Jade Fire Gold

Written by June CL Tan

Narrated by Natalie Naudus and Kevin Shen

Girls of Paper and Fire meets A Song of Wraiths and Ruin in June CL Tan’s stunning debut, where ferocious action, shadowy intrigue, rich magic, and a captivating slow-burn romance collide.

In an empire on the brink of war . . .

Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.

Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.

When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her lethal magical abilities.

But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

A stunning homage to the Xianxia novel with dangerous magic, fast-paced action, and a delightful  romance, Jade Fire Gold isn’t one to miss!  

“An addictive story that is impossible to put down.""   —Swati Teerdhala, author of The Tiger at Midnight series

""Adventure at its finest. A beautifully rendered story that honors the great wuxia epics.” —Joan He, author of Descendant of the Crane and The Ones We're Meant to Find

“An epic adventure!” —Elizabeth Lim, New York Times bestselling author of Spin the Dawn and So This Is Love

“Epic in every sense of the word, beautiful as it is sweeping."" —Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times bestselling author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063056404

June CL Tan

June CL Tan is the author of the international bestselling Jade Fire Gold and the Darker by Four duology. A Singaporean raised on a diet of teh tarik, classic books, and wuxia movies, she enjoys telling stories that draw on both the traditional and modern to create something fresh to the eye but familiar to the heart.

Reviews for Jade Fire Gold

[Ron · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an enjoyable experience, it held me from start to finish

[Elizabeth Aislinn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was intriguing and fresh, with world-building that drew me in, authentically lived-in magic, high stakes, and big themes that manage to never overshadow the character-focused narrative. It does have a few pacing problems, and the romance develops unevenly. Additionally, I wish the author had developed the supporting characters more and given them actual arcs. But I’m sharing these frustrations because I really like the book.

Spending time in a fantasy world steeped in Chinese culture and mythology was fascinating, and really satisfying to see in a sub-genre that’s been oversaturated with Western and medieval-Europe influenced settings. I also loved discovering that in this world, gay and lesbian characters (and their feelings and relationships) are accepted by everyone else as normal and perfectly okay.

Readers should be aware, though, that while Jade Fire Gold doesn’t have any announced sequels, the author left room for at least one — multiple issues aren’t resolved, and the epilogue reveals a twist that should help propel a future plot. Since I wasn’t expecting a sequel, this made the end a little disappointing. Still, I very much plan on reading any future books which feature the same cast.

[Xixteel Serratos López · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story is so original, the characters sassy and human and the flow of the plot is good. I’m so looking forward to the sequel.

[Eli Vang · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully crafted with timeless YA themes and elements cast with dynamic characters in a refreshing fantasy world reminiscent of Eastern Asia.

[Karen Wilson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love the way it has two readers and the book bounces back and forth in each first person.

[sennebec · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great first book. Ahn and Altan head a cast of young people who are driven, but for different reason . Ahn wants to understand what happened to her family, Altan wants revenge and to regain what was stolen from him when his father was murdered. Their journeys to get answers and find a sense of peace and comfort force them together. That togetherness is often prickly and laced with mistrust, but there's also a growing romantic tension that develops so nicely. There's plenty of blood, and intense and tricky situations, not to mention magic, both good and evil as the story unfolds. This is a dandy story for teens who like intrigue, a dark fairy tale atmosphere and lots of action. Props to the author for a neat surprise at the end, one that will allow readers to imagine what it will bring to the protagonists when they discover it.

[sylliu_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jade Fire Gold is a fast-paced, action-packed fantasy inspired by Chinese fantasy tropes from wuxia (martial arts) and xianxia (immortal hero stories), with a cool, slow-burn romance. Ahn is an orphan from a small, forsaken town, but born with a powerful forbidden magical powers. Altan is the lost heir of the Empire who seeks revenge against his family's killers, and who needs Ahn's powers to succeed. The two meet and find their goals are incompatible, yet they fall for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the lush fantasy world, palace intrigue, and magical action.