Daughter of the Moon Goddess: A Sweeping, Romantic Fantasy inspired by Mythology of Love, Betrayal, and Destiny—The First Book in the Celestial Kingdom Duology

Linnae

Lovely story of love, betrayal, and growth

"This was such a lovely fantasy story with themes of love, betrayal, and growth. I'm not usually big on romance plots, but this one was very well done and kept me engaged and cheering on Xingyin the whole way. I love that she tries to be realistic with her situation and not linger in self pity. She's a strong main character and easily likeable. The plot drew me in as well and I LOVED the betrayal part. So well done! The only thing I think the author could've done to improve the story was to add some closure with the bully from the beginning. There was so much focus on the bully that it felt odd to me we never saw her again. That said, I have yet to read the next book so perhaps that gets tied up later. Overall, this was a great read and I highly recommend to anyone looking for romance or fantasy (or both!). ["

Show more

March 20, 2026 Verified Purchase

Maria

I really loved this

"Content warnings: girl-on-girl hate Rep: secret identities, Chinese mythology, friends-ish to lovers, lovers to enemies, love triangle, forbidden love, Mother/Daughter love/bond Thoughts Neutral thoughts: The writing: In the very beginning of the book, the writing starts off very simple & I didn’t mind that cause I think that it helps represent how Xingyin is in the very beginning of the story. And while it still stays pretty simple, I still thought that it was good & just needed some work with the pacing. But because this is a debut, I am more forgiving when it comes to pacing or more simpler writing. Xingyin: I liked her overall. I though that she was VERY naive in the beginning, and still through the events of the book, but I think that reflects the pureness of her ideals and her unwavering loyalty and her morals. She was just trying her best in order to set her mother free & finding herself and herself worth in the process & I could admire that about her. This honestly is a SOLID debut & I highly recommend! I am not entirely sure where the second book in this duology is going to cover, but I am excited nonetheless! Pros: I really liked the lore in this one and how the Gods and Goddess were actual figures in this world, not just beings that were written about in ancient texts and stories that are told in the present timeline. How the Moon Goddess did things & how they were represented in our mortal world. Some of the lines in this were absolutely beautiful. Like I literally had to stop and take the lines in & just are at them for a second. The chapters in this were short & I honestly was flying thru this book like no other. One second I was on page 56, and the next things I knew I was on page 210 without even realizing it. So while the pacing was a little off in some instances, I was still flying thru the pages. I also liked seeing the Mother/Daughter bond in this. I also have a strong relationship with my mom & it was really nice seeing the love that these two had for each other & seeing all of the sacrifices and actions that they did for one another because of the love that they had. Gripes: As I sit here and write this review I can’t think of any PRESSING issues (aside from the pacing) & the only thing I wasn’t a fan of for the most part was the love triangle that bloomed in this. And while it wasn't THAT bad, it is still a triangle nonetheless & I am NOT a fan of them. The romance(s): There is a love triangle in this 🙈 I know for this is a “buzz word” but for me it is not one at all. And while there is an inkling who Xingyin will be with at the very end of this duology based off what happened at the end of the book, I can see there being a “will they won’t they” and Xingyin going between Liwei and a certain General 😉(if you wanna know his name, by all means look at the spoiler (view spoiler)) in the next book. And while that ANNOYS me, I am hopeful for my boy Liwei 😭 Xingyin & Liwei: I REALLY liked them. Could they be described as insta-lovey? Perhaps. But I still liked them. First and foremost they saw themselves as friends, as two people who felt like they were lacking in themselves and the positions/roles that were forced into & just wanted a friend that they could lean on. And that is what I liked about them. It was not an instant physical attraction that they had for one another, it was an emotional bond that they formed first before looks came in to the equation. But lemme tell you, this gets angsty real fast 😹🙈 There is some heartache and some circumstances that separate these two from one another, but they may or may not reform their relationship at the end of the book… AND ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I BETTER SEE A MARRIAGE CEREMONY AT THE END OF BOOK 2 For those who don’t know, Liwei is the Prince of the Celestial Kingdom. I REALLY liked him 😹 HE WAS SUCH A CINNAMON ROLL 🥺 While he did kind of get on my nerves on some things, he was also just trying to do his best & having to make choices that he didn’t want to make, but he had to. But he thankfully pull his head out of his butt towards the end of the story & I was swooning all over again. Xingyin & the other guy 😹: While I understood the blooming of their friendship/relationship, (I even kind of rooted for them at one point) I just do not support them. (When you read the book you’ll know why). But I can totally see people falling in love with him and their relationship. ["

Show more

June 16, 2022 Verified Purchase

M

One of my absolute favorites!

"I first read Daughter of the Moon Goddess back in 2023, and it left such an impression that Sue Lynn Tan became an auto-buy author for me on the spot. When my book club picked it as a January read, I decided to revisit it through the audiobook, and it was just as wonderful the second time around. The world-building in this book is breathtaking. Inspired by the story of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess, it creates a magical and richly detailed setting that completely immerses you. I could picture the vibrant flowers, taste the delicious meals, and imagine soaring between celestial realms on clouds. The dragons and other mythological creatures were fascinating and gave the story so much depth and adventure. I also really appreciated the writing style. It’s beautifully written, but it never feels overdone or slows down the story. Every part of Xingyin’s journey feels meaningful, and the pacing is spot on. Even though the book is over 500 pages, it never feels overwhelming or like anything could’ve been left out. What stood out most for me was how deeply it connects to Chinese mythology and culture. It’s so vivid and authentic that it left me longing for more stories like this. Between the love triangle, court politics, and themes of loyalty, betrayal, and personal growth, there’s so much to love here. If you enjoy mythological fantasy, rich storytelling, or anything inspired by folklore, this is definitely worth reading. ["

Show more

January 20, 2025 Verified Purchase

Kaitlyn Van Kampen

READ THIS NOW

"Daughter of the Moon Goddess is the debut novel from Sue Lynn Tan and all I can say is WOW. This book was stunning and is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. From the start, we are captivated by the story and characters and Tan takes you on an amazing journey over the next 500 pages. To begin, the characters are fascinating. I listened to it on audiobook which was really helpful for the pronunciation of names for me, as the story is based of Chinese mythology. Xingyin is the daughter of the Moon Goddess Chang'e, and is such a great FMC. She goes through a coming of age story in this book, starting with leaving her home and her mother and following her on an epic journey over different lands and through many adventures. I loved how we saw her grow and change and while this is a YA novel, I never felt like she was overly young or immature. There are a few times that her internal monologue gets repetitive, which is why I’m taking away a partial star, but otherwise I loved the writing of the character. There is a love triangle (square?) between her and two male characters, but I thought it was done well and was actually a very mature handling of it. The plot and imagery within this book was phenomenal. This is the second series I’ve read this year that is Chinese mythology inspired and both were given such rich description, it makes me want to travel there! The book is rather long, at just over 500 pages, but the pacing is done really well and the plot is complex and developed without ever dragging or becoming confusing. It moves through the different events in a well thought out manner and kept me intrigued the entire time! There is action and some romance (it is YA so this is light romance), and a great story of friendship. ["

Show more

December 11, 2023 Verified Purchase

Myra

Actual character growth, Chinese fantasy style

"The moon goddess was imprisoned on the moon for stealing an elixir of immortality, while pregnant. Her daughter, Xingyin, is a secret to the other immortals, but when she accidentally experiments with her magic, her presence becomes visible and she has to flee. She ends up in the Celestial Realm, serving at court with the very nobles who imprisoned her mother. Her identity is still a secret, but she befriends the crown prince, learns magic, joins the army, and makes a name for herself...all with the goal of getting the Emperor's favor and freeing her mother. At the beginning I was rather bored, it reminded me of every fantasy Chinese tv drama ever. Lots of descriptions of lovely clothing and buildings...which I mostly skimmed. The main character was a spoiled rude brat and I disliked her. The plot seemed like it was going to be super generic and predictable. HOWEVER, the plot made a few turns I did not expect...and Xingyin actually has character growth. Like, major character growth. I can't remember an actual age, but she seemed to be maybe 14 or 16 years old at the beginning, and I think 3 or 4 years pass during the book. She grows up, learns to use magic, learns to fight, learns to curb her pride, stands up for herself sometimes and knows when to yield other times. By the end I quite liked her, and although I still skimmed a bunch of the descriptions, I really enjoyed the second half of the book. I probably won't read the sequel but I do recommend this book. Overall it's kind of a tragedy, despite Xingyin's growth and all her victories, but it's also a romance and it was sweet and fun. ["

Show more

January 3, 2023 Verified Purchase