When I saw this was a Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee fantasy collaboration, I just had to get my hands on a copy of this book! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the Breath of a Dragon ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shannon Lee brings her father, Bruce Lee's legacy into the fantasy literary world with Breath of a Dragon. As I was reading this book, I saw so many parallels to Bruce Lee's teachings, philosophy, and martial arts style. It felt like I was watching one of his movies as I was reading through the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book with it's rich world building, political intrigue, lovable characters, and action packed fighting scenes.

Breath of a Dragon is a beautiful coming of age story, and it gave me a lot of nostalgia of my childhood watching Bruce Lee movies with my father. I am looking forward to the next book!

I was sent this book randomly and decided to read it on a whim and it was amazing!! I know Fonda Lee has written great books before (but I haven’t read them yet) so it was no surprise that this new YA book was excellent. Refreshing, fast-paced, with excellent action scenes. I'm really looking forward to reading this series as more books come out!

🌈Queer rep: none

This book tells the story of Jun, a young man living in a world divided between East and West, where people are sometimes born with special powers called "breathmarks." However, the number of breathmarked individuals has been declining since the division. Jun, who isn't breathmarked, dreams of competing in the prestigious Guardian's Tournament ten years after being exiled to the West. The story follows his journey to become a warrior, which is complicated by political intrigue and betrayal.

Here's what I enjoyed about the book:

1. The Tournament: I'm a big fan of tournament storylines. They provide a clear structure, introduce new characters and challenges, and constantly raise the tension. Plus, they're just entertaining to read.
2. The Characters: Jun is a compelling character. He's a typical 16-year-old in some ways, displaying both naivety and arrogance, but he's also dedicated and has a strong sense of right and wrong. The way we see other characters changes as Jun's perspective evolves. I especially appreciated that Jun isn't breathmarked. His struggle to find his place and prove his worth without special abilities is a refreshing change from stories where the main character has overwhelming magical powers. It's inspiring to see him rely on hard work, skill, and training.
3. The World: I love stories with magic systems, especially when those powers are physically visible. The concept of twins, where one has magical abilities and the other doesn't, and their separation due to opposing ideologies, creates a lot of compelling drama.
4. The Ending: The ending left me eager for the next book! I won't give anything away, but it provided the payoff I was hoping for throughout the story.

Title: Breath of the Dragon: Breathmarked by Fonda Lee; Shannon Lee
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pub Date: January 7, 2025
📖 349 pages

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aspects of Virtue
Guardian Tournament
Epic Martial Arts
Unique Magic System
Ongoing Hostilities
Asian Literature
Devastating Betrayal

I loved this one! We follow Jun on his journey from eager young boy to determined teenager. His biggest dream in the world is to become the guardian of the scroll, second only to the emperor, and in order to win this prestigious honor he must compete in the Guardian Tournament. Despite his father's wishes, Jun travels to the city and takes part. Unbeknownst to Jun, there is much more at stake than just who will be the keeper of the scroll of Heaven, and there is deception and treachery around every corner.

If you enjoy martial arts, tons of action packed fighting scenes, and journeys of self discovery, you will love Breath of the Dragon! I can't wait to read the next book in this epic duology!

Thank you so much, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the gorgeous review copy!

This was spectacular. Its really a slow burn action novel about martial arts and human connection. I can get the Bruce Lee references and the magic being linked to the dragon breath and how even though our main protagonist doesn't have the special magic he is still a formidable foe in the guardianship rounds. I didn't really catch on about the whole political aspect of this book until Jun did as well even though there were hints sprinkled through, some of the hints later on in the book were obvious but still some things caught me off gaurd still. The martial arts in this book are where it really shines on Fonda and Shannon's writing, I was in the edge of my seat every time Jun was fighting. And the injuries themselves were very realistic as well which made everything more believable. A slow start but turns into a fireball brother end, this is one amazing read and I'm glad I was picked to read it early, highly recommend!

For years I’ve had friends telling me to read Fonda Lee, many of them even gifting me copies of her books. And yet it’s only now with Breath of the Dragon, her collaboration with Shannon Lee, that I finally got to see what the fuss is about. Now I can’t wait to jump into her other works. I also can’t wait for the second book in this series.

Believable characters, tremendous world building, and tons of action make Breath of the Dragon a must read. This might sound odd (or redundant given it’s a YA book) but this book is YA to the core and yet kind of anti-YA. Confused? Sorry. So many YA books lean heavy on a romance angle, but not here. We have a male lead, tons of action, and a wild story. Maybe it’s because I just finished watching the second half of the last season of Cobra Kai, but I get that same kind of vibe from this book. An absolute blast that you almost want to say has no right to be as enjoyable as it is. 4.5 stars. Hopefully it won’t be too long of a wait for Breathmarked 2. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Breath of the Dragon.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R107VG9LE5SIL5/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This fast-paced, engaging xianxia adventure is aimed at the teenage audience, but anyone could enjoy it.

The story centers around teenage Jun, who aims to redeem his family’s honor by winning the prestigious Guardian’s Tournament. This tournament, held every six years, chooses the new protector of the magical Scroll of Heaven. Winning it will net Jun the prestige to restore his father's good name--or so he believes. A hunt of the twisted road to come is that it was his father who stictly forbade Jun from going, due to the fact that Jun is not breathmarked by the Dragon god—born with a patch of dragon scales that grants magical skills. Unlike his twin brother. Oh, the rivalry there!

That's the beginning of the tough obstacles facing Jun, but he's going for the gold. He stows away with some performers led by blind Chang and his daughter Ren. These two are not as simple as they appear, and Jun gladly opts for whatever training he can get. Even if it sounds weird, at first.

When they reach the capital, Jun signs up for the Tournament, again, not without personal cost. Here he begins facing tough competitors, each the hero of their own story. Slowly Jun begins widening his awareness away from his personal problems to those besetting the entire country.

This is a vivid, detail-rich xianxia world. Everything, from the food to the lore of the breathmarked create a lived-in feel for the world. Add to that the tension from the martial arts battles, and the pacing never lets up.

The characters are sympathetic, interesting, complex. Jun's tough struggle toward growth and awareness is complemented by the multi-dimensional side characters, who have their own stories and quests.

The themes of honor, sacrifice, and the pursuit of greatness typical of xianxia tales are balanced by the upward path toward understanding--cultivation in the oldest sense.

I can hardly wait for book two!

Happy Publication day!!! This story is a beautifully crafted homage to Bruce Lee's enduring legacy. Blending poetic insights with profound reflections, it captures the essence of martial arts philosophy and the human spirit. A must-read for fans of Lee's teachings and anyone seeking inspiration and an outstanding story!

This book was a pleasant surprise! It felt a little YA at times, but seeing as it is a YA novel, that isn’t a bad thing.

I don’t want to spoil things, but I do want to say that I loved how the author incorporated aspects of her father, Bruce Lee’s, life into the story.

Great book, can’t wait for the next one!

If you love trials and tournaments, fantasy, and training montages, you will love this! The authors did an amazing job building a world with special focus on martial arts and the training that goes into the mastery of it. I really enjoyed the character growth and am very excited for the next book to see what more our characters go through.

In typical Fonda Lee fashion, this has plenty of descriptive fight scenes that are both fast-paced and original. There are A LOT of fight scenes, and I think in a book this short, after a while since they occur so quickly back to back in a book this short, they, unfortunately, became a bit repetitive. I think I personally would have liked more of the magical abilities present in place of some of these scenes as well as a deeper understanding of the world's magic system.

There are a lot of characters, but they are easy to distinguish between. These particular characters might have worked better for me if I had read this when I was a bit younger, since unfortunately now I just found them all rather whiny, selfish, and bratty for the most part. I will say that they do experience growth in a way that is mostly satisfying, but the main character is still... not great.

My last complaint is about the presence of a love triangle. This trope rarely if ever works for me, and this book was no exception. It is just my preference when I say that it was REALLY unnecessary here in particular. Instead, I think this book could have benefited more from no "romance" at all and instead focused on diving deeper into character relationships like father/son or mentor/mentee as well as deeper friendships along the way in a way that made them feel real and believable, as opposed to adding the two guys crushing on the same girl bit.

I couldn't put this one down! I'm already a huge Fonda Lee fan after reading the Green Bone Saga twice and while this is young adult, it has Fonda Lee's usual great plotting and writing. I was a little skeptical going in knowing it would be a martial arts heavy book but the Green Bone Saga has such well-written fight scenes that I hoped the same would be true in Breath of the Dragon and I was not disappointed! I've been drifting away from reading young adult books in the last few years after all of them started to feel the same but I enjoyed Breath of the Dragon from start to finish and can't wait for the next book!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

I have had this book sitting in my TBR for a little while now. I have been patiently waiting to read it closer to release since I knew it was the first of a series and if I liked it... it would be a long wait until the next installment. I fully enjoyed book one and am so glad that I waited until right before release to give it a read.

This book captured my attention from the very first page and kept me hooked throughout. The political intrigue was masterfully woven, creating a compelling backdrop for the story. I especially appreciated the East/West conflict, which added layers of complexity and richness to the narrative. It was, in a way simple, but as most political conflicts go, not simple at all.

The magic system felt fresh and innovative, providing a unique twist that elevated the world-building. I liked the addition of dragons and the breathmarkings, while we don't get a lot of dragons overall - the fact that they are the religious system makes me hopeful that we will get more of that in book 2.

The plot was captivating and the pacing was spot-on, with action-packed sequences that kept the momentum going while still allowing room for character development. Jun’s determination to prove himself, despite the odds stacked against him, made him a relatable and inspiring MC.

The stakes felt real and high as the story unfolded, and the themes of honor, family, and resilience resonated deeply. The twists and turns were well done and I was on the edge of my seat as the book was wrapping up.

This book is a thrilling ride for anyone who loves fantasy filled with adventure, political intrigue, and a touch of magic. If you are into martial arts, I also think you will really enjoy this book, there is a lot of love for it and you can tell the care that was put into the explanations and fight scenes. Overall, this was a lovely start to this series, and I am excited for the next installment to be available.

Jun and his father were exiled from his home for knowing and practicing martial arts. Separated form his mother and dragon-marked twin, Jun dreams of winning the Guardian's Tournament and proving that he has great skills just like the brother he left behind. When his father is opposed to him being a martial artist, Jun decides to run away to fight in the tournament by stowing away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, two performers headed to capital. It soon becomes obvious that they're more than just performers and the tournament is more than just a battle of who's the fighter.

It's a really well-crafted world, where you can believe the division between the people and the micro-aggressios that those who come from another place have to face. The authors did a great job of making the characters relatable even as they're in a completely foreign situation. You want to cheer for Jun and the others and get pulled into the plight of the people of their world.

This would have been a five-star read if it weren't for the fact that it gets too wordy at times. It sometimes reminded me of having to hit a certain word number for an essay and using as many words as possible to express the simplest of things. I get where it's coming from and how an epic tale needs room to breathe in the expression of epicness. It's just not always something that works and it didn't work this time.

Other than that, it's a grand adventure with high stakes and some powerful points that makes for some very exciting reading.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the exciting read!

This one is tough to rate, because while the worldbuilding is great, and I liked the main characters, the story dragged on for far too long and ended on a cliffhanger. Seriously, it took forever to get to the main event, and then the reader is just left there. I don’t mind if the ending is left a little bit open, but I didn’t feel like there was much resolution at all. I was hoping for more, based on how much I liked the first part of the book. I’m not sure if I will continue with the series, to be honest.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

That was intense. I would never guess that this book was written by women if i hadn’t known. But again it’s co-written by Fonda Lee.

This is a story about a boy who had to struggle to get what he wanted. Being separated with his identical twin brother since he was 6, exiled with his father to live in the west for learning hereditary martial arts because its considered a crime in the East if one was not breathmarked by Dragon, never had the chance to return home to his mother and brother, and working with his father as an opera crew. His father wanted to lay low to avoid unwanted attention, but Jun refused to live in mediocrity. He knew he’s a good martial artist. He wanted to enter the Guardian’s Tournament and proved himself that he’s just a good and deserving as his brother.

But fate seemed like its never worked in his favor. So he made his own way, whatever it took, whatever the price. He travelled to the capital city with a blind man and his adoptive daughter who were also a traveling performers, collecting coins along the way to pay for the entry fee. Once he managed to join the tournament, it was revealed that the rules were just changed. So the stakes were much higher now because this could cost him his life.

The tournament was just 4 days but the fighting scenes was described in detail that made it felt cinematic in my head. Though i don’t have any fav character in particular, i like them well enough to enjoy the story. The plot was neat. I love that there are tough powerful women as side characters. I like the character dynamics, the found family and especially the development between Jun & Yin. Obviously will read the sequel and I hope the Aspects will be having more scenes because i’m quite intrigued by them.

Breath of the Dragon is a YA book that follows Jun, a teen separated from his twin and banished to the West. He dreams of becoming the next Guardian for the emperor. The Breathmarked, those blessed with gifts from Dragon, were interesting but Jun is an underdog with no magical abilities who dreams of becoming the Guardian to bring back respect to his father's name.
The character development and world-building were so well done and included history, myths, and political tension, all of which added more depth to the story. I also love found family and tournaments.
I don't know much about martial arts, but the action-packed fight scenes were so well described that any reader, martial arts fan or not, can visualize what's happening. This would make a great TV show. I recommend it to anyone who likes action-filled YA books.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC (ebook) to review.

A coming-of-age journey that celebrates martial arts, perseverance, and choosing to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. Raised in exile, Jun wants more than anything to prove himself as a skilled fighter at the Guardian tournament, where he encounters more trials than he could’ve imagined inside and outside the arena, including conniving bandits, an old rival, and rumbles of rebellion that threaten to upend the tournament and the life Jun wants to make for himself.

For me, this book was a slow starter. With the direct writing style and familiar beats, it felt appropriate for younger YA. Something about the style didn’t translate easily to images inside my head. Maybe I’m addicted to imagery? After a bit, I started treating it like a script, actively filling in stock images from consumed media past to break that immersion barrier and stop being aware of the words being just that, words on the page. Let’s call this cinematic reading? Whatever it was, it worked, and I started speeding through the story.

After many many chapters of youthful adventure - tournaments and street fights, mysterious masters, first love, meeting the villains - the conclusion upped the rating with a lightning fast maelstrom of blood, swears, and a pretty jaw-dropping set-up for the sequel. Riveting, but not so young YA friendly, so I’m still not sure how to interpret the style.

So, didn’t strike the right note for me, but there’s quite a bit to love, such as rivals becoming allies, cinematic storytelling, and an illustration of how seemingly minor government decisions can have life-changing impacts on ordinary people. I also really liked Ren, a performer and Jun’s travel companion. She’s more mature, less sheltered, the voice of reason that balances Jun’s impulsiveness, and their dynamic reminded me of Aang and Katara’s early relationship.

**Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC**

When I saw tournament style book, I will be honest and say that I got a little nervous. I feel like that has become a trope in YA that I don't enjoy as much anymore, but this book surprised me from the very beginning.

First: the tournament wasn't the main focus on the plot the way that I was expecting it to be. Instead, we focused more on Jun's training and what was going on politically behind the scenes. The tournament was a great way to showcase the fighting scenes, and for someone who doesn't know much about martial arts, I was still able to get fully immersed into the fight scenes.

Second: I really enjoyed all the characters. Jun made mistakes, which is what you would expect a 16 year old to make. Yin (the rival to bestie), Ren (childhood friend), and Chang (his trainer), all felt really important whenever they were on page. Li Hon, I wish I got to know you more (and that you didn't break my heart).

The ending made me happy and excited for book two. I am so glad that this is going to be a duology.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of BREATH OF THE DRAGON.

From page one, readers will not be able to put this incredible book down. Martial arts meets a compelling fantasy world filled with exciting characters and the vibes of old kung fu films. In a world where people can be breathmarked, given abilities from Dragon, there is a distinct differentiation in power between people who are not marked and those who are. Our hero, Jun, has been separated from his twin at age 6, forced to move to the West with his father after being caught doing the unforgivable—practicing martial arts. Years later, with the threat of war on the horizon with East and West unreconcilable, Jun is forced to decide what he wants his destiny to be as he enters the Guardian Tournament. With a love triangle, a lovable cast of characters, and a rivalry so compelling it keeps you reading late into the night, be sure to add this to your bookshelves.