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Breathmarked #2
Mark of the Warrior
Not yet published
Expected 27 Oct 26In the explosive finale to the instant New York Times bestseller Breath of the Dragon, a young warrior fights to reunite his family and the realm.
Two brothers. Two nations. One destiny.
Exiled as a traitor after the Guardian’s Tournament, Li Jun has vowed to retrieve the stolen Scroll of Heaven and to honor his father’s dying find his mother and twin brother, Sai.
Fleeing into the East in search of their friend Ren, Jun and his longtime rival Yin Yue have no choice but to trust the two breathmarked women who saved their lives but who answer to the mysterious and draconian Council of Virtue that tore Jun’s family apart and banished him and his father a decade ago.
Recovering the Scrolls of Heaven or Earth in order to stop the brewing war that threatens to devastate East and West alike isn’t Jun’s only seemingly insurmountable challenge. The twin he was separated from in childhood is now the High Keeper who resides in the Sun Pagoda, protecting the precious Scroll of Earth from all potential enemies…including Jun.
The fate of the entire land hinges on an inevitable reckoning between brothers that will test their skills, their loyalties, and everything they thought they knew about themselves and the nature of destiny.
Two brothers. Two nations. One destiny.
Exiled as a traitor after the Guardian’s Tournament, Li Jun has vowed to retrieve the stolen Scroll of Heaven and to honor his father’s dying find his mother and twin brother, Sai.
Fleeing into the East in search of their friend Ren, Jun and his longtime rival Yin Yue have no choice but to trust the two breathmarked women who saved their lives but who answer to the mysterious and draconian Council of Virtue that tore Jun’s family apart and banished him and his father a decade ago.
Recovering the Scrolls of Heaven or Earth in order to stop the brewing war that threatens to devastate East and West alike isn’t Jun’s only seemingly insurmountable challenge. The twin he was separated from in childhood is now the High Keeper who resides in the Sun Pagoda, protecting the precious Scroll of Earth from all potential enemies…including Jun.
The fate of the entire land hinges on an inevitable reckoning between brothers that will test their skills, their loyalties, and everything they thought they knew about themselves and the nature of destiny.
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
July 28, 2026
➸ 4 stars
thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the advanced readers copy!!
this was just an amazing sequel and conclusion to the duology!! i loved breath of the dragon so much and mark of the warrior was one of my most anticipated reads of this year!! my favorite thing by far was the friendships that were formed, i loved jun and yin yue’s friendship so much!! i also loved jun and sai’s relationship, it was amazing to see them reunite and all the hardships that followed, then solved later on! every time they were on page together, their interactions just had me to invested in the story, i would forget i was reading!! this is a duology i’ll always recommend and would for sure reread in the future!!
“Anyone can become a warrior when what they love is at risk.”
thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the advanced readers copy!!
this was just an amazing sequel and conclusion to the duology!! i loved breath of the dragon so much and mark of the warrior was one of my most anticipated reads of this year!! my favorite thing by far was the friendships that were formed, i loved jun and yin yue’s friendship so much!! i also loved jun and sai’s relationship, it was amazing to see them reunite and all the hardships that followed, then solved later on! every time they were on page together, their interactions just had me to invested in the story, i would forget i was reading!! this is a duology i’ll always recommend and would for sure reread in the future!!
Want to Read
February 5, 2026criminally underrated duology!!!
June 20, 2026
4 ⭐️
Overall I really enjoyed this conclusion to the Breathmarked Duology. Before I get to the things I enjoyed, I will say the first ~30% of this book felt like it should have been condensed and used as the conclusion to book 1. Due to this, there was a little bit of a disjointed feeling between the beginning of the book and where we went when things really took off. Besides that I really enjoyed the focus on familial relationships, both with blood relations and found family, that were central to this story. Too often we are hyper focused on romantic relationships in media and I found it refreshing for that to not be a focus. I also loved the richness Shannon Lee’s involvement brought to the martial arts in the story. If you want a fast paced political drama with a lot of martial arts and family drama…look no further.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy to review via NetGalley.
Overall I really enjoyed this conclusion to the Breathmarked Duology. Before I get to the things I enjoyed, I will say the first ~30% of this book felt like it should have been condensed and used as the conclusion to book 1. Due to this, there was a little bit of a disjointed feeling between the beginning of the book and where we went when things really took off. Besides that I really enjoyed the focus on familial relationships, both with blood relations and found family, that were central to this story. Too often we are hyper focused on romantic relationships in media and I found it refreshing for that to not be a focus. I also loved the richness Shannon Lee’s involvement brought to the martial arts in the story. If you want a fast paced political drama with a lot of martial arts and family drama…look no further.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy to review via NetGalley.
Want to Read
July 6, 2026My oldest and I, will be reading and reviewing this together!
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press/Wednesday Books and the authors, Shannon & Fonda Lee for an early copy!
Publication date: October 27, 2026
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press/Wednesday Books and the authors, Shannon & Fonda Lee for an early copy!
Publication date: October 27, 2026
May 8, 2026
I have checked just about every week since the announcement of this book to see if it was available for an ARC, and I have been patiently waiting to finish this captivating and exhilarating story ever since receiving and finishing my ARC of the first book.
Overall, I am very pleased with the second and final installment of the Breathmarked series, with a few pointed criticisms.
As for the story itself, I still found it captivating, compelling, and a real page turner, with all the right things a good story needs. The characters were relatable and real, and the setting vibrant and easy to visualize. Everything I loved about book 1 continued on seamlessly in book 2.
There were a few times where the dialogue didn’t land perfectly, and felt a bit more modern or out of place, but never so bad that I had to roll my eyes. There were also a few places where certain moderately uncommon words showed up several times close together that broke the flow for me a bit.
My main criticism is that the book was too short. I mean that both in the context that I wanted more, and in that several parts of the story felt rushed. Major losses, huge conflicts, or built-up moments seemed to fly by and be over too easily, or without what felt like proper decorum. This diminished the potential impact of some of these points in a meaningful way.
Despite these issues, the strength of the story, the relationships of the characters, and the richness of the story shouldered much of the weight and turned out a highly enjoyable sequel.
Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
Overall, I am very pleased with the second and final installment of the Breathmarked series, with a few pointed criticisms.
As for the story itself, I still found it captivating, compelling, and a real page turner, with all the right things a good story needs. The characters were relatable and real, and the setting vibrant and easy to visualize. Everything I loved about book 1 continued on seamlessly in book 2.
There were a few times where the dialogue didn’t land perfectly, and felt a bit more modern or out of place, but never so bad that I had to roll my eyes. There were also a few places where certain moderately uncommon words showed up several times close together that broke the flow for me a bit.
My main criticism is that the book was too short. I mean that both in the context that I wanted more, and in that several parts of the story felt rushed. Major losses, huge conflicts, or built-up moments seemed to fly by and be over too easily, or without what felt like proper decorum. This diminished the potential impact of some of these points in a meaningful way.
Despite these issues, the strength of the story, the relationships of the characters, and the richness of the story shouldered much of the weight and turned out a highly enjoyable sequel.
Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5⭐️
Mark of the Warrior by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee
Breathmarked #2
AHHH. I feel like I had been waiting for this book forever and am feeling so lucky to have received an eARC of it.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC of this book via NetGalley.
Loved seeing Jun and all my favorites again! I really enjoyed the shifting of relationships. You could see Yin Yum and Jun really go from rivals to friends to brothers in this book. I think it was so heartwarming to see! Jun really grew in this book. He really started thinking more about the whole instead of just his own interests.
The addition of some of other characters was a nice touch as it added a lot more dynamics. Political intrigue, some serious action scenes, martial arts, and magic! I honestly thought this was a great continuation and a good ending to this duology. I did think it could have been a little longer especially as it felt the ending wrapped a little too quickly. I still loved it though.
Mark of the Warrior by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee
Breathmarked #2
AHHH. I feel like I had been waiting for this book forever and am feeling so lucky to have received an eARC of it.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC of this book via NetGalley.
Loved seeing Jun and all my favorites again! I really enjoyed the shifting of relationships. You could see Yin Yum and Jun really go from rivals to friends to brothers in this book. I think it was so heartwarming to see! Jun really grew in this book. He really started thinking more about the whole instead of just his own interests.
The addition of some of other characters was a nice touch as it added a lot more dynamics. Political intrigue, some serious action scenes, martial arts, and magic! I honestly thought this was a great continuation and a good ending to this duology. I did think it could have been a little longer especially as it felt the ending wrapped a little too quickly. I still loved it though.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A solid ending to this duology! I loved coming back to this world.
Honestly sometimes duologies just hit different. Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee have really created a great cast of characters here. Although it is YA through and through, I found the themes of personal growth, family ties, and found family to be extremely well executed. The friendships created felt so real and there was amazing action throughout.
There was a bit of a deus ex machina at the end but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story. ...Let's be real, I'll eat up anything Fonda Lee!
Honestly sometimes duologies just hit different. Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee have really created a great cast of characters here. Although it is YA through and through, I found the themes of personal growth, family ties, and found family to be extremely well executed. The friendships created felt so real and there was amazing action throughout.
There was a bit of a deus ex machina at the end but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story. ...Let's be real, I'll eat up anything Fonda Lee!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
—rating: 3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this arc in exchange for a honest review.
I liked the Breath of the Dragon well enough, but I really enjoyed the Mark of a Warrior. This sequel was a massive step up, moving away from the tournament plotline to expand the scope of the entire story. The focus shifted from Jun’s personal motivations of winning the tournament to reckoning with the large scale threat of two countries on the brink of war that would thrust them both into turmoil.
My favorite aspect of the first book was the gradual friendship that developed between Jun and Yin Yue. While this dynamic took more of a back seat in this book, it allowed the focus on Jun and his twin brother, Sai. In this book we finally get the long awaited reunion between Jun and Sai, and the friction between them born from their pivotal opposing political roles and the brewing conflict between the East and West. One thing I would have loved to see was the inclusion of Sai’s POV to gain an insight into his thoughts and feelings towards Jun crashing back into his life, as well as his experience on the other side of the Snake Wall.
While, the action and stakes really amped up in the second half of this book, I do wish we had seen more of an epilogue, even though I understand why the story ended when it did.
I would recommend this duology to anyone who wants a fun fantasy story with interesting worldbuilding, complicated sibling dynamics and high stakes in the second book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this arc in exchange for a honest review.
I liked the Breath of the Dragon well enough, but I really enjoyed the Mark of a Warrior. This sequel was a massive step up, moving away from the tournament plotline to expand the scope of the entire story. The focus shifted from Jun’s personal motivations of winning the tournament to reckoning with the large scale threat of two countries on the brink of war that would thrust them both into turmoil.
My favorite aspect of the first book was the gradual friendship that developed between Jun and Yin Yue. While this dynamic took more of a back seat in this book, it allowed the focus on Jun and his twin brother, Sai. In this book we finally get the long awaited reunion between Jun and Sai, and the friction between them born from their pivotal opposing political roles and the brewing conflict between the East and West. One thing I would have loved to see was the inclusion of Sai’s POV to gain an insight into his thoughts and feelings towards Jun crashing back into his life, as well as his experience on the other side of the Snake Wall.
While, the action and stakes really amped up in the second half of this book, I do wish we had seen more of an epilogue, even though I understand why the story ended when it did.
I would recommend this duology to anyone who wants a fun fantasy story with interesting worldbuilding, complicated sibling dynamics and high stakes in the second book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had high expectations after exciting first installment. However, without tournament theme, this book had much slower flow. There was a lot of back and forth and back again. It felt like things were just happening to Jun and he was just observer.
There were some great fight scenes though. And family topic was a strong one. Add satisfying ending and overall, you have a nice YA adventurous novel.
I will definitely recommend this duet to my son!
*ARC provided by publisher as an exchange for honest review*
There were some great fight scenes though. And family topic was a strong one. Add satisfying ending and overall, you have a nice YA adventurous novel.
I will definitely recommend this duet to my son!
*ARC provided by publisher as an exchange for honest review*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5
Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Mark of the Warrior managed quite an impossible feat - wrapping the story in such a satisfying way, giving us more of those characters I have come to love, and ending the duology in such a wholesome and heartwarming way.
I loved book 2 even more than book 1! From the beginning, we were thrown into the action as Yin Yue and Jun barely escaped and were rediscovering the East. I loved the bittersweet feeling of Jun’s journey to the East. In a way, he was finally coming back home after years of exile. But he found this place as unfamiliar as it was familiar, and no longer his home. His family felt distant, his country foreign, as he struggled to live continuously in the shadow of his brother.
The relationship between both brothers is complex and incredibly compelling - both irrevocably linked, yet broken apart and distant, unable to fit together as they used to as children. Their dynamic was as complex as their bond, but I loved how they clashed and ultimately found a way to work together despite their years apart and their different loyalties. I also love how we learned more about their abilities and about the world's magic system through them. The Dragon's will and magic system are so interesting, and I loved how the authors give us more explanation, whilst recognising that the way the magic works is still pretty much a mystery to everyone.
I loved Jun even more in Mark of the Warrior! His growth was incredible, and he came so far, from the young, intrepid 16-year-old to the 16-year-old who lost everything and suffered, yet still stood and fought.
It was a pleasure seeing Ren and Yin Yue again. Yin Yue is definitely my favourite character of the entire series; his quiet devotion and ferocious loyalty really made him unforgettable. I love how, despite being broken and seeing all his dreams and hopes evaporate. He learned to use his newfound disability to keep fighting for what is right and help other people. I adored him, and I loved how his relationship with Jun strengthened. I also adored Ren, Water, Lure, Old Zhang, Chung, and all the characters coming together to save as many innocent people as possible.
In many ways, this book was incredibly ambitious in scope, given how book 1 ended and everything that needed to be done to fix things, prevent war, and reunify a country divided in two for the past 50 years. Yet, somehow, both authors managed to pull it off! The pacing was good, and I loved the way the story evolved and wrapped up. The ending was very strong and surprisingly emotional as characters emerged from this dire situation, broken yet unyielding. I also loved how the ending opens the future to something brighter, but still needed to be built to reunite the East and the West into one nation.
I definitely didn’t expect to love book 2 as much as I did, but it was such a pleasure to go back to this world and follow those amazing characters again. I also loved discovering more of the world and the East. I loved how different the East was and how it really reflected the differences between Sai and Jun. The West was more unrestrained, full of martial arts, music and life, representing Jun perfectly, whilst the East was more restrained, disciplined and calm, echoing Sai's personality.
Fonda Lee did it again, and I am so glad she teamed up with Shannon Lee to deliver this incredible story of resilience, growth, strength and love. I cannot wait to read anything else those two put out into the world.
Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Mark of the Warrior managed quite an impossible feat - wrapping the story in such a satisfying way, giving us more of those characters I have come to love, and ending the duology in such a wholesome and heartwarming way.
I loved book 2 even more than book 1! From the beginning, we were thrown into the action as Yin Yue and Jun barely escaped and were rediscovering the East. I loved the bittersweet feeling of Jun’s journey to the East. In a way, he was finally coming back home after years of exile. But he found this place as unfamiliar as it was familiar, and no longer his home. His family felt distant, his country foreign, as he struggled to live continuously in the shadow of his brother.
The relationship between both brothers is complex and incredibly compelling - both irrevocably linked, yet broken apart and distant, unable to fit together as they used to as children. Their dynamic was as complex as their bond, but I loved how they clashed and ultimately found a way to work together despite their years apart and their different loyalties. I also love how we learned more about their abilities and about the world's magic system through them. The Dragon's will and magic system are so interesting, and I loved how the authors give us more explanation, whilst recognising that the way the magic works is still pretty much a mystery to everyone.
I loved Jun even more in Mark of the Warrior! His growth was incredible, and he came so far, from the young, intrepid 16-year-old to the 16-year-old who lost everything and suffered, yet still stood and fought.
It was a pleasure seeing Ren and Yin Yue again. Yin Yue is definitely my favourite character of the entire series; his quiet devotion and ferocious loyalty really made him unforgettable. I love how, despite being broken and seeing all his dreams and hopes evaporate. He learned to use his newfound disability to keep fighting for what is right and help other people. I adored him, and I loved how his relationship with Jun strengthened. I also adored Ren, Water, Lure, Old Zhang, Chung, and all the characters coming together to save as many innocent people as possible.
In many ways, this book was incredibly ambitious in scope, given how book 1 ended and everything that needed to be done to fix things, prevent war, and reunify a country divided in two for the past 50 years. Yet, somehow, both authors managed to pull it off! The pacing was good, and I loved the way the story evolved and wrapped up. The ending was very strong and surprisingly emotional as characters emerged from this dire situation, broken yet unyielding. I also loved how the ending opens the future to something brighter, but still needed to be built to reunite the East and the West into one nation.
I definitely didn’t expect to love book 2 as much as I did, but it was such a pleasure to go back to this world and follow those amazing characters again. I also loved discovering more of the world and the East. I loved how different the East was and how it really reflected the differences between Sai and Jun. The West was more unrestrained, full of martial arts, music and life, representing Jun perfectly, whilst the East was more restrained, disciplined and calm, echoing Sai's personality.
Fonda Lee did it again, and I am so glad she teamed up with Shannon Lee to deliver this incredible story of resilience, growth, strength and love. I cannot wait to read anything else those two put out into the world.
October 12, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced digital copy! I absolutely LOVED this, and I think that it expands on Breath of the Dragon beautifully! This whole duology has been so reminiscent of a classic martial arts coming of age story, but I think that with this second installment, it really goes above and beyond!
The level of character development for Jun is unmatched! One thing that I particularly loved was the perspective that Jun had having been born in the East and raised in the West. He’s been wronged by both sides which allows him to see the truth past any sense of nationalistic pride, compared to the other characters who are grounded in their nation and try to convince themselves that their country is in the right. It ends up not quite working because they are raised on a hatred that isn’t theirs, so the fervor isn’t there which allows them to eventually come together towards one goal of peace. Furthermore, just watching his growth from the ambitious and rambunctious teen from the first book to the more reflective and mellowed out man now was just so wonderful to see. I also loved seeing his relationship with Sai! It was so pure but also strained with the 10 year separation. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how much they missed each other, yet at the same time you can’t ignore all that they’ve sacrificed to make such losses worth it. Also, the truth of their connection really wowed me!
I also loved the friendship dynamic with our trio, especially the developments between Yin Yue and Jun in comparison to their hostilities from the first book. Just so good! Plus the fact that by the end, it wasn’t just Jun figuring things out by himself, it was a combination of everyone’s efforts spanning even side characters that he briefly met in the first book!
As always, the action scenes felt so dynamic and the world felt so vibrant and alive! By the end of this story, my heart just felt so full and warm with how much I ended up loving this duology! Love love love what Shannon and Fonda Lee have done with this series!
The level of character development for Jun is unmatched! One thing that I particularly loved was the perspective that Jun had having been born in the East and raised in the West. He’s been wronged by both sides which allows him to see the truth past any sense of nationalistic pride, compared to the other characters who are grounded in their nation and try to convince themselves that their country is in the right. It ends up not quite working because they are raised on a hatred that isn’t theirs, so the fervor isn’t there which allows them to eventually come together towards one goal of peace. Furthermore, just watching his growth from the ambitious and rambunctious teen from the first book to the more reflective and mellowed out man now was just so wonderful to see. I also loved seeing his relationship with Sai! It was so pure but also strained with the 10 year separation. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how much they missed each other, yet at the same time you can’t ignore all that they’ve sacrificed to make such losses worth it. Also, the truth of their connection really wowed me!
I also loved the friendship dynamic with our trio, especially the developments between Yin Yue and Jun in comparison to their hostilities from the first book. Just so good! Plus the fact that by the end, it wasn’t just Jun figuring things out by himself, it was a combination of everyone’s efforts spanning even side characters that he briefly met in the first book!
As always, the action scenes felt so dynamic and the world felt so vibrant and alive! By the end of this story, my heart just felt so full and warm with how much I ended up loving this duology! Love love love what Shannon and Fonda Lee have done with this series!
Read
October 5, 2026Read: September 4th - September 26th
Format: E-Book
Rating: 3.75 Star
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book, unfortunately, did not meet or surpass book 1, BUT I loved it anyways, and I shall tell anyone who wants an action fantasy book that they should read this duology :grin:
This book was a lot less action-packed than the tournament-focused book 1, leaning more toward politics and philosophy. Although I don't know that I think it hit those angles hard or deep enough to justify the outcome, I did enjoy watching the exploration and events surrounding them.
Like Breath of the Dragon, this book was a real homage to Asian action flicks. It had a lot of similar beats you'd expect, while also having real banger action scenes. There were a lot less than book 1, and more down time where not much happened than you'd expect (too much, perhaps), but when the action began, it always hit. There was also a reveal during one of the fights that just made me go "yes, I really do love this", and the pay off we see during the final fight just made it feel like it had much more potential for things to go horribly yet also much more heartfelt.
Jun has really grown into himself, and that journey still continues throughout this. Even though he has his moments where you see the punk he still partially is, he continues to strive toward being a better person.
The spans of slower portions with little happening, the sorta-surface level handling of things that needed deeper exploration, and an also somewhat surface level writing style (which carries over from book 1, so I knew it would happen) make it so this is a 3.75 rather than higher, but I still really loved it and highly recommend people check out this duology!
Format: E-Book
Rating: 3.75 Star
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book, unfortunately, did not meet or surpass book 1, BUT I loved it anyways, and I shall tell anyone who wants an action fantasy book that they should read this duology :grin:
This book was a lot less action-packed than the tournament-focused book 1, leaning more toward politics and philosophy. Although I don't know that I think it hit those angles hard or deep enough to justify the outcome, I did enjoy watching the exploration and events surrounding them.
Like Breath of the Dragon, this book was a real homage to Asian action flicks. It had a lot of similar beats you'd expect, while also having real banger action scenes. There were a lot less than book 1, and more down time where not much happened than you'd expect (too much, perhaps), but when the action began, it always hit. There was also a reveal during one of the fights that just made me go "yes, I really do love this", and the pay off we see during the final fight just made it feel like it had much more potential for things to go horribly yet also much more heartfelt.
Jun has really grown into himself, and that journey still continues throughout this. Even though he has his moments where you see the punk he still partially is, he continues to strive toward being a better person.
The spans of slower portions with little happening, the sorta-surface level handling of things that needed deeper exploration, and an also somewhat surface level writing style (which carries over from book 1, so I knew it would happen) make it so this is a 3.75 rather than higher, but I still really loved it and highly recommend people check out this duology!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review coming soon
Want to Read
May 13, 2026The ARC is mine! I'm excited for this, I liked the first book more than I expected to.
May 20, 2026
My first ever ARC! Look ma, I’m a reviewer now! But it’s books like these that make me want to share reviews. This was a satisfying end to the Breathmarked duology. I never thought I (though Chinese) would be into Asian martial arts fantasy, yet here I am reading this and wanting more!
I loved Fonda Lee’s Greenbone Saga for its world of gang culture, family dynamics, and the potential of each person for change. I would say the gritty “intensity” from that series is toned down in this duology, it feels much more YA. The first book, Breath of the Dragon, has more action and an impactful plot line whereas this second book explores more of how the characters who shape the world are themselves shaped by differing dreams, disappointments, and an unspoken yearning for personal redemption.
I really loved reading from Jun’s perspective — it felt authentic to the pace at which people change their minds, revert to their former ways, regret everything, are finally open to consider other perspectives, etc. It felt a little rushed at the end, but I’m happy with where all the main characters ended up.
More from Fonda Lee, please!
I loved Fonda Lee’s Greenbone Saga for its world of gang culture, family dynamics, and the potential of each person for change. I would say the gritty “intensity” from that series is toned down in this duology, it feels much more YA. The first book, Breath of the Dragon, has more action and an impactful plot line whereas this second book explores more of how the characters who shape the world are themselves shaped by differing dreams, disappointments, and an unspoken yearning for personal redemption.
I really loved reading from Jun’s perspective — it felt authentic to the pace at which people change their minds, revert to their former ways, regret everything, are finally open to consider other perspectives, etc. It felt a little rushed at the end, but I’m happy with where all the main characters ended up.
More from Fonda Lee, please!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you WednesdayBooks and Netgalley for the eARC of this book!
Oh wow oh wow oh wow!
This is how you do a sequel/duology ending.
The prologue of this book is As soon as I read it I knew this book was going to be GOOD.
Characters
I continued to really love Jun in this book, but I loved the extra dynamic of dealing with his jealously of Sai and having his whole life flipped on its head. I feel like he matured so much here. Yes, there were some immature moments, but doesn't our sibling always bring out that side of us? I know mine can. I felt like in book one part of me couldn't believe he'd be Guardian of the Scroll of Heaven because he still seemed like such a child, but this book really made me feel like he would do a good job and is what the country needs. I really liked him.
Ren was amazing as always and I also loved seeing her really come into her own. She had a rough go at it, but she came out strong and ended up playing such a vital role in all of the events in this duology.
Yin Yue! I love him and I wish he was in it more, but I love what we got. Seeing him come to terms with his injury and learn how to fight with it and still be strong and badass. Ugh I love this man. He is SUCH a good person. The fact he never cares that he lost the tournament and Jun won. He really just wants what's best for everyone.
Sai!!!!! I was SO HAPPY we got so much of him, but I wish we got even more. It would've been fun to get his POV switching off with Jun, but I also get why we didn't. I love how much he just wants to do a good job and make people proud. I love how much he loves his brother and that he was immediately willing to take a stance to help him.
Relationships
Jun and Yin Yue continue to have an amazing brotherly relationship. I love how they've developed and that they will be friends and brothers for life. I love the way they just have complete respect for each other now.
The love triangle/relationship of Jun, Ren, and Yin Yue. I am so happy this wasn't a huge focus of this book and it was more about their friendship and being there for each other than romance. I was happy with how it ended and glad that everyone is.
Jun and Sai!! This was the relationship I was desperate to see and it did not disappoint. It is crazy how similar they are when they have been separated for most of their lives. Seeing the slight differences based on where they grew up was cool, but it was cooler seeing how much they resembled each other not just in looks, but in personality. Them both missing each other so much and caring SO MUCH about each other as soon as they're back together was everything. But I also love that they were both clearly still jealous of each other and slightly bitter and resentful. It was realistic and so relatable. I loved all of their interactions so much and I LOVEEE where the story ended for them.
Overall
I absolutely loved this duology and had a blast reading it. It will for sure be one that I think about when I think of the best sibling stories.
Oh wow oh wow oh wow!
This is how you do a sequel/duology ending.
The prologue of this book is As soon as I read it I knew this book was going to be GOOD.
Characters
I continued to really love Jun in this book, but I loved the extra dynamic of dealing with his jealously of Sai and having his whole life flipped on its head. I feel like he matured so much here. Yes, there were some immature moments, but doesn't our sibling always bring out that side of us? I know mine can. I felt like in book one part of me couldn't believe he'd be Guardian of the Scroll of Heaven because he still seemed like such a child, but this book really made me feel like he would do a good job and is what the country needs. I really liked him.
Ren was amazing as always and I also loved seeing her really come into her own. She had a rough go at it, but she came out strong and ended up playing such a vital role in all of the events in this duology.
Yin Yue! I love him and I wish he was in it more, but I love what we got. Seeing him come to terms with his injury and learn how to fight with it and still be strong and badass. Ugh I love this man. He is SUCH a good person. The fact he never cares that he lost the tournament and Jun won. He really just wants what's best for everyone.
Sai!!!!! I was SO HAPPY we got so much of him, but I wish we got even more. It would've been fun to get his POV switching off with Jun, but I also get why we didn't. I love how much he just wants to do a good job and make people proud. I love how much he loves his brother and that he was immediately willing to take a stance to help him.
Relationships
Jun and Yin Yue continue to have an amazing brotherly relationship. I love how they've developed and that they will be friends and brothers for life. I love the way they just have complete respect for each other now.
The love triangle/relationship of Jun, Ren, and Yin Yue. I am so happy this wasn't a huge focus of this book and it was more about their friendship and being there for each other than romance. I was happy with how it ended and glad that everyone is.
Jun and Sai!! This was the relationship I was desperate to see and it did not disappoint. It is crazy how similar they are when they have been separated for most of their lives. Seeing the slight differences based on where they grew up was cool, but it was cooler seeing how much they resembled each other not just in looks, but in personality. Them both missing each other so much and caring SO MUCH about each other as soon as they're back together was everything. But I also love that they were both clearly still jealous of each other and slightly bitter and resentful. It was realistic and so relatable. I loved all of their interactions so much and I LOVEEE where the story ended for them.
Overall
I absolutely loved this duology and had a blast reading it. It will for sure be one that I think about when I think of the best sibling stories.
July 24, 2026
“Claim your destiny. Raise your voice, and it will be heard over the entire country.”
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC!
When I heard that Fonda Lee had written a YA martial arts fantasy duology with Shannon Lee, aka Bruce Lee’s daughter, I was immediately ALL IN. I don’t know much about martial arts or wuxia, but I do know that I love Fonda Lee, and that love alone was enough to convince me.
The Breathmarked duology is a fairly decent foray into YA fantasy. The politics are at times surprisingly complex for the genre, if stated a bit too obviously at times. The characters have some depth, although they often come across as stock archetypes with conflict resolved too quickly and neatly.
Ultimately, though, the series just didn’t quite hit the mark in the way that I wanted it to. It’s always difficult to judge who wrote what in multi-authored books, but there were aspects of the writing that made it quite obvious that Shannon Lee was new to the craft–even when partnered with a vet like Fonda Lee. The narration veered towards the repetitive, and it lacked the spark that I have come to associate with Fonda Lee as a writer. The love triangle included in the book just left me feeling annoyed with our protagonist, and there was no chemistry between any of the characters involved.
Now, I’m not sure how much of this may have been because they were writing for a YA audience. In fact, the target audience for this book confuses me a bit. These books are YA, but some of the language and level of violence seems like it should be for an older audience than the rest of the writing suggests. On the other hand, much of how the story and narration are structured almost made it seem like they were writing for an even younger audience. The ending of this book in particular threw me in its structure. It was very much written like a video game, and not in a way that I particularly enjoyed.
But this book is not without its strengths. The fight scenes and action sequences are very well-written, and Fonda Lee’s writing expertise paired with Shannon Lee’s martial arts knowledge really melded together well during these moments. Despite being a strongly visual reader, I sometimes have trouble imagining fight scenes seamlessly, but everything unfolded so clearly in my head while reading these books. As I said before, I don’t know anything about martial arts or wuxia and I can’t comment on the accuracy of it all, but as a reader I was impressed.
I only wish the rest of the writing lived up to that standard. I think these duo could continue writing together and produce something truly impressive in the future, but this sadly was a bit of a letdown for me and my love for Fonda Lee.
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC!
When I heard that Fonda Lee had written a YA martial arts fantasy duology with Shannon Lee, aka Bruce Lee’s daughter, I was immediately ALL IN. I don’t know much about martial arts or wuxia, but I do know that I love Fonda Lee, and that love alone was enough to convince me.
The Breathmarked duology is a fairly decent foray into YA fantasy. The politics are at times surprisingly complex for the genre, if stated a bit too obviously at times. The characters have some depth, although they often come across as stock archetypes with conflict resolved too quickly and neatly.
Ultimately, though, the series just didn’t quite hit the mark in the way that I wanted it to. It’s always difficult to judge who wrote what in multi-authored books, but there were aspects of the writing that made it quite obvious that Shannon Lee was new to the craft–even when partnered with a vet like Fonda Lee. The narration veered towards the repetitive, and it lacked the spark that I have come to associate with Fonda Lee as a writer. The love triangle included in the book just left me feeling annoyed with our protagonist, and there was no chemistry between any of the characters involved.
Now, I’m not sure how much of this may have been because they were writing for a YA audience. In fact, the target audience for this book confuses me a bit. These books are YA, but some of the language and level of violence seems like it should be for an older audience than the rest of the writing suggests. On the other hand, much of how the story and narration are structured almost made it seem like they were writing for an even younger audience. The ending of this book in particular threw me in its structure. It was very much written like a video game, and not in a way that I particularly enjoyed.
But this book is not without its strengths. The fight scenes and action sequences are very well-written, and Fonda Lee’s writing expertise paired with Shannon Lee’s martial arts knowledge really melded together well during these moments. Despite being a strongly visual reader, I sometimes have trouble imagining fight scenes seamlessly, but everything unfolded so clearly in my head while reading these books. As I said before, I don’t know anything about martial arts or wuxia and I can’t comment on the accuracy of it all, but as a reader I was impressed.
I only wish the rest of the writing lived up to that standard. I think these duo could continue writing together and produce something truly impressive in the future, but this sadly was a bit of a letdown for me and my love for Fonda Lee.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the copy of Mark of the Warrior by Shannon Lee; Fonda Lee!
Mark of the Warrior is the second book in the Breathmarked Duology, a young adult fantasy wuxia series, and primarily single POV third person perspective.
This sequel is action packed with well choreographed martial arts fights, and overall felt fast paced and exciting. The stakes are high as the theft of the Scroll of Heaven pushes the East and West towards war, and the story offers plenty of political intrigue. I loved the introduction of more Breathmarked individuals with abilities that add unique challenges for Jun and his allies.
I enjoyed Jun's evolution from a single-minded, impulsive teen to a more level-headed martial artist who can finally see the bigger picture. While in the previous book it felt like Jun's decisions primarily drove the story, in this sequel it feels more like he is reacting to a political situation that is largely out of his control.
Being an identical twin, Jun's return to the East leads to cases of mistaken identity, a fun story mechanic, and his reunion with his brother leads to unexpected revelations that sent me through a rollercoaster of emotions. I liked how their upbringing on opposite sides of the wall mirror the ongoing conflict as well as ancient lore.
I was glad that both Yin Yue and Ren returned in this book, and that they too had their own challenges and growth throughout the book. I especially appreciated Yin Yue's journey to adapt to the loss of his hand, and Ren's struggle to accept the truth about her Breathmarked ability. All three teenagers are also faced with loss, and their grief manifests in very different ways.
Their trauma is reflected in the overall political atmosphere, in which people from both sides of the wall must decide whether to choose vengeance, even if it means passing on their suffering to a new generation, or pursue harmony.
Though I did prefer the first book, overall I loved this duology and highly recommend it!
Mark of the Warrior is the second book in the Breathmarked Duology, a young adult fantasy wuxia series, and primarily single POV third person perspective.
This sequel is action packed with well choreographed martial arts fights, and overall felt fast paced and exciting. The stakes are high as the theft of the Scroll of Heaven pushes the East and West towards war, and the story offers plenty of political intrigue. I loved the introduction of more Breathmarked individuals with abilities that add unique challenges for Jun and his allies.
I enjoyed Jun's evolution from a single-minded, impulsive teen to a more level-headed martial artist who can finally see the bigger picture. While in the previous book it felt like Jun's decisions primarily drove the story, in this sequel it feels more like he is reacting to a political situation that is largely out of his control.
Being an identical twin, Jun's return to the East leads to cases of mistaken identity, a fun story mechanic, and his reunion with his brother leads to unexpected revelations that sent me through a rollercoaster of emotions. I liked how their upbringing on opposite sides of the wall mirror the ongoing conflict as well as ancient lore.
I was glad that both Yin Yue and Ren returned in this book, and that they too had their own challenges and growth throughout the book. I especially appreciated Yin Yue's journey to adapt to the loss of his hand, and Ren's struggle to accept the truth about her Breathmarked ability. All three teenagers are also faced with loss, and their grief manifests in very different ways.
Their trauma is reflected in the overall political atmosphere, in which people from both sides of the wall must decide whether to choose vengeance, even if it means passing on their suffering to a new generation, or pursue harmony.
Though I did prefer the first book, overall I loved this duology and highly recommend it!
July 1, 2026
as a big fonda lee fan, i really wanted to love this duology! unfortunately, it just didn't really work for me, especially this installment.
i mean, it was okay. the fights were superbly choreographed (as expected) and there were some scenes that were genuinely impactful - . but other than that, it was just a lot of stuff happening as if plot points were being rattled off, and i didn't feel any of it. maybe because it's adapted for a YA audience, but all the large-scale politics (which should have been a narrative focus) weren't fleshed out enough. also, the ending felt rushed! we spent all this time getting there, with multiple chapters of fight scenes after fight scenes, only to reach a lukewarm climax that failed to wrap up all loose ends.
as a martial arts book, it was fantastic. but a fantasy novel - even one written for younger audiences - is held up by its lore/worldbuilding, and mark of the warrior ultimately failed at that for me.
i do think this book would have been better if there were more chapters with Sai POV! a more balanced narrative would help flesh out the nuances of the East vs West conflict and also provide more insight on their relationship.
i liked the first book better than this one and would still recommend giving it a shot if martial tournaments interest you.
thank you netgalley for the arc!
i mean, it was okay. the fights were superbly choreographed (as expected) and there were some scenes that were genuinely impactful - . but other than that, it was just a lot of stuff happening as if plot points were being rattled off, and i didn't feel any of it. maybe because it's adapted for a YA audience, but all the large-scale politics (which should have been a narrative focus) weren't fleshed out enough. also, the ending felt rushed! we spent all this time getting there, with multiple chapters of fight scenes after fight scenes, only to reach a lukewarm climax that failed to wrap up all loose ends.
as a martial arts book, it was fantastic. but a fantasy novel - even one written for younger audiences - is held up by its lore/worldbuilding, and mark of the warrior ultimately failed at that for me.
i do think this book would have been better if there were more chapters with Sai POV! a more balanced narrative would help flesh out the nuances of the East vs West conflict and also provide more insight on their relationship.
i liked the first book better than this one and would still recommend giving it a shot if martial tournaments interest you.
thank you netgalley for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5
This series was so good!
I love that Fonda Lee collaborated with Shannon Lee to get her expertise on the fighting styles used in this series. I felt like since there were so many combat scenes, having an expert in the subject area made the combat come alive. I felt like all the fighting scenes were fast paced and even though I don't know anything about combat, I could still picture the moves Jun and the others used to fight because they were aptly described in way that was accessible to all readers.
This second installment picks us exactly where book 1 left off, with Jun, Yin Yue, and crew trying to navigate through the East to fine the stolen scroll and return it to the West, restoring their honor and taking down General Cobu before he can start a war.
What I loved is that we also get to see a bit of Sai in this book and come to understand his background and thoughts on the war. Because this story took place on the other side of the wall than book 1, we also got a little more insight into how the villagers vs the Aspects view their country. I loved seeing Jun's character growth and internal conflict throughout the series.
Overall, this series was fast paced, well written, and really engaging. I read both books back to back and would highly recommend. I feel teenage boys in particular would love this, but even as an adult I really enjoyed this.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This series was so good!
I love that Fonda Lee collaborated with Shannon Lee to get her expertise on the fighting styles used in this series. I felt like since there were so many combat scenes, having an expert in the subject area made the combat come alive. I felt like all the fighting scenes were fast paced and even though I don't know anything about combat, I could still picture the moves Jun and the others used to fight because they were aptly described in way that was accessible to all readers.
This second installment picks us exactly where book 1 left off, with Jun, Yin Yue, and crew trying to navigate through the East to fine the stolen scroll and return it to the West, restoring their honor and taking down General Cobu before he can start a war.
What I loved is that we also get to see a bit of Sai in this book and come to understand his background and thoughts on the war. Because this story took place on the other side of the wall than book 1, we also got a little more insight into how the villagers vs the Aspects view their country. I loved seeing Jun's character growth and internal conflict throughout the series.
Overall, this series was fast paced, well written, and really engaging. I read both books back to back and would highly recommend. I feel teenage boys in particular would love this, but even as an adult I really enjoyed this.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed this, but I definitely didn’t love it as much as the first book. Something about this one just didn’t grab me in quite the same way, and I found myself wishing it would pick up the pace a few times.
I think the characters were the strongest part for me. Jun’s growth throughout the story was really satisfying, and I loved seeing his relationship with Yin Yue evolve. There’s something about watching two people who started out at odds slowly become people who genuinely care about each other that gets me every time.
I also wish we’d spent a little more time with Sai. I wanted to get further into his head and understand more of his perspective and time away, especially with everything going on between the East and West. While I liked where the story ultimately landed, the ending felt a little rushed after everything it took to get there.
Overall, a good conclusion, even if it didn't quite hit the same for me as its predecessor.
Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I think the characters were the strongest part for me. Jun’s growth throughout the story was really satisfying, and I loved seeing his relationship with Yin Yue evolve. There’s something about watching two people who started out at odds slowly become people who genuinely care about each other that gets me every time.
I also wish we’d spent a little more time with Sai. I wanted to get further into his head and understand more of his perspective and time away, especially with everything going on between the East and West. While I liked where the story ultimately landed, the ending felt a little rushed after everything it took to get there.
Overall, a good conclusion, even if it didn't quite hit the same for me as its predecessor.
Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed Mark of the Warrior and thought it was a fantastic conclusion to the duology. One of the things I appreciated most was that the this dulogy doesn't get bogged down with overly complex world-building. Like the first book, it gave me enough detail to stay immersed without taking away from the characters, the setting, or the story overall.
Jun, Red, and Yin Yue continued exactly where they left off at the end of book one. The stakes are high, and they're constantly challenged. I really enjoyed following their journey and seeing how everything came together. The pacing was also perfect for me—there was enough action and progression to keep me invested, and the story never felt rushed.
Overall, this was a satisfying ending to the duology. Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC!
I really enjoyed Mark of the Warrior and thought it was a fantastic conclusion to the duology. One of the things I appreciated most was that the this dulogy doesn't get bogged down with overly complex world-building. Like the first book, it gave me enough detail to stay immersed without taking away from the characters, the setting, or the story overall.
Jun, Red, and Yin Yue continued exactly where they left off at the end of book one. The stakes are high, and they're constantly challenged. I really enjoyed following their journey and seeing how everything came together. The pacing was also perfect for me—there was enough action and progression to keep me invested, and the story never felt rushed.
Overall, this was a satisfying ending to the duology. Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC!
October 20, 2026
Wow. Just wow! I had no idea how this one book was going to wrap up everything and THEY DID IT.
The first ten percent of the book feels like a continuation of the first book. Which I enjoyed because it caught me up and I didn’t feel lost at all. It was a quick return to the characters and the plot and I devoured the book.
I loved Jun and Sai’s relationship. I loved Ren. Honestly all the relationships in this book were well done for me. I enjoyed watching Jun from book one to this book and seeing his growth.
What makes this book so special to me is the relationship between family and friends as well as how this journey was one for peace and unification.
A well done duology that I would recommend to anyone!
Thank you so much to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for this eARC!
The first ten percent of the book feels like a continuation of the first book. Which I enjoyed because it caught me up and I didn’t feel lost at all. It was a quick return to the characters and the plot and I devoured the book.
I loved Jun and Sai’s relationship. I loved Ren. Honestly all the relationships in this book were well done for me. I enjoyed watching Jun from book one to this book and seeing his growth.
What makes this book so special to me is the relationship between family and friends as well as how this journey was one for peace and unification.
A well done duology that I would recommend to anyone!
Thank you so much to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for this eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not as good as the first but still a decent conclusion.
Due to some meandering pacing (and literal meandering, I swear half the book is just the characters traveling back and forth between the same two locations), this book doesn't have the breakneck pace or readability of Breath of the Dragon, but the ending sequence and emotional payoff mostly made up for that.
I did find that there was a lot of over explaining and unsubtle introspection, more than I remember in the first book - but it has been a while so it might have been the same and I've just forgotten. Just keep in mind that this is YA and reads like it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Due to some meandering pacing (and literal meandering, I swear half the book is just the characters traveling back and forth between the same two locations), this book doesn't have the breakneck pace or readability of Breath of the Dragon, but the ending sequence and emotional payoff mostly made up for that.
I did find that there was a lot of over explaining and unsubtle introspection, more than I remember in the first book - but it has been a while so it might have been the same and I've just forgotten. Just keep in mind that this is YA and reads like it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
September 8, 2026
Oh this was a fun ride. It's quite different in many ways from the first book, with different priorities and focuses, but I found it similarly engaging as the first for that new direction.
Whereas the first book was primarily one linear course of events, this story thrives on having a lot going on at once. Given the POV was fixed, a lot of it happened off screen, but it felt very natural for the expanded scale of the plot.
I also loved the character development and dynamics and how they all interconnected. Breathmarks, disabilities, personalities, and the like all played with and against one another in ways that were really fun to see. I love how the different abilities of others were handled overall, physically and mentally. How the mental fight was just as important as the physical, and the physical could be won by matchup advantages, not simply brute force. Emotion in the face of structure, control in the face of adaptation, chaos in the face of order, etc. All the like. And there was such a variety of disabilities in the story that really gave each power set a punch (haha).
I will admit though, while the scale and powers and concepts were super compelling, I felt the prose was a bit weaker this time around. Characters would sometimes exposit their feelings and ideologies a bit too directly, or the ideologies of non perspective Characters was just... assumed, in a way that felt a bit presumptive and narrator-esque, even if true.
There was also less detail and specificity in fights scenes, which I really adored in the first book. There were absolutely fights that felt like the first book, notably one on one fights, or some duo fights, and the chaos of description fit well with the crowd scenes! However I personally enjoyed the first book's takes on fight choreography more. There is lots to love but I certainly have my biases, given just how much care and love for martial arts was put into that first book's descriptions.
And relating to that, I noticed especially near the end of the book, but throughout too, a LOT more similie was used when explaining stances and movements. It's a very powerful tool but when sentences were just similie after similie after similie, they both exposed a character's theme a bit too heavy handedly which relates to that first prose issue for me, and makes the movements themselves feel a bit less present and dynamic, relating to my second point.
The dialogue was I would say just as good if not better than the first book though! For what the prose lacked, the characters absolutely made up for in their depth of conversation. There was a lot more downtime between fights this time around, and a lot more non-fist fight fights, like fights of wit, of social grace, and so forth (especially but not exclusively by Ren) and it was exactly what I felt left me wanting in the first book. Each dynamic is given so much time and space, and even if there is not always... subtlety... it's extremely entertaining to read.
And I will admit, the plot resolved real quick and convenient like. It made sense, given Off Screen Actions were important and set up, but it certainly made the pre-ending feel... quick, and a bit Deus Ex Machina-y even when it absolutely was not. The final chapter was great, I just think the nature of the plot and the perspective made this inevitable. Kind of my problem with all stories of this scale that are single or dual POV when there are ao many moving parts.
Overall, this felt like a solid expansion of the ideas of the first book. Developed the ideas, pushed the relationships, the drama, the threat, the scale. It has some weaknesses compared to the first book, but so too it has made many improvements over the first. I like both for equal reasons. They're fun reads, and interesting extensions of the other. :)
Whereas the first book was primarily one linear course of events, this story thrives on having a lot going on at once. Given the POV was fixed, a lot of it happened off screen, but it felt very natural for the expanded scale of the plot.
I also loved the character development and dynamics and how they all interconnected. Breathmarks, disabilities, personalities, and the like all played with and against one another in ways that were really fun to see. I love how the different abilities of others were handled overall, physically and mentally. How the mental fight was just as important as the physical, and the physical could be won by matchup advantages, not simply brute force. Emotion in the face of structure, control in the face of adaptation, chaos in the face of order, etc. All the like. And there was such a variety of disabilities in the story that really gave each power set a punch (haha).
I will admit though, while the scale and powers and concepts were super compelling, I felt the prose was a bit weaker this time around. Characters would sometimes exposit their feelings and ideologies a bit too directly, or the ideologies of non perspective Characters was just... assumed, in a way that felt a bit presumptive and narrator-esque, even if true.
There was also less detail and specificity in fights scenes, which I really adored in the first book. There were absolutely fights that felt like the first book, notably one on one fights, or some duo fights, and the chaos of description fit well with the crowd scenes! However I personally enjoyed the first book's takes on fight choreography more. There is lots to love but I certainly have my biases, given just how much care and love for martial arts was put into that first book's descriptions.
And relating to that, I noticed especially near the end of the book, but throughout too, a LOT more similie was used when explaining stances and movements. It's a very powerful tool but when sentences were just similie after similie after similie, they both exposed a character's theme a bit too heavy handedly which relates to that first prose issue for me, and makes the movements themselves feel a bit less present and dynamic, relating to my second point.
The dialogue was I would say just as good if not better than the first book though! For what the prose lacked, the characters absolutely made up for in their depth of conversation. There was a lot more downtime between fights this time around, and a lot more non-fist fight fights, like fights of wit, of social grace, and so forth (especially but not exclusively by Ren) and it was exactly what I felt left me wanting in the first book. Each dynamic is given so much time and space, and even if there is not always... subtlety... it's extremely entertaining to read.
And I will admit, the plot resolved real quick and convenient like. It made sense, given Off Screen Actions were important and set up, but it certainly made the pre-ending feel... quick, and a bit Deus Ex Machina-y even when it absolutely was not. The final chapter was great, I just think the nature of the plot and the perspective made this inevitable. Kind of my problem with all stories of this scale that are single or dual POV when there are ao many moving parts.
Overall, this felt like a solid expansion of the ideas of the first book. Developed the ideas, pushed the relationships, the drama, the threat, the scale. It has some weaknesses compared to the first book, but so too it has made many improvements over the first. I like both for equal reasons. They're fun reads, and interesting extensions of the other. :)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 stars
The Breathmarked duology follows sixteen year old Jun who lives in a divided country. As a kid he was banished, along with his father, from the West to the East, while his mother and twin brother stayed behind in the West. In the first book in the duology we follow along while Jun goes to compete in the Guardian's Tournament and in the second book we follow the aftermath of the Tournament.
This duology is phenomenal and so very underrated. The world and magic system is intriguing but simple to understand. The action scenes are exciting and well developed, in true Fonda Lee style, with the extra martial arts knowledge from Shannon Lee, which make them absolutely to die for. The characters are complex and written in a way that makes you care for them from early on in the story. Our characters go through so much trouble and heartbreak throughout the story that makes your heart break with them. The storyline is gripping from the beginning and I have honestly no notes on the plot of the books. These are ya novels, which shows in the age of our main character who is written true to his age, with consideration of the world he lives in and the life he has lived, but it never feels immature so this story suits adults just as well. This is however a fantasy that surrounds mostly martial arts and there are plenty of fight scenes in it, so have that in mind for younger readers.
I really enjoyed the first book in this duology, it was filled with fight scenes and the pace was even throughout the book. I unfortunately did not like the second book as much as the first one, even though I still enjoyed it. The beginning of the book was slow, compared to the first book, and it almost felt like the story was being dragged out. There were still important plot points happening, but after the first book that was so filled with action, this book felt slow since it lacked the action. We did however get to know our characters better with some emotional scenes and a deeper look into the mind of our main character. The pace picked up in the last 30% of the book or so, and that part reminded me more of the first book. I was completely hooked in that part and read it all in one sitting. There was a big fighting scene towards the end that was so unique and fun to read, if you have read this book you know what I am talking about, it was honestly like nothing I have read before and I was so amazed by it. I love how the story ended overall, but I feel like the ending was wrapped up a little too fast. It almost felt like the curtains were dropped suddenly in the middle of a scene. We did get an ending to the overall story, but I wished we got to follow our characters for a little bit after the story ended, to know what happened to them afterwards. But that is probably a personal preference, since some people like the not knowing the future when a story ends.
I love the characters in this duology. Jin is a great main character, he is so strong and talented but he is also young so he often feels insecure. We get to really see him grow throughout the story and gain more confidence. I especially loved the relationships in this book. The relationship between the brothers was especially interesting to read but also the friendships that Jun made along his journey. I also loved seeing a specific character from the first book pop back up towards the end of this book, a character that no one was expecting to come back, at least not in the way that he did.
Overall this duology is great, I had such a fun time reading it and will forever recommend it. If you have read the first book then you should definitely dive into this one as soon as you can. If you have not read the first book, do yourself the favour and read this duology.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the arc copy which i received in exchange for an honest review.
The Breathmarked duology follows sixteen year old Jun who lives in a divided country. As a kid he was banished, along with his father, from the West to the East, while his mother and twin brother stayed behind in the West. In the first book in the duology we follow along while Jun goes to compete in the Guardian's Tournament and in the second book we follow the aftermath of the Tournament.
This duology is phenomenal and so very underrated. The world and magic system is intriguing but simple to understand. The action scenes are exciting and well developed, in true Fonda Lee style, with the extra martial arts knowledge from Shannon Lee, which make them absolutely to die for. The characters are complex and written in a way that makes you care for them from early on in the story. Our characters go through so much trouble and heartbreak throughout the story that makes your heart break with them. The storyline is gripping from the beginning and I have honestly no notes on the plot of the books. These are ya novels, which shows in the age of our main character who is written true to his age, with consideration of the world he lives in and the life he has lived, but it never feels immature so this story suits adults just as well. This is however a fantasy that surrounds mostly martial arts and there are plenty of fight scenes in it, so have that in mind for younger readers.
I really enjoyed the first book in this duology, it was filled with fight scenes and the pace was even throughout the book. I unfortunately did not like the second book as much as the first one, even though I still enjoyed it. The beginning of the book was slow, compared to the first book, and it almost felt like the story was being dragged out. There were still important plot points happening, but after the first book that was so filled with action, this book felt slow since it lacked the action. We did however get to know our characters better with some emotional scenes and a deeper look into the mind of our main character. The pace picked up in the last 30% of the book or so, and that part reminded me more of the first book. I was completely hooked in that part and read it all in one sitting. There was a big fighting scene towards the end that was so unique and fun to read, if you have read this book you know what I am talking about, it was honestly like nothing I have read before and I was so amazed by it. I love how the story ended overall, but I feel like the ending was wrapped up a little too fast. It almost felt like the curtains were dropped suddenly in the middle of a scene. We did get an ending to the overall story, but I wished we got to follow our characters for a little bit after the story ended, to know what happened to them afterwards. But that is probably a personal preference, since some people like the not knowing the future when a story ends.
I love the characters in this duology. Jin is a great main character, he is so strong and talented but he is also young so he often feels insecure. We get to really see him grow throughout the story and gain more confidence. I especially loved the relationships in this book. The relationship between the brothers was especially interesting to read but also the friendships that Jun made along his journey. I also loved seeing a specific character from the first book pop back up towards the end of this book, a character that no one was expecting to come back, at least not in the way that he did.
Overall this duology is great, I had such a fun time reading it and will forever recommend it. If you have read the first book then you should definitely dive into this one as soon as you can. If you have not read the first book, do yourself the favour and read this duology.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the arc copy which i received in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
-Thank you Netgalley for the ebook ARC-
I didn't realize this was the second in a duology until I picked it up and started reading it. That said, I didn't feel like I was really lost. The world is easy to jump into, clearly laid out, and the events of the first book are flashed back to enough (succinctly), that I was able to jump right into book two without much confusion.
At first, I thought this was going to be a straight-forward action story with people fighting (which isn't a bad thing). The plot was relatively simple without any unexpected twists or turns. The right people usually showed up just in time, and the main character, Jun, didn't seem to have to do much fighting until the end. Then I realized that might have been intentional based on the themes.
Sometimes stories with creative twists sacrifice depth. Mark of the Warrior banked on a straight-forwarded plot to instead deliver on its themes. The story focuses on division & reconciliation in both setting and characters. The land is divided after an uprising. This is mirrored in the characters, two twin brothers, who are separated at six years old. Jun, not being breathmarked, is banished to the West after performing forbidden martial arts. Sai, the breathmarked brother is brought up in the east to be an aspect. Both work their way to the top and become keepers of their land's respective dragon scrolls. (This is their backstory/ Book 1 where book 2 picks up from)
Setting:
This is an action-packed book set in a fantasy world that could easily be modeled off of our own (such as China). The land is divided by East and West and the people are separated by the snake wall. The West is ruled by a monarchy, but is more lenient. The East is ruled by a council, but is very strict, going so far as to outlaw any incivility, including martial arts being practiced by anyone other than trained aspects who are breathmarked with dragon scales, giving them extra abilities.
Characters:
The twin brothers separated on either side of the wall perfectly mirror the division in the land. We see more from Jun's perspective (the brother who isn't breathmarked, and banished to the West.) Jun doesn't do as much fighting in this book as what he seemed to have done in the first book. He's still reeling in the aftermath of losing the scroll and fleeing for his life now that he's a falsely accused traitor. Despite his many hardships and advanced fighting skills, Jun shows remarkable empathy for enemies, and is a very likeable character.
Themes:
division/reconciliation. Strength/weakness.
Content warnings: moderate language, including the use of the f-word, but overall, appropriate for the YA category it's being marketed to. (No sexual content, some violence, but not gory.)
Favorite quotes:
"Water smiled humorousely, 'What are hopes, if not whispers from the universe of what's possible, Yin Yue? I simply hear the hints more clearly.'"
"'What Yama doesn't understand is that our weaknesses are the sources of our strength. Our failures are the seeds of our triumph.'"
I didn't realize this was the second in a duology until I picked it up and started reading it. That said, I didn't feel like I was really lost. The world is easy to jump into, clearly laid out, and the events of the first book are flashed back to enough (succinctly), that I was able to jump right into book two without much confusion.
At first, I thought this was going to be a straight-forward action story with people fighting (which isn't a bad thing). The plot was relatively simple without any unexpected twists or turns. The right people usually showed up just in time, and the main character, Jun, didn't seem to have to do much fighting until the end. Then I realized that might have been intentional based on the themes.
Sometimes stories with creative twists sacrifice depth. Mark of the Warrior banked on a straight-forwarded plot to instead deliver on its themes. The story focuses on division & reconciliation in both setting and characters. The land is divided after an uprising. This is mirrored in the characters, two twin brothers, who are separated at six years old. Jun, not being breathmarked, is banished to the West after performing forbidden martial arts. Sai, the breathmarked brother is brought up in the east to be an aspect. Both work their way to the top and become keepers of their land's respective dragon scrolls. (This is their backstory/ Book 1 where book 2 picks up from)
Setting:
This is an action-packed book set in a fantasy world that could easily be modeled off of our own (such as China). The land is divided by East and West and the people are separated by the snake wall. The West is ruled by a monarchy, but is more lenient. The East is ruled by a council, but is very strict, going so far as to outlaw any incivility, including martial arts being practiced by anyone other than trained aspects who are breathmarked with dragon scales, giving them extra abilities.
Characters:
The twin brothers separated on either side of the wall perfectly mirror the division in the land. We see more from Jun's perspective (the brother who isn't breathmarked, and banished to the West.) Jun doesn't do as much fighting in this book as what he seemed to have done in the first book. He's still reeling in the aftermath of losing the scroll and fleeing for his life now that he's a falsely accused traitor. Despite his many hardships and advanced fighting skills, Jun shows remarkable empathy for enemies, and is a very likeable character.
Themes:
division/reconciliation. Strength/weakness.
Content warnings: moderate language, including the use of the f-word, but overall, appropriate for the YA category it's being marketed to. (No sexual content, some violence, but not gory.)
Favorite quotes:
"Water smiled humorousely, 'What are hopes, if not whispers from the universe of what's possible, Yin Yue? I simply hear the hints more clearly.'"
"'What Yama doesn't understand is that our weaknesses are the sources of our strength. Our failures are the seeds of our triumph.'"
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Firstly - what a gorgeous cover art.
I’m not very familiar with Shannon Lee, but I was drawn to this duology by Fonda Lee and the amazing work that is the greenbone saga. In both the first and the latest installation, that Fonda Lee quality writing is evident - which for me is what I appreciate.
And if anything, Fonda Lee is an absolute master on writing family dynamics. Mark of the Warrior is a brilliant conclusion to a very sweetly epic story. We follow Jun in the East and his much awaited meeting with his long lost twin brother Sai in the back drop of an East/West war. My rating is a 7/10 (3⭐️), and had I not been a stricter reviewer this would be a four star book.
Plot wise, the ending was not unpredictable, but I think how we got there was creative and really engaging, I was hooked and was able to finish this in one go. The pacing issues I found in book 1 did not exist here, primarily because we begin the book in the middle of the story - but also because of how the character work was structured.
I am a massive fan of character conflict especially when it would be more convenient to not have it - and both of these authors did not fail me on this at all. I felt uneasy, I felt on the edge of my seat, with the brotherly dynamics and the authors were not afraid to be risky with how they explored their interactions.
This was not as martial arts heavy nor was it more action heavy than the first book, but what Mark of the Warrior brings to the table best is its tangents and short deep dives into diverse philosophies. Im a reader who enjoys reading about characters being conflicted with identity, grasping how propaganda operates and how that defines actions - and I think Jun’s character was right up my niche corner of this level of analysis. Weirdly enough I don’t love Jun as much as the breakdowns of how he perceives others, and I think that is a brilliant thing to have accomplished by itself.
All the build up was paid off really well with Yin’s character - just love him and Jun.
My only qualm is Ren - yeah pretty disappointed in where her character is, but ultimately I didn’t care much for it anyway because June really did eat.
All in all, it’s a very entertaining read, it’s nostalgic of the brilliant ya/middle grade I read growing up and I think this beats quite a lot of the slop that exists now.
Thanks to e-arc from Netgalley!
I’m not very familiar with Shannon Lee, but I was drawn to this duology by Fonda Lee and the amazing work that is the greenbone saga. In both the first and the latest installation, that Fonda Lee quality writing is evident - which for me is what I appreciate.
And if anything, Fonda Lee is an absolute master on writing family dynamics. Mark of the Warrior is a brilliant conclusion to a very sweetly epic story. We follow Jun in the East and his much awaited meeting with his long lost twin brother Sai in the back drop of an East/West war. My rating is a 7/10 (3⭐️), and had I not been a stricter reviewer this would be a four star book.
Plot wise, the ending was not unpredictable, but I think how we got there was creative and really engaging, I was hooked and was able to finish this in one go. The pacing issues I found in book 1 did not exist here, primarily because we begin the book in the middle of the story - but also because of how the character work was structured.
I am a massive fan of character conflict especially when it would be more convenient to not have it - and both of these authors did not fail me on this at all. I felt uneasy, I felt on the edge of my seat, with the brotherly dynamics and the authors were not afraid to be risky with how they explored their interactions.
This was not as martial arts heavy nor was it more action heavy than the first book, but what Mark of the Warrior brings to the table best is its tangents and short deep dives into diverse philosophies. Im a reader who enjoys reading about characters being conflicted with identity, grasping how propaganda operates and how that defines actions - and I think Jun’s character was right up my niche corner of this level of analysis. Weirdly enough I don’t love Jun as much as the breakdowns of how he perceives others, and I think that is a brilliant thing to have accomplished by itself.
All the build up was paid off really well with Yin’s character - just love him and Jun.
My only qualm is Ren - yeah pretty disappointed in where her character is, but ultimately I didn’t care much for it anyway because June really did eat.
All in all, it’s a very entertaining read, it’s nostalgic of the brilliant ya/middle grade I read growing up and I think this beats quite a lot of the slop that exists now.
Thanks to e-arc from Netgalley!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mark of the Warrior
by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2026
First of all, thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC read Mark of the Warrior.
The ARC is mine (insert evil laugh here). After loving my time with the first book in the Breathmarked series, I have been eagerly waiting to return to this world, and I was so excited to finally see how this story would come to an end.
Overall, this was a satisfying conclusion to the duology. It had everything I enjoyed from the first book—the immersive world, the political tension, the martial arts, and most importantly, characters who feel like real people navigating impossible circumstances.
One of my favorite aspects of this series continues to be the relationships. While romance often dominates fantasy stories, I really appreciated the focus on family, loyalty, friendship, and found family. Those connections felt meaningful and grounded, and they gave the story an emotional core that went beyond the larger conflicts happening around the characters.
The world-building remains a highlight. The setting is vivid and easy to picture, and the martial arts elements bring such a unique energy to the story. Shannon Lee’s involvement adds an extra layer of authenticity and appreciation for the discipline, philosophy, and movement woven throughout the book.
I did feel like the pacing was a little uneven at times. The beginning took some time to find its footing, and there were moments where I wished certain emotional beats and major events had more room to breathe. Some of the bigger moments happened quickly, and I would have loved more time with the characters as they processed those experiences.
That being said, the strength of the characters and the richness of the world carried the story through. I was invested in these people and genuinely wanted to see where their journeys would take them.
If you enjoy fantasy filled with political intrigue, martial arts, complicated family dynamics, and characters who are willing to fight for what they believe in, Mark of the Warrior is a strong conclusion to the Breathmarked duology.
I'm very glad I got the chance to finish this journey, and I hope Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee know there are readers who will happily follow wherever they take us next.
by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2026
First of all, thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC read Mark of the Warrior.
The ARC is mine (insert evil laugh here). After loving my time with the first book in the Breathmarked series, I have been eagerly waiting to return to this world, and I was so excited to finally see how this story would come to an end.
Overall, this was a satisfying conclusion to the duology. It had everything I enjoyed from the first book—the immersive world, the political tension, the martial arts, and most importantly, characters who feel like real people navigating impossible circumstances.
One of my favorite aspects of this series continues to be the relationships. While romance often dominates fantasy stories, I really appreciated the focus on family, loyalty, friendship, and found family. Those connections felt meaningful and grounded, and they gave the story an emotional core that went beyond the larger conflicts happening around the characters.
The world-building remains a highlight. The setting is vivid and easy to picture, and the martial arts elements bring such a unique energy to the story. Shannon Lee’s involvement adds an extra layer of authenticity and appreciation for the discipline, philosophy, and movement woven throughout the book.
I did feel like the pacing was a little uneven at times. The beginning took some time to find its footing, and there were moments where I wished certain emotional beats and major events had more room to breathe. Some of the bigger moments happened quickly, and I would have loved more time with the characters as they processed those experiences.
That being said, the strength of the characters and the richness of the world carried the story through. I was invested in these people and genuinely wanted to see where their journeys would take them.
If you enjoy fantasy filled with political intrigue, martial arts, complicated family dynamics, and characters who are willing to fight for what they believe in, Mark of the Warrior is a strong conclusion to the Breathmarked duology.
I'm very glad I got the chance to finish this journey, and I hope Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee know there are readers who will happily follow wherever they take us next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Source: I received an advance copy of Mark of the Warrior from the publisher via Netgalley. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
My husband bought me a copy of Breath of the Dragon, the first book in the Breathmarked duology by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee, and when I saw the conclusion was available on Netgalley, I requested it so I could read them back to back.
This is a great young adult fantasy series that centers a male protagonist. I found Jun to be very relatable. He has internal struggles because of his guilt and his frustration with being separated from his twin and treated like he isn’t important because he isn’t breathmarked. He’s determined to show he’s every bit as capable and important as his brother Sai.
To do that, he trains hard and fights to prove himself the best warrior in the West. Along the way, he becomes friends with a girl named Ren and learns more about martial arts from her blind father, Chang. Jun’s experiences force him to confront some of his biases and change the way he thinks. At the end of book 1, he’s betrayed, and that sets the stage for book 2.
There’s a lot of fighting in the books. And there’s also a lot of heart. There’s found family and changed hearts and the kind of bonds that distance and time won’t break. I loved those aspects of the book.
There’s also loss and grief and reunions… and nothing goes the way Jun expected. That’s one of the great things about this duology; while book 1 sets up a clear goal and anticipated outcome before the twist, book 2’s goal is more general, and the specifics of how it will be achieved are less clear. That makes it hard to guess how things will progress, and I loved that aspect of the story, because it wasn’t predictable.
I was very entertained, and very invested. This one had me crying in places and laughing in others. Many adults (and teenagers of all genders) will enjoy this duology. It’s also an excellent option for teenage boys looking for great books.
And Jun is proving to be one of the more memorable characters I’ve encountered. I think it’s because he doesn’t just flip positions when things happen; even when he realizes something important that changes his perspective, he struggles to let go of his old hopes and thoughts, which is realistic. As a result, we watch him process things as he grows.
My husband bought me a copy of Breath of the Dragon, the first book in the Breathmarked duology by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee, and when I saw the conclusion was available on Netgalley, I requested it so I could read them back to back.
This is a great young adult fantasy series that centers a male protagonist. I found Jun to be very relatable. He has internal struggles because of his guilt and his frustration with being separated from his twin and treated like he isn’t important because he isn’t breathmarked. He’s determined to show he’s every bit as capable and important as his brother Sai.
To do that, he trains hard and fights to prove himself the best warrior in the West. Along the way, he becomes friends with a girl named Ren and learns more about martial arts from her blind father, Chang. Jun’s experiences force him to confront some of his biases and change the way he thinks. At the end of book 1, he’s betrayed, and that sets the stage for book 2.
There’s a lot of fighting in the books. And there’s also a lot of heart. There’s found family and changed hearts and the kind of bonds that distance and time won’t break. I loved those aspects of the book.
There’s also loss and grief and reunions… and nothing goes the way Jun expected. That’s one of the great things about this duology; while book 1 sets up a clear goal and anticipated outcome before the twist, book 2’s goal is more general, and the specifics of how it will be achieved are less clear. That makes it hard to guess how things will progress, and I loved that aspect of the story, because it wasn’t predictable.
I was very entertained, and very invested. This one had me crying in places and laughing in others. Many adults (and teenagers of all genders) will enjoy this duology. It’s also an excellent option for teenage boys looking for great books.
And Jun is proving to be one of the more memorable characters I’ve encountered. I think it’s because he doesn’t just flip positions when things happen; even when he realizes something important that changes his perspective, he struggles to let go of his old hopes and thoughts, which is realistic. As a result, we watch him process things as he grows.
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