Flame of a Southern Summer ||Book 1 in the Si Xiang Series||

Michelle Long lived a normal life with her family in Chinatown, Chicago, Illinois. Straight A student, captain of her basketball team, and President of the Asian Culture Club that she started with her friends. Everything was normal, that is, until her family receives word the Michelle's grandfather is on his deathbed. The Long family must make the trip to Beijing, China before the death of Michelle's grandfather, Hou Chang.

There, by her grandfather's side, he reminds her of the stories he use to tell her. The story of the Si Xiang. With his final breath, Hou gives Michelle an amulet with the etching of a strange bird on it, the Vermilion Bird of the South. Now Michelle has to go to the Southern Temple of the Vermilion Bird by summer's end, but she's not going alone. She has friends by her side that will help her in her quest or the world has they know it will cease to exist.