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.

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.

Book review: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Genre: fantasy duology
Themes: engineering, disguise, infiltration, murder
📖 Read if you like: Powerless, Mulan, The Dragon’s Promise

While book 1 was a story of vengeance and identity, book 2 deals with the aftermath of deadly decisions and the shadow it creates. It takes place two years later with Ying having left the capital, while her sister remains dutifully behind as the betrothed to High Commander Ye-Yang. When a deadly pirate attack on a small coastal village by the fearsome Blood Pheonix kills a dear friend, Ying will be pulled back into the world of political drama, deadly creations and a looming war of destruction.

With new engineering challenges that pull Ying and her friends into a new underwater landscape, the creativity on this front remains high. The pirates were a fun addition with another feminist storyline to root for, though they were certainly a deadly group of enemies. The plot was once again complex with a power struggle between brothers continuing amidst threats from external sources. The hidden agents and grand battles really made for an exciting and entertaining read.

Then there is the heart of the story. With lies and betrayal leaving their scars, Ying and Ye-Yang’s relationship remains a tumultuous one. Thrown back together, their love for each other is undeniable, but so is the undermining decision making and withheld trust, along with the Nian of it all. With her sister’s happiness at stake, Ying wants to take herself out of the picture. Yet with the fate of all Antarans at risk, Ying will do what she must to protect the people, as is her duty as an engineer.

In many ways this sequel was didactic, a morality lesson if you will. What is a life worth, what is the cost of vengeance, what to do with power. There were many complex issues raised within the deadly political and sea-based battlefields. I liked the conclusion to the story with a bitter sweet inevitability.

What let me down a bit was Nian and Ye-kan. It may have been two years, but they both appeared to be very different characters. I cannot pretend that the girl who spent her life dancing and caretaking could suddenly become a brilliant strategist who would be privy to the High Commander’s office before they were married. Nor, that she would have any real power. It didn’t help that her character was rather bland compared to Ying. I understand the contrast and her steadfast nature was the point, but I didn’t buy into the metamorphosis. She lacked the barriers that Ying faced and the fact that everyone was so welcoming and helpful lead to a very obvious outcome. Then there is the young and hot-headed prince who seems to have lost all his candour and bossiness, which made him a loveable character during the competition. His personality seemed to have been snuffed out as he served as a supporting backbone to Nian. Ye-kan needed to be more to step out of his brother’s shadow and deserve the right to rule. Frankly I am not sure either one really understood the sacrifices needed to lead, yielding a very naive pair in a dark landscape. It took a rather complex storyline and characters into a more black and white territory, which I thought was boring. So I really enjoyed some elements, but others were not to my particular taste. Still it made an excellent finale with possibility for another story within the same world.

Thank you to @coloredpagesbt @penguinteen and @amberwrites88 for a copy of this book for review. As a debut duology, it was really well done!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this continuation of this series! I really enjoyed all of the action and adventure in this installment. The introduction of a second point of view was very well done and I could not get enough of this character and her story. I really enjoyed the steampunk aspects in this book and all of the inventions that were developed throughout the book. This was such a great story with so many plot twists.

I enjoyed the first book a lot, even with its flaws the storyline kept me intrigued. But I felt this book was rushed a little too much and I'm left with unanswered questions

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the prose and the world built into this story, and I enjoyed the budding romance between Ye-kan and Nian. I also enjoyed that two years passed between the first book and this one, and there was a betrayal that I didn't see coming until just before it occurred.

Aside from that, I have a lot of issues with this story. 1. There’s a ton of movement in this story that felt like whiplash. Ying constantly moves between Fei, then leaves, returns, leaves, returns, all before the climax, then leaves again. 2. Saving Nian was so easy, there was essentially no time from Ying’s pov to worry the worst had happened. 3. Ye-Yang has the super-human ability of ki that is glossed over when it's first brought up in this book, and its potential is wasted/hardly mentioned or used, especially in times of danger.. 4. Ying’s motivation to stay away from Ye-Yang is shaky. Most of the time, it seems for the logical reason that she doesn’t trust him bc of what happened 2 years prior, but other times, it seems more like it’s only because he is engaged to her sister. 5. The main "villain" set up from the first book is posed as the empire across the sea, and yet they are not the enemy in either book, and are waylaid in this book in place of pirates plus treason/inner political intrigue. It seems odd to me that so much emphasis in both books was put on the war with the country across the sea, and yet there was no real focus on in-story and no resolution.
The final straw for me was the ending. Without giving too much away, the ending felt so incomplete and lazy.

In the sequel to "Of Jade and Dragons", "Blood Phoenix" begins two years after the last book and we're given Ying's POV as well as her sister's!
The characters are really well developed, the plot is action packed and twisty, and the Mulan steampunk vibes are there.

I just wish there was an additional epilogue of the after events for more closure.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I've really enjoyed reading this duology, even though it didn't feel like the story was complete with this book. Maybe Amber is going to surprise us with another book, because I have some questions amiga!

I continue to love the engineering and STEM plot that we were introduced to in Of Jade and Dragons; I think it's what I enjoyed the most about this world. There are so many challenges for the characters, so many obstacles to overcome, and the journey of it all was beautiful. Ying has a wonderful growth throughout these books, and she became my favorite character.

The pace of this book was a little harder for me towards the middle of the story, but I think it was necessary as part of the author's intended direction. There are a lot of struggles and new hardships, and also new POV's that made the plot even richer than before.

Thank you so much to Colored Pages Book Tour, Penguin Teen, and Amber Chen for the gifted copy of this amazing story.

Ying takes to the high seas in the conclusion of the "Fall of the Dragon" duology.

It's been two years since Ying said goodbye to Ye-yang and left the Engineer's Guild in Fei. Trying to put all her past mistakes behind her, Ying is attempting to move on. When her fiancée is murdered in a brutal pirate attack, Ying has no choice but to return to the capital and meet her destiny. Her little sister, Nian is betrothed to marry Ye-yang, the High Commander of the Nine Isles. Unfortunately, he's distracted and has little time for her with all the war preparations. At least Nian is kept company by his younger brother, Ye-kan. As tensions rise, Ying, Ye-Yang, Nian, and Ye-kan must band together to save their people from utter destruction.

I must say, I definitely enjoyed reading this second installment more than the first book. If it wouldn't have been so long, I may have even liked this one. However, I found myself growing bored at the repetitive nature of this book and all the political turmoil that literally advanced the story nowhere.

It takes quite a while for the action in this one to even begin to pick up. Reuniting the main cast of characters took way too many pages, which definitely added to the length of this one. There is also a long section in the middle in which Ying's gang gets kidnapped by pirates (which was honestly one of the more interesting portions of the book), that caused the plot to get elongated immensely. Nian and Ye-kan meanwhile are stuck ruling the kingdom and trying to uncover the traitors in their midst (which was a super boring part of this story). The plot in this one had a bit of a hard time plotting, in my opinion.

This book didn't make me like Ying or Ye-yang any more than I already did, which was unfortunate. Going into a book that is over 400 pages long and not liking the main characters is a major oof. I still find their romance to be creepy, and I cannot get behind how controlling this man is. Luckily, Ye-yang has some growth before the end of this series, but still, yeesh.

My favorite part of this book was definitely getting to know Nian and Ye-kan more. Ye-kan was my favorite character in the first book and seeing him evolve from this nerdy dweeb into the temporary leader of a kingdom is pretty neat. The little romantic snippets between these two was honestly the only thing that kept me going at times, and it's still pretty mid for a romance all things considered.

I do like the messages about family, letting go of the past, and such that this book leaves the reader with. Unfortunately, these themes are nowhere near strong enough to make reading almost a thousand pages worth it.

The ending was also one of the most underwhelming things I have ever read. The way that half of the characters either end up betraying each other or dead just felt rather weak in my opinion. The lack of any actual conclusion was super annoying to me. I've spent so much time with these characters, and I feel that the author gave us literally nothing worthwhile in the end.

Overall, "The Blood Phoenix" was a disappointing conclusion to a disappointing series. I was so excited to dive into the "Fall of the Dragon" series, but this was actually one of the most underwhelming duologies I have ever read. I am definitely not a fan of this one, so I will not be reading any spin-off series set in this same world, that's for sure. It makes me so sad to rip into this one so extremely negatively, but I just couldn't bring myself to feel as though these books are worth the time commitment.

This one was a bit of a slow burn for me. The beginning didn’t hook me right away, but once the story found its rhythm, I started to get pulled in. There’s a heavier, more emotional tone in The Blood Phoenix.

Some pacing issues and character decisions made it hard to fully connect at times, but there were scenes that really stood out and made me pause. The world is getting darker, the stakes feel more personal, and by the end, I was definitely more invested than I expected to be.

Not a favorite, but it had some strong moments and is definitely worth a read. A solid 3.5 stars.

Book 2 of the Fall of the Dragon series, it picks up 2 years after the end of Book 1 so you need to read Of Jade and Dragons for background on things mentioned, as well as the main characters. This was much more emotional and dark since the attack on the fishing village from The Blood Phoenix. Between lives at stake and emotions running high, Ying has to face her past with Ye-Yang, who’s now the High Commander.

Ying’s sister, Nian, and the 14th Prince, Ye-kan also appear in this chapter of their lives as Ying has to return to —- to use the equipment at the Engineers guild. Things are so tense given how things ended in Book 1 and now there are pirates! I had to get the audiobooks to hear this read to me and it wasn’t a disappointment. I did feel like the ending could have led to more and I’m hoping that maybe another chapter in the series could come. A spin-off maybe? Overall, very enjoyable reads and more so as listens.

*Actual rating is 3.5 stars*

Since I enjoyed the first book, I had high hopes for this one and unfortunately it didn’t quite deliver. The main problem was the structure of the plot. Here the plot was a little bit all over the place, instead of the first book's more streamlined plot.

Especially Ying’s perspective was especially prone to follow the constant “does something, it goes wrong, then back track to the start” formula and it just got old very fast. Not to mention the indecisiveness of her romance with Ye-Yang. It was hard to root for someone when they are so inconsistent in their thoughts and actions. The most enjoyable part for me was Nian's perspective, and I’m sad that we didn’t get more time to properly explore her character.

The Blood Phoenix is a quick read that would have been more enjoyable with more developed characters and an ending that weren’t so open-ended. It didn’t feel like the conclusion to a duology.

I absolutely adored this book. I think it was a great sequel. Though the time jump for me was a little off putting. But overall a great read

I really enjoyed this book and the closure it provided me after reading the first book. I felt like I could REALLY feel the emotions the characters were experiencing. The author did a great job pulling me into the story!

Let me start by saying I am a HUGE Of Jade and Dragons fan. Ying’s story is was fresh and inspiring. I didn’t feel that way about The Blood Phoenix, as the middle took so much intentional focus for me to get through. I bet I’d have liked it more with some of the conflicts edited out. If you really love action adventure stories with a focus on plot over characters, you will probably appreciate this one more. The last 25% was better, but the ending was somewhat unsatisfying. One thing I really liked is that the chapters were split between Ying and her sister. It was interesting to get Nian’s perspective here.

Even though book 2 didn’t quite hit for me, this was overall a decent duology, and worth reading for book 1 alone.

Of Jade and Dragons: 5 stars
The Blood Phoenix: 3 stars

The Blood Phoenix is a thrilling and emotional conclusion to Amber Chen’s silkpunk duology, masterfully expanding on the world introduced in Of Jade and Dragons. While the first book focused more on the academy and its immediate surroundings, this sequel dives deep into the broader political landscape, class divisions, and the harsh realities faced by those living outside positions of privilege. The world-building is richer and more expansive, giving readers a vivid look at the complexity and inequality within this Qing Dynasty-inspired universe.

What stands out most is how the story incorporates multiple POVs, offering a fuller, more nuanced view of the events unfolding. These varied perspectives bring depth and allow us to better understand the stakes, the emotional weight of the characters' choices, and the power dynamics at play. The silkpunk technology and aquatic engineering introduced in this installment are especially creative—an imaginative highlight, even for readers with no STEM background.

The narrative picks up about two years after the first book, and while spoilers are best avoided, it’s worth noting that the romantic elements bring both heartache and charm. There’s a bittersweet second-chance romance and a newer, less developed pairing that touches on themes of youth, inexperience, and emotional maturity. While the newer romance could have used more buildup to feel fully earned, it still adds a tender layer to the otherwise fast-paced plot.

Though the pacing occasionally falters—some sections drag while others rush by—the momentum generally holds strong, driven by political intrigue, character growth, and compelling action sequences. One of the book’s only real frustrations is how little we get to know about the enigmatic Master Cixin, whose presence looms large but remains frustratingly distant.

And the ending? Absolutely brutal in the best way. Chen leaves us with questions and possibilities that beg for a follow-up—perhaps a spin-off? Here’s hoping. Until then, The Blood Phoenix remains a satisfying, immersive read that balances steampunk invention, rich cultural influence, and character-driven storytelling.

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 ⭐️

Two years after the ending of OF JADE AND DRAGONS.

I delighted in the ocean setting, from the focus on science and engineering to pirate - the underwater exploration feels refreshing in a plot which engaging dynamics are composed of deadly journeys, tournaments and the juicy addition of mythical beasts.

The story still echoes themes of revenge, betrayal and politics, which the highlight manifests in the exploration of side characters, especially family (interesting that I liked more the side POV). I overall enjoyed the romance but I preferred the 2cp (romance of secondary characters), which I found less flowery/dramatic, in this way feeling more real.

The book two feels almost a completely different story centering around familiar key characters, with the incorporation of a huge cast of new characters that can make the story feel more expansive, yet at the same time, quite disjointed from the previous book. In short, it would be less distracting if readers regard this as a standalone.

Compared to book one, the intense battles scenes make PHOENIX more action-packed and dramatic, still containing some emotional moments. Lastly, while hopeful (?), I would have liked a more resolved ending, which the open nature allows a possible sequel.

THE BLOOD PHOENIX has different vibes and regardless of feeling lukewarm, it's a fun read.

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?

Thank you Viking Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a great sequel to Of Jade and Dragons. I really loved how we got to explore more of the world and political climate this time around, instead of just the academy and the immediate country. We got to see more of the way in which the poorer and less lucky existed in this world. I also liked how more characters got POVs and page time in this book, it helped us get a better picture of this world. The machines mentioned in this book were even cooler than the previous one, so I really appreciated that. Honestly, I think I might need to read more silkpunk books.