Daughter of the Moon Goddess: A Fantasy Romance Novel

Sue Lynn Tan

Jan 2022 · Celestial Kingdom Book 1 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

The acclaimed national and international bestseller

“Epic, romantic, and enthralling from start to finish.”—Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series

“An all-consuming work of literary fantasy that is breathtaking both for its beauty and its suspense."—BookPage, starred review

A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

Ratings and reviews

Daughter Of The Moon Goddess is the retelling of Chang'e and Houyu's epic love story after Chang'e takes the immortal elixir and ascends to the moon to become the Moon Goddess. The author gives readers an alternative reason why Chang'e drank the elixir with much remorse and left Houyu - a more realistic and valid reason, as readers will see. All because of the survival of Xingyin, their daughter. The story is from Xingyin's POV and explores her journey to discovering her past and finding a way to free her mother's imprisonment. Her journey of self-discovery, self-enlightenment, and self-worth will take her from one end of the celestial world to down to the mortal world in finding a way to free her mother from being bound to the moon. Top 5 Reasons to read Daughter Of The Moon Goddess. 1. Great World-Building and spectacular views 2. Complex and genuine character development 3. Spicy love triangle 4. Emotional rollercoaster that will pull you apart then put you back together! 5. The unpredictable plot twists until the end. Overall, Daughter of the Moon Goddess IS MY BEST "CUP-0F-TEA" to date! (~a great start to my 2022 reading list from a huge tea drinker.) This book fulfills my needs! From the intriguing premise, the stunning cover(s), and the promise of what will surely be amazing, I was all in, and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT! This book gave me sleepless nights and had me reread, revisit, and reevaluate everything (!) I thought about the folklore. This book delivers above and beyond expectations AND is a beautiful example of how impressional retelling should be:- respectful to the original BUT giving us something new and breathtaking to make you love the story more. Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a beautiful ode to Chang'e and Houyi's epic story that will mesmerize, captivate and enchant readers for years to come!

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan immediately drew me into her beautiful fantasy world and I didn’t want to leave. This beautifully written book is just as gorgeous inside as the cover. Xingyin’s mother is the Moon Goddess and she has been exiled to the moon for drinking an immortal elixir that was meant for her husband, Xingyin’s father. The Celestial Emperor and Empress do not know about Xingyin’s existence. When Xingyin accidentally uses her power, the Celestial Empress is immediately suspicious of the Moon Goddess. In a panic, the Moon Goddess sends Xingyin to safety, but Xingyin ends up in the Celestial Empire and ends up as a servant for the daughter of a powerful immortal Nobel. Eventually, she ends up serving the prince of the Celestial Empire, as a companion and they train together as warriors. Xingyin has a talent for archery, and after time, she enters the Celestial army. I don’t read much fantasy, so I’m not sure how this book stacks up against other fantasy books. But, as an avid reader, I’ll have to say it grabbed me and entertained me and I was completely immersed into the fantasy world the author developed. I loved the main character Xingyin and loved seeing her grow and become a courageous warrior. She stayed true to her motivation to release her mother from exile, and her love for her mother never wavered. The first part of the book was about character and world-building and dragged just a bit, but once the action started, it pulled me along until the end. This book is both lyrically written and action-packed, with a lot of twists and turns. Daughter of the Moon Goddess is the first book in a duology. I thought this first book in the duology ended satisfactorily and I can’t imagine what the second book will be about. But, I’ll be first in line to get her second book because I absolutely loved being in this world with these characters. I highly recommend Daughter of the Moon Goddess to anyone who loves fantasy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I chose this one because it's a bit out of my wheelhouse, and I'm extremely glad I did. One of the hardest books to put down, tons of twists, incredible imagery, perfect characters and such a cool & fantastic plot. Wish I could give it more stars!

About the author

Sue Lynn Tan writes fantasy inspired by the myths and legends she fell in love with as a child. Her books have been nominated for several awards, are USA Today and Sunday Times bestsellers, and will be translated into sixteen languages.Born in Malaysia, Sue Lynn studied in London and France, before moving to Hong Kong. Her love for stories began with a gift from her father, her first compilation of fairytales from around the world. When not writing or reading, she enjoys exploring the hills and forests around her home.