The premise of this book is just so interesting and really set up some high standards, with Chinese mythology, magic and and enemies to lovers romance inspired by zuko and katara from Avatar. That being said I dont know if it achieved everything I had hoped for it.

Personally, I found this book really quite difficult to get into at the start which really did hinder my experience because it meant I wasn't 100% sure on all the details of what was happening. This is arguably through no fault of Tan's though whose writing was immersive and detailed, but merely because the world building just felt so intense and so full of depth I struggled to keep up.

However, once I eventually got over my difficulties I really did enjoy the book. The plot is exciting with an interesting concept and I enjoyed the romance between Ahn and Altan just as much as I enjoyed reading about all of the diverse characters throughout.

Overall this is an enjoyable read with likeable characters filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing.

"...always remember, the heart is not a weakness."

I bookmarked SO many pages because this book is chock full of beautiful quotes and stunning scenes. The writing is lyrical, but accessible. I cannot wait until it releases so I can reread it. I love it SO much.

The split narration of Ahn and Altan was brilliant, and it was really easy to tell who was narrating without looking at the top of the page. Their voices were really unique, and they offered very different points of view and depth to the world.

Speaking of the world - I love it. The palace is the most beautiful thing and I want to live there (but maybe not with certain people who also reside there, haha). The rest of the world is also beautifully built and it would translate beautifully into a show or movie!

My biggest complaint about this book is that it made me SO hungry. The food all sounded so delicious it was unreal. I don’t normally snack whilst reading, but this book made it impossible not to.

I just really love this book. I need more of June C L Tan’s writing (especially if it’s a sequel to this beauty). Now to cross my fingers and toes for a special edition because I need all of them.

Thank you Netgalley for the privilege of reading and reviewing this ARC!

I didn’t think that Jade Fire Gold truly lived up to my expectations, but there were some positives! First, the side characters. I loved Tang Wei’s charismatic attitude and Tai Shun and even Leiye. I just wished they had more screen time! Hopefully, the next book will have some closure. I also loved the historical allusions to Chinese mythology and culture! Unfortunately due to AP Chinese I recognized the terra-cotta warriors, the myth of Cheng-e and her husband, and many more. It’s clear June did her research! I also have to give praise for the author’s storytelling and how she really shaped her setting in a way that was easy to understand. It was a bit confusing at first, but I got the hang of everything after about 25%.

My problem was the pacing and romance. The first few parts were super slow paced, and the climax was rushed over the last few chapters. And then (SPOILER) BOOM we get Altan’s coronation. This had me questioning whether this book was a standalone, and then that epilogue came out of nowhere. I also thought the romance had a lack of connection. I guess the author was going for enemies to lovers, but it fell short of actual chemistry. I don’t think Ahn actually liked Altan that way, and it really felt one-sided with Altan getting feelings for Ahn. I think the author tried too hard to write a slow burn romance with descriptions like (not directly quoted) their hearts meeting faster, or blushing, or subtle glances at each other. Not saying I could’ve written a better romance, but I think Altan and Ahn would be better off as friends. Am I glad they got together at the end? Yes. But I think the next book really needs to step up on their relationship.

Nonetheless, this was a solid read! I don’t really understand the “bad” reviews on Goodreads because I think Jade Fire Gold has more potential than it shows. There were some really solid scenes and descriptions in there! Anyways, thank you June for having me stay up all night to finish this, but it was super worth it.

Fairly original fantasy novel set in an alternative magical China. Very good read.

Taking place in an alternative China in which some people have magical abilities, this novel centers around two main characters; Ahn, a peasant girl who discovers that there is far more to her than she realises, and Altan, a warrior who has magic and has his own agenda. They spend the book mainly together, finding out more about the political machinations around the imperial throne and getting involved in these in different ways. There are quite a few other interesting characters, all well-developed and perhaps not as trustworthy as our two main protagonists would like. The plot moves along at a good steady pace although the denouement comes very quickly at the end.. It's quite enjoyable and fantasy fans should enjoy it. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The formatting of this Digital ARC did not aid itself to the reading of this book. There were pages and pages of an undescript image at the beginning of each chapter that broke up the first page of text of each chapter. I’m sure this will make sense in the printed copy.

Jade fire gold follows the story of an orphaned girl Ahn and Atlan, a lost hair to the empire. It follows them both on journeys that intertwine, Ahn finds out who she is and Atlan sees Ahn as a means to reclaiming his throne and what was lost to him. However they become more to each other and there paths change as the story progresses.

I found this books pacing to be a bit off for my liking, it started well, it was exciting and we were getting lots of info but as the book progressed I felt like we started jumping too big a space of time with not enough information in between, for example a time frame of 2 weeks passes and yet there is no progression of relationships or events from one time period to the next.
The conclusion of the book also happened very quickly, with the final ‘battle’ taking barely minuets to read.

I found the relationship between Ahn and Atlan very superficial, the fell for each other with not much interaction, I think this wasn’t helped by the large jumps in time. There was a lack of dialogue between the two of them, I didn’t feel like there was a true connection, it was only surface level for me.
I did however like the relationship between Linzxi and Tang Wei it was more fun and lighthearted.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read, it had nice inserts of Chinese folklore and it felt very authentic. I did however find the book a little predictable for my liking. This may be because the book is aimed at an audience younger then myself. The relationships between the characters fell a little flat for me, they didn’t stir up any emotions in me and I need characters to drive a story. Although enjoyable I found the book to be a little underwhelming but would still recommend to anyone who enjoys Asian literature or someone that is new to reading fantasy as this was easy to follow.

I really loved that book ! The universe was awesome, how the character works together, how they discover themself… I 100% recommand that book

This book is a bit strange. The pace is slow, the storyline is both confusing and repetitive and unfortunately the formatting for Kindle is a little off. I think this last point is what makes it a confusing read.
I preserved as I did want to finish it. Not enough magic for me though.

Jade Fire Gold unfolds through the dual narration of Ahn, a village girl struggling to make ends meet and care for her sick grandmother, and Altan, a boy seeking revenge for the murder of his family whilst struggling with his subsequent guilt and grief. When Altan and Ahn’s paths cross, their fates intertwined, they team up to find a powerful sword that is prophesied to cure the land of the desert plague caused by dark magic centuries ago.

This was an enjoyable debut showcasing a world full of imperial politics, dark magic, legends and adventure. I’m tempted to call it the much tamer (YA, naturally) younger sibling of an earlier 2021 release; She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan.

I really liked the alternating perspectives, as it was endearing to explore each mindset on any given plot event and it helped explore more of the world and other characters through their respective lenses.

We follow Ahn’s journey of exploring where she originates from and attempts to learn more of and master her magic. Then there’s Altan, who knows how to wield his magic and seeks every advantage he can get in his mission to bring those who killed his family to his mercy. I found it more difficult to connect to Ahn than I did Altan, as I felt his tragedy and personality were illustrated really well, whereas I can’t say I had the same level of care for Ahn. I found side characters like Altan’s companion Tang Wei and the soon-to-be Emperor Tai Shun more interesting, both of whom have their own family histories and tragedies to contend with as well. Tai Shun was probably my favourite character as he delivered the comedy and the irresistible pining for his boyfriend-but-not-his-boyfriend, Lieutenant Leiye.

My main challenge with this book was its smoothness. The plot development wasn’t smooth, the romance wasn’t smooth, the likes of Ahn’s arc wasn’t smooth... all of which made it hard to read without wincing a little by how all very sudden, random or rushed certain parts were. It almost felt like pages or chapters of development were missing. One minute the characters were tentative allies then softening and then in full blown love.

This wasn’t helped by the use of time jumps, which contributed to me feeling like I’d watched episode 1, and then tuned into episode 4, having missed the time period in between. It was confusing and left me a little lost. But the time jumps were also at times for the better; they were excellent for plot progression of taking the story to adventurous levels, by travelling across the lands and learning more of Tan’s world.

My favourite parts of the book were the world building and magic system. I loved the imperial family politics of quarrelling for power, the magic hating priesthood who slaughtered those like Ahn and Altan and also the history of overthrowing the reigning Emperor. It really was the most enjoyable elements. Then there was the qì life force and wŭxíng magic, combined with the legend of the sword that would end the desert plague, all of which Tan illustrated vividly and had me turning page after page. Oh and there’s a phoenix and a dragon, enough said!

I LOVED the ending! The author sets a sequel up rather nicely in the book’s epilogue and I’m curious over what it promises. You can read this as a stand-alone, so long as you don’t read the epilogue (but where’s the fun in that?)

All in all, admittedly I feel the story’s potential to delve deeper with its characters wasn’t fully realised and needed better pacing. Nonetheless Jade Fire Gold is an exciting debut with a lively story packed with action and well crafted world building. With a promising horizon by the epilogue’s doing, I’ll keep an eye out for updates on the sequel!

Thank you kindly to Hodder & Stoughton, @readeatretreat and Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this arc.

This is one of my most anticipated releases for this year so I was so excited to read this. The blurb looked super intriguing and I already had so many questions that I couldn't wait to dive into this book. I want to say however the only thing that annoyed me was that it messed up my sleep schedule! Once I started I could not stop, I was up until 3am and had to force myself to put it down!
This was such a fun and exciting Chinese inspired fantasy filled with magic, revenge, destinies, family and a sweet romance. I also enjoyed the writing style and the world building. The characters were a joy to read and I cannot wait to see where the next book goes. I will now wait eagerly for my pre order of the book to arrive (not until November sadly) as it is has a stunning cover.

Actual rating: 2.5/5

So that was a bit underwhelming... I don't know if I would like it more had I went in with lower expectations, but well.

I guess if you ask me what my main issues were, they would be the main POV narratives and the romance, or really just the relationships in general.

The narratives are told from the point of views of Ahn and Altan, and while they both are two different characters with different backgrounds and upbringing, I found their inner voice/thoughts completely indistinguishable from each other. And this really detracted from my reading experience because most of the time I couldn't tell (or forgot) whose POV I was reading.

All the relationships in the book, both platonic and romantic, are kinda cute and they have their moments, but they all just felt rushed and not developed enough for me to really feel anything.

It's also a lot of telling and not much showing that any emotional scenes just fell flat to me because it feels like I'm being told to feel a certain way instead of the story being able to evoke that emotion out of me.

Overall this was a decent debut book, me not liking this book as much is definitely a me problem and this would probably work better for other people. So yeah, still give it a try if you like the premise of the book or are into xianxia or Chinese-inspired fantasy.

“I see jade, I see fire... and I see gold. The three are bound together. Jade does not melt in Fire. And gold-gold follows you and red thread of fate binds you together.”

Genre: #YA #AsianLiterature #Fantasy #Mythology

My rating: 5+ / 5 GR: 4,43 / 5

I didn’t have big expectations from this book, but it surprised me indeed. This book is everything I like about Asian author Fantasy books. There is so much Chinese Mythology inspired moments. There are Phoenixes and Dragons here. And magic. Two swords, which can either heal or destroy the world.

Ahn is no one, she lives with the woman who found her many years ago and raised up as her granddaughter. She has to steel in order to survive.

Altan is a lost heir, his future was stolen at his child, now he is looking for revenge.

Eventually their paths will cross and they will see an opportunity in each other to get what they both want. But the price might be too high for both of them.

I won’t write more, because honestly, there is so much beauty about this story and I don’t want to spoil it for you.

Very intriguing, slowly paced book. With magic and its affinities properly explained. World full with Mythological creatures and objects. Royal intrigues and secrets of the palace. All characters were well thought through, I wish there is more information about Lotus sect in the book two. There is m + m as well as f + f female relationships, but they aren’t playing big role in this book.

There is romance present in this book, but what I liked about this, was self-sacrificing for another. Healing each other from the wounds of the past.

Last 25% of this book is a separate story, there is just so much action, and the ending... And the Epilogue... Now I need book 2 ASAP, but guess what? I got to wait for another year... :D

4.75 stars
I have to start by screaming. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED JADE FIRE GOLD.
When it comes to fantasy, my standards are a little high and that's why when I read any sort of fantasy, I tend to be overly critical of them. And I just loved this book. The world building, the characters, the writing...everything was fantastic.
Let me start with the characters. Ahn is an incredible girl. From being a simple, peasant girl trying to survive and protect her grandmother, she grows into an incredibly powerful character and undergoes development that I cannot talk about without spoiling things. But I really really love this girl so much <3 <3
Then there's Altan, the other protagonist, is a prince out for revenge against the people who wronged him and his family. His change, in how he goes from being obsessed with revenge to changing his goals for the better (and for Ahn hehe), was just incredible to see. Tang Wei was my favorite side character out of everyone we got to see. She's just my kind of gal and her sense of humor and dialogue was just amazing. And the way the romance between Altan and Ahn was so nice to read; it wasn't too slow but it wasn't so fast either. Plus there is this one specific scene that lives rent free in my mind.
The only reason I took off the .25 stars was that the climax felt a little rushed. I think they were a little too many fade out scenes which somewhat took away from the action. But nevertheless, I absolutely loved it.

the ending though...I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

Please take in mind it’s my opinion, and everyone is allowed to have one.

This was such an amazing, interesting and unique read, I truly loved this from beginning till the end. It was so well written, and the plot was so amazing! And the ending? WOW!

I absolutely loved all of the characters, literally every character was so unique. To see what they’ve done or experienced. The slow burn romance was so great as well.

10/10 would recommend reading this!

Jade Fire Gold was such a fun read filled with revenge, destined and hidden royalty. I adored the setting & the world building and the magic system was really interesting to learn about! The main romance was so sweet but also had a hit of enemies to lovers plus LOTS of mutual pining plus there were queer side couples/characters!

This is a good addition to the family of stories set in Japanese/Chinese magical worlds. If you like Girls of Paper and Fire or The Poppy War or Stormdancer then you will love this. It's part 1 of a story of a lost prince, a royal family divided and a girl with magical powers in a land where magic is strictly forbidden. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read part 2.

2.5/5

i might have enjoyed this more if i went in with lower expectations but oh well.

the premise is really intriguing: a peasant girl with ancient magic and a lost prince trying to reclaim his throne meet and upturn a world on the brink of war. unfortunately, the execution didn't quite live up to the promise for me.

first a few positives: the writing was pretty good for a debut YA author and made for an easy read. i liked the worldbuilding too, i think it had a lot of potential and the occasional inserts of chinese folklore were cool to see.

my major issues with this book are the characters, the plot/pacing and the romance. i didn't care for the main characters at all; they just felt so generic and needed some depth. ahn was a bit too passive for me, it felt like she was just going along with the flow of things instead of driving the action forward herself. altan mostly bored me to be honest, his internal conflict regarding the life stealer didn't ring true to me and felt like angst for the sake of it. the side characters were interesting, especially leiye and tang wei, but we just didn't see enough of them.

the romance was super frustrating to read - it was way too rushed and poorly developed. ahn and altan genuinely had no chemistry and their connection left me cold.

the pacing was also fairly uneven, especially in the last 15%. what was supposed to be the most exciting part of the novel was hindered by frequent time jumps that made no sense to me. the climax itself was weak and resolved too quickly, i think the action should have been drawn out more.

overall, it's a fairly basic, formulaic YA fantasy which isn't necessarily a bad thing! i think this will be an enjoyable read for a lot of people, particularly those who are new to the fantasy/xianxia genre. unfortunately, i think i'm too jaded for these kinds of stories now.

This is the first xianxia novel I have read and I was not disappointed in it. The world building was rich and vibrant and played out like a movie in my mind. The character development was steady and it drew you into the world. The pacing was mostly good but there was a couple of times that it dragged. All in all it was a very enjoyable read

3.5 stars

Jade Fire Gold follows the story of Ahn, a nobody with a hidden power, and Altan, an exiled prince, told through dual POVs as Ahn is discovering her destiny and Altan plots his revenge against the kingdom that took everything from him - and how their storylines come together. I loved the set up of the world and the magic, and how we get to discover and learn more about it with the characters. The set-up of the story takes us from Ahn doing her best to survive as a peasant girl in a harsh world, to court intrigue and backstabbing at the place and then a quest for a mysterious legendary sword. There is a lot going on and while I think the author doesn't always execute it perfectly (nad is often a little predictable) it's an entertaining ride with great prose and an intriguing story.

I think I've heard the romance is inspired (may not be accurate lol) by zutura and I definetly saw the paralells, however I'm not actually a big fan of zutura (that's a whole other topic though) so I wasn't that fussed on the romance in this book, I do feel the book has other strengths to make up for it but personally I wouldn't read this for the romance. But I will say the side sapphic romance I was so invested in!!!

One of the strongest parts of the novel for me was the side characters. They were all so interesting and brought such great personalities to the table. The relationship between Linxi and Tang Wei was EVERYTHING - I'm obviously a sucker for sapphic relationships of any kind but I loved their dynamic and how outgoing and confident Tang Wei was coupled with Linxi's more caring side; they were just so cute!! I also really liked Tai Shun, the cutest cinnamon roll prince and Leiye, easily the most interesting character in the book - he was very morally grey and you could tell very conflicted - I honestly wish he had a POV.

I really enjoyed the politics of the book, the villians were a little predictable and stereotypical however I actually quite like this in YA. The way the magic tied into the politics as well was also fascinating. I thought the family relationships were really well explored, and often quite complex. I also really liked the elements of chinese mythology that were woven in.

I do think some elements of the pacing were a little strange, a lot seems to happen in a short time and we wouldn't get a lot of time to reflect or explore things in depth. A lot of the climax happened very quickly as well. I also think the two main characters weren't really my favourite, I liked them fine but I wasn't super invested in their story therefore didn't enjoy the book as much as I might have done otherwise (although as I said earlier I loveeeed the side characters).

I'm a little confused if the book is meant to be part of a series or a standalone, events felt wrapped up but then the epilogue seemed to set up for future book so I'm curious to find out what happens next.

In conclusion I think this is a fun YA fantasy that has an addictive quality that makes you want to keep reading, however will probably not stick with me for a long time. It reminds me a lot of an ember in the ashes, not really in plot or charcaters just overall vibes haha so I think if you enjoyed that series you will enjoy this!!

3.5 stars
An enjoyable YA Fantasy, that’s rich in detail and inspired by Chinese Mythology—it even has a Phoenix!

“Her destiny. His revenge.”

June CL Tan’s magical debut follows Ahn (a peasant girl with no family and no recollection of her past) and Altan (the Empire’s lost Prince,who seeks revenge for the family and throne that was stolen from him.)

When they meet, Altan only sees Ahn as a means to an end—reclaiming his throne. But with Altan,Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and learn to control (and understand) her lethal magical abilities.

They’ve survived all these years by trusting no one. Now,to save their kingdom they’ll have no choice but to trust in each other...

Full of shadowy political intrigue, action packed fight scenes and a detailed magic system;fans of YA High Fantasy are in for a treat! I found it a every enjoyable read, though I did find the pace was a little slow at times. The enemies to lovers romance was really well written, I thought Ahn and Altan definitely had a lot of chemistry and the slowburn, tension filled scenes between them were great.

The lgbtq representation was also really good and I loved Linxi and Tang Wei as a couple. The vividly detailed descriptions were really great and the Chinese mythology that’s woven throughout was really interesting, I especially loved the Shadow Puppet scene that depicts the legend of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess (which sounded so beautiful and yet so sad.)

I’d definitely recommend to fans of High Fantasy, and mythology inspired stories. If your looking for a book with magic, shadowy villains, vengeful Princes and a cryptically wise mythical Phoenix cameo—then this is the book for you.

Also a huge thank you to Hodder&Stoughton and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

This is the best book I’ve read this year (possibly ever). First off, the Chinese mythology was so easy to follow and understand – especially for someone who had no background knowledge in Chinese folklore. I have always loved mythology but have never come across anything other than Eurocentric mythology in mainstream books. I think the Asian mythology in this book was so interesting and will have a positive effect on more diverse mythology in modern literature. I also think that the romance aspect was very well balanced with the plot – this balance is often not well done in YA so I applaud it especially. All of the characters were so 3D and so much emotion was evoked with every conversation between Ahn and Altan. Even the side characters had extreme depth and the LGBTQ+ rep was so well done and I was rooting for Tang Wei and Linxi and also Leiye and Tai Shun. This book was an emotional rollercoaster and I felt all the feelings. The ending could not have been more well resolved and the epilogue had me screaming. Overall, this book was an absolute joy to read and I thank Net Galley and Hodder and Stoughton for gifting me this ARC in return for an honest review.