The Blood Phoenix

By: Amber Chen

Narrated by: Jen Zhao

The sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, a thrilling and epic silkpunk fantasy inspired by the legendary Qing dynasty. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim and Xiran Jay Zhao.

Two years after Ying leaves the Engineer’s Guild and the ghost of her father’s unjust death behind, life seems to regain a semblance of normalcy. But the winds of unrest continue to stir within the Nine Isles, and the aftermath of a horrific pirate attack by the mysterious Blood Phoenix fleet forces Ying back into the tense political world of the new High Commander, Ye-yang. And soon, Ying, Ye-yang and her former friends from the guild must work together to find a way to outsmart the cunning pirates who terrorize the straits—and the elusive mastermind who’s controlling them.

Meanwhile, Ying’s sister, Nian, now lives in the capital, awaiting the day she will finally marry the High Commander. While her relationship with Ye-yang remains distant, she finds company in her friendship with the fourteenth prince, Ye-kan, and discovers her unexpected affinity for governance and strategy. But the capital is more dangerous than she expects, and when a dark conspiracy arises, Nian and Ye-kan must unravel the mystery in time to prevent the High Command from collapsing from within.

New dangers arise at every moment, threatening to tear the Nine Isles apart. In order to sail through this storm, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices amidst terrible betrayals. With the world on the brink of destruction, will they find a way to defeat their enemies and survive? And will it be worth the cost?

Critic reviews

"A solid sisterly love [story] that endures separation, guilty secrets, devastating revelations, and conflicts of the heart."—Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Of Jade and Dragons:
“A richly detailed and wildly imaginative book with some of the coolest retro-future tech envisioned on-page and an engineer heroine with the smarts to wield it! The steampunk C-drama of my dreams.”—Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Iron Widow

"Drawing on inspiration from Qing dynasty China to craft complex worldbuilding, debut author Chen employs vivid and sensory language to cleverly set the stage for Ying’s quest for answers—and revenge—in this gripping silkpunk fantasy that thrills from start to finish."—Publishers Weekly

"[An] absorbing, deftly written story . . . A fascinating world with twists that will keep readers enthralled."—Kirkus Reviews

"An excellent starting point for new YA readers."—Booklist

“A twisting adventure filled with wild devices, rebellions against the natural order of things, and the battle between creation and destruction.”—Chris Kluwe, Lightspeed Magazine

Feeling for more

Book 2 takes place 2 years after the end of Of Jade and Dragons. The mood is darker and more series now that pirates are in the picture but I wish the ending gave us more. I'm hoping there's more to this series, maybe a spin off? Still loved it.