I absolutely loved the first book in this duology—it was a solid five-star read for me. I grabbed this book as soon as it was released, but, true to my nature, only got around to reading it now. 🤭 Typical me.

This book picks up with Xingyin after she has rescued her mother, only to be thrust back into danger when strange magic is discovered, and the emperor’s power continues to grow. Xingyin flees to the Immortal Realm, facing shifting alliances, battling old grudges, and confronting an impending terror. Along the way, she makes difficult sacrifices to protect the worlds she loves. The question is: Will she succeed, or will she perish in the process?

First off, I have to mention how much I adore the cover. Isn’t she just gorgeous? And those sprayed edges? Absolutely stunning! I could admire this book on my shelf all day long.

I was eager to see what had happened to the main characters, especially since they were so dynamic in the first book.

The plot of this book was definitely intriguing, and it kept me wanting to know more. However, I did find the pacing a bit chaotic at times, which left me feeling confused. While the story was fast-paced, it felt like it was scattered in pieces, jumping from one event to another, which made it hard to fully connect at times.

As for the love triangle, it was bearable and occasionally cute, but more often than not, it was a tad annoying. Like, come on, woman, make up your mind already!

When it comes to the villain, though... he wasn’t particularly memorable. He felt more like background noise—something irritating that you just wish would go away already.

The ending, while satisfying in its own way, felt a bit prolonged. I understand it was probably trying to give that happy ending vibe, which I absolutely appreciate, as happy endings in real life are so rare. However, I couldn’t help but feel like it didn’t give me the resolution I was hoping for. Maybe that’s just me.

Overall, if you’ve read the first book in the series and are thinking about continuing with this one, I’d advise managing your expectations. However, if you’re new to this series, definitely start with the first book and thank me later. That said, I’m still looking forward to reading Tales of the Celestial Kingdom and Immortal.