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I really enjoyed this book! I read Sorcery and Small Magics earlier in the month, and there was a recommendation for this book in the back. Well, Orbit, that worked because I read both! As a lover of conservation and zoology, this seemed right up my alley, and it was! Aila was a very well-written and believable portrait of anxiety, to an almost frustrating degree. But the growth she experienced throughout, being able to change her perceptions and grow in her career and community, was wonderful to see. I especially loved how her relationship development was paralleled by the relationship of the courting phoenixes in her care. The cast felt fleshed out and believable, I loved her friendship with Tanya which felt a lot like my own relationship with my best friend, whom I’ve known since college. Her crush on Connor and her rivalry with Luc were great starting points for growth over the course of the story. While I could see the twist coming and knew what the climactic confrontation would be, I did not mind it! MacLean dropped lots of little foreshadowing bits that I also didn’t see coming, and it all felt fresh and satisfying. The world’s pettiest gripe was that she was pulling so many late nights at work, but no one ever mentioned how the animals at her apartment were being cared for! Who was feeding her carbuncle and fern lizards and other critters? Overall though, I’d highly recommend this if you love animals and awkward women growing into their best selves.

The Phoenix Keeper by S. A. MacLean, (List Price: $19.99, Orbit, 9780316573092, August 2024)

Reviewed by Amanda White, Writers Block Bookstore in Winter Park, Florida