If you liked A Song to Drown Rivers, this book will be your next obsession. Rujia may be a powerful healing god, perhaps the most promising in ages, but she feels incredibly human. Sweet and guileless? Absolutely not. This heroine has a heart of gold, but she’s a delightful blend of scrappy and snarky, and one of the most memorable romantic fantasy protagonists I’ve encountered in a very long time. Fans of Liang’s poignant love stories will be enthralled.

who am i?
what am i?
why am i?
when am i?
am i?
i?

don't talk to for the next few business days, i need time ti process and heal
rtc...

੭୧‎ ‎ 5 stars‎ ‎ . ۫

‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ “ It is an honor to be ruined by you. ”

overall thoughts — To Dream in Darkness reminded me why I love mythology fantasy so much. As a major Asian mythology enthusiast, I can confirm this was everything!! Gods, fate, curses, yearning, devastating romance, gorgeous atmosphere - Ann Liang KNEW exactly what she was doing. Someone check in on her because she keeps releasing hit after hit.

The story follows Rujia, the god of healing, who is fated to die by the hand of the God of Death. She ends up in the Night Realm, where she makes a bargain with the Death God himself to heal him from his curse, and in return, he won't kill her for a month. As they grow closer, histories unravel, wounds reopen, and Rujia begins to learn that underneath the Death God's cruel exterior is a wounded, lonely soul carrying far more pain than anyone realizes.

If there is one thing I love, it is a tragic doomed love story, and this gave exactly that and more. The premise of Death falling in love with life had me in a chokehold, and Ann truly did not disappoint. "And suddenly, there was beauty in everything." Yes people I cried. I die a little inside every time I think about them.

The relationship between Rujia and the God of Death was so beautiful and tender. They are such a red string theory couple <3 The God of Death was perfection incarnate. Bring back men who yearn. Bring back men who worship the ground their woman walks on. But most importantly, bring back men who can be VULNERABLE. I empathized so much with his grief and anger. It's quite ironic how he's viewed as monstrous, but to me, he felt the most human.

The atmosphere of this book alone deserves all the stars!! I absolutely adore how grief, vulnerability, and loss are woven into the story. I have no complaints about the ending!! It delivered the tragedy that was promised but also healed my fragile, broken heart 🥹

final thoughts — To Dream in Darkness is a stunning, atmospheric, and absolutely heart-wrenching read. I cannot wait for you guys to discover Rujia's and Keran's stories. Add this to your tbr asap!!

Thank you to Ann Liang, Amelia Beckerman, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! To Dream in Darkness releases October 27, 2026.

CW: torture, death, murder

A beautiful and haunting romance that kept me hooked. Lush worldbuilding, realistic characters, and a ending that made me cry.

This book pulled me in all soft and dreamy and then casually ruined my emotional stability in the prettiest way possible. If you love mythology, fate being messy, and romance that feels like it’s slowly tightening around your heart… hi, welcome, you’re going to suffer, but be happy to do so. This book really gave yearning.

We follow Rujia, a healing god who is literally fated to die by the God of Death, which is already a rough situation. She ends up in his realm and basically bargains for her life by offering to fix his curse and from there it’s just tension, quiet moments, secrets, and emotional damage building brick by brick. I became SO obsessed with their relationship. It’s soft yet also heavy, fragile yet also intense, and built on all these small moments that sneak up on you. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re like oh no… I care. The whole Death falling for Life concept had me in a chokehold and did not let go. And the God of Death himself was just wowowow. Broody, lonely, convinced he’s unlovable, but actually just deeply hurt and trying his best?? Bring him to me immediately! The vulnerability and quiet devotion?? Elite behavior. I adored him.

The vibe of this book is EVERYTHING. It’s dreamy, shadowy, a little haunting… like watching a sad, beautiful drama unfold. Not super action heavy, more emotional and character-focused, which made the romance hit so much harder. And the ending… it hurts, but the story absolutely need it. I just sat there after like… wow. okay. I think this story will have me thinking for a while.

If you’re in the mood for soft angst, mythology, and a love story that aches in the best way… you’re going to eat this up 🫶✨

I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I've read most of Ann Liang's books, and this one stood out for its mythological framing: a death god and a healing god who meet and fall in love. These seemingly diametrical forces come together in a beautiful relationship.

What I loved most was the immortal perspective on mortal life. The book is poignant for anyone who has experienced grief. It reminds us that, for all they possess, immortals lack the intensity, richness, and mindfulness of how precious every moment is in the mortal realm. Liang gives her gods rich backstories and renders them sympathetic. The romance is tragic, as fated-apart love stories tend to be, but the ending is hopeful. Most of the story is about the Healing God trying to find a way to delay her inevitable death. But in the end, death is not the ending but merely one chapter of an adventure. I found the descriptions of death to be comforting and hopeful; it's an age-old question to try to understand what happens after death or in the moment of dying and I like Liang's richly imagined take on all of it. The language was beautifully crafted and lyrical.

The novel evoked the same ambiance of chinese historical dramas such as Ashes of Love and Love Between Fairy and Devil. The Celestial Realm recalls Ashes of Love, while the mortal trial — my favorite section — evokes both dramas. It's a wonderful read--the type of read that makes you want to stay up late (something I did!) to finish reading.

This felt magical and deeply emotional in a way that completely pulled me in from the start. The romance is intense and adds an extra layer of engagement to the story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy books!!

this book was amazing. as an avid reader of ann liang's books, i have no words for how incredible and moving this story was. i was captivated by rubi's and keran's story and the ending was so beautiful and tragic at the same time. this is a sign for the author to please keep writing more fantasy novels!! i eat them up every time

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

If you’ve ever wished you could crawl inside a dreamy and beautiful world, this is the book for you. Beware that it may shatter you.

If you love men who know how to love with their entire self, the Death God is your new favorite. He’s broody and cruel, but watching his vulnerability peel back as he deals with Rujia was everything. The "Death falling for Life" trope is a classic for a reason, and it’s handled so tenderly here.

For a book about gods, it felt incredibly human. There’s a lot of beautiful reflection on how precious life is precisely because it’s temporary. It’s poignant and a little bit heart-wrenching.

The prose is stunning. It feels like a dark, lush fairytale that’s slowly burrowing inside of your heart. It’s definitely more of an emotional, character-driven journey than a high-octane action book.

This is a read under a cozy blanket with a box of tissues kind of book. It’s romantic, tragic, and hopeful all at once. If you’re looking for a story about fate, sacrifice, and the kind of love that disrupts the balance of the universe, definitely add this to your list. 💕

Ann Liang has done it again and I don’t think I’ll ever recover. Easily my fav book of 2026.

Two gods fight against fate with everything they have, only to unknowingly bring it closer. I giggled and I sobbed, and I somehow did both while immediately ordering a physical copy on preorder.

My bb Keran deserves the heavens.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

I've heard so many amazing things about Ann Liang's book but somehow had never picked one up before this, and as soon as I finished To Dream in Darkness I sprinted to add the rest of her books to my TBR.

This felt like reading a Chinese drama on paper, I could almost see each scene playing out in my mind. The atmosphere, the yearning, the heartbreak - it all blended so perfectly to make to fall in love with Keran and Ruija. As someone who grew up watching a slew of Chinese fantasy dramas, it felt like falling back into something familiar.

My absolute favorite part of this novel was Keran. When I say that I need a man who truly yearns just know I am talking about him. His transformation from the hurt, broody Death God into a vulnerable man just wanting to belong in the world was one that was so painfully beautiful and touching. The love he develops of Ruija was genuine and moved at the perfect pace. He is truly the epitome of yearning and my favorite line in the book comes from him.

"I do not deserve it, not remotely, and yet - I want your soul to know mine, as I would know yours from a thousand miles away. I want to consume your every waking thought, as you consume my dreams. And if I cannot have your whole soul, I would give up my own divinity to have half of it. If not a half, then a fragment, a scrap, whatever you are willing to offer me. I would gladly pretend it is enough."

My only small points is that the novel does follow some familiar drama plots, so parts of the story and ending felt fairly predictable at times. Nonetheless this was an great read and am already looking forward to my reread!

Words cannot express how much I loved this book. It was impossible to put down. As someone who has read most of Liang’s other works, I firmly believe this is her best piece yet. The characters are beautiful and complex. You feel their struggles as if they are your own. For readers unfamiliar with Ancient China and its mythology but eager to explore it, this book serves as a stunning introduction. I regularly consume works inspired by Chinese mythology and can honestly say this tragic love story quickly earned a place in my top five favorites of all time.

SOMEBODY PINCH ME I GOT THE ARCCCC

🪷 Thank you so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Publishers for the ARC ! 🪷

Another Ann liang book, another 5 star read. I guessed this book would break my heart, just like A song to drown rivers, and I was right. Ann. Do you like making us cry ? I finished this book in ONE sitting at 12:30am and then proceeded to cry myself to sleep. This was soooo c drama coded (A perfect read to match pursuit of jade hehe) so Ann, PLEASE write more fantasy, I will eat it up every single time.

𐙚⋆.˚ Keran 𐙚⋆.˚

This man is the DEFINITION of yearning omg. The TENSION HELLO ? I wanna give him a hug (I would 100% die for it). He’s the death god that everyone hates and fears, who falls in love with the healer goddess he’s destined to kill. This man puts the ‘grumpy’ in grumpy x sunshine because he is the most MASOCHISTIC CHARACTER EVER but we love him for it anyways. He’s such a tortured soul BUT sooo obsessed with Rujia. If he’s not as down bad as Keran i don’t want him 🤭.

˙⋆✮ Rujia ˙⋆✮

Rujia is for all the people pleaser girlies omg. I love the outcast x outcast tropes, because she connects to Keran on such a deep level, where she’s outcasted because of her parents' exile to the mortal lands for messing with destiny, and she understands Keran’s loneliness. They complement each other’s personalities so well and I love that even despite the horrible way the other gods treat her, she still tries to see the best in people. She’s sarcastic and witty but also soft and feminine in a way we don’t see in a lot of other FMCS. I think she’s soo relatable in the sense of trying so hard to be liked and accepted, only for all your kindness and efforts to be wasted and realising that no matter what you do, there will always be someone out there who doesn’t like you so focus on the people who matter.

✧₊⁺🪷⋆.˚୨ৎ Tropes ✧₊⁺🪷⋆.˚୨ৎ

🪷 Chinese Mythology
🪷 Grumpy X Sunshine
🪷Yearning MMC
🪷 Fate and Destiny intervention
🪷 Doomed Romance

Men who yearn are SO BACK!

The main characters in TO DREAM IN DARKNESS are gods, often fickle and selfish by nature. But Liang has a way of making these characters somehow feel both otherworldly and devastatingly human at the same time, a juxtaposition that serves both their character development and romance well.

TO DREAM IN DARKNESS was meandering and unpredictable in the best way---the story unraveled slowly through changing settings, allowing us to explore more and more of this fantastical world as we continue reading. And Liang stuck the landing, too---I'll be thinking of that last chapter for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

To Dream in Darkness is now my favourite read of the year so far, and one of my top reads over all. It grips you right from the start, the prologue setting up the inevitable death of the FMC by the MMC’s hand and has you needing to know how it could possibly come to pass.

Ann Liang writes prose like it’s poetry, lyrical and senselessly woven into each scene, moving it forward without disrupting it. Her writing style makes even the longer chapters breeze by.

It’s a love story about deeply lonely and misunderstood people, the secondary couple’s relationship masterfully mirroring the main characters’. It shows us the duality of love, how it’s both entirely selfless and selfish all at once. Tragic, heart rending, crushing, and yet hopeful. Full of love and loss, joy and sorrow, it’s a beautifully devastating and yet powerful tale. A must read for anyone wanting to feel everything high and low.

The MMC in particular is now a favourite of mine with how unintentionally romantic and complex a character he is. The MMC and FMC complement each other so well, making their story all the more compelling. I cannot recommend this book enough, if you’re even thinking about picking it up, just do it. You won’t regret it.

OMG ANOTHER BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BOOK BY ANN LIANG. Even though it was clear that this was a tragedy to begin with, that doesn't make the ending any less heartbreaking.

The story follows the God of Death and a God of Healing, and you can already tell there's going to be a bit of forbidden romance. Whatever you think you know about the book and the trope, reading it is a whole different experience. The romance between the two was at the perfect pace and had just the right amount of angst and sweetness.

The plot wasn't exactly the most straightforward, but it was easy to follow. The first half and second half of the book are completely different experiences, yet they made so much sense. I loved all the writing about fate and destiny, and how no one is born evil. Both Rujia and the Death God (his name is revealed, don't worry) are both such well written characters with the right amount of flaws and merits. Even though both of them are gods, they are written in such a humane way.

This book went by wayyyy too fast, and I need more. A part two, a happily ever after, or something, because the ending broke me. I'll be recovering in the corner-

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ann Liang for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! ⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆

"You may choose whether or not to believe it, but you cannot change the ending."

Rujia, a Healer God in the Celestial Realm, is determined to become the highly esteemed Celestial Healer. She wants to prove her worth to the other Gods after her parent's banishment to the Mortal Realm. What she does not know is that her death is drawing near, as pre-determined by fate. Fate has decided her death will come at the hands of The God of Death.

Upon her capture and arrival to the Death God's home, the Night Realm, Rujia bargains for her life. She isn't ready to die, not with her dream of Celestial Healer in reach. So, she vows she will use her healing powers to rid him of his curse, and he will postpone her death. Rujia bargains for an extra month of her life, but much can happen in that short of a time. Forbidden, impossible, romance blooms between them. The Death God yearns for her, the only one who's ever seen past the darkness. The question to be asked though, is can either of them truly fight fate, and if so, for how long?

'But every day I live is a day stolen from fate.'

When I tell you THIS story. I finished this, and sat, and cried. I haven't cried so hard at a book in a while! This had the same feel to it as 'The Song of Achilles'. Doomed from the start, fated to fail, but that doesn't stop the emotion. The love, and the want that is expressed SO well in this story. Liang manages to make these Celestial Gods feel human. Gods who have power above all, and somehow it still isn't enough. The Death God wrung sympathy out of me like a wet rag. PLEASE, Death falling in love with the Healer? I'm going to eat that up.

"All you do is take away pain. All I do is inflict it."

This could be described as historical fantasy or romantasy, but both plead a good case. It has Asian Mythology theming, character driven plot, angst, yearning, and beautiful world building. The atmosphere and descriptions were so enrapturing. Liang has a way with words that made you feel every ounce of the magic (and the agony!). I've never read an Ana Liang book until this one, but it's safe to say I'll be reading more. Read this if you're in the mood for book induced tears!