A review by shamelesslyintroverted
The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean

4.0

If you're looking for a cozy fantasy that combines magical beasts, zoology, and a hint of romance, The Phoenix Keeper has to be your next read! I absolutely adored this book and to think that it's a debut is kind of insane.

I loved the setting, the LGBTQIA+ rep (we have a bi main character and a trans best friend), the anxiety rep, and the themes of conservation. I think I'm going to buy a membership to my local zoo after reading this book. It's a fantasy, but there are so many parallels... it's hard to ignore.

My only issue was the main conflict at the end. I didn't like who the 'bad guy' turned out being. I saw this coming a mile away, so I wanted to be wrong.

I hated Connor from their first date. I hated the way he always talked down to her, belittled her passions, and seemed uninterested (even though he's also a zookeeper... that part didn't make sense to me). It clicked that he fed his own hatchlings to the poachers with this disinterest. I knew that someone was going to make a pass at stealing the chicks when Aila say a blip on the security camera in an unrelated scene. When that turned out to be nothing, I knew that someone was going to try to steal them. From there, I figured it was going to be Connor because he knows the program from the inside out and he doesn't even care about his own animal's, much less hers.

I thought maybe the ending could've been a bit more creative, but altogether I adored my reading experience.

*** The audio is amazing, this book has a map, and is set throughout the seasons (but it gives summer vibes in my opinion) ***