main character, started off so different from most fantasy heroines—weak, sickly, and trying to navigate a world where physical strength is a big deal. I thought, Yes, this is going to be interesting. But before long, she turned into the typical fantasy FMC, gaining abilities and training to keep up. It made sense for the plot, but I really wish she’d stayed more unique.

That said, there were some highlights. The writing is gorgeous—seriously, Sue Lynn Tan knows how to create an atmosphere. The world-building is rich and immersive, and there are moments of humor and exciting action that really shine. Plus, there’s a twist early on that completely threw me for a loop. I was so impressed and couldn’t wait to see where the story went next.

Unfortunately, the twists didn’t keep that same energy. Later reveals felt less surprising and more disappointing, like they were there just to add drama rather than build on the story in a meaningful way. By the time the actual plot came into focus, I’d kind of checked out emotionally.

The ending, though, was sweet and tied things up nicely, which helped redeem some of the frustrations. Overall, while the book didn’t fully live up to its potential, it still has plenty of beautiful moments. If you’re into romantasy and enjoy lush writing and an atmospheric vibe, it’s worth a read—but maybe keep your expectations in check.

“One is enough, if they are the right person. It doesn’t matter how often you love, but how well.”“Love is the greatest freedom in the world, but you have to be capable of yielding it, to grasp its true meaning.”
Sue Lynn Tan. Immortal . Kindle Edition.

I absolutely loved this book! The writing was beautiful, and I found myself making so many notes and highlights while reading. The magic, mystery, and world-building were all incredible, with high stakes right from the very first chapter, which kept me hooked.

The love story between the two main characters was heartfelt, and a surprising plot twist made me fall even more in love with them. This is the perfect romantasy standalone for readers looking to immerse themselves in Chinese mythology.

Set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess, this book stands on its own and doesn’t include any spoilers from the series.

*Thank you Harper Audio for the audiobook, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc*

This was amazing. This might be my favorite read of the entire year. Inspired by Chinese Mythology and taking place in the same universe as Daughter of the Moon Goddess - if you haven't read this duology already what are you even doing - this is an epic and heart wrenching standalone cementing Sue Lynn Tan as a MUST read author for me.
Also whoever designs her covers needs a raise. UK and US versions are always stunning.

I feel like there is a glut of romantasy books on the market these days and sadly this one didn't stand out for me. Usually I am a sucker for anything Natalie Naudus narrates but even her voice talents couldn't save this one for me. If you loved Sue Lynn Tan's previous books you might still like this one but sadly it was a miss for me. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed Daughter of the Moon Goddess but this just didn’t work for me, I’m afraid. This is more a romantasy than a fantasy with romance (which is what DOTMG was), and the FMC was so bratty and knee-jerk defensive for much of the book that I couldn’t like her or understand the MMC’s attraction to her. That attraction is explained about 3/4 through the story, but by that point the FMC was unfortunately irredeemable to me.

As far as the audiobook goes: Natalie Naudus is a brilliant narrator, but I don’t think she was a great fit for this story. I know she’s of Asian descent, but a narrator with a Chinese accent would have been more immersive for this particular story.

I really liked this one!!!
What a terrific story and world, I got pulled right in! I didn't see the twist coming, and I just loved how this played out and ended. The audio narration was fantastic! Thank you, netgalley, for the chance to listen and review, I loved it!!

“When your days are dark you forget the existence of dawn”

I was excited about this book when I read the synopsis, I am a huge fan of romance and fantasy separately so I thought I would give it a chance together.

I was even more excited when I found out the main character was chronically ill, as weird as that sounds being chronically ill myself it is nice seeing representation at times.

I quickly got pulled into this story the Arthur being amazing at painting the picture of the characters, world and outfits making it come alive in my mind as I read.

That being said at around 30% into this book it did the one thing that makes me instantly lose interest in a book and it made me realize I may not be a fan of romance and fantasy together.

“Don’t let your grief turn inward, don’t let it hurt you.”

The next several chapters of the book focuses more on romance and Liyen trying to fight her feelings due to her lack of trust. admittedly her bratty attitude and inability to listen at all can at times become very grating and hard to handle.

“At the end of every night, no matter how long, comes the rise of the dawn”

Towards the end of the book it really pulled me in again with a twist and betrayal at times I felt like I couldn’t read fast enough because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

My final thoughts are that I really really enjoyed this book, there where a few things that kind of turned me off of the book but overall it was highly enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone that likes romance and fantasy.

Natalie Naudus did an amazing job at the narration of the audiobook, bringing so much emotion into each of the characters, completly bringing them to life.

I absolutely love Sue Lynn Tan's writing and if I had been writing a physical copy, there are several lines I would've highlighted. That being said, Natalie Naudus (who also narrated the Celestial Kingdom books) is one of my favorite narrators and I would happily listen to her narrate a grocery list. So, naturally, gorgeous prose paired with impeccable narration is a match made in heaven.

I also have to say, as someone who dislikes a lot of popular romantasy books, rest assured that Sue Lynn Tan delivers both lush fantasy world-building and sworn-worthy romance. Also, this is truly enemies-to-lovers, not just rivals-to-lovers or haters-to-lovers. Liyen is a mortal queen kept alive by a magical lotus, highly sought after by the ruthless immortals, including the treacherous God of War.

While some of the plot decisions weren't my favorite and I lost some interest in the middle, I recommend this for fantasy and romantasy fans alike. The ending is very satisfying and I appreciated that this is just a standalone! I'm excited to see what Sue Lynn Tan writes and Natalie Naudus narrates next!

Overall I liked this and while I didn't mind the narrators voice at all I didn't love the way she portrayed the female lead. It just rubbed me the wrong way for whatever reason. I was looking forward to turning this audiobook on when I got in the car to go to or from work each day though! The story had a lot of twists and turns and I really loved the whole world. It felt fully realized without bogging me down in minutia. I will say the spice factor of this left a lot to be desired for me personally, but overall a good read/listen.

WORKED FOR ME.

Fantasy standalones and I don’t always see eye to eye. I did go with the audiobook route and that was the click for me. I loved the audiobook and keeping it at the pace that I do helped me move through the story.

Yes, there’s a few plot quirks and I would have loved more of the relationship background BUT for a standalone this delivered. I love love love wild twists and plot moments I didn’t see coming. This had good reveals and I thought the unveiling of the story was executed well.

The romance was heated and swoony. I loved the connection between Liyen and the God of War. Perfectly timed tension and the build had my full attention. The lore was beautiful and I just can’t get enough of SLT’s writing style. It’s magnetic and the audiobook narrator brought everything to life.

Another gorgeous story that I loved reading.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: low
Romance: fade to black
Violence: moderate