I absolutely loved the balance of strength and vulnerability in Shan, the main character. The brilliantly described fight scenes showed both the skill of Shan and the author. Shan has obviously been emotionally isolated and her character gains emotional strength as her professor/sidekick teaches her that it's ok to love. Just as the stone representations of powerful kung fu energy are both beautiful and deadly, Jade Tiger has something for pretty much any guy or girl and as such a quick read, I'd recommend this be a book on everyone's shelf. ( )

Let me put it this way. With two little kids at home, I have a desperate craving for sleep. But I stayed up late to finish the book.

Jade Tiger tells the tale of Shan, one of the last survivors of the Jade Circle, a martial arts group dedicated to the teaching of women. The circle was attacked years ago, and most of the women were killed. Shan escaped, taking with her the jade tiger, one of five animial statues that fit together to form a circle. Each statue infuses its owner with traits of the animal. Shan has carried the tiger for years, which has shaped her into a dedicated -- one could even say obsessed -- hunter. Her search for the other four statues brings her to Ian, archaeologist and cute-geek extraordinaire. But Shan isn't the only one searching for the statues....

Reese writes a fast-paced book. There's plenty of kung fu action, a strong heroine, and a nicely written romance between Shan and Ian. Other reviews have compared it to a hybrid of Indiana Jones and Bruce Lee. Personally, I see more of the Bruce Lee influence, complete with the big martial arts exhibition at the end. Reese even gives props to Lee's work at several points in the book, which was a nice touch.

One of the book's greatest strengths is the passion Reese brings. It's always risky to try to guess at authorial intention, but reading Jade Tiger, I feel like I'm sharing Reese's love for the martial arts, and her empathy for girls and women struggling to find their own strength. (Not to mention an attraction to cute geek boys.) They say authors should write what they're passionate about. The result, as in Jade Tiger, is that the reader is drawn into that same passion and investment in the story.

There were times when I thought Reese started to push a little too hard. All three of the major female characters have to deal with being hurt and betrayed by men, which felt like a little too much repetition of the same theme. In Ian's case, he sometimes came across as a bit too perfect and sensitive. I consider myself a pretty sensitive guy, but I put my foot in my mouth at least once a week with my wife. It would be nice to see Ian screw up a little more, too ... if only to make me feel better.

All in all, a fun read. I'm very much looking forward to Reese's future books, and I hope she brings the same energy and passion to those projects that she did with Jade Tiger. ( )