If I'm being completely honest, the title and (stunning) cover are what made me curious about OF JAD AND DRAGONS. But I'm glad it came onto my radar, because I enjoyed it!

This is the sort of novel that I feel really fits the category of young adult. Readers are thrown right into the action in the first chapter; the plot continues to move along at a steady, quick pace from there. The plot really is the main focus of the story, with our main character navigating her investigation in the capital, maintaining the guise of a male trial competitor in the hopes of earning a place in the Engineer's Guild, and discovering more about her nation and the bodies of power along the way. There are certainly conveniences that feel either a touch deus ex machina or a glossing over of some details, but honestly, those didn't stick out in a way that personally bothered me.

Given this is very plot-driven, there was a lighter hand when it came to the world-building and character development. But it wasn't overly detrimental to me either since there was just enough detail to grab and keep my attention, and honestly, I was still pretty interested in seeing how Ying's story was going to play out (and I actually like how it ended, though I'm sure there will be a variety of opinions on that).

Overall, this was a fun and entertaining YA book! I liked it a great deal, and look forward to the sequel.

P.S. If you enjoyed A Magic Steeped in Poison, Spin the Dawn, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, and Tamora Pierce, you might enjoy this one too.

it was okayyyy, the prose is really vivid and detailed but the plot beats are kinda predictable and very typical but i can see the creative aspects that shine thru anyways, i think a younger person would love this

“Of Jade and Dragons,” by Amber Chen

Ying wants to be a world-class engineer like her father so when her father is murdered, she decides to go to the capital in disguised to the Engineers Guild to find answers. Ying makes an ally with Ye-yang, the eight prince of the High Command.

I really liked the Asian aspect of the story; the lore and imagery were so unique. The entire engineering stuff made it feel slightly futuristic but in a historical fiction world. It was such a good Mulan retelling type of story. I related to the FMC and loved the main characters relationship. 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

this was magnificent! and that ending??? i am completely ruined! this story means so much to me! i cannot wait to get my hands on the second book!!

This was an easy read. The pacing was good, the plot was easy to understand, and the key developments and obstacles for the heroine were interesting.

The biggest strength in this book is the protagonist herself. Ying is an easy heroine to root for; she has resolve, cleverness, thoughtfulness, and strength. But she becomes a foil for the book's biggest weakness: all the incredibly huge odds stacked against her that could have provided a nuanced landscape for her growth barely materialize in the story. To be more specific about the nitpicking, she had never left her insular, sheltered hometown before, she is a girl posing secretly as a boy, she is the child of the guildmaster's rival, she is being sponsored specially by a prince even though she's not from a noble's family... but so few of these things make a dent in her journey. (I'm especially disappointed in the gender issue, since this is a key theme as a Mulan reimagining and in the book's marketing. She is found out immediately at the beginning by the beile who also immediately agrees to keep her secret, no one questioned why she never bathed, she never had periods, she is described as extremely pretty at the beginning but no one bats an eye... even her reveal to the Guild at the end is kept from the readers, with only the note that her acceptance was unanimous but no other comments.) In a book that is very like one that would be labelled "palace intrigue," there was so little sabotage and rivalry. It would have been so interesting to see how she was challenged in these various precarious aspects of her life, but so little of it ended up mattering.

I appreciated the question that came up often in this book: at what point is progress unethical?

I thought the ending was somehow both extremely predictable and pretty interesting. I love when books that are part of a series wrap up pretty open-endedly, without an obvious cliffhanger. You get to choose whether or not to continue adventuring with these characters, and I hope the next book lets me do so!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

For those who love a Mulan-inspired story, this book is a must-read! It is suitable for all audiences, true YA. I enjoyed the rich world and the unique twists to the plot, and the writing is well-crafted. While I did not find it mind-blowing, it is worth picking up and I will be reading the second one when it comes out.

Action packed and well written. I love that the fmc, Ying, is a femme fatale badass who is trying to avenge her father and find out the secrets of his past. She does so by pretending to be her brother to get into the Engineers guild who only take in me -very Mulan of her. She has the help of the taciturn 8th prince of the High Command, Ye-Yang. But he has his own complicated agenda.
The ending left me reeling and I can't wait for a 2nd book!
Thank you to Amber Chen for the pleasure of reading this story and giving my honest review.

I loved this book great Mulan retelling I just thought it was so fun and magical and the mythology weaved I'm to it is just great I love this book

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My heart cannot handle the love between Ying and Ye-yang. Every single scene between them, I was silently screaming to myself for them to kiss. I absolutely love Ye-yang. I love how he can see Ying every single time. Nothing gets past him and my heart just surge each time he finds her out. It's absolutely adorable. Ye-yang is intelligent. He plans his moves carefully to get what he wants, but there is also a part of him that can't really plan his moves when he's around Ying. There is the vulnerabilities you see within him that he only shows to Ying, but there is also a part of him that is hidden away, that eventually hurts Ying in the end. A part of me broke when Ye-yang revealed his plan and it hurt that Ying was in the cross-fire. She doesn't deserve it, not after her father's death. She doesn't belong to be in that contiuous loop that her father was dragged into.

This book was fast-paced, but it also slowed at the important moments, allowing me to savor the interactions between Ying and Ye-yang. In addition, the interactions between her and Ye-kan. An unexpected friendship blossom between the two and I absolutely loved how they cared for one another. Not only was it nice to see her bonding with others at the Engineers Guild, but it was nice to go on the journey to find more about her father. Going through his past and seeing who he was back then, felt so heartwarming each time I learn a new thing about him, just as Ying was experiencing as well. She eventually understands why he left and soon she comes to realization that his reasoning for leaving, is similar to the situation she's in. I believe she's at peace with her father's death, but she's not at peace with herself. The plot of finding clues to her father's murderer, felt like it was in the background as she goes through the Engineers Guild, but I don't mind at all. What she is doing there was so enthralling, that I couldn't get mad that she became sidetracked.

Overall, this book was breathtaking and I couldn't put it down. The characters were captivating and there was something to each one of them. I also enjoy how the love that blossoms between Ying and Ye-yang was slow and it didn't overwhelm the plot of the story. He's there and he's not the main point of attention as she goes through the trials of the Engineers Guild. I enjoy Ying's perseverance and passion for engineering. With the author's great work of writing, it doesn't feel like Ying passion for engineering is just something that has to be there for the sake of the plot. With that bittersweet ending, I am curious to see how Ying will continue her life and if she will ever continue the fiery passion she had in the Engineers Guild. In addition, how will the Antarans fair with a war against the Empire? I worry for the deaths that are to come.

Overall I thought this book was pretty predictable. It felt like reading a YA fantasy I've already reads dozens of times, just dropped into a slightly different universe. So I think it could really work for some people! Mostly what disappointed me was the meandering middle of the book where Ying seems totally disconnected from her original goal, then suddenly comes back to it at the end. Her motivations for her actions did not feel well thought out, and I wish we got to see more of her actually contemplating the consequences of her actions, but at the end I did like that it seemed she learned and grew from her experience. It wasn't bad, and I would try another book from this author in the future, but this was just was kind of a snooze for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Publishing for the eARC!

- wait i didn’t expect to enjoy this so much i love this book 😭👍🏻 HIGHLY recommend if you like any of the following: historical cdrama/kdramas, mulan, or the apothecary diaries
- i love ying she’s so smart and has AGENCY
- lowkey this book was predictable imo but still so entertaining and enjoyable to read, it’s so easy to fall into the world the author has built the silkpunk setting is so cool i literally couldn’t stop reading
- the romance omg?? this is slow burn done right 😩
- i need to know how many books will be in this series i already can’t wait for the next book 😭😭

thank you so much netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

It is so unfortunate that I did not enjoy this book. The synopsis drew me in immediately but while reading my experience took a turn. The writing was just not clicking for me. It felt very stunted which pulled me out if the story...

aihui ying dreams of following in her father’s footsteps by becoming an engineer, but after he’s murdered, her life falls apart. she disguises herself as her brother to infiltrate the male-only engineers guild apprenticeship, sure she’ll find her answers there.

so, i actually didn’t know what “silkpunk” was before reading this, but now i really want to find more books that fit the bill! i enjoyed the blending of chinese mythology with ying’s drive for justice and the engineering aspects. we love a woman in STEM😌

overall, this was a wonderful story that blended science with fantasy. i highly recommend this and can’t wait for book two!

So thankful for receiving this arc from the publisher. First off, I have to say I saw Mulan vibes in the synopsis and that immediately sold me on this one. I'm so glad I requested and received this arc because it didn't let me down. The Mulan vibes were present in this book and so amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed the immersive writing, the characters, and the setting. The romance was beautiful and so well done. There's not much negatives I could say about this book. First time reading this author and I will continue to buy. Highly recommend. 5 stars.

「 ✦ 3.75 ✦ 」

⋆.˚“If he chooses you, he will lose everything.”

The murder mystery was interesting and I did have a little inkling about who was involved but it still came as a surprise and utter betrayal.

⋆.˚“It’s only a matter of time, Ying.” I’m still stuck here by the way.

The romance was the main thing keeping me interested. Like Yeyang the man that you are 😮‍💨. When he wasn’t there I was low key bored. He’s such a simp. But also men ☕️. While Ying didn’t always agree with his views, he is truly just “trapped as a victim of his circumstances.” If you love pretty princes that internally struggle with what they think is right vs what they need to do, you’ll love him. As much as I’m rooting for them to be endgame, I totally understand why Ying took a step back and was like that’s not really the life I want to live. I even did cry a bit during the “third act breakup” that happened, like sick to my stomach.

Love all the friendships Ying has, especially with Yekan who was an annoying little twerp in the beginning but became one of her closest friends. I really hope he’ll be able to become an engineer now that he doesn’t have anyone holding him back.

⋆.˚“I was your sword, but you were never mine.” Why must you leave me with this heartbreak Amber Chen

While I was a little disappointed with the ending that made my heart ache (because it didn’t really go how I expected), it’s clearly set up for the sequel. Which I’m not sure if I’ll be reading or not. I’ll probably forget about the entire plot by the time it comes out to be fair.

⋆.˚“If I want to conquer the world, will you stand by my side?” um immediately yes

The political issues weren’t the main concern of the book but I think the next book will expand on it more.

⋆.˚He was the one who opened this door for her— and then held her hand through it all.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this 🏯

Dnfed at 20%

I’m sad to say, but the writing is stilted, the dialogue clunky. So much has happened in the first 20% of the book, but it feels as though nothing has happened. The emotions are muted and don’t have much depth to it: her grief when her father died, her anger at her brother, Wen, for dismissing her, and her fear of being chased down by the maybe-assassin and his chimera. It all feels disconnected from the storyline, even though everything else in this book is done nicely.

The setting is vivid, from her village to the tavern, to the palace in Fei. The plot also has some good bare bones, it is interesting, the concept of disguising herself as her brother to go to the engineer guild and find who killed her father and why he was targeted. However, the writing style itself is distracting, especially when it comes to Ying’s emotions and lack of internal dialogue. Things happen to her. She responds in turn. But she never really pauses and spends time to reflect.

This was clear when her father died, and she spent almost no time thinking or grieving about him. He died, she looked at his notebook, found some calculations and formulas, then she went to Wen to advocate for finding the assassin. In all happens methodically with no space to breath. It was just go go go. This style would appeal to those who constantly want action, so it want terrible, but I feel like this isn’t for me and if I continue on, I would just not enjoy it as it is.

I would definitely recommend this to someone who cares less about stylistic writing and more about plot and characters, especially since Ying is cleaver and takes no bs from anyone. I absolutely love the engineering aspect of this book, and I wish I could love this more, since it seemed right up my alley.

I ended up loving this even though it started off a little slow for me. Around 20-50% I felt like the pace hit a bit of a lull, but I’m glad I stuck with it! It definitely started to pick up and I cannot wait for the next one after that ending!

I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book and that doesn’t happen often. Usually there’s a character who does something that annoys me or another character who just isn’t written out well. That is not the case for any of these characters and a lot of what kept my interest, even in the lull, was because of them. You’ve got a couple of great main characters and a good amount of side characters who all bring something unique to the table.

There’s a lot of fantasy in this book, but it’s not overwhelming at all. I found the world easy to understand, but also different from my typical reads. The mystery in the book kept me guessing too. I wouldn’t say I was shocked by the reveal, but even so there were parts of the reveal that did surprise me.

I cannot wait to read the next book and will definitely be keeping an eye on Amber’s future works as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC.

I was so excited when I got approved for this book and rushed to start it! I always look the books inspired by stories we already know and love. In, Of Jade and Dragons there are so many things to love. The main character, Ying, is driven to fulfill her dreams of becoming an engineer, and from the first page down to the last this book is very well written. The plot is fast and there's never a dull moment, the world is described beautifully and draws the reader in wanting more. All the characters are well-rounded, relatable, and I hope further readers fall in love with them like I did. This is such an awesome debut from Amber Chen and I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Publishing for giving me the privilege of receiving this ARC!

I am so grateful to have received this arc from netgalley.

I really enjoyed this story. I will always read anything that resembles a Mulan like story. Ying is amazing she is so strong and determined. Her beliefs never wavered and I love that about her. The story with the steam punk elements was so different and I really enjoyed them.

The ending breaks my heart but I'm so proud of Ying for sticking to her morals and beliefs. Ye-yang is gonna have to gorvel really hard to get her back. I hope he can find himself again and not fall into the same trap as his father. Overall I really enjoyed this read!

My only critique is that the pacing in the middle was a little off.

Thanks to Penguin Teen for giving me an ARC on NetGalley!
This was such an amazing book! I finished it in two days, and I literally stayed up late on a Sunday just to read it. A Sunday! A school night!
The ending destroyed me.. but the book was just so good! I’m just choosing to never acknowledge that ending 🤩
That’s it for today! Bye!