Reviews with content warning for Blood - Heart of the Sun Warrior

This is my 14th book read for the reading challenge in 2024!

Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan continues the story of Xingyin, the daughter of the Moon Goddess Chang'e and her mortal husband Houyi. She is again forced to flee her moonlit world along with her mother and joins forces with former Captain Wenzhi of the Celestial Army and Prince Liwei, heir of the Celestial Emperor, two men who she loves for very different reasons.

By the end of the story, one is believed dead, following an intense battle which involves all of the Immortal World, and one is restored to his rightful place...however, that is not the end of the story!

This novel, of 3 parts, is another great story which takes you on a breathtaking journey from the Moon to the Eastern Sea, and the majesty of the Celestial Kingdom to mists of the Demon Realm.

I borrowed a copy of this novel from my local library and listened to it on cloudLibrary. I read this for prompt 24, a cover without people on it, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024. This novel is the other half of the prompt 15, part of a duology.

Content Warnings

bree_h_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Content Warnings

guessgreenleaf's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

bookwormabby54's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

hello_lovely13's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Unfortunately, this did not live up to the hype of the first book for me. The first half of the book was caught in the loop of problem-solution, problem-solution, which made the pacing of the story dissatisfying. At the halfway mark, I had no clue as to how the book was going to end, or even the direction it was going. The third quarter of the book was much better in regards to the pacing, but I felt that the resolution to the main conflict happened too quickly.

The death of Prince Yanming DESTROYED me. I could not stop crying. The death of Wenzhi, however, left me disappointed. I was very glad that it turned out that his character wasn’t gone for good. I wanted him and Xingyin to end up together after all. Also, for the first half of the book, the inclusion on Houyi being alive came out of nowhere, and though I’m happy he and Chang’e are reunited, I’m not sure the inclusion added enough interest for me.

The last 50 pages were fantastic. Overall, it was entertaining (I was constantly stressed and wanting to know what happened next), but the pacing left something to be desired and the chemistry between characters wasn’t as strong as in the first book. I will admit, I usually hate fighting scenes (I usually find them boring), but this duology has nailed every single one! I’m always interested and hanging on every word! I’m a bit disappointed with this book, but I’m also happy in some ways.

Content Warnings

elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

tiffanyfreads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I adored the first book and I feel the same about the sequel. I kept reading cause I just needed to know what happened.

I’m soooo happy with the ending like ahhhhhh I can’t wait for the extended epilogue coming out really soon to see even more of my favs

Content Warnings

lusheeta_toel's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This sequel in the dualogy was really great. Sue Lynn Tan explored grief and complex emotions beautifully, in a way that helped me reflect on my own experiences with loss. The complicated relationships and internal struggle with broader themes (i.e. if people can change) was really interesting and a refreshing take as well. I enjoyed the focus on family, embracing change, and exploration of the self.

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