review ~ phoenix feather by angela wallace

Title: Phoenix Feather
Author: Angela Wallace
# of Pages: 242
Published: May 19, 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy
My Copy: Kindle edition provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Average Rating: 4.00 / 5.00
My Rating: 4.00 / 5.00

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Goodreads Synopsis

Aidan Quinn is not entirely human. Every hundred years, she bursts into flame and is reborn from the ashes. Now she’s a grad student in Seattle, weary of these repetitious life cycles and grieving a lost love.

An obsession is born. Detective Bryan McCain is trying to solve the serial murders of young women with red hair. When his brother, Trent, starts dating a potential victim, Bryan has to pour everything he has into catching the killer, without losing himself in the process.

Aidan’s heart has been broken many times, but she just might have a little left for dashing fireman Trent McCain. Little does she know, the killer is on the hunt for a phoenix, and he’s getting closer.

My Thoughts

I was so thrilled to read this book!! The synopsis made this a must read for me, and I love the concept of the story. Aidan is a phoenix--a mythological creature that lives, dies, and rises from the ashes to be reborn into a new life. She meets a firefighter named Trent, and after much hesitation on her part, they begin dating. It's difficult for her to get close to people when she knows she'll keep on living after they die. I found it interesting that a woman who bursts into flame then is reborn from the ashes has fallen for a firefighter. :)

The pace at which their relationship grew was perfect--it wasn't too fast nor was it too slow. They complemented one another, and it seemed like this was the most genuine relationship Aidan has had throughout her many lives. I cared about these characters and absolutely adored them together. And what a stand up guy Trent is! He's there for Aidan when she needs him most, even when he didn't know her that well. Phoebe and Chris are twins and Aidan's best friends. Trent is immediately accepted by Phoebe and Chris and fits right in with them. I really liked the dynamics between the four of them. Trent is definitely swoon worthy, and they all cared about each other so much, they were like their own little family.

Trent's brother, Bryan, who's a cop, begins investigating a string of murders where the victims are all red heads. The killer is searching for the phoenix. A few times in the book, you're inside the mind of the killer. I wanted to know a little more about him, not to the point where he would become a main character, just more behind his motivations and knowledge.

This book explores life and death, and I like books that have me thinking beyond the story itself. I think that though it would be tempting to experience historical events and not have to worry about death being permanent, there are too many cons for me.

As a phoenix, Aidan deals with loneliness and fear of becoming close to people because she knows she'll die and come back, but they won't be here any longer. She's had to watch so many of her loved ones die--that would be too high of a price to pay for me. No more coming back to start a new life--I couldn't take all the grief and continually starting over. I wouldn't want to become attached to people only to miss them when they die and have to come back without them.

This was a beautifully told story that really tugged on my heartstrings and will tug on yours, too. I loved these characters so much, I felt like they were my family as well. I'm left wanting more!

Purchase the Book:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble (not yet available on Barnes & Noble but will be soon)

About the Author:

Angela Wallace has been penning adventures ever since she was sucked through a magical portal as a child. What she saw and whom she met gave birth to exciting and complex fantasy worlds where defying the laws of physics was a bonus. She has since come back down to earth, only to discover this mortal realm has magic of its own. Now she is quite at home in the world of urban fantasy, though believes that love, faith, and hope are of a stronger magic than fire wielding and sorcery. She loves gun-toting good boys, and could have been a cop in another life except real blood makes her queasy. She’ll have to stick to solving supernatural mysteries. Language is her pleasure, whether it’s weaving words on a page or lassoing linguistics into translations as a sign language interpreter. Angela is currently working on the next book in her Elemental Magic series.


You can find her at her blog:  http://angelawallace.wordpress.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/AngelaRWallace
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angela-Wallace-Author/232511253453440