DNF at 17%
I tried giving this book a try but I just could not concentrate enough due to lack of plot and contrary to my expectations, this book felt like a very predictable YA book which I couldn't bring myself to continue. I did love the family bond and the world building itself but the MC was just not likeable enough for me. This is all my opinion but I do feel other YA readers would love this.

9/10

*ARC Provided via NetGalley in exchange for review*

I absolutely loved this. In my opinion this is the best thing I have read from Fonda Lee. I am sure to some people it will not be as good as the Jade City series as it is not as politically complex but I loved all of the fast paced action and twists the story took. The co-writing from Shannon Lee (daughter of THE Bruce Lee) also adds an excellent amount of authenticity to the "Bruce Lee inspired" aspects of this novel, as well as even more knowledge behind all the fight scenes since both authors are martial artists with knowledge (and skill) of a variety of styles.

The book starts out quickly getting to the meat of the story and continues to ramp up the action from there. I won't say more to avoid spoilers but there were certainly a few shocking twists to the story that took it in directions I did not anticipate. There is a lot packed into the relatively short 350 pages of this book and I highly recommend everyone check it out for themselves. I am already looking forward to book two of this duology. The only downside of getting to read this before its release is that means I have to wait even longer to get book two than I would otherwise!

4.25 stars!

Thank you to Fonda Lee, Shannon Lee, and Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

This was really just heart-pounding at points, with really great action sequences that even I can get behind. Breath of the Dragon is a YA fantasy about a 16-year old boy, Jun, entering a deadly tournament...inspired by the characters and teachings of Bruce Lee! I've never really read a fantasy inspired by a real historical figure like this but it really comes through in the complexity and love given to depicting martial arts in the book.

First, the good stuff. I generally don't like to read action scenes and tend to skim but there were a lot in this book that I really got into and felt excited by. The world-building was super smooth and digestible which is fitting since this is YA. I liked the characters a lot, particularly Ren and Chang, and I've looking forward to seeing what happens with them in book two. The general vibe of the plot is very cool and definitely pulls from old martial arts movies as well as modern YA books and anime. I particularly enjoyed the "training montage" section of the book, it was very fun. It also had the right amount of angst for me with some more emotionally intense and violent scenes that help me feel emotionally engaged.

I think most of the issues I had with this book are more problems for me as a reader than actual issues with the book. Some of the action scenes do drag on, particularly one towards the end. I also wish we had gotten a little more of Jun interacting with others so we could see more of his character. There's some nice moments of that towards the end of the book but it would have been nice earlier on. Also, despite the title there are no dragons immediately present in the book outside of myth, so don't get too hyped up for a dragon to swoop in.

I was really pleasantly surprised by this considering I had no idea what to expect from a Bruce Lee-inspired fantasy, but it's just a really thrilling time overall and I definitely recommend it!

Happy reading!

I was really intrigued by the concept of this book and its homage to martial arts when I first picked it up. I think the storyline is fascinating, but I am soft DNFing the book for the time being and hoping to pick it back up in the future. I think I am just not in a current mindset to really enjoy this book, so I don't want to tarnish my opinion of the story by not being really invested into it. I think since the story does have a bit of a longer setup, it was taking me a while to get into the book. However, I am interested in continuing this story at a later date when I can really appreciate it.

Loved this book from beginning to end. A new author to mye but the genre is one of my favourites right now. Kepp going because this story needs to be seen by so many more people. Read it

Loved it! It was a face paced martial arts story WITH MAGIC. What a treat. I loved the writing, it was very easy to follow. Indicate polical type fantasies normally take a bit for me to follow. I loved how you get to follow the main character develop as a person from childhood to adulthood. Can’t wait to read other Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee’s individual works!

3.75/5 ⭐️

Breath of the Dragon is an excellent love letter to martial arts set in a world full of rivalry and strife. An adrenaline ride from start to finish is dragged down in my opinion by some strange narrative choices and pacing in the middle. In spite of that the overall story arc is very interesting with characters that are lovable and mysterious. I’m not typically a big YA reader but this is one I will recommend to the advid YA readers in my life.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC! Jun and his father were banished from their home and separated from his mother and twin when he was six years old after he recklessly showed off his training in fighting (which was forbidden to all who were not breath marked). After tensions between the two halves of the countries worsed, Jun and his father remain trapped on the other side of the wall. When Jun decides to pursue martial arts, hoping to become the Guardian at the top martial arts tournament and restore honor to himself and his father, his father forbids him. But Jun leaves home to participate in the tournament, joining forces with the blind flutist, Chang, and his daughter. Chang teaches him to find and use his breath and Jun thinks he's ready to take on his opponents, but the runs have changed. The tournament is now a matter of life and death and political tension is high. Can Jun rise to the stop and restor not only his honor but his country or will he die trying? Fans of shonen manga should love this series with it chracter progression, training arc, and tournament arc, it reads like the best of them!

I absolutely adored this book. In a way that definitely had me questioning life and politics. The plot was well thought out and the twists were set up well where I didn’t feel backhanded for a surprise just because. I need the next book expeditiously and I’m excited to see how the series continues. Also, I love that the romance plot went to Yin Yue and Ren rather than Jun. I’m rooting for them so hard and I will violently sob if they don’t end up together.

the plot of this book is nothing special, it’s your very basic hero’s rags to riches story but throw in some martial arts here and there. it’s also very easy to predict what happens in the end

what i disliked: there was no stand out characters, no strong/deep relationships. no character growth for any character that was not the main character. ghostface and breathmarked people having potential to be cool and interesting individuals but the authors not giving us that. sluggish plot, repetitive writing when it comes down to fight scenes

what i liked: the lore and world building were very strong, very interesting when brought up. jun not having (or gaining) any magical/special abilities throughout the story. he’s just a normal guy who trained long & hard to be the best at what he does. he also has very strong & satisfying character development

This was my first book by Fonda Lee (and Shannon Lee) but it most certainly won't be my last. I really enjoyed the prologue, as it hooked me from the first page. The rest of the story had heavy emphasis on martial arts moves and fights, which isn't normally "my thing," but I think it was well done and each fight tied into the overall plot and character development really well.

Overall, this was an engaging and exciting read!

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

Twin brothers separated at five years old, one with a breathmark ability (blessed by Dragon, the deity of this world) and the other without. The unmarked twin we follow, Li Jun, grows up in the West and strives to be the Guardian, which is determined through a tournament to decide who the best martial wrist is of the region. With a LOT of action, romance subplot, increasing political tensions, blossoming friendship, and character growth, Breath of the Dragon easily encapsulated me and had me in a chokehold until the very end. Li Jun is a strong-willed character with dreams and ambitions, who I couldn’t help but root for until the very end. The Guardian tournament displays a lot of different fighting styles, and it really just shows how well-written of a character Li Jun is. He’s compassionate as well as an amazing fighter. My personal favorite character is Ren, a dancer and performer of the opera house who we see throughout the whole book. I can’t wait to read the next one to see what Jun’s journey holds.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Truthfully, I couldn't get through the first act of this book because of the lagging beginning. The prologue was engaging, but the chapters after felt bland and gave the sense of no momentum. I didn't finish this book because of that reason, but I hope others readers enjoy this one.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Jun would love to win the tournament to become a Guardian. He hopes this could restore honor to his father and ensure his future. Jun had a problem though he wasn’t breathmarked, so he doesn’t have any powers. In the tournament he’ll be up against people who do have special powers like his twin brother. He also has to do it without his father’s permission who believes it’s a waist of time because he doesn’t have any powers. Can he become the next Guardian? This story is full of action and will keep you invested! There’s so much depth to the martial arts scenes that Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee write! I also enjoyed the growth of the characters throughout the book and enjoyed Jun’s journey! Exciting, action packed, and unputdownable!

Thank you to Net Galley and Wednesday Books for the ARC. This was a really enjoyable read. I love training montages and tournaments and reading fight scene after fight scene. I enjoyed how Bruce Lee's fighting philosophy was integrated into Jun's martial arts journey. The beginning was a little slow, but once the training and the tournament started, I literally zipped through the book. The fight scenes are so well written, reading this book is an adrenaline rush. However, I wish it was a standalone. I really enjoy the fight scenes, but I was not as invested in the background politics of this divided world, so I didn't really care about the ending. I liked the fighting but I'm not curious as to where Jun's journey will take him in the next book nor do I care about the consequences of the ending because the characters and world building were just alright and the book lacked emotional connection. The action and fight scenes are the strength of this book, they were really fun to read.

Beautifully descriptive writing, but ultimately a so-so rehash of every other marital arts saga. Young boy, against his father's wishes, runs off to fight in a martial arts tournament to find fame and glory. Thats pretty much it.

The main character, Li Jun, starts off as arrogant, conceited and very much full of himself. He remains so almost until the last few chapters. We are told every thought, every musing he has, which was informative at first but quickly became tiresome. Don't keep telling me every little thing, let me figure some things out for myself. The other folks who come into his orbit along his journey are far more interesting than Jun is, but we don't get nearly enough page time for them as we do him. There are the mandatory fight scenes, which are well written but go on a little long at times, especially as you know who's going to come out on top. There are hints, very vague, indefinite hints about some special hidden link between Jun and the twin he was separated from at age 6. I kept waiting for more on that, but I waited in vain.

I almost put this down and walked away around the midpoint, but I hate not finishing any book, so I slogged on and got to the end. I almost wish I hadn't. It did get better as we moved toward the ending, but then it just stopped. The end. No answers to any questions, no hints of what's to come, no resolution of, well, anything. Not even one, to give us something to look forward to. Give me a cliffhanger if you want me to keep reading. This didn't.

I ended up DNFing this book at 37%. This is not a bad book! It is well written and I think will be enjoyable to folks who enjoy tournament arcs/coming of ages stories. I mistakenly thought there would be more dragons in it than I have seen at this point, so that is why I am DNFing.

I couldn't really get into this one. I feel like I've read a hundred versions of this story: teenage boy thinks he's going to save the world, so he disobeys his parents and goes through a training montage with a quick-witted rival to ultimately come out of top. On the plus side, the writing was beautifully descriptive.

"Breath of the Dragon" is a stunning YA fantasy that absolutely deserves five stars! The world-building is phenomenal, immersing readers in a richly detailed universe filled with history, myth, and martial arts. The action-packed sequences, especially the martial arts scenes, are written so vividly that it feels like watching a movie unfold. The character development is equally impressive, with the protagonist, Jun, growing more complex as the story progresses. I couldn't put the book down and am already counting the days until the sequel—this story has so much potential moving forward! If you're a fan of action anime or fast-paced fantasy, this is a must-read!

This was a great young adult fantasy book. I loved the characters as well as this book’s fast pace. I really enjoyed this book’s tournament as well as the magic system. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds in the next book in this duology.

Read this if you like:

📖 Tournaments
📖 Martial Arts
📖 Found Family
📖 Magical Abilities

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy.