Amazon reviews Katereviews.
Tesia Tsai has woven a story so beautifully that I read it in two days. A story about duty, honor, love, letting go, and holding on. Fighting for what you love and knowing when to let go is best. Siying is a priestess who is tasked with guiding the deceased to their resting places. She lives in a kingdom that is in the midst of war. She takes on a job to bring a soldier to his home across the border. The soldier turns out to be the missing crown prince. When she reanimates him, he comes to life. Though not completely, she soon finds out that he needs qi to actually stay alive. They set off on a journey to bring him home, gathering purified qi along the way.
I do hope @illumicrate it @fairyloot will do a special edition of this one I can't wait to have a copy on my bookshelves.
Description
A sweeping debut inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy, Deathly Fates is perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, The Bone Shard Daughter, and A Magic Steeped in Poison.
As a priestess paid to guide the deceased home, Kang Siying has never feared death. But when her beloved father collapses, Siying realizes that even she is not free from the cruel grasp of mortality. Desperate to provide her father with the medical aid he needs, Siying accepts a dangerous job that promises a generous commission, and travels to a hostile state to retrieve the corpse of a missing prince.
But the moment Siying places her reanimation talisman on the dead prince's head, rather than make the corpse obedient to Siying's commands, the talisman brings the prince back to life. Worse, he won't stay alive for long—not unless he absorbs enough qi, or life force, to keep his soul anchored to his body.
In return for a reward worth twice her original commission, Siying agrees to aid the frustratingly handsome prince in finding and purifying evil spirits for their qi. But as they journey across the countryside, encountering vengeful ghosts and enemy spies alike, they gradually uncover dark secrets about the prince's death—secrets that could endanger both Siying's father and their entire kingdom.
Amazon reviews Katereviews.
Amazon reviews Katereviews.
I can't believe the story is completed. I loved the first book in this dulogy that I have two copies in different editions. Mostly because I forgot I ordered one, loved it so much that I didn't want to miss out so I ordered it a second time. My Review of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom is posted and can be found here.
Book 2 of The Three Realms
Àn’yīng is the female main character in this duology and I like her character so much. She knew what she wanted for her family and for her kingdom. She faced choices that were hard but she never lost her love or her focus. It was hard. She had fallen in love with the Prince of the Kingdom of Night in the first book. She didn't know who he was at the time. Yù’chén's character broke my heart because he LOVED her so much, even knowing that being with her would be near impossible. He fought for her. The thing is Hào’yáng, the last Mortal Emperor was also wonderful, loving, and kind. I also liked Yù’chén AND Hào’yáng, how is it that I liked BOTH the men in this story? That's only the love story part! It broke my heart at the end. Then my heart healed and broke again. All of this while an epic battle was planned and executed. All of this while a realm was being destroyed, and fighting for survival was top priority. All of this was taking place in both the mortal and immortal realms, which were described so well I could visualize each location. So beautiful and heart achingly wonderful.
In the breathtaking sequel to The Scorpion and the Night Blossom, the battle has just begun. With Àn’yīng’s kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction, and amidst a budding forbidden romance, she must now risk everything to protect her world.
The first edition hardcover of The Dragon and the Sun Lotus will feature stunning ombre stenciled edges and exclusive printed endpapers!
A decade ago, the Kingdom of Night began the war against the Kingdom of Rivers, ravaging the lands and releasing mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—to roam free, drinking the souls of mortals. Now the mó have made it beyond the magical wards of the immortal realm—the Kingdom of Sky—and will not stop until the entire world falls to darkness.
Àn’yīng is determined to banish the mó to their realm and return the mortal realm to peace. But a stunning betrayal has turned the tides of this war: Her handsome rival from the Immortality Trials and the man she was falling in love with, Yù’chén, is now the enemy. Yù’chén is half mó, his mother none other than Sansiran, the Demon Queen of the Kingdom of Night . . . and the monster responsible for killing Àn’yīng’s father.
There is one hope for the future, though. The boy in the jade—Àn’yīng’s lifelong mystery guardian and heir to the last mortal Emperor—Hào’yáng. Together, Àn’yīng and Hào’yáng must join forces to rally an army that stretches across realms, from the Four Seas of the Dragons to the Phoenixes of the Golden Desert. But first she must awaken to the immortal power slumbering in her own veins.
The thrilling conclusion of The Three Realms duology
THE SCORPION AND THE NIGHT BLOSSOM • THE DRAGON AND THE SUN LOTUS
Amazon reviews Katereviews.
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Amazon reviews Katereviews.
Heartacheingly beautiful. This is one of those books where you devour each page because you love the story so much and want to find out what's next. All the while flipping back a page to reread sections that are so exciting, surprising, and too beautiful you have to read them again to form the picture in your mind. This kind of fantasy is breathtaking when done well and Amélie Wen Zhao has proven herself as a master again. I cannot wait for the second book in this duology.
From the publisher
In a world at war with demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother's soul… before she loses her forever. From the New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes the beginning of a dark and opulent fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass.
Nine years ago, the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tore Àn’yīng’s family apart, leaving her mother barely alive and a baby sister to fend for. Now the mortal realm is falling into eternal night, and mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls.
Àn’yīng is no longer a helpless child, though. Armed with her crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she has decided to enter the Immortality Trials, which are open to any mortal who can survive the journey to the immortal realm. Those who complete the Trials are granted a pill of eternal life—the one thing Àn’yīng knows can heal her dying mother. But to attain the prize, she must survive the competition.
Death is common in the Trials. Yet oddly, Àn’yīng finds that someone is helping her stay alive. A rival contestant. Powerful and handsome, Yù’chén is as secretive about his past as he is about his motives for protecting Àn’yīng.
The longer she survives the Trials, the clearer it becomes that all is not right in the immortal realm. To save her mother and herself, Àn’yīng will need to figure out whether she can truly trust the stranger she’s falling for or if he’s the most dangerous player of all . . . for herself and for all the realms.
Amazon reviews Katereviews.
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Get ready for epic storytelling. I've heard so much buzz about this book. It's in my read next que. Mulan? Yes. Magic? Fantasy? The Three Kingdoms? Yes. Yes and YES please. Plus one of my favorite authors is singing praise about it:
“Sweepingly epic and tenderly romantic, The Night Ends With Fire
is a fiercely feminist adventure about a young woman fighting to
shape her destiny in a world of lore, magic, and war.”
—AMÉLIE WEN ZHAO, New York Times bestselling
author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night
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Infused with magic and romance, this sweeping fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan follows a young woman determined to choose her own destiny—even if that means going against everyone she loves.
The Three Kingdoms are at war, but Meilin’s father refuses to answer the imperial draft. Trapped by his opium addiction, he plans to sell Meilin for her dowry. But when Meilin discovers her husband-to-be is another violent, ill-tempered man, she realizes that nothing will change for her unless she takes matters into her own hands.
The very next day, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place.
In the army, Meilin's relentless hard work brings her recognition, friendship—and a growing closeness with Sky, a prince turned training partner. But has she simply exchanged one prison for another? As her kingdom barrels toward destruction, Meilin begins to have visions of a sea dragon spirit that offers her true power and freedom, but with a deadly price.
With the future of the Three Kingdoms hanging in the balance, Meilin will need to decide whom to trust—Sky, who inspires her loyalty and love; the sea dragon spirit, who has his own murky agenda; or an infuriating enemy prince who makes her question everything she once knew—about her kingdom and about her own heart.
K. X. Song is a diaspora writer with roots in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Raised between cultures and languages, she enjoys telling stories that explore the shifting nature of memory, translation, and history. She is the author of An Echo in the City and the forthcoming The Night Ends with Fire, her adult fantasy debut. You can learn more at kxsong.com
