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To Dream in Darkness
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.
"Like Xishi, Naudus has an enchanting the ability to immerse listeners in an emotionally nuanced tale. Her talent is on full display here—and listeners will be as enthralled with it as Fuchai's royal court is with Xishi's great beauty." —Kirkus Reviews on A Song to Drown Rivers
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 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 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.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press
"Like Xishi, Naudus has an enchanting the ability to immerse listeners in an emotionally nuanced tale. Her talent is on full display here—and listeners will be as enthralled with it as Fuchai's royal court is with Xishi's great beauty." —Kirkus Reviews on A Song to Drown Rivers
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 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 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.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press
Audible Audio
First published October 27, 2026
About the author
Ann Liang
19 books16.9k followersAnn 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 690 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
➴ ∞/5 stars
Honestly? This is the kind of book that makes you wish someone would wipe your fucking memory clean just so you could experience it all over again for the very first time. That's how good it was. I am so serious.
I was hooked before I even finished the first chapter. Hell, I don't even think it took that long. The first few pages had me in a chokehold. From that moment onward, I was absolutely done for.
The premise? Fucking brilliant.
We have mythical creatures, celestial realms, gods, a literal God of Death, a God of Healing, ancient powers, destiny, sacrifice like, how was I not supposed to fall head over heels for this? It had every single thing I love wrapped into one beautiful story, and I ate it the fuck up.
People have been hyping Ann Liang for ages, and while I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book I read by her, one thing I've always admitted is that this woman can write. She has this magical way of pulling you into a story where suddenly the outside world doesn't exist anymore. You're not reading anymore you're living inside the pages. And this book? It proved exactly why everyone keeps talking about her writing.
If exams weren't breathing down my neck, I would've devoured this entire thing in a single day. No exaggeration. I genuinely had to force myself to put it down and study because every single chapter ended with me saying, "Okay... just one more." And then another. And another. Before I knew it, I had read half the damn book.
This is honestly one of the best books I've read all year. I've been waiting for a story that would completely consume me, make me cry, make me stop reading just to stare at the ceiling and process what the fuck I had just read. This was that book.
The story follows Ruija, the God of Healing, who's destined to die. Desperate for more time, she bargains with the God of Death himself, asking for one single month before she willingly surrenders her life. He agrees and from that moment onward, everything changes. Their lives, their beliefs, their fates, everything gets thrown completely off course.
And excuse me who the fuck would've thought I'd be reading about the God of Death kneeling before the God of Healing? Because I certainly did not.
The emotional damage this book caused should honestly be illegal.
Can we please talk about the God of Death for a second? Because holy shit that man absolutely shattered me. At first, he's exactly what you'd expect cold, distant, terrifying. But the more you learn about him, the more impossible it becomes not to love him. His backstory absolutely destroyed me. I genuinely sat there thinking, "Leave this poor man alone." He was carrying the weight of everyone's hatred simply because he was doing the one job nobody else wanted to acknowledge.
There was this line that completely wrecked me:
"Death doesn't kill you. Life does."
I have not stopped thinking about that quote ever since.
Because it's true, isn't it? Death isn't hunting us every second of the day. Life simply reaches its end one day, and somehow we blame Death for doing the only thing he was ever created to do. That realization hit me like a truck, and suddenly everything about his character made so much sense. No one, not a human, not a god, not anyone deserves to carry that much loneliness.
And then there's Ruija.
God, I adored her.
She was kind without being weak, compassionate without losing her strength, and hopeful in a way that never felt unrealistic. She had this quiet resilience that made her impossible not to root for. Every decision she made felt so painfully human despite her literally being a goddess.
Honestly, every single character in this book felt alive. Every single one.
...Well.
Except Jun Yi.
Fuck Jun Yi.
That's all I'm going to say because I'm keeping this spoiler-free.
One thing I absolutely loved was how the story wasn't trapped inside a single perspective. We get to see both sides of what's happening, understand everyone's motivations, and watch the emotional tension build from every angle. If this had been only one POV, I genuinely don't think it would've hit nearly as hard. Knowing what both characters were feeling while they stubbornly danced around each other made every interaction ten times more painful and ten times more addictive.
The chemistry?
Absolutely fucking insane.
The banter?
Chef's kiss.
The tension?
OH MY GOD.
When I say enemies to lovers, I mean actual enemies to lovers. Not "he looked at me funny once five years ago." I'm talking about real conflict, impossible circumstances, slow emotional unraveling, stolen moments, unbearable yearning, and enough tension to make you scream into your pillow.
This book had me giggling one minute, crying the next, then kicking my feet like an absolute idiot before emotionally destroying me all over again. Just know that the second this book officially releases, I'm rereading it. No hesitation. No questions asked.
⚘ "Overall, if you're looking for a book that will completely consume your thoughts, emotionally ruin you in the best possible way, make you laugh, cry, scream, kick your feet, and leave you staring at the wall questioning your entire existence! pick. this. freaking. book.
If you love enemies to lovers with actual chemistry, unbearable tension, celestial gods, mythology, heartbreak, healing, beautiful writing, and characters you'll carry in your heart long after you turn the last page.
Congratulations.
You've just found your next obsession.
And trust me!!!
You're not ready for the emotional damage." 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 29 July , 2026
Enemies to lovers? ✔️
Mythical fantasy? ✔️
Gods? ✔️
What more could I possibly ask for??
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly? This is the kind of book that makes you wish someone would wipe your fucking memory clean just so you could experience it all over again for the very first time. That's how good it was. I am so serious.
I was hooked before I even finished the first chapter. Hell, I don't even think it took that long. The first few pages had me in a chokehold. From that moment onward, I was absolutely done for.
The premise? Fucking brilliant.
We have mythical creatures, celestial realms, gods, a literal God of Death, a God of Healing, ancient powers, destiny, sacrifice like, how was I not supposed to fall head over heels for this? It had every single thing I love wrapped into one beautiful story, and I ate it the fuck up.
People have been hyping Ann Liang for ages, and while I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book I read by her, one thing I've always admitted is that this woman can write. She has this magical way of pulling you into a story where suddenly the outside world doesn't exist anymore. You're not reading anymore you're living inside the pages. And this book? It proved exactly why everyone keeps talking about her writing.
If exams weren't breathing down my neck, I would've devoured this entire thing in a single day. No exaggeration. I genuinely had to force myself to put it down and study because every single chapter ended with me saying, "Okay... just one more." And then another. And another. Before I knew it, I had read half the damn book.
This is honestly one of the best books I've read all year. I've been waiting for a story that would completely consume me, make me cry, make me stop reading just to stare at the ceiling and process what the fuck I had just read. This was that book.
The story follows Ruija, the God of Healing, who's destined to die. Desperate for more time, she bargains with the God of Death himself, asking for one single month before she willingly surrenders her life. He agrees and from that moment onward, everything changes. Their lives, their beliefs, their fates, everything gets thrown completely off course.
And excuse me who the fuck would've thought I'd be reading about the God of Death kneeling before the God of Healing? Because I certainly did not.
The emotional damage this book caused should honestly be illegal.
Can we please talk about the God of Death for a second? Because holy shit that man absolutely shattered me. At first, he's exactly what you'd expect cold, distant, terrifying. But the more you learn about him, the more impossible it becomes not to love him. His backstory absolutely destroyed me. I genuinely sat there thinking, "Leave this poor man alone." He was carrying the weight of everyone's hatred simply because he was doing the one job nobody else wanted to acknowledge.
There was this line that completely wrecked me:
"Death doesn't kill you. Life does."
I have not stopped thinking about that quote ever since.
Because it's true, isn't it? Death isn't hunting us every second of the day. Life simply reaches its end one day, and somehow we blame Death for doing the only thing he was ever created to do. That realization hit me like a truck, and suddenly everything about his character made so much sense. No one, not a human, not a god, not anyone deserves to carry that much loneliness.
And then there's Ruija.
God, I adored her.
She was kind without being weak, compassionate without losing her strength, and hopeful in a way that never felt unrealistic. She had this quiet resilience that made her impossible not to root for. Every decision she made felt so painfully human despite her literally being a goddess.
Honestly, every single character in this book felt alive. Every single one.
...Well.
Except Jun Yi.
Fuck Jun Yi.
That's all I'm going to say because I'm keeping this spoiler-free.
One thing I absolutely loved was how the story wasn't trapped inside a single perspective. We get to see both sides of what's happening, understand everyone's motivations, and watch the emotional tension build from every angle. If this had been only one POV, I genuinely don't think it would've hit nearly as hard. Knowing what both characters were feeling while they stubbornly danced around each other made every interaction ten times more painful and ten times more addictive.
The chemistry?
Absolutely fucking insane.
The banter?
Chef's kiss.
The tension?
OH MY GOD.
When I say enemies to lovers, I mean actual enemies to lovers. Not "he looked at me funny once five years ago." I'm talking about real conflict, impossible circumstances, slow emotional unraveling, stolen moments, unbearable yearning, and enough tension to make you scream into your pillow.
This book had me giggling one minute, crying the next, then kicking my feet like an absolute idiot before emotionally destroying me all over again. Just know that the second this book officially releases, I'm rereading it. No hesitation. No questions asked.
⚘ "Overall, if you're looking for a book that will completely consume your thoughts, emotionally ruin you in the best possible way, make you laugh, cry, scream, kick your feet, and leave you staring at the wall questioning your entire existence! pick. this. freaking. book.
If you love enemies to lovers with actual chemistry, unbearable tension, celestial gods, mythology, heartbreak, healing, beautiful writing, and characters you'll carry in your heart long after you turn the last page.
Congratulations.
You've just found your next obsession.
And trust me!!!
You're not ready for the emotional damage." 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 29 July , 2026
Enemies to lovers? ✔️
Mythical fantasy? ✔️
Gods? ✔️
What more could I possibly ask for??
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Currently Reading
June 10, 2026I got the arc HEHEHE
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.45 stars!
Welcome to the world where even Gods can die.
The decree is absolute- the Healer must die so the world may live. Rujia, the Goddess of Healing, has spent centuries clawing her way to the apex of the heavenly hierarchy. Power, glory and the realization of her ultimate ambition are finally within her grasp. But the cosmos has a ceiling for how high a mortal-born can climb, and Rujia has finally hit it. Now, the gods want her pulled down before she cracks the glass and to prevent catastrophic calamities that would slaughter thousands of innocents, she must die.
Now comes Keran, the God of Death. He is the loyal executioner of the cosmos, bound by duty and incapable of mercy. Except Rujia refuses to go quietly into the night. Desperate to buy time and find a loophole in the celestial law, Rujia offers Keran a deal he cannot refuse. She demands one month of life. In exchange, she will use her astonishing healing arts to break his 500-year-old curse that has agonizingly decayed Keran’s immortal soul.
Now, Death is harbouring his own target. As the clock ticks down, the healer and the reluctant executioner must live under the same roof. But as Rujia tries to heal Keran and begins to dismantle the walls around his heart and Keran realizes that the more he breathes life into her, the more impossible it becomes to deliver her death.
・・・・・・・
𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
・・・・・・・
I'll admit that the execution in the beginning fell a bit short for me. It took the first few chapters to truly find my footing in this book. However, once the story got its hooks into me, I was completely invested. Ann Liang’s writing is really meticulous. The scenery and atmosphere were beautifully captured painting vivid pictures that make the world feel lush and immersive. At times, I found myself laughing at Rujia's sheer audacity. The way she boldly interacts with the Death God had me laughing out loud. I could never, because I simply do not have that kind of guts! The 2nd part of the book actually made me enjoy the book. It perfectly handled these hilarious, witty interactions with the story's most emotionally hard-hitting moments.
Despite everything I enjoyed, it wasn’t a perfect read, which finally dragged down my final rating. However, the book trips over its own logic with some massive plot holes I just couldn't look past. It's so frustrating when a story spends ages hyping up a massive detail, only for it to never matter again. You sit through chapters of agonizing build-up, completely stressed out about how the characters will survive, only for the writer to wave a magic wand and fix everything in two seconds. It completely kills the vibe.
⡞⠳⣄⣀⣠⠞⢷ ֹ۪⡞⠳⣄⣀⣠⠞⢷ ֹ۪⡞⠳⣄⣀⣠⠞⢷ ֹ۪⡞⠳⣄⣀⣠⠞⢷ ֹ۪
pre-read:
I GOT THE ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 27 Oct 2026
Welcome to the world where even Gods can die.
The decree is absolute- the Healer must die so the world may live. Rujia, the Goddess of Healing, has spent centuries clawing her way to the apex of the heavenly hierarchy. Power, glory and the realization of her ultimate ambition are finally within her grasp. But the cosmos has a ceiling for how high a mortal-born can climb, and Rujia has finally hit it. Now, the gods want her pulled down before she cracks the glass and to prevent catastrophic calamities that would slaughter thousands of innocents, she must die.
Now comes Keran, the God of Death. He is the loyal executioner of the cosmos, bound by duty and incapable of mercy. Except Rujia refuses to go quietly into the night. Desperate to buy time and find a loophole in the celestial law, Rujia offers Keran a deal he cannot refuse. She demands one month of life. In exchange, she will use her astonishing healing arts to break his 500-year-old curse that has agonizingly decayed Keran’s immortal soul.
Now, Death is harbouring his own target. As the clock ticks down, the healer and the reluctant executioner must live under the same roof. But as Rujia tries to heal Keran and begins to dismantle the walls around his heart and Keran realizes that the more he breathes life into her, the more impossible it becomes to deliver her death.
・・・・・・・
𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
・・・・・・・
I'll admit that the execution in the beginning fell a bit short for me. It took the first few chapters to truly find my footing in this book. However, once the story got its hooks into me, I was completely invested. Ann Liang’s writing is really meticulous. The scenery and atmosphere were beautifully captured painting vivid pictures that make the world feel lush and immersive. At times, I found myself laughing at Rujia's sheer audacity. The way she boldly interacts with the Death God had me laughing out loud. I could never, because I simply do not have that kind of guts! The 2nd part of the book actually made me enjoy the book. It perfectly handled these hilarious, witty interactions with the story's most emotionally hard-hitting moments.
Despite everything I enjoyed, it wasn’t a perfect read, which finally dragged down my final rating. However, the book trips over its own logic with some massive plot holes I just couldn't look past. It's so frustrating when a story spends ages hyping up a massive detail, only for it to never matter again. You sit through chapters of agonizing build-up, completely stressed out about how the characters will survive, only for the writer to wave a magic wand and fix everything in two seconds. It completely kills the vibe.
⡞⠳⣄⣀⣠⠞⢷ ֹ۪⡞⠳⣄⣀⣠⠞⢷ ֹ۪⡞⠳⣄⣀⣠⠞⢷ ֹ۪⡞⠳⣄⣀⣠⠞⢷ ֹ۪
pre-read:
I GOT THE ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 27 Oct 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
★彡 4.5 stars 彡★
-ˋˏ✄┈┈ What is girlhood if not:
𝟷) 𝙷𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚓𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜
𝟸) 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎
𝟹) 𝙷𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚓𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎.
So, yeah. Don’t mind me!
I’m just a girl (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞
I am just girl speaking from the 7th stage of depression -
[Live Footage Of Me Typing Out This Review]
In fact, I hereby recommend this book to anyone who’s too happy with their lives. Why go seek out depression in the form of men, marriages, politics and academics… when this book is a shorter route to whatever trauma you’re seeking?
Do yourselves adisservice favor and come fucking read it. I want to see you be as miserable as I was after this jolly little epilogue.
Let me help wipe that grin off of your face. So feel free to believe me when I advertise this book as a sparkling sweet romantasy and as that ONLY ⎚-⎚
Let’s be fucking miserable together, why don’t we? (# `Д ‘)
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᏖᏒᎧᎮᏋᏕ ᏗᏖ ᏇᎧᏒᏦ ⋮ ⌗ ┆
⋆☀︎. Mythological Fantasy
࣪ ִֶָ☾. Star-Crossed Lovers
⋆☀︎. Death God X Healer God
࣪ ִֶָ☾. Touch Her And Die
⋆☀︎. Forced Proximity
࣪ ִֶָ☾. DrAgOnS
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᎷᎩ ᏖᏂᎧᏬᎶᏂᏖᏕ ⋮ ⌗ ┆
: ̗̀➛ 🅣🅗🅔 🅢🅣🅞🅡🅨 & 🅣🅗🅔 🅕🅔🅔🅛🅢: The story is centred around Rujia - a healer god who aspires to become the esteemed Celestial Healer by working her way up the ranks. And after all these centuries of being invisible and disregarded, she is finally so close to restoring people’s perceptions of her and her bloodline. She will make sure they finally see her…
But alas, fate has had different plans all along.
As the heavens have decreed her to die, she crosses paths with the notoriously feared Death God, Keran.
He wants her soul. And she wants time.
She can’t die now… not when she’s so close _
I haven’t watched the c-dramas this books seems to have taken inspiration from, so rest assured that it was all very novel to me.
And, I fell in love.
From the get-go, the fantasy elements of it were written in a barely-there, subtle albeit dreamy way.
While I’ve always said this about Ann Liang writing, that it’s lyrical and poetic in the most minimalistic kind, I think it especially deserves a mention now more than ever.
It was lowkey offensive to me how beautiful the writing paired with the lush atmosphere of the book was -
Celestial realms, dragons, heavenly beings and just the pure idea of something so close to magic in the form of words strung together = this book in a nutshell .✦ ݁˖
I have zero complaints about the setting because I won’t ever tire of saying that this was ethereally atmospheric and the writing did it that damn justice ( • ̀ω•́ )✧
Excuse me if I sound too hyperbolic. And gushy.
This was super NEW to me so if this is what some of these c-dramas be serving THEN HELL YEAH I AM HOPPING ON ദ്ദി( •̀–•́ )
Okay, now I guess I have to honestly talk about the pacing. And I have to be really honest (⊙ _ ⊙ )
Then I admit that the first half of the book made me want to settle on a 3 star-adjacent rating.
*self-consciously checks the ACTUAL rating*
The first half was excruciatingly slow, so much so that I had a difficult time getting into it.
Not only was the pacing sluggish, I also felt very disconnected from the characters.
This might the only reason I docked that 0.5 off the rating, and it pains me still ༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ༽
It took me so damn long to feel the emotional attachment to them.
Did I like our MCs from the moment I met them? YES.
Did I still feel like an outsider watching their story unfold throughout the first half? Also YES.
It was almost as if an invisible switch flipped the moment I reached the 50% mark and the tides shifted Σ(°ロ°)
VISIBLY SO.
Therefore, kudos to that Godzilla-sized shift because here we are ¯\_ (ᵕ—ᴗ—)_/¯
Fuck that ending, btw 〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜
I hope authors stop normalizing such behavior, is all I’m asking -
Since when do we treat readers like they have no emotional capacity at all? Since when do we assume the readers are all fucking loaded, huh?
I am broke, I cannot afford a therapist. SHOULD I BE SORRY ABOUT BEING BROKE OR HAVING TRAUMA? You tell me, Ann Liang.
You tell me.
With Ann Liang books, they’re either therapy or the reason I need to get therapy.
No in between.
I can confidently say To Dream In Darkness was the latter ꉂ(˵˃ ᗜ ˂˵)
: ̗̀➛ 🅡🅤🅙🅘🅐: The most interesting thing about her character was the fact that she was described to possess a “disarmingly kind face”…
You know, the kind of face that instinctively makes you lower your guard because otherwise (even in your thoughts) you would feel like a monster?
It was hilarious to me how she used it to her advantage every damn time (╥﹏╥)
#MyKindaGal
I also liked that her inherent need to always help and be kind was layered with the want for power as well.
She had many dimensions to her character and in this economy having your romantasy FMC have any ounce of flavor to her is a great feat ×͜×
I found this girlor goddess or whatever so adorable.
What especially hurts is how she wants some good company and friendships BUT THOSE SELFISH-ASS GODS ONLY COME TO HER WHEN THEY NEED HER AND THEN FORGET EVERYTHING?
I will be your friend, Rujia. I’m more fun to keep around than those self-centred pricks anyways ˙𐃷˙
: ̗̀➛ 🅚🅔🅡🅐🅝: You know the bar for men is in the deepest darkest dredges of hell when Death becomes delicious ‹𝟹
I would like to order Death with a side of fries.
You know why?
Because the Death God is a pookie (╥﹏╥)
This is a dream man so he can have my soul any day!I’m free on Thursday, babe
I don’t know why but dude would make me blush saying and doing the most normal stuff ever. I don’t know if that’s concerning (ㆆ_ㆆ)
….
….
Anyone else?
Just me?
…
Whatever (⸝⸝⸝-﹏-⸝⸝⸝)
Anyways, from the very moment I was dumped inside his head, I just knew he was going to be an icon.
Sure, the first half had him writhing in pain and dying under that annoying curse so he didn’t have time to crack jokes as much BUT BOY DID HIS HUMOR SHINE IN THE SECOND HALF ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ
Him being a rude little shit was a balm to my heart because I value humor over morality, you see ¯\_ (ᵕ—ᴗ—)_/¯
The duality on this man is crazy because when he’s not busy being a bitch or scolding a cute baby dragon, he’s the master YEARNER.
He really yearns ~
He’s a straightforward kinda dude.
*cracks knuckles and brings out the quote-monster*
I think this quote is incentive enough to read the book already.
No? Tough crowd (≖_≖ )
Hold up, how about this:
I bet YOUR man never told you that. Real men don’t. They aren’t eloquent enough (⊙ _ ⊙ )
They don’t makemen Death Gods this fine anymore（ꐦ𝅒_𝅒）
One last quote please OR I WILL EXPLODE:
And so I rest my case.
: ̗̀➛ 🅙🅤🅝🅨🅘: …
✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ )و✧*｡
₍₍⚞(˶˃ ꒳ ˂˶)⚟⁾⁾
(˶ᵔᗜᵔ˶)ﾉﾞ
ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)
»»——★ fιnαℓ тнσυgнтѕ ★——««
➳ If you want to subject yourself to a good dose of depression, be my guest and read this book.
That’s exactly why I tempted you with the flashy Keran quotes. DO YOU FEEL COMPELLED ENOUGH TO TORTURE YOURSELF?
Check the box that best reflects your poor decision making skills:
YES ☐
NO ☐
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆To My Emotional Support Gurlies Nancy & Aivy ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
𝔑𝔢𝔵𝔱 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢, 𝔩𝔢𝔱’𝔰 𝔭𝔦𝔠𝔨 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔲𝔪𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔷𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔞 𝔅ℜ! ♥︎
Thank you to Ann Liang and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
ﾒ𝟶ﾒ𝟶
｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡
❝ I want your soul to know mine, as I would know yours from a thousand miles away. ❞
╰───────────╮
♫ [Love Wins All - IU] ♫
0:58 ─〇───── 4:30
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
╰───────────╮
-ˋˏ✄┈┈ What is girlhood if not:
𝟷) 𝙷𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚓𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜
𝟸) 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎
𝟹) 𝙷𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚓𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎.
So, yeah. Don’t mind me!
I’m just a girl (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞
I am just girl speaking from the 7th stage of depression -
[Live Footage Of Me Typing Out This Review]
In fact, I hereby recommend this book to anyone who’s too happy with their lives. Why go seek out depression in the form of men, marriages, politics and academics… when this book is a shorter route to whatever trauma you’re seeking?
Do yourselves a
Let me help wipe that grin off of your face. So feel free to believe me when I advertise this book as a sparkling sweet romantasy and as that ONLY ⎚-⎚
Let’s be fucking miserable together, why don’t we? (# `Д ‘)
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᏖᏒᎧᎮᏋᏕ ᏗᏖ ᏇᎧᏒᏦ ⋮ ⌗ ┆
⋆☀︎. Mythological Fantasy
࣪ ִֶָ☾. Star-Crossed Lovers
⋆☀︎. Death God X Healer God
࣪ ִֶָ☾. Touch Her And Die
⋆☀︎. Forced Proximity
࣪ ִֶָ☾. DrAgOnS
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᎷᎩ ᏖᏂᎧᏬᎶᏂᏖᏕ ⋮ ⌗ ┆
: ̗̀➛ 🅣🅗🅔 🅢🅣🅞🅡🅨 & 🅣🅗🅔 🅕🅔🅔🅛🅢: The story is centred around Rujia - a healer god who aspires to become the esteemed Celestial Healer by working her way up the ranks. And after all these centuries of being invisible and disregarded, she is finally so close to restoring people’s perceptions of her and her bloodline. She will make sure they finally see her…
But alas, fate has had different plans all along.
As the heavens have decreed her to die, she crosses paths with the notoriously feared Death God, Keran.
He wants her soul. And she wants time.
She can’t die now… not when she’s so close _
◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯
I haven’t watched the c-dramas this books seems to have taken inspiration from, so rest assured that it was all very novel to me.
And, I fell in love.
From the get-go, the fantasy elements of it were written in a barely-there, subtle albeit dreamy way.
While I’ve always said this about Ann Liang writing, that it’s lyrical and poetic in the most minimalistic kind, I think it especially deserves a mention now more than ever.
It was lowkey offensive to me how beautiful the writing paired with the lush atmosphere of the book was -
Celestial realms, dragons, heavenly beings and just the pure idea of something so close to magic in the form of words strung together = this book in a nutshell .✦ ݁˖
I have zero complaints about the setting because I won’t ever tire of saying that this was ethereally atmospheric and the writing did it that damn justice ( • ̀ω•́ )✧
Excuse me if I sound too hyperbolic. And gushy.
This was super NEW to me so if this is what some of these c-dramas be serving THEN HELL YEAH I AM HOPPING ON ദ്ദി( •̀–•́ )
⋆.˚✮☽ ☯︎ ☾✮˚.⋆
Okay, now I guess I have to honestly talk about the pacing. And I have to be really honest (⊙ _ ⊙ )
Then I admit that the first half of the book made me want to settle on a 3 star-adjacent rating.
*self-consciously checks the ACTUAL rating*
The first half was excruciatingly slow, so much so that I had a difficult time getting into it.
Not only was the pacing sluggish, I also felt very disconnected from the characters.
This might the only reason I docked that 0.5 off the rating, and it pains me still ༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ༽
It took me so damn long to feel the emotional attachment to them.
Did I like our MCs from the moment I met them? YES.
Did I still feel like an outsider watching their story unfold throughout the first half? Also YES.
It was almost as if an invisible switch flipped the moment I reached the 50% mark and the tides shifted Σ(°ロ°)
VISIBLY SO.
Therefore, kudos to that Godzilla-sized shift because here we are ¯\_ (ᵕ—ᴗ—)_/¯
⋆.˚✮☽ ☯︎ ☾✮˚.⋆
Fuck that ending, btw 〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜
I hope authors stop normalizing such behavior, is all I’m asking -
Since when do we treat readers like they have no emotional capacity at all? Since when do we assume the readers are all fucking loaded, huh?
I am broke, I cannot afford a therapist. SHOULD I BE SORRY ABOUT BEING BROKE OR HAVING TRAUMA? You tell me, Ann Liang.
You tell me.
With Ann Liang books, they’re either therapy or the reason I need to get therapy.
No in between.
I can confidently say To Dream In Darkness was the latter ꉂ(˵˃ ᗜ ˂˵)
: ̗̀➛ 🅡🅤🅙🅘🅐: The most interesting thing about her character was the fact that she was described to possess a “disarmingly kind face”…
❝ Guileless. Sweet, even when I am not smiling. I have never been more grateful for such deceptive softness. ❞
You know, the kind of face that instinctively makes you lower your guard because otherwise (even in your thoughts) you would feel like a monster?
It was hilarious to me how she used it to her advantage every damn time (╥﹏╥)
❝ Trust is for fools. But the trick to fooling anyone is to make them lower their guard first. ❞
#MyKindaGal
I also liked that her inherent need to always help and be kind was layered with the want for power as well.
❝ I will rise from all this. Take power by the cup and drink it. I will become the Celestial Healer, and my brilliance will be such that it will obliterate the past and blaze forth into the future. ❞
She had many dimensions to her character and in this economy having your romantasy FMC have any ounce of flavor to her is a great feat ×͜×
I found this girl
What especially hurts is how she wants some good company and friendships BUT THOSE SELFISH-ASS GODS ONLY COME TO HER WHEN THEY NEED HER AND THEN FORGET EVERYTHING?
I will be your friend, Rujia. I’m more fun to keep around than those self-centred pricks anyways ˙𐃷˙
: ̗̀➛ 🅚🅔🅡🅐🅝: You know the bar for men is in the deepest darkest dredges of hell when Death becomes delicious ‹𝟹
I would like to order Death with a side of fries.
You know why?
Because the Death God is a pookie (╥﹏╥)
This is a dream man so he can have my soul any day!
I don’t know why but dude would make me blush saying and doing the most normal stuff ever. I don’t know if that’s concerning (ㆆ_ㆆ)
❝ You smell like flowers.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Terrible,” he murmurs. ❞
….
….
Anyone else?
Just me?
…
Whatever (⸝⸝⸝-﹏-⸝⸝⸝)
Anyways, from the very moment I was dumped inside his head, I just knew he was going to be an icon.
Sure, the first half had him writhing in pain and dying under that annoying curse so he didn’t have time to crack jokes as much BUT BOY DID HIS HUMOR SHINE IN THE SECOND HALF ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ
Him being a rude little shit was a balm to my heart because I value humor over morality, you see ¯\_ (ᵕ—ᴗ—)_/¯
The duality on this man is crazy because when he’s not busy being a bitch or scolding a cute baby dragon, he’s the master YEARNER.
He really yearns ~
❝ She is the only god I worship. ❞
He’s a straightforward kinda dude.
*cracks knuckles and brings out the quote-monster*
❝ If she wanted to use him, he would become the bridge beneath her feet. ❞
I think this quote is incentive enough to read the book already.
No? Tough crowd (≖_≖ )
Hold up, how about this:
❝ Even if all the gods are gone, and all the stars have fallen, I will always pray to you. ❞
I bet YOUR man never told you that. Real men don’t. They aren’t eloquent enough (⊙ _ ⊙ )
❝ I will hold up every piece of the sky. And if the Heavens want you dead, then I will tear down the Heavens myself. ❞
They don’t make
One last quote please OR I WILL EXPLODE:
❝ It is an honor,” he says, eyes blazing, “to be ruined by you ❞
And so I rest my case.
: ̗̀➛ 🅙🅤🅝🅨🅘: …
✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ )و✧*｡
₍₍⚞(˶˃ ꒳ ˂˶)⚟⁾⁾
(˶ᵔᗜᵔ˶)ﾉﾞ
ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)
»»——★ fιnαℓ тнσυgнтѕ ★——««
➳ If you want to subject yourself to a good dose of depression, be my guest and read this book.
That’s exactly why I tempted you with the flashy Keran quotes. DO YOU FEEL COMPELLED ENOUGH TO TORTURE YOURSELF?
Check the box that best reflects your poor decision making skills:
YES ☐
NO ☐
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆To My Emotional Support Gurlies Nancy & Aivy ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
𝔑𝔢𝔵𝔱 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢, 𝔩𝔢𝔱’𝔰 𝔭𝔦𝔠𝔨 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔲𝔪𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔷𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔞 𝔅ℜ! ♥︎
Thank you to Ann Liang and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
ﾒ𝟶ﾒ𝟶
｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🪭 pre-review 𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪
what a heartbreaking read 😭 full review soon !
🦢 pre-read ೄ.
i got the arc 🥹
🪽 | special thanks to netgalley for the advanced reader copy ౨ৎ
what a heartbreaking read 😭 full review soon !
🦢 pre-read ೄ.
⟢ 7.31 to . . . ᵎᵎ
i got the arc 🥹
🪽 | special thanks to netgalley for the advanced reader copy ౨ৎ
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
──⟡⋆˙✩ 3.75 stars ✩ ⋆˙⟡──
꧁ᬊᬁ “𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙥𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨,” 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙨. “𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣, 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩.”ᬊ᭄꧂ツ
I’m sorry did the laptop die down or did the printer go out of ink or did the TREES FUCKING GO EXTINCT CAUSING A SHORTAGE OF PAPER? Would it have SEVERELY NEGATIVELY impacted the world economy if we got ONE MORE chapter?
Just one more. Just one more.
I can’t do this anymore. I’m so THROUGH with abrupt endings.
“You already know me.”
OKAY AND?! AND THEN WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT YOU DUNDERHEAD? (to clarify, I’m calling the Death God a dunderhead, not the author)
I should calm down. I finished this hours ago and have had enough time to spiral and kill someone to vent my rage. Don’t worry I disposed of the body quite well. No one will find out as long as YOU ALL don’t tattle.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𓍯𓂃
This is a love story between the Healer God, Rujia, and the Death God, Keran, who must kill her. And I mean must. Because that is what the heavens have decreed, and one must always follow the path laid out by the heavens or there will be imbalance in the world, causing calamities and killing thousands of innocents.
But of course Rujia doesn’t want to die. She has spent years working for power and glory and it is finally within reach. How can she readily obey the will of heaven?
So she strikes a deal with Death: give her one month before he kills her, and in exchange she will cure him of his century-old curse.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙜𝙤𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙗 𝙘𝙖𝙜𝙚.
I have to admit, I was bored for the first half of this book. Rujia and Keran, while great characters individually, seemed to have almost no chemistry together, and I had a difficult time becoming invested in their budding romance.
And romance is supposed to make you feel. You read it to giggle and blush and kick your feet like your soul has temporarily become a caffeinated hummingbird.
But none of those feelings made themselves known to me while reading this.
I didn’t hate it, no. But I lacked any kind of emotional connection to the story. I didn’t ache alongside them. I didn’t hold my breath as they got closer. Their romance felt more like watching candle smoke curl toward the ceiling than being burned by the flame itself.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 𝐁𝐮𝐭... 𓍯𓂃
𝙄𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙩.𝙄𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙖 𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚.𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮.
The second half was much better. More entertaining. I even started anticipating their moments together.
Keran got softer and unexpectedly funny, and my heart genuinely went out to him. Meanwhile Rujia became more lovable the longer the story went on.
The HIGHLIGHT of the book:
➽ She slaps him and he smiles at her
➽ She tucks a flower into his hair
➽ She calls him beautiful and he blushes
➽ He defies fate for her
Like YES. YES. Inject that directly into my bloodstream.
(*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ・Ꮖᥒ Ꮯꪮᥒᥴᥣᥙ᥉เꪮᥒ・
Basically, it was a good read.
But I kept waiting for it to become great. To become mindblowing. Which unfortunately never happened.
Maybe I’ve simply watched too many cdramas because a lot of the story beats felt familiar rather than exciting. The star-crossed immortals, the heavenly decrees, fate versus love, the doomed yearning. I’ve eaten this meal before. Delicious meal, yes. But I could already predict the seasoning.
Still, despite my complaints, I did enjoy myself by the end.
➽ I had a wonderful time buddy reading this with Dawn and Aivy
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
꧁ᬊᬁ “𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙥𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨,” 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙨. “𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣, 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩.”ᬊ᭄꧂ツ
I’m sorry did the laptop die down or did the printer go out of ink or did the TREES FUCKING GO EXTINCT CAUSING A SHORTAGE OF PAPER? Would it have SEVERELY NEGATIVELY impacted the world economy if we got ONE MORE chapter?
Just one more. Just one more.
I can’t do this anymore. I’m so THROUGH with abrupt endings.
“You already know me.”
OKAY AND?! AND THEN WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT YOU DUNDERHEAD? (to clarify, I’m calling the Death God a dunderhead, not the author)
I should calm down. I finished this hours ago and have had enough time to spiral and kill someone to vent my rage. Don’t worry I disposed of the body quite well. No one will find out as long as YOU ALL don’t tattle.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𓍯𓂃
This is a love story between the Healer God, Rujia, and the Death God, Keran, who must kill her. And I mean must. Because that is what the heavens have decreed, and one must always follow the path laid out by the heavens or there will be imbalance in the world, causing calamities and killing thousands of innocents.
But of course Rujia doesn’t want to die. She has spent years working for power and glory and it is finally within reach. How can she readily obey the will of heaven?
So she strikes a deal with Death: give her one month before he kills her, and in exchange she will cure him of his century-old curse.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙜𝙤𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙗 𝙘𝙖𝙜𝙚.
I have to admit, I was bored for the first half of this book. Rujia and Keran, while great characters individually, seemed to have almost no chemistry together, and I had a difficult time becoming invested in their budding romance.
And romance is supposed to make you feel. You read it to giggle and blush and kick your feet like your soul has temporarily become a caffeinated hummingbird.
But none of those feelings made themselves known to me while reading this.
I didn’t hate it, no. But I lacked any kind of emotional connection to the story. I didn’t ache alongside them. I didn’t hold my breath as they got closer. Their romance felt more like watching candle smoke curl toward the ceiling than being burned by the flame itself.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 𝐁𝐮𝐭... 𓍯𓂃
𝙄𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙩.𝙄𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙖 𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚.𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮.
The second half was much better. More entertaining. I even started anticipating their moments together.
Keran got softer and unexpectedly funny, and my heart genuinely went out to him. Meanwhile Rujia became more lovable the longer the story went on.
The HIGHLIGHT of the book:
➽ She slaps him and he smiles at her
➽ She tucks a flower into his hair
➽ She calls him beautiful and he blushes
➽ He defies fate for her
Like YES. YES. Inject that directly into my bloodstream.
(*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ・Ꮖᥒ Ꮯꪮᥒᥴᥣᥙ᥉เꪮᥒ・
Basically, it was a good read.
But I kept waiting for it to become great. To become mindblowing. Which unfortunately never happened.
Maybe I’ve simply watched too many cdramas because a lot of the story beats felt familiar rather than exciting. The star-crossed immortals, the heavenly decrees, fate versus love, the doomed yearning. I’ve eaten this meal before. Delicious meal, yes. But I could already predict the seasoning.
Still, despite my complaints, I did enjoy myself by the end.
➽ I had a wonderful time buddy reading this with Dawn and Aivy
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
── 🍋🟩🐈⬛ ᝰ .ᐟ read.
Ann Liang knows how to play with my heart, throw it on the floor and stomp it like there's no tomorrow. And guess what? I'm here for it.
RTC
── 🍋🟩🐈⬛ ᝰ .ᐟ pre-read.
it's finally time to read this beauty by one of my fave authors ever, and what a better time to do a buddy reading with my beautiful hamsa , yassss, happiest reading to us, babes!
thanks to netgalley, St. Martin's Press and one of my favorite authors, Ann Liang for an arc in exchange of an honest review. i got the arc on my birthday, 7.13 and i was so excited bc it was the best birthday gift ever, i'm sobbing.
Ann Liang knows how to play with my heart, throw it on the floor and stomp it like there's no tomorrow. And guess what? I'm here for it.
RTC
── 🍋🟩🐈⬛ ᝰ .ᐟ pre-read.
it's finally time to read this beauty by one of my fave authors ever, and what a better time to do a buddy reading with my beautiful hamsa , yassss, happiest reading to us, babes!
thanks to netgalley, St. Martin's Press and one of my favorite authors, Ann Liang for an arc in exchange of an honest review. i got the arc on my birthday, 7.13 and i was so excited bc it was the best birthday gift ever, i'm sobbing.
Want to Read
December 19, 2025ann makes me SO proud of my culture 😭 i'm shaking with anticipation for this book 🤧.
Currently Reading
October 16, 2026pre-read:
time to bawl my eyes out with fadhee, my darling 💞💐 really grateful for her because i know she’s so busy lately, but she’s still making time to read this with me 🥹 i’ve personally never really read historical fantasy, but the cover of this book is so pretty and is written by ann liang that i just couldn’t let it slide 😩 wish us luck because i’ve heard some things about this book that may or may not make me cry!
time to bawl my eyes out with fadhee, my darling 💞💐 really grateful for her because i know she’s so busy lately, but she’s still making time to read this with me 🥹 i’ve personally never really read historical fantasy, but the cover of this book is so pretty and is written by ann liang that i just couldn’t let it slide 😩 wish us luck because i’ve heard some things about this book that may or may not make me cry!
Currently Reading
April 17, 2026⤿🌹25/10/26
it's time to bawl my eyes out, scream my lungs out, ugly cry and throw up, with none other than my best girl rei 😃 I haven't been feeling it lately to be here or read anything due to life, academics and the worst reading slump. But I know Ann's magic will revive me again. if ASTDR drowned me, I honestly don't know how this will be, because apparently this is worse. wish us luck and send us prayers everyone that we will survive this tragedy and come out 😭🙌🏻i'm scared
p.s. preparing my therapy bill in advance to send to Ann
⤿🌹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 🤧🫶🏻
it's time to bawl my eyes out, scream my lungs out, ugly cry and throw up, with none other than my best girl rei 😃 I haven't been feeling it lately to be here or read anything due to life, academics and the worst reading slump. But I know Ann's magic will revive me again. if ASTDR drowned me, I honestly don't know how this will be, because apparently this is worse. wish us luck and send us prayers everyone that we will survive this tragedy and come out 😭🙌🏻
p.s. preparing my therapy bill in advance to send to Ann
⤿🌹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 🤧🫶🏻
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I liked this one a lot! FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW
A historical fantasy/romance inspired by Chinese mythology where the Gods rule the realms freely and divine power comes with rules and consequences.
The story follows Ruija, the God of Healing, who is destined to be killed by the God of Death. She forms a bargain with him--grand her more life, she helps him break centuries old curse. Their alliance gradually forms into romance, but their relationship disrupts the balance of natural things in the realm. From mysterious floods, plagues and mounting deaths, how far are they willing to go to survive this together?
The story promises an emotionally intense romance than also drives the fantasy forward.
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and the author, Ann Liang for an early ARC!
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for an early ALC!
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
Duration: 12 hours 1 minute
Speed: 1.75-2.25x (varies)
Publication date: October 27, 2026
A historical fantasy/romance inspired by Chinese mythology where the Gods rule the realms freely and divine power comes with rules and consequences.
The story follows Ruija, the God of Healing, who is destined to be killed by the God of Death. She forms a bargain with him--grand her more life, she helps him break centuries old curse. Their alliance gradually forms into romance, but their relationship disrupts the balance of natural things in the realm. From mysterious floods, plagues and mounting deaths, how far are they willing to go to survive this together?
The story promises an emotionally intense romance than also drives the fantasy forward.
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and the author, Ann Liang for an early ARC!
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for an early ALC!
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
Duration: 12 hours 1 minute
Speed: 1.75-2.25x (varies)
Publication date: October 27, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
HUGE thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc! I squealed when I got this one 🥹💗
To dream in darkness was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I’m beyond happy to have been given an arc! I fell in love with Ann Liang’s writing in her previous novel A Song To Drown Rivers. This author can definitely pull at your heartstrings.
In this historical fantasy, a Healer God & a Death God strike a bargain as the Healer God’s time has run out.
I sincerely couldn’t put this one down. I cried of heartache, but I also cried of wholesomeness. The character development was so well written and I felt something for every single character this story had. My favourite characters in books are always the healers & the characters that have to do with death so I was just served everything I love most in Fantasy.
The characters were multilayered and relatable. The longing was absolutely well written and natural. The author also succeeded in making me care deeply for characters that weren’t even active on page.
This novel explores themes such as death, success, becoming the best, loneliness, trust, seeking acceptance/approval, etc. And really asks questions like what would you be willing to do to live? And what is revenge really worth? And do we ever really have enough time?
I felt that this one was an ode to humanity. To endings and beginnings… to the preciousness of our one life. Those topics are things I think about on a daily basis so I connected to this story right away.
I saw the ending coming but honestly… I also wanted it to end that way. I really loved how it built up to that ending too and the middle part was my absolute favourite. I have chills just thinking about it.
I highly recommend this novel. It really reminded me why I love Fantasy so much.
(I’ll come back on publication day with my quotes).
To dream in darkness was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I’m beyond happy to have been given an arc! I fell in love with Ann Liang’s writing in her previous novel A Song To Drown Rivers. This author can definitely pull at your heartstrings.
In this historical fantasy, a Healer God & a Death God strike a bargain as the Healer God’s time has run out.
I sincerely couldn’t put this one down. I cried of heartache, but I also cried of wholesomeness. The character development was so well written and I felt something for every single character this story had. My favourite characters in books are always the healers & the characters that have to do with death so I was just served everything I love most in Fantasy.
The characters were multilayered and relatable. The longing was absolutely well written and natural. The author also succeeded in making me care deeply for characters that weren’t even active on page.
This novel explores themes such as death, success, becoming the best, loneliness, trust, seeking acceptance/approval, etc. And really asks questions like what would you be willing to do to live? And what is revenge really worth? And do we ever really have enough time?
I felt that this one was an ode to humanity. To endings and beginnings… to the preciousness of our one life. Those topics are things I think about on a daily basis so I connected to this story right away.
I saw the ending coming but honestly… I also wanted it to end that way. I really loved how it built up to that ending too and the middle part was my absolute favourite. I have chills just thinking about it.
I highly recommend this novel. It really reminded me why I love Fantasy so much.
(I’ll come back on publication day with my quotes).
Want to Read
May 21, 2026got the arc 🤭
![Profile Image for vxmpslibrary [back!!].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1793361680i/123295506._UY200_CR33,0,200,200_.jpg)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
.🌌4.25 stars.
- publishing date: Oct 27th, 26
To Dream In Darkness by Ann Liang follows Rujia, God of Healing whose fate is written to be ended by the hands of the Death God, to escape him, she strikes up a bargain to help him find a cure while secretly planning to escape. When the crown prince Junyi, ends up missing, it's up to both of them to bring him back to where he belongs.
I love watching xianxia cdramas a lot, so I was really surprised when I heard this is a xianxia novel. This book is truly a heartache, it's devastating, their destiny is woven, and nothing they do can stop it. But isn't the destiny supposed to be written by ourselves?
I ended up feeling so disheartened by this book, in a way I was unable to focus on everything (it's like kinda in a good way like it broke me). I figured out the plot in 100 pages when I read a quote for this book in someone's review, but this review will be spoiler free for everyone here❤️🩹.
The writing style is poetic, it's something that I really liked, however I was really into the world building, the different gods, and how their power seem to work. Albeit the book doesn't focuses much in that, I hope she writes a book which is full fledged into it!💗.
It took me awhile to get into this book, for the first 100 pages or even more than that, but when I was immersed, I could only focus on this book and not anything else particularly. The most impact it had on me was because of the characters. Raw, hopeful, aching in a sense that when they bonded together I was in love, but Ann Liang manages to make that love shatter into so many tiny pieces that maybe picking them up would be something I cannot do.
˚₊‧꒰ა .characters. ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
▫️Rujia,
She was such a hopeful character, and she didn't deserve anything the heavens had written for her. I am simply heartbroken by the fact she had to suffer a lot and will continue to suffer in some other way.
Death God♠️
I know his name is all over everyone's feed, but I won't still name him so that it doesn't somehow manages to take out the surprise of getting to know the name. I simply loved him so much! I wanted to hug him and console him because Ann Liang manages to break him so much that I am in agony, my heart is paining. He suffered for the power he didn't even want for CENTURIES. His fate was something I hated so much, I wish he could have lived a simpler life than this. Why is he to live for an eternity and suffer the wrath of everyone?
The romance was simply beautiful, they had so many loveable moments and they somehow yearned. They both were yearners in a sense that I am so heartbroken about how what will happen now the book ends. There are so many awesome scenes that I cannot wait for you guys to read about it.
The part 3 or 4 i don't remember broke something inside me, I was anticipating the ending, but not what happened before that. I WAS SHOCKED. I couldn't believe my eyes, and I simply wanted to think I misread because that couldn't have happened. I am so sad now, it's something that only the people who will read the book know. And there were so many moments in the part before where I was laughing too which genuinely was so funny but somehow it manages to make the upcoming parts so much more awful to bear.
I talked to Dawn (DD) afterwards about how this book just managed to only bring heartbreak to us, and how thinking about it makes us even more awful (and I feel like I made her more miserable by giving her a few more points ; though check out her review below she makes it so convincing, funny and loveable in so many ways!
DD's enchanting review🫧
🫧. final thoughts. - This is indeed a beautiful book, if you love xianxia novels or cdramas, you may love this one!! I wish we had more moments of them because somehow I miss them a lot and there's a gap that I don't know what will fill it.
🍷 thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review
౨ৎ .preread.
I have my last test on Monday Woohoo! but sadly afterwards I have mid-term starting from 3rd of August so it's just me on hiatus again :( i would be a lot busy so I won't get to interact a lot (I'm trying to prioritise my health more because everything is stressing me out) so I hope everyone understands💗 I'm really excited and scared to read this book I'll try to give some updates mwah💗.
OF COURSE I will get to read one page today and then again I am off to studying BAHAH so this will take me days to finish because of my busy schedule
12/7/26
I HAVE THE ARC it took me 6 business days to understand OH I have the arc for the heartbreaking book-
6/7/26
st martin saw me banging at their door and decided to give me one copy
.pre-release
ann liang be gentle to my heart
- publishing date: Oct 27th, 26
To Dream In Darkness by Ann Liang follows Rujia, God of Healing whose fate is written to be ended by the hands of the Death God, to escape him, she strikes up a bargain to help him find a cure while secretly planning to escape. When the crown prince Junyi, ends up missing, it's up to both of them to bring him back to where he belongs.
I love watching xianxia cdramas a lot, so I was really surprised when I heard this is a xianxia novel. This book is truly a heartache, it's devastating, their destiny is woven, and nothing they do can stop it. But isn't the destiny supposed to be written by ourselves?
I ended up feeling so disheartened by this book, in a way I was unable to focus on everything (it's like kinda in a good way like it broke me). I figured out the plot in 100 pages when I read a quote for this book in someone's review, but this review will be spoiler free for everyone here❤️🩹.
The writing style is poetic, it's something that I really liked, however I was really into the world building, the different gods, and how their power seem to work. Albeit the book doesn't focuses much in that, I hope she writes a book which is full fledged into it!💗.
It took me awhile to get into this book, for the first 100 pages or even more than that, but when I was immersed, I could only focus on this book and not anything else particularly. The most impact it had on me was because of the characters. Raw, hopeful, aching in a sense that when they bonded together I was in love, but Ann Liang manages to make that love shatter into so many tiny pieces that maybe picking them up would be something I cannot do.
˚₊‧꒰ა .characters. ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
▫️Rujia,
She was such a hopeful character, and she didn't deserve anything the heavens had written for her. I am simply heartbroken by the fact she had to suffer a lot and will continue to suffer in some other way.
Death God♠️
I know his name is all over everyone's feed, but I won't still name him so that it doesn't somehow manages to take out the surprise of getting to know the name. I simply loved him so much! I wanted to hug him and console him because Ann Liang manages to break him so much that I am in agony, my heart is paining. He suffered for the power he didn't even want for CENTURIES. His fate was something I hated so much, I wish he could have lived a simpler life than this. Why is he to live for an eternity and suffer the wrath of everyone?
The romance was simply beautiful, they had so many loveable moments and they somehow yearned. They both were yearners in a sense that I am so heartbroken about how what will happen now the book ends. There are so many awesome scenes that I cannot wait for you guys to read about it.
The part 3 or 4 i don't remember broke something inside me, I was anticipating the ending, but not what happened before that. I WAS SHOCKED. I couldn't believe my eyes, and I simply wanted to think I misread because that couldn't have happened. I am so sad now, it's something that only the people who will read the book know. And there were so many moments in the part before where I was laughing too which genuinely was so funny but somehow it manages to make the upcoming parts so much more awful to bear.
I talked to Dawn (DD) afterwards about how this book just managed to only bring heartbreak to us, and how thinking about it makes us even more awful (and I feel like I made her more miserable by giving her a few more points ; though check out her review below she makes it so convincing, funny and loveable in so many ways!
DD's enchanting review🫧
🫧. final thoughts. - This is indeed a beautiful book, if you love xianxia novels or cdramas, you may love this one!! I wish we had more moments of them because somehow I miss them a lot and there's a gap that I don't know what will fill it.
🍷 thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review
౨ৎ .preread.
I have my last test on Monday Woohoo! but sadly afterwards I have mid-term starting from 3rd of August so it's just me on hiatus again :( i would be a lot busy so I won't get to interact a lot (I'm trying to prioritise my health more because everything is stressing me out) so I hope everyone understands💗 I'm really excited and scared to read this book I'll try to give some updates mwah💗.
OF COURSE I will get to read one page today and then again I am off to studying BAHAH so this will take me days to finish because of my busy schedule
12/7/26
I HAVE THE ARC it took me 6 business days to understand OH I have the arc for the heartbreaking book-
6/7/26
st martin saw me banging at their door and decided to give me one copy
.pre-release
a doomed love story...
ann liang be gentle to my heart
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 5 stars
may have taken forever to read this but oh my days. this was so devastatingly beautiful
this was a beautifully heartbreaking love story. when ann said this was a doomed love story between gods i was terrified!!! i cried so many times when reading this - ann wrote such an amazing book, the writing was so alluring and ethereal. each time i start a new ann liang book, i feel so giddy knowing i'm going to read a new favourite book and this was no exception. i LOVE rujia and the death god so so much like i will never move on from this book!!! i was like what type of banter and yearning can i really get from the death god... oh i was SO wrong!!! i was giggling and crying so much!!! it was soso fun to read this with my best girl ellie!!! first but definetly not last buddy read!
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
feels to insane to have this in my hands right now, raincoast you will be loved by me for eternity!!!!! i actually haven't read a song to drown rivers yet but i will defo be reading it soon after how beautiful this story is!! i'm doing my first ever buddy read with my number one girl ellie !!! ily sooso much and i'm so grateful to experience this book with you !!! can't wait to yap so much 🥹🌹
↪ started sept 3
thank you thank you so much raincoast & st martins press for the physical arc
may have taken forever to read this but oh my days. this was so devastatingly beautiful
this was a beautifully heartbreaking love story. when ann said this was a doomed love story between gods i was terrified!!! i cried so many times when reading this - ann wrote such an amazing book, the writing was so alluring and ethereal. each time i start a new ann liang book, i feel so giddy knowing i'm going to read a new favourite book and this was no exception. i LOVE rujia and the death god so so much like i will never move on from this book!!! i was like what type of banter and yearning can i really get from the death god... oh i was SO wrong!!! i was giggling and crying so much!!! it was soso fun to read this with my best girl ellie!!! first but definetly not last buddy read!
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
feels to insane to have this in my hands right now, raincoast you will be loved by me for eternity!!!!! i actually haven't read a song to drown rivers yet but i will defo be reading it soon after how beautiful this story is!! i'm doing my first ever buddy read with my number one girl ellie !!! ily sooso much and i'm so grateful to experience this book with you !!! can't wait to yap so much 🥹🌹
↪ started sept 3
thank you thank you so much raincoast & st martins press for the physical arc
October 29, 2026
Rujia is a minor goddess of healing with ambitions of rising through the ranks of the celestial court. Unfortunately, the God of Death has other plans for her. When Keran comes to claim her life, Rujia refuses to accept her fate without a fight. She just needs more time to figure out how to avoid it. In a stroke of genius—or perhaps idiocy—she strikes a bargain with Keran: She will attempt to relieve him of his pain in exchange for more time.
What follows is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy that explores the tension between fate and free will, hope and resignation, and the possibility of finding love when one believes oneself unworthy of it.
Keran has been hardened by his responsibilities as the God of Death. Having spent his existence delivering death sentences, he has learned to accept suffering and inevitability without questioning whether another path might exist. Rujia, however, refuses to believe that her future has already been decided. Her determination and kindness are difficult for Keran to ignore, even as he considers it the height of stupidity to believe that he could find or be worthy of love.
When their choices become entangled with the disappearance of the Crown Prince of the Celestial Palace, Rujia and Keran must work together and journey across the realms to redeem themselves and prove their worth.
For me, the most compelling aspect of the novel was the battle between fate and free will. I particularly enjoyed the irony of Keran agreeing to give Rujia more time to heal him, despite his conviction that doing so would only delay the inevitable. His willingness to make that bargain suggests that even he is not entirely immune to hope.
What makes this conflict especially interesting is how the characters’ perspectives begin to shift. While Keran gradually discovers the possibility of a future beyond the one he has always accepted, Rujia must confront the consequences of challenging her own destiny. Her determination to survive initially seems unquestionably admirable, but she eventually discovers that exercising free will can have consequences extending far beyond oneself. The story raises an intriguing question: Is defying fate always the right choice when doing so may alter the lives of others? I appreciated how this complicates Rujia’s original convictions, allowing her to develop a more nuanced understanding of the responsibility that accompanies personal choice. In different ways, both characters must reconsider beliefs they once considered absolute.
I also enjoyed the cross-realm journey and the gradual revelations of the characters’ backstories, which helped explain the experiences and beliefs that shaped them. Unfortunately, the pacing became uneven after a promising first half. Portions of the story set in the mortal realm felt unnecessarily prolonged, slowing the momentum established earlier. Although these quieter stretches allowed Rujia and Keran to learn from one another and develop a deeper affection, I wasn’t entirely convinced by their romantic chemistry.
Having enjoyed other books by Ann Liang, I found myself wishing for a stronger balance between the unfolding plot and the development of the central relationship. The emotional foundation was there, but the transition from reluctant allies to romantic partners did not always feel as compelling as the individual characters or the larger questions surrounding their fates.
Natalie Naudus maintains a steady, serious tone that complements the story’s celestial setting and heavier themes. Portraying an entire cast through a single voice is always an impressive task, and her narration helps ground a fantasy that moves between realms and introduces a variety of characters.
Ultimately, To Dream in Darkness offers an imaginative journey through the celestial and mortal realms, with intriguing character histories and a thoughtful exploration of whether destiny is something to be accepted or challenged. While the pacing and romantic development did not fully meet my expectations, I appreciated the novel’s underlying questions about hope, personal agency, and the consequences of choosing a different future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
What follows is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy that explores the tension between fate and free will, hope and resignation, and the possibility of finding love when one believes oneself unworthy of it.
Keran has been hardened by his responsibilities as the God of Death. Having spent his existence delivering death sentences, he has learned to accept suffering and inevitability without questioning whether another path might exist. Rujia, however, refuses to believe that her future has already been decided. Her determination and kindness are difficult for Keran to ignore, even as he considers it the height of stupidity to believe that he could find or be worthy of love.
When their choices become entangled with the disappearance of the Crown Prince of the Celestial Palace, Rujia and Keran must work together and journey across the realms to redeem themselves and prove their worth.
For me, the most compelling aspect of the novel was the battle between fate and free will. I particularly enjoyed the irony of Keran agreeing to give Rujia more time to heal him, despite his conviction that doing so would only delay the inevitable. His willingness to make that bargain suggests that even he is not entirely immune to hope.
What makes this conflict especially interesting is how the characters’ perspectives begin to shift. While Keran gradually discovers the possibility of a future beyond the one he has always accepted, Rujia must confront the consequences of challenging her own destiny. Her determination to survive initially seems unquestionably admirable, but she eventually discovers that exercising free will can have consequences extending far beyond oneself. The story raises an intriguing question: Is defying fate always the right choice when doing so may alter the lives of others? I appreciated how this complicates Rujia’s original convictions, allowing her to develop a more nuanced understanding of the responsibility that accompanies personal choice. In different ways, both characters must reconsider beliefs they once considered absolute.
I also enjoyed the cross-realm journey and the gradual revelations of the characters’ backstories, which helped explain the experiences and beliefs that shaped them. Unfortunately, the pacing became uneven after a promising first half. Portions of the story set in the mortal realm felt unnecessarily prolonged, slowing the momentum established earlier. Although these quieter stretches allowed Rujia and Keran to learn from one another and develop a deeper affection, I wasn’t entirely convinced by their romantic chemistry.
Having enjoyed other books by Ann Liang, I found myself wishing for a stronger balance between the unfolding plot and the development of the central relationship. The emotional foundation was there, but the transition from reluctant allies to romantic partners did not always feel as compelling as the individual characters or the larger questions surrounding their fates.
Natalie Naudus maintains a steady, serious tone that complements the story’s celestial setting and heavier themes. Portraying an entire cast through a single voice is always an impressive task, and her narration helps ground a fantasy that moves between realms and introduces a variety of characters.
Ultimately, To Dream in Darkness offers an imaginative journey through the celestial and mortal realms, with intriguing character histories and a thoughtful exploration of whether destiny is something to be accepted or challenged. While the pacing and romantic development did not fully meet my expectations, I appreciated the novel’s underlying questions about hope, personal agency, and the consequences of choosing a different future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy
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
────
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 😖
“ 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
────
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 😖
May 26, 2026
well, surprisingly I have a lot to say about this book... rtc
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ౿ 🪽 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ preread .ᐟ
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ I GOT THE FUCKING ARC. oh my god!! to believe there was a time i found ann liang’s books mid (well i still do, but she knows how to write a good fantasy and i LOVED a song to drown rivers). im sensing a five stars guys
೯ . . .thank you to author and netgalley for an eARC
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ౿ 🪽 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ preread .ᐟ
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ I GOT THE FUCKING ARC. oh my god!! to believe there was a time i found ann liang’s books mid (well i still do, but she knows how to write a good fantasy and i LOVED a song to drown rivers). im sensing a five stars guys
೯ . . .thank you to author and netgalley for an eARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC!
🌟🌟🌟/5
Was this a perfect book? Not really. Far from it, in fact. But one thing's for sure: Ann Liang's storytelling is addictive, and this book might just have gotten me out of a major reading slump.
“But death always wins, in the end,”he says softly. There is no trace of arrogance to his voice, only resignation. “Staying alive is one of the most difficult things in the world. It requires constant, active effort from the very beginning, an alignment of the right circumstances and luck. But dying? Dying is so terribly easy. There is nothing you need to do, nothing that can be done. No matter what happens, I will be there, waiting with my palms outstretched.”
'To Dream in Darkness' started off as a typical romantasy. We follow Rujia, the god of healing, who has been living alone on an island (like Circe) ever since her parents were exiled to the Mortal Realm. The Death God comes to collect her soul one day, because the Heavens have dictated that she must die. Rujia strikes a deal with him. He'll let her live for another month, in exchange for which she will try to find a cure to his curse. I don't like the enemies to lovers trope, but I'm especially annoyed when the 'enemies' bicker in a childish manner all. The. Time. Mercifully, there was no insta-love. I was also glad to see a romance between two gods, instead of a barely adult woman and a centuries-old immortal man. I kept going because of the promise of a devastating love story, and the chapters from the POV of Crown Prince Junyi and how they tied into the main story was interesting. Soon enough, I was hooked.
The second part took a great turn. I wasn't a fan of the momentary lovers(?) to enemies to lovers transition at its beginning, but it had some amazing moments. They really made my unfeeling heart flutter, which doesn't happen often. I'd have loved it even more if the buildup towards it had been better. The second part was well-written and also had some hilarious moments. It was also where the most emotionally hard-hitting moments happened. Ann Liang's descriptions of the landscape and food were fabulous.
Defying fate is one of the main themes the book explores. Is everything pre-determined? If it's Fate that controls everything, should we even bother to do anything by ourselves? Does love triumph over fate? Fans of doomed love stories will probably love this.
As I said earlier, this wasn't a perfect book. There were quite a few logical inconsistencies and glaring plot holes which I just couldn't overlook. Some elements were introduced and later forgotten about. Challenges that seemed insurmountable for a long time were resolved too conveniently. The ending wasn't my cup of tea.
Overall, 'To Dream in Darkness'' was a decent one-time read. I gave 'A Song to Drown Rivers' 5 stars when I first read it. I don't think I'd be as generous with my rating if I were to read it now, but it remains my favourite Ann Liang book. Perhaps it's the utter tragedy of it that appealed to me. I'd say that fans of Sue Lynn Tan's Celestial Kingdoms duology might enjoy this one.
Pre-read:
OMG the publisher granted me early access to this book!!!😭😭 Very excited to read this after my great experience with ASTDR! Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan!!
🌟🌟🌟/5
Was this a perfect book? Not really. Far from it, in fact. But one thing's for sure: Ann Liang's storytelling is addictive, and this book might just have gotten me out of a major reading slump.
“But death always wins, in the end,”he says softly. There is no trace of arrogance to his voice, only resignation. “Staying alive is one of the most difficult things in the world. It requires constant, active effort from the very beginning, an alignment of the right circumstances and luck. But dying? Dying is so terribly easy. There is nothing you need to do, nothing that can be done. No matter what happens, I will be there, waiting with my palms outstretched.”
'To Dream in Darkness' started off as a typical romantasy. We follow Rujia, the god of healing, who has been living alone on an island (like Circe) ever since her parents were exiled to the Mortal Realm. The Death God comes to collect her soul one day, because the Heavens have dictated that she must die. Rujia strikes a deal with him. He'll let her live for another month, in exchange for which she will try to find a cure to his curse. I don't like the enemies to lovers trope, but I'm especially annoyed when the 'enemies' bicker in a childish manner all. The. Time. Mercifully, there was no insta-love. I was also glad to see a romance between two gods, instead of a barely adult woman and a centuries-old immortal man. I kept going because of the promise of a devastating love story, and the chapters from the POV of Crown Prince Junyi and how they tied into the main story was interesting. Soon enough, I was hooked.
The second part took a great turn. I wasn't a fan of the momentary lovers(?) to enemies to lovers transition at its beginning, but it had some amazing moments. They really made my unfeeling heart flutter, which doesn't happen often. I'd have loved it even more if the buildup towards it had been better. The second part was well-written and also had some hilarious moments. It was also where the most emotionally hard-hitting moments happened. Ann Liang's descriptions of the landscape and food were fabulous.
Defying fate is one of the main themes the book explores. Is everything pre-determined? If it's Fate that controls everything, should we even bother to do anything by ourselves? Does love triumph over fate? Fans of doomed love stories will probably love this.
As I said earlier, this wasn't a perfect book. There were quite a few logical inconsistencies and glaring plot holes which I just couldn't overlook. Some elements were introduced and later forgotten about. Challenges that seemed insurmountable for a long time were resolved too conveniently. The ending wasn't my cup of tea.
Overall, 'To Dream in Darkness'' was a decent one-time read. I gave 'A Song to Drown Rivers' 5 stars when I first read it. I don't think I'd be as generous with my rating if I were to read it now, but it remains my favourite Ann Liang book. Perhaps it's the utter tragedy of it that appealed to me. I'd say that fans of Sue Lynn Tan's Celestial Kingdoms duology might enjoy this one.
Pre-read:
OMG the publisher granted me early access to this book!!!😭😭 Very excited to read this after my great experience with ASTDR! Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan!!
October 8, 2026
This book was great!! This was an enchanting enemies to lovers historical fantasy about love, loyalty, sacrifice, hope and learning to help people. To Dream in Darkness follows a Rujia, god of healing and when the Death God comes for her soul she makes a deal with him instead. If she helps heal him from a curse he will give her a month of peace without killing her. During this journey, she learns more about herself, faces enemies and falls in love.
Thoughts
I became immersed in this historical fantasy from the very beginning. The plot was very interesting throughout the book and the pacing was perfect. The world building was intricate and descriptive, I enjoyed learning about the Gods as well as the mortal world. The magic was interesting, but I wanted to learn more about what powers the gods had and a deeper explanation. The writing was so beautiful, descriptive and lyrical. I loved the storytelling, I felt that I was reading a love letter to this world and the characters. The author was thoughtful about creating a unique engaging world but also illustrating important themes such as male dominance, poverty, and the cost of power. I felt so many deep emotions while reading this book, happiness, sadness, anger and hopefulness. The ending was so heartbreaking but also so beautiful at the same time. I hoped there was one aspect of the ending was resolved more, but I still appreciated what the author gave.
Characters
I loved Rujia, she was brave, resilient, helpful, caring stubborn, and fierce. Rujia's character development was great, in the beginning she was pushed around by other gods and didn't believe in herself, but by the end she didn't let what people thought of her stop her from doing what she believed in. Rujia's determination and bravery was inspiring. I also adored the Death God, at first he was cold and rude, but then he showed his softer, brave and resilient side. I loved that he showed his sweet side to Rujia only and was very protective of her, but also didn't force her into anything. The Death God's yearning for her was top tier h waited so long for her. I enjoyed learning about his past and understanding his decisions. Junja was an interesting character, I liked one part of him near the second half of the book instead of his darker side.
Romance
The romance between Rujia and the Death God was amazing! This was actual enemies to lovers, they tried to kill each other multiple times and actually hated each other. The slow burn and tension was awesome! The chemistry between them was excellent, I could feel their deep connection. I loved the banter so much, I giggled a lot! The romantic scenes were worth the wait and showed their love for each other. I was glad that they communicated their feelings with each other.
Thank you so much NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Thoughts
I became immersed in this historical fantasy from the very beginning. The plot was very interesting throughout the book and the pacing was perfect. The world building was intricate and descriptive, I enjoyed learning about the Gods as well as the mortal world. The magic was interesting, but I wanted to learn more about what powers the gods had and a deeper explanation. The writing was so beautiful, descriptive and lyrical. I loved the storytelling, I felt that I was reading a love letter to this world and the characters. The author was thoughtful about creating a unique engaging world but also illustrating important themes such as male dominance, poverty, and the cost of power. I felt so many deep emotions while reading this book, happiness, sadness, anger and hopefulness. The ending was so heartbreaking but also so beautiful at the same time. I hoped there was one aspect of the ending was resolved more, but I still appreciated what the author gave.
Characters
I loved Rujia, she was brave, resilient, helpful, caring stubborn, and fierce. Rujia's character development was great, in the beginning she was pushed around by other gods and didn't believe in herself, but by the end she didn't let what people thought of her stop her from doing what she believed in. Rujia's determination and bravery was inspiring. I also adored the Death God, at first he was cold and rude, but then he showed his softer, brave and resilient side. I loved that he showed his sweet side to Rujia only and was very protective of her, but also didn't force her into anything. The Death God's yearning for her was top tier h waited so long for her. I enjoyed learning about his past and understanding his decisions. Junja was an interesting character, I liked one part of him near the second half of the book instead of his darker side.
Romance
The romance between Rujia and the Death God was amazing! This was actual enemies to lovers, they tried to kill each other multiple times and actually hated each other. The slow burn and tension was awesome! The chemistry between them was excellent, I could feel their deep connection. I loved the banter so much, I giggled a lot! The romantic scenes were worth the wait and showed their love for each other. I was glad that they communicated their feelings with each other.
Thank you so much NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
huge gigantic thanks to netgalley and the publisher for inviting me to read this in advance for an honest review.
⋆༺𓆩⚔𓆪༻⋆
happy release day to this stunner
where do i send my therapy bill? ann liang always eats and this is no exception. every single line on this page had me giggling thanks to keran's (aka death god himself) flirty and humorous lines (you know once he wasn't IN PAIN) or either just going wow that was depressing! the worldbuilding was so lush and stunning, not to mention the character development was so good! even jun-yi who can go toss himself off a cliff im sorry. such a stunning book that i don't even have words for it. just read it.
pre review 🌹💙 I GOT INVITED TO READ THIS !? HELLO !? no one talk to me im literally freaking out.
pre pre review
this cover is genuinely insanely stunning i have forgotten all words.
ann liang my queen 💗
⋆༺𓆩⚔𓆪༻⋆
happy release day to this stunner
where do i send my therapy bill? ann liang always eats and this is no exception. every single line on this page had me giggling thanks to keran's (aka death god himself) flirty and humorous lines (you know once he wasn't IN PAIN) or either just going wow that was depressing! the worldbuilding was so lush and stunning, not to mention the character development was so good! even jun-yi who can go toss himself off a cliff im sorry. such a stunning book that i don't even have words for it. just read it.
pre review 🌹💙 I GOT INVITED TO READ THIS !? HELLO !? no one talk to me im literally freaking out.
pre pre review
this cover is genuinely insanely stunning i have forgotten all words.
ann liang my queen 💗
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🥀*: .｡. 𝑻𝒐 𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔.｡.:*🥀
"𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝑹𝒖𝒋𝒊𝒂. 𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉"
JUST.ONE.MORE.CHAPTER.
My dear, dear Ann, would your life have been in danger if you'd written one more chapter? I'm not asking for much. Just one. 😭 I need to make sure they're getting the HEA they deserve.
This is about Rujia, the healer god, and Keran, the death god. She asks him for one month to find a cure for his curse in exchange for her life.
I'm not going to lie. I was bored at the beginning, but the intriguing plot kept me reading. The romance between Rujia and Keran felt almost nonexistent at times, which was a flaw for me.
Their individual characters were well-developed and had depth, but together, they didn't create the emotional connection I was hoping for. Still, I have to admit that I enjoyed parts of their story.
𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐 𝒈𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕? 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐?
The whole god-and-goddess thing didn't click for me or make much sense. They felt very human. Like, the only godly things about them were that they lived in the celestial realm and had powers. Other than that, yes, they can die. Yes, they can get hurt. And yes, they can be punished. Hello? Are you sure they're actually gods?
Despite all this, what hooked me was the writing style. I don't know what Ann Liang does, but her whimsical, poetic prose made the reading experience so much more fascinating, despite the plot's flaws.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
☆*: .｡. 𝒑𝒓𝒆-𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 .｡.:*☆
It's been a while since I read a romantasy book, and I think it's time to get back into it
It’s my first book by Ann Liang, and the story looks so good. I hope it delivers. 🤞🏼❤️ buddy read with my sweet ale💗🌸
"𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝑹𝒖𝒋𝒊𝒂. 𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉"
JUST.ONE.MORE.CHAPTER.
My dear, dear Ann, would your life have been in danger if you'd written one more chapter? I'm not asking for much. Just one. 😭 I need to make sure they're getting the HEA they deserve.
This is about Rujia, the healer god, and Keran, the death god. She asks him for one month to find a cure for his curse in exchange for her life.
I'm not going to lie. I was bored at the beginning, but the intriguing plot kept me reading. The romance between Rujia and Keran felt almost nonexistent at times, which was a flaw for me.
Their individual characters were well-developed and had depth, but together, they didn't create the emotional connection I was hoping for. Still, I have to admit that I enjoyed parts of their story.
𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐 𝒈𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕? 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐?
The whole god-and-goddess thing didn't click for me or make much sense. They felt very human. Like, the only godly things about them were that they lived in the celestial realm and had powers. Other than that, yes, they can die. Yes, they can get hurt. And yes, they can be punished. Hello? Are you sure they're actually gods?
Despite all this, what hooked me was the writing style. I don't know what Ann Liang does, but her whimsical, poetic prose made the reading experience so much more fascinating, despite the plot's flaws.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
☆*: .｡. 𝒑𝒓𝒆-𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 .｡.:*☆
It's been a while since I read a romantasy book, and I think it's time to get back into it
It’s my first book by Ann Liang, and the story looks so good. I hope it delivers. 🤞🏼❤️ buddy read with my sweet ale💗🌸
September 23, 2026
A HUGE thank you to NetGalley, Ann Liang, St. Martin’s Press, AND Macmillan Audio for granting me access to this book and the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Natalie Naudus once again proved to be a beautiful match for this story, her captivating narration weaving an extra layer of magic into every moment and deepening my connection to the story even further. She gave each character a voice and presence all their own, pulling me into their world until I felt completely swept up in their lives.
After reading A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang, which was an easy five star read for me, I might have squealed with joy when I heard she had a new book coming out. I immediately requested To Dream in Darkness without even reading the synopsis because I simply trusted that Ann Liang would give me another story I would fall hopelessly into. And when I was approved for both the book AND the audio? There may have been a happy dance 💃😂!!
But somehow, even with my expectations already sky high, the author still managed to exceed them. This will be one of those books I will carry with me.
It is lush and haunting and beautiful in that almost impossible to describe way where a story stops feeling like something you are reading and starts feeling like somewhere you have been. The writing is exquisite, the atmosphere breathtaking, and the mythology feels ancient and alive. I was completely swept into its world of gods, celestial realms, curses, fate, and impossible choices, but it was the heart of this story that truly undid me.
Rujia, the god of healing, knows she is destined to die. She is compassionate and resilient, but there is vulnerability beneath her strength that made me ache for her. And Keran, the god of death, appears cold and terrifying at first, but the more I learned about him, the more I understood the loneliness beneath all the darkness. Learning what he had endured made me see him differently, and somehow, this god of death became someone I desperately wanted to see find his way back to the light.
And then there is the way he looks at her. The way he yearns for her. The way a man who has spent centuries surrounded by death can become willing to burn everything to keep one person safe. A man on his knees before her, willing to sacrifice everything to keep her alive?! I will never recover!
The romance is completely clean, but do not mistake that for a lack of heat. There is a tension here that simmers beneath every interaction, in the stolen moments, the banter, the restraint, and everything left unsaid.
Underneath it all, it’s a story about what it means to be alive. About loneliness and loss. About time slipping through your fingers. About the choices we make when the thing we want most feels impossible. About whether revenge can ever give you back what you have lost, and how much we are willing to sacrifice for the people we cannot bear to lose.
He inflicts pain and she takes it away. And somewhere between death and healing, they found something neither of them was supposed to have.
I was hooked from the beginning. I did not just want to know what would happen. I needed to know. I needed to see whether they could outrun what had already been written for them, and what they would be willing to sacrifice along the way.
Did I stay up late because I could not stop reading? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely! Did it make me cry? Oh, absolutely. And every tear was worth it.
The ending left me in that strange, quiet space that comes after finishing a book that has taken something out of you, just sitting there, staring into the distance, trying to process everything I had just felt. I saw some of it coming, but knowing that did not make it hurt any less. And despite the ache, I was satisfied. Because this story was not simply tragic. There was hope. There was healing.
This is one of those books I wish I could read for the first time all over again. To feel that first pull. To meet Rujia and Keran without knowing what was coming. To experience every revelation, every stolen moment, every impossible choice as if it were the first time. You can read a book. And then there are books you feel in your soul. To Dream in Darkness was that book for me. I will never stop recommending this book!!!
Read it. Let it consume you. Let it break your heart. And let it heal you, too.❤️
All the infinite stars ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
After reading A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang, which was an easy five star read for me, I might have squealed with joy when I heard she had a new book coming out. I immediately requested To Dream in Darkness without even reading the synopsis because I simply trusted that Ann Liang would give me another story I would fall hopelessly into. And when I was approved for both the book AND the audio? There may have been a happy dance 💃😂!!
But somehow, even with my expectations already sky high, the author still managed to exceed them. This will be one of those books I will carry with me.
It is lush and haunting and beautiful in that almost impossible to describe way where a story stops feeling like something you are reading and starts feeling like somewhere you have been. The writing is exquisite, the atmosphere breathtaking, and the mythology feels ancient and alive. I was completely swept into its world of gods, celestial realms, curses, fate, and impossible choices, but it was the heart of this story that truly undid me.
Rujia, the god of healing, knows she is destined to die. She is compassionate and resilient, but there is vulnerability beneath her strength that made me ache for her. And Keran, the god of death, appears cold and terrifying at first, but the more I learned about him, the more I understood the loneliness beneath all the darkness. Learning what he had endured made me see him differently, and somehow, this god of death became someone I desperately wanted to see find his way back to the light.
And then there is the way he looks at her. The way he yearns for her. The way a man who has spent centuries surrounded by death can become willing to burn everything to keep one person safe. A man on his knees before her, willing to sacrifice everything to keep her alive?! I will never recover!
The romance is completely clean, but do not mistake that for a lack of heat. There is a tension here that simmers beneath every interaction, in the stolen moments, the banter, the restraint, and everything left unsaid.
Underneath it all, it’s a story about what it means to be alive. About loneliness and loss. About time slipping through your fingers. About the choices we make when the thing we want most feels impossible. About whether revenge can ever give you back what you have lost, and how much we are willing to sacrifice for the people we cannot bear to lose.
He inflicts pain and she takes it away. And somewhere between death and healing, they found something neither of them was supposed to have.
I was hooked from the beginning. I did not just want to know what would happen. I needed to know. I needed to see whether they could outrun what had already been written for them, and what they would be willing to sacrifice along the way.
Did I stay up late because I could not stop reading? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely! Did it make me cry? Oh, absolutely. And every tear was worth it.
The ending left me in that strange, quiet space that comes after finishing a book that has taken something out of you, just sitting there, staring into the distance, trying to process everything I had just felt. I saw some of it coming, but knowing that did not make it hurt any less. And despite the ache, I was satisfied. Because this story was not simply tragic. There was hope. There was healing.
This is one of those books I wish I could read for the first time all over again. To feel that first pull. To meet Rujia and Keran without knowing what was coming. To experience every revelation, every stolen moment, every impossible choice as if it were the first time. You can read a book. And then there are books you feel in your soul. To Dream in Darkness was that book for me. I will never stop recommending this book!!!
Read it. Let it consume you. Let it break your heart. And let it heal you, too.❤️
All the infinite stars ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
Want to Read
May 18, 2026˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
pre-read: bless the girlies on Threads who post the latest 'Read Now' books! i was able to snag a copy 💙
pre-read: bless the girlies on Threads who post the latest 'Read Now' books! i was able to snag a copy 💙
Want to Read
December 26, 2025I'm sold. The blurb is blurbbing😍.
Want to Read
January 14, 2026is ann gonna redeem herself in the fantasy realm??
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
— 4.25 ☆ .ᐟ 🌹spoiler free + mini review
⤷ of course this was devestating oh my!!
୨ arc @netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 94th review of the year
⌗ ꒰ my thoughts ꒱ 🪶
⤷ WOW. ann you did it again. of course, i had no doubts but this truly blew me away! i loved how utterly romantic and mysterious ann made the atmosphere. both our main characters had great tension/chemistry and it was carried nicely throughout the whole novel. i also appreciate how fast-paced this was! very easy to fly though and follow along with the story.
from the very beginning, i could already tell how tortured our mmc would be 😭 but reading about him was a treat, and it was interesting how death as a character was portrayed. especially because i've read a ton on books where death is looked at differently and has a whole entirely different personality.
another aspect i really enjoyed was the historical fantasy ambiance! especially if it's asian inspired. both our characters being gods was so cool. a healing god, and death god, and the death god's fate is to kill her? SIGN ME UP. all in all, you guys should def check this new aduly novel by ann out! i always admire when she branches out and tries something new. i'm already anticipating what she'll do next 🙂↕️
in the mean time can someone PLEASE YAP WITH ME ABOUT THE ENDING.
⌗ ꒰ tropes ꒱
⋆ asian historical fiction
⋆ they are both gods
⋆ enemies to lovers
⋆ dual pov/timeline
⌗ ꒰ info ꒱
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads (maybe later bookstagram)
⤷ this is recommended for new adult readers
⤷ historical asian fantasy/mythology book
publish date: oct 27, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you st martins and netgalley for the e and physical arc!! <3
----------------------
𐔌 ♯┆9.27.26
⤷ ST MARTINS!! I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU FOR THIS PHYS ARC 😭 im so happy to be reading this with my bby joni as well! i can't believe we haven't buddy read tgt yet LOL. i only have 100 pages left so we'll see how this ends.. i know ill cry. BUT ANYWAYS! ill try and prepare for the heartbreak 🥹
12-18-25
october 2026 genuinely cant come fast enough. stay tuned for the cover reveal!
⤷ of course this was devestating oh my!!
୨ arc @netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 94th review of the year
⌗ ꒰ my thoughts ꒱ 🪶
⤷ WOW. ann you did it again. of course, i had no doubts but this truly blew me away! i loved how utterly romantic and mysterious ann made the atmosphere. both our main characters had great tension/chemistry and it was carried nicely throughout the whole novel. i also appreciate how fast-paced this was! very easy to fly though and follow along with the story.
from the very beginning, i could already tell how tortured our mmc would be 😭 but reading about him was a treat, and it was interesting how death as a character was portrayed. especially because i've read a ton on books where death is looked at differently and has a whole entirely different personality.
another aspect i really enjoyed was the historical fantasy ambiance! especially if it's asian inspired. both our characters being gods was so cool. a healing god, and death god, and the death god's fate is to kill her? SIGN ME UP. all in all, you guys should def check this new aduly novel by ann out! i always admire when she branches out and tries something new. i'm already anticipating what she'll do next 🙂↕️
in the mean time can someone PLEASE YAP WITH ME ABOUT THE ENDING.
୨୨ and of course, THANK YOU TO JONI FOR READING THIS WITH ME!! i love being an ann liang fangirl with you <3 you're the best ever and i anticipate many more buddy reads together!! love you and praying for us because we were destroyed LOL
⌗ ꒰ tropes ꒱
⋆ asian historical fiction
⋆ they are both gods
⋆ enemies to lovers
⋆ dual pov/timeline
⌗ ꒰ info ꒱
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads (maybe later bookstagram)
⤷ this is recommended for new adult readers
⤷ historical asian fantasy/mythology book
publish date: oct 27, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you st martins and netgalley for the e and physical arc!! <3
----------------------
🌹 — pre-read .ᐟ ⌗
𐔌 ♯┆9.27.26
⤷ ST MARTINS!! I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU FOR THIS PHYS ARC 😭 im so happy to be reading this with my bby joni as well! i can't believe we haven't buddy read tgt yet LOL. i only have 100 pages left so we'll see how this ends.. i know ill cry. BUT ANYWAYS! ill try and prepare for the heartbreak 🥹
12-18-25
october 2026 genuinely cant come fast enough. stay tuned for the cover reveal!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ann Liang for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! ⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆
4.5/5 ☆
"You may choose whether or not to believe it, but you cannot change the ending."
Rujia, a Healer God in the Celestial Realm, is determined to become the highly esteemed Celestial Healer. She wants to prove her worth to the other Gods after her parent's banishment to the Mortal Realm. What she does not know is that her death is drawing near, as pre-determined by fate. Fate has decided her death will come at the hands of The God of Death.
Upon her capture and arrival to the Death God's home, the Night Realm, Rujia bargains for her life. She isn't ready to die, not with her dream of Celestial Healer in reach. So, she vows she will use her healing powers to rid him of his curse, and he will postpone her death. Rujia bargains for an extra month of her life, but much can happen in that short of a time. Forbidden, impossible, romance blooms between them. The Death God yearns for her, the only one who's ever seen past the darkness. The question to be asked though, is can either of them truly fight fate, and if so, for how long?
'But every day I live is a day stolen from fate.'
When I tell you THIS story. I finished this, and sat, and cried. I haven't cried so hard at a book in a while! This had the same feel to it as 'The Song of Achilles'. Doomed from the start, fated to fail, but that doesn't stop the emotion. The love, and the want that is expressed SO well in this story. Liang manages to make these Celestial Gods feel human. Gods who have power above all, and somehow it still isn't enough. The Death God wrung sympathy out of me like a wet rag. PLEASE, Death falling in love with the Healer? I'm going to eat that up.
"All you do is take away pain. All I do is inflict it."
This could be described as historical fantasy or romantasy, but both plead a good case. It has Asian Mythology theming, character driven plot, angst, yearning, and beautiful world building. The atmosphere and descriptions were so enrapturing. Liang has a way with words that made you feel every ounce of the magic (and the agony!). I've never read an Ana Liang book until this one, but it's safe to say I'll be reading more. Read this if you're in the mood for book induced tears!
4.5/5 ☆
"You may choose whether or not to believe it, but you cannot change the ending."
Rujia, a Healer God in the Celestial Realm, is determined to become the highly esteemed Celestial Healer. She wants to prove her worth to the other Gods after her parent's banishment to the Mortal Realm. What she does not know is that her death is drawing near, as pre-determined by fate. Fate has decided her death will come at the hands of The God of Death.
Upon her capture and arrival to the Death God's home, the Night Realm, Rujia bargains for her life. She isn't ready to die, not with her dream of Celestial Healer in reach. So, she vows she will use her healing powers to rid him of his curse, and he will postpone her death. Rujia bargains for an extra month of her life, but much can happen in that short of a time. Forbidden, impossible, romance blooms between them. The Death God yearns for her, the only one who's ever seen past the darkness. The question to be asked though, is can either of them truly fight fate, and if so, for how long?
'But every day I live is a day stolen from fate.'
When I tell you THIS story. I finished this, and sat, and cried. I haven't cried so hard at a book in a while! This had the same feel to it as 'The Song of Achilles'. Doomed from the start, fated to fail, but that doesn't stop the emotion. The love, and the want that is expressed SO well in this story. Liang manages to make these Celestial Gods feel human. Gods who have power above all, and somehow it still isn't enough. The Death God wrung sympathy out of me like a wet rag. PLEASE, Death falling in love with the Healer? I'm going to eat that up.
"All you do is take away pain. All I do is inflict it."
This could be described as historical fantasy or romantasy, but both plead a good case. It has Asian Mythology theming, character driven plot, angst, yearning, and beautiful world building. The atmosphere and descriptions were so enrapturing. Liang has a way with words that made you feel every ounce of the magic (and the agony!). I've never read an Ana Liang book until this one, but it's safe to say I'll be reading more. Read this if you're in the mood for book induced tears!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Ann Liang knows how to deliver heart-wrenching fantasy standalones with soft heroines.
Rujia, the ambitious yet kind-hearted God of Healing, makes a desperate deal with the God of Death to lift his century-old curse in exchange for a one-month reprieve from her own fated death by his hands.
The plot is slow and fairly unexciting. The romance is slow burn and there is NO yearning. It follows Liang’s predictable plot points which means it relies on your expectations for the romance that suddenly springs up to work.
“All souls are malleable. They’re like flowers. A seed that has been planted into rich soil and watered every day and faced out into the sunlight will grow to become something wholly different from a seed planted in the dark. That is the case, even if the seeds were to be identical.”
Whilst I would argue this isn’t a romantasy in the traditional sense, there is banter and a familiarity between the two. We also get what feels like a whole new plot in the second half which kept it refreshing.
The historical setting also adds to the ambience and mood of the tale: gods, celestial Princes, and weak mortals.
It is easy to be drawn in and immersed, and I found myself reading the entire book in one train journey.
Overall, predictable if you have read her previous book, A Song to Drown Rivers, yet still satisfying and evocative.
Physical arc gifted by Tor.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Rujia, the ambitious yet kind-hearted God of Healing, makes a desperate deal with the God of Death to lift his century-old curse in exchange for a one-month reprieve from her own fated death by his hands.
The plot is slow and fairly unexciting. The romance is slow burn and there is NO yearning. It follows Liang’s predictable plot points which means it relies on your expectations for the romance that suddenly springs up to work.
“All souls are malleable. They’re like flowers. A seed that has been planted into rich soil and watered every day and faced out into the sunlight will grow to become something wholly different from a seed planted in the dark. That is the case, even if the seeds were to be identical.”
Whilst I would argue this isn’t a romantasy in the traditional sense, there is banter and a familiarity between the two. We also get what feels like a whole new plot in the second half which kept it refreshing.
The historical setting also adds to the ambience and mood of the tale: gods, celestial Princes, and weak mortals.
It is easy to be drawn in and immersed, and I found myself reading the entire book in one train journey.
Overall, predictable if you have read her previous book, A Song to Drown Rivers, yet still satisfying and evocative.
Physical arc gifted by Tor.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Read
January 14, 2026HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!!! i finished this at 2am and my face was streaked with tears omg🤧🤧 this was absolutely beautiful rtc possibly later today!!
ʚɞ ⁺˖ ⸝⸝🌹꒰pre-read!꒱.˚ 𓂃₊ ⊹
𐙚┆10.25.26 .ᐟ ֶָ֢ ⊹ ࣪ ໒꒱
so i actually started this lsat night and am about 50% in rn and omg its so good, im scared for the ending😭 ann really is my favorite author ever and this is one of my most anticipated books of the YEAR so im so so honored that i got the arc for this!!!!!! i missed reading soso much, and im so happy to be reading mother liang's breathtaking books again!!!
thank you to net galley and the publishers for providing me with the arc in exchange for an honest review!!
7/13/26
SHUT UP NO WAY I GOT THE ARC?! SCREAMING CRYING SQUEALING JUMPING IN JOY
5/24/26
i'm telling you i will eat up ANYTHING that she write pls pls pls
ʚɞ ⁺˖ ⸝⸝🌹꒰pre-read!꒱.˚ 𓂃₊ ⊹
𐙚┆10.25.26 .ᐟ ֶָ֢ ⊹ ࣪ ໒꒱
so i actually started this lsat night and am about 50% in rn and omg its so good, im scared for the ending😭 ann really is my favorite author ever and this is one of my most anticipated books of the YEAR so im so so honored that i got the arc for this!!!!!! i missed reading soso much, and im so happy to be reading mother liang's breathtaking books again!!!
thank you to net galley and the publishers for providing me with the arc in exchange for an honest review!!
7/13/26
SHUT UP NO WAY I GOT THE ARC?! SCREAMING CRYING SQUEALING JUMPING IN JOY
5/24/26
i'm telling you i will eat up ANYTHING that she write pls pls pls
Displaying 1 - 30 of 690 reviews