DRC provided by Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: Chinese-coded protagonists, lesbian Chinese-coded tertiary characters, gay Chinese-coded tertiary character, Chinese-coded secondary and tertiary characters.

Content Warning: violence, death, maiming, mentions of parental death, grief, loss, misogyny, sexism, torture.

Fire Jade Gold by June CL. Tan is an interesting Chinese-inspired fantasy debut about fate, family, revenge, political plots and magic.

Ahn is a young girl with no memories of her childhood.

Altan is a prince, masquerading as a foreigner, trying to take back his throne.

Two strangers whose fates are irreversibly intertwined.

Reviewing this book will be hard and not because I exceptionally loved it or hated it, but because I think the publishing world irrevocably ruined. A three-stars is not a low rating per se, at least for me, but in this case it is lower than what this book could have deserved as it had all the ingredients and promise to have been a great book (insta-love, slow-burn romance aside which is something I generally do not particularly like. Especially when the two characters are both given a point-of-view and the only obstacle between them is their stubbornness).

If I am not mistaken, I read or heard June say that her initial manuscript was definitely longer than the final one and while I understand that some cutting must be done, I reckon it happened excessively in this case. I cannot change my mind about the fact that had it been longer the book would have been extremely better and also this should have never been a standalone in the first place. The plot was too fast (everything happened so quickly and there was no time to appreciate the world-building or the magic system) and the side characters were given little to no time to shine as they deserved (I truly think that the novel would have worked better with multiple points-of-view).

Jade Fire Gold is a book I still would like to recommend, mostly because more readers would mean more chances to get the sequel this book needs and should have given in the first place.

Ahn believes herself to be nothing more than a desert orphan in the empire, struggling to make ends meet to care for herself and her grandmother, but a devastating encounter reveals that she possesses a destructive magic that leads her to cross paths with Altan, the lost prince seeking revenge against those who destroyed his family.

If you've watched your fair share of wuxia and xianxia dramas, you'll sink right into this book. It's a fun amalgamation of YA fantasy with Chinese fantasy, borrowing familiar tropes and bringing the reader into a world of martial artists, magical objects of great power, and delicious Chinese food. The world is lush with magic and adventure, and I would definitely enjoy more books in this series. I also appreciate the themes within the book about war and class disparity, although the book didn't necessarily do a lot with them.

That alone was enough to draw me in, but the story ambitiously tells the journeys of six characters: while Ahn and Altan are the main perspective characters, the side characters Linxi, Tang Wei, Tai Shun, and Leiye are all interesting additions working in the central plot. I found that the novel was a bit too ambitious, though, and that the characters didn't get enough space to develop as much as I would've liked. The fast-paced adventure plot forced the characters and their relationships to develop quickly, which ended up being underwhelming. I almost wish that this book had been longer, so there could have been just a little bit more.

Overall, Jade Fire Gold is a fun read that was ultimately too short for its full potential to be utilized. I look forward to any future books in this world.

I always enjoy dipping into a fantasy book although it isn't something I do as often as I would like due to feeling slightly apprehensive about starting an ARC for a series and knowing the next installments might be years away. Jade, Fire, Gold stood out to me though and I'm glad I decided to give it a go.

In some ways the story is a little generic - a lower-class girl stealing to survive finds out she has an ancient lost power and gets thrust into the world of politics and war. I could certainly see a lot of influences of other fantasy stories such as Shadow and Bone and even Lord of the Rings in places and there's nothing particularly original here. I liked the idea of magic vs religion where both have pretty much the same powers and the Priests are using their authority to cast the other side into exile. I would have liked a little more exploration into the magic system - even Ahn's Lifestealing magic wasn't really explained very well.

I liked that the story is split into two perspectives - we get a few chapters from Ahn alternating with chapters from lost heir Altan which kept the story well-paced and interesting. For a debut novel the writing was really engaging and the story flowed well. The formatting of my Kindle ARC wasn't great though - with a picture between each chapter which took up about 4 pages and interrupted my reading experience - hopefully this will be fixed for publication. I was also a little sad that I didn't really feel anything for either of the characters or their chemistry with each other. They were both a little wooden and I wasn't really believing or routing for the relationship. I kept waiting for the reveal that she was his long-lost sister as well which made the romance aspect a bit jarring in the beginning.

The story itself could easily be a stand-alone book, however the ending did leave events open to a new storyline which is much nicer than a massive cliff-hanger! Although the plot had a lot of build-up the end seemed very rushed and it all got a little confusing with me thinking I had missed a few chapters! I was content with the ending though and it could just be left without a follow-up if needed.

Overall, Jade, Fire, Gold is a slightly generic fantasy story with wooden main characters but it's an engaging read and has some interesting ideas which I hope are explored further in future books. Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Who doesn't love reading Chinese mythology with a twisty plot? What an epic journey theis book takes you on it has you hooked in only less then 50 pages!

Unfortunately the formatting of the ARC did not agree with my Kindle and made it illegible. I tried to redownload and alter sizing but this didn't help. Large bits of text seem to be missing and images are skewing across multiple pages.

I am looking forward to buying my own copy of this still but don't feel comfortable trying to read the ARC in its current format. It's a DNF for now with a review, not influenced by formatting, to come at a later date

Thank you so much Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with this arc.
I'm still a little amazed just how fast paced this book was, I literally read it within a whole day.
This book was really fun to read. I loved all the characters so much, especially Ahn and Altan, our main characters, their dynamic was just perfect. I also loved how many of my favorite troupes were played.
I really liked how the plot was going for the first two thirds of the book but at the end I felt like I was a little bit lost on what was happening. Fortunately I really liked how the book ended so that's great.
The only downside of this book was that it was so fast paced that I felt like we really had no time to connect with each of the characters. So that in the end I really didn't care that much about them. I think especially the character and plot could be a little more developed.
Overall I enjoyed reading the book and totally recommend it to anyone who loves "Avatar: The Last Airbender", you'll totally love this book!

Set in a fantasy world inspired by Chinese history, 'Jade Fire Gold' is an exciting adventure story. The author combines recognisable aspects of Chinese culture with the South-East Asian myths and legends she grew up with, and the result is a gorgeously imagined world, a strong plot, and an engaging cast of characters. The magical elements add excitement to the central storyline and the setting, which feels like 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', or 'The Last Airbender' on the page instead of the screen.

Ahn lives with her grandmother in a small desert town. The desert is spreading, and survival in town is a struggle. The Diyeh priests are ruthless in their control over the use of magic, and the people live in fear of their punishments. When Ahn discovers her own magical powers, she finds herself on a terrifying journey, leaving everything - and everyone - she knows behind.

Altan is a wanderer with a dangerous secret. He's the heir to the Dragon Throne, and he's safe as long as everyone thinks he was killed along with his family when his Uncle took the throne.

Altan wants revenge on the Emperor's family for the death of his parents and his sister. Ahn's powers might be the key to his success. After a chance meeting in the desert, Ahn and Altan find themselves on a mission to find the White Jade Sword - the magical artefact that could conquer the desert and restore Altan to the throne.

There's a lot to unpack in this book. Ahn and Altan have their own stories, motivations, and plotlines, and it was refreshing to read a quest story where the two main characters embark on their journey for different reasons. This isn't a story about a hero and a sidekick - both storylines are equally important, and there is a constant tension as their motivations clash, and they have to decide how much to trust each other.

The secondary characters are complex and interesting. From Ahn's grandmother and Altan's travelling companions to the Crown Prince and Altan's childhood friends, everyone has a role in the story, and an individual voice.

The magical elements of the story are introduced and described with a healthy sense of wonder. The system of magic feels real, while inspiring a sense of awe in the reader. The author is channelling every martial arts film and every immortal hero TV series she has seen, and making it work on the page.

This is a gripping read with a gorgeous setting, a wonder-filled magical system, and relatable, interesting characters. If you're a fan of the 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' or 'The Last Airbender' aesthetic, this book takes those visuals and works its own magic to put them into words.

If you're looking for a fantasy adventure with hidden princes, magic and romance, then you should definitely check this one out. It was fast-paced, fun and gripping, with complex characters and richly detailed world-building.

JADE FIRE GOLD feels like someone took a series of an epic fantasy series and put it into a 450 page book. You have all this mythology and tangled pasts (the three main boys have this interwoven mess of a childhood and all these hurts and friendships.) There is a quest, and of course a relationship full of up and downs. A deposed crown prince everyone thinks dead, and a girl with the dangerous magic. It's a romp, and you can see it translating perfectly into a TV show.

There were a few points where things seemed to happen too easily. This is a reasonably short(ish) book and it covers months and a lot of physical group. It did mean that there's often not a lot of time getting characters between events, and sometimes not much time spent on the event itself. It's not always noticeable, but there were a few points where it seemed like things happened a tad too fast.

A full series from a single book only tends to work for long books or where there are additions made - but this feels like the entire series was put into the book. It's a consequence of the YA industry having very short word count standards. Stories that are fantasy epics (like this) have to cram stuff in.

The relationship between Ahn and Altan goes through so many ups and downs of attraction and various secrets pushing them apart. It's another thing that felt like it suffered a bit from the word count constraint as there were so many ups and downs it was like a rollercoaster, but generally it was quite fun to just see it like someone going "and across a 10 episode show there will be a lots of ups and down because each episode needs something - let's recreate this in book format."

The funny thing about the relationship is that I read the blurb and went "they're going to fall in love," then read the epilogue and went "nah, she's the missing sister." And then they met for the first time and were instantly going "oh, hot" and I very much hoped my initial assumption about the relationship was correct (it was.)

I don't know if this is a standalone or the start of a duology. I thought it was a duology, then did some digging and it looks to be a standalone. The books feels like a standalone, until the epilogue which is definitely trying to set up a sequel.

*3.5 rounded up*

TL;DR:

A slow burn that was dead easy to read. Just didn’t fall in love with it.

I feel like a shitlord for saying this, but I’m struggling to remember what happened. I know I enjoyed this book in some way, shape or form (I rate things straight afterwards), but my poor brain has booked a one-way ticket to Forgotsville. After a bit of re-reading, this is what you’re in for:

✨ ~forbidden~ magic
✨ a wee thorn reclaiming job
✨ rags to riches vibes
✨ motherfucking REVENGE

Our main gal is Ahn. Like most in the YA world, her life has been anything but rosy. Ditched as a child and adopted by a nice older lady, Ahn is on the bottom rung of the poverty ladder. Naturally (as most do when they’re desperate), she dabbled in a wee bit of thievery which landed her down shit alley. Trying to escape with the sword she’d yoinked, her ~forbidden~ magic wooshes out her fingies and causes a chunk of chaos.

Whilst Ahn is wreaking havoc in the background, Atlan is lording it up as a secret prince whilst mourning the loss of his mother and sister. I’m also pretty sure he loses an eye at some point (?!) – maybe…
Anyway, this lad is dead keen to get his stolen throne back from his uncle and has no qualm about using nice people to get what he wants.

Basically two separate stories on a collision path that will bounce from ‘I’m going to straight-up murder you’, to ‘we could maybe be pals’ right to ‘ohh we could do the no pants dance’.


I loved the premise of this book so hard that I slammed the request button on Netgalley but this is a very slow burn with characters I just didn’t fall in love with.

Would I yell about this book to everyone I meet in the street? Probably not.

Will I read more in this world/by this nice author? Yes.

This is the perfect example of all the great elements of a truly epic fantasy series all in one book! I absolutely loved it and was gripped from beginning to end. Everything was excellent. The characters, the story, the pacing. I can’t fault it!

Unfortunately the formatting of the download of this arc is all wrong on my kindle. Big chunks of text seem to be missing and there are large sections of images that break the story up in strange places.

Don’t want incorrect formatting to influence my enjoyment so I’ll be DNFing for now until I get a better copy! I’m really looking forward to this one. Thank you.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for this arc of Jade Fire Gold by June CL Tan.

This is an easy to read fantasy, with a lush, well-built world which captivates the reader from the first page. The pacing, the writing style and the characters - in particular Ahn - create a wonderful reading experience and, up until the very end, offers plot twists and narratives which are both unexpected and very welcome.

Ahn and Altan find themselves as unlikely allies in helping Altan reclaim the throne; especially as one will have to kill the other in the end.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The narrative is split between Ahn and Altan.
Ahn is a peasant girl from a starving village near the ever-expanding desert.
The only family she has is her poorly grandmother, and Ahn can't afford the medicine any more. In an attempt to save her grandmother, Ahn tries (and fails) to steal a sword to sell. This ends with Ahn revealing that she has forbidden magic, and getting taken by a band of violent priests to the capital.

Altan was once the heir to the throne, but this was stolen by his uncle. All of Altan's family have been killed, and everyone thinks he is dead.
He learns of a Life Stealer - a rare and deadly magic-user, and plans to kill them to break the curse of the desert threatening the empire.

This started really well. I enjoyed the world that had been created. That magic existed, but was vilified, and only Diyeh priests can use it, making them an even more formidable force "keeping the peace".
The first half of the book, Ahn and Altan go about their separate stories, and fate only weaves them together later. At first I was disappointed at this separation; but in the end, I thought it was a very strong choice. You get to know the characters better, and the side characters and larger world are established.

The not-so-good.
I thought the pacing slowed a bit when they finally came together and went on an (unnecessary) journey; giving Ahn and Altan time to get to know each other, but it was hard to stay invested.
I thought the romance between them was understated in their words and actions (i.e. no mushiness - I like having no mushiness); but at the same time it was overstated in the narrative.

I also thought that the story wavered a little with what it wanted to be. For the most part, it felt like it was going to make a strong stand-alone; then changed its mind and became the first book in the series, giving a rather diluted ending.

Overall, this was a 3.5 out of 5 for me. It had some interesting storylines, and I'm interested in reading the rest of the series.

This is very much a blow by blow classic fantasy YA. I was hoping for something a bit more innovative but found it wanting. The hero and heroine are boring and the romance was too heteronormative and angsty for my taste.

This is easily one of the best fantasy books I have read this year.

There is nothing too graphic in this, but still, I will put up a trigger warning for physical violence.

Imagine a world with a divided magic system governed by power-hungry, corrupt rulers. It favours the strong and the rich while further oppressing the needy. It's fate and future depends upon the actions of our two MCs. Both are orphans, abandoned when they were kids. While one seeks vengeance, other is trying to escape destiny. Their paths collide and what comes next is a quest full of dangers, adventures and magic.

This book has a perfect blend of mythology and magic. It has mythological creatures granting magical wishes. I am totally in for this!

Not only this, the book also has a strong plot and well written storyline to support it. There are so many twists and turns! I could guess a few of them but some were totally unexpected.

I was 100% fully, completely immersed in this book the entire time I was reading it. That itself is an indicator of how good the story was!

The characters are so lovable, we can't help but root for them! Even the side characters. I just loved all of them! I wanted more of their friendship and camaraderie and love.

The ending was so well executed. Up untill the very last page, I was sure that this was going to be a standalone, BUT that last page completely threw me off!
Now I am sure there will be sequel and I CANNOT WAIT to pick it up!

find it meaningful that the author has drawn up her own feelings and experiences of Chinese culture within this book, it makes it even more meaningful to read.
There are some content warnings to read before reading and can be found in the authors Goodreads page. I like that thus has been included as there could be quite a few triggering things for different people but I understand why they were included, it makes the book what it is.

The world building was well done and the writing beautifully captured. I will definitely be reading this one again!

Thank you so much to the publisher for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review.

Ahn and Altan are very different from one other. Ahn is an orphan, poor and without a true home, while Altan is the lost heir of the empire, his family killed and he looking for revenge and to get his throne back. When magic and fate bring them together, they are forced to help one other and save everyone and their country, discovering secrets and falling in love.

I loved reading this book! The writing style is amazing and the worldbuilding really fascinating, even though I wish I knew more about it. The enemies to lovers romance is nice, even though I couldn't see much chemistry between them.
Still the characterization is good, I loved Altan more then Ahn and the story is captivating and really well written. Definitely recommend it.

His thirst for revenge and her unknown destiny intertwines before they even meet. Brought up by her adoptive grandmother, all Ahn knew was poverty and hardships. She never expected to be someone crucial in the world. Meanwhile, her magic is threatening to ruin the life that she knows. If it was discovered that she possessed forbidden magic, the Diyeh priests would burn her at the stake. Long gone was the peaceful empire built by his father. Bidding his time, Altan is somewhat ready to reclaim his rightful place. Alone in the world, without his parents and sister, Altan seeks a way to destroy the Life Stealer due to immense guilt inherited from an ancestor’s past actions.

Ahn’s hardy, independent and trusting. Though thrown into a world she never knew before, she adapted well. Broody and mysterious Altan has a difficult past. Witnessing his father’s murder and then losing both his mother and twin sister, Altan walked the earth alone. Their dynamic was pretty interesting at the beginning, but I thought things developed a little too quickly between them.

For someone who grew up with wuxia (武俠) and xianxia (仙侠) TV shows, Jade Fire Gold was bumped up my most anticipated releases of the year list. To differentiate the two genres, characters in xianxia practice qigong to attain immortality with supernatural powers set in a world with immortal beings such as gods, monsters, and mythical creatures involved. In fact, TV series such as Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms (三生三世十里桃花) and The Untamed (陈情令) are some of my recent favorites. Wuxia features martial heroes who typically devote themselves to fighting evil and aiding the helpless. I remember watching The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) on repeat when I was younger.

Since this is a xianxia-inspired novel, I did wish there were more elements of it. It might just be me for being overly picky though. Most of the xianxia/wuxia novels and TV shows follow the journey of the protagonist for years while they cultivate and become stronger. However, I would have to take into account that Jade Fire Gold is a standalone (that epilogue!!) With these limited pages, I believe June C.L. Tan did her best to explore the world of xianxia and its core elements.

I adored the elements of Chinese mythology. The Mandate of Heaven in which the Emperor is deemed worthy of ruling China with the blessings of the gods is an aspect that was explored. Dragons and phoenixes are common mythical creatures in Chinese stories. When mentioned together, they could describe fraternal twins (龙凤胎) which could be a nod to Altan and his twin sister.

Ultimately, I enjoyed June C.L. Tan’s debut novel. Jade Fire Gold definitely satisfied my need for more xianxia/wuxia content. However, I would have liked if there were more time to develop things properly. Though I liked their individual journey, I wanted more yearning and longing between Ahn and Altan, and more wuxia fighting. Despite that, being able to read a story embedded with Chinese mythologies and culture just warms my heart. With that epilogue, I’m hoping we get a continuation from June C.L. Tan because I’m intrigued.

Marketed as: ‘Girls of Paper and Fire meets A Song of Wraiths and Ruin in June CL Tan's stunning debut, where ferocious action, shadowy intrigue, rich magic, and a captivating slow-burn romance collide.’

Jade Fire Gold does a splendid job of enticing you into its wonderfully crafted world of the Shi empire with adventure and magic brimming at the turn of each page.

Straight of the bat I really do have to praise Tan for the worldbuilding it definitely is the forefront best aspect of the story. From the beautiful poetic descriptions to the elemental magic system, you can’t help but be roped into the intricacy and wonder of East Asian influence.

Tan uses the dual POV narrative of Ahn and Altan to not only tell the story that is Jade Fire Gold but also to share her own intimate experiences of her Chinese heritage. That is why I love and will always champion for BIPOC stories. It takes a great deal of courage to put for many authors of colour to put their authentic lived experiences into their work knowing the very real repercussions it may have for them. But that authenticity is activism in itself. Which Tan does with such grace it’s truly admirable.

As mentioned Jade Fire Gold is told through the perspectives of Ahn and Altan. Throughout the novel, it’s a delight to see how the two of them develop throughout the story. Ahn and Altan are fleshed out enough to keep you engaged in the story. Along with the cast of side characters - everyone character has a distinctive voice that follows in the story.

With the fantastical magic, tension, royal and political intrigue it’s hard not to love what this story has to offer. With Tan easy-going writing style Jade Fire Gold is definitely a book not only great for seasoned YA readers but for those who want to dabble into the YA fantasy sphere for the first time as well.

Now, of course, the romance - when I say SLOW BURN I mean it for real. So if you slow-burn lover Ahn and Altan romance will be right up your alley. Their story was quite endearing to see develop especially with both having to explore what it means to forgive and heal before opening yourself to be receptive to love. Oh and my girls Chen Linxi and Tang Wei. They were mad adorable I only wish in the book we got to explore more their relationship. The LGBT+ rep (flf and mlm) is done effortlessly - the queernorm of the story is nice because its just part and parcel of the world and accepted.

My only little qualm maybe is the pacing. It definitely felt it fluctuated from time to time. The first ⅗ of the book was absolutely fine. But by the last two ⅖ the pacing felt a tiny bit rushed. But you know what I can tell that slide because overall the story was way too enjoyable.

Overall, Jade Fire Gold is an amazing book that can’t go unnoticed. With a mesmerising world full of divided loyalties, light vs dark, and much more (find out when you read the book)
for Tan to produce a beautiful debut novel I can wait to see what she has next to share. For real is there going to be a book 2 because the ending let me in shock. I need answers June, please

Jade Fire Gold is one of those reads that stick with you because the adventure of the story comes to life in front of your very own eyes.

Star Rating: 4.75/5

Thank you so much Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an e-arc of Jade Fire Gold in exchange for an honest review.

All the thoughts and opinions above are my own

Please view the trigger warnings on the author’s website prior to reading