Blurb
The meeting of four lonely immortals will change them – and the world.
High in the Heavens, an immortal court celebrates the betrothal of Jin, Goddess of Beauty, and Xiao, God of Pleasure. But as soon as the vows are made, the Sun Emperor collapses from a death curse.
Raised away from the Sun Court after her mother’s murder, Jin is called a useless goddess, but she is now the emperor’s only hope. The curse’s cure is locked in the Underworld, and even though the court dismisses him as a hopeless alcoholic, Xiao vows to help his betrothed find the lost key.
They hire a thief who is more interested in stealing the groom than recovering the key, and begin their search at the legendary grave of the Great Warrior – only it turns out he never died. Tens of millennia old, he is a master of everything but his own heart.
Their journey takes them from the icy peaks of the White Mountain and the lush banks of the Kuanbai River to the palace of the Sea Dragon and the halls of the Moon Deer, through court intrigue and bloody battles, power struggles and magical traps. The Heavens, Earth, and the Underworld will forever celebrate their triumphs – and mourn their mistakes.
Buy Links
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56935634-vows-of-gold-and-laughter
Author Bio
Edith Pawlicki lives in Connecticut with her husband, twin sons, dog, and rabbit. She fell in love with words in fourth grade and finds writing necessary to free the worlds and characters in her head. When she isn’t busy being a mom and author, she enjoys cooking and crafts. In addition to the Immortal Beings series, she has also written a YA science fiction novel, Minerva.
My Review
Thanks to Kelly for organising the blog tour and to the author for an Audible code for this book.
Four ancient Immortals, some more ancient than others, go one a journey of personal discovery and a quest to save the Sun Emperor. But not many other people want to save the Emperor, and they’re determined to stop Jin and her friends. Along the way, the four discover their own hearts and their routes to freedom.
At first I found Jin irritating, but she grew on me, while the other characters were immediately likeable. Bai is so innocent, while Ziao and Nanami clearly have childhood trauma that they need to process. It makes them so much more interesting, at first, than the innocent, privileged Jin. Her loss of innocence, her discoveries about her family and the lengths they’d go to to get their own way, as she tries to save the Emperor, makes her a more interesting character as she develops.
The descriptions are colourful and engrossing, the landscapes vivid. There is something lyrical in the narrative at times. I really enjoyed listening to the narrator tell the story.
I found a quiet enjoyment in listening to this novel while out walking or while crocheting a blanket. I was frustrated by the cliff-hanger ending. I want to know what happens to Jin, Bai, Ziao and Nanami as they face their fears, and their enemies.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 