I loved this! I would give it a 4.25 or 4.5. The writing flowed beautifully and was very immersive. I loved the culture and the setting. The plot was interesting! But my favorite would have to be the relationships - I loved seeing the development between various characters. I loved the fantasy aspects!

(Mild spoilers) while there is a love triangle in this, I actually enjoyed it! It made sense, I liked the relationships between the characters, and I loved the conflict that sparked! I’m not a love triangle person, but I did like this - and the way it ended up!

Why this isn’t a 5:
It’s kind of predictable - not horrifically so, but there were things I saw coming
The pacing - some segments drag and then we time skip around. It’s a little jarring.
I could have used a little more characterization of each major character!

Overall I thought this was beautifully written and very captivating. I read it slowly to savor the experience. So thankful I got the chance to read this as an ARC!

The Daughter of the Moon Goddess takes the myth of Chang'e from Chinese mythology and spins a new tale around the invented character of Chang'e's daugther. Sue Lynn Tan did a wonderful job weaving this Celestial world that felt like it was ripped straight out of the pages of myth and legend.

Plot wise this book was split into a few sections of plot, almost like a collection of short stories. Because of this I did find myself a little more interested in the short term plots of the book than the overarching long term plot.

This book also has a strong romantic subplot that I really enjoyed. It was a love triangle, and honestly it was probably the most well done love triangle I have read in a while. Both love interests had unique relationship dynamics with our heroine and both were well developed and realistic and so I couldn't figure out who she was going to pick.

The writing of this book was very well done and had the same kind of tone to its prose that I would expect to encounter when reading myth or legends and so it was very fitting for this book. But as a result it's also the kind of prose that feels a little distant from the characters so depending on how much you need a close connection with the characters this could be a hit or miss for you from that angle.

Overall a very enjoyable read! And I'm very intrigued as to what direction the sequel is going to go in as this book did not end where I expected it to.

Wow, I loved every minute of this book! The world building was amazing and beautiful! It was very fast paced and I did not want to put it down! It had my emotions are all over the place! It was heartbreaking and yet sometimes heartwarming. The main character Xingyin was amazing..She was brave, fierce, cunning, loyal and fought so hard for her family and what she believed was right! I also loved Liwei’s character from the moment we met him! He never treated Xingyin as if she was beneath him and always showed her respect and support. I loved watching Xingyin grow into a fierce warrior and go on an amazing yet perilous quest to help free her mother! Her journey definitely had me on the edge of my seat scared to read what would happen next! I loved how the book had a pretty satisfying ending, but I cannot wait to see what is next for Xingyin and the others!

Sue Lynn Tan’s debut novel, DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS, is a beautifully written, young adult quest/romance based on Chinese mythology.

Xingyin has grownup on the moon, hidden by her imprisoned mother, the moon goddess. When Xingyin’s magic flares, it draws the unwanted attention of the immortal emperor. To keep her safe, the moon goddess sends Xingyin away from the quiet confines of the moon. Now Xingyin is determined to learn how to use her magic and to free her mother.

This has all of the young adult tropes - a love triangle, a righteous quest involving a powerful adversary, and lots of self-discovery and growth.

I loved watching Xingyin develop from the quiet, reserved girl on the moon to the young woman making difficult decisions.

The world-building and magic system were complex yet well thought out. The descriptions were beautiful and lush.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous - but the contents are even better. Xingyin is the sheltered daughter of the Moon Goddess, Chang'e, but she will be forced to grow up in a hurry when she is forced to leave the moon, and make her own way in the Celestial Kingdom. Without betraying her origins, lest the mother, whom she misses deeply, be punished further for bearing and hiding her, on the moon.

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Disclaimer 2: I'm a white American woman, unfamiliar (up until now) with legends of immortal beings from Chinese culture. This did not subtract from my enjoyment of this work at all, but I suspect that this book is even better if one IS familiar with said legends.

The writing is exquisite, poetic, the characters distinct and compelling, and the danger to Xingyin and her mother, ever present. She also has allies, in a friend, and in two young men who are both romantically interested in her. Loved this. Can't wait for the next one.

I was intrigued by the overall premise of this book, but the voice of the book didn't quite draw me in as much as I was hoping it would. I'm not quite sure what it is. I think maybe if it had been written in first person, that might have helped? There was a bit of a formality to the writing style that just didn't quite work for me. Overall a clever tale, but just didn't quite fall in love with the writing enough to totally immerse myself in the story.

Things I Enjoyed: The author does a great job of transporting us into the world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I can imagine myself inside the palaces and the clothing and jewelry are amazing.

In terms of the protagonist, I really liked Xingyin. I found myself sympathizing with her struggle to save her mother. I also could relate to her struggle with the prejudices of others due to her assumed lowly station and her gender.

In my opinion, the plot was a good mix of adventure and romance. I thought that the love triangle in this one was very well done. Both Wenzhi and Liwei were well developed and they each had a unique relationship with Xingyin making it hard to choose between the two early on in the story.

Things I Didn’t Enjoy: The pacing was off for me. The first third and the last were great, but the middle felt almost like a filler

Overall Thoughts: This was 3.5 star read for me. The pacing proved very detrimental with regards to my enjoyment of the story. However, if you enjoy a slower paced story and like YA fantasy then consider giving this book a try.

<i>Daughter of the Moon Goddess</i> is one of the most impressive debuts I've ever read, and one I won't soon forget. One of the highest compliments I can give a book is that while I was reading it I forgot about the outside world, and such was the case with this novel. I was easily swept away into this whimsical fantasy, and when it ended I found myself sad to be saying goodbye–though I anxiously await the sequel.

Sue Lynn Tan is a phenomenal talent, and her skills are on full display in this book. Her writing, world building, lore, magic system and characters were fully realized. Even when the characters made decisions that frustrated me, I couldn't truly fault them because they felt like real people. I experienced a range of emotions over the course of the novel and shed a fair amount of tears, but it was a journey I genuinely loved. Sometimes it gave me whiplash, as the pace of this book is breakneck at points, but there was truly never a dull moment. Romance, dragons, battles, politics, magic–there's seldom a second to catch your breath, but it kept me on my toes.

The only thing that truly wavered for me was the romance. There was a lot of back and forth between the two options, which made my opinion flit around as well. But given that Xingyin is struggling with two hot men pining for her, can I really fault her? I'd be the same. As the book went on, I also found that the romances grew on me and, by the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the direction they went.

When I look at the moon at night, I wouldn't be surprised if Chang'e and Xingyin come to the forefront of my mind unbidden, and I will be glad to see them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

It's breathtaking, really. The world she crafted based on Chinese mythology feels truly magical and immersive. While a lot of the worldbuilding is never laid out for you verbatim, I felt as if I really got to experience the world. There are many twists and turns in the plot, some of which I'd never expected, and just OH SO much content! I feel like most books would pick 2-3 of the plot elements for a single book, but we're blessed with 6. And even better, I have no idea what's going to happen in the sequel (i.e. there's NO cliffhanger thank goodness!). I'd classify this book firmly in the NA fantasy camp, purely due to its inherent readability. A 500 page book seriously flew by just due to how clear the writing was.

Basically I loved it and you will too.

*Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
“There are many legends about my mother…” “Whichever story you believe, my mother, Chang’e, became immortal. As did I.”
~~~
This book was good. I loved the world building, the detailing of it. The determination of the main character was outstanding. I loved the characters' descriptions and their developments. This was an amazing retelling; and Tan is a phenomenal writer. If there is another book after this I absolutely can’t wait to read it. Thank you so Sue Lynn, Harper Collins Publishers, and NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

DNF @ 34%
I hope to give this another try in the future, at which point I would update this review. For now, though, I just can’t find the motivation to get through this.

This book falls into what I’ve taken to calling the Addie LaRue category: the prose itself is beautiful and quotable and whimsical, but the characters and plot are less developed. Books like this tend to be pretty divisive, because your enjoyment rests entirely on what you enjoy as a reader. I, personally, need a bit more focus on character development or plot development to get into a book.

What I loved about Daughter of the Moon Goddess was the world building. The myth of Chang’e is a personal favorite, and the author builds such a stunning world of immortals and magic around it. He world building is pretty detailed and extensive, and I didn’t mind it one bit. As mentioned before, the prose is beautiful too, and I appreciated the lyrical quality of it.

Unfortunately, though, the characters and plot fell flat. I couldn’t tell you a single trait of any of the characters; Xingyin’s characterization varied wildly, changing to fit each new plot point, and while the prince was endearing enough, the character overall was a bit too bland for my taste. Pacing in the first third is another huge issue for me; I see a lot of reviewers calling it action-packed, and it is, but to the extent where it feels as if nothing is happening. The layout and pacing of this book, in my opinion, would’ve lended itself amazingly to a novella or series of novellas—which is to say, in a different format I am sure I would’ve enjoyed this a lot more.

All of the overwhelmingly positive reviews gave me high expectations for this book, and to me it just failed to live up. Maybe after the first third the book improves, but with how little I enjoyed the first part I wasn’t really inclined to stick around and find out. I truly hope other readers have better luck than I did, though; this was one of my most anticipated releases and although I didn’t like it, it’s still beautifully written.

Unfortunately, I could not get into this book, though I tried multiple times. The premise is so fascinating, but I did not find myself engaged by the style of the writing, and the characterization came across as fairly bland. I did like the mythic world-building, but it wasn't enough to pull me through the story in the end.

dnf @ 25%

I am pretty disappointed about this one. I simply could not get through this one. The characters were bland. There was very little plot development, and many things that happened were way too coincidental. The world-building was interesting, but I just found myself feeling bored. I did enjoy the author's writing style, though, so I'm hoping that her later books improve since she is a debut author.

I'm giving this two stars because, as I stated above, I did enjoy her writing style. Also, I do think this book would appeal to a slightly younger audience and maybe I am simply too old to enjoy some of the story. The world-building and mythology was really interesting, but the plot needed to be streamlined.

This is another fabulous debut novel which sweeps us into the realm of Chinese fantasy. Like it's cover, it's a magical story that was totally unfamiliar. I think that fact added to my enjoyment. It's a tale of Chang'e the Chinese Moon Goddess, who is being held captive and her daughter Xingyin who sets a goal for herself to free her mother. There are the expected various quests that help shape Xingyin's character and sense of right and wrong. There is some romance as well as magic and dragons. Loyalty to family is the main focus and is beautifully captured. The prose is lush and enchanting, the action is non-stop and there's a book 2 coming to finish the loose ends.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I am eagerly looking forward to book 2 and future writings of Ms. Tan.
4.25* rounded up.

This cover grabbed me right away and I knew I was in love. Sue Lynn Tan has delivered a good debut book in Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

I love the world building and the aesthetic of this book. I do feel like there may have been a little too much happening and that I needed more showing and less telling. At times it could feel like I was overwhelmed with information. I was also a little put off by all of the tropes in this book, especially the love triangle, which felt too easy and a little flat. The characters could have used a little more depth/personality, some felt one dimensional. I definitely forgot this was an adult novel and thought it felt more along the lines of a YA.

Lyrical from the beginning, Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a story about truth, love, and the nature of perception. Xingyin's story is one that questions the very foundational bricks of a story. Of what purpose a story serves depending on who is telling it. Daughter of the Moon Goddess examines perception and spin in a world of court intrigue and legends. While I was drawn to this mythical almost legenday scale of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, what I ended up loving was Xingyin.

Her story is one of romance, adventure, and self-discovery. There's plenty of romance for those seeking a swoony fantasy, but Xingyin's character development was fascinating to watch. She has to come into her own as a person without the shadow of the moon. Xingyin must learn to thrive, to figure out what's right and wrong, and to decide who she wants to be. Together with a fantastic sense of pacing, and adventure, Xingyin's story is enchanting.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess was a refreshing YA take of the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese Moon goddess.
I have been told of this story many times before bed and just reading about this take with a lot more details and romance made my childhood heart happy.

The book starts off with Xingyin, young, naive, and curious all which lead to the tragic beginning of her story.
She is not content with her life on the moon and is always searching for more. She searches too hard and lands up being told to escape from the moon to protect herself.

I interpret this portion in the story as a light re-telling of Cinderella, where she is forced to work and slave away to some rich woman and work with her sinister co-workers. This ends up with the prince (Prince Liwei) rescuing her and "giving her the glass slipper" where she is now placed in the Celestial Palace. Now that she is in the enemy's hands, her true story begins. This portion of the story, I interpreted it as a very loose re-telling of Mulan. Xingyin disguises herself and in the process learns more about herself, becomes a total warrior, and falls in love.

This story is filled is a steady progression sprinkled with twists and turns. Betrayal and decisions have to be made in order for Xingyin to fulfill her duty to her mother and most importantly, to her honor and heart. The world building is EXCELLENT, very detailed, and just beautifully descriptive. This was a wonderful debut novel for Sue Lynn Tan. I am impatiently waiting for the second book to find out what happens next.

Magical. Everything about Daughter of the Moon Goddess was beautiful and captivating. The writing was lush and descriptive, and Sue Lynn Tan has an incredible and unique voice.

Ok so imagine if the Song of the Lioness Quartet was condensed into one book, and then make that book based on Chinese mythology, and that is what we're working with here, friends! Writing this review, I am SHOCKED to see it's the first in a duology. Because, dang, did you see where I said the book was like four books in one? I actually thought this book itself could've been a duology, so I'm really surprised to see there's another one coming. And the ending seemed final enough to me, although it did seem a little abrupt.

As for the book itself - it starts with our main character fleeing her home and her mother in order to save her mother from the vengeful empress. Pretty quickly, she becomes the training companion of the prince and there's some romance (Alanna and the First Adventure). Then, she decides to go Do Army for a little bit and becomes the best archer in the world and starts hunting down some monsters, fighting in battles and whatnot(Hand of the Goddess). And THEN there's some other stuff that happens that I don't want to go into because spoilers. Anyway, to say that a lot happens is putting it pretty mildly, but our main character still gets developed.

That said, this might've worked better as two books and the characters would've had a little more room to breathe. There's a twist involving one of the characters that left me cold because they weren't super developed. The writing is good, but sometimes leaned a little middle grade for me. Otherwise, though, I would generally recommend this to most fantasy readers, especially those interested in different mythologies. Even though it's really long, I can see reluctant readers getting into it. 4 stars - I really liked it!

Can I give a book more than five stars? If so, this is a book that I will be doing exactly that. DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan is a beautifully written, achingly romantic adult fantasy, with pining, a love triangle I am living for, ancient Chinese mythology, and sweeping eternal magic. I couldn't put the book down, and will never stop praising the twists and betrayals. I can't wait for more with Xingyin in the Celestial Kingdom!