KINGDOM OF THE BLAZING PHOENIX

A young princess finds the courage to usurp an evil queen.

Upon Empress Xifeng’s dark and violent rise to power, Princess Jade was sent to a monastery to be raised in meditative simplicity. Pure-hearted Jade is the daughter of Emperor Jun’s first wife and a descendant of the Dragon King—in other words, a constant threat to her evil stepmother’s rule—and is summoned back to the Imperial City for her 18th birthday celebration. Jade quickly discovers her stepmother’s plot to poison the emperor and murder Jade using blood magic from the sinister Serpent God. Disguised as a commoner, Jade escapes with the help of her beloved Amah (nursemaid) and a handful of servants still loyal to the true heir. Thus begins a quest to save the kingdoms of Feng Lu, following crumbs from Amah’s moral tales and a legend that prophesies that “the one who reunites the relics will bring peace to Feng Lu once more.” In this sequel to A Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (2017), Dao marries Chinese history with Western folklore, which will entrance some readers, but the well-trodden paths involving forbidden poisoned apples, legendary swords, and magic invisibility cloaks will frustrate those who enjoyed the rich characterizations in Book 1, Xifeng’s descent into villainy in particular.

A grand adventure for fans of fairy tales, fables, and legends coupled with the vibrant history of Chinese dynasties.