“So long as we live on, we carat inside us all that they have destroyed. And that is our triumph; that is our rebellion. Do not let them win today.”

In Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White, Amélie Wen Zhao concludes her Song of the Last Kingdom duology with a tale that is both beautiful and devastating. Set in a world where Elantian colonisers have invaded the Last Kingdom in search of legendary Demon Gods, the story follows two protagonists, Lan and Zen, each bound to a Demon God with the shared goal of defeating the Elantians by also destroying the powerful Gods.

Lan, fuelled by the memory of her mother’s death at the hands of Elantian invaders, is determined to complete her mother’s mission of destroying the Demon Gods. On the other hand, Zen, who made a pact with the Black Tortoise, is willing to sacrifice his own soul to save the Kingdom and the girl he loves. However, he needs more power than a single Demon God can provide and seeks to resurrect an undead army led by his late great-grandfather. Both of them will have to discover the truth behind their own past as well as the truth behind the Imperial family and other secrets of the Kingdom that will lead them to make decisive choices.

The novel weaves a complex narrative as Lan and Zen embark on their quests, each facing internal struggles with their own meaning of power and with the Demon Gods bound to them—the Silver Tiger and the Black Tortoise. Their journeys are fraught with challenges, as the young protagonists are not the only ones in pursuit of the Demon Gods. The Elantians want to acquire them too and continue their conquest and destroy the Kingdom. Lan and Zen’s separate hunts will bring them together numerous times throughout the novel only to separate them again and again.

Wen Zhao’s prose is gorgeous, and her storytelling is always reminiscent of Xianxia novels. The reader will be drawn into a world filled with magic, demons, and a richly developed story. The writing evokes a sense of ache, longing, and love that complements well the mostly slow pace of the book. However, at times the pacing can also feel pretty rushed which clashes with the stagnant moments of the novel.

All in all, equally beautiful and devastating, Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is an enchanting conclusion to the Song of the Last Kingdom duology that explores themes of choice, truth, and the consequences of one’s actions.

I was fortunate enough to have read the first one as an ARC and now this one as well. I didn't want to pick it up for the longest time because I was afraid of how it would end.

I'm happy I didn't wait too long. It is a wonderfully beautiful setting and world. You can't help but love the characters and hope they can succeed and be happy after all the heartbreak they have suffered.

Overall this is a wonderful duology and epic fantasy.

"“If we had another life,” Zen said softly, “what would you wish for?” The words were somehow intimate and sent a shiver through her. She knew the answer as deep as her bones, as surely as an arrow’s path."

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

I received an advanced review copy via NetGalley from Delacorte Press in exchange for taking part in a book tour. I read 50% of the book before the review copy expired, and I then used a library e-book and audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content warnings: death, war, possession

This book is the sequel to a book I loved called Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. I believe this is only a duology and not a trilogy, so I was both excited and nervous to read the conclusion to this series! I'm not sure how to describe this book without spoiling this book, so I will simply say: Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White follows the aftermath of book 1, showing the consequences of following your own path when the one you love's path opposes your own.

I read the first half of this book over the Christmas holidays, but had crammed it in far too quickly for my usual turtle pace and needed to take a break. I think, combined with the ARC I couldn't "send to Kindle" and eventually lost access to, I felt as though I didn't enjoy this book because it took two months to read. However, to me, it's simply a slow read that's meant to be savored, as I enjoyed it whenever I picked it up!

I was happy to be reunited with some old characters, even though Zen and Lan really take center stage in this book. Even the main side characters seemed like minor characters at best. We did get to meet some new people as well who I found intriguing. The atmosphere and writing were the best parts of this book! It felt like a disservice to skim any of the beautiful descriptions of settings, even with a time constraint.

The plot and pacing of this book felt very, very slow until the final 10-20%. Things were happening, but they didn't fully grasp my attention. I am very much a character development > plot person, so this didn't bother me personally, as the contrast between two characters trying to achieve the same goal in a way that opposes the other had me hooked. Is this that coveted narrative foil??

I did enjoy this read, but particularly the final 20%! It was nice to see things finally conclude, and I was crying multiple times at the end. I will definitely read something else by this author, and have already purchased Blood Heir, book 1 of her previous series.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy extremely slow-burn romances, Chinese mythology and folklore, and tragic ends.

A solid sequel to a gorgeous first installment that lacked the kind of magic I came to expect, but nevertheless won me over by its end.

[SPOILERS FOR SONG OF SILVER, FLAME LIKE NIGHT BELOW]

Lan and Zen have found themselves both in possession of a Demon God – and on opposite sides of the brewing battle. Though they share a common goal – reclaiming their country from the Elantian colonizers brutalizing and driving clans to extinction – Lan can’t agree with the dark magic that Zen has submitted himself to do so.

As much as I enjoyed the first book in this duology, this follow-up just felt clunky by design. The exposition was egregiously dumped in clumps throughout the beginning of the book and told in such large portions that only a fraction of the information stuck. The pacing was a bit all over the place, slow slow slow, making this feel more like book 2 of a trilogy than the finale of a duo, until all of a sudden, everything came crashing together and the last 20% of the book was utter madness and action.

That being said, the magic was still stunning, I still really enjoyed the characters – though I wish there was more time spent with the supporting cast as the focus was strongly on Lan and Zen. The villains. . . the old one faded into inconsequentiality and a new one is a wrench thrown into the bunch. The solution at the end of the climax worked and is the only thing that made sense, and I will admit I did not think the author would actually go there.

Overall, worth reading if you enjoyed Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, but definitely a let down of my expectations.

The world within this book is just as gorgeous as the cover that holds it. You will fall into a world of magic that is perfect for fans of Samantha Shannon.

*Review originally published for The Nerd Daily

“So long as we live on, we carry inside us all that they have destroyed. And that is our triumph; that is our rebellion. Do not let them win today.”

In Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White, Amélie Wen Zhao concludes her Song of the Last Kingdom duology with a tale that is both beautiful and devastating. Set in a world where Elantian colonizers have invaded the Last Kingdom in search of legendary Demon Gods, the story follows two protagonists, Lan and Zen, each bound to a Demon God with the shared goal of defeating the Elantians by also destroying the powerful Gods.

Lan, fueled by the memory of her mother's death at the hands of Elantian invaders, is determined to complete her mother's mission of destroying the Demon Gods. On the other hand, Zen, who made a pact with the Black Tortoise, is willing to sacrifice his own soul to save the Kingdom and the girl he loves. However, he needs more power than a single Demon God can provide and seeks to resurrect an undead army led by his late great-grandfather. Both of them will have to discover the truth behind their own past as well as the truth behind the Imperial family and other secrets of the Kingdom that will lead them to make decisive choices.

The novel weaves a complex narrative as Lan and Zen embark on their quests, each facing internal struggles with their own meaning of power and with the Demon Gods bound to them—the Silver Tiger and the Black Tortoise. Their journeys are fraught with challenges, as the young protagonists are not the only ones in pursuit of the Demon Gods. The Elantians want to acquire them too and continue their conquest and destroy the Kingdom. Lan and Zen’s separate hunts will bring them together numerous times throughout the novel only to separate them again and again.

Amélie Wen Zhao's prose is gorgeous, and her storytelling is always reminiscent of Xianxia novels. The reader will be drawn into a world filled with magic, demons, and a richly developed story. The writing evokes a sense of ache, longing, and love that complements well the mostly slow pace of the book. However, at times the pacing can also feel pretty rushed which clashes with the stagnant moments of the novel.

All in all, equally beautiful and devastating, Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is an enchanting conclusion to the Song of the Last Kingdom duology that explores themes of choice, truth, and the consequences of one’s actions.

This is an overall consuming and intriguing YA fantasy sequel. While I would recommend reading the first book close in time before getting into this one, it has a slower start that builds to lead to an intense ending. The world-building is deepened and broadened in this book, and the main characters continue their personal arcs and growth in new ways. Themes of balance, sacrifice, history, the things that bind us, and politics/power are further explored in this book, making it quite a thought-provoking read. This book brings the story to a close, and while it may be ultimately satisfying, I would definitely have some tissues handy. Overall, this completes a fascinating YA fantasy duology with intricate world-building, unforgettable characters, and thoughtful themes. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Amelie Wen Zhao has done it again. I absolutely enjoyed this story and the characters so much. A fine ending to this series and I am happy I was right about how it would end!

While I wasn't a fan that the first book ended the way that it did, Amélie Wen Zhao more than made up for it with the sequel. Unfortunately, I have to agree with a few others who said they felt the pacing didn't align. That is the only reason why I felt I could not give this 5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved this follow-up to Zhao's debut! The world-building is top-notch, I love the fantasy world Zhao creates. Epic and enthralling!

A fantastic sequel. I absolutely loved this and devoured this book. I couldn't put it down!!! Also lets not forget this cover is GORGEOUS and Amelie Wen Zhao is a genius!

In this compelling and mind blowing conclusion to the epic Chinese mythology inspired fantasy A Song of Silver, Flame like Night we are witnessing the battle for the Last Kingdom. Corruption , betrayals, redemption? All in one. I was gasping at every twist and turn.

I love how the main characters are being portrayed: full of flaws, raw and despite their magical abilities: so human. Their struggles and determination to fight with bigger opponents made me truly understand bravery!

Amélie’s writing style is dreamy, poetic yet perfect for the YA audience: still woving in some lighthearted uplifting moments. It truly feels like watching a C-drama and I love how all the separate threads are tied together by the end!

This was a lovely read, but not quite as great as the first book. I am so glad I read this and had a wonderful time reading it, but some of the characters just felt under developed for me or had a lack of growth that you'd like to see in a sequel. The pacing was also off, with the first portion of the book being slower, then the back half having a break neck pace at some points in time.

That being said, the writing is decadent and you can tell the level of effort that went into giving insight to the mythology and history without bogging the reader down. The magic and worldbuilding continue to be wonderful, and it has the ending that you're looking for upon the conclusion of a duology.

So very good, but not perfect.

I struggled with the first book, attempting to read it twice, once through an audiobook, but unfortunately, it didn't resonate with me. Despite my hopes for a different experience with the second book, it seems this series might not be my cup of tea after all. While acknowledging that many of my friends and teens in the library enjoyed the first book, I personally don't feel it's the right fit for me. I will still recommend the sequel to those who enjoyed the initial installment, but it didn't captivate me.

Received an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and its publisher <3

What a great sequel! I loved the first book. The cover is absolutely gorgeous on this book and the first. I enjoyed reading it and can't wait to read more from this author! It took awhile to get into and think I got more into the novel in the second half of the novel. I am so emotionally attached to not just the main character but all of them. This book almost reminds me of C-Drama and feel like it could easily be adapted into one!

A conclusion to a duology that stole my heart & gave me a romance that made my soul yearn.

The world building that continues in this 300-ish page book does more than some 900 page epics. Not a single word was misused, no fillers, & nothing but words that read like prose and flowed so intricately & beautifully that I was left utterly speechless.

I’d sell a kidney to read this duology again for the first time. This conclusion was everything I needed without leaving me so satisfied that I would never think of Zen & Lan again. Zhao has given us a fantasy rich in Asian culture that every person obsessed with the genre should get their hands on.

AMELIE, WHYYYYYYYYY?!!?!?!?!?

It's probably not so smart to write this review after just finishing the book, I'm a mess! I'll try to be as spoiler free as possible.

We pick up right where we left off in Song of Silver. Lan and the gang are on the search for the other Demon Gods and Zen and the other disciples are on the way to his ancestral home to raise an army of the dead. Things took a minute to get moving plot wise but I'd say about a third of the way into the book the action really starts taking off. The introduction of another villain threw me for a bit since the original villain was built up so thoroughly and his ending was just a blip on the radar. The huge battle at the end was pretty intense and I'm still reeling from the results! And the POV chapter from Yeshin Noro Dilaya was so good too, she's definitely a favorite character, she's so fierce!

The audio is still highly recommend because Annie Q is amazing and I love how she brings each character to life. You really get the whole picture of the world and the characters, it's like you're IN the book, she's so good like that!

I loved Dark Star Burning just as much if not more than Song of Silver just because everything was already pretty established and we got more involved with the characters instead of having to set up the world and lore. The reimincising of Lan about her different encounters with Zen pulled at my heart strings and their time at the Last Kingdom was magical and romantic. The last chapter I just bawled the whole time reading it so prepare yourselves.

Amelie really did a beautiful job of creating such a magical world and telling such an amazing story in just two books. I will continue to support her and her works and can't wait to see what she comes out with next. Thank you so much to Delacorte Press for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

4⭐️

<b>“And in every iteration of my imagination, Sòng Lián, I am with you."</b>

A beautiful and satisfying end to Lan and Zen’s story. I loved this duology and I’m sad it’s over! It was so great to see this story come full circle, and I almost wish it was longer so I could live in this world forever. I’m excited to see what the author does next.

<b>This was different. This love was broken and remade, imperfect in the way their sharp, jagged edges had fit together, yet it was the deepest thing she had ever felt, and the most immutable truth she had known.</b>

3.5 stars rounded up because I really liked the ending. It really fit what happened to both characters and to me, it salvaged the uneven pacing and the fact that both characters took too long to develop, especially Zen. That said, I'm glad I persisted and worked my way to the end of the book.

Much of the mythology and history in this book was unfamiliar to me so while it took me time to understand the world of Zen and Lan. I had a hard time with the first book, partly because I listened to it without the text, but also because their romance just didn't gel for me. This time, I accepted that they both had feelings for the other, but with his betrayal at the end of the first book, forgiveness was not something that was going to be easily found. So while I accepted that they loved each other on some level, I also couldn't see how the author was going to work all of that out. So, I was pleasantly surprised by how she did wrap it all up. It felt right.

With the uneven pacing and the seeming multitude of bad guys, I sometimes got lost over who was doing what and for what reason. I honestly felt like a map/timeline would have really helped me. Zhao's writing was just as beautiful in this as in her previous books, but I just didn't connect with this book as strongly as with the blood heir trilogy. Still, I found this duology to be worth reading and would be interested in reading future books.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.75
this book was so fun and different than what i’m used to! i think it was my first chinese fantasy book, though i could be wrong but i really enjoyed lan and zen’s pov as well as their development after how it ended in the first book.
dilaya and lan’s banter/bickering was so fun for me too! especially when you know how their relationship first started lol i def think if you’re new to fantasy this duology is a good place to start!!
the ending was annoying but i get it, it made sense but that doesnt mean i have to be happy about it lol
dhskjfuhaeriulshuialwrhgfvilsuehgn (lowk still upset)