molly x. chang – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Molly X. Chang
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: July 1st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two princes. One prophecy. A fate she cannot outrun.

The night Fei was born, a prophecy was made: she would one day become the Empress of All Empresses.

Torn from her family as a child and raised in the palace to one day marry the Crown Prince of the most powerful empire in the land, Fei has only ever known loneliness. When the opportunity arises to seize her own destiny for the first time in her life, Fei sets out to hunt a legendary tiger, knowing it might cost her everything. What she doesn’t expect is to fall under the mercy of Yexue, the beautiful runaway prince from a rival kingdom. Blessed by the night, harboring a dangerous magic, and capable of commanding an army of deadly vampires, Yexue could be the key to Fei gaining more than just her freedom.

But to outrun destiny, Fei must spark a wave of events that will change the world as she knows it. Torn between two princes and plagued by nightmares of bloodshed, she finds that the stars might be more inescapable—and more irresistible—than she ever considered before.

Thank you to Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

WHAT A STUNNER.

I am gob smacked by this book and could not put it down. As a known struggler with love triangles this reminded me that when it’s done right GOOOOOOD HEAVENS it is everything. I loved the push and pull back and forth between them. I honestly don’t know who I like more??? I felt for both of the guys??? Who even am I?!

And I adored the FMC, Fei. She is resilient and strong. I loved that she took the time to learn and also put the men in their places. There’s some highly coded Mulan moments woven in that had my attention in the best ways.

Oh, did I mention theirs VAMPIRES???? I didn’t know either (though the cover does give it away if you look closely). The brutality and savagery of the world and magic was such an interesting dynamic. I am feral to get my hands on book two. This is my second by by this author and they are quickly becoming a favorite.

Overall audience notes:

NA Fantasy Romance
Language: mild
Romance: one brief open door
Violence: high

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy
Length: 368 pages
Author: Molly X. Chang
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: April 16th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this magical epic fantasy, a young woman cursed with the power of death must decide if saving her family is worth betraying her country—the first installation of a gripping new series.

Heroes die, cowards live. Daughter of a conquered world, Ruying hates the invaders who descended from the heavens long before she was born and defeated the magic of her people with technologies unlike anything her world had ever seen.

Blessed by Death, born with the ability to pull the life right out of mortal bodies, Ruying shouldn’t have to fear these foreign invaders, but she does. Especially because she wants to keep herself and her family safe.

When Ruying’s Gift is discovered by an enemy prince, he offers her an impossible deal: If she becomes his private assassin and eliminates his political rivals—whose deaths he swears would be for the good of both their worlds and would protect her people from further brutalization—her family will never starve or suffer harm again. But to accept this bargain, she must use the powers she has always feared, powers that will shave years off her own existence.

Can Ruying trust this prince, whose promises of a better world make her heart ache and whose smiles make her pulse beat faster? Are the evils of this agreement really in the service of a much greater good? Or will she betray her entire nation by protecting those she loves the most?

Thank you to Del Rey for the Goodreads giveaway book!

READY FOR MORE.

I was fortunate enough to win this in a giveaway because I have been eyeing it for awhile now, and it did not disappoint.

My favorite thing about this book was how complex it was. Black, white and alllllll the gray. I loved the emotional journey this took me on. Trying to guess where the true evil was hiding, who was really making the calls, and how the story was all coming together. I liked how much this book gave me but also making me anxious for the next book. This had an awesome build where I found myself more and more invested.

The romance aspects (sub-plot) have my attention to. Honestly, I have ZERO clue where this is going and I am in love with that. I’m someone who prefers a multi-book slow burn and questioning if the first guy is the end game or not (because I have QUESTIONS). Is it weird I love how much I’m still in the dark??

An amazing debut. One I will be recommending to fantasy readers. OH!! And it’s got historical fantasy vibes which if you know, IS MY KRYPTONITE. Seriously, check this book out.

Overall audience notes:

NA Fantasy
Language: low
Romance: kisses
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: drug addiction (opium), loss of loved ones, executions, medical experimentation