The Phoenix Keeper


Since Aila was 8 years old she wanted to be a phoenix keeper. Now she is the head phoenix keeper at a world-renowned zoo for magical creatures. Unfortunately, phoenixes are endangered and her zoo is not equipped to breed them. After a heist at a neighboring zoo with the only successful phoenix hatching. Alia will need to prove her run-down facilities are the best place to attempt to breed her phoenix. She will need to get passed her public speaking fears and work with Arch from college nemesis who happens to also be stunning.


“Horns and fangs”


I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Stephanie Bentley. I received this audiobook as an ARC from Netgalley so I listened to it on their platform. This meant I did not realize I did not have the speed up to 1.5 so I did not like the narration at all at first. But once I realized that I enjoyed the book. It is a fun cozy fantasy with some romance. Also addresses social anxieties well.

I love a good cozy fantasy, and I was really excited by a cozy fantasy set at a zoo and about conservation of magical creatures. I enjoyed a lot of the descriptions of the zoo and of the phoenixes, but this didn't pull me into the world as much as some other cozy fantasies I've read. It was a very slow read, and I felt like the romance took way too long to develop. I was also frustrated by how long it took Aila to realize things that were quickly obvious as a reader.

This was a very cosy, fantasy story about Aila, a zoo keeper who's trying to accomplish her biggest childhood dream: being the caretaker of phoenixes. However their population is severely dwingeling. Alia desperately tries to revive the breeding program of her zoo after their sister zoo suffers tragic theft of their baby phoenixes.
Alia is a very relatable character with social anxiety who rather spends the whole day interacting with her birds than her colleagues or the visitors. It's such a delightful cosy story that was never boring a'd had me hooked from the very first page.
The audiobook was just amazing. The narrator really brought the character to life and made me feel immersed in the magical zoo with all its amazing magical creatures.

This story was so dang cute and wonderful. I absolutely loved how effortlessly diverse and healthy this story was. The story was perfectly cozy but never boring. The pacing was great and I felt immersed in the story and world but never like the stakes were too high or stressful. I just adore this and have already recommended it to everyone I know.

I’m a sucker for a good cozy fantasy, as I only just discovered last year, thanks to Travis Baldree. And the only way to improve on the cozy fantasy sub-genre is to add a queer romance to the story, especially when it’s described as “soul-restoring.” How could I possibly resist this book? It’s like it was written for me. Plus, I got approved for the audiobook version in addition to the book version, so it was a win-win, since I could listen to it when driving or doing chores and read when I couldn’t listen.

The book opens with gorgeous, vivid, and descriptive imagery. I love when a book can transport me to a whole other world while I’m reading, and that is one of the strengths in this book. Maclean’s writing is flowery and detailed, but not overly so—she strikes the perfect balance and never crosses into overkill. It almost reads like if Emily Wilde struggled with social anxiety rather than being on the spectrum, was obsessed with mythical birds rather than faeries, and was snarky AF. Which is a book that sounds really good to me.

In addition to the descriptive writing, MacLean treats readers to expansive world-building. Each of the animals in the zoo comes from a different location, and as individual animals are introduced in the story, a description of the area they come from is given, including the climate, geography, and some information about the species itself. It felt like going to a regular zoo and learning about all the animals featured there, so it was done perfectly. This is what caught my attention in the beginning, when everything was getting situated.

I really liked Aila’s character. We get to see her in her natural habitat (sorry, science nerd pun) when she’s talking to her bestie, who works at the same zoo with her. She’s able to speak normally to people she’s comfortable around, but any time she has to speak to someone she doesn’t know, or even worse, speak publicly (which is a part of her job), she clams up and can barely speak. Also, she’s bisexual, which I didn’t realize when starting this. If you go into this simply expecting a sapphic romance, you’re going to be disappointed, because that doesn’t come in until later into the story. There’s a weird love triangle thing going on in the story, mainly due to the timing, between Aila and a man and a woman.

The story is a slow-moving one, that is much more character-focused than plot-oriented. I did enjoy seeing Aila grow over the course of the book, and watching her interact with the other characters. The enemies-to-lovers romance is mainly just enemies for most of the book, but once it switches, it was worth the wait. The writing pulled me in immediately, and I really enjoyed reading this one despite many of the plot twists being predictable. That’s one of the joys of cozy fantasy, and I’ll definitely be watching for anything more that MacLean writes.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
DNF @40% (I initially rated this as 2.5 but the more I wrote this review the unhappier I got lol)

Nearly halfway through and I’m horribly horribly bored. Mostly beyond the absence of world building while simultaneously info-dumping on magical creatures, I find the main character very, very irritating and immature.

Went into this thinking this was going to be an F/F enemies to lovers but instead she spends pages upon pages thirsting over her male coworker that’s just standing there and doing his job. It was giving me the ick how hard she was drooling when there was no buildup or chemistry. He shows up and suddenly she’s off into lalaland taking off her panties. The a-spec in me was crying.

I do wish this was marketed as bisexual fantasy and written for a YA audience (cause tbh she acts like a 14y/ rather than the 28y/o she is) and even 40% in and if the summary didn’t tell me who the intended female love interest was, I wouldn’t have even known cause she’s barely mentioned.

I heavily wish this WASNT cozy fantasy as the themes exploring the poaching, exploitation, and extinction of living creatures seem to just get glossed over to stay consistent with the whole “cozy fantasy” label. Adding such heavy topics to the bones of the story while seeming to write a book in a genre that operates under the idea of ‘escapism’ while all the while ignoring that the poaching and exploitation of animals is a real life and ongoing issue.

Not to mention that zoos IN GENERAL are harmful to animals in a variety of ways. And it seems that the magical zoo in this book is patterned after the majority of zoos with animals used for profit with people ogling the animals left and right and having the occasional show pony performing to raise money. And then after which, the author just… goes on and ignores the cost of confining animals and the violations that the animals can face, cause after all it’s a cozy fantasy.

Again, I did DNF at 40% so tbh, I’m not quite sure if these topics that are fundamental to the framework to the story are discussed and broken down later on and explored in the last half of it. But the way it was brought up, mentioned briefly and then briefly again and again, and then subsequently ignored left a sour taste in my mouth.

And finally, I don’t think this was edited well. By 40% I was very annoyed by the expression “skies and seas” and there were a bunch of times that I twitched at off putting grammar or sentence structure even as I read on audio.

This is a cozy fantasy novel about the day-to-day struggles of a socially awkward avian keeper at a magical zoo. Add in a rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance, an incredible best friend, an entire menagerie of magical creatures, an endangered phoenix or two.

The second-hand embarrassment is strong with this one. I cringed on Aila’s behalf so many times! She just struggles with social situations so much. I just wanted to grab her and give her a hug! That being said, Aila felt very relatable and I really appreciated the positive portrayal of therapy as a way to manage anxiety. Also, Tanya is amazing. She’s extremely patient and supportive, but isn’t afraid to give Aila a push if needed.

The audiobook is narrated by Stephanie Bentley. She did a great job portraying Aila and her adventures.

The Phoenix Keeper is such a fun and cozy fantasy set in a magical zoo with all kinds of mythical creatures, from phoenixes to griffins. Aila, the head phoenix keeper, has to work with her former rival, Luciana, to help save the endangered firebirds. The story is sweet and heartwarming, with just the right mix of tension and adventure. And honestly, the magical animals are the real stars here!

Stephanie Bentley’s narration is spot on. She really brings Aila’s character to life and captures all the emotions perfectly. If you’re into cozy fantasy with a dash of romance and love unique magical settings, this audiobook is a great pick. It left me smiling and wanting more, so I’d highly recommend it for a feel-good, magical escape.

The Phoenix Keeper is a super cute and cosy fantasy debut about a phoenix keeper in a magical zoo who has to work with her biggest rival for the good of animal conservation and education.
I LOVE animals and reading about the MCs connection to zoo residents and her deep love for them all was so sweet and heart-warming. While most cosy fantasies have low stakes, I was on the edge of my seat, tears in my eyes, so concerned for the fictional animals who steal the show in this book.
My only bone to pick is that I love the enemies-to-lovers trope but get so irritated when it is solely based on miscommunication. JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!
After listening to The Phoenix Keeper, I'll definitely be keeping an ear out for more narrations from Stephanie Bentley; her voice and bright energy embodied Aila exactly as I imagined her.

This Cozy Fantasy has all my love! It's set in a zoo for magical animals and has a beautifully diverse cast.

Aila takes care of the zoo's single female phoenix. She loves these animals and is passionate about her job. When she gets the chance to apply for a breeding program and have a male phoenix move in, she is beyond nervous. Helping the phoenix to survive is her life goal!

Aila is an interesting heroine. She is very single-minded and can, at times, come off as unlikable. This also burdens her relationship with her best friend as well as her male colleague who asks her out on a date.

But then there's also Luciana, the griffin keeper, who constantly challenges Aila, but gives it her all to help Aila get accepted into the phoenix breeding program.

This book completely pulled me in and I loved the Fantasy setting that is very similar to our real world (with webcams and phones), but also has these magical animals like unicorns and dragons. Sounds perfect to me!

Stephanie Bentley did such an excellent job with the audio version. She brought Aila and the gang to life and kept me absolutely hooked on this amazing Cozy Fantasy audiobook!

I absolutely loved this! I am a complete animal nerd and this is exactly how I would be if there were zoos for mythical creatures. This book was so fun and cozy with a great rivals to lovers romance. There was also a great underlying mystery. Overall this was just a great cozy fantasy! I can not recommend this enough!

After some really deep and emotional reads, I was looking for something light and fluffy to cleanse the palette. This is described as being for fans of House In The Cerulean Sea and Remarkably Bright Creatures, both of which I enjoyed, so I thought this might be just what I needed. I’m pleased to say that I genuinely enjoyed this.

The premise is that our MC is the Phoenix keeper at the local zoo, but their breeding program has long since been defunct. When a robbery at another zoo leaves the breeding program in danger, our MC steps up and suggests her zoo as the replacement. There’s just a few problems. The Phoenix center is decrepit and needs major updates in an insanely short period of time. But worse than that, the potential breeding program thrusts our MC into the spotlight and she has crippling social anxiety. In order to save this endangered species and have a shot at her dreams, she must overcome both physical and emotional obstacles.

So if you’ve read my previous reviews, you’ll know that I really appreciate books with deep themstic exploration. This is meant to be a fluffy read, so I wasn’t expecting a ton of depth. I was really surprised with its portrayal and handling of mental health. Our MC deals with severe social anxiety, but the book also touches on depression and burnout. It didn’t lean into stereotypes either.

I also loved the diverse cast of characters. I can tell that MacLean did her research when writing this book. It wasn’t jarring or forcefully shoved into the book for brownie points. Instead, the characters felt fleshed out and genuine. This is, imo, a really solid example of how to provide a realistic cast of characters reflective of the real world within a fantasy world.

Another thing that I thought was really good in this book was the amount of info about Phoenixes, griffins, kelpies, dragons, and other mythical animals. It really made the zoo environment come to life and helped me immerse in the world.

I’m typically not big into romance and there is a significant romance plot. It’s even a trope that I don’t traditionally enjoy, but I will concede in this instance that I did enjoy it. This is very sweet romance and its given plenty of time to develop over the course of the story. It felt closer to what real life love can be like.

The audiobook narrator was also fantastic and really added to the story. She really brought this beautiful world to life and I would highly recommend this audio production.

All in all, I’m really happy that I picked this book up. It was just the right mix of fuzzy, cozy, and a touch of deep themes to make for a satisfying read.

My ARC timed out before I could finish so this review is based on about 25%. In that first quarter, I was a bit confused: this romantasy didn’t seem to have much romance or fantasy (beyond magical creatures). I struggled to connect with the MC, perhaps because the narrator made her sound a bit young, so her thoughts felt very judgmental like a high school mean girl. I think this was an unintentional consequence of the narrator unfortunately. I also expected a sapphic romance based on the blurb, but that hadn’t materialized by the time my ARC ended. The animals were delightful, however!

For a book with the tagline "Falling in love never burned so bright" I was severely underwhelmed and disappointed by this book.

This is not cozy. This is boring. There is a distinct difference. In a cozy fantasy you still care about the characters and want them to succeed. Aila is incredibly annoying and whiny and judgemental. She holds grudges and has so much anxiety she's barely functioning. She doesn't feel 28. She feels about 15.

I mean, I have so much anxiety that I'm barely functioning. But she's not doing anything about it? And being judgemental and not like other girls is not quirky.

Also this is at least somewhat marketed as a sapphic love story but Aila spends at least half of the book lusting over a man but too terrified to talk to him. And it's a *stretch* to call someone your enemy when you disagreed over a group project once in college.

There is so much exposition that somehow never gets around to actually describing the interesting things - the magical creatures. It's a zoo for magical creatures and yet they're hardly described.

I tried reading this twice and put it down in irritation each time. It was making me actually angry and I really didn't want to force myself to hate read it.

The narrator was ok but didn't help with Aila's tendency to whine.

*Thanks to Orbit for providing an early copy for review.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, and Hachette Audio in exchange for an honest review.

The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean was an outstanding read! Everything about this book was so much fun and I didn't want to put it down. I was fascinated by all the magical creatures, the concept of a zoo with these animals, and the efforts these characters main to preserve wildlife and different species. Aila helped remind me how important this work is. Her passion was contagious! As you fall into this magical world, with hints of our own, we follow along as Aila grows into herself and falls in love.

I would say this story is fantasy first, with romance elements. I was initially expecting this book to feel like more of a romance novel (I might just have romance brain rot at this point) but I was far from disappointed. This story was everything it needed to be. I honestly couldn't recommend it enough! I would say this story is great for someone looking for a faster read, likes fantasy, interest in preservation, and of course those who like a sweet romance.

I really enjoyed this book, the topic of animal poaching and restoration is incredibly intresting and the author did a good job of exploring it the mystical aspect of it.
The start was really slow and the story itself is not a fast-paced, action packed sort of story so it fits with the narrative and plot.
The main character, Aila is a really enjoyable character and the representation of anxiety was really well done and enjoyable to read about.
My only criticism is that the sapphic romance that gets advertised and marketed only really start after the 50% mark, and as a reader you are aware that it's going to happend and you are able to predict it fairly easily, meaning that the relationship that is introduced at the beginning with the guy is almost irrelevant as we know it won't work out, which makes you think what is the point?
The narrator did a really good job and have no criticism on the quality of the audiobook.

Overall a really enjoyable listen and will potentially buy a copy.

I somehow missed that this was WLW romance, so when the first hint of queer longing appeared, I was elated. Not just queer, but rivals-to-lovers. Nice.

While we don’t get the exact words “autistic” for out main character, Aila, she’s clearly written with the spectrum in mind. Phoenixes (and birds in general) are her hyperfixation. She has a few instances of sensory overload. She doesn’t feel comfortable with many of her interpersonal relationships, and constantly questions if she’s the problem, or if her feelings are valid. I quite enjoyed her as the MC!

The world MacLean builds up is fantastic. Obviously, being about a fantasy zoo, the animals are important, but there’s different SPECIES for many of these animals! And they can vary wildly. For example, there’s big peacock griffins, large enough to ride (and not even the largest griffin species!), but there’s also griffins small enough to be comfort animals in school counselor offices. Some animals may be highly endangered, while others of their same type are practically as common as pigeons. And a large part of why some are endangered is that these are actual magical creatures, and thus their body parts are highly valued for illegal medicines. You know. Like the real world. Except they actually work.

There’s not too many human characters to follow, but the zoo animals expand the cast greatly, working as secondary and tertiary characters. Most of them have names and established personalities. Loving, ornery, mischievous, or just sleepy.

I also love that there’s a species just called “purse rat,” which is probably a variation on rats, but my heart says little yappy-type dog.

The book does take a bit of time to really get rolling, which kept it from a full 5-stars. It’s not until Aila is prepping for a zoo inspection, about a third of the way through the book, that the stakes get interesting. And the romance doesn’t get moving until about 2/3rds through the book. However, I was having fun just hearing about the animals and zoo life.

A nice summer read. Especially since it’s the perfect weather to get out to your local zoo, as a little treat when you’re done. And make sure to donate to their conservation and breeding programs! Who knows what animals they may some day discover and care for. ;p

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an arc of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I love a cozy fantasy. I love an LGTBQIA romance. The premise of this particular cozy fantasy romance sounded completely adorable and right up my alley.

First of all, the setting was always going to be a win. A magical zoo? Yes, please. However I didn’t really connect with the main characters, Ails and Luciana, I found Alia very whiney. Luciana’s rude and disdainful manner seemed way over the top.

I always say the hard thing about cozy fantasies is getting the balance between propelling the plot and keeping the stakes fairly low. I would say this book strayed a little too far onto the more cozy, less plot side. And for some people, this will be perfect balance! This is just not my preference.

I also felt this ran a bit long for a cozy fantasy. I like when they can be listened over the course of a day or two, but with the Phoenix Keeper coming in at over 14 hours (!!!), this is not the case here.

There is a lot of great elements to love in this cozy romantasy and I’m sure many will love it. It wasn’t for me, but I still look forward to seeing what else this debut author writes.

What a beautiful landscape, I am invested! Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

That's it, it's official. Cozy fantasy is my vibe.

Let me start with the coziness -- this whole book revolves around a zookeeper who loves her phoenixes and wants to restart the breeding program, so we get the trials and tribulations that revolve around animal breeding, what she goes through to get the transfer, and her daily life as a zookeeper. The only bit of action, which wasn't crazy and stuck with the cozy genre was at the end and it wasn't jarring or intense but also kind of intense? Mostly because our MC has anxiety.

There was literally nothing I didn't like about this. I loved the romance that starts as rivals to lovers, I loved the world we're in of zoos with fantastical beasts, I loved the characters, the best friend was actually great and I loved how she was in the MC's life. And I loved the ending.

All in all, great book with a great narrator. Definitely recommend this one.