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The Celestial Kingdom
Immortal
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romantasy (2025)A deadly betrayal…
When Liyen ascends the throne of Tianxia she vows to end her kingdom's obligation to the fickle immortals who once protected them.
A dangerous alliance…
She must learn their secrets to protect her people, but to do this she will have to forge a tenuous alliance with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War.
A fight for survival…
A treacherous attraction ignites. But dark forces are closing in and to save her people from an unspeakable fate, Liyen must risk everything…even her heart.
When Liyen ascends the throne of Tianxia she vows to end her kingdom's obligation to the fickle immortals who once protected them.
A dangerous alliance…
She must learn their secrets to protect her people, but to do this she will have to forge a tenuous alliance with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War.
A fight for survival…
A treacherous attraction ignites. But dark forces are closing in and to save her people from an unspeakable fate, Liyen must risk everything…even her heart.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 2025
1365 people are currently reading
134330 people want to read
About the author
Sue Lynn Tan
9 books9,213 followersSue Lynn Tan is the NYT, USA Today, and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess and the Celestial Kingdom books, Immortal and Never Ever After. She writes stories of mythology, fantasy and romance, for adults and older teenagers. Her books are being translated into eighteen languages, have been nominated for multiple Goodreads Choice Awards, and won the American Library Association Alex Award.
Born in Malaysia, Sue Lynn studied in London and France, before moving to Hong Kong. Her love for stories began with a gift from her father, her first compilation of fairytales from around the world. and she spent much of her childhood lost in magical worlds.
Find her on Instagram @SuelynnTan, or on her website www.suelynntan.com.
Born in Malaysia, Sue Lynn studied in London and France, before moving to Hong Kong. Her love for stories began with a gift from her father, her first compilation of fairytales from around the world. and she spent much of her childhood lost in magical worlds.
Find her on Instagram @SuelynnTan, or on her website www.suelynntan.com.
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November 13, 2024Immortal is my standalone romantic fantasy of an ambitious ruler and a ruthless God of War. While set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess, the story features new characters and can be read wholly independently of the Celestial Kingdom books, nor are there spoilers of the series within.
Love is a core theme in my books, and one I delve into here. Liyen and the God of War are vastly different, yet powerful in their own way. Each carries a great responsibility, both strong and determined, and must fight the world and themselves to bridge a seemingly impossible divide.
Immortal is inspired by elements of Chinese mythology, but follows new characters of my own imagining. There is romance, and it is also a tale of ambition, self-discovery, compassion, and vengeance, of the bonds of family and friendship.
Thank you for wanting to learn more about Immortal. I am grateful for the chance to share this story, and hope you will enjoy spending a little time in the Immortal Realm and the land beneath the skies.
Love is a core theme in my books, and one I delve into here. Liyen and the God of War are vastly different, yet powerful in their own way. Each carries a great responsibility, both strong and determined, and must fight the world and themselves to bridge a seemingly impossible divide.
Immortal is inspired by elements of Chinese mythology, but follows new characters of my own imagining. There is romance, and it is also a tale of ambition, self-discovery, compassion, and vengeance, of the bonds of family and friendship.
Thank you for wanting to learn more about Immortal. I am grateful for the chance to share this story, and hope you will enjoy spending a little time in the Immortal Realm and the land beneath the skies.
July 18, 2025
Set against a lush and vividly drawn backdrop, Sue Lynn Tan’s Immortal is an exhilarating romantic fantasy that masterfully intertwines forbidden magic and political intrigue. This standalone novel plunges readers into the mesmerizing world first introduced in Daughter of the Moon Goddess, though it stands entirely on its own, offering an enthralling tale of destiny, betrayal, and unexpected love.
The story follows Liyen, a young woman tasked with ascending to the throne of Tianxia after a near-fatal poisoning. Saved by her grandfather’s sacrifice, Liyen’s life is spared—but at a cost that sparks the wrath of the Immortal Queen. With her kingdom under threat, Liyen takes bold steps to confront the immortals and unravel their secrets. Her journey brings her face to face with the formidable God of War, an adversary she’s meant to fear but who soon becomes much more. Their chemistry crackles with tension, their interactions simmering with wit and growing passion. As Liyen and the God of War navigate the thin line between duty and desire, darker forces loom, threatening not just their relationship, but the fate of an entire realm.
Liyen is a fascinating heroine—stubborn, flawed, and refreshingly human in her vulnerabilities. Her growth from a hesitant ruler to a brave leader determined to protect her people makes her journey all the more compelling. And while the plot gallops forward with rapid pacing, the romance is tenderly developed, balancing moments of humor with an undeniable slow-burn intensity.
Filled with unexpected twists, breathtaking action, and heart-wrenching stakes, Immortal captivates from the very first page. Sue Lynn Tan crafts a magical, emotionally resonant story that will undoubtedly leave readers spellbound. Fans of romantic fantasy and enemies-to-lovers dynamics will find themselves lost in this unforgettable tale, where nothing is as it seems, and love may be the ultimate weapon against the darkest of fates.
Perfect for those who adore rich world-building, complex characters, and a romance that blossoms amidst turmoil, Immortal delivers on every front. A must-read for fans of epic fantasy and star-crossed love alike.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me this brilliant fantasy novel's digital reviewer
copy in exchange of my honest opinions. I enjoyed it a lot!
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The story follows Liyen, a young woman tasked with ascending to the throne of Tianxia after a near-fatal poisoning. Saved by her grandfather’s sacrifice, Liyen’s life is spared—but at a cost that sparks the wrath of the Immortal Queen. With her kingdom under threat, Liyen takes bold steps to confront the immortals and unravel their secrets. Her journey brings her face to face with the formidable God of War, an adversary she’s meant to fear but who soon becomes much more. Their chemistry crackles with tension, their interactions simmering with wit and growing passion. As Liyen and the God of War navigate the thin line between duty and desire, darker forces loom, threatening not just their relationship, but the fate of an entire realm.
Liyen is a fascinating heroine—stubborn, flawed, and refreshingly human in her vulnerabilities. Her growth from a hesitant ruler to a brave leader determined to protect her people makes her journey all the more compelling. And while the plot gallops forward with rapid pacing, the romance is tenderly developed, balancing moments of humor with an undeniable slow-burn intensity.
Filled with unexpected twists, breathtaking action, and heart-wrenching stakes, Immortal captivates from the very first page. Sue Lynn Tan crafts a magical, emotionally resonant story that will undoubtedly leave readers spellbound. Fans of romantic fantasy and enemies-to-lovers dynamics will find themselves lost in this unforgettable tale, where nothing is as it seems, and love may be the ultimate weapon against the darkest of fates.
Perfect for those who adore rich world-building, complex characters, and a romance that blossoms amidst turmoil, Immortal delivers on every front. A must-read for fans of epic fantasy and star-crossed love alike.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me this brilliant fantasy novel's digital reviewer
copy in exchange of my honest opinions. I enjoyed it a lot!
blog
June 12, 2025
07/01/25 EDIT
:
Happy release day to this masterpiece! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in it, it will be worth the time and chance you give it! And if you do pick it up, I hope you are able to enjoy it wholly.
I also received my limited deluxe edition of this book in the mail, and it is so beautiful. I'm so glad I can have this book physically to look back on and reread in the future.
-
★★★★★ 10/5
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will remain spoiler-free as it has not been published at the current date of my review.
⋆ Tropes :
▹Rivals to lovers to enemies to lovers
▹Headstrong & Intelligent FMC
▹Different Worlds
▹Emotionally Stunted FMC
▹Chinese Mythology
Immortal is my first experience with Sue Lynn Tan, and I was absolutely blown away. I fell in love with this book the moment I saw it on Netgalley; the cover had entranced me, the premise was exactly what I love in a book, and Sue Lynn Tan absolutely delivered on all fronts. I will be diving into her other books and will officially read anything she writes because I am in love.
: ̗̀➛ Main Characters
Liyen is our female lead, the once-sickly, mortal princess to the Mortal Realm country, Tianxia. Upon receiving the Divine Pearl Lotus, she is healed of her poison and ailments, and restored to not only full health, but even better. She is strengthened by its powers inside of her. She is thrust into the governing position of her kingdom immediately, where those in power despise her. She is unyielding, strong-willed, and dedicated to serving her country. She is very sharp-tongued and witty and is willing to sacrifice herself for those she loves. She was very headstrong, one of the most admirable FMC's I've ever read. I absolutely adore her, even if I sometimes wanted to whack her for being so cruel to Zhangwei.
Zhangwei, otherwise known as the God of War, is our male lead in this book. He is misunderstood, sassy, and ready to burn the world for Liyen's happiness. He is the strongest immortal, bred and raised for war to the point he garnered a nasty reputation in the Mortal Realm, viewed as a vicious, blood-thirsty Immortal who cared not for mortals, and only for strength, death, and the Golden Desert. In fact, none of those are true as we get to know him. He is open-hearted, devoted, very witty, and unrelenting in his pursuits, and he absolutely despises war but knows it is likely the only way to get things done in some situations.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
I have one complaint about this book, so I will start my rant off with it to quickly get this minute problem out of the way. The start was slow. It was a bit of a slog to get through roughly the first ~2-4 chapters, but once it started picking up around 10% in, I couldn't put it down. The writing style can make the beginning feel much slower than it actually is, which I feel may have been what caused the beginning to drag for me a little. But as we got to know Liyen and Zhangwei more, I completely disregarded the slowness of the start.
To push immediately into what I loved about this book, enough so that it not only is an immediate five star for me but is officially entering my all-time favorite shelf - 我的一切, including being top 3 of the best books I've read this year, I'll start with the romance. It came off as insta-love from the male lead, Zhangwei. The swiftness was there, but it was subtle. Focusing a lot of the emotional development of Liyen. It was introduced rather early, but it developed at a pace that didn't feel rushed or unrealistic. I can completely understand if something like this is off-putting to others, but I do hope many will still give it a chance.
The banter between not only Liyen and Zhangwei, but also all other characters in the book from Chengyin, Aunt Shou, to other immortals and deities we meet was very good. It was fun, light, hilarious, and easy to read. The bonds between characters were beautiful. I will say, I do wish we had more development on the side characters like Chengyin, but we did get a lot for Aunt Shou, and there was a beautiful focus on realizing there are always 2 sides to a story, 2 sides of a war. Shedding your ignorant beliefs against one side to listen to their story and recognize that neither side was all-good is such an important lesson. Not every story has a hero and a villain. Sometimes it has two heroes, both misunderstood, or two villains chasing different yet colliding goals. It was a premise focused on heavily in this book that was very well executed.
This book is also as heavy on politics as it is romance. While it is a romance novel, politics and war play a vital part in this book, as well as the emotional and mental development of Liyen. I would still recommend this book to anyone who may not be attuned or interested in political fantasy, because the romance balances it out.
The PLOT TWISTS!!!!!!! I was not expecting ANY of them!!! They had completely caught me off guard, and yet they were woven into the story so perfectly. Through the smallest details, the most intimate situations, everything was being built throughout the book that was entirely unexpected when it came to light at the end. It was so incredibly done, I wept. I fell in love with this world, with these characters, and the plot twist only deepened that, as well as opened up my eyes to everything I had read prior. I genuinely did not expect any of the twists, which made this so much more enjoyable.
I feel like it is so rare to read a book where the plot twists are completely inconceivable throughout the book, and when they all not only get revealed, but make so much sense and tie so many minor things in the story you hardly recalled together into a beautifully woven story of love, politics, and strength. Sue Lynn Tan executed this to absolute perfection. I feel nothing was left unanswered, nothing was cringe or too unrealistic (ironic, considering it is fantasy), and it left me only wishing it never ended.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
Beautiful book, beautiful story, beautiful cover, immaculate execution. I will remember this book for many, many years to come. There are not enough stars on this app or in the sky to give this book in this rating to express how deeply I love it. I wish that I could read this book all over again for the first time so that I could cry and feel the way I did all over again. 10/5 stars.
This book is not yet published, but I will be adding it to my physical library upon its official publication. I will be rereading this book many times over in the future. I am so broken to be parting from Zhangwei (and Liyen, but Zhangwei, you have my whole heart). He is the ultimate book boyfriend and no one will ever change my mind on that.
edit : it has been less than 10 minutes since I finished writing this review and I have officially preordered the limited special edition of this book off of amazon. I couldn't resist it.
Zhangwei, you are #1. Always and forever. Also.... my beloved... AAAAAA!!!!!!!
Thank you to Netgalley & Harper Collins for this ARC! You have given me an experience I will remember for many months and years to come. 💗 To anyone who has added this book to their TBR or is on the fence, please do consider picking this up on its official publication date, January 7, 2025.
Happy release day to this masterpiece! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in it, it will be worth the time and chance you give it! And if you do pick it up, I hope you are able to enjoy it wholly.
I also received my limited deluxe edition of this book in the mail, and it is so beautiful. I'm so glad I can have this book physically to look back on and reread in the future.
-
★★★★★ 10/5
“I was my past and my present—and I would forge my own future.”
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will remain spoiler-free as it has not been published at the current date of my review.
⋆ Tropes :
▹Rivals to lovers to enemies to lovers
▹Headstrong & Intelligent FMC
▹Different Worlds
▹Emotionally Stunted FMC
▹Chinese Mythology
Immortal is my first experience with Sue Lynn Tan, and I was absolutely blown away. I fell in love with this book the moment I saw it on Netgalley; the cover had entranced me, the premise was exactly what I love in a book, and Sue Lynn Tan absolutely delivered on all fronts. I will be diving into her other books and will officially read anything she writes because I am in love.
: ̗̀➛ Main Characters
“But I'll take a curse from you any day, over the praise from any other.”
Liyen is our female lead, the once-sickly, mortal princess to the Mortal Realm country, Tianxia. Upon receiving the Divine Pearl Lotus, she is healed of her poison and ailments, and restored to not only full health, but even better. She is strengthened by its powers inside of her. She is thrust into the governing position of her kingdom immediately, where those in power despise her. She is unyielding, strong-willed, and dedicated to serving her country. She is very sharp-tongued and witty and is willing to sacrifice herself for those she loves. She was very headstrong, one of the most admirable FMC's I've ever read. I absolutely adore her, even if I sometimes wanted to whack her for being so cruel to Zhangwei.
Zhangwei, otherwise known as the God of War, is our male lead in this book. He is misunderstood, sassy, and ready to burn the world for Liyen's happiness. He is the strongest immortal, bred and raised for war to the point he garnered a nasty reputation in the Mortal Realm, viewed as a vicious, blood-thirsty Immortal who cared not for mortals, and only for strength, death, and the Golden Desert. In fact, none of those are true as we get to know him. He is open-hearted, devoted, very witty, and unrelenting in his pursuits, and he absolutely despises war but knows it is likely the only way to get things done in some situations.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
“I will be leaving your world soon. Will I see you again?”
“If you want to see me, nothing will keep me away.”
I have one complaint about this book, so I will start my rant off with it to quickly get this minute problem out of the way. The start was slow. It was a bit of a slog to get through roughly the first ~2-4 chapters, but once it started picking up around 10% in, I couldn't put it down. The writing style can make the beginning feel much slower than it actually is, which I feel may have been what caused the beginning to drag for me a little. But as we got to know Liyen and Zhangwei more, I completely disregarded the slowness of the start.
To push immediately into what I loved about this book, enough so that it not only is an immediate five star for me but is officially entering my all-time favorite shelf - 我的一切, including being top 3 of the best books I've read this year, I'll start with the romance. It came off as insta-love from the male lead, Zhangwei. The swiftness was there, but it was subtle. Focusing a lot of the emotional development of Liyen. It was introduced rather early, but it developed at a pace that didn't feel rushed or unrealistic. I can completely understand if something like this is off-putting to others, but I do hope many will still give it a chance.
The banter between not only Liyen and Zhangwei, but also all other characters in the book from Chengyin, Aunt Shou, to other immortals and deities we meet was very good. It was fun, light, hilarious, and easy to read. The bonds between characters were beautiful. I will say, I do wish we had more development on the side characters like Chengyin, but we did get a lot for Aunt Shou, and there was a beautiful focus on realizing there are always 2 sides to a story, 2 sides of a war. Shedding your ignorant beliefs against one side to listen to their story and recognize that neither side was all-good is such an important lesson. Not every story has a hero and a villain. Sometimes it has two heroes, both misunderstood, or two villains chasing different yet colliding goals. It was a premise focused on heavily in this book that was very well executed.
This book is also as heavy on politics as it is romance. While it is a romance novel, politics and war play a vital part in this book, as well as the emotional and mental development of Liyen. I would still recommend this book to anyone who may not be attuned or interested in political fantasy, because the romance balances it out.
The PLOT TWISTS!!!!!!! I was not expecting ANY of them!!! They had completely caught me off guard, and yet they were woven into the story so perfectly. Through the smallest details, the most intimate situations, everything was being built throughout the book that was entirely unexpected when it came to light at the end. It was so incredibly done, I wept. I fell in love with this world, with these characters, and the plot twist only deepened that, as well as opened up my eyes to everything I had read prior. I genuinely did not expect any of the twists, which made this so much more enjoyable.
I feel like it is so rare to read a book where the plot twists are completely inconceivable throughout the book, and when they all not only get revealed, but make so much sense and tie so many minor things in the story you hardly recalled together into a beautifully woven story of love, politics, and strength. Sue Lynn Tan executed this to absolute perfection. I feel nothing was left unanswered, nothing was cringe or too unrealistic (ironic, considering it is fantasy), and it left me only wishing it never ended.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
“I need nothing else. This is everything to me.”
He spoke clearly, for my ears alone. “I would give you everything I have, all that I am—and more.”
Beautiful book, beautiful story, beautiful cover, immaculate execution. I will remember this book for many, many years to come. There are not enough stars on this app or in the sky to give this book in this rating to express how deeply I love it. I wish that I could read this book all over again for the first time so that I could cry and feel the way I did all over again. 10/5 stars.
This book is not yet published, but I will be adding it to my physical library upon its official publication. I will be rereading this book many times over in the future. I am so broken to be parting from Zhangwei (and Liyen, but Zhangwei, you have my whole heart). He is the ultimate book boyfriend and no one will ever change my mind on that.
edit : it has been less than 10 minutes since I finished writing this review and I have officially preordered the limited special edition of this book off of amazon. I couldn't resist it.
Zhangwei, you are #1. Always and forever. Also.... my beloved... AAAAAA!!!!!!!
“You are more than your face, more than your name. With you, I am whole.”
Thank you to Netgalley & Harper Collins for this ARC! You have given me an experience I will remember for many months and years to come. 💗 To anyone who has added this book to their TBR or is on the fence, please do consider picking this up on its official publication date, January 7, 2025.
July 8, 2025
SUE LYNN TAN THE WOMAN YOU ARE. This was my first Sue Lynn Tan book, it did NOT disappoint and i’ll cherish this forever. I’m not even joking or being dramatic this was the most well thought out book i’ve ever read and it was beautifully written. Everytime I flipped the page it got better and better. AND THE WORLD BUILDING? THE CHARACTERS? mwah chefs kiss 💋 Thank you netgalley for the arc!
March 8, 2025
4⭐️
The words to describe how I truly felt about this book are lost. I am speechless. This was beautiful, lyrical, whimsical, and just overall magical.
Liyen, the FMC, just took my breath away. Her journey to self-discovery and power was just absolutely amazing. She was such a strong lead character and I have never read about a character that was so strong minded with a will of steel. She did everything in her power to protect those she loved and to keep her people safe. I was genuinely blown away. Her relationship with Zhangwei, the MMC, was that of true, pure love. They both had such massive change and growth throughout the book and to be witness of that journey made me so emotional yet so whole.
I experienced a wheel of emotions while reading this book. The plot was so complex and compelling; you were hooked from the very beginning. There was love, loss, grief, betrayal, yet it all had one strong message: what would you do and how far would you go to protect those you love? I loved going through the war and politics that this book had and the plot just kept developing more and more. I was genuinely shocked by the twists and surprises this book came with. And I mean shocked in a good way. I cried...a lot. The ending of the book concluded so well and I am so happy with how it wrapped up.
Overall, this was an amazing standalone by Sue Lynn Tan and I am so beyond blessed to have had the chance to read this story. I definitely preferred it over the duology set in this same universe. That being said, you don't really need to read the duology first to read this. Although, if you do it makes the world and magic system a lot easier to understand. I was so blown away by how good this book was. While it wasn't an all-time favorite of mine, I would recommend this book until I die. Please read this. 💙🌙
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As a lover of Sue Lynn Tan's duology, I am so excited to read this 💘💫
The words to describe how I truly felt about this book are lost. I am speechless. This was beautiful, lyrical, whimsical, and just overall magical.
Liyen, the FMC, just took my breath away. Her journey to self-discovery and power was just absolutely amazing. She was such a strong lead character and I have never read about a character that was so strong minded with a will of steel. She did everything in her power to protect those she loved and to keep her people safe. I was genuinely blown away. Her relationship with Zhangwei, the MMC, was that of true, pure love. They both had such massive change and growth throughout the book and to be witness of that journey made me so emotional yet so whole.
I experienced a wheel of emotions while reading this book. The plot was so complex and compelling; you were hooked from the very beginning. There was love, loss, grief, betrayal, yet it all had one strong message: what would you do and how far would you go to protect those you love? I loved going through the war and politics that this book had and the plot just kept developing more and more. I was genuinely shocked by the twists and surprises this book came with. And I mean shocked in a good way. I cried...a lot. The ending of the book concluded so well and I am so happy with how it wrapped up.
Overall, this was an amazing standalone by Sue Lynn Tan and I am so beyond blessed to have had the chance to read this story. I definitely preferred it over the duology set in this same universe. That being said, you don't really need to read the duology first to read this. Although, if you do it makes the world and magic system a lot easier to understand. I was so blown away by how good this book was. While it wasn't an all-time favorite of mine, I would recommend this book until I die. Please read this. 💙🌙
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As a lover of Sue Lynn Tan's duology, I am so excited to read this 💘💫
January 27, 2025
when the god of war said “touch her again and you die” i knew we had a hit on our hands
no but give me more love interests hiding behind a facade as they are overcome by intense longing for what they have lost and what they must endure to regain it please🤲
the hate to love but also rivals to lovers and the ‘i would give up the world to be by your side’ and ‘i would find you in this life and the next’ of it all!!
“He spoke clearly, for my ears alone. “I would give you everything I have, all that I am—and more”
Bookstagram | Blog
no but give me more love interests hiding behind a facade as they are overcome by intense longing for what they have lost and what they must endure to regain it please🤲
the hate to love but also rivals to lovers and the ‘i would give up the world to be by your side’ and ‘i would find you in this life and the next’ of it all!!
“He spoke clearly, for my ears alone. “I would give you everything I have, all that I am—and more”
Bookstagram | Blog
December 24, 2024
a standalone fantasy set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Immortal shows some improvement in the authors writing style as she tells a love story that transcends the past, present and future. Liyen of Tianxia has been poisoned, causing her grandfather to steal the enchanted lotus pearl to save her life. this angers the immortal queen and in turn she sends the god of war Zhangwei, to attack Tianxia. after Liyen’s grandfather’s death, she reluctantly ascends the throne and vows to do anything to protect her people and their way of life. Zhangwei’s reputation as a bloodthirsty warrior has Liyen unwilling to trust him, as Zhangwei has his own motivations for wanting the lotus pearl for himself. not all is as it seems though and as they spend more time together, they’ll start to question what’s more important to them: duty or love.
“No trade is bad between us.” He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “With you, it doesn’t matter whether I win or lose.”
i’ve read two other books recently with this exact kind of “fated love” type of story but i still really enjoyed this one. the characters have great banter and chemistry, Zhangwei especially is mostly misunderstood and it was nice to see his true personality start to come out. he’s seen as someone who thrives in bloodshed and war, when really he does what he’s forced to and would rather people see him for who he really is and not what his blades can do. Liyen is stubborn but devoted to the people who are close to her heart and the journey her character arc goes through in this was beautiful. while i don’t think this book is the most original.. it’s themes are executed well and the eventual romance with all it’s yearning was actually so sweet, they’re a perfect match.
“I’ve chased you across the skies and earth, to the Netherwold itself. I will never let you go again.”
↬ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Avon/Harper Voyager for the arc, all opinions are my own.
“No trade is bad between us.” He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “With you, it doesn’t matter whether I win or lose.”
i’ve read two other books recently with this exact kind of “fated love” type of story but i still really enjoyed this one. the characters have great banter and chemistry, Zhangwei especially is mostly misunderstood and it was nice to see his true personality start to come out. he’s seen as someone who thrives in bloodshed and war, when really he does what he’s forced to and would rather people see him for who he really is and not what his blades can do. Liyen is stubborn but devoted to the people who are close to her heart and the journey her character arc goes through in this was beautiful. while i don’t think this book is the most original.. it’s themes are executed well and the eventual romance with all it’s yearning was actually so sweet, they’re a perfect match.
“I’ve chased you across the skies and earth, to the Netherwold itself. I will never let you go again.”
↬ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Avon/Harper Voyager for the arc, all opinions are my own.
July 21, 2025
another wonderful novel by SLT! even though this isnt inspired by a particular tale in chinese mythology (like her other books), it still has all of the magic and charm you would want/expect from a story like that.
while SLT is a really great storyteller, the thing i loved most about this is the plot itself. its a little slow in the beginning as the world-building is prioritized, but theres a moment when the plot turns fully on and i was all for it. im a big fan of the tropes that were used and i was super excited to see how the story would continue to progress.
but man, i feel like the characters really held this back from being something truly amazing. i didnt find liyen likeable or someone i could root for. shes very judgemental and entitled and, to me, she never grows out of it. and, when it comes to zhangwei, hes just there. hes pretty bland and doesnt get much development either.
so, because of that, i dont think this is SLTs best book. it has a phenomenal concept and the narrative/pacing is spot on, but the characters were not particularly enjoyable for me to read about. better luck next time, i guess!
↠ 3.5 stars
while SLT is a really great storyteller, the thing i loved most about this is the plot itself. its a little slow in the beginning as the world-building is prioritized, but theres a moment when the plot turns fully on and i was all for it. im a big fan of the tropes that were used and i was super excited to see how the story would continue to progress.
but man, i feel like the characters really held this back from being something truly amazing. i didnt find liyen likeable or someone i could root for. shes very judgemental and entitled and, to me, she never grows out of it. and, when it comes to zhangwei, hes just there. hes pretty bland and doesnt get much development either.
so, because of that, i dont think this is SLTs best book. it has a phenomenal concept and the narrative/pacing is spot on, but the characters were not particularly enjoyable for me to read about. better luck next time, i guess!
↠ 3.5 stars
May 21, 2025
4.5 stars! ✨ Big thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan, and to HarperAudio for the audiobook ARC via Netgalley! 💖
Okay, guys, this book was EVERYTHING! 😍 Immortal was like diving headfirst into a world of magic and mystery and not wanting to come up for air! 🌬️ It’s the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and political intrigue. The writing is SO beautiful, the world-building is next level, and let me just say, the chemistry between Liyen and Zhangwei? Scorching 🔥 I couldn’t stop flipping the pages (or hitting play on the audiobook)! 📖💥
✨ Tropes that gave me life ✨
✧ Enemies-to-lovers 💘
✧ Forbidden romance 💋
✧ Morally grey MMC 🖤
✧ Political intrigue 🏰
✧ Betrayal and vengeance 💔
✧ Forced proximity 🏠
✧ Impulsive, bold FMC ⚡
✧ Slow burn 🔥
✧ Fated mates 💫
✧ "Touch her and die" 😤
Where do I even begin?! 😅 Liyen’s journey from unsure heir to fierce ruler is SO captivating. She’s bold, impulsive, and makes decisions that will have you rooting for her even when she’s messing up (lol, same). 🙈 And Zhangwei, the God of War?! WOW. He’s ruthless, calculating, and SO magnetic. The tension between them? Literal fire. 🔥🔥
The romance? Deliciously slow-burn (my fave!). Every “will they or won’t they” moment kept me on the edge of my seat. And when they finally give in?! SWOON-WORTHY. 😍 The back and forth between Zhangwei’s cold exterior and Liyen’s fiery determination was EVERYTHING. The “touch her and die” energy? Can’t get enough. 😤💥
The world-building? Chef’s kiss 💋 The magic, gods, betrayal—it’s all so lush and atmospheric, and I was 100% here for it. Buttttt, I gotta admit, the first part was a tad slow for me. 😬 The political drama took over for a bit, and I was just waiting for things to get exciting. BUT, once the action picked up around 30%, I was hooked. The tension, the stakes—it all had me gripped for the rest of the book. 🙌
And the climax?! OMG. I was literally gasping, crying, and had my heart in my throat the whole time. 😱❤️ It was everything I didn’t know I needed, and totally worth the build-up. The ending might not have been crazy wild, but it was deeply satisfying and made me smile through the tears. 😢
Also, let’s talk about the audiobook—Natalie Naudus did an AMAZING job narrating this story! Her voice really brought the characters to life, and the tension between Liyen and Zhangwei was even more intense with her narration. I loved how she captured all the emotional highs and lows, especially in the more dramatic moments. She absolutely nailed it! 🎧✨
Overall, I’m SO glad I got to read this early. Immortal has ALL the magic I love: betrayal, love, politics, and characters you can’t stop thinking about. If you’re into epic fantasy romances, this is your book! ⭐️
CW:
- Blood
- Death
- Violence
- Death of a loved one
I can’t wait to see what Sue Lynn Tan does next! If you’re a fan of epic fantasy romances, you NEED this one! 💖
Okay, guys, this book was EVERYTHING! 😍 Immortal was like diving headfirst into a world of magic and mystery and not wanting to come up for air! 🌬️ It’s the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and political intrigue. The writing is SO beautiful, the world-building is next level, and let me just say, the chemistry between Liyen and Zhangwei? Scorching 🔥 I couldn’t stop flipping the pages (or hitting play on the audiobook)! 📖💥
✨ Tropes that gave me life ✨
✧ Enemies-to-lovers 💘
✧ Forbidden romance 💋
✧ Morally grey MMC 🖤
✧ Political intrigue 🏰
✧ Betrayal and vengeance 💔
✧ Forced proximity 🏠
✧ Impulsive, bold FMC ⚡
✧ Slow burn 🔥
✧ Fated mates 💫
✧ "Touch her and die" 😤
Where do I even begin?! 😅 Liyen’s journey from unsure heir to fierce ruler is SO captivating. She’s bold, impulsive, and makes decisions that will have you rooting for her even when she’s messing up (lol, same). 🙈 And Zhangwei, the God of War?! WOW. He’s ruthless, calculating, and SO magnetic. The tension between them? Literal fire. 🔥🔥
The romance? Deliciously slow-burn (my fave!). Every “will they or won’t they” moment kept me on the edge of my seat. And when they finally give in?! SWOON-WORTHY. 😍 The back and forth between Zhangwei’s cold exterior and Liyen’s fiery determination was EVERYTHING. The “touch her and die” energy? Can’t get enough. 😤💥
The world-building? Chef’s kiss 💋 The magic, gods, betrayal—it’s all so lush and atmospheric, and I was 100% here for it. Buttttt, I gotta admit, the first part was a tad slow for me. 😬 The political drama took over for a bit, and I was just waiting for things to get exciting. BUT, once the action picked up around 30%, I was hooked. The tension, the stakes—it all had me gripped for the rest of the book. 🙌
And the climax?! OMG. I was literally gasping, crying, and had my heart in my throat the whole time. 😱❤️ It was everything I didn’t know I needed, and totally worth the build-up. The ending might not have been crazy wild, but it was deeply satisfying and made me smile through the tears. 😢
Also, let’s talk about the audiobook—Natalie Naudus did an AMAZING job narrating this story! Her voice really brought the characters to life, and the tension between Liyen and Zhangwei was even more intense with her narration. I loved how she captured all the emotional highs and lows, especially in the more dramatic moments. She absolutely nailed it! 🎧✨
Overall, I’m SO glad I got to read this early. Immortal has ALL the magic I love: betrayal, love, politics, and characters you can’t stop thinking about. If you’re into epic fantasy romances, this is your book! ⭐️
CW:
- Blood
- Death
- Violence
- Death of a loved one
I can’t wait to see what Sue Lynn Tan does next! If you’re a fan of epic fantasy romances, you NEED this one! 💖
April 7, 2025
DNF.
My previous experience with the author’s other work, *Daughter of the Moon Goddess*, left me feeling underwhelmed, but I held onto the hope that this novel might deliver an engaging story, especially given the promising blurb that hinted at many elements I adore in Chinese dramas. Unfortunately, I found myself bored, disappointed, and quite frustrated with what I read.
It honestly felt like this was written for young children... sorry, that's just how it comes across to me.
Firstly, I didn't anticipate that the plot would center heavily around romance, and normally, I wouldn't mind that if the romance were compelling. However, it was incredibly flat and lacked any genuine connection. I couldn't sense any chemistry between the main characters. Their conversations felt scripted and unrealistic as if they were simply reading lines instead of authentically communicating. In real life, people don’t speak like that; it felt like the characters were robotic.
Additionally, the frequent jumps from scene to scene were jarring. Each time, characters displayed different personalities, which only added to the confusion.
The protagonist, Liyen, offered little to engage with. Every time she spoke or expressed her thoughts, it came off like she was delivering a motivational speech or quoting an inspirational phrase. It felt forced as if the author was trying too hard to portray her as intelligent, but her actions often contradicted that image. I found myself questioning why she was pretending to be smart when her decisions conveyed the opposite.
The protagonist jumped to countless assumptions about other characters without truly knowing them, which felt excessive and unfounded. She really needed to slow down and stop treating her perceptions as absolute truths. Moreover, her judgmental attitude was not just annoying—it became exhausting very quickly.
Zhangwei, the male love interest, followed the cliché of the brooding, detached hero that we've seen countless times before. Initially, I thought he might develop into an interesting character, but I quickly realized he was just another iteration of the same stereotype.
I genuinely tried to enjoy this story; I even envisioned how it might translate into a Chinese drama. Yet, I couldn’t see how this narrative would hold up in that format either.
In conclusion, the emphasis on a romance that failed to resonate with me, combined with characters that felt flat and robotic, ultimately detracted from my reading experience. They lacked depth and intrigue, rendering the entire story dull and unsatisfactory.
My previous experience with the author’s other work, *Daughter of the Moon Goddess*, left me feeling underwhelmed, but I held onto the hope that this novel might deliver an engaging story, especially given the promising blurb that hinted at many elements I adore in Chinese dramas. Unfortunately, I found myself bored, disappointed, and quite frustrated with what I read.
It honestly felt like this was written for young children... sorry, that's just how it comes across to me.
Firstly, I didn't anticipate that the plot would center heavily around romance, and normally, I wouldn't mind that if the romance were compelling. However, it was incredibly flat and lacked any genuine connection. I couldn't sense any chemistry between the main characters. Their conversations felt scripted and unrealistic as if they were simply reading lines instead of authentically communicating. In real life, people don’t speak like that; it felt like the characters were robotic.
Additionally, the frequent jumps from scene to scene were jarring. Each time, characters displayed different personalities, which only added to the confusion.
The protagonist, Liyen, offered little to engage with. Every time she spoke or expressed her thoughts, it came off like she was delivering a motivational speech or quoting an inspirational phrase. It felt forced as if the author was trying too hard to portray her as intelligent, but her actions often contradicted that image. I found myself questioning why she was pretending to be smart when her decisions conveyed the opposite.
The protagonist jumped to countless assumptions about other characters without truly knowing them, which felt excessive and unfounded. She really needed to slow down and stop treating her perceptions as absolute truths. Moreover, her judgmental attitude was not just annoying—it became exhausting very quickly.
Zhangwei, the male love interest, followed the cliché of the brooding, detached hero that we've seen countless times before. Initially, I thought he might develop into an interesting character, but I quickly realized he was just another iteration of the same stereotype.
I genuinely tried to enjoy this story; I even envisioned how it might translate into a Chinese drama. Yet, I couldn’t see how this narrative would hold up in that format either.
In conclusion, the emphasis on a romance that failed to resonate with me, combined with characters that felt flat and robotic, ultimately detracted from my reading experience. They lacked depth and intrigue, rendering the entire story dull and unsatisfactory.
September 12, 2024
(1.5)
despite being one of the least compelling books i’ve ever read, immortal still stands out in the sense that it perfectly represents almost everything i hate in romantic fantasy. with its cast of underdeveloped characters and its unbelievably shallow romance, getting through this was an experience that had me questioning why i even bother to read at all.
i don’t even know where to begin with my complaints, so i’ll try to keep most of them short. to start, the setting of this book, though tied to the setting of the author’s celestial kingdom series, is nowhere near as vivid. instead, it just feels like a very typical fantasy cdrama setting. the plot is pretty messy overall and full of predictable twists, which aren’t helped by the frequently melodramatic writing, and the side characters are extremely one-dimensional.
still, all of this would be fine if i ended up being invested in the main characters and their romance. i wasn’t. liyen and zhangwei are two of the most insufferable characters i’ve ever read about and a textbook example of a horribly written fantasy couple. while they’re initially supposed to be enemies, or at least reluctant allies, it’s obvious by the time you’re 25% through that they desperately want to make out despite 1) barely knowing each other, 2) having no chemistry, and 3) zhangwei being fantasy man with no personality aside from being cold and closed off #50,000,000,000. just once, i’m begging romantic fantasy authors to write an enemies to lovers relationship where both characters genuinely completely hate each other for more than ten seconds.
which brings me to my next point: i despise liyen. she has to be one of the most annoying narrators to ever exist, mainly because she’s absolutely spineless when it comes to zhangwei. though he’s nothing but rude to her for a good chunk of the book and she’s constantly telling the reader that she’ll never trust him or feel anything for him ever again, she still ends up all flushed and flustered every time zhangwei bothers to look in her direction or (god forbid) show her some basic respect. this cycle of “i know i’m supposed to hate his guts but he was nice to me for half a second so now i’m conflicted again” repeats so many times that reading about it is nothing short of pure torture.
also, even aside from her relationship with zhangwei, liyen just isn’t a good character. the author presents her as an ambitious ruler who’ll do whatever it takes to save her people, when in reality, she’s reckless, childish, and borderline stupid. she has virtually no common sense, let alone the cunning you’d expect from someone responsible for an entire kingdom, so nearly every success of hers only happens because the solution is handed to her on a silver platter. and (surprise) zhangwei is also the worst! he’s the exact type of brooding, extremely powerful (and boring) love interest that’s already been seen a trillion times before, and i rolled my eyes every time he showed up.
it’s definitely not unclear that i absolutely hated this (though i’ll admit that i did like chengyin and really appreciated that he didn’t end up falling in love with liyen, since the last thing this book needs is a half-baked love triangle). i still might read more of sue lynn tan’s books in the future, since i thought daughter of the moon goddess was okay, but i wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who wants their next read to be even the tiniest bit interesting.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc.
_
pre-review:
it’s basically like if the most boring cdrama you’ve ever seen had a baby with everything that’s wrong with romantic fantasy as a genre
anyway FUCK liyen and FUCK zhangwei!! you both should’ve died idgaf rtc after i recover from my worst book of the year.
despite being one of the least compelling books i’ve ever read, immortal still stands out in the sense that it perfectly represents almost everything i hate in romantic fantasy. with its cast of underdeveloped characters and its unbelievably shallow romance, getting through this was an experience that had me questioning why i even bother to read at all.
i don’t even know where to begin with my complaints, so i’ll try to keep most of them short. to start, the setting of this book, though tied to the setting of the author’s celestial kingdom series, is nowhere near as vivid. instead, it just feels like a very typical fantasy cdrama setting. the plot is pretty messy overall and full of predictable twists, which aren’t helped by the frequently melodramatic writing, and the side characters are extremely one-dimensional.
still, all of this would be fine if i ended up being invested in the main characters and their romance. i wasn’t. liyen and zhangwei are two of the most insufferable characters i’ve ever read about and a textbook example of a horribly written fantasy couple. while they’re initially supposed to be enemies, or at least reluctant allies, it’s obvious by the time you’re 25% through that they desperately want to make out despite 1) barely knowing each other, 2) having no chemistry, and 3) zhangwei being fantasy man with no personality aside from being cold and closed off #50,000,000,000. just once, i’m begging romantic fantasy authors to write an enemies to lovers relationship where both characters genuinely completely hate each other for more than ten seconds.
which brings me to my next point: i despise liyen. she has to be one of the most annoying narrators to ever exist, mainly because she’s absolutely spineless when it comes to zhangwei. though he’s nothing but rude to her for a good chunk of the book and she’s constantly telling the reader that she’ll never trust him or feel anything for him ever again, she still ends up all flushed and flustered every time zhangwei bothers to look in her direction or (god forbid) show her some basic respect. this cycle of “i know i’m supposed to hate his guts but he was nice to me for half a second so now i’m conflicted again” repeats so many times that reading about it is nothing short of pure torture.
also, even aside from her relationship with zhangwei, liyen just isn’t a good character. the author presents her as an ambitious ruler who’ll do whatever it takes to save her people, when in reality, she’s reckless, childish, and borderline stupid. she has virtually no common sense, let alone the cunning you’d expect from someone responsible for an entire kingdom, so nearly every success of hers only happens because the solution is handed to her on a silver platter. and (surprise) zhangwei is also the worst! he’s the exact type of brooding, extremely powerful (and boring) love interest that’s already been seen a trillion times before, and i rolled my eyes every time he showed up.
it’s definitely not unclear that i absolutely hated this (though i’ll admit that i did like chengyin and really appreciated that he didn’t end up falling in love with liyen, since the last thing this book needs is a half-baked love triangle). i still might read more of sue lynn tan’s books in the future, since i thought daughter of the moon goddess was okay, but i wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who wants their next read to be even the tiniest bit interesting.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc.
_
pre-review:
it’s basically like if the most boring cdrama you’ve ever seen had a baby with everything that’s wrong with romantic fantasy as a genre
anyway FUCK liyen and FUCK zhangwei!! you both should’ve died idgaf rtc after i recover from my worst book of the year.
January 18, 2025
My thoughts before we had a blurb...
I am very ready for more from this world and author. I can't help thinking could this be a story including Liwei?
No Liwei here but I wasn't disappointed.
Headlines:
Stepping up into leadership
Mortals v immortals
Unwanted attractions
There's something very grounding about returning to a world you know with new characters but you don't need the world building. Immortal took us on a journey of a jarring coming of age for Liyen as she became the Lady of her land, untrusted because of her age, her gender and previous ill health. I found myself relating to her previous life of fatigue, so that was an welcome little resonnance for me.
Liyen was mortal and the God of War, Zhangwei soon interfered in this mortal land, in search of a special lotus flower. Smoke and mirrors were constantly between these two for reasons that were slowly revealed across the length of the story. Liyen's dislike of Zhangwei gave this an inital enemies to more feel, but there was so much more to their story. The connection between these two was like the most powerful of magnets.
I enjoyed the movements between the immortal and mortal lands. The plot took the reader into a world of creatures that had been long-feared and they made for avid reading. Trust was a big theme in this book and I glued my eyes to the page as these characters navigated distrust to trust. It was a worthwhile journey.
As ever with this author's writing, she paints a vivid description of lands and people, down to their wardrobe and I love the imagery that creates for me as I read. I wholeheartedly enjoyed being back in the DOTMG landscape.
I will still forever long for Liwei to get a story again in this world and I hope one day, that will come to fruition.
Thank you to Harper Voyager for the eARC.
I am very ready for more from this world and author. I can't help thinking could this be a story including Liwei?
No Liwei here but I wasn't disappointed.
Headlines:
Stepping up into leadership
Mortals v immortals
Unwanted attractions
There's something very grounding about returning to a world you know with new characters but you don't need the world building. Immortal took us on a journey of a jarring coming of age for Liyen as she became the Lady of her land, untrusted because of her age, her gender and previous ill health. I found myself relating to her previous life of fatigue, so that was an welcome little resonnance for me.
Liyen was mortal and the God of War, Zhangwei soon interfered in this mortal land, in search of a special lotus flower. Smoke and mirrors were constantly between these two for reasons that were slowly revealed across the length of the story. Liyen's dislike of Zhangwei gave this an inital enemies to more feel, but there was so much more to their story. The connection between these two was like the most powerful of magnets.
I enjoyed the movements between the immortal and mortal lands. The plot took the reader into a world of creatures that had been long-feared and they made for avid reading. Trust was a big theme in this book and I glued my eyes to the page as these characters navigated distrust to trust. It was a worthwhile journey.
As ever with this author's writing, she paints a vivid description of lands and people, down to their wardrobe and I love the imagery that creates for me as I read. I wholeheartedly enjoyed being back in the DOTMG landscape.
I will still forever long for Liwei to get a story again in this world and I hope one day, that will come to fruition.
Thank you to Harper Voyager for the eARC.
October 24, 2024
Sorry, everyone, I don't have the best news to report. I didn't love it.
Rating: 3 ⭐️
Immortal tells the story of the romance between Liyen, a mortal queen, and Zhangwei, the God of War. It's an interesting world, but overall, the romance felt pretty weak.
There's a quote in the book where Liyen remarks about "the feelings that didn't feel wholly earned from him," in reference to Zhangwei. And that hit the nail right on the head for me. That's how I felt for most of the book. Like Zhangwei's almost immediate love and affection for Liyen was baseless and unwarranted.
There's a big twist (no spoilers) that places the first three-quarters of the book into a new perspective. However, while that was interesting and lended a greater understanding to the actions and emotions of many characters, that doesn't mean that most of the book wasn't still puzzling and a little dull.
Overall, it wasn't bad and there is definitely an interesting story here, but I'm a bit disappointed. I almost wish there had been a prequel, because if I had known the twist from the beginning, I might have found the story more enjoyable. But that's just me!
Rating: 3 ⭐️
Immortal tells the story of the romance between Liyen, a mortal queen, and Zhangwei, the God of War. It's an interesting world, but overall, the romance felt pretty weak.
There's a quote in the book where Liyen remarks about "the feelings that didn't feel wholly earned from him," in reference to Zhangwei. And that hit the nail right on the head for me. That's how I felt for most of the book. Like Zhangwei's almost immediate love and affection for Liyen was baseless and unwarranted.
There's a big twist (no spoilers) that places the first three-quarters of the book into a new perspective. However, while that was interesting and lended a greater understanding to the actions and emotions of many characters, that doesn't mean that most of the book wasn't still puzzling and a little dull.
Overall, it wasn't bad and there is definitely an interesting story here, but I'm a bit disappointed. I almost wish there had been a prequel, because if I had known the twist from the beginning, I might have found the story more enjoyable. But that's just me!
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me early access to Immortal in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 24, 2025
3.5 🌟
"When your days are dark, you forget the existence of dawn."
Glorious standalone romantasy from the enchanted world of the Celestial Kingdom. A reluctant, stubborn princess who dreams of freedom and prosperity for her occupied homeland, defies and breaks a fragile yet paramount alliance with the misunderstood and striking God of War and incites the wrath of the unyielding Immortal Queen.
Tan enthralls with vivid and lush prose, an evolving MC who finds herself, love, hope and trust in the midst of political intrigue, greed, conspiracy and unrest. Interesting plot, balanced chemistry, dynamic banter and confounding twists will keep any fantasy fan sated on this incredible journey back to an immersive and beloved realm.
————————————————————————————
“You are more than your face, more than your name. With you, I am whole.”
Enemies to Lovers ... Back in the Celestial Kingdom!?! Let's delve right in!
"When your days are dark, you forget the existence of dawn."
Glorious standalone romantasy from the enchanted world of the Celestial Kingdom. A reluctant, stubborn princess who dreams of freedom and prosperity for her occupied homeland, defies and breaks a fragile yet paramount alliance with the misunderstood and striking God of War and incites the wrath of the unyielding Immortal Queen.
Tan enthralls with vivid and lush prose, an evolving MC who finds herself, love, hope and trust in the midst of political intrigue, greed, conspiracy and unrest. Interesting plot, balanced chemistry, dynamic banter and confounding twists will keep any fantasy fan sated on this incredible journey back to an immersive and beloved realm.
————————————————————————————
“You are more than your face, more than your name. With you, I am whole.”
Enemies to Lovers ... Back in the Celestial Kingdom!?! Let's delve right in!
Want to read
April 1, 2022What in the world? This exists? I need this NOW.
February 12, 2025
“Heroes are not made but born through their choices. One could be given the greatest gifts in the world and choose to do nothing with them. Or someone with nothing could forge their way to the pinnacle of power. Whether mortal or immortal, our destiny is in our hands.”
This book was so good! This was a magical and intriguing fantasy about finding your path, discovering yourself, power, family and love. Immortal follows Liyen the heir to the Tianxia throne who must pledge to serve the immortal who protect her people against enemies. Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted flower to save her life from poison, but the queen is very angry and sends an army after her. When Liyen’s grandfather dies she takes the throne and is summoned to the immortal world where she learns secrets and forms an alliance with the God of War. When enemies come after Liyen’s home she must risk everything for her people.
“You are you. You are all I need, whether are together a year or a hundred. Never doubt my heart.”
I was swept up into this unique fantasy from the very beginning. The pacing was well done during most of the book and the plot was intriguing. There were some aspects of the plot that weren’t explained in enough detail. The writing was descriptive and poetic, although a bit flowery at times. The world building was underdeveloped, I enjoyed the magic and learning about the immortal was interesting, but the author didn’t go into detail about the history of the world. The setting and the decryptions of the world was so beautiful, I felt like I traveled to another world. I enjoyed many of the characters. I love Liyen she is brave, caring, resilient, strong, and very protective of her home and people. Liyen’s character development was great, I enjoyed seeing her become more confident and find her path. I really liked the God of War, Zhangwei, he is charming, kind, brave, a romantic, powerful, and protective of Liyen. I loved that he has a hard exterior but for Liyen he is soft and sweet. There were several scenes where I swooned and giggled at what Zhangwei said to Liyen. I wished the author discussed Zhangwei’s past and developed his character more. The side characters felt a bit flat to me, especially Chengyin. At first I didn’t feel the chemistry between Liyen and Zhangwei but then the chemistry was great halfway through. I’m glad that Liyen and Zhangwei’s relationship developed over time, and they weren’t in love right away. There were several aspects of the plot that were surprising. The ending was a bit underwhelming for me, I enjoyed how one aspect of the pot was resolved but another aspect wasn’t explained well and felt rushed.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy romance, awesome main characters, unique magic and great chemistry between the main characters.
This book was so good! This was a magical and intriguing fantasy about finding your path, discovering yourself, power, family and love. Immortal follows Liyen the heir to the Tianxia throne who must pledge to serve the immortal who protect her people against enemies. Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted flower to save her life from poison, but the queen is very angry and sends an army after her. When Liyen’s grandfather dies she takes the throne and is summoned to the immortal world where she learns secrets and forms an alliance with the God of War. When enemies come after Liyen’s home she must risk everything for her people.
“You are you. You are all I need, whether are together a year or a hundred. Never doubt my heart.”
I was swept up into this unique fantasy from the very beginning. The pacing was well done during most of the book and the plot was intriguing. There were some aspects of the plot that weren’t explained in enough detail. The writing was descriptive and poetic, although a bit flowery at times. The world building was underdeveloped, I enjoyed the magic and learning about the immortal was interesting, but the author didn’t go into detail about the history of the world. The setting and the decryptions of the world was so beautiful, I felt like I traveled to another world. I enjoyed many of the characters. I love Liyen she is brave, caring, resilient, strong, and very protective of her home and people. Liyen’s character development was great, I enjoyed seeing her become more confident and find her path. I really liked the God of War, Zhangwei, he is charming, kind, brave, a romantic, powerful, and protective of Liyen. I loved that he has a hard exterior but for Liyen he is soft and sweet. There were several scenes where I swooned and giggled at what Zhangwei said to Liyen. I wished the author discussed Zhangwei’s past and developed his character more. The side characters felt a bit flat to me, especially Chengyin. At first I didn’t feel the chemistry between Liyen and Zhangwei but then the chemistry was great halfway through. I’m glad that Liyen and Zhangwei’s relationship developed over time, and they weren’t in love right away. There were several aspects of the plot that were surprising. The ending was a bit underwhelming for me, I enjoyed how one aspect of the pot was resolved but another aspect wasn’t explained well and felt rushed.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy romance, awesome main characters, unique magic and great chemistry between the main characters.
January 26, 2025
Okay, this was my first Sue Lynn Tan book, and OH MY GOD, I’m obsessed. I devoured it in no time. The world-building? Stunning but super easy to follow. The plot hooked me right away. The romance? TENSION FOR DAYS. As a newbie to her universe, I was worried I’d feel lost, but nope! It was easy to get into and didn’t overwhelm me at all.
Liyen is the ultimate girlboss. She's stubborn, but it makes sense because she just wants the best for everyone. She's fierce, and so easy to root for. And Zhangwei is not exactly broody, but trust me, you’ll get why he is the way he is as the story goes on.
But seriously, the banter! The tension! The pining! This book gave me all the feels, and I’m not kidding when I say I’m going feral over it. Seriously, this book was everything. The best read of 2025 and it’s only January!
Read this if you like:
❤️🔥 Enemies to Lovers
❤️🔥 Chinese Mythology
❤️🔥 Strong FMC
❤️🔥 Forbidden Love
🚨🚨 TW: Mention of death, violence
Liyen is the ultimate girlboss. She's stubborn, but it makes sense because she just wants the best for everyone. She's fierce, and so easy to root for. And Zhangwei is not exactly broody, but trust me, you’ll get why he is the way he is as the story goes on.
But seriously, the banter! The tension! The pining! This book gave me all the feels, and I’m not kidding when I say I’m going feral over it. Seriously, this book was everything. The best read of 2025 and it’s only January!
Read this if you like:
❤️🔥 Enemies to Lovers
❤️🔥 Chinese Mythology
❤️🔥 Strong FMC
❤️🔥 Forbidden Love
🚨🚨 TW: Mention of death, violence
February 9, 2025
“𝘪’𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘪 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.”
this was my first time reading a book by this author, and it did not disappoint, it was just as good as i had hoped—well-written characters, an engaging plot that never dragged, and minimal spice for my clean-readers out there, plus, the cover is absolutely stunning! What more could we ask for?
“𝘪 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘪 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.”
“𝘪 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.” 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.
at first, i was a little skeptical about how quickly he fell for her, the pacing felt a bit odd in the beginning, and i worried that the romance was rushed, but as the story unfolded, everything clicked into place beautifully, the emotional depth, the tension, the slow unraveling of their connection—it all made perfect sense by the halfway mark.
"𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴."
this book had everything i love in a romantic fantasy: the hurt, the banter, the chemistry, the betrayal, and the rivalry, every emotion was palpable, making for an incredibly immersive read, while i adored Liyen and her fierce, unwavering heart, i couldn’t help but fall for Chengyin and his relationship with Aunt Shou, filled with love, care, and heartbreaking betrayal—moved me deeply, Aunt Shou’s story, in particular, left a lasting impression.
“𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴.”
beyond the romance, this book also delves heavily into politics, which added an extra layer of complexity and intrigue, if you enjoy political maneuvering woven seamlessly into the plot, you’ll likely love this aspect as much as I did.
“𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴?” 𝘪 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺. “𝘪 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴.”
overall, this was a dazzling standalone romantic fantasy, rich in emotion and beautifully crafted, i highly recommend it! 💌
"𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴.”
“𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳?”
“𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘷𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺. “𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘪 𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦.”
“𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘪 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭.”
“𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘸𝘯.”
“𝘥𝘢𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
𝓹𝓻𝓮_𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭: in desperate need of my monthly dose of fantasy, and this one seems promising, *sigh* i love my fantasy with a touch of Asian magic—hope it delivers! 💌
this was my first time reading a book by this author, and it did not disappoint, it was just as good as i had hoped—well-written characters, an engaging plot that never dragged, and minimal spice for my clean-readers out there, plus, the cover is absolutely stunning! What more could we ask for?
“𝘪 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘪 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.”
“𝘪 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.” 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.
at first, i was a little skeptical about how quickly he fell for her, the pacing felt a bit odd in the beginning, and i worried that the romance was rushed, but as the story unfolded, everything clicked into place beautifully, the emotional depth, the tension, the slow unraveling of their connection—it all made perfect sense by the halfway mark.
"𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴."
this book had everything i love in a romantic fantasy: the hurt, the banter, the chemistry, the betrayal, and the rivalry, every emotion was palpable, making for an incredibly immersive read, while i adored Liyen and her fierce, unwavering heart, i couldn’t help but fall for Chengyin and his relationship with Aunt Shou, filled with love, care, and heartbreaking betrayal—moved me deeply, Aunt Shou’s story, in particular, left a lasting impression.
“𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴.”
beyond the romance, this book also delves heavily into politics, which added an extra layer of complexity and intrigue, if you enjoy political maneuvering woven seamlessly into the plot, you’ll likely love this aspect as much as I did.
“𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴?” 𝘪 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺. “𝘪 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴.”
overall, this was a dazzling standalone romantic fantasy, rich in emotion and beautifully crafted, i highly recommend it! 💌
"𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴.”
“𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳?”
“𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘷𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺. “𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘪 𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦.”
“𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘪 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭.”
“𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘸𝘯.”
“𝘥𝘢𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
𝓹𝓻𝓮_𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭: in desperate need of my monthly dose of fantasy, and this one seems promising, *sigh* i love my fantasy with a touch of Asian magic—hope it delivers! 💌
February 5, 2025
If Sue Lynn Tan writes it, you better believe I'm going to come running and Immortal absolutely did not disappoint! This book delivered everything I crave in a romantic fantasy and then some. When I say I want romantic fantasy, this is exactly what I mean!
There was yearning, tension, and oh, the romance! Immortal brought all the court intrigue and emotional tension, betrayal and plot twists that gave me serious Ashes of Love and Ten Miles of Peach Blossom vibes. I was living for every single moment.
While set in the same world as the Celestial Kingdom series, which I also adored, this novel is a complete standalone. That makes it a super easy read, even if you haven't read the other books.
I couldn’t put this book down. I practically devoured it!
And can we take a moment to talk about the God of War, aka Lord Zhangwei? Or should I just start calling him the God of Rizz now? Because damn, his dialogue was chef's kiss level fine. I have all his lines highlighted and swooned over them like my life depended on it. The romance and banter hit the spot perfectly, it was everything I needed and more.
I’m so weak for the yearning and forbidden love trope, and Sue Lynn Tan delivered it flawlessly in this book. The dynamics between the characters was intense, emotional, and beautifully written. No spoilers here but let me just say that the romance absolutely HIT.
A huge thank you to @ Harper Voyager @HarperCollins for gifting me a finished copy of Immortal. I’m totally in awe of how stunning it is, the cover is just as beautiful as the story inside.
Put Immortal on your bookshelf ASAP! Or better yet go make yourself acquainted with Lord Zhangwei *swoon*
There was yearning, tension, and oh, the romance! Immortal brought all the court intrigue and emotional tension, betrayal and plot twists that gave me serious Ashes of Love and Ten Miles of Peach Blossom vibes. I was living for every single moment.
While set in the same world as the Celestial Kingdom series, which I also adored, this novel is a complete standalone. That makes it a super easy read, even if you haven't read the other books.
I couldn’t put this book down. I practically devoured it!
And can we take a moment to talk about the God of War, aka Lord Zhangwei? Or should I just start calling him the God of Rizz now? Because damn, his dialogue was chef's kiss level fine. I have all his lines highlighted and swooned over them like my life depended on it. The romance and banter hit the spot perfectly, it was everything I needed and more.
I’m so weak for the yearning and forbidden love trope, and Sue Lynn Tan delivered it flawlessly in this book. The dynamics between the characters was intense, emotional, and beautifully written. No spoilers here but let me just say that the romance absolutely HIT.
A huge thank you to @ Harper Voyager @HarperCollins for gifting me a finished copy of Immortal. I’m totally in awe of how stunning it is, the cover is just as beautiful as the story inside.
Put Immortal on your bookshelf ASAP! Or better yet go make yourself acquainted with Lord Zhangwei *swoon*
December 31, 2024
Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the arc!
🌟✨/5
Sue Lynn Tan made quite the splash in the fantasy genre with her phenomenal debut, Daughter of the Moon Goddess. It was hard to not fall in love with the lush worldbuilding and the high-stakes, fast paced plot, both held together by Tan's gorgeous prose. I was thrilled when another book set in the same world as the Celestial Kingdoms duology was announced. Unfortunately, this was a huge letdown.
The characterization in this book was truly awful. Liyen and Zhangwei are some of the flattest, most forgettable MCs I've ever come across. Reading from Liyen's perspective was an agonizing experience. She's adept at making horrible decisions. She's also pretty much useless. Zhangwei is your typical romantasy love interest....tall and brooding, has a fearsome reputation but is actually a nice person (Shocker, I know😱). He's the kind that makes the entire booktok community swoon and makes me want to bang my head on a wall. The 'romance' is, as is the case with most romantasy books, insta-lust masquerading as love. Reading things like 'Who did this to you?' and 'Touch her and you'll die' is even more infuriating than usual if the MCs have no chemistry. The dialogue was unnatural and awkward. The plot twist made the romance plotline so much worse. It also ended up introducing plot points that led nowhere.
The plot itself is very weak. 'Immortal' brings nothing new and exciting to the table and reads like a stereotypical fantasy novel. The worldbuilding in Tan's debut was its biggest strengths. Here, it serves as nothing more than a prop and doesn't have the same immersive feel to it. The stakes were non-existent. Liyen does nothing herself, everything is handed to her. Whatever little conflict there is, it is resolved within moments. Since we had a ruler MC, I was expecting more political intrigue but got none. Overall, the novel felt half baked and poorly put together. It felt like the author wanted to do too many things at once but ended up butchering all of them. The climax was poorly executed as well.
While I'll check out whatever SLT writes in the future, I do not recommend this book. I got nothing new from it and ended up wasting my time.
🌟✨/5
Sue Lynn Tan made quite the splash in the fantasy genre with her phenomenal debut, Daughter of the Moon Goddess. It was hard to not fall in love with the lush worldbuilding and the high-stakes, fast paced plot, both held together by Tan's gorgeous prose. I was thrilled when another book set in the same world as the Celestial Kingdoms duology was announced. Unfortunately, this was a huge letdown.
The characterization in this book was truly awful. Liyen and Zhangwei are some of the flattest, most forgettable MCs I've ever come across. Reading from Liyen's perspective was an agonizing experience. She's adept at making horrible decisions. She's also pretty much useless. Zhangwei is your typical romantasy love interest....tall and brooding, has a fearsome reputation but is actually a nice person (Shocker, I know😱). He's the kind that makes the entire booktok community swoon and makes me want to bang my head on a wall. The 'romance' is, as is the case with most romantasy books, insta-lust masquerading as love. Reading things like 'Who did this to you?' and 'Touch her and you'll die' is even more infuriating than usual if the MCs have no chemistry. The dialogue was unnatural and awkward. The plot twist made the romance plotline so much worse. It also ended up introducing plot points that led nowhere.
The plot itself is very weak. 'Immortal' brings nothing new and exciting to the table and reads like a stereotypical fantasy novel. The worldbuilding in Tan's debut was its biggest strengths. Here, it serves as nothing more than a prop and doesn't have the same immersive feel to it. The stakes were non-existent. Liyen does nothing herself, everything is handed to her. Whatever little conflict there is, it is resolved within moments. Since we had a ruler MC, I was expecting more political intrigue but got none. Overall, the novel felt half baked and poorly put together. It felt like the author wanted to do too many things at once but ended up butchering all of them. The climax was poorly executed as well.
While I'll check out whatever SLT writes in the future, I do not recommend this book. I got nothing new from it and ended up wasting my time.
January 7, 2025
Happy Release Day!!
"You are all I need, whether we are together a year or a hundred." He stroked the hair from my face, looking into my eyes. "Never doubt my heart. I have loved you since we met--as I will for the rest of our days."
I'll start by saying the beginning of this book was lit. Starts off with a bang and then the God of War's entrance was 🤌
But then the problems started. I think my biggest issue was the pacing. It was just weird, and some things just happened really quickly or like too easily and then we're moving on to the next thing. Seemed like there were some plot holes too, a couple of things that weren't explained very well or resolved very well. I just wasn't detecting a lot of logic that was happening. Also some questionable decisions being made, like poontang at a very dangerous and awkward time 👀
But there were a lot of really enjoyable parts. Anything with the MMC was great, especially when he leaned more into his God of War persona. A handful of laugh out loud moments with some of their dialogue and some pretty cool action sequences, but this one ended up falling short for me 😩
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
"You are all I need, whether we are together a year or a hundred." He stroked the hair from my face, looking into my eyes. "Never doubt my heart. I have loved you since we met--as I will for the rest of our days."
I'll start by saying the beginning of this book was lit. Starts off with a bang and then the God of War's entrance was 🤌
But then the problems started. I think my biggest issue was the pacing. It was just weird, and some things just happened really quickly or like too easily and then we're moving on to the next thing. Seemed like there were some plot holes too, a couple of things that weren't explained very well or resolved very well. I just wasn't detecting a lot of logic that was happening. Also some questionable decisions being made, like poontang at a very dangerous and awkward time 👀
But there were a lot of really enjoyable parts. Anything with the MMC was great, especially when he leaned more into his God of War persona. A handful of laugh out loud moments with some of their dialogue and some pretty cool action sequences, but this one ended up falling short for me 😩
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
December 1, 2024
I requested this arc knowing that I'm not a huge fan of romantasy, so that's all on me. Even with that, I still try to find something I like because fantasy is my favorite genre. (I mean, I did like The Hurricane Wars, even though the romance was corny.)
But Immortal was definitely not my thing.
It's been almost two weeks since I read this, and the only thing I remember is that this book read like a mix of Marvel movies, specifically the big reveal in Thor 1, with the villain plot/arc in The Marvels. I wasn't really impressed at all to the point where I wondered if I should've DNF.
It read like your typical run of the mill romance novel, but with fantasy aspects as set dressing. Reading the synopsis, I honestly thought this was going to be enemies to lovers (which is my favorite romance trope). The first 30% played into that, but after that, it was just a normal romance with cheesy declarations of love and all that jazz. ('Where you go, I go,” he whispered into my ear. “Now, and always.”') I know others might be into this, but I'll pass.
But!
If this were a movie or TV show, I absolutely loved how the set, the costumes, makeup, etc. were so gorgeous that my imagination went full blast with all the beautiful colors and magical elements. Honestly, that was the only thing that kept me going.
Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.
But Immortal was definitely not my thing.
It's been almost two weeks since I read this, and the only thing I remember is that this book read like a mix of Marvel movies, specifically the big reveal in Thor 1, with the villain plot/arc in The Marvels. I wasn't really impressed at all to the point where I wondered if I should've DNF.
It read like your typical run of the mill romance novel, but with fantasy aspects as set dressing. Reading the synopsis, I honestly thought this was going to be enemies to lovers (which is my favorite romance trope). The first 30% played into that, but after that, it was just a normal romance with cheesy declarations of love and all that jazz. ('Where you go, I go,” he whispered into my ear. “Now, and always.”') I know others might be into this, but I'll pass.
But!
If this were a movie or TV show, I absolutely loved how the set, the costumes, makeup, etc. were so gorgeous that my imagination went full blast with all the beautiful colors and magical elements. Honestly, that was the only thing that kept me going.
Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.
August 18, 2025
i was riding with this book until like 70% of the way in and then i just kept going “wait explain more please”
February 22, 2025
4.25✨
« To anyone who ever felt like they were not enough. » ❤️🩹
This was an absolutely beautiful story. The characters were amazing as well as the character development. The world building was magical.
« Children shouldn’t be held accountable for the bad choices of their parents. »
I thought this would be my next 5✨ read up until the twists were uncovered. I do think this story was absolutely unique and could’ve managed to stay unique if the author hadn’t went for a formula that works. But I still loved that book even if it wasn’t my next 5 ✨ read.
« Your ignorance stems from the fact that you don’t know me, yet are content to judge. »
The romance, the banter… absolute perfection. My heart was racing from all this banter & love 🥺💗
—•
« When your days are dark, you forget the existence of dawn. »
« Maybe we were all monsters inside, waiting to be unleashed once pushed too far. »
«… sometimes we all had to feign strength we didn’t have. »
«… when I lost my grandfather, I didn’t want to stop talking about him. For those we loved, the greatest disservice was to forget them. »
« To anyone who ever felt like they were not enough. » ❤️🩹
This was an absolutely beautiful story. The characters were amazing as well as the character development. The world building was magical.
« Children shouldn’t be held accountable for the bad choices of their parents. »
I thought this would be my next 5✨ read up until the twists were uncovered. I do think this story was absolutely unique and could’ve managed to stay unique if the author hadn’t went for a formula that works. But I still loved that book even if it wasn’t my next 5 ✨ read.
« Your ignorance stems from the fact that you don’t know me, yet are content to judge. »
The romance, the banter… absolute perfection. My heart was racing from all this banter & love 🥺💗
—•
« When your days are dark, you forget the existence of dawn. »
« Maybe we were all monsters inside, waiting to be unleashed once pushed too far. »
«… sometimes we all had to feign strength we didn’t have. »
«… when I lost my grandfather, I didn’t want to stop talking about him. For those we loved, the greatest disservice was to forget them. »
June 20, 2025
¿UN ROMANTASY AMBIENTADO EN LA MITALOGÍA CHINA😱?
Sí, lo sé, es para empezar a hiperventilar…🔥
🌸Pero, espera, porque cuando te diga que aquí hay un ENEMIES TO LOVERS de esos que te sacan una sonrisa lobuna y un SLOW BURN de los que te hacen suspirar por los rincones, vas a correr como loca al viento a por este libro❤️🔥!
🌸Y es que vas a conocer a un dios de la gue…rra que lo último que desearías es estar en paz con él🤭 y una heredera al trono de Tianxia, que tendrá que pactar con el traicionero dios si quiere salvar a su pueblo…
🌸Vamos, en este punto, nos veo a las dos con las zapatillas de estar por casa y el chándal corriendo desquiciadas hacia la librería más cercana…. (Por eso de fomentar el comercio de proximidad🤫)
🌸Y ni te cuento la cara que pone el librero cuando nos ve…😳
🌸Yo creo que el tic del ojo le ha dado cuando hemos entrado en la librería sin el consabido "Buenos días" de rigor y, con mucha amabilidad, hemos apartado al señor que está en medio del pasillo hablando con la dependienta, sin darse cuenta de que estamos en plan "ansia total" …
🌸Pero, a ver, ¿quién es el loco que se pone delante de una lectora en busca de su siguiente tentación?😏
🌸Por cierto, por si no te lo he dicho todavía, aquí también encontrarás….
🧧Amistad
🧧Traiciones
🧧Magia
🧧Dioses
🧧Inmortales
🧧Monstruos
🧧Romance
🧧Y una peligrosa alianza que… agüita🔥!
PD: Es una penita, pero en esta ocasión no he congeniado con la protagonista femenina, pero ya sabes que cada persona es única, al igual que la lectura que hace del libro.
Sí, lo sé, es para empezar a hiperventilar…🔥
🌸Pero, espera, porque cuando te diga que aquí hay un ENEMIES TO LOVERS de esos que te sacan una sonrisa lobuna y un SLOW BURN de los que te hacen suspirar por los rincones, vas a correr como loca al viento a por este libro❤️🔥!
🌸Y es que vas a conocer a un dios de la gue…rra que lo último que desearías es estar en paz con él🤭 y una heredera al trono de Tianxia, que tendrá que pactar con el traicionero dios si quiere salvar a su pueblo…
🌸Vamos, en este punto, nos veo a las dos con las zapatillas de estar por casa y el chándal corriendo desquiciadas hacia la librería más cercana…. (Por eso de fomentar el comercio de proximidad🤫)
🌸Y ni te cuento la cara que pone el librero cuando nos ve…😳
🌸Yo creo que el tic del ojo le ha dado cuando hemos entrado en la librería sin el consabido "Buenos días" de rigor y, con mucha amabilidad, hemos apartado al señor que está en medio del pasillo hablando con la dependienta, sin darse cuenta de que estamos en plan "ansia total" …
🌸Pero, a ver, ¿quién es el loco que se pone delante de una lectora en busca de su siguiente tentación?😏
🌸Por cierto, por si no te lo he dicho todavía, aquí también encontrarás….
🧧Amistad
🧧Traiciones
🧧Magia
🧧Dioses
🧧Inmortales
🧧Monstruos
🧧Romance
🧧Y una peligrosa alianza que… agüita🔥!
PD: Es una penita, pero en esta ocasión no he congeniado con la protagonista femenina, pero ya sabes que cada persona es única, al igual que la lectura que hace del libro.
March 18, 2025
I read Sue Lynn other novels & I must say Immortal is probably her worst written book. I’m generally not a fan of the fantasy/romance genre. However, the author previous books were pretty good reads, so I decided to give her latest work a try. The two main characters of this novel are Liyen & ZhangWei and their romantic plot twists between the two. Their love hate relationship was the main storyline. I just developed zero interest in the both characters & the stories. The ridiculous love story of this book reminded me of the similar bad story between Violet & Xaden of the The Fourth Wing. I think female readers or just a younger audience would appreciate this novel a lot more than me… Overall though, not recommended.
January 3, 2025
The God Of War, the MAN THAT YOU ARE. I love to see a man openly yearning and on his knees for the MC.
Romantasy with the most perfect magical vibes and a strong romantic plotline that let's the chemistry build with each scene. Sue Lynn Tan delivered exactly what I wanted with this and explored so much territory with the standalone. Not just in terms of the realms we explore and the magic we experience, but also touching heavily on grief, family, loyalty and what we would do for the ones we love.
Romantasy with the most perfect magical vibes and a strong romantic plotline that let's the chemistry build with each scene. Sue Lynn Tan delivered exactly what I wanted with this and explored so much territory with the standalone. Not just in terms of the realms we explore and the magic we experience, but also touching heavily on grief, family, loyalty and what we would do for the ones we love.
February 1, 2025
3 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was the Lady of Tianxia and he was the God of War. There was no happy ending in our story, and I wouldn’t let my kingdom pay the price.
Immortal tells the love story between the mortal heir to the Throne of Tianxia and the immortal God of War, and this sets the stage for a delicious forbidden romance.
Though the stakes weren't high enough.
The setting of the world was vibrant and lush, yet the story seemed lacking in some ways.
The development of the romance was rushed, but a twist is revealed that adds another layer to it. However, I was still feeling pretty "bleh" about it.
I can't say there weren't some swoon-worthy scenes and lines, I just feel like something was missing... maybe there wasn't enough tension or high stakes that felt serious to me since the romance had a forbidden aspect to it.
The dialogue was boring at times.
This standalone had a promising premise and I wouldn't say I hated it, I was left wanting more.
I was the Lady of Tianxia and he was the God of War. There was no happy ending in our story, and I wouldn’t let my kingdom pay the price.
Immortal tells the love story between the mortal heir to the Throne of Tianxia and the immortal God of War, and this sets the stage for a delicious forbidden romance.
Though the stakes weren't high enough.
The setting of the world was vibrant and lush, yet the story seemed lacking in some ways.
The development of the romance was rushed, but a twist is revealed that adds another layer to it. However, I was still feeling pretty "bleh" about it.
I can't say there weren't some swoon-worthy scenes and lines, I just feel like something was missing... maybe there wasn't enough tension or high stakes that felt serious to me since the romance had a forbidden aspect to it.
The dialogue was boring at times.
This standalone had a promising premise and I wouldn't say I hated it, I was left wanting more.
October 5, 2025
“One is enough, if they are the right person. It doesn’t matter how often you love, but how well.”
“Love is the greatest freedom in the world, but you have to be capable of yielding it, to grasp its true meaning.” 💫❤️🔥
I absolutely loved this book!!! ✨ The writing was beautiful, poetic, and full of emotion. I found myself making so many notes and highlights while reading 🖋️💭 The world building, the magic, the mystery, everything was incredible 🌙🪷 From the very first chapter the stakes were high and I was completely hooked 📖🔥
The love story between the two main characters was heartfelt and emotional 💕 and the twist near the end made me fall even harder for them 😭 It’s one of those romances that lingers long after you close the book, quiet yet powerful, tender yet epic.
This was the perfect romantasy standalone for anyone who loves stories steeped in Chinese mythology 🐉🌸 It’s set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess but stands completely on its own, no spoilers, just pure magic.
Thank you Harper Audio for the audiobook 🎧 and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC 💐
“Love is the greatest freedom in the world, but you have to be capable of yielding it, to grasp its true meaning.” 💫❤️🔥
I absolutely loved this book!!! ✨ The writing was beautiful, poetic, and full of emotion. I found myself making so many notes and highlights while reading 🖋️💭 The world building, the magic, the mystery, everything was incredible 🌙🪷 From the very first chapter the stakes were high and I was completely hooked 📖🔥
The love story between the two main characters was heartfelt and emotional 💕 and the twist near the end made me fall even harder for them 😭 It’s one of those romances that lingers long after you close the book, quiet yet powerful, tender yet epic.
This was the perfect romantasy standalone for anyone who loves stories steeped in Chinese mythology 🐉🌸 It’s set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess but stands completely on its own, no spoilers, just pure magic.
Thank you Harper Audio for the audiobook 🎧 and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC 💐
January 2, 2025
Uuurgh, why does everyone think that they know what's best for the FMC (I don't know how to write her name, sorry)? Why don't they let her decide what's better for herself? Isn't she a sane person? She rules her people for God's sake. How I wished I had the eARC there are so many quotes I wanted to highlight. TBH, Once I knew the truth, I didn't care anymore, but Sue Lynn Tan has a way with words that makes me want to read the whole book, ok, even if I don't agree with some of what's in it.
PS It's not fully a YA book and that's new for Sue Lynn Tan.
Pre read
Oh My God 😭😭 I received the ALC from NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult 💋
PS It's not fully a YA book and that's new for Sue Lynn Tan.
Pre read
Oh My God 😭😭 I received the ALC from NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult 💋
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