Series Name: The Celestial Kingdom, # 1

Review By Veronica

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a masterfully crafted fantasy novel that reminds readers why they read.

Favourite Quote:

There are many legends about my mother. Some say she betrayed her husband, a great mortal warrior, stealing his Elixir of Immortality to become a goddess. Others depict her as an innocent victim who swallowed the elixir while trying to save it from thieves. Whichever story you believe, my mother, Chang’e, became immortal. As did I.

Goodreads Synopsis: 

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 across the earth and skies. 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.

First, I need to talk about this book’s cover. Holy smokes, it’s stunning and eye-catching. For those who collect books, some special editions of this book are a must for your collection. I am happy to report that you can judge this book by its gorgeous cover. I’m having a hard time writing this review because this book left me speechless and captured my heart and imagination so thoroughly. I want to go out into the world and tell everyone that YOU HAVE TO BUY THIS BOOK.

If you love fantasy books, you will adore Daughter of the Moon Goddess; it is such a new and unique story that you will devour it. If you haven’t been a fan of fantasy books, you may want to try this book. This is because Sue’s writing is very clean and elegant. The story and the world she has created has elements of Chinese folklore in it, which makes this book stand out amongst other fantasy books. It really is a different kind of fantasy book.

The details in this book are remarkable. Sue paints this vivid and lush image of this magical world in our minds. You feel like you are being transported into the pages of this book. The world around you really does disappear while you read, Daughter of the Moon Goddess. The history of this world is rich and full of remarkable tales of battles, gods, and other magical creatures. As a reader, you can tell that Sue has put a lot of thought into the world she created. Everything makes sense and fits and flows so nicely together. The story contains adventure, political intrigue, mystery, romance, and epic battles. You just get swept into Xingyin’s journey and do not know what will happen next.

I enjoyed Xingyin as the main heroine in this fantasy novel. She has all those characteristics that I love. She is fierce, smart, impulsive, and loyal. I loved exploring this world with her and watching her grow as a warrior and a woman. For those romantics out there, you will be happy to know that this book has a love triangle, and I really enjoyed it. The love story is between Xingyin, Liwei, and Wenzhi, and it’s the typical love triangle you will find in most books. Sue did a great job at not allowing the romantic aspects of this book to take over the story. The main focus always stays on Xingyin working towards saving her mother.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is an extraordinary tale of adventure, romance, and a world that you will never forget.