“In each life, we are born to walk a path,” I say. “If this is the path the fates or my destiny has drawn for me in this life, then I will walk with you to the end.” - @ameliewenzhao

A war between the Kingdom of the Sky, Kingdom of the River, and Kingdom of the Night found the Kingdom of the River to fighting the demons of the Night and Gods in the Kingdom of the Sky closing their borders and the mortals fighting for their lives.

Àn’yīng lost her father to a Mó, a demon- think Venin but more evil. Her mother was left catatonic with half of her soul devoured by the Mó who killed her father. Her only hope to heal her mother is to win a pill of immortality at the Immortality trials in the Kingdom of the Sky. Her path is not an easy one. She carries her beloved blades, memories of her mother and sister, and a magical Jade necklace. She not only faces beasts and demons, but the reality of her past and the role she has in saving the mortal realm.

This story is beautifully crafted. The imagery is stunning. The action doesn’t let up. Hunger Game vibes in a world of Gods with a strong female lead in an internal battle of just how much off herself she’ll risk to save those she loves.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

@ameliewenzhao I can’t wait for this sequel. I’m such a fan. All your other books are in my queue.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhousechildrens for this #advancedreaderscopy - pub day is 3/4/25 - go buy it!!!!!

#2025bookchallengebook15of100
#thescorpionandthenightblossom
#netgalley

💖❤️ The Scorpion and the Night Blossom ARC Review ❤️💖

Thank you so much to Amélie Wen Zhao and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!!

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a fantasy romance novel and book one in The Three Realms duology. Nine years ago, war against the demons ripped apart Àn’yīng’s family. Now she is grown and ready to enter the Immortal Trials to help save her ailing mother. Can she survive long enough to win the prize?

This book was a fantastic read and a good start to this duology! Àn’yīng was an awesome character and I really enjoyed reading her story. There trial aspect of the story was well done and I really enjoyed the world building! Yù’chén was such a good character and I found myself wishing for some of his PoV. I personally was a little frustrated at how long it took Àn’yīng to break some of her habits, but eventually she got there

Overall this was a five star read! I loved the characters and the complexity of this story! I can’t wait for the next one on the series! This book does have some potential triggers, so please check if you’re sensitive. This book did have a romantic subplot but it was a slow burn with minimal on-page action, so overall one flame for spice

If you’re a fan of fantasy novels with beautiful world building, complex characters and a great story, then absolutely pick this one up!!

"We have only this short life, this one life. If there is something we want, something we desire, we must fight for it."

An extremely captivating story that follows Àn’yīng, a girl forced to enter a deadly competition for the chance to save her mother’s soul.

Amélie once again created a beautiful world steeped in ancient Chinese Mythology and Folklore. I didn’t think it was possible to love this even more than the authors ‘Song of the Last Kingdom’ duology, but I was pleasantly surprised. I fell in love with her writing style and world building all over again.

The trials were done so well. Often times I can find myself bored because the stakes just aren’t high enough, but that was not the case here. Not only were the stakes high, but the competition also felt original. The twists and turns had me riveted to the pages. The pacing was perfection which made it easy to devour this book.

Àn’yīng is a badass FMC and overall entirely relatable. I loved her weaponry and how the blades performed different tasks. Amélie has a talent for coming up with unique magic systems and that is one of the many reasons she is at the top of my auto-buy authors list. Horror elements were weaved throughout adding even more tension to an already deadly competition.

When the book dedication reads “This one's for the C-drama girlies.", you just know the romance will be good and I was not disappointed. The chemistry could be felt through the pages and the banter will have you kicking your feet. I could have done without the potential love triangle, but I get it.

Highly recommend if you love fast-paced romantasy books, charming characters, deadly trials, Chinese Mythology, and unique magic systems.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an eARC.

This book was devastating but so interesting and easy to get swept up in!

“The nights have been longer and more beautiful since their world began to bleed into ours.”

As always, Zhao’s writing was spectacular. Her world-building with demons (beautiful, terrifying demons – the best kind), a magical school (that was also a brutal competition for immortality), and unique magic was so, so captivating. There was never a boring page, and I felt really immersed in the world.

The storyline was also fascinating – a life-or-death competition may not be a unique plot, but the concept of fighting for that pill of immortality through dangerous, magical trials is always such fun to read! I honestly wanted many more trials and magic. Add in the threat of demons invading, and I was intrigued!

“I have known how our story would end since the very beginning. I have resisted, but I no longer wish to.”

It helps that Zhao’s writing style is so lyrical and beautiful. I’m tempted to highlight every second line – she almost writes fairytales, they’re so poetic and enchanting. But with this lyrical writing comes the most devastating romances – Zhao just will not let a couple live peacefully! However, this is only book 1 of 2, so I hold out hope for a happy ending…

“But meeting the right person at the wrong time, the right love in the wrong life, is a tragedy written from the start.”

My god, these characters. Our fmc was courageous and angry and vicious, and I loved witnessing her growth as she made friends, learnt about power, and fell in love. She had the burdens of every Asian eldest daughter x 100, and she was so realistic that I couldn’t help but love her. And our main mmc… he had me giggling and kicking my feet. Always watching over her, helping out, THE SEWING KIT?!?! No spoilers, but I almost screamed.

My only complaint – the dreaded love triangle. I spent 99% of this book attempting to convince myself that no, there’s no way there’s another love interest, he can be her platonic brother-friend-tutor… but I fear my gaslighting only got me so far, and there’s definitely a love triangle. Ah well, I hold out hope, and we all know who I’m picking out of the funny, dangerous guy and sweet, wholesome one…

“You have poisoned me, little scorpion, and I would gladly let you do it over and over and over again.”

All in all, such a gorgeous, captivating, devastating story. Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC copy provided!

A brand new trilogy by Amelie Wen Zhao, and she's an auto-read author for me so I was so thrilled to receive this arc! Eastern fantasy and trials with romance - i loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC gifted in exchange for my honest review.

A beautiful story of forbidden love based in Chinese Folklore. This story has many twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I am usually good at sussing those out. With interesting trials and compelling characters this story is one I would recommend for people who are interested in a forbidden love triangle. Very excited for the next book when that come out to see where the story goes next.

Let me tell you that I've not had a fantasy book rock my world in the way this one did in quite some time. I am absolutely OBSESSED. I need the next book asap, which is wild because this first book doesn't even come out until next Tuesday. Sooo I guess I'll be waiting in anticipation for the next year for book two. Nbd.

Seriously though, this book was amazing and took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. First, I would love to give my appreciation to the author who is an incredible writer and story-teller. She was able to create a story that was dark and magical and seeped with Chinese-inspired mythology and folklore. It was just so well-crafted.

The romance in this story is what really gripped me, though. It's was so angsty and full of yearning (my favorite kind) and it completely destroyed me. The "Disarm me." scene? Are you kidding? I literally melted. If you're into a MMC that falls first and falls harder, this is for you. This also plays on the forbidden love trope and it was done so so well. And it absolutely broke me.

This book also has my new favorite stabby FMC. I loved that out main character is portrayed as this helpless maiden that lures you in only to use her many (many) blades to unalive you. Oh and if you're a fan of daggers-to-the-throat, you will absolutely love this, too.

Anyways, TSATNB was an absolutely stunning story with magic, immersive world-building, forbidden romance, and rich Chinese-inspired mythology. Highly recommend for fantasy lovers!! ✨

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for this arc.

"Hope, as I've said, is the cruelest affliction. And I'm no exception to its lure."

This book starts off with our mc, An'ying, out getting a flower that helps out her mothers sickness, and there finds a mo, a demon, consuming a person. She has to fight it, and from there, its a hooking story that has you wanting more. "The Scorpion and the Night Blossom" is oriented as a trial/competition- where mortals can compete in the Immortal Trials and one human earns an immortal pill, a pill An'ying needs to save her mother.

It has a little bit of dark themes and gore, it is listed as an adult book bit I would say its more for the dark themes rather than spice, which is quite refreshing. The writing is beautiful, and easy to follow. The world building and magic system is similar to other books I've read so it was easy for me. This book is also much more character driven, which I don't mind but others might, so I thought it was worth mentioning.

I did enjoy this book, although sometimes I felt that some of the characters felt a bit flat. They were introduced with amazing potential but then just stayed that way. I'm hoping we get to dive into it more in the next book. Overall though, awesome story that stayed fresh and had good twists!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was a breath of fresh air with an engaging plot. I loved the complexity of the romance and the plot twist, did not expect that one bit.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. DNF unfortunately. I am just not connecting to the characters or the plot which is awful because I’ve enjoyed books from this author before. I really thought this would be for me especially because of the sub-genre. I’m only rating and reviewing because it makes me, and I don’t want it to hurt my feedback ratio.

After her father is killed and her mother's soul is mostly devoured by a mó (demon), Àn'yīng is left caring for her mother and younger sister. Every so often, the Immortals in the sky kingdom open their gates to a series of trials that mortals can compete in to win a pill of immortality. Àn'yīng leaves her mother and sister behind to win the pill and resort her mother's soul.

Generally, this story was beautiful. Amélie Wen Zhao obviously puts love and care into the attention of Chinese folk lore. The writing was beautiful and flowed so well, it was hard to put the book down!

The maim characters have depth and full back stories, but I found the side characters all to be lacking and very flat, which is disappointing because they all were interesting on the surface. The love interest had so much potential, but Àn'yīng was always so cruel, it was hard to find "why" Yù'chén even liked her. The ending was also very rushed, but ended at a great starting point for book too. Excited to keep exploring Àn'yīng and Yù'chén in the next book!

“In a world at war with demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother's soul… before she loses her forever”
☁️
Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🫑
I really enjoyed this story.

It has a little bit of dark themes/gore (soul sucking demons that consume a mortal’s heart and organs👀). Although it was part of the Fairyloot adult box, It’s not adult for the spice; there is one mild scene, It’s adult more for the dark themes.

It’s a hunger games-like competition where mortals can compete in the Immortal Trials and one human earns an immortal pill, a pill the FMC needs to save her mother.

The writing is beautiful. The world building and magic system is a little confusing (spirit magic), though. It’s more Character driven.

There were definitely some twists I didn’t see coming and I cannot wait for the next one.

This is listed as a “duology” so the next book will be the conclusion.
☁️
Multiple realms, dark magic, spirit/light magic, mortals/immortals, immortal realm in the sky, dragons, demons, crescent dagger wielding FMC, betrayal, guardian.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a stunning, immersive fantasy that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Amélie Wen Zhao delivers a world that’s rich, dangerous, and hauntingly beautiful, where mortal and immortal realms collide in a battle for survival, power, and secrets.

Àn’yīng is a fierce and determined protagonist, molded by the tragedy of her past. Her journey to the Immortality Trials is one of resilience and hope, as she fights not only for her survival but to save her mother from death’s grip. Her weapon of choice—crescent blades—reflects her inner strength and the dedication she has to the ancient art of practitioning. In the midst of war and a world on the brink of eternal darkness, Àn’yīng is more than a warrior—she’s a symbol of defiance.

What makes this story truly unforgettable, however, is the incredible world-building. Zhao has created a stunningly detailed world where demons called mó feast on souls and the immortal realm holds dark secrets. Each page reveals a new layer to this world, full of mystery and breathtaking beauty. From the ethereal Immortality Trials to the terrifying demons roaming the land, you’re constantly pulled deeper into this intricately crafted universe.

Yù’chén, the enigmatic rival who secretly aids Àn’yīng, is a fascinating character whose motives keep you guessing. He’s powerful, handsome, and just as secretive as he is dangerous. As the Trials unfold, you can’t help but wonder: can Àn’yīng trust him, or is he playing his own game with her life on the line? The slow burn of their relationship, mixed with intrigue and tension, is absolutely addictive.

The twists and turns in The Scorpion and the Night Blossom are nothing short of brilliant. Zhao keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly surprised by the revelations and the high-stakes action. And the ending… it’s nothing short of devastating. The cliffhanger leaves you craving more, eager to find out what will happen next.

The characters are fully fleshed out, each with their own motivations, fears, and desires, making it impossible not to become emotionally invested in their fates. The writing is lush, evocative, and poetic, with moments of tension and heartbreak that linger long after you’ve turned the final page.

This is a story about survival, trust, love, and sacrifice, set against the backdrop of a beautifully dangerous world. The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a must-read for anyone who loves epic fantasy with a touch of romance and a whole lot of heart-pounding suspense. It's a perfect balance of action, mystery, and emotional depth, and I can’t wait to see where Amélie Wen Zhao takes us next.

Absolutely loved the story telling and world building. The FMC is such a strong, independent and admirable. The story was fast paced and kept my attention the entire time.

Favorite quote(s):

"But meeting the right person at the wrong time, the right love in the wrong life, is a tragedy written from the start"


Review:

This was amazing! The descriptions, the mythology, and the emotions were all so incredible. I loved An'ying so much! The love she had for her family was amazing. She would do anything for them, even enter trials that could kill her. I loved her journey and her story. Despite being young, her sister, Méi'zi, was so sweet and amazing. The trials were interesting, and I loved meeting amazing characters who became friends with An'ying. I thought the whole thing about demons, immortals, and mortals and their kingdoms being at war was interesting. Yu'chén was an interesting character to read about, being half demon and half mortal. He cared for An'ying, but sometimes other things got in the way. He was there to help her so often. Hào'yáng was such a great character, and I thought his history was interesting, especially his connection to An'ying and her father. Lady Shīʼyă was fascinating, and I enjoyed what we got of her. I wish we got more of her. The last chapters were insane, with the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of the River and the Immortals coming to a head. I was shocked at what we learned about Hào'yáng, Yu'chén, and even An'ying. I hate Sansiran even if some things were rough for her. She is evil. I can't wait for more on the war and rebellion and what comes next for this world and the characters.

possible way! It was the perfect blend of dark romantasy and asian mythology. Perfect enemies to lovers balance, with banter, tension, high stakes and lots of knife to the throat or situations that went straight to my heart. Anying is so stabby stab and such a girl after my own heart! She cares about her family the most and will do and sacrifice anything to save them from the mo demons and heal them. Including going through the impossible trials set by the immortals and face death and enemies multiple times. She makes friends along the way, discovers shocking thruths about her lineage, finds (and loses?) trust and love... But she prevails. And Yu'chen... *sigh*. He is the epitome of mysterious broody shadow hero. He gives off the vibe that he has a hidden agenda and secrets but he is also there for Anying every step of the way. They clash, they fight, they keep getting closer... until the enemies to lovers lines blur.

Memorable tropes and traits:

Enemies to lovers dynamic
Constant push and pull between hero and heroine and banter
Knife to the throat + kissing
Writing
Tension
Action
Adventures
Slow burn
Who did this to you
Morally grey hero
Questionable actions
He saves/heals her
She stands up for him
Mythical creatures
C-drama vibes
Beautiful worldbuilding
Angst
Twists
Shocking ending
Star-crossed lovers
Unique magic system

I flew through it in a matter of days! I had the pleasure to buddy reading it with my friends Jasmine and Ope and we had so much fun sharing our thoughts, emotional situations and swooning! We had the best time! And by best time, I mean there is lot of reactions, screaming, gasping and writing in FULL CAPS BECAUSE HE DID WHAT??? AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN???

THINGS KEPT HAPPENING, there were twists, life or death situations, stabby situations, tension that made us want to scream or cry or swoon. Loved AnYing's character and her enemies to lovers dynamic with the hero was delicious. We rooted for them as much as we feared nothing could be trusted. The writing is superb and fastpaced so it really transported us into this world that made us feel like we had a girls night watching cdrama. Loved and tots recommend!

I am obsessed and this is one of my fave Asian inspired books now.
Thank you Random House Children/Delacorte press for the early review copy, all thoughts and feels are my own... including the heartbreak and hangover over the cliffy. 🥲

I got lured by the dedication "this one's for the C-drama girlies" and the book delivered what you'd expect from that dedication. I enjoyed the plot's exploration of the mortal and immortal realms, with multiple species of people with different but understandable motivations that humanize them. I can't really say I'm on anyone's side and that's what I enjoy most about stories like this. This was a buddy read with two friends, and I think getting a chance to discuss it with them while reading made for a really fun read, I'm excited to see how the story gets wrapped up in the second book!

This was unexpectedly so so good! I’m not sure why I was skeptical going in but threw all those worries out the window within the first couple of chapters!

Àn’yīng’s story was so sad but the way she survived and fought in order to help her mom and sister was magical. She listened to her gut 90% of the time and I truly served her well to do so. When she trusts, she does it after actions have proven she should. She was skeptical about Yù’chén throughout the whole book. She inevitably let her guard down and, of course, things went so so wrong. I am still so upset about Yù’chén!

The twists and revelations that happened were crazy and I did not see any one of them coming. That is always such a pleasant surprise. When I am just enjoying the book and not trying to figure out all the nuances… I love that.

I am so sad I have to wait so long for the second book now that I fell in love with these characters! So so good!

4.5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

Deadly trials for immortality with a love triangle with a bad boy and a protec boy isn't a new concept, but Zhao's story feels fresh in a way I wasn't expecting.

Àn’yīng's family has been torn apart after a mó, or demon from the Kingdom of Night, killed her father and ate half her mother's soul nine years ago. She's been training and waiting for the day when she can take part in the trials put on by the immortals for a chance to save her mother. Along the way, she comes across Yù’chén, a half mó, who seems to actually be trying to help her through the trials. But things are never as they truly seem and Àn’yīng has to figure out if she can trust anyone in these deadly games.

This is my first book by Zhao and I really enjoyed it. I feel like near the end, it got a bit rushed with revealing new thing after new thing, but I know it was just to set up the sequel to the duology. And might I say, I appreciate Zhao sticking with duologies. With all these fantasy books being trilogies or even suddenly surprise pentologies (lookin at you, Yarros), it's nice to know we can find a quick series to read without waiting a decade for the final book.

A girl raised to be a demon hunter/practitioner after her parents were attacked enters into a deadly trail of the immortals in order to discover practitioner secrets and possibly win the pill that grants eternal life to save her dying mother... that is if she can survive the deadly candidates that includes a half demon half mortal who is as deadly as he is handsome. Àn’yīng’s is a girl who lives in a world that is slowly descending into darkness as mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls. Àn’yīng had to witness her mother be attacked and could barely save her, and with her mother dying Àn’yīng’s is determined to find a cure. She spends her days killing mó to become stronger and has decided to enter into the deadly Immortality Trails which only allows for mortals who can find a way into the immortal realm to participate. On her journey she meets Yù’chén, a secretive and deadly contestant who is constantly saving her while hiding things from her. The more Àn’yīng gets involved in the trails the more she is beginning to realize that she is much closer to the immortals than she could have ever imagined. This is the first book in a duology and boy... was it a book. On one hand I was super intrigued by the premise on the other hand I could barely stand Àn’yīng. Its hard to read a book when you don't like the main character. Àn’yīng is described as being super strong and a deadly person... but throughout the book she is constantly being saved and going back and forth between hating Yù’chén and lusting after him, one moment she is calling him disgusting the next she wants to know him. She honestly treats him so terribly that I don't see how he can still be so in love with her,it was insta love but like... I just don't feel it at all. The story just felt kind of half finished and honestly, could have just been made into one book rather than dragged on into two. I initially was really into Àn’yīng but by the 20% mark I knew I didn't vibe with her at all. I just didn't care for her lack of agency, the fact that she was so hot and cold with her feelings, and the fact that she isn't all that great of a person and kind of treats everyone around her terribly. I just hope she grows by the second book and I hope that in the end theres an improvement. I love Amelie's previous books so I was so excited when this one was announced because I'm a huge fan of Chinese mythology/fantasy stories and this sounded right up my alley. All in all, if you like mythology/fantasy romances, do give it a go I am interested to see where the next book ends.

Release Date: March 4, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*