It was a solid book - it definitely didn't grab me as much as Fonda Lee's first trilogy but I was still very interested in the characters plots and will be picking up the rest of the series to see what happens. The action scenes were great but I was just not as invested in the characters.

This was a solid fantasy book. It was also a bit of skim read for me. The premise was fun and I liked the story overall. It just never fully pulled me in to the point where I couldn't put it down. I also never really cared about the characters in this one. It was well-written though and I can definitely see how other readers would find it more interesting than I did.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

This was wonderful! I loved the writing style, the characters, the world-building…everything about it was top-notch. I will definitely be recommending this book!

I loved this book! The character growth of Jun through this story is strong. I enjoyed the writing style and the relationship between the characters. The magic system in this novel is also unique. The idea of being born with a breathmark (dragon scales somewhere on their body) and having a special skill blessed by their god was novel to me, especially since the abilities range from something like having strong bones to even the ability to sleep on demand. I really enjoyed the martial arts in this book. You can tell it's inspired by Bruce Lee. The plot was solid and easy to follow. I would recommend to if you enjoy classic YA character growth with a simple but creatively-filled world.

A beautiful blend of action, legacy, and philosophy. Reading this felt like a giant hug for the martial arts culture - I loved every moment of it!

They were on a quest for a compelling and intricately crafted martial arts book, and what they found was nothing short of extraordinary. This narrative revolves around 16-year-old Li Jun, who, alongside his father, has been exiled from his twin brother and mother due to their passion for martial arts. In the East, the practice and study of martial arts is forbidden, leading to their banishment to the West, where they are meant to repent for their supposed transgressions. However, with the borders now closed, their return home becomes an unachievable dream.

During their time in exile, Li Jun's love for martial arts intensifies, growing like a fire within him. He harbors a fervent aspiration to participate in the Guardian Trials, a prestigious competition where he hopes to prove his worth and reclaim his heritage. Throughout his journey, Li encounters a vibrant array of characters, each adding depth and richness to his experiences.

The book features masterfully choreographed fight scenes that draw you in, making you feel as though you're right in the midst of the action. It’s a breathtaking blend of emotion, culture, and exhilarating combat. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a captivating Asian story infused with the spirit of martial arts.

To be completely honest I wasn't blown away by Breath of the Dragon and I think that's fine. It's still a solid 3 star read that has potential to grow into something better. The writing is fine, nothing mind blowing and I think this is a result of it being written by two authors, which lots of other reviewers seem to forget. Fonda Lee did not write this on her own and she seems to be the only getting any credit in other reviews. Shannon Lee also worked on this and that could be where the difference in voice comes from when reading the writing style. Though in reality we will never know how much each author contributed to the work, but either way for a dual authorship this a solid 3 star story.

The character work was decent, Jun is really the only character that stands out and that's due to him being the main character, so we spend the entire book with him. I think there is a solid foundation to what can become a great friendship between Jun and his rival Yin and I sincerely hope this isn't ruined in later books due to a possible romance storyline because both of these boys seem to have an interest in the same girl. I was disappointed that there wasn't a deeper dive into Jun's brother or him even appearing because It was an element of the story I was most intrigued by, and for it not be utilized in anyway except in Jun's mind in the first book it felt like a major missed opportunity.

Now I'm not one for school settings and rarely for tournament settings but I actually enjoyed the tournament in this story. A lot of times the tournaments feel rushed and we the reader never really get to fully bask in its moment but that was not the case in Breath of the Dragon. We got to read about multiple rounds and they were brutal. I loved that there was no holding back on the fights, they got bloody and gruesome and fit perfectly in this tournament to the death. Now I do wish there had been more exploration in the magic of this world, the Breathmarked magic seems really intriguing and I feel like we got such lack luster abilities in this opening installment and I'm not sure if that was a good or bad choice. I understand our main man Jun is a martial artist and not breathmarked, but it would have been interesting to see him deal with Breathmarked opponents or watch them in action, it definitely felt under utilized,

As for elements that bothered me, the overall story plot feels like a lot but also like nothing at the same time. For some reason the political parts between the East and West of the world didn't exactly pop off the page and get me invested. I think it's because for the most part it was happening around Jun until the last half of the book when he finally became embroiled in it. There was also this very off putting and honestly forced use of swearing towards the last half of the book. I have no issues with swearing I think it's fine to use in a story but for the majority of this book it's not there and then all of sudden in the last half it became so heavy handed that it started to feel forced and not natural for the characters to use.

he last bit I didn't care for was the death, there is a death in this and its suppose to be a big major moment and it fell so flat and its because once again it involved a character who we spent very little time with. I don't know what is with this trend of killing off side characters who have very little page time and its suppose to be this huge big moment but I need it to stop. I need work, foundation, I need to really understand and feel the connection between these characters when you have them on the page together even if it's for a short period of time. I want that death to really truly mean something when it happens. I think between the timing of when it popped up and the lack of deep connection between the characters was the ultimate reason why it fell so flat for me.

One last bit, I did do an immersive read with the audiobook and while the narrator has an amazing voice and did a great job reading the story I do think his overall performance was a bit lackluster. I never felt like he was fully into the story himself and was just reading what was on the page, which was a bit of a downer as its a very action packed story.

Breath of the Dragon is a vivid, fast-paced fantasy that blends high-stakes adventure with rich lore and heart-pounding action. The world is fierce and elemental, brought to life with striking imagery and a palpable sense of danger. Dragons, of course, steal the show—but the human characters hold their own, with layered motivations and emotional arcs that ground the magic. It’s the kind of story that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the smoke clears.

This was a really action-packed adventure that was fun to read and had a lot of parts it was easy to get invested in. I also love main characters who are underdogs and work hard to come out on top.

Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee have delivered a phenomenal story. I was already a fan of Fonda Lee with the Greenbone Saga, so this was an instant pick-up. I think anyone who is a fan of that series will truly enjoy this book. Once I picked this book up, I could not put it down. I am a sucker for a good tournament book and the martial arts on display in this novel is fantastic. For lovers of martial arts and the mythos surrounding this culture, I highly suggest it.

I really enjoyed Breath of the Dragon.

This is the first book by Fonda Lee that I've read, and I am itching to jump into her Jade City Series here soon! I really enjoyed the journey that Li Jun went on throughout the story. It was well crafted and had an anime feel to the story. I think that while the fight scenes were incredibly detailed and entertaining at first, there were a lot of them and it got repetitive at some points. I think that overall it was a great first book in the duology and I am excited to pick up the next book!

Breath of the Dragon swept me back to the days of watching classic martial arts movies with my dad, each page echoing the fluid fights and deep honor codes we loved. The story blends powerful action with rich fantasy elements, creating a world that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly new. It’s a thrilling tribute to the genre, with just enough magic to keep your imagination soaring.

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

This was an exciting fantasy novel. I really enjoyed the action in the book as there was never a dull moment. I am excited for the next book in the series and hope to learn more about the dragon abilities some of the characters have and how the magic works through the people. I enjoyed the characters as they were great and relatable.

Really good start to this book but I somehow set it down and didn’t pick it up till now. As it might be a mood thing leaving it at four stars for what I read

I really liked this book. I found the characters interesting and great to follow along with. I loved the world building and pacing. The writing was engaging.

Breath of the Dragon follows Jun, who wants to prove himself as a great warrior without being "Breathmarked". His father taught him martial arts, which was illegal in their country, and they were exiled to a different country, away from his mother and "Breathmarked" twin. Jun continues to train in martial arts, and enters in the Guardians tournament, where things do not go as expected.

Overall, the book has a STRONG anime feel, which I personally do not read/watch the genre. I enjoyed the fantasy aspect of the story and the characters were well-written. It kept me engaged and wanting to read more.

I usually prefer books with FMC as opposed to MMCs, but I found this book really engaging and entertaining! This book surprised me because I wasn’t lost or bored with the fighting/action scenes and I felt like I could really see the scenes playing out in my head! I really enjoyed this book and recommended it to my book club!

I've been hearing great things things about Fonda Lee's writing since I joined the book community. The problem is, after hearing soo much praise, I became a little too intimidated to pick up her books. However, when she announced she was writing a YA novel, I knew this would be a good place to start. And I'm so glad I did start here. Breath of the Dragon showcases Fonda Lee's incredible writing, yet is still super easy to follow. Despite being initially a little hesitant towards the premise, I found myself immediately immersed in this story. I love the main character, the plot moves at a clip, and I was wayyy more into the martial arts aspect of the book than I expected. I also really enjoyed the politics in this book. They're written with such maturity, and sometimes even brutality, yet they're still easy to follow for young readers. Overall, I was really impressed with this story, and the author's writing as a whole. The themes and character growth are so mature, yet the plot is so engaging and accessible. I think this balance creates a really perfect YA novel. I'm really glad I decided to pick this book up and look forward to reading the sequel when it comes out!

This is a creative collaboration that explores the legacy of Bruce Lee, blending elements of martial arts philosophy with storytelling. Shannon and Fonda do a great job merging all of these elements to create a fun and action-packed story perfect for teens.

Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee

I was really looking forward to this book, and I was so disappointed because this was not the book that I wanted it to be. I have read a number of by Fonda Lee, and I have enjoyed each and every book of hers. I have been waiting for a long vacation to read the Green Bone Saga, but I absolutely loved Untethered Sky. So, when I saw that she had a new book available on NetGalley, I requested it. I didn’t know who the Shannon Lee was that she coed with, but I figured I would give it a go. I really enjoyed the prologue - it set up a pair of twins, one of whom was thoughtless and doomed his family to a separation. Then chapter one began with the thoughtless child being a whiner, and a complainer, who only cared about martial arts while his father wanted him to get a nice respectable government job. I was really hoping that the book was going to alternate chapters so we could see the point of view of his twin brother and mother. As I read, it slowly dawned on me that we were not going to switch and see what was going on with the more interesting brother, but we were going to be stuck with the stupid, thoughtless, selfish brother throughout the book. About a third of the way through, I realized that Shannon Lee is the child of Bruce Lee, and that this book was going to be a boring slog of a martial arts competition. I’m sure there are people out there for whom this is a great book, but I am not one of them.