Jade Fire Gold is YA Fantasy at its best. Told in a dual POV narrative, Jade Fire Gold follows Ahn, a girl with no recollection of her past, and Altan, a boy who is haunted by his. With his family murdered, and his birthright stolen from him, Altan’s trying to simply take back the throne, free the empire from a cult of priests, and undo the dark magic. All Ahn wants is to provide for Ama — her adoptive grandmother — and to give the two of them a better life. But when a petty theft goes wrong, her powers manifest, and Ahn becomes the most powerful weapon in the world — the one thing Altan is looking for.

One of my favorite things about Jade Fire Gold was the well-developed characters. Ahn and Altan’s motivations and intentions are made clear from the very beginning, which made following their character growth even more wonderful. I found both Ahn and Altan incredibly easy to root for, and I truly wanted to see them achieve what they wanted. Watching them go from strangers, to slowly trusting one another, to developing feelings for one another was such a joy. Ahn and Altan shine brightly both as our main protagonists, as well as a pairing. With endless witty banter, the slowest of slow burns, lots of yearning, and their paths crossing and intertwining again and again, I loved watching their relationship develop.

The ensemble cast of Jade Fire Gold was simply precious. While I didn’t know who I could trust at times, I loved them all — I found Tai Shun, the guilt-ridden and reluctant Crown Prince, incredibly endearing, and just sweet. I loved Leiye, the illegitimate son with seemingly shifting priorities and alliances. Tang Wei, one of Altan’s strongest allies and friends, is incredibly powerful and unapologetic, and Linxi, a kindhearted spy. The found family dynamic just made my heart swell, and I wanted to know more about them all.

Power and history both play a large role in the world of Jade Fire Gold. It’s evident in each of the character’s motivations, in their biases and reasoning, and in the stories they’ve been told. Jade Fire Gold is yet another reminder that the history we’re taught is from the oppressor’s point of view; that we never learn certain pivotal points of history, nor do we ever learn it from another perspective.

I personally loved the fast pace of Jade Fire Gold, although as I was nearing the end I was hoping it wasn’t over yet — I wanted to stay in the world for longer, to savor my time in it. I’m desperately hoping there’ll be a sequel, especially after that ending. Tan’s imagery, wonderful worldbuilding, and well-developed characters ensures that this is a book I’ll be recommending for years to come.

3.5 stars rounded up - I loved the story and the incorporation of wuxia and xianxia elements. It was great being able to read a story that plays out like the Chinese dramas that I love watching.

With that said, I really enjoyed the premise and the development of the story, but something about the way the characters were written felt off to me and in a way, I felt that I didn’t actually get to know the characters as well as I wanted to. I also felt that there was a lot of time skipping that caused the plot to feel rushed, and so we didn’t get the full satisfaction of some climatic scenes.

Overall, this is an engaging story with a great cast of characters, and I am very excited and looking forward to the next installment.

I really loved this book! I was so sad when it was over and I will now be watching this author. I really liked how the author ended the story. I will be purchasing this book for my public library's Ya collection.

“You may not be able to change the past, but with each action, you can change the future.”

Big thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jade Fire Gold is a fast paced and engaging read. Jung C.L. Tan’s writing is straightforward which makes the book easy to get through. I love the mythology and magic system weaved into the story and the world Tan has crafted.

On the other hand I wish some truth reveals were from the characters learning and discovering them instead of being told to them. I also thought that some events weren’t given enough time to breathe so when you learn or discover something new, the aftermath didn’t get a chance to settle in before we’re swept away again, making some events feel small rather than big and grand as they should be.

Side note, I’ve seen the pitching for the book as Katara x Zuko and personally found that comparison for Altan and Ahn to miss its mark. I would say they’re more like of Aang x Zuko if I have to pick a dynamic for Avatar to compare.

Overall a promising debut from Tan. I can’t wait to get my hand on the sequel whenever that may be, Tan sure does know how to end a book.

Jade Fire Gold is a fantastic new YA fantasy with some great characters and intriguing world-building. The author, June CL Tan, has compared the central dynamic of the novel to Zuko and Katara in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and it definitely delivered a tense relationship that echoed Zutara!

The orphaned, ever-hungry Ahn lives with her adoptive grandmother on the outskirts of an isolated desert town in the vast and war-torn Shi Empire. A brief encounter with a mysterious, handsome stranger named Altan — who has secrets of his own — proves prescient. Soon after, shes is confronted by bandits, and desperately unleashes a powerful, deadly form of magic (previously unknown to her) that drains the mens’ life force. Shepherded to the imperial palace and asked to channel her dark powers into destroying the spreading desert, she finds herself torn between duty, family, and her newfound connections.

4.5/5: Filled with powerful magic, past traumas, and trust broken & regained, this new fantasy is perfect for any fans of ATLA and the Xianxia genre. Teens and adults alike should enjoy this well-written, fast-paced, and wonderfully diverse story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!