Tales of the Celestial Kingdom (The Celestial Kingdom, #2.5) by Sue Lynn Tan

Tales of the Celestial Kingdom (The Celestial Kingdom, #2.5) Reviews

• 
  lea ִֶָ☾.

  how does every single edition of her books have the most beautiful cover ever, her publisher must love her fr
• 
  ✨ Kayla Lynne ✨

  "I would move the stars for you. I would defy them all."
  
  Siri, play me some Hozier.
  
  *cries softly in “no grave can hold my body down, I’ll crawl home to her”
  
  
  
  This little book was the sweetest treat that Miss Sue Lynn Tan could have ever gifted us. I had no idea what to expect going in (especially with where Heart of the Sun Warrior left off but BOY were my expectations blown out of the water. Here’s what you can look forward to in this lovely set of short stories:
  
  - More of Chang’e and Houyi’s story, including POVs from each of them that are tender and exciting and so, so special
  - Liwei’s POV on events that we didn’t get details on in the original duology, plus a Liwei POV AFTER the events of HotSW 👀
  - A Shuxiao story from her POV (spoiler alert: it’s adorable)
  
  AND, most CRUCIALLY (please buckle in, take a seat, whatever you need to do to brace yourself):
  
  - Not one but TWO Wenzhi POVs that are EVERYTHING to me
  - And….
  - And…!!!!! ✋ ✋ ✋
  - A XINGYIN POV THAT IS AN ACTUAL EPILOGUE TO HOTSW!!! I screamed, I cried, I kicked my feet and giggled. It was SO perfect!!!
  
  Bonus: there are beautiful illustrations and the author is donating all of her proceeds from this book to charity :')
• 
  calypso

  this world is so beautiful she will always be loved by me
• 
  Saskia

  ✧.* 6 star read
  ╰┈➤ ❝💌 I would move the stars for you. I would defy them all.
  ----------♡----------
  💌 first of all, the book contains beautiful illustrations and all the proceeds of this book goes to charity
  ----------♡----------
  ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ The book is divided in three parts
  ｡⋆ Dusk before book 1 in the series
  ｡⋆ Twilight between book 1 and 2
  ｡⋆ Dawn after book two, epilogue
  ----------♡----------
  ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ Dusk shows us the dynamic between the parents of Xingyin
  ｡⋆ two short stories about them & they are the cutest.
  ｡⋆ The end broke me though
  the love between them is so sweet, oh my god
  Quotes -
  🌺 ''He plucked a crimson peony from the vase- the last unwilted bloom from our garden and slid it into my hair, as he had often done during the early days of our courtship.''
  💐 ''Spread across the wooden blades was a beautiful painting of plum blossoms, their vibrant petals dusted with pale snow caught among the dark branches. A gift from my husband that I cherished more than pearls or jade because of words he had spoken then.''
  ----------♡----------
  ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ Twilight shows us two povs from Liwei (he deserves the world), one from Wenhzi and one from Shuxiao
  ｡⋆ Liwei deserves so much more, he keeps pining for Xingyin. It's so obvious that he is head over heels for her
  🌺 ''My heart is not mine to give.''
  ｡⋆ Wenhzi is also head over heels for her, oh my god
  💌 ''Her use of my title silenced me. I wanted to say more, to lift her face to mine- to ask for her heart, as I was in danger of losing mine. But this was no time for rash declarations.
  ----------♡----------
  ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ Dawn follows Xingyin and Wenhzi.
  ｡⋆ they are in my opinion so cute and deserve their happy ending
  ｡⋆ a way to summon up their bond
  💌''We had been tested, broken and forged anew into something stronger, and we belonged together.''
  ----------♡----------
• 
  fangruninapologist ⊹ ꨄ︎ (ia)

  give liwei his hea he deserves and a proper wenzhi + xingyin reunion ☹ (
• 
  Sotiria Lazaridou

  I missed being in this world!🥺
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  Charlotte May

  Omg yes!!!!!!!! 💖💖💖
• 
  Jen

  4.5
  Absolutely loved revisiting these much loved characters and getting more of Liwei, Xingyin, Wenzhi, and others! My heart is full!
• 
  Jenna

  Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC to review. All opinions are honest and my own.
  
  Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars
  TW: grief, fighting/battles
  
  It is no surprise to anyone at this point that I am a solid fan of the TALES OF THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM duology, so I was delighted to learn we were getting a novella collection from author Sue Lynn Tan. This novella is split into three sections: Dusk, which serves as prequel to the events of DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS; followed by, Twilight, which highlights and provides further insight into scenes from both books in the duo; lastly, we have Dawn, which serves as an extended epilogue to the series. Out of the nine total chapters we read from six different points of view, with only one belonging to Xingyin, our protagonist from this series. This was a nice touch as it allowed us to get into the minds of some of our favorites characters from the series and it offers new insight and layers to key scenes we either read in the duology or are familiar with due to the character’s memories.
  
  Another added element which helped to enhance the story were the various illustrations by the talented Kelly Chong, providing a visual aid. I actually think there will be additional illustrations in the published book which were not included in the advanced reader’s copy (ARC), so I am excited to see what else is in store. There is not a lot I can say without spoiling the series in general, but the author does include a note which outlines what you should and should not read based on what you have already explored. Having already read the series, I can definitely say any fan will appreciate these additional nuggets of information and heart the author provides us with, but you may have a similarly enjoyable experience if you have not read this series before and follow her guide for reading KINGDOM.
  
  The only reason I am holding this back from a five star rating is because there is one couple featured in this novella who I think needed to be mentioned in the Dawn section for this to feel fully well rounded and complete. The author has teased that she will be writing more in the world, however, it will feature entirely new characters and will serve as a completely separate storyline to what we have in the original duo. Either way, if you love this world and series and do not want to say goodbye yet, this is a must read. I loved it and honestly it just made me want to reread the series.
  
  P.S. I will never stop holding out hope we get a Chinese Drama or a donghua for this beautiful series.
• 
  paige (ptsungirl)

  "Only once we understand who we were, and what we are now, can we claim our future."
  
  Thank you NetGalley and the author for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’m so grateful for many reasons, but the biggest always being how much I adore Xingyin.
  
  I was absolutely positive at the end of Heart of the Sun Warrior that I didn’t have a favorite, that I wasn’t sure who I wanted her to choose. It’s something you figure out when that choice is finally made, and I’m so glad Sue Lynn Tan hasn’t kept us waiting any longer for Xingyin’s choice. It’s exactly what I wanted for her, exactly what she needed, exactly what she was probably working towards in the now three installments of her story. I’m so grateful for an ending that is truly just another beginning. The epilogue I would have done anything for, and received. Again, I say, I am so grateful for these stories.
  
  Because this isn’t just the end we’d been waiting for. It was an alternate twist to the myth these books revolve around, one that I found just as compelling and exciting as the first. Heart wrenching, and yet beautiful for its truth. Because decisions, no matter their outcome, should never be taken lightly and that was so extremely present in these words. I was so proud of the way Chnag'e was brave even while condemned, and how she took her punishment without argument. In any circumstance, I believe she would have done the same thing, because she knew how much she hurt the one she loved.
  
  I loved the behind-the-scenes-esque part two, and I loved seeing Liwei and Wenzhi again. Though maybe, especially, Liwei. He’s grown so much since we first met him, and it only made me more proud. This was the ending you hope and wish for an author to give you. A gift. I’m so blessed I got to read this one early, and I hope you all grab your copies today so you can feel a tiny bit of this joy as well.
• 
  Joseph Zawada

  I feel so honored to be one of the first to read "Tales of the Celestial Kingdom" by Sue Lynn Tan, which is a continuation of the Celestial Kingdom duology. With these untold stories we get a greater understanding of the characters as well as the world as a whole. I'm once again awed at how beautiful Sue Lynn Tan's writing is. Her prose are exquisite, and match the theme's of the book so well.
  
  This book is broken up into three stories, Dusk, Twilight, and Dawn.
  
  Dusk (from the perspectives of Chang'e, and Houyi)
  
  I found this story important because it helps the reader understand the motivations of the characters going into "Daughter of the Moon Goddess". Getting to witness the fight between Houyi and the sun birds was a highlight.
  
  Twilight (from the perspectives of Liwei, Wenzhi, and Shuxiao)
  
  I enjoyed seeing these scenes from a different perspective than we originally did. It added very important context to the scenes. I wish these stories were more cohesive with each other.
  
  Dawn (from the perspectives of Wenzhi, and Xingyin)
  
  Screaming, crying, throwing up. The ending that we deserve.
  
  Thank you so much to Avon, and Harper Voyager for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
• 
  el (celestialbronz)

  This collection contains 9 short stories that are separated into 3 parts: Dusk, Twilight, and Dawn.
  - Dusk is the prequel to the main duology, specifically about the retelling of Chang’e and Houyi.
  - Twilight contains the stories that happened DURING the duology.
  - and Dawn is basically the extra epilogues we’ve all been waiting for after reading HotSW 👀
  
  While the duology only used Xingyin’s PoV as the narrator, this time we get 5 different PoV (or probably 6 if you include the mortal). There’s a lot of inner monologues happening in each PoV so we finally know what they actually think or feel, outside of Xingyin’s judgments. On another note, because it’s heavily leaning on the inner monologues, there’s not much plot or even dialogues. They serve as the complement to the duology and can’t be read alone without them.
  
  Not gonna lie the Dusk and Twilight parts didn’t do much for me, they’re nice and that’s all about them. But the Dawn part was EVERYTHINGG I actually weep a bit🥲 The perfect “real” epilog. I hope there will be a little easter eggs about these characters in the next Celestial Kingdom novel.
  
  Aug 16: I NEEDED THE EXTRA EPILOGUE OMG THANK YOU FOR THIS
• 
  Ayushi (bookwormbullet)

  Thank you so much to Harper Voyager for the ARC!
  
  Ugh it was so great being transported back to the world of The Celestial Kingdom 🥹 Loved being reunited with my faves and Sue Lynn Tan's beautiful writing!!
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  黄淑怡

  This was a beautiful companion piece that added layers of depth to the original duology.
  This short novella provided much needed closure for some of my favorite characters while also offering valuable background details that made re-reading the original duology even more enjoyable. I enjoyed reading into the minds of Liwei, Wenzhi, Chang’e, Houyi, and Shuxiao. The addition of a new epilogue was a welcomed surprise,
  
  The illustrations accompanying the text was a beautiful touch, bringing the vivid imagery of the Celestial Kingdom to life with remarkable detail. Overall, I loved immersing myself in the world of these characters once again,
  
  Thank you netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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  ꒰ ⋮lofie ꒱ ᝰ.ᐟ

  ᯓ★5 Stars!!!
  
  "Let us leave the stars as they are, for tonight they are where they should be."
  
  let me start this by saying I don't really like reading novellas. I find that most authors only use it for side stories -nothing is wrong with that!- I'm just a plot girlie. But I really enjoyed this novella. I think what I enjoyed the most about these stories was that they were told from different points of view, so we got to see the exposition of different characters.
  
  Dusk
  ⋆⭒˚｡⋆ I loved the reimagining of Huoyi and The Ten Suns as written by the author. I think for such short "chapters" she did an amazing job conveying the Human Traits and qualities of heroes as well as the fallout that may happen with the loved ones who were forced to watch from the sidelines. And even though I knew how the story ended, I so desperately hoped for a different ending. Though the whole Duology is based on this story, I loved reading from Chang'e and Huoyi's point of view. I thought it brought more depth to their characters as a whole.
  
  Twilight
  ⋆⭒˚｡⋆ These were more just side character stories as well as little interactions that took place during the Duology, I don't think they served much purpose other than reader enjoyment of the continuation of characterization. It was nice to see the daily lives of some characters, but for the most part, I wasn't too interested in them. PS, Shuxiao is so girlypop and I love that for her.
  
  Dawn
  ⋆⭒˚｡⋆ SAY WHAT YOU WANT BUT MY HEART IS WRENCHED. I'm so glad Sue Lynn Tan wrote a happy ending to save a few hearts that might have been broken at the end of Heart of the Sun Warrior. This brought me so much peace and that's all I could ever ask for. I am a sucker for HEA's. And although I was content with how The Heart of the Sun Warrior ended, I'm even happier knowing there's a better ending written within these stories.
  
  ᝰ.ᐟ [ Complexities of love ] ๋࣭ ⭑
  this was such a huge theme within the novella and I think the author did an amazing job portraying that with each character and their story. Although we wish love was just as simple as declaring it and living happily ever after, sometimes ( most of the time ) it doesn't end up that way. There are challenges to be faced and every action has its consequence. Prioritizing what is best for oneself may end up hurting the other and although you so desperately want something, in the end, we must let go for not only ourselves but for the people we love.
  
  ˙✧˖° [ final thoughts ! ]☾⋆⁺
  I loved this novella/ short stories. I think Tan's lyricism and exposition are amazing and I find myself rarely bored by any of her writing. She's easily one of my favorite authors. I think if you've read the duology, you for sure need to pick this up and get that happy ending we were all wanting!!
  
  I'm so sad this series is over, I would have loved for this world to live as long as it could, and saying goodbye to it is so bittersweet.
  
  ˙✧˖° [ quotes ! ]☾⋆⁺
  "I'm working with allies. we need all the help we can get. Sometimes it takes a greater monster to put everything into perspective."
  
  "Life was not perfect; there were always hidden wounds, pain disguised beneath a smile, a price to any happiness possessed. We had to bear our burdens the best we could, for we alone knew their true weight."
  
  "The past is embedded in who we are, whether we choose to change or keep our course. Without our history, we are unmarked sheets of paper."
  
  "Even those are bound to the past, for they cannot be new without old. Whatever the past, it should not be ignored - but acknowledged, embraced, accepted. Only once we understand who we were, and what we are now, can we claim our future."
  
  "I would move the stars for you...I would defy them all."
  
  "Let us leave the stars as they are, for tonight they are where they should be."
  
  "Nothing was perfect in love nor life. These moments were to be cherished, branded into our memories, for they gave us the strength to fave the trails that might come after."
• 
  shatterinseconds

  *I received an arc from the Goodreads giveaway*
  
  My favorite short story was the epilogue and all the art was stunning--I'm glad I won the arc for that reason alone.
  
  But this series has never been my favorite so none of the stories really sparked anything in me. Though, I think anyone who loves the Celestial Kingdom books will definitely enjoy this collection.
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  Madison Lloyd

  Was this necessary? No. What novella/short stories paired to a series is? Is it worth reading? ABSOLUTELY.
  If you loved this duology then you are going to need these beautiful short stories in your life. They are beautiful and masterful. Again, seeing Wenzhi’s unwavering admiration and love for Xingyin was soul healing. If you can’t let go of these character and this world, this book is a MUST.
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  Sahitya

  Perfect way to say goodbye to this favorite duology. From how it all started in the past with the previous generation to how our three main characters are doing in the future, this was every bit the lovely collection of stories I was craving for. And a perfectly narrated audiobook added the final delightful touch. Definitely recommend if you are a fan of the duology like me.
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  Alexa (Alexa Loves Books)

  I really enjoyed reading the Celestial Kingdom duology, so it was definitely in my reading plans to pick up this story collection. And it was a lovely, quick (I finished this one in one sitting!) dip back into this world, reuniting readers with some beloved characters and giving extra tidbits (including some art!)... though it's not absolutely necessary to read.
  
  There is an author introduction at the start that advises that the reader is about to get stories from a variety of character perspectives. And while it does in fact technically show us scenes from alternate character perspectives, it honestly didn't feel like all the featured characters had very distinct voices. But since I mentally treated this one like an anime/manga (which is also how I felt about the duology), that didn't bother me overly much since I was more focused on the depicted scenes.
  
  I will say, though I stand by this book being an extra and not strictly necessary, if you, like me, are a fan of the romance in the main series, you'll likely find that you enjoy this one...
• 
  mads

  “Eternity only meant something when you had someone to share it with, not when it would take you from all you loved.”
  
  ➳ 3.5
  
  TW: animal death, blood, confinement, death, grief, miscarriage, murder, pregnancy, violence.
  
  A nice addition to the original story, if still a little disjointed and lacking in some of the qualities that made me love the duology so much. I enjoyed this, but the characters felt slightly stilted compared to what they were in the full books. While reading DotMG, I always wanted more about Xingyin's parents, so I'm glad a glimpse of their story was included in here!
  
  Also, side note, but I maintain the fact that a certain character's good qualities were sacrificed to make another character look better. Even when we get their POV, most of it is just them comparing themself to the other character - which bummed me out.
  
  Overall, if you love DotMG and miss the world/characters, I'd definitely recommend this. It also gives certain characters/relationships more closer than HotSW did. But if you are wondering if you have to read this, it isn't necessary to the story.
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  ann

  so sweet to be back to this world and characters🥹 i should have read a couple recaps from the duology before getting into it though, because there were some things i had forgot! still a very enjoyable and sweet read✨
• 
  verysmallbooks

  I was so excited to read more stories in the same universe as Daughter of the Moon Goddess (there are spoilers for the duology, so it's best to read this after). Each of the 9 short stories alternates between different POVs and includes stunning illustrations by Kelly Chong. And if it couldn't get any better, all author proceeds will be donated (Sue Lynn Tan is so generous!)
  
  I loved the retellings of Chang'E and Houyi, but if I had to choose, my favorites were the last two stories. It was satisfying to get more insight into each character, as well as see what happened to Xingyin after Heart of the Sun Warrior.
  
  (ARC provided by the publisher for review)
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  bookish.reader.elle

  This was beautiful and everything I could have hoped for as an extended epilogue. Tales of the Celestial Kingdom is a short quick read consisting of gorgeous illustrations and 9 stories told from some of our favorite characters. The timeline of the stories range from happening before Daughter of the Moon Goddess, during it and during Heart of the Sun Warrior and after the events of Heart of the Sun Warrior. I thought each tale while short was beautifully written and poignant. Some are heartwarming awhile others are bittersweet. I think each serves its purpose and they added depth and insight to many special moments that I had always wondered about. The illustrations are breathtaking and I can't wait to see how they look in the finished copies.
  
  Overall I think that if you are a fan of The Celestial Kingdom duology this novella is a must read. Sue Lynn Tan is a master at writing and these short stories showcase her poetic prose and immerse us back into the Celestial Kingdom.
  
  Hugest thank you to Harper Voyage for gifting me an eARC and ARC
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  Haylee (haylee.reads)

  I don’t even know if I can describe how happy it made me to be back in the world of the Celestial Kingdom. Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior were two of my favorite books from 2022. Tales of the Celestial Kingdom was so beautifully written. I think each story added so much depth and nuance to characters I already adored. I loved how we learned more about Chang’e and Houyi, the backstory was amazing. I love how Tan is able to absolutely transport me through her writing. It’s so descriptive, without being overly flowery, and I got so swept up in each short story. The last two stories were my favorite by far and my heart was doing backflips.
  
  Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  renee ♡

  5 ⭐️
  
  ”I would move the stars for you.” I said quietly, as something shifted into place inside me. “I would defy them all.”
  
  what else can i say besides absolutely enchanting! a beautiful way to tie up everything together but still leave some questions unanswered.
  
  this short yet super exciting addition to the series delivers a satisfying conclusion to major story arcs while adding some surprises along the way.
  
  the illustrations of the main characters were so stunning. it’s clear that the illustrator put a lot of effort into creating every single one and they were like a cherry on top.
  
  it was such a heartwarming experience to dive back into the lives of xingyin, wenzhi and liwei and i still feel like i need and want more. i will never be satisfied.
  
  thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon or Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
• 
  Amber Leigh

  I really enjoyed that this one included such beautiful artwork
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  Mien Le

  This book gave me the closure we didn’t receive in the second book. Thank goodness! I can rest easy now ❤️
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  Mandy Scott

  This perfectly wrapped the duology up for me tbh, the epilogue fixed a lot of my issues with the last book just -ending-
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  Anaum Ali

  :) my heart is at peace, i just wish we had more from Xingyin’s perspective.
• 
  Rachel

  yup yup yup