But will the same darkness that took Xifeng take Jade, too? Or will she find the strength within to save herself, her friends, and her empire? Set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world filled with breathtaking pain and beauty, Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix is filled with dazzling magic, powerful prose, and characters readers won't soon forget. Ready to reclaim her place as rightful heir, Jade embarks on a quest to raise the Dragon Lords and defeat Xifeng and the Serpent God once and for all. Even though Jade doesn't want the crown, she knows she is the only one who can dethrone the Empress and set the world right. But the empire is in distress and its people are sinking into poverty and despair. Princess Jade has grown up in exile, hidden away in a monastery while her stepmother, the ruthless Xifeng, rules as Empress of Feng Lu. An epic fantasy finale to that breathtaking and dazzling story. Best for fantasy fans of epic-quest adventures where danger and magic lurk around every corner.This fairy tale retelling lives in a mystical world inspired by the Far East, where the Dragon Lord and the Serpent God battle for control of the earthly realm it is here that the flawed heroine of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns finally meets her match. The story definitely comes to an end here, with an epilogue that explains what happens to many of the characters and to the kingdom of Feng Lu in the years following. If it's been a while since you read the first volume, it might help cement things in your mind to go back and read it again right before jumping into the sequel. But the effect of that here is that the world feels less vivid and not as easy to fully imagine. It's fair enough to suppose that in a sequel the author doesn't need to, and probably shouldn't, spend as much time building the story's world and can instead concentrate on character and plot. The overall story as a retelling of the 'Snow White' fairy tale comes more to the forefront, too.

Fans of dark fantasy still have plenty of that element to enjoy as Xifeng tries to hold on to her beauty and power.

Jade also relies on strong bonds of friendship and never hesitates to accept help and advice from others, which further lightens her hero's journey and makes her a better, more relatable role model by far. In Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix, Jade is a straight-up hero with all the good and admirable qualities you expect from a fairy-tale epic and in sharp contrast to Xifeng's darkness and ambiguity in the first volume, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns. This sequel and conclusion to a dark fantasy is a compelling read, even though it feels lighter and ramps up the adventure.

Kingdom of the blazing phoenix