This was a super enjoyable and action packed story!

We’ve got a high stakes martial arts tournament, political intrigues and plots, a bit of found family, and the promise of more in the next book. Jun is as arrogant and impulsive as any 16 year old boy, but he’s a compelling MMC, especially as he grows and matures. I liked Jin and Ren, and I liked how the three of them came to work together and trust each other.

Fight scenes have always been Fonda Lee’s strong suit, and this is no exception. Each match in the tournament was so vivid and kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s a brutal world, and no punches are pulled with the violence.

I’m excited to continue the story with the next book, which I’ll definitely be picking up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the preview. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely love everything that Fonda Lee writes, and I am so happy that this was no exception. This was so full of adventure and heart, with amazing worldbuilding as always. 100% would recommend to other readers!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me early access to this book! All opinions are my own.

I have heard nothing but good things about Fonda Lee’s writing, so when the opportunity came to read her newest book (with Shannon Lee) I had to jump on it. The world building in this book was phenomenal, and the story as well. I mean, an underdog martial artist fighting his way to the top against those with magical abilities? What is not to love! Definitely pick this up if you like “light” fantasy with an unlikely hero, and amazing fight scenes. 4.5⭐️

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up Breath of the Dragon on January 7, 2025.

Wow! What an explosive, action-packed story full of heart. I love how Fonda and Shannon Lee wove martial arts into this imaginative fantasy world full of people with special abilities. It was refreshing for our main character to not necessarily be the immediate and magical "chosen one," but someone who's had to work and earn their abilities. In fact, the Lees took the chosen one and turned it on its head by making our main character, Jun, watch his brother become the sought after one instead,

We see Jun grow so much over the course of the story. Even though he's not breathmarked (born with Dragon's blood), he's still arrogant and prideful because of his martial arts abilities, with a short-sightedness that feels all too real for young teenage boys. But that's what makes his growth so satisfying! We see him grow up before our eyes, first by accepting lessons from a blind flutist Chang, then by competing against better martial artists in the Guardians Tournament, before eventually losing everything he didn't realize he held dear.

I love the direction this story is going, the way we learn so much about the lore of this world, and how all-too-real the villains feel. I can't wait to see where the Lees take us next!

Martial arts and magic? Sign me up! I love a good tournament. 3.5 stars!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early by providing me with an advanced copy.

This is a beautifully written martial arts fantasy book featuring tournament-style fighting. One of the co-authors is Bruce Lee's daughter, and you can see how his style of fighting and even his persona heavily influenced and inspired this book. The cover is also beautiful. This book aims for a young adult audience, and I showed it to my seventeen-year-old, who was very interested.

Breath of the Dragon is the action-packed young adult adventure from Shannon Lee (daughter of Bruce Lee) and Fonda Lee. As a young boy, Jun makes a tragic mistake that causes him to be banished along with his father to the West. Jun desperately hopes to reunite with his mother and twin, while passing the time by honing his skills in martial arts. When a once in a lifetime opportunity arises for him to showcase his skills, his father forbids him from entering the tournament. Will Jun obey or choose his own path?

Readers who love martial arts action sequences and Bruce Lee will love this book! It is fast-paced, with a strong hero who makes the best choices he can in tough situations. Jun is deeply shaped by the separation that occurred when he was young and must deal with the disappointment of not having a special power to aid him in his fighting. Fonda Lee’s exquisite writing style and world-building shines through, although readers of her previous works should note that this is a young adult story. Breath of the Dragon took me a little bit to get into, but at a certain point I was hooked! I enjoyed the side characters, such as Ren and Yin. I’ll look forward to seeing how the story continues!

Thank you to Shannon Lee, Fonda Lee, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

martial arts and magic, something i didn't know i needed until now! i loved the story and jun so much! i will definitely be recommending this to all my friends

This ARC was graciously provided to me through NetGalley and St. Marten's Press. Thank you for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a YA fantasy in a world with not only a divided kingdom but a divided society. The breathmarked, are people with abilities that have been provided to them through their dragon blood heritage. These individuals are marked with a patch of scales. Each breathmarked has magical abilities that allow them to bend the rules of reality (a person can copy a move after just seeing it once or fall asleep on command). In the East the breathmarked are valued and trained for the army whereas in the west they are ostracized and feared.

Jun, our main character is separated from his family in the East for practicing martial arts when it is forbidden for someone who is not breathmarked to do so. Jun and his father are exiled to the west where they are forced to start again. In the west Jun joins a martial arts school to challenge the Guardian Trials where the winner becomes the royal Guardian that protects the dragon scroll.

I LOVED this! I have pre ordered my own copy and can't wait for it to arrive. For anyone who is a lover of martial arts and grew up watching ang, the last air bender this book is for you. The descriptions of the action were realistic and easy to follow. It is fast paced and wholesome. I am sad that I will have to wait a while for the next one.

Jun has spent his entire life trying to prove that he is as important as his twin brother who was swept away into their home nations most respected order. Jun's chance arrives in the form of the Guardian's Tournament in which the winner gets to take a government seat in the nation that Jun and his have found refuge. But new rules and political tensions start to challenge Jun's purpose in the tournament.

This was a perfectly fine introduction and world building experience for a new series. The politics of the universe and the development of how martial arts plays into that world was so much of the book that other elements fell a little flat for me. It was a little too clear this was the set up for more the entire book and that there are a lot of pieces that are planned for the series. Which is not to say there aren't some really interesting and fun things happening in the book. The fight sequences are delightfully written. The friendships were sweet. All in all a nice start to a series, but just that a start.

Breath of the Dragon by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee is a captivating blend of fantasy and adventure that transports readers into a world of myth, dragons, and ancient secrets. With richly developed characters and intricate world-building, the authors create a story that is both immersive and emotionally resonant. The dynamic between the characters, particularly their struggles with identity and purpose, adds depth to the action-packed narrative. Breath of the Dragon is an enthralling tale of self-discovery and empowerment that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages.

ARC Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee
After Jun’s family is torn in half, he is determined to win the Guardians tournament, and reunite with his mom and twin.
Breath of the Dragon is a YA fantasy following Jun who enters into a martial arts competition. This book was fantastic! I was super invested in Jun’s story, the magic, and the competition. The fight scenes were well done and made the story hard to put down! I can see the beginnings of a found family, and cannot wait to see what happens in book 2 of the duology. Breath of the Dragon is out January 7th, 2025 and you don’t want to miss it!

Thanks to #netgalley and Wednesday books for the opportunity to read this arc.

A young warrior dreams of proving his worth in the elite Guardian Tournament, fighting not only for himself but the fate of everything he loves.

I loved so many features of this book. The world building hit in the way only Fonda Led books do. The magic system hit in the best way. I really enjoyed it.

The downside would be the hint of a love triangle. It's like peaking over the hedges. I am looking forward to book two but I'm also side eyeing this situation.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Wow. This book was so good! If you’re in the mood for a very martial arts heavy fantasy book with a fun tournament, this is the book for you!!

I really don’t think Fonda Lee can do anything wrong, and I would read her grocery list with a smile on my face. It took me about the first 30% for it to really start picking up, but after that it was hard to put down. I will be not so patiently waiting on the next book, hopefully sooner rather than later!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

"Sometimes embracing change is the only way to get where you want to go"

"People call Xicheng the brightest city in the world, but where there's stronger light, there're darker shadows"

"None of us know how long we have to live. We have to do what's important while we still have the chance"

The majority of this gave me "The Karate Kid" meets voluntarily "Gladiator" vibes. I enjoyed watching Jun receive unique training (I also love an unlikely teacher), and watching a dedicated protagonist work tirelessly to meet their goals. I enjoyed Ren & Chang, and their dedication to a better cause - especially that Ren could kick some butt too! Martial arts & magical abilities are a pretty cool combination. I anticipate the next book in the series will bring us back to Jun's mother and twin, and that it will be quite an interesting reunion.

This is YA so although Fonda Lee is one of the authors, this is not comparable to Jade City. In this story you will find:

⭐ YA
⭐ Martial Arts
⭐ Political Intrigue
⭐ Magical Abilities
⭐ Found Family

What I didn't love was Jun's immense "hatred" for Yin, who by all means seemed like a very skilled and worthy contender and a good guy. If he had been a jerk I would have been more on board with Jun's "rivalry". I know this is YA, but I still felt a 16-year-old fighting for such an important role that requires more skill beyond being able to win a tournament was difficult to root for. Perhaps if the other contenders weren't so much older and more experienced, or the position wasn't one of the highest ranks in the country, I would have been cheering harder.

This would definitely be good for young readers dipping into fantasy.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

"Dragon's blood used to manifest more often, but fewer breathmarked children are born each year. As we become less common, we become less normal and accepted. Sometimes, our abilities even arouse suspicion."

Fonda Lee teaming up with Shannon Lee, the daughter of Bruce Lee for a series that features martial arts and magic?? HECK YEAH!!!!! I needed absolutely no more convincing to dive into this story. Breath of the Dragon is the first book of this duology and if you are a fan of the Green Bone saga then I think you will also enjoy this. The country of Longhan has been split in two by a wall for a number of years after a rebellion and the eastern half punishes those who would practice the martial arts, while the west encourages its practice and has many schools of the martial arts, each with a different style. Jun studies at one of these schools and his goal is to compete in the Guardians tournament and bring prosperity to both himself, his father and his martial school. Jun is not breathmarked and as he journeys to the tournament, he finds himself thrust into a changing political situation where he not only has to fight for victory but fight for his life and the life of his friends.

I found this a thoroughly entertaining story, with a great cast of characters, cool magic system and of course, totally kickass fight scenes!!! One of my favorite tropes is a contest or tournament and this one is so well done, and of course things never go as you expect them to! And of course, with Fonda at the helm, you know there will be unexpected deaths and some heartbreak along the way. Wouldn't have it any other way honestly! Loved the surprises that happened at the end and the way this book wrapped up certainly left me wanting the next one immediately!!

The best part of this book by far was the tournament plot. I loved the way the stakes were continuously being raised with new opponents and more challenges. Jun is the main protagonist who is a teenager and trying to find his own way without having a special ability like many of the other characters in this book. He is hardworking and smart. The world building in this book was great. I loved the magical powers' manifestation and the drama that came with them. I am excited for book 2!!

Really great start to the series. Can't wait to read more. The characters were interesting as well as the world building.

This is a fantastic start to a new series! The magic system was fascinating, and the character development and the fight scenes were incredible. I can't wait for the next installment!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful story! Very well written and the characters grow as the chapters continue.
The idea of being "breathmarked" by dragon scales is amazing and all the different places/colours the characters are marked was unique. The fighting scenes are so well detailed! I felt like I was in the arena with Jun facing his opponents. The side characters like Sifu Chang and Ren, along with Yin, help Yun face his challenges along the road to his future.
While this is YA, it's such that any age can appreciate it!
I absolutely loved the twists and turns, especially at the end. An excellent set up for the second book in the series. I'll be waiting not so patiently for it!
My rating is 4.25
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advance reading copy of this book. This review is my own.