An absolutely stunning story, I loved the little snippets of the Celestial Kingdom and reliving the joy I felt when I read those books. Liyen was a formidable FMC and one which will stay with me forever, Zhangwei was the perfect grumpy MMC who would move heaven and earth for those he loved. The twists and turns this story took had me gripped from page one. Sue Lynn Tan has done it again and I cannot wait for more from her in the future

I have mixed feelings on this book. The plot, premise and side characters are all amazing, however the MC definitely affected my enjoyment a lot as she was prejudiced and whiny and quite annoying.

I love the concept, that the immortals rule over and our MC is suddenly trust into a position of power, and has to make life altering choices while hiding secrets and facing the wrath of the gods. I loved her relationship and dynamic with the god of wrath and he will be popular with many people for sure.

I loved the twists and turns and the way the story unfolded and the plot was enough to keep me hooked throughout, but sadly i really struggled with the first third of the book as the MC had made some snap judgments and quite prejudiced bias opinions and then refused to change or act nicely despite custom dictating one should. She came across as incredibly petulant and childish and it was very hard to read.

However, I think if her attitude doesnt bother you in the first few chapters you will 100% adore this. And even if it does its worth continuing to read as it gets very exciting later on in the story,

Huge thanks to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this; I loved being back in the world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess!
The Celestial Kingdom duology was among my favourite reads of 2023 and coming back to this universe felt so lovely. Sue Lynn Tan’s writing is beautiful and super evocative; she has a real talent for taking me straight into her world and that's what I'm looking for in a fantasy.
But I think where I loved the Celestial Kingdom duology, I simply liked Immortal. It was good, it was fun, the romance was nice, and I'm struggling to pinpoint what it was that made it work not quite as well as its predecessors for me. It could be that I have simply evolved as a reader. Liyen was an interesting MC but she felt too YA for me and it led me to feeling frustrated with her at times because I couldn't connect with her. I liked Zhangwei but I feel like maybe having his POV would have helped me feel much more interested in him. The romance was too insta-lovey and though I understood it better later on, I didn't really feel invested in it. It did get much better in the second half of the book though.
All that being said, the mythology and fantasy elements are once again fantastic. Sue Lynn Tan is absolutely brilliant at crafting a magical story that I can easily believe in while reading. And I loved the introduction of new divinities.
To sum it up, I loved the fantasy aspect, less so the romance/character aspect; but I think that might just be me outgrowing romantasy as a genre. I would still 100% recommend this to anyone who loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess because it's worth it if only to enjoy this magical world once more.

This was my first read by Sue Lynn Tan and I enjoyed her writing, it was descriptive without being too obscure:

“Some silences were comfortably rounded at the corners, but the one that cloaked us was jagged and sharp.”

“For that is the real meaning of loneliness, being unable to share your mind and heart freely with another without the fear of being judged or found wanting, or that they might seek to use you.”

I also loved the reveals and the action at the end of part 1, but wish there’d been a little more build up, which would’ve made it hit even harder.

However, there were some things I didn’t love and I unfortunately finished my read with an overall feeling of disappointment. I found Liyen frustrating at times, particularly in the way she interacted with the MMC, Zhangwei, and I didn’t really understand her motivations. Her character reads YA, not as an adult who’s been brought up as a future ruler. What made her redeemable was that she had enough self-awareness to acknowledge her faults:

“An apology hovered on my lips for causing his punishment, for my cruel words earlier. I’d lashed out at him because of my own guilt and fear. But I suppressed the impulse, afraid to open another window between us.”

I also didn’t really buy into the romantic relationship. Although they did spend a fair amount of time together, I can’t tell you where their interests and values align, and why they make a good match.

“The feelings that didn’t feel wholly earned from him, those I felt for him in return.”

Liyen makes this statement, which sums up how I felt about the relationship for 75% of the book. This is explained (no spoilers) later on in the book but, by then, it’s too late and I wasn’t invested. It was also single POV, so we never fully got to know Zhangwei. There was so much I wish we’d seen more of, like Red Storm, who we meet only twice, both times briefly. It may be because it’s a standalone novel but, if I was going to sum up my feelings in one statement, it would be that everything felt underdeveloped.

The fairyloot edition had an additional, prequel chapter (to read at the end of the book), which I really enjoyed and made me wish this had been a duology (with a book prior to this one that showed the events leading up to Immortal).

All that being said, I do already own Daughter of the Moon Goddess so I will definitely give Sue Lynn Tan another try.

Sue Lynn Tan’s writing is so beautiful and descriptive. I love the complex world building she creates. The Chinese mythology was beautiful and fascinating to read.

Although this book is set within the same world as Daughter of the moon goddess it can be read as a standalone. The dynamic between the fmc and mmc is fiery slow burn romance.

A huge thank you to Harper Voyager for kindly sending me an ARC of this breathtaking standalone fantasy romance set in the enchanting world of the Celestial Kingdom.

If you’ve read Daughter of the Moon Goddess, you’ll be thrilled to revisit this magical realm. If you haven’t—what are you waiting for? Go grab them ASAP!

Immortal is an absolute masterpiece that stands on its own, weaving a spellbinding tale of immortals, mortals, and winged devils. Sue Lynn Tan’s exquisite writing draws you in, evoking powerful emotions with every word. You’ll fall head over heels for the God of War and find yourself captivated by the intensity of the romance and the heart-stopping twists in the plot.

Each surprise left me absolutely stunned, and the story is so beautifully written that you’ll wish you could read it for the first time all over again.

This is a glowing 5-star read—a tale of love, adventure, and unforgettable moments that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

This was my first book by Sue Lynn Tan and can definitely say that I will be pick up more of her work. I ended up loving this book so much more than I expected. I love her way of writing and the world building throughout the story alongside her way of intertwining politics with plot. I also absolutely love the banter and the slow burning romance between the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author.

Sue Lynn Tan is easily one of my favourite authors, and this standalone romance did not disappoint.

Tan's writing is charming, beautiful and whimsical. It often reminds me of Stephanie Garber's writing style in that it is almost fairytale like but so descriptive. The world building is always incredible for me and I find myself easily imagining the worlds whilst reading. Whilst the pacing was a little slow in this novel it did not detract from the overall enjoyment for me.

If you loved Daughter of the Moon Goddess, then I have no doubt that you will love this too.

Sue Lynn Tan, author of the enchanting Celestial Kingdom duology, brings a romantic standalone fantasy set in the same universe. It’s a tale of ambitious rulers, unexpected betrayals, and dangerous bonds. As expected from Sue Lynn Tan, the world was drawn in rich pen strokes and entirely magical, and Liyen an Zhangwei were a perfect match for each other. I loved seeing her refuse to bow to the powerful God of War, and enjoyed how determined, fiery and courageous she was.

The story had plenty of unexpected twists that kept me hooked, and the novel looked at the importance of family bonds as much as it focussed on the romantic relationship. I really liked the ending – what a beautiful conclusion to another enchanting novel by this talented author. Pick this up if you enjoy Chinese mythology, rich world-building and a swoon-worthy slow-burn romance.

This book to me, is amazing. I've wanted to read Daughter Of The Moon Goddess since it came out and thought I'd actually start with this and I'm so glad I did because I loved this book so much!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately i had to DNF this book, the pace was really slow and the story was boring.

Another stunning story from Sue Lynn Tan—she never disappoints!
Her beautiful, descriptive writing style captivates me from the beginning to the end!

The rich, magical world-building and loveable characters, combined with dangers lurking in every corner and long-buried secrets make this book unputdownable!
The story explores important themes such as self-discovery, resilience, love, and vengeance teaching us that not all matters are black and white.

I admire Liyen’s character. She’s brave, compassionate and her determination is unparalleled. Following her journey travelling to the Immortal realm and the Netherworld, facing dangers and uncovering the truth to free her people, is exhilarating.

Zhangwei, the God of War starts cold and dismissive but reveals layers that make him a man worth going to heaven and hell for. He definitely finds his match in the stubborn and fiery Liyen.
The slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance is delightful.
Their banter is charming, and the moment they finally give in to each other is worth the wait!

The last few chapters are mind-blowing, with unexpected twists and turns that really surprised me. The intense, action-packed battle scenes had my eyes glued to my Kindle.
The ending is beautifully wrapped up, a fitting conclusion to the story.

If you’re looking for a romantic fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology elements with swoon-worthy romance, strong family and friendship bond, action-packed scenes and magical creatures, look no further! <i>Immortal</i> is the book for you!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: violence, death, war, blood

Sadly, it is a DNF for me after 57%. While the plot had intriguing moments, the overall spacing fell off and rushed. The characters were fine, but I didn't buy into their romance. It was too insta-love to be enjoyable for me and the romance is one of the main themes of the book. The writing is still as beautiful as her previous series. Thank you for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - An amazing fantasy read with a fantastic plot and enemies to lovers that was just everything! The book itself is the perfect mix of fantasy, romance and politics.

🖤 Enemies to Lovers
💙 Strong FMC
🖤 Chinese mythology
💙 Morally grey MMC
🖤 Forbidden Romance
💙 Slow Burn
🖤 Forced Proximity
💙 Fated Mates
🖤 Beautiful World

Honestly if the tropes don’t sum up the reason for picking up this book then I don’t know what else will.

I absolutely fell in love with Sue Lynn Tans books when I picked up her Daughter of the Moon Goddess series when I first got back into read and I can safely say this book has met all my expectations.

The world building was absolutely magical. I was able to vividly imagine the world created by her words and loved that it was linked to the worlds created in the previous series. It didn’t seem too bogged down and the plot evolved with the world building instead of being so heavy.

The relationship build up between Liyen and Zhangwei was everything! Their chemistry was electric and the tension was intense.

Liyen’s character development throughout the book is amazing to read. From such an unsure seemingly young woman to becoming fierce and confident is absolutely fantastic. Watching her grow, despite mistakes, and become the ruler she had set out to be.

The slow burn romance had me screaming at the pages. I was desperate for them to realise their chemistry and it made it all the better with the tension.

I am absolutely in love with Sue Lynn Tans books and this was an amazingly emotional rollercoaster throughout. I was gripped and unable to stop desperate to read more.

Thank you so much to Sue Lynn Tan, Harper Collins and Netgalley for this early review copy. 🫶

4.25 ⭐️

What would happiness be like if passion stopped guiding your movements and only love remained; that simple, yet all-encompassing love, what would it be like?

This book has helped me define some thoughts I had about what I wanted in life, what kind of love I was looking for, if I should be looking for love at all. And there’s one paragraph that is simply perfect and would give you exactly the feeling I had while reading this book, reading about this love.

(Although this isn’t at the end of the book, it might contain a spoiler.)

“The courtyard had been our haven, away from the demands of duty. No one disturbed us there, none daring to incur the God of War’s wrath. We had played weiqi in our room, eaten our meals in the garden. I had read while he played the qin. And at night, we’d slept entwined. There were also quieter moments of simple companionship, the kind when your soul is at peace, when your heart is whole. When you want nothing more from life… content to simply exist. This was how I felt when he was with me.”

There’s nothing else I could add that hasn’t been said in this extract. Just that I’m so grateful for having authors who can put into words exactly what my messy heart is feeling and can’t express. So poetic, so freeing. It was a beautiful read. And it's definitely up for a reread.

As a lover of Asian culture, I was really looking forward to reading this book, and it lived up to the hype. And as a fan of historical dramas, this book even contains some court drama, which I adore.

I would have loved to spend more time in the Netherworld; would have loved to know more about its folk, their culture. Also, even though the side characters' personalities and personal stories were so engaging, I think we barely got to spend enough time with them or to know them any further. But, while the time spent with them is sparse, it's also intense, and emotionally satisfying. I think this book would have been fantastic as a duology as well.

I will be reading the rest of Sue Lynn Tan's books so I can visit this world again. And I’m waiting (im)patiently for my physical copy to arrive so I can show it off on my shelves.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was an intriguing read - at first I found it difficult to get into the narrative, but once the reveal happened halfway through things slotted into place and I enjoyed it a bit more. However I didn't connect with the characters on the emotional level I assume the author wanted, which made it difficult to care too much about the overall storyline.

I devoured this book!

It is a heart-warming, fast-paced book that you will need to read this year for sure!

I fell in love with the main characters immediately, the connection between them was made impeccably, and the storyline develops in a way that will make you want to read this book in only one sitting.

I also loved all the mythology references made - this was my first book by Sue Lynn Tan and I am sure it won't be the last!

Thank you so much for giving the chance to read this ARC, can't wait for the signing event soon!

Anything Sue writes, you know i'm going to read it. I love her other books and i was so excited to dive right back into this world and read about these new characters. "Immortal" was one of my anticipated reads for this year and it didn't disappoint. It was binge-worthy and incredibly paced. There was never a dull moment, making me read until past midnight some days 👀. I adore Liyen and Zhangwei. I love it when there's tension and secret pining between the characters. Makes the romance so much more enjoyable. Sue was the one to introduce me to chinese fantasy and i hope she continues to write more of these stories in the future because i will always read them.

I would like to thank harper collins and netgalley for allowing me to read an e-arc of this book.

A wonderfully emotional Romance I thoroughly enjoyed!

This story is truly well written. I adored the character development of the FMC (Liyen) especially. Both our protagonists feel well fleshed out and real. However, what really makes this book stand out is the delectably vivid descriptions and prose. This is not my first book by this author, but I have to say that I felt as if her pacing and language has improved since the last one of hers that I read. One of her strong points is her absolutely immersive world building and this one does not disappoint.

This book took me through a rollercoaster of emotions, and I loved every second of it. Do not however, expect High stakes. Though that does not detract from the plot at all. I am not a fan of insta-love in the slightest, in fact it usually one of my pet peeves, it did makes sense in this story. Though I cannot lie and say it didn't irk me at first.

Overall, this is a well written Romance, full of highs and lows with a satisfactory plot and good pacing. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys emotional Romance, with a whimsical air, Romantasy, with a dash of mystery.

Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I am posting them voluntarily.

Immortal was a compelling story that weaved romance with great fantasy adventures. I absolutely loved how the story took new turns constantly and the depth of the love between our main characters. Sue Lynn Tan has cemented herself as a must read author for me.