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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
Lovely. Fluffy. Fun!
Not the most depth in the world... But it doesn't pretend to have depth. It's a queer romance story that is draped in a fantasy zoo setting. A lovely little palette cleanser for me after some heavier books.
Not the most depth in the world... But it doesn't pretend to have depth. It's a queer romance story that is draped in a fantasy zoo setting. A lovely little palette cleanser for me after some heavier books.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a cozy fantasy set in a magical zoo and it is just as charming as it sounds.
I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars, and ultimately land at a 3.5 rating. This book was very fun and had moments of serious adrenaline and action that had me on the edge of my seat (in a totally relaxed and comforting way lol). Truly, the vibes were great.
10/10 vibes
5/10 romance
This features a sloooooow burn queer romance (and I do love a slow burn), but their relationship was so messy and frustrating for the majority of the book. Aila has some very serious social and general anxiety that prevents her from comfortably communicating with people in most environments. BUT the main conflict between the two love interests revolves around a seemingly minor interaction from college several years earlier that she has literally held a grudge over to the point where she treats Luciana like GARBAGE for so long - miscommunication on steroids. It honestly just went way overboard and I found myself pushing to get through the awkward and uncomfortable "fighting". All of that also meant there was very little chemistry to build on until it all just hit at once.
I will say that the way the story pans out is fun and exciting - with heists and escaping danger and a mission to save the phoenixes at any cost. We have a (super predictable) villain and a satisfying ending. And learning about the zoo and especially the aviary through Aila's incredible passion was inspiring and sweet.
The audiobook was done very well, clear diction and a lot of passion in the delivery of lines. And different characters were easily discernable.
I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars, and ultimately land at a 3.5 rating. This book was very fun and had moments of serious adrenaline and action that had me on the edge of my seat (in a totally relaxed and comforting way lol). Truly, the vibes were great.
10/10 vibes
5/10 romance
This features a sloooooow burn queer romance (and I do love a slow burn), but their relationship was so messy and frustrating for the majority of the book. Aila has some very serious social and general anxiety that prevents her from comfortably communicating with people in most environments. BUT the main conflict between the two love interests revolves around a seemingly minor interaction from college several years earlier that she has literally held a grudge over to the point where she treats Luciana like GARBAGE for so long - miscommunication on steroids. It honestly just went way overboard and I found myself pushing to get through the awkward and uncomfortable "fighting". All of that also meant there was very little chemistry to build on until it all just hit at once.
I will say that the way the story pans out is fun and exciting - with heists and escaping danger and a mission to save the phoenixes at any cost. We have a (super predictable) villain and a satisfying ending. And learning about the zoo and especially the aviary through Aila's incredible passion was inspiring and sweet.
The audiobook was done very well, clear diction and a lot of passion in the delivery of lines. And different characters were easily discernable.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A mythical zoo full of animals that are outright magical and their underpaid keepers trying to care for them makes for a great setting of a fantasy novel. There was even a giftshop! Not gonna lie, I kind of want peacock griffin plushies to be a real thing... But anyways, I also loved how this story portrays relationships of all sorts and the special magic that is community. I will admit that the main character's anxiety loop does grate at times, especially towards the start, but sticking it out rewards the reader with more perspective as the main character grows and offers a better understanding of anxiety all around. Besides there's a good variety of cute animals each with their own little quirks that show their personalities to accompany the reader along the way.
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The Phoenix Keeper is a standalone queer cozy fantasy set in a world filled with magical creatures. Aila has always dreamed of working with phoenixes. Now the head phoenix keeper in a renowned zoo for magical creatures, she is determined to revive the zoo’s defunct phoenix breeding program. When a heist in a neighboring zoo opens up an opportunity, she seizes her chance. But between her crippling social ancient, the zoo’s aging facilities, the threat of poachers, a rival griffin keeper trying to outmaneuver her, and a budding romance with a handsome dragon keeper, she’s got her work cut out for her.
I ended up liking this book more than I expected, especially after such a rough start. At nearly 500 pages, it feels about a third too long for the cozy story it’s telling. There’s a lot of waiting around, and the pacing really needed tightening. The first third or so is mostly Aila beating herself down and wallowing in self-pity. But once the breeding program actually gets underway, the story picks up and leads to a fairly exciting climax that fits its cozy fantasy tone. While it’s undeniably a cozy fantasy, the fantastical element is really just the creatures, and the rest of the world feels essentially non-magical.
Aila could be kind of insufferable, often using her social anxiety as an excuse, but I was mostly able to look past that. While this was marketed as having a sapphic romance, Aila is actually bisexual and spent most of the book trying to make things work with a male coworker. I liked that choice as it played with our expectations, but that may not sit well with everyone. Either way, the romance is more of a subplot; the real heart of the story lies in the zoo-keeping and magical creature care and conservation.
The Phoenix Keeper could definitely benefit from some trimming down, but it can still be a satisfying low stakes cozy fantasy read.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i never knew i needed a book about a magical zoo until now
brb while i cry over these birbs
brb while i cry over these birbs