Immortal was my first asian-inspired romantasy.
I enjoyed following Liyen, our human FMC, freshly appointed ruler of her kingdom, and the God of War, directly coming from above. She is committed to her people but needs to learn everything, he is the greatest warrior of his Queen. It seems they have an ennemy in common, the Wuxin, but not everything is as it seems...
This is a story about love, and the tension between them was great, edging on betrayal at some point. This is a story about secrets, forbidden magic, doubts.
If you fancy descriptions, you will like this book, as it is very contemplative : I was completely immerged in this world, with jade temples, ponds with lotus, blooming trees!

Like many others, I was super excited to see another book taking us to the Celestial Kingdom that Tan created. I think I felt almost entirely opposite to some reviewers who fell on the later half of the book.

For me, I started it and thought 'Oh Liyen is going to fall in love with the God of War and blah blah blah'. I thought I could see the whole plot working out, especially when Liyen goes to the Immortal Realm. I was very smug thinking I'd had the whole story sussed out. But Tan's written a book that throws a lot of your expectations out the window.

I thought we'd had Liyen learning to overcome her hate of the gods, which we kind of did but not how you'd expect. This sudden super attraction between the Liyen and the God of War I saw as being one of those unrealistic, happens in two days and can't fight the attraction, coupled with 'There was only one safe place to take her'. I was pleasantly surprised when this was not at all the case. And it made for a captivating read as a result.

As her third full book, and fourth set in this kingdom, Sue Lynn Tan is making a very solid name for herself in her ability to craft a colourful, rich and, most importantly, magical reads. Finishing Immortal has me yet again waiting with excitement for what we'll see from her next!

Immortal was one of my anticipated reads for 2025, because I loved the Celestial Kingdom duology a lot ... but I had to DNF this one at 40%.

I knew that Immortal was a romance fantasy story, but I was still taken aback by how much of the story focused and happened because of the romance plot. Even when there's a kingdom at stake, the enmity and arguments were personal and made for the romance plot. I honestly expected more weight in the characters and fantasy aspect. I think (I may be wrong idk) this was marketed as an ADULT romance fantasy, but the MC's behavior, worldview, and narration were rather juvenile/simplistic/superficial. There were SO MANY ~my body moved without thinking / words came out before I knew it~ moments from her. Not many things happened in the first 25% of the story but the MC did a lot of TELLING such as “x & y are bad bc so & so” “i need to be x bc so & so”. Every moral conundrum or political step were overexplained in the MCs narration like I'm five ... and repeatedly.

I think I would be able to overlook the stuff above if the romance was at least interesting and/or had some chemistry, but alas it did not.

eARC provided by NetGalley and Harper Voyager UK.

I fell in love with Sue Lynn Tan when I first read Daughter of the Moon Goddess and my admiration has never wavered since. i absolutely adored every word of this book. Sue Lynn Tan has such an elegant, ethereal way of writing, I can't stop reading whatever story she puts in front of me. Her characters are flawed in beautiful ways. The dynamics between them is always something that pulls me in and of course, the story, the plot itself just never lets me go.

I can't wait to hold the physical copy of this in my hands in January. Thank you so much for the beautiful read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

WOW! This book was a positively magical and thoroughly enchanting experience!

I absolutely adored the whole cast of characters, and the settings were gorgeously described!

I highly recommend checking out this stunning book when it is released, 16/1/2025!!

I will be posting my review of this book on instagram on 27/12/2024 (Instagram.com/greenghost.reviews) and TheStoryGraph on 24/12/2024!

This book had all the makings of a fantasy romance I should’ve loved—an ambitious heroine, a ruthless God of War, forbidden love, and a world of immortals. But let me just say… it fell flat for me. 😩💔 2.5 stars, and here’s why:

✨ The Setup Had Promise… but the Delivery? Not So Much.
Liyen, our protagonist, has this huge task of balancing her precarious throne and navigating immortal politics. Sounds juicy, right? Add in a simmering attraction to the God of War? Sign me up! Except… there was no simmer. Like, where’s the chemistry, people?! Liyen and the God of War felt like two co-workers awkwardly teaming up for a corporate project instead of star-crossed lovers battling their feelings. 🫠

🌀 Plot Twists That Didn’t Twist
The major plot twist was giving heavy déjà vu vibes from When the Moon Hatched (if you know, you know 👀), but instead of feeling like a clever homage, it felt… uninspired? It didn’t hit the emotional or narrative impact that I was expecting, which left me feeling more meh than mind-blown. 🤷‍♀️

💤 Pacing Problems and Zero Urgency
I struggled hard to finish this one. The stakes were high on paper—dark forces, kingdoms at risk, immortal secrets—but it didn’t translate to the page. I didn’t feel the tension. Instead of racing to find out what happens next, I was racing to just get to the end. I hate when a book feels like a chore, but that’s exactly what happened here. 😢

⚡️ Bright Spots (Because It Wasn’t All Bad)
Okay, credit where credit’s due: Chengyin was such a fun side character. His witty lines were like little breaths of fresh air in a story that otherwise felt heavy and slow. And the moral undertones? Solid. Themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and questioning blind allegiance were woven in well, even if the execution elsewhere didn’t match. Plus, the villains were hateable in the best way—they did their job! 😈

Final Thoughts: Not My Cup of Tea (But It Might Be Yours!)
Look, I wanted to fall head over heels for this book. I’m usually such an easy-to-please reader (romantic tension and a cool world? I’m there!), but this just didn’t do it for me. That said, if you’re a hardcore fan of Sue Lynn Tan’s lyrical prose or you’re into slower-paced fantasy, maybe give it a shot. 🤷‍♀️

For me, though? Onto the next read—hopefully something with sparks that actually ignite. ✨🔥

this is my first book by sue lynn tan and i was blown, i missed reading epic fantasy book and this was the perfect standalone to get into it.

Sue Lynn Tan’s Immortal is a dazzling standalone romantic fantasy set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Brimming with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, this tale centres on Liyen, the ambitious heir to Tianxia, who must navigate treacherous alliances and fight to protect her kingdom.

The story begins with Liyen’s near-death experience, which sets in motion a series of events that pit her kingdom against the immortals who once shielded them from a vicious enemy. After her grandfather sacrifices everything to save her life, incurring the wrath of the immortal queen, Liyen ascends a precarious throne with one goal: to break her kingdom’s dependence on these powerful beings. Her resolve leads her to the Immortal Realm, where she must form a tenuous alliance with the enigmatic and ruthless God of War.

The relationship between Liyen and the God of War is both thrilling and complex, driven by mutual mistrust, shared ambition, and a simmering attraction that threatens to unravel everything Liyen fights to protect. Their connection is fraught with tension and layered with emotion, making it a central thread of the narrative.

Tan masterfully weaves elements of Chinese mythology into a fresh and imaginative tale filled with vibrant new characters. The themes of ambition, self-discovery, and the power of love resonate deeply throughout the book. Liyen’s journey is one of resilience and courage, as she confronts darker forces that close in around her kingdom while navigating her own inner conflicts.

The lush prose and intricate world-building immerse readers in the enchanting Celestial Realm, though the story remains entirely accessible to those unfamiliar with Daughter of the Moon Goddess. The book stands independently, free of spoilers from the series, offering a perfect entry point for new readers while delighting existing fans with its rich, expanded lore.

With its blend of romance, high stakes, and compelling characters, Immortal is a triumph of storytelling. It is a tale of compassion and vengeance, family and friendship, and the sacrifices required to bridge seemingly insurmountable divides. A must-read for fans of romantic fantasy and mythology-inspired tales.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

2.75 stars rounded up

I really enjoyed Daughter of the Moon Goddess, so when I found out Sue Lynn Tan was releasing a standalone set in the same world, I was so excited!

Immortal follows Liyen, a mortal who ascends the throne of Tianxia and vows to end her kingdom’s obligation to the fickle immortals who once protected them. She must learn their secrets to protect her people, but to do this she will have to forge a tenuous alliance with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. A treacherous attraction ignites. But dark forces are closing in and to save her people from an unspeakable fate, Liyen must risk everything…even her heart.

The first 30% of this book was great; I was absolutely gripped by the story and the pacing was perfect. There was a twist I wasn’t expecting, but after that, it unfortunately went downhill for me. The pacing became very inconsistent, and I felt like there was too much going on, which meant that nothing was fleshed out properly. There were also some plot holes and things that weren’t fully explained.

I adored Sue Lynn Tan’s writing in the Celestial Kingdom duology, and while there were definitely some vivid descriptions and beautiful quotes in Immortal, I couldn’t help but feel that the writing wasn’t quite as magical as I was expecting.

As for the characters, I found Liyen insufferable for most of the book. She had been primed to rule for her entire life, but she was reckless, childish and made stupid decisions. I enjoyed Zhangwei’s (the God of War) character more, but he felt like a cut-out copy of your typical tortured, dark, broody, evil-but-not-actually-evil MMC. He was a little too perfect and his character lacked depth.

I couldn’t feel any chemistry or tension between Liyen and Zhangwei, and their romance felt like insta-love. The back and forth of their relationship also really frustrated me. There is a trope used which could have worked very well, but there was no foreshadowing or enough insight, so it unfortunately fell flat.

The villain in this book was very childish and bratty, and I found their “evil monologues” more cringey than threatening. I never felt like the characters were in any real danger from the villain, so the stakes felt incredibly low and I became very bored during the final action scenes.

While I enjoyed the ending, I feel like this book should have been a duology. It would have allowed the author to develop the characters and the romance, as well as flesh out the story and its intricacies. I think there was just far too much going on that it was impossible to do the story justice as a standalone.

Although this book wasn’t for me, I will definitely read this authors next book, as I’ve enjoyed their previous work. Thank you for NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The beginning was very promising but it all happens too fast, I would of preferred if it was more spread out and slower with more tension between our two main characters.

The revelations that come to light about 3/4 through fell flat for me. By this point I just didn't care about any of the characters or the story. I feel like there should of been more foreshadowing as it did seem as though all the problems in the first half were suddenly magically fixed by the end and it was all too easy with sunshine and rainbows.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ publishing date 16th January 2025.

I have never highlighted a Kindle book as much as this one. So many beautiful quotes.

"Life is not fair. We cannot help how the dice fall, but it's our choice whether to keep playing."

This is a beautiful story of finding courage, finding love and finding strength. The story was so well written and I'm not ashamed to say that it made me cry within the first 10%.

I haven't read any of Sue Lynn Tan's work before but I am rectifying this immediately. This story has been beautifully put together and so eloquently written.

I loved the main characters. Liyen faces grief and many tests but puts the wellbeing of her people first. She never compromises on things important to her even when her heart is telling her head to. She forges her own path.

Zhengwei is the God of War. We think he's one thing but then he shows us that underneath he is completely different. He would destroy anyone for her. He's quite lush.

"You are you. You are all I need, whether we are together a year or a hundred."

Their love story is a mix of enemies to lovers meets star crossed lovers. The tension between them is palpable and I just adored the build of their slow burn romance. The side characters were really interesting too and brought humour. It's closed door romantasy. I'd say 🌶️ /5 at best, which is great if you enjoy romantasy with minimal spice.

The world building is breathtaking. There's beautiful descriptions of nature, colours, and stunning detail, even beautiful (sometimes scary) creatures. I loved the inclusion of magic any Chinese mythology.

I enjoyed the political storyline and the division between mortals, immortals and the Wuxin.

I'll be honest there's not much I didn't like about this book. The plot twists kept me interested throughout the story and when things started to come together revealing parts of everyone's past, it just felt like it was seamless.

I highly recommend this to lovers of fantasy / romantasy and I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy for my bookshelf!

I've done my reviews across all social media except insta but I'm going to do an Instagram post closer to the release date.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the arc of this book. This is my own honest review of this book.

Immortal is set in the same world as the beautiful Celestial Kingdom series and follows the beginning of Liyen’s story, after becoming poisoned her grandfather betrays the gods to get her the cure. This in turns sets in motion his death and the start of Liyens ascension to the throne of Tianxia, though to do this she needs the approval from the very gods her grandfather betrayed and so starts her journey of court politics, love, sorrow and secrets.

I love the writing so much and the world building like in the Celestial Kingdom series is filled with beautiful and visual descriptions that unfolds into a story of mythology that is easy to understand and get lost in.

It did feel a little slower paced to get fully into the story and action and while I loved the romance i feel like it needed just a little bit more depth and maybe a little more insight into it especially on Zhangweis’ side as one of the twists 3/4 of the way gives a better understanding of his early affection and love for Liyen.

Aside from this I really loved the overall story it was such an enjoyable immersive read and I will always recommend this authors books to anyone who enjoys Asian inspired fantasy filled with beautiful writing, exquisite world building and touching romances.

This book started off so promising, i absolutely loved the first 50% but after that it just fell super flat for me. I feel like the plot twist 3/4 of the way through the book should've been something we knew before (prequel maybe?) so it could make the romance more meaningful. It just made me feel like Zhangweis affection and love from the moment he saw her was random when in actual fact it was anything but. Overall it wasn't a bad story but not amazing and groundbreaking either.

This book was absolute perfection. I’m seriously so in love with the world that Sue Lynn Tan has built with her books. Please PLEASE give us more in the Celestial Kingdom.

Immortal is set in the same world as the beautiful Celestial Kingdom series. A stunning detailed world unfolds filled with mythology that is enjoyable to get completely carried away in .

Liyens story begins with her poisoning and her loving grandfather betraying the gods to get her the only thing that can cure her. This action causes his death and sets in motion Liyens ascension to the throne of Tianxia. Yet in order to rule she must get the approval of the very gods her grandfather betrayed.

Tan is superb at mythology, politics, misogyny, love, sorrow, and poses the age old questions of is there ever truly a right and a wrong when it comes to war?

The relationship between Liyen and the god of war is one that snares! Seemingly simple at the start; filled with tension and banter, the thought crosses your mind that this is just another bit of insta love. Yet, Tan subtlety gives us bread crumbs that their love is more than what you are initially led to believe. I will say I wished for more tension and a deeper sense of connection.

Liyen, while her strife is understandable — she also has a brashness that detracts from the underlying connections.

The action was written as if you are watching a movie there is vividness and complexity that was engaging and entertaining

Overall Immortal was enjoyable — The initial world building lacked a little however Tan made up for that as the other realms were introduced. Liyen had moments where I felt extremely annoyed at her actions and her overly judgmental and stubborn thought process.

If you’re looking for a mostly quick paced read, with Chinese mythology and wonderfully woven storylines then I definitely recommend giving Immortal a read.

A new fantasy novel from the author of the Celestial Kingdom series. I had high hopes for this after reading Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but it's hard to believe it was written by the same author. Underdeveloped and largely unlikeable characters, a shallow romance that read like a bad Mills & Boon, and a blandly predictable plot. Not one for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for a copy of this ARC! This is my honest review.

3.5 *

In Immortal, we follow Liyen's perspective as the heir to the kingdom of Tianxia. After her grandfather passes away, Liyen is thrust into the intricate world of court politics and power struggles. She faces immense pressure from the Immortal Realm to maintain order while striving to assert her own vision for her kingdom's future.

I have to say, Tan's writing is wonderfully descriptive. I was captivated by the world-building, which felt immersive and rich. However, the pacing of the story was quite uneven, like a roller coaster, constantly rising and falling. The first part of the book was decent, starting with a bang and maintaining consistent pacing. The second part was exceptional, especially the way part one ends. It delves deeper into the characters and the politics at play. The third part... I struggles with it, despite being the most action-packed. I think it was due to the way part two ended. While I wasn’t expecting the twist, it felt somewhat disjointed and didn’t entirely make sense at first. As the story unfolded, I gained a better understanding of it, but I had hoped for a different resolution.

When it comes to characters, they are solidly developed. Liyen is a fiery and determined protagonist, though at times frustratingly stubborn. Zhangwei is utterly devoted to her and an absolute delight to read! One of the highlights for me was the nuanced portrayal of morality. Some characters demonstrate that there’s always a grey area in who we are - we’re never entirely good or wholly evil.

The romance was alright, but I found myself wanting more depth, especially considering the tropes used. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel deeply invested in their relationship, which made it less compelling than I had hoped.

3.5-4 stars!

Immortal's a worthy, enjoyable read that still shows its hand a little heavy-handedly here and there in the writing. Much contrast is created with the intimate conflict between Liyen, the God of War (Zhangwei), and the Queen of the Golden Desert and the larger focus on the political tension between the human kingdom Tianxia, the Queen of the Golden Desert's kingdom, and a mysterious Netherworld community. The cast is small, with six characters making up the main and major supporting cast.

While it's packed with charm and Tan's characteristic whimsy, glittery imagery of her physical worlds, the story leans more simplistic in concept than in past works. There's room to grow in terms of exposition, with the endless "why's" Liyen asked being obvious cues for integrating them via dialogue, which made things a bit dry.

Now...the major twists. I'd like to turn my attention to one in particular that was paid off about 2/3rds into the story. The twist was set up with well-placed pieces and responded to certain observations and doubts I had regarding the romance's quick attraction. I have no issue with the specific trope evoked! Yet, I can't help with the nagging feeling that the romance, despite its swift magnetic pull and eventual justification for its pacing and Zhangwei's behaviour a la backstory, might be smoother in immersing and convincing me through more time with and between Liyen and Zhangwei. Sprinkle in an extra scene or two where the danger takes on a sharper, personal edge or the romantic leads get further acquainted without getting swept up in staring at each other every chance they get and the romance would be more well-rounded.

Nonetheless, the consistent characterisation, decent pacing, and, of course, Tan's worldbuilding kept the story afloat.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In Tianxia, a closed-off mortal kingdom at the mercy of immortal gods, new leader Liyen finds herself at odds with the Queen of the Golden Desert, Caihong. The sweeping and fantastical story takes us on a journey of gods, magic, danger and romance, in the author's typical style. Add in the disrespectfully handsome god of war Zhangwei and the looming threat of the dangerous Wuxin and you have a standalone that will have you feeling you've been submerged in a Chinese historical drama. I really enjoyed this read, although it does feel slightly slow to get to the real action - but the very unexpected twists more than made up for that.

A massive thank you to Harper Voyager for gifting me a digital arc of Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan. I’ve finished reading it in time to celebrate the 1-month countdown to the release of Immortal and share my review of this stunning book. I’m very excited not only for the release of this stunning book but also for the fact that I’m going to be going to an In Conversation event to meet Sue Lynn Tan!

Immortal is a Chinese mythology-inspired romantasy with a plot of unraveling secrets, betrayals, and an enemies-to-lovers forbidden attraction between a young mortal ruler trying to protect her kingdom and heart from the ravages of the immortal god of war. Sue Lynn Tan has a powerful way of sweeping you off into her story within a page or two, plunging you straight into the heart of her story and immersing you into her enchanting, lush world. Her writing delivers the same evocative, lyrical writing style as her previous books, with her signature divinely descriptive worldbuilding and scene setting.

The characters of this book are so hard to pin down into a couple of descriptive words due to their constantly changing dynamics and hidden facets of their natures. Everyone’s wearing multiple masks and full of more secrets than the stars in the heavens. All the characters will definitely keep you guessing about who and what they are until the very end.
The romantic vibes in Immortal come on very quickly feeling very love at first sight. There is more than meets the eye about the electric connection between Liyan and Zhangwei. As the plot unfurls its secrets, they nosedive into enemies-to-lovers territory with plenty of games, distrust, and betrayals dividing them in a slow-burn dance of force proximity, delicious snippy banter, whispered threats, and plenty of touch-and-die vibes on each other’s behalf when danger knocks.

A stunning standalone romantasy set in the same incredible world of the celestial kingdom as the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology. While this is a standalone, I’m going to advise reading Sue Lynn Tan’s earlier books first before picking up Immortal, as parts of the mythology featured in this story are explained in more detail in her other books. It is a perfect 2025 TBR book for anyone who loves Asian-inspired fantasy and a romantasy with more twists than the nine lives of an ally cat.