Julie C. Dao
Julie C. Dao has published 8 books across 5 series. The recommended reading order starts with Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (2017).
Julie C. Dao is a Vietnamese-American fantasy writer who reimagines classic tales through a lens that centers underrepresented voices and morally complex heroines. Born in upstate New York to Vietnamese parents, she once studied medicine before discovering she couldn't handle the sight of blood or needles. That pivot changed everything. She spent years working in science news and research by day while crafting stories about heroines fighting for their dreams by night, a duality that shaped the voice she would bring to her novels.
Her Rise of the Empress series launched with Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, followed by Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix. Both books blend lush world-building with characters who defy traditional narratives, earning starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Amazon MGM Studios is now adapting the series into a major television series.
Dao has published with Disney, Macmillan, and Penguin Random House, building a body of work that resonates with readers seeking heroines who challenge expectations and worlds that feel both magical and grounded. She lives in New England.
Shelf & Shadows
Order of Anthologies
- Tagsshort-storiesyoung-adultDescriptionThe ocean has always been a place of secrets, and in these waters, mermaids move through currents both ancient and immediate, their voices rising from depths that refuse to be charted by any single mythology. This anthology gathers tales that reimagine the mermaid beyond the familiar silhouette of longing and transformation, offering instead a chorus of voices that are defiant, complex, and utterly their own. Each story submerges the reader in a different vision of what it means to inhabit the boundary between worlds—some mermaids are warriors, others are survivors, and still others are creatures who refuse the very terms by which they've been named. The collection moves fluidly between genres and tones, from dark fantasy to contemporary retellings, each narrative steeped in the particular atmosphere of its chosen sea. The writers here understand that water holds memory, and that every mermaid story is also a story about power, voice, and the price of being seen. What emerges is not a single portrait but a kaleidoscope, each tale refracting light differently through salt and shadow. These are mermaids who drown and mermaids who save, mermaids who sing and mermaids who choose silence, all of them insisting on their right to be more than myth. The anthology invites readers to dive deep and discover what has always been waiting beneath the surface.Publication dateSeptember 26, 2023Amazon rating4/5Print length314LanguageEnglishPublisherFeiwel & Friends
Order of Rise of the Empress Books
- Tagsyoung-adultfantasyromancechildrenDescriptionEighteen years old, and Xifeng already knows what the stars have promised her: she will be Empress of Feng Lu. She's grown up in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, a peasant girl with a cruel witch for an aunt, but Guma has read the cards and seen it—a future of silk and power and a throne that could be hers. The only question is whether Xifeng is willing to pay the price. Because greatness doesn't come cheap in this world. To claim her destiny, Xifeng must turn her back on the young man who loves her and lean into the darkest parts of herself—a magic that demands she consume the hearts of the freshly dead. It's sorcery that runs cold through her veins, brutal and unforgiving, and the god who set her on this path won't stop until his power is absolute. Every step toward the throne is a step away from the girl she was. This is a retelling steeped in shadow, an origin story for a villain who believes she's the hero of her own tale. Dao gives us a protagonist who is beautiful, ambitious, and willing to do terrible things for a destiny she's been told is hers by right. It's lush, it's dark, and it asks hard questions about fate, choice, and what we're willing to sacrifice when we want something badly enough.Publication dateOctober 10, 2017Amazon rating4.3/5Print length384LanguageEnglishPublisherPhilomel Books
- Tagsepic-fantasyyoung-adultfantasyromancesuspensechildrenDescriptionThis is a fantasy that understands the power of old stories—not as decoration, but as survival tools. Princess Jade's stepmother, Empress Xifeng, has seized control, and the only way to stop her is through a quest that reads like a fever dream: a map that shifts and changes, folktales that hide coordinates to ancient power, and the Dragon Lords themselves waiting to be summoned. It's a high-stakes journey where folklore becomes weaponized hope, and Jade must trust in legends when everything else has failed her. What sets this apart is how it weaves the familiar bones of fairy tale quests—wicked stepmothers, enchanted maps, mythical beings—into something that feels urgent and alive. Dao doesn't just borrow from folktale tradition; she makes it the architecture of resistance. Jade isn't passively waiting for rescue. She's reading the clues, following the breadcrumbs left in stories her people have told for generations, and turning myth into strategy. The result is a fantasy that honors its roots while pushing forward, where bringing peace to Feng Lu means first believing that the old magic still answers when called.Publication dateSeptember 17, 2019Amazon rating4.2/5Print length384LanguageEnglishPublisherPenguin Books
Order of Standalone Novels
- Tagsyoung-adultfantasyromanceDescriptionIn a world where magic and duty intertwine, the weight of destiny presses down with the force of an empire's expectations. Julie C. Dao crafts a standalone fantasy that draws from East Asian folklore, weaving a tale where a young woman must navigate the treacherous currents between personal desire and the obligations that bind her to throne and tradition. The crimson flower of the title blooms as both symbol and warning, its petals unfurling across a narrative steeped in courtly intrigue, forbidden romance, and the kind of magic that demands sacrifice rather than granting wishes. What distinguishes this novel is Dao's commitment to exploring the interior landscape of a protagonist caught between worlds—the glittering, suffocating palace and the wild, dangerous freedom beyond its walls. The prose moves with deliberate grace, allowing readers to inhabit the tension of a life lived under constant scrutiny, where every choice reverberates with political consequence. This is fantasy that understands the particular burden of being both powerful and powerless, of wielding magic while being subject to forces far greater than oneself. Dao constructs a richly textured world that feels both mythic and intimate, where the personal and political are inseparable, and where the path to self-determination winds through gardens of beauty and thorns alike.Publication dateNovember 5, 2019Amazon rating4.4/5Print length288LanguageEnglishPublisherPhilomel Books
Order of Team Chu Books
- Tagsmiddle-gradefantasyepic-fantasyDescriptionSadie Chu is stepping into Blackwood Arena with her ragtag team, and the stakes couldn't be higher. In a world where competitive gaming isn't just a hobby but a proving ground, she's determined to show that her crew has what it takes—even if they're the underdogs everyone's betting against. The arena is unforgiving, the competition fierce, and every match could be their last chance to prove they belong. What sets this apart is how it captures the electric tension of esports culture while grounding it in the very real dynamics of friendship, loyalty, and self-doubt. Sadie isn't just fighting opponents on screen—she's navigating the pressure of leadership, the weight of her team's trust, and her own fear of failure. The battles are strategic and pulse-pounding, but the heart of the story lives in the spaces between matches, where these kids figure out what they're really made of. Julie C. Dao delivers a story that understands what it means to be part of a team, to carry each other through losses and celebrate hard-won victories. It's about finding your people and fighting for something bigger than yourself. Whether you're a gamer or not, you'll feel the rush of the arena and the warmth of a team that refuses to give up on each other.Publication dateApril 4, 2023Amazon rating4.8/5Print length320LanguageEnglishPublisherSquare Fish
- Tagsmiddle-gradefantasyepic-fantasyDescriptionSadie Chu is not having the summer she planned. Instead of lazy days and freedom, she's stuck at her grandmother's house with her three older brothers, navigating the chaos of sibling rivalry and the weight of being the youngest—and only girl—in a family that doesn't always see her. But when they stumble into a real-life quest straight out of the fantasy games they love, everything changes. Suddenly, the four Chu siblings are racing against time, solving puzzles, and facing challenges that demand more than just cleverness—they require the kind of teamwork that doesn't come easy when you're used to bickering. What makes this story sing is how it balances heart and adventure. Sadie's voice is sharp and funny, full of the frustration and longing of a kid who wants to prove herself but also just wants to be heard. The quest itself is inventive and fast-paced, but it's the family dynamics—the messy, complicated love between siblings who drive each other crazy—that give the story its soul. Julie C. Dao weaves Vietnamese culture and folklore into the fabric of the adventure, grounding the fantastical in something deeply personal. This is a book about finding your place, not just in your family, but in your own story.Publication dateMay 2, 2023Amazon rating4.8/5Print length416LanguageEnglishPublisherFarrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
- TagsfantasymysteryhorrorDescriptionClip Chu is running. Not from danger, exactly. From boredom. From the ordinary. His family has secrets—the kind that involve ghosts and magic and a legacy he's only beginning to understand. The Chu family isn't like other families. They hunt spirits. They protect the living from the restless dead. When a wild ghost begins terrorizing their town, Clip and his siblings must step up. The stakes are higher than they've ever been. The ghost is unpredictable. Dangerous. And it's not going away on its own. What follows is a chase through shadow and folklore, where family bonds are tested and courage comes in unexpected forms. Julie C. Dao crafts a world where Vietnamese mythology pulses beneath suburban streets, where middle-grade adventure meets genuine menace. The Chu siblings bicker and stumble and rise to the occasion. The prose moves quickly. The atmosphere crackles. This is a story about heritage and responsibility, about what it means to carry your ancestors' gifts into a world that doesn't believe in them. It's spooky without being grim, heartfelt without being saccharine. A ghost story with teeth.Publication dateSeptember 10, 2024Amazon rating4.6/5Print length320LanguageEnglishPublisherFarrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Order of The Mirror Books
- Tagsyoung-adultfantasychildrenhistorical-fictionDescriptionThis is a fairy tale retelling that understands the power of longing—the kind that shapes a life before you even realize it. Julie C. Dao weaves a story steeped in magic and consequence, where wishes carry weight and beauty can be both blessing and curse. The atmosphere here is lush and shadowed, a world where enchantment feels dangerous rather than whimsical. At its heart is a young woman caught between the life she's known and the destiny that's been waiting for her, threads of an old curse pulling tighter with each choice she makes. Dao draws on classic fairy tale bones—you'll feel echoes of stories you grew up with—but she fills them with her own mythology, her own sense of what it costs to want something desperately. The stakes are intimate and vast at once: family, identity, the question of whether we can ever truly escape what's been written for us. It's the kind of book that reminds you why fairy tales endure, why we keep returning to forests and mirrors and wishes made in desperation. The prose has that fairy tale cadence, deliberate and almost hypnotic, and the world feels both familiar and strange. If you love retellings that honor their roots while carving new paths, this one will pull you in.Publication dateOctober 6, 2020Amazon rating4.6/5Print length320LanguageEnglishPublisherDisney Hyperion
Frequently Asked Questions about Julie C. Dao
Julie C. Dao's books are organized into several distinct series and standalone novels. For series, the Rise of the Empress books should be read in publication order: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, followed by Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix. The Team Chu books also follow publication order: Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena, Team Chu and the Epic Hero Quest, and Team Chu and the Wild Ghost Chase. Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For is a collection of stories. Broken Wish is a standalone novel, as is Song of the Crimson Flower. There is no required reading order across these different series and standalone works, as they exist independently of each other.
A good starting point for Julie C. Dao's books is Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, the first book in the Rise of the Empress series. This novel introduces readers to the world and characters that form the foundation of her fantasy works. Alternatively, readers might begin with a standalone novel like Broken Wish or Song of the Crimson Flower to get a sense of her writing style without committing to a series. The Team Chu series offers a different style, suitable for those who enjoy contemporary fantasy adventures. Each series and standalone is designed to be accessible on its own.
While some of Julie C. Dao's books are part of series and are best enjoyed in the order they were published, others are standalone novels. The Rise of the Empress series includes Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix, which should be read in that order. Similarly, the Team Chu series has a specific sequence: Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena, Team Chu and the Epic Hero Quest, and Team Chu and the Wild Ghost Chase. However, standalone novels like Broken Wish and Song of the Crimson Flower do not require prior reading. The collection Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For can also be read independently.
Julie C. Dao writes both standalone novels and books that are part of series. Her standalone novels include Song of the Crimson Flower, published in 2019, and Broken Wish, published in 2020. She has also written two distinct series. The Rise of the Empress series consists of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (2017) and Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix (2019). The Team Chu series includes Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena (2023), Team Chu and the Epic Hero Quest (2023), and Team Chu and the Wild Ghost Chase (2024). Additionally, Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For is a collection of stories.
Julie C. Dao has written a total of eight books across her various series and standalone works, plus one anthology. Her Rise of the Empress series contains two books. The Team Chu series comprises three books. She has also written two standalone novels. The collection Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For adds another title to her bibliography. This brings the total number of published works to eight distinct books and one anthology, covering a range of fantasy subgenres and age groups.
The first book Julie C. Dao wrote was Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, published in 2017. This novel marked the beginning of her Rise of the Empress series and established her presence in the young adult fantasy genre. It introduces readers to a richly imagined world inspired by Chinese mythology and folklore, setting the stage for subsequent books in the series and her later works. The book explores themes of power, destiny, and identity through its protagonist's journey.
Julie C. Dao's most recent book is Team Chu and the Wild Ghost Chase, published in 2024. This title is part of the Team Chu series, which offers a contemporary fantasy adventure. The book follows the characters through new challenges and magical encounters. It is the third installment in the series, continuing the narrative established in the previous Team Chu books. This release signifies her ongoing engagement with creating engaging stories for young readers.
Julie C. Dao writes young adult fantasy novels. Her work often draws inspiration from Chinese mythology and folklore, creating immersive worlds with compelling characters. The Rise of the Empress series, for example, delves into themes of power and destiny within a magical kingdom. The Team Chu series offers a more contemporary take on fantasy, blending magic with everyday settings. Her standalone novels and story collections explore various facets of fantasy, from fairy tales to adventure.
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We verified the reading order for Julie C. Dao's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.
Last verified: April 2026
Shelf & Shadows. (…). “Julie C. Dao Books in Order.” Retrieved …, from https://www.shelfandshadows.com/authors/julie-c-dao