Alia is a zookeeper for magical creatures, who oversees the phoenix enclosure. She's obsessed with them and her biggest goal is to re-start a breeding program for these endangered birds. The only problem is that she only has a female phoenix and the breeding program at the zoo was defunct 10 years ago...and no one wants to give her money. You know, small things. Then, because of another zoo's terrible circumstances, she is suddenly given the chance of a lifetime. Are baby phoenixes really going to be in her future?

For me, the best part of the book was the magical animals and their shenanigans. This was probably the most fun in the book and the coziest part. I may have also been rooting for a kelpie to eat a person (eh, they deserved it) at one point...

Unfortunately I wasn't as big of a fan of the characters. Alia, was a socially awkward and anxiety-ridden mess. And girl same, but it actually caused anxiety for me to read about it instead of feeling cathartic. I was also not a fan of the romantic relationships. Without giving anything away, both of the love interests were jerks and only one got better, but only at the very end. It was too long a ride for me not liking the person I was supposed to be rooting for. I think I probably would have liked this better with no romance at all (even though this wasn't a big part of the book), and just Alia and her best friend (who was great) getting through this together.

I'd definitely check out other books by this author, because I did like the world-building.

*Content warning: threat of gun violence

Somewhere between 3 & 4 stars, so I'm rounding up to 4.

I liked this book a lot but there were some things that I found frustrating mostly having to do with Aila's love life, I wish less time had been spent on that overall. The best parts for me were all of the mundane things about working with animals and all the worldbuilding about how the magical creatures affect everyday life. I want to live in this world!

Aila is a main character that could easily frustrate readers, she has a lot of times where her anxiety overwhelms her and she’ll start catastrophizing. and she also doesn’t seem that great at a lot of aspects of her job, she is book smart but not real world smart. She takes things too personally and holds grudges easily. But all of these things were done in a way that felt very real and believable to me. She felt human and I loved seeing her passion for the phoenixes. I had a lot of fun following her work within the zoo and watching her try to work on her people skills.

I also really loved the relationship between Aila and her best friend, Tanya was always willing to call Aila out on her bullshit. The romance was the weakest part of the book for me because we don’t spend nearly enough time with the love interest but exploring Tanya & Aila’s friendship made up for that. Honestly, I feel like Connor (another zoo keeper that Aila has a crush on) could've been cut from the story completely and that would give more time to spend with the animals and with Luciana & Tanya.

The best part of this book by far is the animals, I love love loved all of the animals.

This was such a cozy read about magical zoo, a girl falling in love, and saving a species that means something to her. I really enjoyed this read and it was such a nice fantasy to get in to! The concept with the zoo was honestly one my favorite aspects of the book. It truly is the perfect blend of fantasy and romance.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book early!

If you love Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, then this book is for you. Honestly, I think I am going to need a similar compendium with photos of ALL the creatures because the ones we got in the book just made me hungry for more!
This book is so heartwarming and cozy and I absolutely loved it! I was sold from the minute I heard it was about a magical zoo. The world building is so detailed and well done, and the characters are all very real. Aila’s anxiety spirals and “what ifs” are ridiculously relatable. Even though I wanted to shake her at times because she felt a little selfish and immature, it all worked into her arc and growth to make her a great MC. Tanya and Luciana are of course amazing, fierce, and supportive. I love that they stand up for themselves, even with Aila, because it helped her mature as well. I have to admit, I didn’t dislike Connor as much as the book wanted us to in the beginning. I mostly viewed him as insensitive in his word choices most of the time, and ultimately just too different from Aila to be a good partner. That said, I also guessed the “twist” from the very first heist and was really hoping I was wrong. Alas, I was not and opinions were changed in regard to certain buttheads. The epilogue is so perfect, a wonderful way to wrap up the story with a hopeful note of continued growth for all characters.

The Phoenix Keeper is a cozy fantasy that follows a magical zoo employee. I loved the different creatures and laughed out loud multiple times. I struggled a little with the pacing, but I think I might not be the target audience for cozy fantasy.

I received an ARC from Orbit Books and ALC from Hachette Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a big lover of the cozy fantasy genre, and this did not disappoint. I absolutely adored The Phoenix Keeper. This book speaks to my animal and fantasy loving soul. Working with magical creatures would have easily been a dream job for me. Aila was such an interesting character battling her inner struggles with the public against her absolute love of phoenixes. I really appreciated how MacLean approached Aila’s struggles. I also love the cast of great women that Aila ended up surrounding herself with. The enemies to lovers story line was pure perfection. This is definitely a character focused read, so keep that in mind. In terms of the plot, the twists weren’t really twists and were incredibly obvious from the onset. It’s fine, though, at least for me because I felt like the theft storyline was more of a subplot to Aila’s character development. I combo read this between the eBook and audiobook. While I enjoyed what I read in the eBook, I LOVED the audiobook. Stephanie Bentley did so well narrating the book. Bentley made you feel Aila’s anxiety and struggles but also her excitement. I couldn’t stop smiling while listening to Bentley’s narration. If you love the cozy book genre, I would recommend reading this.

This debut cozy romantasy from MacLean is a delightful read. The San Tamculo Zoo is home to many mythical creatures and has a great cast of zookeepers that care for the animals and raise awareness for conservation. Aila Macbhairan is head phoenix keeper, looking after the critically endangered Silimalo phoenix, as well as other birds housed in the aviary. When a phoenix heist at a nearby zoo sparks the possibility of re-opening the decade old phoenix breeding program at San Tamculo, Aila must get the program back in shape. However, Aila also must overcome fears of public speaking and asking others for help along the way. Unfortunately, this includes Aila's college rival Luciana, griffin keeper and show leader at the zoo. Luciana may be beautiful and confident, but Aila can't stand her insistence to have Aila's phoenix partake in the zoo's griffin show. Besides, Aila has a breeding program to get up and running to help save a species from extinction.

Aila's passion propels the plot forward in this magical world. The descriptions of the various animals and their activies and interactions at the zoo are a true joy and a magic all their own. A wonderful mix of fantasy, zoology, and some romance- plus dragons, unicorns, and kelpies too!

This book blew me away with how much I loved it! I swooned, sobbed happy tears, had my gut churning with anxiety, fist pumped in the air out of excitement, and got goosebumps.

Aila is a very anxious character and is so realistic, that everyone will relate to her in some way, even if they're not quite on her level. Living her daily life and watching her interact with the mythical creatures in this book was immensely entertaining. Everything is very vivid. You can imagine the normal zoo scenarios, but then switch it to mythical creatures instead and it was filled with wonder.

I typically don't like cozy fantasies, but it seems if it has a sciency edge to it, I'm into it. While not quite the same thing, some comparisons are Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett and A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan.

Read if you love:
-Queer Rep
-Cozy fantasy
-Mythical creatures
-Anxiety rep

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley & Orbit Books. My thoughts are entirely own.
Finish Date: 8/3/24, Release Date: 8/13/24

My reviews are both posted on Goodreads and Instagram.

Wasn't a fan of this one, sadly. It's marketed as cozy romantasy, but it did not hit for me. I loved the cozy Animal Planet-style (but make it magical) zoo setting. There were so many neat, descriptive details about the magical creatures in this book. I also appreciated the bisexual representation here.

There is a big HOWEVER here though. I had a very hard time connecting with any of the characters. In fact, I really disliked the MC, mainly because she almost weaponizes her social anxiety on several occasions. Her selfishness and mean comments really rubbed me the wrong way far too many times for me to overlook. I also wish that the romance portion was introduced sooner. The book is marketed as a romantasy, but you don't really see that until like 60% of the way through the book.

In the end, the magical creatures are the star of this book for me. If you're yearning to enjoy a day at a magical zoo, this would be a great book to pick up.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I REALLY loved this! Sometimes I have a hard time reading cozy fantasy because I get bored, but the plot of this one kept me so invested the entire time. I loved Aila, I loved her journey, and I loved how fiercely she fought for her phoenixes. This was so much fun to read while living in San Diego knowing it was based off our zoo :) Aila's journey with her anxiety felt so real and my heart ached for her when she was struggling. The found family she gets at the zoo (I Love Tanya so much) was EVERYTHING! And Lila’s romance??? Ate that RIGHT UP. This definitely left me wishing that mythical creatures were real 😭😭❤️

“There was a quiet serenity that only came at midnight and early morning, the whole world still and silent outside her window. No parents asking how school went. Not teachers telling her to put her book down and pay attention. No colleagues scheduling meetings or impromptu equipment drop-offs. A rare window of no expectations, where Aila could just…be.”

“Sure, mindfulness and breathing exercises were more ‘approved’ methods for treating anxiety, but burning shit made for a stronger runner-up.”

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publishers who sent me this ARC to read & review! <3

*ARC Review*

A truly fantastic cozy fantasy with an unexpected academic rivals to lovers that was like the cherry on top. I truly loved the setting and execution of this zoo theme cozy fantasy even though I was skeptical at first, McLean paints such an incredible picture this book felt like a movie playing in my head and I really enjoyed that.

Aila’s character development was so satisfying to watch and experience, obviously I was rooting for her to succeed the entire book even when I found her a bit annoying but the way she slowly gain confidence, showed up for her friends and come out of her shell was very satisfying to experience. I loved all the side characters as well, including the animals (even Archie) with their beautiful descriptions (the dragons were also some of my favorites, and I totally agree dragons > unicorns). I predicted the twist but the ending still had me on edge and I do wish we would have seen more of what happened after (maybe a chapter between the last chapter and the epilogue) but regardless this was an amazing book. If you enjoy cozy fantasies with a bit of romance this is a must read for you!

I absolutely loved The Phoenix Keeper!

From the very beginning of the story I was hooked into the world of the San Tamculo Zoo and all of its magical animals. The style of writing was vivid and I was immediately able to picture myself in Aila’s position.

And Aila herself is a character that I love so much. It’s clear from the beginning that she’s not the ‘perfect’ FMC which I absolutely adored. Personally, I was able to relate so much to Aila, both the good and the bad. Her struggles with anxiety and not feeling good enough/feeling as though everyone around her was better really resonated with me and I really appreciated the validation that The Phoenix Keeper gave to these emotions.

The romance aspect of this book was also amazing to read and journey though. A true queer enemies-to-lovers trope, the development of the romance between the main characters is flawed and gradual which made its success pay off so well by the end of the story. And the romance intertwined beautifully with Aila’s journey, both personal and professional, making it so that nothing felt forced on the reader.

And to end off, The Phoenix Keeper is an absolute must-read in my opinion, especially for those wanting mental-health, queer, and even animal advocacy rep. It’s truly a cozy fantasy while simultaneously having a gripping plot! I’m eagerly waiting for S. A. Maclean’s next books!

While The Phoenix Keeper would be a great read if you like cozy romantasy, it fell short for me. The writing style, setting, and pace of the book were the only reasons I was able to finish this book. What I loved most about The Phoenix Keeper was the relatability to Aila was so spot on that I instantly felt a connection to her. The mental health representation in this book is a great asset and I feel as though that will connect with many people.

The biggest issue I had with this was that the romance in the book was subpar to what I expected. Through half the book Aila is crushing on a man that I knew nothing would come out of it, which annoyed me, but the main romance was only a small fraction of the book. And while I think that rivalry is an interesting aspect of some books the arch-rivalry between Aila and Luciana seemed a bit flat. It seemed as though Aila kept putting her down for things she couldn't see herself doing (public speaking, looks, manicure?!, etc.) these all made the rivalry seem somewhat childish and could have been executed in a better way.

Thank you to both NetGalley, and Orbit Books for providing the eARC.

Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for the arc!

Now this is a fantasy world that I would absolutely die to live in! Truly a cozy fantasy at its finest, and set in a magical zoo? This book is my dream come true.

It’s low-stakes in terms of the fact that there’s no wars or battles as there are in many fantasy books, rather it’s a book centered around this zoo and working to preserve the Silimalo Phoenix and save it from extinction.

I really loved reading about all of the animals (especially Archie) and the keepers connections to all of them. I also found myself really relating to Aila’s social (and regular) anxiety and her battle to work through it.

This is easily my new favorite book!

Thank you Gollancz and NetGalley for granting me access to this ARC - it was one of my most anticipated books of the year!

Plot: Aila works at a magical zoo caring for its resident phoenix. Phoenixes are endangered due to poachers, and Aila is particularly passionate about preserving the species. When she finds out her beloved phoenix may be moved to another zoo for breeding purposes, she is devastated and looks for a way to prevent the move. I won’t say too much more about the plot than that - this is one that people will mostly want to go into blind!

Review: This was so cozy and enjoyable. The writing was solid, and I loved the neurotypical/lgbtqa+ representation. I also was not expecting the twist at the end, and the love story was well-developed. I am hoping that the author decides to write a sequel - I would love to go back to this world!

Some may complain about the slow pacing or lack of action, but neither of those elements bothered me! This is the perfect book to read who you need something to break up a list of intense reads. Overall, an enjoyable reading experience and a book that I will be recommending to many!

4.5🌟

Unfortunately I am putting this book down at 56%. The mention of cake pops and stock trading almost put me over the edge. This is supposed to be a fantasy book but the only fantasy element was the magical creatures and I even found myself disappointed that there wasn’t more information on those. I found the world building and characters all very surface level and shallow. Aila’s anxiety was also frustrating to read because I feel like she used it as an excuse to be really rude, judgmental, and selfish. She was literally judging another zookeeper for having manicured nails, which was giving major pick me energy. The writing was fine, but I was bored with how absolutely nothing was going on besides preparing the zoo for a new animal.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the writing style and setting, but the story never quite clicked with me. This will definitely land with other readers, though -- it just was not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I fell in love with this book slowly, but by the half way mark, I was obsessed.

This is a cozy fantasy taking place in a zoo that follows our extremely socially anxious and generally anxious MC, Aila. I loved her development so much, how she slowly grew more confident and willing to push her comfort zone while also being sure of herself the way she is. I also really enjoyed that Tanya and Luciana loved her as she is and didn’t want her to change to be less awkward and strange, while still encouraging her to try new things and push her comfort zone. Aila, you’re a star.

Alia and Tanya’s friendship was very much Leslie Knope and Ann Perkins from Parks and Rec, so it was perfect and beautiful.

And everyone knows I love a good academic rivals to lovers arc, so Aila and Luciana slowly getting past their early animosity to become a comfort person for the other was very satisfying. They were so cute!

And these phoenixes, I became as protective of them as Aila did, and I was so excited to see them flourish.

Read this!!!!

This was honestly the most perfect, soft-hearted, cozy fantasy read ever. I feel like sometimes we get a little caught up in the trauma and bad that seems so engrained in fantasy these days that we forget that it's okay for a book to just be soft and sweet. The Phoenix Keeper follows the day-to-day life of our relatable zookeeper FMC as she works to save an endangered species (you guessed it, the Phoenix!). It is definitely a little slow and if you don't love following the day-to-day experiences of book characters, it might not be for you.

Highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you NetGalley & Orbit for this eARC. Love you lots! <3

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC for my honest review.

Aila is the phoenix keeper in the Silimalo Zoo, who has been desperately trying to revive the breeding program. She has problems relating with other people and it affects her life personally and professionally.

If you like reading about what a zoo keeper does on a day to day basis, then this book is for you! It is a cozy read with a little romance and mythical animal hijinks. It is a little slower than the books I usually enjoy, but Aila's personal development is worthwhile.