Altan’s throne is stolen from him, his family is lost to him, and dark magic is ravaging the land. The empire is being led by manipulative, false rulers who command an army of priests (the Diyeh) to do their dirty work -- namely, exterminating magic-wielders (the Tiensai). Driven by his desire to reclaim his throne, desire for revenge, and responsibility to protect his people, Altan begins a quest to find the Life Stealer, who holds the power to save or destroy the empire.

In another corner of the empire resides unemployed and poor Ahn, who struggles to provide food/medicine for her beloved, ailing grandmother. Although she longs for a life beyond the outskirts of her desert village, her sense of duty to her grandmother holds her back. She is also harboring the fact that she possesses arcane, magical abilities.

Soon enough, their lives collide and they embark on a journey to conquer evil and restore good. Alongside them is a cast of diverse (e.g., POC, LGBTQ+), bada$$, and charming characters who add humor to this thrilling adventure.

This is a well-written, addictive, and perfectly paced story (told from two POVs) that is rich in Asian culture and filled with political intrigue. I savored every word and never felt bored. I adored the references to popular events/cuisine, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, mooncakes, and crullers, all of which were favorites of mine growing up. The plot was intricate and, as promised, the slow-burn romance was epic. I highly recommend this book, especially to fans of Rebel of the Sands, We Hunt the Flame, and ATLA. I can’t wait to read the sequel and return to this magical world!

Thank you a thousand times, HarperTeen, June C.L. Tan, and NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review will be shared on Goodreads on September 28th and shared on Amazon after release.

I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books..

Jade Fire Gold is a quick paced adventure full of myths and magic. Tan writes with a flourish that often crosses into the poetic. Palace intrigue blends with magic and fate, offering a fresh take on Chinese fantasy. Characters struggle with magic as they search for their place in the world. A particular scene on the open water has a large scope that rivals the climax in Master of Djinn.

Things come together for a satisfying conclusion that could have been 5 stars if not for the rushed ending. Certain scenes should have been explored in more detail instead of leaving the reader to fill in the gaps.

Despite that, I greatly enjoyed the journey and would happily return for a sequel. There is much to explore as things leave off hinting at larger clashes. Fans of She Who Became the Sun would enjoy Jade Fire Gold as they wait for the sequel.

Filled with lush world building and inspired by Chinese mythology, I overall really enjoyed this book!

It took a little bit for me to become invested, but I think that was more based on my mood when I started it and less about the actual book. By 25% I was fully invested in the characters and their journey. By that point it was unputdownable and I ended up binging it in a single day!

I loved Ahn! It was incredible to see how much her character had grown and changed from start to finish.

One of the things that really drew me to this book was the mention of it being great for fans of Avatar: The Last Air Bender! If you loved Zuko, I think you will love the exiled prince Altan.

This book is filled with SO. MUCH. ANGST. So much. I was here for every single second their slow burn romance. 🔥🔥🔥

I could not put down this book, it was so action packed! So many plots and characters but all in the best ways that you want to find out what's going to happen to everyone, even the side characters! I love June's writing and the prose is so fitting for this type of fantasy novel.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Wow talk about action packed crazy wild ride that I couldn't put down!

The Empire is preparing for war, in more ways than one. Countries are training their troops, the land is constantly eaten by an ever-spreading desert, and magic users are being hunted for their abilities. Altan, the former crown prince, has been hiding for years while the rest of the world believes he's dead, plotting to take revenge on his uncle, an usurper. Ahn has lived in an outskirt desert town for years, wondering how she ended up abandoned and alone, while also hiding the magic that lurks beneath her skin. When they meet, Altan sees Ahn as a means to an end, while she struggles to understand her dangerous magic. For them, they have to achieve their goals... or die trying.

Tan's debut novel has been compared to a mix of Chinese folklore, epic fantasy, and Avatar: the Last Airbender, and it's the last one that really got my attention. With elemental powers, a prince with a scarred eye, and a young magic user who needs to learn to control her abilities, ATLA fans will see a lot of familiarities. However, they also might note a number of classic YA tropes. 2.5 stars.

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't taken with the book in the beginning. It took a while, at least a good third of the novel, for me to feel invested. And I think a lot of that has to do with some of the tropes I saw, as well as some characterization that I didn't love. Readers will recognize some old situations of novel lore, like "the hotel only has one room left, and it only has one bed" or "my mental health is shown in the anguished cries of my sleep, where my nightmares haunt me." They're classic. But also a little... expected and familiar, and maybe not in a good way.

And while I loved that there were some LGBT relationships (all with supporting cast) I think that the main romance in the novel was too much tell and not enough show; it was, for lack of a better word, instalove. I wished that there was some more depth to this relationship, more conflicted emotions and confusion and awkwardness and tension... instead it felt very run of the mill to me.

Personally I think that this is a book that is going to get a mixed bag of readers. While some will love it and others will hate it, I can't shake the feeling that it's at risk for readers, like myself, feeling a little apathetic towards it. Tan definitely has the ability to write, and definitely can build impressive fantasy worlds, but this one just lacked that special spark. I would love to see what this author comes up with in the future, though, with a little experience!

Posted to Goodreads on September 7, 2021.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and HarperTeen for the advance e-copy of Jade Fire Gold.

This was so good! Immediately, I was pulled in by the efficient, but personal touch to Tan's writing style. It gets the the proper images across and isn't so abrupt to the point where all personality and emotion is lost like I have come across in a few other books.

I truly enjoyed how she tied the magic system back to the qi flow within a person, and I am ALWAYS a sucker for elemental magic (thank you, Avatar: The Last Airbender). But what really made this book for me was the cast of characters. I adored them all, protagonists and side characters alike. They are all my precious darlings.

The main thing that knocked a star off for me was the ending. It happened so FAST. I blinked and the climax of the whole plot passed me by. It was kind of disappointing, especially given the circumstances, sacrifice and emotions that really could have been expanded upon to make a stellar and epic scene.

Also, I did not know this was going to be a series. I had it in my head for some reason that this was a standalone. But then that epilogue... I just want to state here and now: I KNEW IT.

Overall, the book was okay but I wish the writing, plot, world-building, romance and characters were a bit more refined, a bit more solid.

We have two main characters and perspectives: Anh and Altan. Anh is a girl who doesn’t have much besides her adoptive grandmother and wants to find her family or at least what happened to them. Altan wants revenge against his father’s killer and those that tore his family apart. Both are driven together as they navigate an empire on the cusp of war.

At the beginning, I really liked both Anh and Altan. Both had similar lives of lost and not having a home or family. I felt sorry for their pains. However, as the book progressed I found Anh to a bit too naive and passive. She has powers but is too scared to use them. Then when she gets to the palace and someone warns her to be careful who she trusts, she immediately forgets that and trusts everyone. Then when someone betrays her she is surprised. Like come on girl. Altan lost his spark. The spark of determination. Or maybe it was my spark of interest. I just didn’t care for his character or path at some point. This had to do with the plot.

This book was a lot of tell and no show. It is like oh today we are traveling to this town. Tomorrow we will meet up with these people. Then you throw in a few time jumps and I lost my engagement in the characters and story. Like what was going on? Are they still looking for the sword? What’s happening? I felt like I thrown down in the middle of a book and didn’t understand how I got there.

I was under the impression there was romance. It was so slow burn I forgot there was even supposed to be romance at all. They really didn’t even partner up until half way. Maybe there were falling in love but I just missed it. Maybe it happened during those two weeks I wasn’t a part of? Either way, it was very lacking.

I was hoping for awesome magic and great world-building. There was magic but I wanted more. More explanation. I felt like the elemental magic was helpful in certain situations but there wasn’t enough explanation on how it all works. I wanted more magic or elemental bending like Avatar: The Last Airbender. Sadly no.

The last 10% was good. It was more interesting. I liked the ending and epilogue. I kind of saw it coming but it was a decent ending.

I liked the secondary characters like Tang Wei, Leiye, Linxi and Tai Shun. There were lots of names and places so I was a little lost but for the most part I could keep up.

In the end, everything was just ok and underdeveloped. I really wanted to love this book, characters, romance and adventure but it felt so flat for me.

*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

What an incredibly powerful debut! There is nothing about this book that I didn't love. NOTHING.

Every primary character has clear motivations, distinct personalities, and strong arcs. Tan also includes an array of equally interesting secondary characters that manage to stand out as memorable and valuable contributions to the story. I fell in love with the loyal friends, the wise elders, and the mysterious allies just as much as I did our two beautifully complex protagonists. I enjoyed the on-page queer romances (yes, TWO, although one is subtle), as well as the primary slow-burn romance subplot. It's all very sweet, but without being sickly about it. Kudos to Tan for actually getting me to care about any romance, much less three of them.

The plot is compelling and positively dripping in lore. The mythological influences can't be missed, yet Tan integrates them seamlessly into her own fantasy world. Everything from the spirits and guardians, to the mystical weaponry, to the elemental magic felt very exciting and I constantly found myself wanting to be immersed further and further into this world. The pages turned quickly and the pacing never lagged. But amidst all of the action and adventure, I appreciate that Tan wasn't afraid to allow the story to slow down for a soft moment here and there. She left room for her characters to breathe and be emotional beings, which is something sometimes lacking in action-packed fantasies. The balance felt just right in this case.

Also, can I just say THAT EPILOGUE?????? deceased

I anticipate Tan's debut being a huge success! I'll absolutely be purchasing a copy for my collection and talking it up as much as I can. If her debut was this enjoyable, I'm incredibly eager to see what stories Tan plans to tell us next.

Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ahn is a peasant girl who lives with her sickly grandmother and struggles to make ends meet. With a magical power that could result in her death, Ahn determines to find out all she can about her unremembered past and her ability. Altan is the missing heir to the throne who wants revenge over those who wronged him and his family. Believed to be dead along with the rest of his family, Altan is fueled by vengeance, and he journeys in search of a legendary blade that can save the world. When their paths continue to cross, Ahn and Altan become unlikely allies.

The story switches between Ahn and Altan's perspectives, so you get an in-depth view of both of their thoughts, feelings, and motivations. Ahn and Altan are well-developed, interesting characters, and their journeys, both as individuals and together, are compelling. I liked how Ahn slowly learned about her power and tried to find out more about her past and how she gained these abilities. Like Altan, she goes on a poignant physical and emotional journey.

Ahn can’t remember the first years of her life and seeks the truth about her past. Unlike Ahn, Altan vividly remembers his childhood and the horrific murders of his family. Though they are quite different, they have both struggled and suffered so much, and they have much more in common than it initially appears. Their love story is slow-building and burning, and there is a lot of romantic tension throughout. Trust issues, danger, deception, and more stand in their way, and their road is not easy.

Since Ahn and Altan are apart for quite a bit of the book, the dual perspectives expand and define their world more. You become quickly immersed in a dangerous world of magic and corruption and are captivated by some remarkable protagonists. And the supporting characters are equally interesting! I actually wish there was a little more of them and am hoping that this is not a standalone so I can see more of them in future books. There are also several unexpected plot twists, which makes for an intriguing read, as does the lore and mythology. The pacing is a bit uneven at times, but the magic, the characters, and the action and adventure were fantastic.

Overall, Jade Fire Gold is an entertaining and immersive read from debut author June CL Tan. Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender will definitely enjoy this one, as there are many parallels to the story and characters. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Harper Teen, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

4.25/5 stars!

Wow, I had such a great time with this one.
I enjoyed the rich worldbuilding, the slow burn romance, and the magic system. The characters all had their own distinct personality and flaws, which I always love to see, because it makes them more three dimensional. I was rooting for the side characters, and this is definitely a group I would read a sequel about in order to see more of their "found family", which is a trope I adore!

This is also one of the cases where the dual perspective really works. We read from two main characters, and about the world itself because Ahn and Altan know such different sides of the empire. It's a smart way to round out the world and characters in one go, and Tan did it well.

I don't really have any qualms with this, and have a signed copy preordered because I'm really excited for this one to get published. I will definitely keep an eye out for what Tan writes in the future!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and HarperTeen for the e-ARC! This has no effect on my opinions.

I really enjoyed this one! The magic system is unique, and I loved the slow burn. I liked seeing Altan and Ahn slowly open up to each other, despite the past trauma in their lives. Definitely adding this to our collection!

This was one of my 2021 most anticipated reads. And overall, it was fairly good. Tan has a great grasp on excellent world building and crisp, but elegant prose. The plot took a little while to get moving, but was pretty gripping once it did. I wouldn't mind more from these characters and this world.

One thing though that aggravated me was how the one lead was supposed to only have one eye, but was constantly referred to as having "eyes." This is something that should have been caught in edits long before being posted for ARC reads.

Jade Fire Gold is a fast-paced, action-packed fantasy inspired by Chinese fantasy tropes from wuxia (martial arts) and xianxia (immortal hero stories), with a cool, slow-burn romance. Ahn is an orphan from a small, forsaken town, but born with a powerful forbidden magical powers. Altan is the lost heir of the Empire who seeks revenge against his family's killers, and who needs Ahn's powers to succeed. The two meet and find their goals are incompatible, yet they fall for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the lush fantasy world, palace intrigue, and magical action.

Jade Fire Gold follows Ahn and Altan as they work together to retrieve the famed white jade sword. I'm not going to lie, this book was slow, and I fell asleep many times trying to get through it. The first 60% was torture. Nothing much exciting happened, and then it felt like everything was crammed into the last 10%.

Let's talk about the characters. Both Ahn and Altan (and their sort-of enemies-to-lovers romance) were super boring. In fact, even though the chapters were told from their separate POV, I had a hard time following whose chapter I was in because they sound pretty much the same.

The two stars are for the side characters Linxi and Tang Wei, who are infinitely more interesting than Ahn and Altan, and I wish I had read their story instead. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

A YA fantasy that will sweep you up, with enchanting worldbuilding and mythology and a delightful cast. Ahn and Altan are sure to be a favored heroine and hero among readers.

Myth: 4/5

It always takes me a minute to get into both characters in this type of alternating perspective story. Ahn was easy, she was just trying to survive in a hard world and take care of the one person who had taken a chance on caring for her. Altan, the lost heir, took a little more getting used to, but his character’s drive, wry wit and ongoing self reflection ended up drawing me in.

The romantic subplot is definitely slow-burn but the chemistry is there but the trust takes awhile as they try to navigate their individual goals.

Magic: 4/5

A dash of soul stealing and maybe necromancy side by side with elemental magic, in a world where some magics are a death sentence. The rich magic system of Jade Fire Gold was wound tightly with the world building, political climate and ancient history of the empire.

Overall: 4/5

A rich world filled with magic, political intrigue and delightful characters. Ahn was definitely a favorite as she just wants to make a place for herself in the world outside of what is destined. She’s willing to fight for the life and future she wants.

This book gets an auto four stars because Altan's favorite mooncake is my favorite mooncake -- double yolk, lotus paste, chewy (not flakey) outside -- mm yum.

I jest. I think? I really did have a big smile on my face when I read that part though. Its little tidbits like that, that have made me realize how much I need Asian authors in my life. I never read fantasy stories before that had elements I could relate to culturally in real life.

In any case, on to the book! Jade Fire Gold is a fun easy read. It falls between a 3.5-4 stars for me due to pacing and some character relationship development issues. The first half of the book feels slow. I know the world and characters need to be set up, but I did feel like it could've been woven more through out the book instead of all in the beginning. Up until this point, the book was feeling like a 3 star.

***Small spoilers from this point on***

Around the 50% mark is where our two mains start their journey together and this is where the book began pushing into a 4 star. The second half was fantastic. It was the kind of reading where hours flew by and I didn't even realize. I really wanted more of that. I wish the beginning could've been condensed down and the second half expanded. It would have given us more time to build up the chemistry between Ahn and Altan and invest more into the climax battle and the reveals, which while great, also felt rushed. I would have LOVED to spend more time exploring the complex emotions that resulted from. I also loved how things ended w/ Ahn and Altan, not quite that fairytale ending. I believe that there is a lot of potential here. The secondary character are great too. I look forward to learning more about them. I'm assuming that is. I can't find any information to verify, but the book doesn't feel like a stand alone. It resolves well and is self contained, but definitely feels like there is more we will learn about.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperTeen for the e-Arc. Oh! and P.S. the cover for this book is FIRE (jade and gold ;) )

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy JADE FIRE GOLD. The story has a promising start and has wonderful worldbuilding ideas (I loved the idea of the mandate of heaven being tied to magic of the land!), but I felt all its potential for a fascinating and original story were forsaken for a lacklustre journey, uninspired character development, and a confusing romance. Rather than lean on the story's original ideas, the direction that the story takes ultimately falls in the trap of being a generic fantasy.

So much potential, but unfortunately disappointing.

I absolutely loved this book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book.
Jade fire gold has it all, inspired by Chinese mythology, representation, magic, action, and an achingly slow romance that has you screaming “just kiss already!” And it also just happens to be a standalone.
This book didn’t slow me down at all, maybe it was the fact that my excitement overruled everything else. The magic system was straightforward and not too hard to understand. The world building was on its own rather well done.
The main characters took some time to warm up to but the side characters were instantly lovable.
I must say though, that the epilogue for this book, was so uncalled for. Because now I want a sequel, knowing there won’t be one.