Daughter of the Moon Goddess Book Review *spoilers*

I stumbled upon this book in the grown-up section of the library. Now that I've read it I wonder why it's not in the teen/YA section of the library, it might be a better fit for that section. I loved the book regardless. I loved the fantasy setting it took place in, a realm separate from the mortal realm. In that realm there are immortals, in this particular book they don't age, but they can be destroyed. There was magic, powers, and enchanted objects. It felt like a fairytale but with a warrior princess. The food and teas that were described sounded to me like they were of inspired by Asian cuisine (I'm a Latina, I might be wrong here but it's what it sounded like to me) and so did the wardrobes. At times it felt like the plot and timing were off, it's a bit hard to describe. There were parts where Xingyin spends years in a place, and we get to see routines and friendships develop, while at other times she's going on different missions, traveling, and being a warrior. It kept me on my toes, I never knew the path the story was going to take. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the variety of female characters we got to meet. There was the Moon Goddess, the gentle mother grieving a lost love, lighting the moon each night for the realms. There was Xingyin, who started off as a protected daughter, and grew to be devoted, strong, and determined while still maintaining her sweetness and kindness. And of course, the love interests. The soft crown prince Liwei and the mysterious captain of guard Wenzhi. I'll be honest, both of them were dreamy and there wasn't really a love triangle. Both relationships developed at separate times, and Xingyin worked through her feelings at a pace that felt real and responsible. I personally am not much for action and fight scenes, and there were quite a few in this book. Even so, the book felt whimsical. It was a very nice read, and I will be rereading it. I also noticed after I read it that one of my favorite authors, Stephanie Garber, thought it was a breathtaking book. Let me know what you thought of it!