Immortal

Tan (Daughter of the Moon Goddess) revisits the world of her Celestial Kingdom duology in this spellbinding standalone romantasy. The gods protect the kingdom of Tianxia from evil creatures called Wuxin and, in exchange, demand absolute loyalty. Now the mortals who serve them want to be free of their control. When the Lord of Tianxia steals the Divine Pearl Lotus intended for the goddess Queen Caihong of the Golden Desert to cure his granddaughter, Liyen, from a mysterious illness, the gods punish him with death. Liyen is left to take over Tianxia and is summoned to the heavens to receive Queen Caihong’s mandate to rule. While there, she hopes to secure Tianxia’s independence by seducing Zhangwei, the God of War, who’s already taken with her. But as a mortal, Liyen only has a few days in heaven, upping the stakes of both her scheming and the romance. Tan skillfully creates a magic system steeped in Chinese mythology, and the dazzling worldbuilding will be accessible even to those unfamiliar with her prior series. A slow-burning love story, high-flying action scenes, and some unexpected twists make this a stunner. (Jan.)