Overall: 2.75/5
Characters: 2.5/5
Plotline: 3/5
World-Building: 2.5/5

Romance: 3/5
Spice Factor:0
Themes: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Enjoyment Factor: 3/5

Review: The Mulan-esque revenge plotline was an exciting premise, but it never came to fruition. I feel like we forgot about the revenge until the very end. Ying was a compelling character, wickedly smart, and a talented engineer. However, her character never had any actual development. If anything, she became a spoiled, whiny brat when her 'love interest' got put into a forced engagement. Speaking of romance, it was highly toxic and non-believable. Lastly, the world-building felt non-existent, and there were no real dragons as I anticipated. I wanted to like this but could never be immersed in the story.

Steampunk x Mulan x Murder Mystery. There were twists and turns in this book that I had anticipated and some that I didn't. There were no large info-dumps, plot holes (ones that I had were subsequently answered), and the world building was really well done.

I want to read the next novel ASAP to see where this story takes me.

I loved the engineering and STEM focus in this book, it felt really unique and fresh! Overall this was a fun and quick read, but I didn't feel like I could really connect with the characters. It felt very YA to me, which it is... but I still would have loved to have the MC feel a bit more "real" and fleshed out.

Of Jade and Dragons is a YA Fantasy Mulan reimagining following a young woman who travels to enter a competition to join the Engineers' Guild, in order to discover the truth behind her beloved father's assassination. The book includes an M/F relationship, women in STEM rep, war, betrayal, and secrets all set in a steampunk infused East Asian world. If you like Chinese Dramas, this might be up your alley!

I am really impressed by Amber Chen's choice to make the central conflict revolve around engineering, and in particular, the weapons that are created during wartime. The book shows the repercussions and consequences of ambition, which Ying has in spades, and what people will do for power.

I liked Ying a lot, and I have a soft spot for a fellow woman in STEM. She's bold, brave, stubborn, and has strong morals. She is naive, but not afraid to embark on her journey. She does make some typical YA protagonist dumb decisions, but they weren't egregiously off the mark of what a naive person would do.

I appreciated that there wasn't too much info dumping from the beginning, and the book does not take long before you get right into the action. My issue was mainly with character building. It's common in a lot of YA books, but I found a lot of the characters besides Ying extremely forgettable or uninteresting. The characters we are supposed to care about have no flavor for me, so I hope they get fleshed out.

The story was easy enough to read, writing style wise, but I did not feel moved by the story. I see what Amber Chen was trying to do, but I think improvement needs to be placed towards fleshing out the characters, both main and side. The ending was also a bit confusing in the direction the story would go in regards to Ying's path. Overall, a decent read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for graciously letting me read the ARC in exchange for a review!

This was such a fabulous read that breathed a lot of life into the YA genre! I’ve been in such a reading slump but this book pulled me out of it

Honestly could not put this book down. Everything about it, from the story to the characters, is so immediately engaging that I needed to devour the story immediately. I couldn’t get enough of Ying’s experiences as she struggles to join the engineering guild. The ending made my heart ache. I cannot wait to see what comes next in this saga. Also, I adore Ye-Kan so much!

Steampunk meets Ancient China in this stunning debut from Amber Chen.

After witnessing her father’s murder Ying decides to travel to the capital city to join the Engineering Guild in order to find the perpetrators and continue his work. Along the way she finds an ally in the Eighth Prince. But girls are forbidden from entering the Guild and if found out both of them could be killed. As her lessons progress and her investigation deepens, Ying learns things about her father’s past and that the reasons for his abandoning his prestigious position were darker than she could have ever imagined.

I absolutely adored this creative Mulan retelling. My favorite parts had to be the steampunk elements: airships, chimera, steam powered cars, and more! The opening scene with Ying testing her wings was the perfect introduction to her character and you cannot help but fall for her creativity and ambition. The hardships she faces and being torn between her passion for engineering and her growing feelings for Ye-Yang really help her depth of character. You find yourself torn between which you think would make her happy (and secretly hoping it will be both).

The romance was a bit of slow burn, especially as he falls first and she finds herself fighting her feelings, first for the mission of discovering her father’s murderer and bringing him to justice, then their huge gap in social status, and finally her desire to be accepted into the Guild rather than be someone’s wife. I was pretty sure he knew a lot more than he was telling about her father’s murder (just because he was so nonchalant about the pendant when it would have been a major scandal for an enemy empire to sneak past their borders to murder one of the country’s foremost weapons designer and engineering expert). That reveal hurt. A lot. And I completely agree with Ying for refusing to forgive him for lying despite her romantic feelings for him.

The secondary characters were really well done, a mixture between friendly academic rivals and even more haughty bullies who eventually come around once they realized Ying’s talents (jealousy is more of a common trope but I was glad the ribbing was more good natured than malicious). I was pleased that Ying was able to make some true friends at the Guild lessons, even the young Fourteenth Prince who ends up more as a loyal younger brother. (Halfway convinced myself he has a crush on her once he realized she was a girl).

The ending was such a twist, although it wrapped up a lot more quickly than I was expecting. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am hoping there will be a sequel!

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at reading this.

I was really excited to read this, but I made it to 60% of the book before DNF'ing it.

To me, this feels in some aspects like Harry Potter, but with a lowkey romance, asian setting and a plot that just kind of trods along. It feels rather juvenile at times, and the girl IS a teenager, but the book just has a very care-free attitude about it. Girl watched her father die in the first chapter, her brother didn't want her to look into it, but there doesn't seem to be much agency or understanding about magic and or the airships to get me to really care about what's going on.

So I blame it on the world building. When you read a Brandon Sanderson book, even if you don't like the story, the world building is top-notch. You just feel let down because this could be really good book, but when it's full of things you've seen in other stories, you want a world that makes it stand out more. To me this doesn't have it.

Firstly, I just want to say how impressive it is to write a book like this one!! The intellect and work that goes into researching details like these and then being able to remember them all in order to form a cohesive piece of work is something that should absolutely not be overlooked or under appreciated.

I really enjoyed the setting, it reminded me a lot of the K-Drama ‘Sungkyunkwan Scandal’, but also mixed with ‘Mulan’ and ‘The Legend of Korra’ at times.
I’ll be honest though, this isn’t the type of book I usually read, so at times It did kind of drag on for me. And I would have loved if the romance had been a little more fleshed out—I’m all for the romance being a subplot, but I also think at times this one just felt like it didn’t have much substance. Which makes sense, since the focus was her finding the assassin and competing in the competition, but again, It just made the ending a little less hard-hitting for me. Though, I did actually still really love the ending! I eat that kind of drama up, and though I did see the main plot-twist coming, I still very much enjoyed the outcome.

I really want to rate this book higher, and I probably would had I not read it during a big reading slump that made it harder to immerse myself into the world the author created, on top of Ying making some dumb choices that just upset me; which as a very character driven reader, made me kind of angry. Reading it though, I just kept seeing how much potential the author has, and how I can just imagine her writing on all fronts just improving as her career continues—which is obviously a very good thing, and something that will keep me excited and eager to read her books in the future!

I can definitely think of multiple people I know who will probably LOVE this book! And even if it wasn’t a complete hit for me, I still enjoyed it and will be buying a physical copy when it comes out:)

One last thing: YING AND YE-KAN’S FRIENDSHIP IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PART OF THIS BOOK AND I NEED MORE OF THEM RIGHT NOW!!!!

"Of Jade and Dragons" is an enchanting YA fantasy about a girl who refuses to give up on her dreams. While I appreciated its STEMinist empowerment and Eastern influences, I couldn't overlook the characters' unrealistic decisions or stilted dialogue. Full disclosure—I DNFed this book around 25%.

My biggest issue with this story is its writing. I loved the immersive descriptions of the setting, but the worldbuilding was difficult for me to keep straight. Part of the issue is that the main character travels a lot during the beginning of the book. I'm sure it would have gotten better once she reached the Engineer's Guild, but I'd already checked out of the story by the time that happened.

I also think the writing style was a little off. I soldiered through awkward dialogue and clunky prose before finally giving up. For example, one argument between the main character and her brother read:

'“Do what?” Wen replied, his tone harsh and curt. The muscles of his jaw tensed visibly beneath his tan skin. “You can’t conclude that based on this pendant alone.” He tossed the black jade back down onto the table as if it were a worthless piece of rock."

This excerpt is problematic because it TELLS how Wen feels instead of SHOWING. The author could have conveyed the same information more effectively if it read:

'“Do what?” Wen replied, his voice harsh. “You can’t conclude that based on this pendant alone.” He tossed the black jade onto the table as if it were a worthless piece of rock."

Do you see how that's a smoother read? Picking apart excerpts isn't something I usually do in reviews, but it helps illustrate a larger issue throughout this book.

I also thought some of the characters' decisions seemed unrealistic. I couldn't figure out why a prince would endanger himself to help a stranger in a dark alley. Even if you ignore that plot hole, it doesn't make sense that the prince would offer for his physician to treat her wounds, give her free passage on his airship, and nominate her as his pick for the Engineer's Guild. Again, they're COMPLETE STRANGERS. The prince's reasoning might have become clear if I'd continued reading, but I didn't care enough to find out.

I liked the main character from what I read of the book. Ying had a strong moral compass and sought justice for her father's killer. I can respect a girl who's determined to avenge her family. I also like that Ying chose to chase her dream of attending the Engineer's Guild. As a fellow woman in STEM, it's refreshing to read books with characters like me!

While I didn't love the writing style, I still appreciated this book's murder mystery and strong female protagonist. I'd recommend it to YA fantasy fans of "Spin the Dawn" and "Descendent of the Crane".

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Teen / Epic Reads for allowing me to read and review this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've said it once and I'll say it again: 2024 is going to be a beast for readers and we are not prepared for the onslaught of gorgeously written stories. Of Jade and Dragons is no different. I knew from the first chapter that I would want to follow Ying on her journey and beyond.

Ying's ambition is to follow in her father's footsteps to become part of the Engineer's Guild in Fei where only the highest ranking men can achieve their dreams and create unimaginable things. When her father is murdered for his life-threatening Guild notes, Ying takes it upon herself to track the killer which leads her to disguising herself as a boy to enter the Engineer's Guild where her father is most revered and her father's secrets will be revealed.

Of Jade and Dragons is a murder mystery enriched in a Chinese Qing dynasty-inspired world. The politics are cut-throat, the world-building is stunning, and Amber Chen's storytelling kept me engaged until the very end.

Ying meets Ye-yang, the male love interest, on her way to the Engineer's Guild and I wish they had more scenes together. Ye-yang is one of the fourteen children of the High Commander and helps Ying keep her disguise while she competes at the Guild. There are difficult tasks she needs to pass in order to move up the ranks. The longer she stays there, the easier it'll be for her to find out more information on her father's murderer, what he kept hidden from her, and why he asked her to burn the notebook on the day he died. I liked the hints of romance between Ying and Ye-yang. Of Jade and Dragons focuses more on the murder mystery and the trials than the romance, which honestly is totally fine. I was so engrossed in Ying's path to finding the truth that the romance is an extra bonus.

There were many plot twists, some I was able to decipher quickly and others that took me by surprise. I hope we will see more from Ying's family and how they are incorporated in the war and how that will affect their relationships. The friendships she built with a few of the aspiring Engineers is developed well and I love her bond with Ye-kan. I'm desperate to find out his reaction to the ending of this story and how his friendship with Ying will be affected, too. The murder mystery and the steampunk ships, automaton creatures, and creations were so cool. I hope we will see another dragon in a sequel.

The ending is open for a possible sequel, which makes me very happy. I would love to read more about Ying and what may come in the future for her and her home. Of Jade and Dragons is on my life as of my most anticipated books of 2024 and I was not disappointed. I highly recommend this beautiful story if you've read To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods, Defy the Night, and fell in love with the story of Mulan.

Utterly gorgeous sci-fi tale. I mean, wow. Murder mystery engineer steampunk world was just stunner. Thanks for the arc

The cover is gorgeous and was what initially made me curious about this book. Then I started reading and was instantly hooked. It had a nice, steady pace with plenty of action and information and “normal moments” that made for a well balanced book. The writing was solid, there were some good twists as the story unfolded and the ending of course makes me want to know what’s going to happen next.

Ying was a great FMC, I really enjoyed being in her perspective. The school/academic setting was fun to read about too. I love the different types of challenge/competition plot lines in books so that added to my enjoyment of the story.

Song of the Lioness meets Mulan meets…Harry Potter? This has an interesting premise, whereby Yang disguises herself as her brother to enter a competition in the hopes of being accepted into the famed Engineers Guild. One of the Guild Masters gives off some serious Snape vs. James Potter vibes, but then that’s largely abandoned. I found this enjoyable, but I do wish that we had been able to read more about the actual lessons being taught. There’d be a mention of a boring class, and the next thing you know, it’s two months later. I did figure out a couple of reveals ahead of time, but I was still drawn into the story.

And that COVER. All the awards should go to that cover. *chef’s kiss*

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group and Viking Books for gifting me an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

These seas can never trap those who are meant to fly.

"A lamp can light up the darkness around you, but a story lights up the darkness within."

a young engineer disguises herself as a boy to compete for a spot in the esteemed engineer guild while solving her father's murder, sponsored by one of the heirs amid a power struggle for succession.

steampunk x Mulan vibes, good pacing, no worldbuilding info dumps, & romance subplot. a little violence as war is a very central theme. i genuinely enjoyed the story and would continue the series (i'm curious to see what happens next).

there were some occasional moments where the writing was a bit too contemporary/colloquial for the setting. for example, early on it describes "parking a ship" when it prob should be docking.

mmc has a dimple hehe

"If I want to conquer the world, will you stand by my side?"

OH MY GOD I loved this book, from the gorgeous cover to the characters and interesting world building. Although I loved Ying and Ye-Yang's tension and angst, the plot itself is what drove me. Ying's adventure and drive to finish her goal and seek revenge for her father was so interesting and fun to follow, and the characters (her friends) she made were lovable. I hate myself for requesting an arc for this book because I want the second one NOW.

Steampunk engineer woman disguised as a man, doing the same (and more) than what a man was doing at the guild. The writing style wasn't my favorite but it was still a quick and fun read. I am looking forward to the second book !! ♥️

Wow.
This book is it. If you liked Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim, I think you'll like this.
Of Jade and Dragons gives heavy Mulan vibes.
When I wasn't reading this, I was thinking about it constantly.
Ying is really close to her father and his engineering work. When he's killed in cold blood, Ying sets out for revenge. She goes undercover as a man and goes through the engineering guilds trials to claim a place for herself in the guild. She gets so close to answers and then the trails evaporate like smoke. I couldn't read it fast enough. It kept pace very well. I didn't feel slowed down by any part of the story. Ying is smart and strong but she's also not made of stone. The romance here was *chefs kiss* even though I wish there were a little more substance to the deep feelings between Ying and *wiggles eyebrows* (just read it and you'll know).
I already can't wait for the sequel and what adventures Ying will be thrust into there. Will she be reunited with her friends? Will she have to work with her not so much friends but not really enemies? I need answers now haha
One thing I'd really love in the finished product is a pronunciation guide and maybe an explanation of the government names and of course a map!

With a beautiful cover such as this, combined with a Mulan retelling, I am instantly sold. Thankfully, Of Jade and Dragons held up to the high praise this book was receiving. A majority of the time I thought this book was similar to The Poppy War due to the Engineer's Guild/school setting during war time, albeit a little less brutal. Ying's journey in uncovering who was behind her father's murder was exhilarating, and reading her grow as a character throughout the book was something I enjoyed. She grew from being sheltered in her hometown, to someone who is able to navigate the political landscape with intelligence and bravery while hiding her identity and motive from those around her. I am also kind of glad that the romance, if it can even be called that, was not a main focus point so that Ying's personal growth can be the main focus. I look forward to seeing her relationship with Ye-yang will develop in the following book.

The beginning of this novel was a bit slow, but I feel like that's to be expected with first novels. The writing also felt a bit off at times as well. I wish the world building outside of the main areas (such as the empire) and the background of the war were expanded upon a bit more, so I am hopeful that this is built upon with the next installment. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and Chen has created a great starting point for a series that has potential to do extremely well. I will be looking forward to read the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Sadly I cannot rate this book very highly. Great concept that I was excited about and decent world building, but the writing just was not there. Better editing would have helped, but even then I’m not sure I would have finished. Just very bland and stiff feeling such that I couldn’t get into the story at all.

Upon reading the description of this book I rushed to request it, a Mulan inspired book? Count me in!
It started off quite slow and only picked up with the introduction of Ye-Yang, but even then I didn’t feel compelled to pick up the book. Around 25% into the book I already felt something off about the writing, it just wasn’t allowing me to be fully immersed in the story. I pushed on hoping that perhaps I could look past it but unfortunately, it really prevented me from enjoying this read and I ended up not finishing it.