I dfn this quite early, it reminded me a lot of Iron Widow but with a protagonist that I don't really like. I think a lot of people might enjoy the book, but it wasn't for me. I don't know why I keep thinking that books labeled as "High Fantasy" are going to give me a more adult feeling, but this felt very adolescent to me (in a bad way).

Rating: 3.5/5

Of Jade and Dragons is your classic first YA fantasy novel in a series, and I enjoyed it. The main character, Aihui Ying, has always felt different from the other people in her home. She doesn't fall into the stereotypical boxes of interests that are expected of a young woman in this society, and instead is more interested in engineering and flying. The only person who understands and supports her love of engineering is her father, who used to be a famous Capitol engineer but has since returned to his home clan to be the chieftain. But when Ying's father is murdered, she goes to the Capitol herself, while disguised as a boy, in order to find her father's killer and avenge his death.

I enjoyed this story, but I don't think it was incredible. A lot of the plot felt rushed along and a lot of the characters felt one dimensional, especially her close friends at the engineering school and her siblings. I wish we learned a lot more about the characters around her, as well as the engineering school, more about her classes, more about how she hid being a boy while sharing a room, etc, I just wish this book has a lot more detail and development. I also wish we knew the exact ages of the main character and the characters around her. This book also has some time jumps where I wish we got to see more scenes instead of just jumping to a later date. I just felt like this book needed a lot more clarity and detail to feel real.

I think the next book in this series needs to be incredible in order to really set this series apart from others in this genre. While this book was pretty average and set the stage for the world and characters, the next book has to introduce something really new and exciting in order to set it apart from other series in this genre. With the ending of this book, I really have no idea where the plot will go or what the next book will entail, so I'm curious to see what the author has planned for the next installment in this series.

I'd like to thank net galley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I really wanted to enjoy this book. The premise of an engineering guild apprenticeship had me far too hopeful for something akin to Babel or The Name of the Wind. Instead, the only remotely memorable part of the entire arc is a teacher who the author may as well have just named Severus Snape. Neither the guild nor anything that Ying learned or studied were fleshed out very well; it all felt very hollow, with a lot of telling instead of showing.

Sadly, the other main plot points of murder and war were established even more poorly. The world building felt very insubstantial, as did almost all of the characters. The relationships especially did not feel developed enough to seem believable. Ying also seemed to have the maturity and self control of a small child, never remotely thinking anything through and often acting in ways that seemed incongruous with how she should have been feeling. There seemed to be no grieving period or respect for her father, she just instantly set her sights on revenge and often acted bafflingly in opposition to what her father would have wanted.

There were so many deux ex machina moments and plot contradictions that it almost distracted me from the fact that despite the immaturity of Ying’s actions, she was such a massive Mary Sue that she was able to hold her own against the nations most highly trained assassins. She was also able to easily overcome having no formal engineering training, spending all of her free time plotting and scheming instead of studying, and still emerging as the star pupil. The largest offenses come in the end of the book, ruining the only section that actually had enjoyable pacing. I won’t go into details to avoid spoilers, but the ending was both frustrating and at odds with what how the characters should act.

Thank you to the author, Penguin Group and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you PenguinTeen for e-ARC!

Engineer wannabe in mulan retelling! this is such a page turner book for me yet i feel like the worldbuilding didnt feel like a fantasy novel for some reasons. I would like to put 3.25 stars for this book cause i need to know what happen in the second book and at that time i would change this rating too, perhaps.

I was super excited for this title, but it just wasn't for me.

I made it about 20% into this book before I decided it wasn't for me. Overall, the book was well-written and the initial plot sounded really promising. I found myself struggling to get into the story and connect with the characters. I don't think this was an issue with the book, but more so with myself. I definitely think this book has an audience out there. Sadly, it just wasn't for me. It might be a title I try to pick up again in the future though. I could see the potential, but it just wasn't clicking with me as a reader right now.

I would like to thank the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating; DNF'd

Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Of Jade and Dragons!

I really enjoyed reading this, even if there were times I wanted to throttle Ying. Mostly every time she nearly got herself killed because she refused to follow her father's dying wish. I was expecting that my favorite relationship would be Ying and Ye-yang and, don't get me wrong, they're great, but I ended up loving her friendship with Ye-kan the most.

I cannot wait to see what happens in book 2!

If you're a fan of angsty teenage revenge plots, girls disguising themselves as boys because of societal misogyny, and explosions, then this book might interest you!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. all opinions are my own.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed it! I'd recommend it. Such a great fantasy! I had a lot of fun reading.

Wow! What a deput by Amber Chen!

“Of Jade and Dragons” was a journey for me. I loved the quick pacing in the first part of the book. That it didn’t take our MFC long to get to the capital city & into the school. But the first half fell a little flat for me. I found myself forcing myself to read to get through it, more than enjoying it. I think if the romance had come in a little sooner, that would’ve swayed me to be a little more invested.

However the last half was the redemption for me! I enjoyed every second of it. I found myself excited to jump back into the book when I wasn’t reading. The plot, side characters, and setting felt so original and natural. The ending felt a tad bit predictable but I STILL enjoyed it! I’m curious to see how Chen plans to continue the series. The ending felt very final.

Will come back once it’s published to add link to my review! Thank you for the advanced copy!!

** spoiler alert ** Thank you PenguinTeen and NetGalley for my very first ARC!

Of Jade and Dragons starts fast-paced, immediately sucking you into the story. You get a clear sense of Ying’s personality from the start, as well as her resolve. One of my favorite parts of the book was how she stuck to her goal, even when her father’s killer was revealed and Ye-Yang started acting shady.

I wouldn’t describe the book as fast-paced throughout, which works for building the story elements. It’s definitely an original story with a Mulan take, but I like how the love interest knew she was a girl from the start. The engineering focus is also original. It’s a fantasy with war-elements but that takes a backseat somewhat compared to the engineering aspect, since this is the main part of the book.

Now: the romance between Ying and Ye-yang (though it’s not a really main aspect of the book compared to other elements). Originally I was rooting so strongly for them. He seemed like such a respectable guy (a little too good to be true I see now) and was rooting for Ying. The scene where she kisses him on his forehead and he’s actually awake??? *Perfection* Towards the end, when he gets betrothed to her sister (and apparently sticks through with it??? Like even if she says she’s not interested in you — lie — you don’t go marry her sister if *you* care for her) and his secrets were revealed, his dynamic got a little confusing to keep up with. This could be to have readers feel how Ying is feeling — unsure of what’s real with him and what’s not. In the very end, I have conflicting feelings with him saying he’s going to come back for her and is sure he wants her — could have the potential of a morally gray character or just a jerk. Hard to tell. Especially because I feel like if he told Ying his plans from the start, she’d probably have gone through with it and then they’d be a morally gray, slightly vicious, power couple but this goes against the character arc of Ying I guess.

If Ye-Yang is going to be the ultimate love interest, it’ll be interesting to see his redemption arc. (Boy needs to *grovel* if you ask me).

All in all, Of Jade and Dragons was an interesting read and had a lot of original elements.


Disclaimer: receiving this ARC has not impacted my review.

Thank you @penguinteen @netgalley #partner for the gifted copy of this ebook!

What it’s about:
Aihui Ying just wants to be a kick booty fighter like her dad when she grows up and when he is suddenly murdered she feels utterly lost. She stumbles across one of his journals where he had written all of this engineering secrets and a pendant. She wants to understand how this could happen and more about his secrets but because she’s a girl she isn’t able to. Thankfully she’s determined and resourceful so she goes undercover as her brother to sneak into the all male apprenticeship. She has a friend who keeps her secret but she has to be careful and 💯 on her game because her competition is stiff and some are on to her. She can’t fully trust anyone and must dig to get to the bottom of these secrets and save her homeland and her life!

Thoughts: Let me first start with the cover. 👀 It is absolutely stunning and I’d buy it on that alone! The detail is incredible. 👏🏻

I absolutely loved this story! The dark academia vibes and Aihui going undercover as a male was my favorite part. I loved how she was sassy, determined, and stubborn. A favorite type of female MC. 💪🏻 The author does a spectacular job describing the setting and setting a vibe that felt perfect for this book. The pacing was perfect and i felt like the build up to the secrets being revealed and betrayal were done in a way that kept tension leading up to the end. I am excited this one is part of a series as I can’t wait to see what happens next!

This was a very fun YA fantasy story centering on a young woman disguising herself as a man in order to enter a previous engineering guild to find answers surrounding her father’s murder. The engineering aspect was really fun and creative. I liked the main character despite her inability to pay attention and propensity to run away with no explanation (a la Serena Van Der Woodsen). However, the romance subplot dragged this whole story down. There was absolutely no need for it, as it felt very superficial and added an unnecessary layer of conflict. The book could have been excellent without it.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the STEM aspects of the story where engineering was such a big part of it. I enjoyed the Mulan retelling portion where she’s disguised as a boy and having to deal with that. I didn’t end up enjoying the romance in the end which was too bad. I just felt like some of the storyline was not as enjoyable and a bit awkward which made me feel disconnected. I’m not really interested in continuing the series which is disappointing but another series I can check off my list 😂

Of Jade and Dragons

3.25 ⭐️

I saw this on a few lists of upcoming fantasy novels and it sounded so promising!

Ying disguises as her brother and enters an engineering trial in order to figure out why her father was killed. Along the way she ends up falling for a prince who sees right through her disguise.

This had a lot of twists and turns and was pretty entertaining. While it probably could have done with some shortening, it was easy to follow. Not a ton of character development, and I honestly wanted more of the cool engineering parts.

Thanks to @netgalley for this eARC!

This book was fantastic! I absolutely enjoyed this story and cannot wait to see where Amber Chen goes next!

When a girl is forced to take on the guise of her brother to enter the prestigious Engineer's Guild (which does not allow women to enroll), she does so to help her learn her craft, but also try to find clues about her father's past and who may have been responsible for his death. What she discovers during her time will forever change her life.

I absolutely loved the characters. This is a Mulan-esque style where Ying must masquerade as her brother to flee her village and try to become eligible for the competition to enroll at the Engineer's Guild in a big city. Ying is not your typical YA heroine who is a damsel in distress and suffers from the type of situation where she conveniently forgets something or is naive. She is head-strong (maybe even stubborn at times), but she knows what she wants, and puts in the work. Constantly drawing on knowledge she studied or recalled from working with her father, she is a great character. Let's not forget the ST(E)M rep this book promotes! Ying grows into a fierce character over time, and while she does encounter some romantic moments, she does not let that cloud her vision. Ying is also a very caring person, not willing to sacrifice others, she strives to find comradery with her fellow engineers.

The conflict of the book is Ying's plight to join the Engineer's guild through a series of competitions while trying to learn more of her father's past, and his involvement with the guild. During these trials she is subjected to ridicule, scrutiny, and other obstacles as many of the Head Engineers seem to be out to get her, or attempt to degrade her abilities. Ying does not let that get to her. We also see mentions of war brewing, and Ying begins to realize how different engineering is from her father's workshop that designed trinkets and gadgets, to the guild workshops that focus on warfare and weaponry. Over the course of the book we see political intrigue as well which adds to the overall mystery and secrecy of this esteemed guild.

The context of the book is done well I think. Chen paints a vivid image of the world, its politics, and intricacy without ever feeling like it is too much info-dumping. She provides us enough of the background when necessary and keeps the pace well. Plenty of times where Chen is showing us, rather than telling which is crucial to a book like this. I do not know much of engineering or anything of the sorts, but the writing did seem to go into fairly good detail about the projects during the trials and various engineering trinkets that were developed throughout the book. Given the time period of Dynastic inspired ruling, I would say this book definitely cements itself as a "Silkpunk" genre, similar to The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. Blending technological advancement with Dynasty regimes and traditions.

As for the craft, I find Chen's skill as a writer to be great! I was blown away by how entertaining and detailed this book was and loved the development of the characters. I only had a few minor complaints, one of which being how Ying goes from a small village to a grand city, and experiences little to no culture shock whatsoever. I feel like that could have added to her character development a bit. There were also a few moments where plot convenience took over, but it did not feel overbearing, so I gave it a bit of a break. (SPOILERS AHEAD) Another moment involves a civilian committing an atrocious act, and it feels like there is no moral dilemma over it, or the shock having committed such a action and I felt like for the character who experiences that situation, it should be a bit more nuanced? (END SPOILERS) Aside these things, I enjoyed Chen's work and dedication to the mechanical aspect, and the lack of magic in the book was a refreshing change of pace, and goes to show, you do not need magic to make a book great! I cannot wait to see what Chen does next, as I will be picking up her next book as soon as I can!

First of all I am obsessed with this cover. Of Jade and Dragons drew me in with the cover and the amazing sounding synopsis.

This book was very intriguing to me, I will admit it started a little on the slower side but then once the plot got moving I was invested.

I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I do wish we would’ve got more characterization and world building but overall I enjoyed this book.

Ying dreams of being an engineer but when her father is murdered, she’ll do anything to find the assassin. Disguised as a boy, she joins the apprentice’s trial at the Engineer’s Guild in the capital and begins to investigate her father’s death. Becoming entangled with the prince complicates everything, for he has plans of his own…

Ying was clever and I enjoyed the friendships she made in the guild. The world-building was teased out alongside unfolding action, I enjoyed the steampunk elements, but I wanted to know more about why exactly they were at war. The mystery was interesting, but progressed at an inconsistent pace. Ying didn’t seem to be experiencing grief—other than her need for answers and revenge. This story raised ethical questions about the cost of war and revenge but I struggled to draw conclusions by the end.

The romance was slow enough for me to buy in, and had tension from their separate statuses in society and from not knowing if Ying could fully trust Ye-yang.

I have no guesses about what happens next in series, because this book’s bittersweet ending was a sharp turn away from everything I had invested in with the guild trials and Ying’s friendships. The ending felt rushed, leaving much unresolved. There were no reactions from her family and friends about the events happening in the world and her actions. I was left wanting more and hopefully the next book will deliver those pieces.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC.

3.5 stars

So first of all, there are no dragons (ok there’s an automaton at the end but that doesn’t count). Second, this is really more silkpunk than standard fantasy (there’s no magic here).

I would say the setup here is closest to Spin the Dawn with “girl enters 3 stage competition disguised as boy, palace intrigues ensue with much danger, and gets close to boy, but can she trust him and his motives”.

The problem I had is that the middle really drags and the pacing is uneven. I’m not sold on Ye-Yang as the love interest either. There were some things he did, even early on, that made me uncomfortable. And the end really solidified those feelings.

Speaking of the end, it was really a gut-punch. We’re clearly set up for an angsty second book, and I’m really curious as to where Ying goes from here.

All that being said, the engineering portion was pretty cool, and I liked the friendship Ying and Ye-kan developed. I

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own

A Mulan-esque story set at an engineering school was all it took to sell me on this book. I love a good STEM heroine and it was nice to get something a little different that concentrated on the weapons manufacture and engineering side of a war rather than a typical warrior training montage type of book. I do think the characters could have been developed more, I didn’t connect quite as much with them as I wanted to. But overall I enjoyed the read and will follow the series.

Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC!

I have never read anything like this before. The term silkpunk is completely new for me. I really enjoyed the setting and the plot of this book. I really loved the engineering and imaginative theme in the book. It just made the story richer and better.

In a side note, I am very confused with the ending. Is he marrying her yes or no?

"A lamp can light up the darkness around you, but a story lights up the darkness within."

A disclaimer: There are no real dragons.

Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying is living a relatively sedentary life when her brilliant engineer father is murdered during a workshop break-in. Desperate to learn the truth behind the murder, Aihui disguises herself as a boy and enrolls in the nation's notoriously difficult Engineering Guild in order to uncover the secret behind her father's past and what led to his death. Along the way she befriends two princes and uses her father's lessons to get through school, solve the case, and stay alive.

I'd never heard of silk punk but was drawn to this for the Mulan comparison, and it didn't disappoint. The first few pages were hard for me to get into, I think more due to the way the ARC formatted on my Kindle than anything to do with the story itself, but once I got going I read straight through to the end. The setting/set-up wasn't particularly unique, but the execution made the book fun to read nonetheless (after all, if you market the book with a Mulan comparison, you need to deliver). The trials at the Engineering Guild were interesting, and Aihui's unique answers also underscored the idea that engineering is both a science and an art. I could see the Chinese culture and influence throughout the book, and it really left me with some food for thought on today's world. No spoilers, but I also really appreciated that author didn't go with the easy, Disney-ending and instead let the characters be who they were and the chips fall where they may.

Thank you Penguin Group and Viking Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.