I honestly never thought I would love the supernatural that wasn’t about demons or demonic possession. Sure, I’ve watched Supernatural and I love that show. But that is more about the bond of brotherhood between Sam and Dean.

But then I find S.D Grimm thanks to Entangled Teen. She has made me fall in love with the supernatural with her first (to me) book, Summoner, and then this book shows up. And that has sealed the deal on Grimm’s writing.

This book is all about Phoenixes. No. Not Dumbledore’s bird, Fawkes, but people (if you will) that protect humans from all the nasty things in the dark. They are reborn like Phoenixes normally are and like everything in the supernatural world, there are Light and Dark Phoenixes. I’m not going to get into the lore because I want you all to learn about it when you read this book.

There are 3 (three) POVs-Ava, Cade and Nick. All three of them were amazing in their own way. I want to gush about them but I don’t want to spoil anything. But let’s just say Ava is my favorite for many different reasons!

I think where this book really shines is the world building. We get a lot of information and most of it is spread over the course of the book as the MC’s, Ava and Cade, learn it. It’s a little info dumpy at times (which I do love as long as it’s not too much) in some parts hence the star knocked off. But it’s very strong for a first book of a series. The world of the Phoenix is so cool. I would love to know more about it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I’m sold on anything S.D Grimm’s supernatural books and I hope you all check out this book if you are looking for your next supernatural book!

So Phoenix Fire by S.D. Grimm starts out with our main female protagonist, Ava, featuring the "hot nerd" Wyatt (which, just a side note, is every bookworm's dream, am I right?). Wyatt saves her when a car crash occurs right in front of her on her nightly jog. They kinda hit it off, and Ava realizes she might have a slight crush, but not before some strange things begin to happen around the house. First, the few wounds Ava acquired when Wyatt saved her heal up in a matter of minutes. Then, her dog goes crazy and she sees two men leaving her yard. Not to mention she's been having flashbacks of memories... that aren't hers. Or are they? All Ava knows is that Wyatt knows what's going on, and she's determined to get information.

The world-building is a little lacking, especially in the beginning when it is super slow. However, I LOVED the concept of the world and definitely want a little more history built in to know more about how phoenixes came into existence.

I like the characters and relationships that are forming, but I feel like Ava's character could have had really nice development, but her character continued as more of a static character (an aspect that I would not classify as a good attribute of a protagonist). I also feel as though Wyatt and Ava's relationship could have been slowed down a lot, especially considering this will be a series. However, I like the whole family theme portrayed.

Lastly, there needs to be some variety in the voice. There are a few cliche statements that had me cringing inwardly a bit, but that could easily be fixed.

All in all, that sounded like a lot of negatives, but this was a enjoyable read, and I would like to pick up the next book to see how everything develops.

For the full review, see my blog at http://ashtonread.blogspot.com/p/phoenix-fire.html . Thanks, and au revoir!

I received a digital copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Entangled Publishing, and thank you, S.D. Grimm, for including me in your blog book tour!

"If I didn't start pushing them away soon, they'd push me away. I couldn't take that again. Not from another family."

At first, Ava is all prickles and porcupine spines, eager to push her new found family away, refusing to believe that they might possibly be the family she's looking her, to love her, all of her, despite her flaws. After years of rejection, she wants to do it first. Because it just hurts less that way.

And slowly, as the story is told, her walls, her defenses are gradually destroyed and she starts to open herself to them, and the others around her. And like moth to a flame, she can't help feel drawn to Wyatt, the hot new geeky guy at her school, who slowly untangles her, getting beneath her skin and seeing a side of her she normally keeps hidden from most.

So, firstly the bit that I didn't love so much: The story shifts point of view frequently, with Cade, Nick, Ava and others taking turns at narrating and providing views of events through their perspective. The story jumps often from past to present as they gradually remember what happens to the past, and deal with the consequences in the future. Especially in the first quarter in the book, this did feel very jarring, and it was, at times, very difficult to follow what was going on from one chapter to the next. But it does improve, and for anyone who is having trouble in the first few chapters, I recommend sticking with it, as it does get easier. There was a little bit of insta-love, which I'm not really a fan of, I prefer a slower burn when it comes to such things.

And what I did love: the story feels original, and the characters are detailed and intricate. The cover is gorgeous, and premise on which the book is built on, the warring of these dark and light phoenixes through cycles is unique from most of the YA fantasy books in the market. I kind of like that the main character makes mistakes, and is a bit prickly, and slow to trust. Nothing grates on me more than a 'perfect' Mary Sue protagonist.

So overall, Phoenix Fire is definitely worth a read if you want a YA fantasy that's just a little bit different.

I have to feel that with Phoenix Fire, you'll like it if all you are looking for is a YA romance. If you want plot, worldbuilding, character development, logic, and solid word smithing, then you may be very disappointed. For this is clearly a book written around and for the romance - everything in it servers to highlight or enhance or create drama for the romance. That means that people don't naturally, the plot is needlessly convoluted, and action/adventure comes off as silly. In addition, we're given multiple viewpoints in order to create more than one romance - creating a very confusing mess. Because the writing chops aren't there, the book can be very frustrating and feel very much like a debut effort.

Story: Ava has gone through the foster care situation like so many 'randomly found' 6 year olds who continually show up in their small town. She's unable to be a good person, she feels, and is about to be kicked out of yet another home when Cade and Nick show up, claiming to be her brothers. At the same time they show up, her hunky next door neighbor Wyatt saves her and is very attentive to her. But Wyatt has suspicious behavior and Nick is telling her she must kill someone. When she discovers she has supernatural powers, she's about to learn there is much more to her story than she could ever have guessed.

Of course, there are a lot of convoluted plot devices to create the situation where the characters have to 'discover' things about their supernatural abilities. In addition, no one ever tells anyone anything, despite that information being so vital, just so we can have a big 'reveal' and heartfelt tender moment with the romantic interests. And of course, it allows our characters to look 'tough' when they triumph over those unexpected moments. It's all very trite, to be honest.

The characters themselves were cookie cutter. Yet another YA romance where we are told the main character is tough/strong but rarely shown - most of the time she's spending more effort mooing over the love interest Wyatt than actually contemplating her own precarious situation. But of course, he needs her to show him the right way and she'll reform him by the end. Ad nauseum. For once, I'd appreciate a non-cookie-cutter YA urban fantasy where the main character is SHOWN to be smart by using her brain and intellect rather than by lashing out at everyone and causing more issues than she fixes.

Because our leads were memory wiped through a really silly plot device, there are a lot of flashbacks that, of course, are pivotal. Because no one has flashbacks that don't reveal future plot points. But in this case, the writing isn't strong enough to differentiate current from past situations and it often becomes a confusing jumble. I had to reread too many times just to understand what was happening at various parts of the book.

In the end, I guess the description of "chance encounter with hot nerd Wyatt Wilcox" should have clued me in to the issues I'd have with the book. Overidealized, silly, lacking originality and nuance, and clearly a Mary Sue. Phoenix Fire is by no means a terrible book and I'm sure the writer will improve with future books. But it can be an eye rolling slog for more sophisticated readers who expect more from their YA books these days. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

in phoenix fire, book one of the phoenix cycle series, we learn that ava, cade, and nick are sibling phoenixes who are stuck on a loop trying to hunt down one dark phoenix that threatens all of humanity. the problem is that other than nick, no one else quite remembers what is happening or what they are or what it is they have to fight against.

there are other complications too. ava is drawn to wyatt, but he has some secrets of his own. is he working with the phoenixes or against them. everything in ava says he is trustworthy, but the memories of their shared pasts are murky and his while he seems to care for ava, it's not clear that his intentions are honorable.

cade for his part can't control his powers well, events from past lives have left him weaker and at a disadvantage when trying to recoup his memories. his connection with ava's friend yuki also stretches back to other lives, and she possibly has the key to the secret that will save them all.

and nick, who knows everything including where this should end is surprised by his connection to wyatt's sister kelsey and how she reminds him of the girl he loved so long ago.

there's romance and drama and twists aplenty, and i can't wait for the battle to save the world in subsequent books.

**phoenix fire published on march 5, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publishing (entangled teen) in exchange for my honest review.

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I consider it my personal trademark to go with my handle (Singer of Stories) to always associate each book I read with a song or soundtrack when posting my review. I have gotten good feedback from my followers this way, and it also adds an extra tag to generate more traffic to my posts.

Phoenix Fire reminded me why I used to enjoy reading fantasy books. It is very well written and will leave you on the edge of your seat trying to keep up. Grimm’s story telling is phenomal and the premise of this story is one that is refreshing. When I think of fantasy, I think vampires so it was nice to visit a world that was new and different. I am already dying to read the next installment.

This book was super easy to get into. There is a ton of gut-wrenching moments in the first few chapters that help to set the tone for the rest of the book.

I really liked the supernatural aspects of the story surrounding the Phoenix and the concept of re-birth in our characters. At first, I thought this story was going to hit more on the suspense side of things, but there becomes a romantic, thriller undertone.

The characters had me hooked. It was a little obvious what was going to happen within those first chapters, but it was fun to se how they progress. I also liked the relationship between all of the characters. This story does focus on the idea of family. The main character does struggle with foster care and the identity-searching which comes with it.

But it was the unique, supernatural powers of the Phoenix which sold me through this book. I gave this one a 4 out of 5 stars. There are these mysterious monsters creatures introduced with the two brothers’ perspectives.

Being able to watch the main character discover her powers and what is really envisioned for her life was fun and made the book easy to read.

Also, what made this book stand out to me was the idea of the love-interest isn’t necessarily the Jock/Pretty-Boy. He’s a little more geeky than that.

My review bounces between a 3 and 4 stars.

I'm glad there are now Phoenix who have their own light as I enjoy the lore, so reading about Phoenix fighting their own wars was cool. It's a tangle of lies and drama and you can't do something without tugging on another string of troubles. That made it a little exciting because while everyone is slowly recovering their secrets, you're trying to figure out just what it is that everyone really knows. The main character Ava was an independent girl with strong shields and low expectations. I felt kinda bad for her but it was nice to see her slowly open up and make friends. Her struggles were hard to handle at times but otherwise, I thought it was good The multiple POV was cool because a lot of their own information pieced together the big picture until it all came crashing down. The ending was kinda hard to swallow at one point because of all the mistrust, but I still liked the YA vibes of urban fantasy. I really liked Cade and his sweetness. The others I'll wait to judge until the second book, but they seem cool.

I liked this book! I think this series has a lot of potential to be something amazing but to be honest this first installment could use a little bit of work. While the plot was fast paced and the story ended up being really good, the beginning confused me really bad. This story is told from multiple POVs and I do enjoy that in a book but with this story and not knowing what a Phoenix was in the beginning I was very lost. I think many readers will love this series and it turned out to be a good adventure. I want to continue reading this series to see what the author has in store for us next. While my rating is 3 stars because all of this confusion, I would still recommend others checking it out of they like the sound of the premise.
I want to thank NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views expressed are my own.

Rating: 3.5/5

This is the first in a new YA series, told from the points of view of a variety of characters. This actually proved somewhat confusing at times for me, but then I’m by no means still a young adult! The story is centred on Ava, a teen who has been moved from one foster home to another and initially has no knowledge of her past. However, she keeps having flashback to events that she has experienced, memories of things that occurred to her in previous lives. She’s not the only one regaining her memories. So is her twin brother, Cade,who she doesn’t immediately recognise as in this life they’ve grown up separated. There’s another brother, Nick, who is older than the twins and has more memories of events leading to the current situation. Wyatt is another teen character with a significant role to play with these three . . . . .

There are so many secrets to be revealed, dangers to be overcome and so much more. The pace is inconsistent but I did enjoy the continual character development and suspect that future books in the series will be much more engaging as there will be less need for the background information to be shared, sometimes repeatedly from different points of view. It is an intriguing start to a new series filled with mystery and suspense.

I requested and received a copy of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Jacki – ☆☆☆☆
I originally grabbed this one up just because of the name and I'm glad I did.

Despite a slow start, I did eventually get dragged into this one and didn't put it down until I finished. The concept of phoenixes was quite intriguing and different, so it definitely interested me.

Ava, Cade, and Nick are Phoenix siblings, eternally fighting through time to save their race. The catch, they come back as children and have to grow into their teens before remembering anything, even each other. Each life has become more precious as their enemies gain in strength and none know just how long they have or if they can defeat them.

Overall, this was an interesting read. I am looking forward to future books and seeing where the author takes this. It has great potential for sure. I would recommend it to those interested in lighter fantasy like myself.

Young Adult Age Recommendation: 13+

I loved this book! This was a great story line, and great characters! I couldn’t put it down, definitely worth reading!

I have read a book by this author and I liked her writing so when I seen this one that centered around a Phoenix I had to enter in. This is also the first to this series with I better be on my toes keeping a eye out for when the others come out. Not many write about this fantasy creature that springs from legends or when they do not very well at times. This one centers around Ava who finally is getting a life finds out that life is not as she expected. Wyatt is also the one that opened that door with you interest picking up as soon as they cross paths. Other oddities will happen causing the reader to also become more involved. Then the brothers with by now you are so into this the intrigue meter has skyrocketed with you not going anywhere anytime soon. This will weave around you taking on the journey with will she be able to, will they succeed, and what about that Wyatt?

I really liked the concept for this book, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. Ava, one of the three siblings, really started to get on my nerves. I can understand why she pushed people away in the beginning, but after the first quarter of the book her comments really bugged me. She kept saying she was better off alone, and the only person she could trust was herself. It was like listening to a broken record.

Her foster family was amazing, and they never gave her a reason to push them away. She was acting preemptively and without cause (because she thought it would be best to remain unattached), but she didn't give them a chance. She was guarded and defensive from the beginning, and it was like she couldn't accept that people genuinely cared about her.

I also thought it was weird that two teens died and no one mentions it or asks what happened. You would think Ava's foster parents, the school, or even her brothers would have discussed the deaths, but it was like it never happened.

Wyatt, Nick and Cade—I really wanted to like these three, and I did for the most part, but ugh. NO ONE TELLS ANYONE ANYTHING EVER. For some unknown reason, Wyatt and Nick get their memories back first, like two years before the others. What do they do during those two years? Who explains what is happening to them? Why does it take so long for everyone to get on the same page?

I felt like the story was moving forward without actually going anywhere, but I wanted to see how everything would play out. Phoenix Fire did manage to surprise me a few times, so bonus points there, but I wish the information had been presented a little differently. A few more details here, a little character development there, and less "Drat! I'm being sucked into a memory!" I know they needed the information from their past lives, but there had to be a better way for them to access those memories. Everyone kept fainting and falling down.

I don't know if I will read the next book in the series, but I am curious about the conclusion. 😐

Phoenix Fire is the start of a new series. It's a suspense mystery romance novel. It's gritty, action-packed and unique. This is the first Phoenix novel I've read and the story was very interesting.

The Phoenix is a fascinating Greek mythological creature. The bird is said to live over and over again, hence this series is called Phoenix cycle. As this book unravels we see how finding your path in life can be tricky even with a do-over.

Ava doesn't know her family. She had been in the foster system and has grown a hard outer shell. The field family are in the process of offering Ava a forever home but she finds it difficult to trust. She doesn't want to be let down. She has a foster brother and a best friend, Yuki. She is settled the best she can be but doesn't rely on anyone. She starts to have flashbacks of former life's. How is it possible to know someone before you meet them? Wyatt helps Ava in her time of need but he's worse than a Katie Perry song. He's always flashing hot and cold.

Cade and Nick are on a mission to find their sister. They need her help. Cade is her twin and is also having flashbacks but his memories come with consequences. These two need to gain Ava's trust and help her uncover the truth. They are Phoenix's and fight monsters. The ultimate monster is on its way and they need to be prepared.

This book is written from multiple points of views. The story slowly unravels and is full of mystery. Some of the memories are a little gruesome and Wyatt is mysterious, I couldn't work him out.
This is a romance novel, however, it's more about family and monsters.

Wyatt's character becomes clear, and his reason for being strange, but I found his cold spells a bit of a turn-off. By the end of the book, he was one of my least favourite characters. Ava has a lot going for her. She's a brave heroine and ready for action. She has some tough decisions.

This book was a good start to a series and hopefully, the writer can make up for Wyatt's lack of spirit in the next book. The story was engaging and there are lots of interesting personalities. 4 stars out of 5.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This seems to be a good read for teenagers. I am enjoying so far, but need to finish!! Will update soon!
Update: I couldn't put this down yesterday!
This is a safe read for middle grade and high school readers. There is teen romance (kissing), but very safe for kids to read.
The story follows Ava, who has no idea she is a phoenix until she starts having visions of a past life. She seems to be the last of her kind to remember everything she needs to remember to finish her current purpose.

I enjoyed seeing the characters get out of situations and try to solve problems in the book. The book is full of hard decisions and choices, like teens need to make. Coupled with a character who will NOT GIVE UP. Great read! Can't wait for the second book!

Unfortunately, I could not finish this book. The premise was great and I liked the characters well enough, but the writing is too choppy and weak. There are too many glaring plot holes, that I couldn't force myself through it. Perhaps,. I might give it another go later, but as it stands right now, it is not for me.

I will mark it as "will not finish" on Goodreads with no rating.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Phoenix Fire by S.D. Grimm. The story drew me in, during the first chapter, as I read about Ava who lives in a foster home, has memories that aren’t her own and witnesses a car crash involving her foster brother. The second chapter introduces Cade and Nick and an entire world of hunting monsters and I was instantly immersed! Ava’s schoolmate, Wyatt, helped her after the crash and he seems to have a mystery of his own. The chapters alternate through Ava, Cade and Nick, all in first person point of view. Ava and Cade have forgotten about monsters and their Phoenix history, but Nick remembers and reveals the story elements through his narrative. Nick is always the first to remember who he is and what his family’s mission is and he’s alone as he wakes up his memories. He then has to search for his twin siblings, Ava and Cade, and help them remember, as gently as possible, so they don’t fall under harm. Their pasts slowly reveal themselves through each of their experiences as they relive their memories. Transitioning that flows smoothly between characters and memories builds the mythological, paranormal world of Phoenix Fire. Supernatural intensity and characters that are complex and endearing rate 5 stars!

Ava knows that she is not normal, and it's not just because she bounces around between foster homes. Nope, her lack of normalcy comes form the fact that she has memories that came from another life and do not belong to her. When a night time jog gets dangerous, Ava finds herself in the arms of her rescuer, Wyatt. the quiet,overlooked boy at school. But Wyatt is hiding his own secrets and he refuses to share, much to Ava's disappointment. To make matters even more complicated, two new boys show up in town and Ava is convinced she knows them. But what is real and what belongs to a memory of someone else?

When I picked up my first S.D. Grimm book Summoner I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but ended up getting lost in the plot, the characters, the romance- pretty much everything about that book spoke to me and I was enchanted. When I saw that she had another book coming out there was no doubt in my mind I was going to read it, regardless of what it was about (I would probably want to read a shopping list by S.D. if it's long enough, just saying)- her writing style has the ability to transport me right into the action and the characters she creates feel like real people I know and connect with. And it just so happened that Phoenix Fire had a really cool sounding plot about a phoenix, something I personally have never encountered in literature (outside of Harry Potter)so I was so excited. It also doesn't hurt that the cover is gorgeous, and I do love my self some pretty cover. This was such a great blend of mystery, supernatural, history, heart, romance, excitement, danger and overall mischief.




I mean this in the best possible way, but there were some serious Supernatural (the television show) similarities popping up in Phoenix Fire. First, we have brothers- an older one who has been in the family business for years and would do anything to protect his younger brother who knew nothing about the hunting of monsters (oh, and by the way they destroy monsters so humans stay safe, have cool weapons and antidotes and drive around to new places when evil is lurking). Second, we have the younger brother (who is also taller) but damaged and more resistant to the path his father started him on. Third, they drive an old school muscle car- in this case a Challenger. See, any of this sound vaguely familiar?? I am such a fan-girl for the show Supernatural that I almost instantly started drawing connections between the book and the show (which may just be a coincidence but I love it). All these small details were enough to peak my curiosity about the book even if my S.D. Grimm love wasn't in the picture.




I was not aware that this was the first in a series, which makes me torn because I wanted everything to wrap up nicely and give the characters a happily ever after, but I also want to have more adventures with them- be it present time or through a memory. The world was so detailed and the plot so twisty that I got lost in the story for hours because I did not want to put it down until I was finished and knew all their secrets. I highly recommend any book by S.D. to read and Phoenix Fire in particular if you are looking for a supernatural action adventure with feels. I personally can't wait to get any kind of S.D. book in my hands next.

Follow the tour for the book my stopping by my blog https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/