Rep: East Asian characters, F/F relationship, Queer side character

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Jade Fire Gold is a story of a lost prince and a girl with forbidden magic.
Ahn was poor and wanted to feed her ailing grandma but when she was in the desert stealing food, she stumbles upon the Diyeh priests (they are priests loyal to the dragon throne). She doesn’t know she has magic in her but it comes to her help when she least expects it and leaves her on a path that’s filled with gold, blood, and love.

I liked how this story was always going back to the blacksmith and the twin swords myth. It was reminding us of the powers of the two swords that were coveted by almost everyone in the Dragon Kingdom repeatedly.

This book was plot-driven but everything was moving at a pace where it didn't give me time to absorb the gravity of the events. The story was good but I wish there was more to the characters and it didn’t leave us with very little to remember about them.

Read Jade Fire Gold if you like YA Fantasy with:
➼ Strangers-to-friends-to-lovers Romance
➼ Rags-to-riches
➼ Forbidden Magic
➼ Lush world-building

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Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book has it all but I adore fantasy and the problem is that it's harder for me to find books in this genre which fascinate me. This one, sadly, felt really déjà vu for me. The characters were good but didn't stand out. Same for the magic system even though I love elemental magic.

From the blurb, this book sounded like the perfect read for me, but unfortunately, it wasn’t. I found the worldbuilding and certain aspects of the plot interesting, and Ahn’s family dynamics and conflict, and Altan’s history and revenge were engaging; however, I struggled to connect with the characters and I found the story difficult to get into because of the pacing. I also found that the romance developed too quickly for me to be invested it. I did really like some of the secondary characters and the author’s writing style and how quickly I was immersed in the world. I do think that this is a book I want to give another chance to reread.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed it. The story is good. But it is not that memorable despite of may fantasy stories out there.

This is a really good and solid debut! I've been a huge fan of East Asian Fantasy books and this book really caught my attention. Kudos to June CL Tan for writing this!

Read full review at our blog - link provided. We'd like to thank the publisher for giving us a copy in exchange for a review!

Being able to read this made me very interested in what is going to happen. The way that the book was written allowed the story to flow nicely, which made it very easy to read. Having to read from two povs made the story very interesting. There was something about seeing what happened through two perspectives made me want to know what happens next as I was reading it. Also it allowed you to see the world through two different people and be able to see the fact they both see the world in different ways. But also how they managed to work together even if they may mean they have differences. The way the world was created and written made me want to physically be in the world. I loved the world that has been created. I also am pleased about the character development which happened throughout the book.

Fantasy steeped in Chinese mythology, enemies united in a common cause and a world steeped in atmosphere, Jade Fire Gold has all the workings to be an epic fantasy story. However, I found that aside from the unique setting, this still felt a lot like any other YA fantasy.

The main characters of Anh and Altan made a good team, and I liked their relationship which grows, rather reluctantly a first, over time. Both of them find it difficult to trust anyone, each growing up in a world that thrives on lies and deceit. Add in growing feelings, and anslow burn romance, and I found myself really rooting for the characters. I could have down without a lot of the pining though - but then again, this is YA. Individually, I preferred Anh as a character. She's got a good backstory, of hiding who she really is while wanting to show the world what she can do and I liked this side of her character.

In terms of plot, I found it overall to be pretty generic and the pacing is rather slow, especially in the middle, and I could have done with some more exposition if I'm honest. While the magic system is well described, I wanted more from the lore and world building. What we do see is beautifully described, but felt like little glimpses into a much more in-depth mythology. The ending also felt really rushed.

Some really fun and exciting parts, but overall this just didn't stand out enough for me.

I was extremely excited to read Jade Fire Gold as I’d heard the main relationship had Zutara vibes (Zuko and Katara from Avatar the Last Airbender) and after finally watching ATLA this past summer I wanted more of them. However, I am sorry to say that Jade Fire Gold has disappointed me. It had an amazing premise and so much potential but ultimately fell flat.

I was originally going to give this book three stars as I did mostly enjoy my time reading this but honestly, as I sit down to write this review, I am struggling to think of things I actually liked about this novel.

To begin with, the characters felt bland and one dimensional. Both as individuals and also their relationship. Due to this, I just did not care about them and considering that their relationship had been this book’s main selling point to me, this was a major let down. I felt that they lacked personality and vividness and that their motivations were unconvincing. It felt like they were just going through the motions; there was nothing real or tangible about them. As they weren’t fleshed out enough as individuals, there was no chemistry between them. I kept waiting for the romance and pining to appear but it just didn't and then suddenly they’re being teased for their feelings for each other and getting all coy about it? Without ever giving any indication in their narrative that there were romantic feelings there? It all felt forced.

The plot similarly fell flat. It was predictable and at times boring. Jade Fire Gold uses common story archetypes: the lost heir returning for their rightful crown and a peasant discovering they have powerful magic and being taken to the palace / hunted for it. And I felt that the story didn’t do anything new or exciting with these tropes. Additionally, I found the writing jarring at times as something would be written so strangely that it jolted me out of the story. Also, what was that epilogue? It felt so random and unnecessary.

To speak of the book’s positives, I really enjoyed the Chinese influences on the story. I felt that this added something new and vibrant to this classic story. I’d have liked to know more about the world building and magic system so that we could explore more of this influence. Furthermore, the first third or so of this book had a lot of potential and I liked where it was going. I liked the characters’ first meeting and the tension there and learning about the world. However, this all unfortunately fell apart. I also liked the themes of history being written by the victors and atoning for the sins of one’s ancestors. I would have liked to see them explored further and in more depth to make them more impactful.

Overall, Jade Fire Gold had a lot of promise but just couldn’t stick the landing. Nothing felt developed or fleshed out enough, the plot was basic and the romance that sold me on this book nonexistent. I am so disappointed by this book.

In 2021, one of my most anticipated reads was Jade Fire Gold, and I'm happy to say that it exceeded my expectations. This xianxia-inspired fantasy novel was a pleasure to read.

Ahn is desperately trying to provide for her adoptive grandmother in their decaying town by any means possible. The encroaching desert has depleted their region's resources, and Diyeh priests are roaming the area in search of anyone who may possess magical abilities. She makes every effort to remain anonymous, until one day she loses control of her rare Life Stealing magic while defending herself.

Meanwhile, Altan is the long lost heir to the empire. He is on the hunt for powerful magic that will help him in his quest to reclaim his kingdom. His aunt and uncle murdered the Emperor when Altan was a little kid, and Altan was the last to survive after fleeing into the desert with his mother and sister. He's had a decade to plot his vengeance, and now it's time for him to make his plan a reality. Altan begins to put his plan into action, completely unaware that his road will take him directly to Ahn. Both will soon realise that their fates are intertwined and that they individually hold the key to the future of the kingdom in their own hands.

First of all, I loved how the story was set. How the rich Chinese culture radiated from it. It was quite easy to get into the flow of the plot. Oh, and the epic fantasy feel of it was amazing.

In the end, it wasn't the plot that made me keep on reading. It was the characters. Ahn's and Altan's characters were well written. Both of them had their traumas. Altan wanted what was taken from him when he was a child. Ahn wanted to know who she was and where she came from.

In a kingdom where magic is forbidden and those who possess it are taken to be never seen again, Ahn finding out that she has some kind of power, a deadly power, terrifies her. But at the same time makes her feel stronger.

Altan on the other hand keeps his eye on the prize. Making hard choices and sacrifices to be one more step closer to the goal.

Ahn and Altan's romance in the beginning kind of felt a bit too insta-love but later it turned into a good slow burn. The gradual development of their relationship was from simple meet-cute to working together to stop the evil general from destroying the lands was great.

The romance in the book is more sidelined and the plot mostly focuses on the action, the adventure, the revenge. Not that it's a bad thing, it just makes the book all the more epic like. All the connections, the small pieces that fill the story just lift the book to higher levels.

As for character development; they were there but it happened fast and I was expecting the development to be shown a bit more.

The book is filled with action and
adventure. It is filled with betrayal and deception. It is filled with the want to do something, to be someone.

Jade Fire Gold's plot is fast-paced. As of now, it's a standalone but there is plenty of room for a sequel. The book doesn't feel like a standalone in any way because by the end of it you're left wanting more. Not wanting the story to end so soon. The plot twists were well placed and I didn't see a few of them coming. The world-building was nice and dense with some cultural elements that were tweaked to fit the plot of the book. Even though some important scenes felt a bit rushed because of the fast pace of the plot, the book is an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to what the author has in store for us next.

Unfortunately I wasn't convinced by this novel. I found the romance rushed, the main characters a little bland, and the pacing off, especially at the end.

Jade fire gold is a story that takes much inspiration from wuxia and xianxia, as explained by the author. These are Chinese genres inspired by martial arts and Chinese mythology, along with many Chinese traditions all set in ancient China. I think this is a good way to go about describing the kind of content you would find in this book.

This story is about Ahn and Altan, two people with secrets who end up finding each other and forming a tentative alliance. Ahn has powers that she must hide to keep herself alive, and Altan is on a quest for vengeance and it turns out Ahn might be the one person who can help him.

I have to admit that unfortunately I did not like this much very much. I found the characters to be very bland and there wasn’t much about them that I found memorable. While the imagery and mythology in the book was interesting, I just felt no real motivation to keep on reading.

The romance was very poorly paced. The characters went from reluctant allies to being “in love” with each other without any sort of real moments of connection.

Theres an established sapphic side couple who I really liked, there isn’t always a lot of sapphic rep in books and they were very cute. There’s also a budding mlm relationship that was also very sweet.

Overall this book wasn’t for me, but I think young readers new to YA and interested in Chinese mythology might find more luck with this than I did.

Jade, Fire, Gold pays homage to Xianxia and I absolutely loved all the elements of Chinese mythology and fantasy.

This is a really strong debut novel, the opening is particularly great and sucks you right into the world. I loved the motivations of the main characters and the connection between them despite the mistrust. I did want the romance to be slightly more developed but it was sweetly done. The side characters were also interesting and all made an impression.

I found it a really easy read with great world building and court intrigue, both elements I would have loved to have been explored even further. The ending provides a great set up for a sequel which I really hope is the case!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jade Fire Gold is heavily inspired by the xianxia genre. I only started watching Chinese dramas last year. I prefer watching modern romance dramas but I did watch a little of xianxia dramas.

I enjoyed Atlan and Ahn’s voices. I like the dynamic between them. This book is like watching a xianxia movie since it’s standalone and it’s fast-paced for the most part. It was slow in the middle. I wished it was evenly paced since the ending was a bit abrupt. I like how the epilogue is a tease of something like a post-credit scene of a Marvel movie.

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read books ad give critical feedback to authors and publishers. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read the eARC of this book.

Apologies for the late review of this book.

This was a beautiful story that drew me into the fantasy world and I loved it. I have never read from June cl Tan before so I was nervous but I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author. the writing style was easy to read and I ate this whole book up in one sitting.

A disappointing debut with an excellent premise. I found the characters one-note and the story wanting. 2*

There's nothing I love More than a book full of complex characters and amazing world building. I could read this book 1000 times and love it just as much each time

I really enjoy this read! It was truly what I was expecting from a YA fantasy book :) Of course, I was drawn in after reading the comparison to Avatar the Last Airbender which I absolutely loved and I was not disappointed. The universe is very nice, the characters were relatable and the story itself kept me hooked. Also, a big plus tu have asian representation in a book, I felt at home. A very good read that I highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with this eArc.

Jade Fire Gold brings to life two very different characters who are both facing extreme circumstances, and asks them to show how they are handling them - and what they will do with the people they have been formed into. It was a book that was at time shocking and brutal, and at others touching and beautiful. It was incredibly emotive, and brilliantly powerful. There's no escaping the emotion and action that you'll encounter in these pages.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This debut novel from Tan is a must read for any ya fantasy fan. The books is about a young woman named Ahn who has to hide who they are and the magic they have from the world while the world is taking everything from her. This is working until her powers are relieved and the story starts.
While this is going on for Ahn a young man ,altan, is sent to kill her and when they realise there is more to their story than meet the eye.

The book opened with a bang and instantly had me hooked into the plot and chracter. I wanted to keep reading and figure out what was going one.. But about the 25% mark the book lost is fast pace and i got a little bored. Things started to happen and it didnt feel necessary to the story. But. i love the characters so i kept reading on.
What saved this book for me was the romance plot happening in the back. I love enemies to lovers and this book really hit the nail on the head with that. If you like fantasy epic tales with romance sub plots this will be for you