3.5 stars

Amélie Wen Zhao has a beautiful way with words and the way she cracks her world-building is truly captivating.

I was very intrigued by the plot and premise. Trails and competitions and immortals are right up my alley. But around the 40% mark, it did start to lag a bit. I found myself getting a bit lost and losing some focus. I found the romance had so much promise and there were certainly areas I loved, but overall, I feel like they lacked that oomph. That sparks and those integral pillar moments that really make a bookish couple feel raw and real. An’ying is such a strong character on her own, but whenever he entered the scene, I feel like she would change a bit. And rather than have her change, I wanted to see more how their personalities and character arcs would clash and form a brilliant love story.

But overall, the way the story went as a whole and how it ended with that twist definitely leave me wanting more!

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am mesmerized by The Scorpion and the Night Blossom. At times I was left breathless, other times left swooning, and other times left devastated. I felt the high and low of every emotion, and together it induced an experience I'll always remember in reading.

This tale follows our heroine Àn’yīng as she enters a competition for mortals hosted by immortals in which the winner will receive an immortality pill. A prize Àn’yīng seeks in order to restore her mother to full health. A journey Àn’yīng does not expect to follow the unexpected path it eventually does...

Àn’yīng is our heroine who takes on the perilous path in hopes of gaining the remedy to heal her mother. Her will is great, her resolve relentless, and her heart beats strong. She's a heroine I was always compelled by and always rooted for. But she was also a character that caused frustration and disbelief at times. Why couldn't she be more open-minded?! Why couldn't she trust more readily those who continuously helped her? Admittedly I wondered if this frustration should affect my rating...but then two things came to mind. The first? Oh how nice it is to read a heroine who isn't perfect and right in every way. Instead she's of fallible character, she makes mistakes, she stumbles, she falls, and can be wrong-minded and prejudiced. But she learns-- in fact she's still learning. She is able to self-reflect, to regret, to strive to make amends. At times it did feel like every step forward was followed by two steps back, but I am very optimistic and hopeful Àn’yīng will continue to learn in full, just as she continues to inspire in facing every danger head on. For her courage never failed and always inspired. And it takes that courage to right wrongs.
The second reason? Àn’yīng used to be a girl who dreamed of the ocean and being a seamstress. Àn’yīng may appear prickly with sharp edges, but those whispered secrets of the quietest dreams of her heart reminded me that at her core there's a softness yearning for such simple yet poignant hopes. Of oceans, of sewing, of a quiet life. But so far, life has only shown her tragedy. So I am forgiving of Àn’yīng shortcomings because it reminds me of our own mortal vulnerabilities and it reminds me of our dreams yearning for more. Àn’yīng has much to learn, and I do believe she will, just like the rest of us. Her relatability and vulnerability become her strength. And it centers her on a path towards betterment, and on a path I hope grants her the happiness and so wholly deserves. Àn’yīng has sacrificed her very dreams, and all I hope is that they find their way back to her, so she may realize them in full.

Yù’chén may not have POV, but his character captivates upon his every appearance on the page. To borrow the words of Amélie Wen Zhao on a social post she wrote: Yù’chén is the greenest red flag. The lack of POV places him as an enigmatic character that is hard to decipher, but his actions and his words throughout had me wishing and hoping for Àn’yīng to trust in him. To give him a chance. To see him for him. Whether wise or not, I wanted that so desperately. Yù’chén broke my heart in so many ways. But I left this narrative with him placed as my favorite part of this journey. To discover his character, even bit by bit, is one of the grandest part of this gorgeous tale. Savor it, savor it!

There is the possibility of romance that weaves Àn’yīng and Yù’chén towards one another. They are rarely on the same page, and yet there seems to always be something that ties them together. And when they are together, it's dynamite. Whether at odds or at truce, there is a constant pull that feels undeniable. That what they have can blossom into more, if they only take the leap. There is yearning and longing, there is suspicion and angst, and there is that mere potential of something more that feels encaged and ready to be freed.

The supporting cast fill the margins in variously memorable ways. Some fill the page with their love, some bring chaos and violence with their hate, some bring fealty and trust with their friendship, and some bring revelation and shock with their truths. Together, this cast helps elevate the narrative as a whole. Coupled with an eclectic cast of characters is vivid, vibrant world-building that creates the stage, a stage that allows suspense to build, mystery to intrigue, fear to pulsate, adventure to explore, and the possibility of love to flourish. Every facet of this story matters, tying together a journey that's ever rewarding.

By story's end there is a possibility of a love triangle, I tend not to favor these, but, if correct, I believe Zhao framed this potential triangle in a way where it's less about the choice of love and more about love or duty. And I hope, above all hopes, that love will conquer all.

I will be impatiently awaiting the final book of this duology. I'm ready for it!

If you love fantasy with a dark edge, if you love romance filled with yearning and tragedy, and if you love adventure that brings twists and surprise-- then you won't want to miss out on this tantalizing elixir of a tale, The Scorpion and the Night Blossom.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this advanced complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

this novel of was such a fascinating read, from our main characters to the world building to the central antagonists. i particularly adored the main character, from her headstrong personality to her motives to her weapons (!!!), and found myself swooning over the love interest. i loved where the ending went, setting up beautifully for the sequel. i can 100% see myself going back and rereading this novel and can't wait for the second book to come out! (4.5★)

Somehow both dark and whimsical, this fast-paced, high-stakes, easy-to-binge romantasy is a must read!

What’s to love…
- badass FMC with assassin skills who will do anything to protect her family
- bad boy MMC / forbidden love
- “touch her and die” 😏
- top notch tension and chemistry
- fast-paced plot
- elegant world-building and NO info-dumps
- trials (as a verified trial hated I can confirm I actually enjoyed these trials!)
- epic start to a duology!
- lush imagery and stunning prose
- inspired by Chinese mythology and lore

What’s not to love…
- I’d have liked a little more depth and relationship development from the side characters and would have gladly read a longer book to accommodate this.
- some may find the plot twists a tad predictable but despite guessing the twists I still had an amazing time.

1🫑 - This has enough steam to warrant a mild pepper, the tension was top notch and I was sweating at the hot springs/rain scene (Ch. 17). This is YA though so no explicit content - but there are two steamy scenes and 1 that eludes to intercourse (Ch. 26). Publisher states 14+ and I’d even go so far as to say I’d be ok recommending mature middle schooler.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's (Delacorte) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is compared to Throne of Glass, however, I think An'ying and the trials are more reminiscent of Feyre in ACOTAR because An'ying isn't as skilled and fiere in the trials as Celena was in ToG. Also, the love interest frequently swoops in to save An'ying in the trials much like Rhys kept secretly helping Feyre. I will say that her being described as this skilled and capable contestant and then pretty much needing to be rescued each time was a bit of a disappointment, though it didn't make me dislike the story. From the onset, the author did a really good job of building this beautiful work and introducing the reader to the magical system and beings. The character development was lacking, unfortunately, so while the characters were likable, I never found myself invested in them or their outcome. I prefer when books have really well-developed characters, so I become emotionally connected to them, and so some emotion is elicited when something happens to them. That never happened for me with this book with any of the characters. The pacing started off well, got scattered midway through, and then got back on track towards the end of the book. Based on the writing, I knew the book would end on a cliffhanger with a plot twist. Overall, this was a good book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book I have read by Amélie Wen Zhao and I am definitely going to be reading more of her work! I loved this book! The only reason this book didn’t get 5 starts is because I did find the FMC to be a bit frustrating. Going into this book I expected her to be a badass but it seemed like almost every other chapter she was needing to be saved by one of the guys. The banter between Án’yīng and Yù’chén was amazing. Yú’chén reminded me a lot of Kingfisher from Quicksilver. This book kind of gives hunger games/powerless vibes. I am super excited for the second book to come out! This one left me an emotional mess and I NEED to know what happens! lol

This is a captivating fantasy novel that immerses readers in a world besieged by demons, where the young heroine embarks on a perilous journey to save her mother’s soul. This book was a mesmerizing blend of danger, spellbinding magic, and lush world-building making it a must-read for fans of dark and opulent fantasy tales. 

Thank you NetGalley and Amélie Wen Zhao for an advanced copy of the book for review.

I found the prose in Amélie Wen Zhao’s writing to be some of the most engaging I have read in quite some time. I felt it was atmospherically stimulating from the immediate start of the book. I truly think the strength in this book falls in the beautiful setting writing.

Overall I think the romance was well-paced. I would always like to see more enemy dynamic in the enemies to lovers trope, though I think this may lean more rivals to lovers? I did appreciate the level of pining to keep me satiated.

I have not previously read this author, but I’ve heard such good things that when the book popped up on my recommended, I decided to give it a shot. I must say, I’m inclined to read her other work simply because the atmospheric nature of her writing really captured me.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a classic romantasy, only better. This book is comforting because of its well-written commitment to established genre conventions.

Bottom line: How soon can I revisit the Three Realms?

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a somewhat whimsical but also very dark fantasy story about a world overrun by soul sucking demons. The main character has been learning to fight demons so as to protect her village and her sister and mother. She decides to travel to a competition held by the immortals for a chance to cure her mother after an attack by demons that occurred when she was a child where she lost her father and left her mother with half a soul. I’m honestly a little torn between 3 and 4 stars but I’m leaning more toward 3 for a few reasons. This book was good and I did like it, I just didn’t fully love it. I’m not sure I’ll think about this book that much after finishing it but I liked it enough to want to read the sequel whenever that comes out. There’s romance but there’s still such a heavy focus on how awful the demon attacks on the mortal world are and how strongly this main character feels about finding a way to keep her family safe above everything else. Good just not great for me but enjoyable overall. Also I’m still very confused as to whether this is upper YA or a younger adult because it really teeters on that line.

4.5 Stars!

I was not expecting this story to affect me as it did. I have to start by saying that I absolutely hated the way Àn’yīng acted towards Yù’chén for the majority of the book. I was really close to giving this 4 stars instead of 5, simply because I just couldn’t take him being her personal punching bag anymore. alas, I decided to trust that the author was doing everything for a reason.

This book is so fast paced, action packed, and addictive with incredible transportive world building and several really great twists. I found all of the characters very interesting, but the relationships between them were a bit lacking in depth, which I think is a bit to be expected due to the fast paced plot and it only being the first book. I think this is a really great start to a series and I can't wait to see where this story goes in the sequel.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the providing me with an early copy to read and review.

I absolutely devoured this book. I love Cdramas, Xianxia Wuxia, Asian mythology, folklore, historical fiction, and everything in between. This book was such a pleasant surprise and it was so addictive, I read it in one sitting. It reminds me of a Xianxia trials quest drama but SO much better adding in the heat between the powerful and yet somewhat naive FMC An’Ying and the deliciously complicated MMC Yu’Chen. I got so invested and Yu’Chen is, in the best way, dark, sarcastic, flirty and yet also sweet. He definitely has a bad case of touch her and die and who did this to you, while she’s actually feisty and stabby on the regular - and I’m here for it. Bring in golden boy Hao’Yang and things get decadently complicated. There’s so much going on between characters and I was really drawn into the relationships between family, friends, love interests and mysterious benefactors…

Mix in the heavenly realm, immortals, secret protectors, family mysteries, cultivation magic, and a demon realm taking over the mortal world with quests and trials, and it’s a perfect fantasy escape. Amelie Wen Zhao writes beautifully with excellent detail and amazing pacing. Automatic buy author for me from now on. I literally couldn’t ask for more and highly recommend to all who love fantasy. Particularly any Asian inspired setting or Asian inspired fantasy lovers. My Cdrama people will love this too! Now, when can I have book 2?!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

The first 30%, I was intrigued but immediately lost me after that. The beginning chapters was so intriguing and fascinating. I loved the worldbuilding and the explanation of the magic system. immortals, the mortals, demons and especially the main character’s weapons which imbued her with special abilities in combat.

The plot kicks off with compelling stakes, An’ying is determined to compete in a trial orchestrated by immortals to win a coveted pill that grants immortality. Her motivation? Saving her mother, who is suffering from the aftermath of a demon attack. The premise had me reeled in, and I devoured the initial chapters, revelling in every monster fight and blade twirling scene.

However, as much as the book started strong, it struggled to capture my full attention. One of the most significant letdowns was the relationship between An’ying and the main love interest. Despite being portrayed as a fierce and capable fighter in the beginning, An’ying frustratingly loses her edge whenever he enters the scene. Time and time again, he swoops in to save her, which felt like a disservice to the strong, independent character we met at the start.

Also, the side characters lacked depth, making it difficult to form any lasting connection with them. The pacing from the first half of the book to the latter was jarringly rushed. That said, the plot twist toward the end did reignite my interest, I’m curious to see how that twist will play out in the next book.

Thank you to Random House Children and Delacorte Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you are a fan of Phantasma, I definitely think this book is for you. Definitely not as steamy. It has the same premise of our FMC competing in a tournament to save her family, in this case her sister and mother. On her way there, she meets Yù-chén. This is an enemies to lovers, but still to be seen. I really enjoyed the story and the side characters. The monsters, lore, and world building was beautiful. Her friends are super kind and I really liked them. I also really liked Yù-chén. He was complex and I'm excited to see where his story goes. I feel like the ending was where the story really picked up. There were some parts where I wish would have been fleshed out a little more, especially the last 25% of the book because it seemed a little rushed. I would've liked to see the relationships fleshed out more between the FMC and her friends, Hào’yáng, and Shī’yǎ. Overall, this was a fun read and I enjoyed the story. It's well written and the story is fun and interesting.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the premise of the book. The world building was easy to understand and u feel like it was different and something I have never seen before. I really liked the weapons and how they corresponded to a skill. The story itself was compelling and heartbreaking as An'ying had a sad past with the death of her father and her mother currently dying with a younger sister at home. The mó were such a fun idea to enhance the story and made such a creepy villian to the story. There were so many twists at the end and it makes me really excited about the next book!

Thank you NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Amélie Wen Zhao for the e-ARC.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is the story of a mortal young woman who is working to save her family. In this fantasy world, there are different kingdoms- those of the immortals, the mortals, and the demons. The demons, or “mo”, have attacked the mortal kingdom and have a goal to overtake the other kingdoms as well.

The main character is a fierce woman who is fighting to protect her family and to return her mother’s soul to her. She journeys to the immortal kingdom to try and achieve this, fighting mo and forming alliances along the way.

The universe in this book was so interesting! It felt like a perfect blend of mythology and fantasy. The characters had a lot of depth, and I found myself really caring about them. I can’t wait for the next book to come out!

mesmerising world and beautiful story with some very strong senses of cosmology. i love our protag and the MMC is interesting. 5 stars. tysm for thea rc.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom was my first dive into Amélie Wen Zhao's work, and it certainly won’t be my last. From the first page, I was swept into a world of danger, demons, and high-stakes trials. Àn’yīng is a heroine who refuses to let her past define her—her strength and determination to save her mother from death kept me hooked. The Immortality Trials were thrilling, and the growing tension between Àn’yīng and Yù’chén added an edge to the story that had me second-guessing everything.

Though the pacing slowed a little in parts, the emotional depth and intricate worldbuilding more than made up for it. Zhao’s writing has a way of making you feel the weight of each decision and the cost of survival in a world where everything—life, love, trust—feels fragile. It’s a beautiful, gritty journey, and while there were moments of predictability, the twists still felt fresh. Overall, a captivating and promising start to what I hope is a series with a lot more to offer. A strong 3.5 stars from me!

I absolutely loved Àn’yīng's dedication to keeping her sister safe and yearning to win the Trials to save her mother. That determination stays with her throughout her journey where she refuses to give up and let her family down. I also loved Yù’chén and am curious how his character will play out in the sequel. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC, I really enjoyed The Scorpion and the Night Blossom.