Spoiler Free Book Review: ‘Heart of the Sun Warrior’ Concludes a YA Fantasy Duology Perfect for Fantasy Cdrama Lovers
Dare I say, book two of the Celestial Kingdom duology is even better than book one?! Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan is such a beautiful conclusion to this duology, and it’s perfect for the Cdrama lovers who love historical fantasy. If you enjoyed Love You Seven Times, and Love Between the Fairy and Devil, I think you’ll enjoy this duology a lot. This book picks up right where book one leaves off, but now Xingyin is fighting against some new foes, while still trying to figure out where her heart lies. She’s also reunited with some family members, and navigating what that looks like. This book will absolutely tear your heart out, before putting it back together again. At one point, I was so upset. But you gotta trust the process. And like a true Cdrama, the ending is a bit rushed, and left me wanting a little more. But it’s still a solid ending. Reminder it is YA fantasy, so no spice, and again, the dialog is still a bit formal, but again, that tracks with the Cdrama vibes. The love triangle is even more of a focus, and I have my personal favorite…let’s just say, I’m happy with how it turned out. I’m keeping this review spoiler free! I love that we see more growth from Xingyin in this book. She’s been through a lot and learned a lot, and really comes into her own in this book. If you love Chinese mythology, a strong female main character, and men who yearn, I think you’ll love this conclusion.
Read Book One, Daughter of the Moon Goddess’ Full Review Here.
Things to Know:
Book two in a duology
Chinese mythology
Celestial Immortals
Love triangle
Magic and Fantasy
Battles and Power Struggles
Betrayal
I’m not gonna lie, this had some absolutely gut-wrenching moments. I’m honestly still upset thinking about it. Sue Lynn Tan really said, “Don’t get attached.”
Now usually, it’s super clear who the FMC is going to end up with, but I actually wasn’t sure until the very end. And while I definitely had my favorite, both Wenzhi and Liwei loved Xingyin in their own ways. She did annoy me a bit with how she treated them, but I get it, a girl’s gotta have standards.
This book also delved a bit deeper into the mythology, which I really liked. And there’s definitely characters you’ll absolutely loathe. Overall, I’d still recommend this for readers wanting an upper YA Fantasy with a romantic subplot, centered in a Chinese mythology fantasy setting.
As per usual, I did an immersive read with my physical edition and the audiobook. Natalie Naudus is the narrator, so if you love her voice, you’ll love this narration. If you want to try out the audiobook, you can find it on Audible or Libro.fm (ProTips: Audible is 99 cents/mo for three months (3 books for $2.97) right now AND you can get two free audiobooks on Libro.fm with the code SWITCH right now).
Favorite Quotes from ‘Heart of the Sun Warrior’:
“Trust me with your heart again and you will find the truth of mine. For you are the reason I rise each day, for you I live and breathe.”
—
“Believe this then—for I sweat it upon my family, my kingdom, my honor. When I won the crown and lost you, it was a hollow victory. I regretted all that was lost between us, all I had destroyed—for nothing was worth losing you.”
—
*P.S. If you end up getting a copy of any books through an Affiliate link above, you’ll be helping me keep this site and newsletter going for you and fellow book lovers. Thanks in advance for supporting your fellow bibliophiles! BTW, I will always disclose affiliate links when they’re present. :) Happy reading!