It’s finally here! One of our most anticipated 2025 book releases is out, and we can finally share our thoughts with all of you! Let us put you onto Amber Chen’s The Blood Phoenix, the sequel to her debut novel, Of Jade and Dragons.
The Blood Phoenix is the epic conclusion to the Fall of the Dragon duology, with so much action filling each page. It takes place two years after the end of book one. Luckily, we only had to wait a year for the return of Aihui Ying and Aogiya Ye-yang, and it definitely did not disappoint.
We know you’re probably itching to find out what made this YA fantasy so enjoyable for us to read and review. Here are just three reasons you need to check out The Blood Phoenix by Amber Chen!
Book Overview: The Blood Phoenix
Content warnings: death of loved ones, murder, violence, gore, bodies, serious injury, war, forced captivity, hostages, and weapons
Summary: 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?
Dual Points Of View
While the whole of The Blood Phoenix is told in third-person, we get another POV to run parallel with Ying’s. Although we would’ve loved to see Ye-yang’s perspective in this fantasy, we were pleasantly surprised with Nian’s instead, Ying’s younger sister. The relationship between these two sisters are so balanced and full of love, as seen in the sacrifices they make for each other. And it ultimately makes perfect sense that the story shows Ying pursuing her path to complete freedom while also showing Nian stepping into her own power.
High Seas Adventures
We have a soft spot in our hearts for pirate tales and high seas adventures. And we’re so glad Amber Chen indulged us in The Blood Phoenix. Due to some (*ahem*) circumstances, Ying and her friends end up on The Blood Phoenix, the very ship they’ve been searching to destroy. They compete in an annual boat race to the death, fight against an enemy fleet, and even gain some unlikely allies. Their adventures also take them deep into the ocean, building and using submersible vessels as weapons and transportation.
A Full-Circle Conclusion
The ending for The Blood Phoenix does not have a conventional happily ever after. But we find it absolutely fitting for our main characters. In fact, we get the epilogue exclusively from Nian’s perspective after the final battle. It references Nian’s first appearance in this book, displaying how much she and Ye-kan have matured in only a few months. So, what of her older sister Ying and Ye-yang? We have a few guesses for their happy ending, but they would have to be unconfirmed. And we’re more than okay with that.
A silkpunk fantasy packed with high seas adventure, familial love, and a reassuring ending, Amber Chen’s The Blood Phoenix is a well-crafted duology conclusion.
The Blood Phoenix by Amber Chen officially comes out on June 17th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!
Have you gotten your copy of Amber Chen’s The Blood Phoenix? What did you think of this duology conclusion? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
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