What a fantastic, queer, cosy fantasy book! This was a fun, heart warming, giddy-feet-kicking novel! 🤭

We follow our FMC Aila, a phoenix keeper at San Tamculo Zoo. She’s clumsy, socially awkward, shy, anxious gal, but damn good at her job. She’s utterly relatable to my fellow introverted girlies, which really helped me connect with this book.

Aila has 2 months to help save her beloved Silimalo phoenix, Rubra, from potentially being shipped off to another zoo for breeding. Forced to work with her hot and fiesty co-worker (oh noooo 👀), they team together to get their zoo’s facility back up and running.

I’m such a sucker for all animals (whether they’re fantasy or IRL), and this book provides plenty of cute and cheeky creatures that just make your imagination run wild (I would DIE for Archie)!!

The friendships and relationships that bloom in this book are so wholesome. Everything happened at the right time and made the storyline easy to gobble up faster than Maisie the kelpie!

While this book is classed as a fantasy, it’s not heavy on the usual slog of world building and hard to understand fantasy system. This is more a magic system (still super enjoyable) that the creatures in this book have.

Tropes:
✨ forced proximity
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ sapphic romance
✨ magic elements
✨ mental health rep

This has been my favorite read of the year so far, and I think it will be hard to top. The book is brimming with magic, from the vivid descriptions of the mythical creatures and their exhibits to the dedicated zookeepers who care for them. It’s clear that this story was a labor of love for Maclean. Her background in ecology and environmental sciences enriches the narrative, making it feel incredibly authentic. The characters are well-rounded, quirky, and relatable, with plenty of queer representation. While the plot is a bit predictable, I didn’t mind at all. I loved this book so much that I found it hard to put down, finishing it at 2 a.m. on the day I started reading. This is a thoughtfully crafted and executed cozy fantasy that I will definitely revisit in the future. I even went so far as to order a signed copy!
The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. Maclean is a 5/5 star read that I sincerely recommend to everyone. It’s such a wonderful book that I can’t stop gushing about it to anyone who will listen. I eagerly await reading any future work by Maclean because if this is just the tip of her creative iceberg, I can only imagine what she’ll come up with next.

I absolutely adored this book, I loved every little thing about it! The way it was written the MC’s! So grateful for the opportunity to have read it

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4.75/5

One of the best cozy fantasies I've read, "The Phoenix Keeper" delivers exactly what it promises. It's a whimsical delight with adorable magical birds and loveable characters. I will add that I saw the plot twist coming, but that didn't negatively impact my experience. It definitely felt like a long, slow paced book but it was interesting and fun enough to keep me hooked the whole way through. Aila is one of the most relatable characters I've ever read (lol) and the romance was so fitting for her character arc. The side characters were a lot of fun too and I'm eager to see more from this author in the future.

This was a cute fantasy read. It doesn’t have huge world building with the majority of the storyline taking place within the zoo. But it has a solid storyline that had me invested. I mean who wouldn’t love to work in a zoo with magical creatures like this! Some of the animals were so cheeky.

I did find the lead character Aila a bit immature and frustrating with how self absorbed she was, but did appreciate her character growth by the end. It was also very easy to pick the plot twist which I think could have been handled a little better to maintain suspense.

It’s marketed as a queer romantasy but that really only unfolds in the last quarter of the book and not in great depth. The main storyline is Aila, the keeper of the phoenix, and the pressure she places on herself to protect the future of the species through a breeding program and thinking she has to do it all on her own and her way. She was very socially awkward.

If this book has a million fans, I’m one of them. If this book has a single fan, it’s me. I got sucked right in and damn if I’m not signing every petition and pledging all sorts of money to save the Silimalo Phoenix.
The entire cast of characters were a delight to read about - Aila’s growth and self-acceptance journey especially hit home for me.
This review copy didn’t include illustrations, but it didn’t need to - I felt like I could see every single one of Rubra’s feathers just by reading how passionately Aila loved and worked to understand these birbs, and that’s a true testament to the style and flair of this book.
I can’t wait to see this book out in the wild in a couple of weeks - if we don’t get the Phoenixes in real life, this is definitely the next best thing!

Unfortunately, I did not finish "The Phoenix Keeper." While the story premise was interesting and the magical creatures felt original and unique, the overall story just didn’t resonate with me. The cover is beautiful and quite captivating, but perhaps the writing style wasn’t the best fit for my personal taste. That said, my opinion may not be the same for everyone else. All readers are unique, and what doesn’t work for one might be perfect for another. If you’re intrigued by original magical creatures and an interesting premise, "The Phoenix Keeper" might still be worth a try.

Alia is trying to revitalise her zoo's phoenix breeding program, which hasn't been functional for a while. In order to do so, she has to ask for assistance from her old college rival: Luciana. But the future of the species sits on Alia's shoulders, and she will do anything to protect her phoenix.

This was such a fun read! It is a cosy fantasy, with lots of love and animal fun. I found myself really rooting for Alia the whole way, and her love for animals only made her more endearing.

The world building was really beautifully done, and it was easy to slip into this world.

It was all in all a lovely read! Thank you to Hachette for a review copy of this one, all opinions are my own.

Review of The Phoenix Keeper by S.A MacLean
Thank you to NetGalley, Hatchette and the author for the opportunity to review this book and provide my unbiased opinion.
I was super excited to receive an e-arc of this story as I have the special edition from Illumicrate coming, and it’s been on my cosy fantasy radar for months!

Aila is a phoenix keeper at San Tamculo Zoo, where a range of magical creatures are exhibited for the public to visit. Living her childhood dream, she cares for her feathery charges with love and dedication, often having to outthink their mischievous plots. And when the fate of the endangered Silimalo Phoenix rests on Aila’s shoulders, she will do anything to ensure they survive for future dreamers. Even work with her worst enemy…

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this book! As a fantasy reader and animal lover, to find a story that combines my interests so flawlessly was such a joy. It was a seamless blend of the realities of veterinary/zoological science, tourism and magical elements. The urban fantasy world was crafted so beautifully, that I found myself often having to Google place names, flora and fauna to see if the author had created them or if they were legitimate terms. I also adored the variety of fantastical creatures and their individual characteristics and care needs (it took me back to days of playing with Littlest Pet Shop and reading about Howarts Care of Magical Creatures classes!).
Aila’s love and maternal dedication to her literal flock was so heartwarming and I couldn’t help but laugh at the situations she found herself facing and feel for her while she struggled with social anxiety. The themes of conservation and animal captivity were explored in a satisfying way within the scope of the plot, and I appreciated the important message underlying each page. The romance was subtle and sweet and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more.
Hagrid would be proud 🩷

I absolutely loved this book it had great character development and the story was beautifully written.

This was the perfect cosy winter read! I loved how wholesome it was, you really found yourself rooting for the MC and wanting the best for her. It was a really sweet read, and perfect for when you’re in the mood for something lighter and cosier but still craving fantasy.

This book caught me completely off guard, but in a great way! I was not at all expecting this to be a cozy fantasy at all, then again, I did go into this blind. Luckily enough, I love cozy fantasies. I thought the magical creatures and how they co-existed throughout this world were great. Talking about the world, I thought the setting and world-building was very well-done and allowed for me to be deeply immersed in this book.

I really think that sketches or illustrations throughout the pages would fit so incredibly well and bring more depth to this – that would be something great to see (or even just on the chapter headings etc…). I appreciated the diversity and representation of individuals, sexual orientations, and genders. I also thought that there were some neurodivergence in the characters (which I appreciated), although I’m not sure if this was done purposefully.

I will say that I did find the ending quite predictable, but I suppose this may not always be a negative thing as not everything needs a massive surprise or cliff-hanger.

The bones of this book is that Aila is a phoenix keeper for a zoo, it has been her dream to have a successful breeding program and that possibility of that happening is not looking good. Until there is a theft of a phoenix and her eggs at another zoo and Aila is presented with a chance to realise her dreams. The layers of the story are in Aila’s relationships with friends, employers, potential romantic interests and overcoming her own internal challenges.

Aila as the central character is pivotal to whether you are going to embrace this story or not. MacLean has crafted a character who certainly runs the gauntlet of emotions. Aila is a perfectionist, obsessive, an introvert, struggles to interact in any social situation and task orientated. She is loyal to her friends but that single minded drive she has means she is unaware to their trials and tribulations. When she finally realises that she has been neglectful, it always comes through a major blow up or confrontation, rather than self-realisation of wrongdoing. Aila’s immediate circle of friends and family is small but over the course of the story it slowly expands.

Tanya is Aila’s constant and they are tight. You need Tanya, as she demonstrates the good of Aila, that she can be grounded and directed. Tanya helps Aila navigate friendships, social norms and the importance of having a social life.

There are two possible love interests Connor and Luciana. Connor is the handsome dragon keeper, who Aila has many an awkward moment with. Luciana, is her rival from College and the history between the two certainly creates the fireworks. It is here that the heart of the story truly lies as we want to discover just who Aila gives her heart to.

This is a slow burn of a read, it does take time for all the elements to come together and then there is the rush towards the end. The journey is in the character development and interaction, if you are vibing with Aila and her challenges, then this story will swallow you whole. For this story is about people, relationships and about rising above your fears and conquering your self-imposed limitations.

I adored this book so much and cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy! It truly had so many amazing cosy fantasy elements yet still had enough mystery and action to ensure it never felt slow. And the characters, the way they’re written and the way they develop, it felt so natural and real. I just loved this book.

4.5/5⭐ (rounded up)

As someone who really enjoys reading fantasy books and has also worked in animal husbandry as a penguin keeper, this was my most anticipated book of the year - and it did not disappoint!

Thank you to Hachette Australia & New Zealand and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

In 'The Phoenix Keeper', we follow the titular zoo keeper Aila who is incredibly passionate about phoenix conservation. The world in this book parallels our own modern world, with mentions of mobile phones, cars and laptops, with the biggest difference being the multitude of magical creatures that inhabit it. Aila works as a keeper at her zoo with various birds and a kelpie, but her real passion lies with the critically endangered Silimaro phoenix. Her zoo houses a lone female of the species, and the book follows Aila's journey to have the zoo considered to become a part of the species' conservation program by having a male phoenix transferred to them.

As a former bird keeper myself, I absolutely loved the amount of detail that went into creating the zoo environment in this book. SA MacLean does an amazing job at introducing immersive environments, I love the way that sights, smells and sounds are described. In the beginning of the book, I did find myself a little frustrated at the way Aila viewed zoo visitors with disdain, but this was addressed later in the book in a way that I've seen the same topic handled in person. Aila is a flawed character, passionate but introverted and dealing with crippling social anxiety. One of my favourite aspects of the whole book was her growth as a character that happened throughout.

I have seen 'The Phoenix Keeper' advertised as a romance book in some places. While there is a romantic side plot, this book is firmly in the camp of slice-of-life cosy fantasy - so do not go into it expecting romance to be a focus.

The only reason that I couldn't quite give this title 5 stars is that it took me quite some time to get into it. The beginning third is very slow, as it sets up the main characters, world and central conflict. I didn't start to fall in love with the book until about half way in, but this may be at least partially due to the fact that I haven't read much in the 'cosy' fantasy genre.

All in all, I highly recommend this one! I'm hoping there will be at least one special edition releasing so that I can get a pretty trophy copy for my shelves.

This charming Fantasy novel has quickly become my favourite in it’s genre. I was captivated by all the main characters and fascinated by how mythical creatures and birds were portrayed as central figures in unique ways. I finished the book in less than three days, thanks to its medium-to-fast pace and simple, yet engaging world-building. The main character, Aila, effortlessly held my interest, and I found myself drawn to her character. I truly appreciated how her aspirations as a Zoo Keeper and her challenging battle with anxiety and poor social skills drove the storyline. Her character development was amazing, as well as her ability to pick apart her own misguidances and grievances. Although I predicted the plot twist, I still rate this debut highly and will definitely looking out for any further books that MacLean publishes!

I thought I would really enjoy this book as it sounded like something that would be right up my alley. Unfortunately it fell a bit short for me as it was a bit draw out and over descriptive. I think if it was edited better it may have been an easier book to read.

Having said that the story was a good story and it did get better the further I read. It is a cosy fantasy read and was at times interesting and intriguing. I did like the magical aspect and images it created in my head. Overall and okay read and with a bit of tightening up it would be a great book.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Unfortunately I didn’t finish this book. It sounded like my type of book but the execution was a let down. There was big chunks of info dumping and over describing things,

Written for anyone who’s ever had a special interest hyper-fixation, anyone who struggles with social interaction and anyone who has ever experienced any form of high-functioning anxiety.

This was such a cozy, heartwarming fantasy about Aila who just wanted to look after her dang pets and excel at her job. Unfortunately reality doesn’t always let you go through your to-do list without a hiccup.

While this has all the markers of a cozy mystery when I realised the plot and the villain my heart absolutely sunk. I fell in love with her characters and the zoo. It was so easy to do.

I think the most important part of this story is that you don’t need to change who you are to be accepted by the people who love you. A modern Aesop’s fable in a contemporary setting that speaks to people of any demographic.

Absolutely adored this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me access to this ARC. I voluntarily left this review.

3.75 stars

Thank you Hachette Aus and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had such a rocky start for me, I won’t lie. I nearly gave up on it, but the premise, the setting, and my beloved Tanya kept me reading and I am genuinely glad I did because I adored the second half of this book.

Tanya is an absolute ray of sunshine and I would read a book about her in a heartbeat. She’s so kind and so patient and so understanding and anyone would be lucky to have a Tanya in their life.

My main struggle was with the main character and the focus on her social awkwardness and stubbornness that was really genuinely just rudeness. She read as neurodivergent to me so I kept trying to give her the benefit of the doubt but when she was actively rude to people for no apparent reason within the prose/internal monologue, I started finding her really hard to empathise with. This combined with the overuse of similes had me struggling.

But the second half was genuinely beautiful. The reconciliation between Aila and Luc was really beautiful to watch and I loved seeing Aila FINALLY understand why the social side of her job that she hated was actually important. She opened her mind and her heart and it made her anxieties feel so much more relatable. Her relationship with Luciana was really beautifully crafted. I love a slow burn and this was done to perfection.

The climax was definitely predictable, but given how much this leans into the realm of cosy fantasy, I wasn’t too bothered by that.

All up, I really did love this book, so if you find you’re like me, struggling with the start, I do recommend sticking with it - it’s worth it.