Fei has had her entire life planned out for her since birth. The child of a prophecy stating she will become the empress of all empresses effectively condemns her to a life in a man's shadow, and she is quickly taken to the palace to be raised under the guise of the emperor's protection, when in fact she has been whisked away to secure the emperor's son's status and become the emperor of all emperors. When Fei and her betrothed Prince Siwang are almost eighteen, Fei has had just about enough of her life being dictated to her by and for the sake of men. She does care for Siwang, but recognizes that his love for her isn't straightforward or freely given, as it's inevitably tied to his desire for power that the prophecy promises whoever Fei marries. Desperate to receive the gift of a wish from the emperor by taking down a beastly tiger in order to break her engagement, Fei takes off on her own and encounters the empire's ward from a warring nation, and inadvertently sets off a series of events that will throw her entire world into a chaos she could never have predicted, despite being warned of it through psychic visions for years.

The Nightblood Prince was nothing like I was expecting. Perhaps that's because of the (absolutely gorgeous) cover making me assume there would be more time spent in a court setting. Maybe it's because the pacing felt disjointed as I made my way through it. Regardless, I definitely went into it thinking it was a standalone book, so be forewarned that this is absolutely the first part of a larger series! There is no easy conclusion here, for sure.

The first part of the book felt like an entirely different from the rest. Our FMC Fei makes excellent points about feminism and the ridiculous injustice of women having their lives forcibly revolved around men and never given their ability to be their own person, whether in a courtly setting or outside of it. This continues to be a main theme throughout the book, but while the point gets hammered in, I felt like it never fully landed. I wholeheartedly agree with Fei's opinion and outrage, but the indignation did not quite drive her action as much as I wanted or expected it to. It felt at times more like decoration, an espousal of an ideology that feels impossible, but with no real substance. (That said, I'm positive it will be more of the guiding force for future books).
Once the second part picks up, it's suddenly Mulan, which then quickly gets sidetracked when Fei's identity is easily discovered. While I understand that Fei's situation and emotions about encountering her lost childhood friend/fiance are complicated, I feel as though the growth she's achieved in his absence suddenly vanishes. Again, I completely understand that as a woman, she has very little recourse in affecting the outcome or opinions of anything or anyone. Yet her conviction to prevent the outcomes she foresees stalls, which sadly let me down a bit.
The third part largely revolves around Fei's realization that there are truly two sides to this war, but there are also no clear winners, both in terms of morality and possible outcome. Either way, too many people lose too much. Similar to before, I agree with Fei's anger about how war and power purely corrupt and destroy the lives that rulers should seek to protect, but her protestations feel hollow. Again, as this is just the setup for the future books in the series, I'm confident this will change, but considering the topical nature of this issue, it saddened me that there wasn't much exploration of side characters' experiences to emphasize the point, mostly leaving our view to the surface-level encounters Fei has or to the often oblivious opinions of the men ruling.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. It did not take me where I expected to go, but I am interested in seeing what happens when the next book comes out. I may not be chomping at the bit to get there, but there are so many questions about the lore of the world that have yet to be answered, and I'd love to see where Molly X Chang takes us as readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Rating: 3.25 stars

Review posted to StoryGraph: June 29, 2025 (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/40e2b87f-6c8d-4a57-ae10-d871ca2852bd)
Review posted to Instagram: August 20, 2025 (https://www.instagram.com/p/DNmHUQVRQWY/)

Fei is a chosen one, destined to marry a prince and bring them a prosperous empire, but when war breaks out, she decides to forge her own path.
Fei as a character is amazing. She's strong-willed and determined, reminiscent of Mulan. Unfortunately, she is forced into a weak love triangle where both options are lousy. Both princes want to use her, with one hiding it better than the other. It's pretty obvious who the author wants the reader to cheer for, but, to me, both princes were not good for Fei. I honestly kept hoping she would toss both of them to the curb.
The writing is compelling and the world is nicely built. I really wanted to keep reading to see what choices Fei makes as she forges her own path and handles the repercussions of her decisions. I love that she owns them, not living in regret but forging forward. I'm looking forward to reading more about Fei, but I hope Chang decreases the 'romance.'

enjoyed this one so much more than I thought I would.

It was giving Mulan but with a love triangle aspect. Fei was born into a world in which she's told she will be the emperess of All Empresses, but what does this really mean? Others want to have control of her so their future will be predictated to be all holy and smooth.. only Fei wants to be more than "just" a wife.

She's stuck between two men, but truthfully I don't think either deserve her as they are power hungry despite thinking differently.

Overall a fun read and didn't quite leave off on a cliffhanger, but also left with your own interpretation. Writing style was fun to get into and enjoyed Fei's strong demeanor and character.

OH? This was so good? Impressive worldbuilding combined with truly stunning Chinese culture, phenomenal characters, and a slowburn for the ages (not to mention a love triangle I didn't hate).

This book was amazing!! I couldn't put it down. It had everything I could hope for and more in a YA novel. Although I cannot use it in my social studies classroom, I will definitely be recommending it to my students!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review (apologies for the delayed review).

First of all, as much as it doesn't deserve to get compared to "These Wicked Gods," I'm going to do that for a hot minute (/the crowd boos/)--mostly to illustrate what this book failed at that I thought was successful in "These Wicked Gods" (especially since both are Asian fantasies with two MMCs & are written by the same author...though I guess there is a more explicit love triangle in this book than the other). I get that the author wanted to make both princes morally grey--but by the end of the book, I can't tell which prince to root for (or neither!) and as a book with romance, that kinda detracted from my enjoyment. Also, I would've liked a POV from each prince--I thought the POV from Antony in "These Wicked Gods" really served to humanize him and show Ruying as a genuine love interest from *his* perspective (even if he's dark morally grey and/or evil)...we don't get that in this book, as much as I hoped we would. (Or as far as I remember...if we do get the princes' POVs, they're brief and unhelpful...but I don't think we do)

Also, the other thing that annoyed me a lot is that the FMC (Fei) is so wishy-washy with the princes! First she's defending one, then the other, then suddenly the first one is golden again! I wanted to be like, girl make up your *mind*! I also thought she also judged Yexue unfairly and gave Siwang too much credit--I get that there's a lifetime of growing up beside one (Siwang), but Siwang kept badgering Fei to do what *he* wanted her to do and didn't really let *her* make decisions (which Yexue, for the most part, *did* let her do!).

On the flip side, I really liked Fei's determination to gain agency and how much she fights for herself. I found her POV (other than the wishy-washy-ness with the princes) to be very relatable and something I really enjoyed reading.

Overall, I liked this book but am unlikely to reread it and am unsure if I'll read the sequels.

honestly i wanted to like this book so bad, but i just couldn’t. i couldn’t tell the age this book was for because the reiteration of every point and the ham-fisted misogyny lessons felt like this was for younger audiences but the romance and brutality felt like it was for adults. i couldn’t find myself rooting for anyone as both love interests were awful and lied to the fmc nonstop. she never got clear answers from either and both treated her like a plaything. i also was a little tired of the tropey parts like how many times will she put a dagger to his neck or how many times will the dark and mysterious mmc call her a nickname that is supposed to be sexy but is just so possessive. overall, it was a quick and easy read to get into, but i just didn’t love it.

This book had me hooked with some key elements. Historical setting? Check. Vampires? Check. A baddie female lead? Absolutely check.

I was a little nervous going in because of the love triangle. Those always get my anxiety going. But dare I say... both male characters are actually good options? Maybe? I liked them both, which never happens.

I’m so excited I got to read this one. The plot was unique and pulled me in right away. The myth and folklore were beautifully done. I’m obsessed and already craving more.

This was my first read with this author so I didn’t know what to expect. Honestly this book was so good. There was drama, mystery, action. It is written for a YA crowd so don’t get upset at the lack of gore and details surrounding romance. I thought the premise for this book was very creative and I genuinely enjoyed the read. I went ahead and then purchased the physical copy. I am excited to read more from this author!

I’m not completely sure how I felt about this book. I liked the concept of a girl born with a prophecy and she’s trying to change her fate and destiny. Wanting to be seen for more than just her prophecy. I didn’t really like the MFC she didn’t really change or grow at all. She was really stubborn. I felt like when she was given info to change her mind she just glossed over it. The two princes were well written. I wanted to see more of the night blood prince. She wouldn’t even listen to what he had to say so that was a little annoying. This could be a stand alone but it looks like with that ending it will have a second book.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's | Random House Books for Young Readers

4.25 🌟

"How can I love you, if one of us is the sun, the source of all power and warmth, and I am a mere flower in your garden, hoping to bask in your light?" (Ch 11)

YA Romantasy | Inspired by Ancient China | Paranormal/Supernatural | Love Triangle | Political Intrigue | Prophecy

Fei is strong-willed, brave, and head-strong. She silently disparages against the man-dictated world she lives within. She's supposedly the fallen goddess, the future Empress of all Empresses of prophecy, but she has no voice, no freedom. Instead, she has visions and nightmares, and she struggles to align with fate. Like many female heroines, she wishes she could change her fate. Wishes for freedom. To be more than just a prophecy.

"I didn’t want to forever reflect his light. I wanted to be the one emitting the light." (Ch 36)

The story had me hooked, wanting to see where Fei's choices led her and if her visions and the prophecy came to pass anyway. And to follow the allure of the fantasy woven in, brushed with hints of magic. Plus, the promise of drama with two warring princes and the prophesied woman who stood between them! Then throw in a little Mulan-esque vibes, longing, and "blood-drinking demons" to round it out like a fever. And though lines were blurred and choice still up in the air, it became clear that things are not always as they appear.

"Some things in life are more beautiful in theory than they are in reality. And sometimes, we get what we want just to discover that it is not what we imagined." (Ch 14)

Anticipating book 2!

I loved this book! First in a series and I can’t wait to see where this series goes. Definitely Mulan x Twilight vibes and honestly I’m so here for it. Beyond thankful to Random House for this ARC 🫶🏻

This was a very interesting novel. It kind of made me mad that Fei didn't believe in her prophecy and kept trying to run away from it and at the same time kept trying to find out more information about it. She couldn't decide and it bugged me. I also found it hard to believe that Yexue actually liked Fei. I understand that she saved him and wanted to help him when he was hurt but I don't feel like that was enough of an interaction to warrant him falling in love with her. They did obviously spend a lot of time together after that but during a lot of that Yexue was purposefully manipulating her. He did so in several instances and it was very annoying that he kept doing it over and over despite how it clearly irked her. I did like him better than Siwang though, only because I found Siwang more annoying and I didn't like his morals. Overall, I'm interested in the plot and characters and itching to find out more.

I just want to start this off by saying that both the love interests in this are insufferable and I hate both of them. They both see the main character as a conquest and while that might work for some people, I personally would have thrown up if either of them touched me. Despite being told over and over and OVER again that Siwang ~loves~ her, it felt like he wanted her to keep her away from Yuexe. And that simply will never work for me. Otherwise, the world is interesting but I feel like the author put aside world building for the sake of romance. I prefer a fantasy book with romance over a romance book with fantasy, and this book was definitely the latter. I don't feel like I actually learned anything about the main character's prophecy and how/why it happened. It kind of was just a thing. I wanted to DNF this book pretty early on because of the number of times characters repeated themselves. The repetitive writting really lowered my enjoyment in this, characters said and thought things over and over and while I understand it was for emphasis, it was just annoying. Unfortunately, I won't be continuing in this series because I never want to hear the love interests talk ever again.

A dark take on Mulan with Vampires and Empires feuding with their people being the victims of two selfish princes and the girl stuck in the middle trying to save the world.

The first book in the series and I can’t wait to see where this goes, fast-paced and character driven, I found myself hoping our Mulan, Fei, could break free from it all and find herself among the chaos.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ebook arc!

Okay maybe it was my fault for not reading the full description, but I went into this book thinking I knew what to expect and it took turns I did NOT see coming!!!!! Fei was born with the mark of the phoenix and it was prophesized that she would become the empress of all empresses. The biggest Empire took her away from her family to be raised at the palace so she could wed the prince when she came of age. Fei has no desire to be a meager wife trapped indoors at the mercy of her husband's demands. She wants to forge her own destiny! She breaks her betrothal and is caught between two waring nations and their two princes who are fighting for her affection so that one of them can become the emperor of all emperors and fulfill Fei's prophecy. I appreciated going into it blind and I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much as I did if I knew what to expect.

This book had so much potential to be real angsty good time - and maybe the rest of the series will be (I hope). I think Chang did a really great job creating interesting characters with clear motivations. The magic system was lightly touched upon and I definitely wish we saw more. We have a mix of vampiric lore and oracles that intrigued me, and I think the novel could have really benefitted from more development on this front! But honestly, this book was mainly about our main character Fei and the war/love triangle she is in. Initially, I really enjoyed both Siwang and Yexue as love interests - they are princes, they are obsessed with her, like what's not to love? But eventually, it was just a mess. Part of this I believe is due to Chang's characterization of Fei who does not know what she wants and part of this is due to the fact that Chang obviously wanted to recreate A Court of Thorns and Roses, specifically Feyre and Rhysand's dynamic (like down to the fact that Yexue is demonic on the outside and everyone thinks he's evil but his whole kingdom secretly loves him), but both Siwang and Yexue are controlling individuals fighting in a war clearly over her. I'll give it to Maas that she at least had stronger world-building lol. Fei was also an annoying character, even though I understand that Chang was creating a character who wants independence and agency in a setting where she was less likely to achieve this. There were some moments that I enjoyed, I just wish this was stronger overall.

The nightblood prince
📚 Fei was born for greatness by a prophecy. The prophecy said she would be the empress of all empresses. Torn from her family, she lives in a palace with her betrothed crown prince/childhood friend Siwang. Fei doesn’t want to be Empress of all empresses and wants her freedom, so she goes out to hunt a legendary tiger that would be granted a wish by the Emperor. During the hunt, she meets Yuexe, who is a prince from neighboring land and has a monstrous secret. After the Emperor grants her wish,a war break out. Rumors have spread that Crown Prince Siwana and Yuexe are at war for the hand in marriage of Fei. Fei to protect her family she will go on search to find the answers that would help her stop the war.


💭 I don’t want to spoiler too much. But I really enjoyed this book. I love everything about this book. I love this love triangle. And I cannot wait to reread this book again. I love her writing style. I love her first book even though some people have mix feels so I can understand why. I can’t wait to read more book of her!!!
⭐️ 4.25
The book is out!
Thanks NetGalley and random house books for young readers for eARC

This book was fine, nothing groundbreaking but an okay read. The characters fell a little flat for me, the most interesting one being Yexue, and I feel like the plot was a bit too much at the service of the main character if that makes any sense. It resolved itself pretty okay and I will be waiting to see how the sequel picks up.

3.5 Rounded down for a specific reason and purely for the fact that Chang used "I let out the breath I'd been holding" FOUR TIMES in that exact phrasing as well as "I'd like to see him try" about 10 times from the SAME character and at least four of those were in the same conversation and i'm just begging to please find other phrases.

ALSO THIS SHOULD NOT BE YA THERE IS AN OPEN DOOR SEX SCENE WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN YA?

I also found the characters a little insufferable. I really don't care for either love interest in this and found them both pigheaded idiots which while I appreciate our girl both recognizing they're idiots and her determination to stand for the people over her own feelings most of the time.

I do think there was a lot of repetition overall in this story and about a hundred pages could have gone and we'd end up the same way. So overall, meh but had some good moments, I was upset about one particular death but that's how it always is with me, I like one side character and they always get axed...or arrowed.