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Is this book really 432 pages long? Because I raced through it in a day, and it felt like it moved so quickly! I've always been impressed with RJB's world building, but this one might be my favorite yet. What do we call a world where plants provide light, vines are cultivated to be deadly security systems, the rich can afford large mushrooms that regulate the air temperature, and the murder weapon is a tree? Ugh, I love it. There are also strong notes of the usual "big monsters threaten humanity" suspects - Pacific Rim, Kaiju No. 8, and most evidently Attack on Titan, but this story chooses to move the first responders into the background and spend more time on infrastructure folks and a detective/assistant pair.

And what a stunning pair they are. Fans of the eccentric detective+earnest put-upon assistant, get ready to enjoy yourselves. Ana is a genius in all rights, but never in too much of a magical way that it seems she arrived at her conclusions unfairly. The clues are always available, and I did manage to pick out a couple reveals before they were dropped. As our POV character, Din is easily my favorite - his dedication to justice makes him very easy to cheer for, and I appreciated that he wasn't portrayed as completely brainless.

Despite all the giant monsters attacking in the background, this is a mystery first and foremost, and I appreciate that the narrative commits to this. I suspect that the mystery and the background plot will eventually merge in future books, but for now, I was happy just to read a really solid mystery with some great twists, and a really cool detective.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

I initially was a little intimidated when I opened the book and was greeted with a list of names and titles from a world I didn't understand, but the characters are all described as they're introduced, such that I didn't ever need to page back to the list, so I worried for nothing. Martha Wells does an incredible job of fitting a lot of world building into a small space, doling out lore as necessary in a way that still sparks the imagination. And what a world it is! Layers of culture, powers, politics, and history unfold in two separate timelines with a scope that feels like a big adventure. Kai is a fun mix of snarky and competent, with other characters distinct, but not given quite as much attention. Overall, characters and their arcs to take a bit of a backseat to the plot and its mysteries. While this seems like it's probably a standalone book, I honestly wouldn't mind seeing these characters do more with a little more breathing room.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

About After winning the Celestial Emperor's pardon (although not his favor), Xingyin thought she'd be returning to her quiet life on the moon with her mother. But political turmoil rages in the Celestial Kingdom, churned on by her previous actions. With her home on the moon threatened by old enemies and new magic, Xingyin must once again take up her bow and fight for the ones she loves. And maybe even the ones she thought she gave up loving.

Thoughts The first book of this series was largely an adventure punctuated with romance. This one is definitely a romance punctuated with adventure. Xingyin is already an accomplished fighter, and so we see very little by way of her development in that area, with more time spent on her growing emotionally and learning how to process different kinds of grief. There's a lot more at stake here, with several deaths, and the loss of potential lives lived, with no one coming out entirely faultless in the process. The moral depth and complexity definitely outshines the first book in this space. The romantic triangle from the first book takes front and center here, with Wenzhi, Liwei, and eventually Xingyin all being way more honest about their feelings than the first go-around. There's a clear endgame this time around, and your enjoyment will probably hang entirely on who you cheered for in the first book. Action scenes move quickly, with fewer "epic" set pieces and more subdued fights (on average). There's also more time spent on Chinese lore, which I really enjoyed. Overall, I feel like it's a really good conclusion to the previous book, and it ties up all the loose ends really well.

About When Chang'e was banished to the moon, no one knew that she brought her secret daughter with her. Xingyin has lived on the moon all her life, unaware that her very existence is an affront to the Celestial Emperor. When her magic flares and almost gives away her secret, she has no choice but to flee the moon and seek out a life hidden away in the Celestial Kingdom. But when an opportunity to study alongside the prince arises, she finds herself moving ever closer to being discovered. And ever closer to being in love.

Thoughts I should probably open with the fact that I typically hate love triangles. They are not my vibe for SO many reasons that I won't bother to get into. So when I say that this is a great love triangle, please understand that I am saying it grudgingly, because I can't believe I actually liked this one. A lot. All three characters involved were well-rounded, fun to read, and the chemistry between the lead and both suitors was genuine. Time moves fast in this book. Months can pass between chapters, or in the span of a paragraph. That leaves the readers to imagine a lot of the space in between, but the scenes we do get make it easy to connect the dots, and none of it feels too rushed. Action sequences are exciting and easy to follow, and Xingyin's growth as a warrior feels very natural. I admit I was kind of disappointed that Xingyin our POV character kept referring to citizens of the opposing forces as "demons" after learning that it was largely just propaganda. Seeing as she has no love for either side of the conflict, it was a strange choice for her character to make. Still, a great adventure with a determined lead and a really believable romance triangle.