The Phoenix Keeper🐦‍🔥🧡

~Spoiler free~

This book had me at cozy fantasy romance!

It is about a magical zoo with some amazing creatures and has awesome art showing them off! I’m going to need a physical copy of this book just for the art work alone. I loved the main character and the side characters were just as entertaining to read about.

Lots of representation which is always refreshing. It’s a low stakes book so it was a very easy and nice read (I read it in 1 day). The magical creatures in this book are amazing and I wish a zoo like this existed. The geese in this book deserve a special shout out.

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Thanks for the ARC

I was given an advanced copy in exchange for my review. This is my honest opinion given voluntarily. I really tried to like this but I got about 30% in and I just can’t do it. It was way to descriptive and it just throws up information continuously. there’s hardly any dialogue on top of it being written in third person. I understand the FMC is supposed to be the shy type that likes animals more then humans but there’s nothing actually interesting me to continue. This is also supposed to be about a zoo containing magical creatures but it reads factual and it doesn’t feel magical. I couldn’t get emotionally invested into these characters because of just the continuous stream of information.

"Do you ever wish," Aila said, "you could go back and tell your younger self to just keep going? That it will all get better in a few years?"

An annoyingly endearing Archibird. Masterful worldbuilding. Loving relationships. Slow burn romance. Enemies to friends to lovers.

Anyone who knows me is aware of how rare it is for me to give a truly earned five star review. Not only does the story have to be worthy of it, but it must be the kind that makes me want to pick it up again and again. This is one of those stories.

The Phoenix Keeper is a brilliant and cozy romantasy with a lot of heart. A younger me would have grasped this book for dear life and never let go, as this story teems with hope for anyone who has struggled with social anxiety.

MacLean manages to beautifully encapsulate truths about personal growth and acceptance that offer a light at the end of the tunnel against an enchanting backdrop that enhances Aila's journey rather than overshadowing it. Let it be known that I am a chump for worldbuilding, which The Phoenix Keeper has in droves. Throughout the book, you get truly vivid depictions of everyday life at the San Tamculo Zoo. There's a natural delight that I found in the variety of magical creatures you get to experience. And let's be honest here, though Rubra is the star of this show, anyone who reads this will know who really rules the roost...Archie, I'm looking at you dude.

This story reveals a delightful sense of humor which only gets better as you get deeper in. The interactions between characters, including the otherworldly and often hilarious creatures, add an extra layer of enjoyment. The winged ones, in particular, stand out as a source of much laughter and joy, bringing lightness to the narrative and making the world feel even more magical and engaging.

Aila's journey is one of self-discovery and bravery. She's a character that you get to truly know gradually as the book progresses, just like any real friendship. There is a realism in the relationships, human or otherwise, presented within the book that make the struggles and triumphs incredibly relatable, no matter how farfetched the magical outcome. Aila’s friends are portrayed with wonderful depth and authenticity. They are careful to support her in ways that respect her boundaries, but they are also willing to push her out of her comfort zone and hold her accountable. Although Aila’s experiences with anxiety may not represent everyone, the story conveys a powerful and affirming message: true friends are those who support who we truly are while also encouraging us to grow.

I'm looking forward to what else S.A. MacLean has to offer and, already, my next read.

4.75 on StoryGraph

When I read the description of this book, I knew I had to read it. I’m a birder, super anxious myself, and love romantasy novels. Wins all around for my special interests and experience!

This book was pitched as a warm hug, and that’s exactly what you get here. I’d say this is the most similar in feeling to the Emily Wilde novels. You’ve got academia mixed with a protagonist that is learning how to interact with other people. Alia is great anxiety rep, honestly. As someone who is also a bit of an anxious mess, I really understood her panic and her somewhat self centered attitude. I absolutely loved her journey and figuring out her path forward. Watching her flourish and learn to interact with others was a joy. She’s sometimes mean, wrong, and self centered but she realizes this and apologizes! And changes! Queen behavior.

The supporting cast really shines in this book too! Tanya, Teddy, Connor, and Luc are all so well done! I loved that not only did this book have Aila find love, but also find friends and learn how to stand up for herself. This supporting cast really made the story shine.

Finally, the nature in this book was incredibly well done! There’s a lot of science in this book, but that made everything more real and brought these creatures to life. The relationships between each of the keepers and the animals were so well done and made me smile.

A lovely book, a happy story, and such beautiful character growth. Well done!!

I loved this book. The magical zoo gave a nice whimsical touch to the story which I extremely enjoyed. It’s a very cozy read filled with lovely vibes.

This book might not be the magical-fueled excitement you expect from the description, but it's still a charming, easygoing read. While the romance takes a backseat it delivers a cozy, laid-back very young adult vibe instead., It’s a delightful read perfect for a lazy day read. The magical zoo animals add a whimsical touch, and the characters are delightfully eccentric. However, the plot moves at a leisurely pace, with little action until the final chapter. If you're into easy-breezy reads like "Legends and Lattes," as mentioned in the blurb this book is definitely your vibe.

I wanted to like this one so bad, but I've just learned that "cozy" books really aren't for me. The writing is good, but the plot often felt like it was going nowhere. I understand that maybe that's the point--that there aren't huge stakes involved--but just because the stakes aren't life or death doesn't mean the book has to be boring. Also, I have to admit that I'm a little confused because this book was billed to me as a romantasy, or at least a book where the romance would be a big part of the story. Having read the book, I definitely wouldn't call it a "romantasy" or encourage people to go into it thinking it's a romance, because it's not really. There IS a romance here, to be sure, but it doesn't kick in until like 50% through the book. (And even then the romance didn't win me over.) Overall, I was sadly pretty disappointed with this one.