Aihui Ying is a girl who dreams of becoming a world class engineer like her father once was. After her father is murdered she disguises herself as a boy and enters the Engineers Guild trials to try to discover the answers of who killed her father. Along the way she meets a handsome prince and finds beautiful friendships. I do think this read as more fantasy than murder mystery but I did enjoy the mystery aspects along the way. It was fun seeing Aihui Ying during the trials it definitely gave me STEM vibes with her wanting to be an engineer in a male dominated guild. The trials were exciting and showcased Aihui Ying’s quick thinking and brilliant mind. This book at times did feel a bit long but as the first book I understand the author wants to set the stage. This had a great blend of technology, clashing clans/ royalty, scheming, mythical creatures, and a bit of romance sprinkled in. We also see Aihui Ying struggle with themes of revenge, ambition and the cost of getting your hearts desire. I think this reads as a stand-alone but I am happy there will be a second book.

Overall this was a fun YA silk punk murder mystery that blended fantasy and technology with a splash of romance. I definitely got Mulan vibes and think this would be a great read for fans of Asian mythology that feature strong women in a fantasy technology setting.

Huge thank you to Penguin Teen for gifting me an ARC #penguinteenpartner

Whenever I am reading a YA book, I do try to give a lot of grace to the book being a little more simplistic, the characters making age appropriate but frustrating decisions, etc. This book, for me, went beyond what is typical for the genre to be a little too predictable & repetitive. I would say that this is lower YA/middle grade adjacent except I don't think the subject matter is really appropriate for that age group, given the murder on page, the visit to the pleasure house, and the technical nature of some of the engineering/political descriptions.

What I liked: The main character's motivation generally made sense. The Mulan-inspired elements were fun and I liked the structure of the engineering school. I liked the murder mystery plot and felt that the resolution made some sense, kind of. I did like the ending. This is comped to Iron Widow and I agree, I think fans of that book would also enjoy this one. I think some readers will enjoy the romance plot.

What I didn't like: The romance, at all. The way every event/plot point is foreshadowed, then described, then recapped. I feel like this could have been a third shorter without cutting anything that happened. The amount of time spent in the main character's head, following her stream of consciousness, was frustrating. I also felt like a lot of the worldbuilding was either given as dry info dumps or just not described at all, with so many details unexplained. I don't think I would read book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I very much enjoyed this book. It took a little bit to pick up, but once it did, it really got going and I could not put it down. I’d keep telling myself “just one more chapter,” and then wouldn’t even realize I’d accidentally started on the chapter after the one that was supposed to be my “last.” It wasn’t nonstop action, but with the main character hiding her identity for most of the book, it *was* high stakes, which kept up the necessary drama and momentum.

However, there is a reason I’m giving this book four stars instead of five. The writing was *riddled* with cliches— and every time I came across one while reading it pulled me right out of the story. Not only do cliches feel as though they cheapen good writing, but they also felt too modern for the time period that the novel was based on. By and large the writing was great, but was weakened by the far too frequent reliance on modern cliches.

This is a relatively minor gripe, considering this is the first book in a series, but the ending was immensely disappointing to me. For spoiler reasons I won’t go into why, I just felt let down that after everything we ended up where we did. I think I had hoped for more. But, I suppose that’s what sequels are for…

This may be a it’s me and not you type of situation when it comes to this book.

Since seeing the cover of this book I wanted to read it. It draws you in and so does the blurb! The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Ying. She is looking into the murder of her father and there is only one way to do that, dress like a boy and join the Engineers Guild. I definitely was intrigued by the start of the book but my infatuation was quickly dissolved due to how things started playing out.

A lot of what happens is very obvious and also happens too easily. She gets into the guild by meeting a prince who saves her, knows she is not a boy right away, and offers to get her into the guild because he has no one else to give the slot to. If you are a prince I am sure you know a lot of people. Things like this happen all the time. I also feel like Ying was very brash with her choices and this could just be due to how convenient everything seemed to be.

The writing style felt on the younger side of YA and I had a hard time with it. I did like how she described the settings and gadgets that these people used though. That part was really intriguing.

I also wasn’t a fan of the romance and didn’t really feel the connection between them.

Overall, this was okay. I just had too many issues with it and unfortunately could not get into the book enough to love it.

Of Jade and Dragons is a pretty solid book overall - a nice coming of age type story with Mulan influences. I felt that the writing and plot was very YA (not in a bad way) and I do think younger readers will enjoy the story immensely.

I feel as though the characters could have been a little more fleshed out and the world building a bit more detailed as well. The story begins with something that should have induced lots of mourning but it didn’t seem to? And there was no culture shock from village to big city? It seemed a little unbelievable BUT I do think you could make a case that it’s due to the FMCs personality.

I know I’ve seen some complaints about the ending but I felt like it was well done and made a lot of sense. Maybe if I were a bit younger it would have annoyed me but I think it was a great choice. It’s not as interesting when things aren’t earned (that will make sense when you read the book)

Of Jade and Dragons follows Ying, the daughter of an engineer and a chieftain. She witnesses her father murdered by an assassin, and must disguise herself as a boy to enter the Engineer Guild where her father used to work in order to figure out who killed him and why. While there, she meets a prince, and though they grow close, she isn’t sure how trustworthy he is.

The story started a little slow, and I found the dialogue a little info-dumpy and stiff initially, so much so that I considered putting it down, but it does pick up after the 30-40% mark, and gets better as it goes. I loved the ending, which had a great mix of grayness and angst and romance and intrigue that does make me curious for a sequel. Definitely had some of that historical c-drama vibes that I think the author was going for. Ying was an interesting protagonist to follow, capable but not unrealistically so and still making mistakes and learning, and some of the supporting characters get some depth, too, which makes it difficult to completely dislike or support them.

I don’t really know what this is labeled under, though it feels like it leans more sci-fi than fantasy. But I do wish if it’s leaning toward engineering the contraptions and gadgets felt more technical or taught me something about engineering, because sometimes that felt a little vague in exchange for more time for the romance. The mystery as well felt like a bit of an afterthought, like that was Ying’s main motivation but it seemed like she only occasionally remembered to investigate.

Overall, though, once I got over the slower parts of this novel, I did enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

Of Jade and Dragons is a fantasy novel set in a world based on Chinese mythology. I'm a huge fan of books set in historical-inspired locations with fantasy elements so I was excited to read this one!

Andddd I ended up DNFing at around 20%. What really got me was that the language felt super YA. The descriptions, dialogue, and prose all felt like it was meant for a much, much younger audience. That isn't my cup of tea, and the rest of the plot/character aspects weren't enough for me to overlook the writing style.

I think this book could be good if you're into more of an informal writing style. It just wasn't for me! 2 stars. Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the eARC of this book, my thoughts are my own!

I am seriously invested int this story and i need the sequel ASAP. Aihu Is precious and I admired how quickly she failed to maintain the Mulan illusion. I I also really liked her relationship with Ye khan and Ye Yang and given the ending i feel like her relationship with both is far from over, She is even more like her generous engineer father than she thinks. I also liked the the trials and guild dynamic between all of the potential members. It definitely gives Mulan vibes especially with the ending. I need this series to continue. I also like the dynamic between the princes and am curios to see how Ye-Khan and Ye Yang handle their new situations.

This was a fantastic YA silkpunk debut influenced and inspired by the Mulan myth and the tale of the Butterfly Lovers. I flew through this book and honestly am not only in love with the story, but am still reeling from the ending. 🫨

The story follows Aihui Ying as she goes to the prestigious Engineers Guild disguised as her brother to solve the murder of her father. This reminded me so much of the rigorous academy setting of The Poppy War and the hidden gender plot of She Who Became the Sun. Mixed together with a Qing dynasty like society was just *chef’s kiss* 😚

I loved Ying as the main protagonist. She’s stubborn, thinks outside the box, and isn’t afraid to tell people off. Her love of inventing and engineering is something that I wished showed up more often for young women when it comes to representation, and that her love for these subjects doesn’t detract from her feminine side. Her love interest in the 8th prince, Aogiya Ye-yang just made me so happy for no other reasons than he supports her in any way he can and really falls for her desire to see things through peacefully in a pre-war setting. His character reveal at the end of the book just threw me a punch to the gut so sharply that I honestly had to rant to my boyfriend at midnight about my thoughts. 😱

Speaking of that reveal, I feel like I’ve been so spoiled for happy endings that getting the ending we got in this book made me spiral in a good way. I’m officially hooked and am DESPERATELY awaiting news for a sequel (please please let there be one!!). 🙏🏼

The only things that left me wondering at the end of the book were what were the ending reactions of Aogiya Ya-kan and Ying’s brother, Wen, after the events concluded. Were they understanding or critically of Ying and her decisions? 🤔

In the end, I NEED to know what happens to these characters!! Big thank you goes to Penguin Young Readers and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Chen, for ripping my heart out in the last 25% of the book in the best possible way. I might need a therapy session to recover from that ending. 🥲

Publication day: June 18!

Overall: 4.5/5 ⭐️

Beautiful beautiful book! Slightly Mulan inspired and I loved that! Incredibly easy to read and so refreshing. I loved the trials plot line and the slight murder mystery. I could have done with a little more world building as well as see more of Ying grieving the lost of her father. This says its YA for 12 and up so I can look past that as it would be perfect for teenagers just starting to get into fantasy. Overall the story was great and I loved the characters. Looking forward to more from the author!

I can see this book being one of my favorite reads this year!

It is beautifully written and fast paced with a touch of Mulan vibes! There’s action, suspense, secrets and the author keeps you guessing. The romance too…ahhh! The tension, banter, pining *swoons* but the ending…my heart needs a second book right now!

Absolutely loved this!

The setting and magic system was very interesting , it took a little bit for the book to pick up pace but once it gets going , its so much fun !
Thank you for the eArc .

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I really enjoyed this book. It is truly a YA novel and an amazing debut. The story is a Mulan retelling with sci-fi silkpunk fantasy with no magic involved. Ying is a great female protagonist (we love a women in STEM) that disguises herself as her brother in order to take part in the guild's trial in order to solve the mystery of her father's death and past. Ye-yang is the Eight Prince of the High Command that helps Ying get into the trials, and they get to learn about each other along the way. Chen's writing style fits the YA genre very well, it's easy to read and so well-written with the engineering parts. It's not too fast-paced but stays on track with the plot of the story and doesn't go off track. I feel like every scene that we were given was important to read. Based on past readings, I have become cautious with all the characters that the MCs meet. The reveals at the end of the book weren't too surprising, I was expecting some of them. I enjoyed seeing the relationships that Ying has formed with the other apprentices in the trial, and I hope they play a great part in the sequel. Overall, I look forward to reading the next book.

Review will also be posted on Goodreads and Fable.

Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book for review purposes.

An amazing debut and start to a series. The silkpunk elements are so fun and interesting, taking everything I’ve loved from the inventiveness of steampunk and then rooting it in East Asian history and culture. Ying is an amazing main female character who you can’t help but root for and feel overjoyed every time she overcomes an obstacle. In a lot of ways she takes the best things from a character like Katniss in the Hunger Games- she’s in a bad situation and has faced hardship, but uses that pain to make her stronger and more resourceful as she puts her mind to achieving her goals. Her romance with Ye-Yang is EVERYTHING; their interactions have that perfect, butterflies-in-your-stomach, cute but also a little dangerous and angsty type of romance that I go to YA for. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but I overall loved the vibes of this book and can’t wait to see what the sequel holds!

A book inspired by Mulan! Sign me up!!!! Mulan was my favorite Disney movie growing up. I have a soft spot for it and this book delivered.

Never use your gifts to harm others, my lamb. That is not what an engineer should ever do.”

Ying aspires to be a great engineer like her father. There’s just one problem, the engineers guild does not accept women. When her father is murdered Ying soon finds that the answers she needs are in the place her father had left behind, the engineers guild. To get answers she needs she disguised as her brother and entered the trials that would allow her into the guild. While navigating their world she must keep her identity secret or risk execution. She forms a connection with one of the princes that quickly becomes another danger.

“Choosing peace was exactly that a choice-“

I loved Ying’s strong personality and her knowledge of her worth. She never let anyone insult her. The friendships she forms in the guild were some of my favorites especially with one in particular. The engineering aspect was so fun and not often seen in YA so I really enjoyed that.

The pacing could have been better or maybe that’s preference? I do tend to enjoy faster paced stories and this one dragged at times. I also wasn’t convinced by the romance. It was a little too insta love for me.

Other than that I really enjoyed this book. Especially the moral question it posed. Ying’s own exploration of where she stands morally and her conviction to that morality. I’m hooked enough to crave the next installment to Ying’s story.

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

This book felt like a true YA novel and I know the future target audience will love this book once it debuts. The mystery, mulan/steampunk plot within this book is very unique.
Where I struggled with this book (mostly because it seems I am beginning to grow out YA) it the plot pacing and some of the characters choices. All in all, the target audience will love this book.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I really enjoyed this book, though I must admit that I had some trouble with the pacing. I wish that it had gone through one last round of edits to smooth out that piece. I did almost DNF because of that, but thankfully I was able to push past that part that slowed me down, and thankfully enjoyed the rest of it. Everyone's saying that this reminds me of Mulan, but aside from her disguising her gender, I don't see any other correlations. I thought it was good, and I liked the romance too, I just wish there was a drop more, which might have made it feel a little less organic. All in all, I will be recommending it to my platform. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads. 3.65 star.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

I DNFed this book, and I think the main issue is that I’m not the intended audience. Because of this I think it would be unfair of me to review the book.

Again, thank you to the publisher

This was just ok. I would have liked a better explanation of the world. The plot was predictable and I didn't care much about the characters or the romance. I think the next book in this series has the potential to be better though.

I love it when authors try something new and it's even more commendable when it's their debut. Of Jade and Dragons had a lot of common tropes but with twists that made it unique.

This is the first Mulan retelling that reminded me of the Disney movie which was exciting! Ying, our FMC, even has her 3 friends. But our MMC, Ye-Yang, knows that she's pretending to be her brother so it's pretty exciting to see the MMC in on the secret and help facilitate it for both her and his own motivations. I think the politics were underdeveloped and I hope the next book focuses on it more.

This was my first silkpunk book and it was so cool to see the inventions. There are no actual dragons in the book but the way you get to see one is pretty neat.

The romance is my favorite aspect of the book. Ying and Ye-Yang's interactions were so fun. I really love how they balanced each other out. I hope in the next book we see them working together with Ying as herself.