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 (Celestial Kingdom, 1)

The acclaimed national and international bestseller

“Epic, romantic, and enthralling from start to finish.”—Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series

“An all-consuming work of literary fantasy that is breathtaking both for its beauty and its suspense."—BookPage, starred review

A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

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Published Oct 11, 2022

512 pages

Average rating: 7.72

262 RATINGS

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Oree

Jun 25, 2025

8/10 stars

Super cute book!

I appreciate that the author tackles genuinely still loving someone even if you can't have them and also that love between different partners is different.

jpubs

Feb 02, 2025

10/10 stars

I loved it so much. It had everything I wanted in a fantasy romance, including a strong, bad-ass heroine, a love triangle, magic, good and evil, and most importantly, a sequel. I can't wait to read the next one. Just know it gets started slow, but once things start moving, it keeps you captivated til the last page.

Dreacakes22

Jun 05, 2023

6/10 stars

Kind of a slow start but well written.

thatgaybookworm

May 31, 2025

10/10 stars

Where do I begin with this book? Honestly, the characters were written with such complexity and sincerity reading some of their choices were difficult at times. I really resonated with Xingyin as a character and I loved watching her journey from a meek girl blossoming into a strong young woman. The love triangle was juicy and laced with betrayal. The plot was steady paced with multiple twists that lead towards the finale. I loved how we delved into the discussion of found family as well as witnessing the devotion Xingyin has for her family, expending above and beyond for her mother's safety. Despite being merely introduced to her mother for a small portion of the book, Tan developed her character so wonderfully that reading all Xingyin's hardship to win her freedom felt akin to rescuing your own mother. I'm glad they both found peace at the end. Tan's captivating writing really drove you to loath some characters in this book, and I wonder if we will delve into more of their history within the second book. After reading her acknowledgements, you can see Tan drew influence from her own family and friends which intertwined perfectly with the style of the book. In my honest opinion however, I'm not a huge fan of the mmc, Liwei. I know others will have differing opinions, but after his first betrayal (spoilers), I couldn't fathom any interest with him and before the absolutely devastating plot twist, I was rooting for Wenzhi. Alas, it was a gripping read and I'm excited to see the further character developments Xingyin undergoes within the next story!

Angelique M Brown

Apr 03, 2025

6/10 stars

It was a little drawn out for my tastes, however, I truly enjoyed the storyline and the courage Xingyin showed through this story. This is a story of survival, courage, wisdom and strengh. I love the beauty that was discribed in this book of the palaces, the gardens, the smells and colors of everything, it really gets your imagination going. I love the Dragon aspect "no spoilers here", I was moved and touched by this aspect in the book. There is plenty of action, not much sex, sexy sex in the book but you got to feel the power of love and friendship in the 3 main characters. There are villians for sure and you grow to hate them. All in all, it was a good book, just to long and drawn out for my tastes. Even though I have the 2nd book in this duology, I am not jumping to it.