Emiko Soong, newly minted Sentinel of San Francisco, just can’t catch a break. Just after she becomes the guardian for a sentient city, a murder strikes close to home. Called by the city and one of the most powerful clans to investigate, she traces the killer whose scent signature bears a haunting similarity to her mother’s talent.

The trail will lead her back to Tokyo where the thread she pulls threatens to unravel her whole world and bring dark family secrets to light.

Meanwhile, the General rises in the East and Emiko must fight the hidden enemies of his growing army who are amped up on Blood Jade, while keeping her promises to her brother Tatsuya as he prepares for his tourney.

Her duties as Sentinel and her loyalties collide when she must choose between hiding her deepest shame or stopping the General’s relentless march.

In Book 2 of the Phoenix Horde, Blood Jade, Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle continue the exhilarating ride they created in The Ebony Gate. The story starts with a bang, introducing and pulling the reader into the new intrigues Emiko Soong must deal with as the Sentinel as she also re-connects with her family. 

I love that in book two we learn more about Emiko’s past, about her family and that as she embraces her new Sentinel identity, she learns more about her abilities, both positive and negative. The novel does a fantastic job of picking up the threads left from the previous book, showing us more of the intrigue within the dragon clans and hinting at even greater secrets in the process. The twists and turns of the story will keep you thoroughly engaged.

If you like your paranormal with an Asian flare, this new adventure will be sure to keep you entertained. Not only will you learn more about Emiko but you will love her family and her friends. I do recommend reading book one first but if you dive into the second novel, you won’t be disappointed, you’ll just want to read book one afterwards for this original and exciting new urban fantasy. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 jades.