So much better than Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, at least for me. For one, the "magic" was not cultivation magic, which I just don't find that interesting. But I think I liked the main characters in this story a bit more from the get-go. No, they weren't perfect and no I didn't love everything about them (in particular, Àn’yīng’s prejudice against demons, while understandable, bordered on cruel at times), but I found both characters to be interesting and there were enough twists and turns (some predictable, some not so much) that kept my interest. The overall plot of the story (competition to gain a huge prize/immortality, main character weak compared to the rest of the competitors, love triangle of sorts, huge conflict between "good and evil", etc.) was not unique, but I liked Zhao's fresh take on it. I also really loved the inclusion of Chinese mythology, and the skills using Qi to do things like walking on water (I kept picturing the movie Hero). The story was very visual for me, making me imagine it as a movie or tv show. The only thing is that I would have loved to see Àn’yīng save herself more often, but perhaps that will happen in the second book. In her defense, she did save Yù’chén almost as often as he saved her. I don't want to say to avoid spoilers, but I did feel she did a lot of growing, especially in questioning her prejudice, but also in persevering to learn the skills she needed.

My only regret is that we will have to wait for the next book!

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom totally pulled me in with its mix of drama, intrigue, and beautiful writing. The main characters—an exiled assassin and a mysterious courtesan—have such a tense, slow-build connection that kept me turning pages. The world feels super rich and detailed, with East Asian-inspired vibes that make it stand out. I really liked how the story dives into themes like loyalty, revenge, and second chances without feeling heavy-handed. Overall, it’s one of those books that’s both gorgeous and gripping—I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

I LOVED THIS STORY.

This was such a breath of fresh air. Everything about this story was beautiful, from the FMC dealing with guilt and grief, the love interests, the magic system, the description of the landscape, the trials, all of it. Zhao is such a fantastic writer, weaving such a strong and beautiful tapestry of the world. I loved how we see the FMC make bad and good decisions, but never giving up, trying her hardest to save her family and humanity.

Also, the descriptions of this world! It was so beautiful and well done, and I loved it.

Book 2 when?

Somewhere between a 3 and 4, so I’m rounding up for now.

After loving the author’s previous duology, I had high expectations for this new series and was very excited to get to it. And while this took me a while to get invested, it was pretty enjoyable.

The world building is really cool, very visually stunning with some real wonderfully rich descriptions. The mythology and lore of the world is also developed enough that we aren’t lost but are still craving to know more. And while there are many characters here, the main focus is on Anying, the mortal who wants an immortality pill to save her mother, and Yuchen - a half mo - who’s motivations we aren’t really sure of.

The author gets the push and pull of their dynamic just right. It’s heated and angsty and at times stabby, with the readers always wondering if they’ll kiss or kill each other. The dark brooding demon boy Yuchen is written very well and I can totally see why we romance girlies always fall for them. Anying on the other hand is a very sympathetic character, especially because we read through her pov and get to know her losses and griefs on a personal level. Her hatred when gets to know that Yuchen is a half mo - half of the kind killed her father and devoured her mother’s soul - is understandable. But I found her very hypocritical when she was openly bigoted to him and said very very harsh and painful words, but went back to him again and again for help with her family. Haoyang is the third most important character here and while we get only small glimpses of him except at the end, he is an intriguing person who I feel will play a major role in the next book.

While the push and pull and especially Anying’s momentary hateful words grated on me, the immortality trials which were made such a big deal of at the beginning of the book also felt like they took a backseat as the book went by. I don’t think I would have given up on the book but just when I felt my interest waning a bit, the author jerked me back with the last quarter of the book. There’s just so many twists and revelations and heartbreaking moments, that are sure to have very high stakes implications for the further plot, and now I can surely say I’ll read the next book.

Overall, this book has its ups and downs as it goes on, but the last part of it brought everything to a satisfying close, leaving us to chew on what the future has in store for the characters. The audiobook is narrated well and I enjoyed the experience. If you read a lot of romantasy, this might feel a bit familiar and maybe even predictable but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. Definitely recommend to my fellow xianxia cdrama fans and who love their love stories with a good dose of cutting words and stabby knives.

This book is perfect for fantasy lovers. The story is woven so its like falling asleep. Before you know it you are entranced in this beautifully written universe and you are invested in the plot and charachters who arent real

Thanks to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book starts a new duology, The Three Realm series, and it combines Chinese mythology with a competition with a dash of romance along the way. I very much enjoyed Amelie's prior series and once again, the world building here is definitely a strength of the story. The three realms are the Kingdom of Rivers, Kingdom of Sky and Kingdom of Night and ten years agon the Kingdom of Night began to seep into the other realms, and the emperor of the Kingdom of Rivers was killed, and the realms were thrown into chaos. An'ying has been doing her best to support and protect her mother and sister from the deadly demons of the Kingdom of Night, when her opportunity comes to compete in the Immortality Trials, put on by the immortal beings of the Kingdom of Sky. In order to survive the trials, An'ying must partner with a rival, Yu chen who has a potentially deadly secret, and their back-and-forth relationship supplies the dash of romance in the story.
Overall, a very enjoyable story and I liked the magic system and world presented here and An'ying is a very likable FMC. The journey to and beginning of the trials at the Kingdom of Sky was my favorite part, the trials as a whole seemed secondary to An'ying discovering more about her past and the secrets her father kept from her. As an enemies to lovers arc, it was fine, I just wasn't hugely invested in the romance part, but there were a couple surprises at the end which will have me picking up the next book to see how it all shakes out.

I absolutely loved the worldbuilding and how immersive and rich it was. Also, the banter between the two main characters was exquisite. However, I thought it took a bit too long for some of the character development of the FMC, but overall an excellent story and can't wait for the sequel!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a lush, romantic fantasy that blends Chinese mythology with high-stakes trials and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc. Àn’yīng, a determined heroine, enters the deadly Immortality Trials to save her mother, only to find herself entangled with Yù’chén, a mysterious rival who may be more than he seems. The worldbuilding is vivid, filled with demons, magic, and ancient lore, and the romance carries emotional weight. However, some side characters felt underdeveloped, and the pacing occasionally lagged. If you're into romantasy with rich settings and a touch of angst, this is a solid pick.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a fun YA romantasy that is fast-paced and easy to read with world building I really enjoyed (I thought the blend of mythology was well done). I think Zhao is clearly a seasoned writer and understands her voice and how to set a scene very well, and while I don’t think I liked the writing as much as her most recent duology, it was confident in itself. Still, I ultimately felt lukewarm about the romance aspect of this novel and I’m not sure I felt particularly endeared to the characters. In a lot of ways, the beats of this story felt quite familiar and I’m not sure it did anything new, but then, I don’t really think a story has to do anything new to be good or interesting. This one might not have caught my attention like Song of Silver, Flame Like Night did, but it makes for a quick, fun read nonetheless.

I love Chinese folklore and mythology and it was one of the reasons I picked up this book! I absolutely loved the tropes and An’ying and Yuchen were adorable! I just felt the writing lacked depth and the plot twists were predictable.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Zhao immediately transports you to the Kingdom of Rivers. The setting is lush and beautiful. I was quickly drawn in and felt like I was in the story with Àn’yīng. Zhao kept me guessing as I was racing along An'ying during the trials. I loved meeting the supporting characters and watching An'ying grow throughout the story. It was fast paced and exciting. I am looking forward to book 2. I will purchase for our high school library.

A more condensed version of this review appeared in an issue of School Library Journal as a starred review:

Àn’yīng was ten when the mortal Kingdom of Rivers fell prey to the demonic forces of the Kingdom of Night. She has struggled to protect her younger sister Méi’zi and her mother ever since. Amidst increasing demon attacks and the ever encroaching night, resources are growing scarce making it harder for everyone to survive and harder for Àn’yīng to find the magical flowers that help keep her mother alive if catatonic after a demon devoured part of her soul.

Now nineteen, Àn’yīng is ready to travel to the Kingdom of Skies and use her skills as a practitioner to win a coveted pill of immortality to mend her mother's tattered soul. But all is not as Àn’yīng expected from her dead father's teachings and his journals about the ancient art of practitioning as a warrior able to tap into spirit energy. Instead of structure and support, Àn’yīng is immediately thrust into a cutthroat competition with deadly consequences.

Finding unlikely allies including fellow competitor Yù’chén, competing in the Immortality Trials will challenge everything Àn’yīng thought she knew about the power balance between the realms and about her own family in The Scorpion and the Night Blossom (2025) by Amélie Wen Zhao.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is the first book in the Three Realms duology and features rich world building inspired by Chinese mythology. Zhao dedicates this book to "the C-drama girlies" and delivers all of the swoony romance and dramatic twists C-drama viewers would expect--especially in the explosive final act.

High action is balanced with thoughtful characterization for Àn’yīng who has to reconcile her own (long since abandoned) dreams of seeing the world and becoming an accomplished seamstress like her mother and sister with her harsh reality as the sole caregiver and protector for those she loves most. Àn’yīng's world view is challenged, and ultimately expanded, as she learns more about the immortal elite, the demon realm, and the yāo’jīng halflings who defy classification in any single realm. These new connections and friendships force Àn’yīng to question many of her preconceived notions about the heroes and villains in the years-long war that killed her father and left her mother's soul so damaged.

Whether it's sweeping action, high stakes, or a shocking love triangle, The Scorpion and the Night Blossom has something for everyone with promises of more to come in the duology conclusion. Highly recommended.

Possible Pairings: The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco, Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin, Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalo, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson, Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar

Overall, I enjoyed reading about Àn’yīng’s adventures and trying to get the skills and resources she needs to save her mother’s soul and fight off the demons that drink human souls. I’ve been enjoying fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore and culture, and this is another vibrant, opulent adventure romance in that category. However, there was plenty I wish had been different.

One of the most frustrating elements of the book for me is that she’s supposed to be a pretty decent fighter and proving herself in the trials, but almost every time, she survives not from her own skill or wit but because she’s rescued by a hot guy. I don’t even mind a hot guy rescue in a book, but when it happens five or six times in a book, I start to think the girl really needs to get a grip and figure things out on her own just once. The trials also don’t really seem all that intense or interesting considering they are literally competing for immortality. The main character also annoyed me a little bit in that she would leave her young teenaged sister alone.

The love interest was also a little difficult for me to fully enjoy. I liked the tension and how sometimes she wants to kiss him and sometimes she wants to stab him. But her prejudice and hatred toward his kind are a little difficult to get through sometimes to the point where I just don’t understand why he would put up with her at all. She could be so cruel. Even though I understood her background of why she might not like him, her insistence on being judgmental and hateful when he was doing everything he could to keep her safe and help her be happy made it harder to like her. When she would stop being so ridiculously stubborn, the chemistry between them was great. It also seemed like it was leaning toward a love triangle at the end. I don’t automatically hate a love triangle, and it looks like there could bed actually be interesting dynamics there, but it made me frustrated with Àn’yīng because I want her to figure out her own thoughts and feelings before messing with romance.

I also wanted a little more development into some of how the magic worked. How do her crescent blades work, and why is she the only person who seems to have similar weapons? You’d like something like that would be more common.

In spite of my complaints, I did enjoy it. I am a sucker for “touch her and die” male main characters, and there’s some great chemistry between them. I loved the dragon hours and the terrific visuals and vibe of the book. I’ll be picking up the sequel and hoping the things I didn’t love are remedied in it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was unfortunate for me, but I am DNF-ing at 45%.

First off, the premise, the world, and the potential, all really interesting and intriguing.

But characters make or break a book for me, and Àn’yīng was a very insufferable MC for me personally.

Some of her narration and perspective just feels like it’s not coming from reality, which is wild to me considering she is the main caregiver of her family. She also is thrown into this world she knows nothing about but refuses to accept help, which is very frustrating.

And speaking of getting help, the main reason I am DNF-ing is because of how Àn’yīng treats Yù’chén. He has gone out of his way to help her multiple times and also saved her life multiple times (this book would’ve been over in less than 100 pages without him) and is in general very nice and helpful, and she treats him AWFUL. They have romantic tension, which terrifies me because their foundation is built on her believing and SAYING some truly awful things straight to his face despite seeing evidence to him being the opposite of how she sees him. The worst part is you as the reader can tell the things she says genuinely hurt him and he STILL helps her and saves her life.

I’m not sold on Yù’chén as a character at the point where I stopped, but I thought I could like him. But even with feeling indifferent towards him, I didn’t want his character to just consistently be put down by the girl he clearly likes!

Anyway, some people may enjoy this book but it was just not for me and I was getting frustrated.

Sorry for the late review, but I still wanted to read this book and give it my honest opinion. I have her other books too, but this one caught my eye.

The cover is stunning! I’ve never read a fantasy book like this before. I went into it with no expectations, but I was blown away by the writing and world-building. This is my first Asian-inspired book, and I definitely won’t be the last. I’m planning to buy a physical copy myself.

I felt like I was right there with the main character, going through all those different trails. Even when she faced tough young half-mortal characters, she held her own. She’s a strong and determined young woman who’s determined to save her mother and sister after the tragic death of her father.

I absolutely loved this book! I highly recommend it. Thank you the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read such an amazing book. I didn’t know I needed it right now. I’ll be sure to review it on all my platforms, including Bookbub, Goodreads, Instagram, and TikTok.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amelie Wen Zhao was a captivating read from start to finish. It had action, tension, love, drama and twists that kept you reading and on the edge of your seat.

The story follows Àn’yīng as she sets out to complete the Immortality Trials for her mother. She ends up meeting Yù'chén on this journey who has mystery surrounding him and who helps her survive. There might or might not be an additional character you'll meet that delivers some additional tension between Àn’yīng and Yù'chén.

All in all, this story is one I believe you will not want to miss out on reading if you are a fantasy romance lover.

I"M SORRY HOW DARE YOU Amélie Wen Zhao!!!! You had me fall in love with Yù’chén and Àn’yīng together and then you hurt me like THAT?! Yù’chén is end game! END GAME! He better be at least or I will cry like I did towards the end. Anyway Àn’yīng is great but I want more Yù’chén!

2/5 ⭐️ I DNF this book at 70%! Im surprised I made it that far! This is a romantasy and that means it ain’t for me! It was boring and I couldn’t understand the reasoning for the romance! The plot was dull too! Sorry but not sorry!

I really wanted to connect with this book, but unfortunately, I struggled to feel invested in the story. I felt like I was dropped into Àn’yīng’s journey without enough background or emotional buildup to truly understand or empathize with her.
While the writing itself was beautiful, I found there was a noticeable distance between Àn’yīng’s emotions and the reader. Her feelings were often told rather than felt, more descriptive than immersive, which made it difficult for me to form a strong connection to her character.

*Thank you to Amélie Wen Zhao, Random House Children's | Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

I devoured this book in one day. It was so so good. The plot was well developed, as were the characters. I could not put it down. Only downside? Having to wait for the next book.