Fast Forward Friday: Daughter of the Moon Goddess, 1/11/22

Hey y’all! In contrast to Throwback Thursday, I like to use Fridays to look forward to an upcoming release that I’m excited about! Today’s is Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan!
Expected Release: January 11, 2022

Why wait on this one?

• This story is folklore inspired! I’ve found a soft spot for retellings in the past year, which is a preference I never knew I had. I love seeing the ways in which people reimagine stories and tell their own version, breathing life into them all over again by filling in the details we may never truly know. I’ll have to read the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess, before I read this book! Or maybe after? Hmm…
• If folklore isn’t good enough, this one is also based on Chinese folklore. I tend to really love the style of those with their elegant yet fierce characters and (often literally) radiant settings. I think the art of the book cover really captures the aesthetic I’m trying to explain here.
• And there’s magic! Godly magic is especially exciting because it’s so unfathomable, and unlimited, and can really be anything. What limits are there on magic, and especially magic of goddesses?

Summary

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 across the earth and skies. 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.