“Immortality is long...and it is lonely and cold in these skies. We gaze upon the mortal world, aching for the warmth of a fire and food on the table, for the laughter of a family huddled together, for the burning love of a lifetime that never fades." 4.25⭐️ this was a really solid and satisfying chinese-myth-inspired romantasy for me 🐉🌙 it hits a lot of the elements i enjoy in this subgenre, especially when it comes to romance, fate, and well-developed emotional journey of the characters 🥰 one of the strongest parts for me was the character setup and backstories 💭✨ without going into spoilers, the way the characters’ pasts are woven together is set up very intentionally 🫶 there are also a lot of romantic and poetic elements embedded in their histories and backstories, and i really loved how those moments added emotional weight to the present-day story 💕 FMC Àn’yīng is a character i really enjoyed following 🤍🔥 she’s strongly driven by her goal of saving her mother, which gives her actions a clear sense of purpose. at the same time, she hesitates and wavers at certain moments, and that made her feel more very relatable and helps me connect to her more 🥹 the trial aspect of the story was fun 🏮✨ i liked the challenges Àn’yīng had to face, and while i would’ve enjoyed seeing the trials explored in more depth, i also understand that they’re not meant to be the main focus. they feel more like a vehicle for Àn’yīng’s personal journey rather than the point of the story itself, which worked for me 💫 the romance is definitely one of the core elements of the book, and it’s very beautifully written ❤️🌸 there are quite some moments between Àn’yīng and MMC Yù’chén that are very romantic imo, with several scenes that really stood out to me!! i really could feel the longing in their interactions, and the emotional beats landed well 😭💕 i also couldn’t help but notice a love triangle starting to form, and honestly i’m all for it hahaha😂 🥹✨ i really enjoyed how the three main characters’ fates and destinies are intertwined, and how each of them has, in some way, shaped the others’ paths 🫶 this theme of destiny and bound lives really really reminded me a lot of the classic wuxia novels and chinese folktales i grew up reading, where fate and karmic ties play such an important role 🧧🐉 there are a few moments where the story tells more than shows, but they didn’t bother me much 🥹 i think they all made sense within the context of the story, and the overall pacing pf the story is handled very well imo (keeps me very engaged and interested), so i never felt pulled out of the experience 📖✨ overall, the scorpion and the night blossom was a really enjoyable and well-executed chinese-inspired romantasy, and it really reads like a fun c-drama!! 🥰 i first discovered this book because i came across its beautiful edition in my local bookstore, and im so glad im now introduced to this story and the author Amelie Wen Zhao!! ❤️❤️ Amelie’s writing style is def something that’s very up my alley 🥰💕 i’m diving straight into the sequel, the dragon and the sun lotus, next!!! especially since i received the arc 🥹📚✨ im very excited to get into it!! 🥳🌸 *above is my honest, in-depth, and spoiler-free book review of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amelie Wen Zhao* @Amélie Wen Zhao #thescorpionandthenightblossom #ameliewenzhao #bookreview #honestbookreview #booktok book review, the scorpion and the night blossom, amelie wen zhao, honest spoiler free book review, no spoiler book review