Thank you to NetGalley, S.A. MacLean, Orbit Books, and Hachette Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a cozy fantasy with a background of creative magical creatures (that reminded me of Avatar the Last Airbender), focusing on a queer female lead. The Phoenix Keeper was an okay read for me. The twists were predicable (at least to me) from the start of the story. I also found myself getting frustrated with the main character. I love a dislikable female lead, but Aila came off as downright mean in certain parts of the book.

Overall, I think it's a good story and would recommend for cozy fantasy readers.

A little something for everyone! Aila is a phoenix keeper at a zoo for mythical animals, but when things go awry for a neighboring zoo's phoenix breeding program, Aila finds herself close to living her dream of having a breeding program at her zoo. All Aila has ever wanted her whole life was to help save the phoenixes from extinction, but doing so will mean a lot of work and even worse- people. As her zoo friends pull together to help her accomplish her goals. Aila finds that maybe people aren't so bad afterall- that is until betrayal and a daring heist force her to examine her newfound friends. Filled with Fantasy, romance, and action, the Phoenix Keeper has a little something for every reader. I found the fantasy aspects easy to understand, the world building solid, and the romance really sweet. By the end of the book, Aila, Tanya, and Luciana feel like your best friends.

I adored this book!! It had a little bit of everything - some magic, some romance, some action, some self discovery and growth, some friendship trials and tribulations - all wrapped up in this cozy little magical creature zoo setting. I loved Aila’s dynamic characterization, especially the social anxiety representation and how she overcomes her fears and learns to be a better friend and part of a team. The side characters are great, and I really appreciate the diversity representation. The twist was a little predictable, but I liked it because I didn’t expect/want to have my mind totally blown (it would have thrown off the vibe of the whole story, to be honest). I love how every little plot point comes full circle in the end. I even got a little misty eyed during the epilogue — that’s how you know it’s good. I also appreciated that the romance wasn’t driving the plot; instead we have a very plot-forward, character-driven story with this little side of warm fuzzies with the romance. The audiobook narration was top-tier, as well. I would definitely classify this as a cozy fantasy, and highly recommend.

1 Star
Wow, I'm so happy to have finally finished this book lol I think I actually hated this book... Aila is the most annoying MC ever, I just cannot stand how blatantly ignorant and self absorbed she is - she's the worst friend, she thinks everything is literally about her, her anxiety is so bad she can barely function (but she won't go to regular therapy or take meds for it or even try anything to help it), and she barely takes any accountability for her mistakes and she just fully sucks (she has no redeeming qualities and only had any character growth in the last chapter). I saw the "bad guy" from the start, it was stupidly obvious and if Aila wasn't so obsessed with herself she would've seen it too and I honestly would love to never hear "skies and seas" again.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Orbit for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook! I loved the cozy vibes that this story gave. I loved the description of all the magical creatures. I relate to the MC’s issues with being shy and social awkward so much! The narrator did an amazing job with the story and definitely helped with creating a vibe that fits the story so well.

I feel like this book was written specifically for my animal obsessed, zoo keeper wannabe, inner child. This is essentially the book about animals I feel like I've been chasing my entire adult life, after a childhood spent between the pages of Lucy Daniels' 'Animal Ark' series.

The Phoenix Keepers was delightfully cosy with a gentle, slow burn enemies to lovers romance, a fantastic message about conservation and a charismatic cast of characters (both human and avian alike).

Overall, this was gentle, fun and subtly magical story with a loveable, diverse cast of characters and a zoo/world I would love to return to in the future. This was a true delight.

The Phoenix Keeper is a wonderful addition to the cozy fantasy space. The book takes place in a modern fantasy world- with technology similar to what we currently have, but in a world that also contains a wide range of magical creatures like Kelpies, multiple species of Griffons and Phoenixes.
Following a main character, Ayla, in her last 20s who is queer and reads as neurodiverse as they work to bring a breeding programme back to life at the zoo she works at for a phoenix species she is passionate about, learning to adapt to changes and dealing with communication issues.
At times the book does read more YA but I think that has more to do with the main character and the way they interact with people, like I said, this character does read as being on the spectrum but by the end of the book the MC has developed some better coping strategies as well as having more people they can just be themselves around without having to mask.
I loved the plot of this book, like a lot of cozy fantasy it has a slower pace but this book does have some stakes that feel very real and poignant- dealing with topics like animal poaching and conservation.

Ayla was a character I fell in love with and there are parts of this story where the joy felt so genuine that I got emotional. A wonderful read.

DNF @ 44% on audio

Unfortunately this was a miss for me personally. 🥲 If you’re a fan of low stakes cosy fantasies, you may want to pick this up. Or if you think you’d get an A+ in a Hogwarts class, Care of Magical Creatures. This book may be for you. 😆🦄🧚🏻‍♀️🐦‍🔥

I think this could’ve been a really fun novel! But I thought there’s was just too much description of the magical creatures and our MFC social anxiety than there was of the plot. Personally, I wanted more of a balance. Halfway and absolutely nothing happening plot wise? Ehhhh not my cup of tea. This was also marketed as a romance? But yet again, halfway through and the two love interests had barely even had more than three short conversations.

I love the premise and world building, who wouldn’t love a zoo full of magical creatures? but just thought the book could’ve had more adventure to it. More growth with our MFC a little sooner seeing as it’s a stand alone novel.

I thought the narrator was wonderful though! Really brought the character to life for me!

Unicorns, dragons, kelpies, and of course phoenixes! This was a cozy fantasy that gave me Harry Potter magical creatures mixed with the upbeat vibes of Hayao Miyazaki movies. A sweet read with some romance mixed in.

I enjoyed this audiobook. This was a cozy fantasy that was uplifting and fun to listen to. I loved the mythical world and all of the descriptions of the magical creatures. I will say that the narrator used a similar intonation for most of the emotions of the characters. It sometimes felt flat. Other than that, it was a good audiobook and well done. Thank you Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ARC.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

Isn’t this the coziest and cutest book this 2024? The whole time I was reading The Phoenix Keeper, I felt like I got transported into the world of cozy games (i.e. Stardew Valley, Potion Permit, Animal Crossing) wherein I have to grind my ass planting and harvesting plants, and taking care of my livestock every single waking day and I did not mind all the work because everything’s just so enjoyable. The only difference is that The Phoenix Keeper deals with magical creatures, from dragons to phoenixes to unicorns to griffins to kelpies etc., being raised in a magical zoo to ensure the continuity of their existence. I never thought that following the daily life of an introverted and highly anxious magical zoo keeper would keep me entertained for almost fourteen hours.

Though Aila’s, our introverted heroine, life at the zoo seemed mundane as she spends most of her days overthinking, working hard to take care of the magical animals assigned to her, and interacting with her only friend, Tanya, I never felt that the story was dragging because the atmosphere and how MacLean designed the interactions and scenarios between the characters just gives off a sense of comfort and peace that you just want to listen to the story all day long while curled up in your bed.

And before I forget, I just want to tell you, however, that regardless of what the cover says about love, The Phoenix Keeper is more than just finding romance in the least unexpected places or person but it’s more of mustering courage and opening one’s self to the whole world. It’s about not giving up and doing what you can to get where you want to be no matter how long it takes. It’s about being your own person and loving yourself first before you can expect others to appreciate you the way you deserved to be treated. Really, it’s the overarching theme of playing to your strengths and coming out of your shell that made me stuck with The Phoenix Keeper all the way to the end because the plot, while executed properly, was kind of simplistic and the twist at the end was predictable.

And though this book feels like it’s YA (maybe because the audiobook narrator’s voice sounded very young) despite the characters being in their late twenties already, I don’t mind it that much because the coziness and the gush-inducing, slow-simmering romance were just too overwhelming to really nitpick about such details.

To sum it all up, I’ve just become a new fan of S.A. MacLean for writing such a poignant story about what it takes to get to the destination you’re aiming for. The cutie magical beasts and their antics are just bonuses. This is a must try for the cozy gamers out there, too.

The Phoenix Keeper, is an enchanting tale that masterfully blends magical realism with a tender sapphic romance.

Following the protagonist as she navigates a world of endangered mystical creatures, the novel offers a compelling narrative that is both heartwarming and thrilling.
With a captivating storyline reminiscent of <i>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</i>, the book’s vivid descriptions and well-developed characters make it a delightful read for fans of fantasy.

MacLean’s writing is engaging, keeping readers hooked from start to finish, making this a must-read for lovers of magical adventures.


AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Stephanie Bentley absolutely shines in her narration of ‘The Phoenix Keeper’! Her vibrant energy and expressive voice bring every character to life, making the story even more enchanting.
Bentley’s performance is pure magic 🫶



Huge thank you to publisher Hackett Audio - Orbit, and author S. A. Maclean for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This audio was really good. I read at 1.3x speed because I can never get through a book on regular speed, the book starts out with a regular zookeeper for a magical zoo for mythical creatures and we get a good look into the back end of taking care of the creatures inside. Then it evolves into a sort of pseudo romance between her and another keeper who from the BEGINNING gave me weird bad vibes. Then it’s CHANGES AGAIN. This book is so so twisty and so good. I adored the way that it evolved into a sapphic, and the ending. One of my top reads this year

Unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. I am a huge fantasy reader, but I found this to be a little slow and definitely not as high fantasy as I was expecting. I found it would be better for a younger audience! The concept is awesome and the writing was really good.

In full transparency i wasn’t totally convinced when I started this book. As a fan of Harry Potter, GoT, Fourth Wing, etc. novels with magical creatures have big shoes to follow. The audio version started with twinkling music (always a good sign) and quickly dove right into the magical zoo conservatory.

The writing was well done and the narration was easy to listen to. The story flowed smoothly and I enjoyed learning more about the familiar magical species followed. Add in a little love twist, espionage, and a character glow up and this book checked off all the good things!

My one quip with this was I felt the stage wasn’t fully set as far as the setting goes. From what I gathered the characters were just normal people who studied magical creatures but I felt that some groundwork could have been laid for time period/culture of the story. Overall a good read especially for those who aren’t fully into a fantasy genre.

Marketing this book as a romance is setting it up for failure, especially with that tagline.

Is there a romance subplot? Yes, 73% in, but it is a minor point in the book. Is this a fantasy? Yes, although again that's not the focus and is primarily limited to a few magical creatures. This is a cozy slice of life story about a woman's passion for work while living with anxiety.

Pros:
Bi Rep
Trans Rep (Tanya has my heart)
Anxiety Rep
Hyper-fixation Rep (oh how nice it is to be seen)

Cons:
Mislabeled genres
Main character is incredibly self-absorbed and immature. I would be far more forgiving if she had been aged down, but given she's in her late twenties her actions make her extremely unlikable. Her friends deserve so much better.

With a few tweaks, I definitely feel like I could have enjoyed this book a lot more. I really loved the magical creatures and I wish we got more time with them.

I did listen to the audiobook and the narrator, Stephanie Bentley, did an admirable job with the material. I truly enjoyed her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm gonna keep this short: I loved the world, the zookeeping aspect, the variety of fantastical animals, and the anxiety rep. I hated how YA this supposedly adult woman read (the audiobook narrator makes her sound even more immature than on the page) and I didn't like her as a person. If I can't connect to the main character or her struggles and the only thing I like about her is her job because of the fantastical animals and how cozy and well-done that aspect of the story is, this just isn't for me.

Oh my gosh this story was so cute! I had a delightful time in Aila's head. The prose and dialogue were so funny and I found myself very invested in Aila's journey. The low stakes of the story kept the focus on her character development and it was a delight to watch an anxious, introverted zookeeper pursue her dreams and find people that appreciated her for her as well. I loved the anxiety and LGBT representation and I very much enjoyed how neurodivergent-coded our main character is. I found her very relatable and therefore her story was very heartwarming to me. In terms of world-building I could have done with either more distinction between our world and the fictional world or less. As it was we had therapy and online stock trading as well as unicorns and it didn't quite mesh for me. The romance plotline was very adorable and I had a good time with it. I'm always looking for more sapphic stories so I was delighted that the author decided to pursue that avenue. As for the audiobook, I adored the narrator! Her energetic performance kept me engaged and the earnestness she gave to Aila really made me feel more connected to the main character. I wanted to listen to the audiobook primarily because I was having such a good time when listening to the narrator bringing Aila to life. If you're a fan of character-driven cozy fantasy I 100% recommend this book. This felt very similar in tone to The Spellshop so if that brand of cozy fantasy is for you then this book is for you.

3/5
The Phoenix Keeper follows Aila, the head phoenix keeper at San Tamulco Zoo trying to reinvigorate the phoenix breeding program at her zoo.
First, let me say that there is an audience for this book, but it isn’t me. If you like cozy romantasy I’m sure that you will enjoy this book. My main issue with this novel was the main character. Our main character,
Aila is described as a 28 year old zookeeper, but this does not come across in the narrative and instead we end up with a character who acts like she is 16 years old. This discrepancy with the actions and behaviours of Aila in a very adult setting really disconnects the reader for the reading experience. It becomes difficult to visualize a very immature character in a very significant position at a zoo. I understand that the author was trying to represent anxiety, which I appreciate, however I think there are moments when her actions or behaviours come across as juvenile rather than as the result of anxiety.
The author tries very hard to generate a fantastical world, but unfortunately it falls short. It didn’t feel like there was significant world building. Instead, the author provides very rudimentary world building and this generally focuses on relative country locations with each other. I appreciated the attempt to include magical creatures, but the presentation is lacking. Oftentimes the magical creatures are presented in a list or plopped into scene just to state that they were there. As a reader, I would have appreciated a deeper dive into a couple of magical creatures rather than a generic shopping list of creatures. Moreover, one would expect the relationship between the phoenix keeper and phoenix to be strong, but this relationship gets overshadowed by her relationship with another aviary friend.
I was lucky enough to receive an audiobook of this,
so it would be remiss if I didn’t comment on it. The production for the audiobook was just okay. There were no elements that really made it stand out from other audiobooks. I will say I found the pacing to be a bit off overall; it ran a bit fast.

***Thank you to NetGalley, S.A. MacLean, and Hachette Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. All thoughts are my own.***

Thank you so much Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC audiobook of this story.

Eh, Cozy Fantasy just isn't for me after all. IT always depends of course, but I just wasn't in the mood for a magical zoo I guess.

That isn't to say that the idea wasn't imaginiative or the writing wasn't good.

3.5 rounded up. A very enjoyable fantasy I would call cozy with a delightful lil romance too. Aila is the head Phoenix Keeper at a zoo full of magical creatures and phoenixes are VERY endangered. Another zoo recently had their female phoenix and her chicks stolen by poachers, which is devastating to Aila, who dreams of taking phoenixes out of endangerment. She then does everything she can to restart the breeding program at her zoo with the female phoenix she cares for.

I liked this book for what it is. It’s cute, cozy, and has a ton of heart. I think it could’ve been a little shorter and Aila’s self centeredness really began grating on me around the halfway mark. Thankfully she grows as a person shortly after and I began to root for her a lot more. The relationships are believable and endearing and the book’s love of animals was so sweet.

Extra points for representing stock bros as society’s greatest evil.