A review by beckybook628
The Phoenix Empress by K. Arsenault Rivera

4.0

I would not have given this four stars (I think it is more like 3.5) but it was more than 3. I know everyone has their own rating scale. I loved the first book, and I expect to love the third book, but this one was so very slow to read -and it's really long. And both Shizuka and Shefali have lived through so much heartache in the past 8 years apart that instead of a nice homecoming (palace-coming) that we expect (and so do they), they take most of the book to settle into being together again -and neither is very fun to be around because of their baggage. They are pretty moody. I think this book is important for the third one, and it had its moments. I wish Shizuka could share her story sooner, and Shefali could be honest about her predicament sooner. I do like the hand-holding.