DNF. The book felt overwritten and did not feel like it truly got started until over 100 pages in. I would cut out the first 100 pages and start there. I had a hard time reading through all of the formatting errors. It seemed like almost every page had a typo. I tried to persist through, but eventually I just got tired of it. I loved the concept but ultimately did not fall in love. I wish this author success and hope this book finds its target audience.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for an early copy of this book! 3.5 stars this was a mulan retelling following Ying posing as her brother to join an engineering program. I liked the concept of this one, and was interested throughout. But it moved a little slow for me at times and I would have like some more romance.

Thank you Viking Books and Amber Chen for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Aihui Ying sets out to investigate her father’s death by disguising herself as her brother and enters a male only apprentice trial that her father also was a part of in hope to find more clues to lead to the identity of the ones responsible. As she learns more, and gets deeper inside, secrets are uncovered and she’s left not knowing who she can trust.

4/5 ⭐️

I had so much fun in this fast paced, industrial, silkpunk world. I enjoyed the romantic subplot, mixed with a bit of murder mystery. Ying character development had me invested in her future and rooting for her, whichever way the story went. Her unlikely allies and surprising foes made for great tension within the characters. Overall, a great read and I’m excited for book 2!

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

Rating: ✨3.5 stars✨

Of Jade & Dragons by Amber Chen is a promising debut novel (with a beautiful cover!) set in the fantasy world of Antara.

Ying has always wanted to travel to the fabled capital city of Fei and enter the Engineer’s Guild. She dreamt of being an engineer, just like her father before her. But everything changes after her father is murdered. Hoping to find answers and get revenge for his death, she travels to the capital disguised as her brother to the Engineer’s Guild. She manages to enter the guild’s apprenticeship trial, with the help of Ye-yang, one of the powerful beile’s of the kingdom, but once there, Ying must protect herself from the assassins who seek her father’s precious journal and stay in the difficult guild trials. But there’s more at stake, and there seem to be more secrets and questions than answers, between Antara’s complicated politics, threats of war, and Ying’s own complicated relationships.

Of Jade and Dragons was an overall pretty good and engaging book. Once I got reading, I got more into the plot and wanted to continue.

When I first read the blurb of this book, I thought it would be a fantasy novel, and there definitely were fantasy elements, but when I started reading, I found it to be leaning more on the science fiction side, especially with some of the weaponry and airships. I even got a little dystopia vibe, and the challenges to get into the Engineer’s Guild reminded me a little bit of the trials to get into a faction in Divergent. I definitely enjoyed the more advanced technology and would love to have seen more airships and flying time!

Ying is a strong and relatable main character. She’s intelligent and brave and makes a good FMC (especially in a Mulan retelling). There was also a nice cast of characters around her. Ye-kan was probably one of my favorites! I liked how he was almost a younger brother to Ying, but he was also a good friend and helped her many times. They both weren’t what they seemed, and both had secrets to keep, and Ye-kan was a lot smarter and less naïve than he let on :) However, I felt like the apprentices in the trials weren’t developed enough. Apparently, there were a lot of them, but only a few actually had any page time.

I felt like through Ying’s perspective, the Engineer’s guild was portrayed as this prestigious, exalted institute that was perfect in every way, when in reality it was less than perfect, and it was obvious there were a lot of cracks beneath the surface. I was happy that as the book progressed, really near the end, she realized the truth, but the continuous praise of the guild did start to feel a little too much in the earlier parts of the book.

Ying and Ye-yang had so much potential in this book, and I would have loved to see more of them together, without all the complications! The yearning….

But there were some shocking twists near the ending, from Ye-yang’s motives to the High Commander and his involvement, and I didn’t know how to feel about some of them - mainly the ones regarding Ye-yang. I didn’t like the complication Nian (Ying’s sister) added with her marriage and I’m not sure how that’s going to work, especially with Ye-yang and Ying’s feelings for each other.

I am happy with the ending. It was fitting for this book, and I liked that Ying stayed true to herself and her beliefs, even if she had to walk away from other things. Although, I’m not sure what will happen next, since it definitely seemed like the ending was set up for a sequel.

So, overall, I enjoyed reading Of Jade and Dragons and can’t wait for what’s next!

DNF at 50%
Mulan inspired but instead of a high stakes war there’s a training competition and a murder mystery that’s kind of pushed to the back burner? Idk I really was just bored. I do think the author is really sweet and genuinely kind and I hope this book finds it’s audience.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A story of revenge? A handsome prince? All while set in a world with DRAGONS? Sign me up immediately!

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen is a YA fantasy novel about eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying, who dreams of becoming a brilliant engineer just like her beloved father - but her life is torn apart when she arrives a moment too late to stop his murder, and worse, lets the killer slip out of reach. Left with only a journal containing his greatest engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, Ying vows to take revenge into her own hands. Disguised as her brother, Ying heads to the capital city, and discovers that the answer to finding who killed her father lies behind the walls of the prestigious Engineers Guild - the home of a past her father never wanted to talk about. With the help of an unlikely ally - Aogiya Ye-yang, a taciturn (but very handsome) young prince - Ying must navigate a world fraught with rules, challenges and politics she can barely grasp, let alone understand. But to survive, she must fight to stay one step ahead of everyone. And when faced with the choice between doing what's right and what's necessary, Ying will have to decide if her revenge is truly worthwhile, if it means going against everything her father stood for . . .

I LOVED this book. With immaculate vibes, airships and other steampunk stuff that reminded me of Scott Westerfeld's Levithan, AND a backdrop of a murder mystery. It's just *chef's kiss*.

What I loved most about this book is how Chen put the plot and worldbuilding at the forefront, and the romance in the back. I'm not always the biggest fan of books that make the romance the main selling point. Regardless, Chen knows how to write romance! Especially with a male love interest with dimples (which you don't see that often in YA now-adays.)

But no matter how much I loved this book, the writing style kept throwing me off. It was a lovely and lyrical at times. But was almost constantly clunky. Plus I feel like Chen tells more than she shows. But at the same time, this is Chen's FIRST book. There are going to be some pitfalls before she finds the rhythm of her writing style.

Regardless, I LOVED this book. I would highly recommend it whoever would listen. Because I feel like EVERYONE needs to read this Mulan x steampunk novel!

4.5/5
Cawpile: 8/10

This was an interesting new young adult fantasy release that felt like an Asian historical fiction with scifi elements. The book takes place in a fantasy world with warring nations and lots of cool inventions, like airships and canons. Although there are more modern inventions, there did not seem to be any magic in this first book. Additionally, there were typical nobility based rules and typical political scheming you would see in a historical fictions.

There is some romance subplot in this story that I enjoyed seeing. The two characters started out annoying but grew on me over time. They ended up being pretty well developed and dimensional. I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop and am curious to see what happens next with our main characters.

I thought the writing was easy too read and the pacing of the book wasn’t terrible. I enjoyed the journey the plot took us on as we follow the main character through her engineering guild trials. I did feel like parts of the book were a little predictable but I didn’t feel like the mystery was motivating me to keep reading - it was the characters.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Asian fantasy or anyone who is looking for a fantasy filled with fun inventions/engineering.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

This book is hard for me to review. Not because it's hard to rate per se. It's hard for me to put down my thoughts because I feel so disappointed by this book. For the first half of it, I was thinking this would be a 4* read for me, maybe higher depending how it ended. I was really enjoying my time with Ying and Ye-Yang (I like the name choice there). It felt like a spiritual successor to Tamora Pierce, specifically Alanna. Replace fantasy with steampunk technology, swap out medieval Europe-ish society for Qing Dynasty China-ish society, and replace "become a knight" with "become an engineer". You've now got the basic premise for Ying. It wasn't just that Ying disguised herself as a boy. It was the sense of awe when she first saw the capital. It was the way her relationships with her classmates were born and grew. It was the comfortable rhythm of classes in the midst of a fantastical world. It reminded me very strongly of Alanna, albeit with a murder mystery running alongside.

The problems started around page 250 of the e-ARC, out of around 460. Specifically with a scene that should have been dramatic but had me raising an eyebrow instead, wondering why certain details were focused on and others were ignored. The questions posed by that scene, in fact, were never answered in the entire rest of the book, and the entire incident was forgotten shortly thereafter. It could have been removed without changing the story at all. All it did was add holes that the author had to shore up in the next scene.

I almost wish I had stopped reading this book at the halfway point, because that first half was solid, like traveling down a well-paved road. The second half was not well-paved; it was old and cracked and half-flooded with swampy water. The scenes might be nice themselves, but they were littered with cracks, transitioned to the next scene poorly, and made me roll my eyes more than they drew any real emotional reaction from me.

I have to emphasize again at this point that this review is based on the e-ARC. I emphasize that because none of the problems I saw go so deep they couldn't have been fixed in editing after the e-ARC went out. I know Amber Chen is capable of fixing these problems, because the first half of the book was clean and well-written. So either she didn't want to change the latter half for some reason, or she didn't have time to fix the latter half. In either case, this is my open plea to Penguin and Amber Chen: This is slated as the first in a series. Please, please take the time to clean up all of book two. These characters, this world, and this writing deserve it.

Final rating: 3*

Of Jade and Dragons is one of those reads where I found myself easing in slowly and then gradually becoming glued to its pages until it was suddenly over. I read the last 75% of this book during a camping trip last weekend, and it was an absolute joy to have with me! I laughed, I gasped, and I felt Ying's turmoil time and time again. It is pitched as Mulan meets engineers, and I for the most part agree. This title turns a couple of common YA tropes on their heads, which was very refreshing to read. Not everything goes according to plan all the time, and not everybody gets a happy ending. I think Chen skillfully left a door open for a potential sequel with the way this title ended, so I am looking forward to seeing if that comes to fruition!

This was a really fun, enjoyable fantasy read. Very reminiscent of Mulan and I enjoyed the character’s family history. I found the trials to be very interesting and enjoyed the romance. Excited for book 2!

This book had a really cool concept with a blend of industrial and fantasy elements. I was very hyped when i first heard about the book. However, despite the book being enjoyable, I feel like it didn't really live up to the hype as much as I thought it would.

I do like the characters, especially Ying, Ye-Kan and Ye-Yang. I really liked Ying's resourcefulness and her determination to prove herself in a world that looked down upon women (other than those within powerful clans). She becomes smarter and grows as a person as she goes through each test and faces new challenges.

I also enjoyed her interactions with both brothers. Ye-Yang coming to the rescue at the end?? AHH
I never expected him to end up as a morally gray character so the reveal with his involvement of Ying's father's death was very unexpected. I hope to see Ye-Kan again for the next book bc I really hope he doesn't blame Ying for his mother's death


One issue I had with this book is that it felt very slow-paced to me which made it difficult for me to read through it. I also wans't able to pick up much character development because of this (though this might just be a me problem bc I was reading it so slowly. I think the main issue that contributed to this though, was the fact that the ebook was formatted weirdly on my kindle app so that just affected my reading experience overall. I may edit my review if I reread it on the hardcover

Overall, I enjoyed all the worldbuilding but I feel like their characters could have been a LOT more fleshed out. I feel like a lot of the focus were on the worldbuilding and not much on the character development.

I was so excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint! Aihui Ying wants to become an engineer, but when her father was murdered, she vows to avenge him. Armed with the jade pendant she grabbed from the assassin and the journal her father left, she travels to the capital and disguised as her brother to infiltrate the prestigious Engineers Guild. With the help of Aogiya Ye-yang, the 8th prince of the High Command, she attempts to unravel the mystery behind her father’s death while trying to keep her place in the male only apprenticeship trial and avoiding the assassin still looking for her father’s journal.
This book was so good. I liked how the plot focused a lot on politics and the mystery behind Ying’s father’s death but also had a romance subplot that gave me The Cruel Prince vibes. I enjoyed the historical elements woven in the story. I feel like I learned a lot about Asian culture while still enjoying the story. I also really enjoyed watching Ying and Ye-yang’s relationship grow. It was definitely slow burn but it fit the story well. Additionally, the ending was crazy. I didn’t see the plot twist coming at all, and I can’t wait for the next book!
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m going to be perfectly honest with the 1-5 people who actually read my reviews: I almost DNf’d this book until I met Ye-Yang. Then, I said I was going to keep reading the book just for him, but it probably wouldn’t be a high rating. For some reason, from only the first chapter, I was convinced this book wasn’t for me. Ye-Yang was my reasoning for continuing, but then I got immersed in the book. Once immersed, the jaws of life couldn’t separate me from this world, the storyline, and everything about it. I finished this book in a single sitting, with breaks to look up fan-art and go to the bathroom, but that’s it.

Mulan was my favorite Disney movie as a kid, and this was heavily inspired by Mulan. Especially in the beginning. However, as the book progresses, it becomes its own separate entity. One of my favorite changes was that Ye-Yang knew Ying was a girl from the get-go. He recognized her FAST, and I loved that. It feels more realistic that they fell in love while she was honest about her identity with him, rather than falling for the charade.

And that ending?! Those twists?! Ye-Kan, I thought I would hate you, but all I feel for you right now is so much empathy. Can I hug a fictional character? Pretty please?

Seriously, go read this book. It’s crack cocaine in a good way.

4.25⭐️

I really enjoyed the first installment in the "Fall of the Dragon" series! It was hopeful, intense, dark, twisty, and more.

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen is thrilling and complex, exploding into action from the first scene. From the very beginning, the intrigue and mystery are set in motion as we follow Ying on her journey to discover the truth of her father’s death and find justice. But the answers Ying seeks are not what she expects and the complexities of the world she enters could change her forever.
What I love about Ying is how well we feel her frustration over her father’s death but also the complexity of the relationship she builds with Ye-Yang. The story is emotional and as the intrigue builds, so too do the stakes for Ying. If she is found, she could lose everything and that includes her relationship with Ye-Yang. I also love the dynamics of her friendships with the other students, in particular Ye-Kun. Even though she is pretending to be a boy, her friendships with the others are all too real and there are very real consequences for her finding out the truth about her father.
The complexity of war and the choice for peace are also shown with real depth and detail in Ying’s story. Nothing is black and white, not even Ying’s actions. The only thing that is certain is what each individual must choose and what they must sacrifice in order to get what they want. The ending is explosive and dynamic and is entirely unexpected.
If you like complex stories with wonderful steampunk detail set in an Asian fantasy world, this is the story for you. I love the detailed worldbuilding, the steampunk elements are well thought out and the details of the world are fantastic. The story is thrilling and complex with characters that will keep you engaged. It is easy to connect to Ying and the characters in the novel and the ending is dynamic and emotional.

I absolutely LOVED reading this book. I requested Of Jade and Dragons through Penguin Teen after reading the synopsis and Xiran Jay Zhao's review (who wrote Iron Widow, which I also loved), and this book did not disappoint me.

One of my favorite subgenres is steampunk, so naturally I knew I was going to enjoy a story with retrofuturistic technology. Besides the steampunk, I love a well-written female main character. Aihui Ying is a rising engineer, who has to turn herself into a man to join the apprenticeship trial at the Engineers Guild and avenge the death of her father. She's extremely intelligent and won't back down from anything once her mind is set.

I was hooked the entire time when reading the book, and honestly, I think it got me back into reading fantasy. I'm interested in seeing if there's going to be a second book in this series or if Of Jade and Dragons will be a stand alone, because the ending is phenomenal. I can't wait to tell my friends about this book. I need other people to talk about it with.

ing holds the recipe to a dangerous weapon of destruction. It was so dangerous her own father was murdered for it. Ying disguises herself to find her father's killer. On her journey she meets the son of the High Commander. He is just willing to help her and helps hide her real identity. She has a clue that the plot against her father came from the Empire. The plan is for her to join the Engineers' Guild Trial where she will be able to investigate and find the truth.
Another Mulan inspired novel.
I get that Mulan is such an iconic story but I'm bored of the same cross dressing story. Most of the popular Asian fantasy books (YA) these days have Mulan elements. I can name so many. I wish we could have more original stories that aren't just a Mulan retelling.
I did like that her weapon of choice was a fan. It is very Mulan but I wished it was more like Kitana. Even though Kitana is Japanese. I would have liked it so much better if her skill of the fan was more incorporated.
There were a few plot holes and the ending was predictable. For a YA novel it was enjoyable and easy to read. I would like to see what happens in book 2 how she will take down the enemy and how this destructive weapon will be used.

Thank you to Netgalley and Viking Books for a digital ARC. Unfortunately, it's been tough sledding getting through this. This is a soft DNF at 60%. I'm hoping to borrow the audiobook from my library when it comes out on June 18th and listen to the remaining 40%, if I can do it. We'll see!

If you have read A Magic Steeped in Poison (like I did last month and rated it 3 stars), then you will have read this book. They are the exact same plot, setting, and characters with the exception that our FMC in Of Jade and Dragons is disguised as a man. I'll put the full comparison below. If you haven't read A Magic Steeped in Poison, then you will probably enjoy this more than me. Other than that uncanny resemblance, the book struggles with pacing issues starting at about 20% until at least where I've stopped at 60%. There's a lot of repetitive inner monologue from our FMC Ying, and a lot of minor events that sometimes add to the overall story arc, but a lot that do not. I've been in a weird ebook funk lately. Audiobooks have been a lot more successful for me, which is why I'd like to give this another shot with the audio to see if it's me or the book.

Of Jade and Dragons vs. A Magic Steeped in Poison
Rural teenage girl (even the names are similar: Ying and Ning) goes to the big city to compete in a competition and avenge their parent’s death and solve a mystery. They have both been apprentices of their parent’s craft this competition is centered around (Tea Making and Engineering). The parent used to live in the big city and then fled under suspicious circumstances. The parent was a master at their craft until they died, and the girl is trying to prove herself to be worthy of her parent. There is a thief/assassin they are hunting down, and a noble boy they run into randomly on the street and befriend. There is a slow, tenuous friendship then possible romance between the girl and the noble boy and several times she assumes he is the assassin/thief. The girl meets with the boy secretively/privately in between the tests/trials of their competition. The boy is an excellent fighter, which doesn’t help the suspicions that he is the thief/assassin or working with them. Throughout the book, the girl is second guessing if she is good enough to be the master at this craft, and good enough to be with the noble boy. She scrapes through the competition with a combination of quirky inventive ideas that go outside the box of what everyone else is doing, and (in McGonagall's voice) "sheer dumb luck".

Of course, this is only the first 60% of the book, I don't know how the ending will go yet. But I will update if I get farther in the book.

From the moment I heard about Of Jade and Dragons in 2023, I knew I needed to read it. Immediately. I eagerly reached out to the author, Amber Chen, who kindly sent me an advanced reader’s copy, and the rest is history! (It also felt like a perfect coincidence that its release day, June 18, is my birthday. This book was simply calling to me!)

Thank you again, Amber and Penguin Teen, for providing me with an advanced copy and allowing me to experience this story as soon as possible!

Before I get ahead of myself, I need to take a moment to appreciate this beautiful cover, designed by Kelly Chong (@afterblossom_art). This cover only added to my excitement. Kelly has created some of my all-time favorite covers, including those for Daughter of the Moon Goddess, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Fathomfolk, and Hurricane Wars. And this one does not disappoint!

Okay, let’s get into it.

Eighteen-year-old Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father. But when her father is killed by a masked assassin, her life turns upside down. Disguised as a man (Mulan vibes, anyone?), Ying joins the prestigious Engineers Guild to uncover her father’s secret past. Joining the Guild has always been her dream, so this is more than just a quest for revenge—though Ying never forgets her main goal. As the story unfolds, Ying’s mission turns into a fight for survival, with a touch of complicated romance woven in. Yeah, there’s a lot going on here.

If you’re looking for a thrilling YA fantasy with Mulan vibes and a hint of Legend of Korra, then Amber Chen’s debut, Of Jade and Dragons, is a must-read. Chen crafts a captivating world with a unique blend of fantasy and industrial elements—imagine airships and incredible inventions alongside a society with strict traditions. Fantasy inspired by Chinese legend is one of my favorite subgenres, and while this book doesn’t quite fit the typical fantasy mold (spoiler alert: the ‘dragons’ might surprise you), the silkpunk vibes were right up my alley!

I also really like Ying! She’s smart, resourceful, and determined to find justice for her father. I loved following her journey of self-discovery and perseverance in a world that underestimates her.

Chen’s writing is engaging and easy to follow, with a fast pace that kept me glued to the pages for hours. I’ll be honest; I finished this book in a single day. While the writing style leans towards simplicity, the story and characters really shine through. The conclusion leaves plenty of unanswered questions, making me very eager for the sequel. (Unfortunately, reading this book early means I’ll have to wait even longer for the second one.)

This is a fantastic debut YA fantasy novel by Amber Chen, and I highly recommend it to fans of YA fantasy with strong heroines and intricate worlds. Although the writing is on the simpler side and there were a few predictable moments, these are minor points compared to how much I enjoyed reading it overall. 4.5 stars!

*ARC REVIEW*

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen- Release date June 18, 2024

Blurb:

"Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune. 

Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own. 

The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?"

I enjoyed this book! Our female lead, Ying, is very spirted and inventive. I really like the scholarly Mulan vibes! The inventions in the story are very creative and it was fun to go through the trials with the characters. Chen did a great job building a complex storyline and provided clear imagery of the world she created. This is great for YA fantasy fans!

Thank you Amber Chen and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!