
Member Reviews

This novel is an absolute gem—an enchanting standalone that bursts with beautifully crafted imagery. I’ll admit, there were moments when I found Liyen, our main character, a bit frustrating. But honestly, the author’s unwavering commitment to keeping her true to herself, even through the wildest twists and turns, completely won me over.

I adored Daughter of the Moon Goddess so I was all in for another fantastical read by Sue Lynn Tan, and Immortal was a sweeping adventure of a standalone read! After her grandfather dies, Liyen ascends to the throne with a vow to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals, but as darker forces rise, she must risk everything—even her heart—to save her people. The writing in this book is so beautiful and elegant. The world building got a little dense for me and there is a lot going on, it is a great and unique story. I loved the tension of Liyen and the God of War and their banter and chemistry! And Liyen is just such a striking heroine. She is ambitious and brave and I was constantly rooting for her. This romance fantasy is vivid and beautiful and a very original story.

Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! Sue Lynn Tan is such a talent and I can never put her books down. I was holding off reading this book because I knew I would devour it and then have to wait for her next book and I couldn't hold out any longer and read it. It didn't disappoint! It's Sue Lynn Tan! I love her books and this was no different.

I DNF around 1/3 way in, the book is simply not for me. I enjoyed Sue Lynn Tan Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology which is why I had requested this book. Her writing style is very descriptive and flowery which makes the plot move pretty slow. I wasn’t invested in our main character or the god of war, they both feel very generically built romantasy couple and even the beginning stages feels very predictable. I found myself not caring about the characters or the plot which why I choose to go ahead and dnf.
.
HOWEVER, if you enjoy writing that is very beautifully picturesque written you will likely enjoy since it creates a very vivid image in your head. If you consider yourself as someone who enjoys the romantasy genre you will probably enjoy this book, it feels very familiar.

I'd like to extend a huge thanks to the author, Sue Lynn Tan, the publisher, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the immense pleasure of being able to read an advanced reader copy of Immortal. I will share my review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble upon review.
Sue Lynn Tan delivers such a rich and lush world around characters that pull you in and hold you there. Amongst the court intrigue and forbidden love, there is some beautiful world building including political forces vying for power and magical mystery. The world is so beautiful, I loved getting lost there. When her wise and kind gradfather passes, Liyen takes over the throne with a plan to protect her people and face fears she didn't even know she had. The character of Zhangwei was a lovely addition to her story, forcing her to confront her emotional fears while she was facing more physical ones. The slow burn of their dialogue and romance had me dying to see how their love story would play out. Zhangwei's own past haunts him in ways that create a wall between them and despite their barriers, they must work together to accomplish the ultimate goal of severing the bond with the Immortals. The story's major themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and balancing love and duty are played out with such depth and thrilling events that I couldn't get the story off my mind. I just love Sue Lynn Tan's writing style that reminds me of mythology, as if I'm experiencing something happening in a time where humans and gods clashed.
The cover pulled me in immediately - the bold colors and flowing art style is reminiscent of the writing itself. I think the cover gives a great tone for the overall feel of the novel and it's gorgeous. I think it fits well with the others in the Celestial Kingdom series but has enough of its own feel to set it apart. If you love the other books in the Celestial Kingdom series or you are into romantic fantasy with enemies to lovers tropes, political intrigue and adventure, and nuanced character growth alongside thrilling romantic tension, this one will be for you!

An amazing Asian fantasy romance that deserves a tv series of its own! I hope there will be more, I would like to see Liyen’s transformation.

Sue Lynn Tan has done it again with her amazing world building and wonderful characters. This book had me intrigued just by the cover and synopsis alone and it did not disappoint at all. Immortal deals with our main character Liyen and her being the main ruler of Tianxia. The beginning of this book honestly made me shed a tear because of her grandfather, but when the God of War appeared I knew right away this was going to be such a fun story to watch unfold. I think both characters have amazing chemistry with each other. The way their love story happens throughout the book is slow at times, but it makes sense with what is happening. Theres tons of twists in this book also some I wasn’t necessarily expecting which I enjoyed!
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

All Liyen wants is for her people to be free from the immortals, even if she has to use the God of War to do it. But as she learns more about him, the more she realizes things are not how they seemed to be and there is more to the God of War than she originally thought.
Where do I begin? I completely devoured this book. From the political elements, the love story, the twists and turns kept me enthralled the entire book!

Sue is back with her most romantic tale yet in her new standalone, Immortal! Romantasy isn’t my forte but if Sue writes it, you better believe I’m going to read it.
Immortal is a richly descriptive and immersive tale full of love, betrayal, battle, and seeing the real enemy for who they truly are.
No one does vivid scene setting quite like Sue, and she has created characters that are brash and impulsive, yet have great growth and maturity throughout the story.
This is definitely more romantic than her other duology as one relationship is pushed into the spotlight. There is a slower build but for good reason, as the payoff is a whole lot of fun once you get there…and believe me when I say, I was giddy for it!
There are themes of loyalty and living up to certain expectations. But then there are also themes of forging your own path and not making the mistakes of the past.
This was a rich story I really enjoyed and I can’t wait for more people to read it when it releases next year! The deluxe limited edition will include magenta sprayed edges, a shimmery cover, custom endpapers, and a stamped case featuring a quote from the book!
This only made me want to go back and re read her DOTMG duology which is a favorite of mine!

“To win the God of War’s support was be wise— to fall in love with him would ruin me.”
I love Zhangwei. I love him so much. He’s in my top ten favorite book men. Liyen and Zhangwei’s story was so intriguing, I loved reading about them falling in love. They were so so so cute and I need to read her other series right now.
“I was the Lady of Tianxia and he was the God of War. There was no happy ending in our story.”
“You are more than your face, more than your name. With you, I am whole.”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. This was a beautiful book. I enjoyed it a lot. I thought the story was going to go one way but it didn't and did something different and I was happily surprised. This was the first book I've read by this author and the author has done a fantastic job. The characters feel real and I got sucked into the book and had to finish as fast as possible. I will be reading other books by this author now and I'm looking forward to what she writes next. Go read this book people.

Absolutely captivating. I couldn’t put it down and I was constantly on the edge of my seat!One of my top books for 2024!

Liyen is the heir of the Tianxia kingdom. Also, she has been poisoned. To save her life, her grandfather gives her a lotus pearl. However, that makes the queen of the Golden Desert, the immortal goddess Caihong, furious. The immortals didn't kill her grandfather, but they scared him to death. Now, Liyen has to be the leader of a kingdom whose court doesn't want her. To ensure her position, Liyen has to swear loyalty to Caihong. Nonetheless, she has other plans. Liyen wants an alliance with the God of War, Lord Zhangwei, so she can ask him for her people's freedom. However, things are not as easy as they seem, and feelings soon appear. Can Liyen overcome her attraction to Zhangwei? Would Liyen surrender to her heart at the cost of her kingdom?
Although this book is a stand-alone, the author transports us again to the world of her debut novel, Daughter of the Moon Goddess. In this book, we are in the same universe as the Celestial Emperor, but in another kingdom of the immortal realm, the Golden Desert. Now, there are new characters who would give us a battle between heaven, earth, and the underworld. On one side, we have the immortals, beings who search for power and respect. These are commanded by Queen Caihong and her right hand, the Good of War. On the other side, we have the mortal realm with the kingdom of Tianxia. These humans have been obligated to live within walls and serve the immortals. The last part of the war is the underworld, and in the shadows, someone is moving the threads. All these elements combine to create the worst possible war.
That's why the destiny of the world rests on the shoulders of two characters, Liyen and Zhangwei. Liyen is a female character worthy of admiration. I never feel her like a victim. On the contrary, she was so strong that it took her long to let loose her feelings for Zhangwei. She was capable of tricking him and hurting him both physically and emotionally. My favorite part is that she never gave in to the court's wishes of finding her a husband. She was so clever that he preferred to do a tournament to find her husband than give in to what the court wanted. Her character makes more sense after we find out about a big secret.
Lord Zhangwei is our typical mysterious and traumatized main lead. As the God of War he is unstoppable, and merciless with his enemies. However, he is tired of everything that comes with his name and position. That's why since the very first moment, Zhangwei is described as a character with a sad aura; a Zhangwei that is tired of blood and death. However, when he's with Liyen, we can see a hidden side of him. A side that would make your blood chill because he is capable of anything for the people he loves. Yes, Zhangwei is the typical "if you touch her, you die" guy. Plus, he kisses the floor where Liyen walks. To my deep crush on the God of War, we have to add that I can't stop imagining him as Choi San of ATEEZ.
Immortal is a book full of fantasy, action, romance, secrets, and betrayals. I don't give you details of the romance between Liyen and Zhangwei because it would be a spoiler. Their love is the origin and solution of the plot. I would only say that like it always happens with Sue Lynn Tan, I never expected the plot twists. For me, this book is so much better than Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Also, if the opportunity appears, I would love to see it adapted into a Chinese drama. This book is a good choice and I can't wait for January 7, 2025, so you guys can read it.

I needed something to fill the void in my heart that Daughter of the Moon Goddess left, and this did it. Sue Lynn Tan is INCREDIBLE at her world building and story telling and this was no exception. Absolutely incredible

I’m really torn about this one. I did not love it nor did I dislike it. It was just there. I have read some Asian inspired stories lately and this one was just hard for me to get into. There was nothing wrong with the story, but it just didn’t blow me away like similar books did. So yeah, I feel like I am complete on outlier island here. But it’s just me.

Sorry, everyone, I don't have the best news to report. I didn't love it.
Rating: 3 ⭐️
Immortal tells the story of the romance between Liyen, a mortal queen, and Zhangwei, the God of War. It's an interesting world, but overall, the romance felt pretty weak.
There's a quote in the book where Liyen remarks about "the feelings that didn't feel wholly earned from him," in reference to Zhangwei. And that hit the nail right on the head for me. That's how I felt for most of the book. Like Zhangwei's almost immediate love and affection for Liyen was baseless and unwarranted.
There's a big twist (no spoilers) that places the first three-quarters of the book into a new perspective. However, while that was interesting and lended a greater understanding to the actions and emotions of many characters, that doesn't mean that most of the book wasn't still puzzling and a little dull.
Overall, it wasn't bad and there is definitely an interesting story here, but I'm a bit disappointed. I almost wish there had been a prequel, because if I had known the twist from the beginning, I might have found the story more enjoyable. But that's just me!
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me early access to Immortal in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is my first book I’ve read written by Sue Lynn Tan, and l've already added her other titles to my collection. Her writing and world-building are truly remarkable. The banter between Liyen and Zhangwei is heartwarming, and their relationship is absolutely adorable. Initially, I was uncertain about how much I would enjoy the world Tan created, but as I delved deeper, I found myself increasingly captivated by both the setting and the characters.
One of the most impressive aspects of Tan's writing is her skill in tying up loose ends. Just when l'd have a question arise, she would address it chapters later, demonstrating a masterful narrative technique. The way she weaved the story to a satisfying conclusion was nothing short of impressive. She answered all my questions, leaving me a thoroughly satisfied reader.

FIVE⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Immortal is an epic stand-alone fantasy romance with strong characters and high stakes set in the same lush world as The Celestial Kingdom.
This was my first book from Sue Lynn Tan and it's truly a masterpiece. I was hooked from the start - I love how the author weaves twists and discoveries in with the romance. But this beautiful story becomes so much more than a romance, it has real depth. There's mystery, heartbreak, magic, sacrifice and humor. I couldn't put it down. It's extremely well thought out and beautifully written. I wish I could share every single one of the exquisite quotes I underlined while reading this. It truly is a perfect book and was a pleasure to read. I am usually pretty good at predicting storylines and it was very refreshing to be proven wrong with every guess.
P.S. THE GOD OF WAR……without spoiling anything just know that the romance in this HITS! The banter is top notch - it will be your next obsession. I will be re-reading this ASAP.
Make sure to check out all the special editions they are coming out with too!
Thank you SO much to Harper Collins Publishers and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC! I am honored to have been chosen as an ARC reader.

I absolutely adore everything Sue Lynn Tan writes - she has easily become an auto-buy author for me. Immortal has everything Sue does well: a beautiful backdrop, characters you easily enjoy reading about, relationships you believe in. There were maybe a couple of parts where the pacing could have been tweaked, but I overall thoroughly enjoyed this book. It could have easily been another duology, but I’m very grateful for the opportunity to dive into Immortal. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and of course, Sue, for this beautiful and fun story.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperVoyager, for this eARC!!
ZHANGWEI, THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!!
Let me preface this by saying that when I am looking for fantasy books, I tend to avoid romantasy. HOWEVER when Queen Sue Lynn Tan writes it, I gotta read it. This book!! I read it on my flight(s) across the country and it had me GIGGLING AND GASPING on the plane! I slept 0 hours because I could not put this book down!
The dialogue had me swooning and giggling and blushing. The banter! The starts-slow-but-snowballs-real-quick enemies to lovers vibes! The twists actually surprised me! The explanations that made the romance that much sweeter.
There were a lot of things that I loved about this book, but I think my fav think is that our main woman, Liyen, did not let fate or Immortals or Wuxin or anybody else dictate her fate. When given choices, she just made up new ones that suited her better. She loves her kingdom and her people, and she would not compromise on that! She was strong in her values and morals; she was kind, and open, and even in moments where her heart started to harden, she still remained gentle and soft in the ways that truly mattered.
I also am in love with our male love interest, Mr Lord Zhangwei. Talented, multi-faceted, clever, lover of life, powerful warrior, and takes-what-he-wants (but only with consent!). I don’t have many characters that I would classify as a “book boyfriend” for myself, but he certainly gets the title. I was blushing, I was grinning like a fool. We love a “touch her and die” kinda man!!