Tales of the Celestial Kingdom

The Celestial Kingdom #2.5

by Sue Lynn Tan

Bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan’s highly acclaimed Celestial Kingdom duology gets expanded with this new compilation of stories from before, during, and after the events occurring in  Daughter of the Moon Goddess  and  Heart of the Sun Warrior , all from the perspective of beloved characters. With illustrations from Kelly Chong throughout, this collection gathers material both seen and new, making this the perfect complement to this majestic series.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Fiction, Young Adult, Short Stories, Audiobook

5 pages, Audiobook

First published February 6, 2024

About the author

Sue Lynn Tan is the NYT, USA Today, and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess and the Celestial Kingdom books, Immortal and Never Ever After. She writes stories of mythology, fantasy and romance, for adults and older teenagers. Her books are being translated into eighteen languages, have been nominated for multiple Goodreads Choice Awards, and won the American Library Association Alex Award.

Born in Malaysia, Sue Lynn studied in London and France, before moving to Hong Kong. Her love for stories began with a gift from her father, her first compilation of fairytales from around the world. and she spent much of her childhood lost in magical worlds.

Find her on Instagram @SuelynnTan, or on her website www.suelynntan.com.

Reviews

[lea ִֶָ☾.]

how does every single edition of her books have the most beautiful cover ever, her publisher must love her fr

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a nice companion novella that compliments the main duology very well. but, as with any collection of short stories, there are some that i really enjoyed and some that i could have done without.

maybe because its been so long since ive read the series, but i found the short stories that take place during the events of the two books to be less interesting than the stories that act as a prequel. i loved the retellings of classic mid-autumn myths and the role they play as catalyst for the main series. had this entire book just been the story of chang’e and houyi, i would have been completely happy.

but still, i enjoyed being back in this world and revisiting some old characters. its makes me want to reread the duology!

↠ 3.5 stars

[✨ Kayla Lynne ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I would move the stars for you. I would defy them all."

Siri, play me some Hozier.

*cries softly in “no grave can hold my body down, I’ll crawl home to her”



This little book was the sweetest treat that Miss Sue Lynn Tan could have ever gifted us. I had no idea what to expect going in (especially with where Heart of the Sun Warrior left off but BOY were my expectations blown out of the water. Here’s what you can look forward to in this lovely set of short stories:

- More of Chang’e and Houyi’s story, including POVs from each of them that are tender and exciting and so, so special
- Liwei’s POV on events that we didn’t get details on in the original duology, plus a Liwei POV AFTER the events of HotSW 👀
- A Shuxiao story from her POV (spoiler alert: it’s adorable)

AND, most CRUCIALLY (please buckle in, take a seat, whatever you need to do to brace yourself):

- Not one but TWO Wenzhi POVs that are EVERYTHING to me
- And….
- And…!!!!! ✋ ✋ ✋
- A XINGYIN POV THAT IS AN ACTUAL EPILOGUE TO HOTSW!!! I screamed, I cried, I kicked my feet and giggled. It was SO perfect!!!

Bonus: there are beautiful illustrations and the author is donating all of her proceeds from this book to charity :')

[enqi ☾⋆˚*̣̩✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧✩˖°🌷✨ PRE-REVIEW ♡ | To say I cried when finishing this would be an understatement. Easily my favorite series of 2025 and one that will stay with me for a long time to come. I've fallen hopelessly in love with these characters and this world, and Sue Lynn Tan is now one of my auto-buy authors. I hope and pray with all my heart that she will revisit this someday 🥹💗

🐋🐚☾⋆⁺₊ PRE-READ ♡ | After that ending in HOTSW which made me stay up all night and ugly cry, I ran straight to buy the novella immediately 😭😭

[marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this world is so beautiful she will always be loved by me

[Saskia [University era] · Rating 5 out of 5]

✧.* 6 star read
╰┈➤ ❝💌 I would move the stars for you. I would defy them all.
----------♡----------
💌 first of all, the book contains beautiful illustrations and all the proceeds of this book goes to charity
----------♡----------
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ The book is divided in three parts
｡⋆ Dusk before book 1 in the series
｡⋆ Twilight between book 1 and 2
｡⋆ Dawn after book two, epilogue
----------♡----------
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ Dusk shows us the dynamic between the parents of Xingyin
｡⋆ two short stories about them & they are the cutest.
｡⋆ The end broke me though
the love between them is so sweet, oh my god
Quotes -
🌺 ''He plucked a crimson peony from the vase- the last unwilted bloom from our garden and slid it into my hair, as he had often done during the early days of our courtship.''
💐 ''Spread across the wooden blades was a beautiful painting of plum blossoms, their vibrant petals dusted with pale snow caught among the dark branches. A gift from my husband that I cherished more than pearls or jade because of words he had spoken then.''
----------♡----------
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ Twilight shows us two povs from Liwei (he deserves the world), one from Wenhzi and one from Shuxiao
｡⋆ Liwei deserves so much more, he keeps pining for Xingyin. It's so obvious that he is head over heels for her
🌺 ''My heart is not mine to give.''
｡⋆ Wenhzi is also head over heels for her, oh my god
💌 ''Her use of my title silenced me. I wanted to say more, to lift her face to mine- to ask for her heart, as I was in danger of losing mine. But this was no time for rash declarations.
----------♡----------
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ Dawn follows Xingyin and Wenhzi.
｡⋆ they are in my opinion so cute and deserve their happy ending
｡⋆ a way to summon up their bond
💌''We had been tested, broken and forged anew into something stronger, and we belonged together.''
----------♡----------

[rina · Rating 3 out of 5]

give liwei his hea he deserves and a proper wenzhi + xingyin reunion ☹ (

[Charlotte May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg yes!!!!!!!! 💖💖💖

“We had to bear our burdens the best we could, for we alone knew their true weight.”

I loved being back in the Celestial Kingdom and these stories were just wonderful.

From light hearted races when they were young, to the epilogue set after the last book which I found so powerful, we get a little of everything here.

Battles scenes, heartfelt confessions and connections. Sue Lynn Tan’s writing is glorious and I cannot wait to see what she produces next.

“The past is embedded in who we are, whether we choose to change or keep our course. Without our history, we are unmarked sheets of paper.”

[Sotiria Lazaridou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I missed being in this world!🥺

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC to review. All opinions are honest and my own.

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars
TW: grief, fighting/battles

It is no surprise to anyone at this point that I am a solid fan of the TALES OF THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM duology, so I was delighted to learn we were getting a novella collection from author Sue Lynn Tan. This novella is split into three sections: Dusk, which serves as prequel to the events of DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS; followed by, Twilight, which highlights and provides further insight into scenes from both books in the duo; lastly, we have Dawn, which serves as an extended epilogue to the series. Out of the nine total chapters we read from six different points of view, with only one belonging to Xingyin, our protagonist from this series. This was a nice touch as it allowed us to get into the minds of some of our favorites characters from the series and it offers new insight and layers to key scenes we either read in the duology or are familiar with due to the character’s memories.

Another added element which helped to enhance the story were the various illustrations by the talented Kelly Chong, providing a visual aid. I actually think there will be additional illustrations in the published book which were not included in the advanced reader’s copy (ARC), so I am excited to see what else is in store. There is not a lot I can say without spoiling the series in general, but the author does include a note which outlines what you should and should not read based on what you have already explored. Having already read the series, I can definitely say any fan will appreciate these additional nuggets of information and heart the author provides us with, but you may have a similarly enjoyable experience if you have not read this series before and follow her guide for reading KINGDOM.

The only reason I am holding this back from a five star rating is because there is one couple featured in this novella who I think needed to be mentioned in the Dawn section for this to feel fully well rounded and complete. The author has teased that she will be writing more in the world, however, it will feature entirely new characters and will serve as a completely separate storyline to what we have in the original duo. Either way, if you love this world and series and do not want to say goodbye yet, this is a must read. I loved it and honestly it just made me want to reread the series.

P.S. I will never stop holding out hope we get a Chinese Drama or a donghua for this beautiful series.

[paige (ptsungirl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Only once we understand who we were, and what we are now, can we claim our future."

Thank you NetGalley and the author for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’m so grateful for many reasons, but the biggest always being how much I adore Xingyin.

I was absolutely positive at the end of Heart of the Sun Warrior that I didn’t have a favorite, that I wasn’t sure who I wanted her to choose. It’s something you figure out when that choice is finally made, and I’m so glad Sue Lynn Tan hasn’t kept us waiting any longer for Xingyin’s choice. It’s exactly what I wanted for her, exactly what she needed, exactly what she was probably working towards in the now three installments of her story. I’m so grateful for an ending that is truly just another beginning. The epilogue I would have done anything for, and received. Again, I say, I am so grateful for these stories.

Because this isn’t just the end we’d been waiting for. It was an alternate twist to the myth these books revolve around, one that I found just as compelling and exciting as the first. Heart wrenching, and yet beautiful for its truth. Because decisions, no matter their outcome, should never be taken lightly and that was so extremely present in these words. I was so proud of the way Chnag'e was brave even while condemned, and how she took her punishment without argument. In any circumstance, I believe she would have done the same thing, because she knew how much she hurt the one she loved.

I loved the behind-the-scenes-esque part two, and I loved seeing Liwei and Wenzhi again. Though maybe, especially, Liwei. He’s grown so much since we first met him, and it only made me more proud. This was the ending you hope and wish for an author to give you. A gift. I’m so blessed I got to read this one early, and I hope you all grab your copies today so you can feel a tiny bit of this joy as well.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Absolutely loved revisiting these much loved characters and getting more of Liwei, Xingyin, Wenzhi, and others! My heart is full!

[sakurablossom95 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful companion piece that added layers of depth to the original duology.
This short novella provided much needed closure for some of my favorite characters while also offering valuable background details that made re-reading the original duology even more enjoyable. I enjoyed reading into the minds of Liwei, Wenzhi, Chang’e, Houyi, and Shuxiao. The addition of a new epilogue was a welcomed surprise,

The illustrations accompanying the text was a beautiful touch, bringing the vivid imagery of the Celestial Kingdom to life with remarkable detail. Overall, I loved immersing myself in the world of these characters once again,

Thank you netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel so honored to be one of the first to read "Tales of the Celestial Kingdom" by Sue Lynn Tan, which is a continuation of the Celestial Kingdom duology. With these untold stories we get a greater understanding of the characters as well as the world as a whole. I'm once again awed at how beautiful Sue Lynn Tan's writing is. Her prose are exquisite, and match the theme's of the book so well.

This book is broken up into three stories, Dusk, Twilight, and Dawn.

Dusk (from the perspectives of Chang'e, and Houyi)

I found this story important because it helps the reader understand the motivations of the characters going into "Daughter of the Moon Goddess". Getting to witness the fight between Houyi and the sun birds was a highlight.

Twilight (from the perspectives of Liwei, Wenzhi, and Shuxiao)

I enjoyed seeing these scenes from a different perspective than we originally did. It added very important context to the scenes. I wish these stories were more cohesive with each other.

Dawn (from the perspectives of Wenzhi, and Xingyin)

Screaming, crying, throwing up. The ending that we deserve.

Thank you so much to Avon, and Harper Voyager for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

[milliereadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful world, and a beautiful send-off to the series (assuming this is goodbye). I feel like these stories filled out the duology just that bit more that was needed, and I also loved the gorgeous illustrations we had throughout. All of the author’s proceeds of this book are going to charity, and I can’t wait to see what comes next from Sue Lynn Tan.

[el (celestialbronz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection contains 9 short stories that are separated into 3 parts: Dusk, Twilight, and Dawn.
- Dusk is the prequel to the main duology, specifically about the retelling of Chang’e and Houyi.
- Twilight contains the stories that happened DURING the duology.
- and Dawn is basically the extra epilogues we’ve all been waiting for after reading HotSW 👀

While the duology only used Xingyin’s PoV as the narrator, this time we get 5 different PoV (or probably 6 if you include the mortal). There’s a lot of inner monologues happening in each PoV so we finally know what they actually think or feel, outside of Xingyin’s judgments. On another note, because it’s heavily leaning on the inner monologues, there’s not much plot or even dialogues. They serve as the complement to the duology and can’t be read alone without them.

Not gonna lie the Dusk and Twilight parts didn’t do much for me, they’re nice and that’s all about them. But the Dawn part was EVERYTHINGG I actually weep a bit🥲 The perfect “real” epilog. I hope there will be a little easter eggs about these characters in the next Celestial Kingdom novel.

Aug 16: I NEEDED THE EXTRA EPILOGUE OMG THANK YOU FOR THIS

[mads · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Eternity only meant something when you had someone to share it with, not when it would take you from all you loved.”

➳ 3.5

TW: animal death, blood, confinement, death, grief, miscarriage, murder, pregnancy, violence.

A nice addition to the original story, if still a little disjointed and lacking in some of the qualities that made me love the duology so much. I enjoyed this, but the characters felt slightly stilted compared to what they were in the full books. While reading DotMG, I always wanted more about Xingyin's parents, so I'm glad a glimpse of their story was included in here!

Also, side note, but I maintain the fact that a certain character's good qualities were sacrificed to make another character look better. Even when we get their POV, most of it is just them comparing themself to the other character - which bummed me out.

Overall, if you love DotMG and miss the world/characters, I'd definitely recommend this. It also gives certain characters/relationships more closer than HotSW did. But if you are wondering if you have to read this, it isn't necessary to the story.

[Ayushi (bookwormbullet) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Ugh it was so great being transported back to the world of The Celestial Kingdom 🥹 Loved being reunited with my faves and Sue Lynn Tan's beautiful writing!!

[⋮lofie ᝰ.ᐟ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ᯓ★5 Stars!!!

"Let us leave the stars as they are, for tonight they are where they should be."

let me start this by saying I don't really like reading novellas. I find that most authors only use it for side stories -nothing is wrong with that!- I'm just a plot girlie. But I really enjoyed this novella. I think what I enjoyed the most about these stories was that they were told from different points of view, so we got to see the exposition of different characters.

Dusk
⋆⭒˚｡⋆ I loved the reimagining of Huoyi and The Ten Suns as written by the author. I think for such short "chapters" she did an amazing job conveying the Human Traits and qualities of heroes as well as the fallout that may happen with the loved ones who were forced to watch from the sidelines. And even though I knew how the story ended, I so desperately hoped for a different ending. Though the whole Duology is based on this story, I loved reading from Chang'e and Huoyi's point of view. I thought it brought more depth to their characters as a whole.

Twilight
⋆⭒˚｡⋆ These were more just side character stories as well as little interactions that took place during the Duology, I don't think they served much purpose other than reader enjoyment of the continuation of characterization. It was nice to see the daily lives of some characters, but for the most part, I wasn't too interested in them. PS, Shuxiao is so girlypop and I love that for her.

Dawn
⋆⭒˚｡⋆ SAY WHAT YOU WANT BUT MY HEART IS WRENCHED. I'm so glad Sue Lynn Tan wrote a happy ending to save a few hearts that might have been broken at the end of Heart of the Sun Warrior. This brought me so much peace and that's all I could ever ask for. I am a sucker for HEA's. And although I was content with how The Heart of the Sun Warrior ended, I'm even happier knowing there's a better ending written within these stories.

ᝰ.ᐟ [ Complexities of love ] ๋࣭ ⭑
this was such a huge theme within the novella and I think the author did an amazing job portraying that with each character and their story. Although we wish love was just as simple as declaring it and living happily ever after, sometimes ( most of the time ) it doesn't end up that way. There are challenges to be faced and every action has its consequence. Prioritizing what is best for oneself may end up hurting the other and although you so desperately want something, in the end, we must let go for not only ourselves but for the people we love.

˙✧˖° [ final thoughts ! ]☾⋆⁺
I loved this novella/ short stories. I think Tan's lyricism and exposition are amazing and I find myself rarely bored by any of her writing. She's easily one of my favorite authors. I think if you've read the duology, you for sure need to pick this up and get that happy ending we were all wanting!!

I'm so sad this series is over, I would have loved for this world to live as long as it could, and saying goodbye to it is so bittersweet.

˙✧˖° [ quotes ! ]☾⋆⁺
"I'm working with allies. we need all the help we can get. Sometimes it takes a greater monster to put everything into perspective."

"Life was not perfect; there were always hidden wounds, pain disguised beneath a smile, a price to any happiness possessed. We had to bear our burdens the best we could, for we alone knew their true weight."

"The past is embedded in who we are, whether we choose to change or keep our course. Without our history, we are unmarked sheets of paper."

"Even those are bound to the past, for they cannot be new without old. Whatever the past, it should not be ignored - but acknowledged, embraced, accepted. Only once we understand who we were, and what we are now, can we claim our future."

"I would move the stars for you...I would defy them all."

"Let us leave the stars as they are, for tonight they are where they should be."

"Nothing was perfect in love nor life. These moments were to be cherished, branded into our memories, for they gave us the strength to fave the trails that might come after."

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short novel was a nice supplement to the author’s first two books. The stories conclude nicely the romantic saga between the main character Xingyin, Liwei, & Wenzhi. The book is a quick read at around 150 pages. It would be a little hard to understand the plots if you didn’t read Heart of the Sun Warrior & Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Anyway, I enjoyed it. It was a fun read.

[lookmairead · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the ways the men love the women in this is just 👩‍🍳💋

Extra excited to read an ARC of Immortal, Sue Lynn Tan’s latest, later this month- Release Date 5 Jan 2025

4.75/5

[shatterinseconds · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an arc from the Goodreads giveaway*

My favorite short story was the epilogue and all the art was stunning--I'm glad I won the arc for that reason alone.

But this series has never been my favorite so none of the stories really sparked anything in me. Though, I think anyone who loves the Celestial Kingdom books will definitely enjoy this collection.

[gree.books •♡✿⊹ ࣪ ˖♡• · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3

I take it back. Daughter of the Moon Goddess most likely didn’t suck. it was just the majority of these stories that felt bland and superficial and uninspired. the epilogue tho??? made me remember why I fell in love with the series. I wish there was more. I want more stories about their fate and future. maybe someday our reverend mother Sue Lynn Tan will bless us with such tales.

I do think the epilogue (and 2 stories before it actually) were worth getting book for, tho if I ever reread it, I’ll definitely just stick to those 3. the rest 6 stories? they were not great. the side characters in the Celestial Duology obviously lack depth and read sort of like caricatures in the Tales of the Celestial Kingdom - super overblown manifestations of their main personality trait. one is brave, the other is patient, and so on - and it feels so blown out of proportion, as if it’s the only thing that separates them from others. I guess that’s what happens when they haven’t been fully developed and you write stories from their POVs. there’s no nuance in those characters, nothing is hidden for us to pry away at. as I said, bland, superficial and uninspired.

[S. ≽^•⩊•^≼ I'm not here yet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains 9 short stories in three parts from different people we already know in The Celestial Kingdom, before Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Xingyin's parents, between two books, and after Heart of the Sun Warrior.


Great Pictures

"Eternity only meant something when you had someone to share it with, not when it would take you from all you loved."

[Madison Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was this necessary? No. What novella/short stories paired to a series is? Is it worth reading? ABSOLUTELY.
If you loved this duology then you are going to need these beautiful short stories in your life. They are beautiful and masterful. Again, seeing Wenzhi’s unwavering admiration and love for Xingyin was soul healing. If you can’t let go of these character and this world, this book is a MUST.

[Sahitya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect way to say goodbye to this favorite duology. From how it all started in the past with the previous generation to how our three main characters are doing in the future, this was every bit the lovely collection of stories I was craving for. And a perfectly narrated audiobook added the final delightful touch. Definitely recommend if you are a fan of the duology like me.

[Allie · Rating 2 out of 5]

xingyin illustrated did NOT look how i expected. im far more interested in sue lynn tan's writing when its not about her main character. xingyin continues to infuriate me. liked the one lesbian chapter

spoiler:

SHE SHOULD HAVE ENDED UP W FUCKING LIWEIIIIIIIIIIII

[Lyndsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

liwei is infinitely better than wenzhi and you cannot change my mind
liwei x xingyin forever idc what anyone says
Entertainment rating ➳ 2 stars
Critical rating ➳ 3 stars

[˚₊꒰ა Jii ໒꒱₊˚ (catching up) · Rating 3 out of 5]

˙₊➴ ꒰ 3-stars★ ꒱ ꒷⊹࣪˖

❝Life was not perfect; there were always hidden wounds, pain disguised beneath a smile, a price to any happiness possessed. We had to bear our burdens the best we could, for we alone knew their true weight.❞

⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Thoughts
After finishing the Celestial Kingdom duology i was happy on how it had an open ending to it. I just love me open endings due to the amount of possibilities that may happen afterwards, but when i learned that this had a continuation of the ending i thanked the heavens for such a blessing!

This novella was such a good addition! It had back-stories & unseen parts that were omitted or left out from the main books. What made it more pleasing to read was because the stories were presented from the characters own perspectives, which makes us learn more & empathize on how they have felt through out the duology.

❝I believe love is mysterious, complex, unexpected—far more gray than black-and-white—something that grows and evolves, as do we.❞

Reading this made my heart feel warm, knowing that the characters had their respective happy ending after everything that they have been through. (I sincerely apologize for saying mean stuff about Liwei after reading this novella & his pov. You were great…. but still i’ll forever be team Wenzhi since he was the best!)

Sad but also thankful that this story has come to an end. Hoping some characters are given cameos in Sue Lynn Tan’s future work cause I’ll surely miss them♡


╴╴⊹ꮺ˚ ╴The Celestial Kingdom🎐╴⊹˚ ╴╴

⟢ Daughter of the Moon Goddess ꒰ 4✩ ꒱
⟢ Heart of the Sun Warrior ꒰ 3.5✩ ꒱
⟢ Tales of the Celestial Kingdom ꒰ 3✩ ꒱

─ ⟢・⸝⸝ Overall rating ~ 4 stars ☆ .ᐟ ─

[bailey elizabeth smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

“Eternity only meant something when you had someone to share it with, not when it would take you from all you loved.”

...

The perfect closure I needed!