The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. Maclean

“Alia would never forget her first visit to the San Tamculo Zoo, eyes so wide on those vivid colors, those mesmerizing feathers. She forgot how much she hated school field trips. She forgot about holding back tears when none of her classmates wanted to sit with the nervous, quiet girl who kept to herself at lunch. Other visitors fawned over the gaudy tricks in the griffin show, the teeth of the diamondback dragon or jewel-headed carbuncles at the petting zoo, but what were all those theatrics compared to this? Something unique. Something vanishing. Hunted to extinction in the wild, Silimalo phoenixes lived on thanks to a coordinated breeding program across the world’s zoos- from the Pegasus-studded grasslands of Silimalo to the rocky plateaus of Movas, to the vast sand dunes of the Rankalian desert.”

-The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. Maclean

The Phoenix Keeper was gifted to me in early December by my very good friend Amy for Christmas. I dove right in and was absolutely swept away. I want to start off by saying this is some of the best goddamn world-building and character development ever. I love fantasy stories that surround magical creatures, but S.A. Maclean made me feel as if I were walking the grounds of this zoo every single day. Phoenixes and dragons felt like something I would see if I shut the book and drove to the nearest zoo. This book is immersive, powerful and utterly perfect.

Alia is the head phoenix keeper at the San Tamculo Zoo. Phoenixes are endangered, often hunted. When the opportunity to bring a phoenix breeding program to her zoo arises, Alia realizes she will do anything to protect these creatures and help them continue to thrive. But Alia takes work very seriously and she’s not good at socializing or interacting with others. Mostly keeping to herself, Alia goes to work, goes home and keeps doing research. Rinse, repeat. Her best (and only) friend, Tanya is always there for her, but even with the two of them working on the project, Alia knows she needs more help.

Luciana is the griffin keeper, part of Alia’s “sister” exhibit. The griffin exhibit draws big crowds because they put on a spectacular show, led by Luciana herself. Luciana and Alia don’t get along, they never have, not since college. When multiple people she works with and for suggests that she work with Luciana, Alia’s defenses go up and she is stuck having to face her pride and do what’s best for the animals she cares about. Luciana grudgingly helps Alia, and it’s not long before the two realize there have been a lot of misunderstandings between the two of them. Together, they do everything they can to bring the breeding program for the phoenixes to their zoo and make it successful.

This book is really complex because the characters grow and develop so much as the story unfolds. Alia reminded me a bit of myself when I first started college. Shy, reserved and struggling to come out of my shell. It was other people that helped me get out of that, and it’s her interactions with others that helps Alia too. She really transforms as the story goes on, just like the phoenixes she cares for. This story tests her pride, forces her to seek help where before she was independent, and also makes Alia realize how amazing she really is. She needs to believe in herself, just like those who know her do.

The Phoenix Keeper is a gorgeous, sapphic fantasy romance that is just splendid from start to finish. This was one of my favorite books of 2024 and it’s going to be my go to romance recommendation for awhile, so just expect it. I’m so excited to read more by this author, this book is a forever favorite already for me.