Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice

by Gracie Marsden

A young woman makes a bargain with a shapeshifting demon who promises her power, if she will give up love--a painful price that sets her on a dark journey in this historical fantasy inspired by Taiwanese myth

Eleventh century Taiwan. In a small village, far from the political conflicts of the royal dynasty, a too-young Yu’er is sold off to be married at the word of a jing, a shapeshifting-demon who prophesizes that her parents will thus gain wealth beyond their imagination. Her new husband Xiaozhu is, like her, barely more than a child himself—but he’s kind, and, over the years, Yu’er heals as they build a home together. They become allies, then friends, then lovers.

Until misfortune befalls them, once again at the hands of a demon. They’re left destitute and estranged. Reeling from loss, and determined to never leave her fate in another’s hands, Yu’er decides to strike her own bargain with a jing: she will have all the agency and riches she desires. She just has to leave Xiaozhu and their home together, forever—a price that will cost her more than she then understands.

Yu’er’s choice sets off a saga that will lead her to the heart of the royal court, and bring her more power than she ever dreamed of, but may kill her humanity along the way, in this sweeping tale of love, revenge, and redemption.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy, Asian Literature

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication November 10, 2026

About the author

Gracie Marsden is a proud Taiwanese-American who grew up moving frequently between Taiwan and the US. Her favorite books (and writing) highlight both the beautiful and awful things that make us human. Gracie also has a deep obsession with mythology and cats. She is also the young adult librarian at the Marshall Public Library in Pocatello, Idaho. Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice is her debut novel. You can find her on Instagram @thegraciemarsden or online at www.graciemarsden.com

Reviews

[rina (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ੭୧‎ ‎ 3 stars‎ ‎ . ۫

overall thoughts — This was a really lovely, short book, and I had a good time reading it!! Where the book really succeeds is definitely in its structure. The pacing, length, and the way certain plot points were revealed were exceptionally well done. I was invested the entire time. I thoroughly enjoyed the different POVs, which really helped me better understand and empathize with each character.

The story follows Yu'er, who is sold off to be married by her parents. Her life is marked by misfortune and poverty until she decides to make a deal with a jing: in exchange for leaving her husband, her home, and marrying a great lord, her family will gain riches. What follows is a tale of tragedy, revenge, and sacrifice.

Certain parts I did wish were more fleshed out or given more depth. For example, [redacted]'s death, the entire ordeal, and the aftermath all felt very abrupt. I wanted a little more time spent there because it had the potential to be even more impactful. Other parts were also a bit predictable, especially near the end.

The beginning of the novel was definitely my favourite part, especially seeing the progression of our fmc into becoming more hard-hearted. Watching how her circumstances shaped her and slowly changed her was one of the strongest aspects of the story for me. There were so many heart-wrenching scenes. It is quite a bleak and depressing story, which I am always a sucker for!

There were also a lot of scenes that were much more graphic than I expected, so please be very mindful of content warnings before reading!

final thoughts — Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice is a stunning, lush, and poetic debut, and I wish the author lots of success when this releases. Gracie Marsden, this is definitely not the last you will see of me!!! 🤭

Thank you to Gracie Marsden and Viking Penguin for the ARC! Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice releases November 10, 2026.

CW: torture, death, physical violence, murder, blood, gore

────

finished: 04/16/26 𖥻𓈒 ꒱ ੭
i knew the ending was going to break me 😖 a solid debut <3

pre read: 04/14/26 𖥻𓈒 ꒱ ੭
i get to read this early!!! 🥹 i've been following the author on ig for quite some time, so i'm excited to see what her debut has in store <3 the premise sounds so promising; i love women and revenge!!!!

[Saranya [catching up]]

pre-read: ⚜ ఌ︎.
I'm so excited to read this. Thanks to Nancy that I immediately requested for the arc when she told me about it<3

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

publication date: 10 Nov 2026

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow.

This book took me on a journey. One that ripped my heart out over and over again. This book is not for the feint of heart. It’s dark and gritty and makes you address some hard truths, including what love is worth and what it means to be a monster.

Yu’er is such an interesting character. She’s multifaceted, with both good and bad inside her. And that just made her feel real. She makes some tough decisions in this book, and I don’t think you could assign a moral value to any of them, because there is both good and bad in everything she does. That just brings us back to the key question: What does it really mean to be a monster?

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I loved reading this one so much!

[Danika]

I'm so excited to read this book! Does anyone know if it's on Netgalley for request??

[Anna (annareadit)]

The author's edits are killing me, I can't wait to read it!

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖]

i've been thinking about this book for some time now since i'm following the author on IG >< now, it's finally on netgalley, but i can't put in a request 🤧

[Emilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

FIVE. FREAKIN. STARS. I got literal goosebumps after finishing this book.

We follow Yu’er, who is sold off by her parents to an impoverished family. Out of desperation, she makes a deal with a jing—a shapeshifter capable of wielding both curses and blessings—which ultimately leads her to leave her husband and marry a great lord. Yu’er’s pursuit of power slowly evolves into her ultimate demise.

This story took my emotions on a complete rollercoaster. My heart felt caught in a vicious cycle—torn apart and then stitched back together again. The immense character depth and intricately layered storytelling that Marsden weaves into such a short book is genuinely impressive. The writing is lyrical, with a style reminiscent of traditional fairy tales. The structure offers glimpses into the future that will have you flipping pages at breakneck speed, desperate to understand how everything unfolds.

I truly have nothing but positive things to say about this beautiful, heart-wrenching story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say that I love this books is an understatement. It had me gripped from beginning to the bittersweet end and was truly such a delightful read! This novel excels with its poetic and lush storytelling, the symbolism of love and its complex characters. Not only did this story take me on an emotional rollercoaster, it also shined a light on the pain and beauty of sacrifice, love and the ways both go hand in hand to create something meaningful.

In this story we follow our fmc, yu’er as she navigates the multifaceted world around her. We go on a quest of betrayal, love and what it truly means to sacrifice your humanity for a heart like jade. This story does not shy away from darker themes and harsh truths that will leave you feeling a swirl of different emotions but will ultimately give you a sense of peace when you understand the power and resilience that lies within love and connection.

I would have to say that my favorite part of this story was watching the progression of yu’er bloom into the woman she is. Her resilience and strength was admirable and she has become one of my most favorite complex characters. The multiple povs really progressed the story and gave you a deeper insight into how our characters thought and why they acted the way they did, which to me was such a perfect touch.

Overall, this story is a must read and has cemented itself in my heart as one I wish I could re-read for the first time all over again, it was a grand experience. Gracie Marsden this is a striking debut novel and I wish you nothing but the greatest success!

Thank you to Gracie Marsden and Viking Penguin for the ARC! Keep your eyes peeled for Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice which releases November 10, 2026.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not ok. 😭 this book.

Beauty and pain wrapped up in these pages. I hurt so much for Yu’er. She never catches a break. She has both the sweetest love and the biggest burdens. It seems like everyone expects so much from her while offering so little in return.

I loved how stories of Jing are constantly a part of this book. And ultimately they are a reflection of humanity, the good and the evil. The structure of this story also reminds me of a fairy tale. It doesn’t linger too long in any moment or time. The prose strike hard, gut you, and then move forward. It all flows beautifully together while preserving the feeling of a fantastical tale, especially near the end.

The ending of this isn’t for the faint of heart. Yu’er never makes easy choices. Both for good and bad. Sometimes she is foolish, and often she puts others feelings first at the expense of herself, and consequences she isn’t prepared to pay. I felt this most keenly with Xueying—who is one of my least favorite characters. Perhaps it is a cultural difference, but she led Yu’er badly, and for her own interests, and betrayed Yu’er first by not disclosing all the information and resigning them both to a terrible fate. I still have many feelings about this particular bond and how it ended.

Yu’er wants so little, and so little gives her joy I was desperate for her to have a happy ending. But this story is far more bitter sweet. There are some horrifying, gory moments, a lot of unfairness, and a lot of sacrifice. But all the pain also highlights the beauty of love, and the value of a simple life. It’s a beautiful story.

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC copy.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Yu’er is a young girl when she is sold off into a loveless marriage because of the deal her mother made. In this act, she learns about betrayal, sadness and anger for their actions. Her marriage starts off as loveless, and she deems she is bound for greater things. Despite falling for her husband, a devastating ordeal causes her to take an offer of another jing that thrusts her into a world of deceit and despair. Now Yu’er has a second chance to change her story, but will she succumb to revenge or choose a path of peace.

I really was taken in by the title and the idea of Jing being so wrapped up in the story. The idea of magic and the power and falseness behind it was interesting, given how often mortals come across these beings. Yu’er is definitely a young girl that is never satisfied with what she has, and unfortunately she really does have to suffer before she learns the price of what she demands. The author is really putting out a sad story, and the turn of events she writes in is immaculate. This was a compelling sad story for the short amount of pages it was written under.

My complaints are that at times, it feels very unresolved and choppy. The constant shifting of present and past views from what seems to be two different entities is kind of jarring. I found myself flipping back to reread a chapter to see how it forwarded the story.

I would give it a solid 4/5 stars, and this met my expectations for a short read.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice is a stunning fantasy, written like an ancient mythological folktale. We’re taken to the early 1000s, where Yu’er and her sister are to be traded as young brides in exchange for her parents’ fortune. Amidst this cruel life contains the presence of jings, immensely powerful creatures that can bestow blessings or curses. Throughout the story, the jing’s magic, whether promises of good or evil, can influence the trajectory of one’s life, and reflect the core of the human heart.
This is the story Yu’er: discarded by her parents, placed in poverty, forced into a young marriage, but who has a strong heart that seeks love and power. After an encounter with a jing, everything changes, and sets Yu’er on an incredible yet horrific journey. What is the cost of power and revenge? With everything at your fingertips, how do you treasure those close to you? What is the purpose of immortality and grand splendor?
This novel is fascinating and completely engrossing. Each chapter brings us something new: a moment of resilience, a mystical encounter, or development from our beloved Xiaozhu. We are taken back and forth between timelines to gain a pure understanding of Yu’er’s heartache and increasingly difficult decisions.
There’s mystery, there’s a soft romance, there’s betrayal and true anguish, there are twists and turns. I loved this debut novel by Gracie Marsden. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Yoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to imagine that writers like hearing, "I finished this book in two days and stayed up all night because I couldn't put it down," not, "It took me an unconscionable amount of time to read this because I kept setting it down" - but I kept setting this down because it was so hecking good, because it broke my heart over and over and I had to breathe and sit with the story and have a good cry before coming back.

BONES OF JADE, FLESH LIKE ICE is set in a mythic Taiwan. It's about sisters sold to different husbands in service of their parents' greed, and selling your heart for what you want rather than what you love; the ways that the exercise of power becomes our armor, but the armor fuels our self-immolation. It's about magic and small moments and the simple acts that blossom into much-needed grace, or metastasize into massacre. It's about what we do in the dark, and what the dark does to us, and how we learn to walk away or walk on.

I cried over and over reading this. There is kindness, but this is not a kind book. There is cruelty, but this is not a cruel book. This is a book that breaks your heart while reminding you that when your heart breaks, it's because you *have* a heart; that it's being returned to you, with everything you learned and everything you earned.

This is the best book I have read this year (so far, in mid-May 2026). I'm going to cry some more; but I remember now that I can walk away... and walk on.

full disclosure: ARC via NetGalley

[Jada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review.

The jing are beautiful shape shifting demons with the power to bless or curse. After their family is left poor from the invading Jiangnanese, Yu'er's parents cling to the blessing of a jing: they will be granted riches once their daughters are married. Desperate with greed, Yu'er and her sister are sold to be married. Thrown into poverty and abuse at the hands of her father-in-law and new grandmother, Yu'er is bitter and hurt. As time passes, she eventually manages to connect with her kind-hearted husband, Xiaozhu. A disaster leaves their family even worse off, so when a jing offers Yu'er an opportunity at wealth and power in exchange for love, she takes it. But is love too great a price?

This is a devastating read that will shatter your heart. I'm shocked that it's Marsden's debut novel! It tackles so many tough topics from poverty and grief to greed and power, all masterfully woven against the backdrop of 11th century Taiwan filled with magical jing. The treatment of women and focus on birthing male offspring hits close to home 😔 The prose was lyrical, and Yu'er was such a well written, complex character.

TW: violence, torture, abuse, miscarriage, death

[Omnia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very well-thought-out novel. I think the pacing and slow development of the characters were the absolute best part. For such a short book, it felt like so much happened!
I loved seeing how the main characters changed over time. I also really liked the contradictory feelings of both softness and cruelty throughout. There’s a continual conflict between the character’s desire for a comfortable life and desire for revenge/greatness.
“Can one stay soft after bearing such torture?”

As enjoyable as it was, though, it just didn’t grab my attention as much as I had hoped. Most of it was pretty depressing. The poor main character, Yue’er, goes through so much, and it feels like it continues to get worse the whole time. I think I just lost hope for a happy ending far too early.

Overall, it was poetic, dramatic, and very enjoyable to read. I’m not ashamed to admit the ending did make me cry (in a good way). I would recommend this to anyone who likes a short, impactful historical fantasy with a beautiful magical twist.

[Jada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for approving me for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

WOW… I’m left speechless by this beautiful story. I’ll admit that it was a little slow in the beginning, but tbh I can’t find fault because it was setting up the story and characters. Seriously this journey took me through so many emotions, it especially portrayed grief in such a realistic and gritty way. I’m so glad we got to see Yue’er be flawed showing both her flaws and her virtues. I’m SO happy the author delivered with vengeance because I was so scared Yue’er wouldn’t do it but she did!! Also I want to give a shoutout that the story wasn’t shying away from more of the ugliness in our world —especially from our family, but how we can still find happiness and a community with the lives we build.

I really do wish I could put into better words how much I adored this story, but it’s truly moving and I love every second of reading this.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was an absolutely fantastic read. The writing is beautifully done, the story is original and creative, and you will find yourself lost in it. The ending was poignant and I’ll be honest that I had some tears in my eyes. I cannot wait to see what else this author writes in the future. I would give more than 5 stars if I could.

This story follows the point of view of two characters - Yu’er and Meng’er. Yu’er is a young girl sold off by her parents as a Jing (a magical creature) tells them that when both their daughters are married off they will find great riches. Through out the tale you find that blessings from a Jing are not always what they seem and Yu’er especially learns this lesson. She slowly finds happiness with her new husband but the life they live chafes at her and there comes a point where she must make a decision to stay in her small life or leave for something bigger.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, but I'll round up to a three. I did enjoy elements of this story.

This book started out with so much potential. I was able to fly through the first 100 pages with ease. Unfortunately, the short page count and flashback structure really hampered the second half of the story.

The flashbacks really drained tension from the story. Knowing that certain scenes were coming lessened the impact when they happened in the present timeline. The shorter length of this novel impeded the development of characters and relationships. Important events ended abruptly and seemed to have little lasting impact because the author had to keep the story moving forward. There was no time to linger.
The ending was largely predictable as well.

Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice may not have been a home run, but I'm willing to give the author another try.

[Tina Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgallery for the ARC

I loved this book. This is one of my favorite genres to read with Chinese mythology all throughout the pages.

The book is about a young girl named Yu'er, who is sold off to be married by her parents. Her life is not easy especially in the beginning with the family she has married into. As she grows her and her husband start to love each other. Unfortunately a traumatic event happened and she makes a deal with a Jing: in exchange for leaving everything behind, and marrying a great lord, her family will gain riches. What follows is a tale of tragedy, revenge, and sacrifice.

This book really makes you think what are you willing to do for love? Are you a monster or are you put into horrible situations that makes you do monstrous deeds?

This book is dark but wow ! Please take the time to read this.

[Meg Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
It took me a minute to get into this one, but once I did I really loved it. It felt a little disjointed to me with the back and forth between viewpoints but I feel like the story really picked up once I understood how those (seemingly) disjointed stories/viewpoints actually fitted together. Really enjoyed the incorporation of the Chinese mythology. I do wish there had been a tad bit more world-building but I got the gist. I found the characters to be relatable and thought they went on some interesting development arcs. The ending broke my heart, but in a good way, and I'll be looking for anything else this author comes out with.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a title of Bones of Jade, Flesh like Ice, I was expecting something along the lines of horror, or at the very least a very female revenge heavy plot. Instead, I got a beautiful story that is told in a way similar to a folk tale.
Everything in the book is woven together seamlessly. The folk tales scattered in between hold much deeper meaning to the plot, something that took me a little bit too long to figure out.
It's short, it's beautiful, and I cried.

[emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an intriguing title! I loved the plot and its elaborated elements. I loved the atmosphere of Kangzhu. It felt very cinematic and extravagant, and it was an exhilarating read. I wasn’t really familiar with Chinese literature (apart from some cdramas I watch now and then lol), but I enjoyed reading Bones of jade flesh like ice. I also loved the transformation of Yu’er’s character! Now I wanna dive into more folktale mystic literature feels more my speed! Loved!

[amel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
I’ve been itching for a book that can give me the same high Goodbye, My Princess gave me, and I think this book is doing it for me. Such a beautiful, magical story that carries me along the whole way through. I loved the back and forth of the timeline as we try to keep up with what’s happening. At times, the story could have definitely been longer so that we could explore certain plot points more deeply. The end also feels a little too quick, but I’m still left shaken and I need moreee!

[Holly Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible story about a woman’s perseverance , and the struggle to go from just surviving to living. Having choose between power or love; vengeance or happiness. That want me think we want isn’t necessarily what we need and to be careful what we wish for.

[⋆｡˚꒰ঌ Laura ໒꒱˚｡⋆]

˚˖𓍢ִ໋―Pre read―༄.°
Pretty cover, and the burb?!?! Omg this book cannot come out fast enough 😩

[Lottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Viking Penguin & Gracie Marsden for this e-arc!

Review to come 🥲

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐
this was such an unexpectedly amazing read omg

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