Staff Pick – Heaven Official’s Blessing

By Jennifer Mixell

A perennial question for any book lover is “What should I read next?” This is often followed by the overwhelming slew of thoughts regarding length of book, genre, time available for reading, and so forth. We at Oregon East understand this all too well. So for my staff pick, I am suggesting that we ease into the historical fantasy genre with a book that is both enjoyable and can be completed in a matter of weeks or even days. With its descriptive imagery and action-filled scenes, it is easy to get wrapped up within the imagination of this story, making it a fulfilling and easy read. 

My pick is titled  Heaven Official’s Blessing: Book 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. The story is based on the Anime Heaven Official’s Blessing and tells the story of Xie Lian, the crown prince of Xianle. Through her descriptive and inventive storytelling, the author takes the reader on the unexpected path of a young prince, who becomes a god as a teenager. Through his journey, Xie Lian forms friendships with mortals and embarks on a quest that defies the heavens. This ultimately leads to the downfall of his kingdom, forcing him to go on the hunt for ghosts and spirits. Finding unexpected love along the way, he must learn to navigate his banishment from the heavenly realm. 

This is a tale that not only takes its readers on a journey full of suspense and waves of emotions, but also teaches us life lessons such as trying to have an open mind and keeping a cool head when entering into difficult situations which can help with problem solving and conflict resolution. This is a great story to satisfy your hunger for reading until our next staff pick.