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kaneebli's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I speed read the last 100 pages of this book because it got so depressing I just wanted to be done with it. That's not to say it's a bad book, because it's not a bad book. But throughout the entire book, Xingyin goes through so much physical and emotional pain and suffering it started to really bother me. Like it became just straight up unenjoyable.
Also it sucks that Liwei just ends up basically trapped in his role as the new emperor. I feel like eventually at the end everybody gets what they want and becomes happy, except him. And that's a bummer, because it's easy to imagine that in the future, he ends up exactly like his shitty father because he has no happiness in his life. I wish he had gotten a happier ending. :/
ALSO, it's a bummer that we never get to read about any instance of Wenzhi and Xingyin actually just being happy together. It just ends with the promise of potentially being happy together in a few decades. :///
ALSO ALSO ummmm hello why has no one even considered polyamory????? whack.
ALSO, it's a bummer that we never get to read about any instance of Wenzhi and Xingyin actually just being happy together. It just ends with the promise of potentially being happy together in a few decades. :///
ALSO ALSO ummmm hello why has no one even considered polyamory????? whack.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Death, and Violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Death of parent
liamliayaum's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
Graphic: Violence, War, Grief, and Blood
Moderate: Child death and Death
savvyrosereads's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
4.5
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
The sequel to DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS, continuing and concluding the story of Xingyin and her loved ones.
I enjoyed DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS, but I loved this one even more. It was so emotional, and hooked me into the drama and action right away—it felt like the plot never stopped moving, and I was engaged pretty much the whole time. I’m not always a fan of love triangles, but this one was done so well, and while I wanted to throw the book at one point, it ultimately ended up with an outcome I absolutely loved.
I also felt like the world building was more thorough this time, and I came away with a decent understanding of the world, the mythology, and the magic here. All of the characters really grew on me, and I felt all the emotional gut punches I should have felt and all the joy when things went well. I’m really glad I read this duology, and excited to wrap it all up with TALES OF THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM soon!
CW: Blood/injury/death/violence/war, including child death; infidelity; grief
The sequel to DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS, continuing and concluding the story of Xingyin and her loved ones.
I enjoyed DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS, but I loved this one even more. It was so emotional, and hooked me into the drama and action right away—it felt like the plot never stopped moving, and I was engaged pretty much the whole time. I’m not always a fan of love triangles, but this one was done so well, and while I wanted to throw the book at one point, it ultimately ended up with an outcome I absolutely loved.
I also felt like the world building was more thorough this time, and I came away with a decent understanding of the world, the mythology, and the magic here. All of the characters really grew on me, and I felt all the emotional gut punches I should have felt and all the joy when things went well. I’m really glad I read this duology, and excited to wrap it all up with TALES OF THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM soon!
CW: Blood/injury/death/violence/war, including child death; infidelity; grief
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, War, Death, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
madamenovelist's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Medical content, Misogyny, War, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Blood, and Torture
Moderate: Alcohol
kenny_2288's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Blood, Classism, and Death
lucyatoz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
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.
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
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Death
cookiemonstaly's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Got my heart broken over and over, and yet somehow it managed to piece itself back together at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Child death, and Death
ctara2123's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Violence, Child death, and Murder
theycallmebookish's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
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? No
4.25
Ms. Tan did it again! This beautiful sequel has the same gorgeous imagery as the first and did not disappoint. I found this book to be more soap opera like than the first which caught my attention because the angst, oh the angst! We learn more about each character without it feeling overdone or dragged out. I also enjoyed how the more violent aspects of the book were handled and appreciated how the main character was not afraid to get her hands dirty. Xingyin is a strong main character who so well developed and thought out. It was a great end to this duology.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
bree_h_reads's review against another edition
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
Graphic: War, Infidelity, Violence, Murder, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Grief, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Stalking