⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2

What I Loved:
· Sue Lynn Tan is a master story weaver. She did not disappoint with her descriptions, just as in DOTMG.
· Shuxiao and Xingyin’s friendship deepened in this novel.
· New, surprising alliances.

What I Didn’t Love:
· Much was revealed in this novel about an evil person - a side character in the first book- whose power ballooned to exorbitant levels. So much so, that main characters who had incredible powers in the first book are reduced to rubble by this evil character.
· Xingyin’s family characters did not seem to have much depth, and they felt a bit one dimensional. I was really hoping for more backstory and history of her family...

Take Note, Readers:
· Read this duology in the order in which Sue Lynn Tan wrote.
· This was slower-moving than DOTMG.

The Most Thought-Provoking:
· The love triangle! I expected this to have been resolved after finishing the first book but it was most certainly not. It has taken me a few days of processing to come to the point of being satisfied with the closure of the love triangle.
· There is MUCH sacrifice on the part of most of the characters.

The Question:
Will I keep a gorgeous copy of Heart of the Sun Warrior - published by Fairyloot - on my shelf? Yes. Absolutely yes.


Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Voyager, and Sue Lynn Tan for providing this ARC.

This was such a beautiful ending to the duology, and I am so thankful to have received an early copy! Thank you so much. I will be posting for my followers closer to release day!

Heart of the Sun Warrior continues Xingyin’s story and that of her companions, venturing to unexplored places in the Immortal Realm, encountering friends and enemies—old and new—as their world is plunged into peril. Xingyin is trying to enjoy the peace she fought hard for, while still feeling tense and changed after everything she’s gone through and the continuing looming presence of an Celestial Emperor she defied. There were lots of new adventures and trials that Xingyin faced, while also having her heart split between two princes.
“For the fools do not fear the odds, the reckless do not care—and only the truly brave proceed regardless.”
I don't want to spoil anything but... should prepare yourself to be emotionally destroyed.

This book was pure perfection. How the details are cared for and well manicured made me really sit and absorb the book. I couldn’t sit and fly through the book within a matter of days. This was a purposeful slow read. To ensure I was immersed in the world that Sue Lynn Tan created.
This book has me feeling all kinds of emotions. I would be heartbroken, frustrated, angry and also felt like I was getting deep hugs of affection. Again, I credit this to Tan’s ability to not only write emotions and drama beautifully but to convey it so you as a reader take each action personal.
This book perfectly (how many more times will I use the word perfect for this book?) wraps this whole story together. This book gave you the opportunity to focus on the characters since so much of the world and magic building was set up in the first book.

If you loved the first book, runs don’t walk and read this book.

Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan is the second book in her amazing new duology, The Celestial Kingdom Duology, and should be read in order. This Chinese mythology-inspired fantasy had me enthralled from the very first page.

Story Recap:
The story starts as Xingyin is living again with her mother on the moon after she won her mother’s freedom from the Celestial kingdom. Life is back the way she lived it before, except now she gets frequent visits from her friend, Prince Liwei who helped her save her mother.

However, all is not well in the Celestial Kingdom as the power has shifted and Xingyin’s enemy, General Wu is rising to power, and even her friends back in the Celestial Kingdom are worried about the changes.

My Thoughts:
I didn’t know what to expect with this second novel as the first one ended without a cliffhanger. Xingyin was at home with her mother and all was well. But, as soon as I started this book a sense of unease was immediate and I knew something terrible was about to happen, and it did.

The love triangle in this continues as both Liwei and Wenzhi fight for her heart. Xingyin has refused to see Wenzhi after his betrayal in the first book, but he continues to beg for her forgiveness and will do almost anything to win her heart. Liwei is by her side, but ultimately must decide between her and his family, and the throne.

This book is beautifully written with lovely descriptions and world-building. I also loved that the book comes with a map! I was able to follow the story as it flowed from one realm to another. The battle scenes were exciting and well-choreographed. The intensity of the battle and the extremely high stakes were interspersed with emotional moments of connection and friendships, making this a well-balanced fantasy novel.

Recommendation:

I highly recommend Heart of the Sun Warrior to anyone who enjoys fantasy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was exactly the sequel I needed! I loved Daughter I’d the moon Goddess and was so happy to be swept back up into the celestial kingdom! Heart of the Sun warrior followed on from the events of book 1 in much the same way. Xingyin has grown and learnt a lot about herself so I really enjoyed that we saw her stand her ground and not compromise herself.

This book was full of hard choices, of painful, heart wrenching and bitter sweet moments as well as so much love and tenderness. The sign of a great book/ series is when it puts you through the wringer of emotions (for me at least) and this book certainly did that. I loved every minute of this ride!

It was more character based that the first book which I enjoyed, as we have already been introduced to the world, the characters and the plot, it was wonderful to dive deeper into the characters and their motivations. And whilst the main characters are dominant, all the secondary characters I’d come to love or hate were present and got more development which i thought was really well done. And suffice to say the romance was present and demanded attention, I found myself much more invested in the romance in this book than the first - maybe due to all the history these characters share now?

The plot I loved and did not see coming! After some time in peace everything Xingyin has worked for threatens to come crashing down as new enemies emerge and battle lines are drawn. Past betrayals still haunt her but she needs all the help she can get to fight for the future. Though more character based It was still full of action and adventure and struggle, the perfect recipe for a compelling binge worthy read. And that ending!… I don’t want to say too much but we earned the ending we got and I am so happy that it ended the way it did. It was done beautifully and painfully and I couldn’t imagine a better way to close the book on these characters.

I will certainly be reading anything that Sue Lynn Tan writes - this duology has cemented itself as unforgettable and one I will always recommend.

“We were complex creatures of shades of gray, capable of wonderful and terrible things…of change, because our natures were not fixed like the stars in the sky but flowing as the river toward an unknown horizon.”

Heart of the Sun Warrior concludes the wonderful story of Xingyin, the daughter of Chang’e the moon goddess. The whole duology was a fun, cozy read and this book delivered a satisfying conclusion to the story. The love triangle trope was particularly strong, well-written and one I shamelessly devoured 😂 I was amazed by the men’s undying resolve to win Xingyin’s heart, and I found myself unable to choose a team 😂 Xingyin is such a strong female lead and I really admire how she remains resolute in upholding her values and morals. In this book, the stakes were much higher with the realms facing a villain that threatened the entire world, requiring unlikely alliances and hard bargains. The world building was just as dreamy and intricate as the first book. There were lots of devastating deaths, although some felt unnecessary. We explored themes of love, forgiveness and redemption, all coming together to deliver a beautiful conclusion that made the most sense for all parties.

Thank you @netgalley and @harpervoyagerus for the eARC!

“Perhaps at its core, heroism was a less pretty tale, words like honor and valor gilded over necessity and the harsh truth—that there was no choice.”

This book. THIS BOOK. I recently read and absolutely adored Daughter of the Moon Goddess, so I had really high hopes for the sequel and I. was. not. disappointed. This series is in my top 10 reads of the year. This is a YA fantasy novel that continues the story of Xingyin, the daughter of the Moon Goddess, Chang'e, and the famed archer, Houyi. We continue with an epic plot, new dangers, and another story of love, friendship, and sacrifice.

Tan has a way of writing that makes the imagery come to life. It is incredibly descriptive and vivid and I am even more in love with the setting than I was in the first. This book was less action packed than the first, but still had plenty of adventure and battles to keep the reader on their toes. The book is well paced, with enough happening that it keeps you engaged without it feeling like too much or not enough is happening.

This story delved deeper into the characters relationships as well, both familial and romantic. Xingyin was just as powerful in this story, having to make incredibly difficult choices and choose not her happiness, but what would be best for the realm. It is a YA novel with a love triangle, but I don’t think I’ve ever read a love triangle that was done better. The entire time I would switch between which man I wanted Xingyin to end up with. Both Liwei and Wenzhi were written as such complex characters who had both done good and bad things. Each time she interacted with them individually, I’d want her with that man, until she went to the other and then I’d switch to wanting him. Tan does such a good job in having the reader feel just as conflicted as Xingyin does. There is resolution in the end and it was done beautifully.

This book also surprised me in how emotional it made me. It was truly a story of sacrifice and hope, not only with Xingyin, but with many of the side characters as well. They were really emphasized in this story and it made me love this entire cast of characters so much.

The way this story ended was so perfect. I would love to someday have a novella or extended epilogue to touch in on their lives down the road and see how it all ends up. Overall, this was just an amazing story that blew me away. Even being classed as YA, I think this is a book that every fantasy lover should read!

Review posted on Goodreads and will be posted to my instagram page the week prior to release.

In this sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Sue Lynn Tan returns to her world to explore and reflect on forgiveness, healing, and the drive for revenge. The prose and the world of Heart of the Sun Warrior was just as strong as the first book and I was absolutely delighted to come back to this series. Additional shout out to one of the most beautiful covers I've seen all year.

After freeing her mother, Xingyin does not find an easy happily ever after. Instead, long standing grievances and power struggles press into the life Xingyin thought she had won for herself. Xingyin and her friends are thrust into a journey across the Immortal Realm to build alliances while the future of the Realm and Mortal Realm hang in the balance.

Heart of the Sun Warrior does a beautiful job of looking into how the choices of the past continue to haunt the future. More over, it offers a look at the difference between restorative justice and forgiveness and the danger of a festering wound on a person and everyone around them. Tan offers the chance at healing to her world and her characters while acknowledging that path is long and difficult for all. It was not what I had expected to read. But this was a story I enjoyed for that very reason.

I thought books had broken my heart before, but this was almost on another level. It was just as beautiful as the first, but way painful. My heart hurts. I have not stopped crying since the last half/third of the book. I wish there was an epilgoue to show a glimpse of the future with how the book ended. I will now be anxiously awaiting for the next book Sue Lynn Tan writes. I'm hooked.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Heart of the Sun Warrior is the conclusion in the Celestial Kingdom duology. Like its predecessor, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, the gorgeous cover immediately draws the eye and entices the reader to try the story. The story continues to follow the Moon Goddess Chang’e’s daughter, Xingyin, the Crown Prince of the Celestial Kingdom, Liwei, and the general/captain of the Celestial Kingdom military, Wenzhi. It picks up with unrest in the Celestial Kingdom and readers travel across the Immortal Realm.

The story goes through Xingyin’s quest along with continued character development. Xingyin, Liwei, and Wenzhi all have their continued emotional journeys after the events of the previous novel. The love triangle gets its conclusion in this novel, and it felt satisfying as it fit the characters and the ending situation. Xingyin continued to be a very enjoyable main character as she has power, but still has vulnerability. She also experiences some grey moments where she does not always make the best choice, but she learns from them, and she came across as realistic and likable. Her growth from the time the reader meets her at the beginning of the first novel to the end of this one made a lot of sense and did not seem to be forced.

While there is some action in this story, it also has a lot of dialogue. Some readers may prefer more action, but I enjoyed the style as it seemed to fit the story and characters well. Compared to the first novel, there is more action, but it is not as much compared to other duologies. Again, I enjoyed this style a lot as the writing itself was engaging and the characters were interesting. There are a few moments where the story seems drawn out and it could have been shortened, but the writing is nice enough where I did not mind. Overall, this was an excellent duology with some hints that the universe could expand with companion novels. I look forward to reading from the author in the future!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Harper Voyager, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Source: DRC via NetGalley (Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager) in exchange for an honest review
Pub. Date: November 15, 2022
Synopsis: Goodreads
Purchase Link: Amazon

Why did I choose to read this book?

You should have seen me waiting to find out if I was approved for this DRC on NetGalley. I checked every day. I let out a scream when I was approved.

I READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS WAS SO FREAKING AMAZING OMG. When I found out there was a second book I lost my mind. I had to get my hands on it.

What is this book about?

If you haven’t, please take a second to click the Goodreads link up above and read the synopsis of the book. I want to take my time here to talk more broadly about the story, but you can get any missing details from that synopsis without spoilers.

If I had to say what this book was about, I’d have to say it’s mostly about knowing when to hold ’em, knowing when to fold ’em, knowing when to walk away, and knowing when to run. The Gambler’s a hell of a song because the truths it spits out are all-the-time snacks. I think this book shows the dangers of holding on when you should let go, letting go when you should have held on, and all the complexities that interfere with your ability to make that decision.

In addition to that I think that this book is about balancing caring for others with caring for yourself. The entire first book was about Xingyin questing to free her mother, the Moon Goddess. This book we see her emotionally torn limb from limb trying to keep EVERYBODY safe, when if she had stayed true to herself and what SHE needed sooner, there might have been fewer casualties. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a tough balance to find even in the real world, but seeing and responding to the consequences of having that balance too far out of whack is part of Xingyin’s journey in this book.

What is notable about the story?

Sue Lyn Tan’s writing is so goddamn beautiful I can’t stand it. There are multiple scenes where I was just crying, tears falling down my face, because I was in that scene, I was experiencing those emotions, I could see/hear/feel everything that was going on. This is the second of Tan’s books that I have read and I can’t wait to own them both in hardcover because they are fully immersive works of art. Gorgeous.

Was anything not so great?

My only complaint is that it had been too long since I read Daughter of the Moon Goddess and so my investment in the love interests and their relationships to Xingyin (the prince vs the military man) was out of focus. For me in particular the scenes where Xingyin’s indecision about who she should be with may have been less impactful because of this.

But you don’t need to have this problem! Daughter of the Moon Goddess has been out for a while, so when you preorder Heart of the Sun Warrior, get a paperback of Moon Goddess while you’re at it and read them back to back. Go on, you deserve it. 🙂

What’s the verdict?

I would not be doing my duty if I didn’t give this FIVE FULL STARS on Goodreads and simply beg you to read these books. They are gorgeous, they are enthralling. Sue Lyn Tan should be given as much money as possible to write more books. I will be hitting refresh on NetGalley every time she releases one. GO GET IT.

I have no words! I absolutely loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan and was over the moon when I received this ARC of Sun of the Heart Warrior! We continue on our journey following Xingyin as things start to change in the Celestial Kingdom and a new threat is introduced surrounding mysterious magic and the moon. This book was beautifully written and I was lost in the story every time I picked it up to read. The emotions I experienced as I read this book were intense - from happiness and joy, fear and anger, to absolute heartbreak. To say it was an emotional rollercoaster is an understatement. I wish I could read this again for the first time just to experience all the feels once more. This book was amazing and I cannot stop thinking about it days later!

Thank you to Harper Voyager, NetGalley, and Sue Lynn Tan for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Sun of the Heart Warrior!

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read.

It has SO MUCH going on. It never gets slow, the pace is always steady and it made it impossible to put down. There were times that I thought I knew what would happen next, even within the next couple pages, and I was always wrong. The writing is incredible! So many times I was cheering for the book to go a different direction, but it didn’t and I loved it for that.

THIS IS HOW YOU DO LOVE TRIANGLES. I think I am now a fan of them?? Holy smokes it phenomenal.

This duology could have easily been 3-4 books, and the fact that it isn’t gives me so much respect for the author. It is jam packed, and I loved it.

I wanted to ignore all of my responsibilities and read this in one sitting.

If this hasn’t convinced you to read this series yet, you’re crazy. Just read it!

After reading Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I was eagerly anticipating the sequel to this duology. Heart of the Sun Warrior matches the first book of the series in terms of beautiful writing and heartfelt characters, but the action is slow and I found myself needing to refer back to the first book often in order to remember events, plot points, and character relationships.

Some things I loved about this book:
- the lyrical descriptions of settings and characters and scenes. Sue Lynn Tan's writing is positively luscious and paints the best pictures of everything the reader is reading
- the author continued to surprise me, with plot twists and unexpected events
- how the love triangle was resolved
- that the "good guys" won in the end, but that it came at a realistic cost

The book certainly moves slower than the first half of the duology. I would strongly recommend reading Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior back to back. Tan does not give the reader much in the way of hints or refreshers via clauses; if you as the reader do not remember who a character is, or what an event is in reference to, there isn't much exposition to go off of. Which, makes for beautifully flowing language, but slowed me down in comprehension.

A few lines that resonated:

"The pieces were set on the board, and I only wished I knew what game was being played. One thing was for certain; I was done being a pawn, and if I moved, it would be of my own volition."

"An act of greatness did not lessen the sorrow inflicted, for love could not be tallied and weighed. Every hero was a villain to the other side..."

All in all, this book is a solid follow-up and conclusion to the duology. Tan has left the door open for more adventures in this world, but concluded Xingyin's story well.

I received an ARC of Heart of the Sun Warrior from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I'm so sad that this series is over. Daughter of the Moon Goddess was an absolutely gorgeous masterpiece, and Heart of the Sun Warrior surpassed all my expectations I had for it. I was unsure where the story would go after the first book's conclusion, as almost everything had been resolved. Since that was the case, we got a fresh and new story for the second book, which was fantastic. The plot, the writing, and the characters were all so good.

I love these characters, Xingyin in particular. She is so fiercely loyal to her family and those she loves. Her journey through this story was beautiful to watch unfold as she struggled to come to terms with what happened in the previous book and the new dangers she faced. Though sometimes I wanted to shake her because of her stubbornness, that truly was the thing that got her through the trials and tribulations thrown at her. She was brought low but found the strength to build herself and others back up. Her love for her family never wavered through the good and bad times.

That love triangle, though. I know he was technically the bad guy in Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but I couldn't help but love Wenzhi. He was so remorseful over what had happened and truly wished to get back in Xingyin's good graces, even if it wasn't as her love. Liwei continued to be Liwei, always looking out for Xingyin's best interests. I would be hard-pressed to name love triangles that I didn't mind, but this would be one of them. It was so well written.

I feel like I can't say much about the plot as the synopsis doesn't mention much, but I will say that, while I thought it moved slower than the first book, it still had those action-packed fight scenes and intricate character dynamics that were so well done. My one thing was that there was a lot of standing around and talking. Obviously, characters will speak to each other, but a couple of times when the fights happened, everything paused for a couple of pages so that everyone could talk. It slowed my pacing, and I sometimes forgot that we were supposed to be in the middle of a battle. This book also had much more of Xingyin's internal monologue, which I didn't mind, but it would also sometimes happen in inopportune times.

Otherwise, I adored this book and the series, and I highly recommend them to people looking for a great fantasy/romantic adventure. I hope that Sue Lynn Tan has more stories up her sleeves because I cannot wait to read them, whether or not they take place in this world.

I really loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess and I was so excited to be able to read its sequel!

Two things from DOTMG carry over in that I still really disliked the love triangle plot and didn't expect the ending that we got (which over all I was actually really pleased with given the dislike of love triangles). I'm going to start with the negatives like I did for the first book. The first is that I also still really with the story had focused more on Xingyin and her family rather than her being torn between her feelings for Wenzhi and Liwei. But on that same note, even though Xingyin has spent two books trying to protect her mother and doing so much for her mother's sake, I just feel like her mother was very flat in personality and character.

(SPOILER...sort of?)
There was also an excessive amount of character deaths, it almost felt like the author was trying to make up for the lack of them in the first book by killing off quite literally everyone.

I know those were a lot of negatives but I still enjoyed this book. Shuxiao and Xingyin's friendship was wonderful and I'm glad we got a bit more of it this time around. There was also so many female characters who were seen as strong and capable leaders and they weren't seen as less for their gender which I really appreciated (the same for Shuxiao and Xingyin being in the military). I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the ending! It wasn't a straightforward, tied neatly with a bow kind of ending and while that's usually what I prefer, in this case I'm glad it didn't end that way.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Oh man, where to start. I can't even begin to express my love for this book. This is definitely not a case of "the first one was better", HEART OF THE SUN WARRIOR finishes Xingyin's story in a heartbreaking, beautiful, and complete way. Once again, Sun Lynn Tan proves to be a master of the art of pacing and detail, creating and building this lush and living world that feels like coming home.

Holy heck to the moon and BACK this book is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I’m not easy to cry while reading books but yeah, this one made me cry 😭 I always worry (specifically with duologies) that the second won’t be able to live up to the expectations that are so often set in the first book, but this one absolutely does (and more so). My favourite part is that it’s more character focussed than the last one and we really got to see their development throughout the book. If you loved the first book you’re going to be insanely happy with this one. I wish I could stay in this world a little longer. I’m proud to share a birthday with this baby so definitely get excited to read this it!

Thank you so much to @harpervoyager_uk for sending me a proof of this beautiful beautiful book.

Emotion in this one was a hit and I love this duology!!!! Definitely recommend!!!!!!! The cover, the writing, the art wow amazing!