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The Three Realms Duology #1
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom
In a world invaded by demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother's soul… before she loses her forever. From the New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes the beginning of a dark and opulent fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass.
Nine years ago, the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tore Àn’yīng’s family apart, leaving her mother barely alive and a baby sister to fend for. Now the mortal realm is falling into eternal night, and mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls.
Àn’yīng is no longer a helpless child, though. Armed with her crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she has decided to enter the Immortality Trials, which are open to any mortal who can survive the journey to the immortal realm. Those who complete the Trials are granted a pill of eternal life—the one thing Àn’yīng knows can heal her dying mother. But to attain the prize, she must survive the competition.
Death is common in the Trials. Yet oddly, Àn’yīng finds that someone is helping her stay alive. A rival contestant. Powerful and handsome, Yù’chén is as secretive about his past as he is about his motives for protecting Àn’yīng.
The longer she survives the Trials, the clearer it becomes that all is not right in the immortal realm. To save her mother and herself, Àn’yīng will need to figure out whether she can truly trust the stranger she’s falling for or if he’s the most dangerous player of all . . . for herself and for all the realms.
Nine years ago, the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tore Àn’yīng’s family apart, leaving her mother barely alive and a baby sister to fend for. Now the mortal realm is falling into eternal night, and mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls.
Àn’yīng is no longer a helpless child, though. Armed with her crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she has decided to enter the Immortality Trials, which are open to any mortal who can survive the journey to the immortal realm. Those who complete the Trials are granted a pill of eternal life—the one thing Àn’yīng knows can heal her dying mother. But to attain the prize, she must survive the competition.
Death is common in the Trials. Yet oddly, Àn’yīng finds that someone is helping her stay alive. A rival contestant. Powerful and handsome, Yù’chén is as secretive about his past as he is about his motives for protecting Àn’yīng.
The longer she survives the Trials, the clearer it becomes that all is not right in the immortal realm. To save her mother and herself, Àn’yīng will need to figure out whether she can truly trust the stranger she’s falling for or if he’s the most dangerous player of all . . . for herself and for all the realms.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2025
392 people are currently reading
24230 people want to read
About the author
Amélie Wen Zhao
12 books3,424 followersAmélie Wen Zhao（赵雯）was born in Paris and grew up in Beijing, where she spent her days reenacting tales of legendary heroes, ancient kingdoms, and lost magic at her grandmother’s courtyard house. She attended college in the United States and now resides in New York City, working as a finance professional by day and fantasy author by night. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her family in China, where she’s determined to walk the rivers and lakes of old just like the practitioners in her novels do.
Amélie is the author of the Blood Heir trilogy and the upcoming Song of Silver, Flame Like Night duology.
Amélie is the author of the Blood Heir trilogy and the upcoming Song of Silver, Flame Like Night duology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,156 reviews
March 10, 2025
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom may not reinvent the deadly trials romantasy wheel, but it does manage to carve out its own space with rich Chinese-inspired folklore and mythology, dark, angsty, stabby vibes and opulent visuals. Think a sea of clouds, towering mountain pillars carved by wind and water, celestial rivers, shadow cranes, cherry blossoms and lotus ponds in the sky. It’s really quite grandiose. For those who carry a deep and abiding love for dragons, you might just find yourself fed.
Similarly, if you've read The Serpent and the Wings of Night, you’ll feel right at home. The titles are practically cousins, and the formula is extremely familiar: brutal trials, a love interest where I couldn’t tell if they were enemies, rivals or allies, and a heroine with a chip on her shoulder. Even a similar nickname. "Little Serpent/Scorpion."
And listen, I’m not mad about it. Formula and familiarity isn’t a flaw when it’s done well. But I was hoping for a bit more oomph in execution.
Consider this your mild spoiler warning. I have thoughts, and they verge on spoilery.
Firstly, the love interest shines in one way and is murky in another. There’s solid tension here, the kind where she doesn’t know if she wants to kiss him or kill him and with touch-her-and-die energy. And I was getting hints of “I can show you the world” Aladdin-Jasmine parallels. But then we hit the real heart of the book, prejudice and bigotry.
Àn’yīng’s hatred of demons is rooted in personal trauma, and I get it. She watched a demon slaughter her father and devour her mother’s soul, leaving her catatonic. But her vitriol towards Yù’chén, her half-demon half-human ally felt uncomfortable and excessive. There were moments I physically recoiled from her words and actions towards him. And sure, her arc is about confronting her bigotry and unlearning it, but the journey was rough and it didn't endear me to her character.
Secondly, the trials. I wanted to see Àn’yīng outthink, outfight, and outmanoeuvre her opponents, but too often, the resolution came from external forces and men saving her. The Immortality Trials should have been a highlight, but often felt anticlimactic, mostly because Àn’yīng rarely got to truly own her victories. I love a strong heroine, but I also love one who actually gets to be strong without being overpowered, rather than we just get told she is.
👆End of mild spoilers👆
That said, somewhere around the 80% mark, Amélie Wen Zhao elevated the game. Suddenly, I found myself invested in the twists and reveals of the final act. Stakes that previously felt manageable suddenly felt monumental. The story stopped coasting on a formula and started twisting plot. Themes of fate and free will, light and darkness, became sharper, more urgent.
By the end, I was emotionally invested. If only that momentum had been there all along. The foundation has been laid for a possibly great conclusion for the next book in the duology. I need answers.
This landed between a 3 to a 4 stars, depending on which section of the book I was reading. Still, even with its bumps, I had a good time. Recommend for people who like stabby romantasy with deadly trials, family secrets, celestial aesthetics and C-drama.
A huge thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperVoyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
♦️♦️♦️
Publishers said Throne of Glass with deadly trials and soul-drinking demons and I have never felt so targeted.
ARC received, thank you to HarperCollins UK!
Similarly, if you've read The Serpent and the Wings of Night, you’ll feel right at home. The titles are practically cousins, and the formula is extremely familiar: brutal trials, a love interest where I couldn’t tell if they were enemies, rivals or allies, and a heroine with a chip on her shoulder. Even a similar nickname. "Little Serpent/Scorpion."
And listen, I’m not mad about it. Formula and familiarity isn’t a flaw when it’s done well. But I was hoping for a bit more oomph in execution.
Consider this your mild spoiler warning. I have thoughts, and they verge on spoilery.
Firstly, the love interest shines in one way and is murky in another. There’s solid tension here, the kind where she doesn’t know if she wants to kiss him or kill him and with touch-her-and-die energy. And I was getting hints of “I can show you the world” Aladdin-Jasmine parallels. But then we hit the real heart of the book, prejudice and bigotry.
Àn’yīng’s hatred of demons is rooted in personal trauma, and I get it. She watched a demon slaughter her father and devour her mother’s soul, leaving her catatonic. But her vitriol towards Yù’chén, her half-demon half-human ally felt uncomfortable and excessive. There were moments I physically recoiled from her words and actions towards him. And sure, her arc is about confronting her bigotry and unlearning it, but the journey was rough and it didn't endear me to her character.
Secondly, the trials. I wanted to see Àn’yīng outthink, outfight, and outmanoeuvre her opponents, but too often, the resolution came from external forces and men saving her. The Immortality Trials should have been a highlight, but often felt anticlimactic, mostly because Àn’yīng rarely got to truly own her victories. I love a strong heroine, but I also love one who actually gets to be strong without being overpowered, rather than we just get told she is.
👆End of mild spoilers👆
That said, somewhere around the 80% mark, Amélie Wen Zhao elevated the game. Suddenly, I found myself invested in the twists and reveals of the final act. Stakes that previously felt manageable suddenly felt monumental. The story stopped coasting on a formula and started twisting plot. Themes of fate and free will, light and darkness, became sharper, more urgent.
By the end, I was emotionally invested. If only that momentum had been there all along. The foundation has been laid for a possibly great conclusion for the next book in the duology. I need answers.
This landed between a 3 to a 4 stars, depending on which section of the book I was reading. Still, even with its bumps, I had a good time. Recommend for people who like stabby romantasy with deadly trials, family secrets, celestial aesthetics and C-drama.
A huge thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperVoyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
♦️♦️♦️
Publishers said Throne of Glass with deadly trials and soul-drinking demons and I have never felt so targeted.
ARC received, thank you to HarperCollins UK!
November 29, 2025
oh wow. im surprised this is AWZs lowest rated book because i really, really loved this!
the storytelling took me back to a very specific time period (between 2008-2012, my late high school to early college days) because this gave me the exact same feeling i felt when i read the hunger games, twilight, divergent, and the maze runner when they all came out. i dont know how to explain it, but readers who were the target YA demographic when those stories came out will know that particular feeling.
but its not just the memories this evoked that was enjoyable. the competition is a good backdrop for expanding an interesting world and setting the stage for the different realms at war. the characters are real, relatable, and easy to get attached to. the mó are fantastic antagonists and intrigued me the most out of all of the different chinese mythology elements. i love the way they are portrayed. there honestly wasnt anything i didnt like about this.
so the sequel just went on my list of most anticipated books for 2026 because the story is seriously that entertaining.
↠ 4.5 stars
the storytelling took me back to a very specific time period (between 2008-2012, my late high school to early college days) because this gave me the exact same feeling i felt when i read the hunger games, twilight, divergent, and the maze runner when they all came out. i dont know how to explain it, but readers who were the target YA demographic when those stories came out will know that particular feeling.
but its not just the memories this evoked that was enjoyable. the competition is a good backdrop for expanding an interesting world and setting the stage for the different realms at war. the characters are real, relatable, and easy to get attached to. the mó are fantastic antagonists and intrigued me the most out of all of the different chinese mythology elements. i love the way they are portrayed. there honestly wasnt anything i didnt like about this.
so the sequel just went on my list of most anticipated books for 2026 because the story is seriously that entertaining.
↠ 4.5 stars
October 14, 2025
okay, so here’s the deal: I think I might be a little too generous with my rating because honestly, nothing about this book wowed me. It wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t feel fresh or exciting either. the fantasy elements were all things I’d seen before, mostly drawn from existing myths and legends, which isn’t necessarily bad it’s just that the book didn’t do anything particularly new or interesting with them. and the plot was super predictable. I saw where it was going 100% of the time, so there were zero surprises.
— because trust me the premise is interesting:
nine years ago, the war between the kingdom of night and the kingdom of rivers shattered an’ying’s family, leaving her mother barely clinging to life and a baby sister to protect. now, the mortal realm is falling into eternal darkness, and mó the ravenous demons are everywhere feeding on humans. But she trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she sets her sights on the Immortality trials. any mortal who survives the brutal journey to the immortal realm can compete for a pill of eternal life the one thing that could save her dying mother. but The competition is deadly, and only one can win.
the pacing was fast, which I appreciate because it kept things moving, but the actual prose felt robotic and stiff at times, I finished it in one sitting, only because it was easy to speed through.
that being said, I did enjoy the fmc. An’ying was witty, strong, and completely focused on her mission, and I respect that. She didn’t waste time getting sidetracked, and I liked that she actually followed through instead of getting caught up in unnecessary drama. But the romance was meh 🙄 It’s there, but I don’t know if I care for where it’s heading. Ho’yáng is getting a little too close to her, and I hate that. I’m team Yù Chén all the way. If book two turns this into a full blown love triangle, I might actually lose it. 😭
speaking of book two… am I excited for it? I don’t know… not really? this book ended way too neatly for a series starter. it was all not bad, not great just meh. and that kind of sums up how I feel about the whole thing. I get that this is YA, so I wasn’t expecting something super complex, but let’s be real there are plenty of older YA fantasy books that are absolute masterpieces. i might read the second book if i got an ARC which will push me harder 🤷🏻♀️
***ARC provided by the publisher—Random House Children's—in exchange for an honest Review.***
— because trust me the premise is interesting:
nine years ago, the war between the kingdom of night and the kingdom of rivers shattered an’ying’s family, leaving her mother barely clinging to life and a baby sister to protect. now, the mortal realm is falling into eternal darkness, and mó the ravenous demons are everywhere feeding on humans. But she trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she sets her sights on the Immortality trials. any mortal who survives the brutal journey to the immortal realm can compete for a pill of eternal life the one thing that could save her dying mother. but The competition is deadly, and only one can win.
the pacing was fast, which I appreciate because it kept things moving, but the actual prose felt robotic and stiff at times, I finished it in one sitting, only because it was easy to speed through.
that being said, I did enjoy the fmc. An’ying was witty, strong, and completely focused on her mission, and I respect that. She didn’t waste time getting sidetracked, and I liked that she actually followed through instead of getting caught up in unnecessary drama. But the romance was meh 🙄 It’s there, but I don’t know if I care for where it’s heading. Ho’yáng is getting a little too close to her, and I hate that. I’m team Yù Chén all the way. If book two turns this into a full blown love triangle, I might actually lose it. 😭
speaking of book two… am I excited for it? I don’t know… not really? this book ended way too neatly for a series starter. it was all not bad, not great just meh. and that kind of sums up how I feel about the whole thing. I get that this is YA, so I wasn’t expecting something super complex, but let’s be real there are plenty of older YA fantasy books that are absolute masterpieces. i might read the second book if i got an ARC which will push me harder 🤷🏻♀️
***ARC provided by the publisher—Random House Children's—in exchange for an honest Review.***
March 2, 2025
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・“𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓲𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓯𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓹𝓸𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓼..”・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🌷02/03/25
3.5 stars, spoiler-free review 💫
release date: 4th March, 2025
To start off, this was my first book to read by the Author, and I did like her writing style. The pacing of the story was fast. I tried loving the book, but unfortunately, I couldn't. Maybe it's because I'm in a slump. I was hooked on the story until 35% ig, but after that, I just wanted to finish this book. The mythology in this book didn't have anything interesting or new to read. I wasn't wowed by the plot. And that ending just fell short for me. I'm not particularly keen on reading book 2 after that ending, but I do want to know who Àn’yīng ends up with. And I'm forever a Yù’chén apologist, I don't care about anything but him. I just hope book 2 doesn't have a love triangle trope 😩🤞🏻 (because then I won't continue it, because love triangle in books have always been my least fav). Yeah, so that pretty much sums up what I wanted to say. As it's Ramadan, I can't write a full review for this book as I have no time, so for now, this is my review.
what to expect 🌸:
🦂 He falls first & harder
🦂 Forbidden Love
🦂 Immortal Realms
🦂 Rivals-to-Lovers
🦂 “Touch her & die”
🦂 Chinese Mythology
🦂 Magical trials
🦂 One hot spring
🦂 Dragonhorse companion
Thank you to the Author, the Publisher, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review 💕
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🌸27/02/25
I kinda feel slumpy rn. So here I'm trying to squeeze in one more arc before this month ends, which also happens to be one of my most anticipated books this year 😍💖
⤿🌷02/03/25
3.5 stars, spoiler-free review 💫
release date: 4th March, 2025
To start off, this was my first book to read by the Author, and I did like her writing style. The pacing of the story was fast. I tried loving the book, but unfortunately, I couldn't. Maybe it's because I'm in a slump. I was hooked on the story until 35% ig, but after that, I just wanted to finish this book. The mythology in this book didn't have anything interesting or new to read. I wasn't wowed by the plot. And that ending just fell short for me. I'm not particularly keen on reading book 2 after that ending, but I do want to know who Àn’yīng ends up with. And I'm forever a Yù’chén apologist, I don't care about anything but him. I just hope book 2 doesn't have a love triangle trope 😩🤞🏻 (because then I won't continue it, because love triangle in books have always been my least fav). Yeah, so that pretty much sums up what I wanted to say. As it's Ramadan, I can't write a full review for this book as I have no time, so for now, this is my review.
what to expect 🌸:
🦂 He falls first & harder
🦂 Forbidden Love
🦂 Immortal Realms
🦂 Rivals-to-Lovers
🦂 “Touch her & die”
🦂 Chinese Mythology
🦂 Magical trials
🦂 One hot spring
🦂 Dragonhorse companion
Thank you to the Author, the Publisher, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review 💕
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🌸27/02/25
I kinda feel slumpy rn. So here I'm trying to squeeze in one more arc before this month ends, which also happens to be one of my most anticipated books this year 😍💖
May 17, 2025
✩ 2.75 stars ✩
“I want you to stop looking at me as if you're afraid, or suspicious, or disgusted. As if you're thinking of what I am instead of who I am. I want you to look at me and see me.”
What to Expect:
➼ Deadly Competition
➼ Rivals-to-Lovers
➼ Forbidden Love
➼ Chinese Mythology
➼ Touch Her & Die
➼ Kiss or Kill
➼ Immortal Realms
➼ Humans, Demons, Immortals & Halflings
➼ Hatred & Prejudice
➼ Secrets
➼ First Person POV
I’ve had a little time to sort through my thoughts on this one… While I did like it, there were some aspects that didn’t quite work for me. The first was the FMC’s hatred towards the MMC. I can’t give too many details without spoilers, but her hatred was not at all rooted in his actions towards her which were repeatedly to protect her and show up for her even in the face of her hatred. She was just so cruel and he did not deserve her vitriol. I got tired of reading about it fast and it made her character very unlikable. I get that she has trauma and reasons to be mistrustful, but that doesn’t justify this level of bigotry.
In the moments where she was being civil however, the chemistry between them was electric. The author did a phenomenal job of writing in chaste but intimate touches where he would pull her close or touch her waist, etc. Often, these types of touches can feel forced and unnatural in books but the author did an exceptional job of including plausible scenarios that would require or bring about those interactions. I didn’t really understand his interest in her, but the tension between them was top tier.
The second thing that didn’t quite work for me was the reasoning for her entering the competition. She leaves in hopes that she will win immortality for her mother, but the likelihood of her death seems too high for this to have been a reasonable choice. If it was to save her little sister instead, that would have made much more sense to me honestly, not that a sister is more important than a mother, but I guess in the long run a mother outliving her children because she is immortal just sounds kind of sad to me.
There was a lot of build up and talk about the trials, but the trials themselves were unmemorable and over too quickly. The ending felt a bit convoluted and left me with a lot of unanswered questions about the motives and intentions of some of the characters. Honestly, I think it was really just the tension between them that I liked. 🤷🏼♀️😅 This was decent, but I probably wouldn’t recommend it. There are just so many great books out there to read!
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: My library holds for my monthly book subscriptions from the last few months are finally starting to roll in! (Don’t judge me, the SE’s are too pretty to read 😆) Gonna pull back on the ARCs/ALCs this month so I can catch up!
My bestie Esta gave this one three stars so I’m keeping my expectations low lol. 🙃
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
“I want you to stop looking at me as if you're afraid, or suspicious, or disgusted. As if you're thinking of what I am instead of who I am. I want you to look at me and see me.”
What to Expect:
➼ Deadly Competition
➼ Rivals-to-Lovers
➼ Forbidden Love
➼ Chinese Mythology
➼ Touch Her & Die
➼ Kiss or Kill
➼ Immortal Realms
➼ Humans, Demons, Immortals & Halflings
➼ Hatred & Prejudice
➼ Secrets
➼ First Person POV
I’ve had a little time to sort through my thoughts on this one… While I did like it, there were some aspects that didn’t quite work for me. The first was the FMC’s hatred towards the MMC. I can’t give too many details without spoilers, but her hatred was not at all rooted in his actions towards her which were repeatedly to protect her and show up for her even in the face of her hatred. She was just so cruel and he did not deserve her vitriol. I got tired of reading about it fast and it made her character very unlikable. I get that she has trauma and reasons to be mistrustful, but that doesn’t justify this level of bigotry.
In the moments where she was being civil however, the chemistry between them was electric. The author did a phenomenal job of writing in chaste but intimate touches where he would pull her close or touch her waist, etc. Often, these types of touches can feel forced and unnatural in books but the author did an exceptional job of including plausible scenarios that would require or bring about those interactions. I didn’t really understand his interest in her, but the tension between them was top tier.
The second thing that didn’t quite work for me was the reasoning for her entering the competition. She leaves in hopes that she will win immortality for her mother, but the likelihood of her death seems too high for this to have been a reasonable choice. If it was to save her little sister instead, that would have made much more sense to me honestly, not that a sister is more important than a mother, but I guess in the long run a mother outliving her children because she is immortal just sounds kind of sad to me.
There was a lot of build up and talk about the trials, but the trials themselves were unmemorable and over too quickly. The ending felt a bit convoluted and left me with a lot of unanswered questions about the motives and intentions of some of the characters. Honestly, I think it was really just the tension between them that I liked. 🤷🏼♀️😅 This was decent, but I probably wouldn’t recommend it. There are just so many great books out there to read!
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: My library holds for my monthly book subscriptions from the last few months are finally starting to roll in! (Don’t judge me, the SE’s are too pretty to read 😆) Gonna pull back on the ARCs/ALCs this month so I can catch up!
My bestie Esta gave this one three stars so I’m keeping my expectations low lol. 🙃
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
November 26, 2025
Wow! This is a breathtaking and highly promising start to a dark and opulent duology, with mesmerizing world-building that perfectly balances darkness and beauty, life and death, love and hate!
The story follows An'yīng, a fierce young woman who takes on the role of protector after the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tears her family apart. Nine years after nearly losing her mother to a ravenous, beautiful demon—known as a mó—An'yīng must face the Immortality Trials, a deadly competition that offers the chance to win a pill of eternal life, the only hope for saving her mother’s soul. Armed with her father’s crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, An'yīng is determined to survive the Trials, even though death is common, and the immortal realm hides dangerous secrets.
Her journey is fraught with peril, not just from the Trials themselves but from the enigmatic and powerful Yu'chén, a rival who mysteriously aids her. As the line between enemy and ally blurs, An'yīng must decide whether she can trust him, even as their fates become intertwined.
The fast pacing, layered characters, and intense trials keep you on the edge of your seat, while the blossoming romance between An'yīng and Yu'chén adds emotional depth. With each twist, the stakes rise higher, leaving readers anxious for the conclusion of this thrilling duology. It's fresh, exciting, and earns blazing five stars! Amélie Wen Zhao did not disappoint, and I enjoyed this even more than her Blood Heir Trilogy!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing this promising fantasy novel's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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The story follows An'yīng, a fierce young woman who takes on the role of protector after the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tears her family apart. Nine years after nearly losing her mother to a ravenous, beautiful demon—known as a mó—An'yīng must face the Immortality Trials, a deadly competition that offers the chance to win a pill of eternal life, the only hope for saving her mother’s soul. Armed with her father’s crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, An'yīng is determined to survive the Trials, even though death is common, and the immortal realm hides dangerous secrets.
Her journey is fraught with peril, not just from the Trials themselves but from the enigmatic and powerful Yu'chén, a rival who mysteriously aids her. As the line between enemy and ally blurs, An'yīng must decide whether she can trust him, even as their fates become intertwined.
The fast pacing, layered characters, and intense trials keep you on the edge of your seat, while the blossoming romance between An'yīng and Yu'chén adds emotional depth. With each twist, the stakes rise higher, leaving readers anxious for the conclusion of this thrilling duology. It's fresh, exciting, and earns blazing five stars! Amélie Wen Zhao did not disappoint, and I enjoyed this even more than her Blood Heir Trilogy!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing this promising fantasy novel's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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March 7, 2025
Valentine's Day 2025 #3
Hold me accountable. No more East Asian fantasies, no matter how good they look. I cannot be trusted. They cannot be trusted. No one can be trusted.
The nights have been longer and more beautiful since their world began to bleed into ours. -- This is just another mythology lite where the immortal world bleeds into the mortal. There's a bit of forbidden love. There's a tiny love triangle.
I swapped needles for knives -- We've got our wannabe assassin. So strong! A strong, female character! *rolls eyes*
black hair that falls like a living shadow down his back. Skin that looks sculpted -- We've got a baddie I'm ready to fall in love with. He's my type. He's your type. He's everyone's type. But don't worry. He's boring. She's boring. This whole book is boring.
My name, Àn'yīng, is an uncommon one, meaning "cherry blossom in the dark." -- That was so cliché, I just choked. Unfortunately, I didn't die. Please kill me?
skin pale as milk, hair the black of a raven's wing, lips red as blood -- Snow White called. Don't know what she wants. Don't care.
His hair, billowing like swirls of ink; his eyes, flashing golden like embers in the sun -- James Herondale called
sometimes the mind doesn't know what the heart wants -- While this is true, at this moment in time, I wanted the book to be over.
He is impossibly fast and steady. -- Twilight called
I am doing the exact opposite of what my parents and all mortal stories warned me of when I was a little girl: following a demon through the dark of the woods in the night. -- Do it. I'd do it. He's hot.
"You have poisoned me, little scorpion, and I would gladly let you do it over and over and over again." -- I just threw up a little
I know immortals cannot die -- No shit?
🥃 Take a shot every time green eyes are mentioned. I think it was only twice, but twice is too times too many. I will take more shots than this. I think I deserve them.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press
Hold me accountable. No more East Asian fantasies, no matter how good they look. I cannot be trusted. They cannot be trusted. No one can be trusted.
The nights have been longer and more beautiful since their world began to bleed into ours. -- This is just another mythology lite where the immortal world bleeds into the mortal. There's a bit of forbidden love. There's a tiny love triangle.
I swapped needles for knives -- We've got our wannabe assassin. So strong! A strong, female character! *rolls eyes*
black hair that falls like a living shadow down his back. Skin that looks sculpted -- We've got a baddie I'm ready to fall in love with. He's my type. He's your type. He's everyone's type. But don't worry. He's boring. She's boring. This whole book is boring.
My name, Àn'yīng, is an uncommon one, meaning "cherry blossom in the dark." -- That was so cliché, I just choked. Unfortunately, I didn't die. Please kill me?
skin pale as milk, hair the black of a raven's wing, lips red as blood -- Snow White called. Don't know what she wants. Don't care.
His hair, billowing like swirls of ink; his eyes, flashing golden like embers in the sun -- James Herondale called
sometimes the mind doesn't know what the heart wants -- While this is true, at this moment in time, I wanted the book to be over.
He is impossibly fast and steady. -- Twilight called
I am doing the exact opposite of what my parents and all mortal stories warned me of when I was a little girl: following a demon through the dark of the woods in the night. -- Do it. I'd do it. He's hot.
"You have poisoned me, little scorpion, and I would gladly let you do it over and over and over again." -- I just threw up a little
I know immortals cannot die -- No shit?
🥃 Take a shot every time green eyes are mentioned. I think it was only twice, but twice is too times too many. I will take more shots than this. I think I deserve them.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press
February 6, 2025
The first 30%, I was intrigued but immediately lost me after that. The beginning chapters was so intriguing and fascinating. I loved the worldbuilding and the explanation of the magic system. immortals, the mortals, demons and especially the main character’s weapons which imbued her with special abilities in combat.
The plot kicks off with compelling stakes, An’ying is determined to compete in a trial orchestrated by immortals to win a coveted pill that grants immortality. Her motivation? Saving her mother, who is suffering from the aftermath of a demon attack. The premise had me reeled in, and I devoured the initial chapters, in every monster fight and blade twirling scene.
However, as much as the book started strong, it struggled to capture my full attention. One of the most significant letdowns was the relationship between An’ying and the main love interest. Despite being portrayed as a fierce and capable fighter in the beginning, An’ying frustratingly loses her edge whenever he enters the scene. Time and time again, he swoops in to save her, which felt like a disservice to the strong, independent character we met at the start.
Also, the side characters lacked depth, making it difficult to form any lasting connection with them. The pacing from the first half of the book to the latter was jarringly rushed. That said, the plot twist toward the end did reignite my interest, I’m curious to see how that twist will play out in the next book.
Thank you to Random House Children and Delacorte Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The plot kicks off with compelling stakes, An’ying is determined to compete in a trial orchestrated by immortals to win a coveted pill that grants immortality. Her motivation? Saving her mother, who is suffering from the aftermath of a demon attack. The premise had me reeled in, and I devoured the initial chapters, in every monster fight and blade twirling scene.
However, as much as the book started strong, it struggled to capture my full attention. One of the most significant letdowns was the relationship between An’ying and the main love interest. Despite being portrayed as a fierce and capable fighter in the beginning, An’ying frustratingly loses her edge whenever he enters the scene. Time and time again, he swoops in to save her, which felt like a disservice to the strong, independent character we met at the start.
Also, the side characters lacked depth, making it difficult to form any lasting connection with them. The pacing from the first half of the book to the latter was jarringly rushed. That said, the plot twist toward the end did reignite my interest, I’m curious to see how that twist will play out in the next book.
Thank you to Random House Children and Delacorte Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 10, 2025
AUTHORS NEED TO STAY OFF GOODREADS AND LEAVE READERS ALONE. I can't go into what happened because a certain author will go to her big shot agent and publisher to get my reviews deleted again. I am 1. so disgusted by the way i have been treated by a certain a-z author who sent her fans mass reporting negative reviews and got the reviews which myself and other reviewers spent HOURS writing deleted. my views of this book remains the same. I was willing to give the scorpion and the nightblossom a try despite the author writing one of the most racist books to have ever been published, blood heir, which exploits the trauma of chattel slavery of African slaves, and a certain racist a-z authors used the mutilated Black bodies as "aesthetic" to promote bh and when people called her out, she lied and said the book has no Black characters. Song of Silver Flames is a book that justifies and promotes China ethnically cleansing its ethnic minority by upholding her Han confuscious religion over the religion and culture of ethnic minorities, which my review of that book goes into more detail. After reading The Scorpion and the Night Blossom with an open mind, i have decided I cannot in good faith support a book that is explicitly RACIST and uses SLURS. it is 2024, why are we still calling biracial characters "halflings"? The main character of TSATNB is just as racist as the main characters from blood heir and song of silver or whatever that stupid book is called. the book heavily promotes culture purity and justifies the heavy racism against the biracial characters and ethnic minority characters. i can't believe the author is promoting this as a "romantasy" because racism and calling bi-racial characters slurs like "halflings" is so "romantic"? i am so disgusted.
October 3rd: finished the book. it is terrible and gross like her other books that exploit trauma. THE BOOK doesn't treat mutilated Black bodies as "aesthetics" this time, but THE BOOK does spend another book shitting on Asian ethnic minorities and making fun of them as "savage" and "uncultured" like the song of silver flame series. full review when i have time to compile my notes because i have thoughts
September 18th:
I might give this a try if it's not as problematic as her first two series, but seems unlikely. Blood Heir is anti-black and racist and exploits the history cattle slavery. when Black reviewers of BH called out AWZ out, a certain racist (i am not naming names because the author will use it to get my review deleted again) author gaslit everyone about how it's not about cattle slavery but interviews and "aesthetics" of her exploiting Black bodies exist sis. It takes two seconds to find the interviews and screenshots of how she was "inspired by the history of Americas".
Her second series is just as worse and promotes ethnic cleansing. Please go read my review that goes into more detail. Given everything happening in 🍉 and China currently, that is a Choice.
October 3rd: finished the book. it is terrible and gross like her other books that exploit trauma. THE BOOK doesn't treat mutilated Black bodies as "aesthetics" this time, but THE BOOK does spend another book shitting on Asian ethnic minorities and making fun of them as "savage" and "uncultured" like the song of silver flame series. full review when i have time to compile my notes because i have thoughts
September 18th:
I might give this a try if it's not as problematic as her first two series, but seems unlikely. Blood Heir is anti-black and racist and exploits the history cattle slavery. when Black reviewers of BH called out AWZ out, a certain racist (i am not naming names because the author will use it to get my review deleted again) author gaslit everyone about how it's not about cattle slavery but interviews and "aesthetics" of her exploiting Black bodies exist sis. It takes two seconds to find the interviews and screenshots of how she was "inspired by the history of Americas".
Her second series is just as worse and promotes ethnic cleansing. Please go read my review that goes into more detail. Given everything happening in 🍉 and China currently, that is a Choice.
November 24, 2025
Somehow both dark and whimsical, this fast-paced, high-stakes, easy-to-binge romantasy is a must read!
What’s to love…
- badass FMC with assassin skills who will do anything to protect her family
- bad boy MMC / forbidden love
- “touch her and die” 😏
- top notch tension and chemistry
- fast-paced plot
- elegant world-building and NO info-dumps
- trials (as a verified trial hated I can confirm I actually enjoyed these trials!)
- epic start to a duology!
- lush imagery and stunning prose
- inspired by Chinese mythology and lore
What’s not to love…
- I’d have liked a little more depth and relationship development from the side characters and would have gladly read a longer book to accommodate this.
- some may find the plot twists a tad predictable but despite guessing the twists I still had an amazing time.
🫑 - This has enough steam to warrant a mild pepper, the tension was top notch and I was sweating at the hot springs/rain scene (Ch. 17). This is YA though so no explicit content - but there are two steamy scenes and 1 that eludes to intercourse (Ch. 26). Publisher states 14+ and I’d even go so far as to say I’d be ok recommending mature middle schooler.
4.5⭐️ | IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's (Delacorte) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
What’s to love…
- badass FMC with assassin skills who will do anything to protect her family
- bad boy MMC / forbidden love
- “touch her and die” 😏
- top notch tension and chemistry
- fast-paced plot
- elegant world-building and NO info-dumps
- trials (as a verified trial hated I can confirm I actually enjoyed these trials!)
- epic start to a duology!
- lush imagery and stunning prose
- inspired by Chinese mythology and lore
What’s not to love…
- I’d have liked a little more depth and relationship development from the side characters and would have gladly read a longer book to accommodate this.
- some may find the plot twists a tad predictable but despite guessing the twists I still had an amazing time.
🫑 - This has enough steam to warrant a mild pepper, the tension was top notch and I was sweating at the hot springs/rain scene (Ch. 17). This is YA though so no explicit content - but there are two steamy scenes and 1 that eludes to intercourse (Ch. 26). Publisher states 14+ and I’d even go so far as to say I’d be ok recommending mature middle schooler.
4.5⭐️ | IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's (Delacorte) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
March 1, 2025
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This book was devastating but so interesting and easy to get swept up in!
“The nights have been longer and more beautiful since their world began to bleed into ours.”
As always, Zhao’s writing was spectacular. Her world-building with demons (beautiful, terrifying demons – the best kind), a magical school (that was also a brutal competition for immortality), and unique magic was so, so captivating. There was never a boring page, and I felt really immersed in the world.
The storyline was also fascinating – a life-or-death competition may not be a unique plot, but the concept of fighting for that pill of immortality through dangerous, magical trials is always such fun to read! I honestly wanted many more trials and magic. Add in the threat of demons invading, and I was intrigued!
“I have known how our story would end since the very beginning. I have resisted, but I no longer wish to.”
It helps that Zhao’s writing style is so lyrical and beautiful. I’m tempted to highlight every second line – she almost writes fairytales, they’re so poetic and enchanting. But with this lyrical writing comes the most devastating romances – Zhao just will not let a couple live peacefully! However, this is only book 1 of 2, so I hold out hope for a happy ending…
“But meeting the right person at the wrong time, the right love in the wrong life, is a tragedy written from the start.”
My god, these characters. Our fmc was courageous and angry and vicious, and I loved witnessing her growth as she made friends, learnt about power, and fell in love. She had the burdens of every Asian eldest daughter x 100, and she was so realistic that I couldn’t help but love her. And our main mmc… he had me giggling and kicking my feet. Always watching over her, helping out, THE SEWING KIT?!?! No spoilers, but I almost screamed.
My only complaint – the dreaded love triangle. I spent 99% of this book attempting to convince myself that no, there’s no way there’s another love interest, he can be her platonic brother-friend-tutor… but I fear my gaslighting only got me so far, and there’s definitely a love triangle. Ah well, I hold out hope, and we all know who I’m picking out of the funny, dangerous guy and sweet, wholesome one…
“You have poisoned me, little scorpion, and I would gladly let you do it over and over and over again.”
All in all, such a gorgeous, captivating, devastating story. Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC copy provided!
~~~
pre-read review: dark chinese romantasy involving rivals to lovers… i’m seated!
This book was devastating but so interesting and easy to get swept up in!
“The nights have been longer and more beautiful since their world began to bleed into ours.”
As always, Zhao’s writing was spectacular. Her world-building with demons (beautiful, terrifying demons – the best kind), a magical school (that was also a brutal competition for immortality), and unique magic was so, so captivating. There was never a boring page, and I felt really immersed in the world.
The storyline was also fascinating – a life-or-death competition may not be a unique plot, but the concept of fighting for that pill of immortality through dangerous, magical trials is always such fun to read! I honestly wanted many more trials and magic. Add in the threat of demons invading, and I was intrigued!
“I have known how our story would end since the very beginning. I have resisted, but I no longer wish to.”
It helps that Zhao’s writing style is so lyrical and beautiful. I’m tempted to highlight every second line – she almost writes fairytales, they’re so poetic and enchanting. But with this lyrical writing comes the most devastating romances – Zhao just will not let a couple live peacefully! However, this is only book 1 of 2, so I hold out hope for a happy ending…
“But meeting the right person at the wrong time, the right love in the wrong life, is a tragedy written from the start.”
My god, these characters. Our fmc was courageous and angry and vicious, and I loved witnessing her growth as she made friends, learnt about power, and fell in love. She had the burdens of every Asian eldest daughter x 100, and she was so realistic that I couldn’t help but love her. And our main mmc… he had me giggling and kicking my feet. Always watching over her, helping out, THE SEWING KIT?!?! No spoilers, but I almost screamed.
My only complaint – the dreaded love triangle. I spent 99% of this book attempting to convince myself that no, there’s no way there’s another love interest, he can be her platonic brother-friend-tutor… but I fear my gaslighting only got me so far, and there’s definitely a love triangle. Ah well, I hold out hope, and we all know who I’m picking out of the funny, dangerous guy and sweet, wholesome one…
“You have poisoned me, little scorpion, and I would gladly let you do it over and over and over again.”
All in all, such a gorgeous, captivating, devastating story. Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC copy provided!
~~~
pre-read review: dark chinese romantasy involving rivals to lovers… i’m seated!
March 21, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the arc!
🌟✨/5
Falling prey to my urge to read a mythology inspired book, I prepared myself to read about a stabby heroine with an annoying attitude for the 986424577th time. This book was, to put it very lightly, a mess. It seems like authors these days build books around the same old tropes instead of inserting tropes only when necessary.
The plot of 'The Scorpion and the Night Blossom' was often too similiar to 'The Serpent and the Wings of Night'. Coming from me, that's not a compliment because I hated that book. The trials were terrible in their execution and the pacing was completely off kilter. It took almost 40% of the book to reach the place where the trials were taking place. The trials themselves could not make me feel the gravity of the situation. Watching Àn'yīng-who's supposedly trained so hard and become self reliant, oh-so-strong and not at all a damsel in distess-being saved by someone else whenever she walked into danger was extremely frustrating. This girl did not do a single thing by herself.
I usually lower my expectations when it comes to romantasy. As expected, watching paint dry was more interesting than the 'romance'. The reason why I hate most of the popular romantasy novels is that the authors are always in a rush to introduce the 'romantic'/spicy scenes. Forcing instalust among the MCs and creating a rift between them at the end of the book is a formula that has been used by almost every single romantasy author ever. This also leads to a sequel that is even worse than its predecessor. Yú'chèn is your typical love interest devoid of an actual personality. Also, the MMCs calling FMCs 'little (insert animal name)' is not romantic at all. The make things worse, there may or may not be a love triangle involved.
This book is 400 pages long an yet so much of the time was wasted on unnecessary dialogue that I couldn't tell you anything about the world for the life of me. A friend group was introduced for the sake of stereotypes which was later forgotten about. Having read The Serpent and the Wings of Night, I guessed the plot twist way too early. Guessing a plot twist is definitely not a bad thing, but having it play out exactly as you imagined it rains on the parade.
Overall, I was sorely disappointed by this book. I was looking forward to it, having previously enjoyed AWZ's 'Song of Silver, Flame Like Night'. I'd recommend this for readers looking for quick reads that do not require them to use their brains and where the pages fly past easily. I will not be reading the sequel.
🌟✨/5
Falling prey to my urge to read a mythology inspired book, I prepared myself to read about a stabby heroine with an annoying attitude for the 986424577th time. This book was, to put it very lightly, a mess. It seems like authors these days build books around the same old tropes instead of inserting tropes only when necessary.
The plot of 'The Scorpion and the Night Blossom' was often too similiar to 'The Serpent and the Wings of Night'. Coming from me, that's not a compliment because I hated that book. The trials were terrible in their execution and the pacing was completely off kilter. It took almost 40% of the book to reach the place where the trials were taking place. The trials themselves could not make me feel the gravity of the situation. Watching Àn'yīng-who's supposedly trained so hard and become self reliant, oh-so-strong and not at all a damsel in distess-being saved by someone else whenever she walked into danger was extremely frustrating. This girl did not do a single thing by herself.
I usually lower my expectations when it comes to romantasy. As expected, watching paint dry was more interesting than the 'romance'. The reason why I hate most of the popular romantasy novels is that the authors are always in a rush to introduce the 'romantic'/spicy scenes. Forcing instalust among the MCs and creating a rift between them at the end of the book is a formula that has been used by almost every single romantasy author ever. This also leads to a sequel that is even worse than its predecessor. Yú'chèn is your typical love interest devoid of an actual personality. Also, the MMCs calling FMCs 'little (insert animal name)' is not romantic at all. The make things worse, there may or may not be a love triangle involved.
This book is 400 pages long an yet so much of the time was wasted on unnecessary dialogue that I couldn't tell you anything about the world for the life of me. A friend group was introduced for the sake of stereotypes which was later forgotten about. Having read The Serpent and the Wings of Night, I guessed the plot twist way too early. Guessing a plot twist is definitely not a bad thing, but having it play out exactly as you imagined it rains on the parade.
Overall, I was sorely disappointed by this book. I was looking forward to it, having previously enjoyed AWZ's 'Song of Silver, Flame Like Night'. I'd recommend this for readers looking for quick reads that do not require them to use their brains and where the pages fly past easily. I will not be reading the sequel.
January 9, 2025
wtf was this book. does this author seriously expect me to read a book that is explicitedly racist and calls biracial characters "halflings"? Blood Heir was explicitedly profiting off Black slavery and Song of Silver explicitedly supports ethnic cleansing and genocide of uyghurs. i'm sensing a pattern smh. no wonder all of the five stars are either fake or from white reviewers who lap this shit up
March 9, 2025
Third time's the charm?
Nope.
It took me three novels to learn that Amélie Wen Zhao's writing is definitely not for me. I thought Blood Heir was very formulaic and written to market. Nothing original. Passable for a YA fantasy if you're not well-versed in YA fantasies. I DNF Silver Flame something or other.
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is more of the same. The characters are built with popular tropes and current romantasy trends, so they end up being very dull. The worldbuilding... exists. Other than the Chinese influences, it's your typical YA fantasy with trials and tribulations, interchangeable side characters, falling in love with the enemy (ish), corny flirting and even cornier declarations of love, and third act reveals that aren't really all that interesting or shocking.
This is style over substance, and the style isn't even as pretty as Sue Lynn Tan's Immortal. At least with Immortal, the worldbuilding is gorgeous. This one feels like it depended on the reader's knowledge of East Asian fantasy novels/movies/TV shows.
And every time I picked up this arc, it was guaranteed to put me to sleep. I only struggled through it because my buddy reader, Mai, felt similarly about this book.
Oh, well. On to the next one.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this arc.
Nope.
It took me three novels to learn that Amélie Wen Zhao's writing is definitely not for me. I thought Blood Heir was very formulaic and written to market. Nothing original. Passable for a YA fantasy if you're not well-versed in YA fantasies. I DNF Silver Flame something or other.
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is more of the same. The characters are built with popular tropes and current romantasy trends, so they end up being very dull. The worldbuilding... exists. Other than the Chinese influences, it's your typical YA fantasy with trials and tribulations, interchangeable side characters, falling in love with the enemy (ish), corny flirting and even cornier declarations of love, and third act reveals that aren't really all that interesting or shocking.
This is style over substance, and the style isn't even as pretty as Sue Lynn Tan's Immortal. At least with Immortal, the worldbuilding is gorgeous. This one feels like it depended on the reader's knowledge of East Asian fantasy novels/movies/TV shows.
And every time I picked up this arc, it was guaranteed to put me to sleep. I only struggled through it because my buddy reader, Mai, felt similarly about this book.
Oh, well. On to the next one.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this arc.
August 27, 2025
2.25 ⭐
DISCLAIMER: The intriguing blurb piqued my interest enough to request a copy, leading me to delve into the pages of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom. I’m very grateful to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me the opportunity to review this ARC.
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is the first instalment in a new romantasy duology. As someone who doesn’t typically read romantasy, I was curious to give it a try. The premise sounded promising—immortal trials, an impending war, powerful main characters, a Chinese mythology-inspired world, high stakes—what’s not to like?
Well, as it turns out, quite a lot.
This book ended up being a huge disappointment and, frankly, rather messy.
For starters, the world-building was severely underdeveloped. The author provided little detail on how the magic system worked, how the kingdoms were structured, or what the hierarchy of said kingdoms entailed. Without a strong foundation, the setting felt vague, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story—I had to take things at face value rather than truly understand the world.
Then there’s the main character, Àn’yīng. At first, she seems strong, both emotionally and physically, and has solid fighting skills. But as soon as she leaves home and embarks on her journey (especially after meeting the first love interest), she quickly loses confidence, constantly comparing her skills to others who have had more training in the art of practitioning. We’re told she’s self-taught in magic and very strong, but that never really comes across. Instead, she seems unprepared, constantly struggling, and largely dependent on others to help her succeed. She only survives because everyone around her keeps stepping in to save her. Beyond that, she’s not particularly likeable—I honestly found her quite annoying.
Her dynamic with one of the love interests, Yù’chén, was another weak point. She’s outright awful to him, switching between flirting and hostility so rapidly it's hard to keep up. I just couldn’t understand why he cared for her or kept helping her when she constantly treated him with disdain, hate, and judgment. It didn't make sense to me, and I couldn't see why he liked her or why we were supposed to root for them as a couple. On top of that, the excessive use of a cringeworthy pet name made it feel forced, as if the book was desperate to justify its own title. For a book marketed as adult, it read very much like YA.
In fact, this was an issue with all of the relationships in the book—they felt surface-level. Even the friendship group Àn’yīng forms ended up feeling shallow and underdeveloped, yet we’re supposed to believe they forged a deep connection. Because of this, when certain tragic moments occurred, they simply lacked emotional impact. I hadn’t connected with any of the characters (besides Yù’chén), so I simply didn’t care.
The pacing was also uneven. The book started off slow, then picked up with a flurry of action, but it never quite found the right rhythm. For a story centred around trials, there were surprisingly very few of them. The ones that did exist either dragged on so long they lost their tension or were rushed through just to hit the next plot point. I also never really felt like Àn’yīng earned her victories—she either had them handed to her or relied on others for help, often without much gratitude, as I have already mentioned.
Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. And while I’m mildly curious about how the story continues, I’m not sure if I’ll be picking up the sequel.
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is out on the 27th of February in the UK, and on the 4th of March in the US.
DISCLAIMER: The intriguing blurb piqued my interest enough to request a copy, leading me to delve into the pages of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom. I’m very grateful to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me the opportunity to review this ARC.
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is the first instalment in a new romantasy duology. As someone who doesn’t typically read romantasy, I was curious to give it a try. The premise sounded promising—immortal trials, an impending war, powerful main characters, a Chinese mythology-inspired world, high stakes—what’s not to like?
Well, as it turns out, quite a lot.
This book ended up being a huge disappointment and, frankly, rather messy.
For starters, the world-building was severely underdeveloped. The author provided little detail on how the magic system worked, how the kingdoms were structured, or what the hierarchy of said kingdoms entailed. Without a strong foundation, the setting felt vague, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story—I had to take things at face value rather than truly understand the world.
Then there’s the main character, Àn’yīng. At first, she seems strong, both emotionally and physically, and has solid fighting skills. But as soon as she leaves home and embarks on her journey (especially after meeting the first love interest), she quickly loses confidence, constantly comparing her skills to others who have had more training in the art of practitioning. We’re told she’s self-taught in magic and very strong, but that never really comes across. Instead, she seems unprepared, constantly struggling, and largely dependent on others to help her succeed. She only survives because everyone around her keeps stepping in to save her. Beyond that, she’s not particularly likeable—I honestly found her quite annoying.
Her dynamic with one of the love interests, Yù’chén, was another weak point. She’s outright awful to him, switching between flirting and hostility so rapidly it's hard to keep up. I just couldn’t understand why he cared for her or kept helping her when she constantly treated him with disdain, hate, and judgment. It didn't make sense to me, and I couldn't see why he liked her or why we were supposed to root for them as a couple. On top of that, the excessive use of a cringeworthy pet name made it feel forced, as if the book was desperate to justify its own title. For a book marketed as adult, it read very much like YA.
In fact, this was an issue with all of the relationships in the book—they felt surface-level. Even the friendship group Àn’yīng forms ended up feeling shallow and underdeveloped, yet we’re supposed to believe they forged a deep connection. Because of this, when certain tragic moments occurred, they simply lacked emotional impact. I hadn’t connected with any of the characters (besides Yù’chén), so I simply didn’t care.
The pacing was also uneven. The book started off slow, then picked up with a flurry of action, but it never quite found the right rhythm. For a story centred around trials, there were surprisingly very few of them. The ones that did exist either dragged on so long they lost their tension or were rushed through just to hit the next plot point. I also never really felt like Àn’yīng earned her victories—she either had them handed to her or relied on others for help, often without much gratitude, as I have already mentioned.
Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. And while I’m mildly curious about how the story continues, I’m not sure if I’ll be picking up the sequel.
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is out on the 27th of February in the UK, and on the 4th of March in the US.
October 25, 2024
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom was not my cup of tea.
I didn’t like the main character, which really just ruins a book for me. I think her character could have been explored in a much better way. She was presented as this girl who defended her family and had been training for years, yet she was way weaker than anyone else at the competition. She needed a lot of help from others, which isn’t bad, but people still told her that she was ‘so strong.’ I think that if we’d gotten to see her strength in other ways, I would have felt more like she was a real person. And, if she thanked anyone for all the ways they were helping her.
The writing was fine, and the plot was nothing new, but not bad. I didn’t think the worldbuilding or magic was explained well, which did annoy me. And, the pacing felt kinda weird, I think we should have gotten more challenges, and the first one shouldn’t have taken up 40% of the book. And, it wasn’t even the most exciting one. Plus, that would have been more time for Àn’yīng to build connections, instead of having only three short scenes with her friend group.
This book definitely disappointed me, and I don’t think I’ll read the next one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t like the main character, which really just ruins a book for me. I think her character could have been explored in a much better way. She was presented as this girl who defended her family and had been training for years, yet she was way weaker than anyone else at the competition. She needed a lot of help from others, which isn’t bad, but people still told her that she was ‘so strong.’ I think that if we’d gotten to see her strength in other ways, I would have felt more like she was a real person. And, if she thanked anyone for all the ways they were helping her.
The writing was fine, and the plot was nothing new, but not bad. I didn’t think the worldbuilding or magic was explained well, which did annoy me. And, the pacing felt kinda weird, I think we should have gotten more challenges, and the first one shouldn’t have taken up 40% of the book. And, it wasn’t even the most exciting one. Plus, that would have been more time for Àn’yīng to build connections, instead of having only three short scenes with her friend group.
This book definitely disappointed me, and I don’t think I’ll read the next one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2025
This was one of the most confusing, erratic and messiest books I’ve ever read.
The plot intrigued me at first: immortal trials, mysterious hot man, impending war - what more could you want. But I ended up spending most of the book lost and confused.
The world-building was lacking. I barely understood how magic worked, the kingdoms, hierarchy etc.
I found the main character to be super annoying. We’re told that she’s this strong, self-taught magician (I guess because again don’t understand the magic system) and she wants to win the trials. But she’s actually pretty weak, has no clue what she’s doing and gets by because everyone just seems to help her. Her attitude towards the main love interest is super erratic - one minute she’s attracted to him and they’re flirting and the within the next line she’s about to stab him. She’s also really horrible to him throughout that I don’t understand 1) what he sees in her and 2) that she supposedly likes him??
The actual trials themselves were barely even part of the story that I don’t remember what they were.
Also all the other characters were barely developed and we barely spent any time with them but we’re meant to believe that the main character somehow forged strong friendships.
Overall, there was just too much going on and barely any of it was adequately developed that I lost interest pretty early on.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The plot intrigued me at first: immortal trials, mysterious hot man, impending war - what more could you want. But I ended up spending most of the book lost and confused.
The world-building was lacking. I barely understood how magic worked, the kingdoms, hierarchy etc.
I found the main character to be super annoying. We’re told that she’s this strong, self-taught magician (I guess because again don’t understand the magic system) and she wants to win the trials. But she’s actually pretty weak, has no clue what she’s doing and gets by because everyone just seems to help her. Her attitude towards the main love interest is super erratic - one minute she’s attracted to him and they’re flirting and the within the next line she’s about to stab him. She’s also really horrible to him throughout that I don’t understand 1) what he sees in her and 2) that she supposedly likes him??
The actual trials themselves were barely even part of the story that I don’t remember what they were.
Also all the other characters were barely developed and we barely spent any time with them but we’re meant to believe that the main character somehow forged strong friendships.
Overall, there was just too much going on and barely any of it was adequately developed that I lost interest pretty early on.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2025
DNF @78%. I had a lot of high hopes for this one, but it left me more frustrated than it did engage me. The main character is pretty insufferable and annoying and read more as a teenager than an adult. The problem with YA authors moving to adult is their writing style. You must have some sort of improvement that is not the simplistic style suited and prevalent in YA. I found that the writing style here was a clear case of this, and would find a better target audience if it was marketed as YA. All in all, pretty disappointed in this one.
Read
March 21, 2024is this adult? ya? i don’t care I WILL BE READING
July 8, 2025
⋆.˚✮ 4 stars ✮˚.⋆
⤿ Thank you to Delacorte Press, Penguin Random House, and Get Underlined for a finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
As I'm writing this review after I have watched K-Pop Demon Hunters, I can confidently say if you liked that movie you will probably like this book (and vice versa). This book was so fun and entertaining and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel, so I can see more twists and turns, beautiful worldbuilding, and tension. Not to mention, this book is downright gorgeous, especially with the sprayed end pages in person, and the story inside definitely fits right in.
The pacing in this book is fast, there's a lot going on at all times and I think this was helped along by the trials. I personally really enjoy game-like trails in my books, because it usually keeps the pace moving, and that was the case here. It was nice though that there were still moments where characters were given space to connect and be expanded upon, so it wasn't too fast to feel like nobody was growing. With the plot, while it was really entertaining, I did guess most of the plot twists, which isn't a problem but I wish I had been a bit more surprised at some of the events that were occurring during the trials.
An'ying herself was a really fun main character, she was witty and always was ready to continue her path forward. She rarely got really sidetracked, even if he established relationships with some of the people in the trials. It was really rewarding to see a FMC who was so determined and didn't want to get caught up in drama or let herself be sidetracked, especially by the love interests. I usually hate love triangles, because it becomes very obvious very quickly who the main character will end up with, but the inklings of the romance in this novel...didn't bug me. I actually enjoy both Yu Chen and Ho'yang as characters, even if the romance is obviously complicated, I am really excited to see both of them again and am intrigued to see who becomes the better choice.
Sitting here now, I can't wait to see where else this story goes!
↬ trigger warnings: death of loved ones, violence and blood/gore, themes of war, injury, murder
⤿ Thank you to Delacorte Press, Penguin Random House, and Get Underlined for a finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
As I'm writing this review after I have watched K-Pop Demon Hunters, I can confidently say if you liked that movie you will probably like this book (and vice versa). This book was so fun and entertaining and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel, so I can see more twists and turns, beautiful worldbuilding, and tension. Not to mention, this book is downright gorgeous, especially with the sprayed end pages in person, and the story inside definitely fits right in.
The pacing in this book is fast, there's a lot going on at all times and I think this was helped along by the trials. I personally really enjoy game-like trails in my books, because it usually keeps the pace moving, and that was the case here. It was nice though that there were still moments where characters were given space to connect and be expanded upon, so it wasn't too fast to feel like nobody was growing. With the plot, while it was really entertaining, I did guess most of the plot twists, which isn't a problem but I wish I had been a bit more surprised at some of the events that were occurring during the trials.
An'ying herself was a really fun main character, she was witty and always was ready to continue her path forward. She rarely got really sidetracked, even if he established relationships with some of the people in the trials. It was really rewarding to see a FMC who was so determined and didn't want to get caught up in drama or let herself be sidetracked, especially by the love interests. I usually hate love triangles, because it becomes very obvious very quickly who the main character will end up with, but the inklings of the romance in this novel...didn't bug me. I actually enjoy both Yu Chen and Ho'yang as characters, even if the romance is obviously complicated, I am really excited to see both of them again and am intrigued to see who becomes the better choice.
Sitting here now, I can't wait to see where else this story goes!
↬ trigger warnings: death of loved ones, violence and blood/gore, themes of war, injury, murder
dnf
January 15, 2025DNF @ 20%
maybe if i hadnt just read an awful book where i shouldve DNF-ed but instead pushed through until the end (and suffered), i would've read more of this to give it another chance but i truly cant do it😭 i'm not invested enough at this point, but also i feel like the characters already falling in love with each other was the biggest thing that made me ???? like you JUST met hello???🤨 but again, maybe im being too harsh after reading a pretty bland romance where it was insta-lust... either way i don't know if i'll come back to this (perhaps if there's a quote/scene i see online that hooks me?).
i will say the writing was gorgeous and i found the lore very interesting, unfortunately it just wasn't enough for me to want to continue. this is a definitely a case of a book being not for me during my current mood.
(also im sad because a certain book box had the most gorgeous artists lined up for this book😭 why does this always happen to me so often)
Thank you HarperVoyager for gifting me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
maybe if i hadnt just read an awful book where i shouldve DNF-ed but instead pushed through until the end (and suffered), i would've read more of this to give it another chance but i truly cant do it😭 i'm not invested enough at this point, but also i feel like the characters already falling in love with each other was the biggest thing that made me ???? like you JUST met hello???🤨 but again, maybe im being too harsh after reading a pretty bland romance where it was insta-lust... either way i don't know if i'll come back to this (perhaps if there's a quote/scene i see online that hooks me?).
i will say the writing was gorgeous and i found the lore very interesting, unfortunately it just wasn't enough for me to want to continue. this is a definitely a case of a book being not for me during my current mood.
(also im sad because a certain book box had the most gorgeous artists lined up for this book😭 why does this always happen to me so often)
Thank you HarperVoyager for gifting me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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March 8, 2025
.4.5 stars.
.my thoughts.
author why do you do this to me.
I'm shocked, speechless, and I just don't know what to say about this book so the review might fall short too.
This has been one of my anticipated reads, and I wouldn't lie when I say it did hit the right mark for me, and I actually loved and enjoyed this more than I thought I would, since I was scared by my mutuals ratings and talk [they weren't wrong about one thing though]
From the starting I get very hesitant as we are plunged into the world of Anying, our female protagonist who wants to get a pill of immortality for her mother who's currently sick and unwell, meaning to leave the her only sister and town behind. But in these deadly trials, she needs help, and there's no one that will help her than the handsome Yù'chèn, whose even more complicated.
Amelie's writing style always grew on me along with the plot that I was really much immersed, this book made me smile and giggle, made me go in shock and pain, and that's like so much with this one book. I loved the system, the mythology, the way her writing is, I would say I'm glad I picked this book up. The pacing of this book is quite strong, and fast, maybe I was more invested because I don't know how I entered from page 55 to 275 I don't know like... I'm speechless yes.
Anying is a very strong fierce warrior who she trains herself to be, to protect her family after her father, she learns from her father books, and she thinks that even trials there might be more tricks that she can learn up her sleeves along with the blades she carries. I actually liked her, but at times, I just didn't know what to say to her thoughts, the way she thought of Yù'chèn, and it's just the way she pushed him made me hurt, because the way she said words to him are like she carved his heart out.
Anying and Meizi dynamic reminded me so much of my own sister duo I don't know why, but I loved every second we see of them together to the very end, where this book captured me and binded me to it. [Because who doesn't loves a sister dynamic?].
Yuchen is a very mysterious guy, whom I actually loved since the first page, he makes you question things many at times, and it's quite interesting to figure him out. I loved his character, the way he's portrayed, and the way he did things for Anying. I just knew I want him for the endgame I do not care. The way author tells us at what line he fell for her?!?! I'm crying.
We are seen many Anying and Yù'chèn seducing movements that ties the string around them tight. But after the ending I'm so much confused, I need so many answers, and I don't know where I will get it.
Talking about the ending.. I was so irritated by Anying's decision, even though she is right from her perspective, but I just don't know if I can handle it. I half predicted the real thing, but then I forgot later on I even predicted it so I was very much surprised and in shock with that ending. This book actually left me wanting more crumbs but sadly we don't get it until next year.
We are also seen a three dynamic, which I hate to say a love triangle possible of happening, I do not get it though... why why why, I pray author does not do it or else my heart will break, because love triangles are not my thing... petition to get my babies a happy ending [YuChen and Anying].
Hao Yang, is a nice guy, yes he is, but I do not like him for Anying I DON'T. He's just way different, and the way I see him is like dresses in white [possibly how hes described] like an angel. I'm suspicious of how he actually grew into the second half more?!?
.7.3.25.
rtc tomorrow after my lectures because I'm shocked.
.preread.
I was so hesitant to pick it up right now since I have my extra classes and I have seen my mutuals talking about a love triangle so I'm scared. But since tomorrow is Saturday and I would be going only tomorrow [only Sunday is my holiday so I can read freely] this is my only chance to pick it up!
"But meeting the right person at the wrong time, the right love in the wrong life, is a tragedy written from the start."
.my thoughts.
author why do you do this to me.
I'm shocked, speechless, and I just don't know what to say about this book so the review might fall short too.
This has been one of my anticipated reads, and I wouldn't lie when I say it did hit the right mark for me, and I actually loved and enjoyed this more than I thought I would, since I was scared by my mutuals ratings and talk [they weren't wrong about one thing though]
From the starting I get very hesitant as we are plunged into the world of Anying, our female protagonist who wants to get a pill of immortality for her mother who's currently sick and unwell, meaning to leave the her only sister and town behind. But in these deadly trials, she needs help, and there's no one that will help her than the handsome Yù'chèn, whose even more complicated.
Amelie's writing style always grew on me along with the plot that I was really much immersed, this book made me smile and giggle, made me go in shock and pain, and that's like so much with this one book. I loved the system, the mythology, the way her writing is, I would say I'm glad I picked this book up. The pacing of this book is quite strong, and fast, maybe I was more invested because I don't know how I entered from page 55 to 275 I don't know like... I'm speechless yes.
Anying is a very strong fierce warrior who she trains herself to be, to protect her family after her father, she learns from her father books, and she thinks that even trials there might be more tricks that she can learn up her sleeves along with the blades she carries. I actually liked her, but at times, I just didn't know what to say to her thoughts, the way she thought of Yù'chèn, and it's just the way she pushed him made me hurt, because the way she said words to him are like she carved his heart out.
Anying and Meizi dynamic reminded me so much of my own sister duo I don't know why, but I loved every second we see of them together to the very end, where this book captured me and binded me to it. [Because who doesn't loves a sister dynamic?].
Yuchen is a very mysterious guy, whom I actually loved since the first page, he makes you question things many at times, and it's quite interesting to figure him out. I loved his character, the way he's portrayed, and the way he did things for Anying. I just knew I want him for the endgame I do not care. The way author tells us at what line he fell for her?!?! I'm crying.
We are seen many Anying and Yù'chèn seducing movements that ties the string around them tight. But after the ending I'm so much confused, I need so many answers, and I don't know where I will get it.
Talking about the ending.. I was so irritated by Anying's decision, even though she is right from her perspective, but I just don't know if I can handle it. I half predicted the real thing, but then I forgot later on I even predicted it so I was very much surprised and in shock with that ending. This book actually left me wanting more crumbs but sadly we don't get it until next year.
We are also seen a three dynamic, which I hate to say a love triangle possible of happening, I do not get it though... why why why, I pray author does not do it or else my heart will break, because love triangles are not my thing... petition to get my babies a happy ending [YuChen and Anying].
Hao Yang, is a nice guy, yes he is, but I do not like him for Anying I DON'T. He's just way different, and the way I see him is like dresses in white [possibly how hes described] like an angel. I'm suspicious of how he actually grew into the second half more?!?
.7.3.25.
rtc tomorrow after my lectures because I'm shocked.
.preread.
I was so hesitant to pick it up right now since I have my extra classes and I have seen my mutuals talking about a love triangle so I'm scared. But since tomorrow is Saturday and I would be going only tomorrow [only Sunday is my holiday so I can read freely] this is my only chance to pick it up!
July 25, 2025
Finally! A "romantasy" done right.
While The Scorpion and the Night Blossom has many popular elements, such as the badass FMC, enemies-to-lovers romance, deadly trials, and general plot similarities to popular books like Throne of Glass, the world-building is wholly unique and the writing is of a high caliber. Before even getting into the main plot of this book, I had already fallen in love with the author's writing. The characters are well-rounded, the prose is romantic, and the world is transportive. Then, I got into the main storyline and fell in love with the book even more. This is one of the rare "romantasy" books where the fantasy and romance plots are perfectly balanced at a 1:1 ratio. Both plotlines drew me and, and the pacing was perfect. And although I loved the plot of this book, I appreciate that the book doesn't rely on it's tropes to win over readers, the writing is strong enough to wow you on its own.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and after those final chapters, cannot wait for the sequel. In my opinion, there have been a lot of duds published in the "romantasy" subgenre lately, so this was a breath of fresh air!
While The Scorpion and the Night Blossom has many popular elements, such as the badass FMC, enemies-to-lovers romance, deadly trials, and general plot similarities to popular books like Throne of Glass, the world-building is wholly unique and the writing is of a high caliber. Before even getting into the main plot of this book, I had already fallen in love with the author's writing. The characters are well-rounded, the prose is romantic, and the world is transportive. Then, I got into the main storyline and fell in love with the book even more. This is one of the rare "romantasy" books where the fantasy and romance plots are perfectly balanced at a 1:1 ratio. Both plotlines drew me and, and the pacing was perfect. And although I loved the plot of this book, I appreciate that the book doesn't rely on it's tropes to win over readers, the writing is strong enough to wow you on its own.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and after those final chapters, cannot wait for the sequel. In my opinion, there have been a lot of duds published in the "romantasy" subgenre lately, so this was a breath of fresh air!
December 26, 2025
it's giving hunger games x jentry chau x woven kingdom
February 23, 2025
this is my first time reading a book with Chinese folklore and mythology and it certainly won’t be my last!!😍 I really liked the story, the characters and the writing! so flowery and beautiful without being hard to read/comprehend🪷
the worldbuilding and magic system is also really cool and interesting - we have demons, immortals, dragons, shapeshifters and more😍
I love YA romance because the tension is always soo good! our fmc Àn’yīng didn’t know if she wanted to kiss or kill Yù’chén hihi, but she did know he's real handsome🤭 he was excatly what I want in a mmc love interest! he is charming, funny, secretive and mysterious (with a hint of sad-boi energy) - do we trust him or not? (I do 🤭)
it took me a little longer to read than usual because while it’s really interesting, it felt a bit slow🙈 but still, everytime I picked the book up I didn’t wanna put it back down ✨
I did guess some things that happened in the end, but I’m really looking forward to the next book!
thank you PRH International for the ARC!✨
the worldbuilding and magic system is also really cool and interesting - we have demons, immortals, dragons, shapeshifters and more😍
I love YA romance because the tension is always soo good! our fmc Àn’yīng didn’t know if she wanted to kiss or kill Yù’chén hihi, but she did know he's real handsome🤭 he was excatly what I want in a mmc love interest! he is charming, funny, secretive and mysterious (with a hint of sad-boi energy) - do we trust him or not? (I do 🤭)
it took me a little longer to read than usual because while it’s really interesting, it felt a bit slow🙈 but still, everytime I picked the book up I didn’t wanna put it back down ✨
I did guess some things that happened in the end, but I’m really looking forward to the next book!
thank you PRH International for the ARC!✨
April 8, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
3.5 stars
this was a mash-up of demon slayer and the serpents and the wings of night; demons take the life blood of humans, and our fmc swears she will destroy them and win the immortal life to restore her mother’s health through a tournament.
while not totally original, i still enjoyed the first book of this duology, and will read the second!
the fairyloot edition is absolutely gorgeous!
3.5 stars
this was a mash-up of demon slayer and the serpents and the wings of night; demons take the life blood of humans, and our fmc swears she will destroy them and win the immortal life to restore her mother’s health through a tournament.
while not totally original, i still enjoyed the first book of this duology, and will read the second!
the fairyloot edition is absolutely gorgeous!
March 5, 2025
2024 reads: 327/250
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
buddy read with ellie!
nine years ago, àn’yīng’s family was torn apart due to the war between the kingdom of night and the kingdom of rivers. now, she’s decided to enter the immortality trials with the hopes of healing her dying mother. death is common in the trials, but a rival contestant, yùchén, is helping her survive for reasons unknown to her. as the trials go on, àn’yīng realizes that all is not as it seems, and she has to decide if yùchén will help her or destroy her.
i was so excited when i heard amélie wen zhao would be releasing a new book! this was such a great start to a new series. i love books with trials, so i was eager for this aspect of the book. i loved how this played out, and i also loved how the romance was woven in through this element. this book had me hooked the whole time, and i can’t wait for the next one!
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
buddy read with ellie!
nine years ago, àn’yīng’s family was torn apart due to the war between the kingdom of night and the kingdom of rivers. now, she’s decided to enter the immortality trials with the hopes of healing her dying mother. death is common in the trials, but a rival contestant, yùchén, is helping her survive for reasons unknown to her. as the trials go on, àn’yīng realizes that all is not as it seems, and she has to decide if yùchén will help her or destroy her.
i was so excited when i heard amélie wen zhao would be releasing a new book! this was such a great start to a new series. i love books with trials, so i was eager for this aspect of the book. i loved how this played out, and i also loved how the romance was woven in through this element. this book had me hooked the whole time, and i can’t wait for the next one!
January 2, 2025
This book wasn't for me.
There is hardly any dialogue so the chapters drag and seem really long.
Àn’yīng seems powerful and driven at the start, yet becomes annoying when she enters the trials. Yù’chén gives up a pretty huge secret about himself rather quickly to a girl he barely knows. There just wasn't a lot of depth to the characters and what they were going through to really get me invested in them.
The trials themselves weren't gripping me and the overall story was just ok. I enjoyed the world building but I won't be continuing this series.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
There is hardly any dialogue so the chapters drag and seem really long.
Àn’yīng seems powerful and driven at the start, yet becomes annoying when she enters the trials. Yù’chén gives up a pretty huge secret about himself rather quickly to a girl he barely knows. There just wasn't a lot of depth to the characters and what they were going through to really get me invested in them.
The trials themselves weren't gripping me and the overall story was just ok. I enjoyed the world building but I won't be continuing this series.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 7, 2024
The book begins "this is for the cdrama girlies".
And I say, "I have never felt so seen and acknowledged."
THANK YOU, LADY!
_____________________________________________________________
I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read before publication.
The book opens with the words: "this is for the cdrama girlies". Yesssss. Makes me super excited. I'm fairly new to cdramas (2023), but I started at a great time - so many good leads and stories. So sat I did and read I did. Everyone. I MARATHONED this book it four hours.
Amelie gave us a vampire story without so much calling vampires by name.. Gave them a different name, "mo". The mo were creatures that were in a war with the immortals. The immortals in this case lost a war so to speak, and our female starts out with a scene where she is collecting lotus blossoms for her ailing mother and encounters a mo sucking the life out of a girl. Our girl has eight blades on her and she puts the Mo at a disadvantage, for he thinks judging how she is dressed she is some village waif. No, she is one tough gal.
I really enjoyed her character. She reminded me of cdrama ladies I've seen recently - Esther Yu (My Journey to You), Zhou Ye (Back from the Brink), Bai Lu (Legends / Till the End of the Moon), Wu Jin Yan (The Double). She is fiercely determined to rescue her near comatose mother from a Mo attack she was a part of nine years ago. The one that killed her father. She has vowed to hunt down the female Mo who went after her. The reminders of her father are half of a jade pendant (that sends messages to her from a guardian), the blades, and to seek out the Immortal sect beyond the sea. Our story focuses on her vying for Immortal cultivation so she can be gifted a Immortal pill that will save her mother and bring her back to who she was.
On her way, she encounters our male. Our fierce, sexy, tough, 'touch her, I dare you' male. He is dressed in black and red with long black hair. Originally she thinks he is a Mo and tries to kill him thinking he killed a convoy, and bites his neck in retaliation. Yet! He bleeds... he isn't a Mo... but he has powers that are a lot like a Mo. Which makes her unwary, but she needs an ally and a way to protect herself from getting killed by other hopefuls who are competing for a shot at immortality.
There is a murder mystery, romance, and a lot of interesting "what is a monster, or what defines a monster". Our main character has a heart, and though she has never really come across demons (or any non human persons), she learns slowly that maybe her trust can be given.
I swear, this book floored me in the last fourth because secrets and heartache are abound, and the book ends on a cliffhanger. But it makes me so very excited to get book two. I think I love this more than her first CDrama-esque story.
I loved every bit of this book, and I really do hope that people pick it up next year. I think our male and female lead will be the most interesting pairing of 2025.
And I say, "I have never felt so seen and acknowledged."
THANK YOU, LADY!
_____________________________________________________________
I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read before publication.
The book opens with the words: "this is for the cdrama girlies". Yesssss. Makes me super excited. I'm fairly new to cdramas (2023), but I started at a great time - so many good leads and stories. So sat I did and read I did. Everyone. I MARATHONED this book it four hours.
Amelie gave us a vampire story without so much calling vampires by name.. Gave them a different name, "mo". The mo were creatures that were in a war with the immortals. The immortals in this case lost a war so to speak, and our female starts out with a scene where she is collecting lotus blossoms for her ailing mother and encounters a mo sucking the life out of a girl. Our girl has eight blades on her and she puts the Mo at a disadvantage, for he thinks judging how she is dressed she is some village waif. No, she is one tough gal.
I really enjoyed her character. She reminded me of cdrama ladies I've seen recently - Esther Yu (My Journey to You), Zhou Ye (Back from the Brink), Bai Lu (Legends / Till the End of the Moon), Wu Jin Yan (The Double). She is fiercely determined to rescue her near comatose mother from a Mo attack she was a part of nine years ago. The one that killed her father. She has vowed to hunt down the female Mo who went after her. The reminders of her father are half of a jade pendant (that sends messages to her from a guardian), the blades, and to seek out the Immortal sect beyond the sea. Our story focuses on her vying for Immortal cultivation so she can be gifted a Immortal pill that will save her mother and bring her back to who she was.
On her way, she encounters our male. Our fierce, sexy, tough, 'touch her, I dare you' male. He is dressed in black and red with long black hair. Originally she thinks he is a Mo and tries to kill him thinking he killed a convoy, and bites his neck in retaliation. Yet! He bleeds... he isn't a Mo... but he has powers that are a lot like a Mo. Which makes her unwary, but she needs an ally and a way to protect herself from getting killed by other hopefuls who are competing for a shot at immortality.
There is a murder mystery, romance, and a lot of interesting "what is a monster, or what defines a monster". Our main character has a heart, and though she has never really come across demons (or any non human persons), she learns slowly that maybe her trust can be given.
I swear, this book floored me in the last fourth because secrets and heartache are abound, and the book ends on a cliffhanger. But it makes me so very excited to get book two. I think I love this more than her first CDrama-esque story.
I loved every bit of this book, and I really do hope that people pick it up next year. I think our male and female lead will be the most interesting pairing of 2025.
October 21, 2025
I love the wonderful worlds that this author brings to life in books filled with legends, monsters, magic, and such well-rounded characters! My heart broke once or twice as I followed the heroine's journey, and I can't wait to read the sequel, which I will devour with great pleasure!
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