⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

A stunning romantic fantasy rooted in rich Asian mythology, Immortal was my first Sue Lynn Tan book, and it certainly will not be my last.

The worldbuilding was captivating, filled with vivid lore, powerful immortals, and a heroine determined to fight for her people. I absolutely loved the Asian-inspired setting and magical elements—it brought a sense of elegance and depth to the entire story.

Liyen’s character growth was really satisfying to follow, and I was fully invested in her journey from poisoned heir to powerful ruler. The story unfolded beautifully, with a smooth and lyrical writing style that made it incredibly easy to sink into the world.

I especially enjoyed how the relationship between Liyen and Zhangwei developed. Their connection was layered with tension and trust, and the emotional build-up between them felt natural and well earned. The slight twist reveal near the end added another level of depth to the plot and was very well executed.

The pacing flowed wonderfully, and I found myself flying through the pages, completely immersed.

If you enjoy fantasy inspired by mythology, strong female leads, slow burn romances, and stories that are as beautiful as they are emotional, this one is worth picking up.

----------- WHAT I ENJOYED ------------
- If there is one thing to know about me, it is that I am notoriously bad at completing an entire series. And so, while I am ridiculously intrigued by The Celestial Kingdom Series by Sue Lynn Tan, I simply just haven't picked it up yet. Which is why I was so excited by the prospect of this book: it is a stand-alone that is set in the same world as that series, and so it seemed like a more accessible entry point into this author's work. I hoped that it would give me a taste of this fantasy landscape, as well as the author's writing style, while not leaving me worrying over another incomplete series. And let me tell you, it lived up to all of my hopes and expectations. Both the fantasy landscape and the writing style were fantastic. Sue Lynn Tan has a very lyrical writing style that drew me in straight away; it felt like I was reading a tale picked straight from classic folklore. I honestly highlighted so much of this book, because there were just some beautiful lines that I know I will be revisiting at some point.

- As well as just being pleasant to read, the story and world was also very well-crafted. The story mainly took place in three separate settings: Tianxia in the mortal realm; The Golden Desert in the Immortal realm; and the Netherworld. Each had its own unique qualities, and I loved how the author managed to make them feel very distinct from each other. Seeing all of these different environments made the world feel very expansive, and I enjoyed feeling like I was actually exploring all elements of this fantasy landscape alongside our characters. However, the author took this even further and hinted at other realms to be explored, really creating the impression that this is not an isolated place, but a whole world that she is willing to share with us. So now, I am ridiculously intrigued to read more of this author's work, so I can discover even more of this lovely fantasy world.

- However, the elements of this book that I loved the most were the characters, and the relationships explored throughout the story. Sue Lynn Tan utilised not only our main characters, but the side characters too, which allowed her to explore different types of relationships.  These differing relationship dynamics culminated in a conversation surrounding the effect of the love and devotion we feel for others. Specifically, the story focuses on the idea that some people can make us stronger, but loss of loved ones, and disappointment in others, can completely change someone into becoming unrecognisable. This was a topic that really resonated with me, and I thought that the author handled it really well, as she didn't only look at this from a romantic perspective, but also through a familial lens.

- Now, I can't talk about the relationships within this book without talking about Liyen and The God of War. Honestly, the banter between these two was delectable. Some of the moments between them genuinely had me giggling and gasping out loud, because I was just ridiculously invested in their relationship. They most definitely fall into the "enemies-to-lovers" category and if there is one thing to know about me, it's that I will never not love this trope. It just always creates the perfect tension between characters, and that was definitely the case here; the longing and the pining was just. Too. Good.

- The characters were also just really strong by themselves, outside of the relationship dynamic. While I didn't really like Liyen at first, which I will discuss in more detail later, she did end up growing on me by the end. And that is because she was a very admirable character. She always put the needs of her people above her own desires, and aimed to always fight for what was right. And so while she wasn't a perfect character for me, I did enjoy following her story and seeing her grow into her role as the ruler of Tianxia.

- But Zhangwei, our God of War, really stole the show for me. He was a strong-willed character who had such a fantastic personality - he could be strict and wise due to his many years leading the armies of the immortals, but at other times, he was a complete diva. And I loved that about him. It made him a really fun character to follow and I just completely fell in love with him!

------- WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME -------
- As I hinted at earlier, Liyen really annoyed me in the first half of this book. I just found her to be such an unlikeable character as she was just really bratty. Like, I understand that she went through a ridiculous amount of trauma, but her actions sometimes came across as really childish, and I just got so frustrated at how she was treating some of the characters. And whilst I did ultimately end up liking her character, it took me quite a while to warm up to her, which definitely impacted my enjoyment of the story.

- Now, this next point is difficult to explain as I'm trying to keep this review spoiler-free, so I'm sorry if it ends up being a bit vague! But quite early on in the book, I guessed quite a major plot point (I put my guess in a note at 25%...the reveal didn't happen until the 70% mark). This didn't necessarily spoil the story in terms of excitement, as there were a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and this particular element didn't play out exactly as I imagined, so it was still really fun to see it come to fruition. The issue that I had was that, after this plot element was revealed...a lot of things changed but weren't really expanded upon due to the reveal coming quite late into the book. This resulted in our characters just "knowing" things that they didn't before and so, it ended up feeling a bit convenient so that the plot could move forward. I think that this feeling was made worse by a certain trope, which I'm not going to reveal because *spoilers*, but I will say it is one that I am usually not a fan of! After this, I felt a bit disconnected from events as I felt that things weren't as fleshed out as the rest of the book had been.

I read Sue Lynn Tan’s Celestial Kingdom duology and loved it so much, that I thought this author might brcome an auto-buy for me. It was so magical, so soft and at the same time gripping and exciting. Sadly, I had a different experience with Immortal. Although the book had similar dreamy vibes, in my opinion, it didn’t live up to other author’s books. The characters felt bland and the whole plot was a bit meh for me. I usually like the author’s writing, but here it fell flat to me. Overall, my expectations might have been too high, which in the end didn’t work in my favour.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions

DNF at 15% - I bounced off Tan's first book Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but this sounded good so I wanted to give her writing another chance. Turns out it's just not for me.

It's cute! A story of ensuring love - told through leadership, friendships, family and romance. If you like an easy-to-read tale of good championing evil, this one's for you.

It took a while to get going but once it did, I was absolutely hooked. Everything happens quite quickly at the end with most of the excitement coming in the last 150 pages.

I have a soft spot for Chinese mythology and Immortals, and this book ticked all the boxes.

The world building is beautiful and immersive, the scenes unravelling like it would in a C-Drama or film. Sue Lynn Tan's way of writing is magical and draws me in with minimal effort.

There was a stronger focus upon the romance and relationship of the characters rather than the plot at play, which seemed a different direction compared to her other books, but as a shorter standalone it makes for a decent read.

A beautifully crafted romantasy set in the Celestial Kingdom world, Immortal delivers forbidden magic, political intrigue, and a slow-burning attraction—but doesn’t always maintain its momentum.

✨ A mortal queen defying the gods 💫 A dangerous alliance with the God of War 📚 Elegant prose & intricate world-building

Tan’s writing is as poetic and evocative as ever, weaving a tale of duty, betrayal, and power. However, the pacing drags in places, and the romance—while compelling—relies heavily on forced proximity without deeper emotional development.

If you love mythology-infused fantasy, courtly intrigue, and high-stakes bargains, this is an enjoyable read, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

I loved the world building, characters, secrets and twists. Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life but his betrayal to the immortal queen gets him killed. After his death, Liyen gets the throne yet the unthinkable keeps happening. And the author takes us to the world of immortals. Expect magic, intrigue, betrayal, love, sacrifice, secrets, alliance, perils and epic fantasy. The character of the god of war is interesting. The book kept me on edge. The ending was so unpredictable.

If you love immersive world building filled with magic, alliance and intrigue, this is the book for you.

Thanks to the Publisher

a dip into chinese mythology with beautiful prose - sue lynn tan is an excellent writer. this novel balances the fantasy and romance elements of romantasy better than most and makes for a really gorgeous standalone for anyone curious about the celestial kingdom series.

Lovely, absolutely lovely. Sue Lynn Tan is an author that I always enjoy reading, and with this book she confirmed, at least for me, to be a must read. her writing is magical and fascinating, and the way she portrays her worlds is really evocative, I always feel like I'm watching a Chinese drama. and the characters? they're adorable. she managed to subvert the expectations of the reader, I wasn’t expecting a plot twist so soon, and that's what made the story. i will reread it very soon (can we hope for a little novella set in the past? young god of war growing up in school, things like that? i crave a deep flashback!)

"A great pity that it was easier to hate than to understand."

Exactly three years ago, I read Daughter of the Moon Goddess, and now, for the second time, I find myself wondering why none of Sue Lynn Tan's other books have reached the same level as her first. To be honest, this one has some better points compared to Heart of the Sun Warrior.

That said, Immortal does have its strengths and some of which reminded me of what I loved about Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

There’s a stubborn immortal beside god of war. An empress, the Queen of the Golden Desert in pursuit of the mythical Divine Pearl Lotus. Demons that threaten both sides. Secrets, lies, and twist, even if not all of it hits as hard as it could.

I don’t regret reading it. It's a shorter, standalone entry in Tan’s world, and it held my attention to finish it. But it has also made me reflect on whether I want to continue exploring one of my favorite sub-genre Asian romantasy...

"Those who have enough often forget those in need - not because they're unkind - but because it makes them uneasy, evoking guilt that they have so much while others, nothing. Life is inherently unfair."

Thank you HarperCollins UK via NetGalley for giving me a chance to read Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan. I have given my honest review.

Sue Lynn Tan has a beautiful, almost poetic way of writing that transports you into these magical worlds. I loved the characters and the interactions between Liyen and the God of War; and the minor politics at play. There are some lovely twists and turns that I didn't see coming and it'll make a re-read take on a different meaning.
I'd highly recommend !

This one just didn't work for me - the plot mainly focused on the romance and I just didn't find it compelling.

Another beautifully written mythical book! The world building was beautifully descriptive and detailed. The characters were so closely intertwined with the plot that as the story unravelled the characters became more fleshed and their relationships deepened. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns.that kept the plot evolving and your speculations guessing! A fantastic standalone addition to the celestial worlds series!

This was an amazing book! I loved the setting, and the love story was beautiful. The twists along the way had me on the edge of my seat and I just couldn’t stop reading! For any fans of the Celestial Kingdom series by Sue Lynn Tan, this is just as amazing in its own way!

I am a HUGE fan of everything and anything Sue Lynn Tan, she's one of my all-time favourite authors for very, very good reason. Sue always creates such magical, lush and romantic stories and this one was no exception at all! I absolutely LOVED reading this one, the whole book was so beautifully written, and I couldn't stop thinking about how magical and romantic it felt throughout. Immortal really drew me in from the very beginning, and I had such a wonderful time reading through it, getting to know the characters and watching them grow together!

Thank you so much HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and HarperVoyager for providing me with an e-ARC <3

I absolutely love Sue Lynn Tan's writing, no matter what book it is it always draws you in and it is done beautifully. I loved reading Immortal. The characters are created with such a realism and you form a connection to them. They develop well throughout the storyline and the battles they faced. I really loved the direction this novel went in, I was immersed into the story and world building straight away. From start to finish I thoroughly enjoyed reading Immortal.

*Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperVoyager for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review*

I adored The Celestial Kingdom duology by Lynn Tan and Immortal was an insta buy for me. Unfortunately, the insta love between Liyen and the God of War wasn't for me. I mean, he's the god of War. He should be at least...angry? vindictive? Something. Immortal would be benefited more from an Adult aspect rather than YA. But then again, it was a solid read. Not great, but solid.

A thoroughly enjoyable story with a few twists and turns to keep it engaging. It sometimes felt episodic rather than one flowing story, but the cast of characters and vibrant world-building made up for it. The love story didn't quite grip me as much as I wanted, but overall it was a moving tale of romance and family.

"To win the God of War’s favour was wise – to fall in love with him would ruin me"
Immortal - Sue Lynn Tan

This is the second book that I read from the author and I really enjoy her writing. I love her storylines, the world building and her characters. Immortal was not an exception . It is a fantasy romance standalone that is set in the world of The Celestial Kingdom but can be read without reading her previous duology.

Immortal is a romantic and enchanting book that I couldn't put down. There is no particular action in it but the plot and the world are incredible. I must not forget the plot twists that made it even better. I really liked the characters and the relationships between them. My favourite character has to be the God of War!