The Dragon and the Sun Lotus

Gr 9 Up–After completing the Immortality Trials to heal her mother’s soul, Àn’yīng is now at the center of the war the demonic Kingdom of Night wages against the immortal Kingdom of Sky and the mortal Kingdom of Rivers in this duology closer. Àn’yīng must claim her inheritance to rally an immortal army to turn the tides of the war while unraveling her complicated feelings for Hào’yáng, who is also her “boy in the jade”—the figure who has watched over her since they were children—communicating across realms through their shared magical amulet. Primarily narrated by Àn’yīng, the story moves from one dramatic moment to the next as the decade-long war nears its final battle. Àn’yīng navigates her equally treacherous feelings for Hào’yáng as well as Yù’chén, the boy who protected her and stole her heart in the first volume, The Scorpion and the Night Blossom, before revealing his identity as son of the Kingdom of Night’s Demon Queen. Hurt by Yù’chén’s betrayal, Àn’yīng still dreams of a time of peace between the realms where halflings like half-mortal, half-demon Yù’chén can live freely. Chapters narrated by Yù’chén add nuance to his character arc in the Kingdom of Night and make Àn’yīng’s choice between the two love interests even more torturous. Zhao expertly navigates the love triangle and the action-heavy plot as Àn’yīng embraces her destiny to help end the war. This fantasy story is inspired by Chinese mythology.