Thank you to publisher Random House and NetGalley for an eARC!


I went into this book with expectations from the synopsis that, sadly, I don't think were lived up to.

Fei is destined for greatness - born in between the changing of one year to the next and marked with a Phoenix upon her brow, she is prophesied to become the empress of all empresses. Pledged to the son of the emperor from a very young age, she feels trapped within the various expectations thrusted upon her shoulders. Full of will and disparaging against the expected role of women within her society, she decides to change her fate for herself.

The story begins rather slow with a lot of comments and thoughts made from Fei about women's role in her society. I became intrigued when she meets vampire-esque Yexue, prompting a possible love triangle between her, him, and her betrothed Siwang. About 25% through the book, we get very strong tones of Mulan, which I feel has been done quite a bit lately.

Most of the story focuses on the horrors of war as Fei finds herself drawn to opposing men and sides, struggling to find the light to end the war. I was hoping for more in-depth solo adventuring or strong decision-making, but I just felt like Fei was a strong-willed damsel who was powerless to affect any form of change on her own.

I'm hoping there is a lot more character growth for all of the characters as well didn't see the dynamics of their personalities very well across the book.


What I Enjoyed:
- hints of vampirism and magic as the outliers within the society
- a female protagonist who bucks against expectations and becoming the empress (girl just wants to be normal)
- initially mysterious and intriguing third-wheel male

What I Believe Could Be Better:
- more dynamic personality growth from the main cast over the course of the book
- slow pacing first 30% of book then fast-paced in last 15%
- location-hopping for relevant plot points only
- waffling main female protagonist crippled with indecision and wants everyone to just be friends

As someone who doesn't read much vampire stuff, let me start by saying that I really enjoyed this one.
The vampires themselves are still quite a mystery by the end of this book, and I really liked that aspect of it. It's made me really interested in learning more in the next book.
This book has three very strong main characters, and the balance between them was great. I didn't come away feeling like I knew either of the love interests better than the other, and I'm still firmly undecided about who I like better, especially because they're both so very flawed. Our heroine, Fei, is also very flawed and I am enjoying watching her question her choices and everything around her. She's believable and nuanced, from her attraction for either man to her rage. And she has so much rage! And, as the reader, I felt that rage viscerally.
Overall, a great book with amazing character work. I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel!

Thank you to Random House Children's and Netgalley for the ARC.

I really loved how Fei knew what she wanted in life and sought out to do it. Even if it breaks a couple of hearts. There was a tiny bit of a Mulan reference but I enjoyed the way it didn't seem forced on the characters. I understand how Fei feels on freedom, especially in this day and age. I was confused on how it would be a love triangle in the beginning but I understand why she would be torn between these two princes.

The cover on this is beautiful, which seems to be a theme when it comes to Molly's books! Just jaw-dropping covers all together.
Reading this felt like almost reading a script for a Chinese drama, and I loved that it gave off that vibe throughout the book. The magic was interesting enough and I found myself wanting more of it. What was unfortunate was the world building, I feel we didn't get as much as I would've liked in this book, and maybe that's because more will be revealed in book two ( I'm hoping ).
The characters were fun and interesting and I enjoyed Fei's determination to not get married, I loved that. There was a fair decent amount of romance in the book, and it unfortunately in some places overtook the narrative. I do like Yexue more, out of the two main leads, but I wouldn't be upset if in future books Fei ended up not choosing either of them and choosing to be single.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Molly X. Chang and Random House Children’s Books for the ARC of The Nightblood Prince. I could not devour this book fast enough. Romance, prophecy, vampire armies, royal drama—it gave everything I needed and then emotionally wrecked me while I was just trying to do a casual workout.

A quick peek into the story. Fei has always known her fate. Prophesied from birth to be the Empress of All Empresses, she’s raised in isolation, trained to be beautiful, obedient, and little more than a political pawn. But Fei isn’t about to go quietly. When she dares to break free of her golden cage, she ends up tangled in war, prophecy, and the dangerous affections of two rival princes. Siwang, her intended. Yexue, the runaway prince. Both morally gray. Both infuriatingly attractive. Both about to drive Fei (and me) completely feral.

Now for my review. I loved this book. Molly X. Chang knows how to craft deeply layered characters that walk the line between fate and free will with a whole lot of rage and grace. Fei’s internal battle with identity, autonomy, and power was done beautifully. She’s not here to be a jewel on someone’s arm or a royal babymaker. She wants to live, to lead, to choose. Watching her navigate those pressures, especially while being treated more as a symbol than a person, had me rooting for her with my whole heart.

And let’s talk about the chaos that is Siwang and Yexue. I have never loved and hated two characters more. Both are brilliantly written, emotionally tortured, and absolutely dumb when it comes to respecting Fei’s agency. One minute I was swooning. The next I wanted to throw a book at them. You cannot say you love a girl and then ignore her when she tells you how she feels. Make it make sense.

The story? Phenomenal. Pacing, worldbuilding, emotion—it’s all here. The ending had me crying at the gym like a totally normal person. I need volume two immediately. Molly, this was spectacular and I will not shut up about it anytime soon.

4.5 stars and all my love.

Tropes you’ll find in this book
Prophecy Chosen One
Morally Gray Love Interests
Love Triangle
Enemies to Lovers
Royal Court Intrigue
Magic and Monsters
Powerful Heroine Breaking the Mold
Slow Burn with Tension You Could Slice Through

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC**

This book is WAY better than Chang's previous one. I think she took everyone's criticism and worked on the flaws she had in her first book. The action and world building had a perfect balance. I could picture the scenery, the world that Fei lived in. The romance could have been a bit better, but I still enjoyed this.

Now here’s a vampire book in a setting I’ve never seen before! And what an intriguing story it was. Fei is an absolutely solid main character. Strong, stubborn (a bit single-minded sometimes), using every tactic she knows to prevent bloodshed. But ultimately it seems that her god-given ability to predict the future does very little to help her prevent bloodshed or have a semblance of the happy life she desires. But does that stop her from seeking her own path? Duh, no.

I really loved the way the author intertwined in little proverbs in the characters’ traditional language. It made it so much more immersive and interesting.

As for the romance, this was the most conflicted I’ve ever been about a love triangle literally ever (for most of the book). Siwang is seemingly perfect but also falls into misogynistic traditions and overprotectiveness. Yexue is charming and mysterious but also conniving and unpredictable. Both the heads of warring kingdoms. Both possessive princes. Both interesting choices yet, plot-wise, present terrible circumstances for our main character, Fei, who has to make the right choice about who to choose in order to save the world. Talk about a high stakes love triangle.

Overall, I highly recommend if you love real love triangles, strong FMCs, vampires in new settings, and the compulsory "dagger to the throat of the charming love interest” scene!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

What an absolutely incredible read! From the get-go the story was engaging and the writing brought me in. I was very engaged with the characters and felt that Fei was such a relatable main character. I also appreciate the incorporation of chinese language and culture without it being overwhelming or taking over the fantastical/whimsical tone. The story had elements reminiscent of Mulan, but it was not overplayed or too on the nose. There was also a love triangle, but this felt a lot more bearable than others I have read. In this, Fei takes a lot more agency in her actions, and doesn't let the actions of others (along with their twisted motivations of doing deeds on behalf of her) let her own perceptions be skewed. She wants independence and equality in her relationships, and can identify when that need is not being met. She is a truly strong female protagonist who will fight for justice. This is a really refreshing story and I am so glad to have read it.

I love that this book is almost like the written version of a WEBTOON. Great plot, character development, and overall storyline.

Chang’s sophomore novel is a captivating experience with lush world building and beautiful prose. I was immediately immersed in the story and Fei’s narrative.

This story is perfectly comped as Helen of Troy meets Mulan, plus throw in some vampires. There’s elements of both myths, both revolving around the role and perception of women. Like Helen of Troy, Fei is a catalyst for war - whomever claims her hand in marriage will hold the power of an empire. And like Mulan, Fei is unwilling to submit to her predetermined role. She is determined to fight her own battles and gain freedom from her prophesy, but also willing to sacrifice it all for her family and her people. I loved her narration, which often felt like a warrior recounting a ballad of their deeds, and emphasized with her plight.

From a romance perspective, both love interests are incredibly flawed and villains in their own rights. They were billed as morally grey, so this wasn’t surprising, and I appreciated how Fei’s eyes were open to the wrongs committed by both men. She’s not some love struck fool and will choose her own freedom over both of them every time.

This story, although is packs in so much incredible world building and plot, is just the beginning. There’s still much to learn, especially about Yexue, the vampires, and the prophecy. I’m excited to see what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods but I was intrigued by this book because I am obsessed with Asian-inspired fantasy, I enjoy a good love triangle and I liked the idea of Asian vampires. I also think this author gets a lot of negative attention that can often seem just unkind to me, so part of me wanted to see if her critics were right.

I had mixed feelings about this book and wasn't sure I really liked any of the characters, but I found them compelling regardless and I liked seeing the transformation of Fei from selfish, spoiled palace prisoner to military leader who wins the freedom to make her own choices. I also liked all the drama; I'm a soap opera and Below Decks fan and some of the intensity of the interpersonal drama veered to soapy levels. I sometimes got frustrated with some of the pacing issues when romantic tension was shown through chatty dialogue, but I mostly enjoyed the soapy escapism.

Fei is a sheltered princess betrothed to Siwang. She is country girl born with the curse of a prophecy to become the empress of all empresses if she marries her true love. Siwang loves her with the innocence and purity of first love, but she's never sure whether he just loves the prophecy and he's the one with the power in their dynamic. Until one night when she meets the demon prince of a rival kingdom, Yexue, and saves his life.

She wins a wish and breaks her betrothal to Siwang; then her family is sent into exile as peasants again. She travels, then joins the army in her father's stead when the two princes wage bloodthirsty war against each other.

At first I thought she was a selfish, reckless brat who toyed with Siwang's feelings and I really did not like her much. But the first half was very slow and the pacing of the romance between them was weird. I got to know them as a couple mainly through flashbacks to sweet childhood memories.

I didn't think we got enough on-page time with Yexue, but he was an intriguing foil for Siwang. The good man cursed to become a tyrant, or the confident tyrant with the face of a demon? I wasn't sure how I felt about a choice between two tyrants who manipulated Fei's feelings, but I was intrigued by the differences between them, the dark romance aspect focusing on two toxic men, and the spicy romantic tension.

So all in all I found this an entertaining romantasy, despite some of its flaws. I would read more in this series. The author really got me on Fei's side by the second half and I found myself rooting for her.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This came off as a mix of Mulan, love triangle, drama kind of book.

Fei has been betrothed to the crown Prince Siwang for as long as she can remember, thanks to a phoenix’s mark on her forehead and a prophecy made when she was born. She doesn’t want to marry him, but instead wants to find her own place in the world.

She ultimately ends up saving the life of Yuxue, who is a prince from another area, and through this, ends up breaking the betrothal. However, not everyone is as they seem. Yuxue was a bit more vicious than I was anticipating.

The first half of the book was a lot of character build up for the second half of the book to take off. It was very action packed from the middle through the end, and now I’m invested and need to know what happens next!

Unfortunately didn’t love this one the way I wanted to. I didn’t love either love-interest, and the pacing really threw me off, I feel like it took too long for something to really happen to progress the story.

Fast paced fantasy romance, read this if you love mulan and morally grey characters. There are love triangles, villains, what’s not love.

Fei is destined to be the Empress of all Empresses, according to a prophesy. But that future has destroyed her life, as she is forced to grow up in isolation, told she will marry the Prince and make him a powerful Emperor.

Although I loved the plot of this book, I very much agree with Fei that her life would be better without any of the romance. The love triangle didn't feel right, and one love interest was a walking red flag whilst the other had zero chemistry. I would love to read more about Fei's friends and family though - her time away from the palace was definitely my favourite! I'll be interested to see what the next book holds.

Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy to review.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the writing was beautiful in a lot of spots. I loved how this book delves into how women are seen and portrayed in world ruled by men. It weaves in subtle bits of realism around how stories are remembered and written/told when it comes to downplaying women’s roles in events.

Fei’s struggle as a woman in a world where she is always being seen as an object by men without a voice was extremely relatable.

The MMC’s were well developed but it would have been nice to get more development with Yexue. The pacing was a bit weird in a few spots but overall I had a good time and wanted to keep going to see how this story would play out. It was also interesting to see a family that supported their daughter no matter what which was kind of a shock especially with this type of story.

I found the premise of the book intriguing, but found fault in the pacing and lack of plot progression. There were also times while I was reading where I was jolted out of the world the author had created by errors (ex: sentences repeated), but I assume all these will be ironed out before publication. Overall, it was a fun world to dive into.

I have complicated feelings about The Nightblood Prince — as a fantasy, I adored every bit of it. Mulan, vampires, Helen of Troy, it felt like a blend for me specifically. I loved how Fei's actions were guided by - and operated within the limits of - her moral compass. I also love the core theme of defying fate—it's always one of my favorites. However, as a romantasy this book falls flat for me as I didn't really care about either love interest, and was far more interested in all other elements of the plot. I'm a big romantasy reader, so I'm surprised about my thoughts on this book, but I don't think either love interest stood out to me, unfortunately. 3.5 stars and I'll definitely be continuing the series!

This is basically Mulan with vampires and what I think was supposed to be a love triangle. Unfortunately, I lost all interest when both princes turn out to be controlling and disrespectful.

Imagine Mulan x The Trojan War, but add vampires and a love triangle. I haven’t decided yet who I believe is Agamemnon and who is Hector (or perhaps Paris would be a better comparison), but wars are essentially waged over Fei (Helen) though all she herself wants is freedom.

I will not delve too much into the details because this is an ARC review, but I will say, that one thing that stood out to me is Fei. So many romantasy/fantasy books misconstrue a “strong” female character with a “mean” female character. Fei, from the start, is all about taking matters into her own hands, defying fate, and refusing to be chained, but she does so without sacrificing her compassion, her empathy, and her moral compass.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and intend to purchase a copy upon release and also continue the series to see what happens next and how the characters develop. Thank you to all involved in allowing me the opportunity to review this ARC.