I liked this one more than the first one, but still didn't quite love it. I don't even know how to fully explain it, but the story just doesn't feel developed enough for me. The plot and character development move really quickly, but I feel like i'm being told what's happening instead of seeing changes and development. These issues were less noticeable in this book and I feel like the plot didn't move quite as fast and I found the pacing much better. I think ultimately, I just prefer longer, more detailed fantasy series and generally duologies aren't for me. I wanted more character development/world development than this book gave me.

There is still a love triangle in this book and honestly, I didn't hate it. I usually really hate love triangles but it worked in this one and had a very satisfying ending for me. The action in this book was interesting and there didn't seem to be too much happening like in the first one. There were also several gut wrenching moments that I was not at all expecting, but whew they killed me. The book might have wrapped up a little too nicely,,,but i'm a sucker for a happy ending so I was into it.

Overall, this isn't my favorite series at all, but I did enjoy this second book more than the first. If you're looking for fantasy books with different vibes and origins that most epic fantasy I would definitely recommend this one!

Heart of the Sun Warrior is the second book in the Celestial Kingdom Duology by Sue Lynn Tan. The first book follows Xingyin, the daughter of the exiled moon goddess who has to escape the moon following the Celestial Emperor's discovery of her existence. This takes her on an epic adventure as she tries to find a way to free her mother.

Heart of the Sun Warrior picks up where Daughter of the Moon Goddess left off, and I was immediately immersed back into Xingyin's story, where the first book had a slow start. However, I found the story a bit stilted for the first 50%, as Xingyin was going on seemingly unnrelated smaller missions, all of which seemed to resolve a little to easily and conveniently.

Around the halfway mark, the story picked up a bit and started to focus on the love triangle that was present in the first book, and the story started to feel more high-stakes. The second half of the book definitely had me on edge of my seat, and took several turns that were unexpected and made me more emotional than expected given my detachment when reading the first half.

Ultimately, I found the ending really wholesome and heartwarming, and the final message of the book/duology was flawless. The writing is beautiful (just like in the first book) and in the end I was so happy that I read this book.

Goodreads says there will be another book in this series at some point, and I will definitely continue with that installment if/when it comes out.

**Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**

Note: I will be posting a dedicated reading vlog for this book on 11/13, and will also review it in my November wrap up, which will go up on 12/4.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review, all opinions are my own.

Things i Loved:
Xingyin's personal journey
Wenzhi's character arc
The world building and Mythology

Dislikes:
Felt Liwei's character fell flat
Wish there was a more battle scenes, Tan writes them beautifully.

Rating 5/5

Heart of the Sun Warrior is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, I devoured The Daughter of the Moon Goddess and disappeared into the story. The way Tan rights is very atmospheric as well as visual, it feels as if i am dropped directly into the story and can feel the emotions that Xingyin.

The Daughter of the Moon Goddess ended beautifully with the ability to finish Xingyin's story. Brining you easily back into her story. Xingyin grows, makes mistakes, learns and grows throughout this story. The Love Arrow ( because its not really a triangle because Wenzhi and Liwei are not in love with each other) was realistically written understanding how Xingyin was feeling as she was fighting with her heart and her logical brain on who she loved.

In short, if you love mythology, and beautiful writing read Daughter of the Moon Goddess than immediately pick up Heart of the Sun Warrior. I'm excited to read more of Tan's books in the future

4.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Heart of the Sun Warrior perfectly complements and completes the story begun in Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I loved exploring more the world and the mythos, as well as seeing more of the characters’ journey. The Celestial Kingdom and the Immortal Realm are so well drawn, especially as the characters begin exploring new aspects of these places, especially the latter.

I love the growth on Xingyin’s part, as she goes on her journey, makes mistakes, and even faces complex moral dilemmas. And the romance/love triangle is well-done, with their relationships with Xingyin playing pivotal roles as well, as both of them have their own reasons for pledging loyalty to her. The romance also feels much more prominent, as their feelings are much more well-drawn, and you feel a real sense of intimacy there.

The story isn’t massively action packed, although there are action scenes where it suits the narrative. The pacing overall is also fairly consistent, without many dull moments, even in parts that are a little slower.

This is a stunning conclusion to a wonderful debut duology, and I can’t wait to see what Sue Lynn Tan writes next! If you enjoyed the first, or are a fan of Chinese-inspired fantasy, I recommend you check this out!

This book was my top read of 2022. I laughed, smiled, and cried so much while reading. I wanted to throw the book out the window at some points, but that ending made it 100% worth it. Sue Lynn Tan knows how to capture your attention until you devour the whole book. Daughter of the Moon Goddess was a phenomenal story, but I can honestly say that this book was even better. I hate seeing the story end, but it was so beautiful. I never reread books, but I can honestly say I will be reading this one again in the future. I highly recommend everyone read this book!

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

I loved the first book and this series a lot, so this one was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Going into this book I didn't really have a good idea of where the story was going since the last one wrapped everything up pretty well, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how well it worked. I quickly, once again, felt immersed in Xingyin's epic adventure in the mystical Celestial Kingdom and could not put the book down.

The love triangle is back in this book and while I wasn't a huge fan at the beginning of the book by the end, I think it was for the better. I also enjoyed the focus on Xingyin's family in this book. It also gets pretty sad. I don't want to spoil anything, but I did indeed tear up.

All in all, If you loved the last one you'll probably love this one too! I know I did.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC to review. All opinions are honest and my own.

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars
TW: death, murder, grief, fighting/battles <b/>

It’s no surprise that Daughter of the Moon Goddess (DotMG) has been one of my favorite reads of 2022 and my expectations for the sequel Heart of the Sun Warrior (HotSW) were very high. I want to set the scene for you all – I read this book in a day, which is very rare for me. I had a long day of travel and spent quite a bit of time on an airplane or waiting around an airport.

As I first began reading, I resigned myself to the fact that while HotSW was enjoyable it did not surpass it’s sequel. In fact, I wondered if it was even a book I would want to reread because the start had a lot of showing and not telling and lacked some excitement. The introductory paragraphs felt a little long-winded and mundane, however this might be the author's writing style and with time I realized a good foundation was being set for the new conflict. Before I knew it, the author, Sue Lynn Tan, did what she does best and sucked me into her world and her characters yet again. I truly do not know why I was ever worried, in fact the only fear I should’ve had was how hard it was going to be for me to fight back my tears while on the plane. The sequel is the perfect continuation of DotMG picking up right were we left off in a seamless continuation. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, this duology would make a perfect Chinese Drama adaptation. Reading these books feels like watching a movie in my mind and I’m so grateful that I can lose myself between the pages and just feel and enjoy the story I have become immersed in.

I feel like some people may have criticism about the love triangle being too drawn out but I felt like it was believable and very in tune with the Xianxia genre. Xingyin is one of my favorite female protagonists, because while she is flawed and makes mistakes, you can understand her rationale. All of her actions are true to who she is as a character, meaning that the author doesn’t simply throw in conflict for conflicts sake, but creates tension in drama that aligns with the characters she has established. Liwei and Wenzhi both play a role in the sequel and we continue to see how their relationships with Xingyin has changed due to actions in book one. I'm so glad we got to see more of Chang'e, the Moon Goddess, and Xingyin's mother. We got to see her as more than one-half of a tragic love story and it was refreshing to see her given more agency and a personality outside of romance. She's a strong mother with a quiet power, who doesn't always view herself with the same reverence those who love her do. There is also additional exploration provided to the legend of Houyi and the Sunbirds, as this duology is based on legend. It's alway tantalizing to see an author's spin on a tale we know and how they give the story new life and texture while still holding onto its essence.

Prepare your hearts while reading this one, while there are less action scenes than in book one their is still plenty of battle and bloodshed. While I won’t provide any spoilers in my review and will try to be rather vague I don’t tear up easily and I was truly fighting for my life to hold back the floodgates. This book will make you want to laugh, cry, scream, yell and share some choice words with the author. If you're also a Chinese drama fan, this book gave me a reminiscent feeling of Ashes of Love.. The stories are very different, but the emotional response they both invoked in me was quite similar.

If you didn’t enjoy the first book then no, you probably won’t enjoy this one. While I found the writing to be tighter the author’s voice is very much the same. There are a few new characters introduced, however we've already met a majority of the cast in book one. If you did enjoy the Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I hope you find this sequel and conclusion as riveting and entertaining as I did.

I’m happy to see, through my Goodreads perusal, that while this duology is complete we may yet see other works set in the Celestial Kingdom world!!!!

A great sequel in one of the most original and fascinating fantasy series to come along in years. just like the first book, it mix is Asian folklore with the familiar fantasy tropes but twist them in a way that reminds me of Clavells’s Shogun. Really a must read for anyone who loves fantasy and Asian culture. Tan is truly an author to watch.

Headlines:
Changing allegiances
Family, friends, love & grief
Epically-sized triangle

I feel like my whole reader's heart has been invested in this duology. I've loved the world and it's complexity, the characters good and bad have been written so well and Xingyin has been a worthy main character.

Heart of the Sun Warrior was a fast-paced sequel that had me on the edge of my seat. Xingyin's brief status quo with her mother was turned upside down and in an insidious way with a rather evil villain. The cast of characters in this story were full of depth and the nasty charaters were developed as well as the beloved characters. The factions and rulers of this world sure were an egotistical lot in the main, trust was not an option.

This was an emotive story, tense, full of hurt, loss and grief and yet Tan brought those chinks of light and joy that kept you on the right side of hope. I read much of the second half with my heart in my mouth right until the final pages.

Talking of the final pages, I did struggle a little with that ending...I just wanted something more.

Thank you to Harper Voyager for the eARC.

I just finished the Celestial Kingdom duology and absolutely loved it. In the immortal world, Xingyin fights this unknown magic, a new enemy she must destroy. In turn she finds alliances between worlds and people she wouldn't have thought possible.

Xingyin is the perfect woman warrior. She emanates strength, passion, and a heart for her family and people. I loved watching her grow, fight, and persevere through all the challenges she faces.

Though this story is purely fantasy with a strong female lead, romance is still present. I still love both of them. And my thoughts on the end...I felt it wrapped up so perfectly for how she wrote this journey. The love was so raw and real despite this being a fiction novel.

@suelynntan is a writer to watch. The imagery, colors and settings were phenomenal. I was immersed in this world from day one. Fantastic Chinese mythology story telling. Give. Me. MORE.

Thank you to the author, @netgalley, and @harpervoyagerus for the early copy. This book comes out 11/15!

#suelynntan #heartofthesunwarrior #harpervoyager #duology #fantasyfiction #earlycopy #arccopy #fantasyreader #chinesemythology #mystical #lovetriangle #xingyin #adventure

I adore this duology, The Celestial Kingdom Duology. These books are beautiful, set scenes that are beautiful and have strong female characters.

At the end of the last book it appeared Xingyin finally had her mother's freedom and a chance to find peace living with her on the moon. All too soon however, she finds herself on the run and trying to figure out a mysterious new threat to the kingdom. Saving the Celestial Kingdom means she'll have to work together with some enemies, face some heavy losses, and find the strength to fight what looks like a losing battle at times.

Wow, what a great sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess! It was everything I didn't even know I wanted to finish out this duology. This world is so beautifully written in both books and the characters are so well rounded. I love how strong Xingyin is as a character, she is unapologetically herself and you feel all her inner conflict and heartbreak right along with her. The book is pretty fast-paced, there was plenty of action to keep me turning the pages long into the night. The love triangle between Xingin, Liwei, and Wenzhi was written well (I went in thinking there was no way Wenzhi could ever redeem himself, but I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I started to like his character again). Family bonds and friendship play a huge role in the story, as well as dealing with grief and loss. The dragons have a cameo, but there are plenty of new magical creatures like phoenix to enjoy. I feel like you don't necessarily have to read the first book to jump into the world, but it would definitely add to the enjoyment.

Overall Heart of the Sun Warrior is a great book, and I look forward to reading more from Sue Lynn Tan. I would definitely recommend it to lovers of fantasy. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

What a wonderful book - it was entertaining, beautiful, and heartbreaking all in one. It was an extremely strong follow up the Daughter of the Moon Goddess. You could really see the growth Xingyin went through throughout the two novels, and finally wrapping it all up at the end. My heart broke alongside Xingyins and my joy was matched to hers when she was reunited with someone she loved. I would love a third book to see what happens next!

Beautiful sequel to Daughter of a Moon Goddess! The story continues to follow the journey of Xingyin after she's sacrificed so much to help her mother. We have her conflicted between her two loves and her greatest battle yet. This story has war, love, sacrifice, loss and discovering something you tried to ignore (your true feelings).

“Sometimes there were no answers, sometimes we had to make them up as we went along.”

Xingyin is trying to move on from Wenzhi. Even though she has some reservations about Liwei, she loves him. Unfortunately, fate keeps throwing her back together with Wenzhi, but she will not forgive him because what he did was unimaginable. But the fate of the world is at stake, and she needs to focus on keeping her family safe and defeating the common enemy.

“The most dangerous hate is that which festers unsated.”

feelings So many feelings and nowhere to put them. And no one to fangirl with about these feelings because this isn’t even out yet. I didn’t read book 1 until earlier this year and swiftly declared it a favorite read for the year, and that still holds. But book two is some swift competition because this one made me cry a lot, and I love a book that can make me cry.

“For the fools do not fear the odds, the reckless do not care-and only the truly brave proceed regardless.”

There is something so special about the writing. It’s lyrical and thought-provoking, and I highlighted many things I hope to keep reflecting on. While I’m not wholly a fan of Xingyin’s mother because she is a bit flighty and weak, she is written well. The fact that Xingyin is such a strong character ultimately outweighs any lukewarm feelings I have for the Moon Goddess. All of the characters are fantastic. I cannot recommend this book enough. Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager, for sending this along.

“Death would feast well, gorging itself over the immortal table it had once been cast from.”

This book was one of the strongest followups to a fantasy series starter I’ve read in a while. If you’ve read Daughter of the Moon Goddess, you KNOW how fast paced and unputdownable it is. This book is no different. I didn’t realize it was a duology until about 70% through, and that made me so nervous. It is such a big story, could it really wrap up nicely? Better than you could imagine. I loved it!

I didn’t think this could be better than Daughter of the Moon Goddess but I was so wrong. I spent the entirety of part III relentlessly crying. I don’t think a love triangle has ever been written better than this, with such tenderness and pain you feel to your core, each person deserving the love they seek. There were beautiful reunions and such painful losses, the balance of both written so well. I love Xingyin, Wenzhi, and Liwei as characters so so much. I wish this story didn’t have to end.

I fell in love with Daughter of the Moon Goddess last year so I was hesitant to go into the sequel, worried that it might tarnish my love of the first book. Imagine my surprise when Heart of the Sun Warrior turned out to be even better. While I didn’t think DotMG could be improved upon, this book did just that. The characters felt more fleshed out and had more realistic development, the pacing was more even, and the book as a whole felt tighter and more well put together. I adored the beautiful, whimsical imagery, the continued inclusion of Chinese mythology, and the well done plot twists. While I’m not a huge fan of love triangles, I even enjoyed that aspect. All in all, this book is a wonderful, epic fantasy. I would recommend it (and its previous book) to everyone!

Sue Lynn Tan has blessed us twice this year. She made an incredible debut in January with Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Then Tan capped the year with the duology’s heart-wrenching conclusion in Heart of the Sun Warrior. No sequel slump to be found here! Tan finishes Xingyin’s tale expertly, and I have nothing but glowing opinions to share with you.

Xingyin has spent a year recovering from her many hardships and adventures in book one. Having secured a bit of peace for her mother, Chang’e, Xingyin is happily bidding her time on the moon and indulging in short visits with Liwei. Yet, even the moon is not far enough from the machinations of the Celestial Kingdom’s court. A new plot pulls Xingyin and all those she loves into harm’s way, and she can no longer hide away in her peaceful home. Xingyin must confront a malicious enemy that will stop at nothing to destroy the immortal and mortal realms.

Tan is a fantastic storyteller. She introduces a new threat and amps up the dread with every chapter. It seemed as if Xingyin was up against impossible odds, and every choice was a bad one. I thought book one tested Xingyin but nothing can compare to what she must go through now to protect the realm. She did everything in her power to avoid political games, but Xingyin’s entire journey makes her confront the situations she tried so hard to avoid. Xingyin is brought low in this book and it hurts. A lot. Yet, so many new facets of her character are revealed and I loved every new part of her. Tan constantly puts Xingyin in difficult situations and her questionable decision-making had me on edge throughout the entire book.

The world is large and magical and rich in Chinese mythology. It gives Tan room to explore it more in the future if she desires, but she spotlights a perfect portion of the lore and magic through Xingyin’s perspective. Tan shared each droplet of information purposefully and it expanded the story beautifully. I love how Tan uses mythology to examine the featured immortals on a personal level. Chang’e suffers from being separated from her love, but mortals often view her as a selfish woman who stole the elixir of immortality. Houyi is portrayed as a hero of the mortal realm, yet the sun goddess suffers when nine of her children are killed at his hand. Tan peels back the surface of these powerful stories and shows us real people living with the consequences.

Sun Warrior broke me, several times over. The heartbreak in this book is real, and I was not prepared. The romantic threads at the end of book one appeared tied off, giving Xingyin an opportunity to heal and pursue a relationship on better footing. But, unfortunately for my poor soul, Tan has other plans. She really came out swinging. I can barely hold my own through this intense adventure and on top of that I’m served a heaping of heartache. Tan expertly crafts Xingyin’s feelings which adds an extra layer of suffering throughout the entire story. It was an incredible experience and the culmination solidified the book’s perfect rating.

The Celestial Kingdom duology is phenomenal. It has unique characters, intricate storytelling, strong worldbuilding, and a beautiful romance to boot. I am sad to close the book on Xingyin’s story, but I will look to the future and be ready to read anything Sue Lynn Tan writes.

Rating: Heart of the Sun Warrior – 10/10
-Brandee

I have a book hangover. It's that feeling you get after finishing a really great book series, but it's also the feeling you get after watching an incredible drama. If you're a fan of Chinese fantasy dramas filled with flying martial arts, magical powers, and the romance, then this is the book for you. And similarly to when I watch those TV shows, I I have that hangover once its over. I want to listen to the soundtrack online and watch YouTube videos of the actors singing the songs and doing bloopers. I need the supplemental material of watching a show that I've become obsessed with to let that high of a great story carry on way past the last episode.

It's going to be tough reviewing this one because if you haven't read the first book then you're going to miss a ton of context. If you've read the first book, then you know that the pace of the second one is exactly the same. Events unfolded one right after the other like dominoes set up to fall and just when you've recovered from one big surprise, another one happens right after. I felt bad for the people around me as I read this book in public. I was gasping and laughing and nearly throwing this book across the room because of what's going on.

There was so much drama. Similarly to the Chinese dramas, this doesn't skimp on it and while you're being slung between Liwei and Wenzhi, you're also reading about Xingyin trying to save her friends, her family, and the Celestial Empire from someone willing to destroy everything in an act of revenge. I won't tell you the details of that (since that would be considered a spoiler), but the stakes are extremely high for this world and Xingyin and her friends are ready to fight for their world.

One feature I absolutely love about Chinese dramas is that it's never fully clear who is the villain and who is the hero. You'd imagine that Wenzhi from the Demon Realm would be the villain because, well, he's from the Demon Realm. But the story is much more complicated than that and I absolutely loved the winding path it takes to find the true face of evil.

But let's talk about the romance because I know that was a big part of the first book and it's definitely a huge part of the second book. The love triangle isn't the central focus of the story, but Liwei and Wenzhi and the fight for Xingyin's heart finally comes to a head in a way that I didn't anticipate. I think I might have gasped very loudly as that finally unfolds and at the same time it was so satisfying and it had the perfect level of drama to make you think it's come down to the worst only to be uplifted at the end.

Another component I loved is the level of hopefulness I got from this entire story. While there were some moments where the story feels like The level of endurance and strength Xingyin is able to muster facing whatever it is she comes across is admirable. It's definitely the kind of heroic female protagonist that you want to see!

While for the most part I absolutely loved this book, there was a lot of repetitive language especially coming from Xingyin. I understand wanting to emphasize the devastating moments that contributed to the person Xingyin becomes by the end, but I think saying it more than twice makes it a bit repetitive and forced. They were said so many times to the point where it got annoying. "Ok, we get it. Let's move on." But as issues with the books go, that's the only one and something that I could have easily ignored.

Overall, this entire duology has just been a whirlwind of adventure and romance and surprises around every corner. I'll be over here reading more books in this style as well as starting another C-drama to keep me entertained in the meantime.