Adriana's Star Rating: 5/5 stars!

Genre: Fantasy fiction

Series: Duology

Adriana's Review:

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is an enchanting tale of romance, friendship, treacherous battles, and so much more. This book is inspired by Chinese mythology and the legend of the moon goddess Chang`e. Xingyin’s mother is the moon goddess, banished for betraying the Celestial Kingdom. Xingyin is unaware of this until her magic briefly flares up and she has to flee as not to be found by the Celestial Emperor. Before she leaves, she makes a promise to set her mother free.

Xingyin successfully escapes to the one place she should not go, the Celestial Kingdom. There she meets Crown Prince Liwei, son of the Celestial Emperor. She and Liwei study alongside each other for many years, developing a friendship. But when the Celestial Emperor announces Liwei’s engagement to another, Xingyin chooses to leave and live her life for herself. She joins the Celestial Army, following her father in being a legendary archer. This is not where her story ends, but where it begins.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a spellbinding read. Sue Lynn Tan does an extraordinary job of making you feel like you are part of the story. It truly is such a beautiful story of adventure and courage. This book is part of a duology, the second book comes out this November! Heart of the Sun Warrior is a continuation of Xingyin’s story, hopefully it is just as amazing as the first book.

Adriana's Star Rating: 5/5 stars!

Genre: Fantasy fiction

Series: Stand alone

Adriana's Review:

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is a mystical read, full of adventure, friendship, love, and life sized-garden gnomes. I have never been a fantasy reader, but when I heard about this book on GoodReads I was drawn in. The story follows a lonely caseworker, Linus Baker, as he works at the Department In Charge Of Magical Youth. There, he oversees orphanages by making sure the children are safe and taken care of.

After receiving a salad dressing-related demerit, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management. When he arrives at the appointment, Linus is given a task no one could have prepared him for. He sets off for Marsyas Island Orphanage, where he meets six very special orphans and their caretaker Arthur Parnassus. Through his stay, not only does Linus gain friends, but also a family.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was so fun to dip my toes into a fantasy read! What I loved most about this book was how they introduced inclusivity and learning to love yourself. Linus teaches the children how important it is to be themselves and to not let anyone make them feel bad about who they are.