Jade Fire Gold is an exceptionally fun swashbuckling ride of a book. Filled with magic, action, fate, and love; what else could you need from a story?

I enjoyed this book. I found the plot interesting and unpredictable. I really enjoyed how the characters, even the villains, were really complex. I will admit that the magic system confused me a bit but it was a pleasant read otherwise.

The emperor is dead and the priest are hunting down those with magic. With the country in mourning exiled prince Altan needs to find the life stealer, so that he can get revenge for the death of his family. Ahn is a poor peasant girl from the desert, trying to get medicine for her sick grandmother. When she is caught stealing a sword to sell, Ahn accidently unleashes her magic and turns her world upside down. Wanted by the priests, the empress, the rebel magic users and possibly by family she didn't know she had, Ahn must decide if she can trust Altan and who her magic might make her become.

This was a fun read. The world building was good. It has a great cast of characters, with alternating pov's of Altan and Ahn. The side characters are awesome and I would really really like more of them (fingers crossed). Both Altan and Ahn grew in this book, dealing with the consequences of their choices.

I hope that there is a sequel, because there needs to be.

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.

Jade Fire Gold was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021 and I’m happy to say that I had a great time with this xianxia inspired fantasy. I haven’t read a fantasy novel that’s this many pages in a long time, but I never got bored. There were many things to love about it.

First, I love that this story plays with familiar tropes from Western fantasy and Chinese xianxia. The Chinese-inspired setting was easy for me to immerse myself in as someone who grew up on a steady diet of period cdramas. It was fun to see how June tweaked and repurposed cultural elements that resonated with my experiences. For those who aren’t acquainted with them, she provides ample scaffolding to bring this world to life with poetically drawn descriptions.

Epic fantasy vibes aside, what really kept me invested in the story was the characters. The two main leads, Ahn and Altan, each have their own traumas and desires, and a cruel twist of fate brings them together for a life-or-death mission. I found myself questioning what choices and sacrifices they would make to reach their goals, and whether they’d succumb to their inner darkness.

At first, the romance between Ahn and Altan felt a little too insta-attraction-y for my tastes, but it gradually developed enough that I started genuinely rooting for them and dreading the star-crossed lovers trajectory of their relationship. Slow-burn enemies-to-lovers fans: this one’s for you.

I also really loved many of the supporting characters, particularly the four of who are explicitly queer (including a f/f pairing). The story really built up their personalities and backgrounds as their lives converged with Ahn’s and Altan’s, with some interesting twists thrown in. I was distraught any time it seemed like one of them was going to get hurt, or actually did get hurt. I would totally be down to read companion stories about any of them.

Although the conflict in this book gets resolved enough that it could stand alone, the epilogue of the story creates a clear jumping off point for a sequel. I’m guessing the publisher hasn’t committed to one yet until Jade Fire Gold succeeds, but I hope it happens since I am 👀👀👀 at the revelation in the epilogue. Fingers crossed and please check this book out to help make that book 2 a reality.

Loved this book so much! The worldbuilding was amazing and definitely a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy market. I was more invested in the side characters and pairing than the main characters though, I'd love to see another book following their stories.

I recommend this one. It's a good book and everyone should read. Of course I would love to have this book in my bookstore.

I asked for this book because it had everything i was looking for in a book it was queer it was chinese fantasy with an intriguing plot. which is why i’m sad to say that it fell short of my expectations. the writing was not good enough to hook me and i found myself dreading opening the book. i cant say it was what i was looking for personally but i always recommend giving it a try and i will be trying other books this author writes.

Jade Fire Gold was an exciting debut. Tan's attention to detail in the worldbuilding did not go unappreciated, and the way the characters fit into their setting makes me excited to see what the author does next. The pacing was a little strange at times, and the book does lean into some rather familiar tropes, but it did not ruin the experience by any means. Perhaps for my own personal preferences, I might have liked the story to be broken up into two books, but I still greatly enjoyed it within one!

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

OH MY GOD I am obsessed with this book. The setting, the characters, the conflict, the magic, the twists....If you're looking for a book you won't be able to put down, this is it! I am looking forward to more from this author!

𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 by June CL Tan is one of my anticipated reads this year. YA Fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology, with rich magic and an epic slow-burn romance, count me in! So when I got the opportunity to get the ARC of this book I'm beyond excited!

☾ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
This book really gripped my attention since the beginning. I honestly didn't expect that it will be so easy to follow the story considering it's a high fantasy novel.

I loved the premised and the world especially the magic system. 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘱𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥

Although I understand that a character-driven novel won't heavily rely on the plot, I do hope that the pacing could be more well-balanced. Some part just feels too rushed to conclude the event.

But still, I will say that this book is a solid debut novel and I'll highly recommend it especially if you are a fan of Asian-inspired fantasy stories.

☾ 𝟝 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕥𝕠 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝
- Amazing world. Chinese Mythology and the big influence of Xia Xia and wuxia made this world so enchanting.
- If you love a character-driven story, this book will be your perfect soulmate.
- All the fans of slow-burn romance, this book calling each of you
- Can't deny that I have the soft spots for all the sides characters that were part of our MC's circle. I love all of them 😍

Jade Fire Gold had great world-building; I really felt immersed both in the world and with the characters. I really enjoyed the writing style, and having dual povs in a ya fantasy was a refreshing change! I thought the romance was cute but a little rushed. And I felt that pacing was off-it seemed to be too slow in some places and too fast in others, this became apparent when we got to the palace.

Intrigue, betrayal, tension, and banter unite to form an excellent tale of enemies-to-lovers, revenge, and destiny in June C.L. Tan’s debut JADE FIRE GOLD.

In the Shi Empire, the Tiensai, elemental magic wielders, are believed to be the cause of the spreading desert that is slowly overtaking the empire. Ahn is a girl from one of the desert villages who possesses dangerous, forbidden magic and must hide her powers in order to escape the notice of the Diyeh priests who would capture and kill her for her magic. Altan is the supposedly-dead heir to the throne who has a single-minded desire for vegengeance. However, as they join forces to save their land, they begin to realize that not all is as it seems and that everything they believe may be rooted in lies.

This book was full of wonderful character dynamics and shocking plot twists. The chemistry and tension between Ahn and Altan was exquisite. Apart from their relationship, their characters and motivations were also compelling. The side characters were well-written, too. The plot was phenomenally executed, as well. It had me wondering at every turn. The themes of trust and forgivenesss throughout the novel were well-developed and compelling.

I greatly enjoyed reading JADE FIRE GOLD and highly recommend it! It’s available now, so go buy it, or get it from your library!

I liked it but I didn't love it. This book is really hard to review because it had so many great things going for it. I loved the setting and I liked the characters. The magical elements were interesting but not explored enough, and neither was the politics, but I think it was building up for a second book. My biggest issue with the story was the pacing, which made it difficult to get into the story, and the big climax, which felt really rushed.

I would recommend this book to a younger YA audience, or someone who's more new to the YA fantasy genre.

This was a very solid fantasy read! It's definitely not the most original story but it executes a lot of classic YA fantasy tropes really well. I absolutely loved the characters! Altan and Ahn both stood on their own and I loved both of their perspectives equally! I was a bit frustrated with some of their choices in the beginning of the book, but they both went through incredible character development. I also loved the side characters!

My only significant critique is the pacing of the book. The beginning felt very slow and at the halfway point I was really starting to question whether we would get a resolution. The second half was a lot quicker, though the very end was almost a bit rushed. I loved the ending and I thought it was the perfect conclusion for these characters! The epilogue does hint at a sequel and I would definitely be interested in reading a book 2 if it ever happens!

Overall, I must say that I enjoyed this book. I thought the premise was interesting, and I definitely understood the comparison with Avatar: The Last Airbender with the type of elemental magic portrayed and Ahn's and Altan's powers. It did have Zutara vibes. The characters were also fun and loveable in general.
However, I thought the pacing affected my enjoyment since I found the time jumps a bit jarring, particularly towards the end of the book, which made the climax less exciting.

However, I am interested in knowing what happens next in the story.

Jade Fire Gold follows Ahn and Altan. Ahn knows nothing of her past or her family. Altan is the heir to the throne of the emperor, thought to be killed as a child. When the two cross paths, Altan believes Ahn is the key to taking back the throne. Ahn wants to unlock the mystery of her past, and gain better control over her strange magic. For these things to come to pass, though, Ahn and Altan may have to pay a price they are not willing to.

I really enjoyed the Chinese mythology in this book. The characters have great chemistry, and the slow burn of the romance is fun. I would love to read another book that takes place in the world of Jade Fire Gold!

Jade Fire Gold was a fun read and an excellent debut! I am always a sucker for slow-burn tropes and this book had me by the throat. The fast pace kept me turning pages and I especially adored Tang Wei (hello?? the banter with Altan is just amazing)! The fantasy was amazing and the prose was beautiful. While I feel that the ending closed things up well, the epilogue seems to leave things open for a potential sequel- which I would just adore and I hope it gets picked up!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperTeen for sending me a copy to review!

I don't know about you, but I am loving the trend of more Asian fantasy popping up on the book shelves! It is a culture that I respect, and I enjoy reading about.

This story had some great moments, and I loved the dual perspective of the main characters. It was fun to watch it all weave together, and the cliff hanger at the end made my jaw drop! My only complaint is that it dragged in parts, and I wish it were a bit more fast paced.

Overall, I would still recommend this story, and I will be adding it to my JH library!

This better be the start of a series or I will be SO disappointed! It is a rare book where I'm interested in every character and intrigued by every sub-plot. Jade Fire Gold is one of my favorite books of 2021.