04/28/09

Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia by Cindy Pon

Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia by Cindy Pon

Release Date: April 28, 2009
Publisher: GreenWillow/HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 352

On the day of her first betrothal meeting–and rejection–Ai Ling discovers a power welling deep within her. She can reach into other people’s spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams…and that’s just the beginning.

Ai Ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor’s palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. She must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. and then she meets Chen Yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. Here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance–of anything with the making of legend..

Silver Phoenix was a fascinating novel. I literally could not stop reading it once I started. It was beautifully written and I was completely captivated by the world and characters that Cindy created.

I thought Ai Ling was a very well developed protag. She was impulsive, courageous, yet shy, selfish, and yet compassionate. I wish we would have been divulged into the entire history of Silver Phoenix. I want to know more about her!

I loved the creatures that were presented in this novel and all of the different lands that AI Ling and Chen Yong traveled though. That type of element truly fascinates me. I would love to read, The Book of the Dead, The Book of Devine and The Book of Lands Beyond that were referenced to throughout the novel.

The plot was very fast paced it never faltered or lulled.. Ai Ling is constantly battling evil beings and I reveled in her butt kicking abilities. Even though she was traveling with two very capable boys she never expected them to fight her battles.

Another aspect of the novel that I loved, and this really doesn’t have much to do with my overall recommendation to read the books, but all that talk of food! Oh MY! There was an abundance of mouth-watering meals that were deliciously depicted! I’m hungry just thinking about it!

Overall a completely satisfying read for fantasy fans. I’m hoping to see more of these characters!

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