*Spoiler free*

I’ve wanted to read this book since the first time I heard about it and found out it was about a girl who lived on the moon, and went on a quest to save her mother, who was imprisoned there. It sounded absolutely incredible, and I had seen so much love for it online. I was so stoked to read it.

This book was quieter than I expected, but absolutely enchanting.

Everything about it is so vivid, from the storytelling to the imagery to the scenery to the characters. It's told through sweeping motions, but it doesn't make it any less gorgeous.

At it's core, it's a story about love. The pain it can cause, how much it aches to hold it in your hands, how it can wash over you in the greatest of waves, and how willing people are to fight for it. It's a fight for love, romantic, familial, friendships. It blossoms and crests and sometimes it pierces straight into the heart. There's sacrifices made in the name of love, and there are questionable decisions made in the name of love. But, it is love that keeps Xingyin going, and what she continues to fight for.

Another thing that I loved about this book were the monsters and creatures that inhabited the world of immortals. I loved seeing Xingyin meet them and sometimes fight them and just pretty much all of them were so freaking cool. Like, there are dragons. Dragons are so freaking cool, and these dragons take it to a whole new level. The way mythology was weaved into this story was stunning, and I was absolutely fascinated with all of it.

The writing was another thing that I loved. It flowed so smoothly.

I also adored all the characters, and I wasn't expecting to love them as much as I did. They blossomed right along with Xingyin. And gosh, the romantic yearning and the love triangle and friendships.

All in all, I really, really enjoyed this book even though it was a lot different than I expected. Everything about is gorgeous and it's truly vivid and I adored all the characters. It's amazing.

Thank you Avon, Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow just wow. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that was this enjoyable. Hands down an all time favorite read. This book spoke to my soul. It is beautiful. The writing was exquisite. Full of luscious details, I felt like I had climbed on a cloud and entered the Celestial Kingdom myself.

I absolutely love the story of Chang’e and this retelling blew me away. The beginning starts off with a bang and the pressure never lets up. At any point Xingyin could be discovered and every relationship she makes plunges her closes to losing her original goal of freeing her mother.

I love the overall theme of this story. It is steeped in loyalty and duty and how far would you go for family and those you love. Xingyin character is inspiring. Her tenacity and motivation drives all of her decisions yet she remains kind and virtuous throughout the adventures. She might have been born into a quiet isolated life but after she is thrust into peril she owns her fate and learns to master her magic and her archery skills become legendary.

This story really hit all of my favorite tropes. I love the relationships Xingyin makes. Especially with the crown prince. The conflict between their parents adds wonderful tension and a forbidden love aspect between Xingyin and the prince. On top of forbidden love there was enemies to lovers, slow burn, enemies to lovers back to enemies and the absolute best, the only one bed situation.

The imminent peril and twists and turns never stop. I couldn’t put down this book. Also as a Chinese American reader it was so wonderful seeing a story I grew up hearing turned into a breathtaking retelling. I can’t even put into words how much it means to me. Seeing characters that look like me who are strong and brave and courageous is everything. Overall I would hands down recommend this book to anyone even if you are unfamiliar with the story of Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess. My only low point is that now I must wait until book 2.

Xingyin, the daughter of the moon goddess, is in a quest to secure her mother’s freedom, who is sentenced to a life of solitude and imprisonments on the moon. Keeping her identity a secret, Xingyin becomes the companion of the prince, the son of the person responsible for imprisoning her mother. Xingyin works hard to become the best archer and win a favor from the celestial emperor.

I really loved this book. The adventures she goes on, the people she meets, mastering her powers, and of course romance! are all great. Highly recommend.

I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! The main character was very relatable and interesting which I really love. I was never bored while reading this book and I can not wait to recommend this to all of my friends.