YA Review: Jade Fire Gold

Title: Jade Fire Gold
Author: June C.L. Tan
Edition:
Kindle
Rating:
4/5

Set in a fantasy world inspired by Chinese history, Jade Fire Gold is an exciting adventure story. The author combines recognisable aspects of Chinese culture with the South-East Asian myths and legends she grew up with, and the result is a gorgeously imagined world, a strong plot, and an engaging cast of characters. The magical elements add excitement to the central storyline and the setting, which feels like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, or The Last Airbender on the page instead of the screen.

Ahn lives with her grandmother in a small desert town. The desert is spreading, and survival in town is a struggle. The Diyeh priests are ruthless in their control over the use of magic, and the people live in fear of their punishments. When Ahn discovers her own magical powers, she finds herself on a terrifying journey, leaving everything – and everyone – she knows behind.

Altan is a wanderer with a dangerous secret. He’s the heir to the Dragon Throne, and he’s safe as long as everyone thinks he was killed along with his family when his Uncle took the throne.

Altan wants revenge on the Emperor’s family for the death of his parents and his sister. Ahn’s powers might be the key to his success. After a chance meeting in the desert, Ahn and Altan find themselves on a mission to find the White Jade Sword – the magical artefact that could conquer the desert and restore Altan to the throne.

There’s a lot to unpack in this book. Ahn and Altan have their own stories, motivations, and plotlines, and it was refreshing to read a quest story where the two main characters embark on their journey for different reasons. This isn’t a story about a hero and a sidekick – both storylines are equally important, and there is a constant tension as their motivations clash, and they have to decide how much to trust each other.

The secondary characters are complex and interesting. From Ahn’s grandmother and Altan’s travelling companions to the Crown Prince and Altan’s childhood friends, everyone has a role in the story, and an individual voice.

The magical elements of the story are introduced and described with a healthy sense of wonder. The system of magic feels real, while inspiring a sense of awe in the reader. The author is channelling every martial arts film and every immortal hero TV series she has seen, and making it work on the page.

This is a gripping read with a gorgeous setting, a wonder-filled magical system, and relatable, interesting characters. If you’re a fan of the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or The Last Airbender aesthetic, this book takes those visuals and works its own magic to put them into words.

Jade Fire Gold will be published on November 4th. Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Have you read Jade Fire Gold? What did you think of the story? Did you enjoy the magical setting? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.


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YA Review: Dumplin’

Title: Dumplin’
Author: Julie Murphy
Edition:
Kindle
Rating:
5/5

I’ve been meaning to read this book for a while, and I’m so glad I picked it up. As a plus-size non-beauty-queen I could relate to every part of this story – the body positivity, the doubts, and the level of attitude needed to put yourself out there and take part in a competition that was always intended to exclude you.

Willowdean is the plus-size daughter of a former beauty queen. Her mother organises the local beauty pageant every year, but she can’t bring herself to accept her daughter’s looks and choices, constantly dropping hints about losing weight. When Willowdean and her friends realise there is nothing in the pageant rules to stop them from taking part, they club together and support each other in their bid for the title of Miss Teen Blue Bonnet.

I loved Willowdean – I loved her body positivity, and her drive to include everyone in the pageant. I even enjoyed the romance (YA contemporary romance is not my comfort zone!), and I completely understood Willow’s doubts when someone she finds attractive shows an interest in her. The two potential love interests were both interesting characters, and as Willow experienced dating both of them her reactions felt real and her confusion entirely justified.

Willow is also grieving the loss of her aunt – the only person in her family who accepted her as she is. As she discovers more about her aunt’s life, the different threads of the story begin to overlap. Best friends, romance, Dolly Parton, beauty queens, and support from unexpected places combine to form a strong, relatable plot with a few surprising twists and turns on the way to the night of the pageant.

By the end, I was cheering for Willow and her friends, but it was less about winning the pageant, and more about being loud, proud, and showing people who you really are. I think this is a must-read, whether or not you have beauty queen aspirations. It’s a neat, engaging story with a believable cast of characters, and an uncompromisingly positive outlook. I loved it.

Have you read Dumplin‘? What did you think of Willowdean’s story? Of all the wonderful characters, who was your favourite? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.


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YA Review: As Good As Dead

Title: As Good As Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)
Author: Holly Jackson
Edition:
Paperback
Rating:
5/5

The final book in the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy was a must-read for me. I enjoyed the first two books, and I was looking forward to meeting schoolgirl detective Pip Fitz-Amobi, her boyfriend Ravi, her wonderfully supportive family, and the residents of Little Kilton again for another investigation.

Pip isn’t intending to investigate another local mystery. She’s heading to university in Cambridge at the end of the summer, and she is still haunted by memories of her two previous cases. But when she unearths a connection between events in Little Kilton and a convicted serial killer, she can’t resist digging deeper.

Throughout the book her relationship with Ravi continues to develop, and they make an adorable couple. It is wonderful to see the friends she’s made, and the people she’s helped during her investigations come together to support her – but she’s made enemies as well as friends, and her list of local suspects keeps growing.

The case quickly becomes personal, and the stakes are higher than ever as Pip works to connect the fragments of evidence and find out what really happened – and who is threatening her as she goes public with another true-crime podcast.

I’ve enjoyed all three books in the series, but this is definitely the best. We are drawn into Pip’s investigation, and to the danger she faces. There are some truly heart-pounding scenes, and plenty of tension, deception, and eureka moments. Pip’s reactions to her previous cases and the lasting trauma she carries with her feel real – she’s not a hard-boiled detective, and we never lose sight of the fact that she’s still a teenager, at the very beginning of her adult life. As she unearths evidence, she is also discovering which adults, and which authority figures, can be trusted – and who has something to hide.

You’ll need to read the first two books in order to understand the context for this story, but the series is perfect for binge reading. Highly recommended!

Have you read As Good As Dead? What did you think of the final book in the series? Do you want more from Pip, or are you happy that the story ends here? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.


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