Blood Jade, the second book in The Phoenix Hoard saga continues right where the first one left off. After becoming the Sentinel of San Francisco, Emiko just can’t seem to catch a break with her new powers. She must solve a murder with a killer whose power is very familiar to her, that of her mother’s. The trail takes her to Japan where she must confront old friends and her family after her long hiatus away from home. Complicating matters further is her newly awakened abilities that she didn’t know she had (there’s our cactus again).
I found that I really enjoyed this book. It doesn’t suffer from Middle Book Syndrome as it perfectly expands the world, sets new stakes, and furthers the plot. The character dynamics really get to shine in this one. Exploring how she relates to her family and balance her new role, no longer as a killer, but a protector, really changes how she interacts with those around her in a good way.
I will say that this book further expands on the “you thought they had no power, but they were secretly more powerful than everyone else” trope. If you hate that trope, you might not enjoy the series, but it is at least handled well, with a valid plot reason for being de-powered. I’m looking forward to the next entry in the series and I think that anyone that enjoyed the first entry will not be disappointed here. Check this one out.
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