Great characters with an interesting storyline. I felt like the plot was a little weak overall but the characters are so well done it makes up for it.

Great vibes, but I really didn't care for/about the romance which was a pretty large part of it unfortunately.

Jade Fire Gold follows Ahn—a lost child and Altan—a heir has been exiled. And one day, their destiny crossed each other.
⠀
Stunning cover & Chinese mythology absolutely makes me want to read this book. For a debut YA fantasy novel, I quite enjoy reading Ahn and Altan story. I got hooked from the first part. It reminds me why I love C-drama.
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The book has two different points of view, Ahn and Altan. And because they have same initial name, sometimes I get lost to know which character currently talking. ✌🏻😁 All of the characters are adorable especially the supporting characters.
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I like how the author describes the world building. It sounds an exciting place to dive in.
I hope this book has sequel because the epilog leaves a big mystery.
⠀
Overall, this book perfect for chinese mythology book fans. If you're looking forward for slow burn romance, magic and empire intrigue, you can try to read 𝙅𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙.
⠀
I gave 3.5⭐ for this book.

Ahn was found alone at six years old, with no memories of her life before. She lives with her adoptive grandmother in an ever-expanding desert, struggling in the harsh environment. To make matters worse, Ahn is a Tiensai, a type of magic user persecuted within the Shi Empire. If discovered she, and everyone she loves, will face harsh punishment. Altan is the rightful heir, but his existence is hidden. His whole family were ruthlessly killed when he was a child. Now he seeks a mythical Tiensai known as the Life Stealer to bring back peace and enact his vengeance. This Chinese wuxia and xianxia-inspired story has rich, complex worldbuilding filled with mythical creatures and sparkling magic. The characters were easily loveable. Ahn and her complex feelings towards family and the expectations placed upon her are likely to be relatable to young adult readers. Altan has the grumpy, Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender vibes you can’t help but enjoy. They were adorably oblivious to the romantic feelings brewing between them. Although there was insta-attraction their relationship growth was believable and a delight to read. It would have been nice to have more tender moments between them, considering their relationship was at the forefront of the story, but it was enjoyable regardless. Jade Fire Gold is a beautifully written, endearing young adult fantasy that I’d recommend.

Thank you to the publisher, Harper Teen, HCC Frenzy, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ahn, a peasant girl with no knowledge of her past or family, struggles to support herself and her adoptive grandmother, all the while hiding magical abilities that could get her killed. Altan, a prince in exile, and the rightful heir to the throne, has been biding his time to take back what is his and avenge the murders of his family. When their paths cross, Altan realizes that Ahn’s unique – and lethal – form of magic is what he needs to reclaim the throne. Ahn, on the other hand, sees the opportunity to find out about her past and also gain the control over her magical abilities that she desperately needs. While both of them are in this for their own gain, hiding many secrets, they will have to learn to trust each other in order to save the kingdom.

While I definitely enjoy a good series, I’m really happy to see that standalone novels appear to be making a comeback in YA fantasy and books like this prove that it’s possible to have a level of in depth world-building, strong character arcs and a solid plot all within a single book. There wasn’t a single wasted page or boring moment in this book and the pacing was perfect. The story itself and the narration were so intriguing that I didn’t put the book down at all – I can’t remember the last time I was able to read a nearly 500 page book in 2 hours.

Altan and Ahn were excellent central characters and their alternating POV chapters were easy to follow. Despite the rapid pace of the book, I felt that there was enough time spared for character development to really get to know them and feel invested in their arcs. Ahn’s character arc was the highlight of this book, in my opinion, and her journey from peasant girl terrified of her abilities, to learning to come to terms with it and control it was an intriguing one to follow. The secondary characters were equally interesting and while I would have loved for them to have had more page time, what they did have was pretty good.

I did feel however, that the climax of the book was very rushed and was over in a matter of pages, a blink of an eye compared to the rest of it. There was a lot of potential for that scene and the plot would have allowed for it too, so I do wish that it had been drawn out a little, no matter that the book would have been longer. We also get only a very basic idea of the magic system and it was really interesting, so I would have liked more of an explanation on that as well.

While the epilogue does leave open the possibility of this becoming a series and it raises a few questions, I actually find myself hoping there isn’t a sequel. Jade Fire Gold works as a standalone and it was a refreshing change as I can count on my hands the number of fantasy novels I’ve read that were this good and weren’t part of a series. Overall, this was a wonderful read, and after such an amazing debut novel, I’m looking forward to what this author writes next. I’d definitely recommend this book for fantasy fans!

A very very awesome fantasy novel!! Had a great time reading it and loved the characters/concepts was a thrilling time.

From the moment I heard about it, Jade Fire Gold has been one of my most anticipated reads for this year. I mean - the Avatar and Zutara influence with a basis in Chinese mythology? That’s just perfectly on brand. And for me, it absolutely lived up to the hype. This was an amazing debut with a captivating story full of adventure and romance in a way that is entirely heartfelt and everything I wanted.

Jade Fire Gold follows Ahn, a peasant girl in a kingdom on the brink of war who wants to avoid her destiny, and Altan, a lost prince who wants to reclaim his throne. Their destinies intertwine when Ahn is revealed to be the Life Stealer, and Altan plans to use her and her abilities to take back his kingdom.

From the beginning, the characters had my attention. Ahn and Altan were so interesting on their own from the moment we’re introduced to them. I already love the exiled prince trope, and I was not sure about Ahn’s parentage reveal since I usually don’t enjoy that type of storyline, but it admittedly worked. And when they met, I absolutely loved their chemistry. The romance was a slow-burn despite the attraction, and they had me at the edge of my seat all the way through the end. However, a lot of the time they spent together was summarized and much of it happened off the page, and I honestly wish we had gotten to see a bit more of the romantic development.

Other than that, though, the biggest issue was that the writing was admittedly clunky and awkward a bit too often. It felt like an editor should have gone over it a bit more. However, I found this to be a relatively minor annoyance for me, considering how strong the story was. It was brilliantly done with an amazing journey and it tied together in the end in ways I really did not expect but was still so, so satisfying. It was beautiful and poetic and immersive.

Additionally, all the characters and their dynamics were so well-developed. Tang Wei, Linxi, Leiye, and Tai Shun were such an amazing cast of supporting characters and I was delighted with every little interaction. I really wanted so much more of them, too, and I have my fingers crossed for an eventual sequel or spin-off novella to see where they go (especially with that epilogue which - I totally saw coming, but I still screamed).

Overall, Jade Fire Gold was just an amazing experience. I fell in love over and over again with various writing choices, ranging from big plot structure moves to small lines of dialogue. I really hope this one makes it big in the YA market because it definitely deserves it.

Told in dual POV, we follow Ahn, the orphaned girl with a mysterious past and Altan, an exiled prince with revenge on his mind. When their paths in twined Ahn sees the opportunity to unlock her memories and powers whilst Altan see this as a means to avenge his family and reclaim the throne.

However, in order to gain, one must give. And the two may have bargained more than they can pay.

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
The writing is simple and easy to follow which makes the narrative easily digestible. Despite the writing being quite straightforward, it paints beautiful scenery, strong emotions, and great attention to little details which are important aspects (such s as weaponry, colour and clothing).

However, my main concern whilst reading this was that I found the pacing jarring at times. For example, there would be moments where I feel like I was trudging through the desert, in the middle of the day with no water (this was only the first ~30%). And then there are times where it feels like we’re rushing through a whirlwind of events.

Of course, this could be a “me” thing as I like to get into the ‘meat’ of the plot early in the book soo I can divulge myself with more details throughout the journey. Don’t let this deter you!

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠:
I’m a huge fan of Asian mythology and Asian-inspired stories, so I found it enjoyable finding little nuggets or Lore sprinkles throughout the novel.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Ahn: one of the protagonists starts off naive and I found her passive at the beginning but I did like how she started to develop and become more confident and critical.

Altan: I found it hard to connect to his character due to his angst, however, I did come to appreciate his character. I liked how he started becoming more open and honest.

𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:
I admit I’m a huge sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope, I enjoy it mainly because I love seeing the relationship develop over time (and often begrudgingly 😏) and I love the banter. In this case, there was no romance until about halfway, which I didn’t mind so! I just wished we could’ve seen the two develop their relationship more. As I really enjoyed reading Ahn and Altan’s interactions and dynamics.

𝐆𝐔𝐒𝐇:
• The writing is simple and easy which made this book quick to fly through
• Intriguing world-building yet consists of common elements in a YA Fantasy, therefore perfect for those who enjoy certain tropes (Royal characters, reunited with someone, dislike to like, finding the magical artefact, etc.) and genres (fantasy).

𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐄:
• The pacing at times (it took me a while to get into the first 30% or so of the book but then I got so hooked after that)
• Why was there a need to put chopsticks in one hair?? That really took me out.

Being of Asian descent and being a diaspora, I’m aware of the historical context of the use of chopsticks in the hair and the microaggression regarding that. However, I acknowledge that I am not a Chinese and therefore, perhaps I’m not familiar with all the nuance.

Edit: I read another review and noted that the author responded to concerns regarding chopsticks in the hair. I suggest you check out this review! The author stated that the chopsticks were not for use of eating but rather a concealed weapon.

𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
✔ Zutara inspired dynamics (exiled Prince X peasant girl with mysterious powers)
✔ forbidden magic
✔ East Asian mythology-inspired fantasy

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: empire (explores imperialism), legacy, fate, choice, and power

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫: fans of character-driven stories, fans of YA fantasy or new to or enjoy Xianxia or Chinese influenced mythology

𝐂𝐖: death, war, gore, torture, murder

Thank you to Caffeine Tours and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

P.S check out my blog / Instagram to hear an original track inspired by this book: bookswithjoy.com

immediate interest
Jade Fire Gold is easily one of my most anticipated releases of the year and after months of expressing my excitement for this novel, it's finally released into the world. June C.L. Tan's debut is pitched as a "what if the Katara from ATLA was the dark avatar and Zuko was tasked to hunt her down" and that immediately caught my attention. The premise interwoven with the wuxia inspired fantasy world make this a story that I wished my high-school self could have read.

Ahn is the definition of a reluctant chosen one whose fate was essentially predetermined because of the powers she's born with. Growing up in an impoverished town, she longs to escape and explore the world though her journey ends up being one she doesn't expect. Her unlikely alliance with Altan, the exiled prince, brings together tropes that are typically found in YA fantasy novels which make the characters familiar and their stories engaging.

As a debut novel, I knew not to get my hopes super high especially after reading some reviews online. If I were to review this from a very critical perspective, I would have to point the biggest flaw of the story being its pacing. Despite the world being interesting at first, the actual storytelling doesn't go as smoothly and had a lot lulling moments that would be intercepted by action before falling back. It actually shocked me to find that this novel is over 450 pages because it almost feels like very little happens in the actual plot.

a beginning that opens to more
However, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for this story that blurred that "critical" reading lens. I know without a doubt that if I had read this as a high schooler when I consumed so many fantasies with a Caucasian cast of characters set in a Euro-centric inspired world, I would have fallen in love with the story. It makes me all the more grateful that stories like this, with this representation, is starting to be more visibly accessible in media because 15-yr-old me could not imagine reading stories in a fantasy world inspired by the wuxia dramas my parents watch.

The cast of characters in Jade Fire Gold, especially the side cast, have grown on me with their camaraderie and banter. While Ahn and Altan could have definitely used some development in their own character arcs, I still enjoyed following their story. For a debut, Jade Fire Gold sets up a decent opening to a new fantasy world and the possibility for the author to continue growing and honing her craft. And while it might not have exceeded my expectations, it didn't leave me feel disappointed but intrigued to see what will happen next.

Is that what people do? Talk incessantly about the lovers they long to see again? Hang on to every word they say? Make sacrifices that others would deem foolish?”
~ JUNE CL TAN, JADE FIRE GOLD~

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Today I'm lucky enough to hold a blog tour for Jade Fire Gold. JFG was one of my most anticipated books this year and y'all...it DID NOT disappoint!! Before we dive into the details, take a good look at this beautiful cover!



SYNOPSIS
Content Warnings: self-harm (gouging, eye horror; non-graphic), child abuse (physical, verbal, emotional manipulation/gaslighting), parent death (implied, off-page), character deaths mentions and descriptions of fantasy/magical violence (blood, war, political violence), mentions and descriptions of physical symptoms that might be triggering to those with emetophobia

Girls of Paper and Fire meets The Tiger at Midnight in June CL Tan’s stunning debut, inspired by Chinese mythology, with rich magic and an epic slow-burn romance.

In an empire on the brink of war . . .

Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.

Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.

When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities.

But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

Ferocious action, shadowy intrigue, and a captivating romance collide in June CL Tan’s debut, a stunning homage to the Xianxia novel with a tender, beating heart, perfect for fans of The Bone Witch and We Hunt the Flame.


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One winner will receive a finished copy of Jade Fire Gold.

The giveaway starts on October 11th and ends on October 18th!

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REVIEW
Ahn fights with poverty daily in a tiny village which is mostly unforgotten in their huge empire. Altan is a boy who has lost everything except his want for vengeance. And in what he needs to win his vengeance is the help from the fabled Life Stealer. The story follows the both of them, tied together with destiny, as they go on to save their kingdom.


The book has so many C-Drama vibes! I loved it. The world-building was superb, and I know I am definitely not the only one who got the vibes of Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender in Altan. I loved the chemistry and dynamic that casually and easily grew between Altan and Ahn. The story felt a bit slow-paced, but not boring. However, I really hoped we had more of Leiye and Tai Shun! There was so much potential in there!

Above all, Jade Fire Gold was an interesting and enjoyable story. The characters were well spread out and their development was tangible. I think the only reason I am giving this a 5 is that I wished to have more Leiye-Tai Shun content? Otherwise, the story was something I would see in a C-Drama. I haven’t watched “Untamed” but I don’t know why this story gave me “Untamed” vibes!!


So, yeah, I give this read 4/5 stars!

https://thinbookishgirl.wixsite.com/thinbookishgirl/post/jade-fire-gold-blog-tour-review-and-giveaway

Jade Fire Gold reminds me of an anime I would actually watch (truly the highest complement from me, I’m unbelievably picky with those lol)

Tan is very good with her information pacing - none of the information reveals were overwhelming/info dumpy or felt out of place - in my personal opinion as a reader for any fantasy writer this can often be difficult to accomplish especially with a stand alone fantasy

These characters are just *chefs kiss*
Every one of our main six held my attention, all of them had really interesting backstories and a unique presence on page!

My sweet Ahn is such an amazing protagonist and she deserves the world (Altan better treat her right or he answers to me). The trope of a seemingly ordinary girl discovering there is so much more to her is one of my favorite things and Tan was able to do all of it with an extra twist! And Altan my disaster mess, I love him so much. His angsty, sarcastic self made me root for him from his first chapter! Altan also gives off lowkey Zuko vibes for all you Avatar fans.

For some amazing characters and an intriguing overarching plot I recommend picking up Jade Fire Gold!!!

Great debut! It's been great seeing how two characters are foils to each other in how they approach their goals and wants for a better life. The shifting POVs helped to really get inside each of the characters' heads and bring different perspectives that round out the story. The author also did a wonderful job bringing this story to life through the vivid details and well-paced explanations of this world.

A gorgeous debut that will set hearts aflame. June C. Tan's voice is one that will be making a staple in YA.

For a fantasy book, this was an easy read with lyrical writing. June did a great job of putting into words the adventures of these characters and their portrayals. The beginning felt a little hazy but picked up 1/4 of the way through and from there it was such a quick, pacy read.

The world-building is so rich and Ahn and Altan's journey was one that was complex and layered.

Description
Book: Jade Fire Gold
Author: June CL Tan
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Page Count: 464
Genre: Science fiction, fantasy
Publication date: 12 October 2021
My rating: 4.5⭐

Synopsis (taken from Goodreads)

In an empire on the brink of war...
Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.
Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.
When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities.

But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

Life is but a dream, and death is returning home.

Premise
In a world on the brink of war, two teens with entangled destinies must come together.
Ahn is an orphan who lives with her adopted grandmother in a deserted town. Her biggest concern is to earn enough and look after Ama but due to a sudden incident her past starts catching up to her and she decides to know who she exactly is and what can her magic do.
Altan is the exiled true heir of the throne who is presumed dead. His only motive in life is to take revenge on his family, get the dragon throne back, undo the ravages of dark magic lying deep within the land and kill the life stealer.
When both their paths collide, they must decide the fate of the empire and their loved ones.


Characters
The book has several characters, each impressive in their way.
AHN: The long-lost daughter of a prominent figure of the empire but who doesn't remember anything about her childhood, Ahn thinks of herself as an orphan and lives with her adopted grandmother. She hides the secret that she has magic because she doesn't want the priests to hurt her Ama.
Her character starts as a naive, fearful girl who cares about herself and Ama's safety to a girl who is strong and is willing to sacrifice herself for a greater cause. Ahn's character development throughout the book was noteworthy.
ALTAN: The exiled true heir to the throne, Altan swears revenge against his uncle's family as they killed his family under the pretense of an attack by a neighboring kingdom. Altan comes off as a cold and rude character but he isn't. He is just too suppressed by his pain and grief that he chooses to not let anything else distract him on his path to revenge. But for everything he wishes to have, he must trust the person he wishes to kill.
XIMA LEIYE: An illegitimate child, an enigmatic character, LEIYE had to fight for everything he wishes to have. He is sweet but bitter at the same time. The biggest question is who is he loyal to?
TAI SHUN: Burdened by the duties he doesn't wish for and in the grief of his cousin, Tai Shun is a cinnamon roll character. He is sweet, considerate, and in love with someone.
CHEN LINXI: A character who is like a warm cupcake. She is playful, pretty, and intelligent. She is a spy and is madly in love.
TANG WEI: A badass assassin with a sense of humor. She wishes to avenge her sister and is a member of the Lotus Sect.
And my absolute favorite character of the book.

- June C.L.Tan has a beautiful writing style. The words flowed freely in the book in a very lyrical way. The author was successful in writing an excellent book in a very beautiful way.
- The WORLD BUILDING was exquisite. Jade Fire Gold is set mainly in the Shi empire so other kingdoms weren't explained well but since the Shi empire was the focus, the history and culture of it were explained well.
The magic system of the book was unique where both the Priest and the Tiensai possess magic but one of them is seemingly correct whereas the other is seen as a threat.
The whole mythology and lore tales like the White Jade Sword, the Obsidian sword, the soul beasts, phoenix, thread of fate, the army of the dead were weaved into the story fantastically.
- The tropes used in the book like royal conspiracy, destined lovers, chosen ones, revenge, the reunion of separated parent and child were pretty basic YA fantasy formulas but they worked in the favor of the book.
- The book is an own voice debut fantasy and is set in Chinese background. It also has queer representation.
- The book didn't give much insight into the political intrigue and it didn't give the vibes of a country at the brink of war.
- The antagonists were undoubtedly lame where they didn't contribute much to the plot and nothing about them stood out in the storyline.
- The romance part of the book could've been better and should have gotten extra time since the leads didn't get enough time and situations to bond over and the romance section was too short. I needed a combination of major tension and fluffy romance but alas!
-The reason I gave it a 4.25 star instead of a 5 is because the climax fell flat for me. The story started slow and hazy as most fantasy books do but when it got the required pace, it ended abruptly. The climax was supposed to be grand and powerful but it ended so quickly and suddenly that I didn't get any time to savor it.
- Since it's a debut fantasy, it isn't going to be perfect but there's so much to read and like about this book. For a debut novel, the book worked wonders.
- I always crave fantasy stories that delve into the mythology and lore of the Asian culture and that is why I liked this book a lot. I can see it turning into a successful Chinese drama.
- The cover is gorgeous and is a cherry on top. I wish to have a physical copy of this book soon.
- Also, I need answers for the epilogue. Is there a sequel?

The heart is not a weakness.
ARC provided by the publisher Harper Teen through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review as part of blog tour organized by TBR and Beyond Tours

Jade Fire Gold is a well done Chinese fantasy epic, brimming with potential, and an ambitious debut that is ready to breakthrough the young adult genre.

First and foremost I would like to thank TBR and Beyond Tours for choosing me as one of the many amazing book bloggers for Jade Fire Gold tour from October 11th to October 17th. Thank you as well to the author and publisher Harper Teen for providing an ARC (Advance Readers Copy) as part of this blog tour.

You will find it difficult to treasure that which is most precious to you.

Last year nearing the end of the year there were a lot of announcements of books that are anticipated to release in 2021. Many of these books are Asian inspired fantasy with their own unique blurbs and synopsis’. One of them that caught my eye is Jade Fire Gold by June C. L. Tan. Marketed as a book inspired by Chinese mythology with elements from wuxia and xianxia novels set in an Asiatic landscape of Avatar : The Last Airbender—reading this pitch I am immediately hooked by the prospects of a reading a story that encapsulates all these elements. The tweet from June pitching this book about Katara being the dark avatar and Zuko hunting her down further pushes my intrigue towards this book. Then 2021 rolls by with the cover reveal it sealed the deal for me. The US cover art is done by Guweiz, lettering by Catherine Lee, and designed by Catherine Lee & Jenna Stempel-Lobell.

Jade Fire Gold is a Chinese mythology inspired young adult fantasy standalone by debut author June C. L. Tan. The story follows two perspectives : Anh and Altan. Living within a desert, Anh struggles to take care of her grandmother, scraping by with the little money and medicine she has. Adding to that Anh has a secret—a secret that would cost her life as conjuring magic is forbidden in the empire. In Anh’s case she has dark magic inside her and that only she has. With this magic many are after her looking to take advantage of Anh’s power that is prophesized to hold the answer that could save the empire. Altan is the crown prince of the empire that was thought to be long gone that has come back to avenge his family and take back what is rightfully his.

You cannot escape your fate. The gods have chosen you for a reason.

The world of Jade Fire Gold is highly inspired by the vast Asiatic setting of Avatar : The Last Airbender from the dessert where Anh lives, the spiritual realm that’s guarded by the soul beast, the nautical travels, etc. There are also many wuxia or xianxia elements present within the world from Altan having a master or teacher that guides him, abilities that stem from cultivation, the martial arts sects and clans, etc. Seeing all these elements come together in the world building of this story is unique and refreshing. The magic system is an elemental based meaning it is connected to the five natural elements (fire, water, earth, metal, and wind) that can be mastered through cultivation. The people that are gifted with the abilities that has potential to wield the elements are the Tiensai. Only a few Tiensai are able to cultivate and master an element or maybe more than one element if they’re the lucky few that are born with the this ability. Any reader can easily grasp the magic system as it is straight forward and isn’t too complex to understand.

June’s writing is accessible and descriptive making the story all the much more immersive. The story is fast paced with good plot progression resulting in the transitions from one perspective to the next to be well synchronized and it flowed nicely. Jade Fire Gold is an easy read that isn’t just a story that follows one plot line but also many plot lines. The reveals are done marvelously as I didn’t expect the turn of events that happened during the ending. I flew through this book and with every page I enjoyed my time reading it. It is a light read filled with fantastical elements that I can easily immerse myself into without much thought. The themes that arises within the story about identity and one’s will to shape their own destiny without the pressure of other people is inspiring to read. The story of Anh and Altan that are filled with staggering parallels about both wanting to do the right thing and break free from their confines of their own expectations to take full reign of their life were conveyed beautifully within the story.

Though there are a few gripes I have about the writing that are entirely subjective to me. The writing wasn’t well balanced enough in terms of consistency and balance between the world building, plot, and characters. It all felt disconnected in some parts so the story lacked the cohesion that could elevate the story further and bring a sense of harmony to all the components. Truthfully before going into Jade Fire Gold I had to set my expectations because of the many reviews I’ve seen my friends gave for this book. In my case I think Jade Fire Gold falls in the category of books that isn’t in my age range. There are many young adult books that can still be read by people of my age but some don’t and this book falls in the latter category.

You may have been chosen in some way, but you can still choose your own path.

As a reviewer the one thing I always tend to decide whether a book worked me or not is the characters. Though I liked certain elements that are presented within the story the characters didn’t fully grip me as I thought they would. There are many crucial and emotional moments that has potential to push the characters beyond their limits but these moments aren’t realized to their full potential. All of the characters has a good base to be noteworthy with their own distinct personalities, back stories, motivations, and potential for development. But once they are given the chance to go through the development the execution fell flat as most of their obstacles are easily resolved. I’ve watched wuxia and xianxia dramas before, I understand that some of the resolutions are only convenient for plot progression but they make it up with their well fleshed out believable characters. It tends to happen a lot in the story that resulted in me not forming any attachments to any of the characters. Two out of the three romance plot lines are established off page making it hard for me to believe the connection shared between these characters. The one relationship that is established on page though full of potential it was a case of insta-love. I liked the representation in the story of a queer romance and the unique cast of characters but it lacked that emotional depth I sought for in the relationship dynamics between them.

Wishing is pointless. Praying is for fools. I am the only one who can control my fate.

Final thoughts, Jade Fire Gold is a solid young adult debut that has potential to introduce readers into a new sub-genre of fantasy that is inspired by Chinese mythology with it’s wuxia and xianxia elements. It is a good debut that I will recommend to anyone that is looking for a light fast paced read with attractive characterization and fantastical martial arts sequences. Jade Fire Gold’s themes of identity and shaping one’s fate will truly pull you into this world of soul beasts, magic swords, and elemental magic. Luckily for you all the book just released on October 12th 2021 so be sure to pick up a copy!

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Thank you so much for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

The moment I heard this book was pitched as a dark Katara x Zuko fantasy novel, I ran to NetGalley to get my hands on this book, and I am so disappointed that this book fell flat for me.

Let me just start off and say that the writing was phenomenal for a debut epic fantasy novel, and I could definitely see the overall vision.

However, this book could have benefited as a duology where the first book focused on the world-building and the overall plot, and the second book emphasized character development and romance. Instead it was pretty rushed and superficial to the point where I didn't care what happened to either of the main characters since I felt like I didn't know them.

I think this book should be marketed to readers who want to start reading fantasy, unfortunately, that is not me.

Jade Fire Gold follows the story of two teenagers, Ahn and Altan, who come from very different backgrounds but are somehow tied together by fate.
Altan is the lost heir to the throne, no one knows he exists but he’s determined to reclaim what’s rightfully his. Ahn is a peasant girl living in the outskirts of the Empire with her Ama. When the secrets of her past and what actually happened 10 years ago when Ama found her start catching up to Ahn, she’s thrown into a situation she never could’ve imagined, learning new truths about herself.
When Ahn and Altan cross paths, there’s instant attraction but they have deadly problems to deal with, secrets to keep and identities to hide. They discover that they need each other to reach their goals, but might have to kill the other to survive.

Jade Fire Gold is a solid debut, in my opinion. It never, even once felt lacking in any way, whether it was the writing style, world building, setting pace or character development. I loved reading every second of this beautiful gem!

The characters were all so fleshed out and well developed despite the book being a stand alone. There was a very sweet Found Family trope which led me to love every single one of the side characters! Tan Wei, Linxi, Tain Shun and Leiye were all such unique characters! I especially adored Tan Wei, Altan’s best friend and Linxi’s girlfriend. She was such a funny character and I loved her matchmaking tactics!
Our two main characters, Altan and Ahn are both so different from each other but it’s clear from the way they’re portrayed that they’re perfect for each other. There was a lot of funny banter too that kept the general mood of the story light despite the stakes being high. And their slow burn was REAL!! It was agonising but that’s what makes it the best romance! I loved how subtle it was, shown in the smallest of ways, how they cared of each other and were willing to sacrifice so much for each other.

This is an Asian fantasy so our entire cast was of Chinese coded characters and I really loved that! The mention of their culture and history was really interesting to read! I also really loved how Chinese Mythology was inserted into the story and how it played out.

The magic system was pretty fascinating and I loved the inclusion of elemental magic! The story itself was very fast paced which in turn made the book a fast, easy and fun read! There were so many new revelations and plot twists that I just kept guessing what would happen next! It was a thrilling experience!
The many sub plots and infamous tropes (like hidden royalty, slow burn romance, secret identity, reluctant allies, enemies to lovers, found family) made me very happy because these are some of my favourite tropes and they were so well done!

Another one, out of the many things I loved about this book was the political intrigue. There were so many complex characters and vengeful villains, every one of them having their own motives and agendas which led to a lot of scheming, plotting and betrayals. I love reading about politics, especially in a fantasy world and this book didn’t disappoint!!

My only complaints would be that the ending felt a bit rushed? But I enjoyed the entire book so much that I didn’t mind it that much. And also the fact that it is a standalone novel. I would’ve loved to know more about all the characters and what happens next for them. Also, that epilogue!! It indicated that maybe this story hasn’t ended yet so I’m hyped for whatever June CL Tan writes next!

Overall, Jade Fire Gold is a fantastic debut, definitely worth reading (amd rereading) if you’re looking for a fast paced, diverse fantasy book to get lost into. I highly recommend it!
Go buy this book if you haven’t already!

Thank you, NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's books and HarperTeen, for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review.

Set in an empire on the brink of war, where the socioeconomic differences between wealthy and poor is stronger than ever, Ahn and Altan find themselves on a path to change their country. Ahn is no one, she doesn't remember her family and her past. Adopted by an older woman, now her adoptive grandmother she tries to survive in their poor city, without hopes, money and work. When something happens that changes forever her life, Ahn discovers a new world, secrets and truths about herself and the world around her.
Altan is the lost heir of the empire, willing to do anything in his power to avenge his family and reclaiming his throne. When they meet, Ahn and Altan are forced to work together, to protect their country and empire, innocent people, while trying to understand their own magical abilities and their roles.

I really liked reading Jade Fire Gold. I was so curious to read this book and I wasn't disappointed. It's a debut work and it's very good. The writing style is brilliant, the plot captivating and I loved the worldbuilding. I was really interested in the magic system, the socioeconomic divisions and how the main characters face one other, both with their own agendas, fears, hopes and dreams.
The story is told by two POVs, Ahn's and Altan, weaving together, while trying to understand what they have to do, what they want to do and how much they are meaning for one other. The story is captivating, well written and I liked this book.

There are some things I didn't like, though I wasn't so impressed by the enemies to lovers romance, I couldn't like them so much together. I also felt like the final 20% of the book and ending were a bit too rushed. I would have loved to know more about the magic system and more about the worldbuilding, but it's more of a preference than a criticism. I loved the characterization, main and side characters, but I preferred Altan's POV to Ahn's. I liked her characters, but with everything she's been through, I felt she was a bit more passive than him, while I appreciated more his drive and determination.

Overall, though, Jade Fire Gold is a strong debut, the worldbuilding is very fascinating, the writing is amazing and very captivating and I definitely recommend it.
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With an exciting plot and tons of potential to be not just good but great, Jade Fire Gold is an exciting and interesting debut for non-fans of the xianxia genre and an easy entry read for readers looking to explore Asian and Chinese-inspired YA fiction. Fans will be subtly reminded of Avatar: The Last Airbender . However, it was also a terribly frustrating read with many nuances overshadowed by the insipid romance and it also suffered a significant lack of meaningful Chinese influence.

Plot, Prose and Pacing: Fantastic Beginning Ends Tepid

Jade Fire Gold follows both Ahn and Altan, one a peasant girl in possession of forbidden magic and one a lost prince hell-bent on vengeance as their paths inevitably cross and their destinies intertwine. In the Shi Empire, magic is banned and magic practitioners, called Tiensai, and their sympathisers are hunted by the cruel Diyeh priests as a strange and dark magic sweeps the Empire, turning land into desert. It is believed to be the work of the Tiensai.

The beginning of the book is very strong with rich, world-building elements and great insight into the characters and their motivations. I absolutely love it when a book, especially one influenced by the xianxia genre, takes it's time to build the plot slowly. However, this momentum starts to break down halfway through the book when Ahn and Altan finally meet. The tone changes from a rich, fantasy-based story to one revolving around their growing romantic relationship and seems rather out of place for a book that starts off promising a rich, epic fantasy. Instead, it fell victim to YA cliches and tropes. Furthermore, the climax and the last third of the book progressed and wrapped up far too quickly, without any of the fantasy flair promised in the beginning.

However, I did enjoy the plot and wish that more time had been spent developing and drawing out the story rather than focusing on the characters and the romance. It has a lot of potential to be a great epic. The pacing is great and seldom lagged. There were a few awkward moments where it focused a beat too long on Ahn and Altan's relationship but they’re easily overlooked. And, for a debut, the writing is fantastic and easy to read.

Characters: Do People Really Fall In Love So Fast

I was hoping as a xianxia-inspired fantasy that there would be a massive cast of characters to keep track of but instead, a majority of Jade Fire Gold revolved around Ahn and Altan with a colourful set of side characters who don’t get as much time on the page as they deserved.

Living in a small town on the edge of the Empire, Ahn has hid her magic ever since she was a child and lives an impoverished but quiet life with her adoptive grandmother. She remembers nothing of her past or her family; she is essentially a ghost. Her desperation to find a cure for her grandmother's illness leads her to make a desperate move, resulting in awakening a deep, dark magic within herself. That, in turn, sets off a chain of events with shocking revelations about herself and her past.

What I love the most about Ahn is her love for her grandmother and her moral values. Despite being presented with absolute and terrifying power, her beliefs are unwavering. She is also rather charming and witty; I enjoyed reading her chapters. However, as a character, Ahn is rather passive. She seems to be carried along in the wave of events going on around her and her priorities and motivations tend to shift around a lot. It was difficult to equate the Ahn we meet in the beginning of the book with the one at the end of it.

Altan, on the other hand, has lived in hiding and self-exile ever since his parents were murdered and his uncle assumed the throne. Believed to be dead, Altan has shed his princely title for life on the road, plotting his revenge, cultivating his own magical abilities and waiting for the day he can encounter the Life Stealer who will prove useful in regaining the throne and stop the spread of the desert.

Altan is a little frustrating for me. I’m unable to truly grasp who he is at his core as he swings from moody and sullen to melancholy and angsty at any given time. And at times, he’s rather dull. And at others, unreasonably dramatic. The moment he meets Ahn and spends a little bit of time with her on the road, he falls completely in love and appears to abandon his main goal. There are some rather nice bits involving his family and betrayal but they’re ultimately overshadowed by his relationship with Ahn.

As Ahn and Altan’s romance is so central to the plot of Jade Fire Gold, it ultimately weakened both the story and their relationship. It becomes a pseudo-angsty, YA romance mess that lacks any of the Asian-inspired fantasy element and becomes your run of the mill YA fantasy. This was a romance that should have been drawn out across the course of multiple books and perhaps even with a slow burn so that the focus would have been on the plot which is rather captivating and interesting on its own. Furthermore, as the story seems to have rushed the relationship with a few rather ridiculous mishaps in order to bring them closer to each other, this resulted in a lack of chemistry, tension and believability no matter how many cute, lovers quarrels they share. It just didn’t make any sense in the grand scheme of things for Ahn and Altan to abandon their original goals and motivations to suddenly fall in love and give up all they were fighting for. They were also not believable as enemies.

As with most YA books, the side characters are frankly more interesting and the same applies to Jade Fire Gold. However, we see so little of them which is absolutely tragic and also resigns them to their fates as one-dimensional characters. Here’s a quick rundown of the sidekicks to our heroes:

Tang Wei: Altan’s partner in crime and all-around sassy lesbian assassin; she’s mostly there to provide sage romantic advice and to snip at Altan for being annoying and oblivious
Linxi: Tang Wei’s girlfriend, a spy in the palace for Tang Wei and Altan and is assigned as a lady’s maid to Ahn; she is Ahn’s confidant
Leiye: Altan’s friend and childhood playmate, Leiye is also a Diyeh priest with an agenda of his own; moody and grouchy, Leiye is the most compelling character as he helps Ahn develop her powers but is also connected to Altan
Tai Shun: the closested emperor with a massive crush on Leiya and Altan’s cousin, Tai Shun’s parents murdered Altan’s father; an absolute sweetheart, Tai Shun wants nothing to do with the throne and is a mere puppet to his mother’s machinations

Worldbuilding: Lacks the Conviction of Representation

In terms of all the standard worldbuilding checks such as magic system and politics, I’d say Jade Fire Gold did well because most of it was rather generic YA fare. Although Jade Fire Gold is a Chinese-inspired fantasy, I didn’t find much of the Chinese culture represented within it’s pages and a lot of the settings seemed rather generic. In fact, it disappointingly seemed like the most minimal effort to include any Chinese or Asian representation into the book. Most Chinese-inspired fiction would attempt to include some mentions of Chinese food, rich cultural aspects like customs and practices, language, mythology and more. Perhaps this is a culture I grew up with and am fairly familiar with it’s descriptors so nothing stood out particularly to me but even with the descriptions of the palace and their clothing, there was nothing truly unique to the book save for the magic system.

While I am unfamiliar with the cultivation sub-genre of wuxia and xianxia books, I did note that the magic system performed by the Tiensai and Diyeh were based around qi. Due to the 2021 version of Mulan and their ultimate butchering of the concept of qi, I am hesitant to paint in a good light any magic system that utilises qi as it’s reasoning because everyone has qi and qi is all around us. Without further explaining how qi plays a role in the magic system, it seems like a lazy afterthought like “okay, let’s harness our qi” and that’s not how it works.

Perhaps one of the most frustrating parts of Jade Fire Gold and why I staunchly believe that the author should have kept the romance to a minimal is because it completely detracted from one of the strongest messages they intended to send: coloniser and the colonised. We barely understand that the Shi Empire has been colonised by Altan’s ancestors and that the division between Tiensai and Diyeh (despite both being magic practitioners) was caused by the coloniser rewriting history. These subtle nuances that would have enriched the reading experience missed it’s mark mainly because it is told rather than shown.

There are a couple of other things that did bother me:

Ahn’s name: Ahn’s full name is Zhao Ahn which when read phonetically sounds exactly like how we say “good morning” in Mandarin and I’m unsure if this was how the author intended it but I found it absolutely ridiculous and I just kept going back to it. I’m not the most fluent in Mandarin so I can’t speak on the other usage of Mandarin in the book but the review in the point below also expounds on that

Hair Chopsticks: This wasn’t something I had picked up on initially and only saw it when I was going through reviews on Goodreads. This review breaks down their opinions as well as part of the author’s response. On one hand, hair chopsticks are a product of a bygone era of cultural appropriation and the editor should have picked up on it’s racist history and the appropriate usage of chopsticks vs hair sticks. But on the other hand, I personally have used chopsticks to hold up my hair and for an assassin such as Tang Wei, it doesn’t seem practical she would be carrying decorative hair sticks around and would most probably have pilfered some chopsticks for convenience and as a useful weapon. However, my observation doesn’t invalidate the reviewer’s experience at all.

Mythical Creatures: We are introduced to two mythical creatures, a phoenix and a dragon. These are two rather prominent creatures in Chinese mythology and sadly, we didn’t get much information about them and their roles in the book. They just seemed more like plot devices rather than myth specific creatures. Replace them with any other mythical creature and there would be no difference in the plot which was frustrating to say the least.

Did I Enjoy It: Conclusion

Putting a lot of my analysis and observations aside, it was an entertaining read and an easy entry for non-Asian readers to enjoy an Asian-inspired and Chinese-inspired story. While I am not here to gatekeep how Chinese culture should be practiced and represented, especially for BIPOC authors, Jade Fire Gold seems to have been written from a distinctly Western lens with only minimal representation for easy international consumption. Unfortunately, I am unable to clearly distinguish it from the other YA offerings in the market with its severe lack of meaningful Chinese representation along with an uninspired romance and a severely underutilised plot.

However, despite the numerous flaws in Jade Fire Gold, this was an anticipated read that did not disappoint although it failed to impress. I thoroughly enjoyed adventuring with Ahn, Altan and the other characters as well as the plot twists and turns (even if some of them were rather predictable). Jade Fire Gold’s one distinction is in how captivating and interesting the plot is. It’s not the most unique story out there but I loved how the plot drew in and utilised all of it’s characters, big and small. It also reminded me a lot of the Chinese dramas my mother loves consuming and if the twist at the end of the book suggests, there are greater things coming in the sequel and I am excited to see what June Tan writes next!

Jade Fire Gold, to put it lightly, is a force. You don't quite realize what you've gotten into until you're in it. The characters, the emotions, the settings, the writing all pull you in, slowly at first and then it's like a boulder that can't stop thundering down a steep mountain.

First, the pacing of Jade Fire Gold. The majority of the story has a steadier pace, where we meet the characters separately and dive into their worlds/motivations. I can see why some may get a little stuck at the beginning because of the unexpected pacing. The last 10% is a whirlwind and everything collides (pretty much literally). The action just catapults you straight through.

June’s writing can be described with one word: atmospheric. It’s gorgeous! The prologue had me stunned. The imagery, the emotion, the fact that we just met this character and we don't even know their name, yet how can we still feel so deeply for them? I think that's an incredible power to have.

I greatly appreciated the dual-narrative because it allows us to follow Ahn and Altan without getting too bogged down in one side of the story. These two are like two sides of a coin (if the tagline of Jade Fire Gold was any indication: "Her destiny. His revenge."), and so each perspective matters. Especially towards the end.

JFG also has a larger ensemble of characters, but each interaction was (lol) gold. I especially loved Ahn and Altan's banter (hehe). As for the rest: Leiye added mystery; Tai Shun added more nuance to pressures of "legacy" and also brought in another "softer" character; Tang Wei fired up a scene by just being mentioned; Linxi was a "softer" character too but don't let her quietness fool you. She's the sharpest of them all.

June goes into more depth about world building and character design on Instagram. I found the latter particularly fascinating because it really shows how some of the tiniest details matter when creating a character and elaborating on who they are. June explains the importance of clothing, color choices for each character, weaponry and more in these posts!

I also loved the balance of themes in JFG:
- Consequences of Imperialism and empire
- Burden and responsibility of legacy
- Restriction of fate and how we put so much emphasis on that word sometimes
- Choice or the lack of it
- History that precedes us, whether it be of family or prior/current ruling powers
- Power and responsibility