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Fall of the Dragon #2
The Blood Phoenix
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 terrorise 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?
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 terrorise 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?
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2025
68 people are currently reading
8000 people want to read
About the author
Amber Chen
3 books473 followersAmber Chen is the UK #1 bestselling author of the YA silkpunk fantasy novel, Of Jade and Dragons.
She is currently based in sweltering Singapore and spends much of her free time living within Chinese fantasy novels and dramas. She also drinks one too many cups of bubble tea. One of her webnovels, The Cutting Edge, has been adapted for television.
This GR account is managed by a friend. If you would like to interact with Amber directly, head over to IG or Tiktok @amberwrites88 !
She is currently based in sweltering Singapore and spends much of her free time living within Chinese fantasy novels and dramas. She also drinks one too many cups of bubble tea. One of her webnovels, The Cutting Edge, has been adapted for television.
This GR account is managed by a friend. If you would like to interact with Amber directly, head over to IG or Tiktok @amberwrites88 !
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
June 26, 2025
Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers, for sending me this ARC. 🐉🗡️⚙️🌊
I have the most beautiful special editions for the first book in the series, Of Jade and Dragons, so I'm hoping the second book will follow suit! 🤞It's giving "Mulan," and I'm pretty excited about that!
What to expect:
🐉 Duology
🐉 Murder mystery
🐉 Steampunk x Mulan
🐉 Tension/suspense
🐉 Engineer x Prince
This story managed to strike a compelling balance among various elements that contribute to a captivating narrative, such as well-developed characters, an engaging plot, and vivid imagery. BUT with that being said... that ending was not really for me. Maybe it means more will come but the lacking of closure isn't my favorite.
Expected publication: June 17, 2025
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
I have the most beautiful special editions for the first book in the series, Of Jade and Dragons, so I'm hoping the second book will follow suit! 🤞It's giving "Mulan," and I'm pretty excited about that!
What to expect:
🐉 Duology
🐉 Murder mystery
🐉 Steampunk x Mulan
🐉 Tension/suspense
🐉 Engineer x Prince
This story managed to strike a compelling balance among various elements that contribute to a captivating narrative, such as well-developed characters, an engaging plot, and vivid imagery. BUT with that being said... that ending was not really for me. Maybe it means more will come but the lacking of closure isn't my favorite.
Expected publication: June 17, 2025
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
July 26, 2025
I’m so sad to say that I was disappointed by this story. I enjoyed the first book so much that I had high hopes for this one. This is a duology but the story ended feeling unfinished or like there might be another book. I understand the need to include Nian’s POV in this story but I didn’t particularly care much for it. I was hoping for more romance especially at the end but it seems like it wasn’t important or the focal point. I also felt like 2 years is too much of a time jump for it to make sense in this story. The story throughout the book was interesting enough for me to continue reading but it was very different from what I expected. I am debating to continue reading if another book does come out.
Thank you to Amber Chen, Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
Thank you to Amber Chen, Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
August 7, 2025
3.5 stars
Thank you Penguin Young Readers/Viking Books, Amber Chen and Netgaley for providing me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Having adored the first installment of this YA Fantasy duology, I just knew I needed to quickly get to the second one to figure out how the very messy, unresolved things left at the end of book 1 ended up tying themselves back together.
I was surprised with the time jump at the beginning and confess it took some time until my memory was fully jumbled as a result. There were certain things I had most definitely forgot from book 1, which led to a slow start on my end. In hindsight, whilst I understand the decision to set things in the future, I also believe that had the narrative continued directly from the end of book 1, it would have been easier to get back into the story.
We are introduced to a new POV, Nian's, which was the strongest for me in this book. I loved how she formed a strong relationship with Ye-kang despite being engaged to Ye-lang. Their dynamic certainly kept things interesting since Ying was not in the same picture for quite some time.
Ying's reconnection with the characters from book 1 was very action-packed, and it kind of set the pace for her pov since there is so much going on in her side of the story. I feel like the romance between Ying and Ye-lang took the backseat as a result, but I'm not mad about it. I think in this book, Ying's relationship with her passion for engineering changed as she grappled with the consequences of technological advances. I feel like this is certainly a theme that was well explored and for a young adult audience, it will not be hard to grasp that progress can be used as means for good or evil, depending on people's intentions. I think this is an important message especially as we enter the age of AI.
The world building got expanded in this installment too, and I so appreciated the new characters we were introduced to. The pirates and their internal organization reminded me of The Pirates of the Caribbean, so those chapters were really fun and somewhat nostalgic. However, I feel like there were a lot more opportunities to introduce new parts of this world that were sort of neglected in my opinion.
Just like in the first installment, there were multiple plot twists, mystery and betrayals along the way. I was definitely shocked by some of the reveals but I feel like they were a lot more impactful in book 1 due to Ying's lack of knowledge around court politics, which contributed to the reader's unawareness of a lot of dynamics. In book 2, readers are equipped well enough to be able to guess a few things here and there when it comes to conspiracies, which I didn't mind.
The romance between Ying and Ye-lang was the let-down for me. Ugh, as much as I tried to get back to rooting for them, I just couldn't. Ye-lang gets better but his actions in book 1 made it too hard for me to trust him as a character (and Ying felt the same way which doesn't help), but I liked his redemption. The ending definitely left things open to opportunity, making me wonder whether Amber Chen has intentions of creating another series/duology/standalone set in this world but following a different set of characters.
Thank you Penguin Young Readers/Viking Books, Amber Chen and Netgaley for providing me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Having adored the first installment of this YA Fantasy duology, I just knew I needed to quickly get to the second one to figure out how the very messy, unresolved things left at the end of book 1 ended up tying themselves back together.
I was surprised with the time jump at the beginning and confess it took some time until my memory was fully jumbled as a result. There were certain things I had most definitely forgot from book 1, which led to a slow start on my end. In hindsight, whilst I understand the decision to set things in the future, I also believe that had the narrative continued directly from the end of book 1, it would have been easier to get back into the story.
We are introduced to a new POV, Nian's, which was the strongest for me in this book. I loved how she formed a strong relationship with Ye-kang despite being engaged to Ye-lang. Their dynamic certainly kept things interesting since Ying was not in the same picture for quite some time.
Ying's reconnection with the characters from book 1 was very action-packed, and it kind of set the pace for her pov since there is so much going on in her side of the story. I feel like the romance between Ying and Ye-lang took the backseat as a result, but I'm not mad about it. I think in this book, Ying's relationship with her passion for engineering changed as she grappled with the consequences of technological advances. I feel like this is certainly a theme that was well explored and for a young adult audience, it will not be hard to grasp that progress can be used as means for good or evil, depending on people's intentions. I think this is an important message especially as we enter the age of AI.
The world building got expanded in this installment too, and I so appreciated the new characters we were introduced to. The pirates and their internal organization reminded me of The Pirates of the Caribbean, so those chapters were really fun and somewhat nostalgic. However, I feel like there were a lot more opportunities to introduce new parts of this world that were sort of neglected in my opinion.
Just like in the first installment, there were multiple plot twists, mystery and betrayals along the way. I was definitely shocked by some of the reveals but I feel like they were a lot more impactful in book 1 due to Ying's lack of knowledge around court politics, which contributed to the reader's unawareness of a lot of dynamics. In book 2, readers are equipped well enough to be able to guess a few things here and there when it comes to conspiracies, which I didn't mind.
The romance between Ying and Ye-lang was the let-down for me. Ugh, as much as I tried to get back to rooting for them, I just couldn't. Ye-lang gets better but his actions in book 1 made it too hard for me to trust him as a character (and Ying felt the same way which doesn't help), but I liked his redemption. The ending definitely left things open to opportunity, making me wonder whether Amber Chen has intentions of creating another series/duology/standalone set in this world but following a different set of characters.
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September 20, 2024i need my bb's happy ending :((
April 12, 2025
The Blood Phoenix is book 2 in a duology after Of Jade and Dragons. The problem is, these books don’t feel like a duology. In book 1, we were introduced to the nine isles of Antaran, led by a high commander, with an engineering guild training the brightest minds to eventually stand up against the Empire. And then this book is a pirate adventure that has nothing to do with the Empire with a completely different adversary?
The meandering plot felt disjointed. More set up and clear direction would have probably made me feel more invested in the storyline. The side characters were also never fleshed out in book 1 or 2, so when big reveals happened, I didn’t feel the emotional connection that I should have.
Ying and Ye-Yang’s relationship is confusing. Are we supposed to be rooting for them as a couple? We are constantly told and shown how Ye-yang doesn’t respect Ying’s independence and how he repeatedly makes decisions or withholds information to manipulate, or at times forcefully change Ying’s actions. Ying keeps on saying that she is done with him and then they’re kissing a few chapters later. This doesn’t seem like a healthy relationship and is just unsatisfying all around with no redeeming aspects.
The best part of this book is probably Nian and Ye-kun. Their relationship development was cute.
Overall, the progression of both the main plot and romantic subplot was lacking and I wasn’t invested in any of it. The ending did not feel like a closure to a duology but left things open for further stories.
2.0⭐️
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own*
The meandering plot felt disjointed. More set up and clear direction would have probably made me feel more invested in the storyline. The side characters were also never fleshed out in book 1 or 2, so when big reveals happened, I didn’t feel the emotional connection that I should have.
Ying and Ye-Yang’s relationship is confusing. Are we supposed to be rooting for them as a couple? We are constantly told and shown how Ye-yang doesn’t respect Ying’s independence and how he repeatedly makes decisions or withholds information to manipulate, or at times forcefully change Ying’s actions. Ying keeps on saying that she is done with him and then they’re kissing a few chapters later. This doesn’t seem like a healthy relationship and is just unsatisfying all around with no redeeming aspects.
The best part of this book is probably Nian and Ye-kun. Their relationship development was cute.
Overall, the progression of both the main plot and romantic subplot was lacking and I wasn’t invested in any of it. The ending did not feel like a closure to a duology but left things open for further stories.
2.0⭐️
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own*
April 3, 2025
**Firstly, thank you Penguin Teen, Viking, NetGalley, & Ms. Amber Chen for providing me with a free ARC copy; here is my honest review.**
Unfortunately, I’m going to have this book six stars out of five, again.
Of Jade & Dragons was my first 6 star book since the Cruel Prince, which I read back in 2019. A Mulan, high-stakes, silk punk fantasy? Yes yes yes. I gobbled that novel up.
I’m harrowed to say that The Blood Phoenix lived up to everything I remembered and more. While the first novel follows Ying on her Mulan-like adventure into the competitive Engineering Guild, to solve her father’s murder, this one explores her close personal relationships with family, friends, and the broody Prince Ye-Yang, of course. The quiet tension of intimacy and secrets was starkly contrast to the plot—a high stakes, political-driven warfare between the Nine Isles and a league of Pirates threatening desolation.
I knew from chapter 2 this book was going to have me in chokehold. Ms. Chen’s mastery of imagery and world building is on par with the greats—very comparable to Ms. Leigh Bardugo in my opinion. If you are a fantasy fanatic, this duet is for you. I would quote certain passages for example, but I read an ARC and don’t want to spoil the sheer richness of her descriptions.
Regarding the plot: I’ll be the first to admit I was weary, because my love for the first book may have been influenced from my Mulan-obssession. I am happy to report that even without that trope/backbone, this book was equally, if not more, enjoyable to me. The pacing and feel was very similar to a Ranger’s Apprentice book, where we get to see Ying in an “adventure” arc, rather than the “school” arc we saw her in before.
I found myself disinterested by a particular character of the storyline, and had a few grievances with the ending.
But what truly, and utterly broke me was reading the acknowledgments to find out this is only a duology. I do hope Ms. Chen reconsiders a third book, as I fear it will be a long, long time before I feel this invested in a fantasy book again. Ye-Yang and Ying will have my heart for a while.
6/5⭐️ plot
6/5⭐️ prose
6/5⭐️ world building
6/5⭐️ engineering inventions
6/5⭐️ Ye-Kan
thanks,
maeve.
Unfortunately, I’m going to have this book six stars out of five, again.
Of Jade & Dragons was my first 6 star book since the Cruel Prince, which I read back in 2019. A Mulan, high-stakes, silk punk fantasy? Yes yes yes. I gobbled that novel up.
I’m harrowed to say that The Blood Phoenix lived up to everything I remembered and more. While the first novel follows Ying on her Mulan-like adventure into the competitive Engineering Guild, to solve her father’s murder, this one explores her close personal relationships with family, friends, and the broody Prince Ye-Yang, of course. The quiet tension of intimacy and secrets was starkly contrast to the plot—a high stakes, political-driven warfare between the Nine Isles and a league of Pirates threatening desolation.
I knew from chapter 2 this book was going to have me in chokehold. Ms. Chen’s mastery of imagery and world building is on par with the greats—very comparable to Ms. Leigh Bardugo in my opinion. If you are a fantasy fanatic, this duet is for you. I would quote certain passages for example, but I read an ARC and don’t want to spoil the sheer richness of her descriptions.
Regarding the plot: I’ll be the first to admit I was weary, because my love for the first book may have been influenced from my Mulan-obssession. I am happy to report that even without that trope/backbone, this book was equally, if not more, enjoyable to me. The pacing and feel was very similar to a Ranger’s Apprentice book, where we get to see Ying in an “adventure” arc, rather than the “school” arc we saw her in before.
I found myself disinterested by a particular character of the storyline, and had a few grievances with the ending.
But what truly, and utterly broke me was reading the acknowledgments to find out this is only a duology. I do hope Ms. Chen reconsiders a third book, as I fear it will be a long, long time before I feel this invested in a fantasy book again. Ye-Yang and Ying will have my heart for a while.
6/5⭐️ plot
6/5⭐️ prose
6/5⭐️ world building
6/5⭐️ engineering inventions
6/5⭐️ Ye-Kan
thanks,
maeve.
July 31, 2025
⋆.˚✮ 3 stars ✮˚.⋆
⤿ Thank you to Viking Books and Penguin Teen for a finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
i remember the first book being such a unique take on the magical school and fantasy realms advancing into technology tropes, and i can confidently say that this book continues to do that. i definitely think i would have connected more with the story if i reread the first book, even though this book does a fairly good job of inserting information to remind the reader of what happened in the first one. but i did feel a disconnect, and considering i felt a similar way about the first book i didn't really want to reread it just before this book. however, the story was still interesting!
this book picks up a bit after the first book left off, and the reader is rewarded another point of view with Ying's sister Nian early on in this book. i thought this was a really good addition, as it allowed for the story to evolve into a few different places without losing focus on the engineering school and city around it, which was at the heart of the first book. there was an expansion of the world, but unfortunately i felt there should have been more worldbuilding to go along with it, instead of just the added travel.
while it was nice to be back with Ying as I think that she's a really interesting character to be at the front of this book, i felt overall detached again. it really felt like some characters were being abandoned or left behind, as they were barely mentioned in this book. there were new additions to the secondary cast though, and they were cool, but i felt that they were very surface level. i would've loved to see this story go deeper with their stories rather than just telling us about them. there were also SO many names thrown around, that it was hard to follow who was being talked about at times- which again could've been a me thing as i didnt reread the first book.
overall, this book was pretty much right down the middle for me. i really enjoyed the author's unique use of technology in a historical fantasy world, that made it really steampunk-y. that's definitely the reason why i'll continue keeping an eye out for the author's books, but i think there could've just been things done better in this duology.
↬ trigger warnings: war themes, death of family members recounted, death and murder, abuse mentioned, drowning
⤿ Thank you to Viking Books and Penguin Teen for a finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
i remember the first book being such a unique take on the magical school and fantasy realms advancing into technology tropes, and i can confidently say that this book continues to do that. i definitely think i would have connected more with the story if i reread the first book, even though this book does a fairly good job of inserting information to remind the reader of what happened in the first one. but i did feel a disconnect, and considering i felt a similar way about the first book i didn't really want to reread it just before this book. however, the story was still interesting!
this book picks up a bit after the first book left off, and the reader is rewarded another point of view with Ying's sister Nian early on in this book. i thought this was a really good addition, as it allowed for the story to evolve into a few different places without losing focus on the engineering school and city around it, which was at the heart of the first book. there was an expansion of the world, but unfortunately i felt there should have been more worldbuilding to go along with it, instead of just the added travel.
while it was nice to be back with Ying as I think that she's a really interesting character to be at the front of this book, i felt overall detached again. it really felt like some characters were being abandoned or left behind, as they were barely mentioned in this book. there were new additions to the secondary cast though, and they were cool, but i felt that they were very surface level. i would've loved to see this story go deeper with their stories rather than just telling us about them. there were also SO many names thrown around, that it was hard to follow who was being talked about at times- which again could've been a me thing as i didnt reread the first book.
overall, this book was pretty much right down the middle for me. i really enjoyed the author's unique use of technology in a historical fantasy world, that made it really steampunk-y. that's definitely the reason why i'll continue keeping an eye out for the author's books, but i think there could've just been things done better in this duology.
↬ trigger warnings: war themes, death of family members recounted, death and murder, abuse mentioned, drowning
June 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and PRH for giving me an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!
1.5 Stars, rounded up to 2.
You ever read a sequel that makes you wish you hadn’t read the first book? Yeah. This was insanely disappointing, given how much I had enjoyed the first book in this series. There was way too much going on, and it barely tied into the first book at all— it’s like the first book was being used as backstory to fuel the plot of this book. In addition, because there was so much going on, it didn’t feel like there were any stakes. One character would go, “Okay, we have to do this thing!” And then ‘Three Weeks Pass,’ “Okay we did the thing!” And that happened multiple times. There was so much time skipping it got disorienting, and, again, ruined any hope of there being meaningful, time-sensitive, stakes. And, once again, the ending! I had gripes about the first book’s ambiguous, cop-out ending— but I gave it some grace because it was only the first in the series. This ending was somehow even worse and MORE ambiguous, and it was supposed to be the end of the series. Part of me honestly wants to go back and edit my review for the first one, just warning people that this series isn’t worth it— don’t waste your time.
1.5 Stars, rounded up to 2.
You ever read a sequel that makes you wish you hadn’t read the first book? Yeah. This was insanely disappointing, given how much I had enjoyed the first book in this series. There was way too much going on, and it barely tied into the first book at all— it’s like the first book was being used as backstory to fuel the plot of this book. In addition, because there was so much going on, it didn’t feel like there were any stakes. One character would go, “Okay, we have to do this thing!” And then ‘Three Weeks Pass,’ “Okay we did the thing!” And that happened multiple times. There was so much time skipping it got disorienting, and, again, ruined any hope of there being meaningful, time-sensitive, stakes. And, once again, the ending! I had gripes about the first book’s ambiguous, cop-out ending— but I gave it some grace because it was only the first in the series. This ending was somehow even worse and MORE ambiguous, and it was supposed to be the end of the series. Part of me honestly wants to go back and edit my review for the first one, just warning people that this series isn’t worth it— don’t waste your time.
April 28, 2025
"The Blood Phoenix" is the final book in the "Fall of the Dragon" duology. Unfortunately it was a miss for me.
We pick up with a time hop, 2 years after the events of book 1. Ying is engaged to the son of a clansman, but plans on running away. When a series of events bring her back to Fei, she must navigate her relationship with Ye-Yang, who is still engaged to her sister Nian, and reinstate herself in the guild where her skills are desperately needed in order to create weapons to fight pirates. I felt the story kind of veered off from what was going on in book 1(that they needed to defeat the Qirin empire) and instead changed the antagonists to a bunch of pirates...but then never really went back to the fact that they still need to defeat the empire.
In this story we also get to see Nian's perspective, which was very different from Ying's but enjoyable. I liked this installment enough up until the 80% mark, but overall the ending felt rushed, inconclusive, and underwhelming. I feel like there were a lot of twists and turns with backstabbing characters, but overall the plot points of this novel were painfully obvious. The author also very clearly states this is a duology in the author's note, but I felt like it was left open with a VERY ambiguous ending, and the ability to add an entire 3rd book. There were just too many loose ends for me to overlook. Overall, this was a miss for me, however the writing is engaging and the pacing is quite quick, so it was just the plot and ending that let me down.
I think this duology is great for YA fantasy readers and is perfect for the teen audience.
3/5 stars
Thank you so much to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
We pick up with a time hop, 2 years after the events of book 1. Ying is engaged to the son of a clansman, but plans on running away. When a series of events bring her back to Fei, she must navigate her relationship with Ye-Yang, who is still engaged to her sister Nian, and reinstate herself in the guild where her skills are desperately needed in order to create weapons to fight pirates. I felt the story kind of veered off from what was going on in book 1(that they needed to defeat the Qirin empire) and instead changed the antagonists to a bunch of pirates...but then never really went back to the fact that they still need to defeat the empire.
In this story we also get to see Nian's perspective, which was very different from Ying's but enjoyable. I liked this installment enough up until the 80% mark, but overall the ending felt rushed, inconclusive, and underwhelming. I feel like there were a lot of twists and turns with backstabbing characters, but overall the plot points of this novel were painfully obvious. The author also very clearly states this is a duology in the author's note, but I felt like it was left open with a VERY ambiguous ending, and the ability to add an entire 3rd book. There were just too many loose ends for me to overlook. Overall, this was a miss for me, however the writing is engaging and the pacing is quite quick, so it was just the plot and ending that let me down.
I think this duology is great for YA fantasy readers and is perfect for the teen audience.
3/5 stars
Thank you so much to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2025
The last 30% did a lot of heavy lifting for the entire novel. (And that's me being generous, sadly.) It was action-filled with the perfect amount of battle scenes and slower, more contemplative scenes.
But other than that? Meh.
Like other reviewers have mentioned, this didn't feel like the second part of a solid duology installment. The vibes were totally different. With the time jump, this felt more like a book 3 or book 4 than a sequel. Like we missed something in between the first and second books. It was odd.
Most of the plot in this book felt like watching a few filler episodes of a TV show you like just so you can finally get to the juicy storyline.
I was bored most of the time tbh. The pirate kidnapping/prisoner plotline with Ying and co. wasn't my favorite. (I couldn't even make out who was who when it came to Ying's guildmates.) The female pirates were cool but sadly, they didn't get enough airtime imo. Ying's romance with Ye-Yang was weirdly toxic (on his end) and I wanted to be done with him so badly.
I actually ended up liking Nian's POV with all the political scheming. I wouldn't mind another book with her POV. And I'm saying all of this as someone who prefers action and adventure over fantasy politics.
Maybe this should've just been a standalone with an open-ended ending left up for the readers to fill in the blanks. Idk.
Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.
But other than that? Meh.
Like other reviewers have mentioned, this didn't feel like the second part of a solid duology installment. The vibes were totally different. With the time jump, this felt more like a book 3 or book 4 than a sequel. Like we missed something in between the first and second books. It was odd.
Most of the plot in this book felt like watching a few filler episodes of a TV show you like just so you can finally get to the juicy storyline.
I was bored most of the time tbh. The pirate kidnapping/prisoner plotline with Ying and co. wasn't my favorite. (I couldn't even make out who was who when it came to Ying's guildmates.) The female pirates were cool but sadly, they didn't get enough airtime imo. Ying's romance with Ye-Yang was weirdly toxic (on his end) and I wanted to be done with him so badly.
I actually ended up liking Nian's POV with all the political scheming. I wouldn't mind another book with her POV. And I'm saying all of this as someone who prefers action and adventure over fantasy politics.
Maybe this should've just been a standalone with an open-ended ending left up for the readers to fill in the blanks. Idk.
Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.
June 25, 2025
3.5/5 stars
errr... i definitely expected more from this. the first and last third of the book was fun to read but the middle drags soooo much and i don't really appreciate how indecisive and inconsistent ying and yeyang's dynamic is and i mean they swing up and down soooo much that i start losing any excitement for them. nian is the best thing to come out of this book and i'm so glad she's added as the main character here
errr... i definitely expected more from this. the first and last third of the book was fun to read but the middle drags soooo much and i don't really appreciate how indecisive and inconsistent ying and yeyang's dynamic is and i mean they swing up and down soooo much that i start losing any excitement for them. nian is the best thing to come out of this book and i'm so glad she's added as the main character here
July 2, 2025
3.25 stars. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for a honest review
this is a solid ending to the duology, but unfortunately i did not enjoy this one as much as the first book. of jade and dragons really was something quite special, and the blood phoenix did give it a rocky send off. however, like book 1, i enjoyed the steampunk setting and the unique importance engineering plays in the story and to the main characters.
there was a lot of pirate time in this book(i can barely tell you the difference between any of them), and considering what else was going on in the world, i personally was constantly thinking,,,,what are we even doing here? the page time could’ve been dedicated to pivotal character scenes. the introduction of a nian perspective, while necessary, quickly became the less interesting chapters to read. although, it was the only time we got to see ye-kan (my favourite character). his relationship with ying, which was my favourite part of book 1, was something i mourned in this one because of how everyone was separated.
the characters in this series are forced into many extenuating circumstances and must make morally questionable decisions. as a whole this was well done for a debut, but i wish we could’ve went deeper with the character work. the most developed and interesting was ye-yang. i will applaud amber chen for willing to make a character in his position do the difficult things he realistically had to do, even if it had to hurt our other characters in the process. if we had more time to explore the inner turmoil of all of our characters, this would have made the book stronger.
reading the last 10% with so much to wrap up left me worried, and my fears were correct. the ending was quite rushed and the repercussions for many decisions were only briefly shown or alluded to. some duologies and trilogies are unnecessarily stretched out and would benefit from having one less book, but this story was not the case. only having two books in this series didn’t provide a fulfilling conclusion to the plot and character arcs that they deserved. ambiguous endings are not my favourite either, and i don’t feel like i got the closure that i needed. maybe we will get a post epilogue novella one day.
overall, there is a lot of potential here and i can definitely see this author’s work continuing to improve given the strengths this series showed.
this is a solid ending to the duology, but unfortunately i did not enjoy this one as much as the first book. of jade and dragons really was something quite special, and the blood phoenix did give it a rocky send off. however, like book 1, i enjoyed the steampunk setting and the unique importance engineering plays in the story and to the main characters.
there was a lot of pirate time in this book
the characters in this series are forced into many extenuating circumstances and must make morally questionable decisions. as a whole this was well done for a debut, but i wish we could’ve went deeper with the character work. the most developed and interesting was ye-yang. i will applaud amber chen for willing to make a character in his position do the difficult things he realistically had to do, even if it had to hurt our other characters in the process. if we had more time to explore the inner turmoil of all of our characters, this would have made the book stronger.
reading the last 10% with so much to wrap up left me worried, and my fears were correct. the ending was quite rushed and the repercussions for many decisions were only briefly shown or alluded to. some duologies and trilogies are unnecessarily stretched out and would benefit from having one less book, but this story was not the case. only having two books in this series didn’t provide a fulfilling conclusion to the plot and character arcs that they deserved. ambiguous endings are not my favourite either, and i don’t feel like i got the closure that i needed. maybe we will get a post epilogue novella one day.
overall, there is a lot of potential here and i can definitely see this author’s work continuing to improve given the strengths this series showed.
May 28, 2025
Wowww! This was a phenomenal sequel. Book 1 ended in a tough spot for the characters’ relationships, so I liked that this sequel jumped ahead a couple of years to give them time to heal from the betrayals. I loved the romance. I loved the silkpunk. The plot from book 1 was basically resolved, so I loved the new plot! PIRATES! I honestly wish we could have a book 3, but the story ends here. :’)
July 21, 2025
Thank you Penguin for the ARC!
I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed in this one!
Overall, the story was fine and relatively interesting, but I feel like so many of the things that made me love the first book were missing here!
The two year time jump felt...odd? I don't really understand why it was necessary other than to manufacture a reunion with more emotional impact later, but even that missed the mark. And the vibes were just...different.. It's still a steampunk type of energy, but the change in setting and conflict that I didn't really believe in definitely made it miss the mark for me in terms of investment. In the first book, we're cheering for her to get through the trials and become an engineer for multiple reasons. In this one, we're...cheering for her to do engineering? For a conflict that was randomly generated and not really tied to anything? I don't know, it didn't work for me.
I was really hoping for more out of Ye-Yang and Ying's relationship too. Not only have two years gone by, but it felt like neither person's reaction felt...right? for how things ended and where they were. It's a weird mix between anger, disinterest, and childishness that I just didn't really get. There was a lot going on with also nothing going on, and I really wish there had been more time spent on it. Especially with a random 2 year time jump where she straight up just pretended he didn't exist! Incredibly weird.
The last quarter of the book was absolutely the best part, but you have to push through a LOT to get there. It's almost like Chen knew how she wanted to end the book, but wasn't sure how to get there, so the whole thing was written backwards. It just didn't work for me, and I'm so bummed about it--this was an anticipated release for me! But maybe it's just further evidence that I've aged out of YA and all my complaints are new genre conventions?
I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed in this one!
Overall, the story was fine and relatively interesting, but I feel like so many of the things that made me love the first book were missing here!
The two year time jump felt...odd? I don't really understand why it was necessary other than to manufacture a reunion with more emotional impact later, but even that missed the mark. And the vibes were just...different.. It's still a steampunk type of energy, but the change in setting and conflict that I didn't really believe in definitely made it miss the mark for me in terms of investment. In the first book, we're cheering for her to get through the trials and become an engineer for multiple reasons. In this one, we're...cheering for her to do engineering? For a conflict that was randomly generated and not really tied to anything? I don't know, it didn't work for me.
I was really hoping for more out of Ye-Yang and Ying's relationship too. Not only have two years gone by, but it felt like neither person's reaction felt...right? for how things ended and where they were. It's a weird mix between anger, disinterest, and childishness that I just didn't really get. There was a lot going on with also nothing going on, and I really wish there had been more time spent on it. Especially with a random 2 year time jump where she straight up just pretended he didn't exist! Incredibly weird.
The last quarter of the book was absolutely the best part, but you have to push through a LOT to get there. It's almost like Chen knew how she wanted to end the book, but wasn't sure how to get there, so the whole thing was written backwards. It just didn't work for me, and I'm so bummed about it--this was an anticipated release for me! But maybe it's just further evidence that I've aged out of YA and all my complaints are new genre conventions?
June 17, 2025
ARC Review ~ The Book Phoenix~
*******************************************
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When I found out that Of Jade and Dragons was a duology I leaped at the chance to read the second as an ARC. A Milan retelling with steampunk and airships, count me in! I loved the first book, as it was a great introduction into the world but I loved the second even more! In the Blood Phoenix, Amber not only expands on the world she created but allows the reader to see the character development of both sisters. The drama and action had me unable to put it down and the ending got me emotional but thankful that she not only concluded the plot but left it vague and open to either interpretation or further books to come. Personally I am hoping for the latter.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC!
*******************************************
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When I found out that Of Jade and Dragons was a duology I leaped at the chance to read the second as an ARC. A Milan retelling with steampunk and airships, count me in! I loved the first book, as it was a great introduction into the world but I loved the second even more! In the Blood Phoenix, Amber not only expands on the world she created but allows the reader to see the character development of both sisters. The drama and action had me unable to put it down and the ending got me emotional but thankful that she not only concluded the plot but left it vague and open to either interpretation or further books to come. Personally I am hoping for the latter.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC!
June 23, 2025
Thank you Penguin Teen and Colored Pages Book Tours for the gifted copy and PRH Audio for the audiobook.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD SEQUEL.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I’m not going to lie, the early reviews for this one had made me nervous because I loved Of Jade and Dragons so I’ve been trying to do everything to get my hands on book two, and for me? It was not a disappointment (do I wish I could give it five stars, sure, but I am not mad that I read it).
ANYWAYS. I loved seeing all of the STEM aspects and the guilds and how everything works together in this world. It’s brutal and full of failings, but the rise of many of these characters, especially the FMC was fantastic.
It had an ending that I can see people being somewhat frustrated with but I have read multiple books like this before and prefer to live in the fantasy of it all so I think it fits where the author was trying to lead us. AND it helped create a better sense for why there was a second POV added that wasn’t the MMC (it’s Ying’s sister, Nian, if you’re curious).
I think these characters had to go through some hard things and make some hard decisions. Was every decision the best choice? Probably not but that’s from the viewpoint of a reader. I liked that it was complicated, the struggle felt real.
The middle of this book side quested hard. A little too hard. I had an issue from the pacing of that, but otherwise, I liked the action and politicking and not quite knowing who was behind it all. I really enjoy Amber Chen’s writing style and story telling so I will absolutely be back for her next book.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy + Romance
- Language: mild
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: moderate
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD SEQUEL.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I’m not going to lie, the early reviews for this one had made me nervous because I loved Of Jade and Dragons so I’ve been trying to do everything to get my hands on book two, and for me? It was not a disappointment (do I wish I could give it five stars, sure, but I am not mad that I read it).
ANYWAYS. I loved seeing all of the STEM aspects and the guilds and how everything works together in this world. It’s brutal and full of failings, but the rise of many of these characters, especially the FMC was fantastic.
It had an ending that I can see people being somewhat frustrated with but I have read multiple books like this before and prefer to live in the fantasy of it all so I think it fits where the author was trying to lead us. AND it helped create a better sense for why there was a second POV added that wasn’t the MMC (it’s Ying’s sister, Nian, if you’re curious).
I think these characters had to go through some hard things and make some hard decisions. Was every decision the best choice? Probably not but that’s from the viewpoint of a reader. I liked that it was complicated, the struggle felt real.
The middle of this book side quested hard. A little too hard. I had an issue from the pacing of that, but otherwise, I liked the action and politicking and not quite knowing who was behind it all. I really enjoy Amber Chen’s writing style and story telling so I will absolutely be back for her next book.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy + Romance
- Language: mild
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: moderate
February 27, 2025
°˖✿˚⋆I received this arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review⋆˚✿˖°
DNF @ 35%
I really just wasn't vibing with this book. The plot was not very engaging. I didn't really care about the characters. Nian was bland and reading through her PoV was a drag. The only thing I semi care about is whether Ying and Ye-yang have a HEA but I don't care enough to slog through this book unfortunately.
I always feel bad for DNF'ing but I have so many books I want to read and why try to force myself through something I am not personally enjoying.
July 4, 2025
“But there are no limits to dreaming,’ her father had once told her, ‘and every great invention begins from the littlest of dreams.”
The Blood Phoenix is the conclusion to Amber Chen’s The Fall of the Dragon duology, following the brilliant engineer, Ying, and her politically strategic sister, Nian, as they attempt to keep the Nine Isles intact despite ongoing dangers and betrayals. Two years after Ying completed the Engineers Guild, she finds herself swept back into a life of uncertainty when The Blood Phoenix fleet of pirates captures Ying and the High Command prince, Ye-Yang. Nian, separated from her betrothed Ye-Yang, finds company in the fourteenth prince, Ye-Kan, while navigating ongoing mysteries within the capital. This epic sequel concludes the threats to the Nine Isles and sees the protagonists facing decisions that could change their lives forever.
I am disappointed to say that despite my excitement for the sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, which was one of my favorite reads of 2024, that The Blood Phoenix did not live up to my expectations. Unlike the first novel in the duology, The Blood Phoenix has dual POV’s between Ying and Nian. I found Nian’s perspective to be a distraction from the plot and a bit dull in comparison to Ying’s, which caused this book to have a much slower pace than its predecessor. I also found myself disappointed in the decision to include a two year time gap between novels, as this separated me not only from the characters and their headspaces, but also the ongoing threats to the world Chen had established. The romances in this novel did not capture my heart like they did in the first novel either, which is likely due to the decision to have the romances not only running parallel, but also being vaguely intertwined. Despite my grievances with this sequel, it includes excellent representation of not only Chinese culture, but people with disabilities. Additionally, I must commend Chen for her aptitude in crafting visceral imagery, especially regarding the pirates in the novel and the machines and weapons that Ying builds. Although I had several issues with this book, it still has engaging writing, innovative aesthetics, and terrific representation, making it a worthwhile read to those invested in this world.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
The Blood Phoenix is the conclusion to Amber Chen’s The Fall of the Dragon duology, following the brilliant engineer, Ying, and her politically strategic sister, Nian, as they attempt to keep the Nine Isles intact despite ongoing dangers and betrayals. Two years after Ying completed the Engineers Guild, she finds herself swept back into a life of uncertainty when The Blood Phoenix fleet of pirates captures Ying and the High Command prince, Ye-Yang. Nian, separated from her betrothed Ye-Yang, finds company in the fourteenth prince, Ye-Kan, while navigating ongoing mysteries within the capital. This epic sequel concludes the threats to the Nine Isles and sees the protagonists facing decisions that could change their lives forever.
I am disappointed to say that despite my excitement for the sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, which was one of my favorite reads of 2024, that The Blood Phoenix did not live up to my expectations. Unlike the first novel in the duology, The Blood Phoenix has dual POV’s between Ying and Nian. I found Nian’s perspective to be a distraction from the plot and a bit dull in comparison to Ying’s, which caused this book to have a much slower pace than its predecessor. I also found myself disappointed in the decision to include a two year time gap between novels, as this separated me not only from the characters and their headspaces, but also the ongoing threats to the world Chen had established. The romances in this novel did not capture my heart like they did in the first novel either, which is likely due to the decision to have the romances not only running parallel, but also being vaguely intertwined. Despite my grievances with this sequel, it includes excellent representation of not only Chinese culture, but people with disabilities. Additionally, I must commend Chen for her aptitude in crafting visceral imagery, especially regarding the pirates in the novel and the machines and weapons that Ying builds. Although I had several issues with this book, it still has engaging writing, innovative aesthetics, and terrific representation, making it a worthwhile read to those invested in this world.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
October 24, 2025
Zweite Bände haben es ja immer ein bisschen schwer. Werden die Erwartungen erfüllt, wenn der erste Band begeistert hat? Wird die Geschichte spannend weitererzählt? Entwickeln sich die Figuren so, dass ich mit ihnen gehen kann? ‚Der Blutrote Phönix‘ von Amber Chen, übersetzt von Katrin Aust, kann all diese Fragen mit einem klaren ‚Jein!‘ beantworten. Das Dilogiefinale braucht sich keineswegs verstecken, ich hatte wieder viel Spaß beim Lesen, wenn auch einige Kritikpunkte.
Chen hat sich auf jeden Fall damit einen Gefallen getan, zwischen dem ersten und den zweiten Band zwei Jahre verstreichen zu lassen. Dadurch konnten die Figuren Abstand gewinnen, vor allem nach den nervenaufreibenden Ereignissen gegen Ende von ‚Von Jade und Drachen‘. Ying hat sich in einem kleinen Dorf am Meer nett eingerichtet, ist verheiratet (wenn auch eher aus praktischen Gründen) und mit ihrem einfachen Leben mehr oder weniger zufrieden. Klar, dass sie versucht, das Leben ihrer Mitmenschen mit allerlei technischer Spielereien einfacher zu machen. Sie bekommt die Ingenieurin halt nicht raus aus ihr. Doch als politische Unruhen sie in die Hauptstadt der Neun Inseln zurückzwingen, ist sie auf einmal mit den Menschen konfrontiert, die sie vor zwei Jahren zurückgelassen hat. Da wären zum einen ihre Schwester Nian, die nun mit dem Obersten Kommandanten verheiratet ist. Und zum anderen natürlich der Oberste Kommandant Ye-yang selbst, jener, dem Ying ihr Herz geschenkt, das er aber nicht gerade vorsichtig behandelt hat. Spannungen sind garantiert, zumal Nian nichts von Yings und Ye-yangs gemeinsamer Vergangenheit weiß. Mit dem Blutroten Phönix ist noch dazu ein interessanter Gegenspieler auf das Spielfeld getreten, der die Figuren in der Geschichte hin- und herzuschieben vermag.
Der Fokus liegt bei diesem zweiten Teil auch auf der Bedrohung durch die Pirat*innen des Blutroten Phönix und deren Verbündete, weniger auf der Technologie, selbst wenn diese weiterhin eine große Rolle spielt. Das habe ich tatsächlich ein bisschen vermisst, denn das Silkpunk-Setting des ersten Bandes hat mich sowas von angesprochen. Natürlich blitzt es immer wieder durch, sind wir ja immer noch in der gleichen Welt.
Was mir leider nicht so gut gefallen hat, ist die Episodenhaftigkeit, mit der erzählt wird. Es fühlt sich so an, als ob verschiedene Bausteine abgearbeitet hätten werden müssen, um Seiten zu füllen. Vor allem die Szenen bei der Flotte des Blutroten Phönix hatten für mich eine gewisse Losgelöstheit von der übrigen Geschichte, selbst wenn die Pirat*innen auch später noch eine wichtige Rolle spielen. So sind die Figuren zeitweise Gefangene des Blutroten Phönix und müssen dabei allerlei Aufgaben erledigen, um sich ihre Freiheit zu verdienen. Ein Schiffsrennen gewinnen zum Beispiel. Macht Spaß, aber hatte für mich insoweit keinen großen Mehrwert.
Nichtsdestotrotz habe ich es geliebt, wieder in die Welt zurückzukehren. Der erste Teil war auch noch gar nicht so lang her, darum konnte ich mich gleich wieder zurechtfinden. Alte Bekannte treffen ist bei Fortsetzungen eh mitunter das schönste für mich. Ich mochte auch, dass mit Nian eine zweite Erzählperspektive hinzukommt, die von den Vorgängen in der Hauptstadt erzählt und eine weitere starke Persönlichkeit hervorbringt. Ying selbst bleibt nämlich ein bisschen hinter ihren Möglichkeiten zurück, was aber meiner Meinung nach ihrem Erzählstrang geschuldet ist. Nian hatte einfach mehr Entwicklungspotential.
‚Der Blutrote Phönix‘ hat mir wieder viel Spaß bereitet, auch wenn er mich nicht so begeistern konnte wie der Dilogieauftakt. Jedoch möchte ich die Reihe allen empfehlen, die Silkpunk- und Young-Adult-Fantasy genauso lieben wie ich und Lust auf eine von der Qing-Dynastie inspirierten Geschichte haben.
Chen hat sich auf jeden Fall damit einen Gefallen getan, zwischen dem ersten und den zweiten Band zwei Jahre verstreichen zu lassen. Dadurch konnten die Figuren Abstand gewinnen, vor allem nach den nervenaufreibenden Ereignissen gegen Ende von ‚Von Jade und Drachen‘. Ying hat sich in einem kleinen Dorf am Meer nett eingerichtet, ist verheiratet (wenn auch eher aus praktischen Gründen) und mit ihrem einfachen Leben mehr oder weniger zufrieden. Klar, dass sie versucht, das Leben ihrer Mitmenschen mit allerlei technischer Spielereien einfacher zu machen. Sie bekommt die Ingenieurin halt nicht raus aus ihr. Doch als politische Unruhen sie in die Hauptstadt der Neun Inseln zurückzwingen, ist sie auf einmal mit den Menschen konfrontiert, die sie vor zwei Jahren zurückgelassen hat. Da wären zum einen ihre Schwester Nian, die nun mit dem Obersten Kommandanten verheiratet ist. Und zum anderen natürlich der Oberste Kommandant Ye-yang selbst, jener, dem Ying ihr Herz geschenkt, das er aber nicht gerade vorsichtig behandelt hat. Spannungen sind garantiert, zumal Nian nichts von Yings und Ye-yangs gemeinsamer Vergangenheit weiß. Mit dem Blutroten Phönix ist noch dazu ein interessanter Gegenspieler auf das Spielfeld getreten, der die Figuren in der Geschichte hin- und herzuschieben vermag.
Der Fokus liegt bei diesem zweiten Teil auch auf der Bedrohung durch die Pirat*innen des Blutroten Phönix und deren Verbündete, weniger auf der Technologie, selbst wenn diese weiterhin eine große Rolle spielt. Das habe ich tatsächlich ein bisschen vermisst, denn das Silkpunk-Setting des ersten Bandes hat mich sowas von angesprochen. Natürlich blitzt es immer wieder durch, sind wir ja immer noch in der gleichen Welt.
Was mir leider nicht so gut gefallen hat, ist die Episodenhaftigkeit, mit der erzählt wird. Es fühlt sich so an, als ob verschiedene Bausteine abgearbeitet hätten werden müssen, um Seiten zu füllen. Vor allem die Szenen bei der Flotte des Blutroten Phönix hatten für mich eine gewisse Losgelöstheit von der übrigen Geschichte, selbst wenn die Pirat*innen auch später noch eine wichtige Rolle spielen. So sind die Figuren zeitweise Gefangene des Blutroten Phönix und müssen dabei allerlei Aufgaben erledigen, um sich ihre Freiheit zu verdienen. Ein Schiffsrennen gewinnen zum Beispiel. Macht Spaß, aber hatte für mich insoweit keinen großen Mehrwert.
Nichtsdestotrotz habe ich es geliebt, wieder in die Welt zurückzukehren. Der erste Teil war auch noch gar nicht so lang her, darum konnte ich mich gleich wieder zurechtfinden. Alte Bekannte treffen ist bei Fortsetzungen eh mitunter das schönste für mich. Ich mochte auch, dass mit Nian eine zweite Erzählperspektive hinzukommt, die von den Vorgängen in der Hauptstadt erzählt und eine weitere starke Persönlichkeit hervorbringt. Ying selbst bleibt nämlich ein bisschen hinter ihren Möglichkeiten zurück, was aber meiner Meinung nach ihrem Erzählstrang geschuldet ist. Nian hatte einfach mehr Entwicklungspotential.
‚Der Blutrote Phönix‘ hat mir wieder viel Spaß bereitet, auch wenn er mich nicht so begeistern konnte wie der Dilogieauftakt. Jedoch möchte ich die Reihe allen empfehlen, die Silkpunk- und Young-Adult-Fantasy genauso lieben wie ich und Lust auf eine von der Qing-Dynastie inspirierten Geschichte haben.
June 8, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5 stars rounded to 5.
We’re really thrown into the thick of a dire situation after book 1, the betrayals and secrets linger over our main characters like a storm cloud. In book 2 we see new alliances, unknown enemies and more political warfare. Our FMC Ying finds herself at the centre of things as her engineering skills are called upon once more, her sister is more of a main character in this book and I liked getting to see her growth. I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive Ye-Yang after book 1, but we do see a lot of remorse in book 2 and we see decisions made that maybe Ye-Yang can’t come back from.
I really enjoy how plot focused this book is with it’s solid pacing and unique story, the romance takes a back seat and I didn’t mind one bit. The ending felt a little open ended for me, but it is still somewhat satisfying. The betrayals in this book caught me off guard and it really makes you rethink all the characters intentions because who can you really trust.
Highly recommend this series for fantasy, political intrigue, unique storyline and complex characters who are wonderfully imperfect.
We’re really thrown into the thick of a dire situation after book 1, the betrayals and secrets linger over our main characters like a storm cloud. In book 2 we see new alliances, unknown enemies and more political warfare. Our FMC Ying finds herself at the centre of things as her engineering skills are called upon once more, her sister is more of a main character in this book and I liked getting to see her growth. I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive Ye-Yang after book 1, but we do see a lot of remorse in book 2 and we see decisions made that maybe Ye-Yang can’t come back from.
I really enjoy how plot focused this book is with it’s solid pacing and unique story, the romance takes a back seat and I didn’t mind one bit. The ending felt a little open ended for me, but it is still somewhat satisfying. The betrayals in this book caught me off guard and it really makes you rethink all the characters intentions because who can you really trust.
Highly recommend this series for fantasy, political intrigue, unique storyline and complex characters who are wonderfully imperfect.
March 24, 2025
The Blood Phoenix is an exhilarating follow-up to Of Jade and Dragons, and this time, it comes with the added thrill of pirates!
Ying has grown from the first book's events, yet she still grapples with unresolved emotions. The story fast-forwards two years, with Ying hiding away in an isolated province, trying to escape her past. However, she is soon drawn back into the orbit of the capital—and of Ye-yang. This time, we also follow her sister and Ye-kan as they navigate a dangerous investigation. While I truly enjoyed their chapters, I did feel that they made the overall story a bit more dispersive.
Through intense battles, we also get to meet a found-family pirate crew, the Blood Phoenix is led by a powerful disabled woman, and they quickly throw our protagonists in the midst of a new slice of the world. I quickly grew fond of these new characters, but with the vastness of the world and all the intriguing developments, the pace did slow down, while still making me feel like we skipped a lot of interesting possible interactions during this arc! .
Despite this slower pace, The Blood Phoenix still left me wanting more. I’m eager to learn more about the world, its history, and the engineering challenges hinted at but never fully explored. While the central romance didn’t fully captivate me, I’m definitely excited to dive into any future books or companion stories set in this rich world.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy
Ying has grown from the first book's events, yet she still grapples with unresolved emotions. The story fast-forwards two years, with Ying hiding away in an isolated province, trying to escape her past. However, she is soon drawn back into the orbit of the capital—and of Ye-yang. This time, we also follow her sister and Ye-kan as they navigate a dangerous investigation. While I truly enjoyed their chapters, I did feel that they made the overall story a bit more dispersive.
Through intense battles, we also get to meet a found-family pirate crew, the Blood Phoenix is led by a powerful disabled woman, and they quickly throw our protagonists in the midst of a new slice of the world. I quickly grew fond of these new characters, but with the vastness of the world and all the intriguing developments, the pace did slow down, while still making me feel like we skipped a lot of interesting possible interactions during this arc! .
Despite this slower pace, The Blood Phoenix still left me wanting more. I’m eager to learn more about the world, its history, and the engineering challenges hinted at but never fully explored. While the central romance didn’t fully captivate me, I’m definitely excited to dive into any future books or companion stories set in this rich world.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy
July 24, 2025
Review to come! ⚓️
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was an action packed ending to a wonderful silk punk YA fantasy inspired by the Qing Dynasty. I loved being back in this world of engineering (even though I’m absolutely useless when it comes to the mechanics of just about everything) with the old and new characters interacting with each other. While there were a few times I thought the pacing was a bit off for the plot and I wished that we could’ve had more time exploring the romantic pairings in this book, I still had a fantastic time reading this! 🥰
The book picks up about two years after the events of the first book, and so because of that, I won’t be talking so much about what is happening plot wise in the book in case it spoils it for those who are interested in reading this duology. All I’ll say is that I loved the second chance romance that we get for a certain pairing while we get a new paring to explore through the lens of young love and immature/mature pairing. I do wish we could have gotten more time to explore the feelings developing between the new pair as it feels like it just came out of no where for me. 🤷🏻♀️
While I did think the pacing of the novel could have been a slower in some parts and sped up in others, I think the new setting of aquatic engineering was fascinating for a reader who has little to no experience in the STEM fields. I do wish we could have gotten to know more about the elusive Master Cixin (. . . I don’t think this is a spoiler . . .) though since they seem like such a fascinating figure that is solely talked about. 🤔
And that ending? Chen, you are cruel for that because now I’m going to be spending the rest of my days wondering what it all means while knowing I’ll never get any answers. I do hope this means that we will be gettin a spin off series in the future because I can’t accept that it just all ends like that. 🤞🏼
HUGE thank you goes out to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest (and late) review and to Colored Pages Book Tours for letting me be a part of the tour and helping me get a gifted physical copy of the book with Penguin Teen! And thank you goes out to Chen for writing such a fun YA fantasy inspired by the Qing Dynasty with huge Mulan vibes while incorporating the folktale of The Butterfly Lovers. ❤️
Publication Date: June 17, so go pick up this completed duology!!
Overall: 4.25/5 ⭐️
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was an action packed ending to a wonderful silk punk YA fantasy inspired by the Qing Dynasty. I loved being back in this world of engineering (even though I’m absolutely useless when it comes to the mechanics of just about everything) with the old and new characters interacting with each other. While there were a few times I thought the pacing was a bit off for the plot and I wished that we could’ve had more time exploring the romantic pairings in this book, I still had a fantastic time reading this! 🥰
The book picks up about two years after the events of the first book, and so because of that, I won’t be talking so much about what is happening plot wise in the book in case it spoils it for those who are interested in reading this duology. All I’ll say is that I loved the second chance romance that we get for a certain pairing while we get a new paring to explore through the lens of young love and immature/mature pairing. I do wish we could have gotten more time to explore the feelings developing between the new pair as it feels like it just came out of no where for me. 🤷🏻♀️
While I did think the pacing of the novel could have been a slower in some parts and sped up in others, I think the new setting of aquatic engineering was fascinating for a reader who has little to no experience in the STEM fields. I do wish we could have gotten to know more about the elusive Master Cixin (. . . I don’t think this is a spoiler . . .) though since they seem like such a fascinating figure that is solely talked about. 🤔
And that ending? Chen, you are cruel for that because now I’m going to be spending the rest of my days wondering what it all means while knowing I’ll never get any answers. I do hope this means that we will be gettin a spin off series in the future because I can’t accept that it just all ends like that. 🤞🏼
HUGE thank you goes out to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest (and late) review and to Colored Pages Book Tours for letting me be a part of the tour and helping me get a gifted physical copy of the book with Penguin Teen! And thank you goes out to Chen for writing such a fun YA fantasy inspired by the Qing Dynasty with huge Mulan vibes while incorporating the folktale of The Butterfly Lovers. ❤️
Publication Date: June 17, so go pick up this completed duology!!
Overall: 4.25/5 ⭐️
July 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This was an interesting continuation of the world introduced in Of Jade and Dragons. Picking up after the emotional wreckage of book one, Blood Phoenix follows Ying as she tries to avoid the capital and all the painful memories it holds—until a tragic loss forces her to return and confront everything she tried to leave behind. I appreciated how we also got chapters from her sister Nian’s perspective. At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the shift, but her character grew on me, and it added more texture to the narrative.
There’s a lot going on in this book: the aftermath of a regime change, the impact of pirate invasions, refugee tensions, and all the personal heartbreak layered on top. The pirate storyline felt like a bit of a detour at first, but once the pieces started coming together, I was hooked. Some of the new characters introduced aboard those ships seemed unlikable at first, but as their stories unfolded, they slowly won me over. It wasn’t the most flawless book I’ve ever read, but it was fun—full of twists, big reveals, and just enough political scheming to keep me guessing.
While the pacing was uneven at times and a few threads felt like they needed more time to develop, I’m still really glad I read this. The ending was especially unexpected—I thought I knew where it was going, but it definitely surprised me. I’m not sure if this really works as the end of a duology (there are quite a few loose ends still hanging), but I’d happily return to this world if there’s ever a third book or even a novella.
A solid sequel that expands the world in creative ways, even if it left me wishing for a bit more resolution. 3.75/5
This was an interesting continuation of the world introduced in Of Jade and Dragons. Picking up after the emotional wreckage of book one, Blood Phoenix follows Ying as she tries to avoid the capital and all the painful memories it holds—until a tragic loss forces her to return and confront everything she tried to leave behind. I appreciated how we also got chapters from her sister Nian’s perspective. At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the shift, but her character grew on me, and it added more texture to the narrative.
There’s a lot going on in this book: the aftermath of a regime change, the impact of pirate invasions, refugee tensions, and all the personal heartbreak layered on top. The pirate storyline felt like a bit of a detour at first, but once the pieces started coming together, I was hooked. Some of the new characters introduced aboard those ships seemed unlikable at first, but as their stories unfolded, they slowly won me over. It wasn’t the most flawless book I’ve ever read, but it was fun—full of twists, big reveals, and just enough political scheming to keep me guessing.
While the pacing was uneven at times and a few threads felt like they needed more time to develop, I’m still really glad I read this. The ending was especially unexpected—I thought I knew where it was going, but it definitely surprised me. I’m not sure if this really works as the end of a duology (there are quite a few loose ends still hanging), but I’d happily return to this world if there’s ever a third book or even a novella.
A solid sequel that expands the world in creative ways, even if it left me wishing for a bit more resolution. 3.75/5
November 4, 2025
3.5/5 stars
The Blood Phoenix is the second book in Amber Chen’s YA silkpunk fantasy The Fall of the Dragon duology. It’s been two years since Ying left the Engineer’s Guide, the capital, and Ye-yang. But when a pirate fleet led by the Blood Phoenix threatens the Nine Isle, she is called back to it all and must confront those she left behind and to use her skills to protect her home. Meanwhile, her sister Nian has been in the capital awaiting her arranged marriage to Ye-yang and unexpectedly forms a friendship with young prince Ye-kan. When a conspiracy within the palace threatens the High Command, they must work together to uncover the conspirators before it collapses from within.
I did not think this sequel was as good as the first book. It still reads on the younger side of YA and it just did not fit well with the new plotline. While the more juvenile tone and storytelling was fine in the first book about going to the Engineer’s Guild disguised as a boy, it isn’t quite as permissible in this new context of this huge war. While I still ended up liking the book, I was just not a fan of the direction it went. And as a conclusion to this duology, the book doesn’t feel like one at all.
I did like the addition of Nian and her relationship with Ye-kan; it is with Ying’s storyline that I generally had issues with. The book takes Ying (and companions) away from the main events in the capital on a separate tract, which I thought really undercut the tension and weight of the main story. The book also ruined some relationships and had some deaths that I didn’t really like or feel necessary. That said, I still cried anyway at the things that happened. Also, I did love the ending given to Ying’s storyline (I do wish it wasn’t off-page though). For the rest of the book however, there just isn’t enough closure yet. There are still tons of threads left unresolved and underserved, and I thought this may signal that more books set in this world is still to come.
The Blood Phoenix is a mixed bag that offers a conclusion that is both satisfying and a little bit perplexing.
The Blood Phoenix is the second book in Amber Chen’s YA silkpunk fantasy The Fall of the Dragon duology. It’s been two years since Ying left the Engineer’s Guide, the capital, and Ye-yang. But when a pirate fleet led by the Blood Phoenix threatens the Nine Isle, she is called back to it all and must confront those she left behind and to use her skills to protect her home. Meanwhile, her sister Nian has been in the capital awaiting her arranged marriage to Ye-yang and unexpectedly forms a friendship with young prince Ye-kan. When a conspiracy within the palace threatens the High Command, they must work together to uncover the conspirators before it collapses from within.
I did not think this sequel was as good as the first book. It still reads on the younger side of YA and it just did not fit well with the new plotline. While the more juvenile tone and storytelling was fine in the first book about going to the Engineer’s Guild disguised as a boy, it isn’t quite as permissible in this new context of this huge war. While I still ended up liking the book, I was just not a fan of the direction it went. And as a conclusion to this duology, the book doesn’t feel like one at all.
I did like the addition of Nian and her relationship with Ye-kan; it is with Ying’s storyline that I generally had issues with. The book takes Ying (and companions) away from the main events in the capital on a separate tract, which I thought really undercut the tension and weight of the main story. The book also ruined some relationships and had some deaths that I didn’t really like or feel necessary. That said, I still cried anyway at the things that happened. Also, I did love the ending given to Ying’s storyline (I do wish it wasn’t off-page though). For the rest of the book however, there just isn’t enough closure yet. There are still tons of threads left unresolved and underserved, and I thought this may signal that more books set in this world is still to come.
The Blood Phoenix is a mixed bag that offers a conclusion that is both satisfying and a little bit perplexing.
June 6, 2025
Amber Chen really pulled my heart out of my chest and crushed it with her bare hands in this one, didn’t she? Forbidden love. Pirates. Incredible feats of engineering. War. And losses so heavy the characters can never recover from them. The ending left me with several questions- what do you mean the story is complete?! In the words of that one stranger things meme, “Papa, more movie!”
The Blood Phoenix starts after a time skip in between it and Of Jade and Dragons. Even though Ying completed the goals she set out to do, she’s run away from the Engineers Guild and the boy she loves. Accepting a betrothal to a childhood friend, she resigns herself to a boring life, but at least she’ll still be able to work on her inventions. That is, until a pirate attack decimates the village she’s staying in, and Ye-Yang appears to bring her back to Fei.
Nian, Ying’s little sister, is trying her best to adapt to palace life. Now that she’s been betrothed to Ye-Yang, she’s far away from home, with no one to talk to save Ye-Kan, the new high commander’s baby brother. When Ying and Ye-Yang disappear after testing a new weapon goes wrong, Nian and Ye-Kan slowly start to uncover a plot against Ye-Yang- and a blooming love for each other.
This fantastic silkpunk fantasy releases on June 17! Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my review!
The Blood Phoenix starts after a time skip in between it and Of Jade and Dragons. Even though Ying completed the goals she set out to do, she’s run away from the Engineers Guild and the boy she loves. Accepting a betrothal to a childhood friend, she resigns herself to a boring life, but at least she’ll still be able to work on her inventions. That is, until a pirate attack decimates the village she’s staying in, and Ye-Yang appears to bring her back to Fei.
Nian, Ying’s little sister, is trying her best to adapt to palace life. Now that she’s been betrothed to Ye-Yang, she’s far away from home, with no one to talk to save Ye-Kan, the new high commander’s baby brother. When Ying and Ye-Yang disappear after testing a new weapon goes wrong, Nian and Ye-Kan slowly start to uncover a plot against Ye-Yang- and a blooming love for each other.
This fantastic silkpunk fantasy releases on June 17! Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my review!
June 30, 2025
Current rating: still deciding between 2.5 and 2.75 stars, rounded up to 3 for goodreads
While I enjoyed the first book, this sequel was rather disappointing. It started off decently, but ended up dragging so much that I almost wanted to dnf. I still liked the descriptions of the different technologies and their unique mechanisms, but other than that, I didn't really care for anything. Plus, there were several moments that felt very anticlimactic when they were meant to be the opposite.
I was able to remember all the characters, even minor ones, but I felt zero connection to any of them. Still, I did like Nian's pov chapters, though even less happened in those.
The romance between Ying and Ye-yang was bland in the first book, but became even more unsatisfying here. The only moment I remember finding cute was when a different character was observing a token of their relationship, and they weren't even in the scene...
Idk what will happen next because of the underwhelming and open ending, so maybe there will be more books set in this same world? This duology has pretty covers, at least.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
While I enjoyed the first book, this sequel was rather disappointing. It started off decently, but ended up dragging so much that I almost wanted to dnf. I still liked the descriptions of the different technologies and their unique mechanisms, but other than that, I didn't really care for anything. Plus, there were several moments that felt very anticlimactic when they were meant to be the opposite.
I was able to remember all the characters, even minor ones, but I felt zero connection to any of them. Still, I did like Nian's pov chapters, though even less happened in those.
The romance between Ying and Ye-yang was bland in the first book, but became even more unsatisfying here. The only moment I remember finding cute was when a different character was observing a token of their relationship, and they weren't even in the scene...
Idk what will happen next because of the underwhelming and open ending, so maybe there will be more books set in this same world? This duology has pretty covers, at least.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2025
This was a solid ending for the Fall of the Dragon duology, however I enjoyed the Of Jade and Dragons more. The silkpunk aspect and focus on engineering was still very strong, but then it somehow turned into a Pirate adventure?
The pacing felt a bit all over the place so I found myself not wanting to pick this one up very much. I understand this is a YA Fantasy, however, things kept being a bit *too* convenient for our characters in many instances. The last quarter definitely did all the heavy lifting getting the story back on track.
I saw that quite a few people had an issue with the ending. However, I feel that it was fitting. There were just too many unresolved issues with the main male and female of the series from book one that if it had ended another route, it would've probably made me angry. This series could've definitely benefitted in being a trilogy. Unless the author has another duology planned in this world? We'll just have to see.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an eARC.
The pacing felt a bit all over the place so I found myself not wanting to pick this one up very much. I understand this is a YA Fantasy, however, things kept being a bit *too* convenient for our characters in many instances. The last quarter definitely did all the heavy lifting getting the story back on track.
I saw that quite a few people had an issue with the ending. However, I feel that it was fitting. There were just too many unresolved issues with the main male and female of the series from book one that if it had ended another route, it would've probably made me angry. This series could've definitely benefitted in being a trilogy. Unless the author has another duology planned in this world? We'll just have to see.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an eARC.
June 14, 2025
This was a fine book and conclusion to the duology.
I mostly enjoyed book 1 although I didn't really love the ending and this one seems to be no different.
I think when it comes to it, I like the characters that burn the world down for each other, not the ones that make sacrifices for the greater good at the extent of being together. If you can mix those two, then great!
Most of this book, I was annoyed with all the characters as to where their heart lies because it was so obvious to me and the characters just wouldn't speak to each other.
I did like that we also got Nian's POV so we could see more of what was happening.
I'm not satisfied with that ending, but maybe there will be another series set in this world? It seems like it still has places to go.
Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the eARC. My thoughts are entirely my own.
finish date: 6/14/25, release date 6/17/25
I mostly enjoyed book 1 although I didn't really love the ending and this one seems to be no different.
I think when it comes to it, I like the characters that burn the world down for each other, not the ones that make sacrifices for the greater good at the extent of being together. If you can mix those two, then great!
Most of this book, I was annoyed with all the characters as to where their heart lies because it was so obvious to me and the characters just wouldn't speak to each other.
I did like that we also got Nian's POV so we could see more of what was happening.
I'm not satisfied with that ending, but maybe there will be another series set in this world? It seems like it still has places to go.
Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the eARC. My thoughts are entirely my own.
finish date: 6/14/25, release date 6/17/25
August 5, 2025
The time jump from the first book felt a bit long and out of sorts, but I understand why it was done. The world concept was really cool and it was fun to meet new characters, although I found it hard to keep track sometimes (could be a me problem). It didn’t really feel like it flowed on well from the first book and the resolution didn’t feel final even though I believe it’s meant to be a duology. I think this book will be a hit with younger teens who enjoy fast-paced low fantasy adventures.
September 10, 2025
Really love the silkpunk theme, but would have loved it more if the world-building was more developed. We travel around the world along with the characters, but don't truly see the differences between the islands. Moreover, it feels like the book was written to be a series and not a duology, as the ending felt a bit rushed or inconclusive.
Over and out. -Nora<3
Over and out. -Nora<3
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