The Scorpion and the Night Blossom

November 25, 2024
Nine years ago, Àn’yiˉng’s life changed forever after her home was invaded by mó, beautiful deadly demons from the Kingdom of Night. Her father perished in the attack, and her mother has been a shadow of herself since. With the village unprotected, Àn’yiˉng, now 19, journeys to the Temple of Dawn to hone her practitioning skills and enter the Immortality Trials, from which she hopes to bring back a pill of immortality for Maˉ, who fades a little more each day. Armed with her crescent blades and knowledge from Bà’s practitioning books, as well as a mysterious jade pendant he left behind, Àn’yiˉng begins the trial, in which danger lurks around every corner. But handsome secretive rival contestant Yù’chén seems to always be there when Àn’yiˉng needs help most. As things progress, the romantic tension between Àn’yiˉng and Yù’chén increases, as does the certainty that there
is a greater plan in play. Mesmerizing worldbuilding that draws from Chinese mythology sets the stage for this dark romantasy duology starter by Zhao (Song of Silver, Flame Like Night). Quick pacing, thrilling action sequences, and devastating plot twists round out this riveting read. Ages 14–up.

January 1, 2025
A set of mystery trials is all that lies between a teenage girl and a coveted prize that can save her mother. Demons have spread across the land, killing mortals and taking the emperor's throne. Since 19-year-old �n'yīng's father was killed by a demon and her mother's soul was partially eaten, she's been looking after her family in what remains of their world. With the magic �n'yīng learned from her father, she's kept her mother and little sister alive; acquiring a pill of immortality would allow her to restore her mother's soul, but �n'yīng's only hope of obtaining one is winning the trials of the Temple of Dawn, which are laid out for mortals who hope to prove their magical and physical prowess to the Kingdom of Sky for a chance at eternal life. At the trials, she makes both friends and enemies and struggles with determining whom she can trust and who seeks to use her for their own purposes. �n'yīng's father may have laid her path out for her, one that intersects with the fate of the kingdom, in ways she cannot predict, but her priority is survival, no matter the cost. Featuring star-crossed lovers whose relationship unfolds against the backdrop of a demon apocalypse, the novel remixes tropes in new ways, delivering a distinctly Chinese setting and enough twists to keep readers guessing. A page-turning blend of magic, competition, family, romance, and oh-so-many secrets.(Fantasy. 13-18)

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February 1, 2025
Grades 9-12 Zhao introduces readers to the intricate world of celestial beings, demons, and the mortals caught in the middle. Almost a decade ago, bloodthirsty demons came to the mortal realm and wreaked havoc. �n'yīng's father was one of many to lose their lives to the demons, and now �n'yīng must protect her ailing mother and younger sister from them. After deciding that she can no longer watch her family suffer, �n'yīng travels to the celestial realm to compete in the Immortality Trials, hoping to win the immortality pill for her mother. While the Trials are deadly, �n'yīng finds an unexpected ally in fellow contestant Y�'ch�n. A mysterious and alluring stranger seems to be the least of �n'yīng's worries, as top contestants turn up dead and it is revealed that a murderer is in their midst. The action kicks off on the first page and never eases up on the gas, sometimes at the expense of world-building. Nonetheless, the explosive ending makes up for any qualms readers may have and will leave everyone clamoring for the next book.

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Starred review from March 14, 2025

Gr 9 Up-�n'yīng was 10 when the mortal Kingdom of Rivers fell prey to the demonic forces of the Kingdom of Night, she has struggled to protect her younger sister M�i'zi and her mother ever since. Nine years later, �n'yīng is ready to travel to the Kingdom of Skies and use her skills as a practitioner to win a coveted pill of immortality to mend her mother's tattered soul. But all is not as �n'yīng expected from her dead father's journals about the ancient art of practitioning as a warrior able to tap into spirit energy. Instead of structure and support, �n'yīng is immediately thrust into a cutthroat competition with deadly consequences. Finding unlikely allies including fellow competitor Y�'ch�n, competing in the Immortality Trials will challenge everything �n'yīng thought she knew about the power balance between the realms and about her own family. This atmospheric story features rich worldbuilding inspired by Chinese mythology. Zhao dedicates this book to "the C-drama girlies" and delivers all of the swoony romance and dramatic twists C-drama viewers would expect. High action is balanced with thoughtful characterization for �n'yīng, who has to reconcile her own (now abandoned) dreams of seeing the world and becoming an accomplished seamstress like her mother and sister with her harsh reality as the sole caregiver and protector for those she loves most. VERDICT With sweeping action, high stakes, and a shocking love triangle, this book has something for everyone with promises of more to come in the duology conclusion. Highly recommended.-Emma Carbone

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