Great second book which builds on the characters flaws and strengths. The use of the relationships really brings the book together and keeps the reader invested in all the twists and turns

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it

I was left wanting more and other resolutions within this sequel, but overall The Blood Phoenix was a good continuation of the world-building from the first book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Blood Phoenix is the second book in the Fall of the Dragon series and a perfect sequel to Of Jade and Dragons. This captivating YA novel is filled with plot twists, secrets, politics, rivalry and difficult choices.

While the main narrative follows Ying as she investigates the pirate threat, there are also chapters written from Nian’s point of view. I loved her perspective, as she observed the politics and power struggle between the different political factions and discovered a conspiracy within. I wish her chapters were longer, as Yin’s perspective focused on her relationship with Ye-yang, who lost my trust through lies, manipulation, and appearing drunk half the time. I was also disappointed that Ying’s friends, who were crucial in book one, seemed pushed into the background. On the other hand, Nian and Ye-kan continued to surprise me with their adventures and dialogue. They were my favourite characters in this book.

To sum up, where Of Jade and Dragons focused on Ying’s determination to join the Engineer’s Guild and solve her father’s murder, this book explored political intrigues and Ying’s relationships. It was a slightly different but equally enjoyable read. I would recommend this series to those seeking YA novels with distinctive world-building and strong-willed characters.

Felt like it's been a while since I read the first one, so I had to do a reread before I started this. And I'm glad I did.
This was a great conclusion to the duology, and if you enjoyed the first one, you will enjoy this one too!

It was great to be with these characters again in The Blood Phoenix. Despite a time skip and the ending of Of Jade And Dragons it doesn't take long to start seeing some familiar faces. Nian also returns as a pov character with more insight into court politics alongside Ye-kan (my favourite!). The drama between Nian/Ying/Ye-yang was not my favourite, but this gets resolved relatively quickly.

The world feels much larger in the sequel and we see Ying's engineering skills reach new heights which is as refreshing to see as the first. The Blood Phoenix was as interesting as the Engineering Guild in the previous book. A whole host of new characters and plenty of intrigue with pirate (!!!!) politics. The courtly intrigue, hidden agendas and betrayals really increase in this one!

Overall, a good conclusion to the duology which potentially leaves the door open to return to this world. (It kind of doesn't feel like a duology with that ending) I feel this duology really shines when it comes to the well rounded and complex characters, I think the first is my favourite but this was still a very enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley & Random House for this arc.

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.

Although I feel like I enjoyed the first book a little more, Amber continues the sequel with beautiful and immersive world building along with expanding on the unresolved issues and relationship dynamics from Of Jade and Dragons.

As with the first book, the character I enjoyed the most was probably Ye-Kan, but it was nice to see the development of Ying as well as the added POV of Nian. At times, the pacing felt a little slow and at others, a bit rushed. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the ending but overall I did enjoy the book!

A satisfying conclusion to Ying and Nian's story. It's an exciting adventure with Ying working with Blood Phoenix pirates to stop an invasion of her homeland, using all her technological ingenuity in the creation of the undersea Bladebreakers. Nian's story of her evolution into a formidable court lady skilled in politics is just as interesting as we watch her take centre stage with Ye-Kan to protect their people from invasion. It's a good and solid conclusion to the duology but could easily be stretched into a third book!

I'm not entirely sure this was as good as the first in the series. That said, it was still excellent. The first book was one of my top reads, and while I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel, it didn't grip me in the same way.

I love the romance in this. It's complicated and messy and slow. It involves brothers and sisters (not incestuously, of course) in complex relationships filled with murder, lack of trust, political manoeuvres, protection, betrayal, and all sorts of complications. But the love is there and some of them feel that it's worth fighting for, and that shines throughout the book.

The introduction of Nian's PoV was really interesting. I'm torn on how to feel about it. I loved seeing everything from Ying's perspective and it added a different dimension to see things from a different viewpoint. However, I also spent the time away from Ying just wanting to get back to her.

I'm not sure how to feel about the ending either, especially knowing it is a duology and not a trilogy. I like how some things were wrapped up, but there were definitely other things that I felt could have been resolved more clearly. I think it's still open for a third book as there are still some unanswered questions.

Overall, 4.5 stars out 5, rounded up.

This book gave me everything and more than I could ever have dreamed after Of Jade and Dragons. I have fallen head over heels for these characters and there's always the worry that the second outing won't be as good as the first, but here those fears are completely irrelevant. The Blood Phoenix had me hooked right the way through and brought the story to a satisfying close. That said I am not above begging for a third book in this series!

A superb sequel which carries the mythical nature of its predecessor to new heights. An immersive, full throttle tale that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Unfortunately this book fell short for me. After of jade and dragons, i was really looking forward to book two but after reading it, im left feeling unfulfilled. The plot was again interesting and engaging but lacked the same pull and immersion from the first book. Honestly my biggest gripe with this is that it didn't feel like a good conclusion. I feel like things were not resolved and knowing this is only a duology, this was a deal breaker for me.

I just finished The Blood Phoenix, and wow—what a ride. From the start, it pulled me into this beautiful, intense world full of gods, rebellion, and magic, and I didn’t want to leave.

The story follows a girl torn between revenge, loyalty, and finding her own place in a world that expects so much from her. It’s inspired by Chinese mythology, which gives it such a rich, unique vibe. Amber Chen’s writing is easy to sink into—poetic but never too much—and the way she builds the world and the characters is just so good.

I really loved the main character’s journey. She’s strong, angry, vulnerable, and real. Watching her figure out who she is and what she wants felt really powerful. The romance was also slow and tender in the best way—not over the top, just the kind that sneaks up on you and stays with you.

If you like fantasy that’s emotional, a little dark, and full of heart, I totally recommend this one. It gave me a lot to think about, and the ending left me both satisfied and wanting more.


*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*