Sue Lynn Tan absolutely kills it with Immortal! The world building is insane, with Chinese mythology woven so deeply that places like the Golden Desert and the Netherworld feel alive. Liyen is such a vibe—she starts as this sheltered princess but grows into a total powerhouse. And her slow burn romance with Zhangwei, the broody God of War? Utterly addictive. It’s not your typical enemies to lovers or "enlightened princess" storyline, though. Tan flips those tropes on their heads, keeping you guessing and making every twist hit harder. The little surprises and details you might gloss over? They sneak back up on you later and make the whole story shine.

I also loved how everything *clicked*. The choices, the conflicts, the moments where I wanted to roll my eyes at the characters it all made sense in the end. And Liyen’s final decision? So satisfying and true to her growth. The standalone nature of the book is perfect and you can jump in without needing the other Celestial Kingdom books but be warned: that ending will have you begging for more in the best way. If you’re into romantic fantasy with mythological depth and emotional punch, this book and this author is a must read.

Cute cute cute. Loved the writing of this book, I did also enjoy the authors others books, it’s just so whimsical and packed full of fabulous mythology

The dynamic between Zhangwei and Lyien was actually really well done, I was scared it was going to be too insta-love (because I cannot stand that nonsense) but this was sweet and had such a great twist!

I’d recommend this book if you enjoy mythology, a whimsical world and a classic hero story 👏👏👏

I received an ARC of this book last year and have completed reading this prior its release. Firstly, the world-building in this book is chef’s kiss! Sue Lynn Tan’s ability to play into readers mind and visualize the colorful setting the kingdom is something only a very good storyteller possess. I think Sue Lynn Tan bested on this one of all the chinese fantasy novels I have read.

Characters:
Liyen
At the start of the book when it is being talked about how sick she was, I thought this will be another novel wherein the FMC is weak. I was wrong. The character improvement of Liyen showed how headstrong she was and how dedicated she is as the new leader of Tianxia. This made me already suspect that there is something more in his character especially when she is already possessing the Divine Lotus Flower.

God of War, Zhangwei

Zhangwei portrayed the strong and fierce God but softy for his girl. I felt the truthfulness of his character even during the start when Liyen was doubting him.

Plot Twists

This was my most loved part of the book! Definitely didn’t saw that plot twist coming and it’s plot twist by plot twist!

The battles and character rivalries were balanced by the romance incorporated in Immortal. This was my first 5 star this 2025.

If you know me, you know how much Sue Lynn Tan's writing. Heart of the Sun Warrior is my favorite book of all time, I love the Celestial Kingdom duology + the short story collection with my whole heart, so needless to say, I was incredibly excited for not only another book by the author, but also another book set in the world I love so much.

And maybe I'm biased for those reasons, but I absolutely loved this book. Sue Lynn Tan has a way of plucking on my heartstrings that no other author has in the same way, and her words are magic to me.
At the beginning, I was a little bit unsure if this book would live up to my expectations, but it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the story and its characters. This was an amazing standalone with so much depth in its worldbuilding, characters and plot.

We saw a completely different corner of the world of the Celestial Kingdom, with its own trials and tribulations, yet just as gorgeously crafted.
We meet a lot of characters in this book, and I think the author did a great job at giving all of them depth. Even if I didn't like all of them, I could understand their motivations.
I most certainly liked the two main characters, and I think their love story was executed beautifully. I don't want to say more just because I don't want to give anything away, but the romance made me swoon and I love how strong the female main character was.

For the first half of the book, I really wasn't able to tell where the plot was going, and the story still remained rather unpredictable in the second half. I was captivated by the storytelling and the plot twists and could not stop reading for the last 35 %. And of course, I also cried a lot lol, it wouldn't be a Sue Lynn Tan novel without me crying.

Overall, I highly recommend this book! I chose it as my first read of the year, so saying it's my favorite book of the year so far doesn't hold much weight yet, but all books I read this year will certainly have to measure up to this if they want to claim my top spot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK and HarperFiction for an e-arc of Sue Lynn Tan's Immortal.

I have read and loved the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology and Immortal is set in the same world. If you haven't read her previous books, it won't effect your experience of this book.

Immortal is a standalone romantic fantasy that combines enchanting worldbuilding, dazzling storytelling and palpable adventure. Tan builds breathtaking scenes with her words, and I enjoyed how Immortal took us to new places including the mortal kingdom and the God of War's Home, as well as the Netherworld.

The characters introduced in Immortal are multi-faceted and complex. Although I had difficulty connecting to and even liking the characters initially, I can admit that I could see them change and grow through the pages and their journey was meaningful. The dialogue between characters was repetitive and overdramatic, especially in the first half of the book. It felt like an episode of the bold and the beautiful at times.

Overall, the pace was a bit slow for me, and while the world building is beautiful and the prose lyrical - it struggled to hold my attention or investment. There were some interesting parts that I would have liked to explore further. I still prefer DOTMG and I think it has to do with that character connection.

Narration: Single character, first person POV

Spice: 1/5

Tropes:
- Amnesia
- Hidden Identity
- Forbidden Romance?
- Plot twists & Betrayal

When I saw that Sue Lynn Tan was writing a standalone set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I could not wait to get my hands on it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC copy!

If you enjoyed DOTMG you will enjoy the world building, beautiful imagery and whimsical feel throughout this story.

Sue Lynn Tans writing is beautiful and I really feel immersed in her worlds when I’m reading her books.

The only thing that let this down was that this felt a little insta lovey for me - while this is kind of explained it meant for 3/4 of the story, I wasn’t really invested as I didn’t feel the connection had the depth I normally crave in any romantasy I read.

I do however still recommend this for a beautiful, fun and relatively quick read, especially as I say if you enjoyed DOTMG, you’ll probably enjoy this too!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you enjoy a fantasy book with romance but don't want to start a whole series, this is an ideal read.
It's a standalone story, but you don't feel like you're missing out on lots of plot. It was a bit slow to start, but once it got going, it was an enjoyable read.

With mortals, immortals, and various other creatures, drama, fighting, and all sorts of scheming, it keeps you invested.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the arc of this book for my honest review.

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan is a stunning blend of myth and magic, filled with vivid world-building and deeply emotional moments. The characters are beautifully flawed, and the storytelling feels like a dream. While some parts are slower, the lyrical prose and gripping twists make it a must-read for fantasy lovers!

I really do love Sue Lynn Tan's beautiful writing and her fantastic worlds! This one is is set in the same worlds as the Celestial Kingdom duology, but it's completely unrelated and can 100% be read as a standalone.

I found the start quite slow until about 30%, perhaps because there was so much focus on the feelings of two characters I didn't feel invested in yet, but then it picked up (including more of the fantasy plot!) and got compelling! The plot twists were absolutely excellent and had me so surprised.

The romance is more at the centre of the story in Immortal than in the author's previous books. The chemistry of the MCs very well written and, once I felt like I knew the characters more, it really drew me in.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves mythological fantasy!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Harper Voyager for an eARC of this book by Sue Lynn Tan.

This is my first book by this author, with the other books in the universe on my TBR, and I have to say, I am rather excited to start the others and binge them!

The names and kingdoms relating to Chinese Mythology, in their own inspired world, really set the story up with some well crafted and extensive world building. Even with this book being within the same universe as her Duology Daughter of The Moon Goddess and Heart of The Sun Warrior, this book feels and reads like a standalone, giving you a fantastic taste of what to expect in the rest of the world and the other books.

This book is full of lyrical prose, making the relationship with Liyen, Lady of Tianxia and the God of War (Also known as Lord Zhangwei), were well-written and thought out, leaving you with a wonderful slow burn romance.

I can't wait to have the beautiful sprayed edge Waterstones edition to add to my collection!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 4.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Immortal is a brand new story set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess. The story follows Liyen, who becomes the rules of Tianxia after her grandfather dies.

“Write your own destiny”


I absolutely loved the duology written in this same world, devouring both books and I couldn’t wait to go back to that magical world once more!

The pacing seemed a bit off to me and I did struggle a bit to get into the story at the start. I started reading it, got around 100 pages in and left the book for a full week before continuing and finishing it. The story was still very intriguing, but I wasn’t really invested yet at that point. Once I got invested, the action started and the stakes got higher, I loved the story!

The writing is once again beautifully done and very lyrical. It flows and it’s easy to get lost in the world Tan created once more. The settings sound beautiful and I love how lush and descriptive the worldbuilding was.

Liyen is an interesting character who guards her heart and does whatever it takes for her people to prosper. I loved that about her and how that drove her. The God of War is a very interesting character as well! He seemed very closed off at the start, but once you get to know him a bit more you get why he is so guarded and my heart hurts for him!

The chemistry between both of them is through the roof! It was sooooo well written and I loved the tension and chemistry. Learning to trust him and letting the other break down the walls around your heart, the romance was just amazingly done.

The ending really took me by surprise! As well as the plot twist and reveal just before it! I hadn’t seen that one coming at all and I loved how well it fitted the book and the characters! The ending was everything I wanted from this book and I loved it.

Overall, Immortal is another beautifully written story in a lush world. While it had a slow start, I devoured it once the pace picked up and the stakes rose.

🪷 Immortal • Sue Lynn Tan 🪷
★★★★.𝟱

Read if you enjoy:
🪷 Fantasy romance
🪷 Chinese mythology
🪷 Fierce female MCs
🪷 Poignant writing
🪷 Not forbidden but ill-advised romance 🤣

Liyen is the new heir of Tianxia and to secure her crown, she has to enter the Immortal Realm to renew the kingdom’s pledge to serve the immortals. However, she wants nothing more than for her kingdom to be free of their obligation, particularly when the immortals indirectly kill her grandfather for stealing the Divine Lotus.

This fantasy standalone is so enriching, so stunning, so achingly beautiful that I could read the writing forever and ever. I didn’t actually like the MC, Liyen, at first and honestly I couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t behave herself 🤣🤣. But as the pages turn and secrets unravel, twists reveal themselves that had me changing my perspective on EVERYTHING. If I had a job reading books all day, I’d want them all to be Sue Lynn Tan’s 🤣.

I loved daughter of a moon goddess and just knew I would love this one.
Immortal is a romantic Fantasy, with stunning writing and beautiful world building. I love Liyens character, she is fierce, stubborn, stung willed and just brilliant. I adored the love story created for her and the God of war. This was hands down the best book I could have started 2025 with. 5 ⭐️

Firstly thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest, unbiased review.

Now for the review - I have started 2025 off with a BANG! I saw this advertised, and was cautious - I absolutely loved Sue Lynn Tan's other books (Daughter of a Moon Goddess especially) but whilst again this book appeared to dive back into the Celestial Kingdom, it was new characters and what if they weren't as good? Well, I am so pleased I took the risk because these characters and the plotline and the whole concept was equally as incredible and fantastic. I love the way Sue Lynn Tan weaves in new characters and concepts into the story. We are immersed into three different worlds in this story and yet it fitted seamlessly. The character development was far superior than a lot of other books I have read, there is depth and intrigue, and we follow the main characters emotions as well as their thoughts and behaviour. Happy to say I loved it! HOWEVER - I now want more!

What a pleasure to dive back into one of Sue Lynn Tan’s book!

As always I just loved the writing, the richly described universe and the beautiful romance!

I’m not one to love romantasy but when it comes to asian romantasy, I know I can dive in without hesitation because it never disappoints!

In Immortal we have immortals (duh) and mortal caracters with each a very developped personality, this apply to the secondary caracters as well wich is adds a nice touch to the story!

As I said earlier, the universe is richly described, and just like her first duology the scenery is amazing! It felt like watching a historical C-drama and now everything I read is tasteless compared to this universe!

I also found the story well balanced between the intrigue and the romance, that’s always something I look into because I’m not the first romance fan. Here it is beautifully done and I love it!

I don’t know what else to say to convince you except that it is a fantasy standalone set in the same universe as Daughter of the Moon Goddess wich I absolutely loved (really, it’s in my top 5 of 2024)!

A big thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this ARC!

I could probably write a page on this book. But I'm not going to, because as several voice notes to friends have said. I loved this book. I loved the plot, the world-building, the characters. Liyen and Zhangwei are perfect, I'm going to be thinking about this book for days. I loved the yearning, the tension, the will die for each other, like say less Sue Lynn Tan you write bangers and Immortal is no exception. I love this book, it's the perfect way to start 2025.

I will probably come back and write a more detailed review but there is simply no need, I loved this book.

Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperVoyager and Sue Lynn Tan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Danger grows in the immortal kingdom which impacts Tianxia. It forces Liyen to face the immortals to help her people. We follow her journey as she tries to seek balance between both realms.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding, it felt lush and well developed. The plot is intriguing, filled with twists. Liyen is a headstrong character but also very likeable and easy to get attached to. I liked the theme of family and belonging, it was heart-warming to see some of the character development from this. The romance development felt a bit rushed in places but the tension of enemies to lover kept me invested.

Overall, I loved this story, a very enjoyable read. Fans of wuxia would adore this.

<i>Immortal</i> is a standalone romantasy set in the same world as <i>Daughter of the Moon Goddess</I>, which I have not actually read yet. However, I think this novel stands really well on it's own and at no point whilst reading this did I feel like I needed to have read the other series. I was also relieved to have a standalone to read as these are becoming few and far between! The world buidling was beautifully done and one of the strong points of this novel. The author has created such a rich and interesting world and I really need to read more from it!

Having said that, overall this book was just ok. The first section of the book had me hooked. As mentioned, I loved the world building and was really drawn in by the characters - particularly the <i>God of War</i>. The plot was set up really well and I was engrossed up until about a third of the way in and the first major <i>plot twist</i>, which - like all the plot twists in this novel - you can see coming a mile away. After this the pacing just got completely lost. For most of the middle section of the novel, everything moved too slowly, then at the end, there was too much happening all at once. There were characters and basically an entire people introduced towards the end, that I just didn't care about as there was no real development of these characters. It might be because this is a standalone novel, or maybe they could've been introduced earlier, but I just didn't feel connected to them and so the ending fell a bit flat.

I feel disappointed by this book. The writing was gorgeous and the world building incredible and I really loved the beginning. There was so much promise in this novel that it just didn't live up to. It's not that it was bad - more that it could have been amazing. I will definitely be reading the series set in this world though.

Wow! This was brilliant and so much more romantic than I had expected. I’m glad I was able to read this early.

Our FMC is what I would describe as ballsy, she is confident and strong willed, but not arrogant. She is strategic in her dealings with the immortals and her people, I really commend her fierce loyalty throughout, she could’ve wavered during all turmoil she faced but she stuck to her morals.

Also, the god of war… yeah, I’m obsessed. He is so strong but shows a refreshing level of vulnerability and honesty with his interactions with the FMC, I really adored this duo.

I am happily rating this 4.25, it’s magical and adventurous with high stakes and some fantastic romance.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy.

Sue Lynn Tan has long been on my radar, with glowing reviews of her previous works. The upcoming release of Immortal gave me the perfect opportunity to explore her writing and the world of the Celestial Kingdom through a standalone novel. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to the expectations set by the praise.

The story itself is straightforward: a mortal girl falls in love with a god she "hates." While the premise has potential, the characters and plot felt flat. The lack of depth made it hard to invest emotionally or care about the outcome. An example from the first chapters of the novel, there’s an attempt at political intrigue—an assassination plot against a future ruler—but it’s described with such minimal detail that the stakes never feel real. Instead, the plot line fizzles out without resolution and we wonder why it was introduced.

The writing itself contributes to this lack of engagement. The narrator spends much of the time telling rather than showing, such as repeatedly explaining how she "hates" her love interest but feels attracted to him. The most emotionally charged moments of the romance become distant and disconnected.

Repetition is another issue. The same points are reiterated unnecessarily, breaking the flow of the story when the reader is already aware of the information and ready to move on.

That said, Tan’s writing is clear and easy to follow, which kept me reading despite the issues. The novel did not left me lost and I found it engaging enough to finish. While Immortal didn’t impress, I’m still curious if this is a mishap in her body of work. I am still curious to see if Daughter of the Moon Goddess proves to be a stronger entry into her world.