AMÉLIE WEN ZHAO HELLO?!?!?! IM UNWELL!!!! this book was so good i am literally obsessed. i loved the concept of the sky kingdom, the river kingdom, and the night kingdom as representations of heaven, earth, and hell. àn’yīng is a warrior for the ages — after everything she survived and fought for, look where she is today. i would like to say that i 1000000% predicted who yù’chén’s mother was and was still gagged. the reveal scene was written perfectly and i was extremely stressed out. i really enjoyed the immortality trials, the romance, and the unraveling of all the secrets. some insaneeee bombs got dropped at the end. also we knew it was coming but book two is going to be serving some major love triangle moments.

Àn'yīng's main goal is consistent throughout the book, and I love her perseverance in reaching it. I really enjoyed the trials, therefore it was tough for me to put the book down. I didn't expect it to be so action-packed, which is fantastic. I had no trouble getting into the world-building, despite the fact that this was my first time reading Amélie Wen Zhao's work, and I think the way she explains the differences between Kingdom Night, Sky, and Rivers absolutely pleased me.

However, I have difficulties recalling the names because they are nearly identical. An'yīng and Yù'chén have strong chemistry, yet there is still potential for a love triangle. Despite the fact that it drags a little, it does not detract from the overall plot. Some plot twists surprised me, leaving me anxiously waiting for the sequel.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is a richly imagined and intricately woven tale.

Àn’yīng has suffered unimaginable tragedy at the hands of the demons roaming the Kingdom of Rivers. With the loss of her father, Àn’yīng is responsible for protecting her mother and younger sister. When the chance to compete in the Immortal Trials arises, and with it a chance to heal her ailing mother, Àn’yīng doesn't hesitate. But when she runs into an alluring and mysterious man on her journey, they decide to ally and travel and together. Skilled and devastatingly beautiful, Yù’chén is more than he seems. But secrets will tear them apart, and Àn’yīng will need to decide who she can trust.

I loved this story! The overall plot was intricate and engaging, with the mortal and demon kingdoms at war, and the immortals safe in their haven. Àn’yīng's driving focus is to heal her mother and keep her sister safe, and she selflessly defends her village from the demons, The romance with Àn’yīng and Yù’chén is a wonderful rivals to lovers slow burn, and the secrets they have makes the stakes even higher. The trials kept the plot moving along, and the shift between the mortal and immortal realms was enchanting and magical. We also meet a curious and intriguing character, who helps Àn’yīng and has secrets of his own. I also really enjoyed the Chinese mythological influences. Overall, this was a delightful and engaging story, and I am excitedly waiting for the next books in this series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Random House Children's - Delacorte Press for the advanced copy of this wonderful book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, this book made me tear up or cry twice, which is part of its 4 star rating.

Other things the book did well:
- building up the FMC's story + motivations, as well as making her a realistic and flawed character.
- making a (1st) MMC with an intriguing and mysterious backstory that really had me gasping multiple times.
- leaning into the fantasy aspects and having a unique magic system.
- leaning into the Asian world inspiration--in terms of names, fantastical creatures, and myths.
- familial relationship twists that shocked me.
- the emotions always felt real/strong and really sucked me into the story.

Things that didn't work for me:
- the surprise love triangle and THEN the fact that it seemed to resolve for the goody-two-shoes end of it!! rude.
- tbh i thought the 2nd MMC was wholly unnecessary and I wish they had been merged with MMC #1.
- the double and triple crossing by one character. It would have been more interesting for them to prove the FMC's doubts wrong, not correct. I also didn't like the lot they were allotted tbh--felt like the narrative punished them a lot, very unnecessarily.
- the world-building was overwhelming (literally: all the realms got confusing) and I mostly survived on vibes.
- the beginning didn't suck me in and it took awhile to become truly hooked by the book.
- the chapters felt too lengthy and dragged at times.

Will I read the sequel? Maybe. I'm torn, as I want to know what happens, but I also am worried at some of the black&white storytelling that was happening near the end of book #1 in terms of whether characters were "good" or "bad".

Amèlie Wen Zhao knows how to rip my heart out.

The Scorpion and The Night Blossom is absolutely gorgeous. Both the way the mortal and immortal worlds are written is incredibly lovely and vivid, the imagery of which sticking to your mind.

Àn’yīng is a fierce protagonist, desperate to do what it takes to bring her mother back and keep her baby sister safe. Due to her father training her in practictioning, she knows how to fight and how to place wards down, but in order to truly protect her village, she must enter The Immortality Trials.

Practictioners from all across the ruined kingdom come together to compete for a pill of immortality, which will grant them a place in the world of immortals. But a powerful and handsome rival contestant puts a wrench in Àn’yīng’s plans- she can’t afford the distraction with so much at stake.

When contestants start being murdered one by one, the stakes start to rise more than she thought…and it looks like someone is letting a dangerous monster into the Immortal Realm.

I enjoyed this book so much! The Scorpion and The Night Blossom releases on March 4th, and I hope you all will fall for this dark and romantic story as much as I did! Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House!

Review will be posted to socials on Tuesday, I will come back to edit the links!

I really enjoyed this book! I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys asian inspired fantasies and especially anyone who loves both fantasy and anime. I was hooked from the first page and felt the plot had a really satisfying pace. Plus, the plot twists at the end have me ready for the nest one when this isn't even out yet!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

3.5 stars

This is a beautiful tale, and well written. It does to me feel very YA, which while still enjoyable, just doesn't get me as excited as more adult titles. It still was an enjoyable read, and had wonderful imagery and detail. The world building was unique and exquisite.

The story started off pretty strong, and I was interested in it, but it started to drag a little for me, and I unfortunately started to feel a little bored with it. I kept up and was happy with how the pacing picked up and the ending, and I'm interested in possibly finishing this duology once it is done.

This would be a maybe for me on recommending it - if you enjoy Chinese Fantasy, this would definitely be a must read. I'm interested in reading some of the authors other works as well!

Language: PG+ (7+ swears, 0+ "f" + British swears); Mature Content: PG13+; Violence: PG13+
The story of warring realms and invading demons with a girl determined to protect what is left of her family is an engaging one. However, innuendos in the first few chapters made the book suspect, and I stopped reading in case there was sexual content later that I don't want to read.
The sexual content rating is for nudity, mentions of menstruation, and innuendo. The violence rating is for corpses, blood and gore, assault, mentions of suicide, and murder.

*I received this book (Via eArc by Netgalley) for free from the Publisher ( Random House Children’s | Delacorte Press ) in exchange for an honest review*

I had a fantastic time reading The Scorpion and the Night Blossom! The book immediately drew me in with its compelling characters, well-driven plot, and gripping intrigue. It reminded me of The Song of the Last Kingdom series, which I also enjoyed, making this an equally thrilling experience. One of the highlights for me was the hate-to-love dynamic—the banter was sharp, engaging, and added depth to the characters' interactions. The trials and the concept of a game to earn trust were particularly well-executed, creating tension and excitement throughout. The fast-paced storytelling kept me hooked, yet there was still enough world-building and character development to lay the groundwork for future installments. Overall, The Scorpion and the Night Blossom delivered an exhilarating read, and I’m already looking forward to the sequel!

Fiercely competitive trials are my kryptonite, so when I was offered an e-ARC of this book I LEAPED at the opportunity.

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom had all of the plot points I would typically be hooked by (a badass FMC, forbidden love, “touch her and die”) but I still found it difficult to finish. The side characters were not as developed as I would have liked them to be and felt one dimensional. The saving grace was Wen Zhao’s prose. She created such vivid imagery I wanted to be transported into the story despite the demon problem lol. Overall, I would give this book a solid 3 stars. I plan to pick it back up in the future for a re-read to give it another chance.

Unfortunately for my wallet, there are a couple stunning editions coming out so I will be caught red handed tracking down a copy on release day.

Listen, I had really high hopes for this book, it has been my most anticipated read of 2025 since it was announced and yet, it still exceeded every hope I had for it! An absolute triumph!

This book has everything I am looking for in a fantasy-romance. The world was built well and the mythology was enchanting. I loved the three realms we were introduced to and how they intertwine. Amelie did a wonderful job revealing the world as the story progressed in a way that supported the plot and character development, without feeling heavy handed and "info dumpy". Exquisite execution of both world building and introducing the magic system.

This story is a beautiful balance of plot and character development - with family strife driving our main character into a dangerous set of trials, with twists and turns along the way that only served to add depth to the characters and the world, every twist served a purpose, it wasn't just there for shock value or as a device. Between the trials and the underlying conflict between the realms, I couldn't stop reading, and when I was forced to stop reading, I couldn't stop thinking about reading more.

And let's talk about the characters for a moment. I have zero notes honestly, I love both our main characters. An'ying (FMC) was dynamic - torn between doing whatever she had to do for her family and doing what she felt was ethical and right - we see her struggle between what she thinks she knows to be true and what she's learning about the world outside her village. Meanwhile, we have Yu'chen, who might be the actual swooniest MMC I've ever read - he's clearly torn and troubled but down SO BAD for An'ying - he definitely falls first, and certainly falls harder. The tension in this book between them leaps off the page and puts my heart in an actual vice. I ACHED for these two. Without spoiling anything, their interpersonal conflict hurt me and healed me. It's truly top tier. TOP TIER.

In case it wasn't obvious, this book was a SLAM DUNK for me. I loved everything about it, the ending left me reeling and I will be in agony until the second book is in my hot little hands.

Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend!

Fat-friendly rating? Pretty neutral, there's definitely some body talk, but not terribly anti-fat!

DNF at 47%. I enjoy the premise, but it’s so slow paced, and began to feel like a chore to read, so I’m stopping here.

Impeccable, delightful, and wonderfully written!

This story is utterly beautiful and spell-binding! I couldn't help but feel myself be whisked away by this story. It felt so refreshing and new. This book had great pacing, and the flow of the story matched the plot very well. I had high hopes for this book, and it is safe to say, this book went above and beyond my expectations.

The characters were wonderful. The FMC was brave and intriguing. I enjoyed watching her character throughout this book as her dynamic shifted so well within the plotting of this story. The MMC was a jaw-dropper! I loved him from the moment we met him...which is why his arc cuts so so deep. The other MMC is also a very unique character, and I cannot wait to see more of him in the future. The dynamics between all of these characters were very well written, and I can't wait to see them explored more in the next book.

The last 25% of this book was chaos incarnate, but I loved every minute of it! So much happened, but it had me on the edge of my seat right until the very end. The ending was full of twists and turns, and although some of it was a little predictable, I still enjoyed it. Overall, this book was so much more than I could've expected. I cannot wait to see what'll happen in book two!

I would like to extend a huge thank you to the author, the publisher, and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.7/5

Review: 4.5 Stars

This book was an amazing, binge-worthy read for me. I buddy-read it with Ope and Deaa, and we binged it over a course of 3-4 days. We would have finished it in 2 days if it wasn’t for real life and adulting.

To save her mother’s soul, Àn’yīng, our FL, is forced to enter the deadly immortal trials to compete for the immortality pill. During the trials, she met Yù’chén, our secretive ML and her rival….Their meet-cute was interesting, to say the least, for she almost killed him if it wasn’t for his fast reactions. Holy beep, their relationship is one of push-pull and intense. I lost count of the times she attempted to stab him or stab him for real! (hicsss) Àn’yīng is the stabby stab kind of heroine who is wary of trusting him. It is obvious that she is the weakest one in the trials, but that does not stop her from not becoming prey, and her determination to win the competition. Yù’chén is a secretive and sneaky type of hero, but with Àn’yīng, he cannot help but fall for her. THE ACTIONS he took and how he constantly looks out for her and saves her is ALOT! But of course, he isn’t without his secrets and one wonders why he is constantly setting himself up…

As the story progresses in the immortal realm, there are hints to the fragility of Àn’yīng’s world, which is in danger of being overrun by the Mó, leading to a hint of the overarching plot. The introduction of the other side characters adds to the dimension of the book.

My only minor nitpick is that I wish Àn'yīng could stand by herself more instead of constantly relying on others to save or get her through. It would be great to see her character grow in that regard as a warrior and well-versed in the practitioner arts.

What a riveting read with an epic cliffhanger and, thus, setting it up for the next book. Note that this book is a duology…so read at your own risk!

Many thanks to PenguinTeenCa and Delacorte Press for the egalley version and AK for gifting me a copy of the physical arc.

✨✨ARC REVIEW✨✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

‼️‼️TW\CW‼️‼️
- Mild Violence
- Mentions death of parent

💕Quotes that caught my attention💕
- Life as we know it is about to end, he told me, eyes black as ink, reflecting mine. Will you give up your dreams to protect our family?
- “The brightest and most beautiful flowers are the most poisonous. Most would think twice about attacking me.

✨✨Onto the Review✨✨
As always thank you to NetGalley and Random House publishing for sending me this book!
An’ying (FMC) leaves the only places she’s called home her entire life to cross over into the immortal realm to compete in games and trials to win an immortality pill for her mother. There are demons called “Mó” that love amongst the human realm who feast on human souls to survive and took half of her mother’s soul so she needs this pill to save her life.
This book starts off strong I was immediately captivated and inhaled the first few chapters. It does get a little slow towards the middle and kept losing my attention which is why it has such a low score. I think of you liked Games Gods Play you might like this book as well! The Scorpion and the Night Blossom releases March 3rd!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the eARC!

I was hooked on the premise of this book having a Hunger Games vibe but with immortals, demons, and monsters set in an East Asian inspired fantasy world, with the trials themselves being called the Immortality Trials. I was happy that the book got right into it - before 20% of the way into the book, the trials are already kicked off and running.

I really enjoyed the main cast of characters, and adored several of the side characters as well. Àn’yīng felt realistic to me in that, while she had some experience as a self-taught practitioner, she wasn't overpowered and was reasonably weaker than many of her fellow practioners who had received some amount of formal training. Additionally, the romance aspect of the book didn't feel forced. There was some back and forth on Àn’yīng's part, but her hesitation felt more than understandable considering the circumstances she was facing.

Moreover, when the second love interest showed up on page, it didn't feel like a traditional "love triangle" with the two love interests going at each other constantly to win the FMC over. In fact, the two hardly interacted at all and neither sought to prove themselves as better than the other. For me, this felt like such a relief as well as a refreshing take on the trope, as I tend to default to disliking the love triangle trope.

My biggest "issue" I encountered while reading was the pacing at the start felt a tad slow to me, so it took me a little while to get into. Similarly, near the end there was a stretch of a couple chapters where the pacing slowed down once again, though I think all in all it worked for the story.

Beautifully written.
I love how the story starts out with an action scene
Amelia has grown wonders in her writing career and this story is a testament of a writing with great pace, story building, and moments of wow.

She sought out to bring about a Chinese drama in novel form and BOY did I feel like I was watching one.

I definitely cannot wait for the next book.

I was immediately drawn into this world and all the Chinese mythology behind everything. There wasn't a dull moment in this book.

Not so long ago, the Kingdom of Night (demons and monsters) attacked the Kingdom of Rivers (humans) while the immortals in the Kingdom of Sky sat by and did nothing, protecting themselves within a barrier. This made me think how relevant this is in real world problems.

An'ying is plagued by the memory of the red lipped demon who sucked the soul out of her father and left only half the soul in her mother. In order to save her mother, she travels to the Kingdom of the Sky to become a practitioner and compete in the trials to gain the immortality pill which can save her mother's soul.

Along the way she meets Yu'chen who she mistakes as a Mo, a human-like demon who feasts on blood and souls, only to realize he bleeds red and has a heartbeat, unlike any demon from the Kingdom of Night.

They decide to ally with one another to make it through the first trial. An'ying almost dies and barely makes it to the Temple of Dawn before the trial ends.

After realizing what Yu'chen really is, she is hesitant to trust him and ally with him again. The trials are harder than she realized, but her pendent has always helped her. Someone on the other side has been aiding her and sending messages to her ever since her father was killed. It aids her still sending messages at just the right moment. Who is the person on the other side?

Can she willing to walk the inevitable path that fate has set her on?

The main men characters in this book remind me of Grim and Oro from Lightlark because of their powers and their character arcs.
Yu'chen = Grim
Hao'yang = Oro

The tension between Yu'chen and An'ying is perfect and very fun to read. She is always pulling a knife to his throat (which got very repetitive after a while) giving her the nick name "little scorpion". Yu'chen even makes the comment "never without your blades." Because her blades are marked with talismans giving them special effects. Made by her father. She never leaves them.

I actually really loved when Hao'yang came into play. It makes you wonder who An'ying is going to end up with.

I just really enjoyed reading this and I am pretty sure my eyes went wide multiple times when reading this. There are moments where the author brings into account the wealthy people and people of power are the ones who abuse it (the immortals) and the only way for change is through force. (Hence the battle with the Kingdom of Night).

There were moments that felt tragic, but beautiful at the same time.

Such a fun read!

Amélie has done it again!! This is going to be THE romantasy of the year! I loved the tropes and the rich worldbuilding! Every chapter - no, every PAGE - left me eager to keep reading.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin for an earc in exchange for an honest review.

This book devoured my soul. I absolutely loved it. I adored it. An'ying lives in a world with soul eating demons trying to take over the kingdom. She grew up training for the immortal trials to seek the pill of immortality to save her mother’s soul and to help her seek revenge on the demon who killed her father.

I absolutely fell in love with this story. An'ying has such a strong purpose and would do anything for her family. I loved seeing her persevere through these trials. I absolutely adored her and Yu’chén. They are my reason for breathing right now. He was not what I was expecting and yet I loved him even more for it.

In the past I have found Amélie Wen Zhao’s first book in a duology to be pretty slow, however I really enjoyed the pacing of this story. I felt very connected to the world and the characters. I think this was a brilliant start to this series and I can’t wait for the next one. This is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year.