To Dream in Darkness

by Ann Liang

Two gods strike a bargain that leads them on a journey with devastating consequences in this lush historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Ann Liang.

China in the age of brilliance, where gods freely wander the three realms. Amongst them is the cruel and beautiful Death God, who has never failed to collect a soul on time. Until now. For when he seeks out Rujia, the noble god of healing―and the only god he is fated to kill with his own hands―she makes him an offer he can’t refuse: she will help lift the excruciating, century-old curse placed upon him if he gives her a one-month reprieve.

Rujia knows she isn’t as noble as everyone believes. Her deal with Death is merely an excuse to buy herself time while she figures out an escape plan. But when her plan causes the Celestial Palace’s collapse and the beloved crown prince’s disappearance, she and Death are both held responsible. The only way to avoid the wrath of all the other gods is to travel across the realms and safely retrieve the crown prince themselves.

Yet the journey proves far more treacherous than expected. As the unlikely alliance between them blooms into more, and Death’s resolve to kill Rujia weakens by the day, neither can outrun their intertwined fate without devastating consequences: A mysterious plague. An empire-destroying flood. A thousand deaths―and rising―to restore the balance Rujia's disrupted. And if Rujia continues to live despite the will of the Heavens, this is only the beginning...

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Historical, Romance, Adult, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 27, 2026

About the author

Ann Liang is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the critically acclaimed YA novels This Time It’s Real, If You Could See the Sun, and I Hope This Doesn't Find You. Her books have sold into over twenty foreign territories. Born in Beijing, she grew up traveling back and forth between China and Australia, but somehow ended up with an American accent. She now lives in Melbourne, where she can be found making overambitious to do lists and having profound conversations with her pet labradoodle about who’s a good dog.

Reviews

[ivy]

ann makes me SO proud of my culture 😭 i'm shaking with anticipation for this book 🤧.

[Nancy •͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ]

OH. MY. GOD.

WE GOT A COVER REVEAL Y'ALL. I AM IN LOVE

okay so I Could Give You The Moon disappointed me BUT I am hoping this will build up my trust in Ann Liang once more

[fadheela ♡ (travel hiatus)]

⤿🌹17/04/26
*screaming* OMG I'M FREAKING OUT HERE!! I might have scared my neighbours in my building with the scream I scrumpt 😭 I kept checking netgalley everyday to see if the book was available to request, and now what do you mean I got invited to read this???🥺 That too a day before my birthday?! Seriously the BEST EARLY BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER 🥹😭❤️ I love you so much Ann, I'm so ready to get wrecked by this book 🤧🫶🏻

[Dawn Solaris]

♬ ᗩᑎTIᑕIᑭᗩTEᗪ .ᐟ

⭑𓂃 Only Ann Liang behavior to give people like me a heart attack of this sort.

I’m not shaking. You are.

I’m not screaming. You ARE.

I’m not f*cking rolling on the floor. You f*cking ARE.

Get this out already, before I make sure my lawyer hears about this.

P.S. Julius Gong cameo please. No, do I look like I care that it’s historical AND it’s fantasy AND that Julius has nothing to do with either? All I need is ONE damn cameo, like, come on!

[rina · Rating 5 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ੭୧‎ ‎ 5 stars‎ ‎ . ۫

‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ “ It is an honor to be ruined by you. ”

overall thoughts — To Dream in Darkness reminded me why I love mythology fantasy so much. As a major Asian mythology enthusiast, I can confirm this was everything!! Gods, fate, curses, yearning, devastating romance, gorgeous atmosphere - Ann Liang KNEW exactly what she was doing. Someone check in on her because she keeps releasing hit after hit.

The story follows Rujia, the god of healing, who is fated to die by the hand of the God of Death. She ends up in the Night Realm, where she makes a bargain with the Death God himself to heal him from his curse, and in return, he won't kill her for a month. As they grow closer, histories unravel, wounds reopen, and Rujia begins to learn that underneath the Death God's cruel exterior is a wounded, lonely soul carrying far more pain than anyone realizes.

If there is one thing I love, it is a tragic doomed love story, and this gave exactly that and more. The premise of Death falling in love with life had me in a chokehold, and Ann truly did not disappoint. "And suddenly, there was beauty in everything." Yes people I cried.

The relationship between Rujia and the God of Death was so beautiful and tender. They are such a red string theory couple <3 The God of Death was perfection incarnate. Bring back men who yearn. Bring back men who worship the ground their woman walks on. But most importantly, bring back men who can be VULNERABLE. I empathized so much with his grief and anger. It's quite ironic how he's viewed as monstrous, but to me, he felt the most human.

The atmosphere of this book alone deserves all the stars!! I absolutely adore how grief, vulnerability, and loss are woven into the story. I have no complaints about the ending!! It delivered the tragedy that was promised but also healed my fragile, broken heart 🥹

final thoughts — To Dream in Darkness is a stunning, atmospheric, and absolutely heart-wrenching read. I cannot wait for you guys to discover Rujia's and Keran's stories. Add this to your tbr asap!!

Thank you to Ann Liang, Amelia Beckerman, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! To Dream in Darkness releases October 27, 2026.

CW: torture, death, murder

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update: 04/20/26
the publisher just featured my review 😛😛😛 this is a big deal to ME!

────

finished: 04/18/26 𖥻𓈒 ꒱ ੭
my heart is in pieces 😭 i'll be crying myself to sleep now.

pre read: 04/17/26 𖥻𓈒 ꒱ ੭
currently hyperventilating and starting this asap!!! i will read anything ann liang writes, but this book especially was literally crafted for me. beyond grateful that i get to read one of my most anticipated reads from one of my fave authors 🥹 i am ready to be devastated 😖

[₊ ˚ ale ࿓ ♡ ⋆｡˚]

── 💌 ᝰ .ᐟ pre-read.
anything, and i mean ANYTHING, for you, Ann Liang mother

[ଘRory (Hiatus )]

I'm sold. The blurb is blurbbing😍.

[jo ୨୧]

huge gigantic thanks to netgalley and the publisher for inviting me to read this in advance for an honest review.

🌹💙 I GOT INVITED TO READ THIS !? HELLO !? no one talk to me im literally freaking out.


this cover is genuinely insanely stunning i have forgotten all words.

ann liang my queen 💗

[Ashley (permanent [?] semi-hiatus)]

is ann gonna redeem herself in the fantasy realm??

[sarah سارة ꫂ᭪]

if ann liang keeps this consistency up shes gonna get kissed
THANK YOUU

[sama ୨୧]

how is life realllll actually???? 😭😭😭😭😭😭 i cried when i opened the email and saw ‘you’re invited to read “to dream in darkness” by ann liang’ I DAMN NEAR PASSED OUT. have read every single book of hers (except icgytm—soon) and loved every single book of hers so they must just know 🥹💝 i know this will EAT !

THANK YOU PUBLISHERS THANK U SM

[ishi ☆]

NEW ANN LIANG !! so so excited for this omg

[vxmpslibrary [mental health break]]

.pre-release

a doomed love story...

ann liang be gentle to my heart.

[yienne ౨ৎ (ia)]

꒰ঌpre-read📨໒꒱
if my roommate wasnt asleep when i opened the email that i had gotten sent the arc for this, i think i wouldve screamed so loudly the entire dorm would've heard me!!
so ready for this book to emotionally ruin me ‹𝟹

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc 💌

────୨ৎ────
THE SCREAM I SCRUMPT WHEN I FOUND THIS????
i think i might cry im going to be so unwell in october 2026 no further questions!!

[Isabel M]

edit: I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT THE COVER IS *FAINTS* and DEATH falling in love with LIFE?? I FEAR OCTOBER WILL NOT COME SOON ENOUGH

JUST GIVE IT TO ME ALREADY QUEEN THE TITLE IS ABSOLUTE GOLD AND I ALREADY KNOW THE COVER WILL BE

[brontësaurus]

WAIT WHAT THE HELL

TAKE MY MONEY

[Yusra ☾]

MY HEART MY HEART MY HEART I THINK IT STOPPED OMGOMGOMGOMG YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

ANDDD IS THIS ONE OF THE OTHER ONE OF THE FOUR CHINESE BEAUTY LEGENDS??? PLSPLSPLSPLSPLS BE YES, I NEED MORE ASTDR RELATED LIT

[Annabella⁷ (henry li’s version)]

ANN SAID IN HER HUMBLE OPINION THIS MIGHT BE SADDER THAN ASTDR… GIRL BYE; WE ARE SO COOKED🫠
———
I'M SHAKING IS THIS REAL??

[mimi ⭑.ᐟ [mental health + school hiatus]]

pre-release
a new ann liang book??!!
in the wise words of sofi, take my money ann. take it all.
yes, mia & i are struggling to finish her other historical, astdr, BUT WE CAN DO IT OKOK 😤

[sofi⋆ [s-ia]]

*gasp* new ann liang book???
take my money ann take it all

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for romance wrapped in c-drama fantasy vibes this is the one you want on your tbr.

[niyya نية]

TWO ANN LIANG RELEASES THIS YEAR

[joni ౨ৎ - hiatus]

have i read her debut historical book? no.
but i'll still be first in line to scream about this!!!


live laugh love ann liang - astdr is at the top of my 2026 tbr !!

[saisha⊹(ap exam ia!)]

i'm telling you i will eat up ANYTHING that she write pls pls pls

[Shiloh Noelle]

I AM SIMPLY SAT

I CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER

I NEEDDDDDD

[Izzy⁷♡•°]

Historical fantasy from Ann Liang, yeah I'm seated give me twenty

[ˋ°•*⁀➷ ellie (semi ia)]

12-18-25
october 2026 genuinely cant come fast enough. stay tuned for the cover reveal!

[modezireads]

pre-release
ADESHHEDJWBDWUDEJWJBJDKDWBWDBWUKDS NEW ANN LIANG BOOK YAYAYAYAYAY 2026 WILL BE AN AMAZING YEAR!!

[vaishnavi ☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*]

PLEASEEEE pt.2

[Iris]

Me: what's the book about?
Goodreads: its about dreaming in darkness
Me: ...
Goodreads: by ann liang
Me:
✨TBR✨