Look, I am biased. Easiest 5 stars I gave (and my only one for the year so far). I love the Kauls and they have been living in my head rent free since Jade City. It’s always a delight to go back to Janloon, this time, to go back in time and get a glimpse of the lives of the Kaul siblings, including Anden, as well as Aun Uremayada and Ayt Mada pre-Jade City. I love how these short stories just added more weight to the characters and our understanding of them in the series. A particular favorite is Not Only Blood, the Lan-centric short story, not just because I love Lan, but also because it’s the most family-centric story which has always been my favorite part of the trilogy. I’ve already read this particular story several times from Fonda’s Patreon, but every time, it still gives me all the feels.

“(…) they were so real and relatable to me that at times during the writing I felt as much a family biographer as a novelist.” The best thing, in my opinion, about this short book is not even the stories, but the introduction and author’s notes at the end of each story. I always love getting a glimpse of the thought processes of authors when they write their stories.

This part of the Introduction, in particular, just struck a chord within me: “The term epic fantasy conjures an expectation of vast continents, kingdoms and armies, the rise and fall of nations. But there is also an epic scale to be found in a single life. In the seasons of a marriage. In seeing one’s children grow into adulthood. In passing hopes and dreams, as well as burdens and sorrows from one generation to another.” I’ve always raved about the geopolitics and economics as one of my favorite parts of GBS, but it’s precisely this epic family saga that made this series special to me. The Kauls felt like real characters to me, and spending almost three decades with them in three books felt like I grew with them too, that I was part of their family. This is why I kept joking that I also felt like I aged 20 years after reading Jade Legacy.

I know this short story collection is Fonda’s farewell to the characters, but I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to say goodbye to them. Ms. Fonda Lee, if you feel like adding 10 more short stories about the 3rd gen kids and other side characters like Woon Papi (my love) and Lott Jin, I will be here waiting.

Verdict: highest recommendations (but only if you’ve finished the trilogy)

Thanks to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fonda Lee has done it again. I absolutely love the Green Bone Saga- upon reading Jade City, it swiftly made its way to the top of the list of my favorite book series of all time. Lee's characters, setting, and storyline drew me in and has stayed with me ever since. So when I heard she was writing a short story collection about some of the characters from the series, set prior to the events of the main trilogy, I had to read them.

This collection has four short stories: "The Witch and Her Friend," a backstory for Ayt Mada; "Not Only Blood," a story that fleshes out the relationship between Lan and his adoptive nephew, Anden; "Better Than Jade," the story of how Hilo and Wen became a couple; and "Granddaughter Cormorant," a story depicting Shae's life before her exile from Kekon.

I flew through all of these stories, reading the entire collection in one night. Once I began reading, I could not stop. I loved all four stories- I couldn't choose a favorite if I tried. I would say the one I was least interested in (and that's not saying much- I was deeply interested in them all) was Shae's story. But if you've always wanted to know some of the history and background of some of Lee's extraordinary characters, she gives it to you in spades in this short but wonderful collection.

If you can get your hands on a copy of this book and you're a fan of Fonda Lee and the Green Bone Saga, I highly suggest you read this book. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Rating: ALL THE STARS

My thanks to NetGalley and Fonda Lee for providing both an E-ARC and a physical ARC of this amazing book.

The Green Bone Saga is one of my favorite trilogies of all time, so I leapt at the opportunity to read an early copy of this collection. It was such a joy to step back into a familiar world, with familiar characters (pre-all the trauma from the main trilogy :')), and I loved every moment of these four stories.

The Witch and Her Friend: This story featured the main antagonist of the original trilogy, Ayt Mada, as a child, from the perspective of one of her close friends (who later turns out to be Anden's mother!). It was so interesting seeing her from a different perspective, complicated in a different way from the main POVs of the trilogy. I enjoyed getting some insight into both these women, especially in seeing how their girlhoods led to and influenced their womanhoods.

Not Only Blood: Lan and Anden backstory... honestly, I don't think I'll ever get over their dynamic. After two and a half books of grieving Lan, I both loved and was devastated to see him again. Getting to learn more of Anden's backstory also added so much to the original trilogy—I was able to draw so many parallels in Anden's life that made me feel for him even more.

Better Than Jade: WENHILO BACKSTORY!!! These two were my absolute favorite couple from the original trilogy, and in many ways the heart and core of those three books and 30+ years, and this story was just so fluffy and good and everything I need in life, honestly. Fonda Lee is a genius at characterization, and even in these few pages Wen and Hilo's distinctive personalities shone through. I got to see exactly why and how they fit together so well, but it was also so interesting to see seeds of what would later become major conflicts in their relationship.

Granddaughter Cormorant: Shae, my beloved! I'm so glad this story exists. It gives us a glimpse into an early, young, naive version of Shae, infatuated with Gerald, on a mission for Espenia. She's so different from even the Shae at the beginning of Jade City and thus presents a side of Shae we've only ever heard of through backstories and exposition. Even though I knew she was ultimately making a mistake, I still resonated with and understood how she was feeling, as a young woman under a patriarchal environment. And, of course, it was fun to read about her youthful confidence and badassery—the latter of which is a trait she will retain through all of her life.

It feels so good to be back in Janloon! As a huge fan of the Greenbone Saga, this look into the lives of prominent characters before the beginning of Jade City is so satisfying. Fonda Lee’s characters and world building are so complete that it truly feels like I’ve been dumped into another world and at the same time it isn’t overwrought with tiny details.

While marked as (#.75) because it takes place chronologically before the beginning of Jade City, it would be best appreciated after the reading of the full trilogy. This short story collection gives fans what they want, and I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s input and explanations of the stories she chose to include.

i could read anything about my favorite nepo babies and give it 5 stars. This is my favorite family, my favorite world and my favorite heart wrenching, gut sinking trilogy.

i thank fonda lee for giving me more of them everyday.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first 5 star review of 2023! Loved it! Even though I was new to the Green Bone Saga. I will for sure be continuing. Check out the full review on my Booktube channel.

A short story collection from my favs, ABSOLUTELY! I was so excited for a short story collection back in this world and Fonda Lee gave me the background stories I wanted. These short stories made my heart so happy, giving a little bit more context to information we knew about our characters. Short and sweet the only thing I would have loved more from this collection is more stories, there’s only four following four different characters. I also would have LOVED more background about the spear and torch of Kekon. That backstory really set the world-building of Jade City and I would have loved a story about the two of them. Though you can read this collection after Jade City, I highly recommend after Jade Legacy, because it hits different once the series is over, you’ll want to come back and read this collection to spend more time with your favorites.

If you were a fan of the Green Bone Saga Trilogy, definitely pick this up. Reading these books felt like a special "director's cut" especially with the author's commentary following each of the four stories. I loved that we got to see more of the characters before the events of the trilogy, and it really felt like a quick dive back into an immersive world that I really enjoyed. I felt a glimpse of all the big emotions I felt during my read of the trilogy and it was great to revisit these beloved characters. A huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eArc of this collection in exchange for my thoughts!

I am a huge fan of Fonda Lee’s, and I was absolutely thrilled when I got offered the advance copy of her new collection of short stories set in her Janloon universe to review. I will say this to begin with, if you’re not already immersed in this world, go start at the beginning with Jade City. It’s one of my favorite urban fantasy worlds to spend time in, and I bet you’ll truck through the whole universe. But if you’re not deeply immersed in the lore of this world, these stories will have no meaning to you.

Like with any collection of short stories, there were some I resonated with more so than others. I found the first two particularly compelling. And the stories really are like little shards of a precious stone. Not sufficient to stand on their own and yet still a delightful sparkle to look at. My only complaint is that I would have appreciated more stories. With the very small number of stories in this collection it ended up feeling slightly underwhelming and incomplete, though I did enjoy spending more time in this world.

If you’re a fan of Janloon and want to fully immerse yourself in the world, you’ll be delighted by at least some of these stories. However, the rich and expansive world plays better, in my opinion on the more epic scale of the novels.

I received a free advance copy in exchange for this honest review.


Will be posted next week to instagram goodreads and my personal website.

Jade Shards by Fonda Lee is an exceptional collection of short stories that serve as a prelude to the events in "The Green Bone Saga," particularly the first book, Jade City. Brace yourself for an immersive experience as you dive into the following captivating stories:

<i>The Witch and Her Friend</i>

<i>Not Only Blood</i>

<i>Better Than Jade</i>

<i>Granddaughter Cormorant</i>


Without divulging too much, I can confidently say that this novella offers a quick and effortless read. It is an absolute must read for any true Green Bone fan, effortlessly transporting you back to the vibrant city of Janloon and rekindling your deep affection for the series. Prepare to be spellbound once again!

I've missed these characters after reading Jade Legacy last year, and it's good to see more of their backstory. Anyone who was wanting to revisit Kekon should definitely pick this up; my only complaint is that there wasn't more of it-- the shorter stories just didn't let me settle in like the trilogy did, but you can still feel happy for the happy couple and the Ayt and Kaul kids trying to find their place in the world.

(Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy :D )

I'll start by admitting that I have yet to read the Green Bone Saga, although it's been on my TBR for a while now. I was hoping that this collection would help me get a feel for whether I want to move it up on my list or not. I understood that the characters would be familiar, but was hoping it would be standalone enough that I wouldn't be lost; however, in the preface, the author tells readers that they should really read at least Jade City first, which I hadn't. I had already had my request granted through Netgalley, so I forged onward.

In some ways, not reading the series wasn't a huge issue, and in fact probably makes reading the short stories a far different experience. I had no loyalty or preconceptions about the characters, leaving me free to form an opinion without knowing what they go on to do. If and when I do read the series, I'm sure these vignettes will help me understand the characters and place them in their settings, especially since these stories were less stories and more short character studies focused around a character at a specific point in time.

Things I enjoyed: Lee melds urban(?) fantasy with a family saga seamlessly; although these stories were short, it was clear that the families and their relationships were at the heard of the series, even more so than the titular jade. The characters seemed appropriately motivated by a complex web of desires and relationships, and each were flawed in their own way. The first two stories were definitely the strongest; the relationship between Ayt Mada and Aun Ure was interesting, and it sounds like it never gets shown in the full series. I think Aun Ure was one of the more interesting characters, which makes it a shame that it sounds like she stays mostly in the prequels. The second story was a good introduction to Kaul Lan, establishing what kind of person he is before he fully comes into his power.

I'm putting the worldbuilding in between what I enjoyed and didn't enjoy, because it was a mixed bag. The idea of jade as a conduit for magical abilities and its integral part in the social and political landscape in Kekon was well conceived and woven throughout every story; each character had their own relation to jade, which helped further develop their personality. The clans and the families running them worked well as the central units of the story, serving as a great way for us to learn about the characters and their relationships. I was intrigued by the mentions of the war that happened even before these stories; despite not being thoroughly described, it was clear that it had an impact on both individual characters and the clans as a whole.

What I didn't like about the worldbuilding is probably just a personal preference issue. I read that Lee said that Janloon is not based on Hong Kong, but rather Asia in general (a broad and varied place to be inspired by!), but Janloon, Kowloon... The comparison is incredibly clear, at least to me. Same with Espenia; whether it was intended or not, I immediately thought of Espana/Spain, and I think most other readers would as well. I also thought some of the jade abilities leaned into the cliche; channeling through jade made sense to me, but by the time Shae was jumping up walls barefooted like the characters in the old iPhone app NinJump and using moves that were Capitalized To Show That They're Important like Deflection, Lightness, and Steel, I felt it got a little corny. Again, this is probably just a "not my cup of tea" situation.

What I didn't like: Although I understand that this collection is meant to be read by people familiar with the Green Bone Saga, the stories didn't clearly situate me in the world, and I think they very easily could have. After the first story, I thought that this was a sword and sorcery Asian-inspired fantasy with very little to no technology (think Naruto). In the second story I realized that they had telephones (ok, so more like Fullmetal Alchemist). The third story made me thoroughly rethink that, introducing cars, restaurants, fancy hotels, private yachts (now I'm thinking These Violent Delights)...I only truly got a feel for what level of technological development they were at when I read that the war was supposed to be analogous to World War II. Forming an impression and then immediately having it changed several times was confusing, and while it isn't necessary, I think that details that more clearly define the setting could have been present throughout.

Another thing that bummed me out was that, with the exception of Ayt Mada, the women seemed to all make their decisions solely based on the men that they were either related to or in love with. Aun Ure's downfall starts with her marrying a foreigner. Wen's only personality trait is being the perfect girlfriend in every way for Hilo, despite them having very little substantial interaction (also, the term stone eye? Used so many times but never explained). Kaul Shae consistently makes very reckless and stupid decisions in order to win favor from a variety of men, from her grandfather to her foreigner boyfriend to his foreigner friends. She even accepts being called property in order to further ingratiate herself with her foreign boyfriend. Yes, this is characterization and, yes, women seem to fave some level of misogyny in this universe as well, but it was disappointing that the men had complex motivations based on honor, family, friends, love, etc, while the women's motivations always went back to pleasing some man or another.

I personally could not stand the third story, which was the love story of Wen and Hilo. There's absolutely nothing to it! He's chivalrous and strong and sexy and dominant; she is caring and understanding and submissive and magical in bed. Never mind that they barely have any conversations that aren't just about how in love they are. Perhaps readers who met them in the original series would have more reason to appreciate this story, but it was far too saccharine and unconvincing for me. Lee herself described it as writing fan fiction in her own universe, and this story felt aggressively like fan fiction, right down to the unnecessary sex scene and the detail that they got it on 7 times in 24 hours.

On the whole, this was a solid collection that would be most appreciated by fans of the Green Bone Saga with some familiarity with the world. The first two stories intrigued me enough that I'll likely read them eventually, but the second two were disappointing enough that it's not on the top of my list.

Thank you dearly to Subterranean Press and NetGalley for this arc!

This novella was such an enriching addition to the Green Bone Saga and is definitely mandatory reading for everyone who has read the original trilogy. I deeply missed for favourite fictional siblings of all time, and seeing a younger and bright-eyed version of the Kaul family was so fun and nostalgic to read. I also loved getting more background on both Ayt Mada and Aun Ure; it made their role in the series so much more compelling.

This truly solidified that Fonda Lee has written some of my favourite characters of all time and that she is one of few who can pull on my emotions as deftly as she can. I have nothing more to say, my heart full.

4.5 stars!
I read Fonda's books back then and I need to re read the Green Born Saga series and this Jade Shards reminded me of how much I missed the series hehehe. I love Fonda's writing style and I definitely will be reading Jade Shards again after I re read the series hehehe.

This made me realize just how much I love and appreciate Fonda Lee's writing style. She has such a way of crafting complex and intriguing characters, and writing them very succinctly. I've always said that her writing is not flowery, it's not beautiful, but it does exactly what it sets out to do and does it well. I've missed these characters and this collection of short stories solidifies Fonda Lee as my favorite author, and an auto-buy author forever for me.

Another banger by Fonda Lee! The Green Bone Saga is my favorite fantasy series in the world, and to have another installment of it is always such a joy. All the stories were incredible (even if Granddaughter Cormorant wasn't my favorite, as I'm always a character over plot girl). The added context to all of these characters were wonderful, and the insight to dynamics we already knew, like Lan and Anden, added so much to the original trilogy and my love for it. I'll continue to be involved and cheer for Lee's career (and hopefully a spin-off or two for this series......?!?).

These were nice vignettes of events that happened before Jade City. I went into Jade Shards, wanting to read The Witch and her Friend the most as it is narrated by Anden's long dead Mother, Aun Ure. The story is about her friendship with Ayt Mada and how they grew apart. Despite being well written, it suffered from not having enough pages, or feeling canonical to the Green Bone Saga. I would like to read a whole novel or novella about Aun Ure and Ayt Mada. Not enough pages for them here, it felt like I was being told they where friends and not shown it.

The other stories in the novella provided back ground for events discussed in Jade City, and as such did much better with the short story format. Fonda Lee writes compelling and interesting characters that are so multilayered, you can imagine that they are real people. The story of Hilo and Wen's courtship was probably my favorite of the novella as there is this scene with Wen and a new(?) character that is subtle but further reinforces Wen as a Force.

It is quick, and well worth the read to flesh out the Kaul's more, and should be read after at minimum Jade City, but ideally after Jade War. If you like The Green Bone Saga, you will like Jade Shards. Thank you to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for the free copy!

1 squealed with joy when I receiving the email saying I was approved for an ARC of Jade Shards by Fonda Lee. The Green Bone Saga is one of my favorites fantasy series and I really enjoy Fonda Lee's writing. I knew being back in this world for these short stories would be bittersweet and it was. Can’t wait to see what Fonda Lee writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley , Subterranean Press and Fonda Lee for a copy of this ARC

It was so nice to revisit some of my favorite characters again and see their backstory expanded. This was definitely a treat. I already loved this saga so much but having these short stories to further flesh this world out was great. I’m sad that this is the end for the Green Bone saga but Fonda Lee really did right by the series and the characters!

Jade Shards by Fonda Lee is a collection of four prequel short stories that follow the characters from the Green Bone Saga. While I don’t think you have to read the Green Bone Saga to enjoy this collection, it won’t mean as much without the prior knowledge of the characters as it doesn’t go too much into detail about who they are.

I really enjoyed this collection overall. I thought two stories were really fantastic and the other two were enjoyable. The story that followed Hilo and Wen was adorable (and a bit spicier than I was expecting). I would honestly love a whole prequel novel just getting backstories of all the characters. At the beginning of Jade City, you are kind of dropped in with these characters and you don’t really get to see a ton of the past.

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoyed the Green Bone Saga and wants more from that world. While nothing in here felt particularly high stakes, it was nice seeing more of the characters. I also enjoyed Fonda Lee’s reasoning for each story because it added an extra layer of context.