I loved being able to go back to a world I loved in Celestial Kingdom Series. The tension between the female main character and the male main character was so intense. I would love for there to be more stories between the two characters in the future.

First and foremost, thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc! My opinions are my own.

This is a hard book to rank since it took me nearly 2 weeks to finish while in a major book slump. I almost dnfed a few times but I'm glad I never did. It ended up having one of my FAVORITE tropes in it and I was eating it up. The later half of the book was so good!
I really loved Liyen and especially loved Zhangwei. He is now on my list of favorite fictional men. I was kicking my feet by the end.
I would like to reread this at a later date since I think this would most likely be ranked higher when I'm not in a slump.

This book is perfect for those looking for their new favorite standalone fantasy with a magical romance in it! The perfect book to kick off the New Year!

(will post my review on Insta in January!)

This title builds on the author's previous book, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, based on Chinese mythology. Although it deals with completely different characters, there is still the conflict between mortals and immortals and the complexities of the relationships between the two of them.
And nothing is as it first appears.
The main character is Liyen, the Lady of Tianxia, a mortal realm held in thrall to the immortal Queen of the Golden Desert. How that came to be, and the various mortals and immortals caught up in the political machinations involved makes for a very interesting story. And there is the enemies-to-lovers story of Liyen and the God of War, Zhangwei, that helps to tie it all together.
Although parts of the story tend toward preachiness, on the whole it's well worth the read.

The country of Tianxia has been subject to the rule of Queen Caihong for centuries, an exchange made between mortals and Immortals after the Wuxin invaded Tianxia. The arrangement is simple; Tianxia will protect Kunlun Mountain wheere the Divine Pearl Lotus grows, cutting them selves off from the rest of the mortal realm, and the Immortals of the Golden Desert will protect Tianxia from any magical invaders. However, the heir to Tianxia Liyen has been poisoned with the waters of the Wangchuan River, a poison with no cure except for one, the very thing the rulers of Tianxia are bound to protect; The Divine Pearl Lotus. As Liyen comes closer to death in desperation, her grandfather and current ruler steals the Pearl and give its Liyen, and in doing so, brings down the wrath of Queen Caihong and the God of War. His heart already weakened. Liyen's grandfather passed away from the stress of the attack. Liyen beset with grief and sick of the Immortals one-sided agreement vows vengeance against them. However, almost immediately after her grandfather's death a group of demons attack Liyen, she is more than positive they want the Pearl that now resides in her and she realizes that the God of War, the very man that caused her grandfather's death may be the only person who can save her people from this new threat.

Immortal gives us an interesting twist on the whole "enemies to lovers" trope, which is always nice. Any time someone can refresh a trope it's awesome and while it's quite some time before the twist is introduced it genuinely came straight out of left field, redeeming a lot of the misgivings I had about this up until that point as there were several times I considered DNFing. The only reason I didn't was due to the fact that I had thoroughly enjoyed Tan's previous books. So if you start this and you're not getting into the beginning, hang on tight it gets better, I promise.


The world building in this seems lacking for the first portion of the book, too. Honestly, the way this starts I genuinely felt like there was a book before this that I needed to read because when I say it just drops you into the world, it really just drops you without a parachute. However, as the book progresses, the world building catches up and becomes more robust. Plus, I think realizing that this was just a really tiny world helped, too. It didn't need to be incredibly complex or detailed because there just wasn't much there. But oh, that opening, just watch the first step.

The story is told entirely from Liyen's perspective, and omg, did I want to strangle her most of the book. She's so hypocritical in the way she treats the Immortals it made my head hurt. There was just this complete and utter lack of self-awareness that blew my mind. She'd go off on rants about how the Immortals didn't care about this, that, and the other thing, and then do the same exact crap to them she was accusing them of doing to the mortals. She was so freaking judgemental, and her justifications for her attitude towards them were so weak they were almost non-existent. And I think what really got me was though was when a situation clearly called for her to cooperate with Zhangwei she'd do the exact opposite, or have some snarky little thought about how she'd take them all out or something and it got super old. Tan definitely went a bit overboard with Liyen's attitude for most of the book. That being said I did enjoy her immensely towards the end of the book, she grows up, a lot and I'm not sure I would have liked her enough if she hadn't been such a child at the beginning. She learns a lot throughout this book and has some pretty wise thoughts in terms of trusting people, accepting them for who they are, and just being a good leader in general at the end and without seeing that growth they would have been way less impactful.

Finally, my one and only actual complaint on this is the timing. This book could have happened over days, weeks, hell months, and I have no idea. Tan did try to incorporate a sense of separating one day to the next but it wasn't often enough and I swear a couple of times she'd say something was supposed to happen the next day at dinner but then we'd be back at breakfast the same day but then the thing that was supposed to happen the next day would happen right after breakfast. This really only happened in the beginning, but it was enough that I was going back to read whole chapters, thinking maybe I missed something.


Overall, Immortal definitely lived up to Tan's previous book, so if you enjoyed those, you'll live this one. Like I said though you've really got to hang in to get to the good parts and if you aren't a fan to enemy to lovers like myself you're first instinct will be to DNF, which, hey not telling you what to do but I promise that takes a back seat.

As always, thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the eArc!

I feel like Sue Lynn Tan heard my complaints about the last duology and fixed everything I didn't like.

Immortal tells the story of a mortal girl who is part of the ruling family of a village under the control/protection of the Immortals of the Golden Desert. Their village is cut off from the rest of the world and the people have served the immortals for generations. [[Note: this book takes place in the same universe as Tan's last Duology Daughter of the Moon Goddess. But different place, different people.]]

Anyway, stuff happens, her grandfather passes, and now she's suddenly the ruler who must protect her people from the Immortals and bring the village freedom. Is it... Time to fight the immortals?? Also there's a hot God of War who has just a little bit of the (personally despised) man-turns-into-overprotective-possessive-hormonal-animal. But not too much!!! (like, dude, you're a god of war, being jealous of humans and being over-protective should be beneath youuuuu.)

Personally felt the relationship was well done. No overdone 'miscommunication being the main plot' instead it's 'keep secrets and don't trust another bc maybe subterfuge'. I really really appreciate that it didn't fall into the tropes I was expecting. Spoiler about this at the very bottom of the review.

Great characters and a great female lead that doesn't fall into stereotypical Mary sue or SJM's style of OP flawless FMC.

And the ploooot. I love how the story was organized into three neat parts. I didn't see the twist coming, and I enjoyed the happy ending.

**A big thank you to Netgally and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It truly was a delightful read!

Immortal is a standalone set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goodness, and while I have not read that duology, I do not think it is necessary in order to enjoy this installment. I thought the world Tan built was so lush and vibrant and it made me immediately want to pick up the other novels set in this world.

I found the characters really well done. Our FMC, Liyen, was fiery and determined. I appreciated that she did not yield to anyone and wanted to forge her own path separate than what others wanted from her. Zhangwei was also a great MMC. I love a male character who is brutal but also will do anything for his love interest. His character had depth and I didn't feel that he was just there to be a love interest for our FMC. I also enjoyed the plot and found it very unique!

My only issue was the pacing. The beginning had me hooked and on the edge of my seat. There was a lull in the middle and then the last quarter of the book felt very heavy in terms of world-building. I also thought the ending was a little anti-climatic.

Overall, I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted romantasy with a unique plot!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Back in the world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess!! I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but I was pleasantly surprised. This standalone is in the same world but had a unique system with new characters and storylines. We follow Liyen, the female main character, who does all she can to save her people, grow in the processes, and defies the odds to rewrite a better future. Overall, a very enjoyable read but has a lot of world building and magic system that isn’t very clear. However, the relationship dynamics were full of depth and warmth, and definitely would recommend picking up!

Can we get a novella story? I want more of Liyen and the God of War please!!


Lastly, thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Voyager for the ARC! I feel so fortunate to read an ARC of one of my favorite authors. As an Asian American, I love the representation as an adult now and wish I had her books available to me as a teenager.

Immortal is set in the same world as the Celestial Kingdom series. I did enjoy the overall story and characters, but the timeline of events is very quick so the pacing may feel a bit off. However, that does not shadow the fact that the world and writing is absolutely beautiful. The world that is created continues to be captivating the twists were that occurred were insane. It kept me engaged and I just had to keep reading.

Confession: I got approved for this AND the audiobook version, so I got to hybrid read this story! It's definitely enjoyable being able to go back and forth between a digital copy and an audiobook. PS: for those of you wondering, I really love this narrator, she did an incredible job voicing the multiple characters!
As for the story itself, it eventually eased itself into a Tan speciality, albeit the first 30% or so was tedious. Mainly because of my personal frustrations with the main character. What is it with NA Romantasy FMCs and their lack of ability to back up their brash, obstinate ways?
A lot of the key plot points were obvious to me, so no twist felt especially shocking. However, because it hits all the familiar beats with style, I'd say this was successful addition to the genre.

This book is really good. It took me a while to get through it just because of working a lot. Regardless. Every chance I had, I was reading this book. The MFC is a human who, through a series of events, takes over the throne of her kingdom. She ends up teaming up with the MMC to save her kingdom. This book will keep you on your toes, with all the unexpected twists and turns. There is enemies to lovers, questions of destiny, fake engagement, and so much more. World building, and twists and turns at every corner.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for approving me for this ARC in exchange for my honest and genuine review.

While I have loved other books by this author, this story fell flat for me from the beginning. The FMC was tough to grasp, and it was challenging to connect with her. While Liyen was overwhelming, The God of War was quite underwhelming. As an immortal, the bar is set high. It is set even higher if you hold that title.

One of the significant turnoffs was the insta-love between the MCs. I do not like superficial love stories because they typically feel naive and disingenuous. The dialogue between the two started so immature that it immediately diminished the tone of the entire scene, on top of the story taking so long to pick up. I always felt like I wanted more…more depth, character development, more…just more.

This was not the worst read, but I was not a huge fan of this novel.

Thank you to Netgally and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC version of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are solely my own. This book is a romantasy about a queen and a god of war. Liyen is a headstrong, sassy mortal who fiercely loves her people. I would read this book again. Because it will be released as a sprayed edges hardcover I’ll definitely be purchasing it!

First thank you NetGalley for providing an e-arc for me to read and review! Second Sue Lynn Tan has done it again! Just the way she writes, her storytelling just takes my breath away. I loved how strong and capable Liyen is. The romance was just everything. Cannot express my love for this book enough and I cannot wait for what Sue bring on next!

Fantastic! Tan has done it yet again and I just loved this book so much, almost as much as I love our MMC! The range of emotions i went through reading this...there was laughter, there were tears, and there may have been some yelling. This book had me in a chokehold from beginning to end. The banter, the tension, swoon worthy moments, the betrayl, and the twists 🤌 just absolute perfection.

I was given an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

So I did not like this book. I could not get into it. I kept having to make myself pick it back up. The FMC is very unlikeable. She’s very hot and cold. The MMC is bland and doesn’t seem to have much personality. The author also tells the reader instead of showing. Everything seems just very generic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this ARC

Sue Lynn Tan’s Immortal will give you an emotional rollercoaster ride. Ethereal, whimsical, angsty, heartbreaking, and the plot twists will have you screaming consistently. Tan’s writing is still as beautiful as ever. The world is so vivid and full of life, making it feel as though you should not be allowed in the Immortal Realm upon entering either. I could never be tired of the world of The Celestial Kingdom and I’m so happy to be back.

Liyen — She was strong, smart, empathetic, and always stayed true to herself throughout the entire novel. She was rash and imperfect, and I loved her admiration for her Grandfather and her family. All the choices she made were within reason and I didn’t find myself being annoyed of her. Well, maybe a little bit but it wasn’t to the point where I wanted to throw my ebook across the room.

Zhangwei — Oh Zhangwei, you have stolen my heart. Your flirtatiousness and very being are just /chef’s kiss. I loved the duality of his character, The God of War whom we’re introduced as a cruel, cold, and relentless man but also his loneliness, loyalty, and devotion to his one and only. I loved his "touch her or die” behavior and the very obvious jealousy he displayed through many points. The tension between these two? Lord.

Minor characters stood out — My heart goes to Zhangwei’s handmaidens who provided much of the comedic aspects and broke up the intense “will-they-won’t-they” situations. Bless you all.

I wished there was an epilogue. Like Tan, please if you plan on giving us bonus content, give me more of Zhangwei’s POV. Please. I have a desperate need for this.

The writing, the world, and the exchanges between our characters that had me in multiple mood swings? 5/5. Although the pacing was slightly uneven, there were enough positives for me to overlook it and keep it at its rating. No memorable quotes for me to share because there were way too many good moments for me to choose from. This will be something you'll have to decide on sharing when you pick this up as your read. I cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copies so I can annotate. I truly hope you all pick this up upon release!

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager US & NetGalley for an e-ARC.

gorgeous, lush, and enchanting romantasy with an awesome, headstrong, and brave protag and an aloof but caring male protag. 5 stars. tysm for thea rc.

I LOVE THE WORK OF SUE LYNN TAN (@suelynntan)!!

I couldn’t put Immortal down. I loved every single page of this. I loved the love, I loved the pain. I once again felt immersed in this world that I have missed so much.

Immortal releases on January 7, 2025. I encourage you to pick this u, and of course check out all of the other books that take place in this chaotic world.

A special thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollins for the advanced copy of this book!

Review: 5 star

Given that I enjoyed reading Sue-Lynn’s previous books, it is no surprise that her adult fantasy standalone is on my anticipated release.

I adore this book. Let me tell you why! Firstly, unlike most fantasy books, it is a standalone, and it speaks to the author’s skill in writing a fantasy book in a standalone, given that the world-building can be immersive and take up almost 50% of the plot. A plus is that I have been horrible at committing to any book series lately. Secondly, the author’s writing has matured through the character development and plot.

The first 15% of the book sets the stage for both Liyen and the God of War to meet and provides a little bit of Liyen’s background as told in her POV. I find Liyen to be a complex character, given her flaws. She is very much mortal and frail at times but so stubborn, brash and reckless. She is also very much for sticking to her beliefs no matter how hard it gets, fighting for what is right and fair and her love for her people, especially when she faces discrimination on her mortality.

The way she met the God of War denotes her reckless moment, and the prejudice she felt against him makes her wary of trusting him, but she can’t help but be interested in him since something is tugging her towards him. Their interactions denote that there is more to the relationship than meets the eye. The God of War is mysterious and broody, but interestingly enough, he treats Liyen well. Their banter moments can be funny, tense, sweet, angsty and romantic throughout the story, and they are irresistibly drawn to one another.

The world-building of the book is solid. This book is also set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess with a new assembly of characters, so the Xianxia elements were very present. The pacing of the plot is fascinating and moves relatively quickly. I find it less filler-y compared to her previous books, which I was heavily invested in reading because I NEED to know what happens! The twists the author threw into the book were sometimes unexpected, leading to an exciting read! I had moments where I swear I was SCREAMING at the book!

At the heart of it, Immortal is a book about self-acceptance, choices, and multiple facets of a story on every side. An enjoyable read for those who love Xianxia elements and C-drama vibes in the book. I’m also all for supporting a Malaysian writer.

Quotes:
|“Grief was awkward and frightening; some thought it was unwelcome to speak of the dead to those who loved them. But when I lost my grandfather, I didn’t want to stop talking about him. For those we loved, the greatest disservice was to forget them.”

|“Life is often a chain of small events with large consequences,”

|“Love is the greatest freedom in the world, but you have to be capable of yielding it, to grasp its true meaning.”

Big thank you to Netgalley and HarperVoyager for the eARC edition!

“𝐖𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞.” | 4 ⭐️

read this if…

📺 you’re obsessed with classic historical c-dramas
🗡️ you have a weakness for swoon worthy male leads
🍿 looking for a story that will keep you on your toes


Liyen is my favorite kind of mc! One that moves the story with her actions vs having the plot move her. I was so excited to see what stunt she would pull next. She’s not bound to fate or destiny. With a large heart that’s always compelled to do the right thing. It’s fun to see her win.

romantic chemistry between her and her Lord are apparent from the first moment they interact. (i yelled “KISS NOW” at my iPad at least 3 different times)

every single time i thought i knew where the plot was going BOOM Tan surprises me.

for their first adult book Tan has made a perfect transition into narratives that seem relatable but have more depth. that being said that were moments in the 3rd act that took me out of the story. the tension we’d been building sort took me out of the story. (it gave soap opera a bit)

it got brought back around in the end though. the central themes of forgiveness and coping with grief touched me deeper than i expected.

𝐭𝐥;𝐝𝐫 | a brilliant roller coaster that will stick with you even after the pages turn. you won’t regret this read