Phoenix Fire (Phoenix Cycle #1) by S.D. Grimm
"Some of us embrace the light, even when it shines bright on the darkness inside of us."
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
This was honestly one of the hardest books I've ever had to rate. I considered giving it 3.5 stars, but ultimately gave it 4 because I really did like it anyway. The plot was just so cool and different. Imagine if Buffy had Sam and Dean as her brothers and you might just begin to grasp Ava, Nick, and Cade's family life. Then, you have to add on the fact that they're Phoenixes, a race of beings with supernatural powers reborn over and over again to hunt what goes bump in the night.
Ava has spent most of her life bouncing from foster home to foster home, never feeling quite like she belongs. Until, one dark night, Wyatt Wilcox comes crashing into her life. Suddenly, she starts getting flashes of memories from countless lives she has lived with only three constants: two brothers she doesn't know but feel like home and Wyatt and the deep, confusing feelings she has for him. She has questions, but the mysterious Wyatt tries to play things close to the vest; warning her to stay away while simultaneously pulling her closer. After her brothers, Nick and Cade, show up on the scene, she gets some answers and some training, but is still kept largely in the dark, which is the worst place to be. Because, not all Phoenixes are good and the Dark ones are out to get them.
This has the potential to be a 5 star series, but this first book did have some problems. The story appeared to jump a little sometimes and important was sometimes only half given/explained or missed altogether. This was partly because it was narrated by Nick, Cade, and Ava, who were all at different information stages and experiencing different kinds of flashbacks. I really enjoyed Cade's parts, but I think he should have just had his own book or novella because they just added to my confusion. The flashbacks themselves were also sometimes problematic because they tended to blend in too much to the rest of the text and I had trouble separating the past from the present off and on. However, issues aside, this was a good book. I just adore the Phoenix angle and complexities Grimm has going. Also, I absolutely love Wyatt and really liked that the author was able to keep his secret a surprise (at least from me). I can't wait to find out what happens next! The battle isn't over and if they want to win, they'll have to fight fire with Phoenix Fire.
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