4.5 stars rounded up

The author's description if themes is perfection. No notes. 
🐉 Chinese mythology & legendary creatures
🏹 Fierce female warrior fighting for her family
⚔️ A gentle prince & a ruthless soldier
💔 Friends—Lovers—Enemies...

If you are a person who likes fantasy, but hates the first 100 pages of boring world building with nothing exciting. THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. I was fully looked in chapter 1. jotting down notes by page 11. I devoured this 500 page book. I really enjoyed watching Xingling start the book as a child and grow into an adult in the first few parts. We got to see her learn which skills she had a talent for, and which she didn't. She is absolutely terrible at being a member of court and keeping her mouth shut and I LOVE IT (same girl same).  We have a bit of a friends to lovers to love triangle to enemies going on, and It was a lot of fun and felt realistic. This was a perfect 5 stars to me right up until the end. It wrapped up a little too nicely, and forgiveness came a little too fast for me. BUT that also means it does not end on a cliff hanger. (I still cannot wait to read book 2. I will be stalking the mailman waiting for its arrival on my doorstep)